Saranac Amber Wheat Ale

The fourth beer from Saranac in the 12 Beers of Summer sampler is the Amber Wheat Ale. As far as aroma, I really didn't pick up anything. I am a big fan of the color, a nice dark amber that definitely screams that it hasn't been filtered. The Amber Wheat Ale is sweet on the tongue and has a little hop bite to round out the experience. The alcohol content is 4.8% ABV. So far out of the pack,this is my second favorite beer to the Summer Ale.

Saranac Summer Ale

The third beer selected for tasting from Saranac our of the 12 Beers of Summer sampler pack is the Summer Ale. The floral aroma of the hops in this beers is excellent and it pours a nice caramel-colored amber. The taste is fantastic, sweet with a nice lemon accent. There are many levels of flavor with this beer. The alcohol content is 4.7% ABV and the Summer Ale is highly recommended. I will look to purchase a full case of this beer in the near future.

Saranac Helles Lager

The second post for Saranac in the 12 Beers of Summer sampler is for the Helles Lager. This beer has a sweet aroma and pours a nice golden amber color. The taste is slightly dry, but very crisp and refreshing. There is a slight hops after taste that really enhances the experience. The alcohol content is 4.8% and this is a perfect summer time beer. 

Saranac Pomegranate Wheat

This post will be the first in a series of six related to Saranac, as I picked up the 12 Beers of Summer sampler pack. The first beer I tried is the Pomegranate Wheat.  The pour of the beer is excellent, as it has a very cloudy, unfiltered wheat beer look to it. It was difficult to pick up anything extraordinary in the aroma. I could only pick up the faint smell of hops. As far as taste, I wasn't overly impressed with the flavor, as the pomegranate is very faint. However, I wouldn't say this is a bad beer either. It drinks very smooth and tastes fresh. The alcohol content 4.7% ABV. I think with the addition of more pomegranate, Saranac could have added some more flavor and upped the alcohol content a bit.

Troegs Troegenator

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was unable to get a growler of Troegs Scratch 19, so I filled my growler with Troegenator instead. I've had this beer many times, but it occurred to me that I have not formally reviewed the beer on my blog. So here is goes, officially. 

Trogenator is one of my top beers. The quality that goes into this beer can be appreciated with each sip. This dark lager, which is a heavenly dark amber color, has an alcohol content of 8.2% ABV. There is a nice subtle spice associated with the beer, with an excellent after taste. The caramel aroma warms the nose and alarms you that this beer will have a little bit of bite. For anyone who has not had a Troegenator, I highly recommend gong out and getting one as soon as possible. It is a very smooth drinking beer, so many beer fans can enjoy. This beer does not disappoint, and it uses the highest quality of ingredients.

Troegs Scratch 19- Espresso Stout

I slipped down to the Troegs Brewery today. I went to the growler filling station with my growler and was disappointed to find out that they were out of the Scratch 19- Espresso Stout. Since I made the 5-minute journey to the brewery, I decided to fill my growler with Troegenator. When I received my growler back, I asked the guy working how long ago they kicked the keg. He said that I missed it by about 20 minutes, but there should be some left available for samples only at the bar.

I immediately went to the bar to at least have a try of this anticipated Scratch Series beer. Fortunately for me, there was some beer left for sampling. The Espresso Stout has an excellent coffee aroma with a nice dark color. The flavor has a very strong coffee taste with a nutty accent and a slight bitter after taste. It has a full, robust taste that keeps the taste buds piqued. The alcohol content is 9.5%. I enjoyed the beer, but not quite as much as Appalachian Brewing Company's Espresso Stout. However, I am very disappointed that I could not get a full growler of Troegs Espresso Stout and hope that this recipe makes it's way around again on the scratch list again.

Pittsburgh- A Champions First?

With the Penguins returning to the Stanley Cup finals, I reminisced to earlier this year when the Steelers won the Super Bowl. My mind then began to wander as to if any other cities ever have held the Lombardi Trophy and the Stanley Cup during the same season. Surprisingly, the answer is NO. There are two instances of close but no cigars:

• The Steelers won Super Bowl IX in 1975, followed by the Flyers winning the Stanley Cup in 1975. This is the only time both trophies have been held in the same state in the same season.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning winning the Stanley Cup winning the Stanley Cup in 2004. This is the only time the trophies were awarded in back-to-back seasons in the same city.

With the above facts, no city has ever held the Lombardi Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season. The Penguins have a chance to put Pittsburgh in a category of its own. They face a difficult battle in facing the Detroit Red Wings, but the way that the Penguins are playing right now, I believe they have a great chance. Notice to the Pirates: If the Penguins win the Cup, you are on the clock...

