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October 31, 2004

Harp

Name: Harp
Brewed In/Type: Ireland/Lager
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $11.49 12 pack
Dennis: The sad fact is that Guinness no longer actually provides beer brewed in Ireland, it's all from Canada. That being said this is a very decent beer, slightly over carbonated, but perfect for those black and tan's you desire so much. Sightly bitter with mild hoppiness this is the perfect drink to make you feel better than all the bud/miller drinkers around you, but a real man would drink a guinness extra stout ;)
Jen: This is Guniness' Lager. It is pretty decent with strong hoppy flavors and a nice medium body. It is easy to drink and leaves a nice aftertaste in your mouth. Not too strong and fairly yummy.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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October 30, 2004

Killians Irish Red

Name: Killians Irish Red
Brewed In/Type: Golden, CO / Lager
Bought at/Price Woodmans /$8.99 12 pack
Dennis: Probably one of the best cheap beers out there. The funniest part is that this beer is really made by Coors and is "not" imported at all. High carbination and a mild burnt taste are what make this brew memorable. Good brew, especially considering it's made by coors :)
Jen: Okay, so this beer is "fashioned after the orginal" of a true irish red lager. So in other words, it is a glorified domestic beer. However, it is pretty decent. Relatively inexpensive and easy to drink. Has a nice crisp flavor and virtually no after taste. Decent, cheap and goes down smoothly.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 28, 2004

Dixie: Blackened VooDoo

Name:Dixie Blackened Voodoo
Brewed In/Type: New Orleans / Lager
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $8.49 6 pack
Dennis: We bought this beer sight unseen and had high hopes for it. Honestly, it's a not bad beer with a sweet undertone and a bitter finish, but in a good way. The real killing point for this beer is the price. Perhaps back in New Orleans where it can be found on tap this is a cheaper and fresher beer, but for the price I'd say this is only worth a try once if you are looking for a bitter brew.
Jen: This beer isn't that bad, but I probably will never going to buy it again. It really isn't worth the $$. It starts off sweet and ends with a burnt taste. Almost like over baked cookies. It has a medium body and no pizazz.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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October 27, 2004

Sea Dog: Pumpkin Ale

Name: Sea Dog: Pumpkin Ale
Brewed In/Type: Portland Maine / Ale
Bought at/Price Trader Joe's/$4.99 6 pack
Dennis: This is a seasonal beer I believe. Light body, very sweet and spicey with a mild pumpkin taste. Honestly the biggest taste I walk away with is cinnamon. Good fall brew, worth having, and respectful...not gimmicky. Also, when you factor the very very reasonable price this is a beer worthy of your purchase.
Jen: Pretty good from the moment you open it. You can definitely smell the pumpkin and cinnamon. It has a nice light body and goes down very easily. I would suggest having it if you are throwing a Halloween party. It isn't overwhelming and is good.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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October 26, 2004

Flying Dog: In-Heat Wheat

Name: In-Heat Wheat
Brewed In/Type: Denver, CO / Hefeweizen
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $6.99 6 pack
Dennis: I'm not a big fan of the wheat beers. It's not that they aren't good, it's just that I don't think I fully appreciate them. This is a good wheat beer as far as I can tell. Compared to other's, it get's a little weak once poured, but has a good overall flavor. If you have a friend who likes wheat beers this is good. Complex smell, simple beer, semi rich flavor. Nothing to overpowering.
Jen: This is a pretty decent wheat beer. It has a slighlty sweet flavor with a light body and a minor after taste. It is fairly easy to drink and doesn't require you to have a pallet for strong beers. A nice change of beers and definitely worth trying if you like wheat beers.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 24, 2004

Abita: Purple Haze

Name: Abita: Purple Haze
Brewed In/Type: New Orleans / Wheat
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $6.99 6 pack
Dennis: I remember when we first say Leinenkugels Berrywies at Binny's. We were so excited to get it home and drink it, but when we did we were overwhelmed by the chemically berry taste. I was like drinking tea made with a berry car freshner. This beer is a little different, but still has some flaws. Basically it's like drinking flat clearly canadian berry. It has a strong smell, but a very nice raspberry taste to it. Very natural and not of a chemical taste at all. It's a very good light raspberry beer, but nothing much more than that.
Jen: I really don't think that this beer is all it could have been. I do like the fact that the raspberry isn't too overwhelming, but this really does tast kind of like raspberry san pellegrino. It is light, fruity and more of a tart raspberry which I enjoy. Easy to drink, but slightly boring.
Rating: 3 out of 5

