Part of my hesitation to review this gadget is that I couldn’t quite describe its function – so I enlisted some help. My guest reviewer, Mike Lauter (that’s his real name, by the way) is an engineer and very eloquently described the DeCapper’s correct function:

“It takes some getting used to, but works very well with a refined procedure. The first key is to make sure it is completely settled a deep as it can on the bottle. The second key is to use firm steady downward force to pry open the top. Too quickly will just bend the cap. If it does not open fully on the first press, simply rotate the De-Capper and press again.”

The DeCapper (right) compared to other bottle openers.

As for its internal workings, Mike couldn’t tell me without breaking it to find out, so I skipped that. I know it involves a spring. That’s about as specific as I can get.

Compared to other bottle openers, Mike had this to say:

“Its better than most keychain openers (which do a lot of bending but don’t always take the cap off), better than the church keys that are also not always effective. As long as you think for a second and apply the ‘correct procedure’ the DeCapper performs better than these styles. However, a well-dimensioned handled bottle opener still wins, if even by a small margin.”

I’d have to agree on all counts.

The DeCapper itself is available in many different styles to suit many interests or hobbies – but is definitely marketed towards sport and hunting fans (with football, moose, Labrador Retriever and shotgun cartridge shapes among the choices). I can easily see this fitting in many of the “man caves” out there – and basically it’s a must for anyone who drinks lots of beer and gets bored with the traditional church key.

Personally, I find the device to be fun, but a little ungainly. Mine is a stainless steel one, and it looks really spiffy sitting next to my stainless steel appliances. I’m not sure how I’d fare with some of the other shapes, though – it seems to need to be applied straight on, and I don’t know how you can apply steady and even pressure to a moose head.

If you have a beer fan in your life that’s “seen it all” this might be just the trick. Especially as that perfect addition to a man cave or sports bar. More info on this interesting beer gadget is available at www.thedecapper.com

No, I’m not talking about the kind of stoned that you’re thinking of. In this process, the unfermented mash had red-hot granite rocks dropped into it to instantly carmelize the malts. According to the Sebago website, “This collaboration beer is brewed using a non traditional process of stoning the beer, using granite stones that were heated until red hot and lowered into a wooden vat of unfermented beer.” I would really love to see picturesof this process – I can picture the hissing and the spitting of the stones, and can only imagine what that would smell like.

The end result of this process is a red ale, and I haven’t had a good red in a while. I like the aroma on this, it has a lot of malt there, and a lot of sweetness and depth. I think that the smell that I am getting is described by some as “pineapple” but I could be totally off base on that. needless to say it is a very inviting aroma and  something that I was eager to try.

I was very happy to taste this – it has a syrupy mouthfeel but a really nice balance. It is very sweet but not in a bad way. I like the way that it lingers, its a good beer to sip, even though it is such a common style. I think that this one is a winner, and I honestly wish they’d add it to their regular line. While I think that this may be Sebago’s first “specialty” brew, I hope that they continue to develop quality beers like this.

Well, Erik Meyers (of TopFermented, a great beer blog) is doing just that, and he’s raising capital for his brewery in an innovative way. By using “Kickstart,” he’s soliciting pledges to startup a brewery. The interesting part is that he has a goal (in this case $40,000) that he must meet by a certain date, and if he doesn’t raise enough money, you aren’t charged for your donation. This keeps both the investor safe, and means that there’s a really good chance that individuals just like you and I can pitch in a little bit to get going. The minimum contribution amount is only $5.00, so I encourage you to check out Mystery Brewing and see if you’d like to help. You can also see Mystery Brewing’s progress to their goal on the sidebar of my site.

To contribute to Mystery Brewing’s startup goal or for more information, click here.

Cheers!

Gemini is a blended version of two of their brews – Unearthly and Hoppe. This is honestly the first blended brew that I’ve come across that wasn’t a lambic, so this should be interesting. Ideally I’d love to try this side by side with each of its components. But, lacking that, I’ll dive in anyway.

I poured it out and was happy to see that it was a dark orange, with a lot of cloudiness going on.  The smell was an interesting one. Not all hops, it included a bit of sweet smell to it (caramel?) and seemed to be something that I would definitely enjoy.

The first sip on this was one that coated the inside of my lips immediately. Not so sweet as to make me pucker, but full of an intense flavor. It was a backed-down IPA with some almost barleywine characteristics – a sweetness that stuck around and left a syrupy feeling in my mouth. After a few more sips, I got more of the hops out of it, and began to feel that little bitter twinge. Interesting dual personalities going on in this brew (for good reason). At 10.5% ABV there was some alcohol there, too, but it was hidden underneath layers of sweetness and depth.

I don’t think that I could have this with dinner, however. It has one of those flavors that just stays in your mouth for hours. Might be interesting to cook with, though I don’t usually recommend wasting imperial beers in cooking.

If they were truly trying to get the dual personalities metaphor going, they’ve done well – this goes back and forth on the palate but then does not let you forget that you’ve tasted it. I don’t think its toned down enough for people who aren’t huge into hops to like. But, for those bored with traditional IPAs, this might be an interesting “variation on a theme” for you to check out.

