Ballast Point Sea Monster Review

Name: Ballast Point Sea Monster
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10%

Last year Ballast Point Brewing started distributing to Minnesota and we have since seen an expanded lineup from the brewery. The other day I was at the store and saw this new offering from them....or at least I think it's new.

I may not be the most knowledgeable about the craft beer industry but I do know that this is an older style label that was once used by the brewery; The label even has an expiration date of 2014, which happens to be this year. Well, I'm going to tempt fate and give this beer a go. This is Ballast Point's Sea Monster, which is their Imperial Stout style ale.

Sea Monster pours a pitch black color with a khaki colored head. There is some mild carbonation climbing along the sides of the glass and the lacing is fairly abundant.

A strong chocolate malt profile kicks things off in the nose with a vanilla sweetness, roasted barley, and a mild but noticeable hoppiness.

Flavor-wise, you've got a chocolate malt base, with notes of vanilla, a strong roasted barley/coffee flavor and a surprisingly strong hoppiness, even by Imperial Stout standards. The aftertaste is a mild roasty aftertaste with just a hint of vanilla.

The palate is quite heavy in terms of body and the carbonation has a moderate feel. It's not creamy by any means, but it allows some of the flavors to sink in.

Sea Monster isn't going to blow you away with it's flavor but it is still a pretty vibrant Imperial Stout with a nice hoppy kick to it. Fans of the style will no doubt find something to enjoy with this beer.

Ballast Point Sea Monster - 8.5/10

Lagunitas Sucks Review

Name: Lagunitas Sucks
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.85%

It's time to review another beer from Lagunitas Brewing and this time it's their Sucks ale. If my memory serves me correctly, this beer used to strictly be a winter seasonal but has since become a year-round offering. The name comes from the year where they couldn't make their winter seasonal: Brown Shugga. This beer was put in as a replacement and has since become a hit with beer drinkers everywhere.

Sucks pours a mildly hazy orange color with a thin foamy head. The visible carbonation is fairly moderate and the lacing is rather abundant.

The nose starts things off with caramel malt and brown sugar sweetness followed by some fairly strong citrus hops and a slight rye scent at the tail end.

The flavor is very caramel malt forward with notes of citrus hops, mangoes, brown sugar, and an aftertaste of slight rye spiciness and citrus hops.

The palate as a whole is pretty lightweight and the carbonation is moderately leveled. The carbonation does help bring out more of the flavor which thankfully works out pretty well.

Lagunitas Sucks is a very good Imperial IPA. The mixture of flavors, particularly with the slight rye spiciness, work together quite nicely. It's safe to say that this beer.......doesn't suck.

Lagunitas Sucks - 8.5/10

Avery Collaboration Not Litigation Review

Name: Avery Collaboration Not Litigation
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV: 8.9%

Even though it's a couple days late (Hey I'm a busy guy), I bring to you the One Year Anniversary review: Avery Collaboration Not Litigation; A Belgian Dark Strong Ale as the end result of a collaboration between Avery Brewing Company and Russian River Brewing Company. It's a beer that I have been wanting to try out for quite a while, mostly due to the fact that Russian River had a hand in making this beer. Plus this is the closest I'll get to having one of their beers until I have the money to visit Russian River or unless someone wants to do a beer trade.

The story behind the name is that each respective brewer mentioned above found out that the other made a beer called Salvation. The two breweries decided that rather than waste their time trying to sue the pants off of each other, they saw this as an opportunity to make a collaboration beer. A nice, feel good story when you consider the fact that a new lawsuit involving two different craft brewers seems to pop up almost everyday.

Originally I was going to try and procure a Game of Thrones beer as there have been several made since I reviewed Iron Throne Blonde Ale for my first review, but I figured this would have to do!

Collaboration pours a dark hazy mahogany color with a thin filmy head. The lacing left behind is rather sparse and visible carbonation is moderate in appearance.

