90 Shilling Colorado Ale

Sam: Abita's beers have been sort of hit-or-miss with me. The Turbodog's okay, the Amber's gross out of the bottle. The Light is surprisingly drinkable, if not memorable. Never got to try the Restoration. But I saw this on the shelf this weekend, and it piqued my interest, so I bought just one sixer to give it an honest try. Now I wish I'd bought two. This is delicious! Golden yellow, with and effervescent head. Crisp and malty, without a hint of the cloying sweetness that wrecks so many American pilsners. This is a perfect summertime quaffable; if you can find it, buy it. (12/2/2006)

Abita Abbey Ale

Steve: A strong showing by Abita! They really seem to have spread their wings quite a bit since Katrina, pushing the envelope on the styles they've brewed (must be all the sales of Restoration Ale, and the continued mass appeal of Turbodog, financing this effort). I really enjoyed this. I had it in a 22oz bomber, and drank it from a goblet. It had a nice sweet plumb-like flavor, and was close to most Dubbels I've had. It had a decent but not overpowering 8%abv. A worthy effort on their part, and one which I would consider buying again just to see how well it cellars. (5/2/2010)

Abita Amber

Steve: This was very reminiscent of Michelob, in just about every way. Fortunately, Michelob is about the only drinkable thing that comes out of Anheuser Busch. Unfortunately, do you want to pay micro-brew money for something you can get for $4 per six-pack? I doubt it. If you are a beer snob who drinks only micros (and can afford it), go for it. This was good, don't get me wrong, but that financial drawback is something I can't shake. (10/12/1999)

Abita Christmas Ale

Steve: A good ale, but disappointing to me as far as Christmas ales go. They change up the recipe each year, and when brewers do that, they occasionally hit on one that's not quite as good as it could be, just for the sake of being different. I say, go for the perfect recipe, and stay there. It had a rich flavor, typical of the style, but it could've been a bit spicier. Throw in some more nutmeg, some more cinnamon, and you have a hit. As it is, it's not enough to make me stray from the likes of Sweetwater Festive or Winter Welcome. (12/31/2005)

Abita Fall Fest

Rocky: This is the fall seasonal from Abita, and my mother-in-law was kind enough to bring me some on her last visit. If it had proclaimed itself to be a marzen or Oktoberfest anywhere on the label I'd have had to take a few points off, because it's less malty..not as full-flavored as most. But, it doesn't. It's just a medium bodied and very tasty lager. I've really enjoyed having it around and will look for more when I'm there for Thanksgiving. (4/2/2005)

Abita Fleur-de-Lis Restoration Ale

Steve: The cause which this beer represents alone makes it worth purchasing. Money from every six pack goes to Hurricane Katrina Relief. Restoration came out several weeks after Katrina hit Louisiana, and Abita made short order of working to help its home state. The beer itself is a basic golden ale with a mild hop presence, yet it gives a nice citrus fruit flavor. Overall, it was an average beer, but it's definitely brewed with a more mass appear in mind. If Abita put out a big ale, only a small audience would be interested, so for that I have to applaud Abita, trying to get the most out of the possible donations. If this became a regular offering, I would definitely keep it in mind as an everyday beer. (5/13/2006)

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Abita Jockamo IPA

Steve: Not a bad IPA...not the best in the world, but certainly a nice hoppy delight. My biggest regret is that Henry's, the local cajun place in Acworth GA, ran out when I ate there this summer. The solid hoppiness would've gone very well with my ettoufee, much better than the Andygator which I tried. A little above average, so worth the look. (7/19/2009)

Abita Light

Rocky: I was surprised to see this when I visited New Orleans until I found out it was just released recently. I was skeptical about trying it, as I generally avoid light lagers, but wanted to give it a shot because I like Abita in general. For a beer with only 119 calories, they done good. No rice or corn fillers, just a good tasting beer. As far as beer goes it's average....as far as light beer goes it's very good. (1/31/2004)

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Abita Mardi Gras Bock

Sam: Very, very nice indeed. Where Andygator falls flat on its face, the Mardi Gras shines. Handsome smoky amber color, pleasant malty nose, and the flavor's a tasty blend of malt and hops. Not slam-you-over-the-head delicious, but awful darn good. Someone was actually paying attention at Abita when they brewed this little number. This beer made me vaguely sad it's seasonal. I hope they don't mess with the recipe for next year's offering; this was spot-on. (9/29/2007)

Abita Purple Haze

Steve: This raspberry wheat came in a very funky bottle. Despite the bits of raspberry pulp you see, it is filtered.....they add a puree after filtration. All in all, I'd say it was alright...very fruity, true to style. Although, this is not a dinner beer. If you are more careful of the atmosphere when you drink it, you might enjoy it more than I did. I wasn't wild about it, but in all honesty, I shouldn't have used this to wash down a burger off the grill. However, because of how much I enjoyed its sister beers, I may give it another go later. But remember, I'm not wild about fruity beers, so don't be surprised if the review doesn't improve. (11/23/1999)

Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager

Rocky: Louisiana strawberrys are a big deal there, and apparently Abita decided to take a beer they've traditionally only offered in the brewpub and bottle it this time around. Sort of a cousin of Purple Haze, but with strawberries instead of raspberries, although PH is a wheat and I believe this may just be their Golden with strawberry puree added to the secondary. Good strawberry aroma, nice pinkness when held to the light. It's not going to amaze you, but it is refreshing and easy to drink. I'd put it a notch ahead of Petes Strawberry Blonde. (8/5/2006)

Abita Turbodog

Steve: Reviewed by popular demand. This was quite good, but I think it would be better treated as a seasonal, maybe in the fall or winter (in defense, though, I live in Atlanta where, because of all the freakin' asphalt, it's always hot). Thick, malty, dark, aromatic, woody flavored, this has it all. I would have no problem trying their other beers based on this experience. This was a good "best foot forward" for Abita, I think. I have to note, that I tried this based on a recommendation from Emeril, the guy from the Food Network (Bamm!, crank it up a notch, etc), because he cooks with this beer...he hit this out of the park! (8/23/1999)

Abita Wheat

Rocky: This was very good. It couldn't have hurt that it was a hot day in the French Quarter, but the quality of the beer is why it really hit the spot. A much better summer seasonal than those lemon-zested wheat brews. Its light and crisp, not at all tart. As a seasonal there probably isn't very good access to it except around New Orleans, but get it if you can. Perfect beer for a hot day. (2/14/2004)

Acme California IPA

Steve: Honestly, I liked the pale ale a little better. It had a nice citrus zing to it, but it otherwise wasn't memorable. The usual cliche, good but not great. It was almost session beer-like. Which may have been the intention with the Acme line of North Coast's beers. Acme was a grocery store in which I worked in high school, so maybe they're trying to come across as "Generic." (4/20/2008)

Acme California Pale Ale

Steve: A damn good session ale. Mind you, I'm completely drunk right now, so this could've tasted like dishwater for all I remember, but I remember it being easy drinking, a nice hoppy flavor, but still smooth and, well, easy drinking. I worked at an Acme grocery store in high school, so this has a sentimental ring. And there's a nice looking red-head with nice gams doing a scissor kick on the label. Always attractive. (4/13/2008)

Alamo Golden Ale

Alamo Beer Co

Sam: For the record, the website is a bit disingenuous; this beer is actually brewed by the friendly folks at Real Ale in Blanco. Yes, that could be construed as "a day's ride" from San Antone, so they're not just lying through their teeth. Still, I wish Real Ale got a little more credit, because they put out such good product. This is different from their other beers. Lighter color, piney hop aroma and flavor. At first, it put me off a little bit, but it grew on me through the first pint--probably because it had a chance to warm a little. All in all, it's another good beer from a solid beer company. What the heck: if you can look past John Wayne playing Davy Crockett, surely you can look past the gimmicky label and give this beer a try. What, do I have to pull my sabre and draw a line in the sand? (3/11/2006)

Alaskan Amber Ale

Sam: So I'm visiting my uncle in this tiny town in rural Mississippi, and I idly reach into his beer cooler and pull out...Alaskan Amber Ale. I had to blink twice to make sure I was reading this correctly. I've been hearing about this beer for EIGHT YEARS! My hand trembled a little and a bead of sweat formed at my temple as I reached for the opener. I poured it into the pint glass and marveled at the handsome burnt amber color. My eyes glazed as I inhaled the heavenly malty aroma. I took a hefty mouthful, swished it around and suddenly--eyes wide open with sickening realization--I thought, "...Meh." That's it? After all these years?!? This holy grail of beers and all I can come up with is "meh"? Sighhh...once again, proof you should never get something built up in your mind; it's bound to wind up a disappointment. (10/28/2006)

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Alaskan Oatmeal Stout

Kris: I really wish I could tell you what this tasted like. But I had this right after having Lucifer, an 8% ABV behemoth. So I'm feeling a little, what's the word, drunk right now. I'll just say this, it couldn't have sucked, or I wouldn't have finished it. Plus, my fiancee liked it, and she was sober. So there. (11/5/2005)

Alaskan Pale Golden Ale

Kris: I want to thank my friend John for getting me a sample pack of beers from Alaska. This pale ale has a great label, of a glacier about to crush some people in a canoe. Of course, "about to" is relative, considering glaciers move at the speed, of say, well a glacier is the only thing I can think of, but damn, it's pretty slow. Anyway, pretty label. The beer is good too. I don't have the fancy wordset to explain all about it, just know that it's good. (5/7/2005)

Alaskan Summer Ale

Kris: Oh, yeah, this is the shit. I'm really liking this brewery more and more. I'm temped to low ball the rating due to the stupid killer whale on the label, but what the hell, it was a really good beer. As I said, it's the shit. It's a limited edition, so you may not be able to get this, but if you can, I definitely say, well, get it. Nice blend of hops and malt. Trust me, you'll enjoy it. (8/19/2006)

Alesmith IPA

Alesmith Brewing Co

Rocky: If this beer was a woman, I'd leave my wife for her. And I'm crazy about my wife. In fact, if this beer was a woman, it would probably be my wife. It's a bottle-conditioned American IPA, and it's the best beer I think I've ever had. 7.25% ABV, beautiful color, pours with a great head that laces down the glass, smells wonderful, has great citrusy hoppiness with a nice malty backbone. I love it. The only reason it's not getting a 10 is because I hate to think that I've stumbled across the perfect beer already. I figure I've got another 40 years or so of trying new beers, so I have to maintain hope that the holy grail of beers is still out there, otherwise what's the use. (5/22/2005)

Alesmith Yulesmith Holiday Ale (Winter)

Alesmith Brewing Co

Joel: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For today in the city of San Diego a savior has been brewed for you which is of the finest hops and grains. And this will be a sign for you: you will find the bottle wrapped in a label and lying in your stocking.” If this stuff was around at the birth of Christ you can bet that Myrrh would have been left off the registry. I had one of these Christmas Eve after putting the kids to bed, while I sat by the fire and watched A Christmas Story on TNT. Hard to imagine a more perfect night. (3/1/2009)

Allagash Dubbel

Allagash Brewing Co

Steve: God this was disappointing. I socked away a 4-pack for almost a year. A decent dubbel will get better over that time. I had one beer every 3 months, give or take, and I swear it got more mediocre. It didn't get worse....it just got mediocre. Plain. It's just a below average beer. Not horrible. Just not memorable. (7/18/2010)

Allagash Tripel Reserve

Allagash Brewing Co

Rocky: Cool bottle. 750 ml and corked, it pops off like champagne. It's hazy golden and forms a thick white head. This beer hides its 9% ABV very well...very flavorful. Its sweet at first, but finishes dry and a little spicy. Very complex, but interesting. This is an exceptional example of a Belgian Tripel, probably the best made in this country. Its not something you'll pound several of with a pizza, but I can see splitting a bottle among a few friends to sip on after a nice dinner. I feel a little strange rating it so high knowing that I'm not going to rush out to have it again soon. Although it isn't my favorite style, its still clearly a stellar beer. (11/22/2003)

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Allagash White

Allagash Brewing Co

Steve: This was a decent, but not fantastic white ale. Slightly above average, I guess I could say. The lemon background was a little thin, but still there, and it did have a nice spicey background. I think I detected some coriander in there. The spices weren't overpowering though, so with the slight citrus flavor, I actually think this would make an excellent summer beer. I think this was a better interpretation of a Belgian style than their Dubbel that I recently had. (11/8/2009)

Alpha King Pale Ale

Three Floyds Brewing Co

Rocky: First beer of the night on New Years Eve, and I'm beginning my review as it's only half empty. I say half empty rather than half full not because I'm a pessimist, but because I know that it will quickly be completely empty. This beer is damn good. Bottle-conditioned, so it feels great...almost chewy. The piney hops hit you in the nose, they're the first thing you taste, and they linger long after you swallow. American IPA is my favorite style, and this is a fine example of one, so naturally I'm quite pleased with it. This little brewery in Indiana is turning out an APA that will easily stand alongside the best of what the west coast guys are making. Great job! (4/23/2005)

Amberjaque Amber Rye Ale

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co

Sam: Now THIS is more like it. I recently found this along with Lazy Magnolia's Southern Pecan Brown Ale. The brown was okay, but the amber is really tasty. I'm guessing it's the rye malt that sets it apart from most ambers. This poured a handsome amber color (go figure), with a pillowy head. And here's where Kris will probably fire me, because I'm going to use a descriptor I promised I'd never use: it had a creamy mouthfeel. There. I said it. I'm not proud, but that's the best description I can come up with for that first sip. Nice and malty and light, but with enough hops presence to make me want to pour another glass. I definitely recommend this beer. Take that, Michael Jackson. (12/2/2006)

Amish Four Grain Pale Ale

Lancaster Brewing Co

Steve: What will strike most of you is the true-to-form English ale taste, like Tetley's, Bass, etc. Nicely hopped, with a good flowery aroma, and a copper color, this was very pleasant. I'm guessing the Amish aspect is more of a marketing tool, since modern breweries have all the gadgets and technology that the Amish typically eschew. Either way, this is worth a try. It does credit to the Pennsylvania brewing industry, balancing out that wretched Rolling Rock. This is not pasteurized, so don't expect to see it more than 200 miles from Philadelphia. (11/1/2003)

Anchor Bock Beer

Sam: This was delicious! I really regret now that I only bought one six-pack. Pours a deep mahogany brown, very nearly black as a porter. Smells delicious, and tastes even better, silky smooth and malty. This struck me as being more of a dopplebock in character. Apparently Anchor has only recently started releasing this widely. If you can still find a sixer this year, pick it up; or else, keep a sharp eye out for it next spring. (10/27/2007)

Anchor Christmas Ale 1999

Steve: This is a hearty, robust, thick dark beer. This is not for amateurs. This beer is much better than its lighter cousins, Steam and Liberty. Unfortunately, I think it will appeal to a smaller audience, as this is not for lightweights. This is the 25th anniversary of Anchor's MCHNY line, so they spiced this one up pretty good. If you can handle Guiness, Sam Smith's, and other such beers, this will be no problem. However, if your fridge is full of Bud or Coors, you may want to stay away. (1/11/2000)

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Anchor Christmas Ale 2003

Rocky: This years offering is very nice. Dark and malty, spiced up like most Christmas brews. I get a sense of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. No idea what the ABV is on it, but it was available in Alabama, so I know it's 6% or less. I wouldn't think it was much less, because it's a little bit warming. An overall good winter brew. (5/22/2004)

Anchor Liberty Ale

Steve: This was pretty bad. It was skunky and sour like it went bad in a REAL bad way. I think it sucks. It finished rather poorly. Hell, it started poorly, too. First brewed in 1976 to celebrate the Bicentennial... What a horrible way to show your patriotism. Why don't they just kill a bald eagle while they're at it?

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Anchor Porter

Rocky: I'm pissed at myself for not getting on this bandwagon a long time ago. It's because I am not crazy about their Liberty Ale and have a serious dislike for their Steam Beer. The Porter, however, is fantastic. It's very rich, with roasted malts and a hint of chocolate. Twice recently I've been with other beer lovers having side-by-side tastings of various porters, and Anchor has been the overall favorite each time, and it's not really been very close. (7/10/2004)

Anchor Steam

Steve: OK, at the request of many rabid readers, I tried this again. This time in a 1/2L bottle. I will admit, it was better this time around. I was actually able to finish the whole thing. Still not the best beer I've ever had, as it was kind of bitter (bitter in a gone-bad kinda way, not in a hoppy way), but at least I will raise the rating to a hearty 2. (Original review - This was nasty, like a homebrewing experiment gone bad. From the get-go it had a sharp, bad bitter flavor. Don't give me crap about Anchor not travelling well... A well brewed beer should at least make it across country before going bad. I left half of it on the bar, because I wanted to enjoy the rest of my evening without that funk taste on my mouth ruining all my other drinks. Original rating - 1) (1/11/2000)

Anchor Steam Small Beer

Joel: A small beer is a beer that is brewed from the "spent" mash of another beer. This makes perfects sense from the perspective of someone brewing beer who has little in the way of resources. Two batches for the price of one. Anchor brews their small beer from the mash of their Barleywine. Anyway, I wish I could enjoy this beer because I appreciate the economy of it but it comes across very sour, like a skunked Sam Adams. Okay as a novelty but not worth the price of the pint. (7/18/2010)

Anchor Summer

Steve: Not all that bad an ale, but a lousy summer beer. Summer beers should be light, creamy, with a citrus background. Low on hops, high on malt, loaded full of wheat, not barley. This is 50% wheat, and uses ale yeast. It has a noticeable bitterness to it that doesn't make it at all refreshing, which a good summer beer should do, first and foremost. While I'd like to give it high marks for being a good beer, I just can't bring myself to do it. Maybe it'll be better in winter. On the upside, it's the best Anchor beer I've had to date. (1/29/2005)

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AndyGator

Rocky: This is only available at the Abita Brewpub, and is then only in limited portions due to its high alcohol content. I'm not sure what style this is. It's served in a wine glass, is straw-colored with good clarity like a pilsner, and no head at all. There is a lot of sweetness, like a dopplebock, but the color is totally different and it finished really dry. Unusual. Very unusual. Wish the brewer had been there so I could have found out more about it. (5/1/2004)

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Anheuser World Select

Rocky: Input from ten brewmasters from around the world, yet when making a Pilsner it didn't occur to them to speak to a German Brewmaster? Well, despite all the global input they managed to come up with a very bland American beer. They can make it look like an import with the green bottle and they can price it like an import at around 6.99...but they failed to make it taste like an import. The Michelob line is still the best thing AB is producing. (12/13/2003)

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Anheuser-Busch Redbridge Beer

Sam: OK, I suppose A-B should be lauded for making a beer specifically to those on gluten-free diets; although, since several million people in the US alone suffer from celiac disease, it's possible they're just looking for another market niche. Cynicism aside, the beer pours a rather handsome amber, and has a pleasant enough malty-sweet aroma. The first sip has a fairly pleasant sweet flavor with caramel notes. Unfortunately, within a few sips the sweetness passes quickly from pleasant to annoying to cloying to tedious. I hear there are some regional brewers out there brewing gluten-free (with sorghum, btw) ales and such; sure hope they're putting out a better product. (6/9/2007)

Arkansas Ale

Old Fort Brew Pub Inc

Steve: This completes the trifecta of the Weidman's beers that I am likely to try. Let me sum up the conversation I had with my wife when trying this. Me: "Eeeww, it smells like vomit. It really does." Amy: "But you're going to try it anyway?" Me: "Yeah, I can't review it based on smell alone." That's where I should've listened to my (much wiser) wife. Rule of thumb: That which produces a vomit-like smell, likely produces a vomit-like taste as well. This beer is the thesis for that hypothesis. Crap, this sucked. Compared to when my (2 month old) daughter spat up on my face? That tasted better than this beer. So help me God, that is NOT an exaggeration. Plus, that freaked me out less. How the hell does one reproduce that taste? This beer sullies the good name of crap. Also, another example of the cool label-crappy beer theory. (10/26/1999)

Asahi Brewmaster Select

Asahi Beer Co

Sam: This could have had real potential. Rather handsome in the glass, it glowed a warm copper color. Fair amount of carbonation, it was pleasant watching the bubbles swirl as the beer settled after the pour. But there was little to no aroma, and the taste was harshly malty, with little hops balance. I really had to more or less force myself to finish the glass. Basically this beer was all show and no stay. Glad I only bought one bottle. (12/16/2006)

Aspen Edge

Sam: Yep, it's low carb. Yep, it tastes like shite. Same sour flavor, same dull colorless lifeless carbonated liquid as all the other low carb beer poseurs out there. But you look at the label and it takes a second to distinguish it from Busch Beer. So I wonder: is Coors being dumb like a fox, making their beer look like an Anheuser-Busch offering, to sucker people into buying it? Who knows. But what's interesting is, as bad as this "beer" is, it still was better than some of the swill I had the misfortune to encounter over a long weekend in Houston. Stay tuned, gentle readers. (5/29/2004)

