Hoppin' to Heaven IPA

Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company
Akron, Ohio

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Gushes upon opening. Giant head, stays—foamy. Copper color, suspended yeast.

AROMA: 2.75/4 
Hop citrus, grapefruit, sour. A bit musty.

TASTE: 5.5/10
Flavor: 2/4: Sweet, high to start. A bit of a chemical taste. Heavily carbonated, masks much of the flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish that lingers, astringent. Woody aftertaste. Bitter starts in the middle, lasts to finish and beyond.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: VERY fizzy—as mentioned, gushed upon opening. Maybe overcarbonated, maybe just old.

OVERALL: 1.5/3: To be fair, this may have been an old bottle (I got a deal). Still, not much to recommend it—fizzy, bitter, some off flavors.

TOTAL: 11.75/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES: Meh. Not pretty (thought the head was impressive), fizzy and largely flavorless. We may try a fresh bottle and see if we're more impressed down the road, but given Hoppin' Frog's high price point, don't hold your breath.

Southern Tier Iniquity Black Ale

Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, New York

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Black, opaque. Tan creamy head, fades to ring the glass with nice lacing. Looks like coffee.

AROMA: 3.25/4Dark/semi-sweet chocolate. Roast, burnt toast. Subtle black licorice. Coffee, mocha. Woody notes.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Rich, chocolate. Very malty, coudl use a bit more hop to balance it out. Quite sweet, molasses sweetness and some woodiness.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Burnt coffee; malty sweetness up-front, moves to bitter, roast lingers, but could use more hop bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full and rich—fills the mouth with darkness. A little boozy, maltiness coats the tongue. Not quite cloying (but close).

OVERALL: 2/3: It's good; not sure it's as IPA-ish as it could be, more like an imperial porter than an IPA. What the hell, not bad.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:This imperial black has a lot going for it. Definitely could use more hop—it's an IPA, man! Hop it up! It's a really dark, big beer that needs more hop intensity to offset the body. And nice roast!

Bottleworks 13th Anniversary Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA


APPEARANCE: 3/3: Pours like a Guinness, a beautiful cascade of bubbles. Opaque, dark brown, tan head laces and lasts. 5 minutes later and it's still huge! Beautiful.

AROMA: 4/4: Sweet raisin, prune, alcohol. Big, rich, complex and sophisticated. Dark chocolate, cherry and grassy. Sweet awesomeness.

TASTE: 9.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 4/4: Chocolate-covered cherries. Woody, complex—sweet and malty, but not cloying. Coffee, roast, smoky. Perfectly balanced.
Aftertaste: 3/3: Really nice bitter, alcohol sour, smoky chocolate roast.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Big, chewy, smooth and boozy. Tingly, lightly effervescent, perfectly carbonated.

OVERALL: 3/3: This is pretty amazing—heck, frickin' phenomenal! A huge beer, but what a treat!

TOTAL: 19.75/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:About as perfect a beer as we've had. A huge beer—11%—implementing 13 grains and 13 hop varietals. Do the math and it adds up to 22 oz. of pure, rich, dark, sweet, hoppy, woody, grassy awesomeness. I bought this on a total whim—God's hand. If you can find it, buy it.

Odell Shenanigans Aged Crimson Ale

Odell Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado


APPEARANCE: 2.5/3Thick tan head, orange-brown color. Steady stream of bubbles. Rocky head.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet nose. Orange peel, citrus, lemon, orange blossom. Dried fruit. Sugary, malty.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Spicy woodiness, nicely balanced. Oaky. Malty sugar mixed with sour tart and an earthy finish. Unique.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Sour tart, almost puckering. Nice bitter finish, like a period at the end of a sentence. Subtle brett.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Dry, effervescent, bubbly. Big but not boozy.

OVERALL: 2.75/3
A fun, weird, sour, funky, citrusy treat. I don't know exactly what it is, but I don't care, it's a good beer.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another


NOTES:
Ben says it reminds him of a circus peanut, and I hate circus peanuts, so we disagree there. We DO agree this beer is sugary, earthy, sour, tart goodness. A fun beer, so if you're lucky enough to find it, do yourself a favor and buy it.

Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA

Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3Black opaque. Tan head that laces the glass nicely.  Foamy with big bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4Peppery and hoppy.  Piney with tropical fruit aromas (New Zealand hops?) Subtle roast aromas.  Pretty.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Flavor: 3.5/4: Black pepper spiciness.  Citrus and tropical fruits hop flavors dominant. Sweet high notes fade to peppery bitterness.  Woody and sour.
Finish: 2.25/3: Bitter pepper tastes linger on the tongue.  Sour hints.  Bitterness sits in the center of the mouth.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Big.  Alcohol and pepper tingle.  A little chewy.  Bitter floods in nice and full.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Union Jack with rye sourness and roasted malt coffee, burnt toast flavors.  Spicy, peppery, full and satisfying.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

COMMENTS:

Another winner from Firestone Walker.  A tad on the bitter side, but aroma, flavor, and body are great.  A gusty attempt on what is lately a popular style of beer.

New Glarus Cherry Stout (2012)

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: Mahogany color. Tan, thin head that rings the glass nicely. Light for a stout.

AROMA: 3.25/4: Cherry nose, cherries and cream. No hop. Sugary, subtle chocolate.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Cherry dominant, some chocolate roast—chocolate-covered cherries!
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Roasted bitterness. Sour, tart cherry up front, fades to chocolate at middle, fades to subtle roast bitter at close.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Mouth-puckering tart, fizzy and full, bounces on the tongue.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A definite cherry beer, darker malts impart a nice roast flavor. Could use more roasted malt, coffee notes.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Yet another great New Glarus fruit beer. More roast and it's perfect—nothing more to say.
Ben: Needs more roasted malt for stout character. Maybe add some lactose to this? Milk chocolate cherry stout? Call me, NG, this is a winner!

Snarling Badger Berliner-Weisse

Grand Teton Brewing Company
Victor, Idaho

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: White, foamy, rocky head (1" thick!) that rings the glass nicely. Lots of bubbles. Hazy, pure gold, pretty! if a bit dark for a wheat.

AROMA: 3/4: Orange-citrus aroma. Clean, high-toned. Subtle alcohol, sugary. Not terribly aromatic.

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Sour/tart, big citrus up front, banana at close. Crisp and clean.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Big, sour. Lemony-citrus up front, lactic acid. Banana-clove finish, alcohol.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Alcohol warming, bubbly explosion that expands to fill the mouth. Yes, I said explosion. Just try it.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Lactobacillus tartness is a great addition to this fruity, fizzy, spicy treat. Clean and refreshing, a great summer beer. Home run.

TOTAL: 17.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Fizzy, flavorful and refreshing. I'm a cheapskate, so I often balk at spending $10 for a bomber; the exception is when it's a Grand Teton bomber. Buy this beer.
Ben: A great summer beer. Sour, but finishes crisp and clean. A really good sipper, it would be interesting to let it age a while and see how it comes out.

Epic Barrel-Aged IPA

Epic Brewing Company
Auckland, New Zealand

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3: Gold color, foamy head, slight haze.

AROMA: 3/4: Hoppy nose. Citrus, pine, some pineapple. Slight oaky nose, maybe.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Lots of pineapple, some apricot, nice subtle lemony hints at the end.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Whiskey-oak sour up-front, big bitter middle.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: A bit thin, could use more body. Woodiness overwhelms.

OVERALL: 2/3: Tastes like a booze-infused beer. They should have blended this. Not bad, but the barrel-aging is overwhelming.

TOTAL: 14.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I appreciate the effort, but it's a bit much. Add body, blend it to tamp down the oak, and we're in business.
Ben: Grows on me the more I drink it. It's okay—good, but falls short of great. Almost too much oak flavor, like it's an extreme barrel beer; should be more subtle.

Cerise Cherry Fermented Ale

Founders Brewing Company
Grand Rapids, Michigan

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: Ruby red, crystal clear. White head rings the glass nicely.

AROMA: 2.5/4: Subtle maraschino cherry nose, sugary. Not terribly aromatic.

TASTE: 6.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Tart, very grainy. Cane sugar. Sour lasts to close, falls out quickly.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Cherry finish, bitter aftertaste lingers. Slight metallic tang.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Fizzy, a bit thin. Puckery.