The aroma has consists mainly of some fairly strong Belgian yeast notes, citrus hops, cloves, toffee, caramel malts and a slight bubblegum sweetness. Definitely a stronger focus on the hoppy and malty aspect of the flavors compared to the original Avery Salvation.

The flavor is still very Belgian yeast & clove forward, pretty much like the original but I'm also picking up on some prominent caramel malt notes, bubblegum sweetness and citrus hoppiness. The aftertaste is a mild Belgian yeastiness flavor. Pretty interesting considering the original Salvation had a rather piney hop aftertaste.

The overall palate is pretty heavy with some fairly moderate, fizzy carbonation which helps bring out the flavors just a little bit more.

Even though I love Salvation, I think I love this beer just a little bit more mainly because it's got a much more complex flavor, which at the same time, is very well balanced. Since it is just a seasonal beer, it is very much worth checking out if you happen to stumble upon it!

Avery Collaboration Not Litigation - 9.5/10

Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA Review

Name: Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%

Sierra Nevada Brewing has been releasing quite a few beers lately which focus on specific types of hops; Usually in the form of a 22oz. bomber bottle. Their latest creation utilizes a brand new experimental hop called ” Yakima” and is the sole hop style used in this single hop IPA. On the label, it calls itself a "100-Day IPA" and advises the drinker not to store it but drink it now, which leads me to believe that this is a fresh-hop IPA; 'Tis the season I suppose!

Harvest Single Hop pours a clear golden color with a thin foamy head. The visible carbonation is pretty mild and the lacing is abundant and sticky.

The aroma starts off with some strong cracked peppers & an earthy pale maltiness. On the back end are some fairly fruity notes which consist of blueberries, orange peel and citrus. The nose.....is interesting to say the least.

The flavor is very pepper forward with notes of bitter notes, blueberry fruitiness, orange peel and pale/earthy malts. The aftertaste is also quite bitter but not overwhelmingly so. The palate is more on the heavier side and the carbonation is more or less at a moderate level.

It's always fun and interesting to see what kind of hops can be developed and how they can be profiled to the general public. With that said, though, Yakima would not be my first choice for a single hop IPA. It's got an interesting flavor profile that would go great if paired with Cascade and/or Centennial Hops but I feel that it really needs other hops to help balance out the overall taste.

Still, it tastes decent and it's well-priced. I say try a bottle out (I only paid $4 for this) and decide for yourself.

Sierra Nevada Harvest Single Hop IPA - 7/10

Ballast Point Big Eye Review

Name: Ballast Point Big Eye

Style: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.8%

While Ballast Point Brewing is most well known around here as the brewery behind Sculpin, they actually have other IPAs in their lineup that I feel others seem to miss. Tonight I have their Big Eye IPA, which upon adding to part of my mix-a-six, I noticed that were still a few bottles behind it. One could only why this is the case.

Big Eye IPA pours a mildly hazy orange color with a foamy head that leaves behind some soapy lacing. The amount of visible carbonation is also fairly high.

The aroma starts out with a mild citrus hop & grapefruit smell. Backing that up are notes of toffee, caramel malts and yeasts. 

Upon drinking this, I noticed that there is a very strong strong piney hop flavor which I did not pick up on earlier; Almost like a cloak-and-dagger. Once you get passed that, you find yourself with notes of caramel malts, grapefruits, yeasts and an extremely bitter resiny aftertaste. I don't mind some bitterness in my IPAs, but I feel this is pushing it. 

The overall palate is pretty light but it packs quite a punch when it comes to the carbonation. I don't really feel it helps the overall flavor either.

Big Eye is an okay IPA but the bitterness, particularly in the aftertaste, is way too much for my liking. If the overall bitterness were taken down a few notches, I would be more likely to recommend this.

Ballast Point Big Eye - 7/10

AleSmith Wee Heavy Review

Name: AleSmith Wee Heavy
Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy
ABV: 10%

So my insomnia has started to kick in again after a 3 year absence. Since Nyquil, warm milk, and ambient music aren't doing the trick, I figured that I would spend my extra awake time finishing off a couple reviews that I've been meaning to finish. Because productivity!

