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Founders Bourbon Apple Cream Ale

Cream Ale

Poured a slightly cloudy dark gold color, with a typical cream white colored head. Settled quickly and left a moderate lace. Definitely less head than I'd have expected for a nitro pour. Smell is primarily that of fresh apples, though there is a hint of raisin and...urine? Some sort of mild funk at the end for sure, though whether urine is the best descriptor I cannot say. While Founders tends to make flavor-forward beers, this one was quite a bit more laid back. Has the light taste of a typical cream ale, backed with a not inconsiderable bit of apple. Sadly, the apple is not especially tart nor especially sweet. It is just there. Doesn't seem to add much. But it mostly obscures the bourbon, and in doing so mellows out too much. Slightly bitter aftertaste, though not clearly attributable to any of the above elements, nor to hops, which seemed not to get so much as a cameo role here. Much as I love Founders, this is a sub-par effort on their part. The name hooked me, as it seemed a rather ambition and original proposition. But the combo didn't work well, as the end result was a somewhat off-tasting blend of elements that served to obscure one another. It was easy enough to drink, but I can't see myself having it again.

1neutral

Abbey Belgian Style Ale

Dubbel

Poured In: Snifter Given to me as a gift (Thanks Dan!) Appearance: The pour is a copper and burnt umber color with just barely a finger of head. The beer is slightly effervescent with a few streaks of lace on the side of my glass. Smell: The nose is mostly spice with a bit of dark fruit in there as well. Not as much brown malt coming through as I was anticipating. There actually is a faint hint of alcohol that comes through. Taste: The palate picks up spice, including clove as well as some dark fruit. The fruit is a mixture of raisins and plums. The spice sits at the front of the tasting while the fruit comes in towards the end. The end also warms up a bit with the alcohol just slightly coming through. Mouthfeel: Good carbonation right out of the gate. Medium bodied. Gets more and more smooth as the beer warms up. Drinkability: This is a really nice Dubbel from New Belgium. I feel like I've been hitting spot on beer after spot on beer with New Belgium lately. I could definitely go for another one of these, but, alas, this was my only bottle.

2positive

Tilburg's Dutch Brown Ale

Belgian Dark Ale

I really wasn't expecting much from this and it wasn't too bad. Pretty simple brown malt aroma that's low on caramel, slightly sweet, slightly yeasty. Pretty nice. Pours with an excessive head. Dark amber of browns with red hues. Very simple taste. Slightly sweet malt character. Virtually no bitterness. Slight yeast taste with mild dryness. Not bad, but maybe a little too simple. Way thin and rather watery. Carbonation is good. Better than I expected. Really could be a transition beer form starters to be introduced to maltier beers.

1neutral

Hammerhead Red Ale

Irish Red Ale

Creamy, some smoke, definite aroma, amber red colour and some initial head. Sweet and sour finish. Medium mouthfeel. A bunch of good ideas that didn't work out but served anyways to give variety of tap. Part of the avoidable number of products here.

0negative

Porter

American Porter

On-tap at Faegan's in Syracuse. I'm a big fan of porters and I can't say I'm too impressed. The flavor reminded me of cushed grains and wort. It wasn't a grainy flavor so much as dusty grains. There was still a nice chocolate aroma and creamy mouthfeel, but the flavor fell flat.

1neutral

American Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Pours a murky red tinged brown with a massive tan head. There is a strong mix of sweet malts with caramel and roasted barley and a nice dose of american hops. The combination of the strong sweet caramel and the hops is absolutely delicious. The hops carry over into the taste but are more in the background, jsut providing a nice balance to counter the huge sweetness of the malts in which the caramel is still present, but the roasted barley takes over into the finish. This is a very flavorful beer, quite rich, and this would make a great session beer at only 5.6%. I must try more beers that Rogue has to offer.

2positive

Hopsichord - Beer Camp #36

American Double / Imperial IPA

I was in Chico for Thanksgiving weekend and went to the brewery to sample some beers. This is a wonderful beer - one of the best I have ever tasted. It's under the American Double/Imperial IPA style, but it's really an incredible red ale. It's strong, so it's nice to sit back on a cold day and enjoy over time. IPA/Bigfoot/Red lovers do your best to get to the brewery and try it out. You'll thank yourself.

2positive

Killian's Irish Red

American Amber / Red Lager

Simply put, this beer is not my type. I found the smell lacking (too much of a skunk-to-flavors ratio for my very sensitive nose) and this, in turn, resulted in its non-drinkability for me. To be fair about what I call skunkiness, I did not judge this once, but rather on a few separate occasions, and the result was always the same for me. Some of my friends can drink this one without hesitation, but for me, I steer clear of it.

0negative

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

American Porter

Pours deep black and brown with a thick and creamy tan head at about one inch. Slight translucent qualities displaying some shades of red near the bottom of the glass. Excellent head retention. A rush of deep roasted barley hits the nose. Surprisingly sweet and malty. Great charcoal, peat and oak tones. Additional black molasses sweetness with some malty qualities. A chocolate and vanilla finish on the nose with a constant reminder of the powerful, dark-roasted barley. Like the aromas, a huge rush of deeply roasted to almost burned barley flavors lead this porter. Dark chocolates and strong charcoal with tobacco flavor really power this out. Notes of roasted walnuts, vanilla and faint black licorice. A subtle hint of dry hops before a long, deep finish similar to a French or Italian roast coffee. Mouthfeel is creamy but not quite as viscous as typical porters. It is still thick enough to leave a nice coating on the tongue after each sip. Drinkability is probably the best of any porter I've tried. Typically this is not one of my choice styles but I would love to have Edmund Fitzgerald constantly in my refrigerator.

2positive

Camo High Gravity Lager

American Malt Liquor

Fizzy pale yellow beer. Large head. Aroma is a cross between wet cardboard and three day old garbage. It';s sweet, full of corn and watery, medicinal tasting and 8.6% alcohol, and on the bad side its only 8.6 % alcohol. This is by far the worst beer I've ever rated. I can't drink any more so the rest of this rating is from memory. Mouthfeel is thin. Finish is medicinal. Aftertaste is alcohol and sweet. Turned on the tap and garbage disposal when I poured the rest of this crap down the drain...

0negative

Liefmans Fruitesse (Fruitbier)

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

I picked this beer up at the Woodlands Spec's a week or so ago when it appeared. I like their Goudenband, so hope that this beer is as well put together. Appearance: Pours a very nice clear deep pink color with a creamy light pink head. There is a large vortex of bubbles visible, but the bubbles aren't sticking all that long once they get to the top so there is quite a bit of action on top of the head for it being so thick. A little bit of pink lace is left on the glass after drinking. Aroma: I am getting big time fresh cherries. I am not sure if this is a cherry beer, but boy there sure is a lot of cherry to this beer. There may be some subtle malt in here, but the aromatics of the syrups are in charge. There is a bit more of the a Strawberry character coming out as the beer warms up some. Taste: The taste is a little on the thin side, but the beer is only 4.2%, so it actually has quite a bit going on for being such a light beer. There is some noticeable malt in the flavor, but the syrups are still the predominant force. The mouthfeel is medium but the carbonation is quite high and the syrups are giving it a soda-pop quality to the tongue. The finish is all about the sweetness. Opinion: This is like a fruit soda for adults. It is a nice blend and well presented. That said, I don't think that I will feel the nee to pick up another one after I drink this bottle because it is way too "foo foo" for my taste. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to someone that drinks daiquiris normally and was looking to venture out a bit to a similar beer. Otherwise, if you like Lindeman's normal fruity offerings, you will definitely like this.

1neutral

St-Ambroise 20th Anniversary Vintage Ale (2009)

English Barleywine

a) Attractive burnt orange / amber. Haze-free, and bubble free also. Beige head, that leaves good lacing. s) Biscuity malt, reminiscent of irish reds and vienna lagers. Toffee, floral. t) Initially alcohol/thinner, toffee, macerated fruits, molasses/licorice, floral hoppiness, and a firm bitterness. m) Smooth, slightly oily/syrupy. d) Needs time. Approachable but angular, and not as luscious as I expect it will become.

