March 2013
1 post
wtkbeerblog has moved
wtkbeerblog has moved to thebeerhaul.com. Currently working on the site but you can find content on facebook (www.facebook.com/TheBeerHaul) or on instagram @thebeerhaul (instagram.com/thebeerhaul). Currently posting photos of craft beer with plans to post photos from craft breweries.
January 2013
4 posts
4 tags
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA - Fresh Tap & 2008...
I bought two of these back in March of 2009. I drank the other one a little over a year ago. I didn’t want to hold onto the second one much longer so I was looking for a reason to drink it. About a week ago the local pub announced they were tapping a keg of 120. At first I wasn’t very interested but then I realized that I could compare the two beers. I checked if it was ok to bring...
11 tags
2012 The Year in Beer and Looking Ahead to 2013
2012 was a year of amazing beer. In the past I have really like beer and have always wanted to try new styles, brewers, etc. This year though, my enjoyment of it increased a lot. I want to try a new beer every day. It doesn’t always happen, but I think I have tried at least two new beers a week since late spring. I have also not enjoyed stouts and porters that much in the past several years....
1 tag
Michigan Holiday Beer Haul
For Christmas my wife, son, and I spent almost two weeks in Grand Rapids, MI. Grand Rapids was named Beer City USA this past year. I’ve lived in Grand Rapids, well Holland, but spent a lot of time in Grand Rapids and I have visited a lot since I moved away about three and half years ago. I’ve known that the beer in this part of the country is amazing and I’ve had some of it....
Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling
About a month ago I received a magazine in the mail that I had not subscribed too or have been charged for. Usually, this is annoying, however, this was Draft Magazine, a magazine all about beer. This particular issue’s cover story was about the top 25 beers of the year. Skipping right to that section I start browsing the different beers, which aren’t listed in any particular order, but by...
January 2012
1 post
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA Aged For 994 Days
Grade: B+
“Too extreme to be called beer? 120 Minute IPA is brewed to a colossal 45-degree plato, boiled for a full two hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month and aged for another month on whole-leaf hops!
Clocking in at 15-20% ABV and 120 IBUs, 120 Minute is by far the biggest IPA ever brewed! It’s easy...
October 2011
1 post
Real Ale Brewing Company Tour
Grade: A+
It’s been six months since my last post. Crystal got a job at Baylor University this summer and in July we moved to Waco, TX. It’s a dry campus and we live on campus so no beer in the apartment. Don’t worry, I still drink beer and the occasional martini/whiskey. There’s also The Dancing Bear, an amazing pub only several blocks from my front door. They always...
April 2011
2 posts
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Grade: A
“A high gravity IPA brewed with 18% rye malt. Hop Rod Rye has a floral hop aroma and a subtle caramel notes with a slightly earthly and spicy rye character. ABV:8.0% IBU:80%”
Right now, this is my favorite beer. IPAs are my favorite style and this beer expands on that. Bear Republic’s Racer 5 IPA was my favorite until I had it’s big brother here. I had it for...
Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Bud Light "Beer"
Grade: A++
“Bud Light is brewed using a blend of premium aroma hop varieties, both American-grown and imported, and a combination of barley malts and rice. Its superior drinkability and refreshing flavor makes it the world’s favorite light beer.”
I was out walking around this morning while it was still dark. I really wanted some beer. I walked into the corner store around the...
February 2011
2 posts
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Grade: B+
“We’re brewers whose substantial mettle and idiomatic approach to brewing allows us to consistently create works of art such as this justifiably self-righteous ale. Its bitterness hits our sweet spot. Its blackness lightens our hearts. Its liquid dichotomy pulls it all together in this sublimely sacrosanct ale. Yes, we damn well know our stuff here at Stone, and it would...
Pliny the Younger
Grade: A+
“Pliny the Younger was Pliny the Elder’s nephew, in the case of this beer, the “Younger” is a triple IPA. Pliny the Younger is hopped three times more than our standard IPA, and is dry hopped four different times. 11.0& ABV GOBS of BUs”
Many of us have been looking forward to the release of Pliny the Younger this year. Last year was insane. The...
January 2011
8 posts
The Year in Beer Reviews
A week from saturday (1/22/11) will be exactly a year since I wrote my first beer review on here. In that time I have reviewed 48 beers. Seven of them aren’t pictured because I reviewed them in Michigan and didn’t bring the empties home. I’m rather surprised at myself. I have tried blogging and journaling before only to forget/give up in a week or two. Although, there’s...
