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Coal Porter

American Porter

RedBaron

A toasty dark porter good for a damp winter's evening. Appearance: Very dark brown with a fast-dissipating white head. Smell: Espresso-roast coffee in the nose Taste: Caramel, roasted nuts, dark chocolate Mouthfeel: Malt-heavy, roasty and dry up front, but finishes with a pleasant nutty sweetness that I wish would last longer, but doesn't quite do it. Drinkability: An overall fine beer. I admire the fact that this beer is probably truer to an English-style porter than most American beers, but I just wish it had a little more balast to it in the end. That said, it is a delightful dark porter to sip.

Blonde Doppelbock

Doppelbock

RedBaron

Appearance: Strawberry 'blonde'. Nice, rich orangey hue to the color, light head which dissapated quickly. co2 was good, though. Smell: Pretty good malty nose; nary a trace of hops. Taste: Strong blended malt taste, both up front and at the finish. Toasted barley taste and clean lager yeast combine to make this a very tasty beer. Also a decent bittering hop presence, too, but the malt wins the day here -- and that's good for the style! Mouthfeel: Chewy, bready, sweet. Carrying the doppelbock banner proudly. Drinkability: Very good. Would love to try this on tap in a 1/2L glass. Yum!

Arrogant Bastard Ale

American Strong Ale

Tundruth

Pours a reddish brown color topped with a fluffy, light tan head. Looks impeccable The nose is varied and delicious, smells of citrus, pine, malts and a faint hops. Taste is strong and hard to describe, the hops bitterness is most evident although a pine/fruitiness shows through too. This beer is vibrant and complex, the mouth feel is dry and just like the smell and flavor, aggressive. This brew is definitely something worth seeking out and trying, it is strong and complex making it exciting to drink, a beer that no two drinkers will describe as exactly the same.

Honey Moon Summer Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

Tundruth

Pours out light golden in color with a pale head that recedes after a couple of minutes. Smell is faint and sweet with hints of wheat, light malts, and honey The taste of honey is the first thing noticeable to me in this beer. Tastes of cereal grains and wheat follow. Mouth feel is light and thin making this brew easy drinking. Its an original concept but doesn't offer anything all that great.

1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Belgian Dark Ale

Jishguy

I tried this with New Belgium's sample 12 pack. A- Poured a deep brown, hazy body with a very thin white head that stuck around for the duration of the session. S- Toasted and roasted malts dominate the aroma. Subtle nutty, caramel, chocolate, and honey notes peek through. T- Identical to smell. Roasted malts up front, followed by a lingering sweetness. A bit too sweet for my taste. M- Creamy and light at the same time.

Alpha King Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Jishguy

A- Poured an unexpected, but appealing dark ruby red body. Looks more like an amber than an APA. Nice creamy white head that sticks to the glass all the way down. S- Wonderful citrus, earthy, and pine-like hops fill the nose. There is a sweet caramel and lightly toasted malt aroma in the background. There is also the faintest hint either cinnamon or nutmeg. Very complex. T- A caramel sweetness with a pleasantly lingering pine/hop bitterness. The balance between the malt and hops is near perfect. M- Good carbonation and body. A bit creamy. Nothing to write home about.

Red Stripe Jamaican Lager

American Adjunct Lager

AussieInPhilly

This beer is tops. The crisp, yet smooth taste leaves mouths wanting more, yet the potency lets you enjoy "beer". C'mon guys, this beer is one of the best. Down to the bottle, its smooth, yet tasteful. Enjoyable, yet manly. This beer has weekend written all over it, and if you don't agree, well then, have a miller high life!!

Jacob Best Pilsner

American Adjunct Lager

AussieInPhilly

Oh the horror! This is one terrible brew. The taste is shocking, and the worst part is that it lingers long after you've finished punishing your tastebuds. Sometimes you can have a laugh at yourself for purchasing a case of "homeless man's" beer, but this particular variety isn't funny at all, it's just wrong. I noticed on the case it brags about originating in 1844. This beer at least partially explains why people only lived to be about 45 in those days! Stay away at all costs. Take it easy boys and girls!

Cappuccino Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

IIKaRuII

A- Pours an amazing shade resembling a dark ruby. forms a very frothy cappuccino like head that is not going anywhere. being imperial it in the lower category for ABV though, although it holds quite well. S- Malty goodness. almost a cream kinda smell, roasted coffee beans. almost like they have just been grind-ed up and are waiting to be brewed. Slight hint of hops in the background. T- Roasted all the way. Wow that packs a punch off coffee. has a very bready presence. the alcohol is there and doesn't seem to linger because the espresso seems to cover it wonderfully. slightly bitter finish. all around AMAZINGLY balanced and each drink leaves you beckoning for more. brilliant. M- Creaminess makes this a smooth drinker. the carbonation is amazingly balanced, just enough to clean the palate. this one is a medium... maaayyybe full bodied. O/D - Pleasently drinkable... being that it is of a lower ABV for its class... i would have to say it makes it that much more drinkable in a sense that you CAN drink more then one. roasted to perfection, i would want to take this to work with me in my mug anyday...

Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

IIKaRuII

well its January and im going to try and enjoy a pumpkin ale. Well that is if its good. Appearance is a pumpkin orange color but no head at all. doesnt have much going for it there. smell is a very spicy cinnimon with a nice cool pumpkin at the end. little hops at the end that like to be there. taste is very spicy. almost over spiced if you ask me. almost like drinking a dark soda really. i almost think faygo taste better then this. Or if faygo would come out with a pumpkin flavored pop this would be it. WAAAYYY over carbonated. not enough good flavor to back it up. i dont care for this ale really at all. Money well spent.

Scratch Beer 49 - 2011 (Fresh Hop Ale)

American IPA

DaveHack

Poured from 12 oz bottle into RR-tion glass. Pours a nice cloudy, yellow with a large white, fluffy head that disapates quickly leaving a slight bit of lacing down the glass Smells like fresh cut grass. Tastes is also of fresh grass. Nice bitter, grassy hop flavor is dominate. Feels 'fresh' in the mouth. Medium body with good carbonation. Overall, I enjoyed this beer. It is a refreshing brew, perfect for the fall months.

Pliny The Elder

American Double / Imperial IPA

DaveHack

Poured from bottle dated 9/21/11 into my RR-tion glass. This is not my first, nor my last Pliny thanks to Cisco619 and killer PA distribution (we get it on tap) This stuff pours a gorgeous, clear orange. Decent 1 inch head dissapates to leave a thinb white film and nice lacing all down the glass. The smell is absolutely fantastic! Fresh, oily hops dominate.The smell is a fresh citrus with a bit of pine. It's hard to detect much else over the mouthwatering hop aroma. Taste is right up there with the smell. At first contact on the tongue there is a wonderful blast of hops, just slightly bitter. This deliciousness continues all the way through the swallow. It never turns overly bitter. Just a delicious, oily hop flavor. Mouthfeel is no exception to this fantastic beer. Nice smooth, creamy feel. It is never too heavy or thin. The ABV is absolutely hidden. Carbonation is just right. This beer is magic. While I prefer it just a touch on tap, it is still excellent in the bottle. It never gets old. This is one you MUST try.

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Quadrupel (Quad)

TheBishop

Wow, is all I can say. This beer is ridiculously good, if it were a woman I would marry it. Best Quad hands down in my opinion. I have had the other celebrated trappist and trappist style quads but this is the king. The taste is complex and silky and incredibly drinkable for the high alcohol content. A magnificent quad.

Mythical White

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

TheBishop

Even though billed as a belgium strong ale, it tastes nothing like it. As a matter of fact it tastes like no other belgium style, rather a combination of all of them, with an american twist. Pours a golden straw color, head rather weak on first bottle, but second was about 2 fingers. Has a creamy taste almost of a tripel, but not quite, notes of orange and carmel. Finishes dry but pleasant. Alcohol was not prevalent, just the right balance in my opinion. Aftertaste is slightly bitter, but not unpleasantly so. All in all a good White/Strong Ale/Tripel - unique and definitely worth a second try. I found this beer is at it's best at around 45 degrees F, then it really starts to perform

Saranac Lake Effect Lager

Munich Dunkel Lager

cnjohn19

description on the bottle: "our saranac lake effect lager is a rich, malty, german style lager made with traditional german malts and hops fermented with a lager yeast. look for a rich but smooth malty taste balanced by a hallertau hopping...a nice reward for enduring our cold winter months. cheers!" A - a solid brown...very clear with slight carbonation bubbling up...razor thin head S - mostly sweet bread with roasted notes...also dark hard candy you'd find at your grandma's house...very nice T & M - hmmm, well this one has my puzzled...must be these german malts, but they hit you right away...thick for a lager and extremely bready...almost all malts with a stale coffee-like aftertaste... overall, you'll have one of these to try it out like I did in a sample pack...but i'd never buy this beer in any kind of bulk... song pairings: monsters of folk - "temazcal," jim croce - "you don't mess around with jim," waylon jennings - "i've always been crazy"

New Holland The Poet

Oatmeal Stout

cnjohn19

hmmm...my third beer of the new holland sample pack...haven't been overly impressed yet, but very much looking forward to this one... wow...pour extremely slow...the head is massive, like nothing i have ever seen...great retention, but no much lacing...solid body with absolutely no chance light would get through... the nose is a little disappointing for me...slight mocha and very dark chocolate... tastes like black coffee mixed with unsweetened cocoa cocoa beans...leaves a metallic aftertaste...an enjoyable bitterness for this stout...very bold and carbonated, but not over dominating...new holland did an excellent job balancing this beer... overall, the taste didn't match the look, but a great beer to enjoy if you want something dark and bold, yet balanced and drinkable... the best i've had so far from this brewery...

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Foreign / Export Stout

ctempuser

Poured from a bottle into a chalice. A: Pours black, with a tan head that almost fully dissipates. S: Roasted chocolate, caramel, and coffee. T: Similar to smell. This has a very roasty flavor, almost like the malts were smoked rather than roasted. Good flavor. M: Good mouthful, carbonation is right on for a stout. O: Very good; much better than the traditional guniness.

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower

Kölsch

ctempuser

Poured from bottle into pilsner glass A: Pours a light golden color. Head faded quickly. S: Fresh floral hops in the smell, along with orange/citrus. I find some very small hints of corieander and corn as well. T: Tastes similar to smell. I also pick up some very small hints of corn. M: Good mouthful, carbonation just right. O: Good summer time beer. Would probably not seek it out, but its worth a try. Definitely refreshing.

Noble Benny Imperial Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

RichieS2

Poured from tap into 14 oz snifter. I know that BA frowns on often giving all 5s but this brew is definitely worth it, in my opinion anyway. FYI the pub listed the abv as being 10.75 as opposed to 8.5. Appearance - Pored a deep amber that was almost burgundy with an abundant head and very little if any carbonation. Smell - The hoppiness brought to mind a bouquet of flowers. This is definitely a hop-lovers dream, they were present long before tasting. Taste - Wow! The IBUs here have to be well over 50! This was for all intents and purposes a wine, it was meant to be savored as the bouquet of hops danced on the palate and brought to mind citrus fruit before an extremely satisfying finish. Mouthfeel - The high alcohol content brings a satisfying warmth to the mouth which reminds you to savor the beer for the treat that it is. Drinkability - The beer's only downfall. It is so bitter you cannot taste anything after it. Though one of these is all you may need for a night of drinking,

Great Lakes Eliot Ness

Vienna Lager

RichieS2

Poured from the taps into a standard pint glass. A - A pleasing copper, neither too light or too dark with respectable foam and mild carbonation. S - A nice bouquet of malts serving as a promise of the sweetness to come. This gave way to a faint hop smell. T - Great, plenty of caramel malt goodness to dance on the tongue and then enough spiciness from the hops to provide balance. M - The balance was excellent, was neither being too thick or too watery. D - Would have another one in a heartbeat.

