The Beer Book

Longhammer IPA--Ick.

2008-05-24T08:44:00.004-05:00

Bleh. This is the kind of IPA you'd drink if there were literally no others left in the fridge...which is exactly what will happen with the remainder of the six pack currently junking up the back of my lower shelf...unless I can convince some unsuspecting or non-elitist visitor to partake and rid me of the damned stuff.

Let's see: bland, unbalanced, and not a bit of crispness. Yawn.

If you really must, you can read the falsehoods concerning this beer here.

Beer Consumed at: home

Beer Consumed from: bottle

Beer Rating: 2

Dale's Pale Ale

2008-04-08T13:50:00.005-05:00

Alright, so I've established myself as an pale ale lover, but this one takes the cake. I discovered it last fall when it was a selection as the beer of the month at my local shop. I got another six pack of this stuff last week, and it is insanely tasty.

There's also something about a canned beer that I like. Seems, I dunno - fresher.

Read all about this beer here.

I give it a 9 out of 10. I drank these by pouring them into a pint glass ever so often trying to keep it full. It was a tough challenge, because I liked it a lot and eventually ran out cans.

My goal for later today is to buy more of this and drink myself silly. Preferably within the next two hours. Work blows today.

The Duck-Rabbit Amber Ale

2008-04-04T20:03:00.003-05:00

Well, this beer is good. Not fabulous, mind you, but a fair Amber. It has the characteristic sweetness and medium body of a true Amber, but the finish is a little weak. It is more similar to Dos Equis than the handcrafted taste of Bell's Amber.

I am impressed that it is brewed locally, though. According to their website: We are a new packaging microbrewery (we sold our first beer in August of 2004) located in Farmville, North Carolina. We specialize in beautiful, delicious, full flavored dark beers. When we brew, we’re happy and we dance. During fermentation, we sing softly to the yeast. Please try our beer and enjoy a taste of contentment!

How goofy is that writeup? I would drink their beer just for their silliness. Yep. Oh, hell... let's be honest. Id' just drink their beer again because I like beer.

Beer Consumed At: home

Beer Consumed From: a bottle

Beer Rating: 6

Z Lager

2008-03-27T20:20:00.003-05:00

Tonight I popped open a bottle of "Z" Lager. Emblazoned with flames, the black branded letter "Z" looks faintly like Zorro designed the bottle. Not so. Someone drank this beer and realized that the contents needed a brand, much like a fine slab of steak. Why?

This beer tastes like meat.

No, really. It does. Like you're drinking a nice, big, cold, gulping draught of MEAT. Barbecued meat. VEGETARIANS BEWARE!

Brewed and bottled by The Fort Collins Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, the bottle describes the beer as such: "Rauchbier dates back to the 1500's in Bamburg Germany when malt was often dried over the flames of a beechwood fire. The lingering smoke flavors, slight caramel undertone and amber color make Z an unexpected treat alone or as a compliment to a good meal."
Umm, thanks Fort Collins Brewery, but this beer IS a meal. A cold, disgusting meat tasting meal. In a bottle. Ugg.

Beer Consumed At: home

Beer Consumed From: bottle

Beer Rating: 2 (the beer smelled good...but I was hungry)

Avalanche Ale

2008-03-23T14:41:00.005-05:00

I had not noticed Avalanche on the shelf before. That's not to say that it was not there, just that I had not paid it any particular attention until last night. It has simple art of mountain tops on the brown bottle and the label has hint of an older style of beer to it. Ah, but more importantly let me get to the taste. It was a little darker than I was expecting from an amber style brew, it had some nutty undertones to it, and it had that hint of a hop bite that I have come to enjoy from many an ale. It's definitely not your typical amber, but I quite enjoyed it. It is smooth and delicious with some mozzarella pesto pizza with some diced tomatoes, olives and feta cheese. That is a good dinner!

Beer Consumed at: Friend's House

Beer Consumed from: Bottle

Beer Rating: 8.5

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

2008-01-11T21:15:00.000-05:00

First, it has two pretty, grey fish on the bottle. SOLD! I am a sucker for an artsy label, after all.
Still, pop the cap and this is a delicious, complex IPA. The first sip is a little stringent, but the follow through is slightly bitter and absolutely delicious. Like all Bell's, it is best decanted into a glass (leave the last 1/4 inch in the bottle to avoid the backwash looking swill).

