The Gift (WinterBock Lager)

Brewer: Starr Hill

Style: Maibock

Tasting notes: (0910) A well made bock, some toasty malt w/ a tiche of sweet, spices, and hops. Simply another malty brew (bocks ad Scottish ales) that does not fit my taste buds. May rate one glass.

Rating: 0 glasses

Ten FIDY

Brewer: Oskar Blues

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (1102) A fresh bottle shiiped from the brewer. A great example of th style. Viscous, dark, chocolate and cofffee flavors, a battle between sweekt, bitter, and astringent, w/ hops lurking in background. Thoufht about a downgrade to 5 glasses. MAY be better w/ age. (0911) A 1.5-yr. old can. Delightful. Viscous pour. Dark chocolate w/ a perfect amount of bitterness. No sourness. Upgraded from 5 glasses. Previous review.

Top 100: 15 December 2009 and 03 May 2009 but neither 29 December 2005 nor 10 March 2007.

Rating: 6 glasses

Baltic Thunder

Brewer: Victory

Style: Baltic Porter

Tasting notes: (0911) A bottle purchased one year ago. Lager flavor w/ figs and prunes and a tiche of smoke. Very nice on a cool Fall afternoon tailgate party w/ smoke ribs and chili. Previous review.

Rating: 5 glasses

Anniversary Ale - Sixteen

Brewer: Avery

Style: Saison

Tasting notes: (0910) A nice, easy drinking Saison. A tiche sweet and more amber color. Some funk. May rate a 5.

Rating: 4 glasses

Abbey Ale

Brewer: Ommegang

Style: Dubbel

Tasting notes: (1105) Fruity, spicy, complex and interesting but not my cup of tea. Downgraded from 5. May be better w/ age or on draft. (1103) A 12 oz. bottle recently purchased from TWB. Fruity, yeasty, clove, cinnamon?, burgundy?. Downgraded from 6 glasses and thought about 4. (1012) On draft @ CAH. Fruity, yeasty, a tiche of clove, and a dose of hops. Very nice. (1005) A bottle @ Belga Cafe. Good but not as great as I remembered. Downgraded from 7 glasses. (0910) A 1-year old bottle. Deliciously complex: malt and dry and a tiche of sour and bitter and burgundy wine and yeasty. Upgraded from 6. Ages wonderfully. Click here for a previous review.

Previous ratings: 4, 6, 7, 6 and 5 glasses

Rating: 5 glasses

Dale's Pale Ale

Brewer: Oskar Blues Style: Pale Ale Tasting notes: (1103) A 6-pack from Best Value. A bit musty. Thought about a downgrade to 3 glasses. (1004) On Draft @ Water Grill. Hoppy with a little funny sour taste. I wondered if the line was clean. (0910) On draft @ Joe's Inn. A nice, hoppy, pale ale. It blurs the line between pale ale and IPA. Thought about upgrading to 5 glasses. (0806) 3rd of the 6. Downgraded from 5. Tastes "tinny". (0806) 2 from a 6er. Some piney hops. Good but not great. Downgraded to 5 and thought about a 4. (0805) A can from CK. Very pleasant. A little tiche of sweet malt, a nice dose of hops. Very drinkable. May rate a 5 based on taste but gave it a 6 for the style and drinkability. Would be a wonderful session beer. Rating: 4 glasses

Mekong Beer Night

Here is a picture of me enjoying a special beer at Mekong Restaurant in December 2009.

Beer Alley

Here is a picture of one of my daughters and a male friend in front of the Beer Alley at the home store for Whole Foods.

Octoberfest

Brewer: Samuel Adams

Style: Octoberfest

Tasting notes: (0910) A freebie @ a reception. Some interesting flavor. A tiche metalic. I moved to water after one bottle but would have been happy to have another freebie if not driving and "saving room" for better beers later that night. (0810) A glass @ Home Team Sports. Nice but a tiche watery. May rate 3 glasses.

Rating: 2 glasses

Budweiser

Brewer: Anheuser-Busch

Style: Macro Lager

Tasting notes: (0910) A freebie @ a party. OK when cold. Better than Heineken.

Rating: 1 glass. May rate 2.

Dark Starr Stout

Brewer: Starr Hill

Style: Irish Stout

Tasting notes: (0910) On draft @ Joe's Inn. Some chocolate. Some smoke. Easy drinking. Maybe a tiche thin. Went great w/ a burger.

