This beer works directly out of the bottle or in a nice glass. Should you decide to go the classy route, it pours a rich, warm, amber color and features a really thick, effervescent head. There is obvious lacing, which just makes you feel good. The lacing sticks around quite a bit, too, indicating Sierra Nevada is using a fresh, healthy batch of hops. Each year, they take the earliest hops from their harvesting season and use them in their Celebration brew, which is also dubbed their “Fresh Hop Ale,” so this is no coincidence!

Beyond the frothy head and other positives of this beer’s appearance is a noticeable and enticing aroma. There are sharp notes of both citrus (grapefruit?) and pine (Douglas fir?) that are very, very inviting.

When you finally get to the drinking, it just gets better and better! Sierra Nevada rarely does poorly, so it’s to be expected that one of their annual paramount brews is so good. This hits all of the expected IPA notes (hoppy, palette-freshening), but brings a malty balance that you won’t find in prototypical IPAs. The nature of this beer allows it to slide comfortably into the realm of winter seasonals it occupies.

I highly recommend it and believe it has all of the necessary points to make your holidays just perfect.

Quick Hits:

• Thick, beautiful head with substantial lacing. It’s like a snowstorm on the side of your glass
• Aromatic citrus and pine scents bursting to get to your nose
• Rich, balanced flavor with a bit of a hop bite and a spicy finish
• Overall an incredible and versatile brew that’s good for taking a six pack to parties or stock-piling for yourself in your beer fridge

Enjoy and have the happiest of holidays!

After a long hiatus, we take some time to review a different style of beer that neither of us have really tried before. We wanted to expand out into different beer styles beyond our favorites, but also introduce people to good “intro” beers, which would be too strong in flavor and alcohol content.

Today, we review Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale. Not to be confused with the fine establishment of Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia, which everyone should visit. The Sour we sampled comes from a Belgium, where the style of sours is considered risky business. The science for making a sour requires more time and effort to make sure the ale doesn’t become contaminated with the bacteria used for fermentation.

Monk’s lends itself to be a great tasting beer that would be great for people who are not “beer people”. Its sweet, tart, and according to Steve, tastes like banana. Russian River brewery claims their sours are their best selling beers.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

As the story goes, the brewer’s Jack Russel terrier was run over by a car. The dog, though injured, bounced back and, so, in celebration this tasty farm house ale was named and dedicated to the dog.

Filmed on rather warm day in January, Bam Biere was the best beer to relax and enjoy. It embodies sweet and citrus flavor. And the most welcome part of all was that it lacked the expected “water downed” taste.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Read about how they make beer fun at Yelp, or watch their video, here:

What would you do with the ability to check the stats and status of your nearest keg at the office. I feel like many of us here at Yet Another Beer Show would end up in a dangerous competition to top the leaderboard!

Chris and Colin risk their credibility with this review of Wild Blue, a blueberry lager from beer “megamart” Anhueser-Busch. While traditional beer reviewing criteria go out the window with this most fruity of fruit beers, this is a brew not without merit. The reddish hue, grape juice taste, and frothy head combine to hide 8.0% ABV effectively and tastefully.

When beer snobs sneer and turn their nose up at something like this (Beer Advocate grades of D/F), there’s more for you and me to enjoy. This is surprisingly worth your while if you’re in the market for a surprise or change of pace.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Are we the only ones that like this? It’s possible. When you scan review sites like Beer Advocate for this one, you’ll read some pretty awful things. Things such as:

“Can’t imagine drinking more than the first few sips of this. Drain might spit it back at me.”

“Kind of like a ounce of blueberry syrup and 10 ounces of a lager poured on top.”

“I sincerely think this is the only beer that is offensive to all five senses.”

“The only positive I can find with this thing is the high alcohol percentage.”

“The beer tastes horrible, very sweet, like they just poured grape juice and sugar into what possibly tastes like it used to be beer.”

“If you’re looking for characteristics of your average, run-of-the-mill beer, this might be the single grossest thing you ever tried.”

Let us know in the comments if you’ve had any experience with this. Chris and Colin wholly recommend and thoroughly enjoyed it, but the court of public opinion seems to wholeheartedly disagree.

Chris and Colin take a look at a beer with a particularly interesting label. Flying Dog’s IPA, Snake Dog, brings a lot of interesting twists to the traditional IPA traits. There’s blasts of citrus and a typical nose, but this is a beer that can not be judged on color and nose alone. Give the video a spin to see if Snake Dog is worth a taste.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Nick is back alongside Colin and Kasey as they review the second in our pair of Japanese brews. Sapporo, featured here, is another Japanese rice lager that’s a fairly common throughout Japan. Find out how this compares to Asahi and the American microbrews we frequent. Also, take a listen to Nick’s lesson on drinking culture in Japan.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Donate to Relief Efforts in Japan

Take the time, also, to donate to relief efforts to aid Japan in its recovery in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami. We give you instructions of how to donate in the video, but it mostly boils down to doing one of these things:

Text “REDCROSS” to 90999 on your cell phone to automatically donate $10 to earthquake and tsunami relief. It takes three seconds of your time to make a difference.

If you’re against text message donations, give your browser a spin and visit http://www.redcross.org/ to donate or jump right to Japan’s info and download page here: http://bit.ly/yabsdonatejapan

Click here to make a donation to Japanese Relief Efforts in an amount of your choosing
OR
Go to the Red Cross Site directly and make a donation
OR
Take a moment to text “REDCROSS” to 90999 on your cell phone and have $10 donated to Japanese relief efforts from your bill

We task ourselves with having a good time and reviewing beer on a regular basis. While that’s still our motus operandi, there’s a time and a place to get a bit serious. We’ve put together two reviews of traditional Japanese beers, and were joined by Kasey’s brother Nick, who lives in Tokyo, and had the good fortune to be visiting family and friends in America when the earthquake and its subsequent chaos struck.

There’s a lot to learn about Japanese beer culture, and ways in which you can easily donate to Japanese relief efforts. Have a look at our first review of the pair, which covers Asahi Super Dry, one of the most commonly-known Japanese macrobrews.

The second in our Japanese beer series is coming soon.

