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Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA

Belgian IPA

A: dark blond to light amber color. Light haze. S: pine hop aroma. some sweetness in the aroma too, fruity like lichee and peach. T: Mainly bitter, in aftertaste some malttaste comes in the taste. Misses the fruitiness of the aroma in the taste. A bit one dimensional thrue this lack of body. Alc 8,3% best before dec 2010.

1neutral

Martello Stout

English Stout

One of the bottles I have been saving from a trade with MMansfield, finally had a chance to crack this one open. 341 ml brown bottle, label as above. Looks like a great stout, pitch black color with a brown head. Foam lasts forever and leaves nice thick lace trails. Smell is filled with coffee, chocolate and cocoa. ther earthy tones. Rich flavors, including chocolate and coffee. Roasted grain and some smokiness, a nice touch of bitterness at the end. As mentioned by other, the mouthfeel might be a bit thin, but hardly something to complain about. Still smooth and a bit creamy. One of Garrison's better beers I have had the priveledge of trying. Thanks for the trade and the chance to drink this one.

2positive

Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Huge Thanks to BeerTruth for the share! You Rock Adam! A: Pours a nice flat black hue with tones of amber showing through. The head was nice solid and creamy. Retention was only ok with light lace noted. S: Huge aroma from this one. Tons of rich chocolate, gooey toffee, macroons, and all the goodness that comes from barrel ageing. T: Rather oaky, but not overthetop. Rich Belgian chocolate, coconut, with hits of vanilla. The roast was wonderful and the beer soo complex with numerous layers. M: Full in body, thick enough to cling to the mouth and throat providing lasting enjoyment. D: Very, glad I shared it, but is one I could have sipped on for an hour.

2positive

Classic Vienna

Vienna Lager

I cant believe I never sampled this before. This is probably one of 2 ( and the best) examples of this elusive lager style in Canada. If Buswakker was down the street from me Id rent out a back room there, move a cot in and stay there until the supply of this Austrian elixer was gone. Bottle: Pours a deep copper-red lager in the glass with a decent 3 finger sticky cap that stays and laces. Aromas right to BJCP style guidlines...toasty malts,nutty, light sweetness herbal Hersbrucker hopping. sits in the background....excellent!! Up front you get a long chew on toasty-nutty real Vienna malts, the proper noble hopping rides just beneath radar in the background as a good Vienna should ( this is a showcase for the malters art)...mid palate the malt complexities mount; bundt cake, cinnamon toast, muffin dough...all with a wonderful woody-earthy-herbal tingle from the Hersbrucker-Tettnang-Hallertau hop infusion that rides just out of radar range....Finish is soft, decadent and malt accented with the hops offering a subtle drying. Wunderbar! A perfect Vienna ; malt accented, soft, elegant maltiness that dries out in the finish to avoid becoming sweet. One of the best lagers in Canada.

2positive

Negra

Munich Dunkel Lager

Pours dark with an orange ruby around the edges where the light can sneak in. Very little scent of note. Upon inhaling with more force than I should, I finally detect roasted malts. Taste is all roasted (more like charred than roasted) malts at first, maybe with a flutter of hops trying to emerge at the end. Lingering roasted bitterness. Medium to light mouth feel, really not much to this beer. Explosively heavy carbonation though, even for a lager. Very welcome change from the Mahou/Cruzcampo/Estrella Damm yellow urinesque lager scene that absolutely dominates the bar market here in Spain, but it could still use some work. I currently live in a small town in Spain, and this is by far the best thing I can find locally. I pay .65 cents a bottle for it at my local supermarket, and I wouldn't pay much more for it. Edit 08 May 2008: This has been my staple for the past 5 months. My original review is still right along with my likes of this beer, but I wanted to re-iterate the fact that it is way over carbonated.

1neutral

Point Honey Light

Light Lager

Clear golden color, frothy white head that lasts has a light grainy musty aroma, not much flavor at all, grainy and bland with some honey sweetness, light body with a thin and watery mouthfeel. I think I need to give up on American honey lagers altogether.

0negative

Conductor Imperial India Pale Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

Poured from a 22oz bottle. Good amber colour with a hint of red. A rather thinnish head which quickly subsides to leave large bubbles spread across the top of the pint. Plenty of lace. A strong nose hints at the grassy, grapefuit flavours that flood over the tongue. I find the citrus just too much to the fore here - I prefer my grapefruit for breakfast. There's a little malty sweetness for balance, but I'm not getting the kind of hops in the flavour that I'd expect from an IPA. In fact I'm not getting enough beer flavour at all. If a beer company rep came to me with a view to selling this over the bar, I'd have to pass and ask what else they have. At 22oz and 8.5% I don't think we'd be selling too many of them. It might be to your taste but it's not for me.

1neutral

2XIPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Poured from 12oz bottle. A- Poured a light golden yellow color. Not expecting this at all...very clear too! Two finger white head stays for a little bit leaving thicker streaking lacing on the glass. S- Tons of fresh citrus hops in this. Some light malts in the background that come in small hints but this is very hop forward. The only downfall for the aroma is it has only one hop profile to it. Where is the piney earthy hops at?? T- Big hop kick in the front of this. Citrus hops explode onto the palate first. Some light malt backbone throughout the beer but you can't really taste it except in a quick flub by the hops. Some light pine backing into the ending of the beer. Very hop forward of a beer...looks like the east coast has been taking some notes. M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. A little heavy sometimes on the palate during certain times while I was drinking. Citrus hops left resin all over the teeth and palate. Some light piney hops in the aftertaste with a light bready malt. Crisp flavors overall. D- This was a easy drinker that I had a hard time putting down. The east coast looks like it is wanting to gain some DIPA justice that the west coast has been seeing for years. This beer is something that should be tried. It just might surprise you!

2positive

Hefeweizen

Hefeweizen

appearance - Cloudy yellow color, 2 inch head when poured. Then it disolved to a ring and then later on to nothing. smell - Has a clover or straw smell to it. taste - Cloves, straw, and some bananna hints. mouthfeel - Low carbination if almost none if you take awhile to drink it. Light bodied. drinkability - I did like this beer a lot, think it might be becuase I am starting to like wheat beers.Recommend this beer.

2positive

Midnight Expression

Schwarzbier

A: Dark black with a mocha head. S: Light smoky burnt aroma. Right on style. T: Good smoky flavor with a slight burnt wood flavor. Dead on nuts for a schwartzbeer. M: Light bodied. D: Great beer all around although it leaves a bit of burnt aftertaste.

2positive

Commercial Suicide

English Dark Mild Ale

Thanks to Josh (HopsSchnapps) for this bottle! As others have mentioned, carbonation is an issue here. Don't rush it, and give a couple inches of extra head space on the first pour in case the head wants to get all uppity. (and it will) Subsequent pours are much more manageable. After the 4 finger head subsides mostly, the remainder sticks around, which is a nice thing. Very dark brown liquid, with a touch of lighter shades around the edges. There's a rich maltiness to the aroma, with a soft, but droning chocolate note and bold nuttiness. Taste is similar in rich malt forwardness. The chocolate mostly takes a back seat to a more nutty taste. It's good though. Naturally, the carbonation is a bit stingy. That aside though, it's light on the palate. Overall, it's very nice. You definitely have to work for it more with the carbonation issues, but it's still worth it. I will say that I'd be surprised if the ABV is actually 3.3% for these bum bottles.

1neutral

Hazelnut Brown Nectar

American Brown Ale

A: deep brown w reddish highlights. Perfectly clear. Nice tan head and lacing. S: toffee/dark caramel, nuts, cocoa. T: lightly sweet nutty malts overtaken by a nutty sourish twang. Somewhat astringent dry finish. Sourness faded some as it warmed. M: nicely carbonated. A bit puckering. Light to medium body. D: a little more sweet and a little less sour woulda done it for me. Lacked the malty richness I expected.

