Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale

Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Style: Tripel
ABV: 7.5%
Country: Belgium

Poured a bright golden yellow that was slightly hazy. Head was stark white and was massive and foamy taking a long time to die down. Aroma was mild and sweet. Vaguely smelled like apples. A hint of spiciness was noticeable as well. Taste was mostly dry and subtle with only a hint of fruity sweetness. Sweet malts are present but most of the flavors are coming from the hops and yeast. A clove spiciness was the most prominent which was followed by earthy and herbal flavors. The finish contained some bready malt flavors along with more yeasty notes. No real bitterness to speak of.. Body was bubbly and crisp giving the beer an champagne like feeling overall. I had to remind myself a few times while drinking this that this was 7.5% ABV. There where no overt alcohol flavors which was nice considering there where no dominant flavors to mask them. The only hint that this was alcoholic was a pleasing warmth in the end. This was a yummy beer for sure. A-

Skull Splitter

Brewery: The Orkney Brewery
Style: Scotch Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Country: Scotland

From the bottle, "Skull Splitter takes its name from Thorfinn Hauskaluif - the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney." The description alone was enough to make my inner kilt tingle with excitement. With a namesake like that, this had better be a great beer. Pour showed the color to be a rich mahogany brown with a crystal clear body. Big off-white foam left plenty of lacing which lingered the entire way down the bottle. Aroma contained dark fruits, brown sugar, and cinnamon spices. A smooth and creamy body lead to a light sweetness from the malts along with noticeable solvent flavors from the alcohol that mingled with spicy notes. Taste was similar to that of a mild whiskey or scotch. Plenty of roasted flavors jump out during the finish along with a pleasing warming sensation and a slightly puckering bitterness. This would be a great sipping beer on a cold night. A-

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 9.6%
Country: USA, California

This is actually my first barleywine and I'm rather surprised it has taken me this long to pick one up to try. Typically, barleywines are among the most potent of the styles. ABVs start at 8% and only go up. These beers are usually dark, full of complex flavors, and bitter. Sierra Nevada is a brewer I've had enjoyed in the past, so I figured this would be a good barleywine to start with.

Pour showed a color that was rich and reddish brown. It had a small, off-white head that reduced quickly but left a thick layer of lacing that hung around until the very end. A flavorful aroma was dominated by pine and citrus. First thing I noticed when sipping was the thick body. It was nearly syrup like in its thickness but felt silky smooth and creamy. Hops certianly dominated the flavor with a sticky pine flavor along with grapefruit citrus. Behind the hops were some hints of the malts, a bit of sweetness and toasted flavors. A massive wave of bitterness popped and lingered for a long time after the sips were finished. Some alcohol was noticeable in the finish which lent a nice warming spiciness that hung around while holding hands with the bitterness.

Overall, this beer drank like a slightly less hoppy Imperial IPA with a beefed up body. In other words, this was tasty. This would also be a good beer to cellar for a year or two to see how the alcohol flavors change and mellow. I'll probably end up buying a few more to do just that. A-

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

Brewery: Samuel Adams
Style: Pilsner
ABV: 4.9%
Country: USA, Massachusetts

Another malty beer here. Sam Adams released this as an early spring seasonal. The name Noble Pils is a reference to the five noble hops that this beer contains. What is a noble hop you say? Noble hops are a series of aromatic hops from central Europe: Hallertau, Hersbrucker, Saaz, Spalt, and Tettnang. This pour was a pale yellow with a crystal clear body. It had a big fluffy head with thick lacing. Pleasing aroma that had some sweet lemon citrus, peppery spice, and earthy hops. Plenty of flavors hit all at once. The lemon, pepper zest from the aroma is certainly present. Herbal and grassy flavors are also noticeable up front. Taste is clean enough that the minerals in the water appeared in the finish. Speaking of the finish, it had more bitterness than I was expecting and was puckeringly dry. Its leaps and bounds better than most light beers claiming to be pilsners *cough*Miller*coughcough* though that isn't a high bar to judge by. A better way to put it is that this has to be the best pilsner I've had. It was greatly refreshing and I would certainly enjoy this again. Would be perfect on a hot day. A-

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.20%
Country: USA, California

Happened to be at my local grocery store and was in need of beer. There was a mix and match six-pack section so I bit. Not a wide variety of craft beer, but enough non Bud/Coors/Miller beers to make it worth while. Sierra Nevada is one of the original American craft brewers that started in the late 70s and early 80s. Their Pale Ale is their flagship brew that will have to make an appearance on these pages soon.

Poured a bright orange that was nice and clear leaving a thin white head. The aroma was of citrus and pine. Not a super powerful aroma like most IPAs, but still noticeable. Perhaps a lack of dry-hopping. Dry and bitter up front with plenty of malt backbone. Less overtly hoppy than most IPAs but still contains a good wave of bitterness. Ends dry, bitter, and a good bit of bready malts. Not a typical IPA for sure, but still tasty. Very refreshing and quite drinkable. No trace of alcohol, I'd be easy to have too many of these too quickly. A-

Flying Dog Raging Bitch

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewing Company
Style: Belgian IPA
ABV: 8.30%
Country: USA, Maryland

Raging Bitch is the first beer from Flying Dog I've had since working my way through the variety pack. This is one of the more well known beers from Flying Dog and has been earning itself a good reputation since it was released in 2003.

