Jimmy

Weekend Beer Review!

2012-01-28T18:23:00.005-05:00

Actually starting on the weekend no less!

1) Spider Bite Brewing - First Bite Pale Ale 5.5% - Might be the first commercially available nanobrewery beer that I have had. Very tasty very fresh. I believe this has been hopped with Citra. The fruit notes are really there. Looking forward to more of their offerings.

2) Lagunitas - Fusion 7 6.8% - Supposedly a DIPA...wow too malty. Suprised at Lagunitas.

3) Sam Adams - Alpine Spring - 5.5% - Pretty tasty but this should be released when it is closer to 80 degrees and humid. This would be a great summer beer.

4) Element - Extra Special Oak - 7.75% - English Strong Ale - Boozy, a little vanilla, not much else.

Might as well continue...and make it a weekend!

2012-01-17T21:57:00.011-05:00

The post previously was supposed to be Mass related only....however going to make this a muddled mess!

1) The Bruery - Saison Rue - 8.5% - Brewed with Rye and Brett - Light yellow colour, frothy head. Champagned yeast and funk about. Just a little over carbonated for my tastes, but certainly well done.

2) Bells - Porter - 5.6% - Nice easy drinking beer. A little smoke and a little creamy. I like it....may do another porter.

Snow today on Saturday....what to do, what to do!

3)Barrington Brewery - Pale Ale - From last weeks haul. This is tasty and for $3.25 a bomber a great value.

4)Barrington Brewery - Black Bear Stout - This is actually very good. One of the better stouts I have had.

5) North Coast Brewing - 11.5% Poured into a brandy snifter. Nice black body, creamy black head minimal lacing. Smell) Bourbon and chocolate dominate. Taste) Chocolate, coffee hint of oak with a nice bourbon finish. This is sweet but not overly so which can be an issue with the style.
Very tasty offering. I think I may get another bottle for the cellar.

6) Magic Hat - Demo - My first Magic Hat review - Interesting! 6.0% Black IPA - Pretty nice, sweet and light hops!

7) Barrington Brewery - Brown Ale - Not bad get a hint of maple sugar here.

Peoples Republic of Mass Trip!

2012-01-15T16:50:00.007-05:00

1) Boulevard Brewing - Bourbon Barrel Quad - 11.5% Had been looking for this one for a bit and finally found it this weekend. Bottle number 4375 poured into a Boulevard Tulip Glass. Nice Amber color frothy head. The smell brings this beer down. It is a bit medicinal for me. The taste is better than the nose, the cherries abound with a bit of vanilla. The bourbon does really finish this off. I can see the high marks for this. Wish it was a bit less hot!

2) Barrington Brewery - Yule Fuel - 11.0% - Kind of a fruit cake barleywine...Alchohol is very well hidden!

3) Barrington Brewery - IPA - Mild IPA

4) Element Brewing - Red Giant - 8.0% - Nice...they are not going for the Nugget Nectar audience as this is a bit malty. Glad to have tried!

Starting Early Beer Review!

2012-01-11T21:27:00.006-05:00

Have a brewery trip planned for the weekend so I figure away we go!

1) Uinta - Dubhe Imperial Black IPA - 9.2% - Gotta like the Oxymoronic look and taste. It looks like a stout and tastes like an IPA. What seals this is the sweet maltiness. Great beer!

2) Element Brewing - A new Brewer to CT from the Peoples Republic of Mass!
Dark Element American Balck Ale - 8.0% - This is pretty fantastic the sweetness of the malts is really balanced by the hop bitterness. I get some mild chocolate and coffee with the resinous hops. Would wonder what this would be like is the hops were featured more.

3) Harpoon Black IPA Was lucky enough to get this before it went on the shelves, thanks Dan!

Poured into a brandy snifter.

The appearance is a nice opaque black, the nose is a dominant pine and the taste follows up on that with some slight cocoa and coffe. Very easy drinking!

4) Widmer Bros - Rotator IPA (O'Ryely) - 6.4% - Freshness date 10.5.11 - My fault I did not know that they were doing this in different recipes. This is still a solid beer. Would have liked to have had fresh!

Weekend Beer Review!

2012-01-07T15:00:00.009-05:00

Growlering today.....

1) Brooklyn Brewery - The Companion - 10.0% Wheat Wine - Really banana yeasty taste. I like these wheat wines wish more places would brew them. They are sneaky!

2) Captain Lawrence - Family meal Spicy Kolsch

Well that was an intelligent review....good beer though..

Continuing on as I am too lazy to start a new thread....

3) 21st Ammendment - Allies win the War English Strong Ale - 8.5% Kind of a light quad.

4) Sierra Nevada - Ruthless Rye IPA - 6.2% or thereabouts...kind of tasty the rye is a bit bitter...I need to get back on my game with these reviews!

Dark Apparition

2012-01-04T20:34:00.004-05:00

Jackie O's Dark Apparition 10.5%.....have a great picture for this will clean this up this weekend!

Poured into a tulip glass

A) Jet black, head really fades away, a swirl leaves a little lacing.

S) Burnt coffee dominates followed by molasses.

T) The coffee and molasses again slight caramel and and a nice bitter chocolate. Alcohohol at 10.5% is there but not overly so.

M) Nice grainy texture.

O) I really liked this as it was not overly sweet. I thought this was fairly easy to drink given the ABV. I have a brandy barrel version still lying around that may not make it through the weekend!

Back to work Beer Review!

2012-01-03T21:31:00.003-05:00

Figured I treat myself to some brews now that my cold is subsiding a bit (and I can see how the caucuses turn out).

1) Bells - Special Double Cream Stout - 6.1% - Not a milk stout (no lactose) but my guess (and what I read on BA) is that how they blend this smooths it out. I'll buy that! Very tasty!

2) Bells - Best Brown Ale - 5.8% - Mnn is this a nice session beer. I am reasonably certain Bells is distributed in NJ. If they are, I know where to get it!

Pre New Years Eve Beer Review!...and New Years as well!

2011-12-30T16:01:00.010-05:00

Sick as a dog today....wanted to head to DeCicco's (Brewster) for a release...the Jonas Broncks beer co was there along with a new brewery called Spider Bite. They were pouring a 10.2% RIS called Boris the Spider....hopefully I can get there tomorrow.

1) Saranac - White IPA - Pretty Tasty Beer 6.0%...this is very fresh....nice citrus hops paired with some Belgian yeast. Well done!

2) Sebago - Slick Nick - 6.2% - American Strong Ale - tasty beer - Caramel and Vanilla abound...to balance is a mild spiciness. 6.2% is sneaky!

3) Brasserie Cantillon - Rose de Gambrinus - 5.0% Ahh my first Cantillon.....very tasty, tart with new real malts or hops just raspberry goodness!....need to get into these Lambics a bit more!

4) Widmer Bros - BrrrBon - 9.2% - A bourbon barrel version of their Winter Warmer....hints of oak and vanilla, exceedingly close to a barleywine!

5) Ommegang - Seduction - Belgian Dark Ale flavored with Cheeries and Chocolate...Ice Cream Sundae!

6) Dogfish Head - Ta henket - 4.5% - American Wheat Ale - Brewed with some sort of egyptian fruit. I think it is kind of tasty. Should have been released in the summer!

7) Full Pint Brewing - TRI IPA - 9.0% - Murky orange and even murkier hop profile. Can't really tell how fresh this is. Always nice though to have tried something from a new brewery (for me)

East Hartford in the House!

2011-12-29T15:33:00.005-05:00

Hit Olde Burnside in East Hartford and TullyCross and picked up the fine treats pictured below. Have been to TullyCross before....good news is that the head brewer is a protege of the folks at Nebco. TullyCross is going to go places. They are doing a collaboration with NebCo using the 668 yeast strains as well as hopping it with Citra. The release is 1/4/12 and Brian the head brewer gave me a sample before even the NebCo guys have had it. He also gave me a sample of an upcoming Imperial Stout release....still in the tank, no carbonation and delicious! CT Beer geeks rejoice. The IPA review below is because I think I didn't have it before.

1) TullyCross - Batch 6 IPA - I have had their IPA before....this is by a new brewer so I figure I'd count this as new. They are going to vary the recipes by batch number. This is a mild IPA...tasty!

Granby 2 days after!

2011-12-27T16:52:00.002-05:00

Toof a little ride to Granby CT today to check out the Cambridge House... Had their IPA "growlered" which I brought back home....so Cambridge House IPA 6.8% - Serviceable IPA...a bit more bitter....towards the English Style!

Peekskill the day after!

2011-12-26T15:34:00.003-05:00

Connecticut really had nothing going the day after Christmas so I decided to take a little ride. Poured into a Peekskill Brewery pint glass.

Old Wagon Ale

A) No real head....translucent brown.

S) Slight toffee, caramel and vanilla notes.

T) Again with the toffee, caramel and vanilla, slight on the hops...nice little boozy presence.

M) Just a bit thin.

O) I liked this and would definitely by again next year. This is a nice little brewery in a very scenic location.

The Birdsall House is a nearby bar (Peekskill). It is affiliated with the Blind Tiger and is highly recommended!

Christmas Beer Review!

2011-12-25T11:35:00.003-05:00

1) Three Floyds - Baller Stout - 13.8% - Collaboration beer celebrating 3 Floyds 15th Anniversary beer. They took Dark Lord and blended in Surly Darkness, De Struise Black Albert and Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch....pretty outrageous....lot going on in this stout. Tastes are way too competitive....Glad to have tried.

Lost Abbey - Cuvee de Tomme - 11.0%

Result of my first ever trade...saved this for Christmas...poured into a Lost Abbey Tulip Glass...
a) Translucent brown...no head or carbonation.

s) Cheeries! We have a real sweet tart coming up!

t) I like this...boozy cherry quad....no carbonation which I know bothers a lot of folks but I kind of like it this way...as this warms get a bit of vanilla.

m) Smooth

o)Really liked this and would definitely seek out again

December 23rd Beer Review!

2011-12-23T16:39:00.004-05:00

Will have some photos......

1) Weyerbacher - Rapture - Wild Ale 6.7% - Wild Ale - Not bad part of a Capone's haul...Wild ales are sneaky!

2) Goose Island - King Henry - 13.5% - Oh Great a bourbon barrel aged barley wine. This is way too hot and the other bottle will be banished to the cellar to calm down!

Christmas Week Beer Review!

2011-12-19T20:09:00.007-05:00

So I am going to start off with a Hannukah beer!

1) Schmaltz - Genesis Ale - ok...drop off noted and extended!

Wow have to leave the one above for posterity!

2) New England Brewing - Fancy Pants - Flanders Oud Bruin - 6.0% (50th review from Beer Advocate) Like everyone else picked this up at the brewery over the last week....did sneak in a couple of samples though along the way! Poured into a brandy snifter. Appearance) Light amber, a swirl gives no lacing at all. Taste) Nice acidity, 2 years in a cabernet barrel will do that I guess...cheeries abound with a bit of vanilla...so sweetly sour! Overall) Really enjoyed this....my other bottle will not last long...

3) Troegs - Scratch Beer 52 2011 T2 Ale - 6.9% Jesus sounds like this was concocted at area 51 or whatever it is called. Actually it is just Troegs trying out their new brewing facility. As I will always do my part for beer science I am partaking. Tasty Amber beer...the real test is to whether they can handle Nugget Nectar in the new facility!