As some of my loyal readers may remember, I did a review of Speedway Stout, which was great, but it didn't quite live up the hype that I had seen on the internet forums. Nonetheless, it was a solid beer and I have decided to take a look at AleSmith's Wee Heavy. Like Speedway Stout before it, their Wee Heavy is very highly regarded and considered to be one of the best representation of the style out there. That's a pretty bold statement so let's check it out!

The beer pours an initially pitch black color that turns to a bright-dark crimson color when held up to a light. The head is about a finger thick and khaki colored and it leaves behind some good lacing.

The aroma is quite vibrant as I'm getting notes caramel, vanilla, scotch, oak, smoked malts and rum raisin. Each smell mentioned above is distinguishable in it's own way and it's a pleasure to the senses.

Much like the nose, the flavors starts out with a strong caramel, scotch, and vanilla sweetness. On the back end are some rum raisin, dark fruit, and smoked malt notes. There is also a sweet vanilla/scotch and dry hopped aftertaste.

The body is on the heavier side but the very mild carbonation makes for a very smooth and creamy texture. It adds a lot to the overall drinkability and allows one to savor the overall flavor.

After having this, I can safely say that AleSmith Wee Heavy is probably one of the best Scotch Ale styles that I have ever had and well worthy of the reputation it has received. The flavor is vibrant & delicious, it smells absolutely wonderful, and it's incredibly easy to drink! In fact, I would even go as far to say that I cannot find a single thing wrong with this beer and I'm okay with that! You owe to yourself to try this, you will not regret it!

AleSmith Wee Heavy - 10/10

Lagunitas Imperial Stout Review

Name: Lagunitas Imperial Stout
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.9%

When I first moved up to Duluth, I knew that my accessibility to certain brands of beers (i.e. Stone, Great Divide, Flat Earth, Boulevard etc. to name a few) would be somewhat hindered due to my geographical location. However the trade-off has come in form of Superior, Wisconsin; whose stores contain most of the brands from the Twin Cities that are absent on the Duluth side as well as some awesome brands that are available only in the western US and some Wisconsin-exclusive beers.

Lagunitas Brewing isn't available in Duluth like it is in Minneapolis, but it IS available over in Superior, Wisconsin. Which brings us to tonight's review of Lagunitas Imperial Stout. Like it's Twin Cities counterpart, it was very reasonably priced. In fact, it was cheaper then what I would normally pay for in Minneapolis and it's been bottled recently.

Lagunitas Imperial Stout pours a pitch black color with a thin khaki colored head. There is a minor crimson tinge at the bottom of the glass and the lacing is sparse, but there.

The aroma starts off with some heavy chocolate malts, cherries, dark fruit notes, caramel and a some coffee notes.

The flavor of has more of a roasty focus with coffee notes, chocolate malts, mocha, caramel, some mild hops. That goes without saying that the aftertaste is quite roasty, almost venturing into porter territory. The palate has a pretty heavy body to it and some moderate carbonation. Doesn't quite fit what I'd

It's a bit roasty by Imperial Stout standards but it's still a pretty good beer. Bombers from Lagunitas tend to be very reasonably priced (at least where I live) and this one is no exception. It's not going to knock your socks off, but you'll be getting your money's worth either way.

Lagunitas Imperial Stout - 8/10

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA Review

Name: Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.6%

It's time to confront my biggest demon in terms of craft beer. It's s story that began 2 years ago during the earlier half of 2012 when I first encountered Sierra Nevada's Ruthless Rye IPA. It was a simpler time back then: Working feverishly on my senior year projects, studying for weekly exam(s) and playing some Skyrim when the time permitted.

Then one February evening while I was browsing the selection at Haskell's, a store associate recommended I try out Ruthless Rye and he convinced me to buy a six-pack of it. Upon getting home and trying it out, I found myself reeling in disgust and ended up doing a drain pour. I wasn't used to rye beers at the time and lamented the $8 I had wasted on it. Now it's a couple years later, and I have a more refined palate, particularly towards rye beers. I say it's high time that I re-evaluate this beer

Ruthless Rye pours a darker gold color with a very clear look. The head takes on a filmy appearance and leaves behind some good lacing.

