Ska Brewing Company - ESB Special Ale

Pours from the can a nice copper color little haze, with an off white two and a half finger head that laces enough, but dissipated pretty quickly. Smell pine notes initially with some malty sweetness following. Taste is crisp and piney followed with some roasted malt flavors. Feel is crisp yet very oily, good carbonation. Great drinking beer, very enjoyable, not too stout.

Rating: Better

ABV: 5.7%

Alaskan Brewing Company - White

Pours somewhat hazy, golden blonde in color with a slightly off white, tiny bubbled head that dissipated quicker than expected given the two fingered amount. Smell is definitely banana and spices with some breadiness. Taste spices and citrus, a lttle graininess. Nice crisp feel, carbonation is just right. Overall enjoyable beer, definitely drinkable.

Rating: Better

ABV: 5.3%

Schmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew) - Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah (13)

Pours a motor oil black with a lighter than anticipated yellowish golden head that dissipates quickly, bubbles are small. Smell initial notes of brown sugar, alcohol presence is noted. Taste is coffee, caramel and chocolate. Full bodied feel, with some oiliness and light carbonation. As drinkable as the style allows, given the ABV, good overall.

Rating: Better

ABV: 13.0%

Southampton Publick House - Southampton IPA

Pours golden with a slight bit of copper coloring, head was one finger that stuck around quite a while and leaves ample lacing. Smell is initially yeasts and cakey aromas, followed by some citrus and banana notes. Tastes cakey, with the banana following, some citrus and pine notes. Big feel with light carbonation, oiliness on the finish. Very drinkable, very enjoyable, nice balance.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.5%

Schmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew) - Genesis Ale

Pours a nice brownish copper color, head is one finger and dissipated quickly. Smell malts initially, with hints of raisin, hops character brings grapefruit, well balanced, just not very bold with the flavors. Taste malts again on the front, hops are less characterized in the taste than the smell. Good feel some oililiness, not super carbonated or crisp. Good drinkable beer, enjoyable, would like something with a little more bold flavorings.

Rating: Good

ABV: 5.6%

Rogue Ales - Chocolate Stout

Pours a deep dark opaque brown, with little 1/2 finger head that laces well. Smell cocoa and chocolate on the nose, some hops crispness in the back. Taste again cocoa and chocolate, with bitterness and crispness on the finish. Feel crisp carbonation, very tight, with some slight oiliness on the finish. Not real drinkable for me due to the sweetness and chocolaty flavors, but good for the designed taste.

Rating: Good

ABV: 6.0%

Rogue Ales - Double Dead Guy

Nice deep copper color, very clear, pours a nice two finger head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma opens with some caramel malts, followed by some slight pine notes of hops. Taste is very crisp initially, malts sweetness, with some crisp pine notes, overall nice balance. Feel is good with tight and crisp carbonation that transitions to an oiliness on the finish. Overall nice drinkability, very balanced and a good overall beer.

Rating: Better

ABV: 9.0%

Deschutes Brewery - Hop Trip (Bond Street Series)

Beautiful glowing copper color. Very clear and bright. One finger head that dissipated quickly not any noticeable lacing on the pint glass. Smell of pine and grapefruit on the nose, some malts balance very nicely. Taste pine and grapefruit again, but again very balanced. Great feel, nice carbonation, ample oiliness and feel. Great taste not overly sweet or bitter, great drinkability.

Rating: Better

ABV: 5.5%

Odell Brewing Company - India Barley Wine

Darker copper color, with a light brown head that laced slightly in the glass. Some sweet malts presenting as banana, but the primary aroma is from the hops, grapefruit mostly. Taste is crisp pine followed with sweetness and some alcohol. Initially very carbonated but by the second pour carbonation was mostly gone. Enjoyable beer, abv limits repeatability, though i will drink again. Would like to try this aged several more months.

Rating: Better

ABV: 9.7%

Odell Brewing Company - Mountain Standard Reserve

Deep, very dark brown with a slight off white head that left some lacing on my snifter. Smell is a hoppy citrusy aroma, with some finishing malts on the end. Taste is very similar to the smell with a nice balanced flavor, citrusy hops up front and malt sweetness finishing. Light carbonation, gentle feel, soft finish. Good feel, and taste. Good balanced beer.

