Monthly Archive for December, 2017

Beer Is Good – Kagua Rouge

This one’s been sitting in fridge for a while waiting to be sampled. Brewed for Japanese company, by Belgian brewery. Pours a medium dark reddish amber, slight haze, strong head. Fruit, citrus and spice aroma, but not overwhelming. You can tell there’s coriander, but it doesn’t smack you in the face with it, and there’s other things going on. Hops and bitter comes in, but very well balanced. Woohoo, the 8% ABV is kicking in on my empty stomach there! Medium mouth feel with some sweetness. I’m finding this a very intriguing ale, Belgian style flavorings, but not overwhelming.  Perhaps its the buzz on this pau hana Friday, but I’m enjoying it.

Easy 3 out 4 Japanese Belgian monkeys.

Beer Is Good – Sam Adams Amber Bock

In the variety pack, the Amber Bock pours a clear amber, light head. Malt with mild hop aroma. Clean finish, medium mouthfeel.

Not a big fan of this one. 2 out 4 amber monkeys.

 

 

Memorial?

It’s odd, it’s not like I’m feeling in any depressed mourning mood, but this weekend has kinda been dad memorial weekend. Not in any big organized way. Started Friday evening, flyer came in the mail a short while ago about the Pacific Shakuhachi Festival Masters’ concert, addressed to mom. Decided to wear Dad’s watch, I haven’t worn a watch in years. I also picked out one of his aloha shirts, although that was partly because I was out of clean aloha shirts anyway. The concert was great. Some of it was odd, the avante garde piano duet being one. But some of it was incredible, the solo traditional performance was breathtaking.

Then Saturday for lunch I did zaru soba with the frozen tempura shrimp my dad gets.

And Sunday dinner I did the karaage.

 

Beer Is Good – Sam Adams Oatmeal Stout

Next in variety pack is this Oatmeal Stout. Pours black, light head. Roast malt aroma, well modulated hop. Even bitterness that fades. Astringent finish keeps it from feeling too heavy although the mouthfeel is medium thick.

Perfectly serviceable stout, but somewhat disappointing. At least it isn’t something like an India Stout Ale or something like that. Barely makes 3 out 4 oatmeal monkeys.

 

Beer Is Good – Sam Adams Old Fezziwig Ale

Next in the winter variety pack, Old Fezziwig Ale. Pours clear dark amber, medium head. Spice aroma, roast malt. Citrus notes hiding in there. Mild bitter that does not persist. Medium thick mouthfeel. Actually not as heavy as I thought it might be, but not a lite either.

Just barely 3 of 4 Fezziwiggy monkeys

 

 

Beer Is Good – Sam Adams Chocolate Bock

In stores now Samuel Adams winter variey pack, and I am happy. Winter brews tend toward darker heartier styles. Here is probably the darkest in the pack, the chocolate bock. Pours very dark brown bordering on black, fairly light head. Cocoa is pretty prominent flavoring and aroma, surpsingly not strongly roast flavor. Medium mouthfeel, clean finish. Actually pretty easy drinking, but I expect more punch from a bock.

I’ll give it barely 3 out 4 chocolaty monkeys.