Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

Appearance: Poured in a traditional pint glass.  Light copper hue, clear, nice sized head somewhat off white, creamy and thickr than expected. Quickly fading head, but nice lacing on the glass.  

Nose: Classic piney hoppy nose, but not overwhelming.  Hints of floral, citrus and some type of herbal sents.

Taste: Toasted malty start that quickly changes to a strengthening dose of fresh hopiness, short burst of bitterness follows, was hoping for more.  Injection of a faint sweetness of the fruity type and eventually reverts back to bittery hoppy ending.  The finish was enjoyable almost pleasant with a clingy bitterness that lingered with a touch of sweet caramel. 

Drinkability:  Medium smooth body

Overall: This IPA is very enjoyable, very good.  Nicely crafted with a refreshing and satisfying, lasting impression.  Sure, I'll have another.

Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales Management & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Blue moon Rounders pale Ale

Blue moon Rounders pale Ale 

Appearance –  coppery color with reddish hue and small white quickly dissipating head usually seen with Belgium style brews. Only a trace of lace on the sides of the glass remains when I'm ready for a sip.

Smell – Bready, yeasty aroma is present with a heavy caramel waft wrapped in and a lightly roasted malt scent. A deeper sniff recognizes an almost citrus smell mixed with light herbs and a traditional Belgian spice smell.

Taste – A robust biscotty flavor met with a strong sweetness of caramel sugars greets the tongue with a strong showing of a bready flavor as well. As the flavor advances it remains rather sweet with some orange and tangerine flavors coming more toward the middle and the end. In the middle of the taste a hint of coriander and a toffee like flavor also join ending in a nice bitter kick.

Mouthfeel- The body of the beer is on the medium to heavy side with a decent carbonation complimenting the sweet & bitter flavors.  

Overall – An easy drinking beer that is rather tasty for a larger commercial brewery.

Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Dogfish 90 minute IPA

Dogfish 90 minute IPA 

Appearance:  A muddy medium orangeish color. Beautiful slightly off-white foam head, lace is even to start and then spread and flows down.

Nose:  Moderate grapefruit with a sweet under rif of fresh honey.  Herbs seeps into the mix with a tinge of pine.  Dissipates into a sweetness almost floral in nature probably from the plethora of two-row malts crossing over with the extremely high hop content.  

Taste: The start is a robust flavorful bitter that is very overwhelming in an expected sort of way.  Sweet honey and then sour fruitiness tweaks up from underneath and quickly disappears as a more textured taste of the original bitterness pushes back in front.  It is very complex and almost juicy as it flows through the order of flavors described.  The same order holds true for every sip through the long finish.

Drinkability:  Nice frothy thickness in the mouth that turns slippery. Medium body with definite pine smooth presence.  Meant to be savored slowly to get all the effects.

Overall:  Wow wow wow what a great IPA!  This goes to the top of my list.  Why did I wait so long

Serving type: tap

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Southern Tier IPA tasted

Southern Tier IPA tasted

I have never tasted anything from this brewery, but they have been around since 2002 and are out of Lakewood, NY.  The IPA appears to be one of the original beers they began producing.

Appearance: Classic light copper color. Slightly foggy body with white head a couple of fingers thick.  Head dissipates very slowly indicating a higher carbonation.

Nose: Malty quaffs mixed with very piney floral hops aromas.  A hint of something sweet, maybe caramel or citrus.  

Taste: Malty start takes a quick left into deep piney hoppy bitterness.  Yes there are caramel overtones that seep through creating a bit of sweetness against the lingering bitterness and the toasty maltyness.   Almost a creamy feel with the caramel and the well balanced slightly stronger pine traits.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy medium body that sits thickly in a mouthful. 

Drinkability: Above average, the taste is not at all disappointing. Good IPA.  I will certainly drink it once again. 

Overall: Very enjoyable!  Creamy malt balance with piney bitter-sweetness.

Serving type:  bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Sam Adams Rebel IPA

Sam Adams Rebel IPA tasted
(on tap at Buffalo Wild Wings)

A: White frothy foam head with decent retention and lacing.  Clear color, golden hew.

