thesportingbrews

Victory Brewing Company’s Mighty Things Imperial IPA Review

We have reviewed several beers from Victory Brewing Company. You can check those out by clicking here. Up for review today is their Mighty Things Imperial IPA.

Mighty Things IPA pours a hazy, golden straw color. Some bubbles can be seen rising to the surface to the head. The head stood about one-and-a-half fingers tall at its height but the head didn’t last very long. It was white, foamy, and inviting when it lasted though. The aroma is fairly complex. Notes of hops, citrus, peach or apricot, and maybe mango are noticed right away. There is also a note of pine as well but it is faint.

The flavor followed the nose for the most part. The earthy, piney, and citrusy notes of the hops are noted but not overwhelming. There is a sweetness from apricot or peach and possibly mango noted. That is followed by your earth tones of pine and hops. The beer is medium-bodied and clings a bit to the tongue and throat. There is light to medium carbonation. With an IPA of any sort you kind of expect a dry finish but this finish is not that. It has a wet finish that is oddly satisfying though the beer does finish heavier than it feels at first sip.

The glass laced a lot more than I thought it would given the quickly dissipating head. The lacing ranged from minimal to slightly moderate even without a head remaining in the beer. That was actually kind of impressive.

Overall, this was a unique beer. It seemed to improve as it drank. Perhaps it was a mellowing of the apricot/mango flavors and a taming of the hops. Maybe taste buds just got used to the flavor. Who knows? What is known is this is an interesting take on your typical IPA. It lacks the dry bite of your typical IPA but it has a decent finish, even if it is a little different from what you’re expecting. It does clock in at 8.3% ABV, which was a bit surprising given the lack of an alcohol taste. It might not be a session beer but it is worth giving a try and if you’re more of a sipper than a drinker this could be right up your alley if the flavor profile agrees with you. I wouldn’t mind drinking one of these every now and then.

Flying Fish Brewing Company’s Onshore Lager Review

Flying Fish has been around since 1995 and has grown into a major player in the craft beer market in New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic states over the years. It has continued to grow and is now offering its brews in most states. Up for review today is their Onshore Lager. You can read past Flying Fish reviews by clicking here.

Before we get into the beer itself, let me just say that this can is what summer is all about. The art is a path to the beach, dunes dotted with beach grass on both sides, and a welcoming ocean in the distance. I’d buy this beer just for the can.

Okay, now for the beer. Onshore Lager pours a clear gold. Thousands of tiny bubbles can be seen rushing to the white, foamy head. The head stood two fingers tall at its height. The aroma featured grain, malt, and a little hops. There is a note of sweetness as well in the nose.

The taste follows the nose. You get the malts, grains and cereals, a tiny hint of sweetness and then a little hops with a crisp, clean finish that is also a little dry. The lager is on the lighter side of medium in body with adequate carbonation. The beer laced the glass beautifully and a slight foam sat on top of the beer throughout the process.

Overall, this is a good beer. It has a good balance to it. Nothing really sticks out as being great or bad. This is a beer you can drink all day at any time and be comfortable and at 4.9% ABV it is a great summer beer. Though I wouldn’t mind drinking this any time of year. This is just a solid, enjoyable beer. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from this beer will be donated to clean water efforts so that’s a nice bonus. I would definitely drink this beer again.

The New York Yankees Need to Send Gary Sanchez a Big Message

There were few more ardent supporters of Gary Sanchez than myself. No other catcher has hit more home runs since he was called up. I was willing to live with the spotty defense in return for the elite hitting. However, after last night, Sanchez has cashed in his last chit with me.

The lack of hustle he displayed running after the passed ball in the first inning was inexcusable. To be fair, Luis Severino wasn’t exactly busting his butt to cover home plate either and Jake Bauers exploited the laziness of the two stars and went from second to home on a passed ball.

Yankees’ fans are used to Sanchez gaffes. Some can be overlooked but lack of hustle isn’t something that can be overlooked. To compound matters, in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and two out Sanchez stepped to the plate. He hit a grounder that was fielded by the second baseman Daniel Robertson who tossed the ball to shortstop Willy Adames who tried to step on second. Aaron Hicks, however, beat Adames who then had to rush to throw to first. He got Sanchez by a step. Inning over, ballgame over. Sanchez, as the video showed, was barely jogging to first. He tried to turn on the jets when he saw the play developing. Too little, too late.

