Widmer X-114 IPA (Rotator Series)

Widmer Brothers Brewing
Portland, OR

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Thin, white head. Deep gold, crystal-clear, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Grassy, meadowy, lots of hop aroma! Some pine, sweet breadiness.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Lots of hop flavor. Woody, grassy. Not very malty, could use more body.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Sweet up front, bitter hop finish, lasting bitter aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Very light-bodied, alcohol is masked nicely.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Needs more body, more malt to offset hop bitterness. Sweetness drops out early. A good session IPA.

TOTAL: 14.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Better on tap, but good–easy to drink, sweet, not too heavy. More body and this is a very good IPA.
Ben: A good beer. Could use more body, a bit thin for my taste, but easy to drink (it would be easy to drink a bunch of these, and at 6.75% ABV, that could be problematic).

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Black. Thick, rocky, espresso-colored head. Pretty–laces the glass.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Grassy, woody hop aroma. Coffee, roasted nose. Surprisingly, not overly aromatic.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Strong coffee/roastiness up-front. Bitter dominant. LOTS of woody hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Strong bitterness that lasts. Really bitter–almost too much roasty, burnt coffee bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Fills the mouth, bitter on the tongue. Big but not boozy; alcohol is nicely masked.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Definitely a black IPA. Very roasty. Almost too bitter, but leave it to Stone to pull it off (though if you don't like coffee or roasted flavor, skip it).

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A nice change of pace—not overly complex, though too bitter, it's a straightforward beer. Simple, well done, a solid Black IPA.
Ben: A great, hoppy, roasty Black IPA. Another great offering by an awesome brewer; pick up a Stone, you can't go wrong.

Avery White Rascal Belgian Style White Ale

Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 1.75/3
Yellow-straw color. White head that rings the glass. Suspended flocculant yeast particles throughout - kind of off-setting. Steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Floral. Coriander and chamomile. Slight peach and orange peel aroma. White pepper notes. Complex.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Malty. Some hop bitterness. Fruity. Passion fruit flavors. Peppery. Coriander. Subtle bubble gum. Not a lot of hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Subtle bitterness and orange peel flavors at the end. Doesn't last. Flavors fade quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Fizzy. A bit thin and watery.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: We like it. Refreshing and crisp. A good spring/summer beer. On par with Boulevard's Zon. Not our favorite Avery offering but good nonetheless.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Nice - typical of Avery (although not their prettiest beer). Refreshing. Fairly complex, if thin. Good.
Ben: A good example of the style. Crisp and refreshing. Serve with mild cheese, such as Monterrey Jack, and fruit.

Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial IPA

Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, New York

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Hazy orange-brown color. White head that lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet bready aroma. Strong hop aroma. Grapefruit and pineapple nose. Malty.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty and bready. Lots of citrus and pine hop flavors. Strong hop bitterness. Appropriate for an imperial IPA. Full of hop flavor!
Aftertaste: 2/3: Hop bitterness lasts. Alcohol noticeable. Strong bitter aftertaste mixed with a sweet, malty finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Big. Alcohol feel and warming. Lots of body and full feeling. Almost chewy.

OVERALL: 2/3: A good example of a hoppy big alcohol imperial IPA. Not bad for style. Good to try and have in place of other IPAs to mix it up a little.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Big. Alcohol and bitter finish a bit too much. Not bad, not the best, but worth a try. A 9.5% ABV NOT a session beer!
Ben: Good. Doesn't quite reach Stone, Green Flash, or Bell's category but good to give a try. Big and boozy. Lots of hops. Not a bad beer.

Great Divide Hibernation Old Style Ale

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Red brown in color. White head with big bubbles that laces the glass. Clear.

AROMA: 2.5/4
Sweet cream. Subtle brown sugar and molasses nose. Malty and big. No real hop aroma.

TASTE: 6/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Big and malty. Hop bitterness noticeable. Subtle licorice and cherry. Woody hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Boozy. Goes from sweet malty caramel to noticeable bitter finish.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Alcohol feel. Coats the tongue. Weak carbonation appropriate for style.

