#26, #27, #28 for Ben

Beer: Old Ruffian Barley Wine
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company, Colorado
Category: American Barleywine
Date Drank: 4/10/09
Grade: A-
Location purchased/drank: The Independent
Served from a: 22oz. Bottle

Great Divide is amazing. They continually have outstanding beer and I have never been disappointed. True, I am glad that I tried the Rice Beer before ever buying a bottle, but other than that oddity, just try anything they make. This drink sets my standard from what I want from barley wines. The only thing that docks it a point is that I was having trouble finishing such a big bottle because of the 10% alcohol content. Which, really, it shouldn't count against it, but if you want a straight A or even A+, you need make me want more of you. I like that barley wines can either be hoppy or malty, and this one is a nice balance between the two. A bite, a smoothness. Just so yummy.


Beer: Founders Porter
Brewery: Founders Brewing Company, Michigan
Category: American Porter
Date Drank: 4/8/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods
Served from a: bottle

I wish that Founders was more available out here. OUr friend Josh raves about the brewery every time we mention beer, and as well he should. The description on the bottle says "dark, rich, and sexy." And, really, it is. For Beth and I, after we had our first bottle, we realized how rich it was. We were almost afraid to drink it with the wrong type of food. We had it with a more hardy of a meal, ham I believe. It is very much a dessert beer, but not like chocolate dessert, but certainly that can finish up a meal very easily.

Beer: Claymore Scotch Ale
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company, Colorado
Category: Scotch Ale
Date Drank: 4/10/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: The Independent
Served from a: tap

My first Scotch Ale. So, they look like porters, but they carmalize the wort and typically have a higher alcohol content. It was a good beer, but really, you could have told me that it was a strong porter and would have been very happy. I don't know much about the category, but certainly would like to learn more and try more of this. Maybe go visit Scotland?

#17 & 18 (they won't let me tag enough)

#17
Beer: Ipswich Original Ale
Brewery: Mercury Brewing Company, Massachusetts
Category: English Pale Ale
Date Drank: sometime with dinner the first week of the NCAA tournament :-P
Grade: B
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods/home
Served from a: bottle

Complex, balanced, caramelly-flavor. Fruity overtones.

#18
Beer: Bass Pale Ale
Brewery: Bass Brewers Limited, UK
Category: English Pale Ale
Date Drank: 3/21/09
Grade: C+
Location purchased/drank: The Thirsty Scholar
Served from a: Tap

I know I'm in the minority on this, but this was my College Beer. Having a party? My friends all bought bottles of vodka and I stocked up my fridge with Bass. I will always associate it with those days, and therefore always have a fondness for it. Lovely gateway beer into craft beer. It's a lovely, drinkable, sessionable, flavorful beer (especially for beers available at Sam's Club or BJs or where ever we bought all our party supplies). Caramelly, almost-tannic. Nice beer, always a good back up choice for me.

#24 and #25 for Ben

One quarter of the way through. I really need to make a list so I know what I need to drink. The beer fest samples will not count, sadly.

Beer: 90 Minute IPA
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: American Double IPA
Date Drank: 3/25/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods
Served from a: Bottle

I know that I love this beer and I know that I have had it better from the tap at the Independent. But, that's okay. I still recommend it from the bottle. For the hop-head, like I, this is the best of the Minutes group... that I have tried. I want to try the 75 minute when I can. Wherever it may be. The numbers have to do with the alcohol level in the beer, so this is pretty strong for a social beer. I think, though, why this isn't in the A-range is that I am put off by raisin-y flavor. Shame, because that is the way a lot of my favorite beers go. I'm not disgusted, but it certainly is a B-level flavor for me.

Beer: Red Rocket Ale
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing, California
Category: American Amber
Date Drank: 3/31/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: The Independent
Served from a: Tap

Bear Republic is quickly becoming one of my favorite brewers. This beer is a nice go-between for both Beth and I, since we both had it. It is a light beer for her, a dark for me. It was very well balanced between the malt and the hops. It is a great example of an Amber. But, I didn't drink a second glass of it. It was about as far away I wanted to stray for my normal beers that day.

