Pints And Steins

Editor’s note: This is the second in my Beer Advent Calendar 2015 series. Likewise, I’m going to be posting a beer review each day. Some will be Christmas or Winter ales and other selections will be beers I’ve been wanting to try for some time.

Each year, Deschutes Brewing in Bend, Oregon brings us Jubelale, a festive holiday beer that is available from October through January. Like Wassail from Full Sail, Jubelale pours a dark mahogany color.

One thing I love about Jubelale, from year to year, is the flavor changes slightly as Deschutes tweaks the recipe.

Another cool factor of Jubelale is the label art. Each year, Deschutes selects a local Bend artist and features their art on the branding.

From Deschutes’ website:

..in 1995, we began commissioning local artists to create a piece of art for us that appears each year on the beer’s packaging. Our team looks at several portfolios throughout the year and ultimately chooses an artist that has a unique and interesting style. We don’t really give any guidelines other than it must be different and distinct, festive and wintery, and will look brilliant on a label.

How does it taste?

Jubelale pours dark brown and reddish in color. Te brew leaves a thick tan head because of it’s moderate to heavy carbonation.

When the ale hits your tongue, you taste toffee, a little bit of cherry and light fruit notes. The end of the sip is where the mild hoppy flavor takes hold for a refreshing finish.

This strong ale has a few different flavors going on, but it’s not overly complex and Deschutes is careful to make this beer to seem like it’s trying too hard. Each component of the flavor profile compliments the other.

To your nose, Jubelale is moderately spicy as you notice the nutmeg, cinnamon, with a bit of citrus, reminiscent of an orange peel.

Should you buy it?

Without a doubt. Buy this beer. Get a six-pack and share with family and friends.

Editor’s note: November 29, 2015 is the first day of Advent. Likewise, I’m going to be posting a beer review each day. Some will be Christmas or Winter ales and other selections will be beers I’ve been wanting to try for some time.

To kick things off for this year’s first Advent beer, I’m going with a local choice: Wassail from Full Sail Brewing in Hood River, Oregon. This particular winter warmer has been brewed by Full Sail (a brewery I’ve visited multiple times and enjoy every single time) every autumn since 1988.

How does it taste?

Full Sail Wassail is as hoppy as it is malty.

When you pour Wassail, you’re impressed by its brownish mahogany color that looks fantastic in your pint glass. There’s no head at all, suggesting mild carbonation and a smooth overall taste profile.

When you drink Wassail, you first taste the four different malts Full Sail selects each year. This brew has a body that is rich and warm on the tongue. Then, the hops kick in giving you a nice bitter aftertaste that perfectly balances the nutty chocolate malts. The beer is a perfect beer to kick off my Advent Beer series because it sets the tone for a perfect example of what a dark winter ale should be.

To me, this beer has a light maple syrup like sweetness. It’s tasted but not overly impactful. The hoppy finish provides a perfect ending to a perfect beer.

Should you buy it?

Without a doubt. Pick up this beer. It will not disappoint.

We’ve all been there. We’re looking at a new beer in the store, wondering whether or not the brew in hand is good, bad, or somewhere in between. I use an app called Untappd to see what my friends say about particular beers. Well, there’s a new player in town called Letsee that is trying to make beer analysis even easier.

The app uses augmented reality give the user instant information on a bottled beer in your position. Simply hold up your phone’s camera and you’ll see an on-screen analysis including basic description, alcohol percentage, country of origin and user review hashtags such as #tasty or #hoppy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrDxXyfm7Jk

Letsee Beer comes from Letsee and uses your phone’s camera to scan the labels and shapes of beer bottles and cans.

What’s great about Letsee, at least, looking at the web coverage, is the ease of use and quickness of the app in giving useful information with little user interaction.

Being quoted in TechInAsia, founder Ahn Sangchul says:

“By using the more intuitive AR interface, the users will be able to focus on the user-created content itself instead of getting distracted by cumbersome app interfaces. People may enjoy sharing their drinking experiences with others using our service, and we hope to encourage them to love beer even more.”

Letsee Beer is available for iOS and Android

Source: TechInAsia