Victory Yakima Glory Ale

This is a seasonal from Victory that I didn't want miss.  The bottle has a pretty orange hop surrounded by a butterfly-like psychedelic ripple of greens and blues.

Look/Smell - Nut brown, slight red.  Looks to be a little more carbonated than normal.  Brown ale warm caramel hops, very full and adult smell.

Taste - The hops were the main point of the aside on the bottle, and it's very apparent in the flavor.  The malt is a dark caramel, which is a warm molasses background behind the blaring horns of hops that pierce through and fill the the room with their full glory.

Rating - 8
I think Brown Ales are under-represented in beerdom, with Newcastle leading the way and most falling behind, but this one is delicious.  Get it while it's at the store.

Sierra Nevada Organic Estate Homegrown Ale

I can't say "No" to Sierra Nevada, especially in such an awesome, wax capped bottle.  The label is beautiful, a green garden vine wrapped around a little prairie house growing barley.  It says it's wet hopped, as opposed to dry hopping which lends itself to higher alc., and this one does come in at 6.7%, so on the medium side.

Look/Smell - Orange Amber slight Red, hazy but not opaque.  The head is super light and white.  Sweet hops and barley make up most of the aroma.  Smells sweet, like orange or persimmon or peach.

Taste - Yes peach, and maybe persimmon...ooohhh and lemon.  What a Wam-Pow! of great fruitiness subtley hidden behind well mannered hops.  The hops are like the guy/girl at the party you notice who's cool even by themselves.  The barley is that same person, only a little smarter and more flamboyant.  If barley were a guy he'd be stronger and have a little hair on his chest.  As a women she'd wear a succulent dress, very classy 1930's look.  Mouth feel is light, never going beyond a wheat beer feel.  After taste is barley and hops, the fruit's up front.

Rating - 10 WOW!!! DELICIOUS!!! Man this is what I needed after a long night of studying.  Cheers!

Chatoe Rogue

It's been awhile....it sure has.  So, this is the medicine that's going to put me to sleep tonight.

Look/Smell - Very dark, as dark as they come.  Burnt chocolate, but a good amount of hops too.  A little bit sweet, like dark chocolate covered cherries.

Taste - Deliciously black.  Coffee on the after taste.  The choco-cherries are on your lips.  It's medium thickness comes in halfway through...it builds as you taste.  This is a nice balance between coffee and chocolate, sweet and bitter.

Rating - 9
When it's this dark many things can go wrong.  This one is ALL-RIGHT.