1neutral

Choklat

American Double / Imperial Stout

Poured from a 22 oz bomber and split 5 ways. A- Choklat Imperial Stout pours jet black, no highlights with a small dark brown head. Looks delicious. S- The aroma is the highlight of this beer I think. It smells unlike any other beer I've ever had. The first thing I noticed was the huge chocolate presence in the aroma. But its not like a chocolate malt smell, it just smells like a candy bar or freshly baked chocolate dessert. There is a mild nuttiness in the aroma and maybe a little bit of hops hidden somewhere. T- Liquid dessert. Almost tastes like a liquified chocolate bar. Something about the chocolate flavor reminds me of a tootsie roll. Very sweet, with some underlying bitterness. M- Thick, velvety, smooth, chewy, creamy. Sexy. D- Definitely a beer to split with friends. Don't pass this one up, it is a really unique experience.

2positive

Samuel Adams Summer Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

A-Light yellow with fizzy head. S-Lemons, peppery spice. All quite light. T-Taste is stronger than the nose. Lemon zest, more spiciness, wheat. M-Thicker than I expected still pretty light bodied however. D-Less drinkable than anticipated. Not a bad seasonal.

1neutral

Veldensteiner Landbier

Munich Dunkel Lager

This beer pours out similar to some brown ales in color. The head was thin and white. The aroma had some malts on the nose and not too much else. The taste of the beer was a lot like most German lagers it seemed. There was a slight grassy flavor, and some sweet malts to balance it all out. The mouthfeel was pretty light despite the color of the beer. Overall it was an ok beer. Nothing too fancy here.

1neutral

Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Pours a burnt gold in color and clear a small white head fades to a ring. A nice perfumy sweet citrusy hop aroma, nice sweet tangerines. Smooth creamy mouthfeel displays the nice balance between the citrusy hops and malts in the taste. A good size grapefruit rind bitterness in the finish. ABV is towards the high end for the style but you wouldn't notice it in the taste, very well balanced. Nice to see an IPA by Great Lakes, very well done and quite drinkable.

2positive

Cobra

American Adjunct Lager

340ml bottle poured into a water glass. a - Light straw color with a very thing white head that dissipated almost instantly. s - Grain, alcohol, and slight notes of hops t - Corn, Grain, and alcohol. m - Very light and smooth. Grain water. o - An OK iteration of a poor style of beer. If you only have macro-brewed lagers to choose from than this is worth a try.

0negative

In-Heat Wheat

Hefeweizen

I actually enjoyed this one. A little cloudy, characteristic of a good weiss. In the background there are some fruity notes, maybe a little banana. I was most surprised because it is a german style wheat, and not an American. It has a nice yeasty flavor, smooth and full-bodied.

2positive

Coors Light

Light Lager

soft Ball anyone?? Besides being a staple in the cooler's of B-league soft ball palyer's everywhere this is the classic silver Bullet!!! Light is the word. So it comes as no surprise that this beer is a anorexic looking pale gold-ish color, totally clear, big bubbles, small white lacy head, no retention at all. The nose has some sort of mild sweet malt sour bitter, aluminum and a some more bitterness. The lack of flavor is the most important part, it's more like a watery, sour drink with a bit of beer added. I guess that is malt, but it's...light. On the bright side, it's refreshing at first and there is no really offensive "off" flavor's, I'm not picking up any metal and it's rather clean. Strike three!!!

0negative

Trafalgar Korruptor

American Strong Ale

200 ml bottle- Deep brown liquid letting some light in, pours an off white one finger of foam. Nose is very strong spices and port wine with licorice and deep rooted Belgian candy sugar and wine gums. Lots of booze too. Tastes of sweet port wine with clove and peat. Mid way, there is very sweet alcoholic Belgian candy sugar and caramel leading to a very big and boozey sweet malt finish. This is a sipper, but I enjoyed the time I spent sipping on it.

1neutral

Black Perle

American Black Ale

A - Poured from a bomber with a beautiful prussian blue wax-dipped top into a tulip glass. Pours black-brown with dark ruby highlights and a dark khaki head. S - Dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, and piny hops. T - A really varied and intense flavor. Deep dark chocolate mixes with roasted dark brown sugary malts, almost sort of a molasses like acidity, moving into a really strong, pleasant hop flavor. M - Medium bodied.

2positive

Troegenator Double Bock

Doppelbock

This beer pours a clear beautiful ruby red, almost mahogany color when held up to the light. The head is and off white almost tan frothy color, about a finger thick. Head retentions is decent, nice lacing throughout. The nose is marked with notes of cherries, raspberries, caramelized malt, and a touch of breadiness. The taste is of almost caramelized cherries, hints of raspberry, touch of honey and malts, and a bit bready. Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Goes down smooth, very sweet though with a sweet yet bitter aftertaste to it. This is a very drinkleable beer.

2positive

Pilsner Urquell

Czech Pilsener

Presentation: 12oz green bottle, 4.4%ABV, Expiring in 4 months. Appearance: Dark morning piss yellow (sorry, if it sounds vulgar...). I would probably describe it as brownish/reddish yellow with amber copper reflets. Good head of white foam when pour. It didn't lasts for a very long time. Smell: Skunk alert! Damn, it was awful when I uncapped my bottle. Taste: Bitter. It got taste, but I don't really like it. Tastes too much like the smell. Mouthfeel: Very common. Not much to say here. Drinkability: I don't know if I was unlucky, but the beer seems overated. Skunkness seems too usual with the "high-class" product. I already miss my Eggenberg (reviewed during the same current session.)

1neutral

Le Cheval Blanc Blanche

Witbier

Medium gold in colour with a fair amount of carbonation. The aromas are fairly muted, but there are traces of yeast, citrus and wheat. The flavor component is way more substantial. There is a good balance between the wheat, yeast, citrus, bubblegum, and spice elements. I also noticed a touch of roasted sesame on the finish. A solid wit.

2positive

Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat

Witbier

A-Hazy golden yellow with a foamy white head that quickly reduced and left minimal lacing. S-Light citrus aroma with a bit of wheatiness in the background. T-Almost like a macro-lager with a interesting mix of tart/sweet fruit notes. A bit of biscuity maltiness with some earthy notes followed by a mild hop bite and finally the tart finish. All in all nice....but all of these flavours are mild...if they would POP more this beer would be much better. M-Medium-light body with a pleasant light zing. D-A bit light and "odd" for my tastes....but overall nice. This is a great stepping stone beer or a nice one to have at a summer BBQ. Light and refreshing with a low ABV makes it easy to have multiples.

2positive

Fat Tire Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

This one was brought to my tasting last night. The beer poured a golden color with a thin cover of head over the beer. The nose on this was not good. We came up with old socks in grandma's attic as the description. It was just not good smelling beer. The flavor was full of biscuit malt, with a bready taste. The body was fairly thin and drinkabilit was just average. I could have one, but probably not more than that.

2positive

Rampage Imperial IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

A: Bright copper hue and topped with an eggshell white foamy (latt) head. Good retention and lacing. S: Resinous piney "green" notes and peanut? Perhaps this is a bit off... T: Muddled piney flavors merging into scone bread like flavors. Finishing about mid dry (Kabinett). This has a rather biscuity flavor in the finish which I could do with out. This seems to show more imperfection as it warms. M: fairly sticky and has good carbonation. Rather successful in this department for what its worth. O: Decent beer and I think it was pretty inexpensive which is good. However overall its not something I would buy again if I can help it. Muddled flavors in the wrong sort of way.

2positive

Atwater Cherry Stout

American Stout

Bottle into a 22oz snifter. I'll start by saying I love cherry stouts and I wanted this one to work... Flat brown-black wearing a thin 1/8th inch head that settles instantly to a splotchy cover and solid ring. Very active carbonation, tiny bubbles. Aroma is malty sweet, some hints of fruit, a sorta fruit-flesh aroma, cherry sweet without a backing acid. Roast characteristics come through as a little sooty chocolate. Beyond that the aroma is pretty flat, maybe even a little butterscotch in there? The flavor is odd, has a wineish thing going on. Lightly chocolate, a little juicy cherry, sweet for sure. After the sweetness, nothing really, pretty boring. The mouthfeel is where this mess falls apart for me. This is pretty heavily coating, it leaves a sweetness in the mouth and throat I don't care for, the body is pretty much middle of the road and carbonation is fine. Drinkablity is pretty low on this one, the sweetness gets oppressive and the shallow overall experience doesn't beg for more attention.

