“Pāhoehoe?” More like “Pā-OH-NO”! Review of Two Brothers Brewing Company’s Pāhoehoe Coconut Ale

Brewery: Two Brothers Brewing Company
Locale: Warrenville, Illinois (30 miles west of Chicago, IL)
Craft Circa:  1997 
Style:  Ale (artisanal variety w/coconut)
ABV:  7.1%
IBU: 16.1
Notables: Limited 15^th anniversary retro release #10 of 15 (that’s 1 beer per year).

Label: Great label.  Volcano peaks erupting with what looks to be “coconut” lava.  As the label states, Two Brothers was inspired to brew Pāhoehoe after a trip to Hawaii to participate in the 2011 Kona Beer Festival on the Big Island (Hawaii).  The beer is named after a type of lava flow found at the Kilauea volcano. 

Overall: Meh.  Yes, that’s right: “meh.”  I was very intrigued, excited, and disturbed by the prospect of trying this beer.  Yinzer gave me the heads up and, lo and behold, it appeared before me as I browsed the beer aisles of a local retailer of all things alcohol.  I had to buy it.  Showtime.  I was disappointed.  The beer barely sustained a semblance of a head.  And the coconut?  The label says they used coconut water, coconut milk, and toasted coconut meat.  So you would expect some coconut flavor, right?  WRONG.  It’s almost like they forgot to put the coconut into this batch.  I mean, I wasn’t looking for a “beer-colada,” but I was looking for SOME coconut flavored notes.  The beer started off slightly sweet on the front, a bit of bite on the tongue, then nothing special going down.  There was a weird sort of “nutty” aftertaste but minus the “coco”.  Maybe I had higher expectations; should’ve gone in with low expectations.  But it’s Two Brothers!  They brew some quality beers.  I don’t know what all the fuss is about.  I mean, feature this as an anniversary beer?  Maybe we should steer clear of these Two Brothers anniversary brews.

I bet you were wondering how pāhoehoe is pronounced?  I’m going with the second one.  Kind of rhymes with this man’s phone greeting:

Acquisition:  22oz. -(Actually $8, I’m not sure you can pay with coconuts.)

Windfall: Pāhoehoe is a Hawaiian term meaning “smooth, unbroken lava.”  It is basaltic lava that has a smooth, billowy, undulating, or ropy surface.  Pāhoehoe lava flows are quite common at the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.  The term “Pāhoehoe” was first introduced as a technical term in geology by Clarence Dutton. (Wikipedia)   

Cheers!

~Gy

Review: Finch's Fascist Pig Ale

Brewery:  Finch’s Beer Co.

Locale:  Chicago, IL              

Craft Circa:  2009

Style:  American Amber

ABV:  8%

IBU:  72 

Label:  Clever label, would expect some radical ideology of a brew.

Overall:   Trying to learn anything about a Finch’s brew, other than one of their standard year around brews is hard to do.  I like to rely on information straight from the source, but Finch’s does not make it that easy.  If anything, you would think they would want to advertise one of their artisan brews, detailing out what’s in it, thus intriguing us beer nerds, but what do I know?

The brew has plenty of caramel, strong malt presence and a bit of rye almost.  The brew pours awesome, smells awesome, and looks awesome. 

Unfortunately, something’s coming off too scorched for me.  It’s like a great wood fired pizza with a completely burnt bottom to it.  It comes out looking amazing, the smell is amazing, and then once you bite into it, it’s soured by the burnt bottom.  Bit of a letdown.  The initial sip was promising, but the burnt crust immediately follows and over powers the ale.  If the beer was bolder and smoother, it would be a quality beer no doubt.

One upside to the beer is that it’s surprisingly high in alcohol, and impressive for a standard Amber Ale.  I enjoyed this beer more so than other Finch’s, but that isn’t saying much.  Decent ROI.

Maybe the Fascist Pig is on the label because this would make a great basting mop sauce for pulled pork.  I could definitely see that for this brew.  That would be pretty good.   What a radical ideological idea.

  Fascist Pig - warning: adult language.

Acquisition:  22 oz. - $8

Windfall:  Speaking of pizza... ever looking for great NY Style pizza in Chicago – Jimmy’s Pizza Café.  Quite good.

~gY

Review: Revolution Brewing Coup d'Etat

Brewery:  Revolution Brewing

Locale:  Logan Square, IL (Chicago)

Craft Circa:  2010

Style:  French Style Saison

ABV:  7.6%

IBUs: 50

 Label:  Get used to seeing these fists breaking through a grocer aisle near you.