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August Schell's Caramel Bock

Steve: The caramel bock was slightly better than the pale ale, because I think Schell makes a slightly better lager than an ale. I like bocks with a nice malty taste with a noticeable touch of alcohol. A caramel bock should be even sweeter, but really there was nothing more than a copper-colored lager. I don't think this is a great winter choice for here in Atlanta, I can't even imagine how poor a choice it would be for someplace that actually gets a long winter, like Minnesota. (9/19/2009)

August Schell's FireBrick

Steve: A Vienna-style amber lager, this was actually one of the better Schell beers I've had to date, simply because it wasn't underwhelming. And as you can see, it's just getting an average rating. Americans are very capable of bringing classic European lager styles to the US, and I think this is a good start, but I've had too many superior examples one state over in Wisconsin to be convinced that this is the best Schell could do. It did have a nice malty touch, with a color darker than what the typical American expects to see from a lager. That's the all-malt Vienna style. Something a little more flavorful would be nicer. (11/8/2009)

August Schell's Octoberfest

Steve: Schell is one of those sentimental favorites, like Yuengling and Leinenkugel. Operated by the original family, but not exactly producing the best beer. The Octoberfest has a decent malty flavor, but the alcohol is not all that present, and it's not really the solid Autumn beer you want in a Festbier. So-So would be a good way to describe it. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't what you really want from a Fest. It's certainly not as good as what Capital cranks out. (8/9/2009)

August Schell's Pale Ale

Steve: This is one of the thinnest, most flavorless pale ales I've ever had. With the use of East Kent Golding hops, it's going more for an English-style pale ale, not American, which is why you need not bother trying to taste the Cascade hops. Unfortunately, the East Kent Goldings aren't exactly knocking at the door to your taste buds either. I'd suggest they stick with their more German style beers, but I haven't tasted anything in that line that's all that earth-shattering either. (9/12/2009)

August Schell's SnowStorm

Steve: This was interesting. It came in a sampler 12 pack that I bought in July (as this was a 2007 release, it's been sitting a while), and when I had the first one, around the time of the first chilly evening, I assumed it was a winter lager and had it from a mug. Horrible. Then, I read the label and discovered to my surprise that Schell's was actually aiming for a Belgian Dubbel-style. The 2nd bottle was poured into an Ommegong goblet, and the taste improved quite a bit. It was nice and malty, and had some fruit undertones, like plum. I think it had a way to go before being close to a Dubbel, but it wasn't bad, and really quite drinkable. I almost wish I had another bottle, so that I could see what else I can discover in the taste. (1/3/2010)

August Schell's Zommerfest

Steve: Schell's label makes the claim that this is a Kölsch-style summer ale. Unfortunately, having had only one real Kölsch in my life, I can't dispute that claim like I can with a bad Hefeweizen. I will say that this leaves a little to be desired. If it's 100 degrees in the shade, and you can fry an egg on your sidewalk, this might taste good if it's slightly above freezing temps. Otherwise, I'm a little disappointed in my first attempt at a beer from the historic Schell brewery. (2/17/2007)

Avalanche Amber Ale

Steve: This was a light, smooth ale with a malty flavor and slight hoppy finish. Nothing too heavy, this would likely make a good candidate as an everyday drinking beer (that being one of those beers you can drink often, of which you never get tired). Since I once had dinner at Breckinridge's restaurant across from Coor's Field in Denver, and after drinking this, I really wish I could find their product east of the Mississippi (someone let me know if you've ever seen them in Atlanta). (3/15/2003)

Avery 14'er ESB

Sam: I just finished off the last of the six of this beer, having started the six pack 'way back in February when I bought it. I've finally decided I like it. I don't know if it's mellowed or if I have, but when I first tried it, I wasn't thrilled. I've come to expect an ESB to be deep copper colored, but this isn't. Deep golden yellow, to be sure, not at all thin and watery like some other swill I could name, but not coppery. And at first I thought the hops presence could've been more, uh, present. Extra Special Bitters should be bitter. Hmm. This beer doesn't claim to be bottle conditioned, and there's no yeast sediment in the bottle, so why was this last one so darned good? I dunno. But it had all the clean, bitter, sweet and hoppy character you'd expect of the style. And what the hell, the label's cool, with a picture of one of Colorado's many "fourteeners". So if you see it, give it a try. If at first you don't like it, push the rest to the back and come back to them in a few weeks. You might be surprised. (10/29/2005)

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Avery Celebration Ale

Sam: Gaah!! I bought this despite knowing it was a Belgian style, and despite knowing that I detest Belgians (ales, that is. Can't say I've ever met a Belgian). So, big surprise: this sucks! Tastes exactly as you'd expect--like bananas, cloves, and bubble gum. Cloves belong in a baked ham. Not in beer. Honestly, who the hell thought of cloves in beer? Dreadful. This was a drain-pour after one swallow. Thank heavens I only wasted my money on one bottle. (8/19/2006)

Avery Ellie's Brown Ale

Sam: Proof that big beers are better in the winter. I first tried this in the dog days of summer, sitting around the pool quaffing a few. This was in the cooler, so we tried it. We all agreed it was a little too heavy, and went back to pale ales and lagers. But yesterday, on a cold, gray January afternoon, with a "Blue Norther" blustering in off the Great Plains, I cracked a cap off one of these again. Man, what a treat! Dark brown, sweet, nutty, hoppy, really sticks to your ribs. Definitely a winter warmer. If you read this review in the summertime, fret not, my friend--the weather will cool again, and you can go find this gem to sip on by the fire. Buy it if you see it. (1/24/2004)

Avery IPA

Sam: YUM. I had seen this before, in my darker beer phase, and had passed it by. But right now I'm really going through an India Pale Ale phase. And, oh man, is this a good representative. Strong hops presence, but just sweet enough to balance the astringence. Just the right golden-copper color in the glass, too. Cool label without being too artsy. All in all, a delicious beer, and one I'd recommend highly if you find it. (4/30/2005)

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Avery Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest

Steve: I loved everything about this beer. I loved the photo of Kaiser Wilhelm II, in spiked military helmet, I loved the sweet maltiness, I loved the alcohol kick, I loved how it made me feel watching the Bears beat the Packers on Christmas night. I've said that Capital Brewing has the best microbrewed lagers in the US, but Avery is clearly disputing that. This was just a fantastic Oktoberfest, there are no words to describe how good it was. In fact, not only is it one of the best I've ever had, it's one of the best beers I've ever had. (7/23/2006)

Avery Maharaja Imperial IPA

Sam: Wow. I've had this bomber for about a month. When I could stand it no longer, I cracked it open, poured it evenly into two pint glasses, and offered my wife one. She took one sip and politely declined the rest; she's not into big beers. But I'm God's own drunk and a fearless man, so I accepted the challenge. Twenty-two ounces of hoppy amber goodness. Damn, I think I've been violated. Intense malty sweet flavors, and the hops just assaulted my taste buds. A real knock-out, but at 9.9% abv, I was obviously done for the evening. I'm pretty sure if Gandhi had gotten to try this he'd have exclaimed, "Holy cow!" (9/16/2006)

Avery Redpoint Ale

Steve: I keep expecting red ales to have a sweet caramel flavor like the red lagers from my earlier beer tasting days, so it shows how long certain impressions can last. This was a nicely hopped ale with a lovely deep copper color. Not a winter warmer, but certainly not a session beer either. I prefer Avery's specialty beers, but I often forget they make a good standard ale as well. (2/16/2008)

Avery Salvation

Steve: Salvation is a Belgian-style Golden Ale. I enjoy such beers because they feel light, with a good citrus taste, but with enough alcohol to unknowingly knock you on your ass. For example.....after drinking a bomber of Salvation, I found myself ordering a free movie on Comcast On Demand. A classic tale of warriors and sorcery....Conan the Destroyer. Not Conan the Barbarian, with multiple award-winning actors. I got The Destroyer. So Salvation will make you do crazy shit like that. Which I guess is safer than hitting golf balls at your neighbor's house, or stealing state line signs (guilty and guilty), which cheap beer will make you do. (5/28/2007)

Avery Ten

Sam: Bottled in 2003, to celebrate their tenth anniversary, brewed with "a very complex blend of 10 malts, 10 hop varieties added 10 different times, 10% abv, and 10 years of brewing excellence", you'd think this beer woulda tasted better. Most likely the aging muted the hops presence, but I was a little put off by all the riotous fruit flavors pinging around in this otherwise pleasant beer. At least the alcohol wasn't aggressively present, like so many other big beers. Still, I wish I could've tried this beer when it was younger; Avery's beer are, for the most part, pretty darn hoppy. (1/12/2008)

Avery The Reverend Belgian-Style Quadrupel Ale

Steve: I heart Avery's specialty line. Of course, in most cases, they are so loaded with alcohol that I'm sure many of their flaws are hidden. The Reverend had a nice deep amber color, and a rich smell. Not overly sweet, which is good, you often find that in beers with 10% ABV. There wasn't much of an alcohol burn either, so it was surprisingly easy to drink. Which means I killed a bottle of 10 point beer rather quickly. (12/6/2008)

Avery Thirteen

Steve: This is Avery's 13th anniversary special release, one that I could find few faults with. It combined two of my favorite styles, a Doppelbock and a Weizen. Weizen Doppelbocks are pretty rare (I can only think of a couple others off-hand), but if you wanted to guarantee me as a customer, this would be the way to do it, by brewing one. It had a wonderful sweet maltiness, with a beautiful deep red color. With the rich bread-like flavor, this was almost a meal unto itself, yet it was very drinkable due to the wheat malt. It was Capital's Weizen Doppelbock that made me fall in love with them, and it was Avery's that made me do likewise with Avery as well. (12/8/2007)

Aviator India Pale Ale

Aviator Ales

Steve: This is pretty good compared to most domestic IPAs. The hops are pretty distinctive and give it a nice bite. It's crisp tasting, almost like a lager, and it's nicely effervescent. Not flat like some IPAs I've had.

B^E aka "B to the E"

Kris: see Red Bull. Seriously, it smells and tastes like Red Bull. Doesn't taste like beer at all. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume this is actually beer, as it says beer on the label. But they do a damn good job of hiding any semblance to beer. I guess if you want something that will give you wings and get you shitfaced, drink this. I'm going to stick with Red Bull. (7/9/2005)

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Bacardi Silver

Steve: OK, not a "beer," but it's got 5% alcohol, so it's worth writing about. This is one of the better malt beverages that I've had to date, and by far the best Busch product that I've ever had. You know why? It's not beer! They couldn't screw this up, because there's Bacardi rum in here, and that's someone else's recipe, not theirs. If it was theirs, it would've been paint thinner. Anyway, I hate hard liquor. Makes me sick just thinking about it, but I liked this. Good thing I only bought one 12 oz bottle, or there might have been problems. (3/23/2002)

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Bacardi Silver Limon

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Sam: 7-Up with an alcohol kick. I gave it zero mugs because I just can't come up with any reason why it should exist; it sure as hell ain't beer. For the last two weeks now I've been scratching indelicately and belching in public, just to prove to everyone I haven't turned gay. I swear, I ONLY bought it because of a recent house guest. (12/23/2006)

Badger Porter

Wisconsin Brewing Co

Kris: The label proclaims "Beer the way it used to be. Beer the way it should be." Um, no. I poured this and immediately got 8 inches of foam. Thinking it might be the way the glass was rinsed, I took a swig directly from the bottle. Bam! Mouthful of foam. WTF? If this is the way beer used to be, I'm glad they changed it. Damn near impossible to drink. (4/7/2007)

Ballantine Ale

Falstaff Brewing Co

Steve: Very old brewery, formerly of Newark, NJ, now in CT or RI, I forget (wouldn't you move too?). Nice clean taste, fresh flavor, no bitterness. The least stout of any ales I tried (which is fine by me). Good to start with to get used to ales.

Baltus OVS

Heavyweight Brewing

Steve: According to the label, this is the Frankenstein of beers. English pale malts, German wheat, Belgian raw sugar, American dark malt for color, and European ale yeast. Basically, the final product will remind you of a Belgian Dubbel Trappist ale. Which is a good thing, as I happen to like a good Dubbel. This had a nice dark brown color, and a sweet flavor above all others. Not syrupy sweet, but fruity sweet, like over-ripe plums. Add to that the 8.2% abv, and you have a very pleasant beer-drinking experience. I'm honestly impressed that my home state of NJ could produce something as yummy as this. Good for them, now if only they could do something about saying "Yous Guys". (1/21/2006)

Bam Bière Farmhouse Ale

Steve: Bam Biere could be one of the more balanced beers I've ever had. It had a nice wheat spice flavor, noticeable hops and malt, nice cloudy appearance. I don't have a lot of experience with Farmhouse ales, but after this one I would like to experiment with them some more. I guess that's a pretty good beer, if it makes you want to try others like it. (3/15/2008)

Bar Harbor Real Ale

Atlantic Brewing Co

Steve: Named after the proud sea side town of Bar Harbor, Maine. When members of CAMRA talk about how they only drink British Real Ales, and acting like their shite doesn't stink, be sure to point out this American-brewed Real Ale. And then act like your shite doesn't stink. People love that, especially foreigners. And if you're American, you probably act like your shite doesn't stink anyway, so it's not a huge stretch. Mind you, I only know that this is a Real Ale because the label says so. Tastes like any decent Brown Ale, I'd have this over Newcastle any day. (10/1/2005)

Bayhawk California Pale Ale

Bayhawk Ales Inc

Sam: Perhaps I should have researched this beer a bit more before proceeding to rip on it, but this is the tapioca pudding of craft beers, the vanilla ice cream of ales. Fizzy yellow, bland and...zzzzzz...snort*cough*huh? Sorry, just dozed off a moment writing this review. Back to ripping. Interesting, I think, that they call it not an English Pale Ale, not an American Pale Ale, but a CALIFORNIA Pale Ale. Pretty arrogant for hospital food in a pint glass (sorry, I'm running out of bland analogies). (9/8/2007)

Bayhawk Chocolate Porter

Bayhawk Ales Inc

Sam: I don't know if it's the wrong time of year for porters (too warm), if this was past its prime (the month brewed wasn't marked), or if I'm just growing away from the porter style, but I was completely underwhelmed by this beer. Shame, too, because I had high hopes, expecting some rich, chocolatey after dinner type beer. But it was thin, letting in much more light than I thought allowable. Not much aroma at all. Taste was flat, dusty, maybe some coffee hints but no chocolate. A real disappointer. Too bad. (9/9/2006)

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale

Bear Republic Brewery

Joel: California is the 12th largest economy in the world...in the world for crying out loud. That's why it makes me want to blow my brains out when I hear on the news that the state with the largest economy in the nation and the highest income tax rate in the country is somehow broke. Anyway, I figure it might be time for the Bear Republic to reclaim independence and this will be the beer to lead the way, with the Rocket's Red glare and bombs bursting in air. It's malty, hoppy, and delicious; and it ages like a Sunshine State issued IOU. (8/28/2010)

Bell's Amber Ale

Steve: I'm betting this is Bell's most, for lack of a better word, pedestrian beer, but I enjoyed it. It makes a perfect session ale, in the classic sense. Lighter then IPA's and APA's, not AS hoppy, but still has a nice Cascade flavor to it. I think there's also a nice touch of citrus in there too. I could easily sit down and drink a six pack of this in an evening. If Bell's distributed near Atlanta, I'm pretty sure this would be one that'd be in constant rotation in m beer fridge. (10/21/2006)

Bell's Double Cream Stout

Rocky: This brewery makes 1 stout year-round, 3 winter seasonals available October through March, and 6...yes SIX that come out in only November. Unusual for one brewery to do that many of a particular style, but after having this I can appreciate that it's their specialty. I don't generally like stouts, but I liked this one. Sweeter and smoother than most, but it still drinks like a meal and packs a punch at 7.5% ABV. They only distribute to the midwest, but try it if you can find it. (2/7/2004)

Bell's Porter

Steve: I was kind of expecting a Porter brewed by Kalamazoo Brewing to knock me off my feet, but that didn't happen. I was almost disappointed. It was good beer, above average, and had a nice coffee background, but it certainly wasn't among the best in this style that I've had. I'm sure lovers of Porters will like it, perhaps, but I wasn't crazy for it. But that's OK, Bell's Two Hearted is among the best of ANY beer, they can't have them all, I guess. (10/28/2006)

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

Joseph Huber Brewing Company

Steve: Kalamazoo (more widely known under the "Bell's" name) is a highly regarded brewer, and I know some very knowledgeable people who consider Two Hearted to be their favorite beer, so I was kind of disappointed that this beer didn't absolutely floor me. Don't get me wrong, I guess it can be compared to the first time I ever had sex. That was an absolutely thrilling moment, but was it by far my best performance ever? Not even close. As far as IPA's go, it is a good one, proof that Europeans are morons when they criticize American beer. Hearty floral aroma which gave this a nice citrus zing, and I'll definitely come back and try other Bell's beers because of this one, but I guess I was expecting a 10. (5/13/2006)

Berghoff Hefe-Weizen

Tim: I've only had this on tap at the famous Berghoff restaurant in downtown Chicago, and frankly that's the way to have it. It looks great! Nice cloudy gold colour. It's also got a nice frothy head. It's aroma is one of bananas and yeast. It's got a well crafted yeasty taste, and drinks smoothly. Very good, though I have certainly had better hefe-weizens. (6/21/2003)

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Bert Grant's Hefeweizen

Yakima Brewing Co

Rocky: In fairness to the beer, a rainy January day isn't ideal hefeweizen weather. Not sure that it would have mattered, because this isn't an ordinary hefe. It looks OK for beer, but too clear for hefe. It tastes decent, but doesn't have that banana/clove yeasty flavor. It's not bad for a thirst quencher but it's a terrible example of a hefeweizen. Bert Grant has a very good reputation but needs to correctly label this brew. It's a wheat, not a hefe, and there is a big difference. (6/5/2004)

Bert Grant's Perfect Porter

Yakima Brewing Co

Rocky: This is some good stuff. After the hefeweizen I had a few months ago I wasn't really enthusiastic to see Bert Grant products in the beer club shipment, but this one restored my faith in the brewery. Wasn't exactly perfect, but close enough to it to be very enjoyable. There is some sweetness, some smoke, and some coffee. There are definitely a lot more porters that are worse than there are that are better. (2/12/2005)

Bert Grant's Scottish Ale

Yakima Brewing Co

Rocky: I probably wasn't the one to try this one. Scottish Ales are not my cup of tea... There's a quality about them that tastes like a band-aid to me, and this was no exception. I guess it's the peat. Thankfully this is brewed in the Yakima Valley, where cascade hops are plentiful. Cascades are always welcomed in my beers, and that made this a bit more tolerable. I'm not going to ding it too hard just because I'm not crazy about the style in general, but I can't rightfully give it anything more than average. (2/26/2005)

Big Buck German Alt

Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse

Sam: Yeah, baby. Nothin' says redneck like drinkin' beer at the Big Buck Brewery at the Bass Pro Shop. I feel so trailer trashy. OK, getting that out of my system, onto the review. It irks me a little they should call this German Alt when alt IS German. Oh, well, they've dummied down pretty much everything at this brewpub since last I was there, attempting to appeal to the masses. I doubt this beer would, though it would appeal to you, gentle readers. True to the "old" ale style, this is malty and sweet, but with a good hops bite. Deep copper color and well carbonated. It's a shame I had this in the September heat, because I see this beer being much more appealing in late fall after the temperature dips. Still, it was delicious, and paired nicely with blue crab and artichoke dip served over toasted pita bread. I can see going back in October and trying this again. (3/19/2005)

Big Easy Beer

Big Easy Brewing Co

Sam: I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Having had Dixie Beer in the past, my sights weren't set too high when I saw this on the shelf. Pretty pleasing little number. Dark yellow, nice lager flavor. A little too sweet. However, as Rocky has pointed out before, lagers are actually hard to make. And given the water they have to work with down there, they've done impressively well. This must be a relatively new beer, because most of their web page was "Under Construction." Expect to hear more about this beer. (1/29/2005)

Big River Vienna Lager

Big River Brewing Co

Steve: Big River is located in Nashville and Chattanooga. This was sampled from the Chattanooga location, and the Vienna Lager appears to be their flagship beer (if the fact that it's on tap all over Chattanooga is any indication). Most of you will find that it's a bit more hopped than the lagers you're used to, and almost comes across as a pale ale. It's fairly dark for a lager, looking a bit like a Bass, and is a hearty 4.18% ABW. When in Chattanooga, I highly recommend drinking one while watching a Lookouts game from the bleachers. (12/11/2004)

Bison Chocolate Stout

Bison Brewing

Steve: Handcrafted in Berkeley, undoubtedly by hippies, this is an organic brew. I don't know what that means, but I'll see this was a nice chocolate stout, whose flavor was augmented by the addition of Dutch cocoa. Dutch cocoa, you say? Yes, I kid you not. Now go get some, you little hippy. I would also recommend drinking this while watching The Duke in "The Quiet Man." Sure, this isn't a porter, which is featured prominently throughout the movie, but drinking a dark ale out of a pint glass just feels right while watching John Wayne whup a Mick's ass. (4/23/2005)

