I was perusing the beer/wine aisle in my local supermarket when I spotted something new by the single beers. There, nestled between the usual lineup of big Foster’s and Sapporo cans; and bottles of Fat Tire, Rogue and other options, was a tall, skinny box. Box? “What was this?,” I asked myself. Upon closer inspection, the box was labeled “Brothers’ Reserve Cherry Oak Doppelbock.” Hmmm… Never heard of it. The fine print said “Oak aged ale fermented with dark cherries.” That was pretty much all I needed to know. At $7.49 it wasn’t cheap for a lone brew, but it was 22oz., and 9% alcohol, so it seemed worth a chance. Holy crap was this good! Turns out that it’s from Widmer Brothers in Portland. I have previously espoused the virtues of a lambic brewed with cherries in beer threads here, but this is even better. While the “Three Philosophers” is incredibly intense, the Brothers’ Cherry Oak is smoother, but with just as much much flavor. They somehow get the essence of the cherry without the sourness, and it is really something delicious. Find it if you can.
ETA: The box I mention housed a regular bottle of beer. I don’t want anyone to think it’s beer-in-a-box. It’s just a marketing gimmick that obviously worked on me.
Oh, I like Widmer. It’s nice to be able to find their stuff locally.
Lost Coast Brewery, in NorCal, is my new must-buy. They do a fantastic Tangerine Wheat that tastes as though it’s brewed with the rind of the fruit, not the juice or meat. It’s both very citrus-y and quite bitter, and my new favorite. It’s also available only in 22 oz. bottles, though I’ve seen it on tap one time.
BMalion introduced me just this week to Newcastle Brown Ale, which I like, although I’m usually more of a Heineken, Dos Equis, Moosehead or Kirin kinda guy. When I asked him who made Newcastle, he quite matter-of-factly replied, “Newcastle Brown Ale is made by angels.”
I’m more likely to have ice water with dinner, maybe with a merlot when I’m having pasta or beef, or a dry chardonnay with fish or chicken.
Got a couple of bottles of Ace Perry (a hard cider made from pears, not apples) made up in Sonoma—It’s absolutely excellent, and I say that as someone who isn’t usually all that fond of hard cider in general. A crisp, tart brew, it’s perfect for when you are in the mood for a little something different…
I am sometimes overwhelmed by many American micro-brews, as they are often too filling and heavy, but I also picked up some of the current Sierra Nevada Seasonal Brew, which is now a pale bock. Very tasty, and finishes easy, without the bloat I sometimes get from other micros. I would recommend it for those who like a quality micro, but don’t want to feel too full after a few rounds.
Costco’s house brand, Kirkland, has a 24 bottle case of beer for eighteen bucks. Made by Gordon Biersch in San Jose California, they are excellent beers. Four flavors in the case: German Lager, Hefeweizen, Amber Ale, Pale Ale and all are great. Better than the Pyramid case I had a few weeks ago.
There is a Kirkland Amber Ale on the coaster to my left as I type this.
a tasting sip each of ponche kuba, ponche caribe, cruzan blackstrap rum and bacardi reservo. We just got back from the caribbean, and mrAru went rum shopping =)
It has sentimental value for me - I spent many hours (days? weeks?) drinking this in grad school. Now its exceedingly hard to find where I am. The only place is over an hours drive away and there is usually a 50-50 chance that they’ll have it in stock when I get there.
