Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

Are you ready to rumble? This ale sure is! Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s "Hoptimum" is a monster beer made with only whole cone hops-- some of which are experimental, and as yet, unnamed.

 Definitely a Heavyweight contender with a 10.4% ABV 

Ready to smack you in the mouth with an uppercut of 100 IBUs

It is released in limited quantities and is just hitting the market.

Review:
Are you a Hophead? If you said no, or you don't know what that is, than this is not the beer for you. Just move on. Seriously. Go find something else to do.

For the rest of you, well, you will probably like this beer. The aroma is of grapefruit/citrus peels with a slight earthy nose. The earthiness probably is a result of the chinook hops used in the Torpedo and the citrus is certainly from the Citra and Simcoe, but there is another wild card hop in there for dry hopping. The golden orange color has a slight rustiness, but remains  crystal clear and truly beautiful. The head is minimal (not uncommon for a beer of this strength) but long lasting and leaves a nice lace. Taste wise, it is certainly dominated by the hop character. It is citrusy at all levels but I can still taste the Chinook (think SN celebration) which I really enjoy. There is certainly a warming feel as you sip the beer, but for something of this strength, it is very smooth... (and dare I use the "b" word? aaaahh!)...balanced. No, not balanced to where the malt flavors equal the hop flavors-- just balanced enough to say "That's a nice beer!" instead of, "that's a pretty astringent hop tea!"


(Side Note: For the home brewers out there-- check out the malt bill. That is how it is done! American 2-row Pale malts for the base alcohol, Scottish Golden Promise for alcohol and a slight sweetness, Munich for the malty character--balancing the citrus hops-- and wheat to add a touch of mouthfeel/smoothness and adding to the head retention and lacing.)

Overall Impression:
If you read this far, you are a hophead...
You will like this beer.

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods.)

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Mahalo to my Ohana for the new gear!

 Love you guys!

New addition to rating system!

Aloha readers!
In an effort to bring extra excitement and entertainment value to the millions of followers of this blog, the grades received by each beer, location, or event will include a pictographic representation of my feelings. 

This will be my little helper. Different versions of him will represent my feelings on the beer. The image will be alongside the letter grade that the beer receives.

Aloha nui!

Malama ka pi'a!

MacTarnahan's Hum Bug'r Ale

MacTarnahan's HumBug'r Ale is a beer with a "dark malt body and rich roasted flavor [that] will unravel your ribbons and leave you wanting more."

 A light 5.3% ABV and 27 IBU's

Review:
This is MacTarnahan's winter offering and, well, as their website says, this beer dark and malty with a rich roasted flavor. Right from the beginning you get hit with the roasty aroma that dominates all other notes. However, due to the slightly low carbonation level this aroma is not in any way overpowering. The slight malty sweet smell somehow sneaks by and makes itself apparent. The mouthfeel is creamy and roasty. If the beer is swished in the mouth, it leaves a long lasting creamy/chalky coating. There is a slightly tart note, not unlike the Anchor's Porter. Also, there seems to be some sort of cardamom flavor... no other spicy notes are present.

(Side note: Mac's website says that there are oats in the beer. That must be what gave the beer the nice creamy mouthfeel.)

Overall Impression: Well, this beer is good, but not exciting. Roasty, creamy, and a little bit like soda. I don't know. Just not really awesome. Not enough going on for a winter beer, in my opinion.

Grade: C

(This beer purchased at Tamura's.)

Maui Brewing Co. - Bikini Blonde Lager

Maui Brewing Co.'s Bikini Blonde Lager might actually be "what the Sailors really come to shore for..."

 4.5% ABV  and a very light 18 IBU's

Review:
This beautiful golden potion is powerfully aromatic, with the delightful smells of Pilsner and Pale Malt leading the charge through the straits of your nostrils, and into your beer-centered mind. The taste starts sweet, then has a touch of earth, then the hops come out and play. Finally you are left with a delightful sweet/hoppy/husky flavor that reminds you of every ingredient that went into this beer. I have to say that if you have never chewed fresh pale malts, just take a sip of this and you will know what "fresh" really tastes like. The healthy hop level seems a bit higher than the 18 IBUs claimed, but it does not overwhelm-- it just makes this beer lively. It has a clean taste that incorporates the lingering spicy hop on the edge of your tongue and a chalky fullness that sits in the middle. This may be the most complex lager of normal strength made domestically.

