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October 30, 2005

Ommegang: Hennepin

Name: Ommegang: Hennepin
Brewed In/Type: Cooperstown, NY / Belgian Style Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $5.99 750ml bottle
Dennis: To me, this tastes a lot like all the other Ommegang offerings we've had thus far. I think this really is the quintessential Belgian ale. Rich, malty, and full of ripe fruity sweetness. The taste is quite enjoyable, but I don't really get any hops out of this, just an alcohol twinge at the end (7.5%). If you get a choice, out of the offerings, I'd certainly try this. Also, this bottle out of the others had the least amount of sediment.
Jen: I am not finding anything special in this beer to make it stand apart from other Belgian Style ales. It has a malty bready taste to start that is followed by a different sourness and ends with mild hop bitterness which is soon overtaken by the kick of alcohol. Not bad for the $$, but really nothing that makes me good WOW.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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October 28, 2005

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

Name: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
Brewed In/Type: Milton, Delaware / Brown Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $9.99 6pack
Dennis: The smell is assertive and musty, with a rich dark backing to it sort of like a Scottish ale/stout. The taste really comes on strong at first with a rush of strong flavors (chocolate, cocoa, slight coffee) but really mellows out on the swallow where the hops shine. At 7.2% it's probably the strongest brown ale I've had in a while, but the price again really takes some of the wind out of the sails for me. Taste wise though, if you love brown ales, this is something you won't want to miss.
Jen: Dogfish Head did something different here by adding a stronger hop flavor. I taste a lot of the normal brown ale flavors like nuts, roasted malts, brown sugar and coffee. It has a medium body and is not too over-carbonated. What makes this slightly more unique, is the noticeable (but not overdone) hoppy bitter finish. Brown ales tend to be my favorites, and this one stands out. If it weren't for the $$, I would buy this again any day.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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October 26, 2005

Sprecher: Oktoberfest

Name: Sprecher: Oktoberfest
Brewed In/Type: Glendale, WI / Oktoberfest
Bought at/Price Binny's / $1.99 a bottle (16oz)
Dennis: This is the first brew I've had from Sprecher ever, even though we've seen their bottles around (damn they're pricey). I have to say over all the brew goes down very very easily. At 5.75% it's not that amazing in terms of alcohol even for a lager, but the body of this is amazingly smooth with a yummy musty sweet fruit hint and a nice hop finish at the end. Definitely a beer you'll finish wanting more.
Jen: I was pleasantly surprised by our first Sprecher. This makes me think fall. It has a nice woody, malty flavor to it that is accompanied by some mild hops and "barely" noticeable fruit flavors. It goes down extremely smoothly and ends with an ever so slight kick. Except for the price, I would say that this is a good addition to any fall beer selection.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 24, 2005

Dogfish Head: Punkin Ale

Name: Dogfish Head: Punkin Ale
Brewed In/Type: Milton, DE / Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $8.99 4pack
Dennis: It's amazing how a beer can really capture the scents and feeling of a particular time of year. The typical thanksgivingy/fall tastes are here (nutmeg, allspice, etc) and very well done. It really tastes like a quality pumpkin/fall brew. Again though, as Jen points out it's a little over priced even with 7% alcohol. Nine bucks for a 4 pack, when I can get a 6 pack of Lakefront Pumpkin is a little crazy. Or even better is Seadog Pumpkin Ale.
Jen: This brew has a nice smooth blend of spices and pumpkin. I can easy taste the cinnamon and nutmeg. These are accompanied by the mild taste of brown sugar and it is topped off with pumpkin. It is quite smooth and has perfect carbonation. It is a decent brew, but just too damn expensive!
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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October 22, 2005

Ommegang: Three Philosophers

Name: Ommegang: Three Philosophers
Brewed In/Type: Cooperstown, NY / Quadrupel Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $5.99 750ml
Dennis: So far one my favorite Ommegang brews hands down. Since most of their beers are belgian style ales they tend to blend quite a bit, but this really represents their best so far to me. At 9.8% this is going to have a bit of a punch, and to me the type of brew calls for it. The aroma is what it should be, deep, musty, rich, and malty. The taste is also a lot of things it should be. Semi-thick body, with a rich, brandied pears (or cherry cordials) taste amplified by the alcohol content. Although it says there's cherry-lambic added I didn't really get a strong tart cherry flavor. Honestly, as I said, probably a great example of a quad belgian ale.
Jen: This is a pretty decent Quadrupel ale. It is quite fizzy with a little bit of an alcohol kick on the exhale. It is slight sweet with the tastes of malts and raisins/plums. It says that it uses cherry lambic, so I think that I am interpreting it as. Food, easy to drink, with a nice kick at the end.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 20, 2005

