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Premium Lager

Euro Pale Lager

It's a nod to the Land Down Under today as I make my way through a bunch of Australian beers. From the bottle: "Real Aussie Lager"; "Brewed in Australia"; "This all malt beer is brewed with the finest ingredients. It is fermented at low temperature, using a traditional lager yeast. Coopers Premium Lager is smooth drinking with a crisp, refreshing finish. This superior lager is another Coopers original." A finger of rocky, bone-white head from the pour. Color was a pale lemon-yellow with NE-quality clarity. Nose was VERY light with a slight malt essence coming through, but virtually nonexistent. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full with a light, slight bittersweet taste of lager on the tongue. Finish was likewise clean, crisp and unobtrusive. Frankly, it struck me as being a bit bland. Come on, lads, I know yinz can do better than this! Give it a full-on Ho-Hum. Zzzz.

0negative

Keystone Light

Light Lager

Not much to be said about this really, pretty watery and tastes awful. The smell should pretty much discourage anyone from drinking this. The only upside is that its about 18 bucks for a 30 pack. This beer is only meant for college, specifically beer pong and other drinking games.

0negative

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Czech Pilsener

This beer pours a crystal clear pale gold with a huge frothy white head on top. Excellent retention and great sticky lacing on the glass. So far so good. But wait a minute... Smells slightly skunked. Aromas of grass and big time lemon zest waft out. Not too bad. I sort of expected this I guess. Now the mouthfeel...what in the world?! Water. That's what this feels like. I tall glass of water. This is so slick and wet I wonder if there's any carbonation left. A quick glance tells me that there is, as I notice a moderate amount of bubbles rising up. Hmm. Weird. This is one of the worst lagers/pilsners I've ever had in respect to flavor. This is extremely watered down and weak. It tastes like lemon water, light on the lemon. I would drink any BMC lager over this one, if this is the true representation. I am sorely disappointed. I have enjoyed every other offering from SN, but this is an atrocity. Avoid.

0negative

Tundrabeary Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

The last of the infamous TKB sampler sixer. Pours a funky red color, like watermelon kool-aid, topped by a miserable white head that fades to a thin collar almost immediately. Fruity, winey smell with a touch of malt as well. Can you say "wine cooler"? The taste just about floored me! This is not beer! It's a wine cooler with a sour kick. How can anyone sell this as beer? Thin, cidery mouthfeel. Horrible drinkability. This may have cured my problem of impulse buying for good. Yuck. If I'm never heard from after this review, drinking this beer most likely killed me.

0negative

Creme Brulee (Imperial Milk Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

A- Very dark brown in colour, like dark coffee. Head foamed up to about half an inch, but then shrunk down to a light lacing. S- Very heavy on the vanilla bean smell, first thing that comes through. Can also smell some of the lactose, very creamy. Also nice roasted malts come through, and a slight bit of hops at the end. T- Tastes just like a French vanilla, or even a Creme Brulee! it's wonderful. The roasted malts come together with the vanilla to blend into the French vanilla flavour that is very strong but not overpowering. The lactose sugars come through as well with a nice creamy feel. Also the alcohol comes through fairly strong, but it not too strong or bad in any way. Hops are detectable at the end with a wonderful bitter finish that lingers for a short time. D- I believe I have just found my new favourite stout. So tasty and easy to drink or sip.

2positive

Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

A: The pour seems to be amber mixed with ruby with a short lived off-white head. S: Not a good nose at all. Seems to be a combination of metal, fake raspberry, raspberry syrup, chocolate, corn, and vegetables. Just quite the array of aromas, here. T: The flavor is not any better. Lots of sugar and raspberry syrup. There's also a soda water flavor to it. It's watery overall and sort of like a raspberry flavored snow cone. M: The body is on the light side of medium with a moderate level of carbonation. D: Sorry New Belgium, this is just not good.

0negative

Whistling Pig Red Ale

Irish Red Ale

Pleasant garnet red color just as described but little to no head and no lacing. Appealing aroma of general beer-ness. Full bodied, toasted malts, starts a little sweet but ends a touch bitter. Great mouthful and again displays the Norwich trademark smoothness. Consequently, you could drink any of their beers all night and not feel too heavy but this one is a weekend favorite. Still needs more flavor to really make it noteworthy.

2positive

Double Diamond

English Pale Ale

This Double Diamond, I believe was brewed in Staffordshire, Eng., probably under contract, poured a bronze color with a fine snowy white head. The hop aroma is a bit sulfuric like a certain more famous green-bottled beer from Holland. This Burton Ale has a medium malt body. It's a bit herbal and a little biscuity. The bitter hops are edgy like a German Saaz. Nothing special, yet worth the try.

2positive

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

Poured from a bottle into a Duvel tulip. Shared with a fellow beer geek. Pours a semi-translucent mahogany hue with ruby highlights. Head is about a quarter-inch high before it starts receding. Leaves a massive amount of sticky, spotty lacing clinging to the inside of the glass. Compared to other, stronger beers, this one has a normal ABV, but legs are still visible floating at the top. You can definitely tell that this beer has been through barrel-aging because the smell is full of that distinctive bourbon aroma along with sweet malts, roasted vanilla and oak notes. Quite enticing. Strong caramel flavors make up the heavier part of the taste, along with very subtle vanilla notes providing a potently sweet overall taste. There's also a ton of alcohol, but it's not overpowering, but instead provides a warming presence and actually serves to complement the other tastes. Oak chips and honeyed molasses round everything out. Very interesting and tasty. The beer has a medium body in terms of mouthfeel, coupled with a smooth texture and pleasing finish. Barrel-aging usually makes big beers better and Backwoods Bastard is a fine example of this. The base beer was already a good brew and the addition of bourbon barrels has only made it better. Founders really does know how to keep pushing the envelope and come out winners a vast majority of the time. Prost!

2positive

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Served in an itty bitty Sam Smith glass. Excellent head good retention very creawy looking. A little bit of dark rum, dark fruit, a hint of chocolate and coffee. Plum, chocolate, a little bit of hops in the mix to balance things out a roasted flavor with a clean finish. Not as thick as I would have hoped but the beautiful creamy aftertaste unique to all the Sam Smith beers I have had is present and wonderful. Very good for a RIS, I will be having this many more times.

2positive

Strike Out Stout

English Stout

A - Pours a pretty dark, almost pitch black, with ruby highlights. Head fizzes up and falls quickly like a soda. S - Fruity and roasty, with notes of molasses and cocoa. T/M - Whoa. Dry. Strong, black coffee and a hint of hops in the finish. Very astringent. The actual body itself I would call medium. D - Not the best I've had. Very in your face with a tannic? astringency and dryness that is very puckery. Kinda harsh.

0negative

Blatz Light

Light Lager

This review is part of the Macro Smackdown series (MacSmack XXII), my periodic side by side comparison tasting of macro lagers and light lagers. I enjoyed Blatz in my youth and am interested to see how it tastes now. Since I still haven't found the real deal, this light version will have to do for the time being. Pale amber that is several shades lighter than its competitior. The head is vastly superior, however. It's eggshell white in color, has a great deal of character and is leaving a better than respectable amount of lace. This is a very nice looking light lager. Blatz Light's nose isn't too bad, but it's the clear loser of this portion of the competition. The beer smells sweetish, with a corn and husk vibe that is tolerable at best. Unfortunately, the flavor profile is all too typical. It's coarse and grainy, with a mild musky hoppiness. It tastes like a low alcohol version of malt liquor without the sweetness. Given the calorie counts (110 vs. 92) and the carbohydrate counts (8.3 gms vs. 4.8 gms) of BL and GL respectively, the final flavor outcome is surprising. The mouthfeel is light (almost watery) and is somewhat roughly carbonated. It probably wouldn't come off so bad if it wasn't being compared to one of the best mouthfeels (light lager division) in the universe. Blatz Light isn't terrible beer, it just had the misfortune of running into the best version of this style to have ever entered my glass. What are the chances that the non-light Blatz will live up to my fond memories? No, I didn't think so. Pabst has quite a few MacSmack crowns on its mantlepiece. Not this one, though.

0negative

Festie

Märzen / Oktoberfest

Poured into my conical pint glass. Pours a light orange with a very thin whispy white head on top. No retention, and no lace. Smells of breads, roasted malts, and a sweet candy finish. The feel is crisp and moderately carbonated. Decent body. It has some weak points, but the flavor is right where it needs to be. Nice filling bready taste, some mild hop bitterness in the middle, but it finishes with a touch of caramel and sweet malty goodness. There's a slight sour note on the back end, but it's not offensive in any way. I didn't have the highest expectations for this, but this was better than I thought. A nice go-to for the fall.

