Toppling Goliath PseudoSue Review

Name: Toppling Goliath PseudoSue
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.8%
IBUs: 50

Well it's finally time to review a beer that has been a long time coming. That's right, after about a month of waiting, it's finally time to review PseudoSue from Toppling Goliath Brewing. Considered by many to be the best American Pale Ale currently available on the market, this beer takes its name from the largest T-Rex ever discovered.

I did a little research about this beer before trying it out and I was shocked to discover it only uses one type of hop variety; They don't say which. Well there must be a reason why everyone considers this the absolute best of the best in terms of APA style beers....right?

Appearance - A very hazy, almost murky yellow/orange color with no visible carbonation to speak of. The head takes on a foamy yet soapy appearance but the lacing is quite abundant

Aroma - Very rich grapefruit and mango notes, mixed in with some vibrant citrus hop sweetness; All of which just has a hint of hop bitterness. I wonder if the hops used in this are Mosaic?

Taste - Mango and grapefruit sweetness with some juicy citrus hop notes and ending with a resiny bitterness. The toffee malt backbone is pretty substantial here and it lasts throughout the entire flavor. I'm going to guess that it's Mosaic Hops in the brewing process but that's only my educated guess.

What it lacks in complexity, it more than makes up for it in the sheer vibrancy & robustness of the flavor. A couple of months ago, I had a Mosaic Fresh Hop IPA from Castle Danger Brewing and I fell in love with it; This beer reminds me of it an awful lot and that's a good thing.

Do I think it's the best APA on the market? No, I still think that distinction belongs to Three Floyds' Zombie Dust but it does come pretty close. With that said, it's very easy to see why people come back to this beer time and time again and I know I will be amongst those people!

Toppling Goliath PseudoSue - 9.5/10

Boulder Beer Killer Penguin Review

Name: Boulder Beer Killer Penguin
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 10%
IBUs: 60

The last time I reviewed anything from Boulder Beer, this blog....no...that can't be right! According to what I see, this blog was only 3 days old when I last reviewed anything from Boulder Beer and that was almost two years ago; Where does the time go?

In any case, I have their Killer Penguin Barleywine. To my knowledge, this is a winter seasonal and the name comes from the high ABV and having twice the maltiness as other "winter beers." I guess Killer Emu was already taken (I cannot confirm or deny this...)

Appearance - Clear Crimson color with some very light visible carbonation. The head takes on a light khaki color and is fairly foamy in appearance.

Aroma - Strong caramel maltiness backed up by some potent grapefruit and piney hops, along with light roasted barley, rye and toffee sweetness.

Taste - Moderate caramel maltiness and moderately potent grapefruit hoppiness upfront, followed by some citra hops and a light caramel maltiness on the end with a slight bitterness.

Killer Penguin is a good barleywine, but the flavor as a whole comes off a bit underwhelming when compared to other beers of the same style; Even with "Twice the malts." Sure, it's not bad but I don't see myself going out of my way to try it again.

Boulder Beer Killer Penguin - 7/10

Angry Inch Brewing to open later this year!

I have a special announcement for all Minnesota Craft Beer Drinkers out there and it is something that I simply cannot contain my excitement on any longer!

It is my pleasure to announce that Angry Inch Brewing will soon be joining the ranks of Minnesota's Craft Brewing Industry. Today on February 23, 2015, Angry Inch Brewing signed the lease for their building located at: 20841 Holyoke Ave in downtown Lakeville, Minnesota.

Angry Inch Brewing has a tentative opening date of Spring or Summer 2015, with more details to follow at a later date. They will have nine draft lines in their taproom. They will consist of six year round offerings, one 6 month rotating seasonal, one 2 month rotating seasonal, and one tapline for an experimental brew.

If you'd like to get up to date information about Angry Inch Brewing, you can follow them both on

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AngryInchBrew
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angry-Inch-Brewing/632502360094820

Want to be able to try out their beers before they open the brewery? You're in luck! They will be hosting one final tasting party on March 21, the details of the event which you can find here by clicking on this link.

