Games & Hobbies
**The Two Minute Beer Review**

Tasting all the beer two minutes at a time!

Latest Episodes:

S1E72 - Drake's Brewing Co's Tree Beer IPA Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 71: Drake’s Brewing’s Seasonal Tree Beer IPA

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Seasonal Tree Beer IPA by Drake’s Brewing Company in San Leandro, CA. Christmas may be over for this year, but did this one deck the halls? Let’s find out!

Looking at this beer in the glass, there’s nothing particularly special going on just yet. It’s a pretty standard IPA gold. It smells a lot more like pine than a lot of beers that we would usually refer to as “piney.” It’s a very condensed and intense fragrance of fresh evergreen. I would compare it to the scent that is produced when you rub freshly-cut pine needles between your fingers. There’s a little lemon in the background there as well, but the overall impression is definitely not citrus.

But what about the taste? To put it simply, this beer is, as advertised, a mouth full of Christmas tree. There’s a strong juniper presence (likely because they use juniper in the brewing process) that gives the beer an almost gin-like edge, which is nothing short of fascinating. An earthy undertone adds to the woodsy impression just like you can taste the forest floor and the rich soil that the trees are growing in.

I love this beer because I love pine flavor in IPAs, but I will note that it was not for every member of my tasting team. Some felt that it pushed the edge too far and ended up tasting like a cleaning product. But personally this takes me back to a time when that pine tree bitterness was a distinction in the world of IPAs, rather than the citrus and juice that marks most modern popular IPAs and I couldn’t possibly love it more. As such, I’m making this one a Two Minute Beer Review Recommendation if you can still get your hands on it!

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Utopia Planitia Dry Hopped Red Ale by Federation Brewing. Will this one have construct a successful Enterprise, or am I the only one geeky enough to get that reference? We’ll find out next week.

Look for links to this week’s beer and brewery in the show notes, and don’t forget to let us know what you’re drinking and what you’re thinking about the show. You can find us on Facebook or tweet us @2minutebeer, using the number two.

The Two Minute Beer Review is a part of the Phoenix Podcast Network and is brought to you by Zane-It, where you can find all the best costumes and makeup, Central Valley Youth Legal Services and Superfan Sandra Hay. If you’d like to support the show you can leave us a tip or sign up for a small monthly donation by clicking the link in the show notes or by supporting the Phoenix Creative Collective on Patreon. Our music is by Rialthos. You can find more at Rialthos.bandcamp.com.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Our theme music is by Rialthos! Find more at Rialthos.bandcamp.com.

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E71 - Geartooth Alewerks' Burned and Blackened Porter Dec 30, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 71: Geartooth Aleworks’ Burned and Blackened Smoked Porter

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Burned and Blackened Smoked Porter by Geartooth Alewerks in San Jose, CA. Is this one on fire or will it crash and burn? Let’s find out!

Burned and Blackened is a dark brown to deep red in my glass. Pretty. It smells of smoke and molasses but not a whole bunch else. It’s a little malty, after sniffing for long enough to get through that powerful smoke. But it’s not a lasting impression of wood smoke, here, like a fire that’s just died out. It’s a smoke that’s had a chance to settle into the pores of the beer, like the char on a good whiskey barrel.

But what about the taste? I get all that nice smoke right in the back of my palate. There’s coffee bitterness here, and a whole lot of it –which is what keeps that smokey sensation from being overwhelming in the flavor. Right up the center of my tongue there’s a very nice dark chocolate flavor, which kind of makes up the blackened part of the burned and blackened name. There’s nothing sweet here to break up the powerful taste sensations of smoke and bitterness, and I think that’s a perfect way for this beer to be built.

This is an interesting and very good porter. The bitterness comes primarily from coffee flavors, but hops are not altogether absent and the bitter sensation hangs out for a very long time after the swallow. It’s not a beer perhaps to drink in very high quantities but it absolutely delivers a desirable full flavored experience. It also has a great consistency—porters can often be too thick or too thin, but this one hits a very sweet spot. Burned and Blackened is a 7% alcohol by volume beer and is a Two Minute Beer Review recommendation!

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Seasonal Tree Beer IPA by Drake’s Brewing Co. Will this one have us singing a rousing chorus of O Tannenbaum? We’ll find out next week.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Our theme music is by Rialthos! Find more at Rialthos.bandcamp.com.

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E70 - Tioga Sequoia's Firefall Red California Red Ale Dec 17, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 68: Tioga Sequoia’s Firefall Red California Red Ale

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Firefall Red California Red Ale from Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company in Fresno, California. Will this one make us fall all over ourselves to get more? Let’s find out!