4) Shipyard - Applehead - 4.5% and American Pale Ale flavored with Apple and Cinnamon...leave this to Jolly Rancher!

5) Harpoon - Vermont Spruce Tip - 7.0% A herbed beer ---I'll take them at their word that there is spruce in this. This is very tasty and an excellent value!

6) Shmaltz - Messiah Bold - Brown Ale - Not a big brown ale fan but not bad.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-12-15T19:13:00.007-05:00

Already have a major score....I thought I might be able to sync 1k with Christmas but I was too quick. Premature beer as they say. Still might have an epic lineup that day none the less.

1) Kelso - Bierkraft - 10th Anniversary Imperial Stout - A hoppy stout - I think this is in the 7% range or so. Nice beer but the hoppiness makes it a bit weird.

2) Cavalry Brewing - X Limited (Nut Brown Ale) 4.6% - Nice Brown Ale - Kind of like a New castle only fresher.

3) Appalachian Brewing - Batch no. 666 - Winter Warmer - 7.7% - Translucent brown ale mild spiciness, get a little chocolate really no alcohol....nice beer glad to have tried.

4) Olde Burnside - Father Christmas Highland Ale - 9.2% - Christmas Fruitcake beer...nice!

5) Schmaltz - Hop Manna -6.8% - A Dogfish Head kind of an IPA - too malty.

6) Schmaltz - Jewbelation 10 - 10% - I am guessing an old ale...done!

Tuesday Beer review!

2011-12-13T21:52:00.002-05:00

And so it goes for the week....

1) De Proef (Collaboration with Terrapin) - Monster Rouge - Imperial Flanders Red Ale - 8.5% - De Proef is a Belgian Brewery, Terrapin is from Athens, Georgia. The Beer is based on Terrapin's Big Hoppy Monster...not bad but I think this is old.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-12-10T22:35:00.004-05:00

I've recovered enough from 1,000. The way it looks in the fridge I could get to 1,100 in short order...back to the grind.

1) Weyerbacher - Tango - Belgian Style Dark Beer Brewed with Cherries! - 9.6% - A quad with addedd sweetness....not that that is a bad thing.

2) Victory - Dark Intrigue - 9.1% - Storm King Stout Meets Bourbon Barrels... Nice but a bit bitter on the chocolate malt. Definitely going to get one to age.

3)Shmaltz Brewing - Jewbelation 15th Anniversary - 15% - Done!

1,000

2011-12-07T20:13:00.004-05:00

The Bruery - Black Tuesday - 18.20% - Great idea for a midweek beer review! Took this right off of my BA review...may no make it till the end of the snifter.

2011 Version poured into a Bruery Tulip Glass....

A) Black but a bit more opague then I would have thought...thin head no real lacing after a swirl.

S) Bourbon and Vanilla, a little dried fruit.

T) Absolutely amazing, bourbon and vanilla again, figs, plums and cherries the sweetness abounds!

M) Starts off smooth but you do get that alchohol burn!

O) Glad I have another bottle to age...this might be the beer for me that really has the best complimentary smell and taste. Outstanding!

999 ----

2011-12-06T20:29:00.002-05:00

No not Herman Cain

Surly Darkness.....

2011 Version poured into a Brandy Snifter...

A) Pours a jet black, light is not getting through this. Thin head, medium lacing.

S) Chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla and a bit of bourbon, very nice....

T) The semi-sweet chocolate in the dominant taste here, supplemented by the hint of bourbon and vanilla. What is intriguing is that the coffee notes are very muted. What makes this enjoyable is that it is not a sugar bomb like other highly rated RIS's....well balanced.

M) Lightly carbonated and smooth.

O) Well deserved of its rating this is deceptively drinkable!

998

2011-12-04T15:34:00.002-05:00

Maine Beer Company - Mean Old Tom...6.5% Stout aged on natural vvanilla beans. I poured this in to a Portsmouth Brewery Flute glass. A little thin but this has great taste. The slight vanilla note is very complimentary. I have two monsters coming up for 999 and 1,000 should be interesting!

The Road to 1,000!

2011-11-29T22:10:00.010-05:00

Begins tonight.....was going to maybe wait a week but the hell with it...pedal to the metal!
Staring at 991....countdown coming later....

1) Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl - Scaldis Noel - Premium - Belgian Strong Ale. Yum....heavy cherry, plum and suprisingly drinkable at 13%. Glad to actually get this in CT. Cellaring is definitely an option but would hate to see some of that champagne yeast subside. This is very good!

2) Sixpoint - Diesel - 6.3% Great American Stout....thought I had reviewed this before...Plus one for me! Great stout by the way!

3) The Alchemist - Heady Topper - 8.0%Poured into a tulip glass for appearance...the rest of the review is from the can as the brewer intended. Nice hazy orange with a very nice fluffy head that dissipates pretty quickly. Smell - From the can pineapple galore. One of the most aromatic beers that I have tried. Taste - Pineapple, Lemon Zest, Grapefruit dominate. The malt is there to balance off a clean finish. This is a delight. This beer is outrageous...would like to spend a lifetime of deciding which I liked better...this or PTE.

4) Lagunitas - Sucks Holiday Ale - They couldn't brew their Barleywine (Brown Shugga) due to capacity but they threw this together. More please...great American IPA

5) Hoppin Frog - Frosted Frog - Christmas Ale - 8.6%....Spicey...Cinnamon,Ginger and Nutmeg...can you say Ginger Man Beer Cookie Beer? This is really a once a year beer. Glad to have had.

6) Allagash 4 - Quad - Wow! Done!

7) Great Lakes Brewing - Blackout Stout - 9.0% - A little thin bodied for the style but what I like is that this is not overly swwet or dry. Nicely balanced.

Thanksgiving Beer Review...continues!

2011-11-23T18:48:00.008-05:00

Had a special one so I wanted to set it apart.....

1) Surly 5 - American Wild Ale 9.2% - A Dark Ale brewed with brett aged in Red Wine Barrels - So much for the digestive tract! This is very tasty although could have been aged for a bit more (my fault!). That said going to continue enjoying this one!

2) Willimantic Brewing 7.9% (I think)...Cloudiest American IPA I have ever had. Man is this smooth though. Off to Philly tomorrow!

Back from Philly....enough beer to make it to 1000 if not in my fridge, then on hand.

3) Bells - Amber Ale - 5.8% - Bells Might be the second best thing to come from Kalamazoo (after Derek Jeter). This is an extremely tasty amber, not quite as hoppy as a fresh nugget nectar, although this bottle is a bit older. Still very nice as the sweet bready malt takes over!

4) Sebago Brewing - Single Batch Series - Bourbon Barrel aged barleywine - 9.2% - Great another BA barleywine. Actually have had this before but passed out before I could review it. Shennanigans! Anyway this is loaded with caramel, vanilla, toffee (and yes bourbon).

5) Deschutes - Black Butte Poeter - Bend Oregon via Philly, via growler...silk!

6) Sly Fox - 2011 Christmas Ale - Winter Warmer - 6.5% - Ale brewed with Ginger, Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg & Cloves - Wow a gingerbread cookie beer! This was dirt cheap from the Philly Beer run yesterday (5.99) glad I tried!

7) Dogfish Head - Faithfull - 7.0% Belgian Strong Ale - Brewed to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Pearl Jam's Album 10.....don't do them any favors....cool bottle though!

Thanksgiving Beer Review!

2011-11-21T20:55:00.008-05:00

Check in all week. 1000 by year end seems to be in reach.

1) Stone - La Citrueille Celeste De Citracado - 5% - Brewed with Pumpkin, Yams, Lemon Verbena, Birch bark and something else that I have no idea what it is. This is a pumpkin pie on acid, Gald to have tried....would probably not try again.

2) Berkshire Brewing - Holidale 2011 - 9.5% - Eminently drinkable Barleywine. I think this will sneak up on you. Pretty good price too at 6 bucks or so for a bomber. Will most likely buy a few more!

3) Stone - Verical Epic 11-11-11 - 9.0% - I think Stone just made its White Album...you get flavors all around the spectrum, Cinnamon, Chiles and Belgian Yeast all really swirl. This will be be great with age but may buy a few more to have fresh.

5) Sam Adams Black and Brew just a tad thin....I could really get into this!

6) Bells Two Hearted Ale - 7% - Part of my first BA trade. This is very damn good. Freshness date is 10.12.11 so that is fine. Very smooth hoppiness. I think I know where Hopslam comes from. Outstanding...this is so good!

7) Three Floyds - Pride & Joy - American Pale Ale - Just a little too sweet and malty for me. Actually too sweet and syrupy. Glad to have tried though.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-11-18T21:27:00.006-05:00

Sh!t I might hit 1000 before Thanksgiving!

1) Great Lakes - Nosferatu - 8.0% - First review of a beer I traded for via BA. This is listed as an old ale with a bite. That it has, a hoppy old ale? Nice!

2) Olde Burnside - 12% -Stone of Destiny - American Strong Ale - This is a vanilla and coffee milkshake for adults. This will take a while.

3) Anchorage Brewing Company - Love Buzz - Saison - Ale Aged in French Oak Pinot Noir Barrels - Nice twist on a Saison....some of the funk is gone but you do get the wine barrel aging...fading fast need a rally!

4) Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast - Awful done

5) Boulevard Brewing - Tank 7 - Farmhouse Ale 8% Kind of lite...where's the funk? Need to get some beer with taste!

6) Boulevard Brewing - Long Strange Tripel...9%...aah finally some taste.

During the week beer review

2011-11-14T21:48:00.010-05:00

1) Napa Smith Organic IPA 7.1% ABV - Interesting beer not a west coast IPA to be sure. Bitter zest of a hop bite and too much malt.

2) Three Heads Brewing - The Kind IPA - 6.8% - New Brewer (for me)...picked up in Springfield. A Rochester brewer....anyway....pretty decent American IPA, just maybe a tad bitter.

3) Longtrail - Imperial Porter - 8.3% - This is a nice balance of malt and hops. The hoppiness comes through which makes you think they were going for a black IPA kind of brew. That works

Multiple Growlers have just been filled....note the theme

4)Sixpoint - Bark - 5.0% - ESB - Not that bitter and am really enjoying the light floral hops....would be an outstanding summer beer.

5) Sixpoint - Spice of Life - Nelson Sauvin - 6.5% - Their Single Hop American IPA. They have a series of these and this is the first that I have had. IPA's rule and this is one of the better ones. I little stronger than the previous offereing. Look forward to trying more from this line.

6) Sixpoint - Little Buzz - 5.0% - Another light dry floral beer. No spice of note. Still beats a bud!

7) Sixpoint - Mad Scientist 5 - Shiso - 6.0% - Best of the lot. Belgian Pale Ale infused with some spice called Shiso (apparently this is a green tea spice). Like I can discern the tea. I could drink this regularly!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-11-10T21:29:00.009-05:00

Hopefully doing a trip to NYC this weekend and am very on track for 1,000 by the end of the year!

