St. Bernardus Wit

St. Bernardus Wit. 

5.5 % ABV, 10 IBU. Brouwerij St.Bernardus, Watou, Vlaanderen Belgium

A funny thing happened. A friend of mine brought up the subject of witbiers and asked for recommendations. I mentioned this one, as I always do. At the store where I currently work, if anyone's looking for a wit, that's were I go first. And then I checked this here blog, and it's nowhere to be seen. Only a variation called Tokyo Wit, but that's not this. Have I not had it once in the past 10 years? Apparently.

And so, I bought a 4-pack, opened one up, took a picture, and we're looking back on notes from July, 2005, probably from on-tap at the Blue Nile...

Appearance: absolutely hazed, faint yellow, slim white head.

Aroma: spice hits first, then soft fruit, pear and citrus, orange, pineapple?, lemon...

Taste: exceptionally smooth, exquisitely soft, a definite joy in the mouth. Coriander taste is consistent throughout and dominates the more delicately played fruit component. Light and utterly downable, yet with significan yeast in the texture to secure it as medium bodied, and so flavorful, it causes one to pause and luxuriate in it's splendor. 

A brilliant summertime brew, and would be a great dinner beer, as well...you could toss back a pitcher of it, washing down hot, hearty food!

An exceptional wit!

I agree with me from almost sixteen years ago. It's ranked as the #2 wit on BeerAdvocate.com, after the more easily found (though not here) Allagash White, which I haven't had in forever. Go get yourself some and tell them Al sent you. 

This traditional Witbier (Wheat beer) has been developed in cooperation with Master Brewer Pierre Celis, the Godfather of Hoegaarden and Celis White. 

This beer as well has a second fermentation in the bottle, giving this beer its specific taste (5.5% alcohol content).

Elysian Full Contact Imperial Hazy IPA

Elysian Full Contact Imperial Hazy IPA.

8.8% ABV, 60  IBU, Elysian Brewing, Seattle, WA. (Subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch)

I picked up a 6-pack of this one because I wanted an affordable Double or Imperial IPA, and I'd be willing to bet that it wouldn't be that hazy, you know, not like the ones I hate. Oh, but hate is such a strong word. Greatly disdain, how about that?

Not that hazy, at all. Quite clear. More marketing lies. Bright orange coloring, slim white head. 

In the nose: Intensely hoppy from the start. Big citrus and pine with a hefty helping of stone fruit. Orange slices meet candied apricots. 

In the mouth: There it is, big, bold, bright, fruity, dank, resinous, delicious. Powerful. Evil. Rich with hoppy goodness and overflowing with badass bitterness. Medium bodied, long hop barrage on the palate. Truly decadent double IPA. 

Cloaked in a semi-translucent haze, an imposing presence beckons you to come closer. As you do, your nose opens to a tangent of wistful memories — peach season in the orchard, a tangerine tree on a hill, fresh honeydew cold from the fridge, and a vanilla cream soda in your hand. What kind of bittersweet initiation is this?

BODY:Medium-bodied

MALTS: 2-Row, Malted Wheat, and Unmalted Wheat

HOPS:Centennial, Simcoe, Strata, and more

THE BEER: RIch and audacious, this Imperial is not to be trifled with. Unlike it's Hazy and Tart siblings, Full Contact will walk up to you and stop just short of your noses touching. It's lustrous, hoppy flavor profile booms loudly and beckons you toward it. This is one event you won't want to miss. 

Oliphant / The Brewing Projekt Collaberal Damage West Coast IPA

Oliphant / The Brewing Projekt Collaberal Damage West Coast IPA.

7.5 % ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI, in collaboration with The Brewing Projekt, Eau Claire, WI. 

Clear, bright golden color, large, creamy white head. Looking great. 

In the nose: Bold citrus notes, with hints of tropical and a pinch of pine. Vibrant and lively. 

In the mouth: Juicy at first, then turning ultimately dry on the palate. Hops aplenty in this, with grapefruit, tangerine, papaya, and a side order of dried apricot and peach. Long-lasting hop bitterness lays hard on the palate. This hits me right where I live. 

Quite delightful, this. I may have to go back for more. 

West Coast IPA brewed w/ Cascade, Amarillio, Talus & Simcoe Hops!

the BREWING PROJEKT x OLIPHANT BREWING Collab brew!

Finnegan's Honey Saison

Finnegan's Honey Saison.

