Taste: 5 Finish: 5 Visual: 3 Aroma: 4
Final: 17
It's a bit flat with a head that disappears quickly. Limited lacing. The color is a very dark brown but not black. The aroma has some nice roasted coffee and chocolate. The flavor is very watery and thin. Sure, there is chocolate and coffee undertones. I also get a bit of butterscotch. And in the back is a bit of the alcohol (9%). In fact, it's pretty amazing that it doesn't have a large alcohol flavor or numbing quality. But really the flavors are muted and rather boring. Overall I find it unimpressive.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Southern Tier Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale: 16
Taste: 5 Finish: 5 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 16
It pours with a thick and creamy head. Lots of lacing. The color is a very crisp amber. Perhaps a bit too fizzy. The aroma is weak with boiled hops. The brew is a bit too sweet with malt upfront. The hops peek in the middle and are a bit present in the finish. The hops get a bit better when the beer gets slightly warmer. Really, a very plain pale ale. Slightly too sweet for my tastes. But nothing off putting either. A decent session beer and a slight step up from a middling macrobrew.
Total: 16
It pours with a thick and creamy head. Lots of lacing. The color is a very crisp amber. Perhaps a bit too fizzy. The aroma is weak with boiled hops. The brew is a bit too sweet with malt upfront. The hops peek in the middle and are a bit present in the finish. The hops get a bit better when the beer gets slightly warmer. Really, a very plain pale ale. Slightly too sweet for my tastes. But nothing off putting either. A decent session beer and a slight step up from a middling macrobrew.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Andelot Mystique: 24
Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 24
It is a dark mahogany brown with a full creamy head. Good lacing throughout. The aroma is sweet of ripe fruit and malt. Upfront it is very smooth and creamy. Mild hops kick in mid tongue. Towards the back the ripe fruit blooms well. Plums and red grapes. And to finish it is a hint of chocolate. Throughout it all it remains a bit sweet. There is very little taste of alcohol even though it's 8.5%. A very good brew with plenty of flavor without overpowering.
Total: 24
It is a dark mahogany brown with a full creamy head. Good lacing throughout. The aroma is sweet of ripe fruit and malt. Upfront it is very smooth and creamy. Mild hops kick in mid tongue. Towards the back the ripe fruit blooms well. Plums and red grapes. And to finish it is a hint of chocolate. Throughout it all it remains a bit sweet. There is very little taste of alcohol even though it's 8.5%. A very good brew with plenty of flavor without overpowering.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Samuel Smith's India Ale: 20
Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 20
It has a huge foamy head which lasts a long time. The color is a very good amber. The aroma is a bit disappointing smelling of boiled hops. The brew does have a good bite. But it's not over the top. This is more pure to style than the ultra-hopped Americans. The flavor is reminiscent of a copper penny with a bit of grapefruit and butterscotch. The bitterness stays on the tongue for a while without killing your taste buds. A pretty good medium IPA by today's standards. I wouldn't mind trying this next to a Stone IPA to compare.
Total: 20
It has a huge foamy head which lasts a long time. The color is a very good amber. The aroma is a bit disappointing smelling of boiled hops. The brew does have a good bite. But it's not over the top. This is more pure to style than the ultra-hopped Americans. The flavor is reminiscent of a copper penny with a bit of grapefruit and butterscotch. The bitterness stays on the tongue for a while without killing your taste buds. A pretty good medium IPA by today's standards. I wouldn't mind trying this next to a Stone IPA to compare.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Dogfish & 3 Floyd's Popskull: 27
Taste: 9 Finish: 9 Visual: 4 Aroma: 5
Total: 27
A joint brew by Dogfish Head of Delaware ((thanks Chad!) and 3 Floyd's in Indiana. They've combined for a special "braun" ale that's aged on pala santo wood with botanicals.
The brew is a very dark brown with almost no light through it. On top is a thick, creamy, and chocolate head. It leaves a bit of lacing, but not much. The aroma is fully chocolate and roasted coffee. The carbonation sizzles on the tongue. A good amount of roasted black coffee and chocolate come through. A bit of caramel as well. It tastes "spiced" although I can't pinpoint anything specific. In the back is a moderate amount of alcohol although the label doesn't indicate it's strength. It leaves a good bit of flavor in the finish.
Overall, even with a lot of flavors, it doesn't overpower. An excellent brown ale worthy of the collaboration between the breweries.
Total: 27
A joint brew by Dogfish Head of Delaware ((thanks Chad!) and 3 Floyd's in Indiana. They've combined for a special "braun" ale that's aged on pala santo wood with botanicals.
The brew is a very dark brown with almost no light through it. On top is a thick, creamy, and chocolate head. It leaves a bit of lacing, but not much. The aroma is fully chocolate and roasted coffee. The carbonation sizzles on the tongue. A good amount of roasted black coffee and chocolate come through. A bit of caramel as well. It tastes "spiced" although I can't pinpoint anything specific. In the back is a moderate amount of alcohol although the label doesn't indicate it's strength. It leaves a good bit of flavor in the finish.
Overall, even with a lot of flavors, it doesn't overpower. An excellent brown ale worthy of the collaboration between the breweries.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale: 19
Taste: 6 Finish: 7 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 19
I've seen this for years but never have tried it. I'm not much of a "winter ale" person since I don't like nutmeg.
The head is full and creamy. It has a light amber color and is crystal clear. The aroma is faint with a hint of malt. The flavor is very interesting. It's slightly creamy and malty. A bit of hops in the back. And it has some fall and winter flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon. A bit of butterscotch at the back of the tongue. And at the very end, just a hint of alcohol. It finishes very cleanly and a bit dry.
