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

Re
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%

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%

review: Boulevard - Long Strange Tripel

Style: Tripel
ABV: 9.00%

I've been looking forward to trying something from Boulevard for a long time, and awesome trader BuckeyeNation hooked me up bigtime with a few different bottles. At first I wonder which way this tripel will go, an authentic Belgian way, or the messy American way with a little bit of everything thrown in.

Pours toasty-golden, big poofy head, nice and fluffy, awesome lacing left. Just like a tripel should look like. Smells slightly musty, with some sweetness coming through over it. Little bit of spicing evident. Upon first sip, I know we have a winner. It's slightly sweet, but balanced by a good bit of dryness. Nothing like Golden Monkey (although I do love me some Monkey) and a sweet barrage of everything but the kitchen sink right off the bat. Little bit of spicing, but nothing overpowering. Kind of bready, reminds me of cookies, almost. I'm doing a really bad job doing it justice, save that is very very good. Very ephervescent in mouthfeel, silky smooth texture, can't stop drinking it. Just awesome.

A: 4/5
S: 12.5/15
T: 43/50
M: 12/15
D: 14/15

Total: 85.5%

Review: North Coast - Old Stock Ale

Style: Old Stock Ale
ABV: 12.50%

Oddly enough, this is one of a few North Coast beers we don't get in MA (Cru D'or and the Rasputin anniversary series being the others). I don't get it, but such is life. I'm sampling a 2007 vintage so graciously provided by my Minnesota BA buddy, BDLbrewster.

This to me is the definition of a sessionable old ale. My only other experience previous to such a thing was with Founder's Curmudgeon, and I hated it. Far too smokey for me. This one pours almost jet black, not much signs of carbonation or life. This is actually a good thing, however, as too much carbonation would subdue all that's going on. It really doesn't smell as strongly as I would have figured, either. Bit of vinuous acidic fruit lying underneath layers and layers of peaty malt - not too smokey, but tobaccoey, a bit leathery. A good dose of that slightly acrid chewy-spicy taste, also. This is another one that lingers pleasantly on the palate, tasting for an hour or more after like smokey licorice. Very pleasant, and not overwhelming. A great go-to old ale that belies it's very high ABV with superb drinkability. North Coast is just awesome.

A: 3/5
S: 11/15
T: 44/50
M: 13/15
D: 13/15

Total: 84%

Review: Stone - Vertical Epic 09.09.09

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 8.90%

Ever since I heard about this one a few months back, I was intrigued. Heavy on chocolate malts, with vanilla and tangerine peel added. Sounds like an awesome orange and chocolate combination. The final product doesn't quite live up to my lofty expectations, but it is still very good nevertheless.

Very dark, pruney-brown, massive head that emerges makes for a slow pour. Smells almost like coffee, which is strange - almost harsh, but in a pleasing way. Not sure if it's the heavy chocolate malts doing it, interacting with it in a strange way. Taste is very similar - almost harsh, but not quite, in a pleasant way. Heavier hopped than a typical Belgian Dark, which for Stone is far less than normal :) It's far more dense than a typical Belgian Dark, though, doesn't have the ephervescent smoothness or velvety texture in the mouth. For my own sanity, I'm calling this a Belgian Stout, even though it isn't really. But the slightly astringent malt makes me think of that - roasty and chocolatey, with Belgian candied sugars. The orange doesn't come through really, which is a shame, I'd like for it to be balancing a lot better with the chocolate. The vanilla adds a light, lofty sweetness to the endgame. It's very drinkable for what it is, and that is to its credit. It's just not quite at the balance I'd like to see. I'll be buying more of this to drink and squirrel away for sure, and we'll see how it evolves.

A: 3.5/5
S: 11/15
T: 41/50
M: 11.5/15
D: 12/15

Total: 78%

Review: Stone - Levitation

Style: American Amber / Red Ale
ABV: 4.40%

If I recall correctly, this is basically a baby version of the Stone XI recipe (which later became Sublimely Self-Righteous). All in all, it's pretty mild for a Stone brew. From the appearance, great carbonation, leading to a soupy head. Kind of cloudy on the inside, but looks quite refreshing. Smells unspecifically of hops, sort of a generic IPA smell. Tastes like a mild, sessionable IPA. Earthy and grapefruity hops, just in lesser quantities than you usually get from Stone. The carbonation really helps this one along, low carbonation and it would be quite eh, but since the flavors are more muted, it helps keep things moving along. Pretty easy session IPA/Amber/whathaveyou, nothing earth-shattering.

A: 4/5
S: 11/15
T: 36/50
M: 13/15
D: 12/15

T: 76%

Review: Otter Creek - Russian Imperial Stout

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.60%

I love imperial stouts to death, and after sampling this one at American Craft Beer Fest, I had to pick it up when i saw it. It doesn't disappoint. Pours jet black, pure onyx. Nice inch and a half of coacoey head, soupy and mirky, mysterious and inviting. Smell is a bit harsher than I was expecting, in that it almost is more of a pure-coffee smell. Heavy on the roastiness, seems light on the bitterness, which is always a plus. Tasting confirms my expectation - an imperial stout that is light on hops, rich and roasty, and an easy drinker. Coffee doesn't come out so much as in the nose, more chocolatey notes. The label says they used brown sugar, which I can taste the effects of. Sweeter than a lot of imperial stouts without being cloying, rich all the way through, and a little less viscous. Just the right balance. It isn't the most complex or amazing imperial stout, but it is damn good. The richness just lingered on as I went to bed, I love when I can taste a beer for an hour after I'm done. There is zero evidence of the high ABV, wich could get you in trouble if you aren't careful. I doubt Otter Creek is up to anything else of this quality.

