Image Property of Harviestoun.com

Type: Beer- English Porter
Name: Harviestoun Brewery – Old Engine Oil
Price: $3.79
Made: Hillfoots Village, Scotland
Alc/Vol: 9%

It says it right on the bottle, “Blackest Ale” and boy is that truth. This beer pours a dark almost pure black color with just a tiny bit of head – a coffee/caramel color lacing. The beer almost seemed thicker than your average beer as it poured out of the bottle although this could just be my imagination going with the “Engine Oil” name. Yet for all it’s dark deep character, the nose is light. You don’t get much from it, which from such a dark brew you would expect a deep rich aroma.

Now I don’t know what makes this beer special but I can’t even find it listed on the brewery’s page. They have the Old Engine Oil Porter but not the Engineer’s Reserve version, I wish I would have bought one of each to compare it.

The taste is good, really good. It has that coffee richness to it and the hops rest on the back of your tongue. It allows the flavors to wash over before the dark chocolate breaths through. I know they have some specialty beers that are brewed in oak casks, which wouldn’t surprise me being Scotts. However, I can’t tell if that is what they do for the Engineer’s Reserve. All I can tell is that this is a quality beer in a land that is more known for, well …their Scotch.

The one aspect that I really like about this is that it only has a hint of dark fruits to it. I am not a fan of dark fruits like you would find in a  doppel bock or other similar style beers. There is a bit more sweetness then I would prefer but not enough to deter me form wanting more.

The beer leaves a nice dry finish, making you want more. Which, the desire for another drink is the least you should ask for out of any beer. I give this beer 4 out of 5 bananas. It has everything a good beer should have, the name may be gritty but the beer isn’t.

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New Brew Tuesday: Harviestoun – Old Engine Oil Engineer’s Reserve is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Image property of HSBeer.com

Type: Beer-
American Double/Imperial Pilsner
Name: Heavy Seas - Small Craft Warning Über Pils
Price: $1.79
Made: Baltimore, MD
Alc/Vol: 7%

“Unofficially the original American Über Pils, Small Craft Warning is a rich, golden bock lager with big malt flavor and a crisp hop finish.”

Now I don’t know what makes an Über Pils, but this has been listed in the American Double/Imperial Pilsner category from my research so we will just lump them all together. I’ll be honest though, having the word “Über” in the name may have influenced me into purchasing it which in this case paid off…Überly @(^_^)@

The beer poured a nice golden color with a medium head that dissipates at a good mid level rate and leaves lacing on the glass. The scent gave off a nice bit of malts with a bit of something…citrus? It wasn’t a strong aroma but overall it was enticing.

The most important part, the taste was enjoyable to say the least. It had a nice full bodied heaviness to it, which is not typically what you would associate with a pils. Let me get it straight though, it wasn’t heavy like it was a meal in a glass but for the style of beer it is. The taste had a nice mixture of malts and spices. The dry hoppiness finished off this beer leaving the tip of your tongue dry as if it was asking for more.

The more I drank this beer the more I enjoyed it…and the more I felt it. At 7.0% it was a strong beer that had good flavor, although nothing overly strong about it’s character. I believe it was a good blend of everything which prevent too much from standing out on its own. I give this beer 4 out of 5 bananas which is about as close to Über as you can get.

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New Brew Tuesday: Heavy Seas – Small Craft Warning Über Pils is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Type: Beer – Euro Pale Lager
Name: Peroni – Nastro Azzurro
Price: $1.59
Made:  Italy
Alc/Vol: 5.1%

“Pironi Nastro Azzurro is the No. 1 premium Italian beer. It has an intensely crisp and refreshing taste with an unmistakable touch of Italian style.”

This little beer comes in a light green bottle, which due to allowing more light in means that it is harder to get a fresh quality version of the beer. This holds especially true when referencing imports. The scent has a typical Euro Pale Lager smell to it, a bit of that grassy nose but it is light. Blended in with this there is a bit of sweetness, almost sour in the nose not faint but not overpowering either.  It pours a nice pale golden color, with a light lacing.