1neutral

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

A: Pours pitch black with very small head that diminishes into a very small ring. S: The smell is fantastic! Aromas of coffee, whiskey, milk chocolate, and dark roasted malt. T: The taste mimics the nose but without any whiskey flavor which is pretty disappointing. I was expecting more milk chocolate/vanilla flavors and they are no where to be found. There's a hop/burnt malt bitterness in the finish which really wasn't what I was expecting either. M: It coats the mouth and feels about like an imperial stout. Very light carbonation at first but it shows up if you swirl it in your mouth. D: The bitter finish and the disappearing act the whiskey does in the taste plus the high ABV really don't make this very drinkable for me. I was really excited when I smelled this beer but the flavor really came up short for a bourbon aged beer. I didn't think I'd say this but I think I prefer Bourbon County Stout to this.

1neutral

Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic

Lambic - Fruit

375ml bottle, used a chianti glass for tasting. Pours a light clear red with a little bit of rose colored foam that quickly cleared. Basically no carb. Smells, well, like a little funky keeps me sniffing....trying to pinpoint what exactly I am smelling. Of course some cherry, tartness/sour. Tastes....well, like the smell, its hard to pintpoint. Some cherry tartness, sour apple, funk, while still be clean and clear. Leaves a nice sour taste, that keeps me thinking about the beer.... Mouthfeel is light, with a crisp aftertaste that is complex. The more times I try this beer, and other Lambics....the more I like them. In fact, it may be one of my favorite style of beer. Not something I can drink a ton of...but something I can drink slowly and enjoy.

2positive

Blue Moon Belgian White

Witbier

I was surprised to find that this was made by Coors as a macro because I think this one is pretty decent. Served on tap in a tall pilsner glass with a wedge of orange (I usually don't like the fruity stuff but it worked this time). A very yeasty, fruity taste that was quite refreshing. Orange and lemon flavors. Very drinkable, goes down quite nicely. Since this is one of the few good brews at my local wings restaurant, I'll be having this one again.

1neutral

De Leckere Tripel

Tripel

Best till end jun 2006 so probably quiet fresh. Is not noticable in appearance that misses finnesse. Just a litle foam and a orange/yellow color with a white clouwd in it. Nose is good, fresh, fruity. Hops there and a smell reminds all the time of peach and spring field with lots of flowers. Taste is fresh too, litle yeasty though, some malts, begins litle sweet and a dry aftertaste. Mostly hops but again litle yeast also.

2positive

Blithering Idiot

English Barleywine

I just love the name of this beer along with the label! A - Pours a deep orange brown color with a relatively thin white head on top a a mild haze. The head dissipates fairly quickly. s a S - Sweet sugar candy dominated by orange accents and hints of alcohol. A nice scent - similar to a Grand Marnier. T - Again, sweet candy like malts roll over the top of the tongue with a pleasant orange sweetness. Alcohol is definately present as it bites the sides of the tongue and leaves a spicy after taste. As this beer warms, the flavors become more pronounced and the sensed start to numb and relax. M - Dominating presence on the tongue with spices and alcohol. This spills over to the gums, but much less intense. D - At 11.1%, I only plan on having one of these bad boys. However, one can be enjoyed for a long period of time as the beer gets better as it settles. For me, that rates high on this scale. Overall an excellent representation of the class. I do prefer a bit more hops in my BW, but a still an excellent example.

2positive

Oberdorfer Hefeweizen Dunkel

Dunkelweizen

16oz. flip top bottle. Dark brown cloudy appearance, good pillowy tan head. Roasted malt, burnt caramel, dark bread aroma. Clove essence, more caramel and roasted malt flavor. slight sour/tart lemon aftertaste. Not bad, but not a favorite in this style.

1neutral

Tröegs Mad Elf

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Tasted like a common dark belgian witha faint cherry sweetness. It has a meade-like viscosity and leaves a coated feeling in your mouth, which is where the honey really shows through. Not much aroma, just a hint of sweetness. Its ok, but nothing amazing.

1neutral

Lips Of Faith - Transatlantique Kriek

Lambic - Fruit

A bright, ruby pour with a pinkish head. Looks fairly clean and clean. Faint cherry and biscuit aroma. A bit sour, some lemon zing. A cherry centered flavor combined with the yeast gives it a semi-sour cherry taste. Dry and slightly velvety on the end. Light. A bit of twang in the end as well. Pretty good drinking, but not my cup o'tea (beer)

1neutral

Samuel Adams Summer Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass. A - Poured a cloudy golden color with a head of white foam and decent lacing throughout. S - Malty aroma with a good amount of citrus pushing through in the back. T - Malty flavor upfront followed by citrus and a hint of hops in the finish. MF&D - Medium bodied with decent carbonation. A decent summer beer.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Czech Pilsener

12oz bottle poured into a Red WIne Glass. It was the 2010 edition. A: Crystal clear straw colored light golden elixir. About a finger head that dissipates rather quickly with moderate lacing that was completely gone halfway through the beer. S: Sweet maltiness followed by a floral hops smell. It was very mild. T: Malty forwards with a kiss of hoppiness in the rears. It was very subtle. It had a biscuit like aftertaste. M: It wasn't to heavy or too light it had ample amounts of carbonation. O: This is a very drinkable lager. I could easily see myself downing a 6 pack of these on a hot summer day. Very drinkable and very refreshing. I definitely will buy more of this if I can find it.

2positive

Wipeout I.P.A.

American IPA

This beer pours a nice semi cloudy amber with a 1 finger head which has incredible retention. The smell is nice for this beer, a nice citrusy nut smell. The flavor is nice, a better than average ipa but not amazing imo. It has a nice initial hop/bitter flavor followed by a very nice malt flavor but the aftertaste of dryness and bitter is not the greatest. This also affects the mouthfeel, it seems a little overcarbonated and the aftertaste is no totally pleasant. Even with its faults I could certainly see myself pounding back a few of these.

2positive

Insanity

English Barleywine

Bomber with no freshness date pours into my Samichlaus tulip a deep amber, copper color, with a one finger head. Very little retention leave traces of lace, and a thin blanket over top the glass. Aroma is massively woody, vanilla-ey, oak-ey, and alcoholic. All I really smell is the barrel this was aged in. Flavor is malty sweet, with some raw grain flavors, backed by caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, and of course, alcohol. Vanilla makes itself very well known here as well, along with raw woody flavors. I can almost feel the splinters in my toungue.... no, wait, that's the alcohol burn. Relatively dry finish, considering the sweetness up front, ends with an alcoholic burn. Mouthfeel is smooth and hot. Drinkability is low... this is a sipper. I love Weyerbacher, but I feel that they fall into the same trap as a lot of other brewers, and over extract the oak while aging. This is a decent beer, but needs a lot of time to mellow out. Usually I'm all for oak aging, experimentation, etc, but this is a bit much. Any beer that begins to taste like a mixed drink made with Vanilla Stoli, has spent too much time with the wood. I prefer regular blithering idiot over this, just as I think Old Heathen is way better than Heresy. I applaud Weyerbacher for doing what they do, but this one just needs a bit of help. Some time in the cellar will help, but when fresh, the vanilla and alcohol are just too much in my opinion. I'll have to pick up a six pack of bombers for the cellar, because this does have great potential after a few more years. Either way, Weyerbacher is one of my favorite breweries, so keep doing what you do so well!

1neutral

Brewer Patriot Collection - Traditional Ginger Honey Ale

Herbed / Spiced Beer

As part of the Brewer Patriot collection. Thisone poured a pale straw yellow with a slight haze. Carbonation was up on thisone though a average head was made with some lace but spotty. Not being a big Ginger fan, I was alittle worried going in. The aroma sends a tease of ginger and citric. The taste blasts away with ginger, lemon zest, a malty sweetness with a touch of honey. The lemon rounds out the taste and adds to the balance. Drinkability, perhaps once in awhile and only one.

