Brew Reviews

Green Flash Extra Pale Ale

Availability: Local to the west coast of the U.S., but I had it shipped in as part of my Beer of the Month Club membership.

Price comparison: See above - I didn't pay for that membership, either; it was the gift my sister-in-law gave me for participating in her wedding to my brother. My family is very cool.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Unknown for sure, but not particularly powerful. Definitely less than 6% and conservatively less than 5%, but probably as close to 5% as makes no odds.

Cute bottle/label? Standard brown glass twelve-ouncer with a colorful depiction on its label of the "green flash", a natural phenomenon lasting about two seconds right before the sun sets below the ocean's horizon where its color changes from red or yellow to green.

Appearance: Clear bright golden with a creamy white head and soft carbonation.

Scent: Much more like flowers or herbs than pine, which surprised me, since west coast ales tend to use more woodsy hops. Also, I could definitely detect a pretzelly maltishness in the aroma, whereas usually, I can't smell the malt at all in west coast pale ales.

Flavor: Mellow and dry without being too astringent, plus, again, I was surprised by the fact that I could actually taste the malt comeback on the finish.

Impressions: Very light, refreshing, perfect for session. A little too light to drink with chili dogs, which is what I was having for lunch when I sampled this, but if I'd been outside picnicking (it was too cool outside and rain was threatening) it would not have been inappropriate.

I'm more inclined to call this an American pale ale than a west coast pale ale, based on the fact that it's not as piney as I've come to expect from that part of the country. This almost tasted like some of the microbrews I've had in Massachussetts and Pennsylvania.

Will I buy this beer again? It's not available on this coast, but if I can ever get it here, yes, I will. I'd also like to try some of the brewer's other offerings, such as their Belgian trippel and IPAs.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Rebel Beer

Price comparison: Cheap. Less than many domestics.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.4%

Cute bottle/label? Not really (green twelve-ounce glass with very Bavarian-looking red font on a white label; gold wrap on the neck with Pivni red seal imprinted thereon) but, if you're looking to be entertained, there's always this ad poster:
http://www.beersince1933.com/rebelposter.jpg.

Appearance: Very blonde gold with a snowy head and sticky lace.

Scent: If I smell a loaf of bread, a sauce, or anything else non-beer related and say, "This smells like beer," it's a compliment. When I say the same thing about a beer ... not so much. Rebel just, well, smells like beer. If you want to get snobby about it, I suppose you could say it smells like a decent lager, but that's semantics.

Flavor: Absolutely nothing distinguishing. Light malt to start, little to no finish whatsoever. Okay mouthfeel, and less watery than domestic, but no warmth.

Impressions: I haven't been able to work much with new beers lately, and I decided to write this classic up for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I had not represented the Czech Republic at all in this site, and they do make very serviceable, clean beers, of which this is one example. Secondly, this is pretty easily available, and thirdly, it's very inexpensive; fourthly, and probably most importantly, Rebel, for all its unremarkability, is a multitasker to the extreme.

Will I buy this beer again? My personal preference tends toward ales rather than lagers, and I can't in good conscience recommend a beer with this low of an alcohol percentage without warning you not to try to get drunk with it, since your bladder will explode first. But Rebel sets off savory foods extremely well without overpowering them, is very thirst-quenching, and is incredibly inexpensive and available. I often order Rebel in bars where they have only a few imports lined up and everyone else is drinking Bud Light.

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Romulan Ale

Price comparison: $1.50 per twelve ounce bottle.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Not listed, but certainly very low. No more than 4%, at a guess.

Cute bottle/label? 12 ounce clear, standard-shaped bottle. Metallic label depicting the blue, green, and black insignia of the Romulan Empire; logo in Romulan with a Federation (standard English) translation.

Appearance: It's fucking blue, people. Windex-blue. With a short-lived head that was also undeniably blue.

Scent: Inoffensive, light lager nose. Nothing specific springs to attention, aroma-wise.

Flavor: It tasted better than I expected it to, under the circumstances. Flavorwise, a very mild lager; nice balance of light malt and hops. Easy mouthfeel and surprisingly light, dry finish.

