AW's Beer Reviews

[AWMiller]

Redhook ESB
Redhook Ale Brewery | Woodinville, Washington USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  Extra Special/Strong Bitter

ABV - 5.8%

IBU - 28

My personal notes:  This brew poured up a clear, amber colored body with a hearty head that was very creamy that soon dissipated to a thin sheen on top and left minimal lacing on the glass.  This one smelt very lively dominant with hops which lent it a citrusy smell and hints of light caramel.  Medium-bodied and very easy on the drinkability scale.  Sweet malts are tasted first followed by a good hoppy bite (much like grapefruit).  As the brew warmed the scents and flavors intensified more pleasingly. The finish is crisp and dry and powerful. Grilled pork or perhaps some grilled or roasted venison would make a great pairing with this brew.

[AWMiller]

Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Rogue Ales | Newport, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style:  Maibock / Helles Bock

ABV - 6.5%

My personal notes:  Truly a brew for quality quaffing! This brew poured up an amber colored body with a bubbly thin head that dissipated rather quickly and left good lacing effects on the glass. Sweet aromas of malt, hops, and island fruits (almost like jack-fruit which is used to make Juicy Fruit gum).  Medium-bodied, smooth, easy on the drinkability scale.  Very malty so it has a good ‘thickness’ to it. The finish is so creamy and clean with no harsh aftertastes of any sort.  Definitely a brew to pair up with grilled or smoked fish!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

San Miguel Pale Pilsen
San Miguel Corporation | Manila, Philippines
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style:  Adjunct Pilsener

ABV - 5%

My personal notes:  Another great go-to of mine in the adjunct (mass produced) beers! A twist of lemon or lime and let’s fire up the grill or fryer! This brew poured up clear golden-colored body sporting a very bubbly head that quickly dissipated down to a thin sheen that left marginal lacing effects on the glass.  Strong aromas of warm bread, fruits, and something akin to honeysuckles. Very light bodied and well-carbonated.  Sweet malty flavors with an exceedingly refreshing finish with no harsh aftertastes. This brew should be a staple at your BBQ or fish fry. Seriously good brew!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Sol
Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, S.A. de C.V. | Monterrey (Nuevo León), Mexico
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style:  Adjunct Lager

ABV - 4.5%

My personal notes:  This is a staple macro-brew for me whether i’m here in Texas or chillin’ down in Los Cabos! A squeeze of lemon or lime and time to drink! This brew poured up a crystal clear body with a thin foamy head that dissipated quickly and left marginal lacing effects on the glass.  Aromas of corn and grains.  Strong flavors of corn and hops in the light-bodied, easy-drinking brew.  The finish is very dry and full of grains. Paired perfectly with grilled fish but more so with grilled oysters topped with a spicy habanero pepper salsa!! Ay Caramba, gimme a Sol!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

San Miguel Dark Lager
San Miguel Corporation | Manila, Philippines
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style:  Euro Dark Lager

ABV - 5%

My personal notes:  This brew poured up a dark, chocolaty brown body with a thick, foamy mocha-colored head with awesome retention and lacing effects on the glass.  Aromas and flavors full of hops, caramel, malts, and smoke from those old-timey smokehouses up in the Ozark Mountains. Light- to Medium-bodied, smooth, with a very clean finish that’s not too hoppy with a touch of vanilla lingering long afterwards. Definitely a brew to pair up with smoked meats or wild game! I had it with some venison steaks and veggies!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Erdinger Weissbier (Hefe-Weizen)
Erdinger Weissbräu | Erding, Germany
Purchased @ Kegs & Corks - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style:  Hefeweizen

ABV - 5.6%

My personal notes:  This brew poured up a murky, orange-colored body with a foamy off-white head with fairly good retention and lacing effects on the glass.  Careful on the pour of these hefeweizens a yeast is present in the bottle.  Pour 3/4 of the bottle and then gently swirl the bottle around a few times and then pour the rest into the glass; this helps break up the yeast components and enhance the look of the brew. Aromas of wheat, cloves, warm banana nut bread (or is it homemade banana pudding?).  Medium-bodied, creamy smooth, with a nice spicy (clove-like) finish with just a bite from the hops to blend well with all that sweetness. I would consider this a table-brew much like what you would find in a table wine at a restaurant.  Not a bad brew but definitely not in the line a great brews in the hefeweizen style.  Pairs well with grilled fish or shrimp.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Ommegang Abbey Ale
Brewery Ommegang | Cooperstown, New York USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style:  Dubbel