1neutral

Slow-Vannah Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Deep amber gold pour. No head. Thin lace. Nice rich color though. Nose is very light citrus. Not much going on here. Good flavor for a beer this low in abv. Nice herbal citrus bite. Decently dry finish. More tart than bitter, though. Hops really come out mid glass. At 4%, the beer has a light feel. Good session drinker

2positive

Rugbrød

Rye Beer

Served from tap into a chalice. Poured dark reddish brown with a minimal off-white head. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of roasted malt and burnt bread. The flavor was of sweet malt, nutmeg, wheat, bread, and slight maple syrup. It had a medium feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall this was a very nicely balanced brew. Had a very nice aroma and flavor to it. Glad I got to try this one on tap. Definitely worth having.

2positive

Seven Mules Kick Ass Ale

American Barleywine

So, either I have no taste, or I just started drinking this beer waaaay too cold. I mean, I definitely started drinking it at fridge temperature, but wow, that is some brewing. I didn't know what style it was, and the taste reminded me of Fullers London Pride, so I figured it was an English Pale. As the beer warms, the flavor increases some, but the base stays the same. The beer feels very light and airy with a nice toffee taste dominating, with faint hints of coffee and a dash of sweet apple juice. Its size and strength don't really show and I mean that. If I didn't know better, I would think that I was drinking a 5% abv beer. Quite deadly, really. I am sure I could get a few of my friends into a lot of trouble with this guy. Wow, masterfully brewed. Light and crisp, the alcohol serves only to help dry the beer out. There is no heat to distract from the taste. The hops are muted but present -- if I were to guess, I'd say they used English hops of some variety. The fruity, leathery presence suggests that, but they are very much playing a supporting role to the toffee-malt. Wow. This beer will, as advertised, kick your ass.

2positive

Best Of Beer Camp: Weizenbock - Beer Camp #37

Weizenbock

Big thanks go to Kegatron for gifting me with all 4 of these "best of beer camp" brews. Standard stubby 12oz SN brown bottle poured into a standard pint glass. This brew appears a clouded deep orange to light brown coloration. The cap appears more than a finger strong, thick and creamy and slightly off-white. It is composed of rather large bubbles and has pretty solid retention. Patches of lace cling to the glass with every sip. The aroma right out the bottle is initially a little green and yeasty with some chlorinated and sulfuric qualities that were not all that enjoyable and distracting. As it opens up, it displays a deep fruited quality mixed with a spicy scent of cloves and faint banana notes. The fruited quality is a bit sharp almost lemony and citrus-like. More smells of the brew reveal some of the previously described sulfuric quality mingling behind the pleasant notes of this brew's nose. The smell of this brew is a perfect example of how a brew can evolve the longer it rests inside your glass and you give it time. The taste is sharp and crisp for the style. A citrus fruit quality is present that blends into the thick maltiness and more fruited quality of this brew. Suggestions of banana and mild peppery notes are throughout mixed with a spiciness of clove. This brew really lets the malt play through the background and totally focus on the yeast and alcohol characteristics. It is well balanced and quite enjoyable. The more sips I take, the more it warms up to me and I enjoy it. This is a medium to full bodied brew with a very prickly feel to the modest level of carbonation. It is hearty and warming for the style. The nearly 7% abv is not hidden at all in both flavor and warming factor down the back of the throat. This is a fairly solid representation of the style and I enjoyed it more than my reviewing score would lead you to believe. It is worth a try.

2positive

Digital IPA

American IPA

Pours a bright hazy yellow hue which leaves a nice looking two finger head and clingy lacing everywhere,the smell is typical NZ hops with aromas of honeydew,goosberries,lychee,pineapple and boiled candy it really does smell very balanced,the mouthfeel is just under medium bodied and nicely carbonated with tastes of goosberries,lychees,bubblegum,redgum honey,passionfruit,boiled candy and the finish is bittersweet and not overly bitter at all just very drinkable and overall my only regret of this brew is not getting more than the one of as it is one of the better AIPA's(or should i say NZIPA)going around at the moment and i would definately buy this again.

2positive

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Vienna Lager

Out of all the beers that can be found in the average grocery store, this one is my favorite. It shouldn't even be compared to watery macrobrews like Budweiser and MGD- it's several steps above them with both the strength and the quality of it's flavor. The difference is clear as soon as the cap comes off the bottle. The drinker is greeted with a pleasant, malty aroma as soon as it's opened. The taste is smooth and a little sweet at first, followed by a hint of dry bitterness when swallowed. The body is very full and malty. It has alot of taste, but it's also very drinkable- a great stepping stone into the world of better beers.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Czech Pilsener

Pours a crystal-clear pale gold, with swirling, effervescent bubbles and a fine, frothy white head. Pleasant flowery, citrusy aroma. Light malt flavor, slightly biscuity, with a good level of hoppy bitterness and nice grassy hop flavor. Clean, dry finish. Light bodied, easy drinking beer.

2positive

DreamWeaver Wheat

Hefeweizen

Appearance: Hazy golden beer with a slight head that quickly disappears. Smell: Spicy and fruity with a decent amount of malt. Taste: Up front is the spicy clove and green bananna flavor. The wheat and malt joins shortly after and they mingle quite well. Mouthfeel: Light medium body. Flavor does not coat the mouth very well and nice aftertaste disappears quickly. Drinkability: Decent beer. Above average but far from the best. Nice spice and low ABV make for easy drinking. Worth a try.

2positive

Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

Pours a watery looking light amber. Small white head. Expected it to smell like pumpkin, but almost no aroma whatsoever. Taste is ... awful. Some weird spice mixture, basically no pumpkin ... maybe a bit of malt. Just completely avoidable. The mouthfeel is watery.

0negative

XS Imperial India Pale Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

Painted ceramic flip top bottle. Pours a cloudy orangey amber color with thick creamy white head. Nose is loaded with hops and balanced perfectly with sweet malt and ripe fruit. Taste much like the smell is surprisingly well balanced. This is a hop lovers dream! Really good brew that ranks up there with the other top double IPAs.

2positive

Southampton Saison

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

Southampton Saison, I thought the Hampton's were in NY, not southern Belgium. Anyway, back to the beer, and what a beer this is- a gorgeous looking reddish/orange color topped with heavy, thick white/yellow foam. So far it looks like it came from Belgium, and the aroma, you just cannot get the traditional Saison aroma here in the USA, right? Well, there is peaches,tart lemons, and a slightly sweet smelling farmhouse smell that can only come from the saison source right? I am truely impressed so far. Now lets check out the flavor, that should tell us something. Fruity and lightly acidic with a light carbonation and hop bitterness in the finish. Peaches and herbs, spicy yet refreshing and the flavors became more balanced as it reached room temp, with the bitter finish blending away into the fruity body, very nice. My wife and I had nice smiles on our faces drinking this beer. I can't believe it's not from Belgium, they really recreated this well.

2positive

Guava Grove Saison

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

No bottle date. Said to be older, sour version. pours a nice hazy apricot ale with three finger of white foam. This falls and when I breath in, I get guava, guava, banana, and some sweet alcohol (like an amaretto). Nice nose. Really nice nose. Bitch be tart, nice. Some lemon, guava, hints of hay and yeast. I really like this beer and feel ill equipped to give the flavor justice. The beer was initially a little hi in carb, but fell to appropriate. Delicious beer. I heard they took the sour/funk from this. Too bad.

2positive

Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster

American Double / Imperial IPA

This beer appears seriously intimidating. It is the thickest looking, most opaque DIPA I've ever seen, being pretty much a solid, murky shade of muddy apricot. The short, white head fades immediately into a bubbly skim and leaves behind streaks of white sticky lace. While the bitter citrusy hops are definitely present in the aroma, and present in an almost astringent way. The alcohol is also clear in the nose, all but masking the rest. Taste is bursting with sweet oranges and pineapple and the malts are much more present here than in the smell. It is just sweet enough and just bready enough to provide a nice complement to the hops. The alcohol is still heavy-duty, and it comes through in bursts with every taste, throwing the overall experience off balance a little bit. The feel is thick yet still somewhat carbonated, and it leaves a tremendous amount of stickiness on the palate and lips long after the drink. Take this one slow. The heat and the sweetness don't make for a session beer.

