Harrisburg Brewers Fest 2011

Harrisburg Brewers Fest

Becoming a yearly tradition, I was able to attend the Harrisburg Brewers Fest 2011, hosted by Troegs and benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This year’s event raised a reported $115,000 for CF, and was much cooler, albeit humid, that in years past. Below are my tasting notes and pictures of the beers to accompany. Keep in mind that with smaller samples and an expedited schedule, my tasting notes a bit more brief than normal. As always, if I get the chance to review these beers again, I will expand on them.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Ohio O’hoppy IPA

The beer pours a caramel color with a frothy off-white head. The aroma consists of caramel, lemon, orange, and tangerine. The taste is bitter with lemon, orange, tangerine, and toasted caramel flavors. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. On a side note, I overheard two guys from Ohio Brewing trashing Dogfish Head, saying they were the most overrated brewery in America. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, who are you, Ohio Brewing?

From Brewers Fest 2011

Old Forge Altbier

The beer pours a caramel color with a bubbly tan head. The aroma is faint but has some caramel and lemon hints to it. The taste is smooth and sweet with caramel and is lightly bitter with lemon and tangerine. There is a hint of oak in the finish. No alcohol content is available online.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Uinta Detour Double IPA

The beer pours an amber color with a foamy white head. The aroma consists of hop oils, grapefruit, tangerine, orange, lemon, and caramel. The taste is smooth and sweet with orange and tangerine before bitter lemon comes in to play. The alcohol content is 9.5% ABV. This was an excellent beer and was my favorite/most memorable beer of the day.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Elysian Jasmine IPA

The beer pours a golden color with a foamy white head. The aroma consists of lemon, jasmine, and pepper. The taste is powerful with jasmine right on the front end, light lemon, wheat, and some pepper accents. The alcohol content is 6.3% ABV. I thought the jasmine flavors were a little bit intense, but not a terrible beer.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Elysian The Immortal

The beer pours a golden color with a bubbly off-white colored head and some floating yeast flakes. The aroma consists of lemon, tangerine, and caramel. The taste is smooth and has a great caramel flavor. The finish brings out the lemon and tangerine bitterness. The alcohol content is 6.21% ABV.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Nodding Head BPA

Apparently Nodding Head does not like the fact the Ommegang stole the BPA name from the, even though they stand for different things (Bill Payer Ale vs. Belgian-style Pale Ale). The beer pours an amber color with a bubbly white head. The aroma consists of lemon and tangerine. The taste is bitter with plenty of lemon, tangerine, and pine. The alcohol ocntent is 5.0% ABV.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Duquesne Pilsner

The beer pours a golden color with a bubbly white head. The aroma is faint but has some wheat and sweet malts in there. The taste is smooth and sweet with a light caramel flavor, some malt and barley accents, and faint hop flavors on the finish. No alcohol content is available online. A decent beer that is plenty refreshing.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Union Barrel Works Simcoe Pale Ale

The beer pours a golden color with a bubbly white head. The aroma consists of grapefruit, caramel, and spruce. The taste is bitter with grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon, but something about the flavors seems unbalanced. There is also a watery finish. No alcohol content is available online, but the regular Pale Ale is 5.5% ABV. I did not really enjoy this beer, as I felt it was missing something.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Iron Hill Berlinerweiss

Another one of my favorites of the day, the beer pours a pale straw yellow color with a bubbly white colored head. The aroma consists of wheat, lemon, and pepper. The taste is sweet yet tart with lemon and wheat all prevalent on the tongue. The alcohol content is 2.8% ABV (Uber-sessionable!). This beer had a great flavor and I will order it again at the restaurant if I see it.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Roy Pitz Ludwig’s Revenge Smoked Lager

The beer pours a dark brown color with a bubbly tan head. The aroma consists of smoke and malts, simple but enjoyable. The taste is sweet at first with malts and caramel before the smoke comes out in finish and dries the mouth. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV. I liked the smoke flavor in this beer and thought it was a decent beer.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Otto’s Maibock

The beer pours an amber color with a thin bubbly off-white colored head. The aroma consists of malts and caramel. The taste is sweet and smooth with lots of caramel and malts to make the tongue happy. No alcohol content is available online. Overall, this is a good maibock.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Southcounty AmericAle Dry Hopped Amber

The beer pours an amber color with a bubbly off-white colored head. The aroma consists of pine and lemon built upon a caramel base. The taste is dry and bitter with lots and lemon on a caramel base. The alcohol content is 6.3% ABV. This beer was excellent and I can’t wait to try the other beers from this brand new brewery.

From Brewers Fest 2011

Spring House Seven Gates Pale Ale

The beer pours a golden color with frothy white colored head. The aroma is fresh with lemon accents. The taste is slightly bitter with lemon, pine, and wheat. The alcohol content is 5.6% ABV.

