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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Abita Pecan Harvest

Steve: I think Abita could have done more with this one. It went down a bit like a brown ale, malty, sweet, with a nutty background. I was hoping for a pecan pie mixed with an ale, for a nice spicey and sweet flavor, but it fell flat on the flavors I was hoping for. (10/10/2010)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Alesmith Old Numbskull

Alesmith Brewing Co

Joel: This beer will destroy your shit. Seriously. It's 11% ABV; it's fruity, hoppy, and awesome; and just drinking it makes you feel like a badass. Alesmith has forged a beer that will redefine the way you think about barleywines and maybe beer in general. I don't get surprised very much anymore but I was in awe of this brew. If you get lucky enough to find this, buy it! You can thank me later. (1/17/2011)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Alpha King Pale Ale

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Blackhook Porter

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)

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Blatz Beer

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)

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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)

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Bootlegger's Winter Ale

Bootlegger's Brewery

Joel: Bootlegger's is an up and coming brewery out of Fullerton in California. As I write this you probably can't get your hands on this unless you are in Southern California but I fully predict that this brewer will start to blow up regionally (if not nationally) within the next couple of years. Onto the brew itself, it's not a traditional winter beer; if you're looking for Old Fezziwig don't pick this up. It's a mint chocolate porter. Holy shit, I can't believe no one has thought of that yet. Mint chocolate has existed for a long time and chocolate porters have existed for a long time and yet no one thought to combine them until now. The mint in this provides a refreshing front to the brew while the chocolate malts provide fullness. Not something I could drink everyday but around Christmas it hits the spot completely. (12/31/2010)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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Brooklyn Local 2

Steve: Kind of a sweet Belgian-style ale. It's made with honey and citrus peel, and smells a bit rich and fruity. It's a deep brown in the pour, with a nice tan head on it, so it's nice to look at as well. The honey flavor is a bit subtle, the sweetness seems to come from the fruitiness, which gets a lift from the Belgian yeast used. And of course the rambling comments trying to describe this beer likely come from the 9% abv and drinking this in one sitting by myself. (6/4/2011)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Budweiser Select

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)

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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)

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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)

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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

Steve: See Busch.

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Busch N/A

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

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Capital Rustic Ale

Steve: I guess the marketing department at Capital decided they really really needed a session beer really really badly. An amber ale that is light on the hops, thin on the malt sweet enough for flavor, but lacking enough in bitterness that you can drink this all night long with no ill effects, other than completely forgetting what you tasted. Capital makes some of the best US-made lagers in North America. I think they should stick to that niche and not try to please everyone. (2/13/2011)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Capital Wisconsin Amber

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)

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Carling Black Label

Carolina Beer & Beverage 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)

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

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Celis White

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.

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Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine 2008

Steve: Wow, the alcoholic burn was the first, middle and last things I noticed about this beer. It pretty well overpowered all other flavors, which often happens in barleywines for me. This is why I'm not the most partial reviewer of the style, I haven't quite developed the proper taste for them. But, this was a nice warming ale, with that slight bourbon background (or maybe it was just the alcohol). Central Waters is producing some pretty good stuff up in Wisconsin, and from what I can see, of the top-tier Wisconsin breweries, this one is the furthest north. (12/19/2010)

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Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout

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)

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Central Waters Illumination Double IPA

Steve: Like the name suggests, it's an uber-hoppy IPA, definitely hitting the taste buds hard with 108 IBU's. It also packs a 9% ABV punch, so be ready for a solid beer. I really like and respect Central Waters, because they obviously spend more money on the product they brew, and less on the packaging. There are a lot of double IPA's out there (after Stone made their mark, they've become downright ubiquitous), and this isn't the best, but it's well above-average and worth a try if you're in Wisconsin. (4/19/2012)

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Central Waters Satin Solstice Imperial Stout

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co

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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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Coast Kölsch 32º / 50º

Coast Brewing Co

Steve: Kölsch-style beers are notoriously fragile, and don't usually last along time. I bought this while on holiday in Hilton Head SC last September (it was bottled on 9/7/2010, 2 weeks before I bought it), and stuck it in my beer fridge and frankly forgot about it. On a warm summer night in June 2011, I killed it with gusto. Kölsch-style beers are very refreshing for warm summer months, but also have a decent enough floral hoppiness in the finish that they go well in cool weather as well, in my opinion. Coast is no exception. This really is a fantastic American version of a traditional style from Köln German (much like Champagne, a true Kölsch must be from Köln, aside from a couple exceptions in Bonn). The name of this beer is an homage to the latitudinal locations of Charleston SC and Köln Germany. South Carolina is not known as a hotbed of microbreweries, but if everything Coast brews is as high-quality as this, Coast surely leads the state. (6/26/2011)

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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)

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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!!

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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!!!

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Cream City Pale Ale

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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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)

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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)

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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!

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Dreadnaught IPA

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)

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Eastside Dark

Steve: There are certain characteristics of a dark lager (Dunkel) that everyone who enjoys the style (such as myself) look for. First, the color....often around the same consistency of cola, with a tinge of red when held up to the light. Check. Then there's the aroma. You want to smell the roasted malts, the coffee or chocolate-like aromas. Ehh, a little bit. And finally, the taste needs to explode with those same roasted malts. Not heavy on hops, you want the roasted malt flavor to dominate. You want a kind of smokey taste, something that might complement a good pork roast. And this is where Lakefront seemed to fail. They started off with a great color, gave it a decent aroma, and couldn't lift it up with flavor. It was an OK beer, but it was below average in style, because it couldn't give me that roasted mouthfeel I was looking for. I've seen some above-average reviews of this beer, so maybe I'll come back to it, or try a fresher example, but for now, the best I can say is that it didn't taste like an old ashtray, which many of its failed contemporaries resemble. (6/26/2011)

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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)

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Eel River Porter

Eel River Brewing

Joel: Eel River purports to be America's first ever certified organic brewery. I guess that means they planted brewery seeds and then layered on manure and compost and hash oil until a mature functioning brewery sprouted up and started churning out beer for hippies. Whatever the case this is a passable porter, nothing special but nothing I'd go out of my way for either. Smells of chocolate and coffee but tastes a bit "burnt" with a weak hop finish. If I was a dirty tree-hugger I'd consider this a decent finish to a long day of protesting and using the word "man". (3/6/2011)

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Eliot Ness

Firestone Walker Brewing Co

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)

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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)

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Fighting Billy Bock

Minhas Craft Brewery

Steve: Minhas Brewing is the latest in a long string of names for the old Joseph Huber Brewing Co of Monroe WI. Minhas is part of the legacy of that brewery that goes back to the 1840's. Unfortunately, with all that brewing experience, they couldn't really get this bock right. What they got was closer to Shiner, a bock by name but not by flavor. It comes in at 5.5% abv, so for a bock it should've been at least another half a percent. It's malty, and tastes somewhat good, but it could have been a little more of a warmer. I guess it's more of a summer bock, if you want to use such a term. It's not going to keep you warm all winter. (11/27/2011)

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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)

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Firestone Double Barrell Ale

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Furthermore Oscura

Furthermore Brewing LLC

Steve: I am regretting having only purchased one bottle on my last trip to Wisconsin, because I think there is more to this beer than what I cought in my first sampling. Oscura uses free trade coffee (say it with me..."Ooooohhh, Ahhhhhh") combined with a brown lager base recipe, to give it a nice carbonated coffee flavor. Coffee is a big ingredient in stouts and darker ales, but you don't see it as much with lagers. I like Furthermore, and I'll be sure to check out more of their product. (12/31/2010)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Gordon Biersch Maibock

Gordon Biersch Brewery

Steve: I like Maibocks. Actually, I like most bocks. Even bocks that aren't really bocks (yes Shiner, I'm talking about you). This one isn't terribly awesome, but it's not terrible either. It's malty, sweet, and a little bit higher in alcohol than a typical lager. I think it's about right for shaking the stink off of winter, but really it's kind of like a slightly higher ABV session beer. It's not so strong that it would fill you up. I would suggest buying a six pack and keeping this on hand for friends visiting you so that they don't take your good stuff. (4/19/2012)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Gumballhead

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)

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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)

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Hamm's Beer

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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Heavy Seas Aarsh Red Ale

Steve: This is a big red ale, 7% abv, from Clipper City's Mutiny Fleet series.....big beers brewed in small batches. Aarsh Red Ale is a good-looking copper color, and leaves a nice ring of Belgian lace along the glass as you drain it. It is fairly aromatic, flowery from the hops, and quite tasty. The hops definitely dominate, and it comes in a 22oz bottle, so you definitely feel the alcohol. I've enjoyed the Heavy Seas beers in the past, and I think I'll look forward to them in the future. (7/4/2012)

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Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout

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)

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Heavy Seas Über Pils

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)

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Heavy Seas Winter Storm

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)

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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)

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He'brew Jewbilation 13 Bar Mitzvah

Schmalz Brewing Co

Joel: Smells like cookie dough if you made it into a bread instead of cookies....I don't know by adding yeast or something, do I look like a baker...it's just imagery okay? Anyway, the gimmick on this is that it's made with 13 malts, 13 hops and it's 13% ABV. Unsurprisingly, the 13 hops are thoroughly barricaded behind the malt and alcohol sweetness. Also unsurprisingly by the end of the bottle I didn't really give a shit. Do you realize how much 13% ABV is? If I had this at my actual Bar Mitzvah I would have probably plotzed. (4/16/2011)

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He'Brew Messiah Bold

Schmalz Brewing Co

Steve: I'm kind of digging He'Brew's beers. I'll admit, a large part of that is the shtick, the novelty of the whole "Chosen Beer" thing, but they actually do produce a good quality ale. Their brown ale is no exception. Brown ales are famous for their rich, nutty flavor combined with drinkability, making for a session ale that you can actually taste. Messiah Bold is no exception. And the tagline on the neck label is funny, "The beer you've been waiting for." (Because, you know, Jews are still waiting for the Messiah. See? You read beer reviews, and you get educated about religion too!) (10/10/2010)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Kelly's Irish Stone Brewed Light

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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)

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Kingsbury

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

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Klisch Pilsner

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Lagunitas India Pale Ale

Sam: True to their website, this is over the top on hoppiness. Astringent, sweet, and coppery. I could go on and on about "the laciness of the bubbles on the glass," but then I'd sound like just another California beer snob. They make good beer. Leave it at that. (10/25/2003)

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Lagunitas Kill Ugly Radio

Steve: I know this is a sweeping generalization for which the folks at Beer Advocate will jump on me like Jim Belushi on a Vienna beef hot dog, but is it just me or does Lagunitas do pretty much nothing but double IPA's? I mean, I like double IPA's, but I think I've had 2 or 3 of them, whereas most breweries do maybe one. And I get it, they like Frank Zappa. It's my goal to someday start a brewery and dedicate all of my beers to Cheap Trick. Ain't That a Shame Saison. Surrender Stout. Dream Police Doppelbock. It'll be gold, Jerry! Anyway, if you like double IPA's as much as the folks at Lagunitas, you'll like this. I think it just crosses into the "extreme" category, as I've had much hoppier. But, that's also a good thing if you want to experiment and don't think you're ready for well over 100 IBU's. (3/15/2009)

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Lagunitas Lucky 13

Steve: As the label says, this is a mondo large red ale. Mondo and large are redundant, no? Anyway, big, hoppy, yet a bit sweet and malty, and slightly alcoholic. By slightly, I mean it was hard to really remember what it tasted like, because it made me a tad, shall we say, warm, after drinking it. Like all Lagunitas beers, it came with some effed-up commentary by the brewer on the label, he must've been high when writing it. (4/20/2008)

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Lagunitas Maximus

Sam: I bought this and Avery's Maharaja IIPA at the same time. Having been pummeled just recently by the Avery, I was a little leery of the Maximus; however, Maximus clocks in at 7.2% abv, so I figured it had to be tamer, and it was. Very handsome burnished amber color, and a nice hoppy/malty aroma. Very smooth beer with a pronounced hop flavor but not to just beat hell out of your taste buds. I even felt like having another beer afterwards, so this one didn't overwhelm (plus my wife actually DRANK her half of the bomber, so I didn't have to take on the entire project myself). I'd drink it again. (9/30/2006)

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Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

Lake Placid Craft Brewing Co

Steve: I was thinking for a bit that the name of the beer would be longer than the review. But, being a smart-ass, I couldn't let that happen. Anyway.....I get it. The folks at Lagunitas like to be edgy. And weird. And funky. They want the world to know they are Frank Zappa fans. Their labels are written much like the credits to Chuck Lorre TV shows (you know, that stream of consciousness text at the end of episodes of Two and a Half Men, Dharma & Greg, etc). Most of which sounds like the writer is high. This beer was brewed to celebrate the suspension of the breweries' license after marijuana was seen being consumed at a brewery party. You know, things like that wouldn't happen if you didn't allow dope-smokers at company parties. Shut-Down Ale is a strong pale ale, extremely hoppy, pretty high IBU rating. The kind of hoppy giant you'd see from Dogfish Head and Stone. Not exactly original. A California beer with a high IBU. Very revolutionary. Overall, this was a good beer, I enjoyed it, but it's been done before. This is a good brewery with a well made product, but not groundbreaking. Cue the flame wars in 3, 2, 1...... (1/19/2009)

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Lake Placid Frostbite Ale

Kris: Holy hops! This beer was definitely brewed for the hophead that I am not. Oh, sure, Rocky would probably love this, in fact I'm certain he would. Me? Let's just say I had a better time playing 8-ball against my uncle and losing heartily. I sunk one ball on the break, and then sat down for the rest of the game, because I didn't get to play again. And yet, I somehow felt like I got more out of losing the game than I did the beer. I think if I liked the bitterness of the hops, I'd have liked this. But I'm not there yet, so I didn't. (12/23/2006)

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Lakefront Bridge Burner

Steve: Lakefront Bridge Burner is a "special reserve" ale that comes in a 22oz bomber, brewed to commemorate the burning of a bridge between two towns that ultimately became Milwaukee. It's a pretty flavorful ale, packed with 3 types of hops. The IBU is 45, hardly as hoppy as some ales, but they definitely stand out. It's nicely aromatic as well. There is a definite sweetness in there, some maltiness trying to fight through the hops. All of this is comes with an 8% abv, which makes it an ideal late fall, early winter beer. It kind of makes me wish I had waited a couple months for cooler weather before drinking it. (1/26/2013)

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Lakefront IPA

Steve: With all of the Lakefront beers I've had lately, you can tell I had a sample pack. The IPA was one of the better ones. It had a great hoppy flavor, Don't look for balance here, this is a very bitter beer, with a strong hoppy floral aroma and equally strong flavor. Very bitter, very floral, with a slight yet still noticeable citrus background. Definitely above average. (11/12/2011)

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Lakefront Organic ESB

Steve: This is a pure session ale. It's not terribly challenging on the senses, with a caramel-like color, and light hop aroma and taste. I think if someone was used to drinking nothing but pale light lagers, I would push them towards this so they can get a feel of what hops can do to a beer, before promoting them to bigger, hoppier beers. So, I'd say this is more of an introductory craft beer, or as I said a session beer when you're drinking all evening and want consistency with not a lot of alcohol. I think the organic barley and hops were wasted on this beer, because there's nothing else special about it. (2/5/2012)

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Lakefront Wheat Monkey Ale

Steve: My first thought was, "Harpoon UFO has finally met a challenger." Then I remembered how awful UFO really was, I think I gave Wheat Monkey an extra point just to avoid giving UFO some room at the bottom. It was weak and gross. Wheat Monkey, not UFO. UFO was just undrinkable. Wheat Monkey had some VERY thick sediment in the bottle, like someone poured in some breadcrumbs. I'm OK with sediment in a wheat beer, but this seemed like a lot. Lakefront really disappointed me with this one. There are so many good wheat beers out there, both import and domestic, so there's no excuse for crap. (2/13/2011)

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Lamar St Pale Ale

Whole Foods Inc

Rocky: When my wife called me from Whole Foods in Atlanta to find out what to bring me back, she read off this one and I asked her to look into it since I hadn't heard of it. When she said it was brewed by Goose Island I told her to definitely pick up a sixer. I wasn't sure how a Goose Island beer had slipped under my radar. Now I know. Apparently it's contract-brewed for Whole Foods and only available in their stores. Hence, I'm listing them as the brewery and not Goose Island, because this is no Goose Island beer. There's nothing offensive about it as far as aroma, taste, etc., but if you're offended by weakness this beer might as well have spit in your mother's face. There's just not much to it. The malt profile doesn't come through...it's too weak. The hops don't show up either...too weak. Lamar St Extra Pale Ale would be more fitting, but Extra Extra Extra Pale Ale nails it. (2/5/2006)

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Land Shark Lager

Sam: OK, so here's the deal. I'm a revolving dumbass, everyone knows that. My wife makes it clear to me almost daily. I knew before I bought this that even though the label says it's brewed by the Margaritaville Brewing Co., it's actually contract brewed by A-B. "So, dumbshit, why the fuck did you buy it?" you might be thinking. Well, the answer's a little complicated, and multi-faceted. First, I'm a dumbass. OK, that one was obvious. Second, I've been a parrothead for twenty years or more, and recently have gotten back into Buffett's music in an even bigger way (aging hippie and all, I guess). So there's a certain sentimental pull looking at the label--disingenuous though it may be. Hell, I'm pulling on a sweaty bottle of Land Shark as these words pour out, while listening to Radio Margaritaville. Lastly, there is a very good chance I won't be partaking of the fruit of the barley at all in the very near future, so I'm enjoying said fruit from whatever source I can procure right now. Even if it is from a beer that tastes and looks exactly like Budweiser (big shocker there, right?). There's probably other reasons I could point out, but the sheets are starting to fill with wind, so those reasons don't come to me just now. Look: this beer is crap--expensive crap, at that, brewed by the enemy of craft beer. But if you want to lower your standards briefly on a hot and steamy summer day, go ahead and ice down a sixer and pop on "Songs You Know By Heart" (or "Living And Dying in 3/4 Time" if you're a true parrothead). (3/22/2009)

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Latrobe Bohemian Style Pilsner

Latrobe Brewing Co

Steve: Made by the makers of Rolling Rock, so that should tell you something. NASTY. Funky taste. If I was Bohemian, I'd be insulted. I think they tried to beat Sam Adams and Pete's Wicked for domestic microbrewed pilsners. Yeah, and the Jets tried to beat, well, their whole schedule. Upside: Nice color. Too bad color doesn't make a good beer. Even the label stinks.

