Bixby's Beer Reviews (2024)

11/04/2022

Today we're checking out the rapidly emerging style of low-ABV, high-character lager known as landbier. This venerable German style has its roots among the many village breweries of Germany's Franconia region, most of which brew their own unique, rustic session lager reflecting their own particular conception of what an easy-drinking, fresh pint should be.

And it won't surprise you to learn that the BBR is excited to see American breweries picking up this tradition, and even more excited to check out an example from one of our very favorite lager breweries, New Hampshire's .

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07/04/2022

As if BBR wasn't already self-indulgent enough, I'm starting another series dedicated to remembering some of the favorite beers I've had over my time as a craft beer nerd, and seeing how they stack up to today's hottest silver cans.

And what better beer to reminisce on than the very first NEIPA that I ever loved? That would be M-43, a Citra/Amarillo/Simcoe hazy from Michigan's that I had the incredible luck to be served at a less-than-glamorous hotel bar in late 2016.

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04/04/2022

For today's beer, I went a great distance in both space and memory to bring you an example of one of my very favorite styles, black rye IPA. Matching intense hop bitterness with equally robust roasted barley, this style can bring a uniquely intense complexity...if you can find a brewery that still makes it. Fortunately, Portland's , , and the have collectively risen to the task with Pink Sabbath, an unholy union of rye malts and Chinook, Cascade, and Citra hops.

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31/03/2022

The work of exploring is seemingly never done, but at least for today we have a hop that a bit easier to pronounce, Pacific Sunrise.

Unlike the baggy jeans purveyor from the late 90s, this PacSun has a timeless, fruit-forward vibe that doesn't require a trip to the mall in your parents' car. Rather, this powerful, versatile hop is featured in a hazy of the same name from of Weymouth, Mass., and before you ask - yes, this episode does feature another tale of my personal misfortunes on the South Shore.

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27/03/2022

German Cake Sour.

Is it true style of sour beer recognized by the BJCP? It is not.

Does it raise serious concerns that we're headed for pudding cup beer territory? It sure does.

But do you need to be concerned? Viewer, you do not.

Today, I'm hear to share a beer that takes it's name and inspiration (if not mouthfeel and calorie count) from the famous German crown cake, Krone Kuchen. Brewed with judicious amounts of raspberries, black currants, hazelnuts, lactose and vanilla, this beer is a master class in how to integrate multiple adjuncts into a harmonious and balanced whole.

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24/03/2022

The BBR has covered hefeweizen, but as many know, an opposing force exists in contrast to this light, sunny style. So, to restore balance to the universe, we're checking out Walpertinger, an impressive (most impressive!) dunkelweiss from Virginia's . Named after the fantastical beast of Bavarian myth, this dark wheat beer is ideally suited for outdoor sessions on warm Spring days.

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21/03/2022

Now you can browse the beer store privately, and other people won't know that you've found a silver can that packs an indecent amount of hop aroma and flavor. Today, is going deep on Incognito hops as we review Ghost in the Laboratory, a voluptuously-hopped hazy collab from and .

While BBR would of course never save information on your beer drinking habits, please note that a record of today's episode will be stored in the playlist accessible by anyone via the BBR Linktree and IG accounts.

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17/03/2022

No need to put on airs for today's episode - it's Saint Patrick's Day! And that means cinema verite from the official BBR beer garden with an Irish stout suitable for one of the most important session days of the year - 838, from Ashburn, Virginia's . Made with Virginia-grown barley, this smooth, sessionable ale will have you in heaven before the devil knows you're dead.

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14/03/2022

Ya wanna know how I got this beer?

See what happened was BBR Hall-of-Famers decided to bring some of the hottest hops on the market to one of my favorite, all-too-slept-on styles. The result is Slippery People, a rye IPA featuring Citra and Azacca hops that's sure to put a smile on your face.

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10/03/2022

Pudding cups...milkshakes...smoothies. Folks, if I'm being honest, I have to admit that I tend to throw these pejoratives around during the BBR maybe more than I should. But it's time I hold myself accountable, and give the much-maligned Imperial Pastry Stout style a fair shake. So I'm going to one of my most trusted sources, California's , to check out Children of Loki, a massive banana pancake-inspired stout.

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06/03/2022

Do you need chili for your brown ale?