A citrus hoppiness and spiciness are fairly prominent at the front of the nose; The spiciness no doubt coming from the rye. Mixed in with those are notes of cracked peppers and caramel malts.

The flavor is equally strong with both the rye and citrus hops. Much like the aroma, the caramel malts and cracked peppers take a backseat but provide a good foundation. Strangely enough, the aftertaste has an odd pils-malt/earthy flavor.

The body is very lightweight but the carbonation is rather intense. This paired with the rye creates a very stingly and unpleasent texture.

Looking back, Ruthless Rye does possess a great flavor but the palate is comparable to that of sulfuric acid, which is probably why I poured it down the drain before. If the carbonation were more subdued, it would be another solid IPA from Sierra Nevada. However right now, this is only for the most dedicated of rye beer fans


Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA - 7.5/10

Green Flash Le Freak Review

Name: Green Flash Le Freak
Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.2%

San Diego seems to have a thing for Minnesota this year. First we are given Ballast Point and now Green Flash Brewing which is another high profile brewery to come out of San Diego that recently has graced it's presence on our shelves.

What I have here is an interesting creation from them, their Le Freak Ale. According to the brewery, Le Freak is a combination of an Abbey Tripel & an Imperial IPA, hence the name.The only "mixture" I've had of two beers is Mississippi Mud Black & Tan, which is a Porter & Pilsner combination.

Le Freak pours a mildly hazy orange color with some visible moderate carbonation. The head is quite foamy in appearance and the lacing left behind is quite good.

A strong aroma of lemon zest and citrus hops starts things off in the nose. I'm also getting some fairly strong clove, banana, toffee and pale malt notes as well.

The taste is a pretty wide assortment of flavors. Right off the bat are cloves, spices, lemony zest, piney hops, grapefruits, caramel, pale malts, and yeasts. A bittersweet resiny flavor makes up the aftertaste.

The body is pretty heavy and the carbonation is surprisingly strong for what it is. Given the complexity of the beer, it's pretty easy to overlook and it adds some dimension to the flavor.

True to it's description, it really is like someone mixed together an Abbey Tripel and Imperial IPA. Thankfully it pulls it off quite well thanks to it's complex and robust flavor. It's a different take on the Tripel style and an excellent one at that!

Green Flash Le Freak - 9.25/10

Moylan's Hopsickle Review

Name: Moylan's Hopsickle 
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.2%

Recently, I've been seeing more of Moylan's Brewing on the store shelves here but have never really bothered to check it out. That was until one day when one of the store employees at my regular haunt recommended this to me since they know I'm a big fan of Imperial IPAs.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm getting over a rather nasty cold so no beer for me until I regain my sense of smell. Fortunately I'm off the cocktail of cold medications which I have been taking for the past few days so Oooh Yay for that. Since I can't have any new beers for the time being, I shall finish writing about the ones I've already had!

Hopsickle pours a hazy orange color with a thin filmy head with some good lacing retention. The visible carbonation is also pretty high in appearance.

Strong grapefruits, oak, citrus and mild caramel in the nose. There is a strong encompassing musky smell, no doubt showcasing the Simcoe Hops used in the brewing process.

The flavor is fairly piney hop forward with caramel, oak,grapefruits and a bittersweet resiny aftertaste. Like the aroma, the Simcoe Hops are on full display with it's oak and muskiness.

The body is surprisingly lightweight and fairly mild carbonation, so you're able to enjoy the flavors.

All and all, it's a pretty good Imperial IPA. It may be a little too woodsy or musky for some but for any seasoned Imperial IPA fan, it's worth checking out.

Moylan's Hopsickle - 8.5/10

Ballast Point Pale Ale Review

Name: Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale
Style: Kölsch
ABV: 4.6%

A couple months ago, Ballast Point Brewing Company started distributing to our neck of the woods much to the delight of craft beer lovers everywhere. I've even been hearing about this brewery outside of liquor stores and bars which is pretty significant in my eyes.