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October 23, 2004

Dinkel Acker

Name: Dinkel Acker
Brewed In/Type: Germany/Pils
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $9.99 12 pack
Dennis: This is a very traditional german pils. Crisp with a twinge of bitterness. Good but kinda tastes like very other type of german pils. All in all very enjoyable, probably their version of MGD.
Jen: Not too bad of a german pils. Has a nice light body with a slight after taste like most german beers do. This one definitely reminds me of the beers on draft in Frankfurt. Easy to drink, light and refreshing, better than some, not as good as others.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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October 22, 2004

Flying Dog: Tire Bite

Name: Flying Dog: Tire Bite
Brewed In/Type: Denver, CO / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $6.99 6pack
Dennis: This is a very good light microbrew. Nothing to strong, this is good for those friends of yours you are weening off Budweiser :) Light body, barely hoppy at all, this is a very enjoyable light beer that still has some taste. Nothing to amazing, just enjoyable. Probably best for a cool day with a hot grill.
Jen: This is a decent beer. Has a slight "bite" at the end of it but nothing too drastic. A nice taste that is slightly light with little twinge that is enjoyable. Nothing too strong, but different than other golden ales. Definitely worth a shot for something new.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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October 21, 2004

Cooper's Best Extra Stout

Name: Cooper's Best Extra Stout
Brewed In/Type: Australia/Stout
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $6.99 6 pack
Dennis: A stout is a stout is a stout. The funny thing about this is when I opened the first one the bottle cracked and I ended up pouring the entire bottle thru a coffee filter to remove the glass shards. That's only the 2nd time that's happened to me and of course it didn't affect Jen's. Anyways, light body (for a stout) and a very rich dark chocolate taste from the roasted malt. This is a "light" stout, but good if you want something harder than a guinness but don't want to feel like your getting mouth raped. Personally, I'd go for the Guinness Extra Stout over this, but it is a little softer if you aren't up for drinking the hard stuff (only 6.something% alcohol).
Jen: It really is nothing special (except no additives or preservatives). It has a rich, but light taste to it with a "bam" at the end and no aftertaste except a slight lingering. Not too bad for the $$ , but I wouldn't necessarily buy it again...I would rather spend my hard earned money on something really delicious.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 20, 2004

Red Hook Blonde

Name: Red Hook Blonde
Brewed In/Type:Portsmouth, NH / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $8.99 12 pack
Dennis: I don't exepect much from a beer named Blonde (or blondie as I keep calling it). However, every time we visit Jen's mom we drive by the brewery and I always wanted to try a Red Hook. Ok, so this is a good, but confused beer. It's a light ale, with a very subtle hoppiness. So sublte that if this was your 2nd or 3rd beer you might not even taste it honestly. Under that is a wheat taste that isn't strong enough to overpass the hops really, but makes it's precense known. Over all, a light beer but it's designed to be so and does it well.
Jen: What can I say, I am a sucker for Red Hook, having lived down the street from the brewery and all. This is a nice light beer with subtle barley and hop flavors. Easy to drink with great mild flavors that is not too overpowering. Something new for you to try.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 18, 2004

Red Seal Ale

Name: Red Seal Ale
Brewed In/Type: California/ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's/$6.99 for a 6-pack
Dennis: This is not what I expect when we purchased this. This beer has a wonderful hoppy smell, and a deep taste. It comes on smooth but leaves with a slight (but tasty) bitterness that could be the malted barley that really is the signature of this brew. If you like a rich, midley hoppy ale you'll love this beer. Personally I think it's a very good brew.
Jen: I can definitely taste malted barley and the hops in this one. It is a very tasty beer with a distinct after taste. A slightly bitter taste, but not in a bad way, with a light body and a strong finish. This ale is a really good, but for someone who enjoys beer other than the mainstream mass brew American stuff.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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October 17, 2004

