Brew Reviews

Ommegeddon

Availability: Limited batches; from the Ommegang brewery only and not available in stores or bars.

Price comparison: Free tasting at the brewery. Overpriced for purchase ($12 USD), in my opinion, but it's a highly specialized item.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Labeled as an 8%, but I felt it might possibly have aged ¼ to ½ percent stronger.

Cute bottle/label? 750 ml cage-corked bottle. Did not get to examine the bottle or check the batch number; label depicts an atomic bomb blast, of course. Served by a brewery volunteer in a disposable two-ounce plastic cup, which probably did not do it justice, but I'll allow it because, hey, the tour is free and I got to taste six other beers too, plus a variety of beer-washed cheeses, beer-mustards, horseradish pickles, and as many pretzels as I wanted. And Belgian chocolate. (People, if you are in the upper New York State area, near Cooperstown, do not miss this tour.)

Appearance: Bright golden with a stiff meringue-like head that dissipated too quickly, but might last longer in proper glassware.

Scent: A touch of sort-of buttery yeast with some small citrusy hops.

Flavor: A little, shall we say, funky, like drinking unsweetened lemonade while standing in a farmyard, but not in an unpleasant way. The mouthfeel was sharper at the start, but warmed almost to a feel that was, not quite creamy ... I'd almost say slippery, but that's not right either. Somewhere in between. Again, not unpleasantly. The pepperiness subsided to more of a citrus acidic finish, not unlike a lambic.

Impressions: Nicely balanced for a wild ale, and not as sour to my palate as a lambic, but definitely good to go with salty foods, or even a salad if it's got a strongly flavored, creamy dressing.

Will I buy this beer again? It's not available in stores, and I didn't buy a bottle at the brewery because I felt it was overpriced, but it wasn't bad at all, and if someone gave it to me as a gift, I'd accept it with genuine thanks and drink it quite easily.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

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

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

City Pale Ale

Availability: I guess nationwide, since it's from Wisconsin, but I got it in a restaurant (which shall remain nameless for reasons that will soon become obvious) in Connecticut. Supposedly a springtime selection, but here it is January and I scored one.

Price comparison: The same price as all the other bottled beers at the restaurant, which is to say, about twice what one would pay buying a national brand in a store and drinking it at home.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5½%.

Cute bottle/label? Twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a very attractive metallic gold-and-green label.

Appearance: Light amber with an off-white head. Probably would have poured prettier had the glass been, well, glass. Points off for the plastic cup. (Don't even bother asking if it was chilled, as I will have to laugh at you till juice comes out of my nose. The cup was still warm from the dishwasher. I could weep.)

Scent: Malty citrus, with a little bit of that Milwaukee-ish hops, but only when I smelled the bottle, not the cup.

Flavor: Not as hoppy as most examples of what I consider a "pale ale," but certainly more flavorful than Budweiser and less offensive than Miller.

Impressions: Not particularly interesting, but serviceable and smooth for what it was, a decent value, and probably would have been better right out of the bottle. Went pretty well with the steak and baked potato I had for dinner.

Will I buy this beer again? I wouldn't drink it out of plastic again, and I don't think it's worth buying or drinking as a session beer, but it's got a flavor like what Budweiser would like to be when it grows up. Also, it's good to know I have options next time I want beer when I eat at this restaurant.

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Never Summer Ale

Availability: Winter release only.

Price comparison: Dunno. It was part of my Beer of the Month Winter shipment, which was a gift. I've never seen this beer available locally, but I know that it must be, because the bottle has a CT refund listing of 5¢ on its label.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5.94%.

Cute bottle/label? Standard brown glass twelve-ouncer with an attractive snowy-mountain-blue-sky-intensive label. The copy on the side of the label is delightfully pretentious, chock full of fun adjectives such as "aggressive" and "assertively hopped."

Appearance: A pretty reddish brown with an off-white head, leaving rings of lace on the glass.

Scent: I detected a touch of cranberry at first inhalation. Also brown sugar, raisin, and a touch of yeast and hops.

Flavor: Very citrusy and hoppy, with sweet malts and not a lot of spiciness.

Impressions: Went down altogether too smoothly. I don't mean to imply that this is a bad thing in the slightest. If you like beer at all, this is an ideal example of what to be looking for: not too strong to drink by itself, yet strong enough that you can get a buzz faster than by consuming equal amounts of domestic macrobrews; flavorful enough to hold your interest by itself, but not so overpowering that it would insult cheese or seafood; a winter beer that you could, conceivably, drink whilst sitting in an armchair by the fireplace, but not so spicy that you couldn't just sit at the bar and enjoy it for what it is.