Bison Organic Belgian Ale

Bison Brewing

Steve: For those of you familiar with Belgian golden ales, you'll find this to be a pretty close facsimile, but there was something missing. It had the alcohol, it had the spicy flavor from the coriander, and it had the lemon background. But it was missing the effervescence (it didn't create that creamy, whipped egg white head), the strong alcohol warmth in the taste, and it was a little more watery than a typical Belgian ale. In other words, it was no Duvel. But then again, that's comparing it to the benchmark of its style, which isn't fair. Comparing a Miata to a Porsche, the Miata falls flat, but it's still a sweet-looking ride. OK, the alcohol is taking effect, I'm starting to talk about cars. Maybe it's not so lacking. (5/7/2005)

Bitch Creek ESB

Grand Teton Brewing Co

Rocky: One of the brew club selections, and I drank all three of them without much delay, but can't say anything really stands out. It's very drinkable...how's that? If you're trying to brew an ESB to style there would be a color range to shoot for, and a bitterness range. This is probably way at the high end for both, and that's a good thing in my opinion. (10/29/2005)

Bitter Woman From Hell Extra India Pale Ale

Tyranena Brewing Co

Steve: The regular Bitter Woman tasted a bit like a pale ale, and the Bitter Woman from Hell doesn't taste THAT much of an extreme departure from a regular IPA. Don't get me wrong, an excellent beer, but based on the name, I was kind of expecting something you'd see from Stone. I *wanted* to see something like what you'd see from Stone. It's a limited release, in their "Brewers Gone Wild" series. I shout out to them to ramp it up a bit the next time. Challenge me, please. (7/6/2008)

Bitter Woman IPA

Tyranena Brewing Co

Steve: Yup. I bought it for the name. And the picture of the battleaxe of a woman on the label. Hardly the most bitter IPA I've ever had. I think it's closer to a standard pale ale then an IPA, but it's still a good, drinkable beer. And thankfully, it's not so bitter that you'll look like the old bitter woman on the label. (6/3/2006)

Black Butte Porter

Deschutes Brewery

Sam: As I write this Thanksgiving weekend, we're still expecting 80 degrees today and tomorrow. Sigh. Not much in the way of fall weather to be had in central Texas, and fall weather is tailor-made for dark beers. Still, I have all these porters aging gracefully in my pub, so I'd best get off my keister and sample them before they get too long in the tooth. It's been some years since I had Black Butte, and I remember it fondly. It still doesn't disappoint. This poured a rich ebony with ruby tones held up to the light. Tan head. Delicious malty and smoky aroma, and it tastes as a good porter should: roasted malts with a hint of sweetness. Smoky and hoppy. A very solid representative of the style. Give it a try. And send me some cool weather. (5/6/2006)

Black Widow Oatmeal Stout

Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co

Rocky: This Montana brew has a picture of a black widow on the label and a blurb on the bottle about it being brewed with the finest hops and grains and only a hint of spider. Pretty cheesy. As far as stouts go, this one is very tasty without much bitterness. It's very easy-drinking...maybe too much so for the style. I would have this often if it was easier to get. (6/5/2004)

Blackhook Porter

Redhook Brewing Co

Sam: Not at all a bad brew. There are hoppier versions, sweeter versions. There are some with a smoky flavor that this one doesn't have. But Blackhook is still a damned respectable beer, black, sweet enough, has that rich warm porter character that stops just short of a stout. It holds its own, and is different enough that you'd want to have this every now and again as a change of pace. A good, thick, hearty winter brew. I recommend it. (5/15/2004)

Blatz Beer

G. Heileman Brewing Co

Steve: An old Wisconsin brewery label, dating back to 1852, which coincidentally is the same birth year as the people who still drink this. OK, slight exaggeration, but I can say with certainty that this is primarily consumed by male Wisconsonians between the ages of 50 and death. After buying a 40 oz (smallest single size I could find at Carl's in Merrill, WI), an old woman walked out with a case (carrying it in one hand), and at that point I wish I had done what Rocky did and offered her a buck for one of them. According to my father-in-law, the guys down at the plant drink this by the case because it has no taste at all. It's a horrible beer, but I can't say that it tastes bad, because it doesn't taste like anything. It's like that flavored water that Gatorade makes, except that instead of fruit flavors, they gave it a touch of beer flavor. I got halfway through the 40 before pouring the rest down my mother-in-law's sink drain (by the way, Marge, I took care of that clog for you). (10/23/2004)

Blue Moon Belgian White

Blue Moon Brewing Co

Steve: A White is the Belgian version of a German Weiss... Light and fruity, creamy, aromatic. Sweet tasting, it had a taste like lemon or orange Pledge. However, I like the smell of Pledge, not the taste of course. I recommend this to anyone who likes wheat beers.

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Blue Ridge Bock Oktoberfest

Blue Ridge Brewery

Steve: Never heard of this flavor of beer before, but I can only imagine that it is an Octoberfest, which is naturally malty, using a wide variety of seasonal hops and barley malts, made even hoppier, with more malt, as that is what a Bock is, and that's what this tasted like.I sampled this fresh from the tap at BR's brewery. If you can get this, try it.

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Blue Star Wheat Beer

Sam: I've been drinking high-end beers for about twelve years now, and still have yet to get used to that "plop" of the yeast sediment into the glass when I forget to swirl the bottle first. I did that just now, and jumped a bit when the dollop of sediment slid into the glass. I immediately thought with a groan, "Oh, great. Bananas and cloves and bubblegum." Nope, happily I was wrong. This is a cloudy orange-yellow as the sediment emulsifies, and it has a clean citrus aroma. Flavor's muted fruits and lemon, malty and light. Very, very nice indeed. This is a solid summer beer, and I encourage you to try it. (10/21/2006)

Boulevard Pale Ale

Boulevard Brewing Co

Steve: This is as good as the other Boulevards that I tried, and thus I will definitely get some more if given the opportunity (they don't sell in Atlanta). Smooth, malty flavor, with a nice flowery aroma and background from the hops, but not too strong. Nice bite, but not too much where it keeps you from not wanting another one right away. (4/5/2003)

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer

Boulevard Brewing Co

Steve: This was highly touted by a friend of mine. Unfortunately, it seems to be regional. It's brewed in Kansas City, MO, and I know it's available in Memphis and NW Arkansas, so I guess you'll be able to find it throughout the mid-South and western Midwest. This is a European style (loved by Germans and Belgians) that Americans don't tackle often enough. Boulevard seemed to do a decent job. It doesn't have the thick presence of floaties that many unfiltered ales have, but it was smooth, malty, and made me wish I had a six pack (I bought a single 12 oz bottle). I'd have to say that if you live in their market area, keep an eye out. (2/22/2003)

Breckenridge 471 double IPA

Sam: This is from Breckenridge's "small batch" series, and is only available in the bombers, so far as I know. And this offering helps me forgive them for otherwise putting out average product. This was an elegant smoky amber in the glass. Aroma was over-the-top hops, but the beer was surprisingly well-balanced, with enough malty sweetness to duke it out with the piney hops. This one's a winner. Buy it if you see it. (9/23/2006)

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Breckenridge 471 ESB

Sam: My taste buds have really been going through a change of late. I'm just not into hops quite as much as I used to be--not that I ever considered myself a hophead in the first place. But I'm beginning to appreciate subtle maltiness more these days. And the ESB as a style is a bit of a misnomer, as I understand it. It's actually overall a fairly mild beer style. Add to that this is one of Breck's "small batch" series brews, and their IPA impressed me, so I had high hopes for the ESB. It did not disappoint. A little floral in the aroma department, but a handsome ruby-red-brown in the glass. Flavor was nice and malty, slightly sweet, with just the right touch of floral, piney hops. My wife wanted me to give it a nine, but I wasn't QUITE ready to go that far. Just the same, I highly recommend it (but you might have to wait 'til the eagle flies; it's a bit pricey). (10/25/2008)

Breckenridge Christmas Ale

Sam: OK, now THIS is more like it. After being thoroughly burned by New Belgium's holiday offering, I was a little leery of trying a new one, especially from a brewery with...uneven beers, charitably put. But no, their Christmas beer is quite nice. Deep, handsome mahogany brown in the glass, with a thin tan head. Big hops nose and bite. Definitely a beer to savor. It took me half an hour or more to get through the first pint tonight, and I definitely won't have another. At 7.4% abv, it has a punch. As a "winter warmer", I think you'll find it a strong player. Pick some up. (12/30/2006)

Breckenridge India Pale Ale

Steve: I was pretty disappointed. It was good and all, but the many readers who wrote praising this beer got my hopes up too high. It's good, but not fantastic. This would be a good winter beer; it packed a punch.

Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout

Steve: I tend to prefer Oatmeal stouts over the other varieties, so I was looking forward to this one. It wasn't as good as I hoped, but still tasty. Rich, malty, deep flavored, definitely drinkable, so I'll give this a try if I ever get west of the Mississippi and can buy this again. However, I think I prefer the British versions. It was good, but the rating is in comparison to the ones from the UK. (4/14/2003)

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Breckenridge Pale Ale

Steve: Another reason to sell Breckinridge here in Atlanta. This was quite hoppy, but pretty smooth drinking. The bitterness didn't linger too long, so it got you ready for your next sip. I honestly don't have much else to say, because this beer tasted exactly like it should. (3/21/2003)

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Breckenridge Red Ale

Steve: I've actually had dinner at this brewery and tried their beer on site, so I was excited to find this (albeit in a liquor store in Arkansas). I love "Reds" because they tend to have a caramel maltiness that I have really grown to love. This one didn't have that distinct caramel flavor, but it was there in the background. Much more outstanding was the hoppy flavor...just enough to give it a kick, but not too bitter. It had a smooth, creamy malty flavor that made it pretty enjoyable, so if Atlanta beer stores would get off their asses and get Breckenridge out here, I could get down to business and start enjoying their product, starting with more of this stuff. Overall, well made. (2/8/2003)

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Sam: Well it certainly is vanilla. Handsome coffee-black with ruby highlights held to the light, with a thin tan head. But the aroma and the flavor are pretty overwhelmingly vanilla. Don't get me wrong; it didn't taste BAD, it just was too sweet for my taste buds. Try it for yourself, it may be your kind of drink. I personally was glad I only bought one bottle. (4/7/2007)

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Brewer's Cave Golden Caramel Lager

Minnesota Brewing Co

Steve: From the same company that brought Pig's Eye. There was a slight caramel taste, but not as evident as Killian's. This was a basic lager, a bit tasty, above average. Definitely not spectacular, but good enough to drink.

Brewery Hill Caramel Porter

Brewery Hill Brewing Co

Kris: This beer kicks some Anheuser ass! I only wish I had more than one sample to try. According to the label, there were once more than two dozen breweries in NE Pennsylvania and this brewery is the last one. If it was because of the quality of the beer they make, I wouldn't be surprised at all. This is a great tasting, smooth, beer. You can definitely taste the caramel and chocolate combo in this beer. Dare I say mmm mmm good? Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this to your average buttwiper drinker as a) he wouldn't appreciate it, and b) it would knock him over after 2 or 3. In addition to being yummy (is that a word?), this is rather strong. If you're in PA, try some. (9/13/1999)

Brewery Hill Pale Ale

Brewery Hill Brewing Co

Steve: This was a run of the mill quality pale ale. As opposed to a run of the mill crappy ale. It was pretty good, with a good hoppy flavor. However, it looses points for claiming to be Pennsylvania's finest brewery. That goes to Yuengling, hands down. It is better than Rolling Rock (hey, what isn't), and is certainly worth the money, but there is better out there. Gains points for a good label, because that is a drunks best entertainment. (10/10/1998)

Brewski's Honey Red

Brewski's Brewing Co

Steve: I bought this because the label said it was Award Winning. It didn't say what award. I'm not saying Mirsky would have reviewed it, but it was over-hyped. I tasted caramel and toffee, I think, reminiscent of Thames Welsh Ale, which I wasn't wild about. Also, it says it's from St Paul, and asks that you visit the brewery in Palo Alto. Huh? Sounds like the bastard child of Pete's, which by the way, this wasn't as good as. OK, but not award winning on this page.

Bridgeport Black Strap Stout

Sam: I just really shouldn't buy porters or stouts in the summertime. Here in the ghastly heat of Central Texas, big beers just don't go down well. This is IPA weather. Still, I'd heard good things about this particular stout, so I gave it a go. My first impression was "ew, motor oil", but that particular day I had had an IPA or two before the stout. Since then I've had it alone, and it's pretty decent. Black as pitch, and doesn't let a ray of light through when held up to the sun. Hoppy with dark roast accents. Not very sweet at all. I've had better stouts, but this one is still pretty nice all on its own, thank you very much. (12/10/2005)

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Bridgeport ESB

Sam: Stop the bloody presses!! It's quite possible I might have discovered yet another nearly-perfect beer (please, let there never be a perfect beer. Then my quest would be done). I stumbled onto this today, and in my haste, I only picked up a sixer--much to my regret. A smile broke across my face as I poured it: a burnished amber, with a buffy head. Inhaled deeply: mmm...malts, heather, spruce, trout streams. Took a sip, and went weak in the knees. Ahh...nectar. Malty, hoppy, sweet, complex. This beer is an out-of-the-park homerun! If you see this in the cooler, you OWE it to your taste buds to try it. I'm going back for more... (8/5/2006)

Bridgeport Haymaker Extra Pale Ale

Sam: Don't let the "Extra Pale Ale" moniker throw you; this is a blonde ale in every character. Light golden in the glass, light floral hops aroma, mild, slightly sweet hops flavor. A pretty bland, harmless summer ale. This would be a decent beer to offer your hardcore BMC drinkers as a springboard to better beers. Or to hand out to giantfuckintool guy when he shows up uninvited to your party again (smarmy bastard). (3/1/2009)

Bridgeport India Pale Ale

Sam: Long available only in the Northwest, and a few specialty importers sprinkled here and there, now this brew is hitting shelves in a substantial portion of the nation. I sure hope the quality of the brew doesn't suffer as a result. I recently tried a sixer right here in Texas. Mmm...delicious. Crisp, spicy, sweet, it was a clean brew, one I'd go to again and again. If you're a fan of IPAs, this one will not disappoint. And it's bottle conditioned, so if you're more patient than I am, and have more storage space than I do, you can cellar these and they'll supposedly get even better. (10/1/2005)

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Steve: This brewery, as a rule, rocks. However, even rockers have their weak links. In this case, it is BCS. This was, in a word, "blecch!" It had the basis for a great stout (pretty impressive, coming from me, every Guiness fan's worst dream), but it was the chocolate additive that killed it. I won't hold it against trying new Brooklyn products, but this one is definitely off my "must try" list.

Brooklyn Brown Ale

Steve: Let me say that of the top 5 American microbrews, this one ranks among them (Catamount and Jack Daniels are included). They brew beer that appeals to all walks of American society and each in a quality manner, the Brown Ale included. This beer had the perfect balance of a nutty and hoppy flavor. I encourage anyone who likes Newcastle to try this.

Brooklyn Lager

Steve: Not as bad as its namesake sounds. Pretty good, but it has a bitter hop flavor and aroma. Tastes like a lot of good Octoberfests, with a reddish-gold coloring. Strong flavor with a good aftertaste, as it reminds you that you just had a decent beer. Still, could do without the bitterness.

Brooklyn Local 1

Steve: Anybody out there think Garrett Oliver isn't one of the best brewmasters in the United States? Anyone? Bueller? A fantastic example of a saison. It had a nice light orange color, like that of a clementine, sweet flavor, and the alcohol is very subtle but catches up later. This is nicely effervescent, but not too much, as it was easy to pour and create a nice head but one that didn't overflow too quickly. The overall taste is like an orange soaked in booze. Oliver proves his ability to show his talent with this one. (1/3/2010)

Brooklyn Monster Ale

Steve: I'm probably not the guy to be reviewing this, because I am not a huge fan of barleywines. They weren't available in Atlanta until recently, and while Monster has been around for years, Brooklyn beers didn't hit Atlanta until Fall 2005. It was decent, definitely alcoholic, but not quite as burning as many of them have been for me. I think I might try this more, work my way up to it, then leap to other versions of this style. (8/26/2006)

Brooklyn Oktoberfest

Steve: I'm starting to wonder if Oktoberfests are starting to make a kick-ass run for prominence in the US, as I've never seen this many in one year, between Capital, Thomas Hooker, Shiner and Brooklyn. It's a nice change from a normal lager, but not too heavy when the weather is still warm. Brooklyn had a nice copper color, a sweet malty flavor, and would be good as either a relaxing beer in the evening, or a session beer. (5/13/2006)

Brooklyn Pennant Pale Ale

Steve: Brewed to celebrate the championship Dodger's teams of the fifty's, and what a way to honor those guys! This beer is an awesome pale ale with a perfect balance of ingredients. This might actually make a horrid baseball game more entertaining. High marks for the brewery up in Utica. Tastes similar to New Amsterdam Oktoberfest.

Brooklyn Pilsner

Steve: Like all Brooklyn beers, this tastes exactly like it should (assuming the Chocolate Stout is supposed to be filtered by the Kingsford charcoal people). Pilsners are not meant to impress. They are meant to refresh. They are not the generals, more like the sergeants, just getting the job done with no questions asked. This Pils is smooth, refreshing, tasty, and absolutely perfect for the backyard (well, carport, actually) barbecue at Kris' new house when I tried it. This is the beer that Miller, Coors and Bud yearn to be. This is probably not as well made as a Guiness or Sam Smiths, but failing at a Pils is a lot worse....like screwing up scrambled eggs. Brooklyn did a good job with this one, and I responded by drinking a few of them. (7/1/2001)

Brooklyn Summer Ale

Steve: Summer ales are often versions of a brewery's attempt at wheat/white/weiss/hefeweizen, repackaged as a "summer" beer, since the former titles often turn off the uninitiated beer consumer. But this is definitely a little different, a nice wheat ale, lightly fruity, with a lemon background, and a slight hop presence. It's a nice refreshing ale, perfect for the season, and a companion, not a replacement, for Brooklyner Weisse. (3/15/2009)

Brooklyn Winter Ale

Steve: I can easily write a review using 20 gay beer-review words that Kris hates. However, Kris has a lot on his mind, and the extra stress might kill him, so I'll simplify it. It's a good winter warmer with a nice toffee and malt taste to it, a dark color, and a nice touch of alcohol. Reminds me a lot of Sweetwater Festive Ale, which should be a good enough reason for everyone to try it. (6/24/2006)

Brooklyner Weisse

Kris: Unlike Steve, I'm not a big Weisse drinker. However, after trying this, I could definitely become one. Granted, it looks like a urine sample from someone with a bladder infection, but if you can get past that, it tastes pretty damn good. (8/14/2004)

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Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen Weisse

Steve: Take one of the most well-known Brewmasters in the US, and one of hte most well-known Brewmasters in Germany, put them together in one joint venture, and you haven't seen a perfect storm this big since the one that totally killed George Clooney and Mark Walhberg. This definitely has the color and alcoholic punch of a Weissbock, combined with the hoppiness of an IPA. I spent the first half of the beer trying to define it. I spent the second half of the beer just enjoying the unusual combination of wheat maltiness sneaking through the powerful presence of the Amarillo and Palisade hops. Definitely a pricey 750ml bottle, but I think worth every penny. Now I have to try and find a way to get a hold of the version that was brewed at the Georg Schneider brewery. (7/19/2009)

Brother Thelonius Belgian-Style Abbey Ale

Steve: This was the beer I chose to celebrate the signing of a $2.66M contract with one of my customers, and I believe I chose well. It's in a corked 750ml bottle, 9%abv, and close to an abbey-style ale, sweet, alcholic, with a plum background in the taste. There wasn't anything I didn't enjoy about it, it was a symphony of taste. And if that doesn't sway you, $2 per case sold goes to the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz, so if you believe in preserving the arts, buy it by the case. (12/15/2007)

Bucking Bock

Rahr and Sons Brewing Co

Sam: Awright, guys, now you're pissin' me off. You've got a golden opportunity to put Ft. Worth on the beer map, and you're screwin' it up. I've had the golden lager, the red lager, and the schwarzbier so far. The red was the only thing I'd buy again. When I saw this on the shelf, I took the plunge, even though I was feeling a little snakebit about your beers. Well, color me bitten again. This is really malt liquor, isn't it? I mean, c'mon, really. Yellow (wrong color), fizzy, smells like alcohol. Tastes like corn squeezin's with fizz. You guys copied Abita's Andygator recipe, didn't you? I am really, REALLY hoping this was just old (bocks are spring beers), but right now, after being burned by most of what you've got to offer, I'M feeling like the goat (Get it? Get it? Ah, bite me). (12/2/2006)

