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Cantillon Vigneronne

Lambic - Fruit

750ml green bottle with crown cap and cork. (the cap had lots of crusty, dried brown stuff underneath.) cork says "bottled in 2007". poured into tulip. golden straw, honey color. slight haze. fizzy head on vigorous pour, but very quickly fades to just a thin ring. no lace. aroma has gentle funk, not quite barnyard, more of a stinky sock ;-) whiffs of cider or champagne vinegar. hint of leather and wood. tart on the palate, like sherry or champange vinegar, with notes of wood and leather again. funk is gentle, with hint of barn flavors and hay. tart, dry finish. not thin at all. vinegary with acidic texture and trace of astringency in the finish. crisp, moderate but lively carbonation.

2positive

Tian-Shan Kummi/Krepkoye

Euro Strong Lager

Purchased and sampled in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, this brown liter bottle has a brown and gold label with an eagle soaring in front of the (Tian Shan) mountains of southern and eastern Kazakhstan. Ingredients conform to the purity law. Best before 5/19/06, I opened it on 4/8/06. Pours a clear standard gold under a two finger white head that fades slowly and shows a bit of contour and significant stickiness that somehow nevertheless manages to leave no lace. The nose is watery, with a hint of sickly sweetness. The mouth is very prickly and quite light. Very mild flavors here, quite watery in fact. About the only impression is harsh rusty metal bitterness, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste. No thanks.

0negative

Onward Irish Stout

Irish Dry Stout

Of all the beers in the sampler served at their taproom, I anticipated liking this one the most and was sorely disappointed. The beer poured with an opacity and creamy tan head that were true to the stout style(although I wouldn't consider this a dry Irish stout). The predominant smell was one of charcoal which was my first hint that I would not care for this beer. No other scents could be detected due to the overall burnt character both in the nose and on the palate. I've tasted and enjoyed smoked porters and stouts before, but they were much milder than this. It literally tasted as though liquid smoke was added to the glass. I don't think storage, temperature, or age were to blame as it was sampled at the brewer's taproom, so I have to assume that it was a legit representation of their beer. I'm much more a porter/stout fan than a hophead, and I literally had to choke down the small sampler glass. I spent 2 weeks in Ireland last summer, and through exhaustive personal research, really got a feel for what a proper pint of Irish stout should taste like. This wasn't it. Stick with the Sly Rye Porter, Dos Perros, or the Pale Ale when visiting Yazoo. I will be in Nashville soon, and will give it a 2nd chance. I'll update if hopefully, change is noted.

0negative

Satsuma Harvest Wit

Witbier

Poured from 12oz bottle. A- Pours a hazed golden yellow color. this stuff almost looks like a gel. One finger white head shows medium retention overall. Light ringing lacing on the glass as I drink down. S- The only two things I can pick out in this beer are a yeasty aroma in the front of this that is pretty dominate. There is a grainy like presence in the background. Almost smells like a very yeasty BMC product. T- There is a light sourness to this from the get go. This dies to a light watery yeasty taste. Some light grainy notes really make this beer a subpar standing in taste as far as I'm concerned. There is a light artifical fruit flavor but I can't figure out what it is. M- Light mouthfeel. Carbonation is fizzy and a little much for the beer. Light sourness and yeasty flavor left on the palate. Some alcohol and grainy flavor left in the aftertaste. Alcohol has light drying on the palate. Flavor is balanced for the style. D- This beer to me is not a good offering for any brewery in this style. If this were a BMC product I would have no problem with it but as a craft brewery offering I must say this is terrible.

0negative

Keystone Light

Light Lager

I'm in college. A Keystone light review is necessary. The apperance looks as if someone took a decent lager and added a ton of water. The smell... What smell? All I smell is the aluminum of the can. Taste... wee bit of a sweet malt in a lot of aluminum water. On the very, very end I noticed the tiniest amount of hops. Like a hop leaf. Mouthfeel? Like water. Drinkability? You can pound them all night. But why would you want to? If you just want to get drunk, buy cheap vodka and fruit juice. The price? like $10 30, or as SUNY Oswego students say, a "30 rack," so I assume that this swill will be a popular brew for years to come.

0negative

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale

Irish Red Ale

Appearance: 12 oz bottle pours a chill hazed, ruby amber body with a tightknit, two finger beige head. Good head retention, and some sheets of lace are left on the glass. Aroma: Floral and fruity hops mingle with malt notes of toffee and caramel. Mouthfeel: Light medium body with medium carbonation. Taste: Toasty and bready malts offer up a good deal of toffee and caramel sweetness, but floral European hops balance well with a moderate bitterness. Some apple peel fruitiness really hits the spot. Clean and even on the finish, with a dry and bitter hops aftertaste. Drinkability: Probably my favorite Irish Red Ale, I prefer this one to Smithwick's. This would be an excellent session ale.

2positive

La Trappe Quadrupel (Koningshoeven / Dominus)

Quadrupel (Quad)

750 ml bottle with the longest synethetic cork I've ever had to pull by hand. A - a massive long lasting foamy/lacy head sitting on top of a bubbly dark mahogany brew. S - yeasty sweet malts with some dark slightly earthy fruits. T - fruity plum and caramel sweetness with a trace of banana and bitter. Lingering sweetness that fades slowly. M - moderately heavy and sticky but with better than average carbonation to lift the coating. Carbonation tingly on the lips. 10% ABV fairly well hidden under the sweet. D - tasty but not something I could drink more than two glasses of.

2positive

Heavy Weizen (Imperial Unfiltered Wheat Ale)

Hefeweizen

a: into my allagash weizen glass, yeast agitated fully before pouring, forming an opaque haze in the sunset golden beer with hues of orange peeking through, topped with a creamy white head that never quits, looks great s: soft, doughy yeast aromas on a full wheat body and a touch of pale malt that provides a moderate level of sweetness, fresh banana bread, mild clove, creamy banana milkshake or banana pudding, some candied lemon and bubblegum, a touch of sweet alcohol, delicate noble hop spice, every individual component of the aroma comes together seamlessly m: carbonation on the low end and delicate, body on the fuller side of medium but never too far so - creamy seems to be the word for this one, just glides across the palate t: body of wheat malt carries a slurry of yeasty cloves and fantastic flavors of fresh banana milkshake, pale malts add body and a moderate sweetness, the saaz adds only a mild spice to the finish, sugared lemon rind, delicious and fantastically unbalanced - in that for a beer that tends towards sweeter flavors and makes light use of hops, the sugars never become overbearing d: no issues with the alcohol here, obviously not a session hefe but the bomber goes down with ease hesitant purchase but completely satisfied at this point, can't help but hold New Glarus' Imperial Weizen as the hallmark of this style, and this one provides some competition but falls a bit short...bomber from Norm's, Vienna, VA

2positive

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

Witbier

Cloudy amber colored beer with a small white head. Smell is sweet and strongly of blackberries. Spicy smell mostly black pepper. Smells slightly sour. Not much more to it than that, blackberry really takes over. The taste starts out sweet and sour with a wheat malt aftertaste. Lots of blackberry flavor this is mostly sour and a lot like Berliner Weisse. Mouthfeel is OK. More sour than expected, I can take this or leave it.

0negative

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter

American Porter

Ah, a nice solid porter from Sam Adams. This one is perfect on a nice cold night with a blanket on you relaxing on the ole couch. Full of nutmeg type spices and a nice hearty taste, its smooth, well balanced and goes down easy. One of my favorite porters to have in the winter.

2positive

Sam Adams Light

Light Lager

I don't know if the generally good quality of Boston Beer duped me on this one. . . Or if it was the exceptionally juvenile ad campaign of their newest offering. But for weeks, I'd inquired with every liquor store in town about Sam Adams Light only to end up buying the Boston Lager or Stock Ale. After my first (and only) prized six-pack of the low-cal "sweet nectar", I can only express disappointment. Admittedly, I guzzled the first one, right from the bottle. After that, I gave it a fair test in a pilsner glass. The appearance, a pleasant amber, is the only reedeming quality about this brew -- and even that is not an award winner in my book. The head was average in my experience. Aromatically, this beer smelled stale, with a faint aroma of corn and hops. The taste was much the same. Mouthfeel was slightly on the dry side, which could have been my pucker. Honestly, I'm concerned that this beer became overheated in the delivery truck. I'm a longtime fan of Boston Beer and this is the most disappointed I've ever been with them.

