Review: Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Co.

Grade: B

Appearance: Pours a hazy, dark amber with a small head that disappears fairly quickly and leaves weak lacing.

Smell: Sweet malt is dominant with pine notes coming through.  There are also hints of toffee, molasses and alcohol fumes.

Taste: Like the smell, the sweet malts are strong at first then give way to a nice hop bitterness.  A very fruity taste with a noticeable alcohol burn.  It finishes off with a nice toffee and hop aftertaste.  Every flavor is bold and stands out on its own. 

Mouthfeel: A full body with medium carbonation.  It definitely coats the tongue and mouth with syrupy malts.

Drinkability: Ok. It's a little bit sweeter than I like for an American Stong Ale.  The 9.7% ABV begins to dry out the palate after a few sips and will definitely put you on your ass after a few.

Overall: This is a solid American Strong Ale.  It reminds of a less hoppy and sweeter Arrogant Bastard Ale. In my opinion, the high ABV needs to be masked better. That being said, if I'm not in the mood for a strong ale with a big hop punch, this is a beer I will be seeking out.  

Review: Racer 5 India Pale Ale

Bear Republic Brewing

Grade: A

Appearance: Pours a clear golden yellow, almost pilsner-like color with an orange tint.  The small head decipates quickly and leaves a nice lacing.

Smell: A bouquet of floral, citrus and fruit hops burst forward.  Pine notes, honey, raisins and toasted malts add to the exceptional smell.  This is one of the most pleasant IPAs I have ever smelled.

Taste: Very crisp. The taste is exactly like the smell. The same fruity/floral hop flavors hit right away, along with pine notes and a slight malt sweetness that helps give balance and doesn't over power the hops.

Moutfeel: Light bodied with high carbonation.  Ahhhh.  Very refreshing.

Drinkability:  I could drink these all day, but the 7% ABV prevents me from doing so, unless I am at home or not driving.  Simply delicious.

Overall:  Racer 5 has been my favorite IPA for a while now and continues to stay that way.  The refreshing hop aroma and light body make this a pleasure to drink.  The hop bitterness is enough to let you know its an IPA, yet doesn't overpower the rest of the flavors.  Well done, Bear Republic.

Why I despise Budweiser and You Should Too.

To the right, is the ORIGINAL Budweiser, brewed in and named after the Czech town long before Adulphus Busch (now Anhesuer-Busch) blatently ripped off the name.  For the very reason that the original Budweiser is ages better than the piss water of America's rip off version, it is an insult to be even share the same name.  Not only did did Anheuser-Busch steal its name, they had the audacity to SUE the original Budwesier, the very same beer the American Budweiser is based on, for using its name in the United States. Unbelievably, Anhesuer-Busch won, and as a result,  the original Budweiser can only be found in the United States under the name "Czechvar." King of Beers?  I think not.  More like, "The King of Beer Frauds"!


I also wanted to discuss the low quality of the American Budweiser as another reason why I despise it, but won't get into that.  It will just get me even more angry.

Beer Humor: Stone Brewing Co.

First and foremost, I would like to mention that Stone is a damn good brewery that makes damn good, yet hoppy, beers.  On that note, this is pretty funny!  Enjoy.

Review: Nostradamus

Brasserie Caracole Brewery

Grade: B

Appearance: Pours a murky dark brown color with a 1/2 finger head that has staying power and strong lacing (man, I love these New Belgium beer glasses!).

Smell: Ahhh. Complex with dark dried fruits, belgian yeast and mild phenols.

Taste: Sweet and sour tart from the dried fruits hit first, then transitions to a honeydew flavor. The Belgian yeast is quiet pungent and helps mask the alcohol. Brown sugar is evident as it finishes with a sour, slightly hoppy finish.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low carbonation. Leaves my mouth extremely sticky.

Drinkability: Low. It is a great sipping beer. It has a good taste and body, but the extreme sourness from the dried fruit and yeast makes it hard for me to enjoy in a session. The low carbonation gives it a body too thick for me to drink more than one. Although, I must say that at 9% ABV, the alcohol is extremely will hidden.

Overall: An above average Belgian brown ale, but not one of my favorites. While the dark flavors are great, the sourness and thickness drag it down and make it too hard to enjoy. I will not be seeking it out again.

Serving type: Bottle

Review: Monk's Blood

21st Amendment Brewery

Grade: B+

Appearance: Pours a nice dark amber color, leaving a very little head, but it sticks around for a while and leaves a very good lacing.

Smell: Belgian yeast hits right away, followed by a sweet maltiness, dark fruits (figs, raisins) and alcohol. Little to no hops. Some vanilla and oak notes linger as well.

Taste: Begins with a spiciness, followed by a malt flavor that can be best described as a brown sugar type sweetness. I'm also picking up a banana bread and caramel flavors. As it warms up, the depth of the beer becomes apparent.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and full-bodied with little carbonation. A thick malt texture as you sip, but then goes down pretty smoothly.

Drinkability: Ok. I finished my glass without a problem however, I'm not sure if I could have another.

Overall: It's quite tasty, but not a sessionable beer by any means. It's a great one and done brew for me. It just doesn't quite stack up to other Belgian Darks.

Serving type: Can

Review: Caldera Pale Ale

Caldera Brewing Co.

 

Grade: B+

Appearance: Golden brown color with an orange tint. A one-finger head that decipates farily quickly, but leaves a nice lacing.

