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.

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.

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.

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!

Anchor Humming Ale

Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Pale gold, slight haze. White head that fades to lace nicely. Foamy.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Honey, lemon rind, orange blossom, bubblegum. Very floral, pretty aroma.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very citrusy—lemon, pineapple, bubblegum. Bright, high and sweet notes, bouncy up front. Bitter hop apparent.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Candy sugar aftertaste, bitter finish that lingers. Sweet and sour.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Effervescent. Body is nice, appropriately balanced.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A different beer than you might expect from Anchor, but good, definitely worth a try. A unique take on a pale.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I bought this because it was on sale. I'm glad I did! Bouncy, bright, refreshing—a light, sweet, tasty ale, definitely worth a try. I'd buy it again!
Ben: Interesting—DIFFERENT. Lemon, citrus, a bright pale. You need to try this unexpected and satisfying beer.

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.

Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA

Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Nice copper to deep gold. Crystal-clear, very clean. Beautiful white head, lots of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Grassy-piney, very citrusy. Hop aroma dominant. Beautiful!

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Citrus, pine notes, some brown sugar. Malty, very well balanced. Could use a tad more bittering hop.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Clean, dry finish. Piney-ness drops out, no lasting bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Citrus hop balances nicely with sweet sugar malt. Full but not too chewy, appropriately carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Clean, crisp, piney, citrusy. All hop flavor—if you're a hop head, don't pass this up.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I love this. A great, complex IPA—lots of hop, pine and citrus. This is my new go-to IPA!
Ben: Clean, lots of hop flavor—pine, grass, citrus. Could use more bitterness, but regardless, I'd buy it again.

Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Beautiful! Huge, creamy, rocky head. Laces & lasts. Deep copper color, clear and pretty.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Raisin-bready, lots of hop nose. Very floral, green and grassy.

TASTE: 9.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Woody, grassy, really malty. Lots of hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 3/3: Sweet up front, to woody notes, to hop bitterness that stays. Finishes bitter, perfect.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Nicely balanced, fills the mouth with woody, grassy hop.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A mouthful of hops! And a nice delivery system for it. Perfectly balanced, we like this beer. A LOT.

TOTAL: 18/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Love this beer. Woody, hoppy, bitter and all perfectly balanced. Everything I love in a perfect fall package.

Ben: As close as you can get to picking hops off the vine and chewing them whole. Well-balanced, I'd definitely buy it again.

Ovila Saison (Collaboration)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California
and
Abbey of New Clairvaux
Vina, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Big, rocky head. Deep gold-copper. Hazy. Lots of bubbles, steady stream.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrus–orange peel. Pineapple, tangerine, coriander. Peppery, earthy, big and fruity.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Apricot, honey, pepper notes. Fruit cocktail, pear (so, fruity). Some citrus hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Sweet up-front, ends with a grainy/cereal finish. Slight hop bitterness to finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Big, chewy, a bit boozy. Fizzy on the tongue, dry and smooth.

OVERALL: 2/3: More like a tripel than a true saison. More fruity than earthy. Americanized? Or just playing it safe? Either way, it's good, but falls short of the saison we'd hoped for.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: It's not raw enough, lacking the earthy qualities that make, say, Saison Dupont so good. Tasty, smooth and dry, but we've had better saisons.

Ben: It has the fruity notes of a Belgian but lacks the deep earthy, spicy notes it needs. More like a Duvel than a Dupont.

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Green Flash Brewing Company
San Diego, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Thick, rocky head with big bubbles. Gummy, floculent yeast (though Matt may have done a bad job pouring it). Orange-brown color. Not super-pretty, but head-lacing is very nice.

AROMA: 3.75/4
Hop! Piney-woody-meadowy, all at once. Heaven.

TASTE: 9.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Mouthful o' hop. Lots of hop flavors. Nicely balanced. Woody, biscuit taste. Slight brown sugar.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Hop bitterness! Sits on back of tongue and lingers (for a while).
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Very full. Smooth—easy drinking. A bit boozy for the ABV, but good.

OVERALL: 3/3: This is the perfect American IPA—phenomenal, the gold standard for the style. Great on tap, or in a bottle, or in a puddle on the floor which you would then shamelessly lick up—it's that good.

TOTAL: 18.25/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: The day Green Flash came to Kansas City, I was born again. A fantastic IPA, as good as it gets. You deserve an IPA this good.
Ben: This and Pliny are the top 2 IPAs in the known universe. If you see it on tap, don't dare pass it up!