0negative

Bolita Brown - Mochaccino

English Brown Ale

Happy to have gotten the chance to try this beer. A 32oz growler shared with a friend, poured into a Cigar City snifter. Very deep brown color with moderate clarity and a one-finger tan head. Very dense foam that subsides to a thin cap. Nice lacing coats the glass. Up front, all I smell is coffee. As I dig deeper I pull out rich vanilla and some caramel. Bolita pushes through and makes its presence known with a sweet toffee aroma. Tastes like fresh espresso beans. Not harsh, just very earthy, nutty and pleasing overall. Some vanilla-caramel sweetness at the finish. Wonderful balance of flavor- every layer blends together in perfect harmony. Moderate carbonation. Smooth and silky mouthfeel with a slight drying finish that makes this wonderfully enjoyable. I can't believe this is 9%. The alcohol is nowhere to be found. Thank you, Cigar City, for this ridiculously awesome beer.

2positive

El Cajones

American IPA

Poured a gold with white head and pretty amazing lacing. The smell is pure win. Tropical citrus with a huge grapefruit note. The taste was more hop flavor than bitterness. Lots of tropical floral notes with a slight bitterness on the back and not much malt to be found. Pretty great IPA and I can see how they've been running out so quick.

2positive

Choklat

American Double / Imperial Stout

i do not have a sweet tooth. i did not like this... it was so overly sweet, and felt like it left a coating of sugar on your teeth, it was a struggle for me to drink. it was basically like hershey's syrup diluted a little bit and called beer. yes, there was a huge chocolate presence (and nothing else), but it was an artificial type of chocolate, not at all a quality one. never again. I hope the drain liked it more then i did, if it didn't then Mr Drain i am sorry.

0negative

Longshot Honey B's Lavender Ale

Herbed / Spiced Beer

Appears a pale golden completely filtered body with a nice sized fluffy white head, forms scattered delicated lacing. Aroma has some evident spicy lavender, floral rose water, slightly cherry/citrus fruit laiden notes with a touch of honey there as well. Light biscuit pale malt base. Flavor cloying sweetness with an unpleasant medicinal spiced blend of flavors, the honey really doesn't complement the overall experience. Not a chick beer actually aggressive levels of lavender, makes you feel like some sprayed perfume in your mouth. Mouthfeel does finish dry but upfront it's a cloying dose of honey and bitter herbal lavender, carbonation is sturdy really upfront with bubbles gets you burping after a sip or two. Overall I don't see this one making it into regular rotation, pretty unrefinded unbalanced variation of what a good beer from this style could taste like. It always seems like there's a hot female on one of the three Longshot labels, I'm sure it helps when going around and procuring votes during this competetion.

0negative

St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stout

Poured from a 341 mL bottle, dated: "Best Before 31 JUIL 09", into a standard pint glass. From a six-pack we bought while vacationing in Victoria, BC. A: Deep & dark, virtually black. Pours a cola-like brown and thickens to an impenetrable ebony. About 1/2 finger of creamy, light tan foam, with a fine, light lace sticking on the glass. S: Grainy malty and heavily toasted. Faint sweetness rises from the glass. If there's such a thing as smelling "dry" this is the one: it seems to pull the oxygen out of the nose it's so dry. T: A definitively dry cocoa powder flavor. Deeply roasted coffee and full nuttiness. Rich grain flavors with some tannic woodiness and slight souring lactose. Incredibly tasty. M: Medium carbonation, with a light-medium body and a creamy consistency. A fairly clean finish with only a burnt/roasted bittering lingering towards the back of the tongue. D: At just 5%, this one is the quintessentially drinkable oatmeal stout. Thick rich flavors yet low ABV; I'm thankful there are more of these in the cellar. Definitely worth seeking out and certainly one I'll be looking forward to having again.

2positive

Newport Storm - Mark (Cyclone Series)

Milk / Sweet Stout

No clue who sent me this one. Sorry for that. Poured into a tulip from the bottle. A: Cola brown nearing black. Red edges. About a finger of head that fades quick but leaves a decent lace ring. S: Sour chocolate and stale coffee. Damn this smells like it's got some problems. Tart cherry profile seems out of place. T: Wow sour and acrid. Burnt black coffee and sharp tart cherry. Is this a wild ale? M: Light and thin. Almost no carbonation. O: Sad this one has gone south. Would love to try one that was in good shape.

0negative

Tröegs Hopback Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Pours a medium amber color with a nice white, semi-persistent head. The head leaves a bit of sticky decoration on the glass. A hoppy aroma--primarily citrus and floral notes, comes nicely from the glass. A bit of sweet malt also is present in the aroma. The taste is quite good--the hops make themselves known and are balanced by some equally tastey caramelly, malty flavors. Finishes with some very nice bitterness. A very easy drinking beer, with a smooth medium body. Overall this is a pretty good beer and definitely one worth having again in the future.

2positive

Tröegs Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

12oz bottle. Bottled on 02/16/11. Pours a clear light amber color with a tiny head. Minimal lacing. Aroma is a big whiff of citrus hops. Slightly floral. Taste is hoppy with some caramel malts to it. Nice crisp bitterness. Citrusy orange aftertaste. This is an easy drinking Pale Ale that is perfect for the summer. Good amount of hops for this style of beer. Worth grabbing again.

2positive

Camo Black Ice

American Malt Liquor

brewed by Five Star Brewing Co. Lacrosse, WI. 24 ounce can. *Disclaimer* i am afraid of this beer already! ok, here goes.... pours out of the can a clear perfect gold colour with a an off white frothy head. actually some lace on the sides as i sip. aroma is heavily fusel, with lots of artificial banana and other random sweet tart flavours. actually does not smell bad, just not *right*. taste is a heavy dose of jet fuel soaked alcohol. yikes. the corn syrup soaked evilness has a sickly cheap liquor note to it. more fermented bananas and a green apple note to boot. i can only think that this what some demented distiller had in mind when brewing up some moonshine and then deciding to brew some beer. i'm serious, this stuff has an ethanol edge that is just plain wrong. i'm not sure if any barley or hops were used in this "beer". who in the hell thinks up this stuff?!? i should be drinking this out of a shot glass and not trying to discern any nuances. on the other hand, it does have a pretty slick and smooth mouthfeel, making the drinker only wince after i swallow. drinkability?? well....i say it has zero drinkability, but the score only goes down to 1. this is beyond an ice brewed malt liquor. there should be a new category for alcoholic concoctions such as this. my god is this stuff vile!

0negative

Boddingtons Pub Ale

English Pale Ale

Pouring this out into a glass is an exciting experience. It pours a cloudy beige color that cascades down in the glass and settles to a clear weak tea color with a thick white creamy head. It smells of sweet honey and mild hops. You'd think this beer was going to be awesome. It looks like a million bucks... but no. Based on the aroma the flavor is extremely disappointing. It tastes like stale water with a touch of bitter. The body is water thin with no carbonation or cream. Poured it out. On a second tasting, I tried it warm (never in fridge) and it was an improvement... barely. So if you like warm, flat beer, this is for you.

0negative

Hot Rocks Lager

Euro Dark Lager

On tap at golden state. Pours a murky brown color with an off white head of about half a finger. Retention is decent. Light caramelized malt and toast. Tastes of caramelized malt, a touch nutty, some chocolate, toasted bread. Slightly spicey hop presence. Mouthfeel is creamy with high carbonation, a somewhat acidic bite, and slightly spicey hop presence drying it out very quickly. A great lager. Seriously a must try for those who appreciate lagers.

2positive

Keystone Light

Light Lager

Ah the good ole Key Light, my favorite beer when at school, but a sip of dirt when at home. A very annoying foam overload when pouring. The color is a stereotype of beer. A smell of drunken memories. It tastes like nothing and doesn't really have any bite or kick. I only applaud the crispness, if that is a good thing. This beer is great for shotgunning.