The taste matches the smell with that sweet/sour flavoring. I believe it is the sweetness mixed in with the hops that give it slight sour blend to it. It drinks really easy and smooth, washing over the tongue leaving just the back dry. The tip of the tongue is left with the crisp carbonating feeling. I could pour these back all night, it is a light and refreshing beer which is also part of its downfall. There isn’t a lot that you could pull from this, any defining characteristics that could help me pick this one out of a line up. The aroma and flavors are simple, done well.

I would assume that this would go well with Italian meals. It wouldn’t compete with a spiced red sauce pasta, but I think it would go well with a light citrus seafood dish off the coast. Especially if you wanted to take a break from the red wines. I’m starting to think Italians are big citrus fans, especially after my experience with limoncello. I give this beer 3.5 out of 5, I know it is rated lower on other sites and it doesn’t have a lot of character to it but there is just something about it that I really like. Have you tried this brew before? What’s your take on it, leave your comments below.

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New Brew Tuesday: Peroni Nastro Azzurro is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Type: Beer – Doppel Bock
Name: Ayinger Brewery – Celebrator
Price: $3.29
Made: Aying, Germany
Alc/Vol: 6.7%

Now I am not a big doppelbock fan, don’t get me wrong I like my dark beers but more so in the porter/stout. It’s something about those dark fruits that don’t seem to work well with my pallet. Usually, I can barely finish one just like with winter ales. This one wasn’t bad though, in fact if you look up Doppel Bock beers on ratebeer.com this is the highest rated. Therefore, this is the cream of the crop of doppel bock, or so I’ve been led to believe.

The scent had a  mixture of dark fruits and other things that was hard to narrow down. It was sweet smelling but not sugary. The color was a dark coffee color, almost black. The taste matched the nose but through a more subtle tone. The beer was not very bitter, not a strong presence of hops. Instead it was malty and rich with a coffee taste that lingers throughout the sips. Doppel Bocks have been described as a meal in a glass, to me I’d say a rich, yet heavy dessert (But by no means a dessert beer).

I did like this beer, probably due to the subtle-ness in its flavors that it wasn’t over whelming with the dark fruity richness. I give this a 4 out of 5, not necessarily because it is that high on my taste scale but because I can appreciate that this is a quality beer.

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New Brew Tuesday: Ayinger Brewery – Celebrator is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Image Property of JohnnieWalker.com

Type: Whiskey – Scotch
Name: Johnnie Walker – Red Label
Price: $24.99
Made: Kilmarnock, Scotland
Alc/Vol: 80%

I’m not much of a scotch drinker, but then again I like my whiskey so I’m not that far off. My step-father on the other hand is a Bourbon fan. Some of you will read this and give that satisfactory nod, others are scratching your head. For the latter, all Scotch and Bourbon are a type of whiskey but not all whiskeys are scotches/bourbons. Got it?

Johnnie Walker is a well know name in the world of Scotch, what many don’t know is what the hell is the difference between the colors other than price. To be honest I myself don’t know the order, just that Red is at the bottom of that totem pole and is typically more used for mixing but can be drunk by itself. Which is what I’m doing so that I can truly enjoy the full on taste and report it back to you.

The scent is sweet but that isn’t enough to full me, I’m full aware that under that sweet nose are some sharp teeth.

I have my scotch on the rocks…well rock, with an ice in it, to open it up a bit. The taste matches the scent with the initial sweetness but being the lower quality scotch it has an after bite. I am sure that the higher in quality and aging you go the more the smoothness increases, as much as a scotch can be smooth. A peculiar mid level taste after the sweetness comes through before the strong spiced finish. It has an earthiness to it, I’ve read descriptions that it has a strong peat taste to it, but I’m not familiar with the taste of peat so I’ll go with earthy.

Scotch is not a drink for the faint of heart, and this one has a fiery burn to remind you as it goes down. Maybe that is why they chose the color red? The finish doesn’t leave you with much of a taste, just a dryness to it with that warm feeling down your throat. I think I still have a few more years of tasting around the world of whiskey before I can pull the same tasting notes I do from a beer and in some instances from wine but truth be told I don’t know if I’ll every truly get there.

I give this scotch a 2 and a half out of 5 bananas. It isn’t your rock gut whiskey but it isn’t top shelf either. Good for mixing and OK to sip.