1) Berkshire Brewing - Cabin Fever - Winter Warmer - 6.3% - Nice tan color, very nice blend of malts and hops. Found this at Manchester Wines and Liquors which is now on my rotation!

2) Jackie O's - Kentucky Monk - 8.0% - Bourbon Barrel aged Tripel - Great...nice hazy orange with no head...first sniff is a load of bourbon....you get some faint Tripel taste, just a bit of yeast. Pretty interesting beer....these guys have been a big BA rage.

NYC trip postponed. Heading up to Springfield, MA to buy Beer wearing a Phillies hat!

3) Sierra Nevada - Ovila Quad 10.4% Bomber poured into a Chimay chalice....Nice dark brown with a thin head, a little lacing on the glass. Taste - Plum, fig, raisins, cloves and grapes, just a little tartness to balance this out. The alcohol is well hidden. Cellaring this could be interesting. This may be best fresh. This is the best of the series and I agree. Will probably buy a few more!

4) The Bruery (With Dogfish Head) Faster/Bigger/Better/Bolder...8.25%...really not sure what this is supposed to be?

5) The Bruery - 4 Calling Birds - ABV 11% - I will be close to 60 when this vertical challenge is done...that is going to be an ugly day....anyway....there is a lot of gingerbread taste in thise beer and apparently that is what they were going for. Pretty high octane....gonna take a while!

6) Cigar City - Marshall Zhukov's 11.5% = Very sweet, good night for now!

7) Ipswich 20th Anniversary Imperial Pale Ale - Not really an IPA more of a stong ale. The malt bears this out. 8.0%

During the week beer review

2011-11-08T21:54:00.003-05:00

Should be checking in now and then...

1) Innis & Gunn - Highland Cask - Ale Aged in Malt Whiskey Casks - 7.1% - Not bad like the rum barrel version one better. Back to American beer tomorrow.

2) Cisco Brewing - Winter Woods - 9.0% -Ale aged in French Oak Wine Barrels - The Wild Ales are killing me...this is another good one though, maybe a bit tart!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-11-05T17:08:00.005-04:00

Hadn't planned on this being a beer excursion weekend...oh well!

1) Tullycross Tavern - Rain Delay Rye PA - 5.8% - Reasonably certain I got the name right...did get the abv right! This is a reasonably new offering for the East Hartford brewery. Very nice. The hops are so sweet!

2) Portsmouth Brewery - Octoberfest Lager....Not bad fading fast......

3) Old Burnside - Highland Wild - 10% Poured into a brandy snifter....
This has a nice golden hue, slight head a bit of lacing. Taste is of Grapes and Funk...thats great! Taste - For those who like sours (me) this is pretty damn good. The brewer is pretty well known for their scotch ales, that said you get the malts to follow up on the yeast. Would really like to know how this ages...

4) Portsmouth Brewery - Rye Not - Nice beer fading fast again!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-11-04T21:20:00.003-04:00

This could be an epic!

1) Samuel Adams - Tasman Red - 6.75% It's not Nugget Nectar, it's not Zoe... but at 5.99 it is a very tasty treat. Problem with this is I don't think it's fresh so the hops are faded. Would buy again!

2) Widmer Bros - Lemon Grass Wheat Ale - 9.0% - Kind of a nice wine?

I wanted a beer tonight Beer Review!

2011-11-02T22:00:00.004-04:00

1) Samuel Adams - Griffins Bow - Oaked Blonde Barley Wine Ale - 11.5% - Interesting beer....really get some pineapple up from that desolved into some butterscotch. Can also get some other hoppy notes. Should be interesting with some age on it!

2) Clownshoes Blaecorn Unidragon - 12.5% From beer advocate! (Russian Imperial Stout)

A) Jet black, nice cocoa head like the lacing.

S) To me the malts smell a little too burnt. Am hoping that what comes next is better.

T) Don't get the burnt taste that would belie the nose. I get some licorice and vanilla along with the hoppiness. Was not really expecting that, works well!

M) Smooth up front with just a very nice bitter aftertaste (love them hops)..Alcohol burn is there as well.

Really like this beer and glad that Clown Shoes is distributing to the Westchester, NY Region!

Weekend Beer Review

2011-10-27T19:55:00.008-04:00

OK so I have to work this weekend.....no issue there as I am still going to be able to pull off a little "growlering" this weekend.....hopefully closing the gap to 1000 before year end!

1) Ithaca Beer Company - Cold Front - Belgian Amber Ale - 7.2% - Not sure what causes the spiciness here but I also get a really nice dry-hopped taste. Would definitely buy again.

2) Widmer Brothers - Brrr - 7.2% - First Winter Warmer of the season...Very tasty the shocker with this brew is that it is a little hoppier then one might expect. Widmer is a brewer that doesn't get the props it deserves.

3) Samuel Adams - The Vixen - Chocolate Chili Bock - 8.5% - The Chili is in the form of cinnamon I guess....but I really like this beer....will be stocking up shortly. Batch number 1. This is a great beer beer from the godfather of brewers!

4) Sam Adams - Third Voyage - Double IPA - 8.0% - Liked the one above. Not really a DIPA here!

5) Clipper City/Heavy Seas - Greater Pumpkin - 9.0% - Bourbon barrel aged pumpkin ale...great...not too bad though...I am voting for a bourbon barrel aged pumpkin filling for a pie for Thanksgiving!

6) Kelso Brewing = Industrial IPA I think it's 9% done!

I think I may add a section called Monday addendum after the usual incoherent final Sunday review.

7) Clown Shoes - Lubrication - 6% - This brand has made it to Westchester...used to have to get this in Massachusetts. This is a tasty American Black Ale, which I consider more of a black IPA given the hops presence.

Canadian Breakfast Stout

2011-10-23T12:55:00.002-04:00

The number three beer in the world per beer advocate. Lifted my review from the site directly.

Picked up at Deciccos - Ardsley poured into a tulip glass.

A) Murky brown with a nice tan head. Medium lacing.

S) Chocolate and some light cofee notes.

T) Wow, get the maple up front followed up by the coffee and chocolate. The bourbon finishes this one.

M) Silky smooth.

This beer is outstanding. I know I am not breaking any new ground there. What suprises me is the drinkability. While you do get the bourbon notes at the end, it is not overwhelming but complimentary. Hopefully this becomes more widely available in the future.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-10-22T15:39:00.006-04:00

Think I am going to have a special stand alone one tomorrow. Anyway, here goes!

1) Sixpoint - Six Point-Decicco Session IPA - 5.1% - This is a very sessionable IPA, nice hops, a little floral, a little malt. Good beer to get the weekend going on.

2) Sixpoint - Gemini - 10.0% Actually nice DIPA - good night!

Adding a couple more from Monday as this weekends reviews were kind of lame.

3) Otter Creek - Twentieth Anniversary Ale - 12.0% Obviously a big beer. Not sure what they were going for as this is excessively sweet. Considering cellaring a few bottles.

4) Maine Beer Company - Zoe 7.2% - I think Nugget Nectar now has a run for its money. This is a beautifully hoppy amber ale. Nice caramel malts compliment a hop heads jones. Freshness date 09.20.11! Well done.

5) Clown Shoes - Muffin Top - Belgian Style Tripel IPA - Great 10% - Man this is tasty, the bready malts are really jazzed up with the American Hops. This is a fantastic beer. Gald they distribute to NY now.

Rebounding Beer Review!

2011-10-18T20:12:00.007-04:00

1) Innis & Gunn - Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer - 7.4% Tasty Ale...I'm guessing the rum barrel is a dark spicey rum and not a clear one. This works!

2) Innis & Gunn - Winter Beer 2011 - 7.4% Another tasty beer....the Rum Cask may get into a more frequent rotation though!

3) Allagash - Victor - 9.0% - Belgian Strong Pale Ale - kind of a Saison...

4) Allagash - Victoria - Belgian Strong Pale Ale - 9.0% - Not sure of the difference to the above, but it brings me one more step to my goal to hit 1000 before the end of the year! It is very tasty too.

I know there is a bunch of Allagash posts (next one coming up). Victor/Victoria were not on my Excel spreadsheet. Neither was Fluxus (this style changes by year). I must have been drunk while I was posting!

4) Allagash - Fluxus 2011 - 8.0% So apparrently this beer is different every year. The tracking system (and my liver) says thanks. You get the spiciness but there is some nice caramel malt mixed in. An Allagash run may be in the works.

Portsmouth Beer Review!

2011-10-16T15:50:00.003-04:00

1) Portsmouth Brewery - Dirty Blonde - 4.5% - Kind of weak.....This is for the Budweiser Crew!

2) Portsmouth Brewer - Alt Bier 5.5% - Now we get the taste. This might be one of the lower ABV beers that I have had!

Portsmouth

2011-10-16T15:29:00.001-04:00

Pre New Hampshire Beer Review!

2011-10-12T19:44:00.006-04:00

Doing a quick overnite visit to the Portsmouth Brewery ....hopefully bring back some tasty treats for the drive to 1000 (I am a little less than 80 away). Wonder if I can do this before the end of 2011!

1) Saranac - Irish Red 4.5% - No head, small notes of toffee, no hops to speak of. Easily drinkable. Might pick some more up some day!

2) Thomas Hooker - American Pale Ale - 5.4% I have never seen a brewer get more divergent reviews. Some beers are considered world class...and others ehhh. This is one of the ehhh's

3) Long Trail - Triple Bag - 9.4% - This apparently is just recently released in bottles, it was only available at the brewery. This is pretty tasty, more like a Belgian Dubbel to me. I need to do a vermont road trip.

4) Ommegang - 2011 Belgian Independence Day 6.5% - Thanks DeCicco's for the growler. Don't really get the usual funkiness. Brewed with white pepper the spec's said. I get the spice with a little lemon zest at the end. More of a summer beer!

5) Sixpoint - Autumnation - 6.8% - Kind of a weird (but good beer)get the yeast up front with a hoppy wetness to follow. Not bad!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-10-06T21:06:00.007-04:00

Quick hook for Nova....time to work my magic once again!

1) Lagunitas - Bavarian Styled Doppel Weizen - 9.0% - Big time banana and spicy taste. Easily drinkable. Lagunitas is under appreciated they brew great beer at a reasonable price. Well done!

2) Southport Brewing C0 - Sasco Hill Pale Ale - ? ABV - Wanted to get a growler today but really didn't want to travel to far (That's for tomorrow) so I went here. This is a nice beer extremely drinkable....lightly hoppy and bitter. Joined their VIP club and the guy charged my $17 for two pints and a 64oz growler....not a bad deal!

3) The Bruery Snicklefritz - Complex Triple

Well that was a great review....went down to DeCicco's today and picked up a bottle of the number 3 beer in the world (per Beer Advocate) Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout. Biggest in person rare haul ever!

4) Ayinger - Oktoberfest Marzen - 5.8% - Pretty damn tasty. I am not a big October Fest fan but I like this one. Think I am going to limit my October Fest purchases to German Brewers.

5) The Peekskill Brewery - Hop Common - 5.0% - Right at the Hudson River...beautiful day to be down there...This tastes a bit stronger than the published ABV. Tasty beer need to get there more
often.

6) Abita - Vanilla Double Dog - ABV 7.0% - You got to like a stout with vanilla...great desert beer. Done for the day

A.J. Burnett Beer Review!

