214. Geary's Summer Ale

The coolest thing about this beer is the contest they do each year for the label and packaging design. This year's winner was from Vermont and there were many nice designs. You can see them all here. Personally I like #19 the best but this is certainly a brighter and more typical label for a summer brew. 


Butter, that's right butter is the one word I would use to describe this beer. Color is a nice light orange with thick white head. Light aroma including some sweet maltiness and a bit of fruit. Nothing to great in either the aroma or appearance. Taste is crisp but still buttery which seems odd to say.. Overall not a bad beer but the ABV may be a little high for a Summer brew.
Pros: 

Cons:  

Alcohol Content: 6.0% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Geary's

Brewers Description: The style of our summer ale is traditionally European, similar to a German kolsch: full bodied with a spicy hop tang and a rich, crystal clear golden color. 

208. Marshall Wharf Illegal Ale-Ien

Thursday night I went to the first Maine Beer Series event at Frontier in Brunswick. I had never been to Frontier so had no idea what to expect. They have a great space in an old mill building right on the river. Small bar area, lots of seats and tables and then a separate theater area where they held the event, more on that in my next post. I got there a little early and decided to have a drink before the presentation. They had 6-8 Maine based beers on tap including 2 from Oxbow, Maine Beer Company Mean Old Tom, Allagash White and this offering from Marshall Wharf. Since this was the only beer of the bunch I had not tried before I decided on it.


The beer pours a pale yellow with almost no head. Aroma of wheat/grass and taste was very smooth with minimal hop bitterness and only slightly sweet. Very easy to drink and I had no idea it was 8% ABV until I checked the brewers website today. Marshall Wharf has a long list of beer on their site so I will be sure to try more in the coming months. 
Pros: Easy to drink

Cons:  

Alcohol Content: 8% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 3 / 5 
Brewers Website: Marshall Wharf

Brewers Description: A hybrid kolsch/wheat beer brewed with organic blue agave nectar. Light in color and finish.

5. Samuel Adams East West Kölsch

This was a surprise as I was not expecting a light refreshing beer. With a German name I expected a dark hearty beer. The beer is smooth, easy to drink and would go well with almost any meal.Pros: Very easy to drink, light and refreshing
Cons: Not a lot of flavor
Alcohol Content: 5.01 ABV

Calories: 147
IBU (Bitterness): Unknown
Rating:  - better than average
Brewers Website: Samuel Adams
Brewers Description: Light and fragrant, Samuel Adams® East West Kölsch has a floral and herbal character that balances the refreshing German Kölsch style. A classic Kölsch is less bitter than a pilsner with a slightly fruity and sweet biscuit note. For our version we wanted to create a bright fresh flavor by using Alsatian Strisselspalt hops for a subtle lemon and grassy hop note. We added another layer of flavor by aging the beer on a bed of Jasmine Sambac, a fragrant night blooming flower from Southeast Asia. The jasmine creates a delicate floral aroma and flavor for a wonderfully complex and refreshing brew.