Brooze

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Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Punkin Ale  Brewed and bottled by the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Delaware It’s been awhile…I know, and I apologize. Summer = hectic, but no excuses…right?  I’ve been inspired. Inspired by all things pumpkin; pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookie, pumpkin bread…who would’ve thought someone would go as far as pumpkin beer? Now, I’ve had pumpkin ales before and to my disappointment I have not tasted ANY pumpkin at all. They all have the familiar hopiness of “Octoberfest”. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Octoberfest. But, when you’re expecting some pumpkin flavor, Octoberfest just doesn’t deliver! Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head delivers. On the front of the bottle it clearly states, “A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg.” This ale is only available in 4-pack and has a higher than average alcohol content of 7%. I’m guessing the reason for the 4-pack is because the beer is made in small quantities. Now for the juicy stuff: Temperature: The Punkin Ale was from a cooler, but letting it cool down a bit is a great idea. The closer to room temperature this brew gets, the more pumpkin flavor that comes out. Glass: Honestly, I drank this one straight from the bottle. I was so excited to try it and couldn’t decide what glass to use, so I went for it. I’d say a simple tumbler/pint glass would work. Or if you want to get fancy for Halloween, go for one of those sweet festive goblets. First Sip: First sniff, you can tell this brews got something going on. The allspice and cinnamon are present, and as soon as it hits your tongue, PUMPKIN! It’s very exciting. Texture: Smooth, no bitterness. I expected some from all of the hops I’ve been consuming from Octberfest, but like I said, “no hoppiness”. End: The end of the sip fills your mouth with pumpkin pie flavor. This brew is not sweet, but it has all of the spices of a pumpkin pie (minus the sugar)…it’s awesome. When to Drink: Definitely a brew you can enjoy sitting around a campfire, or great as an after dinner drink. I would not pair it with food as it may take away from the pumpkin-pleasure. I do apologize for such a long gap in our brooze-blogging. I promise I won’t leave you hanging any more… By Brooze Blogger #5 

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Punkin Ale 

Brewed and bottled by the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Delaware

It’s been awhile…I know, and I apologize. Summer = hectic, but no excuses…right? 

I’ve been inspired. Inspired by all things pumpkin; pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookie, pumpkin bread…who would’ve thought someone would go as far as pumpkin beer?

Now, I’ve had pumpkin ales before and to my disappointment I have not tasted ANY pumpkin at all. They all have the familiar hopiness of “Octoberfest”. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Octoberfest. But, when you’re expecting some pumpkin flavor, Octoberfest just doesn’t deliver!

Punkin Ale by Dogfish Head delivers. On the front of the bottle it clearly states, “A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg.”

This ale is only available in 4-pack and has a higher than average alcohol content of 7%. I’m guessing the reason for the 4-pack is because the beer is made in small quantities.

Now for the juicy stuff:

Temperature: The Punkin Ale was from a cooler, but letting it cool down a bit is a great idea. The closer to room temperature this brew gets, the more pumpkin flavor that comes out.

Glass: Honestly, I drank this one straight from the bottle. I was so excited to try it and couldn’t decide what glass to use, so I went for it. I’d say a simple tumbler/pint glass would work. Or if you want to get fancy for Halloween, go for one of those sweet festive goblets.

First Sip: First sniff, you can tell this brews got something going on. The allspice and cinnamon are present, and as soon as it hits your tongue, PUMPKIN! It’s very exciting.

Texture: Smooth, no bitterness. I expected some from all of the hops I’ve been consuming from Octberfest, but like I said, “no hoppiness”.

End: The end of the sip fills your mouth with pumpkin pie flavor. This brew is not sweet, but it has all of the spices of a pumpkin pie (minus the sugar)…it’s awesome.

When to Drink: Definitely a brew you can enjoy sitting around a campfire, or great as an after dinner drink. I would not pair it with food as it may take away from the pumpkin-pleasure.

