Hitachino Nest

Hitachino Nest

       Don't ever say that I've never risked my life for you...ever!  This, boys and girls, is the first Asian brew that is going to be reviewed and what better place to start than Japan,  the masters of detail and tedium.   I might be saving you some time by saying this was a great, great beer, but maybe it was the radioactivity.  I feel stronger, faster, lighter, and there are growths in my wrists that are leaking a silky spider-web like substance.   Oh, never mind, the brewers, Kiuchi Brewery, are declaring that they're safe and no radioactivity has been found in any of their products.  On to the review then!

Appearance

    I loved the label.  I literally had a photo shoot with this bottle.

      Okay, so I'm not great with a camera, nor is my camera a DSLR or anything fancy.  But still, I like the label.  Nice colors, inviting, and the owl seems to say "hey, I know I'm surrounded by all these Europeans, but try me, taste good."  So I did.  Now after the pour, (which I did into my new sampling glass which I attained at a local L.A Beer Week I attended)  the brew came out a cloudy light orange color.  It reminded me of a Pineapple flavored fruit drink.  There was little to no head with hardly any consistency to hold the head together.  Aesthetically lacked, but doesn't bother me much.  Also the head didn't last a minute.  Through the white haze amidst the orange libation was a little stream of carbonation, but nothing worth going into too much detail.  Yeah, basically it looked like juice.

Smell

     The smell hits you pretty hard and is a great indicator of taste.  The smell was robust with coriander and light hints of sea salt  and other spices, pepper maybe?  Also present was the wheat smell that is present in most light ales, 'light' in terms of light and dark that is.  Based on smell alone, I would bet that this would be great with fish.  I mean, it's from Japan right?

Taste

     Yum, yum, yum, A+ on taste.  At first I was skeptical and I was a little over critical.  But midway through  I relaxed and just drank and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Part of the reason I chose this beer was because it was the last one on the shelf, and now I see why.  Again, the smell really corresponds to the taste--coriander, a light touch of other spices and herbs, a bit of salt, and a tang of sweet, maybe a fruit like orange, to finish it off.  The tastes, though, are not heavy at all and are actually 'dainty' on the tongue.  Thus making this beer a really tasty session (I forget the exact ABV but it's low, couldn't have be higher than five).    The balance is near perfect.

Mouthfeel

     The mouth feel is light and frothy.  Maybe that's why there's not much head.  Anyway the rest is similar to drinking a real fruit juice.  Strong taste in the beginning and drys a little at the end, making you want to take another sip.

Overall

     I like this beer and would suggest it to everyone.  Great taste but not the kind of taste where it punches you in the face and proclaims your tongue a province of whatever taste it is.  It comes  and goes and satisfies.  Just like the Japanese to have good balance and cute packaging.  Tell your friends about this one, it really is good and, I think, over looked.  So many beers out there dare you to taste them, but this one really just waits patiently for someone to take a chance and, no, it doesn't disappoint.

Paulaner Oktoberfest Weisn

Paulaner Oktoberfest Weisn

      Don't mind the toys in the back, and, yes I love Futurama.  So it's October, and that means OKTOBERFEST!!!  If you're looking for a place then look online.  The only one I really know of is in Torrance at a place called Alpine Village. It's okay--supposedly the biggest in California--but it's too crowded, the beer could be better, and there's always a fight.  So do what I do and just drink on your own.  I'm going to try to only review Oktoberfest beers this month, but you know how life can be.  So today it's Paulaner Munchen Oktoberfest Wiesn.   This is a new label for us so I should probably elaborate.  Marzen means March in German, in which it was decreed long time ago that beer could only be brewed starting from the end of September until March.  Thus,  a certain type of lager was brewed to last through the summer (something about brewing in summer can be hazardous in a fiery kind of way), and any left over would be served at Oktoberfest.  Full detail from wiki.  Look at that, my explanation is crappier in hindsight.  On to the show.

Appearance

     Removed from the box the beer and glass is packaged like this--beer inside the can inside the glass.  Like a Turducken except less like taking a crap on mother nature and standing over her fecal ridden body and saying "I'm your god now."   The three gentlemen drinking with one hand in their pockets, I thought, was a nice touch and deserved some recognition.  It really adds to the Oktoberfest feeling of the packaging...graphic designers, take note. 