2011-10-04T19:57:00.003-04:00

Keeping my fingers crossed!

1) Anchor Brewing - Brekles Brown - 6.0% - Nice Brown Ale supposedly has the hop Citra in it. Not sure where that is. Very sweet and very fresh. Glad I had the chance to try this!

Let's go Yankees!

Well we continue!

2) Saranac IPA - Kind of a nice IPA wish it wasn't so malty!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-09-30T21:20:00.006-04:00

Right to it

1) Southern Tier - 5 Borough - Belgian Pale Ale - 7.0% - Another NYC Specialty Brew - Nice hazy Orange, get a little spiciness and some peach. Well done. Would like to get to this brewery but I think it is by Lake Erie!

2) North Coast - Grand Cru - 12.9% - Ale brewed with agave aged in bourbon barrels...most likely not a low glycemic beer. Pretty tasty though.

3) Anchorage Brewing - 9% - Bitter Monk - Belgian Style Double IPA - Aged in French Oak Chardonnay Barrels - Wow this is pretty outstanding...Great Belgian IPA from Alaska? Who knew! Classic these guys don't even have a functional website!

4) Allagash Dubbel - Yum!

5) Samuel Adams - BarrelRoom Collection 13th hour 9.0% - Nice beer done!

Starting Early Beer Review!

2011-09-28T21:23:00.006-04:00

A couple of delicasies were on sale at DeCiccos - Ardsley today. Had to work late so went over there at night....here we go.

1) Mission Brewery - Ship Wrecked Double IPA - 9.25% - Big Boozy Double IPA. This is a new brewery for me. There are a bunch of new breweries noted at DeCiccos. This beer is good, not great. May try some more of their items!

2) Cigar City - Big Apple IPA - 7.0% Brewed in conjunction with NYC Beer Week....this is a nice pumpkin ale. Don't really get the hops and the nutmeg and cinnamon dominate. This to me is more of a pumkin ale (and one of the better ones!)

3) Harpoon Docesna - Czech Hop Harvest Ale - 6.1% - done in honor of the Czech Hop Harvest festival....nice! More of a lager to me but i can drink this a bunch!

4 Stone- Cherry Chocolate Stout - 7.5% - Collaboratively brewed with Troegs...really wanted to try this and went out of my way to get it, but it is just a thin stout with some cloying sweetness....dissapointed.

5) Smuttynose - Pumpkin Ale - 6.0% - Actually get a little hop profile with this beer. Hops are not really evident in this style...nice!

The insanity continues

2011-09-23T21:15:00.005-04:00

1) Harpoon - Leviathan Imperial Rye - 8.9% - Has to be an old bottle as there are no (or mild) hops present. Nice kind of barleywine though after last night's excursion. This is not a healthy hobby!

Here is a new twist!

2) City Steam - Brussels (I think) 9% (I think) Blew off the city today and picked up a couple of growlers. The City Steam one I think is a Belgian Strong Ale. They do have something with the word Brussels in it that is a refernce to a Belgian IPA. This is an unknown beer review!

3) Hair of the Dog - Cherry Adam from the Wood - 10% - Haven't had a Hair of the Dog in a while. This is the regular Adam brewed with cherries and aged in bourbon barrels. This is insane. I need to get more to age. Outstanding!

4) Jonas Broncks - Pelham Bay IPA - Brewed by someone, have heard several different stories about where this is brewed (it is not yet brewed in the Bronx.) They do though han=ve avery nice facebook campaign. That said this is a very tast IPA. I think it is at about 6.5%

900!

2011-09-22T20:34:00.003-04:00

Oakshire - Hellshire I - 10% - Bourbon Barrel aged barleywine - 10.0% - Wow what a boozy beer! This is pretty damn complex. You get some nice caramel and toffee sweetness up front. Throw in a little vanilla as well. As with the American Barleywine's the hop bite at the end is very pronounced. Theses folks are from Oregon....I need to get back there for a serious beer excursion. If I come across another bottle of this I may let it age to let the hops calm down! Well done....on to 1,000!

899

2011-09-22T19:51:00.002-04:00

Cigar City - Good Gourd - 8.5% - Ah well might as well have the first the first pumpkin ale of the season. This does include pumpkin as well as Ceylon cinnamon, Jamaican All Spice and Zanzibar cloves....there is also nutmeg, not sure where that is from. The alcohol is really well hidden here. Kind of a medium bodied beer, nice carbonation. Might pick up again and throw a bottle in the cellar to see what happens to it!

NYC Beer Week Beer review!

2011-09-19T20:34:00.008-04:00

All beer, all week, not sure though if any of these brews have anything to do with NYC.

1) Three Floyds - Zombie Dust - 6.2% - American Pale Ale - Gotta like that Citra Hop. This has a dominant sweet orange nose and outstanding taste. The Floyds just basically sold out of this, this is meant to be savored (quickly) so the hop profile doesn't loose steam.

2) Mad River Brewing Company - Serious Madness - American Black Ale - 8.2% - Nice Jet Black, would have expected a little more hops if this was an American Black Ale but it is a very nice porter!

Headed up to the Cigar City Event at DeCicco's Brewster today. CC had brewed an IPA in honor of NYC Craft Beer week called the Big Apple IPA - It was basically Jai Alai with same apple pie type spices. Jai Alai is a very good IPA. I went for this version:

3) Cigar City - Jai Alai - IPA Peach - 7.5% - I have had a peach infused IPA on another occasion and wanted to try another one. I figured the peach and the citrus would be nicely complimentary which they are. Great beer....DeCicco's Brewster has weekly brewers events....uh oh!

4) Maine Beer Company - Lunch IPA - 7,0% American IPA - This has been all the rage on beer advocate so when I saw DeCicco's had some I took a little lunch time (pun intended trip). Nice beer but not worth the hype. A little too bitter. Make mine a Ghandi Bot (yes I know not an amercan IPA)

Need a couple of markers till 900 which should occur tomorrow. Thank god for the Saranac fall pack.

5) Saranac - Black Forest - 5.5% Schwarzbier - Bavarian Black Beer - the BA guys like it. Not really my style but can easily put away a few!

6) Saranac- Caramel Porter - 5.4% - Kind of like a Southern Tier Creme Brulee light. This is sweet, kind of liake a cream soda. Would be better if it was 98% and humid with this one!

7) Saranac - Octoberfest - 5.4% Very nice drinkable beer and thats about it. This gets me to 899 and 900 tomorrow. Friday does not look well!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-09-15T20:07:00.007-04:00

Bookending the end of New Haven Craft Beer week with the beginning of NY Craft Beer week.....great!

1) Stone Brewing - Escodidian Black IPA - 10.8% This is an interesting beer, as it is cold it is more malty, get the chocolate falvor etc. As it warmes you get the hop bitterness. It says not to age but I may throw one in the cellar! This is beer 888!

2) Clipper City (Heavy Seas Series) - 7.0% - Nice cream ale with a kick. No hops to speak of. Nice caramel malt flavor.

3) Widmer Brothers - Hefeweizen - 4.8% Last wheat beer of the season I guess....on to some of the more heavy (and alcoholic brews). No real banana yeast flavor, do get some lemon though. I do like this style.

4) Shmaltz/terrapin - Reunion ale - 8.5% - too much promise too little delivery

5) Full Sail - Elevation - Orange label, orange taste@

Kind of a weird Monday Beer Review

2011-09-12T22:31:00.002-04:00

Had obtained through some intereting channels a 2009 version of Deschutes - The Abyss. This is an 11.0% American Imperial Stout, brewed with licorice and molasses and is aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. The 2009 version is supposedly a waste as it is infected. Well I enjoyed this immensely! If this is the bad version I need to taste a good one!

Never forget

2011-09-11T11:58:00.001-04:00

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-09-06T20:45:00.005-04:00

For the week that is!

1)Blue Point Brewing - Double Blonde - 7.4% - Wow this can be a habit. Nice find at Decicco's Brewster!

By the way renaming as I'm too lazy to repost!

2) Troegs - Perpetual IPA - American IPA - 7.5% - Might be a little high test for an Aemrican IPA. The nose is skunky, but this is a very nice hop bomb!

3) New England Brewing - Galaxy Pale Ale - Brewed in honor of the first (and hopefully annual) New Haven Craft Beer week. Poured into a pint glass. Nice cloudy yellow (not sure if this is unfiltered or not). Minimal head and there is some minor lacing. Starts off sweet, get some grapefruit notes up front and the finish is to me lemon zest. I like the bitterness. At 4.8% you can drink this all day. It's nice to have a beer that is this sessionable but still packs a nice taste. Hopefully they save some for a cask for part of the New Haven Craft Beer Week festivities.

4) Victory - Helios - 7.5% - A nice Saison! Not that much on the funk but there is a beaustiful banana, yeasty taste. I had avoided this for a bit because it took a while for me to warm to the style. I am sure I'll have this again.

Weekend Beer Review

2011-09-02T17:34:00.007-04:00

I was going to do something snarky relative to the upcoming Labor Day nonsense but this is dedicated to MC's brother and my downstairs neighbor Joan.

1) Weyerbacher Quad - 11.8% - Enough to start off with. Very nice take on the style. A little too sweet, but dangerously drinkable. There will be a big time quad review coming up shortly!

2) Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale - 5.0% one of the better breweries in America (IMOHO). This is an English Pale ale so it is a little more maltier than its American cousin. This beer rocks!

3) Thomas Hooker - Blonde Ale - 5.1% - Nice tasty cream ale. Bottle date is 5.17.11. Would like to have this a bit fresher. Nice to know this is a year round offering.

4) Hair of the Dog - Doggie Claws - Barlwywine Style Ale - 11.0% - 2009 vintage - Says on the label that this is brewed with wild flower honey collected from Mount Hood. BA calls this an American Barley Wine. Maybe because this bottle has aged I am only getting a faint note of hops, but I am getting a lot of fruity maltiness. Too me peach flavor seems to really abound. This is a great beer and should take about half an hour to drink!

5) Alaskan Barleywine Ale - 10.4% - Let the insanity continue. This is very tasty. Any hops are long gone. Nice sweet maltiness will take me through to tomorrow!

6) Shipyard - Smashed Blueberry - 9.0% - A nice kind of dry porter jacked up with blueberries, kind of nice!

Getting stuck in Minneapolis ain't that bad

2011-08-31T19:50:00.002-04:00

Especially when this is the scenery!

Hurricane Irene Beer Review

2011-08-27T15:42:00.004-04:00

Stuck in Minneapolis but the drinking is not deterred! Some nice midwest beers are coming.

1 Surly - Coffee Bender - 5.1% - Mild porter with some serious coffee overtones. Might have this for breakfast tomorrow!.

2) Great Lakes Brewing - Lake Erie Monster - Double IPA 9.1% - Bring on the hops! Time to rest before the Vikings game! Pretty sure I haven't reviewed this. Need to double chack when I get home!

Birthday Weekend Beer Review

2011-08-16T20:05:00.009-04:00

Came across some interesting beers so I figured I'd start early. Update forgot to post this on Tuesday so moving to the weekend version!

1) Widmer Brothers W-114 IPA - American IPA - 6.2% - Their own engineered hops! Nice. Tasty but unfortunately the bottled on date was 5/19. Need to try this fresh. These guys are underrated!