Impressions: I wanted this to be a hell of a lot stronger than it was, just because it's legendary in the fictional Star Trek universe for having been outlawed due to its potency.

Will I buy this beer again? Absolutely not, and I'm going to tell you why.

It did taste okay, as I said. It would go well paired with any food you might drink pilsner with (ethnic spicy foods, shellfish, strong greens like arugula and watercress). I think it might have a tendency to skunk if not bought extremely fresh and kept only for a short time, very cold and away from light (due to the clear bottle), but the bottle I had was fine.

It occurred to me I might buy some more if I was expecting one of my fellow geekoids to visit. I could break out the bottle of Romulan Ale and some funky glasses and we could get down with our bad pocket-protected selves. (I might, to make it a bit more authentic, add some vodka or grain alcohol to increase the "illegal in the Federation" credibility status.)

However, the next morning I decided I will never do that.

I just have two words for you. Blue. Pee.

If you want to try this once, go for it ... make sure the bottle is very new, chill it (and the glass, if you're planning to pour it) well, and save the bottle, because the label is very cool in a dorky way. Do not expect to be overwhelmed by the flavor, do not expect it to take you anywhere, alcoholically, and do be prepared to be horrified when your body finishes processing the beer and rinses out the dye.

Rating:

5 out of 5 chalk marks. Chalking it up to experience.

Cerveza Potro

Price comparison: About $3 per sixteen ounces.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.7%

Cute bottle/label? 25 ounce cobalt-blue bottle with a squat base and extreme long neck. Label is silver and blue; very eye-catching and attractive.

A tag hung round the neck by a silver elasticized cord gives a bit of history: The Cervecera Mexicana, an old name in Mexican brewing trying to reestablish itself, apparently bought a brewery in Illinois and had its equipment dismantled, shipped in twenty flat rail cars to Guanajuato, and reassembled.

Appearance: Very dark, with a thin brownish head and no lacing.

Scent: Nice, grainy scent like cornmeal or toasted white bread.

Flavor: A thin bitterness like unsweetened instant coffee, with a slightly chocolate reminiscence as it warmed, but very little in terms of fruit or hoppiness. I wished it tasted as good as it smelled.

Impressions: I have been on the lookout for more Mexican beers, because I don't care for Corona, XX and Modelo are decent but get boring from their mere ubiquitousness, and Casta, my favorite, isn't always readily available. I was immediately attracted to this based on its pretty bottle, but its low ABV and lack of character were kind of disappointing.

Seemed kind of silly, when they could just as easily have left those vats in Illinois.

Will I buy this beer again? About the only reason I see for buying this again myself is if I decide I want another of these pretty blue bottles so I'll have a pair. I think they'd make nice candlesticks.

If you like porters, you might want to try this, just for the experience of it, but I'd be more inclined to recommend a different brand to fans of the variety. Given a choice at a Mexican restaurant between this and, say, Heineken, I'd personally grab the Heinie (or, more likely, drink soda or water).

Rating:

2 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Shiner Bock

Availability: Year-round, but not nationwide. Only shipped to twenty states in the U.S. (predominantly southern).

Price comparison: More than one would normally pay for major brands down south, but about the same as one would pay for major brands in Connecticut.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Unlisted, but low; at a guess, I'd say between 3 and 4% alcohol.

Cute bottle/label? Standard brown glass twelve-ouncer; yellow and brown label with a front view of a yellow livestocky-looking animal with big curly horns. I don't know what exact species it is; it looked rather like a lion with ram's horns instead of a mane, which doesn't occur in nature, I'm fairly sure. Eventually, someone is going to tell me what it is supposed to be and I will feel extremely stupid for not having recognized it. I've prepared myself for the humiliation.

Appearance: Darkly-hued but transparent amber with a white head. Decent carbonation but not spectacular, spotty lace on the glass.

Scent: Slightly malty; nothing jumped out at me to be compared to anything else. Clean.

Flavor: Less sweet and sticky than I have come to expect from a bock. Light malt and a dry, unremarkable finish.