0negative

Ohota Krepkoye (Strong)

Euro Strong Lager

500mL brown glass bottle my sister brought me back from St. Petersburg. Updated label from the one in the photo - OXOTA from bottom left to top right in white writing on red background across the main label, a gold fist with a banner saying "PEVO" in Cyrillic above it. 8% underneath KPETTKOE (forgive the two Ts representing a capital P) let me know it wasn't the normal 4.5% version. App: Decent head dissipates to slightly more than just a film. Lacing is decent, leaving line-like traces across the glass. Body is a clear, dark yellow. Smell: When I cracked this I could smell a cheap malt-liquor/skunky hop brew, and that stays. But there is also a curious yeast note there which brings it up a notch. I'm reviewing this against the style, which in Australia has not produced too many good beers, mainly due to the time and handling of import. Taste: Ewww! I deliberately left the tasting till after appearance and smell were well-defined. I now dislike this beer. It's crap, tastes like cheap malt, it's also skunky, and generally unpleasant. Wow, what a definition! No pleasant characters to define here. This beer's going to have a funny rating. Mouthfeel only prolongs the agony of taste. There's two places for this beer: In my stomach or elsewhere - in an unopened bottle, in someone else's hand, in the sink, I don't care where. Having this beer's rich flavours in your mouth is pure misery. Drinkability: You'd have to be an idiot to drink more than one. Although it does leave you with a warm feeling in your chest. For that, I'll go one better than awful. Overall: Deceptively undrinkable. Ask your relatives to bring something nice back instead, even if it's bought in Heathrow, Paris or Frankfurt airport! (actually get them to bring you a nice fresh czech 'sner if they can!)

0negative

Molson Golden

American Blonde Ale

P-U! Upon opening and pouring I am greeted by the aroma of Pepe Le Pew's Quebecois cousin. That stench subsides enough that the glass of beer in front of me is at least drinkable. The head is thin but it is creamy enough to stick to the glass a bit. The color is yellow-gold and there are tons of floating little bits in it. Flavor is light-struck hops, adjunct and cheap malt. Finishes with a woody, bitter aftertaste. A lame and somewhat offensive fluid.

0negative

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Wow. This sucked. A buddy picked up a few of these at some place in Tennessee last week. Good thing he only bought 2. Tasted like a pine needle. Came very close to pouring most of this down the drain. Unless I can get a hold of some of the Celebration, I won't be returning to this brewery.

0negative

Gulden Draak (Dark Triple)

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance: Dark amber with about an inch of cream colored head. Some lacing that fades in a few minutes. Smell: The sweet esters dominate the smell. Fruity and full of aroma. Taste: Ah. Lots of fruity esters with this wonderful caramel malt backbone shining through. Very little bitterness. Mouthfeel: The well rounded malts linger on the palette. Drinkability: for a beer of this strength, it is scary how drinkable it is. You could sip these all night. However, I would not make it past two.

2positive

Hop Box

American Double / Imperial IPA

Slighty hazy when poured into the glass, with a little sediment floating throughout. Very thin head at the beginning, but it quickly disappears. Aromas of bananas, citrus, and tea leaves. The sweet malty flavors balance out the citusy hops very well. This is a relatively new beer for this brewery, so it shows great potential

2positive

Triskelion Barleywine

English Barleywine

22 fl oz brown bottle; served in a snifter. Pours a dull brass with a peaach hue and a chill haze. A thin, creamy white head fades to a whispy sheet leaving a ring of small bubbles around the rim. Heavy, adjunctory grain aromatics: wheat, rice, and corn. The hints of sweetness are mild and rather non-descriptive besides faint honey. Not only bland, but an unflatteringly weak nose...quite surprising for the style. Honey sweetness up front that lingers on the palate; not so much for the sweetness, but for the gaseous texture. The rice, corn, stiff wheat and grains present quickly and fill the primary flavors of this 'barleywine'. A touch of sweetness rejoins the adjunctory flavors. Full bodied; gaseous slickness on account of the malted sweet character; however, very grainy due to the predominant adjuncts. Wow, what happened to this Haverhill Brewery offering? I can't find one pleasant quality in this one nor can I understand how this fits into the category of barleywine. This one is certainly being poured down the drain.

0negative

Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale

American IPA

Appearance - Nice slightly hazy deep orange, light copper color. A thick, creamy, fluffy white head with excellent size, retention and lacing. Some light orange and dark yellow highlights are showing at the bottom of the glass. This brew has an almost red tint when held toward the light. Smell - Grapefruit and peach notes are the prime aroma. Some biscuit malt helps balance the sweet citrus nose. Very well balanced. The smell is not as robust as some others, but that could be that the bottle is not as fresh as it could be. Still very nice though. Taste - The taste was of, again, grapefruit and peaches. I even got a bit of some pineapple sweetness. Some dry bread and dried wheat help to compliment this flavor. The alcohol is only slightly present in a good way. Mouthfeel - Medium mouthfeel. Dry, smooth and crisp. Really leaves a lot on the palate. Small amount of some alcohol warmth. It's not distracting and really fits nicely. Drinkability - Another tremendous brew from Sierra Nevada. I would really like to try this at its peak freshness. I'll be sure to be on the lookout for it next year. It's still really, really good. A lot of flavor an da great mouthfeel. Easily drinkable and one that I will look forward to each year. I liked the Estate Homegrown Ale a bit better, but this is still a brew that I could enjoy drinking anytime.

2positive

Snake Dog IPA

American IPA

Copperish orange color with about a half finger of white head and some light lacing. Smells strongly of citrus with some light piney hops. Taste is fairly fruity and the hops are a bit more pronounced. Starts off with lemon and pine, and a subtle touch of malt comes through in the end. Medium body and medium carbonation. Overall, not one of the best IPAs out there, but still decent and refreshing. I wouldn't mind trying it again.

2positive

John John Dead Guy Ale

Maibock / Helles Bock

4oz sampler at the Rogue/issaquah brewhouse. very clear of haze, with little head. smell is really impotent, until I accidentally got it on my nose. That brought out the woody and smoky tone that reminds me of salmon cooked too long on a wooden plank. Flavor is good. I taste the grain, the smoke, wood and still taste some fishy meat flavors. It is interesting, and easy to drink. Really mellow. Smoothness and drinkability are exceptional, especially at 6.4% abv.

2positive

Tiger Beer

American Adjunct Lager

So the imported price for a Bud-esque mimicry is not what you want at all. All the typical pieces are there, from the light look to the light taste to the easy consumption. This is a standard drink-while-you-watch-football taste, which you can easily avoid for much smaller prices. This is only good for the label/variety/tiger and otherwise Bud itself does the job and it's American.

0negative

Exit 11

American Pale Wheat Ale

I attended the Royal Stumble at Nodding Head and low and behold Flying Fish decided to bring this along as their featured beer! A true hybrid brew with an American-style wheat beer base fermented with English ale yeast and hopped with Columbus, Palisade and Amarillo! A-Hazy orange tinged golden yellow with a foamy white head that reduced to a thin cap and left nice coating lace. S-Sharp citrus hops overlying a nice dose of biscuit malt. T-Nice hop forward citrus pop with a lot of tangy aspects. Strong notes of tangerine and apricot. A mildly sweet biscuit malt backbone supporting. Even though I know this uses English yeast it had a hint of Belgian yeast spiciness. M-Medium-light body, sharp and crisp with long lasting hop bitterness. D-Would have been the Royal Stumble winner if things had gone my way! C and I drank as much of this as we could. A really nice, refreshing, hoppy, light summer drinker. Who cares if it doesn't fit neatly into any one style....it is damn tasty and to me that is all that matters!

2positive

Monkman's Slaughter Ale

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

Cropton Monksman's Slaughter used to be one of the best beers out there in my opinion. Cropton brewery have recently started mass-producing for the large supermarkets. This has resulted in them lowering the quality of their beers by substituting real hops for synthetic chemical essences. The result of this is immediately obvious especially in its inferior taste with a false sweetness lingering behind the after-taste. Real beer should be really real, not pretend real!

