Hevelius Kaper Beer

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Hevelius - Kaper Beer
Grupa Zywiec, S.A.
Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
Est. 1690

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden brown, almost butterscotch in color.
Faint malt smell & taste.
Overly hoppy to the point of bitterness.
Good lacing of head.
Head lasted to bottom of glass.
Bitter from the first to the last.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The label states, "Jan Hevelius, Astronomer & Brewmaster" Wow !!! With 8.7% alcohol content, and weighing in at a hefty 16.9 oz., you'll be seeing stars and barking at the moon. The overwhelming bitterness made it almost unbearable to finish this beer. If it were not for the strong beer buzz half way into drinking, I might not have finished it at all.

Spaten Oktoberfest

Dead Soldier 

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Spaten Oktoberfest ur Märzen
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Munich, Germany
Est. 1397
www.spatenusa.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.9 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber hue.
Wonderful roasted malt smell & taste with only slight hop bitterness.
Perfect balance of hops to malt combination.
Some lacing of head.
Head lasts to bottom of glass.
Velvety smooth drinkability.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I give this "two thumbs up" just for having a brewer's malt spade (spaten) head for a logo. That is to say, "I dig this beer!" But there's more to it than fodder for a great pun in this blog. There's a GS straddling the spade...it must stand for guten schtuff !

Upon closer inspection I noticed that this is created in the Märzen style. These bottom fermented lager beers were made in March (Märzen) to keep until the fall (Oktoberfest). Märzen beers are some of the tastiest in the world. If you can't get a hold of Spaten, try a Michelob Märzen sometime. It's one of Anheuser-Busch's best kept secrets. Spaten is the real deal right from the old country! A great lager beer.

Okocim

Dead Soldier

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Okocim Beer
Okocim Brewery
Browarna Str. 14
Brzesko, Poland
Est. 1845
www.okocim.pl

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light clear yellow coloration.
Light malt smell & taste.
Grassy flavor.
No lacing, fast foaming head.
Easy drinkability.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This beer is an award winner according to the label. Very similar in taste and flavor to a Bud, but oh, what a beer buzz. Nice, easy drinker. W T F is up with that small goat and the beer glass, on the bottle label?

Corona Extra

Soldados Muertes 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Corona Extra
Groupo Modelo, S.A. de C.V.
Mexico
Est.1925
www.corona.com
www.thecoronabeach.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.6 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale, clear and light yellow color.***
Negligible head and zero lacing of the glass.***
Light watery flavor.***

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
***Before we start, let me say this was most difficult to review, because I don't think I ever drank a Corona in a glass before. The review made me stop and wonder why I like this beer so much in spite of its weak standings against other beers. Void of it's bottle and lime slice, it's like a fish out of water, it misses the essence of the what it truly is.
(insert sound of a record scratch here!)
It's Corona's unique ability to easily whisk you away to a tropical clime, feel your toes in the sand and almost hear the seagulls. As a refresher, a 'Corona', is the hottest part of the sun. The sales pitch on this "Cerveza Mas Fina" is aimed at that factor in every commercial ad right down to the tropical slice of lime. What other beer has its own garnish?

The beer is modestly low in alcohol and watery in taste so you can enjoy mucho, mas, more of them. This is no measure of disrespect about this beer. It goes down easily at scorching hot summer boat outings, at the beach or relaxing around the pool. The Mexicans know just how to beat the heat. Any heavier of a beer and all the relaxation would be lost...and that my friends is what Corona is all about. Relaxation. They've got their beer making down to an art, not a science like other beers. Just visit either website and you'll see why.

Samuel Adams Black Lager

Dead Soldier 

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Samuel Adams - Black Lager
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep, dark brown color similar to used motor oil.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malt.
Coffee colored, vastly frothy head with tremendous lacing.
Full bodied richness in mouth.
Wonderful flavor of hops in taste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This beer is part of the 'Brewmaster's Collection' from Samuel Adams. I am not a fan of dark or black beers, but I thought this one was exceptional. The beer had definite tones of roast malt and caramel/chocolate. It poured out like a liquid gold candy bar. I mean, this was a really good beer. Most darker beers tend to be filling up front and get a tad bitter toward the end of the glass. I am very pleased that two of these bottles found their way into the casket. You can bet that the second Black Lager will be savored like the first!

Piast

Dead Soldier

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Piast Pilsner
Carlsberg Polska Brewery (Browary Dolnoslasie Piast)
Wroclaw, Poland
Est. 1893
www.piwopiast.pl

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light clear yellow Pilsner coloration.
Rather hoppy smell & taste.
Grassy flavor.
No lacing, fast foaming head.
Bitter hops finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Unremarkable except for the 5.3% alcohol beer buzz.

Labatt Blue Pilsner

Dead Soldier 

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Labatt Blue Pilsner Imported
Inbev UK Limited
The Simcoe Street Brewery
150 Simcoe St.London, Ontario Canada
Est. 1847
www.labatt.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.5 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light clear yellow Pilsner coloration.
High hop smell & taste.
Fruity intonations.
Slight sweet aftertaste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
We have bacon, they have 'back' bacon. We have Bud, they have Blue. It's, eh, the third most traditional thing Canada has to offer behind the NHL, eh, and the Mounted Police, eh? A sturdy beer with distinct hoppy taste true of all good Pilsner beer. Freshness is what Pilsners are all abooot. And, the next best thing to a fresh Pilsner is a finished Pilsner! That's what I'm talkin abooot !