Kasey and Colin welcome Kasey’s brother Nick, visiting from Japan, in a review of one of Japan’s largest macrobrews, Asahi “Super Dry.” Find out how this is a great compliment to sushi and rice. It may, however, not be much different than what you’re used to from America.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Donate to Relief Efforts in Japan

Also, take the time to donate to relief efforts to aid Japan in its recovery in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami. We give you instructions of how to donate in the video.

Text “REDCROSS” to 90999 on your cell phone to automatically donate $10 to earthquake and tsunami relief. It takes three seconds of your time to make a difference.

If you’re against text message donations, give your browser a spin and visit http://www.redcross.org/ to donate or jump right to Japan’s info and download page here: http://bit.ly/yabsdonatejapan

Colin and Kasey welcome Kasey’s brother and the three of them wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. They’re drinking some green beer, which is easy to make and we’ll show you on the Yet Another Beer Blog. Take care, be safe, and be merry this St. Patrick’s Day!

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

How to Make Yourself Some Green Beer

You will need:

• Light beer (Miller Lite, Bug Light, Coors Light, or similar work best)
• Small container of Green food coloring
• The desire to drink green liquid

The proper ratio of green food coloring to light beer is about 2 drops per can or bottle. If you’re coloring in bulk, expand by the general rule of about 1 per cup.

It’s easy! Pour your beer into a glass or cup and drop in the food coloring. Give it a swirl with a spoon or stirrer, and you’re all ready to enjoy your regular beer, but green.

If you are drinking darker beer, you’ll have to bring more food coloring to the equation.

It’s all good, but is it better when it’s green!?

I recently had the opportunity to check out World Café Live’s 7^th Annual Beer Festival – Beats, Brews, and BBQ.  It was just a few weekends ago and if you had the chance to go, I am positive you had a great time just as I did.  Two very good friends, Tony and Gemma, and I meandered through the maze of beer vendors and had a blast.  I really wanted to share all the beers that I had (well…to be fair…the ones I remember trying and took notes on :) ) and thought it would have been really hard to do via video so it seemed quite apt to be my first blogging.  What I’ll try to do is write just a little bit about each thing I had, be as succinct as possible to spare you from reading a thesis, and break it up into a few postings (this will be part 1 of 3).

Oskar Blues Brewery:

Dale’s Pale Ale:  I really liked this one.  Colin and I have had a few Oskar Blues’ beers before and I was glad they were represented here.  Very nice hoppy beer with a sweet finish.  I thought there was a nice citrus flavoring/aroma (very grapefruity if I recall…) and seemed like a very drinkable beer.  It wasn’t the best thing I’ve had in years, but I would definitely have another one!

Old Chub Scotch Ale:  Interesting selection.  I found myself liking it in some respects and in others thinking it was missing something.  Very smooth and very much what you’d want/expect from a scotch ale in the way of strong flavors and minimal carbonation.  It’s not the easiest type of beer to drink and I like scotch anyhow.  But, that being said, if you’re going to try a scotch ale for the firs time, this should get some thought for sure.

We’ve reviewed Oskar Blues’ Gubna, Mama’s Little Yella Pils, and Gordon from Oskar Blues. Check them out!

Great Lakes Brew Company:

Burning River Pale Ale:  I thought this beer was ok.  There was some nice malts going on and a really interesting pine floral aroma when swirled.  I wasn’t in love with the finish though – it left a really strong residual hop taste in my mouth.  I’ve had some really good brews from them so I’m not turned off at all but this one won’t likely be one that I do again.

Avery Brewing Company:

White Rascal Witbier: This beer ended up not being one that stood out in my mind.  When it was poured for me, it had nearly no head (and what head it did have disappeared within seconds).  It had a nice citrus aroma with a super subtle hint of some spices.  I felt the malts were pretty low key for this type of brew and the yeast kinda dominated for me.  Wasn’t the worst thing I’ve tasted ever but I wasn’t really impressed with this (especially since it was this company’s witbier at a Belgium beer fest!).

We’ve previously reviewed the Maharaja from Avery Brewing.

Weyerbacher Brewing Company

Heresy Russian Imperial Stout:  This pitch black brew certainly left a lasting impression with me.  There were some great oak smells and had an awesome finish which reminded me of coffee and chocolate.  I struck up a conversation with the WBC rep and he said that a huge key for this beer was to have it either cask-conditioned or on tap (though the bottle can be good, the true flavors don’t come out the same).  So, if you’re lucky enough to see this on tap someplace, check it out.  I thought it had great taste front to back and certainly would be a beer I’ll recommend to friends.

Stone Brewing Company

Arrogant Bastard:  Awesome.  Ok, next beer…just kidding.  But seriously…a great beer.  A really nice looking deep red/red-brown look which had a super frothy pour.  A very aromatic brew with lots of hops, fruity undertones, and a hint of alcohols.  It was a very smooth drink but still maintained a complex body of flavors.  I will say, however, that if you’re expecting a beer you can slam and be thrilled this may not be your beer.  It really should be one of those triple s beers (swirled, sniffed, sipped) in order to really get out of the bottle what is possible.

Twin Lakes Brewing Company

Greenville Pale Ale:  A very young local brewery with an interesting take on their brews.  I spent about 20 minutes talking with the owner and had a really interesting conversation (I mention this here rather than with other brewers because I had such a unique answer…).  He told me that the goal of [his] beer was to be slammable – there’re too many beers out there you have to sip and such while he wants his beer to be one you select at t he end of a long day’s work and you just slam it and want another one. How could you not be intrigued with an answer like that?

Ok, on to the beer (my review was based on the second beer because he insisted I slam the first one).  Had a nice copper color upon pour and had a nice little hop smell.  Nothing super remarkable upon tasting – it was a tasty beer but it wasn’t anything that I can say which offered a unique signature or reason to try it.  In a sense it was very average in presentation which I suppose is good because that’s what he said he wanted.  Was a good beer and I can say that they certainly met their goal – I’d gladly slam a GPA or two after work any time.