(Side Note: This beer is classified as a Munich Helles Lager. This style was invented as the German brewers' slightly more malty answer to the Czech Pilsner. Also, "Helles" means bright.)

Overall Impression: This beer is quickly becoming my favorite lager. You can pick it up at Tamuras for the best price I've seen anywhere.
If you are in the islands and you want a nice beer to take to the beach, this is your beer. Just remember to bring plastic cups to keep the 5-0 away. --And don't give me crap about plastic cups --this beer comes in a can. To me it is always acceptable to drink canned beer from a plastic cup.

Grade: A-

(Can purchased at Tamura's)

Asahi "Kuronama" Black

Asahi Breweries' "Kuronama Black," or just "Black" is a beer shrouded in mystique and mystery. According to the bottle it is "Asahi's original brew, rich and smooth taste."

 5.0% ABV

Review:
This is a very sought after beer in the American beer market. Beer nerds go from store to store looking for it and when it is located, they generally don't balk at the high price it demands. It consistently scores well on sites like Beer Advocate and Rate Beer and even Michael Jackson spoke fondly of it. BUT... what is it? This may seem like a silly question, but the label on the bottle says that it is "Kuronama Ale," and "IMPORTED, 11.2 FL. OZ. ALE" Most beer related sites label it as a European Dark Lager, or just a Lager. This is not simply a question of semantics, however. Ales and lagers have pretty different characteristics and are brewed very differently. (There are some German style beers brewed with ale yeast but bottled with lager yeast, but this beer did not have the sediment that I would have expected from this type of conditioning.) Is it possible that since 1995 the Japanese brewery has been putting out labels with a typo right in the middle of the design? I'd say it's possible, but unlikely.
My tasting finds that it has a yeasty nose and a slight yeasty/bready flavor characteristic closer to an ale. The roasty notes are similar to black patent or a de-bittered black roast. (common to European Dark Lagers). The color is black with beautiful highlights-- but  that tells nothing about the brewing process. I found the mouthfeel to be closer to a soda (lager characteristic).  When served cold, the flavor was roasty and a bit nutty. As the beer warmed, it transformed into something like a chocolaty, fruity, Dr. Pepper (the fruitiness could be a ale yeast characteristic or some darkly roasted crystal/caramel malts).

Overall Impression: I still can't tell you for sure how, exactly, this beer should be labeled... As a whole, I would say it is much closer to a Schwarzbier, but still, something in the back of my mind says, "no." Hmmm... could this beer be a darker Japanese version of a Steam Beer (California Common)? In the end, I guess it doesn't really matter how it is categorized. The question is, "Is it good?" The answer is Yes!

(Side note: If you don't want to spend 15 bucks on a six pack, see if you can find it in a store that will sell you singles. This is a very session-able beer, and I would feel silly spending that much money on something that didn't even last a night.)

Grade: B+

This beer was purchased at Whole Foods

Rogue Brewing Co. - John John Ale

Rogue Brewing Co.'s "John John Juniper Ale" is a Pale Ale that was brewed with juniper berries and then aged in gin-soaked spruce barrels.

13 degrees Plato = Approx 5% ABV  and 34 IBU's

Review:
Poured into a pint glass the color looks like a golden orange juice. The small amount of head does its cameo and departs quickly. The aroma is definitely dominated by the aroma of Juniper but there is also an interesting 'sour' / 'wet oak' note in there. The flavor is certainly sour with a ciric acid taste similar to to unsweetened Emergen-C or kumquats without the sweet peel. As I sip the beer and the pint warms, the resinous flavor of the spruce barrels gets stronger and stronger. By the end of the glass I was sure that I had been drinking Retsina wine.