Will I buy this beer again? Guess I'll have to. I've only got two bottles left and I think I'm going to have to trade at least one of them. It's only available in wintertime, so I'll have to act pretty fast. The worst thing about it was the copy, and, frankly, I got a kick out of that. It was just so ... silly.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Newport Storm '05

Availability: Limited edition; probably long gone, since we're nearly into '07 already.

Price comparison: It was a gift from my brother. The company distributes other offerings throughout the New England area, and I know that its brewery in Rhode Island only dispenses beer in ½ gallon growlers at a cost of $10 for fresh brewed, but the Newport Storm is a high-alcohol limited edition and must retail for much more.

Alcohol percentage by volume: It was 11.7% when I got it, and I only managed to cellar it for a year before I couldn't stand any more suspense.

Cute bottle/label? Beautiful, slender cobalt glass 750-ml. bottle, corked like fine wine.

Appearance: Deep mahogany with pleasant carbonation, but no matter how patiently I poured, I couldn't get a head out of it. The most I could manage was a single layer of sparse bubbles in a thready island atop the chalice.

Scent: The first whiff reminded me of brownies — a dark-chocolate, baked aroma. Behind that was yeast, malt, and a cut-wood (as opposed to a growing tree) essence.

Flavor: Very like whiskey but with too much maltiness to not be immediately identified as beer with attitude. Undertones of raisins and black cherry, very warm and almost too sweet.

Impressions: A slight alcohol burn at the finish. I wish I'd gotten two bottles so I could see how much better it would have gotten with the benefit of even longer cellaring. A bit too strong for session, it would pair well with any strongly-flavored main course and probably should, because I think, especially after having aged an additional year after purchase, it probably packs more of a punch than its taste and feel imply.

Will I buy this beer again? About the worst thing I can say about this beer is that it's probably no longer available, and if someone's got some, it's either going to go at a pretty high price or require an awfully dear trade. Good as it was, I can't justify going into debt over it.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Cookhouse Ale

Availability: Cookhouse restaurants only

Price comparison: $5 a pint on tap at the restaurant. ($2 drafts on Sundays after two and Monday nights during football season.)

Alcohol percentage by volume: Unknown (house brew, varying averages). Certainly no more than 5% and probably less because it was very fresh.

Cute bottle/label? Served on tap in a chilled stout glass. Not proper glassware, as such, if one is going to be all anal about such things, but stout glasses are durable, economical, and sensible in a barbecue restaurant on a football day. And it was chilled, which is a point of consideration.

Appearance: Clear deep golden with a creamy white head. Not much visible carbonation activity.

Scent: Flowery hops.

Flavor: Slight hint of grassy bell pepper and citrus, but overall, a startling resemblance to a sixty-minute IPA in flavor (though not in kick); extremely hoppy and very little malt throughout. Clean, crisp mouthfeel with light sparkly bubbles, and a nicely dry finish.

Impressions: Tasty and refreshing pale ale. Very light and easily drinkable. Would probably cellar well if someone wanted to take the time and effort to bottle and store it. If your tastes don't tend toward stronger, more alcoholic beers, this is an excellent session brew and also pairs very well with the barbecue and home-cooking that is the Cookhouse's signature style.

My main problem with this beer is its non-nationwide status. I could recommend it to everyone I know, but many of them wouldn't be able even to sample it without getting on a plane. I can't see the Cookhouse bottling it for distribution anytime soon, and I can't say I blame them.

Will I buy this beer again? The first time I ate at this restaurant, I had Magic Hat 9 just because I was so delighted to find it on tap. However, having discovered this house offering, I'll be ordering Cookhouse Ale from now on, unless I specifically want something stronger.

Rating:

3½ 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

Great Lakes Burning River

Availability: Year-round, but only in the Great Lakes region of the United States.

Price comparison: Dunno. Drank it as a guest of Nrem and Tawly.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; label depicts, appropriately enough, a photograph of a burning river.

Appearance: I drank it from the bottle and neglected to check its clarity, color, and head retention. I'll wait here for your lawsuits.

Scent: Mild piney hops and brown rice or toasted wheat, with hints of flower perfume.

Flavor: Subtle malt and hops, with a soft, not overly carbonated mouthfeel and a very clean finish.

Impressions: The name, derived from any one of the three times that Cleveland's polluted Cuyahoga River caught fire, was a bit off-putting, but the beer is serviceable and very drinkable.

Will I buy this beer again? A decent, tasty, and relaxing session beer, sufficiently mild in flavor profile to pair well with pretty much any savory food, this beer only loses points with me in the fact that it's not available nationwide. I'll have more when I'm back in that part of the country, but I can't get it at home.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Victory Storm King

Availability: Winter seasonal.

Price comparison: About $1 more per twelve ounces than nationally-branded beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 9.1%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; black with a purple and gold owl face on the front. Bottled date is listed as January of 2005.