6.3 % ABV, 30 IBU, Finnegan's Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Clear, honey gold color, strong ivory head. Looking fine. 

In the nose: Saison yeast starts if off, slightly spicy/musty flavors emerge. Some citrus and honey notes. Nailed the aroma on this one. 

In the mouth: Chock full o' character. Honey makes itself at home in the mouth. Citrus zest and funky Belgian yeast at play on the palate. Mellow malt, minor hops. Light bodied, flavorful, refreshing. This one's got the goods. 

Honey saison ale with hints of sweetness and a floral nose.

Mikerphone Raindrop DropTop Double Dry-hopped Double India Pale Ale

Mikerphone Raindrop DropTop Double Dry-hopped Double India Pale Ale.

8% ABV. Mikerphone Brewing, Elk Grove Village, IL. 

My first from these guys, the Illinois brewery named for a guy named Mike and his love of audio equipment. Let's see how I like it. 

All cloudy and hazy, dull orange, large ivory head. 

In the nose: Soft and citric, slightly sweet. 

In the mouth: All fuzzy and cottony and thick with the haze. They never warn you. Soft and soft and soft. Mightily mellow. Soft orange, soft grapefruit, very soft. Like a mouthful of gauze. And a mouthful of gauze ain't no fun. Protein haze aplenty. Low bitterness. Hop flavors, yeah, but I ain't digging it. 

I just don't like beers like this. A lot of you do, though, so don't let me stop you. 

Man, when I see DDH DIPA, I should just turn and walk away. 

I can't blame myself for this one, it was a sample. 

Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA w/ Citra and Riwaka Hops

You know what, I'm going to do that thing where I check in on other people's opinions, because I can't believe I'm so in the minority. Visiting Untappd for this, as usual. 

Dave says: Delicious Citra & Riwaka DIPA. Hits the spot after crushing X number of Hamm's this week. Yes X, not XX 🙄 Too hot out for too many big crafties 🤷🏼‍♂️

I'll be honest, I didn't know people were saying "crafties"....I'm so out of it.

Bryan offers: Fruity front with some mango/stone fruit and a hop back end. Solid pour 🍻

I don't want a "hop back end." I want it up front and in the middle. Also, is everyone using emojis all the time? 

Says Chris G: Dayammm, Mikerphone. Always so 🔥🔥🔥 This brew is phenomenal and thus far underrated. Pillowy mango and peach pulp rounded out with a firm hop punch in the fade. 

I don't want my mango pillowy. Maybe I'm alone in this. And my hatred of emojis.

James S. calls it: Epic Sauce! but uses no emojis, so I can't be sure of him. 

Tim J. tells us: This drink turned me into the Migos .. got at cultivate .. hints of fruit or pine or something ... I like a lot v summery

Turning someone into the Migos might be this beer's worst crime. 

And I am simply alone on this one. 

Arbeiter Drippy Zwickel Unfiltered Lager

Arbeiter Drippy Zwickel Unfiltered Lager.

6.9 %, 57 IBU. Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Ever-so-slightly clouded, bright golden hue, slim, but lace-leaving layer of foam. 

In the nose: Clean, minor hops. 

In the mouth: Crispness and cleanness. Smooth, light, refreshing. Citrus notes and hop bitterness dance upon a mellow malt frame. Lemon and grapefruit at play. Fresh and zesty, a little bit of spicy. Exceptional drinkability. Damnably delicious. Pale ale meets a lager. Good beer and you can drink it. 

Unfiltered Hoppy Lager

ABV 6.9% | 57 IBU

Zwickel: A port on brewing tanks used for taking samples of beer.

We’ve sampled this beer so much that the zwickel on our bright tank is always dripping! The good news is we saved some for you! This hybrid lager is inspired by crossing a Keller Pils with a Hazy IPA. Drippy Zwickel is the latest hoppy brainstorm from our brewer whose intentions were to combine properties of both a mellow and rich Kellerbier with the punchy hop profile of a hazy IPA. The result is big and assertive, sweet and hoppy lager.

Clean and intense citrus aromas of mandarin orange, tangerine, and grapefruit with an underlying of muskmelon and clean dankness.

The sweet and smooth malt body is almost indistinguishable from the sweet citrus flavors imparted by an unabashed use of hops. As mentioned above, there is an interesting yet inviting sensory dilemma between a rich ale and a clean lager.

Allergens: Wheat

Here's what's weird. I've always known "zwickel" as a name for an unfiltered German lager, never knew it was also a term for a piece on a brite tank. These days, everyone uses "Keller pils." Perhaps they are interchangeable now. 

