Two Guys On Beer » ale

Episode 088 – North Coast Brewing Company Brother Thelonious

Dave Martorana — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:35:17 +0000

Named after – and a tribute to – the game-changing jazz musician Thelonious Monk, North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Brag, CA, puts out the Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale.

This beer wins in multiple ways. Every bottle sold puts money towards the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, to help young Jazz musicians get a proper music education, and the beer itself wins in character as well. Both Johnny and Dave put this in the 90s – a great flavor, if not slightly deceptive at 9.4% ABV.

Episode 086 – Allagash Dubbel Ale

Dave Martorana — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:10:02 +0000

Brewed in Portland, Maine, the Allagash brewery has been known to put out some decent beers. Plus, being 100% wind energy driven, they’re also excellent corporate citizens.

We look at their Belgian style Double, the “Dubbel Ale,” which has a 7.6% ABV kick along side a huge apricot fruit profile. As far as doubles go, this scored an 87 from both Johnny and Dave – a good score and a beer you should try!

Episode 069 – Great Divide Brewing Claymore Scotch Ale, Orkney Skull Splitter

Dave Martorana — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:01:41 +0000

We love Scotch Ale, and we have two of them for you – starting with Great Divide Brewing Company in Colorado and their Claymore Scotch Ale, and then over to Scotland itself, to Orkney, to speak of their Viking inspired Skull Splitter Scottish Ale.

Show Notes

Type: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Scotch Ales are strong ales, also known as “Wee Heavy.” In 19th Century Scottland they were referred to as 160/-. This was at times the highest rating given to a beer in the now defunct “schilling” system.

Scotch Ales traditionally go through a longer boil during the brewing process, allowing a caramelization of the wort. Because of this process these beers tend to be much darker and have a very brown molasses color to them. Due to theunique process of brewing these Ales the flavor profile is very bold with little attempt to hide the higher alcohol content. Sweet, carmely, and very Malty, these samples from Scotland should not be confused with Scottish Ales, which have a less pronounced flavor profile.

Claymore Scotch Ale

ABV: 7.7%
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company. Denver, Colorado.
Johnny’s Rating:89
Dave’s Rating: 88

Skull Splitter

ABV:8.5%
Brewer:Orkney Brewing Company
Johnny’s Rating:94
Dave’s Rating: 94

Episode 040 – Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale, Thirsty Dog Siberian Night Russian Imperial Stout

Dave Martorana — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:08:43 +0000

This episode we take a look at Green Flash’s Hop Head Red Ale, which asks the consumer to decide between its worthiness as a pale ale or amber ale, and Thirsty Dog’s Siberian Night Russian Imperial Stout, which wins high marks with both of us!

Show Notes

Hop Head Red Ale

ABV: 6%
Brewer: Green Flash Brewery Vista, California

Two Guys Rating:

Johnny: 82 points
Dave: 82 points

Siberian Night Imperial Stout

ABV: 9%
Brewer: Thirsty Dog Akron, Ohio

Two Guys Rating:

Johnny: 91 points
Dave: 91 points

Episode 039 – Bink Winterkoninkske, St Peter’s English Pale Ale

Dave Martorana — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:23:42 +0000

An organic beer, St. Peter’s English Pale Ale, turns out to be everything an English Pale Ale should be, and Brouwerij Kerkom’s Winterkoninkske Winter King lends heavy alcohol flavor to a Belgian Strong Dark ale.

Show Notes

St. Peter’s English Pale Ale

ABV: 4.5%
Brewer: St. Peter’s Brewing Suffolk, England

Two Guys Rating:

Johnny: 89 points
Dave: 90 points

Winterkoninkske

ABV: 8.3%
Brewer: Brouwerij Kerkom Kerkom, Belgium

Two Guys Rating:

Johnny: 90 points
Dave: 83 points

Episode 033 – Christmas 2008! – Sam Adams Old Fezziwig, Great Lakes Brewing Christmas Ale

Dave Martorana — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:52:09 +0000

It’s our 2008 Christmas special! We review two Christmas winter wamers, The Boston Beer Company Sam Adams Old Fezziwig, and from Ohio, the Great Lakes Brewing Company’s award winning Christmas Ale. We hope you have an amazing holiday!

Episode 030 – Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout, St. Feuillien Cuvee De Noel

Dave Martorana — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:02:31 +0000

We take a look at Breckenridge’s Oatmeal Stout and are slightly disappointed, but perhaps due to prior expectations. The Cuvee De Noel, from St. Feuillien, scores much better, but not perfect. Perhaps we were just crabby.

Episode 029 – Arcadia London Porter, Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Dave Martorana — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:11:02 +0000

Episode 29 is epic, with two absolutely outstanding beers – Arcadia Brewing Co.’s London Porter, and a fabulous Christmas Ale from Corsendonk.

Episode 028 – Gulpener Chateau Neuborg, DeStruise Tsjeeses Xmas Ale

Dave Martorana — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:18:18 +0000

We look at a really well done Czech pilsner from Gulpener brewery in the Netherlands called the Chateau Neubourg, and finish with a holiday seasonal from De Struise Brouwers in Belgium – their Tsjeeses Xmas ale, a Belgium strong pale ale.

Episode 027 – Southern Tier’s Phin and Matt’s Extraordinary Ale, Hook and Ladder’s Backdraft Brown Ale

Dave Martorana — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:45:01 +0000

Two American ales are tried, including a somewhat unconvincing “Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale” American Ale from Southern Tier Brewing, and a winner of a Brown Ale in Hook and Ladder’s “Backdraft Brown Ale.”