Blalance of the haul from Romulux

Solstice D'été Aux Framboises

Romulux be da man!

This might be the most pink beer I have ever had! Deep pink with a lighter pink head. Good retention, good lacing.

Aroma is obliterated by raspberries, very close to a Framboise lambic minus the possible funk. Taste is clean, but not as clean as the perfect Framboise... a little too puckering, a little too much acid for me; with a vinegar like acidity. But very good regardless.

Very very good; certainly more drinkable than NG Raspberry Tart for instance (which itself is very good!), but missing the clean, 100% lactic character of, say, LP.

4.5, 4.5, 4, 4, 4

Madame Rose

2010 vintage sent by Romulux, thanks! Split with a few BAs at a tasting.

The aroma is very soft and well integrated... somewhat funky, somewhat sour with a soft fruit presence. Doesn't smell too acetic. Good.

Only slightly sour tasting with light oak character and almost grape (wine) like at times. Some tannins at the end. There is a good fruit presence but I am not getting cherries specifically. Medium feel and dry finish, very good.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Tasting (Aug. 19, 2012)

Lips Of Faith - Super India Pale Ale (Alpine Collaboration)

Thanks Ryan!

Golden with a slight haze, very good head, retention and lacing. Smells tropical with mango coming forward the most; followed by caramel maltiness; and finally only hints of spice. Bitter and coating with fruit, weed and spice in the taste. Medium mouthfeel. It's good but it's not phenomenal. I initially gave it 4 on all counts but changed the overall to 3.5 after sampling it again yesterday. It is a little too malty and for its own good, IMO. Also, could have been more crisp.

4, 4, 4, 4, 3.5

Bourbon Barrel Aged Seeing Double IPA

Thanks Jason!

Dark amber, somewhat hazy, good head, good retention.

Aroma -- sweet, citrus, caramel, barrel.

Taste -- bitter citrus, hints of toffee, mellow but tasty, finishes rindy and clean.

Medium mouthfeel with the growler drinking just fine. Could have been bigger on the barrels and that would have been an instant hit for me.

4, 4, 4, 4, 3.5

Cascade Sang Noir

Romulux delivers again, thanks!

Slightly hazy, deep brown with medium head. Soft cherries in the aroma, oak-y for sure. Quite sour and acetic-ally so, but fortunately not enough to deter me. Hint of bourbon and oak most definitely, with some sweetness as well.

Finishes dry and tannic, reminds me quite a bit of Rodenbach Grand Cru.

A quite good beer overall but seems likes it's not my type.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Behemoth Blonde Barleywine

Thanks Dave!

2009 vintage. Dark caramel colored with good clarity; either I am night blind or this is not blonde at all. Perhaps blonde refers only to the lady on the label and not the beer inside.

Anyway, sweet citrus and fruity maltiness stand out in the aroma. The bitterness is definitely not up there in the taste although you can tell it has hops. Good, sweet maltiness shines. Medium feel.

It's good and I like it but it is certainly not great. There are better barleywines out there.

4, 4, 4, 4, 3.5

R&D Sour Ale

Shared by Jason, thanks! From the recent release coinciding with Great Taste.

Clear amber with ample effervescence. Aroma is funky, musty, earthy with hints of balsamic. Tastes somewhat sour, oak-y and quite clean. Feels light and spritzy and finishes dry. I think they hit it with this one, I liked it very much!

4, 4.5, 4, 4, 4

Tasting (Aug. 17, 2012)

Cantillon Vigneronne

Shared by Steasy66, thanks!

Hazy amber with a medium head, ok retention, ok lacing. Funky (manure), musty and slightly acidic aroma. Clean and mildly tart taste; wine notes come through (grape peel) and dry white wine tannins linger.

Mouthfeel is good as with all Cantillon, light and dry. One of my favorite 'loons.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4.5

3F Schaerbeekse Kriek

Purchased at The Nova's (Hudson, WI). Hurt the wallet.

A deep and clear pink color with a light pink-rose head. Soft cherries in the aroma and the signature 3F notes. Fruit in taste but the essence, not the flesh. Cherry, of course. Good sourness, very clean, big on oak. Amazingly light and clean feel, drinks like the FG was 1.000. Thoroughly enjoyable.

4.5, 4.5, 4, 4.5, 4.5

Torulus Unblended Barrel  Aged Rye Imperial Stout

Sent by Romulux, thanks as always!

This is the 100% Rye version I believe. Looks the part, dark brown with a lingering ring for head/retention. Roast and malt in the aroma, possibly some spice. Not much of a -bal presence here. Drinks roasty, bitter chocolaty with a good presence of oak but again, muted -bals. Mouthfeel seems a little thin, the beer a little overcarbonated. Overall it's not bad but doesn't stand out.

4, 4, 3.5, 3, 3.5

Founders Frangelic Mountain Brown

Shared by Steasy66, thanks!

Clear with a dark amber color, not exactly brown. Some head.

Toasted hazelnuts dominate the aroma, not much of a coffee presence here. Never thought I would say this but sweet and artificial flavors dominate this beer. Everything about the mouthfeel is balanced, medium whatever but the beer itself is pretty mediocre.

I think it is well made, but the recipe sucks ass IMO. The "backstage series" is an utter flop compared to the regular and seasonal lineup of Founders.

Avoid at the price.

4, 3, 3, 4, 3

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

Shared by Steasy66, thanks!

Amber colored beer with a big head and good retention. Maple and caramel dominate the aroma although some hops still linger. Only slightly bitter, strictly in the balancing role, with sweet flavors stealing the show. Mouthfeel is spot on. Overall one of the better DFH beers, and possibly my favorite after Burton Baton.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Surly Syx, others

Syx

On tap at Muddy Pig. Served in a 12 oz tulip.

Deep amber with a viscous clarity. Medium head and retention. Doesn't smell like much at first but some malts and fruit come forward as it warms up. I am neutral on the aroma.

Off to taste --- WTF?! Acidic, harsh and somewhat bready but very shallow malt character for the octane. I am NOT digging this weird tartness at all. Drinks like a poorly made DIPA once you get past the acidity. I'd give it a 1 on taste but there is no hint of booze at all, which is something.

Mouthfeel? I am not sure what to expect but I am going with a 3, right in the middle. Not bad but nothing exciting either.

In my humble opinion, this is just not a good beer. Or maybe it's not ready (no pun intended!).

4, 3, 2, 3, 2

Green Card Barleywine

Alright, funny name!

Pours a deep amber-brown with good clarity. A good malty-sweet aroma, there's some serious malt in here. Tastes of caramel-toffee and figs-dates with a medium touch of hops. Good at this point but somehow doesn't seem like it could develop into anything much bigger, better. Body and carbonation are apt and it's a good beer overall.

4, 3, 3.5, 4, 4

Horn Dog Barleywine

09 Bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours much darker than the usual with a medium head. Aroma is a little too dark and it smells like an aged stout. Weird.

The taste is too heavy on roast with no sweetness and only a hint of malts. WTF?! Feels like a stout for all I can tell. Mouthfeel is alright for a Barleywine OR a stout.

Not a bad beer but thoroughly disappointing for an English Barleywine. Did Flying Dog mess with me here and bottle a blend that was heavy on the stout?

4, 3, 1, 4, 2

Town Hall seasonal sampler part xyz

Belgian White

The ABV is up to 6.1% but the name and the description are consistent with this entry.

Hazy golden colored with a good, lasting head. Perfumy, yeasty, bubblegum notes in the aroma; which was good but a rotting egg funk kept ruining it for me time to time. The off note was faint but detectable and interfering. Tasted spicy, yeasty and slightly tart. Alright on the mouthfeel.

4, 2, 3.5, 4, 3

Flight of The Falcon

"Single hop" pale ale.

Burnt amber hued with a good head etc. Dank hop aroma, and good, clean hop flavors in the taste. In spite of a reasonable malt base, the beer is dominantly hop forward. Silky and smooth mouthfeel, almost like drinking on cask (the freshness didn't hurt either).

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Crimson Oat

Clear and amber colored. Fruit and an otherwise clean malt note in the aroma. Tastes only lightly malty, good fruitiness and slight hints of darker malts.

