Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2012 with a stop in Cold Springs, Minnesota, at the 21st Amendment Brewery to have their Hell or High Watermelon canned beer purchased at the Cornersburg Party Shop.
"Like Lady Liberty, we stand for independence and perseverance. In the pursuit of innovative beer, there is no obstacle too great. No journey too long. No fruit too gigantic. This American wheat beer is brewed with real watermelon, for a flavor that's surprisingly crisp, dry and refreshing—summer in a can." This beer is a summer seasonal, available from April to September. It starts off as a traditional American wheat beer with fresh watermelon added during a secondary fermentation. It has 17 IBUs and is 4.9% ABV.
Overall average rating: 6.9/10
The color is a translucent straw color with a white head. There are aromas of wheat, light barley, light citrus, and a hint of watermelon. The tastes starts out with wheat, with a front/mid tongue bite, and ends with a watermelon finish on the back of the tongue.
Shawn- I wish it was 110 F out - I love to drink this when it's hot out, but unfortunately it's December in Ohio so my score is somewhat effected. I love the watermelon finish, although I think the drinkability diminishes slightly in cold temperatures, 6.5/10.
Angela- It reminds me of a watered down watermelon Jolly Rancher. It is a uniquely refreshing summer beer, 7.25/10.
Shawn- This is a very adventurous beer as there are no other watermelon beers. It's like a Hefeweizen. I didn't rate it higher because I want more watermelon. The more it warms, the more wheat and less melon I taste, 7/10.
Our next beer is http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/beers/3.php Christmas Ale purchased at Cornersburg Party Shop.
Goose Island changes the recipe of this beer slightly each year to give its customers something to look forward to. It is an American Brown Ale best enjoyed in a nonic pint glass (where the glass bulges out a couple of inches from the top) and can develop in the bottle for up to five years. It is 6.2% ABV.
Overall average rating: 5.8/10
It is an orange-y amber colored beer with a quick to diminish off-white head. There is citrus hop in the aroma, as well as a pine/evergreen scent (from the hops?) and a rich sweetness (honey?). We taste hops at the beginning, then cherry with an earthy honey finish.
Shawn- It reminds me of a honey cough drop, something you'd curl up with if you aren't feeling well. It's like the beer version of a hot toddy, 6/10.
Angela- It's an okay beer with a unique flavor, but not one that's very drinkable for me, 5.5/10.
Chris- It's alright, but I think more could have been done with the flavor because the hop overpowers whatever else there is, 6/10.
Our second Christmas ale is Abita Christmas Ale, purchased at the Cornersburg Party Shop.
"Each year at the Abita Brewery we craft a special dark ale for the holiday season. Each year the recipe changes so that Abita Christmas Ale is always the perfect gift." It's suggested to drink this spicy beer with traditional holiday flavors like gingerbread or spiced nuts, as well as either bleu cheese or Camembert.
Overall average rating: 6.1/10
This pours a translucent light red amber, lighter than the previous beer. This also has tons of egg white head with a lot of lacing. There is a lot of citrus hop in the aroma, with a little malt and honey as well. The hop finish in the taste is exactly like the aroma.
Shawn- Normally a Christmas ale from Louisiana would seem odd, but their Pecan Harvest was really good. The crisp bitterness of the hop in this beer is refreshing, however it doesn't have typical Christmas flavors in it. I'd classify this almost as a "red winter" more than a Christmas ale, 5.5/10.
Angela- This tastes exactly like the smell, so it's consistency is good. I actually detect an aroma of sweet potato as well as the hop. It's not my favorite Christmas ale, but I think it would go really well with Shawn's sweet potato curry soup (hint, hint), 6.25/10.
Chris- This tastes like a hoppy amber beer with a little honey added. It's not bad, it's just not that Christmasy. My rating is based on the smell/taste consistency, 6.5/10.
After our trip to Market Garden Brewery, we dove right into the first of seventeen Christmas ale. Yes, seventeen. There are too many to narrow down to just a week's worth. First up, Penn Brewry St. Nikoluas Bock Bier purchased at the Cornersburg Party Shop.
"At the start of the 19th century, he was a tall, stern patriarch in bishop's robes. Today, he's a jolly globular sky-riding elf. Saint Nick may be a milk-and-cookies guy, but he knows what you want, and it's this St. Nikolaus Bock Bier. Rich, dark and full bodied, because it's brewed just like beers are brewed in Germany. With a blend of roasted barley malt and Bavarian Hallertau hops. It's fresher though, because we make it right here in Pennsylvania." This won a silver medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival and is 6.5% ABV.
Overall average rating: 5.0/10
It pours a translucent red amber color, with aromas of caramel, malt, nutmeg, honey, and slight cherry. The taste gives a full tongue bite, although it's light. There's a little honey and caramel in the finish, and there is no distinct hop flavor.
Shawn- I can't wrap my head around a beer with a great bouquet where none of those aromas make it into the flavors, 4.5/10.
Angela- I expected more flavor/richness based on the smell, so I am a bit disappointed, 5/10.
Chris- The problem is that it has an incredible smell, but the taste dies off. They could have done a lot more with this beer, 5.5/10.
