Burial Beer Co. Silhouette Rice Lager

Posted on by Evan

I don’t see rice lager-style beer from any craft breweries. That is, until yesterday, when I was at my local Harris Teeter grocery store and spotted Burial Beer’s Silhouette Rice Lager. Rice Lager is a lager brewed with a substantial amount of rice (10% to 30% or more). Rice lagers are usually associated with brands such as Sapporo and Kirin.  This rice lager is malted with Extra Pale Pilsner malt, Eraclea, and rice. They also whirlpool this beer with HBC 1134 and Saaz hops in collaboration with Nation of Language (a Brooklyn-based indie/synthpop band). I find that rice lagers are great with Chinese and Japanese foods. This lager pours a clean golden color with a light white one-finger head. The aroma is clean and crisp with bread notes. The flavor is crisp and clean with sweet floral notes and a bit of sweetness. This has a light-bodied mouthfeel. The finish is clean and crisp with a fading floral note. The aftertaste is crisp and light with a lingering, faded sweet note. Silhouette Rice Lager is a high B+. It has a bit more flavor than the macro rice lager I’ve had. But I do think that if you get halfway through the fourth one, the flavor becomes a little boring, but not bad, and yes, I would recommend Silhouette Rice Lager. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Belleflower Brewing Co. Light Bearer

Posted on by Evan

I visited the Belleflower Brewing Co. in Portland, Maine. I had Hidden Vine (a good beer), a wild ale with Sauvignon Blanc grapes, while my dad had Light Bearer, a 10% ABV triple New England haze IPA. Halfway through my beer, I had an Icelandic hot dog from Gunnar’s Icelandic Hotdogs food truck. An Icelandic hot dog, known as pylsa, is a popular street food made primarily from a unique blend of local lamb, pork, and beef. It is served in a bun with everything.  Very delicious and a must-eat! After my hot dog, my dad bought a 4-pack of Light Bearer to bring back home. This big IPA uses Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron, Motueka, and Alora hops. Light Bearer pours a hazy yellow with a two-finger white slow head. The aroma is fruity, pineapple, tropical, and bitter. The flavor is pineapple, tropical, smooth, and bitter. This beer has a full and creamy mouthfeel. Then it finishes with papaya, pineapple, and bitterness. The pineapple lingers in the aftertaste along with some bitterness. But this IPA finishes smoothly. Belleflower Brewing Co.’s Light Bearer is a good beer; I give this an A. It is refreshing, especially on a hot day, even if it’s 10% ABV. It does not drink like a 10% beer. The delicious flavors do a good job of masking that. So I would recommend Light Bearer. I wish I could buy more. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Epic Brewing Company Big Bad Baptist Solstice

Posted on by Evan

I picked up Epic Brewing Company Big Bad Baptist Solstice a few weeks ago from Total Wine. This is a 13.2% barrel-aged stout with clove, star anise, and pomegranate. I have been trying to review more stouts/barrel-aged stouts. This big beer pours black with a two-finger beige head. The aroma is sweet and dark, with spiced notes of licorice and light pomegranate juice. The flavor is cloves, licorice, pomegranate, and orange. This beer has a full (thicker) mouthfeel. The finish is boozy, with faded licorice and some spiced pomegranate. The aftertaste is light licorice and fruit, but fades as the booze lingers. This is not a bad beer, nor is it a good beer. I found it interesting, D+ interesting. I don’t think I would recommend Big Bad Baptist Solstice. I mean, this isn’t terrible. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Allagash Brewing Co. Curieux Belgian Style Golden

Posted on by Evan

I was in Portland, Maine, for a beer tour reunion and received a gift bag. It had Allagash Brewing Co. Curieux in it. This beer is 10.2% ABV. Curieux is a Belgian-style Triple aged in Bourbon barrels for seven weeks. Allagash uses Allagash 2-Row Malted Barley Blend and local pale malt grains. They also use their own house yeast, Nugget, and Hallertau hops. I took a tour of Allagash and found out that this beer is aged in Jim Beam Barrels and has been using said barrels since day one. I highly recommend visiting Allagash. This beer pours a deeper gold with a creamy one-finger white head. The aroma of Curieux is sweet, oaky, and light caramel. The taste is boozy (not too much), vanilla, oaky, caramel, and light crispness. This has a medium mouthfeel. It finishes oaky, with light booze and vanilla. The aftertaste is spiced, with fading sweet notes. This Curieux does not drink like it’s 10.2% ABV. I found it to be slightly refreshing. It is A+. This is not a beer I can drink multiples of, but I can’t just drink one. I would say that Curieux is a more everyday barrel-aged beer. I think this one is one I’d really recommend. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Birrificio Italiano Tipoplis

Posted on by Evan

I was in Portland, Maine, walking up the street when I spotted Birrificio Italiano Tipopils. This is the original dry-hopped Pilsner or Italian Pilsner. This 5.1% ABV Pilsner was created back in 1996. This beer pours a darker yellow with a one-finger white head. The aroma is light fruit and hops. The flavor is crisp with light hops and mild fruit notes. It is dry but smooth. I found this to have a light mouthfeel. Then it finishes dry, crisp, and light on hops. The aftertaste is fading fruit/hops. This was good but not mind-blowing, so it’s a B. This Pilsner is more drinkable than some other Italian Pilsners. That means I could have three of these before I am tired of drinking this Pilsner. I would recommend Tipopils if you are a fan of the style. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Pasta & Provisions x Divine Barrel Brewing Pally Pils

