Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

I recently did a video beer review with Chad from Chad'z Beer reviews on the Long Trail Blackberry Wheat beer. I was not very impressed with Long Trail's version but I figured I would give the style another chance when I saw the Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier.

The beer poured a hazy, golden orangish color with a finger width white head. Berries dominate the aroma. The body starts out with some thin wheat. The berries start to show through in the middle palate and stay through the finish, lingering on the palate for a while. There are some very light hops on the finish. The beer left a faint lacing on the glass.

Overall, this beer is fairly well made but this style is just not for me. I think spices and citrus are much better suited for wheat beers then berries. This seems like a beer replacement for fruity, sparkling wines, but it is just not impressive for me.

21st Amendment IPA

Another new beer on tap at Aroma Thyme Bistro in Ellenville, NY means another new blog post for The Foaming Head. The new beer is 21st Amendment's India Pale Ale. 21st has canned their beers since June of 2008, but the beers have only recently been available in New York.

21st's IPA poured a semi-hazy, golden color with a big frothy white head. The aroma consists mostly of dry, floral hops. The cascade is most apparent. The body has a creamy mouthfeel with some light, pale malt up front. The hops start to make their presence felt in the middle of the palate and lead to a very dry finish. The beer leaves lots of beautiful circular lacing.

Overall, this is a really nice IPA. The hops are not overwhelming so the hop heads that love American IPA's may not be impressed but I think this is a nice beer. There is plenty of flavor and the hops balance well with the pale malt. This is a real nice IPA for the Summer and I am sure I will be stopping in for a few more.

Harpoon IPA

Chef/Owner Marcus Guiliano invited me into Aroma Thyme Bistro, in Ellenville, NY to taste their newest beer on tap; Harpoon IPA. Harpoon's beer checks in at a relatively strong 5.9% and is brewed with American Cascade hops and three different malts.

The beer poured a golden yellow color with a inch high, frothy, white head. There was some floating sediment that made its way into the glass from the keg. The aroma is clean and hoppy, with the Cascade hops dominating.

There is some malt up front before the hops really start to show through. The body is pretty dry, yet a little thinner than most American IPA's with the hops showing through more on the aroma and finish than the body. The beer leaves a decent amount of lace on the glass.

Overall, I really like this beer. The lighter body makes this a perfect IPA for the summer. Harcore hopheads may look for a beer with a little more bite in the body, but I enjoy Harpoon's version as I can enjoy more than one without a glass of water nearby. This beer would pair very well with any of Chef Guilano's Thai dishes.

Yuengling Traditional Lager

Yuengling Traditional Lager is the flagship beer of America's Oldest Brewery.

The beer poured a clear, dark, amber color with a finger width off white head. The aroma is malty with some hints of fruit. The body is thin and short, yet smooth with a malty middle and a light sweetness up front. The finish is short; light and delicate with a crisp tanginess to it.

Overall, this is a pretty good lager and one of my favorite beers from a big brewery. The flavor is there, yet it is simple enough to enjoy while watching the game or just enjoying a beautiful day. The light sweetness is a nice touch and the finish stays out of its own way. It is light enough and the 4.4% ABV makes it a good candidate for a session beer. The inexpensive price tag only makes this beer more attractive when deciding what to drink on a lazy night.

Top 50 Craft Breweries By Volume

The Brewers Association just released their annual list of the top 50 craft brewing companies by volume. Sam Adams keeps their spot at the top from last year.

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume (Based on 2008 sales)

Rank - Brewing Company - City - State

1. Boston Beer Co. Boston, MA
2. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico, CA
3. New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins, CO
4. Spoetzl Brewery Shiner, TX
5. Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle, WA
6. Deschutes Brewery Bend, OR
7. Matt Brewing Co. Utica, NY
8. Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City, MO
9. Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River, OR
10. Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington, VT
11. Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau, AK
12. Harpoon Brewery Boston, MA
13. Bell's Brewery, Inc. Galesburg, MI
14. Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona, HI
15. Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco, CA

16. Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland, ME
17. Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul, MN
18. Stone Brewing Co. Escondido, CA
19. Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs, LA
20. The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn, NY
21. New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus, WI
22. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton, DE
23. Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners, VT
24. Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose, CA
25. Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport, OR
26. Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland, OH
27. The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma, CA
28. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles, CA
29. SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta, GA
30. Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick, MD
31. BJ's Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach, CA
32. Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville, CO
33. BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland, OR
34. Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins, CO
35. Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown, PA
36. Mac and Jack's Brewery Redmond, WA
37. Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula, MT
38. Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga, TN
39. Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego, CA
40. Breckenridge Brewery Denver, CO
41. Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka, CA

42. Otter Creek Brewing Co. Middlebury, VT
43. Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City, UT
44. North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg, CA
45. Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue, NY
46. Boulder Beer Co. Boulder, CO
47. Pete's Brewing Co. San Antonio, TX
48. McMenamins Breweries Portland. OR
49. Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Boonville, CA
50. The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. St Louis, MO

Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner

Dogfish Head's Golden Era Imperial Pilsner is a new incarnation of Dogfish's Golden Shower. It poured a smaller head and a hazy gold color. This pilsner has a strong malt nose that contines through the first sip and into the mid-palate. The middle also has a slight citrusy, orange note. There is not much of a finish, and it seems like the beer "falls apart" after such a big beginning. This isn't a terrible beer, but it isn't all that great either. It seems that Dogfish tried to make this a big, huge pilsner with all of the malt but the beer seemed rough around the edges and not very smooth. At 9%, it packs quite a punch and I would definatly lay this one down for awhile and let it balance out. It would be interesting to see how this beer drinks in a year.

Anderson Valley's Hop Ottin' IPA

Our latest tasting was Anderson Valley's Hop Ottin' IPA.  This beer won the silver medal at the 2001 World Beer Championships.  It poured a clear, bronze color with a big head.  The smell gives off a very hoppy, very dry nose.  The first sip is very smooth and leads into a smooth, sweet, middle with a hint of caramel.  The sweet middle does not last long as the beer moves into a very dry, very long, bitter finish.  The beer is dry-hopped which leads to the very hoppy body.  Overall, I was not overwhelmed by this beer, but then again it is not my favorite style.  My final recommendation is to try it if you are a true IPA fan, but it is nothing all that amazing.