Guinness Foreign Extra

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Guinness Brewing Co.'s Foreign Extra Stout is "the fullest in flavor of the Guinness brand variants" and has only been available in the US since 2010.

Strong for a Guinness -- 7.5% ABV.

Review:

A picture is worth a thousand words. So, look at the picture! That is a very dark beer with a very tan head. And you can trust me, that head never goes away. 'Nuff said about the appearance. The Aroma has wonderful vanilla, roast, and semi-sweet chocolate notes. The taste is creamy and roasty but not heavy. I would classify this as a medium bodied beer. Mouthfeel, and aftertaste are smooth and smoother respectively.

(Side Note: This beer was available in the US from 1817 until prohibition. It has been 45% of Guinness' beer sales around the world, but has only just returned to the US. Welcome back! Check out this link for more info.)

Overall Impression: Smooth! Tasty! Best Guinness ever! Where has this beer been for the last 78 years or so?

Grade: A

(This beer was purchased at the Liquor Collection)

Mehana Brewing Co. - Hawaii Lager

Mehana Brewing Co.'s Hawaii Lager is an lager brewed in the wonderful town of Hilo.

 It is 4.8% ABV and is available year-round.

Review:
First of all, what is going on with the bottling line at Hawaii Nui? This was a cold beer from the fridge that hadn't been shaken. That's a LOT OF FOAM! You guys over in Hilo need to get that thing dialed in! But let's move on...
According to Ratebeer, "This Hawaiian-style European lager is most often described as being very smooth with lots of body and some bitterness. It is an all-malt brew with the tropical taste in mind. This lager has a deep copper color with a malty aroma and subtle fruitiness creating a caramel maltiness on the palate with a sweet malt aftertaste."
You'll notice that there is no mention of aroma in this description. Indeed, because of the low aroma level, I was unable to really describe it. The flavor seemed to be slightly sweet but that sweetness was countered very well by the grassy lemony hop. Unfortunately, neither aspect was very exciting and the body was-- in direct contradiction with the above description-- very, very light.It was so light that it had an almost metallic finish reminiscent of certain light American lagers.

(Side Note: This beer may be in the style of the Vienna lager.)

Overall Impression:
-If you like Budweiser, or maybe Tecate, try this beer.
-Mehana's (still!) gotta tone down their carbonation levels. 

Grade:  C-

(This bottle was purchased at Kokua Market)

Asahi Select

Asahi Brewing Co.'s "Asahi Select" is a lagered beer sometimes classified as a "European Pale Lager" and sometimes labeled a "Premium Lager"

 4.7% ABV and available at *select* locations

Review:
Information about this beer is sketchy and reliable information is difficult to find. Ratebeer has this blurb: "COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION: An original premium lager skillfully crafted using our finest malt and pure yeast selected by our brewmaster." That doesn't offer much to the beer connoisseur. Asahi's webpage is equally as unhelpful. At least nobody can accuse me of biasing my tasting with too much previous knowledge!
After prying the crown, and pouring the beer into a pint glass, I found the aroma to have a sweet and malty nose with notes similar to the malt Special B. The appearance is slightly darker than I would have imagined (leaning toward copper), and when combined with the aroma, makes me feel that this is a beer brewed without rice. The head is pale white and dissipates quickly. The flavor of the beer immediately reminds me of Munich beers, especially those brewed for Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest beers are slightly rich and roasty in character. This beer has those qualities and none of the adjunct notes commonly associated with Japanese mainstream beers.

(Side Note: Although this beer is under the umbrella of Asahi, a Japanese company, it is brewed in Molson, Canada. )

(Note to Asahi: Your website would be better if your "products" page had more than just one product--Asahi Super Dry.)

Overall Impression:
Despite the lumps and insults that this beer takes on both Ratebeer and Beeradvocate, I have to say that I found it to be quite enjoyable. I would take this beer over a Spaten Oktoberfest any day! The sweet tangyness that slips into a dry finish is backed by a bready accents that make for an enjoyable experience.

Grade: B+

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods.)

Piraat Ale

Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.'s Piraat Ale is a "robustly bitter strong Belgian ale." 

 10.5% ABV

Review:
 Take a quick look at the picture above. That orange-copper color sure looks a lot like an American IPA in color and head. Belgian beers can get pigeonholed into either a dark Dubble or a light Blond. This beer is something else completely.
The head is on the light side, but has some endurance. The aroma is fairly winey and smells like a Chardonnay with a touch of nutty maltiness. Flavor-wise, it is similar to the aroma and tastes like a sweet white wine or apple cider that has a nutty, chewy aftertaste. That nutty aftertaste dominates the mouthfeel after the first couple of sips. It is hard to explain, but it coats the mouth in a way that is similar to peanut butter. As a matter of fact, deep down in the complex subtle flavors, I get a hint of almond butter.

Overall Impression: I think that if you threw the book at this beer, and forced it to pick a category to compete within, it probably would fail to meet the given guidelines. Partly because I can't find consensus on what category this beer falls into, I'm just going to grade it by gut feeling.
It's good and it is unique... in a very good way. I've never had a beer that tasted quite like this, and I've tried a lot of beers. I like it and I give it points for uniqueness and smoothness relative to it's strength.

Grade: A-

 (This beer purchased at Times Market, Kaimuki)