Redhook: Winterhook Winter Ale (Winter Warmer) 5.9%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

This poured dark amber with notable head that stuck around for a while. It smelled and tasted malty and toasty. It had a well balanced taste that wasn't too sweet or smoky. I would classify this as moderately crisp and medium bodied, making it easy to have a few of these in a row. However, after i finished, I started to get that sour, muck taste that sometimes follows beer. I still think Winterhook is pretty solid and will come back to it next winter. 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18134/13906

My Rating: B/3.65

Redhook: ESB (Extra Special/Strong Bitter) 5.8%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

This poured copper with two fingers of head that went away pretty quickly. It smelled and tasted malty and sweet. I found it to be pretty similar to Winterhook, only not as good. There was a certain grainy/nutty flavor that set it apart from Winterhook, however, I was expecting something a little more bitter. I did drink this after a Celebration Ale, that may have something to do with it. This beer was fine, but I cannot see myself buying this again. 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18134/1119

My Rating: B-/3.3

New Belgium: 1554 Enlightened Black Ale (Belgian Dark Ale) 5.6%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a tulip glass

First of all, I am convinced that all New Belgium Brewery's beers have a "tastes like sticks" taste. I believe it is commonly referred to as...earthy. To continue my rant, I think this beer actually has a campfire taste. I suppose I appreciated the smoky aspect for something different. Half way through I had a buckeye (chocolate and peanut butter candy), which was a nice compliment. It poured black with one finger of head. It smelled and tasted like chocolate, coffee, caramel and smoke. It was a little sweeter than I typically prefer, so I don't know if I would drink more than one of these in a row. I only bought two of these in a mix-six, but I can see myself buying a six pack of these in the future. 


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/1914
My Rating: B+/3.8

Flying Dog: Double Dog Double Pale Ale (Imperial IPA) 11.5%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a tulip glass

This beer is interesting. I had it on tap and remember it being the predictable strong, syrupy style that you might expect from an imperial IPA. This time, however, it was awesome. It was sweet and more crisp than I remember, but it had a pretty heavy mouthfeel. I like the distinct bitterness; it tastes a lot like black walnut. It poured a nice peach color, and had about one finger of head, which is not bad for such a high ABV. This is, by far, the best and most drinkable imperial that I've had. Based on the taste and body, I could have another one...but that's just crazy.


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/68/35754
My Rating: B+/4.0

Flying Dog: Gonzo Imp. Porter 7.8% VS. Great Lakes: Edmond Fitzgerald Porter 5.8%

HEAD TO HEAD

So I am getting into this head-to-head idea. It's fun to pit one beer against another. A positive in one beer leaves something to be desired in the other. It probably isn't the most "fair" way to judge something, I am fully aware of that. This is my first Porter vs. Porter. As you may know, drinking two porters is sometimes a feat in itself...made easier if you are drinking to awesome ones, however. 

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

This poured a nice dark brown, almost black with two fingers of brown head. This was medium bodied for the ABV, but it was a little sweeter than I prefer. This was definitely more chocolaty than coffee-y. This beer had a really unique smokiness that I really enjoyed. I could drink another one of these, but the sweetness would get to me.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/68/24071

My Rating A-/4.1

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

This poured very similar to the Gonzo, black with two fingers of brown head. This was more drinkable than the Gonzo, but it is a little less strong, so maybe plays into it a little bit. This is the coffee variety, as opposed to being more chocolaty. For a porter, this is very crisp and carbonated. When I toured The Great Lakes Brewery in 2008, the tour guide told me this was his favorite all-year-round beer. I don't know if this is my favorite beer, but I could easily drink this any time of the year. Great beer!