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Laughing Skull Bohemian Pilsner

Steve: The label says that this is a serious beer, serious quality, without the serious attitude. I agree wholeheartedly. This is becoming one of my favorite breweries. This is what a Bohemian pils should taste like. Smooth, crisp, yet a definite hop presence. A pilsner with flavor! Imagine! Something Bud will never have. Only drawback is its price, but people used to paying for Sam Adams or Pete's shouldn't have a problem. If you can find this, buy it. Not hard to find, with (literally) a smiling skull on the label, with psychedelic whirly-things around it (reminiscent of Magic Hat). Named after the Atlanta bar that first carried their beer...one more reason to like this brewery. They have loyalty to their customers. If Michelob had such loyalty, they would stay out of the Craft Brewing business. (12/17/1998)

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Lawson Creek Pale Ale

Lawson Creek Brewery

Sam: Gaaaaah!! My beer, why hast thou forsaken me?!? My wife had a free trip to one of her astronomy-geek meetings recently. We got to spend an excruciatingly long weekend in the armpit of Texas-- Houston. As a bonus, we got to watch it rain for three days straight, and were treated to the crappiest hotel service I've ever had the misfortune to endure. But that's not the fun part. Her meeting got over, we had free time, I dropped into a Kroger in a ritzy neighborhood and picked this up, among others. Back at our dump (a Hilton, mind you), I cracked open this beer once it got cold; at the first sip, I nearly had an esophageal spasm. Sickly sweet, not a bit hoppy, it tasted as if someone had added cane sugar to a Milwaukee's Best, put the cap back on and waited for some idiot to come buy it. To put it in perspective as to how bad this beer was: I had tried Coors' new low-carb beer earlier in the evening. After tasting this and pouring it out, and needing to wash my mouth out from this beer and my crummy experience in our crummy hotel, I went BACK out to the car, brought the Coors BACK in, iced it BACK down, and killed the rest of the six pack. Siiighhhhh...I should've known better. At $4.99 a sixer, I shouldn't have expected excellence. On the other hand, I should have at least gotten competence. (9/5/2004)

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Lawson Creek Red Ale

Lawson Creek Brewery

Steve: This is a nice malty, sweet tasting red ale, a little low on the caramel malt that you tend to taste on a lot of red ales and lagers. Not bitter from the hops, so it makes this an easy-drinking ale, good for the summer. I bought a six pack and drank it from the bottle and glass, and I have to say that the best was in a nice chilled mug, after chilling the bottle in the freezer for about half an hour. (9/6/2003)

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Left Hand 10th Anniversary Oak-Aged Imperial Stout

Sam: Goodness. I'm about to get out of the "big beer" tasting business. It's kicking my ass. I poured this one up and was a little disappointed at the color; it was more of a deep mahogany/burnt amber sort of color, not jet-black as I was expecting. It also had very little aroma. So before the first sip, I really thought I had wasted my money. But, oh man, did I change my mind. Wow! This is silky-smooth, chocolatey and malty. Absolutely delicious. And at 9.9% ABV, it had an interesting alcoholic background, but I guess the oak aging really mellowed the edges. As you can imagine, after polishing off 22 oz. of this bad boy, I was pretty much ready for the sack. I'm starting to really groove on this oak-aging thing, but those high ABVs are going to age ME before my time. (2/4/2007)

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Left Hand Black Jack Porter

Sam: Hey, now. Wow. This beer will make you stand up and take notice. My favorite style of beer, and this porter does not disappoint. Dark black in the glass, but a warming ruby-red glow when you hold it up to the light. Take a sniff; smell the malt and hops. Take a sip. Mmmm...tastes like firelight, cobblestones, dark mahogany wood, and the wee publican saying, "Ah, the porter. Yes sir." Your mind hears Dermott Fahy playing the accordion as all your mates sing a chorus of "Wild Colonial Boy". Yes, suddenly, you ARE The Quiet Man. I'm telling you folks. You must try this beer. (9/3/2005)

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Left Hand Jackman's Pale Ale

Sam: The interesting thing about this brewery is, Left Hand makes the ales and Tabernash makes the lagers. I've had none of the lagers, but I'd sure like to one of these days, because all the ales I've had so far have been solid. Oh, not holy-smokes-oh-my-god delicious, but solid. So's this beer, an APA. Pleasant color and aroma, spicy but not overwhelming hops bite. A very drinkable ale indeed. (9/2/2006)

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Left Hand Juju Ginger

Steve: I had heard some good comments about Left Hand, but now I'll always question them, because of this beer. I was pretty disappointed. It was a pretty weak ale, with not many flavors of its own, with ginger in the recipe, and it was the ginger that was coming out. It gave it an off-setting aroma, and it certainly didn't help the flavor either. Maybe I'm not a ginger fan, or maybe ginger isn't that great an addition to beer. All I know is, I didn't like it. And it came in a sampler 12 pack, so I have one more bottle that I'm not looking forward to drinking, so if anyone wants to make a trade.....call me. (4/1/2007)

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Left Hand Milk Stout

Sam: Yes sir, another winner from the Longmont folks. Absolutely pitch black, this beer is big, malty, sweet and smooth, but with a nice hops kick that--I'm sorry--Guinness just ain't got. If you are a drinker of stouts, I recommend this one whole-heartedly. You won't be disappointed. (8/27/2005)

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Left Hand Polestar Pilsner

Steve: I've stated ad nauseum that if a microbrewery is going to brew a Pilsner-style lager, they need to step up and produce something significantly better than the mega-breweries or suffer the consequences. Those consequences, of course, being ripped apart by some hack pseudo-writer such as myself. Well, in no way, shape or form does Left Hand "bring it" with this offering. To be honest, I found nothing in this beer that would convince me to pick this over a Leinie's, Yuengling or even a Miller product. (6/30/2007)

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Left Hand Sawtooth Ale

Sam: Another solid Lefthand beer. Copper-colored, malty-scented, a tad sweet. Fair but not overwhelming hops presence. A little sweet for an ESB, but if you like the style, you won't turn away a Sawtooth. (1/27/2007)

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Leinenkugel's 1888 Bock

Steve: I've had some decent beers from this family-operated division of Miller Brewing. This, however, is not one of them. I was kind of disappointed, a special release of an old recipe, and it just came across as weak. Shiner Bock actually seemed more bock-like than 1888 Bock. In a bock you want something hearty, with a little more alcohol, that's a bit heavier. This was a dark-colored lager with a little bit of caramel in the background. (1/30/2010)

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Leinenkugel's Amber Light

Steve: One of the best light beers I've had to date. Amber Light has a nice woody background to it, fairly malty, little hop presence, and smooth-going. A kick-ass summer beverage. Sure, it's a light beer, but as a decent-tasting one it picks up extra points. I think that if I could get this regularly, I'd always have a six pack on hand. I see little reason to stick with the mega light brews if you can get this. In comparison, better than Sam Adams Light (and cheaper), as good as (if not better than) Amstel Light, and about as good as Kelly's. I know, the ratings might not reflect that, but trust me. (11/29/2003)

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Leinenkugel's Apple Spice

Steve: I was in the mood for trying a pumpkin ale, and I saw this and got it instead. Kinda wish I had gone with my instincts. I was hoping for something apple pie and beer flavored, but what I drank was something sour and not all that enjoyable. If they could've made it sweeter, I think it would've been fine. It's almost as though they were trying to make something similar to one of New Glarus' fruity beers. Leinenkugel makes a great German-style lager, but they mess it up when they stray from the formula. (6/3/2007)

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Leinenkugel's Autumn Lager

Steve: A great tasting beer from the North Woods of Wisconsin. Leinys is a well made, smooth beer. Probably great for marinades. Best American-made lager, not skunky like they tend to be, or nasty, like Bud.

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Leinenkugel's Berry Weiss

Steve: I had a sample of this at Leinenkugels brewery, so I'm sure it tasted a little better than what you'll find in your local beer store. However, I have to review what's available to me. If Grolsch tastes bad because it sat in a container for 2 months, tough. This had a nice fruity flavor to it, very berry like (couldn't quite place which kind). Unlike a lambic, this wasn't fizzy and champagne-like. You knew you were drinking a lagered beer. This had a smooth, malty flavor that complimented the berries nicely, so while the fruit dominated, there was more substance than just the fruit. It had a great smell, too, so you get to enjoy this with a few senses. (10/11/2003)

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Leinenkugel's Big Butt Doppelbock

Steve: I like Big Butts and I can not lie, no other brothers can deny, pour it in a glass, go sit on your ass and bring one to your lips. OK, rapping? Bad. This beer? Good. I should warn you, don't expect this to taste like one of the classic doppelbocks that come out of Bavaria, but going by the American style it's definitely at the top. I'd definitely like for this to be maltier and a lot stronger, but this is something I could drink every day. Oh, and to the light beer drinkers who constantly rag about how dark beers like this are like motor oil, Krystal, my future sister-in-law, drinks this regularly, so if she can handle those dark beers and you can't, you're a wanker. (10/9/2004)

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Leinenkugel's Creamy Dark

Steve: A nice dark lager, smooth, malty, one that I would keep in the fridge year-round. I had this on tap at the brewery, in July, so I know this will go nicely summer or winter, not something I would say about Guinness or other stouts. A classic dark beer like Beck's, Lowenbrau, etc, but I would lean toward Leinie's for my choice. This is one of their year-round labels, so give it a try and see when you like it best. (10/25/2003)

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Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss

Steve: Light flavored, not quite as malty as some of this style. I think one problem with this is the glass that it came in. I ordered the 22 oz size, draught, and it came in a large thick soda glass, not a large half-liter weizen glass that it should've been served in. I will hold that against Tony Roma's at the Mall of America, not Leinie's. This had a light lagered flavor, so to give it a kick I went against the norm and dropped in the lemon wedge that came with the glass. It did help a little. If you want a good summery beer, and you live within the Leinie's distribution area, I will give this a good recommendation. Once summer is over, you'll want to switch to something different, but this will do nicely during for the season. (11/15/2003)

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Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest

Steve: I feel betrayed. I constantly tell people to try Leinie's for their good German-style lagers, and this one let me down. This could be weaker then their basic lager. It just sucked ass. On top of that, I had an entire half-case of this,which was an entire half-case of sucking ass. But, it was a gift from my mother in law, so it was her money that contributed to the ass-sucking, not mine. Unquestionably the worst Oktoberfest attempt I've ever had. (8/5/2006)

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Leinenkugel's Red

Steve: Updated review: This had a distinct caramel taste, like Killian's, but not as strong. A pretty easy drinking beer, but a warning: Drink only if you know you are in a distribution region, or you may be drinking an old beer that didn't sell well....my mistake the first time I tried it. There was a slight bite to it, not quite bitter, more like a sour bite. Probably the breakdown of the sugar in it. I would recommend this, but try to drink close to the source (Wisconsin). Original Review: This has a color slightly lighter than Killian's, but not as strong or sweet tasting. Still, a halfway decent lager. It doesn't have that flat taste that the big brewers have, but it doesn't have the kick that most craft beers have. Comparable to Heineken in taste. (1/30/1999)

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Leinenkugel's Special Lager

Steve: Fairly weak, not as strong or flavorful as the Autumn Lager. A basic lager, no bells or whistles. Kind of watery, actually.

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Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy

Steve: This is the only version of this style I have ever come across, and then I researched the style and apparently it's quite popular....elsewhere in the world. It's basically beer mixed with lemonade. I tried this in Victory Lanes in Merrill WI, right after drinking two New Glarus Spotted Cows, so my taste buds were nice and blunted by this point. So, at that point it really wasn't that bad. Not a beer I'd want to drink in public while saving face, but it might be a reasonable choice after mowing the lawn, or tilling up a garden on a 90 degree day. I would give this a worse rating, but it's one of these occasions where you need to take style into account. For style, it may be exceptional. It's just not an exceptional beer. (5/2/2009)

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Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

Steve: Another American Wheat. Another disappointing finish. If we use Harpoon UFO as the benchmark for "God-awful," Leinie's is head and shoulders above that, but it's a couple laps behind Brooklyn, Shiner, Capital and others. On a 90 degree day, ice-chilled and from the bottle this isn't quite as bad, but for some reason in a glass it loses flavor. This had a sour lemon-like flavor, and wasn't as refreshing as I would have preferred. (8/17/2007)

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Levity Golden Amber Ale

Odell Brewing Co

Rocky: My first beer shipment from my monthly club arrived today, and this is the first I tried from it. The 5.1% ABV is well-hidden, because it tastes rather light. Nice color, good balance, and decent taste, but not exceptional in any category. A macro drinker should love it in comparison to their usual swill, but as far as a micro goes it's just average. (6/19/2004)

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Liebotschaner Cream Ale

Stegmaier Brewing Co

Steve: There is nothing special about this. It tasted very lager-like, which I imagine a cream ale probably would be if it weren't for the fermentation process. Light tasting, not really creamy at all. Definitely not bad, which is a plus. This could be a light beer for rich people. It did win awards, but I think any beer could as long as it doesn't suck.

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Live Oak Oktoberfest

Live Oak Brewing Co

Sam: Nice. Very nice. Not the best I've had, but a solid beer. Amber color, malty aroma, sweet though maybe slightly acidic. A very pleasant little beer. Sorry. Wish I could say more, but I had this the same day as St. Arnold's Oktoberfest, and IT was a knockout, so this beer pales in comparison. (4/1/2006)

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Locktender Lager

Rocky: Better than a macro because it's got more body and flavor, but not great for a micro. Sort of grainy and almost seemed skunked, but that shouldn't be possible. It was in a brown bottle enclosed in a cardboard 12 pack sampler, and the freshness/best by date...which is only 90 days from bottling...was still a month away. I still think Great Lakes is a fine brewery, but this one may be batting 9th in their lineup. (5/22/2004)

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Logjam Ax Handle Ale

Logjam Microbrewery

Steve: If anything, this is a cream ale, very light and crisp and very much lager-like. In all honesty, I was a bit disappointed. Mostly because this is the closest brewery to my in-laws in Wisconsin, and I was actually looking forward to possibly touring their brewery, but their offerings actually seem somewhat pedestrian. Not a bad overall ale, but cream ales are not the standard bearer for microbreweries. They were meant to be easily brewed in large batches to support the growing frontier towns. Easy to drink, and ideal in warmer weather, just make sure you limit it to that time of year. (10/5/2005)

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Logjam Lager

Logjam Microbrewery

Steve: This is along the lines of some of the larger craft brewery lagers like Leinenkugels and Yuengling. So, when you consider this is brewed in N. Wisconsin, there's not a big case to leave Leinie's and start drinking this, especially when this costs more. If you spend a little more, you can get an even better craft-brewed lager like Capital, New Glarus or Lakefront. But, as many micros and brewpubs as there are in southern Wisconsin, Logjam is in a pretty open area up north, so I will encourage those from the Northwoods to give it a try. If you can afford it, at least consider this over Bud or Miller. (11/12/2005)

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Logjam Nut Brown Ale

Logjam Microbrewery

Steve: It's well known that I'd call someone a tool depending on whether they do or don't like a particular beer, but in this case I'm a tool. Logjam has been in business since 1999 in Tomahawk WI, about 30 minutes from where my in-laws live, and I'm just now trying their beer. Not a very good beer reviewer, am I? Anyway, this beer will appeal to those who like Newcastle and Sam Smith's brown ale, meaning more malt, darker color, not so much on the hops. Given the choice, I'd probably go with Logjam, but I'm a big promoter of the small business. Good luck finding it, but if brown ales are your thing, pick up some of this while heading to the North Woods. (10/22/2005)

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Lone Star

Lone Star Brewing Co

Steve: Until a few years ago, this was only available in Texas and Louisiana, and college kids from the Midwest would go on road trips to get the stuff. Do you all remember the same phenomenon with Coors, which until the late 70s was only available west of the Mississippi? And it was so damn popular, and then they sold it everywhere, and then we realized it actually sucks? Same scenario with LS. This is an ordinary lager, albeit better than Coors. Folks, this ain't worth the effort.

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Lone Star Light

Lone Star Brewing Co

Sam: Why, why, why?? For the love of all that's good, and pure, and simple, WHY did you do this to a beer? I love Lone Star; I've made that plain and simple. So I thought, what the hey? I'll have the same beer, but less calories therefore less beer gut. It never works that way, does it? This is the most watery light I think I've ever tried. It's so weak, it somehow tastes warm even when ice cold. This even makes Miller Lite taste strong; believe me, that's a stretch. This is a travesty of epic proportions. Please never reach for this on the beer shelf. (12/20/2003)

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Long Hammer IPA

Joel: Red Hook presents us with their IPA and it's...what's a nice way to say mediocre? Jesus, middle of the road beers make writing reviews a chore. Either suck or be awesome. This half-assed passable beer shit just doesn't do it for me. Long Hammer is decently hopped but tends to more of the fruity spicy side than the bitter and...zzzzzz....zzzzzz...Sorry I just bored myself to sleep. Safe and passable is a pox on society, have the balls to go out as a spectacular success or a spectacular failure. Long Hammer does not have the balls. (2/13/2011)

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Long Trail Ale

Steve: Brewed in the same style as German "Alt" beers (Alt being German for Ale), this did the job pretty well. Nice strong, bitter flavor, one of the better American ales I've had recently. The brewers did alright here, brewing something for the quality, not to have their names on a beer like so many do (see Top Picks under "worst"). Not much else to say except try it!

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Long Trail Blackberry Wheat

Steve: Let me get this right out. I didn't like it. I don't know if it was because it would've tasted better in the summer, or because as wheat beers go, it was flavorless. As for blackberries, I couldn't taste nary a one. It had a slight berry smell, but that was about it. Overall, an avoidable wheat beer, I think. (10/5/2008)

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Long Trail Double Bag Ale

Steve: This ale is a little spicier than the regular Long Trail; copper colored, with some different background tastes, none of which I can place--you'll just have to take my word for it. It is my page, after all.