Rating: Better

ABV: 8.5%

Goose Island Beer Company - Bourbon County Brand Stout

Deep dark used motor oil black, poured an abysmal 1/2 inch head, that dissipated quickly with little to no crown in the pint glass. Smell, bourbon is more muted than expected, malts are vary prevalent, with coffee and caramel being the primary aromas. Taste is malty more than bourbon-y, definitely chocolaty with coffee and caramel, some bitters on the tail end. Very tight carbonation, with some crispness and dryness to it. Very sweet, and the ABV don't lend to true sessionablity though I could drink it several nights in a row.

Rating: Better

ABV: 13.0%

Avery Brewing Company - Hog Heaven Barley Wine

Deep dark copper color, clear, with ample tan head and some minimal lacing on my snifter. Great pine and citrus aromas, followed with some definite malt sweetness. Taste is again hoppy with pine and grapefruit, followed by some brown sugar and caramel on the finish. Great feel, with a nice carbonation, and some oiliness on the finish. Overall great, very balanced beer with great character, abv the only thing keeping this from sessionability.

Rating: Best

ABV: 9.2%

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Anniversary Ale (2007-2009)

Darker in color than some IPA's, pours a copper/golden/amber color with ample tan head of about 3 fingers, laces nicely on my snifter. Faint notes of pine on the nose, not overly aromatic. Taste is again pine, with some malty presence following, almost caramel. Feel is crisp on the front and oily on the finish. Nice sessionable beer, not super bold on the aromas or the flavors, but enough to keep it good.

Rating: Good

ABV: 5.9%

The Lost Abbey - Avant Garde

Pours a nice reddish brown copper color with an off white head that laces decently and dissipates quickly. Not very strong aromas, but some biscuity malt followed with some apple. Taste is similar to smell with some dryness and crispness. Dry feel with some good carbonation that doesn't stick around long. Drinkable for sure, but not one I'm going after really often.

Rating: Good

ABV: 7.0%

Brouwerij St Bernardus NV - St. Bernardus Prior 8

Deep, hazy, dark brown, with a large off white head that laces nicely. Smells of banana and cocoa with a definite presence of alcohol. Taste is cocoa malts and sweetness up front, banana and alcohol on the end. Feel is very tight up front on the tongue, finishes almost flat, thick, alcohol very warming. Nice beer not overly drinkable or sessionable.

Rating: Good

ABV: 8.0%

Bear Republic Brewing Co. - Racer 5 India Pale Ale

Poured a hazy(bottle conditioned) golden color, with little head, and not any retention past about a second. Great aromas of hops, specifically citrus and pine did not notice a strong malt presence. Taste is crisp pine notes, with grapefruit finish. Crisp feel, little carbonation, some oiliness. Enjoyable, and very drinkable. Nothing keeping me from downing a sixer of these.

Rating: Best

ABV: 7.0%

Paulaner Brauerei GmbH & Co. KG - Paulaner Original Munchner

Pours a golden, apple juice color, with a limited amount of head. Smells grassy, with some amount of lemony aroma. Taste is much like the smell with the grassiness up front and the citrus following. Love the crisp dry nature of the feel. Very drinkable, could definitely enjoy quite a few of these on a poker night.

Rating: Good

ABV: 4.9%

Brouwerij Het Anker - Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor

Pours a golden yellow with some haziness, extremely large white head, dissipates gradually, leaves beautiful lacing. Smell has a faint citrus aromas of lemon, grassiness, and the definite Belgian yeastiness, as it warms the strong aroma changes from the yeastiness to the citrus. Taste is again lemony with a cakey aftertaste. Feel is sharp and crisp, tight, with ample carbonation. Definitely enjoyable and drinkable, watch the ABV, though not extreme.

Rating: Better

ABV: 8.0%

Ska Brewing Company - Decadent Imperial IPA

Pours really much redder than expected, deep amber/copper color with ample tan head. Smell alcohol as really the first aroma, followed by malts, very sweet smelling. Taste again has alcohol up front, followed by malts and sweetness, some hoppy bitterness on the end. Nice feel, very oily with ample carbonation. Not as drinkable as some of the same style, enjoyable, though quite sweet and the abv does not lend to extreme drinkability.

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.0%

Moylans Brewery - Hopsickle Imperial Pale Ale

Pours a nice clear copper color, with an ample tan head that dissipates quickly. Smooth citrus notes of grapefruit, with pine following in the aroma. Taste of pine is most prominent with the citrus as a follower. Feel tight, strong carbonation with an oily finish. Drinkable given the obvious fact of the alcohol content, other than that i could drink these for days.