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/73/226

My Rating: A/4.4

New Holland: Mad Hatter IPA 5.8% VS. Cottonwood: Endo IPA 5.9%

HEAD TO HEAD

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

Mad Hatter IPA is a good all around drinker. I could have a few of these without feeling over filled, or worn out by the same taste. It's solid and crisp, and has some floral smells/tastes. The bitterness, sweetness and hops are well balanced. It poured golden with a nice chunky head. I don't know that I would rave about any particular aspect, or grab for this beer with some many others to try, but it is good. I am picking this as the winner in this match-up however, for said reasons below. 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/335/2904

My Rating: A-/4.15

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

Compared to the Mad Hatter, Endo IPA did not have very good head retention or carbonation. It poured red/brown, which I was not expecting. Red ales and lagers aren't usually my favorites, and this beer had the strong malt presence that I associate with red styled beers. It did have a certain woodiness that made it different, so I can appreciate that. 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/354/5049

My Rating: B/3.65

Sierra Nevada: Celebration Ale 2010 (American IPA) 6.8%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

This is the first time in a couple years that I have had Celebration Ale, what was I thinking? This ambrosial brew is truly the "nectar of the gods". It's one of my favorite beers because it is not overwhelmingly seasonal in taste. It doesn't have any weird, funky spiciness that guides you down a path of regret half way through. It is super refreshing and crisp; I think I could enjoy one of these in the summer. When I strain to detect detail,which I almost hate doing to a beer that I already know is good, I pick up some pinyness that makes me want to breath that air that makes your nostrils stick together; you know, that wilderness feeling you get from freezing your butt off. Thats right, pine, and do I taste poinsettias and sprigs of holly? No, those are just on the bottle. The big head lasts all the way to the end...great overall appearance. The subtle approach to this being a seasonal beer makes it awesome and drinkable. Plan to have a couple of these in a row, no problem. 


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/1904
My Rating: A+/4.95

Sierra Nevada: Tumbler (American Brown Ale) 5.5%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint 


I've had Tumbler several times this fall. I think I was enjoying this more a month or two ago. I am over the fall varieties of beer. It's weird how you look forward to different types of beer, when just a couple of them can satisfy your craving for an entire year. Don't get me wrong, this beer is really good. It's very dark brown, and pours with a great head on top that lasts. I like that it is nutty, but not overly sweet or brown sugary. It reminded me of Newcastle, but even better. This beer was released this year in lieu of Anniversary Ale, to avoid confusion with their quarterly releases of their 30th Anniversary series. I'll be ready to tackle another six pack of this come next fall. 


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/60420
My Rating: A/4.45

Great Lakes: Christmas Ale (Winter Warmer) 7.5%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a tulip glass


I look forward to this beer because of its specific focus on Christmas. It's even called Christmas Ale, as opposed to a more generic, wimp out name...*cough*...Celebration. The extreme spice and sweetness in this beer makes you feel like you should be wearing a cable knit sweater with a winteresque scene. At the very least, I like to imagine the silent majesty of a winter's morn...the clean, cool chill of holiday air...


It pours brown, almost red. It has really nice head. I taste honey, ginger and cinnamon. It's transparency almost reminds me of a lager. I will say, although it does not taste boozy for being a higher ABV, this is a one bottler. I cannot see my self wanting more than 12oz of this taste...I am asking for more hops this beer.


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/73/1576
My Rating: B+/3.95

Anchor: Liberty Ale (American Pale Ale) 6.0%

Drank From: bottle, pured into a pint glass

Anytime you visit a brewery, you are predisposed to liking it, in my opinion. It is part of the "sport" of enjoying good beer. You tie memories and and a sense of ownership to that particular brewery. I went to Anchor on my honeymoon and had a blast. However, in my own defense, I enjoyed this beer at Virginia Beach the year before.   It pours a nice golden color with excellent head, and is everything that you expect from and APA. It's bitter and hoppy, but less drastic than an IPA. Its well rounded quality makes this beer very drinkable. This should accentuate everyone's beer repertoire...yeah, I went there!