The mouthfeel is rather thin and watery. Can't say it was bad but nothing was remarkable about it. A solid C beer.

3, 3, 3, 3, 3
 

Raspberry Crimson Oat

Raspberry Crimson Oat was the "fruit infusion" on Town Hall's seasonal list a week or so ago. The base beer Crimson Oat is listed as an amber ale I believe.

Looks only slightly more red-brown than its base although the light is low and it is tough to accurately comment. However, it drinks way better than its base --- a strong raspberry jam aroma and a strong raspberry flavor in the taste without any significant tartness and sweetness from the fruit. Only hint of the base beer is the kick of specialty malts at the end.

Crimson Oat succeeds in being an excellent vehicle for the fruit but since it was thoroughly average, this beer cannot exactly be much above.

3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5

Belgian IPA

Advertised as a Belgian IPA. The server or the boards did not mention Elves' Elixir so I am assuming this is a separate beer.
---
Clear pale golden with a good and long lasting head. Smells closer to a tripel than an IPA; too heavy on the phenols in my opinion. A distinct note I can best describe as slightly soapy?

Tastes aggressively bitter but retains its Belgian character in its esters and phenols. Some fusel notes are present.

Finishes clean and dry although I could live with an even higher carbonation. Not bad at all.

4.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4

Blåbær!

Cantillon Blåbær

Dang!
Review # 444. Huge thanks to Steasy66 for sharing this beer. I am glad that I know the right people!

Deep pink-purple hued with a light purple head. Good head and good retention. Very clean aroma with no vinegar whatsoever, an instant hit in my book. Somewhat sweet with tart and bright berry notes and only mild hints of funk.

Taste is a clean, lactic and mild sour with strong berry notes. Very very blueberry. I was pleasantly surprised that my "robust" palate could detect the blueberries, they must have used a lot!

Medium body, medium carbonation and a clean finish. Very very good.

4.5, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5

Jackie O's Evelyn

Shared by dc55110, thanks!

Hazy, reddish, blood brown with a fast departing head. Quite complex aroma that was off putting at first but got enjoyable soon --- framboise, earth and grass.

I preferred aroma to taste; I found the intense sourness hindering to the enjoyment of this beer. There was also an odd nuttiness in the finish but I am neutral about that. The body and carbonation were fine.

It was a good beer but too acetic and sour for my taste.

3.5, 4, 3.5, 4, 4

Lawson's Finest Liquids Double Sunshine IPA

Thanks JeepCop for the bottle!

Hazy light golden colored with a very good head and excellent head retention. Smells pretty good --- dank, leafy, weedy. My kind of IPA.

Great flavor, light malt backbone. Medium-high bitterness, good carbonation and a dry finish with no hints of booze whatsoever.

Awesome beer, VT FTW!

4.5, 4, 4, 4.5, 4.5

Iron Hill FE 15 "Imperial Tripel"

Shared by Yulles, thanks!

Excellent looks: golden color, great fluffy head and great retention. If you take into account the ABV, the looks are nothing short of perfect!

Very sweet, very estery aroma with hints of lemon. Slightly cookie dough-y at times. No alcohol whatsoever.

Tastes very sweet with a strong note of honey and some citrus. Warms as it goes down and yet doesn't seem boozy at all. Furthermore, the finish is nowhere as sweet as the taste would lead one to believe.

Oh yeah!

5, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Jolly Pumpkin Perseguidor (Batch 5)

Thanks dougofthefuture!

Deep amber colored with medium clarity. Funky and grassy aroma with hints of mustard seed (I think). The taste is slightly disappointing: mild, watery and weak? Oaky and tannic. The carbonation could have been higher, otherwise the mouthfeel is ok.

I am not wowed.

4, 4, 3.5, 4, 3.5

Westbrook Citrus Ninja Exchange (2012)

Clean and thin looking... I am hoping it'll be dry. Sweet, citrus and fruity aroma... I would have missed how malt forward the aroma was had someone not pointed it out.

Regardless, there was only little sweetness in the taste. It was prominently bitter and citrusy. Light feel, good carbonation and a clean finish.

Westbrook makes some good beer for sure.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break

Thanks bucky10!

Dark with a ring of foam for head. Smells dark, fruity and chocolaty.

Dark fruit, chocolate, some acidity and roast towards the end. Obscure smoke. Medium-good body with appropriate carbonation.

It's a good and rich stout; worth seeking out.

4.5, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4

Ticking Top 100 (Beers of fame)

Currently at 98/100 on this list.

Allagash White

Thanks Steasy66 for bringing this from SC. Pours a cloudy hay color with medium head and poorer retention than I expected. Smells awesome... the spiciness reminds me of Saison Dupont, stat, although the two are quite different. Still, I get the lemon and pepper, and then some more... coriander if you will.

Off to tasting... sweet-ish and spicy, this is actually quite close to Saison Dupont in its profile but significant differences exist. Most notable is the estery character as opposed to phenolic, the fact that this one is more dirty and less sharp.

As I drink more, it appears more and more complex... I am thinking tulsi. For sure. And there's a certain "herb" character if you know what I mean.

Medium body, bursting with spritzy carbonation. A bready but relatively clean finish with a lingering yeast-y-ness (I think).

I thought this beer wouldn't be any good, just an overpriced "craft" version of Blue Moon, but damn, this is one sexy beer! Highly recommended. A++, would drink again!

PS: I am well aware that this is not a Saison. Just find it very similar in some of the notes it has.

look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Chimay Première (Red)

Dark brown with good clarity and a big, dirty head.

Toasty, yeasty and slightly phenolic aroma; fruit and spice (coriander I think).

Tastes fruity with notes of pears and ripe apples, slightly tart, slightly caramel-y, and somewhat tannic at the end.

Very effervescent, mildly warming, generally clean and dry with a light body.

look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Fuller's London Porter

Dark brown, quite clear with a good tan colored head. Roasty and fruity aroma. Tart, dark fruit taste (I am thinking prune like) with a kick of roast at the end and a lingering charred character.

Medium body, medium-high carbonation. Not stellar but very good and certainly worth revisiting. Also, better on cask if you can find it.

look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ommegang (Abbey Ale)

Dark amber with a light rusty colored creamy head. Medium retention. Somewhat fruity, somewhat yeasty and somewhat rotting fruit notes in the aroma. Taste is certainly darker than the color suggested. Tastes more like a hoppy brown ale to me than a Belgian dubbel although the texture is spot on (light, effervescent body etc.). Only similarity is the slightly yeasty-estery finish. Not a bad beer but different* from what I expected.

* That's just a nice way of saying that don't purchase it if you want a Belgian dubbel.

4, 3, 3, 4, 3

Founders Porter

Darker than most within its style and ABV range with a medium head etc. Smells faintly of chocolate and roast. Tastes chocolaty and roasty with a long charred and somewhat nutty finish. There is some acidity as well. Mouthfeel is medium with carbonation a little higher than my preferred level.

Overall a great beer that's tough to beat at its price point. Founders has a really good regular lineup with this one, Dirty Bastard, Centennial and Red's Rye. This reminds me why it is one of my favorite breweries.

look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Victory Hop Wallop

Clear golden with generally good looks. Smells like sweaty socks at times. Tastes good but not as Double IPA-ish as Saison like. Go figure. Not the most bitter I have had but the bitterness lingers and sometimes borders on unpleasant. Also, what's the deal with the solvent character? Good mouthfeel on this one though, they got the FG and the carbonation spot on. Overall this seems like a beer that'll give me a hangover but it is not a bad beer!

4, 2, 4, 4.5, 4

Dan's tasting

Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Laird's Apple Brandy Barrel

Huge thanks to Alpar for sharing this rarity, I am pretty sure there's no way I would have been able to land this!

Looks dark, thick and still. Impressive legs upon swirling. Aroma is a blast of vanilla, fruit and some tartness. The roast has managed to stay alive in the taste! There are layers of coconut, vanilla and fruit and this is a very complex and very very smooth beer. I can't help but notice the similarities with Matt, that I remember liking a tad better. But this is pretty f'in good as well.

I think I will have to track down a bottle of the brandy those barrels make assuming it is not too costly!

4, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4

Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA

Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA shared by Joe at Dan's. Side by side with Ruination. Thanks!

