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Bell's Hopslam Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

CampbellKe11

Absolutely loved this beer. One of my favorites. Nice color, had a great smell to it, taste was excellent, especially given the alcohol content. Very smooth with a clean finish. Picked up a very discrete honey flavor which helped the smoothness, as well as the citrus. Drinkability is dangerously good.

Tröegs Nugget Nectar

American Amber / Red Ale

CampbellKe11

A: had to drink this one from the bottle so I did not get a chance to see much of the color. S: Thought this beer ha a great smell to it. Very pleasing and it made me anxious to have my first drink. T: Taste was good. Enjoyed the citrus. Nice hop flavor but not overpowering. M: I thought this one sticks with ya for a bit afterwards, but its ok because of the great taste. D: Great, drank the better part of the sixer through the night while playing darts with the family and never felt overpowered by the beer.

Estate Homegrown Wet Hop Ale

American IPA

bamojr

Poured from 25.4 Oz wax sealed bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery Flute glass. Pours a lovely amber with a nice tan fluffy head with great lacing. Smells strongly of hops with some great smelling citrus notes. Tastes quite fruity with a solid wet hop backing, it does have a bit of spice to it and a good amount of bitterness. It bitters from the hops are evened out nicely with the maltiness in the background. It is quite pleasing to the pallet and has an amazing mouthfeel, I also had no problem finishing up such a large bottle because of its wonderful drinkability.

Lord Chesterfield Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

bamojr

Very light golden yellow pour with fluffy white head which held longer than I thought it would reading other peoples reviews. Smells very skunky like a Heineken. I have always heard that green bottle beware, I generally try to not listen to those phobias but I'm starting to think that it is true that most beers that come in green bottles are skunked. Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to a little skunk I think it can add good qualities to a brew. The taste got me on this one, after that smell I was expecting the worst but was instead greeted by a nice strong hop flavor with some sweet malt to back it and that skunk smell carried through with a nice finish. For as sweet as this beer is I am surprised that it has such a bitter quality to it. I must say that after reading a few reviews before opening the cap I was worried I was in for a beer I wouldn't like but was presently surprised by a what I think is a decent brew and is on par with the rest of the yuengling collection which I always enjoy.

Hopulent

American Double / Imperial IPA

BikeChef

Cloudy orange color, with a frothy head. The smell is of muted hops-- not particularly promising. This is a very malty beer-- malt totally dominates. It seems to me almost what a German altbier would be like if they tried more aggressively hopping it. I love DIPAs, but this just didn't work for me. Not enough hop aroma and taste by a longshot. Perhaps an old bottle?

Cappuccino Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

BikeChef

Can't beat the price on Lagunitas' 22oz bottles, so they get a lot of credit for that. Have bought this beer in bottle many times, but this one was on tap, though. Very nice coffee nose and flavor to it. Alcohol is fairly well hid-- this is drinkable stuff, perhaps moreso on tap. However, it can't quite match the complexity of some other coffee stouts. Note: This beer does not age well in my experience. Loses the coffee and picks up an unpleasantly strong raisin-y taste.

Burton Baton

American Double / Imperial IPA

Beauregard

One of my favorite Dogfish Head beers (and that says a lot). Burton Baton is the clasic Dogfish IPA combined with the full flavor of an oak-aged ale. Appearnce is dark, and pours without much head. Has a nice earthy, slightly malty taste without much bitterness or excessive hops. Oak and alcohol flavors are prominent, and it goes down beautifully for a 10% abv. beer. My overall impression of the beer after a few tastes were of a nice barleywine, but it gets more complex as you continue to sip. I have fond memories of drinking this beer on the deserted January Delaware beachfront, and after revisiting it I can say that it lived up to my high expectations. Just don't try to drive afterwards.

Burton Bridge Empire India Pale Ale

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Beauregard

A mess of flavors. Pours a weak amber color with a big white head. Aroma is almost undetectable, perhaps slightly fruity. The first sip was almost indistinguishable from a homebrew ESB I once made that contained wheat, maple syrup, and fenugreek, one which beer aficionados told me was "offensive". Wood and esters overpowered any minor citrus hop flavors present. A decent bitterness was at least present in the backbone. Not Belgian-tasting at all in my opinion, as others have mentioned. Perhaps only relevant for its historical perspective; this is not a good beer.

Blind Faith

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

Lauthaha

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a tulip glass. Appearance: Beer is a deep brown/orange color, and somewhat cloudy. Head is nearly non-existent after a few moments. Smell: Very floral hop presence (almost rose-like). Some bready malt character along with a very gentle citrus tone. Taste/Mouthfeel: Beer is light on the tongue, with some very detectable hop oils prevalent in the first taste. Hop flavor here is more to the bitter side, with very gentle grassiness. A moderate malt flavor without much sweetness provides a good base for the flavors to play out. Overall: This is a good beer. I think it fits the category perfectly, and is a good example of what to shoot for.

Satsuma Harvest Wit

Witbier

Lauthaha

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a beer mug. Appearance: Beer pours a partly cloudy golden-straw color. Decent carbonation visible through the glass, and no head to speak of. Smell: Very lemony, with a subtle yeasty character that fades in gently. So far so good. Taste/Mouthfeel: Light at first, a noticeable lemon zest flavor. As the carbonation begins to unfold, there's a tremendous amount of bubbling on the tongue...very foamy. A little too foamy, perhaps. With this foaming comes some very real yeastiness. Aftertaste is mellow yeast, and mostly dry. Overall: This beer had the potential to be great...but I was hoping for more spice (seeing as the label says the beer is spiced). Still, a decent witbier, and definitely better than Abita's "Purple Haze" or whatever it was.

Orange Blossom Cream Ale

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

SFLpunk

12oz brown glass pry-top. Neck label says B0681 075F. Purchased at Knightly Spirits OBT, Orlando, FL. Pours crystal clear with thin white soda style head. Nose smells very sweet, like Sunny Delight. Crisp yet watery body. Tastes like Orange and ccream soda. Probably great at a Bbq, but right now its meh.

Harlan India Pale Ale

American IPA

SFLpunk

12oz cask-pour at Farmhouse Tap & Grill. Appearance: Hazy orange amber with thin off-white head. Nose: Beautiful hop resin, Evergreen trees, wintergreen, earthy and with a little malt/caramel sneaking through. All about the fresh fresh hops. Palate: Nicely bitter right off the bat and dominated by citrus and green pine needle notes. Evergreen comes to mind again and the round malt body fills out the frame nicely. Finish is long and bitter, drying really. Notes: My only complaint is about the mouthfeel and that is only because it's a cask beer. I know I'm in the minority, but I don't understand cask, especially not IPA on cask. I'm sure if this was CO2, I'd be absolutely in love with it. A great single IPA, super complex and somewhat less balanced (in a good way) than I'm used to seeing from Shaun. Think of it this way: flavor of Imperial, ABV of single IPA.

Vanilla Porter

American Porter

chaunur

Poured a dark clear brown with a hint of redness, with a light tan 1/4 head, Possessed a malty, semi-sweet aroma with just a hint of the vanilla. A little weak for a porter in flavor, it certainly didn't jump out of the glass, again just a subtle hint of vanilla. Thin and watery in the mouth, I expect more heft from a porter. The beer also was underwhelming in the carbonation. Just an average beer

Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown

Euro Dark Lager

chaunur

An interesting beer, poured a rich dark brown with a light beige 1" head that left a nice cover with decent lacing. A pronounced aroma of nuts with a sweet note. Taste followed the smell, highlighted with a roasted flavor that while sweet was not overly so. Very little hop presence. The beer felt a little 'slippery' while drinking, couldn't quite figure that part out. Not something I'd drink a 6 pack of but a nice change of pace beer. Overall a pretty good brew.

Whistling Pig Red Ale

Irish Red Ale

Bobzilla

On tap at J.Murdock's 3/21/08 A: Red! red-brown, nice white/cream head that settles down to a nice lacy ring on their English style pints. S: Rich sweetness. Toasty? Almost a hint of stout smell in this beer, but in a nice way. Not alot of hops standing out. T: The hop character is subtle in this one. The mixture of "what was available" seems to work on this one. That same full, rich sweetness in the smell continues in this beer. Nice bready, biscuit flavor. (From the dry yeast?) M: Like their other beers, this one seems to be carbonated at just the right amount. It makes the beer smooth, and doesn't have a fizzyness that can get in the way of the malt. D: Very drinkable beer. I used to love red ales, but they all began getting washed out in flavor. (Like a macro brew with red food coloring.) This is a nice solid beer, with character that makes me want to start searching for this style once again. -Was very good with their house cheddar-burger and Pot Stickers.

Ultra Brune

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Bobzilla

3/29/08 C: Chocolate brown, light tan head with a small amount of lacing throughout the glass. S: A cocoa, caramel, light buttery smell. A hint of some fruitiness after further warming. Raisiny esters are peeking through. T: Sweet, bitter, with a bite at the finish. There is a bit different taste than the smell implies. The caramel and buttery sweetness isn't very present. There is a bit of a pretzel biscuit flavor hiding beneath the surface. (Maybe bad storage conditions for the bottle?) The ester quality is in the taste, but I can't quite discern what specific fruit is peeking through. The Raisin character, fig, date, dark fruity mix is present mostly at the front of the taste. It finishes with a more bitter character. M: Very smooth with a tingly finish. (Yes...tingly.) The carbonation seems to be a bit heavier than I'd like on this one, but its not horrible. It seems to diminish the richness of the beer a bit. D: A bit too heavy for multiples. A nice flavor, but with so much sugar in the beer, it can get a bit heavy by the end of the bottle.

Shock Top Belgian White

Witbier

bmeyer

This can't be an ale. It's an ale flavored... something; and not imitated very well. Appearance is exactly what I expected: Orange-ish cloudy/watery. I didn't expect Anheuser-Busch to do anything good. Smell is a bit sweet and tangy (and dusty, for some reason). Also exactly what I expected. Taste is very watery and dull. Instead of having a full bodied malty after-taste ...(which I think should be typical of an "Ale") ... it's just a bit tangy. (As if I just drank orange-flavored drink) It makes my breath smell nasty, too... which is never fun. I wish the taste was more full and bold. If they could take the fun tangy/citrus, and incorporate it with the taste of a real ale, this would be a good beer. ~in short: if it was better, it would be better~ Disappointed; but not surprised.

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Quadrupel (Quad)

bmeyer

I see so many good reviews about this beer! ..And I don't know why!I'm new to the reviewing of beer, and the lingo associated with it, but... This brew pours nicely... And that's about it. Little/thin/inconsistent lacing... Awefully bubbly in the glass and a head that will not recede. Smells ok i think. kind of sweet and bitter smelling. But I expected to like the taste when I smelled it. Taste was not impressive. Again; very bubbly. A bit of a hard taste, and the flavour does not emulate. Instead of leaving a malty or hoppy flavour, I just feel a burn. Disappointed... but I'll finish it with the 10%ABV! lol

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

American Barleywine

Rainne

This is the one that I was introduced to barley wines with and boy was that the way to go. I've had this enough times and made some revisions to an original review. A- Awesome. Deep reddish brown in color with a thick fat head and sticky lacing. S- Mmm. Grapefruit citrus and piney hops right away. Fruit alcohol and sweet malt finishes it up. T- Just what I expected from the smell. Maybe a tad fruitier than in the nose and a little stronger on the alcohol but not too much. Great balance. M- Nice and thick and smooth. Good full body. D- The first and best barley wine I ever had. Drink and enjoy.