0negative

Keystone Light

Light Lager

Pumped from a keg at a party...eh why not?? A- Pours a clear light yellow color. Two finger white head that sticks around for a little bit. Streaks of lace that turn to web style lace as I drink this down. S- The aroma on this is very muted. Some light sweet corn in most of the nose is covered by a large metallic overtone. Some light stale alcohol in the ending which turns a little sweet with a hint of must. T- Carbonated water with a hint of sweet corn at best. There is a ton of metallic flavoring as well with a touch of sweet alcohol on the tail end. Very muted in the flavor. More so than the aroma. M- Light mouthfeel. Carbonation is high but normal for the style. Sweet grains and metal are left on the palate. Aftertaste is much the same with a hint of alcohol. Flavors are very bland so I would say it's balanced for what it is suppose to be. The metallic taste is the only off flavor but it is there all the beer. Light alcohol drying on the palate. D- This is not bad but I don't like the flavor or lack there of at times. Low ABV means I could pound this all night. Not that I would really want to.

0negative

Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

I was disappointed by this beer because I have to come to appreciate almost all of the beers in the Sam Adam's collection. The problem is the combination of flavor choices. Since it's a lambic, which typically has a sour taste to begin with, being combined with a cranberry flavor, which is also sour, the taste is overwhelming and the beer is unpleasant to drink.

0negative

Bighorn Bitter Ale

English Bitter

In a word, watery. Nothing else special or not special about it. A palatable bitter, meeting minimum standard. Had at the brewpub. Light brown colour with minimal head, nothing in aroma or taste, thin mouthfeel, minimal hops, some carbonation. Not really bitter.

0negative

Cable Car Small Batch Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a 12 oz glass from a six pack that was on sale A: Clear golden amber color with a one and a half finger head that disappeared quickly. Very little lacing S: Very sweet smelling, almost overpowering. A bit too malty and maybe a small amount of grape if I really dug my nose in T: Not impressed with the taste, the malt was present, but it was very difficult to pick up any hops. M: It had a good carbonation, however it didn't have a very satisfying finish. D: I wasn't a very big fan, and I actually gave the rest of the 6 pack away to some frat boys at the next party. They liked it Overall: The bottle made it seem like a craft brewed amber, but I learned an important lesson to never judge a beer by the bottle, and to never get a six pack on sale

0negative

Amstel Light

Light Lager

Why do breweries bother with light beer? I know, for the executive on the go who doesnt want to feel filled up. Have a club soda instead! Appearance of this Light beer is almost clear water with a drop of yellow, not much foam and no lace. Aroma is that of the usual brussel sprouts and eau de skunk. Initial taste consists of watery malt, some grain, metallic alum in the middle, and a hint of some hops that strayed here accidentally. Way too expensive for the bitter aftertaste it leaves behind.

0negative

Lips Of Faith - Grand Cru Abbey Ale

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Poured into my New Belgium Globe glass. Pours a deep, clear ruby with a light tan head of a few fingers, that drops rather quickly. Leaves a nice lacing. Aromas of dark fruits, raisins, plums, mint, tobacco and licorise. Flavors of dark fruit, tobacco, raisins, licorise, flinty minerals. Some oxidation. Mouthfeel is big, chewy malt. Good level of carbonation. Overall a very complex brew. A great late night brew with a cigar.

2positive

Life & Limb

American Strong Ale

This beer is bad. A: Pours a thick reddish brown with a head that quickly dissipates into a thin splotchy froth S: Smell of alcohol and molasses. As the beer warms up it takes on an incredibly solventy aroma. T: When cold, the beer has a weird astringency in the finish. As it warms up, the beer gets sweeter and sweeter until it becomes capable of putting you into a diabetic coma, and the finish transforms into something a bit more solventy. M: Syrup. You could ooze this out over pancakes. D: I wasn't able to finish my bottle. By the time I got to the last 6oz it was like chugging on a bottle of Ms. Butterworth's that had been spiked with cleaning solvent. Drain pour. Overall, I think this is a bad beer coasting by on the hype of being associated with two popular (but usually mediocre) breweries.

0negative

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Czech Pilsener

Pours a golden yellow color with a thin white effervescent cap. Cap gone in a few seconds. Aroma is lite with light sweet malt, floral, and hint of lemon. Light grain and yeast in nose. Flavor is sweet grain, lime, mild hops, and yeast. Body is light, with very crisp carbonation. I could drink a six pack of these in a sitting. Not very complex, but very refreshing and tasty for the style. Good Job!

2positive

Tröegs Nugget Nectar

American Amber / Red Ale

Pours a light Hazey copper/amber color with not much head or lacing and a good bit of carbonation. hoppy floral smell and hoppy citrus like taste with a bit of a bittery bite. this beer is very very delicious, i would highly recommend this beer to anyone. exceptional all around. i could drink this shit all day.

2positive

Abbaye Des Rocs Grand Cru Belgian Special Brown

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Poured this 11.2 oz. brown bottle into a Chimay goblet. Dated "best before: 2008" Difficult to read due to smudged ink. This one felt lumpy as I poured. I thought I was imagining this. I poured gently from a bottle that had been resting upright in my fridge for weeks. When held to the light I could see chunks of gelatious yeast (I hope). My beer looked like turtle aquarium sludge. Smell was okay. Juicy fruit and later cola. Proceed, I carefully sipped... Taste was sweet raisins and somewhat tangy/sour. Pleasant but I could not handle the texture. I got a kitchen strainer and poured this into another glass. I didn't strain out much but broke up the huge chunks. As it warmed further it had a cola-like quality. I could not finish this one due to the nasty texture and foul impression it made. From reading other reviews I see this "chunkiness" is rather common.

0negative

Frankenmuth Traditional German Pilsner

German Pilsener

This was a terrible example of a plisner. Too cloudy and not nearly enough hop profile. At first I wondered if the waitress had given me the wrong beer. I would have characterized it as a weak summer wheat beer had they not told me it was a plisner. There was nothing objectionable about the beer itself. I drank it all. It just wasn't what a pilsner should be. l

0negative

Coors Light

Light Lager

Attempting to be gold, but falls short and lands at yellow fizzy with all of the artificial carbonation the white head dissipates very quickly. This is the Silver Bullet, the "good stuff" to most people my age, and the reason why most people my age don't like the taste of beer. Corn and rice sweetness mixed with some off aromas of chemical origin. The flavor is as close to an artificial beer as it can get. They try to produce malt and hops, but this beer is more like a can of soda than a beer. Light body, high capacity, and not enjoyable. Taste the Rockies, well for me never again in this life time.

0negative

Kennebunkport IPA

American IPA

Picked it up at Trader Joes Arroyo Grande and wish I would have kept my money. By far one of the WORST IPA's I have ever had. Poured from the bottle with good carbonation, settled with a dirty white head and gold in color. Smell was terrible. I could not smell any hops. It smelled like pure barley and water. No hops to mention, no backbone and no IPA.

0negative

Hop 15

American Double / Imperial IPA

Thanks to Callenak for this brew. Pours a nice golden orange color, nice carbonation, nice little creamy tan head, lots and lots of nice sticky lacing follows. The nose is mostly hoppy, malty, nice touch of grapefruit/pines, and some caramel. The taste is slightly sweet at first, then the hop bomb kicks in, lots of hops, nice touch of malts, good tones of grapefruit/pines, and some caramel. The finish is dry/bitter. The alcohol is hidden very well. Medium body. Very drinkable, this is an awesome DIPA, and another awesome brew from LA/PB. Highly Recommended, thanks Street.

2positive

Hale's Red Menace Big Amber

American Amber / Red Ale

This really should not be labelled as a big beer as the flavours are not in your face but rather aimed at drinakbility. I like this beer but it is not a typical big special edition. Lots of malt with a good balance this just goes down easy with an attention to quality. Drink with the feeling that the next pint will also be as smooth.

2positive

Wisdom Cream Ale

Cream Ale

Wow, a beer I really didn't like at all. Pours a jelly like body, light color. Stinky bitter tarty smell, really smelled bad... I really thought this beer this beer had gone bad or something, just by the pour and the look of it. It had gobs of jelly like stuff floating around, I only took one sip and down the drain it went. After finding some discriptions/reviews on the net, I found out it's actually wasn't a bad bottle, it actually is supposed to look like that...that's the sad part. Although I will never purchase this again...I'll still try the other products though.