Yukon Gold English Pale Ale

English Pale Ale

bearhugger

Very drinkable goes down smooth. Very light and clean in flavour. But with some caramel and yeast flavours, keeping you interested and going for another drink. Appearance is very nice with a golden hue and crystal clear. Aroma is sweet and with some fruity yeast characteristics.

Hoppelganger

American IPA

bearhugger

Pours a copper beer with amber/brown hues. Has a nice white head, but fades over time. Has lots of grassy and piney notes with a background of citrus in the aroma and taste. Also has a slight metallic taste combined with caramel, chocolate flavours. An easy drinker, with interesting flavour

Gouden Carolus Noël / Christmas

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

ToolHead

Presentation: 75 cl corked bottle. Poured into a Leffe chalice. Dark reddish-brown, nice beige/tan head w/ good retention. Enormous, warm, spicy, in-your-face aroma full of the best Christmas has to offer. And then some. Gorgeously balanced taste; the powerful, richly warming, and complex spiciness is kept beautifully in check by a nice, bitter finish. Mouthfeel and drinkability are through the roof; I had to pace myself in order not to finish this one too quickly. Wow. This is one of the best beers I've tasted, and certainly the best winter seasonal, easily surpassing even the magnificent Brckhouse Julebryg 2003. All in all, not the worst beer to kick off my BA reviewing career... :-) (I cannot wait to see how this one ages; I'm afraid I'll have to ask my girlfriend to hide the key to the cellar, lest I prematurely break open one or more of the eight bottles of Gouden Carolus Christmas I've stashed there...)

Tuborg Pilsner Beer (Green / Grøn)

Euro Pale Lager

ToolHead

33 cl bottle, served in generic tulip beer glass. Golden colour; OK head. Rather anonymous aroma. Modestly hoppy taste w/ a decent crispness, but lacking in the finish. Good drinkability. A very typical Danish golden lager, neither better nor worse than most I've had. A solid thirst-quencher, nothing more.

Furious

American IPA

SwillinBrew

Oh man, i love this IPA. (thanks to beckje01 for the trade) I poured this straight from my 16oz can right into my Stone AB pint glass. The can looked like one of those red and black energy drink cans but with a pissed off attitude... very worthy of being poured into the AB glass. This poured a turbid vibrant mohogany copper color with many dancing bubbles and good finger of oatmeal creamed head. Color was quite rich. The aromas were a one two punch of fragrant jabbing grapefruit freshly peeled with more citrus heaped on top. I couldnt really detect any malt. The flavors were an explosion of pure citrus ie ruby grapefruits and blood oranges mixed with a little resin and freshly cut damp pine planks. I still couldnt detect any malt but i know it's there because it carried the hops and allowed it to shine. A very enjoyable brew this one. Scrubbing on the tongue with a medium mouthfeel. Quite crisp and uncompromising. A true fricken delight and sets the benchmark for an IPA.

Sea Dog Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

SwillinBrew

Wow, a pumpkin ale other than Buffalo Bills. I didnt even know this existed. It was given to me at my nephews bday party. Ap - This is a very light yellow/golden color like a pils and with a little head. I would expect a little more amber to the color. Sm - definitely pumpkin pie spices here, leaning towards the cinnamon and maybe nutmeg. Tst - The is what you may expect from the aroma ie many pumpkin pie spices but on the watery side. Not much depth. I couldnt really taste any pumpkin and there were very subtle notes of a medicinal nature at the end. I didnt care for that. This ale had a nice carbonation and was light, in body and taste. This pumpkin ale may be fine for the macro drinkers but not for those who are use to better brews.

Oatis

Oatmeal Stout

MexicanSkittel

From bottle to crystal tulip. Poured a pretty dark black with an amber hue. A 1/4 inch dark brown sugar color head sat for about a min before fading to a creamy tan color ring around the glass. I smell some maltiness, brown sugar, caramel, bitter chocolate. There is some maple brown sugar flavors. Softening that sweetness is some roasted oats. A little bitterness on the back end, bitter chocolate or mild hops. Pleasant either way. The finish lingers a little, that bitterness is still there as does the chocolate note. Not my personal favorite stout, but I have to say at $3.99 a 22oz. Bottle, pretty good deal.

Wet

American IPA

MexicanSkittel

Poured from can into a large tulip. Looks like a giant piece of amber, with a slight tangerine, the 1/2 inch head from the vigorous pour dissipated quickly. Nose not as big and hoppy as I wa expecting. The hops are there but a little dryer, some maltiness, and earth. A bit of pine needle. The flavor gave some bitter hoppiness slightly musty. Some oak, maybe some pine but it's not very green. Some citrus Mouth feel is decent, not very viscous or hot. I'm finding a slightly tannic feel at the end of the finish. So, after further examination, canned on 10/04/11. 2 months...does this beer lose all it's excitement that quick? I'd love to try a fresh one. I'll re-rate this beer again...

Coors Light

Light Lager

DFHAle

No head, aroma, lacing or flavor to speak of. I literally could not finish the beer. Normally, I can drink this beer but the past couple of months I have been drinking more micro brews so this now tastes horrible compared to the latter. This was served at a party so I didn't have much choice.

Bourbon County Brand Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

DFHAle

A - Black with a minimal head that leaves little to no lacing. S - Very strong aroma of bourbon and chocolate. T - Begins with a carbonated sensation on the front of your tongue, then the bourbon (Alcohol) begins to take over with a mixture of chocolate and coffee flavor. M - Not too thin or thick but medium bodied which given the amount of flavor and ABV is surprising. D - It's definitely a sipper but again given the amount of flavor and alcohol it was very drinkable. I found myself placing my glass down after a mouthful but picking up as soon as I swallowed.

Red Stripe Jamaican Lager

American Adjunct Lager

BrewMaester

A sweet beer in a nice bottle. Pours a light gold color. It has a weak nose with a flavor of malt and hops. Its a little syrupy so it can get overwhelming if you have more than one or two. Carbonation is about rite, keeps the mouthfeel light. Its a decent drink but nothing spectacular.

Founders Centennial IPA

American IPA

BrewMaester

Served in a pint glass this beer had a nice golden red color with a substantial head. Not much of a nose on this one although what i did get was floral citrus. The flavor was fruity and malty with less hops than youd expect from and ipa, for me this was a refreshing change. Doesnt taste at all boozey and has a creamy and satisfying mouthfeel, overall a really enjoyable ipa

Blue Moon Belgian White

Witbier

MrHellsKitchen

Just tried a pint of Blue Moon at Mercury Bar here in Hell's Kitchen, New York City during lunch. It's a Belgian-style white beer from Coors of Golden, Colorado. I didn't know it was from Coors til I just looked it up in Google. I have always liked wheat beers generally. Especially good in the summer because the citrusy taste reminds one of a 50 cent lemonade stand in suburbia or something. Compared to the other wheat beer that I know so well: Hoegaarden... Blue Moon is really extra light and refreshing, and made for a good lunchtime choice on a steamy dog day afternoon at the end of July. Not much of a head on it, but that's okay, and the carbonation was light and so it went down smooth. Again ideal for mid-day but it might disappoint as an after dinner brew. Served with a lemon wedge, which I assume is a wheat beer staple? At least that's how I've always seen wheat beer's served. One chat board gourmet attests to the use of an orange slice. I dunno about that. The appearance is light and cloudy, a hazy golden copper-ish hue. Looks similar to the other wheat beers, I've tried. And the aroma is a weaker aromatic version of it's light, fruity, sweet taste. All in all, not a bad afternoon choice. Although I prefer Hoegaarden overall, this being a fine Domestic, and less expensive alternative.

Smithwick's Ale

Irish Red Ale

MrHellsKitchen

On Tap at Ben Benson's Steak House in New York City. I asked the waiter for a beer recommendation in the reds. He offered Brooklyn Lager, of which I am already very familiar, being a New Yorker. And the second mention was the unknown Smithwick Irish Ale. The beer comes across visually at first as a dirty looking amber. With an off white medium bubbled head with ample thickness. The scent was most subtle and "earthy". The body goes down smooth and tasty. With woodsy undercurrent of flavor. And the medium to light carbonation is an ideal fit as not to distract from the exciting blend of varied grains, hops, and citrus(?) The ale posesses a unique dryness from start to finish that makes it a new unique favorite of mine amongst the Irish ales. It's sweet and refreshing and went extremely well with the Prime Rib Steak dinner that I had along with it. It's lighter subtle flavoring actually enhanced rather than competed with the natural meaty juices of the beef. It's important to know when ordering that the "w" is silent in the pronunciation. Pronounced : Smith-ick.

Viru

American Adjunct Lager

brewbasterd

Strange bottle, looks like something my grandmother would keep oil or flowers in, first beer ive had from estonia. Pours a very light pale yellow with very little head that is gone quickly. Smells like any other commercial light beer, very light grains.Nothing special about the flavor of this one, typical for this style, not much here. Very light body with no residual flavors to be talked about. Could pound these all day by the pool and get extremely bloated and unsatisfied.

Lagunitas IPA

American IPA

brewbasterd

The first time around I wasn't a huge fan of this beer, but this last time I tried it, it definately grew on me. Amber in color and producing a small amount of head, this brew carries little to no lacing. Hops dominate the nose with a mix of floral and citrus. Some sweet malts are present but hard to find. A strong fruity hoppiness starts the beer off with hints of floral hops and a sweet maltiness that is finished off with a nice bitterness. The mouthfeel is very smooth which is contributed from the light body of the beer. It makes it a very drinkable I.P.A., good summer beer for by the pool.

Allagash White

Witbier

Kiwano

Served on tap in a pint glass. Appearance The beer was presented in a glass with a light yellow flaxen color that was almost clear. There was a nice white head that laid lightly on top. Smell Light fresh and citrus with a tiny bit of yeast but in no way overpowering. Taste There is definitely a bit of citrus and sweetness to the beer. It has a perfume like aftertaste that stays in on the tongue. Mouthfeel Very light but with very fine carbonation but as the beer warms up it seems to expand in the mouth leaving a foam as it dissolves in your mouth. Drinkability - The beer goes down nicely and is light and refreshing but it does expand in the mouth somewhat as it warms up. [ serving type: on-tap ]

Fall Fest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

Kiwano

A - very light tan maybe a hint of orange - almost no head at all and then only a tiny ring of bubbles around the rim of glass S - a tiny bit of yeastiness - not much of a smell T - a bit of sugar, bread, and malt -- maintains for a bit but not much flavor stays through M - some small bubbles but a little too watery D - sort of innocuous and weak - not much depth of flavor or body to this - probably wouldn't have again - [serving type - chilled bottle poured into a glass]

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Rauchbier

Kristing

Poured into a tall German beer glass, this beer is opaque black and has a thick white head that retains well. This all makes for a very beautiful drink indeed. The aroma is full of smokiness, and therefore brings a beechwood fire to mind. There are also some burned notes present. When it comes to taste, this beer is far less heavy than I had expected, in a good way. There is fair deal of smokiness that goes up to the palate, but there is by no means as much of it as there is in the bouquet. The general taste in the mouth is very mellow like a schwarzbier, and the malty goodness is very present and tasty, with a slight burnt tone in the after taste. The complex smokiness, the malty sweetness and the, relatively, light lager character creates a wonderful mlange that makes for a very drinkable and moderately complex beer. I imagine that I could easily quaff a couple of pints of this beer, one after another.