Appearance: Opaque black with a lingering cocoa-colored head.

Scent: Deeply roasted (almost burnt) malt but also a surprisingly prominent characteristic of pinelike hops. A burgundy-like alcohol aroma was also present.

Flavor: Coffee-like malt but very well balanced by some brown sugar and citrus undertones from the hops. The contrast between the bitterness, sweetness, and tang, coupled with a light, natural-feeling carbonation, softened any boozy harshness and made this very smooth and drinkable.

Impressions: A nicely unusual approach to imperial stout. It's definitely got the right characteristics but the hoppiness makes it all-American. Absolutely delicious. A great pairing with rare beef or bitter greens, but I wouldn't say no to it with a strongly-flavored dessert, such as dark chocolate or black cherries.

Definitely drinkable enough to be enjoyed on its own, but prudence would dictate limiting onesself, as its easiness camouflages its high alcohol content.

Will I buy this beer again? Individual bottles, as they are available. I wouldn't want a six-pack of this around; I'd be too tempted to overindulge. This is definitely a dark beer lover's dark beer, so don't try to use Storm King to change the minds of any anti-stout-heads.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

Availability: Nationwide in the US, year-round.

Price comparison: About the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5.2%.

Cute bottle/label? Twelve ounce standard brown glass bottle. Labeled in earth-tones with a background image of coffee beans, presumably because roasted chicory roots are visually unattractive, and chicory leaves, while very pretty indeed, are actually radicchio, which has nothing to do with this beer and would therefore be very misleading indeed.

The above information has been provided by the Department of Useless Knowledge.

As always, the copywriters at Dogfish Head have provided a folksy description of the bottle's contents on the label, in this case, reading "A rich, dark brew smoothed out with a touch of roasted chicory and organic Mexican coffee. Goodness beneath a bone white head."

Appearance: The stout itself is a luxurious dark brown, with a dark, old-gold luster when held to the light.

As to the "bone white" head, apparently this is some strange definition of "bone white" with which I was not previously familiar, said definition being "dark tan".

I thought perhaps my eyeballs were dirty, so I called for a color confirmation from others in the vicinity, but by the time they reached me (about twenty seconds from my hail of, "Hey, come here for a minute"), the head was dissipated. So they didn't get to see the head, but we all agreed, from the threads of brown lace clinging to the glass, that my eyes were as clean as they are ever going to be, and bone-whiteness, by our standards, was simply not present.

Scent: Definitive espresso prominence, but also whiffs of strong black tea and an easy, toasted maltiness.

Flavor: The richness of the aroma loses in translation with the comparitively thin mouthfeel. The first flavor characteristic I was aware of was chemical carbonation, always a disappointment after such a promising scent, but it opened up a little once it warmed; black coffee and a bit of bitter chocolate, with maybe a hint of the promised chicory at the finish.

Impressions: The "bone white head" thing threw me for a loop, as I mentioned. Leaving that out of the equation, I felt the overall flavor profile was just not all that balanced. By far not the worst beer I've ever tasted, and certainly superior in my opinion than domestic macrobrews, but the mouthfeel would have had to be a little creamier for me not to feel a bit let-down by the whole experience.

Will I buy this beer again? I probably won't. The flavors are strong, but not pleasant enough to enjoy on their own, and other stouts - in fact, other Dogfish Head offerings - are as readily available and better executed.

Normally I'd say this is "worth a try, once", but I'd really prefer not to encourage the brewery to stick with this formula. If this is the only Dogfish Head beer carried by your local packaged goods store, ask them if they'd mind check their distributors' catalogs for other varieties.

Rating:

2 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Horn Dog

Price comparison: About $2 more per twelve ounces than national-branded beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 10½%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; label depicts a slavering creature that appears to be a crossbreed of a rabid dog and a dinosaur of some sort, given that it has spiny plates on its back and a large, rhino-like horn protuding from its forehead. This barleywinelike ale is a member of "the Flying Dog Litter of Ales."

Appearance: Dark reddish-black with a thick tan head that dissolved down to a small island of lace.

Scent: Plums, saltwater, heavy malt, alcohol.

Flavor: Very sweet, with prominent alcohol; malt and slightly like cherries in the first tasting, becoming more like toasted nuts as it warmed. Very slight hops and a thin finish with a vague alcoholic aftertaste.

Impressions: Neither barleywine nor ale, this is too thin to be warming in cold weather and too boozy to be refreshing in hot weather. Serve it with food, preferably a meal as opposed to snacks, and preferably something with some bitterness or smokiness: chili or sausage would stand up to this nicely and keep you from overindulging.