I do apologize for such a long gap in our brooze-blogging. I promise I won’t leave you hanging any more…

By Brooze Blogger #5 

Smuttynose Brewing Company is our next stop on our brewtastic journey.  Located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire – a city known for its historic seaports, Smuttynose is one of New Hampshire’s leading craft breweries. All About Beer Magazine said, “Smuttynose has a well-earned reputation as one of America’s best all around breweries.”  The beer I have chosen from this brewery is known as “Old Brown Dog Ale.” It is brown ale, which is a style of beer with – you guessed it – a brown or dark amber hue. There are several types of brown ale; some mild and some that are more robust with malt and hops. Malt is used in the brewing process to carbonate and create alcohol content in the beer, but can also be roasted to add flavor. Hops add the bitter flavor to beer, as well as aroma. Without hops, the beer would have a sweeter taste. Now that we’ve had our brooze lesson of the day, let’s get to the good stuff! Temperature: I pulled this brew right from the refrigerator; you want it to be cold. Glass: I’m actually attempting this one straight from the bottle. Frosty mug would definitely be a plus. First Sip: You can smell the roasted malt of this beer as well as the hops. First sip is bitter (in a good way) with a hint of roasted malt. It is a fizzier beer, especially when compared to last brooze (the Chocolate Stout). Texture: Smooth, somewhat heavy texture with some carbonation. End: Usually I notice the bitterness at the end of the sip, this one is different – at the end the hops and malt work wonderfully together to create a “toasted” taste. It’s amazing! When to Drink: Excellent brew paired with a London Broil or even a grilled salmon. Any type of meat would work well I’d say. This brew is unique, and definitely worth the trip to the east coast to visit the brewery. Let us know what you think! Until next time…

Smuttynose Brewing Company is our next stop on our brewtastic journey. 

Located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire – a city known for its historic seaports, Smuttynose is one of New Hampshire’s leading craft breweries. All About Beer Magazine said, “Smuttynose has a well-earned reputation as one of America’s best all around breweries.” 

The beer I have chosen from this brewery is known as “Old Brown Dog Ale.” It is brown ale, which is a style of beer with – you guessed it – a brown or dark amber hue. There are several types of brown ale; some mild and some that are more robust with malt and hops. Malt is used in the brewing process to carbonate and create alcohol content in the beer, but can also be roasted to add flavor. Hops add the bitter flavor to beer, as well as aroma. Without hops, the beer would have a sweeter taste.

Now that we’ve had our brooze lesson of the day, let’s get to the good stuff!

Temperature: I pulled this brew right from the refrigerator; you want it to be cold.

Glass: I’m actually attempting this one straight from the bottle. Frosty mug would definitely be a plus.

First Sip: You can smell the roasted malt of this beer as well as the hops. First sip is bitter (in a good way) with a hint of roasted malt. It is a fizzier beer, especially when compared to last brooze (the Chocolate Stout).

Texture: Smooth, somewhat heavy texture with some carbonation.

End: Usually I notice the bitterness at the end of the sip, this one is different – at the end the hops and malt work wonderfully together to create a “toasted” taste. It’s amazing!

When to Drink: Excellent brew paired with a London Broil or even a grilled salmon. Any type of meat would work well I’d say.

This brew is unique, and definitely worth the trip to the east coast to visit the brewery.

Let us know what you think!