0negative

Corne Du Diable

American IPA

The beer pours a dirty amber color with an off-white, shaving-cream like head. The aroma is heavy on the grass and biscuit malt and smells a little bit like iced tea. The aroma is heavy on the pine and orange citrus hops. I also get some iced tea and grass hops as well as some biscuit malt. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. I think the bottle was a little bit older, but the beer tasted a lot like a hoppy amber ale rather than an American IPA.

1neutral

Hazelnut Brown Nectar

American Brown Ale

Served on-tap in a 16oz pint glass Appearance: deep-reddish brown with thin cap of tan head and no lacing. Seems undercarbonated. Smell: butterscotch and toffee with faint roasted odor with somewhat chemical fake hazelnut smell thrown in Taste: Brown ale with some extra sweet extract nutty-caramel flavor. Nutty undertones are present but don't add much to cut the bland sweetness Mouthfeel: Barely medium body, undercarbonated which gives it a watery feel overall. Overall: I gave this a second try and liked it more than the first, but still not very much. The undercarbonation was odd and makes it feel too thin, and the chemical, extract flavoring is off-putting. I still contend this is one of Rogue's worst beers.

1neutral

Blithering Idiot

English Barleywine

A: Dark caramel color, minimal head S: Very boozy smell, dark chocolate, plum, green apple. T: Little biscuit malt, bitter hops, and very dry/bready/floury taste. Very similar to saltines? Not much sweetness. M: Finishes very hard and bitter D: Not my favorite barleywine. Not much sweetness to it. The complexity was there, but not the good kind. Go get Old Horizontal or Bigfoot.

1neutral

Curim Gold Celtic Wheat Beer

American Pale Wheat Ale

500mL bottle poured into pint glass A - Pours a clear golden yellow with a fairly thin head leaving patchy lacing along the glass. S - Toasted grain, biscuit, slightly sweet wheat and malt. T - There's definitely some wheat touches towards the beginning, before tumbling into a slightly odd sweetness which seems to last throughout most of the beer. Hints of grain and bread are present, but a near caramel and honey sweet flavor threw me off. Attempts to finish clean but an almost steely "macro" hint keeps flashing through. M - Lighter body, some dryness, higher carbonation. D - Light abv and pretty smooth feel, but not very tasty. Eh, this was okay...it had some tendencies which reminded me of macro wheat beers which was a turn off.

1neutral

Brasseurs Et Frères Mort De Rire

American Brown Ale

A - Dark reddish brown, small lacy head, but no visible carbonation. S - Smells of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, dark red fruits and cranberries. Also, quite yeasty. T - Lots of dark chocolate up front with the bitterness of espresso and dark cocoa. Sweet malts bring in tastes of cherries making the whole thing seem like a blackforest cake. A drying and lingering aftertaste is welcome. It warms quite nicely to allow more and more subtle flavours to emerge. M - Very nice feel to it, not to thick or syrupy. D - A little too heavy to have much of, a little to dark and bitter.

1neutral

Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S. Oatmeal Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Bottle from batch 2. Opened tonight and split two ways. Poured into a snifter. Thick and viscous pitch black liquid resembling hot tar tumbles out of the bottle and into the glass. Even with an aggressive pour, the only head that appears bubbles up seconds after the pour is completed and lasts only a few blinks of an eye before it disappears. Slight legs form upon a swirl that produces a few more bubbles. The aroma is mellow and balanced. Smokey whiskey notes meld seamlessly with the base beer. A big roasty charred malt backbone and dark fruity notes (dates and currants) complement the spirit and are amplified by the vanilla oaky notes also present. The flavor brings on more of the smokey barrel character and a healthy dose of charred malt. Surprisingly, even two full summers later, there are still some sticky hoppy resins in there as well. The mouthfeel is thick, sticky, and full. A dessert/after dinner beer in its finest form, this is a sipper to the max. Awesome balance and complexity in this beer; even though the coffee notes have faded due to the time in the cellar, that same aging has allowed the flavors to mellow and blend to complement each other in a masterful way. When is this coming to Philly?

2positive

Hoppus Maximus

American Amber / Red Ale

Poured: bottle to pint glass Appearance: Medium head, solid retention, medium amber color. Smell: Initially buttery, then floral. Taste: Mild, sweet caramel character. Slightly bitter. Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation, medium bodied. Drinkability: Balance leans towards malts, slight hop bitterness. Nothing too exciting, prob a decent session beer.

1neutral

Watershed IPA

American IPA

Fantastically fuzzy apricot with orange juice along the edges of the glass. The beer looks wonderful... and the expansive crown of lightly toasted marshmallow colored creaminess up top looks even better. Abundant lace is an added bonus. The nose is everything that an American IPA nose should be. There's very little maltiness and there's a whole lotta hoppiness. Although the hop bill is unpublished, Cascade has to be one of its members. Specifics include tropical fruit (grapefruit and lemon), along with a gentle ganja-like vibe. Very nice. Oakshire Brewing's Watershed IPA is the real deal. Hopheads will be mighty pleased with the aggressive hoppiness that tastes and feels like every one of the 75 IBUs are present and accounted for. That said, it isn't a complete hop bomb. The majority pale and minority toasted malts provide just the right amount of flavor (not much) and sweetness (also not much). Humulus lupulus are the stars of this show. Hop-derived flavors include juicy pink grapefruit, orange, lemon and illegal herb. Gotta be Cascade. The mouthfeel is spot-on for the style and the ABV. It's also a perfect trade-off between medium-full smooth creaminess and alpha acid edginess. This beer oozes quality. Watershed IPA zeros in on every one of my American IPA preferences like a laser-guided missile. This is fantastic beer that I'd love to drink again and again. Prediction: Oakshire's watershed moment as a brewery was when they decided to hire Matt Van Wyk as their brewer.

2positive

Stoudt's Fat Dog (Imperial Oatmeal Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

A- this is a damn pretty brew...a pour into an imperial nonic fills the flare with the prettiest light brown heady foam that screams it's way up to the top of the glass...not even the power of a million candles could black light through this blackness...the head sticks around for a while but eventually retreats leaving plenty of chunky lacing around the glass and a thick cap S- immediate whiff of milk chocolate...also a big brown sugary oatmeal smell...it has the sweetness and "baked goodiness" of an oatmeal creme pie...there is a faint bitter bite of roasted malt that is just enough to keep the sweetness in check T- far more bitter and roasty than I expected...first wash is of burnt grain and a taste reminiscent of putting a hand full of freshly roasted coffee beans in your mouth...all of this is accentuated by a nice hop bite but it just comes off as more coffee bean bitterness...the oatmeal is somewhat lost as well as the sweetness but can still be found in the background...huge difference between what i smell and what i taste M- fairly heavy thickness...perhaps a bit heavy on the carbonation D- tasty beverage but not one I'd enjoy more than one of

1neutral

Long Trail Ale

Altbier

Poured into a hotel wine glass. You have to make do when traveling! Nice looking amber color with a light tan head. Head is rich and creamy, with a good amount of lacing. It fades slowly! Aroma is of light roasted malt, some caramel and a little bit of bitter hop. Taste is some nice sweet malt up front, a mix of roastiness with a nice caramel sweetness. Some hop bitterness kicks in for a quick but noticeable finish. There is a little bit of spice from the hops as well. My first from this brewery. I snagged a 12'er for a vacation up in cottage country. I'm glad I got it as this will make a nice one to hit down by the lake. It's got some nice body, but not filling by any means.

2positive

Samuel Adams Black Lager

Schwarzbier

A: Beer pours a deep mahogany color almost black and there is a sizeable tan head that looks creamy for a bottle pour. Nice lace sticks to the glass as this one goes down. S: Nutty, smell of biscuits, roasted and burnt malts and some burnt raisins. faint hop aroma. T: Chocolatey, some roasted nuttiness, slight hop bitterness balanced the sweet malt and dried fruit. Almost a malted milk like flavor was rather pleasing. M: Medium bodied and a nice smooth carbonation make for a slightly creamy texture. No alcohol warmth noticeable. D: Drink this one year round it is very flavorful, satisfying also as an easy drinking session beer! Well done!

