Beer Review: Fremont Brewing Company - SBW #5 Pacific NW Barleywine

Style: American Barleywine
ABV: 9.5%

Fun Fact About the Brewery:

Might as well just rename this blog ERIC REVIEWS AWESOME FREMONT BEERS, but what can I say? Fremont is my favorite Seattle brewery. On a related note, I just got married to my lovely lady Cassie 2 weeks ago over in West Seattle, and I rented 5 1/6 barrel kegs for the reception. The beer was a huge hit, a combo of the Summer Ale, Interurban IPA, and Universale Pale Ale. And the folks at the brewery were super easy to work with and even gave me 2 free tulip glasses. Anyways, onto the beer!

Thoughts: 

Y'all know I love me some barleywine and this is one of Fremont's first stabs at the style. They brewed a limted amount specially for Seattle Beer Week 5 back in May, but I surprisingly found a bottle of it at Bottleworks a couple weeks ago. It's lighter in color than most barleywines, a nice copper color. Toasty malt and caramel flavors are balanced with quite of bit of hops, but it had almost no head at all. It has just a bit of sweetness, but not overwhelming at all. It cracks me up that they call this a "session" barleywine since it's 9.5% and most barleywines are over 10%, but it is kinda nice to sip on one that won't totally knock you on your ass. If someone had never had a barleywine before, this would be one to try since it's not super sweet, has some hoppiness, and isn't super boozy. But it's pretty scarce at this point so we'll have to wait til next year to see if they brew something like it again.

Rating: 4.25/5

Beer Review: GoodLife Brewing Sweet As! Pacific Ale

Ah, good life, indeed.

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6%

Fun Fact About the Brewery:

Hailing from Oregon's other craft beer mecca, Bend, GoodLife Brewing increased their output by over 60% in January 2013 and also began canning a few of their beers. I'm a sucker for pale ales and good beer in cans, so here we are!

Thoughts: Well, since summer is pretty much over at this point, might as well review one more pale ale for old time's sake. This is one fantastically unfiltered and slightly fruity pale ale that just hits your taste buds in all the right spots. Fruity might not be the right word as there's no actual fruit in it, but something about it smells tropical to me. I actually wish the ABV was around 4.5 or 5 because this is the kind of beer that leaves you wanting like 4 or 5 more. It has a lightly bitter, but refreshing finish. Don't let the dumb name throw you, this is a great pale ale. Nice can design and color scheme, too. Grab some for Labor Day and enjoy the last bits of summer before the Northwest grey comes for us all.

Rating: 4.25/5

Chimay Grande Reserve Ale (Blue)

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9%

Fun Fact About the Brewery:

Chimay is one of the big boys of the Belgian Trappist beer world. Founded in 1862 in the Belgian municipality of Chimay, the beer is still brewed by monks in the trappist tradition and is sold to help support the monastery.

Thoughts: 

Pours a very dark, brown/black color with a velvety head that lingers. Lots of spices, figs, and plums in the flavor profile. A very smooth and overall fantastic example of the style. There's a reason why this ale is so widely distributed. You can find it in just about any grocery store and it's definitely worth it.

Rating: 4/5