Abita Brewing Company - Jockamo IPA

Preface: I am now up to 50 reviews on the blog in the short amount of time I've been doing reviews. So I was thinking what beer should I review to mark the occasion...Well I was gonna do a hard to find original from my neck of the woods. Then I thought,  how about the best Belgian Beer out there..."Orval"...Neither of those hit me good, so i figured I'd do the highest rated brew that i have submitted for review so far.

ABITA Brewing Company

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.5%

Color: Very attractive orange-brown with a lighter hue on the bottom. It pours with a very nice and creamy head that hangs on nicely

Aroma: An overwhelming orange on first inhale then get some light florals in the nose also...Completely enjoyable and intoxicating.

Taste: Orange is dominant, but there is definitely grapefruit and i would say lime coming through also. Not as much bitter bite as you might expector want with an IPA, but some bitter is there. The finish hangs onto the tongue nicely.

Overall: Love it, a great effort from Abita. Nice citrusiness and just the right amount of dryness. The only complaint could be not enough bitter for an IPA, but the body, nose, and mouthfeel totally overcompensate for any hop bitterness lacking. Great balance and just an all around great beer.

Score: 9.4/10

SMUTTY NOSE BREWING COMPANY - "Finestkind" IPA

Smutty Nose Brewing

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.9%

Color: Opaque cloudy orange with lighter tones on the top and bottom. Light head that leaves a little lacing.

Aroma: Nice citrus hoppiness that comes clean and holds the nose for some time.

Taste: Bitter and dry with a pleasant floral and citrusy punnch. The body is light to medium and it finishes hanging onto the roof of the mouth

Overall: The dry more than the bitter is what is most dominant. It comes through clean and almost overwhelming with the dryness. I ilke it. Some of you won't. Very good effort Smutty Nose.

Score: 8.1/10

MURPHY'S IRISH RED ALE REVIEW

Type: Irish Red Ale

ABV: 5%

Color: Transparent brown with a red tone(no really?) with a one-finger thick creamy white head.

Aroma: Mellow spicy sweet with a nice floral bouquet that stays within the glasses frame.

Taste: Creamy but dry with a mild bitterness. There is a very light malt touch that hangs til the end as it coats the tongue nicely.

Overall: Good but very simple. Not too complex at all. It is balanced but nothing stands out to make it unique from the other reds out there.

Score: 7.3/10

ALLAGASH Brewing Company - Dubbel Ale Review

ALLAGASH DUBBEL

Type: Dubbel

ABV: 7%

Color: Beautiful opaque medium brown that tends lighter at the bottom. It has a thin head with some lacing.

Aroma: Not really much of a throw from the glass...On deep inhale some carameled sweets sweetness comes through along wwith some malt.

Taste; Malt, caramel, and alcohol are the first and most aggressive tastes. I get chocolate in there also. No bitterness to compare to the strong malt body.

Overall: No flavor really stands out, and that would usually mean a balanced beer, but not with this one. The malt wants to stand out but the chocolate won't let it...The chocolate wants to also but the caramel keeps it in check. It has an light to medium body that is dull in the middle and no-existant at the end.

Score: 7/10

STARR HILL BREWERY - Dark Starr Stout Review

Starr Hill Brewery

Type: Stout

ABV: 4.2%

Color: The darkest brown, basically black with a nice tan head

Aroma: Coffee, caramel, alcohol, and smoked malt are abundant.

Taste: Smokey and dry with a very little amount of bitterness, alcohol and woodsey essences.

Overall: I preface this, this way...I am not too fond of stouts, but i still try them to hopefully one day finding that awesome stout that is out there. With that being said, I really didn't enjoy this one at all. Surprisingly light body for a stout. The taste of alcohol is the reason I'm not digging it at all...It is the most awarded DRY IRISH STOUT in the country. Sorry, but i don't really get it. The main reason i grabbed this one is because of the Grateful Dead tribute...Obviously!

Score: 5/10

Samuel Smith's INDIA ALE Review

SAMUEL SMITH'S - India Ale

Type: India Ale(Pale)

ABV: 5%

Color: Shiny new penny copper with a slight tinge of red added. It has a nice thick creamy white head(like beaten egg whites) with incredible lacing.

Aroma: Sweet and clean...Orange with other hints of citrus. Some light floral tones coming through from the hops.

Taste: Smooth and very subtle...at first dull, like tap water, then it comes up and the hops hit through, not hard, but subliminally in the guise of orange and a little smoke. Some malt keeps things balanced til the end where that smoke helps dry things out.

Overall: I am very happy that i picked this brew up the other day. Well balanced, clean and refreshing. Can dfinitely be enjoyed with spicy foods or on a hot summer afternoon.

Score: 8.8/10

MAGIC HAT BREWERY - Lucky Kat Pale Ale

Magic Hat - Lucky Kat

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 5.8%

Color: Cloudy, virtually opaque, orange-hued brown, with light yellows at the bottom. Some very thin white head that disipates almost immediately , and leaves some light lacing.

Aroma: Mild citrus of orange and lemon come through well. Then a touch of earthy hoppiness, and some spice(maybe corriander.

Taste: Muted mixes of citrus and carbination. The bitterness is there but is dull for a 60 IBU beer. The taste does stay with the tongue for a long time and turns sour the longer its there.

Overall: Not bad, but the flavors aren't distinct enought to really pull any one from the others. Can be enjoyed, but it wouldn't be my first choice for a Pale Ale or an offering from MAGIC HAT. Try Blind Faith or #9

Score: 7.2/10