Totally Naked Lager

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Straw gold color, thin white head that laces. Crystal clear, steady bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet cream, apple juice, totally clean. Classic lager, no hop.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Sweet corn, clean. No hop flavors, malt dominant. Apropos for a pils.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Nice subtle bitter finish, slight hop bitterness—sweetness there as well.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Nice body, effervescent, and again, clean.


OVERALL: 2.5/3: The quinessential lager—so clean it should be sponsored by Ivory. A definite lawnmower beer, reminds us of Boulevard Pils.


TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another


NOTES:
Matt: The cleanest beer I've ever had—Mr. Clean should be on the label, it's so clean. Mr. Beer, Mr. Beer, Mr. Beer…(I like it).
Ben: Clean, crisp, refreshing. A summer beer for sure. I'd put this and Boulevard Pilsner up as better alternatives to the big boys.

Palate Wrecker Imperial IPA

Green Flash Brewing Company
San Diego, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3Light brown, thich foamy head that laces and lasts. Clear, clean.

AROMA: 3.75/4Citrus, pine, hop overload. It's like we're running through the hop fields of the Pacific Northwest (and drinking a beer at the same time—trust us, it's really hard to do).

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Hop, then hop, with a hop finish. Grassy, citrusy then hop bitter, but malty. Nicely balanced, big enough to offset hop bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: I'm still tasting hop! Hop bitter that sticks to the tongue—man, I'm STILL tasting hop!
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Big, chewy, boozy, HUGE (and hoppy). Maybe a bit boozy, but hey, 9.5%!

OVERALL: 2.75/3: This is as close to eating hop cones as  you're going to get. God bless you, Green Flash! Oh, and you non-hopheads? Stay away—stay FAR away.

TOTAL: 18/20–Keep 'Em Comin'NOTES:
Matt: LOVE THIS. Big, boozy and a great imperial, true to its name—if you possibly can, buy it!
Ben: Another one for the hophead bucket list. If you don't like hops, stay away—more for the rest of us! And it really is a palate wrecker; once you try it, don't plan on tasting anything for the rest of the night.

O'Fallon Belgian-Style Dark Ale (aged in Port Barrels)

O'Fallon Brewing Company
O'Fallon, Missouri


APPEARANCE: 1.75/3Deep red-brown, thin almond head that fades quickly. Hazy.

AROMA: 3/4
Licorice, alcohol nose, prune, anise, cinnamon, subtle spice.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Big, alcohol prominent. Port wine, prune, licorice, clove, ginger. Winey, complex.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Hop bitter finish, alcohol bitter, sour.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Alcohol warming, stays with you. Surprisingly thin finish, drops out fast. Boozy, what you'd expect from a dark Belgian.

OVERALL: 2.25/3Big, big, big—warming and spicy. Balanced pretty well, you can definitely taste the effects of the barrel aging. Okay.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Tasty, but geez is it big—boozy all the way through. Finishes a bit thin, but solid, complex and unique. Try it.
Ben: This would be a phenomenal winter ale, paired with red meat or chocolate dessert—could be a dessert on its own!

Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA

Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Boonville, California

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Great head—thick, rocky, off-white. Brown-gold, slight haze. Head rings the glass, laces and lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrus/piney nose, some pineapple. A lot of hop aroma. Nice.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Grassy, green. Caramel notes, sweet malt. Piney hop flavors move to strong hop bitterness. Appropriately malty to balance.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Woody hop bitter that comes in fast and sticks around (maybe a little too much).
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Full, well-balanced. Appropriately carbonated, coats the tongue with hop flavor.

OVERALL: 2.5/3
Really good, a touch on the bitter side (fine with us, but perhaps not for everyone). Less over-the-top malt  than some big IPAs; if you like a solid, hoppy IPA, look no further.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: This was a pleasant surprise for me—nice body, well-hopped, woody, grassy, a solid IPA. I think I tried this before and wasn't knocked out, but I'd totally buy this again.
Ben: I'm impressed! Hoppy nose, flavor and bitterness. A good IPA—in a can, no less! Definite buy again.