Much darker and thicker looking than the regular. Certainly a more "serious" attempt at ruination of the palate but a tad too big for its own good. It's moving from one of my favorite IPAs towards the Devil Dancer territory and that's not a plus in my book... more viscous and unpleasantly bitter at times in comparison to the regular version. Also maltier.

However, considered on it's own it's still a pretty good 4+ rating DIPA; just not the clean, dry beer that Ruination, Pliny and Heady are.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

Spring House Big Gruesome

Cannot recall who shared this beer but thanks!

Dark brown with a medium head, head retention etc. Incredible aroma that is more peanut butter wafer like than peanut butter wafer itself! Beats me how they did, but they did it very well.

Tastes very dessert like with a slight sweetness and plenty of flavor. Only part that makes it a stout is the slight roast and unfortunately a slight tartness typical to many stouts.

Medium mouthfeel and ok carbonation. I had several samples of this and it was enjoyable but only in small quantities... can't see myself drinking a bomber of this on my own and it is a novelty (or gimmick?) in that sense.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus

Thanks Doug!

Dirty pink-orange hued with plenty of bubbles. Aroma is funk, acid and raspberries lurking in the backdrop. Tastes quite sour with a good fruit flavor but it is certainly missing the clean character of Gueuze. In fact, I am pretty certain that there is some vinegar involved. Mouthfeel is great as with all Cantillon.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

Steel Toe Before The Dawn

Looks black, duh.

Dark and chocolaty aroma with with a good presence of barleywine fruitiness. Tastes big and somewhat boozy with a finishing roast and you can tell that it started its life as a stout (if the rumors are true).

However, there's plenty of toffee sweetness and dates/figs notes that make it a barleywine alright. Much lower barrel presence than their first one (Lunker) but delicious nonetheless.

I am comparing it to a 2+ years old Nightstalker because that's what this is reminding me of. The mouthfeel could have been better. Overall it is very good and I might have rated it higher had there not been a pour of MOAS on the side to keep things in perspective.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Westbrook Gose

Thanks Ryan (Steasy66) for sharing this!

Hay colored with plenty of haze; good head and medium retention. Softly sour and generally clean aroma with some malts hanging out at the back. Tastes only lightly salty and mildly tart but each sip begs another. Light bodied, clean and refreshing, pretty much a perfect summer beer without being overly simple. I liked it and highly recommend it!

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

More random reviews

Surly Coffee Bender

Canned 2 weeks ago. Poured into a Surly pint.

A clear dark brown with a light brown head with good retention and lacing. Aroma is Bender's dark maltiness + coffee, and hard to tell where the beer ends and the coffee starts.

Tastes like carbonated iced coffee, pretty much, minus the acidity; well there is some acidity but not overpowering. Finishes with slight roast and a lingering coffee taste. Mouthfeel is light and carbonation not too high (thankfully!).

Overall? An excellent coffee beer. Don't drink it if you don't like coffee.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Summit Saga IPA

Lighter and clearer than many IPAs; good head, good retention, and good lacing. 4/5

Rather generic aroma, slightly hoppy, slightly bready. 3/5

Tastes better, bolder, and different from many other Summit beers*. Clean, somewhat piney, monolithic but enjoyable bitterness. 4/5

Medium body, slightly bready finish. Good carbonation. Right on. 4.5/5

I like it very much especially at the price point. 4/5

* I am of the opinion that most of their beers taste the same. This one is worth seeking out though.

New Belgium Fat Tire

Extreme clarity is a flaw in this beer's looks, otherwise it ain't bad. Good creamy head with good retention and good lacing. Aroma is not impressive, let's just put it that way.

Taste is actually not bad... I wish they made it a little fatter, and it'd be a proper brown ale like Bender. Even so I quite like the balance between sweetness, speciality malt character and the finishing bitterness.

Mouthfeel is rather watery, but nothing unforgivable. Overall it's an above average beer. Gets some shit for being too common or whatever but better than many small batch crap for sure.

3, 2, 4, 3, 3.5

Lienenkugel's Honey Weiss

Poured into a pint.

Crystal clear with a two finger head that leaves a wispy layer behind without any lacing. Doesn't smell repulsive but is certainly very generic: some malts and that seems to be about it. Taste instantly deports me to my earlier days of drinking beer: notes of The Library and Sally's Saloon. In more concrete terms, it tastes very generic with some maltiness, slight bitterness at the end, and a generally clean character. Plus the yucks. Thin, watery, carbonated. Also, can't tell whatever happened to real Wisconsin honey. It is what it is. And it ain't any good.

2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Random reviews

Brau Brothers Rye Wyne

Thanks for the pour Steasy66.

Rust brown and clear with a murky, dirty head; looks alright. The aroma retains notes of malts and barrels but the taste is a little too tart and the mouthfeel too thin... it actually smells ok, and the first couple sips seem just fine with toffee and vanilla but the off tartness takes over the beer soon.

I am no authority on infection and save for the "slight" tartness, there's no sign, so I am not going to write this one off as infected. However, what I can say is that it is a bad beer aged in good barrels.

4, 3.5, 2.5, 2, 2

Surly Hell

Canned 06/06/12, poured into a pint at ~2 weeks from the canning.

As promised, it's a fairly light colored beer. Medium head and medium retention. A really bready and sweet aroma... like walking in the bread aisle of the store. Sweet upfront but slight balancing bitterness towards the end. This beer doesn't seem to be about hops at all.

There's another note in the aroma that is hard to place... a tad like a Berliner weisse but not sour by any means.

Anyway, it's quite simple and clean in its flavors but the finish is more sweet than it is dry. Light body and high carbonation works. Refreshing and a good summer beer on all counts. At the same time not the best summer beer... I would reach for a Pilsner first that I think Surly should totally brew!

4, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 3.5

Goose Island Lolita

Clear pink-brown colored with a medium head and poor retention. Aroma is not terribly exciting but good nonetheless: raspberries, slight funk, and very soft. Taste is low on fruit and heavier on wine with moderate tartness. Good mouthfeel with medium body and good carbonation.

Overall I'd have preferred had it been fruit forward. Not really a fan of the wine barrels.

3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 3.5

New Belgium Lips of Faith - Brett Beer

On tap at Happy Gnome.

Hazy golden colored with a moderate head. Aroma is extremely sweet and quite fruity; perhaps excruciatingly sweet. Generic beer notes abound and nothing else really stands out but the fruitiness.

Tastes underattenuated and just plain messy! A slightly phenolic and very cloying finish. Another good example of why one should either stick to normal ingredients or be absolutely sure before putting the product out. Also, add hops.

I don't really mind the mouthfeel but sweetness kills it. A miserable fail of a beer; there are few "craft" beers that I would turn down and choose an adjunct lager instead. This is one of them.

4, 3, 1, 3, 1

Jason's tasting

Samuel Adams UTOPIAS!

Thanks Josh (Sender) for sharing this great beer.

Pours still, looks deep. A rich copper brown hue. Legs are seen upon swirling. Smells amazing, although it's well into the liqueur/liquor territory: dark fruit, figs, dates. Nothing uncommon, but very bold and yet smooth.

Drinks flavorful and sweet but exceptionally clean at the end. Sherry is the best adjective I can use to describe it. Doesn't have the same burn as Macallan but damn, it comes close in taste. Of course it is much sweeter.

A great beer and very glad to have tried it.
4.5, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5

Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic

Shared by dougofthefuture. Thanks!

Cork bears 2009.

Deep pink-violet colored with a light pink head. Strong funk and soft cherries in the aroma. Tastes puckering sour and clean, but with hints of vinegar. Notes of oak as well. The fruit is not as intense as the color led me to believe. Clean, dry and effervescent feel.
4, 4, 4, 5, 4

Founders Blushing Monk

Shared by Yulles, thanks!

Very deep and viscous pink with a dark pink head. Lots of sweetness and intense raspberries in the aroma. The raspberries, however, are getting tame with time as evidenced in the taste, but the sweetness is going strong. This beer is also very thick and rather low in carbonation which is why it is rather tough to drink at the moment.

It is my opinion that with time the malts will shine more making it a delightful brew, especially because I am fan of malty beers and raspberries, both. And although I remarked that it is rather syrupy and tough to drink at the moment, it still drinks very easy for its body and ABV.

