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Sam Adams Light

Light Lager

DMBoSox11

Review #4 - 12 ounce brown bottle (best if date displayed) in a weizen glass. A: A clear amber (darkest Light Lager I've come across) with a slightly off-white head. The head had medium bubbles with medium retention and light, splotchy lacing. S: The same noble hop aroma from their flagship beer, just much lighter. A bit of straw follows the hops. T: More of the same "Boston Lager" light. The hops still come through, but the bready malt has the final say. M: Crisp, light body with medium carbonation. Due to the lightness, it doesn't cloy to any one part of the palate. D: Very smooth and clearly the best Light Lager out there.

Full Throttle Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

DMBoSox11

Review #2 - 12 ounce bottle (no date) in a snifter. A: A cloudy, dark orange with a darker off-white frothy head. The head had assorted bubbles with light retention. Ridiculous glass covering lacing. S: Grapefruit hops with a huge sugary sweet malt backing and a very slight touch of alcohol as it warms. T: Beautiful grapefruit and grapefruit rind hops followed by a touch of floral hops. Solid multi-grain bread malt with a sweet and lasting finish. Bitter for sure, but not over the top. The alcohol is well hidden. M: Full body which coats the mouth. Medium carbonation, but I wish it were higher to get that bite of most IPAs/IIPAs. D: Perhaps the best IIPA I've had.

Spaten Oktoberfestbier Ur-Märzen

Märzen / Oktoberfest

StonyB

It's almost Fall! Let's go festing... 12 oz green bottle, bright blue label. Neither A.B.V. nor freshness date listed. Appearance - Pours a clear, dark copper-bronze. Bubbly head fades quickly, but leaves a thin cap and sticky lacing. Reasonably attractive. Smell - Mildly toasted malt aroma. Slightly off-putting graininess as well. Not overly inviting. Taste - Surprisingly faint malt flavor, not very sweet, certainly not assertive. Touch of butterscotch, caramel, diacetyl. Not a lot going on here. Mouthfeel - Thin body, slightly acidic. Very light carbonation. Drinkability - For an Oktoberfest, not very filling and quite sessionable. But there are other beers in this style I'd rather curl up with. Spaten makes a widely available, easy to drink Oktoberfest for the masses. Call it Macrofest.

Tröegs Nugget Nectar

American Amber / Red Ale

StonyB

I discovered this seasonal gem two years ago, and have looked forward to it ever since. Look for the eye-catching label, a bright orange background framing a hand squeezing the juice ("nectar") out of a hop flower. 7.5% ABV listed, and a very faint date of 02/06/08 stamped near the neck. Appearance - This beer's color is almost as orange as the label, slightly cloudy. One finger of foam, tenacious lacing. Smell - Hop assault. I'm not good enough at this to differentiate between varieties, but the label indicates Nugget, Warrior and Tomahawk hops. Works for me. Some grapefruit for sure, but the hops dominate. Taste - Yum. Floral and citric hops up front, tart and semi-sweet tangerine and grapefruit follow. A slightly dry yet warming finish. Again the hops are leading the charge, but this is more balanced than you would think. Mouthfeel - Somewhat thick, though not creamy. Tart and citric, but not overly acidic. Strong hop aftertaste, in a good way. Drinkability - This beauty is dangerously drinkable. Each sip is just as good or even better than the previous one. It's strong and warming, yet you don't really taste the alcohol. It's probably just as well that Nugget Nectar is seasonal, or I might never buy any other hoppy beers. An excellent beer, a home run by Troegs. Get some.

Hoptober Golden Ale

American Blonde Ale

culver501

A-beautiful crystal clear yellow, 2" inch fluffy white head, good carbonation, good retention, minimal lacing S-lemongrass, piney hops, wood T-florarl hops, more delicate less hit you in the face, good sweetness lingers after the bitter fades, good citrus note, it's quite refreshing for a something with a decent hop profile (40 IBU) M-pretty light, little dance of carbonation on the tongue at the front of the sip D-need to buy a sixer of this

Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo

English Strong Ale

culver501

A-beautiful dark amber color, fat tan head, good carbonation S-Fantastic, toffee, oak, licorice, hint of cloves T-Wow, definitely a strong beer, sweet and sour, the words wine like come to mind right away, i'm guessing that's the oak flavors imparted along with the many other beers which resided in the same oak over so many years M-really lingers even after first sip, really coats, even the aftertaste is complex as hell D-yes

Arrogant Bastard Ale

American Strong Ale

Bootscraper

I have heard so much about this infamous beer, and even had the privilege of sampling some a while back. Reminded me of a stout and IPA hybrid... I thought it was tasty enough for me to go pick one up for myself to review. Served a hair over 50 degrees F in Pint Glass, listening to Genghis Tron's "Dead Mountain Mouth". Let's just say that my mouth is not dead after this hell of a beer. The pour produced a full 1cm light tan creamy head. It shrank to just a very very thin (almost non-existent) layer after just a few lengthy minutes, but it stayed until the bottom of my glass. The lacing was patchy but there was a good amount of it, and a bit of it stuck around for a very long time. The smell is mellow, but pure hops that are slightly sharp (almost pine-y). It's also pretty "warm" too, in other words, either roasted or Dark fruit scents were accompanying all those hops. There may also be some flowery characteristics of a typical ale that were trying to be known in my nose. The taste, also, is translated simply as "hops". Now it is at the tongue , yes, they definitely are roasted. Not too much though, like, say, a stout. There may also be some semi-sweet caramel nuances in here, but if so, it just blends with the roasted/smoked flavors. It is a little alcoholic, but that is typical of a strong ale (duh), and the flavor is very consistent from sip to finish. What wins me over though, is the epic aftertaste. It doesn't matter if I already put my glass down and started writing some more notes, I am still drinking this thing. One sip, and you are tasting those hops for a good 10 minutes. In the mouth, that flavor is made amazing by the fact that this a full-bodied beer. And hey, it's also very smooth, and a just little bit sticky. Great carbonation levels as well. Love it! I like how personal the huge ass bottle is as far as drinkability goes, but I can see how it could be intimidating to some. Thankfully, they sell this in smaller 6 packs now. Not much else I can say about this beer... just a very straight-forward design executed with great brilliance and attention to detail. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a very hoppy ale to knock them on their ass.

O.K. Beer

Euro Pale Lager

Bootscraper

Had this in a bar in Chicago when my friend ordered one. Thought I would try this out in my home up here for a review. Served at about 50 degrees F in pint glass listening to Boris and Sunn O))) -"Altar". True to it's style, this beer is simple & modest, but refreshing. It was a very clear shade of pale yellow. The pour produced a 1" pillowy pure-white head that took a good 3-4 minutes to shrink to a thin layer, but completely disappeared by about halfway down the glass. The smell was modest and a mixture of sweet malts and hops. Those malts really shone through on the tongue as well... The taste is a very light sweetness, with the malts becoming slightly richer towards the finish. For what I was expecting, this beer had a slightly dry finish and post-sip, but it was not too bothersome. The fact that it was light-bodied and had low-carbonation worked well with the subtle & crisp flavor, and meant that one could really blast through this stuff like ice-cold water on a summer day. Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a Pilsner-esque beer.

Orange Shush

Witbier

JupiterJesus

Picked this up at the MoreBeer in Concord, which is pretty close to the Ale Industries brewery (but they were closed). I'd been meaning to try this out, and figured grabbing a bottle would be a good start. 22 oz bomber poured into a Duvel tulip glass. A - Too dark and clear for a wit, but then again it says "Whit" on the bottle, so ... Golden color with moderate carbonation that dissipated quickly, leaving only a ring around the glass. No lacing. S - Smell was ... interesting. Intense orange and spice, like a Blue Moon (gag). M - Light body and low carbonation. Very 'drinkable' but felt more like a light macro brew. T - The chamomile really hits you when you take a sip. You thought you were getting orange and coriander but man you had no idea. To me it basically tastes like a light American pilsner with chamomile flavoring added. Bitter bite on the front end but lacking on the finish, which is the most disappointing part. Overall, disappointed. Totally forgettable brew with a gimmick. Will not buy again.

Estrella Damm

American Adjunct Lager

JupiterJesus

I must admit, I had good feelings toward this beer after having it on draft in a London pub. Add in that I'm going to Spain in a week and I thought I'd check it out again. This is not good beer. Sure, compared to a BMC it's spectacular. But for the price of an import 6-pack, you could easily pick up an awesome craft beer. I'll still finish off the 6-pack - it's beer, of course I'll drink it. But I won't enjoy it! Poured into a Trumer Pilsner glass (Stange?). Beautiful color and a head that won't quit. Seriously, I gave up waiting for it to go down, and eventually just dug in. Lacing was impressive - it left a ring around the glass after every sip, with about 7 levels of lacing by the end. But...then I look into and find out they use some chemical to increase head retention. Major fail. Cheaters. The body is a little thicker than the typical American lager, and tastes a bit sweet like honey and malt and something grainy I can't put my finger on. Definitely unique. Taste isn't completely terrible, just too sweet, and has virtually no bitterness or hop presence at all, either in the aroma or taste. Of course it's drinkable. It's a euro lager. I could slam an entire 6-pack, except that the sweetness would start to get cloying after the first bottle or two. On the plus side, the labels come off super-easy for using in my own homebrew. Won't be buying again. Time to find out if there are any decent breweries in Madrid...

Anchor Liberty Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

Brewsta

I had to try the Anchor Liberty Ale after seeing the BJCP recommend it as a calibrator beer for American Pale Ales. This beer pour nicely, with a thick white head sits atop a golden pale beer. High carbonation is apparent with the presence micro bubbles jumping off the bottom of my glass. As the beer warms, the chill haze dissipates to a clear liquid. The aroma is a mix of floral, citrus, and earthy. A light grain aroma mellows in the background. No diacetyl. The flavor is light, slightly sweet malt and spicy hops. Mouth feel is tangy, slightly acidic, with a slightly drying finish. Overall this beer is well balanced between hops and malt. The fruit aroma from the yeast coupled with the tartness alluded to a young beer.

ESB Special Ale

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

Brewsta

Overall, a good beer to sit back with and enjoy on an overcast, cold Denver afternoon. The bitterness was fitting this style, although it might be pushing the limit for drinkability. The auroma seemed to disapate as the drink warmed in my glass and left a thin head. I've had this beer in previous years and really liked the smoothness and drinkability. I was a little surprised at the level of hop bitterness that met my mouth, as I have had the impression, in the past, that this beer leaned more towards a English ESB. My mistake.

Hitachino Nest White Ale

Witbier

BogleHill

A Witbeer from Japan? Oh - I have to try that! Be forewarned that this is no typical Belgian Wit. It is a hazy golden color with a nice frothy white head that goes to nice lacing with nice carbonation. The aroma is of spice and slight fruit. The flavor is vell spiced dominated, some citrus at the end. A top notch wheat brew from Japan!

Red Giant

American Amber / Red Ale

BogleHill

750 ml bottled version. I was all excited to try this new Dan Kramer brew! Fancy packaging - all that paper - cannnot be very "green". Anyhoo. This one pours out a cloudy brownish amber with decent carbonation and a good head. The aroma is slightly woody, but otherwise not that impressive. The flavor profile is very very bready - almost doughy. I let it warm hoping for something different, but it never came. This was a big flop in my book!

Tecate

American Adjunct Lager

Taipans

A: Very light gold color, bright white head, minimal lacing. S: Not much aroma, a hint of grain T: Nothing stood out, a little sweet, a touch of maltyness M: Light and smooth D: Easy, about as easy as any light BMC offering. Suprising to me was how much better this was then I feared. BMC drinkers will love this as its spot on for a light american style lager. It was head and shoulders above corona, but a step behind Modelo. As far as Mexican beers go though its not bad.

