It’s Wednesday. Hump day. That horrid day in the middle of the week where you realize you still have two more days until the glorious weekend. But, wait, what is that? A light at the end of the tunnel?! Could it be?
Yes, ladies and gents–we have our very first, double feature Brew Review from our beloved Sous Chef Jack:
The Brew Review is back and coming in hot! Going Mach 5 with my hair on fire, (If you get that reference, than you and I are jamming to the same beat). Apologies for the brief hiatus, but I come bearing gifts from a trip to Sunny, and unfortunately not snowy, California. But we’ll get to that, this week we’ve serving up a double feature. First, how about something with a label you’ll actually recognize?Harpoon Winter Warmer
Style: Winter Warmer Ale
ABV: 5.5%
Serving Type: Bottle
Style: Winter Warmer Ale
ABV: 5.5%
Serving Type: Bottle
The Harpoon Brewery is one of the gems of South Boston, something that really makes you appreciate the Boston Tea Party and everything our forefathers fought for. The Brewery was founded in 1986 by Harvard classmates and also has a location in Vermont. Out right now is the Winter Warmer, which appropriately is amazingly perfect for sitting by a fire.
- Pour: Light red and beautifully clear. Two fingers worth of bubbly white head dissipates fairly quickly. Moderate carbonation is visible with some bubbles floating towards the surface.
- Aroma: sweet and malty. Nutmeg and cinnamon are what make this beer “warm” and comfortable. The aroma is sweet and malty, very appealing.
- Taste: After the whopping kick in the nose from the aroma the taste is not as impressive, but still sweet with smoother notes of caramel and cinnamon. Not overpowering, actually surprisingly drinkable and creamy. Finishes nice and sweet with the taste lingering pleasantly in your mouth.
- Mouth Feel: A lot of carbonation, But a simple feel. The bubbles are equally important in making this beer “Warm you up”. Pair them with the spices and you might as well be wearing a north face. The bottle description says the beer is “full bodied” and it certainly is, but it’s not so heavy to make you feel as though you can only have one.
- Overall: The Spices are what make this beer worth drinking. The name is true to the aroma and the taste It’s an awesome beer around the fire during the holidays. But unlike some other winter seasonal beers, it’s drinkable. Good for those who want to try something nice but not be overwhelmed.
Grade: B+
This past weekend my cousin Zach and I decided to take a trip West to Lake Tahoe to visit our friend AJ who decided to move out there to “work”. We soon realized that “work” translated to a super senior year of college, kid is living the DREAM. Needless to say Lake Tahoe is beautiful, and the Craft beers were plentiful and delicious, especially after a day on the slopes! One of my favorites was the Mammoth Brewing Companies Epic I.P.A. (Sweet name, right!?)Mammoth Epic I.P.A.
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5 %
Serving Type: BottleThe Mammoth Brewery is located in Mammoth Lakes California just 3 hours from the shores of lake Tahoe. Their website lists thirteen active beers
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5 %
Serving Type: BottleThe Mammoth Brewery is located in Mammoth Lakes California just 3 hours from the shores of lake Tahoe. Their website lists thirteen active beers
- Pour: A hazy copper color with a rocky head. Great lacing, you can tell every sip you take by the marks on the bottle!
- Aroma: Some scents of pine, and other floral hops give the beer a great aroma that really makes you anticipate the taste…
- Taste: But on your first sip it’s not the hops that are most noticeable, it’s the malt. Wait…what? The beer is very malty almost drowning out the hops. The taste isn’t bad, but it doesn’t feel like an I.P.A by any means.
- Mouth Feel: medium carbonation, good body.
- Overall: The beer almost feel mis-labeled. It’s not bad but the hops are way more prevalent in the aroma than in the taste, it should almost come with a disclaimer. I’d drink it again but not if I was in the mood for an I.P.A.
Overall: B-