OVERALL: 1.75/3: Big that borders on cloying. An English old style beer. Appropriate in the dead of winter versus the heart of spring.

TOTAL: 12.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: If I were in an Arctic igloo in January, I would appreciate this more. For the style, not bad. One is enough.
Ben: This is better than the score indicates. Good for an English old ale although not my favorite style. Borders on the cloying side; a bit too sweet for my tastes.
Note: We reviewed this obviously on a warm April afternoon. We may have to revisit this beer during an appropriate frosty December evening.

Great Divide Hades Belgian-Style Ale

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Yellow-gold, white head. Thin but rings the glass.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrus, lemon-orange, peppery notes. Earthy. Lemongrass, coriander, clove.

TASTE: 6.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Peppery. Bubblegum, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, banana. Subtle citrus, hop flavor. Spicy.
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Hop bitterness, malt dominant. Finishes a bit harsh, metallic.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Fizzy, coats the tongue. Some alcohol.

OVERALL: 2/3: Definitely a Belgian. Unique, lots of complex flavors. Slightly astringent, not bad for what it is.

TOTAL: 14/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Very Belgian, and affordable enough, so if you're looking for a Belgian-style session beer, voilá! This is it.
Ben: Different from Duvel. Lots of unique flavors, interesting yeast character. Good to try (though one's enough for me).

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Breckenridge Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Dark brown to mahogany. Clear. Thin white head.

AROMA: 2.5/4
Sweet and malty nose. No real hop aroma. Slight vanilla.

TASTE: 5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Malty. Roasty malt flavors up front. Some vanilla. Slight hop bitterness but no appreciable hop flavor or aroma as appropriate for style. Could use stronger roast and more pronounced flavors.
Aftertaste: 1.5/3: Lingering vanilla and roasted malt. Slight hop bitterness but weak. Sour notes.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Watery and thin. Weak carbonation.

OVERALL: 1.5/3
Weak for a porter - almost more along the lines of a brown. Lacks strong roast and chocolate notes we expect in a porter. Too weak and thin. Not robust.

TOTAL: 11/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: I like that the vanilla is present; don't like much else. Another disappointment from Breckenridge.
Ben: This is really a brown, not a porter, and a weak thin brown at that. None of the more robust roast and chocolate flavors I was expecting. This beer has so much promise but fails to deliver on anything. Did Sam Adams make this?

Breckenridge Lucky U IPA

Breckenridge Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Copper color, kind of hazy. Not crystal clear. White head, laces glass.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Not a lot of hop aroma. Some citrus hop notes but subtle. A slight malty aroma. Weak.

TASTE: 6/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Hop bitterness dominant. Citrus and pine hop flavors. Carmel and nutty notes but hop bitterness overwhelms.
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Bitter finish that lasts. Overwhelms malty notes.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Lighter body, boarding on thin. Nicely carbonated.

OVERALL: 2/3
A bitter IPA. Could use more hop flavoring and aroma. More body as well. More like a British-style IPA than an American-style (which we prefer).

TOTAL: 12.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Not knocked out by it - tough to fairly evaluate because it's just so bitter. Needs more body, more hop aroma, more hop flavor, more everything. Just okay.
Ben: A tad on the bitter end. I expected more hop flavors and aroma. I am finding myself becoming more and more disappointed in the offerings from this brewer.

Schlafly Christmas Ale

The Saint Louis Brewery
St. Louis, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Nice caramel/copper color. Thin, white head, fine bubbles. Crisp and clear.

AROMA: 3/4
Spice–nutmeg, clove, subtle orange, cinnamon. Smells like Christmas! No real hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty. Pronounced licorice flavor, clove, apples, caramel notes, bitter orange, cinnamon.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Alcohol fades from sweet malt to spicy bitterness (sweet at the front of the tongue, bitter at the back).
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Alcohol feel, malty. A mouthful of Christmas spice—interesting, complex.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A good example of a winter warmer, to be served with apple crisp or pumpkin pie after a huge Christmas dinner.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I can picture a jubilant, post-haunting Ebenezer Scrooge enjoying this as he forks another helping of Christmas goose on to Tiny Tim's plate. Nice.
Ben: A good example of what a Christmas Ale should be. Clove, cinnamon, spices—a winter warmer to sip by a roaring fire.

