Saranac Black and Tan isn’t a new offering from Saranac Brewery but it is being brought back as part of their Irish Roots sampler 12-pack. Many fans of Saranac are very happy about its return. Let’s find out why.
This Black and Tan pours exactly how you would expect any Black and Tan to pour. The top is black and towards the bottom there is a coppery color from the lager that mixes well with the stout. There is a thin, slightly tan head that will disappear rather quickly, a common occurrence with stouts. The aroma is subdued but features notes of coffee, chocolate, malt, and a touch of toasted biscuit.
The first taste follows the nose on a slightly grander scale. The chocolate and coffee notes take the forefront but there is a malty, toasted biscuit flavor that quickly follows. The beer has an interesting mouthfeel that kind of hovers between light and heavy. I know that sounds odd but it sits on the tongue with some weight but overall feels light, just like the two beers that make up this brew. There is little carbonation, the stout winning out there as well as in color. However, the backend offers a malt flavor with some slight bitterness that shows the drinker the lager is still there.
The glass had minimal lacing as the session progressed but the flavor stayed nice and consistent which can be a challenge for Black and Tans at times.
Overall this was a pretty good adaptation. Technically this is classified as an American Porter but the stout and lager qualities are both allowed to stand out in all the right ways here. Neither truly dominates all at once and each have their finer points which are allowed to shine through. This is something you can drink all winter long or have fun with on St. Patrick’s Day if so inclined. It only clocks in at 5.4% ABV so it won’t bite you back and makes it almost perfect for a session beer to celebrate.
For other reviews of Saranac Brewery beers click HERE.
Saranac Shilling Ale is a Scottish Ale from Saranac Brewery that is advertised as being done the Irish way. The beer came as part of Saranac’s Irish Roots Pack which features four different brews and is new for 2019 from what I can figure.
Shilling Ale pours a burnt orange color, just a tad off of copper. It has a nice, thick, slightly eggshell foam that rose to two fingers at its height. The nose offers notes of malt, biscuit, and a hint of caramel. It has an overall toasty aroma that is welcoming and familiar.
The first taste follows the nose with malt and biscuit popping to the forefront. There is a touch of caramel at the back. Again, there is a slightly toasted warmth to the flavor that is welcoming and comforting just like it was in the aroma. There is just enough carbonation here to tickle the tongue.
In the mouth the beer feels a little into the medium side of the scale but not by much. There is a little creamy touch on the tongue from the nice head that accompanied this beer. The finish is very smooth and a little dry which leaves you desiring another sip. This is a little different from other Scottish Ales in that it didn’t quite have that bitter backend.
The beer laced the glass fairly nicely. Not quite enough to make a bride happy but certainly enough to make a grandmother feel at home. The taste stayed even throughout the session.
Overall, Shilling Ale is a decent take on Scottish Ale. It can be an easy session beer and at 5.6% ABV it doesn’t have a lot of bite. This is worth checking out if you are looking for something new.
The celebration of Oktoberfest came about when Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig celebrated his engagement in 1810. That festival has morphed into what is now known as Oktoberfest and brewers the world over bring us their delicious takes on the German Märzen style brew. Brooklyn Brewery produces their own Oktoberfest and that is up for review today.
Brooklyn Oktoberfest pours a reddish amber or slightly copper color with a foamy, white head that stood about two fingers at its height. The aroma is one of malt and grain with some bread notes mixed in. There is also a note of sweetness, like a caramel or toffee fragrance that is minimal.
Malt and bread play heavily in the first sip. There is a touch of sweetness, one the backend. There is a slightly moderate amount of carbonation but the beer feels light on the tongue. It is light, smooth, and has a slightly bitter touch on the backend that makes you want to go in for another sip. The glass has minimal lacing as it drinks, which was surprising for the robust head, but the taste stays consistent throughout the session.
Overall this is a good beer. If you like Märzen-style beers then you should enjoy this one. Will it knock your socks off? No. But it is a beer you can easily enjoy, and at 5.5% ABV this can make a nice companion for those fall football games, weekend outings to pick apples or pumpkins, or for that Halloween party. Like most Oktoberfest offerings the biggest knock on this brew is that it is only offered in the fall.