0negative

Founders Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Dull amber-orange. The body of the beer is speckled with particles in suspension. No head to speak of . Just a slight collar that leaves sparse lace. Nose is citrus, orange peel and light biscuit malts. Flavor is sweet over bitter. For a pale ale, I'd call this a cloying sweetness even. Just not appropriate. Hops are minimized in it all. Some dry cedar like tones derived from hops I believe. Body is thick and syrupy. Really not that enjoyable.

0negative

Hop Hearty Ale

American IPA

Into a pint glass, pours a clear light copper with a massive, overflowing white head, stringy lacing mostly at top but also down glass. Aroma is classic hop bomb deliciousness, though not as aggressive, pine and citrus notes with the good caramel malt backing. Good, not great. Taste is a little subdued also, but plenty of taste here. More piney than citric, this is a very good, surprisingly good, IPA, and I'll have to make another trip over the border to grab a sixer this time.

2positive

Trois Pistoles

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Starts foaming out of the bottle as soon as it's opened. Pours a very dark, nearly opaque brown with a large, long-lasting, sudsy tan head. Deep, expressive nose of mixed ripe and dried fruits, with some sweet malt, a whiff of nutmeg, and even some oxidative notes. Carbonation level is high, giving the body fullness but also making it lively on the tongue. Acetic acid also is there. Flavor profile is a bit exotic, with grapy/berry fruitiness, spice, and molasses. Thins out on the smooth and moderately brief finish. Impressive in its own way, but the oxidative style and vinegar flavors just don't appeal to me.

0negative

Dunkelweiss

Dunkelweizen

This pours a very dark brown with a great beige head with some nice retention. Oh my god. Can the Emerson's mob do anything wrong? Everything I have ever tasted from them has been superb. The label sums it up wondefully - caramelised chocolate bananas. The caramel flavours tend to swap around with a touch of coriander in my mouth. That may sound horrible but it works a treat. Ok I'll admit that as the glass has gone down I have started having mixed emotions. Maybe the flavours are a bit over the top. Let's just say it is good and leave it at that.

2positive

2012 Black Ale

American Brown Ale

Pours a slightly viscous dark brown from the bottle, and about a 1/2" of tan head arises and quickly fades. Aroma is sweet and malty. In the flavor I get quite a bit of roasty coffee and slight chocolate/toffee notes. Mouthfeel is good - nice and smooth. A very easy-drinking ale. I like.

2positive

Great Lakes Holy Moses

Witbier

Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a steamed glass the liquid is light yellow with ok carbonation. The head is soft, white, about 1 finger and leaves some lace. The smell is ok nice light spice and a french bread backing. The taste is nice, I like the lighter spice, smooth bready taste and mild hops. The mouthfeel is very good, nice body and fine carbonation. The drinkability is good, this is a better seasonal. Prosit, MK

2positive

Farmhouse Summer Ale

American Blonde Ale

A: Pours a bright clear golden color with a huge fluffy white head. Lots of chunky lacing left behind. S: Smells sweetly of grains and perhaps a bit of orange peel. Yeast is prevalant as well as a slight amount of funkyness. The smell reminds me a little of fresh vomit. T: Bitter hops and faint sweet grains. This tastes a bit oxidized. M: Thin mouthfeel with a good amount of carbonation. D: This beer just tastes bad. I had to choke down the one I poured, and I WILL not have another. This is my first time having this beer, but it is just plain bad.

0negative

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

American IPA

Poured into pint glass. I've never had this beer before, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. A: Pours a coppery-amber with lots of fluffy, very light tan head. Head has great retention, and leaves sticky trails behind in abundance as it recedes. It's not in a hurry to recede, though. S: Malty sweet grapefruit aroma up front, with some toffee behind that. Somewhat sugary. T: Some nice citrus (grapefruit, lemon zest) with a good malty presence. Caramel, candi sugar. There's a bit of pine and some lemongrass. Finish is nicely bitter and fruity with a long, bitter tail. M: Medium-bodied. D: This doesn't drink like a 6.8% abv beer, that's for sure. But it perhaps suffered from too much hype. It was a good beer, but it didn't change my life. I will say that the one really nice thing about this beer is that it's not reminiscent of winter at all, but it IS warming. It's fruity, flowery, piney, and bright, so it's reminding me of some warmer/nicer days from a few months ago.

2positive

Brutal Bitter Ale

American IPA

A - Copper, thin off-white head. S - Heavy on Carmel malts. T- Floral, extremely hoppy, and citrisy F - Light, refreshing, easy drinking O - Overall a great IPA. Comparable to Stone Ruination, but with a more citrusy character. Very easy drinking, and clearly higher in ABV, but well hidden. Great Brew.

2positive

Gulden Draak (Dark Triple)

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Pours a clear, dark garnet with a firm, half-inch white head. Aroma is faint, dark sticky malts. Taste is more rich, deep malts, quite sweet. Contains some flavors of raisins and sweet candy sugar, but not without just a hint of malty sourness. Some dark cola syrup and some good esters also hide in the profile. No flavors of alcohol but its kick is quite noticable. Mouthfeel is medium but the alcohol leaves the palate sticky. Leaves the palate with a dry malt aftertaste. Could almost make it as a Belgian wee heavy. It hurts so good I can't stop.

2positive

Uosto

Euro Strong Lager

Picked up a bottle on a whim from an international grocer. Poured an ordinary yellow color similar to American-style lagers. Almost no head was seen. Syrupy sweet with a spicy carbonation to it. Spicy aroma with hints of alcohol. Carbonated and light feel to it. Nothing special and not really a beer I wanted to finish.

0negative

Danny's Irish Style Red Ale

Irish Red Ale

Bomber picked up at the local BevMo. Poured into a tulip it forms a tan, loose head that settles to a solid finger head. Mild carbonation rolls to the top in this reddish-copper brew. Very soft on the palate, almost creamy at times with little carbonation to give this any sharpness. Malts are on the sweet side, annoyingly so. Kind of an odd beer in that its creamy smooth mouthfeel doesn't translate well as it finishes on the dry side. I was hoping that as it warmed that something of a balancer or for that matter "interesting" would come out but I couldn't find it. Notes: Ehhhh ...not for me, but not a complete dissaster by any stretch. Soft, malty brews have a place and I do like them but they haven't to have a "hook" and this was rather blah. 1 and done.

0negative

Sweetwater Happy Ending Imperial Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

This was poured from a 1-liter swingtop, thanks to an unknown generous (or sadistic) BA. A - Looks like stout. Not exceptional in any way, however. S - Eeewww. Burnt plastic. This is terrible. T - Yuck yuck yuck. Burnt plastic, again. M - Okay, I guess. It felt real good when I spit out a mouthfull, to rid myself of this inexplicably bad brew. D - Two whiffs, and two sips is all I would ever want of this awful brew.

0negative

Samuel Adams Cream Stout

Milk / Sweet Stout

This beer poured well with a nice head that, unfortunately, dissipated too quickly and the aroma of coffee and chocolate instantly made my mouth water. The flavor of this beer was redundant of the scent, but slightly dulled. While the carbonation was definitely present, it was not overbearing and it finished softly and somewhat dry.

2positive

Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic

Lambic - Fruit

Poured into a tulip. 2010 vintage. 3.5 A: First pour yielded 4+ fingers of head. I needed a few more pours to get a full glass. Anyway, hazed cherry plum color. Three fingers of frothy pink head with average retention and very little lacing. 3.0 S: Tart cherry throughout. Intense mustiness, like an super old house occupied by a super old person. Hints of dirty diaper and a touch of oak. Surpringly simple and not particularly alluring. 2.0 T: Good god is this unbalanced. Super tart cherry with way too much acid. Tons of fruity lactic acid with more acetic acid that a vinegarette. For a while, it was difficult to taste much beyond that as an automonic puckering shrinks my mouth to a third it's usual size. As my mouth finally adjusted to the acid (which took about 10 oz), new flavors began to creep in. Oak is in moderate amounts, as is a tannic astringency. Funk can finally be found and it is again old people funk. 3.0 M: Lighter body. Overcarbonated, but not "explode in the mouth" level. Decent creaminess from the body. 2.0 D: Suggested food pairing: Tums, Pepsid, Mylanta. This is one of the least drinkable beers I've ever had - no balance, fairly simplistic for the style, and skin meltingly acidic. If you have a bottle of this in your basement, don't open it. Rather, keep it in case you accidentally ingest an entire box of baking soda. Edit: The last 8 oz. or so (of the 750) were much more palatable after getting used to the sourness. However, I don't think a beer should require a 17 oz. introduction.

