#atozchallenge Beer Review - Founder's Breakfast Stout

Brew:  Stout
Brewer:  Founders Brewing
ABV: 8.3%
Opinion: Great Beer! 

I love this bottle. Doesn't the picture just make you wanna drink it??

I was very interested in this brew, being a stout fan (and a fan of stouts! HAR!) I thought it sounded good. It's stout made with chocolate, coffee and oatmeal. Who wouldn't love that?!

Interesting story: I once had an idea that Coffee flavored oatmeal would be a fine thing. I emailed the Quaker oats guy, and suggested it. I said you could go so far as to have french vanilla, hazelnut, etc. I was told that they have people who are paid to think of those things, but thanks for my interest, and they suggested I buy more product... I thought for sure a month later they'd have the coffee oatmeal on the shelves or something, but still no.

Anyway, who needs the Quaker oats dude, when you have Founders?! They figured out the same genius scheme and added chocolate!

I cracked this baby open, and immediately the smell of coffee found my nose. I eagerly, yet carefully poured. The head came up about an inch and a half. Twas a brown color, much like the foam from a cola. Still the smell of coffee dominated, which is fine with me, cause I love coffee.

As it sat, I continued to sniff, in between typing paragraphs here, and the chocolate became vaguely apparent. Perhaps it was there the whole time, but I was over powered by the coffee smell. Either way, my mouth is watering.

Wow. This beer is amazing. There's so much going on here. The coffee is definitely the most prominent flavor especially in the first of a sip. The chocolate and oats flavors come out in the finish. There's a little alcohol heat left on the tongue, as it is 8.3%. There's a little bitterness in burp.

This is such a terrific beer! Smooth and tasty. I could drink these all day. Or... at least for a couple hours or so.

HIGHLY recommended.

A to Z Blog Challenge Beer Review - Erdinger Dark Hefe-Weizen

Brew:  Weissbier Dunkel 
Brewer:  http://www.erdinger.de - Careful, the site has music.
ABV: 5.6%
Opinion: Good Beer! 

I was careless with this pour and I paid for it. The bottle is a 1 pint, 9ozer, and I was pouring it into one of those sexy Sam Adams glasses. I poured JUST a little too fast, and by the time I got the thing half full of beer, the rest was filled with foam.

I took a break to let it subside, put the kids in the tub, selected their pajamas for the night, had myself the crust of the 2 year old's pizza and came back to it. I then slowly poured the rest into the glass, and the damned thing foamed up again. I had to suck down some suds before it spilled over.

So I don't know if this bottle got shaken up at some point and was holding a grudge, or something like that, or if it's supposed to be that foamy or what. My suspicion is confirmed by the picture I found for this post.

Smells a little bready with some maltyness. Carbonation isn't bad, what you might expect from say, a stout... but like I said, I think most of the carbonation bailed out when I poured.

As the name suggests, it's dark, light only barely shining through the thick brown body.

Interestingly the App I use on my droid called beerspec, doesn't recognize the barcode.

This beer is 5.5%, and very smooth. I have to give this bad boy a 4 out of 5. Very good beer. 

Best part about this beer, it was a pint (and .9oz!) for $2.95. :)

A to Z Blog Challenge Beer Review - Deadguy Ale by Rogue Ales

Brew: Deadguy Ale
Brewer: Rogue Ales
ABV: 6.5%
Opinion: Good Beer! 

I like the label, one of the most original labels, thus far in this review process, which did not start with A, and has not gone alphabetically.

I really like how creative, and yet, simple the name of this beer is. "Dead guy ale". That's totally a beer drinker at the helm of creativity right there. It doesn't have to be clever, it just has to be memorable, distinctive and original, just like the beer behind the label!

I cracked the bottle... which by the way... You're going to read that statement a lot. I didn't crack the actual glass of the bottle, that's cool guy slang for "opened". Savvy?

I smelled mostly bread. A sweet, bready, citrusy, maltieness. Smells like a lager yeast, I think. (Now I'm starting to sound like I know what I'm talking about, huh? Or at least like I think I do...)

This ale is sweet and fruity. Not a lot of bitterness, which is my favorite characteristic in a beer... But still a good tasting beer. For those who like everything BUT bitterness, this is a great beer.

Their website says to pair pork, or hot & spicy foods with this beer. I like to pair buffalo wings with just about any beer, but I can see where the smooth sweetness of this one would definitely compliment hot & spicy.

A to Z Blog Challenge Beer Review - Chicory Stout by Dogfish Head

Image from here. 

Brew: Chicory Stout
Brewer: Dogfish Head
ABV: 5.2%
Opinion: Good Beer!

