Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga' Substitute Ale

12 oz. Bottle

Beer pours a beautiful golden orange with very visible carbonation. About a centimeter or so of almost white foam up top. Nice floral and citrus notes (and a bit of pineapple even) on the nose, really nice balanced and complex smell. Hops are also really present (bitter/piney scent that is not incredibly overwhelming, actually plays really nicely with the other scents here). The scent is incredibly pleasant - probably one of the best smelling beers I've tried.

Incredibly smooth on the palate to begin, followed by a not so subtle piney/bitter hop burst. Not incredibly hoppy though, and definitely not something that detracts from the beer. There's sweetness in there, with some citrus and floral notes - dominant citrus here is definitely orange, though there is some lemon and a bit of grapefruit in there as well as far as citrus is concerned and you get a strong bit of peach and some minor pineapple notes as well. There's a bit of mango and papaya in there as well - kudos to Lagunitas for the infusion of so many fruity flavors that are both harmonized and distinct at the same time. The sweetness definitely balances the bitterness of the hops. Carbonation is moderately present - alcohol content for 7.85% ABV is very well hidden.

The best compliment I can probably give this beer is that it is incredibly balanced. The fruity, floral, and hoppy flavors really work in unison here to create something special. Probably one of the best Imperial IPA's I've ever had. Lagunitas really hit the "just right" mark with flavor intensities in this beer.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Southern Tier Choklat

20 oz. Bottle

Pours a dark brown, borderline black with a thin dark brown lacing for head. Smells almost entirely of chocolate, some roasted malt and vanilla in there, and a tiny bit of coffee bitterness. But definitely overwhelmingly of chocolate.

On first taste, some nice roasted malts, and some bitterness from hops/faint traces of coffee. Mouth feel is smooth and creamy, which really adds to the overall experience of this beer.

But wow. Chocolate. Some bitterness to add to the faint coffee and hops from dark chocolate and a nice comforting warmth from milk chocolate. Really amazing blend of chocolate flavors that really are pushed to the forefront of this stout. The malty flavors really add to the experience and make the chocolate pop.

The bitterness on the end from the hops (and maybe from the coffee) seems a little out of place. Overall a really fantastic beer though. Alcohol content of 10% is pretty well hidden - I think that if it wasn't for the bitterness towards the end highlighting the other flavors of this imperial stout that the alcohol would almost be completely hidden - the small amount of alcohol taste, though, almost adds complete balance to this beer. Carbonation is moderately low.

I'm really not sure of this beer, though I did enjoy it. It's overwhelmingly sweet, but in a good way. The chocolate flavor is really amazing, on that Southern Tier definitely delivers.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Founders Sweet Repute

On tap at Rattle and Hum NYC

This was the first wheatwine style of beer I've ever had. Founders has an outstanding reputation regardless of the type of beer so I figured I'd give it a try. Founders Breakfast Stout is one of my favorite beers after all.

Pours a beautiful dark amber - about halfway between amber and maple syrup. Delicate white lacing for the head, very little of it. Smells of maple sweetness with a bit of caramel and apple. Strong wheat presence in the nose as well.

Nice sweetness on first taste - strong maple and bourbon presences. The bourbon aging adds a really nice, balanced vanilla component. There's some apple in there as well, maybe some other faint fruity traces as well. Wheat presence is definitely palpable - it is a wheatwine after all (part of which is aged in maple syrup barrels and another part of which is aged in bourbon barrels and then blended). Very balanced beer overall - the more delicate flavors like wheat and fruit don't get consumed or drowned out by the bourbon aging or maple sweetness which is really nice.

This wheatwine finishes with a bit of wheat bitterness and lingering maple/vanilla sweetness. Alcohol taste is moderately pleasant - you can tell this is a "high gravity" beer from the start - though the 12.6% doesn't detract from the overall experience. Moderate to low carbonation.

Overall a solid showing from Founders Barrel Series.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Troegs Mad Dreamz

On tap at Rattle and Hum NYC

Not technically a real beer, but rather a blend of Troegs Mad Elf and Troegs Dreamweaver. Saw it on the tap list and figured I'd give it a shot.