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Long Trail Harvest Ale

Kris: The bottle proclaims that the Long Trail family of ales uses various combinations of 17 malt and hop varieties, but in the Harvest Ale they use all of them. I personally think they added an extra one, although I didn't know any Malt or Hop was called "Crap". Ok, maybe that's a little much. It's not crap. Just not something I'd reach for again. It's supposed to be smooth, but I'm thinking, no, it's not. (9/3/2005)

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Long Trail Hefeweizen

Steve: Hefeweizens often have interesting flavors. This was interesting, because it had so many more flavors than what you often find. Usually there are traces of bubble gum, banana, and clove. In this case, there was a strong taste of banana Juicy Fruit, if there is such a thing. And the more I drank it, the more I realized what I was tasting was banana salt water taffy. Of course, while this may make anyone from the Jersey Shore water at the mouth, most people might just find it weird. (8/30/2008)

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Long Trail Hibernator

Kris: I love the label. There's a pipe-smoking bear reading a book, sitting in front of a fire in a cabin, with two hunters heads mounted over the fireplace. You don't usually see humor as such on beer labels. The ale itself started out quite bitter. I quickly got used to that, and enjoyed the rest of the bottle, which seemed to get better with every sip. My friend John and I drank this as a long-distance toast with TOBP Steve to celebrate a big win by our beloved Devils. (side note: thanks to my co-worker Ali who picked this beer up for me on his last trip to Vermont) (8/9/2003)

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Long Trail Hit the Trail Ale

Kris: Nice, dark colour (don't ask, I'm feeling decidedly British tonight). It reminded me of a Honey Brown. Although near the end, it was a little too sweet for me. My fiancee says this "burps better than the last one" that we tried. That's a thumbs up in my book. (8/13/2005)

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Long Trail IPA

Steve: This is their "Real IPA," an unfiltered "Real Ale" style IPA. It was lighter, and not as hoppy as an IPA should be. However, it had a certain freshness to it, not so much of a chemical taste to it. Not that IPA's have chemicals, it just tasted fresh. But, it also tasted a tad weak. (9/27/2008)

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Longboard Lager

Kona Brewing Co

Sam: The general take with breweries is, specialize in ales or lagers, but not both. Usually a brewery is really good at one and not so much with the other. Seems true for Kona as well. While I was really impressed with their pale ale, the lager didn't knock my socks off. Don't get me wrong; the lager's very drinkable, just not overly impressive. I'd say a good comparison would be Yeungling. This lager is an honest, no-frills beer. You won't be swept off your feet if you drink this, but you'll probably buy it more for the label than for the beer itself. (8/27/2005)

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Longshots Black Lager

Boston Beer Co

Steve: This was a contest, sponsored by BBC, which the winning recipe (made by some guy in Canada) turned into a beer. There was little difference between this and a stout, except maybe where the fermentation took place, as this is a lager and stouts are ales. It had the same nutty, hoppy, thick taste, but I have to say that this is the best stout I've had to date, except for Dragon. Went down quite well. Definitely a fine recipe.

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Loose Cannon Hop³ Ale

Steve: This is in Clipper City's "Heavy Seas" line of beers, their more extreme line. When I bought this, I was in the mood for an insanely hopped beer (like one of Stone's), but this wasn't it. However, I still found it enjoyable. In fact, the manageable IBU's made it easier to go from having one to having a second...and at 7.5% abv, that's a good night-night cocktail. It was definitely good enough to make me want to look for more from this brewery. (2/17/2007)

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Lord Chesterfield Ale

Yuengling Brewery

Steve: I've had this beer many times before, but it always had a Moosehead label on the bottle. Yes, exactly the same taste, same color bottle, same skunk cabbage smell, and same strength.

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Luna Sea ESB

Empyrean Ales Brewery

Rocky: I'm tempted to do some research to see why ESB and English Pale Ales are considered different styles, or if they truly are, because they're interchangeable in my opinion. Hop profile is kind of earthy, and focus on the bittering hop (vs American Pale Ale, which is more citrusy with emphasis on flavor and aroma hops as well as the bittering). Maybe I'm biased, but compared to American Pales, they're pretty boring. This is a fine session beer, and I'd gladly have it again, but I prefer a bit more complexity. If you are enjoy an English Pale, or ESB, then nothing about this beer will offend you. It's a suitable example of the style. (6/4/2005)

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Lunacy Belgian-Style Golden Ale

Heavyweight Brewing

Steve: Where the hell was this brewery during the brief 6 months that I lived in its hometown of Ocean NJ, right before I moved to Atlanta? I could've visited, learned a little about brewing, and would actually know what the hell they're talking about in TOBP's homebrew forum. I have to say that this is a really good American example of a Belgian Golden Ale (Duvel, Lucifer, etc), so I would seek this out if you're in NJ. The fruit presence is a little more obvious in this then Duvel, so it's not as well-balanced, but I still enjoyed it. (11/5/2005)

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Magic Hat Blind Faith

Magic Hat Brewing Co

Tim: You'll usually see this listed as IPA. If your idea of an IPA is a bitter hoppy brew, well maybe it's best to not think of this one as an IPA. But there are certainly plenty of hops in this. The hop taste is crisp not sharp or bitter. Overall there's a nice complexity of maltiness to this beer. I tasted doughy bread and citrus in this. There's probably a bit of everything in there. It was incredibly good and the finish was dry, begging you take another sip. Damn you lucky bastards who can get your hands on this regularly! (12/3/2005)

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Magic Hat Circus Boy Hefeweizen

Magic Hat Brewing Co

Steve: I had this the same week as when my father passed away, and I have to say, it certainly didn't make that week any better. It wasn't the most God-awful American wheat beer (yes Harpoon UFO, I'm talking about you), but I think it relied too much on the spices, and not enough on just brewing a good wheat beer with the right yeast. If we call it a wheat ale and remove the "Hefeweizen," I give it a higher rating. (7/4/2007)

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Magic Hat Not Quite Pale Ale (#9)

Magic Hat Brewing Co

Steve: This was cool. A really fruity tasting pale ale, sort of. Slightly bitter, but that fruity background. Plus, it was absolutely free, a gift from TOBP's newest friend Dan, in Connecticut. Funky taste (not nasty funky, but Lenny Kravitz funky), and it had a bottle to match. Don't stare at while intoxicated. The best way to describe this beer is this way: A change of pace from the same old thing.

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Mango Beer

Keoki Brewing Company

Rocky: Aloha! This is extremely light in color...very pale straw, and cloudy for a light lager...I assume because of the mango. It is very light and crisp, and the mango is actually a pretty nice addition. It's not at all overpowering, just subtle enough to be noticed, yet gives some character to what would otherwise be a very bland and very light thirst quencher otherwise. Think Mich Ultra with a lei. (10/22/2005)

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Maryland's Best

Specialty Brewing Co

Guest Review: Thanks to Michael Yonko for this guest review. We appreciate the fact that someone else besides us wastes their money on crap beer. (4/15/2001)

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McGarvey's Scottish Ale

Left Coast Brewing Co

Joel: Damn this stuff is sour. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but if what I'm tasting won gold at the world beer cup in 2008 I think this may be the last category judged after everyone was good and loose. No peat, no smoke, no hops, just awkward sourness; like sleeping with Roseanne. The bottle proclaims that this was initially a messed up batch of amber ale and it would have to be, no one would intentionally brew something like this. (12/19/2010)

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McSorley's Ale

McSorley's Brewing Co

Steve: This was my choice of beverage for the final Seinfeld. The beer was actually the highlight, as the episode sucked, so I will always view this beer higher than it probably is. However, it was a good beer. Nice balance of hops, crisp flavor, had an almost woody flavor to it. All in all, a recommendation. (7/31/1998)

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McSorley's Black & Tan

McSorley's Brewing Co

Steve: Funny, the label said it was brewed in the Old New York Style, yet it's from Detroit. Well, I guess the murder rate is something they have in common. Seriously, this is a pretty good B&T, but I am under the impression that as long as the stout and lager are good, you really can't screw up a B&T. It had a good, porter-like taste, color, and a bitter-sweet smell. I liked it. What else is there to say?

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Mendocino Blackhawk Stout

Sam: It's black. It's sweet. It's got a fair amount of hops. Beautiful label, as with all the Mendocino products, but a forgettable beer. Sorry, guys. (1/12/2008)

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Mendocino Blue Heron Pale Ale

Rocky: Walking the French Quarter in New Orleans, I picked this up at a liquor store on Decatur that was nice enough to price most their beers at $1.83 to come to an even 2 bucks with tax. For an extra dime they'd open it and pour it into a plastic cup. It was well worth the price. A fine offering from the Pacific Northwest. I'll pick it up again if I see it somewhere. (1/24/2004)

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Mendocino Eye of the Hawk Ale

Sam: Finally! We got a couple new brews in town. Not that I don't have some good choices always available, I just get a hankerin' now and again to try a new brew. So last night I blundered into this one. I'd had their Red Tail Amber Ale, and Blue Heron Pale Ale, and both were pretty decent, so I figured Eye of the Hawk would do nicely as well. Has a lovely floral hops aroma, but sampled from the bottle it's WAY too sweet. I should've let it breathe; my wife poured hers up and said it was indeed better in the glass. You'd think I'd know better by now. But the website calls it a "coppery golden-amber" color. When I looked at it, I saw a dull, sickly orangey hue that didn't look very appealing. Bleah. Better I didn't look. Now, the website also says it's bottle conditioned, so I'm gonna put a couple away and come back to it; maybe with time this beer will change my mind. (4/15/2006)

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Mendocino Red Tail Ale

Rocky: I don't know if its supposed to be a red ale or they just wanted to name their amber ale after a bird that just happened to have red in the name. Not much difference in the two styles anyway, so just take your pick. Its a bit too much on the sweet side. Its kind of potent at 6.1% ABV, fairly crisp and a decent brew overall, but nothing to get overly excited about. (2/7/2004)

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Metolius IPA

Metolius Brewing

Joel: This stuff sucks. It just tastes wrong. The hop presence comes through in the wrong place; it's in the middle instead of in the finish. It's not nearly hoppy enough to call itself an IPA. Sometimes I seriously wonder how beer that tastes crappy gets distributed at all. I don't want to meet the person that thinks this is acceptable as a beer let alone as an IPA. Avoid it unless you want to punish your taste buds without the aid of harsh capsicums. (5/2/2010)

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Michelob

Steve: Not bad, actually. The kind of beer my parents always drank. The best is Michelob Dark, one of the first dark beers marketed in America (remember Martin Mull, and his line about Darks being for thick-necked men named Guenther?). Nice flavor.

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Michelob Amber Bock

Steve: I'd like to retract all previous statements and say that THIS is the best Anheuser Busch beer I've ever had. I honestly don't see how they could get any better unless they start brewing a Christmas ale comparable to Sam Smith's. This didn't have the roasted character common to many standard bock's, but it was darker and richer. I did notice a sweetness that reminded me a lot of something else, until I realized that it tasted a bit like Killian's, which is one of my staple beers. Not as good, but similar. Definitely more of a bock than Shiner. (4/17/2004)

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Michelob Dunkelweisse

Steve: In a way, I kind of want to give Anheuser-Busch some credit for trying to produce quality beers. However, with their unlimited resources, their brewmasters with decades of experience and years of training, and they still produce a product that tastes like it's designed for the masses and/or the lowest common denominator. It was a dark, wheat beer. Therein lies its only resemblence to a good Dunkelweisse. The banana and clove flavors which the label predicted we'd taste were about nonexistent. I'd say this isn't a horrible beer in the way Shiner Bock isn't a horrible beer. Drinkable, but average, and really nothing like the style which they advertise. I'd pick this over regular Michelob in a heartbeat, but I would still pick something with a label printed in German. (5/16/2010)

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Michelob Golden Pilsner

Steve: Definitely better than most microbrew attempts to copy this European style. Not as skunky as some of the German imports, but considering it only came from Newark, NJ (about an hour away), I should hope not. I prefer a German pils, but give Bud's better looking cousin a try. Mark one up for Augie (about time someone did).

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Michelob Hefeweizen

Guest Review: From time to time we recieve letters from people with suggestions for beers to try (or not to try, as the case may be). We thought this letter, written by world traveler and renown hefeweizen expert Kirk A. Schroeder, captured the TOBP spirit with excellence, so we decided to use it as the review. Plus, after reading it, there was no way we were going to try the beer. (8/21/1997)

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Michelob Honey Lager

Steve: This could easily compete against JW Dundee's and Killian's. It has a sweet flavor, but not overly sweet, more balanced. The honey was just right, so as not to generate a wine-coolerish flavor. By far the best AB product I've ever had.

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Michelob Light

Kris: Man, this shit sucks. I'd have to say worse than Bud, and that's a stretch. I was drinking this and Bud light tonight, and while it has more flavor than Bud light, said taste was terrible. My burps smelled horrible (as witnessed by my neighbors). The disgusting taste that accompanied the burps was, well, disgusting. I really have no idea how Anheuser Busch can screw up beer that badly. Not just one beer, though, all of them. Geez, I feel like puking. Someone get me a Sam Adams. (8/9/2002)

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Michelob Pale Ale

Steve: What a sad, sad waste of money. First of all, a pale ale should be at least a little hearty, with a nice hop aroma and taste. This was sweet, fruity, and bad tasting. So, it looses points for not only NOT being a Pale Ale, but also just being a poor excuse of a beer. It was drinkable, mind you (unlike Natty Light or garbage like that), but not worth the effort. Auggie Busch, you just can't put a label on a beer and expect it to automatically become that style. And for any weasels who want to write to me and say, "but Steve, it's a Mid-West American Pale Ale, it's supposed to be differemt!" Save your breath! If you wasted money on this, you should be ashamed. Perhaps it's time that Busch got out of the craft beer biz. (3/5/1999)

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Michelob Ultra

Sam: Not the worst beer I've ever had. I was actually a little surprised, thoroughly expecting it to suck. Not as good as regular Michelob--which already isn't that great--but definitely better than Michelob light, which stinks on ice. The Ultra has a strange slightly sour taste that takes some getting used to, but all in all it wasn't terrible. If I was at a party, and Budweiser or Michelob Ultra was on ice, I'd probably head for the Ultra. (5/24/2003)

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Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor

Mickeys Brewing Co

Steve: The name is a huge oxymoron. This is not fine. This is wretched. It came in a 24 oz "Silo," not the "Green Grenade" that we all knew and loved from our college days. Naturally, the whole damn thing tasted like the can. Not only that, but there was some kind of insect on the can "art." You know those flies with the green torsos that you always saw flying around dog turds? Thats what that bug reminded me of. Hows that for a wise marketing move? Putting a turd fly on your can. Anyway, if you can stomach 24 oz of crap, go for it. If youre a more discerning beer drinker, youre probably wondering why I even bothered with this. My answer? Scientific research. If we didnt have crap beers, we wouldnt know what to compare a good beer to. Now I know. (10/18/2003)

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Mike's Hard Lemonade

Mike's Hard Beverage Co

Kris: I didn't like this the first time I tried it (over a year ago). I gave it a three on the TOBP scale. Well, I'm happy to report I tried it again over the weekend at a friend's party, and for some reason, liked it alot more. I guess I was on crack the first time. As with all malt beverages (except for Zima, which just plain sucks), this has a nice, sweet taste with a good jolt of alcohol. It's not beer, but if you're looking for something different, go ahead and try this. (12/21/2002)

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Mile Square Amber Ale

Hoboken Brewing Co

Steve: The first sip was horrid. It was like tasting curry for the first time... and really hating it. And hating it, etc, etc. That was the bottle. On tap is worse. I've seen the breweries water source, and it ain't pretty. Dead bodies, pollution, etc. When I went to finish it off and move on to something tasty, like tap water, it did get a little better, but it didn't have much of a taste to begin with, so I guess it just got less nasty. A lot to look forward to. Less nasty.

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Mile Square Ginseng Brew

Hoboken Brewing Co

Kris: Stinky is a good word to describe this. Of course, I am just referring to the smell. Once you get past that, you're ok. Mind you, I didn't say you're great. A mediocre beer with a funny taste to it. I really wish breweries wouldn't experiment with ingredients when making beer. Hmm. I just noticed chunky things floating in the beer, so I'm going to pour it out now. There. Now it's a good beer. (9/26/1998)

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Miller 1855 Celebration Lager

Sam: Well, points to Miller for at least coming up with a semi-cool retro label. It'll look good in the collection. And the beer was pleasant enough in that it didn't create esophageal spasm or malignant reflux. Pale yellow, fizzy, very little aroma and no hops bite whatsoever. Sigh...not as watery as Miller Lite, but not as much flavor as Miller High Life, which is two bucks a six-pack cheaper. I'm such a sucker. (5/27/2006)

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Miller Chill

Sam: Alright, so here's the deal. I'm writing this review while three sheets in the wind. Now if you're insulted by that, leave now and go to a serious review site; we're here for fun. And besides, can you really take seriously a Miller product (already crummy at best) adulterated with lime and salt? I thought not. Moving on, I encountered this several days ago and laughed out loud. "No way," I thought. But being the altruistic, human-centered hand-holding mama-type I am, I decided to suck it up and take the bullet for you gentle readers. so I coughed up the nearly eight bucks for a six-pack and tried a couple. Outcome: those of you with kids have no doubt lived through stomach viruses at your house, and have had to live on Pedialyte for a few days until stomachs settle. Well, picture Miller Beer mixed with some sort of lemon-lime-Pedialyte concoction, and there you have this beer. It is unspeakably foul and in a vomit-green bottle to boot. So knock yourselves out if you want to try it, but don't be pissed if you have stomach spasms, come back here to bitch, and be met with my "I told you so." And you're welcome for my taking the bullet. And now I'm going to go raise the fourth sheet... (3/17/2007)

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Miller Genuine Draft

Steve: At one time, this was my favorite beer. Compared to what I drink now, this is very watery, so the taste is not there. However, it does seem to be thirst-quenching. The one beer that never gave me a hangover the next day after having too many. No difference in flavor between regular and light.

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Miller Genuine Draft Light

Steve: See MGD.

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Miller High Life

Steve: This is the granddaddy of the Miller line, the equivalent of seeing someone smoke unfiltered Lucky Strikes...you're just not going to see your buddies in their 20's drink this. My choice for this "Champagne of Beers" was the 24 oz can, AKA "The Silo" as it's known in Wisconsin (I was paying for gas at the Mobil in Merrill WI, saw this in the cooler, and decided "it was time"). This was the classic can, with the girl sitting in the crescent moon, Miller's official logo from about a century ago. You can taste the can when drinking, and when poured into a glass that metallic hint is still there. However, I believe this is higher in alcohol than most, so by the time you drink the whole Silo, I'm not sure you'd care. If you don't care about calories, I would suggest this over MGD or Miller Lite, but I'd recommend you try it from a bottle. Actually, not a bad beer when compared to other "American Light Lagers" (beer-speak for cheap mega-brewed beer), so when comparing in context, it earns points. Don't make fun of this, folks, this could be your new cheap beer when money is tight. (11/2/2002)

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Miller High Life Light

Sam: I can understand this beer. For years, Miller High Life was all my Dad drank, so we shared more than a few. Yeah, this is the light version, but tastes largely the same. I felt guiltily cheap drinking this last night; I drank it from a 32 oz. can (maybe this review should be on the Malt Liquor page?). Still, I poured some up, too, and it's the color you'd expect: anemic yellow. Good frothy head, though. Now this is not a banquet beer. Not your first line. But hey, if you're at a barbeque and this is all that's iced down, at least it won't kill you. And if you've got a little nostalgia for the old Gold Can, you might even view it with some favor. (3/5/2005)

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Miller Lite

Kris: As with all of the big three megaswill brewers, the ad campaign is excellent. However, the beer is sub-par. Too watery for my taste. I would drink this if there was nothing else.

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Miller Lite Ice

Steve: See Icehouse. Same company, same taste.

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Miller Red Label

Steve: Probably the best domestic mass-made brew I've ever had. It has a good strong flavor compared to Miller Brewing Company's weaker cousins. A bit darker in color, almost like an ale or amber, and higher in alcohol. I've even used this as a marinade for Bratwursts. Very fresh, very smooth going down, no bitterness.