Until next time…

I’m back, like Terminator 2… Today we are going to explore the world of stout, and not just any stout my friends…chocolate stout. The Fort Collins Brewery in Colorado brews this particular stout. Currently, Fort Collins Brewery brews can be found in the states of: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. If you don’t happen to live in any of those states, I’m sure you totally have connections with someone who does. Or, when you’re on vacation in Iowa you can try it! Kidding about the vacation in Iowa, I mean unless you vacation there… A stout is a dark beer made using roasted barley or malt. This chocolate stout is made with roasted barley, hops, and most important, our friend, chocolate! Stouts are usually a stronger beer with alcohol contents ranging from 4.5 to 8%! FCB Chocolate Stout has an alcohol content of a little less than 5%. FYI: This brew won the 2010 U.S. Open Beer Championship Gold Medal! I wouldn’t steer you wrong, would I? Enough of the chatting, here we brooze: Temperature: Unfortunately I had to buy this brew at room temp, which I hate because then I have to wait for it to get cold. Luckily I had a handy-dandy frosted mug on my hands. I would recommend chilling this beer, but it actually is not bad a little cooler than room temperature. Glass: A pint glass or tumbler works perfectly. Frosted is always better I say, but whatever you like is okay with me too! First Sip: This beer smells amazing, like coffee with a hint of chocolate. At first, the beer tastes very light, then after you swallow there is a bit of bitterness (from the hops) that is evened out by the chocolate, which is absolutely amazing. The bottle in fact describes the flavor as “impeccable” and “positively seductive.” Can’t say I disagree. Texture: The texture is the smoothest I’ve broozed about, with little fizz (carbonation). End: You will say, “This doesn’t taste like chocolate at all…” until you swallow and wait about 5 seconds, then comes the, “WOAH! It actually does!!!” Wait for it… When to Drink: Fun brew for sipping with a friend discussing your favorite brooze blog. I probably wouldn’t pair this with a meal, but you could totally have it for dessert. As always my friends, let us know your ideas, we want to know what you think about the brews we write about. Also, send us some of your favorite brews and we’ll write about them! Until next time… By Lindsay Oshnock

I’m back, like Terminator 2…

Today we are going to explore the world of stout, and not just any stout my friends…chocolate stout. The Fort Collins Brewery in Colorado brews this particular stout.

Currently, Fort Collins Brewery brews can be found in the states of: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas.

If you don’t happen to live in any of those states, I’m sure you totally have connections with someone who does. Or, when you’re on vacation in Iowa you can try it! Kidding about the vacation in Iowa, I mean unless you vacation there…

A stout is a dark beer made using roasted barley or malt. This chocolate stout is made with roasted barley, hops, and most important, our friend, chocolate!

Stouts are usually a stronger beer with alcohol contents ranging from 4.5 to 8%! FCB Chocolate Stout has an alcohol content of a little less than 5%.

FYI: This brew won the 2010 U.S. Open Beer Championship Gold Medal! I wouldn’t steer you wrong, would I?

Enough of the chatting, here we brooze:

Temperature: Unfortunately I had to buy this brew at room temp, which I hate because then I have to wait for it to get cold. Luckily I had a handy-dandy frosted mug on my hands. I would recommend chilling this beer, but it actually is not bad a little cooler than room temperature.

Glass: A pint glass or tumbler works perfectly. Frosted is always better I say, but whatever you like is okay with me too!

First Sip: This beer smells amazing, like coffee with a hint of chocolate. At first, the beer tastes very light, then after you swallow there is a bit of bitterness (from the hops) that is evened out by the chocolate, which is absolutely amazing. The bottle in fact describes the flavor as “impeccable” and “positively seductive.” Can’t say I disagree.

Texture: The texture is the smoothest I’ve broozed about, with little fizz (carbonation).

End: You will say, “This doesn’t taste like chocolate at all…” until you swallow and wait about 5 seconds, then comes the, “WOAH! It actually does!!!” Wait for it…

When to Drink: Fun brew for sipping with a friend discussing your favorite brooze blog. I probably wouldn’t pair this with a meal, but you could totally have it for dessert.

As always my friends, let us know your ideas, we want to know what you think about the brews we write about. Also, send us some of your favorite brews and we’ll write about them!

Until next time…

By Lindsay Oshnock

The Wait is Over

After a few weeks hiatus due to a burnt out laptop plug, huge exam, and a college graduation in LA, we will be back on track in a couple days!