Samuel Adams Boston Ale (Stock Ale)

American Pale Ale (APA)

Kristing

Poured in a Samuel Adams glass, this APA is brown or dark amber. The head is about two-fingers thick, creamy and retains rather well. The aroma has a roasted malt tone and some hop flavour, with a note of apricot. The taste is quite mellow with a present caramel malt flavour that makes for a lovely mouth-feel, with little carbonation. Their is not much hop bitterness, as would be expected, and in general their is not much complexity to the beer. The drinkability is high, and the mellow taste is rather easy to digest, providing you like ale. I would, however, desire some more complexity in the taste, and I feel that the beer goes down a little too fast.

Tripel Karmeliet

Tripel

Maudite

This is an exceptional beer. First time out of a bottle, but just as good as on tap. A- A beautiful caramel gold. Poured into my oversized Karmeliet tulip with a nice, big, sudsy and powerful head. Very big, spacious bubbles. The head was very aggressive at take off, big, about 3/4 of the pour was head, even when done with care, but quickly waned, almost disappearing completely. Altogether it was a beautiful beer in its own glass, a sparkling cider/apple juice with a big foamy head, or a cream soda. Very Belgian. S- A definite estery Belgian yeast aroma...the most obvious smells were apple, pear, peach, caramel. The warmer it got the more it smelled like a vanilla malt. Nice, light hop aroma, a trace buried low, slight citrus/fruity. Very floral. T- God. It tastes like God. Reminded me alot of a carnival carmel apple at its warmest, but upon initial pour it was much like its aroma, apple, pear, peach, yeasty, akin to a riesling, but malty. This beer is awesome. M- This lass is a bit lighter in the mouth and throat than I appreciate. Just as the head declared, there was little carbonation, no acidity at all, no hop bite... This is one reason it reminded me of a riesling... perhaps I got a flat bottle. The tastes and scents were all there, but the mouthfeel was lacking. D- I know some of you frown on beer/wine comparisons, but I only do it so you can get your wine drinking friends to try better beer, and convert them! A good gateway for white wine folk, the riesling, pinot grigio, sweeter chardonnay drinkers. I really enjoyed this with some spiced pork chops, in place of apple sauce.

Anchor Bock Beer

Bock

Maudite

Had this beer on tap at The City Beer Store in San Francisco. (Place rules) Rather disappointing for an Anchor beer... A= Light brown, almost a dark pale more so than a bock. S= Not much of an aroma, perhaps it was the pour or the glass it was served in, but it left much to the imagination T= Good taste, malty, crisp, slightly biscuity/mild burnt toffee M= Slightly acidic, nice coating, stays for a moment and lingers slightly on the back of the tongue D= Comes on strong and finishes smooth. Recommended for warmer weather than a San Francisco February dusk. Good thirst quencher, if anything.

Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale

English Barleywine

aaronbeach69

12 oz. vintage: 2003A from sams wine in chicago, served somewhat more chilled than necessary, but I let it slowly warm as I drank from goblet.. just didn't feel right taking it in normal glass.. anways the amazing smell begged for a glass that would trap and amplify the aroma. appearance, dark .. not brown, but so dark red almost no red without light. Very tempting.. smell: amazing.. very fresh smell of some hops.. but more malty fruit.. choclaty, lotta carmel malt smell, actually an amzing smell, one of the my favorite smelling beers of all... wow.. so fresh smelling taste: cold it tingles so much on the tip of the tounge, and as it mellows in teh middle into a hearty somewhat roasted flavor.. then the bitterness grabs the back of your tounge to remind what you are dealing with.. leaving a varying landscape of taste across your tounge... mouthfell: fullness is almost a none issue until you are past the tip of tounge, which is paralyzed by the immidiate bite of this beer.. awesome.. followed by a full but not syrupy feeling. drinkability: slowly, amazing... but will numb your mouth if you drink too quickly .. great to finish over about 10+ mins.. just enjoy and enjoy with patience a very good beer... of the two barley wines I have had (horn dog and bigfoot) this is better.. (of course my own opinion, probably based somewhat on my immature understanding of the styles and the difference between english and american styles, also I have found my self to appreciate hoppy bears, but to truly love dark, more malty beers) my love maybe cuz of the great tingling bit on the tip of the tounge or the darker, somewhat roasted attributes

Bell's Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

aaronbeach69

appearance a dark orange... copper... not dark enought o be "amber". 1.3 fingers head, lace holds to sides of cup pretty well... head is somewhat carmel-white... smell: fruity with subdued hops taste: nice bitter aftertaste in the back of the mouth... somewhat of a warm alchohol glow left...tips of tounge tingle between carbonation and alchohol showing through more than expected. However, the mid-taste seems subtle to non-existent... mouthfeel - a nice mouthfeel... somewhat filling than most pale ales I have had but much less than a hearty IPA... drinkability - easily drinkable... however a little bit of alchohol jumps out that the ABV doenst' justify... notes: an ok beer, something I would repeat... but not that I plan to

Highland Gaelic Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

MuddyMikes

Good clear red brew with moderate carbonation. Lite on head though. No laceing to mention. Not much on aroma. I like a good hop aroma, but could find nothing here that would appeal to my nose. Lite malt flavor, with peppery overtones. Not much on hop flavor or bitterness. An average ale, one that I might pass on next time around.

Stone Imperial Russian Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

MuddyMikes

Black as ink with a rich creamy deep brown head. The aroma has hints of chocolate, rich malt and a hint of licorice as well as alcohol. The flavor has many of the same charateristics as the aroma. But the chocolate is the biggest. Bitter, not sweet. The bitterness out lasts all of it, gentle and easily dissapates. Creamy texture too on the tounge. The alcohol which is up at 10% plus is not as strong as I had thought. But does play a part in the flavor. Revised: As the beer warmed the alcohol became more pronounced. The carbonation is mild and pleasing, maybe a bit more present then I'm used to in a stout.

Punkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

darlinclementine

I love pumpkin beers, and sent FirstMan to Austin Liquors to pick up Brooklyn Pumpkin. It is not hard to convince him to make a trip to Austin's, so he happily went while our dinner was in the oven and amazingly was back, as promised, only 30 minutes later. It turns out that the Brooklyn Pumpkin is actually bottled under Post Road. Don't know if they had that at Austin's, or if FirstMan was unaware that they were one in the same, which I was at the time as well. So as not to come back empty handed of the requested pumpkin beer (he wouldn't have been totally empty handed as he also picked up Wachusett and Brooklyn Octoberfests, as well as a 100 bottle series Harpoon single), he brought home a four-pack of this beer. As I stated in one of my other reviews, I like my pumpkin beer spicy, although I know many other BAs disagree. This beer was a pretty amber color and had an aroma of pumpkin and of nutmeg. Nutmeg is my all-time favorite spice, so the strong nutmeg smell/flavor was a good thing in my mind. I would have liked a little more clove/cinnamon here as well. The mouthfeel and drinkability were both high, though the pleasantness of this beer couldn't elevate the total crapiness of the DVD we were watching, Meet the Fockers. I really liked this, but I still haven't found my perfect pumpkin ale.

Sapporo Original Draft Beer

Japanese Rice Lager

darlinclementine

I wouldn't seek this beer out, but we were at a Japanese restaurant, having sushi, and I didn't want wine or sake. All they had was Kirin and Sapporo (why this would be the case at a such a great restaurant, I don't know, but it was). Sapporo is bland -- not much going on in terms of smell or taste, with only a faint hopiness, and a very flat flavor. However, it sufficed for washing down the sushi -- with a million flavors intermingling in the meal (wasabi, soy, miso, ginger, etc., etc.), I didn't mind a boring beer as much as I usually would. Bottom line: drink this if there are no other options, but otherwise, don't bother.

Raison D'etre

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Hemi

A - Transparent redish brown in color. Almost no head. Absolutely no lacing. S - Sweet in scent of raison and sweet crystal malts. T - Rich raison and carmel crystal malts. A bit overly sweet however much better then D-Extra. M - Oily, very little co2 burn. D - I could drink one or two of these but the sweetness hits close to my maximum tolerance.

Young's Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stout

Hemi

Black in appearance under incandescent light but I'll take the breweries description as being ruby to almost black appearance as gospel. Fruity roasted malt aroma with a hint of chocolate with some residual toasted characteristics. Toasted barley taste with a bit of a fruity taste I cannot break down specifically but definitely exists. Smooth thick mouthfeel with decent but not excessive mouthfeel for the style. Okay drinkability, I can have a few of these. Overall I like this beer, with an okay drinkablity. It a very nice mouthfeel. The taste is not overpowering in any way. Reminds me more of a regular stout but I can feel the oatmeal existed within the mash. I like the smell as it is sweet but not overly as it would seem unsweetened chocolate exists. By the time my beer was gone the lacing decipated to nothing but a couple spots.

Full Sail IPA

American IPA

Whobody

A - great golden color. Small foamy, lasting head on top. Plenty of carbonation rising from the bottom. S- plenty of citrus hops in the nose. Maybe a little of grapefruit, catpiss style smell. T - bitterness baby! Bitterness up front and right through the finish lingering on the tounge. Pale malt shines nicely. A bit of caramel. A little alchohol in the finish but not overpowering by no means. Nice balance. Also, I think I detect a bit of fruitiness from the hops, maybe the yeast. Nice and dry. M - carbonation dominates in my mouthfeel. Dry. O - definitely an IPA I enjoy. 6% ABV is right where I like my IPA's and this one falls right into suit. Easy drinking. A little on the lighter side as far as malt is concerned.

Duvel

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Whobody

* Poured into a Duvel Glass that came with the beer* A- Burnt yellow to golden color. Insane carbonation, almost champagne like. A never ending stream of bubbles shoot up from the bottom of the glass. Huge 3 finger width head. Looks creamy, fluffy like a cloud. S- Pilsner malt, a bit spicy, almost stings the nose. Also, A light fruity smell. T- Smooth Straw-like pilsner taste from the malts, fruitiness from the yeast. Getting tastes like grapes or grapefruit. Citrus. Mild hop aroma up front, Bitter in the finish. The balance in the beer really covers the ABV. M- Heavy carbonation. Medium body. Sliky feel on the tounge after a few gulps. O- I always order this beer if I see it on the menu. It never disappoints. I also would like to try to brew a clone of it one day.

Joshua Norton Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

BTPete

from 22oz bottle to 2 pint glasses. A: Black with 1 cm dirty tan head. Spotty lacing. S: Sweet roasty malt and a faint tinge of alcohol. Some chocolate character. T: Smooth chocolate malt that finishes up with a little alcohol and some bitterness (hops or bitter chocolate?) Pretty smooth though. M: Medium to full bodied. Nicely carbed for the style Good flavor profile. D: very smooth and surprisingly drinkable at 9.3%. Woulhd have it again, but of course being a strong RIS it would have to be with care and moderation. As others have said GREAT PRICE!!

Autumn Maple

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

BTPete

From a bottle to tulip. Bottled purchased recently from beer store. A: Dark red with 1 inch head that dissipates. Some lacing on glass. Lighly bubbling S: Spicy cinnamon and sweet molasses. T: Spice comes through first. Finishes sweet and malty. Medium alcohol feel. M: Medium bodied with some carbonation. I found it smooth in my mouth. D: Drinkable but spiced beers inevitably have a limit with me. Will split another 750 by 2 or 3 people. Nice autumn offering. Different with the yams etc, so that was a nice change over the typical pumpkin offering. I enjoyed.

Atwater Bloktoberfest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

aqsprint

A- Great orange color. Good carb. Nice head. S- This is going to be bad. Movie popcorn smell up front. Sweet malty in the back T- Yep the unmistakable taste of Diacetyl. There is a soap flavor also that does not go well with my popcorn. M- the mouth feel is fine, cant get past the buttery soap. D- It was hard to finish the bottle. Don't let this review make you steer away from Atwater. They make good beer. This may be the only batch with this off flavor. I an going to give the Blocktoberfest another change next time I see a single.

