What the firkin!
Jun0
That is a wee keg you have there!
Have you ever heard of the term “firkin?” Personally I had never heard of the term until this year’s Seattle Beer week. Granted I am fairly new to the beer geek world. So, I took it upon myself to do some research and post it here so maybe someone else won’t appear as ignorant. Sometimes you will see in pubs that serve craft beers that a beer is available only in a cask. Those pubs are saying two things:
1) It is a small amount of beer compared to a keg since cask beers almost always come in firkins.
2) That the beer was brewed cask-style (I will explain more about this in a later post).
A firkin actually indicates a size it usually means a fourth of a full keg, which means it is 9 gallons. There are other interesting terms that convey size as well they are:
- kilderkin (twice the size of a firkin)
- barrels (twice the size of a kilderkin, i.e. a keg)
- hogsheads (1.5 times larger than a keg)
- butts (three times the size of a hogshead)
- tuns (almost 8 kegs/barrels)
Well now you know different sizes that usually house liquid! You also know that when someone says there is a cask beer there isn’t that much there so you better get to the bar before it taps out 
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Beer Review: Old Rasputin – North Coast Brewing Co.
Jun0
A beer made by ZZ-Top's predecessor
I sure do love a good imperial stout, so, when my Uncle suggested that Old Rasputin is a great Russian imperial stout I just had to try it. Before I get to the bulk here are the pertinent stats.
Amount of brew in bottle: 12 fluid ounces
ABV: 9%
Type of brew: Russian Imperial Stout
Price: $5
When my fiancée tried this beer she said “if you don’t finish this beer I will.” But I don’t think she will get a chance . The beer is pretty darn good it is a bit fuzzier than I normally like my stouts but it is not like drinking a soda. There is a slightly sweet initial taste that becomes a little bitter. This beer isn’t as thick as other imperial stouts I have had but it is definitely no pilsner. It is a very easy to drink beer, I can’t say that it is better than the other imperial russian stouts I have had but it is a contender. As with most of these beers you need a very flavorful food to match with it or you can just enjoy the beer by itself. One thing I noticed is that as the beer got warmer it was sweeter and less bitter. Overall I am glad I have had this beer but I don’t know if I would buy it again, I would be interested to see how it tasted coming from a keg (or cask).
The good: Great example of a Russian Imperial Stout that you can get in most grocery stores
The bad: A bit strong to have on an empty stomach or if you don’t like sweet beers
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Beer Review: Wild Blue – Blue Dawg Brewery
Jun0
Is this juice or beer?
While visiting my Mom down in a small rural town in Washington I dropped by the only place that sold craft beer and picked up a few brews. This one caught my eye mainly because most beers aren’t brewed with blueberries. The owner of the shop asked if I have ever had it which I said “no” he replied with “well it tastes like blueberries.” Well the owner was correct it sure does taste like blueberries. Some pertinent stats:
Amount of brew in bottle: 12 fluid ounces
ABV: 8%
Type of brew: Lager
Price: $2.50
After buying this I found out this beer was actually brewed by Anheuser-Busch which surprises me as it isn’t half bad and it doesn’t taste like water! Mainly this beer tastes like a liquid version of fruity pebbles. I almost don’t want to call this beer a beer because it sure as hell doesn’t taste like one! This would not be a beer I would drink all of the time but it was a nice change of pace. Granted if you don’t like fruity beers I would steer clear of it. I do think this beer might go well over vanilla ice cream or something you could make a float out of. Maybe some year I will have to give that a try .
The good: easy to drink
The bad: a bit too sweet for some people
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Beer Review: Flemish Sour Ale – Monk’s Cafe
Jun0
Who you callin' sour boy? Photo by Jana
Whenever I drink a sour beer I am always wishy-washy about it. On one hand it tastes like a weird apple cider but on the other hand it is kind of refreshing. Before I get into the bulk of the beer review here are the pertinent stats:
Amount of brew in bottle: 11.2 fluid ounces
ABV: 5.5%
Type of brew: Sour ale
Price: ~$4
If they renamed this beer to “sweet and sour red ale” it would sum this beer right the hell up. It has the taste of an apple cider that had a few extra cups of sugar added but still the slight tang of sourness. It pours with a red color and has a decent head on the top of it. I am not entirely sure if I am drinking a beer or a kids drink that has been spiked by my evil cousin Vinnie. This beer is ridiculously easy to drink and if I was on an empty stomach while having it this beer would do me in not because it has a high ABV but because it is too easy to drink. I do notice that after having this beer there is a slight bitterness that lingers in my mouth. This beer really reminds me of sweet and sour pork mainly because it is really sweet and with just a touch of sour. As with most sour beers it is a taste you must enjoy or else you will not like the beer. When my fiancée tasted this beer she said it “tasted like apple cider gone bad” which pretty much sums up most sour beers . I personally don’t mind sour beers and they are especially nice way to cleanse your palette after a meal.
Overall I felt this beer was ok for a sour ale, but I felt it was too sweet for my tastes. When I have a sour beer I want sour not some wussy “sour” beer that just has a hint of sour. That is like getting the “fire” sauce at Taco Bell which is a poor imitation of things that should make you cry.
The good: super easy to drink
The bad: way too sweet
Overall taste:
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