Posted on by Evan

I haven’t seen a beer collaboration between a brewery and a market/shop before. That is, until I walked into Pasta & Provisions and found Pally Pils. This Italian-style Pilsner is a collaboration between Pasta & Provisions and Divine Barrel Brewing. Both of these Charlotte, North Carolina businesses made this 5% ABV Pils with Hallertau, Mittelfruh, Magnum, and Grüngeist hops. This is a white label beer solely canned by Divine Barrel. This is Pasta & Provisions beer. That is according to North Carolina law. This Pilsner pours yellow with a two-finger white head. The aroma is clean and crisp, with a light hop note. The taste is crisp and clean, with a light fruity hop note. This has a light mouthfeel. Then it finishes clean, with a touch of fruity bitterness. The aftertaste is clean and crisp. The bitterness fades quickly. Pally Pils is an A+. I love the Italian-style Pilsner, which is just a dry-hopped Pilsner that originated in Italy. This is a definite must-have beer. It is only sold at Pasta & Provisions here in Charlotte. This is a beer that I would keep in my beer fridge for sure. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Royal Bliss Brewing Co. Other Worlds Hazy IPA

Posted on by Evan

If you don’t know about Royal Bliss Brewing Co., then you should! It’s a great brewery out of Denver, North Carolina. This is Royal Bliss Brewing Co. Other Worlds Hazy IPA. This beer is 6.8% ABV with Australian Galaxy and Vic Secret hops. I am seeing Australian hops more in IPA lately. This IPA pours a hazy yellow with a fluffy two-finger white head. That head leaves behind fluffy lacing. The aroma is citrusy and tropical, with a nice amount of bitterness. The flavor is pulpy orange juice, citrusy, with notes of passion fruit, pineapple, and bitterness. The bitterness is soft, along with the overall flavor. This has a medium mouthfeel. Then it comes to a citrus/tropical finish. The aftertaste is light orange, pineapple, passion fruit, and faint grapefruit. It is also bitter, but it fades. This is a great hazy IPA that gets an A+ here. I would highly recommend Royal Bliss Brewing Co.’s Other Worlds Hazy IPA. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Aect Schlenkerla Hellerbrautrum Rauchbier Marzen

Posted on by Evan

I have not had Aect Schlenkerla Rauchbier in a very long time. This is Marzen, 5.1% ABV, from Bamberg, Germany. Schlenkerla uses smoked malt from their own maltings and beechwood to smoke this bottom-fermented beer. Schlenkerla has been in business since the 14th century. That’s a long time! This Marzen pours a very dark brown with a three-finger beige head that leaves thick lacing behind. The aroma is smoky with sweet smoked malt. The flavor is smoked/smoky, malty, dark sweet, and smooth. This has a fuller mouthfeel. The finish is somewhat sweet, malty, and smoky. The aftertaste is like the finish. It is smoother and has a lingering smoked malt. This is an excellent Rauchbier that is an A+. This is more of a fall beer, but it isn’t too heavy to have. Aect Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen would be a great addition to barbecue meats. I highly recommend Aect Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Ayinger Privatbrauerei Ayinger Maibock

Posted on by Evan

I have had Ayinger Maibock many times, but I’ve never sat down and properly reviewed this spring bock beer from Ayinger Privatbrauerei. This 7% ABV spring beer is from Aying, Germany, using Hallertau hops. This is traditionally lighter than other bock beers. Ayinger has been brewing beer for more than 140 years in Upper Bavaria, 30 minutes from Munich. This beer pours gold with a two-finger bright white head. The head leaves great lacing behind. The aroma is sweet, crisp, clean, and there’s a cereal note. The flavor is clean and crisp. There is sweetness and cereal-like flavors. This beer has a lighter mouthfeel. Then it finishes semi-sweet, crisp, and clean. The aftertaste is less sweet, but there are very light breaded notes. They don’t stay long. This is no surprise that Ayinger Maibock is an A+. Germans really brew delicious beer. This Maibock really captures the essence of spring. If you haven’t had this, then you should. In my opinion, it is the best Maibock. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Royal Bliss Brewing Co. Lord of The Hops New Zealand IPA

Posted on by Evan

Whenever I see a Royal Bliss Brewing Co. beer, I usually buy it. Recently, I spotted Lord of the Hops New Zealand IPA while shopping at my local Total Wine. This 6.6% IPA uses Nectaron hops. This hop was developed over 17 years by Plant and Food Research; it is widely used in IPAs, NEIPAs, and Pale Ales. This New Zealand hop has notes of bold, juicy pineapple, passion fruit, peach, and grapefruit. This IPA pours a light golden yellow with a one-finger white head. The aroma is lightly grassy, grapefruit, light tropical fruit bitterness, and hoppy notes. The flavor is bitter and hoppy. There is grapefruit, passion fruit, and smoothness. This beer has a medium mouthfeel. Then this IPA finishes with fruitiness, bitterness, and some light herbal notes. The aftertaste is lighter on the grapefruit and passion fruit as it fades. There is some lingering bitterness. This is a good beer. Lord of the Hops New Zealand IPA is a B. I thought going into this beer that there would be more of a bold tropical fruit flavor to this. But that was decent. It did have a good amount of bitter hop flavor. I recommend you try Royal Bliss Brewing Co. Lord of the Hops New Zealand IPA. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!