Grand Teton Tail Waggin' Double White Ale

Grand Teton Brewing Company
Victor, Idaho

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Hazy, effervescent. Creamy, thin white head that fades quickly. Straw gold color.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Orange jolly ranchers. Lemon, pineapple, bubblegum, no hop. Like a creamsicle.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Citrusy. Lemon, orange, pineapple, sweetbread. Very little hop aroma or flavor. All malt.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Some sweet/sour. No bitterness. Lasting citrus, fades quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Effervescent, full-bodied. Crisp and bouncy.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Complex flavors—orange, pineapple, bubblegum. Perfect for the 4th of July or any sweltering day. Would pair well with cheese and summer sausage.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Citrusy, malty, a nice take on a Wit. More American than Belgian. Not my favorite style, but good for what it is.
Ben: Very crisp and refreshing—better than Two Jokers. A nice summer beer served with grilled fish or poultry. If you like lemon Jolly Ranchers, you'll like this.

Boulevard Imperial Stout (Smokestack Series Limited Release)

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Black/opaque—really dark, anyway. Rocky, espresso-colored head that lasts and lasts. Fine bubbles. Beautiful!

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet nose. Roasted notes, dominant whiskey notes.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Malty, big. Very sweet—subtle roast, but we expected more roast character. Oaky. Very little hop flavor, appropriately.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Some sourness. Whiskey lasts—alcohol warming, but not offensive.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Very smooth. Sherry-like, warms the tongue. Appropriately carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Almost done and the head is still here. Big and tastes like it (in a good way). Whiskey flavor is balanced nicely with malt. A special occasion beer.

TOTAL: 16.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Ben: A sophisticated beer to be enjoyed from a snifter. Definitely a sipping beer; all that's missing is a monocle and a Sherlock Holmes pipe (or better yet, a big Russian hat).
Matt: I couldn't improve on Ben's comments, so I won't try. It's what I've come to expect from Boulevard's finest offerings—a well-crafted imperial stout.

Lucky Bucket IPA

Lucky Bucket Brewing Company
La Vista, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Deep copper-brown. Slight haze. Almond color head with big bubbles that lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Good hop floral nose. Citrus - grapefruit dominant. Bready. Nice.

TASTE: 6.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Hop bitterness dominant. Some citrus hop flavors. Some sweetness but could use more malt to offset the bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitterness lingers. Slight malty sweetness fades quickly. Slight astringency. Some chemical/metallic off-flavors.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full mouth-feel. Tad over-carbonated. Light-bodied.

OVERALL: 2/3: Bitterness really dominates. Could use a little more body and maltiness. A good beer but has room to be improved upon.

TOTAL: 14.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Hoppy, which I like, but the hop bitterness is overwhelming. Needs more body. If they take our advice this could be a good beer. Still, cool label.
Ben: A tad too much bittering hop for the body and maltiness. An adequate beer. I like it better than their pilsner.

Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black Rye IPA

Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub
Idaho Springs, CO

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Dark brown to black opaque color. Espresso head fades but rings the glass. Nice coffee color.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Coffee. Grassy hop aroma. Some woody notes. Sweet cream at top. Subtle peppery nose.

TASTE: 6.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Mostly malt upfront. Woody hop flavor. Some roasted malt, some sourness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Subtle hop bitter finish. Lingering pepper taste.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Dry and malty. Starts full then drops out.

OVERALL: 1.75/3
More subdued than we'd hoped for. Rye character overshadows the hop you'd expect in an IPA.

TOTAL: 13/20–I'll Try a Pint

NOTES:
Matt: With a name like Hop Strike I expect a powerful hoppy beer. This leaves me wanting. Just okay.
Ben: This is more a rye beer than an true IPA. Interesting, different, but one is enough. Meh.