Turns out, you just might! Today, we're checking out the new "style" (lulz) of Cornbread Brown Ale in the form of Cowboy Boots from North Carolina's . This curious silver can is brewed with heirloom corn and ancho and chipotle peppers, and serves as another datapoint in favor of the .

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04/03/2022

BBR is in Memphis this weekend! Hit us up with the breweries and beers we need to try, and keep an eye out for reviews in Reels and Stories!

03/03/2022

Me, I just want what's coming to me, viewers. A palate-crushingly massive Triple hazy IPA, with all the hops in it.

And that's just what we've got today from the mathemagicians at Middletown, NY's - Super Fractal Mandelbrot Set. I do not know the arithmetic significance of this term, and you cannot make me learn. But I do know that it packs a hefty 10.5% ABV and a mind-bendingly massive dose of Citra, Sabro, Strata, Galaxy, and Amarillo hops.

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27/02/2022

When you see a silver can packed with an entire grocery cart's of adjuncts, it's critical that you never show surprise, and never lose your cool. But how do you know which ones are worth drinking, and which ones are just pudding cups pretending to be beer?

To help answer that question, we're checking out 's latest fruited imperial gose, Chi Chi Boom Boom. Blasted with pineapple, coconut, macadamia nut, marshmallow, vanilla, lactose, and sea salt, this Pina Colada-inspired sour demonstrates how adjuncted sours that aim for a cocktail effect often end up mirroring the balance of flavors of the cocktail itself.

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24/02/2022

Well, um, actually a pretty nice little episode we've got today. We're going to go to . Yeah, buy some Düssel altibier, maybe get some rich malty flavor, stuff like that. Maybe a big blast of noble hops, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time!

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21/02/2022

Folks, this isn't a joke - we've got another entry in the series, and we're nowhere close to done. Today, it's another silver can from BBR favorites of Norfolk, VA. Their latest release of Warmest Regards features 100% Riwaka hops, nestled in a lush bed of oats and wheat.

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17/02/2022

Westmalle...Chimay...Rochefort. Legendary Belgian beers that have graced the shelves and cellars of every serious beer nerd. But what if you're beer didn't need to be blessed by monks or travel on three boats and two trucks just to get to your glass?

Fortunately (at least for me), has brought the Trappist monastic tradition to Tidewater Virginia with 8, a Belgian-style golden ale brewed practically in my backyard.

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13/02/2022

Folks, all you have to do is look at our subscriber count to see that BBR is a true underdog in the world of Youtube - but you'd better believe that our will to survive is strong.

So today, we're challenging one of the hottest emerging lager styles, Italian Pilsner. And lest you thought they were only sharp with the hazies, today's beer comes from Virginia's , as the latest entry in their venerable Richmond is for Lägers series.

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10/02/2022

Beer isn't the only brewed beverage we enjoy around these parts, and it's no secret that coffee and dark beer play very well together. So today, we're checking out Enga Ikizere, a brown ale from Maine's brewed with coffee from their neighbors at the . We also consider the relative merit of brown ale as a base beer for flavorful adjuncts.

And while you're considering this beer, also consider joining Mast Landing in supporting Rwanda Bean’s Compassion Campaign, which provides health insurance for Rwandan coffee farmers: https://rwandabean.com/product/health-insurance-for-a-coffee-farmer-in-rwanda/

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06/02/2022

To combat the seemingly endless winter chill, we need a heavy beer, and I'm not talking about Earth's gravity. So today, I'm pulling out my go-to "February" beer - Troegenator, a robust German doppelbock from in Hershey, PA.

If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 8% ABV, you’re gonna see some serious s**t!

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03/02/2022

Two road diverged in a wood, and I - I drank the beer brewed with the pine needles, cones, and bark of the trees. Again, not a joke - , and that means drinking an IPA "hopped" with the aforementioned tree parts so you all have the latest intel on the bleeding edge of American craft beer.

Make no mistake though, this is no stunt beer, but rather a brilliant example of hyperlocal brewing from Chincoteague, VA's , who are simultaneously working within the long brewing tradition of hop alternatives and helping to conserve Virginia's natural resources.

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30/01/2022

Today we consider a very light beer of surprising depth - Kameosa, a Japanese-style rice lager from out of Braintree, Mass. Brewed with puffed rice and lagered on Yuzu peel, Sakura cherry blossoms, and ginger, this light fizzy crusher is equally at home paired with fancy sushi, intensely spicy Tex-Mex, or a hot day on a shady porch.