Uff-da

Bock

Rainne

I always stop to get beer when I travel. Found this in a small town in WI. A- Color is almost black. Head is okay but there's only a very little lacing. S- Nice. Malt and sweetness right away with some coffee and even some fruits if you make an effort. Hops pick up in the back. T- Malt again followed by coffee and chocolate and earthy. Some toastyness too and hops bitterness come up. Finish is pretty dry. M- High carbonation and smooth but a little slick. Not sticky at least. Creamy. D- It's a pretty good bock. You could enjoy more than one in a setting.

Chatoe Rogue First Growth Creek Ale

Dubbel

MrHirschybar

From a 22 oz bomber into New Belgium Globe 2/2/11 A - Nice white head that quickly dissipated. Purple marroon like brown color that wasn't see through even up to the light - looked like a bordeaux with "foam" S - Strong overwhelming smell of cherry, with a light grape like scent that reminded of wine, with a slightly sour nose that was from the overwhelming cherry - T - Lightly tart, sour, definite cherry with a light malty finish M - light, not as carbonated as I thought it would be with such a sour note from the cherry, and the cherry taste would have you expecting - not much lingering flavor although my mouth felt "soured out" despite this not being a sour style beer D - Was surprised at the sour taste being so strong from a fresher "ale" - it smelled like wine - and my girlfriend and I both drink beers and wine - neither of us were impressed with this and wouldn't buy it again - had bought thinking the cherry would be a nice impression as we like sours and a variety of ales - this was just all over cherry with light hint of malt - too puckering even with us splitting it... I like the GYO idea and with Rogue doing this organically, just wasn't expecting this from them on this - really tart overwhelmingly - we finished this but it took a while and we had to "work through it. $5.99 or $6.99 for the bottle at the local bottle shop here...

Victoria

American Double / Imperial IPA

MrHirschybar

A - Light orange / amber like - dark enough to show well in the evening at the tap tasting table - nice white off white head that leaves some lacing. S - Orange with sweetness and maltiness and some hop citrus notes that compliment the orange zest well T- Malty initial taste with orange and citrus with a sweetness that is enjoyable. Little bite from all the citrus and malt smoothness. Very nice. M - Light carbonation, not heavy at all, very smooth, nice citrus linger with balance from the malt. D - Easy to see why this is the favorite at the brewery. Very popular and very easy to drink. Their prime beer - will be very nice to drink regularly as summer approaches. Recommended...

Apocalypse Cow

American Double / Imperial IPA

BrewerB

A while back aasher mentioned that Apocalypse Cow was his favorite Three Floyds beer. So I added to my wants. A couple months later, it arrives in a box, courtesy of the same fine BA-er. Thanks Al for knocking off a much coveted Want! Pours a mostly clear orange color with an off-white foam that's holding up well. Lemon and pine hit the nose first though that's quickly followed up with by some citrus, orange scents. Malt doesn't appear to be making much of an impact. While not as overly intense in the hop flavor department, it's the fruity flavors that come up first. Honeydew, cantaloupe? Hard to put a label on it but it's certainly not of the citrus variety. Bitterness is there but it doesn't strip the enamel off my teeth. Alcohol is clearly present as is a certain sweetness that doesn't seem normal for the style although isn't unpleasant, either. Slightly thick/chewy but medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Overall an enjoyable beer that masks its strength well, presents some interesting textures and flavors for the style, but lacks a bit of the punch I like from a DIPA. I'd love to revisit the beer with a fresher bottle as I suspect this may have been on the shelves for a few months. I'll certainly be enjoying the rest of it and am glad to have gotten to try it. Thanks again, Al!

LongShot Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

BrewerB

A - Poured into a New Belgium globe glass. Medium orange color, hazy. 1 Finger, off-white foam. Lacing left behind. Excellent head retention. S - Prominent hoppy nose that offers up mango, orange peel, herbal, and grassy notes. Variety of hop flavors add to the complexity and interest. T - Hops dominate this brew. Very high level of bitterness. Intense hop flavors that include grassy, citrus, and a slight herbal/minty note. Long lingering bitterness persisting into the dry finish. M - Medium bodied with a slightly resiny feel. Moderate carbonation. Smooth. Lacking in astringency (as it should). D - While not a beer to guzzle down and repeat, this DIPA is one hell of a beer. The complexity in the hop nose is outstanding. Tons of bitterness and hops ooze through the flavor and a wonderful dry finish certainly helps increase its drinkability.

Torch Pilsner

Czech Pilsener

CharlestonBXFan

Keg from the guys at Charletson Beer Exchange. V Good but not quite gr8 beer. Learned not to read other reviewers b4 making up own mind! Having tasted lots of Pils in Russia where Urquell (SP?) was pushed on people and was of LOW quality, this was a pleasant upgrade from that more skunky variety. Had never thought about whether beer leaves suds down the side of glass....

Sweetwater Motor Boat

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

CharlestonBXFan

My keg fridge is about 20% for me and 80% for making my friends who visit happy and festive. This beer was a huge hit with guests last night when tapped. I loved it last night and even more today. Its flavorful and smooth with a great pour into ceramic mug. I don't want it to run out which is always the best quality a home keg beer can have.

World Wide Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

AMoceri7

This brew was simply put... Good. A: Pitch black with a minimal head and minimal lacing. Perfect for the abv and style I would say. Chocolate brown lefties and looking quite beautiful. S: Not a whole lot going on but what I do smell is Dove Dark Chocolate mixed with dark roasted coffee and a pinch of smokey breakfast bacon. T: The taste is nearly the smell. Dark chocolate upfront collaborating with deep italian roast coffee followed up by some well rounded malt spiced with what seems to be like willamette hops beefed up by the same lingering but gently moving smoked pork. Mmmmhmmm....Good. M: Thick and syrupy but not overly syrupy like DFH 120 Minute. Just right... Alcohol is ridiculously well hidden for this 18% brew. D: Quite enjoyable, spent time relishing in it a bit due to the price tag, but as it warmed, it intimidated and slowed you down. Probably could have gone through two. Wanna challenge? Overall: This fits second place easily in the CAUTION labeled brews from DFH, as 120 Minute takes the cake. Seeing these are two polar opposites, heaven and hell, I would bet they'd tie for first. Wonderful stout of which blows all others out of the water.

Fort

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

AMoceri7

Probably way to excited for this brew. A: Foggy like the rest of there high ABV brews. Deep golden red cherry-like. Looks great, just not crazy about the fog. Guess it comes with a brew of this caliber. S: Surprisingly not as intense as suspected. Malty sweet, alcohol and some sour fruity esters. Similar to the aromatics of DFHs 120 Minute. Raspberry aroma is faint but present. T: The smell exactly. Intense booze upfront, followed by malty sweetness rounded off by and intense raspberry sourness. But not an overwhelming SOURNESS, just enough to round off the rest of the beer. Wine-like to say the least with hints of brown sugar. Imagine DFHs Olde School Barleywine with a push of raspberries. The bitterness is what threw me off a bit, not crazy about it. Bitterness without the beauty of the floral citrus love of the hops turns me off... just a little bit. More hops please! M: Mild to low carbonation. Bitter alcoholic like feel. Lingers on the palate for no longer than 10 minutes. Perfect... D: Relatively even and close to the drinkability of a Sam Adams. Which will hurt you. Overall: With just a pinch more of hoppy goodness I could have enjoyed this beer above and beyond. I love raspberries, but have decided they should stay away from the comeliness of what we love as beer. This stays above average due to Sams innovative style but receives no further. Wouldnt buy again and so far, DFHs 120 is the best of the these killer IMPERIAL styles. Unless you are absolutely craving raspberries or just want to cover all things Dogfish, I wouldnt bother. Save some cash and just buy there 90 Minute.

Ola Dubh Special Reserve 30

Old Ale

Hypersomnia

Poured into a pint glass from a bottle. (Edit: Switched to a Snifter and the nose was way more obvious and awesome. Upgraded the smell from 4.0 to 4.5). Pours as dark as night with a small but nice brown head, which slowly turns into a thin brown ring. Aroma is of dark fruit (prune?) and chocolate malt. Kind of reminded me of an oatmeal raisin cookie there for a second. A hint of scotch / wood. Flavor is more or less like the nose but times 10. Bitter chocolate, vanilla, caramel, grain, scotch. Wow this is some excellent stuff. Mouthfeel is medium to full-bodied, not as thick or sticky as I would have expected from the appearance but this is a good thing. Mouthfeel is pretty excellent, makes this quite easy to drink. The drinkability on this is very high, I would definitely like to have another one of these and because the mouthfeel is not too "oily" and viscous this is pretty easy to drink. Finish lasts for about 15 to 20 seconds pretty long but not so long that the flavor builds up and gets too extreme. Perfect length for this beer. As a side note, this is many times tastier and more drinkable then the Old Dubh 12 year old. Overall this is an excellent brew.

Left Hand Milk Stout

Milk / Sweet Stout

Hypersomnia

Poured into a pint glass from a bottle. Smells like dark malts, maybe somewhat bready, kind of sweet smelling. Mouthfeel is much more watery than I would have expected. A hint of sweetness, flavor is mostly coffee and malt. Pretty creamy but not "milky" (I don't think that's a bad thing). Much lighter than I would have expected. As the beer warmed up it got a bit tastier. Basically, it tastes like a decent stout with a little more sweetness than normal and which may be a bit creamier than usual. This is a good but not great beer. Overall, this is not an overly complex beer but it is pretty tasty.

Fish Tale Wild Salmon Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Dogshirt

Poured out a copper color with 1 finger of head that faded quickly to a bit of lace. smell was fruity malts wit no hint of hops. Taste was ...blah.. not much to get excited about. Tasted like a slightly sweet macro. MF was also blah. Medium body, hint of carbonation. Nothing much. I guess it's drinkable, but why waste your money? If they worried more about working out the recipe to get some flavor and less about being organic they might have something, but as it is, no!

Bohemia

German Pilsener

Dogshirt

This is the one I drink when we go out to eat. It goes well with food, and the lime is great for cuting the bite of the peppers(Don't put it in the beer, bite it and the acid will cut the oils from the peppers that last so long afterwards). Pours out a nice gold color with a good 2 finger head that lats for a few moments before settling to good lacing. The smell is clean and yeasty, hinting at the taste to come. Refreshing and crisp with nothing out of balance, smooth. Clean and crisp carbonation,with a bit of malt mingleing with the hops to create a very drinkable beer. I also like this after a hard day's work in the summer. Cuts right through the crud that builds up in the throat by the end of the day.