This isn’t the first time the Yankees had issues with Sanchez and his attitude, and that is what lack of hustle is, attitude. It wasn’t long ago that Sanchez got benched in Trenton for refusing to catch a bullpen session. The Yankees acted swiftly and Sanchez got the message and busted his butt to get better and improve his attitude.

The Yankees need to send a message to Sanchez and send it loud and clearly. Lollygagging can’t and won’t be tolerated. The veterans in the clubhouse need to get in Sanchez’s face at the same time management sends him a message by benching him, or better yet, sending him down to the minor leagues to work on his mechanics both behind the plate and with the bat.

This season has been tough on Sanchez. He got off to a slow start at the plate that just spiraled out of control and his defense behind the plate suffered as a result. To date, he is hitting just .188/.283/.416 with 14 home runs and 14 doubles in 66 games. That is a far cry from the .278/.345/.531 slash line he posted last season with 33 home runs.

The talent is there. The rest is up to Sanchez. His head isn’t in the game for whatever reason. The Yankees need to send a message to him that this kind of lackadaisical play won’t be accepted. Send him to the minor leagues to both send a message and allow him to work on his swing. Let him regain confidence. Let him understand that he hasn’t been living up to the standards of a Yankee in the effort department. At the very least maybe he can learn to lay off of sliders low and away. The Yankees need to do something right now, they can’t wait. The longer this goes on the worse it will get and it might spread to other young players in the clubhouse and lead to some serious issues. The time is now. Send the message.

Blue Moon Mango Wheat Review

Blue Moon has been around for a while now, since 1995. They started small and are now owned by Tenth and Blake Beer Company, the craft and import division of MillerCoors. So, they might not technically be a small time brewery anymore but that doesn’t matter with us. They make beer. We drink beer. We review beer. Up for review today is Blue Moon Mango Wheat.

Mango Wheat pours similarly to the Blue Moon you know. This version has a little more orange tint to it but you still get that hazy look of a wheat beer with the thick, foamy, white head. The aroma was mango all the way through. It is strong and doesn’t allow many other ingredients to come through on the nose.

The first sip is mango first and foremost, followed by more mango, then finished with a slight wheat flavor that is overtaken by mango. Mango is a unique fruit. It can be too subtle or it can dominate the profile and this dominates. If you like mango this is right up your alley. There is hardly any beer flavor at all and it tastes more like a mango soda than it does a beer. The dry finish is the only real tell-tale sign that you drinking an alcoholic beverage. It feels medium-bodied in the mouth with moderate amounts of carbonation. The head reduces fairly quickly but there is a thin foam head on top as you drink but very little lacing on the glass.

Overall, this is pretty good for what it is, a mango flavored beer. Hardcore beer drinkers will find the fruit too overpowering. People who don’t like beer might find this to be an acceptable beer to drink. It really will depend on your palate and personal preferences. On a hot summer day this might be great to have at a ballpark, by the lake or ocean, at the pool, or to start off a barbeque or while grilling. If you like mango go for it, if you like beer with hints of flavors you might want to find another alternative. It is a good beer for what it is, a summer beer with lots of fruit flavor.

Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace Review

Brooklyn was once a proud city unto itself with its own brewing tradition and a few breweries. It was incorporated into New York City and over time the breweries started shutting down, though one thing had nothing to do with the other as Brooklyn has always remained proud of who it is. By the late 1970s, the brewing scene in Brooklyn was all but gone. Until the 1980s when Brooklyn Brewery was born, though it wouldn’t be until 1996 when it moved into an actual brewery. It might have started small but Brooklyn Brewery is now a fairly major player in the beer market with a wide range of beers. Today, we review their Sorachi Ace.

From the bottle, it is hard to really tell what Sorachi Ace is. There is no info on the bottle itself and the label is just the name in a playing card style. It looks cool but I had no idea what to expect. The beer poured a beautiful hazy yellow amber. The haze prevented many bubbles from being seen but there was a nice, one-and-a-half finger thick white, foamy head. The aroma was one of malt, yeast, and some slight citrus. Without even taking a sip one could tell this was a saison ale.

