Corona Extra

Reviewed: July 2011

ABV: 4.6%
Brewery: Grupo Modelo S.A. de C.V.
Country: Mexico
Beer Type: American Lager
2011 Rating: C
2010 Rating: C

Comments:  The tradition of drinking Corona with a lime, was started in the USA to hide the skunky taste - beers in clear bottles do not age well.  Drink Corona like a Mexican - NO LIME!

Can you imagine how PISSED OFF the Germans were, when they tried to enforce this law!

Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law) adopted in 1516, the oldest provision still enforced to protect the consumer:

"Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets and in the country, the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be Barley, Hops and Water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses upon this ordinance, shall be punished by the Court authorities' confiscating such barrels of beer, without fail."

Shock Top Raspberry Wheat

Reviewed: July 2011

ABV: 5.2%
Brewery: InBev-Anheuser Busch
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Pale Wheat Ale
2011 Rating: I
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:    Raspberry!

Golden Cap

Reviewed: July 2011ABV: 6.25%
Brewery: New Holland brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Belgium  Saison / Farmhouse Ale
2011 Rating: D+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a hazy straw yellow with a 2 finger billowy white head, great lacing.  Aroma: wheat, yeast, spice & fruit.  The taste starts with smooth wheat, fruit  flavor - ends with a sour lemon note.  Makes your mouth pucker.  The ending kills it for me!

Hacker-Pschorr Weiss

Reviewed: July 2011ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Hefeweizen
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a beautiful cloudy golden orange color, typical fluffy white Hefeweizen head.  Aroma: banana, clove & wheat . Taste:  Sweet wheat, banana, clove & a slight citrus flavor.  EXCELLENT HEFEWEIZEN!

Giant Slayer

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 8.5%
Brewery: Tri-City Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Imperial Stout
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a thick dark black color (the consistency of milk)  with a 1/2 finger brown head that disappeared before I could take a photo.  Aroma is roasted malt &  chocolate.  Taste: roasted malt, bitter chocolate, fruit and a maybe a slight coffee flavor.  Thanks for the beer Jim!

Fortunato Belgium Style Trappist Ale

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 7.5%
Brewery: Tri-City Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Belgium Strong Ale
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a light coffee brown color with a thin tan head, that disappears QUICKLY.  Let this beer warm up before drinking it.  After the beer warms, you can appreciate the spice, sweet fruit, caramel & alcohol aroma.  A sweet fruit (clove  & banana) caramel & spice taste with a tart finish.  Despite the 7.5% ABV, the alcohol taste does not overwhelm the beer.  I think Fortunato is a little "thin" compared to a actual Belgium Trappist Ale.  Thanks for the beer Jim!

Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV:
Brewery: Birra Peroni Industriale S.p.A.
Country: Italy
Beer Type: Lager
2011 Rating: B+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Straw yellow color, fluffy white head, that disappears quickly, no lacing.  Nice mild crisp dry taste. A great, easy to drink lager.   Down the hatch- I'll have another!

Moerlein Saengerfest

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: ?
Brewery: Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Maibock
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Honey gold color with a 2 finger off white head, no lacing.  Honey & malt aroma.  Honey, caramel & malt sweetness with a SLIGHT citrus & hop balance.  I good tasting Maibock!

Hudepohl Amber Lager

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 4.7%
Brewery: Hudephl-Schoenling Brewery
Country: USA
Beer Type: Amber Lager
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating:N/A

Comments:  My new "go to beer"!  Hudy's Yuengling fighter- Nice deep amber color, 2 finger cream color head, some lacing.  Sweet caramel malt aroma.  Taste is just like the aroma; sweet caramel malt flavor dominates - no hop bitterness.  Very easy to drink!

Yuengling Traditional Lager

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 4.4%
Brewery: Yuengling Brewery
Country: USA
Beer Type: Amber Lager
2011 Rating: A-
2010 Rating: A

Comments:  An old friend!  Amber color, 1 finger white head, some lacing.  Malt aroma with a hint of hops.  Brewed with roasted caramel malt - taste starts malt sweet & ends with a slight hop bitterness.   Nothing better than a FRESH Yuengling!

Agave Wheat

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 4.2%
Brewery: Breckenridge Brewery
Country: USA
Beer Type: Spiced Wheat Ale
2011 Rating: C-
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  "Unfiltered - Brewed with Agave Nectar."   Hazy straw yellow color, a 1/2" head that disappears immediately.  A citrus & spice aroma.  Starts  sweet wheat, then citrus  flavor hits, ends with a weird bitterness (agave?).  Forgettable!

