Kane Second Reef

It’s been awhile since I posted. It’s been crazy at work (funny how popular clinical trials are now) and the free time that I’ve had, I have spent running on the treadmill downstairs. The blog also turned 10 years old this year. In short, I’ll still be posting, just not as regularly, but hopefully more than every two month. Let’s get to the beer.

ABV: 8.1%

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “The Banzai Pipeline, or simply Pipeline or Pipe, is a surf reef break located in Hawaii, off Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on O’ahu’s North Shore. A reef break is an area in the ocean where waves start to break once they reach the shallows of a reef. Pipeline is known for huge waves that break in shallow water just above a sharp and cavernous reef, forming large, hollow, thick curls of water that surfers can tube ride. There are three reefs at Pipeline in progressively deeper water farther out to sea that activate according to the increasing size of approaching ocean swells.”

Random: I went to Oahu as a kid and wasn’t the biggest fan of it. It was the most developed of all of the islands.

The beer poured with a one finger, pure white head. It took awhile to dissipate and left a small amount of lacing on the glass. The body was hazy and bright yellow. There was no carbonation visible. The nose had some lemon and orange zest without much else. The taste had some citrus flesh, specifically grapefruit and orange. Booze came through as well. The body was on the heavier side with moderate carbonation. It had a quick finish with citrus. I enjoyed this beer a lot and would definitely have it again.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Old Nation M-43

Tonight’s beer is one from a Michigan brewery that I’ve never tried before. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 6.8%

Style: New England IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery, “At Old Nation, we take pride in old school brewing philosophies that may not look sexy on paper but make great beer. With the lessons those old philosophies bring comes perspective. Good brewing perspective is how we know to keep the things that work and change the things that don’t, here. That’s why, even though tastes and trends might change, we aren’t afraid to change with them. What you can count on is that, whatever Old Nation beer you drink, it will be the best example of whatever style it is. That’s not because your buddy gave it 4.5 bottle caps on a rating app (although they may have, thanks Brian!), but because of those years learning fundamentals from the best, and years of experience in our profession exchanging what didn’t work for what did. Who do you sit around with at work and talk about how to do things better? For Travis Fritts, that was Nate Rykse. Travis and Nate have been in breweries their entire adult lives, spending years learning from brewers better than them across the globe, as tradesman have done for ages. After being freed from the icy death grip of German education at the Technical University of Berlin in 2002, Travis found himself brewing all around his home state of Michigan in multiple disciplines. Around that same time, Nate left the sunny confines of University of California Davis (the Harvard of Food Science programs) to brew through the long nights in Alaska. So, see? Pretty much the same resume. Their strengths lined up perfectly. Take a decade of working together, a rebellious ‘Fuck you, I want it the right way’ attitude, sprinkle in a ‘little’ money from Travis’ long time business partner Rick Ghersi, and Old Nation was born.”

Random: Val picked this up for me from Trader Joe’s.

The beer poured with a two and a half fingers of pure white head that was incredibly thick. It dissipated slowly and left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was hazy and bright yellow in color with no visible carbonation due to the color. The nose was really fragrant with flowers, grapefruit, mango and pineapple. The taste was equally bright with grapefruit and mango. There was some grass as well. The body was on the thicker side with a lot of carbonation. The finish was quick and bright with mango and grapefruit. Overall, this was a really enjoyable beer that I would have again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kane Morning Bell – Barrel Aged

It’s been a crazy few weeks at work, which has left me a bit exhausted. We haven’t been going many places, although New Jersey seems to be opening things up. New Jersey now has a mandate that you have to wear a mask in public, which given the increase in case is probably a good thing. We’re one of a few states that are not seeing large increases, which is a good thing. Anyways, let’s get to the beer.

ABV: 9.2%

Style: American Double/Imperial Porter

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “Morningbell is a psychedelic rock band based in Gainesville, Florida. The band was formed in 2000 by brothers Travis Atria (vocals, guitar, lyricist) and Eric Atria (bass guitar, theremin, backing vocals). Stacie Thrushman/Atria (keyboard) joined the band in late 2001, while Chris Hillman (drums) was recruited in 2007 as the band’s 6th drummer.”

