Quilmes Stout | ZE Beer Review

My friend Josh (whose family lives in Argentina) gave me a bottle of an authentic Argentinian stout to review for the channel. Who am I to say no?



Zymurgical Explorations grade: C+

Short's S'more Stout | Short's Week Day 9 of 7

This is the absolute last of the Short's Week beers, which means I can get back to other breweries. I sort of wish I'd finished on the Key Lime Pie, because this one was somewhat disappointing.



Zymurgical Explorations rating: 6.0/10

Short's Hangin' Frank IPA | Short's Week Day 7 of 7

The last of the regular week of Short's Week. I review a very nice IPA with a controversial label and an interesting story.

The controversy here: http://beernews.org/2010/06/shorts-hangin-frank-label-raising-some-eyebrows/

The story from Short's here: http://www.shortsbrewing.com/beer/our-portfolio/exclusive-beers/hangin-frank/

Regardless of the label, this ended up being a very nice beer, very hoppy with a nice fruity backbone, and a great way to end the week. If Joe Short is watching, I hope he decides to make this year-round.



Zymurgical Explorations rating: 9.0/10

Video: Michigan Brewing Superior Stout

Michigan Brewing Superior Stout (bottle)
Webberville, MI
5.5% ABV

Another quick after-work review here. Shana was watching TV near the computer, so I filmed this in the spare bedroom. I think it worked out pretty well.



MBC makes decent beers, but rarely great ones. At least, from what I've tasted in bottles -- I've heard that the stuff they make for sale on-tap at the pub is much better. I'll definitely try to make it out there one of these days.

Sasquatch Stout

Sasquatch Stout (bottle)
Black River Falls, WI

I've had the Yeti and loved it, how's the Sasquatch? The colorful label says this is "brewed behind the Cheddar Curtain" -- a clever motto if ever I heard one. Predisposes me to liking the beer.

Pours dark black, very opaque, with a thin brown head that soon becomes soapscum. Slight brownish notes towards the bottom of the glass, almost like coffee. Smells sweet, very toasty, lots of caramel and bittersweet chocolate. The aroma is very vigorous, inviting.

Taste is similar, lots of dry roasted character with a pleasant bittersweet chocolate finish and a dry aftertaste. Sweetness and bitterness are almost ridiculously well-balanced, making this a very enjoyable brew. I've had a lot stouts, and this stacks up as one of the better examples I've tried.

My overall BA rating: 4.15/5

Beer Review, Bell's Rye Stout

Bell's Rye Stout (bottle)
Comstock, MI
6.7% ABV

Appearance: Dark black color, slight reddish hue at the bottom, moderately-sized brown head that sticks around. Head is rich and creamy. Nice presentation. 4.0/5

Smell: Smells almost like a nitro stout. Dry malty aromatics, slight notes of chocolate. 3.5/5

Taste: Nice rye flavor up front with a significant chocolate malt presence on the backend. Slightly astringent finish, dry aftertaste. A bit cloying. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Moderate thickness, slightly chewy. 4.0/5

Drinkability: A rye stout is an interesting concept, and this is good, but it's not quite up to the standards of most Bell's beer. Definitely worth a try for fans of Bell's or those who love rye, but a bit lacking for my palate. 4.0/5

Overall: 3.7/5

Beer Review, Lost Coast Eightball Stout

Lost Coast Eightball Stout (12 oz bottle)
Eureka, CA
6.3% ABV

Appearance: Dark black, opaque, slight reddish tinge to the bottom, thin brown head that dissipates quickly. 4.0/5

Smell: Sweet, malty, hints of raisins and chocolate. Tartier than expected. 4.0/5

Taste: Sweet, slightly astringent. Some tartiness. Strong flavors of coffee and dark chocolate. Tastes more like a porter than a stout. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Reasonable thick, coats the palate nicely. 4.0/5

Drinkability: This is a good beer, but feels slightly misclassified. Enjoyable, but a bit too sweet and tarty for my taste. 3.5/5

Overall: 3.75/5

Beer Review, Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout

Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout
Marshall, MI
4.5% ABV

Not generally a fan of fruit-laced stouts... let's see how this one stacks up.

Appearance: Completely opaque, black, with a thin dark brown head. Looks velvety. 4.5/5

Smell: Hmm, interesting. Strong grainy malt presence that mixes perfectly with the sweet fruity blueberries. Usually in these types of beers one dominates the other, but it's a perfect mix here. Very nice aroma, sweet malts and fruits. 4.5/5

Taste: Again, a nice mix. The blueberry fruitiness is most prominent on the tip of the tongue in the beginning of the beer, and the dry roasted maltiness becomes more prominent as the beer finishes. Dry aftertaste, grainy texture. Very nice. 4.0/5

Mouthfeel: Moderate thickness, heavy carbonation. Coats the tongue nicely. 4.0/5

Drinkability: Chalk this one up as a happy surprise. I can definitely see myself buying this again. 4.0/5

Overall: 4.2/5

Beer Review, Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition/Double Chocolate Stout Blend

Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition/Double Chocolate Stout Blend
Kalamazoo, MI
10.0% ABV

Tasted on-tap at Bell's, 03/09/2009

Appearance: Black body, slight reddish tinge on bottom. No head, as usual for beers on-tap. 4.5/5

Smell: Strong bourbon aroma, very malty, nice roasted barley. Slightly raisin-sweet. 4.5/5

Taste: Intense with whiskey-like alcohol, strong with sour mash but malty and dry with a clean aftertaste. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Thick. Yeah, that's about it. No particular hops or carbonation. 4.0/5

Drinkability: For such a high-ABV beer, this is amazingly drinkable. If I hadn't had to drive I'd have had another. 4.0/5

Overall: 4.4/5

Beer Review, Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Appearance: Velvety black body, thick brown head with lots of independent bubbles. Leaves light lacing. 4.0/5

Smell: Dry malts up front, with the grainy oatmeal after. Notes of coffee present way down at the bottom, but with only the tiniest hints of chocolate. 4.0/5

Taste: The alcohol gives this a highly astringent opening. This is followed by a strong malty backbone, quite a bit of sweetness, and the aforementioned graininess due to the oatmeal. Hints of chocolate as it goes down, and strong notes of bitter coffee in the aftertaste. Would get a higher rating if the alcohol was better-hidden. 4.0/5

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, high bitterness, moderate mouthfeel. Goes down smooth considering the alcohol, but the astringency is not quite as pleasant as I'd like it to be. 4.0/5

Drinkability: This is a a pretty good beer, but this is one of the few times that I think it would have been better with less alcohol. Stone is normally top-notch, but this one is not one of their best offerings, and to be honest, I'm probably tougher on it knowing it's from them instead of a lesser brewery. 4.0/5

Overall: 4.0/5