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Milwaukee's Best

Steve: This sucks. Badly. Not as bad as Natty Light, but not as good as Bud, which should tell you something. This is Miller's response to Natural Light to catch the trailer park crowd. Cheaply made, cheaply sold. No excuse for a beer.

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Milwaukee's Best Ice

Guest Review - KennyNC: Steve says that the Beast "sucks...no excuse for a beer." I can buy that. But since I was low on funds today, about all I could afford was Milwaukee's Best Ice. At a whopping 5.9% alcohol by volume, I figured that after two or three I could forget what I was drinking anyway. I was also raised to believe there is some good in all people and all things. Well, this swill really put my upbringing to the test. Sure, I got drunk. But getting drunk with MB Ice is like making a million dollars as a proctologist for Rosie O'donnell...you might reach your goal, but the journey is far too unpleasant for most. I give this beer two mugs only because being ice-brewed gives it more of a punch, but by God I'm working overtime next week so I can afford something good. (8/25/2001)

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Milwaukee's Best Light

Steve: Dude, do you need money? Can I lend you a buck, so that you can get Miller Lite? Everything OK? Did your doctor tell you that your urinary system had to be flushed? These are the questions that I would ask if I saw someone around me drinking "Beast Light." Of course, the last time I actually saw someone spend money on this was in 1994 while I was in college, but it holds true today. Any beer that inspires me to want to lend money to someone so that they can get a better beer is not earning a lot of points. (11/15/2003)

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Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Deschutes Brewery

Sam: My first impression was "eh". But I'd had several much heavier beers before trying Mirror Pond. Yesterday, though, with a fresh palate, I had this one with lunch, and boy, was I impressed. Not as dark amber/copper as you'd expect, and doesn't have much of an aroma, but the taste is spicy and sweet. A very decent little APA indeed. I'd recommend it. (1/21/2006)

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Mississippi Mud Black & Tan

Steve: From the makers of Old Style, we bring you: Crap! Not a bad tasting beer, but not a good tasting one either. The first taste was of burnt wood (I'm not kidding), and it finished like a flat, dirty beer. Saving grace: Cool quart bottle, looks like a moonshine jug, a glass version of a steinkrug. Downside: There was a quart of this stuff that I had to drink. Yuengling's, anyone?

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Mojave Blackout Stout

Mojave Brewing Co

Joel: I don't want to sound like a beer-a-day calendar but the mouthfeel of this beer is very thin. For a stout it's much too watery. I can't really say much about it, just seems like everything is muted...very weak sauce. (9/19/2009)

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Mojave Lobotomy Bock

Mojave Brewing Co

Joel: This beer proudly displays its ABV on the label and at 10.8% it's nothing to sneeze at but, well, this beer kinda sucks. Kinda really sucks. The alcohol doesn't have the presence that one might expect, in fact it's barely detectable. The whole beer is muted. It's hard to call a beer at this alcohol content watery but it seems the Mojave people have done it. Bleh. At least it'll get you drunk I guess. (1/3/2010)

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Mojave Red

Mojave Brewing Co

Joel: Meh. Save yourself a buck and pick up Killians. At least it's inoffensive. (1/16/2010)

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Mojo IPA

Rockies Brewing Company

Sam: I wasn't too impressed with this when I first tried it. I was blessed with a cold while trying to enjoy the coolness of the Rockies, so of course my taste buds were off. Revisiting this last night, I was pleasantly taken aback. Deep amber color, floral aroma, nice spicy hops bite with a hint of sweetness. I think if you ran into this, you'd be favorably impressed. Give it a try. (3/25/2006)

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Moose Drool Brown Ale

Big Sky Brewing Co

Steve: One of the many beers that you just GOTTA buy for the name. Sure, it's no Summer Hummer, or Handjob Hefeweizen (OK, I made that one up, but wouldn't that be an awesome name for a beer?), but it's still damn cool. Neat label too. A big ol' moose, in a lake, and he's either drooling something fierce, or he just ralphed up all the water he drank. Now, I know what you're thinking, good name, good label, gotta suck right? Nope. As far as brown ales go, it's pretty damn good. Nice and malty, light on the hops, with a sweet background. What's not to like (unless you're a hophead of course)? Take my advice, if you're wishing to escape the gravity of the Budweiser black hole, start with brown ales, and especially this one. (12/18/2005)

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Natural Light

Steve: This is the poster child for Trailer Park Beers. If you live in a house that had to have the wheels removed, if you were ever on an episode of "Cops" while wearing a wifebeater T-shirt, if gardening involves tractor tires painted white, laid flat on your yard, and filled with potting soil, or if you call anybody a Yankee who lives north of the Arkansas River, then you probably have some of this in your fridge...which is probably sitting on your porch (so you can get at it quicker while shooting rodents from your deck chair). This "beer" makes Budweiser sound good. Contrary to my previous review, I'm embarrassed to say I have tried this, when I was in college 10 years ago. My review? It sucked. Even by college student standards, and I knew guys who would drink Boone's Farm and Mad Dog in a pinch. No taste, no body, no redeeming factors. Not even a decent alcohol content. If you drink it for economical reasons, I can certainly sympathize...Old Style was my "budget beer." If you drink this because you think it tastes better than other beers, then you need to start going to meetings, because you've got a problem. I know many of you will have a problem with this assessment, and I look forward to your comments in our Guestbook. If you would like suggestions for better "budget beers," I will be happy to share my knowledge. (8/24/2002)

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New Amsterdam Blonde Lager

Steve: Although it doesn't list fruit as an ingredient, it had a distinctive fruity flavor, almost like strawberry. Not bad, but kinda weak, like Pete's Strawberry Blonde. Not meant to be strong tho. Good for the ladies.

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New Amsterdam India Dark Ale

Steve: Claims to be the first and only IDA, which doesn't surprise me. Combination of a porter and a Welsh ale, I believe. Dark and frothy like a porter, and had a sweet caramel/toffee flavor, which I have said before, I am not crazy about. Good, I suppose, and I might actually try it again, to get used to. NA does brew a good product, and this beer is a novelty, so go for it. But if you can get it in singles, do that, because after six, the novelty might wear off.

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New Amsterdam New York Amber

Tim: One of the finest ambers I've had and probably the best American beer I've tried so far. Nice amber colour and good flavor. Light aftertaste that really compliments the beer well. Prooved to me that beer brewed at lower alcohol content can still be just as good. (6/15/2002)

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New Amsterdam Oktoberfest

Steve: Actually tasted more like a pale ale...a little too over-hopped for an Oktoberfest (meaning too bitter, not malty enough), but otherwise an excellent beer!!! This will make a perfect winter/seasonal beer, especially on the cold nights. A big surprise from the folks in the Empire State!

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New Belgium 1554 Brussels Style Black Ale

Rocky: It's called a black ale, but pours a dark brown. It is different though..not a brown ale, not a porter, and not a stout...but some characteristics of each. Its supposed to be a beer you might have found in the year 1554. Back then it probably would have been fantastic. Over 400 years later though, its just OK. Try it if you see it, but don't go out of your way to find it. (12/20/2003)

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New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Steve: I was expecting something a bit stronger, and a whole lot maltier. Instead, while the color was a dark amber, the flavor was a bit lighter by contrast. There was a slight hint of fruit, and a cocoa background. Not much in the way of bitterness, definitely leaning towards the malt, but it didn't really leave a lasting impression. I cellared it for a year, making me wonder if I should've let it sit longer (or if I let it sit too long). (3/6/2011)

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New Belgium 2° Below Ale

Sam: I've decided: I don't like it. I've tried it several times, twice as the first beer of the day, including right now. As I sit here about half-way through the pint, I've had to come to terms with the fact that I just don't like this beer. Instead of some dense, chewy, mahogany hops explosion, I get something vaguely amber, thin-looking, and mildly hopped, with that intensely annoying bready/biscuity flavor so many of NB's beers have. I may struggle through a few more sips, but I'll probably wind up pouring the rest of it out. Too bad. At least the beer fridge is still well stocked with Celebration and a few other odds and ends... (12/30/2006)

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New Belgium Abbey Belgian Style Ale

Steve: This is in the Dubbel (or Double) style. It had a nice fruity smell to it, but I have to say, I kept comparing it (possibly unfairly) to Ommegang's version. And, for that matter, the traditional Belgian imports like Westmalle and Chimay. I think it was a good beer, and an excellent effort by an American brewer. Not as good as the imports, but it is likely to be much cheaper. As I am a proponent of "Buy Local," I say buy this one, because you won't be disappointed. It just isn't the best version available, in my opinion. I should also point out, in fairness, I may have had it too cold, so take my review with a grain of salt (I'm opinionated, but also honest). (9/16/2006)

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New Belgium Blue Paddle Pilsener

Sam: This has a nice golden color, and it has that clean, crisp taste of a traditional European pilsener. At first. Then an acrid, chemical aftertaste hits you. It takes a little getting used to. I used to drink this a lot, and my wife still loves it. I think from now on I'll just reach for something actually made in the Old Country. (8/16/2003)

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New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

Sam: When I first encountered this, I was a neophyte about microbrews, and didn't have a large base of comparison, so I thought it was delicious. I've changed my mind. This is a pretty decent beer, but it won't knock your socks off. Malty, not too sweet, but the color's wrong. It looks more like an American lager. And the taste is a bit too thin. Decent carbonation. Don't get me wrong--I'd reach for it in the ice chest before nearly any American lager. And I applaud their "Green" approach to brewing. But then again, Adolph and Augustus purport to be heavy into the environment, and I ain't buyin' their swill. (8/16/2003)

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New Belgium Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale

Rocky: This beer was pretty interesting. It's the first brown ale I've had with fruit, but then it's a bit light in color (it's actually rather red) and thin for a brown ale. Maybe it's just Fat Tire with a little bit of chocolate malt. And raspberries. Lots of raspberries. I checked out their website and it says the raspberry addition is just over 11% by volume, the ABV says 7% on the site, but the bottle says 6.5%. If I lived in their distribution area I could see picking up a sixer of this to have around for the holidays, but I'd never have more than one per sitting. My wife likes fruit beers, and she liked this one a lot, so if you like fruit beers you probably would like it a lot as well. If not, skip it. There are better holiday selections to choose from. (5/7/2005)

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New Belgium La Folie

Rocky: Holy shit it's sour!! I had to consult the style guidelines for a Flanders Red Ale, and not surprisingly it's under the category of Sour Ale. It's aged in oak barrels that contain the bacteria necessary to ruin a perfectly good Belgian, but apparently that is the desired outcome. This beer is rated insanely high by many connoisseurs, and it certainly fits the guidelines perfectly...but that doesn't mean it's good. I can appreciate the complexity, I just can't appreciate the taste. If you're a fan really sour candy and Belgian ales, this is right up your alley. Coming up with a score is difficult because it is technically excellent, but realistically I hope I never torture my mouth like that again. So...we'll split the difference. (3/11/2006)

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New Belgium Loft Beer

Sam: Now THIS beer is why you want to pay attention to New Belgium's seasonals. Their flagship beers, Fat Tire and Blue Paddle, have been dummied down to appeal to the masses. I still find them fair but not overwhelming. Then I found this in College Station, Texas, away on business. A humid 96-degree day, no wind (for a change), I pop the top off this little gem and I'm suddenly twiddlin' my toes in the Cache Le Poudre River just west of Fort Collins. The website says this is made from wheat and barley malt and some exotic leaf whose name escapes me just now. They go on to destroy their own review by saying how much fun you'd have by playing bocci ball while drinking this. I have no idea what bocci ball is, but I envision old guys with cheesy mustaches, who let their shorts ride up over their navels on purpose, wearing dark socks and flip-flops. So do yourself a favor: first pick up several six-packs of this delicious beer (only available four months out of the year); then, ignore my disgusting visual; then, pop open a frosty one, sit in the back yard, and envision twiddlin' yer toes in the Cache Le Poudre... (12/31/2004)

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New Belgium Mothership Wit

Steve: This is an organic Wit-style beer, that wasn't bad at all. Not because it was organic (I really couldn't care less, to be honest), but because it was well made. A nice balance existed between the orange peel flavor and the coriander, plus the natural citrus flavor from the wheat malt. It was a nice light-orange color in the glass, perfect for a hot summer evening. This isn't going to mess you up, like any Wit, as it's only 4.8%, so you'll still be able to function if this was your backyard BBQ beer. (8/28/2010)

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New Belgium Skinny Dip Beer

Sam: By and large, I'm not a big fan of light beers, and really don't buy into this "low carb" marketing schtick. Having said that, I have to also say New Belgium has done a pretty solid job of brewing a (relatively) low-cal beer that actually has flavor. Skinny Dip replaced Loft as their summer offering. It still has the Kaffir lime leaf in the mix, and uses wheat rather than exclusively barley. It clocks in at 110 calories, so hardly as low-cal as Miller Lite. This is a little lighter in flavor than Loft, but still pleasantly citrusy and hoppy. It's the darkest "light" beer I've ever seen, too. If you're looking for a thirst quencher for the depths of summer, but you also want something with flavor, this just might be for you. (9/9/2006)

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New Belgium Straight Arrow Ale

Joel: The only word I can come up with to describe this beer is “grassy”. It tastes like it was steeped in corn leaves. When I drink it I have awful flashbacks to my junior high job corn detasselling. Goddamn did that suck. How do they get kids to do this still? I had to get up at 5 am, ride a school bus to a field, walk up and down rows of corn for hours on end all while getting paid minimum wage and getting sunburned and corn-rashed all to hell. This beer is a New Belgium sunburn. Stay away from it. (5/8/2010)

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New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek

Rocky: If it's not something you have very often, and it probably isn't, it's hard to prepare yourself for a kriek. You know it's going to be tart and fruity, smelling it does nothing but reinforce that expectation, yet it still always takes me aback just a little bit, like "what jackass decided to mix Kool-Aid with beer?" This one isn't even strong as far as krieks go, and it's still very very cherry. Not my style, but then some jackass also added cherry to Coke, and it turned out OK. Side by side with this, I'll take the coke. At least cola is supposed to be sweet by design, but I prefer my beer to be beer. If you're looking for a dessert brew this is worth a try. (10/22/2005)

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New Glarus Apple Ale

Steve: How weird is it, after spending so much time trying heavily hopped pale ales from all over the country, to taste a beer that is prominent on the front of my tongue, instead of the back like more bitter ales. This is a brown ale with Wisconsin wheat and a blend of Wisconsin Cortland, Macintosh and Jonathan apples, and is quite sweet. It almost tastes like some ciders that I've had, and not an ale at all. This was a special run (sold in 12 oz single bottles where I found it), so it might be hard to find, but I'd say try it simply for the novelty. Many of you might not like the fruit presence, but maybe this will be the one to change you mind. (4/15/2006)

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New Glarus Black Wheat

Steve: They really need to put a warning label on this beer that recommends consuming only between the months of November and February. Much like a German Schwarzbrot (Black Bread), they pretty much threw whatever grains they had laying around into the mix. Wheat, oats, rye, barley, it's all in there. It's a very thick, chewy beer with a strong roasted, smoky flavor. This would've been better on a freezing day in front of a fire, not a warm summer evening. Good, but horribly out of season. I'm going to keep the rest in the fridge until we get a cold day, maybe while I'm frying the Thanksgiving turkey this year. (1/21/2006)

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New Glarus Cherry Stout

Steve: This was extremely delicious. It had a solid cherry flavor, no mistaking it at all. It used fresh Wisconsin cherries, and you can definitely tell it was aged in oak barrels, because there is a definite wood flavor. The cherry and wood combination is quite good, making this an idea desert beer. I almost think it would go very well with Cherry Garcia. (9/6/2008)

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New Glarus Crack'd Wheat

Steve: Crack'd Wheat is a mixture of styles. It's a Bavarian Hefeweissbeer with Amarillo dry-hopping, giving it something few wheat beers have....an unbalanced hoppiness. It wasn't a bad beer all in all, but when I want a Hefeweizen, or any wheat beer, I want that sweet wheat flavor, low hoppiness, and citrus zing. By loading on hop flavor, you take away what I enjoy most about wheat beers. I imagine those who live by experimental styles will crucify me for this, but that's too bad. New Glarus produces very good beers, and some excellent experimental styles, but this wasn't their best. (11/12/2011)

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New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat

Steve: It's becoming a bit easier to find Bavarian-style Hefe-weizen in this country. If you live in Wisconsin (New Glarus' only distribution territory), it's even easier. Dancing Man Wheat is a nicely effervescent Hefe, with strong hints of banana, clove, and other descriptors that make Kris throw up in his mouth a little bit (partly because he hates Hefes, partly because he hates fancy beer language). New Glarus brews good beers with good attention to detail. Seek this one out. (4/16/2011)

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New Glarus Edel-Pils

Steve: For most American beer drinkers, "pilsner" is something you see on the label of Miller Lite, thus giving you the impression that a Pils is light, flavorless, and, for lack of a better way to put it, f'ing close to water. However, a true pilsner-style lager should be a little bolder, with enough hops to know they're used in the beer, and some actual malt flavor. That's what Edel-Pils, or "Noble-Pils" provides. Still light in body, but with enough flavor to make drinking a beer worthwhile. Pilsners are easy to brew, but they're also easy to screw up. It takes a craftsman to brew one worth coming back to. (2/12/2005)

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New Glarus Enigma

Steve: Enigma is part of New Glarus' Unplugged series. Some of them are better than others, and this one took some getting used to. It's a sour brown ale, and to be honest, I still have yet to develop a palate for sour beers. However, with that said, I enjoyed Enigma because it had a nice flavor of cherries, which went well as an after-dinner drink. It was lightly carbonated, and had a hint of vanilla in the background. Good luck finding this, as it was a special series brewed in 2010, but it aged well, so if you see some sitting on a shelf, perhaps in some more remote Wisconsin towns, it likely improved over the last year. (7/4/2012)

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New Glarus Imperial Saison

Steve: This is from New Glarus' Unplugged series. It had a nice taste of flesh fruit, with hints of peach and apricot, a sweet taste that went well with the sourness from the Belgian yeast. It's bottle conditioned, so if you have any of these left, you can continue to let it age. beyond the taste, it hits a couple other senses with it's nice orange color, and it's spicey aroma, with hints of clove and coriander. Overall a nice beer, nice for a late winter evening or it would go well outside in the summer as well. (2/5/2012)

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New Glarus Imperial Weizen

Steve: This is from New Glarus' "Unplugged" series, which means you're not likely to see this again anytime soon. It's a Weizen-style that uses Cascade hops, which makes for an interesting beer. One would think the two don't go well, because traditionally Weizens are not hoppy. However, what they've done is use a hop that gives natural citrus flavors, to add to those already in the wheat. I wasn't wild about it at first, but by the time I finished the 4-pack, I had become a fan. Unfortunately, this happened after I had finished the 4-pack. Oh, and the alcohol content was nice too. Don't let the label rope you into categorizing this beer. This did to wheat beers on the positive side what "American wheat ales" did to Weizens on the negative side. (1/3/2010)

