An India Pale Ale (IPA) is one of the core competencies it seems for microbrewers. However integral that IPA may be to the menu of a new micro brewery there are a lot of sad IPAs that are currently on the market, which are either to alcoholic, too hoppy, not hoppy enough, or attempt to marry incompatible flavors. In fact it is difficult to find an India Pale Ale that…
Espresso Stouts are the perfect sort of beer for those cold winter months as they tie together stronger flavors and an alcohol presence that cannot be beat. Espresso Stouts are a style that is difficult to master, with a tendency to go overboard with the coffee notes. However Twisted Pine are able to provide a moderate and approachable style that ties together velvet, chocolate, and coffee elements into something that…
There are few easy drinking efforts that microbreweries currently provide. It seems as if the breweries are attempting to create the most assertive efforts that they can meaning that individuals that just want a beer are typically left out in the cold. The new brewery has attempted to shatter this illusion and provide individuals with a beer that is both easy drinking and flavorful as all get out. The Truck…
The amount of breweries that are crafting sour, tart, or otherwise funky beers has increased considerably over the last two to three years. This is great news for fans of the style. The sad truth is that there is considerable variation amongst the different sour offerings that are currently on the market. Funkwerks is a company that prides themselves on creating some of the most innovative and challenging beers on…
The pilsner style is not incredibly popular at this day and time as individuals are typically desiring a more strong and in your face sort of flavor. The Santa Fe Brewing Company has created their Freestyle Pilsner to go and update the style for the 21st century. What results with this beer is something that is drinkable while still having enough in the way of flavor to keep individuals interested…
Count Hopula is a prime example of one challenging effort that will provide imbibers with a number of twists and turns before revealing an eminently drinkable beer. SanTan’s latest effort is a high-ABV red IPA, linking together Simoe hop with a considerable array of malts (victory, wheat, munich, and roasted malts are but a few included). Count Hopula a big beer with huge hoppy and malty flavors and will be…
Every year around the Halloween season New York’s Southern Tier Brewing Company creates a duo of pumpkin beers, their Warlock and Pumpking. The beer comes in 22 ounce bottles and provides imbibers with one of the most dance intricate pumpkin flavors that we have reviewed.
Pumpkin containing beers are one of the most beloved beer offerings that are present on a seasonal basis. However, the sheer amount of pumpkin beers that make their way on to shelves is nothing less than massive. Some of these pumpkin beers are great, some are good, and some leave much to be desired. Whole Hog, a part of Stevens Point brewery has just released their own pumpkin ale. This…
There is a limited edition offering from Brooklyn Brewery that looks to go and define the American sour style. The beer comes ornately designed and can be purchased for around 25 to 30 dollars depending on where you are at. When one does open the Wild Streak bottle there are sour fruits and vinegar notes that issue forth from the bottle. The beer pours with a light orange / dark…
There are a number of different seasonal offerings that are provided by alcohol companies, and these range from delectable to deplorable. It just makes sense that the companies want to get the largest possible market share for themselves while creating stellar product line expansions. Over the course of the last few years Southern Comfort has looked to really redefine what spirits can do and what sort of flavors they can…
Samuel Adams has a commercial that showcases the sheer variety of offerings that they provide. I did not believe I would see a sour effort from Samuel Adams but they have provided one that hangs with some of the heavy weights in the style. The beer is available on draft and there were a number of different nights throughout the United States that allowed people to become familiar with this…
Guinness Blonde American Lager is a beer that completely redefines the company’s overall offerings. This beer is the antithesis of what the stout represents. Where the stout is a beer that is dark, velvety, and goes down like a blend of coffee and cocoa, the blonde is an effort that pours with a very light straw color. Where the stout has a nose that is sweet and sugary, the blonde…
The wheat beer / witbier style is one that is hard to do right. We have had a number of efforts masquerade as a witbier that for all intents and purposes were a lager, but Breckenridge has made an impressive showing here. The beer wit a very hazy yellow / gold coloration, possessing a nose that is strong with hints of citrus, malt, and floral elements. The citrus is also…
There are a number of contributions to the overall Oktoberfest zeitgeist that are little more than strongly-flavored lagers. It was surprising to me that we were able to find a tasty, fulfilling Oktoberfest-themed beer in SanTan’s current seasonal. The beer is 5.5% ABV, possesses a very reddish / orange coloration and a small amount of off-white to tannish head that keeps a steady lace down the glass. The beer has…
There have been a number of beers that have attempted to include different flavors into the mix (pizza, donuts, bacon), but have failed to make an alluring beer. Bergers Cookies is a Baltimore institution, and Full Tilt has utilized their cookies to create a beer that is eminently drinkable while having enough of a left-field approach to really elicit attention. The beer pours with a tannish head that creates lace…
Tour De Fall is a refreshing pale all that pours with a lingering white head and an amber/reddish coloration. The nose of Tour De Fall is sweet, sugary, and ends with the slightest hop notes. The initial sip of the Tour De Fall is refreshing and provides the same dichotomy between sweet and hops. I feel that this beer does something for everyone – it has a hop backbone for…
The beer pours with a steadfast, off-white head. The beer is a hazy yellow / brown and is quite bubbly and effervescent. The beer’s initial taste is slightly sweet and slightly hoppy, providing a nice bite that will warm imbibers up. Descender is a clean and crisp beer that provides a variety of elements with each subsequent sip, meaning that there is dryness that is followed by a sugared bite.…
Candi pours very light blonde with a white head that sits on top of the beer. The 9.5% ABV of the beer is hidden nicely through the inclusion of a considerable sweet element. What results with Candi is a very drinkable tripel that would be dangerous in large quantities. The burn that Candi does provide keeps each subsequent sip interesting. The beer’s bubble gum and fruit notes can be discerned…
The beer pours as black as night with a tannish head that takes some time to dissipate. The beer has a malty nose that obfuscates some of the nuances that are resent in the beer. The initial sip yields hints of coffee, chocolate, and a slight sweetness at the end of the sip. There is a little amount of a bready, malt element that can be discerned variously through the…
Green Head IPA pours with a very dark amber / orange coloration, and a small amount of long-lasting, persistent tannish head. There is a strong hop nose to the beer, while the initial sip yields a decent amount of bitterness and a sweetness at the end. The 7.2% ABV of the beer is hidden well with the bold flavors and thirst-quenching aspects of the beer. Strong grapefruit, pine, and citrus…