New Article

Here is a feature I wrote that came out today on former Del Fuegos drummer, Woody Giessmann.
- "A Different Drummer"

Bierjammern No. 1 - BBC Raspberry Strong Ale

Bier (obvious) + jammern (to yammer) = Tasting notes and impressions of various craft brews - this will be a regular feature of ICGM

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Berkshire Brewing Company
'Raspberry Strong Ale'
Spring Release

Anticipation was high: I heard rave reviews from various members of the beer loving community about BBC's spring release, Raspberry Strong Ale. Most - if not all - of their beers are top notch and I definitely rank them among the best breweries in the United States; however this vernal beverage proved to be somewhat of a disappointment.

Upon pouring this fragrant ale into a glass, the color immediately struck me as a combination of the sugary juice fed to hummingbirds with an Irish red - not exactly a vibrant red, but still bearing a significant ruby luster that draws you in.

If the division of Pillsbury that makes the Toaster Strudel decided to produce a beer: this is the concoction they would come up with...at least smell-wise. Raspberry jam with light hop undertones are most prominent in the nose. But it beguiles a beer with a sweeter taste than it actually has.

"Oh man, this is good!" exclaimed my friend, pausing, "its interesting....it's almost like children's cough syrup."

This initial reaction describes the tasting experience of the Raspberry Strong Ale well - crisp, mildly fruity and highly refreshing as soon as it hits the tongue, followed by a sort of confusion of the pallet (it isn't exactly sweet, it isn't exactly dry - you don't know how to react to the flavor), and finished by a borderline unpleasant aftertaste.

Personally, I was looking forward to a more fruity finish and perhaps a bit more sweetness, it seems like the aftertaste is hallmarked by hops and the sour elements of the raspberries, rather than luscious berry hints.

Because it lacks sweetness - this beer kind of has a medicinal-like taste, almost making me feel as though my mouth should be numb after finishing a sip. Sadly, this is the first Berkshire product I have tasted that I have not been satisfied by...ever.

Granted, this is a strong ale, therefore one can’t expect a whole lot of sweetness (which is ok), but the tartness and strong alcohol flavor don’t come together well, particularly in the finish.

The BBC spring release 'Raspberry Strong Ale' is a beer that appeals more to the sense of smell than taste, but to their credit a beerie who recently attended the Extreme Beer Festival at the Cyclorama informed me that he tried a 2002 version of the same recipe and it was extremely tasty.

Though this might be something worth buying and leaving around for a couple of years, I wouldn't advise sampling this any time soon. Go get a Lambic.

Links to my articles.... - Day 1 supplement

Story on the "millenial" generation drinking wine - "A New Generation of Wine Enthusiasts"

Feature on The G-Clefs, Boston's first Billboard-Charting rock band - "That Thing They Do"

A review of Jamiroquai's show at the Roxy - "Jamiroquai Shines in Energetic Show"

Review of We Are Wolves' first CD - We Are Wolves, "Nons Somme Loups"

More articles on the way....

Ghetto of the Mind - Day 1

Salutations public!

Today officially marks my first foray into the world of electronic journalism. For those of you who are familiar with me, or my work, this will be an extension of what I do for my local paper and will include bits and pieces that I was not able to include in paper format.

For those of you who don't know me and have no idea what i'm talking about: Stay tuned for imformative, balenced features on music, food, and life as well as some random ramblings from time to time.

I might as well let it be known now that this blog will adhere to the same principles as my work print journalism, therefore please feel free to bring up any issues you - the reader - might have with my work.

Come back and keep reading!

Sincerely,
John S. Forrester
wordsmith-at-large
Index Cards from the Ghetto of the Mind