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New Glarus Moon Man

Steve: This advertises itself as a session beer. Thus, I can't really give high ratings to a beer that is non-aggressive enough that you can knock them back at a solid rate. It was quite decent though. Moon Man brands itself as a "No Coast Pale Ale." It doesn't have the typical Pacific NW pale ale tastes of Cascade hops, instead it blends 5 styles of hops, so you do have a solid but not overpowering hop bitterness. It's almost a lot like an ESB. Bitter, but still easy drinking. (11/27/2011)

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New Glarus Native Ale

Steve: This is a brown ale, so hopheads please strap yourselves in and prepared to be bored. Like the majority of brown ales, it leans towards a malty flavor. However, this has a nice presence of chocolate in it. It's definitely better then Newcastle, although it's only available in Wisconsin, so good luck refining your tastes if you live any place where "betcha" isn't a word. It's plain, but it's a finer version of plain. And it's a big proponent of drinking "indigenously," i.e. buy from the micros near where you live, which I support. Why send my money to California when there are breweries near me that need my business? Anyway, move to Wisconsin and buy this. (4/1/2005)

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New Glarus Sour Brown Ale

Steve: When I first tried this beer, I would've given it a 1. By the time I got to the last of the 4-pack, I got it up to a 5. It definitely grows on you the more you have it. Unfortunately for the beer, I'm not likely to have any more. In all honesty, I'm OK with that. It was VERY sour, and only after I got used to it could I discern the other flavors in the beer, like apple and caramel. This is from New Glarus' "Unplugged" series, so it's likely to be a one-shot deal. (6/9/2007)

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New Glarus Spotted Cow Ale

Steve: This is from another of Wisconsin's many microbreweries, one that I've heard is quite good. However, I'm not sure I was wild about this. It has a hint of corn, in honor of Wisconsin farmers. Unfortunately, the corn was too dominating a taste, and ended up tasting like a bottle conditioned Leinenkugels. Overall, it was kind of weak-flavored, a lot lighter-flavored than its counterparts in the UK. I'm going to try and cellar one of them to see if it gets better, but until then I have to report my initial findings. (12/4/2004)

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New Glarus Stone Soup

Steve: Stone Soup is an Abbey-style ale, with German and English hops thrown in to really make it an international effort. It's a little spicey with clove and ginger as you first drink it, and it finishes malty. It was pretty easy-drinking, when I saw that it was an Abbey-style, I was expecting something a bit more alcoholic and malty, but it was pretty smooth, almost a session beer. (9/1/2012)

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New Glarus Uff-Da Bock

Old World Brewing Co/Point Brewery

Steve: Uff-Da is a pretty all-encompassing sound often made by those of Swedish or Norwegian descent in Wisconsin and Minnesota. One says this after a hard day in the corn fields while sitting down in the easy chair, or trying to get out of that same chair, or picking up a fat ol' baby. "Oh Ja," you might say, "well what does that have to do with a beer?" Well, Uff-Da might also be the noise of satisfaction when quaffing this at the end of the day, when you can feel the beer work the frustrations of the day out of your system. (1/29/2005)

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New River Pale Ale

Old Dominion Brewing Co

Rocky: Good stuff, here. The bottle is pretty generic looking, to the point that I wasn't expecting much. Plus, they make Tupper's Hop Pocket, which is considered a very good brew. I thought it was their "special" beer...akin to Michelob vs Bud. Not so fast, though...this is actually a little better than Tupper's in my opinion. It's very good, but it's fighting it out in a style where there are several that are excellent. (6/11/2005)

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New York Harbor Ale

Steve: My first thought was that this would be gross, due to the NY reference, and the fact that it's brewed by the worst brewery in Wisconsin. Actually, it was pretty decent. A little bitter, clean water (very un-New York, obviously from the Midwest), somewhat fresh. I say try it.

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No. 38 Stout

Odell Brewing Co

Sam: Whew. Black as pitch. Smoky. I mean, this stuff is black. It tastes, well...stout. Comparable to San Antonio's Wildcatter Stout, it doesn't have as much hops presence as I'd like. Given a choice between their porter and their stout, I'd take the porter every time. Still, if you're lookin' for something to take the chill off a Colorado summer night, this might be just the thing. (1/15/2005)

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North By Northwest Blackjack Ale

North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewpub

Sam: We hit NXNW recently during a very busy lunch hour. Our waiter, who was very busy yet very attentive, breathlessly described the Blackjack as their Okanogan aged in bourbon whiskey barrels. Sounded gimmicky to me, but I ordered it just the same. It arrived in a tulip glass--out of character for NXNW, which usually sends out all its beers in their logoed pint glasses. Jet black with vague ruby tones, thin, tan head. Brilliant bourbon aroma and oh, man: that first sip knocked my socks off! The bourbon flavor was present without overpowering. I couldn't quit raving about it (I think the harried waiter thought I'd lost my mind). This was a delicious dessert beer, and tasted even better paired with the couple bites of peanut butter-strawbery cheesecake my daughter let me sneak. A real stand-out, and apparently something the brewmaster only puts out occasionally in small batches. If you're ever at NXNW and this happens to be on the beer menu, I strongly recommend trying it after your meal. Thumbs up! (2/16/2008)

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North By Northwest Pyjingo Pale Ale

North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewpub

Sam: I had every intention of disliking this beer. NXNW, as the brewery likes to be known, is tucked into an upscale part of northwest Austin, surrounded by impossibly pretentious law offices and shopping boutiques. And I'd been here before, and don't remember thinking particularly highly of their beers in general. But we had just blown into town, and this was the only place we'd been to in the area where we knew we could get fresh beer. Now I don't know if I was just tired and therefore more forgiving, or if they've actually tightened up their recipe. At any rate, this was delicious. Spicy hops bite, bitter and slightly sweet. Somewhere between amber and gold in its hue. A very nice little number, and it paired nicely with my food, damnit. I guess it was just the redneck in me rebelling--or at least feeling guilty and sheepish--about having a beer with Duck Breast in Marsala Sauce over Polenta and Exotic Sautéed Vegetables. I felt I should have paired my meal with a saucy little Cabernet-Sauvignon, swirling it under my nose with my upper lip slightly curled, murmuring such tripe as "It's wretched in its self-assuredness, lewd yet demure, hinting coyly at licorice and kumquats." If you ever find yourself at NXNW, try the Pyjingo. Just please don't tell 'em I sent you. I'm embarrassed enough as it is. (12/9/2006)

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Nor'western Hefe-weizen

Nor'western Brewing Co

Steve: This comes at you with an explosion of tastes. I tasted spiced apples and cloves, although whether or not they are actually in there, I don't know. Pretty high in alcohol. This is a must-try for those of you that like this style of beer. It comes in a 1/2 L bottle, like the German ones. This is not a popular style, and it only comes in a single bottle.

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O'Doul's

Guest Review - Chris J: "Now richer and smoother" says the label. Richer? YES! Smoother? Well, yes, I guess (I've never understood the word "smooth" when applied to beer. Does it mean bland or malty?) Anyway, Cascades and Saaz hops are now used to push O'Doul's into a rating of 6. (10/2/1999)

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O'Doul's Amber

Guest Review - Chris J: Wow! A pleasant surprise. Caramel malts add flavor to the cardboard king. Definitely drinkable. Hopefully Amber cases will replace this brands awful O'Doul's premium on the shelves. Please pray with me..!

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Old Brown Dog Ale

Smuttynose Brewing Co

Steve: Sweet Jesus, is this awesome. Hoppy, flowery aroma, and taste, with a sweet, chocolate malt flavor that kind of snuck up on my after about 6 or 8 sips. This was almost sensory overload, as it was great to smell and drink it. I could drink this all winter, right in front of a fire (the 5.9% ABV helped). My wife seemed to like it too. Unfortunately, this is a New Hampshire-based brewery, so it's probably only available in the Northeast (I found this in an LCBO near Toronto). (3/21/2003)

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Old Milwaukee

Stroh Brewery Co

Steve: After a hard day of fishing and hunting, I drove home to my trailer, put on a clean wifebeater t-shirt, turned on a wrestling match (I wish the Rock was our Secretary of Defense), opened up a can of Old Mil, and declared, "It doesn't get any better than this." Fortunately, it does get better, as none of the above is true (although, it would be cool if the Rock was SecDef). Due to popular demand, I decided to buy this; unfortunately, I couldn't find a single bottle or can, so I had to get a six pack....of Tall Boys! Old Mil (AKA Old Swill, AKA "You bought WHAT??? (my wife's nickname for it)), this is a past gold winner of the American light lager division of the Great American Beer Festival. In all honesty, it's really not that bad, but it did have a lingering metallic taste, which I can taste on any canned beer (except Keystone, which tastes like bottled beer in a can). Compared to Bud, Coors, and Miller, I guess I have to give Old Mil credit. I just wish they still had the Swedish Bikini Team...it would make drinking this a little better. (Addition added 9/6/2003): Theres a gardening trick to get rid of garden slugs, put a saucer of beer out and leave a trail of beer up to it (I guess the beer drowns them, or the alcohol kills them). Upon viewing 5 enormous, fat slugs in my driveway I tried this method, using an Old Mil tallboy. Of course, I got impatient and picked up the slugs and dumped them into the beer. The next morning, all 5 were floating in the beer, dead. So, my scientific study showed that Old Milwaukee is fatal to 5 out of 5 slugs. (12/9/2002)

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Old Milwaukee Light

Stroh Brewery Co

Steve: My grandmother had a six pack in her basement that some cousin of mine abandoned there, so she was all too happy to let me liberate one. I was expecting this to be the most ungodly excuse for a beer. I was certainly surprised. Don't get me wrong, it's not that great a beer, but if you're in the beer aisle of Kroger and have a choice between this and Bud Light, please choose this. It came in a nice tallboy can (which can be daunting), had a light golden color, very slight hop aroma, and mostly a watery, but slight malt, taste. From one angle, it even looked like it was water in my glass. But, not all that bad, overall. (5/3/2003)

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Old Milwaukee N/A

Stroh Brewery Co

Guest Review - Chris J: This awful brew contains corn syrup, sodium isoascorbate and potassium metabisulfite! Has a sickly sweet after taste much like a cola soft drink. Just as bad as O'Douls. (11/8/1998)

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Old No. 38 Stout

Joel: I finally tried some other brews from North Coast after noticing that the arrangement of the brews at my local liquor store included the shelf above the Old Rasputin, Old Stock Ale, and Pranqster packs. This beer is good, it's what a stout should be, I wouldn't expect anything less from North Coast and didn't receive anything less. Worth a try for sure. (1/23/2010)

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Old Plowshare Stout

North Country Brewing Co

Sam: I'm trying to think of any beer from North Coast I dislike; none come to mind. After years of steering clear of organic beers (due to some early unfortunate encounters), I've cautiously re-approached them. This is a new organic offering from North Coast. Not quite as dark as most stouts, but has a good malty, hoppy coffee nose to it, and the flavor is coffee and roasted malts. Very solid brew. Bit on the expensive side, and only comes in four packs apparently, but I think you'll find it worth the coins. (9/9/2006)

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Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Steve: This is probably one of the more heralded stouts brewed in the US, and I think with good reason. What makes it more unusual is that it's an imperial stout, which isn't that common. Very malty, giving it a powerful sweetness, and it has a deep roasted coffee flavor. It's got 8.9% ABV, but don't worry, you'll sober up when you see the picture of Rasputin on the label. Man, he is one creepy bastard. Look at Rasputin, and then turn the bottle one way or the other, and I swear, the eyes follow you...Not even John Ashcroft gives me the paranoid willies like this label (begin Tommy Chong-like rant against the government in 3, 2, 1.....). (11/6/2004)

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Old Stock Ale

Sam: This is a big beer. It's malty and sweet, but with a nice balance of bittering. Their website lists "Maris pale malt and Fuggle hops" imported from England. The taste and color definitely make you think of an English Nut Brown Ale. But it has a better bite. And at 11% ABV, it's got a hell of a kick, too, Without tasting like swill (unlinke Molson's XXX abomination). Their website even mentions that this beer ages well, and they recommend cellaring it up to a year. I may try storing some, and re-checking it in the future. Don't drink this beer with food. This is an after-dinner drink, meant to be savored. It was so damned good, I'm going to do something uncharacteristic: save the last two for a later date... (6/21/2003)

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Old Style

Olde Towne Brewing Company

Steve: Most beer snobs will gladly talk all day long about their favorite beers. Ultimately, the conversation will turn to their favorite "cheap" beer. Whether money is tight, or you're stuck at a party hosted by a beer heathen, or you just want a lighter beer for camping or a car race, we all have one. Mine is Old Style. The taste? There's not much to it. Light, a little malty, not too alcoholic, lightly hopped, but the flavor is somehow fresher, less rank than BudMillerCoors. Plus, the cans are entertaining. When you're drunk you can look for the frog, or the monk taking a leak. It earns points because it's not nasty like it's counterparts. I will say it's MUCH better bottled than in a can, but I can say that about any beer. (12/27/2003)

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Old Thumper Extra Special Ale

Shipyard Brewing Co

Sam: News flash: beware of names. It should come as no surprise to you that there is nothing "extra special" about this Extra Special Ale. If the label said "Pretty Darned Good Ale" I'd be more inclined to agree. Because it is pretty darned good. Nice hops presence, looks good in the glass, has a nice sweetness to balance the spicy hops. This won't knock your socks off, but you'll be pleased with your purchase nonetheless. Just don't be fooled by the label. (4/9/2005)

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Olde Towne Amber Ale

Rocky: I had really high hopes for this. It's the only brewery in Alabama that you can get bottled beer from, and at this point you have to go there to get it. I made the trek (3+ hours round trip) and came home with three sixers of this stuff. What an idiot! It's not that bad, but an amber ale isn't something that really excites me to begin with. Generally, they're all pretty similar, but this one is on the sweeter side of the norm and then at the end has a little bit of sourness that I wasn't crazy about. I know it was fresh, because they've only been bottling for a month, so apparently that was intended. No thanks... (4/23/2005)

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Olde Towne Pale Ale

Olde Towne Brewing Company

Rocky: This is more like it! I tried the amber first and it had my expectations a little low going in, but this one was considerably better. It's an American style pale ale, meaning the hops have more citrus characteristics than the musty English hops. Good balance of malt and hops, like a pale ale should have. If I lived closer to this brewery I would have no qualms about supporting my local brewer by keeping some of this on hand at all times. A very adequate session beer. (4/30/2005)

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Olympia

Sam: This is the kind of beer you'd use to play a sick joke on your friend. Pour out their beer and fill their can with this. Watch that vein pop out on their forehead as they spew this shit across the room. This used to be a fairly decent brew. What the hell happened? This putrid yellow liquid is bound to cause cancer in lab animals. It's safer to get a buzz sniffing Liquid Paper than it is allowing this garbage into your system. Stick with staying sober if this is your only other choice. (12/13/2003)

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Ommegang Abbey Ale

Kris: Yikes this sucks! I bought a four-pack of this because it was made in Cooperstown, NY. I regretted it after the first bottle. I suppose I'll try it again to see if I change my mind, but don't expect miracles. (5/15/2004)

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Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

Steve: I used this as a dessert beer, to go with my raspberry cheesecake birthday cake. It's a chocolate stout, thankfully void of any burnt flavor, but with a nice chocolate malt flavor, There was a little bit of toast and coffee in there too. Not an overpowering stout, but one good for after dinner with something sweet, so that the dessert shines along with the beer. And $10 says Kris tells me this is the gayest review I've ever written. (6/14/2009)

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Ommegang Hennepin

Rocky: Damn this is good! So good I had to do a little research on Saison beer. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say that this one nails the style guidelines. It's fruity, hoppy, highly carbonated, moderately strong (7.5%), and refreshing. I can't wait to try this again. (4/10/2004)

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Ommegang Ommegeddon

Steve: Finally, a beer that forced me to do research. The label talks so much about Brettanomyces yeast, to create the "Funkhouse Ale" taste, that I had to check it out. Turns out, it's what gives Ommegeddon that sour taste you see so prevalent in many Belgian ales, like Duchess de Bourgougne, Oud Bruin, and Liefman's. It has a lemony flavor from the wheat, and the sour bite from the yeast. So, now I know where that flavor comes from. Somehow, it makes it taste better when you know the scientific reason behind it. The same way that knowing why Budweiser tastes worse when knowing how much rice is used. I enjoyed this, and I think it would be good for warm summer evenings. Not a session ale, of course, but one to relax with at the end of a day on the back deck. (3/1/2009)

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Ommegang Three Philosophers

Steve: This has a sweet/woody flavor. It's a sweet Belgian-style ale blended with a cherry lambic, giving it a slight sour background, but a nice rich malty taste. This is one of those beers I've been putting off trying, and I have to say I'm glad I did, I'm not sure I would've enjoyed the blended cherries until recently. They almost add the taste equivalent of freshly dusted walnut furniture. (3/22/2009)

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Ommegang Witte

Steve: This is an attempt to duplicate the Belgian White style by an American brewery (Ommegang) that is owned by a Belgian brewing conglomerate (Duvel). Confused? Yup, so am I. To start with, I wasn't all that wild about it. The spices certainly did come out, but that's all there was to it. The body of the beer was almost non-existent. If I want to taste nothing but orange peel and coriander, I'll eat an orange and some coriander. It was OK tasting, and it'd be better if it was in the dead of summer, but it just needed something more, as it was the body was too weak. Sterkens or Hoegaarden would've been a better choice. (3/26/2005)

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One-Eyed Jack

JLBC Co

Steve: This is a malt beverage like Zima. It is an alcohol lemon brew, with a taste reminiscent of a weak mixed drink. The flavor, however, of sour lemonade, or a lemon tea, is strong. Ice cold, this would be awesome in the summer. Give it a try.

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Oregon Hefeweizen

Oregon Trader Brewing Co

Steve: With Oregon's reputation, I was horribly disapointed with this beer. It was unbelievably bland. A true Hefe should be very flavorful. This was like flavored water. Stick with Nor'wester or a German if you want a Hefeweizen.