2) Cigar City - Hunaphu - 11.5% Cracked open one of my ill gotten gains for my birthday. The chile notes are pretty much gone but the vanilla and chocolate are still there. This is a great beer!

3) Clipper City - Prosit! - 9.9% - Imperial Oktoberfest - Oktoberfest is not my number one style but this is nice. Good way to start the day!

4) Victory Brewing - Lager - 5.0% Great Crossover beer!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-08-12T20:54:00.007-04:00

Right to it.....

1) Great Divide Belgian Style Yeti - 9.5% - Nice kind of low on the phenol. Still a nice sipper! Bottled on date says 7/19 so very fresh!

2) Dark Horse Brewing - Plead the Fifth Imperial Stout - 12% - Coffee and Chocolate overload. Big time boozy flavor. In your face. This will take a while. Are we sure this is not bourbon barrel aged?

3) Dark Horse Brewing - Reserve Special Black Bier Ale - 8.5% - Not a stout, not a porter so I guess this is a strong ale give the ABV. These guys brew some monters! A bit smokey with a nice sweet finish.

4) Coastal Extreme Brewing - Newport Storm '10 - Black IPA - 12% - I didn't realize that this annual release was of a different style. The 07 was a barleywine and this is a black IPA. Tasty but maybe a bit syrupy. Nice for a rainy Sunday?

5) Olde Burnside Brewing - Ten Penny Ale - Reserve - 9.3% - Nice for a scotch ale. Not my style though.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-08-03T19:17:00.006-04:00

Might not be a lot of activity so I figured I'd combine midweek and weekend!

1) Olde Burnside - Penny Weiz Ale - 5.3% - Nice light wheat beer....mostly citrus with a little bit of a nutty finish. Check out their website, they have a couple of interesting releases coming up.

Bluefish rain out

2) Avery Brewing - 18 Anniversary - Dry hopped Rye Saison - Pretty tasty, get the spiciness with the dry hops. Not bad at all. Had to pick up in NY as Avery doesn't do Connecticut distro any more.

3) Stone Brewing - Japanese Green Tea - IPA - 9.2% - Man that is sneaky on the ABV. A lot of conflicting opinions on BA. I like this, a nice floral hop beginning wit a little tea at the end!

4) The Bruery - Batch 300 Tripel - 8.2% - A Tripel brewed with Citra, wow! Hell of an IPA even though the call it a Tripel!

5) Berkshire Brewing - 7.0% - Dark Wheat Beer - Interesting, not quite sure what a dark wheat beer is. Kind of a brown ale?

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-07-29T19:49:00.007-04:00

Obama's a punk edition!

1) Stoudts - Heifer in Wheat - Hefeweizen - 5% - Nice variety on the style. Get the cloves, banana...pretty tasty. May have one more new one tonight but going on a growler extravaganza tomorrow.

2) Thomas Hooker - Watermelon Ale - 4.5% - Took a trip to the brewery today, nice little pace. Tasty ale....the watermelon flavor works!

3) City Steam - Innocence Ale - 6.0% - Nice American IPA....I can forsee many more growler trips in the up coming days!

4) Smuttynose - Homunculus - Belgian IPA - 9.9% - Interesting beer with the clovey spiciness and the hops. The label is quite strange with a bunch of people's faces on sperms.

5) Ommegang Aphrodite - 8.9% - Raspberry ale - Tart...Kool aid for adults!

6) Dogfish Head Black & Blue- Nice Blueberry flavor....at 10% I'm done!

Mid Week Beer Review!

2011-07-27T21:03:00.003-04:00

1) Sixpoint Triple Sweet Action 13.0% , Pours a nice orange color with a fluffy white head. Nice lacing. Very citrusy was not expecting this from a strong ale.Overall, glad I had a chance to try. Sixpoint normally throws out some of their bigger beers in the summer (Crusher). The alchohol is very well hidden if it is 13%. Would buy again.

2) Mad River - Double Dread - 8.6% - Imperial Red Ale - Obviously malty, still a ice beer! This will age well.

Yankee Stadium Unplugged!

2011-07-25T21:32:00.002-04:00

Or something like that. The old place without that stadium, just a field. Kind of nice.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-07-24T11:29:00.007-04:00

Wow, I'm late this weekend. Yankee game yesterday...too hot Friday.

1) Sierra Nevada - Ovila Saison - 7% - Nice american take on the style. A bit too light though, bring on the phenolics. I think they are doing a Trippel next.

2) Park & Bellheimer AG - Valentins Weibier - 5.3% - Hefeweizen - Tasty but a bit light. Time to pull out the heavy hitters!

3) Flossmoor Station - Collaborative Evil - 10% - Belgian Ale brewed with spices. You have to like a beer that's label is a Skeleton holding a chalice. The skeleton has horns coming out of his head and a pentagram on his forehead. Oh yeah the beer is good too.

3) Flossmoor Station - Brewers Whim IPA - I was cursing the wax on the cap. Almost cut my finger off but when I checked the listings on BA The wax coverings meant different styles of IPA. Nice...cheating my way to 900 (beer is good as well). Gold Wax = Pretty Big IPA.

4) Flossmoor Station - Dark Green Wax - IPA for Change - How's that Hopey Changey stuff working for ya! Good beer though!

5) Flossmoor Station - Gray Wax - Diesel Rellik - Nice way to finish the weekend!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-07-14T22:12:00.009-04:00

F**k your peas Mr. President, I'm drinking beer!

1) 3 Floyds - Rabbid Rabbit - 9.0% - One of the better Saisons I've had. A little muted to the taste, but still fulfills!

2) Jonas Broncks Beer Co - Woodlawn Weiss - About 5% or so. Named after the most northern part of the Bronx. This is a nice very drinkable Weiss which I think is contract brewed in Connecticut. Company does have a great logo....looking forward to more!

3) New England Brewing - Alpha Weizen - This may be a Weiss dominated beer review! Pours a nice cloudy yellow with a very puffy head, nice lacing. Smell - A bit lemony, certainly not very strong. Taste- You can get a bit of the cloves, but this beer is very nicely slightly hoppy. Wasn't expecting that but the brewer said they were going for something different. It is different and that is a good thing! Glad I had a chance to try this. Very nice summer brew.

4)Two Brothers - Askew - 6.5% as sour as the come. This easily compares with the Russian river sours. I like!

5) Weyerbacher 16 - Braggot - 10.5% - Interesting spicey flavor. Certainly get the honey no hops to speak of. More of a winter beer!

6) De Struise - Outblack - 10% - Weird beer, chocolate and spearmint? Not sure what they are going to. Still might buy again and put a bottle away.

7) Berkshire Brewing Co. Saint of Circumstance IPA - 5.7% Very tasty English IPA. These guys really should put some freshness dates on their bottles (not that this isn't fresH

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-07-09T21:21:00.008-04:00

1) Brooklyn Brewey, Concoction - 7.0% Obtained via growler, poured into a pint glass.
This is a weird beer, gotta love it though. Nice amber with a medium head, get a lot of ginger lemon and smokiness, did I come up with a new recipe for barbecue sauce?
This is Garret's White Album. Please do this again.

2) Founders - Blushing Monk - 9.2% - Belgian Style ale brewed with raspberries. Tasty and interesting. Alcohol is very well hidden. This could be habit forming!

3) Wandering Star - Mild at Heart - 4.3% - English Dark Mild ale. Nice beer very easily drinkable. Nice roasted maltiness. This is a brewery founded by Alex Hall of Gotham Imbiber fame!

4) Three Floyds - Behemoth - 10.5% - A lot of caramel also get the hops a beast!

5) Rogue - 75th Anniversary Ale - XX - 7.6% - American Strong Ale - A little light on the palate. Alcohol does kick in at the end! Well done.

6) Lagunitas - Lucky 13.alt - So apparently they released a secon anniversary of their thirteenth anniversary ale. Last year it was a red (red haired model) this year a blonde. Tasty german old beer. I have been lacking on Lagunitas reviews and need to catch up!

Hot Summer Night Beer Review!

2011-07-06T21:23:00.004-04:00

It's hot and I want a beer(s)!

1) New Glarus - Moon Man - No Coast Pale Ale - 5% - Nice dry almost grassy taste followed up with a little biscuity malt. Little grapefruit sneaks in as well. Pale ales are nothing to sneeze at.

2) 3 Floyds - Apocalypse Cow - 9.5% - Interesting beer, a double IPA (great citrus notes) balanced with the addition of Lactose Milk Sugar. Have had milk stouts before where I guess they do the same thing and I really like them. There saying is their beer in "not normal". It is not....kind of like an orange creme cicle for adults!

3) Fort Collins - Wheat Wine Ale - 9.3% - Ah a summer barleywine! - Sweet wheat flavor, light bubblegum and a little spice. No hops to speak of. Less malty than a barleywine, but when it is humid outside this can sneak up on you.

4) Captain Lawrence - Birra DeCicco - Limone Luppolo 6% - Full throttle summer beer love the lemons. Need to pick up a growler fill to get this bad boy on draft!

4th of July Beer Review!

2011-07-01T23:16:00.011-04:00

My favorite holiday. Already called MC, figure he'll call back on the 4th at about 10pm to want to know what's up!

1) Bells Brewery - Third Coast Old Ale - 10.2% - American Barleywine - I like the english style better (no hops). Glad to have tried this although I think we on the east coast can get something like this as it is akin to a Bigfoot, but hey that's the way the summer season goes!

2) Kelso of Brooklyn - Flemish Red - 5.5% - Tasty red, not quite as sour as some others of this style, which makes it emminently drinkable and refershing on a nice hot summer day!

3) 3 Floyds - Robert the Bruce 6.5% - nice kind of lighter scotch ale. No overpowering malt taste. To be enjoyed!

4) Three Floyds - Alpha King - Great american apa!

5) Sixpoint - Hops of Love 6.7% - Very good American IPA. I like Sixpoint and I generally like things from Brooklyn anyway. This needs to be in a nano-keg!

6) Southern Tier - Euro Trash Pilz - 5.5% - Very nice, very easy drinking czech pilsner. Could easily drink this all day!

7) 21st Amendment - Hop Crisis 9.7% - Very nice DIPA, should be a year round beer!

8) Bells - Batch 9000 - Old Ale 12.5% - Licorice and chocolate....wow big beer happy fourth!

9) Fort Collins - The Incredible Hop - I think this is about 9%. Nice malts with the hops. Good night!

Upon the 4th Beer Review

2011-06-28T21:41:00.009-04:00

Man last weekend was not one of my stellar efforts. As an explanation (and why not an excuse as well)...on Saturday, I went to Nebco, picked up a growler of the Bot, then hit Prime 16 and Cask Republic. Polished off the growler most of Saturday and was pretty shot when it came to the new stuff!

1) Harpoon - Rich and Dan's Rye IPA - 6.9% - Nice take on the IPA Style. The Rye adds a little more flavor, maybe some balance. Overall, at 5.99 a bomber not bad!

2) Coronado Brewing - Hoppy Daze 9.0% - Belgian IPA...Nice kind of muted on the hops, do get some banana and bubble gum flavor as well. Glad I got to try it once...probably wouldn't go again!