Impressions: Very fresh, with a thin mouthfeel that, coupled with its low alcohol content, made it quite refreshing. Not as fragrant as a lager, but its lack of complexity reminded me more of that style than of a bock. The industry does not considered Shiner to be a craft beer, but I'd venture to say that it pretty much is. There's no other excuse for a beer to seem this German when it originates in a proudly-patriotic state such as Texas.

Will I buy this beer again? This is what I will drink when I am visiting the southern United States, but it's not readily available in my part of the country. I'm sure the Shiner folks feel I ought to relocate on that basis, but I think it would be a bit more cost-effective if they would just increase their distribution.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Hang Ten Honey Wheat

Availability: Seasonal, on tap (not available into growlers) only, at Hops brewpubs.

Price comparison: About $3.75 USD per 16-ounce pint.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Unlisted, but low; certainly no more than 3½% alcohol.

Cute bottle/label? No, but lots of other merchandising (beer glasses and t-shirts available for sale at the brewpubs).

Appearance: Bright goldeny-yellow; very clear. Small white head left a thin lace island on the surface. Very lively carbonation.

Scent: Light hoppiness reminiscent of English breakfast tea.

Flavor: Mild honey; hoppier than the average wheat brew; nothing special at the finish.

Impressions: Obviously a very young brew. The mouthfeel was thin and the alcohol virtually nonexistent. That said, it tasted very good and was extremely thirst quenching. Good complement to the restaurant's overall menu, which is not what one would call heart-friendly (but hella good).

Will I buy this beer again? It's seasonal, but if they've got a vat going next time I'm in Hops, that is, indeed, what I'll be having.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Ruddles County Ale

Price comparison: Slightly less than the average domestic, but only because it was part of a special promotional package. I believe the regular price of this beer is about the same or a bit more than the average domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.7%.

Cute bottle/label? Chunky 25 ounce clear glass bottle with a ripcap. Also available in nitro cans.

Appearance: Clear orange with a small off-white head and not much lace. Syrupy brown ring left behind in the bottom of the bottle (possibly a common thing not usually noticed except that this bottle is of clear glass).

Scent: Lightly nutty, with some citrus and pineapple and some fruitlike hops.

Flavor: Sweet malt with some gentle fruitiness to it, and a very bitter hops finish. Became more malty as it warmed.

Impressions: I'd never seen a ripcap before and found it so amusing that I put it onto my keyring. Also, I liked the ripcap in the sense that the bottle had a nice wide mouth but was not threaded, making it pretty easy to drink out of if that's your thing.

This is an extremely drinkable session brew, thirst-quenching, but not particularly strong. Two were in order to get the nice buzz of one better-balanced and smaller (twelve-ounce) Canadian ale, yet two also meant twice as many bathroom breaks. Furthermore, I felt this ale could have used the creamy mouthfeel usually imparted by the nitro can to improve its flavor, cute as the ripcap was.

Will I buy this beer again? Perhaps in the nitro can. I will, however, be on the lookout for other brews with the ripcap. I do find them very cute indeed.

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Belhaven Best Draught

Price comparison: Slightly more than the average domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 3.9%

Cute bottle/label? 440ml nitro can in a deep teal color with an oval logo.

Appearance: Clear dark gold with a lavish nitro head, cascading bubbles, and thick streaks of lace.

Scent: A little malt, but nothing too discernable.

Flavor: Not much. An unpleasant sense of alkalinity that I suspect derives from its low ABV in proportion to its high carbonation.

Impressions: This is Belhaven's Best? This? I think, in terms of light beer, this is one of the better ones I've had, and it's got to be fairly low-carb if that's what you're in the market for (though, as an import, there is no nutritional information on the can), but honestly. I was disappointed.

Will I buy this beer again? I think I'll just stick with Belhaven's Wee Heavy, thanks.

Rating:

2 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Layla Dirty Blonde Lager

Recommended by: Spencer the Scruffy Beer Kid

Price comparison: About the same as everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: I cannot find a listing, nor is it noted on the bottle. Whatever it is, it's low; certainly less than 5%.

