Taste: 8 Finish: 9 Visual: 5 Aroma: 5
Total: 27
It pours with a great big fizzy head. The color is a yellowish-white and cloudy from the yeast. The aroma is great with citrus and bread. It's very light up front. A bit of malt sweetness. A nice undertone of honey. Around the edges is the citrus which keeps it crisp. There is also a nice breadiness, like a good white bread out of the oven. And it finishes cleanly with just a hint of honey and lemon. In the back is a bit of coriander.
The interesting thing is that this brew floats over the tongue. It feels as light as air. It makes it insanely drinkable. Everything in it is subtle yet complex. A good beer for a hot day.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Blue Moon Rising Moon: 19
Taste: 6 Finish: 6 Visual: 4 Aroma: 3
Total: 19
Blue Moon creates an amber ale infused with lime. It has a nice amber color with a full head. There is little aroma. Upfront there is plenty of malt sweetness. Sugary almost. Very close to a sweet red ale. Then the lime kicks in. It's not big but enough to cut the sweetness through the finish. It ends cleanly with very little aftertaste. I never would have pegged this as a wheat beer. I don't get wheat at all. Really, this tastes like a red brew with a bit of lime.
Not bad, but rather safe. Certainly not like the other lime beers out there today. So if you have to have lime, this is your best bet. But I'd like to see something better.
Total: 19
Blue Moon creates an amber ale infused with lime. It has a nice amber color with a full head. There is little aroma. Upfront there is plenty of malt sweetness. Sugary almost. Very close to a sweet red ale. Then the lime kicks in. It's not big but enough to cut the sweetness through the finish. It ends cleanly with very little aftertaste. I never would have pegged this as a wheat beer. I don't get wheat at all. Really, this tastes like a red brew with a bit of lime.
Not bad, but rather safe. Certainly not like the other lime beers out there today. So if you have to have lime, this is your best bet. But I'd like to see something better.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Sam Adams Honey Porter: 23
Taste: 7 Finish: 7 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 23
The aroma has a good milk chocolate scent along with a slight undertone of coffee. The flavor is sweet upfront. A bit of honey. But also more milk chocolate and coffee. The finish is a bit dry and yet sweet and still behind that is some hops. Overall it's a very clean brew. It's got just enough flavor to satisfy but light enough not to bloat.
Total: 23
The aroma has a good milk chocolate scent along with a slight undertone of coffee. The flavor is sweet upfront. A bit of honey. But also more milk chocolate and coffee. The finish is a bit dry and yet sweet and still behind that is some hops. Overall it's a very clean brew. It's got just enough flavor to satisfy but light enough not to bloat.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Founders Centennial IPA: 24
Taste: 8 Finish: 8 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 24
Centennial IPA has a cloudy and amber color. The aroma is full of grapefruit, hay, and hops. Upfront it has a nice honey and hay flavor. That is quickly overtaken by bitter hops. Under it is a bit of earthy hay and grains and a bit of spice. Under that is some alcohol. The hops and alcohol stays on the tongue for a bit, but it's not too heavy. Overall, this is a medium IPA leaning towards extreme. Good balance of flavors and good complexity. A very solid brew.
Total: 24
Centennial IPA has a cloudy and amber color. The aroma is full of grapefruit, hay, and hops. Upfront it has a nice honey and hay flavor. That is quickly overtaken by bitter hops. Under it is a bit of earthy hay and grains and a bit of spice. Under that is some alcohol. The hops and alcohol stays on the tongue for a bit, but it's not too heavy. Overall, this is a medium IPA leaning towards extreme. Good balance of flavors and good complexity. A very solid brew.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Rebel Yell Bourbon Whiskey: 21
Taste: 8 Finish: 5 Visual: 4 Aroma: 4
Total: 21
Rebel Yell delivers what you expect and yet surprises. The aroma has a bit of butterscotch and grains. And also a big whiff of alcohol. Up front it has a very nice buttery flavor and mouthfeel. It just rolls over the tongue. It also has some spice and hay. But mostly butter. In the back the Yell kicks in. It's a very bold whiskey with lots of alcohol and burn. Even cutting it with a splash of water or ice can't stop the Yell. I can take it, but it's a bit much. So definitely check it out if you want flavor and kick. A good choice.
Total: 21
Rebel Yell delivers what you expect and yet surprises. The aroma has a bit of butterscotch and grains. And also a big whiff of alcohol. Up front it has a very nice buttery flavor and mouthfeel. It just rolls over the tongue. It also has some spice and hay. But mostly butter. In the back the Yell kicks in. It's a very bold whiskey with lots of alcohol and burn. Even cutting it with a splash of water or ice can't stop the Yell. I can take it, but it's a bit much. So definitely check it out if you want flavor and kick. A good choice.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Ale: 23
Taste: 7 Finish: 8 Visual: 3 Aroma: 5
Total: 23
Hop Stoopid clocks in at 102 IBU. This should put it in contention with Arrogant Bastard and a few other excessively hopped brews.