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #5

Russian Imperial Stout

aqsprint

A - Black, jet black. 2 nice fingers of foam that quickly subsides after a couple of sips. S - Chocolate, coffee, leather, roast. Smells great T - Chocolate flavor up front along with a little coffee. Roast/burnt, almost bitter in the back of the mouth. Very Good! Warms the belly. M - For me, this is what an Imperial Stout should feel like. Not too thick not too thin. D - Very drinkable, but one is enough. Savor this one.

Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse

Weizenbock

Lars3

I've had this from a bottle on a number of occasions, but tonight when there were few beers on tap that peaked my interest I decided it was time to try this beer on tap. Ranting the appearance of a Weizenbock (or any weizen for that matter) that hasn't been poured into a proper Weizen glass is a tough call. When I've had this beer from a bottle I've always drank it from my Schneider Aventinus glass and the beer is gorgeous. It is golden in color with a big bright billowing head. On tap tonight it was poured into a Southern Tier tulip, and it looked just wrong. The color was the same, but their was no head to be seen. I'm giving this beer a 4 as a compromise. In the bottle I'd say 5+, but on draught into a tulip a 3.5 is the best I'd offer. I didn't noticed much of a scent from this beer. I've had a bit of a head cold the last three weeks so my sinuses are way out of whack. I could smell the hops, but none of the other typical weizenbock scents were there. The taste is hoppy, peppery and full of subtle apricots. Excellent. The pepperyness really sticks to you tongue after all the other flavors have faded. It is too bad more breweries don't experiment with hoppy weizenbocks. The mouthfeel was exactly as it should have been for a German weizen. The carbonation felt powerful without being effervescent. With an abv at close to 8% I wouldn't call this a highly drinkable beer. A good hefeweizen of dunkelweizen is only about 4.5%abv which means drinking 2 liters in an evening is hardly a blip on the radar. I could probably have 2 of these in a night, but never more. In fact the one 12oz pour that I had tonight was enough for me to decided that I should head home from the bar early and stick with some low abv beers for the rest of the night.

Wild Devil

Belgian IPA

Lars3

I went in search of Saison du BUFF today, but upon failing to find it at two stores I opted for this beer instead. I've considered buying this beer the last 3 or 4 times I've hit up the local package stores, and for some reason I pulled the trigger today. Lets see what I thought. 750mL bottle dated either June 10, or January 10, 2009. The middle letter of the abbreviated dated is smudged. Poured into a Duvel tulip. This beer is beautiful. The head was actually a little bit too much. It took me four attempts to get a glass of this poured. But, once it was in the glass the beer was a golden with a touch of amber, and the head was a delicious off white. The smell is sour and musty with no hits of hops or anything else. I prefer the smell to the taste. The taste isn't really sour, it is more earthy and musty. It tastes old, but in a good way. The hops don't hit me until after the dry earthiness passes. When the hops do hit they taste very European in nature despite the fact that the bottle makes it known that American hops are used. It is probably the influence of the yeast that makes me think this. The beer feels dry in my mouth. There certainly isn't any need to pucker with this beer. A very drinkable beer. Putting back the whole 750 was no problem. If this was offered in 6ers I'd probably drink 3 or 4 of them in an evening with no trouble. I was hoping for more from this beer. I wanted something sour, a Sour IPA, not a musty IPA. If it was a dollar or two cheaper per bottle I might buy it again, but right now I'll probably hold off on having another bottle for some time.

Temptation

American Wild Ale

callmescraps

Been tempted (heh) by this guy forever. Finally opening it to celebrate getting a job. Or at least the end of an interminable employment process. It opens with a fantastic pop. Appearance - A nice light gold/hay color. A couple inches of big foamy head. It settles very slowly lacing all the way down. Smell - Lots of sour apple and vinegar. Very nice fruitiness and a hint of lemon. Definitely picking up the wine. Lots of oak. It's pretty funky with some wet hay as well. Taste - Wow, very nice and tart. It has a real champagne dryness. The apple and oak also comes through. Maybe some pear as well. Pretty funky as well. There is a nice lemon. This is almost like a full bodied champagne. Mouthfeel - Excellent carbonation. Light and crisp. Drinkability - Good. The funkiness and carbonation make one enough. But it goes down pretty easy. Need to remember to savor. This is another excellent RR wild. I thought Consecration brought a little more to the table, but this is also excellent. It's just a touch mellow, but nicely balanced.

Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

Witbier

callmescraps

Bought for the lady friend, reviewed for fun. Appearance - A dark, cloudy near gold color. Sort of hay colored. Stark white head leaves the scene quickly. No lacing. Smell - Like a lemon drop. Very sweet lemon. A hint of spice. Just too sweet. Very strong aroma. A little wet blanket as well. Taste - Follows the taste. It's got a lot of lemon tartness. But the sweetness behind it all is a little much. Balanced with some spiciness. It mellows out in the middle, which is nice. Some real bready malt goodness. Mouthfeel - Good body on this one. Nice and crisp, good carbonation. Not too thin. Drinkability - Would be great if not for all the sweet. A couple and my stomach would churn. This is a nice, refreshing summer bev. It's nice and light, but a little less intense lemon would be great. It's just not balanced enough. But a nice beer on a hot day.

Abbey Belgian Style Ale

Dubbel

Pullen

Recieved this beer an extra from drumrboy22 (good trader btw). Dark brown hue which can be seen through. If I were to close my eyes and smell this beer, my first thought would be Franziskaner Hefe-Weissber. Smells of a hit of brown sugar but banana aroma is at the forefront. Tastes of banana and bubble gum which I'm not fond of. Mouthfeel not viscous but fine for what it is. I feel it would be more fitting to call this a dunkel than a belgian abbey ale. I don't think I'd purchase this beer, but I'm glad I had a chance to try it.

Duchesse De Bourgogne

Flanders Red Ale

Pullen

Had this on tap at the Brickstore Pub last night, served in a Duchesse Chalice... - Ruby color, nice head that dissipated in minutes. - Smelled of cherries, vanilla, fresh sliced apples, and ripe soft plums. - Taste? This beer is heavenly!!!! Perfect in every way....Cherry flavor, but soft to the pallet. I'd think this was aged in oak given the vanilla subtleties. Mouthfeel - Soft velvety. Nothing harsh about this at all. Drinkability - I swear we (3 of us) order 8 or 9 of these in between all the other beers we had at the BSP. Does that say enough? Overall - This would be a perfect introduction to flander Red style and to craft beer in general.. I met up with a female friend of mine who gasp at beer because all she knew was BMC. After having this beer, and a few others... her mind has been changed...permanently! Awesome beer! Cheers!

Snake River Lager

Vienna Lager

DontCallMeSurly

Holy overcarbonated-beer, Batman! I got a 12oz bottle in a trade from Fishdawg71. I pop the top and begin to pour it into a 16oz glass and I am overwhelmed with head(heh)! There is easily about 4-5 inches of head and I have barely poured any in yet! Anyways it comes out an appealing golden straw color with quite a bit of haze. The foam on this is absolutely gorgeous! You know thos nice lazy summer days when you look up into a vast blue sky and see it plastered with thick, puffy cumulonimbus clouds? You know what I mean? Yeah think of that, only in a glass. It also collapses in a very unique way; it doesn't dissipate evenly, instead it partially falls and I'm left with a mountain of head! It's been about five minutes and I'm still letting this beast do it's thing! The first thing I smell is alcohol and lots of it. There's a pretty dominant backbone of bread-like malts, which smells absolutely delicious. Probably not surprising, but this beer tastes much like smells; plenty of alcohol and malt with very little hops. I'm certainly not complaining, in fact I like it. It tastes pretty light on the tongue but it has way too much carbonation for my taste. Who knows, maybe it was a bad batch. I'd definitely try this one again!

Angel Creek Amber Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

DontCallMeSurly

I poured this beer into a tulip glass from a 12oz bottle. The pour left me with very little head, pretty much non-existant. What little head was left quickly collected on the outer rim of the glass. This amber ale had a rusty, orange color to it and also had some haze to it. The smell of hops is very evident; plenty of citrus accents the aroma. I couldn't detect much malt at first, but after a few whiffs I picked up quite a bit more. This beer had very little flavor to it. It tastes like a watered-down version of most other ambers. I can't get this beer in my area, but even if I could I doubt I could see myself drinking it often. I'm not saying this is a bad beer, but there are so many better alternatives.

Dominion Oak Barrel Stout

American Stout

PJC

Poured from the bottle your standard stout color, dark nearly black very little head to this one and the little that was there quickly disappeared. Smell was good, slight hop aroma with the roasted grain scent really coming through. I also picked up a hint of vanilla and oak. Taste was good, slightly bitter aftertaste that lingered, and a very robust roasted malt flavor. All of this match the style well. As for the mouthfeel, I found this to be lacking a bit. The beer seemed thin to me, a little on the watery side. Overall, a nice beer. I am a fan of most of Old Dominion's brews and this one is no exception. Thought the beer matched the style, and it had some interesting characteristics (namely the vanilla/oak undertones). Although certain aspects were lacking in my opinion, namely the mouthfeel, this is a nice beer that is worth a try.

Birra Moretti

Euro Pale Lager

PJC

Poured from the bottle a light straw color, smell was of an average lager, slight hop scent. Taste was slightly hoppy, not too much of the malt came through on this one. Mouthfeel was on the thin side, decent amount of carbonation. Overall, the beer is fine. I wanted to give it a try since there are not that many beers from Italy out there. Not a bad brew, its light and refreshing so good for a BBQ, but overall the beer is nothing special with many similar ones out there.

Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stout

apbarwood

One shade below black with an enormous head of light-tan foam. The head retention is incredible and keeps a decent layer of foam covering the surface of the beer and the sides of the glass. The aroma features a strong roasted malt character with a dark chocolate undertone and a bit of a citrusy American hop. It's good but could be stronger and a bit more polished. The flavor starts with the roasted malt flavors and a hint of coffee then gradually slips into the softer dark chocolate notes. Eventually it finishes with a resinous hop character that slowly drys the palate and leaves me wanting more. This, coupled with a nice amount of carbonation provides for a pretty good mouthfeel. At first, I felt this one was too rough around the edges but as it warmed it definitely improved and everything seemed to blend quite nicely. A damn good stout that's worth trying at least once but one that I could definitely see in my regular rotation. Not my favorite but it's up there.

Heineken Lager Beer

Euro Pale Lager

apbarwood

Very pale golden color with not much head at all. There's a grainy aroma mixed with an almost vegetable-like smell, somewhat like wet broccoli. Not a whole lot of flavors but pretty much tastes like it smells. There's a light, easy-going drinkability, which is clearly why it's so popular. Definitely something you can pound at a party but also something that has a little bit of flavor at the same time.

New Holland Night Tripper

American Double / Imperial Stout

bigdonniebrasco

This beckons to become an instant player in the world of stouts. Label art is highly lacking if they want this to become a beer hunter's passion, but the incidental liquid destroys any reservations. I don't work for NH, but I wish I did. Almost everything they do is righteous... A traditional RIS as it pours with no carbonation and follows the opaque guidelines as if they wrote them. Heavy roast aromatics. A large piece of dense dark chocolate cake and a side of milk tickle the memory into recall. This is nice. Honestly, this means business from the beginning until the very end. Creamy, chewy, hot and foreboding. If I didn't know any better, I would say this sat in some barrels taking a nice long bath. Delicate in a ninja kind-of-way if he were weilding a baseball bat, as it is masterful in the craftmanship while it will strike you down if you don't respect it. Big, bad and ultimately ugly if you give it reason to become so. Very nicely done. A fresh approach and stately in the delivery. This should become a beer hunter's wet dream if you ask me. Run out and grab as many as you can while they last. This is something you want to pay immediate attention to...

