Labels

Sunday 14 August 2011

Here in the USA!


And so here we are in the very hot and humid Annapolis. Having discovered, after going into several supermarkets on the hunt for beer and finding nothing, that you can only buy beer from liquor stores we visited a local liquor store (off license for those of you reading in English). Now considering we are in the 'burbs here this place is amazing. I have never seen so many varieties of spirits, wines and beers in a local shop. The only problem with the US, leaving aside politics, is that you only seem to be able to buy beers in a minimum if 6... What's that about? Luckily though we spotted a couple of mixed cases so this evening I am trying Pale Moon, a belgian style ale from the Blue Moon brewery whose original beer has just arrived on draught in the UK and.... some Sierra Nevada 'best of camp'. I am a big fan of the pale ale so it seemed a good opportunity to try some others. It turns out that Sierra nevada have this experimental beer camp where they try new ideas out and this year they have bottled some off them. So I now have a case of 12 consisting of 4 different kinds. The slight issue is that it is only now I have them home and out of the box that I discover the lightest beer is 6.5% and one is 8.5%. So if i start slurring my blog you'll know why.

Beer: Pale Moon
Brewer: Blue Moon brewing company, Colorado
Country trying in: USA
Town trying in: Arnold, MD
Where purchased: Bay Hills liquor store
Date tasted: 13/8/11
Package type: brown bottle
Best before date: ?
Size: 12 fl oz
Alcohol by volume: 5.4%
Tasting temperature: chilled

Appearance: golden, light bubble rise

Aroma: hoppy and fruity

Flavour: refreshing at first with the carbonation and fruitiness, then a nice level of bitterness

Overall impression: it is a nice beer, not quite as interesting at the original blue moon. It feels almost too 'just right'. It's a bit like an 'air brushed' beer. Too much of the right balance of everything that it loses it's personality. But having said that, a nice beer to drink

Rating out of 5: 3.5

Beer: California common
Brewer: Sierra Nevada, California
Country trying in: USA
Town trying in: Arnold, MD
Where purchased: Bay Hills liquor store
Date tasted: 13/8/11
Package type: brown bottle
Best before date: ?
Size: 12 fl oz
Alcohol by volume: 6.5%
Tasting temperature: chilled

Appearance: dark golden, light bubble rise

Aroma: banana, spice, lightly hoppy

Flavour: starts with the fizz mouth feel then a little hoppiness, moves into a light banana taste followed by a spicy clove then finishes with a little bitterness with lingering spice.

Overall impression: an interesting beer with the cloves and fruitiness. The flavours can all be distinguished but none over power. A lovely, complex beer. Shame it's so strong as one will be plenty...

Rating out of 5: 4.5

1 comment:

  1. Dulcie,

    How lo will you be in Annapolis? I would love to see you while you are here. I live about an hour from there in northern Virginia near Dulles airport. I am full-time home with my kids so my schedule is somewhat flexible. Let me know!

    In Virginia, we have Total Wine and Beverage stores (sometimes called Total Beer and Beverage) where I believe you can mix and match your 6-pack. The people working there are usually very knowledgeable about the product too! If you make your way to VA you will have to find one of these stores. Two of my husband's favorite beers are Yuengling's Traditional Lager (a Pennsylvania brewery) and Leinenkugel's Summer Wheat (a Wisconsin brewery).

    Let me know if you have time in your schedule!
    Lanette Bond McDowell

    ReplyDelete