Beer 364 - Rogue Irish Style Lager (4 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottle by Rogue Ales, Newport, OR.  Bought at HEB in Cinco Ranch and drunk at home in Katy, TX while trying to make chicken fried rice for dinner. 

The web site: http://www.rogue.com/beers/rogue-irish-lager.php

The web site says: "Tasting Notes:
An Irish style lager with a smooth mellow flavor and an apple crisp finish. Perfect for floating Guinness!

7 Ingredients: Malts: Great Western Pale, Crystal -15, Wheat & Acidulated Malts. Hops: Sterling. Yeast & Water: Czech Pils Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water. and In 1998 Rogue Brewmaster John Maier created an Irish style lager that would float Guinness. It took four batches to get it just right. John used acidulated malts imported from Europe that resulted in a crisp, apple flavor profile. The bottle label displays a famous Irish Flutist." This was a very nice drink, easy to drink, and with a nice flavor.  I enjoyed it a lot and patricia liked the taste too.

Beer 363 - Pike Monk's Uncle Tripel Ale (4 stars out of 5)

Product of USA, The Pikes Brewing Co., Seattle, WA.  Bought at HEB in Cinco Ranch and drunk at home in Katy, TX while chatting before dinner and then preparing dinner.

the web site: http://www.pikebrewing.com/beers_PikeMonksUncle.shtml

the web site says "

OG (ORIGINAL GRAVITY): 1.075

ALCOHOL VOLUME: 9.00%

MALT VARIETIES: Organic Pale, Organic Pils, Wheat, Aromatic

HOP VARIETIES: Nugget, Saaz

IBU (BITTER UNIT): 38

COLOR: Straw

YEAST: Belgian ale

FLAVOR PROFILE: Big, full bodied & complex with a yeasty nose, fruity esters & malty dryness.

HISTORY: Monks brew at 6 breweries in Belgium. Tripels were originally marked with 3†s for strength.

PACKAGE:
22oz. 12 per case
15.5 gal. keg

AVAILABILITY: Year Round

I enjoyed this beer, it had a nice body and a very pleasant taste that was mellow and round and easy to drink but with lots of flavor.

Beer 362 - Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss-Dunkel (3.5 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Wurzburger Hofbrau, Wurzburg, Germany.  Bought at Spec's on old katy road and drunk at home in Katy, TX while preparing dinner.

web site: http://www.wuerzburger-hofbraeu.de/de/whb/

Importers web site: http://greatbrewers.com/product/julius-echter-hefe-weissbier-dunkel

The great brewers web site says "This dark hefeweizen displays a rich, lingering head foam, an amber-hued body, and the subtle aroma of banana and clove. The spicy flavor is enhanced by the silky mouth feel obtained through the use of wheat. The lingering finish yields to subtle roasted malt flavors.

Best With: This traditional German dunkel weizen pairs quite well with rich meats such as suckling pig, roast duck, or wild boar"

 

Very pleasant and enjoyable, nice body and taste but generally run of the mill.

Beer 361 - Weihenstephaner Original Premium

Score: 4 stars out of 5
Brewed and bottled by Staats-Brauerei, Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road, drunk at home in Katy, TX while preparing dinner.

the web site: http://www.weihenstephaner.de/index2.html?lang=eng
Importers web site: http://www.totalbeveragesolution.com/brands/label.php?lID=27&bID=4&type=Beer

The web sites say; "A good beer takes time. The long lager time makes our pale beer a matter of mild, flavorful beer enjoyment. Brewed in accordance with a centuries-old beer tradition on Weihenstephan Hill.
Analytical data:
Original wort: 11,8 % weight
Bittering power: 24
Alcohol: 5,1 % vol
Calories: 215 kcal/0,5 l

A very nice lighter style beer, tasty and enjoyable.

Beer 360 - Real Ale Devil's Backbone (4 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Real Ale Brewing Co, Blanco, TX.  Provided for me to drink by my friend and colleague Rusty and drunk at home in Katy, TX on Sunday afternoon after we arrived home from watching Chicago at the Wortham Theater and while I was preparing dinner.

The web site: http://realalebrewing.com/beers/backbone

the web site says; "

Named for the scenic ridge that runs between Blanco and Wimberley, Devil's Backbone is a Belgian-style tripel. Czech Saaz hops and Belgian yeast give this ale its distinctive flavor and aroma. Candy sugar made in-house at the brewery adds strength without increasing heaviness. The result is a deceptively strong, pale golden ale.