Beer appears a nice light amber color with tints of pink. About half an inch of slightly off white head. You can smell wheat and sweetness off the nose, sweetness has a tint of honey. Really close to a freshly fried doughnut scent. Taste is strong on the cherry and honey, a lot of this comes from the Mad Elf I'm sure. It's a very candy like sweetness, almost bordering on too sweet. Ends in a little bit of banana-y flavor, this is probably from the Dreamweaver. There's also a nice bit of wheat in there, between the two flavors, possibly mixed with a little bit of white grape, but it could also be residual from the cherry flavor. The ABV of 11% is very well hidden, I was really surprised that the ABV was that high. High drink-ability, but again be careful with the alcohol content.

Overall a really nice beer, flavors were mostly balanced but the sweetness was a little overwhelming at first.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Lagunitas Czech Style Pilsner

12 oz. Bottle

As part of my journey to find more lighter colored beers that I will like, I happened to come upon some suggestions for Pilsners. This is one of the few that were recommended to me.

Pours a nice translucent golden orange with a bit of white foam, almost the color of apple juice, but a little more clear and orange. Carbonation is very evident by sight. Smells strongly of sweet and tart white grape, some hop in there too. Maybe some peach in there as well - light and dry fruit sweetness is the most pervasive scent. First sip reveals a little bit of the grape/peach sweetness and a bit of sour, but is soon taken over by a moderate amount of hops. There's almost a bit of a sweet, light white wine feel to it before the hops after taste. Because of the hops, there's a nice, clean, dry finish. Not bad for a Czech pils. Carbonation is surprisingly less evident than I assumed, considering how visible it is in the glass. Alcohol presence is absent, as expected from this 6% ABV pils. Moderately high drink-ability.

The strength of the hops throws the balance off a little bit. Though without the hops, the beer might almost be too watery. I would have liked the fruit sweetness/sourness to be a little more profound. It almost seems like this Czech pils wanted to be an IPA and got trapped somewhere in between.


Overall Rating: 3/5

Bell's Cherry Stout

12 oz. Bottle

Have never really had anything by Bell's Brewery before, but the guy at the bottle shop said they had a Bell's stout tasting not too long ago and most people enjoyed them, the idea of a cherry stout caught my eye above the others.

Like most stouts, appears black in glass with a thin lace of dark khaki head. During the pour, when it wasn't so concentrated, you could see a reddish tint. Smells of chocolate covered cherries and roasted malts. Really balanced and pleasant on the nose.

First taste wasn't what I was expecting: first you get hit with some decent roast malts that are typical of American stouts and a bit chocolate that's not really sweet. The cherry really hits you on the after taste with a nice sour tartness. Really solid cherry flavor, but surprisingly lacking the sweetness I expected/wanted from a cherry stout, especially considering such strong cherry flavor. The finish is a tad tarnished by just how sour and tart the aftertaste is (and a little bitter from the malt/chocolate). Alcohol isn't perceptible, and at 7% ABV it's not going to knock you out of your socks. Carbonation is mildly present.

Bell's Stout is not a bad beer. It just lacks balance. There's strong tartness, mild bitterness, and some pretty decent roasted malt flavor. And none of them get along. I think that had there been some sweetness, this beer could have gone from alright to great.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Alltech's Lexington Brewing Co. Bourbon Barrel Stout

12 oz. bottle

I've been looking for a couple of beers that have been brewed with either coffee or espresso and this was one of the beers I picked up on a recent store run - hoping there's some strong coffee and bourbon flavors here.

Pours black, with a tiny bit of khaki head that quickly dissolves into nothingness. First smell is overwhelmingly of coffee (it is brewed with Haitian coffee after all). A tiny bit of bourbon and vanilla sweetness. But damn, it's like opening a canister of fresh coffee.

First sip reveals really strong coffee flavor. And roasted malts. Nice amount of bitterness (from the coffee and also from a small bit of dark chocolate in there) off of it, a tiny bit of sweetness, but not quite enough; both of these flavors linger in the aftertaste. The bourbon is also a little too tough to find. 8% ABV is well hidden. Carbonation is moderate.

The coffee completely dominates and overpowers any other flavors that might be mixed in there - at the same time it's the beer's only real redeeming quality. The problem is not that the coffee flavor was too strong, but rather that all of the other flavors, namely the bourbon for which this beer is named, lacked in strength to keep up with let alone harmonize with it.

Overall Rating: 2.5/5

Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue)

11.2 oz bottle

Figured for my first Chimay I might as well grab a blue. I've only heard good things about this Belgian strong dark ale. And it's made by Trappist Monks. They've rarely lead me wrong before.

