Otter Creek Brewing - Oktoberfest Review

Type: Oktoberfest

ABV: 4.5%

Sight: Transparent orange with a hint of gold towards the bottom. White and less than a half-inch thick is how the creamy head pours...a thin film completely closes the surface of the beer.

Aroma: Hop overwhelms the malt a tad with an earthy grassy front. Some mild alcohol spice brings on the sweet malt body at the end.

Taste: Light biscuity malt starts the beer out, then light hints of dryness and a generous amount of hop essence. Grass and pine parts keep the body working towards it's end where there is a good tartness that bites the back of the jaw.

Overall: Not bad at all...I enjoy the hoppiness that comes through in earthy tones, and leaves that sour tart taste that lingers for a good 5 minutes after the last sip. The mouthfeel is light as is the carbination that helps the aftertaste hold on for a good while.

Score: 7.8/10



Otter Creek - Oktoberfest

DogFish Head Brewery - Bitches Brew Review

Type: "A dark beer that's a fusion of three threads imperial stout and one thread honey"

ABV: 9%

IBU: 38

Sight: There are no if's,an's, or but's about it...This is a very boldly dark beer, chocolate black in body with a half-fingers thin, foamy light brown sugar colored head. Theat head wanes fast to leave a spotty film in the center, and in a ring around the glass.

Aroma: On the initial inhale I get alcohol, chocolate, roasted malt and licorice. Second and deeper breath give a more complex nose of fig, prunes, and plum, but also some earthiness of tree-bark or unsweetened cocoa nibs.

Taste: With the presentation of a stout youd not expect sweetness as abundant as you get with this beer. Cherry, candied sugar, and that added honey are welcoming in the initial sip, then alcohol and a light bitter follow nicely. Near the end you get more of those sweeter noted from plum, and possible raisin. It finishes fairly clean with a continued tang on the sides of the mouth.

Overall: Well, as said in the tasting notes, I was completely turned 180 degrees from what I expected. Mouthfeel is fizzy and light to medium. You will get a tingle from the front to back. It is balanced well, but could possibly use a creamy element to make it as "Historic" as the album for which it's named. It is a fine beer though, don't get me wrong, and a fitting tribute to the man, the ledgend...Miles Davis

Score: 8.6/10

Stillwater Artisanal Ales - Of Love & Regret Review

Type: Belgian Saison Ale

ABV: 7.2%

Sight: This brew pours with a very animated bubbly white head that nearly goes over the top of the glass. Opaque burnt orange-brown is what the body displays.

Aroma: Starts off with a heaping helping of wheat that is refreshing and sweet. Lemon zest, and yeast follow boldly, and on the second inhale I get more citrus, this time its orange that tingles the back of the nose.

Taste: It comes across a sweet tingly orange from the beginning that leads into a tremendous, wheaty body. The tingle continues through as the yeast pops and takes it to the end that is slightly creamy.

Overall: From the first inhale you can tell this is gonna be a great saison. The wheat is strong but still not overpowering as one might think. The Belgian yeast is the key component that holds it all together and keeps the balance. Mouthfeel is medium with a hint of creaminess that lingers on the sides of the tongue.

Score: 8.9/10 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales

Birra Moretti - Lager Review

Type: Lager

ABV: 4.6%

Sight: Clear and golden wheat in color this beer has plenty of bubbly carbination rising from the bottom. The pour leaves a thin, and active white head about a half fingers length.

Aroma: Light malt essence up front with a pop of earthy pine, possibly a sour note from dill on second take. Biscuitiness of yeast would round it for me.

Taste: Refreshing and light is the character. A slightly sweet malt backbone that is enhanced with a sour yeastiness and mellow hoppy bite. Mouthfeel is light and doesn't leave any bad aftertaste to speak of.

Overall: I got exactly what I expected from this beer. A slightly sweet lager with a light body that goes down easy. The sour that comes in around mid-point is what makes this brew unique from the other "lighter" lager or pilsners from Europe. If you drink it be careful, it wouldn't be hard to forget how many you have had. Good job Moretti, looking forward to getting my hands on La Rossa.