(Side Note: If you are a fan of wood aged beers, you should try this. Not only is it the only beer I've seen that was aged in spruce, but if you Google spruce barrels you'll come up with nothing. These barrels must have been made specially for, or by, Rogue.
If you are also a fan of sour beers, you HAVE TO TRY THIS! )

Overall Impression: As I smelled and tasted my first sips of this beer I was delighted. This was a totally new and complex beer I was imbibing. After 3 sips I was going to give it an A. Unfortunately, with a bit of warmth this beer became one dimensional and lost the characteristics that I initially loved. I think that this beer should be in 12 oz bottles or shared between 4 friends in small glasses.

Grade: B.   (B+ if you love sours or Retsina wine)

This beer was purchased at Tamura's

Big Aloha Brewery, at Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch, & Crab

Alright, for those of you in the know, this isn't a newsflash: there are only two places on Oahu that actually brew on premise. Currently, there is only Big Aloha Brewing, and Gordon Biersch. Is it just me, or is that just plain sad?

There are many reasons to visit your local brewery. Sustainability: there is little or no packaging wasted on your beer and it wasn't shipped from a place thousands of miles away on massively polluting, gas guzzling boats. Also, if the beer is on cask-- a relatively unknown concept on the island-- there is a lower carbon footprint.  Taste: the beer is optimally fresh and your hops are hoppy, your grains are grainy-- again because there is no long sea voyage under unknown storage conditions. Economy: you are helping employ residents of our state in areas from shipping, to construction, to hospitality, to tourism (beer tourism is BIG), to the actual brewing.

But what about the Big Aloha's Beer?

Well, it seems that they have about five house brews on tap at any given time. Now and then the brewer, David Campbell may sneak in a seasonal beer of his design. At the time that I visited, there were only the five normal beers on tap. The James Cook IPA, which is an English style IPA, (Cook was an Englishman) was nicely balanced and just hoppy enough to keep me entertained. The Ehu Ale was a real surprise for me. Malty and complex, this is a beer that I wouldn't have chosen based upon the description, but it exceeded all expectations. I would go so far as to say that this may be the best beer in the house!


(Side note: Their Friday Luau plate is GREAT!)

Highlights: Ehu Ale, James Cook IPA

Missing: American IPA, or for this holiday season, a winter warmer.

Selection: 7/10 (Only judging how many styles they cover. I think they need 1-2 more on tap.)
Location: 7/10 (free valet, but you should tip)
Price: 7.5/10
Friendliness: 8/10
Beer Knowledge: 10/10 (based on the quality of the beer, Campbell is no dummy)
Over all grade: B

Rogue Brewing Co.- Morimoto Soba Ale

Rogue's Morimoto Soba Ale is "a perfect accompaniment to lighter cuisine" due to its "delicate flavor" and "nutty finish..." or so their website says.

 12 degrees Plato = 4.8% ABV (estimate) and a delicate 30 IBU's

Review:
The slightly hazy golden colored ale invites my curiosity as I decant the bottle. What is that I smell--slight citrus--but delicate. The first sip comes across the tongue and tastes of kumquat peels. The after taste is reminiscent of an unsweetened Tang drink, or maybe Emergen-C. This beer is so light on the pallet that it almost feels lagered. It is very refreshing. Definitely a beer that is sessionable. As I warm the beer, I get a slight but pleasant lemongrass finish. This beer would go really well with a seared Hebi or Mahi burger from Grass Skirt Grill. However, I do not taste anything that reminds me of soba or buckwheat.

(Side Note: Rogue offers three other Morimoto signature ales: The Imperial Pilsner, the Black Obi, and a Hazelnut Ale that isn't listed on their website)

Overall Impression: I have to admit that it is a very well crafted ale. I don't get even the slightest hint of the "nutty finish" mentioned on their website, but I think that nuttiness would be a little out of place.  However, I object to paying $7 for this bottle, on the basis that what I am paying for is the experience of a SOBA ale. This is a nice, light, refreshing, citrusy ale, but then, I can get those attributes in many 6-pack beers and for a much lower price.