Overall:   In case you missed it, there was breaking news on a revolution a brewing here in Chicago reported here at B&B.  Not sure if you caught it, but there’s been a Coup d'Etat; a strike against the state of the general beer drinker nation.  Coup d’Etat, the overthrow, or sudden illegal declaration of a government is such a fitting and an appropriate name of one of the first Revolution brews to be bottled and hit the streets. 

Per wiki, a Coup d'Etat is considered successful when the usurpers establish their dominance. When the coup neither fails completely nor succeeds, a civil war is a likely consequence.  Well this Saison (French for season) is in fact a disturbance.  It’s the Woody Woodpecker of French Style Saisons.  It’s a crisp brew, with a pale malty stamina, quite flavorful for the style.  It ruptures with all the Saison elements you would want to find in a brew, and possibly a tad overboard for my tastes… but for Saison lovers, this ale is right up your backstreet.  It’s lightly hopped, has an array of spices, and it seems as though there was a real Fruit Ninja standing atop this vat before it was sealed for fermentation.  Reasonably tasty.

My pour had no head whatsoever, yet there was still a moderate amount of carbonation.  I’ve been reading the opposite pertaining to the carbonation aspect of this brew’s pour, but either way there is no lack of the quality of this ale.  This would be one of my favorite offerings from Rev Brew if this style was a preference of mine.   It has quality and class for such a rebellious brew. 

Grab a bottle, this Frenchman will knock you off your feet.

Acquisition:  22 ouncer - $7

  

~gY

Review: Pipeworks Brewing Company Glaucus

Brewery:  Pipeworks Brewing Company

Locale:  Chicago, IL

Craft Circa:  2012

Style:  Belgian IPA

ABV:  8%

BIPA Injustice League - Founding Member

Label:  Love it.  Shout out to a local artist, always a homerun.  The bottle art is by Emily Cunningham.  The creature depicted is a Glaucus, which is basically Ariel if she was a dude.  A batch number is hand written on the label, which you can research and discover when that batch was bottled according to their website.  That shows confidence that they feel they will be selling these fast. 

Overall:   For every Belgian Style IPA I’ve had, I’ve probably had 100 American IPAs to counter it.  I have not had too many Belgian IPAs yet in my day, but I hope to surmount all of them at some point.    I have not had a bad one so far.  This beer is right up with the others.  Quality brew.  Full flavored, very delicious.  This BIPA packs a nice array of spices from start to finish.  It generates excitement for the Chicagoland area, that yet another quality brew maker may be on the horizon.

This style of beer is solid in that it encompasses both IPA and Belgian beer lovers with this collaboration of flavor and hops.  It’s a hybrid beer in essence, between an American IPA with a Belgian Tripel.  On top of that, this appears to be a very trendy style of beer, with more and more pour houses and breweries offering at least one.  We are just at the tip of the iceberg for BIPAs. 

Praise and rejoice.

Acquisition:  22 oz. - $9

~gY

Review: Meantime IPA

Brewery:  Meantime Brewing Company

Locale:  London Borough of Greenwich

Craft Circa:  1999

Style:  India Pale Ale

ABV:  7.4%

Label:  Sleek, Royal-esque.

Overall:   Very good beer.  It smelled very nice with floral kicking in immediately.  Not overwhelming with hops, not very bold either.  You are wanting it to come off smoother than what it is because the initial taste reminds me of other solid IPAs that I’ve had, but didn’t quite finish off as well as you hope it to.  With that said though, I would definitely give it a shot, and for the price, it’s feasible to give their other beers in their lineup a shot too.  Just remember if you ever visit the U.K., this brew is a definite viable option for the hop drinkers who want a change up from their Boddingtons. 

So why venture off to the land of Cockneys for today’s brew?  Well 50 years ago today, July 12, 1962, marks the date the Rolling Stones first took the stage.  Their first gig was at the Marquee Club in London’s Oxford Street.  50 years of rock and roll… quite amazing.  Rolling Stone Magazine has a great little piece on the night that was to be.  Check it out. 

 

The Rolling Stones were my high school sweetheart that I am still happily married to today.  Through great memories and not so great memories, they were and continue to be the soundtrack of my life.  Here's to another 50 years. 

Acquisition:  11.2oz - $4

Windfall:  Top Album, such a masterpiece.

 

~gY

Review: Local Option Bierwerker Dampf Loc

Brewery:  Local Option Bierwerker

Locale:  Brewed at Dog Brewing Co., Westminster, Maryland via Chicago

Craft Circa:  2011

Style:  Bavarian Ale

ABV:  5.3%

Notables:  There are limited quantities once a year around Fall.  Tap or bottle at a select few and fortunate locations.

Label:  Local Option approved?  Good enough for me.