OVERALL: 1.75/3: A bit watery, needs more cherry. Not bad, but could be better. (When you've had New Glarus Belgian Red, anything else is going to compare unfavorably.)

TOTAL: 13.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Okay for what it is, but it's no Belgian Red. A high bar, I know, but tough.
Ben: Unfortunately for Founders, we've had the pinnacle of cherry fruit beer. This one falls short—needs much more cherry!

Midas Touch Handcrafted Ancient Ale

Dogfish Head Brewing Company
Milton, Delaware

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: Deep gold, foamy head. Slight yeast haze.

AROMA: 3/4: Grape nose, very clean. Smells like wine, or white grape juice. Grain/cereal aroma.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Sweet up-front, spicy and grainy middle. Lots of white grape flavor.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Big alcohol sour. Dry, bitter finish, white wine aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Alcohol warming, booze rises up into the sinuses. Dry, fizzy and full.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: The new fad, seemingly—wine-beer. Or beer-wine. Straddles the line, but definitely a beer. Dry, grapey, interesting.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I'm just okay with it—an interesting wine/beer hybrid. At 9%, though, alcohol is overwhelming!
Ben: I don't really taste the mead (as described on the label), but there is a sweet floral or blossom flavor there. Very dry and sweet, an interesting offering. Worth a try.

Dogfish Head Aprihop IPA

Dogfish Head Brewing Company
Milton, Delaware

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3: Dark copper to light brown. Clear, crisp, clean. Thin, off-white head that fades. Steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3/4: Clean, sugary, subtle citrus. Subtle apricot, subdued hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Apricot up-front and through the middle, hop bitterness at finish. Sugary sweet, apricot present. Some citrus hop.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Sweet finish. Hop bitterness lingers. Nice high flavors.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Chewy, full-bodied. Weakly carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Pleasant. Sweet and fruity, peaches (apricot) and cream-like, with a bitter finish.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A nice beer. The apricot is understated, a nice accent flavor. Is it an IPA? Doubtful. Still, a nice ale, well done (as usual, by DFH).
Ben: Apricot accents the citrus hop nicely. Bitter finish is nice, though it's a little thin. Overall, not bad—another good offering from a great brewer.

The Stoic Belgian-Styled Quad

Deschutes Brewery
Bend, OR

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: Pretty orange-gold. White, thin head, rings the glass. Hazy.

AROMA: 3.25/4: Spicy, tropical, citrus. Passion fruit, orange blossom, sweet raisin, richly aromatic. Alcohol.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Big, sour, tropical. White raisin, pineapple, orange, passion fruit, chamomile notes.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Whiskey aftertaste, bitter back of the throat. Whiskey sour is there, but the rest is lost.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Chewy, big-bodied. Alcohol tingle.

OVERALL: 2/3: The big body overwhelms the whiskey, relegates it to an aftertaste. If we knew what pomegranate tasted like, we'd have to say it's in there. Good, but BIG.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Complex, like any good Belgian. I feel like there are almost too many factors at play to evaluate it fairly, but I do like the sour. Worth a shot.
Ben: Maybe they tried to do too much with this. Would be better left with the Belgian yeast profile alone; the whiskey gets lost in the tropical flavors. Big and boozy, almost too much.

Kilt Lifter Scottish-Style Ale

Four Peaks Brewing Company
Tempe, Arizona

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Very little head, thin. Brown, clear.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Clean, sweet—apple notes? All malt, no hop.

TASTE: 6.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.25/4: Very malty, lots of caramel. Some grassy hop.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Very subtle smoke, subtle bitter, drops out fast.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Finishes clean, okay body, appropriately carbonated. Maybe a tad thin.


OVERALL: 1.75/3: Tastes like an amber, really. Scottish Ale for the masses—sweet caramel, crystal malt, not the Scottish Ale we'd hoped for.


TOTAL: 12.5/20–I'll Try A Pint


NOTES:
Matt: Not an awful beer, but more like an amber than a Scottish—I'd take a 90 Shilling over this in a heartbeat.
Ben: Crystal malt makes it really caramelly-sweet. A bunch of peat-smoked malt would make it more true to style.

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!