Grade: B

(bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection, Ward Warehouse)

Mehana Brewing Co. - Humpback Blue

Mehana Brewing Co.'s Humpback Blue is a Kolsch style ale that is supposedly brewed with a Belgian style yeast.

 5.0% ABV(or 4.4%...it's unclear) and available year-round

Review:
OK, I really don't mind people bucking the system of beer categories. Brewing a Kolsch with a Belgian beer is gutsy. A Kolsch beer is known to have clean and light characteristics. Belgian Beers are known for their yeast characteristics. Put them together you should get a beer that is light and Belgian dominated. So lets go!
This beer pours with a level of effervescence that is rather extreme, with bubbles that are associated with forced carbonation. It is a straw/light golden color.  The head is long lasting and rocky / billowy. The aroma is undoubtedly Belgian, with a hint of bubblegum. The carbonation bites the tongue in the front and sides. The beer has such a light body that it is almost nonexistent. It feels like a lager... Flavor-wise this beer has a light sweet-and-sour aspect that disappears after you swallow. The Belgian "twang" lingers for a long time. This is a light, refreshing ale. If Belgium made Bud Light it would be "Belgian Bud Light." This might be the first BBL.

(Side Note: Mehana Brewing Co. is owned by Hawaii Nui Brewing.)

Overall Impression:
-This is a light, belgian style ale. Forget about the Kolsch style. That's completely overridden by the Belgian yeast.
-Mehana's gotta tune their carbonation down. 
-It is too light and tangy to be highly graded, but it's not half bad either. If you like Belgian beers, you gotta try this!

Grade: B

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods Kahala Mall)

Samuel Adams, Lattitude 48 IPA

Samuel Adams' "Lattitude 48 IPA" is a unique IPA brewed with a select blend of hops from top German, English, and American growing regions all located close to the 48th latitude within the "hop belt" of the Northern Hemisphere."

 6.0% ABV and IBU's...unknown

Review:
Well, as per their usual, Sam Adams has made yet another beer designed to be "balanced." To be fair to them, balanced beers do go down smooth (see "drinkability") and do not take away from the foods you might be eating at the same time. The problem I have is with beers that are too balanced. These beers pair with food specifically because they have no strong flavors! As such, trying to remember the flavor profile after finishing the beer is next to impossible. All you remember is that you were holding a beer and that now it is gone. But I digress.
Referring to my tasting notes I remember that this bottle opened without the inspiring "psst" sound. Not surprisingly, there was a very low carbonation level. This low carbonation level may have contributed to how I tasted the hop character. In any case, the taste started fairly sweet, with caramel, cherry, and honey notes, but finished with a mild, earthy-sour hop character that I wrote, "sits languidly on the tongue." There were some "citrusy", and "gritty" hop aspects also, but not overwhelmingly so.

(Side Note: The original  Samuel Adams brewery was not the profitable giant (largest American-owned brewery) of today. Another interesting note is that the "Boston Lager" produced today is actually based on a recipe developed in St. Louis, Missouri.)

Overall Impression:
An interesting beer that defies the normal BJCP guidelines. Hoppy for an English IPA, drab for an American IPA, this beer falls smack in the middle.  Because of this, there is no fair way to judge the beer's flavor except by personal preference. Although it was a very professionally brewed beer, without any major flaws, I thought the honey malt and caramel malt levels to be too high for my taste. In other words, too sweet for an IPA.

Grade: B-

(bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection)

Rogue Mogul Madness

Rogue's Mogul Madness is labeled as a "Winter Ale" by the company, but I would call it a Cascadian Dark Ale. It has 15 ingredients and is, to say the least, complex.

 16 degrees Plato = 6.8% ABV(estimate) and 68 IBU's

Review:
The weather outside may be frightful (currently 75 degrees F here in O'ahu) but this beer is so delightful. Even on this snowless isle, "winter warmers" have got to be the highlight of the brewing year.
Similar to Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, this beer is dominated by hop character. As soon as the crown is pried, the delightfully citrusy aroma of the Northwestern hops hit your nose. The off-white head floats atop a burgundy tinted liquor. Hops dominate the flavor from the beginning to the bitter end. The website states that the hop character will linger for at least 15 seconds, and sure enough it does! Some notes of nutty/coffee flavors appear as the beer warms.