1neutral

Tenaya Creek Hop Ride IPA

American IPA

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #51 (April 2011): Magnum and Summit hops to bitter and Cascade to dry hop, the brewery notes that this is aggressive. Hazed golden color, tight crowning of lace on the glass. Citric herbal hops nose, vaguely catty and certainly fruity. Decent malt base, big enough to hold the hop character. Smooth. Palate gets slapped around with citric flavor of juice and rind. Bitterness is very forward, but does not totally dominate. Quick taste of malt, Grape-Nuts and fresh sliced bread. Alcohol peeks out with a quick fume from the mouth and some tropical fruit. Hops stay with the palate for a good while in the semidry finish. A solid run at the style, great to see more flavorful beer in Vegas.

1neutral

Hazelnut Brown Nectar

American Brown Ale

Dark brown/ dark copper in color with a half inch beige head. Rich nutty smell with notes of malt and barley. Wonderful taste. Good carbonation and well balanced beer with a disticnt nutty finish. Incredibly smooth and easy drinking. A good standard for a brown ale, would love to consume a few if I found it on tap.

2positive

Cascade Amber

American Amber / Red Ale

A-Pours clear chestnut amber, with a thin, fizzy khaki head. Stringy lacing. S-Fairly nondescript. A trace of floral sweetness,some sweet iced tea aromas, barely anything else. T/M-Thin and watery, with fizzy carbonation. Mediocre hop profile gets lost in the grainy mess of malts. Can't tell what this beer is going for. Not assertive in its maltiness or its hoppiness. Just kind of bland and unimpressive. O-Skip it.

1neutral

Green Flash 2008 Surf's Up Symposium IPA

American IPA

A - Huge, three finger, off white head with a tinge of honey to the color. Copper colored body with good clarity. The head takes its time settling and leaves sticky lace behind. S - Spicy, fruity hops. Pepper and lemon with some floral hints of jasmine and a bit of basil. Some malt lurking in the background, when it manages to squeeze by the hops, it brings a bit of toasty caramel to the party. T - Bitter, fruity, spicy hops. Lemon-pepper, and savory herbal notes. Becomes spicy and more peppery in the middle . Strong, but not overly harsh bitterness comes in with the finish and while there is a good bit of malt in the background it is pretty well drowned out by the hops. M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a fairly dry finish. D - Strongly hoppy IPA, bordering on a DIPA. The hop character is fantastic, especially in the nose, and the bitterness is neither harsh nor overwhelming, but rather refreshing.

2positive

Chimay Première (Red)

Dubbel

Nice color, but the carbonation was over done. Appeared to suffer from chill haze, much to my surprise concidering the reputation this line of beer has. Now as for aroma, concider that a warning. If it smells bad it'll taste bad. But no, I had to taste it. Also had to wash my mouth out. I know there are people out there who might think this is one fine brew. I will not be one of those. There are many reasons why the Trappist Monks were single. We need to add to the list, one awful brew.

0negative

Orval Trappist Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

A: Amber orange in color with 2+ fingers of foam (that lasts forever). S: The nose is yeasty and a little funky with some tart apple notes. T: I pick up an ever so slight tartness, along with yeast and that subtle barnyard/wet hay funk. This is not necessarily bitter or sweet/malty in any way that I can tell. M: The body is on the lighter side, with a high level of carbonation and a dry finish.. D: One of the more "interesting" Trappist beers

2positive

Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR)

American Adjunct Lager

well, after hearing how people liked this beer compared to the other big macro's I thought I would give it a try. At first it looked like any other macro beer, little smell, very bubbly. When i first tasted it I thought, this tastes like every average light beer, however my mind changed after it got a little air and warmed slightly. Suddenly i could taste some light malt, and a slight wheat flavor, it is more complex than most macro's. While this is still not a terrific beer, it is amazing for the price. $6.50 for a 12pk, pretty cheap. Even if it was the same price as bud, or bud light, i would probably still buy it over those. It has better character. Overall, its not really anything special, but quite good for a cheap macro beer.

1neutral

Samuel Adams Honey Porter

English Porter

Appearance: Pours out a dark brown body with burgundy highlights and a medium-sized tan head. Smell: Light aroma of honey and roasted malt. Taste: Honey sweetness dovetails with a light coffee flavor and hints of dark chocolate. For me, there's no appreciable hop character, just a minor hop bite near the end. However, this beer finishes sweet. Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Tingy, lively carbonation. Drinkability: Though somewhat artificial tasting, this beer gives the impression of buttersctoch candy. Seems overly filtered, too.

2positive

Railbender Ale

Scottish Ale

12oz bottle into a pint glass. Appearance was amber with a slight orange cast, 1/2 inch off-white head that dissipated quickly, with mild lacing. Smell was nothing special. Earthy malts with a mildly fruity undertone. Taste is a little better than the nose. A little grainy with a certain breadiness to it, still getting a slightly dark fruit undertone that is quickly overpowered by a mild hop bitterness that lingers in the mouth. Medium bodied, good carbonation, coats the mouth. A drinkable beer, especially considering the reasonable price. Wouldn't go out of my way for it, but wouldn't turn one down if offered.

1neutral

St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stout

Wow! It was like drinking soy sauce!No roasted coffee hints,none!Good color no head at all,it was sour pungent just horrible.Age obviosly got to this beer Iam not sure how it found its way down here in NC but Iam sure it had been siting there for awhile,I will retry at some point and re-review.

1neutral

Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Sent to me by my soon-to be boss (how lucky am I?) -- Opaque black with a very faint espresso crema head. Smells of rich chocolate, earth and tobacco. Fabulous legs. Swirl this one and see this stout cling to your glass for dear life. Cigar City is chasing down the wine snob in me with this one! Sticky sweet and perhaps the most intense, hardcore chocolate note I've come across yet in an imperial stout. The creamy smooth finish is divine. Notes of bittersweet chocolate, molasses, and cocoa. Extremely tasty. Incredible. A monster. And would make a lovely dessert beer paired with your best dark chocolate and dried cherries.

2positive

Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

Dark orange and copper in color, with a bright white head of less than a finger. Lacing is moderate. Fresh floral hops on the aroma, citrus, and a bit a booze. Holy bitterness, Batman! Intense..with citrus, slight sweetness and some alcohol burn. Despite the intensity, the alcohol is not hidden well enough. Feel is medium in body, slick and smooth, with a little bit of crispness Drinkability is middle of the road for me. It's definitely intense, but maybe too intense, and it's not balanced enough. Finishing the bomber was easy enough, but the buck stops there.

1neutral

Samuel Adams Boston Ale (Stock Ale)

American Pale Ale (APA)

On draft as the Pizzaria Uno's in Fairfield CT. Thanks to BA.com I knew the true identity of "Uno's Amber Ale" before ordering it. Color was an medium amber, with a faint red tinge - very minor. Lots of lacing down the side. Smell was indistinguishable. Pretty much just a beer. The glass was pre-frosted, which I think dampened any smell. Taste was malty, slightly sweet, with mild hop throughout. Slightly watery in the mouthfeel. It was a good beer - wholly unremarkable, but one I could see drinking more than once. Being there with the kids, I stayed away from the 20 oz. option, but would have enjoyed the extra had I not.

1neutral

Moylans Dragoons Dry Irish Stout

Irish Dry Stout

Picked this up as a very nice birthday gift. Poured from a bomber into a pub glass. Off a semi rigerous pour 1 iches of tan foam builds. Slow to recede, leaving a solid cap of retention and even coatings of lace all around. Black in appearance with no light penetration, but some very small amounts of glowing crimson at the edges of the glass. Aroma is of charred roasty grains, bitter chocolate, malted milk balls and just a little bit of coffee. Mouthfeel is actually surprising to me, here I expected something thin and over carbonated. This one is semi thick with plenty of full bodied creaminess and mild carbonation. Excellent feel, I've had so many dry stouts that were like water and way over carbonated. But this one, this one is special. Taste is also great, plenty of charred grain flavors, dark unsweetened chocolate and more malted milk balls with a very mild black licorice molasses flavor in the background. This is not overwhelming though, no nagging off flavors, no over abundance of charred burnt flavors. This is spot on for the style. I guess its because I've had so many terrible dry stouts in the past, I have been turned off to the style as a whole. But now the tables have turned. I really enjoyed this beer.

