Ross E. Lockhart's Blog, page 78
May 14, 2011
Adult Beverage: PranQster Belgian Style Golden Ale
PranQster pours clear gold with a slim finger head that quickly bubbles down to a white skim and tiny spouting horns of lacing. Yeasty and sweet on the nose, coriander naan. Sweet and fruity up front, toasted sugar and sugared toast. Creamy, but tart with roiling carbonation and and a bright, bitter crest. Playful... with a kick.
No joke here, just damn good beer.
May 12, 2011
My tweets
May 11, 2011
May 10, 2011
My tweets
May 9, 2011
My tweets
Adult Beverage: Hopstar IPA
From Reno, Nevada comes Knee Deep Beer Company's Hopstar IPA. Reno's not exactly Beer Mecca, is it?
Hopstar pours a lovely translucent copper, with a creamy, white head that quickly bubbles away to a thin surface skim of foam. Lightweight lacing falls fluidly down the glass. Sweet malt on the nose, with grapefruit and pine resin hops. A little musty, like a dog just in from the rain. Taste is sweet up front: toasted grains and piney hops agitated by carbonation. Lacks the aggressive hoppiness and character of a typical California IPA. Lightweight and refreshing, with a lasting crisp, bitter finish. Better than expected, but Hopstar isn't quite the rockstar I'd hoped.
May 8, 2011
Adult Beverage: Pursuit of Hoppiness Imperial Red Ale
All the way from Victor, Idaho comes Grand Teton Brewing Company's Pursuit of Hoppiness Imperial Red Ale. I'll admit it; this wasn't my first choice tonight. He'Brew's Lenny Bruce tribute RIPA caught my eye first. But when I picked up the four pack, the bottom fell out, sending bottles falling to the Whole Foods floor. What a comedian! Fortunately, nothing broke, but I was a little gun shy after my near beer-tastrophy, so I opted for the gold foil and hop-covered label of Pursuit of Hoppiness instead.
Pursuit of Hoppiness pours deep red-brown with a finger-width creamy tan head with nice retention. Stalactites on the glass. Pine and orange on the nose; great hop profile. Sweet malt and hops on the tongue; caramel, citrus, and cereal. No real bitterness. Medium bodied and very drinkable. Clean finish. An excellently balanced red ale. Recommended.
May 7, 2011
My tweets
Adult Beverage: Speakeasy Double Daddy Imperial IPA
It's been a while since I've had a Speakeasy, maybe a few years. Their Big Daddy IPA and Prohibition Pale Ale were a staple of Night Shade house parties circa 2007-2008. And you've gotta admire the tenacity of a San Francisco independent. Plus, shifty eyes on the bottleneck. So, how is Double Daddy?
Double Daddy pours golden amber with a thick, creamy, archipelago-patterning head. Sweet malt, tarry hops, and grapefruit on the nose. Bitter, funky first taste: rocket fuel and burnt sugar, grassy hops and whiskey. Mellows with subsequent sips, allowing the sweet malt and citrus hop character to emerge. Medium carbonation activates a lasting bitter finish with plenty of bite. Feels like a big beer, a gangster imperial.