Will I buy this beer again? It's not bad, and for the price, it's slightly more cost-effective, if not as impressive, as barleywine. Also, I love the Flying Dog punkass labels. I'd buy this again and serve it with dinner if I was having company that could appreciate that artwork.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Weyerbacher Blanche

Availability: On tap in New York State.

Price comparison: About the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5%.

Cute bottle/label? 10-ounce sample from the kegs at the MOBY DICK.

Appearance: Cloudy, pale, not-quite-straw-colored. More of a manila folder-colored with maybe a little more yellow to it. The head was thick and bright-white, but neither lingered nor left any traces on the glass.

Scent: Lemon peel, brown rice, and a touch of yeastiness.

Flavor: A bit of spiciness and hops to the start, with coriander seed and a bit of acidity at the back and a dry, clovelike finish.

Impressions: It was interesting; not the best witbier I've ever tasted and the slight acidity in the flavor needed a partner. I think I wouldn't mind drinking this with a salad or bitter greens, but I didn't think of it as a session beer or a beer whose flavor would stand on its own.

Will I buy this beer again? It was okay, but I won't be going back to fill my ½-gallon growlers with it. Weyerbacher has other varieties that I prefer and other brewers have other witbiers that I prefer, but this was worth the experience and if it was offered to me again (say, at a picnic) I'd certainly feel safe drinking it and knowing it's not that bad.

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Morimoto Soba Signature Ale

Availability: Limited edition available only in select markets.

Price comparison: About $2 more (per twelve ounces) than the average domestic national brand.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Unlisted; around 6%.

Cute bottle/label? Twenty-two ounce brown glass bottle with an image of Iron Chef Morimotosan in traditional Asian garb silkscreened directly to the bottle in blue and white.

Appearance: Hazy orange with quickly dissipating head and no residual lace.

Scent: Vaguely toasty malt and light fruit tones.

Flavor: More malt than hops, with light citrus and berry overtones, and a woodsy finish.

Impressions: It wasn't bad at all, but not quite as interesting in flavor as the Morimoto Hazelnut.

Will I buy this beer again? I might; it was refreshing and drinkable, and would go well with seafood.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Victory Old Horizontal

Availability: Fall seasonal. I got lucky.

Price comparison: About the same as everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 11%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; the label has a "man in the moon" crescent moon wearing a nightcap, lying on his "back" and snoring tiny Zs into the night sky.

Appearance: Deep tawny brown with sheets of spotty ivory lace left on the glass.

Scent: Sweet malt, black grapes, vanilla or caramel, and some light hops.

Flavor: Grapefruit, a bit of pepper, and hops, with a very easy malt finish.

Impressions: Far more dry than the aroma suggested, and absolutely less sweet than the average barleywine. The malt is balanced to the point where the alcohol is not terribly blatant, and it's eminently drinkable. I'm thinking this would go well anywhere that a fine burgundy would go.

I absolutely recommend this barleywine to anyone who claims that all barleywines are too sweet to be drinkable.

Will I buy this beer again? If it wouldn't already be after 8:00 pm by the time I got there, I'd already be on my way to the package store. I hope it isn't all gone by the time I get back over there, or I'll have to wait till fall rolls around again.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Hop Rod Rye

Availability: Summer seasonal.

Price comparison: About the same per twelve ounces as everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 8%

Cute bottle/label? Twenty-two ounce brown glass with standard metal cap; black label decorated in bright primary colors with flames and an old-time auto circa 1930s.

Appearance: Brunette with thick, nearly-white foam that left sheets of lace on the goblet.

Scent: Cider, lemon peel, grapes, clean malt, and an interestingly forestlike hoppiness. (I almost said pine, which is sort of what it reminded me of, but not like pine cleaner. Like trees. Okay? Okay.)

Flavor: Hugely hoppy, but balanced incredibly well by the maltiness, which isn't so much sweet as it is breadlike (most likely due to the high concentration of rye in the grain content). Very dry, pithy finish, balanced more to the malt than to the hops.

Impressions: Exceedingly refreshing and surprisingly drinkable. Very full-bodied and deceptive - it drinks like a 4% alcohol and therefore kicks you twice as hard.

In respect of the flavor balance, the fact that this is a summer offering is not astonishing. Whether your preference is cold, dark-green salads and hot grilled vegetables, slow-smoked barbecue, or plain old hot dogs and hamburgers, this would be a great treat. I might even drink this with a strong seafood such as grilled salmon, but I think it would overtake anything really delicate.

Will I buy this beer again? I bought two this time round, 'cos the label was so cute I wanted to give one to a friend. However, the beer's so good he may not get it after all.

Rating:

4 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

Sparks

Price comparison: About $1.50 US per can.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6%

Cute bottle/label? Silver 16-ounce can with an orange strip round the top; designed to parody a well-known copper-topped battery.

