Brew Reviews

Allagash Tripel Reserve

Availability: Brewed year-round in reserve batches, in Portland, Maine.

Price comparison: I forget. Sue me. It was more than an everyday beer, but I bought it a while ago, so I can't remember by how much more.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%.

Cute bottle/label? Brown 750 ml glass bottle, corked and caged; medieval-style woodcut of a forest (stream? very smooth path?) on the label. Batch #60.

Appearance: Lovely, soft gold with a creamy white head. Very pretty beer with sparkly carbonation.

Scent: Sweet fruity malt with hints of peach or possibly mandarin orange.

Flavor: The flavor is sweet as well, but clean, with a light, not unpleasant alcohol burn at the back of the throat. Drinks very easily for such a high ABV. A little bit of flowery malt and yeast at the finish.

Impressions: I had this after dinner, but I could just as easily have served it with strongly-flavored ethnic cuisine such as Asian or Mediterranean; it would also taste nice with pungent cheeses. It's a hearty ale but delicious and sweet enough to serve by itself, provided that everyone involved was sufficiently warned of its relatively high alcohol content.

Will I buy this beer again? Yes; I'm curious about the other reserves, to see how well they compare, and I'm hopeful I can luck onto something this pleasant again.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Avery Maharaja IPA

Price comparison: Extremely reasonable for a draft beer in a bar: a little less than twice the price of buying beer and drinking it at home.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9.9%

Cute bottle/label? On tap, served in a chilled tulip goblet. Props to the Surly Girl Saloon for knowing their glassware. Also for printing salient facts on their menu, such as its ABV, the brewery location (Colorado), and giving special mention to its having been crafted by women. Cowgirls rock hardcore.

Appearance: Clear dark copper, with a thick, woolly head and nice threads of lace.

Scent: Alcohol sweetness and citrus, with warm caramels and hints of cherries and that West Coast (U.S.) piney hoppiness.

Flavor: Warm alcohol, very hoppy, with gentle malt and a tang of citrus pith at the finish.

Impressions: This is a surprisingly big beer, easy to drink but a little much for session. Paired delightfully with standard salty bar fare.

Will I buy this beer again? If I can find it in bottles during my next package store run, this is so coming home with me.

Rating:

4½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Hitachino Nest Celebration 2004

Availability: Probably limited quanities of the 2004. The 2005, a 7½% ABV, is already in stores.

Price comparison: About 2½ times the price of the standard American macrobrew.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9% at bottling, over a year ago. Possibly higher now due to continued fermentation.

Cute bottle/label? Chunky brown 11.2 ounce bottle; white label depicting a jolly Asian fellow celebrating the New Year in brightly-colored robes. The label also sports the tiny owl that is the Hitachino Nest logo.

Appearance: Opaque beige with a thick white froth and clingy lace.

Scent: Heavy sugars and malt, followed by the promised vanilla, coriander, and citrus peel.

Flavor: Sweet, but not harshly so. Very smooth mouthfeel with hints of cinnamon, orange peel, and malt in the front, to a puckery finish with not much hops.

Impressions: I've seen this listed as an Eisbock (ice-brew), but that's a bit misleading. What's going on here is that Hitachino brews this Celebration beer annually, combining beer ingredients via sake procedures and additions such as spices and orange zest. The cold-brewing concentration process is similar to that of brewing Eisbock, but the finished products are dissimilar.

Eisbocks go nicely with pungent foods such as cheese or sweet foods like fruit or dessert, whereas Celebration beer, with all its complexity, would be overpowering in that scenario. I felt it was a little high in alcohol content to serve as a session beer, so I put it with Chinese takeout and was happy with the pairing.

Will I buy this beer again? This is a special, and a little high in price, but I'd say it was drinkable, though somewhat sweet for my taste. However, of all the Hitachino Nest offerings, I like the Celebration best.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Old Marley Barleywine-Style

Availability: 2004 brew; limited availability. The 2005, a 10%, is out already as well. This is brewed and bottled in Hartford, CT, but it is distributed nationwide.

Price comparison: About $8.00 USD per 500 ml.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9.6%.

Cute bottle/label? 500 ml blue glass with attached swing-stopper. Maroon and blue label that does not list the ABV (but certainly should).

Appearance: Dark reddish-brown with small tan head that settled almost immediately into a sparse lacy island. It did reactivate somewhat when the glass was swirled.

Scent: Brown sugar and sweet alcohol, with lots of malt.

Flavor: Vanilla and port with black grapes and a touch of hops at the finish. There was a sort of caramel undertone that became more evident as it warmed.

