GOOSE ISLAND - Harvest Ale (Chicago, IL)
Nick: 4
A balanced wheat taste hits
the palate right off the bat. The sour, tangy flavor is the main event but it
fades nicely after the first swallow is taken. The consistency is fairly light
but the smoothness works well with the bold flavor. This is a great brew for
the fall season.
Jabez: 3.5
The beer is copper colored
and had a good head, with a toasted malt flavor and a little spice in it. It
did have a crisp finish. I have drunk so many Oktoberfest or Harvest beers in
the past few weeks; they are beginning to taste the same. I could best describe
this beer as an Americanized Octoberfest.
Tom: 4
Bright, clear amber color
with a foamy head and nice lacing. Sweet, malty aroma with an equal hops
presence accented with citrus and spice. Starts off with a malty sweetness that
gives way to the hoppy bitterness before returning in the aftertaste. Another
good, balanced, drinkable beer from Goose
Island.
Todd: 3
Mmm. Yummy hints of rich,
fruitiness on the nose – almost pumpkin-like, definitely a Fall-like scent.
Nice deep amber in color, and quite attractive. But the taste? Shows some hoppy
character, but the maltiness complements it well. A hearty brew, and more than
drinkable, but somehow not one I'd keep on-hand.
LEINENKUGEL'S - Oktoberfest (Chippewa Falls, WI)
Nick 4.5
This beer has a heavier
consistency than most of the other seasonal beers this month but this brew is
perfectly balanced. The flavor isn’t as prevalent as in the other but the
thicker consistency more than makes up for it. The flavor is subtle but
memorable. Exactly what an Oktoberfest brew should be.
Jabez: 4
I am a loyal Leine drinker
and enjoyed this reddish brown beer. It had a light hop aroma but not much. It
had a nice sweet taste with a little bitterness. I would consider this an
Oktoberfest “light.” I was expecting something a little bit heavier coming from
Leinenkugel’s but it was still good.
Tom: 3
Copper/orange body with a
light foamy head. The nose is somewhat empty as is the taste. Sort of a lazy flavor that lacks the marzen
character. Not a bad beer, but a weak representation of an Oktoberfest.
Todd: 2
Pours a crystal-clear amber,
with a very sweet aroma. Tastes pretty sweet, too. In fact, the overly malty
presence is overbearing, completely obscuring the flavor profile or the
supposed "4 specialty hops." I hate to slander a "German-style
Marzen," but this one blows.
BUD LIGHT - Golden Wheat (St. Louis, MO)
Nick: 3
In classic Bud Light fashion
the drinkability is definitely present in this beer. The consistency is very
light and forgiving but unfortunately the taste itself is a tad overwhelming.
The coriander added to enhance the wheat flavor ends up making the beer too
sour and almost pungent. Overall, this is an okay brew.
Jabez: 4
This beer pours cloudy
amber. I could taste a hint of the coriander and citrus but not much. This is a
light wheat beer. It still has the crisp Budweiser taste but it is not as
filling as a regular wheat beer. I am impressed Budweiser put this out and did
a good job. Not the best wheat beer but
coming from the King, I am happy and will buy more.
Tom: 2.5
Cloudy, gold color with
little head or lacing. It smells and tastes like what it is - Bud Light with
coriander and a hint of citrus. The flavors are a little shallow and
fleeting. Light bodied with high
carbonation to keep it crisp. This is exactly what I imagined a Bud Light wheat
beer would be.
Todd: 1
A certain pizza company is
wise to proclaim the benefits of "better ingredients," and I believe
that applies to beer as well. This one has a decent cloudy wheat appearance,
but first taste reveals a soft, fuzzy, fizzy mix of coriander, citrus, and... something
artificial?
Maybe metallic. I dunno. I
do know that this one tastes one-dimensional and cheap. Absolutely horrid.
SHIPYARD BREWING CO. - Pumpkinhead Ale (Portland, ME)
Nick: 4.5
With an aroma of fresh
cinnamon this pumpkin inspired brew is a flavor bomb. This seasonal brew isn’t
just frills, the consistency is light and flavor of pumpkin spice is decadent
but not too sweet or overpowering. The aftertaste is also very tolerable. This
is a refreshing brew with an outstanding taste.
Jabez: 2
This is a medium clear amber
beer with good carbonation. I could taste a bunch of spices but not much pumpkin.
I then noticed it was made with pumpkin flavoring and not real pumpkin. I would
expect this type of thing from a big company but a crafted beer should have
real pumpkin in it. I am still waiting for Schlafly to bring their pumpkin beer
to Evansville.
Tom: 2
Its light gold color is not
reminiscent of anything pumpkin-esque. Strong aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and
maybe a little allspice or clove, but I’m not picking up any pumpkin. The base
flavor is on the weak and watery side with a very prominent nutmeg flavor, but
I’m still not sensing any pumpkin. This just is not a big enough for a fall
beer and not what I expect from a pumpkin ale.
Todd: 3
This clean, golden ale shows
a nice froth and has a deliciously spicy scent up front. Tastes hearty, with
plenty of sweetness, and the pumpkin flavor is integrated well with the spice
elements. Balanced and rich, this one is enjoyable, though there are better
pumpkin ales out there (Dogfish Head).