Poured this into my tulip glass which has been getting plenty of use as of late. Left plenty of foamy head and a nice, lingering lace. Color was a bright and clear caramel.

Aroma had plenty of citrus hops. A Bit different from the standard grapefruit cascade hop variety. This has more of a lemon pepper aroma to it.

Sweet caramel hops with a bit of honey malt presence up front. Plenty of dark and fruity flavors throughout, raisins and apricots were the first two to come to mind. Left a nice lingering bitterness that wasn't overpowering. The body had a buttery and creamy feeling that tasted fantastic. Couldn't taste the alcohol, but it made its presence felt with a nice warming spiciness. This is a great sipper and worthy of its reputation. A-

Liefmans Goudenband

Brewer: Liefmans

Style: Flanders Oud Bruin

ABV: 8.00%

Enjoyed some of this at a recent tasting and decided a bit more was needed. First impression was quite good.

Pours a dark reddish brown with a thick head that thins out nicely to a lace.

The nose is spicy and sweet. Picked up what reminded me of tart cherries as well.

The first drink had a certain slight puckering sourness to it. Not over overpowering but not something I have tasted in a beer thus far. It actually reminded me a lot of a cider made with green apples. Overall a complex and smooth beer with a great mouth feel and pleasing aftertaste.

I give it an A-, pick some up and enjoy!

-Roy

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The Duck-Rabbit Porter

Brewery: The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Style: Porter
ABV: 5.7%
Country: USA, North Carolina

This bottle claims that the Duck-Rabbit brewery is the "Dark Beer Specialist" so I had some high expectations when pouring this one.

Pour was a dark black color that had some brown around the edges. Tan head dissipated quickly not leaving much lace. Smell had a light sweetness combined with a smoky, roasted character. Taste is fantastic. Plenty of good and dark flavors to choose from. Smoke, coffee, burnt charcoal. Similar to what I'd expect a fireplace to taste like. I really enjoyed this one. Just for the record, I can see both a duck and a rabbit, but it looks more like a rabbit. A-

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout

Brewery: Samuel Smith's Old Brewery
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.0%
Country: England

Mostly black with caramel. One finger, dark tan head leaves a lace that lingers the entire time. Aroma has plenty of sweet malts present along with slight roasted notes and a hint of chocolate.

First thing I noticed was the fantastic mouth-feel. This is smooth, silky, and feels great. Low carbonation feels nearly flat, but this is a good thing in this case. The lack of bubbles makes this a gem to swirl around. Light sweetness up front blends with typical stout toasted flavors. There is a metallic, acrid taste that is common in stouts. In this case, it is mostly subdued which is quite pleasing. Bitterness is almost non existent. Best way to describe this beer is mild, soothing, and incredibly pleasing. A-

Trois Pistoles

Brewer: Unibroue
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9%
Country: Canada

Pours a dark murky brown color. A solid half inch of fizzy bone white head. Fruity sweet aroma with a dry white-wine grape aroma.

The fruitiness caught me off guard as that is a typical characteristic of a lighter ale. Raisins and brown sugar are both present. The 9% ABV is hidden very well. The alcohol makes its appearance as a nice and long warming feeling that lingers for a while.

Certainly a good beer, not quite as good as the La Fin Du Monde though, but still well done. A-

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Brewer: Samuel Adams
Style: Vienna Lager
ABV: 4.9%
Country: USA, Massachusetts

The flagship brew for Sam Adams, I had my expectations set high.

A bright coppery color poured out leaving a nice and big fluffy white head. Head lingered a while and left a good looking lace.

Aroma was wonderful. Sweet caramel upfront with plenty of citrus and floral hop notes throughout. I honestly didn't expect this much aroma making this a nice surprise. Certainly an enjoyable beer to sniff.

First sip brought plenty of the sweetness in the aroma to the forefront. Some nice spiciness was present as well, cloves perhaps? A good mix of hop presence throughout, grapefruit and nectarine. Less pronounced than in a pale ale or IPA, but adds a nice touch. Ends with a the biscuit malt presence and bitterness that I've come used to in these Sam Adams brews.

This was quite an excellent beer. Much more taste than a standard lager but not enough to drive away drinkers not used to the more potent styles. I'd have to say this my favorite lager I've had so far. Since this is also easily found on tap in many places, this will make a good default beer when out and about. A-

Cigar City Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Brewer: Cigar City

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV: 5.5%

This different brew is based off the same base recipe as the Espresso Maduro I previously reviewed only with a different twist. I really can't say that I knew what to expect with this one. I ordered based of recommendation of the bartender, Daneaux, at Abbey in Deland Florida.