I want to thank Jon for giving me the opportunity to break this news to the world. I have been a believer of Angry Inch for a while now and nothing humbles me more than helping these guys out! As I've said before, it's been awesome to see them grow over this past year and now they will be able to finally bring their beer to the masses later this year.

Great job guys! The years of hard work you've put into all of this are finally paying off. I look forward to see what you guys will do once Angry Inch opens its doors in Lakeville!

Indeed Mexican Honey Imperial Lager Review

Name: Indeed Mexican Honey Imperial Lager
Style: Imperial Lager
ABV: 8%
IBUs: 17

Time to look at another beer from Indeed Brewing, but I'll moving to the opposite end of the beer spectrum by reviewing a lager; Or in this case, an Imperial Lager. Today I've got their Mexican Honey Imperial Lager, which is brewed with Mexican Orange Blossom Honey. Now before I start, I want to point out that they are now canning this beer as opposed to bottling it. I'm also aware that this bottle is from last year, so I plan on putting an updated photo in the near future.

Appearance - Bright yellow color with a mild amount of carbonation. The head is pretty soapy and the lacing is on the sparse side.

Smell - Strong floral hops in the front of the nose and some mild citrus notes as well. I'm definitely getting some honey sweetness in here and it becomes more prevalent the more it warms up. I'm also picking up on some mild yeastiness and graham crackers.

Taste - Like the aroma, the Floral hops and the honey sweetness are definitely pretty strong upfront. I'm also getting some light tangerine and mango sweetness in the middle, and some very mild graham cracker and mild yeast notes in the back. The aftertaste is a mix of faint honey sweetness and light floral hops.

In the trend of Imperializing beers, this is definitely one of the better ones I've had. Like I always say, if you're ever in Minnesota or Western Wisconsin, this is definitely worth checking out should you get the chance!

Indeed Mexican Honey Imperial Lager - 9/10

Indeed Midnight Ryder Review

Name: Indeed Midnight Ryder
Style: Black IPA
ABV: 6.5%

How have I not reviewed anything from Indeed Brewing yet? They've been around for a couple years not yet I haven't had the decency to take a closer look at any of their offerings. Ironic considering that I've been to their taproom on more than a few occasions. In any case, I have their Midnight Ryder Black Ale.

Now you can't tell from the photo I took above but the label is awesome to say the least. In fact, here is the full label below...

Come on, I beg one of you to tell me that isn't the happiest looking Kodiak Bear you've ever seen!

Appearance - Pours a Pitch black color with a small amount of visible carbonation. The head is quite foamy in appearance and takes on a dark tan color. The lacing is also quite plentiful.

Smell - I'm getting some very sharp piney hop bitterness paired with a strong roasted barley aroma. I'm also picking up on some chocolate malts and a hint of yeastiness. For a black ale, it smells quite hoppy. Then again, it is 80 IBUs.

Taste - The roasted barley and chocolate maltiness take center stage in the flavor. However the sharp piney hoppiness makes itself known by lingering on in the middle and back of the palate. Speaking of which, the aftertaste consists of strong hop bitterness, light caramel sweetness and roasted barley.

In my opinion, it's got the best of both worlds. On one hand, you have a good roasted barley & chocolate maltiness. On the other, you have a nice bitter & piney hoppiness that counteracts the sheer dark characteristics of the beer itself. In other words, I found this to be nicely balanced for what it is and is worthy of your attention.

Indeed Midnight Ryder - 9/10

Bad Weather Ominous Review

Name: Bad Weather Ominous
Style: American Strong Ale
ABV: 7.5%

It's been a few months since I've reviewed anything from Bad Weather Brewing, one of the newer breweries to open their doors in Minnesota. In anticipation of the upcoming cold snap, I'll be looking at Ominous, which is called a Midwest Warmer by the brewery....and boy are we going to need one.