Chimay Blue pours a nice brown color, about the color of a loaf of whole wheat bread crust, with the head being the actually whole wheat bread color. Head starts at about an inch and a half, quickly diminishes to about half an inch. Carbonation is incredibly evident in this beer, both by sight and sound while pouring. Nice fruity sweetness off the nose, some peach, white grape, and cherry at least, with a little bit of tartness coming in on the scent as well. Raisin , brown sugar, and bread tones as well.

As the beer warms a bit, I'm noticing the scents beginning to change: a bit of spiciness, possibly cloves, mixed with a stronger banana sweetness. Some earthiness in the scent as well, almost like whole wheat bread. Hints of raisin and brown sugar remain as well.

First taste reveals a nice, full bodied ale, a little bit of clove spice and some raisin and plum sweetness (maybe the smallest hints of cherry and peach, but possibly just residual from the scent). A good amount of earthiness and heartiness to this one. Maybe a little bit of banana. Alcohol is faintly evident. Carbonation is very evident in taste. Dry finish with minimal hops, which is odd for such a sweet beer (the dry finish, not the lack of hops). The warmer the beer gets, the more the earthy wheat and banana comes out.

There is a lot of good flavor going on in this beer. Which makes it good. But the flavors don't play together spectacularly - the flavor presence is there, but metaphorically: "too many chefs in the kitchen". Which is disappointing. The carbonation is a little too overpowering for me. Not a bad beer, just not the great beer I was expecting from the Trappists. Chimay Blue was alright, but probably not something I'd actively seek out again.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold

On Tap at The Yardhouse in the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack, NY

Usually when I head to this place, I tend towards the darker beers (as I do almost everywhere). I figured I'd take the opportunity with my tasters (you're allowed to try a small bit of 2 different beers on each visit) to try something new, go out of my comfort zone. For me this was to try a pale ale. I'd heard of Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. on several occasions, but this was the first time I'd been able to try one of their offerings.

Liquid Gold pours a bright yellow. For a pale ale I was surprised that there was no visible carbonation. About a 1.5 finger width white head on this one. On first sniff you get a nice honeyed hop scent. There's a little bit of white grape in there as well. First sip reveals a nice honeyed, fruity sweetness, some of which comes from the white grape/apple/pear notes in this beer. A moderate amount of hop bitterness in there as well, but nothing overpowering. Nice crisp, slightly hopped, slightly sweet finish on this. Very high drink-ability, very refreshing. At 6% ABV (alcohol taste isn't present at all), its something you can definitely have 2-3 of before you start to feel a buzz.

Not a bad showing from Captain Lawrence Brewing Company.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Sixpoint The Crisp

16 oz. Aluminum Can

Been trying to find a couple of lighter beers to review, Sixpoint The Crisp looked like a good German pilsner to break that ice with.

Pours a light golden orange. About an inch of white foam, slowly disintegrates and rests at about a quarter of an inch eventually. Carbonation is evident just by looking at it. Very floral/citrus-y nose to this beer. Light and refreshing. But in a pleasing way. There's also some depth with a little extra sweetness and a tint of hop bitterness. To be honest, I wasn't sure pilsners could smell this good. First taste reveals a subtle sweetness - a little bit of lemon and orange, maybe a hint of sourness from green apple. Some floral notes in the taste too - weird saying it this way, but a little grassy, in a pleasant way. A bit of hop aftertaste, but nothing crazy, which compliments the beer nicely. Carbonation is moderately evident - though the amount of carbonation works really well with the style. At 5.4% ABV, this is an extremely drink-able beer (the alcohol presence is about as noticeable as it would be in a Bud Lite, though this tastes way better).

Beer finishes very nicely. The only word that I can think to describe the finish is crisp. Sixpoint delivers on the name. One of the better pils I've had. It tastes great, high drink-ability, but I'd have to say what really blew me away the most about this one was the scent.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Mendocino Talon Smoked Double Porter (Cask)

On Cask Tap - Rattle and Hum, NYC

This (double) porter pours a dark espresso brown, about half an inch of halfway between khaki and espresso head.

Off the nose you get a strong bit of dark fruit, but of chocolate and smoke as well, really nice blend and balance on the scent. First sip hits you pretty quickly with a strong, nice smoke flavor with subtle yet semi-powerful hints of chocolate. Fades into a bit of honeyed dark fruit sweetness. A little espresso in there as well.

