Reviews: A Smattering

I had three new beers tonight, and here are the reviews...in a sentence...each:

• Leinenkugel's Classic Amber: Basically a Leine's version of Samuel Adam's Boston Lager, but better, because it's cheaper and Leinenkugel's.
• Boulevard Single-wide IPA: A moderate IPA that does nothing to rival Sierra Nevada's selection, but is nonetheless a welcome choice on the shelf (mostly for its price-point).
• Samuel Adams Blackberry Wit: Too much blackberry, too much sugar, not enough balance; probably more tasty in the Summer than the Purgatory of weather that is March.

Leinenkugel's Going National with Classic Amber

Leinenkugel's has always been a great stand-by, a brewery that creates a lot of different styles that are all tasty and affordable. But Leinenkugel's has always been a very Midwest brewery, with only a few styles finding themselves throughout the nation (e.g., when I was in Boston last year, the only Leinenkugel's I saw on tap was, not the standard Honey Weiss or Original, but the Sunset Wheat). Well, much to the delight of my brother, as well as other Leine-lovers across the nation, the brewery is taking steps to change this:

But the beer that got its start quenching the thirst of 19th-century lumberjacks will shed whatever's left of its regional image Monday with the national launch of a new brew, Classic Amber. The beer, a potential flagship for the Chippewa Falls, Wis, brewery, is meant to compete with the nation's bestselling craft beer, Samuel Adams.

With the Classic Amber, this is the third new beer Leine's has launched within the last three months. While I didn't enjoy the Fireside Nut Brown, I thought the 1888 Bock was a refreshing, accurate take on the style, and I'm excited to try their newest, the Classic Amber. Here is the description from the brewery:

Leinenkugel's Classic Amber Lager
Our signature all-malt lager is a celebration of genuine ingredients, time-honored brewing traditions and authentic craft beer flavor. With its brilliant amber color, premium blend of Pale, Caramel and Munich malts, and subtle, yet complex citric hoppiness, you simply can't go wrong with a Classic.

Check out the full description here, and look for it in stores early March.

Via The Star Tribune

Leinie's Big Eddy Imperial IPA

Reading about Leinenkugel's newest beer, Big Eddy Imperial IPA, gives me mixed feelings. First, I'm excited, because Lenie has yet to tap into the "hoppy" beers, preferring to make drinkable, session-type beers. This seems to mark a new venture for them, and it's fantastic to see such a long-standing brewery take a chance with something so different. It's called a "high-octane ale" and this description doesn't disappoint:

"Big Eddy Imperial IPA is one hundred percent malt based with special hops added at every stage of brewing. Each batch is treated to a highly refined filtering process, resulting in a brilliant beer with a breathtaking tawny red, coppery glow. Its assured bitterness is punctuated by an 8.9 percent alcohol content, while the clean lingering finish manages to not overpower. It's expensive to brew, but it's worth it."

If that isn't good enough for you, here's the one provided by Roman's Pub's website (one of the locations carrying it): "Bright golden orange color, big citrus hop nose, immediate hop bitter upfront that leads to a nice malt balance and finishes long and dry, made with Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe and Amarillo hops backed by Munich Caramel and Pale Ale malts."

A Leinie brew at 8.9% abv and bitter? This sounds awesome. Almost all of Leinie's other beers top out at 4.9%, with the Oktoberfest at 5.1% and the Big Butt at 5.8%. Unfortunately, they don't list the IBUs to compare the bitterness to.

The only reason why I'm not thrilled about this right now is because it's "being test-marketed on tap only in some select bars in the Milwaukee area." Hopefully people embrace this new beer and it soon finds itself in my direction and my stomach.

For information on where to drink it, go here

Leinenkugel's 140th Celebration

On Saturday, June 16 from 9am to 4pm, Leinenkugel's will be celebrating their 140th year anniversary. There are plenty of events scheduled throughout the day: brewery tours, scavenger hunts, music, dance contests, cooking contests, brats, giveaways, etc.

Being from Wisconsin, I'm a fairly loyal Leine fan. I love the Red, Sunset Wheat, Oktoberfest, and I've got a few of their newest, the Summer Shandy, in my fridge. It has potential to be a great time, but I don't think I'm going to make it. Apparently, they've been doing an annual celebration since 2003; so, there's always next year.

Go here for more information