Heavy Seas Brewing - Great Pumpkin Imperial Ale Review

Type: Seasonal/Imperial Ale

ABV: 8%

Sight: This brew pours a deep translucent Orange over brown in color with an abundant frothy-white head near a half-inch in height. After the head calms, it leaves a beaten egg-white latter on the surface.

Aroma: Nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon rock the front as you should expect with this type of beer. On a second inhale I pull some roasted malt, and an ever-so subtle hint of pumpkin.

Taste: Creaminess in the form of the spices easily go down with a bit of the alcohol warmness following close behind. Malt tries to keep things balanced, but unfortunately the combo of spice and alcohol are a tad overpowering.

Overall: Definitely a good pumpkin brew, but I actually could have used more of the pumpkin in there to maybe mellow out the warmness and tingle of the alcohol. The mouthfeel is right-on, being light to medium and creamy, while the only aftertaste is the warming feeling in the back of the throat.

Score: 7.9/10


Heavy Seas - Great Pumpkin Imperial Ale

So Far, So Good, So Let's Drink More...A review of the Reviews

      I've been drinking beer for a long time and have been into craft beer since the early 2000's. But, it wasn't until a suggestion from the wife that I thought of expressing my enjoyment to others via a blog.
      I started in the beginning of March of this year, with my first review being Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Ale Barley Wine. Since then I have reviewed an additional 129 brews of all types, some great, some good, and a few that weren't that good.
      I have had fun doing the reviews, as I hope those of you who have looked at them appreciated the content. I plan on continuing, with the future plans of a more elaborate and polished site towards the beginning of the year.
      So hang in there for the duration, and don't forget to comment on the reviews if you feel compelled to do so. I do try to reply to the comments as soon as I can.
      With this post I am going to break down how I grade the beer I review. I am also going to give some stats on the reviews so far.


      I break down the review this way:

Sight - 15 points

How does it pour?
Color of body.
Head size, retentention and color.
Overall feel for the attractiveness of it.

Aroma - 15 points

Initial inhale strength...what pops?
Essence of the smell
Second, deep inhale...what else comes through, if anything?

Taste - 40 points

Most important part of the review.
What flavors come through?
Are the flavors comparable to the nose?
Is there a balance of the flavors?


Overall - 30 points

How does it make you feel?
Mouthfee & Aftertaste?
Would you drink it again?
Any other thoughts or comments.

Add together the points and divide by 10 to get the final score.

Stats as of now:

A. Most reviewed type of beer -  India Pale Ale 28 of 130 or 21.5%
B. Highest rated beers:
     1. Evolution Craft Brewing - Lot #3 IPA        - 9.4
     1. Abita Brewing Co. - Jackamo IPA             -  9.4
     2. The Brewers Art - Resurrection Ale          -  9.2
     2. Stone Brewing - Oaked Arrogant Bastard   - 9.2
     3. Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Hop Stoopid Ale  - 9.1
C. Lowest rated beer:
     130. Starr Hill Brewery - Dark Star Stout          - 5.0
     129. RJ Rockers - Son Of A Peach Hefeweizen - 5.7

Thanks and Happy Drinking

Riverhorse Brewing Co. - Hop Hazard APA Review

Type: Unfiltered American Pale Ale

ABV: 6.5%

Sight: A cloudy burnt-sienna brown that pours full of a creamy white head that goes an inch or so tall before fading down to a nice filmy cap on the surface of the brew.

Aroma: Sweetness from malt along with ,ore sweetness from the hoppiness. Orange, Lemon-zest, and  grapefruit are the top dog when it comes to overall tone of the smell. I get no alcohol tingle in the inhales, which to me is good.

Taste: In the first drink I get a dry-malt, then someof the tremendous hop citruiness fights through. Orange and maybe lime and not lemon, along with a bit of tart, which could be that grapefruit...surprises, because I don't think I have actually gotten a grapefruit taste from a beer before.

Overall: Decent balance between the malt and hop, with the hop winning out overall, due to the dryness all the way through. The mouthfeel is medium with a slightly tart aftertaste that stays on the sides of the tongue.

Score: 8.1/10


                                                                                                                    Riverhorse Brewery

Spaten - Oktoberfest Review

Type: Marzen/Oktoberfest

ABV: 5.9%

Sight: A nice roasted marshmellow brown overcoming the golden undertones. This brew pours with a thick fluffy white head about an inch or so tall.

Aroma: mellow roasted malt that has a hint of earthiness fighting through. Sweetness is there in the nose but not overwhelming.

Taste: A nice toasty malt front with a great sweetness that is the main component and keeps every other taste in check...a tad sourness, some mild earthiness from a subtle hop presence near the end.

Overall: A great example of the style coming from the land of where it was born. Spaten is one of the better original marzens out there. The mouthfeel is light, and still has a creamy tongue coating component to it that I like. I love this time of year, because it brings out the best of what the German brewers have to offer.

Score: 8/10


Spaten Oktoberfest