Siberian Night

Brewer: Thirsty Dog

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (1003) A 1 yr. 11. mn old bottle. Bittersweet chocolate w/ a hint of soy. May be better fresh. (1002) A 1 yr 10 mn old bottle. A disappointment. A tiche of soy, some sour, some bitter chocolate. Downgraded from 7 glasses. This serving would rate at most 4 glasses but I dropped the rating to 5 based on previous tastings. Click here for previous review.

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

Rating: 5 glasses

Hottenroth Berliner Weisse

Brewer: Bruery

Style: Berliner Weissbier

Tasting notes: (1001) Lemon-lime tartness and refreshment.

Rating: 3 glasses

Solid Rotation

I am thinking keeping a small stock of three beers on hand. The three beers are: Sierra Nevada Stout, Starr Hill The Love, and Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA. Each of these is reasonably priced and a good example of the style. The diversity of styles and flavors would let me find something to match almost any occasion or food.

I would plan to supplement my standards with some occasional treats and seasonal releases. Some highlights would include: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, Founders Imperial Stout, Bigfoot, Hibernation Ale, and a variety of Belgian ales, sours, and gueze.

The Love

Brewer: Starr Hill

Style: Hefeweizen

Tasting notes: (1008) Very nice - slight banana and clove. May rate 5 glasses. (1005) Last of 2 6's. Good but downgraded from 5 glasses. (1002) On draft @ Joes's Inn. Would be 6 glasses if not for Weihenstephaner. (1001) Lemony fruit, a tiche of cloves and a touch of banana. Refreshing. May be overrated at 5 glasses but fond memories from my first tasting and drinkability push it up from 4.

Comment: The Love was the hit at a beer festival I attended a few summers ago.

Rating: 4 glasses.

Imperial Stout

Brewer: Founders

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (1308) A number of bottles over the last couple of years. The beer is wonderful but I am downgrading from 7 glasses. Maybe my taste for big imperial stouts is diminishing. (1102) A fresh bottle ($3/bottle). Very nice. Smoke, chocolate, and hops w/ alcohol breath, (1001) A 1-yr. old bottle.
Wow! A little chocolate milkshake, a little chocolate syrup, some charcoal, a hint of bourbon, a wonderful mouthfeel and hoppy, smokey, charcoal bite. Wonderfully balanced and the alcohol is totally hidden.

Rating: 6 glasses.

Golden Ale

Brewer: Legend

Style: IPA (?)

Tasting notes: (1010) On draft @ Joe's Inn. A bit of pale malts followed by some harsh hops. Not sure if the glass was worth the happy hour price. (0903) On draft @ Joe's Inns. A tiche sweet, w/ a funny finish. I wondered if the line was clean. Not much hop. May rate a 2.

Comment: The Legend web site does not list Golden Ale. It lists Golden IPA and Pale Ale. A poll on the web site lists Golden Ale and Pale Ale - I guessed Golden Ale = Golden IPA.

Rating: 1 glass.

Aventinus Weizen Eisbock

Brewer: Schneider

Style: Eisbock

Tasting notes: (1001) Complex. Aventinus on steroids? Baked apples w/ cloves and nutneg followed occassionally by an alcohol blast? Upgraded from 5 glasses for being a great example of the style. (0811) Sweet apple cider w/ a touch of clove and nutmeg. More than sippable. Downgraded from 6 glasses. (0604) Sweet prunes and alcohol. A class of 1.

Comment: Eisbock formed by freezing the beer and removing some of the water, thereby concentratinng the flavors and alcohol. I read once that it was discovered when beer was shipped via railcars and drinkers noticed differences in the winter.

Rating: 6 glasses.

Baltic Porter

Brewer: Smuttynose

Style: Baltic Porter

Tasting notes: (1001) Figs and prunes and slightly smokey bite. (0803) Sweet chocolate, coffee, figs, prunes, and alcohol blast.

Comment: This bottle had aged some. I think just under two years.

Rating: 6 glasses

Shakespeare Stout

Brewer: Rogue

Style: Stout

Tasting notes: (1001) Ditto. as previous review. Nice smokey bite at end.

Comments: Downgraded from 6 glasses; it doesn't seem as "full" or "thick" as I remember it.

Top 100: 29 December 2005 and 10 March 2007. (Not on 3 August 2009.)

Rating: 5 glasses.

Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale

Brewer: Sierra Nevada

Style: Barleywine

Tasting notes: (1103) A fresh, 2011, bottle. Malty and long bitter finish. Hops were strong but not overpowering. The sensation of biting into a grapefruit with lots of pith emerged as I drank the beer. (1101) A 2010 bottles about 1 year ago. Yummy caramel and honey and subdued bitterness and long bitter aftertaste. (1101) A 2006 bottle cellared almost 5 years. Marvelous sweet barley malt followed by pungent yet restrained piney hop bite. A tiche of chocolate in the malt? Is the chocolate sherry? Best beer ever? (1003) My favorite beer? (1003) A fresh 2010 bottle. What's for dessert? (1001) A fresh 2010 bottle. Smoother than I remember w/ a bite that grows. Fantastic. (1001) A 2006 bottle cellared for almost 4 years. Marvelous sweet barley malt followed by pungent yet restrained piney hop bite. A tiche of chocolate in the malt? Previous Review.

