Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA

Bear Republic Brewing Company
Healdsburg/Cloverdale, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Clear, light for the style. Minimal head.

AROMA: 3/4
Nice hoppy nose, fruity. Could use more hop aroma.

TASTE: 8.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Nice balance–hoppy AND malty. Lots of body.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Appropriately bitter, slight astringence.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Nice balance–malty, but not too malty. A little too big.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: It's hoppy, big. Starts well, finishes not quite as well. A high-alcohol beer.

TOTAL: 16.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Nicer in front than at the finish, but good–hoppy, well-balanced, but a little too much alcohol.
Ben: I'm still tasting hops. This is probably a better beer than the score suggests, it's just a very big beer for an IPA.

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis

Sierra Nevada
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Straw/pale gold in color. Cloudy (appropriately). White head.

AROMA: 3/4
Not a lot of aroma; some pineapple and banana notes.

TASTE: 8.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Good balance, though could be a bit maltier.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Banana, clove, bubble gum. Moderately spicy; banana really lasts.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Nice bitterness. Bright, effervescent. Lots of fizz.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A classic hefeweizen, very adherent to style.

TOTAL: 17.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A nice hefe–could be spicier, but in no way does it disappoint.
Ben: Could use a little more body. Overall, a classic hefe and a typical nice Sierra Nevada product.

Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont
Tourpes, Belgium

APPEARANCE: 3/3
Awesome head–very rocky, creamy, foamy, yeasty. Beautiful gold color.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Very aromatic–earthy, citrusy.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Good balance. Clean, dry, very bright. Could be maltier.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Grapefruit and pineapple notes. Very earthy. Some bitterness. Needs to be spicier.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Ah, there's the spice! Fruity tones, very slight astringence.

OVERALL: 3/3: A beautifully crafted saison. Potential for skunkiness, so try to make sure the bottle you buy hasn't been sitting around too long.

TOTAL: 17.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Aromatic and very earthy. When I hear the word "saison," this is the mental image I conjure. One of my very favorite saisons.
Ben: Refreshing and clean, a good beer for the end of a long day.

Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice copper color, very clear.

AROMA: 3/4
Almost no aroma, but true to the rye (and lager, I guess) style.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very malty, very little hop–could be maltier.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Some lingering bitterness, sour at the front end. Cherry notes. Slightly astringent.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Malty, sweet, slightly sour, dry at close.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A crisp lager; the rye is subtle but present.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Good, but not spectacular–I was expecting something more. Slightly more interesting than your everyday lager.
Ben: A good beer–I'd buy a six.

Masala Mama IPA

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
Minneapolis, Minnesota

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Light copper color, okay head. Very crisp.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Hop nose–grassy, citrusy.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Fairly malty–good balance; body supports the hop bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Most of the flavor is front-loaded; not much at the finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Piney-citrus, fairly smooth.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A nice, solid IPA. Bouncy, bright, nicely done.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt & Ben: A nice session IPA. We debated the bitterness–too much? Too little? Either way, color and clarity are good, malt/hop balance is good, a very good IPA.

Summit Maibock (Seasonal)

Summit Brewing Company
St. Paul, Minnesota

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice gold color, thin head.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Malty nose, somewhat fruity. Subtle bubblegum notes.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Minimal hop up front, malty, bright. Some citrusy notes.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Lingering bitterness, slight astringence.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Very smooth.

OVERALL: 2/3: True to style, a solid spring beer. Not great, but good.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A solid Maibock. Aftertaste was the only real drawback.
Ben: Its smoothness is its nicest quality. Easy to drink, a good session beer.