2positive

Molson Canadian 67

Light Lager

Bottle from the singles bin LCBO store 200- A very very pale straw pour with a surprisingly long lasting bleached white froth. I'm immediately awestruck at just how much corn they must have used in this. It smells like a can of creamed corn and straw. I just shat myself in horror of all this corn. Thankfully it isn't as corny in the flavour department, but it sure is sweet and grainy, a bit grassy. Very light, easy drinking with literally no finish. I guess that is what they are aiming for. Overall this is shite, but I can see where it appeals to Joe Q. Poop Face and his hipster douchebag friends.

0negative

Camo Black Extra

American Malt Liquor

Poured from a 24 oz. can. Has a rich golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is dominated by alcohol. Taste is, well the 12.2 abv is definatly present. After the initial alcohol burn there is a bit of sweetness to it. Really not much in the way of flavor. Feels light in the mouth with a slight alcohol burn and is not very drinkable. Overall unless you are looking to get wrecked cheap, this beer is best avoided.

0negative

Ranger

American IPA

OH... Is this a beer or is it grapefruit juice? Get me my vodka and we can make a salty dog. For real, the cascade is really pronounced. From the first wiff when you crack open the bottle all the way to the back of your throat. Even the burps taste and smell of cascade. I don't taste any malt what-so-ever. You know they used some because the beer is a honey color. The thin head remains to the bottom of the glass and laces nicely down the side of the glass. I have to say this is a totally one sided, unbalanced, glass of hop juice. You all might like it.

0negative

Hoegaarden Original White Ale

Witbier

Poured from a tap into a pintish-type glass at R R in Las Vegas, Nev. Just a touch of head. Color had a lemon look. Slight film/lacing. First smell was banana. Also some other fruits - lemon mainly - and some cloves? Very refreshing smell. Refreshing first sip with lots of flavors. Wheat and grain seemed to dominate. Also a light spice of something. Maybe pepper? Could have been the cloves. Ending taste had some kind of blood taste. But I like my blood, so it worked out. Really great mouthfeel. It stayed good throughout and was much better out of the tap then out of the bottle (like Ive had before). Average carbonation. Ive had this before, but I really enjoy this beer. It was even better out of the tap. Perfect for the summer.

2positive

Trippel Belgian Style Ale

Tripel

This classic Belgian abbey-style ale with a redesigned label initially pours an unimpressive pale gold, but the thick head and dense nose brings to mind cinnamon, ripe fruity banana, and clove/coriander. The taste is a bum-rush of spice up front, followed by a mellow maltiness, then a stronger alcohol sting (it's 7.8%). A perfect example of this style, and made in America. New Belgium's Trippel is a delightful and delicious beer.

2positive

Asahi Super Dry

Japanese Rice Lager

clear golden with a two finger white head that quickly disappears. smell is awful, grassy with a little skunk to it. taste is horrible, rice and grass. mouthfeel is thin and watery. overall, about what i expected, i hope not all rice beers are this disgusting.

0negative

Hop 15

American Double / Imperial IPA

This was a great IPA! Nice bold citrus filed nose with samll hints of malts. The palate started off a little sweet but really becomes bitter as you swallow. Flavors of grapefruit, pine and honey really linger in your mouth. Overall this beer was just another outstanding IPA

2positive

Wild Raspberry Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

This one is surprisingly pink. Reddish, pinkish raspberry colored head with a pink spritzy head. Smells like some raspberries, honey and small hop character. Not very good, I expected a beer with raspberries and I got about half raspberry soda mixed with half American adjunct lager. Nothing at all special about this, I would have to concur maybe a chick drink, this is nothing I would want to drink again. I have had MUCH better fruit beers.

0negative

McSorley's Irish Black Lager

Schwarzbier

A- was a dark brown.. light head to lacing.. didnt now seem to be over caribanted S- malty,, no hopw to nose a little coco or a roast smell T- reminded me if you if an ash tray with Guinness and drank it.. did not enjoy it at all M- let an after tast a ash D- not recmoned for a six pack.. try one and see how ya like it.. different tastes for different poeple.. but not for me... cheers

0negative

La Fin Du Monde

Tripel

Wonderful stuff. Pours the beautiful hazy yellow with a sweet almost banana aroma. Pils malts and saaz hops marry with a fruity flavor. The alcohol is well hidden and you could get yourself in seroiously trouble with the drinkability of this. A classic in the making.

2positive

Fischer LaBelle

Euro Pale Lager

Light bodied, clear light gold color with a short lived fizzy head. Aroma is hard to pick up, just a bit of grass and grain, so dont try too hard. Taste is mainly malt, slightly sweet/slightly sour, with a bit of cardboard and a kind of grassy tone that is not that attractive. Carbonation seems to have disappeared with the head, making it a little flat. Comes in a nice embossed green bottle, unfortunately that;s the best part. A beer for bottle collectors.

0negative

Heine Brothers Coffee Stout

Oatmeal Stout

Poured into a snifter. 3.0 A: First pour yielded about half head. Fortunately the head fell quickly and the second pour filled my glass. Black color. Fizzy soda-pop head, which falls quickly and leaves no lacing behind. 3.5 S: Exceedingly dry with surprisingly low amounts of coffee. The roastiness and oatmeal comes through well along with chocolate. I like it. I would have given a higher score if it wasn't slightly acrid. 1.5 T: Oh boy, I see where the acrid part of the nose comes from. Exceedingly acrid day old stale coffee taste dominates giving a this beer a puckering aspect. This flavor is so strong that anything outside of general roastiness cannot be perceived. 2.0 M: Lighter medium to medium body. Despite constant swirling, I couldn't get the carbonation down to a reasonable level. Not particularly creamy and certainly not smooth. 1.5 D: I don't know why I gave this brewery another chance after being disappointed time and again by their products. Unfortunately, I bought two other BBC brews when I bought this. Hopefully they will be better. Avoid this at all costs.

0negative

Pike India Pale Ale

American IPA

Poured from a bomber into a Sam Adams perfect pint. This brew pours a fairly deep amber color with a finger of sticky head. The aroma has bright citrus, malts, and a herbal hop. The taste is good, it's got a bright citrus over a caramel malt backbone. Bitter, herbal hops come in on the backend. A good English-style IPA. The mouthfeel just isn't quite right, it could probably use a bit more carbonation. The drinkability is fairly good. Overall, a decent English IPA, nothing worth getting excited over.

2positive

Coors Light

Light Lager

Poured from 16oz can. Part of my Big Beer tasting. A- Pours a very very light yellow color. Almost looks like well...ginger ale. Big 2 finger bright white head head that dies down to nothing and not leaving a trace of lacing anywhere. Pretty sad looking beer. S- No real big aroma coming off this. Not like I expected it too. There is a bad earthy funk to this. No hop smell at all. There is a sweet corn adjunct aroma big time with this beer. T- Very sweet taste to this. Big corn adjunct taste to this. Also a little funky fruit taste I can't put my finger on. Like most people have sad once this beer warms up the taste changes from not so bad to terrible. Very watery tasting. M- Very light mouthfeel to this. Carbonation is to the extreme in this beer. It could die down a little and it would be ok. Beer fizzes in the mouth as you sip on it. Leaves a sweet taste on the palate. D- This beer is very drinkable when you want to just slam something. Sadly, this beer is not for me or a lot of people who drink for the taste not the effect. I am not impressed at all with this beer. I'll pass it up anytime I can.

0negative

Founders Double Trouble

American Double / Imperial IPA

Shoutout to my main man Buddha22 for this, got it in a trade with him. Pours an apple juice-like deep golden color, with similar juice clarity as well. Lots of bubbles keep rising in the glass, and at least a two finger pure white, coarsely bubbled head was generated with minimal effort. Lacing is exquisite. Awesome looking beer. Cleanly citrusy on the nose, with mainly grapefruit coming to the forefront. Rind is also evident, and sweet malt lurks in the background, offering a shout from time to time. Not too complex to my nose, but very pleasant nonetheless. Taste is a grapefruit burst to start, and moves to an herbal hoppy feeling after. Hops are leafy and raw, and not really countered by malt a whole lot. This one is clean and dry in the finish. Get a little bit of a fruity sweetness, like mango sugars or something like that. Not mango itself, but the tropical sweet scent of it. Herbal character gets stronger the further along in the sip you get. Grapefruit turns from flesh to rind as well. Mouthfeel is light yet oddly creamy and thick at times. Grapefruit rind/herbal dry finish helps drinkability out a great deal. Really soothing and nice beer.