Sly Fox Brewing Company was founded in 1995 in Phoenixville, Pa. They have since grown along with the craft beer revolution and are available in several states and have 15 year-round and seasonal beers. One of those seasonal brews is their Oktoberfest which is available, as you might have guessed, in the fall.
Oktoberfest pours a light amber color with a thick, white, foamy head that stood just over one finger tall at its height. There weren’t a lot of bubbles seen rising to the top. The aroma is one of toasted grain, some notes of caramel, and a little earthy.
The first sip follows the nose with a little malt mixed in. There are notes of grain or bread, caramel, and an earthy, almost nutty flavor that pokes through. It feels medium-bodied on the tongue with a little carbonation. It is smooth and the finish is on the malty side but very nice. The glass had some lacing but the head did flatline only a few sips in.
Overall this is a pretty tasty Oktoberfest. It had a very even flavor profile throughout the session and the malt flavor on the backend had you going back for more, especially with the sweeter caramel notes up front. This could easily be a session beer and at 5.8% ABV it won’t hurt as much as some other Oktoberfests. The only real knock on this beer, as with most Oktoberfests, is that it is only offered during the fall and not all year long.
One of the best things about the fall is the different offerings of Oktoberfest style beers that are offered. Shiner Oktoberfest is among those offerings. Their Oktoberfest clocks in at 5.8% ABV and, of course, is only offered in the fall.
Shiner Oktoberfest pours a color that is in between copper and amber but is clear with some light carbonation rising to the head that rose to a little over one finger at its height. The beer looks great in the glass. The head did start deflating rather quickly.
The aroma is somewhat subdued for an Oktoberfest. There are notes of hops and grain that one would expect with a German beer it just isn’t as prevalent.
The first sip offers notes of grain, some hops, and some caramel sweetness. There is a note of smoke that can be found as well. No one flavor dominates. In fact, they blend together in this rather pleasant, albeit mild, mixture. It is dry and smooth on the tongue with a somewhat creamy finish.
As the beer drank the flavors stayed consistent. The glass laced moderately and the carbonation level stayed level throughout the process.
Overall this is a good beer. It isn’t as in your face as some Oktoberfests can be with their malt and grain. Shiner has always produced good beer and this is no different. While this Oktoberfest might not be your typical Oktoberfest recipe it is true to the style and very smooth. This is a beer you can drink all night and the only real knock on it is that it isn’t offered year-round.
Flying Fish Brewing Company’s Red Fish Red IPA bills itself as a “hoppy red ale.” It clocks in at a healthy 7% ABV.
Red Fish pours a deep copper color with a thick, foamy head that stood just over two fingers at its height. The aroma features notes of pine, hops, and some slight citrus. This beer looks very good in its glass.
The first sip compliments the nose. The notes of pine and hops predominate but are followed by some slight citrus flavor. There is also a little sweet note at times that teases burnt caramel. The whole flavor profile actually comes together quite nicely. The beer feels light in the mouth, almost a little velvety or creamy. The finish is slightly bitter yet smooth.
The glass laced nicely as it drank. The beer also got smoother with each sip and the notes of pine and hops became a little mellower but still allowed their presence to be known. The carbonation was moderate at its height but for most of the session it was light. It allowed the beer to cut back on the bitter finish and become a little creamier at the back.
Overall Flying Fish Red Fish IPA is a pretty good beer. It is an IPA so if you aren’t a fan of IPAs I don’t think you will suddenly fall in love with them. However, if you like IPAs then this is a solid choice. It has an interesting profile. The one knock might be how the flavor profile changed. It started as a really solid IPA and seemed to morph into a hoppy red ale. The taste was still enjoyable and I would definitely drink this again.
To check out other reviews of Flying Fish Brewing Company brews click HERE.
Pabst Blue Ribbon Easy is an American Light Lager. It bills itself as a low calorie beer with an ABV of 3.8%.
The beer poured a clear yellow-gold with an airy, white head that rose to about one finger at its height. There is some carbonation noticed in the glass. The nose doesn’t offer a lot. There are faint notes of grain and malt, similarly to the nose of your typical PBR. The one difference is this nose is a little more airy than your typical PBR.
The first sip offers a clean, crisp taste with hints of grain and malt. There is moderate carbonation within the range of acceptability for an American Light Lager. The beer feels light and slightly dry on the tongue but the finish is smooth and refreshing.