Appearance - A very hazy and dark brown color that borderlines on black, with the exception of a brown tinge that shows up on the bottom of the glass. The head is khaki-colored and the lacing is pretty good.

Smell - Strong caramelized malts with some potent licorice notes. I'm also getting some mild roasty notes and some blackcurrant notes that reminds me of blackberries and plums; Along with a bit of light citrus hoppiness.

Taste - Strong Roasty and Caramelized Malt notes upfront followed by some blackberry and licorice notes. The aftertaste is a mix of blackberries, mild bitter hops and a lingering roastiness. In other words, it's pretty similar to the nose.

I may have had only 2 beers from Bad Weather, but they have impressed me yet again. It's been a while since I've had a good Strong Ale and this is quite good....even excellent as a matter of fact. If you find yourself in Minnesota during the winter, this is worthy of your attention.

Bad Weather Ominous - 9/10

Putting The Beer Diet to the Test

A couple of days ago, I was reading The Growler Magazine when I came across this article and frankly, I found it hard to believe at first. It's about a gentleman by the name of Troy Rogers, who followed what he calls a beer diet. In the article, he followed a specific regiment of fasting on nothing but 1-2 bottles of beer (and water) four times a week and 3-5 hours of exercise each. To make a long story short, he loses 50 pounds in 3 months by following this diet and by doing exercise everyday.

Reading the article inspired me to try it out and to see how it works plus 50 lbs is also what I'm looking to lose. Right now, I'm 6' 4'' and currently weighing in at 275lbs, a far cry from the bean pole I was in high school and only weighing in at 160lbs. 

So I will be tracking my progress as I go about doing this on a Bi-Daily basis, which includes:

• Beers Consumed
• Exercise Done
• Anything else on an "As Needed" basis
• Weigh-in at the end of each week

I should point out that I will be attempting to work out every day as opposed to every other day. My goal is to replicate the diet as closely as possible. After 3 months has passed, I will be posting my results to see how far I've come along and if it indeed works.

Every diet I've tried recently hasn't worked for me at all and I keep falling off the wagon, but I think this is one diet I can get behind and stick to. I also start Grad School in about 3 months and I want to look better when I go back to school so the timing couldn't be better. So a big shoutout to The Growler for giving me the inspiration I need to get off my ass and try something new for a change and to Troy Rogers for coming up with the idea!

Toppling Goliath Tsunami Pale Ale Review

Name: Toppling Goliath Tsunami Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5%

Another beer from Toppling Goliath? Don't mind if I do! After having their Golden Nugget, I've been very eager to try out their other offerings. I recently came into possession of their Tsunami Pale Ale or as I heard someone else call it, Toppling Goliath's OTHER Pale Ale.

I found out too that this was a draft only beer until very recently when they decided to bottle this up. It's not PseudoSue, but it'll have to do for now. Though I've heard whisperings and rumors that PseudoSue may be arriving in the very near future; Only time will tell.

Appearance - Hazy orange with a mild amount of visible carbonation. The head is thin but foamy and has distinct orange complexion on an otherwise white head. Maybe it's just the lighting but it's worth mentioning. The lacing is also very abundant and quite sticky

Aroma - Floral hops and yeasts permeate the nose up front. I'm also picking up on some toffee malts and a bit of resin bitterness as well. Nothing I haven't already seen this far, so let's see how it is.

Taste - Floral & Bitter hops dominate the front of the palate before being taken over by some mild yeastiness and toffee malts. In the aftertaste, the bitter hops make a reappearance along with some yeast notes. The bitter hops in particular linger on the palate long after everything is done.

Tsunami Pale Ale is a solid American Pale Ale that manages to please. At the same time, it doesn't do anything that I haven't already seen before in an APA and plays it safe flavor-wise. Still, it is worth checking out if you so happen to see it.