Eel River California Blonde Ale

I stopped by a local distributor, Brass Rail, that is known for its great variety. After about 20 minutes of perusing the selection, I settled on California Blonde Ale from Eel River Brewing Company. This award-winning organic ale is very crisp and refreshing, excellent for the 83-degree Memorial Day holiday. The hops provide a nice bite without being too overpowering. The alcohol runs at 5.8% ABV (Note: this is the ABV printed on the label, but the website says 5.62%). The beer really tastes fresh due to the lack of preservatives, as it is certified organic. I recommend giving it a try. I also look forward to trying additional beers from Eel River Brewing Company.

Special 1 TV- Season 1 Episode 14

I might be going out later.

Pete's Brewing Company Sampler Pack

Today I hit up the beer distributor and picked up the three-beer variety pack from Pete's Brewing Company. The three beers in the pack are Wicked Strawberry Blonde, Wicked Ale, and Wicked Rally Cap Ale.

I started with the Wicked Strawberry Blonde. This beer had a nice little hop bite with a great strawberry aroma. The strawberry flavor is not overpowering, but all-in-all it is a pretty good asset. I feel that this beer may be lacking one thing, but I cannot place it. However, do not let it hold you back from trying this beer. It is a quality, tasty beer and the alcohol content is 5.0%.

Secondly, I tried the Wicked Rally Cap Ale.  This beer is billed as a golden ale with natural lemon flavor. I feel the this beer has an excellent lemon accent. It does not taste like a lemon beer, but has the perfect undertone of lemon. The hops offer a perfect hop compliment and the beer finishes very smooth. The alcohol content is 5.3% and I thoroughly enjoyed this beer.

Finally I tried the Wicked Ale. When I poured the beer, I immediately noticed the beautiful brown color. The beer has a creamy aroma with a smooth creamy taste. Overall, the beer has an excellent flavor with an alcohol content of 5.5%. This is one quality beer.

Out of the variety pack, my favorite beer was the Wicked Rally Cap Ale. However, this is a quality sampler pack and I highly recommend it.

Linkin Park- New Divide

Check out the new Linkin Park song which will be a part of the Transformers 2 Soundtrack. On my first listen, I didn't like it too much. However, the second time I listened, I began to like it. I can see this song growing on me quickly. What do you think?

Saturday Night Live Celebrity Jeopardy

This might have been the funniest one ever. I have dearly missed this sketch.

Special 1 TV- Season 1 Episode 13

"I have nothing against gangster rap."

The Westend Workout is hilarious..

Mendocino Bock Beer

A nice warm spring afternoon calls for a complimentary beer. Today I chose the spring seasonal from Mendocino Brewing Comany, Bock Beer. Starting with the pour, you know this is going to be an excellent beer due to the golden color of the lager. The beer starts out in your mouth as smooth and sweet, with a clean and crisp hops aftertaste that is just right. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. This beer leaves you wanting another glass to compliment the beautiful day and perfect season.

Lancaster Brewing Company

My boy Chris wanted to go to Lancaster Brewing Company for his birthday to have a few quality beers for his birthday. Loving quality beer, I could not complain. Here are five of the beers I took pictures of that I tried. Some of the beers I have had before, but felt the need to post them.

Strawberry Wheat

The Strawberry Wheat is one of my favorite LBC beers, and one cannot go wrong ordering this. There is a great flavor of strawberry in this beer, and it is not too overpowering. The beer runs at 4.7% ABV. All in all, the beer is very refreshing and does a nice job of quenching your thirst.

Rare Rooster Rye Ale

This was my first time trying the Rare Rooster Rye Ale, but I was fairly impressed. The beer is very dry and leaves a peppery aftertaste, but the beer does have a nice flavor. The beer is very light in color and runs at 4.8% ABV. This isn't a beer to drink in quantity, but having one or two is the perfect dose of the rooster.

Milk Stout

As far as stouts go, the Milk Stout is fairly run of the mill. It runs at 5.3% ABV and has an excellent dark color. The taste is pretty fresh and has slight hints of chocolate and coffee. It is a decent beer, but not my favorite stout of all time.

Gold Star Pilsner

I was most impressed with the Gold Star Pilsner. I had not previously tasted the Pilsner, but the flavor was excellent. The malts overpower the hops to bring a nice smooth taste. The beer runs at 5.1% ABV and I highly recommend trying the Pilsner. I will definitely order it everytime I go back.

Fest Beer Amber Lager

The Fest Beer Amber Lager had an excellent taste and had a good balance of hops added to the beer. The lager has a nice amber color and runs at 5.6% ABV. The Fest Beer Amber Lager is a little creamy, especially in the head, but very smooth. The lager is not my favorite beer, but definitely enjoyable.

I highly recommend going to Lancaster Brewing Company. Most of the beers will not "wow" you, but they are high quality decent beers. I now recommend the Gold Star Pilsner in addition to the Strawberry Wheat.