Oxfordshire - Pride of Oxford English Ale

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Pride of Oxford English Ale
Oxfordshire Ales
Unit 12
Pear Tree Industrial Estate
Marsh Gibbon, Bicester
Oxfordshire England
Est. 1995
www.oxfordshireales.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 4.2% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9


Postmortem Brew Review
Slightly cloudy gold/orange color.
Mostly smells of malts with some hop aromas.
Near-white, two finger head. Fair amount of streaked lacing and head retention.
Malt and hops are balanced and not overpowering. Slight watery finish.
Active amount of carbonation.
Light and crisp bodied. Easily approachable and flavorful session ale.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A new find in the area, Oxfordshire Ales did impress. It was not the most outstanding beer ever reaped by yours truly, but it reminded me how 'small beers', (those low in ABV), can have depth of flavor. This one held my interest from start to finish. Nothing about it was over-the-top. Simply stated, it was a fine everyday ale that is approachable by even those that prefer yellow lagers. Luckily for me there is another in the bottom of the chiller.

See what you've been missing, whether you're a seasoned beer drinker or if you are in search of something bolder than your current brand of macro.

Nimbus - Dirty Guera Blonde Ale

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Dirty Guera Blonde Ale

Nimbus Brewing Company LLC

3850 E. 44th

Tucson, AZ USA

Est. 1996

www.nimbusbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, bright golden/yellow color.

Pleasant floral hops nose with subdued fruity esters and hint of honey.

Two finger firm crisp white head that leaves great spiderweb lacing.
Tastes lightly fruity without being overly sweet. Very balanced malts and hops. Touch of honey.

Just the right amount of carbonation zip.

Full flavor, light bodied. Tasty yeast report at end.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The website says 3.5% ABV but the bottle label claims 4%. Which one is correct? Doesn't matter. This beer is very flavorful and lively. It won't weigh you down but neither will is leave you short on taste. How do those clever monkeys do it? The key may be in their slogan, "It's a natural selection." Strictly speaking, Darwin probably missed a few of these fellows.

This is my first of a handful of different Nimbus beers, from the mortuary fridge. Wish this one was sold around these parts. It would be a regular thirst quencher for our hot and humid days. A truly fine and balanced blonde.

Hey, who's that monkey in the mirror? Check out the label.

Samuel Adams - Rustic Saison

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Samuel Adams Rustic Saison

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.35 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, light yellow color.

Spice, and yeast funk with some citrusy aromas.

Two finger, creamy white head. Tight bubbles leaves some nice lacing.

Taste is not as intense as in the aroma. It is sweet and not as funky as most saisons.
Lightly carbonation and softly nucleated.

Light and tart and dry mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Rustic Saison showed up in a 12 pack mixer of Sam Adams. This one was hiding out in the back of the crypt's fridge, next to the butter and eggs. Must have felt right at home.

As far as Saison or Farmhouse Ales go, this is not a home run, but it is easily a hit. I found the dryness was a little too astringent but not overly puckery. The head dissapates into a yeasty skim and as it warms in my tulip glass.  There do not seem to be any pronounces esters common in Belgian Saisons. The citrus, yeast and floral components are all there, but without a lot of depth or complexity. A good effort, and all the same, I still enjoyed drinking it on a hot and humid day.

Refreshingly light and easy to drink at 4.35% ABV, those are characteristics of a Farmhouse Ale.

Widmer Brothers - Citra Blonde Summer

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Citra Blonde Summer
Widmer Brothers
929 N. Russell
Portland, OR USA
Est. 1984
www.widmer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0


Postmortem Brew Review
Mostly clear yellow color.
Grassy and lemon zest notes along with a small amount of hops.
Two finger near-white head that sticks around.
Modest amounts of string and spotted lace on the glass.
Soft herbal and citrus mixed with hops. Finishes very cleanly.
Modest amount of carbonation.
Light refreshing and bright tasting body. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Move over American Pale Wheat Ales and other American Blondes, there's a new sheriff in town. By far this summer, this was my absolute go-to favorite refresher, hands down. I could end the post right here, but will choose to rattle off a few more 'likes' about this ale.

