Heavy Seas Brewery - Prosit! Review

Type: Imperial Octoberfest Lager

ABV: 9%

Sight: Very nice deep amber color with hints of red that is able to be seen thru. The head pours off-white, thick and of a whipped consistency. Nice carbonation bubbles rising to the surface of the brew.

Aroma: Malt, Malt, and more Malt...I get some very distant hop earthiness also, along with a a twinge of alcohol.

Taste: A nice caramel maltiness that is front a foremost but not abrasive at all. Creaminess is light but noticable and there is a tad bit of that earthen-hop I spoke about with the nose. Those hops bring a nice balance to the beer that ends with a very light alcohol tingle.

Overall: I think this is a great effort. Creamy, malty, some hop and a pop of alcohol, mix them together with the right balance and bingo. Mouthfeel is medium and creamy, with a tingle and bite of sour on the back of the tongue and corners of the cheek. More creaminess and a tad less hop and it would rival the originators of the style from Germany.

Score: 8.7/10


Heavy Seas Beer - Prosit!

North Coast Brewing/Acme - California IPA Review

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.5%

Sight: Light copper-orange with a hefty white fluffy head that laces nicely down the sides of the glass. The head diminishes to a thick film on the surface.

Aroma: An earthy hop front of pine and a little grass give way to a light orange middle. There is a mild caramely malt that comes up on a deep inhale.

Taste: First, i get a yeasty bisquit blandness combining with a citrus tingle. Not the usual citrus tingle, but a lemon and orange combo that is unique and refreshing. The malt is, as with the nose a bit on the caramel side. It melds well with the creaminess that takes this beer to its end, where a light alcohol twinge hits the back of the throat.

Overall: I am a big IPA guy, like you might already know, and I bought this bottle because of the artwork. I found the girl to be fittingly California and retro at the same time...Kinda thought what it would have been like to be "cruisin" in a woody with surfboard on top, down PCH on my way to hit some waves. Those would have been nice memories if I was born in the 60's, but I wasn't. So instead I enjoy the medium mouthfeel of the brew and think about what could have been.

Acme - California IPA

Score: 8.4/10   

Dogfish Head - Squall IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Type: Imperial India Pale Ale

ABV: 9.0%

Sight: A very beautiful golden-orange, copper-penny-like with a lighter yellow towards the bottom. The head pours creamy white and is a good finger thick. Lacing is abundant and sticks to the glass all the way down.

Aroma: Subtle but pronounced orange essence up front with an earthy, slightly piney twinge following. I get caramel malt notes and some of that alcohol comes in near the end. The nose of this brew is very fragrant but not to the point of overkill.

Taste: Mild up front, but the tongue does get a mild burn from the alcohol. Orange and some earthiness present well and balance with the lighter malt base. Some sweet malt hangs in the back of the throat along with tingles from alcohol with a bigger gulp. The brew finishes leaving a thin creamy film on the tongue.

Overall: Kinda disappointed with it overall...yeah there were good points, the malt was sweet and creamy, the earthiness was pleasant and welcoming. On the other hand the hop presence was a let-down...sure I got some citrus in the nose but, not what I expected with the tremendous amount and type of hops used. I also didn't get any dryness from said hops, along with very little bitter, if any. Maybe my expectations of DFH are so high that I am hurting the review, but I really don't thing so. In closing, the mouthfeel was actually light to medium and the finish was duller than expected.

Score: 7.5/10

Brooklyn Brewery - Oktoberfest Review

Type: Oktoberfest Seasonal

ABV: 5.5%

Sight: Transparent amber brown with an almost cherry hue to it. The head pours bright white, fluffy and thin...quarter inch thick.

Aroma: Earthy, like grass hop front with some alcohol tingles. The roasted malt comes near the end as caramel and is light and clean.

Taste: The malt roastiness comes through strong but balances well through to the middles light hoppy pop. Not any bitter but there is some dry in the finish. There is a little zing from alcohol that smooths out to close.

Overall: Like the earthiness of this Marzen. The hop notes are of grass which I love. Great balance of ingredients. Light-medium mouthfeel and a dry aftertaste.

Score: 8.0/10

Lancaster Brewing Company - Hop Hog IPA Review

http://www.lancasterbrewing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=189Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 7.9%

IBU: 55

Sight: It pours a deep reddish-brown that is translucent in nature. The head is bubbly and full(finger and a half thick), and dissipates to a nice lacing cream.

