Ross E. Lockhart's Blog, page 60
October 1, 2011
My tweets
Adult Beverage: Smashed Pumpkin Ale
I read a Stephen King story this afternoon, which put me in mind of Maine. Which is funny, since I've never been to Maine, and really only know it via fiction. Namely, Stephen King's fiction.
But here's the thing: when Jenn and I stopped by Petaluma Market tonight on our way to pick up a pizza, I grabbed a Shipyard Brewing Company Pugsley's Signature Series Smashed Pumpkin Ale with Natural Flavors, figuring I'd see how it stacked up against last weekend's Kick (and loving the label). I noted that Smashed Pumpkin was from Portland, but didn't notice which Portland until I got home. You guessed it, that Portland. So, is it fuel for a Happy Halloween, or something that's Stephen King scary?
Smashed Pumpkin pours bright, glowing golden-orange, pumpkin orange, with about a finger of fast-dissipating head. Sweet pumpkin pie on the nose, nutmeg and cloves, with rich yeast underneath. Pumpkin custard on the tongue, taste following smell, adding allspice and cinnamon and spicy hops. Creamy, with light carbonation. Very easy-drinking, even at 9% alcohol. No tricks here, Smashed Pumpkin is a treat.
September 29, 2011
My tweets
September 28, 2011
My tweets
September 27, 2011
My tweets
September 26, 2011
My tweets
Adult Beverage: Kick (Lips of Faith Series)
It's finally Fall, or so we discovered on our walk downtown this morning. Steelgray skies, the scent of rain in the air, leaves scattered on the ground. Halloween's around the corner. And, of course, Petaluma's autumnal bookends: the Antique Faire and the Petaluma Progressive Festival, were this weekend. We browsed the nicknacks, wandered through Copperfield's, picked up coffee, then pie for lunch, and finally meandered home, passing sonorous speechifications emanating from Walnut Park, to read and watch a disappointing baseball game. Now we're settling in, watching Fringe, and I'm sampling a New Belgium Kick, a "ruby-Hued, slightly-sour, pumpkin, cranberry ale." This may be my favorite label of the year, with its grim, grinning pumpkinheads. But is Kick "a treat that does the trick"? Or is it a bag of flaming dog poo on the doorstep? Only one way to find out...
Kick pours a bright jack-o-lantern orange, with a half-finger head that doesn't bother to stick around. Cranberry on the nose, with a light, toasted malt aspect. Where's the pumpkin? Admittedly, part of "where's the pumpkin?" is "where's the nutmeg?", so there might be pumpkin lurking beneath the overwhelming cranberry, it's just hard to discern. Sour against the tip of the tongue, cranberry cider, white wine, and pumpkin bread; fruit, spice, and yeast. Moderate carbonation, complementing the sour. Lightweight. Bitter finish with lasting back-of-throat burn. No notable lacing. As much fun as kicking a lit jack-o-lantern down the street? Absolutely!
September 25, 2011
My tweets
Adult Beverage: Hopyard Dog IPA
I've said it before. Put a dog on the label, and you've got my attention. Pale Horse Brewing Co., from Salem OR, have done just that with their Hopyard Dog IPA, putting a handsome bulldog front and center. I picked this one up at Petaluma Market yesterday evening after a conversation with Jeffrey the Beer Guy about Oregon's ubiquitous microbreweries ("And I though we had a lot of breweries down here," confessed Jeffrey, having just visited Portland). And Maddie and I met a similar-looking bulldog while we were out for our walk this morning, which I took as a sign. So, how is it?
Hopyard Dog pours a bright, coppery orange with a thick, sandy-colored head with excellent retention and sticky clumps of lacing on the glass. Grassy hops on the nose with bready malt and grapefruit undertones. Bitter, earthy hops on the tongue, with hints of caramel and malt sugar. Fizzy carbonation. Crisp, refreshing mouthfeel. Bitter finish. Nicely balanced and very drinkable, but not much to distinguish Hopyard Dog from other West Coast IPAs. But if you like bitter, Hopyard IPA is a very good dog.
Speaking of good dogs, here's Charlie, helping himself to a few ripe raspberries in the back yard. Charlie loves raspberries.
And here's Miss Maddie, striking a pose for her own beer label. Hmmmm... I'm thinking a sweet pumpkin ale would be appropriate.
