Weird Beer Thursday - Dark Horse Raspberry Ale

Dark Horse Raspberry Ale

Why it's weird:
Ale brewed with real raspberries.

What's up with this beer:
Back to the fruit beer this time. This Raspberry Ale comes from Dark Horse Brewery in Marshall, Michigan. In the recent past, I have enjoyed their Amber Ale and their Crooked Tree IPA. I have to say that the Raspberry Ale was pretty refreshing when served cold (so it could make a great Summer beer), but in general I just wasn't that into the flavor. It seems that I am more fond of Blueberry Ale than Raspberry Ale. Although I do like raspberries quite a bit, I don't think that they work that well with beer. There is some tartness, which is OK, but there is another taste / aftertaste that I didn't really enjoy - and I can't really explain it. Just something about the mix of flavors from real raspberries with the beer ingredients didn't work for me. Also, the amount of carbonation seemed too high to me. In general, Dark Horse is true to their word (in details below) in that their Raspberry Ale is definitely more of a real ale than just being a fruity malt beverage. But I didn't think the beer itself was that great. It's not that bad, just something I would not buy again. If I was given it for free, I would probably drink it, especially served very cold on a warm Summer day.
The label reminds of illustrations from a book that I liked when I was a child - The Giant Jam Sandwich.

Details: (from the brewery)
A lot of people have asked us "why are there Bee's on the label?” Well, we don't really have an answer for you other than they just look cool. This is a light bodied easy drinking ale. We only use real raspberries so the flavor is very mild fruit and balanced, not what you would expect from a "fruit" beer. The way we see it is we're brewers so lets make good beer, not some fruity carbonated malt beverage. Oh yeah, our motto..."beer first fruit second".
ABV 5%

My Rating:
The glass is half empty.

Weird Beer Thursday - Wostyntje Torhouts Mustard Ale

Wostyntje - Torhouts Mustard Ale

Why it's weird:
Ale brewed with mustard seeds.

What's up with this beer:
So last week we had black and green peppercorn beer. This week, we have a different spice - mustard seeds.
Picked this up from Binny's the other day. I think it was about $4. You should be able to find it in the Belgium section of beers. I also remember having this a couple years ago at Hopleaf, which has it there on the bottle menu.
The flavors are rather subtle. I think it is a pretty tasty beer, but was expecting more pronounced flavors. Specifically, from the mustard seeds, of course. It has a creaminess to it, which I've noticed seems to be a trend with beers brewed with seeds. There is some sweet fruitiness. There was also some unique bitterish and barely spicy finish, due to the hops and mustard seeds. It's interesting that is has a cloudy yellowish/orangish color, kind of a little like the color of fancy mustard, like Grey Poupon or something. Maybe it was just my tasting of it this time, but I was expecting more flavor. There are some funky little flavors going on, but again, they are slightly detectable. Overall, it is very nice quality beer, which I would expect from Belgium, but nothing to get all that excited about, and not even that "weird". It is rather light and pretty refreshing, and I could see it as being quite good to have in the summer with a bratwurst topped with mustard and sauerkraut or sweet onions. Here's what others are saying about Wostyntje on Beer Advocate.
Brouwerij De Regenboog also makes a very good and flavorful witbier called Vuuve (Flemish for "Five").
"Regenboog" is Dutch for "Rainbow".

Details: (from the brewery)
Wostyntje Torhouts Mustard Ale
Brewed & Bottle by Brouwerij De Regenboog
Brugge, Belgium
Wostyntje is a dark blonde ale brewed with 90% barley malt, 10% munich malt, 2 sorts of hops (Kent Goldings and Challenger), light and dark candy sugar, and (crushed Torhouts) mustard seeds.
7% Alc./vol.

My Rating:
The glass is half full.

Weird Beer Thursday - Route Des Épices

Route Des Épices (Spice Route)

Why it's weird:
Rye beer brewed with black and green peppercorns.