Impressions: The difference between a barleywine-styled ale (which this is) and actual barleywine is almost as pronounced as the difference between wine and brandy - the former is good, and reminiscent of the latter, but isn't quite there yet. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

Old Marley is not as sweet as barleywine, but it's good, and quite drinkable, without the alcohol coming up and kicking you in the teeth. Too strongly flavored for subtle foods, but a nice pairing for smoked sausage, grilled meats, or dark, bitter greens such as broccoli rabe or collards.

Will I buy this beer again? I don't know if the 2004 bottling is still available, but I will definitely make tracks for the 2005. (And, again, that swing-stoppered bottle is so cute. The fact that this makes such a difference to me is probably the main reason I will never be a professional beer reviewer.)

Rating:

4½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Duinen Tripel

Price comparison: About twice the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? 750 ml white bottle (on closer inspection, the bottle reveals itself to be dark glass that has been airbrushed an opaque white, whether with paint or some sort of ceramic, I cannot tell), topped with a resealable cork and gold foil. Understated white, yellow, and blue label, including the abbey year (Anno 1107).

Appearance: Bright orange with small white head. Left flecks of yeast in the bottom of the goblet.

Scent: Heavily influenced by citrus peel and yeast.

Flavor: Oranges, black pepper, malt, sweet alcohol, with a nice dry hoppy finish.

Impressions: I admit to having been somewhat amused by the fact that the first three letters of this beer's name are D.U.I. Seriously, though, I need to look further into this importer, Merchant du Vin, from Seattle, and see what else they have brought to our country. This was a delicious, big, refreshing beer.

Will I buy this beer again? At twice the price, it's no bargain; however, the flavor is easy, even with the high alcohol content, and it would go nicely with seafood or poultry. If you're willing to shell out the extra fold and are new to Belgian beers, this is probably a good place to start, because from what information is on the bottle alone, it's available on both coasts of the US and the yeast content is such that it will age well and the alcohol content will boost over time. I'm going to get some more myself - it's also available in 11.2 ounce single-serving white bottles.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

V Grand Cru

Availability: Limited edition 2003 vintage.

Price comparison: About $1 more per 12 ounces than the average national domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? 750ml brown glass corked and caged; jewel-toned label including the caption "Sensual Splendor ..." and I couldn't possibly resist that.

Appearance: Dark reddish orange with a fluffy white head and attractive lacing.

Scent: Green apple, citrus, and peach, with a hint of floral hops.

Flavor: Cinnamon and malt with a clean fruitlike sweetness and some breadlike qualities as it warmed, and a nicely dry hoppy finish.

Impressions: I don't know that it's necessarily a "sensual splendor", as such, but still; go Victory. Another successful experiment.

Will I buy this beer again? If it's still available next time I'm shopping, I'll get one to cellar, as it has a decent cache of yeast at the bottom and will probably age pretty well. At just under a year old, this particular bottle is already pretty damned good. Victory is, in my limited experience so far, the best domestic brewery at recreating the Belgian beer emotion in me.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Val-Dieu Triple

Price comparison: About twice the price of the average domestic national brand.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? 750 ml corked-and-caged; year (2004) on the cork. Red label with a woodcut of the Abbaye Val-Dieu (Valley of God Abbey) and the establish year (1216).

Appearance: Cloudy copper with a thick white head and not so much lace as clumps of suds retained on the glass.

Scent: Bright citrus with yeast and malt.

Flavor: Spicy sweet (clove and pepper); the yeast is also nicely present in the flavor. Peppery citrus-peel finish.

Impressions: This is another beautiful Belgian abbey ale; I can't get my fill of it, and it gets more aromatic and interesting as it warms. Clean and crisp, and very well balanced.

Will I buy this beer again? I think I'd rather get it in smaller bottles next time, if it's available; the head was more fun on the first pour than on subsequent ones from the big bottle.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Three Philosophers

Price comparison: About 1½ times the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9.8%

Cute bottle/label? 750ml brown glass corked and caged; understated white label. Looks very like wine at first glance.

Appearance: Hazy dark brown with heavy white head and lots of lace. Except for the head, the beer, like the bottle, looks very like wine.

Scent: Highly malty; also fruit, brandy, and some peppermint.

Flavor: The flavor is predominantly malty as well, but sweetness pops through from time to time. I tasted black coffee and cherry pie, but virtually no hops. Nice dry finish with some yeast on exhalation.

Impressions: Like its cousin, Duvel, this is a diva. It really needs to be consumed with something solid but is too good to be paired with cheap snacks. The experiment involved here, that of blending a Belgian-style tripel with cherry lambic (to produce a quadrupel) is, I think, a success. The flavors are lovely together and I definitely prefer the combo to cherry lambic by itself.