Overall:   Honestly…  I came across this beer in our local store, and merely got it because of the Local Option stamp of approval, knowing nothing further.  I’ll get into Local Option later for you interstate, international, or just living under a rock Chicagoan followers.  

The beer is really, really good.  Reading about it beforehand there were different versions of the story behind Dampf Loc:  Is it a Bavarian Ale, Dampfier, Traditional Ale, California Common, or Steam Beer?  Whatever, it’s a great beer.  The ale contains a pleasant blend of malt, hops, flavors, the whole hashbang.  Per the Local Option website, this “Dampf Loc” is an all-barley warm fermented ale brewed originally crafted by medieval peasant inhabitants of southeast Bavaria.  During the fermentation process generous amounts of foam and surface bubbles burst in the tank, giving the illusion that the ferment is boiling or “steaming.” 

Why did I jump all over the Local Option stamped beer in our local grocer?  Well the stamp represents one of their many homebrews crafted and created by one of their own.  Read more about their story here.  

The Local Option is one of the cooler, hipster if you will, establishments in the Chicagoland area.  They continuously have a great selection of beers, both hard to find brews, rarities, hidden gems and even batches specifically created for this local option… pun intended.  I’ve had a couple of these Local Option specific batches in the past, and the worst part about it, is that you leave there pouting that you can’t purchase it anywhere else. 

Acquisition:  Irish Pint - $9

Windfall:  Local option goes through plenty of beers, and they rotate their taps continuously.  Their chalkboard changes constantly and in my opinion, that’s what it’s all about:  Look for the chalkboard.  My theory, whether you are wondering if you have walked into a beer geek worthy, snobs of brew approved, fine craft establishment, look for the chalkboard.  The chalkboard indicates they take their beer turnover seriously and you’ll get a great pour every time.  A good portion of the time, their Facebook page cover art will contain their most recent chalkboard, and is one of the many reasons Brews and Beyond likes and follows the Local Option.

~gY

Review: Finch's Cut Throat Pale Ale

Brewery:  Finch’s Beer Co.

Locale:  Chicago, IL 

Craft Circa:  2009

Style:  American Pale Ale

ABV:  5.6%

Label:  Like it.  Nice artwork and slogan: “Enjoy the Beer in Here”.

Overall:   It smells very pleasant, and provides a great deal of intrigue to dive in.  This Pale Ale is bold and bitter.  The hops hit you quite forwardly, but they are not overwhelming.  It’s indicated to have orange peels brewed within but I did not catch that.  I captured toasted or burnt nuts of some sort on the back end, and it stuck around a little while.  This brew is much darker for a pale ale.  It comes off as almost a harvest or amber ale of sorts.  Overall it’s middling.  For the price, it’s fairly good. 

Now typically Finch’s are served out of cans or on tap around the region, but this was sampled and consumed in a 22 oz bottle. I am typically not a fan of any beer particularly in a can, but that’s just my taste.  Canned beer has come a long way.  Technology has improved in regards to the elimination of the aluminum flavors.  We read a recent study a while back that had consumers take a blind taste test between bottles and cans.  3 out of 4 tasters actually preferred it in the can, and 54% of consumers were able to indicate which brews were canned beers.  Canned beers are designed to prevent light pollution and cut down on skunked beers.  With all that said…  I still prefer the bottle.  It’s probably psychological, but who cares, it’s all about preference.  It’s your liver right?  It may as well have favorable taste even if it is mind over matter, in the process.  The poll associated with the first link indicates that I’m not alone on this preference either.

I would rate this merely the middle of the road, but I would consider giving it another shot if I come across it on tap.  I would probably pass trying it in the can down the road, unless it was January 24^th, then I would consider another try.

Acquisition:  22 oz. - $4

~gY

UPDATE 7.13.12:  Consumed Cut Throat Ale on tap and noticed an improvement over the bottle.  The lingering effect of the burnt nuts does not last quite as long making it smoother.  

Review: Smuttynose Summer Weizen Ale

Brewery:  Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Locale:  Portsmouth, NH

Craft Circa:  1994

Style:  American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV:  5.46%

IBUs: 15

Label:  Nostalgic. 

Overall:   What an appropriate beer for today.  A string of hot and humid days here, and what better way to end this run of Gainesville (shout out to Gooner) Swamp like weather than to give this wheat ale a try.  The beer pours almost as hazy as today, a nice golden haze.  It is lightly hopped, and quite refreshing, but lacks tastiness.  Overall, it is an average beer.  For the style of beer, it’s above average.  For a Smuttynose brew, it’s below average.  Probably my least favorite Smuttynose I’ve consumed, and I’ve been impressed with a couple other Smutty’s that I’ve tried.  There are plenty of other summer seasonal beers that are worth acquiring, and with so many options, I feel this one does not stand out in a crowd of summer seasonals like a Seminole fan would at a Gator game (Gooner again).  There is just not enough to it. There are some hints of what you may expect in a beer referring to itself as a Summer Weizen, but that’s the point…  they are only hints.   