Aroma: Hoppy and sweet citrus are the first impressions. With a deeper sniff I get the caramel sweetness along with a twinge of alcohol.

Taste: Spice of alcohol pops first then that caramel follows. The hop presence is underwhelming and because of that the citrus essence lacks also. The brew finishes with a slight bite towards the back of the throat, but nothing really to make you want more.

Overall: Mouthfeel is medium, with a minimal coating of the tongue. Basically lackluster and unimpressive. The "Hog" must have eaten the hops on this one. I want my IPA's to be full of bitter hops and citrus...so maybe my expectations are a little high...I don't think so though. I am sorry Lancaster Brewing co., but get with it and hop it up.

Score: 6.0/10

Lancaster Brewing Co. - Hop Hog IPA

Dominion Brewing - Hop Mountain Pale Ale Review

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 5.6%

Sight: Nice amber-orange body that is more orangish-amber towards the bottom of the glass. The head pours with a fingers thick creamy white head...that dissolves to a ultra-thin film on the surface.

Aroma: Ridiculously awesome orange front that leads to a deep malt base, with hints of earthiness. A bouquet of florals and citrus intermingle well together.

Taste: Actually surprised with the profile...I was expecting an almost overwhelming, almost IPA-esque hop- citrus start because of the nose, but got a very laid back citrus/malt combo which was superbly blended. The front leads to a slightly dry middle that transitions to a tingly finish, leaving a creamy coating on the tongue and pinches on the jaw corners.

Overall: Wow, I am getting more and more impressed with the quality of brews coming from this brewery, Octoberfest and Beach House were super duper and now this Hop Mountain Pale Ale is rivaling it. Smooth, citrusy, lightly bittered, dryness, with a creamy center. I could drink this beer as a regular drinker. The mouthfeel is light and creamy and leaves a light sour pinch to make you wanna have another.

Score: 8.9/10

Flying Dog Brewery - Dogtoberfest Marzen Review

Type: Marzen/Octoberfest

ABV: 5.6%

IBU: 30

Sight: It is a beautiful crystal clear amber red with those beautiful carbination bubbles floating towards the top. The head is fluffy-white and a half-inch thick...dissolves to a swirly white film on the surface.

Aroma: A mellow sweet malt nose that basically engulfs the glass. There is also a very light spice of alcohol, along with ultra light hoppiness.

Taste: The malt continues from front to back. A tad bit of yeast hits first along with a very mellow hoppiness that takes the beer to its end. Malt overwhelms, but it is really a great quality malt taste...Slightly sweet and deep without the roasted or smoked flavor you would usually need to get this type of malt depth.

Overall: Very well put together with nice ultra light flavors of yeast and hops under the nice even sweet malt. I really want to give kudos for the flavor of this malt...I can't really explain what the "thing" that makes it so original to me is, but it has some"thing". Mouthfeel is light to medium with some creamy characteristics that coat the tongue to the end, where a tad sour bites the corners of the tongue.

Flying Dog Brewery - Dogtoberfest

Score: 9.1/10

Brooklyn Brewery - East India Pale Ale Review

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.8%

Sight: This brew pours a very attractive light copper tinted gold, with a moderate bubbly white head roughly a fingers thick. It leaves a solid film on the surface when the head diminishes down.

Aroma: Clean and crisp nose at first with a pleasant hoppy citrus character that dwindles to a mild malt essence with a deeper inhale.

Taste: The front gives a definite earthy tone...grass, dryness of hops and a sweetness of malt. The middle lends the the citrusy esters that are common to the brew type...Brooklyn Brewery balanced this through til the end with a continual hop presence that finishes sweet and clean, with very little aftertaste.

Overall: I was a little twisted with the breakdown of the brew...It looks and smells of an IPA, but I don't know if it really follows to the letter, the description of an IPA. The characteristics are there, hops, dryness, citrus, and malts, but the flavors are a tad backwards. The hops you'd expect to be dominant aren't the main tastes...The more overwhelming taste is of the malt. I woouldn't say it was a "lighter" malt either. The malt is sweet and tends to overpower the hops all the way through.
The brew fits more of an english bitter than an IPA. That doesn't mean that it isn't good, just means to me that thetitle could be a little misleading.
The mouthfeel is medium and is full of carbination, finishing with a mild to no aftertaste.

