Holy Mackerel - Special Golden Ale

This evening I will be partaking in a Florida brewed Ale: Holy Mackerel





This beer won a microbrew contest that was run by Samuel Adams...the beer is still microbrewed, but done in a manner that allows for mass production. I have never tried a "Golden Ale", so I was excited when my buddy Anthony brought this home for me from a local bar. It seems as if it was on tap there, and they filled up my growler yesterday evening...typically when beer is bottled like this, it is intended on being consumed that same day. Since it is not quite 24 hours from that point, I think I am in the clear on this one.

My initial reaction was the color of this beer...the gold hue really leaps out from the glass. The aroma is sweet and has a hint of something I cannot quite detect (or rather, cannot identify).

Having nearly completed my first pint, I can say that I am eager to pour myself the next...The sweetness that I detected is very evident in the flavor of the beer, but the part that is most striking is the subtle earthiness that comes along with the sweetness. The two flavors compliment one another in the sense that one never truly overpowers the other.

Although I have no food directly in front of me, I imagine that the sweetness would be paired best with a saltier type of food:

-French Fries
-Bangers and Mash
-Complimentary popcorn (always tends to be oversalted)

I would definitely recommend this beer for someone who is looking to try a light and sweet new beer...Thanks again Ant for picking this up for me!

Flavor: Sweet with a hint of earthy sharpness
Color: Light golden hue
Alcohol content: 8.5% by volume (Did i mention that i have a 32 oz growler to drink!?)
Average price: $7.29 (4 pack)

Sierra Nevada - Torpedo

First, let me state that this blog will be different than perhaps others that I have started...I actually have passion to create and continue this one. Beer is something that I feel I have a good amount of knowledge about and even more drive to experience more. Thank you for joining me on this adventure!





Sierra Nevada Torpedo

This beer is one of my favorites and I am pleased to be beginning my blog with this one. This beer is classified as an Indian Pale Ale (to be referred from now on as IPAs). A little history on the IPA...these beers are named this because during British rule of India, brewers needed to add extra hops to the beer to help preserve the beer for long oceanic freight trips to the East.

Given the extra hops, IPAs have a noticeable bitter taste, and Torpedo is no different. This beer might be a strong jumping off point for someone who is just beginning to experience beer or perhaps is looking for something new to try. I would recommend starting with a classic Sierra Nevada (which I am sure I will be sampling at some point in the near future). I personally love the sharp bitterness that comes with the Torpedo, since it is a nice compliment to a variety of different types of foods:

-Burgers
-Wings
-Fish and Chips

This beer has a nice dark amber color and, if given enough time to breath, will create a thick head that helps aromate the beer. I would recommend this beer to anyone who likes bitter IPAs or is looking to try something unique and new!

Flavor: Strong bitterness
Color: Amber
Alcohol content: 7.2% by volume
Average price: $8.99 (6 pack)