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New Brew Tuesday: Johnnie Walker – Red Label is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Property of RedHook.com

“The generous addition of hops both during and at the end of the fermentation process (dry-hopping) gives our India Pale Ale its characteristic bitterness and piney citrus aroma and flavor.  The medium body, crisp finish, and moderate alcohol and IBU levels makes this one of America’s most drinkable and best-selling IPAs.”

First and foremost I want to say that the real reason I bought this beer was because of the mini bottles, which is especially odd since the name of this brew is Long Hammer. Yet, just looking at the bottles, they make you wanna saw “awwww” but you know in a manly way. Ahem.

Image Property of RedHook.com

This brew has a light, grassy smell almost more lager like. Although my nose has been stuffy the last week so I wouldn’t trust it to be the most accurate. Which typically affects the taste buds but this brew is an IPA so it has a bite no matter what.

The taste is hoppy, as an IPA should but on the scale of hoppiness it is a milder IPA. It has a nice smooth taste, creamy mouthfeel that leaves the tip of the tongue refreshed but the back of the tongue with a dry finish. The spice and hops tinge on the back of the tongue leaving a nice aftertaste. Overall, there is a bit more malts than I would expect in an IPA.

This beer is decent, could be a bit disappointing in the IPA department but overall a decent beer. I give this beer a 2.5 out of 5 bananas. It is middle of the road and light on the hops but has a nice drinkability that anyone who likes a bit of hops in their beer could enjoy. May be a good beer to start your explorations into the world of IPAs.

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New Brew Tuesday: Red Hook – Long Hammer IPA is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Coquito in a Bacardi Bottle

Tis the season for eggnog and holiday festivities, however in my hometown the Puerto Ricans bring their own festive drink. It is similar to eggnog but there are a few twists to it, one tropical addition is coconut, which despite its hydrating-hang over fighting powers I hate the taste. Drinkers, don’t fret because I love this drink coconut and all. I can almost deal the the coconut in a pina colada, if it is made strong enough but with Coquito there is no having to “deal with” anything because it is all a delicious pleasure to the pallet.

The hardest part of coquito is finding the empy bottles to fill up your fresh made holiday treat. I took the lazy way and just bought a few bottle off of a friend. It can be pricey for just yourself, but if you make enough bottles it is well worth it in the end and will make you the talk of the holidays. Everyone shares food recipe’s but that is dull, spice it up this season with a little coquito.

Here is a recipe from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14 ounce) can cream of coconut
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup white rum
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

My only recommendation to this recipe is to switch out the water for brandy or a gold rum.  There are many different ways to make it, some without eggs and my brother’s girlfriend made us coquito using ice cream. All very delicious. If you are lucky, or crazy, I’ve had some coquito made with Puerto Rican moonshine which no matter how much flavoring is still moonshine and will leave you hung over till the New Year. Here is a short video clip for coquito by blending the ingredients instead of using a boiler, it’s in Spanish but easy to follow being a video and all.

I love learning about unique holiday drinks, they are always festive and bring memories of home. Last year we talked about Glögg now Coquito, any recommendations for next year?

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New Brew Tuesday: Coquito is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Image property of Yuengling.com

Type: Beer – Red Lager
Name: Yuengling – Lager
Price: $10.80 for a 12-pack cans
Made:Pottsville, PA
Alc/Vol: 4.4%

Ladies and Gentelmen, boys and girls of all ages….(that is according to the legal drinking age of your respective country)…It’s time for our weekly installment of New Brew Tuesday. (Cries of excitement can be heard echoing from the masses, yes I said masses dammit)

Ever since Yuengling has made its way into Ohio I have substituted my regular choice of brew for Yuengling.  I love my Irish Reds, heck who doesn’t love a ginger,  but other than Killians it is hard to find that style of beer let alone at a comparative price to your Buds, Millers and Coors. So this has been a mini blessing to my liver. Now onto the beer.

The scent of Yuengling doesn’t present anything distinctive, light, a bit of malts. The color gives a nice amber hue with a bit of lacing. The commercials would leave you to believe that the head will sit pretty atop your beer for hours, OK maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but so is the commercial. True, unlike the aforementioned poo beers this does have a nice lacing head. However, it dissipates pretty fast, so don’t wait too long to brag about how your beer gives good head.

