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Weldspatter IPA

American IPA

22oz bomber poured into my pint glass Pours a very dark copper color, almost want to say murky brown(very dark for an IPA) with a three inch very frothy head. Head is off-white color with great head retention and lacing scattered all over the sides of my glass. Huge amounts of purple grapes come into the nose(wtf?)with hints of hops and toffee/bread like malts. Slight hint of citrus flavors upfront but quickly the malts come in and pretty much dominate the hops. Gives me an idea its past its prime. Some bitterness shows up at the end. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with high carbonation.

1neutral

Chimay Tripel (White)

Tripel

Cinq Cents looks like a big ol' glass of carbonated apple juice. The pearl-white head is big and incredibly persistent. Ten minutes in and we're still looking at a quarter inch of foam. Copious lacing. The smell is faintly reminiscent of spiced apples. There's also a bit of soapiness. Pretty nice. Flavor is your usual clove-like spiciness -- and again -- hints of apples. Hop bitterness is more assertive than the norm for tripels. Finishes with a medicinal bite. Mouthfeel benefits from exceptional carbonation, a nice body and a wicked dry finish. No doubt, Cinq Cents is a damn good tripel. This bottle is fairly fresh (Sept. '08), so I'm sure that an older bottle would be a bit more mellow. That said, this is still a fantastic beer. I just wish that trappist beer didn't come at such a premium, as I've found that I generally enjoy the non-trappist options just a little bit more. It helps that they're a little easier on the wallet. Just saying.

2positive

Gulden Fraug Belgian Style Ale

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

this is my third HF offering and the BORIS left big shoes to fill the head doesn't exhibit any lasting power, despite some hefty carbonation. the aroma released is heavy on the coriander and spicy hops. too sweet. up front the body feels big and supportive but the follow through is cloying and the bitterness insufficient to keep the whole thing contained. it's fruity (cranberry, apricot and pear). it's really not all that bad...certainly doesn't affect its drinkabilityin any drastic way...but something worth thinking about

1neutral

2XIPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Beer is yellow with a mild haze, some lacing on a thin head and low carbonation. Looks OK. Aroma is sweet with mild piny hops and some malt. Beer is thinner than expected, moderately bitter at the back, interesting overall. The hops are mostly piny but overall it is a bit too malty for my tastes. Overall just a decent, nothing too special here DIPA. Next...

1neutral

Troegenator Double Bock

Doppelbock

the color was a deep reddish-brown, with a nice creamy tan head that was short lived there was a definite chocolatly, malty aroma--very nice Taste was roasted, with slight chocolate hints and slight spice after tones from the ABV--the ABV is well hidden by the maltiness, As it warms toward room temp. it gets slightly sweeter. Had a good mouth feel with a good medium body, good carbonation More similar to a regular Bock except for the ABV Very Drinkable, Well hidden ABV makes it easy to have 2-3, Will definitly buy again

2positive

Altbier

Altbier

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass A: Hazy light brown with short fizzy head which wihers away to a thin rim of bubbles. Scant lacing. S: Faint sweet malts with even fainter hops T: A bit light but tasty enough with sweet pale and caramel malts followed up with a mild but appropriate earthy and floral hops contribution. M: A bit thin and watery with barely any aftertaste. D: Easy enough to drink but a little disappointing -- I really like this style, but it is not readily available.

1neutral

Unearthly (Imperial India Pale Ale)

American Double / Imperial IPA

Poured into a Duvel tulip. Hazy dark yellow body with a white bubbly two finger head. Nice lacing. Sweet hop aroma up front. Bready, malty notes in the mix here as well. The flavor is more sweet than bitter with more of a tangerine citrus flavor than bitter grapefruit. The hops come through but are overpowered by the sweetness for my liking. The alcohol is well masked for the high abv. Solid, even if a little too sweet for my liking, DIPA.

1neutral

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Bock

Pouring from a 750 ml bottle. Dark pour with a bit of tawny amber showing through in the light. Smell is very odd. Sanitary clean-like, almost medicinal. Taste is unusual for the name. I don't taste very much chocolate, and it doesn't seem like a bock. Hmmm. Feels very thin, almost watered down. I have heard very good things about this brew, and am left wondering if I got a bad bottle. If this is it, it doesn't live up to it's hype.

1neutral

Double Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

Very dark, pretty much black, not much in the way of edges even. It looked flat off the pour, but a dense cap of dark tan bubbles rose to coat the surface. Some stickage, good head retention. Big sweet, malty aroma with lots of toffee and caramel, roast and milk chocolate notes along with some licorice. Sturdy bitterness with hop notes appearing towards the end. Caramel up front with some chocolate and roast throughout, anise in the finish. Overly phenolic though, a little out of balance. Mild warmth with just a hint of alcohol in the flavour. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Overall, not bad. Fairly drinkable for a relatively big beer.

1neutral

Pilsner Urquell

Czech Pilsener

Pilsner Urquell produces about a finger thick brigh white head that dissipates quickly. The body is golden in color and is ultra clear. This gives off aromas of freshly mown hay and lightly toasted breads. This starts of with the toasted bread taste, but is quickly dominated by the bitter hops finish. This feels very crisp and great with about any food I can think of except desert or something sweet. Overall this was pretty good, but I like the Czech Budweiser (Budvar) better.

1neutral

Vienna Style Lager

Vienna Lager

Had at the brewpub in Salt Lake City. Beer was part of a sample tray. Served from the tap into 4 oz sample glasses. A-amber color with a white head, thin ring head S-cereal smell, malty T-sweet, nice cereal malt flavor, good hop balance M-medium D-Overall a very nice, balanced beer. I would recommend.

2positive

Chipotle Ale

Chile Beer

I had this bottle at Gullifty's in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Appearance: Translucent amber brown color, with a couple fingers of head. The head produced good lacing and had decent retention. Smell: The smell was rather hoppy, kind of what you would expect from something with Chipotle peppers in it. Taste: Suprisingly, this spicy hop aroma was not followed up with anything in the taste. There was a strong malt background, an apparent hop forground, but without the spice. Mouthfeel: Kind of stiff. Drinkability: Certainly a great beer. Don't drink and review.

2positive

Griffin's Bow

American Barleywine

I'm reviewing this beer from a blind perspective in this style, as I've never had a barleywine ale before. Therefore my review will end up revealing more subjective elements than I'd prefer. But what the hell, this beer has been sitting on my shelf for about a month now so I'll give it the once over. Poured from a 22 oz bomber, "The Griffin" glugs it's way into an attractive amber body of mostly transparent goodness, and tops off with a quickly rising two+ finger white head. The fluffy "sea foam" top dissipates with a medium to fast pace and leaves virtually no lace. :-( WTF is it with beers that don't leave lace! Sorry, I digress. It's a fairly good looking brew. Smells are strong with floral hops, alcohol, and a sweet caramelized fruit. Nice. You already know this is going to be a flavorful and strong beer. I suppose there is a hint of oak in there. I don't pick up oak like I do in other oak aged beers, though. That is a tad disappointing to me, since oak is in the name of this style. First sip pulls back a reverse order of the smells for me...kind of funny. I don't recall another beer doing that before. Malts and sugars slapped my tongue silly up front. Upon swallow I can readily feel the alcohol, and the hops float into a mild but well balanced aftertaste. Minutes after the swallow you can still pick up a hint of the hops...a good sign of a robust ale, IMO. Ironically, after a solid belch I could taste a ripe fruit...banana?? Bananas Foster??? The write-up says honeysuckle, pineapple, grapefruit, and burnt sugar. I guess that with with all those similar "sweet" flavors my brain says Bananas Foster. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a slight tingle on the lips, and a smooth, mild fizz sliding down the back of your throat. Overall I like this beer. But with 22oz of 11.5% ABV...just make sure you bring a designated driver...or share with friends. I'm a little buzzed by the end of this review, in fact. I think I'd try it again, but i wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

1neutral

John John Dead Guy Ale

Maibock / Helles Bock

Served on-tap in a 10 oz. cocktail glass at Eli Cannon's in Middletown, Conn. A: Poured a slightly hazy, medium copper color with a honey tinged glow and a very slight sudsy head of carbonation which disappeared completely, leaving the ale looking like a glass of whiskey. S: Smells slightly spicy and herbal, with hints of oak, charcoal and tobacco. T: Flavor is muted and smooth at first, with a semisweet caramel malt flavor, low in dextrose. Then, in comes this whiskey flavor which dominates the entire palate. Very oak and spice flavored with a whiskey-tinged alcohol sting and mellow, earthen finish. No real bitterness, save the bite of the wood, so hops are muted in the process here. M: Mouthfeel is full to medium bodied and smooth as hell. Very low carbonation, but not syrupy at all. D: A dangerous sipper indeed. I honestly felt like I was sipping a whiskey high ball. The wood-aged character and flavor is so pronounced and makes this 6.4% ABV bock one smooth criminal. I could easily have had a few - before during and after dinner. Nice work, Rogue.