The fruit is a little confusing - maybe a little bit of plum and cherry? Some orange in there as well? Tough to put a finger on the exact fruit, but it creates a nice balance.

The amount of smoke limits the drink-ability, but its a strong sipper nonetheless. Alcohol content is hidden very well (considering the ABV is not listed), but it might be a little high considering the punch it packed.

Can't find this beer on BeerAdvocate, which is extremely weird, maybe it's an uncommon beer or a very limited release (though BA is good at being on top of these types of things).

Overall Rating: 4/5

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout

12 oz. Bottle

Of all the beers I've ever heard of, very few have been held in such high esteem as this one. Trying to find this beer was tough - I actually almost skipped right over it because most stores keep it behind the counter. First time I tried to buy it, Total Wine would only let me buy one bottle - that's how rare and in demand it is. I hope it meets all of the hype.

Pours very dark, pretty much black, with a very light head of dark caramel colored bubbles that dissipate very quickly. Bourbon and caramel off the nose, strong vanilla as well, but not as strong as the first two.

Bourbon on the taste, along with that caramel, alcohol is apparent (you get the tiniest bit of burn from the bourbon, nothing too overpowering, but it is 14.9% ABV afterall), sweet caramel fades a bit into dark chocolate and a nice bitter coffee while keeping tones of the bourbon throughout. Really complex, really smooth with a low/moderate amount of carbonation. These flavors just work so well together. Very minimal amount of hops, dark roasted malts are pretty strong here, but take the third seat after bourbon and caramel. Even with that, this beer has just the right amount of sweetness and just a tad of bitterness from the coffee/dark chocolate combination. This beer is almost beyond flavorful.

 Definitely delicious, but low drink-ability because of how strong it is and how strong the almost raw bourbon hits you.

But wow. By every means, a fantastic beer and worth a try if you can find a bottle (and believe me, that’s a big if in some parts of the country).

Overall Rating: 5/5

Widmer Brothers: Brother's Reserve Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout '13

Pint Bottle

The idea of Imperial Stouts and light, sweet, or delicate fruit almost always intrigues me, but also almost always dissapoints me. Hoping Widmer Brothers will be different in the second regard.

Pours black, like most imperial stouts, with a thin lacing of slightly darker than khaki head. Off the head I get a strong malt smell that can be associated to the imperial stout brewing style, but also a bit of dark chocolate and raspberry. A little sweet caramel in there as well. On the first sip you get a very nice malty imperial stout hit, some strong chocolate in there as well. A little bit of subtle raspberry, maybe just a little less strong than the chocolate, both of which take the back seat to a nice pure imperial stout flavor. The flavors kind of hit in that order as well - stout, then chocolate, then raspberry. It seems to me that there's a bit of coffee and caramel as well, but nothing more than a minor hint of either. Bit of a hoppy aftertaste, maybe a little stronger than I'm used to in imperials. Traces of alcohol, makes sense at 9.3% ABV, though other IS's around the same ABV do a better job of hiding it.

Not a bad beer. I was expecting a stronger showing from the raspberry flavor, considering the bottle mentions raspberry 3 times when explaining the beer: once in the name, and then the description reads: "Ale brewed with raspberries with raspberries added".

Well Widmer Brothers, my question to you is "Where are the raspberries?"

My other problem with the beer is the lack of balance and teamwork between the flavors within the beer. Yeah it's great that these flavors are all there and you get to experience each (all of which I find pretty good). But what makes a good beer great is the brewer's ability to utilize all of the flavors within a beer and create a harmony, a nicely balanced flow of flavors. This beer falls a little short in this category.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Flying Dog Brewery's Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout

On Tap at Stout NYC

At bars like Stout with a nice selection of craft beer, it's always nice to get a recommendation based on what you've already drank that nice. The bartenders at Stout NYC know their beer.