I think the most surprising thing was the great fresh Citra and Alchemy hops taste that mingled with the citrus. It's only 20 IBU's of strength but the mix is uniquely refreshing, and oh so tasty. Pale and Caramel malts rounded out the rest of the bill. Superbly flavorful beer.

This beer made my summer complete. Two bony thumbs up, Widmer Brothers!

Liefmans - Fruitesse

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Fruitesse

Brouwerij Liefmans

Aalststraat 200

9700 Oudenaarde, Belgium

Est. 1679

www.liefmans.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.2 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review

Purple and reddish mix of color; think cranberry.

Sweet summer fruit aromas.

One-half finger, pink-ish color head. Minimal spotted lacing. Zero head remains.

Fairly sweet without bing overly syrupy. Strawberry and cherry flavors permeate.
Moderate amount of carbonation.

Light bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

I have been on a  Belgian kick for a good part of the summer. Partly due to a few promotions by Belgian producers and their distributors, but mostly due to their refreshing qualities. A light, low alcohol Belgian can hit the spot in the dog days of summer.

Having said that, Liefmans Fruitesse is perhaps a stretch for my beer quaffing abilities. While it was not detestable, it was a little too much on the fruit for my liking. Although it is not exactly like other Lambics, it was fun to try and will change some folks minds about what beer can be. It contains very summer-like fruits; raspberry, cherry and strawberry. The color is that of a fruit punch and even the head is a stunning creamy light red. A fellow sitting next to me observed that it smelled like Kool-Aid®. Not the finished drink mind you, but the aroma of a freshly opened packet of the sugar flavored concoction. I nodded in agreement.

The taste was fruity sweet and natural, of course. It was not overly syrupy and while easy enough to drink, this one didn't do it for me. I backed it up by ordering an Imperial IPA. Like a bitch slap to the taste buds!

It's all about balance.

Breckenridge - Summer Bright Ale

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Summer Bright Ale

Breckenridge Brewery
471 Kalamath Street
Denver, CO USA
Est. 1989

www.breckbrew.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Straw yellow in color.
Some bitter hops, citrus zest notes and wheat.
Near white colored, one finger head. Dissipates rather quickly.
Not much lacing down the side of the glass.
Dry wheat, hops and lemon/ginger taste.
Carbonation is fairly pronounced.
Light bodied. Tart mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Summer Bright is a refreshing Pale Wheat Ale. They have the hops and citrus for tartness. There is a dryness to it, not unlike ginger ale. Even though there may not be ginger in the ale, it remains crisp, dry and refreshing. A super sipper on any hot day. It is one to light up your taste buds time after time with its tight, tart finish.

Wurzburger Hofbrau - Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss

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Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss

Wurzburger Hofbrau GmbH

Hochberger Strabe 28

Wurzburg, Germany

Est. 1643

www.wuerzburger-hofbraeu.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.9 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 16.9

Postmortem Brew Review

Hazy, golden orange color.

Citrus notes, spice and wheat aromas.

Two finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves spotted lacing.

Banana and faint vanilla tasting with a creamy smooth, enveloping finish.

Light, creamy smooth mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Wurzburger Hofbrau was founded way back in 1643 and is one of Germany's oldest brewers. This beer shows off their dedication to crafting wonderful beers, such as this Hefe. It is, as all good German beers are, brewed under the Bavarian purity law of 1516 (Reinheitsgebot). This means that Wurzburger Hofbrau has been creating beer for nearly 200 years prior to the law.

Wonderfully tasty and super easy to drink, give this one a try the next time you are ordering a Hefeweizen.

Samuel Adams - Light

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Samuel Adams Light

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, pleasant light amber color.

Malt, toasty grain and hops aromas in balance.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Malts and hops are balanced with a very slight hint of peach flavor in the taste.
Lightly carbonated.

