Review: Victory - Helios Ale

Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 7.50%

The story behind this one is that Victory rebranded their V-Saison due to low sales numbers. It's gone from a corked finished 750 to a capped 22, going from about $9 a bottle to about $3.50 a bottle. This is a huge savings, and the beer is every bit as good as it was before. This is every-bit a dry, "farmy" saison, just how I like it. Massive frothy head, so be careful when you pour it. Light golden in color, looking very active. Lots of yeast on the nose, a bit of grass, of farmyard. Upon tasting, it's one of the dryest saisons I've had, lots of carbonation, amazingly crisp, with a grassy edge on it. Almost ephervescent. Lingers on the tongue with its bite, but still manages to be amazingly drinkable, almost dangerously so. This was a great move by Victory, and I'll bet they will sell a lot more of this great beer.

A: 4/5
S: 12.5/15
T: 42.5/50
M: 13/15
D: 13/15

Total: 85%

Review: Highland - Gaelic Ale

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Style: American Amber / Red Ale
ABV: 5.80%

The first comparison that sprang to mind immediately was to fat tire. Honestly, I was expecting a little richer, but I actually ended up really enjoying this beer. Deep amber in color, nice frothy head, a lot like a fresh Sam Adams pour, and similar smell. Malts abound with just the hint of a hoppy undercurrent. Tastes a bit more hoppier than it smells, which is very pleasant. Pale grassy hops on the backpalate, with a sweet biscuityness up front. Smooth, tastes like fresh ale. Extremely drinkable, and makes for a great little session ale. This would work great in 12oz bottles.

A: 4/5
S: 11/15
T: 41/50
M: 12/15
D: 14/15

Total: 82%

The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Once again I have a buttload of reviews to do, which I'll get to in a minute. In the meantime, here's my Top 3 Pumpkin beers at the moment.

1) Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin - I've not had this one yet this season, but I thoroughly enjoyed it last season. The perfect balance for me, light spicing and pumpkin flavors, with a ton of malt so that it tastes like beer still. Just a bit on the darker side. I'd love to age some, see how it turns out.

2) Southern Tier Pumpking - If you're looking for authentic pumpkin flavor, this is it. Look no farther. Like Pumkin Pie in a glass, intense, pumkiny, spicey, boozey. Has just a bit of soapiness to it from the pumpkin skins that go in it. Not the most balanced beer, but still tasty.

3) Dogfish Head Pumpkin - Another darker-ish pumpkin beer that's light on the pumpkin. Spicing is a little more prevalent, but with a bit of age it mellows out quite nicely. Possibly the best value for a good pumpkin beer, at ~$10/4pk.

Honorable Mention:

The Bruery Autumn Maple - Brewed with yams instead of pumpkins. But an awesome Belgian Dark Ale. It takes a bit to get past the smell, for whatever reason, their Dark Ale yeast strain smells kind of soapy and metallic. But it tastes delicious.

Review: Unibroue - Trois Pistoles

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9.00%

Trois Pistoles is an old favorite that I haven't gotten to enjoy for a while now. It continues to be a readily available classic of the style. Pours deep raisin brown, slight tinge of purple, nice frothy head, laces well around the glass. Smells figgy, dark fruit, plums, sweet with a slight port-like booziness in the nose. Tastes a lot of the same - on the sweeter side instead of the yeastier side, like some Belgian Darks. Lots of dark fruit flavors run through it, a bit of licorice, sweet dark sugar, an underlying booziness that does nothing to detract from the drinkability, but helps bring the flavors together. Slightly cloying, but nice and velvety on the tongue. After the initial shock on the palate, the flavor mellows nicely, smooth and subtle. This is just a classic that a lot of people take for granted.

A: 4/5
S: 12.5/15
T: 42/50
M: 13.5/15
D: 13/15

Total: 85%

Review: Victory - Hop Whallop

Style: American Imperial / Double IPA
ABV: 8.50%

This my last halfassed review for the night, I promise. All caught up after this one.

Pours a lot lighter than I was expecting. Like a typical macro light lager, except less fizzy and a little more syrupy. Smells of muted hops, not the flourishing bouquet I would expect. Date is Feb 9 '10, which I assume is 1yr out, so this is at about 6-7 months since bottling, not ideal, but I don't think it's bad or anything. Tastes again, muted hops, it's like they are struggling to come out, but can't quite make it. There's a good deal of malt, but not overpowering by any stretch. Slight pineyness and that's it. Like a regular IPA, not a DIPA. Moderately filling, carbonation just at the appropriate level, i guess it's not bad, but I had expected a lot more from it.

A: 3/5
S: 10/15
T: 34/50
M: 11/15
D: 12/15

Total: 70%

Review: Harpoon - Glacier Harvesr 09 (100 Barrel #28)

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.70%

The newest offering in the 100 Barrel Series, a release of the Glacier Harvest they did last year. Seems awfully soon to me, I'd love to see some of the older 100 Barrel beers rereleased... Triticus, Barleywine, Imperial Stout, Lambic... at least not something a year old. Oh well.

Nice frothy head, that light-cidery-brown in color. Smells of piney and grapefruity hops, a bit soapy. Tastes more of hops, less of a malt presence. Not a ton of bitterness with the hops, though, nice and just slightly bitter. A bit thin through the mouth, which works against it a bit, it doesn't have the carbonation to carry it through. Easy enough to drink, but just OK overall. Probably won't seek this one out again.

A: 3/5
S: 11/15
T: 38/50
M: 10/15
D: 12/15

Total: 74%

Review: Harpoon - UFO Pale Ale

This one just came in, I gots a free sample to take home. So new, I can't find any of the info for it. Pours standard yellowish-brown and fizzy, decent hop aroma coming off of it. Nothing spectacular though. It seems to have more heft to it than the other UFOs I've tried, some interesting slightly sweeter-than-normal malting. Decent if unmemorable hop flavor, not really biting, a bit grapefruity. Kind of just slides off the palate, without being real creamy, or cloying, or anything. Decently drinkable. Kind of eh in pretty much every way, which exceeded expectation.

A: 3/5
S: 11/15
T: 35/50
M: 10/15
D: 11/15

T: 71%