What’s The Difference? Share Your Side By Side (2024)

Fascinating. Here’s a link to the brewery’s release page and they have a poured glass:
https://mainebeercompany.com/visit-us/calendar/little-whaleboat-release

 

Yeah, I would’ve been floored if the GF told me the amber beer was from the fresh bottle. I’m upset I didn’t really get to test fresh bottle vs fresh keg, but it still proved an interesting comparison, after a little pivot.

 

Considering that there's some degree of similarly in the flavors it seems within the realm of possibility that a blend happened some how, some where. I don't think it's mishandled- for a beer to change color like that it would have to be oxidized to the point of tasting like sherry.

My guess is that you got the first draw from the keg, but the line wasn't cleared of the previous beer which was on the darker side. Depending on how far away the kegs are, that could be quite a few ounces.

Eta: I just re-read the part about 80% empty and that probably blows that theory out of the water.

 

There are occasions (usually the weekend) where the bar will pull kegs for promoted beers a la a tap takeover. I wonder if they might’ve had a partly empty keg pulled for such an occasion and just put it back on.

But even then, the color difference is so much, I can’t think it’d be just that, to your point. They do clear the lines on new kegs (and generally replace a line with the same style of beer). That said, I wouldn’t rule out a dirty line somehow being involved. I really wish I had noticed if he poured from the proper tap - at least to rule out that it wasn’t poured from the wrong one. It wasn’t a horrible experience, at least, despite falling short of expectations.

 

and a fun story for the rest of us.

 

Two of my favorites from Fat Head's: Head Hunter and Wet-Hopped Head Hunter.



I won't get into the question of how a brewery can brew a "wet-hopped" beer in the winter/spring. Sadly wet-hopped beers have all but disappeared from the greater Philly area-even during hop harvest season.

Stats: HH canned 2/15/24 from a 19.2oz can, WHHH 3/14/24 from a 16oz can

Appearance: Basically the same, golden orange with an off-white head. HH may be ever-so-slightly hazier (or maybe I didn't wash the glass well haha) Retention is great on both but slightly better on HH. HH also has a much rockier head and wins the lacing contest.

Smell: WHHH is more citrus forward with some berries-pine in the background while HH is pine forward with citrus in the background.

Taste: HH has piney bitterness in the front with a nice malty balance on the finish. WHHH definitely has the pine but much less maltiness. WHHH is definitely very hop-forward.

Mouthfeel: Both are sticky and full-bodied but HH moreso. HH is almost a little "chewy" probably from the maltiness. WHHH drinks cleaner.

Overall: Love them both and they both scratch an itch and are distinct. I could see myself returning to HH again and again while I feel like WHHH is nice to have as a once a year treat. That said, I wouldn't turn my nose up at either.

Cheers!

 

Since I'll be meeting @cjgiant for some beers Sunday I figured I'd warm up and do a good old side by side. A few weeks back I really enjoyed a local witbier I had; so much so that I said it compared to Allagash White. I haven't had it in a while so I figured I'd see just how similar they are. Well the results are in....

Mudhen Holly Beach Wheat and Allagash White



On appearance Allagash is lighter in color, when held to light they are almost the same color but Mudhen's is just a shade darker. Both nice fluffy white heads, Allgash's was quick to leave whereas Mudhen's stuck around a little longer.

Nose is where some differences started to show; they were eerily similar but Allagash just popped more, I got some clove from both but there was an added spice layer to Allgash; the coriander really jumped out more, when side by side Allagash almost seemed floral in nature, when compared to Mudhen's.

Taste was a similar story, but more similar than nose; same thing, the main difference being that Allagash just was more vibrant and light; zippy came to mind. This isn't meant to sound like a knock on Mudhen, its just the difference I picked up on.

Feel, again quite similar, both light and refreshing, each had that really light citrus tart on the finish, both clean beers, the biggest difference was the carbonation. Allagash had that more vibrant biting Belgian carb to it; I'm not sure if they bottle conidition "white" but if they do it was evident in this side by side.

---------------------------

Conclusion, my initial "as good as" comparison was off base; I realize now that I was using that as a "wow this is a really good witbier" and my natural comparison was to go to the one and only...I think most of us would. These are definitely different beers but they are also both definitely to style and well made witbiers that really hit the spot, both are refreshing, light and warm weather sippers.

This is a case of no winner or loser, they are both great beers in their own right; this highlighted some differences but in no way did it make me feel either was better than the other. Cheers and happy Friday!!

@MacMalt @KP7

I had no idea but @Resistance88 and I were sipping the same beer at the same time, across the country from one another.

 

This is kind of funny / ironic in a way that will be explained Sunday. Cheers!

 

Great to see this comparison--thanks for sharing and tagging me. I think you nailed it with your commentary: this is a style that, for me, isn't bout being strict to guidelines but is all about refreshment and enjoyment. And now I want one.

