Lagunitas - A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale

Lagunitas releases one specialty beer for each month of the year. July's is the pin-up girl themed Lil' Sumpin Sumpin Ale. It was just introduced last year and they brought it onboard. Having had the seasonal beers for January, March, and June I was eager to try this one. Here's what the company has to say about it:

"Sneaky Smooth with a Touch of What we Call Wheatly-esque-ish-ness. Crispy Wheat and Pale Malt flavors with a Zippy Hop Finish."

Let's see how they do with those claims.

Lowdown
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
Price paid: $8.99+CRV for 6-pack of 12oz bottles
ABV: 7.3%
Bottled: May 2010
BA URL: Beer Advocate page

Appearance: Poured into a pub glass, it's a orangey-amber color, and cloudy. It looks like some sort of bubbly nectar. The head is white and very light, about a half-inch high. It dissipates but for a thin layer in minutes.

Smell: It smells sweet and hoppy, but hard to get a good estimation of what is going on exactly in there. Might have to taste some to really get into it. Yup, that's what I'm going to do.

Taste: The hops hit immediately. However, they're quickly followed by a very pleasant apricot flavor. It creates an awesome blend between the hoppy bitterness and tart sweetness. This is like the baby of a Hefeweizen and an IPA. Parents, you should be proud of your lovely daughter.

Mouthfeel: Bubbly sweetness attacks the tip of the tongue while a syrupy dryness runs down my throat. There's a lot going on there.

Drinkability: Done reviewing, I want to keep drinking this.

Bappr Index: 9/10

Alaskan Smoked Porter (2008)

Germany have been brewing smoked beers, called "rauchbiers" for centuries. This style was basically unknown until Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau, Alaska came out with their now-famous Smoked Porter in 1988. Combining the smoking process of Rauchbier with the syrupy goodness of a Porter, soon other domestic microbreweries followed suit with their own smoked beers.

It is made with Alaskan glacial water, 5 kinds of malt, 2 kinds of hops, and yeast, and smoked with alder wood. It may be aged for several years.

Lowdown
Style: American Porter
Price paid: $7+CRV for a 22oz bottle
ABV: 6.5%
Bottled: 2008
BA URL: Beer Advocate page

Appearance: It's a dark brown color with a bit of tan-colored head.

Smell: As can be expected, it smells kind of smoky. In fact, not much else gets through ITS SMOKY POWER!!!

Taste: Pretty smoky, but still retaining a lot of the coffee-like porter taste. Less smoky than say, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Maerzen, which I would definitely consider the classic of the smoked beers.

Mouthfeel: Not too much carbonation, more of that porter-ey soft fluffy feeling, like

Drinkability: Surprisingly high for a smoked beer. Sometimes they're too overpowering to drink in high quantities but this is really no more difficult to drink than your average porter, except the smokiness presents itself not from any roasted coffee flavors but rather a barbeque-like savory goodness.

Bappr Index: 7/10

Oskar Blues - Old Chub

Here's another Oskar Blues brew that hails from Lyons, Colorado. Old Chub is a Scottish Ale served in a can. Oskar Blues is famous for selling their craft brews in cans; it was a suggestion made by one of the men behind Oskar Blues that was met with scrutiny and plenty of laughter. They found out, though, that cans don't impart flavor on the beer they hold because of a water-based liner inside the can. That's right. If it's good enough for Mountain Dew, it's good enough for a hearty ale. Actually, it's funny. As I look at the can and its color scheme and majestic mountain scene in the background, I can't help but to think of it as an older, more sophisticated Dew for the beer drinkers of the world.

Lowdown
Style: Scottish Ale
Price paid: Donated from blog partner B. Hatch! Around $10.50 (Ten FIDY?!) for a six-pack.
ABV: 8.0%
Bottled: 01-13-10
BA URL: Beer Advocate page

Appearance: Can't see it too well 'cause it's in a CAN!

Smell: Taking a whiff brings memories of Mom's molasses cookies around Christmastime. Very dark and malty with a subtle sweet aroma something akin to brown sugar. The alcohol can be smelled here, but it is a very pleasant and deep scent that begs the soon-to-be drinker to imbibe.

Taste: Delivers on the notes mentioned above. As you sip, a dark chocolaty flavor slips over the tongue. I really can't get over the smell and taste of molasses; it really gives the beer a unique flavor combined with the roasted flavor and the dark malt. It warms you up with the nuanced and well-balanced flavor of the alcohol, but doesn't overpower. Love it.

