Mad River Brewing Co. -- Jamaica Brand Red Ale

Mad River Brewing Co's Jamaica Brand Red Ale is a, "mahogany hued ale [that] brings an intense spectrum of hop flavors from the spicy aromatic to lingering bitter, all underscored by a full-bodied caramel richness.

6.5% ABV

Review:
This ale is yet another nicely crafted beer from the guys at Mad River Brewing Co.. The aroma is bready, roasty, and a little yeasty, but has a grassy hop nose for balance. The deep amber/mahogany liquor is beautiful and is topped by a light cream colored head.  Dominant tastes are sweet and roasty malts with pungent earthy hops. As the hops linger, the bitterness seems to grow and become more complex--spicy and peppery notes are revealed.
The mouthfeel is robust and bready. It feels like a meal in a bottle.

(Side note: their tasting room looks pretty fun.)

Overall:
This brewing company won Best Small Brewer at the GABF in 2010. They make great beers, and this is yet another of them. I know it doesn't make any sense to say this, but just like how their orange colored, Jamaica Sunset IPA tastes orangey, I swear that this tastes "red" somehow.
Anyway, it is good!

Grade: B+

Barrel Man says,
"red rover, red rover,
send dis beer right over--
brah."

(Bottle Purchased at: Liquor Collection.)

Kona Brewing Co. -- Pipeline Porter

 

 Kona Brewing Co.'s Pipeline Porter is made with Cornwell Estate Kona Coffee from the Big Island of Hawaii.

5.3% ABV and 23 IBU's

Review:
In this porter, the aroma boasts notes o coffee, roasted barley, sweet malts, and a bit of cream. The very slight hop note is earthy. Appearance wise, the ale is a dark brown but allows some lighter brown highlights to shine through the sides. The head is slight and the retention is minimal. Unlike many coffee beers, this porter finds a nice balance between the tastes of chocolate and coffee. There is no astringency from the coffee but there is a pleasing tinge from the dark roasted malts. The body of the beer is fairly light for the category, but the hop bite somehow adds to the mouthfeel and lends a perception of body. In the end, it finishes dark and roasty with a dark chocolate note that lingers. 

(Side Note: these are the guys that grow the coffee used in this beer. Personally, I like Ka'o coffee better than Kona.)

Overall Impression:
Lots of taste in this beer. Nothing is too overwhelming, and it may be on the sweeter end of the porter spectrum, but that seems appropriate for a coffee porter.
Is this the best beer bottled by Kona? I'd say: Yes!

Grade: A-



Barrel Man says,
"dark and drinkable."

(bottle purchased at Liquor Collection.)

Mehana Brewing Co. -- Mauna Kea Pale Ale

Mehana Brewing Co.'s Mauna Kea Pale Ale is brewed on the Big Island of Hawaii in the wonderful town of Hilo.

Review:
This beer pours gold and lifts a 3/4 inch head. Lacing remains on the top 1/3 of the glass while drinking. The aroma is comprised of crystal malts and a touch of citrus hops along with a slight hint of fresh cut hedges. The taste is a back-and-forth battle between sweet and bitter. Sweet leads the battle early but the bitter punches out a late victory in the match. The hops taste slightly earthy and remind me of a lot of organic hops I've tasted.

(Side Note: If you go to the brewery you can have a couple small samples for free, or can try them all for a few bucks. This investment is well worth it because the beer tastes twice as fresh as the bottle.)

Overall Impression:
This is a good, solid pale ale.
I've had some issues with this brewery in the past... twice. 
However, it looks like they've finally got their groove back and are making good beer.

Grade: A-

(bottle purchased at Whole Foods.)

Deschues Brewing Co. -- Green Lakes Organic Ale

Deschutes Brewing Co's, Green Lakes Organic Ale is an easy drinking ale perfect for having with a meal. 

5.2% ABV and 45 IBU's

Overview:
Green Lakes pours a redish copper color and has a very thin, 1/8" thick head. Even at refrigerator temperature this beer has aromas of crystal malts, citrus hops, and a slightly earthy note. This beer has medium carbonation. Hop flavors include lemony, spicy, and a slightly sharp hops. The malt profile is like a very light flavored brown ale.

(Side Note: This beer is made with 80% Salmon Safe hops. (In Hawaii terms, it's like saying that this is 80 percent certain not to harm the Ahi.)

USDA organic, certified by Oregon Tilth... Probably the cheapest organic beer in Hawaii.