4, 4, 4, 4, 3.5

FFF Live A Rich Life

Another beer shared by dougofthefuture, thanks!

Cloudy amber with a nice white head. Aroma is hops first but there is a certain perfum-y-ness which is perhaps the Belgian contribution. Tastes better than it smells... very very citrus; lots of rind. Good balance of flavor and bitterness. Medium body but still crisp, especially considering the ABV. Glad to have had it.
4, 3, 4, 4, 4

FFF Baller Stout

Thanks Dan and Frank!

Excellent stout looks, dark and thick with a good dark tan head. Aroma is sweet malts, some vanilla (nowhere close to a -bal beer though) and roast. I don't get much coffee.

Tastes rough and aggressive... the smoothness of the component beers is missing, and I like Dark Lord :-/

Mouthfeel is good, rich body and medium carbonation. To echo what others have said, this beers is less stellar than its components:

|x1 + x2| ≤ |x1| + |x2|
4.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 3.5

Westbrook Mexican Cake

Thanks dc55110 for this rarish tick, thought I will never get to try it but I got lucky.

Looks the part, black and thick. Hints of spice and chocolate... the spice is obscure to my palate though and I wouldn't know about the pepper part if I didn't know. I don't feel any heat :-/

Slight stout tartness that puts me off in almost every stout I drink, but there's a good presence of roast. Medium body, full carbonation. It's certainly a well made, above average imperial stout. However, I don't get the hype behind this one. Or I just had my hate on this particular evening.

4, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5

I guess I did have my hate on. Had it again and liked it a lot! This is a 4+ beer; disregard the scores.

Adam FTWs, COAST IPAs etc.

Adam From The Wood

Hair of The Dog

Thanks Romulux, you da man!
Split with Steasy66, others.

Muddy, murky brown with a gushing head that leaves very soon and apparently takes all carbonation with it. Vanilla and wood in the aroma. Good barrel character in taste; vanilla, booze; and roast from Adam. Yeah. Feels thin.

This is a good beer but I completely fail to see the hype. In my opinion the barrels make it whatever it is, a decent beer from a base beer that is subpar.

3, 4, 4, 3, 4

Cherry Adam From The Wood

Hair of The Dog

Thanks Ron!
Had right after AFTW. The expectations from this one were lowered so it came as a nice surprise.

Pinkish brown colored, you can tell there's cherries in it. Vanilla, kriek in the aroma. Very inviting.

Medium cherry notes in the taste but what makes it is the intense and awesome dessert wine character... sweet but relatively clean and very decadent. Dark fruit and chocolate. The almost non-existent carbonation works for this beer.

Not quite the same level as Matt but close. Bonus was Ryan's share that I got to drink because he couldn't stand it!

3, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Boy King Double IPA

COAST Brewing Co.

Drank in the process of powering through Ryan's IPA haul. Thanks!

Doesn't look bad.

Aroma is oily hops, onions and some malt. Tastes bitter and sweet with a good dose of onion and uncooked garlic. Fail.

Mouthfeel is silky and carbonation appropriate. Disappoints overall.

3, 3, 3, 4, 2

HopArt IPA

COAST Brewing Co.

Thanks for another one Ryan!

Looks ok, straw golden with slight haze. There's not much to the aroma... take that back, there's nothing actually. Only reason it gets 2/5 instead of 1/5 is that the aroma is not disgusting.

Crisp and somewhat flavorful taste on a medium body. Good carbonation. You can tell that something is wrong with an IPA if crispness is its best feature.

Neither hops, not art; this beer is brewed with mediocrity.

3, 2, 3, 3, 2.5

Brew Kettle White Rajah

Thanks Steasy66. 12 oz bottle split between two people.

Clear golden colored, perhaps a little too clear. Medium head and retention. Aroma belongs to the spicy side of hops, venturing well into the onion-garlic territory. An instant turn off for me. Tastes bitter and spicy, again in the Allium genus.

Light, dry and crisp. Overall it's not a bad beer but it's not too good either.

3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Ghost Face Killah

Thanks Ryan!

I drank Cave Creek not too long ago and was moderately impressed... not by its light lager character but by the flavor and the heat. GFK takes shit to an entirely different level. It's not beer, or at least the base beer is no different from "yellow fizzy" types.

But that should be disregarded. An excellent blend of what I suppose could be called aroma chillies and taste chillies... smells like it would sting and it does sting. Smells green and crushed red at the same time, call it complex. Extreme heat in the taste that lingers for a while even on my punished-on-a-daily-basis palate.

Whatever it is, it was great in small quantities (I drank my share of the bottle and then some more for the record).

3, 4, 4, 3, 4

Hangar 24 Double IPA

Thanks Steasy66 for this one. Reviewed blind.

Golden colored with an alabaster head; good retention, ok lacing. Smells of hops in a weird way... as if the hops were struggling or lacked the aroma component to begin with. I am digging the malt character way more than hops... biscuit, cracker type :-/

Very malt forward with sticky sweetness but strong ale like firm bitterness. Rather heavy on the palate without much of a character... not bad but fails to impress. Not a poorly made beer but doesn't fulfill the expectations from an IPA.

4, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 3

Central Waters Fourteen Fourteen

"Our special version of Satin Solstice Imperial Stout, aged for 14 months in Old Heaven Hill 14 year-old bourbon barrels for our 14th anniversary celebration. Limited release of 1,000 bottles."

Have to thank Yulles, dc55110 and Mista for the tip. Enjoyed on tap at Muddy Waters.

Black! With good head and retention. The aroma reminded me of The Abyss in several ways in its charred, burnt character. Whiskey by the campfire?

There is plenty of vanilla later but not with a BCBS like silkiness... quite creamy and smooth nonetheless. Char and firm bitterness with mellow sweetness and booze. Woody.

Very warming but with some solvent like notes.

I am not sure on the mouthfeel... on one hand I want it to be bigger, thicker while on the other hand I want it to be thinner and more liquor like (Dark Knight is a good example).

Overall there are so many options now that this one doesn't seem to be worth the trouble of going after a bottle, especially because it reminds me of The Abyss that I like better and is relatively much easier to come by.

That said, it's a damn fine beer!

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Gilgamesh, -bal Abominable, Singularity

Bourbon Barrel Abominable

Fremont Brewing Co.

Strong Ale, 9.5% ABV

Shared by dc55110. Thanks Dan!

This style category is apt for this beer because it doesn't really belong anywhere. Old ale like in a way with plenty of dark maltiness and excellent barrel-vanilla character. The aroma is one to die for.

Spice notes are more prominent in taste but barrel aged sweetness manages to hold its own. Good presence of roast as well, borders an Imperial Stout. Carbonation was a tad high for my liking but otherwise it was really good.

4, 4.5, 4, 4, 4

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Singularity

Driftwood Brewery

RIS, 14% ABV

Another beer shared by dc55110, thanks Dan!

It says on the bottle that this is a beer of infinite density. The ABV is up there too so I was certainly intrigued. However, it was exactly opposite to the expectations... looked thin and clear dark brown, quite a few shades left of jet black. Drank like any other stout with a splash of liquor... I found it tough to discern any quality barrels in there. On top of that there was a tartness typical to some stouts that was offputting.

Good roasty character was pretty much the only redeeming side of this beer to me.

3, 3, 3, 3, 3

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Gilgamesh

Upland Brewing Company

Flanders Style Ale, 10.5% ABV (a little strong IMO)

Received in trade with dvelcich, thanks! Split with two other BAs.

Looks alright, good clarity, good head etc. Vinegar, fruit typical to Flanders style beers with the acetic sourness that comes with it. However, what makes it stand out is the good use of whiskey barrels... there are layers of chocolate/vanilla that go beyond oak.

And I suppose the strength. Also, the feel is more creamy than the sharp, crisp feel of Flanders style beers from Belgium.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

50/50 Eclipse Elijah Craig 12, others

Eclipse Elijah Craig 12

Thanks poonamibaxter for the trade. Thanks for hosting Kevin.

Looks thin and not as syrupy as some others of its creed. Initially chocolaty with mellow roast and some vanilla; the barrels seem to be only in supporting role at first but the beer opens up with warmth. Creamy mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Would have been more enjoyable had it not been somewhat offputtingly tart.