3) Three Floyds - Arctic Panzer Wolf - 9% - I like this one. To go with the citrus this has a little white wine/apricot in the taste. Alcohol very well hidden. This one is a pleasure to drink!

4) Berkshire Brewing Co - Hefeweizen Ale - 4.5% - As I have stated I am really starting to get into this style. The banana and bubble gum notes are there a faint bit of cloves, no hops of note. Great beer and if I can believe the hype, what is next should be better!

5) New Glarus - Dancing Man Wheat - 7.2% - Thanks to a great BA for the hook-up! Poured in to a pint glass. Pale yellow/orange, nice medium head. The taste is great here, we all know the banana, bubble gum and cloves but I get some orange zest which fades into a slight alchohol burn at the end (which belies the 7.2%). This is a very good beer to drink and since I just got into the style I really lucked in to a nice acquisition!

6) Three Floyds - Blackheart - 9.0% - English IPA - A bit more citrusy than some of the other English IPA's that I have had (and that is a good thing). Very tasty. One of the better of the midwest hauls. Cheers!

7) New Glarus - Two Women - 5% Says its a lager, classified as a pilsner, who knows with this nonsense. Still a mighty tasty beer!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-06-25T15:47:00.005-04:00

Some real esoteric stuff is coming up............

1) Three Floyds - Gumball Head 5.5% - Wheat beer with a little piney hoppiness and a little lemon zest. Great summer beer.

2) Surly - Abrasive - 9% -A little malty for my liking.

3) Three Floyds - Dreadnaught - 9.50 - - Kind of nice DIPA...starting to get a little disillusioned about some of the beer hype!

Mid Week Beer Review!

2011-06-21T21:43:00.004-04:00

Hey apparently my last post was number 1000! Most of it beer related!

1) RJ Rockers - Rock Hopper - American IPA 7.5% - Nice american IPA. Surprised that a small brewery would bother distributing in CT. The hops are very piney. Time to make another Facebook friend!

2) Peak Organic - Weiss Principal - 8.6% - Pretty strong for the style, but a style I am growing rather fond of. All the characteristics, with the banana, clove, bubble gum taste. Will certainly buy again.

3) The Bruery - Hottenroth - 3.1% - Berliner Weissbier - Not necessarily my style (needs more alcohol) but an interesting concoction to have once. This would be outrageous if you had it on a day where it was about 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-06-18T15:23:00.005-04:00

Went to NebCo for a growler of Ghandi Bot but they weren't there....anyway!

1) Clipper City - Dubbel Cannon - Nice Belgian IPA offering...7.3%....lightly spiced and hopped, this will be a quick six to go down!

By the way this place sells some cool shirts!

2) Harpoon Leviathan - Uber Bock - Nice 9% Maibock for this late spring early summer evening. Malty and robust. Might stick one away for the winter!

3) Firestone Walker - Porter (Walkers Reserve)- 5.8% - Tasty beer

4) Firestone Walker - Parabola - Obtained from one of my frequent trips to Westchester. Poured into a Duvel Glass. Nice pour into the glass, no lacing of note.
Bourbon and Vanilla. One of the most unique beers that I have had regarding the smell. See below for the taste. Dark Chocolate and then some, throw in some licorice as well. Prunes, figs vanilla, some mild coffee notes. Wow! No carbonation. just a little hot. Overall - Lives up to the hype!

Wanted to end the day on a beer review

2011-06-14T22:32:00.006-04:00

And so I shall

1) Harpoon - UFO Hefeweizen - I am actually at a point where I can't get enough of this style, and this is is a nice very attainable representation.

Rule Change!

If beer advocate lists it separately then so will I!

2) Great Divide - 17th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA - 10 % - Reasonably fresh at April 29th...I am not sure about wood aged DIPA's. I think it might mellow it out a bit and dry out the hops taste. Actually not what I am really looking for. Up to Neb Co for Ghandi Bot on Saturday!

3) Anchor Brewing - Summer Ale - I haven't reviewed much by Anchor. I actually need to review my lists to quantify what I can actually get in Ct. This is a nicely malted wheat beer, not much in the way of hops. Summer is a much underrated season for beer!

On the March to 900 Beer Review

2011-06-11T20:15:00.005-04:00

You keep brewing....I'll keep drinking

1) Ballast Point - Tongue Buckler - 10% Good way to start the road to 900. Nice hoppy amber red. Done!

2) Victory - Summer Love - American Blonde Ale - 5.2% - Nice summer ale, a little peach yeast taste. This is a very refreshing beer. I do need to make a road trip there!

3) Sixpoint Righteous Ale - 6.3% - Nice rye ale with a lot of hoppiness. Gotta love these guys as their beers are sold in 16 oz cans that they call nano kegs. I need to get to Brooklyn!

800

2011-06-11T18:29:00.004-04:00

Three Floyds - 2011 Dark Lord - 15% I think

2011 Vintage poured into a tulip glass

Apperance) Short head which almost immediately goes away. Minimal lacing.

Smell) Really get the dark fruit, cherries, raisins, chocolate and burnt coffee.

Taste) Man is this sweet. You really again get the dark/candied fruit taste, some smokiness which is supplemented by the chocolate and coffee flavors. There is almost a bit of crossover to a quad, very interesting!

Mouthfeel) Very rich, no carbonation.

Overall) I can see the hype on this. I can only imagine what the variations on this must taste like. Bourbon barrel aged must be a night ender!

Well done!

799

2011-06-10T22:04:00.003-04:00

Pelican Pub & Brewery - Mother of All Storms - 13.5%

Was lucky enough to get this. I think I understand now why there is a differentiation between English and American Barleywines basically the hop presence on the American side. This beer pours an opaque red. No head. First sip you know you have something special. The vanilla starts out and then comes the bourbon wallop! My only regret is that I don't have another one for aging (yet)!

Update...I e-mailed the brewer that I really enjoyed this and he e-mailed me back in 5 minutes...great Hobby!

Easing my way to 800!

2011-06-07T22:52:00.005-04:00

I might need MC's or Adam's help in the STD (no not an Anthony Wiener post) STD would be standard deviation within the 100 increments. I think this is my fastest between 100 increments....anyaway!

795 -Clipper City - Hang Ten - 10% Weizen Dopplebock - Or in other cases a wheat wine. Very tasty, get the Marzan taste. Too sweet!

796 - Lakefront Brewing - Biere De Garde - 7.2% - Nice Farmhouse Ale - It is actually very refereshing in the new heat wave going on. Love me some Funk!

This is why corporate America rocks!

797 - World Brews Four in Hand IPA - 6.3% - Mnaged and brewed by these folks I think this is a corporate brewer for Whole Foods...this is tasty!

798 - Widmer Brothers - Pitch Black IPA - 6.5% - This is a nice beer to drink, kind of weird that given the color you don't get the malty taste. Actually picked up this 4 pack in Bridgeport!

Beer Alert!

2011-06-04T15:17:00.010-04:00

I finally have enough in house for beer 800! I thought it would take a few weeks, then the Whole Foods opened up in Fairfield and I was able to get a mix a six of stuff I hadn't had and then I went up to Amity Wine & Spirits and found some reasonable bombers that I hadn't had...that said let the insanity continue....I think we will start off with something light....

1)Huyghe - Delirium Nocturnum - 8.5% - I know I have had this but don't have an record of it. Starts out with the raisin and plum taste and finishes with a weir metallic taste. Other people on BA noticed this as well. May just stick with the Tremens! I do need to get a couple of those snifters!

2) Berkshire Brewing - Raspberry Barley Wine Style Ale - 9% - Maybe a bit too sweet....this will hurt tomorrow.

3) Stone IRS - Belgo Anise - 10% - No... this went wrong.

4) The Hartford Better Beer Co - Arch Ale - Contract brewed by Shipyard...A little too malty for my taste....hopefully the next offering is better!

5)The Hartford Better Beer Co - Arch IPA - Drain pour.

6) Rogue - Dad's Little Helper Black IPA - 7% - Nice Stout not sure why the call this an IPA though...have not had much luck lately with the last couple of beers!

7) The Bruery - Cuir - Old Ale - 14.5% - Done screwing around, going to the heavy hitters. This is their third anniversary ale. To me its is more of a quad that is very boozy. Good though, will drink this for a bit!

8) Berkshire Brewing - Steel Rail XPA - 5.3% - May be a little too light for me. Still nice beer!

9) Stillwater - 25 to One - 8.4% - Belgian Strong Dark Ale - Not bad a little more carbonated for the style. More malt than plum or raisin taste. I will buy this again if I can!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-06-01T22:10:00.006-04:00

Oh Well....wanted to see if Adam reads this blog...he will get it fast...

1) Peak Organic - King Krimson - An Imperial Red Ale - 8% - Don't get much of the hops and may be a bit too malty for me. That's the con, the plus is that this is nicely fresh.I actually had this on tap at Mudville 9. I wonder if they had Tarkus on their juke box?

2) Pretty Things - Field Mouse's Farewell - 7% - This is a very nice light saison. By light I meen no huge peppery taste. Nice beer, this husband and wife team remain two of my favorites! Great people.

3) Berkshire Brewing - Shabadoo Balck and Tan Ale - 6.3% - Have not reviewed a lot from this brewery, may really need to do more. Nice silky beer, has a mild porter taste, a little vanilla. At 3.99 a bomber, not bad!

4) Full Sail Hop Pursuit - American Pale Ale - 6% - Another one of this is what beers should be....beers. Fresh bitter hops, clean finish!

Memorial Day Weekend Beer Review!

2011-05-27T17:09:00.008-04:00

Thank you to those who have served, my father, Uncle Bobby, Mr. Vinica, Don Walters, Billy Morissey, Mr. Martin these are for you.....(and do I have a line up!)

1) Sierra Nevada - Summerfest - 5.0% - It says it's a lager on the bottle but it is listed on BA as a Pilsner, who knows? What I do know is that a low amount of alcohol doesn't mean no taste!

2) The Bruery - Marron Acidifie - 8.5% - Dark Ale Sour Ale aged in Oak Barrel - Collaboration with Cigar City - Been holding on to this for a while....I'm really starting to get into these sours...this one is certainly a sipper!

3) Peak Brewing - Hop Noir - 8.2% - Black IPA - Looks likes a stout and tastes a bit more like one as well with just a little bitterness. Tasty though, easily drinkable. Beer 777, I think I have fast tracked it to 800 with some of the seasonal releases! Mix a sixes certainly help!

4) Sixpoint - The Crisp - 5.4% - These guys have just released their tasty concoction in cans. The artwork is stunning, they have a bar code label that is going to piss a lot of people off, and the beer is great. This one is a Vienna lager. Session beer's should all be like this. Sixpoint is from Brooklyn, I love that borough!

5) Riverhorse - Saison - Nice Farmhouse Ale - I could drink Saison's all day!

6) Riverhorse - American Amber which leads us to......

7) Riverhorse - Lager - Another go to beer...I'm getting lazy!

During the week beer review

2011-05-23T21:32:00.008-04:00

Had a couple of sessions hanging aound and may go to the city this weekend and try to find some Sixpoint in cans.

