Avery Karma Ale: 11

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

It pours with cloudy dark golden color. It has a rich head. There is no discernible aroma.

It has a bit of sweetness upfront. Underlying it all is a generic bready flavor and some citrus. It then turns a bit tart and bitter at the end. After drinking Ommegang's Hennepin yesterday, Karma is a very pale comparison. Hennepin does every flavor and texture better. I am honestly unimpressed. Get Hennepin instead. It is vastly superior.

Ommegang Abbey Ale: 12

Taste: 3 Finish: 3 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 12

I decided not to write a traditional review for this one. Ommegang is a well respected brewery and this was my first brew to try. Maybe I got a bad bottle. Honestly, it tasted like nothing. No chocolate. No malt. No bitterness. Very generic. Bland. No flavor. I'll try it again sometime. Perhaps my pallet is off. But, I can't help but think that this is a very nothing beer.

Ommegang Hennepin: 23

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

The color is a cloudy golden. It has a crisp aroma of citrus and bread. But it is a tad faint.

It's a bit sweet up front. It then transitions to a doughy bread consistency from the yeast. Finally, at the finish it goes sharp and bitter. Definitely lemon and hops. It's a very interesting combination. It would be great on a hot day as it will cut through your thirst. But it would do equally well with bread and cheese. Also interesting is that it is 7.7% alcohol but I don't get a hint of it at all. A very well crafted brew.

Hitachino Nest Beer: 19

Taste: 6 Finish:6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 19

Who can resist a bottle with a cartoon owl on it? Actually, Hitachino is a well respected ale. Nest Beer is a belgian white/wheat ale.

It pours with a small head. It is very cloudly. I can barely see through it. The color is like light straw. The aroma is of citrus and bread.

The initial flavor is very mild. In the mid are the subtle flavors of lemon and bread. It finishes with a bit of tartness. And then it is gone. It is a very interesting beer. It has all the components of an excellent ale. But it's so light that it's hard to enjoy it's flavors. So, either this is the perfect light beer for a hot day, or it's too mild to take seriously. I can't decide.

Weyerbacher Hops Infusion IPA: 21

Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

Weyerbacher is a relatively new brewery founded in 1995 in Easton, PA. They've been getting some good buzz and reviews. Let's check them out.

It has a light amber color and a nice creamy head. It has a mild aroma of hops.

It has a nice bite up front. No sweetness whatsoever. As it moves to the back, the hops really kick in with a strong bitterness, and a bit of metallic undertone. The finish grabs you and hangs on for a while. This is a potent beer. It's all hops. No fruit or floral. So a bit of a one trick pony. But a good pony.

I starting to really get into craft IPAs that have more than just bitter hops. I'm looking for other subtle undertones and textures. But for a straight and strong IPA, Weyerbacher delivers a good one.

Magic Hat Roxy Rolles: 24

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

Magic Hat releases their excellent winter amber ale. It pours with a full head. It is a cloudy and deep amber color. The aroma is a bit sweet and has the aroma of hops and flowers.

The taste is very smooth. It has a bit of a bite but not too much. The mid has a nice autumn spice to it. At the back is a moderate bitterness and then blooms into a floral flavor. It finishes quickly and cleanly.

I find it a very pleasing beer. It has enough flavor to satisfy the palate. It is also very clean allowing it to be enjoyed throughout the night. It's a great balance between flavor and drinkability. I highly recommend it while it's still being made for the winter. Enjoy!

Victory Moonglow Weizenbock: 24

Taste: 9 Finish: 9 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 26

Victory hits us with both barrels by making a bock beer from wheat. It pours a cloudy brown due to it not being filtered. It has a nice full head. The aroma is very sweet and a hint of nutmeg.

It definitely has that wheat beer flavor. Lots of grains, nutmeg, and that gingersnap cookie flavor. The bock gives it that thick, chewing consistency. It has a nice sweetness throughout. At the end is a bit of bitterness but it all subsides quickly leaving a bit of spice on the tongue. And a smidge of citrus.

Victory continues producing top tier beers. They are certainly one of the best breweries in the country. Check them out.

Troegs Hopback Amber Ale: 25

Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 24

It pours beautifully. It is a deep amber with a full creamy head. After a couple of tastes, the aroma finally punches through with a very nice floral scent.

It's very subtle at first. Smooth. A bit creamy. Then the hops flow in. It has a nice bitterness around the edge of the tongue. It has a nice spice undertone. To me it's has a nice earthy hops flavor. Maybe some grains. I just think autumn while drinking it. The hops linger for a while leaving my mouth dry.

What can I say but this is a really good ale. If you're looking for something of medium flavor and strength, this definitely will satisfy. It would go great with steak or a roast. And definitely for a cool autumn night.

Bass Pale Ale: 18

Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 18

Bass is often the best beer on tap at many bars. It's easily one of my favorite bar beers.

It has a very faint hop aroma. The color is a very nice amber. The head is medium and dissipates quickly.

It has a sweet malt taste at the tip of the tongue. A bit of acidity hits in the middle. It has a very mild finish with a bit of bitterness. Throughout it all is a sweet undertone from the malt. It finishes very cleanly. It is a beer you could drink all night.

It is a very nice, mild, and slightly sweet beer. It certainly isn't anything special. But for a big name beer it's very good.

Seagram's VO Gold: 9

Taste: 2 Finish: 4 Visual: 2 Aroma: 1
Total: 9

Seagram makes a wide variety of whiskeys at various price points. From what I've seen, they are all Canadian blended whiskeys. VO Gold is one of their top shelf variants. It has a price point just below Jack Daniels.

Given it's price, I expected something much, much, much better. First, the color is a glowing yellow bordering on orange. Very strange. There is no subtle aroma. Really, it smells like mild rubbing alcohol.

It has absolutely no taste up front. In the mid to back the raw alcohol taste kicks in. The aftertaste again is of alcohol and then just a smidge of caramel and oak. It was the only way I could tell I was drinking whiskey instead of vodka. Also, the finish is extremely mild and smooth. This shouldn't be surprising since it is so flavorless. At least it isn't horrible or brash. That's about the best I can say for it.

If it were half the cost, I'd say it was fantastic cheap whiskey. Given the price, stay very far way from Seagram's VO Gold.

Brooklyn IPA: 19

Taste: 6 Finish: 7 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 19

It pours well with a medium creamy head and a medium amber color. It has a nice aroma of hops and a bit of floral undertones. It could be a bit stronger.

There is no sweetness upfront. The hops pretty much hit you from start to finish. Overall it is very dry. The bitterness is moderate and doesn't overpower. It lingers for a bit but overall finishes cleanly. There is a very minor hint of citrus, lemon peel and grapefruit.

This is a mild version of an IPA. Certainly more geared towards drinking several instead of savoring just a couple.

Brooklyn Lager: 21

Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

Brooklyn Lager pours very nice with a medium amber color and a full head. The aroma is faint but of sweet malt.

It has a bit of sweetness at the tip of the tongue. The middle is smooth. The back is of medium dry hops. Then in the finish kicks in a brief but sharp bitterness. Almost metallic. I kind of like it.

The end result is a very drinkable lager that has just enough flavor and character to keep drinking it.

Unibroue Trois Pistoles: 24

Taste: 8 Finish:8 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 24

Unibroue is quickly becoming my favorite brewery. Everything I've tried has been best in class. Let's see how Trois Pistoles measures up.

The aroma is of sweet, toasted malt and maybe a bit of black cherries. It's a nice aroma but mild. The color is a very dark brown with a large head.

Up front it is has a mild sweetness of roasted malt. A bit of chocolate. A bit of acid bites the back of the tongue. Then a nice moderate bitterness of the hops swells up. A good exhale completes it. The flavor lingers a bit on the tongue. Throughout it all is a mild sweetness. The label claims it's ripe fruit. After reading that and tasting it, yes, you could get a hint of fruit, possibly cherries and raisins. I wouldn't have guess that without reading it so it is a mild undertone.

Typical with Unibroue, this beer is high in alcohol (9%). It is completely masked by the flavors.

Not best in class but certainly a high quality beer. I recommend it completely.

Woodford Reserve: 26

Taste: 8 Finish: 10 Color: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 26

I've read two reviews that have stated Woodford Reserve is the best bourbon on the market. I was very eager to give it a taste.

It is a nice medium copper color. The aroma definitely has a strong wallop of alcohol but underneath it is a mild sweetness.

It has a very nice spiced upfront. And the first sip definitely hits hard. But at the end there is a smooth coating on the tongue. The next sip gives way to more sweetness. A touch of vanilla. But it's still too strong for me. For my tastes it needs a splash of water. Much better. I really dig the creamy coating it leaves behind. I've never had that feeling before with a bourbon. It rounds out the flavor and drastically enhances the mouth feel.

It is definitely one of the best bourbons I've had. Give it a try.

Stoudts Double IPA: 27

Taste: 9 Finish: 9 Visual: 4 Aroma: 5
Total: 27

I don't know why they call it a Double IPA. Perhaps because it's part of their Big Beer line. Perhaps because it has 10% alcohol. Perhaps because it's twice as good as a regular IPA.

The color is a very nice copper. Head is good. The aroma is fantastic. It has a very potent hop aroma but also some floral notes and a bit of baking bread.

It hits you pretty good up front with grapefruit and hops.The mid has a bit of yeast. And then it finishes with very bitter and bold hops. But it doesn't overpower. It's exactly what you want from a big IPA. The taste lingers a bit but not too long.

A great IPA. Just drink it slow. You'd never know it was 10% alcohol. You could easily drink 2 of these in a half hour and then wonder why the room was spinning.

Michelob Amber Bock: 11

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

Calling this a bock is, well a stretch. A better description would be "generic dark American lager". But, I can say it's better than I expected. That should be to hard since I expected it to be horrible.

The color was a medium amber. Good head. Basically no aroma to speak of.

It's a bit sweet up front. Definitely some from the roasted malt but I get a bit more than just that. I can't put my finger on it. It's non-descript in the middle. The finish gives a hint of bitterness and finishes dryly. Certainly not chocolate or coffee or creaminess. Again, not even a distant cousin of a bock. They really should just call this Michelob Dark.

