I love this label

Stevens Point has been brewing beer for a very long time and they know what they are doing. Whole Hog is a limited series of beers they brew that includes a Pumkin Ale, a six hop IPA and the Imperial Pilsner. You can only get the IPA and Pilsner in a four pack.

I have tried a number of Stevens Points beers in the past. They are in Wisconsin so getting their beer here in Chicago is pretty easy.  I figured I would give the Imperial Pilsner a try tonight before it got old in my fridge (kidding, that never happens).

First, this is an Imperial Pilsner. In my opinion, Imperial Pilsners seem to be all over the place with no two really alike. That isn’t a bad thing, it can just be difficult to guess what your getting when you buy one.

Like most Imperial Pilsners, this one is rather light looking and could be any Pilsner in the glass. Medium head that fades quickly. Seemed a bit more carbonated than the usual.

I really like how crisp this beer is. It has a nice sharp taste. Strong hop smell and taste. Easy to drink and not heavy at all. It has a great hoppy bite for an aftertaste. Not even a hint of alcohol when drinking it so be careful.

This is a great summer beer that I plan to drink with a bratwurst, fried onions and mustard but could go with just about everything.

This is another good solid beer that can be consumed in quantities greater than one. Easy to find in the mid-west. I give it a solid B. Great for that every day beer in the fridge that works with most foods. Kudos to Stevens Point.

Great California Beer

This was my first time trying this beer though it has been recommended to me many times. It is kind of tough to find in Chicago, as are many West Coast brews, but I wish I had put the effort in sooner. This beer rocks. It is hands down my favorite winter seasonal beer so far this year.

From the first pour, this beer is all about balance. It has a nice amber color to it that looks just right. It has a large but very light head that smells great.

This brew has a nice sweet, spicy smell that I couldn’t quite place. Agian, very balanced. Enjoyable but not overpowering.

Then you get your first taste. What a great beer. Crisp but just the right amount of carmel and spice to keep it interesting. Smooth going down.

This beer is all about balance. Great looks, great aroma and great taste. It goes great with just about any food. I enjoyed it with steak and it served as a nice compliment.

Not that I advocate such things but if your looking to put down a few beers, this is one that can be consumed in quantities larger than one.

Just a great beer. Good luck finding it East of the Mississippi.

A+

The perfect label for this beer

This is a seasonal American Brown Ale from New Holland Brewing Company that I decided to give another try to over Thanksgiving.  I figured I was in Michigan for the holiday so I had to maintain a fair percentage of Michigan brews.

First, this is a great looking beer in the glass. It pours smooth and has a nice dark hue.

It has a nice roasted aroma. You pick up on a mixture of nut, caramel and an almost burnt sugar smell. It isn’t unpleasant but the aroma is definitely part of the experience drinking this beer.

The taste of this beer builds on you. The first few sips are very mild and almost too light for this beer. But it builds on you. It has a sharp aftertaste that at first I could swear was soy sauce, but it seems to settle down as you work through the glass.

In the end, no surprises, I feel like I am drinking a quality a quality drown ale with the appropriate amount of roast and just a hint of bitter aftertaste.

This is a great beer to drink slowly while reading a book and watching the snow fall. It isn’t a pounding beer. Poor choice for getting tanked.

I don’t recommend it with a meal (or most brown ales for that matter) simply because it can really overpower your food. Some cheeses go well with it but I really don’t like to drink it with meat.

I give it a C+ overall. I am not the biggest fan of brown ales though so to be fair,  I would bump it to a B amongst other brown ales.