Kirin Nodogoshi

Happoshu

DangerVoltage

The name of this one means (something like) "a nice feeling to drink." And on a hot day in Tokyo, it does so pretty well. The fact that it's the only beer on sale for less than 200 yen in the komubini is also an added bonus. Also recently learned that it is made primarily out of soybeans. Impressive that they can make something so pilsner-esque out of soybean pastes. As long as you drink it before it even starts to get warm, you're doing just fine.

The Summer Mystery Beer (Summer Variety Show '07)

American IPA

DangerVoltage

Pours with a nice deep copper color and an orangey head. A really fine looking brew.Nicely laced. Quite Flowery and mildly citrus scent. Reminescent of their (in my opinion superior) Hi.P.A. I like bitter beers, but this one doesn't balance the bitterness with other flavors. And the bitter vibe hangs around from the initial touch of the beer to your pallet until about an hour later. A nice caramelly and sitrus symphony may be playing in the background, but it's getting drowned out. Nice thick mouth-feel, with an astringent end, perhaps from the high alcohol content. I can drink one of these. Enjoy it to a large degree, but then I need a day off.

Big Hurt Beer

American Malt Liquor

KC9LDB

Light yellow, 1/8th in snow white head that stuck around for a bit. Smells like old rusty water, you know when you turn on the hose form sitting all winter? The taste reminds me of a quieter Steel Reserve, the sweetness to be exact. I like everything dry so that off the bat is not appealing. The alcohol is there and abundant, might have been smoother if it was on tap. I think I would have been better off slinging $1.69 for a 24oz of PBR instead of 2 buck for this.

Fat Cat Lager Beer

Vienna Lager

KC9LDB

I had this one at a small dive bar on tap for a buck a pour (1 pint) its great beer for a great price. The initial look of it is light, golden had a great head that lasted for a good amount of time. Smell of a bit of corn, kind of like a Pabst. Its mainly a basic lager mouth feel but its good for after the expensive beer. The taste was nice, crisp clean and down to the point. Worth it!

Colonel Fletcher's Reserve Imperial Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

Heritage02Rider

Will explain when I get back to a keyboard. Touch screen is too difficult. In the meantime, this is excellent. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah pblahp blah gotta be 250 characters Blah blah blah blah blah blah bla Blah blah blah blah blah blah bla

Claymore Scotch Ale

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

Heritage02Rider

Picked up a growler of this Claymore Scotch Ale as I like the carmely taste of a good Scotch Ale. I poured it in to my chilled glass fresh from the retailer and got a small head which quickly dissolved to a small ring around the edge. I put it up to my nose and found almost no odor representing scotch ale or beer. Almost inert. The color was dark and when held to the light produced a deep red (think maroon) color. First sip, not bad, but didn't knock my socks off. It went down smooth and as it warmed a bit to a better drinking temp, it stayed about the same. A: Dark color with dark maroon color when held to light. The head is small and dissipates rapidly to a small ring. S: Almost odorless. A little underwhelming and not a representation of a scotch ale. T: The taste is fairly representative of a carmely scotch ale. The higher alcohol content (7.7) was not real noticeable. (A nice touch) M: The beer at fridge temperature is too cold to enjoy properly, but as it warms a touch (say 45 to 50ish) it becomes better. D: The beer goes down easily and leaves no lasting aftertaste. I would say this is an average beer and only a fair representation of a scotch ale. I paid $13.99 for a growler which is , in my opinion, a bit high in comparison with other growlers of better beer I have had at lower prices. I am glad I tried this beer, but for the price I will probably not purchase this again.

#9

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

CaptainInsaneO

A: Very brown, looks like glass, possibly a piece of paper glued onto it. Normal looking bottle. Though I do dig the spiraling #9 logo. Seriously though, it starts off a little cloudy as the carbonation rises to the top, and settles into a just off orange gold. S: Smells how it tastes, you get a strong whiff of the apricots along with a buttery undertone. It smells... interesting. In a good way. T: Fruity, hoppy, sexy goodness. The first thing you taste is some carbonated hops and then comes a tickle of dried fruit and apircot, with a smooth buttery finish. M: there's a significant smoothness here, it almost feels heavy or thick but it goes down thin. Overall: Listen, this is a shoehorn beer. What i mean is that this is the kind of beer that makes you realize there's more to beer than pounding keystone and natty in your friend's basement while trying not to wake their parents. You back up and say "wow, so beer doesn't have to taste like carbonated piss?" suddenly dropping a few extra dollars on some obscure beer you've never heard of seems like a possibility. I know a lot of other people that shoehorned their way into the world of craft brew through #9, and I think it deserves some real points because of that. #9 is the Quentin Tarentino, the Kurt Vonnegut, of beers. It's not the best beer out there, but it demonstrates how good beer can be, and makes you want to go out there and find out for yourself.

Brooklyn Summer Ale

English Pale Ale

CaptainInsaneO

A: Settles into an orange yellow, with a thin white head. S: Sweet and floral. T: fruit and flowers at first, finishes with citrusy hops. Not a strong hop finish, but just enough. Slight alcohol aftertaste M: Medium/light body, strong/medium carbonation. Seems to stick around after you swallow. O: This is a good summer beer, I think you'd enjoy it more out on a deck in the sun, but it works in a basement while watching a movie too.

B.B. Bürgerbräu / B.B. Budweiser Bier

Czech Pilsener

JoKo

B.B. Burgerbrau was a good drinkable beer. It is a smooth beer with a mild hop taste and is nice for a summer day. Mild wheat taste to it, really refreshing. Overall, what one might expect for a basic Czech Pilsner. I'd buy it again. It reminds me of different German Pilsners that I have had before.

Bad Elf

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

JoKo

Poured into my standard mug. Received this beer for Christmas again this year. Appearance - This beer is bright yellow with an orange tinge, hazy, and has a full white head. Smell - Lots of hops, citrus notes, orange, etc. Taste - The taste is hoppy up front, some pine flavor, citrus is also very noticeable in this beer. There is a nice balance between malts and hops in this beer. Mouth feel - For the style, definitely on the light side, also very smooth and highly carbonated. Drink ability - For the style, this beer is very drinkable, if I wanted to, I could have a few of these in one sitting. This beer says it is a "Winter Ale" on the bottle, but it could easily pass for a Summer Ale.

Hercules Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

bonsreeb85

A - hazed orangey/amber colored with a well retaining creamy head. S - all citrus/piney and floral hops(probably from the "C" hops) some honey, caramel and generaly maltyness become more appearant as the beer warms a bit. T - I love the balance achieved here. The malt backbone is strong and mighty, taasting of bread and even a bit-o-honey. The grapefruit and citrus flavored hops offer up a heavy hand of bitterness to kick things up a notch. the flavor drys out nicely in the finish leaveing the tongue wanting more of the lingering floral hoppy goodness. MF - supreme feel, just the right amount of carbonation to keep this beer from being to heavy sticky or oily. it feels very slick and smooth going down with just the slightest amount of "stick" D - dangerously drinkable @ it's high ABV. I am a sucker for a well balanced DIPA. I dig hop-bombs too but this one has the malt muscle to stand up to any hop-forward bullies.

Basement Batch

American Pale Ale (APA)

bonsreeb85

Special shot out to coldmeat23, thanks Chris/Emily for the chance to sample this her' beer. A - cloudy copper/topaz color, w/ a 2 finger foamy off white colored crown S/T - caramel malt and some nuttyness w/ slight floral and citrus hops. i also get a bit of honey, but more in the nose than on the tongue. this is not a bad brew, flavor-wise. Not a ton of flavor, but enough to make it pretty sessionable. i personally could go for a bit more hops, however i enjoy the unfiltered state of this beer, and the malt backround provides a nice base for what is a pretty decent beer. MF - creamy, and chewy w/ a medium sized body, love the unfiltered beers! D - execellent session or beer take to a party, very approachable w/ ample flavor. not to shabby

Stella Artois

Euro Pale Lager

NoahSYGG

This is a fine lager.It has a golden yellow color. A yeasty, slight hop aroma. Nice head. The taste is a nice light crisp lager with a mild hop flavor. great with food. It has excellent effervesence with a light, inviting mouthfeel. A very drinkable beer.

Pliny The Elder

American Double / Imperial IPA

NoahSYGG

As a lover of the american IPA, this is superb. Thanks to the kind heart of Rick at Big Z beverage in Huntington, I was able to try this beer. It had a wonderful piney hop aroma. It was probably the best smelling beer hopwise that I have ever experienced. The color was a cloudy orange with a nice head. The flavor was extremely balanced. The flavor of the hops was not overpowering nor was it too bitter. The malt flavor was hidden by the hops which was ok for me because the hop flavor was so explosive. This is a must try for any IPA fan. I could drink this IPA all day. Russian River is amazing.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager

Bock

blakeman12

This is a great winter beer. I've drank this many times, on tap, byu the bottle...you name it. This time I had it in a bottle, poured into a pint glass. Color was on the brown side, with a great head. Foamed up pretty nice. The smell was nice and sweet...taste was great. It had the winter spice flavor, but it wasn't overpowering. Mouthfeel was creamier with not to much carbonation. I would definitely drink it again.

Double Bag

Altbier

blakeman12

A - Darker beer- amber colored S - smelled sweet...caramel/apple T - solid beer, went down smooth, esp. for having a stronger alcohol content M - feels sweet at first, towards the end it gets a little bitter. Little bit of an alcohol taste, but not too much D - definitely drinkable! Great beer. I can only find it about 1 1/2 hrs. north of me, but everytime I drive by sam the beerman's off of route 81 in NY - I get a couple six packs!

Sweet Action

Cream Ale

Faulconerbrewing

We tried to go to the brewery for a tour, but it was closed, so we went next door to the bar and I had a sweet action. Sweet is no joke. The sweetness is amazing, probably from crystal malts. And there is a strong hop presence, but it doesn't in anyway overpower the crystal malts. Pour a light amber color, with little head. Aroma was pungent with spicey/piney hops. Awesome. carbonation was medium. Overall, this beer rocked. The balance of hops and sweetness was perfect. Sweet action is a perfect name for this beer.

Stone Smoked Porter

American Porter

Faulconerbrewing

Appearance: It poured a very dark brownish/black color that some reddish tints when held up to the light. A nice dark tan head formed and left a lace of foam on the glass. Smell: As soon as I poured it into the glass, I could smell the smoked malt. That pretty much drowned everything else out and that was all I could smell. I might have served this beer a little too cold which would mask some of the flavors. I'll have to revisit this one. Taste: The smoked malt was the most prevelant and obvious flavor given the name of the beer. I though Stone did a good job of still have the "regular" malt flavor come through and mix with the smoked, but the smoked flavor overpowered anything else. Mouthfeel: The carbonation was the first thing that I noticed. It was very smooth and didn't overpower like i was expecting after the first sip. It was gone as quick as it came in. Drinkability: Overall, I think this is a good beer. Something I'll probably keep in my fridge, but possibly in small quantities. The smoked flavor started to bother me a little towards the end of the beer. I think I could enjoy one or two of these in a session and then have to move on. I started to think about an odd analogy for this...so here it is...but i warned you, it's odd. It's like when you meet this hot girl who smokes. The sex will probably be great, but she'll taste like an ashtray...I guess you have to take the good with the bad. Hey....at least you got laid!! :-)

Brother David's Triple Abbey Style Ale

Tripel

SkunkleDunkel

Upon removing the melted wax layer, I poured slowly the simple goodness of this tripel into a maudite tulip glass. While watching the colors blend into a coppery yet slightly red liquid, I notice the tiny millimeter of white head quickly dissipate. The first smell went along in accordance with the first taste. A somewhat standard bouquet of the tripel style. Decently satisfying, yet slightly thin. As a fan of Anderson Valley Brewing I do say that this beer is worth trying. It is not significantly bold, but the smooth drinkability makes for a good time.