AleSmith IPA

American IPA

bigdonniebrasco

Appearance - Thick, cloudy orange with a big head that went down slowly. Smell - Sharp, piney hops with a light malt balance. Taste - The malt comes out more in the taste. It's almost like a bread flavor. The hops dominate, although they taste more complex than I picked up at the nose. Mouthfeel - There's some good, foamy carbonation to this medium-bodied IPA. Drinkability - This one is very smooth, almost light. The 7.25 ABV is unnoticable. If you like your IPAs smooth and even (as opposed to hairy and over-the-top) give this one a shot if you can find it.

Barleywine Style Ale

American Barleywine

JBuff41413

This is my third Barley Wine and I am getting addicted to the genre. I saw Green Flash's version and had to give it a try. A- Vibrant amber color with a foamy 1 1/2 inch light mocha colored head. Retention and lacing are decent. S- Biscuits with honey, caramel, alcohol. T- Caramel, molasses, dry, oddly bitter, and small amounts of citrus. Alcohol was vaguely present. M- Medium mouthfeel low carbonation D- Not horrible drinkability, but the lowest of the 3 barley wines I've had so far. I may pick this up again, but I was not that impressed, and with this being my first beer from Green Flash, I might be a little skeptical of trying another.

Blind Pig IPA

American IPA

JBuff41413

WOW! Best IPA I have ever had. Went to Libations for the first time and had to pick this up. $5 can't beat it. Poured into a pint glass and was not disappointed. The color was a beautiful golden honey with a perfect 3/4 inch white head. Carbonation slowly spewing from a geyser at the bottom of the glass. The smell was amazing, strong notes of citrus with a small amount of wood (pine). Taste was GREAT, Strong citrus( grapefruit and tangerine) with a bitterness that beautifully lingers. As far as drinkability.... I wanted a few more. Great beer.

Rock Art American Red Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Doshkin

a - nice read/orange tinted amber color. little head that reduced quickly, but left a visually appealing film of bubbles for the duration of the consumption. best part of the beer is its looks s - slightest bit of caramel sweet malts. mostly bready with a touch of floral hops. decent smell, but weak overall t - taste wasn't very strong either. kind of watery, in fact. matches smell overall, with more emphasis on the bitterness of the hops. the majority of the hops must have been added at the beginning of the boil for this brew because it is quite bitter, with less hopiness in the taste, and even less in the smell. m - definitely the second best part of the beer. good carbonation, easy to drink, pretty smooth. o - Rock Art Brewery, i have not been impressed with the only two beers i've ever had from you. i might try one more, but if that one doesn't redeem these first two below average beers, i will be giving up on you.

Old Engine Oil

English Porter

Doshkin

a - perfect oily black color with brown undertones. really looks like some old sludgy engine oil. little cream colored head with no retention and quick dissipation s - roasted sugary sweetness (can't go too in depth here... I have a cold right now) t - little touch of chocolate. light body for how dark it looks. pleasant bitterness all the way through that carries into the aftertaste. this is a delicious brew m - so smooth! very drinkable, mild carbonation. o - this is an incredible beer. highly recommend

Punkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

McNealc31

Nice copper color and tons of warm spices as soon as it's poured. Loads of pumpkin pie spice like cinnamon, clove, and allspice. Of course, the pumpkin in present, too. I'm getting more hops here than I have with other pumpkin ales, but they are spicy hops that pair quite nicely with the pie spices. Nice warmth from the 7% ABV, as well.

Ellie's Brown Ale

American Brown Ale

McNealc31

I am hooked from the first taste of Avery Brewing Ellie's Brown Ale. A gorgeous light mahogany color with a sticky light tan head. Very nutty and roasted, but not much smoke or charring. The finish is dry, woody, and earthy. Lots of bittersweet chocolate and maybe even some brown sugar in there. An average 5.5% ABV, but that's fine, because this is one you'll want to drink all night.

Haywire Hefeweizen

American Pale Wheat Ale

Beerguru

When I opened the bottle I noticed sediment on one side of the neck, as if the bottle had been stored on its side. It looked inviting, like a light cloudy Hefeweizen should. Nice head initially, but it subsided quicky. The beer had a flat dull almost indistinguishable smell. The taste was less than average and had a unpleasant chalky aftertaste. The citrus is in there, but it is not worth the mucky taste that follows. Overall drinkability? Lets just say I will not buy this one again.

Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

Beerguru

pours a thin orange/amber color with an fair head with ok retention. not cloudy like you would expect a wheat to be. strong overpowering very sweet smell of cherries. No beer smell to be found Taste is overboard with the cherries. reminds me of cherry flavored cough medicine. very artificial flavors without balance. Mouthfeel is fine for the style. Just not my favorite style Drinkability is greatly influenced by the incredibly nauseating smell and taste of the artificial cherry flavor. Summary: I am normally a huge Sam Adams fan and I love Wheat beers, but his was just too fruity and sweet for my taste.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Bock

HURTemHIZZY

Pour is decent. Dark brown, one finger light tan head with above average retention. No lacing. Smell is a bit of dark fruits and chocolate. Definitely got some plums. Solid aroma. Not great, but decent. Taste is a downgrade from the aroma. Big overripe dark fruits dominate the small chocolate presence, and the chocolate flavor isn't all that great either. Chocolate tastes slightly artificial to me, but the main issue is the complete dominance of the overripe fruit.

Hop In The Dark Cascadian Dark Ale

American Black Ale

HURTemHIZZY

Tasty brew. Nice pour, near black with a one and a half finger tan head. Solid retention. OK Lacing. Smell is great. Big, juicy hops. Not much roasted malt noticeable. Grapefruit, pineapple, orange, lemon. Hops taste very fresh. Taste has the same juicy hop character, but toned down a tiny bit. Added to the mix is some nice roasted grains, that show some coffee flavoring. Accents the hop profile nicely. Beer was very impressive.

Verboten

Belgian Pale Ale

BrewerMike

A: Burnt orange color, crystal clear, with a decent off-white head that remains in some fashion all the way to the last drop. Has the appearance of a thin beer without much body or flavor. Average carbonation. S: Mild Belgiany aroma--yeasty, bready, clovey. Some slight hints of citrus hops [but not as strong as many others report]. Also a slight sweet, bubblegum aroma, but mostly yeasty/bready. T: Sharp on the tongue up front. Balanced malty/bready sweetness with spicy and bitter finish. Some citrus/lemon peel notes toward the end. Most present is the earthy, bready character. Slight toffee/caramel flavors which get taken over by the citrus hops. Not overpowering, decently balanced and light. More flavor than appears up front. A bit more bitter on the finish than I would like, leaving somewhat of a tart, bitter taste in my mouth. M: Definitely more body and various flavors going on that makes it interesting. A bit too sharp and bitter than I expected for this style, even if it's a pale ale. Carbonation is nice and refreshing. D: Quite drinkable. Pretty well balanced, although slightly more bitter than expected. Alcohol is well hidden. Wish it went down a bit smoother, but enjoying it more as I drink it. Overall I found this to be an interesting beer that kept me identifying more flavors and subtleties as I drank it. I enjoyed the earthy/bready character to the citrus bitterness and wish that balance was closer. But I definitely enjoyed this as a diversion from a typical pale ale as well as a "typical" Belgian (if one can say typical and Belgian in the same sentence). I didn't grade it as high as some primarily because of the bitter bite toward the end of each sip. This, coming from someone who is obsessed with IPAs.

Dubhe Imperial Black IPA

American Black Ale

BrewerMike

I loved this beer! I think this is what a black IPA should taste like. It's bitter, piney, resiny, chocolatey, smokey, and roasty. It is extremely complex and big. It's definitely a bigger IPA than most, hence the imperial label. As this beer warms, the roasted, chocolate notes come through even more, which is fine with me! Given that it's an imperial IPA, my only slight complaint is that I could have tolerated even more hops on the nose. The hop aroma did not blow me away, but it was definitely very nice. I will definitely buy this beer again. Amazing job on this one!

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

Czech Pilsener

berkey

01/20/10 served in a mug at a local casual dining resturant. A clean and clear blonde blonde body is topped by a medium sized white head that settles fairly quickly for a Pils. Aroma is very clean and bready on the malt. Hops seem very fresh with some subtle but pleasant green, grassy, herbal notes. Not as aromatic as the best of the style but still very nice. Follows on the palate but unless my nose is off it has a good measure more flavor than aroma. Hops are really out front and are still very grassy, leafy and herbal, with a very slight spiciness and some dry bitterness in the aftertaste. Really a treat if you're a fan of the noble family of hops. Light bodied and very drinkable. I had the first glass by itself so I could review but the second almost succeeded making my over salted appetizers palatable which is quite a feat. One of the best Sam Adams beers yet in my opinion, possibly my favorite. Sometimes I wonder why self proclaimed hop heads chase IPA's and skip beers like this. While obviously not as bitter, sometimes a good Pils is a better showcase for the nuances of particular hop, or blend of hops. This beer is a good example of that.

Furious

American IPA

berkey

16 oz can poured into a pint glass and reviewed 08/30/10. A dense off-white head caps off a clean copper colored body. Really a great looking pour. Splotches of sticky lacing cling to the walls of the glass. Floral and piney aroma is really enjoyable and stands out as the main characteristic. As it warms some caramel notes work their way into the mix. On the first sip I'm getting some sweet cookie-like malt flavors along with more caramel. Piney hoppiness is still intact and pushes through even further as a pleasant bitter aftertaste. Slightly thin on the mouthfeel but the dry almost smokey finish is excellent. Best beer I've had from a can so far and it's not even close. Mid Westerner trader advice: If you ever do a trade with me, feel free to include plenty of this if you don't know what to send as an extra.

Coors Light

Light Lager

TheSicilian33

Appearance- A brown bottle. The Silver Bullet baby. Smell- very musty, but isn't a turn off to this beer. Taste- Great standard taste for any beer, but the taste can get bad after around beer number 3. Mouthfeel- big mouth. Easy to down. Drinkability- One of the most drinkable beers out there. If you're at a get together, I'd recommend this. If you're on a special occasion, avoid this beer. (Superbowls, and parties are perfect for this beer)

Super Bock

American Adjunct Lager

TheSicilian33

Serving type- Light brown bottle Appearance- Light brown bottle with "Super Bock" 5.6% ABV on the bottle Smell- Corny, but it smelled like I would enjoy it!! Taste- Exceptional for a stronger lager. Had more of a bite rather than a watery taste, absolutely excellent, I really enjoyed it at dinner. Mouthfeel- Similar to Peroni's beer feel Overall- If you're in a portuguese neighborhood try this stuff, it's excellent for a stronger lager. It has that great "bite" taste rather than water, you will not be disappointed with this if you're just looking to have a fun time, trust me on this. Thank you to my Portuguese friends!!

Big Eye IPA

American IPA

BeerSquid

Recomended by the fine folks of Whitemarsh Beverage, Plymouth Meeting Pa. Poured from bottle into pint glass. A- Pours very smoothly. Settles into the glass with a light translucent orange colour. Minimal head that stays throughout the consumption. S- Very powerful. I can honestly smell this onw from a good foot and a half away. Great sent of American Hops, pine, lemon, grapefruit. T- Its all there. Miraculous complexity that washes over the whole mouth. Great bit that magnifys from the first sip and holds to the back of the tongue. The pine and citrus carry from the nose and really make for a spectacular brew. M- Not overly carbonated. The flavour really concentrates to the sides of the tongue and lingers very nicely. D- Would absloutely have this beer again. In fact, Im about to. Fantastic pick. Cheers.

