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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

(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