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Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

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)

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Oskar Blues Gordon Ale

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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Oskar Blues Gubna Imperial IPA

Joel: Sweet Christ, this beer is an experience. The Gubna weighs in at 10.0 abv but that is readily masked by the 100+ IBU. It's nasty with hops...absolutely filthy with hops. Hops are, botanically speaking, closely related to other cannaboids (a group know for their chemical complexity) and this beer brings that side out immensely. In smelling and tasting, I can't help but compare it to the smell of a certain other cannaboid, in that it reeks but in an amazingly good way. So throw on your favorite crunchy groove and pop open the top; Oskar Blues has put out another deceptive can of awesomeness. (6/26/2011)

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Oskar Blues Old Chubb Scottish Style Ale

Sam: Drink beer from a CAN? You must be mad, sir! Or so I thought, when I saw this staring unobtrusively from the beer cooler at Lone Star Liquor Company in Breckenridge (cool name, by the way). But the guy behind the counter swore by it, so I bought a sixer. Whoof. This is one damned fine brew. Pours that deep, satisfying ruby-mahogany color you'd expect. You can smell the malt. Tastes delicious, malty, sweet, just a background trace of hops (those Scots emphasize the malt over the hops). But be careful: at 8% abv, this beer will sneak up on you! I can now safely say, Drink beer from a CAN? Why yes, I believe I will, thanks! (8/20/2005)

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Pabst Blue Ribbon

Steve: Drinking PBR out of a can will give you a headache and strange gas. Out of a bottle or on tap it is identical to the other domestic giants: watered down garbage. The actual taste is better than Bud though.

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Pabst N/A

Guest Review - Chris J: Another typical American NA beer. Has a long, dirty, citric after taste. Fortunately, the after taste diminishes somewhat after 3 or 4 cans. It would be really cool to see a good American brewery like Boston Co. produce some quality NA brews. They probably wont though. I may be the only guy who drinks this stuff. (11/8/1998)

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Pale Rider Ale

Steve: There are two main reasons to absolutely love this beer: 1. It's brewed especially for Clint Eastwood (a better American than John Wayne, in my opinion) by his friends at the Celis Brewery. 2. All of his proceeds that he gets for the use of his name go to selected charities. Other than that, it's a fairly basic ale, good flavor, easy drinking, a slight woody background to it. Pretty good beer. It is extremely well-balanced, with no particular ingredient standing out, but instead an excellent mixture of the hops and malts. I would say it's not as good as the Celis White, but that's really comparing apples to oranges. (7/5/1999)

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Peachtree Pale Ale

Steve: Another sister beer of the "Red Brick" line, this continues to carry the banner of quality that ABC has thus far displayed. I'm telling you, this brewery easily matches up to Sam Adams. Pale Ales, this being no exception, tend to be a bit too bitter for my particular taste, but I can usually handle in moderation. I sincerely enjoyed this one. This is a cool weather, watch the leaves change, cooking indoors time of year type of beer. Plus, it has enough alcohol to make you feel pretty good about yourself (unless you're a Rangers fan...how could you ever feel good about yourself?). I wanted to chill one in the freezer so that I could drink it with dinner, and I forgot about it. 5 hours later, right before bedtime, I remembered it. Most beers would at least have a slush forming in the bottle (Bud would've blown the cap by then). This had nothing. NOTHING! If you want to party using this beer, you better bring your A-game. Leave your knife at home, cause this here is a gunfight. (11/10/2001)

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Peak One Porter

Backcountry Brewery

Sam: This is only available so far as I know on tap or in 22-oz bottles. From the tap, in the dead of winter, this beer is delicious. I cracked open the bomber this last weekend three months after I bought it, and wasn't as impressed. Still, it's true to porter style, dark yet maltier or roastier than a dry stout. I've had better porters, but this one still stands its ground. If I saw it again, I'd buy it again. (10/5/2005)

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Pearl Lager Beer

Hal and Mal's Resaurant and Brewery

Sam: Y'know, years ago, Pearl was actually a damn fine beer. But all good things must come to an end. Not too many months back, in a fit of nostalgia and weak-mindedness, I gave Pearl another try. I nearly had a seizure. What acrid, vile abomination was this?? I hate that the Pearl brewery is closing and folks will lose their jobs, but at least the rest of us will get to keep our stomach linings. (3/21/2003)

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Pearl River Pale Ale

Sam: Hal and Mal's is a funky little restaurant and nightclub in downtown Jackson. It's in a converted warehouse down by the train tracks. In the back they have live entertainment, and pull in some pretty cool bands. Alison Krauss even played there once. Couple years ago, they drifted into the brewing business. Nice move! This is a delicious beer. Amber, spicy, floral, just sweet enough to counterbalance the hops. Had this with a cup of crawfish bisque. Mmmm....crawfish. This beer dovetailed very nicely with the spiciness of the soup. Now, Jackson, Mississippi may not strike many as a vacation destination. However, if you are in the area, you OWE it to yourself to drop by Hal and Mal's. Awesome food, cool music (and decor, by the way), and now delicious beer. Cheers! (3/5/2005)

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Perkuno's Hammer Imperial Porter

Heavyweight Brewing

Steve: Perkuno, in Lithuanian mythology, is the god of thunder, lightning and rain. Go ahead, look it up. I realize my track record for "facts" is not "good." But I actually researched this one. Why would I care about the name more then the beer? Because with 2 hours of sleep, a cranky baby, and a long day at work, I flat out fell asleep while drinking this. And after I awoke, I polished it off and went to bed. No notes, no nothing. I do like porters, and I found this drinkable, but if you want my honest opinion, it's this: at 8% ABV, if you're not wide awake, this is your bed-time beer. So why the name? It's a Baltic-style porter. Lithuania is one of the Baltic States. This beer will hit you like a hammer. Get it? If not, then you never will. (3/11/2006)

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Pete's Pub Lager

Kris: Smooth and yummy. Decidedly different from Pete's Wicked beers, but in a good way. Did I say smooth? Unfortunately, I was pretty much tanked by the time I tried this, and that's about all I remember about it. But I will say this: if the party I was at wasn't ending, I'd have had more of these. So give it a try. (10/20/2002)

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Pete's Signature Pilsner

Steve: Not sure of the difference between the Signature and Bohemian, except I think the Bohemian was better. This was kind of a bland beer, almost reminiscent of the Big 3 in the US. Drinkable, sure, I could easily kill several. But at the cost, I could just as easily buy a Leinie's or Labatt's or something like that, and save a dollar or two. (6/11/1999)

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Pete's Wicked Ale

Steve: The classic Pete's beer, and so far, deserves one of the higher rankings. This isn't a cookie-cutter beer like most of his, where the beers taste the same but have different flavorings added. This is definitely a quality ale, nice hop flavor, smooth taste, hoppy finish, but doesn't linger too long. I liked it. (6/11/1999)

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Pete's Wicked Bohemian Pilsner

Steve: Had to try it. Good, actually. Better than the Honey Wheat (see below). A strange aftertaste, but good nonetheless. Nice flavor, not skunky whatsoever. Light tasting.

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Pete's Wicked Helles Lager

Kris: This lager perfectly balances malt sweetness with a clean hop finish that will lift you to new heights of refreshment. At least that's what the label says. Then again, the label also has a large "H" with wings and a halo on some sort of lozenge-shaped triangle. I'm not quite sure what to make of that. I suppose if I knew what the word "Helles" meant, it would make more sense. I'm thinking "hell", but that doesn't explain the wings and halo. Getting back to the beer, it didn't exactly lift me to new heights of refreshment, but it was oh, so close. Very smooth, nice aroma. Definitely something you'd want to bring home to meet the folks. (3/15/2003)

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Pete's Wicked Honey Wheat

Steve: Very sweet, but believe it or not, a twinge of bitterness in the aftertaste. Not too strong, a relaxing beer. Not one bit stale. However, not super-tasting, just good.

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Pete's Wicked Mardi Gras

Steve: I could taste ginger and something sweet, like honey. It was ok, but not as good as the Winter Brew. I think Pete should make the effort to see that each beer is distinctly different. As usual, tastes the same as the others aside from some flavoring. Cool label, tho.

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Pete's Wicked Oktoberfest

Steve: This is probably the first Pete's I had that didn't taste like it came from a standard formula, and then flavored. This meets all standards of any Oktoberfest you'll ever have (domestic, anyway). All the seasonal barley and hops, the works. Like all Pete's flavors, this is a good place to start if you want to get away from the everyday lagers like Bud and Miller.

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Pete's Wicked Rally Cap Ale

Rocky: Pete's went downhill a few years back but I had to try it anyway. I basically knew what to expect since they apparently just replaced their Summer Brew with this, but the description is basically the same. "Pale & Wheat malts, Mt. Hood hops, and a touch of lemon". I get the touch of lemon, but I'll have to take their word on the rest. I don't really detect any wheat. It's a golden ale that, if ice cold on a hot day, would be a good session beer. Thankfully it is a hot day and I have the means to get the beer ice cold, so I'll enjoy these. I don't regret the purchase, but probably won't buy it again. (2/5/2005)

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Pete's Wicked Red Rush Ale

Steve: This has the same coloration as the "red" pioneer in the US market, Killian's. That's pretty much it as far as comparison goes. It does have caramel malt, but the caramel flavor isn't as evident as it is in Killian's. I couldn't taste the caramel at the first sampling, but I just had a heavily marinated london broil for dinner. I had a second bottle a night later, and it was more evident, but still not as present as Killian's (and if you disagree, remember, we all have different taste buds, so go pound sand). The flavoring was very balanced, easy going down, and didn't have too strong a background. Pretty much indicative of most Pete's beers. I bought a six pack of this, and I'll have no problem finishing it. With an alcohol content of 5.3%, it has just enough to smooth out the edges but not too much to make you hit on your neighbor's wife, unless you drink all six (or unless you would do that sober). (3/16/2002)

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Pete's Wicked Springfest

Steve: This is a funny one, due to its being labeled as a "malt liquor," at least here in Jersey, where it might be a law due to alcohol%. And considering it's an amber bock, that's likely. This does have a good amount of alcohol, if you like that sort of thing in a beer. It is sweet, and has a hint of honey to it. Definitely a good beer for this type of year. (6/18/1998)

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Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde

Steve: This has a noticeable flavor, like a strawberry shortcake. That cake flavor carries into the taste, as well. A standard lager, with strawberry flavoring added, would make an OK desert beer, or something for a hot summer day at a BBQ, if you want your friends to make merciless fun of you. If Corona drinkers actually want to start drinking beer at some point, I would recommend they try this. First, it has a light flavor, so it wont offend them too much, and since it already has fruit in it, they wont look like wankers adding it later. This might sit better with most women, too. Yes, that is sexist, but marketing research has shown that beer tends to turn women off (women, not college girls). Blame the research, not me. Overall, drinkable, but not one Id shell out money for, because this is nothing original. (10/18/2003)

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Pete's Wicked Summer Brew

Steve: Sweet, lemony, like a light weiss beer. This is a perfect summer beer. This is an extremely refreshing, light tasting beer that is perfect after a hard day's work outside in the summer (like mowing the lawn, moving furniture, etc). Neat picture of baseball players on label.

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Pete's Wicked Winter Brew

Steve: Yum! Excellent. I tried both bottle and on tap, and I would recommend this to anyone. It was smooth, and had a nice raspberry taste. Sweet, no aftertaste. Even my girlfriend liked it. Good job, Pete.

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Pete's Wicked Winter Brew 2002-2003

Hal and Mal's Resaurant and Brewery

Steve: It's been years since I've had a Pete's Winter, and I'm not sure why I waited. This is definitely a beer for the masses, not too strong like a lot of winter beers. However, it does have that touch of spiciness and fruitiness to it so that it's not misadvertising. I may have to make it a habit to pick up a six pack every winter. Certainly not as good as Sam Smith's, but worth trying. (2/22/2003)

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Picnic Ants

O'so Brewing Company

Steve: This is from one of Wisconsin's newest (and possibly one of the most interesting) breweries, located in one of Wisconsin's least-interestingly named towns (Plover). Picnic Ants is a Belgian-style farmhouse saison that would be absolutely perfect in the heat of an Atlanta summer. Unfortunately, I stashed it in my beer fridge and forgot about it until November 2009. I can say this though....on my next trip back to Northern Wisconsin, I am looking for more beers from O'so, so if that tells you what I thought about this beer, then you know how I felt. The spiciness and fruitiness complimented one another very nicely, and it was perfectly effervescent. I kind of want to get back up there (in warm weather) and drink this while sitting on my father-in-law's deck, watching hay wagons drive up and down the highway (in other words, doing absolutely nothing but drink). (1/16/2010)

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Pig's Eye Pilsner

Minnesota Brewing Co

Steve: This is exactly what a pilsner should taste like; cool, refreshing, not too complicated, no aftertaste. This is probably one of the better domestic pilsners I've had, because it was obviously brewed by someone who knew what they were doing, and knew what they were looking for, rather than the crap brewed cause it sounds good printed on a label (see Latrobe's or Iron's).

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Pilsner Prospere

Sam: Another winner! These guys have been doing their homework. This was a delicious golden yellow pilsner, which I drank with a GIGANTIC platter of fried oysters (awstahs, if you're from New Orleans). Rolled in corn meal batter--none of that flour shit. If yer gonna eat oysters, do it right. Anyway, back to the beer. Yes, it's not European pilsner delicious, but it sure as hell is local craft brew delicious. And paired with fried Cajun-style food, it's sublime. Do yourself a favor and try this one if you're in the area. (3/12/2005)

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Pine Baron Ale

New Jersey Brewing

Kris: This is proof that New Jersey can produce something other than toxic waste and highway sound barriers. It is fairly strong, but not bad tasting. The label has a devil with wings and a pitchfork, and pronounces this to be "One Hell of a Beer". Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but it wasn't bad.

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Pinstripe Red Ale

Ska Brewing

Sam: Here's how boring this beer is: I had this three years ago in Colorado, and it was so forgettable it slipped my mind to review it then. Recently, my sister brought me a sampler 12-pack from Ska after a vacation to that particular part of the world. I went ahead and chilled the Pinstripe, thinking, "Hey, maybe time's been good to this beer." Wrong. Oh, it's a handsome amber in the glass, and it has a pleasant enough malty nose, but the flavor is hopelessly bland and boring. The grinning skull on the label, rather than making you think "cool" should make you think "not to be taken internally." (3/22/2009)

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Planet Porter

Rockies Brewing Company

Sam: Ew. Tastes champagney. Dark enough, but the head's thin and it smells like wine. This was not very good, and I still have five bottles to go. In all fairness, I let this one age too long, I'm afraid. I bought this three months ago, and it's quite possible it's well past its prime. Perhaps next summer if we're back out in the Rockies and I come across this, I'll try it fresher and report back. In the meantime, do you know someone you don't particularly like you could dupe into five sixths of a six pack? (5/13/2006)

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Point Amber Classic

Steve: I think back when I first started drinking beer, this is the kind of thing that I would've gravitated towards, and passed it off as though I was drinking something dark and "cool". Now, it's just boring. Not much body, lightly malted, not heavy at all. Definitely a session beer, as I think I could sit down with 6 or even 12 of these in the course of an evening, but my in-laws who lean towards Bud Light wouldn't touch the stuff. And my future sister-in-law Krystal would think I'm a wuss for drinking something this light. I might make this my choice for next year's annual "Blow Shit Up Day" on July 4th at the in-law's farm. (2/5/2006)

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Point Burly Brown

Steve: Point can do so much better. Unfortunately, they often target the audience that considers itself too good for Miller, but not good enough for the other fine Midwestern beers. It's a plain-jane brown ale. Not much in the way of flavor. I still think people should drink Point's beers over other larger breweries because they survived Prohibition with a better beer than Bud and Miller, but having been to their brewery, I know they're capable of something better. (12/31/2010)

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Point Einbock

Steve: I kind of have a pro-Wisconsin bias towards Point. It's an historical brewery, and was known for some of the basic light lagers that plagued this country for decades, but they have really made a solid effort with their craft line of beers. Point's pale ale, white beer, and others aren't as solid to style as a lot of other breweries throughout Wisconsin and the rest of the country, but something can be said for taking a craft style and offering a "session" version of it. Take Einbock, their spring Maibock, for example. Nice and malty, with that nice sweet alcoholic flavor, yet it's still light enough you can bring this along to a party and have something with flavor, and a lot of it. Compared to Capital's Maibock, or a real German Maibock, it falls a bit short, but it's still a quality lager at a reasonable price. (1/19/2009)

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Point Honey Light

Steve: Point Honey Light is light and mostly flavorless. Definitely the kind of beer purchased and consumed by the caseful for specific events such as sitting on the boat out at the lake all day long, or tailgating at those early season Packers games, before the first frost. Or sitting in the dark, in my front yard, waiting to scare trick or treaters on Halloween night. Hmm...drinking in the shadows, waiting to terrorize kids.....people like that usually end up on wanted posters. Oh well, screw 'em if they can't take a joke. (4/15/2006)

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Point Horizon Wheat

Steve: My father-in-law, from a German-dominated town in Northern Wisconsin, likes to refer to Stevens Point as a "Polack city." Mainly because Point was originally settled by Polacks, and since Point started out as a regional beer, it was a Polack beer, I guess. Normally, I have to say I find their beers agreeable, but this was definitely a Polack attempt at a wheat beer. I've toured this brewery (twice), and I know they have the ability to churn out a good wheat beer, a good German-style wheat beer. To make something this dull is just confusing. Why brew a good style of beer, but not brew it so that it's actually good? Unless they think their market is too dumb (Polacks?) to know what a good wheat beer should taste like? Anyway, I'm rambling. It's disappointing, let's leave it at that. (10/10/2010)

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Point Pale Ale

Steve: I've known my wife for 13 years, and I've never heard her say anything nice about the Point brewery, so I've never considered them to be a brewery of anything more than "premium" crap. It wasn't until last year when I discovered that they were capable of brewing craft-style beers, and not until this year when I've found them to be more than capable of brewing such beers. I sampled the Pale Ale at the brewery, and it even tasted great out of the plastic bar cup that the sample came in. My next trip to the Northwoods will not be complete without picking up a six pack of Point Pale Ale. (1/22/2005)

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Point Special

Steve: The Blue Bullet, Point's flagship beer. Famous in Central Wisconsin, although not well thought of. Stevens Point was more of a Polish settlement, so my father-in-law always called Point Special a Polack Beer (one that my wife's Uncle Greg drank all the time, further cementing my wife's belief that Point Special is crap). It should be noted that recently, Point Special has won medals at various beer festivals in the Light Lager category. Having sampled many such lagers, I'd have to put Point Special at the top of that pile. Mind you, it's a steaming pile of crap, but at least Point Special is at the top of it. (1/15/2005)

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Point Spring Bock

Steve: Stevens Point Brewery is known for putting out such beers as Point Special. When asking my mother-in-law, Marge, about Point, she usually makes some noise resembling a raspberry, followed by a laugh. The Spring Bock, however, isn't bad, so I will at least give their other offerings a fair shake. Actually, it's not a great example of a bock, but about as good as any you'll find in the US. In fact, the best way to describe it is to compare it to Shiner Bock. A decent beer, but not a great bock. It's got the right coloring, and you can taste the caramel malts that make the flavor richer, but it needs to be a bit heavier to get over the hump. I liked it enough to be willing to finish the six pack. (11/27/2004)

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Point White Biere

Steve: Brewed according to the Belgian White style, and a fine job they've done, too. I sampled this in Point's hospitality room after completing the brewery tour, fresh from the tap. Point did a very accurate job hitting this style. In fact, there were a few people who were apprehensive about trying a wheat beer, and after hearing my response and getting my urging, I converted a few people to the wheat style, people who to that point were used to drinking only "premium" beers. So, that should say something about Point White Biere. Good luck finding it outside Wisconsin, N. Illinois or E. Minnesota. (1/29/2005)

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Poker Beer

Wet Planet Beverages

Steve: This is a great label. It says, "Rich, full flavored taste with a lasting finish." Obviously meant for a poker face, because it wasn't rich or full (to the dumbasses at Wet Planet...Bass Ale is rich and full; this beer is just water with color). Also, the neck label has the 3 and 6 of spades, a Queen of diamonds and an 8 of clubs, which all will know to be a hideous Poker hand, which is fitting because this is a hideous beer. I've said it before....the point of microbrewing is to produce a product BETTER than BudMillerCoors. Poker Beer should fold. (10/9/2004)

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Potosi Snake Hollow India Pale Ale

Potosi Brewing Co.