Newcastle Brown Ale

English Brown Ale

BeerSquid

Poured from bottle into pint glass. I thoroughly enjoy this beer, and I think i might rank it among my favorites, (although it would be towards the lower end). I will admit, i need to be in a specific mood for it. I also will say, that Newcastle is considerably better when on tap. (This review reflects solely the bottle) A- Nice brown colour, pours translucent brown settles with slight off white head that vanishes fairly quickly. No lacing present as it is consumed. S- I dont particularly care for the smell, I find it to be full of mineral notes. T- Definitely a superior taste. It has a certain nutty quality to it that I am quite fond of. M- Bubbles of carbonation are present, but certainly not overbearing leaving tingles on the tip and back of the tongue. D- A very nice beer as a whole. I could absolutely drink this and enjoy it frequently (if I could afford it). Cheers!

Monk's Stout Dupont

Belgian Dark Ale

LambicKing

Purchased bottle at 400 Bieres and poured into my St Bernardus chalice. A: Yup, this one looks like a stout. Dark brown to black body...1 finger of tan head with small bubbles quickly subsides to surfacing and persistent edging. S: Wow. Tons of roast! That's all I can smell besides some oatmeal. T: Roasted malts, some oatmeal...bitter finish (I'm suspecting from the highly roasted malts). M: A relative disappointment. Overly carbonated and body isn't as full as I like, but then again, it's an English stout, not a quad. ABV is a big culprit. O: Not interested in tasting this one again. I'd rather stick to quads and RISs if going the dark route.

Hop Bomb Challenge

American Pale Ale (APA)

LambicKing

Purchased at Dranken Geers and poured into my St Bernardus glass. Reviewed from notes taken on 30 May 2011. A: Pours a murky yellow-brown with persistent lacing and two fingers of stable head. S: Holy hops - citrus, tropical fruits, pine. Just the smell alone has my saliva glands working overtime. T: Pine, fruits up front. Sweet malt in the background. Nice balance. M: Very oily and even more of a dry finish. O: I really enjoyed this beer. It was everything the name suggests. Mikkeller makes some nice creative/extreme brews, although not all of them are to my liking. This is the best Mikkeller brew I've had thus far with Beer Geek Breakfast Weasel Bourbon Edition coming in a close 2nd.

Skull Splitter Ale

American Strong Ale

chOAKbarrell

I got to try this one on tap at Max's in Baltimore last night. A somewhat interesting offering. It was either listed wrongly on the beer list, or hadnt been listed at all yet. I saw the tap handle, and in the midst of my indecision I decided to just go with the Rogue. I really had no idea what kind of beer this was supposed to be. I found it hoppy, but not on an IPA level. But then again, it seems most Rogue beers have the overly hoppy quality to them. If it is supposed to be a porter, then I dont think it was a very good interpretation of the style. John's Locker Stock was pretty smooth and drinkable, but I dont have a lot of interest anymore in beers where the most noticeable characteristic is the hoppiness, so consequently I found this pretty forgettable.

Samuel Smith's India Ale

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

chOAKbarrell

Dark amber golden with a small dense bubbly head. Obvious hops in the nose, but not a blast in the face like a lot of other IPAs. You can pick up on the malt also. Kind of mild tasting from what I'm used to in an IPA, but I guess that's the difference between English & American IPAs. Extremely well-rounded and balanced, just like all other S.S. beers. I feel like the malt stands out just as well as the hops, in this beer. Mouthfeel is very smooth and easygoing. Refreshing. Highly drinkable. If you were up to it, drinking a 4 pack in a sitting would be very possible. This beer is unlike most IPAs. Doesnt leave my mouth all that dry, either. Recommended, but dont expect a hop-monster.

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse

Hefeweizen

DadOfMax

To compare it to the most common import weiss, Hacker-Pschorr, this is quite similar but without allot of the fruity or banana aroma. Think no-nonsense Weiss. A bit cloudy, as it should be. Good yeast presence. Very good color. A very good beer, very refreashing, and true to style. Has flavor, without the need to be cute or clever.

Budweiser

American Adjunct Lager

DadOfMax

This turned me off to beer for a long time. Very clear in appearance. Super clean looking. Many bubbles. Carbonation nearly Champagne-like. So carbonated it may actually irritate some drinkers. This is because despite the thickness of the head, the bubbles seem 'large' and harsh. Downright effervescent. No detectable hot aroma. Very little hop flavor. Not much flavor overall, but what there is, is sweet. It may be just me, but this has always given me severe headaches. I suspect the adjunct sugars, which may produce higher-level alcohols (just a guess).

Samuel Adams Scotch Ale

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

bushbeer75

12 oz brown bottle with a label notched November. Sam Adams Scotch Ale poured a dark amber color with a 1 finger tan head that hung around a while. Hit and miss lacing was left clinging to the sides of my glass. The nose was dominated by sweet malt, caramel-like, peaty and smoky. The taste matched the nose however, for a Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy it was too light for the category. The mouth feel is to the smoother side but light for the style. I like Sam Adams Scotch Ale as a Scottish Ale with the likes of Robert the Bruce. I do not feel it quite fits in the same category as a Founders Dirty Bastard or Dark Horse Scotty Karate.

Hoegaarden Original White Ale

Witbier

bushbeer75

Hoegaarden White Ale poured [into my mug] a cloudy yellow color that produced a beautiful white thick and pillowy head that left behind nice lacing. The aroma is mainly of lemons and a little spice in the background. The taste is a little sweet and of light coriander, and orange peel. Mouth feel is crisp, a little "tangy" and has a lively level of carbonation. This is a true Belgian classic - easy to drink making it a summer time choice or for that matter anytime.

MacTarnahan's Blackwatch Cream Porter

American Porter

Jables

Pours a deep black with ruby hues around the edges when held to light. Has about an inch of creamy white head. Smell is roasted malts and espresso. Taste is delicious dark roast coffee, that's bitter and has a nice slightly sour finish. Mouthfeel is creamy but slightly thin. Drinkability is pretty high for a deep roasted brew like this.

Deep Shaft Stout

Foreign / Export Stout

Jables

Motor oil black with huge thick brown head that leaves nice heavy lace. Smells strong of burnt coffee and chocolate. Taste is dark bitter chocolate yet still slightly sweet, not real sweet, just a hint. The coffee comes through after a bit and really gives a deep dark roast coffee blast all over the mouth, awesome stuff. The mouthfeel is nice and chewy, despite a beautiful head this has no stinging carbonation but rather a comforting creaminess that is extremely satisfying. **notes** The cap has a bottled on date of March 18, 2003 so that was 9 months ago. I also had this at room temperature which is about 63* F as per advice, and man was that the way to go. Super satisfying stuff. Definitely one of the best stouts I've ever had.

John John Juniper

Herbed / Spiced Beer

JohnnyHopps

In the case of this particular barrel aged beer, one might need to have some level of appreciation of the liquor that was previous aged in the barrel. Since I love the occasional gin & tonic, I was able to appreciate this beer. Serve on tap on 11/11/11 on Beer Geeks in Highland, IN, this beer was served with a slight head in a majestic golden color. The piney aroma is an attention getter as it certainly smells like autumn. Mouthfeel was smooth with a mild but appropriate level of carbonation. The ale flavor melted perfectly into the sournessness of gin. It was as though somebody had placed a gin & tonic in my beer. The mild sour aftertaste tickled the side of the tongue leaving remnants of the taste. With a 5% ABV, this is very drinkable but certainly not for everybody. Gin drinkers will be more appreciative.

Piraat Ale

Belgian IPA

JohnnyHopps

There is nothing quite like a good living beer. Poured into a tulip glass from a bomber, hues of a golden copper radiated from the glass. The larger head that emitted from the glass hint of a strong, but natural carbonation. Strong notes of banana attacked the nose with little effort to detect an aroma. The initial taste was very smooth. Going down easy, one could drink a lot of this before it catches up to them. Sour notes tickled the tongue with balanced hits of banana, sour apple, and perhaps a hint of citrus before a level of hoppiness becomes evident. At the same time, the alcohol warms on its way down which is a wonderful feeling on an autumn evening. The aftertaste brought to mind lemon flavor in sun tea with its unique tart bitterness coating the tongue. The final taste has some staying power which is not afraid to remind the drinker what a good beer this is.

Tröegs Sunshine Pils

German Pilsener

Lenny2884

Pours a bright golden color with a 2 finger cotton-like head. Top ring of lacing sticks very well, with the rest of the glass being spotty. Great clarity. Smells of lemon, citrus hop, and the traditional metallic-like lager aroma. Nice aroma, especially compared to other beers of the same style I've had. Taste is spicy and citrus at the same time which plays a nice game on the tongue as flavors come and go. Slight sweetness is present balancing the brew. Finishes slightly dry, bitterness is excellent. I get a strong metallic flavor towards the end which is a little unpleasant but not overpowering. Mouthfeel is great. Nice medium to full body, almost velvet like in the mouth. I noticed that as the beer warms, so does the mouthfeel which is very interesting Overall, a nice take on the style. I keep trying more pilsners and always seem slightly let down in the end. I'm begining to think I just don't prefer the sytle. Definately one of the better pilsners I've ever had and you can't go wrong with anything from Troegs. Cheers!!

Mirror Pond Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Lenny2884

This is one of the best American Pale Ales on the market. If you see this in your local liquor store, pick it up. If you are a fan of American Pale Ales, you need to get your hands on this. Unfortunately Deschuttes is so small that they do not distribute much beyond Oregon, California, and Washington.

Carlsbad Chronic

American Amber / Red Ale

chelovek

Had this one at the Pizza Port of Carlsbad. Appearance was an amber color and didn't seem too spectacular. Smell didn't give away anything in regards to what I was getting into. Taste is exceptionally smooth and had a very subtle finish to it. It has a distinct taste that I just can't put my finger on. I wish I was better schooled at identifying the tastes that I come across so you well have to just take my word for it when I simply describe it as delightfully smooth. As far as session beers go I could imagine myself having many of these through a night. I even took home a half gallon jug and can't wait to crack it open. A tastey beer indeed.

Rodenbach Grand Cru

Flanders Red Ale

chelovek

I was fortunate to sample this beauty complements of the famous Sam. Poured into my westmalle glass, apearance was a nice reddish brown with a small head forming at the top. First taste was a bit surprising and definatley pleasing. A bit sour but in a very good way, countered by a slight sweetness a la cherries. Although it may seem odd when describing a beer it truely was sweet and sour. The first swill coated my mouth and delighted my pallet as the sweet and sour played a beautiful symphony on my tongue. I know it sounds cheesy but if you have tried this beer you will know the rosy crap is from the heart. Every sip brought on a new appreciation for this beer. I was crying for more when finished and will definiatley have another go at this one. I had previously tried a "sour" tasting beer but didn't get it. After this beer I finally do. Those that have the privilige of trying this beer must do so at once.

Heavy Seas - Holy Sheet (Über Abbey Ale)

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

RppIII

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a snifter Appearance: Pours amber brown that turns to a dark amber once settled in the glass. The head is a thin fawny layer that subsides to a swirl coating almost like whips of clouds on a sea of beer Smell: There is little odor coming from this beer, aside from a fruity alcohol wafting into my nostrils there are hints of dark malts and spice. Taste: Opening this beer "holy Sheet" ber abbey style ale I was preparing myself for an all out assault on my senses! I was expecting a complex beer, with a prevalent yeast, and an alcohol content to keep me warm in the coldest of winter months. After taking a drink the most prevalent thing I notice from this beer is a dry mouth. However, there is a sweetness of fruit (raisin, prune, fig) and caramel malt with hints of toasted grain and an interesting burnt character. A very subtle hop essence works almost in harmony with the drying effect of the alcohol to create a delightful flavour/experience. The yeast adds a hint of spiciness, as the beer warms towards room temperature the fruit soaked alcohol aroma becomes more established in the flavour of the beer leading to a pleasing contrast of spicy notes and fruity alcohol aroma. I love the finish of sweetness, almost like a red wine I had earlier this evening. Mouthful: Carbonation is precise to the claims on the bottle, along with the warming effect of the alcohol the beer brings about a sense of drying. This is not unpleasant but could affect the drinkability of this beer. Drinkability: A great beer to keep you warm on a chilly day. I enjoy what was done with this beer but there seems to be a discrepancy in it's advertised style. I would not consider this a Belgian Strong Dark Ale; I would consider this more of an American interpretation of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Personally I would drink this beer all night, I enjoyed what Clipper City has done with this beer!