Kujo Imperial Coffee pours a very dark chocolate color, not quite black and with brown chocolate-y tints. There's a very faint ring of dark brown head. On the nose you get very strong dark chocolate notes, mixed with a bit of vanilla and a little bit of coffee, maybe even espresso. The taste is also a very strong dark chocolate (almost makes me wonder why this wasn't called Kujo Dark Chocolate Imperial Stout), balanced by less dominant but very present vanilla/caramel/toffee and coffee/espresso notes that balances well and plays very nicely with the imperial stout style. Very little carbonation in this, and the alcohol, at 8.9% ABV is only a little present. Overall a very solid presentation by Flying Dog Brewery.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 12 Reserve

12 oz. Bottle at Stout NYC

Harviestoun was a brewery I had never heard of until a Christmas gathering of my friends which involved a 30 or so person Yankee swap. I ended up with a bottle of Harviestoun 30th Anniversary Ola Dubh, Old ale aged in barrels of Highland Park distillery's 30 year old Scotch. The 12 year, while aged in substantially less aged Scotch barrels, was still a very good beer.

Ola Dubh (literally, "black oil" in Gaelic) pours a very dark black with no head - it looks exactly like engine oil. Predominantly vanilla off the nose, with a bit of Scotch in there as well. Very nice. First taste reveals a nice smooth vanilla and strong Scotch tones; it's very smooth with very low carbonation. I'm also getting a bit of dark chocolate, caramel/toffee, smokiness, and espresso, though only hints of these. There's a tad of hop and smoke in the aftertaste, but it is predominantly nice smooth Scotch, without the burn. The beer really benefits from the aging in the oak Scotch barrels. 8% ABV is present primarily due to the Scotch, but I would argue that this not only does not detract from the experience, but adds to it.

I must say that I was surprised by how complex the Scotch notes were in this beer - you can tell there's some flavor imparted by the oak, and blend of flavors: vanilla, espresso, dark chocolate, caramel/toffee, and smoke really create a nice, round, smooth balance that isn't present in a lot of beers that are this complex. Hoping the Ola Dubh 30 will be able to stand up to the flavor of it's younger brother.

Overall Raiting: 4.5/5

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

On Tap at Stout NYC

Normally when I drink beers containing strong chocolate notes (as I expected this one to), they are stouts or imperial stouts, as chocolate flavor meshes incredibly well with the other usual flavors of the style: vanilla, coffee, smoke, and whiskey, just to name a few. This, on the other hand, was a Belgian dark ale. Brewery Ommegang is known for doing quite a bit of experimenting with unconventional pairings, some of which really work and others of which fall flat.

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence pours a very dark chocolate color with a one and a half finger dark khaki head that quickly diminishes into a think lacing. Very faint chocolate scent, not what I was expecting here, with a bit of floral and spice scent that very unexpectedly outshine the chocolate. On first sip you get a nice strong cinnamon taste (a couple of other spice elements at work here as well, maybe a hint of cayenne and clove), a nice warmness to it, which slightly overpowers the minorly less strong chocolate flavor. Very nice combination, especially when it works with some of the minor notes playing around here: namely a bit of vanilla and caramel, and strangely enough I got a little coffee and banana here as well. The vanilla, caramel, and coffee are to be expected in chocolate beers, but the banana was strange, though it definitely worked well in combination with the rest of the flavors. Nicely balanced, and hides the 7% ABV well.

Overall a good beer, nice chocolate flavor, and definitely not a letdown from Ommegang brewery. My biggest problem with the beer was that everything about it was just good (if that's even a legitimate problem).

Still waiting on them to create a beer that I like more than their Three Philosophers.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Blue Point Winter Ale (Cask Aged)

On Cask Tap at Stout NYC

Whenever I'm at a place where I'm going to get good beer regardless of what I order, there are a few things I look for (other than bourbon/whiskey barrel). One of these things is cask aged beers. These are usually always worth a try because A: you can't really cask age a beer at home or buy a cask aged beer at most liquor stores (obviously there are some exceptions to this) and B: usually they only cask age beer that will benefit strongly from the cask aging, whether it improves the flavors that are already there or balances the flavors (mainly due to the presence of live yeast that continues to mature and manipulate flavors for as long as the beer is still in the cask).

Blue Point Winter Ale may be the exception to point B.

The beer pours a dark amber with very little head, which is to be expected of a cask conditioned ale. I also have to point out here that most cask conditioned ales are served substantially warmer, temperature wise, as this was (though in my opinion, this was served way too warm), and contain less carbonation than most beer, as this did.