What's up with this beer:
I almost went with another fruit beer this time but fortunately I found this one, to take us on a different route. Last time I mentioned that I really like rye ales. Well, here's one with a peppery kick! This is my first time to have a beer from the Dieu Du Ciel microbrewery from Canada. The helpful clerk at the beer store recommended this to me, saying they just got it in and that it was unique, and he was so right. It is a delightful beer and fun to drink. It is definitely a lot less hoppy and hearty as the American rye beers can be, and the pepper lingers and tingles on your tongue - fun! It poured with a great creamy white head that stuck around throughout drinking. There is some sweetness, and some real rye flavor, but the pepper dominates, which is fine by me as it is an interesting flavor that works well with this beer (and for this post!). The overall body of the beer tastes lighter than it appears and I like the amount of carbonation. Somehow, the pepper flavor intensified as I got to the last sips, and actually my tongue was slightly numb when I was done. Yeah, of course this isn't a beer that I would have all the time, but - this is Weird Beer Thursday. It is not a very strong beer, at only 5%. It is definitely worth a try if you have the chance. It's a very high quality beer. I would try their other beers too, such as their (I'm just going to use their names in English) "Mortal Sin" and "Smoke Screen". I like their beer labels too! And I haven't been to Montréal yet, but when I eventually go, I can stay in this cool apartment for rent above their brewpub!
Just as I finished writing this, there was still a little bit left in the glass, so I shot it real quick in my mouth, but it kind of went to the back of my throat. Whoa! There's that fun pepper flavor again. What can I say, I guess I like-a the fresh-a pepper.

Details: (from the brewery)
Route des épices (Spice route)
Bière de seigle au poivre - 5% alc./vol.
341 ml (11.5 fl. oz.)
Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel!
St-Jérôme and Montréal, Québec, Canada

Routes des épices (French for "Spice Route") is a rye beer brewed with both black and green peppercorns. Initially, the beer reveals flavours of fresh grain and malt, which give it notes of chocolate, caramel, and fruit. The pepper flavour and aroma is fully revealed in the finish, which leaves a pleasant, spicy, tingling sensation on the tongue.

My Rating:
The glass is full.

Weird Beer Thursday - Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale

Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale

Why it's weird:
Obviously, it's made with blueberries (from Maine!).

What's up with this beer:
I kept seeing this at my local beer store last year, but at that time I was not into fruit beers at all, and I thought for sure that I would not like it. Now, my tastes have changed and I have enjoyed many "fruit beers" recently. That Chicago Tribune article about fruit beers must have really piqued my interest. I previously reviewed a Mbege-style ale which is brewed with bananas, and recently at The Hopleaf I had the interesting Surly Two, which is made with lots of cranberries (those BA reviews are accurate), which could easily be featured as a "weird beer" but I didn't get a photo. By the way, I can't wait to try more beers from the excellent Surly Brewery, but right now they are mostly only available in Minnesota.
I still do not like really fruit beers, like the ones that overly tart or are more wine-like than beer-like. So, once I realized that this Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale is more like an actual ale instead of a really fruity beer, I was confident to buy it and try it. Plus, I very much like blueberries. Turns out, I really liked Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale. It had subtle aromas of blueberries and also a subtle taste of fruit/blueberries, so it is not really fruity at all. Mostly, it was just an overall well-balanced amber ale that was enjoyable to drink. It is pretty much like drinking blueberry muffins, which I think is awesome. The six-pack that I purchased did not last long at all. My girlfriend also tried a bottle and also thought it was good. At one particular tasting time, I was still up at the early morning hours enjoying some of this blueberry ale, but then I got hungry. I found some blueberry waffles in my freezer (frozen from Trader Joes, which aren't all that "blueberry-y" either), so I toasted those up and ate 'em with the beer - it was a delicious (and might I say perfect) combination!
I have heard of a few other "blueberry beers" that exist out there, but I can see Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale probably being the best. They even state on the label that it is "America's Original Blueberry Ale". Although, Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale is not on the level of excellent, it is solidly good and I very much recommend it. And obviously, you will like it if you like blueberries and amber ales, both of which I happen to very much like.