ABV: 8.1% IBU: 36.00 OG (plato): 18.00"

A very enjoyable drink.  The beer drinks easily and has a nice flavor with a hint of orange sweetness.  Very pleasant and easy to drink and enjoy

Beer 359 - Unibroue Maudite (4 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Unibroue in Chably, Quebec, Canada.  The brewery and the brand are owned by Sapporo of Japan.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy, TX while preparing dinner after a lazy day at home on Saturday

The web site: http://www.unibroue.com/en/beers/maudite/product

The web site says: " Origin	Chambly, Quebec
Brewed since	1992
ABV	8.0%
Fermentation	Top
Style	Strong amber-red ale
Color	Amber red
SRM	18
Clarity	Cloudy
Head	Beige, rocky foam
Bubbles	Fine
Effervescence	Slow
Nose	Malt, orange, wild spices with fragrances of coriander and cloves and floral hop notes
Flavor	Characterized by a robust maltiness and spiciness that is counterbalanced by an assertive crisp hop finish.
IBU	22
Body	Medium
Aftertaste	Pleasantly lingers on
Suggested serving temperature	8º–10ºC, better at 12º–14ºC / 46° - 50° F, better at 53°- 57° F
Suggested glass	Big cognac or brandy Snifter I enjoyed this beer a lot, it had a nice body and a very nice taste.  The description above was, to the best of my abilities quite accurate

Beer 108 - Mississippi Mud

drunk on October 25th 2011 but no explanation on facebook for that date, though I did have the picture in my camera.

Beer 106 - Smithwicks

October 22, 2010, beer 106
Smithwicks Draft
Brewed in Ireland, bought and drunk at the Wild Wing Cafe in Katy, TX while eating lunch and watching the beginning of the Texas vs Iowa State football game.
The beer was a little bit bitter for Patricia, but I enjoyed the bitterness and the nice depth of taste. A very nice drink with the angus burger melt.

Beer 107 - Fischer Blonde

October 23, 2010, beer 107
Fischer Blonde
Brewed and bottled by. Brasserie Fischer, Schiltgheim, France. Bought at Specs Liquor, Houston and drunk at home in Katy, TX while watching Denny Hamlin win the NASCAR race from Martinsville. Juan Pablo managed to finish without wrecking, Yay.
A nice auburn color with a slight head. An interesting pleasant taste, Patricia wondered when the French learnt to make beer, she thought it was quite nice. I agree, the beer is pleasant to drink, has a nice flavor and good body and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

Beer 109 - Brew Dog Storm

October 26, 2010, beer 109
Brew Dog Storm
Produced and bottled by Brewdog ltd. Fraerburgh, Scotland. Bought at Specs Liquor, Houston and tasted at home in Katy.
The bottle says a lot but it is immaterial when the beer tastes so bad. Flat, lifeless and sour tasting, but on closer inspection it may be because the beer expired on 2/2/10 - some time ago.

Beer 110 - Shiner Blonde

October 27, 2010, beer 110
Shiner Blonde
The label on the bottle says: For over a century we've been brewing this Bohemian style golden lager at our small brewery right here in Shiner, Texas (pop 2,070) And for just as long it ha been a local favorite. Folks around here have always loved the blend of European and American hops that make this Blonde slightly sweet and full of flavor. We hope you enjoy it as much as our locals do."
An interesting taste with a hint of hop bitterness on the back of the tongue, though mostly it tastes at the beginning like very fizzy sweet limeade, something in the balance doesn't seem quite right.

Beer 111 - Shiner Hefeweizen

Beer 111
October 28, 2011
Shiner Hefeweizen
The bottle says: This refreshing delight is bottle conditioned with added yeast that means our hefeweizen keeps brewing until you open it. This unfiltered ale has a cloudy appearance and a silky smooth flavor. To properly enjoy 1. Pour half the bottle into a glass. 2. Swirl the remainder of the bottle to mix up the yeast. 3.pour that into the glass and enjoy with a wedge of lemon.
The necker says the beer is brewed with a hint of clove, honey and orange and lemon peels.
The swirling and additional pouring ensure the beer has a good head in the glass but I did not follow imatructions to enjoy with a wedge of lemon. It's a cultural thing! Despite this omission I found this wheat beer to be clean and crisp and pleasat to drink with a cheese sandwich. Prosit

Beer 112 - Kona Brewery Fire Rock Pale Ale

October 28, 2010, beer 112
Kona Brewing Fire Rock Pale Ale Draft
Brewed in Hawaii, bought and drunk at Norton's Grill and Pub, Willowbrook, Houston, TX while waiting for Patricia to eat sushi with friends.
This is my first time at Norton's. Is a typical sports bar, lots of TVs, all tuned to sports. They had 32 beers and 2 ciders on tap but most are run-of the-mill standard fare you can get in many bars. Pretty standard sports bar menu.
To the beer. The web site says "Fire Rock Pale Ale is a crisp refreshing "Hawaii-style" pale ale. It's signature copper color results from the unique blend of specialty roasted malts. The pronounced cotrus-floral hop aroma comes from liberal amounts of Galena, cascade and Mt Hood hops added to each brew " Yes, crisp is a good adjective, and the flavor was great. I enjoyed the clean taste and slight bitterness. It went very well with the Fish and Chips.

