Yes, the Chronicles have finally found an American-made pale ale worth recommending. (Long-time readers may know that the Chronicles have a major aversion to over-hopped ales, particularly those using citrusy hops.) Perhaps the extra yeast, or the fact that it originates in Vermont instead of the West Coast, makes a difference. But I can safely say that Long Trail's Unfiltered IPA has earned a place in my rotation.
Characteristics: Deep gold color, varying from translucent to cloudy (depending on amount of yeast stirred from bottle); medium body, light-to-medium carbonation; tart orange and vanilla flavors at the beginning are moderated by yeast into a grapefruit finish.
Minor Gripes: Since this isn't an English bitter, the hoppy finish is still present and sometimes overwhelming (depending on temperature). And it's unclear (pun intended) whether one is supposed to spin the yeast out of the bottle (like weissbiers) or not. I tried it both ways and preferred the yeasty version.
Bottom Line: Make no mistake, this is an American IPA. But it's a mellow version, eschewing the mega-hop arms race for drinkability and a mellowness that might skew closer to the original IPA (where hops were a preservative, not just an agent for bitterness). And in an age where Sierra Nevada is supposedly on the low end of the IPA spectrum, Long Trail's Unfiltered IPA is nearly unimaginable.
Rating: 6.25 / 10
I am a ginger fanatic. I also have an interest in creative East Asian beers -- I enjoy sushi and pad thai too much to suffer with pale yellow lagers for the rest of my life. So when I spotted a ginger-brewed beverage in the Hitachino Nest stable, that was pretty much an automatic purchase.
Characteristics: Cloudy reddish-brown color; light-to-moderate carbonation with average head; medium body; mildly sweet opening sets the stage for the ginger to build across a yeasty-biscuit middle for an almost peppery finish. It takes time for the ginger to emerge.
Minor Gripes: Depending on your tolerance for yeast, be careful when pouring since there's a sediment in the bottle. And definitely do not drink this one straight out of the bottle, straight out of the refrigerator... this is probably best consumed from a snifter/tulip glass, approaching room temperature.
Bottom Line: A noble experiment that doesn't quite reach the finish line. I'd like to try this with 50% more ginger in the mash, so that the bite is there at a cooler temperature -- but I also eat pickled ginger without sushi. And I do wonder about quality control in the bottling and labeling at Kiuchi -- the first bottle I tasted was so bland that I may not have gotten the right beverage. (That's happened to me before with Hitachino Nest. I loved the first couple Red Rice Ales I tried -- reddish, medium-bodied experiments on the amber ale theme... but later bottles were thin, cloudy, straw-yellow, and utterly lacking in flavor.)
Rating: 5 / 10
I enjoy schwarzbiers (literally, "black beers") -- the malty, slightly sweet cousins to standard pilseners. And though I didn't notice it on my previous visit, Berlin seems to be awash in this particular style. Eibauer (literally and nominatively) hails from Eibau, near the Czech and Polish borders.
Characteristics: Brownish-red color; medium carbonation and head that dissipates fairly quickly; light-to-medium body; consistent flavors of biscuit, malt, yeast, and a little sugar throughout with a little hoppy bite in the finish.
Minor Gripes: Lagers are steady but unexciting (unless hopped within an inch of their lives). In particular, the black lagers follow enough of a formula that distinguishing among them is a challenge.
Bottom Line: Schwarzbiers are a saving grace for those who generally shun yellow lagers and pilseners but find themselves in Germany. Though Kostritzer is my standard reference point, I would certainly choose Eibauer without hesitation.
Rating: 6 / 10
