Harp Lager

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Harp Lager
Guinness Brewing Company
St. James Gate, Dublin, Ireland
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Est.1759
www.guinness.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden, darker yellow color.
More hop than malt in balance.
Long, long, long lasting ring lacing.
Medium bodied. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Guinness and Harp. Black and Tan. Half & half. This is 50% of that potent twin combo. On its own, Harp stands up with any other beer out there. Interestingly the product is now brewed on the other side of the pond in Canada; not Ireland. They are still true to the recipe.

So strike up the band, pop the top and relax with one of finest imbibements known to mankind. Take it from one who knows, me, the reaper...this is the stuff angels drink! Surely it's "the craic!"

Carlsberg Beer

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Carlsberg Beer
Carlsberg Brewery
Copenhagen, Denmark
Est.1847 (first brewed 1904)
www.carlsberg.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear, straw yellow color.
Aromatic hop notes.
Long lasting spiderweb lacing.
Light bodied.
Curiously sweet aftertaste. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Not much on the label. No year of origin, no alcohol content. There's a standard "Government Warning" about the risks associated with drinking beer. Very unremarkable...

But don't judge this book by its cover! It is a very good beer with an unusual sweetness in the finish of each sip. I can't quite put my finger on that up-note at the end, but I like it. It's light enough not to weigh you down.

So who needs a lot of info on the bottle? After all, we're here to drink beer not to read it! However, if you do want to read all about this beer, I strongly suggest you go to their website. That's where they do all the explaining, as it's self titled, "Probably the Best Website in the World!"

Pilsner Urquell

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Pilsner Urquell
Plensky Prazdroj
Plzen, Czech Republic
Est.1842
www.pilsner-urquell.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear, transparent yellow color.
Smartly hopped.
Medium lasting head with good lacing.
Light in body and texture.
Wonderfully smooth finish. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The best beer pun yet.....if their brew master was Steve Urkel, he'd surely say after one delicious sip, "Did I brew thaaaat?" This is the way a beer should taste; crisp, clean and refreshing. You'll want another and there will be room for it. The bottle labeling is all over the place, (just like Steve). It sports a gold foil neckband and the front has a faux wax seal. There's even a transparently clear label stating it's, "The Original Pilsner". Well one thing's for sure, Pilsner Urquell and Steve Urkel are both "originals". You'll be doing the Urkel dance after a 6 pack of these fine beers.

Grolsch - Amber Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Grolsch - Amber Ale
Royal Grolsch N.V.
Enschede , Netherlands
Est.1615
www.grolsch.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Reddish amber color.
Aroma of malted wheat and malted barley.
Medium lasting head with good lacing.
Medium bodied flavor and mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another amber ale to sample. Seems everyone has one these days. Grolsch makes theirs with malted wheat according to the side label. I have had their beer and enjoyed it, perhaps more for it's relative affordability than for taste.

Also interesting to note, I had been choosing Grolsch beer over domestic brands of lager due to the afore mentioned negligible price difference. I thought, "Why not have a beer that is imported for only $1 more per 12 pack?" Then, here's the twist; they have a partnership with AB (Bud)! Isn't that interesting? I thought so. Why would you assist an import on the shelves for only a buck more than your flagship domestic, (or is Bud now considered an import with the acquisition by InBev?) I'm soooo confused.....

So back to the amber ale...it is average compared to other amber ales on the market, but refreshing none the less. Good ale at a decent price.

Samuel Adams - Octoberfest

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Samuel Adams - Octoberfest
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Ruddy amber, almost orange hue.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malts & hops.
Adequate, long lasting head with good lacing.
Medium bodied. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Mmmmm, I thought as I passed the grocer's shelves looking for something different! There it was...the beer that had finally won me over with their "Brewmaster's Collection" that you've seen in my previous posts. I am a fan of 'Marzen' style Oktoberfest beers, so off to the lab to experiment.

At first blush the looks of the color and head were good indications there was another winner in the Sam Adams bunch. Upon tasting, however, I was less than thrilled. Oh, don't get me wrong. It's a fine lager worthy of purchase, but it's either my level of expectation of a Marzen style beer (oh, my favorite) and a bit of how the other Sam beers & ales had recently won me over. I give it a solid "B"...Jim, keep up the good work.

Shock Top - Belgian White

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Shock Top
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
St. Louis, Missouri USA
Est. 1852
www.anheuser-busch.com

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Light golden to amber color.
Faint citrus aroma.
Foamy head (when poured by directions on reverse label).
Light bodied and refreshing. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A wit-beer, or wheat beer is brewed with about 50% wheat (in the Belgian fashion) instead of the traditional barley malt. The beer will produce a cloudy pour that you think will go away, but never does. That's the released protein enzymes that embodies a wheat beer, more than those found in barley. Also, this style of wheat does not roast or 'malt' the wheat. Enough science!

The fact is, it's also brewed using lemon, lime and orange peel to give it a zesty taste. A great beer for the summer time and a sure hit with the ladies. Oh, it also has coriander inside! Very unusual beer considering AB just sold out to the Belch, er...I mean Belgians. This beer and other wheat beers are cracking into the, "...what else can we do with fruit and beer" theme. Corona used to have it all locked up with the lime slice, but these wheat beers are now adding lemon or orange slices to a pour of theirs...but not in the neck of the bottle, no! In the glass, itself. Hanging on the pint glass, deliciously stuffed into that rich, soap-like & foamy head.

Enjoy the cool half-moon orange slice dude with his "wheaty" mohawk and Ray-Ban's! Then enjoy the beer.

Coronita Extra

Soldadito Muerte 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Coronita Extra
Cerveceria Modelo, S.A. de C.V. Mexico
Est.1925
www.corona.com
www.thecoronabeach.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.6 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 7.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale, clear and light yellow color.***
Negligible head and zero lacing of the glass.***
Light watery flavor.*** 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Are you in the mood for less than a full sized 12 ounce Corona Extra? "...Okay. Say hello to my little friend! "
***Here's a repeat of the post dated Friday, May 23, 2008.
http://alesfromthecrypt.blogspot.com/2008/05/corona-extra.html
Does this look familiar to you? Look closer. That's right, it's a cute little 7 oz. bottle of Corona. Even though it is smaller in stature, they still had room to squeeze in two more letters on the labeling! C O R O N I T A !

Restating the obvious, the review made me stop and wonder why I like this beer so much in spite of its weak standings against other beers. It bears repeating, void of it's bottle and lime slice it's like a fish out of water, it misses the essence of the what it truly is. This wee beer has the same amount of tasty refreshment as his bigger brother. But drink it in the bottle and not in a glass. Just be sure to buy yourself some miniature limes!