ChiTown Beer

Overall: 8.5

So, I’m in Knoxville. I want a beer from Knoxville. I google “knoxville breweries“. I was disappointed to learn that the New Knoxville Brewery had closed.

I found a company called Smokey Mountain Brewery, a conglomeration of restaurants that brew their own beer in house based on the same recipies, which I was told were created by Marty Helles. I was told this by our bartender, and she also explained that Marty was a Nashville-native. I’m still counting his beer as a “Knoxville” beer, because I had no other options and I was in Knoxville when I drank it. Anyway, let’s get reviewin’:

Read more »

Overall: 6.5

So, wandering through a Knoxville grocery store, I came across Sweetwater Blue.This brew hails from Hot-lanta, Georgia, and is one of the more interesting combinations I’ve seen, beer and blueberries. The attempt is far better than the execution. The nose is definitely blueberries, and you can detect a hint of that in the finish of what is otherwise a disappointing light ale. Still, this may be a good brew for the summer, especially for fans of Leinenkugel’s many flavor-enhanced beers.

I bought this in Knoxville in an attempt to connect with the south a bit. It isn’t a bad concept, but needs some refining. I don’t like my beer with “natural flavors” added after the fact, but if I have to, this is how I’d want it done.

I never got a chance to pour it, so I don’t know much about the head, color, etc., but hopefully you can forgive me a truncated review.

Tonight, I sat down with Erin Monahan and enjoyed a good couple of ciders. We sampled each, and below is her take on how the drinking went:

Amber Draft or Crisp Apple? HMMMMMM?

Erin Monahan’s Battle to the DEATH: Hornsby’s Hard Cider

I like beer… but I find I can only drink one as I feel full and sleepy a few sips into the second, and where’s the fun in that? I have enjoyed Hard Cider on more than a few occasions. This evening at the Knoxville, Tenn. Kroger, Tom and I discovered in the “Cold Beverages” section of the grocery store an option to pick your own bottles  of beer, cider, etc. for an $8.99 mixed six-pack of your choice. I chose George Hornsby’s Hard Cider in two varieties, the Crisp Apple and Amber Draft. I tried the Crisp Apple first, assuming that it would be dry and tart as a green apple cider and better to have before the sweeter red amber. Woodchuck Granny Smith has twice the sugar content – and is twice as sweet – as Woodchuck Amber… and all Ciders are created equal, right?  WRONG.

The Hornsby’s Crisp Apple is crisp, light and refreshing, and tart and sweet. It is exactly the kind of drink I like to have on hot days in the sun with friends for a cookout or other function where the more drinks you have the better you fit in. The Amber Draft was dry and very much like a beer in taste- compared to other ciders I have had in the past. After a second try I felt secure that the Amber Draft is closer to a beer than a cider, and while tasty and pleasant- not a drink for me. When I crave a beer, I have a beer.

I give the Crisp Apple two thumbs up. Tragically, it has 21 grams of sugar to the Amber Draft’s 9… over twice as much.  And the definite opposite of the Green vs. Amber sugar content for Woodchuck Cider. Enjoy it, but stay in touch with reality. While it is certainly less sugary than the evil Mike’s Hard Lemonade, too many Hornsby’s Crisp Apples and a sugar hangover will follow you into the morning.

The Verdict:

Baume’ is Half Acre Beer’s first brew in their new digs at 4257 N Lincoln Ave. They moved in last October, but were finally set up to produce beer earlier this year. According to Half Acre’s blog, they tapped the Baume chocolate rye stout on April 22. We’ll, let’s do it:

Smell (1.6): This has a good chocolate smell to it, though compared to the Goose Island stout I sampled last week, it’s a bit lighter on the nose. There’s not much complexity behind the chocolate and roasted smell, but sometimes simplicity is also enjoyable.

Color(1.8): Another good black stout. The head is a also thin, but can leave rings.

Drinks (3.8): This stout feels light when drinking and thinly coats the mouth. Their is a rough flavor of roasted grains that tastes somewhat like Guinness. Still, this beer is more drinkable and would pair well with heavier foods.

Incidentals (1): I like the bottle design, and as the first beer from a new brewery, you feel like your sipping history.

Notes on rating: I use a 10 point system. 5 points for drink, 2 for smell and color, and 1 for “incidentals” which include  cost, packaging and my general mood after drinking it.

The Verdict: 9.0

Dogfish Head caught my attention in the Beer Wars movie. I’d not tried many of their beers in the past, and thought it was about time to aquaint myself. I chose their Raison D’Être, which the bottle describes as being brewed with “Belgian beet sugars, green raisins & a sense of purpose.”

Smell (1.7): This is a fruitier smelling beer with a rich bouquet of  aromas. Their are strong grape notes and a caramel quality to it as well. There is another quality to it which I can only describe as “rusty” but in a good way…

Color (1.8): This ale has an attractive reddish hue when held up to light, but otherwise remains a dull brown. The head dissipates almost instantly.

Drink (4.5): The taste is a little enigmatic. It sits lightly on the tongue, but feels heavy as you drink. What you are left with is a sweet initial taste in which the raisins and sugars are really present, followed by a stronger, fuller ale flavor. The aftertaste can be a bit tinny, and continued sips tend to bring this to prominence. But at 8% ABV, you probably won’t notice by the end of the bottle.

Incidentals (1): The labeling and price of this beer are agreeable. You get what you expect. I enjoyed this beer with a mexicana pizza from Ian’s Pizza, and the lighter mexican seasonings went well with the heavier beer.

Notes on rating: I use a 10 point system. 5 points for drink, 2 for smell and color, and 1 for “incidentals” which include  cost, packaging and my general mood after drinking it.