Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest

Same night as the Rogue Yellow Snow IPA.  The southern hemisphere was good, so I can't wait to drink

Look/Smell - Dark Tan, slight yellow.  Hoppy, with caramel malt in background.

Taste - Hops, like Yellow Snow, but softer, and balance by caramel and, and too many commas in this sentence.  This is an IPA I'd like to give to someone who's never had one.  Wow, it's smoothness is even better as you get through the initial taste.

Rating - 8
Great IPA, what you should look for.  I think it's right in the middle, so it get's a deserving 8.

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.

Infinium

This is the most expensive beer I've bought.  "1,000 years of brewing expertise.  A collaboration between the brewers of Samuel Adams and Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan." 

Look/Smell/Pour - The head is light, like a super light meringue.  Color is straw, but golden and orange.  Great German beer smell, malt is sweet, crystal clear.  Hops are a little pine and a little citrus, very balanced.  The rest is filled with nectarine peach smells.

Taste - I let it settle, I let it get it's bearing.  I wanted to make sure it new I was ready to taste it.  Strong and creamy.  Up front is hops which are sharp, the malt is creamy.  The after taste is a mix between the two.  They are strong enough to leave peach/nectarine taste in the dust, although thankfully it's still there.  This beer's alcohol content isn't apparent in the first few tastes but rears it's head later.

Rating - 8
This beer is a once in a lifetime beer.  Does that make it better?  Not in itself.  It's been hard for me to not give a rating based on price.  This beer will impress anyone, but I don't think it's the best in class.  What class do you say?  Above average alcohol German style beer.

Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel

Old world dunkel from Germany, and the year on the bottle is 1030.  It is also very proud of it's 2008 World Beer Cup.

Look/Pour/Smell - Smells of the German Beer Law, but warmer like an abbey.  Red brown look, with a light head.

Taste - the hoppiness of German beers is the sheet, while the warmth of malt is the comforter.  It is the balance that's delightful, not any one flavor.  I'd say the one flavor that is there is an apple, like warm apple pie.

Rating - 8
This unfortunately straddles the fence, but is worthy of a great grade.

HI.P.A. from Magic Hat

Been awhile but this one is special.  Magic Hat says this is a limited edition IPA that they're demoing as a creative outlet for themselves. 

Look, Pour, Smell - Hazy orange, persistent but short head;  hops own the smell.

Taste - Unique hop flavor...the hops are first and and malt second which is super unique.  It's nice that the bitter hops fade for a sweet, buttery malt.

Rating - 8
This one is unique, and you won't be disappointed...if you can find it.

Magic Hat Odd Notion Series Summer '10

So this was a whim buy, I actually didn't even look at the name or anything, just the brand and I grabbed it.  Great luck, since this is a special brew and won't come around again.  Says it's brewed 3/4 ale w/ ginger.


Look/Pour/Smell - Yellow orange, hazy.  You can smell ginger no problem.  The pours easy, light carbonation.

Taste - The ginger is amazing.  The malt is browned, and so it helps to manage the strong ginger taste.  It's a really deep taste.  Honey and brown sugar are other thoughts that come to mind.

Rating - 8
It's so unique I can't help but give it a great rating.  It's only my fortune to buy this, so I hope you don't miss it.

Chimay Ale Grande Reserve

I hadn't been to a beer store in a while, so when I got there I wanted to splurge.  This is a Trappist style ale from Belgium.

Look & Smell - Warm nutty brown, rich vanilla head.  Belgian pine hops with warm rich malt smell.

Taste - I had it chilled pretty cool so I poured and then let it sit for ~5 min.  Warm, spiciness underneath.  Warms you up, great for a cool day (or any day for that matter)

Rating - 8
This one will blow you away with its fullness.  Be prepared it's strong, but it will make your day.

St. Bernardus Abt 12

I wanted something that might be true to an earlier time, so I chose this ale to satisfy my historic needs.

Pour, Look, Smell - Dark brown, light head, carbonated well, sweet malt, will wet your pallet.

Taste - Awesome full hop and malt taste, spice like a wheat beer, easy to drink for how dark it looks.

Rating - 8

This is a beer everyone should try.  If it's truthful to it's roots, I almost wish I lived in the 12th century.

Allagash Tripel Reserve

Allagash has one of my favorite wheat beers, and so this one shouldn't disappoint.  It is special enough to Allagash to have the batch number on the bottle.                                                                                                      Look, Pour, Smell - Hazy wheat and golden, light but strong head, awesome spice and wheat smell.                                                                            Taste - Citrus, wheat, spice are all balanced, with an extra bit of citrus in the after taste.  Strong flavors.                                                                   Rating - 8                                                                                                          This one will impress you if you like wheat style beers.  This is also another great offering from the Maine based Allagash.

Hebrew BITTERSWEET LENNY'S R.I.P.A

This one from a brand  I hadn't considered recently because of it's seemingly narrow advertisement got me too interested to be overly critical.

Pour, Look, Taste - Dark blonde, the beer is thick, and the bubble drift down  due to the high gravity, strong head, hops abound in the smell

Taste - The hops are first, the thickness of the beer is now lastingly apparent.  The rye is undertone, with the hops taking over.  This beer will last me all night.

Rating - 8
This beer will knock your socks off, literally.

BROTHER THELONIOUS Belgian Style Abbey Ale

This Belgian caught my eye, and it was a good catch.  Every bottle sold has $2 of the purchase going to support the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz whose mission is to offer the world's most promising young musicians college level training by America's jazz masters.  If you see it, buy it and you won't be disappointed.


Pour, Look, and Smell - Dark brown, creamy head, browned malt smell, light hops.


Taste - Browned malt & creamy, long tasting, delicious.


Rating - 8
This one will knock your socks of it's so good.

Samual Adams Nobel Pils

Wanted to have a Sam Adams beer since I hadn't in a while.

Nose, Look, & Pour - The head is frothy and light and lasted about 20 sec.  The hops are immediately apparent with citrus and pine.  Pale yellow to straw color.

Taste - Great hopped beer w/o the bitterness.  The hops almost have a lime citrus with the pine still around.  The malt only arrives in the aftertaste.

Rating - 8
This is a great beer from a semi-popular specialty brewing company.  Not everything they make is gold, but this one is.  Put it in the "I'm a great IPA" category.

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis

"Kellerweis is one of the only American Hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation. This difficult and labor-intensive technique adds uncommon depth and flavor complexity. Our hazy-golden hefeweizen is deeply flavorful, refreshing and perfect for a sunny day. To serve, pour two-thirds into a glass, swirl and pour the rest."

Nose, Head, Look - Epic wheat smell w/ strong clove smell.  Less orange than others but not a problem.  Fluffy head, lingers, strong.  Unfiltered makes me happy, and makes the beer that much more enjoyable.

Taste - Follows the head with its epic and very smart wheat, this s where the wheat taste should be.  Even less orange (I like orange) but no problem mostly because the clove is very nice.  Hops are the framework that allows the sweet wheat to be.

Rating =8
This is the wheat beer others should envoy.  My personal want is for more orange or lemon, but ultimately its strong wheat flavor makes your heart melt.

Ommegang Abbey Ale

Slightly strong head, malty and fruity smell, apricot or apple maybe.

Great amber color.
Malty flavor, slightly hoppy with a good amount of fruit flavor.  Refreshing, with a lighter mouth feel.
8.5% alcohol.

Rating = 8, especially satisfying.