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My Rating: A/4.5

Saranac: Pale Ale (American Pale Ale) 5.5%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

I first noticed that this beer was more grainy/meaty than I expected. There was a sour, muck taste that lingered in my mouth a little too long. The appearance was average, as was the drinkability. I have not been impressed with Saranac as a whole, but I'm not pouring it down the drain either.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/914

My Rating: C+/3.25

Disc Flight of Beers

This post is a recount of a Veteran’s Day marathon where a couple of friends and I got together for a disc golf beer banquet; a real snob’s take on a sport dominated by prop. 19 groupies. I try not to include grave detail when it comes to critiquing brewskies. This post will consist of even less “chapter and verse” as I am rousing my opinions from memory. Naturally, there is degradation in one’s ability to differentiate the minor nuances of a particular beer when you drink several in a row, and all straight from the bottle. In addition to the said excuses, I would like to assure the readers that several beers were passed around, and I/we did not consume seven beers a piece on this outing. Which leads me to my third and final disclaimer: it’s hard to give a solid opinion when you don’t have the opportunity to drink an entire beer. Regardless, I plan to do just that…

Dogfish Head: Palo Santo Marron (American Brown Ale) 12%

We started the day off right with a heavy hitter. Anytime you have a beer this strong, there are a couple of things to expect going in: a lot of sugar, low carbonation, a general likeness to syrup or wine, and the inescapable presence of alcohol. That said, this was one of the better high proofers that I have tried. The carbonation was surprising recognizable, the barrel aged smokiness provided a good offset to the sweetness, and the boozy factor was not a deal breaker. I think we all agreed that Palo Santo’s intense substance would limit you to just one. 

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10099/33832
My Rating: B/3.65

Bridgeport: IPA (American IPA) 5.5%

This is a great beer, and one of my favorite all-around IPAs. The drinkability factor is certainly a highlight. They do use a method of fermentation that involves yeast in the bottle, which you can taste toward the end, but it is not near as severe a Belgium ale. One of the other guys mentioned that it was refreshing, especially after the Palo Santo undertaking.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/43/466
My Rating: A-/4.25

Yuengling: Black & Tan 4.7%

I really like Yuengling B&T for the price point. I do taste an English style ale when I drink it, and the stout also seems solid. I order this beer when the “Big Three” are otherwise available, and I want to subject myself to more flavor and ridicule. In other words, this beer is sometimes available when    more obscure craft brews may not be, so it is nice to have it as an option.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23980/1381
My Rating: B/3.7

Saranac: Black & Tan 5.4%

This was my first experience with Saranac, a line beer produced by The Matt Brewing Co. I didn’t realize that it was owned Richard L. Yuengling…Richard Jr. is the current owner of D.G. Yuengling and Sons. Saranac is widely available, which is possibly why I have chosen other beers in the past. The B&T was similar to Yuengling, but I didn’t taste as much of that European/English style.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/906
My Rating: B-/3.30

Saranac: IPA (American IPA) 5.8%

This was another solid version of an IPA. Saranac offers, literally, every notable style of beer there is. Evidently, they aim to produce a huge variety, rather than a unique interpretation of any particular style. Maybe Saranac should be the benchmark for all beer sampling. All joking aside, their beer is solid from what I have experienced.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/1464
My Rating: B-/3.35

Magic Hat: Howl (Shwarzbier) 4.6%

I do not like #9. In fact, I have taken it back to the store with the assumption that I had a skunked pack. I realize now how ridiculous that sounds. This was smokier than I expected. It had the winter seasonal taste that I was expecting, without the spicy sweetness of some Christmas style ales. I would be interested in picking this one up on a build your own six pack.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/96/52704
My Rating: B+/3.85


New Belgium: 2° Below (Extra Special/Strong Bitter) 6.6%

This was my first ESB. To dumb it way down, I it seemed similar to the bitterness of an IPA without a strong hop flavor. ESB is a can of worms that I would like to open and explore  thoroughly. That said, this beer was even more indicative of winter than Howl. It was smooth and easy drinking. I will be buying a six pack of this seasonal gem before the winter is over.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/26542

My Rating: B+/4.0

Rogue: Dead Guy Ale (Helles Bock) 6.5%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

…The KING of beer, quickly approaching $13 a six pack. If you haven’t had this beer then you must be a bigoted beer hermit who won’t put down the Old Milwaukee. You have no class and would like too see all craft beer reduced to Sam Adams and Blue Moon. OK, seriously, it’s pretty good. But I don’t know if I agree with its preceding rep. It has a take on ale similar to how Widmer Brothers Drifter is surprisingly fruity.