Will I buy this beer again? I think I should. There's a nice sprinkling of loose yeast at the bottom of the bottle that's practically waving both hands at me and saying, "I can make this beer a goddess by next year, just give me the chance."

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Dogfish Head 90-Minute I.P.A.

Price comparison: About 1½ times the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? Four-pack of standard shaped 12-ounce brown glass bottles. In traditional Dogfish Head fashion, the label is understated: matte texture and easy-to-read fonts with clever verbiage, in this case describing the contents as being balanced by a "ridiculous amount of English Two-row Barley."

Appearance: Clear bright golden amber with a thick creamy head and lovely drapes of lace on the glass.

Scent: Hugely fruitlike with lots of flowery hops.

Flavor: Consciously citrus peel with malt very prominent in the foreground. Dry, nearly acid finish.

Impressions: Of the Dogfish Head offerings, this is the one that, to me, has the best flavor, even if it isn't the best buzz. Unlike its big brothers, the 120-Minute IPA and the World Wide Stout, you don't feel obligated to save this IPA for special occasions, though at 9% you might want to take it a bit easy, as the near-flawless balance does mask the alcohol content considerably.

Will I buy this beer again? This is one of my regular purchases, and will continue to be.

Rating:

4½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Golden Monkey

Price comparison: About $2 more than the average national domestic, for a six-pack, but I bought it on cask, so closer to three times the price.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9.5%

Cute bottle/label? Had a 32-ounce growler filled up at the taps at the MOBY DICK. No label.

Appearance: Light yellow with a bright white (but sparse) head, and no lace.

Scent: Malt, citrus, some vanilla and sweet spices.

Flavor: I was reminded of lemon meringue pie; kind of a creamy citrus flavor with a graham backbone. Malt and pepper at the finish with a slightly powdery mouthfeel.

Impressions: I guess you could call this abbey-style, but it's no Belgian. It is, however, light, refreshing, fairly easy to find in this part of the country (though not usually on tap in a store, nice!), has enough alcohol to be fun but not so much as to overpower the taste, and is flavorful enough to hold its own with lowbrow snacks or ta-da-ish dinners.

Will I buy this beer again? In the bottle, I can take this one or leave it; it's not bad at all, though there are other abbey tripels that I prefer. I like this better on tap than in the six-pack, and I'd probably buy it on tap again if it was available at the same time I had an empty growler on hand.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Affligem Noël Christmas Ale

Availability: Seasonal; winter only.

Price comparison: About twice the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? 750 ml corked and caged with a metallic red/green/gold/silver Christmasy label.

Appearance: Clear dark amber with a thick alabaster head. Tiny specks of lace on the glass.

Scent: Sweet malt; toffee; black raspberry.

Flavor: Malt with a lightly chocolate and fruity background, a bit like mulled wine at the finish.

Impressions: So smooth and quiet, I don't know that I'd order it in a busy pub or serve it at a big party, but it's festive enough that I wouldn't necessarily just want to put my feet up and chill out all by myself with it, either. I think it'd go nicely with a small cozy holiday dinner, particularly one of those old fashioned meatless Christmas dinners. I feel kind of bad that I didn't get this sooner so I could clue people in about it ahead of time.

Will I buy this beer again? Next year, certainly, and if there's still a bottle of this year's brew available on Friday, I'll pick it up for next year. Absolutely lovely.

Rating:

4½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Trois Pistoles

Price comparison: 1½ times what I pay for everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? The big brown 750ml bottle with a cork - again. I am becoming a creature of habit. I like popping the cork. The label is another Unibroue Goth-like book-jacket-like illustration, this time of three towers with a winged horse hovering nearby.

(I swear, someone in the tattoo industry has Unibroue on their payroll.)

Appearance: About the color of cola, but with a nice thick light-brown head and lots of laciness. Extreme carbonation, as in, I know this ale is naturally carbonated, but it fizzes like a bottle of pop.

Scent: Reminds me of a variety of black raspberry mocha coffee beans that I used to buy, where the coffee smell was most prevalent, followed by the chocolate in close second, and the fruit as a darkly interesting background to the prevalent aromas.

Flavor: A bit more lemony than I expected based on the deep coloration of the brew. I feel a lot of flavor happening: cloves, citrus peel, apple, and berries, yet the aftereffect is more like that of port wine.

Impressions: The flavoring of this ale is very complex and intricate, but hard to pinpoint due to the liveliness of the carbonation. I think the Trois Pistoles would be an interesting alternative to burgundy with a meal, or to port after a meal.