When I picked up Yellowtail Pale Ale as part of a mix-a-six, I assumed that this was Ballast Point's own rendition of their pale ale; I mean the label says in bold lettering "Pale Ale." However when I got home and inspected the label, I made a startling discovery...

Y u do dis, Ballast Point?

Okay so we're NOT having an American Pale Ale but a Kölsch instead. I'm not terribly familiar with Kölsch style but the only one I've had has been from Lake Superior Brewing right here in Duluth and I thought it was pretty good. Let's take a look at this, shall we?

Yellowtail pours a bright yellow color with a rather fizzy and filmy head. The carbonation visible is quite mild and there is no lacing left behind.

The nose starts things off with a sweet & grassy pale malt backbone and fruitiness; Along with some wheat, bready and barley notes.

Likewise, the flavor is also pretty representative of what's in the nose. You have sweet pale malts, fruitiness, sweet wheat notes, yeasts and barley. The overall flavor is a tad earthy and the aftertaste is also pretty dry with just a hint of fruitiness lingering on the palate. The body as a whole is pretty light with some moderate carbonation to compliment it, giving it a crisp feel.

It doesn't hold a candle to Sculpin in terms of flavor but I found this to be quite enjoyable. It's like they took an American Adjunct Lager and made it not only drinkable but quite good! In fact, I'd say this is a great beer for your non-craft beer drinking friends. It's not everyday you see a Kölsch-style beer on the shelves but I'd say this one is definitely worth trying out if you see it!

Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale - 8/10

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale Review

Name: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.8%

Every winter, Sierra Nevada Brewing likes to get in the holiday spirit by releasing Celebration Ale, their winter seasonal IPA. As you can see in the picture above, it depicts a cottage covered by snow, which is ironic considering that the brewery's location does not get any snow at all.

As I mentioned in my previous review, not every winter release is necessarily a darker/heavier beer and this certainly isn't a darker beer by any means. In fact, it's one of the most highly anticipated widespread winter releases I have ever seen around here.

Celebration Ale pours a hazy orange-brown color with a fairly thin foamy head. The lacing left behind is quite good and the carbonation takes on more of a mild appearance.

The nose starts out as fairly caramel malt forward followed up with some hefe-clove notes, citrus & piney hops and a slight yeastiness.

Likewise, the flavor is also fairly malty with stronger hefe-cloves, spiciness, citrus hops, and yeasts with a bittersweet piney-resin aftertaste. Highly unusual to see cloves in an IPA, but it works pretty well.

The body is pretty light and the carbonation comes off as more moderate than what it's mild appearance lets you believe.

Some beer drinkers may not like the cloviness in this beer, but I feel it helps give a wintery feel to the IPA style without making it too different. Overall I found this to be a very enjoyable IPA and worth checking out if you're in need of a good seasonal IPA.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - 8.5/10

Anchor Old Foghorn Review

Name: Anchor Old Foghorn
Style: Barleywine
ABV 8.8%

Anchor Brewing is most well known for their Anchor Steam Beer to most beer drinkers out there but many people seem to forget that they make other beers besides just Steam. Last year, Anchor Brewing announced they were going to bring back Old Foghorn, their barleywine, after an extended absence. Up until recently finding it has been somewhat of a chore, but here it is!

Old Foghorn pours a clear crimson color with some high carbonation and a filmy head. There's no lacing here so it finishes clean.

The nose starts things off with caramel malts, plum, and dark fruity notes along with some mild citrus hops. It's got an almost ”Dubbel” like quality to it.

The flavor is pretty malt forward with strong caramel malts, plums,light spice and mild citrus hop notes. The aftertaste is a sweet caramel and grapefruit taste. The Dubbel-like quality is present here as well.

The body is fairly light in weight and carbonation is moderate, so it gives some character to the flavor.