Bud Ice

Kris: Bud in a fancy bottle. No other difference. I love the commercials, though. AB Beers: PR is great, now if they could only improve the beer. (2/15/2004)

Bud Ice Light

Kris: I'm sorry, but this is just not beer. I might have thought so in my early drinking days, but not now. This "beer" has absolutely no taste whatsoever. This is just water with yellow bubbles in it. I'm going to assume that since Anheuser-Busch markets this as an alcoholic beverage, that must mean there is alcohol in it, but I couldn't tell. I feel guilty rating this, because this is a beer review site, and this doesn't fit the category. If you're thirsty, drink water. It does the same and it's cheaper. (BTW, I am giving this a zero, not because it sucked, but because the label says beer, and it clearly isn't.) (10/12/1999)

Bud Light

Kris: See Budweiser. (9/22/2001)

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Budweiser

Kris: Yep, Budweiser is definitely the King of Beers. Best beer I've ever tasted. Wait, this isn't for Budweiser Budvar? Oh. Anheuser-Busch's Bud? Oh, no, that crap sucks. (2/15/2004)

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Budweiser American Ale

Steve: Was it horrible? No. Was it good? Again, no. It was below average. It was an easy drinking session ale, and if I was in a drinking contest, I'd probably pick this. Now, you might wonder why I would do that if I wasn't crazy about it, but that's because it went down easy, didn't challenge me, and it didn't make me stop and think about the beer as I drank it. In fact, halfway through it I got kind of bored with it, put it down, and forgot about it. You are left with the impression that maybe Budweiser could do something better....just not with this beer. (7/19/2009)

Budweiser Select

Great Lakes Brewing Co (Ohio)

Sam: We had the grave misfortune to have to spend a night in what may be, not the most depressing city in Texas, not in the USA, but on the PLANET: Longview, Texas. Needing something to fog my brain, I dropped into a convenience store, noting that it, just like all the others I've encountered in Longview, had burglar bars. A ringing endorsement for moving there. So I head for the beer cooler, and all the usual suspects were there: the big three, and those dreadful malternatives, and since I was in Gangstaland, a handful of malt liquors. Then my eyes fell on Budweiser Select. What the hell--it's already a miserable night, how much worse could it be to drink this? So I bought a sixer. It's exactly what any of you would expect. Budweiser in a slightly prettier bottle. A-B has once again hit a home-run: they've put another product out there that the sheep will buy, thinking they're getting "the good stuff". Baaaa... (7/16/2005)

Burning Bird Pale Ale

Sonora Brewing Co

Rocky: I came home from work to the sight of about five billion small feathers scattered throughout the house. Seems the dog had quite a busy day destroying a feather-filled queen sized mattress pad. Luckily for him I decided to drink a beer instead of killing him, and he was lucky again that it turned out to be a very good beer. The beer club newsletter says it's only 33 IBU, so not over-the-top with hops, but it's a very well-balanced, tasty brew, with a great aroma. (6/26/2004)

Burning River Pale Ale

Rocky: I think it's a very solid IPA that any hophead would enjoy. In a blind taste test anybody that knows beer should know the style before tasting, because there's plenty of hop aroma. It doesn't stop there, the bitterness is pretty aggressive from start to finish. If you like a hoppy brew, you should definitely try to get your hands on some of this. (5/15/2004)

Busch

Steve: Imagine Bud. Ok, imagine watered-down, stale Bud. That's Busch. Brewed with water from the mountains of Busch, and lots of it.... Water, that is. Won't get you drunk unless you take in a keg IV. (7/28/2001)

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Busch Light

Busch N/A

Guest Review - Chris J: Very watered down, flat taste. Still better than O'Douls. (11/8/1998)

Buster Nut Brown Ale

Ska Brewing

Sam: What is it with Colorado brewers and their need to print such twitchy, angry labels? Just like Flying Dog, all the labels from Ska that I've seen are grotesque, skewed, hallucinatory. Is it the ski country attitude? Dunno. At any rate, this is a thoroughly standard nut brown ale. It's brown, it's sweet, it's not hopped enough to my liking--pretty much like most nut browns. Hey, Ska: sorry fellas, but there are better offerings out there. Pay more attention to your brewing and less to your labels. (1/21/2006)

Capital 1900

Steve: Capital 1900 is so named because it uses an old recipe that dates back to circa 1900. It's a basic lager, no bells, no whistles, and is hopped so that it tastes like a central European lager, but not as strong on the hops or the green bottle effect. Very easy drinking, good on its own or with lighter food. Went well with my BLT, for example. It's nothing fantastic, so I can't rave about it, but I'd have it again in a second, and I'd gladly pay the money for it, as opposed to saving a lot for something inferior. (12/11/2004)

Capital Autumnal Fire

Steve: This is Capital's classic Doppelbock recipe. A nice hearty winter lager, very malty, with a nice alcoholic presence at a little over 7%. I know of people who actually welcome fall because that's when this beer hits the shelves. If you've had this beer, then you understand why they think that. As a Doppelbock, it's a good winter beer, but if you now autumn in Wisconsin, you'd know why it comes out when it does. (1/19/2009)

Capital Baltic Porter

Steve: This was a bit thin compared to some Baltic porters that I've had. To start, the head was non-existent. There was a hint of chocolate and caramel malt, and nothing in the way of hops that I could detect. It's a limited one-time offering, so you're not likely to see this around anymore, but I have to say that Capital could do better anyways. Slightly above average, but in a way, that kind of left me disappointed. (1/23/2010)

Capital Bavarian Lager

Steve: A good old Wisconsin lager, far better in taste than its neighbors Miller, Old Style and Pabst. This beer is dark gold in color, amberish, with a light malty texture and lemon background, the kind of beer you keep on-hand throughout the warmer months. I don't think I'd spend the money on this as a party beer, but definitely worth drinking regularly in more moderate amounts. (12/20/2003)

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Capital Blonde Doppelbock

Steve: What I like about Capital is that they make sure you have every end of the German lager spectrum year round. This is a lot like a Maibock (but not to be confused with Capital's actual Maibock). Rich and malty, no discernible hop flavor, just something good to shake the stink of Winter off of you. Lighter in color then a standard Doppelbock, but quite hearty in body. Take my advice, if you are weary of the standard BMC lagers, and don't like the green-bottled imports, head to Wisconsin and seek out Capital. You get the real thing, year round. I'll have to see if my mother-in-law can send this to me every year. (12/18/2005)

Capital Brown Ale

Steve: If you're looking to "the other side of dark" that inexplicably draws people to Newcastle, and you don't have the taste for the bold hops and bitter flavors that truly good ales have to offer, this may be the ale for you. Nothing spectacular, but one thing's for sure, I could probably drink this all night long. OK, I could have several before I fell asleep in my own drool, but that has more to do with age and parenthood than capacity for beer. I'd probably go for this over Newcastle, but that's more out of a desire to spend money domestically. (10/23/2004)

Capital Eisphyre

Steve: This is an Eisbock, another well-done German style by the folks at Capital. It gives a little fire when there's ice outside (get it? No? Oh bite me). I bought this in July 2006, but I'm guessing this is a winter release, so by the time I finished this it was a year old, and still quite tasty. Beautiful red color, this had a nice malty flavor, with a little bit of fruit in it, and the alcohol sneaks up on you. I wished I saved the whole 4-pack until the winter started, but by Jan 2007 I only had one left. I'm an idiot. (6/30/2007)

Capital Fest

Steve: Fest is actually closer to a true German Märzen then their actual Oktoberfest, as the latter is Capital's own interpretation of the style, whereas Fest is based on actual Bavarian recipes. Fine, don't believe me (honestly, I heard that from a guy who knows the brewer, so I'm just taking his word). However, it's a late-Spring release, BUT it shouldn't be confused with Capital's Maibock. Yes, I now it's hard to keep track, but if you see it, just buy some, dammit. You won't be disappointed. It's smooth, malty, with a sweet background, and a nice copper color. It'll be like drinking an Oktoberfest in the Summer, and in all honesty, I wish I could do that more often. I'd rather have a Fest bier then a stout or porter. (3/19/2006)

Capital Island Wheat

Steve: This is an American Wheat Ale, not a Weissbier. Big difference. Normally, AWA's often make me cringe. They have occasionally reintroduced my taste buds to that lovely flavor we call "bile." This, however, didn't do that. It's a solid wheat ale, with that nice hint of lemon, that light wheat flavor, and no sign of it being watered-down, a trait shared by many AWA's. In other words, it was drinkable. It's certainly not meant to be a Hefeweizen, Capital already has one. And, if that kind of thing is important, Capital uses indigenous wheat, from Washington Island WI, out in Lake Michigan, so they support local farmers. Gotta love Capital. (2/23/2008)

Capital Kloster Weizen

Steve: I guess I need to hit the heavily German Midwest if I want to find a good Hefeweizen that's made in the US (either that or go to Brooklyn). Wherever Harpoon UFO goes wrong trying to pose as a Hefeweizen, this one goes right. It's got that beautiful color (yes it looks like a bladder infection, bite me), wonderful yeast, banana and clove aroma, and is definitely unfiltered (my mother-in-law, bless her heart, made a face and said, "there's crap floating in your beer"). Sure, it's not quite as good as Paulaner, but considering they'd just use the money to build up their war machine and invade Poland again, you're better off spending it domestically. (11/6/2004)

Capital Maibock

Steve: Maybe it's an 8 because it's a kick ass beer. Maybe it's an 8 because it nailed the style so well. Or maybe it's an 8 because it makes other US micro versions of German Maibocks look so crappy (coughHarpooncough). Or maybe all of the above. But this is an 8 because it's such a quality across-the-board beer. This is simply a solid beer, nice copper color, a strong malty flavor perfect for the cool pre-Summer weather. And it makes Harpoon's version look like nut sweat in comparison. (12/9/2006)

Capital Munich Dark

Steve: The great thing about Capital is that they're producing all of the styles of the top German imports, without the added flavor that comes with sitting in the hold of a ship for a month on the journey across the Atlantic. Munich Dark is no exception. If you're a fan of Becks Dark or other German dark lagers, I think you'll like Munich Dark as well. It doesn't have quite the sharp bitter flavor, definitely a bit smoother, but it does have a nice balanced coffee flavor in the background. This dark would be good year round, not just in the winter months. (12/18/2004)

Capital Oktoberfest

Steve: That's right, you know it's kick ass when they spell October with a "k". When I want a good German-style lager, brewed in America, I always look to Capital, because they get it done. They're the 1995 Devils. The 1985 Bears. Mark Spitz in the 1972 Olympics. Just blue-collar perfection. This is malty, sweet, nice copper color, and I can vouch that it ages well (I bought it in July 2005...hint, this is a seasonal, was likely sitting on the shelf in Merrill WI since fall 2004). Folks, if you don't live in Capital's distribution area, you are missing out, especially at this time of year. (4/1/2006)

Capital Special Pilsner

Steve: Tasting this will make you double check to see if the bottle is green and if it's brewed in a city like Oberammergau, Bremerhaven or Gundelfingen (or some city with 2 or 3 umlauts in the name). Mark my words, however, when I say the bottle IS brown, and it's brewed in Middleton, Wisconsin. The sharp taste comes from the Saaz hops, giving it a flavor very reminiscent of the bigger brands of central European lagers. Like any pilsner, it's not necessarily going to floor you, but if you live between Chicago and Minneapolis, I recommend sticking with domestic and getting this instead of going for the import section of your cooler. (10/9/2004)

Capital U.S. Pale Ale

Steve: As good as Capital is with their German style lagers, is as flat as they fell with this endeavor to brew an American pale ale. I think they should've stuck with what they excelled at, great German beers like their Hefeweizen, lager, and blond doppelbock. This was just a 12 ounce bottle of average. (8/28/2010)

Capital Vintage Ale

Steve: This was sweet, malty, and yummy. I'm wondering if it was an Alt style, it kind of had that feel to it. Not quite an ale, not quite a lager, probably OK in a pilsner or ale glass. Quite good. It came in a 4-pack which I saved for a good 8 months before finishing the last one. I hope Capital churns this out again at some point. (9/6/2008)

Capital Winter Skål

Steve: This is Capital's winter selection (obviously), and I have to say I was a little disappointed. Winter beers are usually a lot more warming, spicy, etc. This actually tasted a lot like a standard American bock. It was a good beer, just not sure if it was a great winter beer, based on what else is out there. I would not turn it down, I can say that much, and it's certainly won its share of awards from various beer tastings, I guess I'm just holding it up to a standard set by other beers. (12/4/2004)

Capital Wisconsin Amber

Carolina Beer & Beverage Co

Steve: I don't know why, but this strikes me as an early Autumn beer. Maybe it's the orange label, which reminds me of the fall foliage. Or maybe I'm just making crap up. Who knows? It's based somewhat on the Vienna style, so it's a little darker than your average lager, and with more hop character. The hops were actually nicely balanced, not too strong at all. Definitely a good beer for extended drinking, but still something with flavor. (12/31/2004)

Carling Black Label

Pabst Brewing Co

Sam: It's a little hard to figure out actually WHO brews this, as it's brewed in the states by Miller under contract with Pabst. In the UK, where it's a number one seller(!!), Bass/Interbrew/Coors makes it. It sounds like they're playing hot potato, no one wanting to claim it. Would you?? My god, this stuff's rank. You could take paint off with this shit. I used to think Brits and the Irish had taste, because some good beer comes from the UK, but after hearing they go out of their way to buy THIS crap, I'm not so sure. Don't let anyone buy you this in a London pub. It's stomach ulcer in a glass. (10/18/2003)

Carolina Blonde

Sam: Apparently Carolina Beer Company sells the most of this one. I can see why: it's a pretty standard pilsner style. Deeper golden-yellow than macro swill, and more complex, it's got more hops presence than the megabrews. Is there much more to say about it than that? Not really. Still, if I lived where I could get this often, I'd see how it would be in my fridge as an everyday beer. (5/28/2005)

Catamount 10th Anniversary India Pale Ale

Steve: This is probably the bitterest pale ale I've ever had. It might qualify as a bitter, I imagine. If bitters are your thing, this is a must-try. If IPA's are it, then go for it. As always, Catamount has not disappointed. If you can get it, then get it. A neat one for any bottle collection.

Catamount Christmas 95 Ale

Steve: Yummm! Another winner from Vermont. Spicy, very nutmeggy. I wanted to take my time on this one, just enjoying the flavor. This is the equivalent of marzipan, best during the holidays. In fact, try the two together, sitting in front of a fire. Highly recommended.

Catamount Octoberfest

Steve: This is the first I've heard of this Vermont based brewery, and hopefully not the last. This was good. No, Great! Caramel taste, like Killian's, but not as thick. Cool gold color with a reddish tint. I could kill a bunch of these.

Catamount Pale Ale

Steve: Another triumph for this brewery. I think they've become my favorite microbrew. It had a nice strong flavor, tasted great, brewed well, fresh, etc. Try it. You'll like it if you like Pale Ales. My highest recommendation.

Catamount Porter

Steve: This is the same color as cola, and a similiar taste to Yuengling's Black and Tan. It's been a while since I've had a beer this dark that hasn't assaulted my taste buds. It had a deep, rich flavor. The finish wasn't bitter like a stout, and while it had that sludgy Guinness-like foam, it wasn't as bad tasting.

Celis Pale Ale

Steve: Another good Celis product. One of the better domestic Pale Ales I've had, not like the ameteurish ones you find all over New England (Catamount excluded). The hop flavor was excellent, like they were actually fresh, not something they raked out of the backyard in the fall like Geary's or North Country.

Celis Pale Bock

Steve: This was a flavorful, spicy number, a beer that was actually fun to drink, for lack of a better way to put it. My wife even enjoyed it. Every sip you take, you taste something different. Unfortunately, this is a short review, because there isn't much else to say, except that this compares very well to its European competition, and is much better priced. See, Americans really can brew beer (disregard the fact that the owner is Belgian). (11/3/2000)

Celis Raspberry Wheat

Steve: This has an extremely strong raspberry flavor. It was pretty fresh, but I don't think I like rasp. juice that much straight, much less in beer. Tangy is the word I would use. I made the mistake of drinking this with dinner... don't do that, doesn't work.

Celis White

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co

Steve: This beer is excellent. Definitely a standard for all microbrews to follow. This copies it's European cousins perfectly, without the aging from the import process. It helps that Celis is run by Belgian immigrants. It is creamy, slightly fruity, and a perfect summertime beer.

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout

Central Waters Brewing

Steve: This was a very smooth, creamy stout. The cherries overwhelmed any hop flavors, with a nice woody background and hints of vanilla in the flavor, making this ideal for a dessert beer. I think a dab of ice cream on the side or even in the beer would've been very nice. (9/12/2009)

Central Waters Satin Solstice Imperial Stout

Central Waters Brewing

Steve: Satin Solstice had a very smooth, silky, chocolate flavor. You get a nice roasted coffee sensation, great for winter, and you have that nice alcohol feeling as it goes down. A definite winter warmer, and a good dessert beer as well. (1/3/2010)

Chamberlain Pale Ale

Shipyard Brewing Co

Steve: When trying this, you should take note that this is an English style Pale Ale, not an American Pale Ale, so when your palate can detect absolutely no Cascade hops whatsoever, you don't go "what the hell?" However, you won't be impressed with the English varieties of hops, either, I don't think. Shipyard's website touts it as a full-bodied ale. To me, it was a light-bodied ale, closer to a cream ale than pale ale. Nice label art, and cool that they named it after a Civil War hero from a Maine regiment, but the label is probably the most interesting thing about the beer. (2/9/2008)

Checkered Cab Blond Ale

Chelsea Brewing Co

Steve: This was brewed in the Kolsch Style (Kolsch having originated in Köln, in Germany), and was probably a little off target. This was a novelty beer, that novelty being the label looked like a New York checkered cab. Woopdy-damn-doo. It was OK, but not great. Had a lemony, wheaty taste to it, which I'm hoping it's supposed to have. There's better out there, so don't bother.

Christian Moerlein Select Lager

Kris: "First American beer to pass the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516." That's what the label proclaims. Here's what I proclaim: BFD. It's 2008. The Reinheitsgebot is about as relevant as the dodo. And how the frig is this pronounced, anyway? Moe-Er-Leen? More-Line? Mower-len? Moe-Erline? Damn Germans. I can only imagine what I'd be calling them if I hadn't recently found out that I'm 1/4 German myself. (I still don't hate the Jews; don't tell anyone.) Anyway, getting to the beer, it was pretty damn good. I had this after I mowed the lawn and while watching Catch and Release, starring Kevin Smith (and some other people). It had a pleasant sweetness to it, not bitter at all. Refreshing after a good mow, and refreshing also seeing Silent Bob actually act. (2/9/2008)

Coastal Fog Pale Ale

Coast Range Brewing Co

Joel: This stuff sucks. Seriously, I'd rather drink Busch Light. My theory is that things either bring something to the table, bring nothing to the table, or take something off the table. Coastal Fog clears off the table, makes out with your sister on it, and then pisses in your gas tank. I can't even fathom how this place is in business at all. I wouldn't have even bought it but it was on sale for $10 a twelve pack and figured it was a worthy gamble. I should have just taken that $10, set it on fire, and mixed the resulting ash with Osco brand vodka. Don't drink this beer, and if you ever happen to find the coastal Fog brewmaster, please punch him in the throat for me. (9/27/2008)

Coors Light

Steve: While I respect their campaign of being a family brewery, I truly wish Coors Brewing Co stayed west of the Mississippi. Very watery, lacking in taste. White high school students love this garbage.

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Coors N/A

Guest Review - Chris J: Surprise! One of the worst brewing companies in the USA has brought us the best US N/A beer! (well, at least by US standards!) Smooth, watered-down Coors taste eliminates the typical dry-cardboard feel of other US N/A brews. At least they tried!!

Coors Winterfest 1997-1998

Carolina Beer & Beverage Co

Steve: I bought a six pack of this cause it looked like Coors' attempt at a fine product, other than its micro-line (Killian's et al). It had a cool label, when poured into a glass, it had a great copper color. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there. It loses points for not maintaining its original appeal. It's kind of watery and bland, like all they did was put food coloring into a regular Coors. 2 things are proven here: 1, don't believe marketing, and 2, color doesn't make a good beer, only quality does.

