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December 31, 2004

Dogfish Head: Immort Ale

Name: Dogfish Head: Immort Ale
Brewed In/Type: Milton, DE / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $14.49 6 pack
Dennis: This is a confusing beer to me. The cost and taste don't quite make sense, but I have to side with the opinion that it because of the supreme quality of craftsman ship. This does not taste like an ale with 11% alc volume. It has a sweet musty smell, with a slightly sweat/vanilla/raisiny taste...very deep and strong (probably due to fact that you could almost run a car on it). High quality beer, recommended to drink at least once. Certainly the smoothest high alcohol beer I've ever had.
Jen: This, out of the high alcohol content beers, is by far my favorite. It is extremely smooth and sweet. It has undertones of vanilla and maple that I can definitely taste. There is a slight bite at the end, but nothing that is too overwhelming. It is very enjoyable for an 11% abv beer.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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December 29, 2004

Blue Star

Name: North Coast Brewery: Blue Star
Brewed In/Type: Mendocino County, CA / Wheat beer
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $7.49 6 pack
Dennis: This is what I consider to be a very light wheat beer. North Coast Brewery makes a really good beer called Red Seal, which I recommend heartily, but this is something to try once but i don't see myself drinking over and over. There really isn't much complexity besides a faint hint of lemon, which makes this a great starter wheat beer...but leaves somebody already up to speed feeling a little like they've been let down.
Jen: To me this is a boring beer. Very plan and not too much to talk about. It has a slighly lemon flavor to it with a light body. It is good for someone who whats to slowly start expanding their beer line up. It leaves a nice mild after taste with no bitterness whatsoever. It is a good "new" beer for those used to a plan ole American brew.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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December 27, 2004

Stone Brewing: Arrogant Bastard

Name: Arrogant Bastard Ale
Brewed In/Type: San Marcos, CA / Ale
Bought at/Price Shipped via friend / unknown
Dennis: Holy wow. This is another of the fine brews shipped to us for review from TX. Now previously we've had the Stone IPA and it was good, but this beer certainly makes an impression. The label lays everything out for you pretty clearly. You are not worthy. This beer smells deep and musty, and comes on with a strong, hoppy bitterness interwoven with a thick sweetness. I don't give a crap how it poured, what it's lacy head looked like, or how it's hoppy effervescence satiated my pallet. Simple point is this is a good beer, and if you ever have the chance you must taste it.
Jen: This is a great beer and I wish we could get it locally. It starts off with a nice sweetness to it that masks the hoppiness at first, however, you end with a taste of citrusy hops. As Dennis just said "This is how beer should be!" Easy to drink with a nice medium body and goes down smooth. It you enjoy a good hoppy beer, definitely give this a go!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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December 25, 2004

Great Lakes: Christmas Ale

Name: Great Lakes: Christmas Ale
Brewed In/Type: Cleveland, OH / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $8.49 6 pack
Dennis: First of all, merry christmas :) Now, on to the beer. This is probably overall the best christmas brew available. There is a deep richness to it and a taste of honey, cinnamon and ginger to it. Over all a very robust full holiday beer worth having. I recommend you try this at least once if you get the chance....and try not to spill any.
Jen: Happy Holidays to those who actually visit our site. We picked this especially for christmas because I trully believe that it encompasses what christmas would taste like if you brewed it and bottled it. It is sweeter because of the honey, but not sicky sweet. It has hints of christmas spices like cinnamon. It is a nice medium to full body that ends with a nice sweet taste as you exhale. This is the perfect Christmas ale, not to mention that it is 7.5% abv.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5

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December 24, 2004

Goose Island: Christmas Ale

Name: Goose Island: Christmas Ale
Brewed In/Type: Chicago, IL / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $10.99 12 pack
Dennis: This has a nice hoppy smell to it, subtle but plesant. The taste is also hoppy but also had a some deep malts to it but over all a light body. All in all very good for a "macro" micro brew. This is something I could drink all year round.
Jen: This beer seems to encompass more of a winter feel than just a "Christmas" ale. It has a Christmas woodsy taste to it, but it is in conjuction with a nice even blend of hops and maltiness. It is easy to drink and a nice "inexpensive" offering to have with any holiday get together.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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December 23, 2004

