Multiple Beer Review - The Beer Thrillers

It’s Pumpkin Time! (Grandma SueAnn and Amy Review Zombies and Double Zombies are People Too and Braaaiins!)

AmyMWolfe — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 13:44:58 +0000

It’s Pumpkin Time!

So…. a couple leaves have changed color on the tree in our front yard. So…. it’s technically not too early, right? I can talk about pumpkin spice now? They were the first ones I saw in the store and I had to grab a couple for me and Grandma SueAnn to enjoy. (See: A Beer Review by Grandma SueAnn [Beer Review: Braaaiins! by Spring House Brewing Company].)

We were shopping at the local Weiss and I saw it on an end-cap and I had to have it. Braaaiins by Spring House Brewing Company. I grabbed the 4pack with the approving nod from the boyfriend. I could hardly wait long enough for them to chill. Grandma SueAnn was in agreement; kicking our pumpkin beer drinking season off with a loved classic was the way to go. The first pumpkin beer of the year, near end of August, and I had to grab it!

Braaaiins! by Spring House Brewing

Once chilled this pumpkin ale is the perfect beer to kick off Autumn with. It is described on Untapped as “our pumpkin ale is brewed with generous amounts of real pumpkin blended into the mash. The subtle fresh pumpkin flavor is enhanced by the addition of a touch of traditional autumn spices and sweet dough, thus creating a beer with an orange amber color, warm pumpkin aroma, a bold malt center and a crisp finish. We are proud to offer you a balanced and delectable fall treat. Suitable for zombies.” It has an 8.5% ABV so I isn’t anything to mess around with. It has an overall rating on Untapped of 3.70.

Zombies are People Too by New Trail Brewing

On another occasion we swung into West Connection Beer Vault in Hummelstown (find West Connection Beer Vault on Facebook). Amongst the mix of six we picked out were two from New Trail Brewing. (We also scored a fantastic Barleywine by 3 Floyds Brewing – Pillar of Beasts. See Ben’s beer review of that here: Beer Review: Pillar of Beasts by 3 Floyds Brewing.)

Zombies Are People Too and Double Zombies, two pumpkin beers from the mid – Central PA brewery up in Williamsport. They clock in at a 5.7%ABV and an 8.5% ABV respectively. My first instinct was to see if Grandma SueAnn could tell the difference between the two New Trail pumpkin beers. (Because who better to try out new pumpkin beers with than Grandma SueAnn?) Yes, the Double Zombies has a higher ABV but Double Zombies is also supposed to be packed with, according to Untapped “twice the strength, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin spice.” Grandma SueAnn thought she tasted just a bit more spice to Double Zombies but she happily helped me drink both pumpkin beers.

Overall though we enjoyed both of the New Trail pumpkin options. In the mid-state (Harrisburg area) you can find them at your different beer distributors and bottle shops like Breski’s Beverages, West Connection Beer Vault, Brass Rail, Bradford Village Beer and Soda, as well as at your grocery stores like Wegmans, Weiss, and Giant. You might even be able to find them in some gas stations like Rutters, WaWa, or Sheetz. So be on the lookout and the hunt!

Check out our Instagram post about the pumpkin beers: Pumpkin Beers on The Beer Thrillers @ Instagram. (And be sure to follow us on Instagram at: https://instagram.com/the_beer_thrillers).

Both are wonderful beers for this time of year and will definitely get you into that fall and pumpkin season feeling!

Drink more beer!
- Amy

Double Zombies by New Trail Brewing

More Pumpkin Beer Reviews by Grandma SueAnn and Amy

Looking for more pumpkin beer reviews by Amy and Grandma SueAnn? Then check these out:

More New Trail Beer Reviews

Amy’s Column Series

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If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

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MAPS OF BREWERIES

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The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of August 2024.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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Grandma SueAnn and More Beer: Beer Reviews of: Zaktoberfest (KCBC – Kings County Brewers Collective) and Devious Imperial Pumpkin (Fegley Brew Works)

AmyMWolfe — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 03:19:29 +0000

Grandma SueAnn

I was feeling in the mood to split a beer or two, maybe three with Grandma SueAnn. Yesterday she kicked butt. Cumulative fundraising of $800 for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on City Island and also volunteering at the walk event. It was definitely some time to celebrate.

Volunteers for the Walk to End ALZ on Harrisburg’s City Island (10.7.23)

Zoktoberfest by KCBC – Kings County Brewers Collective

Zoktoberfest by KC BC – Kings County Brewers Collective

We started off with the Zoktoberfest by KCBC. I am going to be honest, it is because of my driving. When I showed up to Grandma SueAnn’s house, the Devious Imperial Pumpkin had escaped the bag I was totting along. I was still scared enough that I held it over the sink when I opened it!