2positive

Cantillon Saint Lamvinus

Lambic - Fruit

Pours out a clear burgandy with two fingers of white suds. Smell is so strong,you can smell it in the other room. Strong apple cider with orange and lemon peel. Sweet Tart dryness attacks the nose. With repeated shaking I get a dark cherry aroma. Taste sour grape skins, orange peel and sour green apple with just a hint of sugary dark cherry candy. Mouthfeel is excellent. While the carbonation goes away quickly, the fruitiness bombards the tip of the tounge and excites the rest of the mouth with a heavy aftertaste of sour apple/grapes.The oilyness stays with the mouth for quite a while. I know it's expensive but I could drink this over an over. My daughter-in-law says it is much better cold.

2positive

Ybor Gold Gaspars Porter

English Porter

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. a - Poured a dark brown with about an inch of light brown head that had no retention. No carbonation evident. s - Smells of sticky sweet dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, and some roasted malts. t - Actually tastes a bit sour. Also some roasted malts and maybe sour fruits. Hints of chocolate. m - Medium body and light carbonation. d - Wasn't a big fan of this porter. The smell was pretty good but wasn't digging the sour taste it had to it. Wouldn't look to have again.

1neutral

Black Cuillin

Scottish Ale

500 ml bottle, bought at Vinens Verden, Odense, Denmark. Very dark brown with a reddish hue, decent light tan head. Moderate but very pleasant aroma of roasted barley and oatmeal, hints of dark chocolate and liquorice, seaweed, tar and woodwork. Roasty flavour with distinct elements of tar and peaty smoke, notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Cant detect the honey, not very sweet. Mouthfeel is acceptable but could have been fuller. Moderate roasty aftertaste. All in all an enjoyable brew.

2positive

Provisions Series: Salt Of The Earth

Gose

Pours a light honey color, hazy as it sits in the glass. Highly effervescent, the head rises about two fingers high and retains well. There's a pretty unmistakable earthy truffle scent, faint saltiness, coriander, a touch of lactic acid and raw grain. Pretty solid nose, though I'd like the truffle dialed back a little bit. The palate is better balanced. Both sour and salty, though only mildly so, with fairly integrated truffle and coriander. The foundation of the beer reminds me of a Belgian wit; it's grainy, bready, leaning toward dry, and a little milky. The finish is very mild, spices lingering a bit, but it's otherwise pretty clean and doesn't exhibit any bitterness. Unique and enjoyable overall, though it could be better with a few tweaks. Hopefully they keep working on this one.

1neutral

Chimay Tripel (White)

Tripel

750 ml into a Chimay Goblet A - Pours an extremely hazy dark golden to almost brown color. Very strong head, off white in color. Apparently very carbonated. S - Loads of grainy pilsner malt and just a hair of a belgian yeast ale strain in the background - almost bready at times. Just a bit of phenolic undertones. T - Starts off with a pilsner malt note, sweet and yet grainy and husky. Mid-stream gets more dry, some alcohol burn. No hopping comes through to me. Finishes with a very strong bread yeast note that is immediately bombed with more pilsner malt flavors. Finishes with a dry, bitter aftertaste. M - Very strong carbonation, very effervescent. Stinging to the tongue at times. Beer itself has a warming effect to the tongue, but otherwise finishes pretty clean. D - I need to decant this beer more - it's very filling due to its strong carbonation. ABV will sneak up on you, but is obviously hidden - not boozy. Flavors are dry enough that this may be a one and done beer. A beer that is much better on draught to me. It just doesn't feel the same out of the bottle - which could be a freshness issue.

1neutral

Clarens Blonde

English Pale Ale

550ml bottle 4,5% Abv Appearance: Clarens Blonde pours a typical light golden colour with a good sized white head that unfortunately doesnt last very well and leaves only sparse lace. Smell: Fairly average for a blonde ale, lightly fruity, biscuity malt and a touch of floral hops. Taste: Very similar to the smell, biscuity malt dominates with a pleasant floral hop finish. Mouthfeel: Light body, medium low level carbonation. Perfect for the style. Overall: Actually one of the best blonde ale I have had to date. Perfect for a hot summer's day and a great starting drink for a macro lager drinker. It is however a little low on flavour and complexities for a seasoned craft beer drinker.

1neutral

Brutal Bitter Ale

American IPA

Tasted this beer on cask at the BSF bar, GBBF 05. It truly was sensational served by the handpump. When it was very fresh the effervescent off-white beer head just non-stoppingly grew inside the glass, and sustained well. We barstaff were even instructed to serve half-pint of this beer only in a pint glass, and it seemed no full-pint was available for the same reason! The aroma is complex, lots of marmalade, juicy zesty and perfumy hop and fruit-ester note covering a bed of sweetish, toffeeish malty body and deeply sweet honey-like aroma, while a deep-running diacetyl aroma was also apparent, if I was not misled. I personally found it a bit overly sweet, but had to take it as natural part of this heavenly nectar. The palate was truly enjoyable and satisfying--upfront was "brutal", oily attack of aromatic hops along with mixed fruity tastes brought by hops as well. The malts were bold and toffeeish, but much less aggressitve than the nose suggested and provided a thick platform to buttress the heavy hoppy dance. A profound, vertical bitterness lingered from half-way through the sipping towards the very last second of the drink, providing perhaps the best part of this beer. Overall the body is thick and bold but the mouthfeel remained rounded and at times creamy, due to the bubbly texture brought about by the hand-pull I suppose. I must say I truly enjoyed this precious pint on cask, as it doesn't happen every day that you get to drink a pint of American beer on cask this side of the pond. Excellent ESB!!!

2positive

Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Pours a deep black with a generous amount of thick brown head. Head is long lasting and leaves a huge amount of lacing down the glass. Smell is big and bold, lots of earthy roasted coffee scents with maybe a bit of chocolate underlining it. Taste is also big on coffee flavor. The thought of drinking a batch of chocolate flavored coffee beans comes to mind. A dull bitterness finishes it off, leaving a coffee aftertaste in the mouth. For the style it's great. For me... well I am not much of a coffee fan, so the bold coffee flavors are a bit of a turn off, hampering drinkability.

1neutral

Eylenbosch Faro Extra

Faro

8/12/2011 Thanks, Evan. 1988 vintage. A: Dark orange with a small white cap. S: Lots of plastic with a littlechlorine. Notes of sugary cherry and raspberry. Earthy funk, as well as some leather. T: Sugary cherry with light plastic notes. Light tartness. Finish displays nice raspberry notes with drying oak. M: Lower medium body with high carbonation. Overall: This is beyond its prime, but it was still enjoyable and nice to try.

1neutral

Abbaye Des Rocs Grand Cru Belgian Special Brown

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

This had a great cherry and cotton candy aroma on the nose. The beer has a nice head on it with the color hinting at cherries as well. The cherry was a little less apparent in the flavor but the candy sugar flavor ther, almost a brown sugar flavor. It was a little too sweet almost.

1neutral

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen

Rauchbier

In short, think of liquid smoked bacon! Or you would experience a smoke chamber/ cold campfire on your taste buds. The smoke smell is just slighty and gives away that something new to your taste will happen. Freshly tap'ed the smoke strikes much better than in the bottle but it is dominant in the background. Touch of maltiness is on top of the dark smoked beer. As a wheat it is a bit low on the carbonation side but still offers the refreshing drinking. Schlenkerla is a beer for food! Real german leverwurst, or smoked bacon, fresh dark bread (wodden fire), or simply a bretzel and butter. The on-tap experience is worth to travel to Bamberg!

