Name: Okocim: O.K. Beer
Brewed In/Type: Poland / Ale (euro pale ale)
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $10.99 12pack
Dennis: This comes around to me as probably one of the better European "skunky" pale ales. The aroma is your typical skunky, slightly metallic one, much like a slew of others (Peroni, stiegl, stella artois, tyskie, pilsner urquell, etc...) Good solid taste, light body, with a semi sweet malty aftertaste. Nothing amazing, but if you like this style then it's a safe bet and probably won't rub anyone the wrong way.
Jen: I find this to have a little more flavor than your typical Euro beer. It has a nice malty backbone with an ending of bitter hops. It is still watery like most euro lagers, but not nearly as skunky in taste as most. I find this easier to drink than most euro macrobrews.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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

Name: Goose Island: Matilda
Brewed In/Type: Chicago, IL / Belgian Pale Ale
Bought at/Price Trader Joe's / $8.99 4pack
Dennis: Again I am left wonder why am I paying more than $2 dollars a bottle for a 7% brew that is made close enough for me drive to the brewery. It just boggles my tiny mind. Honestly, there just nothing amazing here...although it is a little odd to try to describe. The taste reminds me of either:
a.) the after taste of a 9 volt battery on my tongue
b.) evergreen pine scent
c.) lemon lime alka seltzer
d.) all of the above
There's a bit of a hop bitterness at the end, but it just comes in way to late to make anything of this. I'm already confused and a little disappointed
Jen: I would have to say that I am not overly impressed with this "expensive" beer. It has sweet malty characteristics with a backing of citrusy apple fruits and hops. It is light in body and quite bubbly. It is easy to drink, but I don't think that it is worth $8.99. If you are trying to decide between this and another, go with the other.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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

Name: Samuel Adam's: Chocolate Bock
Brewed In/Type: Boston, MA / Bock
Bought at/Price: Binny's / $14.99
Dennis: This beer tastes almost exactly like what you would expect from the label name. If you've very had a chocolate stout before you'll know what's coming pretty much. The aroma is cocoa and chocolate with a slight caramel sweetness hiding behind it. The body is light enough and not syrupy, with a decent malt backbone to support the sweet chocolate (Scharffen Berger Chocolate according to the website). Nicely done, tastes great, but not amazing enough to justify the inflated price especially at only 5.6%.
Jen: I am not usually a fan of bocks but anything with chocolate is a thumbs up in my book. It is nice and smooth, with an unusual cocoa like taste to it. The roasted malts are easily tasted and this brew ends with a nice chalky aftertaste. If this wasn't soo expensive, it would become a once a year buy. Nice to try once, but we won't drink this again, unless Sam cuts the $$.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

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

Name: Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock
Brewed In/Type: Warren, MI / Eisbock
Bought at/Price: unknown / unknown (gift)
Dennis: Sent as part of a trade with a fellow beer lover in MI, this is one of the highest rated beers in MI, but also apparently one of the hardest to get. High in price and small in stature (6.3oz bottle) the saving grace for this beer is the unique craftsmanship. The name pretty much says what you'd expect, but unlike other disappointments, this brew delivers. The aroma is ripe with deep chocolate raspberry alcohol, but the taste is all that and so much more. Amazingly light in body for a brew so rich in aroma, deep liqueur dark chocolate raspberry is all you will enjoy, with an amazingly subtle alcohol bite for a 13.5% beverage.
Jen: I feel like I am drinking dessert. It starts off with the scents of a Lindt Raspberry Truffle; almost like I walked into the room where they are being made. I also get a faint scent of nuts. With a lighter body than I was expecting, the taste is quite unique. I feel like I just bit into a slice of chocolate cake topped with raspberry ganache. The body is filled with very small bubbles enhance the flavors. The taste (and ABV) makes this a sipper, but I would eat with a spoon for dessert any day. A definite must try at least once in your lifetime.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (based on craftsmanship)

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

Name: Avery: Salvation
Brewed In/Type: Boulder, CO / Belgian Strong Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $4.99 16.6oz
Dennis: The smell of this beer is very strong in the typical Belgian way, with deep warm fruits. Light in body, and perfectly carbonated, this beer really shines on the exhale. Bringing with it the complexities of it's taste and a very nice alcohol assisted twinge at the end. Feels a bit more malty than spicy over all, but at 9% there are simply no complaints. You don't want to pass this up.
Jen: From the minute we popped open this beer, I knew it was going to be interesting. It has a strong scent of alcohol (even though it is "only" 9%), with undertones of fruits. The body tastes of fruits, like dried apricots, with undertones of nutmeg. This ends with a very mild alcohol twinge; nothing too major but enough to let you know that it is there. Very drinkable, even better on tap in the tasting room in Boulder (Yes, we have been there!) :biggrin
Rating: 4 out of 5

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

Name: Three Floyds: Robert the Bruce
Brewed In/Type: Munster, IN / Scottish Ale
Bought at/Price Woodman's / $7.49 6pack
Dennis: The really amazing thing here is that despite the 9% alcohol in this brew you can still smell the hops. Additionally, it still goes down very smooth. Over all probably of of the best Scottish ales I've ever had unlike some others, although it would be even better if the price was more reasonable (considering it's close enough to drive to).
Jen: I am not a fan of Scottish ales, but this one doesn't seem to hit as much of a "sour" note with me. It is quite malty, which makes this somewhat sweet, and is backed by the mild flavors of chocolate. It has a "barely there" hoppy ending. This is smooth, but nothing spectacular.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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

Name: Young's Winter Warmer
Brewed In/Type: London, England / Ale
Bought at/Price Binny's / $ 2.99 pint
Dennis: This is a very safe beer. Winter warmers generally tend to be a little more robust in my opinion, but this really just comes across as sweet malts. It's a really good beer, but like all english beers suffers from to much malt and not enough hops. Low carbonation, some deep musty malts, and a weak hop followup even for a winter warmer. At 5% honestly I'm left to wonder what exactly about this beer will keep you warm.
Jen: I don't seem to find this all that impressive. It has a sweet and roasty flavor to it that is accompanied by a finish of extremely mild hops bitterness. The thin body leaves something to be desired. I feel that this is lacking something in comparison to other Winter Warmers. It is fairly easy to drink, but I am left wanting more, and not necessarily of this.
Rating: 3 out of 5

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