Light and smooth tasting mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Light beer, when done right, can be a beautiful thing. This bottle, actually two of them, appeared in a mixed 12 pack of recently purchased Boston Beer products. I have a penchant for stronger ales and beers, so I was prepared for the worst when seeing the word 'light' floating in the ribbon below the Sam Adams label. After all, I take my motto seriously, "Helping to pass beer into the great beyond...one at a time." So this one would also be reviewed.

I braced myself and took a sniff or two. Nice gentle Bavarian Noble hops aroma, just like those found in their Boston Lager. Hmmm. Let's pour it. Rich amber color. Whoa! Was expecting clear yellow fizziness. Okay, barriers and preconceived notions are crumbling at this point like the Berlin Wall. I sipped, and sipped. Did someone say this was a light beer?

It took two years of figuring, researching, deconstruction and polish for Jim Koch & Company to come up with the formula that breaks the notion of what a light beer can be. The result? A great tasting light beer that, oh-and-by-the-way, won an award at a German beer competition with no light beer category!

Much as I hate to admit it, I now can say that there's a light beer I like.

Sweet Water - Blue

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Blue

Sweet Water Brewing Company

195 Ottley Drive

Atlanta, GA USA

Est. 1997

www.sweetwaterbrew.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.6 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear golden color.

Blueberries and hops are noticeable.

Near-white, one finger of head. Settles out quickly.

Some spotty lacing on glass.

Nicely sweet blueberries, just a bit of malt grian and nice tart hops finish.

Modestly carbonated. Very smooth and easy to drink.

Light bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Sweet Water's Blue is a 1998 World Beer festival Bronze Medal Winner in the Fruit beer category. It's very refreshing and I might add that it has a taste of natural blueberry that is not in-your-face like so many others in this style. I found that this wheat beer was one of few fruit styles that was enjoyable to drink. Of course it was consumed on a rather hot day here in he---, uh, hello, Florida! Yeah, that's what I meant to say. Yeah, Florida. Well, it only seems like hell.

But never the less, this is a brewery from Georgia that I have been watching for some time. Only having their bluebery/wheat and the brown ale thus far, I look forward to some of their other more interesting offerings. Gona have to fire up the hearse and take a trip north of the border for some more, soon.

Jolly Pumpkin - Bam Noire Dark Farmhouse Ale

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Bam Noire Dark Farmhouse Ale

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales LLC

Dexter, MI USA

Est. 2004

www.jollypumpkin.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.3 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review

Mostly brown in color with some plum tones.

Yeast and spice aromas with some tart vinegary notes.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Coffee and cocoa with some dark fruity plum notes.
Slightest hint of brettomyces funkiness to the taste.

Light to medium mouth feel. A bit thin, but smooth bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Here's a pick from my son. He found this on our excursion to a natural foods store. While neither of us raved about it, the ale did slowly grow on me. It is very low in alcohol at only 4.3% ABV, however, there was the most tantalizing aftertaste that kept me coming back for more.

Unusual. Curious. Would I buy it again? Possibly, but there are other Jolly Pumpkin Ales that I would like to explore first. Tip of the hat to Jolly Pumpkin for their informative and interesting website.

We'll be back for more.

Krombacher - Pils

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Krombacher Pils

Krombacher Brauerei

D-57215 Kreuztal

Allemagne, Germany

Est. 1803

www.krombacher .com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 11.2

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear golden color.

Small bit of grain smell with bright hops.

Firm white full bubbled head.

Moderate amount of carbonation.

Very good lacing on glass.

Slight tartness and grainy malts up front with bittering hops finish.

Light, refreshing mouth feel and body. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 

I have had this Pils both in the bottle and on tap. On tap, it is much more fresh and flavorful than its bottle counterpart. But that should come as no surprise. Bottle beer sometimes sits on shelves or is subject to mishandling in temperature or light conditions. That is not to say this was the case with this bottle. It was tasty, but the same day I also happened to find it on draft at my local watering hole and it seemed far more lively in the glass.