 And here it is when you remove the can from the glass.  The glass is heavy with a little 1 litre mark to remind you that you're going to get drunk.












 

This is what you've been waiting for. Few things:  glassy and translucent with a vibrant amber color.  Very little carbonation bubbles streaming from the bottom and the head was about an inch big and had a cloud-like texture to it with a tint of amber.
















Smell

     When I smelled this I was fully disheartened.  My chest got heavy and a bit of sadness crept in.  I smelled a little bit of hops and a little bit of floral, and, what struck me sad, was a smell of mold or something like it.  Actually, it was more like moss.  In other words, I was sure this beer was rank, or at least on it's way to being full blown rank.  In researching this type of beer, I found that refrigeration is very important to ward off any bacteria.  Maybe that was what was in here.  But it wasn't so bad that I knew I had to throw it out, so I soldiered on.

Taste

     Yeah, rank.  It smelled like wet moldy cardboard boxes that was out in the rain.  It tasted like it as well.  At times I tasted something that only extended my imagery to include the ink of the labels on a cardboard box.  Something oddly artificial came out of that beer.  But there are good points: a little hops and the malt was very much present.  The flavor was consistent and smooth, but overall, it only tasted like dirty water.

Mouthfeel

     Lack of bite and has a similar mouthfeel to drinking vinegar that has been fermented in chili.  It was wet and thick.  No bite from the carbonation.

Overall

     I was bummed and felt stupid by the way I handled this.  I got this beer close to a month ago and just left it out without thinking about what I was doing.  The small pluses that I put in the taste section gives me reason to believe that this is a good, nay, great session beer. The super dissipated tastes that faintly touched my tongue were great, but, unfortunately, the bad tastes will forever remain in my head.  So what did we learn?  Take care of your beer if you're storing it and drink it as soon as possible.  If you see this beer somewhere, buy it and tell me if I'm right.  Happy October people...  

Mischief

Mischief
      
     Children, villains, darkness, all cause mischief in one way or another.  So is the name of this beer, although, I don't know what's so mischievous about it.  Does the beer go out and kill people under the blanket of darkness?  Is it plotting to overthrow our government by spray painting propaganda on the walls of government buildings, slighting the elites and throwing an egg in the face of our leaders?  The website  thinks I should keep an eye out when I drink this.  Oh, maybe I'll be the one who causes mischief because I'm drunk; like now...I'm drunk.  Oh here we go, the text under the label says: Not quite evil, yet not to be trusted, this Golden Ale is effervescent, dry, hoppy, and crisp....  So it's mischievous because it has tricks up its sleeve aye...let's see.

     Yeah so, the pour sucked.  Three inches is okay, it's not the size of the boat it's the ... nevermind.  Anyway, ideal conditions is when it is poured into a tulip glass--if you don't know what that means, think of a tulip then make it all glass.  This beer was made by Orange County's own The Bruery located in Placentia, CA.  Let's get to it.

Appearance

     It has a very nice golden color--translucent and full of carbonation bubbles rising to the top to hold that head up there keeping it proud and strong.  The head was super creamy and thick and looked like ice cream completing a golden float.  The head retained very well (I'm starting to believe that's the sign of heavy tasting beers)  and was just overall pretty.  The bottling was nice as well, accolades to the graphic designer that did that...or whoever.


Smell

     Yummy hops hit me first.  Very lovely smell really, nothing else like it.  A little floral, mostly hay flavor or dried farm found plants.  I'm trying to smell other things but that hops is just wonderful.  It's like pot when you don't smoke pot.  You just keep smelling it.

Taste

     Sweet, hoppy, slightly salty.  That's pretty much it.  This ale showed as an ale and it was a well done ale.  Nothing fancy, nothing showy, just straight up ale.  It's what you expected.  The site says melon and pear and pepper spice are included, but all I tasted from that list is pepper.  There was a slight spice that hit my tongue but, truthfully, I don't taste anything of the other two.  I'll take the bullet and say I'm just unrefined in my tasting, but truthfully, eh, not there.  Also, this is a great beer to pair with food; it's in the same league as the Horny Devil Ale I reviewed recently.  Unfortunately, I didn't pair this with anything, but the site says pulled pork or something like that.  Good luck with that.