A: 4/5
S: 12/15
T: 45/50
M: 13/15
D: 14/15

Total: 88%

Review: Dieu du Ciel - Equinoxe du Printemps

Starting with this post, I'll graciously rip off pictures from GIS, hooray!

Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
ABV: 9.50%


The first thing you notice is that the label art is awesome. Every beer Dieu du Ciel creates is like this, I would love to have a print or litho of any of them. Dieu du Ciel is best known for Peche Mortel, an Imperial Coffee Stout and favorite of many, myself included. Since then, I've had many quality beers from them, and this one is no exception.

It's billed as a Scotch Ale brewed with maple syrup. A lot of the scotch ales I've had try to be more like the Wee Heavys, less sweet and more peaty. It pours a deep, kind of sludgy deep honeyed color with just the slightest indication of head. Thickness is more like a stout, or a really thick Belgian Pale. The syrup adds a good deal of viscosity to it. Smells sugary, like a candy/molasses bomb. I at least can smell the syrup. The taste is like basically like a stronger Scottish Ale, very malt heavy, little hop balance, sweet and sticky on the palate. A massive malt bomb, that will only get better with age (although it is very drinkable right now, not too boozey at all). Next time I try one, I will lay it down for a while and see how it changes. But this makes for a great dessert beer.

A: 3/5
S: 11.5/5
T: 44/50
M: 13/15
D: 12/15

T: 83.5%

Review: Van Honsebrouck - Bacchus

Style: Fruit / Vegetable Beer
ABV: 4.50%

Sampled last night, going off memory. Pours without much fanfare, rusty brown into the glass without a ton of carbonation or pretty bubbles. Thin head without much retention. Smells slightly vinegaric, slightly fruity. If I had to pin the taste down to any one area, it is like a very very light version of a flanders red, only sweeter. Lightly tart, somewhere between a more vinegaric sour and the sweet backing of the fruitier sours. Light bodied, low in alcohol, it's almost like a cider, except I'd rather drink a cider if I want a cider.

Normally, I don't consider price too extensively, unless I'm recommending something for someone. If memory serves, this was a $6 or $7 bottle, a corked 375. There are quite a few Belgians I'll go to first, for the same price or cheaper. If I want something sour, I'll go toward Duchesse de Bourgeone. For the same price, Roche 10 blows this out of the water, taste and quality-wise (although they are different styles obviously). For the price, it was a bit dissappointing. It's OK, but nothing greater.

A: 2.5/5
S: 10/15
T: 37/50
M: 11/15
D: 13/15

Total: 73.5%

Review: De Struise - Pannepot

Style: Quadrupel
ABV: 10.00%

2007 bottle purchased from Bruisin' Ales. Didn't notice the vintage until after I was home. Pours a deep, pruney purple. Even the gentlest pour yields a huge 3 inch head, literally 4 parts head to 1 part beer. When the dust settles after a bit, leaves some neat lacing around the glass. Smells strongly spicy, combined with the typical pale hopped, dark candied sugar of a belgian dark ale. I tried a couple sips at first when it was still pretty cold, and I got a lot of metallic taste - some belgian darks carry this all the way through, it's not my favorite flavor. As it warms, this goes away, and by the end, the prevalent taste is the spicing - I like my quads to have the dark malt and dark fruit (figgy, plumy) backing to hold up without lots of spicing. It adds to the mouthfeel in this case, making it a bit more peppery, and it slides off the palate easier. But I think it's a little overspiced. Nevertheless, it's a pretty good Belgian Strong Dark (I really don't think of it as a quad). Drinking is a little tough, despite the creaminess that has come out in both Struise beers I've had (Black Albert, and this one), so the small 11.2oz bottle is just the right size.

A: 4.5/5
S: 11/15
T: 41/50
M: 13/15
D: 10/15

T: 79.5%

Review: Three Floyds - Alpha King

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.00%

Pours a pale wheatish color, thin and unremarkable head - nothing memorable visually. Smell is that of fresh citrusy hops, and some biscuity malt. Excellent balance between the two sides, even though I think this bottle is a few months old, grapefruity hops come through boldly, with no soapiness or bitterness. Clean hoppiness, no off-bitterness or any unwanted flavors. Hoppiness is subdued in a good way, controlled yet still assertive. Biscuity malt comes in to balance it out, doesn't get too bready or sharp along the way. Mouthfeel is crisp and refreshing, just like a pale ale should be. Interesting hop character balanced out by strong malt. Fairly low in alcohol, combined with strong drinkability makes this a nice treat.

A: 3/5
S: 12/15
T: 42/50
M: 11/15
D: 13/15

T: 81%

Review: Newport Storm - Luke

Style: American Amber / Red Ale
ABV: 8.6%

The first thing you notice is the billowing head - even a modest pour leads to a rush of bubbles just barely contained in my glass. Biscuity head, a rich filtered amber in color. Smells sort of like an IPA, maybe a bit maltier, but grapefruity and earthy hops rise to the forefront. Basically, it tastes like an imperial amber ale that's shorter on hops. It begins like a standard sessionable IPA, clean, earthy hops, a bit of malt that carries into the back palate, where it takes on a life of its own. It tastes crisp, I think being unfiltered, with some yeast floaties would inject a bit of life into it. It isn't bad as it stands now, though, and definitely carries its alcohol well. Mild, pleasant hop aromas linger on the tongue.

If I were Newport Storm, I would have considered switching this release with Kim - put the refreshing IPA-style up in the summer, and save the Imperial Marzen as a complement to Oktoberfest. Like the other Cyclone Series beers I've had, this one is pretty good, but nothing to wow me.

A: 4/5
S: 11/15
T: 39/50
M: 12/15
D: 13/15

T: 79%
BA: 3.95/5, B+