2positive

American Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

12oz Bottle Appearance Mostly clear copper colour with an above average size frothy and fizzy beige coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for 5 minutes or so before it was gone. Smell Malts, hops, caramel, chocolate Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste lots of malts and caramel. There is also quite a bit of hop taste going on, and some very faint notes of chocolate. The beer finishes with a sweet malty aftertaste with a slight amount of lingering hop bitterness. Overall This was a very tasty beer that reminded me a little bit of an english IPA. The flavours were well balanced and it was very drinkable. Its a beer worth seeking out in my opinion.

2positive

Founders Dirty Bastard

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

Ruby red color with a cream colored head leaving spotty lacing around the glass. Toffee, brown sugar, malted milk balls in the nose. Malted milk balls up front followed by toffee in the finish, only a bit of hop presence. Average carbonation and medium bodied. Wasn't very drinkable, split the bottle. Perhaps I will try it again to see if I got a bad bottle or if I will like it better.

1neutral

Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner

American Double / Imperial Pilsner

12 oz. bottle, poured into a tulip, have been really anxious to try this, served at approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, A: Pours a hazy, light orange, not gold as I expected, with a thick great white head, which is legitimate in height with great retention all through the drink, great lacing as well, the higher alcohol brew just coats the glass when drunk, certainly a great looking beer. S: Lighter than I expected, very hoppy though, lots of pine, some citrus and earth. T: Taste is quite hoppy, some pine, a lot of earthy grassiness, there is a bit of toasty malt, but the showcase of Hallertau noble hops steals the show. The aftertaste is interesting, the hops last on your tongue for a long time, with a hint of ripe cheddar cheese, or a light gouda, sublime. M: Very creamy, rich carbonation, a bit phenolic and medicinal, a bit alcoholic, metallic, medium-bodied. D: An interesting beer, I've never had a Double/Imperial Pilsner, so I didn't know what to expect. The hoppiness is not extreme about the same as an average IPA, I would wager about 50-70 IBUs, but that is a guess. Definitely the hoppiest Sam Adams beer I have ever had. A satisfying beer, to be sure, glad I bought it and that it came to Southern California.

2positive

Blanche De Chambly

Witbier

A Belgian style Wit, no doubt. Supreme head and powerful aroma. All tart, weak hop make for a slightly unbalanced brew. Spicy, yes. Hop, not really. But, still a step above most. Cheers to frank4sail for the sample

2positive

Life & Limb

American Strong Ale

Batch 2 on tap at WF Fair Lakes. 3.99 12 oz snifter. Pours a dark mahogany, opaque and sludgy. Dense tan head that quickly fades to a thin collar with thick sheets of lacing. Aroma is sweet, maple and boozy with light oak; fairly mild all things considered. Thick body, very chewy and viscous with light carbonation. Flavor is smoother and more balanced than I remember Batch.1 being but it's still a chore to get through a glass. Maple and oak dominate with charred wood, ash, light anise, chocolate and earthy hops. Very boozy but not as solventy and depressing as Batch 1. Better, but still a novelty.

1neutral

Great Lakes Nosferatu

American Strong Ale

Reviewed on Friday, September 25, 2009. Fall is here and I am happy. A: 12oz bottle poured into Sam Adams tulip glass. Color is a dark, rusty red. Only a shadow of my hand can be seen on the other side of the glass. Thick, fluffy caramel-colored head sits atop the brew and hangs around for a while. Decent amount of lacing. S: Sweet malts and black cherries. Bit of alcohol as well. T: This is a complex brew. Biscuit malt is the dominant flavor but the hop bitterness can be detected on the back end. Very nice balance. Alcohol is well hidden. M: Mouthfeel is fairly thick. Well suited for the style. Overall, this is a perfect style for the fall season. Warming and comforting on chilly autumn evenings. Not overly sessionable, but that's probably a good thing considering the ABV.

2positive

Beehive

American Pale Wheat Ale

A murky light orange/golden color. Head was full, but not very dense. Clean residue on the side of glass. Straw, honey, citrus and rye aromas. Seems to be a bit sweet and grainy, but mostly like a wheat beer with a touch of honey. The honey doesn't blend well with the wheat or anything else in the brew. Sweet, not sticky, seems a bit stale. Old socks come to mind, old malt. Finished the pint I was served, but didn't order another. Not refreshing or delicious to me.

1neutral

Hop Dam Triple IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Bottle, home. Good beer but a bit disappointing. This beer pours a pretty standard shade of orange-gold with a nice head, a shade or two of yellow past white. The aroma packs a lot of hops. It seems to run a bit more piney, but the big three American hop aromas, pine, grapefruit and floral, are present and accounted for. DIPAs seem to be locked in a battle for most fragant and Hop Dam does well in this regard, but I'd honestly prefer something more than pure strength at this point. The flavor is just a bit too astringent/paint thinner heavy to compete with the best DIPAs. It's nice and bitter, and I'm certainly not scared off by the astringency, but the best DIPAs (looking at you PtY) just drink smoother. Mouthfeel is a tad rough. I've just been bowled over too many times by too many other super-hopped DIPAs to be all that impressed by this sort of no-holds-barred take on the style. That said, I love hops, and this beer certainly provides a hop fix.

1neutral

Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA

Belgian IPA

A: Bright golden color with hints of amber mixed in. A nice fully white, nice carbonation rushing up from the bottle of the glass. The lacing could have been a little bit better otherwise it is perfect S: Some nice pepper notes, hints of cloves lemon and some other citrus fruits, nice yeast estery undertones of bubblegum and a crisp piney hoppiness to boot. T: Initially it starts out very estery with bubblegum notes before a slight pepper note and then finishing with a clean herbal hop note and some pine. The bubblegum does get slightly overwhelming at times and a touch more sweetness could have helped. M: Slightly harsh and prickly, not as smooth as many other beers as the carbonation stings my tongue a little. D: A great one to try that I would have any as long is it were fresh, with out the hops I think this one wouldnt have been nearly as enjoyable so get em now

2positive

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Bock

Served in the 750 mL bottle into a goblet. The color is black, with a ring and wispy white head. The smell is a light chocolate with a bit of malt. The taste starts with a bit of the malt character and then warms to the chocolate taste and the slightly bitter chocolate aftertaste. Mouthfeel is average. As for drinkability, might have a couple more. If this was 8 dollars a bottle, I'd probably get another one of these; since I paid 22 dollars for this, I have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed. Not a terrible beer and in fact a nice taste, but if they want to charge a elite price then they should make an elite beer, and this just isn't elite.

