Brewery Website: http://www.smithwicks.ie
Type of Beer: Irish Red Ale
Alcohol Content: 4.50%
Beer Review -
Appearance: Color is a beautiful amber-red. Very clear. Head was big and puffy and receded to a fine lacing.
Smell: Floral aromas from the hops along with a nice mix of malts and dark fruits. Some graininess in the finish.
Initial Taste: A malty sweetness covers the mouth and is beautifully balanced with a hop bitterness. Very slight coffee/smokiness from the roasted barley. Finish is little bitter and very clean. Very smooth beer.
Thoughts: The Smithwick’s company began over 300 years ago. They boast the title of THE Irish Red Ale. Being the longest established brewer and the oldest working brewery in Ireland it’s easy to see why this beer is so popular. This is some of the best of the big industrial beers. Sure the recipe has changed since the big Guinness buyout but the beer remains at the top of the Irish red ales. While this beer won’t blow you away with flavor as other craft Irish reds do it does deliver as a refreshingly smooth session beer. I recommend.
PS. Mix this and Guinness to create a traditional Irish Black & Tan. 50/50 Guiness & Smithwicks.
http://www.smithwicks.ie
Brewery Website: http://www.anchorbrewing.com
Type of Beer: California common beer
Alcohol Content: 4.9%
Beer Review -
Appearance: Pours a beautifully gold amber that is superbly clear and bright. Nice thick, rocky, two-finger head that recedes slowly leaving near perfect lacing.
Smell: Very clean aroma smelling of caramel, mild yeasts and fruits with a hint of hops. A very nice smell and distinct from other beers.
Initial Taste: The initial flavor are those bitter hops followed up with sweet caramel and a bread yeast flavor. The hops carry a very mild citrus flavor that balances the sweetness of the caramel, malts and other fruit perfectly. The combination of flavors create a nice smooth mouthfeel. You are left with a clean, dry hoppy after taste that begs you to drink more.
Thoughts: Anchor Steam Beer is a very unique beer. Anchor Brewing Company created their own style of beer called California common beer based on the old Steam Beer style that was popular during the mid 1800′s to the mid 1900′s. This style of beer mixes the best of both worlds, lagers and ales. This style of beer uses lager yeasts but is fermented at ale fermentation temperatures. This beer also uses special Northern Brewing Hops that give this beer that unique earthy aroma and flavor. So why go through all these lengths to make a beer? Simple…to make a beer that is on the most unique beer available. Not only is this Frankenstein of beers unique…its downright delicious. From the thick mountainous head to the smooth bitter yet sweet taste this beer doesn’t disspoint at any level. If you have not had the opportunity to try this classic American Micro I highly reccomend doing so. Happy drinking!
Type of Beer: Märzen / Oktoberfest
Alcohol Content: 5.10%
Beer Review -
Appearance: Nice light mahogany color with thick two finger white head. Head lasts almost entire beer but lacing isn’t that great. Very good looking beer!
Smell: Sweet malts with a little hops and grain added in for good measure. Smells a lot like other beers in the marzen style. A nice clean smell that is quite appealing.
Initial Taste: Not too bad. Very smooth sweetness of malts matched very well with a spicy hoppiness. Very little bitterness in this beer but JUST enough to balance out the sweetness of the malts that make up the core of this marzen. The flavor is sweet but light enough to keep on drinking. Aftertaste is a subtle lingering sweetness.
Thoughts: What a surprising beer. I didn’t have much hope for this beer when before I first tried it. Being made by Michelob I just assumed it would be like the rest of the American watered down brews like Budweiser and Miller…but boy was I wrong. This beer is one of the smoothest beers I’ve ever had the opportunity to drink. Michelob has done a great job in making a smooth, highly drinkable, German Marzen beer that does not fail to deliver. There are other Marzen beers that represent this style a little better…but none as easy to drink. Definitely my favorite beer from the Michelob lineup. Highly recommend.