3, 4, 4, 4, 4

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Boulevard Saison-Brett

Not sure who brought it to the table but thanks nonetheless.

Golden, clear and very very bubbly. Good looks certainly. More lemony than funky aroma but very appetizing. Aroma exceeds taste by far... taste is rather run of the mill. Slightly bitter, spicy, and fruity. Great prickly mouthfeel with a dry finish. Worth seeking out.

5, 4.5, 3, 4, 3.5

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(512) Whiskey Barrel Aged Double Pecan Porter

Thanks Mista!

Extremely foamy pour, off the charts :-/ Appears a little thin but mouthfeel turned out to be okay. Too tart in the nose and apparently a little funky... something is off here with weird nose and carbonation issues. Tastes fine though: chocolate, roast, and only slightly nutty if at all. In spite of the somewhat off aroma this was an enjoyable brew.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Fou' Foune, others

Fou' Foune (Review # 400)

Thanks islandboi8204!

2011 vintage poured into a tulip. Shared with dc55110 and Jetfire. Thanks guys!

    Hazy and the color of the fruit in it, with good head and retention. Funky, fruity and good! The apricots are strong here... I can only imagine how awesome would it be fresh. The fruit gets stronger with warmth.

    Lactic and soft tartness in taste, very very sour. Some wood. Super dry and very enjoyable, but I am glad it was shared between 3.

4.5, 4.5, 4, 5, 4

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Lou Pepe Kriek (2009)

Thanks dc55110. 2009 vintage poured into a tulip.

    A beautiful deep pink with moderate head and moderate retention. Strong funk and soft cherries. Strongly tart, fruit peel and flesh in taste with fruit not as assertive as the aroma. Very dry, almost abrasive. Full of character and very good!

4, 4, 4, 5, 4

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St. Lamvinus

    Very very good looking pink, almost purple with excellent head retention. A bitter, sweet and tart aroma with loads of funk. Still soft, and hints of grain once in a while. Tastes slightly sweet, very tart with pronounced grape at the end. Strong mouthfeel and good carbonation.

4.5, 4, 4, 5, 4

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Surly Bandwagon

    Amber and somewhat hazy with an appealing head. To echo what other reviewers have said, it is (thankfully!) bitter. The hop profile is tropical but there's more to it. There is a solid maltiness going on as well, and the body is bigger than most IPAs.

Overall it is an intense beer with lots of flavor. It also gave me a good buzz even though ABV is not clear.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

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Professor Fritz Briem Grodziskie

16.9 oz bottle poured into a tulip.

Light golden with a great head and spritzy looks. Good retention.

    Hops and slight tartness in the nose. Only slightly tart, somewhat meaty and smoky, with a woodiness to it. Interesting to say the least and quite unique. Slight bitterness at the end that lingers. The palate soon gets accustomed and it drinks as easy as any other light and crisp (and good) beer.

Medium body with good carbonation. Would like to see a Gose soon.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Rye'd Da Lightning

Bomber with a whacky label poured into a tulip. Thanks Dan (dvelcich).

    Clear amber colored beer with a very good head and retention. Kickass lacing. Great tropical fruit aroma typical of FFF with some piney notes. Crisp and bursting with great hop flavor, some bitterness, some sweetness and a hint of rye at the end. Medium finish and a faint lingering bitterness. Very easy drinking and very good.

4.5, 4, 4, 4, 4

Samichlaus

11.2 oz bottle, 2010 vintage.

    Deep rust color with good clarity. Small head with poor retention. A malt monster with plenty of dried fruit, caramel and toffee notes. The alcohol is solvent like at times which is a minus in my book. Adequate mouthfeel with strong alcohol sharpness to it. Somewhat bitter, which could be the alcohol.

    I'd enjoy it way more if it wasn't nailpolish remover like at times. Have a 5 yr vertical to find out how it develops.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

PS: liking it more and more with warmth. Bumped the scores a little.

Town Hall current seasonals

05/05/2012

Gem Single Hop Pale Ale

5.4% ABV

"Single Hop Pale Ale featuring the Pacific Gem hop. Hop forward tropical fruit nose and flavor with berry undertones, supported by pale malt base."

Poured into a 10 oz. chalice like glass.

Looks a little darker than the usual APA with a dense two finger head. A more maltier look, and malts come across in the taste as well. Smells hoppy and slightly sweet with floral and somewhat citrus notes.

Tastes juicy with fruit and fruit peel notes and some balancing bitterness. Some caramel too. Certainly tropical. Like other Town Hall beers the mouthfeel and carbonation are spot on.

Although a good beer, doesn't stand out in any way. I'd prefer it to be more dry and crisp although it's not overly sweet by any means.

4, 3, 4, 4.5, 3.5

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Maibock

6.5% ABV

Clear and clean amber-golden with a good head and good head retention. Clean and still rich with plenty of toffee, caramel and the melanoidins. Only slightly bitter with what I assume is a "noble" bitterness. Medium body and a slightly sweet bready finish. A very well done lager.

4, 3, 4, 4, 4

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Hefe

5.1% ABV

Cloudy and dirty golden with as much head and retention as the stupid sampler glass would permit. Holy phenols! Holy esters! Loads of clove and banana as promised on the menu and some bubblegum too. I am missing the lemony tartness that I sometimes get from this style... fairly crisp and not as dirty as some other examples are. However, it is very good and I will drink it again.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

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Cherry Dubbel

8% ABV

Whiskey and cola colored with a small head, although the 5 oz glass might be the culprit here. Aroma is coconut and cherry covered chocolate, very nice.

The taste is led by cherry but not dominated by it. An exceptionally smooth taste with the malts and the esters complementing the fruit very well. Slightly tart and moderately carbonated with a silky feel and a clean finish.

I enjoyed it thoroughly!

3, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

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Grand Cru

9% ABV

This beer has changed over years as I have been told. Back in 2006 it was a golden colored beer... my sample is not golden by a long shot. It's a bright looking dark copper hued beer with some depth to its looks. It drinks like a Belgian Dark Ale and I think it's an attempt at a Quadrupel, and not an entirely shabby one. Prominent notes include fruit, toast and baked dessert. Light body in spite of high ABV (sugars I assume), and high carbonation. A full, bursting mouthfeel and an overall alcoholic character present both in the aroma and the taste.

While not bad, it doesn't do too well against its competition :-/

3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 3

Assorted reviews

Cave Creek Chili Beer

    There's an actual chili in there! Nice! Best by 01/12/13. Poured into an equally goofy Family Guy pint.

    Pours like a macro lager: pale and clear with some bubbles that leave FAST. Aroma is dominated by the chili and this one will be hot it seems.

    Tastes like a macro: no hops at all and a burp here and there that's full of yuck. And then there's the heat. I was expecting the chili to be total gimmick and it could very well be but this beer (?) overall does deliver some heat. I can feel my lips sting and it feels good. And a good chili flavor too, so that's bonus. I am weird.

    Carbonation is low and the mouthfeel is watery but whatever. I am not entirely disappointed and somewhat amused. Glad I tried it. Seemed a little costly at 11+ bucks for a 6 pack, and even costlier as a single but there certainly could be situations where I wouldn't say no to it.

PS: In a parallel universe they're using chili instead of hops for beer and this one is coveted.

PPS: Sometimes I wish, and more so lately, that awarding points was not necessary.

3, 3, 3, 3, 3

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G'Knight Imperial Red

    Not really "red" but whatever. Red (or its absence) is one of the least important things I would look for in a beer. Medium head, medium retention. Somewhat hazy.

    Muddled aroma, some malts that are quite nice, hint of hops. Doesn't smell like much, let alone an Imperial anything. Taste is also mellow, slightly sweet, definitely lacking any hop flavor or bitterness. Muddled finish but not overly sweet.

    Great mouthfeel, silky and smooth. Goes down with some warmth or burn depending upon how you look at it. Overall a very meh beer though.

4, 2.5, 3, 4, 3

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Gulden Draak

    Poured into a snifter. Dark amber to rusty brown hued with a medium head and good retention. Fruit, toast, very similar to a Quadrupel. I think it is one. Sweet and dark with some tannins and a creamy smoothness. Full carbonation and medium body. Slightly alcoholic at times, but that does not distract at all. Thoroughly enjoyable and very well made.

