Get on with it already...
Okay, I shall. This week I head back to the store to find yet another treat from the Shmaltz Brewing Company. I know I've been writing about them quite a bit lately, but hell, they make great beer, what do you want from me?
This brew must be brand new because it's not even listed on their website. Zak Davis from Shmaltz did write in to tell me of some new beers being released, and this must be one of them. Sweeeeeeeet. I'll try it!
The beer is known as the "Coney Island Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager." It's been awhile since I've had a fine craft-brewed lager. It's a nice change of pace from the heavy IPAs and stouts that have been regulars in my fridge lately.
From the big 22-ounce bottle I pour... the magnificent liquid falls ferociously into the pint glass and forms a light head. It's a golden beauty filled with friendly little bubbles racing to the surface.
The aroma could easily be mistaken for a pale ale due to the abundance of citrus notes from the hops, and the sugary sweet, fresh-baked goods smell of the malt. There's no doubt in my mind that we've got something good here.
Ooooooo... that's a nice flavor. A good touch of bitterness from those abundant hops, but rivaled with a fair sweetness from the four different malts in this brew. This beer stays on the palate for quite some time, but doesn't have the dry mouth effect that we've all had from drinking heavily hopped ales.
The beer's label says it's for "lager freaks and beer geeks." ha ha. I'm not sure I'm a lager freak, but in most surveys I'd probably come out labeled as the latter. That's cool with me.
Well friends, this is another fine offering from the Shmaltz Brewing Company. This one brewed in Saratoga Springs, NY and with the Coney Island theme makes this New York kid smile. The artwork on the label is absolutely worth the price of admission alone. It's great to see small breweries using great graphic design on their products. Gotta love it.
These brews just hit Gainesville, Fla. I found mine at Ward's. I've got the other Coney Island brew to review as well. I'll have to get to that one later on. For now, if you're over that way, stop in the grocer and grab yourself one of these tasty jewels.
Overall Score for the Coney Island Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager: 4.0 out 5.0
I bought one of the Schmaltz brews at the crazy beer store we went to Sunday. I'm quite sure Dave's told you about it by now. We just stood in there for like 20 minutes looking at all the beers. I had no idea what any of it was.
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