Here’s what Tioga Sequoia has to say about Firefall Red: “or a few weeks in February in the heart of Yosemite National Park, if conditions are just right, the setting sun sets the Horsetail Fall ablaze with reds and oranges; like a fire falling down the cliffs of El Capitan. Photographers and park visitors gather from all over just to grab a glimpse of this natural phenomenon.”

Firefall pours a nice ruby red as advertised. The aroma is surprisingly subtle. There’s not much there to really go by. I’ll admit that upon smelling the beer I was preparing myself for something that didn’t have a ton of flavor.

But what about the taste? All I can say is, “WHOA!” Contrary to my fears upon sniffing the beer, this is a hugely flavorful brew. There’s this really cool smokiness in the background and it’s overlaid with tons of rich flavor. There’s a beautiful nutty taste that hits right in the middle of the tongue and some coffee bitterness that spreads around the sides. There’s also some hoppy pine deep inside there and some lovely caramel to even everything out.

This is an incredibly solid red ale and one that I would definitely pick up again if I saw it on the store shelf. Do yourself a favor, find it and try it out. It continues a wonderful tradition of trusty and tasty beers that Tioga Sequoia has built for itself. Firefall Red is currently sitting at a 3.62 out of 5 on Untappd with 2603 ratings and an 83 out of 100 on Beer Advocate. It’s a 5.5% alcohol by volume drinker and I suggest you go add your own ratings to this one today.

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Burned and Blackened Smoked Porter from Geartooth Aleworks in San Jose, CA. Will this one fit the bill or will it leave us burned out ? We’ll find out next week.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Our theme music is by Rialthos! Find more at Rialthos.bandcamp.com.

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E69 - Dust Bowl Brewing Co's Lateral 6 Juicy IPA Dec 10, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 68: Dust Bowl Brewing Co’s Lateral 6 Juicy IPA

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Lateral 6 Juicy IPA from Dust Bowl Brewing Company in Turlock, CA. Have our friends at Dust Bowl enumerated another winner? Let’s find out!

Lateral number six is exceptionally cloudy when poured into a glass. It’s got that great orange core ringed with a golden highlight. The scent isn’t overpowering, but fruit is very prominent here. Despite the fact that you often think of citrus when it comes to juicy IPAs, what I’m getting most here is stone fruit. There’s no spice and not much in the way of piney hops, either.

But what about the taste? The juicy side of the beer pays of exactly as advertised. As I have found with many other Dust Bowl brews, they are fully capable of bringing fruit flavors without adding too much sweetness to the beer and that’s exactly what they have done here. The bitterness of this one sits in my mouth way differently than I expected. It’s an all-over sensation, not just hanging out in one part of my mouth the way a lot of IPAs do. Lateral 6 is a really light IPA, and that’s not to say that it’s lacking in flavor. But there is such an excellent balance of the fruity juiciness and the strong bitterness of the hops that it’s extremely easy to drink in quantity.

Lateral 6 is currently sitting at a 3.89 out of 5 on Untappd, so you don’t have to take my word alone when I say get out and give it a try. It’s a 6.7% alcohol by volume, so it will treat you right if you decide to have more than one, which I think you will find a very easy prospect.

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Firefall Red California Red Ale by Tioga Sequoia Craft Brewery in Fresno, CA. Will we be calling the fire department to help us put this one out? We’ll find out next week.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Our theme music is by Rialthos! Find more at Rialthos.bandcamp.com.

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E68 - Santa Maria Brewing Company's Mo-Tra Blood Orange IPA Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 68: Santa Maria Brewing Company’s Mo-Tra Blood Orange IPA

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Mo-Tra Blood Orange IPA from Santa Maria Brewing Company in Atascadero, CA. Will this one turn us into orange-sucking vampires? Let’s find out!

Mo-Tra is a dark cloudy golden, trending toward brown in the glass. You can smell the orange on this one from a mile away. It’s full of the promise of lush juice and bright fruit. From the scent, I couldn’t wait to try it out.

But what about the taste? Mo-Tra hits right up front with a big wall of orange juice, just like the scent promises. There’s not a whole lot of bitterness here, but if you swing more toward the juicy end of modern IPAs in your taste, you’re going to find a whole lot to like here. Sadly, there’s not a ton of bitterness to offset all that juice, so for my taste it does get a bit sweeter than I would like. It’s not candy-sweet, but just enough over the edge on that side that I’d like to have a more powerful bitter side to balance things out just a bit.