Lakefront Pumpkin Lager

Name: Lakefront Pumpkin Lager
Brewed In/Type: Milwaukee, WI / Lager (seasonal)
Bought at/Price Binny's / $7.99 6pack
Dennis: The aroma of this beer is sort of reminiscent of walking into a candle store on cold autumn afternoon. Taste wise the body comes across light (as expected...it is a lager after all) with a tangy punch of spices and fall flavors. Since it's a seasonal brew you can really expect it to taste like everything fall (pumpkins, nutmeg, allspice, etc), but the tricky part is to not be gimmicky about it and do it well. All in all I think this is a great drink for a cold fall day, that's worth trying at least once. Although the price could be better.
Jen: Not too bad, but nothing to make it outstanding either. It has a light body. The flavors are exactly what you would expect: cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie. This is fairly easy to drink and is smooth, but don't necessarily go out of your way to find it. It is just like most pumpkin ales.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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October 18, 2005

Ommegang: Rare Vos

Name: Ommegang: Rare Vos
Brewed In/Type: Cooperstown, NY / Amber Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $4.99 750ml bottle
Dennis: I was a little let down by the aroma, or lack there of. All you get is a faint tartness carried by a weak watery backbone. The taste however, is more impressive. Light body with a slight tanyness to the swallow, this comes across with an almost apple like twany. No hops, all malt, this is a safe beer for most drinkers to enjoy (6.5%) and comes across as a solid choice. For the price, you certainly can't go to wrong.
Jen: This is a tangy brew accompanied with mild fruits and mild sweet malts. It also has a certain sourness to it, but not in a bad way. It is quite bubbly and ends with a bitter twinge. This is an easy-to-drink brew and goes down smoothly.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 16, 2005

Victory Whirlwind Witbier

Name: Victory Whirlwind Witbier
Brewed In/Type: Downington, PA / Witbier (white beer)
Bought at/Price Binny's / $8.99 6pack
Dennis: Victory beers have always been probably one of my favorite brews. I've consumed so much Golden Monkey it's not even funny. Aroma wise this white beer comes across soft and smooth, like all other white beers. Taste wise you can really taste the yeast and malts that are a trademark of this brewery, but other than a soft atypical white beer flavor there's not much here. If this was Blue Moon I'd just chaulk it off to manufacturing, but honestly there' just nothing here that impresses me. Honestly I find Great Lakes Holy Moses to be a much better, cheaper, and higher alcohol brew (5.0 vs 5.4). This is light, crisp and tasty, but I just think it could be done better.
Jen: There is just nothing special to this brew. It has the sweetness of banana and the spiciness of clove, which to me means, it is like any other witbier. It is highly carbonated and light bodied. It is easy to drink, but I think I will pass on ever buying this again. For $1.50 more, I would rather get a 12-pack of Blue Moon.
Rating:2.75 out of 5

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October 14, 2005

Ommegang

Name: Ommegang
Brewed In/Type: Cooperstown, NY / Belgian Abbey Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $4.99 750ml bottle
Dennis: At first the body of this beer reminded me of fresh apple cider, thick and rich w/ smaller particles in it. The smell is exactly what the label says it is. Rich, fruity, and with a slight alcohol tartness. The taste is very malty, almost like dopple bock with some desert alcohol mixed in (brandy, etc). At 8.5% this is certainly a fairly rich brew with some real depth and taste. If you like barleywines but crave more malts with less sugar than this is a winner.
Jen: Wow, with a kick. This is a very sweet brew where the yeast and malts prevail. This has strong flavors of dark, dried fruits. It is accompanied by molasses and some spices, like cloves and cinnamon. It also seems to have a burnt caramel taste to it. It ends with an alcohol and carbonation pow. At first, I didn't think that I would like it, but the more I sip it, the more it grows on me.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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October 12, 2005

Avery: Czar Imperial Stout

Name: Avery: Czar Imperial Stout
Brewed In/Type: Boulder, CO / Stout
Bought at/Price Binny's / $ 5.99 22oz (bomber)
Dennis: There really is nothing quite like a beer strong enough to run a car on. At 13%, this imperial stout should probably not be consumed around any open flames. The aroma doesn't give much away, presenting a calm serene atmosphere. The taste however is something all together. Strong, deep, stouty, and very very alcoholic. For the stout lover this is a dream come true, but anyone else would think they were doing shots of bacardi, certainly the alcohol is more prevailant than other imperial stouts. Amazing and impressive, this is another feather in the cap of Avery, and the only reason to visit Colorado in my opinion.
Jen: HOLY SH*T Batman! I am not quite sure where to start. It has a nice dark rich color that is accompanied with the flavors of a mocha with extra espresso, a mild sweetness of molasses and toffee. It also has the mild spiciness of hops. Just be careful when you exhale (i.e don't have a lite match nearby) because the alcohol content is strong, especially for a stout. Avery yet again hits a home-run!
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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October 10, 2005