Look for our latest brew, and feel free to suggest some new ones for us to try!!

Until then…

Happy Saturday, friends. Today I picked up a nice little brew from a local specialty shop. Anchor Steam Beer, by the Anchor Brewing Co. in gorgeous San Francisco, California. I have to admit the words “steam” and “beer” used in the same sentence sounded a bit sketchy to me. But the sweet label and carrier really sold me, pretty good marketing I’d say. Also, the label says that the word steam was used as a nickname for beers brewed on the west coast back in the days of no cooling systems…imagine that! San Francisco has been broozing this beer since 1896! Any beer that can stick around for 100+ years is worth trying in my book. Temperature: The Steam Brew was in a cooler when purchased and I’d say you definitely want to keep it as cold as possible. Glass: A nice frosted mug goes along PERFECTLY with this brew. Especially one with a large handle, that way you don’t have to worry about cold fingers! (Genius I know, you can thank me later.) First Sip: Smell this beer before you take your first sip. Really, every first sip should contain a “first sniff.” With my first sniff I noticed almost a sweet cinnamon-like smell, it honestly reminded me of a cinnamon raisin bagel. Weird! First sip was smooth with a sharpness that hits you right at the tip of your tongue. The beer tastes nothing like a cinnamon raisin bagel by the way, for some reason it just smells like one… Texture: With its amber color I was expecting a lot heavier tasting beer, but in fact this brew is pretty light compared to others with similar hues. End: I enjoy this brew, it is not as carbonated as some are and therefore does not leave your stomach feeling so full that it’s almost painful. When to Drink: I recommend this one with a nice juicy steak or burger from the grill, alongside a baked potato with some butter and sour cream. (I’m not hungry I swear!) It would also be great for just chillaxin’ around the fire with friends. As always, let us know when you get a chance to try Anchor Steam Beer! We want to know what you think, and we also would like to know what you like, so send us some suggestions! Until next time…

Happy Saturday, friends.

Today I picked up a nice little brew from a local specialty shop. Anchor Steam Beer, by the Anchor Brewing Co. in gorgeous San Francisco, California. I have to admit the words “steam” and “beer” used in the same sentence sounded a bit sketchy to me. But the sweet label and carrier really sold me, pretty good marketing I’d say. Also, the label says that the word steam was used as a nickname for beers brewed on the west coast back in the days of no cooling systems…imagine that!

San Francisco has been broozing this beer since 1896! Any beer that can stick around for 100+ years is worth trying in my book.

Temperature: The Steam Brew was in a cooler when purchased and I’d say you definitely want to keep it as cold as possible.

Glass: A nice frosted mug goes along PERFECTLY with this brew. Especially one with a large handle, that way you don’t have to worry about cold fingers! (Genius I know, you can thank me later.)

First Sip: Smell this beer before you take your first sip. Really, every first sip should contain a “first sniff.” With my first sniff I noticed almost a sweet cinnamon-like smell, it honestly reminded me of a cinnamon raisin bagel. Weird! First sip was smooth with a sharpness that hits you right at the tip of your tongue. The beer tastes nothing like a cinnamon raisin bagel by the way, for some reason it just smells like one…

Texture: With its amber color I was expecting a lot heavier tasting beer, but in fact this brew is pretty light compared to others with similar hues.

End: I enjoy this brew, it is not as carbonated as some are and therefore does not leave your stomach feeling so full that it’s almost painful.

When to Drink: I recommend this one with a nice juicy steak or burger from the grill, alongside a baked potato with some butter and sour cream. (I’m not hungry I swear!) It would also be great for just chillaxin’ around the fire with friends.

As always, let us know when you get a chance to try Anchor Steam Beer! We want to know what you think, and we also would like to know what you like, so send us some suggestions!