Turbodog

English Brown Ale

Taipans

Poured into a Pilsner glass. (its all I had at the time) Appearance: Amber in color, brownish head with some moderate lacing Smell: Sweet caramel smell, mostly just a kick of sweetness comes through for me Taste: Sweet caramel / toffee type flavor, high malt profile Mouth: Pretty good body, smooth Drink: This one was pretty easy to put back, it was near 100 outside yesterday too. Usually I shy away from brown ales during the hot summer days but this one didn't make me feel over full.

Fuller's 1845

English Strong Ale

MikeThompson

This is a fantastic beer. If you see it you should buy it immediately. I got this from the Willows in Menlo Park. Poured a dark amber, beautiful appearance in my Samuel Smith pint glass. Smell was malty and sweet, with a slightly alcoholic note. Fruits dominate much of the flavor. Taste was amazing. Malty with a great raisin finish. The hops are strong enough to finish cleanly but still leave a great fruitiness. This beer is very complex, with a strong and sweet entrance, followed by a perfectly bitter exit. Mouthfeel was supple and bottle-conditioned. I can't recommend this beer enough.

The Devastator Double Bock

Doppelbock

MikeThompson

I was in Utah with family for the holidays and like to check out local beers. I bought this at the State liquor store for about $9 a six pack. I do like the cheesy logo. Poured a dark brown with a light head. Smelled a little funky, almost slightly reminiscent of garbage, but mostly consistent with a Doppelbock. The taste was better. It was dominated by a chewy malt flavor, although weaker than most. Nice sweetness, very subtle hops. Once again though, a little funky. I bought a Celebrator to compare back to back, and although the Devastator is a good first-approximation, it is no substitute for a great doppelbock. Mouthfeel was carbonated and not as thick as I expected for the style. Drinkability is good, and this is evidenced by all of the drunk Utah hipsters raving about this beer. I though it was alright.

Smuttynose IPA "Finest Kind"

American IPA

RocketWidget

Hoppy, makes me happy! I love the picture on the bottle, two old guys in front of a trailer in lawn chairs laughing and enjoying their beer. Pours a solid gold color, with hints of orange. Head is good and lacy, but not especially long lasting or carbonated. You can really smell the hops when you take a whiff of this sucker! Taste is bitter and delicious, not much subtle in the flavor but much that is bold and hoppy. Quite enjoyable and refreshing.

Tire Bite Golden Ale

Kölsch

RocketWidget

Man, was this ever a disappointment. Pours a bland, clear yellow. Head is very light, especially for this style. Smell is uninteresting, and almost sour. Taste is bland. Hop taste seems decayed, malt is not very appealing. If you told me this was an below-average pilsner, I would believe you, EXCEPT THIS IS LABELED A GOLDEN ALE! Mad about this one

Seven Grain Saison

Saison / Farmhouse Ale

TigerFan

I like this Saison. I had it as part of my flight at the Bruery. Nice golden color and a moderate amount of carbonation with a good "farmhouse" aroma and flavor. Nice erathy undertones. Crisp with a slight pepperiness that I really enjoyed!

Jockamo IPA

American IPA

TigerFan

This is one of my favorite IPA's (since I am not an over the top hops kinda girl). It has a nice amber color with the perfect amount of carbination. I love the slightly floral aroma/flavor that comes through. It's one of the more unique tasting IPA's I've had!

Salvator Doppel Bock

Doppelbock

HoppyMcStout

This beer was a beautiful ruby red color, but didn't quite have the head that I was hoping for. It had a delicious malty sweetness and tasted just like a true doppelbock should. You probably wouldn't want to sit around and drink a whole bunch of these things but if you are in the mood to be warmed up by a nice brew, definitely grab this one. To me, it tasted precisely like a fine doppelbock should.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

Hefeweizen

HoppyMcStout

First review in quite a while... Pours the typical cloudy golden yellow and with a hell of a lot of head which recedes fairly quickly. A thin but formidable layer of bubbles lingers on the top for the duration of my drinking. Banana and clove as you would expect in the nose, but with a mild peppery spiciness. The taste is subdued. By that I mean it is much milder than other hefes. Not sweet, but rather light and finishes pretty clean. This makes this brew so very drinkable. Reminiscent of Live Oak.

Hail Mary Belgian-Style IPA

Belgian IPA

DCon

Received from Jerad Gardner of the Cathedral Square Brewery when asked which "bomber" I would like to try. I had this one, Iglesia, and their Belgian Style White Ale to chose from. Poured from the 1pt 6oz bottle into my iTap Pint Glass. Does not have a B.O.D. or any best before date on the bottle. Appearance- A nice dark and hazy amber color body with huge 5 finger head that is extremely frothy. The retention is fantastic and has thick lace on the sides. Smell- Has a earthy hop and malt scent but everything else is very dull... I was expecting more from this IPA. Taste- Has more of a malt taste than hops. Once again, not feeling that this should be an IPA. More like a Pale Ale. There is a nice bitterness at the end but this was it. Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Light Viscosity, Leaves the average hop flavor on the palate but nothing crazy. Overall- I was looking forward to this beer for quite some days now but it let me down a bit. The logo on the front is "turning sinners into saints" and I'm also wondering why this is called Hail Mary IPA? It didn't have as many hops as stated on the front ingredients but might have been due to the extreme amount of malts used. Either way, I wouldn't go out of my way to get this beer again but could be good for other people. When it comes to beer, I just one that I can enjoy every time I have it.

Sweetgrass APA

American Pale Ale (APA)

DCon

Enjoyed on-tap @ the wolf public house in Ballwin, MO. Poured into a pint glass and had a keg date of 4-12-11. Appearance- poured a 2 finger of bubbly, white head with a hazy orange color with huge carbonation. Has a decent head retention has thick lacing. Smell- has a huge citrus hop smell upfront and a lime hint as well. There also is a huge vegetable (celery or salad) aroma mixed in. Taste- has citric hop taste and more hops after. Has nice malts used and can taste their importance in this brew. Grapefruit and other fruits follow up this ale. Mouthfeel- light- medium bodied, smooth, and has A great bite at the end. Overall- nice beer with an awesome taste for an apa. Has an average drinkability and nice beer altogether from Grand Teton Brewing.

Dominion Ale

English Pale Ale

ImWithStupid

Old Dominion Ale (not to be confused with Al, like Weird Al Yankovic, which is a completely different Al'e). The 'parodies' between Dominion Ale and most American ales is about as close as Weird Al is to Michael Jackson (and not the beer guru). Although sure there was Eat It (released Feb 84), I would at least hope that Weird Al would have the sense to NOT (allegedly) sleep with children. Dominion Ale has a slight amber color and decent head retention and laces to the glass with a swirl. The beer is as clear as why anyone would watch UHF (meaning no one would want to watch UHF). In my opinion the beer starting heading down hill from here. After tasting Dominion Ale, I wonder if the brewers were having a "Bad Hair Day" (Album came out Mar 96). Although not to offend any crazy Polka fans out there, I would like to say Dominion Ale does have some flavor just like Mr. Yankovic. The beer has a strong caramel flavor that is not all bad. Similar to when Fat came out it was semi popular. Overall I was totally impressed with Dominion but I say Dare to be Stupid. After all of this I would like to thank Weird Als official web site, if not for that I would not have the parodies need to give my review. Thanks for tuning out.

Arrogant Bastard Ale

American Strong Ale

ImWithStupid

Definition...Arrogant (Ar"ro*gant). 1. Making, or having the disposition to make, exorbitant claims of rank or estimation; giving one's self an undue degree of importance; assuming; haughty; -- applied to persons. "Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate." Shak. 2. Containing arrogance; marked with arrogance; proceeding from undue claims or self-importance; -- applied to things; as, arrogant pretensions or behavior. Is it arrogance if you can back it up? Stones Arrogant Bastard Ale can definitely walk the walk while I drink the drink. Stone came poured out a deep amber red color that was clear but dark enough you really could see through it. The slight brownish white head retention is amazing and great laciness to pump ones ego. The smell of arrogance has a strong malt and fruity esters to it. The taste is very similar. Has a not too much over powerful grapefruit hop flavor but not as dominate as say an IPA. The malt backs up the beer nicely. A exceptional blend really from the hops and malt that is perfect. This is a great example of an American Strong Ale. There are a lot of different malts that make up a variety of flavors. A good flavor that rivals almost a barelywine. The aftertaste leaves a acidy or almost oily flavor that is rather obnoxious, but still good. There is rather a bready quality and the high ABV is not fealty right away, it still is present. I very enjoyable beer, even if it is beneath me.

Organic ESB

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

Fartknocker

12 oz. bottle A- dark golden to light browninh color S- average malt aroma T- bitterness comes through right away for me, but doesn't linger M- plenty of carbonation, but nothing out of the ordinary D- one of a sampler, but I could see drinking a few more

Night Train

American Porter

Fartknocker

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. No date or code. A- Pitch black with a thin tan head S- Fairly strong coffee and toasted malt smell T- Burnt coffee the dominating flavor, which seems to work well with underlying malty flavors M- Little carbonation D- Not bad, but the burntness lingers on the roof of your mouth, which is a bit of a downer

Golden IPA

American IPA

cbbjr

A-like its name, it is golden. Decent amount of white head. Dissipates fairly quickly, but does leave some lacing. S-not a whole lot to smell. I even gave it time to warm up, but I'm still not picking up much. There is a slight floral hop smell, but just a trace. T-some hops, but relatively light for the style. A sweet malt flavor seems to stand out more. Reminds me of a less hoppy version of Troegs Hopback. M-medium body that goes down fairly smoothly. O-Definitely not what I was expecting - the malt seemed more pronounced than the hops. I haven't had anything else from Legend and would certainly give them another try, but I wouldn't strongly recommend Golden IPA.

A Little Sumpin' Wild

Belgian IPA

cbbjr

A-deep/dark gold, fairly clear, head dissipated quickly S-pine, closer to an IPA than a Wild Ale T-begins sweet with pine, finishes dry. Not picking up too much citrus. M-maybe the mouthfeel is just thin, but given the strong flavors, the mouthfeel isn't substantial, although there is a fair amount of acidity at the end that stays with you. Medium carbonation. O-I'm impressed, but it isn't the Wild Ale I expected. Very drinkable on a hot summer day, but I probably prefer the more flowery yeast and citrus of regular Little Sumpin Sumpin (one of my favorites). Given the IBUs and high ABV, I wouldn't want to have more than a couple in one sitting.

Harpoon Winter Warmer

Winter Warmer

PorterLover83

Poured into a pint glass with barely any head and a light copper appearance. Smell was very overwhelming with cinnamon and cloves. Has the cinnamon right there with the taste which I felt was a little overpowering. somewhat of a pumpkinish taste? Lighter mouthfeel was a little surprise as I anticipated a little heavier. Overall not too bad, not for me though.

Penn Dark

Munich Dunkel Lager

PorterLover83

Pours a dark caramel brown like a can of pop with a slight creamy looking head. Heavy dark malts in the smell with a hint of yeast? Smell follows flavor with a huge roasted malt taste. Slight coffee hints afterward. Medium mouthfeel lends to the not too filling feel. Very drinkable and excellent brew.

Belzebuth

Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Hex92

Nice amber color. Thin head that disapears quickly. Mouthfeel is good, but the flavor is a little strong. You can definitely tell this is a high octane beer (my bottle said 13%). It smells and tastes very strong. The bottom line is thats its an intersting beer to have once, but its not good enough to drink on a regular basis.