From the Bell's website: "India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma. (7% alcohol)

Beer Consumed at: Home

Beer Consumed from: Glass

Beer Rating: 9

Harpoon IPA

2008-01-06T17:18:00.000-05:00

I'm finishing off the last of a six pack of Vermont's Harpoon India Pale Ale. It's got everything I'm looking for in a brew: it's hoppy (what you expect from an IPA), crisp, and wicked refreshing.

I like a real variety of beers, but I'm especially partial to IPAs. This one is a great one.

Beer consumed at: Home

Beer consumed from: Bottle

Beer rating: 8

Acme Pale Ale

2008-01-06T02:36:00.000-05:00

Alright, drinking this beer was an odd experience. Here was exactly my impressions: first sip - wow, that's neat, very complex taste combinations. Second sip - still good but something isn't as good as the first sip. Rest of the first bottle - meh, that was pretty decent but not great. Then I had a second one with food, it was great all around. Then the third beer I had was great, even sans food. So I am really torn about how to rate this beer. On the one hand, the first beer wasn't extraordinary or anything, but the second and third were great. It does have an interesting flavor to it. The North Coast Brewing - makers of Acme Pale Ale - website calls it" Clean-tasting and pleasantly malty, Acme Pale is brewed with Yakima Valley hops, American two-row malt and British specialty malts for depth."

I have to add, I love the label. It's what drew me to the beer in the first place.

Beer Consumed at: Friend's House

Beer Consumed From: Bottle

Beer Rating: 7+ (best with food)

Stone Mill Organic Pale Ale

2007-12-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

The second organic beer I've tried, I have to say that Stone Mill Pale Ale is an excellent, widely available beer that gets better every time I drink it. It is not craft beer; it is more Harp or Dos Equis style good beer. A mid-range flavored pale ale, it has enough hops to be slightly fruity but enough bitterness to ground the flavor. It is an excellent accompaniment to food.

If you want to know nifty stuff about just how frickin' organic Stone Mill is, you can read their cutesy flash website, www.stonemillpaleale.com.

Beer Consumed at: home

Beer Consumed from: bottle

Beer rating: 8

Bell's Pale Ale

2007-12-08T18:15:00.000-05:00

Seeing as how I would say that a "Pale Ale" is by far my favorite type of beer overall, it should come as little surprise that I am going to say, "I loved this beer." So, allow me to get that out of the way, "I loved this beer." Bell's makes a quality product I must admit. In my book they are 2 for 2 in the great beers category (The Pale Ale mentioned in this review and the Amber). The flavor goes well with food or just by itself. A little hop and a little malt and a whole lotta delicious! Drink it, love it, Bell's Pale Ale!

Beer consumed at: Friend's House

Beer consumed from: Bottle

Beer rating: 9 (it would be a 10 if it were about 2 dollars cheaper)

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale

2007-09-08T14:04:00.000-05:00

I picked up a six pack of Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale to share with some friends last night. I like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale, especially on tap. So I thought this brew would be pretty decent. I didn't hate it, but it was more bitter than I expected and the flavor was a bit too strong for me. Sierra Nevada's Homepage

Beer consumed at: Home

Beer consumed from: Bottle

Beer rating: 6

Terrapin Rye Pale Ale

2007-08-06T20:01:00.000-05:00

I had no expectations when I first tasted this Athens, GA brewed ale. I must say, I did like it, but it tasted a lot like bread to me. I know a good number of beer do in one way or another "taste like bread", but this one was really like drinking liquid bread. It is good with some food and I would definitely drink it again, but it is not at the top of my beers list. It reminded me of Abita for some reason. I dig the turtle on the bottle too btw. Terrapin Beer Homepage

Beer consumed at: Home

Beer consumed from: Bottle

Beer rating: 7

Cottonwood Endo IPA

2007-08-06T19:43:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I am a sucker for a good IPA (just look at my reviews so far). I tend to gravitate towards beers with heavy hops and a nice bitter bite to them. So is it any surprise I picked up and consumed and very much enjoyed Cottonwood's ENDO? It is from a brewery in Mooresville, Carolina Beer and Beverage Company (they also make Carolina Blonde). Oh, and I kept wondering why the King on the label had a bike helmet on, well here's what the website said: “Endo” is a term mountain bikers use for going “over the handlebars,” and we feel that once you try this IPA you will agree that we definitely went over the top with the hops.