S: Malty, wheat, almost biscuity aromas, hint of mild citrus quaffs. 

T: Not too hoppy almost mild which is consistent with a west coast style American Pale Ale, and a little light for a true IPA.  Sweet citrus undertones, maybe tangerine or grapefruit.  Decent malt base.




M: On the heavy side of a Medium body and a lighter creamy carbonation. 

O: Enjoyable and very drinkable.  I was hoping for a bit more punch from the hops and from all I've heard about it, but it's still another good Sam Adams beverage.

Serving type: tap

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Westmalle Trappist Triple Ale

Westmalle Trappist Triple Ale tasted

Appearance: Beautiful cloudy pale rusty orange with a nice thick head.  It has some serious lacing going on with a frothy, creamy head that stays put when swirling the pint glass.

Nose: Tartness, pungent lemon grass, apricot, pale malts aroma. 

Taste: A complex mouthful that starts a bit crisp and transitions into fruity overtones reminiscent of apricot smells.  Robust spice takes over with yeasty honey sweetness.  Fresh and full of some great layers.

Drinkability: So very smooth yet complex beauty.

Overall:  A fabulous Ale worth searching for.  Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Shiner Prickly Pear from the Family Reunion pack.

Shiner is well know for its "bock" that can be found around the country and on tap at almost every bar in Dallas.  This session beer is something altogether different.

A - Pours a substantial amber copper color with an off white, creamy rather foamy head that dissipates very slowly.

S - Strong aroma of fruit, very sweet and citrusy.  I'm getting a lot of orange, grapes and maybe some peach.

T - The taste started with a light bitterness, which was surprising, but then becomes tart. It's not overwhelming, but it is bold.  Unlike most anything I've had in the way of fruit beers, slightly artificial, but it's not bad.  

M - The beer is on the light bodied side and slightly carbed.  An easy crisp drink.

O - Not a great beer, but another good summer choice.  Refreshing crisp and interesting!

Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Samuel  Adams Porch Rocker "Radler*" type beer

*The Radler (literally "cyclist", which refers to its reputation as popular sports drink) is a beer-based mixed drink with a long history in German-speaking regions. Consisting of a fifty-fifty or sixty-forty mixture of various types of beer and German-style soda pop or lemonade.  Normally called a Shandy in the States or UK.

Poured into a Sam Adams pint glass.


Appearance: A clearish faint yellow tint, not hazy.  Quickly dissipating head.  Slight tracing.


Smell: More than a hint of lemon, mild citrus with a crisp clean nose.  Not overwhelming.

Sour candy.  

Taste: A bit more complex than expected, you can taste the lemony citrus flavors but was 

hoping for a little more finish.  The carbonation is right and consistent with a soda. The 

flavors disappears rather quickly starting out tart and leaving a slightly sour end. 


Overall: Solid summer beer, A good addition to the Summer variety pack.  Truly drinkable

beer for a hot and humid summer day.


Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Kona Brewing Company 

Longboard Island Lager


Appearance: A golden straw color, almost milky appearance,  Not exactly the typical lager appearance.  It has a thick frothy looking white head. 

Nose: smells heavy of grain malt and light hops. 

Taste: Deep maltiness at the start. Some doughy-biscuit aspects.  Hint of sweetness.  Followed by a nice fresh bitter finish.  Enjoyable crisp, clean ending. 

Drinkability: Definitely drinkable, but not your typical Lager. 

Overall: An ‘above-average’ lager that is thankfully different than most.

Serving Type-bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Leinenkugel's Canoe Paddler Tasted

Kolsch style beer (at least that's what the bottle says)

Poured pale clear straw-ish color. Head dissipated rapidly.

Smelled of citrus almost fruity, which is not what I expected from a Kolsch style brew. 

Very easy on the pallet, crisp and light with a dry fruity tang to the finish.  Unfortunately not a hint of the traditional Kolsch rye flavors.  Fruit flavors are the clear winners here. 

A very refreshing balanced beer and very drinkable, but I honestly would be hard pressed to identify this beer as a Kolsch especially in a blind taste. 