Score: 7.7/10

Tucher(Nurnberg, Germany) - Helles Hefe-Weizen Review

Type: Helles Hefe Weizen

ABV: 5.35%

Sight - Cloudy golden yellow body with a fluffy thick white head that hangs well and diminishes to a full film of white on the surface.

Aroma: Wheat and lemon are dominant on first inhale. A light spice and a stronger citrus pop are there on deeper sniff.

Taste: The initial sip brings alot of spicey notes from the wheat, along with deeper lemony and lime esters from the combo of the hops and the wheat. There is a little light malt bringing the front to the end where the flavors basically come to an abrupt end.

Overall: Not bad at all, but it is nothing really different than the many other Hefe-Weizens from Germany I have had...Spicey, light malt, and citrus, generally in that order. This one though is much easier to down in a hurry if need, than some with a harder-core strength of spice. The mouthfeel is medium and there isn't much of an aftertaste to speak of.

Score: 7/10 

The Bruery - Mischief Belgian-Style Ale Review

Brewery: The Bruery

Type: Belgian Ale

ABV: 8.5%

IBU: 35

Sight: Beautiful golden body with a tint of orange to it. The head comes out of the bottle very fast and fluffy white, but finishes the pour smoother and creamy...An inch plus thick. After dissipating, the surface is covered  with a beaten egg-white-esque film.

Aroma: Yeast, hops and fruit of pear are taking the lead in the first inhale. On the second deeper inhale I get a little more yeast, but also some more fruit essence and spice of alcohol.

Taste: Tingles of spicey pepper and alcohol(not overpowering) are the first noticeable marks, along with some yeasty essence. On second swig I get lemony citrus popping along with the drying hops making the first appearance. I am trying to figure out the other fruity character I'm getting, but not commiting to a specific one(thinking a melon(sweeter)).

Overall: Overlapping flavors and belgian character are what make this beer live up to it's name. It plays with you mischievously,  first is spice, then hop, then fruit, then back to hop and some more fruit...It doesn't make up it's mind on what it wants to push forward. That could be by design and is actually a very good approach. The flavors, even though abundant are still balanced well. The mouthfeel is medium and tingley with a finish nice and slightly sour.

Score: 8.6/10 

Schlafly Brewery - Pumpkin Ale Review

Schlafly Beers

Type: Special Release Pumpkin Ale

ABV: 8%

Sight: Very deep amber red with a lighter orange hue at the base. It is a very beautiful shade of brown. The head pours roughly an inch thick with an off-white color. It dissloves to a thin film on the surface.

Aroma: Nutmeg and a little of the namesake Pumpkin pop at first then I get a light tingle from alcohol along with a deep malt base.

Taste: The top flavors are of clove, nutmeg and alcohol...The pumpkin comes in mellow at first then finishes strong with a nice malty backbone to bring things full-circle. The cinnamon is lax to me I really get more nutmeg and clove spice.

Overall: Someone on Twitter asked today if it was too early to be having Pumkin brews...because of the heat of summer still in full swing. I said it is never too early for pumpkin anything. I love pumpkin and could have it all year round...It  has a medium mouthfeel that leaves a little tingle of spice and alcohol at it's finish. Schlafly, being the first pumpkin beer for me of the season, has brought me back to fond memories of decorating the yard to scare the neighborhood kids, going to the local pumkin patches to do hay rides and such with my boys, and my favorite...horror movies. Thanks for refreshing my memories.

Score: 8.0/10

Dogfish Head - Ryehobeth(Brewpub Exclusive) Review

Type: Rye Brewpub rarity

ABV: 5.5%

Sight: Subdued, but still a flashy golden yellow with nice orange flashes in the light. The head pours thin and bright white with very light glass lacing.

Aroma: Very light nose with subtle hints of citrus and light rye essence. All in all very mild smells from within.

Taste: Biscuit and light orange are upfront with a mild spice from the rye. There is very little hop presence, which usually would be a bad thing to me, but not in the brew. It helps the flavors flow to a finish that is very easy with a little more citrus and maybe a hint of clove or corriander.