DCR Fruitshake Strawberry Blonde Fruit Ale

DCR Fruitshake Strawberry Blonde Fruit Ale.

5.2 % ABV. 12 IBU. Drumconrath Brewing, Fargo, ND.

Hazy, pale golden color, slim to no head. 

In the nose: Sweet, fruity, minor hops. 

In the mouth: Big time sweet and fruity, with a twist of tart. Low key bitterness, moderate malt. Creamy. Is this a "milkshake blonde ale", rather than a milkshake IPA? Do we have lactose and vanilla? It's right there on the label. This is a first for me, almost all the "milkshakes" I've had have tried to pass themselves off as IPAs. I have to say that I prefer this approach. 

This is not for me, but it is most certainly for plenty of other folks, ...if that's you, have at it. 

Three Floyds Pride and Joy 3000 Mild Ale

Three Floyds Pride and Joy 3000 Mild Ale.

5 % ABV, 42 IBU. 

Brewed and bottled by Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN. It's Not Normal. 

When this one came out a few weeks back, I wasn't sure if I needed to include it here in the Nib. After all, I had already reviewed Pride and Joy way back eight years ago. But this is different. This is Pride and Joy 3000. Instead of a raving mad jester on the label, it has a sci-fi alien monster carving some bleeding skulls. That has to mean it's different, right? Let's find out...

Absolutely clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: Moderate happiness, citrus notes. 

In the mouth: Bold, fresh, hoppy as heck. Light-bodied, with long-lasting mild bitterness upon the palate. Easy-drinking, but with plenty of flavor. Orange and grapefruit, lemon and lime. Tasty, tasty stuff. 

This tastes more like an American Pale Ale, than an English Mild Ale, although I have to admit my experience with those beers isn't as extensive. 

A smooth, medium-bodied session beer with bright citrus hop aroma and finish. Our interpretation of an American Mild Ale.

Oh, okay, that makes sense, I guess. 

Weihenstephaner Original Premium Lager

Weihenstephaner Original Premium Lager. 

5.1 % ABV. Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, Freising, Bayern Germany

Still closing the ranks on some of the classic German beers. This one was available, until now, in two ways at the retail store where I currently work: as a 6-pack of 12 ounce bottles, or included in the 5 bottle + glass pack that sold for $13. I'm not sure why I thought there were 12 ounce bottles in the box, but once I realized that they were 500ml bottles, and I did the math, I purchased the final pack in the store. 5 bottles which we sell for $4 each, $20 value, plus the glass, which I didn't need, for $13. What a deal. That's like getting them for $2.50 and paying fifty cents for the glass. Or paying $2.60 and getting the glass for free!

There were 3 bottles that have appeared here before, and two that haven't, this one and the Kristall Weisse. I gave the glass to a co-worker.

Now, let's drink the beer: 

Crystal clear, bright golden color, large ivory head holding down the fort. 

In the nose: Clean, slightly sweet/floral/hoppy, cereal malt. Classic German lager aromatics.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, light, refreshing. Minor hop bitterness, laying lightly on the palate. Small sweetness, excellent balance, superb drinkability. Light, dry malty flavors. Just about perfect. Goes down so nice and easy, especially on a hot day like today. 

I've said it often that I'm not much of a lager liker, but when they're this good, it's impossible not to like. 

A good beer takes its time. The long storage makes our yellow bright lager, “Original”, a flavourful beer enjoyed with fine pored, white foam. With a mild hoppy note and its pleasant fresh spicy taste, it goes very well with salads, poultry, stews or with a hearty snack. Brewed according to our centuries-old brewing tradition on the Weihenstephan hill. 

The Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan, founded in 1040, is the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world. Being owned by the Free State of Bavaria, it is run as a modern company brewing beers of the highest quality successfully selling them in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Pipeworks Twin Speak Double India Pale Ale

Pipeworks Twin Speak Double India Pale Ale. With Citra, Amarillo, Cryo Simcoe, and Cryo Amarillo. 

8 % ABV. Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago, IL. 

All clouded up. Once again, I've been tricked. Nothing on the label about it, but that doesn't matter any more. Golden hued. Slim white head. 

In the nose: Soft and citric. Mild hoppiness. 

In the mouth: More soft, more citrus. Fuzzy. Lacks any bite. Medium bodied. ..."smooth"...sigh...For those who like that. I must raise my objections once more. I expect double hop bitterness from a Double IPA, not just higher alcohol. 