Score: 8/10

Birra Moretti - Lager

Stone Brewing Company - "Oaked" Arrogant Bastard Ale Review

Type: American Strong Ale

ABV: 7.2%

Sight: This is one of the most beautifully colored beers I have had the pleasure of trying. It is a Deep translucent mahogany brown with hints of red & black hitting it depending on which way it is held. The whipped-head poured full and mocha in color about an inch thick.

Aroma: Caramel comes forth strong up front with cream and a touch of oak beeming through also. On a further inhale,  after a swirl I get a little spice, along with a mild hop.

Taste: Creaminess, some alcohol heat and roasted caramel are the frontrunners here. The oak is in the middle and is awesome. It adds a completely new and aggressive dimension to the original. Sweetness of plum, or prunes are there for me also. In the end it actually fades nicely leaving only that mild fruit-sour tingle to the tongue.

Overall: The oak-aging makes the original Arrogant Bastard, while good, great. A new dimension opens up in the palate. More creaminess is created also in the medium body of this addictive brew. Balance from front to back won't leave you wishing you had more of this and less of that. A complete well-rounded brew.

Score: 9.2/10

                                                                                                    Stone - Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Oliver Ales - Pratt St. Ale House - Nitrogen-poured 3 Spires Review

                                         The 3 Spires of coventry, which the brew was named



Type: English Golden Ale

ABV: 5%

Sight: Crystal clear golden-orange body with no carbonation or head to speak of...It's not the beer it must have been a bad poor from the brewery. Never fear, I charge on with the review.

Aroma: Very light in the nose. I get some light hop of pine and grass. The light malt scent is of a caramel sweetness. Again these smells are very light and unpronounced.

Taste: Very clean and nicely sweet. To me it's like a mild tea with a very earthy hop character. The front is mellow and the malt comes through sweet with a light sour bite. At the finish, the hops hold strong and become the whole of it all. Earthiness of pine, very mild citrus, and a tad dryness are it.

Overall: I've had this great beer a few times prior and got the positive from the nitro-pour...even getting this growler with no carbonation didn't really take the flavors and smoothness away. The only complaint i guess would be the tingles that come with the rest of the pour. I can actually give it a good score with the missing components, but would have given it an even higher score if poured to it's appropriate perfection.

Score: 8.5/10

Pratt Street Ale House

Goose Island Brewery - Honker's Ale Review

Type: ESB/English Style Bitter

ABV: 4.2%

Sight: Transparent light-amber yellow with a creamy bright-white head that dissipates quickly from it's original fingers thickness, to a surface covering film on top.

Aroma; Hop pine and orange, almost tangerine, that are very frisky on the nose. Malt comes around, but is very subtle and basically comes through only on a deeper inhale.  It is a very welcoming smell that makes you want to drink of it ASAP.

Taste: Earthy pine and nut, give way to a yeasty-dryness that cuts those earthy tones down. The second sip gives more of the first, but with an element of citrus...i would go as far as to say a certain type because it is muted, but it is there. The finish is mellow, and leaves that citrus tang on the edges of the tongue.

Overall: Nice with an extra-light body, which sorta surprised me...Figuring most ESB's are a little more light to medium in mouthfeel. Alcohol taste is very distant if there at all. The dryness actually overtakes this brew after getting to the middle of the glass. I like that element though, some won't.


Goose Island - Honkers Ale

Score: 8/10

Victory Brewing Co. - Festbier Review

Brewery: Victory - Festbier

Type: Octoberfest

ABV: 5.6%

Sight: Clear deep-dark amber-brown with a light red hue. A nice white head pours from the bottle, leaving a fingers-thick fluffy cap that dissloves into a very thin film on the surface.

Aroma: Lightly roasted malts are in the foreground with a tingle of alcohol and a touch hop earthiness in the background.

Taste: Dryness and the malt come forward well. The middle gets a little chalky and a bit more dryer. Following to the end comes a inubtrusive sour pinch on the corners of the tongue. The finish is mild and brings more maltiness that tries to cover that sour.

Overall: Not a bad representation of the style. Light mouthfeel malty and a light sweetness. It could be enjoyed as a session beer if you don't mind a little sour holding on to the edges of your tongue.

Score: 8.3/10