I feel like I’ve posted less and less because I’m not really a “beer review” person. Yes, I love to drink good beer, but I’m bad at describing it to everyone else – besides saying it’s “nutty” or it’s “fruity” or “hoppy”. I thought this year I’d focus more on the beer/beer cap pictures, because that’s the part I really love. So… cheers to beers! 🙂
I’ve always loved Smuttynose Brewing, as they make awesome beer – but this was the first time I’ve tried their Winter Ale.
It’s an Abby Double, so it’s brewed with Belgian yeast – but it only rates a 5.1% ABV… which means, you can drink more than just one. 😉
I thought it was pretty tasty, but my personal favorite is still the Smuttynose Brown Ale.
Ever wonder what your favorite childhood drink would taste like with alcohol? Well look no further, the Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout from Terrapin is sure to satisfy the beer lover, and the child, in you!
Such a rich, chocolaty dream – but without being overly heavy – this beer is one of the only Chocolate Stouts that I could actually drink more than one of at a time. It manages to strike a balance between refreshing brew – and dessert; weird but true!
I’ve heard this delicious brew is a little tough to find sometimes – so if you happen to see a sixer, pick it up – you won’t be disappointed (unless, of course, you hate chocolate).
Cheers!
Brown ales are one of my favorite styles of beer, so when I saw this Brown I hadn’t tried, by Cigar City- I had to order it!
It did mention in the description that it went well with cigars, what it didn’t mention is that it actually tasted like a glass of cigars. I’ve been know to smoke a good cigar in my days, but when I drink a yummy ale, I don’t find the cigar taste very appealing.
I’m sure some people may enjoy the complexity of this “cigar” beer… but I will stick with a brown ale that tastes of rich, caramel malts!
I’ve been horrible about keeping up with posting my beer pics… But I have been drinking and shooting over the holidays- so I will post more soon!
This Gingerbread Stout was brewed by Richmond’s newest brewery- Hardywood! I haven’t had the pleasure to visit them yet, but our friends shared this bottle with us recently.
The thought of gingerbread flavor in a stout was exciting to me, and with the first sip, I knew this new brewery hadn’t let me down. This stout is full of rich chocolate flavor with the spicy ginger bite at the end. I had my glass for desert and was completely satisfied!
I’m looking forward to visiting this brewery soon to sample more, as I was really impressed!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!!
Looking for an awesome bottle opener that won’t ruin your caps? Look no further… just add a piece of metal to a piece of wood and there you have it! Actually, this is a bottle opener specially made by Goebel Liquor – that won’t bend the top of your caps. It’s super easy and the piece of wood supports the top of your cap while the metal piece prys off the cap.
I try to use it on special caps… but nevermind that Sierra Nevada cap at the bottom of the picture, on which I obviously did not use this opener! And if you happened to realize that is a Salvator bottle in the back, I’ll tell you – it was delicious!
Cheers!
Yes, I know – Thanksgiving just ended and I’m already making posts with pink Christmas Trees – I couldn’t resist though!
I recently found this “Holiday Cheer” brew from Shiner Brewery, based in Shiner Texas (can I get a Yee-Haw?) and the packaging drew me in. It wasn’t anything too fancy – but with the words “Holiday Cheer” and cute snowflakes all over, how could you not give it a try? I also read that it was a Dunkelweizen (dark wheat) with hints of peaches and nut… intriguing!
Upon first swig, I immediately tasted some caramel malts and a little nutty flavors and in the finish there was certainly a fruity peach flavor. While this wasn’t your typical Dunkelweizen, as they normally have a banana essence, it really wasn’t bad. There is a little bitter-nut flavor toward the end, but nothing that would deter me from having another.
So – break out some “Holiday Cheer” and invite over your friends! Cheers!
I wasn’t a fan of New Belgium’s “Fat Tire”… yes, I know I’ll get yelled at for that – but it just tasted a little “funky” to me. Honestly, I think most people in VA only loved it because we couldn’t get it here. This Snow Day, however, is a yummy treat!
I don’t give up on a brewery, just because I don’t like one or two of their brews – so I picked up New Belgium Brewery’s Winter Ale. I was expecting this beer to taste like most Winter Seasonal Ales, lots of spice and hints of coffee and chocolate. Snow Day, is certainly warm and inviting, but it’s not as sweet and spicy as I thought it would be. This rich brew tastes of bitter chocolate and a little more hop taste than most Winter beers. All in all, I really like it! It’s nice and bold and a little chocolaty!
Sam’s Oktoberfest is sadly gone, and replaced on taps all over with Sam’s Winter. Oh how I miss you, Oktoberfest!
I don’t mind Samuel Adam’s Winter Lager, but I don’t really see it as anything special. Now all of you Sam fans… don’t “boo” me – I normally sing the praises of this brewery, but this seasonal just doesn’t scream “drink me”, in my opinion. Is it bad?? – Not at all! It does have its good points, like a maltiness that warms you… but I guess when I think of Winter beers, I think of something like the Snow Goose seasonal; a beer brimming with spice and heartiness!
Maybe I was just aiming too high, especially when I’ve been so impressed with the other Sam Adams brews – like their Holiday Porter and Old Fizziwig – that I’ve mentioned in previous posts.
Don’t worry, I’ll still drink it – I don’t pour out a decent beer! Cheers!
I know I’ve made many posts about Legend Brewery – but I couldn’t resist making another. I came home from work on my Birthday, to be greeted by a six-pack of Legend Brown. My good friend, Leila, knows how dear Legend Brown is to my heart – and she surprised me with this delicious gift. Now that’s a good friend!! 😉
Brown Ales are one of my favorite styles of beer, and while I’ve tried a ton of them – I still note Legend Brown at the top of my list. I’m not sure if it’s the crisp maltiness or the mellow hops, but something draws me in and keeps me coming back for more.
Cheers to Legend, for making such a tasty brown ale – and cheers to good friends who bring you beer as gifts! 😉
A Cap A Day 