Overall: Very easy and enjoyable on the palate. Light but still enough character balance between the rye and citrus to give it a complex feel. The ingredients mix well with each other and balance nicely. Mouthfeel is ultra light with no significant aftertaste at all.

Score: 8.0/10

Dominion Brewing - Octoberfest Lager Review

Type: Octoberfest specialty lager

ABV: 5.6%

Sight: They say copper, but I would say it is more of a dark copper to dark-amber with lighter hues towards the base of the glass. It pours with a thin slightly off-white head that vanishes quickly to leave the surface wide open.

Aroma: Toasted malts, a hint of caramel, along with some spice of alcohol are the main tingles to the nose. On a deeper inhale you get a subtle but still noticable hop presence.

                                                                                           Old Dominion Brewery

Taste: First impression is of a deep roasted malt that plays well with a pleasant dryness. Those flavors meld into a cool tingle from that alcohol presence. The close gives a light hop bitterness that fades nicely to end.
                                                



Overall: My first Octoberfest of the season, and I was not disappointed at all. Dominion has done a great job of keeping the balance between the flavors of traditional Marzen/Octoberfest brews...Roasted malts, medium mouthfeel, light hops, and dryness that is clean and refreshing. A tad deeper in the copper tone than I might expect, but close there also. I Keep trying Dominion brews and continue to be impressed. Keep up the good work.

Score: 9.0/10

Dogfish Head Brewery Tour(Milton, De.) August 7th, 2010

Alright everybody, I started my vacation on Friday the 6th, and my first endeavour was to experience the brewery tour at one of the most respected Micro Breweries in the country, Dogfish Head on the eastern coast of Delaware in the small town of Milton.

The facility is modern and fairly large(they are adding more room for even more tanks), in the middle of a residential neighborhood that seems, was built around it.  I was there by myself(wife and family changed minds at the last minute), and was meeting a fellow beer lover...@brew_thusiast for the tour.

So without further ado I will let Mark(The Guide) take us through the journey of what is Dogfish Head Brewery. I enjoyed it completely and had a very good time shooting the poop with Brew_thusiast before and afterwards.

Dogfish Head Brewery Tour(Milton,De.) August 7th, 2010 from Jason Fellon on Vimeo.

Widmer Brothers - Drifter Pale Ale

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 5.7%

Sight: Deep translucent rust-orange with a pretty light and fluffy white fingers thick head. That head dwindles done to a scarce white film on the surface.

Aroma: Awesomely sweet malt front with a come-from-behind hop bite that is very inviting...Me being a hop-head an all. A light spice comes through near the end to help close it out.

Taste: Those malts show through in the taste here as well as in the nose. Rich caramels that are sweetened to almost perfection. They lead to a nice orange hoppiness that is crisp and a nice enhancement to the fronting malts.

Overall: First Widmer Brothers brew for me and what a good first impression. This beer is deep and crisp with nice touches of malt and hop, that bounce off each other in harmony. The "Drifter" leaves a smooth, to non-existant aftertaste., while leaving a mouthfeel of light to medium.

Score: 9.0/10

Heavy Seas Brewery - "Letter of Marquee" - Mutiny Fleet - Rye Porter Review

Brewery: Heavy Seas Brewery - Baltimore, Md.

Type: Porter with Rye

ABV: 7.8%

Sight: Obvious opaque deep rich brown, almost black with a full fluffy tan head one finger thick. mild lacing along the sides of the glass leaving a thin film on the surface.

Aroma: Spice of rye and deep roasted malts pop in the beginning. Toffee, a tad coffee and some chocolate hits also. Maybe a touch of earthiness from hops.

Taste: Creamy chocolate and spice tingle the tip of the tongue. There is a mild bite to the sides of the tongue possibly from those surprising hops. Overtones of dry roasted malts actually take over nicely. The end is abrupt and mild...Not at all unwelcomed.

Overall: I get nervous about these homebrewers series beers, because most of them are hit or miss. This one isn't just a hit it is a Home Run...Heavy Seas found a good brew with this porter...From the addition of the rye to spice it up a little, to the hop surprises, its creamy, well-balanced with a nice medium  mouthfeel. Goes well with the cheese In the picture(Real Amish-made Guinness Port cheese), but could also go well on it's own. Congrats to the winners Frank Butt & Neil Heinlein on winning the Letter Of Marquee for this year. Good Job.

