westcoastbrewreview

[westcoastbrewreview]

AleSmith Brewing Company - My Bloody Valentine Ale - Red Ale

This beer pours a deeep gorgeous crimson. Very light tan head, which lingers to coat the top of the beer nicely. Minimal lacing as it drinks.

On the nose, I’m getting floral notes with faint citrus hops..more burnt caramel presence as it warms.

My Bloody Valentine delivers a medium body drink, with really light carbonation. Pretty smooth through the mid.

On the tongue this one is grassy right up front, which doesn’t last long. This transitions to a sweet and malty taste. Toffee, roasty caramel in the rear. Finishes with toasty bittersweet chocolate, which absolutely rules but doesn’t linger.  Wouldn't really expect a lingering bitterness on a red/amber ale like this though.  Still, really nice component of MBV.

Overall, this is a bomb amber/red ale, probably one of my favorites. Love that sweet malty caramel toffee-ness is perfectly balanced by the unexpected level of bitterness here. I guess the bitterness makes sense though, given the beer’s message: 

“Pair this beer with jilted lovers, reservations for one, or your favorite emo album.” Pretty goddamn bitter. Happy early Valentine’s Day you sad bastards. 

4/5, Would definitely find this one again. Paired beautifully with pretzel sticks and cream cheese…I’m simple, fuck off.

 -Jesse

[westcoastbrewreview]

He'brew St. Lenny's

so every now & then I go into a store & ask the person work the beer case to pick me a beer. this person gave me st Lenny's which is a Belgian style double rye IPA as most of y'all know I have great distane for belgin beers but this uses Belgian yeast with a double rye IPA recipe so here are my thoughts on it. I poured st Lenny in a glass & was suprises to see that it was amber in color instead of golden which was a pleasnt surprise that's due to the rye. after I let the head settle a bit I took long deep breath & there were major pine notes & that familiar sweet Belgian yeasty smell with hints of citrus like a beer brewed with Belgian yeast. I'm not a fan of the Belgian beer smell or taste. as I took my 1st sip I was surprised at how much it tasted like the inversion IPA by the dechutes guys, another beer I don't enjoy. the pine notes became almost unbareable as the Belgian yeast added a sweetness that made me wonder why I was drinkin this offering from he'brew. st Lenny is sweet & hoppy in all the wrong places I didn't find the balance of the hops,rye & yeast were just awful. I'm sure why breweries mess with a good thing by adding different yeast. I think I would have like st Lenny better if it was just a double rye IPA with ale yeast. I wouldn't recommend this if you are lookin for an enjoyable drinkin experience but if you're just lookin for a buzz this will do just that at 10% abv which is the best part of st lenny. my dog Koufax who enjoys most beers enjoyed it but I think he just wanted to catch a buzz. To warp up this review skip st Lenny & buy a double IPA that you will enjoy. after finishin the beer I thought about how many beers I've drank that I found that I wanted to pour down the drain st Lenny almost made me do it. jB #beerresercher #craftbeer #hooraycerveza #R&D

[westcoastbrewreview]

Bells Brewery - Expedition Stout

It's been about a year and a half since I've had Expedition Stout from Bells, but I've definitely been dreaming of this tasty bastard ever since.  Moving to California has given me the opportunity to drink some of the best beers I've ever had...but goddammit I miss Bells. 

Expedition pours an almost pitch, opaque black with a small, short-lived creamy tan head.  Minimal lacing here, but it's still pretty gorgeous. 

On the nose I’m getting a little black licorice, alcohol, and faint toffee notes

Expedition has a little carbonation bite up front..which melts into a creamy, medium to heavy body mouthfeel..stupid delicious.

