Hoppin' to Heaven IPA

Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company
Akron, Ohio

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Gushes upon opening. Giant head, stays—foamy. Copper color, suspended yeast.

AROMA: 2.75/4 
Hop citrus, grapefruit, sour. A bit musty.

TASTE: 5.5/10
Flavor: 2/4: Sweet, high to start. A bit of a chemical taste. Heavily carbonated, masks much of the flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish that lingers, astringent. Woody aftertaste. Bitter starts in the middle, lasts to finish and beyond.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: VERY fizzy—as mentioned, gushed upon opening. Maybe overcarbonated, maybe just old.

OVERALL: 1.5/3: To be fair, this may have been an old bottle (I got a deal). Still, not much to recommend it—fizzy, bitter, some off flavors.

TOTAL: 11.75/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES: Meh. Not pretty (thought the head was impressive), fizzy and largely flavorless. We may try a fresh bottle and see if we're more impressed down the road, but given Hoppin' Frog's high price point, don't hold your breath.

Southern Tier Iniquity Black Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, New York

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Black, opaque. Tan creamy head, fades to ring the glass with nice lacing. Looks like coffee.

AROMA: 3.25/4Dark/semi-sweet chocolate. Roast, burnt toast. Subtle black licorice. Coffee, mocha. Woody notes.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Rich, chocolate. Very malty, coudl use a bit more hop to balance it out. Quite sweet, molasses sweetness and some woodiness.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Burnt coffee; malty sweetness up-front, moves to bitter, roast lingers, but could use more hop bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full and rich—fills the mouth with darkness. A little boozy, maltiness coats the tongue. Not quite cloying (but close).

OVERALL: 2/3: It's good; not sure it's as IPA-ish as it could be, more like an imperial porter than an IPA. What the hell, not bad.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:This imperial black has a lot going for it. Definitely could use more hop—it's an IPA, man! Hop it up! It's a really dark, big beer that needs more hop intensity to offset the body. And nice roast!

Bottleworks 13th Anniversary Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA


APPEARANCE: 3/3: Pours like a Guinness, a beautiful cascade of bubbles. Opaque, dark brown, tan head laces and lasts. 5 minutes later and it's still huge! Beautiful.

AROMA: 4/4: Sweet raisin, prune, alcohol. Big, rich, complex and sophisticated. Dark chocolate, cherry and grassy. Sweet awesomeness.

TASTE: 9.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 4/4: Chocolate-covered cherries. Woody, complex—sweet and malty, but not cloying. Coffee, roast, smoky. Perfectly balanced.
Aftertaste: 3/3: Really nice bitter, alcohol sour, smoky chocolate roast.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Big, chewy, smooth and boozy. Tingly, lightly effervescent, perfectly carbonated.

OVERALL: 3/3: This is pretty amazing—heck, frickin' phenomenal! A huge beer, but what a treat!

TOTAL: 19.75/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:About as perfect a beer as we've had. A huge beer—11%—implementing 13 grains and 13 hop varietals. Do the math and it adds up to 22 oz. of pure, rich, dark, sweet, hoppy, woody, grassy awesomeness. I bought this on a total whim—God's hand. If you can find it, buy it.

Odell Shenanigans Aged Crimson Ale

Odell Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado


APPEARANCE: 2.5/3Thick tan head, orange-brown color. Steady stream of bubbles. Rocky head.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet nose. Orange peel, citrus, lemon, orange blossom. Dried fruit. Sugary, malty.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Spicy woodiness, nicely balanced. Oaky. Malty sugar mixed with sour tart and an earthy finish. Unique.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Sour tart, almost puckering. Nice bitter finish, like a period at the end of a sentence. Subtle brett.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Dry, effervescent, bubbly. Big but not boozy.

OVERALL: 2.75/3
A fun, weird, sour, funky, citrusy treat. I don't know exactly what it is, but I don't care, it's a good beer.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another


NOTES:
Ben says it reminds him of a circus peanut, and I hate circus peanuts, so we disagree there. We DO agree this beer is sugary, earthy, sour, tart goodness. A fun beer, so if you're lucky enough to find it, do yourself a favor and buy it.

Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA

Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3Black opaque. Tan head that laces the glass nicely.  Foamy with big bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4Peppery and hoppy.  Piney with tropical fruit aromas (New Zealand hops?) Subtle roast aromas.  Pretty.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Flavor: 3.5/4: Black pepper spiciness.  Citrus and tropical fruits hop flavors dominant. Sweet high notes fade to peppery bitterness.  Woody and sour.
Finish: 2.25/3: Bitter pepper tastes linger on the tongue.  Sour hints.  Bitterness sits in the center of the mouth.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Big.  Alcohol and pepper tingle.  A little chewy.  Bitter floods in nice and full.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Union Jack with rye sourness and roasted malt coffee, burnt toast flavors.  Spicy, peppery, full and satisfying.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

COMMENTS:

Another winner from Firestone Walker.  A tad on the bitter side, but aroma, flavor, and body are great.  A gusty attempt on what is lately a popular style of beer.

New Glarus Cherry Stout (2012)

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: Mahogany color. Tan, thin head that rings the glass nicely. Light for a stout.

AROMA: 3.25/4: Cherry nose, cherries and cream. No hop. Sugary, subtle chocolate.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Cherry dominant, some chocolate roast—chocolate-covered cherries!
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Roasted bitterness. Sour, tart cherry up front, fades to chocolate at middle, fades to subtle roast bitter at close.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Mouth-puckering tart, fizzy and full, bounces on the tongue.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A definite cherry beer, darker malts impart a nice roast flavor. Could use more roasted malt, coffee notes.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Yet another great New Glarus fruit beer. More roast and it's perfect—nothing more to say.
Ben: Needs more roasted malt for stout character. Maybe add some lactose to this? Milk chocolate cherry stout? Call me, NG, this is a winner!

Snarling Badger Berliner-Weisse

Grand Teton Brewing Company
Victor, Idaho

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: White, foamy, rocky head (1" thick!) that rings the glass nicely. Lots of bubbles. Hazy, pure gold, pretty! if a bit dark for a wheat.

AROMA: 3/4: Orange-citrus aroma. Clean, high-toned. Subtle alcohol, sugary. Not terribly aromatic.

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Sour/tart, big citrus up front, banana at close. Crisp and clean.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Big, sour. Lemony-citrus up front, lactic acid. Banana-clove finish, alcohol.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Alcohol warming, bubbly explosion that expands to fill the mouth. Yes, I said explosion. Just try it.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Lactobacillus tartness is a great addition to this fruity, fizzy, spicy treat. Clean and refreshing, a great summer beer. Home run.

TOTAL: 17.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Fizzy, flavorful and refreshing. I'm a cheapskate, so I often balk at spending $10 for a bomber; the exception is when it's a Grand Teton bomber. Buy this beer.
Ben: A great summer beer. Sour, but finishes crisp and clean. A really good sipper, it would be interesting to let it age a while and see how it comes out.