Beer 113 - MGD 64

October 29, 2010, beer 113
MGD 64
Probably brewed at the brewery in Fort Worth. Bought and drunk at the Olive Garden, Austin, TX while visiting Sofia for lunch.
Could only drink one mouthful. The beer was fizzy and had a taste stale water (if water can be stale). In short it was worse than tasteless

Beer 114 - Shiner Kosmos Reserve

October 31, 2010, beer 114
Shiner Kosmos Reserve
Brewed in Shiner, TX bought at HEB Grocery and drunk at home in Katy while waiting for the smoke in the kitchen to dissipate after putting too much olive oil on the potatoes I just put in the oven to bake. Cough! Cough!
The label says: Kosmos Spoetzl knew how to brew great beer. Born in Bavaria, Kosmos mastery of German brewing carried him as far as Egypt before he found his way to the small Texas town of Shiner. Our proud brewery still carries his name and commitment to excellence in brewing. This Full flavored hop jacked lager is every bit as unique as the man himself and our way of saluting the brew master who started it all. No dates on the bottle. The taste of the hops remains in the mouth after drinking, a little bitter without the real satisfacton of a full flavor. Not unpleasant but not pleasing either. Not a beer I would order again for my rather simple tastes.

Beer 115 - Modelo Especial

October 31, 2010, beer 115
Modelo Especial
Brewed and canned by Cerveceria Modelo, Mexico. Bought at Kroger Grocery Store and drunk at home in Pearland.
A pleasant, easy to drink lager with a nice taste.

Beer 116 - Shiner Bohemian Black Lager

November 2, 2010, beer 116
Shiner Bohemian Black Lager
Brewed in Shiner, TX bought at HEB Grocery and drunk at home in Katy, TX while listening to election coverage on NPR.
The bottle says : First brewed to commemorate our 97 th anniversary this bohemian black lager remains true to the old- world heritage of the German and Czech immigrants who settled shiner, imported Czech saaz and styrian hps and selected roasted malts make the. " Schwarzbier" our darkest brew yet. Almost black in the glass I wa dissapointed by the lack of a discerible taste to make the brew stand out. It was pleasant enough and easy to drink but perhaps a little bland and uninspiring and gave me nothing to make me want to search it out and try it again

Beer 117 - Samuel Adams Boston Ale

November 3, 2010 - beer 117
Samuel Adams Boston Ale
Brewed in the North East US, bought at HEB Grocery and drunk at home in Katy while thinking about dinner.
The bottle says "We first brewed this classic American ale to celebrate the opening of our Boston brewery. Originating in Boston over a century ago, stock ales are aged carefully in cool rooms called "stock cellars" This ale is smoother than most ales and richer than most lagers with a round robust taste. Cheers!"
A very pleasant drink, tasty and well balanced. This would be excellent with some cheese and crackers so I think that's what I'll have.

Beer 118 - Ziegen Bock

November 4, 2010 - beer 118
Ziegen Bock draft
Brewed by Anheuser-Busch at their Houston brewery as competition for Shiner. Bought and drunk at Beef o'Brady's restaurant in Pearland, TX while we waited for realtors to show the house.
A deep amber color with a slight head. The beer had a nice taste with good body and balance. A very pleasant drink that washed fish and chips down very nicely.

Beer 119 - Paulaner Hefe-Weizen

November 3, 2010 - beer 119
Paulaner Hefe-Weizen
Brewed in Munich, Germany. Bought and drunk at BirraPoretti's, downtown Houston while waiting for Patricia to pick me up. I left the office and went towards the parking garage, put my hand in my pocket to get the car keys, panicked slightly when I could not find them before realizing Patricia dropped me off this morning and kept the car. So decided to go for a beer while waiting for her to pick me up. BirraPoretti's has been here for years serving pizzas and American-Italian food to theater and symphony and ballet patrons before and after the show. The food quality and service is exactly what one would expect from a casual dining restaurant, and the bar is OK, except there are only 4 draft beers.
Paulaner is a pleasant, cold, fizzy, beer that is refreshing without much taste to distinguish it from a hundred other beers.

