Category: Beer

By Ken Carman

  Without intent, I have collected well over 1,000 beer bottles since the early 70s. When something finally had to be done about the cheap paneling in this old modular, I had a choice. Tear down the walls while, oh, so carefully, replacing the often rotted 1X3s. Or: cover them with… The Bottle Collection.

85 at Beer Advocate: but, was the Michigan version the same as what I had from the Austin bottle?
61 at Rate Beer, 80 for style. But this was the product when brewed in Belgium. The same? Don’t know for sure.

Not really sure how long ago I got this one. Claims to have been a Belgian style wheat beer. Not sure which one, probably Witbier, especially since it claims to have had herbs and spices. Which ones? Who knows.

Here is what Wiki says about it…

The microbrewery started in 1996. The Celis Brewing Company was purchased by Michigan Brewing in 2002. Pierre Celis, who is credited for the Wit beer revival in his native Belgium, and founded the Hoegaarden Brewery there and the Celis in Austin Texas, was hired to continue his famed style of beer.[

Apparently there is a plan to return Celis to Austin, according to a 2012 article.

The family-owned craft beer company specializes in Belgian wheat-style beer made from centuries old recipes. Started by world-renowned brewmaster Pierre Celis, the company had moved brewing operations from Belgium to Austin in 1992. But in 2000 the brewery was sold to Miller Brewing Corporation, and after struggling with output it was quickly taken over by Michigan Brewing Company in 2002.

After founder Pierre passed away late last year, his daughter Christine Celis reclaimed the rights to the family name and decided to bring operations back to the ATX.

Obviously this was bought during their first incarnation on this side of the big pond. I haven’t seen it on the shelves, so I assume it’s either on the way, or plans never quite solidified. Whatever the case it should be welcome in a market that has been Belgian Boom since they first started selling this here in the 90s.

3.44/5 rDev +2.1%

Profiled by Maria Devan and Ken Carman for PGA

Maria

This beer pours out thin and black but if held to the light you can see a dark brown hue. A fat loose head of tan foam that fell slowly to a film, then a small ring and left lace that was not permanent.

Nose is malty and grassy. Sweet malt , light toast, light caramel and grassy hops. Then some dark fruits evolve. Prune and a bit of something grapey and quite sweet. Taste follows the nose all the way except the first thing to greet your palate is metallic.

The malt is a bit awkward and husky but you begin to enjoy it, as a robust, the more you drink. The dark fruits are light and at first the prune is sour but that gives way to this grapey sweetness. Mouthfeel is light and has a nice dryness to the mid palate. Finishes a touch bitter and with that grass over top of a light caramel.

For a stout this was crisp and mild. With a bit of hop presence this is an easy drinking stout that gives some light toast and a touch of caramel to a bit of dark fruits and finishes a bit tame but altogether pleasant.

Ken

It’s always interesting to review a beer after someone else does, and I must admit Maria is better, nose-wise, than I am in many ways. And my hesitation: driven by my desire to be fair as a judge, to mention fruits except an occasional “like,” because I feel that unfair to any entries that may actually have plum etc. in them also gets in my way.

So the only thing I will comment regrading her review is the “metallic” may be the roasted barley, which is required for a stout and I believe more present as the versions of stout Guinness brews get stronger.

So here we go… nose: I just judged Murphy’s v. Guinness Daught/Dry. This is more complex with a very distinct sour to the nose, roasted barley and some chocolate: dark. Pale malt and deep roast since seems complex.

Nice big bubble, small bubble and creamy tan head. No light shines through, but the light in my place is pretty dim and I am without flashlight right now. Obsidian. On my sample the head lingered for quite a while. Of course head, as well as surface tension of the liquid itself, can be affected by the glass you pour it into. It also must be noted that even Guinness Extra is still not a heavy bodied beer, though more so than the Dry, mouthfeel-wise.

Some folks get “dry,” or “drying,” when roasted barley is used. I don’t, unless over used. This isn’t over, in my opinion. It’s not problematic either way, just a perception driven by that often stout-specific add.

The roasted barley is strong on the palate and could be mistaken for metallic. Medium on the light side of body. Carbonation low but bites on the inner cheeks pleasantly. Slight bitter but no hop flavor noted. As it warms the body seems to express itself a tad more.Some sense of chocolate driven by the malt, but the roasted barley is more the star here, backed up by that Guinness, classic, slight sour.

To me this is everything Guinness Draught should be. You have the malt. It’s not a heavy quaff, but an interesting one. There’s slight carbonation that lifts the roasted barley and the pale malt to prominence. It does fill the mouth without having a heavy or even heavier side of medium body. Slight sweet behind assertive roasted barley and pale malt.

I can get the fruit/plum and caramel notes Maria did, but as my readers know I say there’s a vast difference. Some brews actually have them as adjuncts, and I have no desire to confuse folks into thinking any brew has actual “plum” in it when it doesn’t. Usually I’d say “plum-like” at best. But that’s just me. Plenty of BJCP judges higher ranked than me love to use these descriptives and the tasting portion of the test, well, use them and you might do better. Especially the more you use specific fruits.I can also get “grassy,” though to me this is less “grassy,” and more a slight sour sense. This would be expected since they sour some Guinness and then add it back in.

I’m guessing Maria would give it a high three on the PGA scale, mine would be more a 4.3.

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

_____________________________ Beer HERE

Maria

________________________________________Beer HERE

Ken

Profiled by Ken Carman for PGA

The name alone made it worth trying.

I get toffee upfront in the nose. The smell reminds me a little of butterscotch pudding. A little sweet to the nose and pale malt in the back ground.