Overall, I enjoyed Harrisburg Brewers Fest once again. It’s never the most intense or insane beer fest, but the crowd is well controlled, well behaved, and it is a solid beer fest. Furthermore, it’s for a great cause, so nothing beats a good excuse to drink great beers.

Harrisburg Brewers Fest 2010

I attended Harrisburg Brewers Fest 2010, hosted by Troegs and for the benefit of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It was an extremely hot day, but cold beers definitely helped the situation. Below are my tasting notes and pictures of the beers to accompany. Keep in mind that with smaller samples and an expedited schedule, my tasting notes a bit more brief than normal. If I get the chance to review these beers again, I will expand on them.

Bullfrog Fran-tastique Saison- The beer pours a cloudy yellow color. The aroma consists of wheat and lemon. The taste follows the aroma with lemon and wheat and nice slight hop bite. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. I thought overall that this was a very good saison that was clean and refreshing

Duck-Rabbit Marzen- The beer pours a nice amber color. The aroma is very malty with a slight sour hint. The taste is smooth and malty with great sour hops finishing off the flavor. The alcohol content is not available online.

Smuttynose Barleywine- The beer pours a golden amber color with a bubbly white head. The aroma is malty with a light citrus zest. The taste is malty and bitey (great hops included) with caramel and some orange and spice accents. The alcohol content is 10.0% ABV. This was a great barleywine and I would like to get an entire bottle of it rather than just a taste.

21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA- The beer pours a clear yellow color with a bubbly white head. There is a lemon aroma that is pretty faint. The taste is mostly lemon with some light pepper accents. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. I thought that this was a tame IPA, making it great to an IPA newbie, but still pretty good and easy drinking.

Market Cross Pub Red Ale- This beer was the winner of the home brew contest that Market Cross held previous to Brewer's Fest and it was available on hand pump. The beer pours an orange amber color with a bubbly white head. There is a nice malty aroma. The taste is malty, smooth, and creamy. There is no alcohol content available online. I thought that the Red Ale was delicious and one of my favorites, if not my favorite, beer of the day.

Erie Presque Isle Pilsner- The beer pours a yellow color with a bubbly white head. There is minimal aroma. The taste is sweet and wheat and overall light bodied. The alcohol content is 4.2% ABV. I thought that this pilsner was pretty decent but not mind blowing. I would definitely order this beer again for its easy drinking on a hot day.

Swashbuckler Mocha Stout- The beer pours a dark black color with a tan bubbly head. The aroma is coffee and chocolate with a bit of cream. The taste is coffee and cream with some good chocolate taste holding together the backbone. There is no alcohol content available online. This beer was excellent and smooth and made my list of great beers for the day. I would make this my second favorite beer of the day behind the Red Ale of Market Cross.

Otto's Pilsner- The beer pours a clear yellow color with a thick bubbly head. The aroma is filled with sour malts. The taste is malty and crisp with a good helping of sour hops. The alcohol content is 5.1% ABV. This pilsner was very refreshing and again is a great choice for a hot summer day.

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe- The beer pours a reddish amber color with a bubbly foamy white head. The aroma is filled with grapefruit, just the way I like my IPAs. The taste is really well balanced with caramel and grapefruit and a sweet sugary finish. The alcohol content is 9%. The Double Simcoe was an extremely delicious beer and I plan on tracking this beer down for home consumption.

Flying Dog Woody Crick White- The beer pours a yellow color and cloudy with a bubbly white head. The aroma is filled with wheat and light hints of lemon. The taste is lemon and wheat. The alcohol content is 4.8% ABV. I thought that this witbier was really good but might have been slightly over-carbonated. However, this is less intrusive on a hot day as the beer is very refreshing.

New Holland El Mole Ocho- The beer pours a dark amber color. There is a chocolate and sour hop aroma. The taste is filled with chili and coffee, but in a great balance. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. I was very surprised as to how good this beer was. It was my first experience with a spiced beer and I really enjoyed it.

Thirsty Dog Siberian Night- The beer pours a dark brown color with a tan bubbly head. The aroma consists of coffee, chocolate, and oak. The taste is the same as the aroma, mostly with the coffee and the chocolate. The oak provides a nice finishing touch. The alcohol content is 9.5% ABV. Overall, this beer is very delicious and I enjoyed the oak accents.

Marzoni's Avalanche IPA- The beer pours a dark amber color which was very surprising with a bubbly head. The aroma is filled with grapefruit. The taste consists of toasted malts and grapefruit. The alcohol content is 6.9% ABV. Overall, a decent IPA, as it contained a great bit of grapefruit flavors and the toasted malts gave an interesting but pleasing balance.