Cottonwood Almond Stout

Rocky: Very dark (I know...but it's dark even for a stout), and the requisite bitter chocolate and coffee notes are present. But, as the name implies, so is almond. Obviously, that's what they were going for, and they certainly succeeded. I don't see myself pulling the almond extract out of the pantry on my next brewday, basically because the almond would wear on me after just a couple, but for a single of something a little bit different it wasn't bad at all. (5/14/2005)

Cottonwood Endo IPA

Carolina Beer & Beverage Co

Sam: This is supposed to be an "over-the-top" (hence the mountain biker "endo" term) pale ale, with a pronounced hop presence. Well, yeah, it's pretty hoppy, but not enough to make you pucker. It's quite nice, not as dark as I expected, and it has that weird chemical taste some microbrews have. That, of course, usually fades if you pour it up and let it "breathe" a bit. Funky label, with what I'm guessing is supposed to be a Belgian monk, holding a stein, with Rasta-mon dreads and a bike helmet. The general rule is to beware cool labels; usually the beer is sub-par. Not really in this instance. If I saw this on the shelf, I'd reach for it again. (5/22/2005)

Crazy Ed's Cave Creek Chili Beer

Black Mountain Brewing Co

Steve: I bought this for the novelty, because it has a chili floating in it. I thought it would be neat...it turns out it's to warn off anybody who wants to try it as a novelty! I poured this beer last night while sitting down with a bowl of chili, took one sip, and almost died. It tastes EXACTLY like liquified, extra-hot, chili. Which is the last taste you want when drinking beer. This was absolutely undrinkable!!! (also note: There is a light version of this that I will NEVER review. EVER! Nor will we respond to requests to review it.) I hope this brewery goes out of business before they polute the earth with more of their malted monstrosities. THIS BEER SUCKS!!!

Cream City Pale Ale

Lakefront Brewery, Inc

Steve: Those of you who like the nice flowery hop aroma of American pale ales like Sierra Nevada will definitely like this. When going to Milwaukee, try to remember it’s not just Miller and Pabst, they also have craft breweries like Lakefront that care about you and your bowels. And in case you’re interested (which you’re not, but you know me, I try to educate), Cream City was an old nickname for Milwaukee, due to the cream-colored bricks used in many of the early buildings. You have to admit, it’s better than “The Good Land,” which is what the Algonquins called it (don’t believe me? Ask Alice Cooper). (9/5/2004)

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Cutthroat Porter

Odell Brewing Co

Rocky: This didn't make a great first impression when I took a whiff after opening, but I was very pleasantly relieved at the first sip. It has some definite coffee-like notes, and I would bet there is some chocolate in the recipe. I love it. I don't know how wide their distribution area is, but if you're ever in Colorado, do yourself a favor and find this beer. (6/26/2004)

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Dale's Pale Ale

Oskar Blues Brewing Co

Sam: This comes in a can, as does their Scottish Style Ale, which is out of this world. The Dale's, I must admit, was a tad disappointing. A little too over-hopped, it tasted kinda piney to me. Not that expected balancing sweetness that makes pales so appealing. Looks good in the glass, though. Don't get me wrong; this is in no way a bad beer. If you had to choose between this in a can and Miller in a can, I think your decision would be oh so simple. It's just not outstanding as a pale, is all. What the hell, though. If you see it, give it a try, at least once. (8/27/2005)

Days Golden

Day Brewing Company

Rocky: This beer had a lot going for it before I even tried it. It was after 3:00 a.m. in the French Quarter, I had been drinking for about 6 hours with a bachelor party, and my last beer was a Bud Light (a $7.00 one at that...freaking ripoff Hustler Club). Plus, I was dehydrated and trying to eat a burger with cotton mouth. Almost anything would've been great considering all of those factors. However...this abysmal swill assaulted my taste buds like nothing I'd ever had before. It was like somebody took a Corona Light and mixed it with Lemon Pledge..and went heavy on the Pledge. I could barely drink the bottle down to the top of the label. Not only should you avoid this, but if you ever happen to meet "brewmaster" Bernard Day, you should slap the shit out of him for me. (4/9/2005)

Desert Amber

Sonora Brewing Co

Rocky: Pretty typical amber ale, although a little sweeter than most, and probably better than most. It's almost citrusy, which I guess is the hops used. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, and yet there's not anything extraordinary either. Very drinkable beer that won't be a disappointment, but it's also not likely to become a regular in your fridge. It did win a bronze medal in the 1997 World Beer Championships, but the only reason I'd try to find out what it beat out is so that I'd know not to spend a lot of money on them. (6/19/2004)

Devil Mountain 5 Malt Ale

Devil Mt Brewing Co

Steve: This was a perfect cold-weather beer. It's not as strong as I thought it would be. Very hoppy, however, evident in the bitter taste. More so than a typical American IPA, but not as much as a best bitter. This has the key ingredient for all American beers to follow: Quality!

Devil Mountain Tasmanian Pale Ale

Devil Mt Brewing Co

Steve: Brewed with Tasmanian hops, they don't really taste any different than good ol' American hops. Don't get me wrong, this is a good product, but maybe they could have saved money. Basically, this tasted like a cookie-cutter quality pale ale, found everywhere. I recommend it to anyone. I think the gimmick is the name. Says it's brewed in California, but in small print on the side, says it's brewed in Cincinnati; loses points for that...not for lying, but for being from Cincy. (Only kidding)

Diamond Bear Irish Red

Steve: This is a little heartier than the Irish red's we're used to (like Killians, for example). The hops are a bit more present, and the caramel malt isn't as sweet. For craftsmanship, definitely an upgrade, but it also doesn't make the everyday drinking beer either. College students won't buy it by the case, like I did with Killians. Then again, that would probably be because of the cost of micros more than anything. (1/8/2005)

Diamond Bear Pale Ale

Steve: Hands down, the best Arkansas-brewed beer I've ever had. And I'm not being a smartass like I was with that Greek beer that actually sucked, but was the only Greek beer I've ever had. This was actually good. I'd have to compare it in flavor to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sweetwater 420, Rogue, and others. It had that nice floral bouquet and flavor, all in all quite good. Not the best, but certainly worth trying. MUCH better than their other 3 beers, which gives me hope for the brewery. (3/26/2005)

Diamond Bear Southern Blonde

Steve: Ales don't get much lighter than this. It will remind you a lot of the mega-lagers, mostly due to the corn presence, and the fact that it tastes a hell of a lot like Pabst or Old Style. Pale yellow in color and nicely carbonated. If I were to be drinking all night long and wanted something that would sit easy, I might choose this, but mostly because I can afford something better than Pabst. Not bad, but I want to see what else they got. Arkansas (home of DB) is not a hotbed for microbrews, so I can see how they wanted to start with something lighter to introduce people to their line slowly. (12/18/2004)

Diamond Bear Ultra Blonde

Steve: The most remarkable thing about this low carb microbrewed offering is that by using the word "Ultra," they've managed to get in the crosshairs of brewing giant Anheuser Busch. So, gotta give them credit for that. Unfortunately, there's not much else that's remarkable. I could forgive the lack of flavor by citing that what is removed from beer to make it low carb is also what gives a beer it's flavor, but it was proven to me by Minocqua Brewing that you can have flavor in a low carb beer. So, I'm left with nothing else to say except that it's a cheap marketing ploy. There's worse beers out there, but I'm further convinced that it's worth the sacrifice to drink regular, high carb beers. (2/12/2005)

Dixie Beer

Dixie Brewing Co

Rocky: My father-in-law is a fishing guide, and people often leave beer on his boat. They always wind up in the fridge in his garage, so I check it out every time I'm in town and hope for the best. The selections vary from visit to visit, but they're usually all bad. Could've had Miller Lite, could've reached for a PBR, could've (but wouldn't have) had a Bud Light. I went for Dixie. It actually tastes a little like aluminum, although it was in a bottle. Otherwise it's a typical fizzy yellow lager with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Don't avoid the brewery, as the Voodoo line isn't bad, but don't get this if you've got any other options, and sadly that includes the big three. (9/5/2004)

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Dixie Blackened Voodoo

Dixie Brewing Co

Steve: This was a dark lager that was quite tasty. It had kind of a smoky flavor, not at all bitter, and finished very smooth. Went down well with wings and burgers. It wasn't too strong, kind of like Beck's or Lowenbrau dark, so I would suggest this to someone who wanted to expand their horizons and start off slow. (4/4/2000)

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Sam: Okay, I finally found this in my little world. I have to say, it was pretty impressive. Very noticeable hops aroma. The first sip took the back of my head off and brought tears to my eyes. Kind of like the first time you try habanero pepper in your chili. At first I was actually a little put off by the overpowering hops, and I didn't feel there was enough counterbalancing sweetness. But to be fair, I tried another bottle. It quickly grew on me. Now I have to say, it's something I keep in my beer fridge on a regular basis. If the sixty-minute is this hoppy, I doubt I'll be able to handle their 90-minute and 120-minute beers. Hoo boy. (4/23/2005)

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Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA

Kris: Woah, hops. Or to put it more accurately, Woah, too much hops. I'll accept Steve's explanation that this is not a bad beer. I just didn't enjoy it. So take the rating with a grain of salt, especially if you're the type that does like a hoppy beer. (8/14/2004)

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Dogfish Head Aprihop

Kris: Ooh, what a cute name. I guess you should say this is a hoppy Apricot brew. Of course, if you were to say that, I would only agree with you on half of it. Yes, it was quite hoppy. But I could neither taste nor smell any apricots. That might be due to the fact that I don't know what an apricot tastes or smells like, but that's neither here nor there. As usual, I prefer something a little less bitter, but it wasn't a bad beer. Some people would even say it's a good beer. I'm just not one of those people. (5/8/2004)

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Dogfish Head Burton Baton

Sam: Yep, it's still there. The DFH 90 Minute IPA tastes like pure alcohol, and really put me off. Still, I sprang for the oak-aged version because most of the oak-aged beers I've had have been remarkably smooth. Well, it smoothed some of the rough edges of this beer, but the pure alcohol bite is still there. My tongue was a little numb for an hour after drinking this beer, and I honestly poured out the last swallow. It got to tasting better somewhere in the middle of the pint as it warmed, but once it was TOO warm, it was just atrocious. I was more or less ruined for the rest of the night. In the immortal words of Corporal Radar O'Reilly, "I think I've been slaked." So now I'm stuck with three fourths of a 15-dollar four-pack. Anyone interested? (8/25/2007)

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

Sam: It's good. I held it up to a dazzling Texas sun this weekend, and enjoyed the deep mahogany glow in the glass. Hops could've been more obvious (which is an odd thing to say about DFH beers; they like hops), but still it was tasty. At 7.2% ABV, it packs a wallop, too, so drink this one at home unless you've got a DD. I'd like to find more to say about this beer, but I'm not a big brown ale fan; let's say it's not quite as good as Ellie's Brown Ale from Avery or Brewhouse Brown Ale from Real Ale but still pretty darn good. (5/14/2005)

Dogfish Head Midas Touch

Steve: This is apparently an old style of beer made with barley, honey, white muscat grapes and saffron (saffron? WTF?). It had an aroma much like muscadine grapes, so rednecks from Alabama may enjoy this. Very sweet and a little warming, with an alcoholic finish. Kind of strange, but not bad. (10/5/2008)

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre

Steve: Very much a Belgian-style beer. You get a definite sweet taste to it, very sugary, and there's that plum background that's extremely common in the Trappist-style ales. It's kind of wine-like, and not very carbonated. I'm writing the review from the last one of the pack, not the first. It's about a year old. I recall the 2nd and 3rd being better than the first, but I don't think there's a huge improvement when kept over a year. You definitely notice the alcohol, which comes in at about 8.5%. Thankfully, I don't taste the raisins, as I really dislike raisins. Some people have a love it or hate it relationship with Dogfish Head, I think this is one of those that people can come to grips with and not roll their eyes that DFH is doing insane stuff again. I may be way off, but I would compare this to Corsendonk brown a little bit. Of course, I'll be able to count on someone from Beer Advocate to shoot that thought down. (6/14/2009)

Dogfish Head World Wide Stout

Rocky: This was the 2004 vintage, 18% ABV, which is low by WWS standards. I was really excited about trying this. It's got a great reputation and it's hard to get your hands on. Then I tasted it and couldn't help but wonder what all the fuss was about. I'm impressed with the brewers ability to push the yeast to it's absolute limit. There are only a handful of beers with an ABV at 18% or higher and if it were easy to do there would be a whole lot more. That said, if I want to drink something that tastes like port wine, I'll just buy some port wine. There are four other vintages out there and if you've got some to share I'm all for it, but don't bother asking me to buy it or trade for it...not worth it in my opinion. (12/31/2005)

Dogwood Decadent

Steve: The key component of this ale is the name...Deca, Latin for Ten. It's made with 10 different kinds of malts, 10 different kinds of hops, and is sold only on tap at 10 different Metro Atlanta locations (for a limited time), one of which was the Wild Wing Cafe in Marietta, where Jud and Erik from my office joined me for a beer-tasting expedition. A superb ale, this was definitely like nothing I've ever had before. It was very brown, kind of like very watered coffee, or the watered soda you get at diners with a lot of ice. Very malty, and the kicking hop action kind of reminded me of an English bitter. Not the best beer for a plate of wings, as it's not refreshing, but it is a soothing end-of-day beer, and would be quite good on warm summer nights. I owe this one to Bob Townsend, the beer reviewer for the AJC who recommended this in one of his columns. Definitely the best Dogwood I've tried, but the lack of beer-fart smell could have something to do with that. (8/16/2003)

Dogwood Octoberfest

Steve: I think paradox is the right way to explain this beer. Kind of like Jaguars having crappy engines, but man are they a sweet-ass ride. Or Theo Fleury being a Hall-of-Fame winger, when he's not a drunken bum. What am I getting at? Well, the taste of this beer was simply awesome. Rich, malty, sweet flavored, a good-tasting Octoberfest. However, it had a smell that I had to get my wife's opinion on, and she described it this way, in her words: "It smells like my Uncle Stinky's (AKA Uncle Dwight) beer farts after a case of Pabst and Grandma Rosie's Easter ham & sauerkraut." So, if you want a good tasting Märzen for this season, try this. However, if the idea of a Wisconsin Pabst Beer Fart unsettles you, then you might want to consider something else. (12/21/2002)

Dogwood Pale Ale

Steve: I gotta say, take away the beer fart smell and you have a decent beer. Certainly much better than the Octoberfest they released last year (well, tasted as good, but the smell was better). This is exactly how an American pale ale should taste. I'd send some to Kris to sample, but he'd probably just sit on it for 3 years and finally ask me if it's still good, and if he should review it. At which point, he'd wish it would taste as good as a beer fart. (8/7/2004)

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Dogwood Pilsner

Great Lakes Brewing Co (Ohio)

Steve: Definitely a cut above the "North American Light Lager" given to us by Miller, Bud, Pabst, etc. This is a degree darker than the urine-colored versions made in St Louis and Milwaukee, and a heavier flavor too. This pils also has a nice hoppiness to it, nothing too heavy, and not the bitterness that makes your face wrinkle like Keystone. This is also a little heavier on the alcohol than other pilsners, with a nice malty flavor to it. I did enjoy this more than Dogwood's Octoberfest, but I think anyone would agree with me that a beer fart smell does not make a beer very competitive. (11/22/2003)

Dortmunder Gold

Rocky: This was my favorite from the sampler, and I didn't expect it from a lager. It looks more like an amber ale, and the fullness reminded me of an ale also, but it's got the clarity and carbonation level you'd expect from a lager. My tastes tend to lean toward ales, but this is exceptional. (5/15/2004)

Dos Perros Ale

Yazoo Brewing Co

Sam: I'm still trying to figure this style out. The official website's description makes me think Vienna lager, but most of the other beer review websites I've seen list it as an altbier. Whatever the style, I wasn't thrilled. Oh, it's a handsome walnut color, but there's very little carbonation, and it's thin and watery, with a slightly acrid aftertaste. Warming only makes it taste worse. Victory Ten Year Alt would kick its ass. And truthfully, Bohemia is a better tasting Vienna lager, if that's what Dos Perros is. Bottom line: these two dogs are suckin' hind tit. (3/10/2007)

Drake's Expedition Ale

Drake's Brewing Co

Joel: I've seen this characterized as an amber ale but it's really closer to...well, I really don't know, but it's definitely not an amber ale. It starts sweet and malty like an amber but then you're hit with hops, IPA level hops. While I was drinking this I kept thinking of Crystal Pepsi. If you poured it in a glass it looked just like Sprite but then you drank it and it tasted like Pepsi and the disconnect confused you until you either got motion sickness and threw up or your brain exploded. That's probably the biggest reason it only lasted those few glorious months in 1993; too many people's brains exploded. Oh Crystal Pepsi, you left us too soon; if only those fatcats at PepsiCo had given you the chance to blossom like the delicate flower you w...Wait, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah,anyway the reason I was reminded was because it's a pretty dark beer, and then it comes off tasting like an IPA and I had to fight to keep my brain from exploding. So I suppose if you liked Crystal Pepsi or you've ever wondered what would happen if a hophead and a malt guy had one of those "You got chocolate in my peanut butter! You got peanut butter in my chocolate!" moments you should give this thing a try. Just be careful about your brain. (8/30/2008)

Dreadnaught IPA

Three Floyds Brewing Co

Rocky: You have to love hops to even remotely enjoy this beer. Thankfully, hops are among my very favorite things. You will despise this beer if you don't share my passion for them. It's a double IPA, Alcohol 9.5%, and IBU's that are most certainly in triple-digits. This is a BIG beer. It's a constant barrage of hops from the first sniff to your burps the next day. The ABV is very deceptive and will sneak up on you. If there is a fault it might be a slightly sweet finish, but that's really looking for something to ding it with. After much consideration I would probably still take a Ruination over this, but it's close. Damn close. I gave that one a 9, so consider this an 8+. (6/11/2005)

Edison Light Beer

New Century Brewing Co

Steve: I had heard good things about this one, but compared to light beers, I was disappointed. Anyway, there's a light bulb on the label. Light bulb. Edison. Light. Get it? Huh? Ahh, bite me. Anyway, compared to better light beers, it was disappointing. No character at all. I'm pretty sure I would rank Miller Lite ahead of this. I guess it would be a good outdoor summer beer, but that's it. Ironic, this was founded by a former Sam Adams exec, yet it comes in a clear bottle. You'd think they would know better. (5/1/2004)

Eliot Ness

Great Lakes Brewing Co (Ohio)

Rocky: The bottle says its an amber lager. I thought it may be closer to a Marzen/Oktoberfest, which is technically an amber lager, but has some sweetness that regular amber lagers don't have. This falls pretty much in between the two. I was expecting great things after having their Burning River and Dortmunder, and was a little disappointed. It's a good beer, but not as good as the others. (2/7/2004)

Fatty Boombalatty

Furthermore Brewing LLC

Steve: Did I buy this for the name? I may have, yes. Was I disappointed? Nope. I bought this six pack in July 2008, and finished the last one in May 2009. In that time, the beer improved nicely. It comes across as a nice strong golden ale, with that lemony wheat flavor, nicely effervescent, and perfect in a Belgian tulip glass. The alcohol was subtle at first, sneaking up on me towards the end. The biggest characteristic of this beer is that it makes me want to look at more Furthermore products on my next trip to Wisconsin. (5/2/2010)

Fire Rock Pale Ale

Kona Brewing Co

Sam: Hmm. When I think of Hawaii, I just don't think of beer. I'm a victim of that stereotype of tourist drinks with the paper umbrella. Still, when I saw this in a tiny liquor store in a tiny Colorado mountain town, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. What a pleasant surprise. Nice and hoppy, with a balancing sweetness. A nice little pale ale. Looking at their website, I'm surprised to note they've been in business 10 years. I can see why. They make pretty good beer. Try this one. (8/13/2005)

Firestone Double Barrell Ale

Firestone Walker Brewing Co

Rocky: This is a damn fine beverage! Not a hoppy brew...decent balance but definitely tilted toward the malty side. Pours a deep amber color, caramel malty feel...very good. I only planned on having one or two tonight, but I'm on my 4th of the sixer, and don't like the chances of the other two making it through the weekend. I'll be getting this again...disappointed I've passed it up in the past. (12/13/2003)

Firestone Pale Ale

Firestone Walker Brewing Co

Rocky: If you like Sierra Nevada, you'll like this too....both are great examples of American Pale Ales. Hoppy bitterness like you'd expect from the style, smooth, easy-drinker. Excellent summer brew. (12/20/2003)

Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale

Steve: This was one of my favorite of the bunch. It was pretty hoppy, but it wasn't overpowering like some are, where they just have the hops loaded in but nothing else going for it. A decent, well-made ale. Definitely a nice relaxing beer, or something you would have with dinner. It's not too bad for the summer, either. (10/13/2002)

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Flying Dog Dogtoberfest

Kris: I don't like Flying Dog brews just because the brewery sends them to us for free. No, they put out a great product as well. I have no idea if Dogtoberfest makes the grade in Germany during Oktoberfest, as I've never been there for it, but I can tell you that being here in New Jersey in the middle of August, it's a damn fine brew. Chock full of flavor, but not too hoppy, this is definitely something I'd get again. (10/6/2007)

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Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter

Steve: Much like this beer's namesake, author Hunter S. Thompson, this beer left me a bit bewildered. It's an imperial porter, but the alcohol was not at all noticeable. A porter, among the most flavorful of ale styles, and the most predominant flavor was a burnt toast flavor. Also like Thompson, this didn't impress me at all. For a special offering, I think they could've done a better job. Mostly, it just bored me. (6/3/2007)

