Saison Dupont

Vieille Provision - Saison Dupont - 6.5% Alc by Vol

This is a Belgian beer, and after reading their website, it can be a difficult one to get your hands on. I would not know this without some research since it fell into my glass in the form of a hospitality gift (lucky me!).

It is a sturdy beer with a definite taste that you do not have to guess on. It smells and tastes quite bitter, but if you take the time to enjoy it you will. However, if bitterness is not your thing, then this may be too much bite. It had a great gold color with a thick and foamy head and a noticeable amount of sediment in the bottom of the glass. The taste is similar to a strong hefeweizen.

Pumpkin Comparison

I know that many people do not particularly enjoy pumpkin beers, but since my first sip I have been in love. Fall is definitely my season, and when I see those orange pumpkins on my favorite type of bottle I get so excited! However, just like many good things, there are so many to choose from. In this season I am going to try as many as I can in order to get a strong base of pumpkin flavors to compare.
This entry will start with two pumpkin beers.
The first being Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. (and yes, that is how they spell pumpkin). 7% Alc by Vol. It was approximately $10 for a 4 pack from BevMo. It has a light ale coloring versus the normal rich brown that usually accompanies an ale. In comparison to other pumpkin ales, it is on the less sweet side and instead of being left with a pumpkin flavor, it is more of a hoppy beer aftertaste. The pumpkin flavor is quite rich with many spice tones such as nutmeg and cinnamon.

The second being Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale.
5.2% Alc by Vol and approximately $8 for a six pack at BevMo. This has a rich amber color and unlike the Dogfish Head, it actually smells like pumpkin. The best way to describe this pumpkin ale is pumpkin pie in a bottle. It is sweet with a light balancing of malts and hops. The taste of pumpkin still lingers after swallowing is finished. This pumpkin beer is my favorite so far, but I still have many more weeks of trying new beers!

Alaskan Amber

Alaskan Amber - 5.3% Alc by Vol

12oz bottle from a 6 pack that came out to about $8.00 at a local grocery store

This beer would definitely fall in the same category as Sam Adams if I made categories. It has a great amber color with low bitterness and is slightly sweet after swallowing. It is overall a great full bodied beer and easy to drink.

Philip and I went to the grocery store and decided that we wanted to try this for the first time. We ate Italian food and watched Anchorman.

Old Speckled Hen

Old Speckled Hen - 4.5% Alc by Vol

This particular experience happened in a British pub, so I had 1 pint of this beer.

This entry is going to be slightly different since I do not have a picture of the beer and I am also going to write about my experience at the pub along with the beer.
As you could have guessed from the location of the pub, this was a British brew. My sister and I went to a quaint British pub only 10 minutes or so from our house. It was my first time going there, and it quickly became one of my favorite pubs. The bartender was British (which was actually my favorite part) and he poured the beer from the tap leaving about a half a pint of head which he waited for it to go down and then topped it off. This left the beer with a creamy head that was not too overwhelming. Just as most British beers I've tasted, Old Speckled Hen had a rich taste with a lower amount of carbonation than most beers. Definitely bitter and malty, but not unbearable. I prefer this over London Pride in case anyone would like a recommendation.

Bell’s Special Double Cream stout

Bell’s Special Double Cream stout – 6.1% Alc by Vol

1 pint bottle. I don't know where it was from or the price - a friend offered me a glass.

It had a very creamy smell with a most unique taste. The only taste that I could relate it to is going to come across as very negative. Not the initial taste or even on the swallow, but on the lips afterward, you are left with a sour cream taste. It is very peculiar to have a beer tart and creamy, and this beer definitely did it.
It is not my favorite beer, and I can recommend many more before this one. However, in no way is it a bad beer with its dark color and hearty stout taste. The stout is there, so if you are wanting to try a new kind of stout then pick this one up.

Peroni

Peroni Nastro Azzurro - 5.1% Alc by Vol
12 oz bottle. Six pack is approximately $9 from Cost Plus
Italian imported brew.
Since most people (including myself) have had a Heineken at one time in their life, it is easy to use as a comparison for Peroni. The inital taste is nearly the same and Heineken, but with a less bitter finish. At the same time though, there is a less flavor overall. By the third sip it is closer to water than to beer. Therefore, this is not my favorite or even close to one I would purchase. It is for those beer drinkers who enjoy just a tiny bit of beer taste, carbonation, and the effects from beer. If you enjoy a beer that even stimulates your taste buds, I would not recommend this one.

My sister had just turned 21 and she bought a six pack of this and saved one for me since she knew that I was writing this journal. We drank it at her birthday dinner.

Smoked Porter

Smoked Porter - 6.5% Alc by Vol
1 pt from BevMo approximately $7
Alaskan Brew
It is a dark and smooth liquid with a creamy head. I know this next comment it going to throw some off, but the first taste had me saying "bacon?". Apparently, this company grows their malts for the beer in a smokehouse. The first taste borders overwhelming, but the rest of the beer is smooth and delicious. By the second sip, the smokiness serves as a fulfilling backdrop.

This beer was a gift from Philip and we drank it on his patio during a lovely summer evening.