Appearance: Day-Glo orange with no head but fairly serious bright yellow lace.

Scent: Orange Triaminic, with a hint of Tang (like the astronauts drink!)

Flavor: Orange Life-Savers, completely overpowering any discernable alcohol flavor and causing it to be very deceptive indeed.

Impressions: It's not beer, but neither is it a malt beverage. Well, I suppose it is, by Food and Drug Administration guidelines. But honestly, Sparks is neither more nor less than an energy beverage a fizzy lifting drink with a kick not imparted by ginsing, taurine, caffeine, sugar, or any of the other traditional energy beverage fizzy lifting drink ingredients.

Will I buy this beer again? I don't feel very energetic, but I have a slight buzz. Yeah, I'll probably buy it again. Just don't call it beer.

Rating:

Happy April Fool's Day.

Thumbsucker

Availability: Winter seasonal.

Price comparison: About $10.00 USD per 750 ml.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 7.9%.

Cute bottle/label? 750 ml opaque black, nearly-triangular bottle, corked, caged, and foiled. This is part of Magic Hat's series of Epic brews, but I've no idea why they call it Thumbsucker.

Appearance: Black as ink, with a sticky, quickly-dissolving cocoa-colored head. Poured very thickly with little carbonation.

Scent: Apples, cherries, rum, and bourbon.

Flavor: Very roasty, almost burnt quality to the malt, with sweet alcohol and a slight hoppiness. The finish is slightly nutty, with some bitterness more reminiscent of coffee than of hops. The drinkability factor is affected by a considerable afterburn, surprising with the low ABV on this imperial stout.

Impressions: The alcohol flavor is prevalent and nearly overpowers the beer.

Will I buy this beer again? Cute bottle, decent imperial stout at a more reasonable price (but less of a kick) than the Dogfish Head offerings. This is a seasonal, but I do like it well enough to get it again next time it rolls around.

If you have the opportunity to try this, don't attempt to finish the bottle yourself and don't drink it on an empty stomach. It's not classy enough to serve with a fancy meal, but it is warming enough to have after dinner, in six-ounce wine goblets if you've got some, or chilled rock glasses if you don't.

If you're not going to have a full meal with this, at least get yourself some salty snacks. It burns like whiskey. But in that good way.

Rating:

4½ 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

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

Wagner Valley IPA

Price comparison: About the cost of a national domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown bottle; black label with orange oval-shaped logo. Not at all special.

Appearance: Nice clear amber with a big white head that dissolved quickly but left rings on the glass.

Scent: Scent of spices and orchard fruits (pears and apples) when the bottle was opened; more hops emerged as the brew warmed.

Flavor: Smooth citrus with heavily floral hops, not much malt immediately, but a powdery dry finish with a little bit of warm malt present.

Impressions: Served cold, it was very refreshing for a humid summer night and its low ABV made it pretty relaxing and drinkable.

Will I buy this beer again? This is a good summer session beer - I wouldn't go tearing around in the sun and try to use this to rehydrate myself, but it lends itself well to sitting quietly and fanning oneself whilst recuperating from a long day at work. It would be a good complement to any meal cooked on the grill.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Weyerbacher Raspberry Imperial Stout

Availability: Winter seasonal; couldn't get it in Connecticut, but New York had it.

Price comparison: About $1 to $2 more per six-pack than the average domestic national brand.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 8%

Cute bottle/label? Twelve-ounce standard-shaped bottle with a bright red label.

Appearance: Dark, nearly black, but glowing burgundy when held to the light. Sparse brown head with very little lacing.

Scent: Raspberry (duh), chocolate, burnt malt, chicory, with a smokiness throughout.

Flavor: Bitter chocolate with more raspberry apparent as it warmed; not much hops but a pleasant alkalinity in the middle. Sweet but not cloying raspberry-and-malt finish.

Impressions: Neither as sweet as Chambord nor as creamy as a traditional stout, but an interesting combination of the two concepts. Tasted odd with food, but would go nicely after dinner. And with its 8% ABV, I would recommend a full meal before having this one.

Will I buy this beer again? Yes, I want more of this, and soon.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Morimoto Hazelnut Signature Ale

Availability: Not listed as such, but I believe this is a limited edition available only in select markets.

Price comparison: About $2 more (per twelve ounces) than the average domestic national brand.

Alcohol percentage by volume: Unlisted; at a guess, less than 6%

Cute bottle/label? Twenty-two ounce brown glass bottle with an image of Iron Chef Morimotosan in traditional Asian garb silkscreened directly to the bottle.

Appearance: Chocolatey brown with small head and some lace.

Scent: Definitely hazelnut, with undertones of cocoa and smooth coffee.

Flavor: Slight nuttiness without being overpowering, peppery hops at the finish. More malt in the flavor as it warmed.