Alesmith Horny Devil Ale

Alesmith Brewing Company
San Diego, California

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Highly carbonated. Thick, foamy head—tons of bubbles. Hazy gold, cloudy for the style.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Aromatic—alcohol, cane sugar, sour. Apricot notes, clean.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Minimal hop flavor. Orange sour candy, champagne-like. Coriander gets lost in the Belgian yeast.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish. Dry, sour notes and alcohol linger.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Boozy, alcohol warming. Tingles on the tongue, bubbles float up into your nasal cavity.

OVERALL: 2.25/3
A Belgian quad x2—a Belgian Octuple? On par with Duvel—at 11%, it's a very big beer. Belgian yeast is front and center.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A good, very big Belgian golden ale—well balanced, for as big as it is. Tasty, but definitely boozy.
Ben: Clears your sinuses—it's a typical Belgian gold. Belgian yeast is nice and floral—if you like high-ABV beers, this sure is one.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, California

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Clear, deep gold color.  Hazy.  White, foamy head.  Pretty

AROMA: 3/4
All malt aroma.  Brown sugar.  Some slight citrus/grapefruit hop aroma.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Very malty.  Sugary - cane sugar sweetness.  Bitter hop finish.  Citrusy-orange peel flavors.  Belgian yeast notes.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Citrus - grapefruit and orange peel and sugary flavors move to a nicely bitter finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Full-mouth feel.  Nice sweet offset by bitter on the tongue.

OVERALL: 2.5/3
A good offering by a good brewery.  A tad malty - we were hoping for a bit more hoppiness.  Overall we'd buy it again.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: It is delightful.  Light and sweet.  Maybe a bit too sweet but a nice.  NOT a session beer by any means though so watch out!
Ben: Sugar sweet.  An interesting offering.  I like it but agree with Matt that it may border on the cloying side.  Worth a try for sure.

New Glarus Black Top Black IPA

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Dark mahogany color.  Pretty espresso head that lingers.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Hop nose! Sweet-dark Belgian candy. Some grapefruit (cascade hop?).  Nice piney-citrus aroma.  Pretty.

TASTE: 8.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Lots of hoppy high notes.  Citrus and pine.  Some licorice and molasses flavors.  Roasty and burnt toast bitterness.  Woody.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Sweet that fades to a really nice woody bitter.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Great balance, the roasted bitterness is perfect to pull back the malty flavors.  Bouncy on the tongue.

OVERALL: 3/3: This is what a Black IPA should taste like.  Lots of hop character, full-bodied, and nicely balanced.  A well done beer.

TOTAL: 16.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Unexpected.  I didn't know New Glarus had a Black IPA.  As good or better than any I've had.  I have no criticism except that I can't get more!
Ben: Wow.  I really like this beer - a lot!  Citrus, pine, hoppy, yet nicely balanced with brown sugar, licorice and molasses maltiness.  A great example of what a Black IPA should be!

New Glarus Cran-bic Ale

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Pale strawberry gold color, clear. Thin, white head that fades quickly but rings the edges of the glass. Laces nicely

AROMA: 3.5/4
Sour, full lambic nose. Apple cider vinegar. Cranberries, cane sugar and Belgian candy sweetness as well.

TASTE: 9.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Lactic acid sour prominent at front. Gose-esque. Fruit is secondary as it should be. Cranberry flavors compliment the lambic notes which are front and center in this beer. Sugary sweetness in the middle to end.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Mouth puckering sour fades to sweet cranberry and sugar tastes. Sweetness lingers.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Lip smacking. Fizzy. Mouth puckering first sips are an eye-opener. Clean. Sweet and sour.

OVERALL: 3/3: New Glarus really knows how to do fruit beers. The cranberry is a nice facet that doesn't overwhelm the beer. This actually would be just a good beer standing on its own as a true lambic. As is, another great fruit beer.

TOTAL: 18.25/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Sour but tasty. Another great fruit beer from New Glarus. Nice to see an American craft brewer handle this style so well.
Ben: I really like that the fruit is secondary and nicely compliments the lambic sour flavors so well. This truly is a lambic first and foremost. Phenomenal! Very hard to get but if you have the chance don't pass this one up!