4.5, 4, 4, 4, 4

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Summit Unchained # 09 Dunkel Weizen

Poured into a snifter. Very slightly hazy and dark amber with a rich head. Good retention and lacing. Fruity as well as phenolic notes, and plenty of sweetness in the aroma. Bready notes as well. Taste is a little unexpected after the aroma... doesn't really taste as 'German wheat beer' as it smelled. Clean, too clean. Some sweetness as well as some bitterness with only hints of esters. Mouthfeel is smooth, and the beer drinks easy.

4, 3.5, 3, 4, 3

Barleywines!

Cockeyed Cooper

Poured into a snifter. Thanks Shane.

    Amber colored, medium head, medium retention. Toffee, vanilla, some sweetness, hints of wood -- mellow and subtle. Retains its hops and stronger bourbon notes in taste compared to the aroma. Light carbonation, smooth, slightly boozy in the finish and thoroughly likeable.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

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BA Hi Fi Rye (Batch II)

Poured into a snifter. Thanks Jason.

    On the medium-dark side of barleywine spectrum. Very delicious maltiness, some spice, ample toffee and some vanilla. Drinks like sweet bourbon, hot damn! Strong toffee in the taste that I am thoroughly loving. Finish slightly bitter with hints of delicious alcohol. Silky with medium body and carbonation, but sub par presence. Mouthfeel could be better; otherwise I loved it.

4, 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5

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Bligh's Barleywine

Poured into a snifter. Thanks Colby.

    Rich, strong barrel notes; brown sugar and caramel; some alcohol notes and they work very well. Certainly not hot in any manner though. Sweet and decadent with notes of caramel, toffee and dry fruits; appears slightly thin and clean with the base beer and barrels perfectly balanced.

4, 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5

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Arctic Devil (2011 vintage)

Poured into a snifter. Thanks Dan.

    Dark and rusty with good head. Ripe fruit, burnt sugar and dark caramel. Great barrel notes in the taste, dried fruits and chocolate. Good mouthfeel too. Very smooth with a good barrel character and a good beer overall. However, it seems to more about barrels and less about the base. Didn't really stack up to other barleywines at the tasting.

4, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 4

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Barrel Aged Naked Evil

Belgian Style Barleywine. Poured into a snifter. Thanks match1112 and IrishColonial.

    Aroma is quite fruity with a hint of sweet alcohol. Smells more like a quadrupel than a barleywine! Mixed esters, toasted pear and dessert in general. Only a hint of barrels in aroma but it is stronger in the taste. Sweet and boozy with sticky caramel, and still clean finishing. I'd rather the finish be a little longer but otherwise very very good. Mellow, subtle and understated. I need to drink this outside of a tasting environment to fully appreciate it!

4, 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5

Lunker, others

Lunker

Barrel Aged Barleywine
Steel Toe Brewing
14.4% ABV

Shared at Steasy66's on the day of its release by Dave, thanks! Poured into a snifter.

    Oddly cloudy and rusty hued, appearance is the only downside of this beer. Very very good aroma with plenty of toast, toffee, coconut and barrel notes. The aroma is smooth and rounded out, but the taste is a little rough... and I like it!

    Very sharp tasting, with liquor like features, strong toffee and some bitterness. It would be nice to see the bitterness fall off a little, but the sharpness/heat, I don't mind at all.

    Someone remarked that the carbonation was low, I thought it was just right. The body is not syrupy because of the booze I think, but some sweetness lingers in the finish.

    I was on fence about dropping 20 bucks a pop on something no one has tried before, but I am quite happy.

3.5, 4.5, 4, 4.5, 4.5

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Fritz & Ken's Ale

    Sierra Nevada's 30th anniversary Imperial Stout. ~2 years old at this point. C&C 750 poured into a snifter.

    Dark but not black hole dark; good dark brown head with good retention. Aroma has plenty of sweetness, dark fruit, roast and anise. Tastes sub par with medicinal notes; some roast is present. Medium body, medium carbonation. Overall just an Imperial Stout with nothing too compelling about it.

4.5, 3.5, 2.5, 4, 3

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Weyerbacher Tiny

Belgian (style) Imperial Stout
C&C 750 poured into a snifter. ~1.5 years old at this point.

Near black colored (duh) with medium head and head retention. Simultaneously estery and roasty notes in the aroma. Tastes roasty but also fruity. Aside from the fruit, it resembles a Belgian ale in its body and bubbly mouthfeel. Not bad.

4, 3, 3.5, 4, 4

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Samuel Adams Triple Bock

    Thanks Nils! Tiny blue bottle with a cork shared among 3 people. The cork has some sediment on it. Beer pours dark, viscous and still. Legs are seen upon swirling. Very complex: chocolate, caramel, figs, sherry/port like notes abound. Sweet but somewhat bitter/dark and balanced enough in small quantities. No carbonation, silky feel. Boozy and potent. Not nearly as bad as I was led to think. And I have had it twice.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

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Dark Heathen

Thanks Ron! 12 oz sampled alongside the infamous SATB. 2011 edition.

    Brown and clear, the looks are certainly lager-y. Not much of head retention. Prominent notes include straight up maltiness, toffee and chocolate. Somewhat alcoholic which is welcome. Feels a tad thinner for its intensity but on the up side it is very clean. Glad to have had it.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Satin Solstice

Satin Solstice
Imperial Stout
12 oz poured into a tulip.

    Clear brown color, medium mocha head, average retention. An inexplicable barrel character in the aroma?! Roast, malts, vanilla and a fleeting tartness. Some citrus too. I might be wrong but the shiny coating at the rim of my glass is troubling me... I think it's giving off metallic notes.

    Aroma is better than the taste, which itself is not bad. Bitter, but with hops more than the roast, fairly creamy but not sweet, and slightly charred at the end. Woody. Medium carbonation hits the bullseye.

4, 4, 3.5, 4, 4

Hill Farmstead sampler

Thanks Apu for making the trip. Thanks ejl4 for shipping the goods. Arthur, Everett, Galaxy, Edward, Columbus, Society and Solitude # 2 and # 3, and Heady Topper!

Edward

    Very hazy, almost murky with a good head and retention. Not much by the way of lacing but looks hoppy alright. Aroma is nothing special, mostly residual sweetness and such. Something something sweet citrus. Unimpressed for the most part although the slight dankness is finally doing it for me.

    Taste kills it. Goddamn this is a great tasting pale ale that's quite different from any other I have had. It has elements of rind, it's very bitter or at least the perceived bitterness is up there, and it's dry. That's all I ask for. Fuck, I don't think I can recall beers that have been as "drinkable" as this.

3, 3, 4.5, 5, 4

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Columbus

    Hazy amber, good head, good retention. Very strong juniper like notes, minty, piney. Right up my alley. Kicks quite a bit of ass taste wise too... piney, good balancing malts but definitely in the backseat. Clean, crisp, dry, awesome! Great treat right after Edward. I like it very much!

3, 3.5, 4.5, 5, 4

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Society and Solitude # 3

    Quite hazy looking and I am positive that it's the hops. This is a double IPA but it drinks like a pale ale. The hop profile is right up my alley too: grass, pine, weed and ginger. No sweetness and none of the tropical fruit bullshit. I am f'in loving it.

    No balance so to speak, just a very dry and fresh tasting IPA. The ginger note is a new one for me but it works very well. Reminds me of Heady Topper and wows me in the same manner Heady did.

4.5, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5

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Mimosa
Shared by theduderules at SourNotes'. Am I actually drinking this?! Thanks! Poured into a tasting snifter.

    Never having had Mimosa before, I think my expectations were in an entirely wrong place. I went in expecting a OJ-Sprite blend (Denny's? IHOP?) and I was quite off. Light golden color and inviting looks. Great funk and citrus blend in the aroma. Tasted bitter, that initially came as a shock but got quite pleasing over the course of the sample. Although I wish the bitterness was dialed down a bit.

    Citrusy flavors and bitterness dominate the wild ale underneath... orange candy like at times, very very rindy. The carbonation was light and was a slight disappointment... I was hoping for something more spritzy.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

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Everett

    Poured into a snifter. Dark ruby garnet with a good creamy brown head. Good retention and lacing.