1) Buffalo Bill's Brewery - Alimony Ale - 6.8% - OK maybe not a session ale. Different type of IPA as the malts were very pronouced against the hoppy bitterness. Not quite sure how this got to Connecticut but glad it did!

2) Southampton - Biere De Mars - 6.5% - I was off on the sessioniability wasn't I - Anyway nice Farmhouse ale. Bready malts and honey. Would buy again!

3) Smuttynose - Summer Weizen 5.5% - Tasty Summer beer (had on the first night it seems like summer). I am going to have to try some more of these summer beers as they will get me closer to 800 and I have been neglecting the style (my fault).

4) Saranac - Hefeweizen - Another Summer Beer, per review of my records I have not reviewed enough from these folks. That stops now. Again, I really like this style.

5) Saranac - Kolsch - Nice light lager..good night!

Coninuing on then....

6) Harpoon Summer - Another Kolsch...Summer might not be that bad of a season for beer.

And then the insanity begins!

7)Widmer Brothers - Galaxy Hopped Barleywine Ale - 9.5% My type of summer drink! This is actually kind of tasty, the alochol sets in but you don't get that malt bomb as the hops are really present. Might want to age a bottle of this!

Rapture Beer Review!

2011-05-21T14:24:00.006-04:00

I don't think buying beers on Ebay is a path I want to be going down, but the horse has left the barn!

1) Widmer Brothers - Nelson Imperial IPA 8.6% - Ha Ha! Just the famous Nelson quote from the Simpson's. This is a very solid DIPA. Access to this brewery is a bit spotty in CT. I need to get some more of their brews as this is quite tasty!

News note - Apparently we live in the golden age of beer. Nice.

2) Cavalry Brewing - Marauder IPA - Abv unknown. Kind of a weird beer. A little malty no real hops presence. I saw a review that called it an unsweetened Ice Tea and I thought that was accurate.

3) Boulder Beer Company Hoopla Pale Ale - 5.7% Brewed for a Music Festival in Colorado, release dated May to September 2011 so I was very surprised to find this in New Haven, Connecticut. This pours a nice amber color, two finger head. Hops are slight and bitter, mostly malty taste. Nice beer to kick off a Sunday....could see myself going back to this over the summer. First beer I have added to Beer Advocate!

$) Southern Tier = Cuvee 3 Way too sweet. Done!

Pliny the Elder

2011-05-21T13:45:00.002-04:00

Russian River Brewing - Pliny the Elder - 8%

This one deserves its own review

Bottle dated 4-28-11. Poured into a Russian River Pint Glass...

Appearance) Nice hazy yellow with a full head. Very nice lacing.

Smell) Get a very nice sweet aroma.

Taste) Starts out sweet with the citrusy hops followed by a bit of bitter grapefruit zest that quickly dissipates with the malt. This beer prepares you for your next taste!

Mouthfeel) Nice and lightly carbonated.

Overall) A classic what more can I say.

Time to compile!

2011-05-16T20:30:00.009-04:00

Man 756 was kind of a lame review. Must have been the 13.5% ABV. Was going to elaborate on this one after the fact but figured I'd let the record stand as is!

The way I am going to pick up an easy 5 more is the new Sam Adam's release Latitude 48 IPA - Deconstructed where they brew a single hop version using Hops that are grown at the 48th Latitude. This is an outstanding idea by Sam and I may pick up another 12 pack in short order! (Freshness date says this should be good for the Fourth of July!)

1) Sam Adam's Latitude 48 - Hallertau Mittelfrueh - 6.0% Going to try and see if I can distinguish these but we will see. This hop to me is a bit sticky sweet. Am interested to see where this review goes. Hopefully better than the last one!

2) Sam Adam's Latitude 48 - Zeus - 6.0% - So far this one is ahead as I like the little more bitterness to the sweetness noted above. Need to find the one with that Citrus balance!

3)Sam Adam's Latitude 48 - Simcoe - 6.0% - Tasty but Zeus is still ahead. This is a little more bitter but with a real pronounced grapefruit zest taste. Still haven't gotten the Citrus balance that I want! Should finish these tomorrow!

4) Sam Adam's Latitude 48 - Ahtanum - 6.0% - Isn't this the 3rd Pharaoh or something like that? Anyway Zeus is still ahead but this one is nice. This might be the IPA to introduce to non beer geek friends.

5) Sam Adam's Latitude 48 - East Kent Goldings - 6.0% - Too malty Zeus wins! I definitely recommend the 12 pack for the deconstructed series!

6) Sam Adam's - Wee Heavy (Imperial) - 10% - Not a huge fan of the style (Scotch Ale) but this is one of the better one's. The Beer Advocate rating is way too low. This is not an overpowering malt bomb and is insanely drinkable.

756

2011-05-15T18:15:00.002-04:00

Kuhnhenn - Bourbon Barrel Aged Fourth Dimentia - Done!

755 - I tie the Hammer!

2011-05-15T15:45:00.002-04:00

Firestone Walker - 14th Anniversary Ale 12.5% (Ouch!)Poured into a Brandy snifter (for good cause)! No head or lacing at all. A little nice lightness around the edges from the top but looking at a very dark brown at the bottom. Smell - Bourbon and Vanilla, little bit of coffee. Taste - Jackhammer, this one comes at you big time. To me this is part Quad, part stout and part barleywine! Overall - I need another bottle of this to age!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-05-13T21:11:00.008-04:00

Damn Blogger messed me up yesterday!

1) Pretty Things - Once Upon a Time 12-6-1855 - East India Porter - 6% They say that most of the English Beers shipped to India (hence IPA) were porters so they brewed a porter based on what would have been available in 1855. Not sure about the history of all this but it is fun to try new styles and see someone push the envelope. The brewer is fun to talk to! This is beer 750. On my way to Hank! (most likely next week). I do though have the beer that will be 800 in the house!

2) Captain Lawrence - Saison - Not sure of the ABV would guess 6 to 7%. They just released this and I picked up a growler at DeCicco's. Tasty classic Saison style, love the funkiness! This style has really grown on me. By the way, I may meet and pass Hank tomorrow as I found an absolute classic way to inflate the numbers! Hey, I am a compiler!

3)Captain Lawrence - Fresh Chester Pale Ale - 5.6% - I am pretty sure I had this with MC at a cask fest at Rattle n Hum a couple of years ago. Don't remember being overly impressed then but this is very nice. I'm guessing it was a fresh keg tap at DeCicco's. You can't go wrong with the Captain!

3) BluePoint Pale Ale - 5.0% Nice hoppy presence!

4) Wachusett - Belgian Style White - 4.5% - Nice refreshing Belgian Wheat Ale. Nicy spicy banana/peach taste. That is beer 754. Got a couple of big ones coming to tie and pass Hank!

Mid Week Beer Review!

2011-05-10T21:29:00.002-04:00

Boy Tuesday is not mid week....anyway had a classic lying around and figured I'd give it a go!

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel - Peche Mortel - 9.5% - Was lucky enough to have had this on cask once and then was able to find a bottle. This was poured into a Brooklyn Brewery Snifter. Jet black, not much of head, medium lacing. Smell - Nice Sunday morning hanging in coffee! Taste - Coffee plus, I like the way there is a bit of sweeter chocolate in the beginning that is followed up with a mild bitter after taste. Very smooth moouthfeel, not a lot of carbonation. Overall - This is too easy to drink at 9.5% Can very easily see why a lot of folks like this.

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-05-07T15:16:00.013-04:00

Going to continue with the sessions and then hopefully build up to a couple of big boys pre Derby!

1) Victory Headwaters Pale Ale - 5.1% - East Coast version of SN PA. Grassy hops and easily drinkable. Certainly one of those beers that you can transition someone to craft! Beer 741...getting close to Hank!

2) Harpoon Oyster Stout - 5.1% - Tasty but not sure what the Oysters do!

3) Dogfish Head - Hellhound on My Ale - 10% - This is very good not sure if you can get in CT yet. Kind of like a high test summer shandy! This was released by Dogfish to commemorate the 100th birthday of Robert Johnson. Well done. The bottle artwork is fantastic. This is a keeper!

4) Sierra Nevada - Beer Camp 37 - Weizenbock - 6.8% - Nice take on the style. I have had Aventinus and this is a much lighter version. I like the beer camp concept that SN has done. Hope they continue with it.

5) Sierra Nevada - Beer Camp 16 - Juniper Black Ale - 8% - Interesting type of beer. Chocolate Malt with some gin type flavor (I guess from the Juniper). I thought it was a black IPA but apparently it is a Winter Warmer. Nice beer!

6) Sierra Nevada - Beer Camp # 8 - California Common - 6.5% - Never heard of the style called California Common. Guess it had to do with the brewing method. Could also be called a steam beer but that is trademarked by Anchor. Who knew!

7) City Steam - Naughty Nurse - Nice to review something in state (but do have to admit that English Bitter is not my favorite style). Anyway need to go for a growler soon.

Spring in Bridgeport!

2011-05-05T20:44:00.002-04:00

Mid Week Beer Review!

2011-05-04T16:14:00.005-04:00

Heading to a new client next Monday so took this week off. Had a very lame beer review last week. Time to make it up!

1) Sam Adam's Light 4% - One of tastiest light beers out there. I am going to be doing some session beers coming up!

2) Sam Adam's - East West Kolsch - 5.0% - Refreshing and delicious!

The battle for Dark Lord is joined! (And it has been won!)

3) Kuhnhenn - Blackberry Porter - Another tasty offering. I like the fruity taste with the chocolate undertones. This works!

4) Sierra Nevada - Best of beer camp 29 - DIPA - the Ghidorrah from Decicco's. Alex said they changed the recipe, So I am re reviewing this. Somewhere between a Celebration and a Torpedo and that is a great thing!

5) Sam Adams - Summer Ale - nice light ale with a bit of lemon. This actually may be my go to summet beer (until I change my mind tomorrow)!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-04-30T14:57:00.002-04:00

Starting a little late on this but have some tasty treats!

1) Tullycross Tavern - IPA - My guess on the ABV - 7% - Used to be part of the John Harvard's chain but for whatever reason they went off on their own. This is a very tasty IPA, almost bordering on a DIPA. Only drawback is that they will only fill their own growler, but having another growler is always a good thing. I wish these folks well!

Mid Week Beer Review!

2011-04-27T17:28:00.007-04:00

Had to stay home today. Early this morning on Facebook I saw that DeCicco's was having a Kuhnhenn event. Picked up some excellent offerings and some rarities!

1) Kuhnhenn - Vintage Ale 17% - A lemony tasty barleywine! Apparently they stopped brewing this a couple of years ago and must have had a vintage keg hanging around. As I look at beermenus.com Kuhnhenn was at Rattle n' Hum last night so I would guess I am right. I love vintage kegs!

2) Wachusett - Green Monsta Ale - 6.0% Kind of a nice pale ale....Apparently they made this into an American IPA. Drinkable.

3) Kuhnhenn - American IPA - 6.0% - Nice mild hoppy flavor. Think I am recovering from the Vintage Ale.

4) Kuhnhenn - Imperial Creme Brulee Stout 8% - A nice little vanilla nose but the taste is over the top coffee (a good thing). This would be a great breakfast beer!