Overall a decent beer but the weakest Kolsch I've tasted.

Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Mamma Mia Pizza Beer

WHAT you say, yes there is a pizza beer out there.  I love pizza almost as much as I love a good beer so I had to give it a try.

Poured mine into a classic pint glass, it has a reddish/orange color with a nice frothy white head that does not dissipate quickly, hold its own.

This brew definitely smells like a real pizza (my stomach began to growl), the basil, garlic and oregano are much more apparent to the nose than tomato. 

Classic wheat beer characteristics, but with strong pizza flavors and oregano notes lasting on the tongue.  

A little thin and watery body, but contributes to its smoothness.

On its own its not anything to write home about, but everything changes when you pair it with a fresh hot pizza.  Easy to drink, perfect compliment to your pie. This is not too bad a beer alone, but it's much more than a novelty when you add in the real pizza. 

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

A perfect beer for your Easter dinner.

Are you looking for the right beer to pair with your Easter dinner, well here is my recommendation.  Smuttynose Maibock from Smuttynose Brewing.  They brew out of New Hampshire but can usually be found at many specialty liquor stores.  Their Maibock has its own distinctive take on the Germany originated Springtime beer, "the Maibock".  

Bocks are usually thought of as stronger, deeper and darker versions of lager beer, but not Maibocks, especially those released in Springtime.  Spring Maibocks are much lighter in appearance, medium bodied and traditionally use German “noble” hop varieties. Smuttynose brewery's Maibock is overwhelmingly malty to start with a subtle finish of a variety of crisp hopiness-the perfect compliment for a traditional ham dinner.  Enjoy!

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Goose Island Clybourn's annual STOUT Fest is here!!!!!!!!

Goose Island Clybourn's (1800 W Clybourn, Chicago, IL) will have 20+ Chicagoland breweries and their master brewers live, pouring and discussing their handcrafted stouts Saturday March 16th 12-4pm!  Must be 21 to attend and have a pre-purchased ticket (or try & scalp one at the door).

Some Breweries Attending: Atlas Brewing Co., Half Acre Beer Co., Haymarket Pub & Brewery, Revolution Brewing, Flossmoor Station Brewery, Goose Island Beer Co.,  Rock Bottom Chicago Lucky Monk Brewery, Rock Bottom Warrenville, Pig Minds Brewing Co., Two Brothers Brewing, Wild Onion Brewery, Pipeworks Brewery, Spiteful Brewing, etc.   

Look forward to seeing you all there.

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com 

St. Patrick's Day is almost here

In honor of the day, I decided to give Guinness Draught in a BOTTLE another try.  I am a Guinness lover but quite frankly have never liked the Guinness Draught in a bottle.  It always tasted flat, bland and shallow plus the clanking of the "rocket widget" (introduced in 2001) drove me crazy.

I have to say a couple things have changed since I last tasted it, for the better.
The "rocket widget" is now gone and replaced with a new "innovation dedicated to delivering the best drinking experience".  Guinness has recently adjusted the gas (nitrogen) mix so the widget is no longer needed.

When you open the bottle you can definitely here the loud sound of the gas being released (similar to the draught in a can-that still has a ball widget).  This new mixture, much like the old is supposedly activated every time you tilt the bottle to drink.  According to Guinness you should never pour the draught bottle version into a pint glass.  The nitrogen contained in the new gas mix is released by the tilting action of drinking directly from the bottle.  Every time you drink (tilt) more nitrogen is released adding to the creaminess and texture of the beer.

I was pleasantly surprised by the stark difference in drinkability versus the old widget version.  Definitely worth your time.  Still not as creamy as the can version, but much closer than ever before.  Neither really compare to greatness of the keg version, but if you can't get your hands on a pour from your local pub then the bottle version is now a real alternative.
Slainte!

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com 

Tranquair Jacobite Ale 

Tasted

APPEARANCE-Very deep dark brown hue, almost ruby. Off-white head fades rather quickly and leaves slight edge around the glass. 

SMELL-strong smell of coriander as advertised on the bottle.  Full bodied sweetish, full molasses smell is easily recognized. 

