Hefeweizen

Thanks to Henry Lapka for donating this beer to the blog. Evening tasting, midweek.

Appearance: Strong 3 finder head with a soapy appearance. Laces the glass as it deflates into the beer. Semi-clear with a straw coppered appearance. Served in a Pilsner glass.
Aroma: Pungent and full of yeast, with far more bready overtones than most. Citrus takes a background smell while a lagered aroma makes a prominent stance.
Taste: Sweet but tart with a barnyard aspect to the finish. The yeast plays a noticeable part in the flavor, with a bready, stale-like flavor. Wheat citrus is more apparent with a complementary grainy taste reminiscent of nuts. Some finishing clove spice, but banana isn't really anywhere to be heard of. Alcohol is nonexistent in the taste, though the beer finishes with a noticeable bitter aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Fluid, with an aggressive carbonation. Leaves the palate very clean. Body is faint, but the mouthfeel is creamy. Swooshed around, the carbonation bites the tip of the tongue.
Overall Impression: One of the better Hefewiezen's I've had, especially for a Cosco brand. Though I don't see myself as tasting again, it would definitely pair well into a comparative American Hefe tasting, IF one was so encouraged to do so.


77/100

German Lager

Another ale, courtesy of Henry Lapka. Tried after practice completing a 14 mile day. Enjoyed with a collard green fritatta with eggs from the Singh's family farm with a cream garlic onion sauce with thyme, turmeric and black pepper.

Appearance: Golden amber with a two finger frothy, dense white head. Transparency is at its finest, revealing the other side of the room behind in with a distorted vision from the class. Micro bubble carbonation visible if noticed.

Aroma: Semi fruity with a dry yeasty tone to it. A pungent maltiness runs throughout with a sock smell typical of some lagers.

Taste: Quite sweet and indistinctly American beer tasting with a touch of extra biscuit and caramel malt. Breadiness makes it way through the palate complemented with a yeasty crispiness. Hops make the finish slightly dryer but maintaining a resinous taste of Hallertau or Saaz. Develops a citrus/fruitiness by the end of the beer.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and refreshing, and like the rest, pretty drinkable. Creamy texture and not sticky whatsoever. Carbonation is at a peak, as it fizzles the top of the mid tongue to finish. Thicker body.
Overall Impression: Yes a definition of German lager, but nothing outstanding. Would I drink it again? Probably just as a retry, but nothing out of exuberance for enjoyment.


68/100

Kirkland Pale Ale

Thanks goes out to Henry Lapka for bringing 4 of these over following our Social Statistics final. His dad picked them up for him when he came down this past weekend and he felt it necessary to incorporate into the blog. I didn't try them right away, but I traded him a bottle of mead and we tested out my Organic Robust Coffee Porter while playing a bit of Halo 2. Tried this that night.

Appearance: Crystal clear amber with a fingers worth of an initial foamed head, that slowly dissipates into a film with a uniformed segmented lacing on the glass. Micro-bubble carbonation is visible.

Aroma: Quite fruity with a dash of caramel. Not so much grassy as it is subtly leaf-like in aroma.

Taste: Alternatively, the taste reveals a rich grassy taste initially, that is then followed up with a minor caramel sweetness, but finishes dry and leaves a very resinous herbaceous aftertaste bitterness that isn't necessarily appealing.
Mouthfeel: Very fluid and drinkable. Body and mouthfeel are on the lower scale. Carbonation makes this beer clean and refreshing.
Overall Impression: Nothing very notable. Very typical of a Costco brand beverage. Probably mass produced, but good enough to enter the craft beer sector. Nevertheless there is a person behind every industry, and someone had to make  recipe for this. Unfortunately they went for the bland bitterness and uneventful malt. But I understand this ale is meant to appeal to the greater public who may trust a brand enough to try new beer. A good gateway I suppose...


69/100