Yuengling's Lord Chesterfield Ale

Back in August, at the 16th Annual Southern Brewer's Festival in Chattanooga, TN, I battled the heat, the crowd, and the excessive pretzel necklaces in order to try some of the country's best beers. Normally, I try a few too many and end up forgetting all the different beers I tried. This time, though, in the interest of beer journalism (and the desire to avoid heat stroke), I kept it to a more reasonable four.

One of those beers came from a familiar name: Yuengling.  But the beer, Lord Chesterfield Ale, was less familiar. In fact, I'd never heard of it (turns out they have Lord Chesterfield Societies up north... no kidding.)

Anyway, the beer was great. It was my favorite of the festival.  I hadn't really thought much more about it until I came across a six-pack in a convienence store today. Surprised, I ponied up the $7.00 and bought some. Again, in the interest of beer journalism -I've got to keep you guys informed!


Right!?

Right.

Ok, first, the luster that Lord Chesterfield had at the festival has faded.  The draft beer at the festival had a bold, round flavor, whereas this bottle was flatter and more one-diminsional.

Out of the bottle, it smells Dutch (think Grolsch or Heineken).  Where those beers are bold and bright, Lord Chesterfield leaves a flat initial taste with a mild, dry carbonated sourness through the middle.  It finishes clean and dry with some notes of bitter grain. 

Let's personify the taste: Lord Chesterfield (he was a real guy -a British diplomat back in the 18th century, apparently) takes a carriage ride to the Netherlands to introduce a new plan to defeat the French or the Spanish or whomever. While there, he drinks a Grolsch, thinks 'I'd like a Pale Ale from back home', and takes an Alka-Seltzer (he had a headache?).

They didn't make Alka-Seltzer back then?


Well, IF THEY DID, then that's what Lord Chesterfield Ale would taste like.

I don't want to sound too negative though, I do think it would make a great session-drinker.  It's light, crisp flavor keeps you coming back for more and doesn't bludgeon your taste buds with complexity.  All things considered, I enjoyed my bottle of Lord Chesterfield Ale, but it was nothing special and it certainly didn't live up to the keg from the festival.

I give Yuengling's bottled Lord Chesterfield Ale a 2.5 out of 5 and the draft version a 4/5.

Brew News: Terrapin Hop Shortage Ale

Hey pub-crawlers, great news. Terrapin's first Side Project beer, Hop Shortage Ale, is on the shelves of a few select package stores. The Hop Shortage Ale is a kind of middle finger to the worldwide hop shortage, with a healthy heaping of hops in every bottle.

Spike (Terrapin's brewmaster) only brewed one batch (I saw it in the fermenter when I took the tour, too! I watched my beer ferment...neat, huh?). This beer is also the first bottled Terrapin to come out of the new brewery in Athens. And actually, unless I'm mistaken, it's the first beer to be sold publicly, bottled or otherwise, ever brewed in Athens by Terrapin.

I bought two for myself (they're $7.00 for a 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle) and loved every single drop. It's a lot like the Rye Pale Ale, with a little more hop taste through the beer.

Sherlock's in Kennesaw had it as of April 4th and Total Wine in Kennesaw didn't on April 4th.

Brew Review: Great Divide St. Bridget's Porter

Hey gang, how's things?

I'm doing great, thanks in part to the wonderful beer I'm reviewing today: Great Divide Brewery's St. Bridget's Porter. Porters aren't exactly popular beers...a lot of brewers don't brew them (for some reason), but I thank Great Divide for brewing this one. Porters have a bad reputation among some beer drinkers, I think, in part because they tend to be pretty heavy in the flavor and alcohol department. That's a valid gripe, but not for St. Bridget's.

Sure, it's thick and it's heavy, but in the best possible way. This beer is like a Cacao Reserve chocolate bar...silky, smooth, thick, slightly bitter...just plain good, really. The pour produces an abundance of frothy head that contrasts beautifully with the dark black of the beer. It smells like metallic chocolate and carbonation. The taste is also fairly carbonated (to help get you over the slight bitterness, I'm guessing) with a deep, rich, super-dry chocolate taste. Notes of coffee and fruit (which one, I'm not sure) round it out. If ever a good cold weather beer was brewed, this is it. It's warm and rich and the taste hangs around for a good hour after you're done.

I'm giving Great Divide's St. Bridget's Porter a 5/5. It's a great beer in a genre of brewing that is sometimes underappreciated.

Great Divide is another Colorado Brewery that surprised me, though I've always been intrigued by them. They brew a beer called Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout that I've been eying for years now. If St. Bridget's Porter is any indication, their other brews are worth checking out.

Brew Review: Left Hand Sawtooth Ale

Alright guys, sorry about that last beer. My first negative review...it hurts, but it's true. Anyway, I'm moving on with my life. If it doesn't kill you it only makes you stronger, right?

All kidding aside, though, this week I'm reviewing Left Hand Brewing Company's Sawtooth Ale. This is Left Hand's flagship beer, but even so, it's my first time trying one (I love their Milk Stout, for the record).