2positive

Founders Blushing Monk

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Got this one from czoch75, cheers Clint! Pours burgundy with an inch of purpley-pink head. Traces of lacing & head retention S: Raspberries by the bushel T: Much tartness, dryness & sweet raspberry up front. Dryness & tartness rule the day as this warms & along with more berry & a touch of vinaigrette, plus some oaky dryness. Finishes dry, with a touch of oak & vinaigrette. Almost pulled a 4.5 MF: Medium bodied, slightly sticky & low carbonation Drank alright, the tartness & dryness hold me back, this kind of reminds me of of an Imperial version of new Galrus' Raspberry, tart. Sometimes less is more, this would be a fantastic beer to pair with foods. My wife would love this, but she's been asleep for an hour, here loss, will save her some, maybe...

1neutral

Scratch Beer 1 - 2007

California Common / Steam Beer

from maltygoodness and the Summer Sipper BIF a - poured a one finger thick white and bubbly head into a snifter that left good sheeting and lace throughout, this really coats the glass. the body was a hazy yellow-orange color. s - muted oranges, bananas, a malt sweetness and grainy hops. t - very light (but refreshing) tones of earth and citrusy hops. m - medium thickness with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. d - goes down easily and is a nice and refreshing change of pace.

2positive

Ranger

American IPA

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Appearance: The beer poured a one finger head that has reduced and left some great lacing on the side of the glass. It's a very clear orange with some bubbles coming up through the glass. Smell: citrus and grapefruit on the nose. All followed by sweet malts. Taste: More of that grapefruit and citrus in the taste. Nice caramel malts balance this beer out well. Even noticing some bready malts too. Mouthfeel: Smooth, a little chewy, medium carbonation, medium to full bodied. Overall: Well, I enjoyed this beer out in Denver last week and happy it made it back here to Boston in my suitcase. Will be requesting some friends to bring home some bottles of this if they are passing through. A very well balanced and easy drinking IPA.

2positive

Columbus Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Got this growler from nursingbeer. Thanks, Molly! Psyched to try a new (for us) Town Hall beer. A-Clear pale gold with a creamy white head and some good sticky lacing. S-Strong blast of citrus hops (this is an APA?), floral hops and pungent parmesan cheese. Nice! T-Strong citrus and floral hop bitterness from start to finish. As in the nose, way hoppy for an APA but quite tasty. A little light on the malt perhaps but quite flavorful and delicious, M-Medium bodied, strong lingering bitterness. Thoroughly coats the tongue. D-A unique but delicious beer. Lots of hoppy goodness and quite nicely bitter. Very happy to have had the chance to try this one. HV

2positive

Trois Pistoles

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

This is the brew that got me hooked on the style. The price point is right and availability is awesome. It is really great to see it get some props. Bottle poured into its proper challis produced a wonderful off white head that trails to a perfect amount of lace. The body of the brew has some great colors the edge of the brew is almost orange and the body of the brew is dark brown to black. You get a huge amount of dark fruits coming from it. Dates, plums and raisins come to mind not only in the nose but in the flavor as well. This is the closest brew I have ever had that reminded me of a port wine. You get that complex sweet fruity taste the just get better as it warms. The mouthfeel even comes off like a good port, thick and rich. Yup a great brew worth the time to try. It is a fantastic desert brew. The price cant get any better for the quality of the brew.

2positive

Hite Prime

American Adjunct Lager

The appearance is lacking very much, the head has completely dissapeared and the golden color is light and transparant. Smells like a sweet lager with some off flavor that I cannot identify. The smell isn't even very strong. The taste is reminescent of an american macro lager with a super clean finish and an off flavor that is found in many macro lagers. Mouthfeel is watery and hardly carbonated, but does go down clean and smooth.

0negative

Xingu Black Beer

Schwarzbier

Xingu came in a light weight 12 ounce bottle. The color was opaque chocolate brown with some coppery hue. The aroma was weak with whiffs of chocolate and the head was not impressive. The taste was chocolatey with traces of molasses. A decent hop bite livened it up a bit. The mouthfeel was a litle oily and the finsh was dry and unexciting. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe some exotic Brazilian tastes. In the end I was just a little disappointed with this beer.

1neutral

LongShot Cranberry Wit

Witbier

Why, why, why the cranberry addition? This would be a decent Witbier without it. Nice white fluffy, rocky head over a cloudy orange-amber body, leaving decent lacing. Pretty enough beer. Smell has an odd soapy note, not too strong, but not too pleasant either. The cranberry is evident alongside the mild wheaten aroma. Taste is just a bit too sour-fruity. Malted wheat is there, but the cranberry is too present. Mouthfeel is good: crisp and round at the same time as a malted-wheat beverage should be. Drinkability is easy enough at 5.0%, but there is too much cranberry going on here in an otherwise pretty good beer.

1neutral

Wipeout I.P.A.

American IPA

From the beer engine, baby! Love the "show" you get from the cask! Perfect pour, three layers of colors. Nice amber pale ale color, when it settles down. short head lasts, and coats the sides with a nice sticky lace. Nice aroma, the surrounding pizza smells may have diminished this. Great hoppy flavor. Hope they bottle [and that bottles can make it up California] when they get the new brewery online.

2positive

Jai Alai IPA - Cedar Aged (Humidor Series)

American IPA

Pours a mildly hazy, yellowed orange with a fair amount of white foamy head that lingers. The nose is very faint, consisting mostly of peppery spice with a little bit of citrus. I have never had the Jai Alai to compare, but I can definitely get a good idea from drinking the one. The wood seems to mellow out the hop profile which doesn't hit you up front, but the grapefruit notes definitely linger on the backside of the brew. Loads of pepper in this brew. The cedar certainly makes for one interesting brew. Medium body and a somewhat bubbly feel. This beer is very drinkable, but I don't know if I could drink them back to back.

2positive

Henry Weinhard's Blonde

American Pale Lager

A: twist of top was lifeless, no snap or crack. The body is touch darker than a adjunct or macro lager. The color is a deep wheat straw color with a bone white head in the fizziest order. No head retention or lacing S: malted barley in the nose, light toastedness. Maybe one or two kernels of corn present. A touch of grassy hops help move things along T: tastes more like a straightforward macro lager than it smells, this is not saying much though. The body is slightly maltier and slapped with some hoppy bitterness. A few crushed and dry corn flakes have free roam about the tongue. Slight honey sweetness to top things off...not a winner M: light, airy and fizzy with relatively nice mouthfeel dimensions for the style. Pretty clean overall D: nothing is getting me roused about this brew. Drinkable and average

1neutral

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

English Brown Ale

Pours true to the type, a brown or perhaps a dark copper color. Modest head retention. The smell is modest, with hints of nuts and wood. The tastes are subtle. They start with the typical English ale fruitiness (maybe some plum or grape?) followed by a touch of almond. Nothing overbearing. A straightforward example of the style and another solid offering from Samuel Smith's.

2positive

Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale

Flanders Oud Bruin

A - Pours dark red into a pint class, with a big head that dissipates quickly into some nice lacing. S - Smells sweet and sour, with mild vinegar notes, not as floral as I would hope. T - Tart and sour, fruit-apple, cherry, maybe even some grapes in there. If you taste a nice swig and breathe out before swallowing your really taste the sweet mats of this brew. M - Pretty thick beer, but the high level of carbonation really offsets that. Overall rather nice. D - This is a nice beer that's worth trying, probably wouldn't have more than 2 in a row though.

1neutral

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Rauchbier

I studied in Bamberg, Germany for a year and this was by far the best and most distinct beer to come out of that famous brewing town. Many brews in Europe and abroad have tried to replicate this recipe, but it's quite exceptional. The color is mostly brown with some reddish-brown elements and a rather large head. The smell is immediately the first thing to truly reach your senses and smells like bacon or pork. It goes down smooth and has exceptional taste, but beware it definitely leaves a strong reminder in your mouth long after consumption. I highly recommend drinking this beer with a traditional German pork dish, such as Schweinebraten, Wuerstchen or Haxe. The beer can also be used to flavor foods when cooking. This beer is truly one of a kind.