Lagunitas #10 (aka #9)

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

SkunkleDunkel

Fourth bottle of this great summer ale. Laugunitas happens to be one of my more favorite companies. I snatched this last bottle (in my area) at a local store, Liquor Barn in Clovis, Ca. Upon pouring, a nice gathering of golden color and an inch of head. I was impressed with the soft settling of a rich aroma in my maudite tulip glass. Nowhere near an expert in this style, but nonetheless a very refreshing beer. Upon sipping I notice subtle hints of what seems to be a tripel flavor. A softly spicy golden delight with a massive drinkability. I almost want to just chug it down, but then I'd lose too much flavor. My area was just hit with a 31 day standoff of over 100% degrees. This beer sure helps take the edge off. Drink em' while you can.

Whirlwind Witbier

Witbier

Blanco

pours a light yellow color with pure white head. not very cloudy even after making sure to get all the yeast in there. smell is of belgian spice and that slightly musty aroma that comes from Hoegaarden. taste is heavy on lemon-like citrus and tastes very much of the wheat. less spicey than many belgian whites. It's almost like an American Wheat with some lemon added in. It's decent, but nothing spectacular.

Founders Dirty Bastard

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

Blanco

Poured into a maudite "snifter." Very dark, chocolate brown, with a slight reddish hue. Moderate sized tan head. Smells of caramel and tootsie rolls and hint of fruit (cherry, raisins maybe?) Taste is malt upfront, followed by caramel and a little hint of cherry coke. slightly bitter, with a smooth and slight alcohol burn. Tasty and as the beer warms is more complex than at first. mouthfeel is very good. silky and medium to thick, but definitely not syrupy. Does coat the mouth some. Moderate drinkability. It's good and the alcohol burn doesn't bother me, but it's not one I would have more than 2 or so at a sitting.

Trappistes Rochefort 6

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

PBoegel

Rochefort 6 bottle code I believe with a best by february 2013. Poured into a chalice goblet. Very muddy hazy brown. Some of the dregs came out of the bottle as well. Bottle was very carbonated, not a gusher, but carbonation rose to the lip before pour. Head was very tight and creamy. It's look reminded me very much of the first time I had Chimay Rogue years ago. The aromas were not terribly complex. No off aromas but focused mainly on a earthy and yeast note, some chalky sweetness and burnt sugar. The flavor had a very earthy almost tobacco leaf like note, not offensive, just persistent which added an unexpected but interesting layer. This worked well with the drier chalky character, there was some balancing sweetness with light notes of bittersweet chocolate, vanilla bean and dried unsweetened cherries. There was a pleasant mineral flavor that added a level of complexity as well, perhaps just a derivative of the chalky character. The mouthfeel was very much what I look for in a Belgian, dry but full, with the soft natural carbonation from bottle conditioning. Very drinkable and while the aroma was a little lacking the rest of the beer character was very reminiscent to me of the first time I was introduced to Chimay, will seek out more often when available, would like to cellar a set of these. I wish these beers came in 750s. I have a 10 to try waiting in the beer fridge.

Choklat

American Double / Imperial Stout

PBoegel

22 oz bomber, 2nd batch release brewed in fall 2008. Poured into an Ommegang mini-snifter. Black, brown head fairly thick and layered, but breaks rather quickly. A very inviting look for a big stout. The aroma is all chocolate, fudge, syrup, Nestle tollhouse chips. There is an aroma of heavy alcohol too, not off putting fusels but very big warm that presents like a liqueur. I pick up nothing from the malt profile of this beer and certainly no hops, the latter of which is certainly not a big deal, but I found the chocolate to be overwhelmingly the only dimension beyond the alcohol. Taste is the same as the aroma, huge overwhelming chocolate flavors, very interesting in that as it warms the chocolate flavors never subside, never play second fiddle. Like the aroma the only other fiddle in the taste is alcohol which serves to create a bit of lightness in the heavy chocolate character and wash the finish clean in each sip. Mouthfeel is very full bodied, slick and oily from the chocolate character with what little perceptible bitterness accentuated by the alcohol. As far as drinkability, this is an interesting concept for a beer and easily the most chocolate flavor I have encountered in a beer, but I do not find this to be an American Double or an Imperial stout in any real regard, this is a specialty flavored beer much like any of the hybrid fruit, vegetable or spiced styles. It is very intriguing and should be tried at least once if you can get it. At nearly $10 a bomber, this beer simply does not say repeat visits to me.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Cchambers

I will start by saying I love this beer. It is a very easy to find, very good, very drinkable beer. With that said... Smell was very hoppy and citrusy. Poured dark golden. A lot of head but I think the bartender was a little aggressive with my beer! It was very crisp tasting. A little bitter. A very good beer. My go to on tap, readily available beer. Very drinkable. I could drink these all night.

Late Harvest Autumn Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Cchambers

Poured a light orange, amberish color. Not a huge head. Lingered for a bit. Crisp beer. Easily drinkable. I may have gotten some old beer that had been sitting for awhile or something. This just wasnt spectacular. Very weak tasting. Lots of carbonation but just wasnt much else there for me. I dont know. Maybe I had just had too many other beers that night for my tastebuds to be on their A game.

Cadillac Mountain Stout

American Stout

AllThingsNinja

Holy Stout, Batman! The Bar Harbor Brewing Co. has crafted one magnificent brew. It is supermodel stout with ponderous opacity, and a thick creamy head. The chocolate and coffee aroma is nice, if a bit subdued. The flavors are exceptional with chocolate and mellow coffee notes dominating a brew with a bit of a dry-sour dough finish. Its exquisitely well bodied and I would like another ... right now.

Fuller's London Porter

English Porter

AllThingsNinja

Poured from a 1pt 2.6oz bottle, this beer was a dark brown with ruby hues. Held to the light it was a glorious garnet liquid with a milk chocolate brown head. The retention was fair, although it left little lace on my pint glass. Its aroma was of chocolate and little else, but out was strong and inviting. The chocolate flavors were much more subdued than I had expected from the aroma. There is little hopping, but some burnt malts provide a balance to the sweetness. It's a decidedly British beer, light in the mouth and a little creamy. It would make a fine session brew.

Consecration

American Wild Ale

brendaniel

Poured a dark amber - almost ruby red with minimal head and very little lacing. Beer was extremely aromatic and immediately noticeable once the cork was removed. Smells of a yeasty cabernet, wild cherries, roasty malts and oak. Those aroma characteristics were consistent with the flavor of the brew, some mild tartiness and yeasy flavors - a medium to heavy body, creamy texture and light carbonation ... very interesting. Not one I would continue to pursue due to personal tastes - but a very interesting beer to sample!!

Summer Solstice Ale

Kölsch

brendaniel

Nothing special about this one. Poured a golden color with a reasonable head that left rather quickly after the beer settled. Some citrus aromas that carried into the flavors with mild bitterness. Taste and overall impression was ok ... just nothing that stands out that would make me go back and revisit this one.

Hobgoblin

English Brown Ale

Zonthark

pours out pretty nice (in my Hobgoblin pint glass), a small head on this one with a nice brown colour. Smells nice, very subtle hints of caramel and chocolate. A good mouth feel, but a bit too much carbonation, and a bit dry after each sip to make it perfect in my books. It tastes good, not too sour and not too sweet, and its not too heavy to stop at one beer (which is good for my drinking habits at least). Over all a pretty good beer, and it never fails to satisfy my British ale needs. All in all its always a safe buy when looking for a good British beer, and to my understanding is pretty easy to find where ever you are. Wychwood has yet to disappoint me so far. In conclusion if you are having trouble deciding what beer to buy at you local liquor store (or pub if you are lucky) grab a Hobgoblin.

Fuller's London Porter

English Porter

Zonthark

Came out of a nitro can, It looks really good the head looks like coffee flavoured ice cream and it smells like a good esspresso. It is near pitch black in colour almost like a coffee. It tastes like dark chocolate and coffee. I taste hints of wine, a very bitter beer. A real robust body, that stays with you. A must taste for any serious beer drinker.

Kapittel Dubbel

Dubbel

Throy67

I tried this beer when I was eating belgian french fries and a steak so maybe my review is not totally objective, but I give it a try. The first I noticed was that after the pouring the foam dissapeared very quickly, the smell was good, not too fruity. After tasting the first sip I found it much milder then most other beers of this type, I didn't even taste the alcoholpercentage. There was a slight bitterness in the after taste but again not as much as for instance in Chimay blue. If I can make a comparison then this beer is in the same category as Trappistes Rochefort 8. I must agree with the other two reviews before me, this is an exceptional beer in the Trappist tradition.

St. Benôit Blonde

Belgian Pale Ale

Throy67

Poured in a St. Bernardus chalice this beer produces a small layer of foam (about 1 inch). The color is orange but hazy. Th foam dissapears already after a few minutes, leaving only a very thin layer and some small islands of foam on top of the beer. The taste was in line with several other beers which I have tasted earlier, drinkable but not really special, even for Finland where special beers are not easy to get... The mouthfeel was ok, also nothing special and it was easy to drink, a good pilsner is maybe more enjoyable then this brew...

Heresy

Russian Imperial Stout

bobquick

Probably the lightest RIS I've ever had. Not a heavy beer even though it looks like a glass of Coke after its been poured from the bottle. VERY drinkable even at 8% alcohol...read: dangerous. The malt lingers for a cocoa or chocolate finish. Not a huge head when poured but enough for the smell of roasted grains to add to the overall experience

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Foreign / Export Stout

bobquick

Reminds me of a Russian Imperial Stout more than the "mother's milk" of regular Guinness. Hops it you first with a bitter bite, but the malt keeps it from overwhelming the balance. The alcohol is very present in the mouthfeel and burns a bit on the back of the throat. 7.5 percent. NICE! That's where the RIS confusion comes in. Great beer.

Anchor Summer Beer

American Pale Wheat Ale

Boneheadmx

Pours out to an amber straw color with a decent frothy head that subsides slowly. Smell is rather nice, of apricot and lemon. Hops are faint here. Taste is very very bready, most apparent at the slow finish. Hops are light but spicy, finish very quickly. Mouthfeel is very thin and carbonated. Drinkability isn't bad at all. Quite content with this one!

Jever Pilsener

German Pilsener

Boneheadmx

Pours out to a straw-yellow with a 1 finger frothy head that subsides slowly. Smell is very light. I can pick out some hops but not much else. Taste is quite good, with a light maltiness balanced by light hops. Very clean finish. Mouthfeel is pretty darn good, with medium carbonation. Drinkability is really good. I've been drinking a lot more lagers than I'm used to recently, but I have to say that this beer adds, rather than detracts from the experience. I would definitely get this again.