Review:

This beer is quite tasty. Simply labeling this as an "ale" is a pretty good move because it doesn't really have any flavor components that would fit it in a more specific category. Overall, this is a "beery" beer with a west coast swing.

GRADE: B

 

Barrel Man Says,

"If no can, no can..

if can, buy organic."

Mad River Brewing Co. -- Steelhead Scotch Style Porter

Mad River Brewing Co.'s Steelhead Scotch Style Porter is, "[a] traditionally styled Porter...focused on complex malt characteristics balanced with a mild hop profile. The addition of Scottish peated malt gives added complexity and mild smoky flavor in the finish.

6.5% ABV and brewed in Northern California.

Review:
Steelhead Scotch Style Porter pours a deep, dark, brown...almost black, and has a thin 1/8" head. There are slight ruby highlights. Aroma is dominated by dark roasted malts, grassy hop character, and some sweet crystal malts. The taste is very interesting... both sweet and sour, with chalky chocolate notes battling an interesting tartness. The hop character is hidden behind... what is that... OH! Smoke! Peated smoke! That explains the slight tang. The body is medium to full, but not thick.

(Side Note: Mad River recommends this beer with game meats, sausage, marinades & slow cooking.)

Overall Impression:
To say that this beer is complex would be a slight understatement. I mean, who has the guts to make a "scotch style porter"... only one brewery that I know of... this one! I'd give them an A for guts, but while this beer is impressive, it just lacks a little excitement. Still a great beer. One that would be wonderful paired with sausage on a fall afternoon on the mainland--or with smoked ahi on a rainy day here in Hawaii.

Grade: B/B+






Barrel man says,
"mmm! smokey!"

(bottle purchased Liquor Collection.)

Kapittel Watou Pater Ale

 Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.'s Het Kapittel Watou Pater Ale is, "a “single,” meaning a beer that was made for the guests of the abbey and for everyday consumption. 

6.0% ABV and should be served at 48 degrees F.

Review:
Appearance:
Pours dark amber. Little head... even attempting to aerate. What little head there is is khaki colored. Carbonation steady and consistent despite small head. Light shines through the color of sexy red plum fruit. Beautiful small bubbles-- probably bottle conditioned.  Clear (carefully decanted) bottom 1/4 inch left in bottle. Head almost seems to grow as beer warms. slight lacing on sipping side.

Aroma:
In order of occurrence: Cherries, sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, slight bread crust, Toast with cherry preserves? Now plums. Later: Belgian dark candy sugar. Lastly: port!

Taste:
Full dark-crystal malt assault. Dark stone fruit all around... but without being too sweet. Slight roast/toast character balances fruit. Tastes a lot like what it smells like-- toast with plum/cherry preserves... with the emphasis on the preserves. More fruity as it warms....very slight tartness

Mouthfeel:
Full bodied, but not creamy/foamy.
Finish:
Sweet: sweet/tart: dry-- progression at the ratio of 6:2:10 seconds respectively.

Overall Impression:
James Brown was singing in the spirit of this this beer when he said:
"Sometimes I feels so nice, good god...I jump back, I wanna kiss myself. I got soul, and I'm super bad."  This beer is super bad and one of the better Belgian beers I've had in a long time.

Grade: A

Barrel Man Say,

"Solid, brah."

(bottle purchased at Liquor Collection)

The Wine Stop, Moiliili.

THE WINE STOP

A Beer and Beverage Boutique

The Wine Stop, on S. King Street is a location that I had been planning to check out for a long time. Although it is called The Wine Stop, the subtitle says "A Beer and Beverage Boutique." Yes, even a small mention of beer is enough to draw me in...
I suppose that the size of the beer selection was about what I expected, the beers that they had were quality  and some I hadn't seen anywhere else in Hawaii. But, what really pleased me was that all of the beer that they have is kept in a cooler. In a climate like Hawaii, beers of low alcohol strength can age very quickly if kept in a hot room. These folks take care of their beer!

(Side note: There is parking in front of the door... that's not a lawn, it is a permeable parking lot.)

Highlights: Batch One Barley Wine, Spanish beer, Ballast Point, Rogue, Deschutes, Belgian beers, Sierra Nevada, Eel River Brewing.

Missing: They don't have a lot of room, so it's hard to blame them for not carrying more, but I'd have to say that this is not a place for "every-day" beers-- this is a location for "event" beers.

Selection: 6/10 (small, but good!)
Location: 5/10
Price: 9/10
Friendliness: 10/10
Beer Knowledge: What they have is quality. This reflects knowledge. 9/10

Over all grade:B+


Location: 1809 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96826