On the palate I get roasted malts right up front.  This is followed by fleeting dark fruit notes in the mid which are juxtaposed (suck it nerds) by a light, slightly bittersweet chocolate...roasted dark coffee in the back of the tongue. After the drink there’s an incredible lingering black coffee bitterness...a little hoppy here too, with a slight alcohol presence...the beer’s most intense and delicious feature...I do love a beer with a nice back-end (ayeee).  Even though I'm a sucker for bitter/hoppy beers, I wish the roastiness of the malt and creaminess of the chocolate in this beer were as intense as the lingering coffee/hoppy bitterness, this would have been a PERFECT balance.

Still, this has to be one of my favorite stouts.  An amazing drink for sure..find out.

A+

-Jesse

[westcoastbrewreview]

DC Brau - On The Wings of Armageddon - Imperial IPA

I gotta say, I miss me some East Coast beers.  I scored this guy through a recent beer trade having never tried it before.  I’ve had other DC Brau beers, but nothing I was too crazy impressed by.  This, however, is fucking phenomenal.   

OTWOA (not spelling that out every damn time) pours a somewhat hazy, amber orange with little to no white head.  No lacing, don’t care.

On the nose I’m getting a littlebittuh tropical fruits.  Also pretty grassy and musky..I’m into it.

Mouthfeel gives a sharp crispness throughout, really light on the palate.

Right off the bat there’s a righteous hop punch in the mouth.  I’m getting grapefruit and tropical fruit notes with said punch…the mid is a pretty piney.  The hops in this monster fill the mouth with an overall coat of dank resinous palate annihilation…an ARMAGEDDON for one’s taste buds, if you will (tuhuhuh). This fun little element pretty much takes things over in the mid and back of the drink…ain’t even mad though, really masks the already weak malt backbone.  I love a nice balanced beer just as much as the next nerd, but with beers like OTWOA, I’m cool with diving in the deep end of that hop pool without my malt floaties (what the hell am I talking about).  There’s also a faint lingering booziness that I’m not too thrilled about, but I can get past it.

I loved this beer.  Enough said.

A+

[westcoastbrewreview]

Moscow Russian Imperial Stout - Midnight Sun Brewing Company - 11% ABV

This guy is part of the Alaska's Most Wanted series for a damn good reason...find out.

Moscow pours an opaque black, I’d say a nice 10w-30…gorgeous dark khaki, almost brown head with minimal lacing.

Aroma gives chocolate notes, little hints of the rye too, which is super nice.  Slight alcohol, almost bourbony (score!), coming through…but less than I expected for an 11 percenter.  The rye component comes through a lot more as the beer warms.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth, pretty thick throughout, and a tiny bit syrupy up front and on the roof of the mouth, but finishes clean.

On the tongue I get the spicy rye bite right up front.  Roasty malt character in the mid accompanied by a bittersweet (weighing more towards bitter) chocolate goodness.  At the back of the drink I’m getting awesomely bitter coffee with the 45 IBUs making their presence known..loove.  The alcohol is definitely present in the back of the mouth, which kind of lingers with that bitterness...only slightly off-putting element for me.  The rye is definitely there throughout too, but gets kind of masked by the huge malty chocolaty mid..it's really just right up front and on the finish.  I'm also getting dark fruit notes layered in there.

This is definitely a super complex beer and I love every layer.  Slightly boozy on the finish, but, uh, who gives a shit.  The best part of Moscow for me is the progression of the beer as you drink it, each layer just as pronounced as the previous: Rye > Roasted dark malts > Dark chocolate/Dark stone fruits > Bitter black coffee > Rye/Hops.  I dig the hell out of Moscow, one of the best stouts I’ve had in a while.  Highly recommended.