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

Doppelbock

Hex92

Big foamy head when poured, but no lacing. Very dark with maybe a hint of red if you hold it up to the light. A little flat so the mouthfeel is not as good. But it has a great flavor. For some reason it has always reminded me of those root beer candies that are shaped like a mini keg. This is a good beer. But when you break it down into these categories it seems like the ranking is lower than it should be. Maybe its a case of the whole is better than the sum of its parts.

Cohoho Imperial IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Ranbot

I landed this 22-oz bottle in a trade from Docer. The bottle is notched for the 2nd week of August. It's a little old for a DIPA, so take this review with a grain of salt. However, I think this beer does just fine with age, and I wouldn't normally say that about an IPA. This isn't exactly your typical DIPA. Also, I'm not rating this to "to style" either, because overall I think it's a damn good beer, but it doesn't sit comfortably in the classic DIPA category. So, without any further ado... A - It pours into a very nice clear-filtered amber brown with a chunky two-finger ivory head that sticks around for a while. There's some nice lacing on the glass. It's much darker than your typical DIPA, in fact, I've seen "black" IPAs that approach this darkness. I personally love the appearance. S - Earthy and floral hops with a strong molasses and brown sugar. Again it's not typical for a DIPA, but there's nothing off-putting about it. T - Definately on the maltier side with a lot of molasses, brown sugar, chocolate, and lightly toasted grain. Earthy hop flavors come up later in sip. The hops and sugary malts combine nicely in the aftertaste and linger. I'm not really tasting any of the juniper...maybe it's being masked/overpowered by the hops. M - I really like the mouthfeel...smooth as silk and just a little chewy. Carbonation is moderate. D - It's a little strong in both alcohol and flavor to be drinking many of these in a row, but it is a great sipper. This one bomber lasted me over 3 hours. So the take-home message is this beer is very good, but doesn't settle into the DIPA style very well. The malts are very sweet and probably even just a bit cloying, but I think they meld with the hops just fine. This beer is a more like what I would expect from a barleywine albeit slightly lower ABV, or a hopped-up doublebock. If you've tried Stoudt's Smooth Hoperator or Rock Art's Hell's Bock I think you'll notice a lot of similarities. It's a really good sipper...In fact I sipped on this bomber for over 3 hours through preparing and eating dinner. I recommend pairing this with beef. I drank this with my dinner of roast beef in a red wine and cocoa reduction sauce they went perfectly together. Unlike most DIPAs I wouldn't be too concerned about drinking this one with some age on it. Froom looking at the other reviews it seems like a pretty malty brew right out of the tank. I'm sure I lost some of the hop flavor in my tasting, but I honestly really liked what I was tasting. In fact, I'd be willing to put more age on it just out of curiousity. Of course I'd also love to try ti fresh. Alas, that's the only bottle I had and probably ever will have. it's a shame I can't buy it in PA.

Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale

American Barleywine

Ranbot

I got this nice '08 vintage bottle in a trade with Docer. Poured into a chalice A - Golden, brown and red liquid. A moderate pour brought a 1/2 inch white head that quickly subsided into some thin stringers of foam on the liquid. Minimal lacing left on the glass S - smells of grain, caramel, earthy and slightly like red wine. T - Has sweet, bisquit and caramel malts with a touch of tart cherries. Hops deliver a piney and earth-like flavor to the edges of the tongue and round out the sweet malts. A pine and caramel flavor lingers into the aftertaste. Like most barleywines, the alcohol is easilty detected and hot. Malts and alcohol flavors grow more prominent as it warms up. I normally don't like lingering piney hops, but the malts give this added depth. When it's warm I feel like it's sort of whiskey-like but without the burn. M - Mouthfeel is moderate, but surprisingly light for a barleywine. Carbonation is mild. D - There are a lot nice malt and hops flavors that carry through without taking over your sense of taste. A small sip goes a long way, which is good, because no one should be drinking a 9% beer very fast. I'm glad this had at least a year on it. I'm not sure I would would have liked this as much with fresher piney hops and hotter alcohol. Hop heads will want this fresh, but I think more age could only make this better. Definitely a good one to keep in your cellar for a couple years.

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

English Brown Ale

Beastdog75

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale is a very much indeed quite a quaffable beverage. It is both pleasing to the eye and to the palette, and if served fresh I'm sure it would be very pleasing in the aromatic sense as well. It leans toward being a sweeter ale, and it doesn't offer too much in the way of hoppiness, but its drinkability is near flawless. This beer pours a nice amber/brown color with a decent tan head that retains fairly well, but leaves minimal lace. The smell was a little bit skunky, but it eventually subsided with some coffee notes and a reasonably potent caramel aroma. The mouthfeel was maybe a little bit thinner than expected, but it was still quite smooth and it had a moderate amount of carbonation. Thankfully the skunk did not carry over into the flavor. As mentioned, this beer was slightly sweet, and the main flavors were of some coffee and some nuttiness. Some caramel was detectable, along with some very light fruity apple/pear flavors. This does lack some bitterness, and in the finish there is just a light nutty dryness. The nutty notes continue into the aftertaste, and some apple/pear flesh flavors come through more readily. This ale finishes out with very little alcoholic warmth. This beer is similar in some respects to Newcastle Brown, but it is much more flavorful, and perhaps even smoother. Only on very rare occasion has Samuel Smith's let me down, and this brew does nothing to disparage me from their beers. Another respectable beer from the Old Tadcaster brewery.

Brooklyn Oktoberfest Beer

Märzen / Oktoberfest

Beastdog75

I'm still looking for a really good Oktoberfest/Mrzen style brew. Most of the ones I've had are decent, but nothing special (Ayinger's version was the closest an O-Fest came to "wowing" me). I thought Brooklyn was going to be the one to truly open my eyes, but in the end the search continues... Brooklyn's Oktoberfest pours a very nice reddish orange color with a one-finger foam which lasts for under a minute and leaves minimal lacing. The aroma was weak and unspectacular. Some caramel malts and some citric hops were detectable in limited quantities. The mouthfeel was crisp and moderately carbonated, but nothing memorable. In the flavor, the sweet caramel malts were definitely there, and a pronounced nuttiness was present thoughout the entire brew. Sounds nice, but the flavors didn't end up being too assertive (it almost seemed watery to me, but that's being harsh). There is a decent citric hop bitterness and dryness in the finish, which continues into the aftertaste. No alcoholic warmth to be found in this one. A very average Oktoberfestbier. This is certainly drinkable, but it isn't somthing I'd really go out of my way to hunt down. Might be good with a pretzel and some spaetzle.

Orval Trappist Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

BlackHoleBrew42

A- Golden amber Nectar, huge head, beautifully and highly carbonated S- oooh, theres the brettanomyces... noble hops, i think Styrian Goldings. getting goosebumps. T- Good lord. I dont know why, this beer just makes sense. Not to sout, beautiful hoppiness, but not bitter. perfectly balanced sour sweet bitter. Good lord. M- As before, high carbonation, delicious lingering sourness, a tear comes to my eye as the flavor fades... D- For me, my desert island beer. Theres a store here in Colorado that sells bottles for $2.49 a piece... might need to go buy a case, although i might drink it all in a few days. Seriously. Amazing stuff. I love these Cistercian monks, got to make it to the brewery some day. Soon.

Gift Of The Magi

Bière de Garde

BlackHoleBrew42

2008 bottle. Pours a beautiful ruby honey golden nectar color. Can smell the funk, but also grain, oak, alcohol maybe pine and caramelized sugar? odd. Not too carbonated, nice and resinous mouthfeel, sticks around and adds to complexity. Drinks like a less burly barleywine, definitely very very interesting, far more floral notes in the afterburn. Alcohol kinda burns, in a good warming on a cold Colorado night way, but I'm sure the year and half in the bottle has mellowed that somewhat. Its a sipper that i feel is just a step away from being highly sessionable. Biere de garde - Beer for keeping ...Just glad i had the chance to try it, so now i know to go but more and age even longer. Love it.

Duchesse De Bourgogne

Flanders Red Ale

chipper

Tasted from a bottle in a tulip glass to accentuate the beer's aroma. It had a dark brown color and a small head. It smelled of apples - almost like a cidar. The first taste was a little sweet, with strong apple notes. The feel of the beer was like champagne; it was very effervescent. The taste was long, and the later flavor had a little chocolate in it that at the end turned a little, and not unpleasantly, sour. An excellent beer that should be sipped, yet good enough only sipping would take some restraint.

Noire De Chambly / Chambly Noire

Belgian Dark Ale

chipper

When poured this beer is a dark brown, with a light brown head that quickly disappears leaving only a trace of it at the edge of the glass. Although it is highly carbonated, the bubbles look like soda pop bubbles. The taste is malty with a distinct belgian flavor. The taste is strongest in the back of one's mouth, rather than the taste buds in front. There is a little spice in the bouquet as well. The beer is drinkable, although unexciting by the end of the bottle.

Yerba Mate Pale Ale

Herbed / Spiced Beer

TonyElOso

To sum it up its a decent sample. I couldn't drink much more than a few sips. Its a mid looking light tasting beer with mate tea fusion. Unfortunately it basically seems to only really be much of a novelty drink. The tea flavor itself is quire generic while the beer is a flat tasting ale. Its quite smooth but also quite sweet. If you like sweeter beers you *might* like this more than I did. But I'll admit its not the worst I ever had.

Guinness Draught Extra Cold

Irish Dry Stout

TonyElOso

This is a beer most people think of when they think of dense/dark beer (although if you ask any dark beer drinkers, it isn't that dense). The selling point of this beer is its dark body with creamy white head. It's a phenominal appearance overall but the taste isn't for everyone. Its a bitter boggy taste that doesn't give a sharp carbonated bite. It's smooth and very flavorful but its again not for everyone.

Denver Pale Ale

English Pale Ale

cadenwhitaker

This is from my cellar, and it has aged about six months to a year. The head is eggshell white, full bodied, about two fingers tall, leaving a sticky residue on the sides as it goes down. The smell is honey, lots and lots of honey The taste is more honey, the hops are greatly subdued and it has a very malty taste. Overall I'm really impressed with this beer after it has had some time to sit.

Trader Joe's Vienna Style Lager

Vienna Lager

cadenwhitaker

Crisp easy to drink and cost effective would be the major benefits of this particular brand. I'm getting a bit of carmel, slight hops, some malts. Overall I'd say this is good, very drinkable. Again this is another beer that I don't find all that complex, but easy to drink. Would buy again.

DuganA IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

RBassSFHOPit2ME

Solid...Solid DIPA. One word for this 8.5% beer surprisingly enough...refreshing. Bought from City Beer SF, 5 days after receiving their shipment. Bottle reads 1103 so not sure if it was bottled on the 110th day of 2011 or the 103rd day of 2011. Regardless, this beer is near the 2 month old mark. Freaking "A" beer without question, so I wish I could have tried this fresher... A- Cloudy sunshine orange. Almost looks unfiltered. S - Good, lemon rind and bitter hops. A aggressive swirl brings out tons of Pineapple forward lemon rind. Very good and potent. T - Gets much better as it warms. Tons of dry Pineapple and lemon. This beer I would say is pretty bitter but pleasantly so. Dry at the finish begging for another sip. The lemon flavor makes this refreshing. Yum. Without a doubt this is an imperial version of their standard IPA and much better I might add.... M - Fantastic...crisp, clean, not too danky or oily, just a crisp finish that asks for more. A wee-bit over carbonated but there is no real complaint about it. Seriously...this is a sessionable 8.5% as the ABV is masked extremely well and the flavor is so damn refreshing! Crisp, clean dry and fantastic finish. O - Very very good. I'd never turn one of these down. Highly recommended.