0negative

Coors Extra Gold

American Adjunct Lager

The single worst beer I have ever tasted. While it doesn't smell or look too bad, the taste from the can was like what I imagine to be the equivalent of slightly chilled urine on ice. Awful in flavor, body, mouthfeel, after taste and everything else, this beer was about as satisfactory as credit card fraud or a kick in the groin. Like foul, past due yeast floating in Mexican tap water, this beer was absolutely worthless. Maybe I got a bad can, but maybe this just ain't for me. Yuck.

0negative

Chimay Première (Red)

Dubbel

This is my first time drinking this out of the 11.2 oz bottle instead of the large bottle. Dark red color with a slight haze unless you pour out the sediment-- then it gets quite hazy obviously. Great head that retains well. Mild phenolic aroma with a hint of clove followed by caramel malt notes. Smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel with a medium body. Very low hop bitterness. Sweetness dominates at first and is then followed by a tad of caramel malt and complex, peppery Belgian yeasty flavors. This is much better in the 11.2 oz bottle. This is easily the most balanced Belgian trappist ale I've had. Lots of flavors, but it won't kick your ass like the other two Chimays. I could go for a couple more of these.

2positive

Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Review from Inaugural Issue of Beeradvocate Magazine. Here's an old-school 2000 Rogue XS bottle, a seven-ounce mini-bottle with a painted label which warrants props for listing all the ingredients, year bottled, plato (26), IBU (87.5), lovibond (258), apparent attenuation (77) and a recommendation that it's best served when aged for a year. Well, folks, how about over six years? Let's find out. Popping the twist-off cap made little noise, so it's no surprise that the pour led to barely any head, but what's there is a thin topping of chocolate-colored bubbles. Beneath is an ominous, black-as-hell liquid, sitting heavily in the brandy snifter. Oxidized aroma of sherry, Port-like alcohol, wet paper, herbal, leaf, hint of smoke, and some peppery rubbing alcohol. Falls fl at on the palate. No carbonation. An even, somewhat thick, hard-water consistency; slightly chewy. The big malts that this beer was known for have been converted, dried up, and weakened greatly by time. It's become more vinous, sharp, with young Port-like flavors, and a dash of black pepper, but a powdery chocolate and smoke character is all that remains of its former malt presence. Hint of chocolate cake breadiness. Some semi-bitter, raw leafiness from the hops are still intact. An unpleasant smoky, dry and powdery fi nish, with a candied-fruit booziness that seeps out of the palate and lingers for a bit. Not overly fun to drink, but interesting. If you're cellaring some of these at home, they've hit their peak and are probably good candidates for the kitchen. We'll be turning our remaining bottles into some tasty drizzle reductions for desserts.

0negative

Oktober Fest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

A-Appearance is almost exactly what I expect from a good Oktoberfest. Crystal clear pale(maybe a little too much on the pale side) nutty amber body that pours with a great 3 finger off-white foamy head. Head slowly subsides to 1/2 finger and plenty of lacing is left behind in the glass. S-Lots of hop aroma almost overshadows the solid caramel malt backbone. T- Solid caramel malt is upfront with accents of hop flavor. The hops really kick in for the finish and give a little bit of a crisp bite on the swallow then disappear. Lots of sweet caramel malt lingers. M- Medium to low carbonation and thin, drinkable lager body. D- This is a classic example of an O-fest but it has a little bit more of a hop bite. Despite low reviews, I really enjoyed this beer and I think it is a great example for the style. Its a tasty, drinkable German lager.

2positive

Kriekbier

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Just to forwarn anyone reading this, I generally do not drink or particuliarly like fruit flavor beers. The beer pours with a nice redish head that slowly fades to a thin covering. It is very cloudy which imparts a darker overall coloring to this cherry beers than others I've tried. It actually looks like unfiltered fresh cherry juice that I make from the cherries growing on the tree in the back garden. It smells cherry. No surprise there. However, I think if seems almost artificial, like a cherry candy and not like fresh cherries. As the beer first enters the mouth you get a somewhat sweet cherry flavour followed by a sourish, slightly bitter taste. A rather thick lingering aftertaste remains until you flush with another draw. There is a slight fizz to this drink, but the cherry effect seems to flatten and thin the overall effect. As I said, I am not a fan of this style. Sorry but I like the taste of beer, if I didn't I would drink something else. Even if this is an ancient style it still smacks of malternative, such as Zima. I can say that I have review another Kriek beer that I would prefer to this one. Most interesting is my bottle has 11 years left on it shelf life. Must be the cherries. I wonder what serious aging does to these beers?

0negative

Hop Rod Rye

Rye Beer

hop rod rye. 6 something a 4-pack at woodmans, also at that place in the nemisis city. a 4.5 brownish amber, or ambery brown. not much head at first but good retention excellent lacework. s 4-4.5 big grapefruit hops, bread, those candied citrus things you find in easter bread. it's liquid easter rye bread soaked in ruby red. [note to self: buy fresh bottles and be sure the last one smelled lousy due to age.] t 4-4.5 flavor is a little mellower than the nose suggests. there's a bit of bite up front but then the bottom sort of drops out. some grapefruit does manage to linger, and there's a rye essence that subtly pervades the whole deal. subsequent 4-packs convince me there's more to this than at first. m 4.5-5 about medium body but with nice hop resinousness. the carbonation is soft, incredibly finely bubbled. d 4.5 bought these with the intention of cellaring some, but i have doubts that aging would do them any good. the flavors are already well integrated and don't need more restraint, and a reduction of the aroma would certainly not help. basically, too good now to justify waiting.

2positive

Chocolate Stout

American Stout

From bomber to becker at cold temp. Color is opaque black with light brown head, quite a bit actually. Transmitted color is deep ruby. Decent amount of lacing. Sweet chocolate aroma is very pleasing. Medium to thick mouthfeel leaving a slick, tacky coated palate. Tons of sediment. I love Dead Guy Ale, and this is another solid offering. Good amout of bittering balancing the sweet. Not really a sipper, but not something you'd want to slam either; drinkability is excellent. A little heavy on the belly, but it's a chocolate stout, so that's understandable. Great quality; nothing fake or cloying here. Definitely would try again! Not a lot going on with this, but still interesting. Could be considered a good baseline/benchmark for the style.

2positive

XS Old Crustacean

American Barleywine

Bottled 2002. Brown body with red-orange highlights. A creamy half-finger biege head, clinging hard to the sides as it morphs into a table-topper. Nose fills with caramel, hard candy, licorice, ripened fruit,and alcohol. Thick sweet malt bathes the tongue, and leaves a large dollop of warming alcohol. There's a wave hello of hops in the middle, but fleeting, a sudden rise and quick goodbye. The hops may have passed on from age, but they did not mellow the beer as much as I would like: too sweet and too "strong" (the sense of the alcohol, as opposed to what the actual ABV is). If the beer was younger the sweetness might have more balance, but I fear what the alcohol prescence would be like. For barleywines, I'd prefer Old Salty, Bigfoot, or Blithering Idiot. Rogue makes a host of beers I love. This is not one of them.

0negative

Coopers Sparkling Ale

English Pale Ale

Poured a hazy golden yellow with white head that was sligth but persistant. There's a slight fruit and ester presence in the smell, as well as a little berry and spice. The taste is also spicy and crisp with a floral aftertaste. Slight sweetness balanced by mild bitterness. Nice full mouthfeel that coats the mouth. Overall, very nice. It's a little like someone wanted to make something reminiscent of Duvel, but needs a lot of work to get there. It was my favorite Aussie beer of the "round table beer night" in Brisbane, but be aware it only is reviewed so positively in comparison to OTHER Australian beers, which were mostly unremarkable...