Overall this is a beer you can drink all day long in the summer. It is very similar to its bigger brother but with less punch. It is very much in the same class as your other big brewery light beers which isn’t a bad thing at all. They have their purpose and when served ice cold on a hot summer day can be downright refreshing. PBR Easy is a good beer to make a session out of. Just don’t expect a lot in terms of a flavor profile but it is pretty good for what it is.
It is time for the New York Yankees, and more specifically Brian Cashman, to come to terms with reality. That reality is that it is now August 29, soon to be August 30, and the Yankees are no closer to having Aaron Judge back in the lineup than they were on July 31.
Judge’s wrist is still hurting. He still hasn’t picked up a bat. If we are being honest, it might be another month before Judge even comes close to being normal. Wrist injuries are like that. He might not be close to his old self this year and the Yankees need to prepare for that.
As it stands right now, the Yankees have the second best record in baseball. The World Series isn’t out of the question at all. Judge would be a huge part of that final stretch but it isn’t clear he will be there. Cashman owes it to the team and the fans to get a better outfielder than Shane Robinson.
Curtis Granderson and Andrew McCutchen come to mind first because both have already passed waivers. They should be additions Cashman looks to make. So far, the Yankees have passed. The time is fast approaching for Cashman to reverse that and get another outfielder.
If the Yankees want to pretend Neil Walker is an outfielder then they should at least upgrade first base. Greg Bird is looking like a lost cause. His bat is slow, his defense is mediocre at best, and the shines that he once had is quickly wearing off.
To be honest, the Yankees can’t carry a Shane Robinson and Greg Bird on the same team and in the same lineup. Cashman must upgrade one or both positions.
The New York Mets sometimes can’t even get out of their own way. The latest issue is with top prospect Pete Alonso who, the Mets announced, will not be getting called up.
Since then, Alonso’s agents, Adam Karon and Tripper Johnson, have gone public stating they are disappointed in the Mets. One has to search high and low to find a minor leaguer’s agents calling out the Major League club. It just doesn’t happen much, if at all.
Acting GM John Ricco said, “He has had an unbelievable season, he has done everything we have asked. He has a great year in Double-A, moving up to Triple-A, he’s having a real good year, but the way we see it, the lack of playing time is a big factor. We are going to have Dom Smith, Jay Bruce and we’ll have Wilmer [Flores] all playing some first base and to have Pete come up and just sit when we looked at it didn’t make a lot of sense.”
The reality is, Alonso isn’t on the 40-man roster. To add him now would accelerate his free agency by a year and push up his arbitration years. The reasoning Ricco gave doesn’t fly. At all. They want to see what Bruce and Flores offer at first? Why? I can see playing Dom Smith there as much as possible but the other two nobody cares about. To say that there isn’t enough playing time for Alonso is kind of silly considering the Triple-A season for the Las Vegas 51s ends on Saturday. Where is Alonso going to get the playing time then?
Nothing the Mets do makes any sense or turns out the way they want, or anybody wants for that matter. Their failed promotions, the Yoenis Cespedes stuff with his injuries, the refusal to trade Jose Bautista before the non-waiver deadline because he is too good at that moment, Tim Tebow, Pete Alonso, and the failed free agent signings from this past offseason. You can’t make this stuff up. The list goes on and on.
There was a chance here to show Mets fans that the front office is serious about fielding the best possible team next year. There was a chance to inject some enthusiasm into the fan base that feels like it has been kicked in the gut for years. There was a chance to let Alonso come up, split some time with Smith at first, and show fans that penny pinching is over in Flushing.
Nothing has changed in Queens. Nothing will it seems. This isn’t just an ownership problem, though the Wilpons are explicit in allowing their business to be so shoddily run. This problem is cultural. Maybe Citi Field is built on sacred burial grounds but then that doesn’t explain the mishaps at Shea. There is no answer. It is a comedy of Shakespearean proportions and a tragedy that would make the Greeks cringe.
Alonso could have been a good faith show, to both player and fans. Instead, the Mets made both mad, created a terrible excuse, and are once again groping blindly in the dark for something to grab onto. The Mets couldn’t have created a worse excuse for not promoting Alonso. He wouldn’t have playing time? What playing time is available when the season is over? Maybe Alonso will get that in-game experience playing stickball in Flatbush.