Toppling Goliath Tsunami Pale Ale - 8/10

Sand Creek Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout Review

Name: Sand Creek Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.6%

A new brewery makes its way to my blog today, and that would be Sand Creek Brewing straight out of Black River Falls, WI. For this review, I have Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. I'm going to assume that Oscar is the black bear on the label that is leering back at the cameraman.

Here's the kicker, the brewery makes it known this beer from Wisconsin by putting on both the label and the bottle cap "Real Wisconsin Beer." At least we know this stuff is authentic and not from some contract brewery in say.....Colorado.

Appearance - It pours a pitch black color with some minor bubbles clinging to the side of the glass. The khaki-colored head is nice and pillowy but not really much in terms of carbonation.

Aroma - Right away I'm getting some strong roasted barley and rich oatmeal notes. There's also some rich chocolate maltiness as well along with some minor creamy lactose notes. The nose does become richer the more it warms up.

Flavor - Upfront I'm getting some prominent roasted barley and oatmeal notes. Followed up by this is some chocolate malts and very light lactose notes. There is also some slight bitter hoppiness in here too but it doesn't show up until the very end.

Though I would've preferred the palate to be a bit smoother, this is a pretty solid oatmeal stout nevertheless. It's got a nice flavor and is perfect for the winter or any time of the year for that matter

Sand Creek Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout - 8.5/10

Milwaukee Brewing Black Iron Review

Name: Milwaukee Brewing Black Iron
Style: Black Ale/India Black Ale
ABV: 7.4%

It's been too long since I've reviewed a Black Ale. It's not that I tend to avoid them, it's just that I don't have too many chances to get around to it. I'm hoping to buck that trend with Black Iron from Milwaukee Brewing. The name of this beer is a nod to Milwaukee's strong blacksmithing heritage. Now the website likes to call this an India Black Ale so I'll humor them and list it as both.

I'm also going to be trying something new with this review. I've decided that I'm going to switch up the format in which I critique the beer. The content will be the same but the start of each descriptor will have a label. The reason for this change is that the style in which I have been writing has gotten monotonous when it comes to analyzing the beer. Any feedback about this new format is welcomed.

Appearance - Pitch black with a very, very foamy head that would make Brewery Ommegang proud. Don't believe me? Here is a photo took when I did the initial pour and you'll see what I mean. Keep in mind too that this is when I poured around a third of the bottle (give or take) into the glass...

In case you were wondering, the lacing is also very abundant.

Aroma - Starts off with some very piney strong hop bitterness, followed up by some roasted barley, chocolate malts and a hint of toffee. I'm also getting a slight grapefruitiness but it isn't apparent right away.

Taste - A strong piney hop & grapefruit bitterness greets you upfront along with some potent chocolate maltiness. The roasted barley element of the flavor doesn't show up until the end along with a strong bitter hoppiness in the aftertaste. It's worth noting that the piney hops in particular do linger throughout the flavor, which is impressive when you consider that this is only 48 IBUs.

Whether you want to call this a Black Ale, Black IPA, India Black Ale, etc., there is no denying that this is a great beer. It may be a bit bitter for those looking for a traditional Black Ale but despite that, I feel that the flavor strikes a good balance between hoppy and roasty. Have a glass and decide for yourself.

Milwaukee Brewing Black Iron - 8.5/10

Founders Imperial Stout Review

Name: Founders Imperial Stout
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.5%

Originally I was going to continue with reviewing my sampler pack from Blue Moon but the realization dawned upon me that all of those beers tasted remarkably similar to one another and I felt that each review was going to be similar.

So I'm back to craft beer and I'll mark this occasion with Founders Imperial Stout. To my knowledge, this is a winter release, and it also has the courtesy to let us know it's a Russian Imperial Stout by adorning the label with the Russian Double-Headed Eagle.

The beer pours a pitch black color with no visible carbonation. The head takes on a dark brown color look and the lacing is quite good.

The aroma has a some chocolate maltiness and strong vanilla sweetness. There is also a strong cherry fruitness in here with some light citrus hoppiness. For an Imperial Stout, it's really fruity smelling.