Mouthfeel
      
     There's not too much of a bite.  A nice dryness but not like gin.  The head is super airy (no one expects you to drink the head like I did, but for some reason it looked good so I "ate" it).  That's all I can say about that.

Overall

     Here's a suggestion:  if you want to review beer and put it online, don't review on an empty stomach, especially when the beer you're drinking is about eight percent ABV.  Since starting, I've been getting progressively more and more drunk, thus, now resulting in me mistyping all over the place--very unprofessional.  Wait, who the hell said I have to be professional?  Yeah, so what I'm drunk?  This is a good beer, though, seriously.  It's fundamental.  Not basic and cheap, but quality-wise a good ale.  Would I drink this again?  Yes--I'm having fun right now listening to music by myself (so I'm weird, I don't care).  So have some Mischief Belgian-Style Ale.  With or without food, it's a good beer and puts you in a good mood.  Thanks for reading,  get like me baby...

P.S -- For all you young guns out there who don't give a rats ass about tasting but think it's posh to drink craft beer here's some advice:  this beer is not, I repeat, NOT for tipping up over your mouth and pounding the drink like it's the last bottle of water in the world.  Seriously, I'm not discouraging you, I'm telling you that once you flip it over like that, the carbonation gathers and eventually explodes in your face. You've been warned.

       

Mana Wheat Beer

Mana Wheat Beer

     This beer is another brew I attained from a tasting at the restaurant I work at.  This is a wheat ale brewed with Pineapple--just in case you didn't read the can.  This is a mixed review beer, that meaning, some like it, some hate it.  A lot of reviews I read on Beer Advocate are good reviews, but I disagree, but I'll share that with you later.  It's a nice can.  It has a nice color, nice graphics, and this is the first beer I've reviewed that was in a can.  The back of the can states that it is better to can beer instead of bottle them to prevent oxidation and light damage.  It is also more environmentally friendly.   Umm, okay, anyway...

Appearance

     The color was a dark brownish amber color.  It was very cloudy and had a lot of carbonation bubbles streaming from the bottom.  The head was white with a slight hue of orange (although that could've been the lighting) and was about 1 1/3 of an inch thick.  It retained well and hung around until close to the end of the beer.  Again, one day I'll buy new beer glasses.

Smell

     The smell of pineapple is immediate and strong.  You know there's pineapple in there, all other smells are subtle (or imaginary).  The smell of yeast comes in second place but focus is necessary to pick it up.  There's a little bit of grain present, which I assume is the wheat, but very subtle.  

Taste

     YUCK!  I earlier said I disagreed with the reviews, or average thereof, on Beer Advocate, which was a B+.  Yes, YUCK.  I just do not like this beer.  I suppose it's because I like beer and I like beer alone--not some mutant fruit/beer science experiment.  I've drank this three times from three different packages and they all tasted the same, so it's not skunked; also, remember, the can keeps it fresher for longer.  The taste was bitter, and not bitter like beer, but bitter like canned pineapple juice that kept some aluminum to share with your tongue.  Also, they took that pineapple/aluminum and threw beer in it.  Maybe this was actually beer that spilled in pineapple juice and someone thought it was good.  Or maybe Hawaiians love pineapple THAT MUCH.  Either way it was not good to me.  The tang of pineapple ruined it and you can taste the beer and pineapple fighting each other. 

Mouthfeel

     Going down it was slimy--slimy like the feeling of pineapple juice.   It dried out during the after taste but still left a bitter taste in your mouth.  There was little to no bite from the carbonation.  Overall, the feel of it was like drinking a rotten can of pineapple juice.