It's a pretty easy drinking beer that has a bit of flavor. It's a minor step up from Michelob High Life and the such. If you have to drink beer from a big American conglomerate, this is well above average. Otherwise there is a universe of real beer out there to try.

Aventinus: 22

Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 22

Aventinus is a bottle fermented, wheat doppelbock from Germany. It has a very faint aroma, bordering on none. The color is a dark and cloudy brown. It has a thin head.

The initial taste is of toasted malt and some chocolate. It tingles on the tongue from carbonation and some spice. It finishes with a mild bitterness and leaves an oily coating on the tongue. A mild "wheat" exhale follows. This is not a creamy beer at all. I'm really surprised that it is relatively mild in flavor. It has a very nice balance between sweetness, chocolate, and bitterness. It's also 8.2% alcohol but you would never know it.

I almost want to say this beer isn't very good because there isn't any boldness to it. For a dark beer, it is very subtle. So, I switch my thoughts and think it is near perfection in execution. I wish it had more aroma to it. You could easily drink 2 of these in an hour and then fall off your chair. Great!

Negra Modelo: 22

Taste: 7 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 22

From the parent company of Corona is the great little beer, Negra Modelo.

The color is a nice rich brown with a hint of red. The aroma has a hint of malt. Should be a bit more.

Up front is a very nice sweetness. It's more than just malt. The mid has a bit of toasted nut. The finish is dry and just a tinge of bitterness. Overall an extremely drinkable beer that has a good balance of flavor, sweetness, smoothness, and clean finish. Absolutely grab this over any mass produced beer, including Corona. It's definitely step up beer for people who are used to Coors or Yeungling.

Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest: 16

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 16

It has a beautiful amber color with a nice full head. It has a very mildly sweet aroma.

It has a lightly sweet front. And then it moves to a mild bitterness. The finish is mild and it lingers just for a bit. I'm pretty much disappointed. This tastes like a nondescript American amber. I'd put it head to head with Yuengling and I bet they come out pretty close. Otherwise, nothing here to recommend.

Paulaner Oktoberfest: 19

Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 3 Aroma: 2
Total: 19

Paulaner makes a great pilsner. Let's see how they do on their Oktoberfest.

It has a very mild sweet aroma. The color is a light amber with a thin head.

It has a mild upfront malt sweetness. A subtle bite in the middle. And then a very nice and long sweetness at the end. There's also a hint of maybe lemon peel. The finish has a mild hop bitterness which is nice but unexpected from an Oktoberfest brew.

A nice beer, but nothing special. I definitely expected more from Paulaner.

Flying Fish Oktoberfish: 15

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Color: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 15

Okay, it's not terrible. But it has the flaws of other Flying Fish that I've had.

First, it has a very mild sweet aroma. The color is a very nice copper. So, without taking a sip, a very nice beer.

Upfront there is a mild sweetness. And then a very bright and sharp carbonation flavor. Not overpowering. But it's there. In the end there is very little bitterness which is expected from a Oktoberfest. A slight off flavor lingers way too long. It's not bad. But it certainly isn't clean.

Given in Germany, the Oktoberfest beer should be some of the best you can produce, Flying Fish doesn't even come close. It's not a bad beer. But, it's not even a good beer.

Het Anker - Gouden Carolus Classic: 29

Taste: 10 Finish: 10 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 29

Okay, it's quite a name. It is named after Emperor Charles' Gold Coins. It is a dark belgium ale which is bottle conditioned. It is a high 8.5% alcohol. It claims it will never spoil and improves with age.

It pours a deep amber and brown. It has a moderate head. It has a very nice malty aroma.

Wow, it has a very sweet, malty start. Then a moderate chocolate kicks in. It ends with cream and a touch of bitterness. The finish is silky smooth and leaves a light, sweet coating on the tongue.

This isn't what I expected at all. I'm used to belgians being crisp and tart. Coupled with the "golden" moniker, this is at the complete opposite of that. It's delicious. It's not a powerful stout flavor. It is much smoother and lighter than that. Near perfection. This is the first in a series of beers from this brewery. I'm eager to try the rest.

Elijah Craig: 18

Taste: 5 Finish: 6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 18

Elijah Craig is a 12 year old, small batch bourbon whiskey. It claims to be the first small batch on the market.

The color is a nice amber. The aroma is of heavy alcohol. I don't get any undertones.

Bang! First sip is bold. Strong. Heavy. Spiced. I don't get any other flavors but "whiskey" and alcohol. The finish is also strong and lots of beefy exhale. I don't mean it's rough. But this is a powerful "saloon" style whiskey. It's definitely not a cheap bourbon. But, for the money, I'd expect to have a bit more flavor like honey or vanilla or oak or something.

A near miss in my book. I'd put this between Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. Not a high-end, world class bourbon.

Flying Fish HopFish India Pale Ale: 23

Taste: 6 Finish: 9 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 23

I've never liked Flying Fish. It's always been too "fresh" like they bottled it before it was really ready. Being it's brewed in my hometown, I should be singing their praises. Who knows, maybe this time will be different.

It has a moderate tangy hop aroma. Definitely some grapefruit. The color is a medium amber. Could stand to be a bit darker.

Holy crap, that's a lot of hops! It's very big and bold. It doesn't overpower the tongue. In fact, it lingers only for a short time and then just leaves that mild hop film on the tongue. I'm quite pleased with the finish given how strong this is.

The actual taste is a bit one dimensional, HOPS. I was hoping for some grapefruit or other citrus. Sadly, very little other flavors beyond the bitterness. It's not bad, just a bit disappointing.

It's a very good beer that could have been great. I think it's time to go back to the Flying Fish to see what else they have.

Asahi Super Dry: 14

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 14

Super Dry is the best selling beers in Japan. It was designed to be crisp and clean with no aftertaste while retaining full flavor. Let's see.

It's a nice light golden color. Thin head. Slightly sweet aroma.

It's a very light flavor. Slight malt flavor upfront. A bit soapy in the middle. Very limited bitterness at the end. It finishes cleanly and pretty much gone seconds later. A very simple beer.

This would be the equivalent of Coors or Miller in the States. An inoffensive beer with little going for it. But certainly nothing bad either. It lived up to its crisp, clean, and no aftertaste tag line. But, full flavored? Compared to water? Yes. Compared to real beer? No.

Beck's Oktoberfest: 20

Taste: 7 Finish: 4 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 20

I found Beck's to usually be slightly skunked. So, I just couldn't resist trying their Oktoberfest. Well, it is getting close to October, right?

It has beautiful color. A nice deep amber. There is a good amount of aroma of sweet malt.

It has a great initial first taste. Very sweet and savory. A bit of roasted malt. In the back is just a bit of a hop bite. And it finishes pretty cleanly. Although, there is just a hint of harshness in the back. It doesn't linger but it's there. Even with that, I could drink many many in a row.

What a pleasant surprise. Many German beers aren't the freshest so perhaps that's what I'm tasting here. Otherwise, an extremely good beer.

River Horse Lager: 9

Taste: 3 Finish: 2 Visual: 1 Aroma: 3
Total: 9

The color is a very pale straw and it's cloudy. Not what I was expecting from a lager. The aroma is mild and sweet.

The brew starts mildly sweet from the malt. It is slightly soapy in the middle. And there is a very mild bitterness at the end. There is certainly no complexity to the flavor. What would be a very average beer turns poor with the finish. This beer coats the tongue and wears you down over time. I could barely stand to open a 3rd. It's just very blunting.

I was unimpressed with River Horse's last beer, and I certainly don't want any more of the lager. This may be a local brew for me, but I'll pass quickly and move to something more satisfying.

Broughton Old Jock Ale: 23

Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 23

Old Jock is a full flavored dark beer to be drunk at "cellar" temperatures with hearty foods. Really?

It pours very well. The head is thick and a nice dark cream color. The brew is a deep amber, bordering on walnut. It has a nice sweet malt aroma with a bit of roasted nut.

Ooh. It has a very nice sweet upfront. Roasted malt. A bit of creaminess. in the middle I get a slight honey and a bit of nut. Then a moderate bitterness jumps in. It finishes pretty well leaving a slight coating on the tongue and a mild bitterness.

Very nice. That's what I would say about Old Jock. Full of flavor. Would be good with spicy or hearty food. After the pretty bad Merlin Ale, this is a big improvement.

Jim Beam Rye Whiskey: 18

Taste: 5 Finish: 7 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 18

Rye whiskeys are hard to come by these days. Jim Beam puts out a reasonably priced version. Given rye whiskeys are supposed to be harsher and a bit more rough and tumble, coupled with Jim Beam not being the greatest, I figure I'm in for a rough ride.

It has a moderate whiff of alcohol. The color is a normal amber color. Taking a sip the first thing I'm amazed with is how smooth it is. I expect this to have some rough edges. It doesn't. It is very clean with no lingering flavors. The up front flavor has a bit of earthy and grain undertones. It's all very subdued.

Not a bad whiskey. Not a very good whiskey either. Being a rye, it has a bit of that earthy flavor you'd expect. But overall the flavor is muted. I'm unimpressed but certainly not appalled.

Broughton Ales Merlin's Ale: 12

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Visual: 2 Aroma: 2
Total: 12

Well, first, I bought this and just saw it is several months past its best by date. So, we'll assume that the flavors should be a bit more pronounced and the finish a bit smoother if I bought it, oh, back in March.

Second, who can resist trying Merlin's Ale? I don't think he drank much but then again, maybe beer is where he drew his mystical powers from. I often feel magical after many beers. Hmm.

It has a mild malt aroma. A bit sweet. The color is a very bland "golden" and it's cloudy.

It's very sweet. Well, sweet for a beer. Very mild up front. A bit of honey in the back followed by mild bitterness. The bitterness sits on the tongue for a little bit. Not too long. This is a Scottish beer so it does have a bit of that earthiness and, well, scotch-like flavor at the end.