Not a bad choice for a winter ale. It is subtle and more of a session beer. It doesn't knock you over with nutmeg and other spices which for me is nice.
Total: 19
I've seen this for years but never have tried it. I'm not much of a "winter ale" person since I don't like nutmeg.
The head is full and creamy. It has a light amber color and is crystal clear. The aroma is faint with a hint of malt. The flavor is very interesting. It's slightly creamy and malty. A bit of hops in the back. And it has some fall and winter flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon. A bit of butterscotch at the back of the tongue. And at the very end, just a hint of alcohol. It finishes very cleanly and a bit dry.
Not a bad choice for a winter ale. It is subtle and more of a session beer. It doesn't knock you over with nutmeg and other spices which for me is nice.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Victory Yakima Twilight: 25
Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 25
A huge creamy head with good lacing. The color is a deep amber brown. It has a good roasted malt aroma with a bit of chocolate. The bitter hops kick in early but the sweet malt is also there around the edges of the tongue. Lots of roasted flavors throughout. Under it is a bit of floral notes and a hint of grapefruit. The alcohol (8.7%) kicks in mid-tongue through the back. It leaves an oily coating in the mouth with residual flavors of the roasted malt and hops. Lots of flavor and very well crafted. An excellent big beer.
Total: 25
A huge creamy head with good lacing. The color is a deep amber brown. It has a good roasted malt aroma with a bit of chocolate. The bitter hops kick in early but the sweet malt is also there around the edges of the tongue. Lots of roasted flavors throughout. Under it is a bit of floral notes and a hint of grapefruit. The alcohol (8.7%) kicks in mid-tongue through the back. It leaves an oily coating in the mouth with residual flavors of the roasted malt and hops. Lots of flavor and very well crafted. An excellent big beer.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Brew Dog Hardcore IPA: 24
Taste: 7 Finish: 9 Visual: 3 Aroma: 5
Total: 24
The color is a light amber/orange and little cloudy. It has very little carbonation. The head that does form is creamy and clings well. The aroma is great. Lots of citrus and pine notes. Under it a bit of yeasty bread. First sip starts sweet. But then the hops kick in. Lots of bitterness. The citrus flavor of grapefruit and orange peel is present. Lots of pine/wood. In the back and on the breath is more citrus. I don't get a lot of bread or yeast. The bitterness lingers nicely on the tongue. Really, it's missing more carbonation. It is a bit flat on the tongue. Overall a very good and strong IPA (9%). Perhaps I got a bad bottle without enough carbonation. Otherwise it would be stellar for a big IPA.
Total: 24
The color is a light amber/orange and little cloudy. It has very little carbonation. The head that does form is creamy and clings well. The aroma is great. Lots of citrus and pine notes. Under it a bit of yeasty bread. First sip starts sweet. But then the hops kick in. Lots of bitterness. The citrus flavor of grapefruit and orange peel is present. Lots of pine/wood. In the back and on the breath is more citrus. I don't get a lot of bread or yeast. The bitterness lingers nicely on the tongue. Really, it's missing more carbonation. It is a bit flat on the tongue. Overall a very good and strong IPA (9%). Perhaps I got a bad bottle without enough carbonation. Otherwise it would be stellar for a big IPA.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Shock Top Belgian White: 11
Taste: 3 Finish: 3 Visual: 3 Aroma: 2
Total: 11
Anheuser-Busch put out this Belgian White for the masses. Visually it's not bad. It's cloudy and light orange. The head is very thin. It smells like a Budweiser with hints of citrus and bread. And that's not a good thing.
Upfront it is very sweet. Lots of malt. Too sweet. Then the orange kicks in. But only the sweet part of the orange. There is not citrus bite. In the back and exhale is a bit of bread and yeast. The aftertaste lingers too long with flavors of soap.
On the good side, it could have been much worse. It's kind of like taking a Bud and mixing in some orange juice. So, I'd probably take it over a Bud in the summer. But that's about it.
Total: 11
Anheuser-Busch put out this Belgian White for the masses. Visually it's not bad. It's cloudy and light orange. The head is very thin. It smells like a Budweiser with hints of citrus and bread. And that's not a good thing.
Upfront it is very sweet. Lots of malt. Too sweet. Then the orange kicks in. But only the sweet part of the orange. There is not citrus bite. In the back and exhale is a bit of bread and yeast. The aftertaste lingers too long with flavors of soap.
On the good side, it could have been much worse. It's kind of like taking a Bud and mixing in some orange juice. So, I'd probably take it over a Bud in the summer. But that's about it.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Redhook Long Hammer IPA: 17
Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 2 Aroma: 3
Total: 17
The color is very glassy and pale amber. The head is decent with a bit of lacing. The aroma is light with hops and a little banana. But not much citrus and certainly no bread. Upfront there is a moderate amount of bitterness. There is a bit of sweetness under it all. In the back is more generic hops. Again, no real citrus or bread. There is nothing wrong with this brew, but also very little is right. A decent session IPA.
Total: 17
The color is very glassy and pale amber. The head is decent with a bit of lacing. The aroma is light with hops and a little banana. But not much citrus and certainly no bread. Upfront there is a moderate amount of bitterness. There is a bit of sweetness under it all. In the back is more generic hops. Again, no real citrus or bread. There is nothing wrong with this brew, but also very little is right. A decent session IPA.
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