Appearance: head goes away fast with really big bubbles and medium. Deep red highlight and maybe about a 28-30 srm.

Mouthfeel is light on the pinprick carbonation with a great pudding like slickness that coats the mouth. Tis indeed butterscotch-y, but not buttery. Medium body. Pudding sense hangs in the mouth and doesn’t want to let go.

The taste is like a trip to England with classic low carbonation, chewy Engish ale-ness, just begging to be quaffed. The lighter malt background is supportive but does not overshadow the pudding.

4.6

Try it.

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

_____________________________________________Beer HERE

Profiled by Maria Devan

This pours a hazy light orange with lemon yellow hues. Softly pastel with a thin head of loose foam that fell too fast to a very thin ring and left no lace.

Nose bounds out of the glass with pine! Then mango and stone fruits. A crisp dry wheat scent with a touch of sweetness and hinting at bread. Lightly floral but to really intrigue this beer has a touch of hearty green herbal on it. Taste is light and bountiful with fruit. Mango, apricot, some tangerine. Brilliantly light on the palate.

The malt is a crisp wheat cracker that’s not too sweet. The herbal is the stuff that could have made onion but it stayed just shy and is delightful because it did not reach an oniony flavor. Faint little bit of pepper in the finish and as this warms a honey like scent. There is a hop bitter but it’s gentle and starts in the mid palate. The pine is earthy and prominent. There is a touch of sour undertaste to the malt. By the time it gets to the short finish it’s practically gone and this drinks like a dream. Refreshing, juicy and drinks and so easily you could have a dozen of these in a day and not get bored.

4

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

___________________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled by Maria Devan

Pours a true amber with a fat head of dirty white foam that fell slowly and left patchy lace. A stream of bubbles rise up from the bottom and the clarity is perfect. It has a corny nose that is more like girts than corn syrup but it is sweet underneath. A grassy hop herbal cruises the nose and so does a bit of grain and a touch of appleskin. It’s not off putting and it does add to the sweetness. No alcohol on the nose.

Taste is a bit fuller than your average AAL. it has more abv and more grain even if it’s corn and more mouthfeel. This is smooth and well integrated. it’s not coarse or rough and there is no alcohol on the nose. Nor is there vanilla or bourbon. There is a prominent grassy herbal form hops and a corn like grits. Naturally sweet. The green apple does get sweeter as it warms. It drinks with a moderate light mouthfeel. The hops in this are present , even more present than the average macro light lager but not as much as an IPA. They lighten the beer substantially. In fact as far as a lager that is toying with an IPA abv this one is exceptional in drinkability. There is no alcohol on the palate. This drinks without any yeast bite from lager yeast and the biggest criticism I have is the acetaldehyde. This beer does the abv as well if not better than many of the craft IPL’s out there. It drinks like a lager without fanfare. The only thing is that if you let this beer get too warm then it does get a lot sweeter and more syrupy. Finishes off dry.

So in the grand scheme of things lagers re meant to be drunk a bit colder than stouts and that is true of this beer. This has a smooth grain taste that while corny is not over the top with sweetness. It has a grassy herbal and no alcohol on the plate. It has successfully preserved the lager character even with this minor flaw of appleskin.

3

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

______________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

Pours a perfect amber gold with bright clarity. A steady stream of bubbles make their hurried way to the top to become part of the cottony cloud of foam that tops this beer. The body has a radiance. Striking appearance.

The nose is flawless with a tropical fruits, light pine and citrus. The hops are floral and there’s mango on the nose. Sweet simcoe and amarillo. Sunny tangerine. The malt is a sweet kiss of clover honey on the nose.

Taste is out of this world. The fruit and floral hops greet the palate first and give you all that mango but with a blast of grapefruit rind. Earthy and herbal. The hops are not too oily and the malt leaves the honey behind for a moment to show off some bread. The sweetness of the simcoe is brilliant in this and really makes the beer. It has a sturdy bitter. It’s strong and it starts out deceptively mild but by the time you get to the swallow you are tasting a full hop bitter without harshness. Enchanting! This finishes dry and with a touch of sweetness from honey returned to you as if it had been stolen momentarily. Pine lingers in the aftertaste as if you had forgotten that too and it’s back to remind you.

I LOVED this. This is one of the best, most enjoyable IPA’s I have had this year. Bracing, rousing, refreshing. Thank you Jay O’Rear.

4

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

____________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

This poured a hazy burnt orange with lots of sediment. A fat creamy head of off white foam that would have taken longer to fall than it did to finish the beer. Left scads of lace to look at. Nose is bombastic citrus fruits! You could name them all. But mostly grapefruit with the peel and the pith. Nice and earthy. Tangerine, a sweet hop herbal and stone fruit softness. Faint spice and faint nuttiness if you let the beer sit in your glass long enough to notice. Not a lot of pine more like a bit of earth on the nose.

Taste is outrageous and sensual. There was no malt at all on the nose really but it’s the first thing to greet your palate. A light flaky biscuit and some sensual and smooth caramel. It’s a touch nutty but not heavy. Then all that fruit! Tangerine, stone fruit juiciness, the tart grapefruit leading that pack. The mouthfeel is light and creamy but it has a fullness you can’t ignore. It’s delightfully contradicting. The herbal is sweet not pungent and the pine is soft like a bit of earth. The citrus tartness is as tart as the hop bitter is bitter. Fantastic! Finishes with the lightest dusting of resin I have ever observed in and IPA. Just to coat your tastebuds and allow this beer to resonate sweetly in the back palate so that you want MORE!

4

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

____________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.