2positive

Hoogstraten Poorter

Baltic Porter

Appearance: Dark burgundy with mild large bubbles for head. No retention or lace. Smell: Caramel, candy sugar, butter, a little yeast. Taste: Nutty yeast and toffee with a chocolate backbone. This was definitely a bit flat by the time I got to it. Drinkability: I need a fresh bottle. I can imagine this being good but the one I had definitely was not.

0negative

Trappistes Rochefort 10

Quadrupel (Quad)

The beer poured into the chalice clear deep dark brown with a ruby cast. The head was off-white also with a ruby cast. The head rose very tall, taller than the other two Rochefort beers combined and then fell very, very slowly to lace the sides of the chalice. The aroma was deep dark estery caramel with deep dark fruits, raisins and prunes giving the aroma a nice complexity. The higher alcohols added to the esters gave a spice that tickled the nasal passages. The flavor was incredibly smooth with deep dark fruits of raisins, plums and prune flavors in a complex mix with deep dark carmamel malts perhaps special B and aromatic. The flavor complexity was very nicely done and the alcohol, while present, does not detract and added esters and belgian yeast spice. The finish was even with pleasant lasting deep dark fruits, alcohol, and spice long into the aftertaste. The body was medium full but seemed less due to the alcohol and carbonation. 33 cl bottle. Date code on bottle 06 02 07. Underneath the lable the beer is silk screened. I may have to soak off the label and seen what lies beneath. What a great beer. Nice complexity of flavors. Alcohol that contributes to complexity yet never overpowers the flavor and even in the aftermath of warming only adds to the appreciation of the beer, never detracts. I am unsure what I paid for this beer, but it was certainly worth every penny.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale (2007-2009)

American IPA

On-tap at Hollingshead's, on to the beer; Another Anniverasry Ale from Sierra Nevada, and that reminded me of last year's version. The color is copper, somewhat hazy body, attractive billowy head on top. Citrus juice aroma in this beer. This ale is simple, but has an interesting flavor and a good balance to it. It leans toward the clean and hoppy side, some bits of bready malts, and some metallic flavor in the afteretaste. Lighter than average in feel with soft carbonation. Good thirst quencher. Are SN's Anniversary Ale's going to be on a late summer release? It if does, it can prepare me for the heavier and tastier Celebration Ale in the winter.

2positive

Moosehead Light

Light Lager

virtually no taste, though not the worst beer I have ever head which is Bud. I could only finish one gulp. Cooking beer. A bit of malt there. Dry and sweet, though not overwheklmingy so. I can see how some people might be able to give this a pass, but not me.

0negative

Buzzards Bay Olde Buzzard Pale Ale

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

Light amber color liittle to no head or aroma. What nose there is is faint straw and some saltine crackers...very light beer-like. Taste is watery with very slight bitterness. This was sampled as my first beer (with clean palette). Still an extremely weak pale ale.

0negative

Choklat

American Double / Imperial Stout

A: Midnight black with a 1-finger head of dark brown head. S: Heavy nose of chocolate. Like wow. I could be sniffing a malted milkshake. Incredibly appetizing. T: Dark chocolate, coffee beans, background of earthy hops. Remarkably smooth and clean tasting for 11% ABV. Absolutely fantastic. My breath smells like chocolate! M: Spot on. D: 22oz is a good size for this one. *hic*

2positive

Earthquake High Gravity Lager

American Malt Liquor

This is beer at its worst. It is extremely boosy smelling. Upon tasting all you can taste it the boosy alcohol and this sickly, bubble-gummy, nasty sweetness that leave the most disgusting after-taste and nasty feeling in the throat that stays for about a half hour. I had to dump my beer mug and the rest of my can into the sink and drink a better beer. Do yourself a big favor and stay far away from this beer!!! It's good for nothing but getting trashed and getting trashed fast and cheap. But if you're going to do that go for a much better cheap high alcohol beer.

0negative

Muse Farmhouse Ale

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

A: Poured slightly hazy amber honey color with almost no head. S: Sweet bready, caramel malt with phenolic yeast notes. T: Sharp hop astringency, rye malt or something very spicy and dry. Somewhat watered down. M: med/hi carbonation and thin. D: Astringent - not very pleasant to drink. The farmhouse character was overwhelmed with an astringent bitterness. I'm a fan of this style and this certainly was not a good representation.

0negative

Buffalo Lager

American Pale Lager

From a 12 ounce bottle - Pours a clear pale yellow with below average carbonation, and almost no lacing. The aroma is dominated adjuncts and some floral hops. First sip is surprisingly tasteless with not a lot of flavor. Some hoppy bitterness is present but on a whole this is not much going on here. A big disappointment.

0negative

John John Hazelnut (Rum Barrel Aged)

American Brown Ale

Waiting for the World Series to resume here on fun Halloween...Have to settle for the awful Raiders while I check out this interesting brew... Pours a slightly cloudy, rust-colored amber. No real head forms, and no discernable lacing, either. Leaves a thin tiara of persistent head near the rim, and the carbonation is in the middling range. Did I mention I hate the Raiders???!!! Well, I freaking do... Aromas are very faint...Some sour cherry notes, and that's about it...Do I have a cold or something?? Nope, no cold... Weird flavor. Super-tangy right off the bat, then it morphs into this somewhat funky (as in Belgian funk) and off-malty. Finish is somewhat thin and lacking. No real hop character in here. All-in-all this is somewhat disappointing. Nothing really going on, and kind of flat all around. Painfully expensive at $8.99/bomber. I'd avoid this concoction altogether... What I like most: um, I guess the faint sour cherry aroma. What I like least: pretty much everything else. Verdict: Very expensive and poor effort from a normally great producer. Avoid...

0negative

Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale

English Barleywine

This beer made me wonder about how blurry the line between barleywines and IPAs has become. The color reminded me more of a brown ale-less red than most barleywines. The taste is full of malty fruits and the hoppy bitterness kicks in about halfway through. Sweet first, then bitter-very nice. The rather high alcohol content is hidden nicely by the balanced (BUT STRONG) malt and hops. It's surprising to me that Flying Dog did such a good job with this, as I do not like their lower weight IPA and ales. This beer is a great value for such a BIG brew. Easily one of my top five favorites and will have a place in my fridge for the long while.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

American IPA

12 oz. bottle, 7.2% ABV. Very clear copper color. Great white rocky head. A few tiny bubbles streaming from the bottom of the glass. Great head retention and lace. Big juicy grapefruit nose. A soft pine note seems to follow. Lots of hop aroma, along with some faint caramel. Good malt character, followed by lots of juicy hops. Not as dry as some of the other SN beers, which makes this one stand out for me. Fruity, citrusy, with a piney edge. Still, well balanced. Medium body, alcohol hidden very well. Very easy to drink. Very enjoyable.

2positive

Best Of Beer Camp: California Common - Beer Camp #8

California Common / Steam Beer

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Pack - $16.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia. Appearance: Pours out a clear, light copper-amber body with a moderate, white head. Smell: Fresh lemon peels overlaying lightly toasted, lightly grainy malts with a background sniff of spice and alcohol. Taste: Pilsner and delicately toasty malt base with a very slight grainy accent to it and a modest sweetness. Lemony, lightly spicy hops with a grassy flourish to them instead of the downright woodsy NB hops. Amply bitter. Maybe a teensy hint of yeast and fruity esters. Semi-dry, crispish, zesty finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium level of carbonation, though there's some lightly prickliness to it at times. Overall: It really isn't your prototypical steam beer at all, but, then again, maybe that's why they opted for the "Nuthin in Common" name for the beer camp brew.

2positive

Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 2005 Harvest

American Double / Imperial Pilsner

A - Hazy orange body with pure white head. S - Super citrus hoppy aroma. More potporri than floral, if that makes sense. T - Very intense hoppyness with deep maltyness. Slightly sweet, well balanced, long lasting bitterness. The spices are fantastic. Which spices I have no idea, but so racy! M - Very thick body, but small carbonation. D - Strong but well balanced.

2positive

Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

Had while on a business trip to Westfield, MA. Poured into a Holiday Inn Express plastic cup. Poured a clean and crisp bright orange with about a finger off bubbley cream colored head. Was gone almost instantly. This beer smells amazing. Lots of pumpkin but dominated by spice. This pumpkin ale has clove added to it and it really does separate it from others I've had. Other than clove, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger are all present. I think if I had whipped cream on top it would be about as close to drinking pumpkin pie as I could get. It is very spice heavy and might be overwelming at times... But considering it is a double pumpkin ale I should have expected that. Medium bodied and adequately carbonated. Each sip coats your tongue and sticks with you. Alcohol is semi present but the burn is welcomed with open arms. Overall this was a great find. Great tasting pumpkin ale with a hefty 8.4% abv. One of the better pumpkin ales that I've had. Worth picking up for sho.