Double Trouble IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

RBassSFHOPit2ME

Double Trouble served on Tap at 21st Amendment an hour ago tonight and I can't get it out of my mind. My all time favorite beer Pliny the Elder but this Double Trouble DIPA nothing like it. It had it's own uniquness and character for the style. Pungent hop smell but not of pine and citris. I can't put my finger on it or explain it. It was like candied (candy -ed) hops balanced with malt / just unique. Not like Pliny, Racer 5, Hop Stoopid, or Ruination...just a class of it's own that you will have to experience for yourself. (Well worth it when you do) TASTE the same, like hop candy balanced with light pine. Perfect 1 inch head and the appearance and taste both the same, creamy perfect hops and more candy flavor than citris / Grapefruit. Did I say Creamy? Wow! At 9.5 percent the alcohol tastes more of 8.0 -8.5 TOPPS!! A bit more bite than Pliny (NO Complaints) No doubt a top 3 - 5 of all DIPA's out there. Very hard to find, so lucky enough to find this on tap....don't be an idiot. Order one and go from there...a cab home.

Titan IPA

American IPA

StaveHooks

A - Pours a clear copper/amber color. Frothy 2 finger head that sinks down to 1/2 inch head, which retains throughout. Great line lacing. S - Faint citrus/grapefruit hops, sugary malt. Some raw dough. The nose is very faint on this. It was hard to make out anything. T - Floral spice hits me right away. The citrus hops comes in pretty quick as well but hides behind the floral and malt until the end. Big sweet caramel malt rushes in. Then the hops comes through towards the end with a nice bitterness. The mouthfeel is almost perfect. This beer goes down very smooth. It is a beautiful looking beer. The nose was not impressive at all. Even with the high malt flavor, floral dominates. It's like they brewed in a bag of potpourri. It's not horrible, just overpowering. Mouthfeel was divine. It has pros and cons. I probably won't be seeking this one out. Try it out for yourself.

Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale

English Barleywine

StaveHooks

A - Dark brown with glowing ruby hues around the edges. Beautiful bubble formations after the head settles. Some sticky lacing. S - Rich and malty, chocolate covered cherries, fruit esters, dried fig. T - Rich malt with a significant chocolate quality, fruit esters, buttery brown sugar, some spice lingers in the background. Very smooth character. The alcohol is nowhere to be found...but it's definitely there. Huge malt with moderate chocolate flavors. The bottle says vintage 09 on the bar code, so I'm assuming it's from 09. I'll keep a few around for a another year or so.

Mojo Risin' Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

Tombomb

Had this beer at my favorite watering hole served in a tulip glass. A: Light orange, a little hazy, perfect 1/2 inch creamy head. S: Citrus, Tangerine, not grapefruit, maybe some orange smoething else, maybe grass? T: Very impressive, not over the top, the malt hits first so that the hops don't punch you too hard. The citrus hops come in next and are very pleasant, and hangs in there for a while, again not over the top. The alcohol comes through but at over 10% not too bad. M: smooth and silky, but not oily. Some carbonation. D: Well balanced DIPA, Very easy to drink a couple of these bad boys, a little too easy!

Tröegs Mad Elf

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Tombomb

A: Reddish amber. Clear. very little head S: some hops and fruit, very little malt. T: Tart cherries with some subtle alcohol. M: very light an about water in texture D: Way too easy to drink this one! at 11% you could run into probles very easily. I got this in a beer club as a 'big" beer. This was the biggest and one of the most drinkable

Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

ajayma

LOOK. Black opal with a reddish tinged lacing. Head dissipates quickly into a red-tinged ring of lace. AROMA. Damp wood chips. Dark chocolate and just a bit of alcohol. BODY & TASE. Roasted coffee bitterness mixed with notes of bitter chocolate and tobacco jump out immediately. A slight woodiness is also noticeable upfront. Booze dominates the mid-palate while leading into an burnt-tasting finish--more like used coffee grounds than coffee. Full-bodied and quite dry. AFTERMATH. I drank this one at about one-year old. Smooth and luscious, but too much booze and little else to balance it out.

Furious

American IPA

ajayma

LOOK. Pours a deep ruby red. Lace is sticky to the near-finish. AROMA. Citrus peel, uncooked malt. BODY. Medium w/ a supportive carbonation. FLAVOR. Pine and hints of caramel and biscuit in the start. Quickly makes way for hops which impart an assertive citrus character. The bitterness is prominent without being astringent or resiny. AFTERMATH. For me, the last couple of sips contain the slightest suggestion of peach. Not one I would session, but I could certainly imagine popping the top on one of these after, say, an long afternoon stroll.

Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale

Flanders Oud Bruin

MaggieReed

Had two of these @humpy's in downtown anchorage. pours a deep red-brown with about an inch of nice, thick head. s- tart cherries, brown sugar and wheat with a heavy malt presence rounding out the finish. t-awesome- clearly if you look at my reviews I am a huge fan of this style, but this one has a presence that is not found in any but the best beers, and the taste was complex- not something my toungue will get bored with. m- somewhat syrupy with moderate carbonation d- not for everyone, but if you are a fan of the style you will enjoy this beer.

Cafe Amsterdam 10th Anniversary Gruit

Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale

MaggieReed

This was certainly a very interesting beer- no hops w. sage as the bittering agent and I havnt had a gruit since Kuhnhenn Bros did their gruit series for the MIBG Summer Beer Fest...loved those and loved this. Poured a deep almost purply brown, with very thin lacing present at the top. smell- very very complex- sage and licorice and orange? it would take me three or mour pours to really pin this beer down. t-as complex- interesting, very good...this one beer will hold your interest through a glass +... m-honestly this is where this beer loses some points for me- it has a rather thin feel and not much carbonation, but overall this is a really excellent, interesting, perplexing choice- try it if you get the opportunity...and Cafe Amsterdam...awesome selection and an excellent menu.

Jacobsen Dark Lager

Munich Dunkel Lager

AlexDancho

A - extremely murky orange / copper. Not much head, almost no lacing. No carbonation visible. S - fruity / caramel smell; the alcohol seems way too present in the scent for it to be only 5.8. Some hint of hoppiness, but not much at all. Good smell overall. T - caramel cuts through more than anything else, along with maltiness and a hint of some sort of citrus-like bite. Not necessarily spectacular, but it has a decent amount of complexity. M - way too light for my taste. Almost nothing to it. D - on the other hand, the fact that it's so light means I could have a lot of this in a row if I wanted to. Decent enough offering to the point where if it was around, I'd drink it, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Heineken Lager Beer

Euro Pale Lager

AlexDancho

A - Pours very quickly, leaves a two finger head that dissipates very, very quickly, leaving no lace whatsoever. Carbonation shows, but not that much. S - Not much aroma at all. Some malt cutting through, but out of the bottle, it doesn't have much scent. T - Overrated taste. Malt comes through strong, a little hint of alcohol, but it's practically like drinking wheaty water. M - Medium carbonation, light body that becomes sort of heavy when swished around a bit. Ends up being sort of... creamy, for lack of another word. Not a huge fan. D - Mediocre at best, and heavily overrated. Definitely a quantity over quality sort of thing.

Modelo Especial

American Adjunct Lager

BigDRS

12 oz can poured into a pint glass. A - Color is an almost urine like pale yellow. Zero head on this bad boy ... and zero lace. Not very impressive thus far ... S - Crappy macro lager scent. There's a bunch of sweet corn, a bit of bland hops, but nothing else. T - The taste is very, very clean. There's a smack of sweetness at the end of each sip that is pleasant, but not amazing by any stretch of the imagination. M - Very thin. Mouthfeel on this is very light and more than likely meant that way. If I were eating a bunch of spicy tacos I wouldn't mind this beer by my side. O - I was inclined to purchase this beer because my fiancee said she had tried it and liked it ... first time she'd said that about any beer. Perhaps I'll be able to swing her to enjoy something better than this.

Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster

American Double / Imperial IPA

BigDRS

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Really cool artwork on this bottle. Standard pour yields a nice two finger eggshell colored head. Lace is decent. Color is a pale apricot. Nose is a bit light. Lots of fruit ... it has almost an apple cider character to it. I also get a bit of banana and grapefruit. Taste has a lot of fruit and hops. This is really syrupy. There's a bit of a hop zing right at the back of my throat followed by a warming feeling ... not a surprise at 9.1% ABV. Just a touch of carmel comes across at the end as well. Mouthfeel on this one is nice. Carbonation levels are great and finish lingers for a while. I REALLY wish they brewed this one year round. It's also a shame that Great Lakes puts this out in 4-packs. Shelling out ~$10.99 for 4 12oz-ers hurts a bit, but it's worth it. Great DIPA.

Brooklyn Smoked Weissbock

Weizenbock

Godard

Sampled at the Philadelphia Craft Beer festival in a 2 oz glass. Wow, what an overpowering aroma of smoked cheese, even through a decent head. The first taste was reminiscent of smoked meat... still trying to figure out what the difference in my brain is between cheese and meat. Further tastes after my tongue was acclimated to the smoke revealed the wheaty base. The high alcohol seemed to evaporate up my nose from within, leaving a subtle smoky after-smell, if that makes any sense. Very eager to try a whole bottle and discover some of the other flavors within.

K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale

Winter Warmer

Godard

Frothy, airy head settles down into a thin layer that looks like soap; color, however, is a beautiful clear amber with a few bubbles of carbonation. Smells like a strong, malty beer...gets me salivating like a dog. A flying dog. Tastes like a typical brown ale though, with no hop flavor and not enough depth to the malt to balance out the high alcohol. Sort of like a newcastle with some vodka added to it. I'm sure it gets the job done on a cold day, but I expect more from this brewery. Really feels like a home brew. Great label though.

Tricerahops Double IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

cvfish

A - This beer poured a bright orange color that produced a fluffy white head that had a decent amount of retention and laced the side of the glass nicely S - The aromas produced by this beer had a subtle sweet caramel malty taste and a helping of citrus hops T - The taste of this beer wasn't anything close to what the label stated, tasted more like an IPA than a DIPA, not to say the blend of caramel malts and citrus hops wasn't good, but not DIPA standards M - The mouthfeel of this beer had a medium body and a moderate amount of carbonation D - This beer, as said, was no DIPA, but this was a good grab for a kid who was in love with dinosaurs as a kid

Old Scratch Amber Lager

California Common / Steam Beer

cvfish

A - Light amber color with a foamy white head that disappears quickly and leaves no lacing S - Malty and hoppy T - A citrus and malt with a slight bitterness and the end M - A light bodied, medium carbonated beer that doesn't sit heavy D - Good drinkability due to the lightness

Crazy Ed's Cave Creek Chili Beer

Chile Beer

Espenoza

I'm just going to go candid from my notes: Poured a clear golden color, hardly any head. For smell I just put "Dear God No"... It could be likened to the urine of Satan after a hefty portion of asparagus. The taste was typical lager but then wait... there's a spice to it. I could see this being used for beer bread. Mouthfeel... light, very light and spicey. This really isn't all that drinkable... and for the record... I ate the chili.