Juniper Pale Ale

Reviewed: July 2011 (second atempt)
ABV: 5.3%
Brewery: Rogue Brewery
Country: USA
Beer Type: Spiced Beer
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Ale brewed with juniper berries.  Golden-orange color, nice white 1 finger head, some lacing.  Pine (juniper berries?) hop aroma .  Medium hop taste -start to finish, with a another taste (juniper berries?) going on in the background.  A keeper!

Juniper Pale Ale

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 5.3%
Brewery: Rogue Brewery
Country: USA
Beer Type: Spiced Beer
2011 Rating: TDTR
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Ale brewed with juniper berries.  Golden color, nice white 2 finger head.  I remember it tasted damn good…but I was TDTR.  It happens!  I'll drink some more tomorrow and post a review then.

Fat Tire Amber Ale

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 5.2%
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Inc.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Amber Ale
2011 Rating: B+
2010 Rating: B

Comments:  Clear amber color, nice white head,  GREAT lacing. Nice caramel malt & yeast aroma.  Sweet biscuit malt & caramel taste.  A good solid beer, above average.

Hoegaarden Original White Ale

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 4.9%
Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
Country: Belgium
Beer Type: Wit Bier
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating: A

Comments:  "Hoo-gaarden"- an old friend.  The original Belgium White Beer, brewed since 1445.  Cloudy straw yellow color, 2 finger head that disappears quickly.  Banana, lemon & wheat flavor and aroma.  Light & refreshing - EXCELLENT!

Sierra Nevada 2011 Summerfest

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 5%
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Pilsner Style Lager
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: B

Comments:  Clear golden color, nice 2 finger FOAMY white head.  Slight hop aroma.  Smooth slight sweet malt start with a crisp hop finish.  Easy to drink on a hot summer day.

K-O Blond Ale

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 10%
Brewery: De Proef Brouwerij
Country: Belgium
Beer Type: Belgium Strong Pale Ale
2011 Rating: B+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a hazy orange (they call it butterscotch) color, with a huge white head, great lacing.   A sweet malt - fruit - alcohol aroma.  Sweet fruit taste, typical of a Belgium Strong Ale.    This beer reminded me of Chimay or Duvel.  At 10% ABV, definitely a "sipper" - unfortunately we didn't!                     (Thanks again Steve!)

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 9%
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Double Imperial IPA
2011 Rating: A+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a BEAUTIFUL cloudy, dark copper color .  Huge white head, great lacing.  Strong citrus, grapefruit, piney HOP aroma.  Taste starts with an excellent HOP-grapefruit, citrus, piney bitterness, but there is also a slight sweet malt flavor in the background, that balances the hop flavor.  Every bit as good as my favorite beer - Hopslam.   EXCELLENT & DANGEROUSLY EASY TO DRINK!    (Thanks Steve!)

Rivertown Heffe-Weizen

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: N/A
Brewery: Rivertown Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Hefeweizen
2011 Rating: F
2010 Rating: F

Comments:  Just dump it.  Looks like murky Ohio River water, 2 finger head that disappears quickly, no lacing.    Slight clove and banana aroma Similar taste - ends sour and bitter.  Too many other GREAT Hefeweizen's - why drink this one?

Carlsberg Elephant Premium Beer

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 7.2%
Brewery: Carlsberg Danmark A/S
Country: Denmark
Beer Type: Lager
2011 Rating: D
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments: Pours a beautiful hazy golden color, with a 2 finger white head, some lacing.  Aroma: sweet grain / corn & alcohol.  Starts with a sweet malt taste with a slight hint of lemon - ends with a weird hops / skunk bitterness.  Reminds me of a skunky Heineken. 

Samuel Adams Black Lager

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 4.9%
Brewery: Boston Beer Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Schwarzbier
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:   Pours a dark brown color with a 2 finger beige head, nice lacing.  Chocolate and caramel malt aroma.   Taste starts with a  sweet chocolate/ coffee & caramel malt flavor and ends with a slight hop bitterness.  This beer is good, but if you want a smooth, easy to drink dark beer, order a Warsteiner Dunkel!

Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale

Reviewed: July 2011
ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Boston Beer Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Irish Red Ale
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: C

Comments:  Pours a BEAUTIFUL deep red color with a 2 finger tan head.  Smooth caramel malt flavor - easy to drink.   I' would have given this beer a "B" rating… but I'm just not a big fan of Irish Red Ale's.