Shorts Brewing Huma Lupa Licious
Grade: A- “Named after the hop flower Humulus Lupulus, this best selling India pale ale style beer has enormous amounts of hops which really seems like a punch in the face. Hop flowers from the numerous strains used in this recipe render a delicious bitter taste and enticing citrus aroma. Flavors from a hearty malt bill meld with the hops to balance this ale and provide a ridiculous urge...
Michigan Brewing Company Mackinac Pale Ale
Grade: B “Derived from the traditional English style bitter, this is a classic American pale ale. A three malt blend provides a medium bodied ale that is balanced with Northern Brewer and Cascade hops from Washington’s Yakima Valley, giving it a distinctive hop bitterness and aroma. The result is a light-colored brew, firm in both malt and hop presence. The term “pale” was...
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
Grade: A “Too many strive towards complacency as a goal. We grow up thinking that the ability to become complacent is the equivalence of success in life. True Arrogant Bastards know that this could not be further from the truth. The real beauty, richness and depth in life can only be found if the journey through life itself is looked upon as a constant chance to learn, live and find life’s...
Founders Dirty Bastard
Grade: B- “So good it’s almost wrong. Dark ruby in color and brewed with seven varieties of imported malts. Complex in finish, with hints of smoke and peat, paired with a malty richness and a right hook of hop power to give it the bad attitude that a beer named Dirty Bastard has to live up to. Ain’t for the wee lads. 8.5% ABV. 50 IBUs.” Fourth Founders beer in a row here and my least...
Founders Centennial IPA
Grade: A- “Get ready to bask in the glory of the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the citrus accents from the abundance of dry-hopping. This one’s sweet, yet balanced. Malty undertones shake hands with the hop character for a finish that never turns too bitter. 7.2% ABV. 65 IBUs.” Third Founders review here. I actually cleared the grocery store of two different types of Founders...
Founders Dry Hopped Pale Ale
Grade: A “A testament to Cascade hops in a bottle, this medium-bodied pale ale has a refreshing citrus flavor and a distinctive floral hop aroma due to the aggressive addition of hops during fermentation. You’ll notice a slight malty sweetness with a balanced hop finish. Perfect to enjoy anytime, anywhere. 5.4% ABV. 35 IBUs.” I love this beer. My tastes have changed since I lived in...
Founders Red Rye Pale Ale
Grade: B+ “Serious hop bitterness, along with an unyielding grapefruit bouquet from the Amarillo dry-hop, balances the malty richness of four varieties of imported Belgian caramel malts. Pours a spectacular crimson with a creamy tan head. A generous addition of rye malt accentuates a spicy, crisp finish. 6.6% ABV. 70 IBUs.” The first of the many reviews from my week in Grand Rapids,...
December 2010
2 posts
Stone Double Bastard Ale
Grade: B+ “A huge malt bill and a belligerent hoppiness make this heavy ale one that will be appreciated by only a few, and that’s just fine with us. We didn’t brew this mordant dark amber monster to please anyone other than ourselves. if you think you are truly Worthy (and if you have to ask yourself this question, you most certainly are not), then crack open a bottle, drink...
Anchor 2010 Christmas Ale
Grade: B+ “The brewers of Anchor Steam® Beer are proud to announcethe release of our thirty-sixth annual Christmas Ale. Everyyear since 1975 the brewers at Anchor have brewed a distinctive and unique ChristmasAle, which isavailable from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is differentevery year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which we offer itremains the...
November 2010
1 post
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
Grade: B “A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, organic brown sugar and spices. This is the perfect beer to warm-up with, as the season cools.Punkin Ale is named after a locally-famous and seriously off-centered event here in southern Delaware - Punkin Chunkin. In fact, Punkin Ale made it’s debut as it claimed...
October 2010
1 post
Beer Tasting
I have a good amount of friends who like good beer. The amount of people I know that only know about over adverted lite beer is very small. A couple of friends brought up that we should do a beer tasting. I thought this was a good way to explore new beers and I’m always looking to add more favorites to the list. City Beer Store here in San Francisco is an excellent source for beer. I needed...
August 2010
1 post
Allagash White
Grade: A- “Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer, Allagash White is unique and truly refreshing. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and our own special blend of spices, this beer is light and slightly cloudy in appearance, with a spicy aroma. Overall, it is a beer that is very drinkable and smooth any time of the year.” Unfortunately, I drank this beer four days...
