Beers of Autumn

Wow, it's been quite awhile since I have done anything here other than update the "Upcoming Shows" section (which I just did). So here are a few beer reviews from the last 30 days or so...

I tried to move away from my onslaught of IPAs once September hit, and I have had a few decent and so-so Octoberfests, and pumpkin ales & lagers. Here are a few images and quick comments on each:

 

 

🎃 - Poker Face Pumpkin Ale from OPA OPA Brewing Company. It smells great, but the head out of the can was overwhelming, and the beer itself, while decently flavored, was a bit watery.

 

 

 

Amherst Brewing Company's Pumpkin Ale is fantastic! The scent was amazing, the flavor light and seasonal (not overpowering at all), and it was quite refreshing (a word I don't use often). Very highly recommended.

 

 

Copper Legend from Jack's Abby is an Octoberfest lager, and it's really good stuff. Very light, yet flavorful. I enjoyed it so much that 1) I split the four-pack of 16 oz. cans over two nights, and 2) they have a lemony/citrusy summer lager called Porch Fest that sounds interesting, which I'll keep an eye out for next year...

 

BEER - Drayman's Porter

Drayman's Porter from Berkshire Brewing Company is a very good option if you aren't in the mood to get punched in the face by a row of traditional Guinness pints. It's less heavy, less bitter, and goes down incredibly smoothly. A nice smokiness and the pleasant finish validated my choice. It won't replace the actual Guinness experience, but it's a damned fine alternative. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

BEER - Free Rise Mosaic

Last night I had my first ever saison style beer, a Free Rise Mosaic from the eastern Massachusetts Trillium Brewing Company. I'm glad my brother in law had it in his fridge.

It's a bit more carbonated than my prefered IPAs, and definitely less hoppy, but it was very good. The piney scent from the Mosaic hops is always welcome, and even though the beer is a hefty 7.3% ABV, it didn't throw me for a loop. I liked how dry it was, and also the fruity undertones. We were eating steak at my sister's house, and it paired very well.

Trillium has locations in Canton and Fort Point, plus a couple of seasonal pop-up beer gardens in Boston, on the Greenway and also on Park Drive. I might have to pay them a visit this summer and see what other beers they offer.

BEER - Slippery When Wet

I had my final beer of the year tonight as I listened to music and played an online game called "Konkro.io". 

The beer is called Slippery When Wet IPA from Tripping Animals Brewery out of Doral, Florida. It features two hops with which I am unfamiliar, Lotus and Trident. It poured nicely from the can with little head, and it had a faint unplaceable scent. The flavor was decent, but it wasn't remarkable in any way. Basically the beer wasn't bad or good, just serviceable. If it hadn't been for the can's artwork, it might have been a total bust, but if nothing else, I now know which kinds of hops to be wary of.

BEER - Congress Street

I had dinner at my sister's house Friday night (as I do more often than not, hanging out with her and her husband, and whichever nieces are home), and the brewery of the night was Trillium Brewing, who have locations all around Boston, including near Fenway Park.

I had the Congress Street IPA. It was fantastically piney when I opened it, and it poured with a very small head. The citrus understones and a hint of melon made for a great flavor profile, and it went very well with the steaks we had for dinner. I've always been a fan of Galaxy hops (right behind Mosaic and Citra in my book), and it didn't disappoint. A very good beer.