It is a nice pilsener, not truly remarkable, but a good working standard of the style. I found it a bit drier than most and a little grainy at times during the session.

Itaipava - Pilsen Beer

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Pilsen Beer

Cervejaria Petropolis
BR 040, KM51

Petropolis-RJ, Brazil
Est. 1994
www.grupopetropolis.com.br

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale, clear and light golden color.

Malts plus simple grassy smell with the slight hops detected.

Tight, white bubbly head that leaves spotty lacing.

Lightly carbonated.

Light bodied with clean flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

If memory serves me, this is the first Brazilian beer reviewed. While it is a simple American Adjunct Lager style, it was found to be crisp, tight, clean and refreshing. Maybe it was due to a hot evening, but it slaked my thirst without a fight. To be sure, it was consumed quickly as these styles need to be chill to be thoroughly enjoyed.

The bottle and label are very austere. Aside from the rolling hills of the mountain range region of Rio de Janeiro, there are no loud proclamations of superior craftsmanship or hard to attain quality ingredients. The label merely states what it is and from whence it came. Simple. Just like the beer should be; without flourish. Not a lot going on except cold, liquid refreshment in a bottle.

Stone Cold Fact: Weltenburger Kloster , a fine German brew, is also under the same umbrella in the Cervejaria Petropolis product catalog. Look it up on their website under their "Products" section.

Is it more remarkable than your standard macro in a bottle or can? Nah, but it does make for an interesting conversational beer.

Bitburger - Premium Pils

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Bitburger Premium Pils

Bitburger Braugruppe GmbH

D-54634 Bitburg, Germany

Est.1817

www.bitburger.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 169.0701 (5 Liters)

Postmortem Brew Review

Nice golden color.

Lemon zest, biscuit and slight fruit notes.

One finger, firm white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Slightly sweet and fruity with a nice dry taste.
Good amount of carbonation; nice nucleation.

Light and airy mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Bitburger has nearly 200 years of brewing expertise in crafting their beer according to the German Purity Law. Its dry-finished, hoppy taste has made Bitburger Premium Beer Germany’s no. 1 draught beer. And that is all you need to know about this beer, if you want to have one tremendous tasting pilsener brew.


Of course, with the above type container, you will need a few friends to polish this one off. Once you pop the stopper at the top, you will need to consume it quickly as freshness will tail off. No worries, I discovered they make tall-boy four packs of these. This is a totally fresh tasting German pilsener. Wunderbar! 

Left Hand - Good Juju

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Good Juju

Left Hand Brewing Company
1265 Boston Avenue
Longmont, CO USA
Est. 1994

www.lefthandbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear (filtered) and light amber in color.
Mostly a nose of ginger. It tends to mask other notes.
Off-white, half finger head that disappears quickly.

Thin string lacing down the side of the glass.
Crisp ginger taste.

Lightly carbonated.
Light bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I may have asked this before, but when is a Ginger Ale not a gingerale? When it's a Good Juju. This simply refreshing ginger flavored ale from Left Hand is just the thing for switching up your taste buds.

I found several things refreshing about this ale. First off, the taste. It is certainly different than anything out of the ordinary. But that is overstating the obvious. More importantly, Left Hand has recently begun changing up their branding and the labels are looking quite awesome. I would be remiss as The Reaper if I didn't point out that the crazy quilt of art on the label forms a skull. Me likey!

Equally refreshing is the addition to the neck label proclaiming, "Brewed on the banks of the mighty St. Vrain." Uh, a bit of an overstatement there (grin) as the St. Vrain "river" is technically listed as a creek. You've got to admire their pluck!

Tip of the hat to Left Hand for showing an off beat sense of humor along with an off beat brew. As always, there's plenty to enjoy from this brewer.