2positive

Double IPA (Brewmaster Series)

American Double / Imperial IPA

Clear and deep gold, a thick off-white cap formed during the pour and settled very slowly. Lots of lace was left behind on the glass. Nice aroma, plenty of hops - pine, a little resin, white grapefruit. There was a little spiciness and mild caramel character as well. Strong hop presence in the flavour too, with a solid bitterness that lingered in the finish and a lot of pine and grapefruit throughout. Malts gave it a pleasant sweetness up front, while it finished with spicy alcohol and a bit of caramel. Medium bodied with average carbonation. Fairly dry with moderate alcohol warmth. A solid DIPA all around. Nicely balanced while keeping the focus on the hops. Good stuff.

2positive

Kennebunkport Apricot Wheat Beer

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

At first glance I'd say marketing could be better. There is nothing that makes it stand out among the rest. I poured this beer into a cold mug to help observe the smell and color. I proably could have left it in the bottle. Although it states that its a wheat beer, there is no discernable wheat taste or visual appeal. Though in all fairness, is does have a good fruity taste and smell about it. It has a good mouth feel lending to its moderate drinkability. I might buy it again if I'm in the mood for a fruit beer although there would have to be absolutely no other wheat/fruit beer on the shelf. All in all, not awful but there are plenty of other good beers to choose from.

1neutral

Sam Adams Light

Light Lager

12 ounce bottle into a mug. This one poured out a lighter shade of clear amber with about a finger of white head that left some spotty lace on the glass. The aroma is bready, with a lot of sweet caramel. Doughy malt and caramel make up the bulk of the body to this one. There are some grassy noble hops on the finish to provide some balance. A decent beer to this point, it really takes a hit on the mouthfeel. WAY, WAY too carbonated. It almost hurts the tongue. A solid effort from BBC, not really worth your time though.

1neutral

Nut Brown Ale

American Brown Ale

First brew from Mt. Carmel. Picked up at Party Town in Erlanger, KY on recent Cincinnati roadtrip. Great looking brew. Poured into my favorite beer glass, a duvel tulip. Even better smelling. Very earthy, musty. Tastes very woody. Label says 'malt beverage brewed with maple syrup.' Great tasting beer. Will definitely pick up again.

2positive

Coors

American Adjunct Lager

A light clear pale yellow. A bit thin and without much hop aroma. A simple low flavor lager with a very light citrus hop flavor and finish. Not metallic but not really quite smooth or mellow, a bit off to my taste, and nothing compensating in malt character. A beer for those that really don't care for beer. The opposite of complex.

0negative

Allgäuer Ökobier

Dortmunder / Export Lager

Not a really good beer. Looks quite ok, but the head is a bit too small. It has not really full aromas, some barn like aromas can be found, but in general i would say that it is a bit too thin. For a real summer beer, it is not carbonated enough which makes it a bit unpleasant, like a beer that stood there for too long or so. Not really terrible,but nothing to look out for.

0negative

Der Weisse Bock

Weizenbock

Can't find the date on this one. Purchased @ Julio's Liquors, Westborough Mass Price - $5.99/bomber Appearance: Hazy deep amber color. Thick head if poured too aggressive. Not much sticking to the sides. No lacing. Smell: Spices and Banana come to mind with this one. Taste: Definate malt up front with a hint of Lime almost tangy. As it warms it gets a little peppery. Mouthfeel: Crisp dry finish. Alcohol well hidden at 8.5%. Drinkability: A worthy weizenbock. Not my #1 choice in the style but very good never the less.

2positive

Hopback Thunderstorm

Hefeweizen

When I originally Reviewed this before I thought it was a blonde ale. On here it says it's a hefeweizen. So with that in mind this makes a little more sense. The beer is a cloudy yellowish gold, with an English feel to it. Malts are there mixing with the wheat. This is an ok brew but not the greatest.

1neutral

Samuel Smith's, The Famous Taddy Porter

English Porter

This robust porter pours a rich black with a wonderful tan head. The head is creamy with decent retention. It smells like chocolate and coffee with distinct British malt. Taste is very round and blended. There are hints of chocolate and coffee surrounding a complex malt character. The hallmark of the flavor of this beer is the classic nature. I can think of no better example of a classic English porter. Mouthfeel is smooth and robust. I finished my 12 oz bottle and immediately wanted another. I may suggest opting for the 16 oz bottle on this one, because 12 is just not quite enough.

2positive

Jockamo IPA

American IPA

12oz bottle A- pours a clear orange/brown color with a big rocky off white head, no visible carbonation to speak of. S- Creamy hops, not much else going on. T- Bright grassy orange flavor from the hops, and a stable malt background. Needs more hop character. A bit boring. M- Medium, great carbonation. D- Awesome drinkability, i dont know if i'm just thirsty of what but these go down very easy, even for the moderately high ABV.

2positive

Stoudt's Triple (Belgian Abbey-Style Ale)

Tripel

Pours a flufy white, thre finger head over a banana ripened body. Smells as if there is a spicy belgian character getting ready to wallop you in the senses. Unfortunately, it's not a spicy assault, but an alcoholic binge. How 9% feels so harsh, I'll never know. The smell is nice, but dosn't come through on the taste. There is a hollowness one feels after this. A lingering on the palate that makes you yes, try it again, to see if there was something you missed, but understanding that that something might not be that pleasant. Drinkability for me, is very low. The highreal ABV and that it seems that way, makes this not a sesion beer, if you ask me.

1neutral

Raspberry Imperial Stout

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Poured a deep black with a creamy tan head. Tons of lacing stuck to the side of the glass. Notes of chocolate, coffee and berries were apparent in the aroma. Taste was rich and sweet. Noticeable chocolate and raspberry flavors. The beer started somewhat sour but had a balanced finish. Terrific fruity and nutty aftertaste. Extremely smooth and creamy mouthfeel.

1neutral

Old Style Light

Light Lager

Why bother to review a light lager one might ask. Well, because it's in my fridge, and unbelievably this one has only 11 reviews to date. So, my input does count for something I guess. Appearance: Poured from the can into a pilsner glass a pale straw yellow. Nice fluffy white head, at least one inch. Quickly collapses though to a ring around the glass. No lacing. Typical for the style though. Smell: Nothing, really. Faint aroma of grain, perhaps a touch of barley malt, no hop or hop like aromas to speak of. Again, while for many beers this is definaitely lacking, but for a style where it is best to not have any offensive aromas this one passes the test. Taste: While a light beer is light in taste, this one has a touch of grainy, malty flavor as it warms, but I can still stomach it, its not repulsive. No offensive metallic tastes, which I sometimes seem to get from a canned product. I also can not say that this is sweet as some of these beers seem to me. Mouthfeel: Light and watery, as expected. Not overly fizzy which is good. Drinkability: Ridiculously easy to consume and not have to think about it. A good, cheap, pound'em down beer for the game (whatever game that may be, baseball, football, hockey).

1neutral

Organic Münster Alt

Altbier

Pours a hazy yellow with a barely off-white tan head that gets pillowly and slowly fades to a sheet. Minimal carbonation. Smells a bit zingy and citrusy (lemon more than orange), with an underlying yeasty slowness. Pretty crisp in the taste and feel, with plenty of citrus and that German yeast flavor that keeps the zing in check. Very balanced and smooth, with moderate hops bitterness that plays second to the rest of the beer.

2positive

Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner

American Double / Imperial Pilsner

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. The label reads best before Jan. 09 and it was sampled on 6-24-09. Appearance: The body has a deep orange amber color with a few random and tiny bubbles of carbonation here and there. Its clarity is very good as well. The head is very thick and creamy with about a two and a half finger thick ness. It is light tan in color and very long lasting which makes for nice sticky rings of lacing on the glass. Smell: The aroma is really rich and full of leafy/spicy hops and pale bready malt. Taste/Mouth: The flavor, like its aroma, has an intense spicy/leafy/herbal hop character. It is in you face with hops and bitterness. Under this heavy layer of hops is a simple and very modest pale bready malt flavor. There is just enough malt presence in there to remind you that this is a beer and not just a bottle of hop extract. It finishes with slowly with a strong hop flavor and bitterness that clings to tongue and feels like it is pulling the enamel off of your teeth. The palate has a full, thick body and slick texture with light carbonation. Notes: This is a big, full hop bomb and I even sampled it a few months passed its freshness date. I love hops and the flavor was very good but I am not the biggest hop head in the world so for me the drinkability was low on this one. A little bit of this goes a long way.