Shiner: Winter Ale

Name: Shiner: Winter Ale
Brewed In/Type: Shiner, TX / Ale
Bought at/Price Not applicable / unknown
Dennis: This is one of the beers a fellow beer lover shipped to us from Texas, so you can't really buy this locally. That being said this beer is simple to overlook. The taste and work that go into this are so subtle that you could overlook them. It has a very deep musty sweet smell to it, with a very light body but deep taste brought about probably by the malted wheat with no hint of banana or clove. Very simple in its complexity, this is certainly worth trying for the fact that it is dependably good.
Jen: This beer definitely has a nice winter feel to it. It is a nice mild flavor to it that doesn't overwhelm your palate. Winter spices and deep in content, but nothing too overwhelming. It has a distinct taste of roaseted barley and malts. Good to drink; too bad you can't get it around here!
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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December 22, 2004

Pyramid: Snow Cap

Name: Pyramid: Snow Cap
Brewed In/Type: Seattle, WA / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $6.49 6 pack
Dennis: The only pyramid brewery beer I've previously had was the Apricot Ale, so honestly my hopes were not high for this beer. I have to say though, after having this brew my opinion has changed greatly about the brewery. This is probably one of the best values you'll find this season. The smell is that of a porter, but the body comes on a little lighter with more carbonation and a hoppy/stouty aftertaste that is very abbreviated. If you see this, do not pass it buy, it is certainly worth purchasing.
Jen: So far, this beer is the best bang for buck. It is a 7% ABV and has a nice smooth flavor to it. It has a fruity and spicy flavor to it, ends with a mild hoppiness and an aftertaste of nuts. Definitely one of Pyramids finest brews that I have tasted!
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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December 21, 2004

Sam Adams: Holiday Porter

Name: Sam Adams: Holiday Porter
Brewed In/Type: Boston, MA / Porter
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $9.99 12 pack
Dennis: Another fine brew from Sam Adam's. This is certainly a heartier brew than a typical ale, with a heavy sweet smeel to it. Deep malty taste with a lingering sweetness underneath this is not a heavy brew, but not a light brew.
Jen: This is a nice Holiday brew with great undertomes of chocolate and caramel. It has the makings of a stout and a slight finish of IPA. The body is medium to full and the after taste leaves hops and burnt chocolate. It is easy to drink and a nice addition to any holiday celebration.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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December 19, 2004

Red Hook: Winterhook

Name: Red Hook: Winterhook
Brewed In/Type: Portsmouth, NH / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $4.99 6 pack
Dennis: This is a seasonal beer from Redhook, and another fine one to add to their lineup. The smell is slightly hoppy, with a rye hint almost. And the taste is almost like an IPA with a slight hint of citrus (grapefruit) that makes for a wonderfully smooth bitter aftertaste. No mention of citrus on their site, so perhaps it's the flavor of the toasted barley. Regardless, this beer (at 6.1% alc vol) along with their other beers is a total steal. Certainly worth having.
Jen: This is a pretty decent beer with undertones of malts and citrusy hops. It is a nice medium bodied and little aftertaste. I wouldn't necessarily consider this a "winter" ale, but does have high drinkability.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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December 18, 2004

Sam Adams: Old Fezziwig Ale

Name: Sam Adams: Ole Fezziwig Ale
Brewed In/Type: Boston, MA / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $9.99 12 pack
Dennis: This is an odd beer to me. While it has a light body the taste is very heavy...it's not a porter, but reminds me of one. Perhaps it's the cinnamon or ginger (didn't taste any orange in it personally). It certainly has a distinctive spicy aroma and a very interesting aftertaste. While not a year round beer, it's perfect in the variety pack it came in. Over all the variety pack is one of the best values out there for this holiday season.
Jen: This is definitely a "winter" beer. It has a distinct maltiness to it that is accompanied with a mild ginger flavor and cinnamon. It is medium bodied and fairly easy to drink. This is a pretty decent beer that just adds to the holiday cheer.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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December 17, 2004