The first sip follows the nose but with some added features. You definitely notice a little malt, yeast, and a hint of citrus. However, there are notes of pepper that give it a little kick and life. This was the first time I have ever had a beer brewed with Sorachi Ace hops so I had no idea what to expect. It has a nice medium body with moderate carbonation, like you would expect with a saison. It finishes dry with a little citrusy, peppery kick. The brew maintained a nice layer on top as it drank and laced the glass beautifully.

Overall, this was a lot of fun to drink. Saison is always a nice brew to break up the flavor profile. Sorachi Ace is a unique take on a style that can be very accepting of flavor. This was a lot of fun to drink. The Sorachi Ace hops are fun and unique and give this brew life. At 7.2% ABV this might not be something you want to drink all night but it can be a good beer to sip and to break up the night. IT is definitely worth trying if you like saison-style ales.

A Review of Long Trail Brewing Company’s Long Trail Ale

Long Trail Brewing Company can trace its origins back to 1989 when they were known as Mountain Brewers. That was the year they also rolled out Long Trail Ale which helped foster Vermont’s craft brew market as well as the market around the country. Today, we review their signature beer, Long Trail Ale.

Long Trail Ale is an original Vermont Amber Ale according to the bottle. It pours a beautiful deep, dark amber with a thick, creamy head that rose to just under two fingers at its height. The aroma is one of malt, yeast, and a very faint signal of hops. There was moderate carbonation seen racing to the top of the glass.

The first sip follows the nose. You taste the malt, a little yeast, and a finish of hops. There are notes of bread and a sweetness that faintly tickles your tongue before yielding to the hops. It is medium-bodied and the head offers a little creaminess to it as it drinks. The hops at the end give it a somewhat dry, though not bitter finish. In fact, the finish is very smooth and makes you want another sip almost immediately. There is some very nice lacing on the glass as you drink and the beer has retained some of its head throughout the process.

Overall, this was a pleasant beer to drink. It has won a few awards over the years and one can see why. It is just a good beer. It isn’t flashy, it doesn’t come with a lot of bells and whistles. This is a beer you can drink when you want to drink a beer. If you happen to be a fan of darker beers this might be right up your alley and worth the try. I will certainly be on the lookout for this in the future. At 5.0% ABV this is easily a beer you can have a session with and the nice, even, somewhat complex flavor will keep your mouth happy.

Southern Tier Tangier India Pale Ale Review

Southern Tier Brewing Company was founded in 2002 in Lakewood, N.Y. They began with limited sales in New York and Pennsylvania but now see distribution in at least 30 states as well as some international markets. That’s quite the feat in such a short amount of time. They now offer a wide variety of beers. Today, we try their Tangier India Pale Ale.

Tangier Pale Ale pours a golden yellow with a thick, white, foamy head that stood at just under two fingers at its height. Some carbonation can be seen rushing up to reinforce the head. The aroma is pretty mild for an IPA. There are floral hop notes, a little citrus and not much else.

The first sip actually follows the nose but with a little more oomph. The floral notes come out a bit more and there is some citrus from the tangerine peels. Like the tangerine, the citrus is limited and more sweet and mild. The beer is medium-bodied in the mouth and has a bit of a creaminess to it. The head has settled about halfway through and while much shorter it still covers the beer. The hops in this brew are there but they are almost subtle which was a surprise. With an IPA you almost expect a lot of hops with that dry finish. Here you get the bitter note of hops at the end, along with the dry finish. However, it is very subtle.

Overall, this was a decent beer. It feels like it falls short as an IPA but it does offer a refreshing quality. It almost feels like you are drinking a slightly hoppy orange creamsicle because of the sweetness from the tangerine and the creaminess of the head. It definitely is a summer beer and at just 4.6% ABV you can make this a daytime drinker or a session beer if you like. It is worth a try but you will either like it or move on.

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Review

Smuttynose Brewing Company began operation in 1994 in New Hampshire. The first beer they brewed was Shoals Pale Ale and poured the first glass in Portsmouth. Over the years they grew and are now sold in over a dozen states, mostly in the New England and Mid-Atlantic, as well as Europe and Asia. They brew nine beers year-round and offer some seasonal brews as well. One of their year-round brews, Old Brown Dog, an American Brown Ale, is up for review today.

