Metasip

A Wine, Beer, and Spirits Review Site

Lager

Kingfisher Lager

What, you expect me to order something other than Kingfisher Lager with Indian food?

Come to think of it, for a Wednesday night, it was pretty busy at the Indian restaurant. The food was really good – it’s a place we order from all the time, and, since we got the youngest hooked on Indian, and since her sibs were away at camp, it’s a good idea, no?

Kingfisher LagerBut this isn’t an Indian food review, this is a review of beer that you would have with Indian food.

Now, before the review, a word to the wise.

If you’re looking for a snobby beer review site that tells you that all domestic lagers are crap, go elsewhere. We don’t judge here: if you want to drink a domestic lager, drink a domestic lager. Oh, and especially if you’re having something that’s powerful and spicy. Like Indian food.

Let’s get to the review.

Kingfisher Lager Review

Oh, about that “domestic lager” thing? Look at the photo: “Brewed and Bottled by Kingfisher Brewing Co., Saratoga Springs, NY.” So, just like any of the other imports that are actually brewed here, it’s the same idea: original recipe, original process, managed by the original company. Just done here so it’s not an import.

Taste

See above about “lager to have with Indian food.” Or, a variation on a great quote: “A bad beer is a choice.” In other words, my expectations were as follows:

This will be a lager. It will not overpower. It will have a clean finish and very little aftertaste. It will complement my Indian food.

Check, check, check/check. Check.

(I had the Lamb Masala.)

Profile

Beer Advocate tells us it’s an American Pale Lager, with an ABV of 4.8%.

Value

I paid $5 for a bottle at the restaurant. Expect to pay $7.99 for a sixer at your local store.

Metasip Grade: B+

I’m gonna say this is kinda like the smart bored kid in high school algebra. Sure, he probably knows his stuff, but he’s also probably not a math whiz and didn’t really apply himself. But he’s smart and bored and shows up and scores okay on the test.

Enough about me, this is a good, solid, better-than-average lager. And it works well with Indian food.

Drink up!

Miller Fortune

Miller Fortune: the Beer You Drink from a Rocks Glass

Miller FortuneYour next question is “why do I have to drink it from a rocks glass?”

Rather than answer that question, though, here’s a link to something awesome – and NSFW – from Deadspin; they, like us, tried both Miller Fortune and Budweiser Black Crown. They pitted them head-to-head, but we won’t do that.

They’re a little more over-the-top than we’ll be, as some questions are better left unanswered. Such as the rocks glass question – which seems rhetorical.

Let’s just cut to the chase and give you a review of Miller Fortune.

Taste

The rocks glass is unnecessary, since you are drinking beer.

As for the taste, it’s not bad. Unlike the folks at Deadspin, I think this doesn’t taste like a macrobrewery got into the craft market – it’s well-made and doesn’t taste overpowering. Smooth, a little hoppy, but not too much. It’s a golden lager – color-wise, probably more copper than gold. But we won’t argue.

Profile

6.9% ABV. Couldn’t find info on bitterness and whatnot – but it’s “undistilled.” Aimed to be the beer to drink when you’re at an occasion that calls for whiskey.

Value

They can charge a little more – $5.99 is around what you should pay.

Metasip Grade: B

Again, it’s not half bad. And, since Miller is behind it, the marketing machine will make sure you get a chance to try it. Which, I guess, you should.

Battle of the New Belgium Brews

Five Beers. One Multi-Pack. Five Ratings. One Blog Post. Here Goes…

Sam’s Club near me (Chicago’s suburbs; a burb without a Costco) was selling cold beer from New Belgium. And I thought, why not? I’ve had – and quite enjoy – Fat Tire, but there’s other stuff they produce out there in Colorado that might be worth a try.

Price was right: $14-ish for the 12-pack. Here goes…

Battle of the New Belgium Brews

We could do this a whole number of ways – best-to-worst, or alphabetically, or by coolest label. However, I think it makes the most sense to look at this chronologically.

Here’s a hypothetical week – imagine, hypothetically, of course, that you’re a suburban dad and you pick up some brewskis at the Sam’s Club, and, because they’re cold, you try one. On a Tuesday.

Tuesday: Loft

Loft Beer from New BelgiumThis is an…interesting name for a beer. And it’s a flavor that I can’t quite place.

It’s not BAD, but…I’m not turning cartwheels over it either.

Hoppy – Ale-y – Slightly Bitter. Beyond that, does it say “summer?” Does it say “go fly a kite?” Not sure.

