Beer of the Season/Month- Anchor Christmas Ale

I apologize for not updating much, I haven't been drinking that much beer lately, other than beers you find at any bar, Coors Light and Yuengling. So I asked one of my good friends to share a review of what he would recommend for the season and previous month.

"Although I am a firm believer that seasonal beers can be enjoyed well outside of their designated season, there is none more suited towards the Winter season than the 2009 incantation of Anchor’s Christmas Ale. Very malty with a sweet hint of molasses stands out against the subtle spice of nutmeg and cinnamon. What makes this beer for me is the slight bit of pine you taste. It reminds me of cutting down the perfect Christmas tree and the smell of the snow as it falls through the pine trees around you. Without a doubt this is the beer I will be drinking the most this winter."

Mr. KAP

Beer of the Month-October

In looking back at the beers, that I have drank, the beer of the month goes to Wittekerke Witbier.

In-Heat Wheat

In-Heat Wheat by Flying Dog Brewery, definitely surprised me. Since it is a hefewiezen, I was expected it to be like other unfiltered wheat beers. No, I could not taste any hints of wheat or fruitiness. It a nice orange color, but the taste and smell appeared off. The beer was very bitter and really it is a beer for the most experience of craft beer drinkers.

Bud Light Golden Wheat

I know this blog is manly to focus on micro brews and selected imports, but being a fan of wheat beer, I had to give Bud Light Golden Wheat a shot. When poured in a glass it resembles a cheaper version of Shock Top Belgian Wheat and it has a similar taste and color to it. It doesn't have a strong fruity taste, it tastes more like wheat than citrus fruit. It is a decent product and has a low enough cost that I would consider purchasing it as a party beer.

William Penn Lager

The William Penn Lager from Commonwealth Brewery is probably the least favorite of all the beers I have drank in my life. I consider this the "beast" of lagers. While it has a pleasant aroma, a nice amber color, but it has an extreme bitterness and a hoppy after taste, which remained after a few seconds of not drinking the beer. I would not purchase this beer again if I could avoid it.

Saratoga Lager

I beer I recently dragged out of my fridge, that I have had for a while is the Saratoga Lager from Olde Saratoga Brewing Company, Saratoga Springs, New York, I picked up a six pack of this beer while on vacation in Saratoga Springs and haven't had it since then. It nice strong bitter and hoppy Lager that reminds me of Sam Adams Boston Lager. It is a nice rich amber color and the foam is a cloudy white with a hue of amber to it. Next time up to SPAC I will definitely purchase a six pack or a case if I can.

Sharp Edge Creekhouse

Several Weeks ago, I met up with friends at the Sharp Edge Creekhouse in Crafton, Pa. From the outside, it appears to be a local tavern. From the inside, it looks like a typical bar, however it is far from typical. The beer served at the Creekhouse is mostly imported or micro brews, which offered a nice variety. There were roughly 40 different beers on tap, which made for some difficulty in choosing what draft to choose from. The food is also very good. I opted for the Flemish Onion Soup which was one of the best French Onion soups I have tasted. I had the Rachel Panini sandwich which is a reuben minus the saurkraut. I also shared a potato pancake with those at my table off of the Octoberfest specialty menu. The only downfall was that the prices were a little high.

Pumpkin Ale

During the Halloween season, I sampled the America's Original Pumpkin Ale by Buffalo Bill's Brewery. The Ale is a little bit better than the Kennebunkport Ale. When poured from the glass it had a slight head and had a orange color similar to a Heffe-Weisse. It had a nice Pumpkin taste to it and was rather refreshing. However, it made my teeth feel weird and I was told that patrons have complained of a chemical taste. I did not have a chemical taste, but it did feel weird later on.

Paulaner Hefe-Weisse

The Paulaner Hefe-Weisse is an unfiltered wheat beer, that I compare to Harpoon's UFO. The hefe-weisse, had a nice taste that is brought open by the lemon added to the beer. It has a nice wheat-orange color and it had a moderately strong kick to it after the bottle was finished. Like the other unfiltered beers, it had a nice foamy head that settled after being poured from the bottle.

Wittekerke Witbier

The Wittekerke Witbier is a white beer, wheat beer. It is pleasantly refreshing. It has a light pale yellow with little foam when poured from a tap. The taste is of a lemony-citrus and is served with a lemon slice. Enjoyed with garlic-hot wings was a very good idea!

Benny's Red Ale

In a visit to Philadelphia a few weekends ago, I had a Benny's Red Ale. At 5 dollars a pint, I was expecting something good. Instead, it tasted like a Yuengling lager. The ale had a dark red color to it and no foamy head. It was rather smooth, with a hoppy after taste, towards the end of the pint.