Until next time…

Today’s brew: Brooklyn Brand East India Pale Ale (aka: IPA) IPA is just a fancy name for pale ale, first brewed in England way back in the good ol’ 1800s. Apparently (according to chow.com), the “India” part of India Pale Ale came from its popularity with British troops that were stationed in India in the 19th century, who knew? Some info on the brewing company: The Brooklyn Brewery is located in…Brooklyn, New York. Imagine that! Its doors opened in 1984 and you can go in for tours every Saturday from noon to 5PM. Just a warning for the weak: this brew has a pretty high alcohol content of 6.9%! That being said, away we go with the brew-tiquing! Temperature: I purchased this brew at room temperature and kept it in the refrigerator for 2 hours before cracking it open. I’d say you definitely want it cold, but doesn’t have to be near ice like a Summer Shandy for example. Glass: Frosty mugs are always a plus, but this IPA is just fine in a normal glass or sipped right from the bottle. First Sip: You will notice the smell of this beer as soon as you open it. The scent reminds me of an Octoberfest-type of beer, which are generally brewed with more HOPS (love that word) giving it a slightly bitter taste. Texture: Heavy, yet smooth. Taking huge gulps of this beer is not recommended. End: A bit bitter, but for some reason this makes you want to take another sip. It’s a vicious cycle really… When to Drink: Great brew for sitting at the bar chatting with friends, after a long day of work while watching television or reading. It’s definitely a brew you just want to have one or two of to really enjoy it. Let us know when you try Brooklyn Brand’s East India Pale Ale! We’re open to comments/suggestions for future brew-tiques. Until next time… By Lindsay Oshnock

Today’s brew: Brooklyn Brand East India Pale Ale (aka: IPA)

IPA is just a fancy name for pale ale, first brewed in England way back in the good ol’ 1800s. Apparently (according to chow.com), the “India” part of India Pale Ale came from its popularity with British troops that were stationed in India in the 19th century, who knew?

Some info on the brewing company: The Brooklyn Brewery is located in…Brooklyn, New York. Imagine that! Its doors opened in 1984 and you can go in for tours every Saturday from noon to 5PM.

Just a warning for the weak: this brew has a pretty high alcohol content of 6.9%!

That being said, away we go with the brew-tiquing!

Temperature: I purchased this brew at room temperature and kept it in the refrigerator for 2 hours before cracking it open. I’d say you definitely want it cold, but doesn’t have to be near ice like a Summer Shandy for example.

Glass: Frosty mugs are always a plus, but this IPA is just fine in a normal glass or sipped right from the bottle.

First Sip: You will notice the smell of this beer as soon as you open it. The scent reminds me of an Octoberfest-type of beer, which are generally brewed with more HOPS (love that word) giving it a slightly bitter taste.

Texture: Heavy, yet smooth. Taking huge gulps of this beer is not recommended.

End: A bit bitter, but for some reason this makes you want to take another sip. It’s a vicious cycle really…

When to Drink: Great brew for sitting at the bar chatting with friends, after a long day of work while watching television or reading. It’s definitely a brew you just want to have one or two of to really enjoy it.

Let us know when you try Brooklyn Brand’s East India Pale Ale! We’re open to comments/suggestions for future brew-tiques.

