Almond Joy in a Bottle

Kona Brewing Co. Kona Brown

Kona Brewing Company's Koko Brown is far from what I expected.  Going into the first sip, I was afraid I would taste something to the nature of sunscreen.  Also, I didn't expect such a dark brew from such a "beachy themed brewing company.  However, this is a darker beer that would NOT be brewed by Hawaiin Tropic.

This brew is an exact mix of a brown ale with an almond joy thrown in.  This comes from brewing with real toasted coconut and dark chocolate malt.  I really like the fact that Kona did something unique by brewing with real toasted coconut for flavoring. It gives a nice coconut flavor that isn't overpowering.

The sweet notes of flavor are subtle, but nice. I would pair this with some spicy food if I had it with dinner.  That being said, I would also have it in place of dessert, but that's just me.

Koko Brown a great Winter beer, but it'll make you feel pretty hefty if you try to drink it on the beach.  Learn from my mistakes, people!  I would note that this beer is great to kick back and relax with at the end of the day, but what beer isn't?



Fun Facts:

- 26.7 IBU
- 5.5% ABV

- Malts: Pale, Dark Chocolate Malt, Aromatic, Victory

- Hops: Cascade, Willamette, Millennium

This beer is available in Winter and Spring, but I have seen it in stores recently, so if you see it, grab a bottle and let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Sassy Strawberry Treat

It's fruit beer season, people!  That means a whole lot of delicious bottled up just for some Summer time fun.

Abita's Strawberry Harvest is one of my favorite fruit beers.  I stumbled upon it a few years back with an old flame in a New Orleans style New York City restaurant called Mara's Homemade.  It just so happened we planned to give up drinking for Lent, and when we saw they had this beer... well, we decided to give up something else so we could try it.  Felt a little bad... but it tasted a lotta good.

Ever since, I've waited in eager anticipation to see it on shelves in the store.  It's still pretty difficult to find in Northern states, so if you see it, stock up!

If you're looking at food pairings for this beer, I would definitely go down the Cajun road.  What can I say?  Mara's Homemade was the perfect little spot to stumble upon this treat.  It went great with their craw fish and shrimp boils, not to mention the fried green tomatoes. 

This is a great light-bodied beer full of flavor.  It cuts the spiciness in spicy foods, and it doesn't weigh you down when you eat something fried.

I would drink it all year just because it tastes so great, but if you don't want weighed down by a stout or porter, this is a great choice.  It's like candy, but not overly sweet in flavor.  It smells amazing, too.  The aroma and flavor come from strawberry juice that's added after the filtration process.

Strawberry Harvest is definitely a Spring/Summer beer. This is part of Abita's Harvest Collection. All of these Harvest Collection beers are brewed with Louisiana-grown ingredients.

Fun Facts:

ABV: 4.2%
IBUs: 13
Hops: Vanguard
Malts: Pilsner and Wheat

As always, let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Watermelon Wonderfulness

Oh my delicious!  21st Amendment's Hell or High Watermelon is one of my favorites.  It's a great brew all year (if you remember to stock up... it's seasonal).  It's a great way to forget about the Winter time blues. 

Who says you can't get great beer in a can? 21st Amendment has some really great beers, and this one is my favorite. I can't wait to try this on tap. It sounds strange, but it works. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of wheat beers, but this doesn't have that wheat beer after taste to it, and that's probably because the wheat malts used in this are white wheat.

This tasty brew is made with bits of fresh watermelon puree, which is added during the secondary fermentation step in the brewing process.  You can see the pieces of watermelon in this picture:




Everything about this beer says Summer.  The aroma, the crisp and light flavor, the refreshing "aaaahhh" sensation after a gulp.  This beer is particularly good to share with those beer drinkers who are just figuring out what they might like other than just your average light beer. 

Again, this beer is seasonal, so when you see it, grab it!

Fun Facts:

ABV: 4.9%
Hops: Magnum and Columbus
IBUs: 17

As always, let me know what you think.  Happy beering.

Cheers!


 

Irish Red's best friend, Chili

In honor of March, I had to write about something Irish.  Since we've covered Guinness, we'll go with Sam Adams Irish Red.  Not to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT, I make some good chili.  Not only is Irish Red a great ingredient, but it makes the perfect beer pairing... obviously.

Let's start with the beer.  This is a refreshing comfort beer.  Everyone has comfort food, this is a comfort beer.  It's a good beer any time of the year.  It's not a heavy beer, but it's not too light.  Sam Adams uses roasted caramel malts, and you can really taste the roasted flavor.  It's exactly the type of beer I would expect to have at a pub in Ireland.  The color is my favorite part.  It's obviously red, but I have a thing for red ales.  This is a beauty after my own heart.

Fun Facts:
Hops: East Kent Goldings, English Fuggles, Hallertau Mittelfrueh
IBUs: 25
ABV: 5.8%

Now, for the chili!  Everyone has their own chili recipe, but I like to experiment each time I make it.  What I came up with this time was pretty good, so I thought I'd share.  If you do make this, keep in mind, it makes a huge batch, but who doesn't love leftovers?

Ingredients:

1 lb. each of ground beef and pork sausage
1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 - 15 oz. cans light red kidney beans
1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 - 4 oz. can diced green chiles
7 oz. beef broth
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 chicken bullion cubes
3 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
1 tbsp. granulated onion
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1 bottle Sam Adams Irish Red (I saved the best for last)

In a large pot, brown ground beef and pork sausage.  Season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion and black pepper.  Once the meat is fully cooked, add chopped onion, green chiles and bell pepper.  Let simmer until onions are about half translucent.  Add tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and vinegar.  Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, crushed red pepper and bullion cubes.  Once combined, add beans and beer.  Turn heat down to simmer and cover for an hour stirring occasionally.

