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!