This is giving me nothing that I want from a DIPA. Should I just stick to Ninja vs. Unicorn? 

Ayinger Bräuweisse Authentic Bavarian Hefe Weizen

Ayinger Bräuweisse Authentic Bavarian Hefe Weizen. 

5.1 %, 13 IBU, Ayinger Privatbrauerei, Aying, Bayern Germany

A couple of years back, I came to the shocking discovery that none of the Ayinger beers had been entered into this blog, after nearly nine years of activity. Since then, six have appeared here. Now, I'm finally getting around to the seventh, and I will be looking back on notes I originally posted on BeerAdvocate.com in May of 2003, 18 years ago. How do they hold up? Let's see...

Appearance: hazy, lemon-rind-yellow hue, with a towering, snow white head.

Aroma: super fresh! Ahhh!!! Lemony, soft, luxurious, delightful!

Luxurious mouthfeel, at first, until I realize that I'm drinking the foam. As for the actual beer, smooth, but complex, and delicious wheaty texture. Just enough grit and resistance to keep the tongue busy and happy. 

Though the body has plenty of substance, the overall nature of this brew is light and breezy. Citrus flavor continues through and is felt long through the satisfying finish. 

No lemon needed here, it's plentiful in this beautiful brew itself ( and is also extant in the Thai shrimp pad thai that this blissful weizen is helping to wash down).

I agree with me in my early thirties. And now I know what I'm having for dinner. 

This beer is available in 2 formats at the retail store where I currently work. Either the 500 ml bottles or the 4-pack of 12 ounce bottles. I chose the second option because it works out to be a better deal. And I can definitely throw back four of these, especially with the temps in the 90's now. 

Fragrance and taste of the “yeast-cloudy” wheat beer are distinguished by a refined top-fermented flowery-yeast character and an unmistakable, distinct banana aroma. First sensation on the taste buds is full-bodied, very soft and mild with a lively, champagne-like sparkle. A light, typical wheat beer taste is expressed, the bitter tone of which can scarcely be detected. The sparklingly refreshing Ayinger Bräuweisse will impress every wheat beer connoisseur with the first mouthful.

Badger Hill Blood Orange Traitor IPA

Badger Hill Blood Orange Traitor IPA.

7 % ABV, 70 IBU, Badger Hill Brewing, Shakopee, MN. 

Slightly clouded, bright orange/crimson coloring, slim white head. 

In the nose: fruity and hoppy, with a touch of tart. 

In the mouth: Orange flavor and hop bitterness blast the palate at the start. Juicy blood orange flavors keep time with the bitter hop flavors throughout. Medium-bodied, with a long, astringent finish. 

Crisp, clean and super drinkable. A tasty one. I like a good blood orange IPA, and this is one. 

Traitor IPA infused with blood orange

Inbound North Star Cowboy Prickly Pear IPA

Inbound North Star Cowboy Prickly Pear IPA.

6.4 % ABV, 54 IBU. Inbound BrewCo., Minneapolis, MN. 

There was some confusion when this beer made it's way into my possession. Should I review it? Hadn't I had it before? Well, maybe something similar. I had a prickly pear NE IPA from a crowler by Inbound last year. But, this one is not a New England IPA, and it has a new name, and is out there in the marketplace. 

It is decided. Notes ahoy!

Clear, bright rosy/ruby red coloring, slim white head. 

In the nose: fruity, growing in stature and presence over time, moderate hops, increasingly apparent pears and pricklies. 

In the mouth: Starts out slightly tart and very juicy, mild bitterness that grows on the palate. Vibrant, arresting, maybe even delicious. Medium bodied, long mildly hoppy finish. Intriguing balance between bitterness and juicy fruit flavors. I am enjoying this one. It provides me with considerable delights. 

Juicy prickly pear fruit brings a vibrant flavor that might get mistaken for berries, melon, or even pineapple, this cactus fruit delivers a desert sunset right to your palate. 

Arbeiter Sleiyer Tropical Fruit Sour Ale

Arbeiter Sleiyer Tropical Fruit Sour Ale. Collaboration with Dangerous Man Brewing. 

Brewed and packaged by Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 6.66 % ABV. 

Lightly clouded, bright golden color, slim white head. 

In the nose: Tart and fruity, all the tropicals convening as one. Passionfruit, mango guava. 