The flavor has some strong bitter hoppiness upfront with some equally strong roasted barley and chocolate malts notes. The cherry sweetness is a bit more subdued here along with the vanilla notes. As for the aftertaste, it's quite bitter and roasty and it lingers for a long time.

This Imperial Stout is a lot more bitter than the nose leads one to believe; It is 90 IBUs after all. However it's still a pretty good Imperial Stout. On top of that, the price is pretty good for what I paid for it so check this out if you're able to.

Founders Imperial Stout - 9/10

Blue Moon Cinnamon Horchata Ale Review

**No Picture, Sorry!!**

Name: Blue Moon Cinnamon Horchata Ale
Style: Spiced Beer
ABV: 5.5%

Next up on my Blue Moon Winter Seasonal Pack is their Cinnamon Horchata. A horchata is a beverage that originates from Mexico and Central America that is made with milk, cinnamon, almonds and occasionally rice.

Now I've had horchata before and it is really tasty and I have to admit I'm a bit excited to actually review a horchata-based beer. However the previous beer I had in the sampler pack was a bit lacking so lets see how this is.

The beer pours a hazy orange color with some mild carbonation. The head takes on a thin white appearance and there's no lacing to speak of.

The nose is a mix of cinnamon, eggnog, some lactose, and a bit of pale maltiness. I'm also getting some light malted barley notes in here as well.

The first half of the flavor reminds me of a cinnamon roll. You've got your cinnamon spiciness, a bit of yeastiness, and some pale malts. The second half of the flavor still has a lingering cinnamon sweetness but it's paired with some malted barley. Other than that, the aftertaste is fairly dry with only a light cinnamon spiciness.

While it didn't quite hit the expectations I had for, it still manages to please and proves that a horchata based beer can work under the right circumstances. Your best bet would be to have a bottle and decide for yourself.

Blue Moon Cinnamon Horchata Ale - 8/10

Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale Review

Name: Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale
Style: Spiced Beer
ABV: 5.9%

Another beer from the Blue Moon Winter Sampler Pack, which I got on sale last week. For this review, I have their Gingerbread Spiced Ale which brings back memories of Christmas....except during Christmas, I was drinking Reindeer Games from Clown Shoes; A fantastic beer if you haven't had it yet.

As I recall, the last Gingerbread based beer I had was from Sam Adams and I frankly wasn't too impressed with that beer. So let's see if this beer will change my mind about gingerbread-based beers.

The beer pours a clear dark brown color with some light carbonation. The head itself is quite thin & translucent and the lacing is pretty much non-existent.

So far, it's living up to the name as a gingerbread beer because it hits you right away in the aroma. I'm also getting some mild roastiness & a hint of chocolate malts. There's also some very mild hoppiness but it's covered up by the strong gingerbread scent.

As for the flavor, at the very front of the palate is where the gingerbread is quite strong but it fades away on the backend of the palate; Which consists mostly of roasted barley, some mild chocolate notes and some moderately bitter hoppiness.

Had the gingerbread flavor lingered throughout, I would've enjoyed this more. Perhaps it's better enjoyed sooner than later. However as it is, it's still a decent beer and there's nothing I would really consider terribly wrong with it.

Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale - 7.5/10

Blue Moon Belgian White Review

Name: Blue Moon Belgian White
Style: Witbier
ABV: 5.4%

It's taken me this long to review Blue Moon Belgian White? Yeah, I still don't quite understand it myself but when I see a Blue Moon Seasonal Sampler on sale, I cannot pass up that offer. This'll be the first beer in my Blue Moon series and I've decided to start off with the original Belgian White.

What can be said about Belgian White? Well next to Coors, Budweiser & Miller, it is one of the most widely recognized beers in America and can be found everywhere in the country. I've also had this beer at Olive Garden a few times because it's usually the only thing I consider to be decent on tap.