Beer 122 - Budweisser

November 7, 2010 - beer 122
Budweisser
Probably brewed at the Budweisser brewery in Houston, TX. Bought on a 16 oz aluminum bottle and drunk at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, TX where Patricia and I spent the day watching the preparations in the pits and absorbing the atmosphere, then enjoying the NASCAR Sprint cup race. (most of the seats behind us filled up before the race)
The beer cost $6, and was the only non-light beer I could find inside the speedway. It hardly tasted of anything, except, perhaps, the tinny taste from the aluminum. One was enough, especially at $6. I should know better.

Beer 101 - Sapporo

October 17, 2010, beer 101
Sapporo 'imported' Premium Beer
The can says this is Japan's oldest brand and it is imported, but only from Canada. All sapporo beer sold in North America is brewed at the Sleeman Brewery in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. This can was bought at Spec's Liquor in Houston and drunk at home in Katy, TX while preparing mushrooms on toast for dinner.
An unremarkable beer, this is another of those generic easy to drink lagers that taste OK but have nothing to distinguish themselves from hundreds of other beers that serve the lowest common denominator of beer drinkers, those that want an uncomplicated taste that quenches a thirst.

Beer 102 - Sapporo Reserve

October 17, 2010, beer 102
Sapporo 'imported' Reserve
Once again the can says this is Japan's oldest brand and it is imported, but only from Canada. All sapporo beer sold in North America is brewed at the Sleeman Brewery in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. This can was bought at Spec's Liquor in Houston and drunk at home in Katy, while preparing a turkey burger for dinner.
The can says this beer was "crafted from fine barley malt and selected European hops with Sapporo's tradition of perfection." We agreed that this beer was much better tasting than last nights. The reserve had body and taste that made it a pleasure to drink.

Beer 103 - Anderson Valley Boont ESB

October 20, 2011
Anderson Valley Boont ESB
Bought at Trader Joe's in Camarillo, drunk in the Residence inn, camarillo on July 14th, 2010. A blast from the past since i mistakenly bought a bottle of Tecate for tonights beer and that was beer 79.
The bottle says: Boont ESB is one of the finest examples of the craft brewers art. The generous amonts of malted barley are offset by four separate additions of Pacific Northwest hops. This combination creates a masterpiece in balance between the ambrosial sweetness of the malt and the exquisite bite and savory fragrance of the spicy hops. This satiating brew is not for the " light beer drinker" To fully appreciate the Extra Special Beer the best flavors are realized at 45-52 deg F. Enjoy with fine cheese, a well seasoned meal or simply by itself. So I enjoyed it by itself. Slight bitteness from the hops is on the top of the tongue, easy to drink, well balanced but more of beer to drink with a snack to accentuate the flavors.

Beer 104 - Old Speckled Hen

October 20, 2010, beer 104
Old Speckled Hen
Brewed by Morlands Brewery, St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Bought at Specs Liquor, Houston and drunk at home in Katy while preparing sausage, eggs and beans for dinner. Yum. Delicious.
The bottle says "first brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory and affectionately named after an old MG car used as a factory runaround - The Owld Speckled Un"
This remains one of my favorite beers. I search it out on draft when I visit the UK. It is a nicely balanced beer, full bodied with no hint of bitterness in the taste to mar the complex flavors that come through during drinking and in the aftertaste. I like it a lot.

Beer 105 - Unibroue Chambly Noire

October 22nd, 2010 - beer 105
Unibroue Chambly Noire
Brewed and bottled by Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada. Bought at Trader Joe's, Camarillo, CA and drunk at home in Katy sitting in the back yard enjoying the setting sun and relaxing after the work week.
The bottle says "This premium dark ale honors the brave soldiers of the Carignan-Saltieres Regiment and their traditional black hats. In 1665, the regiment is dispatched to New France by King Louis XIV to settle hostilities with the Iroquois"
The beer was pleasant but not distinguished, easy to drink but without the strong caramel/chocolate flavor I was expecting. It went well with the cheese and crackers we ate while talking about our day and week and our plans for the weekend.

Beer 358 - Blue Moon Grand Cru (3 stars out of 5)

Brewed by the Blue Moon Brewing Co, Golden, CO.  Blue Moon is a subsidiary of Molson Coors.  Bought at Specs on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy, TX while preparing dinner.

