Bastone Brewery 2009 Review

Last night was way over due for the Brewskies, as it's been months since our last brew tasting. We decided to make Bastone Brewery in downtown Royal Oak our last stop of 2009, and although we've been to Bastone before, they had a couple new seasonals along with a brand new menu that we had to try out. The 3 Brewskie critics consisted of Jim Miller, Patrick Kelly and myself. For moral support, we were also joined by Stephanie Casola and Kirk (MotorCityBlog). There were a few Brewskie Brothers missing from the evening, but with the holiday hoopla this week it was difficult to find a way that catered to everyone. But as they say, "drink one for me", is a request we never turn down!

I'm not really sure what it was, but the cool weather, the snow falling, the beer flowing, and everyone in good spirits, this holiday night at Bastone Brewery was everything we needed to get away from the constant Christmas commotion. What was supposed to be an 8 to 10 event turned out to be more of an 8 to close evening as we worked down the line of our beer samplers and menu items.

Although we've reviewed some of these beers before, any micro brew fan will understand that the Brewmaster at every brewery will once in a while change up the flavor giving us always another reason to come back and taste again. When ever we taste test we always bring a few people with different likings so that you can hear it from more than just one person. We believe there's a beer for everyone, and we're here to help you find it!

The first 6 beers listed here are always on their menu and the last 2 are the current seasonals Bastone has on the Menu.



Monumental Blonde
Jim - it doesn't spark the tastebuds, but it's very smooth and is perfect for someone who likes light beers.
Dave - as someone who likes a lot of flavor in his beer, this one just doesn't do it for me. However, I know quite a few people that would love it. It's very light tasting and smooth.
Patrick - from a brewery standpoint it's a weak beer, but I think it's extremely flavorful with a nice aftertaste

Main Street Pilsner
Jim - It's better than your labatt or bud. It has a good after taste and stronger than the blonde.
Dave - very similar to the the Monumental Blonde but with a very different afterrtaste. Kind of gives off an IPA flavor but not quite as strong.
Patrick - exactly what I expect out of a light brewery beer. smooth and more flavorful than a standard light beer.


Witface
Jim - very fruity, it's a good wheat beer
Dave - You can definitely taste the citrus in this one. It's smooth to taste.
Patrick - Combination was a bit much. The orange and lemon seemed to be fighting each other.


Royal IPA
Jim - not a big fan of IPA's but if you're a fan you'll like it. It's not overly hoppy or bitter/
Dave - not as strong as I remember their IPA being. I like it!
Patrick - Impressed, hoppy, yet smooth for an IPA


Dubbel Vision
Jim - I'm honored to live in a country where I can drink a Dubbel. Beer drinkers unite.
Dave - Amazing. That's all I really need to say, but here's some more words.
Patrick - Words cannot explain how good the Dubbel is.


Nectar des Dieux Triple
Jim - The Triple is better than it used to be. It's smoother than it used to be.
Dave - There's full flavor in the Triple, but it's really just a novelty drink to me because of it's reputation of having 9% of Alcohol.
Patrick - A desert beer. It's flavorfull and smooth along with a good kick.


Belgium Blonde
Jim - I can't nail down the flavors in it, but it's a distinct Belgium beer. It's not my favorite seasonal, but the next however........
Dave - unlike the Monumental Blonde, this Blonde is full of flavor and perfect beer to go with pretty much anything
Patrick - More flavorfull than the monumental but almost too bitter of an after taste to be considered a Blonde


Dopplebock
Jim - It's yummy. Can you say Growler to go??? YES PLEASE!
Dave - Full of flavor, lots of goodness, I like this beer
Patrick - extremely flavorfull and full bodied. By far their best.


During our meal we ordered the famous Pretzels and cheese sauce as well as a plate of Lobster Mac n Cheese. Bastone Brewery over the past few years has prided itself on delivering a great menu of food and beer and they really do a great job at pleasing our group. The food was a perfect fit for the drinks, but of course since this is a beer taste testing by the Brewskies, the 3 of us have to give our thoughts on the best drink of our choice. At the end of our taste test, by unanimous decision we all decided to order a pint of the Dopplebock. The full flavor and great after taste truly separated this brew from the rest. As it is a seasonal, there is a limited time to how long you'll be able to try this for yourself, so head down to Bastone Brewery in Royal Oak at 419 South Main Street.

Merry Christmas everyone!