Professor Good Ales

Profiled by Ken Carman

Nutmeg and orange peel with faint hint of what way in the background. Pale malt up front, but even that is faint.

Mouthfeel: very light on the body, final (FG) gravity-wise. Little to no wheat or cinnamon. But otherwise spices dominate very slightly. Swallows almost as if it’s water. Slight, abrasive abv due to lite malt.

Appearance: tad wheat foggy, very pale gold, big small bubble head in small glass, but goes flat quickly. Pillow head, big at first but fades fast.

Flavor: spices slightly up front with light malt background. Wheat way in background.No hops sensed.

This is a lawnmower beer for a non-lawnmower season. Good, but sell-able? We’ll see. Not impressive. For light quaff, not bad, but boring.

42 and 29 Rate Beer. 79/78 on BA.

Great level entry Christmas beer for those just coming to craft from Bud and Miller. For craft beer folks: not so much… like weak tea.

3.8

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.”

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That’s NOT Maria Devan. That’s Ken Carman to your left. Can’t you tell the difference?

Profiled by Maria Devan

This one couldn’t wait until Sunday smile emoticon. Alpine Duet. Pours hazy yellow a brilliant kiss form orange. Pours out like light you can see it in my photo. Thin white head that wants to hang on. Nose is explosive with tropical. Crisp honey dew melon. Herbal hop that has a woody backing. Orange blossom honey.

Perfect mouthfeeel . The eptiome of lightness. Crisp lightly sweet, bubbly beer. The catty spice from the simcoe takes this one to the finish and doesn’t back down. Impressive tailored bitterness. At the very swallow the woody earthy hop. Bitter, drying. it seems to evaporate after all this fireworks of flavor.

Well worth the seven dollars and change for the bomber. Drinks like hops juice with all the succulence of the hops. a light orangey citrus in the background. Hop nectar. They leave a light pepper on the tongue as it lingers dank and fruity. I’ll have more.

Stunning.

4.5

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.”

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That’s Maria Devan. In the picture. Between the two guys.

 I must admit: being off the grid, running a homebrew competition and work limiting my time to “get down” with the new 2015 BJCP guidelines, I never had much of a chance to comment. My fault. My loss.
  After all the vetting there’s not much I can say that would have much affect, but I know everyone at the BJCP has been turning blue, still holding their breath, thinking, “But, what does Ken think?”
  Yes, that sarcasm nugget was aimed at myself.
 So, like the white rabbit in Alice, since I’m beyond “late” for that review date, I think my commentary time would be best spent making suggestions on how to live with, how to view, how to use, and a valuable way to learn, the new guidelines.
  First, let me recommend a concept to homebrew clubs that the Clarksville (TN) Carboys are working on. Last Saturday (11/14/15), during the monthly meetings, we took examples of 2015 category 2 and sampled them while looking over the guidelines. Some categories may be tough to do this with, like category 3: Czech lagers. Finding examples may be tough, especially in more rural regions. I would say, ”brew it yourself then compare,” but considering the cost, the effort, and how tough some of these styles are to brew right, not sure how useful that advice might be. Continue reading “A Beer Judge’s Diary: Preparing to Judge Using the 2015 Guidelines”

Profiled by Maria Devan

Pours dark brown with a tan creamy head that clings and leaves lace.

Nose is coffee, light brown sugar, dark fruit, nuts and caramel. Light pepper from hops.

Taste is mellow as some bold coffee without bitterness comes across the palate smooth and with the nutty taste of caramel. Low diacetyl presence. Soft creamy mouthfeel shows you roasty malt and a dry-ish finish. Light cream to lingers with firm caramel as hops balance the beer perfectly with a moderate bitterness.

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

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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is a great beer writer. She has regular beer Sundays where she profiles brews, reviews brews online with homebrewers and other beer community connected bloggers. She’s judged beer at a homebrew competition and been a steward. And she’s kind of short. But that’s OK.

Written by Tom Becham

In years past, I have made several visits to see family in Arkansas. Until just two years ago, what greeted me in the central portion of that state – around Little Rock and Hot Springs – was what I call a Beer Desert. That has changed. While the northwest corner of the state, home to Fayetteville and the huge University of Arkansas campus, has been fully aboard the craft beer train for awhile now, the rest of the state seems to have caught up with it.
Continue reading “Beer in Central Arkansas”