2positive

Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic

Lambic - Fruit

375ml bottle with a bottled-on date of April 18, 2011. Right after I popped the top, the cork started slowly sliding out of the bottle, so, needless to say, there was plenty of carbonation on the pour. It's a bright hazy reddish pink with a big fizzy pinkish head that recedes to a bubbly collar quickly. Aroma is definitely Cantillon with the wet hay and lactic acid character that I'm used to in their beers. There are some sweet cherries in there as well which keep the acidity from getting overpowering. Taste is much less funky than I was expecting with more acidity and a lot more tannins, much drier and oakier than the aroma suggests. Less cherry than the aroma as well. The finish is where the earthy funk comes out a little, with the wet leather and oak lingering. Mouthfeel is well-carbonated and light bodied making it very drinkable. This is one of the more drinkable Cantillons I've had but lacks the complexity of some of the others, like the Lou Pepe Kreik I had last week. Decent beer.

2positive

Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic

Gueuze

November 2009 Bottle, poured into Bruery Tulip Glass. Appearance: Golden Blonde, medium lasting white head. Smell: Sour, horse blanket, bell pepper, spicy. Taste: Tart, Sour, classic lambic base. Overall: Good sour beer, no fruit flavors or other additives.

2positive

Slam Dunkel

Weizenbock

No wonder I couldn't find this in my fridge when looking-I was looking for a Victory bottle-DUH! Muddy brown and red in color. Not much carbonation here. Very pleasant banana and clovey aroma. Heavy banana flavor-fairly malty with a slight bitterness. The sweetness and heavy banana might be overdone but I like it. Very smooth body-fuller then expected. Not as "quenching" as a regular weizen. Very good and enjoyable beer. I'd sail again.

2positive

Organic Hefe-Weizen

Hefeweizen

A - Nice sized white head with little retention on a hazy yellow body. S - Aroma of wheat with a slight bubble gum note and a bit of pepper. T - Sour wheat, some pepper. Not a lot of yeast character; pretty weak overall. M - Thick body, high carbonation, and a sweet finish. D - Pretty dead and sour. Not pleasant. I don't know this to have been mistreated, but for the sake of the brewer, I hope it was a bad bottle.

1neutral

La Rullés Triple (Bière De Gaume)

Tripel

Pink orange with a nice foam agrume. Hops slightly fruity nose but also to the mouth. Easy to drink, which is surprising for a beer in this category. Delicate and soft palate at first but soon resumed his duties bitterness, so persistent and powerful, and has spread into the palace next to it with a drug, which gives a freshness and an explosive finish of long, while citrus and hops.

2positive

In-Heat Wheat

Hefeweizen

This beer looks like a typical hefeweizen, yellow and cloudy. The head was pure white. The aroma is very artificial, like plastic almost. The taste is almost exactly same, very artificial tasting. This beer is also a little heavier than other hefeweizens I've had. All in all, just not very good, I'd recommend any other hefeweizen over this one.

0negative

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Winter Warmer

Pours a cystal clear copper color with a tight one finger head which gives way to almost nothing. There are strings of lace left on the glass. The aroma has a biscuit malt backbone with hints of honey, ginger, and cinnomon. There is also a hint of spruce and piney hops. The taste follows suit, there is a biscuit malt backbone with a cinnomon and a big ginger taste to it. At the very back end the ginger gives way to a spruce hop bite. The mouthfeel is moderately carbonated and slightly dry. Overall it is a solid beer, near the top of the class, but not the top of the class.

1neutral

Titan IPA

American IPA

Here's an IPA with some remarkable qualities. Pours with a ruddy copper color. A little bit murky, but not too much so. A loose bubbly head forms and falls, fairly normal for the style. Minimal lace. A big, welcoming nose grabs my attention. It's not sharp like some other IPA's can be, it's more earthy. But it gets my attention right away. A little bit floral, some orangey-citrusy aromas.. nothing you haven't smelled before. But it's the delivery that makes this one a winner. This is another well built ale from Great Divide, from the app. to the nose, etc.. Its medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel, with some sweet maltiness, citrus, bitter, pucker.. all the IPA bases are covered. A [very] good choice for this style.

1neutral

Tucannon Honey Wheat

American Pale Wheat Ale

Tucannon is a community just north of Dayton where a bevy of wind turbines has recently cropped up. I took an excursion to the area and watched with boyish glee as the three-fingered monsters spun gently in the breeze. One of my former bylines is that I used to promote wind energy and I absolutely love those things. Columbia County also grows a phenomenal abundance of wheat including the Madsen winter wheat that combines with local thistle honey to create this beer. This is an opaque, gray-apricot beer with gruff, grainy contours. The wheat contributes no head or lace. There is a vague funky aroma that seems out of place and carries over to the taste slightly, though not enough to bring it down. A refreshing beer but a bit cloying at the perimeter.

1neutral

Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Served in a chilled glass Appearance - pours a hazy deeper straw colour, some good carbonation occurring. head is a white fluffy head, about 2 fingers. some good lacing. Smell - i can smell some hops, pine and a little sweet, possibly from caramel. also, thinking there is a little alcohol in the smell. taste - i can taste a sweet pine in this beer, not much in the citrus side at all. taste is almost very blan, not much happening. mouthfeel - lotta of pine comes fwd in this beer, there is a good level of mouthfeel. Again, found this to be a dry tasting beer, nothing refreshing. drinkability - wasnt sure what to expect with this beer, it didnt over impress but was ok.

1neutral

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

Witbier

A-Cadmium Orange colored...minimal head S-Light fresh blackberries covered in sugar...a good Malted wheat aroma too T-Interesting...don't get any real whit beer notes....tastes more like an American Wheat flavored with blackberries. The blackberries are subtle and not overpowering or artificial. I'm not quite sure on the variety but my best guess would be Marion Blackberries from Oregon. M-Medium to light medium bodied...decent carbonation D-I've got mixed thoughts on this one...an OK berry flavored beer but I was hoping for much more with the combination of blackberries and whit beer base...decent enough as a fruit beer but does not have any whit beer characteristics. Never the less I'm just about drooling thinking about pairing this with a fresh lobster salad.

1neutral

Scratch Beer 38 - 2010 (IPA #2 Of 4)

American IPA

Picked up a couple bottles of this Scratch at the Splinter Black release. I'm enjoying this current one while chewing on a Tofurkey and cheese sandwich. Pretty sure that makes this beer vegetarian. It pours a rich and clear bubbly amber with minimal head but substantial lacing and body. When I smell it, I get mostly pine, touch of malts, and a big blast of... not much at all. It's very subdued. The taste isn't hoptastic either. Tame, really. I can't complain; after all that's how I like IPA's the most. Still I always look for an East Coast IPA that can compete with the West Coast big boys. Where is my Notorious I.P.A.? Not to be found in a bottle of Troegs Scratch 38. But if you're looking for a pleasurable and easy drinking brew with a 7.7% abv and a medium body, you won't be disappointed.

2positive

Molson Canadian Lager

American Adjunct Lager

Had this on draft with dinner. Golden yellow color with little head. Crisp clean flavors. Tastes a little of straw and grass. Pretty mellow flavor. More dry than sweet in flavor. Mouthfeel is smooth. Was pretty drinkable with a spicey ham sandwich, coleslaw and fries.

1neutral

Coors Light

Light Lager

From a gigantic 24oz. code blue, cold activated, wide mouth, vented, can with frost brew liner. Poured into my Sam Adams glass. I figured I could use the added bubble release to promote some sort of aroma. Pours an extremely pale golden color with a one inch bright white head. Head disappears immediately leaving no trace of it's existence. The aroma is very weak. Pale sweet malt can be discerned, slightly bready and almost boozy which is amazing for 4.2%! The taste is worse than I remember. Pale malt gives a bit of bread, but the adjuncts shine in this beer. Rather sweet too. Just horribly put together. Mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with tons of carbonation. Drinkability is fairly low. It's definitely sessionable, but it's just not good. I really find it hard to stomacht his brew, and doubt I'll make it through the rest of the can.