Comment: The beer is getting better and better with age.

Top 100: 29 December 2005 but not 10 March 2007 or 26 September 2009.

Rating: 7 glasses

Ichtegem's Grand Cru

Brewer: Strubbe

Style: Flanders Oud Bruin

Tasting notes: (1001) Pleasant blend of sweet and tart apples and vinegar. Very easy drinking and quenching. May rate 5 glasses.

Rating: 6 glasses - 4 glasses

Saison - Brett

Brewer: Boulevard

Style: Saison

Tasting notes: (1308) Nice with a touch of bret. A glass on draft @ Mekong. Downgraded from 6 glasses. (1101) Mellowed over the year. A wonderful quaffable saison w/ a touch of pineapple. May rate 5 glasses. (1001) Ginger ale and pineapple. Sweet up front and w/ slight citrus bite at end. Quaffable.

Top 100: 9 January 2010. Not available 29 December 2005 or 10 March 2007.

Rating: 5 glasses

World Wide Stout

Brewer: Dogfish Head

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (0912) Prunes cooked in soy sauce. Interesting in a freak-show kind of way.

Top 100: 29 December 2005 but not 10 March 2007.

Rating: 1 glass

Monster Ale

Brewer: Brooklyn
Style: English Barley Wine
Tasting notes: (0912) A draft @ Mekong. Big sweet dark malt. Upgraded from 4 glasses. (0710) A 2006 bottle. A little caramel, a little chocolate(?), a little sherry, and a little too hot. Might age well.
Rating: 5 glasses

Twelve

Brewer: Weyerbacher

Style: American Barley Wine

Tasting notes: (0912) What a differnce a year made. Sweet apples, a dash of sherry, and some rye. English barleywineish up front with a slight sourish hop bite at end. Probably a 4 for this bottle. The rating is a weighted average. (0811) Malt, tart apples, lemon flavor, with husky hop bite. Didn't fit.

Rating: 3 glasses

1809

Brewer: Weihenstephaner
Style: Berliner Weissbier
Tasting notes: (0912) Green apples. Refreshing and easy drinking. Reminds me of a fruity, slightly tart, Belgian Pale Ale. May rate 5 glasses.
Comment: A contract brew for Dr. Fritz Briem . Dr. Briem has a passion for reviving forgotten sytles. He is also the driving force behind 13th Century Gruit.
Rating: 4 glasses

Vintage Ale

Brewer: Fullers

Style: Old Ale

Tasting notes: (0912) A 5-yr old bottle dated 2004. A luscious and subdued blend of spice, malt, and lactic acid. May rate 7 glasses.

Top 100: 29 December 2005 but not 10 March 2007.

Rating: 6 glasses

2009 Vintage Ale

Brewer: Trader Joe's
Style: Strong Belgian Dark Ale
Tasting notes: (1101) Eh? Too much licorice. Downgraded from 4. (1101) Nice beer. Good value. (0912) Interesting, complex and smooth. Some clove, some chocolate, and (??) nutmeg, cinnamon, hazelnut, and licorice. May rate 5 glasses. A terrific value @ $4.99.
Comment: A contract brew w/ Unibrue.
Previous rating: 4 glasses.
Rating: 3 glasses

Peche Mortel

Brewer: Brasserie Dieu du Ciel

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (0912) Sweet coffee w/ a dash of vanilla. Easy drinking.

Comments: Brewed w/ coffee. Peche Mortel = mortal sin.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, and 26 December 2009.

Rating: 5 glasses

Pride and Joy

Brewer: Three Floyds

Style: Pale Ale

Tasting notes: See previous review.

Rating: 5 glasses

Calva Reserva

Brewer: Smisje

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Tasting notes: (0912) Baked apples and very easy drinking. Purchased after tasting @ Mekong a few days earlier.

Rating: 4 glasses

N'Ice Chouffe

Brewer: d'Achouffe

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Tasting notes: (0912) A year-old bottle. First sips were wonderful - complex, malty, and slightly sweet and malty. As I drank, the spices emerged. They were neither bad nor my cup of tea.

Rating: 3 glasses

Winter Solstice

Brewer: Anderson Valley

Style: Winter Warmer

Tasting notes: (0912) A brown ale w/ spices? Upgraded from 1 glass. (0912) A big malt bomb w/ spices. Well crafted but missed my mark.

Rating: 2 glasses

Rose de Gambrinus

Brewer: Cantillon

Style: Fruit lambic

Tasting notes: (0912) An interesting brew. A little too sweet and fruity, not enough tart. May rate 4 glasses.

Comment: Great artwork on the label.