Note: We reviewed this on a 72° day in April; it may have done even better had it been consumed in the setting mentioned above.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Boston Brewing Company
Boston, Massachusetts

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Dark gold color, clear. Thin, white head that rings the glass.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Sweet, clean nose. Slightly corny. No hop aroma, smells like a lager.

TASTE: 4.5/10

Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Caramel, candy corn, nutty-almond. Flavor fades quickly.
Aftertaste: 1/3: Metallic, bitter aftertaste. Astringent, perhaps chemical. Weird.
Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Thin, watery, coats the tongue.

OVERALL: 1/3: Why in the world would anybody buy this? BBC is a large scale brewer masquerading as a craft brewer. We would sooner drink any of the 100+ beers we've reviewed—even the abyssmal Walgreens Big Flats—than this (mostly on principle alone, but at least in part because it's a crummy beer).

TOTAL: 9.75/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: Craft beer? I don't think so. Macro-brew, but also terrible. Nobody should pay money for this.
Ben: I didn't like this before we reviewed this, and I don't like it now. There are many, many, MANY better beers out there.

Breckenridge Avalanche Amber Ale

Breckenridge Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice light brown-copper color. Clear. Think head, laces the glass. Fine bubbles.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Clean, caramel notes. Slight nuttiness. Malty, smells like a typical amber.

TASTE: 5.75/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Caramel, malty nutty notes. Hop bitterness at end, no appreciable hop flavor or aroma.
  
• Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Bitter bordering on astringent. Slightly metallic.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Bouncy, yet watery. Meh.

OVERALL: 1.5/3
Roasty, carmelly, nutty beer. Not overly impressive; if you want a good amber, get your hands on Alaskan.

TOTAL: 12/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: A boring beer—boring even for an amber. Not terrible, but that's faint praise.
Ben: Better than Boulevard Amber, doesn't come close to Alaskan Amber (the standard, as far as I'm concerned). Could have more hop character .

Abita Abbey Ale

Abita Brewing Company
Abita Springs, Louisiana

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Dark orange-brown in color, persistent, almond-colored head that laces the glass. Hazy.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Citrus-orange, kind of like orange jell-o, or maybe a creamsicle. Malty, some citrus hop.

TASTE: 5.75/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 2.25/4: Bitter orange peel. Sour, malty, no noticeable hop flavor. Caramel, raisin, dried apricot, subtle clove. Woody.
  
• Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Slight bitter finish, dry finish. Sour aftertaste, fades fast.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Effervescent, maybe too much so. Astringent.

OVERALL: 1.75/3
Just okay. It's a Belgian Dubbel, but not a great one.

TOTAL: 12/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I've drunk a lot of beers; most of them I'd drink again before this one. I'm almost inspired to brew a dubbel, just to demonstrate how it should be done.
Ben: I've been disappointed with Abita beers before, and this just continues the trend. Just okay, one is enough for me.

Wilco Tango Foxtrot Imperial Brown Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice dark brown color. Foamy almond-colored head that lasts, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet! Grassy, meadowy notes. Caramel, brown sugar.

TASTE: 8.25/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Very malty. Roasty, nutty, caramel notes. Hop bitterness balanced nicely, some hop flavor throughout.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Some hop bitterness. Sweet, fades to sour bitterness after a touch of sour.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Full, kind of chewy. Nicely carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.5/3
A nice, hoppy brown—which, if I'm going to drink a brown, is what I'm looking for. Well done.

TOTAL: 16.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: If you must drink a brown, this is the way to go—big, hoppy, chewy. A good Lagunitas beer. Their price point really helps them out (this bomber was around $4, for example).
Ben: Lagunitas is hit-or-miss for me—I really love Hop Stoopid, could do without Brown Shugga. This makes my list of Lagunitas favorites.