Impressions: Allez taverne!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Can you blame me?

This was a nice little treat. Very drinkable; I finished the whole bottle in no time, with no ill effects. Ironically, I think this is too brusque to match with the more delicate styles of Japanese cuisine, but it would complement hibachi fairly well, and would also pair well with red meat or game. If you're a vegetarian, don't have this with dinner, wait and have it with dessert instead; I found it went surprisingly well with chocolate ice cream.

Will I buy this beer again? I'm learning my lesson. I liked this enough that I want some more; therefore, I must buy it now in case it is indeed a limited edition. I don't know how well it will mature, but I do know that Rogue brewery uses special capping processes to absorb oxygen and the malt-to-hops balance was such that I don't see it corking off or getting skunky; it should be quite stable to hang onto, at least for a little while.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Rogue Imperial Stout

Price comparison: About a dollar more (per twelve ounces) than the average domestic national brand.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 10½%

Cute bottle/label? Usually available in six-packs of twelve-ounce standard-shaped bottles with a purple and orange label, but this time I had a ½ gallon growler filled at the tap at the MOBY DICK.

Appearance: "It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is: none. None more black."

The head, such as it is, is cocoa-colored and does not last, but leaves rings of lace on the glass and a light swirl of film on the surface of the beer.

Scent: Black grapes and coffee with very heavy hops.

Flavor: Bitter chocolate with toasted malt and a really hoppy finish.

Impressions: I think I could sell this to my friends who claim not to like stout; it's got the strength, kick, and thinner mouthfeel of a nice ale, and it isn't as malt-intensive as traditional stout. Sort of a cross between IPA and stout. Good with strong, salty foods.

Will I buy this beer again? I have bought this in bottles before; this is the first time I've had it on tap and it's really good this way.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Rare Vos

Price comparison: About $2 more per 12 ounces than the average national domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6½%

Cute bottle/label? 750ml brown glass corked and caged; red and white label, nothing special. Also available in four-pack.

Appearance: Dark orange with a creamy white head and lots of lacing.

Scent: Tart and spicy like citrus peel.

Flavor: Very light malt, with mixed fruity sweetness as it warmed. Clean and uncomplicated finish.

Impressions: Stronger carbonation and lighter in mouthfeel than I tend to expect from a Belgian-style, but not in a bad way.

Will I buy this beer again? In the four-pack next time, but yeah. Good stuff.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Boont Amber Ale

Recommended by: Spencer the Scruffy Beer Kid

Price comparison: About the same as everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5.8%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; the label depicts a clear mountain stream tableau with an antlered bear that reminds me of a jackalope.

Appearance: Deep rust-red with a tan head and sheets of lace left on the glass.

Scent: Strong floral and grapefruitlike hops, with an almost piney aroma involved as well.

Flavor: A hodgepodge of citrus, flowers, hops, rosemary, a bit of malt and rum caramel, with a bit of yeast in the finish.

Impressions: Very drinkable indeed. More than one is in order, but more than one is not a problem. You could have this by itself, in moderation, or drink lots of it with heavy thirst-inducing foods.

Will I buy this beer again? I'm there. Bring it.

Rating:

4 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

Dogfish Head Au Courant

Availability: Winter seasonal.

Price comparison: About 1½ times the price of a domestic national brand.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 7%

Cute bottle/label? It's Dogfish Head. Standard shaped 12-ounce brown glass bottle wrapped in the usual understated matte label with a bit of cleverness; in this case, "brewed with currants to bolster your bluster in the colder weather."

Appearance: Brightly transparent gold with neither discernable head nor lace. Not flat, just very lightly carbonated.

Scent: Mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, maybe some wild cherry) and white grapes. I don't really smell any currants at all.

Flavor: Tastes very mixed-berry indeed; not much alelike in the flavor. Some malt comes through as the mixture warms, but overall the flavor is rather weak.

Impressions: The concept really sounded better than it tasted. It's all right, but I expect better than "all right" from Dogfish Head.

Will I buy this beer again? I can safely say no to this one. Dogfish Head's got better offerings, including year-round IPAs that kick ass and take names. I'll have those instead, thanks.

Rating:

2½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Stoney Creek Vanilla Porter

Price comparison: About the same as national-branded beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5½%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; standard Stoney Creek fish (I think it's a trout, but what do I know about fish?) logo centered on the label in beige-on-beige tones.

Appearance: Dark brown, nearly purple, with a thick tan head and vivacious carbonation. Streaks of thin lace left on the glass.

Scent: Cocoa, vanilla, coffee, malt.

Flavor: Roasted chicory and toasted white bread with vanilla bean (not artificial vanilla flavoring) on exhalation. More vanilla on the tongue as it warmed.