Boulevard Smokestack Series–Dark Truth Stout

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, Missouri

APPEARANCE: 3/3
Very apropos to style. Espresso-colored head; great head retention.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Coffee notes; slightly sweet caramel notes. No hop aroma.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Malty, minimal hop. Could use more hop.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Coffee, vanilla, caramel. Prune. Bitter finish, some astringence.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Starts fruity, ends bitter. NOT dry like a stout–really fruity.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: An interesting, different take on a stout. Not at all what we expected.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Ben: A very interesting beer. Complex; lots of competing flavors. Belgian yeast is overpowering. Roasted malt is second to the yeast; much more like a Belgian strong ale than a stout. As a dessert beer, pairs nicely with chocolate.

La Fin du Monde Belgian Tripel

Unibroue

Chambly, Quebec, Canada

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Deep gold color. Minimal head; fine, almost champagne-like bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Fruity nose, no hop aroma. Some alcohol.

TASTE: 8.5/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very malty, alcohol up-front. Warming effect.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Very dry, lingering alcohol. Pineapple, champagne notes.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 3/3: Dry, smooth finish.
  

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Nice example of a Belgian Tripel, good to enjoy with a nice meal.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Ben: A really good beer–could be an aperatif or a dessert beer, or served with a meal. Perhaps a touch too much alcohol, but good and dry.

Boulevard Collaboration 1 (Imperial Pilsner)

Boulevard Brewing Company
Kansas City, Missouri

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Hazy golden color, fine head.

AROMA: 4/4
Minimal hop aroma, appropriate to style.

TASTE: 8.5/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 4/4: Malty, minimal hop bitterness.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Citrus notes, alcohol at back end.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Rich feel, almost chewy. Dry finish.
  

OVERALL: 2/3

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Very Belgian. A good pilsner, well done, but a lot to pay for a good pilsner.
Ben: I'd drink it again. It's a big beer, very malty, not hoppy. Would have liked to see more hop flavor.

Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale

Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub
Idaho Springs, CO

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice mahogany color. Crisp, clear. White, lasting head.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Some maple notes, some caramel, nutty roast.

TASTE: 7.75/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty–very little hop (appropriate to style). Nutty, sugary.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Honey-roasted finish; subtle maple syrup/brown sugar at the very end.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: VERY nutty, very malty. Sweet hints. Needs more body (a bit thin).

OVERALL: 2/3
A little more maple would be nice, and more body as well; those two additions would make this a really good beer.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A good twist on a brown; didn't go quite as far as it could have, but a good start.
Ben: A good brown, but where's the maple? Would like to see this as a porter. Anyway, a nice variation on the standard brown.

Big Eye India Pale Ale

Ballast Point Brewing Company
San Diego, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Clear, light copper, thin head, big bubbles. Almond head, honey color.

AROMA: 3/4
Woody, nutty, caramel. Hop nose, some alcohol notes.

TASTE: 7.75/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Grassy, meadowy. Hop up front, fades to bitter finish. Big body, alcohol throughout. Alcohol presence.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter, lasting. Nutty. Some residual sweetness. Alcohol finish.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Big beer. Nutty, grassy hop flavor. Alcohol feel.

OVERALL: 2/3
A little too big for a session beer, but not bad.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I like it, just a little too much alcohol. I'd buy it again, though.
Ben: Big beer–needs more bittering hop to mask the alcohol. Nutty, hoppy; I'd order a pint in San Diego.

O'Fallon Wheach (Peach Wheat)

O'Fallon Brewing Company
O'Fallon, Missouri

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3

Hazy, gold in color. Fine bubbles, lasting head.

AROMA: 3.25/4

Strong peach aroma, some mandarin orange–smells like fruit cocktail. No hop aroma to speak of.

TASTE: 7.5/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4
• Very malty, no real hop flavor–appropriate to the wheat style.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.25/3
• Peach/nectarine/mandarin orange flavor–subtle, not cloying.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3
• Some mandarin orange bitterness; fruit is most noticeable at finish.
  

OVERALL: 2.25/3

Not syrupy–this is a beer first, a fruit beer second. Light, good for what it is.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:

Matt: I really liked this–reminiscent of Pyramid's Apricot Ale or Magic Hat #9. Subtle, satisfying.