|
|
|
|
|
| |
Christmas Ale Wrap
This year's crop of winter/festive ales.
In a nutshell -- The Old Fezziwig is always a favorite; the Sierra Nevada Celebration, and Winter Ales from Blue Point and Sam Adams were a treat. The Harpoon Winter Warmer was terrific for the first six I had, but the second went flat. This year's Anchor Christmas Ale didn't match last year's, but was still worth the longer-than-usual wait for it to appear.
Sam Adams Old Fezziwig
A dark amber - fine bubbles and a creamy head
Some sour, metallic homebrewey notes in the aroma
Spices in the taste - partidularly nutmeg
Full bodied / clean aftertaste
Blue Point Brewing Company Winter Ale
I like this beer but can't put my finger on it
Has some of that metallic hoppy taste I find in other winter beers
Eliz says "very appetizing looking and smells great" but she doesn't like the "harsh" aftertaste
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Lighter orange color, much thinner head than the Old Fezziwig.
Fruit in the aroma, Hops in the taste
Anchor Christmas Ale 2004 (OSA-Our Special Ale)
Smell of nutmeg and cinnamon
Very dark amber, thick brown head
Rich, complex taste - not nearly as much spice as in previous years (see below)
Sam Adams Winter Lager
Amber, some light head
Hop aroma
Full flavor, some metallic overtones
Harpoon Winter Warmer
Very flavorful burst of cinnamon and nutmeg.
The bottles in the second six pack were quite fizzy - almost like soda, then suddenly flat
Others held their head and mouth feel somewhat longer, but not like the first six.
Saranac Season's Best Nut Brown Lager
Brown color, off white head that mostly dissapated
Nutty flavor and aroma, hop bite
Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic
Once again--unspeakably vile. Why are the Old Fezziwig's chained to these?
Some oldies but goodies I had a chance to try again this winter:
Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale 2002
Dark -- didn't see the fine bubbles of 03, but a foamy brown head with good lacing
More spices in the aroma - nutmeg and cinnamon
Anchor Christmas Ale 1996
Tony uncorked a magnum of this: Alcohol in the aroma - a warm, rich taste - some mellow spice flavor. Very smoothly blended after seven years.
Monday, February 23, 2004
9:33 PM
| Link
What, Now WLIR's Gone?
In January, Long Island alt-rock mainstay WLIR (sometimes WDRE) went off the air, replaced by Spanish-language radio. Along with WNEW, which underwent a long-slow death of its own, these may be my most-listened-to radio stations ever. Still around is KROC, of course, and WBAB (just up on Sunrise Highway); new stations Island 94.3 and Q104 (where much of the WNEW crew went); New Haven's WPLR (which always came in great in Stony Brook) and the "all Bob station" WFUV from Fordham. I found a good tribute to WLIR at 2Walls Webzine.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
9:19 PM
| Link
|
|
| |
|
|
|