5) Sam Adams - Rustic Saison - About 5% or so. I think this is tasty. I think I am in the minority. I hate defending things from Boston.

Easter Beer Review!

2011-04-22T14:47:00.009-04:00

Bought a nice little (I mean BIG) beer for when I pass Hank. Converted MC into a DeCicco's disciple (I think).

1) Sixpoint - Sweet Action - 5.2% - Thought I had reviewed this but apparently not. Nice little session beer, a little peach taste and silky smooth, hence the name Cream I guess!

2) Greenport Harbor Brewing - Harbor Ale - 5.3% - What's with all these session ales! Anyway nice little pale ale. I need to make a Long Island trip to see the boys at Bellport shortly, as I am the original beero!

3) Lakefront Brewery - Bridge Burner - American Strong Ale - 8% - I thought this was a barleywine, but am not sure what an American Strong Ale v. a Barleywine is. Anyway very tasty, nice beer to get into the strong portion of tonight's entertainment!

Shenanigan's!

4) Ruckus Brewing - Hoptimus Prime - 9.0 % - DIPA - I guess these guys took over from Legacy. I've reviewed this before (from Legacy) so that's why I call Shenanigan's. By the way tasty beer!

5) Unibroue - Terrible - 10.5% - Belgian Strong Ale - Ouch! Outstanding!

6) Sebago Brewing - Bourbon Barrel Aged Lake Trout Stout - 6% - Surprised at the low ABV on this but it is a nice tasty offering. About $6 to $7 for a bomber. Well priced!

7) Pretty Things - Jack D'Or - 6.4% - Nice American take on the Saison style maybe a little hoppy for the style. Certainly one of the better things to come out of Massachusetts!

8) Urthel - Samaranth - 11.0% - Nice Quad. I needed that after going out walking in the monsoon!

9) Weyerbacher - Merry Monks - 9.3% Belgian Style Golden Ale - Very tasty, signing out!

Beer Geek Meets Girl

2011-04-21T19:04:00.000-04:00

Mid Week Beer Review!

2011-04-20T19:04:00.008-04:00

Getting ready for the epic Horseradish adventure! Update no fingers lost!

1) The Duck Rabbit - Brown Ale - 5.6% - This is a little brewery in North Carolina. I've had their Barleywine which was excellent, as is this. Opaque brown, with some coffee smell. You then get the coffee taste and a nice dry hop finish. Shame I have to go to the Philly area to pick this up!

Uh Oh tactical error time!

2) Voodoo Brewing Company - Black Magick - 15.5% - Ouch didn't pay attention to what I was opening. This beer was brewed in 2009 and aged in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels for a year and recently released. This is one boozy beer! I could have had some fun comparing this to a GI BCS or a KBS but maybe that ship sailing is a good thing!

3) Middle Ages Brewing Co - Beast Bitter - 5.3% - The BA guys gave this an A+ - didn't know that when I bought it. This is not so much my style, but what gets this going is the upfront peach taste with a hoppy bitterness at the end. Very tasty!

4) Weyerbacher 14 - 11.8% - Wheat Whine - 11.8% - This has aged a bit as I reviewed 15 before 14. Bubble gum and peach taste. Kind of like an insane wine cooler. Would hope to come across another botttle to age for a year or two.

5) McNeill's -Dead Horse IPA - 5.7% - English IPA - I guess good for the style but I like American IPA's better.

On to Hank!

2011-04-17T14:46:00.002-04:00

1) Captain Lawrence - St Vincents Dubbel - 8% I guess...this needs to be reconfigured. It's awful. I feel bad about this as CL is a great Brewer. If you are going to do a Dubbel do a Dubbel. If you are going to do sour at least do a good one!

715 - I pass the Babe!

2011-04-17T14:01:00.001-04:00

Babe this is for you. Goose Island - Big John - Imperial Stout with Cacao Nibs added - 11.5%

Scored a bomber of this in Westchester, NY. Poured into a snifter. Bottled on date 3/25/11....a youngster!

Appearance) Jet black, no real head to notice, minor lacing.

Smell) Chocolate of course get some dried fruit as well.

Taste) My first thought is where's the Bourbon as I am kind of used to that from GI. The semi-sweet chocolate taste is really dominant (expected). If you like chocolate this is for you. What I like is that the sweetness is not overpowering.

Mouthfeel) Very smooth, no alcohol burn at all.

Overall) What surprised me here is the overall drinkability of this which I thought was pretty easy given the ABV. Not sure what aging would do to this (but hopefully I'll find out!). Really enjoyed this....this would have been a great holiday release!

Weekend Beer Review!

2011-04-16T14:15:00.006-04:00

Going to close the hatches as this looks like its is going to be a nasty storm later. Going to do something special coming up. I have two beers aside to celebrate when I pass the Babe and Hammerin' Hank! There are no other home run records to consider.

1) Blue Hills Brewery - Red IPA - 9.0% - Tasty beer, kind of a weird style. I think the hops have faded a bit and what I basically have is a light barleywine. Too easily drinkable though.

2) Hill Farmstead - Phenomology - 7% - Black Saison - Get the banana, fruit and spices...very interesting beer.

3) Bar Harbor - Cadillac Mountain Stout - 6.7% Yet another in a long line of Stouts that prove that Americans are better at this than the English or Irish. Jet black and has some nice burnt dried fruit flavor...little bit of cocoa going on a well.

4) White Birch - Barrel Aged Tripel - 10.5% - Tripel Aged in Pinot Noir Barrels - Very tasty, interesting concept with the aging in the white wine barrels. This got killed on BA. I could drink this for a while!

5) The Peoples Pint - Our Oatmeal Stout - 5.1% - Wow this is one huge chocolate bomb!. The contrast with the Bar Harbor stout noted above is stunning. Really enjoyed this one. By the way, just tied the Babe!

Kind of mid week beer review!

2011-04-12T19:05:00.006-04:00

Had a couple of beers with a (semi) reasonable octane level so I figured what the hey. Also after reading about the budget chicanery going on as reported by the AP....Didn't heroes of the people like Obama and Biden decry this at one point? "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!"

1)Maine Beer Company - Peeper Ale - 5.5% - This ain't even a micro brewery, it's a nano-brewery! Nice beasutiful orange unique hoppy taste. Got this from Table and Vine. Glad I tried it. Hopefully can find this in the summer!

2) Clown Shoes - Tramp Stamp 7.0% - Very Tasty Belgian IPA. Not that boozy but could sip this for a while. Well done!

3) Clown Shoes - Brown Angel - 7.0% - Brown Ale - Not my style really but a bit better than most. Nice hoppiness and is still reasonably fresh (bottled 2/11). I like Clown Shoes, wish they would brew some more stuff! Also would wish they would produce a pint glass with their logo!

Government Shut down beer Review

2011-04-08T17:42:00.008-04:00

Because about 30 billion in cuts of a how many trillion dollar budget is Draconian! Draconian I tell you! Actually I think the empty suit went on vacation again. Good.

1) Brooklyn Brewery - Main Engine Start - Belgian Pale Ale 6.2% - Tasty but really don't get that yeast taste. The hops and malts over power it a bit. Still am enjoying it though.

2) Brasserie Duyck - Printemps - 5.4% - Frogs stick to wine

3) Bear Republic - Apex - Imperial IPA - 7.5% - A bit syrupy and sweet but the hops are true and true. Wish there was a bit more citrus flavor though. Very nice!

4) Defiant - Three Fingers IPA - Apparently their Single Finger IPA clocked it at 7%. Might have a Charlie Sheen moment later on! Filled from the tank at the brewery. Pretty tasty!

5) Sierra Nevada - Ovila - Dubbel 7.5% - Brewed in collaboration with the Abbey of New Clairvaux. Nice beer but the taste is a bit thin. Don't really get the yeast taste. They are supposed to be releasing a quad in the fall. Looking forward to that.

6) The Peoples Pint - Pied pIPA - 5.7% - Pretty solid beer. The website is fun to visit to. All that left wing Masshole bs nonsense not withstanding.

700!

2011-04-07T19:56:00.002-04:00

Goose Island - Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout - 13%! Again lifted from the BA review. Whew, I'm tired! By the way did the Red Sox win today?

Got lucky and picked up a bottle of this in NYC at a beer distributorship on the Lower East Side when they had a GI event. Bottled 3/26/10...this should be fun!

A) As with all of the barrel aged stout offerings from GI, jet black, little carbonation and medium lacing.

S) Coffee and Vanilla, surprisingly light on the bourbon though.

T) Coffee and Vanilla with a bit of a chocolate finish. Again, what surprises me is how muted the bourbon is as my 2008 regular versions are a bourbon bomb!

M) Smooth, what really drives this rating is the absolute lack of alcohol bite, yet (after some time) you still know that it is there.

O) Without a doubt one of the better beers I've had. I think the one year on this worked very well. But still I wonder what this was like fresh!

699

2011-04-06T19:49:00.002-04:00

I think I am on track to do number 700 (tomorrow) which I think is the date they repealed prohibition. Pretty cosmic!

Firestone Walker - Abacus (Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine) 13% - My review lifted from Beer Advocate!

Poured from a bottle into a brandy snifter. Have had this bottle for about a month.

Appearance) Ruddy brown color, little to no head, mild lacing.

Smell) Caramel and vanilla, a faint trace of bourbon.

Taste) Now for the fun, the caramel and vanilla are backed up by a bit of chocolate, this is sweet (of course) but there is a nice balance towards the end with some slight hoppy bitterness and a little "oaky" smokiness!

Mouthfeel) Smooth with just a bit of an alcohol burn. This will age very nicely.

Overall) Another great beer from Firestone Walker and yet another reason to do my beer shopping other than in Connecticut!

698

2011-04-05T19:30:00.003-04:00

My first world class rating. Goose Island Brand Vanilla Stout (13%). Copying the BA review I did!

Got this bottle from a beer event from New Beer Distributors on Chyrystie Street. Had this on tap at the Tiger. Nice to have one from the bottle so I can think about this one.

A) Jet black very little head.

S) Now to the fun part, vanilla all the way, just a hint of bourbon (given their other stouts).

T) Again, Vanilla, a bit of Bourbon and a little bit of chocolate. Hold on is there some coconut there?

M) This is where this beer wins it for me. The bottle date is 11/5/10. I've had the 2008 and 2009 regular barrel aged beers (and the Rare). While those are great beers this is so smooth.

I like the strong bourbon beers but this is so balanced it is such a treat. Well done!

697

2011-04-05T13:31:00.002-04:00

Took the day off to recover/recuperate....that said, tactical error time!

Goose Island - Rare - 13.0% - Bottle 1,779 Bottled - 11/19/2010 - Served in a Brooklyn Brewery Snifter. Appearance - Jet black, little to no head or lacing. Smell - Wow bring on the bourbon. The sweetness of the smell is very strong (and I have a cold today). Definitely get some hints of vanilla in the smell as well. Taste - Again with the bourbon (obviously) do pick up the vanilla again (a little bit of coffe as well) and the earthiness of the Oak. Mouthfeel - No real carbonation noted, what brings this down a bit is the sting of the alcohol. Overall - Really enjoyed this. Obviously a sipper. Actually had the good fortune to have a neat serving of Pappy Van Winkle. This beer does push the envelope.