Flying Dog Heller Hound Maibock

Steve: A nice addition to what is turning out to be a nice, albeit dry, Spring. Nice and solid, good hop flavor in the background, but also a nice malty smoothness. I wouldn't mind having a six pack of this around, this may be my favorite of the Flying Dog family. I really enjoyed this, it's a perfect beer to shake off Winter and welcome Spring. (4/7/2007)

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Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser Altitude Ale

Steve: This wasn't too different from the amber lager, except not as malty and a bit more hoppy (not IPA hoppy, but noticeable). Alas, like Old Scratch, that's about all I can recall about it, except that it was worth the trouble to drink. Screw it, Kris is always bitching about my long reviews anyway. There, this is my review. Don't like it? Go try it yourself. You will like it, I can tell you that much. (10/5/2002)

Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager

Steve: This had a pretty decent malty presence that just filled up my mouth. Perfect for a warm summer evening (this is Atlanta, and I had it in early May, that's like summer anywhere else), as it cools you down like such a beer should. Although, that's pretty much all I can remember since it was late when I tried it. Sorry. However, it was good, and I recommend it. (9/28/2002)

Flying Dog Road Dog Scottish Porter

Steve: You gotta love a beer that says "Good beer, no shit" on the label. And seriously, this is a good beer. No shit. This is a little lighter in coloring than most porters you'll come across, and not as thick and creamy. I kept tasting dark semi-sweet chocolate in there....like Hershey's Special Dark, and of course that also brought to mind a coffee flavor, too. This is a sipping beer, so relax with this one. I think it carries its share of alcohol too, but I can't verify since the bottle doesn't give the ABV. I could research that, but you read this page for my strong opinions, not my researching ability, so look it up yourself. Overall, I have to say I would try this again. (9/20/2002)

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Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

Steve: Slightly darker than the Tire Bite Golden Ale, with a bit more noticeable bitterness from the hops. I also noticed a sweet flavor as I got further down the glass, almost sugary. Hard to describe. This is certainly not like the IPA's that come out of the British Isles, but I guess you can use this to work your way up there. I liked this better than Tire Bite, so it gets a better rating. (9/1/2002)

Flying Dog Tire Bite Golden Ale

Steve: This was a very basic ale. No bells, no whistles. You're going to notice the hop presence more than anything else, as it is otherwise a fairly light ale. Not hopped up like an IPA, but you notice it. Not much else. For those who want a basic, non-challenging ale, this is it. Sometimes, those are the hardest to get right, as evidenced by some of the 400 beers we've tried have proven. (9/1/2002)

Flying Dog Wild Dog Barrel-aged Gonzo Imperial Porter

Kris: Thanks to Flying Dog for the samples. I had another review written for this beer, a very fancy review, one that you would have laughed at. Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside my control, you don't get to read it. I'll just say that I didn't get a chance to review the non barrel-aged version of this, and from what Steve wrote in his review of that, I'm glad. This was a very very tasty beer. If you can find it, try it. (8/17/2007)

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Flying Dog Woody Creek White

Steve: Wit-style beers differ from other wheat beers in that they are often spiced, with coriander, orange peel, or anything else that compliments the natural citrus taste of wheat beer. This, I think, leaned heavier towards the spice, and not enough to the citrus. That, of course, is a personal preference, so take this review with a grain of salt. Others may love the spicey flavor (because it's certainly prominent), and fall in love with this. If you like a spiced Wit, grab it, you'll enjoy it. Naturally, like any Wit, it's perfect for summer. (7/4/2007)

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Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel

Flying Fish Brewing Co

Steve: I noted the city where this is brewed, because I was amazed that New Jersey could crank out a decent beer. Not that NJ is the cesspool people think it is, but it's not known for it's breweries, like Wisconsin, Colorado, Washington, and other such states. This was a pretty thick beer, typical of a Dubbel (French for Double, similar to a Double Bock). Otherwise, the only novelty is that it's from Jersey. I think you might find a better tasting one from the Netherlands or Belgium, but this one will do, if you want to stay domestic. (2/21/2000)

Flying Fish Extra Pale Ale

Flying Fish Brewing Co

Steve: Boy, you'd think with a name like this the stuff would be gross. Brewed in my home state of NJ, I was on business up there (from Atlanta), and of course travelling on business sucks. So at the end of a particularly sucky day, I went into Red Bank, sat down at Danny's Steak House, ordered a nice $20 prime rib (expense account, of course), and washed it down with this tasty beverage. The steak was huge, the beer was great, and the conversation didn't suck. All on the company tab. Gotta love it. Would this beer have tasted so good if I wasn't willing (at the time) to walk over my mother for a beer? Probably not. But it was there at the right place, right time, and it came through for me (like Claude Lemieux in the playoffs, the gay Frog), so it wins points. (4/20/2002)

Fordham Copperhead Ale

Rocky: Pretty bad stuff. Wasn't really sure what style it was supposed to be, but I assumed a pale ale. Wrong, thankfully...it would have scored worse if that was the case...but it's an altbier. Not something you run across very often, but I've had a few others. Alt is German for "old" so in that sense maybe it is true to the style, because it seemed stale. I finished it off, but the other two from my beer club shipment are going to get exactly what they don't need before I have another. Time. (3/12/2005)

Fordham Dunkel Weiss

Steve: A dark wheat beer from a microbrew in Annapolis, Maryland. Nice taste except for one feature: it was too over-hopped, which it shouldn't be for this style. It should be sweet and malty, not bitter. Otherwise, decent. Maybe it was the bottom of the keg for the night (it was bar time). You can tell it's fresh.

Fordham Lager

Rocky: Good color for a lager, but then that isn't really the hard part. There's not much to it. Better than a bud/miller/coors lager, but not nearly as good as I would expect from a small micro. Not at all offensive in any way, but nothing really positive to say about it either. Grainy is the first adjective that came to mind, and no others really emerged as I continued drinking. (3/19/2005)

Fordham Light Pilsner

Steve: This is one beer the brewery screwed up. Maybe they really like hops, but a pils should not be bitter AT ALL, like this one was. Didn't like it. Definitely fresh, awesome color, but if wasn't for the color, I'd be reviewing this as a pale ale.

Fred

Hair of the Dog

Rocky: I love the way HOTD names their beers. Fred is named after Fred Eckhardt, a beer historian. Others are Adam, Rose, and Ruth. The bottle says it's a Golden Special Ale. It's not golden, but I can live with "special", and it's definitely an ale. It seems to have a personality conflict between barleywine and tripple. 10% ABV, 10 hop varieties, it's very highly carbonated yet full, almost chewy, mouthfeel. It would be a nice beer to sip on a cool evening. Not at all a beer for beginners, but if barleywine with an interesting twist sounds appealing you will really enjoy Fred. (3/19/2006)

Full Sail Amber

Full Sail Brewing Co

Sam: Not to be confused with a beer of the same name from Australia. I first ran into this beer in 1994, in Kalispell, Montana. ANY beer tastes good in Kalispell, but this was a standout. Malty, smooth, sweet but not too sweet. Nice coppery-red in the glass. Not at all heavy. This is a great summertime beer, whether you're grilling on the back deck or having a good meal with friends. I highly recommend it. (11/8/2003)

Full Sail IPA

Full Sail Brewing Co

Sam: When I first had this, they had the old labels, with a stylized sailboat, sails billowing. The IPA's sail was tiger-striped, a witty reference I assumed to IPA's heritage as an overly-hopped ale to preserve it on the long, hot passage to quench the thirst of the British troops in India. Now it's just a ho-hum yellow label. But do NOT let that fool you; the beer within is still aggressively hopped, spicy, sweet, and bitter. A handsome deep amber in the glass. Do not pass this beer up if you see it in the case. I recommend it. (2/5/2006)

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Full Sail Rip Curl

Full Sail Brewing Co

Sam: Yum. I've had several beers from Full Sail, and have been impressed with each one. Never saw the Rip Curl before, though. So I ran into this in Temple, Texas, right on the cusp of the Hill Country. Gave 'er a spin. Now I wish I'd bought more than a six pack. Deep coppery red color, nice carbonation, spicy and sweet. My only complaint about this beer is the plain label. Full Sail used to have more colorful labels. That's small potatoes, though. If you're fortunate enough to run across this one at your local beer store, pick up a couple six packs. (2/26/2005)

Geary's Pale Ale

DL Geary Brewing Co

Steve: This is just an average pale ale, with nothing to distinguish it. The flavor is bitter from the hops, but that's it. As far as this style goes, it's just a plain beer. It does have a neat picture of a lobster on the label.

Genesee Ale

Steve: This wasn't the Cream Ale everyone tells us to try; this was the basic ale in their line (if it has a regular name, maybe their fans can tell me it was on tap at a bar, so I couldn't get more details than that). A coworker, originally from upstate New York (a Genny haven) told me to forget the Cream Ale, but try this stuff. It wasn't bad. It was kind of like drinking Miller. Like one of the better mega brews out there. Smooth, a little watery, but finished easily, and washed wings down very nicely. It's not worth stocking the fridge with something like this, but if you want to try different things, this could go on the list, I suppose. I don't think I'll try it again, though, as I can get the same flavor for less money. (4/4/2000)

Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale

Steve: For some reason, declaring a loyalty to an area code (in this case 312) is just sad. I lived in the same house in NJ for 20+ years and had 3 different area codes. Between my work, my home, my cell phone and my wife's cell phone, we have 3 area codes just under one roof. So naming this beer after one of Chicago's area codes is just ridiculous. And, coincidentally, so is this beer. GI's website says "like the area code, it's densely populated with flavor and character." It had neither flavor nor character. It "looked" like the perfect wheat beer. Its taste was devoid of hops, or any of that citrus zest that you should get from a wheat. In other words, it just fell flat. Not even the Chicago Cubs wanted to be associated with 312, they jumped to 773. (1/12/2008)

Goose Island Demolition

Steve: Proof that if you don't like a beer, try one of two things. Age it, or try a different glass. I did both. 8 months after buying this, I poured it into a Duvel tulip glass, and enjoyed it thoroughly. It has the looks of a Belgian strong ale, but with more of a hop presence than a golden ale. Yet, it still had a nice fruity, citrus aroma. I think I have one more left, I'll let that one sit another few months and see if I like it better. (9/6/2008)

Goose Island Hexnut Brown Ale

Rocky: I was glad to get some more of this. I had it in Chicago at the brewpub several years ago as I was just beginning to try a lot of different beers and appreciate different styles. I thought very highly of it then, and wondered if it would live up to my memories after having so many fine ales in the meantime. Thanks to a friend in Chicago that sent me a pub pack, I got to put it to the test, and it held up well. It beats Pete's and Newcastle, and is very comparable with Samuel Smiths Nut Brown, in my opinion. Definitely worth a try if you're in or near the Windy City. (6/4/2005)

Goose Island Honker's Ale

Tim: Has the taste of an English ale except that there's a spicy hoppiness to it that gives it a slightly fruity taste. Particularly if you drink it out of a bottle. Apparently it's been rated "one of the best beers in Chicago", and it is good. I'd have to drink more of it to know if I'd call it great. But I probably wouldn't. (6/7/2003)

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Goose Island IPA

Steve: Beers like this make me wish Goose Island was readily available in Atlanta. They crank out an above average IPA like this one, plus a good Bohemian-style pilsner, a basic ale, plus all the higher-end ales and lagers they brew. I could have a fridge full of Goose Islands and have every possible mood covered whenever I want a beer. This isn't the best IPA I've had, but it delivers. The hops are definitely there, but of course it's nothing like the more extreme IPA's like Stone. But in all honesty, that could be a good thing. The tart grapefruit finish makes this a good summertime ale, at least here in Atlanta. (10/29/2005)

Goose Island Kilgubbin Red Ale

Tim: Apparently a lot of Irish settled on "Kilgubbin" or Goose Island when they came to Chicago. Thus the name. The beer didn't seem like any Irish red I'd ever tasted though. Not frothy, not heavy. Instead you get a nice dark red ale with a good flavour. Easy drinking but not at all watery. Worth keeping an eye out for. (6/14/2003)

Goose Island Matilda

Steve: Boy, I was ready to give up on Goose Island when they came out with 312 Urban Wheat. I truly felt they jumped the shark, Harpoon-style. But, Matilda is a nice Belgian ale. I'm still trying to determine which style. It's not effervescent enough to be a saison, and it's a little dark anyway. It has a pleasantly sour taste, but not too strong. This was part of a 4-pack which I purchased in July 2007, and I'm on #3, and this was better than the previous 2. Maybe I should've waited until #4 to write the review. I enjoyed it as an after dinner drink, but I don't think this is one that will leave a lasting impression on me. (3/15/2009)

Goose Island Oatmeal Stout

Steve: The more I drink them, the more I believe that oatmeal stouts are my favorite type of stout. I love that roasted flavor and aroma, and how most of them, including Goose Island, have that chocolate background. This is definitely perfect for the middle of winter, in front of a fire. Not warming in itself, but it does fill the belly. This is yet another brewery that I wish had a presence in Atlanta. As it is, I usually only find their products when I'm in Wisconsin on vacation. If you're near Chicago, search out this brewery, you won't be disappointed. (8/13/2005)

Goose Island Pils

Steve: This was a pretty hearty pilsner, a lot heavier than what fans of Miller and Bud are used to. And for its price it's kind of prohibitive to be a party beer, but it is pretty good. Nice for warm or cold days, I think. Definitely good for Chicago, but I don't see the blue collar Old Style drinkers flocking to this. A good example of a Central European lager. Note, the label said best consumed by 2/4/03; I had this in October 2003 and it was fine. (3/20/2004)

Gordon Ale

Oskar Blues Brewing Co

Rocky: Maybe my expectations were lowered because I poured it out of a can, but I was extremely impressed with Gordon. 90 IBU's, 9.2% ABV, and it's that smooth?! Amazingly smooth. That kind of balance in a big beer is not easily accomplished. It also may not be what some are looking for in a IIPA, but I liked it a lot and will definitely get more of this at the next opportunity. (6/24/2006)

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Great Divide Denver Pale Ale

Steve: The uninitiated will buy this, expecting an explosion of hops and might be disappointed. Well, don't be (about that anyway). This is an English-style pale ale, which leans towards a maltier balance than an American pale ale. You still get the nice aroma of hops, but what you find is more of a balanced beer than the average pale ale flooding the market. It was good, perhaps above average, but it felt more like a session ale than anything. (8/28/2010)

Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Sam: Cool idea. Make an ale with freshly picked hops. This beer was surprisingly mild, given the floral explosion of fragrant hops that first hits your nose when you open this. Fairly standard copper color, and again the hops flavor doesn't overwhelm; rather it complements the maltiness. But I could just breathe in this beer all day. Mmm...hops... (4/1/2007)

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

Sam: Woof. This ale is not for the young or faint of heart. The hops will curl your hair. My wife and I split a bomber of this recently, and both agreed it was delicious. It's bottle-conditioned, too, so it'll last on your shelf awhile if you treat it right. She took the first sip, and I wish I'd had a camera to catch her first reaction. Eyes wide open, she was obviously taken aback then pleasantly surprised. Definitely a beer to savor. I highly recommend it, but don't plan to drive after drinking this. I don't know the alcohol percent, but I can tell you it knocked MY socks off. Give it a spin. (7/9/2005)

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Great Divide Saint Bridget's Porter

Steve: Saint Bridget is a Patron Saint of Ireland, and supposedly is known for turning her bathwater into beer for some visiting clerics (I couldn't find that story on her Wikipedia site, so it must be true). This would be the earliest documented case of a man saying, "Damn, she's so hot, I'd drink her bathwater." Saint Bridget obviously took them up on it (the harlot!), and they were too enamored...or drunk...to know the difference (TOBP....come for the beer reviews, stay for the historical facts). In reality, it could just be that she recycled her bathwater and used it to brew beer. So I have to believe Great Divide's version is better than Bridget's original bathwater. For one thing, there are no Klingon's in this beer. Hey-yoo!!! Nice beer, good chocolate/coffee flavor, and much better than bathwater. Unless we're talking about St. Bridget, cause she was grr, baby. Very grrr. (4/26/2008)

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Great Divide Titan IPA

Sam: It's OK. My wife and I split this bomber several days after enjoying their double IPA (an outstanding brew, by the way). There's something a little unbalanced in this beer. The label touts their "piney hop aromas"--yeah, and that's how the beer tastes, too. This was like drinking ale steeped in pine boughs. There wasn't enough of that expected sweetness to balance the hops. So it was OK. You might want to try it yourself if you're a hophead, but I think I'll stick with their double if I see this beer again. (7/16/2005)

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Great Divide Yeti Oak Aged Imperial Stout

Sam: I've been going through a "big beer" phase recently, mainly because they've recently become available to me and piqued my curiosity. Still, this one's been sitting in my beer fridge a month, waiting for me to screw my courage up enough to try it. Well, a couple nights ago, I did it. Has a downright viscous pour, absolutely jet black and doesn't let the least bit of light through. Dark brown head. The room fills with malt aroma. The first sip is positively Homeric. Malty, chocolatey, with a definite alcoholic bite. I unwisely drank the entire bomber, because at 9.2% ABV, it snuck up and clocked me, but good. As absolutely delicious and smooth as this was, I don't think I'll be re-addressing this one soon. I'm such a wuss... (10/14/2006)

Gumballhead

Three Floyds Brewing Co

Rocky: I may have found the perfect summer beer. Perfect for me, anyway, and anyone else who is a big fan of hops. It's ingenious, really. A hoppy wheat beer. Why didn't I think of this? I love my IPA's, but they're a little heavy for the summer months, so I tend to move towards wheats/hefes. This beer gives you the benefits of wheat...a little lighter, a little more crisp, but you get to keep the hops! I've taken off points of other beers for not being within style guidelines and think I need to be somewhat consistent or this score would be even higher. The IBU's on this one would certainly exceed the norm, but if you're going to stray from the guidelines do it on the side of hops as far as I'm concerned. Very well done! (12/31/2005)

Hair of the Dog

Guest Review - Steven S: Hair of the Dog is a dark ale brewed in Portland, Oregon. Pour it all out slowly at once into a beer mug, put it up against a light, and watch it fizzle like a Diet Pepsi. If you think Barq's has bite then watch out!! This rabid pitbull of an ale will kick your taste buds into high gear with its many flavors. It's thick, smooth, hoppy, slightly sweet, and chocolatey. The taste reminds me of those chocolates filled with rum and a cherry minus the hops. The downfall of this ale is it's variety of flavors which hits your taste buds too fast and too hard. It's like a story with no beginning, no end, and no point whatsoever. Beware! At 10% this ale will bite some peoples head off - not mine though - *smirk*. (12/1/2000)

Hamm's Beer

Pabst Brewing Co

Sam: I used to consume this in mass quantities on fishing trips with my dad in younger days. Ice-cold swill, cheap as dirt. A pleasant thirst quencher on a sweltering hot Mississippi summer afternoon. So on a recent trip out west, I blundered into this beer again, and out of nostalgia, I bought a twelve pack. Not very bad a-tall. I have to say, if this were available here in Central Texas, I'd be tempted to give up my beloved Lone Star. Hamm's is a damn fine lawn mower beer, and it's exactly as I remember: ice-cold swill, cheap as dirt. (12/10/2005)

Harpoon India Pale Ale

Steve: Based in Boston, the is the worst IPA I've ever tried. Someone should harpoon this beer straight to the bottom of Boston Harbor. The first taste was bad. That's it, just bad. It did get better the farther down the bottle I went, but it ain't worth the first few sips. It was like a reverse Bud. Nothing more than mediocre. Blaah! (speaking of Boston, the Bruins suck, the Celtics suck, the Sox suck - connection?)

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Harpoon Maibock

Steve: Tasted and smelled of bitter fruit (maybe had cyanide). Not rich and fruity enough to be a bock, much less a Mai (May, for spring) Bock. Too bland and ordinary, but typical for this brewery, I now realize. Plus, a real faggy label.

Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen

Steve: Arrrr, she blows. (7/3/2004)

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Harpoon Winter Warmer

Kris: Eh, not bad. Not great, but not bad. Mediocre, I'd hazard to say. So so? Anyway, you get the idea. (4/2/2005)

Haystack Black Porter

Portland Brewing Co

Sam: Mmmm...delicious. This used to be called Long-Shot Black Ale, one of those homebrew recipes that won some contest to be mass-produced. I haven't found it in my beer cooler lately, which is a shame. I love porters, and this is a good representative. Black as pitch, and less sweet than some others. Not exactly smoky, but darn near. This is a perfect beer to be sippin' on the bank of the Dolores River in Colorado, pokin' the coals of your fire on a crisp Rocky Mountain summer night. (10/23/2004)

Hazed & Infused

Rockies Brewing Company

Rocky: I was excited to see this as one of the selections in the Beer of the Month Club. An APA, my favorite style, with a cool name, cool label, and a damn fine brew. "Hazed" because it's unfiltered, "Infused" with a blend of Centennial & Crystal for dry-hopping (adding hops to the fermenting vessel and not just the boil kettle). They say the IBU's are 70+, yet this is still pretty smooth. Very nicely done. This beer kicks ass...I'm ordering more of it. (11/27/2004)

HC Berger Chocolate Stout

Steve: Most stouts are very multi-dimensional, meaning that they hit several senses, and even have multiple flavors in them (example, hop bitterness is tasted on the back of your tongue...no clue what the other parts taste). This, however, is only about one or two dimensional. It was kind of flat (carbonated flat, that is), so not that foamy (which translates to taste, too), and had a bit of the coffee and hop flavor common to stouts. Other than that, it wasn't exactly an attack on the senses, which is what makes a stout worthwhile to drink. If I want a beer with that's average, I'll have a basic ale. This wasn't a bad beer, just not fantastic. On the upside, I recall similar beers (chocolate stouts) tasting like they were filtered through a bag of used Kingsford. This did not have that taste, so I guess it wasn't that bad. Could be worse. (2/9/2002)

HC Berger Indégo Pale Ale

Steve: I am betting that the title means this is their own little version of the India Pale Ale that beer drinkers know and love, and which microbreweries love to duplicate, but are rarely successful at. Including this one. Don't get me wrong, though. This is a good beer. It is slightly bitter (a real IPA tastes like your drinking something filtered directly through a hop leaf), with a flavor good for an Autumn day. Just don't expect the hop flavor to knock your socks off. If you want to work your way up to the real IPA's, then try this. (4/15/2001)

HC Berger Mountain Kölsch

Steve: This was a fairly decent beer, with a lemon background to it, with a good flavoring of hops, but not too bitter (kind of like the pale ales that you find brewed in US microbreweries, as opposed to those brewed in the British Isles). This has the coloring of a lager or lighter ale, so it would likely be good for those just starting to branch away from the larger, more watered-down megabrews. (11/3/2000)

HC Berger Raspberry Wheat Ale

Steve: This wasn't as flat as the other HC Bergers that I tried, and consequently it was a bit better. Not much, but a bit. This was one of those beers whose overall character I had forgotten within half an hour after drinking it, so I don't have much to say. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. To use hockey terminology, this won't exactly light the lamp. If you don't follow hockey, then what the hell is wrong with you? (6/15/2002)

HC Berger Red Banshee Ale

Steve: This is a kind of Bass-like ale, which I suppose is complimentary. I has a reddish color, good rich flavor, and a hoppy finish. I guess I have to give credit to the label, too, as it features a woman (a banshee, presumably) with wild hair, large bosom, and a mouth like those on a blow-up sex doll. Otherwise, if you're going to spend the money, buy a Bass Ale. No-frills label, but you'll get a much better taste for a similar beer. (2/17/2001)

HC Berger Whistlepin Wheat Ale

Steve: Didn't like it. This was flat right out of the bottle. Literally. I mean, almost no carbonation. I don't know if it was sitting too long, or a fault in bottling, or made that way. It was just flat. Now, in comparing to flat Bud, Miller, or Old Style, this would probably be better. However, when I tried the flat versions of those beers, I was probably late into a college fraternity party, I was pretty drunk, and some jackass may have also tossed a cigarette butt into my beer thinking it had become an ashtray. So, since this came right out of the bottle flat, then I'm scared off. Not God-awful, just going by the old rule that there are plenty of decent ones out there, no need to waste time with this one. (11/22/2001)

Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout

Clipper City Brewing Co

Steve: This was kind of weak in the knees compared to many imperial stouts, it didn't give me that heady feeling, that feeling where things just feel better and you care less about your favorite sports team losing. But, it had a nice roasted coffee flavor, so it wasn't a total waste. (9/29/2007)

Heavy Seas Über Pils

Clipper City Brewing Co

Steve: Heavy Seas Über Pils is exactly what a lager should taste like. Not just the watery stuff that comes out of North America, and the larger European breweries. This had flavor, it had hops, it had a nice dark golden color. If people who've had nothing but Bud and Miller all these years had this, they would know what a real Pilsner-style lager should taste like. Certainly not the best in class, but definitely solid. (11/3/2007)

Heavy Seas Winter Storm

Clipper City Brewing Co

Steve: Not my favorite "winter beer." But, in reality, when you're drinking "winter beers" when it's 70 degrees outside, you're clearly in the wrong seasonal demographic. It was IPA-colored, and almost brown ale flavored, leaning towards malty. Note to self, maybe try this in January when it's a tad cooler and more "wintery." My buddy Sam in Texas might never have a good time to try this. (10/13/2007)

He'Brew Genesis Ale

Schmalz Brewing Co

Steve: Oy vey! A kosher ale! And a good one at that. Normally, I read "kosher" and I translate it to mean "let's suck the fun out of every food you can possibly eat...oh, and we'll deny you shrimp scampi as well!" But, this was pretty damn tasty. It had a very nice hoppy character, not at all common in brown ales, but also had a nice malty sweetness. I've been seeing He'Brew beers for a while, but never bothered trying any until now. I might give some others a try. (1/30/2010)

Heiner Brau Kolsch

Heiner Brau

Rocky: This was very good, although seemed a little rich and full for a kolsch. I'd compare it to a Dortmunder-style lager. Very drinkable. I had two of them at the bar which was attached to a wine market, and happened to be closed at that hour. They let me walk back to check out the beer selection on the store side and I noticed three sixers of this. When I settled up I asked if I could put a sixer on the tab as well, and they let me. I tried to go back today before leaving Louisiana to get the other twelve but they were closed on Sundays. Best beer I've ever had from a can. They don't return phone calls, don't update their website, don't respond to e-mails....but they do make good beer. One at least, but one was enough to make me look forward to their others. If they'd just do one of the other three things maybe I'd know where to find them. (3/25/2006)

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Hereford & Hops Black Spring Double Stout

Steve: I'm glad I just got the 5 oz sample glass. Very thick. VERY thick. Maybe a bit too much. This had a noticeable coffee flavor from the deep roasted malts. Noticeable like a kick in the groin. My wife took a whiff, and a small sip, and that did it for her (she doesn't like coffee at all). I ventured a bit further, and in the background, on the back of my tongue, I tasted Scotch. No kidding. It gave the whole beer a very alcoholic feel to it. Not for the faint of heart. I'll be honest, I wasn't quite prepared for this, so it was hard to enjoy. Scotch flavor in beer always takes away from my ability to enjoy it. (11/15/2003)

Hereford & Hops Cleary Red Amber Ale

Steve: I tried the 5 oz sampler, and liked it enough to get a pint of it (another plus for H&H...they provide beer in the proper glasses; ales come in pint glasses, pilsners come in pilsner glasses, etc). One thing I remember is the sweetness, and the copper coloring. This had a slight presence of caramel malts that my favorite reds have in abundance, but not too strong. Most beer drinkers could get to like this, I think. (11/23/2002)

Hereford & Hops German Weisse

Steve: I tell you what, I can think of no better way to spend an evening then with close friends and family, grilling my own steak, and getting shit-housed on good micro-brewed beer, especially a good German-style Weisse, which are hard to come by in US microbreweries. You betcha. I couldn't tell you how this differed from H&H's hefeweizen, but the waitress assured me this was different, so it gets a different review. The main difference was that I got plowed while drinking this one. Kris wasn't wild about it, but like Sam he's admitted that Weissbiers and Hefeweizen aren't his thing, but that's cool. More for me. The only downside was I couldn't tell you exactly what this tasted like, other than "good." Alcohol has a tendency to kill the taste buds, and memory, and even a good time if you drink too much. But I can never have too much of a good Weisse. (12/3/2005)

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Hereford & Hops Hefeweizen

Steve: God damn! This is incredible! An American-made hefeweiss that doesn't taste like crap. On the contrary, it's amazing. Malty, smooth, sweet, great tasting. This is how they should taste. Why everyone else screws up this style I have no idea. If you like wheat beers, and you find yourself lost in Northern Wisconsin, look for their sign on I-39, and follow the smell of grilling steak. As Homer Simpson would say, "Mmmmmm, beeeeeeer." This is what he was talking about all this time. (10/25/2003)

Hereford & Hops Koelsch

Steve: This had a woody flavor, in the background, light hoppiness, and a sweet, lemony flavor. Originated in Koln, Germany (aka Cologne), this is one of the least-duplicated styles in the US, so if you like this style, you might want to head to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to hunt this down. This is a good summer beer. I have to plead ignorance to how a Koelsch should taste, but I will say that I enjoyed this, so whether or not this nails the style, it was an enjoyable beer. (11/29/2003)

Hereford & Hops Kulmbacher

Steve: Brewed in the style of Kulmbach, Germany, this is a deep copper- colored brown lager, and fairly strong tasting. I only got the 5 oz sample glass (H&H sells them at $.75 each, so I got 3), and that was like having 12 oz of a lighter beer. Very full-bodied, malty, with a strong aroma. I was half in the bag by the time I got to this, but their menu says it has a slightly sweet finish....I think I can agree with that. I wouldn't try this if you're used to the lighter lagers and ales. (11/23/2002)

Hereford & Hops Northern Light Ale

Steve: This will remind most of you like an ale version of a N. American light lager. Light, not heavy on flavor, kind of airy. It had a slight woodiness to it, but otherwise there wasn't much to it. Since H&H specializes in enormous steaks, this might be a good one to go with when dining there, as it doesn't feel filling. Very easy drinking. Bud fans will like this, as there is little presence of hoppiness. As such, I have to knock points off of any beer that Bud drinkers would like. (10/11/2003)

Hereford & Hops Piva Bohemian Pilsner

Steve: This was the first H&H beer I tried on my visit to this brewery, so it was the warmup, and I immediately wanted to try the rest of the beer menu. A bit bitter than what I want out of a Pils (Bud and Miller Lite addicts might not be interested), but still very good. Overall, light and crisp in flavor, and a good way to wet the palate before starting on their other beers, as it won't start killing the taste buds right away. Also good while standing over their hot grill. (11/16/2002)

Hereford & Hops Razzberri Ale

Steve: A light raspberry flavor backs up this drinkable, smooth ale. For those who don't like hoppiness in ales, or are looking for a "chick drink," this is it. We took my mother-in-law to H&H for her 50th birthday, and she tried this, at my recommendation (after quizzing the waitress on the taste). She is not much of a drinker, and doesn't like the hard stuff, but was impressed by this. I had a sample myself. This was a nice one. Basically, this is their Whitetail Ale with berry flavoring. Good for after dinner relaxation, or on hot summer days, if you could get it to go. My wife thought that Leinie's Berry Weiss was better, and I would agree, but this is still good. (12/20/2003)

Hereford & Hops Rib Mountain Rye

Steve: Named after the big ol' mountain in Wausau's backyard, also home to the local downhill ski trails. This was an explosion of flavors, due to the use of rye I would guess. I do remember it being sweet and malty, what I like in a beer. I didn't want to get too wasted, so I only had the 5 oz sampler, but I think I'd give this another shot in a larger size. Very distinct smell, too, that also had a variety of sources. A lot of thought and crafting went into this one. (11/30/2002)

Hereford & Hops Schwarzbier

Steve: Quick German lesson: "Schwarzbier" = "Black Beer." And black beer it is. This was served in a tall glass so that it looked like I had a pillar of black marble on my table. It had a roasted, smoky flavor to it. Not much aroma, this beer was all about the roasted malty flavor. I'm puzzled as to why Hereford & Hops brewed this for summer, since this is a much better winter offering. But since it was cold enough here in July, and the air conditioning was cranked enough, that it really didn't matter. (1/15/2005)

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Hereford & Hops Whitetail Ale

Steve: This is a brewpub beer brewed in a restaurant in Wausau, WI, just off I-39 (H&H can also be found in Escanaba and Bay City, MI). If hunting season, the Hodag festival, or camping take you to the Northwoods of Wisconsin (or in my case, visiting in-laws), stop into this place. H&H is one of those grill-your-own steak joints with an incredible menu. Their steaks are huge portions for the price, their appetizers rock, and their staff is friendly (yes, I'll be sending them this review to try and get sponsorship). And above all, their beer is QUITE tasty, including the Whitetail Ale, their flagship beer (named after a type of deer that FIBs go to Wisconsin to try and hunt). In fact, I'm drinking it while I write this review. It's got a flowery aroma, a light hop presence, so it's not too overpowering, and a fruit flavor (but not strong or sour). All in all, a great ale. I only regret I didn't try this with my steak; instead, I got it in the 1 Pt 6 Oz to-go bottle (also available in growlers and kegs). Just as good, though. Man, I wish Atlanta had a Hereford & Hops. Pronounced Hur-furd, like the cow. (11/9/2002)

HHBC Blueberry Amber

Steve: This reminded me quite a bit of Sweetwater Blue, with that same blueberry pancake smell, flowery aroma and flavor, and nice smooth maltiness. Not anywhere near as good, but still worth trying. So much so, I walked out of their brewpub with a growler (1/2 gallon bottle) of the stuff. (1/24/2004)

HHBC Calibogue Amber

Steve: Of the four HHBC's that I tried on my visit to their brewpub on Hilton Head Island, this was my least favorite. It had a medium maltiness to it, but not much in the way of hoppy flavor. Basically a light ale. Overall, not much to write home about. Decent, but this brewery has better stuff. (2/7/2004)

HHBC Pale Ale

Steve: The waitress told me that this reminded her a lot of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I have to agree, and since their blueberry amber was a lot like Sweetwater Blue, I have to say that they might be cloning recipes (just a suspicion, no proof). Fortunately, they are doing a good job with those recipes. This had that flowery, hoppy aroma and finish found in Sierra Nevada, smooth character and very easy to drink. I preferred the blueberry better, but this will do nicely. (1/9/2004)

HHBC Pub Light Ale

Steve: Funny, I actually liked this better than the stronger Calibogue Amber. Just like the name, this is a light ale, easy drinking, light hop presence, and light bodied, with the malt more present. I found it to be a good beer with dinner, when I tried a pint of this with my pizza. Good choice. Many of you can't handle heavy beers with dinner, because they fill you up too quickly. If that's the case, this would be my choice every time while eating, save the stronger stuff for before or after dinner. (2/21/2004)

Highfalls IPA

Steve: Not as bitter as some IPAs, which indicates not as much hops. That's no good, as it's the hops that give it the flavor it has. Overall, though, pretty good. Dark golden color, good taste, and a non-bitter finish. Not as good as Ballantine's or McEwan's, but good enough.

Highland Black Mocha Stout

Steve: This was an easy-drinking stout. Perhaps TOO easy-drinking. It didn't really challenge the senses all that much. The coffee flavor, while quite noticeable to my wife, was not as strong as it could've been. And I would've liked a little bit more chocolate flavor. And lastly, considering I drank it while watching Arkansas get their asses handed to them by Southern Cal, I would've loved it if it got me a lot drunker, so that I could've forgotten the shellacking. But that's just me. (12/23/2006)

Highland Gaelic Ale

Sam: I first encountered this in 1996 when my in-laws lived in Asheville. It was heavenly and what I drank exclusively when we went to visit. They very shortly moved away, however, and I haven't had it now in about seven years. When my father-in-law recently managed to get ahold of some and send it to me, I was a little worried; since my palate has changed some, I was afraid it wouldn't be very good anymore. Shouldn't have worried. This beer is delicious! A deep, amber-copper color, it smells wonderful and tastes even better. Another beer that disproves the cool-label-sucky-beer rule of thumb, too. If you see this beer, don't limit yourself to just one six-pack. (6/4/2005)

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Highland Oatmeal Porter

Rocky: I don't understand why you see so many oatmeal stouts, but oatmeal porter is hard to come by. This stuff is great! More breweries need to brew with oats in my opinion. I've never had a bad beer with Oatmeal somewhere in the mix. I'd gladly drink this beer all the time in the colder months...it really hit the spot. Think of a smoother Anchor porter and you've got this. (4/9/2005)

Highland St. Terese's Pale Ale

Sam: Another winner! I got this from the FIL along with their flagship Gaelic Ale. But the St. Terese is delicious, too. Not quite as deeply colored as I thought it should be, but it's clean and sweet, with a nice balancing hoppiness. All in all a very nice beer to savor. Grab it if you see it. (6/11/2005)

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Highlander Pale Ale

MacTarnahan's Brewing Co

Rocky: I can't stand for breweries to label their beer as one thing when it's clearly something else. This isn't a pale ale, and the thing is...they know it. This has won gold at the 1992 GABF...as Best American Amber Ale. At least they entered it in the correct category, because I don't think it would have fared well at all against other pale ales. They're going for a Scottish thing...the name, there's plaid on the label, and they use heather in the recipe. Didn't do it for me. There are much better pale ales out there, and much better amber ales as well. (9/26/2004)

Hinterland Honey Wheat

Hinterland Brewery

Steve: My family took a day trip to Green Bay while visiting my in-laws, and I briefly considered adding Hinterland's brewery restaurant to our itinerary. Then I looked at their website and realized it was clearly no place to take a 9 and 3 year old that fight constantly, so we settled for Old Chicago Pizza instead. Thankfully, their 110 beers included Hinterland's Honey Wheat. For most Midwesterners, as fancy a beer as they go for is Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss, so it's a good idea for Hinterland to include that. Of course, the style is not exactly aggressive nor challenging. It's a light summer wheat beer, with a slight hint of lemon, zero bitterness, and a light sweetness. Not a bad beer to go with a Chicago-style pizza after a day at an amusement park. I will say this, it did seem to have more alcohol than the style normally includes. It does make me want to see what else Hinterland has on tap, but that will have to wait for another year. See, I also had my MIL take a picture of me giving the finger to Lambeau Field, so we need a year before we can come back to the Green Bay area. (5/2/2009)

Hog Haus Curly Tail Ale

Kris: It's a pale ale. That's the only bit of info you're getting out of me regarding this beer. My tastebuds were fried after six beers, a ruben, and sweet potato fries. They could have given me year-old megaswill and I wouldn't have known it. I have to say, I give props to the brewpub. It's a great place to visit, even sober. (6/24/2006)

Hog Haus Fat Boy Blue

Kris: Their Woodstock Wheat flavored with blueberries. "Prepare to be pleasantly surprised," says their website. Right. It smells great, like one big blueberry. It tastes like their Woodstock Wheat. I feel like I've been somehow gypped. (5/27/2006)

Hog Haus Pale Rider

Kris: I'm not sure what this is, but damn it's good. I got the sampler at the brewpub, and this was the seasonal. I was going to ask exactly what it was, but by the time I remembered to ask, I was flying high as a kite. It's called having six beers on an empty stomach. Fun, but obviously you forget things (and have a hard time reading the review that you wrote on a bar napkin). (5/6/2006)

Hog Haus Ruby Red Ale

Kris: This wasn't as tasty as the other beers in the sampler. The funny thing is, it got better as I got drunker, which wasn't good, as my fiancee and I were at the brewpub to meet with the director of graduate studies at the University, Dr. Reid. I mean, it was good that the beer got better, but not good because I was starting to slur. (5/13/2005)

Hog Haus Scout Stout

Kris: Roasty, toasty, just what you'd expect a stout to be, although there was a distinct lack of aroma. I had this at the Hog Haus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Nice little brewpub, named because the University of Arkansas are the Razorbacks, which is a pig. Not a disgusting, pot-bellied, playing in the mud, smelly pig. It's a Razorback. Look, I'm not from Arkansas, I didn't go to the university, you'll have to cut me some slack because I don't know any better way to explain it. Anyway, why they decided to go with the German "haus" instead of the typical "house" is beyond me. Then again, I'm not from Arkansas, I didn't go to the university, etc, etc. (3/19/2006)

Hog Haus Woodstock Wheat

Kris: As wheat beers go, it was pretty good. Consider the fact that I'm not a big fan of wheat beers, so this one must have been really good. Either that, or I was getting near the end of the sampler and was rip-roaring drunk. Perhaps I'll try this one again when I get back to Fayetteville. (6/3/2006)

Hoopers Lemon Hooch

Wm Hooper & Co

Steve: The ads use a hooligan- sounding Englishman to push this alcoholic lemon brew. The label on the neck says that it's "English Original." However, it also says "Made in USA." This ad scheme by many companies is getting too weird, pretending to be from someplace they're not. One thing's for sure, though. This stuff is good. Many people down a few beers after laying mulch, mowing the lawn, or yanking weeds. Screw that, drink this instead. Cool, refreshing, thirst quenching, yet enough alcohol to make pulling weeds not seem so crappy. This is similar to One-Eyed Jack in flavor, but Hootch is much better. Not so tart, smoother, more drinkable. For the college girls who throw down wine coolers, this is for you. You will probably look a little cooler, almost like you're drinking a beer. And this will get you drunk quicker than Bud (in most states), with 4.7% ABV. (12/7/1999)