Details: (from the brewery)
Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale
The Atlantic Brewing Company
Bar Harbor, Maine, United States
A light fruit ale, made with Maine wild blueberries. As opposed to many of the sweeter fruit beers on the market, our addition of fresh Maine wild blueberries in this light ale yields a subtle blueberry aroma, without the sweet aftertaste.

A mixture of the following Mutton malts, pale, crystal, and Munich, are combined with wheat to give this ale its lighter body, and we only use minimal amounts of Target and Willamette hops.

ABV 5.2%

My Rating:
The glass is half full.

Weird Beer Thursday - African-Style Mbege

Sprecher Mbege Ale

Why it's weird:
Fire-brewed African-style beer made with sorghum, millet, and banana juice. Um, yeah. This ain't your typical beer.

What's up with this beer:
OK, coincidentally this is the second Sprecher beer that I have tried and reviewed for Weird Beer Thursday. The first was the Mamma Mia Pizza Beer a couple weeks ago, which I had found at a promotional display in downtown Binny's. I found this Mbege beer at a small local liquor store, which also specializes in beer (of course!), as a single bottle in a discount bin. It was 50 cents, so I was like, what the heck - I gotta try this. Um, what can I say. The smell was unlike any other beer I've ever had. Obviously, I am not accustomed to drinking beers that are made with sorghum, millet, and banana juice. At first it was a little off-putting. Not really sure how to describe the aroma, maybe like a sweet 'n' sour. I was quite impressed by the pour, however, so at least it looked like a nice beer, as you can see from the photo. Well, I ended up drinking the whole glass, so it really wasn't that bad. I don't really have much to say, other than it is definitely like having banana juice in your beer (which I actually kind of like). On my old blog, I have already written about another beer that is brewed with bananas that I tried, which was Well's Banana Bread Beer, and which I thought was okay, but too lightly flavored.
Also, with this Mbege beer, I wasn't used to lack of wheat or barley, so the sorghum and millet used instead gave it a little unique flavor that wasn't all that bad, just something I'm not used to. Overall, it was kind of like a banana "cidery" ale, that was kind of refreshing and light, but I also enjoyed the unique and noticeable flavors. If it wasn't for these flavors, I may have given it my lowest rating, but instead I kind of respected it and liked it. But not that much, either.
It was also a little strong, so I could taste the alcohol, which I'm not saying was a bad thing. But one thing I am confused about, is that my bottle stated specifically on the label that it was 7.0% alcohol by volume (therefore, my noticing of such a level), but the Sprecher site says 5.2%.
And because they can explain this beer better than I can, here is Sprecher's brief description from their website:

"Bananas are the main ingredient in mbege style beers popular in Eastern Africa. In keeping with tradition, this is brewed with real bananas and presented unfiltered. Light hints of banana remain present in the aroma and flavor of this unique offering.

Originally conceived of in an effort to provide a traditional African style beer for Milwaukee's African World Festival, our Mbege and Shakparo have won the hearts of people here at the brewery and have been promoted to year round beer status.

Because barley and wheat are not grown in large quantities in sub-Saharan Africa, traditional Mbeges and Shakparos are brewed with sorghum and millet and are therefore able to be brewed gluten-free since neither sorghum nor millet contain gluten. Being gluten-free make Shakparo and Mbege excellent alternatives for those suffering from celiac disease, a genetic disorder that inhibits the digestion of gluten. Our Shakparo and Mbege offerings have been brewed with celiacs in mind and are carefully crafted to ensure they remain gluten-free."

Details:
Mbege Ale
Sprecher Brewing Company
Glendale, Wisconsin, United States
Alcohol by Volume: 5.2%
Degrees Plato (Initial Gravity): 13.25P
Weeks Aged: 6
Bitterness Units: 10 IBU
Year First Brewed: 2006
Recommended Serving Temperature: 50°
Sizes: 16oz Bottles

My Rating:
The glass is half empty.