@ the Sellout Police and the guy at the grocery store who branded Widmer Bros. as Such, I am not interested in your displeasure with people wanting to make money. This is America, and you are probably a communist. Go listen to the Clash and congratulate yourself.


So anyway, Dead Guy Ale reminded me of wine, but not for all of the bad reasons. I narrowed down that nomad thought to—grape taste. It had all of the accompanying beer pleasures: hops, carbonation, general sense of being awesome, etc.


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/355
My Rating: B+/3.75

Highland: Gaelic Ale (Red Ale) 5.8%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

This is my favorite Highland beer by far. It is well balanced beer. Different than Kashmir and St. Theresa, it doesn’t have a metallic taste. It is slightly darker than you would expect. It pours almost brown. In addition to the hops and malt, it has a little bit of what you would expect from a brown ale…maple?

It’s packed with flavor, but not too heavy or chew-spitty. Simply put this beer exceeded my expectations and is a must try if you ever find yourself in hippie country that is Ashville, NC.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/811/2526
My Rating: A-/4.2

Great Lakes: Commodore Perry (IPA) 7.5% VS. Stone: IPA 6.9%

HEAD TO HEAD

Drank From: bottle, pured into a pint glass

There is something about Great Lakes' beer, it all has a distinct taste. Maybe it has something to do with the Malt that they use. Unfortunately, this particular bottle was part of the "collection" for a little too long...I was supposed to drink it by September. It was not as good as it usually is, which was mildly disappointing. I sent the Commodore into battle with "date-stamp" handicap. It had the usual strong hops, citrus, Life cereal, and the carbonation that I love, in addition to that sensation you get when you know something is off. You continue to eat the bowl of lucky charms, even when you know for sure that the marshmallows were never sweet & sour when you were a kid...YES, the milk was spoiled on the first bite! Aging beer is for the criminally insane. It probably just makes crappy beer crappier. So this one gets a A, but shall live to fight another day!

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/73/1575

My Rating: A-/4.1

Drank From: bottle,  poured into a pint glass

So this is my first experience with Stone IPA. I believe this is actually the first Stone offering that I have had. I actually opened this beer first and told my wife that it reminded me of Commodore Perry. I initially thought it tasted similar to CP as well. After the actual taste test, however, my wife and I agreed that Stone IPA smelled and tasted better. It has a very good balance of hops, bitterness, and sweetness. The difference is that a fresh Commodore Perry has a distinct citrus/fruity aspect that sets it apart. Stone IPA gets an A.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/88

My Rating: A/4.4

Olde Mecklenburg: Copper (Altbier) 4.8%

Drank From: on-tap and from a growler


This is the second beer I am reviewing from Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. Due to a stint in Germany during the 1990s, one of the owners has a passion for German style beers, which is what the brewery exclusively focuses on.  Copper is an Albier, which basically just means that it is beer made the old fashioned way. In fact, the Reinheitsgebot  is posted on the tap room wall and mentioned with pride during the tour of the brewing area.


This beer is the only year-round offering at OMB, and definitely my favorite. Top fermentation process idendifies is more closely to ale, which I prefer. It has a great dark brown color, strong malt and yeast smell, and well-rounded, nutty flavor. The obvious strong suit of this beer is the freshness. It is very easy to drink at 4.8%, and is advertised by the staff as a session beer.


If you live in the Charlotte area, you have to try Copper from Olde Mecklenburg Brewery.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19247/49474
My Rating: A-/4.15

Highland: Kashmir IPA (American IPA) 5.6%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

Let's be honest, this looked like IPA when poured. I tried really hard to smell something significant, to the point of aspirating some foam, and I found that it just wasn't all that fragrant. Oh, my notes say "feet smell"...so there you go. This beer had kind of a dirty/metallic taste to it. I wondered how similar it would be if I put the bottle cap in my mouth and followed that by a swig of the sauce. Obviously I tried it; obviously, the beer was better.