Ben, #20, #21

Beer: #9
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company, Vermont
Category: Fruit/Vegetable Beer
Date Drank: 3/21/09 & 3/27/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: The Thirsty Scholar & Champions & bottle
Served from a: Tap & bottle

I never thought that I would give one of my gateway beers such a low grade. But really, in the large scheme, it is not all that low. I just know what I like and I tend to only drink that way. But, anyway, Magic Hat, to where Beth and I even went to the brewery on our honeymoon, is a good beer company with good beer. You definitely should try it if you are ever near it. It is the imfamous apricot beer. It is smooth as drinking anything full of citrus can be. Hazy, and medium. Not that heavy in alcohol, so it is a good every day type of drink. Sometimes it is a relief for me to see this on the menu, like at Champions, but with Thirsty Scholar, where I expect more selection, just resolved to drink this because I know what to expect.

Beer: Tremont Ale
Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Co., Maine
Category: English Pale Ale
Date Drank: 3/21/09
Grade: B
Location purchased/drank: The Thirsty Scholar
Served from a: Tap

This beer is a little powerhouse of an English Ale. I am starting to see that I like the English Pale Ales, and never really seem to want to get an American Pale Ale. Typically English ingredients and hard water are what make the flavor. Buttery. Hoppy. Yes, these are ingredients that I can get behind.

Ben's #15

I need to maybe keep a list on my person so I know what I have and have not reviewed. Probably right now is fine, but imagine about 70 beers in?

Beer: Brutal Bitter Ale
Brewery: Rogue Ales Brewery, Oregon
Category: Extra Special/Strong Bitter
Date Drank: 3/9/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask/home
Served from a: 22 oz Bottle in a glass

This is a hop lover's beer. You take a sip and say, "My, this is bitter. Yet coyingly enjoyful." Hoppy, yes, but the malt is there to tune it down. But just a little. The balance is kinda like a sweet &sour sauce. The whole ah-ooh affect. But, being brutal, this beer only does get a B+ for it is more of a novelty than a thirst quencher. I put down my glass and felt happy, but was okay that I didn't have more.

#13 Beth

#13
Beer: Brutal Bitter Ale
Brewery: Rogue Ales Brewery, Oregon
Category: Extra Special/Strong Bitter
Date Drank: 3/9/09
Grade: B
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask/home
Served from a: 22 oz Bottle in a glass

Pours a hazy golden caramel with a strong head. Aroma of hops (grapefruity) but also yeast and a malty sweet background. I like it, but it's not my beer. A bit too much hops and not balanced by the malt--malt is there, but I like my malty beers. I'm sure it's good if you like hoppy beers (let's see Ben's review!)

#12, Beth

#12
Beer: Racer 5 IPA
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewery, California
Category: American IPA
Date Drank: 3/6/09
Grade: A
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods/home
Served from a: Bottle

Honestly? I'm not a huge IPA fan. I taste them and I think "Okay, but I might as well be drinking grapefruit juice." Many double IPAs, the ones I like, usually have a hoppy balance to counteract the...grapefruitiness...of the beer, and I appreciate it. Single IPAs are generally not that complex in my experience. This beer? Is great. The flavor is a bit grapefruity (really, I think hops taste like grapefruit, and can't get over it), but there's a bit more balance. A floral quality. Maybe a hint of apples in the beer. It has a bit more body than most beers of its ilk...it lingers. Astringent on the tongue. Really drinkable. Great with Mexican food (which we've done twice, at least, with this six-pack. Forget what we drank with it last week)

#14, Ben

Beer: Racer 5 IPA
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewery, California
Category: American IPA
Date Drank: 3/6/09
Grade: A-
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods
Served from a: Bottle

This is a fine example of a normal IPA. Compare this to the Harpoon version, and you'll see what can be done so simply, yet so strong in flavor. It is an easy drinking experience, too. Sure, it is bitter, but it goes down with now aftertaste/afterburps. Decently high, too, in the alcohol. I first had this, knowingly, at a bar in Northampton. I loved it there, but was weary of California beers. I still think that the majority of California beers suck. But this one is a keeper. I drank three (over a week) expecting something to be bad about it, but really, this might be the finest single IPA I have had.

