For those of you who home brew or are just interested in seeing new ways to brew beer, check out the following link from Gizmodo. Essentially these guys created an all-in-one beer brewing system and no, it’s not Mr. Beer. Check it out!
Brewery: Deschutes Brewing
Style: Winter Warmer
BeerAdvocate.com Rating: 88
RateBeer.com Rating: 3.65 (92nd Percentile)
Serving: 12oz Bottle
Last year Jubelale quickly became one of my favorite winter ales. What I regret most, only second to not stocking up on more, is that I never reviewed it for this site. To say I was excited when I noticed six packs Jubelale 2007 at my local grocery store is an understatement. Before we get to my thoughts, let’s take a look at what the brewery has to say about it:
A whirling, whimsical snowstorm brightens the sky over wintery blue peaks in Lindy Gruger Hanson’s painting for this year’s Jubelale label. The artwork will grace bottles of Deschutes Brewery’s award-winning seasonal ale, available only from October through December.
Jubelale is crafted with dark crystal malt and whole flower hops providing a rich flavor perfectly matched for the cold weather and hearty foods of winter. It’s also the first beer ever bottled by Deschutes Brewery, and 2007 marks the 20th version of this seasonal favorite.
While most people associate Mirror Pond or Black Butte Porter with Deschutes, most probably didn’t know that Jubelale was the very first to be bottled. Hell, I didn’t know that either. What I also didn’t know is that they change the label and packaging every year. This year’s label definitely separated it from all others. More important than its label, the taste separates it as well.
Appearance - Very dark ruby read with a thick tan head. Not much carbonation emitting bubbles through this one. Not much light gets through either.
Smell - The very first aspect I noticed was the presence of an abundance of hops. This is Deschutes, so don’t be surprised. By no means do I mean this is as hoppy as an IPA, so don’t fret if hops scare you. Also noticeable is an almost chocolate-coffee-esque hue. Alcohol is noticeable as well, but not as strong as some other winter warmers available on tap or from 22oz bottles (probably due to legalities).
Taste - Definitely a winter brew. Almost immediately my palate was greeted by hues of chocolate and toffee being escorted by copious amounts of hops. Also present is a very slight hue of cherries, which rounds out the sweetness of this brew perfectly. If you have not had a winter warmer style brew before, think of it as a darker red ale with the intent of relying on alcohol to warm you up and put a smile on your face. Last year I had this both in a bottle and on tap and the only difference I can tell is this year’s brew seems a tad hoppier.
I love this brew. Anybody who has been reading my blog regularly knows how much I adore unique brews and this is definitely one. Those same people probably also know that winter is my favorite season for beer, so the fun has just begun for me. If you can find this at your local beer store I highly recommend picking one up. Save it for a cold night and enjoy it with friends or loved ones by a fire. No fireplace? A video of a fire will work just fine.
I would like to take this time to congratulate our very own Jake “‘Sconsin” Magnuson and his fiance Sarah on the birth of their very first child earlier today. Jake is now the proud dad of a 9lbs, 20 inches, beautiful baby girl. Congratulations Sarah and Jake. I can’t wait to meet Lucy when I manage to make it out to Wisconsin.
Brewery: New Glarus
Style: Dopplebock
BeerAdvocate Rating: 85
RateBeer.com Rating: 3.72 (94 percentile)
Serving: 12 oz. bottle
It’s Jake ‘Sconsin Magnuson back with another sampling of what the Midwest has to offer the Beerperts (Beer Experts……I’m trying to be funny but it never happens). Today we have a selection from New Glarus’ Unplugged selection of beers. I went with a specialty brew to start everyone’s taste with the New Glarus family. Look for maybe some in depth analysis of their large batch brews in the coming weeks.
Appearance: Beautiful deep amber red color all throughout with very little head. The head is virtually non existent from the start and evaporates immediately after pour. The bottle exclaims the rich toffee color but depending on the light and clarity you see more
Smell: Rich smells of oak and fruit mixed together. From the start you can just smell the bourbon barrel oakiness strong throughout the nose. The subtle hints of fruits blends perfectly with the strong aforementioned smell to make a nice rich hearty fragrance.
Taste: Starts out very smooth and flavorful. As a Bock you wouldn’t expect the flavor to be as easygoing as it starts here. The first real taste is the strong bourbon oakiness that is well documented on the bottle. It’s rich and powerful but with enough sweetness behind it to make it delightful. The bourbon taste could be offputting for some individuals but I think it adds a much needed kick to an otherwise fruity beer. As it sits for a while and you keep drinking the fruit flavors and caramel tastes rise to the surface. The sweetness is strong if you let it sit on the palette and try to break down the differences in taste. Overall it is a strong but absorbing brew that could be summery but also good for a nice fall day.
Overall good specialty brew from one of Wisconsin’s finest (in my opinion). I wish that New Glarus would take more time to explore these Unplugged ventures. Unfortunately most Sconnie residents don’t take the time to explore these other beer selections and that is why we are the home of macros. Well till next time keep on drinking. Peace.
Brewery: Butte Creek Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine 
BeerAdvocate.com Rating: 83
RateBeer.com Rating: 3.1 (52nd Percentile)
Serving: 22oz Bottle
Organic brewing is definitely something that has caught my eye as of late. With such excellent organic breweries as Bison and Roots, I have found the gap in quality between organic and non-organic beers to be diminishing every day. Those who regularly read my blog also know that I’m a huge fan of barley wine. Another organic barley wine? Bring it on!
Appearance: Transparent amber in color with a thicker than average head for a barley wine.
Smell: Sweet, rather generic taste for a barley wine. Definitely closer to an American style than English. Very subtle citrus hues, making it much more well-balanced than a lot of other barley wines.
Taste: Nothing too special, but definitely does justice as an American style barley wine. I am especially impressed with the quality of this as an organic brew. If you are looking for an American style barley wine and want to go organic, pick this one up. However, compared to Bison’s English style barley wine, it’s not quite as inspired.
