Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy Beer Review #craftbeer #weissbeer #review

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy from Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company comes weighing in at 4.2% ABV with 13 IBU’s.  This is definitely a blown up mainstream craft beer, since it actually has air time.  I figured since summer just ended I’ll try one out so it keeps the season going.  Hope you enjoy!

Appearance- I actually really like the appearance.  It is a very hazy brew that almost looks unfiltered.  With an aggressive pour there is about a 1 finger head with very little retention.  The color itself is a very pale yellow with a lot of haze to it.  It honestly looks quite nice.

Smell- Right off the initial nose, I of course get lime and lemon right away, but there is actually a decently strong vanilla aroma to it that I enjoy.  With the second sniff, I get a faint malt mixed in with even more lime than before.  The vanilla is really surprising me, if you look for it you’ll definitely pick it up.

Taste- The initial taste is very mild with undertones of lime predominately.  Immediately followed by almost a rancid malt after taste.  If placed on the tip of the tongue the lemon does really pop out, with just a bit of that sweet smelling vanilla.  Summer Shandy is kind of a huge let down on the taste, not a whole lot going on with it.

Mouthfeel- Incredibly watery and has a high drinkability.  I think this could definitely be a session beer for anyone because it is extremely thin and light.  It is OBVIOUSLY a summer beer.  It really reminds me of a pineapple brew I had in Taiwan incredibly watery but goes down smooth. 

Overall, Summer Shandy is decent.  I would drink this as a lawn mower beer if someone gave me it.  I would not ever buy it for myself mainly because that is not my go to brew.  I would recommend it to anyone who wants a Shandy in the summer, but not to any serious craft beer fanatic.  This is highly sessionable to say the least. CHEERS!

Shipyard Brewing Company Export Ale #blondeale #review #beer

Shipyard Export is brewed in Portland, Maine from shipyard brewing co.  It is a 5.1% ABV and a blonde ale.  Well, I got this brew from my good buddy and I am excited to try it. I am not a huge fan of blonde ales, but I am ready to review it.  Enjoy!

Appearance- For being a blonde ale, this beer is much darker than a regular blonde.  It is almost a brown orange instead of a straw yellow.  With an aggressive pour a two finger head appeared and it is lasting a bit.  It is totally transparent and highly carbonated.

Smell- A really rich malt hits the nose after the first initial smell.  I can smell a little bit of roastiness to the malt, but then followed by a bit of a grassy and crisp ending to it.  Definitely a grainy brew, but way less grassy than most blonde ales.

Taste- Off the initial taste, really all I get is a roasted malt on the tongue.  There is a little bit of a sour aftertaste as well.  With the second gulp, I do get more of that grain and a certain spice to it.  The aftertaste though on the second sip is actually kind of gross.

Mouthfeel- Definitely a medium bodied beer.  The drink-ability is actually pretty high, but I can actually taste the alcohol which is strange since it is only 5.1%.  I think it could be session-able but I am just not a huge blonde ale fan.

Overall, I would recommend this beer to someone I want to bridge over into the craft beer world.  It is a crafty enough but normal enough to get someone to transfer to the good side.  However, I would never buy this again for myself or any of my craft drinking friends.  CHEERS!

Raging Bitch Belgian style IPA #review #belgianIPA #beer

So, I kind of got this beer on a whim my buddy was going to the six pack shop and I gave him some money and said surprise me.  Therefore, I do not know much about this beer, other than the art work, so this is an unbiased opinion.  Enjoy!

Appearance- With an aggressive pour, a beautiful two finger creamy head appears and is lingering quite nicely.  It has a creamy head with large bubbles.  This brew is a deep amber/brown color with high carbonation.  Finally, it is fully transparent with heavy lacing. 

Smell- Off the initial smell, I get huge hints of apricot and yeast.  There are some serious malty and bready notes that attack your nostrils.  With further concentration I can really pick up some grapefruit and banana.  There are some serious tropical notes with German yeast.

Taste- Wow was not expecting that bitterness right away.  With the first large gulp a beautiful floral hop taste stays on the back of your tongue.  There is a huge presence of grapefruit and orange, and even banana.  The yeast and breadiness is also so prevalent on the initial palate then it is followed by those beautiful tropical fruit notes.

Mouthfeel- Definitely a full bodied brew for an IPA.  I would say it has a medium body with high drinkability.  The alcohol is present with 8.3% ABV so you can feel a little heat, but it is VERY well masked.  This is a dangerous brew with how smoothly it goes down with that amount of alcohol.

Overall- I really loved this beer.  First Belgian IPA I have had and I will definitely get more of them.  The German yeast mixed with the bitterness of an IPA truly makes my taste buds dance.  I would recommend this to any craft beer drinker for a change of pace.  Truly, this beer could turn you into a “Raging Bitch” with its incredibly drinkability.  CHEERS!

Rolling Rock Beer Review #beer #extrapale #lager

Rumor has it that Rolling Rock original recipe is from the monk's beer recipe at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.  Therefore, I cannot wait to try this beer because I am originally from this town and I know monks make a great brew.

Appearance- It is the stereotypical straw yellow color that an adjunct beer should have.  A decent head of foam formed that was about a finger and a half in height, yet it quickly disappeared.  There is a tiny bit of lacing on the glass.

Smell- Right away an over powering grain and corn shoots out of this beer.  There is also a very grassy and crisp element to it which actually is kind of more appealing than most beers of this category of beer.  I do smell the malt in this beer after digging deep into the scent.

Taste- There is a high corn concentration in this brew.  And quite honestly it has a sweet after taste to it, which is not too shabby.  If placed on the front of the tongue a little bit of hops can be detected but there is only trace amounts detected.  It definitely has the macro brewery taste to it.

Mouthfeel- Very similar to water.  It goes down incredibly smooth with little to no after bite.  This is definitely a session beer for an amateur beer drinker that does not like a lot of hops or IBU's

Overall, I would drink this beer again only if it was given to me for free (then again I would drink any free beer).  But I would recommend this to college kids and not really any adults who make decent money.  Rolling Rock just did not really impress me. They must have changed the monk’s recipe. CHEERS!

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA Review #IPA #review #craftbeer

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is often referred to as the best fair priced IPA.  It is consistently stated as a go to beer for many hop-heads out there such as myself.  I cannot wait to review this ever so respectable brew.  Enjoy!

Appearance- Beautiful golden amber hue to this beer.  With the initial pour, there is about a one finger head that seems to be lasting quite a while.  Definitely a creamy head but there are some large bubbles.  It has low transparency and has medium to high carbonation.  Great appearance to this beer.

Smell- With the first sniff of this IPA, I get a reasonable hit of floral and piney hops.  With the second waft, I get some tropical hints of orange with a crisp finish to the nose.  Final smell with a swirl of the glass there is definitely more presence of bitter hops there is a strong bit of hops in this beer without a doubt.

Taste- Right on the back of the tongue you get a beautiful dry pine and floralness to this brew.  Followed directly by that sense of orange that I pick up before with even a little grapefruit possibly.  Second sip I get wow way more of the tropical tastes with just a bite of hops to finish it off.  Very impressed with the taste especially the dryness on the back of the tongue.

Mouthfeel-  Very very smooth to drink for 7.2% it’s totally hidden and well balanced.  It is a medium bodied beer that is just light enough to enjoy multiple in an evening.  This mouthfeel is how I expect an American IPA to be.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this beer and would definitely keep a six pack of this at all times in the fridge.  I would recommend it to every craft beer drinker and even to those who are just now exploring the realms of IPA's.  There is a bitterness to it but not too overwhelming for anyone.  This beer is a two thumbs up.  CHEERS!