Tweeds Tavern Stout:  More of the same methodology – meant to be a highly drinkable beer that just plain tastes good.  A super black pour (not quite as deep and dark as the Heresy mentioned before, but still plenty black) with some really nice roasted malts to smell.  It has a strong coffee-esque flavor but it certainly wasn’t over powering.  It certainly had a lingering taste in my mouth which in some ways made me want to have another sip.  Once again, I thought this was a pretty mundane stout in that it hits all the notes you’d expect, however there is nothing insane here.  Yet, I found myself really liking the beer.  Sometimes it’s nice to just have a beer you like without having to dissect all the elements.

The Half and Half:  This was a personal creation from the owner which was half a glass of Greenville Pale Ale and Tweeds Tavern Stout.  This is the drink of the owner after he has a long day at work and I can see why.  It was really tasty and really hit the highs for each drink.  The GPA made the TTS much more crisp on the palette while the TTS made the GPA much more savory and robust in taste.  So, while you won’t find this offered in a bottle, if you’re at a local watering hole and they have both on tap, give it a try for sure!

Bear Republic Brewing Company

Hop Rod Rye:  Really interesting beer here.  Had a nice dark ale color to it which was just slightly opaque.  There are super subtle rye tastes (as the beer kinda warms up a tad) which compliment the bitter hops and clean, crisp citrus tones.  Full bodied beer with a reasonable amount of carbonation which I think was a perfect selection – had it been too much or too little carbonation it would have really taken away from the balance of the beer.  Keep in mind that this beer is a little higher on the ABV (around 8% I believe) and can make it a challenge to drink.  This would be a great first or second beer rather than one you’d have at the end of the night – which is fine because it’s really tasty and a very enjoyable beer.

While living in San Diego, JT discovered a great restaurant called Pizza Port. Its a combination of pizza and beer, where they brew all their own beer in each restaurant. Shark Attack comes from Port Brewing, which is a sister company.

Basically this beer is awesome. Its a crisp red ale that just complements the heaviest of greasy foods. JT often drank this with the best of pizzas, a combination of BBQ chicken, bacon and pizza. Obviously eating healthy is not an option while enjoying Shark Attack.

For those of you in San Diego, try the pizza and order a Shark Bite Red the Pizza Port equivalent.

The group of four entrepreneurs have been growing their product into a what they hope is a successful business. For the past two years, they have spent their time building a brand, image, and most importantly a strong selection of distinct beers.

The question is how did they do that night? I arrived at Churchkey at 30 minutes after the 9pm start time for the event. They were already sold out of two of their brews and all was that was left was their Tripel, only because they had brought more kegs. They’ve been in high demand supplying for SF Beer Week.

Cherry Voodoo Tripel

Their Tripel is a pretty classic Belgium, a classic that has been made better. I like to think the monks invented the Belgium style to fill the void of celibacy. The Cherry Voodoo Triple is the cute girl with a great set of legs. Is it wrong to personify a beer?

For their launch, they’ve pushing their beers with their alternative image, which consisted of free stickers, a couple branded banners, and beer babes (following the tradition of booth babes). It is quite unusual to see beer babes associated with microbrews, they are usually reserved for the college hot spots of larger beer brewers with and even larger advertising budget. Cherry Voodoo is trying really hard to establish themselves as different that your normal craft brewer.

The most interesting part of the night was getting to meet the crew of Cherry Voodoo. A group of four gentlemen, mainly consisting of business and sales. They even had a CTO amongst them, and even though we are in San Francisco, it seemed kind of out of place for this company.

Yuri, the brew master, made himself available to discuss his history of being a brew master. He had previously been a brewer at ThirstyBear, and two years ago started working with his cohorts on what is now Cherry Voodoo.

He is very passionate, like many brewers, but its obvious that he has some set values on the brewing industry. There is a fine distinction between home brewers, to nano brewers, to craft brewers, and then micro breweries. The latter two really reserved to those selling a product.

Cherry Voodoo has worked hard to build their product. Testing different batches, building their recipes, and choosing only when they felt they had a solid selection to release, through legal means, to the public. In any part of the discussion, it was obvious that time was always the factor — don’t rush, test and refine the batch then rinse and repeat.

Yuri draws a solid line of what defines a company as a micro brewery and Cherry Voodoo is that definition. They’ve worked hard to make their introduction into SF a lineup of strong solid beers that appeal to the craft loving city we are. I look forward to trying their other brews when they officially hit the local beer bars.

An event that I attended on a whim, based on friend’s recommendation, was the Social Kitchen and Brewery Nano Brewfest. The nano brewer is somewhere between a home brewer and a micro brewery. These are brewers who are trying to put their foot in the door, so the general public, restaurants, beer distributors, etc know what to expect.

Most of these people waited in line for over an hour to try some of SF's up and coming home brewers.

There are some limitations to being being a nano brewer. First and foremost, you cannot make a monetary profit from your beer. The state of California, and more specifically the city San Francisco, has some strict limitations on who can sell their beer for profit. Special licensees are needed to produce and distribute beer, a process that I was told from many present nano brewers usually took more than a year and a half. Its actually easier to move your brewing facilities out of San Francisco and just “import” your beer into the city through normal distribution channels. Till then these brewers are promoting as much as possible at their own expense to make contacts in any industry.

This proved to be a very popular event. I arrived several minutes after the 5pm opening time. The line went down the block and curled around the adjoining parking lot. After an hour and a half in SF’s finest winter weather, I was welcomed, with the $15 cover, into the mecca of SF’s up and coming brewers, but unfortunately did not receive my complimentary keepsake glass as Social had not properly stocked.

Nine nano brewers were attendance. Each bringing 2-3 of their finest batches for everyone to sample – all free to everyone.

I’d like to be able to give an unbiased review. To say that each beer was individually evaluated for attributes of a good beer. Alas I cannot be anything but biased. In my book, there is one clear winner for the list of who to watch out for in 2011 — Beltane Brewing.

The champion of Beltane Brewing, and for many of those in attendance, was Rumplestiltskin Double IPA. At 8.5% ABV, Rumplestiltskin packs the perfect balance of hops and flavor for an ideal DIPA. These might be blasphemous words, but I would put it range a quality and taste close to Pliny the Elder of Russian River fame.

