Christmasbier (Weihnachts)

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Hofbräuhaus
Country: Germany & USA
Beer Type: Amber Lager
2012 Rating: C+
2011 Rating: C+

Comments:  Amber color, nice two finger head, no lacing. Malt & hop aroma. Basically a more malty version of the Hofbräu lager.  I prefer the Dunkel.

Hofbräu Dunkel

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Hofbräuhaus
Country: Germany & USA
Beer Type: Munich Dunkel Lager
2012 Rating: B+
2011 Rating: B+

Comments:  Clear amber brown color…a little lighter than what you would expect for a Dunkel.  Roasted malt  with a slight caramel taste.  Smooth & drinkable!

Christian Moerlein OTR (Over-The-Rhine) Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 6%
Brewery: Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Pale Ale
2012 Rating: B
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a copper color with a 2 finger white head, some lacing.  Slight hop aroma.  Taste is well balanced, nice pine hop offset with sweet malt.  Well balanced.

2XMAS

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 8%
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Spiced Beer
2012 Rating: C
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Too spicy for  me.  Cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel & dark fruits.   This tasted like another damn pumpkin beer.

Samuel Adams Merry Mischief

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 9%
Brewery: Boston Beer Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Stout
2012 Rating: C
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a pitch back color with a minimal tan head.  Cinnamon & malt aroma.  Very spicy - cinnamon, nutmeg & clove.   Just give a plain milk stout!

Great Lakes Nosferatu

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV:
Brewery: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Strong Ale
2012 Rating: A
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Dark amber color, nice white head, good lacing.  Pine hops aroma.  Let this beer warm up before drinking.  Taste: caramel bread malt-pine citrus hop -  smooth finish.  EXCELLENT

Hoptimum

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 10.4%
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Imperial IPA
2012 Rating: A+
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Hop Bomb!  Pours a clear copper color with a 2 finger white head - great lacing.  Grapefruit & citrus hop aroma!  Taste is similar to the aroma - HOPS, HOPS & HOPS.  At 10.4% ABV, this is a "sipper".  Excellent!

Anchor Steam Beer

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 4.9%
Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Steam Beer
2012 Rating: A+
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a bronze color with a 1 finger white head.  Nice bread malt aroma.  Taste: bread malt, fruit & a citrus ending.  EXCELLENT. One of the 300 beers to drink before you drop.

Guinness Draught

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 4.2
Brewery: Guinness & Co
Country: Ireland
Beer Type: Irish Dry Stout
2012 Rating: AAA+
2011 Rating: AAA+
Comments: Beautiful -  A perfect pour.  Nothing beats "The black liquidation with the froth on the top"!

Cabin Fever Brown Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 6%
Brewery: New Holland Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Brown Ale
2012 Rating: B+
2011 Rating: B & I

Comments:  Pours a dark brown (almost black)  color with a 1 finger tan head that disappears quickly, some lacing. The aroma is smokey roasted malt.     Roasted malt, caramel & sweet  fruit taste.  Slightly smokey.  Let this brew warm slightly before drinking- better taste, as it warms up.

Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Brown Ale
2012 Rating: B
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a dark brown color with a two finger white head, nice lacing.  Toasted malt aroma. Roasted caramel malt taste with a hint of chocolate. Dry hop finish.  Smooth - not too sweet.

Spaten Dunkel Lager

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Munich Dunkel Lager
2012 Rating: C
2011 Rating: C

Comments:Dark brown color with a 2 finger off white head.  Caramel malt aroma.  Caramel malt taste, with some hop bitterness in the background.  Easy to drink.

Huma Lupa Licious

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 6.9%
Brewery:
Country: Short's Brewing Co.
Beer Type: American IPA
2012 Rating: A+
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  The label states "A complex malt and hop theme park in your mouth."  I'd just call it a "hop bomb".  Pours a cloudy orange color with a two finger white head, great lacing.  Great citrus hop aroma.  Taste starts with hop bitterness and sweet malt, ends with a fantastic citrus & pine hop bitterness.  EXCELLENT

12 Dogs Of Christmas Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 8.3
Brewery: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Winter Warmer
2012 Rating: A
2011 Rating: B+

Comments:  Brown color, 2 finger tan head -nice lacing.  Aroma: spices and caramel toasted malt.   Taste:  spice (cinnamon & nutmeg ), honey & caramel malt.  

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 8%
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Pumpkin Ale
2012 Rating: C+
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a cloudy copper color with a  2 finger off white head.  Pumpkin, nutmeg & cinnamon aroma.  Taste is similar to the aroma, but I also picked up an alcohol taste that kind of ruined the beer for me.  If not for the alcohol taste, I would have rated this beer a B+.

Dale's Pale Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 6.5%
Brewery: Oskar Blues Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Pale Ale
2012 Rating: C+
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a deep golden color with a 1 finger white head.  Nice lacing.  Mild pine hop aroma.  Taste starts with sweet malt and follows with a nice citrus hop bitterness.  

Nut Brown Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 6%
Brewery:  Mt. Carmel Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Brown Ale
2012 Rating: B
2011 Rating: A

Comments:  Pours a brown color with a 1 finger head & some lacing. Sweet roasted malt aroma.  A  nice hazelnut, toasted malt taste.  Well balanced.  The Bell's Best Brown was SLIGHTLY better than the Nut Brown Ale.

Bell's Best Brown Ale

Reviewed:  November 2012
ABV: 5.8%
Brewery: Bells Brewery, Inc.
Country: USA
Beer Type: English Brown Ale
2012 Rating: B+
2011 Rating: B+




Comments:  Pours a nice chocolate brown color with a 1 finger tan head.  Nice Lacing.  Malt & caramel aroma.  Malt, chocolate, nut & fruit taste, smooth dry finish.  Not too sweet.  Easy to drink

Tecate

Reviewed:  October 2012
ABV: 4.5%
Brewery: Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, S.A. de C.V.
Country: Mexico
Beer Type: American Lager
2012 Rating: C
2011 Rating: N/A

Comments: 
I drank this beer as  a "slow up-  stay sober beer" at our sales meeting in Tucson.  My pattern was: 3 Fat Tires -2 Sam Adams - 1 Tecate (repeat as necessary).  It worked, I was still vertical  each  night.