2positive

Ovila Abbey Dubbel

Dubbel

Bottle (2011) Liquor Stop San Marcos, CA A deep rich mahogany brown with deep auburn edges. The tan head quickly forms and builds to the rim of the glass, but doesn't last for a particularly long time, nor does it leave much sticky lacing on the glass. This beer appears to be missing the extraordinary carbonation I've become accustomed to with terrific dubbels. A somewhat subdued and distant aroma; I wish there was more here, but granted, what is here is very, very good. There's the familiar and welcome aroma of some dark fruits: plums and some raisins, which is backed up by strong bready malts, and some fruity and yeasty sweetness. Very nice, but subdued. Bready malts along with caramel, a hint of yeasty spice, and plenty of dark fruit flavors. Very balanced and relatively simple, even with all that incredible deliciousness going on. I suppose I wish everything that is here was just multiplied. Medium body and the carbonation helps the beer feel light and extremely palatable. A real pleasure to drink. A relatively simple dubbel and an interesting venture from the West Coast boys at Sierra Nevada. While it doesn't stand quite alongside its Belgians forefathers or its Lost Abbey brothers, it's still a remarkably delicious beer.

2positive

Hop Juice Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

What comes out of this bottle isn't so much beer as it is...well...hop juice. When I'm in the mood I like a good hop bomb as much as the next guy...next time I'll reach for a Arrogant Bastard or a Furious. Those beers exemplify the fresh citrus/pine bite, pleasant bitterness, and heavy malt background that are the hallmarks of the style. Hop Juice has a little of that citrus/pine on the nose but on the palate it's drowned by bitter syrup which I'm guessing is the hop extract they say they use. It tastes like an extract homebrewer's attempt at a double IPA. Maybe that's too harsh...a good extract homebrewer's attempt at a double IPA. Recommended Music Pairing: The Who - Who's Next

0negative

Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

While not a lambic in the traditional sense, the Boston beer company makes a good attempt to mimic the appropriate sour and phenolic flavors produced by belgian wild yeasts and bacteria. Therfore, my review is based on characteristics associated with the lambic style. Pours a hazy reddish orange with clear straw highlights. Muddied clarity, but light in color. One finger head that fizzles out leaving modest lacing. Medicine and plastic aroma, with some cranberry notes. The flavor is most unbalanced, strong cranberry flavor and wheat tannins that turn cloying quickly and overpower any hint of malt or hops. Light body and active carbonation help wash away the harsh aftertaste, but the finish is dominated by phenols and tart cranberry. Blended lambics will show an obvious fruit influence, but are not be consumed by it. This beer replaces wheat and malt flavors totally with an acidic bite and poor mouthfeel. This would not score much higher as a fruit/vegetable beer either.

0negative

Porter

American Porter

Served on tap at brewery, though I've had it elsewhere. Really nice dark color, with creamy head that lingers for a little bit. The chocolate and roasted malts really shine on the nose, I could sniff this all day. Nice mouthfeel, not too heavy, not too light, makes this a highly drinkable porter. Taste, wow, really nice taste the malts really come through but not overly powerful. I really like Porters and this was one of the best I've had. I was a little skepticle at first as it was a new brewery and local, but I an pleasantly surprised at how well each of their beers are made, all of them are good examples of the styles they are going for. Well done, I'll be back, many times.

2positive

Quad

Quadrupel (Quad)

Weyerbacher Quad has a light brown colour and a head that fades very fast and doesn't leave that much lacing. The smell is malty and maybe a little chocolaty. The taste is malty with hints of cinnimon and maybe cloves. The alcohol isn't particularly noticable given the ABV.This beer is foamy and deliciously spicy, a very intertersting brew

2positive

Sinebrychoff Porter

Baltic Porter

Wow, possibly the best porter I've ever had! Definite chocolate smoothness balanced with a nice hop/grain bite. It's clean and unique. Hard to find too....

2positive

110K+OT Batch #3 - The Other West Coast IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Thanks for andrewinski1 for sharing this with me. Poured into the ever ready Portsmouth Brewery tulip. The color is very nice amber honey color, but it's a little cloudy in the beer. The pour gives no head and only the slightest bit of lacing sticks around. The smell reveals citrus aroma, oranges and tangerines come to mind but it is primarily the zest. All evidence of hops is trace at best. The taste is full of citrus and sweet caramel and not much hop flavor that I had expected. This is a thick beer. The mouthfeel doesn't give any carbonation I had expected from the style. It reminds me of cough syrup. At ten percent this is kind of a booze bomb and really lowers the drinkability. I'm kind of having trouble with my glass due to the hotness.

0negative

Trappistes Rochefort 10

Quadrupel (Quad)

Pours a deep, rich brown with a tan head and not alot of lacing. Good but not great. Smell was sweet and fruity with nearly no alcohol, which I thought was impressive, given the alcohol content. Taste was malty sweet with some fruity notes. Alcohol makes a nice subtle appearance in the taste - very warming and slightly medicinal. Some spiciness contributed by the yeast. Hasn't been the fullest bodied beer I have ever tasted, but not weak in this category either. Stands up well to the alcohol. Very drinkable for the alcohol content but is definitely a beer to sip and enjoy.

2positive

Que¿beck

American Pale Ale (APA)

Bottle shared by yourefragile. Thanks Michael. The beer is a mildly hazy, light yellow color with a small head that leaves sparse lacing on the glass. The aroma is herbal and buttery, with floral and malt notes. The flavor is indistinguishable as an APA. Boiled vegetables, particularly corn. The finish is odd and unpleasant. The bottle was purchased from the brewery and consumed soon after. Avoid.

0negative

Old Ruffian Barley Wine

American Barleywine

Pours a dark and murky reddish brown color with a tall frothy tan head that sticks to the sides of the glass as it slowly recedes. Fresh pine and cedar dominate the nose with some fainter aromas of cocoa and freshly baked cinnamon cookies in the background. This is a very flavorful beer with candied sugar and sweet malt up front quickly followed by lots of dark fruit and chewy caramel. Next up are acidic bitter raw hop flavors, rum-soaked raisins, a rather pronounced spiciness (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, and white pepper) and a bit of brandy towards the finish. A sticky hop resin aftertaste remains on the lips and tongue until the next sip. Very nicea thoroughly enjoyable barley wine.

2positive

Keystone Light

Light Lager

This is an old time favorite over at the CU frat houses. Seriously, they really love this stuff over there. And why not, its only like $10 a keg right? No, you could not pay me to drink this stuff. Even if one can get past the piss color appearance, there is a bitter grainy aroma to look over. Then the stale yeasty taste and over carbonated body really does the job. If you want something you can drink all night and never taste, go for it CU.

0negative

White Lightning American Wheat Beer

American Pale Wheat Ale

This beer pours a clear light gold color with a one finger sudsy/bubbly head that recedes relatively quickly. Nice sheets of lacing are left on the glass. Nose is predominantly of wheat wth faint hints of lemon and corriander. Taste is also predominantly of wheat - very heavy on the wheat, some lemon is detectable and a hint of corriander comes in at the end. Light body, high carbonation - carbonation is very visible, there is a nice dry clean finish to it. This is not a phenomenal beer, but yet a highly drinkable beer. Nothing stands out, but it's a nice alternative to macros.

2positive

AleSmith Speedway Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

Poured into my SN XXX glass this stout pours black as the tar that lines the Daytona 500 speed way. The exceptional head is just about 3 fingers thick, and a rich chocolate cream color. On the way down, this brew leaves a considerable amount of lace for it's ABV. Truly the best stout I've ever seen poured (along with a Yeti...tied for first). S: This stout has a real high level of roastyness in it's nose. Similar really to a porter more then a stout. Notes of chocolate and slight espresso. The nose is a little lack luster, given this stout's reputation. T: The taste is excellent. Noting harsh, and really smooth. Roasted coffee beans and bitter chocolate. The hop bill in this one really adds a good balance of bitterness to the chocolate. Espresso really kicks in as the beer warms. MF: The mouthfeel of this stout is lighter then I'd prefer. The body and carbonation booth. And the drinkability is better then expected for a brew this big.

