by Logan on August 18, 2010
I have to admit, I’m not the most knowledgeable guy around on barley wine’s. In fact I’ve had very few beers to compare Dick’s Barley Wine with, so overall it seemed like a pretty good beer with a big punch.
Cracking open the bottle the beer poured a very dark amber. It was actually a lot darker than what I was expecting. I poured straight down the middle and probably a little faster than normal, and as you can see in the picture, there wasn’t a whole lot of head.
It smelled malty and very fruity with hints of bananas and pine. The sweet smell though was a bit overshadowed by the great smell of alcohol. Yes, Dick’s has an ABV of 9.9% so be sure to have some food in your stomach first.
The flavor is pretty complex if you ask me. I love strong hop flavors and this beer didn’t let me down (too much) in that arena. It could have been a bit more hoppier for my liking, but it wasn’t that bad. I would definitely consider this beer a sipper as the alcohol flavor is pretty strong.
For the price, it wasn’t a bad beer, just not the best barley wine I’ve had. I’d definitely try it again if I’m looking to drink a good barley wine that is easy on the pocket book (I forget how much I paid, but it wasn’t bad compared to most of the other barley wines in the store).
Overall I give Dick’s Barley Wine Ale a B.
ABV: 9.9%
Original Gravity: 1.095
What’s your favorite barley wine?
Note: If you represent a brewery and are reading this and would like your beer reviewed on BlogAboutBeer.com, please contact me for more info. Thanks!
by Logan on August 17, 2010
Craft beer and the state of Oregon go hand in hand. With so many great beers coming out of the state, which ones should you drink?
If you’re not located close by, here is a list I put together just for you of 10 Oregon beers you need to try.
Some you may be able to find in your local bottle shop, while others you will probably only find if you come visit or get a friend to send you some. One thing I’m sure of though is that they are all delicious and are worth a drink.
Note that there are so many great beers in Oregon, many more could have been added to this list. Let me know what I missed.
- Hair Of The Dog Adam- An amazing dessert beer that is perfect for drinking while sitting around a fire late at night.
- Deschutes The Abyss – Arguably the best Oregon beer with limited releases.
- Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA – One of my new favorite beers. It is a huge beer that is well balanced.
- Deschutes Black Butte Porter – A classic. Probably my favorite porter that’s easy to find.
- Rogue Chocolate Stout – A solid stout that’s my favorite Rogue beer.
- Hopworks IPA – I love IPA’s and Hopworks Urban Brewery doesn’t let me down with theirs. You have to visit Hopworks if you come to the Portland area.
- Cascade Apricot Ale – An excellent fruity beer that’s worth a try if you can find it.
- Pelican Kiwanda Cream Ale – A very drinkable beer that is sure to refresh.
- Widmer Deadlift Imperial IPA – Although Widmer’s beers aren’t as good as they used to be, this is still one of their better beers.
- Upright Six – A dark rye beer that has a wide range of flavors.
What Oregon beers would you include on this list?
by Logan on August 12, 2010
Summer is a time when the weather is hot and the beer is typically cold and on the lighter side. Hundreds of breweries across the world release their summer seasonals in an attempt to lure beer drinkers looking for a refreshing drink. I had the opportunity to try one of these summer beers from a brewery known mainly for their brown ale.
I was eager to try out the bottle of Newcastle Summer ale that I received. I made sure not to read anything about the beer before I cracked it open so I could form my own opinion on it. I poured it into the glass and it appeared a light golden color with some nice head.
It smelled grainy and almost reminded me of the smell of Budweiser at an NFL football game. It did however smell a bit sweeter and I was picking up some slight citrus smells (think Budweiser with a lemon).
Drinking it was a bit disappointing. The bottle says “Hops and Glory”, however I didn’t experience either. There is very little hopiness to this beer, and it tasted very grainy. It reminded me a bit of corn. It is very light tasting and has a Budweiser after taste. For those Bud fans out there, I’m sorry but that is not a compliment.
I was pretty disappointed since I do enjoy a Newcastle Brown from time to time and was expecting similar quality. I guess if I had to choose between a Miller Lite and the Newcastle Summer Ale, I’d choose the Newcastle, but that isn’t saying much.
I’ve had so many other good summer ales this year that I would much rather drink instead.
Overall I give Newcastle Summer Ale a C.
I couldn’t find the ABV or any details about the beer, so I guess they leave that up to your imagaination.
What are your thoughts on Newcastle Summer Ale?
Note: If you represent a brewery and are reading this and would like your beer reviewed on BlogAboutBeer.com, please contact me for more info. Thanks!
by Logan on August 11, 2010
I was looking for beer glasses this morning and came across one that is not your typical pint glass. Now I’m sure this will confuse your friends who’ve drank a little more than they should. I know I might be easily amused, but the glass makes it appear like you’re drinking from the bottom of your beer bottle.
The picture below shows the glass in its glory.
If you’re more of a wine drinker, don’t feel left out, they made a glass for you as well. Now you can feel like a beer drinker with this wine glass looking mug.
For $19.99 each I’m planning on getting a couple. Yes, I may be a nerd, but these are cool. Check them out at HomeWetBar.com.
by Logan on August 10, 2010
Live in Massachusetts? If so, this is the weekend to stock up on your beer. Politicians in the state are giving shoppers a break on August 14-15 by allowing tax free shopping. The big difference between this years holiday and previous years is that alcohol is now included in the list of tax free items.
The exemption will apply to most items that cost less than $2,500 including beer, wine and liquor. With state taxes at 6.25% in the state, this will be a nice little break for shoppers. Although those of us shopping in Oregon get tax free shopping everyday, it is a nice boost to consumers who have to pay sales tax every day of the year.
So if you’re in or near Massachusetts, go get your tax free beer.
Hi and welcome to Blog About Beer. My name is Logan and I live just north of Portland, Oregon, a city that has more craft breweries than any other in the US. I'm a full time marketer, blogger, and dad to the most beautiful girl in the world. I'm also a homebrewing and craft beer fanatic.