Southern Tier Gemini Blended Imperial Unfiltered Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, New York

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Beautiful hazy deep gold. Head is creamy, rocky, laces the glass nicely—pretty!

AROMA: 3/4
Grapefruit, bubblegum, orange blossom. Nice and tropical, not as pronounced as Hoppe.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Earthy, woody. Still very citrusy—interesting mix of grapefruit, citrus and a woody finish.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter finish that sits on the tongue. Subtle tropical finish that moves to bitter, nicely balanced.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Big and boozy, full and creamy.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Unearthly imparts a woodiness Hoppe just doesn't have. Not as bright as Hoppe, a bit darker, earthier, but very good.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A neat variation on the hoppy style in Hoppe. Big and tasty, nicely bittered. Well done again, Southern Tier.
Ben: A very down-to-earth, classic, hoppy imperial Pale. Tropical and woody flavors blend nicely—all-around good beer.

Southern Tier Hoppe Imperial Extra Pale Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, New York

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Orange hue, hazy. Fine, lacing head. Gold, pretty!

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sour citrus, orange peel, orange blossom, pineapple. Tropical, earthy.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Lots of grapefruit, tropical, citrus up-front. Sour notes at middle, bitter finish. Well-balanced.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Noticeable alcohol. Nicely bittered, lasts. Body is appropriate, bitterness lingers.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Big and chewy, full mouth. Boozy, substantial.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Full, filling and hoppy. All-around, a pretty darned good beer.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Not a session beer, a real treat! Something to keep in your fridge to mark special moments—a well done imperial.
Ben: It's big, it's hoppy, it's big and hoppy—I'd buy another.

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Deschutes Brewery
Bend, OR

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Deep, dark brown. Off-white, tan rocky head. Nice lacing, nice-looking beer.

AROMA: 3/4
Coffee, roast aromas. Dark chocolate, subtle sweetness. Vanilla, maybe? Simple, basic. Roast.

TASTE: 6.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Coffee, chocolatey. No hop flavor, appropriately. Roast is dominant, some hop bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Lots of bitter roast, roast bitter + hop bitter = maybe a bit much bitter.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: A big light-bodied, could use more hop. Appropriately carbonated, but thin.

OVERALL: 2/3: A very light beer, a nice session porter, just a tad watery. Roast flavors are nice, an okay beer.

TOTAL: 14.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Try this, if only because it (and their Mirror Pond Pale) are the cheapest bombers in town. Not perfect, but good in many ways and worth a try.
Ben: Typical porter, a little too watery, but at $2.99 a bomber, you can't afford NOT to try it. Adding smoked malt might make this more interesting.

Noble Rot

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Milton, Delaware

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Straw-gold, crystal clear. Steady stream of bubbles. White head fades and laces.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sour, champagne-like and fruity. Grape, yeasty, white pepper notes.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Champagne! Sour, earthy finish. Very little hop. Dry, fruity. Is this a beer?

Aftertaste: 2.5/4: Sour lingers, earthiness stays on the tongue. Dry, no hop bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Sour flavors overwhelm. Dry, effervescent.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Clean, champagne-like, effervescent—easier to evaluate compared to wine than beer. Unique and definitely worth a try, unlike any beer we've had.

TOTAL: 16.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: The most wine-like beer I've ever had. Sour, bubbly, clean—a nice hybrid, definitely unique. Hard to compare to other beers, it truly is different.
Ben: Wow! It's a saison, it's champagne, it's wine. It's just wow, really unique. This may have been the only bottle of Noble Rot consumed in the states of Kansas OR Missouri, so we feel blessed (as should you, for the opportunity to experience it vicariously through us).

Boulevard Rye on Rye (Ale Aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels)

***BICENTENNIAL REVIEW!***

Boulevard Brewing Company

Kansas City, Missouri

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Mahogany, opaque. Thick, rocky, tan head that laces and lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Oak, whiskey, molasses, raisin. Rich—pineapple and coconut notes, alcohol nose.