2positive

Green Flash West Coast I.P.A.

American IPA

Deep amber/copper pour with no head. Right off the bat scents of citrus, pine and resin, some malt sweetness assuages my nose's desire to smell. Bready malts upfront with a hop bitterness that is not harsh but does pack a strong wallop. Complexities abound, but sadly allergies have sabotaged my ability to detect some of the subtler nuances. Nevertheless, the interplay between hop and malt is quite enjoyable. Mouth is very creamy, and the carbonation lends some nice weight on the tongue. Very drinkable, good bitterness quality that is not astringent in the least. Hey it's not Coors light, but it's still pretty good.

2positive

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen

Hefeweizen

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a standard pint glass. Appearance: A very nice HefeWeizen appearance. Cloudy pale golden, a nice fluffy head that retained well and laced nicely. Smell: Surprisingly good yeasty aroma with bananas, clove and bubblegum. Very good for an American made HefeWeizen. Taste: Like it smells. Yeasty, sweet banana, clove and bubblegum flavors. Definitely one of the better American made HefeWeizens I've had. Very smooth and VERY easy to drink. Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied, subdued carbonation. Everything a good HefeWeizen should be. Drinkability: Oh yes, this is a very nice American Hefe. I will definitely seek this one out again!

2positive

Gulden Draak (Dark Triple)

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance - 4.5 Damn fine looking beer, head is quite thin and cream to beige in colour, body is dark reddish brown, but when held to the light it is the most brilliant, clear, deep red like a port wine jelly. Smell - 4.0 Very sweet aroma, slightly peppery, burnt golden syrup, baking cake or biscuits. Taste - 4.0 As with many BSDAs, the very high alcohol level is tempered by a rich palate of flavour. Malt and dark candy sugar dominate with toasty flavours of golden syrup, prunes, lemon zest, light spice and a slightly herbal hop taste. Would be an instant 4.5 were it not oversweet. Mouthfeel - 4.0 A little heat from the alcohol, smooth, fine carbonation. Approaching syrupy. Drinkability - 4.0 A little sweeter than I would like, so I wouldn't go for a second in a sitting. Would I drink it again? Even at $9 a bottle I have to say yes. OVERALL - 4.1 This was a beer that greatly impressed me with the first sip, but the more I sipped, the less impressed I was. Plenty of flavour, enough complexity and quite easy to drink for the strength. Much better than the likes of Leffe, but a little oversweet, not quite up with the best. Still a must try for anyone who likes Belgian ales. Best when quite cool (perhaps 10 degrees celcius) to avoid the sticky sweet finish.

2positive

Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA

Belgian IPA

Poured into a tulip glass. A: Nice Amber color, and some good head that lingers for a moment. Pretty clear too. S: Let it breath a minute. At first whiff this really doesn't appeal. However on the second snifferoo the sweet Belgian notes come out along with the hops. T: Eh, like most Flying Dog brews this is hit or miss. If you are in the mood for a straight up hop beer with little balance (which several are from time to time) give it a whirl. But if you are more like me, and you like a little balance and complexity with your brew, you can pass on this. M: Medium and "gamy". I hope that word gives the connotation I'm going for. D: Nope. That is all.

0negative

Rickard's Honeybrown

English Brown Ale

Pours a super-clear, deep amber/ruddy earthy brown. Tall, off-white head has great retention. Loads of cascading carbonation - soda like. Nice lacing. Not much of a nose on this one. Slight maltiness. Apples, rough, metallic, coppery hop note. Flavours are really 'subdued'. Mild, biscuity maltiness. Slightly milky, lactose sweetness. Hints of caramel. Finishes dry with the barest hint of hops. Mouthfeel is fairly thin, but not too dire. Aggressive carbonation, on the one hand, augments the mouthfeel. On the other, it lends a brackish, gassy sensation. Very dull. Safe and bland.

0negative

Heineken Premium Light Lager

Light Lager

pours a super clear pale yellow / light gold tone while yielding a short lived fizzy white head, maybe a finger of which. nose offers some grainy and floral hoppy notes. not impressive by any stretch of the imagination but i've certainly smelled a lot worse. not exactly a ringing endorsement, nor is it mean to be. flavor is worse. tastes just like a watered down heineken... i supposed that shouldn't come as a great surprise. muted grainy notes with a speck of hops in the background, but just highly 'meh'. light bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation. over, as light beer beer goes this is okay, which is not saying much at all. it doesn't trigger the gag reflex or anything but i can't think of a good enough reason for ever drinking it again.

0negative

Amalgam II

American Pale Wheat Ale

Amalgam II, Dave's BrewFarm, 1 Liter growler. 7.2 % a.b.v, An experiment that combines a different lager yeast than Amalgam I and the same ale yeast. Brewed with Pils, Rye, and Caramel Wheat malts, and Perle and Glacier hops. Clear, amber coloration. Slimmed, dotted ivory head. Looking good. Aroma, soft and sweet, but perfectly in tune and balanced. Wheat comes through in the nose, and a small amount of the rye. nice, nice, nice. On the tongue and in the mouth, perfectly pleasurable, and an utter amalgam. There was once an Amalgam Universe, when for some reason in the late 1990's, the DC and Marvel Universes merged for a bit, and so did their characters. Thor and Orion of the New Gods became Thorion of the Asgods. Lobo and Howard the Duck became, you guessed it. Why don't I remember the rest? I'm petty sure Doom Patrol melted into the X-Men, Fantastic Four meshed into Challengers of the Unknown. Batman America? I think I blotted that nonsense out of my mind for a reason. Super-Spider-Man? Oh, I remembered another real one. Doctor StrangeFate. SighI think I remember another. Iron Man and Green Lantern merged to to becomeGreen Man. Or something. Now, this amalgamation, the wheat and the rye, the lager and the ale, the caramel and the pilsthis is working, this is rocking, this is drinking nicely. Dave does balance as well as he does experimentation, which is a terrific accomplishment. The wheat is working on the palate, the rye and caramel malt remain a minor component. They're lurking below, adding character points in the overall tapestry of the brew. Soft, smooth, flavorful. Medium-bodied. Totally tasty. Damnably drinkable. Mmm meets Mmmmm. I'm reminded of amber lagers, of hybrids like Anchor Steam, but richer character, greater complexity. Mmm plus Mmm, meets oh, yes.

2positive

Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic

Lambic - Fruit

A- looks like cherry 7up with out the carbonation. Red with no head. S-Slight cherry smell on the nose. Could be rasberry. T-very tart, almost check puckering. Alot like it smells. Nice cherry flavor to it M-very sour and tart. Crisp finish D-delcious and moderately drinkanle

2positive

Ubu Ale

American Strong Ale

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. There appears to be no freshness date on the bottle. Appearance: Its body has a dark brown color with deep crimson highlights. The head on top was about one and half fingers thick, light tan in color and made very nice lacing on the glass. Smell: Sweet caramel and brown sugary notes pop out in the nose along with some toasted malt and mild earthy/leafy hops. Taste/Mouth: It has a base of roasted and toasted bready malt flavors. There is plenty of sweetness up front with notes of brown sugar, sweet/buttery bread, diacetyl and dark caramel. The 7%abv adds only a slight touch of character and is mostly well hidden. The middle sees the addition of dried leafy and earth hop flavor along with some bitterness for balance. The finish has a nice blend of sweet malt, a hint of bitter dark chocolate and hops. It has a smooth, slightly slick texture with soft yet active carbonation in a solid medium to full body. Notes: I would like to thank my good friend Don for telling me about the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery and for recommending the Ubu Ale. I really enjoyed very interesting and complex ale.

2positive

Iron City Beer

American Adjunct Lager

Very pale, very clear, very bland. For alot of bubbles fizzing up, their is no head. None. Just a light ring of bubbles around the outside. The best looking thing about this beer is, well, the aluminum bottle. Scent is clean, with a bit of cooked vegetables and grass. Not much else. Tase is very astringent, light. Bit of a lemon hop taste, and very faint malts. Mouthfeel is thin and astringent. Pretty much, substandard swill. But, it cost 75 cents a bottle.