Web site: http://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/

There is no mention of this beer on the Blue Moon web site. The bottle says "In the Belgian tradition, a Grand Cru is brewed for special occasions.  In celebration of the holiday season we've brewed a special-edition Blue Moon Grand Cru.  This artfully crafted brew is a bolder take on our classic Blue Moon Belgian White Belgian-style wheat ale that blends flavors of orange peel and coriander for a warm spicy finish.  The presence of brewers yeast in this unfiltered ale results in naturally occurring sediments that accentuate the flavor. 8.2% ABV"

Quite enjoyable, but not as much body as I expected. The strength of the beer took me by surprise and I felt light headed after finishing the bottle.

Beer 357 - Shiner Ruby Redbird (2.5 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Shiner Brewery, Shiner, TX.  Bought at Randall's Grocery Store in Katy and drunk at home in Katy, TX after Patricia and I watched the movie "The Lincoln Lawyer" at a $1.50 movie theater on Westheimer and Highway 6.  The movie was good, but I'm glad we read the book before watching the movie so we could fill in a lot of details missing from the movie.

the web site: http://www.shiner.com/main.php

The web site says "Shiner Ruby Redbird is brewed with genuine Texas Rio Red Grapefruit, the signature sweet citrus of the Rio Grande Valley, and ginger. This lager beer features grapefruit tartness and finishes with a 'lil kick of ginger. With Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit and Ginger, Shiner Ruby Redbird is a crisp and refreshing summer beer. 4.2% ABV"

This beer would probably be fine on a Saturday afternoon sitting in the garden listening to the birds, but it wasn't great as a beer for a nightcap.  It tasted more like a fizzy beach drink and would not have been out of place with a few bits of fruit in the glass and a green plastic umbrella.

Beer 356 - Full Sail Bump in the Night (3 stars out of 5)

Full Sail Brewing Co, Hood River, OR.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy, TX while listening to an audio book called the Lincoln Lawyer that we could not wait to continue listening to during our drive to and from work - we had to finish it tonight, the suspense was killing us.

web site: http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/brewmaster-reserve.cfm

the web site says "Bump in the Night Cascadian Dark Ale - Available January to mid-MarchNew for 2011, this beer is brewed in the Cascadian Dark Ale style. The array of dark malts present a full bodied beer with notes of cocoa and slight roast. This CDA has a big floral citrus hop flavor and bitterness, reminiscent of an IPA. Gold medal winner at the 2011 World Beer Championships! Available in 22oz Bottles and Draught ABV 6.5% IBUs: 65

The first taste was not so good, perhaps my taste buds were shocked by the depth of flavor in the beer, but as the book (and dinner) wore on the beer seemed to lose its sharpness and get mellow and full bodied and quite pleasant to dink

Beer 355 - Flensburger Pilsener (3 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Flensburger Brauerei, Flensburg, Germany.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy with dinner.

the web site (in German): http://www.flens.de/

James Clay is the UK Importer of Flensburger and their web site says "Germany's most northerly brewery, Flensburger is located on the shores of the Baltic near the Danish border. Flensburger is the world's biggest user of flip top bottles, hence their advertising strap line being ‘Plop!’
FlensbugerPilsener is a crisp, dry, hoppy pilsener style of beer typical of northern Germany. Light and easy to drink. 4.8% ABV"

A pleasant easy to drink lager style beer, with a little character.

Beer 354 - Weihenstephaner Korbinian (4.5 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Bay Stats Brauerei, Wiehenstephan, Freising, Germany, claiming to be  the World's oldest brewery since 1040 AD.  Bought at Spec's on old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy, TX while preparing dinner.

The brewery web site: http://www.weihenstephaner.de/index2.html?lang=eng
US Importers web site: http://www.totalbeveragesolution.com/brands/label.php?lID=25&bID=4&type=Beer

The web site says; "A double bock beer that has what it takes. Not just for lovers of strong beer. With a malty aroma and great taste, our Korbinian is a true beer specialty. It goes well with smoked meat and fish as well as wild roasts and fowl.
Analytical data:
Original wort: 18.3% by weight Alcohol content: 7.4% by volume
Bittering power: 32
Caloric content: 340 Kcal/0.5 I"

I enjoyed this beer a lot, nice flavor, felt good in the mouth when I was drinking it and lots of well balanced flavor.  Worth coming back to

Beer 353 - Rahr & Sons pecker Wrecker (3 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by Rahr and Sons Brewing, Fort Worth, TX.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy, TX while relaxing after shopping for groceries (and more beers) at the HEB in Cinco Ranch.  A very nice grocery store with a very wide selection , a great cheese selection and lots of eclectic groceries.