Smell: Nice citrus hops, toasted biscuit flavors, pine notes. Very nice.

Taste: Biscuit flavors and caramel sweetness take center stage, with the hops coming at the end. Dry finish with a nice bitter hop aftertaste. The strong biscuit flavors is unusual for a pale ale, but works with this beer.

Mouthfeel: Excellent. Medium carbonation, with a slight sticky mouthfeel. Not to watery, yet not to thick.

Drinkability: Strong. The toasted biscuit notes balance the hops nicely. The most refreshing pale ale I have had so far. I could easily drink a few of these in a session.

Overall: An above average pale ale. This is the type of beer I would have no problem buying a sixer and drinking during a bbq or relaxing on the beach.

Serving type: Can

Review: Total Domination IPA

Ninkasi Brewing Co.

 

Grade: C+

Appearance: A clear brown, with a murky orange tint. A 1/2 finger head that disappears very quickly and leaves little to no lacing.

Aroma: Poor. Nothing distinctive. Malty notes, with a hint of hops. Nothing really stands out.

Taste: Slight malt sweetness, that quickly turns into a piny hop bitterness. Thats about it.

Mouthfeel: Good. Medium bodied and well carbonated, though maybe a tad thin.

Drinkability: Mediocre. A very simple IPA that gives nothing to differentiate from all the other IPAs in the world. I could maybe drink 1 or 2 of these in a session before I find something better.

Overall: A very average IPA. Nothing about it stands out and nothing about it makes me want to buy another.

Serving type: Bottle

Review: Hop Rising Double IPA

Squatters Brewery

 

Grade: B

Appearance: Poured a nice hazy amber color with an orange tint. A nice 1 finger head that stayed throughout, leaving a strong, sticky lacing.

Smell: You can smell the sticky hop resin right away. Very earthen character with citrus and pine notes. Sweet biscuit and caramel tones come through, which help cover the alcohol aroma.

Taste: The complete opposite of the smell. Taste is unbalanced and malt forward. Pine hop notes come through a thick layer of toasted biscuit and caramel malt wall. The strength of the hops can be felt towards the end, which leaves a strong, dry bitterness. At 9% ABV, alcohol is noticeable throughout.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, with a creamy and thick head that doesn't seem to go away. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: The fact that the malt sweetness of the beer dominates the hops makes this beer very drinkable to the average beer drinker. But for a double IPA, I would have preferred a more hop-forward flavor.

Overall: A good double IPA. The malt bill needs to be toned down a bit to let the hops come through more strongly and achieve a better balance.

Serving type: Bottle

Review: Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

North Coast Brewing Co.

 

Grade: A-

Appearence: Pours the standard dark black with a small mocha-colored, one finger head. Head stays strong and leaves a thick and creamy lacing.

Smell: Dark toffee, burnt caramel and coffee malts. Nutty notes and some alcohol come through.

Taste: It begins with a very strong coffee and alcohol punch that fades after a couple sips. It then transitions into a nutty, deep coffee flavor and finally decays into a hoppy, semi-sweet chocolate mocha finish.

Mouthfeel: A nice creamy body with low carbonation that leaves a sticky feel.

Drinkability: When it comes to taste, drinkability is great. The bitter hop finish balances the heavy malts, preventing the beer from feeling too heavy. On the other hand, being an imperial stout at 9% ABV, it will catch up to you after a couple.

Overall: A delicious brew that stays true to the style. If I could get this beer regularly, it would be a staple stout in my fridge.

Serving type: Bottle

Review: Celebrator Doppelbock

Ayinger Brewery

Grade: A+

Appearance: Pours a very dark amber, almost black color with a weak 1/2 finger that disappears quicky and leaves very little lacing (probably due to the certain glass I am using).

Smell: Sweet bread jumps out, along with brown sugar, dark malts, dark fruits and some hops. 

Taste: Sweetness comes early in molasses and dark fruits, perhaps raisins, plums and dates. Then comes huge biscuit malts and a nice tiny bit of alcohol that leads to a dry, slightly hoppy, finish. The aroma is far sweeter than the taste, which is usually common with most doppelbocks I have tried.

Mouthfeel: Awesome. Medium body with moderate carbonation. It can be a little bit chewy when you want it and smooth and light when you don't.

Drinkability: Very good. Goes down nice and smooth, without it feeling like a liquid meal. This is attributed to the perfect carbonation and body. Too bad I only have one to drink!

Overall: An outstanding doppelbock. There are a lot of flavors going on, but they are all balanced and complex. This is considered the gold standard for doppelbocks and rightly so. Delicious.

Serving type:  Bottle

Review: The Hairy Eyeball Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Company

Grade: B

Appearance: Pours like a coca-cola dark brown and deep cherry color with a small head that decipates quickly and leaves very little lacing.

Smell: Dark malts is apparent, along with toasty malts, dark toffee and a little bit of dark fruits.

Taste: A malt hammer. Dark malts and roasted coffee hits first.  Then transition to a spicy hop bitterness and alcohol burn.  It then develops barley wine characteristics as it warms.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.  Although there is too much carbonation towards the end for my liking.

Drinkability: Ok.  It's a little bit too sweet as an american strong ale for me and the slight alcohol burn towards the end prevents me from drinking more than one.

Overall: A much sweeter strong ale than is expected from the style.  It almost seems like a hybrid between a strong ale and barley wine.  Nonetheless, it is a nice, flavorful beer.

Serving Type:  Bottle