New Glassware and Lagunitas IPA

#275 Lagunitas IPA

The Lagunitas Brewing Company

Petaluma, California, USA
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Partially Owned by Heineken International
India Pale Ale 6.2 % ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 355 ml.

ISO Standard Tasting Glass

$2.49 (Canadian) At the LCBO ($14.95 for a six pack)

Twitter: @LagunitasBeer

So over the years I have used a number of glasses for tasting my beers. They have varied in shape and size, however, mostly I use wine glasses over beer glasses. Originally I started out with an ISO Standard Tasting Glass. Used mainly in wine tasting it tends to highlight the less than favourable qualities of the beverage. So basically if the wine can overcome the glass... it's good. From there I migrated through a number of glasses (mainly because my cat disagreed with Issac Newton and kept trying to test the theory of gravity...) I recently settled on a stemless wine glass as my go to beer taster and it does a good job of concentrating aromas and enhancing flavours. 

Teku Glass

Lately there has been some buzz in the glassware world (it's not often anyone gets to say those words...) A Italian stylist (and beer lover) partnered with brewers to develop a glass that enhanced the craft beer experience. The Teku was born. While on the surface it looks great I just wanted to put it to the test. So I thought the best way was to do a side by side taste with my stemless glass against the new Teku. I chose Lagunitas IPA because IPA is one of the main beers this glass was designed for.

Onto the side by side.

Teku Aroma: Very fruity. Tons of tropical fruit passion fruit and hints of pineapple.some sweet caramel notes with hints of vanilla and soft malt notes.

My stemless wine glass vs the Teku

Stemless Wine Aroma: Nutty and malty fruit notes are very muted more caramel and wood notes.

TeKu First Taste: Fruit driven sweet IPA with hints of lemon and orange peel

Wine glass first taste: Sweet sugary, some caramel, malt driven, tropical fruit and lemon in the background

Aeration (too similar for each glass so just recorded it once): sweet malty west coast style IPA some turbinado sugar with light hints of molasses and herbal hops notes. Some marijuana, and a little funk.





The Results


Teku Glass Pros: The build is the best positive of this glass. The long stem prevents early warming of the beer. The shape concentrates the aroma and delivers it straight to your nose. Plus I noticed that because of the shape of the glass my nose was positioned far closer to the beer helping to deliver those delicious volatile compounds and esters right into my olfactory. The lip of the glass is very thin. I have heard many people claim their biggest fear is breaking this glass. Yes, it is more delicate but that also helps by giving a nice slick runway for the liquid to be delivered onto your tongue better. Thinner glass, less turbulence, more flavour. The same principle is used in high end wine glasses. Yes it is probably best to break out the mugs for your beer if you are day drinking and out for a rip.... (or may I suggest a solo cup...) But if you are in enjoying one or two craft beer the more fragile TeKu is well suited. Lastly this beer accentuates the more subtle nuances of the beer. The fruitier lighter tones came out... mainly because those flavours are the most volatile and evaporate the quickest while the heavier malt tones and caramels tend to linger longer. The exageratted tulip of the TeKu traps the volatile compounds and gives you an opportunity to savour them before they are lost.

TeKu Cons: I think the biggest con is that this beer glass is "too good." It makes every beer taste good. Worse, it makes a flawed beer taste much better than it should.

Final Thoughts

The Teku is fine, expensive but fine. It your new date is a beer snob and you want to impress his or her pants off... Pour them a hoppy APA or a tart sour beer in this glass, and the night is going to go well (results not guaranteed). But for my purposes, a.k.a pint glass pontification... The Teku is kinda useless. However I am certainly not about breaking it out to sit in my lawn chair to watch someone else mow the lawn...

Oh, and the Lagunitas? A very good IPA Truly a shame they were bought out.

Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 15: Goose Island Honker's Ale

Beer # 263 Honker's Ale

Goose Island BrewingCompany

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Owned by Anheuser-Busch Inbev
ESB 4.3 % ABV 
Aluminum Can 473 ml
$2.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @gooseisland

Another trip today to the brewpub turn notable microbrewery from Chicago. We previously did Matilda and Sophie from Goose Island which was not long after their purchase by brewery eating juggernaut Anheuser-Busch-Inbev. Recently this beer appeared on the shelves of the Beer Store and the LCBo so I thought I would see what it was about.

"Are you honkin' at me? well I don't see anyone else in here..."


Pours a reddish amber colour with a huge creamy tan head made up of small to medium bubbles. Aroma is a grassy, herbal hops tone with some clean malt notes. Slightly medicinal and light citrus. First sip is malty with notes of caramel and light wood. Some fruit notes but mostly bitter hops, slight mustiness. Aeration gives us more of the same, light bodied, mild maltiness. Finish is slightly off and musty, hints of sulphur.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  1/6  FAIL
Experience:  3/6 SO-SO
Christmas Cheer: 2/6 SO-SO

Final Thoughts:

There is just something off about this beer. it starts off good but just really doesn't deliver in the end. It needs hot wings or nachos... to hide it's faults. Avoid.


Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 133 Goose Island Sofie

Sofie

Goose Island BrewingCompany

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Owned by Anheuser-Busch Inbev
Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale (Flavoured) 6.5 % ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 765 ml
$9.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @gooseisland

Another quick one from Goose Island. Tonight's beer is a Belgian Farmhouse ale that is done slightly differently. 20% of the beer is aged in wine barrels with orange peels, then blended with regular ale. It is a nice touch leaving the beer very complex yet still subtle. It also is unfiltered and bottle conditioned on the lees.

Onto the tasting:

Light gold in colour with a slight tinge of green and just a hint of cloudiness. Bright white, towering head made up of medium sized bubbles.Head disperses quickly leaving a delicate lace pattern. Nose is very green with orange peel, mixed citrus and coriander some caramel and vanilla, very light. Some light bread and yeast notes. First sip is winey, green, caramel, bready, fruit and floral. Some tartness at the finish. Aeration brings out oak, caramel, vanilla and yeast.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 4/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts: 

A very good beer, lots of complexity, yet not overwhelming. A good blend of barley and wheat to make a smooth very drinkable beer.
Cheers

CJT



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Beer # 132 Goose Island Matilda

Matilda

Goose Island BrewingCompany

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Owned by Anheuser-Busch Inbev
Belgian Style Pale Ale 7.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 765 ml
$9.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @gooseisland

I had heard of this brewery before and I was very excited when I discovered it at a local LCBO. Goose Island was started in 1988 as a brew pub named Clybourn. It became known as Goose Island brewing company in 1995 when it opened it's main brewery. It then opened a second brewpub called Wrigleyville in 1999. As of 2011 Fulton Street Brewing company, the legal name of Goose Island Brewing Company, was sold to Anheuser-Busch Inbev.

Onto the tasting:

Light orange to gold in colour with a fluffy white head made up of medium sized bubbles. Good lacing and long lasting head. Aroma is very fruity and yeasty with a slight cinnamon and clove scent hidden in the middle. First sip is citrus mainly orange, very light and refreshing followed by a warming of the body from the alcohol. Fruit gives way to roasty caramel, vanilla and a little bread. There is a good amount of residual sweetness, yet the beer drinks very clean. The lips are not sticky, nor does the sugar seem sickly. There is some similarity to an aged hard apple cider, some tartness, tartaric acid, green apple. Strong resemblance to a champagne as well, tart and bready. Aeration gives us a creamy feeling airy and effervescent mouthfeel citrus and apple.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 4/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts: 

Like drinking a good wine. It is well crafted and full of flavours. I was eagerly anticipating this beer, however I was disappointed to find it was a Macro-craft. Wholly owned by one of the largest breweries in the world, I am worried that something will be sacrificed. Hopefully they will be able to maintain their high standards.
Cheers

CJT



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