Lakewood Brewing Company’s Punkel beer is a unique take on a traditional German lager, infused with warm, aromatic spices that evoke the cozy essence of autumn without relying on the ubiquitous pumpkin flavor. Brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger, Punkel delivers a seasonal beer experience that’s refreshingly distinctive. At 5.5% ABV and 23 IBU, Punkel is approachable and well-balanced, making it an excellent choice for both casual drinkers and…
Manhattan Brewing Company’s Barrel Batch Pumpkin Ale has earned its place among the best imperial pumpkin beers we’ve come across, thanks to its bold creativity and unparalleled flavor. This exceptional seasonal brew begins with the brewery’s Pumpkin Batch Ale, which is then elevated by the addition of whole pumpkin pies from Manhattan’s own Little Batch Company. Aged in Bulleit Rye barrels, the beer achieves a rich complexity that combines the…
Shipyard Brewing’s Smashed Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale is a seasonal standout crafted to captivate beer enthusiasts seeking bold, complex flavors. This imperial ale, with its 9.0% alcohol by volume (ABV) and 26 IBUs, is as powerful in profile as it is in taste. Its inviting copper-orange color and aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg make it a must-buy for the autumn season and beyond. The foundation of Smashed Pumpkin’s robust character…
In terms of readily-accessible imperial IPAs, the Voodoo Ranger line is top-of-the-line. New Belgium has created a number of distinct offerings in the line, with the Fruit Force being one of the most innovative IPAs we had tasted last year. The brewery has expanded their line to offer Tropic Force, an IPA that pours with a very light yellow coloration and a goodly amount of persistent white head. Tropic Force’s…
Vixen Irish Style (Old Bust Head) is an irish red ale, pouring from a 16-ounce can with a reddish brown coloration with a fair amount of light brown to tannish head. Lacing is ample as one continues the brew. There’s a small amount of bitterness that can be picked up here alongside hints of toasted malt, hazelnut and wheat/grains. I feel that the back and forth between more biting and…
Mill 77 Brewing’s Sauced Double IPA is a standout in the hazy IPA category, offering a blend of tropical and citrus flavors with a solid 8.2% ABV. It pours a hazy, cloudy light yellow, immediately inviting with its thick, opaque appearance. Aromatically, it leans into mango, passion fruit, and bright orange notes, enhanced by the use of Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops, which are popular choices in New England-style IPAs.…
The Harpoon L.L. Bean Harvest Lager is a limited-edition, seasonal beer crafted in collaboration between Harpoon Brewery and L.L. Bean. This lager is designed to evoke the essence of autumn, capturing the warmth and comfort associated with the season. When this Harvest Lager is poured into a glass, the beer shows a beautiful golden hue with a small, delicate white head. The color is reminiscent of a sunny fall afternoon,…
Rek-lis Brewing Co., located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, has created an eminently drinkable offering in their Carry Out stout. What makes Carry Out Stout stand out is its combination of Chinook and Simcoe hops—uncommon choices for a stout, yet seamlessly integrated into this beer’s flavor profile. At first glance, Carry Out Stout is visually inviting. It pours a dark brown, almost black, with a strong off-white head…
Non-alcoholic beers are here to stay. We just checked out Woodland Farms’ Dark and visited Lancaster, Ohio’s FAUX bar in the last few months. Atmosphere Brewing’s 0.0 Pilsner sets a new standard for alcohol-free beers. This deftly-brewed pilsner adheres to the German beer purity law, ensuring a high-quality, refreshing taste without sacrificing authenticity to the style. Atmosphere Brewing uses non-GMO, all-natural ingredients; the brew is free from artificial additives, creating…
We were fortunate enough to receive a package from Maine’s NA brewery Woodland Farms. Dark is the first non-alcoholic stout we have ever covered. Dark offers a rich and flavorful experience for stout lovers looking to enjoy their favorite brew without alcohol. As Maine’s first non-alcoholic stout, it stands out for its bold roasted flavors. The initial aroma greets you with subtle notes of coffee and chocolate, which are a…