Fantôme Strange Ghost

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

Delerium

Gee, I hate to write a bumming report on my favorite brewery but... This beer taste like it got scorched at some point. Big scorched coffeee tatse, and hints of molasses. very dark and again the recipe has changed from last year (last years was very piney). Honestlty, I couyld hardly finish the bottle, but each Fantome beer is a different experience for everyone, so please give it a shot, as this beer might just not be for my palate. I look forward to next years rendition!

Chaman

American Double / Imperial IPA

Delerium

One of the best beers I've ever had in my life! Hazy, orangey-tangerine, yet hoppy, with very subtle alcohol lingering finish. Ho w does an Imperial IPA be this refreshing? I had this beer at the Mondial, and it was my second favorite only to the Vanilla Creme Ale they had exclusive for the festival. If you don't know yet, this is the greatest brew pub on the face of the Earth. Chris

Gnomegang

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

agotz

Cork and caged 750ml poured into a Duvel goblet. Pale orange with a sticky white head. Aroma of mango, lemons, marinade oranges and alcohol. Some peppery spices and straw. Immediate flavors of sweet fruits. Orange, mango and banana. Followed by black pepper, coriander and warming alcohol. The finish is big bready malts, showing the grain bill of a 9.5% abv beer. Mouth feel is fairly substantial for the style. The lively carbonation from the the bottle conditioning balances out the slick mouth feel. This beer does not seem to be on point for the style. It also has a collaboration pedigree that sets expectations fairly high. These factors might seem like a setup for disappointment but I couldn't help but really enjoy this beer. If this was available regularly I would definitely pick it up to take to dinner parties with my more wine inclined friends.

Double Jack

American Double / Imperial IPA

agotz

22oz bottle with no visible bottle date poured into a tulip Held to the light the beer is a beautiful glowing orange. Normal pour produces a very active two inch head that quickly dissipates to a thin splotchy cap with a sticky ring surrounding it. There is some nice oily lacing going on. Aroma is pine and strong alcohol with citrus and pineapple right underneath. Hop oil too with a some biscuity malts just barely sneaking in. Smells great. First sip reveals a quick stab of spicy pine and dank hop oil. The citrus comes on with strong alcohol that washes over the palate scrubbing it clean before malty sweetness and and some nice hop bitterness comes in for a nicely balanced finish. The 9.5% abv makes no effort to hide itself here. The beer is medium bodied with a nice slick quality. This beer looks great and smells great but the very apparent alcohol taste keeps the hops from truly shining. That being said it is still a very enjoyable sipper. Sometimes its nice for a great big beer to taste like a big beer. I will seek this out again.

Highland Tasgall Ale

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

barleyman

I must admit, this is the first Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy I've ever tried. It sort of reminds me of a Strong Porter, make that an Imperial Porter. Poured out of a 22 oz. bottle into a straight sided tumbler, the color is an extremely dark mahogany, the initial very dark head quickly disappeared and leaves no lace on my glass. The aroma is of caramel, raisins and plums. Taste is of thick malt, raisins with little hop to balance. The mouthfeel is medium, just about where I feel it ought to be. The hops come in on the finish, and the balance is absolutely spot on. The finest product I have tried from the Highland Brewing Company. The drinkability is good with little alcohol burn, considering the alcohol, (8%.) I definitely could not session this beer. I'm kinda thinking maybe I'll try this again, maybe not. Slainte, barleyman

Michelob Amber Bock

Bock

barleyman

I think the appearance is pretty much the best attribute of this beer. The smell is not much to write home about. The taste is acceptable. The mouthfeel is acceptable. Overall, I guess this is about as good as AB gets. I can enjoy this beer if poured into a straight sided tumbler. just a thought, barleyman

Half-E-Weizen

Witbier

Mazika

Poured from a 22oz bottle. This is my favorite non dark beer. It isn't often that I go to the beer store and get the same beer twice, but I can say i have picked this bad boy up 3 times. This beer has a massive amount of flavor and is not meant to be chugged. I use a sifter when I drink this beer and enjoy every sip.

Redhook Double Black Stout (with Coffee)

American Double / Imperial Stout

Mazika

I purchased this at Zupans, a local market (with a good beer selection) This bottle was from Batch #08-0410 Appearance: If I had to pick a color I would say it is BLACK, similar do that of the BLACKest BLACK hole. I just stuck a flashlight to the side of my glass and it lit up just as much as a 40 watt bulb in an airplane hanger. Smell: Like a fresh roasted cup of coffee. It doesn't have that coffee smell at all but it makes a good reference towards the crispness of the aroma Taste: Pretty straightforward-there's notes of sharp/bitter espresso which dominate most everything else Mouthfeel: Good fizzy full mouth or a descent sipper Drinkability: This is a good distinct flavor that makes me want to have it with a steak or other meaty dining experiences. Not a beer I would drink too often with out accompanied food (other then now to taste it) but a fantastic overall flavor. Nice job Red Hook (I Have driven by your brewery and weeped inside for not being able to drop in for a pint)

Dale's Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

ScottUCF84

On tap into a pint glass. A- Looks decent; dark amber with a thin white head. Little lacing. S- Smells of floral hops and a touch of what I like to call 'macro stank'. (not skunk, stank. This is probably from malt, or rice. It can be found on the tongue, too) T- The hop flavor is pretty nice... but I feel like the rest of the brew is lacking. There is something horrible about it... just poor ingredients other than the hops I suppose. Although, if you need your hop fix, this will do the trick. M- Medium to light body, medium carbonation. Leaves the mouth a bit dry. D- About 1/4 way into this beer... I honestly did not want to finish it. Hard to explain, but it just wasn't for me. I don't get the hype of this one. Are they inconsistent with their batches? Is it better from the can? I may never know... but I do know that it was brutal.

Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager

Schwarzbier

ScottUCF84

A buddy of mine left a few of these in my fridge. Thought I'd give one of them a shot! A-Pours a reddish caramel. Moderate lacing left behind by a mediocre khaki head. S- The smell was a little on the weak side. I picked up some doughy caramel-malt and brown sugar. T-Sweet malt up front with a 'roasty' presence. Some molasses and dark bread. M- Surprisingly smooth and creamy with a small bite from the carbonation. A little thin for my tastes but good. D- This isn't too filling and it is pretty tasty. I'll probably drink the rest that were in the fridge! (hey, you can't leave beer like that)

Fantôme Black Ghost

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

beethousand

Had this out of the bottle; didn't enjoy this as much as other Fantome beers. Interesting herbal aromas and flavors, but overall a bit too dominant, especially as the beer warmed up. The nose was the highlight of the beer; the taste and mouthfeel did not measure up to the nose. Dry and alkaline in the mouthfeel--there are a decent amount of drying characteristics created in the mouth by this beer.

Baudelaire IO

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

beethousand

Poured out of a bottle into a snifter Appearance: pours a pinkish copper with a thick, creamy head that sticks around for a while Smell: yummy, complex nose with floral, perfumy, and spicy aromas accompanied by malt sweetness Taste: candy, floral, and fruit; dry finish with citric bite Mouthfeel: soft, refreshing, and pleasant; carbonation sharpens in the final third to close beer out Drinkability: tart, lively, and refreshing; very drinkable and very enjoyable

Tröegs Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale

English Brown Ale

IMincedTheKing

Ruby outlines the nigh-opaque dark brown pour. A chunky, cratered head tops off the glass. The aroma is of slightly smoky and nutty malts. Almost cream-like. Some fruit presence. On the palate it's juicy and nutty with a wisp of smoke. Sweet, but balanced by the hops. The mouthfeel is thin as water, but it seems almost creamy, somehow. This is, overall, extremely balanced and very easy to drink. At 4.4% ABV, it's an excellent session beer.

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

Witbier

IMincedTheKing

Pours a slightly hazy shade of honey gold. A small, bubbly head recedes in an instant. The smell of tart berries jumps out of the glass. Wheat, yeast, and spices play a backing role. A gentle hop character gives way to lemon, blackberry and wheat. The mouthfeel is thin and a bit too fizzy. Finishes tart, wheaty and dry. This isn't going to be a go-to beverage for me, but it is a well done fruity witbier. Definitely drinkable, but nothing I'd rush out to buy.

Bud Light

Light Lager

BryanRex

Other than college beer pong tourneys, this stuff is barely fit for human consumption (along with Coors Light and Bud Light). It's interesting that you can get some of the top non-pastuerized beers on Earth for only slightly additional cost. I don't think this even qualifies as real beer. Appearance: Light yellow Smell: Rotten Indian food Taste: Watery with slight hops Mouthfeel: Watery Overall: Terrible, leaves you feeling bloated and sick.

Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel

Dunkelweizen

BryanRex

The opaque muddy brown pour with thick white head sure looks good. The smell is even more inviting with hints of banana, clove and fig. So far it would be tough to distinguish this beer from my personal favorite, Aventinus. The taste is good up front, but it lacks the complexity and semi-sweet aftertaste I've grown accustomed to in other beers of the style. The carbonation seems to overpower the malt, as if it wasn't quite brewed correctly. After a swallow it reminds me of most other run of the mill beers out there. Overall it's a decent session beer because it's drinkable. It looks and smells great but I won't bother putting it in my fridge again.

Mill Street Coffee Porter

American Porter

andrenaline

A - Pours almost opaquer black with a slight red hue along the edges, finger of mocha head with decent retention and no real lacing. S - I was surprised to find the sweet chocolate dominate over the espresso malts. Also noticing some burnt almonds and sour cherries. T - Coffee shines through on this one, nicely complemented by dark chocolate cocoa and a nutty flavour that lingers on the finish. Very tasty indeed and I was pleased that it didn't have that bitter finish that is common among many coffee porters. M - Medium bodied ale, goes down smooth with a touch of dryness on the finish. D - Overall this is a top notch coffee porter and would be worthy to any porter fan and one of the better offerings from Mill Street. Very drinkable, and easily sessionable.

25th Anniversary Hopped Lager

American Pale Lager

andrenaline

Found these tasting notes on my BlackBerry from my trip to BC. The first time I tried this was on the beach in 30+ weather, and it was delicious... This time it was back at my brother's air conditioned home, thus a less biased environment. A - Pours a nice light copper brown, nice thumb of light bubbly head with little retention and no real lacing. S - Scent is light metallic hops and some bready malts, rather mild overall though. T - The hops are noticeable, but still a little mild, bready malts are complemented by some caramel flavours. Slight citrus hop lingers, but dominated by biscuit malts on the palette. M - light and bubbly, goes down smooth, but finishes a tad dry. D - Not quite as refreshing as it was on the beach, but still a tasty offering and I was pleased by the mild hops that were present. They could easily amp this up a notch to make it top quality, but a worthy offering nonetheless. Easily sessionable and non-offensive, but not mind blowing.