Lagunitas Imperial Stout

Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Deep, dark brown, opaque. Espresso head fades to lace the glass. Fine bubbles. Nice.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Very little aroma, hop or otherwise. Subtle chocolate. Roast and sweet aromas emerge as it warms.

TASTE: 8.25/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Sweet, licorice, chocolate, sour notes. Whiskey. Very malty.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Alcohol. Roast, sweet finish–really well-balanced. Bitterness is there (and welcome), but restrained.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Big and boozy, big body—just plain big.

OVERALL: 2.5/3
Watch out! This is 9.9% ABV, and you can taste it. Big, boozy, sweet and warming. A good imperial stout.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Another sweet, tasty Lagunitas beer at a good price. This is a big, solid imperial stout, one we'd definitely buy again. Kudos to Lagunitas for delivering a great-tasting, complex, original brew.
Ben: This is something your Uncle Vladimir would enjoy during January in the heart of Siberia (though, be warned: he could probably drink you under the table with this one).

Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Gold color. Big foamy head that just implodes. Clear, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Very clean, minimal aroma. Slight skunkiness (for lack of a better word) when we poured it that faded quickly (we may have gotten an old bottle). Subtly sweet.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Sweet, malty, very clean. Subtle grassy hop. Some sweet corn.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: A touch of hop bitterness at the finish, doesn't linger.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Falls out quickly. Medium-bodied, a session beer for sure.

OVERALL: 2/3: Good example of a Maibock. On par with Boulevard's Boss Tom's; well done for the style.

TOTAL: 14/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I have said many times that I'm not a huge fan of the Maibock, but if I did have a hankering for one, I'd reach for this one. Well done for what it is--it is a Sierra Nevada product, after all.

Ben: Typical Maibock--better than most, because it's Sierra Nevada, but typical for the style. A clean, light, sweet beer.

Stone Ruination IPA

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Gold color, beautiful lasting white head. Clear, laces the glass. Good-looking beer!

AROMA: 3.5/4
Hoppy! Grassy/meadowy. Lemongrass, orange peel. Bready/malty, sugary, almost tropical.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Sweet, tangy, citrus up front. Caramel notes. Lots of flavor hops, bitter hops middle to finish.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Bitter, woody aftertaste that lingers—stays on the back of the tongue.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Full, weakly (nicely) carbonated. Nice mix of bitter and sweet.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Excellent! Hoppy, yet just enough maltiness to balance out. A well-crafted beer, must-have for hop heads. Nice combination of citrusy, woody and dry.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A really nice, subdued IPA. Benn called it "sophisticated"—I think he's right. We'd DEFINITELY buy this again.
Ben: Very nice. Stone hits it out of the park yet again. This would be great paired with the main dish at a four-star restaurant, or with a pizza at the local pub.

Stone Cali-Belgie IPA

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Pretty gold, crystal clear. White, rocky head that laces the glass.

AROMA: 3.75/4
Sour aroma. White pepper, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, pineapple, watermelon. Like a spicy fruit salad.

TASTE: 8.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Sour, earthy. Grapefruity hop flavor. Lemon notes, peppery, cinnamon-spice.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Residual spiciness, hop bitterness at the end.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Lasting bitterness, but subtle. Effervescent. Taste buds are firing!

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Definitely a Belgian yeast, with all the good things that come with it. Nice and hoppy, but spicy, too. An interesting take on an IPA—the best of both worlds.

TOTAL: 17.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: This is what a Belgian IPA should be—complex, spicy, well-proportioned. Once again, a great Stone offering.
Ben: Belgian yeast is there in the earthy-spicy feel; good hop flavors and bitterness make it an IPA. A really good beer!

Unlimited Release Maximus IPA

Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, California

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Persistent white, rocky head. Light brown color, crystal clear. Head laces the glass.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hop, lots of it. Grapefruit-citrus, sweet and malty. Brown sugar. Par for the course for a Lagunitas beer.

TASTE: 8/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Big, bitter. Simcoe-type hop. Bitter grapefruit. Woody. Brown sugar maltiness, nicely balanced.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitterness that lasts. Woody aftertaste, dry finish. We weren't knocked out.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Big, full. Alcohol is nicely masked.

OVERALL: 2.25/3
Really, a hoppy pale ale. If you like Lagunitas usual offerings, you'll like this. As usual, offered at a good price point, so there's no reason not to try it.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Frustrating. I like it, but what's the point? This isn't a fresh take or an ambitious attempt, it's the usual big, hoppy, competent beer we always get from Lagunitas. I want something NEW, Lagunitas! You listening?
Ben: Lagunitas beers all start to taste alike, eventually. Don't get me wrong, I still love Hop Stoopid, and this is a tasty enough beer, but I'm at a point where it's tough to tell them apart.

