Beer Review: Shiner Bock

Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery 
Location: Shiner, TX
Style: Bock Bier  
ABV: 4.4%

Price: $8.99/6pk

Texas. Pride. These are the two words I think of when I see Shiner. As someone who lived and worked in Texas, I can whole-heartedly say there is no other state that takes pride in its own like Texas does. Shiner beer is very much a part of this pride. The Spoetzl Brewery is located in Shiner, TX, a tiny town "no bigger than a postage stamp in the heart of Texas" as described on Shiner's site. This small Texas town has been producing lagers with German influence for over 100 years. Every drop of Shiner comes from Shiner. That's they way it is and always has been. And there's something about that even an outsider can appreciate.

Shiner Bock is their flagship lager. I see Shiner popping up more and more around the country, and it sort of reminds me of Yuengling in terms of how relatable it can be to non-craft-beer-drinkers.

Appearance: Sweet tea color with a quickly fading head. The beer is obviously filtered and appears lighter than one might expect from a Bock beer (note: this is brewed in the tradition of an American lager, and not necessarily a German bock).

Aroma: Mild aromas and there's not a lot to pick up on. I do get hints of malt, but nothing to write home about.

Taste: As one might gather from my comparison to Yuengling, this is a mildly smooth and unoffensive beer. It has a strong malt base with some nutty characteristics and a caramel sweetness on the finish. The beer has an overall clean feel, as there is little-to-no aftertaste, dryness, or bitterness. Something that I have noticed in several Shiner brews, and it's most noticeable in this one, is a subtle but troubling copper or metallic taste that I get towards the back of the palate. I have had Shiner Bock on draught, from a can, and in a bottle, and the copper flavor is always there. I am not sure what causes this, but it's definitely not pleasing.

Overall: I love the history of this beer and what Spoetzl represents to Texas, but the beer itself is mild and forgettable. It's a cheap beer (if you live in Texas), but not worth the price you'll pay if you're outside the Lonestar State. 

Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale - Bold City Brewing

Brewery: Bold City Brewery
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Style: Imperial Cream Ale
ABV: 6%
Price: $16.99/12pk

A year ago, when I was scoping out Jacksonville as my potential next place of residence, Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale was the first local beer I tried. I was at dinner and asked my waiter what he recommended that was local. Without hesitation, he brought me a Dukes and shared a little bit about Bold City Brewing. I was intrigued and glad to see so much pride for a local brew.

A year later, I have finally decided it's time to post a review. This is my second review of a Bold City Beer. I encourage you to also read my review of Killer Whale, as I give additional context of Bold City's influence on the Jax beer scene.

Appearance: Brown with red tints. Cloudy body with a quarter-inch head that perseveres as you drink the beer.

Aroma: Chocolate malt is first and foremost present on the nose. There's also a nuttiness that's expected with this style. Toasted grain as well.

Taste: Nuts and caramel are the two most predominant flavors. As the beer passed through the palate, I taste a watered-down coffee flavor with a sweet and chocolaty finish.The flavors are overall pretty mild and could be a great gateway craft beer for someone who's used to drinking Bud, Miller, Coors, or piss.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a light gateway craft beer. There's nothing extreme or overly remarkable about Dukes, but that's not a bad thing. I suspect Bold City has been able to "convert" a lot of beer drinkers over the past few years, and no doubt Dukes has played a huge role in that.

Mouth feel: Creamy body, medium carbonation. Leaves a slight coating and subtle tartness on the tongue.

Overall, Dukes has found its niche in Jacksonville and has a pretty large following. Personally, I am not a huge fan, but like I said before, I appreciate and respect what this beer has accomplished and represented for the craft beer community in Jacksonville. Bold City is Jacksonville's first craft brewery. I believe Dukes, in some ways, has paved the way for the more intense and experimental brews in Jacksonville.

Beyond the flavor, my biggest issue with this beer is with the packaging and price. The only way to purchase Dukes in the store is by buying the 12 pack ($16.99). For me, the packaging is the main reason I don't drink Dukes more often. I honestly don't want 12 bottles of it, and I certainly don't want to seventeen bucks! Not when I can buy two separate (and different) 6 packs for the same price. I'm not sure why Bold City doesn't produce more of their beers in 6 packs (especially their flagship), but I think it's definitely holding people like me back from buying more of their product.

Infused Belgians from Grasslands Brewing Co.

As I mentioned in my review of the Forgotten Coast Belgian Tripel, Grasslands Brewing Co. has experimented with the base recipe and created two different variations of the original brew. Today, I will be conducting a side-by-side analysis of each beer and share how they compare to each other and the base brew. Grasslands plans to release one or all of these beers as seasonal/special releases. So, naturally, I'm extremely excited to crack 'em open and give each a try!

Forgotten Coast infused with San Sebastian Port (2011)

I will start with the Belgian that's been infused with San Sebastian Vineyard's 2011 Port. Spices and alcohol are very prevalent on the nose, more so than in the base version of this beer. The flavors closely resemble the original with one exception: everything seems to be stronger. I get a lot more booze and spices in this one--not sure if that's due directly to the Port wine, or if it's a matter of prolonged fermentation. Either way, I quite enjoy it!

Forgotten Coast infused with Gargiulo blend (2006)

Next up, we have the Forgotten Coast Belgian infused with Gargiulo Vineyards Aprile Super Oakville Blend (2006). The blend is a mixture of Cabernet and Sangiovese. As I put the glass to my nose, there is one immediate distinction here: sugar. Unlike the original version and the Port, I pick up a ton of sweetness on the nose that actually masks the Belgian spices. The flavors are milder. I taste caramel, grapes, figs, bready yeasts, and mild booze. The finish is crisp, clean, and dry. Unlike the Belgian infused with the Port, the Gargiulo seems to add a lot of flavor complexities and sugars that might make for a solid aging beer.