Even if I drank this 4 months ago, I don't think this would be a very good beer. I really question why it's even made. It's not horrible but seriously, who would buy this for the taste? Call it Scotties Ale and it would sell 4 pints. Call it Merlin and maybe an idiot like me will buy a bottle.

River Horse Special Ale ESB: 16

Taste: 5 Finish: 5 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 16

Given the ultra hopped beers today, a Extra Special Bitter really isn't that bitter. A super IPA will crush this beer and laugh. But, an ESB today isn't too bitter, just a bit bitter. And that's okay too.

The head is thin but the color is a beautiful copper. There is little to no aroma.

Upfront is a mild sweetness. It transitions to a very mild bitterness. A bit more on the exhale. Underneath is a very mild sweetness throughout of light honey. I then had some pretzels and that's when the flavor really awoken with this brew. Suddenly there was a medium citrus and more honey. Much better!

Overall, a nice beer. Nothing great. It's a beer you could easily serve at a party and most of the guests will like it. It also doesn't linger long. So, you could drink many throughout the night. I would grab this over just about any mass produced beer. But it certainly isn't in the big craft leagues either.

Monty Python Holy Ale: 4

Taste: 1 Finish: 0 Visual: 1 Aroma: 2

Come on. How could I not buy it? And how could it possibly be good?

It has a thin head. No aroma. And an amberish color. Almost artificial.

Oh my. What the hell is that flavor? The front is an inoffensive "beer" like flavor. But then the back and the finish. Christ, I don't know what it is. Bitter. Artificial. And it lingers on the tongue. It won't go away! Eck. Absolutely horrible.

Do people a favor. If you see this in the store, knock it over and call out "spill on aisle 5!"

Hacker-Pschorr Weisse: 20

Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 20

I've always considered Hacker-Pschorr Weisse one of the best wheat beers. This is probably because my father would order one on rare occasion and savor it. After trying the very good Paulaner wheat beer, let's see if Hacker-Pschorr ups the ante.

It pours with an enormous head which is creamy and dissipates slowly. The color is a chalky, cloudy, and milky golden. Perfect. It has a slightly sweet aroma of baked bread.

Do you remember the taste of a top notch white bread fresh from the oven? Yeasty, soft, sweet. That's what this beer is like. You almost want to chew it. It has very nice undertones of citrus, mostly lemon. It finishes sweetly and cleanly.

Even though this is a very pleasant taste, I could use a bit more. The flavors are muted a bit. But, you could drink 2 or 3 before you realized what you did. A very nice beer, just not a great beer.

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout: 14

Taste: 3 Finish: 3 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 14

This beer for me was a total shocker. I've heard numerous rave reviews of this beer so I was eager to try it. It was a complete disappointment. It started well. It's a totally black beer with no light getting through. The aroma is nice but not strong. The head is thick and creamy.

Here's how I would describe this Imperial Stout. It's a lite version of a full flavored beer. An imperial stout should be strong, rich, chocolately, deep coffee and caramel flavors. All of these components were there, just extremely muted. Kind as if Guinness came out with Lite Stout for people who didn't want it too heavy. I'm sorry, but an imperial stout should be anything but lite. It should grab you and keep you warm for a month. This was way too tame. Steer clear.

Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale: 28

Taste: 9 Finish: 10 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 28

I think the title says it all. And, if you read the label, they are just taunting you saying this beer is way too much for you. Put it down, wimp!

It pours with a large creamy head. The color is very, very dark amber. The aroma itself has a spiced tang to it.

Wow, this beer is smoooth. The back and finish does have a nice, almost creamy hoppy bitterness. There is an undertone of spice. There is a nice malt flavor in the front. And throughout I get that smooth creaminess. I'm just amazed that the beer has a lot of flavor and yet is so smooth. Can I say smooth again?

This is probably one of the best beers that you can drink multiple of. Most craft beers are extremely high in alcohol (this is only 7.2%), and have such strong flavors that you really only want maybe two. Not so with Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale. This you can drink all night. Fantastic.

Negra Modelo: 21

Taste: 6 Finish: 7 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 21

I fell in love with Negra Modelo after my first taste many years ago. It is such an improvement over the brewery's companion, Corona. It's labeled as a generic "dark" beer. Let's see.

It pours very nicely with a medium brown with a hint of amber. The head is perfect. The aroma is a very nice sweet malt. I wish it were a bit stronger.

It has a nice malt upfront with some nice sweetness. The middle is dry with a walnut flavor. There is a nice undertone of caramel. The finish is very clean and dry. There is a bit of sweetness again in the back.

This is still one of my favorites. Is it the best beer? No. But, it's a very drinkable beer with some nice malt, caramel, and nut flavors. To me, it is closer in flavor to a brown ale.

Unibroue Maudite: 27

Taste: 10 Finish: 10 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 27

Maudite (Damned) is a bottle conditioned red ale. It claims to continue to age up to 5 years in the bottle similar to a wine.

Given its bottle conditioning, it is a very murky red which a large head. The aroma is mild with just a hint of malt and hops.

First sip, mmm, nice. Very nice. There is a nice sweetness upfront. It is smooth up the middle. Just a bit of bite in the back. The finish is oh so smooth. It leaves a trail of honey on the tongue. The aftertaste has a bit of hops but more of spices.

I would say this is a very pleasant tasting, sweet, spiced, and slightly tangy brew. This is a fine dinner type of beer. Subtle enough not to interfere with the food, but complex enough to enjoy on its own. Unibroue does it again.

Stoudt's Fat Dog Stoudt: 25

Taste: 8 Finish: 9 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 25

This is an oatmeal stout which Stoudt's claims to border on Imperial due to its hopping.
It pours as black as night. Not one ray of light shines through. It has a thin but creamy dark head. It has a slight sweet smell of malt and chocolate. Could use a bit more aroma.

It has a nice acidic upfront with a bit of sweetness. It has a bitter middle and end of dark chocolate. The exhale is strong and of more chocolate and a hint of roasted coffee. It leaves the mouth cleanly with no oily coating. Definitely a medium bitterness at the end. Nothing overpowering.

A great beer. I would say coffee and chocolate flavors could be a bit stronger. Given they wanted the brew to be bitter at the end I would say they achieved it well without clobbering you. This is a quality stout that's very strong in flavor and alcohol (9%).

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA: 29

Taste: 9 Finish: 10 Visual: 5 Aroma: 5
Total: 29

Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA is a good beer that I thought could use a bit more to be a great beer. Well, would another 30 minutes help?

The beer is a perfect amber color with a nice creamy head. The aroma is outstanding. A strong inhale of flowers, maybe honeysuckle, citrus, and a undertone of hops. Without drinking the beer, it is totally compelling.

The front of the beer is sweet and tangy. Definitely some nice malt and touch of honey. Then comes the floral notes and citrus. Perhaps a bit of lemon peel. The finish is perfect. It is not overbearing but leaves a very nice sweet/bitter/floral/citrus coating on the tongue. Sip after sip doesn't amplify the flavors. They just stay perfectly balanced.

Another fantastic beer that you could drink continuously. Probably not for quenching a summer's thirst. But more for savoring and sipping through the night. At 9% alcohol, two a night would keep you very satisfied. It's a beer that should always be in your fridge.

Anchor Steam Beer: 16

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 16

Anchor Steam is a unique type of beer created from the gold rush days of California. It is a hybrid beer in that it uses a lager yeast but is fermented at ale temperatures. Given the lager yeasts, I'll put this in the "generic" lager category.

Anchor Steam, along with a few others like Sam Adams, started the whole microbrew movement in the 80s. So, there is a lot of respect to be given to them for being so bold as to go against the grain of the big 3 in America. Pioneers back in the day doesn't mean they are still top notch brews. Let's see if Anchor Steam has retained it's magic.

It pours with a nice head. The brew has a great copper color. It has a mild sweet aroma.

The beer is extremely fizzy and bright. Any undertones of malt are overpowered by the fizz. Basically, any flavor the beer has on the tongue is completely lost. The finish is bold and bitter. There is definitely some good hop bitterness, but for me it's more metallic. Similar to the taste of a penny in your mouth. Very strange.

I can see why some really like this beer. It has a very unique flavor. But for me it's a bit off-putting with the overpowering fizz and the metallic finish. Just like Sam Adams, a quality brew in the 80s has been eclipsed by today's microbrewers who are pushing the envelope.

Pilsner Urquell: 27

Taste: 10 Finish: 7 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 25

The Plzen brewery has been in existence since 1840. It is the originator of the Pilsner style beer. So, if anyone knows how to make it, it should be them. It is highly regarded as one of the best Pilsner's available.

The head is medium and creamy. The color is a dark golden, bordering on amber but not quite. The aroma is of mild hops and some light floral notes.

The first thing you notice is the sweetness of the malt and honey. It's big and delicious. There is a hint of floral tastes as well. The mid it starts to transition to hops. But, in the back you get a nice mix of malt, honey, and hops. The finish is a medium bitterness but again tempered with the sweetness. Overall an extremely tasty beer. It puts to shame everything the mass beer makers in America offer. It is near masterpiece.

But! I will say that I wish I could get it closer to the source. There is a very slight metallic taste in the finish. It adds up over time which really can detract from the taste. I attribute it to a beer that probably hasn't been handled extremely well from brewery to store. Alas, this is a problem of most European Pilsner. A great Pilsner is so delicate and doesn't have a strong hop finish to mask any off colors. I feel that if I had this in the town of Plzen, I would probably never leave.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: 21

Taste: 8 Finish: 6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

It pours with a nice head. It has a crystal clear amber color. It has a very light hop aroma.

It has a nice acidic front with just a hint of sweetness. Then hops. Lots of hops. Hops at the end and in the finish. As I heard from an interview from the owner, he puts A LOT of hops in this beer. It has a good bitter aftertaste. I would say that it lingers a bit too long. It's heavy.

I've drank many of these in a sitting (and lying and eventually sleeping). It's a real good beer but it stays with you and definitely wears you down. Some love it. I find it a bit too much for a long session. But for 2 or 3, it's an excellent choice.

