Sagres - Portuguese Brew

This is arguably the most popular and readily available Portuguese beer. It's a medium bodied and somewhat cheap tasting lager made with Water, Barley Malt, Non Malted Grains (Maize), and Hops.

A buddy who sells this stuff was kind enough to get me a case of it for a camp out I was going on with some close friends! We took it along with us and drank the whole case but what was funny is we were poking fun at the beer almost the whole trip.

We commonly spoke with a make believe and really weird sounding Portuguese/Mexican accent!

SAAGGGREESSS!

Samuel Adams "Brewmasters Collection" Blackberry Witbier

Region of Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
Style: Witbier
Alcohol Content: 5.5% abv
Ideal Serving Temp: 55-60F


I'm a huge fan of Witbier when I feel like a lighter style beer that can be refreshing and can be drunk in the early afternoon. This beer from the Sam Adams "Brewmasters Collection" is brewed with two-row Harrington and Metcalfe malted barley and generous portions of malted wheat. They also use the traditional orange peel and coriander, and then the used Oregon Marion Blackberries to give the beer a perfect balance of sweetness to combine with the hops and barley.

The aromas of the beer suggest that it could be sweeter than expected, but when you taste the beer you realize that it's very well balanced on the palate and the blackberry is drier and more earthy then expected.

There is a very nice spiciness to this beer that combines with the Blackberry to give it an overall nice aftertaste with just subtle amounts of fruitiness. I love how it's not your typical fruit beer. Some can be way to sweet but this one actually tastes like real blackberries, which are more soil driven in flavor and not extremely candied or sugary.

The beer also improves in aroma when it warms a bit and I recommend a bit higher serving temperature for this brew.

Flaying Dog Brewery

I have always been extremely found of this brewery! Not only because of the super-cool labeling done by my favorite painter Ralph Steadman but because they make really good beer!

Their Gonzo Imperial Porter is an amazingly dark and rich beer and if you're lucky you'll find a release that's a couple of years old and has been kept well stored. The beer is even better a bit aged!!

Flying Dog Brewery or Brewpub was founded in 1990 by George Stranahan and Richard McIntyre in Aspen, Colorado. A fewyears later they met up with Ralph Steadman in the "Woody Creek Tavern" an "things got a whole lot weirder".

Eventually the partners opened up a state of the art brewery in Frederick, Maryland and now they ship over 500,000 cases a year across the country.

Their beers include:
Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale

In-heat Wheat Hefeweizen

Old Scratch Amber Lager
Road Dog Porter
Tire Bite Golden Ale
Snake Dog India Pale Ale

Seasonal Brews:

Garde Dog
Woody Creek White Belgium White
Dogtoberfest Marzen
K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale

Canis Major Series:

Gonzo Imperial Porter

Horn Dog Barley Wine

Double Dog Double Pale Ale

Kerberos Tripel

Deschutes Black Butte XXI - 21st Anniversary Porter

Region of Origin: Bend, Oregon

Style: Porter
Alcohol Content: 11% abv
Ideal Serving Temp: 45F-50F

I was actually in Portland at the Deschutes brew pub on the 27th of June, 2009 which was the 21st Anniversary and so this beer has extra special sentiments for me. Being my favorite brewery it was special to taste their 21st Anniversary beer on the 21st Anniversary!

Its a Porter brewed with chocolate beans and coffee and 20% is aged in Bourbon barrels. It as beautiful dark chocolate and espresso aromas and is almost even a bit exotic with some fruity amarula fruit aromas. On the palate it is rich and bitter with flavors of dark chocolate, coffee bean, molasses, and just a hint of Bourbon flavor.

This is really a beer that needs to be appreciated as if it were fine wine or Cognac. In fact, at the brew pub the served it in snifters. I don't own a snifter so I just poured it in a Chimay glass. It's really a brilliant beer but needs a bit more time in the bottle to mellow out. On the label it even states that the beer is best after the year 2010.

Pyramid Thunderhead India Pale Ale

Region of Origin: Pacific Northwest, US
Style: India Pale Ale
Alcohol Content: 6.7 abv
Ideal Serving Temperature: 50-55 F 

This IPA from Pyramid is a very subdued style IPA that has some nice hop flavor but is not really bitter. It almost tastes a bit like Sierra Nevada pale but perhaps a bit sweeter and not as crisp. It goes down really smooth and has a nice aromatic and hoppy finish, but like I said it's not really that bitter. For the malts they use: 2-Row Barley, Munich 10L, Caramel, Carapils, and for the hops: Nugget, Summit, or Tomahawk.

Overall this is a nice beer for those being introduced to IPA or for someone that likes a hoppy beer but one that isn't over the top on bitterness. It has some sweetness that I believe is brought on by the malts which will be nice for those looking for a less edgy IPA.

2008 Deschutes "the dissident" Flanders Style Brown Ale

Region of Origin: Bend, Oregon

Style: Flanders Style Brown Ale
Alcohol Content: 9.0 abv
Ideal Serving Temp: 45F-50F

I have been saving this beer in my refrigerator for awhile until I could have the time to properly analyze it and give it my full attention. It comes from one of my favorite breweries and is a Oud Bruin, Flander's style sour brown ale. It was fermented for 18 months apart from the rest of the brews at Deschutes because of the wild yeasts. The flavors are amazingly unique with lots of tart cherry and beautiful fruit aromas. This might just be the best brew I've tasted in a very long time! The beer is amazingly smooth and fruity but maintains a balanced with sweetness and bitterness. Wow, I wish I had picked up a full case of this stuff. I can picture myself having 3-4 of these and because of the complete alcohol integration. The finish is clean and smooth and the cherry's are crisp and delicious! Love this beer! Absolutely love it! Get one if you can.

Ayinger Celebrator

Region of Origin: Upper Bavaria, Germany
Style: Double Bock (Doppelbock)
Alcohol Content: 5.76 abw (7.2 abv)
Ideal Serving Temp: 48F

Ayinger's famous Doppelbock is one of the most highly rate beers on the market and rightly so. It's a rich, dark, and appetizing brew that brings a seductive dose of hops, coffee, and malt. The name derives from the Paulaner monks who called such beers "liquid bread" and termed them "Salvator" or "Savoir". Each beer was a celebration of life and sustenance from God! It was originally called "Fortunator" , but was felt to be too clumbsy when the beer was exported to the US. This beer is a great winter of early spring time brew that will keep you nice and warm. The think and heavy weight of this Doppel, coupled with a good dose of Alcohol will warm your body to the core!