ABV - 8.5%

My personal notes:  Dubbels are just an amazing ale and this brew doesn’t fall short of greatness!  This brew poured up a deep, dark copper-colored body topped off with one hearty, bubbly (tiny bubbles) head with a retention and lacing effects like nothing I have ever experienced!  I was still licking up foam when the liquid was completely gone! Aromas of sweet roasted malts, caramel, toffee, honeycomb, dark fruits (grapes, figs), and cloves along with other spices. The flavors are so complex that you must truly enjoy this brew on your own to gain a true understanding of what I try to describe.  Medium-bodied, smooth and a finish that is dry and spicy. Truly worthy of induction into my all-time favorites list! Paired up with a hearty roast beef dinner or perhaps a succulent Shepherd’s Pie, this ale will certainly not disappoint!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Maui Brewing Big Swell IPA
Maui Brewing Co. | Lahaina, Hawaii USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  IPA

ABV - 6.2%

IBU - 50+

My personal notes:  Egads that’s one hoppy brew!!! That’s one big swell of hops! Wooooooooo doggie!!!  I must confess, being a malt-head I tell it like I taste it but I do work on developing a liking for hoppy brews.  But if you like hops, then this brew is for you!! This brew poured up a clear orange-colored body that sported one of the most dazzling heads of foam I’ve ever poured up or seen poured!  The swell in that head looked like the swells we see at Hale’iwa (North Shore on Oahu)! The retention was very good and the lacing effects were fantastic! When you open the can your sense of smell is smacked with a huge wave of grapefruit (from the hops) along with some faint hints of malts and caramel.  That’s a smack filled with ‘aloha’ mind you!! Flavors are full of grapefruit with some orange mixed in here and there.  Thankfully there is enough malts mixed in that kept my face from puckering entirely up from all that hops!  Hey, they did warn on the bottom of the front of the can that this brew was hoppy!  This is a medium-bodied brew that has a ‘slickery’ feel to it.  The finish is … hoppy! I would definitely pair this brew up with a deep fried crab topped with a habanero-mango salsa!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the 'bier vorgeschmack' and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Rahr & Sons Pecker Wrecker
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company | Fort Worth, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Double/Imperial Pilsner

ABV - 7%

This brew is just absolutely amazing! It poured up a beautiful, rich, dark amber-colored body that formed up a huge frothy head with amazing retention and lacing effects which lasted until the beer is gone! Aromas of caramel, sweet malts, citrus fruits (orange and maybe a bit of lemon), hops, and spices. There’s a nice hoppy hit up front followed by sweet malt for a mellowed, somewhat dry finish. Paired this tasty brew with smoked brats & creamed golden hominy casserole for an amazing dinner!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #11
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Double/Imperial IPA

ABV - 8.9%

IBU - 76

Another fine brew from the folks at Saint Arnold Brewing! This brew poured up a deep, dark amber colored body sporting a nice frothy head with moderate retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of citrusy hops, caramel, sweet malts, and warm biscuits. Medium-bodied and full of well-balanced flavor. Nice, subtle hoppy hit up front followed up with the sweet malts and caramel on the finish. Very refreshing indeed! A great brew for the BBQ or fish fry! Pair it up with some grilled/smoked meats or some grilled/smoked salmon.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Boulevard Pilsner
Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  German-style Pilsner

ABV - 4.8%

IBU - 16

A good standard fare in this pilsner line, this brew poured up a crystal clear light amber colored body with a thin head that had minimal retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas are very, very faint: grains, hops, malts, and a light lemony scent. Light-bodied and very easy on the drinkability level with a crisp, clean finish that has no bitter or harsh aftertaste.  Great to pair up with a poultry meal or perhaps a grilled fish/seafood dinner.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Butte Creek Organic Pilsner
Butte Creek Brewing Company | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  German-style Pilsner

ABV - 4.1%

This brew poured up a semi-cloudy, light golden colored body with a pearly white thin foamy head with minimal retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of grains, light hops, and something akin to sourdough bread. Light- to Medium-bodied, the sweet malts are savored first with a nice bite from the hops on the finish to make for a crisp, dry ending.  The finish is slightly bitter but nothing overbearing. Being my first ‘organic’ brew to try, I’d pair this one up with some fried chicken (home-style, not that fast food stuff) or some blackened fish.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Left Hand Stranger APA
Left Hand Brewing Company | Longmont, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Pale Ale (APA)