Random: The cats have spent all day sleeping. They’ll probably get up around midnight and go crazy.

The beer poured with a half a finger of head that dissipated quickly. There was no lacing left on the glass, but a slight crown on top of the black body. The body had no visible carbonation because of the color. The nose was filled with oak and vanilla along with cocoa. The taste had a lot of chocolate and cocoa with some bourbon and vanilla. The booze was present and quite warming. The body was on the thicker side with moderate carbonation. The finish was lengthy and sweet with chocolate and bourbon. This was outstanding and I would definitely have it again.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Kane Driftwood – Bourbon Barrel-Aged

One of the benefits of Kane home delivery is getting some limited releases that I wouldn’t normally get since I’m about an hour away. Let’s see how this one was.

ABV: 14.6%

Style: American Brown Ale

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “Driftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves. It is a form of marine debris or tidewrack. In some waterfront areas, driftwood is a major nuisance. However, the driftwood provides shelter and food for birds, fish and other aquatic species as it floats in the ocean. Gribbles, shipworms and bacteria decompose the wood and gradually turn it into nutrients that are reintroduced to the food web. Sometimes, the partially decomposed wood washes ashore, where it also shelters birds, plants, and other species. Driftwood can become the foundation for sand dunes. Most driftwood is the remains of trees, in whole or part, that have been washed into the ocean, due to flooding, high winds, or other natural occurrences, or as the result of logging. There is also a subset of driftwood known as drift lumber. Drift lumber includes the remains of man-made wooden objects, such as buildings and their contents washed into the sea during storms, wooden objects discarded into the water from shore, dropped dunnage or lost cargo from ships (jetsam), and the remains of shipwrecked wooden ships and boats (flotsam). Erosion and wave action may make it difficult or impossible to determine the origin of a particular piece of driftwood. Driftwood can be used as part of decorative furniture or other art forms, and is a popular element in the scenery of fish tanks.”

Random: Flotsam and Jetsam are the names of the eels in “The Little Mermaid.” I saw that film in theaters as a child.

The beer poured with no head whatsoever. The body was dark brown and I couldn’t see much carbonation. The nose was filled with bourbon and vanilla. There was brown sugar and booze as well. The taste had a lot of booze upfront, but given the ABV, no surprise there. It had brown sugar, brown bread, molasses and some caramel. The bourbon was strong as well with a nice smoky note. The body was thick and had light carbonation. The beer had a lengthy and sticky finish with brown sugar and lots of bourbon. This was an outstanding beer that was a real treat to have.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Troegs Field Study

I’m really happy this is a short week at work. Since the holiday hits on a Saturday, we’re off on Friday. I’m also short this week due to someone being on vacation and we’re really busy to start with. I don’t know what we’ll be doing for the holiday. In all likelihood, we’ll be staying home since I’m a bit paranoid of the increase in COVID cases, but we’ll see.

ABV: 6.2%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “In the hop fields we daydream and study, and at the brewery we tinker and test. For Field Study, dry-hopping delivers notes of ripe grapefruit, mango, pear and melon. Add a backbone of local rustic pale malt, and Field Study is just what we were after: a slightly hazy yet bright summer daydream come true. We taste: ripe grapefruit, pear, hint of melon”

Random: I love Troegs’s label art. Their redesign a few years back is the best I’ve seen, hands down.

The beer poured with a one finger, pure white head. It dissipated quickly and left no lacing on the glass. There was a crown left on top of the cloudy, yellow body. I couldn’t see much carbonation. The nose had grapefruit pith and grass with some mango. The taste also had grass upfront and quickly transitioned into mango and green melon. There was also pear. The body was lighter than I expected and I wanted the carbonation to be dialed up a bit. It had a quick finish with mango. I thought this beer was alright, but nothing stellar. I wouldn’t refuse it if it was handed to me.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Kane Sneak Box

This is a beer that I swore that I had reviewed before, but clearly hadn’t. Let’s crack it open.