2positive

Sticke It To The Man

Altbier

I thought this was a better beer than the previous reviews gave credit for. Of course I was drinking it on a cold night sitting around the camp fire. This is a strong, heavy beer, with plenty of alcohol kick. More malty flavor than bitter, but it has a nice balance. Has some spice and fruit flavors. Could easily be compared to a double bock. I did not see the color or the head. Carbonation was medium. There was little or no after taste, which made this drinking experience a pleasant one. You can not drink to many of these before inebriation. I would buy this beer again, but have been unable to find it in the ST Louis area.

1neutral

X-Mas Zinnebir

Belgian Pale Ale

750ml corked and capped bottle, similar to the Fantome lineup. I am a little nervous about carbonation due to no pop when un-corked. Once poured, the beer started to come to life with bubbles making their way to the top. A dark reddish-brown color with a small tan head. Darker than I expected. The smell is caramel, raisins and something metallic. The taste is very smooth. Similar to the smell but with a great hop character ending. I know this beer is only 6.6% alcohol but it is still hidden nicely. As it warms, I also pick up some fig, date and earthy notes. This is a very unique beer that seems to come to life in your glass. It takes on many shapes but to me, the ending is the best. Read the side of the bottle. Interesting notes about not using sugars or cheap grains. Good to see. I will be on the lookout for their other beers.

2positive

Founders Cerise

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Pours a ruby red color that is slightly hazy and has some visible chunks in it. There is a frothy head that is fizzy and gives way to minimal lacing. The smell is of sweet and sour cherries and sweet malt. The taste is of cherries over a sweet malt backbone. The cherry taste is very unique and very good. The mouthfeel is a moderately carbonated and slightly fizzy. Overall though the drinkability on this is very high. If you dont like cherries i would stay away. If you like cherries or are looking for something different you could drink these all nite.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

American IPA

Served in a pint glass the brew pours an amber color that just looks like fall. A good head is formed when poured down the center of the glass. The nose is malty. The mouthfeel is light but satisfying. Good intergration of both hops and malt with a bit of bitterness on the finish. Certainly not a hops bomb but a very good ale and worthy of purchase.

2positive

Indian River Amberjack Alt

Altbier

Now flies under the name Palm Beach Brewing Company Amberjack. Looks good. Orange with only a slight haze and a nice 1 finger white head that dissipates quickly, leaving absolutely zero lacing. Smells good, biscuity and sweet maltiness. Almost reminds me of a bock with the smell. Also a little booze and some hops and some skinniness. Taste is pretty much not worth it. Its EXTREMELY metallic tasting until it warms just short of room temperature. Then it loses the metallic taste and picks up a fruity, almost apricot and banana flavor. If this beer could get that flavor cold and maybe a touch more hops it would be good. Nice and carbonated, slips down the tongue. Almost a little too sweet once it warms. Drinkaibility is not there. I don't mind drinking beers at the proper temperatures, but just shy of room temperature to get this thing down doesn't cut it.

0negative

Sierra Nevada Stout

American Stout

Pours out dark with little brown suds and the lacing abounds in the pint glass. Smell is a dark roasted malt with hints of raisin and caramel. Taste is a malty bitter flavor. The malt has the sugar but it soon is overtaken by the bitterness of the strong hops. Pretty nice. Mouthfeel is very malty sugary at first then the bitterness comes into play and your tounge is torn between sweet malt on the tip of the tounge and the dark bitterness that hits the outside edges of the tounge. Drinkability is good here. While there is a bit much sugary malt, the bitterness seems to quash it and make this a great beer.

2positive

Blanche Aux Agrumes

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Bottle: Poured a dirty light beige color ale with a medium foamy head with good retention and no lacing. Aroma of light citrus notes with some very subtle and weak wheat notes also discernable. Taste is a mix between some light citrus notes originating from industrial syrup with some light weak wheat malt note. Body is very thin with some OK carbonation. Mix between citrus and a wit could have been interesting but final results in this case are pretty bland.

1neutral

Unplugged Imperial Weizen

Weizenbock

12oz. bottle poured into a Hefe glass. (A)- Pours the cloudiest golden yellow/orange color I have ever seen. Produced a giant fluffy pure white head with a glorious retention; I could float a bottle cap on top it was so thick. Just tons of spotted lacing left behind all around the inside of the glass. (S)- Interesting. Its like a Hefeweiss meets and IPA. Just loaded with a combo or a yeasty biscuit, banana, and clove with a background burst of lemon lime citurs. (T)- Again, this really is like a Hefeweiss meets and IPA. Big bursts of lemon lime, banana, clove, and subtle bits of pine and yeasty biscuit. The balance of the two parts is awesome. (M)- A nicely crisp carbonation level. Just a great balance of citrus hop bite (very mild pine) and lovely belgian-like banana, biscuit-like yeast and clove. Minimal bitterness; the creaminess of this helps counterbalance that. Smooth and crisp. 9.6% ABV??? I cannot detect any of that whatsoever; this goes down so easy! (D)- Move over Belgian IPAs! Granted this is a classified as a Hefeweiss, however I am torn if this is more that or a Belgian IPA. Tastes great as a Hefeweiss on steroids, yet I would without a doubt put this up there with the best Belgian IPAs any day of the week. It just portrays each part beautifully while maintaining balance and a smooth, yet crisp and refreshing profile. This is a dangerous beer at 9.6%! Further proof that New Glarus makes the finest wheat beers in the country.

2positive

Super Brew 15

English Barleywine

500 mL bottle, A: Pours a clear gold with a fizzy minimal white head that doesn't make it past 2 seconds. S: Honey and cider, some booze and malt. Pretty nice smell. Reminds me of a thin Sonoran 200 at times. T: Light malt with some phenols and fruit esters (pear). Fairly boozy but contains it pretty well. M: Medium-bodied but only from the ethanol, the actual malt flavour is minimal. Pretty smooth for how big it is. Thin on the finish. O: A weird beer to try. As an English barleywine it is below average in the style. As a big ol' malt liquor it's pretty good. Take it for what it is, certainly not terrible.

1neutral

McKenna's Irish Red

Irish Red Ale

Had on tap at the brewpub, as part of a sampler. The color was right, red-tinted orange and clear, with a nice head of foam. But the aroma and flavor were kind of light on the malt, and heavy on the bitter after-taste. I could taste toasted malt flavors, but nothing as robust or rich as I'd like out of and Irish Red. Not really high on drinkability either, as the bitter after-taste made it difficult to want more.

1neutral

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

American Porter

poured a deep dark brown. Smells of malt and coffee with a hint of smokiness. the taste is fantastic, roasty with some coffee and a creamy fruity finish. Perfect! Good carbonation. Totally drinkable, You can drink this one all night. A great party beer or even after a good steak.

2positive

Staghorn Octoberfest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

Had on tap at Champs in Lake Geneva into pint glass. A- Pours clear amber with thin white head that grips the sides of glass. S- Great fall smell. Spices, warmth and hops on nose. T- Nice fall spice and barley to start, clean and robust with hints of corn. Fruity almost sour finish of berries. M- Clean, crisp mouthfeel, not sticky at all. O- Refreshing,pleasant Octoberfest that I could drink year around, very good bordering on great beer. New Glarus never disappoints.

2positive

Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Lager Beer

Euro Pale Lager

Poured from an 18.7 ounce bottle into a pint glass. Off-white head slowly shrinks on top of the clear golden yellow body. This really is an amazing lager. The floral and herbal hops provide just the right amount of spice and bitterness to balance the sweetness. What can I really say, it's another great beer from, what is in my opinion, one of the best breweries.

2positive

Gage Roads Pils

German Pilsener

This pours a dark straw colour. Clear. Minimal head. Sweet and malty on the nose. Not a lot of hops. Lots of honey on the palate but not too sweet. A bit of hoppy bitterness in there. Quite a bit of body which I wasn't expecting for a midstrength. Nowhere near as good as Little Creatures Rogers' but way better than a XXXX Gold and its ilk.