0negative

Foggy Bottom Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Served chilled in a pint glass. Appearance: Clear, golden amber color topped with a modest offwhite head, which diminishes to a layer of bubbles within a short period of time. Little specks of lacing are left on the glass. Smell: Light herbal hops, some sort of German aromatic hops, I'd say. Not overpowering, but enough to get your attention. Taste: Vaguely sweet pale malt with some grassy aftertastes. Mouthfeel: Crisp, light-bodied and bubbly. Relatively refreshing. Drinkability: A ho-hum session beer. Not really worth getting unless there is no other choice, which doesn't happen in the DC area. Most places that have Foggy Bottom also have Dominion or SNPA, and for about the same price. Skip this one, it's not really local anyways.

0negative

La Muerta

American Double / Imperial Stout

Review #200 and a HUGE thanks to pwsoldier for hooking this up! Khaki waxed bomber served in a red wine glass at the local BYOB. Pours a dark brown, not quite black, with a medium head. Smells like roast, chocolate, smoky campfire, bacon and burnt toast. Taste is also smokey with notes of chocolate, toffee, brown sugar and dark fruit. The heavy smoke element is a little off-putting. Mouthfeel is thin with medium carbonation. Very smooth but not thick and chewy like I prefer my RIS. Overall, a good attempt at the style but I'm not enamored with this like I hoped I'd be. Hopefully my other bottle will undergo a nice transformation in a year's time.

2positive

Samuel Adams Summer Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

I decided to sample a sixer of this beer last night as it was a warm summer evening and I wanted a beer that fit the occasion. Must say I was a bit disappointed; I expected something a bit lighter and fruitier. I am generally a fan of Sam Adams' other offerings but this didn't live up to them. Appearance was nice, with a 1" head and a light golden color, but taste was rather dull, with a mild bitterness. Aftertaste was downright terrible. Also, I woke up with a terrible hangover this morning, something I usually don't get from only 6 beers (ex-fratboy, still have a high tolerance). Naturally, this is a better beer than something like Bud or MGD, but it's a lot more expensive, and for a specialty beer it's not that interesting. Doubt I'll buy it again.

0negative

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Listed as 7.0% ABV on the label and on the Kiuchi website, not the 8.5% stated above. 11.2 oz. bottle. Brewed with red rice. Appearance- Pours a cloudy peach color with about 1 finger head initially- dies down to just a ring very quickly. Just a little bit of lacing. Smell- This definitely isn't up my alley at all smell-wise. I knew that as soon as I popped the top off. By the way, I love the little round owl on the label and the cap... back to the review. I actually had to read some other reviews to confirm that the smells here were not an indication that this had gone bad. At 7% I figured it should be pretty good to hold up. Smells are sake, strawberries, salmon!???, and rotten rice. It made me nervous to even try drinking it. Not a good combination for the nose. Taste- Disappointingly- the taste is much like the smell. It does get better as you get used to it though. Still, salmon, sake, earthy notes, and rotten rice is just not a very appealing combination. Some phenols and strawberry flavors are in there too. Mouthfeel- This is about the only thing that impresses. The mouthfeel is just like it should be. Good carbonation, and a bit of drying yeast effect at the end. Drinkability- After warming to near room temperature, I could almost manage to suck the remainder of this down. This beer reminds me of a liquid sushi... too bad I don't like sushi. I'm sure that some people will like it, but it's just not for me. This would probably pair really well with lots of Japanese foods including sasimi... that is, if you like sasimi. All-in-all, an extremely interesting beer, but one that I obviously won't be buying again.

0negative

Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

This is a beer that fades very quickly. The color is copperish amber, the head is nice, and it does retain for a bit. At first, the smell is all cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin, and other spices. This beer seemed to have potential. The initial taste wasn't bad, but the poor carbonation, flat malty taste, and the bland spiciness really compromised this beer. It got worse as it warmed to the point that I just didn't want to try anymore. As some reviewers stated, the name is a misnomer because this is a Coors product, and had I known, I would have skipped it altogether. Coors is a weak product and this one seems to fit into their target audience. Keep going if you are in the mood for a nice pumpkin ale. Perhaps the biggest problem here is that the backbone to this product is just a mediocre ale with additional flavoring.

0negative

Polygamy Porter

American Porter

Appearance: A dark coca cola beer with reddish hues. There was a one finger head but it only lasted for a few seconds. The clarity of the beer, has light penetrating through showing off the reddish hues. Nose: Dark roasted malt, burnt caramelized sugar, and sweet bread aroma. There are hints of esters, and molasses Taste: A dark roasted malt, with burn caramelized sugar with sweet molasses. There is a nice hint of esters, citrus, smokey, earthy, and citrus. Overall: This is a decent beer that has a good earthy smoky malt complex. There is a powdery astringent mouth feel. The finish is bitter and last a little bit on the tongue. It is was about 55 degrees and I think that it is the best way to drink this beer. It is spot on for the style of beer. I feel that it could be polished a bit more and then it would be outstanding.

2positive

Founders Centennial IPA

American IPA

I tried. I really tried to like this brew, but I just don't like it. Looks great, pours like a champ, nice color great lasting head. And that's the best part. Where's the nose? I don't get a thing here. Bitter to the end, but not much else IMO, a one trick pony. A little boozy, I can taste the alcohol, and the finish leaves a lot to be desired. I'm fighting drinking this six, but I won't buy it again there are too many others out there to taste or buy. Too bad a great brewery IMO missed the mark, or maybe they hit it. It's a tribute to Centennial, so maybe it's a me thing.

0negative

Fat Tire Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Honey golden in color; clear with an awesome head that leaves a beautiful sticky lace. Biscuit malt aromas--very clean smell with a slight touch of hop. The flavoring also features biscuit malt and possibly some crystal malt. The hop is subtle but very much present. A very full but balanced flavor. The carbonation is on the high side, but this counteracts the full body. Lingering bitter hops lasts long after the swallow. This is a very nice ale that would go well with a large variety of foods.

2positive

Péché Mortel (Imperial Stout Au Cafe)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Peche Mortel 11.5oz into Stone IRS glass Finally getting around to reviewing this after having enjoyed it numerous times before. The pour generates a nearly two finger deep head of dense mocha colored foam that just sort of sits there for a while, in no rush to go down. The head also forms in a very interesting way, with the bubbles slowly creeping through the dense liquid up to the top. The body is super black with a fine ruby highlight around the edges. It leaves solid sheets of lace on the way down. Nose is coffee. Lots and lots and lots of coffee. In multiple layers. Like how the hell did they stuff this many different coffee/espresso aromas into one beer. It's not really stout brewed with coffee, no, no, it's espresso brewed with imperial stout. Heavily (or heavenly) roasted espresso beans, dark cocoa drenched french blend coffee beans, a big/raw/intense roasted malt aroma. Some sweet sugary booze as well. I swear I smell oak, even though I am almost certain it's not aged. Oh well, my nose says it's in there. What this beer lacks in complexities it makes up in spades with a huge ham-fisted attack of coffee goodness. If you are into coffee (I love it) then this may be your Mecca. Palette is bursting with coffee and roasted bitterness. And I swear there is some hop action going on as well, with a bit of pine needle and very faint grapefruit trying to get a little attention. It is short lived, the roasted espresso, nutty oak, and dark chocolate overpower it. And rightly so, this beer is all about the coffee. And there is a touch of unattenuated sweetness to hold it over from being overbearingly bitter and roasty. The body of Peche is what you would expect on a beer with 13% ABV or more, it's just so heavy and robust. Chewy and almost syrupy, like a super condensed iced-coffee. A moderate rush of carbonation keeps things from getting too heavy, while keeping it at just the right level of density. The only reason I couldn't drink this all the time is the price. And I would likely get hammered off of the unapparent 9.5% ABV that doesn't even seem to exist except in a slight warming of the tongue. God I love this beer.

2positive

Great Lakes Oktoberfest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

A- copper in color with a two finger head which did not last for long. many bubbles continuing as i drink S- caramel T- earthy and sweet, very smooth going down. Can taste the malt and a little hop. Could easily put down several quickly before realizing the abv M- nicely balanced and crisp flavor lightly lingers. O- Glad I picked up a six pack! . Only way it could get better would be if i was in a beer garden on a fall day.

2positive

Jalapeno Red

Chile Beer

Had this one tap so reviewing from notes. A- Not much of a head on it, very little lacing as well, a burnt orange/red color, not overly appealing. S- Nice, I can really smell the chipotle in it T- I like this beer very much. I can taste the smoke and chili but don't get much heat. Sometimes chili beers are over the top and too hot for me, this is an easy drinking smokey chili beer. The red ale is very mild and it really lets the chili's shine on the palate. M- A little light, could use more carbonation. O- Very nicely done. Some people may feel it's weak in the heat department but I like it.

