Trout Hop Black IPA

Grand Teton Brewing Company
Victor, Idaho

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Thick, rocky, espresso-colored head that lasts. Big bubbles. Deep red-brown, almost black. Pretty.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hoppy! Piney, citrus notes. Floral, some woodiness. Could use more of the malt nose.

TASTE: 8.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Nicely balanced. Lots of hop flavor, fades to bitter at end. Sweet maltiness up-front, fades quickly.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Piney, lots of citrus. Subtle roastiness at middle, coffee notes at end. Bitterness lasts.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Smooth and creamy. Thick, flows right down your throat. Luxurious.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: This is a good beer. An IPA first, with some unique roasty notes. A great winter beer for hopheads!

TOTAL: 17.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I like this a lot! A good balance of bitter and smooth, complex flavors and delightful hop aroma. Tasty.
Ben: This is a good beer–paired with the trout on the label, it would complete a delicious meal.

Big Flats Lager Beer

Brewmaster's Choice
Rochester, NY

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Rocky head, big bubbles. Straw-gold color.

AROMA: 1/4
Smells like Coors Light. No hop, slight sweet straw aroma.

TASTE: 2/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 1/4: Starts sweet, sugary up-front. Corn in the middle, finishes unpleasantly bitter.
Aftertaste: .5/3: Skunk (or maybe opossum). Bitter.
Mouth-Feel: .5/3: Fizzy, watery. Astringent. Coats your tongue.

OVERALL: .5/3: $2.99 a six-pack at Walgreen's, and it tastes like it.

TOTAL: 5.5/20–Tab Me Out

NOTES:
Matt: Their slogan, "It's the water that makes it," is incomplete without the word "suck" at the end. avoid this beer at all costs.
Ben: I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. To be used for cooking brats, if at all.

Sixth Glass Quadruple Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Orange-brown color. Hazy. Thick, foamy, almond-colored head.

AROMA: 3/4
Sweet nose. Malty, pruny, some orange, lemongrass. Alcohol.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty, little hop. caramel, honey, orangey and floral notes. Nutty, pruny. Complex.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Residual sweetness, alcohol warming. Very little bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Very full, rich. Lots of complex flavors. All taste buds are firing!

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A big, big, BIG beer. Alcohol is there, but it's masked, so watch out–it could come back to bite you!

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Tasty, really potent. Use caution, but definitely give it a try.
Ben: Warms me to the toes on a cold day of beer brewing!

Boulevard Single Wide IPA

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Hazy honey-gold color. On the lighter side of typical IPAs. Head is thick, foamy, and rocky that lasts. Nice.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Grapefruit citrus dominant. Hoppy. Pleasant nose. Some pineapple. Subtle woody and nutty aromas.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Citrus hop up front. Hop bitterness through middle and end. Malty - but nicely balanced and offsets the hop bitterness. Very true to style with lots of hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter finish - slightly astringent. Some sweet maltiness but bitter overwhelms.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Bright. Effervescent. Sweet up front moves across the tongue to a bitter finish.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A solid IPA. Clean, crisp, uncomplicated, and not too heavy. One we return to regularly.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Dangerously drinkable and definitely affordable. Not my favorite IPA but far better than most.
Ben: One of my favorite beers from Boulevard. A great hoppy lighter IPA. Makes a great session beer - although a bit high alcohol to have too many. Awesome on tap.

Boulevard Amber Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice, pretty - deep dark reddish color. Foamy, almond head. Slight haze. Maple syrup color.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Sweet and malty. Brown sugar notes. Subtle nuttiness. Minimal hop.

TASTE: 4/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 1/4: Zero hop - all malt. Really sweet and sugary - too much so.
Aftertaste: 1.5/3: Real sweet - beginning, middle, and end. Subtle pumpkin-spice flavor. No hop bitterness or flavoring.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Thin, watery, fizzy, and harsh.

OVERALL: 2/3: Not that good a beer. Tasteless, bland, and watery. Needs a lot more hop and a dryer finish.

TOTAL: 10.75/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: A forgettable beer from a brewer that can make great beer. An attempt to woo Fat Tire drinkers apparently.
Ben: If you want an Amber then by all means drink Alaskan not this.

Boulevard Dry Stout

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Black with a faint red tint. Espresso-colored head that fades but clings to the side of the glass. A nice-looking stout.

AROMA: 3/4
Strong roast aroma. Coffee, vanilla, faint caramel, subtle chocolate. No appreciable hop aroma.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Roasted malty flavors. Coffee. Sweet to start, then roasty bitterness takes over. No hop flavor to speak of.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter is dominant. Subtle sweetness that fades quickly. Slightly astringent.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Dry, light-bodied–could be a bit chewier.

OVERALL: 2/3: Very bitter and roasty. It's a stout–there are better ones out there (but worse ones, too).

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Not bad, not fantastic. Does its job, rounds out the stable of Boulevard standards.
Ben: For a great stout, try Left Hand. This one's okay. A bit too bitter for my tastes, but better and more unique than some competitors.

Boulevard Lunar Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Slightly reddish tint. Decent head, fades quickly. Slight haze.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Fruity and floral. Sweet. Bubblegum notes. Very little hop. Unique.

TASTE: 4.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Malty, little hop.
Aftertaste: 1/3: Yeast flavors come through. Slightly woody, faint bubblegum. Sour, weirdly metallic aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Watery, weakly carbonated. Weird.

OVERALL: 1.5/3: You can tell it's a Belgian yeast. Complex flavors include a harsh metallic aftertaste. Is it a brown? A Belgian? A bottle of rusty nails? You tell me.