One question: it's hard to tell whether the picture just didn't capture it, but neither look too cloudy. Did you invert and swirl both before pouring?

 

I did not rouse them in fact this is only the top third of each container so both at their clearest. Well darn it, now I need to do another one…

Something about spring that just makes me want wheat beers.

 

I only asked because I've forgotten to swirl a number of times to my detriment. Allagash White is almost a different beer with all that lovely sediment mixed in. Enjoy your second comparison!

See you all in NBW tomorrow.

 

It's a cold, rainy Saturday the weekend after gallavanting around Philly last week, so gonna settle in at home. With a couple of beers, of course.

When I had Parish Brewing's Rêve for the first time a month or so ago, I really liked it. I mentioned it reminded me of a regular strength coffee stouts of my earlier journeys in craft beer. The main one that came to mind was Brewtus (Monacacy Brewing), but another was Rise Up Coffee Stout by Evolution (though I seem to recall I did enjoy the imperial version of this a little better). Let's see if the beer from my past can rise up to meet the enjoyment I got out of the new beer in my life.

(apparently the focus of the phone was on the background... oops!)

The beers look quite similar poured into their respective glasses. Rise Up might have a slightly darker head, but not by much. The GF has already chimed in that (unbeknownst to her) Rise Up seems "more watery" than Rêve. So I jump in for a quick sip, and I half to agree with her. Rêve is definitely creamier and more mouth coating.

On the nose, Rêve has a more prominent mocha coffee aroma, whereas Rise Up is a bit more stout-like with roasted grain aromas. The GF has claimed Rêve is sweeter, and therefore she likes it a bit more. I won't argue with her. Evolution's beer is more like an Irish dry in a relative sense to the less attenuated Parish brew.

As for coffee, I sense it in Rêve much more than in Rise Up. Rise Up has a bit more of a charred toast vibe, Rêve has more of a lightly sweetened coffee.

This is interesting... thanks to this pairing, I am viewing Rêve as considerably sweeter than I originally found having it alone (on tap - for transparency, not a claim that it'd be different). I mentioned a balance of sweet and roast in my review of that tasting, but today it definitely seems to lean to the sweet side.

I do still prefer Rêve, as I expected, but also want to see if I can find Brewtus for a comparison - it's not listed on tap at the brewery currently. I'm not sure if Parish will deliver Rêve to the area to get an overlap in availability for a good comparison, but I'll be keeping an eye out.

 

Made it to the gym and grocery store, got home and saw a couple big birds atop a tree, one checking out the brush between our street and the next and the other seemingly warning me or asking for attention. Got food prepped for later today, so time to enjoy a beer and forget about these two...


If favor of two beers. Our friend @jonphisher gifted me a second Wildwood, NJ beer in our meetup a couple weeks ago with @ChicagoJ. He did a comparison with this beer just above, so I figured I'd do the same, against a beer that I have seen right next to Allagash White in beer contest medal lists fairly often, Port City's Optimal Wit. Base on his review and the comparisons I have done with Optimal and White, I expect the Port City beer to fall between the two. But that is a bit of homerism, since I have not had Mudhen's Holly Beach Wheat before, and it might trounce my local flagship.



First off, Optimal Wit does lean more towards Allagash in looks, with a pale white gold and a slight bit of haze. Mudhen's beer leans darker with its more amber body (though it's not quite as amber as my pic shows), though Holly has a better head about her, by a decent margin.

Holly Beach's nose is a little lighter than Optimal's, but it has a banana and some bread that was in the toaster for a scant 15 seconds. Optimal's nose brings banana sweetness and clove. Based on the nose, I'd expect Port City's beer to be a little sweeter on the palate and I could see Mudhen's beer having more of a Belgian Pale.

So the first sip of Holly Beach, and I'm a little surprised by the sweetness. It's not sugary or cloying or overpowering, just not what I expected. The beer has a nice, soft feel, and a wheat-like finish that balances things, though a little sweetness makes it to the end of each of my first few sips.

Having had Optimal Wit recently, I actually think the flavors are going to be similar with Mudhen's Belgina wheat having a more full and softer feel. So onto the the competition...

And Port City's beer hits less sweet, mainly because it is considerably more spicy (there also seems to be a more prickly carbonation that adds to this). Optimal Wit still has a fair level of sweetness, but it's balanced out a bit more in the opening. A sort of banana bubblegum comes through in back, and it is almost like this beer reverses the path of its competitor. This goes from more balanced to sweeter where Holly Wheat goes from sweeter to more balanced.

The spice in Optimal Wit and the softer feel in Holly Wheat are the most distinctive differences in the taste / feel. The GF indicated that she like Optimal Wit by a little bit, without knowing which beer was which. I am leaning to the same side as her, but it's really quite close.

