Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale

Brewer: Sierra Nevada

Style: Pale Ale

Tasting notes: (1006) Nice hoppy pale ale. Upgraded from 3 and may rate 5. (0805) A English version of an APA? Nice. Lacks bite of the regular harvest ale.

Rating: 4 glasses

Scarlet Lady

Brewer: Stoudts

Style: ESB

Tasting notes: (1006) Roasty malts with a sour tinniness at end. May rate 2 glasses.

Rating: 3 glasses

Blue Ribbon

Brewer: Pabst

Style: Macro Lager

Tasting notes: (1006) A bottle for $1 @ Mosiac. A little corn sweetness, smooth and drinkable. Good deal for $1. Better than Bud.

Rating: 2 glasses

Sunray Wheat Ale

Brewer: Terrapin

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

Tasting notes: (1006) 4th bottle. Liking it less. Downgraded from 3 glasses. (1005) Decent and easy drinking hefe. Lacks complexity and punch. A good substitute for a pilsner. May rate 2 glasses.

Rating: 2 glasses

Boston Lager

Brewer: Samuel Adams

Style: Vienna Lager

Tasting notes: (1012) A few bottles @ parties. Upgraded from 2 glasses. (0701) Decent

Previous rating: 2 glasses

Rating: 3 glasses

Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Brewer: Founders

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (1012) 2nd of the 4-pack. Big sweet bourbony malt w/ touch of vanilla. Not my cup of tea and disjointed. Downgraded from 4 glasses. (1006) 1st of a 4-pack. Release was delayed in VA for label approval. A ton going on. An odd effervesent tanginess up front, chocolate, coffee, and sweet vanilla w/ a hint of bourbon. Almost quaffable. I can see why it is rated so high but am not sure if this is my cup of tea or if everything comes together well. I was also put off by the odd tanginess - it reminded me of the sensation generated by eating fruit that has started to "turn" from a salad bar. It may also need time to "stew". I'll try another bottle in the winter.

Top 100: 01 March 2007 and 13 June 2010. (But not 29 December 2005. I don't think it existed then.)

Previous ratings: 4 glasses

Rating: 3 glasses

Vinyl

Brewer: Magic Hat

Style: Red Lager

Tasting notes: (1006) A bottle @ ML's. Pleasant and easy drinking with accent on malt.

Rating: 3 glasses

Raging Bitch

Brewer: Flying Dog

Style: Belgian IPA

Tasting notes: (1006) A bottle @ ML's. Nice, hopped-up Belgian Pale Ale. May rate 4 glasses but I liked it better than Founder KBS.

Rating: 5 glasses

Golden Cap

Brewer: New Holland

Style: Saison

Tasting notes: (1005) Sweet, spicy, and effervesent.

Rating: 4 glasses

Undercover Investigator Shut-Down Ale

Brewer: Lagunitas

Style: Strong Ale

Tasting notes: (1005) A bottle @ Avalon.Sweet malt dominates with loads of hops in the background. Lagunitas calls is an Imperial Mild. I thought is was close to a good English Barleywine.

Rating: 5 glasses

Saison Rue

Brewer: Bruery

Style: Saison

Tasting notes: (1005) A bottle @ Acacia. A saison with a kick of rye and a hint of brett. May rate 5 glasses.

Rating: 4 glasses

Framboise

Brewer: Lindemans

Style: Fruit Lambic

Tasting notes: (1005) A perfect pairing w/ Mother's Day brunch. Raspberry Sweet Tart. Good w/ dessert. Upgraded from 2 glasses. (0706) Moved to 2 in new rating. Sweet and fruity but still beer. A little is nice but a good portion of 750 ml was too much. I was glad, not sad, to see the empty.

Rating: 4 glasses

Arrogant Bastard

Brewer: Stone

Style: Strong Ale

Tasting notes: (1005) On draft @ Joe's Inn. Still rough but much more mellow than I remember. Sort of like drinking cracked barley. Upgraded from 2. 0706: Moved to 2 in new rating. 602: Loads of flavor. Sort of a Barleywine with a rough taste with more hops and a bitter end taste. I much prefer SNBFBW.

Top 100: 29 December 2005. (Neither March 2007, 2009 or June 09, 2010.)

Rating: 4 glasses