Victory Golden Monkey: 21

Taste: 8 Finish: 6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

It's an extremely interesting looking beer. It a golden color with a bit of orange to it. It fizzes when poured. Very little head. It has a light floral and spice aroma.

It is very sweet up front. Like honey. I also get citrus, mainly orange. Then a definite floral and spiced undertone. In the end is definitely more sweetness like honey and orange. The finish is a very strange flavor with a kick of alcohol. Oh, and this is 9.5% alcohol so play nicely. Surprisingly, after the kick, the finish is pretty clean. I mean, you can taste it, but it's not weighing down your tongue. So, you keep sipping. Yes, sip it less you find floor quickly.

Everything about this beer is different. The name. The color. The flavors. Given it's sweet and high in alcohol, it is a beer you won't drink often. Even though it's really good, I don't know why I would buy this, well, ever. May be good as a dessert beer after a good meal. It really has narrow appeal. But, try it once. Maybe the Golden Monkey will grab you.

Magic Hat Fat Angel: 16

Taste: 6 Finish: 5 Visual: 2 Aroma: 3
Total: 16

The label states it's "a paler shade of ale". But that's not the color. It's a surprisingly cloudy copper color. A medium head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is sweet. Perhaps a bit of fruit. But very mild.

It has a sweet malty start. It is very tangy and jabs the tongue in the middle. At the back is a medium hops and bitterness. It has a strong finish with hops that linger. It definitely holds you, perhaps a bit too long.

I don't dislike Fat Angel. And I'm not a fan either. It's a decent quality beer. But it is truly forgettable in a sea of much better brews.

Victory Prima Pils: 21

Taste: 7 Finish: 8 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

Victory Prima Pils is rated very well. It has won many awards. It arguably is the best pilsner. Yeah, that well regarded. Let's see.

It pours well. A nice golden with a decent head. It has a very mild hop aroma.

It has a mild sweetness to it upfront. A bit of malt. The middle is a bit of hops. Finally is a nice hop finish. Actually surprising. So many pislners don't have a hop finish. Pima Pils has a good hoppiness to it without going into the IPA range. Very nice. It finishes with a nice aftertaste of hops. A bit dry. Definitely has flavor. It doesn't overpower you.

Is it that great of a pilsner? Pretty much. Personally, I'd take a good German pils over this as they are a bit sweeter up front. But, Victory definitely scores with a quality brew.

Unibroue La Fin Du Monde: 28

Taste: 10 Finish: 10 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 28

Hailing from Chambly, Canada is Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde. It means "The End of the World." The brew is triple fermented and bottle conditioned. It claims to be a complex brew that can replace white wine at dinner.

The pour is very fizzy with a large head. This is intentional. It has a cloudy, murky golden heading towards amber. It has a nice aroma of yeast, hops, and floral notes. Perhaps a bit of citrus.

It has a bit of a bite at the front of the tongue. It is smooth and a crisp in the middle. At the end is some nice citrus. In fact, the citrus lays on the tongue very nicely in the finish. Oh, and it is so smooth. I also get a bit of sweetness at the end sort of like candied flowers. Strange indeed. Wow, it is a very interesting and complex blending of flavors.

I think I could drink this all night. Well, except it's 9% alcohol. Would be great to start or finish a meal. I can't picture drinking it during. It's too complex on its own. It would really have to be paired with something specific.

Overall, a masterpiece of a beer. Something to savor and appreciate like an expensive wine. Not for mass consumption. If this is the end of the world, let it come!

Grolsch Amber: 21

Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 5 Aroma: 2
Total: 21

The regular Grosch is mostly reviled mainly due to it being notoriously skunky by the time it reaches the States. I've never liked it. Many years ago I decided to try Grolsch Amber hoping for better results. It quickly became a favorite of mine. Let's see why.

The color is a beautiful copper/amber color. It has a nice head. Unfortunately, it has minimal aroma.

It has a nice malt sweetness up front. It has a nice acidic middle. A little tang. There is a very subtle citrus underneath. The back is of medium hops and also some more malt sweetness. It finishes very smoothly and cleanly living just a bit of hops on the tongue.

I've read a few critical reviews of Grolsch Amber. I think many missed the point. This is certainly not the best altbier you can get. But, it is a quality brew. It is a very tasty brew that is extremely drinkable. It would be great on a hot day at the barbecue or watching a game. I thoroughly enjoy and recommend Grolsch Amber.

Victory Lager: 18

Taste: 8 Finish: 4 Visual: 2 Aroma: 4
Total: 18

Victory swings strong to make a great beer with one fatal and one minor flaw.

First, the color is just not right. It's a pale golden that somehow looks fake. I don't know why but it just looks wrong. The aroma though is very nice. Lightly floral and spiced with a bit of sweetness.

The up front taste is great. A very nice lightly sweet malt flavor. It pours over the tongue with just a hint of bubbles. In the back is more malt, a bit of citrus, and a touch of cream. It tingles on the tongue leaving those nice flavor notes. It's got that great German pilsner flavor but just a bit more malt. It almost is a great beer. But then, it hits. In the exhale is a very fake CO2 flavor. That fountain soda that doesn't have the right mix. It crushes the brew down at least 4 points.

In conclusion, Victory Lager should have been a good to great beer. Due to a CO2 aftertaste, it only scores fair. Given plenty of other great pilsners and helles out there, pass on Victory Lager.

Victory Hop Devil IPA: 27

Taste: 9 Finish: 9 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 27

Victory Brewing Co. is a very well respected microbrewery in the Philadelphia area. Their beers have won many awards and featured in many national articles. I've sampled a few through the years. So, let's see how their IPA rates.

It's a beautiful copper color. The head is thick, creamy, and a nice off white. The aroma is full of hops.

The front has a medium sweetness with malt and caramel. The mid is about the same. The brew has a nice semi-creaminess to it. It has a slight oily coating to the tongue. It washes into a nice bitter hops. Not too strong. It lightly lingers on the tongue for a good while.

This is a very balanced brew. Nice sweetness up front and a good hop finish. But it doesn't overpower. It's not too strong in flavor. Alcohol is 6.7% so it is powerful. This is a brew that you can enjoy over a long evening or one or two with a hearty meal. I am very impressed with this brew.

Corona: 13

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Visual: 3 Aroma: 2
Total: 13

Corona is that "premium" beer of the summer. It must be law that every barbecue has a cooler filled with it. Then an hour later the cry "We forgot the limes!" Thumb over the neck. Do the tip. Wait for the lime to float to the top to ensure proper mixing. Then a swig and a refreshing aaah. Yes, Corona has a trained. But is it any good?

You don't pour Corona out of the bottle. It's a fine pale golden color. It has essentially no aroma.

Now the taste. First, I ditch the lime to see what the beer really tastes like. Surprisingly, it's mildly sweet up front. Just a tad of flavor. The middle is pretty generic. Finally it has a decent sweetness at the end with a hint of bitter hops. It finishes very cleanly and then you're ready for another swig.

I was surprised that the beer was actually slightly sweet. No off flavors. Nothing offensive. Just a bit of flavor and very refreshing. So, why the lime? I think it adds just a bit of acidity to help cut through your summer thirst. But, a wedge of lime would do that to any lightly flavored beer. So, I feel the lime is really unnecessary. We're just conditioned like Pavlov's dogs to need that lime in the beer. It adds to the experience. You might as well do the same for Bud or Coors.

All in all, Corona is actually not a bad beer. Given the other mass market pilsners, Corona stands a bit a head of them. It's not good beer. But, not bad for a hot day at a bbq.

Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout: 25

Taste: 9 Finish: 7 Color: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 25

After being told about this brew for a couple of years, I have high expectations. I'm told it is one of the best beers. These tales were followed by the fact that it wasn't sold around here and someday I would get my hands on one. Luckily, Total Wine is the Beer God of NJ and had several of these 22 ouncers on its shelf. Let's see if the Yeti roars or whimpers.

It pours into a completely black liquid. Not a drop of light peeks through. The head is medium but creamy and a dark brown in color. It has a mild roasted coffee aroma with a hint of sweetness and malt.

It assaults the tongue immediately. It has a bold roasted flavor. In the middle is cream and bitter chocolate. The back is more chocolate and hops. The elixir coats the tongue with medium bitterness, roasted coffee, and chocolate. The exhale has a punch of alcohol. Oh, this is also 9.5% alcohol. Roughly double of a normal brew. Yet, I find there to be something a little off in the exhale. The finish could be smoother.

This Yeti really kicks your ass in many ways. High alcohol with really strong flavors. He's going to keep you warm all night. But you'll wake up sore.

Samuel Adams Black Lager: 15

Taste: 5 Finish: 5 Visual: 3 Aroma: 2
Total: 15

First, the color is not right. A Black lager should be, well, black. It is more of a deep brown and allows a bit of light to pass through. The head is nice a full and a dark cream color. There is almost no aroma to it at all. A bit of sweet malt. Overall, disappointing in presentation.

At the front is a nice sweet chocolate and toasted malt flavor. It is moderate and not overpowering. The mid is creamy. The back is again a bit of chocolate. It finishes relatively cleanly with just a hint of chocolate on the tongue.

It's a nice beer. But, is it a Black lager? No. I expect a Black lager to be strong, rich bitter chocolate. It should be bold. Samuel Adams Black Lager is more in line with a porter. So, peel the label off and you've got a decent beer. Just don't call it Black.

Samuel Adams Brown Ale: 18

Taste: 5 Finish: 5 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 18

It's a perfect dark mahogany color. It's not so dark that you can't see through it. The head was medium thick and frothy. The aroma is a nice sweet malt.

The front is tangy and rolls nicely over the tongue. It has a nice roasted nut mid flavor. The back is sweet with a touch of bitterness. It finishes with some sweetness and a slight nuttiness on the exhale. It doesn't finish as clean as I would like. A slightly bitter coating remains on the tongue.

Overall, a very average brown ale. Surprising from Mr. Adams. Perhaps the browns should be left to the British to brew!