1neutral

Exit 11

American Pale Wheat Ale

Picked up for $8 at acme in Cape may May, NJ..very fair price. Poured into an over sized wine glass. Appearance is a very bright, cloudy yellow. Smells of oranges, lemon, overall citrus and you get the hops as well but not as much as I was expecting. Taste is very nice with the citrus dominating. Carbonation and mouth feel are very nice, the beer is very tasty and refreshing. Its a very nice beer for a warm summer day. Very similar in taste to Lagunitas Sumpin' ale just not as hop forward. Well done limiyed brew by flying fish so pick one up while they are still available. Recommended for sure.

2positive

Double Platinum

American Double / Imperial IPA

Poured from bottle to tulip glass. Glows a cloudy copperish-orange with medium to thin head that lingers. Aroma is biting of sweet grapefruit backed by faint green apples and some raisins maybe. Tastes not as sweet as the nose implies, making it more drinkable. Bitterness lingers with a fairly dry mouthfeel which paves the way for another taste. Very good.

2positive

Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus

Lambic - Fruit

Appears a pinkish, rose colored amber with a small white head that quickly fizzles out into nothing. Pockets of chunky CO2 slowly rise to the top. Smell is of wild yeast, tart raspberries, barnyard funk, oaky, and musty earth. Taste is of sweet tarts with the mentioned aromas leading to a mouth puckering goodness up front. Taste is slightly vinous with a touch of vinegar coming through Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sweet, acidic, tart, oaky, and dry.

2positive

Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe)

American Double / Imperial Stout

22.3 oz. bottle into a pint glass. pitch black, even against the light, with a touch of dark tan head. tons of coffee in the aroma. a mix of coffee beans, hot brewed coffee, and burnt coffee grounds. a touch of raisins and sugary chocolate behind the coffee aromas. rich, full mouthfeel and a medium carbonation. strong coffee flavors throughout, with the finish a touch sweeter and a little vinous. strong coffee component gets stronger as the beer warms and gets slightly tiresome towards the end of the bottle.

1neutral

Denver Pale Ale

English Pale Ale

Mysterious, cloudy amber-gold, with a rich white head and beautiful lace. Nose is citrus hops, and a dash of malty sweetness. Nice. Taste is mild, but certainly well-hopped. Nonetheless, it's not too bitter or heavy. A solid and session-worthy pale ale with a clean, fresh flavor and good balance.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Czech Pilsener

Pourss a bright, almost lemon yellow, with a 1/2" head that quickly fades to pretty much nothing. Smell is very plain, nothing really jumping out at me. This is starting to feel very bland I must say. Taste is well....bland. Nothing really here. Slight, and oh do I say slight hoppy after taste, but really nothing. This just feels way too lite for me. I could put dow about 30 and not realize it. Mayeb I will try it again next summer, as its pretty chilly right now, probably more of a refresher on a hot day type beer.

1neutral

YuleSmith (Summer)

American Double / Imperial IPA

Pours a pale orange with a slight white head. Nice grapefruit and orange aroma. Nice sweet grapefruit hops. A bit more citrus hops join the party, but the taste of sugared up grapefruit owns the hop profile. A pleasant bready malt and a rare tasty buttery malt profile balances this one nicely. Booze was present when fresh, but after sitting on another bottle for a few months, went away without disrupting the flavor profile.

2positive

Newport Storm Spring Ale

Irish Red Ale

Now this brew has had an official name change to the Newport Storm Spring Ale. It certainly has not lost any of its flavor or appeal. This is still a solid session beer in my opinion. Poured a dark amber color nice ruby tones come out when this beer is back lit. There is a thin white head that left a mild ring of lace in the pint. Smell is nutty with some hints of sweet caramel malt. Slightly mild tones of roasted barley are found in the background. No real hop presence but it was detected in the after taste. Coastal Extreme Brewing certainly created a very smooth and drinkable beer. There is a strong overall malt flavor with a slight dry hop finish. Nice after taste left on the tongue. Good medium bodied offering I have grown fond of. I have always liked this beer and it is still the solid Irish Red Ale it has always been. This beer creates a great crossover between the heavier winter brews into the lighter easier drinking summer beers, making it a decent transition brew.

1neutral

Collaborative Evil 2010

Baltic Porter

on tap @ the bier stein pours a rich dark aubergine with garnet highlights. a thin, fluffy white head stays atop for a good while and leaves some ample lacing. aroma is roasty, malty, hints of dark fruit. Figs, black currant and some raisin. a hint of booziness. touch of cardboard and damp wood. smidgen of cocoa. taste follows closely with hefty roast, some ample dark malt, heavy rich fruit. blackberry jam, black currants, honey. caramel and blackstrap molasses. I like sweet and fruity baltic porters, but this one is almost over the edge. rich chocolate in the finish, along with roasted cocoa and a hint of coffee. mouth is medium body with ample and appropriate carbonation. it works. nothing astounding, but solid. All in all, I was hoping for a bit more. maybe it's the bit of age that has started to mellow stuff out a bit? It just lacked the character I'd hope from an imperial baltic porter. slightly unbalanced toward the sweet and almost-boozey, with just a smidgen of hops to pull it back. Glad I tried it, but as a die-hard baltic porter fan, this one just didn't really do much for me.

1neutral

Orval Trappist Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

Poured out honey like with a vibrant thick and fluffy head that stuck to the top of the liquid, barely dissipitating at all. Very floral smell, with hints of flowery pot purre, and citrus fruits, lemon and bitter orange. Quite a crisp beer, with citrus and floral notes, much like a typical Pale Ale. Lemon rind and bitterness from the hops rounds this out quite well. Hints of fermented apple in the finish, with incredible dryness. Incredibly complex through the different yeasts they use, this is one to sit down and really think about. Fantastic beer that is truley amazing. Best of all, VERY drinkable, and for a Belgian, isn't too high in alcohol.

2positive

Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Appearance: Aftering peeling back the plastic adorning the top, I popped the cork but there was no loud burst with this brew, It was more of a mellow pop that you just throw away. The color was of burnt black and a brown head followed but it was insignificant. Smell: Molasses, espresso and some sizzled fruit (plums, grapes, dates) seemed to hine through the nose. There was a hint of candy sugar but that could just be me. Taste: The taste is of roasted chocolate and espresso beans. Some dates and prunes come through as well but they are less pronounced. Mouthfeel: This beer just wets sinks into the pores of your mouth and shines through. There is a dryness but is never overpowers the other flavors. Drinkability: The 9% alcohol is hard to deny but it is still a very inviting brew. Give this a chance and if it is sill good you will rewarded.

1neutral

Rampage Imperial IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Appearance: Pours a cloudy apricot color with several inches of foam; decent lacing Smell: Hop forward aroma, with an catty character redolent of hemp and pine Taste: A bit of sweet malt, up front, and then we are off to the races, with a really bitter, vegetal combination of hemp and pine, that moves into the cat pee direction by mid-palate; the cat pee really dominates the finish Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation Overall: Truly a hoppy West Coast style DIPA, but I am afraid that I just can't cozy up to the hop profile on this one; I prefer more citrus to my IPAs Thanks, PretzelCity, for the opportunity

1neutral

Heresy

Russian Imperial Stout

Picked this up at Skibbo's on East Tremont. I wanted something heavy and dark for the inclimate weather and figured Weyerbcher should do the trick. I was very impressed with their Quad and reckoned their verison of RIS plus the oak aged barrel addition could not fail. 1 pint 6oz bottle with no date so this is the 08 version I reckon. A: Poured into a Skibbo's pint glass to reveal a almost jet black body, dashes of brown around, with a bubbly one finger coffee tan/brown head, dissolving to minimul lace and hair-pin ring and no cap. S: The nose was oak, coffee, yeast, dark fruit, preview of the abv, roasted black malt, and chocolate all in a mild delivery. T: Pallet receives flavor of more roasted black malt, dark fruits in form of thick syrup followed by bourbon winks, mixed with vinilla, and bitter dark chocolate. It was sweeter than i expected but the abv catches up with ya after each passing quaf. M: Medium to heavy with slippery smooth delivery, retaining more carbonation that I would prefer from a Russian Imperial Stout. D: A bittersweet vicsous stout if I've ever had one. Big sections of dark fruit along with coffee and malts and boozy to boot. A different batch each year and different taste as well, so will keep on trying to compare.