web site: http://rahrbrewing.com/

The web site says nothing about Pecker Wrecker, but the bottle says "To Thee.  "a toast in celebration" is our salute to and tribute to family, friendship, honor, loyalty and love - everything that is good in life and which has meaning.  Our To Thee series is a limited edition release that is only available for short periods of time.  These are very special ales celebrating over 160 years of Rahr brewing history and traditions.  We celebrate this history and raise our glass to you.  Cheers from the Rahr family. 
Also
"maybe you hate your job, maybe you did not get enough sleep, well a lot of people hate their jobs and none of us gets enough sleep, but there's no escape, there's no excuse, so suck it up, the day is not lost.  Our Pecker Wrecker is ALL IMPERIAL! Huge amounts of hop characteristics will explode in your mouth delivering you into the malty backbone present in this pilsner.  People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget you handed them a Pecker Wrecker - picking up where others leave off."

I found it to be a little overbearing in the hops.  Quite bitter and very hoppy, a taste that detracted from the drinkability.  It also made me quite light headed, but I could not find an ABV on the bottle or the web site.

Beer 100 - Avery the Kaiser

October 17, 2010, beer 100
Avery the Kaiser
Brewed in Boulder, CO bought and drunk at the Pub Hub, a new sports bar on Fry Road / Katy Freeway in Katy.
This is Avery's Octoberfest beer, it is quite strong at 10.03 ABV.
Both Patricia and I thought this was a nice beer. Good full bodied ale with a hint of sweetness. Smooth and easy to drink, leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

Beer 99 - Kennenbunkport Blueberry Wheat Ale

October 14, 2010, beer 99
Kennebunkport Blueberry Wheat Ale
Hand brewed and bottled by Pugsley Brewing LLC, Portland, Maine. Bought at HEB, Pearland and drunk while waiting for bread dinner rolls to rise and brown.
Patricia says it tastes like blueberry flavored beer and the aftertaste is like blueberry muffins. I didn't think the blueberry taste was as strong as the smell suggested but that may just be my much abused taste buds not responding. The beer would be better with pie and ice cream. An excellent desert beer.

Beer 98 - Regia Extra

October 16, 2010, beer 98
Regia Extra
Brewed and bottled by Cerveceria La Constancia S.A., San Salvador, El Salvador. Bought at Spec's Liquor, Houston and drunk at home in Katy while watching the NASCAR race on TV.
Patricia thought it was OK, easy to drink but nothing spectacular. I thought it was a nice lager, well balanced and easy to drink

Beer 97 - Dos Equis Lager Especial

October 14, 2010, beer 97
Dos Equis Lager Especial
Brewed and bottled by Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, Monterrey, Mexico. Bought at Spec's Liquor, Houston and drunk at home in Katy on a beautiful fall evening.
Patricia thought the beer was missing something and that it doesn't taste like beer. I thought the beer had a musty taste as if it had been in the bottle too long. There is no discernible date code anywhere on the bottle.

Beer 96 - Red Stripe

October 11, 2010, beer 96
Red Stripe
Brewed and bottled by Desnoes and Geddes ltd, Kingston, Jamaica. Bought at Spec's Liquor , Houston, TX and drunk at home in Pearland with dinner of fresh fruit.
The bottle says "For over 75 years Red Stripe has embodied the spirit, rhythm and pulse of Jamaica and it's people.
Patricia thought it tasted like fizzy water, I thought it had a washed out taste that was primarily intended as a thirst quencher in the hot Jamaican sunshine.
The painting in the background was bought in Tampa, FL.

Beer 95 - Shiner Octoberfest

October 10, 2010, beer 95
Shiner Octoberfest
Brewed in Shiner, TX bought and drunk at Willie's Ice House, Katy TX with a black and blue burger and fries. Very tasty Angus beef burger with black peppercorns and blue cheese eaten on the patio of an open air very-casual-dining restaurant.
The bottle says "raise a stein to Octoberfest. Here in Shiner, TX (pop 2,070) we're suckers for tradition. Which is why this classic Octoberfest brew is made with the highest quality two-row barley, Munich and caramel malts, along with German grown Hallertau Tradition and Hersbrucker hops. It's our way of honoring our ancestors and the beer they loved to commemorate with. So raise your glassesto tradition and enjoy this utterly classic brew. Prosit"
So I did enjoy it. The beer washed the burger down nicely though it wasn't a great compliment to the blue cheese, the taste was nice enough to overcome this handicap and shine through.

