Gravy Boat

Presentation

Typical MBC bottle with a Dutch colonial house on the coast. The bottle is dark.

Pour

The pour is a rich brown with almost no head. What is left is some lacing on the sides and a few bubbles.

Aroma

The smell is a bit of fruit and caramel .

Taste

It is light on the tongue. The flavor is mellow, slightly nutty and fruity, but not as much as one might expect from a typical brown ale.

Reviewer’s Grade

C+

From the Brewer

“This festive occasion beer follows the traditions of one of the oldest English brewing styles from the 16th Century.  The blend of malts provides a caramel and nut flavor with a deep coppery brown color with medium body, which is balanced with traditional English Kent Goldings hops.  The result is lighter in color and flavor than our porter and stout, yet provides plenty of rich nutty and toasted malt flavors.”

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

I love porters and stouts and dark lagers this time of year. This one I’ve enjoyed a great deal. It drinks smooth with a fine flavor.

I was surprised to find this stout in my 12-pack, as I expected three bottles each of four brews. It seems apparent that I have a far broader selection than I’d expected.

Presentation

Standard MBC packaging with a lighthouse at the center.

Pour

A dark, rich liquid, the stout pours the way one would expect. There is some head, less than a finger. The bubbles are tight and dissipate quickly.

Aroma

The smell is caramel and chocolate with maybe a bit of star anise or licorice.

Taste

The tongue feel heavy, as a stout should be. Chocolate, smoke, and caramel make up the flavor.

Reviewer’s Grade

A-

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

This will read and sound as entirely sexist. However, many women will dig this brew. The un-sexist part is that a lot of guys will drink it as well.

I’ve been put off fruit-infused wheat beer for over twelve years. I had a one night stand at a work function in Kansas City where I pounded back Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (they had naught else worth drinking). Like after a previous ill-advised overindulgence of Southern Comfort and Coke, I can no longer drink that particular beverage. Fruit- and wheat-based beers broadly faced a similar injunction for a long time.

I’ve recently had wheat beers, most of which I could give or take (Neal’s home brews not withstanding). Still not my cup of tea, but a nice change-of-pace brew.

This was really my first foray since.

Presentation

The bottle has a picture of monks around a vat doing brew-type activities. The text is almost old school serif on a purple background. What could be better?

Pour

The pour is definitely yellow. The head is almost three fingers tall with small, tight bubbles. It doesn’t dissipate easily.

Aroma

The smell is raspberry, no doubt.

Taste

OMG. It’s like drinking 7-Up or Sprite mixed with raspberry preserve. The flavor is strong, but not too sweet.

Reviewer’s Grade

B

From the Brewer

“Celis Raspberry is a traditional Belgian-style fruit beer with full flavor, tartness and a rich, rosy hue.  Selected hops add balance and contribute to its seductive aroma. It is delicious on its own or as a refresher. And it is the perfect complement to bread and cheese, vanilla ice cream or chocolate cake.”

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

Another from the twelve pack combo I picked up, this had to be the least hoppy, yet still hoppy, IPA I’ve ever had. Don’t get me wrong. The hops are still there. It’s just that they’re not as pronounced as one normally expects in an IPA.

Presentation:

I like the schooner in the emblem, but that’s my late-in-life New Englander coming out to say ‘hi’.

Pour:

Once in the glass the color is golden yellow with a finger of head. Most of the bubbles are small but a few are quitre big.

Aroma:

You can smell the hops, no doubt.

Taste:

As I said, the High Seas is less hoppy than the average IPA: Goose Island, Sierra Nevada, and Bell’s are all considerably more pronounced. The flavor is smoother as a result. There are tones of fruit, though I cannot place them.

Reviewer’s Grade:

B

From The Brewer:

“Our Interpretation of a legendary ocean crossing classic is not for the timid. Assertively hoppy and dangerously seductive. A skillful blend of three premium barley malts with generous amounts of Northern Brewer and Cascade Hops creates a special ale to satisfy the most demanding palate.”

Statistics:

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

I was over at Western Market after picking up my glasses with the new prescription. I almost picked up another Michigan brew when I saw the Michigan Brewing Company’s combination pack. I opted for it, of course, and will post my thoughts and findings on the brews.

This amber lager is an interesting brew. It’s similar to but less hoppy than a Magic Hat offering that I’ve yet to review. I recommend both, certainly this one for a wider audience. Snobs and neophytes can be boosters for this one.

Presentation

In typical Michigan Brewing Company tradition, there’s a descriptive picture inside a banner circle. The bottles are dark, as they should be. I picked this up as part of a twelve bottle multi-pack.

Pour

Amber definitely describes the color. There was a smallish but decent frothy head.

Aroma

The smell was slightly hoppy and fragrant, almost floral.

Taste

The brew hit me as more sweet than the average lager. There was also something, almost cinnamon but not, with caramel to boot.

Reviewer’s Grade

B-

From the Brewer

“Brewed in the tradition of the Austrian Vienna-style lager popularized in Bavaria’s Oktoberfest celebrations, Sunset Amber is a true cold aged lager beer.  A perfect beer for those who want a full flavored brew without too much hop bitterness.  Our amber lager shines like a golden sunset.  The pleasant caramel flavor is lightly balanced with Northern Brewer and other hops to satisfy the palates of most beer lovers.“

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

The Detroit Dwarf is a red lager

Detroit Dwarf is actually brewed in Webberville, MI by the Michigan Brewing Company.

Presentation

The bottle is dark. The label is bright but verbose.

Pour

The pour is reddish with a small head. The color is a dark red.

Aroma

Taste

Hops and citrus leap out. It’s a flavorful red, no doubt. The tongue feel is easy going down with some bite in the after taste.

Reviewer’s Grade

B+

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Detroit Beer Co.