TASTE: 8.25/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Alcohol up-front, middle and end. Whiskey, oak, very malty. Peppery middle. Molasses, caramel. No hop flavor, but some hop bitterness.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Whiskey, oak at front. Subtle bitter oakiness imparts a dark feel. Sour.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Spicy/tingly/sparkly—coats the tongue. Alcohol burn. Smooth, dry finish.
  

OVERALL: 2.5/3: This should be served in a snifter to maximize the aroma, and drunk slowly, savored. Be sure to serve it at the proper temperature. Hard to find—it sold FAST when it was released (not Chocolate Ale fast, but pretty darned fast)—so it's a must-have if you can get your hands on it.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I'm no boozehound (anymore), but this Boulevard Smokestack offering balances beer and booze perfectly—complex, sweet and oh-so-smooth. A sipper, not for every day, but for the style (and for our 200th review), grand.
Ben: A sipping beer if there ever was one. Sophisticated, so wear a monocle when you drink it. At 11% ABV, be careful. Cheers, and here's to the next 200!

Bell's Oberon Ale

Bell's Brewery
Comstock, MI

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Orange gold color. Lots of floculent yeast in suspension leaves a hazy appearance. White, fizzy head that fades quickly. We've seen prettier beers.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrusy with earthy undertones. Lemongrass and subtle apricot notes. Very malty nose.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malt peach and apricot flavors. Subtle lemon rind. No hop flavor. Earthy and gritty. Almost musky. Grainy cereal flavors present.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Very dry finish. Subtle hop bitterness and orange peel at end.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Very light bodied. Kind of fizzy.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A light session beer for the summer. Better than most other unfiltered wheats we've tried. On par with Boulevard Zon.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Like a mainstream version of Saison Dupont - that same earthiness that is. Really nice. Gives wheat ales a good name.
Ben: An earthy wheat. Not a bright citrus summer beer - more of a summer evening after a thunderstorm kind of beer. I'd definitely pick up another six of this.

Grand Teton The Grand Saison Farmhouse Ale

Grand Teton Brewing Company
Victor, Idaho

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Clear gold. Rocky, foamy white head about one inch thick that lasts. Slight haze from yeast.

AROMA: 3/4
Lots of pineapple and grapefruit. White pepper, orange rind, and lemon zest. Citrusy aromas are dominate. Slight grassy notes.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Grapefruit. Coriander, pineapple lemon pepper as well. Some hop but lost in the yeast profile. Typical for a classic saison.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Subtle lingering bitterness. Could use more bittering hop finish. Lemon rind aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: A champagne dryness. Fizzy. Some sweetness. Very full.

OVERALL: 2/3: Exactly what you would expect from a good saison - no more, no less. Worth a try but there are better examples of the style. It would be interesting to see how this would taste if they had added Brett.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try a Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Reminiscent of Boulevard's Tank 7 (but not as nearly as good). A good representation of the style and very straight forward. Not terribly unique but good. A solid saison.
Ben: A good example of the style. A little sweet though. Reminds me of Boulevard's original saison. Fresh and citrusy. A good solid saision. Pair this with cheese, grapes, and white fish.

Alesmith Horny Devil Ale

Alesmith Brewing Company
San Diego, California

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Highly carbonated. Thick, foamy head, tons of bubbles. Hazy gold, cloudy for a Belgian Golden.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Highly aromatic. Alcohol, cane sugar, sour. Apricot notes. Clean.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Minimal hop flavor. Sour candy, orange sour. Champagne-like. Coriander is lost in the Belgian yeast.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish, dry. Sour notes and alcohol linger.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Boozy alcohol warming. Tingles on the tongue, bubbles move upward into your brain.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A Belgian Quad times two—a Belgian Octuple? On par with Duvel—at 11%, it's a very big beer. Belgian yeast is front and center.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A good, very big Belgian Golden Ale—well-balanced for as big as it is, tasty but definitely boozy.
Ben: Sinus-clearing! A typical Belgian gold, Belgian yeast is nice and floral. If you like high ABV beers, here's one!