Rating: Best

ABV: 9.2%

Wychwood Brewing Company Ltd - Hobgoblin

I first had this beer in college, when a group of us went across from Johnson City, TN to Boone, NC to get good beer that wasn't available to us in Tennessee. I don't think I appreciated the beer near as much as I should have back then, but it was a cool bottle. This time around I was able to really sip, enjoy and finally review it. Here is what I came up with.

Pours a deep, dark brown/ruby almost black, clear color. One finger of sligtly off-white head that dissipates quickly to a thin crown. Smell is bananas, raisins, sweet malts. Taste is similar to the smell though not quite as bold, a little bit spicier. Light carbonation, with a dry finish, little aftertaste. Drinkable for sure, sweetness is not over powering, very balanced and full flavored.

Rating: Better

ABV: 5.2%

Lagunitas Brewing Company - 2009 Correction Ale

Pours a golden, slightly amber clear, with an ample head that dissipates slowly to a nice off white crown. Aromas of pine, florals and grapefruit hardly a hint of alcohol. Taste has crisp pine notes with some florals on the finish. Feel is tight, and light with strong carbonation that gives way to the oiliness on the finish. Overall bold, but not overpowering, strong and flavorful.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.33%

Ska Brewing Company - Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter

Pours a deep dark ruby almost black, clear when held to the light. One finger of tan head that is barely there before it is gone. Slight bit of lacing left behind as the beer disappears. Smell is chocolate malts and some coffee, with a slight aroma of raisins. Taste is again, chocolate with definite coffee. Slight fruityness on the tail, with the alcohol. Feel has very light carbonation, smooth, slightly oily. Drinkable as any beer at 8% is, taste, aroma worth it, overall a good beer.

Rating: Best

ABV: 8.0%

Twisted Pine Brewing Company - Billy's Chilies Beer (Timberline Series)

Pours a cloudy golden color with a white one finger head into my pint glass. The head dissipates rapidly to near nothing. Smell is very much what was expected, very peppery and spicy on the nose, with jalapenos being the primary pepper noticed. Taste is spicy with the jalapeno being the pepper flavor that i was able to pick out, leaves a gentle warming on the lips and tongue after the beer is long gone. Good feel pretty light on the carbonation though. Drinkable, but not something I would choose to have a bunch of in one sitting.

Rating: Good

ABV: ?

Staatliches Hofbräuhaus (Hofbräu München) - Hofbrau Dunkel

Deep dark amber/ruby in color with a just barely off white head of about two fingers that dissipates quickly to crown the beer. Some initial bitterness with caramel and toffee malts evident on the aroma. Taste has a definite bitterness with a malty aftertaste. Gentle smooth feel and light carbonation in the mouth. Overall extremely drinkable and enjoyable.

Rating: Good

ABV: 5.5%

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Harvest Wet Hop Ale

Initial appearance is a deep amber copper color, with a nice "glow". Ample thick tan head that dissipates to a nice crown. Smell has nice pine and pineapple notes with some alcohol and malts creeping in on the back end. Taste has crisp pine flavors with gentle sugar sweetness on the back. Light oily feel, with crisp light carbonation, nice warming from the alcohol. Greatly drinkable, could easily drink 3 or 4 not overpowering in any aspect but nicely flavorful in most.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.7%

Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery - Ten FIDY

First of all this is one of my favorite beers of all time. I love canned beer, especially canned beer that pours as deep, dark brownish black with a slight amount of dark caramel/golden color head as this does. The smell has aromas of cocoa, coffee, and alcohol with some sweetness evident. The taste is sweet cocoa, with some bitterness on the tail end, alcohol is fairly well masked. Feel is crisp with some carbonation, nice alcohol warming and a great smoothness. Overall this beer is a great version of an American Imperial/Double Stout, and the presentation just seals the deal for me.

Rating: Best

ABV: 10.5%

Shmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew) - Coney Island Freaktoberfest

Pours a very bright red color with a pinkish white color head and a solid two fingers on the pour. Laces nicely and lasts well. Malty on the nose, with primarily caramel aromas. Nice taste, would be very confused given the color, malty sweetness of caramel with a taste of hops bitterness on the end. Feels nice with a medium carbonation and body. Taste is good, not overwhelmingly sweet, drinkable though not quite sessionable.