The Zoktoberfest comes in with a 5.4% ABV and it has an overall untapped rating of 3.75. It is described as “Smooth, bready malt character, with Clean earthy bitterness. Finishes crisp and dry. Crushable. Brewed with 100% German malt and hops. Worthy of your best lederhosen and your finest stein.”

This doesn’t feel like our typical marzen. Grandma SueAnn and I tasted more of the bready malty flavors but then very crisp and light caramel. Untapped has a few confused check ins too.

(A hodge – podge of Untappd reviews of Zoktoberfest by KC BC – Kings County Brewers Collective)

And that is exactly how I’d describe it “Bit thin flavored” The flavors are all there but they are subtle and do nothing to excite me. Grandma SueAnn concluded “It was just ok.”

Devious Imperial Pumpkin by Fegley Brew Works

After some laundry checks and dogs walked it was time for the next beer. I think I was scared of the Devious Imperial Pumpkin by Fegley’s Brew Works.

Devious Imperial Pumpkin (DIP) comes in at a 9% ABV and an overall untapped rating of 3.77. It is described as “Amber-hued and expertly brewed with real pumpkin, pale, Munich and caramel malts, this ale pours a frothy dark ruby color with enchanting aromas of pumpkin pie, spiced cookies and nutmeg. A harmonious blend of ginger, cinnamon, clove and allspice balances natural pumpkin sweetness, revealing rich undertones of toffee, squash and clove. Finished with unique notes of spiced pumping seeds and blood orange marmalade, this full bodied ale offers a sophisticated and delightful taste of the season, crafted with unmated passion and quality.”

Ah yes, we love a good pumpkin beer. Not sweet and not too spicy. Grandma SueAnn describes it as a beer you don’t even have to think about. You just drink it and enjoy it. You know what? She is right. It was so easy to just enjoy this well balanced pumpkin beer on a chilly fall day.

Drink More Beer!
Amy

Post – Script

Ben jumping on here. Just want to say that Amy did an absolutely amazing job this weekend of helping Francis organize, run, and execute the Walk to End ALZ event on City Island at FNB Field in Harrisburg, PA yesterday. She absolutely puts her everything into it and always does such an amazing job. You can tell that she really cares hard about the quality and work that she does, and that she really cares about the cause.

Grandma SueAnn is no exception to that as well. She helped raise a lot of money for “Team Grandma Squared” and in honor of her mother.

It was also Grandma SueAnne’s 69th birthday on Friday night. After I got off work, we went over to Official BBQ and Brewpub in back of Rutherford (on Lyter Lane). Absolutely fantastic BBQ, and good brews as well. Micah and Aaron Delp do an amazing job there. If you check out our Instagram page you’ll soon see pics of our dinner at Official BBQ as well as pics from the Walk to End ALZ event.

Thank you for reading.

Amy’s Column Series

Since getting back to writing for the blog after a short hiatus, Amy has started up a weekly column style writing for the blog. You can find these articles here:

Brewfests with Anxiety (Amy’s original weekly column start)
I’ve Missed Drinking (A Look at Non Alcoholic Beers)
Beer and Pretzel Review: Legends and Lore (St. Boniface Brewing Company) and Garlic Parm Pretzels (Pretzels.com)
Peanut Butter Eggs, Easter, Beer, and YAH Brew’s Shimmy Shake (Beer Review)
Cox Brewing Company: Back to Their Roots
Amy’s Day Off
It Was All A Dream (A Visit to YAH Brewing)
Just Another Weekend (A Hike at Saint Pete’s Trail and Hares Hill Brewing)
I’m Pretty Darn Lucky (Happy Mother’s Day)
Ready to Kick of the Summer
Beer Review: Beer Devil IPA (Niagara Brewing Company)
World MS Day
Have you ever picked a beer based on the can art?
Happy Father’s Day
What is Your Summer Time Go To Beer?
Holiday Weekend and Bomber Bottles
Baby’s First Ffej
We Can’t Always Be a Glutton Right? – Perfect Portions and Allusion Brewing Company
Beer Review: Pocono Punch (Barley Creek Brewing Company)
Getting Sworn In: A Sneak Preview of Sworn Brewing
Beer Review: Tropical Stout (Troegs Independent Brewing and Windy Bridges Brewing LLC)
RAR Brewing Brings the Nostalgia with Muppets Out of Order Series
Happy Birthday to Ben
Brewery Review: Cold Spring Inn and Brewery
Hummelstown Doesn’t Deserve Maritza
Enchilada Stuffed Peppers and Sunshine Pilsner
Master of Pumpkins, Cupcakes, Cookies, and Bacon Cheeseburgers
A Beer Review by Grandma SueAnn (Beer Review: Braaaiins! by Spring House Brewing Company)
Grandma SueAnn and More Beer: Beer Reviews of: Zaktoberfest (KCBC – Kings County Brewers Collective) and Devious Imperial Pumpkin (Fegley Brew Works)
You can find all of Amy’s articles here: Amy’s Archive of Articles.