1neutral

La Rullés Triple (Bière De Gaume)

Tripel

Hazy peach color, very fine-bubbled and attractive head rises to almost an inch on a medium hard pour. Laces very thickly, in big sheets at first. Sweet aroma, slightly dusty, golden delicious apple that's gone too mealy. Very subtle carbonation, mouthfeel about medium. Strange flavor, papery and sweet, a strong and weird emphasis on cardammon, a bit of apple but also salt water taffy. Slight hops mid mouth, unproofed yeast sludginess and a slight off aftertaste. I don't like this one much in or out of style. Not a big sense of alcohol, seems decently hidden.

1neutral

Poperings Hommel Bier

Belgian IPA

Poured from the 330ml capped bottle into a Duvel tulip glass. Body is a slightly cloudy golden color with orange highlights, topped by a bubbly stark white head that recedes quickly, leaving a bit of pretty lacing in its wake. Aroma of sweet Euro malt, herby Belgian yeast, and spicy Euro hops. Notes of pineapple, grass, and a touch of clove peek through. Palate is mainly semi-sweet, lightly fruity pale malt, with a muted presence of Euro hops and a touch of grass hanging around somewhere in there. Body is substantial enough to firmly hold the alcohol content, but can be foamy on the swallow if you're not careful. I don't know, I guess I was expecting more out of this beer. Not bad, but not something I'll go for very frequently.

1neutral

Blue Moon Belgian White

Witbier

Blue Moon Belgian White... Appearance-hazy orange gold, medium white head, ok build. Smell-orange, mild hop, malt, alcohol, not getting much coriander (as advertised) Taste/Mouthfeel- Subtle and light, orange is dominant. Watery backbone, ok taste which makes the fact that it's one dimensional easier to take, good smoothness. Drinkability-depends on how much you like orange. Overall-not bad at all, not my favorite version of the style but sometimes in a macro bar this is the best beer you come across. Decent job, I'll give credit where it is due.

1neutral

Racer 5 India Pale Ale

American IPA

{_,.-~| on-tap @ NoVA BrewFest |~-.,_} A: Pours a ruddy golden color with a creamy beige head. Heavy lace on the glass with minimal lacing on the head. A mild haze clouds the beer. S: Lots of citrus on the nose along with pine and mild grassy tones. A noticeable whiff of sourness and mild malty sweetness. A very noticeable bitter aroma. T: Pine and grass come on strong along with an herb-like flavor that is well rounded by moderate sourness and mild but very crisp candy sugar sweetness. There seems to be a mild tinge of oak along with buttery notes and pineapple. A delicate lemon-lime taste plays along the background. M: The pine lingers fairly heavily and for quite some time and the sourness quickly drops off. There is a noticeable iron tinge, but not overwhelmingly so. A moderate to heavy body. D: A very good example of an IPA that I would definitely try again. y only real complaint was the mouthfeel felt somewhat lacking against the strong and complex flavors.

2positive

Half-E-Weizen

Witbier

Translucent lemon-amber topped by a large, cotton white head that appears dense, yet soft. Holding the bottle up to the light confirms that there's a yeast blizzard lurking, ready to rumble on subsequent pours. The foam is firmer and stickier than originally thought and plasters itself to the glass with a great deal of enthusiasm. A wonderful witbier nose with hops-a-plenty. Leave it to Rogue to improve on any given style by adding more hops. The aroma is both lemon citrusy and spicy, effectively smothering any hint of actual wheat. Saaz are the only hops listed and I'll take the brewers at their word. That said, this is one of the best Saaz-only noses in recent memory. There's plenty of coriander as well for those who aren't sure what that herb smells like. Ginger. That was my first thought when beer and taste buds met. There's more to the flavor profile of course, but first impressions suggest that Half-E-Weizen is a little ginger heavy. The hops don't give way, but fight the good fight against the spices and herbs. The flavor doesn't change appreciably once the yeast is added to the glass... still a bit too much ginger. This beer is bolder than most witbiers; a good thing as far as I'm concerned. It's lightly sweet, especially on the finish, but is predominantly a bitter wit due to the generous amount of hops. A zippy amount of carbonation lightens the medium body/mouthfeel and enhances drinkability. As always, Rogue succeeds by being bold and hop heavy. Half-A-Weizen may not be a classic wit, but it's a damn good one.

2positive

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

05/13/05- Purchased at Beverages and More in Redwood City, CA Presentation- 11 oz bottle with an unclear date stamped on the back label. Poured into my LaChouffe tulip. Appearance- A cloudy golden pour with a small head and adequate lacing. Smell- Ugggghhhh, at first I couldn't put my finger on the scent, but I knew it was one I have smelled before and did not like. After tasting one sip I knew what it was....green olive or a martini like drink. Taste- I took two sips of this and regret both of them. The first was to determine what the smell was (I pretty much knew this was going to get dumped from the smell) and the second just to make sure. Pure martini with loads of green olives. Two things that I despise most in the world and makes it even worse when it's in my beer. I am literally going to have nightmares about opening good beers and having them taste like this now. Thanks Hitachino!!! Mouthfeel- Seeing how I almost vomited after drinking these two sips, the mouthfeel doesn't hold up to well. Pretty heavily carbonated too. Drinkability- I guess if you like beer that tastes like martini's this is your style. I read lots of reviews that said it tasted like saki at first taste. I have never had saki, so I can't judge on that point. But, I did read at least one person who had the same exact smell and taste experience that I did. This is 100% not my style and I apologize if this brings down the average. The only positive things I have to say about this beer is that it doesn't look that bad in a glass and at the very least it's way better than Crazy Ed's Chili Beer. Which truthfully means you can eat human excrement and it would still be better than Crazy Ed's. So, I guess that's not saying much at all. I'll remember this beer for a long time, but I'll try my best not to hold it against Hitachino because I have had a few of their beers that have been just fine if not actually dare I say....good!

0negative

LongShot Mile High Barley Wine Ale

American Barleywine

A- Pours a hazy reddish color with a thin white head. Not to much retention and little lacing. S- Smell is caramel malts, plums, raisins and a bit of hops. More fruity than I expected. T- Taste is a lot sweeter than I expected. Burnt sugar, plums everywhere, sweet malts and just a tiny bit of bitterness from the hops. Alcohol is hidden very well. M- Medium in body and carbonation. Feels pretty good. D- Not to bad to drink. Maybe just a bit too sweet for me.

1neutral

Gonzo Imperial Porter

Baltic Porter

for the Appearance: -- This Baltic babe is one burnt beauty; really, it was as if some bloke were to spit up his chewing tobacco in a pint glass, and further its wonderment by adjoining a great lace, and a rocking carbon dioxide wake, as well as a few card tricks. Yes. for the Smell: -- Roasted malted barley, goat butter, oddly enough, and astringent cracked coffee beans. for the Taste: -- Acrimonious, and pushy; the astringent coffee bean collision was high-in command; the chocolate malts, well, how could you forget them? Also as well, I had strange vibes reminiscing instinctively throughout of a chicken casserole dinner; what could it mean now? ...what could it mean... for the Mouthfeel: --Really lustrous and big big BIG... too big, even; like sloshing through a syrupy breakfast cereal combination; it isn't much on the sweetened notes, but those that are seen, are...well, a bit "too" chaotic, I'd say; I mean this is essentially slosh the thickest damned cider you can find, but instead of apples to use, it's plums... Yes, its mouthfeel is a a wallop... a wallop with a nose-piercing riding a motorcycle and reading a Conrad novel. It's badass, but not for me; oh no... for the Drinkability: --to each his own. But I prefer not to answer that.

1neutral

Kapittel Abt

Tripel

Bought a four pack gift type special of Kapittel brews. Since I'm on a tripel kick this was the first one I sampled. Decent appearance, continental lacing, minimal head. Off orange color, minimal carbonation. A bit more of a malt profile than most. I had this when I lived in Germany and remeber being head over heels w/ the smooth easy drinking tripel. Now I still like it but it lost something, especially in the malted backer. Maybe it loses something in the journey across the pond. Still damn good and worth a gander. zippy mouthfeel, a little tangy in the aftertaste. I'll drink it again but when I'm in belgium preferably.

1neutral