Weird Beer Thursday - Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit

Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit

Why it's weird:
Besides the Three Floyds Brewery stating on their beers "It's Not Normal", and each of their beers always having strange and fun labels (click on the photo to enlarge), this beer has some unique ingredients. The description on their website states that "corriander, lavender, chamomille, and rose hips, and 3 different Belgian ale strains of yeast are used in the brewing process". On the bottle, it also mentions that rock candy is added to the brew kettle.

What's up with this beer:
This was technically my second time having Rabbid Rabbit. The first time was the other week, when I had a 3 oz. sample of it at Clark Street Ale House downtown Chicago. I was very surprised that I liked it so much, because some beers of this style I haven't liked that much in the past. It had delightful spice flavors. So, after this sample, I was looking forward to trying the bottle that I had in my fridge at home.

Rabbid Rabbit is a deep golden, complex, spiced Belgian style ale. The slight haze is from bottle-conditioning, where yeast is added to the bottle for a secondary fermentation. The specific style is Saison / Farmhouse Ale. I didn't used to be that fond of this style, but I think I am starting to like it more now. I have had other saison style ales such as the well-known Saison Dupont from Belgium, and Hennepin from Ommegang Brewery in New York.

Like most of their beers, Three Floyds' Rabbid Rabbit had more of a heartiness/hoppiness than other saison style ales and I enjoyed this. Also, it may have been a little sweeter, and the other unique ingredients and the three types of Belgium yeast must have given the other nice complex flavors. It was such a great combination of flavors. A little spicy, a little sweet, a little fruity/citrusy (coriander), and a little hoppy all brewed together. Delicious! Now that I know how excellent this beer is, I will definitely be having it next time I have the chance. The bomber bottle was a little expensive at $10, but it was really worth it.
Come to think of it, I haven't really had a Three Floyds beer that I didn't like. They are all good to great! I have actually been to the Three Floyds Brewery. I will have to create some sort of section on this blog for the breweries that I have visited.

"Saison" is the French word for season, and real saison ales are brewed in the French-speaking region of Belgium, and have now become popular in the United States. Although these ales were traditionally brewed in the Autumn or Winter for consumption during the late Summer harvest, they also make great ales to have during Spring. Saison style beers are usually refreshing yet complex, with some fruit in the aroma and flavor, can be peppery and floral, and are now usually bottle-conditioned, with an average alcohol by volume range of 5 to 8%.

Details:
Rabbid Rabbit
Three Floyds Brewing Company
Munster, Indiana, United States
Season: Easter
Style: Belgian Saison “Farmhouse Ale”
ABV%: 7.4
IBUS: 45
Color: Light tawny

My Rating:
The glass is full.

Weird Beer Thursday - Wattle Seed Ale

Barons Black Wattle Superior Wattle Seed Ale

Why it's weird:
It's made with friggin' wattle seeds.

What's up with this beer:
The six-pack (which had a cool design) came with a little note about the superior Australian wattle seed story. Here it is: "Wattle is a native Australian tree found in abundance around Australia. For over 4,000 years, Australian Aborigines across the country milled wattle seeds from over 100 of the 1,000 odd species of Acacia and used the coarse flour in various forms of Bush Tucker. Today, wattle seed is used as an innovative flavouring by Chefs in Australia and around the world. Barons Brewing is the first to use roasted wattle seed in a multi award winning beer. The unique hazelnut, chocolate and coffee flavours are infused with the rich caramel and roasted notes of the malt to deliver a smooth, complex and ultimately rewarding ale."

This wattle seed ale reminded of another ale that I had last year which was made with hemp seeds (Millennium Buzz). The use of the seeds in the brewing process seem to give the ale a nice creamy head (well initially, this quickly vanishes as seen in the photo), a robust body, and a delightful nutty flavor. Overall, I enjoyed drinking Baron's Wattle Seed Ale and it was like a red ale. It was more on the sweet side and a little syrupy, and the flavors described on the six-pack were weaker than expected. It is worth a try if you're in the mood for this style of ale. It was a good beer to have during these colder months.
Here's what others are saying on Beer Advocate.

Details:
Barons Black Wattle Superior Wattle Seed Ale
Barons Brewing Company
Australia
5.80 % ABV

My Rating:
The glass is half full.