Beer Review
By Tim

No, I am not crazy nor have I slipped back in time. I am at the Big Beef and Breakfast and it is April 2000. There have been numerous rainstorms here at the Big Beef and Breakfast and as one of them was finishing up I caught sight of a rainbow. The rainbow reached the ground at each end of the arch and was so perfect that it got me thinking of my childhood. I recalled the stories of a leprechaun with a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. With this in mind and seeing that one end of the rainbow was so close I stepped off the porch and headed toward the nearest end. This is, off course, is in complete disregard of the rules of physics and light refraction. Maybe because I was so close to the enhancing effects of the Big Beef and Beer home office I actually reached the end of the rainbow. I was slightly disappointed. I did find the leprechaun, and what a cantankerous little fella he was (actually he was not I just wanted to write the word cantankerous), but he did not have a pot of gold. He kept repeating the following line, "May your life be filled with laughter, may your pockets be filled with gold." I asked him what was the meaning of this quote and all he said was "Michael Shea's" and then disappeared. I stood there in consternation (I like writing that as well) and after screaming at the air about where my pot of gold was, I realized that this was the quote on the bottle of Michael Shea’s (I am smart like that ) and that he had given me the name of the beer that I was to review this week.

Michael Shea’s Irish Amber is brewed in the U.S. by the Highfalls Brewing Company, Rochester, NY. It is a pub style lager that is distributed in a six-pack of sixteen ounce bottles. It pours a dark amber color, with about a one centimeter (metric whohoo) of acceptable head, and no nasty smell. I tried drinking MS in an icy cold mug, a warm mug, and from the bottle directly. The best is a cold mug; the bottle tastes bitter for the first few sips. By all methods the ale goes down smooth. Like most American, Non Microbrewery, beers the flavor is not strong and so is probably acceptable to most beer drinkers. Because the flavor is mild it is very hard to describe the flavor. There is very little bitterness as the brew enters or leaves the mouth and the strongest flavor is a mild hint of an ale taste. Highfalls calls MS, “A vibrant brew that captures the splendor and personality of an Irish pub.” I cannot verify this, having never been to a true Irish Pub, but it seems very watered down for the American-Irish Pubs that I have visited.

Surprisingly, the beer has won an award: a Bronze medal winner for a Vienna lager at the great American Beer festival 1995 (Bet you cannot wait till the cider-off). I only say this because; although it is better than Miller Light and Bud Light it still fits in that category. I give this beer: 3 BB & B's. Michael Shea’s is a non-assuming average beer that is great to serve for most informal party occasions. The price is right at $4.96 a six-pack. The web sight is pretty good. Get yourself a tour from Chester and buy yourself a Chester hat.

Ranking:  out of 5 BB&B's.

URL: http://www.highfalls.com/

Rankings

Suggest a beer for review!!