Nimbus - Dirty Guera Blonde Ale

Dead Monkey

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

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.

Blue Moon - Vintage Blonde Ale 2011

Dead Soldier

Lisa Zimmer - 12th & Blake

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Vintage Blonde Ale 2011
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Coors Brewing Company
13th and Ford Street
Golden, CO USA
Est.1995
www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com


Brain Damage Quotient =8.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Slightly cloudy, unfiltered golden/orange amber color.
Grapes, yeast and coriander aroma.
Wheat and dry spice taste, tastes similar to a chardonnay.
One finger, white fluffy head that leaves decent lacing.
Light body with full flavor.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #3
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session.

Widmer Brothers - Citra Blonde Summer

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

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!

Cisco Brewers - Bailey's Blonde Ale

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Bailey's Blonde Ale
Cisco Brewers 
5 Bartlett Farm Road
Nantucket, MA USA
Est. 1992
www.ciscobrewers.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy orange/yellow in color.
Smells fruity/hoppy, with some biscuit malt and yeast notes.
Off-white two fingered head, covers to wisp.
Fair amount of lacing down the side of the glass.
Hoppy taste with bitter finish and a firm malt body.
Medium carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel and enjoyable to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
An American take on a Blonde ale, Cisco Brewer's Bailey's Blonde is named after their very own blond Labrador. You can see the silhouette on the bottle label. Speaking of the label, on it I noticed a rather nice $10 word, "piquant". Its definition, courtesy of Dictionary.com is...

pi·quant/ˈpēkənt/Adjective

1. Having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.

2. Pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.

This seems to be quite the adjective in describing the proper characteristics of virtually any Blonde/Blond, (however you might want to spell it.) And for an American version, I'd say that Cisco has pretty much "nailed the coffin shut" on this one. According to Cisco's website, Bailey's Blonde is a past gold medal winner at the World Beer Championships.

I should have picked up a second bottle...it can be had in 12 oz., 22 oz. and very selectively on tap, most likely in the general distribution area of the brewery.

Here's a little tidbit for those of you wanting to learn more about Cisco Brewers.  They are in cahoots with two other ventures, namely Triple Eight Distillery and Nantucket Vineyard. They seem to be covering all the bases of the fermented and distilled. Cheers!

Ska - True Blonde Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
True Blonde Ale 
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazed pale yellow color.
Malt grain affronts your sense of smell up front with little hops present.
Quickly foaming two finger slight white head fizzes out in about ten seconds.
No lacing present.
Dray malted grain taste. Crisp and a bit of fruit noticed. Mild hops.
Active amount of carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
So far, the Ska bunch have made me a fan. The Steel Toe Stout, the Pin Stripe Red and the Buster Nut Brown were all fab. This one was a bit of a clinker for me. Not really a fan of blondes, (the ale types that is), and it didn't really register with my taste buds. I suppose it is okay for the style, but I was underwhelmed.

What does make this beer fun is that Ska includes more of the comic book style branding on the bottle, a-la the Buster Nut Brown label. Here we find a rather 'amply endowed' blond. A young lass, roaring off on her scooter to who-knows-where, (the Ska brewery, perhaps?) Her pony-tail is flying in the breeze and she's giving you the prom queen wave and a smile, all decked out in her checkered flag mini-skirt and snug fitting sweater.

The good news for me is Ska has other offerings, and happily I am headed back west soon. I will be scouring the bottle shops in search for more of their skull banging nectars.

New Planet Tread Lightly Ale

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Tread Lightly Ale
New Planet Brewery
3980 Broadway
Ste. 103 – PMB 116
Boulder, CO USA
Est. 2008
www.newplanetbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Light amber color.
Smell of malt and citrus, slight orange peel.
Off white head, about one finger high, covers to wisp.
Minimal lacing down the side of the glass.
Gluten free.
Light bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #3 

I have never tried brussels sprouts.While you might think those taste bad, they really have gotten a bad rap. After all, have you ever tried them?  Are you going on the opinion of someone else, or perhaps you just heard about them as the butt end of a joke?

I have never tried a gluten free beer before, and though I'm not making comparisons to the aforementioned veggie, I had to see what the fuss is about......

There isn't anything to fuss about. This is a reasonable beer created for those who have intolerance to gluten in their diet. It is very much a beer. It is not a big beer (flavor, ABV, extra additions of hops or malts), but it is a great beer for our friends that cannot consume conventional gluten beer.  The name "Tread Lightly" suggests it will be easier on their digestive systems.

The aromas were fine, the taste was fine and it was pretty easy to drink. For those with Celiac disease, beers such as these can be a blessing. Cheers to New Planet for helping others to enjoy craft beer.