Samuel Adams Boston Ale: 21

Taste: 6 Finish: 7 Visual: 5 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

Returning to Boston to perform a mission. Review all Sam Adam's brews over the next several weeks. Let's see if their Boston Ale is the benchmark of quality like their Lager is.

It's a perfect amber color with a thick creamy head. It has a medium malty aroma with a hint of citrus.

It has a very nice sweet and malty front. It's creamy in the middle. It coats the tongue. It has a medium hop bitterness at the end. It has a nice dry exhale. The flavor lingers for a while but in a good way.

I would consider this a pale ale. Given that it's a bit too malty and not enough hops. In fact, it is very similar to their Lager except the ale is creamy. Purely as a beer this is pretty good stuff. Very drinkable. But, as a Pale Ale I take a point off.

Molson Golden: 11

Taste: 3 Finish: 4 Visual: 2 Aroma: 2
Total: 11

Molson Canadian was pretty dismal. Let's see how their "less hip" beer compares.

It pours with a generic golden color. It has a nice head. The aroma is of very faint lemon.

It's mildly sweet up front. The middle is creamy. No real flavor, just creamy and kind of coats the mouth. The finish is a faint but distinct lemon flavor. It finishes cleanly and quickly. Under everything is a very faint boiled-down vegetable taste. Perhaps it's the corn. I don't know. But, no malt up front and no crisp hops at the end. Not a good pilsner.

Overall, all of the flavors are faint. Slight cream. Faint lemon. A bit of vegetable. It certainly is a step up from their Canadian brand. But, it's still not a good beer. Given the choice, I would say Labatt Blue has the best flavor (by a hair), then Golden, finally Canadian. But you can find much better brews out there, even at similar costs.

Labatt Blue: 13

Taste: 5 Finish:4 Color: 2 Aroma: 2
Total: 13

The color is of a generic golden. The head is moderate and dissipates quickly. It has little to no aroma.

It has a bit of sweetness up front and in the finish. In the middle to end is a buttery taste and smoothness. I also get a hint of citrus, leaning towards lime. That butter & lime flavor stays on the tongue nicely. I get very little hops or bitterness.

Labatt Blue has some nice flavors and tones to it. It has all the right ingredients. But, it's just not a standout. But, for a big brewery, this is definitely a cut above.

Cooper's Sparkling Ale: 18

Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 18

Cooper's lager gave us no reason to go to Australia. Will it's ale fare any better?

This is a bottle conditioned beer so it is cloudy. In fact, you can see the yeast floating in it, even with a moderately careful pour. The head is thick and full. This looks like an ale you chew. The aroma is very faint. A hint of citrus. It needs more.

It's nice and sweet up front. A very nice citrus bite to it. I can taste lemon and orange. In fact it the citrus stays nicely on the tongue. The finish is a bit sweet, a bit bitter of hops, and a bit of tang from the citrus. In the middle it's smooth and slightly creamy.

After the poor showing of their lager, I am very surprised by their ale. It's pretty good. Given you've probably never heard of Cooper, you probably should.

Cooper's Lager: 11

Taste: 3 Finish: 2 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 11

Since Foster's struck out with it's lager, let's see what the Australians really drink. It's Cooper's Lager. And unlike Foster's, Cooper's is brewed in Australia. Time to see if Aussies have any good taste.

It pours great with a nice full creamy head. Color is golden. It has absolutely no aroma whatsoever.

It has a slight bitter bite to it up front. A bit of hops at the end. No discernible flavor in the middle. A slight off-bitter flavor lingers. Again with a general "boiled down" flavor.

It perhaps has a bit more flavor than Foster's. It looks slightly better. And instead of having an off aroma, has none. So, Cooper's edges out Foster's. But it still isn't good.

Fosters Lager: 8

Taste: 2 Finish: 2 Visual: 3 Aroma: 1
Total: 8

Foster's Lager is widely known. And when you go to Outback Steakhouse, you have to order a 22 of Fosters. Never mind that Australians don't drink Fosters and consider it swill. The Brits and Americans love it! Let's see if Australia doesn't know it makes the best beer ever!


It's color is a decent golden. The head is on the thin side but it is a nice foam. The smell is of generic "beer" with an undertone of boiled vegetables.

It's bubbly on the tongue. It's very bright. There is really no flavor to it at all. A bland hop. No sweetness. No fruit. Nothing. It finishes with no lingering off flavors. Basically, this beer is nothing. The only positive is that it doesn't taste bad or skunked.

Well, there it is. Foster's is crap carbonated water with some beer flavor added. Why does anyone drink this? Looks like Australia got it right.

Ballantine XXX Ale: 13

Taste: 5 Finish: 4 Visual: 3 Aroma: 1
Total: 13

Ballantine was the 4th largest brewery in the US about 5 million years ago. They were sold and now owned by Pabst. Given the major brewing companies generally don't do ales, let's see how Pabst has brought the Ale back with a vengeance.

It has a nice deep golden color. The head is very thin and brittle. The aroma is of very mild hops and some off vegetables. Not appealing.

It's sweet on the front of the tongue. It's very bright with a lot of fizz on the tongue and a bit of acid. Not much in the middle. In the back is a bit of hops. Throughout it all is a mild sweetness which is actually nice. It finishes pretty quickly with a bit of sweetness and what I'll call boiled vegetables. That's a bit off putting. I usually notice that in beers from Holland/Netherlands that may be a bit stale.

Overall, Ballantine produces an almost not bad ale from a mass production brewery. I can say I am pleasantly surprised since I was expecting this to be terrible. It's actually drinkable and I would prefer it over many other American lagers. But it in no way competes with its British and European counterparts.

Yuengling Porter: 12

Taste: 3 Finish: 3 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 12

Yuengling Lager may be a bit disappointing, but what about it's porter?

It's almost black in color with hints of red streaking through. A thin head at top. It has a faint sweet aroma. A bit of roasted malt, but not much.

Same with the lager, it has an overly carbonated flavor to it even though it doesn't have much fizz to it. It's that CO2 flavor. Not what you want in a beer. It really masks the middle of the beer. At the end, it has a muted dark chocolate flavor to it. It could be so much better. You can tell there is good flavor in there. It's just masked by the CO2. I don't know what Yuengling is doing to make this flavor but they should stop.

Given this is a porter, the beer should have a stronger flavor, more chocolate, more malt. More! It's the generic version of a good porter. Even without the off flavor it would not be a great porter. But it goes from good to fair pretty quick. In the end, pass on Yuengling Porter.

Yuengling Lager: 15

Taste: 4 Finish: 4 Visual: 5 Aroma: 2
Total: 15

Yuengling is Pennsylvania's answer to mass produced beer. It is the oldest brewery in the USA dating back to 1829. The oldest in America (North and South) is Molson from 1786. It prides itself as a quality beer above and beyond the norm of Bud and Coors. In the Philly area, and I'm sure elsewhere, it is simply known at bars as "lager". Order two lagers and you get two Yuenglings. Several years ago, Yuengling tried to go national. After a few missteps, they have decided to stay regional. Let's see if they made the right decision.

Yuengling has a beautiful copper color. It has a very nice head. It has always been an excellent looking beer. Given the color, the aroma is disappointing. It has a faint hop and malt aroma. It looks appetizing. It smells bland.

It has a nice moderate malt up front. It's a bit too fizzy on the tongue. In fact, there is a moderate carbonation flavor throughout. Like when you get a fountain soda that has too much CO2 in it. There is a minor "flavor" in the middle with no distinguishable taste. It finishes quickly in the end with little to no hops. Luckily it has no soapy flavor which many brews have in this class.

Yuengling Lager is definitely more flavorful than the typical mass-brewed beer on the market. But, it's not much of an upgrade. It looks much better than it tastes. It's good enough to compete with Bud and Coors, but not enough of a difference to beat them.

Red Stripe: 10

Taste: 3 Finish: 4 Visual: 1 Aroma: 2
Total: 10

Red Stripe is Jamaica's answer to mass produced, pilsner-style American beer. Let's see how it compares.

It pours a very pale golden color with a thick but brittle head. It has a very light "beer" aroma. Maybe a bit of hops. Really, there is little to entice the drinker to pick it up.

It has a very light up front flavor. Moderately bubbly on the tongue. A very mild soapy flavor in the middle. A very light hops at the end. It finishes with a little hops and soap on the tongue. It dissipates relatively quick.

Overall, it's a harmless beer. It has a beer-like flavor that you would find in a mass produced beer. Nothing offensive. No real flavor but nothing bad either. In a blind taste test, I doubt you could tell the difference between this and Coors. So, good job Jamaica for producing a comparable beer of middling quality.

Makers Mark: 20

Taste: 6 Finish: 8 Color: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 20

Makers Mark is a higher end bourbon. It could be considered the entry point to craft bourbons. Given its high regard, it's time to put it against the "every day" whiskeys to see if it warrants the praise.

It has a nice medium amber color. The aroma is a bit flowery, a hint of sweetness, and a touch of alcohol.

It has a medium bite. Next is some spiciness. A touch of licorice. Some earth, maybe some hay. And then a moderate burn on the way down. That spiciness stays on the tongue for a while. I'm a bit surprised. Makers Mark is considered a light bourbon so I expected something with less flavor. But really it just doesn't have that heavy finish or alcoholic exhale. I would say it has a lot of flavor though.

Overall I'm not impressed. I like a bit of sweetness on the front. A hint of fruit. This is really more of the earth. It does have an easy and clean finish which is nice. It is a whiskey you could sip for a long time. I'm just not a fan of the taste. I don't find it fares well against the bigger standards of Jack Daniels or Jim Beam. I don't really find it to be any better in quality. With it's higher price I definitely don't recommend it.

Slyfox Instigator Doppelbock: 19

Taste: 4 Finish: 7 Color: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 19

The color is a deep brown with a hint of red. It has a nice foamy head. The aroma is faint but sweet, like roasted chocolate.

