Brooklyn Backbreaker

English Strong Ale

I understand why they decided to do this. Garrett Oliver went to England, fell in love with traditional four-row malt and is being very authentic. However, I did not enjoy the lack of aroma and it was, frankly, a bit too fruity. Point of interest, this was served at the brewery out of a plastic cup.

A: Amber - no head to speak of with good lacing.

S: None (plastic cup?)

T: Fruity yeast - sweet malt. Some hop with great bitterness coupled with a fruity maltiness. Eh.

M: Good bitterness.

D: Okay - not going to drink another.

Brooklyn Blast - Double IPA

Had this at the brewery prior to a tour. I will post more about the brewery at a later date, but this a very interesting take on a DIPA.

A: Golden golden perfection here with minimal head, no staying power. Great lacing.

S: Fruity esters, hops and citrus with a little malt and yeast. The only weak point on this beer was the bouquet.

T: Grapefruit - amazing floral hop taste with a hint of lavender.

M: Nice bitterness with great carbonation.

S: Very good, very fresh beer.

A-

Sixpoint Otis

Oatmeal Stout I had at Five Points restaurant in NoHo. Good stuff.

A: Pours jet black with a substantial, whipped head similar to Guinness which indicated a nitro-pour.

S: This is weird. An almost soapy smell with hints of chocolate.

T: Chocolate and coffee with Spice. Oatmeal makes for a silky, interesting combo of the two.

M: Great, easy carbonation. Silky mouthfeel from the oats and the whipped head are good.

D: Yes, good. Lower alcohol, I think. Very tasty.

B

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

This has always been a standby for me - primarily because it is a cheap, quality coffee stout.

A: Dark Amber/Brown with Ruby Red Hues. A 1-inch off-white head with quick dissipation. Great lacing.

S: Malty with vanilla/coffee accents. Also a bit yeasty with fruity esters.

T: Coffee and alcohol with a little chocolate. Really does taste like a cappuccino.

M: Brilliant!!! Nice, smooth carbonation.

D: A really drinkable beer, particularly for the price.

B+

So here we go ...

To NYC tomorrow bright and early. Lunch reservations, heading to rattle n' hum, see MOMA tomorrow night, dinner with friends after.

Will be great.

Oh yeah, having a Hopslam right now and SO IS MY WIFE!

Beer Naked

Bell's Hopslam - Redux

I stand corrected. I had this on tap two nights ago and was somewhat disappointed. Don't get me wrong - it was good, but not as good as I was expecting. The bottle, on the other hand, wow!

A: Nice honey amber with a good 2.5 inch white head with great lacing.

S: Hoppy goodness with a fair amount of honey sweetness coming through. Of course there is the appropriate ctirus.

T: Huge and hop heavy - this is what I was expecting! Nice hop bomb cut with honey and a very slight white pepper finish. Grapefruit as well.

M: The label is right - this is a bruiser. Velvety hop assault with a fine honey backbone. Decent carbonation.

D: 100% better than the tap. This is what I was expecting!

Second Chances

I purchased a sixer of Bells Hopslam and tasted last night. I think the bottle is a lot better than the tap. Not that anything is wrong with the taps at Sheffield's. On the contrary, they know what they are doing with beer. Maybe it had to do with the temperature, I am not sure.

I will post my review later today. In the end, the bottled Hopslam was the hop bomb I remember and the taste I expected.

Beer Naked

Backlog

Okay, the backlog of reviews I had is finished and on the site. Will review a few more this week and a boat load in NYC this weekend. Next week will be in Lincoln, Nebraska and will likely try a local brewery down the street from my hotel.

I should have plenty to add to the site in the coming weeks.

I will also be adding a listing of the beers I have reviewed and then a suggestions box.

Thanks,

Beer Naked

Lagunitas - Brown Shugga

I like this beer.

A: Pours a very dark amber with generous head. Great head retention and tremendous spider web lacing on the glass.

S: Hops, malt, Brown Sugar (of course). Also fruit that I cannot place - but definitely there. A dark fruit - plum, raisin?

T: Malty sweetness aided by the brown sugar make this a real treat. The hop-bitter finish and great residual sugar coupled with the fruit leave a great taste in my mouth after each sip.

M: Sticky sugars and great hop pucker make for a great mouthfeel.

D: A bit high in alcohol. Very nice hop presence and the brown sugar stickiness is a definite asset.

Big Sky - Scape Goat Pale Ale

Note: I am not a pale ale drinker, normally. However, I appreciate the style, want to learn more, and want to have a beer around that my wife will drink. This is it!

A: Clear, golden copper. Good head with poor retention. Very good lacing.

S: Yeasty with a bit of malt. Some slight fruit esters with a touch of hoppiness.

T: Nice rounded malt flavor with the perfect hop complement for the style. A nice, bitter, well-rounded pale ale.

M: The above mentioned balance creates a tremendous mouthfeel. Feels great on the cheeks and tongue.

D: Great session beer at 4.7%. Something I will keep in my fridge for sure.