O'Fallens: Happy Holidaze

Name: O'Fallens: Happy Holidaze
Brewed In/Type: O'Fallon, MO / Brown Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $6.99 6 pack
Dennis: Remember those candy cane pens from grade school? The ones with the pepermint ink that smelled good but tasted bad. This reminds me of that. This is a gimmick beer in my opinion, and our first O'Fallon beer. Reasonably light body, almost porter like despite the fact their website says it's a brown ale base. Regardless, it's a pepperminty beer, and not much else will shine through the taste. There's no depth or anything here, just mint.
Jen: This is a light bodied "beer" with an aftertaste of mint. It really doesn't taste like anything except fuzzy water with mint. *yawn, quite boring actually, I think that this beer is a gimmick. Is is just a beer with mint added and that seems to be it IMO. On a better note, the picture of the reindeer on the beer bottle is cute.
Rating: 3.25ish out of 5

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December 16, 2004

Anchor Brewing: Our Special Ale 2004

Name: Anchor Brewing: Our Special Ale 2004
Brewed In/Type: San Francisco, CA / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $8.49 6 pack
Dennis: According to the website the taste and recipe of this beer change every year and are a secret, so if it's 2005 and your reading this...don't bother :). That said, this beer is pretty appropriate for the season. It has a light body (almost like a porter) with a deep rich roasted goodness. Definately is unique in the holiday tastes it has a distinct cinnamon/nutmeg/clovey hint to it. Worth trying for sure this holiday season, the only real bad point is the price is waaay to high.
Jen: This is a very tasty beer. It has many several characteristics: it has a stout like aftertaste, with a medium body, and a malty flavor as you are drinking it. This ale definitely contains spices of the season with a burnt-like crispness to it. It is easy to drink and tastes good.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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December 15, 2004

Sierra Nevada: Celebration Ale

Name: Sierra Nevada: Celebration Ale
Brewed In/Type: Chico, CA/IPA
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $7.49 6 pack
Dennis: I personally like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale, but didn't expect this going in. This is an IPA by nature, and smells wonderfully hoppy when you open it. The taste is like a skyrocket, goes in smooth with a light body and slight bitterness then explodes in a really plesant, slightly grapefruity, lingering bitterness. This is a real hop lovers dream come true, and at 6.8% a real bargin. If you see this and love hops, you need to buy this.
Jen: Wow. I wasn't expecting a lot from this beer but it is excellent. It has a light body with really strong hoppy flavors. It surprised me with how smooth it is. It also has a citric acid tartness to it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but this seasonal ale is definitely worth picking up for the holidays.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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December 13, 2004

Victory: Golden Monkey

Name: Victory: Golden Monkey
Brewed In/Type: Downington, PA / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $10.49 6 pack
Dennis: This is one of my favorite brews probably, and my first Victory brew that I ever drank. Very strong with a musty spicey head this beer almost has a wheat taste to it of bananas and clove. It's medium bodied and makes quite a presence in your mouth leaving behind a spicey/yeasty taste. Complex, deep, and certainly worth your investment. Highly recommended.
Jen: This is another strong brew. It has a lot of good flavors to it that range from apricots to caramel to spices. It is good, but you have to prepare yourself for something different. It isn't easy to drink, but it does go down well.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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December 11, 2004