2positive

Stoudt's Fat Dog (Imperial Oatmeal Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Bottled 11/23/04, Sampled March 2005 Pours a pitch black color with a thick creamy full brown head that starts out 4 fingers thick. The aroma is thick and malty with notes of chocolate, molasses, and coffee. The aroma is amazingly smooth smelling, with out the harsh astringent burnt notes that are in some. The taste is fairly thick and creamy with a full sweet flavor up front. It is certainly reminiscent of chocolate milk shake. The finish is slightly astringent, with roasted malt notes. This beer is nicely drinkable for an Imperial stout, it is so smooth and creamy and not too thick. This makes for an easy drinking Imperial stout. This beer is dominated by the sweet malt flavors and the smooth roast notes that are evocative of rich dark chocolate. I am really enjoying this beer right now, so thanks to PisskyNights for this brew.

2positive

BluCreek Blueberry Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Amber color, deep and clearish appearance overall. Head is dull and minimal, and the lacing is very scant, slight and incomplete rings. The smell is powerfully blueberry/huckleberry, but ringing somewhat artificial. The taste follows suite here, much too much sweetener accompanies the fruit and it wanders into pie filling in a can flavor aspects. No sense of natural astringency. In contrast to Leinie's Berry Weiss, this has a tiny amount of carbonation and comes off Gatorade in mouthfeel at the finish. Can't say this was a winner.

0negative

Henry Weinhard's Belgian Style Wheat Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

A couple bottles were left behind from an after-work meeting a week or two back; twist-capped 12 oz'ers, laser-dated 'APR1210'. Here on Sunday working some OT and with limited options, decided to try something new. Poured to a pint. A: Vibrant copper-golden, very clear (expected cloudy haze but this is filtered). Huge carbonation, in both girth and quantity - like a soda. 1+ finger dollop of white, fluffy cream crackles and fades in a couple minutes down to a microscopic ring. Not really any lace, a few snowflakes. S: Strong aroma of 'orange', a Life Savers or Saturday morning cereal type sweetness. Reminds me of both a scented candle and a cheap infused-vodka - in that the scent bears no relation to the underlying wheat beer, nor any beer for that matter. T: Not quite as bad to imbibe as it is to inhale...but flaws throughout. More of that 'orange' in the flavor, more subdued but still a candy-like artificiality to it. A lurking wheat with a mild spice that vaguely resembles 'Belgian' zest. No 'funk', but a little fruit (soft pear or apple) is nice. Just enough bitterness to snip off the finish. M: Early sips had a bounty of carbonation fizzling in the mouth. Degradation leads to a finer spritz and eventually ending in a duller, flatter slickness. Light-medium body, finely-filtered so no graininess. D: A bad representation of the 'Belgian Style' tag... so distant from what I know and love about the beer styles of that fine nation. I've had some very decent brews from Weinhard's/Full Sail over the years, but this isn't among them. Not one I want to have again and not one I'd recommend.

0negative

Terminal Gravity IPA

American IPA

This is an incredible IPA for its smooth creamy drinkability alone. There are plenty of hops alright but the beer seems to combine into a hoppy grapefruity pineappley goodness. The nose is very fruity to the point where citrus is often the dominant note. The taste also echoes fruit but the hops hold there own and tie it all together. Should of bought more bottles home but I had no idea how much I would of liked this beer.

2positive

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Huge thanks to unclejedi for this one!! 12 oz stubby bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. Dark creamy brown head that leaves a thin foamy lace on the glass. Color is a dark, dark brown, almost pure black. It only registers as slightly brown when held to the light. Smell is a fantastic blend of dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, brown sugar, molasses, and even some butter-scotch. The bourbon comes off more as a wood smoke aroma. Taste is equal to the smell and then some. More of the bourbon is present, but it isn't very boozy like some bourbon aged beers. Still deliciously sweet. Mouthfeel is full bodied and chewy. In fact, I would be all about a caramel candy flavored like this. This is an absolutely fan-freaking-tastic beer. It should be on everyones want list.

2positive

Double Simcoe IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Poured from the bottles into on of my favorite glasses. Greeted with a substantial head that was beige in color and showed some excellent retention. Yes, my favorite as the head had such nice structure it rose well above the rim of the glass. Deep amber color with copper and orange highlights. Spider web lacing left everywhere. Aroma is floral, fresh, bright and of loud citrus grapefruit. Excellent first intro into the taste here. This is a fairly bold DPA in the bitterness category. I mean that in it hits you immediately. Wall to wall hop bitterness. In the middle you do get some malty sweetness as well as some boozy notes. Very citrus focused up front, then moves to some pine flavors and resin like feel.. Lots of yeast tones here. Extremely subtle carbonation which provides a very smooth mouth feel. Not quite the cask like qualities of the unfiltered version, but still quite smooth. Now to speak out of the other side of my mouth, the yeast nature causes the slightest powdery feel. But still very smooth. Enjoy this and it's an enjoyable DPA. The sense of the ABV slows it for me a bit, but that's expected at a 9% level. Very solid readily available DPA..

2positive

Sierra Nevada Double DeBockEl

Doppelbock

Sampled on tap at the Brewgrass festival in Asheville, North Carolina. Consumed on 09/20/2008 and reviewed from notes taken at the time. Ok, now this one I was getting excited for. I had heard rumblings that it might make an appearance here, but never thought I would actually see it. Immediately went for the tent and grabbed one of these. Poured a nice medium amber with some definite dark hints roiled throughout it. A nice clarity revealed some carbonation coming up towards the surface letting me know this was anything but a dull beer. Good sized head on here, maybe a half an inch or so that clung to the sides of the glass though out the session. The aroma was rich as hell, I had no idea Sierra Nevada was going to come out with something this nice. Rich roasted malts with a hint of alcohol just oozing with sweetness. A touch of honey maybe? All of it wrapped delicately inside a shell of a hoppy presence. The flavor though bore no hops that I could find with any certainty. This was a malty bock like beer, ridiculously smooth for over 9% and with a creaminess in the body of it that was just stellar. Rich caramel and nut like flavors rolling across the tongue and mixed with an ever present touch of sweet wheat like alcohol. Light earthy hops in the finish, just enough to offset the alcohol. Overall I have to say I thought this one was excellent. I remember this as a stand out almost immediately and was just blown away with it. Really a very solid beer and good job to them for getting it done.

2positive

Epic IPA

American IPA

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Bottle generously provided by jodan as an extra, thanks Jordan! A - Pours an amber color with a golden burst of flare around the edges. The head is small and understated, only about a finger high and poor retention, but the consistency is a nice fluff. The lacing more than makes up for the head formation, with generous coating. The body itself is rather clear with slow, lackadaisical bubbles making up the carbonation. S - The nose on this beer is much more malty than I would've thought given the name, to the point where it even begins to outshine the hops. In fact, the hops are hard to discern, but when they do come through, it is a spicy, floral smell. T - The taste is much of the same of the nose, unfortunately, as the malts are much too prominent. By the time the malt, raisins, and brown sugar of the malts subside, the only flavors that the hops generate are some light citrus and bitterness. Again, the hops are spicy and earthy, and the finish even manages to bring some slight alcohol heat. As the beer finishes, I'm getting some of that grape bubblegum that I sometimes get from malty pilsners. M - Mouthfeel is moderately heavy with medium-to-low carbonation. The body is somewhat sticky and syrupy, and the malts combined with this lends this beer to be a compared to a weak barleywine in my eyes. D/O - Drinkability is low. I understand trying to brew a balanced IPA, but tipping that see-saw to overshadow the IPAs is just wrong. Epic is probably not the first thing, or second, or third or.... I'd use to describe this beer. This one is a miss for me.

0negative

Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus

Lambic - Fruit

The beer is red, like a hard candy. Not tinted red, or able to catch red in the light, but pure red. Sadly, the taste is a little like candy, too, coyingly sweet. It got harder and harder to drink it. It isn't very complex by the standards of lambics, and the tastes that do come through fatique the pallette pretty quickly.

0negative

Heineken Premium Light Lager

Light Lager

Heineken- Premium Light Appearance- Light yellow almost clear with a quick fizzy head. Smell- Very sugary sweet syrupy malt. Rice and corn adjunct. Taste- Sweet rice and corn flavors. Very watery very little flavor here. Mouthfeel- Watery up front followed by a quick burst of sweet adjunct flavoring and finishing off watery and lifeless. Overall- Practically no flavor. Don't waste your time. Someone left a few in my fridge so I figured I'd review it. I'm going back onto my,"don't drink and review macro's" ban!!!