Another brewery of note was Bosworth Brewery. I was able to try out their English Bitter and Brown ale. Anthony, a fellow of British decent, was eagerly and generously pouring. I found it amazing what a nano-brewer considers as a sample taste size. I was a fan of their English Bitter, but most people seemed to agree that their Brown was by far their best beer.

Van Houten Brewing provided a California Common beer, which I was told was comparable to a Anchor Steam in style. Anchor Steam owns a trademark that prohibits people being able to call their beer a Steam beer, so Common is the new Steam. I’m not a fan of Anchor Steam, not because I think its bad, I just know there are better options.

Van Houten has introduce me to a new style of beer that I look forward to exploring. Their Common was 4% ABV and was just really simple flavor and easy to sip on. I’ve been told that they could potentially start distributing their beers in 2012 in the greater SF area.

From those in attendance, it can be definitely noted that there active and growing beer community in SF area. It was great to see that there home brewers, professional brewers, and beergins (beer + virgins?) learning about the potential brews San Francisco has to offer. I believe in the next few years, San Francisco will be a city for identified for a much larger selection of micro breweries compared to already well established micro brewed cities such as Portland, Boston, or New York.

Steve recommends Lagunitas Hop Stoopid for us to try today. With a name like Hop Stoopid, expectations for the flavor were to be strong, even unbearable. We were both surprised with the softness of the hoppy flavor. It was still strong, but not overbearing that you had to wait for the flavor to dissipate.  This would be a great introduction beer for people that want to try hoppy flavored beers.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Per a recommendation from the bar, I tried Smuttynose’s S’muttonator, which is part of the breweries “Big Beer Series.” This beer is a German Doppelbock, which essentially translates to being heavy on the malts. I mean, it literally translates to “double bock,” but that’s beside the point. The point is the malts. And this beer has them!

Poured into a Chimay-style goblet, the S’muttonator had a deep reddish brown, almost mahogany color to it. There was about a finger or two of frothy, tan head and a good amount lacing. Roasty scents played alongside hints of toffee on the nose, both partnering with a tad bit of noticeable alcohol on the nose. There’s a yeasty, bready scent as well, but in just the right amount.

This brew’s ABV alternates with each year of production, and this 2010 was listed at 8.5% ABV, which is big for your typical beer, but hides within this heavier double pretty well. The flavors flowed logically from the nose, which strong malts that lent a bit of bitterness and a slightly warming alcohol sensation. There’s light carbonation, which is just enough to scrub the mouth and get you ready for the next sip!

I didn’t know it at the bar, as this was a draught pour, but the bottle is pretty awesome, with Smuttynose putting some mutton right on the label. Points for that!

All in all, Smuttynose’s S’muttonator is a rich, warming, and enjoyable beer. It’s only available on a seasonal rotation, but you shouldn’t have too hard a time finding it. And hell, if you’re in the neighborhood of Westmont, NJ, swing on down to The Pour House and grab a glass while they still have it on tap!

This winter seasonal from Magic Hat Brewery took Chris and Colin by surprise. It wasn’t typical of a winter seasonal and its coffe under and over tones made for an interesting flavor. We were looking for spice, but instead were given coffee. It’s a good all-around beer, but neither Chris nor Colin think it’s worthy of being anyone’s “all night” beer, despite its surprisingly low ABV. Check it out, it might be a good fit for you.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

We shot this episode back in November and have since noticed supplies of Howl dwindling from local store shelves. Makes sense, since the winter is winding down. If you’re up for a coffee flavor and can find this, give it a whirl. If you’re up for a coffee flavor and can’t find this… wait until next winter, because it’s worth it if you like it’s flavor profile.

George Washington’s Tavern Porter by Yard’s Brewing Company is a warm, rich, and somewhat sweet Porter. It’s a fun beer to drink, because it brings a fairly high alcohol level to a rich and robust set of flavors, but it’s an enjoyable and delicious combination of typical malts, slight hops, and tasty notes of molasses, as well.

Legend has it that Yard’s has based the recipe on a recipe Washington developed “to satisfy his field officers” that is said to originate in Robert Hair’s brewery, the site of which was just a few blocks down from where Yard’s brewery stands, today. I’m not sure how proven the legend is, but it’s a nice story to accompany the stately label, which feature’s good ‘ol George’s head and classic, Colonial lettering.

You’ll pick up a few hints of chocolate and sweetness on the nose, but they don’t reign supreme in the taste, which is actually a warming, roasty, and almost “milky” balance. It’s comforting to drink and easier to drink than the color might suggest. The elevated alcohol content (7.0% ABV) should give you pause and puts this in the category of more of  a sipping beer, however, and that’s a good direction to follow.

I thoroughly enjoyed the beer and recommend it to you, especially if you like Porters. If heavier beers are not your forte, the medium carbonation might help you out, here, and it’s still worth a whirl. Pace yourself and enjoy the complex flavors. Don’t be afraid to try this brew cold, despite its deeper color or heavier ABV. It drinks like a slow-paced, yet dark, lager, with a lot of intricacies to its flavor.

Good show, George!

We don’t want to leave any mystery to this beer. It is awesome. We were surprised by the natural smokiness of the flavor, your instant taste to memory association is slow cooked BBQ.

Watch this episode on Youtube, if you prefer.

Smoke is the dominant flavor in this beer, but it comes a long tradition of Rauch (German smoked) style beers that makes it an actual style of beer, rather than just a brewery adding flavor another style of beer.

We would highly recommend trying this one for the benefit of having a smoked beer; a smoked porter is a totally different ballpark.

We are going to have to start buying stock in Mikkeller Brewing. They surprise again with yet another coffee stout. For the avid coffee drinker (Steve), this stout is the perfect mixture of coffee flavor and a stout. None of the flavors over power each other and well balanced. For the non avid coffee drinker (JT), ditto! You need to try this beer.

Watch this episode on Youtube, if you prefer.

This coffee stout is just very easy to drink. Its actually been referred to in some drinking circles as the bacon beer, as there is a picture of bacon on the label. We didn’t find that there was any flavor of bacon, but that could a special ingredient that helps everything balance.