There’s one person in mind that may be able to save this beer, with enough hard work and enough prayer.  This Man. 

Acquisition:  6 pack  - $9

Tidbits:  Smuttynose is named after Smuttynose Island, the third largest of the nine islands that comprise the Isles of Shoals, a small, rocky archipelago that lies seven miles off the coast of New Hampshire and Maine. The name appears on nautical charts going back as far as the seventeenth century, so its true origins are lost to time.  Prior to the arrival of Smuttynose Brewing, the island was best known for a brutal double axe murder that occurred there in 1873.  This is per Smuttynose website.

~gY

Review: Birra del Borgo ReAle Extra

Brewery:  Birra del Borgo

Locale:  Borgorose, Italy

Craft Circa:  2005

Style:  India Pale Ale

ABV:  6.2%

Label:   Simple. The font looks as if hop vines are growing across the label. 

SPAIN - Estrella Damm Daura   (refer to our review)

&

ITALY - Birra del Borgo ReAle Extra

Overall:   In honor of the Euro 2012 tourney concluding this afternoon, we wanted to provide a review of two beers brewed and crafted in the countries participating in the finals today.  Spain and Italy.  For Italy, we were in search of the original ReAle, which is their rendition of an American Pale Ale, but the ReAle Extra was what was available at our local store.  This is considered an extra hopped version of the ReAle.  Per the Birra del Borgo website, all the hops are added during the last 10 minutes of the boil, using 3 times more than regular ReAle.

Average  to above average IPA.  The more you sip it the more profound it becomes, but it does stick around a little too long.  I was about to write this one off, but the more you drink it, the more drinkable it becomes.  What drags this ale down is the immediate bitterness and the tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce flavor that follows.  Ok, i'm exaggerating, but it sure is sweet and tangy.  Not overwhelming, but enough to avoid calling this brew above average.  If I were to sip on this each time I cheered on Gli Azzurri in the Euro, I’m glad it takes place every four years as that is all my palate can take of this.  Too sweet for my liking… but not as sweet as this Diana Ross penalty kick.

Acquisition:  375 ML - $9

Tidbit:  By the way, if you are ever in the Carolina area on a road trip.  Highly recommend the link above.  Bubba’s BBQ is quite good, and right off I-77, north of Charlotte. 

~gY

Review: Two Brothers Prairie Path Golden Ale

Brewery: Two Brothers Brewing Company
Locale: Warrenville, IL
Craft Circa: 1997
Style: Golden Ale
ABV: 5.1%
IBUs: 25


Notables: Available year-round; Gluten Free

Label: Nice and simple. There’s a path through what looks to be a prairie with a partly sunny sky above. No “Little House on the Prairie” depicted here.


Overall: Very good. Ales are usually not my beer of choice. However, I thought, “Hey it’s from Two Brothers so I have to give it a shot.” I follow my own two sip rule. I usually know by the second sip whether I like the beer or not. It could be psychological but I think the first sip kind of prepares your mouth or, to be fancy, cleanses your palate. And by the second sip I knew I liked this beer. Prairie Path had a slight bitterness to it but was very smooth and bubbly. It’s refreshing, not a strong flavor, but not lacking in flavor either. With the heat wave hitting Chicago this beer was welcome refreshment. It felt like I was at a ballpark enjoying America’s pastime but actually enjoying the beer too for once.


Acquisition: 6 pack $8.99


Tidbits: What does IBU mean?


Per Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_measurement The International Bittering Units scale, or simply IBU scale, provides a measure of the bitterness of beer, which is provided by the hops used during brewing. Bittering units are measured through the use of a spectrophotometer and solvent extraction.


The bittering effect is less noticeable in beers with a high quantity of malt, so a higher IBU is needed in heavier beers to balance the flavor. For example, an Imperial Stout may have an IBU of 50, but will taste less bitter than an English Bitter with an IBU of 30, because the latter beer uses much less malt than the former. The technical limit for IBU's is around 100; some have tried to surpass this number, but there is no real gauge after 100 IBUs when it comes to taste threshold. Light lagers without much bitterness will generally have 5 IBUs, while an India Pale Ale may have 100 IBUs or more.


In case you didn’t get enough on gluten, here’s a Wikipedia page on gluten-free diets.


Got it? Good!


~Gy