Santa Maria adds oranges to their mix during secondary fermentation and then highlights this juice with a couple of varieties of hops that are also known to produce bright, citrusy notes. As such, if you’re looking for plenty of orange flavor, this beer will be a perfect selection for you. Mo-Tra tracks at 7.2% Alcohol by Volume, so it’s got the good strength of a standard IPA to back up that flavorful orange punch.

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Lateral 6 Juicy IPA by Dust Bowl Brewing in Turlock, CA. With hops imported from New Zealand and Australia, will this be an adventure down under? We’ll find out next week.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E67 - Foreign Objects Beer Company’s Dream of Perfect Beauty New American Hoppy Ale Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 67: Foreign Objects Beer Company’s Dream of Perfect Beauty New American Hoppy Ale

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Dream of Perfect Beauty New American Hoppy Ale from Foreign Objects Beer Company in New Paltz, NY. Is this one a dream come true? Let’s find out!

The scent is strong with this one. According to the Foreign Objects website they focus on creating intensely aromatic New-American Hoppy Ales and this one proves that they’re not kidding. I had the beer sitting on the table in front of me and I could smell it clearly before I even lifted the glass. The scent is lemon/orange forward with just a tiny bit of fresh pine in the background. It’s intense and beautiful and exciting. In color it most resembles a hazy glass of orange juice. It’s also worth noting that Foreign Objects’ labels are easily some of the most beautiful in the business. This one resembles an abstract watercolor painting with striking purples, blues and reds.

But what about the taste? It’s not as bitter as I anticipated based on the scent but it does have a very solid side-of-the-tongue bitterness that balances out its extremely juicy but never sweet flavor. It’s tremendously mild, but at the same time very satisfying. It doesn’t suffer from the lack of flavor because all of the flavors that are here are so well blended.

Dream of Perfect Beauty doesn’t reinvent any wheels, but for that it is still an extremely tasty and drinkable beer. It’s definitely one that I would go back to if I were to find it on the shelf again. Its 6.8% alcohol by volume puts it in the category of strong but not too strong. If you can find it, I recommend you give it a try.

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Mo-Tra Blood Orange IPA by Santa Maria Brewing Company in Atascadero, CA. Is this the IPA we’ve always dreamed of? We’ll find out next week.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E66 - Barrel Brothers Brewing Co's Por Que No Mexican Style Amber Lager Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 66: Barrel Brothers Brewing Co’s Por Que No Mexican Lager

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

This week we’re taking a look at Por Que No Mexican Style Amber Lager from Barrel Brothers Brewing Company in Windsor, CA. Why shouldn’t we give this one a shot? Let’s find out!

Por Que No is a pale amber in the glass. The scent is very, very light. Overall it’s malty with some sweet spice and a little bit of breadiness.

But what about the taste? There’s way more flavor to this one than I anticipated. It’s very subtle, though. That bready, fruity stuff from the scent comes through loud and clear here and there’s a really lovely bitterness that makes a showing right at the end. But none of these flavors are overpowering and the whole is light enough to remain refreshing but interesting from beginning to end. I also have to make a special note of the consistency of the beer. It feels good in the mouth without ever becoming thin or watery—a place where many other Mexican style lagers tend to fall apart in my opinion.

This is a very nice, clean drinking beer. It’s the kind of beer that you’ll want food with, so pick some up and make a stop at your local taqueria for a pairing. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. It’s also a nice, tame 5.3% ABV, so you can enjoy a couple while you’re munching on those delicious tacos.

That’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Dream of Perfect Beauty New American Hoppy Ale from Foreign Objects Beer Company. Why? Will this beer whisk us away to the ultimate experience of bliss? We’ll find out next week.

Don’t forget to let us know what you’re drinking and what you’re thinking about the show. You can find us on Facebook or tweet us @2minutebeer, using the number two.

That’s all for now but we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E65 - Freethought Brewing's Levitate Sour Ale Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 65: Freethought Brewing’s Levitate Sour Ale

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time again where we take on that massive craft brew aisle to find the hidden treasures waiting for us there.

Before we get started this week I want to let you know what’s been going on with the show. As you know, a few weeks ago my car was broken into and all of our recording equipment was stolen. For a while I thought this might mean the end of the show. But we had two listeners come to our rescue! Thanks to the generosity of Debbie Bennett of Central Valley Youth Legal Services, the incomparable Zane of Zane-It in Merced and our very own superfan Sandy Hay, we were able to replace all of the lost equipment and get this show and all of the others from the Phoenix Podcast Network back on the air! Going forward, we will be considering these businesses and individuals official sponsors of the show. But I wanted to take a moment this week to say a personal and very heartfelt thank you to them on behalf of myself and all of you. Thanks to them, our quest continues!

