Newcastle's Brown Ale

For my final purchase in Elk River, I went with a six-pack of Newcastle Brown Ale. I remember this beer was a favorite of my friend, Weston Karnes, during the college years. He lifted his bottle, said "This Newcastle stuff is good," and then he hit a beer pong cup. Talk about effective advertisement. So with a touch of nostalgia, I opened up a cold one and drank it down.

A hint of applesauce; that was the first smell that my nose could identify when I took some hefty, nasal wiffs. It was a rural sort of smell, reminding me of scenes from Cider House Rules or Robert Frost poems. An orchard enclosed in quiet winter slumber, the rotting vestiges of the previous seasons still strewn about like the ruins of some forgotten civilization.

The ale itself hits your mouth smooth, easing itself onto your tongue. The carbonation bite is there, as it is with most beers, but there is a definitive tang in this case. This tang begins the transition into the body flavor of the brew. It is a mix of sour and bitter that is noticeable, but not strong enough to approach the line of undesirable. It is sour, yes, but its a refined, tasty sour that makes the second swig even tastier. The flavor fades quickly, leaving vague evidence of sourness behind, but softly enough to be highly enjoyable.

I would recommend the Newcastle Brown to anyone who is looking for a unique new beer. It has some flavor twists that make it exciting, and it will keep you tossin' em back.

Pyramid's Haywire Hefeweizen

Still in Elk River, a fellow rider gifted me with a bottle of the Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen. The Pyramid brews all originate from a chain of West-Coast alehouses, each brewing delicious Pyramid Brewery beer. As a prominent macrobrew of the area, I will definitely be drinking more of their brews in the future. Still this is the present, so let us get to the drinking!

The bottle has a base grey-blue tint, and it has a orderly, precise looking title. The picture is a new-urban sort of city scene imposed within the outline of the great pyramids, and a blue guy is climbing them like mountains. I suspect this is supposed to evoke action, but as moving around and sweating is the last thing I want to do while tossing back a cold one, the picture doesn't exactly speak to me.



Once the bottle was open, I noticed a distinct, fruity-fermented smell that was quite sweet. The beer itself is not sweet at all, so anyone against sweet beers, don't let the smell of this brew turn you away from having a taste. You won't be turned off by the flavor.

Pouring the Haywire Hef out: it has that classic, murky, brownish-orange color that pleases the eye, and it lets you know you're drinking a wheat beer. As soon as I saw it, I thought "this is gonna' be a tasty brew."

Now before you drink, you need to make a decision: add a lemon, or no. The sweet-sour of the lemon will make the drink sweeter and a bit more dynamic in that respect. But I opted out and drank the beer without the fruit for the sake of exploring the pure taste of the brew.

The first contact with the beer is enjoyably tingly. After a few moments, the tingle fades into a tasty, bitter-smooth wheat body. It glides across your tastebuds. It is full, but not overpowering: a well-balanced and smartly crafted taste.

The malty-flavored finish ends the experience with a pleasant surprise. It is a refreshing, semi-sweetness that cleans the pallet a bit, and leaves you ready for the next swig. It adds some welcome taste variation in an otherwise very traditional tasting Hef.

The Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen is a solid choice for this variety of German-style beer. Its flavor and smoothness will be appreciated by anyone who likes a good Hef, but it might be a bit challenging to any who prefer more crisp, hops-based beers. If you are looking to start trying wheats, the Pyramid Hef, though excellent, might be too Hef, and thus scare you away from the genre. But don't forget to come back if you do because this beer is not one to miss.

Michelob's Dark Lager: AmberBock

For my second beer, I was down in Elk River on a snowmobile trip. The entire town was about the size of a city block, if that, and the beer cooler was right next to the turkey-calls and the dried goods. Despite the rustic surroundings, the only store in town had a relatively respectable selection of domestics and macro-brews. The slick, black packaging of Michelob's AmberBock caught my attention, and my Hamilton.

The bottle and the bottle cap had the same plain black look as the box. Each was notarized with the stylized AmberBock-fonted text. Though the bottle does show off three medals that the beer has won in various beer competitions. Still, not too much to dwell on here, so let us pop that cap!

My nose really liked the sweet caramel smell of this lager, and I even got the hint of molasses. It made me want to drink the beer, and I mean more than the simple act of opening a beer, any beer, already does. I followed my nose, and it did not disappoint.

The first contact was quite smooth, with only a bit of that carbonated bite. It quickly transforms into a creamy, but sharply flavored bitter-roasted malt. I found it hard to drink this beer in single drinks, but instead took two or three swigs at a time without even really wanting to stop. It was good, and I wanted more than what a single sip could offer.

The beer then finishes with a lingering, caramel-malt aftertaste. It's sweet, but not too sweet. A good, even balance that really gives the AmberBock a lasting impression on your tongue.

If you're a lager drinker, the AmberBock will make you happy while you drink it. If you normally don't enjoy lagers, or have never really tried too many of them, the thoughtful, savory-sweetness of this Michelob creation will give you something to think about.

Drink on!

Leinenkugel Brewing Co.'s Winter Seasonal: Fireside Nut Brown

For the first beer amongst many, I'll take a closer look at a brew that recently found itself in the door of my refrigerator. Leinenkugel's winter seasonal is a nutty beer, or at least that is what the advertising claims. After giving it a thorough tasting, I believe it.



I like to begin a beer discussion with a brief overview of the bottle itself. I think the way the bottle looks is an important part of the experience. When I take a drink of beer I like, I tend to stare at it affectionately at least once or twice during the drinking process, so a good looking bottle is an important part of the experience.

The bottle design for the Fireside Nut Brown is attractive without being too busy. The large brewery emblem rests in-front of a comforting winter fire contained in a homey, red-brick fireplace. A white wool rug rests just under the fire, and it looks comfy; like where I would like to be when drinking the brew itself. Or it's a picture of frothy beer-head, or just some color that goes well with the rest of the bottle. Regardless, it looks attractive.

I also like collecting bottlecaps, and this beer's cap looks great. It has a color division between two noticeably different shades of brown, and when brought together, they are ascetically satisfying. In the middle, a golden canoe rests on a lake as the sun rises. Mental images of early morning fishing hit you as you finally slap the bottle opener on and tear the thing off.

The beer has a tantalizingly rich brownish-amber color. It is just a good-looking beer, and it is one of those beers that you want after seeing it as you walk into a bar or pub. If gives off a definite nut aroma, like hazelnut. The smell combines with the bottle art to evoke the holiday image of chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

First contact with the beer (the moment it hits your tongue) gives a sudden, frosty, carbonated burn. This isn't a bad thing; in fact, it really makes you stop and think about the beer as your drink it. I found the first contact to be aggressively refreshing, and I instantly felt satisfied with my purchase. I instantly liked the taste of it, the excitement of it.

The body of the beer has a bold, hoppy flavor that rests on your tongue after the buzz of the carbonation fades. Then it finishes with a Heineken-esque, nutty-skunk aftertaste. Now, snunky is not a negative adjective when I write it; its a good flavor, and I enjoy it. "Skunk" is just the best word I can use to describe it. If you can imagine a Heineken's flavor, you will know what I am talking about. It is not the focus of this beer's flavor, but it adds to its dynamic nature.

A second wave of nuttiness hits the back of the tongue after the swallow, this time with that lingering winter-ale flavor. I can only describe it as what I imagine polished dark oak would taste like: It is delicious.

This Fireside Nut Brown makes you concentrate on all the flavors blasting your tongue. I gleefully downed five of these excellent examples of tasty brew in rapid succession, and once you give this beer a taste, I don't doubt you will, too.