Reviews

Beer

Two Roads Roadsmary’s Baby Pumpkin Ale review

Published on September 25, 2022

According to Two Roads Brewing Company of Stratford, Connecticut, Roadsmary’s Baby is a traditional pumpkin ale aged in rum barrels for added complexity and depth of flavor. It is released in August as a fall seasonal.

I’m not sure about the pumpkin, but this is a good beer. In fact, if I had a blind taste test or if I hadn’t been told what kind of beer it was, I would never guess it was made with pumpkin. Review over.

Seriously, I’d drink this any time, seasonal or not. The only bad thing I can say about it is, “What pumpkin? I don’t taste any pumpkin or spices in this pumpkin beer.” It’s more of a great-tasting beer than a pumpkin ale. It’s smooth, dark, and clean. It kind of reminds me of Negra Modelo (not just because of color), but it feels a little heavier and has a fruity, citrus finish. I guess a better way to put it is that it’s more complicated.

This beer is recommended. Highly recommended!

Imperial Ale ABV: 6.8%
Seasonal
Available in 12-oz Bottles, 12-oz Cans, Growlers, and On Tap
Connecticut-Based Craft Brewery

12-ounce bottle of Long Trail Ale by Long Trail Brewing Company with a Vermont house and woods in the background.

Beer

Long Trail Ale a review made easy

Published on September 24, 2022

My family and I spend a lot of time in Vermont at my in-laws’ house during the fall and winter. For me, it’s a chance to slow down and rest while also doing computer-related work. That means sitting on the couch, catching up on TV shows, drinking beers and whiskey while I write content and update multiple websites.

During my most recent “mini-vacation,” I decided to review a beer from a Vermont brewer. I made my job easier by selecting one of the brands found in my brother-in-law’s refrigerator. The Long Trail Ale by Long Trail Brewing Company was my choice.

I found it malty and sweet, borderline smooth. For me, the beer is borderline tasty because it clashes with bitterness. It has a strong showing on my personal one-bottle buzz meter. After only one bottle, I was nice and relaxed before my whisky chaser.

It’s not a fantastic beer, but it’s adequate. While visiting Vermont, I would gladly order it on draft at any of the local restaurants.

VT IPA ABV: 6% – Available in 12-ounce cans and bottles.

Beer

Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale review

Published on September 23, 2022

I’ve never had a Samuel Adams beer that I didn’t like. This one was different because it was the first time a Sam Adams beer amazed me. I was taken because it was so flavorful. I’m not a pumpkin lover. In fact, this was my first pumpkin beer, and I went into this taste test with the attitude, “Let’s get this over with, so I can at least say I tried it.”

I took the first swallow. My brain got confused. The pumpkin and cinnamon flavors were blowing up inside my mouth. I was having a drink, but it felt like I should really be chewing. It tasted like I was drinking pumpkin pie.

The Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale really knocked my socks off and has started me on a quest to try and review other pumpkin beers. I mean, if there’s another beer out there that’s better, I have to find it.

Poking around the internet, I came across this hilarious SNL parody of a Sam Adams commercial starring Bill Burr. It is also a must-see.

A Saturday Night Live parody of a Sam Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale beer commercial featuring Bill Burr

How many beers are so tasty that they deserve a Saturday Night Live skit? I remember laughing at this sketch when I first saw it a few years ago, but today I fully appreciate it. There’s a line about a beer sitting in the fridge for 8 months that hits home. If you haven’t seen this hilarious skit, check it out. And then go out and try Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale. It is a must-buy, must-try seasonal beer.

Beer

If you’ve ever been to China you know Tsingtao beer

Published on September 2, 2022

If you’ve ever had a beer in China or visited an authentic Chinese restaurant in a densely populated Chinese area in the United States, you’ve probably come across Tsingtao Beer. It is the number-one beer brand in China and is currently the sixth-largest brewer in the world.

Unlike most really big beer brands, it is a good-tasting, respectable beer. Tsingtao starts and finishes cleanly. I can’t think of anything negative to say about it. However, nowadays I do find the price a little higher than it should be. That probably has more to do with the politics of the moment.

In my experience, apart from being a popular drink in mainland China, Tsingtao beer is also an important part of Chinese hospitality and a helpful marketing tool for the country’s businesses. Almost every factory that I have ever visited in China would take me to lunch, dinner, or a bar and would call for a toast that would go around the table. The boss would call for Tsingtao, and everyone would be served a small glass. With each declaration of “cheers”, the beer had to be downed to the last drop, ending with the slamming of the glass on the table. As time passed, the slams became louder and harder. At parties of at least 8 or more, which was about the norm, you couldn’t help but experience (for me in my youth) a healthy buzz within the first half-hour or so. During evening dinners, it was common to see people being helped out of restaurants. You can only imagine the late nights at the bars, and the commonality of vomiting guests being held up by colleagues shortly after inhaling the first bit of fresh night air.

