Left Hand Brewery Twin Sisters Double IPA

Left hand impresses me with there unique ideas in marketing and in beers.  The bottle is beautiful, and it's from a beautiful state, Colorado.

Look/Pour/Smell - Hops all over, but the hops are sweet not pine-cone-E.  Orange yellow, but very clear.  Head is monstrous and fluffy, long lasting also.

Taste - It's sweet and spicy at the same time.  Not spicy like hot sauce, spicy like titillating on the tongue.  The bitterness is found all throughout, especially after the initial taste.  The beginning is where the sweetness lies.

Rating - 7
This is a good IPA, but I don't know if it's worthy of a larger bottle in the specials section.  I think it belongs in a four pack.  With all this it's still a good time.

Shiner Holiday Cheer Dunkelweizen

I'm always interested in the seasonal offerings from great craft brewers, and a Dunkel brewed with peaches and pecans seems completely unique.

Smell/Look/Pour - Light pour with an easy, manageable head.  Warm malt, slight peach in the smell.  Awesome woody red look.

Taste - Wow, holy peaches.  Not expected especially from the smell, while the pecans are sitting in the background.  The warm malt is delicious, like a sweet bread.  The hops are great, the minor note in a big band.

Rating -7
I've had some really amazing dunkels, and so this one is up there in the uniqueness scale.  It's amazing in it's own way.  Take this to the bank and have fun.  Easy drinking dunkel.

Real Ale Brewing Company Brewhouse Brown Ale

Last one from my friends stash....Brown Ale

Look/Pour/Smell - Warm malt, very brown, not too dark....easy pour not too much head.

Taste - Warm malt...hops under the malt, the malt is cooked just right.

Rating -7
This one is a brown that everyone can enjoy.

Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale

Again a Real Ale Brewing Company brew from my friend....pale ale to pair with some fish and green beans.

Smell/Look/Pour - Straw yellow/orange....smells like a lightly crisp hop, not overbearing...easy to pour

Taste - Malt is up front, but hops are much more tasty throughout...not too hoppy so a good choice for beginners.

Rating - 7
Great beginner beer, a little plain but it's ok that way.

Victory Whirlwind Witbier

I was introduced to Victory about 2 months ago.  I tried their V-12 which is their high alcohol, high flavor, quadruppel.  Now I'm hooked to their beers.  Wanted something light and this was it.

Look/Pour/Smell - Yellow lemon look, carbonation is their but it's an easy pour.  Malt and lemon dominate.  Unfiltered so there's sediment.

Taste - Lemon and spice, light flavor, lemon after taste.  Malt is subdued.  Refreshing.

Rating - 7
This one gets a 7 because of the price range it's in.  It dominates the other beers in this range and category.  It's not the best wheat I've had overall, but it's great for a starter.  Let your friends try it.

Ommegang Hennepin

This is from Ommegang who I really enjoy.  I have never had a Saison but I bet it will be excellent.

Look, Pour, Smell - Frothy head, light yellow and orange, extra carbonated and extra hops, this one smells very crisp.

Taste - Crisp Belgian style, but with a wheat spice, probably all spice or maybe a little cinnamon.  This is a lighter beer which is nice, light mouth feel with a light residual hops taste.

Rating - 7
This being my first of this style is a really good step in the right direction. It tastes great, smells even better, and will probably impress your friends who don't really like "specialty" or "expensive" brews.

Georg Schneider's Wiesen Edel-Weisse

I was hankering for a German beer, and what better than a Wiesen from Bavaria.  Organic for those who look for it, it wasn't a buying point but it is a perk.  Bottle fermented like some of the best beers in the world, and fermented according to the Reinheitsgebot.

Look, Pour, & Smell - Light airy head, becoming homogeneous after about 30 seconds. dark straw color.  Hops are present, and that sums up the smell.  

Taste - Old school, hops and malt are balanced.  Light flavor, light carbonation.  This one will wet your whistle.

Rating - 7
For what it is it's very good.  Everyone will think your part German if you bring this over.

Terrapin Sunray Wheat Beer

I love wheat beers, and when I saw this one that was "locally" brewed I wanted to try.

Look, Pour, & Smell - Hazy, straw, light head.  Malt, citrus lemon, light hops.

Taste - Stronger citrus lemon, malt, less hops.

Rating - 7

I've noticed I'm more partial to wheat beers, but this one is very good.  This will get everyone in a good mood.

Rogue Half-E-Weizen

I can never pass up a hefeweizen, especially one from rogue that has a grandmother on the front.  The have an ingredients list on the side, as well as food parings (fish and spice) and all of it's technical beer specs (spcfc gravity, IBU, etc..)

Head, Smell, Look - Pours a delicious bronze orange, cloudy since it's unfiltered, light, weak head but not in a horrible way.  Orange and hops come to the frond, the orange being familiar but hops very interesting.

Taste - This is unique.  The hops come up front and the aftertaste is wheat and orange.  Spice is slight throughout.  This is the first hefe I've had were hops were this prominent.

Rating - 7
This one is very good, especially for being so bold.  It's not the delicate, sweet hefe you're used to.  Good job Rogue.