Heavy Seas - Loose Cannon (Hop3 Ale)

American IPA

Espenoza

A - Poured a slightly hazy gold, not much of a head but very pretty to look at. S - Love the smell, strong citrusy hops and then followed by something sweet, almost like honey. T - First thing that registered were the malts, oddly enough for an IPA but then the glorious hops took over. Very nicely balanced citrus and piney hops. M - Very good mouth feel, not too light, not too heavy, there's a refreshing crispness about it. D - If it wasn't a 7% (Which I couldn't tell at all) I would have no problem drinking this all afternoon.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Bock

TangTKE402

A: Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass. A thick, 1.5-finger chocolate-mousse head appeared and then settled into a nice thin blanket on top of the ebony-colored beer. No lacing. S: Light, roasted caramel malts on the nose, with just the hint of chocolate. What chocolate is there has a bit of a spiciness to it, chicory with a hint of molasses and chili powder. T: Smooth and malty, like a thin chocolate shake. This loads up the sweetness on the front, and finishes with a more mellow malty, chocolate/vanilla swallow. Flavors of roasted caramel, chocolate/vanilla twist soft-serve, some alcohol esters, sugar cane, prunes, and molasses. M: Smooth and creamy, more like cold hot chocolate made with condensed milk than beer. It's a touch thin, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing for this beer. O: A nice treat for the holidays, and infinitely better than the cranberry lambic, but I hope Sam Adams hasn't settled on this beer to be a permanent staple in the holiday 12 pack.

Indian Pale Ale

American IPA

TangTKE402

Poured from a Growler I purchased 1 day prior to tasting from the brewery. I believe when I was there this was called simply the IPA, which could have stood for Indian Pale Ale, but they might have changed the name, so I'm not sure if this is the proper place to review this beer. But I digress. This beer has a 2-finger head with fantastic lacing that goes all the way down. Had an unfiltered body the color of well-worn leather. The smell was potent: resin, dandelions, flowers and pine needles abounded from this beer. Very aromatic. This beer packs a lot of flavor in. The cascade hops add some amazing floral notes on top of a crisp, well-rounded bitterness. The pine-tar flavors mellow as the beer warms, but the flavors throughout are pitch-perfect. Mouthfeel is substantial and well-rounded. Nice bread notes on the swallow contribute to a smooth after-taste. The drinkability is good only because the flavor is so pleasant and unique. This beer really does mature as you drink it, and it makes you want another one to revisit the initial wow of the fresh pour. In all, it's a shame this beer is not bottled, because more people should know how amazing it is. Truly a world-class IPA.

Foster's Lager

American Adjunct Lager

chscjo84

Had on-tap at Outback Steakhouse, as it was the only macro I haven't tried yet. Appearance: Yellow, slightly richer in color than Bud or Miller. No head but it was probably a faulty pour, as is common in chain restaurant bars. Clear with slight lacing. Smell: Not really much to the smell except for the alcohol. Perhaps sweet corn. Taste: I didn't think I would like this beer, but it actually tasted quite nice. I LOVED the finish. In my opinion the finish makes this beer. It's a nice toasty grain finish. Not alot of flavors going on before the finish, just sweetness. Mouthfeel: Very thin, very light carbonation, nothing very interesting. Watery. Drinkability: I gave this a good drinkability rating because nothing about it was offensive or tiresome. I have a hard time choking down most macros, but this one is quite refreshing. The finish, once again, made this beer for me, and went great with my medium rare steak.

Budweiser Select

Light Lager

chscjo84

I tried this beer while on vacation in Florida. The people I was with drank this and Miller Lite all day long everyday and laughed at me for being a beer geek. (I brought Sam Adams Summer Ale and Sunshine Wheat). I asked what was so great about Bud Select and they threw one at me to "see for myself". I felt like such a beer snob, but I couldn't finish it. It tastes like carbonated water and stale bread. I can drink some macros some time, I think Coors Light can be refreshing on a very hot day, but this was unbelievably bad. Not a drop will ever touch my tongue again.

Harpoon Leviathan - Imperial IPA

American Double / Imperial IPA

DuffManOhYeah

A- A very pretty dark amber with really good clarity. The off-white head disappears relatively quickly and not much lacing is evident, but it's not a problem. S- Has many floral notes in addition to a somewhat malty and caramel smell. T- Surprisingly smooth despite the fact that it is so high in alcohol and also an IPA. A very tasty treat as it goes down, then the alcohol hits you and leaves you feeling nice and relaxed. M- The first couple sips are okay but then I sense a slightly metallic aftertaste in some of my latter sips. Not sure if this was normal or not, but it interrupted the delicious flavor of the beer. The flat carbonation makes it pretty smooth D- In addition to the metallic aftertaste, the fact that it is so high in alcohol makes this a difficult one to continue drinking. But if you have a high tolerance, this is a highly enjoyable beer

Éphémère (Apple)

Fruit / Vegetable Beer

DuffManOhYeah

I had really high hopes for this beer so maybe it was because of this that it left me kind of bummed A- Somewhere between an orange and blond color, kind of murky, with a rather domineering head that sustains well. S- Dominated by sour, green apple smell. Almost like an artificial green apple candy, somewhat like apple juice. Also that distinct yeasty bread smell common to most Belgian beers T- Nothing special. Basically tastes like a weak sour apple candy that has dissolved in malty carbonated water M- A nice carbonated texture that leaves a pleasant aftertaste D- Highly drinkable mainly because the flavor and feel is not very complex. I personally like the taste of apples, but some people might get sick of it.

Whirlwind Witbier

Witbier

bigreduw64

Just picked this one up today, been looking forward to trying some beer from Victory, this is my first. Pours a pale yellow color, slight haze, not as much as other witbiers that I've had. At first smell, it smells like ham. Wierd smell to get from a beer. I pick up some floral notes, but not a lot. Taste: Very mild flavor, not the most flavor I have gotten from a Witbier. I pick up some banana and floral tastes in it, does not have much malty or hoppy taste, but I wasn't expecting that. Overall an easily drinkable beer. I will finish the six pack that I bought, but probably won't buy another. I have had many better beers of this style.

Scotch Ale

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

bigreduw64

The third and last Brau Brothers beer that I brought home. The first two were disappointments, but this is one of their beers that I have heard positive things about, so I am looking forward to this. With a hard pour into my pilsner glass it builds about 1/2 a finger of head that quickly disappears. The beer is orangeish amber hue with slight cloudiness to the beer. A little lighter in color than I would expect. The smell is of caramel and malt, great sign for a scotch ale. I don't get any hops on the nose. I can tell this will be sweet. The taste confirms the nose. It has a candyish sweetness to it. Caramel, toffee and sugar. Not a lot of depth to this beer, it is rather thin, but that makes it a easier to drink. I think with the sweetness present in this beer that if it was thicker it may render it undrinkable. Rather weak for a scotch ale. Thin and too sweet for my tastebuds. Sadly this is another disappointment for me from Brau Brothers. Three strikes and you're out. I am going to have to hear of some recipe changes before I try them again.

Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel

Doppelbock

Bierfreund

My german wife and her sister had a special surprise for my birthday this year: a bottle of this fantastic Doppelbock and even a glass mug with its name on. I used to drink this beer while visiting my then-fiance in Germany, but I did not have any of this beer for pretty exactly 5 years. I poured it into the new mug, and it looked amazing, like black coffee with a beige head. Against the light it had a red shine. The foam disappeared qickly. The aroma is undescribable. Karamel is my first thought. Thick, sweet, but not sticky. Very complex, a bit nutty. The alcohol is with around 7% not that high for a Doppelbock, but it was very prominent in the taste. During the last 5 years when I knew I could not get this beer, I was searching for something like this. I have tried quite a lot Bocks and Doppelbocks and other brews, and the closest similar kind is (in my opinion) the Ettaler Curator. And I am happy that I can buy that here in PA. The Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel is the best beer I have ever tasted in my life, and it is such a shame that it cannot be sold in the US. And to think that my wife's sister can get it in a regular supermarket for the equivalent of around 2$... Two dollars!... I want to cry...

Veldensteiner Landbier

Munich Dunkel Lager

Bierfreund

Found this beer in "Jo Jo's" Beerstore in West Hazleton on Airport Road. Since that store carries mostly the usual american macros, it does not qualify to be listed as a beer store on this site. I did check that, just wanted to mention where you can buy it. They offer a mixed case of 4 variations of Veldensteiner brews: Weissbier, Pils, Premium Lager and this Landbier. All have swing tops, and this Landbier even has a little pattern on it (others are white). The full case with 20 bottles (500 ml each) was on sale for only 19.95 $ Now to the beer: Swing Top opens with SOFT (not loud) pop. Pours dark reddish-brown into dimpled mug (glass). Pale tan head, three fingers high, but that didn't stay for long. Some lacing. Smells a bit sour, but that's not negative. Fruity nose. Creamy half-thick mouthfeel, low carbonation, smooth. Tastes quite malty - no! - VERY malty actually, a bit sweet, not bitter. Flat aftertaste. Not bad as a session beer.

Faxe Amber

Euro Dark Lager

BeaBeerWife

Smells like metal. Head says HI and then BYE BYE quickly. Let the beer linger in your mouth too long, and you will get a good taste of how unpleasant the mouthfeel is. Those drinking this as a cold lager won't even notice it's mouth polluting attributes. My favorite part of the beer is that Ingredients are listed on the can, "Water, Barley Malt, Hops..., and Maize"

New Holland Mad Hatter India Pale Ale

American IPA

BeaBeerWife

There are so many awesome IPA's out there, that it's getting difficult to pick favorites. But this is the beer that got me into IPA's, so I hold it close to my heart, err, stomach. On Draught, on location, is the absolute best you can get it. I swear they do something different with the beer they have on premise vs sold in bottles and kegs. I haven't put my finger on it yet tho. In any case, this bottle poured great head, and it stuck around for awhile. Smells awesome (cascade?), it finishes very clean, maybe too clean for most hard-core IPA fans. Consider using this beer as a gatewaybrew to convert your non-IPA loving friends!

Indian Brown Ale

American Brown Ale

RugbyGreg

After watching "Beer Wars" on demand I became fascinated by Dogfish Head. The passion that is put into the beer is amazing. I was extra excited to try this beer since I am a fan of brown ales. When I first tasted the beer it almost had a porter finish. As I continued to drink, the flavor came through. Any time I see this beer I always pick it up and save for a rainy day.

Founders Dirty Bastard

Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

RugbyGreg

I'm very partial since I just made a batch of wee heavy, so I'm not really impressed. The malty flavor is not as strong as I feel it should be, although it does have a nice finish. While it's a decent wee heavy, I would hope next years batch would so more flavor.

ESB

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

CpnYates

This was one of my favorite Legend offerings in 07 and it's good to see it back on the shelves again for early 09. Apparently the ABV has gone up to 7.0 in the process. There is nothing special about the look or smell of this beer, the pour is unassuming and cloudy- love the bottle though, its going to be strange seeing legend in sixers soon. Edit: The second 22oz bottle poured a decidedly better, much clearer beautiful amber brown. Edited review to reflect the second bottle. Where this beer shines is in the actual drinking (swallowing) process, once past your nose and onto the tastebuds this beer really opens up. So much spice, clove and apple- instantly puts you in the mood for spring. A wonderful tingling sensation as well. Anyhow- seek this one out, and thanks to the great Kroger Bradenton Ave in Roanoke for stocking great beer.

Kirin Bar Beer

Japanese Rice Lager

CpnYates

Yeah bar beer mmm, I have consumed waaay to much of this during the current "work trip" in Taipei. So the can says: Work for fun, study for fun, live for fun, think for fun, some other crap, and then the bottem of the paragraph states that everytime you have a Bar your life will be full of fun. Well maybe if your idea of fun is going to the bathroom to piss this stuff out every couple of minutes. Other than that this is your average Asian macro, but maybe the closest to a Bud of anything sold in Taiwan. Comes in 12 an 20 oz cans

Lagunitas PILS (Czech Style Pilsner)

Czech Pilsener

ant5431

Bottle poured into pint glass. Very plain looking label but something about it drew me to it. was a nice golden straw color with about a 3/4" head which went away kinda quickly as most Pils do. Smelled grassy kind of nutty hint. Tasted a crisp hoppy, slight slight bitter taste but overall a nice beer. was what Id expect in a nice Pils. Not a great beer but a good one!