0negative

Keystone Light

Light Lager

Oh, I figured I would eventually break down and review a canned beer. Well, my roomate picked up a case of this stuff, and he swares by it. Yes pretty much this is his beer of choice, not only option, just choice. So, I figured I would review it, never actually had this beer in a can, just in high school as the typical keg swill. I cracked the can unleashing all of the artificial carbonation, and she pours a pale golden straw color that contains a very fizzy white head. Definitely nothing looking appetizing or impressive here. I continute to attempt to detect some aroma, and to my surprise it isn't repulsive as I had thought with a sweet lemon grass aroma with just a touch of hops in the background. With the still semi-pleasant aroma in my senses, I proceed with my first sip. This beer contains nothing great, in fact it is made with the cheapest of ingredients, but it actually brings a balanced flavor that is highly drinkable. The corn and rice, along with some malt produces a very sweet finish to this beer that in my opinion kicks Coors Light's ass. This does have some flavor to it, maybe not what I want out of a beer, but for the college student looking to relieve some stress and catch a nice buzz this beer does it's duty. I can't tear Keystone Light apart, because it has flavors that were designed to be completely unoffensive and in tact with the most amount of people as possible. The mouthfeel is like carbonated water, and yes this beer will go down in number with a low alcohol percentage you could probably put down alot of this, but in my opinion I really don't want to. I just wish this wasn't the only style of beer that's predominantly enjoyed by the masses, because they are missing out on a world of great beer styles. Oh, and by the way you better drink this one cold, because when it starts warming you will taste the difference.

0negative

Dundee Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Little head retention. golden brown color. Not much smell at all just a slight wiff of grain no hop. Not much taste had a very light feel with a small carbonation bye at first, with a slight mineraly after taste. This was one of a seasonal varity pack. Bought in Belvedere il. Very inexpensive. I wouldnt buy it again. I hope the other beers are better.

0negative

Iron City Beer

American Adjunct Lager

Pale golden hue, tiny strings of carbonation; your macro-typical nose offerings in the way of husky grain and the much desired cooked veggies. Up front, rather weak bodied, some light hop detection, corn and husky flavorings. Watery and metallic in the body, worsens as it warms; don't hurt yourself searching for this one.

0negative

Arbor Brewing Phat Abbot Belgian Triple

Tripel

Appeared a medium/dark-orange in the glass with minimal head. It smelled stongly of citrus fruit and slight hops. It tasted fruity/whiney with little bite. It was definitely a smooth drink, which is probably why the menu says "limit 3".

2positive

Piraat Ale

Belgian IPA

Hazy orange in hue, covered by a thick, dense, bumpy very well retained porcelain white head supported by copious bubbling. Unripe pear hits the nose immediately, then is ceded by citrusy fruitiness comprised of sweet lemon and tangerine. Lightly spicy, peppery alcohol and trace fusels are perceptible towards the end of the aroma. Refined and appetizing aromawise. Candyish sweetness hits the palate at first, then yields to citrus rind fruitiness and a drying combination of black pepper alcohol and bready grain. Sweetness then reemerges, but takes on a floral, raw honey like character and when coupled with the subtle alcohol flavors a black licorice note surfaces mid palate. Relatively full in body, but with a crisp, slightly dry mouthfeel that helps facilitate superlative drinkability. Hop bitterness, although not assertive, superbly offsets residual sweetness. Finishes w/ a bittersweet mix of fruity sweetness and pseudobitter alcohol brifely lingering on the palate. Piraat is a delicious brew... Overall, it is akin to a Pale Strong / Tripel hybrid. It's reminescent of a 50 / 50 mix of Duvel and Cinq Cents. Just a hair shy of the best of both worlds. Unparalleled drinkability.

2positive

AleSmith IPA

American IPA

Sampled on tap, from my kegerator. Very light copper/golden yellow in color with a creamy white head. Sweet citrus fruits in the nose, accents of pine. Starts assertively bitter in flavor, opens to a very well balanced sweetness and excellent citrus/piney hop flavor. Finishes bitter and dry. Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy, medium bodied with a dry citrus finish. This is an excellent IPA that I enjoy often.

2positive

Merry Monks' Ale

Tripel

Appearance- a couple shades lighter than macaroni and cheese. Small head that vanishes quickly. Smell- Phenols are a bit overpowering to the nose. Hints of over-rippened bananas and belgian candy sugar. Suggestions of hops, but they are overtaken by acidic smells. Taste- Again, too acidic... white grapes. Alcohol esters, and sweet bananas come through. Spent yeast adds another dimension of complexity, but the flavor is definitely off for my tastes. Mouthfeel- The acidic flavors give it a lot of tang. Yeast sediment gives it a sometimes dryish character. Drinkability- Alcohol and acidic notes need to toned down or better hidden. This tripel was too wine-like for me and I've yet to find a wine that I like.

0negative

Samuel Adams Hefeweizen

American Pale Wheat Ale

A: Deep yellow, small head that stays, slight cloudiness S: Very little scent, other than malt, nothing to appetize M: Odd, but not unwelcome. None of the Hefe notes. Sweet frothy mouth with a creamy swallow. Okay at best. T: Very subdued "juicy fruit" flavor. Malty like a wheat with just a note of what a Hefe should be. It's a big macro stab at a micro style and it misses the board soundly. Not bad for a wheat beer. D: Sorry SA, this one just doesn't make it. Okay for a wheat, not so good for style.

0negative

Wolfgang's German Style Beer

American Pale Lager

12oz Bottle Appearance - The beer pours a clear yellow colour with a small fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation and there is some very faint any lacing. The head only lasted for a few minutes before it was gone. Smell - breads/grains, corn syrup, grass Taste & Mouth - The beer has a crazy amount of carbonation, almost like a seltzer.. most of the taste is made up of breads/grains and a grassiness. I can also taste the alcohol quite a bit. Drink - Probably one of the worst beers I've ever had. It basically tastes like someone's first attempt at making a home brew. Avoid.

0negative

Santa's Private Reserve Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

I'm not sure why Rogue decided to change one of it's best offerings this year, but they did. What once was considered to be one of the better winter tastings is now an imposter. This year the offering is missing it's typical centennial hops. Rogue has chosen to replace it with their own dare and freedom variations. You will also find changes in the malt used. The result is a beer that has lost it's trademark pine and spruce finish in favor of a hollow bitterness. One must ask themselves, why would Rogue change a beautiful thing?

0negative

Trappistes Rochefort 6

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Trappistes Rochefort 6. 330 ml. 20 Appearance: Murky russet hue with a 2" off-white head that quickly dissipates. Almost no lacing and a massive amount of sediment -- makes me wonder if there was something wrong with this batch (oh well, I'll have to change my review if I find out something different next time). Aroma: Raisins, spices, estery alcohol, and a smell of baked break crust -- quite complex and inviting. Taste: Dry bread crust and a bit of carob. Hint of hazelnut and complex yeast flavors. A bite towards the finish followed by slight warming. Quite nice and interesting, but a bit light for my taste. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and buttery upfront. Strong bite from the carbonation immediately jolts my palate -- a bit too carbonated for my taste in this style. Drinkability: Accessible and quite drinkable. There's complexity, but it's tempered. Overall I greatly prefer Rochefort 10, but 6 is a nice one to have in reserve. Note: I really like the bottle caps on these Rocheforts. The 6 has a red cap with white text and a white 6 in the middle.

2positive

Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA

Belgian IPA

"Not only is life a bitch, but it is always having puppies." --Adrienne Gusoff Shiny kumquat orange with multiple slow moving streams of fine bubbles that eventually disappear into the underside of a thick chunk of pale khaki colored foam that does not have a Belgianesque look. It does, however, have glacier-like rockiness that is visually appealing. American hops and Belgian yeast is a splendid combination. The former includes Warrior, Columbus and Amarillo. The latter was named 'El Diablo' by the brewery. In any case, the combination of tropical fruitiness (orange and pink grapefruit) and spicy esteriness is all kinds of enjoyable. Raging Bitch's flavor falls a little short of its nose in terms of awesomeness. It's still good beer... that was undoubtedly better beer right after the release. It doesn't taste worn out, though, just less vibrantly hoppy than it almost certainly was several months ago. More pale malt and less crystal malt would have given the hops and yeast even more of the flavor spotlight. The Amarillo hops, in combination with generous alpha acids, might lead some BAs to think that this offering tastes like orange-flavored children's chewable aspirin. It does, a little, but not so much as to be offputting. More than 5 months of age or not, this Bitch is still Raging. It tastes and feels like most of the original 60 IBUs are still present. The alcohol is nicely masked too. Warming releases even more peppery and clove-like phenols. What a mouth party this is turning out to be! The mouthfeel is more 7.0% IPA than 9.0% DIPA. It's plenty big enough, however, and has a glassy smoothness that falls just short of slick and slightly oily. Peppy carbonation fits the rest of the attributes (and the name) to a 'T'. Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA is Flying Dog's second best beer. Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale is the best. It's a humdinger of an ale that is a few tweaks away from being amazing. Here's hoping this 20th anniversary brew becomes a year-round release.

