Unibroue - La Terrible

Pours a very dark (black) with no clarity. Head is off white and approx 1 finger. Laces minimally. Smell has initial cakey banana aromas with some maltiness. Cakiness comes through in the taste as well, alcohol comes around on the end. Some malty notes but overall very balanced and enjoyable. Nice carbonation with a tight feel. Drinkable, enjoyable, however the alcohol content hinders this a little.

Rating: Better

ABV: 10.5%

Green Flash Brewing Company - West Coast IPA

Pours a gentle golden/copper color with a white head. Smell is very strong pine notes initially then some more floral notes that follow. Taste is very bold hop flavors, pine followed by floral notes. Nice light tight carbonation with ample all the way through even on a slow drink. Good, the only thing keeping this from being an all night beer is the ABV.

Rating: Better

ABV: 7.3%

Avery Brewing Company - The Reverend

Pours a very reddish amber color, with a lightly tan one finger head that dissipated quickly. Smell of cake and some fruitiness, lightly like bananas. Taste is gently spicy with some malts and fruitiness on the tail. Light tight carbonation with an easy feel. Enjoyable beer, ABV to high to enjoy too many...

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.0%

Grand Teton Brewing Co. - Bitch Creek ESB

Poured a deep dark brown in color with little clarity, light brown head, one finger. Smell is malty caramel aromas with bitter hops very evident. Taste has good bitter flavors with the caramel/coffee malts nicely present, overall a nice balance of flavors but each very evident. Very light on the tongue, small tight carbonation. Overall a good beer, sessionable, and enjoyable.

Rating: Good

ABV: 6.0%

Breckenridge Brewery - 471 IPA

Poured a very copper color with a slight amount of white head that dissipated quickly. Not hugely aromatic, but the slight aroma is very citrusy and floral in nature. Not huge flavor, I have noticed this about some of the Breckenridge beers, that they can tend to be very subtle in flavor and aroma. Hoppy citrus and pine notes are there just not quite as "punch you in the face" as some other beers. Nice light carbonation, like other attributes of the beer somewhat subtle. Alcohol is not overly evident, though the ABV is limiting drinkability or sessionability. However I do find this beer to be enjoyable in its quietness.

Rating: Better

ABV: 9.2%

Cucapa Brewing Company - Chupacubras Pale Ale

Pours a deep amber with a two finger slightly off white head. Smell some coffee malts with a slight amount of hoppy bitterness. Taste is good, light malt flavors of coffee, hint of bitterness following. Nice crisp carbonation, no oiliness, with good aftertaste. Enjoyable, not too stout, easily sessionable, my favorite Mexican brew.

Rating: Better

ABV: 5.8%

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%

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Palo Santo Marron

Pours a very dark almost oil like darkness. Tan/golden head dissipates quickly. Smell some initial sweetness to accompany the malts, nearly coffee like in its aroma. Very sweet taste, some bitterness and coffeelike. Light carbonation, fades rather quickly. Very potent, though not like some other DFH beers, though it hinders sessionability.

Rating: Better

ABV: 12.0%

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery - Bottoms Up Kolsch

Pours a hazy copper with a two finger head from a vigorous pour. Smell has lots of malts up front, some grainy smell and some faint fruits on the end. Taste is not very bold on flavors, but not bad tasting, some citrus notes and relatively balanced. Good feel note crazy carbonated, gentle aftertaste. Overall the beer is drinkable, and even enjoyable, not outstanding but still worthy of a pour.

Rating: Good

ABV: 5.0%

Rogue Brewery (Brewers on the Bay) - Dead Guy Ale

Pours hazy with a copper color and two finger head when poured more gently. Complex smell with the malt out front presenting a grainy nose, some hop notes but overall very balanced smell. Taste is similar to smell though the hops are more prevalent on taste than smell. Carbonation disappears quicker than most, though not terrible. Good beer, definitely drinkable, overall I enjoyed the beer.


Rating: Good

ABV: 6.5%

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%

Stone Brewing Company - Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Pours a deep dark ruby colors with an offwhite two finger head. The oak barrel ageing is definitely apparent in the aromas, though some other maltiness and latent hoppiness is lurking. Ooak barrel aging up front in the taste with hoppiness following. Great mouthfeel, very carbonated with smooth finish. Enjoyable and somewhat stout, limits drinkability, however the alcohol is not out in front and therefore could sneak up.

Rating: Better

ABV: 7.2%

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%

Odell Brewing Company - Red

Poured wit a very appropriate appearance, deep dark red/amber color with nice one finger head with an off white color. Smell was initially yeasty, malty aroma, followed by very heavy hops smell. Taste has some initial malty notes with the hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste. Gently carbonated but very nice feel in the mouth, some light oilyness in the end. Extremely, very enjoyable beer, moderately high alcohol content but still on the border of sessionable for some, definitely for me.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.5%

Victory Brewing Company - Wild Devil Ale

Poured from the bottle an amber/copper color with an off white three finger head. Nice balanced smell with some malts up front, bitterness of hops is still very evident. Taste strong flavors from both ends of the spectrum, malts evident with some hop bitterness as well. Yeast really transforms flavor of the original. Enjoyable feel no great distractions. Drinkable and even sessionable, enjoyable beer though not anything outstanding.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.7%

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%

Terrapin Brewing Company - So Fresh & So Green, Green

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass a nice deep orange color. Good citrus notes on the nose, some sweetness present. Taste is balanced with an initial tinge of hoppy citrus bitterness. Feels amply carbonated with some hop oil and a medium body. Overall a good representation of an IPA with a fresh hop flavor.

Rating: Better

ABV:6.6%

Green Flash Brewing Company - Hop Head Red Ale

Poured a deep reddish copper with a tan two finger head that dissipated to cap the beer, some yeast floating in beer. Definitely hoppy pine aromas, some maltiness hiding in there. Similar to smell, starts, goes, and finishes with hops, but not overpowering. Very nice feel with good carbonation that keeps on coming all the way through, and crisp finish. Definitely enjoyable and very sessionable. A great cross between a red(amber) ale and a IPA, though it is very much skewed toward the IPA.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.4%

Victory Brewing Company - HopDevil Ale

Pours deeper color than some IPA's, on the darker side of copper with an of white head. Smells on the drier side with piney tones and bitterness. Very crisp with some dryness, piney flavors with citrus notes on the back end. Feel carbonation on the lighter side with definite crispness. Very sessionable in my opinion, I could put away a few of these easily. Overall a good offering in the style.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.7%

Boulder Beer Company - Mojo Risin' Double IPA

Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a white head that dissipates quickly. Smell of piney hops with slight citrus notes. Smell is not super strong. Good IPA taste, piney notes, some citrus notes, overall a good beer just not my favorite in the style. Feel some oilyness, good carbonation, tickles the tongue. Drinkable,again not my favorite but sessionable if necessary.

Rating: Good

ABV: 10.5%