This chili is great served with cheddar garlic biscuits, corn bread or even the cheddar beer bread from one of my older posts.  Top the chili with some sour cream, pour yourself a pint of Sam Adams Irish Red and enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Breakfast for Beer?

I'll have two eggs, bacon, some toast and a bottle of Sam Adam's Maple Pecan Porter.  I won't lie, I wouldn't be mad if all I had for breakfast was the beer.  It smells like a stack of pecan pancakes covered in syrup. 

This beer is so good, if I bought a pint in a bar, I would pretend I hated it so I didn't have to share.  Then I would order bacon and drop little pieces in the beer.  You know it sounds delicious, and when you try this porter, you'll think of me and all of my wise suggestions.  When you just can't get enough of this mapley goodness, and you get a hangover the following morning, you'll want another still.  I dare say, it'll be bacon's new best friend.

This brew is a lighter bodied porter, which leaves room for a second or third. Usually, I'll drink a porter at a bar, or I'll have a couple from a mixed pack, but I would buy a 6-pack of this stuff. It's just sweet enough, but not too sweet, and you can taste the brilliantly paired pecan flavor.  It's actually made with Vermont maple syrup, which is probably why it makes me want it for breakfast.  The color is similar to that of maple syrup, too.  It's a dark brownish red color.

The cool thing about this porter is that it's actually part of the Spring Thaw Collection.  Normally porters are heavier, so I associate them with Fall and Winter, but the surprising light body of the beer makes it a great early Spring brew.

Fun Facts:

5.6% ABV
East Kent Goldings hops
IBUs: 30

Let me know what you think.  Happy breakfast!

Cheers!

Hawaii in a Bottle

Aloooooooha, Kona Big Wave Golden Ale!  I would sit on a beach with this brew in my hand all day soaking up a nice sunburn.  It was strange drinking this and looking out the window to see snow, but if you're stuck in cold weather, just pop the top on one of these little beauties and pretend you're at the beach.

This is a light-bodied ale with the aroma of an IPA.  The smell is deceiving because the beer isn't nearly as hoppy in taste.  Kona's website suggests drinking it after snorkeling or surfing, but I would drink it WHILE snorkeling and surfing.  Why not?

There is a slight hint of fruity flavor to this Ale, but it isn't overly fruity.  Some fruit beers can be a bit sweet, but this is just right.  It's part of what makes it so refreshing.

Because of the aroma, I would swear there are Cascade hops in this one, but there aren't.  Kona uses Galaxy and Citra hops in Big Wave.  The color is nice, too.  There is a nice medium golden color to it.  You would expect a heavier body with the aroma and color, but when you take a sip, it's a light-bodied paradise.

FuN fAcTs:

Bitterness: 21 IBU

ABV: 4.4%

Malts:  PALE (PREMIUM 2-ROW), Caramel

Hops: GALAXY, CITRA

There are some other tropical beers made by Kona, which I can't wait to try.  They bring paradise to you in a bottle, and I'm just fine with that!  Find it, try it, and let me know your thoughts!

Okole maluna! (sorry if that means something other than cheers)
Cheers!

Sam Adams- Whitewater IPA

Great Oden's beard!  This sweet nectar of the Viking gods is quite a brew!  This is a tastey treat to get us through the remainder of snow and nasty weather leading into Spring.  It has all the hip hoppy yumminess of an IPA, and the slight fruit notes of a light springtime treat. 

With apricots and spices to taste, this Sammy brew is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  The taste of the appricot is slight, but it's there.  There is a presence of citrus, but not as heavy as a Blue Moon.  This is a magical combination of a Belgian white wheat and an IPA. 

Normally, I'm pretty picky with my "Hwheat" beers, but this is one to keep on Santa's "nice" list.  It's certainly not as heavy as some wheat beers can be, so you can enjoy more than one without splitting your drawers.

Fun Facts:
5.8% ABV
Hops: Topaz, Chinook, Cascade, Simcoe, and Citra
61 IBUs


All in all, I say well done, Sam.  Well done.

Let me know your thoughts!

Cheers!

Bison Brewing Gingerbread Ale

This little organic Berkley, CA brewed beauty was tastey. However, there wasn't much of a gingerbread taste to it.

There was a medium to light body to this brew.  It had the color of a brown ale, and all of the taste of a porter. With a hint of spice, yet, not too much, it makes a great winter brew.

As I've been taught, you taste 4 ways:

1. Smell
2. Taste with the front taste buds
3. Taste with the back taste buds
4. Take a big gulp... for lack of better words

I gave it a whirl, and I got a very minimal gingerbread taste. I rate this brew at a "B" for the slight disappointment in lacking gingerbread flavor.

Also important to note... do NOT purchase this beer and let it sit for 8 months. It's not Miller Lite, people!

All in all, I say give it a whirl.  Feedback is encouraged.

Cheers!

New Beginnings

My, my, my, it's been a while.  Not that anyone is currently reading this, but with my plan for a revamp, I'll actually have an audience soon.

Since the last post, I've started home brewing, I've traveled to a couple of breweries including Sam Adams in Boston, MA and Great Lakes in Cleveland, OH.

I've finally met the beauty that is BACON BEER!  What a delightful treat.

Stay tuned, kids.  This year in beer will be a trip!

Cheers!