Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Maine Brewing Company

Beer Name: Mean Old Tom

Beer Style: American Stout

Abv.: 6.5%

Serving Glassware: Snifter, Tulip, Pint

Serving Temp.: 45-50 deg. F.(BeerAdvocate)

Packaging: 16.9 oz bottles

Price: ~$7

Availability: N/A

Pairings: Eggs, Bacon, Pop Tarts

Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade: A

Appearance: 4.5

Aroma: 4.5

Taste: 4.5

Mouthfeel: 4.5

Drinkability: 4.5

BeerAdvocate Avg.: B

Mike's Description

Appearance - Black coffee appearance with minimal head and no retention. With the dark color, it's hard to tell if there's any sediment, but this brew appears to be thoroughly translucent.

Aroma - Pure coffee bean aroma with some sweetness from the vanilla beans. Slight milk chocolate esters compliment the coffee character delivering for an aroma that provides as advertised.

Taste - Pretty much spot on with the aroma here...the coffee facet carries a little more load though. The vanilla beans are less noticeable, but they clearly provide that "something's missing" present in many stouts out there.

Mouthfeel - Very full bodied beer that I would have assumed to be classified as a coffee stout, but good either way. The coffee bean taste holds firm into the aftertaste.

Overall - Very good beer that delivers as promised and I'd definitely purchase it again. Even though this beer isn't classified as a coffee beer, it still might take the cake for my favorite coffee beer (even over the BBC Coffeehouse Porter).

Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company

Beer Name: Sgt. Pepper

Beer Style: Saison

Abv.: 6.0%

Serving Glassware: Chalice, Pint, Wine Glass

Serving Temp.: 45-50 deg. F.(BeerAdvocate)

Packaging: 22 oz bottles

Price: ~$6

Availability: Limited

Pairings: Salad (Caesar), Seafood (Shrimp, Lobster, Haddock)

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Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade: B

Appearance: 3.5

Aroma: 4

Taste: 3.5

Mouthfeel: 4

Drinkability: 4

BeerAdvocate Avg.: B

Mike's Description
Bottled Feb. 2012. Poured from a bomber into a wine glass. Paired with chicken caesar salad.
 

Appearance - Copper/bronze color with no sediment, which is surprising for a farmhouse ale. About a quarter-inch of head that fades fast leaving little/no lace on the wine glass. Most saisons tend to have a frothy head.

Aroma - The Belgian yeast is prevalent as is the peppercorn, which is promised in the name and description on the bottle. Floral notes are there along with some faint rye malt aromas.

Taste - The Belgian yeast is still there, but it is almost overwhelmed by the peppercorn, which I suppose should be expected with a name like Sgt. Pepper. The floral character is very faint here and there is no hop presence (any bitterness is completely hidden by the spicy pepper taste). This pairs extremely well with the peppery caesar dressing.

Mouthfeel - All spiciness in the aftertaste for this relatively light-bodied beer. Not too carbonated for a saison.

Overall - A very drinkable and distinct saison that I would definitely buy again (especially for the price). As I mentioned before, it pairs well with caesar salad and I can imagine that it would go together with any other light summer meal. The peppercorn compliments the Belgian yeast and spices as well.