Cute bottle/label? Six-pack of standard shaped 11.2-ounce brown glass bottles; oval navy blue label trimmed with red and depicting a stringed instrument drawn in rather a Chagall style.

Appearance: Dark clear yellow-orange with a small white head and no lace.

Scent: Hoppy without being perfumy, i.e., more like leaves than like flowers.

Flavor: Light and uncomplicated; hoppier than the average lager with a little bit of caramel and malt at the finish.

Impressions: Another helpful pronunciation hint from your friendly neighborhood amateur beer reviewer: the name of this beer looks like "Layla" (the girl who had Eric Clapton on his knees) but is actually pronounced "lie-lah" (like Delilah, the woman who punked Samson and Tom Jones) and is the Hebrew word for "evening".

But I digress.

This is a clean beer, refreshing, drinkable, more interesting and robust (and certainly hoppier) than a traditional lager. It would pair well with barbecue or a strong seafood like grilled salmon. And yes, it's kosher, if that's what you're shopping for.

Will I buy this beer again? I might. I wasn't wowed, but neither was I put off. My guess is that I would only purchase this again for something different to serve to family and friends, from a nation not normally heard from in terms of beer.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Adnams Suffolk Special Bitter

Price comparison: About $2 more per 24 ounces than the average national domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.3%

Cute bottle/label? 25 ounce heavy brown glass bottle with Adnams name molded into the base of the glass. Label is orange and purple depicting the lighthouse at Southwold.

Appearance: Clear bright orange with a smooth white, long-lasting head and clingy lace.

Scent: Very clean, lightly metallic but not unappetizingly so; floral and citrus hops.

Flavor: Malt and some butter with a refreshing bitter finish.

Impressions: As with just about any British bitter, don't serve it freshly cold out of the fridge. I pull this stuff out and let it sit on the counter unopened for twenty minutes to half an hour before pouring it into a chilled glass. It's a bit harshly carbonated, but great with anything salty.

Will I buy this beer again? Very refreshing and drinkable; well balanced and uncomplicated. Also it's fairly easy to get hold of and not terribly expensive. There are bitters I prefer, but I don't dislike this one and I can recommend it with a clear conscience as well. Good drinking on a school/work night, with its low ABV.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Ravell

Availability: Sporadic. Not only is Ravell not available year-round, it's not released at a specific time or season; rather, at the whim of Magic Hat Brewery.

Price comparison: Priced about the same as the average national domestics.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.9%

Cute bottle/label? Single 1.375 pint brown glass bottle. Magic Hat labeling is always very funky pop-artsy and this particular label depicts I'm-not-sure-what; it looks sort of like a cross between an x-ray of a hand and one of those 1960's table-art pieces made of metal rods and ping-pong balls. Also traditional with Magic Hat offerings, don't forget to read the inside of the cap, the beer drinker's equivalent of the fortune cookie. This cap said, "Don't try to prevent a predestined event."

Appearance: Black and opaque as strong coffee, with an almost pinkish head, neither thick nor enduring. The lacing, however, is steadfast and left polkadots on the glass.

Scent: A very strong aroma of bittersweet chocolate and freshly scraped vanilla bean, also a roasted essence to it like burgundy.

Flavor: Rich, dark-roasted coffee with vanilla; also that toasted oat character that I tend to expect from a porter. Some maltiness that never actually resolves into sweetness, and a clean finish light with alcohol and smokiness.

Impressions: The differences between Ravell and Stoney Creek Vanilla Porter are analagous to the differences between Turkish-brewed and automatic-drip coffee. As good as the Stoney Creek was, it seems like a thin copy of this porter. Plus, with Ravell, you get the bottle cap. I'm always amused by the cap.

Will I buy this beer again? As many points as Ravell wins for being one of the most satisfying domestic porters I've tasted, it loses some by its lack of availability. Yes, I will buy it again, and yes, it will be a treat, because when it's gone, you never know when it's coming back.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Smashie's Amber Lager

Availability: On tap at a John Harvards brewpub only.