Saranac Irish Red Ale

Irish Red Ale

RppIII

Poured from a 12ounce bottle into a pint glass (no freshness date or batch number in sight) Appearance- pours a transparent Irish red. A small head arises from the swirl of ale and carbonation in my glass. Retention is almost non-existent and what lacing does occur does not stick around for long. Smell- Sweet malt, caramel, and a hint of earthy hop tones. Taste- The taste has a tea like essence bitter but sweet at the same time goes well with the sweet semi roasted caramel malt flavour. I enjoy the hop overtones, slight bitterness, and malt presence. Mouthfeel- Carbonation is what one would expect of this brew with a medium to thin body. Overall just a very generic mouthfeel. Drinkability- A veritably drinkable beer on the upper echelon of being mediocre, defiantly worth a try.

Black Jack Porter

English Porter

Frothboss

Darker than a black steers tuchis on a moonless prarie night. No head but to be expected with a porter. Dont see any carbonation...but its pretty dark in there. Smell sweet, coffee, chocolate, toffee. Tastes pretty good. Thick and rich, taste some chocolate. Mealy comes to mind. Overall pretty tastey porter.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Dortmunder / Export Lager

Frothboss

Appearance is clear with nice golden color, no seriously it really looks gold. One finger head quickly fizzles away. Smeels malty and bready with light hop scent in the background, good solid smell that i can get without even putting my nose to the glass. Really enjoy the smell. Tastes great, well rounded and balanced. Malty bready flavor up front with hoppy aftertones that leaves a good clean finish. Gives a nice solid feeling. This is not the first time i have had this particular beer...this is the 3rd sixer i have purchased and wont be the last sixer. Nice solid beer to keep in the fridge for any time of year.

Samuel Adams East-West Kölsch

Kölsch

LXIXME

I poured this from about 2 1/2 or 3 inches above the glass giving my clear golden colored beer a big white head which took a couple minutes to settle into a pretty decent lacing. Making for a very good looking glass of beer if you are liking lighter colored beers and lagers. A light sour citrus, some floral, with a lighter grain malt aroma a smell I compare to a lot of the European beers of similar styles. Some corn syrup sweetness blends in nicely with a light sour citrus and grain maltiness taste. A light bodied lightly carbonated Kolsch that finishes slightly wet with a teeny bit of sour/bitterness. Well some things I kinda liked about this beer but not enough to buy it over any other beer of this style or even similar styles.

Squatters Hop Rising

American Double / Imperial IPA

LXIXME

Poured from about 2 inches above the glass leaving a big off white head that sure does take its time to fall into a pretty nice lacing. A clear copper golden colored beer that looks very inviting. Light alcohol accents on a lightly sour nice citrus hops aroma. The taste is a light citrus on a pretty decent hops with just a hint of sweet caramel malts as the beer slides into the abyss, not much if any of the alcohol aroma is transferred through the drinking of this 12 ounce bottle. All that remains is a dry lightly citrus hops aftertaste.

Iniquity (Imperial Black Ale)

American Black Ale

RomaniIteDomum

Pours black with a nice fluffy light tan heat. Smells like straight up hops with a little dangling sweetness. Big citrusy blast in the front with a light pine and coffee finish. Interesting stuff going on here. Creamy and well-carbonated. Good feel. Drinkability is high. Lots of stuff going on that is reminiscent of an American Barleywine Lite. Nice.

Tropical Mango Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

RomaniIteDomum

Pours a golden color with an orange tint. No lasting head and the carbonation jumps like a soda. The smell is closer to mango nectar than beer, though there is a little beer peeking through. Sweet, almost sickeningly so, but I like the smell of mango nectar. The taste is a little odd. Very little mango compared to the nose, but the base beer is pretty good. Would have liked mango in there. Mouthfeel is pretty good, though soft drink-like. There is succifient body, but it still has a carbonation issue. In the end it's still pretty drinkable. It's light and refreshing, no flaws insurmountable in this brew.

Silk Porter

American Porter

ONUMello

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass A: Such a dark brown brown it's almost black, with a tan one-finger head that reduces to a thin covering. S: It certainly does smell silky, with aromas of creamy chocolate and caff latte. T: Again chocolate and coffee, but tastes watered down. M: Very thin given the aromas/style. O: This tastes like a 'light' porter, should such a thing shamefully exist. The aromas are very nice, the flavors are there but it's just thin.

Anchor Old Foghorn

English Barleywine

ONUMello

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. As noted the ABV varies year to year- mine lists 9.4%. A: Red-copper color, thin head that disappears in a flash. S: Fairly muted, some molasses, honey and prunes. Just a hint of hops. T: Rich, with prunes, dried cherries, molasses, brown sugar. A little hops bitterness on the finish. M: Full-bodied, somewhat thick, but very smooth. O: This is tasty. The appearance/aromas are a bit below what I'd expect, but as soon as it hits your lips you're in for a treat. As others have said, easy to drink for the style.

Sweetgrass APA

American Pale Ale (APA)

cukeman

Appearance - An exquisite head, but lacking clarity. I wonder at the perpetual haze. Good, bronze color. Smell - The aroma, which should be the high point in any IPA, doesn't really come through with great complexity. Certainly apparent, but it smells more like toasted malt to me. Taste - A fine balance between hops and malt with the pendulum certainly swinging towards the hops. The toasted malt follows through with a citrus hop flavor. Mouthfeel - Fine carbonation level, tastes cloudy, if that makes sense. Taste it and you'll understand. Drinkability - Overall, enjoyable, but if given the choice of IPAs, not the one I'd choose.

Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

cukeman

Appearance - This is the only aesthetic area in which Buffalo Bill's 2008 Pumpkin Ale really shines. It has a bright orange hue and a fine white head, although the latter disappears quite quickly. Nose - Upon smelling it, one notes a raw pumpkin aroma rather than the rich nose of baking pumpkin pie. Not to say that a beer shouldn't smell like raw pumpkin... but a beer should not smell like raw pumpkin. Taste - Alas, the palate has the same raw pumpkin experience, which may actually be exacerbated by the choice of hops. Mouthfeel - I actually have no complaints in this department. It's comparatively crisp and the carbonation is appropriate. Drinkability - I would not recommend this beer, even for its being a curiosity. There are many better pumpkin beers to try. I was a little surprised by the poor flavor profile of this beer.

Batch 370

Hefeweizen

LucaBrasi

Pours a clear yellow very transparent. The head is minuscule, barely existent and disappears quickly. Smell is grassy and hint of citrus. The taste is light of bananas and even bubble gum flavors. Mouthfeel is good with a crispness of carbonation. Drinkability is lower because I really wasnt all that impressed with this brew from Magic Hat.

Chocolate Stout

American Stout

LucaBrasi

High Quality. The appearance is a solid brown which lets no light though. This beer pours with a nice brownish tan head, which laces the glass. The smell is of chocolate and the taste of course is of...chocolate. The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated with a nice chocolate taste, which turns with a slight bitterness. A drinkable beer. But because of the richness I couldnt drink too many. Like I first stated, high quality.

Augustiner Bräu Edelstoff

Munich Helles Lager

Schmit

You can't get Augustiner beers in Washington State, but I grabbed this one at Ledger's Liquors on a recent visit to Berkeley. By the way, Edelstoff translates to "noble stuff" in English, and a German friend of mine assures me that this sounds just as goofy in German as it does in English. Unfortunately, this beer pales in comparison to Augustiner's Lagerbier Hell, which is excellent where this one is pretty average. I drank two bottles trying to come up with anything that would distinguish it as a beer, and I got nothing. I'd rather not repeat the experience.

Fish Tale India Pale Ale

American IPA

Schmit

Beautiful beer with a lingering hop aftermath. $3.99 for a 22-oz. bottle at Tacoma Boys this week. Have had this on tap in Fish Brewing's Olympia brewpub before, but this is my first time having it from a bottle. No head on this one; a few bubbles dissipate quickly. But the color is a pleasingly deep-hued reddish-orange. I get resinous and floral aromas, nothing overpowering. Flavor is good, not necessarily outstanding but well-balanced; citrus sweetness and earthy bitterness. As the lack of head suggested, carbonation in this one is a little flat. Surprising, though, how the hop bitterness really lasts with kind of a "slow burn" effect. Nothing I'd seek out since it's so ubiquitous around here, but a decent IPA I'm sure I'll buy some time again. Plus, it's nice to know it's certified organic.

Ommegang (Abbey Ale)

Dubbel

bigoten13

On tap at Ten Tables in Jamaica Plain, MA. Poured into a wine glass (trendy?) and was an delectable mahogany amber color with a thick dominate foamy head. Perfection in a wine glass! The smell was unique, a bit of sweetness to it and some spiciness (perhaps clove), my descriptive abilities do not do it justice. Anywho, it tasted fantastic, very smooth and a good helping of balanced fruit flavors, with some maltiness to finish it off. Mouthfeel was great, it was so well carbonated I could feel each bubble burst on my tongue. And each sip left me wanting more and more and more.

422 Pale Wheat Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

bigoten13

Pours a yellowish-golden color from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass, one finger of head that fades quickly. Aroma is weak, can only really pick up wheat and a little bit of citrus, maybe lemon. Taste is bland. Only flavor is a diluted wheat taste. Mouthfeel was decent, well carbonated, but no spice to tantalize the tastebuds. Beer is light and crisp, thus highly drinkable. The lack of flavor works in favor of drinkability, since it is bland enough that drinking a six-pack would be no large feat. Overall, pass. Wish I hadn't bought a whole 6-er

Arrogant Bastard Ale

American Strong Ale

MisterTiat

A: Beautiful amber color, creamy thick head, off white, little yellowish brownish, lacing is good, not fantastic. S: strong hop, piney smell. Balanced with some roastiness T: Complex. Earthy hop notes at the back of the tongue and throat, sweet maltiness at the tip of the tongue, roastiness comes in along the sides. Taste of hops lingers long after finishing. M: Feels good, rolls around of tongue pleasantly, not fantastic but good D: With such full flavor it is hard to drink a bunch of these, and also dont expect to be able to sample other beers after this one, the hops stick to the mouth

Grain Belt Premium

American Adjunct Lager

MisterTiat

A: Golden, not much head S: Toast w/ butter T: Grainy sweetness (I think it has a slight taste of blueberries, but my buddies think I'm crazy), not much aftertaste, watery M: Not much here D: This is the go to beer for Twin City youngsters or anyone trying to throw a party, it goes down easy I gave this one a low rating because it isnt that good of a beer, however I am absolutely in love with it and cant live without it

ACME California Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

BCMan

Beer is deep honey in color. White, frothy head that faded fast. Mild hop nose with hints of citrus. Light and refreshing flavor with mild hints of hop. Taste doesn't linger. Very wet on the palet, mouth watering. I think this beer was very good...perhaps one of the best I've had. I would definetly recomend it.

India Pale Ale

American IPA

BCMan

This brew poured up amber in color and produced very little foam with an aggressive pour. The aroma is slightly sweet but has a floral hoppy bitterness at the same time. I like my IPAs very hoppy and this one is a little soft. Perhaps it's because I recently had Weyerbacher's Hop Infusion and was hoping for something similar. The flavor is good. More of a dry hop taste that finishes with some citrus notes. As with most of Weyerbacher brews, this is a good solid middle of the road beer. For the price it's a solid purchase.