Black Orchard

Belgian Dark Ale

LordAdmNelson

Ok I wasn't aware that this is retired... I already threw my bottle out, but I figure that this isn't retired. So I think some of the mixed reviews on this one comes from expectations that this is really a Belgian Dark Ale, with whatever that implies--the label calls this one a dark take on the Witbier, which is a more apt description than Belgian Dark Ale (at least in my estimation). Pours an oily black with moderate milk chocolate head... actually looks like a pretty nice stout. Smell is laden with some citrus, some wheat-y notes, just a slight touch of roasted malt, some yeastiness too. It's a bit subdued. Taste was a bit of a surprise, with chocolate and roasted malt forming the center, with some orange peel and other things in there too. MF is fizzy and light, similar to witbier, but doesn't really hold up to the darker flavors. Decent drinkability, not a bad beer, kind of interesting. I thought of this as more of a Belgian take on the schwarzbier, which helps me put this in a better light.

Consecration

American Wild Ale

LordAdmNelson

Whoa way darker than I thought it would be... a ruddy cherrywood brown color with moderate tan head. I guess it makes sense since this is a kriek-esque brew, but it just surprised me. Smell is tart with some cherries, a bit of funk, some leather. Taste follows suit, a bit tart, but not as tart as some other RRs I've had, with nice cherry flavor that flirts with medicinal flavors (not overpowering thank God). Decent malt to it, a bit of an oak touch on the finish as well. MF was medium-light, dry finish, about normal for a sour. I was pretty surprised that this one was 10%, pretty easy drink. Worth a try, but at $17 a bottle, I find it hard to justify when I can get other fruit lambics that are almost just as good (or just as good) for half the price. Rose de Gambrinus, for example, (I know it's raspberries and not cherries) is every bit as good as this guy, in my opinion.

Heineken Lager Beer

Euro Pale Lager

KenC411

Appearance: Golden with a small army of bubbles eagerly marching towards a barely existent head. The head forms no peaks and meagerly covers the beer below. Smell: Reminds me of rice crispies or corn flakes. Smell is light and subtle. Taste: Light and sweet notes, no hop taste. Somewhat bland and unidimensional. Leaves a grain aftertaste. Mouthfeel: Watery, but smooth. Drinkability: Very easy to drink and refreshing.

Smithwick's

Irish Red Ale

KenC411

A: Beer pours an amber color with few pinpoint bubbles climbing to a two finger head. The head dissolved in a few minutes, forming no peaks, but leaving lace on the glass. As the beer is consumed, a curtain of bubbles remains on the side of the glass. S: Strong roasty/malty smell, though no notes in the background. T: A roasted flavor is most noted, with a thick foam of carbonation. There is very little, if at all, hop notes, and as an Irish Red Ale this is to be expected. The beer leaves a bit of a salty aftertaste in the mouth, which is somewhat off putting. M: Creamy and smooth, yet heavy, but carries the flavor well. D: The beer is smooth, and what Smithwick's does right it does very well (roasty flavor). Its a sweet tasting beer, with a bit too much carbonation for my taste. However, if you're looking for a sweet tasting beer with some toasty goodness, this beer goes down easily.

Pranqster

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

TheLVBeerGuy

I need to preface this review by saying that this is one of my favorite beers, and by far the best of the style I have ever tasted. Ironically its not my favorite style by any means, but this beer is almost flawless... A-pours a cloudy orange/gold with little to no head S-herbs and spices with a good dose of hops and citrus T-sweet citrus in hte front followed by a spicy middle and a mellow hop finish M-big in the mouth. I like to take in a huge mouthful and sense all of the carbonation deliver the spices on my tongue D-what all others in the style should aim for. I love this beer.

8 Ball Stout

Oatmeal Stout

TheLVBeerGuy

A- Deep, Deep, Deep brown with a little amber under light, nice cream brown/white head. Very Thick S- Roasted Barley, slight chocolate finish, very sweet on the nose T- Very chocolaty right up front with a toasty warm lingering finish M- Surprisingly light, feels very creamy. Not chewy like the color and thickness told me it was going to be D- Very good on my taste buds. Would make an excellent pairing beer. One of the better stouts I have poured lately

Mill Street Coffee Porter

American Porter

RonBeerBox

A: Dark brown almost black color, a body that doesn't let light pass through, a respectable head really cream style with a lot of body and excellent retention to the glass. S: Real coffee aroma, not just toasted but coffee can be felt, good balanced smell really intense. T: Again coffee is present all the time, a little bitter sensation can be tasted winch is not bad. M: Really nice feeling in the mouth, not a disgusting bitter or acid coffee sensation, maybe a little short ending and some body complexity missing for a porter.

Jaguar

American Pale Ale (APA)

RonBeerBox

A: Pale amber color not very brilliant with some sediments, a medium head almost white with little retention. S: Not very rich aroma, malty, hops smell. T: Little citrus at the beginning but bitter at the end. M: Medium body, not an easy experience, the bitterness at the end lasts some time.

Duet IPA

American IPA

codynevels

Purchased May 10, 2011 from the Alpine Beer Company Brewery Consumed May 12, 2011 Bottled poured into a SA perfect pint. This beer pours a clear brilliant orange with a slightly off-white head that foams to just under a fingers width and fades quickly. The head leaves little lacing throughout, but remains in a thin layer sitting on the beer. Here is where this beer really shines. The smell is a strong citrus. Grapefruit mostly, with orange as well. Fantastic smelling beer. After the initial smell, which to me, is unmistakably citrus grapefruit, there is a strong piney hop presence as well. What allows this beer to stay balanced in the nose is a slight sweet maltiness. The first taste again is a ton of grapefruit, however the piney hops show through more, and this beer finishes with bitter hops, kept in balance again by a slightly sweet maltiness. The taste of this beer really shows what hops can do in the right hands. Dominated by hops, but balanced at the same time. This beer is medium bodied with medium carbonation. It goes down really nicely, I could put these back all day. Overall there are not enough good things to be said about this beer, in my opinion. Definitely the best single IPA that I have tried.

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

codynevels

Bottle poured into a SA Perfect Pint class on 05/22/11 #7 This beer pours jet black, with a thick, sticky, foamy mocha head that leaves great lacing. When poured the head foams two a finger and a half and settles at just under one finger. Absolutely no light is allowed to pass through this amazing looking beer. The smell is dominated by a great hop characteristic as well as dark fruit, coffee and roasted malt. The hops are earthy and piney. The taste is similar to the smell, with lots of bitter hops, dark chocolate, coffee and raisins. There is a nice caramel backbone as well. It finishes with piney hops. This beer is full-bodied and is rather highly carbonated. The alcohol is very well hidden in this beer, there is no alcohol burn. Overall, this is a classic hoppy Russian Imperial Stout. Full-bodied, full alcohol, big, bold, black and hairy.

Rio Blanco Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Bentley

According to the bottle, this contains Saaz hops. And, according to the homebrew book I got with my first home brewing kit I bought today, Saaz hops are also in Pilsner Urquel! Whoopee! Wait, I don't really care for Pilsner Urquel...on to this beer. Pours a peach color with a nice foamy head that sticks to the side of the glass. The beer is translucent, with just a hint of haze. The smell is a little fruity, but mostly nonexistent. I certainly don't get the grapefruit smell that some others have mentioned. The flavor is crisp, with just a bit of spice. This is a fairly carbonated beer, as I can still see the bubbles flowing up several minutes after the pour. Overall, it's a quite decent beer. It definitely meets the standard of being a "good local" beer to friends here in Texas. Very drinkable, but really doesn't leave much of an impression.

Pranqster

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Bentley

Thanks to the benevolence of morris729, I had my first Pranqster experience this afternoon. The beer poured a dark golden-orange color. It looked more substantial that I was expecting, and I was already hooked. The soft white head was beautiful and the lacing was excellent. The nose was somewhat sweet. After admiring the beer for a few seconds, it was time to drink. The taste was exceptional, equalling just about anything I've had out of Belgium. Just enough spice, just enough fruit flavor, and no indication that this beer had an alcohol content of 7.6 percent. Drinkability is off the charts. Boy howdy! That's a beer. Now, let's just hope it's available in Austin.

Blue Moon Belgian White

Witbier

Lagerfeld

Appearance - actually really impressed with the appearance of this beer, looks seductive and hazy while still inside the bottle - nice dirty orange when poured into a glass Smell - pretty much get all the scents listed on the back of the bottle citrus/spice Taste - I like the taste a lot, didn't know what to expect upon the first drink since so many people like it and describe it as being really fruity - but wasn't as fruity as I had thought it would be which i liked - just enough citrus taste and the hints of spice really add to the overall feel of this one Mouthfeel - feels good in the mouth, a little thicker than i thought - good carbonation Drinkability - i give it a 3.5 just because you're not going to want to drink too many of these at one sitting not really too thick or filling at all - a great beer to have on occasion but would probably never be in my rotation - also good to drink at places that serve bad beers and have something a little out of the ordinary like blue moon btw: i've never had it with an orange - which actually seems like it might make it a little better overall i'd give it a B

Heineken Lager Beer

Euro Pale Lager

Lagerfeld

A-love the green bottle, loved watching my dad drink it as a kid - always loved the bottles of his favorite beers - heineken, guiness, red stripe - never confused them for soda btw S-kind of a skunky smell in a way, not bad tho mostly a refreshing clean smell T-refreshing and clean, subtle aftertaste that you grow to love - great balance of clean and refreshing and slightly bitter/skunky finish M-matches the flavor well D-very drinkable imo some people don't like it because they think its too skunky, im in the age range where people rate beers on how fast they can drink them i always take my time and enjoy heineken though-one of my all time favorites when served right, i've been to some bars where they don't sell enough and it gets old and loses some of its edge but that's only sometimes

Wyld

American Pale Ale (APA)

MusicaleMike

Bottled on 5/29/08. Poured into my Carlsberg pint glass. A: I got a small, whitish head, but it looks sticky and that it might leave some nice lacing. Very active carbonation shows itself off through the clear deep gold color. The small head has a lot of staying power, and amazingly leaves lace down the side of the glass till the last drop. S: Mostly hops up front of the Cascade variety. Beautiful floral hop smell. It smells just like a standard good pale ale. The aroma promises some hop bitterness up front supported by a decent malt backbone. T: The taste was as expected...I got hop flavor with a little candy sugar sweetness in the aftertaste. Not complex like some of my more favorite pale ales. The flavor was more lacking in the malt department. This was not a bitter pale ale either. The hop bitterness id extremely subdued and it almost tastes watered down. M: Medium to light bodied. Very soft and crisp carbonation. It does not leave much of an impression on the mouthfeel, which helps out the drinkability rating. D: Excellent. Tasty and delicious. Wonderful bouquet and smooth mouthfeel make this pale ale exceptionallt easy to drink. Not filling in any way and I could easily finish off a few.

Smoke Ale

Smoked Beer

MusicaleMike

I poured a 22 oz. bottle of this smoke ale into a Carlsberg pint glass. No freshness date. A: There was a hazy brown body with orange-red hues when held to the light, topped by a cream colored head which dissipated to a thin layer. S: There is a sweet malt smell that sits behind the bolder roasted, smoky aroma. Hops were present in the smell. The smell is strong. T: Smoke flavor mixed with bitter hop flavor. The two hold hands together in this ale. The alcohol warms the mouth towards the end as the beer's temperature rises. There is a nice sweet malt taste in the aftertaste. M: Smooth, smooth, smooth. D: I dub this smoke ale easy to drink for a smoked beer. I don't think I would sit down and have more then one or two however.