(Side Note: Rogue offers two beers specifically for winter: Santa's Private Reserve, and Mogul Madness)

Overall Impression: There are certain styles that I object to paying $6-7/bottle for (e.g. lawnmower ales). This beer is different. Call it a Winter Ale, Winter Warmer, Cascadian Dark Ale, Black IPA, or whatever you wish....in the end, this is just a tasty, hoppy beer. This is a beer that, come next winter, I will remember to purchase.

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall)

Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall

My fellow O'ahuans-- I have found one of the seven wonders of the island: a grocery store with a great beer selection. That's right-- this place has things in stock other than the standard wall of Bud in 6, 12, 18, 20, and 24 packs. Not only that, but they have prices that are competitive with, and sometimes better than, those other supermarket chains!

(Side note: Their Poke was highly rated in Metromix)

Highlights: Good selection of Rogue beers, Maui Brewing Co.,Mehana, Hawaii Nui,  Mikkeller, BrewDog, Sierra Nevada, Mad River Brewing Co, Anchor, Nogne O beers (including the varieties brewed with sake yeast) Sam Adams Infinium, Ballast Point Victory at Sea and Sculpin IPA.

Missing: Stuff not distributed to Hawaii. That's about it.

Selection: 9/10 (always leave room for improvement--like getting Pliny, for example.)
Location: 7/10
Price: 9/10
Friendliness: 9/10
Beer Knowledge: Troy, their beer purchaser-- 10/10
Over all grade: A

Kona Brewing Co. - Big Wave Golden Ale

Kona Brewing Co.'s Big Wave Golden Ale is "a light golden ale with a subtle fruitiness and delicate hop aroma," with "lightly roasted honey malt [that] contributes to the golden hue of this beer and also gives a slight sweetness." 

It weighs in at... what, no info on the label or website?! Sounds like a Anheuser Busch product to me...

Review:
This will be a quick one. No aroma, little head... Taste is lightly sweet at first but finishes with an lightly earthy hop taste. HOWEVER, this beer is dominated by diacetyl. The hops attempt to cover up this brewing flaw, but they fail, and fail badly. This beer has little taste except for one that is a flaw, and has no redeeming qualities.

(Side Note: I know that a Golden Ale isn't supposed to have much flavor. According to most sources, it is the same category as a Blonde Ale. Still, if you want to make a light beer, you've gotta nail down your processes and not have any flaws. This beer is flawed.)

Overall Impression:There is another Hawaiian beer review site online called "Two Beer Queers." They have a 3 point scale: Mean, Shi-go, and Fuckin' Shitty.
This is Fuckin' shitty.

Grade: D-

This beer was purchased at: I don't remember. Who cares!

I wish I could forget the taste of this beer.

I only rated this beer because it is a Hawaii brand.

Deschutes Brewing Co. - The Abyss

 

Deschutes Brewing Co.. THE ABYSS

Ummm... This beer is famous. If you don't know about it, you probably don't like dark beers. When it is released, the brewery throws a party. When I see it, I buy it.

This will kick your ass with an 11% ABV, and  65 IBU's

Review:
I enlarged the photo so that you could look at the color of that head. It's kinda dark! I'd call it a toffee color. The aroma is composed of roasted malts and caramelized sugar. The flavor starts as toffee/caramel/chocolate, but as it warms you start tasting some chocolate covered cherries. Then, as you sip, enjoy, think, sip, smell, stare, sip, slouch, sip, slouch further, sip again, all the while warming your beer, you start to taste some nice vanilla notes. If, as a child, you liked to mix up your neapolitan ice cream, you will love this. If you like dark beers, you will love this. If you like complex beers, you will love this.