SOLID A

  Jesse

[westcoastbrewreview]

archer IPA by saint archer brewing

so I was lookin over the beer selection @ my office & came across this brewery that I've never heard of but I figured since they brew in San Diego I'll give it a try. these are my thoughts on the IPA by saint archer. as I poured the beer in a glass I couldn't help but notice the color. the blonde Belgian look of this beer reminds of a star color but looks are deceiving as we all know. smells of grapefruit & orange with slight lemon notes but I thinks mostly the color of the beer. to this beer is hop forward would be an understatement with a blend of Amarillo,simcoe, centennial, chinook Columbus, & citra to round it all out makes for a very enjoyable well rounded IPA. I would recommend this to those lookin for a something that isn't overly dry & with the blend if hops that the brewers used can you really go wrong?? no, no you can't. next time you stop by your local liquor or grocery store look for saint archer brewings IPA. jB #craftbeer #beerreasercher "friends don't let friends drink bad beer." hunter S. Thompson.

[westcoastbrewreview]

mission brewing Cortez gold

I'm going to start by sayin I'm not a fan of the Belgian,wit/wheat & or hefe beer styles. so i guess my opinion in regurds to this beer might be skewed so please bear with me. I poured this beer into a glass & it was gold in color which is not a surprise because it a golden Belgian beer. the aroma that comes off this beer is that of citrus & honey, more like an over ripe lemon not surprised because of the style of this beer. it's taste like every other Belgian/wit/ wheat I've ever had. this style lacks depth & overall drink ability. it's easy drinkin if you like this beer style. the toughest part of drinkin this beer was the vessel it comes in is a 32oz can & I'm a huge fan of craft beer in large vessels just not this offering by mission brewing. I would not buy this again only becuse my pallet as evolved & has out grown overly sweet beer like this one, blue moon or 312 by goose island. if you are a fan of this style of beer or are not lookin for somethin that has zero hops look for the white & gold can from mission brewing on your store shelves. jB #craftbeer #beerresercher #

[westcoastbrewreview]

Ballast Point Brewing Company – Grapefruit Sculpin IPA

  I’ve waited a long time to try this one.  Sculpin IPA was always a good go-to, but got to the point where I just really wasn't interested in drinking it any more.  Grapefruit Sculpin, however, is pretty goddamn good…definitely interested now.

  Grapefruit Sculpin pours a bright clear golden amber with a small white head that dissipates pretty quickly…no real lacing retention.

  The aroma was almost 100% grapefruit.  Some light floral notes snuck in, and there was a general yet subtle soapy smell..kind of weird, but nothing off-putting.

  The mouthfeel is really light and super crisp throughout the drink.  Good shit.

  This beer is a big ol’ grapefruit bomb.  There’s a little hop bite right up front, which gives way to a smooth citrus taste from front to back..a really clean, lightly bitter white grapefruit.  In the rear there’s a grassy bitterness that slightly overlays the grapefruit but it in no way covers it up.  This was nice because it brought the bitterness level up a notch. 

  This bad boy is all grapefruit.  I really dig this beer.  A lot more smooth and drinkable than I expected.  Love that the one-notedness of G. Sculps doesn’t ruin the beer or make it boring.  I definitely like this one better than the standard Sculpin.  Find out.

    This one’s gettin an A.

[westcoastbrewreview]

Calicraft Brewing Company, San Jose, CA – The Wobblies Imperial Wet Hop Ale

  I have no idea why I haven’t explored Calicraft Brewing Company more, seeing as I’ve lived minutes from this brewery for over a year.  I always love an opportunity to try out local craft beers, and I’ve been doing a pretty bad job at this since I’ve moved out west.  Downtown San Jose definitely did not disappoint here.

  This DIPA pours a clean, clear, light amber.  Really good lookin off-white head that doesn’t stick around.  Minimal lacing…whatever.

  Love this aroma of this guy..Got a little grass here, maaybe some floral notes, and definitely an awesome dank earthy smell going on.  Reminds me of wet grass with a little mud…but that’s probably just me.

  The mouthfeel on The Wobblies is my least favorite part.  The beer is wet and slippery (eyebrow raise) throughout the drink, pretty easy drinker for a double IPA.  There’s a little carbonation up front too.  It feels almost syrupy at points too..meh.