First thing I get off the nose is a very strong sweet/sour smell, I want to say citrus-y, but it wasn't. It's tough to put a real flavor scent to it other than just sweet/sour. Minor floral hints. Nose is both confusing (winter beers usually aren't sour) but also a little intriguing. On first sip, very strong lemon flavor, maybe with a bit of grapefruit. A bit of smoke present, a weird combination with the strong citrus flavor of the beer, but it doesn't necessarily not work (though, it doesn't necessarily work, either). The sour citrus really dominates this winter ale. Definitely not what I expected from a winter ale and even less so what I expected from a cask conditioned winter ale.

Overall this beer did not stand up to my expectations of this brewery or this brewing type.

Overall Rating: 2/5

Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero - Mexican Style Chocolate Stout

Pint Bottle

Pours incredibly dark, with a thin lacing of dark brown head. Pervasive smell is bitter coffee and dark chocolate and smooth sweet caramel - even a nice burnt sugar smell. Very pleasing on the nose. First taste starts with a nice bitter coffee/dark chocolate but quickly moves to a nice milk chocolate taste. There is a faint amount of warm cinnamon and chile, wish I had more of that considering that they are a major component in Mexican hot chocolate. The amount of chocolate in Chocolate Sombrero definitely doesn't disappoint. The chocolate continues into the aftertaste - almost reverting to the bitter coffee/dark chocolate combo with a bit of hop, and lingering trace hints of caramel/milk chocolate sweetness. This beer is also very thick (almost like chocolate milk), though it does go down really smooth and finishes almost like a milkshake, probably because of the amount of chocolate flavor in this beer (though to be honest, I'm not sure whether this is a pro or con yet). It does, however, hide the 9% ABV very well.

One of my major complaints about this beer is how the chocolate overwhelms the imperial stout flavor. You get a bit of the traditional imperial stout aftertaste, which is nice, but just not enough.

Other than my two complaints (not enough spice for a "Mexican chocolate stout" and not enough of the imperial stout taste), Chocolate Sombrero is a solid beer. It's worth a try if you're a chocoholic (even if you don't traditionally like darker beers or imperial stouts), but if you're looking for a solid imperial stout, you've come to the wrong place. Not a bad beer, just didn't get what I expected when I opened the bottle.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple

On Tap at the Yardhouse in The Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack, NY

Name sounds a little intimidating, and combined with the 10.7% ABV, I could understand why many people might steer clear of this one (and why others would steer directly towards it.

Pours a nice golden orange color with about an inch of off-white foam. Smells of a nice warm spice, maybe cinnamon, with a subtle sweetness. A bit of alcohol is apparent in the scent. First taste reveals orange and cherry. Then a bit of spice hits the palate before the beer finishes with a nice sweet/sour apple and pear. A very complex beer full of fruit flavor. The alcohol in the taste is almost non-existent, hidden very well by the mix of the rest of the flavors, but what does exist of it takes an almost brandy like quality that plays very well with the other flavors. The fruit is the real star here, each playing an almost equal role, but as you continue, the apple stands a bit above the rest in terms of prominence. Strangely, even with the strong fruit taste, the sweetness is not overwhelming, the bit of spice and the malt of the quad keep it in check. Very full bodied, little to no hop taste, and a very crisp finish.

Would definitely recommend if you can find it on tap (Yardhouse is a chain) or bottle.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Troegs Troegenator Double Bock

On tap at The Yardhouse in The Palisades Center Mall in Nyack, NY

One of the beers I've been wanting to formally review because overall it's one of my favorite beers.

Pours a dark amber color with a nice red hue to it. There's a bit of dark khaki colored head, about an eighth of an inch. Right off the bat you can smell a nice spicy sweetness, probably the most pervasive scent the beer gives off. You can also sense a bit of floral, maybe even a little bit of hop. First sip reveals strong dark fruit flavor, particularly cherry and plum, which work very well in combination with the roasted malt dopplebock flavor of the beer. The sweetness of the beer may also come from a bit of molasses - there are some notes of it, but not nearly as strong as the plum and cherry. A bit of spice, possibly cinnamon rounds out the flavor nicely. Very pleasing, warm, sweet finish, light on hops and carbonation. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden for 8.2% ABV. Very high drink-ability.

Overall, again one of my favorite beers. This beer is something that is worth a try for everyone, and for about $2.50 a bottle, it is definitely accessible, and a great first beer for anyone trying to make the jump from Bud/Coors into the complex world of craft beer.