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27/01/2022

In the first of 2022, we delve deep into the proprietary hop processing technique that produces Cryo Hops - how does it compare to Lupomax, and what does it mean when you see it on your next silver can?

Guiding us on our journey is Sun Valley, 's latest 8% hazy which features Mosaic, Azacca, and Cryo Idaho 7 hops.

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20/01/2022

New year, new series. We've covered a lot the major hops you see every day, so now it's time to shine a light on some of the...let's say, more unusual hop varietals you'll see out there. Misfits, free-spirits, and other rare hops that just don't fit into the traditional flavor profiles or hop combos that we see so often. But like so many misunderstood things in life, you just need to get to know them a little to appreciate the unique perspective they bring to the world.

So who better to kick off our series than Zappa, a hop quite literally named after one of the strangest humans ever to walk the earth. And when it comes to definitive single hop hazies, you know we have to go to Charlottesville's for an entry from their venerable Nephrology series putting Zappa squarely in the spotlight where it belongs.

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16/01/2022

Just when you thought the holidays were over, it's time to celebrate the premiere of Season 2 of BBR! And what better way to extend the festive season that with a beer that seeks nothing less than to create a fresh batch of gingerbread cookies in your glass?

That's right - the very special beer for this very special occasion is the legendary Gingerbread Stout from the Virginia craft beer stalwarts at . We'll dive into all the different facets of this incredible holiday stout, and talk a bit about how balance plays in to big adjuncted beers.

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31/12/2021

Can you believe it's our 52nd episode!!!!

Like PBS, BBR's continued presence is all thanks to the support of viewers like you, including the donor of today's ultra-rare bottle of 2017 release of it's legendary Bourbon County Brand Stout. Unlike PBS, with it's wholesome mission to inform and educate, we're going to wade into in 2022 with a series of reviews of ultra-boozy barrel-aged monster beers guaranteed to leave you insouciant and senseless.

So enjoy this NYE Season Finale (maybe with your own BCBS bottle as th clock strikes midnight!), and don't forget, BBR Season 2 returns on January 16th!

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27/12/2021

Happy Holidays, and a great big thank you to all the viewers and subscribers who have made Bixby's Beer Review's first season such a success! Today's video is our holiday card to you, link in bio.

On Friday, we'll be posting our Season Finale New Year's Special, featuring a super-rare bottle pulled deep from the cellar of one our very first subscribers. After that, BBR will be taking a short break to recharge its creative batteries. But fear not, Season 2 will premiere on JANUARY 16th - We'll be back with all new beer styles, techniques, ingredients, and trends to keep you prepared for your next visit to the silver can store. And in the meantime, I'll keep the content flowing with quick-hit review Stories and Reels right here.

25/12/2021

Welcome, one and all, to the first annual Bixby's Beer Review Christmas Special! To celebrate the most festive time of the year, I've brought up a special bottle from the showcasing some of the most creative and unique brewing from the Commonwealth I call home, Farm & Brewery's 2020 edition of Sinterklaas. Brewed with bergamot, holy basil, rosemary, and cranberries, this barrel-aged wild Belgian ale is truly a one-of-one - but if you can't make the drive to lovely Waterford, Virginia, I can guarantee that some enterprising local brewer in your area just might have their own unique, regionally-sourced wild ale that can make your spirits bright.

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23/12/2021

Oh, you thought we were done with ? Not even close, my friend. Today we're taking on the Southern Hemisphere's answer to Mosaic, Rakau. Boasting an entire orchard's worth of intense sweet fruit aromas and flavors, Rakau puts in a full day's work anchoring the imposing Mau Rakau from Richmond haze-lords , where it teams with natural counterpart Mosaic and (of course) Citra. It'll be a hoot!

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19/12/2021

Ladies and gentlemen, if I say I'm a craft beer man, you will agree. But even I can scarcely keep up with the cornucopia of styles and variations bursting forth from breweries across the land. Nonetheless, in my perseverance, I've brought in Mai Tai Double FroYo, a Milkshake Hazy IPA from East Texas' Combining orange, lime, and orgeat with a fulsome dry-hop, I expect we'll have no trouble drinking this milkshake up.