This was a really fun tasting. It's not often I get to taste three different variations of the same beer. The good news for Grasslands is that all three beers are uniquely enjoyable. Each offers a different tasting experience. The original Forgotten Coast packs a punch of spices, dark fruits, and toasted malts. The Port infused version is high on the alcohol flavors and will appeal to those looking for Imperial qualities. And lastly, the Gargiulo version is sweet, pleasant, and crisp; it's probably the most sessionable of the three.

I want to send a huge thanks to Gabe Grass for sharing his experiments with me so that I can share them with you all! Be sure to check out Grasslands' website and sign up to be a Grasshopper so that you, too, can try these awesome and unique beers!

Interested in becoming a Grasshopper?

If you're interested in getting your hands on any of Grasslands' brews before they open, register for their Grasshoppers Club which is your ticket in to getting exclusive releases from the brewery before they open. As a Grasshopper, you'll be eligible to enter the monthly lottery drawings to sample beer and provide critical feedback that may contribute to the final product. You can also check out Grasslands on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Cheers!

Beer Myths Debunked

You know that friend of yours who won't try a Guinness because "dark beers are too heavy"?

Or how about your old frat buddy who would defends Miller Lite to his death because he believes its the only beer that's "triple hopped."

Do you still have that one annoying wino who looks down on you because he or she believes craft beer is inferior and less complex than wine?

Thanks to the folks at Karl Strauss Brewing Co., you now have a simple graphic chart to share with your simple friends...



by: Karl Strauss.

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Forgotten Coast Belgian Tripel - Grasslands Brewing Co.

This is a recurring monthly series in which I taste and share my thoughts on a different beer from Grasslands Brewing Co. as they progress on their journey to open their doors to thirsty craft beer lovers (2014).  Grasslands is an up-and-coming brewery out of Tallahassee, Fl. that centers their philosophy on making quality "earth first ales." I will taste pilot batches and share my thoughts with the BeerApostle community. You can read past posts about Grasslands beer in the archive section of this blog. 

Brewery:  Grasslands Brewery
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Style: Tripel
ABV: 8%

I am incredibly excited about this review as this is the first of three beers in this series that I will be reviewing. All three brews are a variation of a Belgian Tripel-style ale. Today's brew is a 1st batch recipe from Grasslands and a brew they anticipate will eventually be a seasonal release. 

Forgotten Coast was brewed in January, bottled in February, and now being consumed in June.

Appearance: This is on the darker side for the style. Tripels are generally slightly darker than your average Pilsner, but still golden in color. As you can see from the image, this pours a yellow-red in color and is slightly cloudy. This resembles a Belgian dark ale more than a Tripel, but I'm not complaining. I like 'em dark. The only critique I have of the appearance is the quickly dissolving head. I definitely would like to see more presence here.

Aroma: Tons of spice! I have always been drawn to the amazing scent that comes from strong Belgian beers, and Grasslands doesn't disappoint here. I got a lot of dark fruits and malt on the nose with a subtle sting of pepper and alcohol on the back. The aroma is really spot-on for the style.

Taste: The flavors follow suit with the aroma. The malt base is prominent and nicely balances the spices that I pick up on the front of the palate (cloves, pepper, coriander). Despite the spices, Forgotten Coast has a decent sweetness that brings an enjoyable, clean finish. I am actually pretty shocked that there isn't a stronger aftertaste given how strong the initial flavors are. This beer is well-balanced and very easy to drink (which would be dangerous if I didn't have just one bottle!).

Mouth: This is a medium body beer with carbonation that packs a punch at first and quickly fades to a smooth finish on the tongue.

Overall: Great beer. Honestly, this reminds me a lot of St. Sebastiaan Dark, which happens to be one of my favorite Belgian beers. That is, however, my greatest critique of this beer. Forgotten Coast looks and tastes like a Belgian Dark...but again, I am not sure this is all that big of a problem. Regardless, the Belgian profile is well done here and I could see this becoming one of my preferred Belgians once this is on the shelves.

Price: Because Grasslands is up-and-coming, they have asked me to share my thoughts on a recommended price-points for their brews. For a pint, I would anticipate paying around $5 given the gravity, alcohol, and seasonal nature of this eventual release.

Interested in becoming a Grasshopper?

If you're interested in getting your hands on any of Grasslands' brews before they open, register for their Grasshoppers Club which is your ticket in to getting exclusive releases from the brewery before they open. As a Grasshopper, you'll be eligible to enter the monthly lottery drawings to sample beer and provide critical feedback that may contribute to the final product. You can also check out Grasslands on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Cheers!

The Eleanor: A Brewnique Offering from Intuition

I love the new series Intuition Ale Works has going on at their taproom! Each Wednesday, the brewery is putting out a new and unique small batch brew for patrons to enjoy.

Although my work schedule has been nothing short of crazy over the past 8 weeks, I managed to make it out last week. The brewnique offering was a batch of The Eleanor infused with grapefruit and basil.

The original Eleanor is a Belgian blonde ale brewed with a variety of teas that is laced with crisp fruit flavors. It's light and refreshing and perfect for the Florida summers.

This infused version packed a punch of citrus and exotic flavors. Unlike other infused batches where there is but a slight change in the flavor profile from the original, this version of The Eleanor came with an extreme makeover that would make Ty Pennington proud.

If you're in the Jacksonville area, you need to prioritize your schedule to include a stop at Intuition's taproom every Wednesday. For me, it's a great excuse to get out during the week. I particularly enjoy the fact that I'll be able to try something new each time I go.

Cheers!