Samuel Adams Merry Mischief Gingerbread Stout

This stout pours as black as the coal you’re gonna find in your stocking this year with one fingers worth of creamy gingerbread cookie colored head. The aroma is big, with heavy notes of nutmeg and ginger. I became a fan after the first sip. Notes of gingerbread, malts, and spice complimented with a smooth rich body. The alcohol is nicely masked, but intensifies the closer you get to the bottom of the glass. The finish has notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and toffee. 

I like stouts, and I like mischief, and this tasty holiday offering from Sam Adams is just full of holiday spirits (literally and figuratively - 9% ABV rating). Merry Mischief Gingerbread Stout is another impressive addition to Boston Brewing’s impressive small batch specialty brews. If you like heavy stouts and holiday cheer, then give Merry Mischief a try. I triple dog dare you!!!!!

Holiday Cheers!!!

Shiner Holiday Cheer

I picked up this brew for two reasons. 1) Its called Holiday Cheer. 2) It advertised that it's brewed with peaches. Glass. Pour. Gary Hoey's "Ho Ho Hoey" in the CD player - Pours a chestnut brown that gives off a red hue when held to light with a mild tan head. The aroma is fruity and sweet. The peach flavor is immediately noticeable. It's very unique for a holiday brew, but them again, fruit has always played a role in Christmas traditions. Shiner Holiday Cheer also has notes of nuts, toffee, and malt. This brew is a bit fizzy, but for the sake of the holidays I'll describe it as sparkling. There is actually a constant fizz from the carbonated bubbles popping on the surface. The finish is a nutty/peach combination of flavors. The peach flavor is mildly constant during the entire enjoyment of this brew, and I really enjoyed the unique and pleasant enhancement it brought to this ale.

This would be a great ale to have on hand for the holidays for guests who enjoy something different or for those who prefer a lighter spirit, rather than the heavier bodied winter lagers and stouts. Overall I enjoyed this Holiday Cheer. Who would have though ale brewed with peaches would be so good. 

Holiday Cheers!!!

New Belgium Brewing Company Snow Day

Tonight's taste feast is Snow Day Ale by New Belgium Brewing company. It pours dark brown with an attractive sugar cookie batter colored head of froth. Mouth watering  aroma with enticing notes of chocolate and rich malts. First sip. Wow. Toasted grain, caramel, chocolate, and malt. Really good. Medium body and carbonation, hoppy, with a nice bittersweet quality. The finish is crisp, refreshing, and ends with a nice lingering chalky dark chocolate finish. 

I really enjoyed this brew. From the aroma and taste, to the nice amount of lacing it left on the glass, and the constant cap of tan head. The 6.2% alcohol content is incredibly masked, so I'd recommend pacing yourself when enjoying this ale. No gripes, just praise. A great brew that was inspired by the feeling we all shared when we looked out the window one winter morning to discover a massive snowfall, and the joy that followed when school was cancelled. I would recommend having this on hand throughout the holidays. It's that good. 

Cheers!!!

Snow Day has been on sale at Meijers for the last few weeks for $12.80 (plus deposit) for a 12 pack, which is a great bargain for a quality brew. 

R.J. Rockers Brewing Co. Gruntled Pumpkin Ale

Gruntled Pumpkin Ale pours a clear copper color with a big frothy head. The aroma has notes of pumpkin and citrus. The first sip reveals and interesting seasonal ale. While most pumpkin ales are brewed with baking spices, Gruntled has strong citrus notes. The combination of citrus and pumpkin make for a very nice refreshing autumn ale. This brew has a tart/tangy body. Gruntled Pumpkin is very hoppy with a hint of mild spice, bittersweet flavor notes, and nice carbonation flares. This seasonal autumn ale really reminds me of a summer IPA, but with a pumpkin twist. The pumpkin flavor mellows after a while and nearly gets dominated by the big citrus flavor, but the big citrus flavor is delicious, so no complaints. The finish is abrupt, and the big flavor and body quickly fades away, leaving only a hint of the goodness you just enjoyed. Gruntled Pumpkin Ale certainly doesn’t follow the typical pumpkin ale standards, and i like that. 

The Great Pumpkin likes that R.J. Rockers Brewing Company thinks outside of the pumpkin patch. It makes him a hoppy pumpkin. 

Samuel Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin Ale

If it's pumpkin you came looking for, well you've come to the right place. Fat Jack pours mahogany brown and gives off a nice red hue when held up to the light. Two fingers of biscuit colored head gives off an impressive aroma of nutmeg, malt, and the advertised big orange gourd. The first sip reveals an intense bright creamy body followed by an enjoyable warming effect. Big flavor with notes of fall spices, fruit, caramel, and lots of pumpkin. Fat Jack is brewed with an impressive 28 pounds of pumpkin per barrel!!! Because sometimes, 27 pounds just isn’t enough. The pumpkin is most dominant during the mildly sweet floral finish. 

Samuel Adams Fat Jack has a big pumpkin flavor and makes a nice boozy autumn treat. Available in 22 oz bottles, this brew boasts an impressive 8.5% ABV rating. Fat Jack is part of Samuel Adams limited release specialty beers. I've been very impressed with the few varieties I’ve tried so far from this series of unique brews. So if it's pumpkin you want, it's pumpkin you'll get with Fat Jack - the perfect warm up for a chilly autumn night.