Hops Alligator Ale

Steve: The Hops sampler guide describes this as a mahogany-colored porter. Remember in "The Quiet Man," where John Wayne asked for "one of those black beers," and the publican replied, "ahh yes, The Porter"? Well, if this was the beer served to The Duke, you can bet your ass that he would've whipped you with a piece of farm equipment. While not required, porters should have somewhat of a robust maltiness to it, often with a roasted, charcoal-like flavor. This didn't have that. While drinkable, this wasn't a very good porter. (11/6/2004)

Hops Clearwater Light

Steve: According to their sampler guide, this is "our crisp and refreshing version of the traditional American light beer." Well guess what? The "traditional American light beer" sucks. And so does this. I always thought the reason to go into craft brewing was to create something different, something special that would challenge the taste buds, not to duplicate the kind of piss that causes people to want to go into craft brewing in the first place. If I wanted to pay $3.75 for a glass of crap, I would've gone to Friday's and ordered a Corona. (10/9/2004)

Hops Hammerhead Red Ale

Steve: I like the nice red lagers that get their color and sweet flavor from the caramel malts that go into the mash, but the dominant flavor at the start of this ale was the chocolate malt that was in the recipe as well. Way too much chocolate. As you got near the end the caramel came out to play, but not quickly enough. It was a decent all-around ale, and interesting with all the flavors, but I was disappointed because I thought it would turn out to be something it wasn't. Which is probably what every girl I ever dated thought about me. (10/23/2004)

Hops Lightning Bold Gold

Steve: Light bodied with just a touch of fruitiness in the background, just like the NY Mets. Basically a pilsner-style lager, nothing fancy although it's a shade darker than the straw-colored ones that get cranked out of Milwaukee or St Louis. This washed the burger and wings down nicely, whereas I don't think the other offerings from my local Hops would've done the job as well. (9/26/2004)

Hops Winter Amber Ale

Independence Brewing Company

Steve: Probably the best of the beers currently on tap at our local Hops in Kennesaw, but mostly because I didn't find some fatal flaw in this one that I found in the others. Then again, this didn't have the boldness and warming spiciness that you typically find in good winter ales, so maybe there was such a flaw. In all fairness, however, this was my last beer of the bunch, and my taste buds might've been somewhat altered (especially when you added Hops' extra-spicy Buffalo wings into the mix). This had the usual floral hoppiness to it that you find in most pale ales. Ironically, this was the first one that had a true hop character....ironic, that is, because of the name of the restaurant. (11/27/2004)

IC Light

Iron City Brewing Co

Steve: Before settling on a rating, I first checked out our reviews for Iron City Lager. Both Sam and myself settled on a resounding Zero. And, as I finished my glass of Iron City Light (shrewdly packaged as "IC Light," to avoid the stigma), I realized this is probably worse. So how do you describe a beer that is worse than ball sweat, ass, and the Aussie term "Gin's Piss"? Well, it's hard. You can only go to that well so many times. So, I'll just say this is absolutely flavorless. As a liquid, it meets all requirements. As a beer, it meets none. It is weak, yellowish, flavorless, and a waste of time. Honestly, I was surprised Iron City needed a light beer, because the regular Iron City was already like the proverbial canoe sex. All I can say is, if you really hate the taste of beer, you'll love this, because this tastes nothing like beer. (5/2/2010)

Icehouse

Plank Road Brewery

Steve: Made by the Plank Road Brewery division of Miller, their "craft beer" division in Milwaukee. Crisp flavor. The first ice beer I ever had, and it got me drunk. Very different from any other Miller product. High in alcohol, but I would go for something more flavorful. (7/28/2001)

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Independence Pale Ale

Sam: Butter. That's what I was tasting first time I tried it. It was such a handsome amber color in the glass, and had such a pleasant hop aroma the first time I tried this that I almost missed it. But there was something not quite right about the flavor, so I tried another bottle the next night. Hmm...thick, oily head. Take a sip: yep, there it is. Butter. Diacetyls, according to Magic Hat, who seems to really know his brews. I couldn't finish it. Damn. And I had such high hopes for this beer, since this is a new brewery down in Austin. Hope they can correct this soon. (8/19/2006)

Ipswich Ale

Mercury Brewing Co

Steve: This was great! It's an unfiltered ale, which is pretty much the same as a weiss beer. It had that creamy, wheat taste to it, potent alcohol content, sweet and flavorful. This is one of the better microbrews around, in that it doesn't try to invent new trends in beer, but going to the old world style. For that they should be commended.

Iron City Beer

Iron City Brewing Co

Sam: I'm composing this as I try valiantly--or foolishly--to finish the second bottle of Iron City. Say it with me: ARNFUCKIN'CITY!! We drank this gleefully when we were dumbass college kids, even though it tasted horrid back then as well, because it was $1.99 a six pack. Well, I saw this on the shelf this afternoon, and remembering dimly there was some discussion about the "new" aluminum bottle, I shelled out $6.99 for a sixer (much to my embarrassment). I drank the first one from the bottle. Oof. Just as acrid and chemical as I remember. This beer is best choked down ice-the-hell cold, if at all. Without warning her ahead of time, I offered my long-suffering wife a sip. She immediately wrinkled her nose, then I swear she tried to run away from the flavor. She chugged the rest of her bottled water, then called me several nasty names I can't repeat on such a family-friendly website. She threatened not to let me in the house with the rest of the six-pack, but I plied her with a Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale, and she relented. I'm staring at the remainder of the second beer, glaring back at me a malevolent shade of jaundice in my beer glass, and I'm telling you friends, I'm pretty sure I'm pouring it out. The aluminum bottle touts how it'll keep it colder and crisper; well...colder maybe, but there's nothing "crisp" about this beer. It's somewhat appalling. And please don't tell anyone what I payed for this travesty. (9/24/2005)

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Irons Dark Iron Chocolate Brown Ale

Irons Brewing Co

Kris: As I sit and stare at this virtually untouched beer, my thoughts turn to how much I like bud better than this crap. When I smelled it, a gag reflex set in, and I was afraid to taste it. Boldly going where only idiots have gone before, I sipped this monstrosity, and it ripped through me like a bowl of bad chili. Something is horribly wrong with this beer, and I suspect it's the brewery. STAY AWAY.

Irons Long Iron Bohemian Style Pilsner

Irons Brewing Co

Steve: Again, another trashing of the good heritage of the Bohemians, even worse than Latrobe's. An utter disappointment and waste of money. In a word, horrible. This is the first beer I've sampled that I had to pour out. This tasted like Moosehead gone bad, with a seriously bad sour taste, weak and stale going down. Yuck! Bleccch!

Island City Amber Light

Steve: Very much in the Vienna-style, but a little milder, this is slightly spicy, low on the hoppy side, and a little darker and maltier than the average light beer. This is probably the lightest-flavored of the MBC beers that I sampled in their brewpub. It goes fairly well with their Buffalo wings, which are on the hot and spicy side. Otherwise, not much else to say about this. (2/12/2005)

Island City German Style Red Ale

Steve: Reminded me a little of a German Alt. The caramel malt gives it a little sweetness, but the hops dominate. This is one of MBC's year-round regulars, and makes for a better t-shirt design then the others (with Schloss Neuschwanstein on the label), but my wife managed to talk me out of buying one, so you'll just have to take my word for it. (1/29/2005)

Island City Honey Ale

Steve: Brewed with pure Wisconsin honey, but not so much that it becomes a mead or even a braggot. It's kind of syrupy sweet. It's light flavored, but the body is thicker, undoubtedly from the honey addition. Not hoppy at all, I would suggest this as a good outdoor summer choice. Unfortunately, since this is a brewpub product, and not distributed, unless MBC adds an outdoor deck, you're SOL. (1/15/2005)

Island City Honey Peach

Steve: This was the last sample I tried from MBC while dining at their brewpub. Since I was thirsty and on an empty stomach, I was a little loopy by the time I hit this one. It was sweet, refreshing, and you could definitely taste the peach and the sweet honey flavor. It actually tasted like one of those fruit-scented cleaners or dusting spray. Hard to place, really, so I'm not sure which one, but you'll have to take my word for it. It was good, though, good enough that I ordered a pint of this after I tried all of the samples. I'd like to try this again sober. (3/5/2005)

Island City Pale Ale

Steve: The hops grab hold from the get-go, and there is even a hint of a citrus background, almost giving the impression of a wheat ale. Good enough that I couldn't help think how sad it was that people were still ordering Miller Lites in MBC's restaurant. Why anyone would want to order crap like that with good ales like this on tap is beyond me. (2/5/2005)

Island City Rye Porter

Steve: This was the first of the MBC beers that I tried in their lake-side brewpub. I love rye in my ales, and it's beers like this that make me think so. It's got a rich, coffee-like flavor, with a little chocolate coming through. That roasted flavor would make this a great porter for sipping in the middle of winter, especially if I was sitting in MBC's bar while watching the ice fishermen. And since winter is 6 months long up there in Da Northwoods, the rye porter would be a daily staple if I lived there. (2/26/2005)

Island City Ultra Light Low-Carb

Steve: When my waitress read this off of the beer menu, I actually made a face. It wasn't exactly my choice to get this, but it came with the $5.00 beer sampler that I ordered, and I'm not one to refuse a beer that I've already paid for. I will say this is the best low-carb beer I've ever had. I'm not sure what the carb count is, but in all honesty, I couldn't give a rat's ass, and if you're a TOBP regular, neither do you. It has a spicy, floral flavor to it, which makes it unlike any low-carb beer I've ever had (in other words, it actually has a flavor). Or, the waitress accidentally gave me something else. Either way, it's not bad. (1/22/2005)

Jack Daniel's Amber Lager

Steve: This beer attracted me from the beginning. A definite light hoppy aroma, this beer reminded me of the classic Wisconsin pilsners and lagers like Miller, Old Style, and Pabst, with one exception... It's much better. This is a good every-day beer, and it has one of the coolest labels I've ever seen.

Jack Daniel's American Ale

Steve: Nice copper/amber color. Evident hop presence in the aroma and balance. In the finish, you could actually taste the oak this beer was aged with (coming from the whiskey barrels themselves). That added something special to it. This is without a doubt different, and a must try if you're lucky enough to live in one of the states it's sold in.

Jack Daniel's Pilsner

Steve: A pils is the gatorade of beers... meant to be refreshing, thirst-quenching, but not big on taste explosion. Therefore, this pils fits that model perfectly. Better than just about any domestic pils I can recall trying, most having a flat, watery, weak taste. This has none of that. A must try.

Jack Daniel's Summer Brew

Steve: Of all the summer beers I've tried, this sinks them all, Pete's and Sam's included. Light, creamy flavor, with a lemon hint to it, like a weiss or white beer. This would have been my first choice at my wedding if I could've gotten it. If you live south of the Mason Dixon, try this. If you live north of said line, "Road Trip!" Cool name, cool label, cool beer.

Jack Daniel's Winter Brew

Steve: Dark maroon, almost like a stout, this first hits you with a strong, raspberry smell. The perfect winter beer. It started off weak, i.e. the water was too evident, but the finish was where the taste got you. Hold this in your mouth for few seconds, taste the fruit and the oak used in the aging process, and I guarantee you will enjoy it.

Jamaica Red Ale

Mad River Brewing Co

Steve: This is insanely hoppy, and don't think for a minute that this is the least bit red. Not sure how it's classified that way, but bottom line this is a great ale, perfect for the cooler months. It reminded me a lot of Dogwood Decadent, which has 10 different kinds of hops, so I'm curious as to the ingredients of this one. The bitterness seems to just fill up your mouth, drowning out the malt flavor, until you get a sour citrus flavor on your tongue during the finish. Definitely not something I could see drinking in Jamaica, that still goes to Red Stripe, but since I don't plan on going to Jamaica, I'll stay here in Atlanta and drink this stuff instead. (5/14/2005)

Jamaica Sunset India Pale Ale

Mad River Brewing Co

Steve: It's been a while since I've had an IPA, American or import. They don't tend to be as common as they were 5 years ago, from what I've seen. However, this was a nice one. Loaded with hops and a slight citrus background, this was very enjoyable. With only 2 samples tried so far, I'm very impressed with the folks at Mad river. I have to warn you, the label is kind of cheesy, but since my research shows the nicer labels cover up the worst beers, the opposite must be true. (12/18/2004)

Jersey Harvest Ale

Hunterdon Brewing Co

Steve: Sharp, bitter hop taste, but interesting, not stale and cliche like so many other ale micros out there. Sharp taste may come from five different types of hops used (maybe didn't mix well). Plus, proceeds go to restore Jersey's lakes, rivers, and streams (some's kept for profit, I'm sure). Not the best ale, average, but good.

JW Dundee's American Amber Lager

Kris: Ok, I am getting used to hops. This was less bitter, more sweet. I thought it could use a little something, specifically more bitter and less sweet. It's not a bad beer by any means, in fact it went very well with the burger I just had. But if I had to review this based upon what I actually wanted at the moment, it was lacking. (12/22/2007)

JW Dundee's American Pale Ale

Sam: Ick. Not very good at all. Has a weird chemical taste that's very off-putting, and the color's too anemic. I shoulda known this wouldn't taste great, just because of the price ($4.99 for a sixer). Maybe this might be good for someone just starting to branch out into better beers, because it's not very bold; on the other hand, it might just turn them away from the good stuff if they think it all tastes like this. Do yourself a favor and sink a couple extra bucks into something tastier than this. And tell your swill-drinkin' buddies that if they want to try a craft brew, this ain't the one. (4/30/2005)

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JW Dundee's Honey Brown

Steve: This microbrew certainly has a honey flavor to it, with absolutely no aftertaste whatsoever. The flavor would be nothing without the honey, which is not necessarily bad. I can say I liked it, as did my brother. This is a good place to get used to flavored lagers, as it isn't rough on the taste buds. (12/21/2003)

JW Dundee's IPA

Kris: I tried this at a party for my dad, who just turned 60. It was pretty damn good. I haven't had the Honey Brown in a while, but I recall it being sweet, perhaps a bit too sweet. Not the case with this IPA. Don't know if this beer isn't that hoppy or I'm starting to like hoppy beers. I'm not sure if this is just a relabel of the Highfalls IPA we've already reviewed, and I'm too lazy to check, so let's just say no, it's a new beer. Either way, give it a shot. (9/2/2007)

Kashmir IPA

Rocky: Light in color for an IPA, making me think that there wasn't enough malt presence to balance the amount of hops used in an IPA, but I was mistaken. It's well balanced. The hops provide the bitterness, and sometimes it's floral, sometimes citrus...in this one it's grassy. This isn't bad, but it's my favorite style and there are so many choices that are a better IPA pick. (10/15/2005)

Kelly's Irish Stone Brewed Light

Atlanta Brewing Co

Steve: Ever wish for a light beer with flavor, but thought it didn't exist? Ever want a beer for an event like a Super Bowl party, where you wanted something drinkeable, yet not too heavy that you couldn't throw down several while sitting through those great commercials? This is your beer. Brewed with the Stone Brewing process (too long too explain, either buy this beer and read the carton, or buy a Michael Jackson book, this is yet another fine creation from the ABC, and almost a miracle to boot! A drinkable light beer! Still light in flavor, texture, and finish, but not watery or flat. Pretty expensive if you are in a Miller Lite mood, but if you fall into the two categories I mentioned above, or if you actually cash a paycheck that didn't make the bank teller laugh, then go for it. (4/19/1999)

Keystone

Rocky: Well, to their credit my face did not take on an altered Cabbage Patch Doll look. It's not a bitter beer...truth in advertising. Of course, if you like hops a bitter beer isn't such a bad thing. What they don't tell you is that it's not a malty beer either. It's not much of anything. It doesn't smell good, it doesn't taste good, but it does pour down the drain quite nicely. Pass. (2/27/2004)

Keystone Light

Rocky: Maybe I should have had this and the regular Keystone side by side for comparison, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. After a week I felt my palate had recovered to the point of accepting more abuse, and based on memory I can't tell a lot of difference between this and the original. I guess regular is supposed to be more full-bodied, but apparently water is water regardless of it's label. They're so similar that I did a little research. Regular Keystone (keystone "premium"...what a crock) has 108 calories. Keystone Light has 104. Big freaking deal. I'm really thinking they're the same beer and they just put a little less in the Light can. (3/6/2004)

Killarney's Red Lager

Kris: I hate this beer. Not because of the taste, or smell, or even the bottle. Those were all relatively decent. I hate it because it was made by Anheuser-Busch, and it didn't suck. I was so surprised at that fact I that had another. But pissed off I am. I am so used to having AB crank out the worst beers imaginable. I was looking forward to bashing them yet again. Can't do it this time. Granted, I could think of a couple of "Irish" Red Lagers that are better than this, but like I said, it was decent. Maybe the brewmaster didn't piss in the vat before making this... Does this signal a change at AB? Probably not, but we'll see. (3/21/2001)

Killian's Honey Brown Lager

Steve: My first impression was a very good, sweet taste, definitely honey in there. The swallow, on the other hand, was kinda bitter. A decent beer, but that taste when swallowing prevents it from getting any better. I'd have to say JW Dundee's is better.

Killian's Red

Steve: Killian's has had the most consistent flavor and quality of any mass-brewed US beer that I've ever had. It has a nice sweet flavor and a reddish color from the caramel malts used to brew this. What's nice is, most decent restaurants keep this on tap, or at least have it in bottles. There are hundreds of flavors of beers out there that can compliment food, but most places waste that by having the basic Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light, etc, and for imports they carry Corona and Heineken. Given such basic selections, I more than happily grab a Killians. Coors bought this brewery and brought it from Ireland to the US when they were getting run out of business by Guinness, and we've benefited ever since. (10/4/2003)

Kingsbury

G. Heileman Brewing Co

Guest Review - Chris J: Ingredients include corn. Not bad really. Kind of bland, but has a unique taste among NA brews. (11/8/1998)

Klisch Pilsner

Lakefront Brewery, Inc

Steve: A fine Milwaukee product, you'll notice that this has a higher hop content than most domestic pilsners (most of you think of Miller Lite when you think of such beers). This is fairly malty, pretty strong actually, and so help me God, it had a doughy sweetness to it (I never thought I'd use that in a review, but now I know what my beer calendar keeps talking about). Imagine liquified dough, that was sweet. That's what this tastes like. Anyway, quite enjoyable, good for entering the fall season, not a light summer pilsner that most people yearn for in the hot months. (1/17/2004)

Kodiak Brown Nut Brown Ale

Midnight Sun Brewing Co

Kris: I don't know many beers that don't taste great after doing some yardwork. This beer doesn't disappoint. Cool and refreshing. I'd normally say you need to take a trip to Alaska, as that's where the Midnight Sun Brewing Company is, but this was brewed and bottled in Utah. Ah, screw, go to Alaska anyway. I hear it's beautiful. (10/1/2005)

Lagunitas Brown Shugga

Steve: I was never all that impressed with many of the brown ales that I've had. Then I realized I was drinking the mass-brewed British ones, none of the finer craft ones brewed in Britain or the US. A brown ale is nice and smooth, malty, sweet, and shouldn't have any of that chemical taste you'd find in Newcastle. Lagunitas fits the bill. With browns like this, and Sweetwaters, I have to wonder why anyone would drink Newcastle again. I guess Newcastle can be given credit for one thing.....getting people to get away from the likes of Bud and Miller. (10/18/2008)

Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale

Steve: I know it's apples and oranges, but I enjoyed this more than Lagunitas' IPA. The overall drinking experience was just better. This had a rich malty flavor to it, but also a noticeable hop presence. It challenged the senses a lot more, I thought. And if you got drunk enough off of this one, the text on the six-pack holder might actually start to make sense. (6/9/2007)

Lagunitas Freak Out Ale

Steve: This beer is a tribute to Frank Zappa, and the label is chock-full of Zappa quotes, including his famous one about real countries needing an airline, a football team, and a beer. In all honesty, that was the most interesting thing about this beer. It was good, I think it's a double IPA. But considering Lagunitas' reputation, I expected something a LOT better. Still, fewer tributes can be better than a beer, so I think Frank would be pleased. (5/28/2007)

Lagunitas Hairy Eyball Ale

Sam: Another big beer from Lagunitas. Visually appealing, but the syrupy sweetness is grating. Not enough hops to keep my interesting. I pretty much gave this beer the hairy eyeball (get it? Get it??). (1/12/2008)

Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale

Joel: I picked this up because I had never heard of an Imperial Red before. Frankly I don't think it actually exists, but if you want to jam more alcohol and hops into a red then I'm all for it. This beer was decent, above average even but it seems like it could have been better. The sweetness of the red and the hop bite are struggling for control in this and I'm not sure it really works. It's like a basketball team ith one too many big name players who like to score, like the Denver Nuggets were with Melo and A.I. In fact, I'm pronouncing this the Denver Nuggets of beers. They're not crap, hell in the East they'd be dominant, but they just can't get over the hump. Probably should have traded some of the hops for better role players. (P.S. Watch out for the Nugs now that they unloaded A.I.) (7/19/2009)

Lagunitas India Pale Ale