Abita - Strawberry Harvest Lager

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Strawberry Harvest Lager
Abita Brewing Company, LLC
Abita Springs, LA USA
Est. 1986
www.abita.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Brilliant golden color.
Wheat grains and bright hops along with berry and bready smells.
Two-finger bright white head that leaves nice amount of stringy lacing.
Delicious strawberry fresh sweetness that balances with the finishing hops.
Good amount of carbonation.
Light tartness.
Light mouth feel. Easy to drink at low ABV and brisk, refreshing taste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is some crazy good brew. I love the strawberry flavor. It tastes so very fresh, not like some additive, and I should mention that it isn't over-the-top either. Just a simple lager with pilsener and wheat malts. And oh those strawberries. Very refreshing. Try this as a great switch from your everyday lager or wheat.

It's quickly becoming my go-to beer, at the pool or after mowing the cemetery lawn. Muah haaaa haaa haaa!

Firestone Walker - California Pale 31

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California Pale 31
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
1400 Ramada Drive
Paso Robles, CA USA
Est. 1996
www.firestonebeer.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Very light golden color.
Floral hops, some pine. Bready malts and bit of sweetness on the nose.
Very white head, bubbly, fizzy about one finger high, covers quickly to wisp.
Minimal amount of lacing present.
Light citrus hops taste, light malts.
Light and crisp bodied. Light mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A lot has been written about this brewer, heaping praise upon some of their unique seasonal brews as well as their year-rounders. So a lot of anticipation was had in opening the bottle. I have to say that I was underwhelmed at this pale ale.

I have never had the chance to try any Firestone Walker ales, as I live on the east coast of the US. This bottle was purchased along with their Union Jack IPA (awaiting obduction by the Reaper). Pale Ale 31 was not so hoppy, nor did it carry any significant ABV - and that is the prerogative of the brewer in keeping with the style. After all, I am merely a home brewer and know little compared to their vast brewing expertise. In all, it was a good drinking beer, but not at the expectation level, at least for me, of a west coast pale ale.  Not too exciting, but I could see this being a great session ale.

I am used to the west coast producing much hoppier pale ales, so my preconceived notions may need a quick ctrl-alt-del. I do look forward to the Union Jack. I have hopes of a hoppy experience. 

Big Sky - Montana Trout Slayer Ale

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Montana Trout Slayer Ale
Big Sky Brewing Company
Missoula, MT USA
Est. 1995
www.bigskybrew.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden to amber and clear colored.
Light wheat grain notes in the aroma with a twinge of hops.
Two-finger white frothy head. Slowly dissipates leaving stretchy strings of lace.
Satisfying hops flavor and delicious light wheat taste.
Moderate amount of carbonation.
Light and refreshing mouth feel. Super easy to session.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Big Sky - in a can. So many brewers are getting down to canning. A thing of beauty when it comes to chilling, transporting and preserving great beer. And, by no means is this some kind of tuna fish in a can. It's Montana Trout Slayer, a lovely golden yellow Pale Wheat Ale that is simply delicious to session. Put it in your backpack, or cooler to the beach. Hey, you can take it down to the river and keep it with your creel in the chilly river water. Easy to chill down and cool off with, lightweight to carry. And at 4.7% ABV, it let's you focus on reeling in the big one.

"A Bigger Tale With Every Ale" is printed on the side of the can, indicating that your fish stories about the-one-that-got-away will increase with your beverage consumption. Everything you need to know about what's inside, and outside, is on the can. Yep, it's all there, neatly on the can. Including the warning from the "Sturgeon General". Well, I am taking some liberties with that schloky pun.

You don't like my puns? Cry me a river.

Walgreens - Big Flats 1901

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Big Flats 1901
Brewmaster's Choice (Walgreens)

Rochester, NY USA
Est. 2011
www.walgreens.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear pale yellow, nearly void of any color.
Grainy, grainy malt with barely noticeable hops aromas.
Two finger fluffy foaming head that leaves a cover. Dissipates fairly quickly.
Grain taste that leaves a cloying malt taste. Slight hops flavor present.
Extremely low amount of carbonation.  Bubbles can be counted. 
Ultra light bodied.