July 2010
2 posts
Russian River Supplication
Grade: A+ “Bottle Description: The beer inside this bottle took more than a year to make- a reasonable length of time for a fine wine but not for beer. This is, in fact, a brown ale aged in used pinot noir wine barrels. During the barrel aging, sour cherries, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus were added to each barrel imparting a nice cherry flavor and sourness. While most...
Avery IPA
Grade: C+ “In the 1700’s one crafty brewer discovered that a healthy dose of hops and an increased alcohol content preserved his ales during the long voyage to India (as depicted in our label) to quench the thirst of British troops. Today, we tip our hat to that historic innovation by brewing Colorado’s hoppiest pale ale. Avery IPA demands to be poured into your favorite glass to...
June 2010
3 posts
Russian River Damnation
Grade: A “In the great beer producing country of Belgium, some brewers have made it a tradition to give their beers an unusual name. Sometimes the name is curious, now and then it is diabolical and other times it is just plain silly. Damnation is our brewmaster’s interpretation of a Belgian style Strong Golden Ale. It has extraordinary aromas of banana and pear with mouth filling...
Saison du BUFF
Grade: A “It’s a saison of sorts; hellaciously herbaceous and hopefully contagious. This was not a ready made ale. But it is a ready made collaboration. Meaning Stone & Victory are 2 breweries that are exactly like Dogfish in that they do/brew exactly what that love and do/brew it exactly like no other brewery out there. -Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Founder and President”...
Pliny the Elder
Grade: A+ “Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Although not considered his most important work, Pliny and his contemporaries created the botanical name for hops, “Lupus salictarius”, meaning wolf among scrubs.” Hops at that time grew wild among willows, much like a wolf in the forest. Later the current botanical name,...
May 2010
7 posts
Arrogant Bastard Ale
Grade: B+ “The is an aggressive beer. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory —- maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that...
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
Grade: A “When reading the name “Stone Cali-Belgique IPA”, “Cali” hints that it is a California style IPA, and this brew has an undeniable Belgian influence, indicated by the word “Belgique” (which is how Belgium’s French-speaking population says the word “Belgian”; the Dutch speaking Belgians say “Belgie”). We carefully selected a Belgian yeast strain that illuminates a fascinating new...
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Grade: A- ”In the style of a German Maibock, using our proprietary Pacman ale yeast. Deep honey in color with a malty aroma and a rich hearty flavor. In the early 1990s Dead Guy Ale was created as a private tap sticker to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (November 1st, All Souls Day) for Casa U Betcha in Portland, Oregon. The Dead Guy design proved so popular with consumers and especially...
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
Grade: B+ “What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year, to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Make your taste buds squeal with delight. 11.2% ABV 70 IBUs.” I’ve had this bottle for a year. Bought it almost exactly a year ago in Grand Rapids....
El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale
Grade: A- There’s no short explanation for this one, just a blog entry here. It’s a collaboration between Stone (Escondido, CA), Firestone Walker (Paso Robles, CA), & 21st Amendment (San Francisco). I’m a huge fan of Stone and always looking to try new brews from my favorite breweries. Found it at Bevmo. I was really drawn by the bottle, really cool design. I also love how...
Trumer Pils
Grade: B+ “The sparkling mouth feel of each sip confirms the dedication to traditional European craftsmanship. Every aspect of the brewing process of the family-owned Trumer Brauerei in Salzburg has been recreated with exacting detail at the Trumer Brauerei Berkeley. Trumer Pils is the wonderful result of a unique and special brewing process, which sets it apart from other beers. Like...
GQ's 50 Best Beers in the World
April 2010
4 posts
New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek
Grade: B- “In a never-ending quest to create new beers and defy category, New Belgium Brewing and Brewerij Boon of Belgium have partnered together again to create Transatlantique Kriek - a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with Polish cherries.This authentic kriek beer began life in the oaken vessels at Frank Boon’s brewery in the Lembeek region of Belgium. After more than two...
Brew Dog Hardcore IPA
Grade: C- ”This little bottle has a grandiloquent story to tell. 2,204 malted Maris Otter grains gave all they had to offer the world to provide the robustly delicate toffee malt canvas for the ensuing epic.6 Hop Cones willingly sacrificed themselves in fiery cauldron that is our brew kettle to ensure your mouth is left feeling punished and puckering for more.9,900,000,000 yeast cells...