Left Hand is based out of Longmont, Colorado (I'm usually a little guarded toward Colorado brewers. I'm not sure why, but I think I perceive them as perceiving themselves to be more "cool" or "hip" than they should). I mean, yea, they're cool...they make beer for a living. But they seem to flaunt it with crazy labels, weird names, and undrinkable weirdness.

Regardless of my feelings towards Colorado based breweries, I love this beer. Sawtooth is a good old standard ale. Nothing crazy here, just malts and hops, and balanced quite well, I'd add. It pours a hazy light copper color with a good amount of head. It smells like it has more punch than it actually does...kind of like an IPA. The taste, though, is classic ale -perfectly balanced with a slight lean toward the malty side, a nice wet mouthfeel, and awesome drinkability. Left Hand's website claims Sawtooth is a great session beer (meaning it's good for drinking more than a few of). I totally agree. I'd put this up there with Bass as far as smooth, crisp, all around balanced beer goes. I actually finished it a lot quicker than I had planned, if that means anything (I think it testifies to its greatness).

I'm giving Left Hand Brewing's Sawtooth Ale a 4.5/5. This is a great, balanced beer and is a perfect representation of what a good ale should be. It's not a 5/5 simply because I reserve 5/5's for more daring beers.

If you like the Sawtooth Ale you'll probably dig Bass, Terrapin's Rye Pale Ale, and or Atlanta Brewing Company's Red Brick Ale.

And again, be sure to check out Left Hand's website. It's really cool and has some of the neatest graphics I've ever seen.

Brew Review: Flying Dog Special Release: Wild Dog Weizenbock Ale

What's going on guys? This week I had planned on reviewing a Flying Dog Special Release: Weizenbock Ale. After I popped the cork (yep, it had a cork) I smelled it...and, to be honest, the smell scared me. Kind of a weak wine smell, a little grapy. But, I pushed on, undaunted. After pouring the beer I smelled it again. Still funky. I took a drink, passed it around to my roommates, and settled on my opinion. It sucked. Maybe I just don't get this style or maybe I got a bad bottle, but either way, it wasn't good. It was flat, wine-like but without any of the redeeming qualities of wine, and kind of tasted like alka-seltzered plum juice. I couldn't finish the bottle (it was a 750 ml bottle).

Needless to say, I give the Flying Dog Special Release: Wild Dog Weizenbock Ale a 1/1.

I'll try another tomorrow. I'm thinking of a good old standard Ale. See ya'll next time.

Brew News: Repealing the Sunday Alcohol Sales Prohibition

What's going on gentle readers? I've got some interesting Brew news today...

If you're like me and don't understand the "Blue" law, the weird law that makes Sunday alcohol sales illegal in Georgia, then you should go sign this petition to have it repealed. The law is about to be brought to a vote and if enough people voice their opposition, it may be overturned. Wouldn't that be something? Instead of stocking up on Saturday, running out early Sunday morning anyway, and hating your drunkard friends (and your drunkard self) for drinking the reserve supply, you can actually go to the store to buy more ON THE DAY YOU WANT IT! Novel idea, I know.

Here's an article about it in the AJC: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/02/18/booze_0219.html?cxntnid=biz021908e

And here's the petition again: http://www.petitiononline.com/GASB138/petition.html

Tell all your friends! Let's end Prohibition again!

Brew Talk: Classics

Hey guys, this week I want to talk about a few of my favorite beers. Even though I rarely drink them nowadays, a handful of beers still hold a special place in my beer-lover's heart.





Bass Pale Ale: Bass Pale Ale is a great beer. Period. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy, just classic high-quality beer. It doesn't even taste like a Pale Ale, really...more of a Brown Ale. But whether I want a drink or two at the bar or I'm in it for the long haul with a 12-pack, Bass is still my #1 pick. Manet painted it, Napoleon loved it, it was on the Titanic when it went down, and their red triangle logo was the first registered trademark in England...it's a classic.




Sam Adams Boston Ale: Boston Ale has always tasted similar to Bass for me. It's malty, smooth, and round. Sam Adams makes many, many fine brews, but this is easily my favorite. It's $1.00 cheaper than the other Sam beers too (I can't figure out why). If it was a buck more I'd still love it. When I interviewed the founders of Terrapin they said Jim Koch, the founder and president of the Boston Brewing Company (Sam Adams), is a big inspiration to smaller brewers everywhere. He sure knows how to brew a classic beer, as the Boston Ale proves.







Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: Sierra Nevada is generally regarded as one of the finest American breweries (along with Sam Adams and a few other, smaller companies). And it's with good reason. Their Pale Ale is crisp, heady, and super flavorful -after 12 bottles it still has kick. The Cascade Hops in the beer give it, and lots of imitators, its distinct bite, creating a true classic and almost single handily birthing the micro brew industry.






Newcastle Brown Ale: Last but definitely not least is another British standard, Newcastle. Newcastle has a special spot among what I consider good beer: whether you love beer, like it, tolerate it, or hate it, chances are Newcastle is going to be in your top 5 (maybe top 10 if you're more experienced). It's light, smooth, and somehow still really tasty. Flat out, this is a classic beer.