Saranac Black & Tan

Black & Tan

CaptJackHarkness

Most Saranac productions I've tried are ok, drinkable, but nothing to go out of the way and serve to friends. This Black and Tan is more like a brown ale in apperance and taste. Nothing like mixing Harp Lager and Guinness Stout (or Bass Ale for that matter!)

Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier

Rauchbier

CaptJackHarkness

An amber/caramel color with a nice head that quickly dissapates. The flavor is indeed smoky but not overwhelming. A little like beef jerky or smoked turkey made liquid! (Nice) This would be better in the colder months, since it leaves a nice warming feel.

90 Minute IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Phormula

A: Pours a penny copper, with a short creamy head which quickly recedes leaving a consistent lacing throughout the drinking experience. Very appealing visually. S: Citrus, pine, grapefruit, sweet malty aroma. All in great abundance; this beer could be an acceptable cologne for me. It's nice having a beer that smells as good as it tastes. T: An instant splash of citrus, followed by the aromatic spiciness of pine which continues into the flawless sweet malty, and hoppy finish. M: Perfectly carbonated, slightly oily, and surprisingly smooth for such a high alcoholic content. This could be dangerous! D: One of the most drinkable IPA's I've ever had, even considering the alcohol content and strong flavoring. Getting into a stupor is worth it in this pleasurable drinking experience. And being from northing Delaware, I should really take the trip down to Milton, DE as I've heard it's a great place with a warm shoreside atmosphere...and full of crazy in-house experiments to indulge upon.

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale (2007-2009)

American IPA

Phormula

I found this in a 6 pack for a steal of a price at a local beer stop tonight. $6.99. Maybe an error on the cashiers part, but needlessly to say, I'm happy. This beer pours a hazy orange with really good head retention, and a decent amount of lacing throughout drinking. The aroma for me consists mostly of grapefruit, citrus, wonderful floral hop oils, caramel and some toasted malts. As with the smell, there are some very crisp citrus flavors to go along with the hops here. It's a good balance between malty and hoppy. Mouthfeel is really smooth, crisp, and slightly oily at the back end. This is the third consecutive year that I've had a chance to try this beer, and each year it's been a pleasure to drink. Easily sessionable at for it's abv. Looking forward to having it again next year.

La Fin Du Monde

Tripel

Sixpack595

The first time I had this was in a dive selling all their oddball beers for a buck! Out of the bottle I though it was good, I saw the ABV, I thought it was great. Later I found a fresh 750ml and tried it out of the proper glass... OMFG, this beer is perfect! Popping the top you get a whiff of green apples and a puff of gunsmoke. Pouring this incredable beer results in a slightly hazy body crowned by a creamy mound of white foam. Sweet and fruity with apples and pairs in the begining a perfectly balanced bitterness give a dry, spicy finish. With a moderatly full mouthfeel, crisp carbonation, and peppery finish this beer even feels good to drink. At 9% this beer is no joke, but it hides it so well.

Indian Brown Ale

American Brown Ale

Sixpack595

Nice toasty brown ale with a pretty good punch. Dark copper brown in color with a thin but persistant tan head. For such a small amount of foam the retention is amazing. Aroma is slightly floral and hoppy with a strong toasty malt base. Flavor is very smooth and malty with chocolate, caramel and toasy bread flavors. Quite complex for a brown with a good malt taste profile. I can't believe this beer tops 7%, its very well hidden.

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

alexw

This is my favorite Yeti yet -- the darkness & spicyness the coffee adds to it makes this even more spectacular a beer than the other Yeti's I've tried. Pours dark & thick, kinda like maple syrup... Had a creamy white head of small bubbles initially, but that dissipated quickly leaving just the black tar behind. The smell is very complex, like coffee one minute but also with strong hints of vanilla coming through. Whatever is in there, it smells big, roasted, and dark! Very (surprisingly) sweet taste to it. I figured the malt would come through heavy, but this was almost like drinking a tootsie roll. The sweetness is matched only by the bitterness -- they managed to bring the hop bitterness forward along with the sweetness of the malt too!

Potro

English Stout

alexw

Smells like a Corona imitation -- but darker. Also has slight smell of raisins. Poured a deep brown color into a tulip glass. The minuscule head of foam dissipated quickly in the glass, but there was some slight lacing across the sides. The taste is fizzy from the start -- like champagne, or ginger ale or something. Mouthfeel was full and heavy, which went against that fizzy taste as well. Not impressed with this beer overall; maybe it was the fact that it was brought back all the way from Mexico in a cargo hold before I got to drink it, but it just doesn't seem very well thought out. At least it's in a cool blue bottle!

Bitter Woman India Pale Ale

American IPA

PatYoda

Hazy gold with lots of floaties. Nice two finger head and great lacing. Aroma hits you hard with juicy citrusy fruit. Taste is more of the same, plus a nice lingering bitterness that is not overdone. The malt is there in the background to provide excellent balance to this brew. Mouthfeel is beautiful - creamy and luscious, and I could drink this all day! Thanks nchrist13!

Bell's Oberon Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

PatYoda

Not terrible I suppose. Hazy Orange with no head. Where is the carbonation? I've had it from several places with the same problem. Aroma is too subdued for my tastes. Some nice things there though, with citrus and a wheaty grain taste dominating. Not much spice or banana. Taste doesn't have as much of a zing to it, tastes a little muddled to me. About the same flavors as detected in the smell. A little bit of bitterness on the finish is nice. Body is a bit heavy without the carbonation to hold it up in the mouth though.

Dark Horse Scotty Karate Scotch Ale

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

7ways

Delirium snifter @ 50* Dark brown, small tan head, tiny bubbles. Smells like a candy factory, mostly chocolate. Also caramel, gummy bears, molasses, and rum. Very pungent, it hit me in the face as soon as the bottle was opened. Damn that tastes good. Not much if any of the chocolate I smelled. This is a new bottle, but tastes like it's been aged because of the great complexity and cohesion. Very malty showcase with a touch of hops. Caramel, toffee, nuts, everything I want from a wee heavy. Subtle hint of smoke and buttery alcohol in a well balanced finish. Mouthfeel is regrettably thin. This beer deserves better.

Alpha King Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

7ways

Dark copper with small tan head. No lace. It looks thin, and kind of pathetic. Smells bright and airy, not too pungent. Fresh green hops, flowers, orange peel, and tropical fruit can't quite cover the cereal maltiness. A little meaty, but not rotten. Tastes about like it smells, creeping into IPA territory. It's balanced on the front, but finishes sharply citric, bitter, and metallic. Not too complex or quaffable. Decent mouthfeel. I don't get the hype, is it just because everything from 3Floyds has to be awesome? This is a decent beer, everything about this seems well put together; however, it's pretty lackluster. It would be swell if 3F cared enough to date their bottles. And calling an IPA a pale ale isn't "pushing the envelope", it's just mislabeling.

Piraat Ale

Belgian IPA

chronicbeerback

This is the original Belgian IPA. ya know, fuck people's reactions. This beer pours with a syrupy, viscous, pungent head, absolutely hilarious to the newbies...Typical Belgian malt color, obvious astringency from the Special B/ Caramel malt, then there's such a wicked hop addition it almost turns your lips to sand. But that's what we want, right? Why dick around with a lame beer, this is the punch in the face from a sweet girl, and you deserved it....

Stella Artois

Euro Pale Lager

chronicbeerback

Stella- Light straw in color. Pleasant, thin malt aroma, very carbonated. Tastes fine, not skunked as some I've had in past. Been in my fridge for awhile... clean, crisp, easy-drinking beer. Reminds me of the Frisby family, they named their daughter Stella. I doubt it's for the beer though, they're Mormons. This is what I would consider an over-priced beer, for the quality. Belgians seem to swill the stuff, cheap as water over there, but it's considered premium here. Anyway, super-easy drinking....

Coors Light

Light Lager

RadNitroMan

Only because of the new marketing of the "Cold activated bottle' have I regressed to offer this. This is nothing more than the typicaly chemicalized over worked water that way to many people continue to buy that gives BEER a bad name. Issues: The label is on the outside of the bottle and will cool faster than the beer. It's a macro light beer which means who cares, it already sucks. The tempature range of this new gadget is 48-43. I like mine a bit colder. just a marketing tool, for your average tool. If you can't keep track of where your COLD beer is, you may have had too many. And if you call this swill water beer, you have no taste anyway. Drink better beer. Rahr & Sons Gold Medal Winning "Ugly Pug"

Yuengling Traditional Lager

American Amber / Red Lager

RadNitroMan

I found this beer on a trip to Philly, at a place called Coaches. This is basically an East Coast only brew. If in town, just ask for a "Lager". They will know what you mean. A-It has a beautiful and clean light amber hue. S-Slightly flowery. But not pundgent. T-Slightly fruity at first, with a very nice grainy finish. M-Perfect carbonation, very nice clean finish. No creamy or bitter aftertaste. D-Very clean amber lager that has just enough flavor for most without overpowering most meals. A must.

Snowshoe Red Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Wisconsin

12 ounce bottle into New Glarus pint glass A - Pours a golden, copper body that is extremely clear. An off white head that is about a half finger thick after the pour fades to a lace after a couple minutes. Tons of carbonation is visible and racing to the top of the beer. S - Malts, caramel along with some sweet fruit notes (apple?) and a nice balance of some slight hops. All the smells are pretty consistent and there really isn't anything that dominates any other aspect. Overall, it's not exactly a smell that is going to blow you away but its enough to get your attention. T - Plenty of malts with a nice addition of caramel and fruit notes. There is a good amount of hops in this one as well. Not as full as I would like out of but its nothing to frown upon. M - Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Tons of malts right of the bat. Spice notes, along with caramel, a slightly fruity body follow as the palate is cleansed with a nice blast of carbonation. Finishing is a slightly hoppy but clean and smooth. D - I wasn't blown away by this one but it might grow on me as the temperature drops this winter. The strong malt backbone is definitely something that will appeal as it gets colder. Regardless, it's still a very crisp, smooth and easy drinking beer.

Downtown Nut Brown (D.T.B.)

English Brown Ale

Wisconsin

A - Pours a dark brown, almost black body with a one finger head that fades to a decent lace. S - This smells much more like a nut brown ale to me. There is some slight malts and grains along with a faint nutty smell. T - Malts, grains and some nutty chocolate flavors all hit your mouth. As I drink this beer I question whether or not this really a brown ale and not a doppelbock or a nut brown ale. M - Smooth malted chocolate nutty flavor with some bitter roasted undertones. D - This is a pretty solid brown ale, if it is even that. Regardless of what it is, it is solid nonetheless. I rated this lower because of the bitterness that this beer finishes with. Pretty good otherwise.

