I just had a Newcastle brown the other night. That was adventuros for me as far as beer goes.

The last really good beer I had was a potato beer.

For those of you in the northeast, I'd like to recommend Smuttynose IPA. http://www.smuttynose.com/

I was just in CT and enjoyed a couple and was so sad when I got back to FL only to find out they are unavailable here.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/smuttynose-ipa/32134/


95, that is a great rating.

We go to the brewery for dinner fairly often, and they brew one of my all time favorite beers - Shoals Pale Ale. It doesn't have a great rating on that site (76? I forgot already ), but it is a smooth, good tasting, versatile, uncomplicated beer.

I heart smuttynose too. Ray McNeill (Vermont) has some interesting brews too. Dh and I took a class with him ages ago. He has the biggest potty mouth ever but his beer is pretty decent.

Derlirium Tremens

fruity Belgian Ale, if you like that style, tart w/ strong alcohol.


I'm not a fan

Magic Hat Number 9

Sampled via my little brother. I thought it was refreshing. DH just brought home a Magic Hat sampler. I'll let y'all know how that turns out.

I went to Outerbanks Brewing Station in North Carolina while on vacation. They had an EPA that was divine. Sadly, they don't bottle (yet).

We tried to make it to the Weeping Radish brewery, but never got around to it because the wether was too nice.

I had magic Hat 9 on Friday night. I like the apricot essence in it.

New Holland Existential

If you notice the label it clearly says "Ale"

however, it states "hopwine and "Barleywine" in the review.


As with Belgian Ale, I'm not a fan, too much winey alcohol flavors.
10.5% alcohol in the SKA double IPA was not overpowering, here it is.

If you are a barleywino, you may enjoy this.

I am definitely not a barleywine fan.

Siwo/Xihu

Refreshing Heartbeat..............wonderful as nature

I bought this beer for two reasons:

It is Chinese, but brewed by Asahi, so it should be drinkable.

It was $8.99 a case

"Overall as decent as a weak pale lager can be."

"Yellow body with a big white head. Light, slightly chalky body. Really no taste of malt, hops, or, well, anything. "




review to follow tonight

Like beer that isn't.

Nothing wrong, just very not there in the taste dept.

I find most Asian beer to be that way.

I love Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout. Bor-ring, I know, but my tried and true favorite.

We are all about the local beer right now (well, one of us is )

Yazoo I like the ESB.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/yazoo-esb/49488/

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/yazoo-hefeweizen/43211/

They sound tasty

They have a tasting room at the brewery. Before I was knockered up, one of our standby "take the out of towners" activities was flights there.

My very favorite local beer is from Bosco's. Their Isle of Skye Scottish is the best. beer. ever.

Do you think beer is like other local things... everyone prefers their local brew?

If it is a good brewery, yes.

Crooked Tree IPA


Mad Hatter IPA



What we have here are two IPAs one point apart.
The DarkHorse is by far the better brew if you ever have to choose in a store some day.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

I have always shyed away from Great Lakes for some reason, but there I was in Cleveland and there was the 6-pack in the mini-mart cooler. Not bad. It seems lager, plisners and other yellow beers have a hard time comparing to the stronger brews on the rating scale. This scores high.


Redhook Long Hammer IPA

This took some heat when compared to other IPAs, and perhaps rightly so. I found it decent drinking versus regular domestic swill. I gave some to my brother and it was too strong for him.

Wow, I'm just not getting it, no IPA aroma, taste or bitter hop kick. The first one was put in the freezer and I wondered if it was too chilled to let the flavors come out. Nope, the second one was equally bland. A reviewer mentioned this would make a decent red ale; his observation has merit.

The beer came from Trade Joe's, I made a great orange chicken/ pot sticker and jasmine rice dinner, but this beer was a let down. Also the name of the Bush family hometown may be a turnoff for some.

Now the first question is, "Why would I pay $9.99 for a 4-pack of Sam Adam's product?" The label is of green hops and the story of.......

2007 release info:
Yes, we're a little obsessed with hops. Every autumn for over twenty years, Jim Koch has traveled to one of the oldest hop-growing regions in the world, the Hallertau region of Bavaria in Germany, to hand-select Noble Bavarian hops, including the Hallertau Mittelfrueh variety. This special variety is considered to be one of the best in the world, prized for its unique taste and aroma. Samuel Adams® Hallertau Imperial Pilsner is a celebration of these extraordinary hops. This beer is one of the hoppiest in the world, without being overly bitter. With the first sip, you will experience an explosion of some of the world's finest hops. And we mean “explosion” in a good way.

When I looked it turns out this is a rebranded SA label once known as:

Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

Two things I notice quickly. Look at that label, what is going on? Is this like the German hop equivalent of a High Times magazine cover?

"Ya! I grow zem in my bazement in my hydroponiklepswager!"

The next thing you notice is a 95 rating. (!)
That really has to be earned on this site.

Anybody sampled this?




Might as well tack on the:

Samuel Adams Octoberfest

As far as Octoberfest goes, a decent drinker. Rates a 64 if you don't feel like clicking.