So this was bitter and not sweet, which I like as a variety. It isn't my favorite IPA, and I probably wouldn't try it again until I had the opportunity to have it on-tap. Highland Brewing Co. hails from Ashville, NC. What is the point of enjoying craft beer if you can't find something to appreciate about the local folk?


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/811/6372
My Rating: C+/3.1

Olde Mecklenburg: Bauern Bock (Dopplebock) 7.5%

Drank From: on-tap


Admittedly, bock is not my favorite style of beer, and apparently not dopplebock either. There is something for everyone when it comes to beer, and this just isn't what I'm after. Right now there is a guy in Charlotte drinking Bauern Bock from a "shtine", contemplating the injustice of the 16 oz. "pint"...and loving this beer.

I had it on-site, which brings you half way to enjoyment if you ask me. It poured dark amber, and smelled very sweet. Not surprisingly, it was sweet. It had strong malt, dare I say malt liquor, flavor. There was some lacing, little head to speak of...blah blah blah, Copper is better.

I am a huge fan of the idea of fresh local beer. I am a huge fan of Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. As previously noted, Copper altbier suits my fancy. No secrets here, I prefer ale over lager. 
If you like Spatan Optimator, you will like this. I would actually say that Bauern Bock is less pungent than Optimator, making it more drinkable.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19247/62576
My Rating: B/3.65

Highland: St. Therese's Ale (American Pale Ale) 5.2%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

Appearance: light caramel, hazy, full finger of head
Smell: floral, citrus, hops
Taste: average bitter, hops, malt, orange pez, a slight medicinal flavor
Mouth feel: light body, good carbonation
Drinkability: easy to drink, but not a flavor that I would want a lot of


Summary: This is a decent, refreshing beer. I kept on being drawn back to the Flintstone vitamin/orange Pez taste. This is not my favorite of the Highland offerings… (Gaelic Ale being my favorite).

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/811/4947
My Rating: B/3.6

Great Lakes: Eliot Ness Amber Lager (Vienna Lager) 6.2%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a pint glass

Appearance: copper, amber, transparent, good amount of head

Smell: sweet, amber

Taste: bitter, malt

Mouth feel: light body, carbonation

Drinkability: easy to drink

Summary: Great Lakes always delivers a well rounded version of whatever is advertized on the bottle, case in point. I don’t have a lot to say about this beer, however. I don’t love lagers, amber lager being my least favorite. This could be a crowd pleaser for non-hop lovers. It’s available in the mixed 12 pack, and tolerable in that capacity.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/73/229

My Rating: B/3.7

Starr Hill: Northern Lights IPA (American IPA) 6.5%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a tulip glass

Appearance: caramel, orange, two fingers of head, good lacing
Smell: slightly fruity, floral, hops
Taste: extra bitter, not very sweet
Mouth feel: light body, carbonation
Drinkability: easy to drink

Summary: I went to this brewery once last year. Their brat pizza is what I remember most. The flight of beers that I had was overshadowed by a longer pre-game at Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co. down the road. I ended up settling on a cask ale the day I visited Starr Hill, so I was happy to give the IPA another try when I saw it on a build your own sixer display. The extreme bitterness and big hop presence reminds me of Ranger IPA, especially with its limited sweetness.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13667/19922
My Rating: B/3.55

Dogfish Head: Indian Brown Ale (American Brown Ale) 7.2%

Drank From: bottle, poured into a tulip glass

Appearance: dark brown, one full finger of head

Smell: coffee, sugar, caramel, hops, nutty

Taste: coffee,caramel, hops, noticable alcohol
Mouthfeel: good carbonation, slight bite
Drinkability: fairly easy drinking, a little boozy

Summary: This is a great fall beer. I would recommend this to a friend; there are other dark beers that I want to try before I come back to this one. This is a good hybrid of a porter and an IPA. My initial impression reminded me of Great Lakes Edmond Fitzgerald because of the smokiness, but then it ended with hops and evidence of a higher proof.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10099/1161
My Rating: B/3.7