Chicory. Chicory. Chicory... Fun to say. What is Chicory anyway, you ask? It's a plant. Glad you asked?

Sorry, this is a beer review, not a botany class.

So I cracked this puppy open, found it's scent maltier than anything else, with sweet raisin-like tones.

The pour was smooth, almost no head. It had a little more carbonation than I'd expected. Perhaps had I poured a little quicker there'd have been more head / less carbonation? Eh.

It tasted smooth, tones of coffee and chocolate, odd after taste, slightly bitter, but not hoppy. (Likely from the chicory, which is known for it's bitterness... There, you got a little info outta me...)

This wasn't my favorite ever, but still pretty good. It's hard to go wrong with chocolate and coffee in a stout.

Ok, fine. This is a chicory flower (with an insect):

A to Z Blog Challenge Beer Review - Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale by Sierra Nevada

Image from here.

Brew: Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale
Brewer: Sierra Nevada
ABV: 9.6%
Opinion: Great Beer!

First, I hate feet, so just thinking about feet makes me wanna wretch. Feet are disgusting. All feet. Even the words feet and foot. And those of you who always say "I agree! Oh, but I have NICE feet!" no, you don't. Your feet are just as disgusting as everyone else's.

That said, there's fortunately no picture of feet anywhere on this label, so that makes it palatable.  There are footprints, however... but I prefer to call those "tracks".

I cracked this bottle open, and immediately could smell it. A sweet sorta caramel citrus fruity smell. Or a molasses. I liked the smell so much, after I poured it, I just sat and sniffed for a few. I do get hints of the high alcohol content, as it is 9.6% after all.

There was next to no head whatsoever. (Stop giggling!)

The taste starts with a burst of sweetness, very fruity and thick, finishes with a nice hoppy flavor. Little bit of warmth going down from the ABV.

Thick, heavy beer, definitely not one you'd want to chug. I could see myself having one of these with a thick beef stew on a wet, snowy day or something like that.

I have never had anything like this, so I can't really compare it to anything else with much conviction. I'm very impressed with how the maltiness is the first impression, but the hops comes mostly in the finish.

Outstanding beer. I forgive them for having the word "foot" in the name.

A to Z Blog Challenge Beer Review - Arrogant Bastard Ale (Oaked) by Stone Brewing

Brew: Arrogant Bastard Ale
Brewer: Stone Brewing Co
ABV: 7.2%
Opinion: Good Beer!


I've been putting this one off for a while, even though it's my A post... (As you may have guessed, I didn't start at the beginning with these... I skipped around a lot. In fact, I'm about half done.) I've had Arrogant Bastard before, and it was really good. Now, this one is "oaked", but I put that at the end of the title because otherwise it wouldn't work as an A post..

But oaked, means aged in oak barrels, like bourbon, which I also like... I have big expectations for this brew. I wanted to wait for a night when I was alone, the TV was off, the wife was at work, and American Idol wasn't on. ...what, shut up.


Anyway, tonight is that night.

I am nothing if not honest about myself, so anything that proclaims itself as an Arrogant Bastard is already something that I respect. I don't particularly LIKE arrogant bastards, and I've know many. But none of them were aware of what they were. I think perhaps had they known, I might have found them a little more bearable.

And here, I grab the church-key, and pop the cap.

I smell hops, and something similar to whiskey, which I would have to assume is the oak aging. Of course, then again, maybe I'm just looking for it... Carrying on.

The hops hit first, bitter, with just a twinge of the alcohol, as it is higher than usual. The maltieness comes out in the finish, and in the after taste, balancing it nicely. It's somewhat thick on the tongue, strong grapefruit flavor.

Not a chugger, this beer is best enjoyed leisurely. If you're looking to smash beers into your face, get something cheaper and lighter. This beer is one to be appreciated, not pounded.

Very nice beer, full of character. Stone Brewing does it again.

A to Z Blog Challenge Coming Up! A to Z Beer Reviews!

So like last year, I'm in the A to Z blog Challenge this year again, starting April First.

I'm going to be reviewing beers from A to Z.

I like heavy, bitter beers. I like a beer that doesn't feel or look like water. I like a beer that doesn't taste like pennies and dishwater. I don't like what they call "Fizzy yellow beer" although I will drink it on occasions when taste isn't a factor. When I'm very goal oriented, and that's all that's around, I will.

The views expressed here are the views of me, and definitely represent the views of the Brew Newb, because that's me.

If you'd like to see the beers I'll be reviewing there's a link over to the right that'll take you to my list.

Please feel free to agree with my reviews, or respectfully disagree. I will not argue. At the end of the day, you're at my blog. Just like I drink, I will blog responsibly, I suggest you do as well.

Happy reading!