We went on vacation this week to the Oregon coast. It was a good time to get away for a night, but it didn't come without a price. The thing is that I don't really tan well, so I'm usually either really pale or if for some reason I am retarded and go out into the sun without sunblock I am lobster red and in pain. This was the later case and it is now two days later and I can now finally walk without too much pain. Wish me a speedy recovery.
Anyways, the drinking went like this: Some time on Sunday it must have been I had the Pale Ale, on Monday morning I got two cavities filled in, took a nap, and headed for the beach that afternoon. That night in Manzanita, OR where we stayed at a very nice little inn, we went to the San Dune Pub for some late night grub and I had a Guinness on tap. After coming back home I had a bottle of what we will call Foreign Extra Stout. Now on the the critique.
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale from Tadcaster, England was an interesting beer, what was most interesting is the contrast between this one and the Sierra Nevada Pale I had some time before. First thing to note is that the beer is not really pale at all, it was more of an amber in color, and not much of a head retention. Not much hops in the aroma, but had some nice malt complexity. The taste was pleasant, again much more malty than hoppy with decent carbonation. This went very well with some aged sharp white cheddar. This beer came in one of the darkest brown 550ml bottles I've ever seen, and had a ABV of 5%.
On a 0-3 scale: 2 (for rating info see first tasting)
Would I buy it again: Yes
Would I recommend to a friend: Yes, but not as an example of what is typically known as a Pale Ale here in the west
What would I do different: maybe a little more hops, but who knows the trip from England could have spoiled it.
What would I do different: maybe a little more hops, but who knows the trip from England could have spoiled it.
So of course I had to have a Guinness on a nitro tap. Nitro tap just means that the keg of beer is pressurized with nitrogen gas instead of carbon dioxide, and because nitrogen is a smaller bubble the beer comes out very very foamy and has a very smooth mouth-feel without the prickly bite of the CO2. Typicality nitro taps would have stouts or cream ales but also other beers are interesting to try on nitrogen. This beer was as you can see in the picture and as is typical of the nitro, had a creamy head with the bubbles flowing up for a very long time. The color of it should actually be almost black, but the foam makes it look brown. The foam is so fluffy and different from normal beer bubbles. The taste of this beer was actually only ok, a little bland. I wish it had some kind of kick to it, but it makes for a very easy drinking beer which with a 4.2% ABV, there is some room to do so.
On a 0-3 scale: 2 (for rating info see first tasting)
Would I buy it again: I'm sure I will have another one it's a classic
Would I recommend to a friend: Yes, have to try it at least once
What would I do different: I wish it had a little more taste to it
What would I do different: I wish it had a little more taste to it
Deschutes Obsidian Stout is a beer that I am happy to present if only to spotlight my favorite brewery, it it is much more than that. This beer is just a beauty to look at. Dark as can be with an amazing tan foamy head that lasts for a long time. The aroma is malty and complex. This beer had a pretty good hop presence in the taste and a good malt balance with a good coffee taste. Well balanced and a pleasure to drink. Now I am not the biggest fan of stouts, so I don't love it as much as other beers I've had, but if I was to judge it within the style, it would be top notch. The beer is a 6.4% ABV and based on the many awards it has won in the foreign export category I am placing it there even though http://beeradvocate.com/ is calling it an American Stout. The food paring was my wife's delicious sea food boil, no doubt inspired by the trip to the beach.
On a 0-3 scale: 2, it would be a 3 if I was comparing it to beers within the style (for rating info see first tasting)
Would I buy it again: Yes probably will
Would I recommend to a friend: Yes, especially if looking for a good dark beer
What would I do different: It was perfect
What would I do different: It was perfect
