Professor Good Ales

Profiled by Ken Carman for PGA

I love these dueling reviews: it helps sharpen the reviewing skills.

Pillow head that seems to last forever with a lot of cream to it. About 1/3 of an inch and Guinness like: due to widget. Slight chill haze and particulate matter: could be yeast. On the srm scale this is about a 3. Despite particulate the clarity is good otherwise.

The aroma is musty with a sweet sense that I pretty much guarantee is yeast: probably proprietary to this specific brew that’s been around so long. No hops in nose. However that yeast nose is also similar to another Brit brew: Scarecrow. Earthy, herbal sort of a mix between cardamom and basil. More the first.

There’s a thinness to the mouthfeel, almost watery. I do get what some may call “metallic.” The “metallic” can actually be explained by the water profile used for this style of beer, often Burton on Trent-ish: highly sulfate which is not quite the same as sulfur. Very light with a sweetness that seems to fill in where the thinness of body leaves me wanting. Carbonation: almost none in mouthfeel but a Brit pub draft often can be that.

Here is the usual water chemistry: 352/24/320/820/44/16 That’s calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, then so4 (-2)/na+2/cl-1/. High in calcium too: some of the highest mineralized water used for brewing. With the thinness so apparent to Boddingtons it’s not surprising some might mistake it for “metallic.” Again: not quite the same, but for obvious reasons similar. Compare the same numbers for Pilsen: 10, 3, 3, 4,3, 4: used for Pilseners

There is a white bread sense to the taste and toasted only to that extent: which is almost not at all. A simple quaff that would normally be called “lawnmower” in the states. Very slightish bitter way in the background that is hardly worth mentioning. But as it warms that bitter asserts itself a little more. To be honest I am guessing all reviewers here reviewed it too cold. Brit beer can go almost into the 60s. There’s also a very slight hint of burnt butter, which is sort of OK for style. Not as much the “burnt.”

For the style it’s right, but just right. Nothing special that makes it all that interesting, to be honest. If I were to go to a Brit pub and ask for an ordinary bitter I wouldn’t be disappointed, for that is what it is. But interesting? Eh, not that much. But my lack of interest can’t be used to score it poorly. I’ll give it a 3.9, only because I think they could liven up the old gal a tad due to the fact even in England craft beer is adding to the complexity of brews. This, in my opinion, is not all that complex, but at least new owners InBev doesn’t seem to have screwed with the recipe all that much, if at all.

28 and 23 ON Rate Beer. 74-54 Beer Advocate.

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 for PGA

Southern Tiers 2XONE series is all about exploring a single variety of hops and a single variety of malt. This one uses Mosaic hops and Special Pale Malt only.

Pours like a golden beauty with a fat head of creamy white foam that adorns the glass and leaves rings and sticky patches. A fat ring and cap remain and the effervescence from the center of the glass doesn’t stop. It has some sediment or yeast that falls out during the drink and sits on the bottom of the glass defiantly even though it appears pretty clear at first.

The nose is wonderful but subtle. There is a sweet floral, a citrus zing and a tropical back notes. The malt is lightly bread-y and lightly nutty and it approaches a fruitiness but stops short. Pine is light and there is a graceful herbal that really gives the nose a bit of dash. As it warms it’s even a bit minty.

Taste is light sweet and simple. That malt is flavorful but not heavy. The citrus greets the palate first and really surprises you because it was shy on the nose. It’s floral and tropical sweetness is resonant but not loud or bold. This beer has a light to almost medium body that is not slick or oily but that offers a touch of oil and bitter in the finish. The pine remains understated in the drink and the resin is soft and coats the throat for a gentle aftertaste of floral and a suggestion of green sweetness.

This was a fabulous beer that was not complex but that had plenty to offer in the way of nose and palate. Because it’s so food friendly I would recommend that you try with everything from roasted chicken to peach praline pie. Would go really well with nuts and dishes that contain nuts like spinach with raisins and pine nuts. More!

Congrats to Southern Tier for a idea for a series that I intend to try each time as they explore different hop varieties singularly and showcase the skill of their brewers.

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

Profiled by Ken Carman for PGA

This is a multigrain beer that for the grist uses a lot of buckwheat. I was curious about buckwheat itself, since I use buckwheat honey. Let’s just say I may still use a hint, but not that impressed. It also uses a crystal malt and and Metcalfe malt: 2 row.

Clarity great except a very slight haze at about 3 srm: deep gold. Rock head: big with tad pillow that fades very, very fast.

Nose: buckwheat. That’s it.

Mouthfeel: feels full but that’s buckwheat. I would call it high side of light or low of medium. Carbonation very light, but this was from a tap into a Grolsch bottle.

Taste: buckwheat and hint of caramel malt. The hop is mostly a slightly sharp bitter. This is a quaff so simple that it’s an interesting attempt, but not all that “interesting” compared to all that’s on the shelf thee days. I get the mouthful-ness of the buckwheat and some slight caramel malt way in the background: weak at best. Hops? A hint of bitter at best. No esters from what would normally be a late addition or two. Buckwheat, light carbonation, slight bitter: that’s pretty much it. Needs more overall complexity.

Rate Beer has it at 61, 63 for style and BA: 80.

This is in no way problematic, just not all that interesting. However could be a great breakout beer for the craft beer hesitant.

Score for BJCP score sheet: 28, maybe 29.

3.8 on PGA scale.

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 for Professor Goodales

Hazed orange with a fat steady stream of bubbles coming to the top where they meet a fat off white head of creamy foam that adorns the glass with rings of sticky lace. The body of the beer has a soft pastel hue and a beautiful melon color to accent additional hues of gold. Nose is succulent sweet fruit with a bit of pine to greet you first. Then mango, and an authentic mango with a bit of tartness.

Beautiful.

Some other tropical back notes and a bit of bread with honey like sweetness from malt. No alcohol on the nose unless you go looking for it. taste has plenty of juicy and ripe fruit, that touch of pine and a soft sweet bread to carry it to the back palate where it is met by some sharp and bitter alcohol and a bit of hop bitter too.

The middle is dry and the aftertaste is a bit sharp and hot with the alcohol. This beer had a pretty good mouthfeel except for some syrup as it warms from the high abv and it was not as easy to drink as it should have been.

On the PGA scale: a 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 true brown and completely opaque. There are no lighter hues to be discovered. A fat, tan head of creamy foam on top that lasts and leaves lace. Appearance is stately and handsome.

Nose is terrific with toasty malt and dark scents. There is coffee, and chocolate and burnt toast. Just underneath it all is a wonderful hop floral and some bright , sweet grapefruit peel. Bread-y malt promises a bit of caramel. A very light pine scent gives the hops away as they seem to want to hide a bit.

Taste is smooth and creamy. Toasted and dry flavors. Coffee that is strong but not bitter, lightly sweet chocolate and a bit of burnt toast. The hops are graceful and never come to outdo the malt. Caramel is smooth and you might not even notice how smooth without the bit of grapefruit peel to really help show it off. The light grapefruit peel provides a wonderful contrast and really accents that bittersweet chocolate well. These hops are under control and bring a lightness to the drink overall. The hops finally come forward in the finish to show a bit of bitter and a nice little citrus-y twang. Mouthfeel is smooth and medium full with moderate carbonation and a touch of hop oil on the body of the

beer.

Really well done. This beer drinks like a brown with all the roast and smoothness you would expect. The hops are an addition and not the focus but contribute to the drink by adding a bit of pizazz to the toasty flavors and not by stripping the beer of it’s identity as a brown ale. A classic brown ale with a bit of cheerful hops to carry it off with a decidedly sunny disposition.

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.