Founders: Imperial Stout

Name: Founders: Imperial Stout
Brewed In/Type: Grand Rapids, MI / Stout
Dennis: Another high alcohol content stout. 10% if my memory serves me correct. Deep, dark chocolate taste with a slight bitterness this is a powerful, but good stout. Semi thick body, so I would only recommend this for stout lovers.
Jen: Blah, blah, blah. Just another high ABV stout to try. The flavor isn't that bad and I don't mind drinking this, but I think that they all start to taste alike. This one has a slightly different flavor, a little more bitter at the end. Robust flavor and full bodied.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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October 14, 2004

Weizen

Name: Weizen
Brewed In/Type: Illinois (Home Brew)/Weizen
Dennis: Light body, highy effervescent, has the look of apricot nectaur probably due to the yeast it was brewed and bottled with. The spices remind me of fall and pumkins personally sort of like the Castle: Weiss, but nothing to over powering. Very nice brew, and perfect for the fall.
Jen: Another home brew from a friend of a friend. It is quite good and easy to drink. Slighty spicy with almost a nutmeg flavor to it. It is light and bubbly. Quite a good beer. Dennis and I will have to get tips from both of these guys when we start brewing our own beers!
Rating: 4 out of 5

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October 13, 2004

Stoney Creek: Vanilla Stout

Name: Stoney Creek: Vanilla Stout
Brewed In/Type: Detroit, MI / Porter
Dennis: There are 2 ways to do a specialty brew like this. The first way is to overkill it and make it gimmicky such as the Pyramid Apricot Ale or Bell's Cherry Stout where the flavor just over shoots the body and presentation of the beer. The second way is to blend the flavor smoothly into the beer. I'm happy to say that this beer does a good job of making it an enhancement and not a cheap marketing ploy. This is further proven by the fact that this is a porter and not just a cheap beer/ale body. Smooth body, deep rich flavor that isn't invasive. Very recommended for vanilla lovers out there, or fan's of tiramisu (the rich flavor and taste for some reason reminds me of tiramisu). A little foo foo for me, and I wouldn't drink it all the time. But definitely a good beer for holiday parties.
Jen: Okay, so this porter reminds me of a couple different things: 1) the taste that is left in you mouth after drinking a vanilla coke 2) how vanilla bean ice cream tastes versus regular vanilla. I know that this porter is kind of a gimmick, but I like it. It is smooth and tasty and is definitely worth a try if you like something with a little sweet to it.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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October 12, 2004

Leinenkugels: Creamy Dark

Name: Leinenkugels: Creamy Dark
Brewed In/Type: Wisconsin/Lager
Dennis: This is arguably Leinenkugel's best beer. Light body with a slight bitterness, and a soft nutty aftertaste. It still has that watered down conditon that seems to affect all the leinenkugel's, but it definitely has the most robust flavor of their lineup.
Jen: Light, delicious and easy to drink. As Dennis has said, this is their best beer I have had to date. A mild after taste and medium body. Definitely worth a try if you want something instead of your ususal Budweiser crap.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Posted by Jen at 12:00 AM | | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

October 11, 2004

Pete's Wicked Ale

Name: Pete's Wicked Ale
Brewed In/Type: Utica, NY / Ale
Dennis: This is a good beer. Smooth body with a bit of a harsh bitterness at the first swig. Subtle hoppy finish makes this a beer that for it's price is surprisingly flavorful and robust. Definetly worth having when you have friends who don't enjoy drinking piss.
Jen: This beer is nice and smooth with a slightly hoppy aftertaste that lingers in your mouth for just a moment. The flavors are just a little bit more robust than any other plain ale that you could buy. Flavorful and easy to drink: 2 things I like about this beer!
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 10, 2004

