« July 2005 | Main | September 2005 »

August 30, 2005

Left Hand: Sawtooth Ale

Name: Left Hand: Sawtooth Ale
Brewed In/Type: Longmont, CO / ESB
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $3.50 6pack (clearance)
Dennis: I would consider this to be a very good example of decent beer. There's really not a gimmic here, just a solid beer that doesn't try to be more than what it is. The aroma is sort of a musty maltiness and the taste is a very smooth burnt malt that trancends into a really nice hop finish. It's not a high alcohol beer (4.7%) but any beer that can blend 4 different hops this nicely deserves some praise. Definatly worth a try.
Jen: I find this to be a particularly decent ESB. It starts off with a nice creamy sweet malt taste. It has hints of burnt toffee and caramel in it. It is then followed with a nice hoppy bite to it that lingers, but very mildly. IMO it is slightly overcarbonated and it takes away from the overall good flavors that it offers. This is definitely worth a try.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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

August 28, 2005

Tuborg Gold

Name: Tubord Gold
Brewed In/Type: Denmark / Euro Pale Lager
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $5.99 4 pack
Dennis: I picked this out because it was the cheapest european brew in the section, and I was trying to branch out our selection. There's obvious reason for this, I think we've stumbled across the MGD of Denmark. Watery body, sweet taste, and a light hint of hops. Don't bother...next time I'll get something a bit more expensive.
Jen: This is just blah in my opinion. It tastes like a generic European beer, like any old American generic beer. Boring and expensive.
Rating: 2.25 out of 5

Posted by Dennis Judd at 12:00 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

August 26, 2005

Founders: Breakfast Stout

Name: Founders: Breakfast Stout
Brewed In/Type: Grand Rapids, MI / Stout
Bought at/Price Binny's / $9.99 4 pack
Dennis: Despite the implied name, I don't see myself pouring this over a bowl of Lucky Charms any time soon. Obviously the name is a reference to the hearty character of this stout, and rightfully so. The smell is exactly what you'd expect, dark, chocolatey and dry sweetness (kinda like cocoa). The taste is what will kick your behind. The words to descripe this are the same as you would describe a hearty stew. Strong chocolate, coffee, and oatmeal tastes fight for your attention, but they don't over power to much. I think it hides the 8.3% very well. Stout lovers will want to make sure they try this.
Jen: Where is my knife and fork? The label says it all: "double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout". It starts off with a nice chocolate taste that is quickly followed by the taste of espresso and then has with a nice oatmeal stout ending. It is hearty and fills your mouth with a nice creamy feel. It love this, but I am partial to stouts.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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

August 24, 2005

Avery: Redpoint Ale

Name: http://www.averybrewing.com/Home
Brewed In/Type: Boulder, CO / American Amber Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $3.50 6pack (clearance)
Dennis: Again Avery delivers a fine brew. Redpoint is an amber ale with a cascade hop kick that really is just a great example of good american brewing. The smell is musty and malty, while the taste is sweet with a slight hop bitterness. Over all it's a really nice balance of hops and malt that doesn't really favor one or the other. Certainly this is a beer hop heads and dople bock lovers could agree on. Worth a try if you find some.
Jen: This brew brings to the table a nice even blend of malts and hops. It starts out with a nice mild sweet malt flavor that is followed by the bold taste of the citrusy cascade hops and ends with a tingle on your tongue. This amber ale encompasses all the things that I truly like in a beer. Avery is one of the best all-around brewies in my opinion.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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

August 22, 2005

Left Hand: Blackjack Porter

Name: Left Hand: Black Jack Porter
Brewed In/Type: Longmont, CO / Porter
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $3.50 6pack (clearance)
Dennis: I'm not a huge fan of porter's, they come across a little to chocolaty and chalky. This starts with a typical sweet smelling aroma, a relatively light body and follows through with a slight bitter finish (malty, not hoppy). Over all this isn't bad, but I wouldn't go out of my way to drink it.
Jen: A porter is not one of my favorite "types" of beers. This one isn't awful. It has a chaulky dry chocolatey coffee taste. There are too many flavors for me to really enjoy this. It has a strong malt taste with a mild toastiness to it. It also seems to be very dry and leaves me wanting to drink some water. A good quality is that its ABV is 6.50%.
Rating: 3.0 out of 5