Loft – Metasip Grade: B-

It’s fine. There are four bottles in the 12-pack, so maybe it’ll grow on me. If so, I’ll change the grade. But I don’t think I’ll change the grade.

Wednesday: Sunshine

Sunshine beer from New Belgium“Wheat beer brewed with spices.” I’m already scared – wheat beer to me equals a surefire headache after just one.

My other mistake is that there’s supposed to be some sort of citrus involved – like an orange slice or whatnot. Didn’t have it – and, now that I realize what beers like Blue Moon do to me, I have to draw the line at anything marked “wheat beer.” Can’t do it.

This had some spice to it, but I couldn’t place what spice, and I lost interest after a couple sips anyway.

Sure enough, the next morning, the headache would erase any positive thoughts about this beer.

Sunshine – Metasip Grade: B-

We’re 40% through our tasting, and New Belgium isn’t showing so well thus far.

Of course, we may have stacked the lineup: 1 and 2 are light-hitting infielders. Might as well give the big boys an at bat or two.

Thursday: Fat Tire

SAMSUNGAges ago – must be at least a dozen years now – a friend heard we were making a trip from Chicago to St. Louis and implored us to get him some Fat Tire. We didn’t know why this was important…until we tasted it.

Since then, this is the beer that has come to define New Belgium’s prowess.

This is an ale that is up there among the finest brews you’ll try. Hops? It’s got ’em. And then some. An alcohol kick, too. (ABV of 6.5%.)

We wouldn’t be a real review site if we didn’t give this our highest score yet.

Fat Tire – Metasip Grade: A-

Why not an A? Why the minus? We run a tight ship over here in the beer department.Maybe it’s familiarity that keeps us from handing out a straight “A.”

N.B. Only one beverage in our history has an A. Read a review of it over here. Bulleit Rye Review. It’s outstanding, actually.

Friday: Ranger IPA

Ranger IPAThis is exactly what you think of when you think IPA. Packs that wallop. Hops – probably hoppier than Fat Tire. Some bitterness on the finish – but not too bitter. And, darnit, this is another outstanding brew from New Belgium.

Ranger IPA – Metasip Grade: A-

We actually drafted a review of this beer a couple months ago – but we stopped short because we weren’t sure we were giving it a fair shake. Then, we had it pegged as a high-B+. But, trust us, it’s worthy of the “A-” grade.

Saturday: Blue Paddle

Blue Paddle Pilsner LagerIf there were an award for “Most Surprising Beer,” this would win hands down.

In fact, this is the kind of beer that, if it were a student, you would be certain it was cheating. This came out of nowhere.

From the “judge the book by the cover” category, your professor (me) was guilty of doing so – and that’s because it said “Pilsner Lager” on the label. Immediately, thoughts of mass-marketed, mass-produced, watered-down swill crossed my mind.

This was the exact opposite of those things. And more: clean finish, but a powerful beer. I was wishing there were more than two in the 12-pack.

Blue Paddle – Metasip Grade: B+

But it’s the highest “B+” you could imagine. Let’s just say this was like a solo homer after the other beers cleared the bases with extra-base hits.

So there you go…5 beers, maybe 3 winners and two average brews…all from New Belgium. Cheers!

Budweiser Black Crown Golden Amber Lager

Budweiser Black Crown Golden Amber LagerOh my goodness, a behemoth of a brewery gets into the microbrew business? What is this world coming to?

What if we told you…gasp…that this stuff is actually…gulp…quite good?

Okay, so it’s not earth-shattering: Budweiser Black Crown Golden Amber Lager is a bit of a mouthful – but, if it’s a mouthful, that implies that there’s something in your mouth, like taste.

“Toasted caramel malt” is where it gets its color. And, this beer actually won a contest: if you were part of the trial last year, where 12 regional A-B brewmasters came up with new recipes, then they were tried throughout the country and the best was chosen, then you MIGHT recognize this as the West Coast brew.

Taste

Without sounding crass, if you’re a beer snob you’re expecting something marked “Budweiser” to have a certain watery-pilsner effect. This isn’t that: you can taste the toasted caramel malt, and that’s a good thing. Heavy without being too heavy.

Profile

ABV 6.2%. Amber color, but not “Black” at all (again, it won a contest, thus earning the “Black Crown” name).

Value

You expect to pay about a buck a bottle – or more – for 12 ounces of a craft beer. This one we found in 12-packs in suburban Chicago for $11.97, so that’s right in line. And it’s pretty solid (for a microbrew coming from a macrobrewery).

Grade: B

Have you had the Budweiser Black Crown Golden Amber Lager?