10 & 11, Beth

#10
Beer: Newcastle Brown Ale
Brewery: Scottish & Newcastle UK, Ltd; United Kingdom (Scotland)
Category: English Brown Ale
Date Drank: 3/5/09
Grade: B
Location purchased/drank: Punch's Alley (the bar at Wellesley College)
Served from a: bottle (no glass)

My beer was probably served too cold as it didn't have much flavor. Newcastle's one of those standby beers, at least for me. In the Sam Adams category...good, more likely to be available than other beers, not usually my first choice. Malty, hint of hops in background. Really, it was served too cold. But it's a college bar and what do I expect. Medium bodied.

#11
Beer: Grimbergen Dubbel
Brewery: Brouwerj Alken-Maes, Belgium
Category: Dubbel
Date Drank: 3/5/09
Grade: A-
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask, home
Served from a: Bottle, poured into a tulip-shaped glass

Drank this with pork chops tonight--good pairing. Brownish-reddish hue, low carbonation. Raisen-like flavor (but not cloying like Raison D'Etre). Sweet aroma--fruity, alcohol, yeast smells all present. Flavor is sweet, but not too sweet--making it great with the pork. Sour ending--almost like an Oude Kriek, but more mellow. Loved this beer since we had it in Brussels. Definitely don't serve too cold--my glass, that I'm still drinking, has been warming up for about an hour and tastes better and better as it does so. We keep our fridge a little too cold, but the flavor just pours out of it at a slightly warmer temperature.

5, 6, 7: Beth

This is where it gets hard for me...writing about beer after going somewhere socially/where I'm not necessarily there for the beer. But I'm just gonna do it and let it be fun! This is not about being right, it's about learning. With that, here are 5/6/7

#5
Beer: Raison D'Etre
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Tap

I loved this beer a year ago. I don't know if my tastes have evolved or if the year was better then (I think I was drinking the 2003) or if it's aged or what, but now I find it a little too...chewy and pruney. A little unpleasantness in the back of my mind as I drink this. It's even a little too sweet and I love a sweet, malty beer...I guess this is a sweet, fruity beer. I prefer sour fruity beers. I'm weird. Someone on beeradvocate mentioned it would be great for braising...and I think, in our hey-day with this beer we did make Flemish stew with it and it was great...I always think it would be great with pork or duck when I drink it. That raisiny, fruity sweetness would work well with those.

#6
Beer: Anchor Steam Beer
Brewery: Anchor Beer Company, California
Category: Steam Beer
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Bottle

Another beer I've had before and didn't like as much this time. The restaurant served us just the bottle, we both took one swig and poured the rest into our glasses from the Raison D'Etre. I liked this on tap at the Burren, but now in a bottle it tasted stale (might be the restaurant's doing, though). Ben and I discussed its "honey and rye" flavors...not in a good way. Don't know a lot about the style, though. Just not my thing that night, but the more I think about how I liked it at the Burren, the more I think Silvertone skunked it. I added a link to Beer Advocate's style information.

#7
Beer: CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company, MA
Category: Milk/Sweet Stout
Date Drank: 2/28/09
Grade: A-
Location purchased/drank: Redbones
Served from a: tap

I really enjoy the creaminess of milk stouts. It's a pleasant chewiness. It's sweet and dry, too. Lots going on. It had a really intense flavor that reminded me of CBC's You Enjoy My Stout, but not as over-powering as that (I don't know how to describe it, but it was too much in YEMS, but a nice contrast in CaCow!). Rich and chocolately, dark and malty. Very nice beer.