1neutral

Duchesse De Bourgogne

Flanders Red Ale

I was glad the other reviewers cleared up what I was thinking about this ale: Was it ale or hard cider? I bought this on a whim at Whole Foods in Jericho NY while trying to follow up on the great beers of Beligum in the tradition of Westmalle, etc. The creamy head with bubbles overflowed with an apple/champagne taste that was so strange in a delightful way I continued to explore the whole 750ml. I put it down for while and came back to see if it would change. As no change came with time, I thought this would be great with pork or with a spiced ham.

1neutral

Tetley's English Ale

English Pale Ale

Very similar to a Boddington's Ale, on-tap. A= a dark tea-brown with lots of tan foamy frothy head that stays and lingers for a long time-- usually til you've finished the fluid. S= nice, slightly grassy malt-ale freshness. T= immediately satisfying yet mild, very smooth, very nice. And very much like Boddington's on-tap-- much better than the Boddington's nitro-can (which is also a great beer). Not at all like Wexford's nitro-can, though, don't let me confuse you with the grassy reference. M= slightly watery compared to the Boddington's Ale on-tap or nitro-can but still very nice, mellow, lightly lingering taste yet nothing heavy or annoying whatsoever. D= you could drink this forever but you might eventually get a little bored and switch to something more exciting, if available.

1neutral

LongShot Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Bottle shared by daryk77 - thanks! Pours a bright copper color with a one-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving decent lacing. Smells of citrus and pine hops with good amounts of sweet caramel malts. Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth caramel malt flavors up front are quickly joined by solid citrus flavors - mostly grapefruit - with hints of earthy pine. As it warms it gets slightly boozy but the alcohol is hidden pretty well. Ending is moderately bitter. Mouthfeel is good. It has a solid thickness with grainy carbonation. Drinkability is good. I didn't have a problem finishing my glass and could have another. Overall this was a solid IPA and one I'd like to try again. Nice job by McDole.

2positive

Hazelnut Brown Nectar

American Brown Ale

Appearance: A deep ruby red with a fairly loose, small, creamy tan head . The head has no staying power, and leaves no lace. About average for a brown ale. Smell: At first, it's mostly malt, but as it warms and the volatiles evaporate, you get a strong hazelnut nose. Taste: Good roasted malts and hazelnut flavors and a toasty nuttiness. Has a mild hop bitterness at the back ofthe tounge. Very well balanced. I think I'm getting some caramel overtones to, but it's so subtle, it's hard to be sure. If you don't like my lackof certainty, go get your own damn beer and review it. ;) Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, average carbonation for a brown ale with just a bitof a bite at the end.. Drinkability: Tasty. Has a nice complexity but is still easy drinking. Note: The quality control on this beer (Much like the Roque Red) leaves something to desired. Try it. If you don't like it, wait a few weeks and then get another bottle from a different store.

2positive

Heresy

Russian Imperial Stout

22oz. bomber: this one pours a vary dark, opaque brown color. There was a bit of a light brown head on it that doesn't leave any lacing. This one has a full nose. Some vanilla, oak, chocolate and a whiff of alcohol to the nose. For an an Imperial stout, it has a medium body. The flavor is good, but I think it suffers a bit from the lack of a fuller body. Vanilla, chocolate and maybe some faint fruits. It is just a little sweet. Decent, but there are better RIS' out there.

1neutral

Hop 15

American Double / Imperial IPA

Pours an amber color with a big lasting creamy head. Bottle conditioned haziness. Smell is nicely hoppy with mostly pine to me. Strong nose and taste. Flavor is of crisp sharp, biting, spicy hops. Somewhat tingly and spicy almost like some fresh hop beers. Well carbonated but still a rich mouthfeel. Mostly flavors of Pine and resin, and I didn't get a lot of refreshing citrusy or floral flavors at all. Perhaps a touch too bitter for what I was looking for on this particular night. Still really nice but drinkability wasn't as good as on some DIPAs.

2positive

Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Picked up a single from Bello Vino in Ann Arbor, MI. Poured into my pint glass, it's a clear gold with a tall, white head. This IPA is a little different than your typical face-full of pine and grapefruit. Given, it does have grapefruit, but the flavor starts mellow and then grows through the finish to a big, spicy bitterness. The aroma has more of the citrus and is pleasant, but relative for the style, it could be better. For the strength, this beer is very drinkable and a little dangerous. It's probably a good thing more 7.5% beers aren't this seemingly sessionable.

2positive

Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat

Milk / Sweet Stout

Pours a light black from a can into a pint glass. The aroma is not powerful, but it is mostly roasted malt and just a hint of chocolate and coffee. The taste is of light chocolate, for instance a hershey's bar. Tasty, and unique. Not perfect, but it doesn't taste like any other milk stout I've had. The mouthfeel is fairly light, which makes this stout drinkable even on a hot day like today. This and their DIPA are the only beers I've had from Kansas, but I'm glad to discover this brewery, particularly since they are canned.

2positive

Turbodog

English Brown Ale

I actually decided to give this beer a try from watching Emeril cook with it on his cooking show. It was worth a try, not my favorite but a good beer. It poured a dark brown with hints of red, a perfectly clear beer. The head was a tannish two fingers with little lacing. The aroma was primarily malty with some hints of smokiness that comes from the roasted malt. The taste is more smoky than I expected by with little real malt sweetness and almost no hops flavor. This felt a little oily in the mouth, but it could be a decent session beer.

2positive

Tarry Suchong

Smoked Beer

I had this on-tap at Max's, poured into a sample glass. Appearance: Pours a cloudy somewhat dark amber with a layer of off white head and decent retention. Smell: My first thought is smokey ketchup. Smoke and some sweet malt. There is a fruity smell that reminds me of tomato. Taste: Smokey with a tart note. I would like some more body to balance the smoke. The finish is smokey. Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly carbonation and a dry finish. Overall: The smell and taste were both a little bit off putting. I don't think I would have this beer again.

1neutral

LongShot Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

This is a very strong IPA release from the Sam Adam's 2008 competition winners and is a very notable entry. It has a deep almond color in the glass, half-opaque. The smell is very exquisite and contains a large variety of flavors to the nose. Grapefruit, Red Apple, and a strong overall citrus aroma fills the head. Taste is extremely strong and bitter with a lot of hops. Definitely seems like a balanced ale to me. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both quality and can't be spoken against, especially for a double IPA. Overall, very good stuff and yet another good choice for the 08 Sam Adams competition.

1neutral

AleSmith Wee Heavy

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

Thanks to Boolshot for tradeing me this fine beverage! Served into a snifter: Appearance: This beer pours a super dark brown almost black liquid. The head is ummm...what head? No head to be found other than thin off white ring around the brim of my glass.Minimal laceing to be found. Smell: Sweet prunish,raisiny, sour and yet sweet tart apples, a hint of smokiness, a strong sweet malt character, mesquite wood, perhaps a little nutty, and even some licorice can be detected in the nose. Not much hops to note but the alcohol seems to linger in with the sweet malty drink. Taste: The taste is very much like the nose to the "T". Exept the alcohol is much more potent. The sweet maltiness is the majority of this fine brew. Still no hops to jump out at you to say. Much more prevelent smoke and peat character. A cinnamon roll and/or raisin bread seems to play a role as well. This beer seems to be (so far) on my top scotch ale/wee heavy beers list. Very flavorsome! Mouthfeel: Slick and oily with a fruity alcoholic film inside my mouth is left after each swallow. A medium body, almost thick with a good amount of carbonation even thou no head was produced. Drinkability: This is definitely a fine brew in my opinion. A must try if you have not already. I would love to try this again perhaps aged with just one year to compare and to give me an excuse to drink this again. Cheers2Beers

2positive

Wild Dog Colorado Saison

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

Found this on my first visit to Beltway Fine Wine and Spirits near Towson, MD. Big fan of pretty much everything else from Flying Dog, including possibly the coolest labels on any bottles out there. This one didn't have the great label, but I was still excited. Not the best pour on my part so there was a slight amount of head, but immediately there was a very nice golden-orange body. There was plenty of carbonation and the smell of yeast was fairly strong as well. And that's what you taste right away; the yeast, after the first sip, you notice the slight acidity. On subsequent sips you taste more of the citrus elements to it, as well as sweetness. Overall, it is a very smooth drink. This isn't the best representation of a saison (nor is it supposed to be?), and it won't go down as my favorite flying dog beer, but it was an enjoyable one.