It's a very smooth start. Just a tinge of acid at the tip. Next is more roasted chocolate. It coats the mouth and feels a bit creamy. At the end is a super smooth finish with just a hint of bitter hops. The flavor stays for a brief amount of time. It is a bit dry.

Overall I would say this is a relatively subtle beer. The entire sensation is muted. Given that a doppelbock should be very strong and hearty, I think this misses the mark. It's a nice beer, but I don't think it embodies the style it says it's trying to be. So, this leaves it tough to rate. It's not a good doppelbock at all. But, it is a good beer.

Smuttynose Big IPA: 22

Taste: 10 Finish: 4 Visual: 3 Aroma: 5
Total: 22

Smuttynose is a small craft brewery out of New Hampshire. With a bottle with the strong man from the circus on the label, well, I have to try it. Also, NH's motto is "live free or die" and I can respect that.

The color is a very light amber which is a bit cloudy. This is a bottle conditioned beer so I would expect that. The aroma is amazing. Very sweet at first then a very strong floral note. Then under that some orange and lemon. Honestly, this redefines what a 5 in aroma is.

The taste is just like the aroma. Sweet more like sugar then honey. Then floral in the middle. Near the end the citrus kicks in with orange peel and juice. Finally a big hop flavor. This is as complex a taste a beer can have. Truly amazing. Unfortunately, the finish is a bit rough. The hops are very strong and stay on the tongue and your breath for quite a while. But getting the balance right between strong flavor vs. smooth finish is extremely difficult. It's like punching someone in the face but then wanting it not to sting.

Overall, this is a great tasting beer. It could look a bit better. But most of all, the finish needs a bit smoothing. It's a little rough. I'd even trade a small bit of taste for a better finish.

Guinness Extra Stout: 29

Taste: 10 Finish: 10 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 29

Long before Guinness came up with the CO2 widget and developed their in-the-bottle draught, there was Extra Stout. Now, Extra Stout tastes nothing like what pure magic comes out of the tap and a good pub. It is its own concoction of pure dark goodness.

It pours with a medium head that is foamy and of a dark cream. It smells sweet yet pungent. Watching it being poured as it bubbles and ebbs and swirls is a treat.

It starts with a swish of sweetness. But that is quickly overtaken by the roasted coffee middle. Finally the bitterness of a really good dark chocolate hits in the back. The finish is strong but controlled. Chocolate. Coffee. Hops. Beer. They all wash together. It then dissipates but leaves a bit of a bitter undertone on the tongue. It is fantastic. I don't think I could drink a six of this. But then, Guinness Extra Stout is like drinking melted chocolate and bread in one. It is a meal on its own. This is a drink paired with hearty foods such as a ribeye or thick stew. It's also great to cook with to add to stews and chili.

Overall, I would say I actually like the Extra Stout over the Draught. The Draught has a nice smoothness to it. Extra Stout is more of a statement. It is a perfect beer. It's not one you could drink every day, well, maybe you could. But if you're dying for a full flavored dark beer, then Guinness Extra Stout is a near perfect 29.

Sierra Nevada IPA: 18

Visual: 4 Aroma: 4 Taste: 5 Finish: 5
Total: 18

In my mind, Sierra Nevada is the Sam Adams of IPAs. This means that it sets the benchmark for all other IPAs. Not that it's the best. But it separates the good from the great. Of course, this assessment is from a distant memory. And, now I've tasted several other IPAs ranging the gamut from bad to outstanding. Let's see if Sierra Nevada keeps that reputation intact.

It pours with a medium head which is nice and frothy. The beer's color is a medium amber. It has a nice sweet hop aroma. Very nice.

Pow! The flavor is very forward. A hint of sweet followed by bitter hops. It bubbles on the tongue a bit. Looking at the beer, it definitely is more bubbly than most. I don't detect any undertones of flavor. It's all a nice medium hops. It lingers a bit but not too long. It's very dry. I'm thirsty after drinking it. It has a very unique aftertaste. I can't place it. The only thing that comes to mind is pool water. Kind of chemical. It's not that bad but there is definitely something odd about it.

Overall I'm generally unimpressed with this beer. Sure, it's better than a lot and it still is a good beer. But, I've always held Sierra Nevada as a top tier beer. For its IPA, its more middle of the road.

St. Peter's Organic English Ale: 18

Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 18

I return to St. Peter for his Organic English Ale. Organic hops and barley from New Zealand are used. In the USA due to a loophole, any beer can technically be called organic. But, you ask, don't pesticides and chemicals make beer taste better? Let's find out.

From the prior review of St. Peter, they use less carbonation for a smoother mouth feel. The head is thin from this. The color is a light amber. The aroma is of sweet malt and mild fruit. Overall, nice but nothing special.

It's a very light tasting beer. Definitely a nice medium bitter hops at the end that doesn't linger long. I had a hint of lemon peel in the middle. Really, I get very little from this beer. It's light and refreshing with a hoppy finish. Nothing really jumps out at me. Overall, I give it a middle of the road 18 out of 30. Maybe those chemicals do help the taste!

Newcastle Brown Ale: 23

Taste: 7 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 23

It's time to go head to head with two giants in the English brown ales, Newcastle vs. Samuel Smith (28). Sam should win this being a slightly more upscale beer, but Newcastle is no slouch either. Let the best beer win.

It's a beautiful dark brown with a thin head. There is a mild malt sweetness aroma. It is an appetizing beer.

It has a nice mild bite at the front. Then a sweet light chocolate middle. And then velvet covered hops at the end. I can't really explain it or identify a specific flavor. Definitely a mild chocolate. A hint of nut. It's a sweet beer. And a very unique aftertaste. The whole experience is extremely smooth. I think I could drink this for about a week straight before tiring of it. I actually agree with the label in saying this is a full flavored beer that is easy to drink.

But, in the end, Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale wins 28 to 23. The X factor is that Newcastle is much less expensive making a better choice for buying a case vs. buying a 4 pack. So, for an everyday beer, go for Newcastle. But, the next round will be against Brooklyn Brown Ale. Stay tuned.

Black Bush: 26

Taste: 8 Finish: 10 Color: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 26

Black Bush is a Bushmills creation. It is a blended Irish whiskey which is aged in Sherry casks. I took notice of it watching Good Morning America (of all things) during St. Patty's Day. The master distiller was their guest and said Black Bush was his favorite whiskey. Let's see.

The color is a nice pale amber. It has a sweet, earthy aroma. Taking a sip, the first thing you notice is how smooth it is. There is a bit of malty sweetness. It has a very mild earthy, pete mossy under tone. And then it finishes very cleanly. This is super smooth with just a nice balance of that earthy Irish whiskey flavor. A seasoned whiskey drinker could drink this like water. But, it's super smoothness is also a slight weakness. It could use a bit more flavor. It's like someone took an A+ whiskey and put a bit too much water in it. Otherwise, this is a top tier Irish Whiskey that has no harshness or rough edges.

Bitburger Beer: 25

Visual: 4 Aroma: 4 Taste: 8 Finish: 9
Total: 25

Germany takes its beer very seriously. Typically, they are extremely loyal to their regional brew. It's kind of like sports teams. You stand by your brand which is brewed 2 towns over. The giants in Germany would include Bitburger, Warsteiner, Becks, and others. My brother was stationed in the Air Force near the Bitburger brewery. He brought some home once which was fantastic. Luckily, the Bitburger you buy in NJ is pretty much the same as Germany. It's not watered down and definitely not spoiled or skunked. So, let's give it a roll to see what the Germans know.

It's that classic pale golden color you expect from a pilsner style German beer. Crystal clear. The head is thin. The aroma is clean. Just a hint of hops. Very appealing.

It's important to remember that most American beers are modeled after this style of beer. It's an extremely light taste. A mild acidic stab at the tip of the tongue. A smooth middle. A hint of citrus. At the end is a bit of hops but then the surprise. The sweetness of the malt hits at the end of the beer. It lays like a smear of butter on the tongue. And finally the exhale. What is that flavor that is so prevalent in German and Nordic beer? Must be their type of hops in the region.

So, for a super clean pilsner, this is a great beer. Great for watching a game. Great during a hot day. It's definitely not a meal type beer unless you want your beer to not interfere with your meals flavors. It's a beer you could drink all day and it would never wear on you or let you down. So, hats off to Germany for a top tier pilsner to quench my thirst.

Stone Ruination IPA: 22

Visual: 3 Aroma: 5 Taste: 7 Finish: 7
Total: 22

Okay, the bottle is awesome. I had to pick it up. a 20 ounce bottle with a stone gargoyle leering at you. And with a name like Ruination, I had to give it a try. This is one of those extremely overhopped IPAs. It registers over 120 IBUs. Their slogan is "A liquid poem to the glory of the hop!" Let's see.

First, is an amber/brown color which is a bit cloudy. It has a huge hoppy aroma.

There is a hint of sweetness at first. Maybe a slight honey in the middle. Then a very nice dry finish. Hops. A very nice hop aftertaste. It's strong but not overpowering. Also, no hint of medicine that I'm finding in extremely hopped beers. This has a very nice blend. The hops linger nicely without wearing you down. I'm very pleased with this beer. But given last week's vastly superior Sly Fox Rt 113, I can't truly recommend it.

Molson Canadian: 10

Visual: 2 Aroma: 2 Taste: 3: Finish: 3
Total: 10

Hey, Canada is known to love it's beer. Molson is the king of Canadian beer (or so they say). Molson has been brewing beer for over 220 years! They must be getting something right, right?

The color is a very light golden yellow. It has a very faint hop aroma. Nothing appetizing about it. Taking a sip, it is very mild. Then something like soap, then a wimpy aftertaste. Maybe a hint of hops in the end. Wow, that's one terrible beer. The good news is it doesn't smell skunky, isn't orange, and doesn't have a spoiled garbage taste. But, that's about all the good I can write about Molson Canadian.

Sly Fox Rt. 113 IPA: 26

Visual: 5 Aroma: 3 Taste: 9 Finish: 9
Total: 26

Brewed in Royersford, PA, I thought it would be good to try a local IPA. Reading the label and the site, this is a super hopped IPA registering 113 IBUs. I really hoping it has some flavor and character besides just hops. Let's find out.