Price comparison: Standard beer-on-tap pricing, or a sampling at $1 per 2-3 ounce serving.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Varies from brewing to brewing; this sample was about 4.8%.

Cute bottle/label? One of five tiny glasses served on a divided wooden paddle.

Appearance: Hazy red-gold with no head, but a thin film of lace on the surface.

Scent: Toasted malt and very floral hops.

Flavor: The flavor is predominantly malt, very crisp and light, with a lot more hops at the finish.

Impressions: Of the five beers I sampled on this trip, this was the one I liked the least, and, furthermore, it was the reason I didn't get any nut-brown ale (they weren't planning on brewing more till the amber lager was used up). However, leaving bias out of the equation, this was not really terrible, just not as wonderful as the others (reviews pending, hang in there).

Will I buy this beer again? At John Harvard's you basically have to take what they've got. This would be a very bad thing if you were dealing with a bar that only supplied national brands, but John Harvard's is a brewpub, and you can be secure in the knowledge that what you are getting is the freshest, most versatile, most drinkable beer they can produce. Don't try to get drunk off their low ABV offerings; you'll just be asking for a night of constant restroom-hopping and a headache the next day. Order the style of beer you like and their version is bound to make you happy. If you're not sure what goes with what you're eating, ask your server or bartender; they do know.

This particular lager is more appetizing to me and has more character than bottled lager. I would order it again at a John Harvard's if it were available and I were eating something that traditionally pairs with lager (their fresh bread, for instance, is heavy on rosemary and garlic and is served with infused olive oil for dipping).

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

John Harvard's Light

Availability: On tap at a John Harvard's brewpub only.

Price comparison: Standard beer-on-tap pricing, or a sampling at $1 per 2-3 ounce serving.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Varies from brewing to brewing; this sample was about 3½%.

Cute bottle/label? One of five tiny sample glasses served on a divided wooden paddle.

Appearance: Clear yellow with scant head but decent lacing.

Scent: Clean, light cereal-like flavor, reminiscent of wheat germ.

Flavor: Fresh hoppiness with a faintly nutty back; more pronounced as it warmed. Definitely reminded me of walnut or pecan at the finish.

Impressions: Extremely drinkable, of course, given the low ABV. This is designed to accompany a diversified selection of foods and to introduce pub guests to different brews, and it performs its task admirably.

Will I buy this beer again? Its flavor, while more balanced and interesting than the average light macrobrew, is a bit too light for my personal taste, but I don't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who's looking for a light beer on tap.

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Speight's Gold Medal Ale

Recommended by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: Not in Connecticut. You can get specially pasteurized singles at Trader Joe's in some states, but they don't taste the same as the stuff available to the Lord of the Rings cast, assuming they drank whilst filming and assuming they drank beers. Well, it was available for them. Whether or not they had any was their own prerogatives, I reckon.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4%

Cute bottle/label? 500 ml. navy can with orange and yellow trim.

Appearance: Rust-colored with thick white head and islands of lace on the surface.

Scent: Very faint malt.

Flavor: Light autumn fruitiness (Bartlett pears, maybe?) and malt, with some hops actually distinguishable. A bit of a metallic carbonation aftertaste.

Impressions: Of the three New Zealand beers I've sampled thus far, this is the most flavorful.

Will I buy this beer again? I would be more apt to purchase this than a domestic macrobrew if it were readily available, but it's just not.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Boddington's Pub Ale

Price comparison: About $2 more per 24 ounces than the average national domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.7%

Cute bottle/label? Black and yellow nitro can depicting a barrel with two bees (representing the two B's of Boddingtons Breweries) sitting on it.

Appearance: Pale gold with the trademark tight head and downward-flowing carbonation of the nitro can. Thin strips of lace left behind as the glass is emptied; diagonal smears of near-microscopic bubbles cluster on the glass below the surface of the ale.

Scent: Maybe a little bit of malt and yeast, but really nothing specifically discernable in the aroma.

Flavor: Very smooth and subtle; slight hops and a vaguely metallic finish.