TOTAL: 11/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: I'd call it forgettable if it weren't so odd. The harsh aftertaste is unappealing, and it lacks the nuttiness I prefer in a brown. Again, Boulevard is capable of so much better.
Ben: Surprising that this is one of their regulars. Not a favorite–Boulevard has much better offerings. I'd rather see one of their seasonals replace this in the regular lineup.
Note: Boulevard classifies Lunar as a dark wheat ale. We've seen it referred to as a brown and a dunkelweizen as well, so, whatever.

Boulevard Pale Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Golden brown. Clear. White, creamy head. Pretty enough.

AROMA: 3/4
Floral, hoppy nose. Some citrus, woodiness. Sugary.

TASTE: 6/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: A bit too sweet, could use more hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Hop bitterness up front, sweetness at the middle that fades back to bitter. Woody, nutty.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Sweet residual finish, weak carbonation.

OVERALL: 1.75/3: An okay pale ale that could be a lot better.

TOTAL: 13.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Not bad but it falls far short of really stellar pales (e.g. Sierra Nevada). Refreshing enough, just not as great as some other Boulevard offerings.
Ben: Given a choice between this and a domestic, I'd choose this, but it's not a great pale.

Sierra Navada 30th Anniversary Vol. 4: Our Brewer's Reserve - Oak Aged Ale (Grand Cru)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice dark copper color. Subtle haze. Big almond colored head that lasts!

AROMA: 3.75/4
Strong floral, citrus hop aroma - Cascade hop. Very aromatic. Nice.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Hoppy aroma and hop flavor dominant. Bitter finish. Malt appropriate with nutty and woody notes. Well balanced. Hop, hop, and hop!
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Hop bitterness lasts. Nutty. Raisin-sweet finish offset by bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Very sweet but bitter finish. Noticeable alcohol. Full.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A sweet hoppy offering. Complex but all balance nicely. An good beer from a great brewery.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Complex, kind of weird, but good and powerful. An okay sipping beer. Perhaps a dessert beer.

Ben: Nutty and sweet with lots of hop. Big. Complex-lots of flavors going on. A definite sipping beer. I like it!

Liquid Bread Oatmeal Stout

Gella's and Liquid Bread Brewing Company
Hays, Kansas

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Dark brown color. Not fully opaque and slight haze present. Beautiful thick creamy head that lasts.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Chocolate, roasted malt. No hop.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very malty, minimally hoppy. Roasted malt dominant. Bitter hop finish.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Roasty, nutty. Subtle bitterness at the end.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Thick, very smooth. Full, silky feel. Light carbonation.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Silky smooth nice roasted flavor. A little thick but a good finish. An award winning beer and it tastes like one.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Tasty - a smooth, not too heavy stout. Very drinkable.
Ben: A thick beer, a little roasty, very silky smooth. Another good offering. Liquid Bread proves there is at least one good thing to come out of Hays.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron Imperial Brown Ale

Dogfish Head Brewing Company
Milton, DE

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Dark brown, creamy head. Rich, opaque.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Woody, roasty. Coffee, licorice, chocolate. Bourbon notes.

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: All malt, slight bitterness at end. Very little hop. Roasty malt.
Aftertaste: 3/3: Definite bourbon taste. Alcohol warmth. Prune/plum flavors, woody notes, roasty malt.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Roasted malt bitterness. Warming, full, sweet. Subtle carbonation.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Wow, this is a big beer. Smooth, probably phenomenal on cask.

TOTAL: 17.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Damned big, warming and rich. Probably best in 4 oz. increments.
Ben: This is definitely a winter warmer to sip–key word is SIP–by the fire.

Liquid Bread IPA

Gella's and Liquid Bread Brewing Company
Hays, Kansas

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Clear, light copper color. Creamy white head. Pretty beer.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hoppy! Nutty, floral.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Hoppy but light–mostly bitter hops. Not too big, well-balanced.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish, a bit watery. Nutty, woody, grassy.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Light-bodied, lasting bitterness at end.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A good session IPA and a standard at Gellas.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A nice, bouncy but light, drinkable IPA.
Ben: A solid offering by a good brewery in the middle of nowhere.

Black Betty Imperial Stout

Nebraska Brewing Company
Papillion, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Opaque red-black. Thick. Creme-brulée head.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Strong alcohol-whiskey aroma. Some coffee notes.

TASTE: 8.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty. Noticeable alcohol–warming feeling. Lots of whiskey, very little hop.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Chocolate, cherry. Subtle wood notes. Sweet finish that fades to slight bitter cherry aftertaste. Also, whiskey!
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Silky-smooth. Alcohol warmth, whiskey dominant. Subtle carbonation.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Unique–big and boozy, but in a good way. Very smooth, whiskey is pronounced.

TOTAL: 16.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: After-dinner sipping beer–a nice, warming cherry dessert beer.
Ben: A very good beer–lots of whiskey flavor, but very nice and mellow.

Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Dark, reddish brown. Nice thin, creamy head.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Smoky, like bacon on the griddle.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Smoke dominant. Malty, minimal hop. Nicely balanced.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Bacony, meaty. Woody aftertaste. Starts out sweet, fades to smoky finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Smooth. Smoke flavor is dominant. Very little bittering hop.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A great smoked beer–unique, rugged yet smooth.

TOTAL: 17.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Delightful–makes you think of being on the open range. Really a treat.
Ben: Lots of smoked aroma and flavor, a great fall beer. Reminds me of sitting around a campfire.