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

August 20, 2005

Samual Adam's: Cherry Wheat

Name: Samual Adam's: Cherry Wheat
Brewed In/Type: Boston, MA / Wheat Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $5.49 6pack
Dennis: This tastes to me exactly like the most horrible, disgusting, nausiating, vile gum I've ever had in my life. Eclipse Cherry Chill. This has to be, hands down, the worst beer I've just about ever had (that I drank). It's not cherry, it's not wheaty, it's some type of horrible bastard abortion the two of them refuse to talk about. Really, don't try this....it's only a fruit beer if you consider making lemonade with lemon flavored cough drops.
Jen: On my recommendation DON'T BOTHER. I have to say that this is just plain bad. It smelled so good that I had high hopes for it. It had a nice cherry aroma. It tastes more like carbonated Robitussin than beer. It was chemically and just plain not good. I will always pass on this and stick to a better cherry flavored brew from now on!
Rating: 0.5 out of 5

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

August 18, 2005

Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde

Name: Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde
Brewed In/Type: New York / Golden Lager
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $10.99 12 variety pack
Dennis: I really think that if you call your company wicked, then your beers should stand up to that name. Kind of like Arrogant Bastard Ale, cocky name, great tase. This beer however is just so-so. Soft, almost nonexistant berry smell comes from the bottle, and the taste of the beer is crisp clean with just enough hop bitterness to make the faint berry taste just right. But beyond that it's not much of a beer, and really is more of a novelty than a regular brew. It's a good beer, and done right, I just don't feel it's wicked.
Jen: This is a light crisp mild flavored lager. You can taste all of the parts of it: malts, hops and the all natural taste of strawberries. Now, you may be disappointed if you try this and expect sweet. This doesn't taste like sugary berries, but thier true taste. It is not that bad of a beer, but not that great really in the end either.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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

August 16, 2005

Unibroue: Ephemere Apple

Name: Unibroue: Ephemere Apple
Brewed In/Type: Canada / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $4.39 750ml
Dennis: Over all I have to say this brew is impressive. Fruit lambics are so often done poorly, it's nice to see one that doesn't try to overdo the taste. The aroma is a light sweet, semi-rotten apple smell that is very soft and warm. The taste and body are both light and slightly tangy. The apple really comes in soft and tart after the swallow, but nothing that would make you want to pucker and most importantly not fake. Well done, I look forward to trying more of this brewery's offerings.
Jen: This is exactly what I thought that it would be. It starts with a nice scent that resembles a green apple jolly rancher. It is followed by a light to medium bodied ale that has the tartness of a granny smith to it. It makes my tongue pucker. It is nicely done and easy to drink with a nice twang at the end.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Posted by Dennis Judd at 12:00 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

August 14, 2005

Lost Coast: Great White

Name: Lost Coast: Great White
Brewed In/Type: Eureka, CA / White Beer
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $.50 each (clearance)
Dennis: This is one of the more mellow white beers I've had. Thankfully this doesn't mean there isn't any flavor at all, I get the typical white beer tastes of coriander and some unknown citrusy flavor, it's just done every softly. Easy to drink and goes down smooth after a long hot sweaty day, this is surely a safe bet and won't offend anyone. If you like white beers, and like them to pack a soft punch this is for you.
Jen: This is a malty white beer with flavors of orange and lemon citrus. It has little to no spiciness to it and the web site says that it has a special blend of herbs. It isn't that bad of a brew, but it is very light in flavor and in body. I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but it was sucha deal at 50 cents a bottle we couldn't say no!
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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

August 13, 2005

Avery: The Reverend

Name: Avery: The Reverend
Brewed In/Type: Boulder, CO / Belgian Quadrupel Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $4.99 22oz (bomber)
Dennis: This is, to my knowledge, the first Avery Quadrupel I've ever had. What is a quadrupel? In short it's a belgin style ale that's very sweet, but not hoppy (bitter) and definatly high in alcohol (this is 10%). Over all this is everything I expect. A sweet, cloyed smell...hints of musty ripe fruit, a semi thick body and a smooth honeylike malty swallow with a soft strong alcohol finish. It's not a barley wine, but rather a little bit thinner in body with more of a honey feel. Good for when you want a sipper, not a gulper.
Jen: I wasn't quite sure what to think of this at first, but the more I sip, the more I enjoy. It is quite rich and creamy. It also boasts flavors of currant and molasses which makes it quite sweet. This brew also has that yeasty taste like most Belgian ales do. This definitely grows on you with every sip, but it isn't my favorite of the Avery brews.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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

