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

Kane Indicators

This weekend flew by, probably since work has been crazy lately. Time for a review beer.

ABV: 7.4%

Style: New England IPA

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “New England IPAs (also referred to as Hazy IPA or Juicy IPA) are a style of IPA invented by The Alchemist’s John Kimmich with his beer, Heady Topper. They are characterized by juicy, citrus, and floral flavours, with an emphasis on hop aroma with low bitterness. They also have a smooth consistency or mouthfeel, and a hazy appearance. These characteristics are achieved using a combination of brewing techniques, including the use of particular strains of yeast, the timing of adding the hops, and adjusting the chemistry of the water. The style has become popular among New England brewers. New England IPAs need not be brewed in New England. It was officially recognized as a separate beer style, the Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale, by the Brewers Association in 2018. A variation on the style is the milkshake IPA, which adds lactose to make a New England IPA more creamy.”

Random: Our cats have spent the entire day sleeping in their beds. It’s a rough life for them.

The beer poured with a thick, two finger, white head. It too awhile to dissipate and left some lacing on the glass. The body was a bright yellow with no visible carbonation due to the haze. The nose was filled with fruit. I got mango, peach, apricot and some kiwi as well. The taste was just as fruity as the nose. I got the same peach and apricot and kiwi with some pineapple as well. It was pleasantly bitter. The body was on the thicker side with moderate carbonation. The finish was lengthy and sticky with tropical fruit. The beer was excellent and had lots of bright flavors. This is worth finding.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kane A Space To Fill

I really enjoy having breweries able to deliver directly. I would be lucky if I got one or two trips a year into Kane and now I can order weekly if I wanted to.

ABV: 8.4%

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Ocean Township consists of three main unincorporated communities: Wanamassa, Oakhurst and Wayside. The township is divided into two zip codes, 07755 (Oakhurst) and 07712 (Wanamassa & Wayside, main city Asbury Park). Small portions have Allenhurst (07711), Deal (07723) and Long Branch (07740) zip codes. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 27,291, reflecting an increase of 332 (+1.2%) from the 26,959 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,901 (+7.6%) from the 25,058 counted in the 1990 Census.”

Random: We haven’t been to Asbury Park since before COVID. They have a Korean taco spot that is amazing.

The beer poured with a two finger, white head. It was loose and dissipated at a moderate pace. There was some lacing left on the glass. The body was light yellow with some haze and moderate carbonation visible. The nose had some fruit to it. Specifically I got pineapple and orange. There was some booze as well. The taste was bright and had a lot of fresh citrus. There was orange and grapefruit and some pineapple came through next. The alcohol was there, but not overwhelming. The body was on the thicker side with moderate carbonation. It had a lengthy and sticky finish with citrus. I enjoyed this beer and would search this one out.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kane Sideshore

Work has been insanely busy, so we’ve spent the weekend doing nothing. I did crack open a few beers, so let’s see how it was.

ABV: 4.8%

Style: Czech Pilsener

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “The city of Pilsen began brewing in 1295, but until the mid-1840s, most Bohemian beers were top-fermented. The taste and standards of quality often varied widely, and in 1838, consumers dumped whole barrels to show their dissatisfaction. The officials of Pilsen founded a city-owned brewery in 1839, called Měšťanský pivovar Plzeň (German: Bürger-Brauerei, English: Citizens’ Brewery – now Pilsner Urquell), which was to brew beer in the pioneering Bavarian style. Brewers had begun aging beer made with cool fermenting yeasts in caves (lager, i.e., German: gelagert [stored]), which improved the beer’s clarity and shelf-life. Part of this research benefited from the knowledge already expounded on in a book (printed in German in 1794, in Czech in 1799), written by Czech brewer František Ondřej Poupě (German: Franz Andreas Paupie) (1753–1805) from Brno.”

Random: I have never been to the Czech Republic before. Once traveling is safer, I would definitely go.