We cannot speak to how caffeinated this beer is, but it we didn’t notice any post recording jitters.  We actually took our time after filming to fully enjoy and finish the bottle because we enjoyed this so much. This stout is completely different in style and taste compared to the Black Hole and is recommended to not be used with a desert, but drank by itself.

Kasey puts Colin to the test in today’s episode. We aim to see if, while blindfolded, Colin can identify Miller Lite and Coors Light. It’s a tough challenge, but Colin seems ready and up to the task. Watch to find out if he succeeds, and to see whether or not we think these proverbial lightened beers are worth your time and energy.

Watch this episode on YouTube, if you prefer.

We tried to get a little kooky on you, and we’re actually happy with the results. While we may not be as well acquainted as others with these two particular beers, we thought we knew which we preferred and which was which better than turns out.

In all seriousness, both beers are really similar, apart from the way they spell “Light,” with those pesky Miller folks electing to go with “Lite.” That may be, lately, because they are both produced by the same company, MillerCoors, or it may just be the way of the standard American macrobrews. Stay tuned in the future, as we plan to more properly break down the world of super-accessible American beers in future episodes.

Welcome to a new year of beer reviews! This beer is a favorite of our friends in Long Island and we see why — it’s a delicious session beer that won’t break down the doors of originality, but will go down easily and frequently. In Long Island, you can ask for this by name anywhere you go. Perhaps it’s time for the rest of the country should catch up.

Stay tuned until the end to hear Colin and Kasey represent the heft of their chosen beers with their voices. It’ll be between mildly and wildly entertaining to you!

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

When a beer appeals to your sentiment and — dare we say — your heart, it becomes something you miss when you’re away and that you pine for, despite it not necessarily being that strong a “contender” in the traditional sense. Blue Point’s Toasted Lager is one of those beers, where it meets every condition you’d look for in a beer, but doesn’t blow you away. For folks from areas where it’s prevalent, it’s a go-to, and that’s always interesting to identify.

For our final days of Beermas, we bring you Sleigher, a beer by any other name just wouldn’t do. This alt ale has very subtle flavors that mix well with each other. It will keep you warm for the season and be an easy one to share with friends. We were expecting something a little heavier, but were surprised of how well the brew did turn out.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Plus, stay tuned for our Beermas Spectacular.. err.. our 12th Day of Beermas!

For our final east coast show in the countdown to Beermas, Chris and Colin take the train back to Cidertown. If you don’t know much about Cidertown, check out our review of J.K.’s Solstice Hard Cider. This seasonal offering from venerable cider makers Woodchuck has a few surprises up its sleeve, though those surprises are mostly in the ways this seems a wholly unoriginal spin on Woodchuck Cider. Make no mistake, Winter is a delicious cider, but it left us wanting more when compared to their standard Amber. See if it fits the same bill for you!

Watch the video on YouTube, if you prefer.

We’ve had a great time putting together The 12 Days of Beermas for you all. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. Have fun, enjoy a few choice brews, and please be safe!

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

We’ve come a long way, ten days of (mostly) great seasonal brews. Today we reach from the other side of the world where we get Jubilation Ale. From Japan, we find that this mix of cinnamon and fig brings a nice light beer to the traditional “warming” ales of the season. This beer is definitely on our list for beers you must try this season.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Merry Beermas, Day 9! Today, Colin and Kasey take a look at their own Santa’s Little Helper, this one from the fine folks at Mikkeller. This Belgian Strong Dark Ale of 2008 vintage knocks it out of the park with its dark, yet drinkable sensibilities. The deep, roasty flavors bowl us over and we step back in a bit of awe. Check out this incredibly awesome seasonal brew from whatever year you can find.

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Further Investigation… I had a chance to talk with the craft beer specialist at my local beer supplier about Santa’s Little Helper and noticed they are now carrying the 2009 seasonal, where two weeks ago — when Kasey and I filmed — we found only the 2008. He noted that the 2010′s are already out in the world, but some suppliers like to hold onto brews and let them age. There’s no definite benefit to doing so, but our two-year-old concoction was amazing.

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Santa’s Little Helper was designed to aid Santa (and others) after a long and rough day/night. Too keep it simple, its strong. On a cold winter night, this is the drink that will warm you up, one sip at a time. We were quite taken by Santa’s Little Helper and recommend sharing this drink with friends.

Watch this episode on Youtube, if you prefer.

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Today JT and Steve take an international spin on the Seasonal Ales.

France is known for their wines, but they also make beer. This “Beer of Christmas” comes to us from a small brewery from the French/Belgium border. The Belgium influence in the beer can be seen right away as it reminds JT of a Blonde Belgium. Find out if this French ale has what it takes for the season.

Watch this episode on Youtube, if you prefer.

About the fruityness… This beer is fruity. It pulls in more of a sour and sweet flavor compared to the hearty and warming flavors of other Christmas ales. It is a great tasting ale, but appears to have been brewed for the wrong season. With the citrus flavor, we would love to have had this on spring day.

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Jewbelation 14 is a favorite of Steve and JT’s from just before our Beermas Extravaganza. It’s a 14% alcohol barleywine from Schmaltz Brewing and boy, is it ever good! Check out our review of Jewbelation 14.

Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve Ale was just reviewed, today, by Chris and Colin. While it doesn’t get as high marks at Jewbelation, it’s a great twist on the traditional winter seasonal that will raise a few eyebrows amongst your friends these holidays. Watch our review of Santa’s Private Reserve.

Abita Christmas Ale got similar marks from Kasey and Colin as it did from the folks working the bar at The AV Club, who note the beer is worth “two and a half ho’s.” They go on to note that “it’s a nice, solid ale at any other time of the year, even winter, but it falls a bit short for a Christmas Ale,” which we agreed with in our review. Watch us talk about Abita Christmas Ale.

Stay warm this holiday season and stay safe! Happy Holidays!

Chris and Colin get into Santa’s private stash in today’s Beermas episode! Santa’s Private Reserve Ale from Rogue Brewery is a unique take on winter brews that drinks more like a lighter, springtime alternative. It’s double-hopped and it shows, but watch the episode to find out what other secrets are hiding beneath the surface!