Rating: Good

ABV: 6.66%

Anchor Brewing Company - Anchor Liberty Ale

Pours slightly cloudy, dark golden color with slightly off-white half finger head that dissipates quickly. Smell is malty, with hops following, floral notes. Taste is dry, crisp, malty, followed by floral flavors. Great feel, very crisp and carbonation is nice and strong, tight. Good, not overly bitter or sweet, yet still bold.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.0%

Blackwells Neighborhood Pub - Vestavia Hills, AL

All right, here we go! Adding a new feature to the blog, with some reviews of great spots to have a great beer, and many times some great food. After all, what is a beer, but a beverage to be enjoyed in a bar watching the game or eating some food with friends.

First up is one of my favorite joints in Birmingham. Blackwells Neighborhood Pub in Vestavia Hills. A little hidden, it is located on Green Valley Road near the intersection of Crosshaven Boulevard. Close to The Summit and some of Mountain Brook and Liberty Park.

Open for lunch and dinner, it has a great beer selection for the area, both on tap and in bottles. The bottled beer menu is two full 8 1/2" x 11" sheets organized by style. They carry many of the local and regional brews along with a good selection of classics in many of the styles.

The food is excellent, with great appetizers (try the Gator Bites and Crawfish Jalapeno Skins) and the burgers are wonderful. If you have a risk taking compulsion definitely give The Gambler a try.

Sometimes the service can be a little slow around lunch, but, with a beer selection like theirs wating is not that big of a deal.

Rating: Better

Address: 3151 Green Valley Road, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243

Boulevard Brewing Company - Saison

Pours a bright golden yellow with a white head of 3 finger that dissipates slowly and laces nicely. Smell has a great yeasty cakey entrance some spiciness in the aroma along with light fruityness of banana. Taste is gentle spiciness with the fruitiness. Great feel with a light soft carbonation and a clean finish. Very drinkable, love the light feel and the gentle spicy flavors.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.2%

Deschutes Brewing - Mirror Mirror

Pours a dark copper color with light loose head of a tan color. Less than one finger of head. Nice smell of caramel and alcohol very malty and sweet aromas. Taste is much the same, sweet, with alcohol on the back end, caramel with maybe a slight fruityness. Feel right with light carbonation, very loose but nice. Alcohol warms nicely. Good enjoyable beverage with nice smell, taste and aromas.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.0%

Breckenridge Brewery - Lucky U IPA

On tap at Breckenridge Oktoberfest...pours a nice deep copper color with ample head. Smell oozes pine on the nose, crisp and bitter. Taste has great pine crispness and quite dry and bitter. Good feel, really light on the carbonation, some oiliness on the finish, light aftertaste. Nice beer very drinkable and enjoyable, could have kept going on this all day....

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.2%

Green Flash Brewing Company - Le Freak

Pours a golden copper color with an off white head of one finger that hangs around quite well. Smell is definitely spicy with a cakey aroma to open with clear hops following. Love the spicy flavors initially with a crisp clear hoppy bitterness finishing each sip. A little light on the carbonation in my opinion, but overall a good feel. Overall very enjoyable and a great change of pace, though these hybrids arent usually my favorite.

Rating: Better

ABV: 9.2%

Bear Republic Brewing Company - Hop Rod Rye

Pours a deep dark amber color with slightly off white head. Initial malts note followed by dry crisp smell of hops. Definitely hoppy on the front, coffee notes in the finish. Feel is light, lazy carbonation some oiliness. Good beer, medium drinkability due to ABV.

Rating: Better

ABV: 8.0%

Odell Brewing Company - Levity Amber Ale

Pale copper color, ok maybe not pale but lighter than expected. One finger white head that dissipates quickly and laces moderately. Smell is initially yeasty in aroma, followed by slightly more malty sweetness than hoppy bitterness but very balanced, and relatively plain. Taste again is not powerful but malts sweetness overides that bitterness from the hops. Feel has light carbonation and medium body. Good, generally pretty plain though.

Rating: Good

ABV: 5.0%

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams Irish Red

Pours a nice deep amber color with tan/khaki two finger head that dissipated rather quickly. Smell has a nice aroma of malts with a slight banana aroma. Taste has great flavor of malts that reminds of caramel and coffee on the finish. Feels has a light tight carbonation and lingering aftertaste. Overall extremely drinkable and enjoyable.

Rating: Good

ABV: 5.8%