Impressions: Take the can out of the fridge ten minutes before cracking it open and it tastes a lot better than if you pour it cold.

Will I buy this beer again? It's pretty good, but the best thing about it by far is the mouthfeel; the creamy nitro texture combined with the low ABV make for a very comfortable brew altogether. It doesn't have a lot of distinction, flavorwise, and it's a bit pricey, but I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this again, especially if I was going to be serving it to someone unused to higher alcohol ales. Also, while its lack of assertiveness works against it as a session brew, in my opinion, it works in its favor in terms of versatility; this ale would taste right with just about any food.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Tui East India Pale Ale

Recommended by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: Some availability in the US (in its specially pasteurized import incarnation) at specialty markets in some states. Unavailable in Connecticut; I had to have a Kiwi take pity on me and send me the real deal.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4%

Cute bottle/label? Squat little 330 ml. orange can, sloganed "classic beer big reputation".

Appearance: Gorgeous clear copper with bright white, thick head and gobs of lace on the glass.

Scent: The aroma pretty much reminds me of filtered apple juice. I'm just not detecting anything else, no matter how much I sniff.

Flavor: Not horrid, but nothing specifically distinguishable in its flavor whatsoever.

Impressions: I don't really think of this as an IPA. I don't taste any hops in it at all, even on the finish. It's very lightly flavored, and practically nonalcoholic by my standards, and, as such, it's thirst-quenching, but I'd be more inclined to believe this was a lager based on the flavor and mouthfeel.

Will I buy this beer again? I'm finding, as I progress, that these sporty little NZ beers have certain traits in common: those who've had the specially-imported versions think they are vile, whereas those who've had the real thing more or less agree they're not too bad. In this country - and others - we tend to expect more bang for our buck, so it's been an odd concept for me to accept a beer knowing well in advance that it is not meant to give me a buzz; rather, it should slake a dry throat, prevent dehydration, and, possibly, wash down a meal. There are beers in America that do little more than that yet promise so much more. But that doesn't answer the question, does it?

Truth is, this was bloody hard for me to get hold of, and I imagine it was a bloody lot of trouble for Darsha to get it to me. If I could get hold of the real thing (as opposed to the crappy American Trader Joe's imported versions), and if it weren't such a hassle to get it, I'd be more inclined to buy this than to buy domestic macrobrews such as Budweiser or Miller. It's more enjoyable both from the visual and the drinkability standpoints. However, when all's said and done, I am still a bit disappointed that it doesn't taste like an IPA, and being that it's so hard to get, whereas I can buy quality domestic IPAs very conveniently, I'd have to say that this was worth it for the experience, and I wouldn't turn it down if it were available, but I won't ask the Beer Fairy to send more of it.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Export Gold

Recommended by: Darsha

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Availability: That's tricky. This beer, in an altered (specially pasteurized) form, can be purchased in some specialty markets (such as Trader Joe's) throughout the U.S., but not in Connecticut. Fortunately, I have scored some of the real New Zealand stuff thanks to the above-mentioned Beer Fairy.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4%

Cute bottle/label? Unremarkable gold-toned 500ml can.

Appearance: Pale yellow with a big white head and clingy lace.

Scent: Not a whole lot happening, specifically. Light maltiness.

Flavor: Slight malt flavor with some hoppiness in the back, but not much. A bit salty at the finish.

Impressions: This beer is neither better nor worse than the average U.S. major brand. It's cool and refreshing and does exactly what it's designed to do: unlike its American brethren, this beer is marketed specifically as a low-alcohol brew to make it thirst-quenching and drinkable, and thus desired by young people participating in sporting events. In other words, it's enough to make them feel cool and less thirsty but not enough to impair them.

