Saranac has re-released the brewery’s century-old IPA recipe and has christened it their Legacy IPA. This beer pours with an amber to gold coloration and a tenacious off-white head that slides down the glass. There is a slight hop presence to the beer’s initial nose that is paralleled when one takes their first sip; the beer contains a bevy of hops (Citra, Cluster, Golding, and Simcoe among others). There…
Double Dread, Mad River Brewing’s Imperial Red Ale, pours with an incredibly dark brown to red coloration and an off-white head that winds its way down the glass as one continues to drink the beer. There is a decent sweetness, surprising considering the higher ABV of the brew (8.6% ABV); one will be unable to discern the 8.6% ABV of Double Dread until a while after they have completed the…
Smuttynose’s Imperial Stout, the latest in their Big Beer Series, pours dark brown to black with little in the way of tannish/brown head. There are rich chocolate and malt sides to the nose, while the beer does well to unite the hop and more sweet elements into a luxurious and dangerous package. An alcohol bite concludes each quaff and refreshes palettes for subsequent sips; additional flavors present in this beer…
Blanche De Chambly pours with an incredibly small amount of head and a hazy golden coloration. There is a little sugar and orange that can be discerned from the beer’s nose, while the first cursory sips yield hints of wheat, citrus fruits, and sweeter flavors. The beer is refreshing and sits in a position between more wheaty and fruity efforts; there is a considerable constellation of flavors that one can…
The initial nose of Pinner is light on the hop elements and presents additional malt notes before one takes their first sip. Pinner, a dry-hopped India Pale Ale (IPA) pours light from the can but ends up a dark-yellow to orange coloration in a glass. There is considerable effervescence to the beer and a smallish amount of head; the hop aroma increases as it is allowed to open.
Very fresh and lightly hoppy nose, pours with a hazy orange/golden coloration and a thick off-white to beige head. Additional hop notes can be discerned when pouring from the 16 ounce can to a glass. The lacing of Hopvale winds its way down a glass, sticking there long after one has completed the beer.
Session pours with a golden hue and a small amount of white head. There is a decent amount of effervescence that bubbles from the bottom of the glass. There is a little grain and grass that individuals can discern from the nose, while the cursory sip brings a traditional lager profile to the fore as a slight hint of hops can be tasted at the back end. The 5.8% ABV…
Hop Hash pours with a gold / light amber coloration, decent effervescence, and a thick and tenacious head. The nose has a strong astringency that indicates a heavy hop presence. With the initial sip, one will be blessed with the alluded-to hop flavor; this bite is moderated nicely through a duet of sweet and malt elements.
Rivertown’s Divergent beer pours with a straw yellow and a decent amount of effervescence, with absolutely nothing in the way of head. There is a small nose to Divergent that is a slight bit winey/grape-heavy. With the initial sip, there is a refreshing sweetness and a small sour twang at the end of the body.
Smuttynose has just released an alluring beer that is eminently sippable while having an alcohol to it that is mind-blowing; Really Old Brown Dog Ale pours with a mahogany meets ruby coloration and a small, off-white to toffee head that remains through a good amount of the experience. Smuttynose has created an old ale that takes equal parts brown ale, porter, and hints of a stout into something that is deep,…
Rebel Rouser pours with a dark yellow to gold coloration and a tannish / off-white head that results in lacing along the glass as one continues to drink the beer. The nose is a little bit hoppy, a little bit sweet, while one’s initial sip of Rebel Rouser will yield a more astringent hop bite along with hints of grass and a slightly-sweet ending. The flavors will dissipate in imbibers’…
Conviction Pale Ale is what BridgePort fans chose when tasked with a decision between three different beers last year during the brewery’s thirtieth anniversary. The beer pours with a dark yellow to orange coloration and a small (but persistent) white head. There is a sweet nose that is followed up by a slight hop bitterness. The first sip will provide imbibers with a decent amount of grain, smaller amounts of…
Blue Moon has just updated their product line with their latest, a White IPA; the beer pours with a hazy yellow to gold coloration and a very lightly off white head. There is a bready, yeasty nose to this beer that is punctuated by a slight hop bite. The initial sip is a skillful blend of these styles – there are hints of pepper, wheat, and sugar that is followed…
Great Divide’s Old Ruffian pours a rich mahogany that possesses a full, off-white to tannish head; this head seemingly grows larger as the beer approaches room temperature. The beer has a similarly dense collection of flavors comprising the nose, with notes of sugar, spice, and a wee bit of malt all poking through. Where traditional offerings in the barleywine style can be overwhelmingly sweet, Old Ruffian’s considerable hop presence creates…
Pours with a reddish-gold and a small amount of lacing that works its way down the glass. The beer comes forth with a light floral and hoppy nose, something that will become increasingly prevalent as one begins to sip on the beer. There is a light amount of sweetness that exists at the beginning of each quaff, acting as a refresher for the beer; one will continue to relish the…
A perfect session beer, Hayseed has a tremendous flavor profile without having to ratchet up the alcohol content. The saison/farmhouse ale style is flavorful enough to tantalize with hints of pepper present amongst a slight bit of hop bitterness. The beer opens up considerably after warming up for a few minutes, resulting in a different experience altogether. The bitter elements fade into the background while a hint of wit style…
The beer pours with a dark brown coloration and little to nothing in the way of head. The beer’s nose has hints of grain and a slight hint of sweetness. The bold flavors of the Bock come forth with the first good sip – there are dark fruit and peppery notes that are given further depth through the inclusion of smaller hop elements.
La Fin Du Monde pours with a dark tan to dirty yellow color and possesses light wisps of bubbles at the top of the pour. The beer possesses a slightly tart nose that opens up to something slightly astringent and with a fair amount of sweetness. The overall presence of the beer in one’s mouth dissipates quickly, meaning that individuals will continually have a fresh experience of the beer. La Fin…
Orabelle is a Belgian tripel that pours with a golden yellow coloration and little in the way of head. The beer is more sneaky in overall alcohol presentation than many other tripels. There is a considerable floral and fruit side that is present at the beginning of each sip. The beer shifts into something incredibly easy to drink, with sweet and slightly tart elements present at about equal amounts. The streamlining of…
Previously available in the brewery’s Big Beer series Smuttynose’s Baltic Porter is now available through the year in 12-ounce bottles. The beer pours with an inky dark brown coloration and little to nothing in the way of head. The initial sip will provide imbibers with a phenolic opening and a sweeter backdrop. Hints of dark fruits, vanilla, and tinges of whiskey make for a complex constellation that presents itself variously…