Censored is an odd name for a beer, but Lagunitas offers this explanation: “The original name of this original ale was originally derived from an origin so heinous that we cannot reveal its aboriginal oregano.” Hmm…wonder what it was. For now I’ll play along and call it Censored. This should be a more malt forward beer, but hopefully not sticky sweet. It should also present itself as a good fall beer. Time to dive in.
Beers that have a good malt element that bring a warming feeling are perfect for the first few days of Fall. One beer trying to fill this need is the Snowshoe Ale from New Glarus in Wisconson. The bottle describes a blend of American and German malts creating a rich malt flavor, with Yakima Golding and Bavarian Hallertau hops to warm things up a bit. I can’t wait to drive right into this one.
One of my favorite breweries that simply doesn’t distribute to Philadelphia is Ska Brewing Company in Colorado. They make, in my opinion, one of the most delicious hoppy IPAs out there, Modus Hoperandi. When I was on vacation I picked up two 12 ounce bottles of their Pinstripe Red Ale, which is part of their flagship line.
Tröegs HopBack is their year-round and sometimes overlooked Amber / Red Ale. Admittedly, it wasn’t until very recently that I got around to trying this beer that’s always available. Perhaps it was my longing for more Nugget Nectar but nonetheless, HopBack is a flavorful, cheap and easy to find beer — as well as a welcoming change of pace from the summer Wheat beers.
Fort Collins brings a new beer this year, Red Banshee. Actually, only the name is new — it is in fact, the same recipe as the former Retro Red. Previously, I’ve reviewed Fort Collins’ Chocolate Stout and feel they’ve always delivered beers that are good representations of the given style.