Will I buy this beer again? I don't think I could. As I mentioned, it's available in some states, but not in its virginal New Zealand incarnation, and based on what I've heard from people in other states who have bought this at Trader Joe's, the U.S. version is less than palatable. If you're a Yank, better find a friend in New Zealand who's willing to send you care packages. As for me, I already owe Darsha my firstborn, if I ever have one. If she sends me more, I'll drink it or share it without a problem, but I won't ask her to go out of her way to get it to me.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

"He-Brew" Messiah Bold

Recommended by: Grover 72

Price comparison: I don't know; it was a gift.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.6%

Cute bottle/label? Six-pack of standard shaped 12-ounce brown glass bottles with a rabbinic-looking fellow painted on the label and a history/description of the brew written on the side (beginning with the words "Why is this beer different from all other beers?" - a parody of the first of the four Passover questions).

Appearance: Dark brown with a small white head and not much lace.

Scent: Roasted nuts (such as hazelnuts or Brazil nuts) and lots of malt.

Flavor: Nutty and sweet, very little in the way of hops. Some faint butterscotch as it warmed; dry finish but sweet aftertaste.

Impressions: Pretty good for a brown ale; certainly better than I was expecting considering the silliness-to-the-point-of-vague-offensiveness of the ethnic jokes all over the label. The alcohol percentage is low average so you could drink this all night if you wanted to.

Will I buy this beer again? I'm not a huge fan of brown ale, so I probably won't buy this again, but it's no reflection on either the beer, the brewer, or Grover 72 - just a matter of personal taste.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale

Price comparison: About twice what I pay for everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 4.7%

Cute bottle/label? This was the selling point, without question. Black Sheep Breweries utilizes an interesting bottle for all their bitters: a capsule-shaped brown glass bottle with broad shoulders (decorated with a cluster of grapevines* around their perimeter) holding a generous pint and nine ounces of liquid refreshment. The Monty Python Holy Grail Ale is no exception there. What makes it unique is its label, specially commissioned for the 30th anniversary of British comedy troupe Monty Python: a bright yellow background is home to a cartoon by Python artist/film director Terry Gilliam, hearkening back to the feature film Monty Python's Holy Grail. The "gr" in "grail" is exed out, furthering the joke and leading to the punch line: a subtext in smaller font reading "Tempered over burning witches."

Appearance: Caramel-colored with a nice head and a satisfactory island of lace on the surface.

Scent: A light yeastiness, other scents ambiguous to the point of being either nonexistent or just unrecognizable.

Flavor: Unremarkable British bitter ale. Nicely balanced and not at all unpleasant. Reminded me of eating pretzels (a little saltiness and baked flavor) but the aftertaste is more bittersweet.

Impressions: Definitely worth it for the collectibility of the bottle. Otherwise, there are better brews from the same part of the world, and equally good bitters from the same brewery, that go down about the same but far less expensively. Although I imagine the argument could be made that it was difficult for them to get as good a flavor as they did get, considering the number of witches they had to burn for the tempering process.

Will I buy this beer again? Honestly, I can't recommend this bitter for any reason other than its novelty factor. It's not bad but it's certainly not outstanding, nor did I expect it to be. I bought it for the bottle, I have the bottle, and that's enough for me.

However, I am not unaware that some of you, like me, want the bottle, and will therefore want to drink the ale, just to say you did. If you don't normally drink British bitter ale, this may taste funny to you. And funny, while important if you're a member of a 30 year-old comedy troupe, is not always welcome in a beverage.

Drink it cool, not ice cold (chill it for maybe half an hour in the refrigerator from room temperature), and go ahead and drink it from the bottle, the shape of which is designed to allow for such crassness, and will give you the best benefit of the flavors contained therein.

Wash the bottle carefully on the inside only after consuming the ale, and replace the cap, which will be one of those things that some silly appraiser in a badly-fitted suit will want to see some twenty years from now. Store away from direct sunlight to prevent fading of the label, and dust with a dry cloth only. Keep on a sturdy shelf, out of the reach of cats, small children with balls, and helpful husbands who say, "But it's got a deposit tag, don't you want to recycle it?"

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses overall (really, about a two, but extra props for the collectibility factor)

* It's a hop-vine with clusters of hops, not a grapevine as I thought. Thanks to Jim Lundstrom at the Post Crescent in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA for pointing out my dingbatitude.