ABV: 5.4%

Style: American Pale Ale

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “As with most American small craft, its origin is not well documented. It is generally accepted that Captain Hazelton Seaman invented the first sneakbox about 1836, in West Creek, New Jersey. It was usually built of Atlantic white cedar wood, known by many as Jersey cedar, which was once plentiful throughout the mid-Atlantic states. It was conceived as a low-profile, lightweight, seaworthy hunting craft that one man could easily handle in any of the weather conditions likely to be encountered in the Jersey marshes. The first printed description appeared in Forest and Stream on April 3, 1874 in a short letter from Robert B. White. White included a rough dimensional drawing that is recognizably a sneakbox.”

Random: I miss going on boats on vacation. They’re always so calming.

The beer poured with a one finger, white head that was rather thick. It dissipated at a moderate pace and left some lacing on the glass. The body was bright yellow and cloudy with only some visible carbonation. The nose was huge for the style. It was filled with some pine and herbal notes and quickly transitioned into lots of pineapple and mango. The taste was even better. It was a total tropical fruit bomb with pineapple, mango and papaya and then a pleasant grassy note came through with cilantro. The body was super light with a lot of carbonation. It had a medium length finish with fruit. This beer was flavorful and outstanding. I would definitely have this again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Newport Craft Brewing Watermelon Freez Berliner Weisse

Tonight’s beer is one that seems like it was made for hot weather. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 4.1%

Style: Berliner Weissbier

Trivia: According to frostyfreez.com, “Leo Cassidy opened the ‘Tastee Freez’ sometime in 1956, according to the limited records we’ve been able to find. He and his wife Grace ran both the ice cream shop and ‘Leo’s Diner’ which was located right behind the shop. Neither Leo nor his wife are with us anymore, but their small, family-oriented ice cream business still sits in the same building, serving Aquidneck Island families for over 50 years now. The name was changed to Frosty Freez at some point during their time, but we haven’t been able to find out when; we are still actively seeking more historical information. The building has gone through quite a few changes, as has Middletown, but the family atmosphere remains. Frosty FreezRay and Solange Roppe purchased the business back in 1977, and ran both the ice cream shop and their clothing store ‘Ray’s Fashions’, located right behind Frosty Freez. The Roppe’s daughter Martine took over the shop in 1990, and ran it with her husband Gary for the next 10 years. In June of 2000, my husband Mark and I became the 3rd family of ‘caretakers’ of this little Middletown landmark. We feel very fortunate to continue the tradition of serving a fun treat to our small community. Lots of people love it for its old-fashioned simplicity and its continuity. And its ice cream, of course! We’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Roppes for ‘showing us the ropes’ in the ice cream business. Fast and friendly service, great product and affordable prices have created a great fan base over the years. We’ll continue to do our best to keep things that way, while, of course, always looking for ways to make it even better!”

Random: It seems like breweries are doing collaborations with all types of businesses lately.

The beer poured with a half a finger of white head that dissipated almost instantly. It left no lacing on the glass. The body was clear and a warm yellow color. There was moderate carbonation visible throughout. The nose had notes of lemon and watermelon flavoring. The taste had a bit more watermelon to it and some light tartness. The lemon was there as well. The body was light with moderate carbonation, which I wish was dialed up a bit. It had a quick finish with watermelon. This made for a nice Summer beer. I would have this again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Kane Stained Glass

Work has gotten crazy busy and as a result, has limited my ability to post every night as well as my consumption. So, I’ll be posting as much as possible, but daily may be difficult. Anyways, let’s get to the beer.

ABV: 6.7%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “Medieval stained glass is the coloured and painted glass of medieval Europe from the 10th century to the 16th century. For much of this period stained glass windows were the major pictorial art form, particularly in northern France, Germany and England, where windows tended to be larger than in southern Europe (in Italy, for example, frescos were more common). In some countries, such as in Sweden and in England, only a fragment of an originally large amount of stained glass have survived to this day. Stained glass windows were used predominantly in churches, but were also found in wealthy domestic settings and public buildings such as town halls, though surviving examples of secular glass are very rare indeed. The purpose of stained glass windows in a church was both to enhance the beauty of their setting and to inform the viewer through narrative or symbolism. The subject matter was generally religious in churches, though “portraits” and heraldry are often included, and many narrative scenes give valuable insights into the medieval world.”