Thanks, @jonphisher - and I hope you don't mind we picked our local over yours
I just looked back at your comparison above, and we both seemed to notice the soft, I will say almost flat, feel of the Mudhen beer. I didn't really get any citrus in Holly Beach, but seeing you mention it, I took another sip of it. There might be a little orange and grapefruit peel helping to balance the finish, but I'm not sure I'd have come up with that without specifically looking for it, as I was. Cheers!

 

Really fun to read this one, I actually have plans to drink optimal wit one of the days this weekend. I have no holly beach left so I will have to rely on memory for a mental side by side. Cheers b

 

Side by side, Naked Baptist and Big Bad Baptist Brewmaster's Reserve.


Look: They're both exceptionally black with smallish head. The only real difference I see is that Brewmaster's Reserve has darker head, which might be slightly smaller.

Smell: They share a general profile of rich roastiness and vanilla. Brewmaster's Reserve is way boozier, and aside from the booze, generally more muted. Rich chocolate/roasty flavors dominate a lot more in Naked.

Taste: Reserve gives a little more richness, hard to describe how. Booziness is more noticeable in the flavor in the Reserve as well. More chocolate and a little bit of fruitiness in the Naked. Naked also has a bit of a maple and marshmallow note I don't get in Reserve.

Mouthfeel: Reserve actually seems a little thinner than Naked. It also has a slight chalky texture that Naked lacks, but I appreciate.

Overall: I think I like Naked more. They're both really good, though.

 

Over the past few months of Tavour boxes I ended up with 2 very similar beers from Evil Twin; Greenhouse Helles Bock (7.9% canning date obstructed) and Greenhouse Maibock (7% canned 4/18/24). Though I don't know the canning date of the former, it's at least a month or 2 older than the latter



The beers look very similar, with the MB being just a touch darker and leaving nicer lacing (HB 4, MB 4.25). The HB is quite sweet in the nose with a floral brightness whereas the MB felt more raw and grain driven. Lots of biscuity malt, honey, white pepper, and citrus in the HB and more honey, raw grain, biscuity malt, and light grassy hops in the MB (HB 4.25, MB 4). The gap between the two narrow in taste, with the HB retaining it's bright bitterness and the MB dialing back the sweetness. Both are built over a base of biscuity/bready malt, honey, and citrus, but the HB has accents of black tea, floral hops, and white pepper whereas the MB goes in more of a toasted grain, grassy hop, and toffee direction, though it's really just splitting hairs (both 4.25). Both medium bodied but the MB is ever so slightly more carbonated, resulting in a crisper beer than the HB, though both finish mostly dry and balanced (HB 4, MB 4.25). This is a very close comparison. They are both quite good despite the fact that I don't love the style, but I very slightly prefer HB. Surprising, as in general it seems fresher than the MB that actually is fresher (both 4.25).

HB
4.21/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

MB
4.19/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

 

I've been wanting to do this side-by-side since I had each of these beers during Cellaruary, and I wasn't sure I could tell them apart. These are both from 2018. The mouthfeel on both is nearly identical - thick, oily, lingering. Both are extremely bitter. The Bigfoot is little more burnt caramel and dark fruits. The Lagunitas has strong citrus peel and a very distinct spice that I can't place. Interesting science.

 

Late last night, someone reminded me that I quite like this thread. I haven't posted to it in a while, and I have a lazy evening in front of me, so why not try comparing two Helles lagers? I have a local bottled about two months ago and one from Chicago canned a little over a month ago. So let's see how Dovetail and Port City Helles compare.


Even though I poured them into the same glass, there will be no trouble telling the hazy, Belgian wit-looking Dovetail from the pretty standard mostly (if not completely given chill haze) clear golden beer color of the Port City offering. Dovetail's head is foamy and creamy, Port City's is more loosely held together, but pretty foamy as well. Both caps hold up well.

The Port City has a herbal leading, slightly sweet, mildly fruity nose. Dovetail has a more malty aroma - not quite bread but in that direction, with maybe a bare hint of spicy hops.

Port City Helles has a malt note like white bread toasted to a point where it barely starts to show some tan on its surfaces. Decent carbonation level and an grassy to slightly herbal hop note filling in. Dovetail's opening resembles the nose with a little floral note thrown in. The hop bitterness is a drier grass, but not as dissimilar from the Port City beer as I expected. There is a slightly more full feel in the Dovetail Helles, and the hops tend to linger longer into the aftertaste.

Both are quite good for my tastes. They are different, but not wildly. I could see knocking one on an aspect I am not preferring today, but praising it in the next comparison. I did notice that I liked sipping the Dovetail first, followed a second or two later by the Port City. I felt the bitter linger of the Chicago beer joined the flavors of the one from Virginia quite nicely. So I think I'll continue that pattern with the remainders of these glasses.

 

Did you consider blending these two beers? Maybe the blend would be the winner?

Cheers!

 

I did consider it, but wanted to stick with the pattern that was working in this instance.