Watch the episode on YouTube, if you prefer.

About the IPA-ness… So, yeah. Chris and I thought this drank like an IPA. I stand by that opinion, but realize it’s a bit off. Santa’s Private Reserve is technically an American Amber Ale, which makes that IPA-like sensation we were experiencing all the more interesting. Its fruity nose and citrus flavors are prototypical of many IPA brews, as opposed to the darker beers usually considered of the winter season. Ambers and reds can slide up and down the scale, which makes sense, but it was a surprise to us.

The Rogue website describes this seasonal as “a double-hopped Red, reddish in color, with a roasty, malty flavor and a hoppy spruce finish.” That’s true of the beer, but wasn’t the predominant experience Chris and I had.

About its sizes and availability… This is definitely only available for winter, but we mis-spoke in the episode claiming the 22oz was the only available size and container. Rogue ships Santa’s Private in draft, in individual 12oz and 22oz bottles, and in 12oz six packs. So go find the right size for your occasion!

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Welcome to Day 5 of Beermas. We bring you a holiday brew from the Abita Brewery out of the Big Easy (New Orleans). Just like everyone holiday brew, it has a interesting taste, but with a distinct hoppy flavor. It may not make the cut for the a Christmas seasonal ales, but an easy drink for an ale.

Watch the episode on YouTube, if you prefer

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Woo is this cider ever delicious! There’s more than a few nuggets of praise dropped on the makers of J.K. Hard Cider during today’s episode, including the quotable Ned Flanders. But seriously — cider might not be on your list of winter party drinks, but it should be. The crisp drink and boldly delicious flavors of this cider convince us, but don’t take my word for it…

Watch the episode on YouTube, if you prefer

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Merry Beermas! Welcome to Day 3! Today we’re bringing a great holiday beer for you. This tasty beer brings a slight spice, but also a lot of bakery flavors to your palette. It hides its alcohol well, warms you up, and provides a sweetness that even the most macho of drinkers can enjoy. There’s still hop, there’s still classic elements, but it’s a fresh and rich take on the usual. Perfect for the season!

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

During the episode, we showed off an interesting universal remote from the folks at MyClicker. Kasey’s wife, Danielle, had brought around as a planned holiday gift and we decided to give the makers a mention, because it’s just a well-designed and fun way to change the channels on your myriad entertainment devices while enjoying a frosty beverage.

The folks at Clicker gave us a mention in their news column. Check out some of the press they’re receiving, in addition to a link back to our fun Beermas kickoff.

We wanted to thank the folks at MyClicker for letting us toss their product in an episode without any consultation and then featuring us on their own site.

Happy Holidays, everyone! And, Merry Beermas!

It’s the second day of Beermas! Chris and Colin figure out what a beer in the “winter warmer” style is, and to great success! This beer, the Never Summer Ale from Boulder Beer Company, brings warm flavors, tasty spices, and a real easy drinkability to your holiday time of year!

Watch the episode on YouTube, if you prefer.

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays from Yet Another Beer Show! Kasey and Colin, in the first of a series of Christmas episodes, take a look at Hibernator by Long Trail Brewing. This is a winter season that promises to warm you up on even the coldest night, but does so with less alcohol than you’d expect. Plus, the bear on the label is really cool.

We also tried out the CLICKER… this is an awesome universal remote that has a handy bottle opener wedged into the side. It’s pretty, it’s well-designed, it locks onto a beer pretty well, and it’ll help you control your entire media center from the safety and comfort of wherever you happen to be drinking your delicious beer.

We didn’t get anything for mentioning the CLICKER; we just thought it was a fun product and worth a mention. Do like we did and pick one up for a family member. You can give it as a gift and reap the benefits yourself!

About the 12 Days of Beermas… We had some Santa hats. We had some seasonal beers. We found the royalty-free music. And then we decided to go for it. This is day one of our 12 Days of Beermas. You can learn more about the stunt here. And yes, we realize the “12 Days of Christmas” are actually the days following Christmas, but you need to be able to make informed Christmas beer-buying decisions before the holiday, not after. Merry Christmas!

Check out the first episode: Kaes and Colin reviewing Long Trail’s Hibernator and using a special bottle opener that might be the perfect last-minute gift idea for your beau… or maybe just that office holiday party Yankee swap.

We’re still putting together the official schedule of what to expect when, but we can guarantee you that you’ll see reviews for beers that are widely available, select limited-production specials, seasonal ciders, and a few more surprises. Some of then will be cheap beers you can enjoy on a whim and others will be classy, cork-top, budget-busters good for impressing friends at an upcoming seasonal party. You’ll just have to watch every day to find out which.

If you miss an episode or two, check our episode guide and it’ll be right there.

Also, all of the beers are going into our fully-stocked beer list the day the review goes live, so you’ll be able to pinpoint the best from here on out.

Sure, we know that the “12 Days of Christmas” take place following the holiday, but we had to be practical — how are you going to make well-informed beer purchasing decisions this Christmas season without getting great reviews before you have to slug through the elements fighting the biting cold and snow to see your family and friends!?

So pull up a chair, watch a review, and find a brew or twelve you can enjoy during the holidays. Nothing takes the bite of this season like a good, well-vetted brew.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Yet Another Beer Show!

Brooklyn Brewery’s Belgian Strong Dark Ale, available in the big bottle, is Brooklyn Local #2. Colin and Chris battle through one of the foamiest heads ever to discern the complexities of flavor in this brew. Watch today’s episode to find out if the bigger bottle is good for curing what ails you or too much to handle on a solo mission.

Chris and I had a lot to say about this beer, including a few rambles on the science of nitrogen, froth and foam, the benefits of cork tops, and more. In the interest of time, we had to cut a lot of that out of the finished episode, but we have an editing room floor look coming up in the future, for those really into all of the nitty-gritty details.

Its that time of year where everyone is celebrating something, and Hanukkah is not one to be left out. This concoction is the 14th Anniversary ale that contains 14 malts, 14 hops, 14% ABV. The explosion of ingredients does is very balanced and doesn’t leave you with too many conflicting flavors.