Until next time…

By Lindsay Oshnock

For our first post ever, I thought we should probably start with a brew that stands out from the crowd, but is also readily available. Also, I wanted to take into consideration that it is mid-late spring and summer is right around the corner! Keeping all of that in mind, the first beer of the Brooze Blog will be…(drumroll please…) Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, brewed in the glorious state (known for beer drinking) of Wisconsin. A little background on Leinenkugel’s: there are currently two breweries. The original brewery is located in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and the “10th Street Brewery” is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. About 95% of the beer sold is brewed at the Chippewa Falls location. Now on to the beer… Summer Shandy is a weiss (think wheat, which in turn equals “light” - as opposed to heavy - not in calories…sorry) beer that has lemonade added to it. Now I know what you’re probably thinking, “Lemonade with BEER?”, well don’t knock it until you try it because I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised! It’s important to know that Summer Shandy is mainly available only in the states that are lucky enough to be considered the “Upper Midwest States”, but I’m told it’s available in limited supply elsewhere, so keep your eyes peeled! I also hear if you have family in the areas where it is readily available, they can ship it to you — so if you’re super stressed and can’t find Summer Shandy anywhere, maybe it’s time to call your Great Aunt Wanda and have her hook you up… Temperature: Summer Shandy is best served COLD, the colder the shandy, the better it tastes.  Glass: A frosted mug or glass is ideal, especially if you had to buy the aluminum cans. The Shandy is also good from the glass bottle, if a mug/glass is not available, just try to keep it cold by using some sort of insulating instrument (ie. coozy).  First Sip: I suggest taking a few sniffs of the Shandy before you actually take your first sip. You can smell a hint of the lemonade, which reminds me of summer, and it may just make you smile. Texture: Smooth and light with a fizzy feel. (Fizzy is totally a scientific explanation - for the record) End: This is referring to the end of the sip, which is a bit bitter - comparable to drinking lemonade (expect not as tart). When to Drink: Summer Shandy is best when it’s enjoyed on its own after a long day of mowing the lawn, on a weekend while laying by the pool, or my personal fav - on a hot summer day while watching some baseball. I don’t suggest drinking this brew with any type of meal, it really takes away from the taste of it and the food. So there you have it! Our first brew-tique, let us know your thoughts on Summer Shandy and keep your eyes open for our next brew blog! By Lindsay Oshnock

For our first post ever, I thought we should probably start with a brew that stands out from the crowd, but is also readily available. Also, I wanted to take into consideration that it is mid-late spring and summer is right around the corner! Keeping all of that in mind, the first beer of the Brooze Blog will be…(drumroll please…) Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, brewed in the glorious state (known for beer drinking) of Wisconsin.

A little background on Leinenkugel’s: there are currently two breweries. The original brewery is located in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and the “10th Street Brewery” is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. About 95% of the beer sold is brewed at the Chippewa Falls location.

Now on to the beer…

Summer Shandy is a weiss (think wheat, which in turn equals “light” - as opposed to heavy - not in calories…sorry) beer that has lemonade added to it. Now I know what you’re probably thinking, “Lemonade with BEER?”, well don’t knock it until you try it because I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

It’s important to know that Summer Shandy is mainly available only in the states that are lucky enough to be considered the “Upper Midwest States”, but I’m told it’s available in limited supply elsewhere, so keep your eyes peeled! I also hear if you have family in the areas where it is readily available, they can ship it to you — so if you’re super stressed and can’t find Summer Shandy anywhere, maybe it’s time to call your Great Aunt Wanda and have her hook you up…

Temperature: Summer Shandy is best served COLD, the colder the shandy, the better it tastes. 

Glass: A frosted mug or glass is ideal, especially if you had to buy the aluminum cans. The Shandy is also good from the glass bottle, if a mug/glass is not available, just try to keep it cold by using some sort of insulating instrument (ie. coozy). 

First Sip: I suggest taking a few sniffs of the Shandy before you actually take your first sip. You can smell a hint of the lemonade, which reminds me of summer, and it may just make you smile.

Texture: Smooth and light with a fizzy feel. (Fizzy is totally a scientific explanation - for the record)

End: This is referring to the end of the sip, which is a bit bitter - comparable to drinking lemonade (expect not as tart).

When to Drink: Summer Shandy is best when it’s enjoyed on its own after a long day of mowing the lawn, on a weekend while laying by the pool, or my personal fav - on a hot summer day while watching some baseball. I don’t suggest drinking this brew with any type of meal, it really takes away from the taste of it and the food.

So there you have it! Our first brew-tique, let us know your thoughts on Summer Shandy and keep your eyes open for our next brew blog!

By Lindsay Oshnock