Sam does a pretty damn good job of describing what went into this beer in this video, so I’ll let him speak to its origins.

It pours a nice dark orange, and just sits in the glass with some nice aromas floating up. I got a little smoky aroma, a little bit of sweet/bready smell and even some sugars – maybe that’s the carob?

The taste is very interesting and I don’t think I’ve had anything like it (not that I expected it to be ordinary!). There is a smokiness here – but not an overpowering bacon note like some rauchbiers I’ve sampled. Its a smooth smokiness (if that makes any sense) backed with something almost thickening. It has a great malt character, and a really nice finish. I can’t pull out the plantains, particularly, but the carob may be providing the really nice sweetness that I’m getting. Brews like this are very difficult to describe because basically I have little to compare them to. Suffice it to say, I’m enjoying this thoroughly.

A very special thanks to @chuckularone for managing to get a bottle of this into my hands!

Not having a backyard myself, I think I’m a long way off from realizing that dream. But brewers at Rogue have released limited and exciting brews featuring ingredients grown at their own brewery – including the first growth of “Dare malts” from the Rogue Barley Farm, and Revolution Hops from the Rogue Hopyard. (Along with some pacman yeast and free range coastal water, of course). Because of their revolutionary motifs and hops, their logo is a great piece of graphic design – a bold fist clutching hops and barley.

With all the boldness of the logo – I expected a bold hop-forward brew. But instead, I should have read the label. “Medium bodied with a lush rich maltiness” oh – the malts are front and center here. Cool. Haven’t had one of those in a while…

It poured a respectable yellow to orange, with a pouffy head. The smell was that of a nutty malt and a lightness or spiciness that was really interesting. The taste wasn’t disappointing. Clean, drinkable with a really smooth finish, the malts are doing most of the talking. I was hoping for a fresh hop burst, but this is a nice subdued brew. Almost uncharacteristically delicate for Rogue, this one is one that is thirst quenching at the same time that it is light and delicious.

This may be a stretch, but I feel like this is somehow a humble brew from Rogue. Presented with a little bit of… restraint. I’m tempted to pick up another bottle and hold it to compare with next year’s version (second growth?) but I’m not sure if this will be an annual release. All in all, I respect their pursuit of a really independent sentiment – and of a tasty brew.

Cheers!

On the label: “The first sip is for thirst, the second one for pleasure.  The third sip is for knowing, and the fourth for pure madness.”

Sounds like a good end to a long day to me.

The color on this is a nice bright orange, and the smell is that typical yet amazing barleywine sweetness. It has that caramel/sugar scent that just makes you want to inhale it forever. The hops come in there, too, but its secondary to the sweetness. The taste, too, does not dissapoint on the sweetness. I always struggle to describe barleywines – there’s a sugary element, there’s a warming bit of alcohol and a bitter reminder of the intense amount of hops. This is bliss. Its warming, sweet, and stays in your mouth for quite a while. A barleywine in every sense of the style.

I’ve had other Lagunitas brews, specifically their IPAs, and was actually overwhelmed by the bitterness. However, this barleywine is a great one -and one I’d go back to again if I could get it more readily. If you need a beer at the end of a long day to calm you down or to lull you to sleep – this is the one.

Dan & Dave at the Brattleboro Brewer's Festival offering up their Spring Peeper and Zoe.

I first encountered the Maine Beer Company’s Spring Peeper at the Maine Beer Festival’s Beer Pairing Dinner. The two brothers and owners of the brewery, Dan & David, sat at a panel and quietly and humbly described their beer. My first impression was that this barely-bigger-than-nano-brewery might have felt a little uneasy sharing a table with Alan Pugsley (Shipyard) and Kai Adams (Sebago) for the first time. They seemed a little star-struck, but remained honest and likeable. At dinner, the beer was paired with a wonderful goat cheese and spicy greens salad – fabulous. I resolved that I ‘d find out more about this beer and the guys from The Maine Beer Company.

Now easily found in Portland, ME (get the bottles at at Novare Res, Whole Foods, or anywhere else they sell beer from Maine) their first beer has become a rapid success – and is talked about a lot. My beer geek friends keep asking me, “have you had this Spring Peeper beer? It’s awesome.” I talk a lot about this beer, and I figured it was time for a proper review. When I picked up a bottle at Whole Foods, I also nabbed one of the last few bottles of their newest beer, Zoe to try as well.