Finally, you can check out our latest videos in the featured player on our home page. Each of our episodes has been imported, here, and categorized based on the type of beer reviewed, the brewery producing the beer, and our delightful review and recommendation. Check out our beers page for a sortable and searchable list of the brews we’ve reviewed.

As always, you can check out our back episode catalog on YouTube, but we’ll also now be pushing each video on our videos page, too. Head there to see everything we’ve ever produced!

Welcome to the new Yet Another Beer Site. We hope you enjoy!

Today we get back down to basics with Victory’s Prima Pils. This beer, however, is a pretty interesting twist on an old standby. This pilsner brings a decent hop, a palette-cleansing finish, and other niceties you might not be used to from its brethren. Plus, stay tuned to meet the third star of the show, Daisy, Kasey’s faithful pup.

Chris and Colin tred lightly into the territory of raisin-based beers. This heady brew from Dogfish Head brings some interesting flavors and hides its higher alcohol content very well, but find out if it’s worth the sample.

To check out Colin’s first, hilariously-protracted experience with raisin-based beer, check out JT and Colin’s review of FiftyFifty Concentrated Evil. Watch ’til the end. It’s worth it.

Breweries don’t leave themselves out of the holiday festivities. We get to try a Belgium Seasonal Ale from Ommegang brewery (one of JT’s favorites). Find out if Steve can handle another beer with an eclectic mix of seasonal spices.

Kasey breaks out his all-time favorite beer and he and Colin break down the good and great of Chimay Grand Reserve. For those who aren’t colorblind, this is the blue Chimay label, which is a tad bit tougher to find than the red, but still widely available. This Belgian ale brewed by Trappist monks is a hearty, delicious, yet potentially expensive addition to your brew collection.

Colin and Chris try a beer that quickly jumps to the top of each of their lists. It’s a strikingly delicious brew. The crispness and sweetness of Two Hearted Ale is not often matched, and today’s episode turns into a bit of an honor fest for this Bell’s classic. See if you would be likewise enthralled by this beer with fish on the bottle.

It appears that we are seeing a reoccurring pattern here. If a fish appears on the bottle its probably going to be awesome. Sculpin has a great smoothness that makes you want to keep coming back to it. Learn more about the Sculpin IPA (and fish beers).

For lack of a better term, this beer is deschutes! This Pale Ale is made with the classic Cascade hops and has a nice smooth taste. We’ve decided that this is on our (growing) list of good summer beers for working in the yard.

Kasey and Colin are back with a look at one of Samuel Smith’s deeper, darker concoctions. The Oatmeal Stout is a great representation of the flavored stout tradition, but for reasons that aren’t apparent may not be a solid choice if you have a hankering for either an oatmeal brew or a stout. Find out if it fits your bill.

About Pennsylvania distributor laws… Kasey touches a little on PA laws regarding where beer can be tracked down and purchased. The case v. six pack v. individual bottles peculiarities are something we plan to tackle in a future episode. Stay tuned.

If you’ve ever wondered what an ale crafted in the pugilist style is, we have your answer. Colin, joined for the first time by Chris, reviews a beer that brings a simple but tried-and-true flavor to your palette, all with a dude boxing a devil on the label. Find out if it’s worth a bout.

About the Pugilist Style… Chris and I had such a great laugh over the “puglist style” of this beer. We suspected during filming and were then able to confirm that there’s really nothing true about the style. Yard’s just came up it. Truthfully, that makes me a little sad, as I was hoping there was a rare strain of hop or malt that — when included — put a brew into the pugilist style. Alas, it’s just a fun name for a pretty fun beer done in its own style.

Colin meets with Greg, a seasoned homebrewer, during a tailgate at University of Delaware. Greg sells us on the virtues of brewing at home and gives lamens like Colin a rundown of what’s possible and what it takes to create excellent beer in your own home.

Another episode of ‘we bought it because the label looked cool’ variety. This selection is pure concentrated evil in a sweet delicious beverage. Its kind of fruity, and find out after the credits for Colin’s explanation of why.

As to Colin’s raisin word vomit… I just don’t know exactly what I was thinking. I sort of enjoyed the beer, and also sort of couldn’t stand it. The flavors were not as strong as I’d hoped and I think I just started going down a rabbit hole of confusion when it came to the raisins. This was the first raisin beer I’d encountered (but not the last) and it was, shall we say, not the first beer I’d had to drink during this session of taping.

Kasey and Colin choose two brews based solely on their labels. It turns out half good and half pretty good. Find out if the Whippet Wheat or Big Hoppy Monster rule the day, and learn a little bit about judging a beer by the label in today’s episode.

Whippet Wheat

First up is Whippet Wheat, which we find to be fairly average. It’s a solidly enjoyable beer; it’s just not spectacular or original for a Hefeweizen. Since Big Hoppy Monster is featured in our Beer Facts on the right-hand side, the facts for Whippet Wheat, if you are interested are:

• Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
• Style: Hefeweizen
• ABV: 5.2%
• Availability: Summer Seasonal

Still love that label, though!

Big Hoppy Monster

Doesn’t quite deliver on its label’s promise of huge hops, but does bring warm and interesting flavors. A strong, almost milk-like mouth feel may discourage some, but give this brew a try if you’re looking for something different.

Tis’ the season for flavored ales. Mostly you’ll find breweries with their rendition of the pumpkin ale, but the Bruery replaces pumpkins with yams. This is a strong belgium with a significant flavor of brown sugar. Find out how it might go on your pancakes.

In this episode, JT has the revelation that we do in fact drink a lot when we get together to shoot episodes Yet Another Beer Show. No worries, though. Someone has to do it!

Delicious children’s snack cereal in your beer, anyone? Colin and Kasey discover the joys of Sunset Wheat, a golden wheat brew known for its fruity aromas and distinctive flavors. Find out if it’s worth your time or better left to the Flintstones.

Colin’s back at University of Delaware and he’s got the same three dudes helping him taste another Oskar Blues Brewery beer, this time the Gordon Imperial Red. Turns out this is a beer that can pack some punch, is a non-traditional experience for a red, and would spice up your tailgate. See why in today’s episode.

