Brew Bites - Craft Beer Reviews and Pairings

Tidbits of a newbie microbrew lover always looking for new and interesting brews from the lightest wheat beers to the darkest stouts.

[brewbites]

New Belgium Brewing Co's Starship IPA - 7.7 ABV

Citrus hops are the forefront of this IPA, giving a well balanced contrast with the bitterness that makes up the body of this brew.

This IPA is an excellent pairing with corned beef with mustard, mashed potatoes, and fresh beans.

[brewbites]

Atwater Brewery's Raspberry Whango Raz Wheat Ale - ABV 4.9

This highly carbonated wheat ale pours with a quite tall head, and a lovely, hazy lemon hue.

The stars of this brew, the raspberry and mango, are bold in the nose, but, seem rather absent in the taste. There is a hint of mango evident at the finish, with the faintest raspberry following after.

Overall, this a very smooth and delicious wheat ale, but, lacks fruityness in the body that would compliment it so well.

On the spot pairing: Pork chop with macaroni and zucchini in tomato sauce

[brewbites]

New Holland Brewing Co's Cabin Fever Brown Ale - ABV 6.5%

This brown ale is smooth and malty, with a sweet, caramelized sugar finish, and a mild, roasty aftertaste.

A delightful pairing to a cold winter day, and one that contrasts nicely with a taco dinner.

[brewbites]

Elysian Brewing's Dayglow IPA

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 7.4

Availability: Rotating

Taste: Very smooth and light mouthfeel to this one. Fresh orange delicately blankets the bitterness, a delightfully balanced combination of hops emerging through the bright orange to make up the body of this IPA.

Aroma: Light, refreshing lemon melds beautifully with a light bitterness from the hops, reminding one very much of a day out in the summer sun.

Spur of the moment pairing: Tilapia with parmesan and herb breading accented with duck sauce.

[brewbites]

Bell's Brewery Kalamazoo Stout Brewed with Brewer's Licorice

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 6.0

Availability: Year-Round (per the Bell's website)

Taste: Like drinking liquid silk. A deliciously strong body of bitter dark chocolate, melded with the slight bitterness of the molasses and the astringency of the yeast and bitterness of the hops to finish everything off. An excellently balanced stout that would be a great combination for either a sweet dessert or a rich steak.

Aroma: (From the bottle) - A warm, sweet aroma of caramelized sugar, accented with a hint of molasses and a dark lingering scent of baking chocolate. (From the glass) - Dry and yeasty, with mild bitterness from the hops and baking chocolate melding to create a dark, heady aroma with the faintest hint of licorice at the end. [Hint: Squint with your nose. You'll find it.]

[brewbites]

Oddside Ales' Firefly Pale Ale with Papaya and Habanero

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.75

Availability: Rotating

Aroma: Light, yeasty overtones with lots of sweet and tangy papaya, and a mildly warm wave of habanero.

Taste: Rich, sweet papaya holds the body of this pale ale, followed by a dry, cinnamon-like heat from the habanero, and finished with a bitter spark of heat from the hops and habanero.

[brewbites]

Iron Line Brewing’s Shuttle Train Belgian-Style White Ale

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.6

Availability: Rotating

Aroma: Hearty, strong yeast, with a tangy, citrus reminiscent of grapefruit following it up.

Taste: Clean, and easily drinkable, with a body of wheat accented by a slight bitterness from the hops, and finished with a powerful wave of grapefruit flavor, and a dry, but, not overly astringent finish.

[brewbites]

Oddside Ales' Pineapple IPA

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 7.5

Availability: Rotating

Aroma: Hop resin and pineapple.

Taste: Mildly hoppy with a splash of pineapple, and a sweet, yet slightly dry finish.

Pairing(s): Sliced chicken breast and kale salad with cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and poppyseed dressing.

[brewbites]

Right Brain Brewery's Spinal Tapper DIPA

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 7.5

Availability: Rotating

Aroma: A combination of lemon and grapefruit.

Taste: A pleasant, cooling spearmint followed up with a lively punch of bitterness from the hops, and a refreshing, dry finish of grapefruit.

[brewbites]

Short’s Brew Zangief’s Bearhug Russian Style Imperial Stout

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 9.5

Availability: Rotating (Unknown)

Aroma: Very bold, dark roast coffee, along with dark cocoa.

Taste: Bitter, floral hops, followed by dark roast coffee, seguing into rich cocoa, and finished with a hint of caramel.

Pairing(s): Roast beef, boiled gold potatoes, and fresh string beans.

[brewbites]

Iron Line Brewing’s Vine Street Junction IPA

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.9

Availability: Rotating (Unknown)

Aroma: Floral leafiness, along with lemon.

Taste: Very malty and smooth, bitterness from the hops, followed by a pleasant contrast of lemon.

[brewbites]

Elysian Brewing’s Space Dust IPA

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 8.2

Availability: Year-Round

Aroma: Floral and citrus hops

Taste: Strong spearmint, followed by a refreshing lemon.

Pairing(s): Sloppy Joe’s and macaroni noodles

[brewbites]

Leinenkugels Pomegranate Shandy

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 4.2

Availability: November to February

Aroma: Strong citrus-y and sweet pomegranate.

Taste: A bright pop of sweet and tart pomegranate followed by a rich and hearty finish of wheat.

Pairing(s): Breaded catfish and mix of wild rice and quinoa.

[brewbites]

Dark Horse Brewery’s One Oatmeal Stout

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 7.0

Availability: Fall

Aroma: Sweet, caramel malts, strong molasses, and a hint of dark chocolate.

Taste: Dark cocoa, followed by molasses, and finished with sweet, caramel malts, along with the lingering flavor of roast coffee.

Pairing(s): Steak, potatoes, and kale chips.

[brewbites]

Goose Island Beer Co’s Goose Fest Bier

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.7

Availability: Fall/Seasonal

Effervescent, toasted malts and a hint of herbal hops make up the aroma of this beer.

Very carbonated, with a solid body of toasted malts, followed by mild citrus hops, and finished with an excellent balance of sweet and bitter from both.

Pairing(s): Parmesan and Herb Breaded Tilapia and Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic

[brewbites]

Bell’s Brewery Octoberfest Marzen

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.5

Availability: Fall/Seasonal

The nose is of bold, slightly musty wheat and earthy, herbal hops. A hint of orange greets the tongue first, mellowing into light, toasted malts, and finishing with a mild, leafy bitterness from the hops.

Pairing(s): BLT and Chips

[brewbites]

Elk Brewing Blonde Express Coffee Blonde

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5.0

Availability: Year-round

Earthy hops and dusty rye as the aroma. Malts, strong rye, and a mild bitterness from the hops, finished with a light roast coffee.

Pairing(s): Beef Burger and Chips