Spring Peeper:  This is described on the simple label as “handcrafted american ale, pleasant malt body, 100% American hops.” It pours a cloudy light orange, with a soapy head. I was pleasantly surprised to see a cloudy pale ale, and its smell was very inviting. It smelled like hops, but of sweet and fruity hops. It smelled light, like a cool summer’s night. This is not your typical hoppy beer, nor is it something forgettable and light. The taste on this one is different than anything out there – and certainly anything in Maine. Its complex but really satisfying. The hops are balanced by light malts, and there’s a lot going on here. Not syrupy/malty like a 90 minute IPA from Dogfish Head, this has a light, but not watery finish. Honestly I can’t even describe it. Its different in a lot of ways. I’ve used this as a beer to introduce people to hops, and they love it. I honestly wish it came in 6 packs so it could become my go-to beer. And I’m probably not the only one. On Ratebeer.com, it currently has a score of 92 – which is quite a feat for a brewery’s first offering. Go get this beer – you’ll definitely like it. It has a little bit of spiciness to it that made it pair well with the spicy salad, but I think I could drink this with anything. It’s a definite winner.

Zoe - I was happy to see this at the Brattleboro Beer Fest – because I’d heard about it but hadn’t run across it yet. For good reason, it turns out – the beer has a really limited distribution, and can sometimes be found at certain beer stores around Porland but no guarantees. The bottle has a cute smiley face logo on it, and is described simply as “our happy, hoppy amber ale.” I was surprised by the dark color – someone on ratebeer described it as root beer colored, and I’d say that’s a pretty good description. The smell is all hops – like citrus, bitterness, and almost a resin – like fresh pine sap. The taste reminds me of trying my recently homebrewed IPA wort. Hoppy and bitter up front, but with a sweetness kicking in late. This is a flavorful, but drinkable hoppy beer. There’s a lot there – but it doesn’t kill your taste buds like a Stone Ruination. You do remember that you’ve sipped it – the hops coat your mouth and you can lick it off your lips for hours. I finished this beer and wanted another. A great hoppy beer – something that I’m struggling to find a comparison to on this coast. Very nice, and worth hunting down.

In addition to being two cool guys who love great beer, the brothers have decided that a part of their profit goest to environmental organizations – part of the 1% for the Planet campaign.

If you’re living in Maine and haven’t heard of the Maine Beer Company, you’ve been missing out. If you’re living outside of Maine, you’re going to be hearing about these guys soon. But for now, its our favorite little story of the garage-brewers-gone-big. Cheers!

Named “Fritz & Ken’s Ale” this is a stout – one of four collaborative brews highlighting the history of Sierra Nevada and the craft brewing spirit over the last thirty years. They’ll be released every few months (the next is coming out in May so it should be around soon). To read more about this effort, check out Sierra Nevada’s page about their 30th anniversary line. This one in particular is for Fritz Maytag (Anchor Brewing) and Ken Grossman, found of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

“A nod to the dark ales and stouts that seduced both Fritz and Ken in the early years, we bring you this pioneering stout, a rich and roasted ale, perfect for aging and worthy of your finest snifter. Enjoy!”

I brought it home and forgot about it for a little while, but after a really long and tough day, it seemed an appropriate brew to break out. It pours black – and I mean black. Its the kind of beer that absorbs all light and never lets it go. I even put a flashlight up to it. But no beams escaped out the other side. Spooky.

The smell of this beer is chocolate and malt – of the most delicious kind. The taste was heavy, thick and really inviting. It had a real richness to it, with a little finish of hop bitterness. I enjoyed that little sting, otherwise it may have been to rich or sweet for me to manage. Chocolatey, roasted, not too bitter, but not lacking in anything. As it warmed it got even more delicious (sweetened up a bit. I got halfway through the glass and got sad that soon I wouldn’t have any more left. This is a really good one, and I am sad to see its last dregs leaving my glass as I type this.

I’m eager to find the next brew in the series, though I hear it will be harder to find each one as they are released. I wish this was something that was not just a special edition, because I’d love to be able to go back to this whenever I’m craving a really great stout. If you see this, do snag it. It is more than worth your time to taste it.

The Latitude 48 has some history behind it – apparently this isn’t the first IPA release from Sam Adams, but perhaps the first in recent memory. There’s some old reviews out there in the cobwebs of the internet of an earlier Sam Adams IPA from the 90s, but this one seems to have come at a good time. Named after the 48th paralell (known for having the right conditions to grow the best hops – including in England, German and the pacific Northwest of the US) this beer uses hops from several countries for a taste of the “best of the 48.”

It pours a nice bright orange – which I was happy to see. The smell is not overpowering of any particular hop, and reminds me a little bit of an english IPA in its nose (not a really grassy smell that you get in west-coast IPAs). I was eager to taste it, because the east coast is always fighting for a spot among good IPAs in the craft beer scene.

The taste was actually more well balanced that I expected. The hops were backed up with a subtle sweetness, which made the bitterness not objectionable but pleasant. I wouldn’t say its the most well balanced IPA I’ve ever had – in fact, I like ones that have a bit more malt to balance it out and make the mouthfeel almost “thick” with gooeyness. This might be a good entry-level IPA. You can pick out the hops, but it won’t make people run from bitterness.

Though I know some people are underwhelmed by some Samuel Adams releases, I still think that they do a good job of expressing beer styles, and they are often good beers to start someone getting their feet wet in craft beer. I have a lot of respect for these guys, and I hope that they continue to try new styles and new experiments as they go.