ABV - 5%

IBU - 36

Definitely one of the purtiest brews I’ve seen in a while! This brew poured up a crystal clear, topaz colored body with a hefty head with amazing retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas are just abundant an amazing: citrus fruit, hops, and a slight hint of sweet malts. Quite full of hops but nothing too harsh or overbearing (at least for this malt-head!). Good spice notes with grapefruit and some lemon flavors mixed in.  Medium-bodied with a very easy drinkability level with a nice, dry finish that has just a slight kick from the hops.  Definitely a good brew to pair up with a juicy rotisserie chicken, creamed spinach, corn-on-the-cob, and fresh baked bread!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Steinlager Pure
New Zealand Breweries Limited | Aotearoa, New Zealand
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  Euro Pale Lager

ABV - 5%

This being my first brew from New Zealand, I’m quite amazed at this hearty brew in such a teeny-tiny can! The brew poured up a clear, straw-colored body with a light foamy head which dissipated slowly but with minimal lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of warm biscuits, sweet malts, grains, light hops, lemons … very well-balanced. Light-bodied, easy to drink, with a smooth, clean, refreshing finish with only a slight bitter aftertaste. An excellent brew to pair up with some spicy, Cajun-style shrimp/crawfish or a hearty Cajun gumbo!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Rheingold Beer
Rheingold Brewing Co. | Wilton, Connecticut USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Pale Lager

ABV - 5%

Well, I hate to give out a negative review but this brew just didn’t hold up to any sort of expectation of mine.  This brew poured up a clear, straw-colored body the head was barely visible (no lacing effects at all) and dissipated so quickly that I barely had time to get it in the photo! Aromas are barely detectable but there’s just a tad bit of hops and malts; sadly it was rather bland smelling. Light-bodied and so easy to drink you wouldn’t know you were drinking a beer.  Flavors are very bland so whatever you pair this up with that’s all you are going to be tasting.  Sadly I won’t recommend this brew to anyone.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Maui Brewing Mana Wheat
Maui Brewing Co. | Lahaina, Hawaii (Maui) USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV - 5.5%

Alooooooooooooooooha! Now this is a lot of aloha from the Maui Brewing ohana!! A wheat brew with pineapple! Now THAT’s refreshing!!! It may be hard to tell from that opener but I REALLY love this brew! It poured up a cloudy, light-amber in color with a massive head with moderate retention and minimal lacing.  Aromas of wheat and pineapple (but more like grilled pineapple), and lemons.  Flavors of the same but oh so smooth and well-balanced.  Medium-bodied, smooth and easy to drink. Truly smooth liquid bliss! It has a light hoppy bite on the end to make for a clean, refreshing finish.  Would definitely pair this up with some spicy grilled shrimp or perhaps a deep-fried whole crab topped with a pineapple/jalapeno chutney on top! I’m heading off to Maui and visiting these fine folks!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[JohnP]

AW Miller - Have enjoyed reading your reviews and once upon a time have tried a lot of different brews in a lot of different countries.  Now because of some medical problems I am limited to no more than one alcoholic drink a day.  Bud is my domestic choice and having spent a considerable amount of time in the Pacific theatre I took a liking to San McGoo.  However I strongly disagree with your subjective evaluation of any beer made south of our border.  If you poured any beer made in Mexico down the toilet it would be an insult not only to the toilet but the cesspool also.  Just my subjective evaluation. 

[AWMiller]

hey thanks for chiming in!  was getting lonely making all the posts here in this thread!!   

[AWMiller]

Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
Rogue Ales | Newport, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Oatmeal Stout

ABV - 6%

IBU - 69

This brew poured up a near jet-black colored body with a frothy tan-colored head with moderate retention and lacing effects on the glass.  Aromas of burnt sugars, hot caramel, and loads of sweet roasted malts.  This is a very smooth and creamy medium-bodied brew with a slightly hoppy finish with lingering coffee notes.  There are light spice notes throughout with all flavors being very well balanced. Definitely a brew to be paired up with smoked meats or wild game!

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Wasatch Polygamy Porter
Utah Brewers Cooperative | Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style:  American Porter

ABV - 4%

I am really starting to take a strong liking to these Wasatch brews! This brew poured up a near pitch black-colored body with a one-finger head that had minimal retention and lacing. Aromas of sweet roasted malts, burnt sugars, coffee, chocolate. Medium-bodied with a sweet finish, no bitterness at all in this fine brew. Pair this up with some smoked sausages or grilled steaks; or serve it up as a dessert brew.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews.  While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best.  There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.