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.

Dundee Pilsner

Dundee Brewing Company*
Rochester, NY

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Pale straw color. Wispy head, fades fast. Very clear.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Very little aroma, hop or otherwise. Clean, like smelling a glass of water. Very subtle sweet cream.

TASTE: 5.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: No real hop flavor. Corny/grape nut taste.
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Corny, nice bitter finish. Dry. Aftertaste fades quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Thin, needs more body to offset bitterness.

OVERALL: 1.5/3
It's a step up from Bud Light. Definitely a pils, fairly true to style. Needs more body–a so-so pils.

TOTAL: 11.5/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: Not awful, could be worth buying, depending on Trader Joe's price point. Not a great pils, though–the bitterness is nice, the body ain't.
Ben: Watery and thin, better than domestics, but if you're looking for a good pils, buy Boulevard.

* This is brewed by Gennessee. Not a great brew, by any means.

Dundee Kölsch-Style Ale

Dundee Brewing Company*
Rochester, NY

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Straw-gold, really clear. Thin, white head that fades (fast).

AROMA: 3/4
Clean. Sweet-cream, lager nose. Candy corn, faint honey notes.

TASTE: 6.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Very malty. Honey notes, no hop flavor to speak of. Sweet cream, slight sour at middle. Corny, otherwise sweet.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Corny aftertast, subtle bitter finish that falls out fast.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Nice mouth-feel, not too thin. Lageresque, pils-like, but a bit fizzy.

OVERALL: 2/3
Pleasantly surprised (but our expectations were admittedly low). More pilsner than kölsch, not quite true to style, but adequate and drinkable.

TOTAL: 13.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Another Trader Joe contract job, this time brewed by Gennessee (so no wonder it's reminiscent of Gennessee Cream Ale, which we like). Not bad.
Ben: Drinkable, light and clean—a good lawn-mowing beer. Is it a kölsch? I dunno—but I'd drink it again.

* This is brewed by Gennessee; evidently, Trader Joe's contract brews all their stuff. Some of it's lousy; this ain't bad.

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.

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.

Ommegang Witte White Ale

Brewery Ommegang
Cooperstown, New York

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Straw gold. Rocky head that reduces to a thin, white, lasting head.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet, champagne notes. Coriander, orange, cinnamon.

TASTE: 5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Not a great deal of malt; no hop character to speak of.
Aftertaste: 1.5/3: Honey, orange. Flat champagne. Sour–cidery.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Not effervescent. Dry, a bit flat. Underwhelming.

OVERALL: 1.5/3: Disappointing. Weak, too much honey/floral, not enough hop. Falls flat.

TOTAL: 12.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: The champagne aroma immediately created expectations that were left unsatisfied. A disappointment, given the Ommegang name.
Ben: I would have gone with bitter orange. It misses the mark–I've had much better Wits.

Wild Blue Blueberry Lager

Blue Dog Brewery
Baldwinsville, New York

APPEARANCE: 2/3
White head, weak but persistent. Purple hue.

AROMA: 2/4
Welch's cran-grape juice. No hop aroma.

TASTE: 3/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 1/4: No malt or hop to speak of.
  
• Aftertaste: 1/3: Blueberry/grape syrup flavor overwhelms.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Watery, fades quickly (blessedly).

OVERALL: 1/3
Bud Light + syrup = Wild Blue = wine cooler beer for high school girls.

TOTAL: 8/20–Tab Me Out

NOTES:
Matt: If you're thirsty for beer, drink beer. If you're thirsty for a Capri-Sun, drink a Capri-Sun. Either way, don't drink this.
Ben: Feels like I'm drinking my morning grape juice. Pass.