2positive

La Puténa

Vienna Lager

Fliptop bottle, a nice pop on opening. Poured a murky, darkish brown with a full light brown 2-finger head that quickly dissipated. Color was brown with very little carbonation, some reddish highlights when held to light. Taste was smooth with toffee aroma and taste, a bit sweetish aftertaste. Not sure what category this definitely belongs to, maybe Cousin of Vienna Lager. Close but very different.

2positive

White Birch Belgian Style Pale Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

Bottled: December 30, 2009 Batch: 11 Bottle: 49 of 58 ABV: 7.8% Pours a surprisingly light opaque straw color with a thin head, small bits of lacing on the glass as I drink it. Smell is mostly sweet malt with hints of pear and citrus, not picking up much of a yeast presence that usually accompanies a Belgian style beer. Taste is light and crisp, sweet malt dominates with a fruity pear tinge, a weird and off-putting grassy aftertaste occurs and makes my mouth feel musty, not sure where that came from, follows up with a very dry finish.

1neutral

22nd Anniversary Vanilla Imperial Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

Pours a deep brown, almost black with a tight, mocha head that leaves a solid ring of lacing. Smells of big vanilla and chocolate notes. Tastes of a big dose of vanilla followed by more standard stout characteristics. Vanilla is definitely the focus with a gigantic wave of it right up front. Some brown sugar sweetness, chocolate and light coffee notes back it up. Has a bit of an adult milk chocolate feel to it. Not much bitterness to speak of, but sweetness is pleasant. Mouthfeel is medium-fulll with a smooth amount of carbonation. Overall, nothing groundbreaking, but if you want to try a good vanilla aged stout, this is worth a shot.

2positive

Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale

English Barleywine

Poured from the 12oz bottle into a Maudite snifter. Body is a deep reddish brown, accompanied by a thin ring of creamy, off-white head. Aroma of sweet, bready malt, a touch of brown sugar, and mild fruit (plum?). Palate is sweet up front, with caramel and a bit of dark malt accompanied by a mild bready character. Some fruity flavors emerge mid-palate, before the warm, almost buttery finish. Body is substantial and a bit thick, but not very sticky. Overall, an approachable barleywine, and a decent representation of the English style. I prefer the hoppier American style barleywines, but this is indeed an enjoyable beer.

1neutral

Chimay Première (Red)

Dubbel

Served from a 750mL bottle. Red-brown in the goblet, good head at first but quickly dissipated, little to no lacing. Smelled of bread yeast, with a bit of honey...candied apple? Not much power here. Brown sugar on the palate, hints of dark fruits. Buttery aftertaste. Very smooth and creamy in the mouth, but light bodied. A little too sharply carbonated. I could very well drink this all night long-- but I'm not sure if the taste is really 'wow' enough to have me reaching for another.

2positive

Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

Thanks to Slowbeer for this one. Much appreciated Poured into a Tulip A-- Poured a amber orange color, nearly clear. One finger off white head. Good looking and took its time to die down. Good streaking lacing to this. Good head retention on swirling. S-- Candied pine, orange, grapefruit and other citrus flavors. Bit of a sweet, sticky nose to this. T-- Pine and a bit of medicinal orange to the taste. Very odd flavor combination. M-- Oily and oily. Lots of flavors in mid and back palate. Lots of ripe orange and grapefruit but bitterness is really in the finish to this. Not so much in the front at all. Thick and coating but has a sort of strange syrupy quality from all the oil in this. Alcohol quite well hidden. O-- Good but has some strange syrupy and medicinal qualities to this. Not as puckering as I thought this would be but better than a few DIPA's I have had recently. Would get again.

1neutral

La Rullés Estivale (Bière De Gaume)

Belgian Pale Ale

Honey with a hint of orange marmalade. There aren't the usual number of Belgian ale bubbles, and the crown isn't as gargantuan as is typical, but the beer looks spectacular nevertheless. The cap is the color of melted marshmallows and is at least as sticky. The end result is that the glass is positively slathered with chunky lace. What a great way to lead things off. Edit: subsequent pours result in a masterpiece in a glass The nose is an inspired mixture of tropical fruitiness (musky pineapple, tangy orange) and light, summertime spiciness. The former comes from Amarillo hops and the latter from an Orval yeast strain. I wonder whether those two ingredients have ever been combined before? The jump-out-of-the-glass power that I didn't get initially shows up as the beer warms and as the yeast from the bottom of the bottle is liberated. I'm torn between enjoying the relatively subtle, finely complex nature of the flavor profile and wanting to jack things up to the taste bud saturation point. I hate to be thought uncivilized, but with more Amarillo hops, this stuff would be killer with a capital 'K'. Having said that, the stealth bitterness is becoming cumulative with each passing ounce. Contrary to my fears, Estivale doesn't taste anything like Orval. There's an intriguing spiciness that is most reminiscent of tamed white pepper mixed with orange zest, but I don't detect even a trace of horse blanket. I guess the brewery uses several different yeast strains. Pineapple is less prominent on the palate; bitter orange and lemon are more so. This is a near perfect summer beer for a whole host of reasons. It has a relatively light, yet tremendously satisfying flavor; it's snappily bitter without being abusive; and it has a crisp, quenching finish that prompts one to start thinking about the next mouthful almost before the last one is gone. The mouthfeel starts out light, becomes light-medium and gorgeously supple with warming, and is expertly bubbled. Estivale (meaning 'summer') is very good beer. It would probably be just as good if one of the noble hops was used, but I like the decision to use Amarillo. Mostly because I'm a huge fan of Amarillo hops. Although it may not be the quintessential Belgian summertime ale, nothing else comes to mind that can give it a run for its money. What the hell... it *is* the quintessential Belgian summertime ale.

2positive

Pete's Brown (Tribute Ale)

American Brown Ale

A fine looking brown ale. Russett/burgundy colored. A thick creamy off white head leaves great lacing and holds lengthy retention. Dark caramel and chocolate malts. Milk chocolate aromas with date notes. Sweet brown sugar with other sugary aromas. Dark bready grains with dried fruits. Falls off a little on the flavor. Very straigtforward lacking depth. Sweet malty character milk chocolate in character. Thin mouthfeel with some bittering hop on the finish. Some nutty, dried fruit again. A decent beer but just nothing to set it apart.