Rating: 3 glasses

Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock

Brewer: Schneider

Style: Weizenbock

Tasting notes: (0911) A bottle @ Can Can. Cloves and bananas. Nice, but seemed thinner than I remembered. Downgraded from 7 glasses, especially when followed by Orval. Previous review.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, and 14 October 2009.

Rating: 6 glasses

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: Bells

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

Breakfast Stout

Brewer: Founders

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (1010) A 1 yr. 1 mn. old bottle. Coffee is muting. (1002) A 4 mn old bottle. Well made stout. More coffee than I prefer and the coffee comes forward as the beer warms. (0910) Coffee! The flavor is growing on me. Upgraded from 3 and though about 5. Click here for a previous review.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, 20 December 2008, and 04 November 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

Rockfish Wheat

Brewer: Blue Mountain

Style: Kristalweizen

Tasting notes: (1010: Nice but downgraded from 5. Lacked "punch". (0910) A bottle in Harrisonburg. Ditto. Click here for previous review.

Previous rating: 5 glasses

Rating: 4 glasses

Porter

Brewer: Duck-Rabbit

Style: Porter

Tasting notes: (0910) Coffee porter?

Rating: 5 glasses

Dulle Teve

Brewer: de Dolle

Style: Tripel

Tasting notes: (0910) Dry, apples, raisins, and lemon rind bite at finish. Thought about 6 glasses.

Rating: 5 glasses

Dubbel

Brewer: Allagash

Style: Dubbel

Tasting notes: (0909) Reminded me of a good lager. Clean and quaffable mix of malt w/ hop bite. Went great w/ flank steak w/ brandy and shallot reduction. Click here for a previous review.

Rating: 4 glasses

Hefeweissbier

Beer: Hefeweissbier

Brewer: Weihenstephaner

Style: Hefeweizen

Tasting notes: (1104) A solid 5, maybe 6 glasses. (1104) 3 from a 4.5 mn old 6-pack. Heavier than I remembered w/ some orange zest . Downgraded from 6 glasses and thought about going lower. An old/bad batch? (0909) Cloves and a tiche of bitter/sour. Not quite as good as I remembered. Downgraded to 6 after tasing Third Coast Old Ale and remembering Aventius from previous night. Click here for previous review.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, 8 February 2009, 2 August 2009, and 14 October 2009.

Previous ratings: 7, then 6 glasses

Rating: 6 glasses

Aventinus

Beer: Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock

Brewer: Schneider

Style: Weizenbock

Tasting notes: (0909) Cloves, bananas, dark (slightly rotted?) fruits, and cinnamony spiciness. Wonderful thick mouthfeel. Upgraded from 6 glasses. (0803) A bottle @ home w/ grilled steak. Nice. Mixture of cloves, banana, and sweet. 0707: A bottle @ Bavon. Darker, milder version of a good Hefe. Might rate 5/8. (0703) A bottle @ Grafiti Grill. (Too much?) cloves and licorice.Downgraded from 7/8. (0606) Mysteriously complex. Cloves, banana, licorice? (0603) Sweet dark fruits, cinnamon ?, with an alcohol bitter-sour bite at end. Reminded me of dark fruit version of Allaghash Tripel Reserve up front and Samuel Adams Imperial Stout at end. Ability to accompany food remined me of Hennepin. Went great with manchino cheese, apples, steak, and roasted plums.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, and 14 October 2009.

Rating: 7 glasses.

Shakespeare Stout

Beer: Shakespeare Stout

Brewer: Rogue

Style: Stout

Tasting notes: (0909) Coffee, chocolate, and hops. A little thin. Downgraded from 7 glasses w/ misgivings but was comparing it with Old Ruffian and Hanssens Oude Gueuze that I had also had that weekend. Click here for a previous review.

Top 100: 29 December 2005 and 10 March 2007. (Not on 3 August 2009.)

Rating: 6 glasses.

Black and Tan

Beer: Black and Tan

Brewer: Yuengling

Style: Black and Tan

Tasting notes: (0909) A nice beer and a good value. Simple. Downgraded from 4 glasses. Click here for a previous review.

Rating: 3 glasses

Old Ruffian

Beer: Old Ruffian

Brewer: Great Divide

Style: Barley Wine

Tasting notes: (1001) On draft @ Mekong. Smooth and strong. (1001) A 2+-year old bottle. Ditto as what follows. (0909) A 2-year old bottle. Sweet brown sugary malt with bitter hops. Easy to drink. Alcohol is totally hidden. A loooong, bitter finish comes after swallow. (0802) A bottle purchased 0707. Sweet malt with bitter hops poking out its head. Bitter aftertaste emerges. Too easy to drink. Alcohol is totally hidden. Downgraded to a 6. (0708) Sweet barley malt coats the tongue and mouth. A loooong, bitter finish comes after swallow. Almost quaffable but then you would miss the finish after each sip. Too smooth? The alcohol is totally hidden - watch out. Plan to share or spend 3 hours on a bottle. Would like a side-by-side with Old Crustacean. May rate 6.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, and 14 October 2009.

Rating: 6 glasses