Everyone knows the reason the Mets aren’t promoting Alonso. It is about money, just like everything else in their decision making. They don’t want to start his clock before they have to. The Mets can’t even lie well. When you spend more energy looking after every cent than you do in trying to win you get the New York Mets.
The New York Yankees are the most popular franchise in Major League Baseball. Millions of people love them. Millions more hate them. Putting on the pinstripes is a fairly big deal and baseball fans, regardless of their allegiance to the Yankees will most likely know who you are. However, sometimes there are players that don the pinstripes but do so for a fleeting moment or are forgotten because of a hundred different reasons. These are the players you forgot were Yankees.
Dave Kingman – The ornery outfielder played 1941 games across 16 seasons. He could amaze fans and media with his mammoth home runs and his insane attitude. Kingman would play for seven teams and clobber 442 home runs during his career. He would appear in just eight games with the Yankees in 1977. He did hit four home runs across those eight games which is a pretty nice ratio. He would only have six hits as a Yankee but it only cost the Yankees Randy Stein and cash to get Kingman from the then California Angels on September 15, 1977. He was granted free agency in November and went on to sign with the Chicago Cubs. It would have been really interesting to see Reggie Jackson and Kingman paired up in the lineup every day.
Robin Roberts – The Hall of Fame pitcher is known for his tenure with the Philadelphia Phillies with whom he won 234 games across 14 seasons. However, on October 16, 1961 the Yankees purchased Roberts from the Phillies. He would go to Spring Training with the Yankees the next season but would get released on May 21, 1962 without ever having appeared in a regular season game. Roberts would catch on with the Baltimore Orioles and would actually fair pretty well with them, posting a 42-36 record with 3.09 ERA and 1.145 WHIP. Roberts would last in the Major Leagues until 1966 when he retired from the game after an 11 game stint with the Cubs.
Mike Lowell – The third baseman is known for his time with the Boston Red Sox and, prior to that, the Florida Marlins. However, the four-time All-Star was once the Yankees’ third baseman of the future and might be Brian Cashman’s all-time worst trade. The year was 1998, a magical year in the Bronx. Lowell seemed poised to take over the hot corner from Scott Brosius who was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Kenny Rogers as a stopgap solution. The 24-year-old Lowell did appear in eight games with the 1998 Yankees, had 15 at-bats and collected four singles while posting the amazing slash line of .267/.267/.267. Still, Lowell had superstar potential. Then Brosius had a monster year in 1998 and won the World Series MVP. Cashman signed Brosius to an extension and shipped Lowell off to the Marlins for pitchers Ed Yarnall, Todd Noel, and Mark Johnson. Noel would never make it out of Single-A. Johnson appeared in nine games, three starts, with the 2000 Detroit Tigers. Yarnall, the big fish Cashman thought he caught, was a top prospect. He was once considered the top lefty pitching prospect in baseball. Yarnall appeared in seven games, three starts, with the Yankees and posted a 5.40 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, walked 13 in 20 innings and struck out 14. Pretty sure Cashman wishes he could do this one over again.
Gaylord Perry – Perry is best known for his doctoring of pitches, winning a ton of games, 314 to be exact, and his Hall of Fame career that was born from his stints with the San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, and a little with the San Diego Padres. However, on August 14, 1980 the Yankees acquired Perry from the Texas Rangers for Ken Clay and Marv Thompson. Perry was 41 and not exactly a stud anymore. Still, the Yankees hoped for some veteran presence down the stretch. Perry went 4-4 with a 4.44 ERA, and 1.63 WHIP in 10 games, eight of which were starts. Amazingly, Perry would bounce around a few more years before finally retiring from the game in 1983.
Mark Wohlers – Wohlers holds a special place in Yankees’ history but as the closer who gave up the game—tying home run to Jim Leyritz in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series when Wohlers was a member of the Atlanta Braves. However, Wohlers would join the Yankees on July 1, 2001 from the Cincinnati Reds as Cashman searched for a pitcher to bridge the gap to Mariano Rivera. It didn’t work. Wohlers would post a 4.54 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and just wasn’t consistent. He appeared in one playoff game that year, against the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS and gave up a home run and three runs (one earned) in just two-thirds of an inning. See, Cashman’s love affair with obtaining closers and using them as set-up men goes back a long time. Wohlers would play one more season, with the Cleveland Indians, before hanging them up at age 33.