1neutral

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale

Irish Red Ale

Had this bad boy at the Mad Mex in the north hills of Pittsburgh, which as a side note has a pretty serious selection of good draft beers. Anyhow, on to the brew! Thin white head on top of a reddish-amber body, with little noticable carbonation. Major sweet malty smell, some herbal qualities, sweet fruit hints, alcohol. The taste was malty and sweet, with some mild carbonation up front that faded into a smooth buttery sweet aftertaste, mild hops throughout. This was a smooth and full-bodied ale, and I was a fan. Not the best Irish Ale I've had but pleasant and very drinkable. hats off the Great lakes again.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Porter

American Porter

Pours an opaque black with amber to red highlights and a thick tan head that slowly fades. Very low carbonation. Smells like a stout. Slight hops, sugary, molasses. Tastes less vinous than a porter probably should. Drier than a porter should be as well. Has the molasses sweetness that a porter should though. This would be an OK stout. It's closer to stout than porter, to me. I like it, and would have rated it higher if it were closer to type for me.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

American Barleywine

Stubby brown 12oz bottle, 2008 vintage on the cap. Pours a viscous, dark coppery red with a dense creamy-white head. Good retention and great lacing. Citrusy hops hit the nose up front, fruity yeast, faint caramel sweetness finishes. Wow, this isn't lacking in the flavor department. Big fruity hop punch up front, sturdy, thick malt backbone with malty sweetness, and caramel. Leads into a warm alcohol burn and a very, very dry hoppy finish at the back of the tounge. Aftertaste is dry hops and alcohol. Thick and viscous on the tounge, interesting all over the mouth. Nice crisp carbonation. Alcohol is present, but not overbearing given the high abv. Overall a good barleywine, there's certainly a lot of malt in this one. My only complaint is that this beer may have been a bit green/young. I think a few years of cellaring would do this brew very well and round out those rough edges. I will definately buy some more for the cellar.

1neutral

Wendelinus

Belgian Pale Ale

First of all, this is clearly a Belgian Pale/Blonde Ale. Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip. Appearance: Clear golden-orange with thin white head and no lacing. Smell: Very sweet and fruity, with banana, apricot, plum and some other odd fruit that I can't identify. Taste: That odd fruit from the aroma dominates the taste. Banana, apricot and plum are noticeable as well, but overripe and too sickly sweet. Very light spicy and grassy hops at the end do not provide enough counterbalance. Feel: Moderate carbonation, syrupy body with too much residual sweetness. Overall: The sweetness, the syrupy body and the almost rotting fruit taste really makes this a very poor Belgian Blonde Ale.

0negative

Hercules Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Pour: 22oz bomber to tulip glass. Comes out with a thick two and a half finger off-white head over a clear copper beer. Some visible bubble trails throughout the glass. The head clings to the edges all the way down and has a great pillowy character to it. Nose: A bit too light, but has some good notes: hops, of course, hints of vanilla, and the ever present pine and grapefruit combination of strong hoppy beers. Smells smooth and creamy, not too harsh. Mouth: Sweet, smooth, creamy entrance and a long hop finish. Lots of peppery spice on the tongue but not as much diversity in flavors as I would have hoped. At room temperature the alcohol is very present, accentuating the pine flavors of the hops.

2positive

Lion Stout

Foreign / Export Stout

Noted as 8.00%. QC must have been slightly out of whack as I about to enjoy an 8.80% ABV. As a note this is packaged with the high ABV Belgians as it probably should be, with a complete box allowing in zero light, very stealthy, let's give it a whirl. Popping the top I get a burnt malt and cocoa flavor with a black licorice accent. Pours into a chalice, which is the glass at hand, jet black, with a tan micro-bubble thin head. Taste is roasted malts at the start with a big milk stout flavor kicking in, followed by some black licorice, and then a classical sweet milk stout finish. This is a top fuel dragster brew. Slow to the start,hits the green light, then glides home. I am very impressed by a brew of this stature being such a great value.

2positive

Caldera Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

From a can, pours straw gold with thick white head; aroma is pine and sugar, some citrus but mostly pine. Taste is fruity, citrus, tea, slight pine, toast grain. Mouthfeel is spot on, carbonation is medium, this brew is quite refreshing! Definitely something I wanna buy in quantity to go camping with this summer!

2positive

Founders Centennial IPA

American IPA

Poured a slightly cloudy orange, small head (despite rough pour) but good lacing. Smells piney and hoppy with grapefruit and floral backgrounds accenting a noticeable maltiness. Now on the taste, I can definitely taste the malts on this one, which isn't usually the case for IPAs. Hops, grapefruit, pine, floral flavors are all present, but the malt balances more than many IPAs. It's very smooth and rich, nice hop and carbonation tang, overall a great mouthfeel. Drinks very well. A nice balanced IPA that's easy to drink. Easy going bitterness that doesn't overpower. Value is pretty good. I think I paid like $8.75 for a sixer. As a side note we added a bottle of this to some stew meat for the final boil and it was out of this world good!

2positive

Stroh's

American Adjunct Lager

Time to revisit one of my favorite standby macrobeers. Appearance: Medium amber, with a thin, fizzy head. The color and the clarity is nice. Smell: A slightly sour, malty aroma with very slight hints of spicy hops. It's not particularly attractive, but it's inoffensive. Taste: Mostly malt-heavy, but it has some of the most pronounced hop flavors that I've ever tasted in a canned budget beer. Granted, Stroh's won't knock the socks off of HopDevil fanatics, but having readily identifiable hops in a canned macrobeer is a pleasant surprise. Mouthfeel: The body is about average for a mainstream lager, but it's outstanding compared to most B/M/C products. It's also pretty smooth. Verdict: Wow. I've been on a bit of a macro kick lately, and drinking a Stroh's so soon after drinking a Budweiser really puts this beer into perspective. While this certainly isn't a standout beer by BA standards, it's a fantastic budget beer that tastes way better than it has any right to.

2positive

R&D Golden Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

Just got this bottle from Joe1510 because he's scared of me and knows I'd kick his ass if he didn't give me one. New Glarus is my favorite brewery and I'm pumped to be able to try this brew. Drank from my The Lost Abbey goblet while watching Vikings vs. Steelers. Appearance- Pours a golden yellowish orange with a nice big fluffy two finger bright white head. A random spotty cap is left along with a big/thick collar that leaves a lot of thick sticky lacing. Smell- Soft and very floral with a rose hip like scent right from the start. A bit of musky Brett and hay mix to compliment the florally nose perfectly. Dandelion stem and grass are a plenty as well. A bit of bready malt tickles the nose as well but for the most part this nose is Brett and floral hops. Taste- Starts with a big Bretty presence as the beer is earthy and dank. Mushroom and grass are prevalent as the hops add a nice sharp florally bitterness. The floral aspect of the beer really translates into the nose and has a very perfumey taste. A bit of citrus as well with a bit of sharp lemon peel and even a touch of orange. Nothing crazy but a nice aspect none the less. The Brett really lingers and is very earthy and delicious. Mouthfeel- Fairly light body with a really sharp, aggressive carbonation. Great feel. Drinkability- Man this is a great beer right now. The balance between the hops and Brett is absolutely amazing. I think with too much more time on this though the Brett will get way more pronounced and the hops will lose some of the greatness they're showing right now. So good, so easy drinking. Awesome stuff, thanks Joe!

2positive

Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Hell

Hefeweizen

This Hefe flows a nice cloudy orange into my Hefeweizen glass. The head is nice semi-solid. Some lace that sticks to the glass. Smells and tastes like a nice Hefe-Weiss....banana flavor comes right thru. This may be my new favorite Hefeweizen. Delicious, summer beer. Enjoy with frisbee, friends, and possibly burgers on the grill.

2positive

Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Enjoyed this offering on brisk winter night out of a 11.5 oz bottle. Presents midnight black with a small dark brown head. Light to no carbonation with excellent lacing. Smell of toffee and coffee with lingering sweet notes. Taste is wordclass. Robust sweet espresso that lingers just long enough and masks the 9+% ABV very nicely. Thick on the palate as it should be with this style. If you have chance to try/buy this one its a must!!! Even better on tap.

2positive

Raven's Eye Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Poured in to brandy snifter. A - Medium brown with a small amount of light brown head. Very light colour for a RIS. S - Chocolate and coffee with some toasted nuts. T - Some roasted malts, light notes of chocolate. Noticeable alcohol. Very light tasting compared to all other RIS I have had. Not very inviting. Tasted more like an imperial brown ale than an imperial stout. M - Light to medium body. Moderately carbonated. D - I drain poured most of this one. Gave it a chance and drank half of my glass but just couldn't get through this one.

