Random Beer Review - Bonus Review this Week!

in #beer7 years ago

Canada's_fireworks_at_the_2013_Celebration_of_Light_in_Vancouver,_BC.jpg

Random Beer Review

Hey everybody, had a few extra beers this week, and I won't be able to include all of them in the Friday Craft Brew Series.I didn't want you to miss out on them, so....EXTRA BEER REVIEW for all!

All three of these beers are distributed across the U.S. so I hope you'll be able to find at least one near you.

Now, Onto the Beers!

Ghost Hammer IPA.jpg
Ghost Hammer IPA by Stone Brewing Co.

First up today, another great IPA from Stone Brewing, Ghost Hammer IPA, coming in at 6.7%. I knew I would be ordering this beer the moment I saw it was made by Stone. They've figured out how to make an IPA that I will enjoy, and this one did not disappoint.

Upon pouring, the beer had a rich amber color. The beer was slightly cloudy, a little less so than I would normally expect in an IPA from Stone. The smell was fantastic, exactly what you are looking for in an IPA, strong hop smell accented with the slightest citrus. The head on the beer was medium in size, it subsided in size, but persisted throughout drinking the beer.

The first sip you take gives you a light bitterness and citrus flavor. It's a great first taste if it is the first beer you are drinking. That light bitterness grows on you and builds to a strong hop flavor that lasts and lasts. It really ends up being a great IPA flavor at the end, and one of the longer lasting IPAs I have had in a while. Overall, there isn't too much to say about this beer, and that is not a knock on it. It is a just solid, straightforward IPA, there is no messing around or trying to hide what it is.

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Le Merle by North Coast Brewing

Next up, Le Merle, a Saison coming at 7.9% from North Coast Brewing. If you have read any of my previous Saison reviews, you know I look for a rich flavor when drinking a Saison, something with a little sophistication. This had it all.

Upon pouring, the beer had very little head. It was a deep amber color and cloudy, letting you know the yeast is definitely present in this beer. Generally, it looks like a Saison should. It smelled like one too, nice yeast smell mixed with some sort of citrus, unable to tell specifically what citrus though.

The first taste of this beer gave a very rich, wheat and citrus flavor. Exactly what I was looking for. Mixed in with the expected flavors was a slight sourness. Going back and smelling the beer again, I actually could pick up on the little bit of sourness. The yeasty Saison flavor and the light sour flavor lasted, overpowering the citrus. The ending was a great combination of this yeast and sour. The flavor lasted about a medium amount of time begging you to come back for more. This was a beer that I would order again, very flavorful and refreshing.

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Blueberry Gose by Destihl Brewery

Last up in this review, Blueberry Gose, part of the Wildberry Sour Series by Destihl Brewery. This beer came in at 5.2%. I have been on a bit of a sour kick lately so I had to try this out when I saw it on the menu.

Upon pouring, I was surprised by the color, a vibrant ruby red color with no head whatsoever. I don't know if I was expecting a darker color because of the blueberry in the name or what, but when I saw the red I was really blown away. The smell was very tart. This beer wasn't pulling any tricks, you knew what you were getting the moment you smelled it.

The taste followed that tartness in the smell. It was very tart, I mean very tart. For someone like me that enjoys sours it was a great flavor. For those that aren't as interested in a sour flavor you will probably have the same reaction my buddy did, a scrunched up face and shaking your head. I can't stress this enough, this is a very tart beer with no discernible blueberry flavor. The tartness lasts and lasts on the tongue, longer than almost any beer I can remember actually. To me, it is what a sour should be, it doesn't have any of the vinegar smell or taste that you can sometimes get, but still has the sourness that I want.

One last point about this beer, you will not catch me drinking more than one of these at any given time. Not because I don't enjoy the beer, but the flavor lasts so long that it dries your mouth out slightly. I call that a perfect excuse to get another beer, just not another sour.


I hope you all enjoyed these beers; I know I did, and I hope that a few of you will be able to find these near you. This was by far one of the more successful groups of beers I have reviewed recently, not one was a disappointment. Thanks for reading everyone!


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I personally really LOVE a sour beer. Like, pucker your lips and give you goosebumps sour, so that sounds great!

You would like this one then! By the end of it I really did need another beer, just so my mouth wouldn't be as dry as the desert in Mad Max...or maybe I should have grabbed some of that Wilton Cake Mist? The tartness is real with this one.

haha, I'm telling you! SHOCKINGLY COLD AND STRANGELY LEMONY
this sounds like a much more lovely day.