#8 and 9, for Ben.

Beer: Raison D'Etre
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Tap

Now that I am starting to really consider how beers do compare to each other, this received a lower grade. Well, lower than in would have when we were obsessed with it for a few months in 2007. But, when you compare it to Delirum Tremens, which is the pale Belgian, you would think that this would be similar. Drinking this, you don't really think of Belgian beer. Sure, it's tart, like you would want, but the kick was missing. Now, I love Dogfish madly, and gladly drink this, but it really is a middle of the pack good beer. Nothing more.

Beer: Anchor Steam Beer
Brewery: Anchor Beer Company, California
Category: Steam Beer
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Bottle

Similar lines with the Steam Beer. The steam has to fermentation when refrigeration was scarce. Common back then, but not so much now. Now, I love Anchor and believe in their beer, but I have always felt that this should be their flagship. That this should be the beer that people remember them by. And, instead, it was like "honey and rye". Enjoyable, but nothing that made a lasting impression that would make me favorite it over other Anchor beers. Maybe if I had other Steam beers to compare it to, I would understand, but not in the larger picture.

Oh, and Silvertone was alright for beer when it comes to right-after-work office restaurants. The food was good, too.

#7, Ben

#7
Beer: Shakespeare Stout
Brewery: Rogue Ales Brewery, Oregon
Category: American Stout
Date Drank: 2/24/09
Grade: A
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask
Served from a: 22 0z bottle

This is what I want to taste when I drink a stout. As we know, I am a hoppy person, not the stout person that Beth is, but I think that it is a fine style of beer. When drink a stout, I want a nice body, but not one that chokes you as you drink it. I want to think of chocolate and coffee, the two best flavors for a stout. And this is a mixture of the two. It was a stout that I didn't mind drinking at all and I wanted more. It was refreshing! You don't think that about stouts, since they are more a desserty beer. But this one was just so damned enjoyable.

#4, Beth

#4
Beer: Shakespeare Stout
Brewery: Rogue Ales Brewery, Oregon
Category: American Stout
Date Drank: 2/24/09
Grade: A
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask/home
Served from a: 22 0z bottle (in a glass)

I've had my fair share of stouts, so I feel more comfortable with this review. The beer was dark, almost black...with a thick nutty brown, but not foamy head (again, like stale foam, not like Guinness). The body was medium, the flavor dry and cleaning but hearty and chocolately with a hint of coffee. Rogue is one of my favorite breweries and this beer doesn't disappoint; I actually think it's a wonderful, drinkable (only 6% abv!) example of stout. I love dark coffee-like stouts as a rule, though.

Note: We drank this with BLTs. Mmmm...bacon and beeer. Much better than bacon beer...

#3

#3
Beer: Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison)
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang, New York
Category: Saison/Farmhouse Ale
Date Drank: 2/23/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask/home
Served from a: 22 0z(?) bottle (in a glass)

This beer takes me back to Belgium (and makes me want to eat cheese with mustard and celery seed...all we have is shredded cheddar and bleu and goat cheese...not really going to work). Pale color, thick thick head...like stiff settled older foam on a latte. Lots of lacing on the glass. Smells sweet and fruity with that Belgiany yeasty smell. Light, cleansing on tongue. Nice flavor. I really like this one. Great example of the style, I think.

#6, Ben

#6
Beer: Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison)
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang, New York
Category: Saison/Farmhouse Ale
Date Drank: 2/23/09
Grade: B
Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask (A gift!)
Served from a: 22 oz. bottle

Saisons are not my style of drink that I normally have, so it is hard for me to judge. I guess that's what this is. But it is done nicely, with a tart taste, golden body, a little clouding. It sticks with you in the back of the throat, which is probably why I don't normal drink this style. I'm giving it a B because I think this is what it should taste like. It is memeorable, but not WOW!