Zywiec

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Zywiec - Original Beer
Grupa Zywiec, S.A.
Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
Est.1856
www.zywiec.com.pl

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light golden color.
Refreshing to palate.
Smooth flavor of hops & malt.
Good lacing all the way down the glass.
Long lasting head.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A deliciously refreshing beer. If you look closely at the back label, it has a "Zywiec Beer Thermometer" that tell's you when it's cold. My mustache has a beer gauge that tells you when it's all gone!

Felinfoel - Double Dragon

Dead Soldier

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Felinfoel - Double Dragon Ale
Felinfoel Brewery Co. Ltd
Llanelli, Wales UK
Est.1878
www.felinfoel-brewery.comest.1878

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Full drinking premium ale.
Malty aroma with only a hint of hops.
Rich amber color.
Frothy, lacing head.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Being light on the alcohol side, offers you to imbibe this 'big boy' without fear. And though it's 500ml would be easy to share with a mate, you'll tell them to get their own. Yum!

Dutch Windmill

Dead Soldier

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Dutch - Windmill Beer
Bavaria Brouwerij N.V.
H-West BV Company
Maarssen, Holland Netherlands
Est.1719
www.bavaria.nl

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Straw yellow color.
Mild & sweet taste.
Very refreshing to the palate.
Awesome drinkability; goes down smooth.
Head and lacing throughout the beer.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
In my home town, there's a favorite old German bar of mine named the same as this beer. I've often wondered why folks from Germany are called Deutschlanders. Aren't they Germans? The folks in Holland aren't " Hollish " , so they must be the Dutch! This is a solid little beer. One has to ponder the question...."What do we call all the beer folks from Belgium..... the Belch ?"

Tennent's

Dead Soldier

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Tennent's of Scotland - Lager
Tennent Caledonian Brewery
Glasgow, Scotland UK
Est.1885
www.tennents.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden in color.
Fast evaporative head.
Minimal lacing of glass.
Hoppy aroma.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A decent beer from Scotland, considering they're more famous for scotch. One leaves you feeling full. A smooth tasting beer. Now...where did I leave my bottle of Dewar's?

St. Bernardus - Abt 12 Abbey Ale

Dead Soldier

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St. Bernardus Abt 12 Abbey Ale
Brouwerij St. Bernard NV
Trappisenweg, Watou, Belgium
Est.1985

www.sintbernardus.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 11.2  

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep brown in color.
Pleasing berry aroma.
Creamy, tall, frothy head the color of toffee.
Distinct wild-berry start but a definite alcohol finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
See that fat & happy monk on the label? Wanna' know why he's smiling? He's had an Abdijbier! This ale is 21 proof ! The expiration date is 2011; must be due to the alcohol content.

Czechvar

Dead Soldier

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Czechvar - Premium Lager
Karolíny Světlé 4
Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Est.1265
www.czechvar.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep golden color.
Very tasty.
Full hoppy nose.
Great lacing on glass.
Nutty after flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Drank with hotdogs & fries. Delicious, refreshing and tasty. "That's a great beer!" Wish I got the other .8 oz….must be a metric thing!

Red Hook - Long Hammer

Dead Soldier

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Long Hammer India Pale Ale
Red Hook Ale Brewery
35 Corporate Drive
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH USA
14300 NE 145th St.
Woodinville, WA USA
Est.1981
www.redhook.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Weak hop aroma.
Slight sour fruit flavor and taste.
Long lasting head.
Cloudy from pour to finish, similar to wheat ales.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Very cloudy throughout, but not sure if it was intended. Palatable, but something seemed awry in taste. Maybe the 7/11/07 expiration date had something to do with it? I'll have to try again, sometime.

Bass Ple Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Bass - Pale Ale
Inbev UK Limited
Luton, England UK
Est. 1777
www.bass.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Perfect amber tone.
Great balance from start to finish.
Wonderful finish, no aftertaste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
They've been making this stuff since 1777 so they must know what they're doing. Ahh, Bass…one of life's simple pleasures! Always consistently great.

Yuengling - Traditional Lager

Dead Soldier

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Yuengling - Traditional Lager, Original Amber Beer
D. G. Yuengling & Son Brewery
Pottsville, PA USA
Est.1829
www.yuengling.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 4.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear amber color.
Mild hop aroma.
Consistently refreshing.
Not too heavy, easy drinker. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Inexpensive, tasty, QUALITY beer. The best part is it's brewed right here in the good old U S of A. My regular choice of lager beer. Served where ever thirst is available!

Making the Clubhouse Turn

Chilling Me Softly

So my family and friends feted me to a 50th birthday surprise party last week. My old drinking buddies gave me quite a unique send off by bringing a casket of 50 beers from around the world. They marched it in on solemn shoulders with all the pomp and circumstance befitting a newly minted member of the over-the-hill club. Needless to say these beers won't be chillin' in the casket for long, as some have already gone to their eternal reward.

Since my buddies are not the type for polite thank-you cards, I started this blog (at the insistent urging of my oldest daughter), as a way to say thanks, each and every time I use the church key and help pass another beer into the great beyond. I hope they will enjoy the beer post mortems as much as I enjoy the suds.

Oh yeah, before you go off enjoying these beers on your own, remember to drink responsibly! I wouldn't have made it this far without following that sage advice. I plan on being around another 50 to see what the world keeps brewing.

Enjoy
-r