Colin hits the road to a tailgate at University of Delaware to try a beer he and his friends have never tasted, before. The beer in question is Mama’s Little YELLA Pils from Oskar Blue Brewery. While it’s a beer with a good flavor and an all-around enjoyable drink, it may not be the best option for your tailgate. Find out why in today’s episode.

Filming with these guys was an incredibly fun time and Chris appears for the first time, albeit as a guest reviewer. Keep your ears open for his insights, which made it clear we needed to team up for future episodes.

The bearded one was able to join us all the way from the east coast for Yet Another Beer Show’s first home brew. Its a Porter, one of a kind, in limited selection, and totally worth the few weeks it took to make. The fruits of your labor really do taster better.

We welcome a new reviewer in Kasey, who shows us the ways of Pennsylvania Pale Ale. It’s strong in hops, plays like an old standard, and is incredibly easy to drink. Altogether a tasty addition to your fridge and great to share!

This is a beer show, but this week we diverge into wine, barley wine that is. JT hasn’t really had too many great barley wines before, but this came highly recommended as a well aged and tasting barley wine. Plus it has a great name!

This week we stick close to home with Tied House Brewing’s Casecase Amber Ale. Been working in the wayd all day, and don’t want a beer that need’s a lime in it, this is a great go to beer. Does it distinguish itself from Corona with a lime, however?

This week Stephen and JT take some time for another holiday brew. With Halloween and Thanksgiving coming up, pumpkin ales start their journey as the seasonal brew to homes across America. Smashed Pumpkin Ale has an intense flavor, which could actually be like your mom’s recipe for pumpkin pie, just with alcohol.

This week we finish up the home brewing process by transfer the wort to the first fermentor. This includes adding yeast and learning some more about the tools that are used for the fermentation process. Join JT and Steve for this episode of Yet Another Beer Show.

This week we take a different approach to beer. We are checking with Steve, a newly home brewer, with a batch of Porter he is making. Home brewing is a long process that takes several weeks. In this first parter, we learn how the batch is made before we being the fermintation process.

The bay area is home to some fine breweries, but San Francisco is home to a brewery for the pass 100 years or so. Anchor Brewery is known for their Liberty Ale, but also has a great selection of other beers. Old Fog Horn, named after the horns in the bay, basically heard every day. A barley wine, with a conflicting taste for us. Thanks for watching Yet Another Beer show.

This was so strong you could swab the decks and grow hair on your chest based on the flavor alone! She share the same color as the lady of the night back on land…. arrrr!

In short, we liked this beer. Its a standard triple, but is unfiltered, so it has a lot of sediment to give it a bolder flavor.

We’ve been very fortunate to have come in contact with so many different beer enthusiasts. Our first episode we reviewed Newcastle and they reached out to us and said thanks. Nice to know they are watching. Here is a quick review of their draught mini keg, which we actually used for a party, hence the red dixie cups.

In a way, this is a return to our roots. After our first episode, where Colin identified Newcastle Brown Ale as one of his favorites, the fine folks at Newcastle sent us this party keg and a few other goodies. Thanks, Newcastle!

And, as an important aside, this mini keg is a great pickup for your next party. It’s easy to use and spits out delicious beer!

This is our Christmas in July extravaganza. We get a visit from Santa who brings us the gift Noel. This 2008 seasonal Belgium is smooth and apparently hard to find, so we thank Santa for the gift.

This beer’s label features significantly awesome serving instructions for temperature and glass. We may’ve broken from ideal circumstances, but still really enjoyed this one.

The name is obvious, you cannot see any light through the beer. The taste was not so obvious, but actually a really good mix. Find out the magic ingredient that makes this stout that much more enjoyable.

This beer has more than enough to turn even a non-coffee drinker into a fan. And then, if you’re up for it, having your director pull out some whipped cream to top it off is the perfect sweet compliment.

There is an inflected few who cannot enjoy the comforts of over a thousand years of brewing grains. Gluten allergies be damned. Sorgham Beer allows the Gluten challenged to share a relaxing brew.

There are some beers that should never be named and there are some whose name you are unable to pronounce. Weihenstephaner Original is light, brown, and buttery. Learn a little more about how the Germans’s do lite beer right.

Bear with us when it comes to sound. ChurchKey’s fridge in the background caused a little bit more than the expected background noise.

This week we find out why one really starts a beer bar from the owner of ChurchKey. We learn a good amount about Jason’s beer history, how he curates his beer list, and a more about what goes into running ChurchKey in San Francisco’s North Beach.

We also get Gageleer, which is a still beer, but uses pre-hops ingredients. Basically, if modern beer evolved from it and its still around you know its going to good.

Bear with us on the noise. ChurchKey had more ambient fridge noise than expected.

Top of the morning to you, Gubna! We went old English style with Oskar Blues Brewery from Lyons, CO. Its probably the best beer to come out of can and it was introduced to us by Jason the beer master and owner of the beer bar ChurchKey in North Beach of San Francisco.

Bear with the slight fridge noise in the background. There was more work than we put into verifying our volume levels.

This week we go back to a sweeter time where its ok to have fruity tasting alcoholic beverages. The organic movement has graced us with Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider, which is something that we can get behind. Its perfect for the summer.

This week its all about the mix of breweries — Stone, Victory, and Dogfish Head. The mix of beer brings in an interesting mix of sage, thyme, parsley and rosemary. Its like a Thanksgiving dinner in a beer.

This week we are tasting something on the lighter side of beers. Banana Bread just like how mom use to make, just in a bottle, and intoxicating, otherwise known as Wells Banana Bread Beer.

This week we are reviewing the Maharaja by Avery Brewing. A strong IPA that is part of the Dictator series, apparently Maharaja means king, this means beer is helping break the language barriers for most Americans.

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This week we sit down and talk about our favorite beers. We introduce ourselves for the first time as amateur beer drinkers.

JT prefers the seasonal brew of 10 Commandments from Lost Abbey Brewery, a strong Belgium Ale. Listen, watch, and drink (don’t drive).

Colin’s pick is the always classic Newcastle Brown Ale, a favorite pub past time. For facts of figures on Newcastle Brown Ale, check out the follow-up episode covering our mini-draft keg.