Impressions: I hope I can have this on tap someday, or perhaps find it in a nitro can, because although it tastes very nice, the carbonation of the bottled product is a bit harsh in mouthfeel.

Will I buy this beer again? It's satisfying; not too sweet; a very good session porter and good value for the money. One of those things you need to be in the mood for, as opposed to being a regular player, but I would serve this as a dessert beer without hesitation.

Rating:

3½ 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

Road Dog

Price comparison: About the same as national-branded beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6.08%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; label depicts a punk-ass bad (as in "bad to the bone" bad, not poorly-drawn) pen-and-ink drawing of a pit bull in shades saying, "Good beer; no shit." Also a mini-lineup on the side of "the Flying Dog Litter of Ales," clever, but too small to make out the names as such.

For the record, I would like to state that I bought this almost completely on the basis of being attracted to the label.

Appearance: Dark brownish-black with a thin tan head that disappated to a small disc of lace on the beer's surface.

Scent: Black grapes and malt.

Flavor: Hoppier than I expected given the scent; nicely bitter and citrusy with a finish reminiscent of dark greens like kale or spinach.

Impressions: The bottle says this is a Scottish porter. I found this quite drinkable indeed, but it feels thinner than a porter and more bitter than a typical Scottish ale. I'm not sure how to characterize this. Dark color notwithstanding, I'm inclined to just call it a "bitter" and recommend it with nice strong food like curry or Szechuan.

Will I buy this beer again? It tastes good and is very refreshing, even though it's not really a porter. And it's got a really cool label. How can you not want a beer that has one of the Seven Words You Can't Say on Television right on it in plain sight?

I'm not going to buy it again just yet, but only because I now know about the Flying Dog brewery and am curious about its other offerings (litter-mates). Once I've tried those, I imagine I'll be having some more Road Dog.

Rating:

3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses

Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine

DISCLAIMER .... DRUNK REVIEW.

Availability: Limited edition.

Price comparison: Just over twice the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 15%.

Cute bottle/label? Standard 12-ounce brown glass with the typical matte Dogfish Head label depicting a cowboy and a suggestion to wrap the bottle in a plastic bag and bury it in the yard for a year.

Appearance: Deep hazy bronze with small white head and thin lace.

Scent: Sweet spices, banana, and tangerine.

Flavor: Very malty and sweet (more like sugars than like fruits), but with a good backbone of hops and a boozy afterburn. Dries nicely at the finish.

Impressions: Another point on the label: it says to pour the contents of the bottle into two snifters. As I'm sure you can tell, I have been giggling about this since I polished off the bottle.

Will I buy this beer again? I actually bought two today, so I could try one and either cellar or share the other. I'm going to share the other, but I am going to buy yet another for cellaring.

Rating:

Bring on the shiny cuppage.

5 out of 5 GOLD CHALICES

Brooklyn Monster Ale

Availability: Limited edition (2003 vintage).

Price comparison: About $2 more per six-pack than everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 11.8%.

Cute bottle/label? Standard shaped 12-ounce brown glass bottle; silver metallic label with the trademark white-on-green "B" (for Brooklyn) logo.

Appearance: Deep brown with a short-lived tan head. No lace.

Scent: Booze. Well, okay, some malt, but I had to work for it. Mostly booze.

Flavor: Sweet, brandylike flavor; closer to barleywine than to beer, really. No detectable hops bitterness. Kind of like straight rum at the finish.

Impressions: Not as elegant as L'Onze (Unibroue's Eleven) nor as good of a buzz as Dogfish Head's 120-Minute IPA, but certainly an acceptable flavor for a barleywine, and reasonably priced, especially when you consider that you don't need as much of this as you would of standard session beer. I'd recommend having it with a meal rather than with snacks to keep it from being overwhelming; the sweetness (nearly to the point of crassness) needs to be balanced a bit. Burgers, pizza, or possibly a dinner-sized salad with a strong vinaigrette is the sort of thing I mean.

Will I buy this beer again? If I can grab some more of this vintage, I will, and put aside at least one bottle for rereview next year. As far as drinking it now, maybe occasionally, when I want that kick without spending the extra fold.

Rating:

3 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Dogfish Head Snowblower

Availability: Winter seasonal; available on-cask only.

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

Alcohol percentage by volume: 7%

Cute bottle/label? A ½ gallon growler filled at the tap at the MOBY DICK, so, no.

Appearance: Hazy gold with a fluffy white head.

Scent: Cashews and light hops.

Flavor: Buttery, with a malt background and a crisp finish.

Impressions: More subtle than the other Dogfish Head offerings but delicious.

Will I buy this beer again? Whenever it's available and I have an empty growler on hand.