Random: I love stained glass. Val and I have a lighting fixture that eventually we need to mount that is stained glass.

The beer poured with a huge, four finger, pure white head that was incredibly thick. It took a long time to dissipate, but once it did, left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was slightly hazy and bright yellow in color with a decent amount of carbonation. The nose had a lot of grain up front with some wheat and cereal notes. Then, it went into lots of pine. The taste had a lot of pine as well with some lemon balm notes that quickly went into grain and rice. The body was on the lighter side with a lot of carbonation. It had a quick finish with lemon. I thought this was a solid and refreshing beer that I would definitely have again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kane Coastal Plain

It was a long day at work today and I could definitely use a beer.

ABV: 5.4%

Style: Vienna Lager

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “Vienna lager was developed by brewer Anton Dreher in Vienna in 1841. German-speaking brewers who emigrated to Mexico in the late 19th century, during the Second Mexican Empire, took the style with them. Vienna lager is a reddish-brown or copper-colored beer with medium body and slight malt sweetness, while Mexican Vienna lager, developed by Santiago Graf, has a somewhat darker color and roasted flavor. The malt aroma and flavor may have a toasted character. Despite their name, Vienna lagers are generally uncommon in continental Europe today, but can be found frequently in North America, where it is often called pre-Prohibition style amber lager, as the style was popular in pre-1919 America. Notable examples include Brooklyn Lager, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Great Lakes Eliot Ness, Devils Backbone Vienna Lager, Abita Amber, Yuengling Traditional Lager, Dos Equis Ámbar, August Schell Brewing Company Firebrick, and Negra Modelo. In Norway, the style has retained some of its former popularity, and is still brewed by most major breweries.”

Random: I missed out on ordering Kane this week, so I’ll have to place an order next week. With everything opening up, I hope they continue the delivery service.

The beer poured with a fluffy, three finger, pure white head. It dissipated at a moderate pace, but left no lacing on the glass. The body was bright yellow with some haze along with lots of carbonation. The nose had a lot of bread with some grainy malt. It had a slight sweet scent as well. The taste started with some sweet malt with honey and a touch of flowers and quickly went into a white bread note. There was some caramel at the end. The body was on the heavier end of the style with a lot of carbonation. It had a long finish for the style with caramel malt to finish. I thought this was a pleasant, robust lager that I would have again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA

Val and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and now, when I see tiki drink inspired beers, I think of that time. Let’s see how this beer was.

ABV: 7.5%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “A Scorpion Bowl is a communally shared alcoholic tiki drink served in a large ceramic bowl traditionally decorated with wahine or hula-girl island scenes and meant to be drunk through long straws. Bowl shapes and decorations can vary considerably. Starting off as a single-serve drink known as the Scorpion cocktail, its immense popularity as a bowl drink in tiki culture is attributed to Trader Vic. The drink contains light rum, brandy, and orgeat syrup along with orange and lemon juice and is typically heavily garnished. The ceramic vessel itself is also referred to as a ‘scorpion bowl’. Different versions can have multiple types of rum (overproof, dark and white), gin, wine, and fruit juices. If a sparkling wine ‘floater’ is being added this should be done last after the other ingredients have been mixed.”

Random: When I lived in North Jersey, there was a dive bar that had the best tiki drinks. They also had amazing beef cubes with spicy sauce.

The beer poured with a three finger, loose, cream-colored head. It dissipated at a moderate pace. The body was mostly clear and light orange in color with some carbonation visible. The nose had some grapefruit and pineapple. Not much else came through. The taste had slightly more tropical fruit with some mango and pineapple. There was moderate bitterness to this and the alcohol was apparent on it. The body was heavier than expected with a lot of carbonation. It had a quick and fruity finish. I really wanted this beer to be more like a tiki drink and it just missed the mark for me.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0