And now, on to the beer!

This week we’re taking a look at Levitate from Freethought Brewing in Brooklyn, NY. Will this one get us off the ground? Let’s find out!

This beer pours a perfect golden yellow, trending slightly toward orange that makes me think of pineapple juice. That’s probably appropriate, as the label tells me that it’s brewed with pineapple, turmeric, lemongrass and makrut lime leaf. I’ll admit I had to look the last one up. It’s the same kind of lime leaf you’ll find in many Thai dishes, which is good for me! Smelling the beer, the lemongrass element is very prominent along with some pineapple and a little hint of an almost grapefruity scent. There’s also something spicy and just a little earthy way back in there. The scent of the beer alone is incredibly complex.

But what about the taste? As advertised, the beer is powerfully sour, without a hint of sweetness to it. The lemongrass is as powerful here in the sip as it was in the scent. At the end of the swallow there’s a wonderful round curry spice left over. The flavor is every bit as complex and powerful as the smell.

I really like this beer. It’s big and bold and full of new ideas. It’s definitely a slow drinker because of the incredible tartness. And at a 5% Alcohol by Volume if you like it it’s going to be easy to down more than one. But fast or slow, one or a six pack, this is as fascinating a brew as you’re going to find out there. It’s a Two Minute Beer Review recommendation—get out there and see if you can find it!

That’s all for today, but I hope you’ll join me next week as we take a look at Por Que No Mexican Style Amber Lager from Barrel Brothers Brewing Company in Windsor, California. Why? I mean, why not!

Don’t forget to let us know what you’re drinking and what you’re thinking about the show. You can find us on Facebook or tweet us @2minutebeer, using the number two.

The Two Minute Beer Review is a part of the Phoenix Podcast Network. Support the Network and the Phoenix Creative Collective on our Patreon—look for the link in the show notes!

Thanks again to our new sponsors and we’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Music: River Meditation by Jason Shaw used under Creative Commons License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Support The Two Minute Beer Review by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-two-minute-beer-review

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Where is the New Episode??? Oct 30, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Music: River Meditation by Jason Shaw used under Creative Commons License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

S1E64 - East Brother Beer Company's Oatmeal Stout Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

Episode Notes

Episode 64: East Brother Beer Company’s Oatmeal Stout

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum and it’s that time of the week again where we pick a bottle from that massive craft brew aisle hoping to find a hidden treasure.

This week we’re going to take a look at Oatmeal Stout by East Brother Beer Company in Richmond, CA. Would this one make the Quaker proud? Let’s find out!!

The Oatmeal Stout can says that it is “English inspired with notes of milk chocolate, dark fruit and a soft, comforting finish.” The beer smells strongly of chocolate. There’s some coffee in there as well. It also smells grainy—almost a little bit like animal feed, if you’ve ever spent time on a farm. It’s really very pleasant. There’s nothing really earthy in there, but I’m not missing that at all.

But what about the taste? This Oatmeal Stout hits right under the tongue immediately with cocoa bitterness. Then, it coats the top of the tongue with a strong coffee flavor. It feels good and round in the mouth. It’s very tasty. At first drink, it’s easy to conclude that there’s nothing in here that really distinguishes East Brother’s take from a lot of other oatmeal stouts from a flavor standpoint. However, what does stand out is the perfect mixture of flavors and the exact right amount of sweetness and bitterness. If you like a good stout—and I do—this is a beer that you will absolutely love.

East Brother’s Oatmeal Stout is 5.4% alcohol by volume. Their website has a handy beer finder so you can hunt it down and enjoy it for yourself. You’ll find a link in the show notes.

Well that’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as I take a look at Levitate Sour Ale from Freethought Brewing in Brooklyn, NY. Will this one get things off the ground for us? We’ll find out next week! Look for links to this week’s beer and brewery in the show notes.

Don’t forget to let me know what you’re drinking and what you’re thinking about the show. Tweet me @2minutebeer with the number two or drop me an email at 2minutebeer@gmail.com. And if you’re listening to the show on your favorite podcast app, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and leave a review to help other people find the show. You can also support us with a small donation on our Patreon—there’s a link in the show notes.

That’s all for now, but I’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

Have you supported the Phoenix Creative Collective and the Phoenix Podcast Network through Patreon yet? It's easy, just click here

Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

Music: River Meditation by Jason Shaw used under Creative Commons License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Find out more at https://the-two-minute-beer-review.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.