So clear, you can see through it.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
The things I do for blogging beer.  Okay, whatever! I could have guessed what this was going to be like before the tab was popped on the can.  The reaper loves the quick and the dead, but even this thing scares me! Walgreens is looking to pile on to the success in the beer explosion with an alternative (non)-working man's beer. It's supposed to fill the, I-can't-afford-beer-in-this-economy void. And at $2.99 a six pack, (a mere 50 cents a can), one might say that, capitalism is still alive and kicking in the U S of A.

There is a sickly sweetness to the grainy malt flavor. It leaves a haunting taste on the back of the tongue, (ever lick a piece of aluminum foil?) The body is so clear that you can actually read the receipt through my Spiegelau glass. Was going to make a snarky comment about having to rinse it out, but there's so little substance, it's not necessary!

Printed on the can, "Genuine Beer."  Really? "It's the water that makes it." Seriously? "Brewed from only the choicest hops." Hmmm...  Then there's the name.  Big Flats.  Huh!  There's so little carbonation.  I get the "flats" part, but there's nothing BIG about it. 

Anybody seen my Mr. Beer kit? ! ?  Never thought MGD 64 or Bud 55 would look so good - - -I'd say it's a great beer to drink when you're not drinking beer.

And now back to our regularly scheduled blog posts.

Crazy Cat Lady Beer - Cold Winter's Night

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Cold Winter's Night Spiced Cider

Crazy Cat Lady Beer Co.

Gainesville, FL USA

Est. 2010

http://crazycatladybeer.com
and
twitter.com/CatLadyBeer

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Beautiful orange/golden translucent color.
Sweet fruit smell with tart peppery twang on the nose.
Slight carbonation.
Swirling sweet apples accompanied by tart tracer zing of cranberry.
Clove and all-spice flavors present.
Short lived near white head with minimal lace.
Light mouth feel; syrupy with out cloying. Very refreshing. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
It's about friends, and beer. And then, it's about good friends and good beer. The FLAbrew crew came, saw and conquered a tweetup at The Cock & Bull in Sarasota recently. In the house were some of the best cellered micro beers and ales, opened between friends.

After a while, we all realized there was a bit too much to be drunk, even by us seasoned beer aficionados. What to do with all this good stuff? Well, this is where my good twitter friend Amie put a couple of her home brews in my direction. Remember, I said good friends and good beer...

Enter this beer come spiced cider, from her home-brew stash. I was in touch recently with Amie, asking if I could feature her beers on my blog. It was an introduction of sorts for me to begin entering some local pico brews. I want to show similarities between what macros and micros brewers do, and how you and I can do the same in the comfort of our own kitchens.

The spiced cider is billed as four percent-ish ABV, but as I write this post, my head is pleasantly buzzing in the comfort of the crypt's writing library.  The mulled flavors of the apple and cranberry are terrific. Though these are the two main ingredients at play in the taste, it seems that there's quite a bit more in the background.  Amie listed the rest of her billet of ingredients, "...oranges, cinnamon, clove, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger." Hmmm...just got the perfect inspiration for a metaphor...Rush is playing in the background at the moment. Three guys and all that sound! Well, the apples, cranberries and oranges are there with the rest of the wall of flavor. I think Amie is on the right track when she states,

"I wanted it to taste like the hot cider my mom made during the winter when I was a kid. :) And it does." - Amie

It does, indeed. And, as it warms in the snifter in my bony Reaper's paw, the flavors become more intense. Add to that the playful color of the brew. It really shines in my Spiegelau glassware. The best wassail you can imagine, because it's a beer.

Amie is adventerous in her beer making. The other brew she gave me is carbonating up, here at the crypt. It is a >17% ABV. You and I will have to wait for some other day for that post, as nature does its thing to bubble it up in the bottle.

Curl up by the fire with a "Cold Winter's Night" if you are lucky to get one from Amie!