Belgian White pours a cloudy yellow color with a foamy white head. The lacing is on the sparse side and I'm not getting any visible carbonation.

In the aroma, I'm getting potent orange peel notes, some malted wheat, a bit of berry sweetness, along with some pale malts to round things off.

Flavor-wise, the orange peel & berry sweetness up front are fairly mild compared to the malted wheat and pale malt in the back, which are also relatively tame. The aftertaste is a light mix of malted wheat and orange peel sweetness.

Even though the flavor leaves something more to be desired, this is not a bad beer. When you take into consideration that this is a Miller-Coors Product, it's actually quite good plus there is none of that grainy adjunct flavor in here either which is a plus in my book. The best way to describe this beer is that it's not perfect, but even a broken clock is wrong twice a day.

Blue Moon Belgian White - 7.75/10

Leinenkugel's Big Butt Doppelbock Review

Name: Leinenkugel's Big Butt Doppelbock
Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 5.8%

So apparently I had no idea Leinenkugel's made a beer with this amusing of a name. I give to you Big Butt Doppelbock, which I'll admit is fun to say. Doppelbocks are usually in the 7-10% range in terms of ABV but this one only clocks in at 5.8% so I'd be more tempted to call this a Bock beer. Also contrary to what some of you may be thinking (you know what I'm talking about....), this beer is reference to the two goats butting heads in the background since Bock is German for goat. Speaking of which....

Before I start this review, I'm going to pose a question to my readers: Why on earth is there NO Sir Mix-a-Lot references in the label description? All it talks about is the five different types of malted barley and it doesn't do so much as make a lyrical reference to Mix-a-Lot's classic. I'm kind of disappointed here.

Big Butt Doppelbock pours a dark but clear brown color with a relatively foamy khaki colored head. Not really getting anything in terms of lacing or carbonation.

The aroma is a mix of strong caramelized malts and roasted barley. I'm picking up on some chocolate notes and some very light adjunct grains.

Flavor-wise it starts out with some roastiness, caramel malts and even a hint of chocolate. This does, however, give way relatively quickly to moderate adjunct grains, some mild lingering hop bitterness and a touch of roastiness on the back end of the palate. The aftertaste is on the drier side with some adjunct grains and light caramel maltiness.

I should clarify one point: Just because a beer uses adjuncts in the brewing process does not mean I am ready to write it off and that is the case with this beer. In fact, I'd say my biggest gripe with this beer is that they're calling it a Doppelbock whereas I'd classify this more as a Bock based on the overall flavor. All and all, Big Butt Doppelbock is by no means the best (Doppel)Bock beer out there but I would gladly accept this again should someone offer this to me.

Leinenkugel's Big Butt Doppelbock - 7.5/10

Milwaukee Brewing Booyah Review

Name: Milwaukee Brewing Booyah
Style: Saison
ABV: 6.5%

So a funny thing happened to me last night: I unknowingly started a reviewing a beer that I already reviewed, which was Milwaukee Brewing's Hop Happy. I had the article entire proofread and everything before I looked at the bottle and realized the name looked awfully familiar. It was then I looked back at my history and realized that I had this back in May. For the first time, ever I had to scrap a review.

Well it's time to move on and I'm doing so with Milwaukee Brewing's Booyah Saison Style Ale. Why such the in-your-face name? Rather than try to explain the story behind the name, I'm just going to cut and paste from the brewery's website:

We love Wisconsin. Our history and culture give us inspiration for brewing and naming beers.
Since this is a Belgian-style beer, the Flemish-Belgian history of the Green Bay area flows with stories like a keg with a bung blowout.

A very social cultural staple is the Booyah, which is a 55 gallon drum-over-fire stew that is cooked using an “everything but the kitchen sink” mentality, and tended by cooks over a few brews.

.....makes sense to me! Let's find out how this is!

Booyah pours a very cloudy dark orange color with no visible carbonation. The head takes on a very thin, almost-translucent appearance.