Mocha Porter

American Porter

BRoberts914

I had anticipated trying this beer for quite some time. Finally got the chance last night. The appearance is what one would expect for the style--dark, with ruby highlights on the edges. The smell is pleasing with a healthy dose of dark malts, english hops, and a hint of roasted nuts. Unfortunately, the malts suggested by the aroma did not show up as prominently in the palate as I had expected. Maybe I'm being a little harsh here, but it seemed like the malt taste was too weak and gave way to the hoppy finish too quickly for a robust porter. The mouthfeel was very good--creamy, full bodied, but not overpowering. I could easily drink multiples of this beer, but I would probably go with an Anchor or a Sierra Nevada instead.

Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale

Winter Warmer

BRoberts914

This beer rocks. It pisses me off that I can't get it in a sixer, but oh well. Yes, this is a legitimate winter ale, but it's a little less overpowering than some others I've had. Some purists may find that to be a problem--I don't, I love this beer! This is a fairly complex ale and is therefore best if served just slightly cool. The appearance is really lovely. It has sort of a glowing red-brown appearance that is really inticing with some nice white lacing. You can really smell the bouqet of spices; in particular, the cirtus and cinammon really show up along with LOTS of malt aroma. The taste follows suit; the caramel and chocolate malts are pretty prominent, as they should be. A twist of noble hops provides balance, and accents the sweet malts perfectly. Mouthfeel is fine, and I would drink more than one of these without thinking if I could get more than 4 at a time.

Bud Light

Light Lager

KoG

Tastes no different than the bottled version, free as well. Still super yellow with a fizz that dies off, smells like cereal in water, and tastes like nothing. Dries out the mouth more than in the bottle and also had almost no carbonation. If I ever had to have this again I would rather not drink anything at all or bring a glass with me to the restroom. Not good at all.

Edenton King David's Red

American Amber / Red Ale

KoG

12 oz. bottle courtesy of hoppedup in BIF 21. Amber red body with a small frothy foam head that laces very well and keeps a pillow on top. Smell is a little underpowered. Some chocolate malt and a bit of hop in front of a bit of sweet malt. Taste is pretty full. Nice light spicy bitterness on the front fading into a sweet malt and light chocolate malt finish. pretty good. Doesn't dry out or have any off flavors. A solid red thats right in the middle of the style but still nails it pretty well and still stands out a bit.

Pumking

Pumpkin Ale

Jerzdevil1116

22 oz bomber purchased at Joe Canal's in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Drank for a pint glass. A: Clear, orangey/amber body. Thin white head that clings to the glass. Steady stream of small bubbles rising in the glass. Nice lacing. S: Smells like they squeezed the juice out of a pumpkin pie. There's the pumpkin and spice smells found in other pumpkin ales, but this goes an extra step. The crust is in there too (vanilla anad grahm crackers). T: Tastes just like it smells, pumpkin pie; crust and all. Also has a pleasant, slightly bitter finish M: Medium bodied and velvety smoothe. D: My mouth watered waiting for this one to make it's appearance this season. IMO the best pumpkin beer out there. Though I savor it slowly, it is full of great flavors and highly drinkable for 9% abv.

River Horse Oatmeal Milk Stout

Milk / Sweet Stout

Jerzdevil1116

12 oz bottle purchased at Joe Canal's in Egg Harbor Twp, NJ. Drank from a pint glass. A: Very dark brown, almost black body. 2 fingers of tan head dissipated over a few minutes. No lacing. S: Full of raosted malt. A vanilla and caramel sweetness dominated by coffee and chocolate. T: Mostly bitter, coffee and chocolate. Only a slight sweetness in the beginning. M: Medium bodied and fairly smoothe. Some crispness from carbonation. D: This beer was pretty easy to drink. At 6.7% alcohol, I could enjoy a few of these in a sitting.

Sol

American Adjunct Lager

cjl1209

Hey it's Cinco de Mayo so why not? A - Pours a clear light gold with roughly 1 finger white head. S - Light scents of grass and veggies. T - Grains, sweet grass, and corn flakes. Leaves the mouth feeling very wet. Basically it tastes the same as Corona but costs less. And that's the best thing I can say about this beer. M - Light and watery. D - This was an easy drinker but desperately needed a garnish to enhance the flavor. Final Thoughts: No lime? Then you are S.O.L. my friend.

Samuel Adams Summer Ale

American Pale Wheat Ale

cjl1209

"Refreshing, crisp, and tangy, Summer Ale is brewed with wheat malt, lemon zest and Grains of Paradise, a mysterious brewing spice used by Renaissance brewers centuries ago. Summer Ale is an American wheat ale from one of America's original craft brewers. Cheers!" Freshness notched at September 2009 A - Pours a light golden honey with a small white head. S - Lemon, wheat, and spice (which I'm assuming is grains of paradise which I'm not too familiar with). T - The grains of paradise (I guess) are instantly noticeable. Citrus, namely lemon peel comes out as well as a wheat/yeast flavor. The spice is always there along with an overt sweetness. Grains of paradise is completely dominate making for a very one sided brew. M - Medium. Actually much heavier than expected for a summer brew. D - If you like grains of paradise then this beer makes for an easy sipper but for me this odd spice is just too out there, thus preventing me from having more than one or two. Final Thoughts: An interesting twist on the style but I expected something more from such a well respected brewery and what is supposedly their best selling of all seasonals

Blind Faith

English India Pale Ale (IPA)

ShrinerMcBitey

A: Pours a nice copper with orangish tones. 2 fingers of foam to start 1 finger hangs around through almost the entire beer. Pretty good lacing. S: Spice, gingerbread, christmasy T: Pretty good malt backbone, plenty of hops that dry out but not over the top hops. Some spiciness, bready. Pretty nice balance, enjoyable. M:Good balance, wet to dry finish. O: I enjoyed this. have not had it for many years. Last time I had it was on draft at the Mews Tavern in 1998? 2000? Its a "more drinkable" IPA, by that I mean it has good balance, the hops are not through the roof, as such I actually find this quite a refreshing IPA.

#9

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

ShrinerMcBitey

A: Apricot - light, light copper. 1 finger of foam that went away pretty quick. No lacing. S: Apricot, peach, fruity. It doesn't smell bad, it smells like fruit. T: Fruit, apricot, hard to taste some very slight underlying malt. Does dry out some with a trace of hops. M: Juicy then drying but not dry. O: If I was on an island and told I could only have one beer that is predominantly a fruit beer I would probably roll with #9. But what the hell kind of horrible island would that be?

Sea Monster Imperial Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

btransue4

This poured dark as night black. I drank a bomber out of a goblet. Almost no head but a very dark with a strong flavor. Thick yet very drinkable. This stout had subtle undertones of chocolate with a rich coffee, bitter oatmeal flavor. Stouts are a hit or miss in my book and this one was spot on. This beer is a limited release and I see why, this was my first ballast point and I now understand why they are so sought after. A excellent stout. If you can find it, buy it.

Samuel Adams Triple Bock

American Strong Ale

btransue4

This may be my first review but I have had many beers. Many were from this website, Most were loved. This beer though was simply undrinkable. I have had hundreds of beers. This reeked of soy sauce, to the point that after three sips I simply dumped it down the drain. Like many other reviewers this beer reeked. I am just in shock. I had high expectations for this and I feel extremely let down. It did have some wickedly complex flavors of fruits, such as prunes, grapes and berry's mixed with an aged whiskey. Yet I couldn't force myself to drink this, I wish Sam Adams would reintroduce this beer and make it new, I feel cheated.

Coney Island Albino Python

Herbed / Spiced Beer

Mazika

Purchased from Zupan's in Oregon I enjoyed consuming this beer. It had a very distinct color and aroma that danced around my mouth. The spices were a good match to the crispness of the brew. I will be trying more brews from the Shmaltzs company soon.

Half-E-Weizen

Witbier

Mazika

Poured from a 22oz bottle. This is my favorite non dark beer. It isn't often that I go to the beer store and get the same beer twice, but I can say i have picked this bad boy up 3 times. This beer has a massive amount of flavor and is not meant to be chugged. I use a sifter when I drink this beer and enjoy every sip.

Fresh Hop Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

KOrtega

Bomber poured into a cervoise goblet (bottled on 21 Oct 2011) A-Pours a bright and clear orange-amber color with a thick, creamy off-white head. Some lacing as the head settles. S-Fairly mellow grassy aroma mixed with sweet malt. T-Starts with some slightly sweet malt with a bit of toffee or caramel. The hops come with the finish: bitter with a little citrus-sweet mixed in. M-Starts off very smooth drink and finishes with a good bitter hop bite. Gets the mouth watering. O-The beer has an awesome appearance. The aroma is pretty mellow, but the taste is solid. Occasionally can come off watery or weak-ish on drinks, but I think that contributes to the beer's drinkability.

Vapeur En Folie

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

KOrtega

750 ml bottle poured into a snifter glass A-Pours a hazy golden orange. Head is a thin bubbly white and does not last long. S-Sharp, acidic with white wine aroma. Pretty mellow overall, though. T-Sour apple flavor to start. Tart fruitiness (apple, orange) with a flat and sweet hay/grass flavor. M-Light and crisp, sour flavors stick but aren't overpowering. O-Fairly mellow aroma but an interesting flavor with sour fruitiness and a resemblance to a white wine. A fair drink.

Dry Dock Hefeweizen

Hefeweizen

LeeryLeprechaun

The beer was golden colored and hazy, just the way it should be. There was an off white head on the beer that made it just look perfect in the glass. The aroma was of bananas and bready wheat. The beer tasted like wheat and yeast and maybe a little orange citrus taste. Overall this was an awesome Weizen!

Staggering Elk Organic Lager

American Adjunct Lager

LeeryLeprechaun

The beer pours a very clear straw color that has almost no head. Not a great indicator that what you are about to do is going to be any good. The beer smells crisp and has a slight DMS aroma. Their is no hop taste or aroma. The body is medium and somewhat oily. Overall this was a pretty pathetic beer and was kind of watery.

Holsten Maibock

Maibock / Helles Bock

PEIBeerGuy

Looks average... very clear, golden yellow. Lots of head that disappears in a couple of minutes, leaving some lacing down the glass. Smell is nearly non-existent. Smells like a lot of similar beers. Nothing stands out as good or really bad. The alcohol surely stands out. It's got an OK aftertaste, and you can taste some OK sweet notes in there, and some mildness, but over top all of that is that overpowering shadow of sharp alcohol. Drinking this is almost like trying to grimace down some straight hard liquors. Trying to separate this from flavour, it "feels" OK. A little creamy, fairly smooth, OK carbonation. I can drink it, but I don't like it.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

Hefeweizen

PEIBeerGuy

I'm starting to get more into this type of beer after the Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse I had the other day and this one. I thought the Hacker-Pschorr was slightly better, though. Looks good... cloudy gold. Tall, foamy head that left no lace on the sides except where I was drinking. The smell is good, albeit a bit sharp. It tastes pretty good! I get a banana, cream, & dough flavour with a bit of spice. It feels smooth, not too thick or thin. Pretty drinkable! I won't be afraid to further explore this genre after the other ones I had that I didn't care for as much.