(Unbiased/Revised) Overall Rating: 4/5

Victory Golden Monkey Ale

On Tap at Miller's Ale House in Paramus, NJ

The name of the beer describes the color almost perfectly: the only description I can give of the appearance is that it is a beautiful golden color, translucent, and you can see the carbonation. There's a slight head to this beer, about half an inch of almost white foam. Scent reveals heavy amounts of banana with a bit of spice. First taste confirms the banana, which is the most omnipresent, almost overwhelming taste (though in my mind, hits the mark right before overwhelming very well). If you don't like banana, this is not the beer for you. Small hop bite, but nothing too crazy here. Nice amount of sweetness, again mostly thanks to the banana notes. A bit of spice complements the banana well but definitely doesn't stand out too much. Medium/high carbonation. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden for the 9.5% ABV.

Definitely one of the better beers at Miller's tonight, and definitely worth a shot if you can find it on tap.

Again though, the real star is the banana. Very good beer overall.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Kona Big Wave

On Tap at Miller's Ale House In Paramus, NJ

Beer is a light honey color, translucent, you can see the carbonation - appears heavily carbonated at fist. Smell reveals a very effervescent and fresh scent, almost hoppy and piney. Beer is super smooth upon first taste, which is surprising considering the amount of carbonation that is actually visible. Watermelon and coconut notes, neither of which is overwhelming, I wish there had been more of both or either. Might be the tiniest bit of lemon in there as well. Alcohol goes almost unnoticeable, as I expected for a beer with 4.4% ABV. Very mild overall - hate to say it but this is almost a better version of Bud Light brewed with a bit of watermelon and coconut.

An alright yet underwhelming beer, worth a shot if you're looking for something on the lighter side.

Overall Rating: 2/5

Clown Shoes Genghis Pecan Porter

Pint Bottle

My favorite desert on Thanksgiving day is always the Pecan Pie. It would obviously follow that I would have to pick up a bottle of a beer labeled "Pecan Pie Porter".

This beer pours incredibly dark with a tiny bit of dark brown head, a very tiny bit. Not even a quarter of an inch. Scent reveals pecans and brown sugar, as I would expect, but also a hint of chocolate, possibly because of the porter malt. First sip reveals a very smooth texture with light carbonation. A nice bold porter flavor. Strong hints of pecan and brown sugar (as I had hoped and expected, because of the labeling and because it is brewed using both). Chocolatey/vanilla sweet undertones, maybe even a bit of molasses, none of which are overpowering and all of which compliment the porter nicely. Alcohol is well hidden for 7% ABV.

Overall a quality beer and definitely worth a try, especially at just under $6 for a pint bottle. Fairly nice pecan pie taste to this one, but nothing groundbreaking in terms of porters or beers with nutty flavors.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana

Pint Bottle

At first I didn't really want to try this beer. I had tried a previous version of Rogue's Voodoo Doughnut Beer line (Maple Bacon Doughnut), and had absolutely hated it. Sounds good on paper, but was executed very poorly. But I was somehow convinced to give this one a try.

First thing I noticed was how incredibly dark this beer is. Even the head is on the darker side, about a quarter of an inch of brownish tan foam at the top. The beer smells very strongly of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. Very strongly. Like beer shouldn't smell this strongly of that combination. At least it stays true to the label. First sip reveals much of the same: very strong chocolate taste, fading into the peanut butter and banana duo as an almost aftertaste (the chocolate comes on strong, but fades and lingers lightly to let the other two shine). No bitter hops. Very low carbonation, almost imperceptible. The beer goes down very smooth.

A decent novelty beer (in small quantities), and worth a shot if you like the flavor combination, but by no means a great beer. Rating is based heavily on how much I enjoyed the novelty of this beer. Not sure I could drink an entire bottle of it by myself though.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Kuka Golden Ale

Belgian Style Ale Brewed with Maca Root and Blue Agave

Pint Bottle

Once I saw the phrase blue agave, I was hooked. For those of you that don't know, blue agave is the major component of tequila (most top-shelf tequila is made 100% of blue agave).

Pours a light honey color. Carbonation is incredibly evident at first, almost champagne-like by the looks of it. Scent is light and floral with a little bit of citrus. Nothing incredibly overpowering. First sip reveals and incredible but fleeting sweetness - a lot of which most likely comes from the agave, but also notes of apricot and grape, a good amount of banana and pear as well. A little bit of spice, very light on the hops, but enough so that they are slightly evident. Finishes slightly on the dry side. No particular lingering flavor. Carbonation is very evident, the alcohol taste a lot less so, which is surprising for such delicate flavor covering up 9.2% ABV. Very high drink-ability.