Stone Levitation Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Nice amber color, deep red-brown. Creamy, if thin, head that clings to the glass. Pretty.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Woody hop aroma. some residual maltiness. Brown sugar.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Woody, grassy hop flavor offset by brown sugar maltiness. Bitter hop offset by malt nicely.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Fades to lasting bitter-woody taste. Maybe a touch too bitter but adding any more malt would make it too big for a session beer.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Light-bodied, not heavy. You can enjoy several and stay in control. Appropriate carbonation.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: This is an awesome hoppy session beer. Light, hoppy; a great change-up from big IPAs.

TOTAL: 16.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I'd been looking for a light-bodied, relatively low-alcohol, hoppy session beer with no luck - until now. Another fine Stone offering.
Ben: Sometimes you want a light hoppy beer that won't put you to sleep - this fits the bill to a "T.".

Firestone Walker Double Jack Double IPA

Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Deep-gold to light brown. Nice creamy head that lasts. Lots of bubbles. Very pretty.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Very hoppy. Grapefruit, citrus, pine. Sweet, malty, bready undertones.

TASTE: 9.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Big, lots of hop flavor. Citrus, pine, grassy. Really nicely balanced, appropriately malty.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Hop bitterness from start to finish. Sweet, malt to lasting bitter. Alcohol is masked well.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Full, big, but balanced nicely. Very drinkable.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: This is a good beer—far better than we expected. World Beer Cup in '04/'06/'10, and we can see why.

TOTAL: 18/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Really very good. Big, filling, but not boozy. Definitely worth a try or 10 (but at 9.5% ABV, watch out!).
Ben: This is right up there with Stone, Green Flash, etc. A very good DIPA. If you can find it on tap, don't pass it up!

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido (San Diego County), CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Black. Thick, rocky, espresso-colored head. Pretty–laces the glass.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Grassy, woody hop aroma. Coffee, roasted nose. Surprisingly, not overly aromatic.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Strong coffee/roastiness up-front. Bitter dominant. LOTS of woody hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Strong bitterness that lasts. Really bitter–almost too much roasty, burnt coffee bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Fills the mouth, bitter on the tongue. Big but not boozy; alcohol is nicely masked.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Definitely a black IPA. Very roasty. Almost too bitter, but leave it to Stone to pull it off (though if you don't like coffee or roasted flavor, skip it).

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A nice change of pace—not overly complex, though too bitter, it's a straightforward beer. Simple, well done, a solid Black IPA.
Ben: A great, hoppy, roasty Black IPA. Another great offering by an awesome brewer; pick up a Stone, you can't go wrong.

Wilco Tango Foxtrot Imperial Brown Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice dark brown color. Foamy almond-colored head that lasts, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet! Grassy, meadowy notes. Caramel, brown sugar.

TASTE: 8.25/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Very malty. Roasty, nutty, caramel notes. Hop bitterness balanced nicely, some hop flavor throughout.
  
• Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Some hop bitterness. Sweet, fades to sour bitterness after a touch of sour.
  
• Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Full, kind of chewy. Nicely carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.5/3
A nice, hoppy brown—which, if I'm going to drink a brown, is what I'm looking for. Well done.

TOTAL: 16.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: If you must drink a brown, this is the way to go—big, hoppy, chewy. A good Lagunitas beer. Their price point really helps them out (this bomber was around $4, for example).
Ben: Lagunitas is hit-or-miss for me—I really love Hop Stoopid, could do without Brown Shugga. This makes my list of Lagunitas favorites.

Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Orange-copper color. Cloudy, off-white, foamy, rocky head. Big bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Strong hop nose. Citrus/grapefruit. Malty, meadowy, piney.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Grassy, woody. Hop flavor dominant. Fades to strong hop bitterness. Very bready—raisin bread. Slight sourness.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Bitter end, some sourness. Malt fades quickly, bitterness sticks around. Starts grassy, ends woody.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Thin; has body, but on the weaker side. Appropriately carbonated.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Very green—the wet hop quality is there. Needs more body to offset the bitterness. Overall, a good beer.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Tough call—I like it, it's refreshing; yet, hop flavor fades too quickly to note, too thin, too bitter. Sierra Nevada occasionally suffers from the high expectations we place on them, alas.

Ben: Don't get me wrong, I like this beer. It does fall short on body. It's green, but wet-hop, so it's to be expected. Worth a try when it comes out once a year.