Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Copper to dark gold color. Big head, big bubbles that stick around. Laces the glass nicely. Crystal clear, steady stream of bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Grassy, meadowy, citrusy. All hop nose, clean and crisp.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Piney, fades to a lasting bitterness. Hop dominant, but some body is there–subtle sweet/malty notes.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Woody aftertaste, bitterness and hop lasts. Nicely bittered, just right.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Crisp, appropriately carbonated (though maybe just a touch too fizzy).

OVERALL: 2.25/3: May need a bit more body to balance the fresh hop. Mostly aroma and flavor, good bittering hop.

TOTAL: 15.5/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Tasty, maybe a little light-bodied, but well-balanced. Very hoppy, citrusy yet piney. Nice.
Ben: Mouth full of hops. Fresh, crisp, bright green. Good–I'd buy it on tap (if Sierra Nevada Estate weren't available, that is).

Founders Backwoods Bastard Ale

Founders Brewing Company
Grand Rapids, Michigan

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Brown to dark brown. Almond-colored head. Fades quickly. Somewhat opaque, cola-colored.

AROMA: 3/4
Whiskey aroma, oaky. Sweet, malty, alcohol is dominant. Too much?

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Woody, whiskey flavors overwhelm. Sweet, brown sugar, dark candy. Some hop bitter, no hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Alcohol warming, alcohol flavor, alcohol last. Lingering bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Numbs the tongue. Fizzy, smooth, full-bodied but not chewy or heavy.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: REALLY BIG. You can taste that it's 10% ABV. Whiskey notes are nice; a good sipping beer for a campfire on a crisp autumn night.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Tasty, but I'm glad Ben and I split this one. Big, smooth, perfect under the right circumstances. Great for a nightcap on a frosty night.

Ben: Wow! Whiskey and woody notes are almost too much, but it pulls it off. A good winter warmer, it's a good sipping beer for sure—drink it out of a snifter.

Founders Centennial IPA

Founders Brewing Company
Grand Rapids, Michigan

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Very hazy copper-orange. Head fades fast, not an especially pretty beer.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Hop aroma–very citrusy, floral. Beautiful hop nose. Malty, brown sugar.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Nice woody hop up front. Grapefruit. Heavy on hop, definitely needs to be maltier.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Fades to bitterness, stays on the tongue. Slight astringence/chemical taste.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Fizzy, effervescent, a bit too much so. Could use more body.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Really hoppy. Reminiscent of Ska Modus Hoperandi (which isn't bad)—great hop, just not big enough to balance it out.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: A decent IPA, if a bit sweet. Needs more body. Not incredible, but not bad.

Ben: A little too carbonated for the style. A good hoppy IPA, worth a try.

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.

Life and Limb (Collaboration)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California
and
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton, Delaware

APPEARANCE: 3/3
Deep red-brown, almond head that lasts, rings the glass. Beautiful! The head is still there!

AROMA: 3.75/4
Woody, oak. Licorice, whiskey, chocolate, sweet cream, burnt toast, vanilla. Complex, NICE.

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Hop bitter and roasted malt dominant. Nutty, woody, smoky. Licorice, whiskey, coffee notes. Well-balanced, complex.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Bitter–roast, hop. Alcohol. Sour tang.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Alcohol warming–smooth. Dry, nice oaky flavors. Bouncy on tongue, alcohol is superbly masked.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A really really REALLY good beer. Lots going on. Silky smooth, a great blend of sweet and roasty. Sophisticated, really brilliant.

TOTAL: 18.5/20–Keep 'Em Coming

NOTES:
Matt: Dark, mysterious and absolutely brilliant. I feel classier for having drunk it, and privileged to have even tried it. God bless America!

Ben: Is it a stout? A porter? Neither? Both? Whatever it is, it's sweet awesomeness to be sipped by a roaring fire at Christmas. Pair it with ice cream (or just drink it on its own).

Stillwater Artisinal Ales Cellar Door American Farmhouse Ale

Dog Brewing Company
Westminster, MD

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Pretty gold, very hazy. Creamy head, fine bubbles. Head lasts and lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Fruity, dry. A bit sour. Floral, peppery notes, chamomile, banana. No appreciable hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Lemongrass, orange peel, ginger, honey. Bready, subtle licorice. No real hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Subtle hop bitterness at finish, a hint of sage.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Nice body, full, effervescent. A little boozy.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Interesting, complex (as expected, given the style). Bright. A nice Belgian Saison/Farmhouse. The subtle sage notes make for a spicy finish.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Not a bad Farmhouse Ale. I'm always intrigued by the style, they're always complex and unpredictable. This one was just okay, in my opinion.
Ben: A bright, fruity, floral beer. Strong Belgian notes. Nice! A tad boozy, but overall a nice example of the style. Maybe more hop? I'd buy it again, and pair it with Thanksgiving turkey.

Note: I must say, the label for this beer was damned near unreadable.