Miller Lite

Light Lager

ant5431

Just grabbed one from my nieghbor who lives on the stuff! Vortex bottle poured into pint glass. No head which is what I expected, poured a very light pee yellow actually read paper thru the glass! Had no smell/aroma what so ever and had a VERY weak taste tasted like lightly flavored water! I can name 20+ other cheap "light" beers I would rather drink! Narraganesett Light is cheaper & has more flavor same can be said for Bud light etc.!!!

Dirty Penny Ale

Black & Tan

PhillyMonk

This was a very drinkable session beer, and a great one to get a growler of if you can, especially if you enjoy dark, toasted malts. This beer poured near-black in color with a huge tan head from my growler (had to be poured very slowly with a very tilted glass). Smell included some coffee and malts with a hint of bread. Taste was highly carbonated, with lots of toasted malts throughout, very little alcohol taste. As I mentioned earlier, this beer was very drinkable. I would definately recommend it. Just as a note, his growler was given to me as a gift and sat in my fridge for over 3 weeks before I got around to drinking it and the carbonation and taste seemed to hold up very well, which has not been true of other beers I've bought in 64-oz jugs.

Harpoon Winter Warmer

Winter Warmer

PhillyMonk

If you're not a fan of spiced ales, definitely stay away from this one. This is not an every-day beer, but something for variety to try once in a while around the holidays. This beer pours a copper-gold color with not too much head. The smell is 90% cinnamon and a little nutmeg with a mild malt background. There is a little carbonation bite and then the spices take over for a malty smorgasbord of cinnamon and nutmeg. The taste lingers for a while with very little hops at all. I don't think this would make a very good session beer but is a nice change once in a while when you're in the mood.

Judgment Day

Quadrupel (Quad)

cdrogers

Poured from bottle to Rochefort glass. Appearance: Nice deep brown color with a brownish head. Reminds me a lot of the dark stout color. Smell: Very sweet, raisin, fruit smell. Taste: This one is way too sweet in my opinion. It tastes like it smells though - with a lot of raisins and fruit, but the sweetness in this one really takes away from everything else. Does not taste like an 10.50% ABV brew though and I can say the same for most other Quads I have had, very good at covering that up with flavor. It think they overdid the sugars though on this one. Mouthfeel: The sweetness does taper off and leaves a nice clean feeling. Overall: This is not close to the best belgian quad I've had, but it is still worthy of your purchase. Great beer, but the sweetness needs to be toned down.

Punkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

cdrogers

10/19/2009 Poured from bottle to a tulip-style glass. Serving temp was about 52F. It was a very nice golden amber body with creamy smooth head. Very sweet smelling with a little spice. Definitely tasted the brown sugar and for some reason reminded me of fresh sugar cookies. It went down extremely well and I found myself saying how good it was every every sip. The sugars weren't overpowering and I could drink this all-year. Exceptional 9/21/2010 Poured from bottle into Guiness pint glass. A: Nice amber color with a thin off-white head after pour settled. S: I can definitely smell some spice, nutmeg, and also some of the cinnamon. Very mellow. T: In my opinion quite spicy, can bring out the cinnamon in the taste. The "punkin" is definitely in there and melds very well. Perhaps my favorite pumpkin brew by far. Lots of spice but it does not linger in the mouth. M: As mentioned above the spice hits the mouth but does not linger around. Very bubbly but also has this nice soothing sensation. D: I love when I see this on the shelf, it's my favorite time of the year in fall. It's a fun hunt trying to find who will stock it this year because of distribution issues etc. It's so good that I love sipping on this on a nice chilly Friday night around a fire. It's so good. I could recommend this to anyone that likes a little spice with some pumpkin. The pumpkin shines through and I love it. Go out and buy four of them now. Go on... What are you waiting for... cheers

Miller High Life

American Adjunct Lager

Tundruth

A- Pours from the can a clear, light golden/straw yellow color with a white head that raises to two fingers high and falls quickly to leave behind a thin layer S- Smells of corn, grains, rice mostly, pretty good for an American adjunct lager, though. T- Taste is better than most American adjuncts and much better tasting to me than I remember Miller Lite tasting. M- This beer is very pleasing to my palate, a little watery feeling but carbonation and viscosity seem right on point for a beer like the High Life. D- This beer is highly drinkable in my opinion, I could drink these all night long, though only if it was the only thing available . It doesn't offer anything special to drinkers but if your looking for a good cheap beer this is one of the better choices right up there with PBR.

Bud Light

Light Lager

Tundruth

Cracks open and pours a transparent golden yellow with lots of bubbles and a bright white head which climbs 2 fingers high and then quickly diminishes. smells of an American light adjunct lager, a hint of yeast but mainly rice and corn smells, also hints of flowery scents. Tastes pretty decent for an adjunct beer, sweet with heavy notes of grain and cereal. the carbonation is just right, but maybe a bit too intense, giving the beer a kick when you pour back a big sip of it. very bland and average I must say though, nothing stands out to me in the flavor. Mouthfeel is nice... Cold, sweet, and bubbly. I rated a 4 for drinkablity because it is definately a beer that just about anybody could enjoy a few or more of without getting bogged down and full too quickly. overall not bad, I think this would be a good beer drink anytime but probably wont be very enjoyable without pizza or something to add a little flavor between sips.

Porter

English Porter

biglite351

A - extremely tall tan head. Good bit of red around the edges. S - very light roasted malt scent. Would have been great were it stronger. T - tastes like a heath bar to a point. Roasted malts, chocolate, toffee. M - good coating, tingle on front and sides of tongue. D - I could drink a number of these before wanting less sweet.

Shipyard Imperial Porter (Pugsley's Signature Series)

Baltic Porter

biglite351

A - a not of red around the edge. Creamy tan head that leaves a good bit of lace. S - malty with mild chocolate and something that reminds me of wine. T - roasting bitter malts. Dont like the flavor much. Too much bitterness and not much of anything else. M - light coating, but not thin, with no real tingle. D - pass.

Prima Pils

German Pilsener

bellealtesse

Big Boys Beer "bad to the bone... bad to the bone...babababaBAD!" This is one bad @#s pilsner with a backbone that stands up to anything! Hence the title...Mouth-filling, full-bodied flavor that'll knock your socks off. IF you like big, tastey, smooth and bold beers, than you're a bad @ss like this beer.

Stella Artois

Euro Pale Lager

bellealtesse

Stella Artois is a very well-balanced lager. Crisp, dried straw hue gives way to a grassy-lemony aroma. The nose is very pungent and sharp. The taste is very enjoyable with an elegant balance of hops, barley and a firm acidity. The aftertaste also exhibits the finesse of hops.

Harvest Dance

Wheatwine

bearcamp

This is my only second wheat wine style beer. The other was 75th streets wheat wine! So when I poured this I thought it would be darker and sweeter. Appearance is brighter than I expected. Almost copper color, amberish. I can see a bit of suspended yeast and it is a bit cloudy. I absolutely love the smell. I can definitely pick out the citra hops, as I am a regular drinker of SN Torpedo which is the only other beer I know that has this new hop. The taste is very Belgium blond to me. I can pick up the sweet wheat malt all over. Not as sweet as I would like. I think this beer is overcarbed to my liking. I like the beer, but it is not one I'll pick up very often.

Odell IPA

American IPA

bearcamp

Wow! Wow! Wow! A really great drinkable IPA. Appearance. Is a slight orange brownish color. Some caramel malts in there to darken just the slightest. Smell is very hoppy. For a hop head like me. It isn't to overpowering but you can smell the aroma. I want to say fruggle hops are the flavoring hops but I could be wrong. Still trying to differentiate each hop characteristic. Taste is awesome! A great balance between hops and grains. Wow! This may be my number 1 beer now. Mouth feel: The beer has a bit of aftertaste but not much bitterness to it. You can taste the floral aspects of the yeast and/or hops. Drink ability: I can drink this down. Very session able for me. You don't notice the slightly higher 7.0 alcohol content at all. I recently found out that this was the #1 @ both the GABF and World Beer Fest. Very good stuff. Keep it up Odell. Any chance to double the recipe. A double IPA? Perhaps I'm asking for too much! Really good beer.

Irish Channel Stout

American Stout

DearthVader

22oz provided by LSUPT. Finally got to this one Alex! Pours a very dark brown, almost black with a great big mocha head. Leaves small amounts of lacing in my snifter. Smells of roasted coffee, chocolate, and slight vanilla. Exactly how a stout should. Taste follows the smell with subtle chocolate and vanilla, then gobs of roasted coffee greatness. I really like the bitter coffee characteristics in this one. Very nice. Mouthfeel is light and very smooth for a stout. Extremely drinkable. Very enjoyable offering from Nola.

Narragansett Bock

Maibock / Helles Bock

DearthVader

16 oz can served in a Spaten pint glass. Thank you mschofield for the New England love! Crystal clear bronze color with a big 2 1/2" white, fluffy head that has great retention. It lasted until the last sip. All I really pick up is the malt aroma with hints of bread. Relatively sweet with big notes of sourdough bread, and Earthy tones. Very light body with a medium to high level of carbonation. I'm glad I got to try this beer. Its a very good example of the style and a very sessional beer. Goes down very smoothly.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

American IPA

bobjonesSD

2010 Celebration - I've been waiting for this one to come around again - always a favorite. The head on this beer from simply pouring it into a pint glass from the bottle is amazing. Beautiful tight lacing on a nice amber beer. The aroma could actually be a little stronger - maybe it needs to warm up some more to release that. Lots of piney hops - no citrus or skunk notes. Good malt backbone without being cloying. Super well-balanced and solid IPA, glad to have picked up a bunch on sale.

InFamous

Russian Imperial Stout

bobjonesSD

On tap at solana beach pp. Very thin coffee colored head in a half pint glass - normal for style. Smell is of dark roasted malt and some cocoa and caramel. Nice viscous mouthfeel and taste is solid with nice chocolate notes and some alcohol warmth. Ordered another- solid beer.

William Penn Colonial Style Lager

American Amber / Red Lager

Vendetta

Pours dark amber, thin head, no lacing. Smells supremely malty. Flavor is buttery caramel malt, dominating, very powerful. Almost tough to drink. This is a really in your face type of maltiness, and I couldn't really drink more than one of these brews. It wasn't that bad, just not really my thing. The mouthfeel is creamy malt, goes down well. Drinkability is a bit off since the taste is so unbalanced, but still worth trying.

Pennbrook Lager

American Pale Lager

Vendetta

Pours clear yellow with a thin head. No lacing. Aroma is a faint hint of light fruits. Tastes of malt, a bit of fruit, but nothing is very apparent. This is very much a token light beer in my opinion. Palate is resting on a thin, overly carbonated body that isn't all that enjoyable. At least the thinness leads to drinkability in for nothing else the fact that these brews aren't filling at all. Steer clear, this one isn't really worth trying.

In-Heat Wheat

Hefeweizen

calinative68

With summer here, we've bought alot of this tasty brew as it goes down really easy. Especially after a round of golf or helping myself to some spicy food! A - Tall pilsner glass - pours a hazy golden color with a lacy, pillowy white head. S - grassy, citrus, sweet malt T - clean and crisp, sweet malt with citrus and slight bitter on the end D- I could drink this all day! Good session beer.