TASTE-Incredibly smooth.  Combo of sweet sugar cookies, the obvious molasses, rich syrupy flavors with a toasty spot on the palette.  Coriander is definitely pronounced, malt goodness to start-almost chewy, thins quickly towards the end.  Hop presence is non-existent. Slight chocolate flavors finish it out. 

Drinkability-full of sweetness, spicy-cinnamon,roasted fruitiness, sugary with rich chocolate malt flavors.  

OVERALL-I would say this is a superb Winter Beer. 

Serving Type-bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com 

Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale

-tasted


Appearance: Clearish, tangerine tone. Good creamy off-white head that fades 

slowly to a decent lacing.

Smell: Sweet citrusy, almost floral or even herbal. Just a hint of some pine in the nose



Taste: Malty, doughy start that leads to a slight caramel trace. Very smooth push that is

forcefully bumped by a stronger more intense hop taste that ends with a slight mint aftertaste.  

Works very well together, nicely balanced.




Drinkability: Very clean, Medium body, smooth and tasty.



Overall: Pretty interesting take on the a Pale ale, still prefer their Mirror Pond, but definitely 

worth it.



Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Argus Brewery-Pegasus IPA tasted

Appearance: brownish, maybe it's reddish. Plenty of thick frothy white foam and considerable lacing of the glass. Head dissipates very quickly.

Smell: Hopped up. Pineish, but not too big of a nose.

Taste: As expected, it tastes hopped, but not a heavy presence as the smell would lead you to believe. Clean, crisp, refreshing, light taste, but not watery. Nice.

Drinkability: Excellent India Pale ale. Perfect with classic bar food or on a hot day.

Overall: Definitely a strong consistent beer that does an IPA well, but not as strong as I prefer them!

Serving type: bottle

Chin chin!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Sprecher Brewing Company of Glendale, WI (just outside of Milwaukee) is introducing an alcoholic version of their somewhat famous Root Beer (their beers are much more well known).  Sprecher has been making award-winning beer and sodas since it opened in 1985 (formerly located in Milwaukee proper)

The “Hard” Root Beer is an old fashioned fermented root beer with 5 percent alcohol by volume.  Sprecher said, “It combines the flavors and characteristics of Sprecher Root Beer with bourbon and oak flavors.”

Apparently customers had been asking for a “Hard” version of their Root Beer for years and they finally decided to take action on the requests.

Unfortunately, Sprecher’s Hard Root Beer is only available in limited distribution.  Currently the small number of locations is limited to Southeastern Wisconsin, Madison, WI and at the brewery in Glendale, WI.

Here's to hoping they take their Root Beer and create a beer influenced by it, but for now we will have to settle for spiked Root Beer soda.

Chin chin!!

David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com

Heat up with the right winter beer!

It's that time of the year where parts of our great country start to get chilly, frosty and down right cold.  

The good news is that it is also the time that hearty winter brews start hitting the shelves.  

Beer makers had made these types of beers for many centuries and they tend to be fuller, maltier and heavier in alcohol than traditional beers.  The payoff is more texture, richness and complexity.  Most should be served no colder than 55 degrees F as to not lose the deep flavors, notes and spices that have been methodically calculated during the brewing process.

My top four (readily available) winter beers   

Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale

A traditional winter Ale or at least what I think of when I think traditional.  Heavy on the maltiness front, but does a good job of balancing with caramel and apple flavors in the mix. 

Young's Winter Warmer

Another traditional winter style that can be appreciated by all, not just the snobs. Smooth start, not too complex and light finish.  A classic.

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter 

Deep black with a strong tan head that dissipates quickly.  Aroma is quite subtle with hints of dark roasted barley.  Smooth on the pallet with a smokey start that moves to a persuasive bitter finish 

Samichlaus

One of the greatest Christmas beers, It is a deeply aged doppelbock with complex notes and a strong smooth finish.

All of these can easily be found at any liquor store or local grocer.

Chin chin!
David Ruiz is a Sales & Marketing pro who is unnaturally obsessed with good beer.  Contact him at beersnobber@yahoo.com