Scrimshaw Pilsner - Another North Coast Beer

I like pilsners. Really I do. And I like some of the beer produced by North Coast (http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/). When I picked this beer up, at first I didn't realize it was a North Coast beer. The ABV for this beer is 4.40%. The IBU's listed for Scrimshaw Pilsner is 22. The website doesn't give alot of brewing information about this lager. The color is a medium yellow with a white head. The aroma coming from this lager is a sweet floral smell. I can also describe it is a light buttery smell. At first taste, I sense hops and malt at the beginning, but it doesn't follow thru. There does seem to be an odd after taste I cannot pin down. It is not a bad taste, it just seems a bit odd there at the end. The mouthfeel is light which surprised me. It reminds me of seltzer water. This is not a great beer, but it is not a bad beer either. I know North Coast can produce some very good beer, I just wished there was a bit more effort put into this pilsner. If North Coast can produce "Old Ale", a wonderful beer, then they I would imagine they could do the same with a pilsner. I wouldn't mind having this beer as a single again. I would buy one for a friend. It is an easy drinking beer. I grade this beer a B-.

North Coast Old Stock Ale - Its great to be old

Old Stock Ale is produced by North Coast Brewing Company (http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/). The website offers some information about how this beer is made. Let me first state that if I were judging this beer by label alone, I wouldn't give it high marks. My first impression from the label is that this is a boring beer. It just doesn't stand out. I was very surprised by this beer. Old Stock Ale is a big beer, the ABV is 12.5%. The color of this beverage is dark brown. The head is tan, but does not last long. What odors are detected from this beer? Toffee, chocolate, dark fruit and a roasted coffee aroma. When I first tasted this ale, the first thing that came to mind was WOW. The taste is very complex. The oak is evident, along with dark fruits, carmel, and a somewhat roasted flavor. I seriously could not get enough of this brew when I first tasted it. The alcohol does create some fire in the taste, but it goes very well with this ale. Out of the beers that I purchased that day, this was the one I picked to be least of my favorites. Was I wrong. Labels can lead you in the wrong direction easily. Picking a beer by its label is just as good as choosing blindly. Great beers have bad labels, and bad beers can have good labels. (I will be writing about this topic in the future). Go and try North Coast Old Stock Ale. You will not be disappointed. I grade this beer an A.