Beer Review 6 - Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout

My feeling about “dark beers” has been one of “No way, Jose” since I tried one of my college roommate’s bottles of Sam Adams back in the day (what? 1992?). I’m not sure what variety of Sam it was; but I know that it was too dense, dark and malty for me, and ever since I’ve had a hands-off policy towards dark beers. Never even looked twice at a stout (although I’ve been somewhat curious about the fabled Guinness name for a long time). I picked up a bottle of this Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout at Full Throttle Bottles, and thought I’d give it a whirl. First, this tiny tidbit on this particular offering from the Guinness folks: this is a limited edition, non-nitro carbonated, maltier (and less creamy) version of the real thing. I poured with trepidation, and then waited a good while before sampling. It’s actually a really dark red, but nearly true black in appearance. The head was impressive, but I didn’t really get anything in the way of aroma. When I finally sipped, I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t want to give this brew an inflated mark merely because it surpassed my low expectations. I’ll simply state that I very much enjoyed it. There is a bit of a chocolate taste in there, but just a bit. A nice roasty taste and good body. Not overwhelming, and quite drinkable. Someday, I’ll sample the real deal.

Beer Review 5 - New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

Today’s beer is one I see in the supermarket often (but have not tried until now). It is Fat Tire Amber Ale by New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado. New Belgium is the same name on my tasting glass. I bought the glass at Full Throttle Bottles in the Georgetown section of Seattle. I picked it exclusively for its shape, as I hadn’t had their beers before. It’s a great glass. I can’t say as much for the beer, unfortunately. It has the requisite beautiful amber color and the first hit of aroma was nice. However, at the first taste I found that I was definitely underwhelmed. It seemed like a molasses taste I was getting. The bottle touts “biscuit-like malt flavors coasting in equilibrium with hoppy freshness.” I don’t think I was quite getting that. Then the aroma seemed to turn on me and became (quite inextricably) associated with the rotting vegetable smell of our compost transport bin. This beer did not improve as I drank, and the odor did not help. I’d be willing to try this beer again just to give it another chance, but for now it’s a thumbs-down.

Beer Review 4 - Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen

This beer is the Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen, an “authentic Bavarian Festival lager” according to the label. This style of brewing dates from 16th century Bavaria. The Ayinger Oktober Fest is pale brown and medium-to full bodied, very malty and slightly sweet. It sports a nice clingy head (good lacing, as the beer guys would say) and has a rich, complex taste. This is the boldest beer I’ve tried so far, and after an initial “whoa!” I found that I really enjoyed it. The Ayinger Brewery was founded in 1878 and brews its Marzen in the traditional fashion. I suppose I’m drinking this a month late, but better late than never. This is a tasty brew.

Beer Review 3 - Leavenworth Whistling Pig Hefeweizen

Today I am trying the Leavenworth Whistling Pig Hefeweizen from the Fish Brewing Company in nearby Olympia. This is the first hefeweizen, or wheat beer, I have tried. From the research I’ve done, I’m not sure that this beer is truly representative of the hefeweizen style (and I definitely plan on trying a German hefe in the future). This beer is unfiltered, which is easily noticeable in the cloudy appearance. Most wheat beers are top-fermented, and it tastes to me like a light-bodied ale. There is something in the taste that disagreed with me (the wheat, I wonder?), so I’m not really on board with this beer. The glass got a bit better as I drank, but not much. Not horrible, by any means, just not something I’ll jump at in the future.

Beer Review 2 - Newcastle Brown Ale

For my second beer review I have chosen a popular ale from England – Newcastle Brown Ale, introduced in the eponymous city in 1927. An ale differs from a lager in that it uses top-fermenting yeast which promotes a more full-bodied taste. Brown ales are produced by using a darker barley malt. Coming from a pale lager background, I wasn’t fully prepared to like this beer, but was quite pleasantly surprised. It poured beautifully, with a nice thick head and appropriately dark brown color. The aroma was kind of roasty (if there is such a word) and the taste was similar and also a bit nutty. It was definitely more full-bodied than the lager, but not bitter at all. Very good – wish I’d bought more than one bottle!

Beer Review 1 - Pilsner Urquell

For me, beer has always been strictly about drinkability (and the more, the merrier!) but I am attempting with this blog page to expand my beer palate. Owing to my thus far extremely narrow-focused approach to the beverage, I know that there is a world of flavors, colors and aromas awaiting me. It will be a fun and exciting journey! Also, I hope to become more educated about the various ingredients in beer and the many styles of brewing it. But for now, my reviews will focus on what I learn about the beer, how it presents itself, and whether or not I like it. I do not yet have the palate nor the beer vocabulary to discuss the beer in any more specific terms.




This being my first beer tasting, I thought I’d start on (sort of) familiar ground. Pilsner Urquell comes from the town of Plzen, Czech Republic. It bills itself as “the original pilsner” and has been produced since 1842. A pilsner is a pale lager, made with bottom-fermenting yeast, and is purportedly the model for most of the American lagers that I’ve been throwing back for nearly 20 years now. So, this is, in a way, the granddaddy of those Coors’ Lights and MGDs and Rolling Rocks I’ve been enjoying since high school (sorry mom, it’s true).

This beer looks, smells and tastes like those good old American brews, but beyond the cache of being the original, there really is nothing that sets it apart from the others (or from a beer like Heineken, for that matter). This beer is tasty, don’t get me wrong. I look at the bottle, and I sing that old Joni Mitchell line “I could drink a case of youuuuuu.” Very drinkable, no bitterness and minimal skunkiness. It leaves a sweet taste in the mouth. A good pale lager from the land of my forefathers. Na zdraví!