A taste of… UFO White

Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company
dba
Harpoon Brewery
306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 574-9551

Preface: This 12 oz. bottle of UFO Hefeweizen Unfiltered Wheat Beer was purchased for $1.75(USD) at Peas & pickles Grocery in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY. There was no “Best by” date on the bottle neck.

The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew.

I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of a creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?

The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: I did pour this brew in the semi-traditional way – placing the glass over the bottle and then inverting the bottle and glass allowing the brew to flow from the bottle directly down into the glass and lifting the neck so that the neck is never in the beer or the head. This allows the yeast to “percolate” through the beer as it is poured.)
Here is an American wheat beer that has all the traditional characteristics of the Bavarian wheat beer. The exception is the rather tame effervescence. The head, of small and medium bubbles was a short-lasting mountain of foam that leaves little lace on the sides of the wheat beer glass.

Aroma: There is an aroma of just kneaded bread dough meeting the first olfactory observation. A second visit brings aromas of dried herbs and some lemon citric sensations. The third impression finally finds come hop green aromas.

Mouth feel: There is a surprising amount of body to this brew. Again, I note the less than enthusiastic carbonation.

Flavor: American wheat beers are quite different from their German, or even Belgian, cousins. The first sensation is of lightly roasted grains with a slightly metallic under current. The second visit finds the hop flowers blooming and making themselves known. The third reveals a rather light set of flavors that are refreshing together but are difficult to deconstruct.

Finish: There is a quick exit for the flavors of this brew. I could make a pun using the “Veet” sound as a play on the word in French for quick - "Vite".

Comments: It is not easy to comment on what I consider a summer seasonal brew as it is still winter. In context I have fond memories of this brew, on tap, with cold lobster salad.

The Brewery: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10097/48933

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/harpoon-ufo-white/101806/

BEER SPECIFICATIONS - UFO White
Style: American White Ale
History: brewed since 2009
Original Gravity: 12 P
ABV: 4.8%
IBU’S: 10
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Shellfish, seafood, soft cheeses, and green salads

A taste… of UFO Pale Ale

Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company
dba
Harpoon Brewery
306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 574-9551

Preface: This 12 oz. bottle of UFO Pale Ale was purchased for $1.75(USD) at Peas & pickles Grocery in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY. There was no “Best by” date on the bottle neck.
The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew.
I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of a creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?
The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: Here is a traditional honey colored cloudy brew topped with a dense head of small bubbles that form a slightly rocky head and leave just a trace of lace on the glass.

Aroma: The first impression is a citric aroma a second visit finds the scent of chopped fresh dandelion greens by the third visit to the aromatics they seem to have blended together into a homogeneous aroma of freshly cut vegetation after a warm spring rain.

Mouth feel: The mouth feel is creamy and fairly full bodied. The yeast suspension also adds to the rich full feel.

Flavor: First impressions are sugar rock candy with flavor spikes of lemon and a burnt candy accent. The second impression is more metallic rather than citric with a dry touch, not sweet at all. The third swallow revealed a smoothing out of the sharp spikes and a sense of banana that was almost not there. None of the flavors dominate and all seem rather shy if the truth be told.

Finish: There is a refreshing finish with a surprisingly long lasting sour-bitter-dry sensation that is hops at its best.

Comments: The idea of a wheat beer with ale esters and hops no longer surprises me. The traditional Bavarian wheat brew with its unique clove, banana and bubble-gum aromas is still safe in Bavaria. The wheat beers (both ales and lagers) are as different from their Bavarian cousins as “India Pale Ale” brewed in Canada and the United States can claim relations with the India Pale Ale of England. Which brings me to the use of the word “style”… no, I’ll save that for another time.

Food & Beer: I would love to have had this beer with a fried (in Promise Margarine) bologna (Oscar Meyer) and cheese (Kraft) sandwich (Wonder Bread) and a slice of crisp dill (Vlasic) pickle.
I received no compensation for the above product placements.

The Brewery: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/

BEER SPECIFICATIONS - UFO PALE ALE
Style: UnFiltered Pale Ale
History:brewed since 2009*
Original Gravity: 14.5 P
ABV: 5.3%
IBU’S: 34
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: spicy seafood, a hearty beef dish, and/or Buffalo wings.

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10097/53007

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/harpoon-ufo-pale-ale/112112/

A taste of… UFO Hefeweizen

Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company
dba
Harpoon Brewery
306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 574-9551

Preface: This 12 oz. bottle of UFO Hefeweizen Unfiltered Wheat Beer was purchased for $1.75(USD) at Peas & pickles Grocery in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY. There was no “Best by” date on the bottle neck.

The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew.

I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of a creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?

The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: Traditional Hefeweizen are cloudy from the yeast left in the bottle or keg that continues the final fermentation. This is a golden lemon colored brew that has a vigorous fermentation that builds a thick head of tiny bubbles that leave a trace of lace.

Aroma: First impression is a bready sensation with a lemon underpinning. Second impression reveals a flower aroma from the hops.

Mouth feel: A tiny dancer on the tongue and pallet.

Flavor: First impression is a whisper of yeast and a kiss of malt. The second meeting leaves a pleasant sensation of green grass freshness and a scintilla of a citric. A final sip leaves the sensation of where-did-it go?

Finish: If this brew was a character in a film it would be that fine looking woman in the white car seen in the film “American Graffiti”.

Comments: The folks at Harpoon have a perfect Summer brew here. I am coming back to try this one in six or seven months.
Food & Beer: Right now though, I would settle down with two of these brews, a bowl of fresh popped pop-corn and one of the “Jack Sparrow” movies rolling off the DVD.

The Brewery: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/

BEER SPECIFICATIONS - UFO HEFEWEIZEN
Style: American Unfiltered Wheat Beer
History: Brewed since 1998
Original Gravity: 12 P
Alcohol by Volume: 4.8%
IBU’S: 19
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: spicy foods, seafood, green salads

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10097/318

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/harpoon-ufo-hefeweizen/2356/

A taste of… Odd Notion Winter 2009

Magic Hat Brewery and Performing Arts Center
5 Bartlett Bay Road
South Burlington, VT 05403
(USA)
802-658-2739

Preface: This is another sample sent by the folks at Magic Hat Brewery and Performing Arts Center in South Burlington, VT . The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew. It arrived via delivery service and has been stored in a cool, dry, dark place (a Brooklyn apartment). I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of a creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?
N.B. This brew was served a bit warm (over 50F), and in a warm glass… forgive me.

The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: A brown/red garnet colored brew is topped with a rocky head of small to medium sized bubbles that form a tan tiara of a head, leaving enough Belgian lace to just about piece together something from Victoria’s Secret.

Aroma: Roasted malt meets the olfactory senses at first whiff. The second nose-dive reveals more grain accents. No hops are leaping (I almost wrote hopping) out in the “nose.” A third visit added no changes… and the lip to sip was a bit malty.

Mouth feel: The body of this brew could be compared to one of those Victoria Secret models…

Flavor: The first impression is one of sour cherries… followed by a less aggressive impression at second visit. (Could our friends be playing with yeast?) The second sip has not so much pucker power as throat tightening bite. The third visit had a more balanced impression but I am sorry I didn’t chill this beer a bit more.

Finish: A dry finish closes shop rather quickly leaving a trace of bite.

Comments: As this is a blind tasting I had no real idea of what to expect. If I had more to go on before tasting this one my comments might have been less confused. I will consult the brewery and follow up and let you know what I find out.

The Brewery: http://www.magichat.net/

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/96/52787

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/magic-hat-odd-notion---american-sour-ale-winter-09/111778/