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. 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.
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.Saranac: Black & Tan 5.4%
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.
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.
My Rating: B+/4.0
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