Victory Yakima Twilight: 25

Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 25

A huge creamy head with good lacing. The color is a deep amber brown. It has a good roasted malt aroma with a bit of chocolate. The bitter hops kick in early but the sweet malt is also there around the edges of the tongue. Lots of roasted flavors throughout. Under it is a bit of floral notes and a hint of grapefruit. The alcohol (8.7%) kicks in mid-tongue through the back. It leaves an oily coating in the mouth with residual flavors of the roasted malt and hops. Lots of flavor and very well crafted. An excellent big beer.

Brew Dog Hardcore IPA: 24

Taste: 7 Finish: 9 Visual: 3 Aroma: 5
Total: 24

The color is a light amber/orange and little cloudy. It has very little carbonation. The head that does form is creamy and clings well. The aroma is great. Lots of citrus and pine notes. Under it a bit of yeasty bread. First sip starts sweet. But then the hops kick in. Lots of bitterness. The citrus flavor of grapefruit and orange peel is present. Lots of pine/wood. In the back and on the breath is more citrus. I don't get a lot of bread or yeast. The bitterness lingers nicely on the tongue. Really, it's missing more carbonation. It is a bit flat on the tongue. Overall a very good and strong IPA (9%). Perhaps I got a bad bottle without enough carbonation. Otherwise it would be stellar for a big IPA.

Shock Top Belgian White: 11

Taste: 3 Finish: 3 Visual: 3 Aroma: 2
Total: 11

Anheuser-Busch put out this Belgian White for the masses. Visually it's not bad. It's cloudy and light orange. The head is very thin. It smells like a Budweiser with hints of citrus and bread. And that's not a good thing.

Upfront it is very sweet. Lots of malt. Too sweet. Then the orange kicks in. But only the sweet part of the orange. There is not citrus bite. In the back and exhale is a bit of bread and yeast. The aftertaste lingers too long with flavors of soap.

On the good side, it could have been much worse. It's kind of like taking a Bud and mixing in some orange juice. So, I'd probably take it over a Bud in the summer. But that's about it.

Redhook Long Hammer IPA: 17

Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 2 Aroma: 3
Total: 17

The color is very glassy and pale amber. The head is decent with a bit of lacing. The aroma is light with hops and a little banana. But not much citrus and certainly no bread. Upfront there is a moderate amount of bitterness. There is a bit of sweetness under it all. In the back is more generic hops. Again, no real citrus or bread. There is nothing wrong with this brew, but also very little is right. A decent session IPA.

Unibroue Terrible: 24

Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 24

The head is very fizzy instead of creamy. It is pitch black up to the light. The aroma is faint but smells sweet with ripe fruit. The flavor grows as the brew gets warmer. Definitely let it sit out a bit. Right out of the fridge the flavors are muted. Sweet malt infused with black cherries and plums. The 10.5% alcohol is not noticeable at all as a flavor. Instead it helps numb the tongue a bit and allows it to finish very cleanly. Just traces of fruit. Very very good.

Magic Hat Lucky Cat: 23

Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Finish: 23

Magic Hat may not be the best brewery. But they are consistently good. Lucky Cat starts well with a great creamy head and a nice cloudy amber color. The aroma is a bit weak with spiced hops.

There is a bit of sweetness of the malt upfront. That is quickly overtaken by spiced hops. The hops are strong but not overpowering. In terms of intensity, it's middle of the road for an IPA. The finish is dry and has a bit of a copper penny flavor. The alcohol is higher (5.8%) but not huge.

A very serviceable IPA. Something much more drinkable than the high end IPAs that I love so much. But this is one that I can drink many of which certainly has it's uses.