In the mouth: Whoa. Yes. A juicy, sour delight. Full of tropical flavors. Medium-bodied, long tart/fruity finish. Incredibly tasty. 

SLEIYER

Tropical Fruit Sour

ABV 6.5% | 23 IBU

Sleiyer is a new collab with @DangerousMan and we’re F*!%NG STOKED! This tropical cocktail-inspired kettle sour is so good, it’s downright evil. Pineapple, papaya, and passionfruit riff with Sabro cryohops and Lotus Lupulin hops. This beer will make you feel like banging your head in paradise — leather and leis, baby! 

Aroma: A tropical fruit explosion of fresh pineapple, passion fruit, and tart grapefruit. Reminiscent of a magical island beverage with an ever-so-slight hint of orange

Flavor: A welcoming tartness coexists with fresh fruit flavors of pineapple and papaya. A touch of hop bitterness enhances the astringent kettle sour mouth-feel.

Allergens: Wheat

Oliphant Ennui'd Galaxy Single Hop India Pale Ale

Oliphant Ennui'd Galaxy Single Hop India Pale Ale.

7.5 % ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI. 

Way back, six years ago, I had a beer from Oliphant called EnnuiPA, one in a series of IPAs, with a different single hop showcased. That one was with Waimea. They didn't continue that series for very long. I believe this to be a revival of that concept, under a new name.

But I have no idea what is going on with Jeremy's illustration. Footnotes, please. 

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, large and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: Citrus and pine, lemon and orange. 

In the mouth: Starts out bold, bitter and citric. Grapefruit, lime, and pine. Just a little juicy, with a judicious jolt of bitterness carrying it through. Leaning hard into deliciousness. Medium-bodied, clean, crisp and quite refreshing. 

This one's right on the money. Giving me what I want in an IPA. I take great delight in a beer such as this with appropriate hop flavor and bitterness. Keep bringing 'em, Oliphant. 

single hop IPA w/ galaxy hops!

Three Floyds Barrel-aged Behemoth Barley-wine Ale

Three Floyds Barrel-aged Behemoth Barley-wine Ale.

13.6 % ABV, 45 IBU, Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN. 

Dark brown, ruby-tinged, nearly opaque, under a slim, beige head holding fort atop. 

In the nose: burnt caramel, anise, mocha, toffee, decadence, cocoa, smokey treats on top of truffles and utter luxury. Whole lot going on here. 

In the mouth: Sweetness takes the stage, big malt, big flavors, hugeness upon hugeness. Big body, long, luxuriant finish. Slight spice. Richness, caramel and barrel age bourbon flavors. Oak and vanilla. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Whoa. Big, beefy, boisterous. Ridiculously deep, dark, decadent, and crazily delicious. More whoa. 

Our American-style Barleywine gets the barrel treatment, as we age it in bourbon barrels for over a year. From here the intense hop character gets rounded out and complemented with natural vanilla, coconut and bourbon notes extracted from the barrel aging process. 12oz bottle.

Stone Liquid Poem Double IPA

Stone Liquid Poem Double IPA. Glory to the Hop. 

9.4 % ABV, 100 IBU, Stone Brewing, Escondido, CA. 

Clear, bold and bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: bursting with vibrant tropical tones and citrus notes, slightly sweet and overtly fruity. Resiny pine needle trickles delight the senses, as well. 

In the mouth: Starts off sweet, succulent, strong, and increasingly bitter. Citrus and pine take hold of the palate and keep up an encampment. Long, bitter finish on the back of the throat and the top of the mouth.  It's a rowdy hop mess at play on the palate, dank and delicious. I enjoy this type of domination, ruination, decimation. 

Yes, slowly, but surely, the alcohol rises, the hop bitterness continues, and all is well with the world. Damnably delicious, this, and it hits me right in all the right ways. Way to go, Stone! 

Hops, used artfully, can be a lyrical

journey for the palate. What you have

here is the liquid equivalent of some

old school classic punk rock poetry.

We took the path less traveled 25

years ago, and it could be accurately

argued we were a bit noisy in our

adventures co-pioneering the West

Coast style IPA. People heard that

noise and joined us in the hoppy mosh

pit, and the path has gotten even

more lively since then. We based

this recipe on the classics, with

citrusy-piney Centennial, Chinook

and Columbus hops, plus a dash of

'new classic' Citra for good measure.

Big yet refreshing, bold yet nuanced.

Undeniably LOUD. Just as we like it.

