Baltika - Grade 9 Extra Lager Review

BALTIKA - GRADE 9 EXTRA LAGER

Type: Lager

ABV: 8%

Sight: Clear but hazy golden yellow with a significant white head that hangs for a while then coats the top nicely

Aroma: On a big inhale the malt hits along with some alcohol and a touch of citrus

Taste: Sweet maltiness is strong along with a light lemony essence. From the front to back there isn't much inbetween...It finishes sour and holds the tongue well

Overall: It's okay. I wouldn't turn it down if someone offered it to me, or if i was at a bar in Moscow, but I wouldn't hunt one down again for myself. A little lopsided with sweet up front and sour at the end with nothing substantial in the middle.

Score: 7.5/10

Southern Tier Brewing CO. - Farmers Tan Imperial Pale Ale Review

SOUTHERN TIER BREWING CO.

Type: Imperial Pale Ale

ABV: 9%

Packaging: 22oz. Bottle

Sight: Crystal clear bright yellow with a slight hue of orange is topped with a fluffy white head that starts an inch thick and wanes to a thin film on the surface

Aroma: Sweetness of Grapefruit is the dominant pop on first breath. Other citrus come through(lemon and light orange), along with a bit of breadiness.

Taste: Grapefruit and wheat come through strong...Almost sweet and tingly-dry enough to remind me of a white wine. The alcohol of 9% is there but not as strong as you might think...It is subtle and holds the tongue well.

Overall: The easiest way to describe this beer is like this..."A lemonhead in a shot of pure-grain"...Maybe not that dramatic but you get the picture. Very citrusy and slightly bready. Very refreshing, and although alcoholie(sp.)it still is definitely a sessionable beer(mostly because of the light to medium body). Beware though of that 9% alcohol, it might bite you in the butt.

Score: 8.5/10

Bacon & Beer Fest Set for 9/11/10 Tix on Sale 8/1/10

Pirates, Pigs & Pints!

Our favorite fest of them all!  10+ Bacons from around the world and dishes made with bacon from the area's best restaurants.  Be sure to dress like a pirate to help us celebrate "Talk Like a Pirate Day". There will be a contest & prizes for the Best Dressed Pirate! 

12 Taps plus firkins  ~ Live Music

"All you care to taste" beer & bacon, food made with bacon, plus bacon, bacon, bacon.

Tix on sale 8/1.

Check back for updates!

Heavy Seas Brewing BACON & BEER FEST

Oskar Blues Brewery - Dale's Pale Ale Review

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY - DALES PALE ALE

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 6.5%

IBU: 65

Packaging: Can

Color: Dark yellowesque-brown with golden yellow towards the bottom. A small head tops the surface is off-white

Aroma: Sweet and mildly hoppy with a tad bit of spice that tingles the nose.

Taste: Malty backbone with nice hop-popinness which comes through on the back end. The body is light to medium and there is a light aftertaste on the tongue

Overall: Nice balance betweeen the malt and the hop bitterness. Sweetness is dead on and doesn't take away from the hop bitterness that i love. Kudos to Oskar Blues, and congrats for winning Gold for this one at World Beer Championships this year

Score: 8.7/10

Shipyard Brewing Co. - Fuggels IPA Review

Shipyard Brewing Company

Type: IPA

ABV: 5.8%

Color: Translucent orange(deep dark) with an average head that is quick to disappear.

Aroma: Lemony floral nose that you pick up with a deep inhale. Normal breathe is subtle and average.

Taste: Hop is underlying, compared to the malt. Not an appropriate character of an IPA to me. Some lemon essence comes from behind the sweet and the alcohol.

Overall: Not great but not all that bad. Seems lost at identifying itself. More malt sweet that than hop bitter, and not in a good way. Alcohol is too previlant and the end is basic and lingering.

Score: 7.0/10

The rules of Three Sheets...If you didn't know

Zane Lamprey - Three Sheets

As you know by now Three Sheets is getting another shot on The Travel Channel, every night starting on June 30(next Wednesday) at 11:00pm and 11:30pm. It should be picked up for a new 5th season if things go well with syndication of the reruns.

Show your support by contributiing to a worthwhile cause and thanking The Travel Channel at the same time.

Donate to buy The Travel Channel a beer from Maui Brewing Co. and support a highly favored charity of Zane's: The Art Of Elysium. at the same time. Zane will buy the first 100 brews and we can buy the rest to be delivered on the day of the new airings on June 30th.

Go to PayPal - "Buy Travel Channel A Beer" to make the donation. and make sure you watch as much as you can to make sure we get at least 1 more season of Three Sheets made.

I was watching another episode of Three Sheets and decided to write down the rules of Drinking according to "Three Sheets"...Here they are:

1. When Zane drinks, we drink
2. When Steve Mckenna is mentioned, we drink
3. When someone burps, the last person to put thumb to forehead with pinky extended has to drink
4. The fiirst person to spot Pleepleus can make anyone drink.

So the next time your watching or just hanging with friends and wanna add some extra fun, remember these rules and drink up.