MacTarnahan's: Black Watch Porter

Name: MacTarnahan's: Black Watch Porter
Brewed In/Type: Portland, OR / Porter
Bought at/Price Binny's / $6.99 6pack
Dennis: Pretty much your standard porter here. Little light on body and comes across with your standard chalky/coffee/dark chocolate tastes. While it's called a cream porter, I wouldn't really say that I can tell why. If you want something creamy and semi chocolaty I'd recommend the Left Hand Milk Stout. Maybe if this beer was cheaper, and I had a clue about the alcohol content I would feel better, but honestly I'd just say pass by this and get something better.
Jen: I don't find porters to be all that appealing, so this is a review based solely on taste. This has a light body with the taste of burntness in the flavors of coffee and bittersweet baking chocolate. It leaves this chaulky dry feel in the back of your throat. I don't recommend this, unless you enjoy porters. Otherwise, stick to this seasonal porter.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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October 08, 2005

Allagash: Tripel Reserve

Name: Allagash: Tripel Reserve
Brewed In/Type: Portland, Maine / Tripel
Bought at/Price Binny's / $7.99 750ml bottle
Dennis: The smell of this is ripe banana, spices and a slight alcohol harshness. The taste is slightly tart, and not to sweet. The body is light (as with most tripel's) and the alcohol content is hidden very very well (9.0%). Over all this is much like Golden Monkey, but the taste is just a little bit softer. This is a finely crafted beer that certainly is worthy of having, if you get a chance definitely have this brew.
Jen: I find this to be quite enjoyable. It has flavors of tropical fruits like banana that is accompanied by an unusually tasty spiciness that is (according to their website) due to the herbal notes. It also has a slight sweetness to it from the honey and malts. The tiny bubbles also seem to play a big role in making this fun and smooth. If you like Tripels, jump on board and give this one a shot!
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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October 06, 2005

Dogfishhead: Aprihop IPA

Name: Dogfishhead: Aprihop IPA
Brewed In/Type: Milton, DE / IPA
Bought at/Price Binny's / $2.49 each 12oz bottle
Dennis: The smell of this beer wasn't really what I was expecting, more malty than apricot or hoppy. Probably the best aspect of this to me were the hops, they really play off the subtle apricot taste well. The apricot doesn't come across as chemically, which is a big plus, but it's also very muted. The alcohol content is find (7%) and as I've said the hops really shine through, especially after the swallow. I just wish they'd find a way to cut their prices a little bit, just way to expensive.
Jen: I was half expecting a syrupy sweet brew. This is not one of those. It starts off with the taste of sweet malts (something I wouldn't expect in an IPA). It is then followed by the taste of blended hops and apricots. I don't think that the apricots are very noticeable, but they do shine through in the aftertaste, with the exhale. Would I drink this again, most definitely, however, it is overpriced and I don't feel that I would pay this extremely high price for it ($9.99 for a 4-pack).
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (value really hurt this beer)

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October 04, 2005

Anchor: Old Foghorn

Name: Anchor: Old Foghorn
Brewed In/Type: San Francisco, CA / Barleywine
Bought at/Price Binny's / $2.49 each 12oz bottle
Dennis: Probably one of the best barleywine's I've had in terms of quality and taste. The aroma is typically barleywine, heavy and sweet, but unlike usual it has a slight hop aroma. They claim they heavily dry hop this brew with cascade, but I didn't really sense it. Either way the body is of medium thickness with the typical sweet, dark, fruity tastes and a sublte hop followup on exhale. Pricewise, and alcohol wise (8.8%) it's not the best, but the beer certainly was made by skilled people. Don't miss it.
Jen: This brew is not too bad. It has some nice flavors in it, but nothing that sticks out and makes this extremely noticeable and tasty. It has the flavors of dark fruits, that is accompanied with a full malt backbone, and then ends with a swift kick of hops. Overall, this is an easily drank brew, so definitely give it a shot if you want a barleywine with something different in it.
Rating: 4 out of 5

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October 02, 2005

Young's Dirty Dick Ale

Name: Young's Dirty Dick Ale
Brewed In/Type: London, England / Ale (retired)
Bought at/Price Jewel / $1.50 pint
Dennis: Very smooth beer here, I have to say I enjoy drinking Dirty Dick's.....um....yeah. Well moving along, the low alcohol content makes this a pretty good sipper beer (4.10%). There's mostly malty tastes with some soft bitter fruity tones, and it leaves with a slight fizzle on your tonge. If your gonna try it, buy it the next time you see it because they've stopped making it (think it was just a one time thing).
Jen: I find this to be a very drinkable ale. It tastes mostly of toasted malts and fruitiness. It also has a mild bready flavor. It does have a very subtle hop finish, but nothing that is too noticeable. It is quite smooth and easily drinkable.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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