1neutral

Smooth Hoperator

Doppelbock

12oz bottle (BB 3/23/10) from brewery into pint glass. Poured a deep copper color with excellent clarity. Small head with a little lacing. Strong nose from fresh german hops backed by a bready malt aroma. Has a sweet taste of caramel and honey with a suprisingly milder than expected hop flavor. Finishes quite bitter for a dopplebock though. Mouthfeel is a little slick for style. Not a bad beer but not what I like in a dopplebock.

1neutral

Kamakura Star Pale Ale

English Pale Ale

330 mL brown glass bottle, capped, stamped "best freshness by" 03.07.29 . Purchased in Kamakura, Japan. 515 Yen. This pale ale poured a slightly hazy, straw color with towering, fizzy, white foam that clung to the glass a bit. The smell was sweet malt with a hint of hops. The taste was dominated by malt, but with some grain (wheat?) type flavor, a hint of fruity hops, especially in the finish. (This tasted like a lager.) The mouthfeel was fairly thin bodied with medium carbonation. The drinkability was OK, but not very memorable.

1neutral

Dead Guy Ale

Maibock / Helles Bock

From a 12 oz. bottle it poured a hazy copper color with a very thin off-white head. The head stayed a short time with minimal lacing. The initial aroma was that of dirty feet and I thought to myself, "do I really want to drink this". Of course I do! Having several other whiffs, the maltiness clearly came through with a very small hint of citrus. The taste was malty from start to finish with a touch of citrus/grapefruit in the middle to balance the malts out just a bit. Mouthfeel was pleasantly light with a decent amount of carbonation. Drinkability is there considering that in my mind, someone had stuck their toes in my beer. Overall a pretty decent beer.

1neutral

Trippel Belgian Style Ale

Tripel

Pours a gold color, very clear, lots of carbonation, and a thick head. Has a sour and spicy aroma with hints of sulphur and noble hops. Very lite mouthfeel, tart and spicy taste and very very dry. Lots of sulphur, cleaning solvents, and very astringent. Overall this was a very boring beer, and not much flavor at all

1neutral

Green Flash Imperial India Pale Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

Picked this 22oz. bottle up at Red, White, and Brew in Mt. Holly, NJ. Store owner highly recommended it from one hophead to another. A: Pours a hazy amber, gold. Decent head retention about half an inch. S: Ripe, biting hops dominate. Lots of pine scents. Some spiciness, too. T: All hops as soon as it hits. Summit and nugget hops throughout (according to the label.) Slight citrus taste, hint of malt sweetness through the middle, but the aftertaste finishes with a dry, hopped bitterness and refreshing alcohol bite. M: Full, chewy texture coats the mouth. Lots of malt sugars there. D: Surprisingly drinkable for 100+ IBU and 9% ABV. Paired this with a filet of salmon with a spicy jerk sauce. Excellent the sauce helped balance the high IBU and allowed some of the sweeter tones of the beer to come through. All in all, a solid imperial IPA. Ill pick up another bottle soon.

2positive

Double Bag

Altbier

This brew poured a nice, clear copper color. It had a small, thin off white head, with a little bit of a bubbly lacing that remained. This brew has a very interesting aroma. Its very woody. Aged oak, honey, roasted nuts, and earthly hops that give this a brew a very fall like aroma. The flavor to this brew mirrors the aroma very well. A very earthly hop and woodsy like flavor at the front, then a bit of the nutty flavor in the middle, with bit of citrus that is present. This is a medium bodied brew, that has a nice mellow carbonination. The muddlement of the flavors on this brew give this mouthful a nice dry, bitter finish. The drink on this one might be a little high for some. Its a stong drink , if you haven't had a altbier like this before. Its a great brew for those who seek out this kind style. Not quite what you expect from a altbier though, seems to be a bit on there own style. Still a decent brew, I would certianly have again.

1neutral

Bruegel Amber Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

Comes in a brown 33cl bottle with a bulge in the neck. The label features a bar scene including a couple of pretty wasted guys in the forefront. Ingredients conform to the purity law. Best before Bastille Day 2005, I opened it on U.S. Thanksgiving Day 2003 - Beer #4 for the holiday. Pours a cloudy light copper hue under a big contoured off-white head with great retention but not much lace. The nose is light and fruity sweet, while the mouth is prickly and light. The taste is classic francophone sweet, with fruits and spices that mask the malt and hops. (Masking out two of the core ingredients of beer is not a good thing in my book.) The finish is sweet, as is the aftertaste. Sweet, sweet, sweet. If I want sweet, I'll drink coke.

1neutral

Trainwreck Organic Barleywine Style Ale

American Barleywine

Appearance is a cloudy brown with a fair head, but nice lace. Smell of big malt, caramel, dark fruits. Taste has a good barleywine style flavor, having a strong hop with a good malt backbone and a husky graininess that ends in a sweet bitter finish. Mouthfeel is full and viscous having good carbonation. A fair barlywine that could use a bit more complexity.

2positive

Haffenreffer Private Stock

American Malt Liquor

Probably my favorite 40 oz. Nothing better then a 40 of Private Stock when your sole intention is to get fucked up. Drink it quick though cuz you dont want it to get warm! but dont drink it too quick cuz it'll knock you on your ass! "smokin weed and Bambu, sippin' on Private Stock."

1neutral

Brutal Bitter Ale

American IPA

A head never even formed on this one in clean glassware. A good beer. Very...un bitter; Somewhere between a mild IPA and a Pale Ale. I've never had an ESB, but I like this one. Nicely balanced and easy to drink. Some nice citrusy hops with mild malty notes. A nice change of pace from all of the IPAs I've been having lately.

2positive

Abbaye Des Rocs Spéciale Noël

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

330ml bottle poured in a chalice. A: An alive beer! As you open it, it wants to jump out the bottle :). Pours a dark amber to brown color. Very dirty, traditional des Rocs style with many chunks floating around. A huge beige head is formed when its poured, however, the retention is medium. It dissipates leaving a thin tan layer on top. Very few lacings left. Beautiful Belgian Strong Dark Ale S: Sweet on the nose. Brown bread and Belgian yeasts are a must. Reminds the Brune version. Dark fruits, mainly raisins, caramel, malts, wood and alcohol. Very reach on smell T: Sweet caramel malts, Belgian yeasts, brown bread, dark fruits (raisins), spices. Molasses and syrupy. Mild bitter end. Complex on taste. Delicious M: Full body, creamy and molasses. Reasonable carbonation. Great sweet-bitterness balance. Warming with a bit alcoholic end O: Abbaye Des Rocs = Quality Belgian trademark beer

2positive

Jai Alai IPA - Cedar Aged (Humidor Series)

American IPA

A friend brought this back to me from Tampa during vacation. He wasn't sure if it was the Jai Alai but I'm guessing it is. This hazy copper beer poured out with a big head. It was very fluffly, pourous, spongey, and dense. It looked fucking beautiful and left a sticky lacing on the glass as it settled. The smell was sweet and floral. I got a nice scent of light caramel from the malt. The hops were pretty equal with that and didn't overpower the aroma. I could sense a bit of the cedar wood in there lending a belgian spice character. It smells like I stuck my head in a cedar chest. Very fragrant. This beer picked up a lot from the cedar. I like this amount but in reality it's overpowering the beer. It weaves in nicely with the hops but they are married so well I can't really pick up certain flavors. The malt isn't as pronounced as the smell. I'm not sure how fresh this is but I would like it to be a little more hop forward. I'm loving this beer so far. Lots of wood character and a nice creamy mouthfeel. It's easy to drink if you like things aged in/on wood.

1neutral

Baltic Porter De L'Ancrier

Baltic Porter

22oz Bottle Purchased from CBX in Charleston. Pours nearly pitch black with tan highlights, short lived off white head. Nose had a touch of tartness in front. Odd. Not picking out many other flavors. Doesn't smell bad, actually kinda nice. Wonder if it's infected? Taste is sweet malts with lightly tart overtones. I'm picking up a little more residual sugar than I'd like. Otherwise, very nice. Mouth is okay. Fairly silky. Drinkability is good. Edit: As this beer warmed, the vinegar component overtook the beer. It ended up being a drainpour :-/. Sigh.