Whole Hog’s Pumpkin Ale is a flavorful seasonal brew that captures the essence of autumn in a glass. With its robust notes of pumpkin spice and a fair amount of malt, this beer stands out as a go-to choice for those who enjoy a well-balanced, spiced ale. The aroma of the beer is inviting, with strong hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, evoking the scent of a freshly baked pumpkin…
Buffalo, New York’s Resurgence Brewing Company has hit their tenth anniversary and has just released their commemorative beer in a brand-spanking-new IPA. The brew, hopped with El Dorado, Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin, and Mosaic varieties, pours with a very hazy yellow to light brown coloration. The El Dorado and Mosaic hops contribute to the juicy and tropical character of the Anniversary India Pale Ale, while the inclusions of Simcoe and Nelson…
Heavy Seas has ramped up their flagship Loose Cannon India Pale Ale with time spent in bourbon barrels. The resulting brew pours with an orange-brown coloration and a good amount of offwhite head. There’s a goodly amount of wheat and malt notes at the beginning of the beer, with only the smallest astringent notes playing at the periphery of the nose. When one is finally able to experience the brew,…
Loud Pack and Chill, the latest cold India Pale Ale from Saint Paul, Minnesota’s BlackStack brewing, pours with a golden coloration and only the smallest amount of white head. The initial nose emanating from the brew is a bit juicy with only the slightest indication of bitterness.The bevy of hops – Citra, El Dorado, Mosaic, and Australian – create a nuanced flavor profile that is piney, juicy, and dry. The…
Dogfish Head has dipped their toe into the hazy game with the aptly-named Hazy Squall. The IPA pours with a straw/hay-yellow coloration and a small amount of white head. The initial nose of the beer pits sweet against more hoppy notes. An initial sip of Hazy Squall is bright and effervescent with ample fruit notes (e.g. apricot, tart orange) coming forth. The bevy of flavors that present themselves during Hazy…
12 ounce can, originally reviewed 2/2024. Juicy Oasis is an fruited, hazy India Pale Ale offered up by Breckenridge Brewery. The beer pours with a yellow-brown coloration and a small amount of whitish head. Lacing gradually creeps down the glass as one continues their journey. The initial nose of the brew is a blend of peaches and apricots, coming forth with more sweet notes than previewing the hoppiness that is…
Maple Pecan Bligh’s Barleywine Ale pours with a dark-brown to mahogany coloration. The initial nose of the brew provides a solid hit of alcohol burn along with a sugary note (likely from the inclusion of maple syrup). Perhaps most interesting about this effort is how well the burn is hidden through the caramel and pecan flavors at the onset. This “zing” begins to grow as one progresses further in each…
Poured into a glass from a 16 ounce can. Contains a small amount of light tan head and ample lacing. Nose provides imbibers with a preview about the different sweet elements that they will experience in this stout. The first sips of the brew are well-balanced, allowing for the coffee and caramel elements to start things off before being moderated by a bit of toasted malt and grain. The flavors…
Copy courtesy of Fort George Brewing. If you’re in the Astoria, Oregon area on February 18th, pop on by. A barrage of stout releases culminate mid-February in a massive barrel aged bottle release at The Aftermath on 2/18. More beer, more Matryoshka variants and more additions than ever before. THE AFTERMATH is Fort George’s largest bottle release of the year. In December they released Matryoshka 2024 – The Mother, a legendary 14%…
Summit Brewing (St. Paul, Minnesota)’s Sága Imperial IPA pours with a rich brownish-red coloration and a good amount of tenacious white head. The effort ends up very well-balanced, tying together bold, piney hop presence with a dollop of wheat (the brewery’s mentions a honey malt base). While this imperial India Pale Ale is fairly heady (it clocks in at 9.0%) ABV, the constellation of flavors flows nicely. In fact, Sága…