For a barleywine, it's rather tame considering it's flavor and ABV. However it's still a great beer and an approachable one at that. Anyone curious about the style should definitely check this one out!

Anchor Old Foghorn - 8.5/10

AleSmith Speedway Stout Review

Name: AleSmith Speedway Stout
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 12%

At the risk of sounding smug, we Duluth (And Superior, Wisconsin) residents have gotten some access to some pretty sweet beers recently. While the selection isn't quite as bountiful as say....Chicago, Colorado or the West Coast, I feel it is safe to say that we got quite alot on our hands.

Recently, AleSmith Brewing started distributing to Wisconsin and have brought their beers to our neighbors over in Superior, WI. I've been reading about this brewery in particular online and have seen their Speedway Stout at the top of many "Must-have" beer lists. They are also a very highly regarded California Brewery and joins Ballast Point in terms of availability in our area.

I don't know if I should consider myself lucky but.....here it is! My review of AleSmith Speedway Stout!

Speedway Stout pours a pitch black color with a creamy-looking filmy brown head. The lacing has some good retention and the carbonation visible is mild.

The nose has a sweet chocolate nib and coffee aroma, with some licorice, vanilla, chocolate malts and roasted barley.

Flavor-wise, it's got a very strong coffee taste upfront with rich some chocolate, roasted barley, and malty notes. There's some minor but noticeable booziness in the flavor throughout. Aftertaste is a bitter coffee and malty flavor

The body is very heavy in weight and carbonation-wise, it lands in between mild & moderate; So it's quite manageable.

The flavor, while robust, isn't quite as complex as the aroma and it tastes somewhat boozy. With that said, it's still an excellent Imperial Stout that is worth checking out. Since they have brought multiple offerings to our area, I'll be sure to check all of them out.

AleSmith Speedway Stout - 8.5/10

Ballast Point Sculpin Review

Name: Ballast Point Sculpin
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 7%

Recently Ballast Point Brewing, a very well regarded West Coast brewery, started distributing here to Minnesota along with Green Flash Brewing. I decided to grab some of their Sculpin IPA upon hearing that it's amongst the best widely available IPAs on the market and, according to someone I talked to, it's comparable to that of drinking from the Holy Grail.

Well seeing as how the Sculpin is a poisonous fish that leaves a stinging sensation, which is something they proudly boast about in the commercial description, let's see if that is really true.

Sculpin pours a mildly hazy orange/amber color with some light carbonation and a semi-foamy head that has some good retention.

The aroma kicks things off with some very strong fruity notes which include, mango, apricots, citrus hops and grapefruit. Rounding it out at the end are some caramelized malts. Very fruity and somewhat malty; I've been encountering this alot more as of late.

The flavor is also very fruity and malt forward with citrus hops, grapefruit, apricot, mangoes, peaches, and some caramel maltiness. There's also some piney hops and resin-like notes in there as well throughout that were not in the nose. Sneaky sneaky!

The body is quite heavy and the carbonation, while had light appearance to it when first poured into the glass, is surprisingly aggressive in nature. What I mean by that is that it's not overwhelming but...stingy; Kind of like it's namesake fish.

I can safely say that this is, in fact, one of the best widely available IPAs on the market. It's got a rich & robust flavor, a nice aroma, and a body that's unique but doesn't hamper the overall experience. I would highly recommend checking this out, particularly if you're into the fruiter tasting IPAs!

Ballast Point Sculpin - 9.5/10

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen Review

Name: Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen
Style: Hefeweizen
ABV: 4.8%

Even though fall started a couple weeks ago, it was still a relatively warm day here in Duluth. Since I have a couple summer beers still sitting around in the fridge, I figured now would be a good time to review and besides, I need a break from Oktoberfest beers for once a little bit. This one comes courtesy of Sierra Nevada with their summer seasonal Kellerweis, which is their own Hefeweizen style ale.

Kellerweis pours a hazy yellow color with a pillowy yet soapy head. There really isn't any carbonation to speak of nor is there lacing to be seen.