The beer is brewed with Maca, though I'm not sure where that flavor comes through as I don't know what Maca tastes like.

Very good beer. I just think that somewhere along the line the brewer got confused between creating a sweet ale and a strong ale and this was the result (Though I must remind, still a very good outcome). Definitely worth a shot, especially since it is on the cheaper end of the pint bottle spectrum at $10. And at the 9.2% ABV, you're getting your money's worth.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Brooklyn 25th Anniversary Lager (A Fallibility of Perception Bottle)

Pint Bottle

I must say that this is one beautiful bottle. Brooklyn has decided to showcase some of the art of Joe Amrhein, who according to the back of the bottle, used to serve Brooklyn beers in his Pierogi 2000 gallery back in the early 90's.

The beer pours a dark honey color with an amber/red tint to it, absolutely beautiful with only a bit of head (about 1/3 of an inch of cream colored foam). Smells floral and citrus-y at first, with notes of caramel/vanilla in the mix. First sip reveals a smoothness that is made somewhat odd by the high level of carbonation, but it somehow works. A tad hoppier than I normally like (especially for a dopplebock style lager), but it mostly works with the rest of the flavors: caramel, spice, a bit of citrus (definitely orange, possibly even a little lime or grapefruit), even a little bit of honey. There is traditional dopplebock flavor hidden underneath the hop, though almost as an after thought. Pretty well balanced. Hops give it a nice finish, and a medium-low bitter aftertaste, though this aftertaste is mellowed out by an almost honey tasting aftertaste as well. Finishes a lot drier than I would have expected for a dopplebock.

Definitely not the beer I thought I was getting when I purchased, but not necessarily a letdown either. At $15 a bottle, this beer is something that is definitely worth a try if you've got the spare cash, but there are plenty of other beers I'd prefer over this. I was hoping that this beer would be of the same caliber as Black Ops 2013, but it paled in comparison.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean (Stone Limited Winter Edition)

Pint Bottle

Again, 2 more of the phrases I look for when buying beer: "smoked porter" and "vanilla bean". Stone brewery usually doesn't disappoint, hopefully they'll continue that tradition.

First things first: pours very dark, almost black, with about a centimeter thick beige-ish foam. Smells almost purely of vanilla, which is a good sign, though no sign of smoke yet. First sip reveals the smoke completely - this beer hits you in layers: first an almost traditional porter (chocolate and coffee tones, neither of which is particularly strong) with a bit of smoke, followed by a evanescent vanilla bean flavor, ending in almost a pure smokiness (with a bit of bitter/coffee) as the most lingering aftertaste. By far one of the most complex beers I've ever tasted. Carbonation is fairly high compared to most porters I've drank, ABV of 5.9% very well hidden.

Overall a good, complex beer, enjoyable, as expected of Rogue.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Allagash Curieux

Pint Bottle

When I walk through any store with craft beer there are a couple of phrases that I look for on bottles. One of these phrases is "Aged in Bourbon/Whiskey/Whisky barrels/casks." Allagash Curieux caught my attention for just that reason. I'm hoping it's worth the hefty price tag of around $18 a pint.

Upon pouring the Curieux, I first notice that there is little to no head, which later develops into a white foam about an inch (just about two fingers) thick. The beer is a cloudy, light colored caramel. First smell gives hints of almost white wine, grapes, maybe a hint of caramel that I can only guess comes from the bourbon aging. The high alcohol content is fairly apparent (it's 11% ABV). First taste gives a gentle fruit flavor, grape it seems like, mixed with vanilla/caramel/bourbon-y notes (which imparts a nice, lingering sweetness undertone), and some bitterness, sort of hoppy nature in the aftertaste that I don't usually enjoy, but combined with the bourbon aging is fairly interesting. It goes down smooth (almost too smooth, like I'm drinking wine) - carbonation is low-medium and finishes fairly dry, leaving a mild bourbon/hop aftertaste that I strangely find enjoyable (as I do not enjoy hoppier beers like IPAs).

Upon first taste, I did not think that the Allagash Curieux would be worth my money, though as I continue to sip it's slowly growing on me. I would look for it cheaper (the snow was coming and my town doesn't have many craft beer options) if you can find it, but it's worth a try at least once.

Overall Rating: 4/5