Archive for the Beers of the World Category

Kugalashae, Tirana – The most popular beer in Albania and formulated under the pilsner style pours a bright yellow\faint gold color with a quickly collapsing white head that stays out of your way. Aroma is of low caramel, sweet and perhaps a touch of diacetyl (butter). It presents a sweetness to the palate with some bittering and a balanced finish. © Gregg Smith       JOIN SANTA CRAWL December 14 – Bring non-perishable food items to Idaho Brewing between noon and 2 and receive a valuable coupon sheet to start

Edelweiss Weissbier Hefetrüb, Salzburg – of a hazy yellow color, as expected of wheat beers, it has a soft aroma of banana and clove. Taste is somewhat sweet with the banana, clove, bready, spice and floral character expected of wheat beers with the lightest touch of vanilla barely perceptible. Of low carbonation, Edelweiss is of thinner body than many Bavarian Weissbiers but finishes light and refreshing. © Gregg Smith Mountain Brewers Beer Fest – June 1, 2020, Idaho Falls, ID

Cusqueña – Premium Dark Beer | Compania Cervecera Del Sur Del Peru S.A. (Cervesur) Lima, Peru – A dark brown lager the waist of the bottle is stylized to recall the stones of Machu Pichu. In the glass it offers an attractive deep brown appearance, bright with garnet hues, topped by a mocha head. The aroma is of sweet malt, coffee and molasses. Flavors include caramel, roasted coffee, chocolate, toffee and raisins in a just short of cloying beer.  Body is medium heavy and it finishes sweet. ZOO BREW September

On September 7, 1813 Thomas Jefferson wrote his bookseller for a copy of “The American Brewer and Maltster”   Tickets on sale now for ZOO BREW  from 5 to 9 pm  September 13th at the Idaho Falls Zoo visit    MBBF.org    for on-line tickets.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale,  Chico, California – among the first successful craft brewers in the US, the Pale Ale is their flagship. Fairly bright Golden with a white foam collar of reasonable longevity, aroma is floral with citrus hops just short of resinous. Hops introduce the flavor with a biscuit malt beneath. Lively in Carbonation, it finishes moderately dry with a lingering citrus. It’s one of the growing numbers of craft beers that seem better suited to canning.  © Gregg Smith  ZOO BREW September 13th   5 to 9 pm at

Augustiner Helles, Munich – Celebrated by many as one of the world’s best Lagers; Augustiner presents a bright golden color with a thick, cake-like head. The aroma is of malt and soft touch of noble hops. Extremely light sense of sulfur may be detected in the aroma but it should be noted that this is the result of fermentation (not of DMS) and adds to the makeup of the beer. The refreshing flavor is a perfectly balanced beer with a light taste of biscuit. Finishes with low malty sweetness and

Leffe Abbaye de Leffe S.A. – At one time this beer a mess; great one batch, questionable the next. However, it has made great strides. Pours bright, attractive golden\ light amber with a fluffy head and lively carbonation. Aroma is a complex blend of banana, soft cloves. Flavors of caramel, bubble gum, and a faint white pepper. Finishes candy-like, but not cloying with the spicy character of Belgian Yeast.© Gregg Smith ZOO BREW Friday August 13, 2019 Idaho Falls ZOO 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets on sale at MBBF.ORG

Jasny Dynks, Browar Szalpiw – is in the style of a Belgian witbier a hazy yellow\amber, although malt and wheat contribute to the taste, body and generous, long-lasting head, the emphasis is on the spices. As such, the aroma releases a blend of orange peel, bananas, honey and floral notes. Spices continue throughout drinking with coriander and citrus. Lightly sour, it finishes with a low bitterness.© Gregg Smith ZOO BREW September 13, 2019   5 p.m. to  9 p.m. at the Idaho Falls Zoo TICKETS ON SALE at   MBBF.ORG    Website 

LATVIA – Piebalgas Lux – Offers the brewery’s interpretation of Munich Dunkel; brown with flashes of garnet, it’s crowned with a thick beige head. Lux emits a sweet, nutty and clean nose; taste is of rather intense caramel and low molasses. Bittering presents little challenge to the malt. Mouthfeel is a bit slick and creamy with soft carbonation and finishes generally malty sweet.   © Gregg Smith ZOO BREW – September 13, 2019 at the Zoo, Idaho Falls, ID Tickets on sale via MBBF.org