The nose has some spices, pilsner malts and usually strong lemon zest. I'm also getting some pale malts and some funkiness that resides in the back. It smells like a saison with just a touch of Brett.

The flavor starts out with some mild Belgian Yeasts with some strong lemon zest. I'm also getting some moderate Brett funkiness, a bit of malted wheat, tart white grapes, and pilsner-pale malts. As for the aftertaste, it's surprisingly dry with just a hint of tartness and light yeastiness. The description says there is rye used in this beer but I'm not really picking up on any of it with the exception of the nose. The best way to describe the taste is that it's like a Saison and a Berliner Weiss.

As you have have guessed, the taste is a lot more complex than the nose leads you to believe. It may seem a bit too sour for those looking for a traditional saison but I think this works quite well for what it is. Your best bet is to have a glass and decide for yourself.

Milwaukee Brewing Booyah - 8/10

Sam Adams Rebel IPA Review

Name: Sam Adams Rebel IPA
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%

A couple weeks back, I wrote an article about Sam Adams and the struggle to remain relevant in a market in which they helped create. In that article, I wrote about Sam Adams' Rebel IPA and how Sam Adams help can position itself in the craft beer market place with the help of Rebel. They also have a TV Spot for Rebel, now with more Dropkick Murphys!

Well I have their Rebel IPA for review today and it's also a beer I've had before on one of my many visits to Buffalo Wild Wings as it's often the best IPA that they have on tap there. Like many beers before it, I've never sat down to do a proper review so it will be my first time taking a closer look at this beer.

Rebel IPA pours a fairly clear orange color with moderate carbonation. The head takes on a thin foamy appearance and the lacing is pretty good.

The aroma has some strong piney hops and grape-fruitiness, followed by some mild citrus hops and a substantial caramel malt back bone. The piney hops in particular have this almost sticky quality to them, if that makes any sense.

The flavor starts out with some strong grapefruit & citrus hoppiness The second half of the flavor is where the piney hops make themselves known along with some noticeable caramel malts, before ending with a bitter hop aftertaste. On a side note, that citrus hoppiness in the front of the flavor lingers on throughout the whole drinking experience.

I have to hand it to Sam Adams, they really have made a good IPA that reminds one of a West-Coast style. Sure it's not the best of the best in terms of IPAs I've had but it's good enough to where I would have this over and over again.

Sam Adams Rebel IPA - 8.5/10

Toppling Goliath Golden Nugget IPA Review

Name: Toppling Goliath Golden Nugget IPA
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6%

I've got a beer from a brewery that I have always wanted to try out since I've gotten into craft beer. Recently a brewery by the name of Toppling Goliath became available in my area and so far, there are two beers to choose from. The first being Light Speed Pale Ale, which was out when I checked the store. The other being their Golden Nugget IPA, which is the beer I will be reviewing.

More of their well known beers, like PseudoSue & Assassin Imperial Stout, are not yet available but I have a feeling that will change in the very near future. For the time being, I'll stick with what I have.

Golden Nugget pours a mildly hazy light orange color with some very light carbonation. The head takes on a fairly thin foamy white appearance with some good, sticky lacing.

In the aroma, I'm picking up on some rich mango & tangerine sweetness backed up by some mild grapefruitiness. I'm also getting some mild toffee maltiness and just a hint of yeast.

Flavor-wise, I'm getting some strong grapefruit and bitter hop notes up front. In the middle is where the citrus hops and toffee malts shine through. As for the aftertaste, the toffee maltiness does linger on but the bitter hops make a reappearance along with some surprisingly strong piney hops.

The flavor is a lot more complex than what the nose leads you to believe. It's a nicely layered and flavorful IPA that is sure to please. On top of that, it is very reasonably priced beer for what I paid for it. I'll for sure will be checking more offerings from Toppling Goliath in the near future!

Toppling Goliath Golden Nugget IPA - 9/10