    Aroma is dominated by roast followed by malts and a pungent tartness. The tartness is fortunately absent in the taste. Strongly roasty with intense dark chocolate, subtle grain and a hint of citrus hops.

    Obscure smokiness that comes through strongly once in a while. Slightly warming minus the booze. Dry finish with a lingering roasted beans aftertaste.

    Perfect level of carbonation... enough to carry the beer without compromising the silkiness. Very well designed and executed beer.

4, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 4

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Galaxy

Poured into a pint glass. 750 ml growler split with a friend.

    While super hazy, looks are 4/5 all things considered. Somehow doesn't invoke the feelings of yuck that Heady Topper did in spite of being similarly murky. Not much by the way of aroma: slight papaya, rotting leaves, pine and resins.

    Taste? Goddamn this goes goes down easy! Bitter and dry but still creamy owing to the low carbonation. Very smooth. There is a good malt backbone and even that has character; very juicy with elements working in unison. Bigger body than their Society and Solitude 3, but still very easy to drink.

4, 3, 4.5, 4.5, 4

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Society and Solitude # 2

750 ml growler. Poured into a snifter.

    I stuck my nose into the growler, as much as a 750 ml growler would permit, and I was instantly reminded of mangoes. Good news. Some guava too, but mangoes ruled the aroma. Poured a dark brown color with good clarity and a medium sized brown head. Not much by the way of retention or lacing, but I didn't mind.

    Fruity and lush hops, mangoes as remarked, some pine too. Then once in a while, it starts to smell like a regular stout, almost, with roast making its presence felt. Taste is sweet with residual malts and juicy with hops. Roast appears only at the end. Mouthfeel seems to be a very strong suite of Hill Farmstead beers. Creamy and smooth, this one (also) goes down damn easy.

Overall a great job with what I consider to be a ho hum style. Kudos!

4, 4.5, 4, 4.5, 4

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Arthur
Rustic Saison
6% ABV

750 ml poured into a tulip. Final in my Hill Farmstead sampler!

    Golden and bubbly with good clarity, head and retention. Euro hops, mild malts and a sunny day describe the aroma pretty well, IMO. Slightly bitter, slightly lemony without the tartness and some spice in taste. I need to let this warm up which wouldn't be a problem, plenty left.

    A really well made, very clean, super easy drinking beer. Light body, good carbonation, refreshing and crisp. However, it lacks both, the sharpness of Dupont and certainly the complexity of Fantome. Having tried their IPAs and a couple other styles, I am totally bowled over by the hoppy stuff but I am not overly impressed with the porter or the saison or the wild ale, Mimosa.

HopDevil

HopDevil
6.7% ABV
Poured into a Samichlaus tulip. Best by the end of this month.

    Deep amber with a good head, retention and lacing. Looks are certainly of a maltier/malt forward IPA. Aroma? Not IPA. Smaller strong ale? Amber ale? Whatever but not AIPA like. Caramel malt is strong in this one and hops are not aggressive in the aroma.

    Taste follows the aroma... malty sweet with bitterness in a balancing role, getting prominent only toward the end. The hop flavors are also deeper and earthier even though it is mentioned clearly on the label that American hops are used.

    Good body with alive carbonation; still a little too sweet in its finish and aftertaste. Overall it's pretty good. Can't say that I will buy it again given that I can get fresh Furious all the time which is an excellent example of an IPA with a malt character.

4, 3, 3, 4, 4

Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge

Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge
11.2 oz poured into a snifter. 6.99 a pop.

    Clear rust brown with hints of red; medium head with average retention and lacing. Aroma is lactic and acetic... yogurt, balsamic vinegar, funk and acid in general. Very sour taste of tart plums, and intense bite of vinegar... perhaps too intense. Or I am drinking it too warm. Medium body, good carbonation and clean finish. Good. Better than other beers of its kind, and a good balance of acetic and lactic.

    Downsides? Too sour, maybe. Some balancing bitterness wouldn't have hurt. But between the current taste and too bitter, I would go with current.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Oude Tart

    Thanks Frank! Clear chestnut brown with a bubbly head forced by pour. The head disappears as soon as it forms.

    Aroma is soft oak, sewage funk, tart fruit (cherries?). Tastes pleasantly tart, notes of balsamic vinegar, hints of funk, with a slightly bitter woody finish. Slightly alcoholic at times.

    Feels unsubstantial... either the carbonation needs to go up, or malts should be present to carry the beer. Rather watery. Not bad but nothing that good either.

Drinks easier than Duchesse though, but I would take Rodenbach Grand Cru over it.

3, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3

Hopocalypse (Black label)

Hopocalypse (black label)

    Amber orange colored with good head and retention. Delicious malty aroma with plenty of toffee and baked notes but not much hops in here, odd. Tastes sweet, malty and bitter. Certainly crossing over to the barleywine domain... reminds me of Old Guardian 2010 that I had a couple days ago. Thick and syrupy feel but not meant in a bad way. Not DIPA, IMO, but good.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Anchor Porter

Anchor Porter
Distinctive 12 oz. bottle with no mention of bottled/best by date or ABV. Poured into a snifter.

    Pours dark brown, looks black in the glass. Good brown head forms; medium retention and medium lacing. Aroma is very very fruity... it'd have been hard to tell that it's a porter based on the aroma alone... not enough "darkness" in it so to speak, at least at the first impression. That said, quite delicious with plenty of sweet, baked notes. Toffee most certainly.

    A little rough taste with lots of edges with fruitiness up there and sweetness following closely. Medium roast at the back keeping the finish clean and slightly charred. Mouthfeel? Creamy enough although carbonation could be a tad lower. Overall? A good option when you're stuck in beer wasteland but that's about it.

4, 3.5, 2, 4, 3.5

Recent tastings

Chocolate Rain
Dang!
Thanks Andrew!!

    Dark brown, clear, not much head yada yada. I thought Black Tuesday was liqueur like, Chocolate Rain is liquor like. Thin, boozy and hot, in the best way. Chocolate, vanilla, toffee... it tastes like one of those fancier candies.

    It is so damn good, I would consider killing an entire bottle myself. Definitely. Now I said that it was thin... it's not thin in the sense of final gravity I guess, but because alcohol is such an excellent solvent, this beer “flows”. Just a great beer with marvelous complexity and deliciousness. Believe.

4.5, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5

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Brute
Thanks SourNotes for sharing a long time want.

    Bubbly, very very bubbly. Clear golden color and big white head is inviting. Aroma is funky and leathery. Taste is dominated by acetic sourness but the (extremely) high carbonation keeps it alive... I am not a fan of vinegar in some Flanders style beers because it seems to settle on the palate but it works in Brute.

Very much champagne like as was expected... a simpler beer with great drinkability.

4.5, 4, 3.5, 4.5, 4

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Fantasia
Shared by kbutler1, thanks! Poured into a tasting snifter.

    Slightly hazy golden orange colored with a bubbly head and medium retention. Could be hazy because the bottles get shaken quite a bit at tastings but also because this has whole peaches in it. In my opinion, the peaches only added to what would have been the base beer: funk and lemon dominate this beer, but it was never sharp. Very soft and mellow oak, nothing was tannic about it. No hints of acetic sourness, only lactic.

Very light on the palate and crisp in finish. A very pleasant sour beer.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

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Old Guardian 2010
Aged 2 years in a CLOSET. It worked.

    Looks great albeit a little hazy... smells great... strongly malty: caramel, old hops (it's Stone alright!), toasty, awesome.

    Great and robust malt character minus the sweetness... an excellent fruit and nut character with a finish to die for. Excellent feel if not quite as silky as I'd like. Great overall.

4, 4.5, 4, 4, 4.5

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Tripel Karmeliet
11.2 oz bottle with cryptic date poured into a snifter. Pours a clear hay golden color with a big fluffy head. Good retention and lacing.

    Aroma is yeasty, sweet and fruity but moves toward perfumy and floral with warmth. Low on phenols and booze and the general "heavy" feeling some tripels suffer from: Damnation, I am looking at you!

