Sunday, December 23, 2012

Burnt Hickory Killdozer: 22

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

Small batch brew from my brother's brewery in Georgia! It's listed as a barley wine ale. I've maybe had one barley wine in my life. So this will be a learning experience. Deep amber color. Slight head. A very sweet, malty aroma. The taste is very sweet. Sugary and syrupy. In the back is some caramel. Lots of dark fruit like plums and cherries. Well, if they were soaked in alcohol! What a kick! This clocks in at ~12% so it's a sipping brew for sure. Definitely something to warm you up over a long night. Very enjoyable.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Ballast Point Sculpin: 27

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

Light amber in color. A bit cloudy. Small head but it laces. Aroma is full of citrus and hops. Good citrus up front. Grapefruit, orange, and lemon peel. The carbonation is light but just enough to cut through. The finish has a good bit of bitter hops. Spicy. And very smooth. I don't really taste the alcohol (7%). A very clean IPA with a lot of flavor. But it doesn't hit you over the head, nor linger too long.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

North Coast Le Merle: 27

Taste: 9  Finish: 9  Visual: 4  Aroma: 5
Total: 27
A light copper and cloudy color. The aroma explodes with banana, ripe red fruit, straw, and yeast. The head is full but a bit fizzy. The taste is very fresh. Good yeasty flavors and coating on the tongue. Straw, hops, a bit of plums, and and undertone of alcohol (7.9%). The finish is great for a Saison. A bit meaty but still crisp. Really, a great brew.

Victory Summer Love Ale: 20

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

At first look, you'd swear it was a Bud. Crystal clear and glassy. Pale yellow in color. More of a fizz than a head. Not much aroma. But after one gulp, you realize this is something much better. It's like taking a Bud and adding real hops to it. Not overpowering, but just enough to know you're drinking beer. A hint of lemon in the back and a clean finish. Definitely a good hot weather brew perfect for downing quickly after mowing the lawn.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Lagunitas Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale: 19

Taste: 8  Finish: 3  Visual: 4  Aroma: 4
Total: 19
Light amber in color. Creamy head. A bit of lacing. Nice citrus/grapefruit aroma. A good hop bite upfront with good balance of citrus. Then at the finish it goes sweet. Apricot. Syrupy. A little lemon peal. But I don't like the sweetness. I get trying to balance the hops. But to me this isn't right.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Port Brewing Wipe Out IPA: 22

Taste: 7   Finish: 7  Visual: 4  Aroma: 4
Total: 22
I've been away too long! Many beers tried. Just none reviewed...

Huge frothy head. Plenty of lacing. Pale orange color. Slightly cloudy. Good hops aroma with a some clove, grapefruit, and hay. The punch is subtle for a big IPA. But it is only 7% so I guess it's a medium IPA!  A bit more carbonated than usual. It has some grapefruit undertones. A bit spicy around the tongue. The finish is of roasted hops. Overall very smooth but it has just enough flavor. Very good but not great.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Sam Adams Baltic Lager:

Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4 Total: 25 Almost black. Big creamy head. Lots of lacing. Roasted malt aromas. At first it has great porter flavors of roasted malt and bitter chocolate. Then the hops kick in. It gives it a vbit of spice. Also an undertone of citrus makin it very distinct. Finishes with a bit of a hop bite but mostly smooth. Grat hybrid of a beer.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Rubicon Capricorn Black Ale: 22

Taste: 7  Finish: 7  Visual: 5  Aroma: 3
Total: 22
Huge chocolaty head. Black as night ale. Aroma is faint but of roasted malt. Nice roasted/dark chocolate taste. It's very round in the mouth. A nice amount of malted flavors. Good hops at the end that linger just enough. Carbonation is light but enough to add a bit of "spice" to it. Very good black ale.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Dust Bowl Hops of Wrath: 17

Taste: 5 Finish: 4 Visual: 3 Aroma: 5 Total: 17 Creamy head with lacing. Color is a bit too clear. Aroma is huge with grapefruit. Flavor is muted. Not the hop bite I was expecting. Some pine and grapefruit. Finish is smooth. Not what you want. It's like an IPA light. Disapointing.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Anchor Liberty Ale: 22

Taste: 6  Finish: 8 Visual: 4  Aroma: 4
Total: 22

It's been a while! It has a nice hops and citrus/lemon aroma. Big head with good lacing. The color is a lightly hazed amber. Really good flavor. It's very "round". Just enough hops to know they're there. A moderate amount of lemon peel. It's got a bit of fizz from the carbonation to round it out in the back. A very solid pale ale.