Boulevard 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice copper color. Hazy. Thick, cream-colored head, big bubbles linger nicely. REALLY opaque–you can't see through this stuff.

AROMA: 3/4
Lots of hop aroma–bready, citrusy, pineapple-y.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Malty! Some flavor hop, but could stand more. (I realize, we always say that). Very smooth, nicely-balanced–not cloying.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Raisin, prune, sweetbread. Lasting hop bitterness. Dry, nutty finish–lasting grainy aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Very sweet, like a sweet roll. Appropriate hop bitterness, could use more.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Hazy for a pale, but we don't care. Another solid offering from our hometown brewery–money well-spent.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I wish they would take the best parts of this and apply it to their lackluster pale. A big beer–a nice step up from a boring pale.
Ben: I like this a lot more than their regular pale. Hop it up a bit more and this could be a really good beer.

Dogfish Head Namaste

Dogfish Head Brewing Company
Milton, DE

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Hazy, suspended yeast. White head fades to ring the glass nicely. Gold, almost orange color.

AROMA: 3/4
Sweet lemon aroma. Fresh, crisp nose. Citrus, orange rind. Reminiscent of lemon drops, lemon pound cake. So, lemon. Some spice, coriander. Champagne notes.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty, a bit watery. Minimal hop–needs more bittering hop.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Lemon bar, grass, orange peel. Black pepper, coriander. Nutmeg? Fades quickly, bitterness lingers
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Bouncy but watery (really watery).

OVERALL: 2/3: An interesting take on a wit—very lemony, very citrusy. Refreshing, okay as a session beer, but really lemony.

TOTAL: 14.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Refreshing, if thin–more body would improve it, I think. Preferable to Boulevard Two Jokers, in any case.
Ben: Probably good as a breakfast beer. The lemongrass really comes through.

Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA

APPEARANCE: 3/3
Clear, mahogany in color. Lasting almond head, fine bubbles. Beautiful.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hop! Sweet, bready, slightly nutty.

TASTE: 8.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Very hoppy, very malty–hop at beginning, middle, end. Well-balanced, but boy howdy, it's a big beer.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Hop hop hop, etc. Sweet, nutty, woody front. Bitter, lasting finish. A bit too sweet.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Bitter, hoppy throughout. Fills the mouth. Moves from front to finish at the back of the tongue.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: If you're a hop-head, you want it. If you aspire to be a hop-head, start small and work your way up to it. (For our part, we love it.)

TOTAL: 17.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Big, hoppy as hell, delicious. A beautiful sippin' beer, definitely one to try.
Ben: A good one to end the night on, because I'm shot for all other beers after this one. Hop, hop, hop. Awesome.

Green Flash Imperial IPA

Green Flash Brewing Company
San Diego, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Orange-marmalade color. Hazy. Nice, creamy, rocky head–a great, lasting head.

AROMA: 3/4
Wood, pine, some nuttiness, some breadiness. Alcohol aroma.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Big–noticeable alcohol. Could use more hop flavor and aroma to offset the sweetness.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Sweet, bready, woody. Nutty. Licorice, fig, prune-raisin. Bitter throughout.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Sweet, not quite cloyingly so. Big and rich. Bouncy. Bitter at the back of the tongue.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Green Flash makes great beers–this is reminiscent of Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA. A bit big, but still, a good offering by a great brewery.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I like it, but it's awfully big–I prefer the regular Green Flash IPA, frankly. A great brewery, a good beer, but just a lot to deal with.
Ben: A big beer–one is enough, but really good. Take advantage of any Green Flash beers you can find. This is a classic imperial IPA.

St. Louis Premium Peche

Brouwerij Brasserie Van Honsebrouck
Ingelmuster, Belgium

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Brown color. Minimal head that doesn't last.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Some sugary peach. Almost a peach Jolly Rancher or peach syrup aroma. Sour - pungent. No hop aroma.

TASTE: 3.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 1.5/4: Malty - sweet. No hop bitterness. Sour. Peach syrup, maybe cherry notes?
Aftertaste: 1/3: Sour overwhelming. Fades to a slight sweetness. Vinegary.
Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Fizzy. Sour. Almost mouth puckering so.

OVERALL: 1/3: Vinegar was the flavor we couldn't identify right off. It became much more apparent and overwhelming as the beer warmed in the glass. Neither of us could finish it.

TOTAL: 8.75/20–Tab Me Out

NOTES:
Matt: Tastes like something somebody accidentally left out, and by the time you tried it, it bore no resemblance to what you thought it was suppose to be.
Ben: Started out with potential, ended up like I was drinking a glass of vinegar with peach syrup. Not a fan. There are much better lambics out there.

Miller Lite

Miller Brewing Company
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Thin, white head. Fades quickly. Pale straw color.

AROMA: 1/4
No hop aroma. No real aroma of any kind. Maybe sweet cream. Smells like a glass of water.

TASTE: 4.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: All malt. Corny and watery. No hop flavoring at all. Triple hopped? With what? A single hop pellet each time?
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Corn aftertaste. Sweet cream. No hop bitterness at all.
Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Watery. Fizzy. Nothing else to say.

OVERALL: 2/3: We don't hate it. Inoffensive - nothing to recommend it. But it doesn't taste bad. Still, this beats out very, very few beers. Drink only if absolutely necessary.

TOTAL: 10.25/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: It does make a good palate cleanser between tastings of better beers. Refreshing, but so is water, and it's free. Many far better beers out there.
Ben: Memories of college days. Will still drink it when I have to. Fortunately there are almost always better choices at the bar.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Milton, Delaware

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Hazy copper color. Creamy head - persistent. Fine bubbles. Pretty.

AROMA: 4/4
Nutty, caramel, citrus, pine aromas. Really hoppy nose. Sweet. Beautiful smelling beer bringing high expectations for what's to come.

TASTE: 9.25/10 WOW!
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Lots of malt; caramel, toffee flavors. Very well balanced.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Lasting bitterness. Woodiness persists - bitter finish. Offset by sweet malt. The sweetness lasts too.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: A big beer - very full. Sweet. Like a liquid creme brulee.

OVERALL: 3/3: Phenomenal. A sippin' beer for sure. One for special occasions. One of our all-time favorites and a real treat when we can get it. Not for session drinking though!

TOTAL: 19/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Top of the pile for hop heads like us. A rich, hoppy treat. Just great!
Ben: PHENOMENAL! Nuff said. A lot bigger than the 60-minute. If you can get it on tap, it's heaven.