Dog Fish Head Burton Baton
Grade: B+ “This is a blended beer that we’ve been brewing for the past several years and it’s recently been gaining in popularity.For Burton Baton we first brew two ‘threads’ or batches of beer: an English-style Old Ale and an Imperial IPA. After fementating the separate beers in our stainless tanks, the two are transferred and blended together in one of our large...
Anchor Liberty Ale
Grade: A ”First introduced in 1975, Liberty Ale® is brewed strictly according to traditional brewing methods, and, like all Anchor Brewing Companyproducts, uses only natural ingredients — water, malted barley, fresh whole hops and yeast. A special top-fermenting ale yeast is used during fermentation and is responsible for many ofLiberty Ale’s subtle flavors and characteristics....
March 2010
5 posts
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
Grade: A “This hoppy American IPA is a full bodied beer brewed American pale and crystalmalts, and heavily hopped with Chinook, Cascade, Columbus and Centennial. There’s a trophy in every glass. ABV: 7.0% IBU: 75+” Add another brewery I would like tour. It’s right down the road from Lagunitas and Russian River on the 101. That would be quite a day, probably have to get a...
Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA
Grade: F “A stunning India Pale Ale (IPA), don’t think that Belhaven’s Twisted Thistle has anything jaggy, spikey, prickly or otherwise pain-inflicting in its nature. Quite the opposite. Your taste buds will tingle with pleasure after a sip or two of this golden nectar. A real treat from our master brewers in Dunbar.” So, you might be wondering why I gave an IPA an F....
Anchor Brewery
Grade: A+ “Anchor Brewing has played a significant role in San Francisco’s rich history. Anchor’s eight unique beers—including Anchor Steam®—are all produced in one of the most traditional and handsome breweries in the world. Each brew is virtually handmade from an all-malt mash in our handcrafted copper brewhouse, a veritable museum of the simple, traditional...
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Grade: B+ “For those mornings when you have to cut right to the chase, this is the one. Sure to blast through just about anything still lingering from the night before, this mouthful of Hops and huge rich Malt has a gaurantee built right into the name! 8% ABV.” 102 I.B.U.4.U. and me! I’ve had some people request to review more beers that are not IPA’s or hoppy. Sorry....
Ayinger Weizen-Bock
Grade: B As I was looking for this beer on Ayinger’s website, I couldn’t find it to paste in their description. Looking around I found out it’s a winter seasonal. I guess the scene on the bottle with all the snow should of given that away. I poured this beer like I pour all the other beers I have; a way to keep the head from being huge. Nonetheless, the head was very large. I...
February 2010
4 posts
Anchor Steam Beer
Grade: B+ “Anchor Steam derives its unusual name from the 19th century when “steam” seems to have been a nickname for beer brewed on the West Coast of America under primitive conditions and without ice. The brewing methods of those days are a mystery and, although there are many...
Ayinger Bräu Weisse
Grade: A “Fragrance and taste of the “yeast-cloudy” wheat beer are distinguished by a refined top-fermented flowery-yeast character and an unmistakable, distinct banana aroma. First sensation on the taste buds is full-bodied, very soft and mild with a lively, champagne-like sparkle. A light, typical wheat beer taste is expressed, the bitter tone of which can scarcely be detected. The...
Stone Ruination IPA
Grade: A- “So called because of the ‘ruinous’ effect on your palate! This massive hop monster has a wonderfully delicious and intensely bitter flavor on a refreshing malt base. One taste and you can easily see why we call this brew ‘a liquid poem to the glory of the hop!’ Those who seek, crave and rejoice in beers with big, bold, bitter character will find true...
Belhaven Scottish Ale
Grade: A “Malty and hoppy, we at Belhaven love the classic Scottish Ale and we’ve been brewing it longer than any of the other beers we produce. Delivering a sweet, smooth and creamy finish, Scottish Ale has a stunning ruby colour in the glass. Magic.” Belhaven Scottish Ale is one of my favorite beers; I just love the flavor. Right when you pour it, a thick head forms and...
January 2010
2 posts
Lagunitas (IPA) Maximus
Grade: B “At the height of the heat in the heart of the summer, we felt the only cure was a raging mouthful of fresh Hops and Malt. Caution: May remove enamel from teeth. Alcohol 7.5% by volume.” Ah, one of my favorite brewers, Lagunitas, out of Petaluma, CA, just north of San Francisco. Hopefully I’ll get up there before we leave here. I picked this up one night with a friend...