1neutral

Leatherlips IPA

American IPA

Bottle courtesy of Pastor. Thanks! Pours a honey orange color with a creamy soft offwhite colored head. Smell is citrusy orange and some musty, earthy hops as well. Taste is fairly bitter with dusty, chalky and citrusy hop flavors. Lots of bitter metallic lot flavor in it which detracts however. Lasting hop bitterness through the finish. Good rich mouthfeel and moderate to light carbonation. Drinkable and nice overall.

1neutral

Garde Dog

Bière de Garde

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a tulip. A: Gentle pour creates a 1 finger powdery white head with moderate retention. Beer is a clear, orangy-peach. There's a ring at the top where the head initially forms to serve as the lacing, otherwise, nothing. S: Barnyard skunk, peat, moss, earth, and dirt. Peppercorn and clove spices invade the nose. Slight citrus somewhere in there also. Very subtle T: Rust, caramel, brown sugar, ethanol, with a clove spice in the back of the tongue. Floral and citrusy. There's a lot going on here but I can barely pick out anything, the flavors are real foreign to me. All I can say for certain is, very low to non existant hop presence with a strong malt backbone. Enjoyable with a very wet finish and no aftertaste. M: Light to medium bodied, highly carbonated, and very coarse. Watery in the mouth and lively as it goes down. Think lots and lots of bubbles. Finish is clean and wet. Almost no aftertaste. D: I'm not too certain what to think of this beer. Enjoyable and very refreshing for certain but not something that I'd automatically reach for as a session beer. Complexity is definitely present and much appreciated but I'm not crazy about what's going on in this one. An intriguing beer to say the least, this one'll make you think for sure.

1neutral

Fischer LaBelle

Euro Pale Lager

Pale, very clear straw color with active carbonation and a substantial pillow of white foam. Smell is uninviting--bland grains complemented less by skunkiness than an acidic aroma. Malty taste quickly gets very sweet after light crispness at the start. Silky smooth texture and medium body. Lingers in the mouth too long given the dearth of taste.

1neutral

Fischer Tradition Amber

Euro Dark Lager

This is hard to see as an Amber/Red as the body is a clear gold, good looking with its firm and lasting white head. The beer laced with great gusto pushing up the appearance number. The nose is all grain and malt. The taste is basically weak and the feel is quite watery. Overall I would view this beer as bland and needing a firmer body.

1neutral

Tröegs Sunshine Pils

German Pilsener

Poured nice golden straw with great pure white head. Spot on Pils. Smell is a little different for a pils. The saaz come through but not as strong as a prima pils or pils urquel. There is a little something else to it but not quite sure what it is, a bit lemony perhaps. MMMM tasty. Lots of hops to the taste, just like the smell. You can get the sweetness of the caramel malts. A solid Pils but not the best I've had. Great mouth and drinkability, like any pils is.

2positive

Autumn Maple

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Poured into my Duvel tulip, this brew pours more of a ruby red, with brown highlights then anything else. For it's body, the head is tanner then what I would expect, is pretty thick, and carbonation seems tight. S: The aroma is that of candy yams, and the yeasty Belgium spices you would expect in a Trappist brew. The maple and molasses add a sweetness to the aroma. T: The flavor follows suit, sweet candy yams, with a small alcohol burn on the finish. This brew could be much more complex then it's drinking. I expect more spices and yeasty notes. As far as molasses and maple syrup goes, they aren't present much at all, but maybe that was The Bruery's plans all along. MF/D: The mouthfeel is average....probably lower. This beer needs to beef up it's volume. The drink is a little above average for it's ABV. Overall, this brew says its a Belgium Brown Ale, BA classifies it as a BSDA, but I'm saying this brew happens to look and drink like a Belgium Dubbel. With a more hefty mouth feel,I'd definitely bump up the scores.

1neutral

Double Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

Appearance - This is a very dark brown in color with burgundy edges and a decent head. Smell - The aroma here shows a lot of depth. A beautiful South American coffee smell defines the bouquet and the heavily-roasted malt makes an excellent complement. There is a very light smoky aroma as well that I really enjoyed once I found it. The smells themselves are original but they are of very high quality. Taste - The flavor adds a dash of chocolate to the qualities of the smell and just enough alcohol to peak one's interest. The malts come on a bit bigger at the taste as well. And again the apparent high quality of the ingredients is what makes this one stand out from the pack. Mouthfeel - I'm calling this medium-bodied but it's on the heavier side of that definition. The slight alcohol doesn't sting the mouth but it's just enough to notice. The key IMO to this terrific mouthfeel is the balance. It's not especially carbonated, and the lean towards flatness in congruent with the flavors. Drinkability - You never want to guzzle a big beer like this, but I swear this went down quicker than just about any other sample of the style I've had before. This is just a damn good-drinking dark brew and another winner for this accomplished brewery which is highly-regarded in the beer community.

2positive

Hop Sun (Summer Wheat Beer)

American Pale Wheat Ale

Color is light gold, quite clear and definitely not a "dirty" appearance. The aroma has a wheat smell, but light enough that it's not overwhelming. A little dissappointed that there was not more flavor, but the hops are good and leaves a good mouth feel, easy to sip. This isn't my favorite beer from Southern Tier but it serves its purpose as a very drinkable summer beer.

1neutral

Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale

Winter Warmer

This beer pours a clear ruby brown color with moderate carbonation and very little head. The smell is a lightly spiced winter smell with cinnamon and maybe a little nutmeg...reminds me of the winter lager but with spices. Glug glug glug Whoa, this reminds me of Coke and holiday cinnamon and caramel with a bit of a woodsy taste. Cola and a bit of cocoa are present as well as a kind of bitter cherry flavor. The cola hits me last in the profile and really kind of makes me want a Coke, which is weird because I don't really drink soda anymore. Overall the mouth feel is a bit thin but the flavor is nice and this is super drinkable. A holiday session.

2positive

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

I poured this into a 16 oz snifter... And in giving it a rather vigorous pour for the last 6 ozs or so, I manage to create a 2 finger head that settles to a murky and ominous cloud that hovers above a dark and stormy sea of Kentucky goodness. This thing is dark. I mean- driving down a country road with no headlights in a rain storm dark. I'm holding this up to the brightest light in my house, and I'm unable to see through it even at the edges. Upon swirling though, you do notice a deep mahogany/amber color that glints and shimmers with flashes of stunning beauty. The head is a light caramel color and seemingly composed of very tight and fine little bubbles. The lacing is spotty, but it seems to be the norm for these big bourbon barrel stouts. The smell is huge on chocolate and coffee, with notes of vanilla and oak. The bourbon is hiding amongst them, but isn't really jumping out at me. All of those smells translate to the tongue and create an intensely flavorful experience that isn't for the weak of heart. The bitter coffee and unsweetened cocoa notes hit first with an underlying sweetness that I can only attribute to the malts working together with the added vanilla. As this has warmed up, the bourbon has really moved into a much more noticeable position in terms of the smell and taste. It is much more pronounced, and quite delicious. The oaky vanilla notes have gained some ground too. Upon my first few sips with this, all I could think was how well balanced this was... How strong must the other flavors have been to hide the bourbon and boozy bite? Why can't I taste the slightest hint of alcohol yet? It seems that as the beer warms, the coffee and chocolate notes fade and the barrel aging kicks it into high gear. Wow. There's a nice alcohol bite hitting me now that is smooth and warming. I say this completely secure in my status as a heterosexual male that is nearing 30 years old-- This beer is utterly fabulous. The mouthfeel is fantastic. The body isn't nearly as thick or full as you'd expect. It is actually light and creamy smooth. The carbonation level is about perfect for being a barrel aged brew. Certainly no complaints here. The beer does clock in at over 11%, so one of these is plenty. As a matter of fact, it has taken me 31 minutes to... (last sip)... finish this beer. Fantastic. What an enjoyable half hour.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale (2007-2009)

American IPA

2009 Anniversary Ale on sale for 7.99. What the heck I figured, SN is always good! A- Pours a dark golden/reddish color, with a nice thick off-white head. S- Smells of pine, citrus, and malty sweetness. T- This is a well balanced IPA. Nice hoppiness upfront, a bit bitter in the finish. Some sweetness in the finish as well. After a few moments I do pick up on some peppery/jalapeno taste! Very interesting. M- This beer made my mouth feel "prickly" for lack of a better term. Not too watery, nice and tart. The carbonation probably plays a big part in this. D- I love to session IPAs, and this one would be great one after another. Overall, a pretty fantastic IPA, although not quite as enjoyable as Torpedo. Congrats on another year of brewing delicious beers, Sierra Nevada! We appreciate it.