Rating:

4 out of 5 cute beer glasses

Hops Infusion

Price comparison: About the cost of a national domestic.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6.2%

Cute bottle/label? None (bought ½ gallon on cask).

Appearance: Translucent orange with nicely tingly carbonation. Small ivory head with a semicircle of lace around the perimeter of the surface.

Scent: Floral hops with some starchy sweetness like buttered cornbread.

Flavor: Bitter citrus and hops, some malt that is mostly overtaken by the hoppiness; a pepper/lemon zest finish.

Impressions: Very bitter (seven kinds of hops!) and its light mouthfeel and not-painful ABV make it a good thirst quencher.

Will I buy this beer again? I liked this pretty well. It definitely wants something salty to balance the hops, so plan accordingly or you'll finish off the whole bag of pretzels without being aware of it. I had it with spicy food at dinner and avoided the eating-too-much issue, but only barely. I'm enjoying the whole novelty of being able to purchase draught beer without having to buy a keg of macrobrew, so this is probably going to be my Super Bowl beer this year.

Rating:

3½ 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

V-12

Availability: 2002 vintage; limited quantities still available for purchase.

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

Alcohol percentage by volume: 12% at brewing (in 2002). Oh, yes. I have 12% Beer.

Cute bottle/label? 750 ml brown glass, corked and caged. The cork is marked with the year; the bottle is labeled in jewel-tones of red, orange, blue, and yellow.

Appearance: Dark copper brightening to a golden orange at the heart of the goblet. Quickly dissappating ivory head yielded attractive tendrils of lace.

Scent: Summer fruits (apples, pears, plums) with a nice allspice backdrop; pleasantly yeasty as it warmed.

Flavor: Pears, peaches, apricots; a bit of brandy; the overall flavor gently balanced with malt for a nice crisp finish. Sweeter than an everyday beer, but with enough hops to keep it from being cloying.

Impressions: Oh, my heavens, I never thought I'd taste a domestic beer this pretty. They refer to it as "Belgian-inspired" and, although I don't see that so much, the 12% ABV does make it a huge beer; really a bit much for session, especially since the alcohol is all but completely camouflaged, but it left me with a warm glow - the perfect antidote for the bitter cold outside.

Will I buy this beer again? V for Victory. I like the Golden Monkey. I like the Hopdevil. I love the V-12. I will buy another for immediate consumption and yet another to put away for safekeeping.

Rating:

5 out of 5 cute beer glasses — perfect score!

"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

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

Availability: Winter seasonal.

Price comparison: About twice the price of everyday beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 6.1%.

Cute bottle/label? Standard shaped 12-ounce brown glass bottle; label depicting a bunch of snowmen toting cases and six-packs of beer.

Appearance: Dark cola-colored with a short-lived tan head.

Scent: A bit like burnt toast, not in a bad way as such.

Flavor: Slight mocha feel to the taste, with some malt but no detectable hops. Dry finish.

Impressions: This beer was offered to me at the MOBY DICK as an alternative to the Weyerbacher Raspberry Imperial Stout, which was out of stock. It was good, but it just wasn't what I was looking for. Touted as a "strong ale", it wasn't particularly strong, and no matter how strong a strong ale is, it can't ever be an alternative to stout, if stout was what you were craving.

Will I buy this beer again? I didn't dislike this beer, even if it wasn't a stout. I'm not planning on going out of my way to get more (cute snowmen notwithstanding), but if it came my way I wouldn't say no to it. I'd say it'd be a nice winter session ale in the sense that you could probably drink a couple without getting too impaired and not need to relinquish your comfy seat by the fireplace to have a pee. I'd also venture to say this wouldn't taste at all bad washing down grilled meats or strongly-flavored veggies like mushrooms.

Rating:

3 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

Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager

Recommended by: trinity63

Availability: Couldn't get it in Connecticut, but found it in New York.

Price comparison: About $3 more per six-pack than national-branded beer.

Alcohol percentage by volume: 5%

Cute bottle/label? Standard twelve-ounce brown glass; label depicts a murky mysterious moonlit bayou. Spooky-cool.

Appearance: Dark brownish-black that glowed garnet when held to the light. Tan head that left thick smears of lace on the glass.

Scent: Black grapes; malt; coffee.

Flavor: Smooth, sweet malt with not much hops, also a light smokiness around the edges.

Impressions: This beer is eminently drinkable. Slighly overcarbonated and almost deliberately sweet and salty at once, a perfect balance for Cajun or (as I had it tonight) Tex-Mex food.

Will I buy this beer again? Not as elusive as the Sam Adams Triple Bock was, but still pretty hard to get to, and kind of pricy. However, I like it an awful lot. I figure I'll buy it whenever I'm in New York anyway, just out of convenience, but I'm really not in New York a lot.

Rating:

3½ 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 be