2positive

Indian River Amberjack Alt

Altbier

A - Poured a hazy butterscotch with a bubbly inch white head that dissipated quickly. S - Strong metallic smell (nuts 'n bolts) with a strange smell that my drinkin' buddy picked up on - reminiscent of dirty sauerkraut water. T - Strong metallic flavor. I felt like I was eating a weird hot dog that was cooked in sauerkraut water with dollops of liquid metal in place of ketchup. Gross. M&D - Gross. I am so disappointed in Melbourne, Florida...you'd think they'd have more to offer than the shuttle. Clearly that's where they're spending all their time and $$$.

0negative

Dundee Original Honey Brown Lager

American Amber / Red Lager

This beer is ok. I like Honey beers, but this one is average. I would rather have the Michelob version. This isn't a very sweet beer, which is what I would expect from a honey beer. I had it once, and that was enough for me. Maybe somebody else diggs it.

0negative

Samuel Smith's Organic Cherry Fruit Beer

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Pours a nice, deep maroon with pink head. Very similar to Founders' Cerise. Smells just all of cherry. Thats all. No beer characteristics at all, really. Just all cherry. Its not an inorganic, candy-like cherry-flavoring, though. Taste is just like black cherry soda. No detectable malt or hop characters. Its good but its not very beer like at all. Again, though, its nice thats its not an inorganic, candy-like flavoring. Mouth is very light, again soca-like. Overall its like drinking dark cherry soda. As a drink its good, but its not very beer-like and this will probably be a put-off for some people.

2positive

Southampton Grand Cru

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Vintage is unknown but there is a best by date of 10/16/14. Poured into a Duvel tulip. Plenty of yeast sediment can be seened at the bottom of the bottle. A little darker in color than BSPAs from Belgium. Dark amber color with a brilliant clarity. Two plus fingers of dense head forms and has excellant retention before settling to a thick cap. Moderate amount of sticky lacing is left on the glass. It might be unfair to compare this beer to Duvel and its properties. Afterall BSPAs come in many different forms. While the aroma of Duvel is estery and vinous, this is phenolic and spicy. I get hints of pepper, cloves, and the added spices of coriander, orange peel, and star of anise. A little grass and pale malt comes through as well. Just the slightest sweetness is detected. Aroma of some old world dessert before sugar became common? As I make my way through the bottle, the flavor constantly grows on me. One thing this beer is not, is sweet and cloying. Just slight bitterness as well. What you end up with is a baker's spice nook. Not a kiddies menu type of flavor but an adult treat worth contemplating over. The spices compliment the yeast phenols and combine into a complex flavor. The orange peel comes through more as the beer warms. No sign of alcohol. Finishes slightly dry. The mouthfeel may be as good as the greats in the style. Dances a fine line with body and carbonation. Not heavy but also not overly carbonated. Keeps things lively and still maintains a soft, smooth texture. One of the great strong pale ales. Hard to slow down and take all the flavor in. With the high ABV, slowing down is necessary.

2positive

Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale

English Strong Ale

This disappointing beer was not what I was expecting. Perhaps it was a bad bottle, but I don't think so. It's brownish amber and faintly murky with a smallish off-white head that soon dissipates to a wispy ring and top. The aroma is old apples, stewed prunes, bread crust, and leaves, all a bit muted and muddled but not bad. The taste is much worse and seems just old, acrid, and flat. It is mostly just old leaves and apples with a sharp, rough alcoholic quality. The overall character is very flat.

0negative

Station 33 Firehouse Red

Irish Red Ale

Had on cask at Piper's Pub, Pittsburgh, PA. Came to the table a wonderful deep, blood-ruby red with a nice bit of thick foam and had very nice lacing throughout. Very nice thick malty scent, deep and slightly woodsy. Excellent taste, a very nice maltiness, just south of a brown ale, with a touch of tartness to it and a nice light hoppy finish; unlike a lot of red ales, they did not overhop this one, it was just about perfect. Went down wonderfully smooth, although I know part of that is because it was through a cask ale system. I'd like to compare to a non-cask version, but definitely recommend it on cask.

2positive

Founders Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

A - Completely black and opaque, looks thick as it's poured. Nice dark brown mocha head, this looks like a RIS should. S - Lots of roasted coffee, anise, licorice, and big malt background. Lots going on here, very warm aroma. T - Slight roasted bitterness but not overboard, big chocolate coffee flavor. Some "woody" flavor, maybe some leathery tones. Finishes vanilla and roasted malts. Really liked this one. M - Founders does it again, this is oily thick with chewiness and minimal carbonation. Just like a RIS should be. D - I like that it's not over-hopped like a lot of American RIS, this one is drinkable as a true RIS style comes.

2positive

Blue Moon Belgian White

Witbier

White Ale's are my favorite beer, and this is far from the best I've ever had. Goes down smooth enough, but has an odd after taste. I couldn't even finish the six pack, the taste just got worse and worse. Your better off with a Hoegaarden or Sam Adams White for your money.

0negative

Autumn Maple

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Chestnuts roasting in the kitchen prompted me to open a bottle I originally envisioned opening on Thanksgiving. I am trying this beer with the girlfriend - she is hard at work prepping for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast while I am happily sinking into the couch. Beer poured into an Allagash tulip. A: The beer looks exactly like sweet tea, minus the ice. Despite an aggressive pour, there is absolutely no head, nor any semblance of carbonation or bubbles rising to the top. S: This was the strong point of the beer. Very interesting scents with initial notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and raisins. At first I did not detect the yams but the aroma became more distinguished as the beer warmed slightly in the glass. Some of the smells really do (for me at least) conjure up images of fall. M: The mouthfeel was very weak, which I would attribute primarily to the aforementioned lack of carbonation. It lacked any sort of body. Tangy, and not in a good way. T: Exhibits some qualities of the more typical Belgian brown ale. However, the more I have, the less I can discern the attributes of the style and the more I notice the yams and spices. It becomes overpowering. There is a bitterness that lingers long after the sip and I find myself wanting to cleanse my palate after each sip. D: Not good. The bitter aftertaste makes more than a smallish glass of this untenable. There is quite an alcohol wallup - noticed by both me and the girlfriend - which is hidden quite well. As I prefer my beers on the strong side, I view this as a positive. Overall, this beer was memorable, but for the wrong reasons. I applaud the Bruery for their creativity, but in my (admittedly) novice opinion, the Autumn Maple just doesn't work. If they can get the carbonation worked out, I would be curious to try a small glass on tap next year, but I will not be buying another bottle. Ever. I am looking forward to the Bruery (hopefully) redeeming itself in the bottle of Saison Rue that I will be opening shortly.

0negative

Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

from a 12 ounce bottle into a glass. average head, with more lacing than i'd expect. smell of cherries immediately tackles the nose. reminds me of cherry yogurt, some wheat, not much though. this one started off good, then got worse with every sip. the fruit seems processed, syrupy. tart pucker i did not prefer. did not improve with warming up, thought of marciano cherries or a flat slurpee at the end. one is fine but any more would be overkill.

0negative

Amstel Light

Light Lager

I was excited about this beer when it came out! The bottle looked neat and the commercial made it seem tasteful! This was not the case. MGD 64 tastes way better than Amstel light. What did they do w/ the taste! Seriously this is most tasteless light beer my palet has brought down! Color looks nice though! LOL! Aroma is shit Everything about this sucks! Next time you buy a six pack of this remember that there is 6 pack of o'douls light for way cheaper!

0negative

Trappistes Rochefort 10

Quadrupel (Quad)

I was quite happy to come across this one. Poors a deep cloudy mahogany, with very little light passing through and a big almost soda like head. A sweet smell with spicy and banana tones. A very complex taste that I cant even pretend to understand with a pleasant bite of alcohol. This was worth the $6 I paid for it, and certainly one of the best I have ever had.

2positive