Beer 94 - Abita Brewing Jockamo IPA

October 10, 2010, beer 94
Abita Brewing Jockamo IPA
Brewed and bottled in Abita Springs, LA, bought at HEB Grocery, Pearland, TX and drunk at home in Katy, TX while watching the NASCAR Sprint cup race from California on TV.
The bottle says "For more than two centuries, tribes of singing, chanting "Mardi GRAS Indians"have appeared on the streets of New Orleans wearing elaborate, handcrafted "suits" of beads and feathers.
They celebrate traditions and cultures as bold and beautiful as their costumes. Abita Jockamo is crafted the traditional way to create a bold and flavorful India Pale Ale that stomps and shouts. When you hear the drums, join in the song. Iko! Iko! Jockamo fen an e'."
A nice beer with a lot of flavor and a slight bite from the hops. Pleasant to sip and enjoy.

Beer 93 - Saintt Arnold Amber

October 9, 2010, beer 93
St Arnold Amber draft
Brewed in Houston, TX. Bought and drunk at Hasta La Pasta Italian Restaurant, Grand Parkway, Katy, TX while celebrating Patricia's birthday with Sofia visiting from UT.
Pleasant and well balanced easy to drink lager type beer. Nice body and good flavor that went well with the lightly flavored Spinach and Artichoke dip.

Beer 352 - Redhook Longhammer IPA (2.5 stars out of 5)

Brewed by Redhook Brewing, though its not known whether this keg came from the brewery in Woodinville, WA or Portsmouth, NH.  Bought and drunk sitting outside at The Counter hamburger restaurant on Washington Avenue, Houston, TX after a day spent first at the ITW summer barbecue and get together and then at the movies watching Midnight in Paris.

web site: http://redhook.com/beers/ipa/
counter restaurant: http://www.thecounterburger.com/

the web site says"The generous addition of hops both during and at the end of the fermentation process (dry-hopping) gives our India Pale Ale its characteristic bitterness and piney citrus aroma and flavor. The medium body, crisp finish, and moderate alcohol and IBU levels makes this one of America’s most drinkable and best-selling IPAs.  Abv 6.5%   , IBUs 44.0 IBU   , Original Gravity  14.4 degrees plato,  Brewed Since 1984."

The beer was OK, but nothing special, cold and OK to wash down the burger but without any strong flavor or nice body to commend it for the future.

Beer 351 - Full Sail Hop Pursuit (3 stars out of 5)

Full sail Brewing, Hood River, OR.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in katy, TX while balancing the household budget :-)

Web site: http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/brewmaster-reserve.cfm

The web site says "
Hop Pursuit Extra Pale - Available March to June
When the sun begins to rise earlier and stays out longer, we will celebrate the coming of spring and the sprouting of the new hop crop with Hop Pursuit. A crisp, orange blonde extra pale ale with a medium malt body that’s chased by a ton of hop flavor and zing of bitterness. We brewed it with the less aggressive, old school craft brewing hops– Cascade, Willamette, and Mt. Hood– to celebrate more of the hop flavor and less of the hop bitterness. These give the beer a nice and fresh citrus herbal character without a lot of intensity; instead it has a softly flavorful character with touches of orange and lemon. We dry hopped for two weeks to amplify these delicate hop flavors. Gold medal winner at the 2010 World Beer Championships! Available in 22oz. bottles and draught. ABV 6% IBU 55"

The hop bitterness was very noticeable in this beer.  Much more than I anticipated - and much more than the web site seems to imply - and that detracted somewhat from my enjoyment.

Beer 350 - Pike IPA (3 stars out of 5)

Brewed and bottled by the Pike Brewing Company, Seattle, WA.  Bought at Spec's on Old Katy Road and drunk at home in Katy, TX with dinner.

Web site: http://www.pikebrewing.com/beers_PikeIPA.shtml

The web site says: "OG (ORIGINAL GRAVITY): 1.062
ALCOHOL VOLUME: 6.30%
MALT VARIETIES: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Carapils
HOP VARIETIES: Columbus, Willamette, Chinook, Goldings, Amarillo
IBU (BITTER UNIT): 60
COLOR: Amber
YEAST: English ale
FLAVOR PROFILE: Powerful malt backbone is balanced with aromatic herbal hop character.
HISTORY: Highly hopped to retain freshness on the voyages from England to India."

An interesting beer, with a lot of hops in the taste.  I think the abundance of hops detracted from the taste and made it a little bitter for me.

