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%

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%

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%

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%

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%

New Belgium Brewing - 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Deep, deep, dark amber/black colors with a one fat finger of head, tan/khaki in color. Smell has some spiciness, with some intriguing smokey notes. Malts and yeast prevalent. Taste is smokey, banana, with the yeastiness and maltiness expected. Great carbonation and light bodied feel, refreshing. Extremely sessionable and enjoyable overall. One of my favorites.

Rating: Best

ABV: 5.6%

Great Lakes Brewing Company - Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Pours with great colors, with the deep dark reddish brown (almost black) coloring. Nice tan head, about two fingers worth. Smell has wonderful aromas of chocolate and malts, some slight breadiness on the end. Taste has nice easy chocolates and malts in the taste, light alcohol flavors as well. Very nice crisp carbonation, some slight oiliness to finish. Very drinkable, though sweetness of malts can get old for some.

Rating: Best

ABV: 5.8%

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Torpedo Extra IPA

Pours a golden/amber/copper color with an off white one finger head, laced the glass nicely. Great smell, very much piney with some light floral notes on the end. Taste, again very much a piney flavor of the hops, some slight grapefruit notes finishing. Good feel, light carbonation, not to dry. Nice, abv isn't out of this world, but more than a few is a few too many.

Rating: Best

ABV: 7.2%

Ska Brewing Company - Modus Hoperandi

Poured nice clear copper color, one finger off white head. Smell notes of pine, definite bitterness, some malty hints on the tail end. Smell more aggressive than taste, though similar. Hops present piney tastes, with the aftertaste presenting the malts. Carbonation is light, but tight small bubble feel on the tongue. Good flavor, enjoyable and not killer amount of alcohol all lead to a very drinkable beer.

This is one I really miss after my move from Colorado to Alabama. Will be keeping an eye out for it whenever possible.

Rating: Best

ABV: 6.8%

Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery - Dale's Pale Ale

To me presentation is as much a part of the appearance as the color and head, the can presentation is great, I Love It. Pours a darker than expected copper, some haze. Head is about two fingers and sticks around quite a while. Smell is interesting my nose first picks up the malts, then the hops. Taste has citrusy hops with a nice balance of malts to finish. Very enjoyable light carbonation. This has become a staple in my beer fridge as what I go to when I just can't decide what I want. Very sessionable.

Rating: Best

ABV: 6.5%

Odell Brewing Company - St. Lupulin

Pours a beautiful golden/copper color with a one finger bright white head. Smell has piney notes followed with some citrus (grapefruit), very clean, crisp smells. Taste is outstanding gentle hoppiness, not overwhelming but very present. Again, piney notes with some citrus aftertaste similar to grapefruit. Feel has some oiliness, gentle carbonation, very smooth. Extremely enjoyable and definitely sessionable.

Rating: Best

ABV: 6.5%

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV - Maredsous 6 Blonde

Poured from the bottle a golden copper color with some very slight haze. Capped by a 3 finger white head. Smell is yeasty, malty, with some floral notes. Taste some cakiness, nice light taste very balanced. Light feel nice carbonation. Very good and definitely a tasty beer, drinkability is high with moderate alcohol content and a light feel.

Rating: Best

ABV: 6.0%

Brasserie de Rochefort - Trappistes Rochefort 8

Pours a deep dark brown with just slightly off white head, while leaving moderate lacing. Smell imparts some dark fruits, bread and yeast. Alcohol not too noticeable. Tastes similar to smell, very nice and balanced, some dark fruits, light alcohol. Feels good with a gentle tingling, slight oilyness. Overall very good, not an overpowering taste, light sweetness, gentle aftertaste all lend to good drinkability.

Rating: Best

ABV: 9.2%

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Indian Brown Ale

Pours a deep dark amber brown but clear when viewed to light has an off white one finger head that quickly dissipates. Balanced smell, some hops on the nose, but very even with malts as well. My favorite thing about this beer is the balance in the taste. Starts with some citrusy, bitterness and the hops but leaves a nice even hops aftertaste. Feels very nice even carbonation. Overall, excellent, I could sit and drink these all night. I have to give full disclosure, this is and always will be one of my favorite beers.

Rating: Best

ABV: 7.2%

Terrapin Beer Company - Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout

Poured from the bottle into a snifter a deep dark almost black opaque color with little to no dark brown head. Smell is very much coffee malts with little if any hop character. Taste is very similar, very coffeelike with littly hoppiness. Feel has very light carbonation and is very smooth. Overall a great beer and one I will frequent when available.

Rating: Best

ABV: 8.1%

North Coast Brewing - Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Poured a deep dark brown, almost black with a very thick (3 finger) dark brown almost golden head. Smell is hazelnut and chocolate, roasted malts, no alcohol odor. Taste is definitely roasted malts and chocolate/cocoa flavors, really seems to be very balanced. Feel has good light carbonation, not tremendous thickness. Overall very good and very drinkable, easily have more than 2 at a session.

Rating: Best

ABV: 9.0%

Unibroue - La Fin Du Monde

Poured a hazy golden color topped with an ample, slightly off white head that laced the glass as the beverage went down. Smell is floral with spices, malty-breadiness evident. Taste has spiciness with fruity tones, breadiness and alcohol present. Feel has a nice tingliness with carbonation, some oiliness. Overall very drinkable and enjoyable.

Rating: Best

ABV: 9.0%

Brouwerij Huyghe - Delirium Tremens

Poured from the bottle into a snifter a cloudy, golden hue with substantial bright white head that took a good bit to dissipate. Aroma is complex, bready, with some fruity/floral notes. Taste starts with fruity notes, bready in the middle and finishes with the alcohol. Carbonation is good, feels nice, smooth, some dryness. I enjoyed the Tremens though I don't know that I would drink more than one of the 750ml bottles in an evening.

Rating: Best

ABV: 8.5%

Russian River Brewing Company - Blind Pig IPA

Poured from the bottle a golden color with ample bright white head, dissipates quickly but laces nicely. Aroma is floral with citrus notes consistent with many India Pale Ale. Taste is very similar to smell, hoppy bitterness and citrus notes. Felt good with ample carbonation and an oily finish. Overall very drinkable and enjoyable.

Rating: Best

ABV: 6.1%

Big Bear Black Stout - Bear Republic Brewing

Poured from the bottle into my snifter. Great black appearance with a slight tan head that dissipated quickly to a nice crown. Wonderful aroma of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts. Bitterness is slightly present in taste with chocolate and coffee primary flavors. Great feel with ample carbonation that tickles. Really a good stout and very enjoyable taste and a great feel.

ABV: 8.1%

Rating: Best