Rating: 3 glasses

Imperial Russian Stout

Brewer: Stone

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (1011) A 4.5 yr old bottle from Spring 2006. Chocolate and big and nice. Upgraded to 5 glasses. (1004) A 4-yr old bottle. Big,massive,and balanced. I don't know why I don't rate it 5 glasses. (0910) A 3.5-yr. old bottle. Big and complex and balanced. Age seems to smooth the beer. (0812) Massive and malty w/ lots of chocolate and coffee flavors, followed by a bitter finish. It is good and complex and flavorful but somehow does not WOW me as much as many drinkers. Downgraded from 5 glasses. Complex beer that others like more than I. (0712) A spring 2006 bottle. Massive malt followed by coffee and more coffee. Went gr8 w/ chocolate lava cake. May rate 6 glasses. (0701) Massive fudgy, milk chocolate malt. I think that 8 months aging has helped. Next bottle in 0710 or so. (0605) Milk chocolate with a touch of coffee at first. Ends with bitter chocolate. Bitter and alcohol become more noticable as the beer warms. Best just below room temp. I'm aging 6 bottles.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, March 2007, and 15 November 2009.

Previous ratings: 5, 4 glasses.

Rating: 5 glasses

Millennium

Brewer: Old Dominion
Style: English Barleywine

Tasting notes: (1003) A 2 yr 11 mn old bottle. Touches of honey, pollen, and sour. Better fresher than really old. (1002) A 5 yr 0 mn old bottle. Musty honey and pollen. Some perfume @ end. (0910) Musty honey and pollen. Easy drinking, a tiche thin, a (too) simple.
Rating: 4 glasses. (Downgraded from 5. Click here for previous review.)

Karmeliet

Brewer: Bostells

Style: Tripel

Tasting notes: (1101) On draft @ Mekong. Sweet orange, spicy fizz, and a tiche of funk. (1004) Ditto. (0910) "Blond, robust, smooth and fruity, withh a delicious spicy flavor."

Top 100: 29 December 2005. (Not 10 March 2007 or 03 April 2009.)

Rating: 6 glasses

Les Deux Brasseurs

Brewer: De Proef

Style: Strong Belgiam Pale Ale

Tasting notes: (0910) Pineapple and sweet funk.

Comments: This beer is a collaboration between De Proef and Jason Perkins, brewmaster at Allagash.

Rating: 5 glasses

Old Horizontal

Brewer: Victory

Style: Barleywine

Tasting notes: (0910) A 5-yr old bottle. Sweet pollen, some honey, and a little spicy hops. A long finish. Easy drinking and old aleish. A great beer to age. Click here for previous review.

Top 100: 29 December 2005. (Not 10 March 2007 or 03 April 2009.)

Rating: 4 glasses

Expedition Stout

Brewer: Bell's

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (0910) A 2-yr old bottle. Massive. Dark bitter/sour chocolate. A tiche of salt/soy. Upgraded from 3 glasses and thought about 5. May be over the top. Click here for previous review.

Top 100: 29 December 2005 and 10 March 2007. (Not on 30 January 2009 or 9 August 2009.)

Rating: 4 glasses

Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge

Brewer: Bockor

Style: Flanders Red Ale

Tasting notes: (0910) On draft @ Mekong. Tart cherry, vineous, and refreshing.

Rating: 6 glasses

Tripel

Brewer: St. Bernardus Style: Tripel Tasting notes: (0910) On draft @ Mekong. Sweet apple and pear, w/ a little alcohol and a tiche of spice @ finish. (0801) Not what I remembered. Nice but nothing great. Downgraded from 6. Thought about a 4. (0711) Very nice. Sweet apple at first. Late I noticed pear and sour funk and alcohol. At the bottom of the glass the alcohol started to take away my breath and I detected banana. (0709) Pear, apple, pepper, spices, and a little sour funk. Some alcohol comes forward as the beer warms. Better (fruitier, darker, sweeter) w/ yeast. Wonderfully balanced and very drinkable. Top 100: 29 December 2005 and 10 March 2007. (Not 4 November 2009.) Rating: 5 glasses

Levitation Ale

Brewer: Stone

Style: Red Ale

Tasting notes: (0910) A hoppy dark red ale w/ conifer flavor in the hops. May rate 4 glasses.

Rating: 3 glasses