Michelob Dunkel Weisse Dark Wheat Ale

From the label:

"All malt, unfiltered dark wheat ale featuring our unique yeast strain and malted wheat."

As a word of warning, I'm going into this as an anti-wheat beer person. I believe that the only one I've found that I like so far is Boulevard's offering.

First off, Michelob's Dunkel Weisse does not distinguish itself from any other wheat beer with its aroma. It smells like any other. It's also got a murky brown color, which I'm assuming is from not being filtered.

The brew has a weak initial taste. It then threatens to have a pretty decent wheat taste, but it quickly dissipates and we're quickly left with little to no aftertaste.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. As a craft beer, I'm ultimately disappointed in Michelob's line. As a money-saver in these trying financial times, though, it's better than settling for a weak, mass-produced domestic.

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Michelob Amber Bock (Beer Review)

From the label:

“Roasted and caramelized malts, along with choice Bavarian hops, make AmberBock both deliciously rich and remarkably smooth. Our brewmasters believe you won’t find another brew with this much flavor so perfectly easy to drink.”

I have a fondness for this beer, a fondness that has kept me away for it for quite some time. I would say that this is the beer that set me on the road to discovering craft beers. Until I had my first Amber Bock, I was content to guzzle Miller High Life or preferably Miller Genuine Draft. But Amber Bock opened my eyes a bit, and without it, I doubt I would have ever tried Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout, and from there, well, I wouldn’t be reviewing beer at all. But since that first Oatmeal Stout, I don’t think I’ve had an Amber Bock. At first it was because I was all about trying new beers. But then, maybe subconsciously, I think I knew that it would not be able to stand up to my more refined beer palate.

And I was right.

This is a good beer, don’t get me wrong. It definitely has more flavor than your standard American lager, but it’s weak. And there’s no aftertaste. And the aroma is just beer. But what taste it has is pretty darn good. You just have to know when to get it.

For me, this will always be my Chili’s beer. I’ll feel comfortable having a few of these while out because it won’t fill me up. Will I get it at the Flying Saucer? Only if I need to rack up another beer to hit 200.

Regardless of my relatively poor review for Michelob’s line of craft beers, I do have to give them credit. They picked a perfect time to distribute these. With the economy the way it is, beer lovers can at least get a craft beer at a regular domestic price. Sure, you won’t be getting that close to the quality of most craft beers, but you’ll feel a bit better with the money that you save.

Michelob Porter (Beer Review)

From the label:

"A traditionally styled porter brewed using dark chocolate and roasted coffee malts."

I’ve got a buddy who’s been drinking a lot of this. He says it’s not the best Porter he’s had, but it’s pretty damn decent. He claims you’re getting more than what you’re paying for. So I hope I’m not expecting TOO much out of it.

First off is the color. It’s dark, but definitely not the darkest I’ve seen. It’s not fully translucent, but I can see a smidge of light through it. I’m impressed with the aroma. I’m definitely getting heavy chocolate tones. Out of the four Michelob crafts I’ve had (including Irish Red, Marzen and Pale Ale), this is the only one that doesn’t smell like your run-of-the-mill American lager. This smells like a good, dark beer.

This brew tastes excellent. It’s not the fullest tasting porter I’ve had, but I wouldn’t call it weak like I have with Michelob’s other craft beers. It’s got a full enough body and goes down very smooth. The after taste, which is heavy on the roasted coffee, lingers just long enough, making you eager for the next taste.

This, my friends, is a good beer. As I mentioned, it’s by far not the best porter on the market, but it’s probably the least expensive, which makes a big difference in today’s economy. And it may be the least expensive, but that just means you’re getting an excellent return on your "investment."

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Michelob Pale Ale (Beer Review)

From the label:

"An English style pale ale dry hopped with Cascade hops from the Yakima Valley."

Yeah, I don’t know what that means.

So far this is the most flavorful of Michelob’s craft beers that I’ve tasted, but that flavor is all hops. The taste lingers for a bit, longer than the others, but that’s not saying much. This really tastes like a hoppy American lager.

I think it’s a kind of funny that the beer I expected to like the least is, so far (I’ve still got the Porter and Amber Bock to go through), the one that tastes most like a high-quality beer rather than something watered down.

I’ve heard lots of good things about the Porter, and Amber Bock has always held a soft spot in my heart, so I hope I’m not disappointed in these last two.

Michelob Marzen Oktoberfest Style Beer (Beer Review)

From the label:

“A classically brewed copper-colored marzen that displays just the right balance of hoppiness and malt character.”

I will have to say that this brew is a beautiful copper color. Not cloudy at all, the beer is nice and translucent. And I don’t know if it’s because of my glass, but there’s a nice column of carbonation rising from the middle of the glass. If nothing else, it’s a nice effect.

As with the Irish Red, I notice nothing spectacular about the aroma. Of course, I’m really just a craft beer novice. I need to get a Beer for Dummies book and actually find out what my nose is supposed to be sniffing. It’s a lot easier with the darker beers, where there’s more body.

Well, I can tell that this isn’t a normal domestic beer, but, also like the Irish Red, it’s weak. I can definitely tell that the taste I associate with most Oktoberfest beers is there, but it’s very muted. And there’s little to no aftertaste.

I think that if I’m looking to save some money but have to Oktoberfest on my bottle’s label, I’ll pick up this beer. But I’d rather spend a few more bucks and get something that’s fuller in flavor.

Michelob Irish Red (Beer Review)

From the website:

"Toasted caramel malt produces the signature ruby color of this medium-bodied ale. Distinguished by its exceptional balance, Irish Red Ale possesses a slight sweetness that yields to a clean, dry finish."

Budweiser has put out it’s American Ale, and I’ve heard it’s pretty good. But I’ve always thought that Michelob was the higher end of your common American breweries. So when they came out with a sampler pack of their new premium beers, I snapped it up. Like the last time I bought a sampler, all of my next five reviews will be of Michelob beers.

The first thing you do with this beer is hold it up to the light. It’s a deep translucent amber color. Beautiful, really. The aroma is pretty unremarkable. It’s nice, but it’s just beer smell.

Taste-wise, it’s just decent. It’s a pretty weak beer with very little taste and almost no aftertaste. So far I’ve not got much hope for the rest of the pack.

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