The beer poured with a two finger, pure white head. It dissipated slowly and left a nice amount of lacing on the glass. The body was mostly clear and light yellow in color. There was a lot of carbonation visible. The nose had some grain with mineral water. There was also a touch of sweetness. The taste was crisp and clean with grain and mineral water. I didn’t pick up a lot of sweetness. The body was light with lots of carbonation. The finish was quick with grain. I enjoyed this beer and it went down easily. I would have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Victory Easy Ringer

The weather here has started to get really hot. I am not a big fan of the heat, so I’ve been staying in the air conditioning as much as possible. You know what goes well with staying inside, beer.

ABV: 4.3%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Drinking crisp and light with little bitterness and tons of hop character, notes of passionfruit and citrus wow the crowd. The anytime crusher. Crisp and light at 4.3% ABV, the low bitterness and fruity notes make tossing a few back look easy.”

Random: We’re watching “Celebrity Family Feud” and there is a boatload of yelling and slightly weird touching. I forgot how much I dislike this game show. I disliked it as a child because of the yelling too. Not much has changed.

The beer poured with a one finger, pure white head. It dissipated at a moderate pace, but left no lacing on the glass. The body was a clear, straw yellow with moderate carbonation visible. The nose had some milled grain with some grass and a splash of pine, almost like a pine seltzer. I didn’t get any fruit on the nose. The taste started with some grapefruit and quickly went into grain. I wanted to get more of the citrusy and fruit notes, but there were none. The body was very light with high carbonation. It had an instantaneous finish with grain. I really wanted to like this beer, but it just missed the mark for me. I wouldn’t have it again.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Sierra Nevada 3 Weight

Since the pandemic started, my local beer store is doing delivery. Since I am going to work everyday, I try to get as many things delivered as possible and the beer store has a bunch of different mixed packs. This was from Sierra Nevada’s mixed twelve from the Spring.

ABV: 4%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Heading into the backcountry, it’s helpful to have a few things on hand. A solid fishing rod (of course), a sturdy pack, and some great beer help the day run smoothly. This session ale is the perfect choice for a day away from it all—golden, easy drinking, and full of citrusy and piney hop flavor.”

Random: The beer comes in at 38 IBUs and uses Cascade, Magnum, Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic and Loral hops.

The beer poured with less than half a finger of loose white head. It went away and left only a hint of lacing on the glass. The body was lemon yellow and hazy. It had a lot of carbonation visible as well. The nose was light. I picked up some grass and flowers, but it was mild, even for a session IPA. The taste was under flavored. I picked up some watery lemon juice along with lemon peel. There was also some floral notes. After a few sips, there was grass too. The body was very light with soda-like carbonation. It had an instant finish with flowers. This beer just didn’t do it for me. It was so light and lacked flavor, but it went down quickly. I wouldn’t have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 2.5/5.0

Victory Cloud Walker

I’ve always had a soft spot for Victory since I first got into craft beers. This is one of their newer offerings that I was excited to try.

ABV: 6.8%

Style: New England IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “This dry-hopped hazy juicy IPA explodes as tropical and fruity elements float through cloudy formations to elevate hops to the highest pedestal. An airdrop of special ingredients and precious cargo give this beer its dreamy orange glow and its pillowy soft mouthfeel. Delight in this one quickly as it bursts with IPA’s finest juicy hops and empties in your glass before you can catch the next flight.”

Random: I miss baseball. I’ve been watching videos of old highlights to try to get through the lack of it.

The beer poured with a thick, one finger, slightly off white head. It dissipated slowly and left some lacing on the glass. The body was a bright yellow and very cloudy. Due to the haziness, I couldn’t see much carbonation. The nose had a lot of citrus. I picked up some big lemon and orange notes upfront with some grapefruit zest as well. The taste was big on the orange notes with lighter lemon notes that transitioned into grassy and earthy notes. The body was on the medium side with a lot of carbonation. It had a sticky and lengthy finish with orange. I thought this was a solid beer, just not the best one that I’ve ever had. I would still have it again.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0