The color is kind of bland. A very plain amber color. But it does have a large head. The aroma is great. Tons of grapefruit and orange. It's perfect.
Wow it's smooth. Yes there is a good hit of bitterness upfront. It's lightly carbonated which helps take some of the bite off of it. The hops make way for some nice grapefruit underneath. And unlike Arrogant Bastard, the finish is very clean.
Overall a nice brew but it's not as complex as I'd like. And I don't taste the 102 IBU. It's much mellower than that.
Total: 23
Hop Stoopid clocks in at 102 IBU. This should put it in contention with Arrogant Bastard and a few other excessively hopped brews.
The color is kind of bland. A very plain amber color. But it does have a large head. The aroma is great. Tons of grapefruit and orange. It's perfect.
Wow it's smooth. Yes there is a good hit of bitterness upfront. It's lightly carbonated which helps take some of the bite off of it. The hops make way for some nice grapefruit underneath. And unlike Arrogant Bastard, the finish is very clean.
Overall a nice brew but it's not as complex as I'd like. And I don't taste the 102 IBU. It's much mellower than that.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Victory Wild Devil: 26
Taste: 8 Finish: 9 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 26
Victory takes their Hop Devil brew and changes the type of yeast to Brettanomyces.
It pours with a large head. The color is a perfect amber. The aroma is full of sweet toasted malt. There's a lot of toasted malt and smokey flavor. Some earthy spice and pine. Nutmeg. In the end is a good balance of hops. As it warms a bit the finish has some dark cherry to it. The bottle says citrus but I don't get any.
This is an excellent brew with complex flavor and layers. Another worthy addition to the Victory line.
Total: 26
Victory takes their Hop Devil brew and changes the type of yeast to Brettanomyces.
It pours with a large head. The color is a perfect amber. The aroma is full of sweet toasted malt. There's a lot of toasted malt and smokey flavor. Some earthy spice and pine. Nutmeg. In the end is a good balance of hops. As it warms a bit the finish has some dark cherry to it. The bottle says citrus but I don't get any.
This is an excellent brew with complex flavor and layers. Another worthy addition to the Victory line.
Monday, March 23, 2009
John Barr Gold Label Scotch Whisky: 12
Taste: 4 Finish: 2 Visual: 3 Aroma: 3
Total: 12
A lower end scotch (<$20) that lives up to it's bargain price. The aroma is actually pretty good at first whiff. Lots of caramelization, sweetness, and grain. Unfortunately after that is a huge sniff of raw alcohol. The upfront flavor again is nice of sweet caramalized malt. The middle has a mild peat and earthy flavor. Again, any decentness of the taste is overcome by the raw alcohol. The exhale is rough. And a lingering rubbing alcohol stays on the breath for a while.
If you ice it down and let it water down a bit, it's certainly drinkable. But it's not good.
Total: 12
A lower end scotch (<$20) that lives up to it's bargain price. The aroma is actually pretty good at first whiff. Lots of caramelization, sweetness, and grain. Unfortunately after that is a huge sniff of raw alcohol. The upfront flavor again is nice of sweet caramalized malt. The middle has a mild peat and earthy flavor. Again, any decentness of the taste is overcome by the raw alcohol. The exhale is rough. And a lingering rubbing alcohol stays on the breath for a while.
If you ice it down and let it water down a bit, it's certainly drinkable. But it's not good.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Great Divide Fresh Hop: 27
Taste: 9 Finish: 9 Visual: 5 Aroma: 4
Total: 27
It has a great foamy head that lasts. The color is a perfect amber. The aroma has plenty of hops and grains and a hint of citrus. The flavor is all hops. But it's not overpowering. Towards the back and in the finish is a bit of grapefruit. And around the edges is some sweet malt. Really a great balance between them all. None overpower. The hops are strong but not brash. It's not an overhopped double IPA. This is as great drinking beer. I thoroughly enjoy it.
Total: 27
It has a great foamy head that lasts. The color is a perfect amber. The aroma has plenty of hops and grains and a hint of citrus. The flavor is all hops. But it's not overpowering. Towards the back and in the finish is a bit of grapefruit. And around the edges is some sweet malt. Really a great balance between them all. None overpower. The hops are strong but not brash. It's not an overhopped double IPA. This is as great drinking beer. I thoroughly enjoy it.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Farmington River Blonde Ale: 21
Taste: 8 Finish: 7 Visual: 4 Aroma: 2
Total: 21
It has a good golden, slightly amber color. The head is full and creamy. But there is very little aroma. Upfront there is a bit of sweetness. That is quickly overtaken by a moderate amount of bitterness. Under it is a slight bit of orange juice. At the back some grapefruit comes in. It finishes cleanly with some bitter hops left on the tongue. It has a great balance between sweet and bitter.
Total: 21
It has a good golden, slightly amber color. The head is full and creamy. But there is very little aroma. Upfront there is a bit of sweetness. That is quickly overtaken by a moderate amount of bitterness. Under it is a slight bit of orange juice. At the back some grapefruit comes in. It finishes cleanly with some bitter hops left on the tongue. It has a great balance between sweet and bitter.
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