(Side Note: the bottle informs you that this beer is best after 11/15/11. That's right... next year! I can confirm that aging these for a year or two increases the complexity. By two, keep one for next year!)

Overall Impression:
Great dark beer. I endorse this quote from the bottle:
"It's dark. It's deep. It's mysterious. This imperial stout has immeasurable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich complex profile. The flavor of this special brew draws you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the Journey."

Grade: A

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods, Kahala Mall)

Mikkeller, Simcoe Single Hop IPA

Mikkeller's "Simcoe Single Hop IPA" is, "the first in a new series of single hop IPA's from Mikkeller." 

This beer rumbles up at 6.9%ABV and (a solid #!) IBU's.

Review:
This is not the first "simcoe single hop IPA" I've tasted. I believe that Bison Brewing Co. made one a year or two ago.  A home brewer I know also made a delicious example. Based on these two previous experiences, I was very excited to try this new beer.
The head was light, but acceptable and the aroma was very nice. In my experience, the Simcoe hop can lend a couple of characteristics to a beer depending on how it is used. The aroma can be "Piney or Woodsey" but can also smell like passion fruit. This beer definitely had more woodsey/citrusy notes in the nose. The flavor is a bit bready, but the balance leans toward bitterness with a stout amount of hopping. If  Mikkel or Kristian are visiting Hawaii and reading this blog, guys, tune down the caracrystal malts!

Overall Impression: A nice example of an American IPA. It is fun to taste the full expression of a hop and see what it has to offer. (If cloudiness bothers you, well, see the photo above.) However, I still think that it is a nice beer to sit, sip, and think about.

Grade:B+

(Bottle purchased at The Liquor Collection)

Maui Brewing Co., Big Swell IPA

 

Maui Brewing Co.'s "Big Swell IPA"  is a "Handcrafted India Pale Ale brewed with four different kinds of Northwestern hops and malted barley... dry-hopped to perfection." 

This baby sports a 6.2%ABV and 65 IBU's.

Review:
The can cracks open... immediately I smell quite a bouquet of citrusy hops.  Niiiiiccce! This is very obviously an American IPA. Holding the glass up to the light, it is a pale golden color. The picture above makes it look darker than it is in reality. The first flavors you taste after the first sip are sweet and malty, but these are paired with a nice grain texture that makes it obvious to you that this was made from an unrefined ingredient, and not some B.S. corn sugar adjunct. The body is nice, at a level that reminds you you're drinking something thicker than water, but not too thick. The flavor progression goes from sweet to sour to earthy/husky, to hoppy... then the hops just linger.

(Side note: Similar to Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, the hops in this beer include "Chinook" hops, which are noted for their rustic taste and sharp bittering quality. I love this hop, but it isn't for everyone.)

Overall Impression:
This is a great example of an American IPA. The care taken to ensure balance, texture, body, flavor, and aroma is obvious. This beer is so tasty, and has so many enjoyable "beery" flavors, that unless you simply don't like IPA's, you have to say this is pretty good.  When a company goes the extra mile and puts this much hops into  dry hopping just to get the proper aroma, you know that they aren't being stingy with their beer.

Grade:  A

This beer purchased at The Liquor Collection

Safeway, Manoa

Manoa's Safeway is an interesting spot for beer. They divide their beverage isle into three sections. Closest to the door is the wine cooler / fruity crap section. Then you have the beers that are microbrews, craft brews, and beers with color. In the section farthest from the door, you have a wall of blue (Bud Light), Red (Bud), and Silver(Coors light). 

As they are a supermarket, I can't blame them for having a beer selection that is 2/3 useless... that's just the name of the game. I can however blame them for watering down their craft brew section with things like "shock top" (owned by AB), and "blue moon" (owned by Coors).

Highlights: Mehana Pale Ale, and  Maui Brewing Co., both at good prices! 

Lowlights: Third section. (see above)

Missing: Specialty beers other than local brews. 

Selection: 6/10
Location: 6/10
Price: 8/10
Friendliness: 7/10
Beer Knowledge: 5/10

Grade: C+