Will I buy this beer again? Yes, I believe I will. It's certainly more cost-effective than port.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Chimay Grande Reserve

(NOTE: This was the point when I retired the "availability" and "do they carry Bushmill's 1608" categories due to the fact that I had discovered the IHOD, otherwise known as the Shangri-La of All Packaged Goods Purveyors)

Price comparison: 1.5 times what I pay for everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? One great dirty big 750ml bottle. Not a jeroboam, but reminiscent of one. Understated blue label, but sealed — kid you not — with a cork and wire. Too quool. Too way quool. If you find opening those whomp-can biscuits to be a satisfying experience, try uncorking a beer. First it pops really loudly, then you get a little bit of smoke at the top of the bottle, then you get the beer. Yes, sir. Good schtuff.

Appearance: Deep reddish brown with a soft, creamy foam. Looks almost like cola at first glance. Pour carefully; it's frisky and it wants to jump out of the glass and play.

Scent: Smells like a flowery perfume with a little bit of vanilla and possibly cinnamon. There was also a background of something toasty like good coffee or freshly-lit firewood (birch or apple, you know what I mean).

Flavor: Malty and more reminiscent of stout than the other 9% varieties (so far); balanced with a hint of alkalinity. The flavor is very rich; I expected it to feel more creamy in my mouth than it did, but then again, it didn't have the downhill flowing nitrogen bubbles of a stout either. (They do so. Order Guinness at a bar and watch the glass. The bubbles go down, not up. Click here to read the science behind it.) Nice natural carbonation; tasted and smelled fine in my standard beer steins, although the Chimay glasses that are available (not cheaply) are quite pretty and I wouldn't mind having some someday.

Impressions: This ale caused me to caress my beer mug tenderly and make happy little crooning noises. It's just delicious and satisfying and it smells lovely as well. My only problem with it, not much of a one, is that if you want some, you'd better by God want more, because I don't know if it was physics or arthritis, but I couldn't get the cork back in. So I had to finish the bottle though I wasn't planning to.

Will I buy this beer again? Damned skippy I will. Hell, I'd go buy another bottle right now if I felt like moving.

Rating:

5 out of 5 cute beer glasses — perfect score!

Don de Dieu

Availability: Another Unibroue offering, like la Fin du Monde, and available at the same package store.

Do they also carry Bushmill's 1608? Forgot to check. Again. I'll remember just as soon as I need to buy some. Sort of like fixing the roof when it rains.

Price comparison: 1.45 times what I pay for everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? Standard-shaped bottle; textured metallic label with a boat on it. Ooh pretty.

Appearance: Looks like your standard pale ale; active carbonation; head disappeared almost immediately but left some lace up the sides of the goblet.

Scent: Yeast is prominent; chased by cloves and peaches, of all things.

Flavor: More yeasty than the Fin du Monde; I was also reminded rather oddly of banana liqueur or possibly maple walnut. The bottom of the bottle was more peppery and felt thicker in my mouth than the rest of the bottle.

Impressions: Not as smooth to me as the Fin du Monde. I was constantly aware of how much more booze per sip I was consuming at any given time, which to me sort of defeated the purpose of having the higher alcohol content.

Will I buy this beer again? Sure. It's not as much of a diva as the Fin; more of a good collaborator with perhaps a white-sauce pasta sauce like carbonara. I had some potato chips with it, since I have little to no class, and it tasted pretty good with them. The main point is that I didn't feel as comfortable drinking this on an empty stomach as I did drinking la Fin du Monde, but they are obviously two different beers with two very different agendas.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

La Fin du Monde

Availability: Not as close to home as my usual package store, but at one fairly close to work.

Do they also carry Bushmill's 1608? Forgot to check. 'Cos I suck like that. I'll get back to you.

Price comparison: 1.45 times what I pay for everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9%

Cute bottle/label? The label's okay. It also has a foil wrap round the neck; haven't seen one of those in a while. The bottle itself is standard-shaped.

Appearance: Pale, almost like champagne with teensy bubbles chasing up the sides. Stubborn, fluffy foam. Left a lot of suds on the sides of the glass.

Scent: Light and spicy, like perfume.

Flavor: Sweet. I wasn't expecting that. (Been drinking stout all week, my own fault.) Feels almost more like sparkling wine than like beer in my mouth. Good by itself or maybe with something you'd order white wine with, but not a pizza-and-beer sort of beer.

Impressions: This is not a beer to be poured into a mug, even a nice frosty one. Note to self: either get the right sort of glasses or drink it out of the bottle only, because the aroma clashes with the flavor.

Will I buy this beer again? Yes. It's refreshing and interesting. Definitely a good turn-on-the-stereo-and-put-your-feet-up-after-work beer.

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 cute beer glasses