Trader Joe's 2011 Vintage Ale

Trader Joe's Brewing Company
San Jose, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Deep, dark brown; porterlike. Thick, rocky tan head, big bubbles.

AROMA: 3/4
Sweet, pruny nose. Sweetbread, molasses, some sour from the Belgian yeast. Minimal hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.25/10

Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Sugary, spicy. Dark Belgian candy. Syrupy alcohol tucked in there. Slight roast, caramel, very sweet.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish, but could use more bittering hop. Some metallic aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Falls out in the middle. Mildly carbonated (appropriately), very smooth.

OVERALL: 2/3: Very sweet—Belgian sugar. Too sweet, maybe? At 9%, this winter ale is a warmer; more of a Trappist ale, really. It's okay (our expectations were pretty high).

TOTAL: 14.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: For what it is (a Trappist-style dubbel, as near as we can tell), it's not bad. Would be nice to age it for a year and see what develops.
Ben: At first glance, I was ready to pass it up, then I saw it's contract-brewed by Unibroue*, and I had to buy it. Good Belgian Dubbel—a bit dark and maybe too sweet, but at $4.99 on clearance, this was a no-brainer.

*Oh, right—we forgot to mention this was contract-brewed by Unibroue. I know, right? Unibroue!

Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale 2011

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Clear light-brown/copper color. Off-white head, big bubbles. Nice.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Fresh citrus hop nose. Clean, grapefruit and pineapple. Some grassy, meadowy aromas. Brown sugar maltiness.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Hop up front—flavors and bitterness. Woody, grassy. Nicely balanced with toasted caramel malts, brown sugar. Hop is the main player here.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter, in a good way (Matt thinks maybe too bitter; Ben thinks Matt is a wuss).
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Bright, full. Bitterness fills the mouth and stays put.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A hop lover's seasonal must-have. Big and hoppy to rival Torpedo—it's good.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Clean and crisp, hoppy, tasty—pair nicely with prime rib. A beer worth celebrating!

Ben: You can never go wrong with Sierra Nevada, and I always look forward to a new season of Celebration. A hop lover's dream.

New Belgium Snow Day Winter Ale

New Belgium Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Red-brown, cola-colored. Tan head, thick with lots of fine bubbles, laces and lasts .

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hoppy nose, grassy, woody. Subtle roast, caramel sweetness.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Nice woody hop flavor. Deep caramel notes. Subtle roast, molasses. Good stuff.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Nicely bittered, offsets malty caramel notes. Falls out rather quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full mouth-feel, hop flavors tickle the tongue. Nicely carbonated, but could use more body.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Wow—good caramel flavors, a wintry brew for sure.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A pleasant surprise—dark and hoppy, a bit thin at the end, but a nice winter treat. Get it while it's around.
Ben: Every once in a while I find a New Belgium product that impresses me. This is one of them. Dark crystal malts add nice caramel flavors, and nicely hopped. Worth picking up a sixer.