Lucky Bucket Certified Evil Ale

Lucky Bucket Brewing Company
La Vista, Nebraska

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Opaque, dark brown to near-black. Espresso head that lasts, laces the glass.

AROMA: 3/4
Malty, sweet nose. Subtle roast, sherry-liqueur nose.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Coffee, licorice, maraschino cherry. Very malty, very sweet, minimal hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Coffee-bitter, sweet-cream aftertaste. Hop bitterness at finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Lighter-bodied than expected. Alcohol warming. Coats your mouth.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: We're not sure what this is, but that's not to say we didn't like it. Not roasty enough to be an imperial stout, not hoppy enough to be a double IPA. A dark brown? Sure, why not.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I don't know exactly what this is, but I could see me washing down a box of cherry cordials with a bottle of this stuff. Weird, but good—much more body and it wouldn't be as good.
Ben: An interesting beer. Big, but neither hoppy nor roasty. Maybe too sweet, but worth a try—find out for yourself!

Odell Myrcenary Double IPA

Odell Brewing Company

Fort Collins, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3

Gold color, surprisingly light for a double IPA. White head, big bubbles. Clear, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4

Tropical-floral, citrus hop aroma. Grapefruit, orange, passion fruit. Smells promising!

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Lots of hop—grapefruit, citrus, hint of pine. Very malty, offset by hop bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Malty-bitter mix that lingers. Alcohol present.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Big. Alcohol. Very full, filling.

OVERALL: 2.25/3

Lighter than expected, absent the nuttiness common to many double IPAs. Alcohol needs to be masked better, but good.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Nice—a bigger version of the Odell IPA, a nice addition to the already impressive Odell line. A bit boozy, needs better masking, but good.

Ben: Too much light malt, maybe a 40°-60° malt, roastiness would benefit, but okay. Not the best DIPA out there, but definitely not bad.

Schlafly Pilsner

The Saint Louis Brewery
St. Louis, MO

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Yellow-straw color. Slight haze. A white head that fades quickly. Big bubbles. Not all that pretty for a pilsner.

AROMA: 2/4
No real aroma. A slight sweetness - bready? No real hop aroma, that's for sure.

TASTE: 6.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.25/4: A lot more hop flavor and bitterness than we expected based on the lack of any real hop aroma. Citrusy flavors which is odd for a pilsner. Malty and hoppy. Sweet and bready.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish. Maybe too much for style but we like it. Lingers into a slight astringency though. Malt flavors fade quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Clean. Fizzy. Citrus flavors make it a little bouncy.

OVERALL: 2/3: It's a hoppy pils. A tad too bitter for style. Citrus flavors not typical for a pilsner. Good but not great.

TOTAL: 12.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES: Matt: It's okay - I wouldn't cross the street to buy it though. I like the bitterness. Wish it wouldn't linger so long. All-in-all an okay pils. As Ben says, Boulevard pils is far better.
Ben: No real hop aroma but citrusy notes and a tad too much bittering hop than a typical pils style. Good to try once and drink if nothing else is available. Doesn't hold water to Boulevard's pilsner.

Boulevard Boss Tom's Golden Bock

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, MO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Beautiful gold color. Weak head that fades fast. Steady stream of bubbles. Crystal clear.

AROMA: 3/4
Very clean and crisp aroma. Sweet cream with some bubble gum notes. No hop aroma. Pilsner like.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Starts out sweet and malty. Hop bitterness in the middle to end. Apple juice and sweet cream notes. Minimal hop flavors.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Subtle hop bitterness starts at middle and crescendos to the finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Clean and effervescent. Maybe a touch too fizzy.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A clean crisp maibock. Lots of malt, nicely offset by hop bitterness.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Well done. A crisp spring beer. Not my favorite style, but a well done maibock nonetheless.
Ben: One of my preferred Boulevard seasonals. A good spring beer and a nice clean bock. Well done.