The beer pours a delicious looking burnt caramel color with a thick, creamy, egg shell-colored head that rose to just over two fingers at its height. The aroma of malt, toffee, and a slight hint of hops come through. There is very little carbonation seen.

The first sip is what you expect a good brown ale to offer. Toasted malt, notes of toffee and caramel, a note of bread, and a hint of hops make up this brew’s flavor profile. It is medium-bodied and sits well in the mouth with a little carbonation. It finishes crisp and slightly dry. The glass laced nicely as the beer was sipped and a slight foam was seen on top and ringing the edge of the glass.

Overall, this was a very good beer. If you are a fan of brown ales you will enjoy this. The malt and toasty sweetness of the caramel notes play well with each other. This would definitely pair well with a seafood dish or can be enjoyed any time of year in any situation. At 6.5% ABV is does pack a very slight punch but the alcohol doesn’t bite like it can with other beers of similar style. Pair this with some fish and chips and enjoy.

Lakefront Brewery Fixed Gear American Red IPA Review

Lakefront Brewery was founded in 1987 in Milwaukee, Wisc. Bottling began in 1990 with the help of refurbished machines and by 1998 they were producing 3,000 barrels of beer per year. The brewery moved, new equipment was eventually brought in and Lakefront Brewery has been at the forefront of the craft beer explosion that has gripped the United States and in 2012 they produced 33,368 barrels. Today, they produce a large variety of beers, from year-round brews to gluten-free, to limited releases. Up for review today is one of their year-round offerings, Fixed Gear, an American Red IPA.

The beer pours an amber color with hints of red and caramel depending on the lighting. There is a creamy, tannish-colored head that rose to about two fingers at its height. The head shrunk fairly quickly, which I blame on my glass. However, there was a nice foamy layer that stayed on top throughout and laced my glass enough to make Prince consider wearing it.

There is a pleasant aroma of hops and malt. You get the grassy, earthy nots of the hops followed by caramel notes of the malt. There is also a fruity sweetness in the nose as well.

The first sip gives you citrusy hops, followed by caramel malt, a little bread flavor, then a dry, hoppy finish. It isn’t overly hoppy. It is a variation on an IPA so you expect some hops and this definitely allows the hops to come through. However, they don’t dominate like they do in various IPAs. The malt and hops play along very well here. The beer is medium-bodied with a slightly creamy feel in the mouth. It finishes on the dry side from the hops.

Overall, this is a fairly complex beer. I wasn’t expecting it to be so sophisticated but it was certainly a fun beer to drink. It looked good in the glass and the flavor profile kept you coming back for more as it played well with the taste buds. The heavy lacing on the glass was also very nice. I would not mind having this again. At 6.8% ABV it is a good beer to sit back and enjoy.

Saranac Summer Golden Ale Review

Saranac, part of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company, has been around for a while now. They expanded under the craft beer explosion. In fact, they helped facilitate it. They have produced a wide variety of beers over the years. Up for review today is their Summer Golden Ale.

Summer Golden Ale pours a clear gold with a white, foamy head that rose to a little over a finger. It quickly settled. There was some moderate carbonation seen rising to the top. The aroma offered hints of cracker and bread and a hint of sweetness.

The first sip offered a bit of cracker, a hint of malt, and a whisper of sweetness that seemed to come from lemon but was so faint it is hard to really put a finger on it. The taste followed the nose which was nice. The beer was medium-bodied with a mouthfeel that was on the light side of moderate. The carbonation level was on par with a golden ale. I didn’t expect much lacing as I drank but I was pleasantly surprised at the moderate level of lacing. There was a small ring around the edge of the glass the whole time I drank the beer.

Overall, this is an easy drinking beer. It doesn’t blow the doors off of other beers but it is good and worth a try, especially if you are looking for something new to have a session with. At 5.0% ABV it very well could become a session beer if you so desired and would also make a good beer on a hot summer day at the beach, lake, ballgame, backyard, or anywhere in between. Saranac has always made decent beers and this is another one to add to the roster.