Steve: Not a bad IPA , but then again, not a great one. Certainly not too memorable. But, there was a nice floral aroma to this beer, and a decent hoppy background. Potosi is one of the old Wisconsin small breweries that failed to make it out of the 1970's. Recently, the ground of the original brewery were turned into the National Brewery Museum, and revived brewing operations as well. The current Potosi has obviously branched into craft styles of beer, so I applaud the effort. Good Old Potosi hasn't quite gone away. (1/26/2013)

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Potosi Steamboat Shandy

Potosi Brewing Co.

Steve: Shandies are often homemade, a mix of a light beer and lemonade, but Wisconsin has a few breweries that has a bottled version (Leinie's has one). Potosi is the best one I've had yet, and I wonder if it has to do with the fact that they used a golden ale instead of a light lager, thus using a beer with slightly more character. The lemonade dominated, but you still had the malty flavor mixed in, and a slight hoppy finish. This would be absolutely perfect on a hot day. I bought it last summer and just now got around to drinking it. I think on my next visit to Wisconsin in the summer, I might get a six pack of this and enjoy all of them outdoors when the weather is warm. (4/19/2012)

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PranQster Belgian Style Golden Ale

Steve: At first I though the goal of this beer was to see how many fat old happy drunks they could cram onto the label artwork. Then I realized they were trying to provide us with an American alternative to big Belgian brands like Duvel. And they did well, my friends. In some areas, it's lacking. For example, not as effervescent. However, I think they managed to slide in a few more flavors then what you'd normally get in Duvel, or at least make them more pronounced. At first, there was a definite woody flavor, followed by a distinct orange zing to it. It's a little darker in color too, so overall, I'd almost say it's more challenging to the senses. I think I'd go for this next time, because it's almost as good, it's made in America, and it has a little less alcohol, so it doesn't knock you out. Oh, and the answer is 11. (12/18/2005)

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Pride & Joy Mild Ale

Rocky: Much more balanced than the Alpha King I just had. They call it a mild, and I suppose it is compared to their other offerings. I probably should've had this one first, because after the hoppiness of the Alpha King almost anything would seem mild. 4.8% ABV, smooth, tasty...this is a great session beer. It's too hoppy for a traditional mild...more like a typical pale ale, and maybe on the hoppy side of that. Think of a cross between Bass and SNPA. This would be welcomed in my fridge or cooler any time. (5/28/2005)

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Pyramid Apricot Ale

Rocky: The apricot aroma is really strong, but thankfully the influence on the taste is a little more subtle. It's a wheat beer and they apparently add quite a bit of apricot or puree to the fermenters. Pretty good at first, but unless you really like apricots it will wear on you. Ideal for the friend/significant other that still drinks wine coolers and doesn't like beer, but if you're getting it for yourself try a single before splurging for a sixer. I can't deny they did a good job of making a fruit beer, but a little goes a long way. (7/10/2004)

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Pyramid Curve Ball Kolsch

Sam: Bleah. Bland, slightly sour, none of the lemony character one associates with the Kolsch style. It's as if the folks at Pyramid didn't even try. Figures. They put more effort into their flashy website, knowing guys like giantfuckingtool (Steve's perennial favorite picture to post on the forum) will buy it. (3/19/2006)

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Pyramid Hefeweizen

Steve: The label says this is a hefeweizen. I disagree. Not good. Not good at all. It had a soapy, sour flavor that after a while I was trying to lick off the roof of my mouth to get it to go away. About halfway down, I started dreading each sip. It wasn't bad enough to pour out, and certainly not good enough to drink quickly. The only reason I finished it as quickly as I did was because I became horrified at the thought of drinking this warm. All in all, disappointing. It wasn't the worst beer I've ever had, but considering this is my favorite style caused more points to be deducted. I hear a lot of people saying they dislike hefeweizen...their problem might be because this is the one they're trying. Stick to the ones from Germany!!! (3/6/2004)

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Pyramid IPA

Sam: Sorry, just not that great. It's very nicely bitter, as India pales should be, but it doesn't have a sweetness to balance it. The result is quite honestly annoying. Nice color, though. If you have a fridge full of summer beers, and you're sampling each one, enjoying an afternoon in your pub, listening to Jerry Jeff Walker on the turntable, don't be surprised if you pour this one up, take a sip, and jerk a knot in your tastebuds. You've been warned. (2/26/2005)

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Pyramid Snow Cap Christmas Ale

Sam: It speaks volumes of how boring this beer is that I had intended to get this review out before Christmas of 2006. But the beer was SO boring, I kept forgetting about it 'til now. No matter, here's all you need to know: it's brown, it's harshly hopped, abrasive and not at all sweet. A real yawner. Buy it next year if you wanna waste eight bucks. (1/14/2007)

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Quail Springs India Pale Ale

Deschutes Brewery

Sam: I was really looking forward to this beer. Handsome label, and the scuttlebutt was this was a beer to be sought out. Well...it was good, but not great. I was expecting that deep, warm, red-mahogany color, but it came off more of a cloudy gold. The taste was a bit thin, too, rather than that bold spicy hops bite, balanced by that malty sweetness you expect from this style. I must say I was underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, I'd drink this again if I saw it. It's just that there are better examples that are more readily available in my area. (10/15/2005)

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Rahr's Red

Rahr and Sons Brewing Co

Sam: Okay, maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on Rahr's schwarzbier, because the red's pretty nice. It too is a lager, by the way. Malty nose, pleasing amber color. pleasant malty flavor, maybe could use a tad more hops. Still, I'm finally getting somewhere with a Rahr beer. I really hope this company keeps tweaking it's recipe and gets it right so's they stay around; Texas can use as many local beers as it can get. (9/2/2006)

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Rainier Beer

Sam: My heart breaks that Pabst owns this beer now. I'm sure the taste has suffered, but I'm still sending the original review. This is a delicious beer. Absolutely caught me off guard first time I tried it. At $4.99 a twelve pack I figured it would just be the swill du jour. Uh-uh. This is clean, crisp, refreshing. Deeper golden color than the mass-produced "lagers" made by the Big Three. This beer is an undiscovered gem; and since you can only get it in the Pacific Northwest, Montana, Wyoming, and occasionally Colorado, hopefully it'll stay undiscovered, and not suffer the dummying down that Olympia did when it went nationwide. Do yourself a favor if you find yourself in the Northwest Rockies, seek this beer out. (12/27/2003)

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Rainier Dry

Tim: This is a one of those great everyday beers. You might even call it a bad beer, but it's a good bad beer. It's smooth and refreshing, partially because it's watery. But this is no Coors Light. There's a good dry flavour too it. Enough to make it worth drinking. Not very carbonated at all. You can definitely down a lot of these in a hurry if that's what you're fixin to do. But you can also sit back and enjoy it too. It's also cheap, and everyone needs a good cheap beer that they can enjoy. (2/21/2004)

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Real Ale Brewhouse Brown Ale

Sam: I usually associate brown ales with winter. Dark beers just go better with cold weather. But this beer's just so darn good, it even fits May. I haven't had a beer from this company I didn't like. Their brown ale pours up tawny brown. Nice carbonation, sweet and malty without being overpowering, with a nice balancing of hops. A very pleasing beer. Not exactly a beer for outdoor activity in the paralyzing heat of a Texas summer, but if you're sitting about in the cool of an evening and looking for a little bit of something good, this beer will fit that bill nicely. (12/4/2004)

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Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale

Sam: I'm really fond of this beer. It comes from a cool little town, funky in its own way but not in the affected way that Austin is, in the heart of the hill country of Texas. This beer is hoppy, floral, orange, with good carbonation. It's a good beer to drink in the shade on those 100 degree Texas afternoons (screw lemonade). Try this beer if good fortune finds you in the hill country of Texas. (11/1/2003)

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Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale

Sam: "He married a fat widder over on the Blanco River and had 'im a passel of kids." Gus McRae's words ring through my head every time I crack one of these open. Why? Because I have no life. Because unimportant things ping about in my brain all the time, while useful ideas just leak right out onto the ground. Be that as it may, if you can ignore my perseverations I think you would find this to be a very pleasant beer indeed. Crisp and hoppy, with just a hint of sweetness. A nice little ale to quaff in the depths of summer. Those ol' boys down in Blanco know how to put together a solid beer. "'I god, Woodrow..." (3/19/2006)

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Real Ale Shade Grown Coffee Porter

Sam: Let's clear up a few things first. It's utter coincidence I found this beer right before Earth Day. And yes, I'm granola but not THAT granola, so before you blow off this review as being written by some flake, hear my story. My wife and I had one of those rare moments to sit quietly in a restaurant and have lunch together yesterday sans rugrats. I idly asked the nice waitress what was new and she told me about the coffee porter. At that time I did NOT know about the shade tree part (or the organic hops, for that matter; I found this all out after looking it up on Real Ale's website). However, knowing Real Ale doesn't brew a bad beer, I enthusiastically ordered it. So she placed this beautiful cinder-black pint in front of me, and I relished the hearty roasty aroma. Took a sip, and...ah, perfection. Wonderful roasted coffee, hints of dark chocolate, and pleasant hops punch. Oh, man, was this good! It didn't even matter that it didn't pair at all with the Mexican dish I chose off the menu; I remember the beer much more than the food. If you find this beer, you owe it to yourself to try it. Far out, man. (5/12/2007)

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Reaper Ale Deathly Pale Ale

Bayhawk Ales Inc

Steve: This bomber was exploding with hops, citrus flavor and effervescence. Literally exploding. I popped the top, and it reminded me of Rocky's Saison that he brewed in March of 2004. It fizzed up and over all over my counter, the floor, and finally into the sink. At least Rocky was nice enough to warn me that his got a little over-carbonated. No such warning here. I think Reaper was trying to go for the "extreme" classification with an insanely high IBU, but then they went produced it at 5.4% ABV. Seriously, what the hell is that? Look at Stone, Dogfish Head and others like them. They kick you in the jimmy with their IBU's, and ensure you sleep soundly with their ABV. After Reaper, I was actually contemplating operating heavy machinery. Any other beer and it would've been one thing, but with a name like Reaper, you're trying to invoke the image of a zymurgical badass, so a 5.4% ABV is like having your mascot be a Devil, and then having it be some gay color like blue or something. Right, Duke fans? (11/20/2005)

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Red Bank Dark Lager

Red Bank Brewing Co

Steve: Better than the regular Lager (see below), but with the coloring and dry, hoppy flavor, it tasted more like an ale. There is a distinct difference between this and conventional lagers, dark or not. Still decent, though, but you may have a hard time finding it outside the Jersey Shore. Not bad when warm.

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Red Bank Lager

Red Bank Brewing Co

Steve: Domestic microbrew from Red Bank, NJ. Available only in bars in that area, not for carry-out. I've tasted worse lagers. VERY bitter (I had to wrinkle my nose). Not very smooth.

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Red Baron

Brick Brewing Co

Tim: Sometimes I like to do things often associated with skids, rednecks, and denizens of trailer parks. Mostly because a lot of them have to do with sitting around outside drinking beer. But they always drink such bad beer. So the next time I go down to the flea market, pull out my lawn chair, and sit in the parket lot all day, I'll drink this beer instead of Black Ice, Coors Light,Wildcat, OV, or whatever other swill might be asscoiated with such an activity. This is the everyday kind of a beer that would be great for something like that. It's a light tasting lager. Not red, it's gold in colour. Not at all watery, nicely carbonated, and a good tasting. Well balanced so there really isn't a disitinctive taste. It just tastes like beer. Clean, crisp, smooth beer. Not much of an aftertaste, just enough for you to want to take in another mouthful. And that's what sitting around drinking beer is all about. And I like sitting around drinking beer, but maybe I prefer my living room or the balcony moreso than the parking lot at the flea market. And I prefer a beer like this to the likes of Budweiser. And I live in an apartment, not a trailer. Well you get the idea. The differences add up. (8/14/2004)

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Red Brick Ale

Steve: This is the flagship beer of the Red Brick fleet. And what a great way to put the proverbial best foot forward. This beer steps up to the plate, says "Sam Adams kiss my ass," and knocks it over the center field wall. Flavorful, smooth, yet hoppy. No wonder this thing won awards. This won the silver in the English Brown Ale category in the 1996 World Beer Cup. If this only won the silver, I'd love to see the gold. (12/3/1998)

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Red Brick Golden Lager

Steve: The most noticeable quality about this beer was the fruitiness. I think it was honey-influenced. Not that great while eating pizza, but probably pretty decent with other foods, like chicken or beef. Definitely a summer-time beer, but considering this is Atlanta, that means well into October. Otherwise, a basic flavored lager, light on the palet, and somewhat drinkable. I'd try it again. (12/3/1998)

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Red Brick Hefeweizen

Steve: When compared to the "American Wheats" that slap the name "Hefeweizen" on their label, it's head and shoulders above them. However, compared to the average German and the better American Hefe's, it doesn't hold up well. The aroma is about spot-on, with a nice citrus and bubble-gum aroma, but the flavor is a bit weak and watered down. It's an adequate summer beer, but as this is my favorite style, it gets held to a higher standard. (2/4/2007)

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Red Brick Summer Brew

Steve: This seasonal ale is pretty darn good, par for the course at the ABC. It has a light fruity background, and a balanced aroma between the malt and hops, just as the label predicted. Finally, truth in advertising (something Bud could learn from). What makes this beer-extra special is the appeal it has to collectors....it has a painted label, something you just don't see much of anymore since Rolling Rock went to stick-ons (can't remember, does Corona still paint theirs? Don't pay attention to them anymore, since they suck). Seeing as how God-forsaken HOT Atlanta is every summer, this could be the ideal beer for down here in the coming months. That and Labatt's, of course. (6/11/1999)

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Red Brick Winter Brew

Steve: This is one of the most unusual winter beers I've ever had. And unusual is not meant to be negative. On the contrary, this beer is nothing short of awesome. It is hearty, robust, spicy, insert positive adjective here. I loved it. This is the kind of thing you want to chase a pork roast with, sitting by a warm fire. Too bad I live in Atlanta where it's typically too warm for fires. This beer does not disappoint. Better when poured into a pint glass. (12/3/1998)

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Red Dog

Plank Road Brewery

Sam: It's been years since I've had this beer. I stopped drinking it when Tommie Lee Jones stopped doing their commercials (and when I realized this is crappy beer). So anyway, I tried it again last night. I have to say, for a cheap megabrew, it really ain't that bad. If you're trying to save some coins, but you're sick to damn death of Bud-Miller-Coors, give this one a try. It's got a nice little bite, not as watery as I remembered. I had a Lone Star right after, which I still thought was better, but I thought the Red Dog compared favorably. Hey, c'mon. It ain't great, but at $3.19 a six-pack, for 16-oouncers, whattaya got to lose? (4/3/2004)

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Red Seal Ale

Sam: Man, this beer's good!! I'm really not sure why they market this only as an ale; it looks and tastes like a pale ale. VERY hoppy, dark copper colored. Really smooth beer. You can drink a lot of these in one setting. Californians may be a laughingstock because of their politics, but some of 'em make good beer. I'm pretty sure they took home an award from the GABF this year; I know they have in the past. Look: bottom line is, if you see this in the cooler, grab a couple six packs, and remember where you bought it. You'll be back for more. (4/10/2004)

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Red Vixen Vienna-Style Lager

Horny Goat Brewing Co

Steve: Red Vixen is a Vienna-style lager, It's biggest trait is the caramel sweetness in the background. It's an easy-drinking red lager, more or less a session beer. Not a bad beer, but it does fit a niche...being an easy-drinking micro. I almost wonder if the attraction is the name of the brewery (after all, who can avoid buying a beer called "Horny Goat"?). (4/8/2013)

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Redhook ESB

Rocky: This is more of an amber ale actually..not much difference except maybe a bit less malty. Pretty average overall. I've had it both on tap and in the bottle, and enjoy it on tap more. Worth a shot if you can get it at a bar, but don't spend 7 bucks on a six pack...there are far better options at that price. Not bad, just not great..the 5.6% ABV is well hidden, its easy to drink, and better than any macro out there. (1/17/2004)

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Redhook Hefeweizen

Steve: Red Hook has come highly recommended by many people for its Extra Special Bitter, so I assumed the Hefe might be good too. You know what they say when you assume something... This was awful for a Hefe, but great for an ESB, which I think it was, from a labeling error. No yeast taste, no malt flavor, no fruitiness, just bitterness. Note to Red Hook: Pay attention to your labeling machine. Note to comsumers: maybe all their beers suck. Stay away.

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Redhook IPA

Rocky: When you see an IPA you expect hops. Lots of hops. This beer doesn't meet those expectations. It's not bad as far as beer goes, but it's pretty pathetic as far as IPA's go. If you're used to maybe amber or brown ales and want to try IPA, start with this one to break you in. I could say its mislabeled, but instead will just call it an IPA with training wheels. (1/31/2004)

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Redhook Sunrye Ale

Rocky: This is their summer seasonal, and it is pretty good for a summer beer. Just plain and simple; definitely nothing spectacular about it, but nothing to really gripe about either. It is what its supposed to be as a summer seasonal: light, crisp, and refreshing. (2/14/2004)

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Redneck Beer

Alley Kat Brewing Co

Steve: From NC, it says it's Union Made (probably by the United Auto Workers, judging by the quality and taste). They should have employed a beer union worker or two. This compares to Natural Light. You know how the last 1/2 inch of a normal beer tastes? This is worse. Yes, I hated it.

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Rheingold Extra Dry

Rheingold Breweries

Steve: This is New Yorks answer to Pabst or Old Style, I think. This may have been a big beer at one time, but no longer. It wasn't deadly, but it was kind of weak. Stronger and more flavorful than Bud or Coors, I guess. A classic American pale lager. This has probably the plainest label I have ever seen on a beer. (10/10/1998)

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Rhino Chasers Peach Honey Wheat

William & Scott Brewing

Steve: Had a definite peach flavor to it, which I kind of liked, like a peach juice or something, very zingy. It was not stale or bitter, like past experience with fruity beers. My first taste was a pleasant one. I think women might get a kick out of this one. Not the least bit strong, east to drink. Neat label, too.