Evolution Craft Brewing - Lot #3 IPA Review

Evolution Craft Brewing - Lot #3 IPA

Type: America India Pale Ale

Packaging: Growler from Brewery

ABV: 6.8%

IBU: 65

Color: Orange hued yellow body with a gorgeous fluffy white head that coats the surface of the beer after leveling out.

Aroma: Very strong and intense citrusy hop nose with a little maltiness and pininess to boot. The deep inhale is mesmerizing.

Taste: Over the top hop bitterness with citrus of orange and a little lemon showing dominance. The middle becomes sweet with a mild sour on the back of the tongue leaving you wanting more and more.

Overall: Just what I expected from Evolution...A full flavored brew that is both unique and recognizable in the category. Great hop presence, with moderate malt, all packaged in a light to medium body. Nearly everything I could want in a great IPA..."beef up the hops more and I'd almost be willing to give it a 10".

Score: 9.4/10

Abita Brewing Co. - Turbo Dog Review

Abita Brewing - Turbodog

Type: English Brown Ale

ABV: 5.6%

Color: Dark Mahogany brown with a creamy tan mid-sized head

Aroma: Creamy chocolate with a touch of alcohol to give it a little burn to the nose. Toffee and/or caramel are there with a deep inhale. This is a great start.

Taste: Chocolate and coffee aren't there as much as expected. The alcohol is the overwhelming taste. Mild and/or bland til the end, depending on how long you let it rest in your mouth before swallowing. A little spicy aftertaste hangs onto the tongue a little too long.

Overall: With the nose of this being so good and inviting, i was expecting a chocolate milk with alcohol. Boy, was I let down. Dry and almost chalky to the taste with the wanted chocolate coming in way to late in the profile to help. The mouthfeel is light to medium with a decent amount of Carbonation tingling the tongue.

Score: 6.5/10

Barley & Hops Brewery - Annapolis Rocks Pale Ale Review

Type: American Pale Ale

Type: American Pale Ale

ABV: 6%

Color: Clean golden yellow with a darker tint and a light hue of orange. The head was not there, but on the second pour out of the growler it was better.

Aroma: Mellow at hop nose with some mild citrus and pininess popping through on deeper inhale.

Taste: Light Bitter with more malt from behind. Alcohol and citrus intermingle but aren't as pronounced as one might expect. Malt breads it up a bit on second sip, but that just makes it heavier than it should be.

Overall: Second tasting from Barley and Hops Brewery and unlike the first review of Barley and Hops - Hoptopsy ESB, this one was basic and uninteresting. Mouthfeel is medium to full and no in your face distinct flavor to make me go Ohh or Ahh about. I will though get another growler when i am near Frederick because I have faith that they will come through again.

Score: 6.8/10

ABita Brewing Co. - Amber Ale Review

ABITA BREWING CO - Amber Ale

Type: Marzen/Amber

ABV: 4.5%

Color: Deep dark copper brown with an off-white thin head that disappears to an even thinner top lacing.

Aroma: Sweet caramels and light cherry comes through up front. Maltiness sneaks up on you, but is there on a deep breath

Taste: Toasted malts with some sweet touches come front and center and are followed by a light alcohol bite. The finish coats the tongue with a creaminess that is pleasant and totally enjoyable.

Overall: A fairly balanced beer from front to back. Smooth with a light mouthfeel. Easily goes down and can be overjoyed if not paying attention. Could be paired nicely with spicy foods such as Steamed Crabs, Mexican, or those from where it is brewed, Louisiana...Jambalaya, or Crawfish.

Score: 7.8/10

Heavy Seas Brewery - Gold Ale Review

HEAVY SEAS - GOLD ALE

Type: Ale

ABV: 4.5%

Color: Clear golden-yellow with a finger thick white head that disappears quickly

Aroma: Fresh hops and floral tones with a slight nose of alcohol

Taste: Bitterness is there, along with some butteriness that coats the tongue. A light tingle  from the alcohol as well as a sweet maltiness

Overall: It's okay...I usually love Heavy Seas beers, but this one let me down a bit. Not much character to seperate it from a basic ale. Even a basic ale can be creative, but not this one.

Score: 7.7/10

Wild Goose Brewing Company - IPA Review

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.1%

Color: Frothy white head, a finger thick tops this orange-hued brown-bodied brew.

Aroma: Nice orange top notes with underlying flowery tones very clean refreshing.

Taste: Mild and heavier than expected. Orange and malt dominate. Maybe a subtle floral tingle to the tongue with alcohol lightly coming through in the corners of the jaw.

Overall: Was hoping for more, rooting for a Maryland based beer, but this one kinda stays leveled. The nose is very attractive, but the taste was ok, and finishes uneventful. Overall a basic beer.

Score: 7.5/10

Great Divide - Titan IPA Review

GREAT DIVIDE BREWING

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 7.1%

Color: Amber golen body with a awesomely fluffy creamy white head

Aroma: Grassy, Earthy, and slightly sweet. Some pine and citrus accents add to the complexity

Taste: Lightly bitter and dry to start it off. Ot flows nicely into a subtle malt sweetness. It finishes with a mellow alcohol touch that tingles the tongue

Overall: It's good, but doesn't have that bite of the over the top bitterness that I love in a great IPA. Decent effort, Could drink one too many of these

Score: 7.8/10

Dogfish Head - 60 Minute IPA Review

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Type: IPA

ABV: 6%

Color: Nice copper tone with a creamy white head about 1 1/2 fingers thick.