New Belgium Hoptober Golden Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Hoptober Golden Ale
New Belgium Brewing
500 Linden Street
Fort Collins, CO USA
Est. 1991
www.newbelgium.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale yellow and clear color.
Fruity, bright hoppy nose with grainy malt tones.
Fluffy bright white head.  Two finger high and draped lacing.
Tart, fruity taste of apple/pear with hops and malt.
Moderate carbonation.
Light, refreshing clean taste. Mild hops bounce at the end.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
It's been quite some time since my last New Belgium beer. Too long.  This bottle depicts several silhouettes engaged in various activities from hula-hoops to unicycles to dancing.  They are gathered around what appears to be a bonfire.  'Hoptober' hints at "Oktoberfest" in the name, but it's nothing like an Oktoberfest brew. And perhaps that's just what they set out to accomplish.  Rather than embrace the coming of cooler weather with the seasonal fall change by offering a traditional maltier Marzen style, it would seem that the folks at New Belgium are holding on to the dog days of summer with a light, almost saison style beer.

The bottle states it uses five kinds of hops and four malts. Again, Oktoberfest beers are typically just a nudge on the maltier side.  All those hops only bring in a modest 40 IBU's and really round out this fruity flavorful beer.  I also noticed on this 12 ounce bottle, a neck ring bulge in the glass, reminiscent of Westvleteren bottles. Truly, in the end analysis, it is not an Oktoberfest but an American Blonde Ale.

I like the juxtaposition. If that's their aim, then they hit the bulls-eye.  Nice job.  Grab one before Indian summer runs out.

Red Brick Blonde

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Red Brick Blonde Ale
Atlanta Brewing Company
2323 Defoor Hills Rd. NW
Atlanta, Georgia USA
Est. 1993
www.atlantabrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light and hazy straw color.
Light malty smell with some hops and apple notes.
Small, white two finger high head.
Slight strings of lacing on glass.
Medium grain and malt taste up front with a bit of yeast at end.
Light mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
"Beer From Around Here" is printed on the label.  By around here, they mean the southeastern, no, make that The South.  Capital T - Capital S - period.  It's brewed in Atlanta and the label declares their proud southern heritage by listing "grits", "hound dogs" and "Mama" in the same sentence.  So basically, if you 'aint from Georgia, or a state that touches one of their borders, you can pretty much forget about having access to this brew.

As far as the beer is concerned, it was refreshing and light bodied.  Perfect for hot days when you want something extra special.  By 'extra special', I mean, something that doesn't come in an eighteen or twenty-four pack.  This beer 'aint going to be chillin' in the Coleman in back of the pickup, unless 'yall got a special date.

Very enjoyable to drink. Be proud of your beer.  Be proud of your heritage. They are, and they make no 'bones' about it!

Magic Hat - Odd Notion Summer '10

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Magic Hat - Odd Notion Summer '10
Magic Hat Brewing Company
5 Bartlett Bay Road
Burlington, VT USA
Est. 1994
www.magichat.net

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clouded golden color.
One and a half finger off-white foaming head that leaves slight lacing.
Sweet fruity esters and ginger smell.
Fruit and spice taste.
Active amount of carbonation.
A light bodied smooth beer.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
When is a gingerale not a gingerale? When it's a Ginger Ale; that is an ale made with ginger!

Light and refreshing with that sumptin' special ginger added to the batch.  A very light and refreshing ale that will cure your summertime blues. Magic Hat brews the Odd Notion series each season.  So I guess that's four times a year you will see a different 'odd' style headed your way.

I found nothing odd at all with this Summer '10 release.  The ginger was refreshingly good and quite snappy in flavor.  There is a note on the bottle that says you can rate it at oddnotion.magichat.net and as soon as this review is over, I will be reaching for another while casting my ballot.

Vote for yourself.

Hook & Ladder No.2 - Golden Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Hook & Ladder No.2 - Golden Ale
Hook and Ladder Brewing Company
8113 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD USA

Est. 2000
www.hookandladderbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Deep golden color, slightly translucent.
Grain smell with minimal hops present; some citrus.

Off white, head that dissipates quickly leaving scant cover.

Very little lacing noticed.
Higher than average amount of carbonation.
Light bodied; watery.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Somebody call a cop, 'cause I've just been robbed by a fireman!  This brew was a bit thin, even watery, (no pun intended.)  The neck label mentions that for every barrel Hook and Ladder sells, they will make a donation to a local burn foundation.  That is very noble of them.

I will not let the paucity of one bad experience color my thoughts.  So just to be sure, in the future I will try some of their other brews to make sure I didn't get 'burned' by this one bottle of beer.

Good cop, bad doughnut....Good fireman, so-so beer.