    Tastes is bittersweet in a very gentle way with ample fruitiness. Carbonation is very high that creates an illusion of very dry finish at first; but the finish is eventually found on the sweeter side as the beer warms. Light body without a touch of alcohol, this one is easy to drink.

    Hard to point any flaw out but this beer didn't wow me in spite of all its good features. Perhaps it's the overall profile?

    Regardless, a well made beer that I will drink again but not at the price of almost 7 dollars a bottle.

4.5, 4, 4, 5, 4

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Hop Rod Rye
12 oz poured into a snifter. Rust brown colored with a tiny head that left fast.

    Smells strongly malty with earthy undertones; yes, I like it. Caramel, toast stand out... perhaps a hint of hops here and there.

    Taste is strongly bitter. While I like my strong ales sweet, I dig 'em like this too... good malt complexity and a smack of bitterness. Good hop flavors too with citrus standing out, so I hardly doubt its freshness, although I have no way of being 100% certain.

    Almost candy like at the finish save for bitterness, the malts sure are strong in this one. Not terribly rye forward IMO.

    Medium body, good carbonation too that generally works in hoppy beers. Glad to drink it finally.

3, 4, 4, 4, 4

Hoptimum

Hoptimum
Whole cone Double IPA
10.4% ABV
100 IBUs

    12 oz bottle, about a month old, poured into a snifter. Pours rust-amber hued with some haze and a good head. Decent retention and good lacing. Aroma is signature Sierra Nevada at first... seems bigger Torpedo but a much diverse bouquet soon opens. Reading the description of the beer on the brewer's website, I could oddly relate to rose. Fruit is present, some pine and grass.

    The taste is much more aggressive than taste... strongly bitter, almost challengingly so with plenty of juicy notes carrying it... malts did contribute to the body but sweetness is minimal. Perfect feel, thick, silky, but not cloying. Overall quite good... perhaps I have laid off the IPAs for a while but this sure is coming off a little strong. Will drink again, that's certain.

4, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 4

Edit: On second thoughts, the taste was not all that good. Discordant hop notes I think.

Bam Biere

Bam Biere
Jolly Pumpkin
Farmhouse Ale
4.5% ABV
750 ml bottled 2-23-2011, drank 03-28-2012. Poured into a wine glass.

    Very clear, brilliant golden colored with abundant effervescence. I suspected that the head won't last but I was wrong. Aroma is very reminiscent of 3F Oude Gueuze to me, with extra sweetness perhaps. Cellar and basement funk... intriguing.

    Taste is almost a polar opposite of what I was expecting... the aroma was so close to Gueuze that I was already tasting dry sourness in my head, of which there's none in this beer. Not right now anyway. The taste is funky, yes, but without the tartness. A clean bitterness that I sometimes associate with pilsners and saisons, except that it's very mild... in fact I wouldn't have called it bitter had I not been expecting tartness. Apple, certainly. Obscure hints of grape peel. What else? Not much of anything... like a dry white wine but diluted in taste?! I have been fishing for interesting notes because this is a craft beer and what not but I am having a hard time telling it from... let's drop that.

    Mouthfeel is bursting with carbonation on a light body. Very dry and cleansing without being abrasive. Seems like an ideal companion for foods it can stack up to.

    I have been typing my thoughts as I drink and read about it... just found out that it's 4.5% ABV as opposed to the 8% I had stuck in my head. Now it is starting to make a far better impression on me. Also, the warmth is helping. Let's get this straight... this beer highlights the yeast and everything else takes a back seat. Now that it's almost room temperature, and I am burping Gueuze, it's beginning to grow on me. The grape peel character is much stronger and it's getting well into the white wine territory from the diluted white wine territory. There's a welcome astringency at the end although I can't say if it's the acid or the tannins. The mouthfeel carries the flavors excellently and I find it amusing that it was bland to me about 10 minutes ago. Long story short, I am loving it. However, I feel the need to add that the low ABV has influenced my scores significantly. I mean, this is no Fantome, not even close.

4.5, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

Few reviews

5 Barrel Pale Ale
5.2% ABV
Best by 06/20/2012

Clear and amber golden with a medium head and medium retention. Malty, fruity, mildly hoppy sums the aroma up alright. Not bitter per se, but has a good hop flavor going on, if rather mild. Wonder if any darker malts are used because there is the slightest nuttiness somewhere, or I am just crazy. Quite clean. Perfect carbonation, lower than most of its kind. A medium body carries things nicely. Overall a good option, especially at the ABV. Although I imagine why couldn't it be even lower.

4, 3, 3, 4.5, 4

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Peaotch

Ale brewed with peaches. Thanks josefiak
7.2% ABV

Copper red with a bubbly head that recedes real fast... looks clean, clear, and rather thin. Aroma is strong on peach but there's not much else to be found. Alright flavor... full of peach with some balancing bitterness but an odd tannic note... as if not just the flesh of the fruit but the seed too. Disappointingly thin and just weak and unsubstantial overall.

3, 4, 3, 2, 3

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Moo Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout
6% ABV (thankfully!)

Dark! Doesn't smell of much at first but chocolate and campfire come through soon. An excellent, excellent taste of silky chocolate and slight char carried perfectly by a medium, smooth body. No coffee. Reminds of campfires... very comforting and luxurious and at this ABV?! You gotta be kidding me. A very very good beer! Will drink again.

4, 4, 4.5, 4, 4.5

Mo

Mo
American Pale Ale
Maine Beer Co.
6% ABV

500 ml bottle poured into a pint glass, thanks islandboi8204!

    Hay golden with a pronounced haze, very good head and good head retention. Aroma is hops AND malts upfront with a generally light, floral-fruity character. Drinks closer to an AIPA in terms of bitterness even if the distinction is rather arbitrary... firmly bitter that I like but without much of a malt backbone, and therefore quite empty and watery feeling.

    Strangely not as dry as it could have been with all those malts missing, but crisp enough. Light and easy drinking but with its own flaws, mainly in the taste and feel departments. For reference, not even close to Zombie Dust or Daisy Cutter.

4, 4, 2, 2.5, 3.5

Titan IPA

Titan IPA

    12 oz, not the freshest bottle, poured into a pint. I have never seen this beer fresh, I guess they just send the old beer out here :-/

    Amber colored, moderate clarity, thick sediment, medium head, good retention. Smells of malt and tastes such... quite delicious in that department. Sweet, toasty and caramel like. Very good. There presence of old hops in aroma and taste in undeniable but not not assertive. The fruitiness is absent but some earthy/grassy notes remain. Like an aged American Barleywine diluted with an equal amount of water to take the edge off.

 

That said, as far as the description on the label goes, this is mostly fail.

4, 3, 3, 3, 2

Geuze Mariage Parfait

Geuze Mariage Parfait

    2007 vintage corked and caged bottle. Split with a friend. Looks good, clear and golden with good head and retention. Aroma is funk, sweat and metal with no softness at all. Tastes is simply horrible with very little tartness, lots of sewage and cheap vodka, and an off putting bitterness at the end. Ridden with metal and yuck. The aroma was inviting before I tasted it, and a few sips ruined the beers I drank before and after this one.

    I am positive that something must have been wrong with my bottle because the beer in it was simply disgusting. Drainpour!

4.5, 2, 1, 3, 1

Daly Double

Daly Double
American IPA
Half Acre Brewing Co.
7% ABV

    Thanks Dan! Bomber split with a friend. Burnt amber hue, medium clarity, good head and retention. Fruity and floral aroma, lush and juicy. Tastes good with peach and apricots but has its faults: an odd nuttiness and a watery finish spoil an otherwise flavorful and respectably bitter IPA. Apt body and carbonation... not bad but not great either.

4, 4, 3, 4, 3

Smoked Vanilla Gorilla

Smoked Vanilla Gorilla

    By the label and by its very name, it's clear that this ale might have a lot to offer. Let's find out. Pours a very thin looking dark brown with some bubbles. Smells disgusting: stale coffee and... urine? There definitely are some restroom notes in here. Barrels? Vanilla? Smoke? Negative on all counts. Sour as hell and that's about it... raw mangoes? This is one of the few unintentionally infected beers I have run into. The bugs have taken over everything this might have had to offer. A major fail.

3, 1, 1, 1, 1