Overall

     This brew won a couple awards (see: Maui Brewing Co. ) and I honestly think that  it was only because it was either the only beer in its class or there was a real lack of competitors.  I've tried a raspberry brew in Berlin by a company called Berliner Kindle which was not bad, or not as bad (which I have to say went absolutely wonderful when mixed with Absinthe), but the Mana Wheat was terrible.  A lot of people have told me they really like it, and only two others say they didn't, not including me.  Look, I like pineapples.  I like pineapple juice.  But when you decide you want to put it in your beer, shoot yourself in the mouth.   So I guess this is proof that I have a tongue and an opinion and that this blog isn't a farce where I'm trying to get cozy with beer makers for a handout (but they are accepted and encouraged).  Anyway, it's up to you to taste and make your own decision, I just give you a heads up.  Anyway, what am I, the Pied Piper?

Horny Devil Ale

Horny Devil Ale

      I really need to get new beer glasses--a variety of them at that.  So I'm back and I am fulfilling my promise of continuing to record my beer experiences.  This time I've obtained a bottle of a Belgian pale ale from the company AleSmith that, judging from the website, likes to keep their beers on the upper end of the spectrum-- champagne like bottling, harder to find, more expensive, etc..  This beer goes for about 13 USD, but luckily I got it for free from a tasting that happened at the restaurant I work at (the labor is annoying, but it has its perks).  There's a new word I've learned when researching this beer (which some might say I should've known, but I've been out of it for awhile) which is "Brussels lace" or "Belgian lace."  This term refers to the foamy residue that hangs around on the beer glass.  Supposedly it measures the cleanliness of the glass and/or the freshness of the beer.  I kind of feel like it's a steaming load and is just another aspect for beer critics to talk about.  Thus, you won't hear anything from me about brussels lace.  And with that, on to the show.

Appearance
      
     This has a dark honey color.  It was golden but hazy and had a lot of bubble streams rising.  Oh and if you're wondering why the glass isn't completely full, it was because I had friends over and we shared and couldn't fill to the top.  Just pretend the lip isn't there.  The head was super thick and, from the top view, looked like the top of an ice covered mountain and had the color and texture of white sugar.  I read a few reviews that said otherwise and I suspect it was from age or transport or something of that nature.  The head was a little over an inch and had a lot of retention--no dissipation until I started drinking (and that was a good 10 minutes because there was good conversation going around.)  Now I said I think my bottle was really fresh, and I really believe that because you won't believe the strength of the smell.

Smell

     I don't know if anyone has noticed but my smell sections are usually short shrift and feeble.  Well, it's because I smoke so I don't trust that sense too much.  I've tried to stop several times' and, one day I will, but the disclaimer is here today.  With that said, this beer filled the entire room.  I mean strong, strong, strong.  This beer claims to be brewed with coriander and it really shows in the smell department along with a smell of meat, floral undertones, and citrus.  Sweet meat and citrus hit us all in a thick cloud that quickly shifted our attention.  

Taste

     This wasn't the first time I have tasted this beer.  I also had it at the tasting where I am currently employed.  Before I get into that, let's start with the taste alone.  Again, this beer was very full and robust.  The taste correlates to the smell almost exactly.  It was thick and sweet with a twist of saltiness.  The citrus flavors came out subtly and there was a floral sort of plant taste that hung around as well.  The salt and floral tastes lingered after swallowing while the sweetness was more immediate.  I'm convinced that the saltiness is the kind of saltiness you get with a juicy tri tip or ribs. 
     Now if you're into pairing your beers with food, which I'm not really into but at the tasting I couldn't refuse without looking like an ass in front of my bosses, this is a 'pair with a food' kind of beer.  Plus, after working a shift I'm usually damn hungry.  I work at a Hawaiian restaurant called Back Home In Lahaina and blindly grabbed this beer to drink with my meal.  I had a bacon wrapped loco moco (ground beef wrapped in bacon atop a bed of rice  and a fried egg on top of that and all covered in gravy.  Sorry for the lack of pictures and, yes, it's a fat boys paradise) and some pork gyoza (dumplings).  The beer didn't pair with the gyoza too well, but the bacon wrapped loco moco was perfect.  The saltiness and fat from the loco moco pulled and strengthened the flavors from the beer, and vice versa.  Again, I don't like pairing beer with food because I view beer as a meal already and mixing it with food not only makes me too full, but also dilutes the flavors; but, this time it really hit. 