0negative

Mokah

American Double / Imperial Stout

On tap last night at Capone's. Served in a snifter... A - Completely opaque black with a nice espresso color collar. Nice lacing as well. S - Milk chocolate, roasted coffee/espresso, vanilla, toffee, slight molasses - all mixed together and mixing extremely well. T - This is by far my favorite offering of the Southern Tier stouts. The mix of chocolate and coffee is done quite well. There does seem to be a TON of dark fruit flavors coming from this one which adds nicely to the overall profile. M - Full bodied with slight carbonation. Very silky and smooth on the tongue. O - My favorite of the series. Nice combination of coffee and chocolate and a perfect dessert beer for any chocolate lover.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

American IPA

a - inviting deep amber color, foamy tan head, lacing throughout s - light hop nose however this does not represent the taste here t - grapefruit, citrus, pine, this has Double IPA all over it I liken it to biting into a ripe grapefruit m - excellent upfront carb for this style and drinks smooth d - would have one or two more Sierra Nevada's Seasonals are top notch!

2positive

Samuel Adams Imperial White

Witbier

Poured from the bottle to a beer glass. A: Pours a dark, translucent gold. It definitely looks unfiltered. There are decent sized pieces of matter floating in the beer, I'm guessing yeast. I personally like this. The head is egg-shell white. There wasn't much of it after the pour, and it disappeared from the middle quickly, leaving only a small ring on the edge of the drink, which is disappointing. S: The first sense hitting the nose is an aroma of banana bread, which is very pleasant. There is a slight alcohol tickle at the end. I'm not really getting orange or coriander with this, which is what the label describes. T: There is a honey sweetness to it. There is some malty essence in the taste and feel. There is a bit of a tickle from the alcohol in the middle and ending. Considering it is 10% it is pretty well incorporated. Again, not really sensing much orange/citrus or coriander. Mf: It has a medium body. There is a moderate amount of carbonation. The mouthfeel seems pretty proper for this beer. Overall: This was a decent tasting and looking beer, but it did not match up to the description given on the bottle. It also was not as complex as I was expecting. I probably won't buy this again. Samuel Adams has other offerings that are better crafted and better value.

1neutral

Rumble IPA

American IPA

12 oz bottle. Appearance: Clear orange. Thin head. Some pretty damn fine lacing. Smell: A lot more oak than I expected. Citrus, earthy, grassy, slightly vegetal hops. Sort of a mishmash. Doesnt really smell good. Taste: Much better than the smell. Strong green oak flavors. Bitter hops and dry oaky bitterness. Hops flavor drowned by oak. A little caramel malt. Mouthfeel: The strong oakiness is drying on the tongue. Appropriate carbonation. Dry finish. Drinkability: I had this on draft and the oak was much more subtle. On draft it was a malt forward IPA with hints of oak. This is a messy oak beer with otherwise muted and obscured flavors. No thanks.

1neutral

Dundee Irish Red Lager

American Amber / Red Lager

A: Brown/copper and clear. Solid two finger head that left a surprisingly small amount of lace. S: Strong barley and grain. Caramel notes. T: Malty, slight roast. Caramel notes. So many in this genre have a watered down taste but this one finishes strong with a light tart flavor. M: Smooth, nice wet finish. Mild to moderate carbonation and light to medium bodied. Overall: An excellent choice for its genre. Only have tried two beers from this brewery but so far they seem solid.

2positive

Mothership Wit (Organic Wheat Beer)

Witbier

A: Pale yellow, cloudy. Very small head on it, 1/8th inch or so. S: Smelled spicy, like Christmas. T: Strong spice flavor, almost too much. M: Seems very light on the tongue. D: For someone that like's Wits this would probably be high. Notes: I am not a huge Wit fan so it's hard for me to judge. It's a bit too spicy for my tastes but I can also see where people would really enjoy this.

1neutral

Rising Moon Spring Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

This beer pours a clear pale amber color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes into decent lacing. The aroma is of faint caramel malt, and hints of lime. The taste is of lime with hints of malt. The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium bodied with carbonation that is very high and gets in the way of the flavor. Overall, this is one difficult beer to drink. While fruity wheat beers aren't my favorite I can usually appreciate what the brewer is trying to do with the fruit. This beer, however, is too much artifical fruit flavoring, and not enough beer for my liking. I will not drink this again.

0negative

K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale

Winter Warmer

A - Clear, dark brown color. Offwhite head fades to a thick film. A few small patches of lacing. S - A very light roasted maltiness with some sugary sweetness. T - Taste is mostly light cereal malts with light bitterness. A little bit of fruity sweetness comes in and the finish leaves a light bitter taste. M - Medium consistency and carbonation. D - No off flavors but not a lot of flavor. Average.

1neutral

American Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

12oz. bottle compliments of kmpitz2. Pours a clear deep copper color with a creamy white head that maintains. Thick lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrusy grapefruit and some deep herbal tones as well. Very nice. Taste is a blend of citrus and herbal hops upfront with a nice grapefruit flavor. A bitter hop bite jumps in and then lingers a little past it's welcome. Not quite enough malt to balance the hops. Plenty of carbonation, no backbone. The thin body detracts from an otherwise decent drinking APA.

1neutral

Éphémère (Apple)

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Better than I expected. I thought this one was going to taste like a wine cooler and put off drinking it for a while. (If its a spring release, mine was a year old). Pours a cloudy straw color, like a witbier, with plenty of "chunks" floating in it. I haven't seen this much particulates since I had a Hop Hog. Taste was like a very mild witbier with some apple flavoring. Did not have witbier astringency but was not overly sweet or unnatural tasking from the apple. The mouthfeel was crisp and refreshing and drinkability was good. Not too sweet, I could have easily downed a few if I was out with friends.

2positive

Two Rivers Red

American Amber / Red Lager

Fairly deep red in colour with a bit of a sweet malty dunkel type of aroma. Theres a bit of a sulfur/lager note in there was well. The flavors begin with a bit of caramel, then dry out like a typical macro lager. By no means is this a "great" or even a "good" beer, but its not all that bad either. The appeal of the American Dark Lager style is a little lost on me, but I imagine that this beer might be good within the confines of the style.

1neutral

Old Godfather Barley Wine-Style Ale

American Barleywine

Version 002, which I believe is the 2007 Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color with a modest head that drops to an archipelago very quickly, while leaving a few strands of lace Smell: Caramel dominates but covers up some odd off tones that are primarily soapy Taste: Opens with a caramel flavor that adds a peppery and minty dimension by mid-palate; the pepper flavors start to burn after a while, too; after the swallow, the flavors mellow and fade faster than I would have liked Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with low carbonation; slightly watery for a barleywine; warmth on the finish Drinkability: Despite its flaws, the beer is easy to drink and is pleasant enough; lots of hops for a barleywine but they don't dominate

2positive

Blanche De Chambly

Witbier

Appearance: Pours a pale lemony golden color with a fluffy white head that persists well but leaves little lacing Smell: Bananas, wheat germ and a touch of coriander Taste: Starts out with a wheaty, yeasty flavor; after the swallow, some peppery spice emerges with a bit of coriander and then, in a flash, it is a memory; slightly sour residual Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with frothy carbonation Drinkability: Another good beer from the folks up North, this one has some nice flavors and goes down easy

1neutral

Harvey's Bicentenary Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Got this bottled beer from the Pitfield's Beer Shop. The beer seems to be yet another offering amongst so many others produced this year to celebrate the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar... It comes in a small brown bottle (275ml), with a BBE date of DEC 07. A: in my recently acquired Innis&Gunn goblet, it pours a jet-black hue, coming with a 1cm thick espresso crema coloured foam, dissipating quite fast and settling to a brownish velvet on top of the black nectar; low carbonation. S: profoundly chocolaty maltiness coupled with a lightly sour, oak-wood and vinous aroma as imparted by Harvey's Imperial Russion Stout; the woody note is ever so intense, even penetrating but by no means overpowering; more dark fruits, char, leather, and roasted coffeeish note to follow, against a backdrop of lightly aromatic hops. Overall, the nose is settled, complex, and well-structured. Great! T: deeply dark chocolaty with a semi-sweet edge, followed by lots of black malts and imparted roastiness and smokiness, char, coarsely ground coffee-beans and sourly-sweet ripe dark fruits like berries... the aftertaste has a rich, crushed dark grainy flavour coupled with a satisfying coffeeish bitterness, slightly peppery/spicy touch; ending with a lovely, slightly sourly-sweet vinous but full textured fortified-wine like finish, like combo of vintage port and malmsey madeira. M: ultra smooth as well as slightly oily-textured on the mouthfeel with lightly warmish alcohol backdrop~~ simply sublime--full flavoured and full bodied while it retains a delicate texture very hard to obtain in this beer style. D: this is a heavenly delicious and very easy-drinking strong stout!! Harvey's must have used some ideas behind their imperial russian stout in this beer, and the end result is just great. I hope they could make this beer one of their regulars~~ Highly recommended!!