Victory: Hop Wallop

Name: Victory: Hop Wallop
Brewed In/Type: Downington, PA / Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $9.99 6 pack
Dennis: Whenever I have a Victory beer they always feel as if they were crafted by someone who loves beer. This is a new beer in their lineup as far as I know, and it's very hoppy. I know that's no secret but seriously, this is really hoppy. Like kick your ass kinda hoppy. It reminds me what an offspring would taste like between Alpha King Pale Ale and Ithica Flower Power. A really good beer, with a semi heavy body, certainly worth your tasting.
Jen: This is an extremely hoppy beer. Not much more to say than that. It is a tasty beer with a light to medium body. I leaves a definite aftertaste of hops and almost a lemony flavor. I just can't put my finger on the exact flavor. It is a "vivid" beer that almost overwhelms your pallet, but good nonetheless.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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December 09, 2004

Stone Brewing: IPA

Name: Stone: IPA
Brewed In/Type: San Marcos, CA / IPA
Bought at/Price unavailable / unknown
Dennis: There is actually some really good information on what an IPA is on Stone's website, but in the off chance you don't want to read it, just know this is a good beer. Clocking in at a respectful 6.9% alc with a wonderful musty/hoppy smell and a bitter zing this brew is certainly a wonderful example of the IPA type of beer.
Jen: Another good IPA IMHO. However, I have been on an IPA kick for a little while now. This one is a nice clean crisp refreshing taste with a just nice hoppy flavor to it. The aftertaste isn't too strong and it's lighter body (not light, but slightly lighter than a medium bodied) just adds to the smoothness of the ale. Very good and easy to drink, even out of a bomber.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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December 07, 2004

Bells Best Brown Ale

Name: Bells Best Brown Ale
Brewed In/Type: Kalamazoo, MI / Brown Ale
Bought at/Price Woodmans / $6.99 6 pack
Dennis: I'm not really a huge fan of Bell's...they are a local brewery but the two brews I've had (Expedition Stout and Cherrry Stout) have been a little overpowering in their attempt to impress, imho. They were very good, and strong...but the price was a little high also. However, this brown ale is definatly a brew I can recommend. Unlike a lot of other brown ales there isn't as much nutty flavor, and this one has a very smooth subtly sweet finish. This is a good beer at a good price, certainly recommened.
Jen: I love brown ales and this one definitely is a new favorite. It doesn't have an overwhelming nutty flavor, but instead it ends with a nice sweet finish, almost a molasses/maple flavor. This is a great brown ale and is worth a try. I will add it to my list of fav brown ales.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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December 05, 2004

Three Floyds: Alpha King Pale Ale

Name: Three Floyds: Alpha King Pale Ale
Brewed In/Type: /
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $7.49 6 pack
Dennis: This is a great beer. The reason why isn't because of it's specific hops, or because it's made by a 100 year old virgin monk, but simply because it is a distinctive, great tasting brew. The label says it's got "citrus hop" character, and that's no lie. I can really taste a pleasently strong grapefruit hoppy taste with a hint of lemon grass and white peppercorn. Regardless of what's in it, it's so good and different from everything that's out there it deserves a place in your fridge.
Jen: If you like grapefruit juice, you would definitely like this one. It is a mild grapefruit hoppy flavor that fills your mouth. It has a slightly pepper aftertaste with mild lemon undertones. A fruity beer that is full of flavor. I would definitely buy this again! YUM YUM!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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December 02, 2004

Victory: Storm King Stout

Name: Victory: Storm King Stout
Brewed In/Type: Downington, PA / Stout
Bought at/Price Binny's / $9.99 6 pack
Dennis: I have often said that Victory can make no such thing as a bad beer. Of course I like this beer, a deep rich toasted malty stout with a lingering hoppiness to it's finish that places it a class above other generic stouts that only try to be strong in taste, not quality. Relatively light in body, this 9.1% brew will surprise you with it's taste. Definitely for the stout lover, and good beer drinker ;)
Jen: I feel that this is one of Victory's better brews. I do enjoy a good stout and this is one of them. It evenly balances the malts to have a nice roasted coffee/chocolatey flavor. This stout is a "victory", in sense. Full bodied but it manages to spread the flavor from the begining to the end. One for all stout lovers!
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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