Score: 8.8/10

Lagunitas - Hop Stoopid Ale

Brewery: Lagunita's Brewery - Petaluma, California

Type: Imperial Indian Pale Ale

ABV: 8%

IBU: 102

Sight: Orange of light copper that is see-through with a nice fluffy white head that minimizes to a creamy film covering the surface. Nice lacing going down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Tremendouly hoppy with citrus of orange and lemon. A sweet light malt comes from behind nicely.

Taste: Smooth...Oh so smooth, crisp hop bite with a decent light dryness that I love. The middle is malty sweet and easily blends to a subdued finish.

Overall: This beer is superb. excessive on hop bitter and citrus character. Not to agressive as to be overwhelming. The malt is blended just right to have a light mouthfeel and a very chill aftertaste. Hell of a beer Lagunita's....If you like hops balanced nearly to perfection with malts, then this brew is for you. With this beer they put the "craft" in craft beer.

Score: 9.1/10

21st Amendment Brewery - Back In Black IPA Review

Brewery: 21st Amendment - San Francisco, California

Brief History: After meeting in 1995, Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan started the brewery in 2000, in the now hip city center, just 2 blocks from the SF Giants ballpark. O'Sullivan, moved to Berkeley and got a job as assistant brewer at the Triple Rock Brewery. Freccia was tired of LA and moved to SF to begin writing for the Celebrator Beer News. Freccia and O’Sullivan met at brewing classes at UC and became friends. During this time they came up with the plan for the brewery.
At the 21st Amendment, they celebrate the culture of the great breweries of old, making unique, hand crafted beers, great food, and providing a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that invites conversation, interaction and a sense of community. (some content was abridged from the company's website)

Type: Black IPA

ABV: 6.5%

IBU: 65

Sight: The deepest a brown can be without being black. The head pours pretty , tan and 2 fingers thick. Creamy on top and soapy on the sides.

Aroma: Roasted malts, mellow yeast and a little alcohol bite are the main characters the nose picks up.

Taste: A very clean malt that is deep in depth(roasted just right), to front the melange of a brew. Some coffee essence is there, along with a nice hop dryness. The finish is uneventful...In a good way.

Overall: I think this is my first black IPA, and I say "wow". Mouthfeel is light to medium with little or no aftertaste. You actually can get the best of both worlds out of this brew...Stout roasted malt and IPA hoppiness. Can't really go wrong with that and 21st Amendment did a great job in the mixing of the two.

Score: 8.5/10

Riverhorse Brewing Co. - Hop-A-Lot-Amus Review

Type: Unfiltered Double IPA

ABV: 8.5%

Sight: Opaque roasted brown body with a white thin head that mellows out to a very thin surface film.

Aroma: Grass, Hops, and Orange are the over-smells coming from the glass. A mild sweetness of caramel is there in the background.

Taste: Malt and alcohol are the big tastes that hit up front. A little hop bitter follows with a citrus tone, completing the initial tastes. That smell of caramel comes to fruition in the middle of it all. This caramel is the glue that keeps the front and back in a smooth blend.


Riverhorse Brewing Co.

Overall: This brew is a little backwards in its presentation. Most IPA's and DIPA's I've tried have the citrus and bitter up front and the malts are mostly at the end. Not a bad thing...to me it is an original thing and is what makes this brew distinct. The mouthfeel is medium and creamy with an orange aftertaste at the back of the throat.

Score: 7.9/10

(Old) Dominion Brewing Co. - Beach House Golden Pilsner Review

Type: Pilsner

ABV: 5.2%

Sight: Very nice translucent golden yellow body that pours with a thick fluffy white head. There is a thin fluffy film remaining on the surface after the head disappears.

Aroma: Wheat, yeast and a nice surprising hop presence lead in the fresh nose. Sweetness is light, if it is noticeable at all.

Taste: Surprisingly the light malts are the initial impact on the tongue. There are light lemon esters fighting through a light hoppiness. It finishes almost creamy with a tad tartness at the corners of the tongue.

Overall: Very good effort from Dominion. Refreshing and clean with a light to medium creamy-type mouthfeel. The aftertaste is a pleasant tartness to contrast the rest of the brew. A definite thirst quencher that is easily sessionable.

Score: 8.9/10

Old Dominion - Beach House Golden Pilsner