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16/12/2021

The holiday season is upon us, but are you having trouble getting into the spirit? Variously called Christmas ale, holiday beer, or (as in today's beer from the Trappists at Massachusetts' ) winter warmer, this spiced, malty pint is sure to lift your mood and get you into the swing of things.

For proper ambience, we're ditching the sterile confines of the BBR studio, donning our best flannel robe and slippers, and settling in by a warm fire to explore this wonderfully seasonal style.

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12/12/2021

Greetings, Comrades! In the second entry in this week's double feature, we dig deep down into the to check out Port City's 6th anniversary beer, Colossal 6, brewed way back in January, 2017.

This bottle disappeared with its six-pack brethren long ago, and was thought to have been consumed along with them. Is the bottle that emerged from my cellar a true member of that royal family, or just a pretender to the throne (i.e. went sour)? Only one way to find out!

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09/12/2021

Looking for a beer that smells of leather-bound books and rich mahogany?

Well look no further, because today we're going to be checking out American Barleywine, a style known for bringing impressively dense stone fruit, oaky red wine, and toffee malt aromas and flavors to your snifter. But the true secret to this beer's success is the imposing hop bitterness that brings balance to all those rich, decadent malty flavors. Showcasing all these features is Colossal X, a 11.2% ABV behemoth brewed by Alexandria, VA's to celebrate their tenth anniversary.

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05/12/2021

Every saga needs a villain, and today's featured player from the series will stop at nothing in its relentless quest to bring masterful pineapple and pine tree aromas and flavors to any beer, including this episode's genetically-superior hazy.

Brewed as part of their Freaky Friday series, Richmond powerhouse takes on a recipe originally devised by their buddies at (in collaboration with and ) for Fully Loaded Baked Potato. Made with tons of oats and wheat in the mash, this juice bomb is hopped with Mosaic, Galaxy, Sultana, and the star of the today's episode, New Zealand-grown Kohatu hops. It's only logical that you like, share, and subscribe.

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02/12/2021

"Ice Cream Sour"

It's not an extremely potent new strain of ma*****na, but the sour beer wizards at Florida's surely were in no state to operate heavy machinery when they came up with Even More Ice Cream Than Ever. Brewed with actual pistachio ice cream, as well as raspberry, apricot, coconut, and vanilla, I don't know how it was made, but that won't stop me from giving it the full BBR treatment for your benefit.

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28/11/2021

Like a mysterious spectre that haunts the corners of your elaborately crafted hazy IPA, Phantasm powder fixates on the prima donna hops featured in your beer, boosting their output through arcane mechanisms. But there's no cause for alarm, for there's a perfectly safe, rational explanation for this effect - Thiols.

So today, we consider Tracks, a NEIPA from Florida's that stars the grande dame of hops, Citra, supported in that shadows by an addition of Phantasm powder.

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25/11/2021

Presented for your holiday dessert table consideration, we have what is almost surely the world's only butternut squash donut milk stout, care of a collaboration between of Nashville and from Maine.

Viewers, I promise I try to provide you with broadly applicable guidance to assist in your own craft beer journey. But as a certifiable Squash Man, when I saw a beer with such unique and incredibly seasonal ingredients, I had to bring it directly to you for BBR's Thanksgiving special. So from my family to yours...thank you for the indulgence.

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24/11/2021

Happy Blackout Wednesday to all who observe!

Here at BBR, we'll be posting quick hit reviews in Stories and Reels through Sunday to help you stay properly stocked for the big day itself and the hours of couchtime and leftovers that follow.

Got a Mid-Atlantic beer you need some intel on? Drop a comment and I'll brave the stores to get you a custom review ASAP, because

21/11/2021

Halloween may be past, but there's still a dark, mysterious pint with a fearsomely intense flavor profile roaming the countryside.

But no need to fear, as pumpkin porter is absolutely a legend you should seek out, especially for the dessert portion of your Thanksgiving holiday. So today, we're checking out a fine example of the style from , brewed in suitably-colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.

18/11/2021

What can I say except "you're welcome" for introducing your newest favorite ?

Today, we continue our consideration of the hops grown on those marvelous islands in the South Pacific with a look at my personal favorite of the bunch, Moutere, which combines dank passionfruit and melon with sweet grapefruit. And its the combination of Virginia's and Nashville's who've brought us Predictable Patterns, a DDH Double NEIPA brewed with Moutere and Citra.

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