Tsingtao Beer is a premium pale lager beer, pronounced “Qingdao.” The beer is brewed in Qingdao, China, by the Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd. One of the first breweries in China, Germania-Brauerei Tsingtao Co., Ltd. was established in 1903 by German and British merchants, combining Chinese and Western influences.

Jack’s Abby Grapefruit Radler and Pineapple, Guava Passion Radler in cans.

Beer

Jack’s Abby Grapefruit & Pineapple, Guava Passion Radler review

Published on July 28, 2022

Strolling through the refrigerated section of the beers I came across Jack’s Abby craft lagers. Jack had a wide selection of tasty-looking fruity beers to choose from. I had never heard of this brand. The cans look like there was something delicious to behold so I decided to go for the Grapefruit Radler and Pineapple, Guava Passion Radler.

I may have mentioned this before, but I’m not really into the light beers but I decided to give these radlers a try. If you are new to this type of beer (like me), they are basically about a 2-to-1 mix of beer and some other juice, soda, tea, etc. They are intended to be light summery, easy-going beers with 2 to 4% alcohol.

I decided to first start with one of my favorite fruit, the Grapefruit Radler. My first impression…light. Very light. I was waiting for the hint of grapefruit, but I never tasted it. Honestly, if you blindfolded me and ask me to choose which was the favored beer, the Grapefruit Radler or a Coors Light, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.

I wasn’t that enthused to try the Pineapple, Guava Passion Radler, so it took a few days to taste test. It did have a little more flavor than the Grapefruit, but I couldn’t place the favor.

My verdict. It’s almost seltzer-like and far too light for my taste. However, very light could be what it is meant to be.

Beer

My favorite beers: Kona Longboard Island Lager

Published on July 9, 2022

The Island Lager by Kona Brewing Co. is currently one of my favorite beers. Since this is the blog’s first beer post, there are no Top 10 or 20 Lists yet. The fact that I chose Longboard Island Lager as one of my first posts, however, should tell you something.

Longboard Island Lager 12-oz. bottle of beer by Kona Brewing Company of Hawaii Kai

If I had to estimate where it would fall, I’d say it makes my Top 15 list. I will also add that one of the Kona Brewing Co.’s beers easily cracks my Top 5. However, that story is for a future post.

I discovered this beer while on vacation in Hawaii in July 2021 because it was everywhere. I’m really picky about beers, so I grew frustrated there were not more beer choices at the hotel bar and all the stores I checked. I was looking for some of my favorite craft beers to stock in my hotel room fridge, but all I saw were Kona Brewing Company selections, the usual mass-market brands, and a few popular Japanese brands, Sapporo, Asahi, and Kirin. I settle for tall cans of Sapporo and Kirin.

Near the end of my trip, I grabbed a local draft from the bar because it was offered at a lower price. I was on the run and didn’t think to remember the name. I told the bartender what I liked (lagers, ales, fruity, not too heavy, not too light) and let him select my beer. I do remember as I walked around at the pool thinking, damn, this beer is kind of good.

A week after my vacation, I was home shopping in the beer section of my nearby grocery store. “Humm, what do I feel like today,” I asked myself.
“A Shiner Strawberry Blonde, Sam Adams Summer Ale, UFO White?” You get the picture of what I was in the mood for. Just then, I noticed on the store shelf for the first time the beer I saw all in Hawaii.

They offered pilsner, lager, and an IPA. I rarely drink pilsners unless I’m in the mood for something light. I drink IPAs even less frequently than pilsners. I don’t dislike them. In general, I feel like the taste is too aggressive. It’s like my tongue is on a date that wants to get right to it! That left the lager as the obvious choice.

I usually have two beers with dinner. And, I prefer to drink beer from a glass (frosted is a plus). I feel like I get a more uninterrupted taste.

All I remember is thinking, My God! What a missed opportunity in Hawaii. This is an incredibly good beer! This was that beer from the bar.

There’s something very clean and clear about the Longboard’s taste. Straight-forward delight, vibrant and charming.

I read other reviews before writing this review to see what beer influencers thought about it. In general, nearly all said the same thing. Clean taste, and without any characteristics to complain about. In other words, a great-tasting beer!