August 12, 2005

Corona Extra

Name: Corona Extra
Brewed In/Type: Mexico / Lager
Bought at/Price Left behind at BBQ / unknown (god i hope not to much)
Dennis: I would love to review this beer, but apparently somebody pee'd in my bottle as a cruel joke. That's the only way I can explain the taste.
Jen: Piss water...Have you ever used a port-o-potty? Well, that is what the smell of this reminds me of!
Rating: 0 out of 5

Posted by Dennis Judd at 12:00 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

August 10, 2005

Rockies Brewing: Hazed & Infused

Name: Hazed & Infused
Brewed In/Type: Boulder, Co / American Pale Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $.50 each (clearance)
Dennis: The aroma of this beer is fantastic! Severly dry hopped to really bring out the smell it's the most impressive aspect of this brew. They claim to use centennial and crystal hops in the brew, and while the smell is great, the taste is another matter. Zero malt, a weak lagerish body, and a harsh hop bitterness really make me glad we didn't buy a 6 pack of this. Honestly I can't see anyone finding this to be a great beer. I'd love to see what would happen with an amber or brown ale base, but as it stands this is not a good beer.
Jen: I don't find this APA to be anything impressive so I am happy we got it on clearance. It has a light body and an odd creamy-like finish at the end. It is bitter and weird. It is also overcarbonated. I will pass on this (unless if goes down to $.01) but try it to formulate your own opinion and let us know what you think!
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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

August 08, 2005

O'Fallon Cherry Chocolate

Name: O'Fallon Cherry Chocolate
Brewed In/Type: Missouri / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $3.50 6pack (clearance)
Dennis: While I've only had one other O'Fallon brew (Happy Holidaze) I was plesantly surprised at how much this one had going for it. Chocolate is one of the hardest flavors to work with in a beer, and this actually smells like those chocolate candies with the cherries in the center. The tase is more reminiscent of cocoa, and on exhale reminded me of chocolate flavored tootsie roll pops. I find it it surprisingly light for a dark wheat beer though. Honestly, it's a slightly gimmicky beer, but well done and worth a taste.
Jen: For an O'Fallen brew, this one is pretty decent. It has a very bubbly light body that is filled with flavors of chocolate. It doesn't have much of a cherry taste. You mostly taste it with the after taste. This was a pleasant surprise.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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

August 06, 2005

Pete's Wicked Rally Cap Ale

Name: Pete's Wicked Rally Cap Ale
Brewed In/Type: Utica, NY / Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $10.99 variety 12pack
Dennis: Light, clear, and probably best on a warm muggy summer day. Probably the most distinctive aspect of this beer is the bitter hop twinge at the end, attributed to Mt. Hood hops on the bottle. I didn't really get a lot of lemon from it, but over all it's a decent brew.
Jen: Light, crisp, a twist of lemon and a short bitter end. It doesn't seem to offer much more than that. I find it to be a decent summer brew, mostly because on a hot day, I really don't want a strong heavy beer.
Rating: 3 out of 5

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

August 04, 2005

Rialto: Lager

Name: Rialto: Lager
Brewed In/Type: El Salvador / Lager
Bought at/Price Trader Joe's / $8.99 12 pack
Dennis: This was real cheap which is why I wanted to buy it. Real light, not much flavor, and a little sweet (corn instead of grain perhaps?). I've tasted worse.
Jen: I don't find this to be all that appealing. It is an import, but tastes more like a generic American lager. It has a light body with tastes of malts and grains (like most generics do) and doesn't offer me much of anything else. Yes it is drinkable, but it is kind of boring.
Rating: 2 out of 5

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

August 02, 2005

Trader Joe's: Vienna Style Lager

Name: Trader Joe's: Vienna Style Lager
Brewed In/Type: San Jose, CA / Lager
Bought at/Price Trader Joe's / $5.49
Dennis: The second Trader Joe's branded beer we've had from their recently debuted line. The label says this is a smooth amber lager, and considering that this is a lager the taste is well done. Starts out with some strong malt tones and rolls into a hoppy bitterness that lingers for awhile. Over all a unique taste that isn't that bad, and the price is pretty good. Slighty bitter, this is worth a try.
Jen: This is a light bodied, malty beer. It has a strong flavor of caramel and toasted malts. I find the end to be mildly bitter, but not overpowering in any way. This isn't too bad of a beer, but I am not going to run out this minute and buy more.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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