100 Beers

#2
Beer: Anchor Liberty Ale
Brewery: Anchor Brewing Company, California
Category: American Pale Ale
Date Drank: 2/22/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods/Home
Served from a: bottle

This is a great beer to have around the house. First tried it looking for a "plain ale" for beer-cheese bread--it's great in that, btw. Nice aroma, great with most of the foods we eat. Just a great session ale. Made us fall in love with Anchor. Also always makes me say "We've got the Liberty Ale..." like the Southwest Airlines ads for Philadelphia. Ha.

100 Beers, Beth's turn

Okay, so it's not that I don't drink as often as Ben does, but rather that I'm starting this later than he is :-P

#1
Beer: Brown Shugga Ale
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company, California
Category: American Strong Ale
Date Drank: 2/21/09
Grade: B+/A-
Location purchased/drank: The Independent in Somerville
Served from a : bottle

When we arrived at the Independent our waitress, Sarah, told us they had one bottle of this left if we'd like it. Having had it on tap about a month ago there, I jumped at the opportunity. I think this is a great beer. It has a really dry finish, a rich malty body, and it's sweet like sugar (it's brewed with sugar)--but not cloying. I think it's a great winter beer between the sugary aroma and flavor reminding me of winter baking, and the 9.9% abv helping to warm me up. In general, I find Lagunitas beer to be delightful, I must add.

I did also drink a Smuttynose Old Brown Dog ale on tap last night as well, but the stronger flavor and 9.9% abv of the Brown Shugga definitely colored my experience of it, so I don't feel I can accurately discuss it. OBD is one of my favorite session beers, though.

100 different beers

#4

Beer: Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
Brewery: Stone Brewing Company, California
Category: American Strong Ale

Date Drank: 2/21/09

Grade: B+

Location purchased/drank: The Independent

Served from a : Tap

I have had the original version of this beer and loved it, so I thought that I would give it a try oaked. Who knew that oak flavored beer would be good. At least it was done through a brewery I trust. Nice mix of body and aroma. Hoppy, but mellowed out by sweetness. It didn't necessary taste like oak, but like you were drinking from inside a wardrobe. The atmosphere, not the flavor.

#5

Beer: Delirium Tremens
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe, Belgium
Category: Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Date Drank: 2/21/09

Grade: A-

Location purchased/drank: The Independent

Served from a : Tap

Almost impossible to pass when you see this beauty on tap. It was my gateway Belgian beer. It has the right mix of flavor, refreshing ability, plus that certain bitter kick that you should expect from a great Belgian beer. On BA, they describe it as "hazy golden", which I think is perfect.

Last night Beth and I went out with a couple of people from her Starbucks for a few drinks. I love the staff at the bar over there. I need people who want to go play scrabble and drink beer. You know, like 5 p.m., before the dinner rush. It's my third place!

100 different beers

To revive the blog, I'm going to review 100 different beers.

Format may change over time.

#1

Beer: Anchor Liberty Ale
Brewery: Anchor Brewing Company, California
Category: American Pale Ale

Date Drank: 02/19/09

Grade: B

Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods

Served from a : Bottle

Anchor is a good brewery. I haven't had anything bad yet. Steam beer is an interesting concept, and apparently they are the only ones that do it. Whatever "it" is.

#2

Beer: Grimbergen Dubbel
Brewery: Brouwerij Alken-Maes, Belgium
Category: Dubbel

Date Drank: 02/19/09

Grade: B

Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask

Served from a : Bottle

Simple Belgian taste, though I almost gave it a B- because it taste much worse from the bottle then poured into a glass.


#3

Beer: 60 Minute IPA
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: American IPA

Date Drank: 02/20/09

Grade: B+

Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods

Served from a : Bottle

I love Dogfish! Though still the 90-minute is best.