2positive

Russian Roulette

Russian Imperial Stout

On tap @ GTOM Three times I went back for pours of this amazing, best in show, stout. Pours a lush black with a huge chocolate, foamy head. Lots of chocolate, candy, toffee, molasses... sweet! The taste is just amazing and completely out of left field. This goes down in a flash. I wish I could pick out more of the individual notes and subtleties, but on a day in which I sampled a dozen stouts, this was by far the most memorable. Awesome stuff!

2positive

Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Bottle from the LCBO, 650ml into a couple of pint glasses. Poured a rusty red, with some brown and burgundy shades within. A dusty khaki head sits atop, and retains very nicely. Walls of lace from the super creamy head. Looks awesome for a red; prototypical. Nose has some decent hops, light citrus, peach, and some caramel. Taste echoes this to an extent, some pitted fruits, general citrus, and a big caramel base. Some piney hops are also detectable. A good sweetness about this, and a very drinkable red ale. Medium carbonation and a great mouthfeel that has a bit of weight to it. I could keep this as a standard go-to red if it were more available.

2positive

Woodie Gold

German Pilsener

On Tap Karl Strauss Brewing Company Carlsbad, CA Clear golden and yellow with a thin white head. Spots of lacing left down the glass. An appropriately grassy and biscuity aroma with a mild floral hop presence, though there's an unwelcome aroma of butter and margarine pushing everything else to the side. The flavor is dominated by the unmistakable flavors of margarine and butter.There's a bit of earthy and grassy hop character, but the flavor of butter is dominant. Unpleasant. Medium bodied but oily and buttery. Not good.

0negative

Chocolate Stout

American Stout

12 oz bottle poured into a white wine glass - 2008 Bottling - Cellar temp Appearance: Pours a dark black with a generous 2.5" tan head. The soapy head shows good retention with plenty of lace to leave behind. Seems like a pretty active beer. Smell: Slight aromas of coffee and chocolate. Mild hop aroma. Earthy smell. Taste: Coffee is the main flavor, with a lingering cocoa powder finish. Not much sugar on the palate indicates full attenuation. Some wood and smoke reside in the background. Mouthfeel: Medium body with a little carbonation in the mouth. This one is quenching for a stout. Sort of a hard water type mineral finish. Drinkability: A very quenching stout that is mediocre in its properties. Worth revisiting and quaffing.

2positive

Lone Star Beer

American Adjunct Lager

My office is based in Texas; I'm in Dallas/ Fortworth every couple months; but I've never had a Lone Star until recently. Last weekend, hankering for BBQ, I stumbled upon Little Marks Big Bar-B-que in Avon, Connecticut while doing errands. With my taste buds anticipating southern hot-sauced spiced-rubbed ectastic pulled pork, I enthusiastically ordered a Lone Star. What a disappointment. The surroundings were perfect as I was hoping for a truly Texan experience. Unfortunately, the Lone Star put a damper on things. Just plain bad quality. Try it once and you'll find anything else on the menu to be better. Opt for another brand of beer even though the name Lone Star sounds compelling.

0negative

Outer Darkness

Russian Imperial Stout

Not sure of vintage on this as there is no bottling or best by date. Embossed bottle with gold foil poured into a 10oz brandy snifter. A: Pours deep black with a 1 finger khaki head. Lacing sticks to the glass as I drink. S: Booze hits the nose first and is almost overwhelming. Behind the booze are roasted chocolaty notes, raisins, and a slight tartness. T: The booze and tart finish are all I taste in the first sip. Subsequent sips reveal dried fruit and well hidden chocolate. As I continue to sip all I can focus on is this weird solventy tartness and the heat. I can't even finish the 8 oz pour. M: Medium-heavy body with good carbonation. Maybe a little over carbonated for my tastes but that is the least of this beer's problems. O: I guess the appearance was nice but as I said, I can't finish this pour. Maybe it'd be better fresh and this appears to be an older bottle.

0negative

Smoke Ale

Smoked Beer

Beautiful reddish amber with wispy white head. Smells like bacon. Yummy bacon. Tastes like bacon. Yummy bacon. And katsuobushi. The flavor is nicely balanced. Balanced but I cannot discern the hops seperate from the smoke. So maybe mixed. Smooth micro bubbles and long finish. I like to eat bacon, not eat it.

0negative

Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

I picked this up at the Party Source in Newport, KY. Appeareance: gold-orange color with 1/2" white head; transparent Smell: lots of hops Taste: lots of hops, dryness in the aftertaste Mouthfeel: medium body Drinkability: strong beer, so just one a night will do (goes down nice though)

2positive

Samuel Adams Triple Bock

American Strong Ale

1995 8.5 oz. bottle. Pours a dark brown color with chunks of the cork floating around. Zero head, zero carbonation. Smells of molasses, soy sauce. Has the viscosity of cough syrup. taste is sulfer molasses with a bit of malted chocolate. The flavors can't hide the alcohol, probably make it less bearable. Over all this tastes like Jagermeister mixed with cough syrup. If you want to call this stuff beer it's a very bad one.

0negative

Triple Exultation

Old Ale

Poured from a 22oz bottle. Pours a dark amber, with hints of carbonation. Nothing lasting, no ring, and no lacing. Smells of taffy, hard candies, and raisins, with a hint of grass. Smells very sweet, tastes even sweeter, with a hint of sherry and a very slightly salty aftertaste. Mouthfeel is sticky and thick, though not "big". Between the heavy sweetness, and 9.7%ABV, a 12oz would have been about the right size. 22oz is almost a bit much of it. It's not a *bad* beer, but it's not astonishing.

0negative

Kronenbourg 1664

Euro Pale Lager

Really yellow beer, super crystal clear, offputting aroma of unintentional funkiness and industrial cleaner. Taste, weird yeast strain seems to jump on my tongue, not allowing any taste of very light Saaz hops I'd guess to do anything. Slight breadiness. Just really put off by the taste. Evolves into a slightly more tolerable bitter hay feel. Dry, but eh. Had this at the Paris, France casino in Vegas. . . might have been old, but it just wasn't agreeable with me.

0negative

Yellow Snow IPA

American IPA

Received this bomber as a b-day gift, a couple of the other bottles I got were a few months past their prime, no bottle code on this one. Poured into my Surly pub glass forming up a generous 2'' off white head. Long lasting, troumendous retention, leaving a quarter inch of froth after 15 minutes of sitting. Appears to be unfiltered with some nice haze. A murky looking tanish copper brown amber orange color...yes all of those lol. Lace is sticky and coats thickly around the glass. Aroma is not super hop forward but does hold some bitter pine and allot of malty sweetness. Also a touch of honey and much fresh grain aroma too. Mouthfeel is full bodied a little slick and sticky, with moderate carbonation. Taste starts out sweet and malt filled, holding a good amount of delicious sweet grain flavors. Midway through my lips begin to pucker with delicious bitter hops bursting, juicy flavorful hops. Bitter pine, some rind grapefruit, a touch of mineral metallic aspirin and it just keeps on coming. Finishing bitter and dry with a long hop bite. Absolutly delicious, well balanced in flavor, aroma could use a bit more dry hopping or hops, but overal a great example of the style.

2positive

Plankstettener Spezial

Keller Bier / Zwickel Bier

0,33 L Bottle. Best before: 11.09.2011. It pours a hazy orangeish gold with a creamy eggshell colored head. The smell is earthy and malty. It lacks depth. The flavor is off. It is super watery with a hint of grain and out-of-nowhere one-dimensional sweetness. Aftertaste of rubber. I dont really have an answer to this beer it just sucks basically.

0negative

Claire Blonde

American Blonde Ale

Although classified here as a Blonde Ale, it is written on the logo that it is a Blonde Lager. Pours a dark yellow with a thick white head that dissipates rapidly. The colour looks a bit odd and there's no lacing. There's an unusually strong smell of malts for a lager and a slight hops smell. I can only distinguish that prominent malt taste with the hops kicking in after. Not very pleasant. There's something wrong with this beer. This just doesn't seem to be a blond. It has an odd taste that leaves a bad aftertaste, an odd colour and is umbalanced between malts an hops. This is definitely not a beer I'd take again.

0negative