Distorter

American Porter

SmartyPints

Had on tap at Greenbush. A- Came to me a deep dark brown almost black color. Half finger tan head shows light retention and leaves light whisps of foam on the top of the beer. Lacing was light on the sides of the glass and clung for dear life mostly falling back into the beer. S- One big standout right off the bat is coffee roast. This dominates the nose with some light char and chocolate lending secondary aromas. Alcohol is present but doesn't ruin the aroma. I can alomst pick out what seems to be a hitn of vanilla but I think I might just want vanilla to just be there. T- The flavor does follow the aroma pretty well. Nice big coffee roast upfront that kind of knocks you in the face. This leads to a light chocolate undertone that balances out the roast. Light hints of vanilla in the backend with more roasted coffee and light chocolate. The alcohol does come in the backing but it is so light it isn't offputting. M- Medium heavy mouthfeel. Carbonation I thought was a little on the light side for this beer. Nice coffee roast and light chocolate dominate the palate coating everything. Aftertaste is light alcohol heat, coffee roast, chocolate, and hint of vanilla. No off flavors were present although it would be hard to tell with all the roasted malts throwing flavor at your palate. Medium heavy drying on the palate. O- This beer was very enjoyable to say the least. Greenbush does a fantastic job on making porters and stouts with their own character to them and not having them all taste the same. This one is no exception. ABV is perfect with this beer and the alcohol doesn't come through as much as you think it would.

Five

American Wild Ale

SmartyPints

Poured from 22oz bottle. A- Poured a darker brown with some light amberish hues to it when the light hit it. Two finger beige head shows decent retention. Sticky web lace all over the sides of the glass when I drink this one. S- I get a lot of darker fruit on the nose right off the get go which I didnt' expect. Some light sour cherry notes right around the middle with vinegar as well. The vinegar notes last toward the end which blends with a light oak aroma and settle alcohol notes. Not as sour in the aroma as I thought it was going to be. T- The malts come out first which are like caramel and bready. Light sour cherry notes follow this before I get a vinegar flavor that lingers lightly throughout the rest of the beer. The backend is where I pick up some light oak notes along with more cherry and a hint of vanilla. The alcohol is very subdued in the ending and finishes well with the vinegar toward the ending. M- Light-medium mouthfeel. Carbonation could have been a little higher as it seemed a little flat to me. Vinegar, caramel malts, and light cherry are left on the palate. Aftertaste is hints of barrel, light alcohol warmth, and lingering vinegar sourness. Flavors were put together well just a tad underpar for my liking in the style. No off flavors were present when drinking although with the vinegar lingering it would be hard to tell otherwise. Heavy drying on the palate with each sip. O- This was a good first attempt for Surly into this style. I can respect them doing this but the aroma and flavor were just kind of average to me. More sourness could have come out in both categories and it would have made it stand out among other sours.

Samuel Adams Summer Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

ajd912

Sam Adams summer offering is not my favorite of the style. Very distinct citrus taste here. The drinkability isn't the best giving how sweet it is, and the sourness almost makes it impossible to drink too much of this stuff. I do enjoy 1 or 2 on a hot summer day though. I had it with some haddick they went excellent together. The appearance is nice, I noticed a little haze with some floaties.

Bud Light Lime

Light Lager

ajd912

A somewhat refreshing beer for a hot summer day or night. Way better that miller chill. Wouldn't buy it again though. I really thought it was going to be a lot worse, the lime flavoring wasn't overdone like I thought it was going to be. Although it might be to sweet for some its very drinkable. I work a liquor store so i can tell you its a big seller with the ladies.

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Donnie2112

appearance: golden amber wiht giant fluffy head on top, little bits of sticky lace smell: a very grassy floral hop smell, a bit of biscuity malt taste: just a bit of biscuity malt rolls into a sharp grassy floral hop flavor that has a bit of orange in there. The alpha acids clean the palate very well. mouthfeel: medium body, rather astringent on the finish, a bit fizzy. drinkability: rather smooth and it's pretty astringent. Not a bad beer at all. Worth a try although it's not the best IPA I've ever had. If you like Brooklyn or you like IPA's you might wanna give this one a try.

Obliteration VII

American Double / Imperial Stout

Donnie2112

poured into a Brooklyn Brewery Chalice Perhaps the prettiest Imperial Stout I've ever seen, jet black, thick mocha colored foam and even lace as the beer comes down the glass, I can't think of anyway you could make it prettier. Wild mix of smells, big part chocolate milk, quite a bit of dark rummy aromas, big part of it is roasted coffee aromas, a smaller part is just a bit of grapefruit and lemon peel. Nice stuff. Starts like an Imperial Stout and finishes sort of like an IPA. Opens with chocolate, espresso a bit of rummy liquor that then gets overridden by heavy flavors of lime bitterness a bit of pineyness. Very interesting Very smooth and oily mouth feel, medium to low carbonation, the after taste is sticky, the whole mouth gets coated with the odd convergence of the sweet, malty, dark roasted goodness of a Russian Stout and the astringent, slightly sour hop character. This beer is a very interesting twist on one of my favorite styles, I'm quite interested to see how it ages because even though they were shooting for a hop bomb, I wonder how much better the malt character would be and what the faded hops would taste like in a year or two. I wonder how it would compare to a barleywine that is brewed with a huge quantity of hops. It should also be noted that it's hard to judge a beer like this, it's certainly not trying to be the same all of those other Russian Stouts.

Hop Sun (Summer Wheat Beer)

American Pale Wheat Ale

Neorebel

Clear golden color - a bit too 'clear' for a wheat beer in my opinion. Soapy head with little to no retention on the glass. Nice fruity aroma with lemon and a subtle coconut scent coming through. The taste is grainy yet bittersweet and refreshing. Nice light mouthfeel and a good finish. A flavorful beer that is definitely good for the summer I'm sure but all in all nothing to write home about.

90 Minute IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Neorebel

With a deep yet clear golden brown color and a thin head sticking fast to its glass the beer is inviting right off the bat. The beer has a strong roasted aroma with the excellent 'grapefruit' variety hops coming out of the gate. The flavor has the very strong bitter pine anchored by a heavy malt backbone. There is a warming sensation due to the high ABV. Pleasantly bitter overall - not as drinkable in large quantities as the 60 min of course.

Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen

Märzen / Oktoberfest

MillySox

All together a solid Festbier. Lots of malt flavor matched well with the right amount of hops. Pours brighter and a little cloudier than most Marzens. Great aroma. Complex and deep. Presence of diacetyl mixed in with caramel malts. A great treat to celebrate the arrival of autumn.

Svyturys Ekstra Draught

Euro Pale Lager

MillySox

Poured from a halk litre bottle embossd with some Lithuanian heraldry and art. There was a best befored date, but the date on my bottle was O4LT? Unfortunately the bottle was probably the best feature of this brew. It poured pale and clear but the white head disappeared faster than I thought was possible. There was a slight grassy, hoppy aroma but it was combined with some unknown foul scent. The taste was light and refreshing with some hop flavor that was also interrupted buy a course and blunt off-flavor. Not what I wanted out of my first Lithuanian brew. I was hoping for a good find considering the low cost. I got what paid for.

Oat (Imperial Oatmeal Stout)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Ig0r

The pour is as opaquely black as I have ever seen. The head is short, dark tan with large bubbles forming after a time. A lot of lacing is seen. The smell is sweet, bready, and a bit flowery the intensity is lower that I was expecting. The feel is thick with a little carbonation that bubbles through to give a nice smoothness. The flavor is a bit of burnt toast with a lot of roasted coffee and chocolate. The higher alcohol content is apparent after the initial rush of flavor, but the taste is not dry. There is a bit of a hoppy finish that stays around with the good amount of mouth coating that is left after drinking. Drinkability is good for an imperial stout; this makes an excellent heavy-meal or dessert drink.

Fraoch Heather Ale

Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale

Ig0r

The pour didn't give much of a head, but what was there dissipated slowly leaving some lacing and clusters of large bubbles. The color is a slightly cloudy light straw and there are a good number of carbonation bubbles clinging to the glass. The smell seems indistinct, with a bit of sweetness mixed with some floral smells. The feel is quite light with a good amount of carbonation. The taste is a bit bready with a bitter finish; not much distinction here. The aftertaste is also indistinct but leaves a good film in the mouth. There isn't any overall distinction that I can see for this beer, but I may have opened an older bottle. I don't know how long it may have been setting at the distributer, but the drink-by date is August 2008 so I feel safe in this review.

Allagash White

Witbier

99bottles

Saw a case of this at the distributor (one of only 3) and had to buy it. $27.99 isn't too shabby, and in the last week of July I knew I had a good month left to polish these off. First off, I tasted this while sitting on my roof in the sun, and I feel that such summer doldrums invariably help any witbier review. The beer pours a hazy golden, darker than Hoegaarden, lighter than Whirlwind, with noticeable haze and yeast. Smell of light citrus and stong spice, (corriander) sneak through a thick smell of yeast. The first taste is, well, amazing. The flavors are complex, with a certain bit of sweetness in the beginning that quickly gives way to a spicy aftertaste. There's orange/lemon zest, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, corriander, and pepper to name a few. The taste is incredibly refreshing, and this beer has a lot more life to it than other whites, as there is strong carbonation in the form of miniscule bubbles that rise to the top. Head retention is not there, as the initial 1" quickly fades to a thin lacing, yet the lacing is immovable from the sides of the glass when drank and dissapates only after 10 minutes or so. The beer is the highest review I've given, and deservingly so. I'd prefer this to Hoegaarden or a list of other Belgians Wits any day. Great job on this one.

Lindemans Pêche

Lambic - Fruit

99bottles

Appearance: Body is golden with a dash of orange. I'd be suprised if it wasn't artificial. Fizzy quarter inch head of off white champagne style fizz. Smell: Putrid. I'm lucky to have tasted this, considering. It smelled like the asshole of a camel. Rotten fermentation, skunk, dirty beach smell, and stale urine. One of the more awful beer smells, ever. Taste: Eating my words while I drink. The smell was almost enough to make me throw it out, and yet the taste is pretty enjoyable. A nice earthy and fungal taste consubstantiates itself with an overripe basket of peaches to give a satisfying flavor. Unlike other Lindeman's, this one isn't sweet beyond its own limitations. Mouthfeel: This also saved the beer from it's fetid smell. Light and lively, this is the champagne of beers (sorry high life) Drinkability: Bring it on! Because of it's low ABV and weak similarity to the beers I prefer, I don't have this often (if ever due to the price). But it is super easy to drink and enjoy, especially if you're in a wussy mood. Just don't sniff before you sip.

Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale

Bière de Garde

SRFeldman79

Pours a orange-amber color with a thin white head that quickly dropped back into the beer. Not a super bubbly beer and definitely seems a little cloudy, but that could be the coldness of the beer. Smell is mostly malty, toasted, a touch sweet maybe, with the vaguest hint of noble hops. Maybe the suggestion of grass too. Delicious beer. More bitter than you might expect, but the flavor is a mix of yeast esters and delicious malts, maybe mix of munich and caramels and perhaps something else. Perfectly balanced. Dry too, but not overly so. Not as dry or as farmhouse-like as a saison, but even this american version has a hint of something farmhouse about it. A bit strong perhaps, to call it a session beer, but I definitely find it easy to overindulge in this beer without the flavors become tiresomeness.

Atwater Dunkel

Munich Dunkel Lager

SRFeldman79

This is my first review, though I've been drinking quality beer for years. Overall, it started off a little weak and kind of grew on me. The color seemed pretty typical for a german dark and the smell was ok. Taste improved as I made my way through the beer, which I poured into a glass beer stein. Mouthfeel, which is definitely something i dont analyze much yet, seemed a little more champagne-like than a beer should be? its drinkable though and the flavor picks up the more you drink, leaving you considering having more.