Tin Whiskers/ Oliphant Melon, She Wrote

Tin Whiskers/ Oliphant Melon, She Wrote. A collaboration fruit ale with watermelon, lime, prickly pear, avocado blossom honey, & pink Himalayan sea salt. 

4.8 % ABV, 11 IBU, Tin Whiskers Brewing, St. Paul, MN, in collaboration with Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI. 

Clear, bright golden color, large and lasting, lace-leaving ivory head. 

In the nose: First hits the sour, then the honey, the lime, then the salt, and all the while we think, oh, yeah...melon! Just enough sweet for the tart. 

In the mouth: Tartness at the start, with lime following suit. Light bodied, crisp, refreshing, fresh, zesty, and sour. Watermelon, lime and salt come together as one. Refreshingly fruity and sour. Okay, I like this. 

Brewed with Oliphant Brewing. Fruit Ale with Watermelon, Lime, Prickly Pear, Avocado Blossom Honey, & Pink Himalayan Sea Salt. 

Yeah, I already said that...

Früh Kölsch

 Früh Kölsch.

4.8% ABV, 19 IBU. Cölner Hofbräu Früh, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany

So, I was thinking about the trends in the current beer scene, and how they annoy me, and I thought to myself, "Self", I thought, "why not just avoid them altogether for a while and go traditional?" Good idea, Self! And that's why I bought some German beers the other day, including a 4-pack of Früh Kölsch cans, only $10.99. Why, with some of these trendy, gimmicky beer makers that would only get you half of a 4-pack of diabetes!

I first had Früh from a bottle brought over from Deutschland by one of my Blue Nile regulars, way back in 2003. I gave it a 4.17/5, roughly 9 points above the average. What did I say back then? 

Appeance: pale yellow, bordering on green, with a firm 1/2" collar of foam.

Aroma: fresh, light, delicately hoppy, rather minor in size, but with appreciable fruity notes, which continue on the palate, once the tasting begins.

Light, but lively, happy, with a tangible tangy, citric fruit flavor, and perhaps a touch of apple or pear.

After so many American interpretations, it's great to taste a true kolsch and know once and for all how they should taste. This is a classic, extremely downable, light in body, but with just enough flavor, sweet and lemony, to be worthwhile, and to have me wish this 500 ml bottle would never empty.

Thanks to my pal Dave for bringing it over to the States for me!

What do I think of it compared to the cans I'm drinking now? Surely that sample was fresher, having taken a quicker trip from Cologne to Minneapolis and down into my belly. But that aside, it's the same light, tasty, fruity refresher. 

I like a good kölsch, and this is one of them. 

(Another quick note, because I am obsessed with these things, though they may bore others. About 10 years ago, I reviewed a Sünner Kölsch, and regretted that I hadn't a proper glass, only a Reissdorf Kolsch glass to use. Probably got it from that time I had it on tap at the Blue Nile back in 2004. Last December, I sat down to review a Kolsch from Waldmann, and rued that I hadn't any Kolsch glasses, not even a Reissdorf. I've looked all over, it's gone, broken, send to the dustbin of history. I used a saison glass for that one. This time, I picked the closest I have to the style of glassware, which again was designed for a saison by a Belgian brewery. I'd better get a Kolsch glass already to cure me of this obsession!)

From the recipe by Peter Josef Früh of the family brewery, this top-fermented specialty beer features the best ingredients and is brewed according to the German Purity Law. A favourite beer of Cologne, which became one of the city’s original.

Drumconrath Brewing Blood on the Board Blood Orange Red Ale

Drumconrath Brewing Blood on the Board Blood Orange Red Ale.

5 % ABV, 20 IBU. Drumconrath Brewing, Fargo, ND. 

Clouded, crimson-colored, lean layer of ivory foam. 

In the nose: Ripe and fruity notes from the start, slight hop presence. Mostly malty. 

In the mouth: Getting berries, cherries, some citrus, but not a lot of blood orange. . Hop bitterness is mild to non-existent. Malty background holds it down. I'd pegged this as a berry-flavored ale before ever guessing at blood orange. Citrus flavors are light. Not too pronounced. Lacks the particular twang I'd expect out of a beer of this stripe. Or is my palate confused because I've never had a blood orange red ale before, only in IPAs and other styles? Not sure, but I'm not digging it. 

It's fruity, but not delivering on the fruit advertised. I can't recommend this one. Maybe you'll like it, I don't know. As for me, ...nah. 

Blood orange red ale