The nose has a clove & bubblegum like quality to it upfront with some light caramel and banana notes in the back. Pretty vibrant nose overall.

However the same cannot be said about the flavor. Sure it has clove, bubblegum, yeasts, wheat, banana and pale malt notes and even a bit of floral hoppiness... but none of them really jump out at you. It all seems fairly mild in comparison to the nose which gives me the impression of something more......robust! As for the aftertaste...there is none, it's pretty dry.

As expected from what I saw earlier, the body is pretty lightweight and there's absolutely no carbonation to speak of here.

Even though it looked like I was ripping this beer a new one, it's by no means a terrible beer but it fails to capture the essence of what the nose had to offer. Those who read my posts regularly know that I consider Summit Brewing's Hefeweizen to be my benchmark and this beer fails match that quality. Yes I can see the appeal this could have on a scalding hot day but the flavor just lacks the passion that the aroma gave off.

Summit Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen - 6.5/10

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA Review

Name: Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.5%
IBUs: 102

Stone Brewing has been in business for 17 years and they celebrate with a special edition beer every year to mark the occasion. This year it's an Imperial IPA called Götterdämmerung, which is German for "Twilight of the Gods". The name itself comes from an an opera by created by German composer Richard Wagner.

The reason for the tongue twisting name is because this beer uses all German malts and hops; In fact, some of the hops strains are brand new and only have started seeing usage in the craft beer market. It's always exciting to see new hop strains because it just increases the possibilities that brewers have to make new beers!

Götterdämmerung pours a bright clear orange color with a high amount of carbonation and a thick yet filmy head that has good retention. The appearance almost reminds me of Enjoy By, another beer by Stone.

The nose starts out with a very strong citrus hop and grapefruit scent. In the middle we have piney hops, peaches & caramel; While at the back there are pale malts, and mangoes.

While the nose has some strong citrus hops upfront, the flavor has a strong piney hop profile, followed by citrus hops, pale malts, bitter resin, mangoes and an over-encompassing earthiness. The after taste starts out quite bitter but ends on a peach & mango notes

Wait a minute, a nose & flavor with peaches and mangoes? If I didn't know better, I'd say I was drinking a Three Floyds' Dreadnaught. What sorcery is this?!

The body is fairly moderate in weight and the carbonation is rather mild, allowing one to fully savor the flavors that this beer has to offer.

If Enjoy By & Dreadnaught were to, under rhetorical circumstances, have a baby together this would be it. It's fruity, citrusy, and piney and has all the components needed to make a great Imperial IPA and it does so very well. I doubt this'll be released again anytime soon so pick one up if you get the chance!


Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA - 9.5/10

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale Review

Name: Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale
Style: American Strong Ale
ABV: 9.75%

Most people will name a beer after the place they live in, an inside joke, or a name suggested by a marketing firm. Lagunitas Brewing named a beer after an event which shut down their operations for 20 days by the California Alcohol Beverage Control in January 2006. This of course was a raid on the Lagunitas Premises during St. Patrick's Day in 2005, in which citations were issued to employees and guests for possession of marijuana. Even though the charges were later dropped, Lagunitas was forced to shutdown for 20 days by the Alcohol Board, though the brewery claims that they were going to shutdown anyways to upgrade their equipment.

So to celebrate their brush with the law, they released Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale, which sounds like the poorly translated title of a bootlegged copy of "Lethal Weapon" that you would expect to find in some marketplace in Hong Kong, minus the "Ale" part. Undercover is classified as an American Strong Ale with an ABV of 9.75%.

It pours a clear orange color with an off-white head and no carbonation, giving it a pretty nice unfiltered look.

The nose is primarily citrus & piney hops, caramel, toffee and yeasts. For a strong ale, this looks and smells alot like an Imperial IPA.

Upon tasting, my feelings about this being more like an Imperial IPA grew stronger. The flavor starts out with a strong hoppy taste with some spruce notes, and on the back of the palate there are grapefruit, toffee, caramel and an considerable malt backbone. There is some slight but noticeable booziness present in the flavor as well.