Cheers.

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale

For starters, I really like the label for this brew. It's not everyday you get to pour an ale from a bottle that has a picture of the Headless Horseman riding a red eyed black steed and holding an evil Jack-O-Lantern in his hand. Definitely sets a spooky Sleepy Hallow mood. Pours a cloudy burnt orange with two fingers worth of long lasting light peach colored head. Leaves a bit of lacing on the glass. The aroma has hints of cinnamon, squash, and nutmeg. 

The flavor has strong cinnamon note with hints of cloves, nutmeg, and all spice. Medium carbonation creates a creamy mouth feel to this mildly sweet ale. The pumpkin notes show up during the finish of this ale, and has a unique fleshy just carved flavor, followed by traditional notes of nutmeg.

Pretty good. The big cinnamon flavor is the star of this brew, with the pumpkin being the encore. The sweetness starts out mild, but does intensify towards the end of enjoyment. Overall, Ichabod is defiantly nice for a round or two. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring a few bottles with you the next time you’re crossing a wood covered bridge at night. 

Cheers!!!

  

Skyfall [Movie Review]

Skyfall finds MI6 with cracks in it's foundation. Old espionage training and tricks are fast becoming obsolete in a modern world. Even Bond finds himself victim of these policies, and discovers age is beginning to creep up on him. Although none of that is apparent in the intense nonstop opening sequence. Daniel Craig continues to raise the bar in the action department and has done so with a stylistic grittiness. I was so immediately caught up in this film that I quickly forgot what a disappointment Quantum of Solace was. You finally get a chance to catch your breath during an opening credit sequence that is reminiscent of the Connery era, enhanced by one of the better Bond songs I’ve heard in a while with Adele singing the title track that shares the same name as this film. 

MI6 is the target in this film, often attacked publicly by one of the great problems we are facing in the modern world. As Great Britain has learned this year with the Royal Family, media and the Internet is a powerful tool in casting a negative or embarrassing light, and creates suspicion in the public and political mind. The source of the attacks is Silva, played by Javier Bardem. Bardem shines in this film, his performance is memorable, and easily ranks up there with the more iconic villains of this franchise. Many of the villains over the years have been undeveloped characters, and often cast just to put a face to “the bad guy”. That isn’t the case with Silva, and Bardem easily gives the most memorable (villain) performance I've seen since Sean Bean portrayal of 006 in Goldeneye. 

Dame Judi Dench returns as Bond's boss M, a character who for the most part has been a behind the scenes role player. M's character is much more prominent In Skyfall, and even Dench has given a harder no nonsense performance in the 23rd installment of this franchise. It's serious business being the one who takes responsibility for all that goes on at MI6, especially in the middle of a controversy. 

My only concern going into Skyfall was the addition of the fan beloved character Q, played for decades by the late Desmond Llewelyn. He’d been in the franchise so long he inherited a sort of friendly grandfather appeal in my opinion, which is always more difficult to replace as a result. In Skyfall, gone are the gadgets, but the humorous bantering between the Q and 007 has kept it grudge. Played by Ben Whishaw, Q's character is a little more important on an intelligence level in the fight behind the lines of battle. It's very different from the classic old inventor lecturing a younger in comparison Bond, but a needed departure to bring this character to modern times.

What's great for the longtime fans of this franchise are the tributes Skyfall makes to the Bond films of the past. Even better is it playfully pokes fun at some of the cheesier moments in 007 history, creating some nice comedic moments. These tributes are all done in a subtle approach that doesn't distract from the film. One thing I really enjoyed was that we learn a little more about Bond's background story. This has been available for years in Ian Fleming’s novels, but rarely touched on the screen. I wouldn't call it an origin story, but you learn a little more about the man behind the Walther PPK. Between this film, and the opening sequence of Casino Royal, we learn more about Bond's background than the first 20 films combined. 

The controversy of the best Bond always falls in Connery's favor, but to me, Daniel Craig is the best representation of the spy in Fleming's novels. Before Craig took the roll, this franchise was beating a dead horse with the same tired formula. Nothing against Pierce Brosnen, he was the victim of some poor scripts, and some less memorable cheesy scenes which were a result of MGM trying to stay too true to past successes. This lead to a watered down of version of 007. In Skyfall, Craig continues to up his game with Bond. Since Quantum of Solace was a continuation/ sequel of Casino Royal, Skyfall has been Craig's first opportunity to pursue a new storyline as 007 and grow into the part since the reboot.  

Skyfall marks the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise. 50 years! That is an achievement that has no rival in modern cinema. It's hard to think any will match the longevity of these films. With a grittier and more youthful approach, and the successful core strengths in tacked, Skyfall has really helped this series come full circle in achievement. It has a celebratory feel, and i think the 50th anniversary played a big role in the approach to this film. With this latest installment the platform has been set for another successful run with all the classic pieces in place. From this fan’s perspective, I hope they are for many years to come.