Mouthfeel: Feels stout-like, but with slight carbonation --- more than a stout --- that gives it an extra little boost. Something about the font on the can and the name...something...enhances its viscosity and gives me the impression of drinking from an oil drum, but in a good way! The texture is smooth on the tongue and it has some density to it; it is very thick. My mouth feels perfectly lubricated after a swig and I really enjoy that feeling.

Drinkability: Very good drinkability. It is such a unique taste, smell, and tactile experience that it isn't hard to pay too much attention to your drink. Old Chub begs you to slow down and enjoy its deliciously intriguing contents. Whether you listen is up to you. Probably not a good long term or session beer because of the weight and alcohol content of the libation, but it is a great treat and something to savor on any occasion.

Bappr Index: 8/10

Dogfish Head - 60 Minute IPA

This beer comes from Lewes, Delaware's own Dogfish Head Brewing Co. They've gained popularity as one of the rising stars of the craft brewing movement, and it's clear to anyone who's heard their story or seen their viral marketing that they love what they do. Their 60 Minute IPA is one of the most heralded of their beers so I thought I'd give it a go. It's named so because the hops are continuously hopped over 60 times in a 60 minute boiling sesh.

Lowdown
Style: India Pale Ale
Price paid: $11.49+CRV for 6-pack of 12oz bottles
ABV: 6.0%
BA URL: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/64/6108

Appearance: Golden with a light head.

Smell: Moderate hoppy scent. Rich, slightly fruity.

Taste: At first tastes like your typical IPA. Follows it up with rich peachy undertones

Mouthfeel: Crisp and light but has substance.

Drinkability: Very drinkable. Just the right amount of complexity to make you keep interest with each sip, but not so much that you're overwhelmed.

Bappr Index: 8/10

The Bruery - Trade Winds Tripel

The Bruery, heralding from the OC, is known for high-quality beers. I was at Whole Foods in Santa Monica and this being the first time I'd had the opportunity to buy one of their beers, I grabbed this one.

The Trade Winds Tripel is The Bruery's summer seasonal beer. It attempts to fuse together Belgian beer styles with Far-East ingredients like rice and Thai Basil.

Lowdown
Style: Tripel
Price paid: $15+CRV for 22oz bottle
ABV: 8.1%
Bottled: XX-XX-XX
BA URL: Beer Advocate page

Appearance: Light, golden and fairly clear. Created a very large fluffy head when poured into a large tulip glass. Seriously, this froth is big and shows no signs of a hasty retreat.

Smell: Unsurprisingly, the Thai basil and rice aromas really come through, making it smell crisp and savory. It's a very unexpected smell for a beer, it promises something really different.

Taste: Here I was a bit disappointed. I felt like the basil came in too strong and overpowered the subtle flavors of the hops. There was too much savory and not enough bitterness or sweetness. (See note below)

Mouthfeel: Very fizzy

Drinkability: It tasted mostly like I was drinking a carbonated basil soda.

Bappr Index: 5/10

Note: The brewery recommends this beer to be consumed quickly after bottling. It's possible I got an old bottle, as the herbal flavors were a bit stale. I'd definitely give this beer another shot.

Oskar Blues - Ten FIDY

Today I introduce to you one of the most unique beers currently sold. It's made by Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado. What make it so unique? How about the fact that it's an Imperial Stout in a can. And not one of those widget cans that you'll find in the likes of Boddington's Pub Ale, just a plain old soda-style can.

From the get-go you can tell it's made with love. On the bottom next to the canning date, it reads: "canned with care" and "lite as night". Above the name of the beer reads "Cross-eyed. Cyclopean. Cancupiscent."

But enough about the packaging, here's the lowdown:
Style: Imperial Stout
Price paid: $15.29+CRV for 4-pack of 12oz cans
ABV: 9.5%
Canned: 11-16-09
BA URL: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2681/34483

Appearance: Pours thickly like engine oil. Dark and syrupy.

Smell: Sweet coffee smells. Full-bodied. You realize as soon as you've popped the tab that this is serious business.

Taste: Mocha and chocolate tastes, smooth in but with the sweet tanginess of a high ABV beer. Very rich.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and thick. Low carbonation

Drinkability: Delicious but a little too potent for an everyday beer, especially when drunk without food. Would go great with some pub grub.

Bappr Index: 9/10

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