Lee Smith – Smith once held the record for most saves in a career. That was, of course, before Mariano Rivera. However, for many years, Smith was closing games out for the Cubs, Red Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals. Then, on August 31, 1993, the Cardinals dealt Smith to the Bronx for Rich Batchelor. Smith would appear in eight games, save three, strike out 11 and walk five in eight innings. Smith, 35 at the time, would move on as a free agent to the Orioles, lead the league in saves with 33 in the strike-shortened 1994 season before saving another 37 games in 1995. Smith probably should be in the Hall of Fame [he has since been elected] but he played when the bias against relief pitchers was real. Still, he probably should get in one day.
Jeff Reardon – There was a time that Reardon was a premier closer, maybe THE closer in baseball when he was with the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins. He would accumulate 365 saves before joining the Yankees prior to the 1994 season. Reardon was expected to give the Yankees a veteran presence at the back of the bullpen. That wasn’t to be. He posted an 8.38 ERA in 11 games with two saves, a 2.069 WHIP and gave up three home runs. He was released in May of 1994 and retired shortly after.
Bob Ojeda – Ojeda is known for his long stint with the New York Mets from 1986 through 1990 that saw him go 51-40 with a 3.12 ERA. He was instrumental in helping the Mets win the World Series in 1986. After leaving the Mets he was a serviceable back-end starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers before moving on to the Cleveland Indians in 1993. Ojeda would be seriously injured in a boating accident that killed Tim Crews and Steve Olin in Spring Training. He would only appear in nine games for the Indians that year. George Steinbrenner was never afraid of adding a former Mets player with a past history of success and he signed Ojeda for the 1994 season. Ojeda would only appear in two games for the Yankees, both starts, and give up eight runs on 11 hits and six walks. That’s an ERA of 24.00 and a FIP of 11.46 and a WHIP of 5.667. He was released from the Yankees on May 5th and with the strike looming he became a forgotten Yankee in a forgotten season.
Raul Mondesi – Mondesi began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and won Rookie of the Year in 1994. He followed that up with an All-Star appearance and Gold Glove in 1995. The future was bright. Well, sometimes baseball can be a cruel mistress. Mondesi had a good career but he was far from the megastar many predicted of him. In November of 1999 Mondesi was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays for Shawn Green. He had a couple of good years with Toronto before he was traded to the Yankees as part of a salary dump on July 1, 2002. The Yankees were looking for a replacement for Paul O’Neill and while Mondesi wasn’t exactly great he wasn’t bad either. In 169 games he hit 27 home runs, 41 doubles, three triples, scored 95 runs, and drove in 92 runs while slashing .250/.323/.453. He was dealt to the Diamondbacks on July 29, 2003 for David Dellucci, Bret Prinz, and Jon-Mark Sprowl. The Yankees might have gotten the last decent season from Mondesi as he would bounce around a bit before leaving baseball in 2005 at age 34.
Rocky Colavito – Colavito, a native of the Bronx who was a Yankees fan growing up, was a power hitting outfielder who played mostly for the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers between 1955 and 1968. He would club 374 home runs, including leading the league in homers in 1959. He would also finish in the Top 10 in MVP voting four times during his career, three of which were Top 5 finishes. In 1965 he became the first outfielder to complete the season with a 1.000 fielding percentage while playing in all 162 games. In 1968, Colavito was purchased from the Chicago White Sox by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was released by the Dodgers on July 11, 1968 and was signed by the Yankees four days later. He would last until September 30, 1968 with the Yankees before being released and calling it a career at just 34. With the Yankees he hit just .220/.330/.451 with five home runs in 91 at bats. In his first home game with the team he hit a three-run home run. In an August 25th game he pitched 2.2 innings. He allowed only one hit over that span and picked up the win. Colavito would go on to become a broadcaster and coach. His stint with the Yankees might have been short but it was a dream come true to the kid who grew up idolizing Joe DiMaggio.