2positive

Half-E-Weizen

Witbier

Bit the bullet with this one on 5/31/2004. 16-oz. pour in a shaker glass at the Sunset. Greenish, yellow hue with lots of haze, to the point of creating an almost neon-like cast to the whole glass. Thin carbonation flirting around the top, and throughout the draught, and yet nothing to get worked up about. Bubblegum bouquet notes with some jumpy clover and coriander. Quite understated and less wheaty than many hefes, and thus more drinkable for the likes of me. The thought occurred to me that those with gluten intolerance might be able to bang this one down without too many problems. Still, there were some straw aspects present to taste, as well as lemon/lime hints; the lack of a banana presence was refreshing. Highly drinkable and refreshing summer brew; not syrupy like others in style.

1neutral

Dundee Pale Bock Lager

Maibock / Helles Bock

Poured into pint glass A: Deeper golden coloring, very little head. Middling carbonation. Average looking beer. S: Not much on the nose, some grassy tones. T & M: A little maltiness in the beer. I had the Dead Guy Ale right before this one and this beer was definitely thinner in taste in mouthfeel. Not objectionable, very average. D: Again, about as average as a beer can get. Wouldn't be opposed to drinking again but won't seek out. I have been pretty disappointed by the Dundee brews.

1neutral

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

12oz bottle into Duvel tulip. Bottled 2/25/11, drank on 4/24/11. Appearance: Free pour yields a one and a half inch frothy tan head that dissipates slowly leaving short-lived rings of lacing. Pours a viscous black with brown highlights. Leaves short-lived lacing walls and tight peaks and spots of lasting lacing. Smell: Bottle: like a bottle of bourbon. Glass: Sweet dark fruits, mild light coffee, some vanilla. Some booziness and unsweetened chocolate come out quickly. Chocolate chip cookie, raisin, mild breadiness. The smell is really nice. It's not busy, but constantly evolving; there's usually three or four discernible notes present, and each one is full of character. For example, halfway through some great molasses and savory aromas start to emerge (tempered by lingering vanilla), which soon give way to more raisin and bourbon. Taste: First sip is bourbon and coffee ice cream up front, segueing to a delicious and complex barrage of decadent liqueur flavors through to the oaky vanilla finish. Surprisingly smooth and clean finish, with the heat mainly showing up in the beginning. However, the heat builds up and becomes a constant background for the ultimately long and good aftertaste. Oak and bourbon influence all the (numerous) flavors here, but only occasionally stand out as a distinct bourbon note. The advertised 70 IBUs are apparently just enough, because the beer doesn't strike me as too rich or too sweet or too bitter. The flavor is strong but not harsh; there's sort of a coffee bean essence, chocolate chip highlights, lots of chocolate cake and even more (bourbon-influenced) liqueur flavors, marrying together perfectly. While the beer's aroma is a constantly evolving set of three or four notes, the taste is a symphony. It is the powerhouse people make it out to be (the flavors are all bold), but everything is sublimely palatable and complimentary. The brewers have extracted an unbelievable amount of (always balanced!) flavor from the ingredients and processes that went into making this beer. Mouthfeel: Full bodied. Smooth, but not quite creamy. Great bitter bite going into the hot finish. Finish occasionally clean, occasionally semi-dry. Overall: Flawless beer. Merits the hype surrounding it. One bottle of KBS is like getting the best of many other world class stouts in one glass. I'm not one to give points for hype or rarity either; I'm a practical man who would ideally be able to buy 5.0 beers whenever I go to the bottle shop--I don't like hassle. This beer is worth the trouble of finding it (though I, as usual in my life, just sort of happened upon it). The more Founders beers I have, the more I'm convinced that they're probably the most talented brewers in America today. KBS is a triumphant bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, and a further testament to the brewery's greatness... and I'm trying hard here to temper my gushing about how amazing this beer is.

2positive

Sweetwater Festive Ale

Winter Warmer

A nice, zingy winter beer. The serving I got did not have much of an odor - but I have never had an exceptional sense of smell. The taste, however, is fairly good. The flavor is not overwhelming or remarkable, but this is definitely a drinkable beer and a good companion to a hearty lunch or dinner. It goes down smoothly without a bad aftertaste.

1neutral

Mokah

American Double / Imperial Stout

This beer, like the Night Stalker, is black on the pour, it has a tan foamy head that dissipates fairly quickly. It smells, again, like really sweet chocolate, with undertones of coffee, but the smell is primarily chocolate. In my notes, I wrote chocolate about 10 times. Chocolate was also my only note in the taste section. In addition to the descriptors dark, melted, yummy, creamy, thick. There wasn't much of a coffee taste, it came across as a starbucks-style mocha rather than something better quality. The flavors definitely weren't as complex or balanced as in the night stalker, but the chocolate was so delicious that it didn't matter too much. In the mouth, again, chocolate, smooth and sweet all the way. It IS the perfect thickness for the flavor profile. Can't drink it fast, but it's pretty delicious as a rich indulgence.

2positive

2nd Anniversary Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Pours a clouded amber with a very thin crme head. Nose is strong citrus and pine. Flavor has a bit of a burn to it from the alcohol, and I think it's a bit too much really. Beyond that there is a real meaty hop thing going on with some citrus and pine and a sweet tone that I find a bit unusual. Feel is nice with a fairly full carbonation to it. This is still fairly nice to drink even though the alcohol is too much and it burns ya.

2positive

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Vienna Lager

For some reason, tastes faintly like hot-dog water; something I also enjoy in moderation. Descent beer, too much hype. It's average. Just not enough going on, muted flavor. Save yourself the hassle and get Sam's Ale. A superior brew from the Boston Brewing Company. Cheers my friend

1neutral

Old Man (Winter Ale)

Old Ale

A - Dark copper color, with a medium amount of head out of the bottle that quickly settles into the beer. S - A good mixture of malts and barley in the beer. T - Even taste of citrus and hops. I could taste the fair amount of bitterness towards the end. M - Very smooth beer. Not much carbonation in the beer. D - I like it out the bottle, but I think it will be better out of a tap. Next time I'm in the Jamestown area, I will try this one at their tap room.

2positive

Double White Ale

Witbier

Southampton Double White, like most Belgian wheats fills the glass with hues of golden straw. It is hazy of course, but this is quite appropriate. Considerable coaxing was necessary to produce the head on this beer which was disappointingly thin and quickly dissipated. The presence of suspended yeast seemed to dominate the aroma of this ale and lures the drinker partake in its goodness. Wheat and coriander aromas were detectable, but significantly more subtle. As with the aroma, this beer's yeasty character was a highly pronounced aspect of its flavor. It did, however, become less dominant as the beer warmed and other flavors began to surface. For instance, coriander became increasingly more detectable about one quarter of the way through the glass, and by the end, the bitter citrus flavors imparted by orange and lemon peel began to bite. A highly enjoyable transition. Mouthfeel of this beer was spot on. The high degree of carbonation yielded to this beer a crisp and stingy character that is completely consistent with this style. A steady stream of released gases bubbled to the surface, creating just enough disturbance to produce at least a minimal amount of lacing. Overall, Southampton's Double White is an extraordinary example of its particular style. It is bold enough to keep its drinker's attention, yet not so aggressive that it can not be enjoyed on regular basis. The emergence of new flavors as my palate settled and the beer warmed made for a delicious conversation between my senses and the contents of my weizen glass. Lack of head retention is the only factor which warranted any real criticism from this reviewer. As can be read on the back of this beers bottle, Southampton's brewmaster Phil Markowski sure got it "white" with this one.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Brown Saison

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

On tap at Capone's. Poured a deeper amberish and copperish color with an averaged sized, frothy off white head. Lacing left on the glass. Aromas of spices, bananas, and toasted caramel. Tastes of bananas, fruitiness, spicess, toasty/roasty, and citrus.

2positive