Swing is a wonderful break from the masses of heavy or hoppy efforts that have been everywhere through the fall and winter. Swing, what Victory calls a “session Saison) is pegged at a 4.50% ABV. The hazy initial flow of Swing provides a decently large heads. Initial tastes that become prevalent here include citrus (orange, lemon) and coriander notes and bits of pepper, opening up into something that is…
Ebel’s Weiss Beer is our introduction to Two Brothers Brewing Company, and represents an entry in the Hefeweizen style. The initial sip of the beer is bold and provides imbibers with hints of cloves, spice, and lemon. Ebel’s Weiss pours nicely, with a very thick head and lacing remaining after each sip. The mouthfeel of the beer gradually fades to allow the beer to become eminently drinkable, while the…
Abita Fall Fest is the latest seasonal from perhaps the best brewery in Louisiana; this is a lager that has a considerably larger and more bold flavor than similar efforts on the market. This is due to the inclusion of Hallertau and German Perle hops, which pushes the IBUs up to 20. The bold malt and hop attitude of the Fall Fest distinguishes it from the rest of Oktoberfest…
The malty flavor of the Dubbel Reserve is moderated nicely by the 7% ABV. This dark beer has hints of chocolate and coffee as a nutty flavor concludes the experience. The lack of carbonation in the Dubbel Reserve is absolutely perfect, as there is a smoothness that ensures that a bottle will be drained with the utmost quickness. With all of these facets considered, one would do better to…
The Maduro Brown Ale was canned and tests incredibly fresh; the dark brown pour provides some hint of the flavor profile that is to come. The initial sip will provide imbibers with hints of coffee and chocolate with an overall smooth mouth feel; the small amount of carbonation that is present here provides additional complexity to the Maduro. Nutty and caramel hints break through at certain points during the experience,…
We received a few brews from Magic Hat and are pleased to report that each effort has a decidedly different bent than the rest of the line. It is this ability to create unique flavor profiles that makes their flagship (and year-around) beer #9 such a stand-up effort. This “Not Quite Pale Ale” contains an alluring opening that leads forth into a full-bodied flavor. While there is a little…
The Wisconsinite Summer Weiss Beer showcases the essence of beer, tying together fruit and spice flavors with a crisp and refreshing beer backdrop. The light straw head that comes with each pour obscures the light golden haze of the beer.
Wipeout IPA is a heady and nuanced IPA that expands what one can reasonably expect from the India Pale Ale style. The beer pours out nicely with a brown-orange color and a considerable head. The 7% ABV of this beer is moderated nicely by the bite of the hops, which provide imbibers with notes of pine and citrus fruits. Caramel notes dominate the end of each sip; Wipeout…
/ Spoetzl Brewery / http://www.shiner.com/ The Shiner Holiday Cheer, a dunkelweizen (dark wheat ale) is a decidedly different effort than what comes around for the holiday season. This is because the beer is brewed with pecans and peaches, adding lightness to the beer that is refreshing instead of heavy. Shiner Holiday Cheer is a unique effort that pours nicely, giving imbibers a nice head and nose that blends together hints…
Snarling Badger is a “Berliner Weisse” in Grand Teton’s Cellar Reserve Series. The yellow / orange initial pour opens up to a thick white head. The beer itself straddles the line between fruit and wheat, with a little bit of peach and lemon to be had at the nose. The decision to place the ABV at 7.5% allows for a much more complex beer than many of its ilk.…
Berry Horny (Summer Berry) / Horny Goat Brewing / http://www.hornygoatbrewing.com When a beer is touted to have a fruit flavor in its profile, I typically expect to have an inoffensive beer with little more than a touch of the fruit it contains. This usually creates an inoffensive brew that is forgettable soon after one finishes it up. This is not what Berry Horny does. Rather, the beer is able to…
I love the fact that independent and micro-breweries have been able to move their beers to cans. The costs can decrease considerably, while the transportation of cans allows for a wider distribution than would normally be necessary. Abita Brewery is one of the companies that have moved towards the inclusion of cans, and I believe that they have succeeded in getting their name out to a wider audience than…
Newcastle’s unique flavor is something that has to be present in any seasonal effects from the brewery. This IPA variant is able to build off of this unique mantra and provide imbibers with an experience that is unparalleled. Newcastle has provided individuals with a blend of Super Styrian and Styrian Goldings hops. This has the effect of inserting a little bite to the subtle smoothness that exists. This is assertive…
It is hard for a beer company to continually innovate. This is made all the more difficult when it feels that may beer companies are utterly complacent with the beers that they are currently releasing. Samuel Adams is one of the few breweries that are actively changing their efforts in a meaningful way, and this is a great amount of the reason why I find myself picking up a sixer…
In the last few months, we at NeuFutur have received a number of efforts that have been plain boring. This is true even with the independent breweries that are on the map – it just feels as if there is a collective malaise in brewing. Flying Dog shatters that aura of complacency with their Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout. While I was expecting a dark, biting, and coffee-heavy effort, the brewery…
There are a number of problems that I have noticed with the different Amber Ales that are on the market. If they are something like Killian’s, they may have a decent flavor but possess no (or incredibly little of a) bite. However, those that are a little too happy when it comes to including hops may make something that is much too bitter to properly appreciate. Breckenridge’s Avalanche Ale is…
I feel that a great number of the microbreweries that are currently in operation make beer that is ultimately forgettable. However, there are a few intrepid breweries that are able to push forward and create unique beers that should be checked out. Yards Brewing Company has done just that in their Philadelphia Pale Ale. There is a nuanced taste to the beer that will be tremendously compelling to those that…
The beer comes out with a very yellow-orange color and an opaqueness that immediately establishes the effort as pretty unique. The whitish-yellow head that pours out added to the slightly astringent nose provide imbibers with a few hints about the beer, but it does take a few solid swigs to get a better appreciation for the beer. There is some sweetness to be had, but it is moderated substantially by…
Since we have started the beer reviews section at NeuFutur. I feel that our love for the stuff has drastically decreased. This is likely due to the fact that a great number of breweries create efforts that are not too terribly offensive. However, we have received a beer in the 21st Amendment Brewing’s Monk’s Blood that really recreates our love for the stuff. This beer comes out of the can…
This beer begins its pour in a tremendously effervescent way, which will ensure a solid inch-plus head in a pilsner glass, no matter how carefully individuals pour. The continual bubbliness of the beer is a sight to see, while there is little in the way of nose to speak of. The first taste of the Boulevard Pilsner provides imbibers with two distinct sides. First off, there is a decidedly run-of-the-mill…