Aroma: Sweet citrusy nose with a pleasant floral undertone.

Taste: Mild and lightly hoppy with a slightly dry floral tingle. The alcohol pops and hangs in the back of the throat til the next sip.

Overall: Chill and mild with nothing really standing out. The hoppiness is there but very lax. Not much dry. The alcohol taste is mild also. I guess it could be called balanced, but still nothing overly impressive.

Score: 8.0/10

Stone Brewing Company - IPA Review

Stone Brewing IPA

Type: IPA

ABV: 6.9%

Color: Nice golden yellow that is translucent and has an orange hue to it. The head is an inch or so thick and is creamy white.

Aroma: Awesome floral bite up front with nice citrus punches from the hops. A light malt sweetness at the end.

Taste: Sweet, tingly and clean are my first impressions. Orange is the biggest taste, then dryness comes through with the light maltiness closing it out.

Overall: Nicely balanced with the citrus sweetness, hoppy dryness and tongue-clinging malt. A splash of alcohol essence to bring it all together. A classic that won't disappoint.

Score: 8.7/10

DOGFISH HEAD - Festina Peche Review

Dogfish Head - Festina Peche

Type: Summer Seasonal Berliner-Weisse

ABV: 4.5%

Color: Golden-white that is barely see-thru, with a generous amount of carbination coming up from the bottom to the top of the headless brew.

Aroma: Definitely and obviously Peach. It comes through crisp and clean to the nose.

Taste: Sour leamony punch to the up-front peach. The body is light and clean. The tart of the peach holds onto the tongue corners while the rest of the tongue is clean and clear.

Overall: Been looking forward to this one for a while, and while i was surpriseed by the usual "outside the box" approach...I still totally enjoyed it. Knowing what to expect from Sam and the Dogfish Head crew. I would best describe this one as a "Peach and Tonic"

Score: 8.2/10 

SARANAC BREWERY - India Pale Ale Review

SARANAC - INDIA PALE ALE

Type: IPA

ABV: 5.8%

Color: Clear bronze yellow with some flairs of lighter yellow at the base. The head pours finger thin a clears quickly leaving a thin white film on the surface.

Aroma: The aroma doesn't drift to far from the glass...you need to dip your nose to get it. Earthy hoppy and slightly citrusy with very little sweetness from the malt also.

Taste: Spice(clove & coriander) in the front, that brings dryness to the party. The bitterness is a bit underwhelming(probably between 40-50 IBU's) but is there. There isn't much malt sweetness to speak of.

Overall: Light to medium body and a pleasant mouth-feel, tingly and dry. The hops that are noticed are mellow in my opinion. There is a touch of alcohol taste that stays with the dry on the tongue til the next taste.

Score: 7.8/10

Troubadour Obscura "Mild Stout" Review

Type: Belgian Strong dark Ale

ABV: 8.2%

Color: Deep dark-brown with lighter browns on the bottom...A nice full rocky tan head that hangs for a while.

Aroma: Sweet roasted maltand alcohol with a nice touch of chocolate.

Taste: The title if mild stout is dead on...Very mild and sweet for a stout. Some alcohol taste that isn't overpowering. Nice roasted malt that holds on. The chocolate is undrlying but still represent well.

Overall: I've said it before, that I am not a fan of stouts...But this one is very good. I like the light dryness, and the nice malt accents that blend well with the alcohol. It is nice and light bodied and can be enjoyed in moderation.

Score: 8.2/10

Red Hook Brewery - Slim Chance Ale Review

Red Hook Brewery

Type: Light Lager

ABV: 3.9%

Color: Translucent golden-yellow with a very minimal white head

Aroma: Citrusy, mostly lemon, but some orange hints also. Mild floral tones that hang.

Taste: Some dry, some citrus, but not all that hoppy. Almost creamy in texture.

Overall: Not too bad for a craft light beer. Good taste of citrus and a nice attempt of balance with the dry. The malt is basically none existant, and there is a pleasant coating on the tongue at the end.

Score: 7.6/10

Abita Brewing Company - Restoration Pale Ale Review

ABITA Restoration Ale

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 5.0%

Color: Pleasant Darker Golden-yellow with a finger-thin white head

Aroma: Very blah. Not much of a nose at all...possibly a light malt twinge

Taste: Earthy but muted, Bptter but not really bitter, dry but not really dry...It's hard to explain. No pronounced sweetness really, but a little orange

Overall: Very tricky describing this one. It's not bad nor at all unique to be classified as great. On first taste there is a bitterness that wants to come through but doesn't quite do it. There is a dry aspect that doesn't really completely go dry. I guess i would put it this way...If someone was talking to you while you were underwater you can hear them, but the words aren't clear or distinct. Multiply that effect a number of times and that is how the taste is. There, but muted

Score: 7.0/10