The taste has a bit of a tinge to the tongue, citrusy or carbonation…maybe a little bit of both. It has a slight bitter finish with a touch of hops and malts blended nicely together. It is a good beer to enjoy, nothing that stands out strongly on its own but a nice soft blend of seasonings. You can really get the malty creamy finish if you swish it around, not that anyone would typically do that other than to sound sophisticated in their beer examination skills.

Overall, I give this brew 3.5 out of 5 bananas. It is a great beer goes down smooth and is from a small family owned brewery at an agreeable cost. It is a safe friend to call upon when you are feeling thirsty and all the other brews have left you with a bad aftertaste, this is your safety.

What’s your thought on this brew?

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New Brew Tuesday: Yuengling – Traditional Lager is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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Type: Beer – Doppel Bock
Name: Schönramer – Saphir Bock
Price: $3.99
Made: Schonram, Germany
Alc/Vol: 8.7%

So I would give you all an opportunity to read what Schonramer has to say for itself but well….this is what the bottle says.

Die unschuldige helle Farbe täuscht. Das intensive Sudverfahren resultiert in einem sehr hohen Alkoholgehalt, der aber durch unvorstellbare Mengen der Hallertauer Aromahopfensorte SAPHIR dezent verschleiert wird. Schönramer Saphir Bock ist daher einer der süffigsten und außergewöhnlichsten Vertreter seiner Gattung. Stark – Stärker – Schönramer Saphir Bock

This coincides with the theme of this brew, nothing in English, but that doesn’t deter me. This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve consumed something and didn’t have a clue what it was. Well, OK I knew it was a beer but other than that I was in the dark. I am not even familiar with doppel bock style beer but hey there is a first for everything.

The scent of this brew gave off a lager style aroma, that touch of grassyness to it. The taste however gave off a bit of sweetness to it. The initial taste has a caramel taste, I also wrote down a light fruit taste as well but it is really hard to pick it out. Plus my wife was eating tangerines next to me at the time. The aftertaste followed through with a bitter hop filled finish. This doppel bock had a creamy texture to it with a definite strong alcohol presence. I mean that at over 8% I felt this beer but you don’t taste the alcohol in it like a cheaper beer.

This was a good tasting beer, it went down smooth had a great blend of sweet and bitter and was strong  enough to give you a little kick in your step. My only qualm is that it is a bit more pricey per bottle and I could probably find a similar style beer at a lower cost. In the end I give this brew 3.5 out of 5 bananas.

What’s your thought on this brew?

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New Brew Tuesday: Schönramer Saphir Bock is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Image Property of ChateauStJean.com

Type: Wine – Gewürztraminer
Name: Chateau St. Jean – 2008 Gewürztraminer
Price: $15.00
Made: Kenwood, CA
Alc/Vol: 13.2%

“This elegant wine is composed of Gewürztraminer grapes from Sonoma country’s acclaimed vineyards. It expresses fragrant varietal aromas of honey suckle, rose petals and spice, with flavors of lychee fruit.”

This wine was marked down before Thanksgiving and had a sign above it claiming to be “great with turkey” now I’m sad to say I forgot the bottle at home and didn’t grab any leftovers to compare it with, but I did try it to see how it stands alone.

First and foremost with any wine, beer or spirit/liqueur I have to stick my nose in it to get a deep breath of the aroma. It makes me look all aficionado like, you know which compared to a drunk is a good thing – because it’s a fancy drunk. So what did my expertly noviced nose tell me? Well, it didn’t say rose petals I’ll tell you that much. I just so happened to have purchased some roses for my wife recently and nope – not rose petals. It did have a sweet scent and along with the taste partly reminded me of Peter Mertes- Riesling Spätlese, only less sweet to both nose and taste.

The taste was sweet and slightly syrupy, but not overly sweet and then gives to a dry finish with a touch of bitterness. I am wondering if it is from the lychee, although I’ve only had the canned version of this fruit so it could be the pear like syrupy liquid it is in. To be honest this wine goes down smoothly and before you know it you could down a glass or two, so beware

I give this wine 4 out of 5 bananas. It is a good sweet wine that has a nice balancing finish that prevents it from being too sweet.

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New Brew Tuesday: Chateau St Jean – 2008 Gewürztraminer is a post from: Monkey Brewster