The color is amazing. Amber/copper. Beautiful head. There is just a whiff of sweetness.

The front of the beer is a very nice malty sweetness. A real nice taste. There is a nice medium tang in the middle of the tongue. A bit sharp and acidic. And then a nice kick of hops at the end. You get a nice hoppy "ahh" with the exhale. A bit lingers on the tongue. But, nothing overpowering. It has more heft to it than a Sam Adams but doesn't have the insanity and medicinal taste of the last beer, Left Hand Warrior IPA. The comparison between the two would be, Slyfox knows how to hop a beer to retain flavor, while Left Hand just knows how to ruin it.

Yes, I'm left with a nice dry and bitter aftertaste in my mouth. That's exactly what I want with an IPA. If you told me this was 113 IBU I would say you're lying. This is due to a very nice craft beer doing it right. Retaining character and flavor while still providing an extreme overhopping. Nice balance.

I would have liked one more dimension to it. A bit of smokiness. Or nut. Or something. So, it's a 2 dimensional beer. 3 would have made it perfect.

Left Hand Warrior IPA: 9

Visual: 4 Aroma: 3 Taste: 2 Finish: 0
Total: 9

I've been to Boulder, Colorado many times. One of their revered local breweries is Left Hand Brewing Company. I've had a few of their beers over the years and have enjoyed them very much. I was very happy to see they are now shipping their beers across the country in 20 oz. bottles. Since it's been many years since my last visit, has Left Hand continued it's quality? The label says please keep refrigerated. Did they ship it refrigerated and now it's sitting warm on my liquor store's shelf? Did shipping this halfway across the country spoil its taste?

Warrior IPA is only brewed once per year using local hops. Checking their web site I get a bit worried that the IPA is not listed at all.

It's a deep amber color, slightly cloudy. The head is full but a bit brittle. It has a very nice sweet malt aroma.

Wow, there is bit malt sweetness, but that is quickly overtaken by lots of hops. A ton of hops. It finishes with hops and then it lingers, well, maybe forever. It's so hoppy that it has a bit of a medicinal aftertaste. Given the warnings of keep refrigerated, and then it's not on their website, I don't detect any spoilage or skunkiness to the beer. So, I have to assume it's supposed to taste this way.

This thing is strong, bold, and heavy. It's been 3 minutes and I can still taste it. I'm not a big "add tons of hops just for fun" beer. This thing has no character. No flavor but hops. No undertones. No complexity. I'll finish it but I'm afraid my fond memories of Left Hand have been ruined. Definitely pass on this beer.

Young's Special London Ale: 20

Visual: 5 Aroma: 3 Taste: 7 Finish: 5
Total: 20

I've seen Young's for many years but never tried it. What intrigued me was that this beer is bottle conditioned. It states to pour slowly to leave the sediment in the bottle. Let's give it a go!

Pouring extra carefully I was surprised that it had such a nice head on it. I was expecting something a bit more flat. It has a very nice amber, slightly brownish color to it. With the pour there was no sediment in it. It has a faint malty sweet aroma to it.

It has a slightly sweet start. Slight malt. A bit acidic. And then a long hoppiness down the throat. and then, bang! a lot of hops on the finish. And it lingers. And it stays on the tongue. And every breath exhaled has hops on it. This beer hold you. It also has an alcohol content of 6.4%. It's kind of like a British bar fight. Scrappy. Full of vim and vigor. And keeps punching you in the face until dawn. This is an extreme hopped beer which is becoming very popular these days.

Overall I would say it's a bit too extreme. I really like the taste. I don't like the very long term aftertaste. It's a bit much for me.

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen: 23

Visual: 5 Aroma: 3 Taste: 7 Finish: 8
Total: 23

Paulaner is a classic German brew dating back to 1634. It was started by monks. Paulaner makes several brews that are all excellent. I decided to try their Hefe-Weizen Natural Wheat beer first.

It pours with a very thick and high head. The beer is a cloudy light gold and amber. It has a very mild aroma, slightly sweet.

It has a very light upfront taste. Slightly sweet. A bit of lemon and citrus. I've seen this mostly served with a slice of lemon. It doesn't need it. But some find it lightens it up a bit and "cleans" up the flavor a bit. Your choice but I like it neat. It finally finishes with a nice creamy, yeast, bread flavor. It leaves a very slight sweet aftertaste on the tongue. This is a hot summer's day after mowing the lawn beer. You could probably down 2 or 3 after that! It is very refreshing. It's more of a subtle beer. But it certainly is a quality beer.

Overall I would say it's an excellent mass produced beer. There are certainly better craft beers out there. But considering Paulaner could be considered the equivalent to Bud in America, then the Germans definitely got the better deal.

Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Lager: 14

Visual: 3 Aroma: 2 Taste: 4 Finish: 5
Total: 14

I decided to go back to Samuel Smith to see if they could recreate their magic with Pure Brewed Lager. Given it's characteristics and flavor, I would say it's a pilsner. But that's not identified anywhere on the bottle or on the website.

The color is a pale golden with a moderate foamy head. It looks like a typical American-style pilsner. It has a very faint aroma of hops. Overall it's totally unimpressive.

Shockingly it is a very fizzy beer in the mouth. It is a very fresh taste. And, I mean fresh in a bad way. Kind of like it needed another few days fermenting. Next is a bright, acidic taste. Finally a very small amount of hops at the end. I couldn't discern any actual flavor. It finishes cleanly with very little aftertaste. In a blind taste test you could probably mistake this for Coors but with a bit more flavor. Seriously, there is nothing to this beer which is extremely shocking given Samuel Smith makes the vastly superb Nut Brown Ale. On a hot day, stick with Coors and pass on Pure Brewed Lager.

St. Peter's Cream Stout: 27

Visual: 5 Aroma: 5 Taste: 8 Finish: 9
Total: 27

St. Peter's is a new small, craft brewery Suffolk, England. It was started in 1996. What caught my eye and made me buy it was the bottle. The bottle is beautiful. It's roughly a pint and flat more like a flask. It makes you want to find out what's inside. First the pour. The beer is black. I held it up to the light. Nothing. The head was a bit thin but creamy. I think this is by design as they say they make their brews with less carbonation for a smoother finish. A quick whiff and it smells very sweet and maybe a hint of toasted sesame seeds. Actually, more like Asian sesame oil. Very intriguing.

It has a nice acidic tang at the front. A sweetness of malt washes over the tongue followed by a mild hoppiness and some nut undertones. Then it turns to cream and dark chocolate. Finally a silky finish with just a touch of hop and chocolate aftertaste. I'm not a big stout drinker, let alone cream stouts, but this is very very good. I haven't drank Mackenson's in a long time but this is probably a step above that. The downside is the price. I paid $4 for a pint at the store. So, you're basically paying bar prices for home beer. Ouch. Otherwise, a top notch cream stout.

Jim Beam Black: 21

Taste: 7 Finish: 8 Color: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 21

Jim Beam White has always been a middling and harsh whiskey. So, when I saw Jim Beam Black at the same price point as Jack, I figured I'd give it a try. Black has been aged an extra year and the proof has been raised from 80 to 86. It certainly made a difference!

The color is a golden amber. Could use a bit more depth but still nice. Aroma is musky with a whiff of alcohol. Nice but nothing special. Upon first sip, that's when it hits you. This stuff is full of flavor. Bold. Powerful. Certainly not refined. This is not a hint of fruit and a dash of spice type of flavor. This is big earth and wood. So, next I think, boy this is good but with this much punch up front it's going to burn going down. Wrong! Smoooth! I was shocked. A nice warm trail down the throat. So, if you're looking for a sippin' by the fire eating cheese kind of whiskey, this ain't it. But, if you're looking for a bold "saloon" type of whiskey that won't leave you gasping for air, then Black is your man.

Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale: 28

Visual: 5 Aroma: 4 Taste: 10 Finish: 9
Total: 28

Dogfish Head started as a small brewery in Delaware and a restaurant at Rehoboth Beach. Over 10 years it has blossomed to be the fastest growing brewery in the country. They are well known for the 60 Minute IPA. Although that is a very good beer, for me their best starts with Shelter Pale Ale. Unfortunately, they do not distribute it nation wide and it only resides in Delaware and surrounding states. Hopefully they will increase this distribution. And here's why.

The pour is perfect. The color is a beautiful medium amber. The head is full. It smells sweet and musky of hops and malt. You get a wonderful first acidic bite as it transitions to a strong hop on the back of the tongue. It has a toasted nut undertone. It finishes full of flavor that lingers without over powering. It does not wear on you. This is probably not a hot summer day by the pool beer. It is more of night time brew with a hearty meal and then will keep you warm all night. On tap it finishes even cleaner which would give it a perfect 10 and a near perfect 29 total. To me it is the finest beer available. If I could only drink one beer for the rest of my life this would be my first choice. Now, Shelter is not their most popular brew. But, I find it to be their best.

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale: 28

Visual: 5 Aroma: 5 Taste: 8 Finish: 10
Total: 28
Samuel Smith is not an often beer. It's one you probably will never find in a friend's fridge. It's a beer you may have on very rare occasion at a bar or with a good meal. I have never seen it on draft. Those in the know will order one and smile. Is this beer worth such reserved company? Or should we visit him more often?

First, it pours with a beautiful thick head. The color is a very deep brown. Just looking at it you want to drink this beer. The aroma is of medium malt and hops. It smells smooth and crisp. You want to drink this beer. It hits the tongue very cleanly with a slight nuttiness. Mr. Smith says it's hazelnut, but I couldn't tell. There is a very mild malt on the front. It finishes with a mild hop flavor that lingers on the tongue nicely. You get a very nice "ahh" upon exhale. It kind of leaves you with that dry walnut feeling. This is a clean beer that is full of flavor. It is a very hard thing to achieve. Mr. Smith deserves more frequent visits at home and about. You will drink this beer. And it will be superb.