Ommegang (Abbey Ale)

Dubbel

calinative68

Poured into 750ml bottle Deep Cherry/Brownish. Very good carbonation with tan foamy head.Overall a really great looking beer Cocoa, malt, hops, fruity, slight alcohol. Taste equals the smell, very balanced. A good representation of a dubbel. Easy to drink and highly recommended.

Ranger

American IPA

GehenHerzog

12oz Bottle poured into a Dogfish Head glass. A- Pours a golden orange color with a dense soapy white head. S- Smells of pine and grapefruit. Smells very fresh. T- Strong bitter grapefruit flavor. Good hop and malt balance with a nice bitter finish. M- Medium bodied, a little dry. D- Very sessionable IPA especially at 6.5% abv This is the second time I have had this and it is a solid offering from New Belgium. I am sure I will have it in the fridge again because it is very good for the price.

Gallows Point Dead Man's Porter

American Porter

GehenHerzog

On tap at Big Daddy's Burger Bar in Ballantyne (Charlotte, NC) poured into a Skull Coast pint glass. A: Cloudy Dark BROWN with a light brown (khaki, off white) head S: Rich Chocolate with a strong Macadamia Nut smell. One of the best smelling beers I have come across T: Chocolate with a strong nuttiness in the finish. M: Medium body. Carbonation seems just about perfect. D: I had 3 1/2 glasses of this. One of the most drinkable porters I have had. If it wasn't for the huge lunch I had and having to drive home I would have had more. Overall a fantastic beer and I am looking forward to more offerings from this local brewery.

Maharaja

American Double / Imperial IPA

b3barron

Bottled in June so this one is fairly fresh. Served in a dimple mug. A - Normal pour produces a frothy one inch head with good retention and some lacing. S - Pineapple and sweet bready malt. Juicy citrus, too. Very fruity. T - I get some floral notes and the bitterness is pronounced. The sweet malt and fruity esters are lying underneath but are really dominated by the bitterness. I'll give Avery lots of credit for hiding the > 10% ABV well as I don't really enjoy alcohol flavors in the DIPA style. M - Creamy and on the fuller-bodied end of the spectrum. D - Just OK. I'll enjoy this bomber but I would not session this one which is probably good considering the ABV. Glad I finally got around to trying this. I'll probably grab it again when I am really need a hop fix.

Pliny The Elder

American Double / Imperial IPA

b3barron

Scored this thanks to the kind brother of a fellow BA and consumed it on Christmas day. 500 ml bottle poured into a tumbler. A - Normal pour produced a 1 inch frothy white head with good retention and a decent amount of lacing. Soft orange/copperish color that reminded me of a glowing sunset when I squinted and held it up to the sunny sky. S - Freshly cut grapefruit and tangerine. Also very floral and reminded me of Two Hearted in this regard. T - Citrusy hops up front with lingering notes of orange and grapefruit. Very soft malt backbone with pronounced bitterness throughout. Slightly dry finish. This was a fresh bottle and was very thirst-quenching. M - Medium bodied and extremely smooth. Moderate carbonation really delivers the freshness of the hops. D - Through the roof for a DIPA. Love the dry finish and hop-leaning balance of this beer. I would consume this regularly if I could as it is almost as drinkable as many of my favorite regular IPAs. Perhaps my favorite DIPA to date. Many beers in this style have disappointed me lately and this was a welcome treat. I highly recommend any hophead seek this beer out.

Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin Ale

Herky21

A: Color of a pumpkin. Head is white and foamy. Climbs on the glass and looks good. Smell: Fragrance of a pumpkin, just like smelling the fruit. Has the full body scent, just like the flesh of the real thing, not quite like the taste, but really spot on to the garden scent of a real pumpkin. Taste: Like the pie. It's good. A few spice could bring out a bit more sweetness, add some nuance. It tastes like pumpkin, but is a bit one note. The end of the taste has a hint of pumpkin pie spice, but more would be better in this instance. Mouthfeel: Light body, but has an interesting creaminess. Overall: It's a pumpkin beer. Really delicious if you like pumpkins, which I do, but it does leave a bit to be desired. I love O'Fallons in general, and what they do, but I think a bit more perfecting would bring this beer up to an A. And even as it is it's one of my favorite pumpkin beers available.

Oktoberfest

Märzen / Oktoberfest

Herky21

Appearance: Dark, rusted copper. A cloudy, malt colored beer. Seems the same color as malt syrup. Smell: Tantalizingly sweet, heavy on the caramel. Barely any hops discernable, but it does have a slight bitter smell on the end. Taste: A pretty complex Oktoberfest. The malt comes through as the most prominent flavor. It's slightly fruity, but barely. The caramel color shows up in flavor too, really a tastey beer. Mouthfeel: Soft, light feel. Feels a lot like a bitter. Less carbonated, a little thicker. Overall: It's a good beer. Some Oktoberfests are too light. This one hits the caramelly malt notes well. Wish it wasn't a twist off so I could reuse the 16 oz. bottle. Would probably help seal the beer in better for storage too. Really, one of the best oktoberfests I've had this year.

Fantabulous Resplendence X Anniversary

American Strong Ale

SaCkErZ9

Received this in a trade from SPLITGRIN I believe; it was a while ago. Split this one with my pop and he was less than impressed with this one. Pours from a 22oz bomber into a pint glass a dark orange color with a small, white head. Some decent lacing going on as well. Aroma was hugely hoppy. In fact, that was about all the aroma consisted of. If I try, I can grab some slight caramel notes and the tinies bit of toffee but otherwise, all hops. Damn this is hoppy! Not very balanced. I enjoy a hoppy beer as much as the next guy but this one is borderline "out of bounds". The citrus bitterness hits the tongue almost immediately and basically kills everything else. Mouthfeel was decent. Some slickness and a decent body, but the puckering of the hops offsets whatever good came from the body. I dont know if I would try this again. I certainly wouldnt tackle a bomber myself. If you plan to drink anything else, save this for last because you probably wont taste much afterword.

Double White Ale

Witbier

SaCkErZ9

Poured from a 12oz bottle, purchased at Sams Liquor Store in Lexington SC. Not sure if this one is 7% ABV because in NC and SC, where this beer was purchased, any beer over 6% ABV must have the ABV listed on the bottle, and this one doesnt. As I first poured the beer, I was careful not to let the yeast from the bottom end up in the glass. I wanted to see what it tasted like with and without the yeast in the glass. I must say, the yeast certainly adds to the enjoyment of this one. Pours clear golden without the yeast but becomes a murky, deep yellow with the addition. Aroma is very yeasty and spicy and somewhat citrusy. Mostly yeast and some coriander as well. Nice flavors. Tangy yeast, bitterness, sweet lemongrass, and somewhat bready. I definitely get that Belgian aroma and taste and overall feel with this one; that hasnt happened in the past with this style for me. I really dig the tanginess of this one. A perfect, tart little treat for a perfect spring day here in NC. Very nice beer.

Bell's Batch 6000

American Barleywine

Bdc

Pours a murky chocolate-bar brown with a thin, light-tan, scattered head and nice lacing. Careful with the pour because of sediment. Aroma is musty with cedar, tart citrus and prunes. Flavor is balanced for the style, but still sweet, with chocolate, molassas, spicy/piney hops and yeast. Somewhat herbal/medicinal. Full-bodied, well-carbonated and very drinkable for the style. Thanks to Feloniousmonk.

Allagash Dubbel Ale

Dubbel

Bdc

Hazy chestnut in color with an ample, lasting, off-white head. Mild, spicy aroma with hints of plum. Smooth, silky mouthfeel. Flavor is rich malt with notes of chocolate, fruit, earth, nuts. Slightly alcoholic with a dry finish. An enjoyable interpretation of the style.

Killian's Irish Red

American Amber / Red Lager

Mick

This is a story that has become too familiar and painful too hear. Big company buys little company original aficionados get mass produced version of the recipe as a thanks for their support. Kllians was very good before being purchased by CBC. I will base my review on my fondest memories. A crisp and lunging red color with amber/blond highlights. Smells like you think red would smell. If crayons tasted good kind of flavor. Present, malty not chalky; though some claim to detect a hint. Stern presence in the mouth but that passes to allow a memorable and rewarding malty flavor. A one of a kind.

Brooklyn Oktoberfest Beer

Märzen / Oktoberfest

Mick

Great light orange color. Terrific head, full, creamy, and long lasting. Malty presentation to the nose. Very flavorful, malt and hoppy bitterness accompanied by a mild caramel prescence. Medium bodied character is a treat for the palate. If there was a beer parade, this one could be in the running for Grand Marshal. My favorite Oktoberfest this year.

The Czar

Russian Imperial Stout

HiLLWiLLiam

I am most certainly not a stout aficionado, however I do feel I have experienced a few delightful ones in my day. The Czar would NOT BE one of those stout's. Perhaps I did not know what I was getting myself into when I looked at the 11.00% ABV, however that has never bothered me previously. I would compare the taste to sticky motor oil. Maybe I'm a freak. I don't give a shit.

Atwater Vanilla Java Porter

American Porter

HiLLWiLLiam

Deeelicious is the one word I can come up with when asked to describe this humble brew. Of all the words that can be used to describe a drank, it is the most fitting. This beer gets a ten on the chug-scale (ladies), and the caffeine buzz is delightful. Sip hard....

Shock Top Belgian White

Witbier

DrewCapzz

A-Pours a lighter orange color. Smaller off-white head is a bit uneven and bubbly. Dies down some. Leaves minute lacing. Beer is pretty hazy. S-Wheat and orange citrus. Grains too. Not much clove or spice, just some light orange and lemon and the wavering wheat aroma. T-Light and crisp taste that is predominantly orange citrus flavors. Wheaty and mild. Fruitiness is light but somewhat entertaining. Could be far worse. M-Light and very bubbly. Sessionable body. Easy to drink without much aftertaste. Very mellow. O/D-I can see why a bunch of people who don't really dabble outside of the Bud Light genre enjoy this one. Far from offensive and quite easy drinking. Won't be spending my money on this but it could have turned out far worse.

Harvest Ale

Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)

DrewCapzz

A-Light gold with good head. S-Citrus hops, some pine hops. Grassy. T-Citrus hops, some pine. Hop foward. Not very hoppy. Tastes like an IPA. M-Medium body. Refreshing. D-Strong taste but still pretty easy to imbibe. I'm a fan. Tastes like a good harvest this year.

Old Rasputin XIV Anniversary

Russian Imperial Stout

DonDirkA

I didn't have access to a computer or anything to write with when I drank this last week so I have to go off memory. It was basically the same as a regular Old Rasputin (see: deliciously awesome) except it had some oaky characteristics with a little vanilla/bourbon tinge to it. Well worth the $25.

The Bruery / Elysian / Stone La Citrueille Celeste De Citracado

Pumpkin Ale

DonDirkA

I'm defiinitely not a proffesional reviewer so I don't have all the lingo down or the extensive food knowledge to give super descriptions but here it goes. The color is a deep mahogany that lets just a bit of light through. Smells like pumpkin with a bit of spice like cinnamon. Has a definite warm, alcohol scent to it. The taste is warm and malty. Nutty with hints of pumpkin. Theres some spice in there but I can't indentify it, I assume its from the fenugreek. Overall I thought this was pretty damn good. I'd get it again.

Allagash Dubbel Ale

Dubbel

Archemedies

A- Poured a dark amber color, with a nice tan-white head. S- Yeast, hops, malts and fruit T- Malty and sweet. Hops make for interesting in between flavor. M- Medium bodied. Not a whole lot of carbonation but very easy to drink. Overall, a very enjoyable dubbel and another good job by Allagash.