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Rio Grande Desert Pils

Rio Grande Brewing Co

Sam: Probably their best beer, though I'm not a huge fan of Pilsners. This is light, crisp, golden-colored, and tasty. I first encountered this beer while interviewing for a job in Albuquerque, and again while vacationing in Ruidoso. This is a beer you'll likely drink a lot of if good fortune finds you in the Southern Rockies of New Mexico. (1/22/2005)

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Rio Grande Elfego Bock

Rio Grande Brewing Co

Sam: A little truer to the Bock style of beer than Texas's Shiner, this one still doesn't quite make it. It has that odd chemical taste some microbrews have that takes some getting used to. Pouring it in a glass, letting it "breathe", helps some. I get the idea this is another tourist beer, dummied down a little to appeal to the masses. Still, the label is cool, and so is the name (Elfego was apparently a New Mexico desperado). If you're sitting at the foot of Sandia Mountain some mild December day, I think you ought to give this one a spin at least once. (1/8/2005)

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Rio Grande Outlaw Lager

Rio Grande Brewing Co

Sam: Every time I see this beer, with the bleached cow skull skulking on the label, I see H.I. McDonough squinting at Ed and saying, "He's a little outlaw..." then I suddenly hear that insane yodelling from the soundtrack of "Raising Arizona". While that might sound like the beginnings of a ringing endorsement of the beer, let the first sip purge that from your mind. It's based on the Steam style of beer (think Anchor Steam), so the style is muddled from the first. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't entirely suck. However, unless you're a big fan of steam beers, I'd be surprised if you came back to this one again and again. (1/29/2005)

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River Rock Ale

River Rock Brewing Co

Steve: This is a great tasting ale, balance between the bitterness and the rest of the flavor. Good, all-around beer, I imagine this is a RR staple, and a must-try. I hope this brewery goes national. If you're ever in Little Rock, visit this place, next to the River Market on the Arkansas River.

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River Rock Brown Ale

River Rock Brewing Co

Steve: This is the best brew-pub beer I've had to date, and you can carry out in bottles. If you're in Arkansas, get some. Not as good as Newcastle, but good enough. Sweet, nutty flavor, that invites you to come back for more. Washed down a bratwurst perfectly.

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River Rock Cream Ale

River Rock Brewing Co

Steve: This was a nice light after-dinner beer. For those of you from Little Rock, bring home some of this to entertain after a nice dinner at home. Light, creamy, lemony flavor. Like a summer ale that several domestics make.

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Riverwest Stein Beer

Steve: My first beer review of 2011! Riverwest Stein Beer is an amber lager from Lakefront, which often puts out a decent product, catering to the huge beer drinking population of Wisconsin. It reminded me of a Vienna lager, with its copper color, malty character, with a bready taste to it. I could taste a little bit of a citrus flavor from the hops in the finish as well. A very solid lager, something I could easily make a regular in my rotation. (1/17/2011)

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Rocky's Revenge Brown Ale

Tyranena Brewing Co

Steve: Brown ales can go either way. As Newcastle has shown, it can be boring, plain, a dark beer for Bud drinkers. Then you have the other end of the spectrum, where brewers feel challenged to do greater things with a plain style. When a brown ale is done poorly, you notice it more because you can't hide it behind a wall of hops. Tyranena did well with this, aging a portion of their brown ale in bourbon barrels, then mixing it back in. It has a nice, well, bourbonish feel to it. Not a session ale like many weaker browns. This you can sip and relax. Me likey. (2/23/2008)

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Rogue American Amber Ale

Steve: One of the more interesting things about this beer is that it appears that George Clooney posed for the label artwork. When I poured this into the pint glass, I sat for about a minute just smelling it. It had a very flowery, pleasant smell to it, very pleasing to the senses. The flavor was hard to pin down because there was so much of it. It had a fresh hop flavor, a slight maltiness, and overall was, for lack of a better word, warming. Hard to describe, but this is one of those winter night kind of beers (now if only our winter nights were cold, I could really enjoy this). Plus, really nice label, so it shoots down my theory that bad beers make up for it with good labels. (12/28/2002)

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Rogue Brutal Bitter

Steve: The brewers at Rogue should be compared to master Cordon Bleu chefs. To be able to come up with something like this is amazing. Drinking this was comparable to walking into a garden nursery. I spent a couple of minutes just smelling it, before even having a sip. It had a very flowery aroma, and I could detect a strong fruity presence, as well. Hard to place its origin, but it was there. Not like those light fruity beers that the micros crank out, more like something the brewer worked hard to put in naturally. You'll just have to try it to see what I mean. I drank this while watching "Die Another Day," and it actually made the movie seem a bit better (which is a feat in itself, because it is one of the worst Bond movies I've ever seen). (10/18/2003)

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Rogue Buckwheat Ale

Steve: I have to say that this ale was O-Tay. Get it? O-tay? Ah, bite me. Seriously, this is so named because of the 650 Lbs of roasted buckwheat in each 50 bbl batch. Now, I wouldn't know buckwheat if it bit me in the ass or I was lost in a field of it, but I can say this was a damn good beer. There was a hoppy aroma and taste, and the overall taste was reminiscent of light bread. Like most Rogue beers, this has more ingredients than an Emeril recipe, but unlike the USA's shadow government, you know what's in it, cause they're listed on the label. Plus, this beer is dedicated to "the entrepreneurial spritis who helped America survive Prohibition." There, that alone is reason to drink this. Be warned, it comes in a pricey 650 mL bottle. (9/20/2002)

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Rogue Chipotle Ale

Sam: Do you like chipotle peppers? Much milder than plain jalapenos, they lend a wonderful smoky, roasted flavor to Southwestern dishes. I'm smitten with 'em. They go in every pot of Chili or Southwest Chicken Stew I concoct. Having said that...do you also like to eat things that sound like they shouldn't go together, but somehow do? I like peanut butter and mayonnaise. Last night my wife made a middle Eastern cucumber salad with yogurt, mint, garlic, and several other herbs I can't recall. The taste explosion was intense. I ate with gusto. Where am I going with this? I love chipotles. I love intense flavors. But at some point, you gotta say, "Whoa. What are you thinking?" That's what I thought with this beer. It's very handsome; a burnished golden brown in the glass. But you take a whiff, and you smell chili. Bleah. The first sip bursts with that delicious Rogue aley goodness, then the smokey chipotle hits you. Damn, am I drinking a bottle of chili? Some things work. This one didn't. On a positive note, I am at least sitting here enjoying the after-burn of the peppers now that the beer's gone down. Mmm...peppers... (11/20/2005)

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Rogue Chocolate Stout

Steve: Most chocolate stouts use roasted chocolate malts to get that flavor, but in my experience usually end up leaving them with a burnt, Kingsford-like taste. Rogue, on the other hand, actually uses imported chocolate (everybody: ooo-oooh!) in the recipe, and thus has a distinct coffee and chocolate flavor to it, and actually leaves a chocolate residue in the bottom of the glass, kind of like a Starbuck's mocha. Pretty tasty, all in all, by far the best chocolate stout I've had to date. (5/8/2004)

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Rogue Cliff Hanger Ale

Steve: Brewed in the style of the English Bitter, supposedly, although most examples of bitters that I've had were a bit more bitter, so to speak. However, that doesn't take away from yet another winning recipe from the people at Rogue Ales. Makes me wish they bottled in 6 packs. I honestly can't remember too much about this, except that I enjoyed it. It has an easy hop finish, so it won't make your face crinkle up, and a smooth malty character. (5/31/2003)

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Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Guest Review - Steven S: What the hell is going on in Oregon? Am I just not informed about all the strange brews which come out of this state? This radical dark malty ale comes in a large 22 oz. bottle packed with 6.6% alc. Speaking of the bottle, there is a skeleton on it (looks like its got a penis for a head), sitting on a barrel, drinking some Dead Guy ale. There is some weird experimentation going on in Oregon, and this is one of them along with Hair of the Dog. The taste is chocolatey and slightly sweet, not much difference from Hair of the Dog. (10/25/1998)

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Rogue Dry Hopped Saint Rogue Red Ale

Sam: I didn't have high hopes for this one when I saw it, since most beers described as "red ales" that I've tried have been weak sisters. But I was stuck at my folks house in Mississippi, a backwater state for exotic brews if ever there were one. So I saw this and with a sigh, took it home. Very pleasant surprise. A burnished copper in the glass, malty nose, nice caramel flavor with enough hops to keep it interesting. It reminded me, actually, of Belhaven. This is apparently the first year it's been available in a sixer according to their website, so if you see a six-pack, pick it up; I doubt you'll be disappointed. (6/3/2006)

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Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Steve: I think if you like Rogue beers, you'll like this. However, I have to say that I was a little, for lack of a better word, disappointed. It was a great beer, and I think it would be the perfect winter beer. But, I drank this early in the summer, when it's hot here in Atlanta, and not the time for an ale like this. While being the color of average brown ales, it had a strong stout-like flavor to it, definitely something I was not in the mood for. And I have to say that I couldn't detect any trace of hazelnut. Maybe I was having a bad day. I'll try this again, but I'll pick the time a bit more carefully. As always, Rogue lists the ingredients and the chemical characteristics, which is pretty cool. I would still like to know what Free Range Coastal Waters are, though. (11/9/2002)

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Rogue Honey Cream Ale

Steve: This would be an easy drinking, every day beer for most of you. This is quite a bit better than any other honey flavored beer I've ever had, and I think most Dundee's drinkers would switch, except that they've already switched to Bacardi Silver or something stupid like that, seeing as how they were all in it for the fad anyway. Besides, the nice bitter hop flavor would turn most of them off. (4/3/2004)

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Rogue Imperial Pale Ale

Steve: Take your typical American pale ale. Add lots more alcohol. Maybe a little more for good measure. What the hell, throw in some more hops while you're at it. Add a long, stressful day of work, and consume at, say, 10:00 pm. What do you get? Steve asleep on the couch. Probably snoring. Who am I kidding? Definitely snoring. Pisses me off too, cause I was really enjoying My Coolest Years: The Metalheads on VH1. Uggh. I'm watching VH1 on a Friday night, drinking at home. I guess that mini van will be showing up any day now. Sigh. (6/11/2005)

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Rogue Kells Irish Lager

Sam: This was a real disappointment. Anemic yellow, fizzy, the only thing interesting thing about it was its malty aroma. Which proved to be a red herring, because the beer was more sweet than malty and didn't have much hops presence at all. You wouldn't have to try hard at all to find a much better pilsner out there. Save your money and pass this one by. (5/28/2007)

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Rogue Mom Hefeweizen

Steve: Another misnamed beer, either that or another beer horribly not-to-style. I was expecting a nice malty ale, with a solid lemon background, and very effervescent. You know....like a hefeweizen. Instead, the Saaz hops were more overpowering than anything. I checked the Rogue website, and they describe it as a Belgian-style ale, which it actually was. A light golden ale, the coriander was there a little bit, but the hops put a stranglehold on the flavors that make a Hefeweizen taste so wonderful to me. And there wasn't that nice, explosive head like you should have on a Hefe. A good ale...but not a good Hefeweizen. (9/19/2009)

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Rogue Monk Madness Ale

Steve: This was an extremely unbalanced ale, very hoppy but with not much else in the way of character. It uses 5 different kinds of malts and 5 varieties of hops, but all I could taste was the hops, with no real balance. I like hoppy beers, but there needs to be some balance. Maybe if the dominant hop was Cascade, giving it some citrus flavor, but I just didn't care for it. (9/8/2007)

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Rogue Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale

Sam: Helluva name, yes? This is a "signature series" beer according to their website, a beer created with Chef Morimoto, who I gather is famous via "The Iron Chef". I don't get cable, so I'll take their word for it. But I'll also say he should stick to food. This poured a cloudy orange in the glass--not at all a color you expect to wind up in your stomach. It smelled sour, and tasted the same. Supposedly roasted buckwheat gives it a "nutty sweetness". It gave me a desire to pour it out and have a Bridgeport IPA instead. This was a novelty beer I won't try again. (10/22/2005)

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Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner

Steve: I've never really liked the name "Imperial Pilsner" very much (or the shortened version of "Impy Pilsner" but only because that sounds gay), because "Imperial" implies heavier on the alcohol, which for a Pilsner means it's, well, a Bock. However, I'll give it to them in this case because it maintained that beautiful golden Pilsner color. It also had a nice frothy head, easy to create because of the .75L bottle with a narrow opening. The bottle itself was cool, a capped white ceramic bottle with flip-cap that you could use to re-seal it. Since I drank it all in one sitting, not only did I not need the flip-cap, I was also quite ready for bed, since it was also an 8.8% ABV brew. I would've preferred it to be more balanced with the malts, but you know what? I absolutely loved it. Expensive, but worth it. (12/10/2005)

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Rogue Morimoto Soba Signature Ale

Steve: Many of you are probably wondering what Soba is. Apparently, Soba is buckwheat flour. And if you check our reviews, you'll see they already did a Buckwheat Ale. So, they teamed up with award-winning Chef Morimoto (from the Iron Chef), likely got a premium price for it, and produced a beer which they already made. And which basically tastes like nothing more than a standard pub ale, with a slight bitterness, a fair maltiness, a light body and light color. In other words...Boddingtons. OK, maybe it's a little better, but you get my point. Come on Rogue, pull the other one. Your "Signature Ale" series should be exceptionally better (or at least different) then the beers you currently put out, shouldn't it? I liked it, but the hype and the price aren't worth it. (11/26/2005)

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Rogue Old Crustacean

Steve: This is a barleywine, so right there you know it's a sippin' beer. It's also fairly high in alcohol. I blame this beer for spoiling a quiet evening at home. I was watching one of my favorite new shows, Medical Investigation, relaxing on the couch and drinking this. 45 minutes in, I dozed off, missing the ending and not finding out who caused the flesh-eating bacteria to kill the patients. So, I have to say I didn't really enjoy this one. Plus, it was just too damn strong. I'm not really up to the level of barleywines yet. Does it make it an unfair review? Yup, but I have to rate it how I enjoyed it, not you. (6/4/2005)

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Rogue Oregon Golden Ale

Steve: While this is a light, refreshing ale, it also has the tinge of craft beer character to it, with that flowery Cascade hop aroma and taste. I've long referenced beers that would be a good launch bad into the craft beer experience, and I have to point this one out as such an example. This is nothing fancy, but it's still a decent beer. I bought a six pack of it, and would gladly do so again. (7/3/2004)

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Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale

Sam: Wow. Fantastic. I really don't like spiced beers, and bought this with fear and dread, knowing it would reek of plums, currants, garlic and paprika (those Rogue people really like to experiment). But it was an impulse buy, so I felt honor-bound to follow through. What ho--handsome smoky walnut color. Delicious malty aroma. Mmmm...taste the malt and hops. Lotta hops. This was a fantastic winter warmer, and no spices, thank heaven. Just an honest-to-goodness rich winter beer. Ho ho ho indeed. (6/24/2006)

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Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Steve: Where to start. Hmmm. OK, this was absolutely awesome. I tried it on the recommendation from the beer reviewer's column in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, when he stated that if he had to choose between this, Guiness, and Sierra Nevada, he would have taken Rogue. Having tried all three now, I agree wholeheartedly. We all know how stouts should taste, so I won't go into all that colorful language, except to say, "Drink this, feel good, end of story." This is the stout on which you should learn to love stouts. This was worth $3.78 for the bottle. Oh, and I also agree with the AJC column on his belief that it's more of an oatmeal stout, which I have grown to love (see Sam Smith). (7/5/1999)

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Rogue Smoke Ale

Steve: This is a tribute to the German Rauchbier (trans: Smoke Beer...big surprise), and dedicated to the fall of the Berlin Wall (label art is of the grafitti that covered the Wall). This was a delicious beer, quite thick. The malts are smoked, which give it the smokey flavor. A co-worker described it as tasting like bacon, which I could kind of see...the thick, North Woods lumberjack style bacon, not the limp crap that most would eat. Anyway, the smokey flavor stuck with it throughout until the end of the glass, when it merged and was taken over by an intense bitter hop flavor. I look forward to trying this again. (5/3/2003)

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Rogue Uberfest Pilsner

Sam: Yessir, now we're talking! Malty, hoppy, crisp, very refreshing. Kells was a disappointment; the Uberfest, though, is outta sight! Try it. (6/30/2007)

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Rogue Yellow Snow Ale

Steve: I was always taught never to eat yellow snow. Since I was raised in a state that actually got snow, this advise was not lost on me. That advice won't mean a thing to my Georgia-born daughter, but that's her loss. However, I just learned that while it's not advisable to eat the yellow snow, there is nothing wrong with drinking it. That's right, you can drink this yellow snow, and it's well worth your time. This pours just like a beautiful draught ale, creamy, nice frothy head, gorgeous golden color. Nice on the senses, kind of like Katarina Witt (from here on out, any beer that looks good in a glass will be compared to the ultimate eye candy, Katarina Witt...except Aussie beers, which will be compared to Elle MacPherson). Anyway, This has a gazillion ingredients. Well, 10 actually. NW Harrington, Crystal, Triumph, Maier Munich and C-15 malts, Styrian Golding and Amarillo hops, and Pacman yeast, free range coastal waters (what you give to free range chickens to drink) and juniper berries. Now, I couldn't tell you how all of these would make a difference on their own (except I know Pacman yeast eats cherries and hates ghosts), and I wouldn't know a juniper berry if it bit me in the ass, but there was an oh so slight fruity sensation that might be from the berries. Or maybe not. But it was pleasant. The whole beer was pleasant. To top it off, it came in a just-under 2/3 liter bottle, so there was lots of it, all to myself. Take it from me....It's OK to drink the Yellow Snow (TOBP not responsible for any little kids who get sick because they tried to drink actual yellow snow, however, we will forward all such incidents to the Darwin Awards). (5/25/2002)

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Rolling Rock

Latrobe Brewing Co

Steve: This wasn't too bad, but it did have a vague paint-like taste. Not as bad as Asahi, but they sell Asahi in Home Depot, let's put it that way. Crisp, light tasting, watery, etc. OK for outdoor activities (car racing, BBQ's, etc) but I wouldn't recommend it for times when you want to relax with a good beer. Because this isn't all that great. Dime-a-dozen kind of thing. (11/9/1999)

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Rolling Rock Light

Latrobe Brewing Co

Rocky: The watered-down version of the only beer I know of thats skunky on purpose. At least I heard it was purposely infected by something that provided its unique flavor. I don't know if thats true or urban legend because it's the only explanation for a successful company having such a terrible product. If an infection happens to a homebrew batch you dump the entire 5 gallons...unless you know a Rolling Rock fan. The fact that they've found their niche is proof that there are an unlimited number of morons in the world. (7/10/2004)

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Ropewalk Amber Ale