2positive

Jai Alai IPA - Cedar Aged (Humidor Series)

American IPA

A: Yellow-brown clear pour with a wispy white head. Very bubbly. S: Malts, cedar, oak all prominent. Hoppiness in the background. Doesn't specifically smell like an IPA. T: The maltiness blend nicely with the cedar and oak flavors. The hops are there, and add a bit of fruit, but the hit of hops is small. MF: Light body, carbonation is low. Alcohol is not noted at all. O: This was a big strange. Not bad, certainly an interesting taste. Don't think I'd have it again.

1neutral

Hite

Euro Pale Lager

I was an English teacher in South Korea for a year, so I drank A LOT of this stuff. Beer selection as it goes in SK is nil with MASSIVE taxes on imports (you could pay $4 for a single Heineken in a store!) and this is their Bud. Cheers. It's a very fizzy rice beer with big head at the start that tails off as it is customary to pour at the center of the bottom of the glass until it's full. Very pale, almost a silver-yellow color. No significant aroma to speak of (aside from CO2 quickly escaping). The taste is...and I struggled for a long time to put my finger on it...artificial. Artificial in a plastic sense. Like any mass-produced, this one can be settled into though. Tempted to class Hite as sparkling alcoholic yellowish water, though I can say I never got a hangover from it. Points awarded on that basis. If you ever find yourself in SK, feel no qualms about drinking 20, so long as you had a friend phonetically spell out what to tell a taxi driver to get where you're staying and you're confident you can do it in deep.

1neutral

Embria

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Three cereals beer. Reddish color, tending to orange, lightly veiled. Average head, quite creamy. In the smell the cereals are in good evidence, well definite, but in the same time, they're also good amalgamated. Slightly fruited Cereals in the taste too, with a fruity note, probably pear. Medium body, good maltiness, in the aftertaste too, but again with a good fruity (surely pear). It can be detected even a slight bitterness, in the fruity territory. Alcohol not perceptible. Quite pleasant.

1neutral

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

I tried this beer yesterday at the Texas Renaissance Festival. Black black black. When I held the glass up to the sun, my heart skipped a beat, as I still could not see through it - awesome. The head was thin, mocha-colored, and dissipated very quickly. Beer smelled of raisin, coffee, and alcohol. When the first sip passed over my tongue, I was in beer bliss. Oh, this is good beer! Softer and gentler than some of the other Imperial Stouts I have tried lately with a very creamy feel in the mouth. As with any Imperial Stout, it is a sipping beer, not one that you would gulp. But, as soon as you swallow, you want more of it in your mouth. I would give this one a 6 for drinkability, if I could - it was all I drank for the rest of the day.

2positive

Hipp-O-Lantern

Pumpkin Ale

Appearance: dark orange in color with a one finger head that slowly falls. Smell: spices and malt sweetness are easy to pull from the glass. Taste: big malt profile with nutmeg, cinnamon, a nice balancing bitterness, and warming alcohol create a nice version of the style. Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Lightly crisp to start, smoother at the finis. Aftertaste is long as the flavors stick to the tongue. Drinkability: this is a slow drinking beer but provides a sign that fall and football are starting. Definitely a well done beer, but alcohol will limit you to one per session.

1neutral

Sweetwater Festive Ale

Winter Warmer

Poured into a pint glass. About a finger of light tan head. A dark brown color that is almost completely opaque. Aroma is not too strong, but hints of spice and caramel malts. Initial taste is of hops and spice finishing with notes of vanilla. This beer is relatively drinkable for being on the darker side. It is a great seasonal offering from Sweetwater.

2positive

Stoudt's Fest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

One of my favorite things about this beer, and all Stoudt's, is the fact that they come in a 476 ml bottle. A little more than a pint is a great way to review a beer. Nice amber/orange color on this one, good head, but not too high or foamy. A little lace,(glass?) that faded quickly. Nice malt aroma, and good mouth feel. It's not overwhelming, but I couldn't resist another sip. Good session beer, finishes well, but lacking something. Better then average fest.

2positive

Samuel Adams Triple Bock

American Strong Ale

A-pours a black brown with no life whats so ever looks like motor oil S-raisins figs massive alcohol a bit of soy sauce and maybe a hint of fruit somewhere in there T-real sweet blend of fruit rasin and coffee up front with a little bit of spicy a nice woodiness and a massive alcohol , definately better than i was expecting ased on some reviews but overall an extremely complex beer M-huge huge body with no carbonation drinks much more like a liquor and has the consitency of mud D-definately not drinkable while i do like it it is entirely two heavy to even think of having two in a row

1neutral

La Terrible

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

A- A Dark almost charcoal black color. A finger length of grey white head which subsides into a fine mist covering the top. S- A slight sour aroma with a hint of sweet floral. T- Tart with a slight grassy flavor.Roasted malt present along with dried fruit like a plum. Hints of Granny smith apples. M- Carbonation is very persistent. Alcohol burn is slight, and is contrasted by smooth almost creamy feel to the beer. O- This beer was very enjoyable to drink, there were many complex layers to both flavor and smell.

2positive

Kronenbourg 1664

Euro Pale Lager

I have to admit that this isn't really my style of beer, but thought it was worth a shot. It poured a clear yellow with a solid inch of foamy head that quickly dissipated a to a light film over the top. The smell was mostly citrusy with just a hint of grain. The taste was very subdued, with notes of grain and citrus towards the middle, with a slight touch of metallic hop aftertaste. This was very light bodied and well carbonated, making it easy to drink, and fairly refreshing, but overall I found it lacking in flavor.

2positive

Buckwheat Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Deep amber color to the liquid, but no head to top it off. Yeasty aroma, but no other noticeable smells. The beer is highly carbonated, which detracts from the mouthfeel. The taste is mostly hoppy, with hints of apricot, and a hoppy biting and lingering aftertaste. An okay beer, but nothing special.

1neutral

Rosée D'hibiscus

Herbed / Spiced Beer

A really unusual color, kool-aid orange when held up to the light, a much deeper red otherwise, a finger of pale peach head resting at the top. A bit of a funky farmhouse scent to it, straw and hay and a bit of floral citrus. Heavy floral notes and a vague underlying citrus. Very nice mouthfeel, well balanced with a slightly citrus aftertaste. Eassy enough to drink, but the heavy floral notes make this a 'one beer' session.

1neutral

Certified Organic I.P.A.

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Look - light brown in color, almost a pale amber. Very good two finger's worth of foam that dissipates fairly quickly. Good carbonation. Smell - a little on the worty side with a tinge of fruitiness. Taste - Surprisingly bitter, even for an IPA. The fruitiness of the smell comes back into the taste once you get past the bitterness, which is pretty strong. Mouthfeel - good texture. Only slightly creamy. Drinkability - Probably fantastic beer if you like really bitter ones, but this one's not for me I'm afraid.

1neutral