  HOWEVER…This is a tasty beer.  Not a whole lot if intensity right up front, just a little hop bite (a pinch) that yields a few grassy notes.  This melts to a smooth yet intense earthy, resin-y mid.. which in my opinion makes the beer.  The finish is piney, but not too intense..love that this doesn’t overpower the beer, as is usually the case with IPAs that finish piney.  There’s a lingering bitterness here, but it’s not palate wrecking…actually nice for a change.  Overall,

The Wobblies is a really dynamic, easy drinking, enjoyable double IPA.  Find out.

  A- for sure.  Pairs nicely with Fritos…judge me.

[westcoastbrewreview]

Uinta Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, UT – Hop Nosh IPA

  Haven’t had this beer since I was living back on the East Coast and it was known as “Hop Notch.”  I honestly didn’t even notice the change, due to the similarity of the words and the exact same label, but when someone out here in CA corrected me when I said “notch,” I was thoroughly confused.  This name change was driving me nuts because I thought both beers existed and it was an East Coast/West Coast thing..and I really couldn’t wrap my head around what the point of that could be.  But apparently looking shit up and not just assuming things is really the way to go..thanks google. http://www.brewbound.com/news/uinta-brewing-changes-name-of-hop-notch-ipa-following-trademark-dispute

In any event, the beer:

  This one pours a hazy amber orange, one of my favorite looks for an IPA.  I get a pretty decent ¾ inch off white head, which leaves a fair amount of lacing…nothing crazy.

  On the nose, Hop Nosh..Notch..whatever who gives a shit..gives a nice clean piney aroma, with faint floral notes.  Nice little hop preview here.

  The mouthfeel of this beer is a dry bite throughout the drink, a characteristic of some of my favorite IPA’s.  I really love it when a beer can completely take over my palate like that, especially when it’s a standard IPA.  Minimal carbonation here too..score.

  Up front I get light crisp grapefruit notes, which are swiftly masked by a hoppy, piney mid, which I’m not too keen on (tastes a little simcoe-y..meh).  To accompany the piney mid is a slight hint at a malt backbone…but who cares about all that nonsense.  This mid gets completely destroyed by a grassy bitter finish, which lingers in the back of the throat for a good while..love this.  However, as the beer drinks and warms, I get a faint gross piney, simcoe-like aftertaste, which is kind of annoying because of how slight it is..like it's just barely there just to be a dick...rude…I’ll live.

  This is a solid IPA which I will definitely be getting again.  Love the grassy bitterness and the dry, hoppy bite throughout the drink.  Find out.

  I’ll give it a solid B..B+ if I’ve already been drinking a little.

  -Jesse

[westcoastbrewreview]

review of port brewin hot rocks lager

hello craft beer amigos I was tasked to write up the new offering from port brewing out of San Marcos CA (near San Diego) this is what I came up with. i was amazed when I poured this beer in a glass to find it was not light in color or smell like a lager would lend itself to be but rather dark & roubust like a Porter stout would be. the aroma comin of the beer was rich chocolate notes with hints of black olives. the beer as a good mouth feel with a mildy clean roasted finish. this breaks the mold of any lager/pilsner I've ever had. I'm a fan of everything port brewing offers but this is by far one of the oddest beers I've had & I don't mean odd in a good way. I would not reccomend this to a person lookin for something light & crisp on a warm day. I don't think I would buy this offering from port brewing again.#craftbeer #beerreasrcher

[westcoastbrewreview]

An Introduction

What’s up Tumblr…This is a blog on craft beer.  Corporate Big Beer and its affiliates, while we have them to thank for a surplus of potential craft beer converts, can fuck right off.  Craft brewing is one of the most exciting art forms in the food and beverage industry…a medium through which independent brewers and the whole craft beer community can convey endless flavor profiles that represent anything from local and regional pride, to preservation of traditional brewing techniques, to sheer experimentation and discovery.

  This blog will contain review, critique, and commentary on all things craft beer.  My name is Jesse…grab a beer and lets hang out.

  -J