Magic Hat No. 9: 23

Aroma: 4 Visual: 3 Taste: 7 Finish: 9
Total: 23

Magic Hat is a very good micro brewery out of Vermont. They seem to be putting out a large amount of good quality craft beer. My first and best affair with Magic Hat is with their Number 9. Not knowing what to expect, I was blown away the first time when I had it on tap. But that was a night of good friends and food. So, here is a more objective review.

Number 9 is a pale ale. It has a very light malty aroma with a hint of sweetness. It pours with a full head. The color is a light amber and slightly cloudy. It has a nice tang when it hits the tongue. Then hits a mild hoppiness. Nothing overpowering. Finally you get some sweetness at the back of the tongue. It goes down smooth and finishes pretty cleanly. A nice linger of hops and some fruit. New web site says the beer is cloaked in mystery. Not long ago they used to tell you what the mystery is. They use a bit of apricot in the beer. This is what adds its sweetness. If you concentrate very hard you can sort of taste it. But otherwise you would never know. This is no fruit beer. It is a very refreshing brew good for a hot day. Though my love affair with Number 9 was hot at first, it survived the test of time with a very respectable 23 overall. I wish it weren't so cloudy and went either lighter in color or a more deep amber. It's medium amber isn't terribly appealing. It could also use a bit more bite up front but it finishes so smoothly and cleanly. It's a great beer to appreciate just one or for a more extended session. Excellent.

Jack Daniels Old Number 7: 22

Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Color: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 22
I start my whiskey reviews with my old friend, Jack Daniels. I will always remember the classic line from "A Scent of a Woman" where Al Pacino says, "When you've known him as long as I have you call him John." We've been close friends since 1990.

Jack is not a bourbon due to it's distilling process. More specifically it's filtering process. Jack is double charcoal filtered. Once at the beginning and then again at the end. A true bourbon is filtered only once at the start. Otherwise Jack is extremely similar to other bourbons and have the same flavor characteristics. Jack claims the double filtering makes it smoother.

The aroma is of traditional American whiskey. There is a small whiff of alcohol but nothing offensive. The color is a rich amber. I prefer my whiskey over ice. Warm and straight up to me is not that appealing. A splash of cold water on rare occasion. On ice, Jack has a nice smokey flavor with caramel undertones giving it a hint of sweetness. It glides over the tongue. There is a mild bite in the back of the throat and a medium burn on the way down. It's a smooth burn, not harsh like in cheap liquor. Moving up in whiskey quality almost always reduces this burn but at the expense of forward taste. I find Jack to be a very good balance between flavor and finish. Just rough enough to know you're drinking whiskey but not harsh to make you cough after it goes down.

To close, for an "every day" whiskey, Jack is a great friend. You may find more exciting and expensive whiskeys out there but John will never let you down.

Rogue Dead Guy Ale: 20

Taste: 6 Finish: 8 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 20

Rogue Dead Guy Ale is a craft beer from Oregon. It is brewed as a German-Style Maibock. Dead Guy Ale has a nice amber color but it’s cloudy which was unexpected. The head was small and thin and dissipated quickly. A very subtle aroma of malt. It starts with a sweetness like a touch of honey mixed with the malt. Next is a medium hoppiness. Finally it has a nice hop and sweet aftertaste that dissipates quickly finishing cleanly. For a beer that claims it is “microcrafted” I would say it’s a good effort but not great. A nice beer that’s a bit too expensive for the quality you get.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager: 24

Taste: 8 Finish: 7 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 24

As the beer reviews become reborn, I start with the benchmark of beer, Sam Adams Boston Lager. It separates the good from the great. Since all reviews are subjective and not absolute, I use this beer as the baseline to compare all others against. At a rating of 24 out of 30, it leaves just enough room for improvement for a truly great beer.

To start, the color is a perfect deep amber with no artificial overtones. The head is foamy with no brittleness. A nice hoppy aroma is present. The taste as it rolls over the tongue is of strong hops and malt barley without being overpowering. It is a bit dry with a little sweetness. It finishes a bit strong leaving a lingering hop aftertaste. This is its weakest trait. In bottles, the aftertaste can wear on you a bit. As with most beers, on tap it has a slightly smoother finish. It’s a beer you can enjoy on the couch or with a steak at a nice restaurant. To summarize it is bold without being overpowering.

Bitter

Bitters are the pub beer of Britain. Traditionally, a pale ale poured from a cask at a pub is a Bitter. There are no official designations except that they be bitter. When a Bitter is bottled it is a Pale Ale.

Today that designation is not as clear cut. Bitters tend to be more bitter than a pale ale and usually less than an IPA. They are also more bitter than a Mild. Bitters can be bittered via overhopping, but an overhopped beer doesn't have to be a bitter. It can be an IPA. Bitters come in bottles. Brewers have different classes of Bitters from ordinary Bitter to Special to Extra Special or other designations. Perhaps you have to be English to fully comprehend all the subtleties.

Bitters range in color from golden to amber. They are moderate to heavy in alcohol. They can be malty upfront but must be bitter on finish and dry.

• Broughton Ales Merlin's Ale: 12
• River Horse Special Ale ESB: 16
• Stoudts Scarlett Lady: 21
  

India Pale Ale

England needed a way to ship its beer to far away places in the Empire. A normal pale ale would spoil on the long journey and turn to vinegar. After some experimentation, it was found that adding a lot of hops to the beer kept it from spoiling and turning to vinegar. India Pale Ale was born.

IPAs are extremely hoppy and bitter. Although an IPA is bitter, it is not necessarily a Bitter Ale. IPAs are foremost very hoppy which makes them bitter. A Bitter Ale is foremost bitter which could be done by hops. See Bitter for a complete definition.

IPAs can range in color from golden to amber. The aroma is of strong hops. The taste should be acidic on the tip, and hop/bitter on the back. The finish is dry but should linger a bit. The middle can be various flavors from citrus to floral to honey. It should not taste medicinal.

• 21st Amendment IPA: 21
• Abita Jockamo IPA: 21
• Ballast Point Sculpin: 27
• Bear Republic Racer 5: 24
• Brew Dog Hardcore IPA: 24
• Brooklyn IPA: 19
• Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: 21
• Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA: 29
• Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA: 28
• Dogfish Head Burton Baton:26
• Elysian Immortal IPA: 18
• Flying Fish HopFish IPA: 23
• Founders Centennial IPA: 24
• Founders Double Trouble IPA: 29
• Great Divide Hercules Double IPA: 30
• Great Divide Titan IPA: 27
• Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Ale: 23
• Lancaster Hop Hog: 16
• Left Hand Warrior IPA: 9
• Magic Hat Lucky Cat: 23
• North Coast Acme IPA: 24
• Philadelphia Brewing Newbold IPA: 21
• Port Brewing Wipe Out IPA: 22
• Redhook Long Hammer IPA: 17
• Russian River Pliny the Elder: 28
• Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA: 25
• Samuel Smith's India Ale: 20
• Sierra Nevada IPA: 18
• Slyfox Odyssey: 26
• Slyfox Route 113 IPA: 26
• Smuttynose Big A IPA: 22
• Southern Tier iniquity black IPA: 17
• Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale: 28
• Stone Double Bastard: 29
• Stone 14 Imperial IPA: 29
• Stone 15 Imperial Black IPA: 27
• Stone IPA: 22
• Stone Ruination IPA: 22
• Stoudt's Double IPA: 27
• Victory Hop Devil IPA: 27
• Victory Wild Devil: 26
• Weyerbacher Hops Infusion IPA: 21

Pale Ale

Pale ale is perhaps the second widely most consumed beer after pilsners. Pale ales are British ales. They predate the golden pilsners. The color can range from a light straw, to golden, to copper, to amber. Pale is in comparison to the darks that ruled beer since its inception.

Pale ales are crisp, dry, and emphasize the hops over the malt. They tend to be moderately bitter, but not as bitter as the India Pale Ale or Bitter Ale. It can be a bit flowery in aroma. They work beautifully on a hot day to cut through your thirst.

The term can also be used more generically. When a British ale isn't a mild, a bitter, or an IPA, it's a pale ale.

• Abita Restoration Pale Ale: 22
• Anchor Liberty Ale: 22
• Ballantine XXX Ale: 13
• Bass Pale Ale: 18
• Blowing Rock Ale: 21
• Budweiser American Ale: 16
• Cooper's Sparkling Ale: 18
• Dogfish Head Hellhound: 14
• Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale: 28
• Elysian Loser Pale Ale: 20
• Farmington River Blonde Ale: 21
• Fuller's 1845: 27
• Fuller's Special Pride: 9
• Great Divide Denver Pale Ale: 24
• Great Divide Fresh Hop: 27
• Hook and Ladder Golden Ale: 18
• Lagunitas Sumpin' Sumpin Ale: 19
• Magic Hat Fat Angel: 16
• Magic Hat Number 9: 23
• Magic Hat Roxy Rolles: 24
• Mercurty Brewing Stone Cat Blonde Ale: 20
• Monty Python Holy Ale: 4
• North Coast Brewing - Red Seal Ale: 27
• Ommegang Aphrodite: 18
• Ommegang BPA: 25
• Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale: 24
• Pete's Wicked Ale: 14
• St. Peter's Organic English Ale: 18
• Rogue Single Malt Ale: 18
• Sam Adams Boston Ale: 21
• Sam Adams Pale Ale: 25
• Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale: 19
• Saranac Pale Pale Ale: 16
• Slyfox Phoenix Pale Ale: 24
• Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale: 23
• Southern Tier Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale: 16
• Stone Levitation Ale: 24
• Terrapin Peaotch: 19
• Three Floyds Alpha King: 23
• Three Floyds Zombie Dust: 25
• Troeg's Hopback Amber Ale: 25
• Unibroue La Fin Du Monde: 28
• Unibroue Maudite: 27
• Victory Headwaters: 29
• Victory Summer Love: 20
• Victory Yakima Twilight: 25
• Voodoo Love Child: 16
• Voodoo White Magick of the Sun: 11
• Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale: 19
• Young's Special London Ale: 20