(And please take a moment to fill out Amy’s survey on her ‘Holiday Weekend and Bomber Bottles‘ column.)

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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Beer Reviews: Czech Pilsner (Pilsner Urquell) and Pils (Laqunitas Brewing)

Let Us Drink Beer — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 03:05:45 +0000

Czech Pilsner by Pilsner Urquell and Lagunitas Pils

Beer Stats for Pilsner Urquell

Container: 12 Oz. Bottle
ABV: 4.4%
Style: Czech Pilsner
Brewer: Pilsner Urquell

LUDB Notes:

Bitterness Level: Medium
Drinkability:
- Would I purchase again? Yes
- Would I stock it? Yes
- Distinguishing Characteristics: Thick foamy head, bitterness consistent throughout

For more information on Pilsner Urquell and how they also do Milk Tubes, you can check out this article on Human Robot (which discusses the Milk Tube technique pioneered by Pilsner Urquell): Human Robot – Milk Tube – Pioneered by Pilsner Urquell.

Beer Stats for Lagunitas Czech Pilsner

Container: 12 Oz. Bottle
ABV: 6.0%
Style: Czech Pilsner
Brewer: Lagunitas Brewing

LUDB Notes:

Bitterness Level: Medium
Drinkability:
- Would I purchase again? Yes
- Would I stock it? No
- Distinguishing Characteristics: Higher in ABV than most Czech Pilsners, slightly higher in bitterness which lingers into aftertaste

Old World Style Beers – Czech Pilsners

You can’t sample old world style beers without going right to Czech Pilsners. As I work my way through these various styles, I like to try an “original” and an American version at the same time. This allows me to compare and contrast using the old world product as a sort of benchmark. Granted, it’s not a perfect way to compare beers; but it’s very helpful to me in learning the nuances of particular breweries. So for this review, what is more appropriate than using Pilsner Urquell as the benchmark! I selected Lagunitas Czech Pilsner fairly randomly.

It’s been quite some time since I have drunk a Pilsner Urquell, with my faint memory of it being that it tasted and smelled a little “skunked”. To my pleasant surprise, this one did not. I noted that it comes in a brown bottle instead of the more familiar green one I remembered. I don’t know exactly when they switched; but I suspect the better taste was aided by the switch to the brown bottle. Anyway, this Czech Pilsner pours a brilliant, golden-yellow with good retention of its white, fluffy head. In keeping with local tradition, this Pilsner begs for a hard pour to produce the desired head. The blossoming carbonation releases subtle aromas of floral hops. That bready malts aroma is there; but barely detectable. Flavors are well-balanced between bitter Saaz hops and sweet, caramel malts (Moravian Barley). The bitterness runs consistently start, middle and finish. Finishes with a medium, drying bitterness – just right. It is crisp and refreshing and leaves no doubt about it being the benchmark for Czech Pilsner.

It’s no surprise, but you get a slightly different experience with Lagunitas Czech Pilsner. It pours with a brilliant, slightly lighter gold color than Pilsner Urquell; but with a similar white, fluffy head and head retention. Now Lagunitas says they use Saaz hops; however, you get a noticeably different, more citrus aroma and bitterness. They obviously accentuate the hops a little more in their process. Malts flavors are not noticeably different. The bitterness is medium, but balanced and lingers into the aftertaste. It completes your journey with a dry, bitterness. All in all, a solid rendition of a Czech Pilsner with enough differences to be interesting.

Beer Reviews

Both Pilsners are crisp and refreshing and fit the bill for a year round beer. One thing I have learned from the brewmaster at Arches Brewing here in Atlanta is that water is extremely important to the final product and sometimes the most neglected ingredient in the brewing process. The local soft water of Plzen gives Pilsner Urquell nice smooth mouth-feel and plays a big role in making it a challenge to replicate the style. But that’s okay because as beer drinkers we often prefer uniqueness. One big thing to remember to truly enjoy any Czech Pilsner is, don’t be mamby-pamby with the pour!

Bottom line: both are very enjoyable beers and would be perfect for hot summer days or cheery Holiday celebrations.

Until next time…Let Us Drink Beer!

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.