Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 6.3%
Brewery: Hofbräuhaus
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Märzen Oktoberfest
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: B

Comments:  This is the real stuff - imported from Munich, not brewed in Newport. Clear golden color, 2 inch white head, decent lacing.   Aroma: not much- maybe malt.  Taste: similar to the HB Lager - smoother - with  a hint of malt & spice.

Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Brown Ale
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Dark brown color, great 2 finger off white head, nice lacing.  Roasted malt aroma.  Taste: roasted malt, nut, spice and a slight hint of coffee.  A solid brown ale.

Spaten Premium Lager

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 5.2%
Brewery: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Lager
2011 Rating: B-
2010 Rating: B
Comments:  Light golden color, 1 finger white head.  Not much aroma.   Taste:  hops & grain - smooth.   A decent lager.

Spaten Oktoberfest Bier

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 5.9%
Brewery: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Märzen Oktoberfest
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: C+

Comments:  This is a decent Märzen.  Copper / amber color, nice white head.  Smells of malt & caramel.  Taste: sweet malt, yeast & caramel, with a slight dry hop finish.  Smooth -easy to drink.  Slightly better than the Warsteiner Oktoberfest.

Franziskaner Weissbier

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 5%
Brewery: Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Hefeweizen
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating: A

Comments:  Pours a cloudy yellow / orange color with a foamy 2+ finger white head.  The aroma is wheat, banana, clove & spice. The taste is sweet wheat ,malt, fruit (banana & clove) and spice. EXCELLENT!  Add this beer to your "Must Try" list.

König Ludwig Weissbier

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 5.5%
Brewery: König Ludwig International GmbH & Co. KG
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Hefeweizen
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: C+

Comments:  I had this beer @ the Germania Octoberfest.  Pours a cloudy yellow color with a fluffy white head.  The guy pouring the draft was not happy - large head makes for a slow pour.  Aroma & taste is malt, spice, banana & clove.  There are better Hefeweizens, but this one is not bad.

Jever Pilsener

Reviewed: August 2011ABV: 4.9%
Brewery: Friesisches Brauhaus zu Jever GmbH & Co KG
Country: Germany
Beer Type: German Pilsener
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: C+

Comments:  Clear straw yellow color, white head.  Not much aroma.  Smooth, light crisp dry hop taste, easy to drink. A solid Pilsener.

Reissdorf Kölsch

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 4.8%
Brewery: Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Kölsch
2011 Rating: B+
2010 Rating: B+

Comments:  Clear golden yellow color, with a great white head.    Taste is crisp, light, refreshing with a slight hint of fruit - great summertime beer.

Warsteiner Premium Oktoberfest

Reviewed: August 2011

ABV: 5.9%
Brewery: Warsteiner Brauerei
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Märzen Oktoberfest
2011 Rating: B-
2010 Rating: B

Comments:  Pours a nice amber color with a 2 finger white head.   Mild malt aroma.  Taste is sweet malt with a dry finish.   Like all Warsteiner beers that I have had, smooth & easy to drink.

Hoptober Golden Ale

Reviewed: August 2011
ABV: 6.0%
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Inc.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Ale
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating: A

Comments:  Clear golden color with a two finger head. A nice hop & slight citrus aroma.  A blend of 5 hops and 4 malts.  Very well balanced a bitter hop start, gives way to sweet malt & a slight bitter finish.  If your not an IPA fan, try this beer - a great blend of hops & malts - excellent!

Duvel Green

Reviewed: August 2011ABV: 6.8%
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Country: Belgium
Beer Type: Belgium Ale
2011 Rating: B+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Golden yellow color with 1 finger white head, nice lacing.  Spice, fruit & citrus aroma.  Slightly sweet, fruit and citrus taste.  Light, crisp and refreshing - Easy to drink!  You can't beat the "devil".

Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA

Reviewed: August 2011
ABV: 5.3%
Brewery: Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd.
Country: Scotland
Beer Type: English India Pale Ale (IPA)
2011 Rating: A + I
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a deep gold/orange  color with a small white head, nice lacing.  In my opinion, not a lot of aroma…but Pat thinks it smells like "dirty sneakers".  The taste starts off with sweet malt and caramel, followed with a slight bitter citrus hops finish.  Well balance, a different taste for an IPA- Unique!

Mt. Carmel Amber Ale

Reviewed: August 2011ABV: 6%
Brewery: Mt. Carmel Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Amber Ale
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Poured a caramel amber color, 1 finger off white foamy head, nice lacing.   Smelled of sweet malts & caramel.  Sweet malt & caramel taste, with a little spice.  Smooth & easy to drink, but not remarkable…just another nice Amber Ale

Budweiser

Reviewed: August 2011ABV: 5.0%
Brewery: InBev-Anheuser Busch
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Lager
2011 Rating: D
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  As JC Loveland used to say… "Jimmy no matter where you are in the USA… a Bud tastes like a Bud!"  When it came to beer, JC never wavered - he was a Bud man.  Maybe this beer doesn't deserve a D rating, but how can you give "King of Beers" an "F"

Samuel Adams Octoberfest

Reviewed: August 2011
ABV: 5.3%
Brewery: Boston Beer Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: Märzen
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: B

Comments:  Dark amber / copper color with a 2 finger white head. Smell & taste is of sweet malted barley , toffee & caramel . A good Märzen style beer.  My first Oktoberfest beer of the season!

Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen

Reviewed: August 2011ABV: 5.35%
Brewery: Brauerei Tucher Brau
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Hefeweizen
2011 Rating: C+
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a cloudy gold color with as 2 finger fluffy white head.  The aroma is wheat, spice, clove & citrus.  Taste is sweet wheat, spice clove & lemon.  I did not taste any banana. 

Rocky Mountain IPA

Reviewed: August 2011
ABV: 6.2%
Brewery: Fort Collins Brewery
Country: USA
Beer Type: American IPA
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating: N/A

Comments:  Pours a copper color with a nice 2 finger white head, excellent lacing.  Great floral hop / pine aroma.  Taste starts off with a nice hop bitterness that is offset by a nice malt sweetness.  This is a nice, well balanced IPA.  Easy to drink.

Leinenkugals Sunset Wheat

Reviewed: August 2011
ABV: 4.9%
Brewery: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.
Country: USA
Beer Type: American Wheat Ale
2011 Rating:  B
2010 Rating:  N/A
2009 Rating: C

Comments:  Pours a cloudy golden orange color, with a nice 1 finger white head & good lacing.  Aroma & Taste - wheat & orange  (no need to add an orange slice).  Smooth & easy to drink on a hot summer day! 

Weihenstephaner Original Premium

Reviewed: August 2011
ABV: 5.1%
Brewery: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Country: Germany
Beer Type: Lager
2011 Rating: A
2010 Rating: N/A
2009 Rating: B

Comments:  The original bier from the OLDEST brewery in existence! Straw/golden color, 2 finger fluffy white head - good lacing.  Crisp & clean, easy to drink…a PERFECT LAGER!

Hofbräu Bavarian Wheat

Reviewed: August 2011ABV: 5.4%
Brewery: Hofbräuhaus
Country: Germany & Newport, KY
Beer Type: Hefeweizen
2011 Rating: B
2010 Rating: B

Comments:  The Bavarian Wheat is darker in color than Hofbräu's Munich Weizen.  The aroma was of roasted malt and cloves, not a  pronounced banana aroma or taste. Different taste -smooth and drinkable (due to the malt). But if you want a true Hefeweizen - drink the  Munich Weizen.

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!