Mouthfeel

     This beer is strong in smell, taste, and mouthfeel as well.  Strong carbonation, thick, and heavy.  The carbonation doesn't burn but bites the tongue and makes sure you don't forget about it by heating up the stomach upon impact.  Since the beer is full of flavor, I imagine the heaviness and thickness is due to the ingredients.  Not much dryness but the flavors coat your entire mouth. 

Overall

     I honestly give this beer an A+, but won't be drinking this again--not for a long while, at least.  It's just too strong and I only give it a '+' marking because it really popped out when paired with the loco moco. I'm sure it's good with succulent meats, but coming back to it, especially considering drinking it alone, seems like asking for a nap afterwards.  And at 11% it definitely knocks itself out of being a session beer.  But this really is the epitome of what beer drinkers want when it comes to craft beers--an experience.  I can talk about it, say I've enjoyed it, and move on to the next adventure.  So if you see this, have yourself some fun.  As a matter of fact, drink half for yourself, then cook a nice dinner for your loved one that includes meat, and drink it with that, see what you like or even if you like it.  It's your life, I don't care what you do with it. 

Sierra Nevada Summerfest

 Sierra Nevada Summerfest

     Okay, so I haven't been around for awhile.  The tastings haven't stopped but remembering to put down my thoughts as I'm tasting and putting my review on here within a day has.  My memory of the beer isn't as crisp and unreliable, thus, I leave it out.  And, frankly, that has been happening for the past year.  So I'm back, I'm starting light and working my way back into the heavy stuff.  It's summer--the days are warm, the breeze is warm and life is easy--if you're in a Corona commercial.  So here's Sierra Nevada's Summer Ale, and after review, I would say this is the beer I'd be drinking while I lay out on the beach.

Appearance

     Very nice golden sun color.  The translucent quality gives the consumer a refreshing sense and is, especially if you're tired from working in the hot sun, very enticing.   It had a small head but sufficient as far as looks go.  The head didn't have too much substance and dissipated before I would admire anything about it.  It was shy I guess.  

Smell

     I didn't smell much but a slight sweet steam kind of smell.  Similar to smelling freshly cooked sweet corn or something like that.  I admit I'm not too sure if my nose was working well, so maybe a future update is required.

*Update: also smelled lemon zest, that's it I'm not coming back to this*

Taste

     Great refreshing taste (wow, that sounded familiar, but not in a liar kind of way).  Admittedly not something that makes you close your eyes and savor the flavor so much that it locks into your memory so that right before you die you can remember that taste; but, this is a top session beer taste.  Not too strong, not overly carbonated, smooth going down but light and crisp, as opposed to Guiness, in which it can be heavy and thick going down the gullet.  There's a sweetness to it with the hops coming after the initial taste that creates a perfect mix.  I kind of look at this beer like a really fresh and well made salad.  Great session beer, great to have at a barbeque or a day out on the beach, or having a picnic kind of beer.  Forget Corona.  Corona is a salad too but made with only iceberg cabbage and cheap dressing.  There a juxtapose if you're reading this without references.

Mouthfeel

     Again, light, fresh, crisp with a slight dryness towards the end.  By the end of the beer it does tend to get a little "cow spit" like, but nothing like a BMC brew or a 40oz Malt, for that matter.  The carbonation helped with the light and crispness of it but there was enough of it to stop you from drowning.

Overall

     I like it.  I would drink this often if it were not the fact that my stomach is becoming a belly and I have to slow down on all of this consumption.  I don't blame the beer or anything, I just have to slow down.  Anyway, before I tell you to take this to the beach with you, I have to say that this is a good session beer, but after awhile (and I mean a good long while) it gets tiring and dulls your palate.  The buzz isn't strong although you do feel good drinking it without getting full on drunk, but there's a certain point where it just becomes a liquid and you realize you're just drinking to drink.  Also, a big part of why I enjoy this beer so much, besides taste, is that it is widely available (in summer months of course), not too expensive, and not intimidating to anyone (unlike Arrogant Bastard which says directly on the label don't drink this if you're a pussy, not exactly in those words).  Otherwise, have a couple with your girlfriend on a nice day.  Maybe she enjoys beer too, and maybe she'll enjoy this, and maybe, just maybe, I got you laid...maybe.