The Third Shifter's Food & Drink Review

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Series Three:

February 1, 2010 at 10:01am:

This will be a catch-up from the last couple times MJ & I hung out.



First up, Redhook ESB from the Redhook Ale Brewery in Woodinville, WA:

I struggled to state something really cogent with this one, but I'm afraid there really wasn't much going on here. It's seems like an average beer, no complaints but no standing ovation either.



Second, Snake Chaser Irish Style Stout by Lakefront Brewery, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Damn baby, this was good.
The Aroma: Odd, almost like root beer.
The Color: Mahogany, completely opaque.
The Taste: Dark and fervent.
The Aftertaste: Very curious, a little sweet with more hints of the root beer.



Third, Audacious Apricot Ale by Pyramid. Unfiltered Apricot Wheat Ale. Pyramid Brewing Company, Seattle, Washington-Berkely, California-Portland,Oregon.

Not much surprise here, it tastes like apricots, lots of them. The appearance is bright orange and is impenetrable. I did like it, but this one is more of a dessert beer. I think I'd get sick of it if it was all I had to drink.



Fourth, Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier. Brewed and bottled by Cerveceria, Mexicana, Tecate, Mexico. Imported by Luneau USA Inc., Westport, Connecticut.

This was pretty good, it had kind of a honey-lemon flavor that I'll bet would be great with spicy Mexican food. Very light, highly drinkable, the appearance is clear and clean. And it has a huge dangerous tiger on the label, what's not to like?



Fifth, Vuuve (no idea how to correctly pronounce this, you can make something up), brewed and bottled by De Regenboog, Brugge, Belgium. Imported by B. United It. Inc. Redding, Connecticut.

Wow, very different, I chose to drink it slowly and enjoy the intensity. Vuuve is brewed in the tradition of the classic Belgian white ale brewed with spices. It's 60% barley malt, 40% wheat malt, hops, coriander and fresh orange peel. This does have a sharp scent and a fresh-cut orange flavor at first. The color is an opaque dull amber, and there wasn't much foam at all (this is the beer that is seen in the glass in these five pix). The aftertaste has an ascorbic bite to it, but then mellows quickly afterward.