After receiving this glass I couldn't help but notice the dark, only slightly translucent color which was close to that of the Espresso. The main difference was the amber color along the edges and this one let a bit more light through. The head was white which thinned out to a nice lace. The initial whiff was that of fresh baked cookies, which had me weary of it being to "flavored."

I was happily surprised upon drinking the brew before me. The initial taste was that of oatmeal alone with some light spices. This gave way to a nice bitterness which was a pleasant surprise. Once finished with the initial taste I waited until an amazing aftertaste of oatmeal raisin cookies hit my palate. It was just the right amount nothing too over powering. The beauty of it was that it kept you from downing this already fantastic beer because I always found myself waiting for the aftertaste before taking another drink. The carbonation didn't mute the flavors either with a tingly mouth feel that finished off very smooth.

I can happily give this beer an A- and only wish I could find it at home.

-Roy

Affligem Noel

Brewery: Brouwerij Affligem
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9%
Country: Belgium

Merry Christmas everyone! A Christmas ale for Christmas day. This here is a big 750mL making the long journey from Waarloos Belgium. A Belgian Strong Ale is always a god idea for a cold winter day and would make a perfect gift for any beer lover.

Poured a Dark, hazy caramel color. Another bottle conditioned and unfiltered beer so the haziness is a feature. A big thick head is left from the pout that melts into a nice lace that lingers throughout the entire drink.

Sticky sweet aroma, some grapes are present as well as some hints of caramel.

Plenty of sweet malts up front. There is a lot going on in the beer. Grapes and caramel are present initially along with a hint of vanilla. Not much bitterness, finishes nice and warm from the alcohol. Biscuits and grains show up in the finish along with the slightest hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Initial sweetness is well balanced with the warming finish making a delicious combination. Body is smack dab in the middle of the pack, some good thickness without being either watery or chewy. Carbonation is nice and fizzy without being overbearing.

A very tasty beer, that goes down easy. The 9% ABV certainly sneaks up on you. From the classification as a Christmas ale, I was expecting a bit more spiciness. Otherwise, this is an excellent beer that I'd certainly drink again. A-

Old Dominion Baltic Porter

Brewer: Old Dominion
Style: Porter
ABV: 7%
Country: USA, Delaware

Was out and about the other night at American Tap Room for drinks. Not a bad selection here, plenty of choices outside of the typical selection of lite beers. Decided to give this a try based on the recommendation of the bartender.

Standard pint glass was nearly black in color some faint hints of brown around the edges. Thin Head.

Pleasing aroma of light coffee mixed with some toffee sweetness.

I was expecting a thick stout like body, but this was surprisingly light and watery. First tastes were of mild coffee and not much else. The problem was that this was served WAY too cold initially which I suspected was hiding a lot of the flavor. Sighing, I decided to wait it out. After maybe 15 minutes of my hands providing heat to the glass, I ventured another attempt. Much better the second time around. Coffee flavor was much more pronounced than before. The toffee that I detected in the aroma also became noticeable. Notes of licorice also started to make an appearance. The biggest change was that the mouth feel took on a wonderful buttery and creamy character. Finish had a good bitterness to it with pleasing smoked wood taste.

This served as an important lesson on having your beer at the right temperature. A general rule of thumb is the darker the beer, the warmer the serving temperature should be. Had I done this rating based on the cold temperature, this would have been a C or even a D. Having it at the right temperature turned this into a great beer that I would certainly enjoy again. A-

The Mad Elf Ale

Brewer: Troegs
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 11%
Country: USA, Pennsylvania

Since it 'tis that time of year, I decided it would be a good time to review a holiday beer. Bo beat me to the punch with the Delirium Noel but there are plenty of holiday ales out there for all.

I gave my pint glass the night off and decided to go with a stein for this one. It poured a dark amber with a little bit of ruby, a rich and wonderful color. It was very clear, and had only a hint of a head which vanished without a trace of lace.

A big wave of sweetness was evident as soon as I stuck my nose in the glass. Plenty of honey and cherries dominated with hint of alcohol.

The taste was incredibly sweet, almost syrup like. The main flavor was cherries with a good bit of honey in the mix as well. The taste of alcohol is present in the background reminding you that this contains nearly as much alcohol as three lite American beers. The body is on the lighter end of medium with a good bit of carbonation. Not so much that it burns your mouth, but enough for a pleasant fizziness. Aftertaste had enough tartness in it to remind you that this wasn't a soda.

This is a great beer to have at your next holiday party. Plenty of good sweet flavors to spread the holiday cheer and enough alcohol for roasting chestnuts. I was surprised at how easily this went down and with the ABV punch it carries, it wouldn't take many before lampshades are on heads. One of my first thoughts was about how much sugar Troegs had to add initially in order to hit the alcohol content while leaving enough residual sugars to still be incredibly sweet. This could use a bit more bitterness to balance out the intense sweetness but it was still quite delicious. A-