Beer 92 - Chang

October 8, 2010, beer 92
Chang Beer
Brewed by Cosmos Brewery Co. Ltd, Ayutthaya, Thailand. Bought and drunk at Erawan (Authentic Thai Cuisine), San Felipe, Houston, TX, with Sofia and Natasha as a mini-celebration for Patricia's birthday before Sofia and Natasha went to the Shakira concert at the Toyota center.
A run of the mill beer in a run of the mill restaurant. Unfortunately brewers around the world have have subverted the taste of their beers to be acceptable to the lowest common denominator of the American taste. This has led to a profusion of beers that have little flavor and bear only a vague resemblance to tasty beer with character. This beer is devoid of character and it's only use is to wash down the fairly bland Thai food in a preponderance of the food served at Erawan.

Beer 91 - Full Sail Amber

October 7, 2010, beer 91
Full Sail Amber
Brewed on Hood River, OR, bought at Trader Joe's in Carlsbad, CA, drunk at home in Katy while waiting for the realtor to arrive.
Similar to all other Full Sail bottles, the bottle says "12 fluid ounces of ridiculously tasty original amber ale concocted by our massive workforce of 47"
Patricia didn't really like this beer, I thought it was OK

Beer 90 - Grolsch Premium Lager

October 6, 2010, beer 90
Grolsch Premium Lager
Brewed and bottled by Grolsch Bierbrouwerij, Enschede, Holland. Bought at Spec's Liquor and drink at home in Pearland while making open-faced sandwiches of turkey and tomato and cheese for dinner.
Patricia thought the beer was a little strong at first but had a nice finish. I thought it is a good example of a European lager, light in color, lightly flavored hop taste and pleasant to drink without being anything really exciting.

Beer 89 - Sol

October 5, 2010, beer 89
Sol
Brewed by Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma in Monterrey, Mexico. Bought at Spec's Liquor,
Houston and drunk at home in Katy while preparing turkey sausage and black beans and rice for dinner.
Patricia thought the beer was OK, it was easy to drink but had no impact - it was rather bland. On this we agree. This is another of those beers that appear to be brewed to offend no one. It is largely alcoholic fizzy water with a slight beer taste, best served very cold so the taste buds don't have to strain to find something to taste since they are numb from the cold.

Beer 87 - Full Sail IPA

October 4, 2010, beer 87 - a toast to Mike on his birthday. Bottoms up.
Full Sail IPA
Brewed in Hood River, OR, bought at Trader Joe's in Carlsbad, CA and drunk at home in Katy, TX.
The bottle says "12 fluid ounces of ridiculously tasty India pale ale concocted by our massive workforce of 47"
A typical IPA. I felt the taste of the hops left a bitter slightly burnt aftertaste on the top and back of the tongue. Patricia said it was very nice, very pleasant. This is a beer to be paired with a nice steak.

Beer 86 - New Belgium Brewing 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

October 3, 2010, beer 86
New Belgium Brewing 1554 Enlightened Black Ale
Brewed in Fort Collins, CO bought at HEB Grocery, drunk at home in Katy while Patricia and I prepared Turkey stuffed potatoes for dinner.
The bottle says "1554 Enlightened Black Ale redefines the phrase keeping time in a bottle. From an ancient crumbling library book, our intrepid researchers found references to this obscure style dating back to the year 1554. Overcoming obsolete script and units of measurement, our brewers discovered an ale with a surprising bright taste and a dry, chocolaty finish-one evocative of dark brews enjoyed in Belgium taverns 500 years ago.
Patricia liked this beer, I did too. It was tasty and had a nice aftertaste that lingered for a while.

Beer 85 - BJs Octoberfest

October 2, 2010, beer 85
BJ's Octoberfest
Brewed in Houston by St. Arnold's brewery (don't ask how I know, supposed to be top secret) bought and drunk at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Pearland, TX.
The menu says "Octoberfest is a traditional German lager with a malty, toasty character, and a mild hop bitterness provided by German hops. Moderate in body, it is very smooth from a long lagering process"
Patricia liked the aftertaste but thought the initial taste was s shock from a perfumey taste. I thought the beer was too cold at the start but after letting the temperature stabilize I like the slight bitterness and the lingering aftertaste.

Beer 84 - Harp Lager

October 1, 2010, beer 84
Harp Lager Draft
Brewed in Canada, bought and drunk at Kenneally's Irish Pub, Houston, TX after giving blood for monthly and annual blood checks, then waiting for Patricia to finish work. The beer is served in a Dos Equis glass, wonder if it felt affronted, Dos Equis is not even owned by Diageo, the owners of Harp.
Harp is a light colored and lightly flavored beer, though some of the flavor is lost in the teeth chattering cold serving temperature. After the beer has warmed a little it still doesn't have much more than a balanced beer taste, a little body, no hop flavor and no aftertaste. More like drinking alcoholic flavored water.