Hahah, you know what though, you aren't turning me off of it. The image of you spraying it is just too awesome to get out of my head :)

Drooling at the sight of the Blueberry Gose!

It was tasty! So so good. I can guarantee you that anyone not interested in sour would think it is the worst beer around...those of us with good taste ;) know the truth though!

I wish I liked beer, it just not sweet enough for me. Your descriptions make me want to try them all, but like your friend, I will make a face and shake my head. However, well done ALMOST convincing me otherwise! :)

I will find one for you...if it's the last thing I do ;) Keep a look out for the reviews tomorrow, I have a Passion Fruit Wild Ale that I am hoping will be right up your alley. I'll see tonight when I give it a try though.

Could @mk40 help me achieve the ultimate goal of drinking a beer and enjoying it?! You are up for the challenge and I'm humbled by it, good luck my dear friend!

I have one more beer to try tonight, so far it's not looking good for you...but I have a couple good ones in mind still. Tonight's last option might be the best bet though we'll see!

You got this my friend!

Fireworks and beer Great review and they all look tasty.

You really can't beat fireworks and beer...as long as the one drinking the beer is not also the one lighting the fireworks. Another review to come tomorrow! One of the beers is something I have never had before, and I loved it.

Love these reviews. I've had the Ghost Hammer but not the other two... I do like both of those breweries though... I'll drink a sour now and then but I'm with you on the tartness; I don't usually want a second one.

Yeah, if they are overly tart one can be enough. There will be another beer review tomorrow of the beers I had tonight. The sour I had tonight I could definitely drink a few of, really good beer. Different though.

I used to bartend at Dryhop Brewers in Lakeview when it first opened so I was pretty into the local beer scene. Now living in Thailand I drink a lot of cheap lagers as the tax is super high on imported beers. I'm getting 6 weeks in Chicago this summer so I'll be catching up with old favorites and seeing what else has come along since I was last home. You in the city or burbs?

In the burbs now for the past 2 years. I had been in the city for 5 years before that, but I work out in the burbs so the 3 hours of commuting back and forth everyday finally wore me down.

ouch, yeah that sounds rough

One Thursday there happened to be both a Cubs game and Bears Thursday night game...took my 5 hours to get home...

Stone brewing company are great arent they?

I really fancy a taste of that blueberry one. I know exact;y what you mean by only being able to have one. I am like that with fruity style beers

I will buy anything made by Stone at least once, they just know what they are doing.

If I can come across the blueberry one in stores, I may just send one over to you! It's worth a try, if only to see what your reaction would be. It is tart!

I would probably make my very special tart face whilst proclaiming how lovely it was :0D

You and are one of the same when it comes to sour beers sir! :D

Good review! I pickup up a 6pack of Ghost Hammer last week. I thought it was pretty good, and I'm not usually one for IPAs. Haven't seen the other two around my area yet.

I am a sucker for anything by Stone...I can think of only one time I didn't snag one of their "Enjoy By IPA's" when I saw it. They just know how to make an IPA that speaks to me!

Not sure where you are at, but I gotta recommend one of my new favorite breweries. Paradox, if you come across anything by them pick it up! Every beer is barrel aged and bottle conditioned, really interesting things they are doing with their beers.

I'm in the Ozark Mountains of NW Arkansas. We've got a lot of craft breweries up here, and the stores carry a good selection. I guess I should do more beer reviews. lol.

I've had Stone's Mocha IPA and the Xocoveza Winter Spiced Mocha Stout. So far Stone is good. :)

Oh gosh, I feel like as I get more into these reviews I might eventually have to try a mocha beer. I hate the taste of coffee though so I am nervous that I just won't be able to do them justice...

You never know. It may end up like the review I did for Bell's Pooltime Ale a few days ago. It had cherry juice in it (the beer, not the review), and i'm not a fan of most things like that, but it turned out to be pretty good.

Ooh, I will check that out right now! I am actually a fan of fruit beers...during the summer at least.

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ive tasted black label before, i dont really drink. great read though

Funny story, I once found myself at a Johnny Walker mansion party in Chicago, this was before I could really appreciate a good scotch. I immediately went to try the Blue Label (most expensive bottle they were tasting), took one sip and nearly threw up on the spot. Pretty sure I spit the sip out into the plant next to me...I just didn't have the taste for a good scotch back then. Thanks for reading!

This post has received a sweet gift of Dank Amps in the flavor of 20.90 % upvote from @lovejuice thanks to: @mk40. Vote for Aggroed!

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