Beer Consumed at: Monkey Lord's Cookout and Board Gaming Extravaganza

Beer Consumed from: Bottle

Beer rating: 9

Eel River Amber Ale

2007-08-06T18:23:00.000-05:00

There is a new little organic cafe in town that just happens to sell organic beer by the six pack. We decided to try out the Eel River Brewing Company's Organic Amber Ale, which is described by the brewery website as having "caramel-like sweetness" with a hefty dose of hops. I would say it is much darker (for an amber) than we expected, with a very maple syrup kind of kick to it. It was good, especially with food. It would be tasty with cheese. It is definitely sweet, though.
Beer Consumed at: Home

Beer Consumed From: Bottle

Beer Rating: 6 (this beer would be more enjoyable in the winter)

Sam Adams Light

2007-07-25T14:19:00.000-05:00

I had some Sam Adams Light a few times in the recent past. And in the spirit of reviewing Labatt Blue, I thought that the Minuteman Brewer of the USA warranted a few words too.

Beer Consumed at:
Anchor Bar and ML's house (and Buffalo Airport)

Beer Consumed from:
Bottle (at airport it was on tap)

Beer Score:
6 (slightly creamy, it goes well with heavy foods)

Labatt Blue

2007-07-24T18:12:00.000-05:00

Labatt Blue website

This is the first time I have ever had Labatt Blue. I know this is a lot like rating Budweiser but like I said, this is the first time I ever had it. It was bought in Canada (where most stores have a selection of like 4 types of beer).

Beer Consumed at:
Rental House in Canada

Beer Consumed from:
Bottle

Beer Score:
4 (This is a typical no frills beer, nothing special, but not completely undrinkable. I give it a 4 rather than a 5 because it is slightly more expensive than PBR - the solid 5 standard.)

Hop Devil

2007-06-22T21:48:00.000-05:00

I was on a quest to find out exactly which end of the beer spectrum I most enjoyed. So I began my quest (and perhaps ended it too) on the "hop" end of the beer tree. The beer I chose was Hop Devil, the website describes it as: "Menacingly delicious, with the powerful, aromatic punch of whole flower American hops backed up by rich, German malts. HopDevil Ale offers a roller coaster ride of flavor, coasting to a smooth finish that satisfies fully." It was awesome!

Woohoo! Go Hop Devil go!

Beer Consumed at:
Home

Beer Consumed from:
Bottle

Beer Score:
9

Oberon Ale

2007-06-22T17:28:00.000-05:00

Besides having a great name, Bell's Brewery's Oberon Ale is a great summer beer. It is full bodied enough to feel like you're having a good beer, but light enough to be infinitely drinkable... and it goes perfectly with pizza or Mexican food.
The bottle describes it as "an American wheat ale with the color and scent of a summer afternoon." I don't know about all that, but I do know it's pretty dang good.

The website is here: www.bellsbeer.com

Beer Consumed At:
a friend's house and my own

Beer Consumed from:
a glass and multiple bottles

Beer Rating:

8

The Beer: Red Oak Amber Lager

2007-06-04T17:57:00.000-05:00

This is a mildly sweet, fresh tasting lager that hails from the Greensboro area. It is a lovely reddish brown. Plus, it is brewed according to the 1516 Bavarian Law of Purity, which means it is made of only water, malt, yeast, and hops. Consequently, according to the website, "Without additives, or preservatives, or cheaper grains such as rice and corn, Red Oak is pure and wholesome. Being slow cold-aged, unfiltered, and unpasteurized, Red Oak is more nutritious." See? Red Oak is NUTRITIOUS, so drink up! It tastes delicious with Mellow Mushroom's Kosmic Karma pizza....but I'm thinking I might have to pilgrimage to the actual pub in Greensboro.

Beer Consumed at:
Mellow Mushroom

Beer Consumed from:
On draft

Beer rating:
7

The Beer: Old Scratch

2007-06-04T11:43:00.000-05:00

I have always been a fan of the Flying Dog brewery. Old Scratch delivers a great taste and awesome art on the bottle! Their website is : www.flyingdogales.com

Beer Consumed at:
Home

Beer Consumed from:
Bottle

Beer Rating:
8

The Beer: Magic Hat #9

2007-06-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

It is self-described as "Not Quite Pale Ale", that description is apt. I didn't know what to think of this beer when I first tasted it, it was ok, nothing special. The second helping of this brew was significantly better (but I usually find this to be so with most pale ales). As a final conclusion, with its complex flavor and general tastiness, I would have to say I liked this beer.

Beer Consumed at:
Friend's House

Beer Consumed from:
Bottle

Beer Score:
5 for the first one
8 for each thereafter