Bell's Expedition Stout

Name: Bell's Expedition Stout
Brewed In/Type: Kalamazoo, MI / Stout
Dennis: Holy crap. This is like drinking melted dark chocolate. Very strong...strong like bull. Good stuff, but very expensive. I only recommend this if the rogain isn't putting any hair on your head, at least you'll have some on your chest. Deep taste, strong presence, heavy aftertaste. If you know somebody who drinks guinness like water, than this will make their day.
Jen: Wow. Okay, so I really like stouts. This one is 11.5% ABV and you definitely can tell from the minute you open it from the smell. It is definitely tasty, very robust and full of flavor. Delicious, but not for those "faint of heart"; you need a taste for beer and especially stouts!
Rating: 4 out of 5 (cause it can power a car if you run out of gas)

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October 09, 2004

Victory: Moonglow Weizen Bock

Name: Victory: Moonglow Weizen Bock
Brewed In/Type: Downington, PA / Wheat beer (weizen bock)
Dennis: Lord, thank you for Victory brewing company. I'm not a big fan of wheat beer's personally, but this is pretty good stuff. Very spicey and strong, this doesn't leave a heavy aftertaste. Very deep taste with many levels and spices makes for a hearty drink. Not quite as strong as Golden Monkey, but a true treat for wheat beer lovers.
Jen: Not too bad but it seems that all of Victory beers have this weird sweet taste to it. This is a pretty decent Weizen with a hearty taste and full of flavors. I just don't like this as much as other weizen beers that I haved in the past.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Founders: Imperial Stout

Name: Founders: Imperial Stout
Brewed In/Type:
Dennis:
Jen:
Rating:

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October 05, 2004

Berghoff: Oktoberfest

Name: Berghoff: Oktoberfest
Brewed In/Type: Wisconsin/Beer
Dennis: Light, crisp, tasty. Yet another Oktober fest, finally drank in the month it's named after. Nothing to special flavor wise, but the price was certainly right for a 12 pack. Very middle of the pack.
Jen: Okay, so it is finally October...This fest beer is tasty. Filled subtly with all of the flavors that you expect. A nice smooth and quick after taste. Pretty decent beer especially for the price. I will definitely be buying this again next year when it is available
Rating: 4 out of 5

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October 03, 2004

Oatmeal Stout

Name: Oatmeal Stout
Brewed In/Type: Illinois (Home Brew)/Stout
Dennis: This is an excellant brew. Now the story about how we got this is kinda funny. A friend of a friends gave it to us because we mentioned how much we like stouts and review them. Turns out my friend and this gentleman are micro brewers, and after tasting this I have to say very good ones. This is a deep, flavorful oatmeal stout that isn't as bitter as some other mass produced stouts. Low in carbination, this is a very smooth tasting and easy drink to enjoy. Honestly, I can't say good enough things about this. It's exactly what a stout should be, plain, simple and good. None of that hokey stuff here.
Jen: Wow. I love stouts and this one is excellent. It has a nice even flavor with an after taste that is simply delicious and not too heavy. A truly great Oatmeal Stout that I could drink all of the time (if I had more!)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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October 02, 2004

Miller Genuine Draft Light

Name: Miller Genuine Draft Light
Brewed In/Type: Milwaukee, WI/Beer
Dennis: Ah, gotta love a mass produced beer made for good ol' blue collar working folks. Seriously, I knew we drink a lot of micro brews, but there will always be a place for cheap light beer in our life. What it doesn't have in taste it makes up for in value :)
Jen: Just another American light beer. I buy it to drink when I need something to quench my thirst. It is good and cheap. Tastes pretty much like any other plain ole light beer.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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October 01, 2004

Samuel Adam's: Light

Name: Sam Adam's Light
Brewed In/Type: Boston, MA / Beer
Dennis: After drinking so many beer's it's hard to go back to drinking a light. As lights go however, this is far above MGD or Michelob. Not much really to day, but it is nice to know that pretty much ever beer Sam Adam's makes is good. "Always a good choice" ;) Which reminds me of this commercial I put on my site like 3 years ago....
Jen: If I am going to drink a light beer this is my first choice above all else. It really tastes like a lighter version of Sam's. Great flavor with a light body and a smooth after taste. Delicious! :)
Rating: 4 out of 5.

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