Pabst Blue Ribbon

Hal and Mal's Resaurant and Brewery

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)

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)

Pearl Lager Beer

Pabst Brewing Co

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

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.

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)

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)

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).

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)

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.

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

PranQster Belgian Style Golden Ale

North Coast Brewing Co

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)

Pride & Joy Mild Ale

Three Floyds Brewing Co

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Rainier Beer

Pabst Brewing Co

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)

Rainier Dry

Pabst Brewing Co

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

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.

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Red Seal Ale

North Coast Brewing Co

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)

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)

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.

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)

Redhook Sunrye Ale