The body is considerably light and the carbonation is rather mild, which makes this strong ale a bit easy to drink.

Lets not fool ourselves here, this is an Imperial IPA. It's got the look, smell and taste of what you would expect from an Imperial IPA. Even with this revelation, it's still a good beer. Sure there are some imbalance issues with the boozy aspect of the flavor but this is still a pretty good beer!


Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale - 8/10

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Review

Name: Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10.4%

I'm going to be taking a break from reviewing New Glarus beers to focus on a beer that I have been wanting to try for a while. I'm of course talking about Hoptimum, Sierra Nevada's own Imperial IPA. Though it has nowhere near the amount of hype as say....Bell's Hopslam, it is still a very highly sought after beer and very well regarded in the craft beer community.

Though I will admit that the label, while very clever, tends to freak me out a little bit for one reason in particular. The hophead on the front of the label reminds me a "Clicker" from the video game "The Last of Us." I won't post a photo of the Clicker because I'm going to assume some of my readers are squeamish; Google it and you decide.

As for Hoptimum, according to the website, it was originally brewed as part of their Beer Camp Program. It's brewed with a variety of whole-cone hops as well as new experimental hops which aren't named. It also holds the world record for the most times the word "Hops" are mentioned on a single beer label. It's classified as an Imperial IPA with an ABV of 10.40%.

It pours a hazy orange color with a 1 finger width head. It sports some abundant lacing along the sides of the glass and has some mild carbonation activity visible.

The aroma consists mainly of citrus, piney, floral & dry hop notes, along with some grapefruit and caramel notes. If I didn't know better, I'd say the people who made this beer really enjoy their hops, but that's only speculation.

I'm finally tasting it.......aaaaaaaand it's hops. Lots and lots of............hops. Piney Hops, Citrus Hops, Floral Hops, Bitter Hops, Dry Hops! Oh and there are some caramel and orange notes in the back and the aftertaste is a bittersweet citrusy hoppiness., but who the hops cares, it's HOPS!!!

The body is heavy in weight with a moderate amount of carbonation which helps add to the flavor of DELICIOUS ALL-POWERFUL HOPS!!!!

Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops. Hops.

Oh, in case you were wondering, it's a great beer that exemplifies the Imperial IPA style and you really ought to drink it.

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum - 9.5/10

Widmer Brothers Columbia Common Review

I apologize for my finger at the bottom right corner, it will not happen again

Tonight I'm looking at a spring seasonal offering from Widmer Brothers Brewing called "Columbia Common", which is a Steam Beer/California Common style beer. 

To give a Spark Notes explanation of what a California Common is, it is basically a beer fermented  with yeast which ferments at warmer temperatures. This was developed in the 19th Century by brewers in California who had to develop a yeast strain which allowed to it to ferment in California's warm climate.The name "Steam Beer" is trademarked by Anchor Brewing Company so other breweries wishing to make this style must call it a "California Common." 

It pours a dark orange color with a pretty clear appearance. You can see a mild amount of carbonation climbing up the sides of the glass and the lacing retention is quite good. 

The nose has some fairly strong yeast and barley notes which are backed up by a pretty mild Pilsener-like grassiness. It does smell like, in a way, liquid bread.

Flavor wise, it has the yeast and barley flavors I've come to expect but it also has a strange hefeweizen-like spicy zing to the flavor. I'm guessing it's the Columbia Hops they've used in making this beer as it does advertise "spicy hop notes" on the company website's description of the beer.

The beer itself is pretty moderate in terms of weight and the carbonation only has a slight kick to it, so it does feel pretty refreshing especially right now after this long day.

It's a decent beer and gets the job done, but I felt the spicy aspect of the flavor was unnecessary. I understand it's what makes this beer a "Columbia Common" but I'm pretty sure if I like my California Common without spice in it.  It is not a bad beer, however if I wanted a spicy beer I would have a Rogue Chipotle Ale instead.

Widmer Brothers Columbia Common - 7/10