Flemish Red Ale Grand Cru

Flanders Red Ale

Archemedies

A- Dark brown in color, but when held up to the light it is reddish brown. Not much of a head for me, but what was there, it dissipated slowly. S- Sour, but in a weird way. Almost smells like malt was mixed in there. T- Taste the same that it smells. A very fruity sour taste, but it is not overpowering. There is a slight hint a carmel, which really balances out the flavor. M- Very nice. The sour taste is present, for a short time after which I really enjoy. Overall, this beer surprised me. I was not expecting the taste that I got from it. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who can get it.

RedLegg Ale

American Amber / Red Ale

Reed415

A - Pours a ruby amber color with a small head that persisted S - Dominated by sweet caramel malt with some strong fruity notes T - Tons of caramel malt, that are not balanced by any hop flavor, There are some fruit notes to wrap this beer up M - Light in body with minimal carbonation D - Not balanced or enjoyable

12th Anniversary Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

American Double / Imperial IPA

Reed415

A - Dark Amber Color, Good head retention S - Hoppy Pine, Sweet Sugar T - Bitter Hops, Sugary Sweetness, Slight Alcohol M - A little too much carbonation for me, but a nice full body D - Good Taste, But I wouldn't want to drink too many at 9.9% alcohol.

Railbender Ale

Scottish Ale

DrinkingAleToday

A: Pours a rich amber with a thin coarse head that quickly fades. S: Some malty carmel and light toasted aroma, kind of bland in my opinion. T: Again some carmel malt, slight bready flavor, ever so small hint of smoke, slight bitterness in the finish. M: Thin bodied, slightly watery and overcarbonated for the style. D: This beer has some nice flavor, but just not enough of it, flavor and mouth feel taste just a bit watered down. However this beer has a special place in my heart as it is one of the first beers that turned me onto craft brewing.

Sunturnbrew

American Barleywine

DrinkingAleToday

A: Pours a deep murky amber with a thin head that quickly dissapates. S: Huge aroma of sweet barley, hints of carmel, dark fruit, chocolate, and smoke, underlying everything hints alcohol. T:Nice biscuity/bready malt flavor, slight sweetness, some roast and chocolate comes through, dry finish from the rye, as beer warms the smoke becomes more evident. Moderate amount of hop bitterness, alcohol warms the palate. Alot of flavors but they mingle nicely. M: Full bodied chewy barleywine. Smoke and rye add to the complexity. D: Another great beer from Nogne-O, a very complex and delicious barleywine.

Mill Street Tankhouse Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

FiguredMaple

I think this is my favourite of the Mill House, uh Mill Street range. There's something about the aroma and taste that is reminiscent to the original Creemore recipe. My only gripe about this one is the amount of carbonation. On tap its fine, but out of the bottle, it's much different. Far too carbonated. It's considerably hoppy and floral with an average body. It would stand up well and counterbalance a char-grilled burger and salty/spicy nibbles.

Creemore Springs Premium Lager

American Amber / Red Lager

FiguredMaple

For years, this was one of my favourites. Over the past year or so, I have had it sporadically either in the pint bottle, regular bottle, or on tap. Something has changed and I am truly disappointed. Creemore used to be a dedicated beer company that was determined to deliver fresh beer to all of its suppliers. If the product were not consumed within 6 weeks, they would go out and collect all the unsold beer, and replace it with fresh stock. They even introduced a distinct and unique shaped bottle with sloping shoulders that was designed to produce a no-glug pour. Now they use a regular generic brown bottle with a twist off cap. The flavour has changed as well. Over the past year or so, the carbonation has increased, and the mouth feel has thinned. Now it seems to be a blend of the original Creemore and Molson Canadian, actually more like a Molson Canadian with a hint of Creemore in it. This is typical of how a large mass-producing giant takes on a smaller craft beer and streamlines the recipe and process to maximize profits. Just my 2 cents.

LongShot Old Ben Ale

Old Ale

adamette

Live review from the 12 oz. bottle that I bought as a part of the "LongShot Series" 6-pack at Reider's in Painesville, Ohio yesterday for $9.99. That local grocery store has quite a few cool beer selections and should be visited by anyone in the area. Notched stamped on the left side of the label is the "enjoy by" date of Sept. 2010. Poured into my Ommegang Witte tumbler. A Nice light brown creamy head rides on top of a dark caramel but translucent body in a classic look for the style. I really appreciate the long lasting, creamy head that leaves good lacing. 4.0 S Malty sweetness, dark fruits (raisins, dates) dominate the smell of this apparently classic old ale. What hops there are are muted quite a bit by every thing else in the smell. 3.5 T Yes, a big, heavy Old Ale with all of the dark fruit, malty goodness that you expect from the style. The taste lingers for a quite a long time, maybe 5 minutes after your last sip. To me, this is a classic, to the style Old Ale. 3.0 M There is an appropriate sticky, syrupy feel. Indeed, some spilled out when the head overflowed and after I tried to dry it up it was sticky on the table several minutes later. This is the correct feel for the style. 3.0 D Not that great. The bigness of the beer really drives down the drinkability for me. I would not drink more than one of these I think in a night. I did finish the 12 ounces, mind you, tonight. 2.5 Notes: Congrats to Michael Robinson who created this beer and was one of the winners of the LongShot Homebrew Contest.

The Old Toad Nut Brown Ale

English Brown Ale

adamette

Served on tap at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY a few hours ago into a pint glass. A Very basic looking brown ale with minimal head that dissapeared rather quickly. S Nuts! I loved the smell of this beer. It was fun to try to pick out which nuts I was smelling. Walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts? There was some alcohol to the nose too and some classic "ale" smell but it was that nut smell that was really distinctive. T A wonderfully appropriate pallate of nuts, some malt and alcohol which (o.k. maybe I was influenced by being in the English pub) was very English. A reasonably strong ale on the thin side. M Thin but strong, filling, attention getting. D Really great. Had I not just had an appetizer and dinner I could have thrown back 3 or 4 of these. I think that it was brewed with multiples in mind. Notes: Really appreciate that this beer, brewed for the Old Toad, is so English in its character.

Heavy Seas - Summer Ale

American Blonde Ale

beer1018

I found this beer very refreshing with enough flavor to keep it from being bored. Appearance did look like your average macro. Withour looking at the style when i drank it i found it to smell like a lager. Taste was biscuty with a nice citrus hops kiss at the end. I was suprised to only see 6 revies so far. This was very refreshing for me after the heavy KBS i had before it. After i finish the other two bottles from my 12 pack i will revisit this review.

Back In Black

American Black Ale

beer1018

12oz can poured into a pint glass. Appears black with a nice creamy head that takes forever to go away. It smells good, nothing offensive here. The taste is a nice balance between the hops and roasted malts. Mouthfeel is like a less creamy guiness which feels very nice. The alcohol is hidden well. I could drink a whole 6 pack easy and i rarely drink more then two. This will be a new staple for me and one of the better beers i have had this year.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Dortmunder / Export Lager

AmericanCanuck

Was kind of a pleasant surprise. Had a very nice deep, golden color with an appealing aroma and a stronger hoppy flavor than I prefer. But definitely not bad brew. It definitely won't ever be a favorite of mine, but it will suffice when there is nothing else around.

Rolling Rock Extra Pale

American Adjunct Lager

AmericanCanuck

*THIS REFERS TO THE ORIGINAL ROLLING ROCK BREWED IN LATROBE PA* What can I say about an old friend that is going the way of the dodo? It's always been a staple in my life and has followed me from eastern Ohio to Illinois over the years. But enough waxing nostalgic. I'm pretty straight forward and to-the-point regarding beer. Simply put: I drink what I like. The taste is truly satisfying after a long day, especially if it's really cold. I could get into the religious aspects of its appearance, but I won't go there. It doesn't produce a long-lasting head, but then again, I'm not drinking it for the foam. It does have the tendency to give one the "Oliver" complex: "More please!".

Two-Headed Beast

American Stout

bigoten13

Poured from 22oz to a pewter cast tankard. Dark black color with a thick, voluptuous toasted brown head that fizzles down to a thick lace layer. Smells of chocolate, a bit of sourness (not sure where that comes from), and a rich smokiness. Tastes similar to the smell, but with a strong back of bittersweet cocao which is my favorite part. Mouthfeel is good as well, thick carbonation throughout, and the bittersweetness plays well. Drinkability is okay, with the flavors perhaps too powerful for a session. Overall, great chocolate stout, but its no Young's.

No Name IPA

American IPA

bigoten13

Was having a birthday celebration and I was picking up the tab and wasn't entertaining and BAs, so I went with some cheaper beers and a couple local growlers. Picked this one up, mostly because I needed an IPA to balance out the wheats and lagers I had already selected, and the label made me think it was going to be something special. The label was extremely bare, basic, and seemed as if someone had printed it off microsoft word and sharpied in the beer style and name. This made me feel like I was in for a small, local treat that was not focused on the marketing, but purely focused on the brewing. I was wrong... I'll start with the goods and wrap it up with the complaints: - A: Great golden caramel color with a formidable head that never seemed to disappear. Best part of the beer. -S: Okay smell, hints of malt and some hop character, though it left more to be desired. -T: The most peculiar tasting beer ever. It was like I had drank two bottles back to back to back to back, one of IPA and one of water. My tastebuds were tantalized, and then drowned with watery nothingness, then tantalized, then drowned, etc. After three good swigs (tried to give it the good ol college try) I was decided: no more. I have no idea if my growler was bad or what was going on, either way I made my friends taste it to confirm my suspicions, and then we dumped the remaining 50 or so ounces. -M: You'd think with such prominent head that the mouthfeel would benefit from carbonation, but the wateriness exhibited in the taste was duplicated in the mouthfeel because I was in a constant limbo and just couldn't handle it. -D: I could only have three swigs, and my friends could barely choke down one. Enough said. If you have had a positive growler experience with this beer, please shoot me a beermail and I'll give it another try. Otherwise, the no-name IPA should become a no-existence IPA in my opinion.

Essential Pale Ale

American Pale Ale (APA)

LaCoursiere

No bottled on or best-by date. Poured into a tulip glass. Thanks to gwillyb for sending me some fresh stuff so I can edit my review. A - Pours a nice yellow-orange with a half finger off-white head. Very fine carbonation is visible. Minimal lacing. S - The nose is a bit mute, slightly malty and citrusy nose. T - Very clean taste that has hints of citrus and peppery spice. Biscuity malts peek through in the middle. The hops have a nice crisp bitterness that is slightly herbal, earty and grassy. M - Medium-light bodied that is slick on the way in with carbonation that is very fine and light. It goes well with the mild flavor profile. No alcohol presence. O/D - This is a nice beer that is quite drinkable... It would do exceedingly well on a hot summer day with the crisp, clean hop bitterness and lemony citrus notes.

Satin Solstice Imperial Stout

American Double / Imperial Stout

LaCoursiere

12 oz, bottled in February 2011. Poured into a NB globe. A - Almost black, with reddish brown hues when the light gets through. It formed a 1/2-finger tan head when poured. The head dissipated quickly, but left a nice collar throughout. Very little lacing. S - Very nice aroma on this one. Great roasted malt notes backed by molasses and coffee. There is a twinge of soy sauce in the aroma as well. T - Nice flavor. Molasses and dark fruit up front with hints of cherry, raisin and dates. The flavor kind of washes out in the middle, but comes back with nice roasted malt and coffee notes. M - To me this is the beer is lacking here. The mouthfeel is alot lighter than I like out of an imperial stout. The carbonation level was a little weak as well. Slight alcohol warmth grew as it warmed. O/D - I had a sample of this at a liquor store a last spring and bought a six pack. I didn't drink one until now. I think that this stout is probably better off fresh.