Harrisburg Brewers Fest 2009

I attended Harrisburg Brewers Fest 2009, hosted by Troegs and for the benefit of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Luckily, the weather held out for the second session and it was an excellent time. The following are my my tasting notes and pictures of the beers to accompany:

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Allagash Tripel- This beer was sweet and you definitely taste the alcohol content. It had a fruity aftertaste, comprised mostly of banana, and was very enjoyable. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Bethlehem Hefeweizen- The Hefeweizen had a floral aroma, and it tasted a bit flowery. It was very fresh tasting and had a nice hop bit on the after taste. The alcohol content is 5.2% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Bullfrog Beesting Saison- The Saison was very clean and smooth with a hint of honey. I thought the color was also excellent. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Capital City Fuel- This beer was very potent in the coffee taste and I really liked the beer. It was one of my favorites of the day. Its aroma was like waking up in a coffee shop and the alcohol content was noticeable. As Alyssa put it, “Damn.” I am not sure of the alcohol content, as no information was available online.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Capital City Autume Saison- The Saison was sweet and malty. It was not dry and had a very smooth after taste. The alcohol content is 6.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Dogfish Head Festina Peche- This beer was white in color and had no aroma. It did not seem like it was going to be bad when I first sipped it, but the tart and bitter after taste kicked in. It was very sour and I hated this beer. This was the worst beer I tried all day, and I do not plan on sampling this again. It is a shame that Dogfish Head let me down with this beer. The alcohol content is 4.5% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Erie Derailed Black Cherry Ale- This had a nice rose color. It had a sweet smell and a sweet malty taste, all due to the cherries. This was a very good beer. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Great Divide Saint Bridget's Porter- The porter had a bit of a bite and was nutty. It had a nice chocolate taste with a dark color to it and was very smooth. The alcohol content is 5.6% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Great Divide Samurai- This was a rice beer and was very clean. It had a refreshing and crisp taste and was very smooth. The alcohol content is 5.1% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Great Divide Wild Raspberry- The smell of raspberries was in the aroma. It had a sweet taste and the raspberries were a compliment, not overpowering. I really liked the color, as it was a deep red. The alcohol content is 5.6% ABV.

Note: My boy Mike and I decided to mix the Great Divide Porter and the Great Divide Wild Raspberry for a chocolate covered raspberry. It was EXCELLENT, and I highly recommend doing this if you have both bottles.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat- I could smell the watermelon in the aroma. It tasted somewhat like a watermelon Jolly Rancher. It was extremely carbonated, which I saw as a downside. It was also poured out of a can. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Left Hand Milk Stout- The Milk Stout was excellent and one of my favorite beers of the day. It was very smooth and very nutty. I was surprised at its clean after taste, but that made the beer. The alcohol content is 5.9% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Manayunk Schuylkill Punch (Raspberry Lager)- The Raspberry had a sweet smell. I thought this beer was had a nice taste, but was a little tart on the after taste. I thought it might be a little too fruity for a beer. Overall, it was decent. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Market Cross Tell Me Rye Ale- The Rye Ale had a dry taste, but was very clean and crisp. It was very smooth and easy to drink. I was not able to find any information on the alcohol content.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Marzoni's Maibock- The Maibock was very malty and sweet. I thought it had a nice hop compliment to round out the flavor. I was unable to locate any alcohol content information.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Marzoni's Weizenbock- The Weizenbock was sweet with a hop accent. It had a very floral aroma and a good body. I was unable to located any information on the alcohol content.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Philadelphia Rowhouse Red- I liked the dark red color to the Rowhouse Red. It smelled very sweet and had a nice hop balance. It was a very enjoyable beer. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Sly Fox Weiss- The Weiss had a floral aroma and was sweet tasting. It was slightly hoppy, but maintained a good balance of malt and hops. The alcohol content is 5.6% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Unita Brewing Company Solstice Kolsch- The Kolsch was very crisp, smooth, and clean tasting. One of things I love about kolsches is that they are refreshing, and the Solstice lived up to that billing. It was also a little dry with the after taste. I was unable to locate any information on the alcohol content.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Stegmaier Midsummer White- I received this beer after a bad pour. However, it was sweet with a fruity taste. The alcohol content is is 5.0%.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Thirsty Dog Irish Red- This was my favorite beer of the day. I had no expectation for this beer and was thoroughly impressed. It was sweet with a nice bite. The beer was well rounded ancd completely enjoyable. Alyssa also commented “Damn” to this beer. I was not able to locate any information on the alcohol content of this beer. Interestingly enough, BeerAdvocate has this beer listed as retired and no longer brewed, so it may be making a comeback.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper- The Old Leghumper is a porter. This was a little nutty and a little dry. It had a sweet chocolately flavor and was very enjoyable. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Union Double Maibock- This beer did not have an aroma. It was spicy and had a dry taste, but a smooth after taste. I was unable to find any information on the alcohol content.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Voodoo Gran Met- This beer was sweet and spicy. It had a great opaque color and was enjoyable. The alcohol content is 10.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Weyerbacher Zotten- This beer was just released on June 3. It had a significant hop content, but not overwhelming. It had a floral aroma and a dry after taste. The alcohol content is 6.0% ABV.

From Brewer's Fest 2009

Yards IPA- The IPA was nicely hoppy, Its aroma led me to believe that it was going to be extremely hoppy, but this was not the case. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV.