Sweet Water IPA #craftbeer #beerreviews #IPA

Sweet Water IPA from Sweet Water Brewing Company is from Atlanta Georgia.  There is about 65 IBU’s in this beer with an ABV of 6.7%.  I got this beer going down to Kentucky and I actually saw it in a gas station.  I was pumped to see some good craft brew.

Appearance-  With a steady pour I get about a 1.5 finger of tiny bubbled head.  This beer is highly carbonated with a beautiful burnt orange color to it.  This is the definition of a light amber beer.  Totally transparent the whole way through the beer.  Great lacing the entire way down the glass.

Smell-  HUGE lemon hop scent right on the front of the nose with a sweet malt finish to it.  High amounts of grapefruit and citrus are present in this beer.  It has all of those tropical fruit scents to it that are appeasing.  There is a bit of a malt background to this beer.

Taste-  Wow that is perhaps the lemoniest IPA I have had.  That is incredibly interesting.  I get more of the grapefruit on the middle of the tongue with almost zero lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue.  There is a slight malty caramel sweetness on the end of the taste for sure.

Mouthfeel-  this beer goes down so smooth its unreal.  The mouthfeel is quite light and the carbonation makes it highly drinkable and the low ABV makes it sessionable.  When I think of a summer time/ lawn mower IPA I will imagine this beer.

Overall, this is a great IPA.  The crispness of this brew is fantastic.  I would recommend this to any beer drinker.  Actually, my friend was here as I reviewed it and he loved it (his favorite beer is miller 64).  Yes it’s that good and I will definitely pick up another six pack next summer if I get the chance.  This is not my favorite IPA by any means but the subtle differences really lead me to enjoy it.  CHEERS!

Bell's Two Hearted Ale Beer Review #IPA #craftbeer

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is an American IPA brewed in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  This IPA weighs in with a 7% ABV and has about 55 IBU’s.  I have always wanted to try this beer and I finally got it in a mix and match six pack.  Here goes nothing!

Appearance-  With a nice aggressive pour a 1.5 finger of tiny bubbled head forms.  This beer is a beautiful like rusty orange color.  This brew is not totally transparent there is a little bit of floaties going on but that is ok.  Totally see through though.

Smell-  Right off the nose I get a nice citrus orange scent followed by a nice floralness to the hops.  BIG pineapple on the second smell.  Really, I get a nice sweet caramel to the malt.  The smell seems incredibly balanced and I hope the taste follows suit.

Taste-   Wow nice floral hops with HUGE citrus notes.  Literally the first sip made my mouth begging for more like I immediately salivated.  Second sip I get big big big notes of pineapple with even I bit of mandarin orange.  I get just the tiniest hint of caramel malt in this beer but the hops by no means are over bitter.

Mouthfeel- This brew leaves a nice coating in your mouth so I would say it has a light to medium Mouthfeel.  This beer is dangerously drinkable for a 7% ABV this beer goes down like it’s a 4%.  Very drinkable especially on a hot day.

Overall, this is a fantastic style of the American IPA.  I would give this to any craft beer drinker and this could be a huge bridge beer for a non-craft drinker to the craft scene.  This is the first time I have has this beer and it did not disappoint whatsoever I will definitely buy this beer again.  CHEERS!

Midas Touch Craft Beer Review #craftbeer #ancientale

Midas Touch is brewed by Dogfish Head brewing Company and is part of their ancient ale series.  Dogfish Head is located in Milton, Delaware.  This beer weighs in with a pretty high ABV of 9.0% with about 12 IBU’s.  I have wanted to try this ancient ale beer for quite a while now and I finally saw it on sale so I snatched one up. 

Appearance- With a heavy pour only about a .5 finger of white foam holds.  It is a yellow orange color with a bit of haziness to it.  There is medium to low carbonation.  Decent lacing does occur even though it has such a low head.

Smell- There is kind of a rancid smell to this brew.  I get like that kind of pea soup smell to it with a tiny bit of the grapes that they mention on the bottle.  There is a sort of spiciness to it that I really cannot pick out but it is definitely not appealing to me.

Taste- The taste is much better than the smell.  I get a nice malty almost honey like sweetness on the front of the tongue.  The aftertaste is kind of strange like a wet cardboard almost but I don’t mind it at all.  The more it warms up the better I like it.  I taste like a nice honey malt taste to it with a hint of white grapes it is kind of appeasing.

Mouthfeel- It is a medium bodied beer with a nice dry after taste.  I really enjoy the dryness to the beer it makes you want to go back for another sip.  This is not a sessionable beer with the 9% ABV but the alcohol is not present at all.

Overall, I actually enjoy this quite a bit.  The smell really lowers my rating because it does not smell anything like it tastes.  I do think the taste is quite complex and not for a beginner.  I never would have expected to like this but I actually do.  CHEERS!

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Beer Review #paleale #beerreivew

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California.  This beer weighs in at 5.6% ABV with 37 IBU’s.  Almost every craft beer drinker has tried this beer and it never ceases to amaze me.  I am excited to finally review it. 

Appearance- Beautiful light amber brown color with about a 1.5 finger of white tiny bubbled foam.  Medium high amounts of carbonation and fully transparent even due to the darkness.  This beer has incredible head retention the entire way down the class.

Smell- I get a nice bit of floral hops with just a bit of pine.  However, I do really get a nice bready and malty characteristics to this beer as well.  A nice floralness is definitely present for sure that is honestly really appetizing for a pale ale.

Taste- Well, that’s a pretty damn good pale ale.  It has that nice floral and malty characteristics that complement each other very nicely.  There is a great hop bitterness on the end as well, which is nice for a pale ale it really is hoppier than a normal one.

Mouthfeel-  This brew has a light to medium body.  This to me is the definition of a sessionable craft beer.  Nice full body but light enough to drink all day long.  Honestly this is my tailgating beer that really gets my friends into craft beer.

Overall, I really think this is one of the best pale ales I have had even though it is so widely known and distributed.  The hoppiness is fantastic being just below an IPA.  I recommend this to any craft drinker and also as a bridge beer to new craft drinkers.  CHEERS!

Dundee Kölsch Style Ale Beer Review #Kölsch #craftbeer

Dundee Kölsch Style ale is brewed by Genesee Brewing Co. / Dundee Brewing Co. in New York, United States.  This wheat beer weighs in at 5.1% ABV with about 10 IBU’s.  I got this beer from my dad and am pretty excited to try it.  CHEERS!

Appearance- Fully transparent brew with about a 1.5 finger of head with tightly compacted bubbles.  The color is close to like a roasted straw with just a very small hint of brown.  This beer has mildly high carbonation with actually really good lace retention.

Smell- There is not much to the smell honestly.  I get like a sweet malt with hints of like a corn or some sort of graininess.  Now that I am smelling it more, I actually pick up like a bit of honey with some roasted malt.  Very little on the nose though, I really had to search for it.

Taste- Wow taste is much better than the smell.  I really only get like a wheat and malt sweetness but I at least get something out of it.  This is definitely a grain centered beer with like a little bit of a honey back ground.  There is a slight grassiness to the end of the beer that makes it crisp.  It is a very sweet beer the more it warms up.

Mouthfeel-  The look is actually kind of deceiving there is a bit of a medium body to this beer.  It is quite pleasant actually.  This beer is highly sessionable with the low ABV and I would definitely consider this a lawn mower beer.

Overall, it is a mediocre beer.  I know it is a wheat beer so that is usually not my style; however I could see this as a sessionable tailgating beer.  I would recommend this definitely as a transition beer that could really turn someone into a craft drinker eventually.  CHEERS!

Oskar Blue's Ten FIDY Russian Imperial Stout #imperialstout #beerreview

Oskar Blue’s Ten FIDY is a Russian Imperial Stout from Oskar Blue’s Brewing Company in Colorado, but this one was brewed in Brevard, North Carolina.  This beer comes in with a big 10.5% ABV and 98 IBU’s.  This beer was canned only 3 weeks ago so it really is pretty fresh.  This is the first time I have had this beer and it was not cheap, so let’s hope it was worth the cost.  Hope you guys enjoy!

Appearance- Wow literally black as night, it is totally black.  There is a beautiful one inch head that is burn khaki brown with pretty small bubbles.  The head is lasting incredibly for such a high ABV beer.  In addition, beautiful lacing on the glass; wow very creamy looking.

Smell- Big dark chocolate and cocoa hit the nose really hard.  Which is then followed by a nice burnt roasted malt scent.  Huge amounts of coffee just penetrate your nostrils with a bit of dark fruits like raisons for sure.  Great smelling beer without a doubt.

Taste- Nice bitterness that just dances and lingers on your tongue upfront.  Right as it subsides though huge coffee and burnt malt come storming through.  Massive amounts of a dark chocolate sweetness followed with some toffee and vanilla undertones.  Definitely a hint of booziness though which is to be expected with a high ABV brew.

Mouthfeel- Very heavy bodied brew, it is very creamy the whole time in your mouth.  It just holds to your teeth beautifully.  It is a little warm the whole way down but boy is it good.  This Russian Imperial Stout goes down very smoothly and is highly drinkable, definitely not a session beer though.

Overall, probably one of the best Russian Imperial Stouts I have had yet.  It really through me off guard for being so tasty.  I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stouts, DEFINITELY not a transition beer.  I think it tastes some developed taste buds to enjoy this beer.  CHEERS!

Founding Father's Lager Beer Review #beer #lager #beerreview

Today I am reviewing Founding Fathers Lager Beer.  It is brewed in Long Lake, Minnesota with an unlisted ABV.  I got this beer actually because it said on the bottle “50% of all profits of Founding Fathers products are donated to the families of the United States Military.”  Therefore, ‘Merica and support the troops! Enjoy the review!

Appearance- This brew has a nice amber brown color with about a 1 finger off white head that lasts a little while actually.  There is high carbonation and is totally transparent.  The more I look at it the more reddish brown it becomes it looks like a nice lager.

Smell- Wow off the front of the nose, huge roasted malt hits me.  After looking into it further, there is definitely a graininess present with a crisp finish.  I don’t smell a lot out of this beer it is just consumed by the roasted malt.

Taste- Lots of roasted malt and barley especially on the back of the tongue.  There is a biscuity and bready finish to this lager and not so much a grassiness.  The roasted malt really isn’t balanced too well though, there is only sweetness without much of a hoppy finish.

Mouthfeel- The color is deceiving.  It is incredibly light in the mouth and going down.  This beer is highly sessionable with such a low ABV and really does not fill you up whatsoever.  I get very little coating on the teeth.

Overall, it is an okay beer.  I do not really enjoy it a lot, but it is definitely better than some lagers (duh).  But really I would never buy it again except for the fact that it helps families in need.  I would recommend this as a tailgating beer for buddies who really don’t like craft beer but want something else as a change.  CHEERS!

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale Beer Review #craftbeer #brownale

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale is from Samuel Smith Old Brewery in Tadcaster, England.  It is 5.0% ABV and has 31 IBU’s.  This was another beer we sampled in a beer tasting event that I put on.  I cannot wait to review it.  Enjoy!

Appearance- Very murky golden brown beer.  There is a little white head with high amounts of carbonation.  It is see through, but there is little visibility to say the least.  There is very nice lacing the entire way down the glass.

Smell- Big hazelnut and pecan slam you right in the face with a huge amount of malt sweetness.  There is definitely a toasted malt/barley smell.  Honestly, I know it is crazy but it smells like the candy twizzlers.

Taste- As cliché as it is I am getting crazy amounts of nuts.  There is a lot of hazelnut and roasted malt that just radiate with high amounts of sweetness.  I might even be getting a bit of like a dehydrated papaya.

Mouthfeel- Medium body that does leave a little bit of a nice coating on the teeth.  Very high drinkability, it goes down dangerously smooth.  I would really consider this a sessionable beer I could drink many of these in a night.

Overall, best brown ale I have ever had.  I think it just matches the description of a brown ale.  Anyone, I mean anyone, could enjoy this brew.  I highly recommend it to anyone and I would definitely buy this beer again.  CHEERS!

Rogue Juniper Pale Ale Beer Review #craftbeer #paleale #review

Juniper Pale Ale is brewed by Rogue Ales in Oregon State.  It is a 5.4% ABV brew with 34 IBU’s.  Juniper Pale Ale is a winter brew that is considered an herb/spiced beer.  My friend brought this over for a beer tasting so I cannot wait to review it.  Enjoy!

Appearance- This is a cloudy golden orange color brew.  With an aggressive poor a one finger head form and the high carbonation held it for a nice while.  In addition, this beer is highly transparent you have no problem seeing right through it.  Finally, it leaves nice lacing the entire way down the glass.

Smell- Right off the nose you get nice amounts of pineapple, peaches and even a little bit of pine.  A little malt sweetness is also there, just to bring the right balance to the brew.  With another sniff I am really getting more of the tropical notes with some softer fruits such as pear presenting itself maybe even a little floralness.

Taste- I am getting a nice floral and tropical hop on the tip of the tongue.  The pear becomes much more clear and even a little bit of dark fruits.  There is also a great malt sweetness to this beer.  Honestly the taste is much different than what I got in the smell.

Mouthfeel- Very light to medium body, for being a winter beer it feels more like a summer one.  However, it is very sessionable.  You cannot taste any of the alcohol which is expected and there is a high drinkability.

Overall, this could be a big transition beer for transferring being into the world of craft beer.  Not my favorite beer for sure but I did enjoy it.  I probably would not buy it, but I am glad I got to try it.  CHEERS!

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy Beer Review #craftbeer #weissbeer #review

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy from Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company comes weighing in at 4.2% ABV with 13 IBU’s.  This is definitely a blown up mainstream craft beer, since it actually has air time.  I figured since summer just ended I’ll try one out so it keeps the season going.  Hope you enjoy!

Appearance- I actually really like the appearance.  It is a very hazy brew that almost looks unfiltered.  With an aggressive pour there is about a 1 finger head with very little retention.  The color itself is a very pale yellow with a lot of haze to it.  It honestly looks quite nice.

Smell- Right off the initial nose, I of course get lime and lemon right away, but there is actually a decently strong vanilla aroma to it that I enjoy.  With the second sniff, I get a faint malt mixed in with even more lime than before.  The vanilla is really surprising me, if you look for it you’ll definitely pick it up.

Taste- The initial taste is very mild with undertones of lime predominately.  Immediately followed by almost a rancid malt after taste.  If placed on the tip of the tongue the lemon does really pop out, with just a bit of that sweet smelling vanilla.  Summer Shandy is kind of a huge let down on the taste, not a whole lot going on with it.

Mouthfeel- Incredibly watery and has a high drinkability.  I think this could definitely be a session beer for anyone because it is extremely thin and light.  It is OBVIOUSLY a summer beer.  It really reminds me of a pineapple brew I had in Taiwan incredibly watery but goes down smooth. 

Overall, Summer Shandy is decent.  I would drink this as a lawn mower beer if someone gave me it.  I would not ever buy it for myself mainly because that is not my go to brew.  I would recommend it to anyone who wants a Shandy in the summer, but not to any serious craft beer fanatic.  This is highly sessionable to say the least. CHEERS!

Shipyard Brewing Company Export Ale #blondeale #review #beer

Shipyard Export is brewed in Portland, Maine from shipyard brewing co.  It is a 5.1% ABV and a blonde ale.  Well, I got this brew from my good buddy and I am excited to try it. I am not a huge fan of blonde ales, but I am ready to review it.  Enjoy!

Appearance- For being a blonde ale, this beer is much darker than a regular blonde.  It is almost a brown orange instead of a straw yellow.  With an aggressive pour a two finger head appeared and it is lasting a bit.  It is totally transparent and highly carbonated.

Smell- A really rich malt hits the nose after the first initial smell.  I can smell a little bit of roastiness to the malt, but then followed by a bit of a grassy and crisp ending to it.  Definitely a grainy brew, but way less grassy than most blonde ales.

Taste- Off the initial taste, really all I get is a roasted malt on the tongue.  There is a little bit of a sour aftertaste as well.  With the second gulp, I do get more of that grain and a certain spice to it.  The aftertaste though on the second sip is actually kind of gross.

Mouthfeel- Definitely a medium bodied beer.  The drink-ability is actually pretty high, but I can actually taste the alcohol which is strange since it is only 5.1%.  I think it could be session-able but I am just not a huge blonde ale fan.

Overall, I would recommend this beer to someone I want to bridge over into the craft beer world.  It is a crafty enough but normal enough to get someone to transfer to the good side.  However, I would never buy this again for myself or any of my craft drinking friends.  CHEERS!

Raging Bitch Belgian style IPA #review #belgianIPA #beer

So, I kind of got this beer on a whim my buddy was going to the six pack shop and I gave him some money and said surprise me.  Therefore, I do not know much about this beer, other than the art work, so this is an unbiased opinion.  Enjoy!

Appearance- With an aggressive pour, a beautiful two finger creamy head appears and is lingering quite nicely.  It has a creamy head with large bubbles.  This brew is a deep amber/brown color with high carbonation.  Finally, it is fully transparent with heavy lacing. 

Smell- Off the initial smell, I get huge hints of apricot and yeast.  There are some serious malty and bready notes that attack your nostrils.  With further concentration I can really pick up some grapefruit and banana.  There are some serious tropical notes with German yeast.

Taste- Wow was not expecting that bitterness right away.  With the first large gulp a beautiful floral hop taste stays on the back of your tongue.  There is a huge presence of grapefruit and orange, and even banana.  The yeast and breadiness is also so prevalent on the initial palate then it is followed by those beautiful tropical fruit notes.

Mouthfeel- Definitely a full bodied brew for an IPA.  I would say it has a medium body with high drinkability.  The alcohol is present with 8.3% ABV so you can feel a little heat, but it is VERY well masked.  This is a dangerous brew with how smoothly it goes down with that amount of alcohol.

Overall- I really loved this beer.  First Belgian IPA I have had and I will definitely get more of them.  The German yeast mixed with the bitterness of an IPA truly makes my taste buds dance.  I would recommend this to any craft beer drinker for a change of pace.  Truly, this beer could turn you into a “Raging Bitch” with its incredibly drinkability.  CHEERS!

Rolling Rock Beer Review #beer #extrapale #lager

Rumor has it that Rolling Rock original recipe is from the monk's beer recipe at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.  Therefore, I cannot wait to try this beer because I am originally from this town and I know monks make a great brew.

Appearance- It is the stereotypical straw yellow color that an adjunct beer should have.  A decent head of foam formed that was about a finger and a half in height, yet it quickly disappeared.  There is a tiny bit of lacing on the glass.

Smell- Right away an over powering grain and corn shoots out of this beer.  There is also a very grassy and crisp element to it which actually is kind of more appealing than most beers of this category of beer.  I do smell the malt in this beer after digging deep into the scent.

Taste- There is a high corn concentration in this brew.  And quite honestly it has a sweet after taste to it, which is not too shabby.  If placed on the front of the tongue a little bit of hops can be detected but there is only trace amounts detected.  It definitely has the macro brewery taste to it.

Mouthfeel- Very similar to water.  It goes down incredibly smooth with little to no after bite.  This is definitely a session beer for an amateur beer drinker that does not like a lot of hops or IBU's

Overall, I would drink this beer again only if it was given to me for free (then again I would drink any free beer).  But I would recommend this to college kids and not really any adults who make decent money.  Rolling Rock just did not really impress me. They must have changed the monk’s recipe. CHEERS!

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA Review #IPA #review #craftbeer

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is often referred to as the best fair priced IPA.  It is consistently stated as a go to beer for many hop-heads out there such as myself.  I cannot wait to review this ever so respectable brew.  Enjoy!

Appearance- Beautiful golden amber hue to this beer.  With the initial pour, there is about a one finger head that seems to be lasting quite a while.  Definitely a creamy head but there are some large bubbles.  It has low transparency and has medium to high carbonation.  Great appearance to this beer.

Smell- With the first sniff of this IPA, I get a reasonable hit of floral and piney hops.  With the second waft, I get some tropical hints of orange with a crisp finish to the nose.  Final smell with a swirl of the glass there is definitely more presence of bitter hops there is a strong bit of hops in this beer without a doubt.

Taste- Right on the back of the tongue you get a beautiful dry pine and floralness to this brew.  Followed directly by that sense of orange that I pick up before with even a little grapefruit possibly.  Second sip I get wow way more of the tropical tastes with just a bite of hops to finish it off.  Very impressed with the taste especially the dryness on the back of the tongue.

Mouthfeel-  Very very smooth to drink for 7.2% it’s totally hidden and well balanced.  It is a medium bodied beer that is just light enough to enjoy multiple in an evening.  This mouthfeel is how I expect an American IPA to be.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this beer and would definitely keep a six pack of this at all times in the fridge.  I would recommend it to every craft beer drinker and even to those who are just now exploring the realms of IPA's.  There is a bitterness to it but not too overwhelming for anyone.  This beer is a two thumbs up.  CHEERS!

Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Review #beer #review #pbr

So here it is good old fashion Pabst Blue Ribbon. So many people say it’s the best cheap beer out there, yet it has a horrible reputation even amongst college kids. Why the major dispute on this beer? I do not know, but I am about to find out. Enjoy!

Appearance- Literally, this is the definition of straw colored beer. PBR is highly carbonated with large carbonation bubbles sprinting to the head of the beer. This leads to my next point, the head. There was a one half finger head of foam that lasted merely seconds. I see zero lacing on the glass.

Smell- I get nothing but a grainy skunky smell off the first sniff. When diving deeper into it, I get a strong smell of grass as well as a crisp bite right in the nose. I assumed a much higher corn smell but it is only quite faint.

Taste- I really taste solely malt off of the first drink of PBR. It is really sweet right on the back end of the palate. With my second gulp I receive a hearty amount of rice and earthiness followed by a remaining malt presence. 

Mouthfeel- Light to medium body. It goes down very smooth but it does have a little more to it than most adjunct lagers. That being said, I think it has a high drink-ability in copious amounts.

Overall, NOT worth the hype. I guess maybe maybe better than like Miller and Coors but not by much. I think the overwhelming malt is a bad thing, but in this case at least it does have some flavor compared to other adjunct American lagers. Actually, I would only recommend it to get drunk off of, it is cheap and “high” in alcohol content compared to other beers of its sort. CHEERS!

Keystone Light Beer Review #beer #review

Keystone light is possibly the college kids dream beer.  Incredibly cheap and as Keith Stone says, “It always goes down smooth.”  My question is, is it to smooth aka does it taste like water?  So here it goes!

Appearance- Absolutely see through, with perfect snow colored head that is about one finger in height that immediately went down.  Very high carbonation with a straw yellow color to it.  It is super light and has many bubbles that causes a skin of head that lasts on top.

Smell- First smell is nearly almost rice and grain centered.  There is a very high concentration of corn with a malt ending.  Finally Keystone light has a grass scent to it with a crisp finish to the nose.

Taste- Very little taste on the initial palate followed almost solely by grain and corn.  The corn is almost overpowering.  After taste is highly mild and quite nasty.

Mouthfeel- As close to water as it can get.  I really cannot describe it further, as soon as it hits the mouth it is water.  It is really useless.

Overall- It is what I expected.  But with that being said I do like it better than bud light.  It at least, even though grass, has taste to it.  Very corn flavored though. CHEERS!

Blue Moon Belgian White Beer Review #witbier #beer #review

So just want to start that I did not put any orange in this beer because I did not want to go away from the beer's natural flavor.  I am excited to review this brew especially because so many regular beer drinkers enjoy it!

Appearance- Somewhat see through with about a one finger head.  There is a little carbonation but not as overwhelming as I would have thought.  This is a golden orange color brew with zero to little lacing.

Smell- I smell a decent amount of malt from the get go with a definite hint of orange zest following.  To be honest it almost has a spoiled orange smell to it, like it is past its prime.  I actually pick up some pineapple too but I know that is not prevalent in this beer.

Taste- I get a copious amount of adjunct malt right on the tip of my palate.  There is only but a hint of orange of the initial sip.  With the second gulp, I get a lot more of the orange but still it tastes so fake, I see why they tell you to put a real one into the beer itself.

Mouthfeel- Medium to light bodied with very high drinkability.  It goes down incredibly smooth and you could easily drink a lot of them.  It is however kind of watery at the same time for a whit bier blue moon is definitely on the lower side of mouthfeel.

Overall, it’s okay.  I am impressed it is from Coors, but needless to say I can tell it is from Coors.  I bet this is much better with the orange, but I wanted to review the beer itself.  This beer really just has a fake taste to it which I did not enjoy too much.  I would recommend this to anyone who is not a craft beer drinker and wants to broaden their horizons.  CHEERS!

Molson Golden Beer Review #Beer #review

Initially, I was a fan of Molson brews.  They were one of my bridge beers that got me into exploring the ever expanding craft beer industry.  (I know it is not a craft beer)  However, I have not had this beer since I was young with my Dad and I cannot wait to review it.

Appearance- Totally see through with many carbonation bubbles.  It has color that has a light yellow/straw or even "Golden" hue to it.  With a fierce poor a two fingered pure white head was present and lasted about two minutes before disappearing into a thin skin of foam on the surface.  As I finished it lacing does say on the glass just a bit.

Smell- With the initial whiff, I really only smell corn and rice.  With the second smell, I really detect a sweet grain to this beer.  Really, I was expecting a bit better smell; clearly there was not any adventure in brewing this mass marketed beer.

Taste- With the first hit of the palate I am getting an overwhelming corn and grain taste.  It leaves a skunky aftertaste as well even with the first gulp.  With the second taste, I gather even more corn; you can really make out the natural sweetness of corn in this brew.

Mouthfeel- Molson Golden mouthfeel is definitely better than other mass marketed beers.  Without a doubt it is not "as" watery as others.  For being so light in color, the body of this beer is heavier than I presumed but still very very light.

Overall- Disappointed.  I was not expecting a whole lot however the earthiness of the beer dominated its entire presence.  This is the definition of a chugging beer, because you do NOT want to just sip on it.  I would recommend this as a lawn mower beer or when you invite your buddies over for the big game.  This is not a one of a kind brew.  CHEERS!

Lagunitas IPA Beer Review #craftbeer #IPA

Time to review the ever so famous, Lagunitas IPA.  I am very excited to try this beer mainly because of the debates surrounding it whether it is a great IPA or “crap”.  So here it goes I cannot wait to try it!

Appearance- Right into the pour, a nice one and a half finger of head forms that is slowly going down with mild lacing on the glass.  The beer has a solid amber orange sight to it.  It is fairly transparent with lots of carbonation bubbles shooting up the glass.

Smell- Very floral right from the initial smell.  Just adding to the floral aroma a slight earthiness and pine are ever so present in this brew.  Finally, I am picking up a major sweetness to the scent of this beer definitely some malt in it.

Taste- Great, with the first gulp a get a fantastic dry hops taste on the back of my tongue that lingers for a few seconds.  Let’s take a second taste, Great floral and piney hints smack you right in the mouth although it is milder than I thought.  I don't taste as much malt or sweetness in this beer though and the scent definitely says otherwise.

Mouthfeel- This is a well bodied beer.  It is most certainly a medium body and not so watery as some IPA's I have had.  This is a solid American IPA in this category that’s for sure.  The carbonation has really slowed down though so it is not quite as smooth as the initial sip.

Overall, solid beer.  I would recommend it to anyone who likes craft beer.  It is not the best IPA ever, but it really does the job.  So following up on how I feel about this beer and continuing to the everlasting debate; I like it and I would definitely buy it again.  But, I'll have to have a second one to make sure! CHEERS!

Hofbrau Hefe Weizen Beer Review #craftbeer

I have to admit this is only the second Hefe Weizen I have had so bare with me.  Of course I poured this beer the correct way with the bottle upside down and swirling 1/3 of the bottle to get any yeast off the bottom.

Appearance-  This beer is a creamy orange nectarine color that you can not see through.  The head is about three fingers after the initial pour but goes down quickly.  You can witness the cloudiness of the beer once held up to a light and can really appreciate the amount of yeastiness present just from the sight.

Smell- The smell is very unique.  It has a strong apricot smell to it.  With a swirl of the glass a strong artificial banana smell comes out.  I do smell somewhat of a fake tanginess to the beer but the yeast smell is quite present and and apparent. 

Taste- Wow the number one thing I taste right from the get go is a fruity pungent taste.  I taste a lot of apricot, however the banana I smelt I cannot really taste.  With the second taste and a little bit more concentrated sense, I can taste much of the yeast in the beer and it is quite good actually.

Mouthfeel- The mouthfeel is pretty decent.  It has somewhat of a watery consistency, however it has a certain bit of body that can be detected.  It is definitely filling but much more watery than I presumed .

Overall, this beer is quite good.  I would say that it is a beginners German beer.  I would recommend it to any American who has not dived deep within the German Hefe Weizen scene yet.  This is only my third review ever let me know how I did! CHEERS!

Dos Equis Beer Review #beer

Today, I am reviewing the “Most Interesting Man in the World’s” favorite beer…Dos Equis.  For all you non-Spanish speaking people out there, including me, Dos Equis literally means two x’s in Spanish.  After all the advertising on TV I am thoroughly hoping for a little more than the typical American Adjunct Lager. 

Appearance- Dos Equis is literally perfectly transparent.  It has a straw color to it with a decent amount of carbonation.  With an aggressive pour into a American Adjunct Lager glass a 1.5 finger head appears and disappears within about thirty seconds and there is not any lacing on the glass

Smell- With my first few sniffs of this beer I can strongly detect a lot of rice in the making of this beer.  After I get passed all of the grainy/rice smell, I really can detect a certain sweetness almost like a natural sugar smell.

Taste- Well, not much of anything.  I hate to compare my beer to others, but it tastes like a Budweiser or a regular American Adjunct Lager.  I expected something a bit different from a Mexican beer.   It is overwhelming amounts of rice right off the tongue, with a sweet aftertaste.  The aftertaste actually makes it worse I think which is usually not the case for me.  Finally, I do  sense a bit of skunkiness, probably because of the green bottle.

Mouthfeel-  Very very light.  Without the taste, I would say it is as close to water as it gets without being a light beer.  Highly disappointed for this "specialty lager"

Overall- Really, after all of the fantastic advertising and cost of this beer I would have expected it to be a bit better.  I really could not tell it apart from a regular macro brew.  I would not recommend this to anyone, ever.  CHEERS!

Dundee Honey Brown #craftbeer

Before I begin I must make the remark that this beer holds a special place in my heart.  This is and always was my mom's favorite beer! So onto the review, I poured this beer into a pint glass so lets begin with this Honey Brown Lager.

Appearance- This beer is a mild brown color.  There is just a hint of red in Honey Brown.  As I poured this there was a beautiful off white creamy head of about two fingers in height.  Much to my dismay though in about one minute the head fully went away to a little thin lace on my glass.

Smell- With my first large whiff I detect very little actually.  I can tell this has a hint of honey but not quite as powerful as I would have expected.  It has a slight sweet scent to it, but more of just a malt and grainy smell.  There is also a slight grassy and Earthy smell to this beer.

Taste-  All I really taste is roasted malt.  It has only a sense of sweetness only in the fact that it goes down smooth.  I do taste a little bit of the grassiness in the beer and really a very faint taste of honey.  If it was not in the name I would not even recognize it at all.

Mouthfeel- It has a medium mouthfeel to me for a lager.  It is a little heavier than I expected.  I am actually impressed with the mouth swirl of this beer.  This is honestly the best part of this beer.  The mouthfeel is heavier and darker in nature than a typical adjunct lager would be but I definitely enjoy this part.

Overall- This beer is decent.  Even with the nostalgia in my heart (and Palate) it is not as good as I remember.  However, I have offered this beer to many a women and they really like it which is good for all you craft drinking men out there.  I would only recommend this to people experimenting in beers so they can acquire a taste for something a bit more than the typical American adjunct lager.

Yuengling Lager Beer Review #craftbeer

Yuengling is one of my favorite cheap lets drink kind of beers that is brewed locally in PA.  I poured this beer out of the can into a pint glass.  However on the can it said that it is America's oldest brewery and I am very excited to review it.

Appearance- This beer is a light amber brown color that is definitely see through.  The head of this beer had a one finger height but dissipated very quickly.  I actually thought this beer was more of an amber color but it is very light brown.

Smell-  This beer has a nice roasted hops smell with a bit of a grain scent to it.  There is a faint clean smell to it with just a little crisp sense to it.  I do smell a little bit of corn which I did expect from this lager.

Taste- This beer goes down incredibly smooth.  The after taste is the best part of this beer even as an american lager.  I can taste the grains and corn very distinctly.  With each swallow there is just a bit of spiciness and bite to it.  It is not over powering whatsoever, however it does have its fair share of flavors.

Mouthfeel- This beer is very watery in the mouth.  It does however leave a little bit of a "coating" presence which is really unique and impressive from this micro,macro brew.  Yuengling is not so watery as a regular adjunct lager but its not as heavy as anything darker.

Overall, as I stated previously I do thoroughly enjoy this beer when having some with my friends.  It is certainly not one of  the best beers I have had, rather it is my go to drink a lot and have a good night beer.  I personally know many people who are not into craft beer who really enjoy this beer.  I highly recommend it to anyone. CHEERS!

Straub IPL Beer Review #craftbeer

Today, I am tasting Straub's brand new IPL it is a combination of an IPA and a Lager.  I recently toured the brewery in St. Mary's PA and they explained that it is an IPL because they do not have the proper equipment to brew IPA's so they brewed their regular lager with all the ingredients of an IPA.  Without further a due, Straub IPL.

Appearance- Of course I poured this brew a little aggressively so I can see the full effect of its head.  I poured this beer into a specialty IPA glass, even though it says to use a pilsner glass.  Straub IPL had a nice 1.5 finger head with almost a pure white head.  Although after about 5 minutes the head dissipated to a thin white layer on the top of the brew.  Now to color, the color is a deep straw like color.  Much deeper than a typical IPA.  Actually, the more I look at it,  the more of a orangish amber color I witness.

Smell- Okay, so upfront you can definitely tell that there is a roasted malt scent to this beer.  Then after a little more sniffing, I can definitely smell a piney and crisp scent.  I am looking for a tropical and citrus scent, and just barely barely get a hint of orange.  Now on to the best part...TASTING!

Taste-  Wow this is different than anything I have had before!  Upfront there is a strong hit of dry hops right on the back of your tongue.  Also, with this first taste you  get an after taste of bitterness (which is good) in the back of your mouth for about 15 seconds.  With my second taste I am searching for citrus and I can only find it in the after taste.  However I do still taste a roasted hops taste to this beer.  Really I am surprised with Straub IPL.

Mouthfeel- This definitely has a heavier, not so watery, beer feel in the mouth.  After a swish in the mouth you can see it is brewed as a lager with IPA ingredients.  Its honestly so different I have nothing to compare it to, but to my knowledge, I really enjoy the depth in the beer.

Overall-  I thoroughly enjoy this beer.  I really was not expecting ANYTHING out of this beer because of the previous Straub beers that I have consumed.  This beer will definitely put Straub's brewery on the map of craft beers.  I am proud of their pioneering spirit of trying this they are one of two that I could find to even embark on this journey of experimentation.   Really, I did enjoy this beer and recommend it to anyone wanting to try something new on the market of beer.  It only came out 5 weeks ago!!

By the way, this is my second beer review please let me know how I am doing or what I can change...CHEERS!

Mississippi Mud Beer Review

First of all, I would like to note that on the case that I bought, it says to serve at room temperature, hence I am doing so.  I poured the Mississippi Mud into a common "Guinness" Porter glass, even though this is a Black and Tan beer.  I am a high advocate of the proper beer glass, for the beer.

Appearance- It is a deep deep amber red color.  It is not quite as dark as I expected, however it is a black and tan beer.  It is however a see through beer with little to no carbonation bubbles.  The head is just an off white brown with dissipating pockets around the glass.  Very little lacing on the glass and I even poured aggressively.

Smell- With a simple swirl of the glass I get this nice beautiful smell of coffee and roasted malt.  Some people may not like this beer's smell but I really enjoy it.  With my second smell, I get this overwhelming roasted malt with a "cleany" adjunct kind of smell.  

Taste- My first sip...very very mild.  I was expecting a much more deep porter taste.  It really does taste as though it is a non carbonated pilsner with a little kick of porter with the after taste.  I taste a mild but consistence malt taste with a hint of coffee after the gulp is taken.  Taste so far, disappointed.

Mouthfeel-  What else can I say, watery.  For a black and tan, I expected a poor "molassesy"   feel or at least heavier than a typical pilsner.  It is very light in mouthfeel for a black and tan to say the least.

Overall- Overall, the only good thing that I do somewhat really enjoy is the smell and appearance of this beer.  The Taste and Mouthfeel really disappoint me.  The best part of this beer however is the growler that it came in.  Basically, it is a bad ass growler that will decorate my room.  Overall, I will give this beer a 2.75 I would recommend it only to someone who is new in the beer tasting world because it is a building block to be built upon.  

Finally, I would like to note this is my first beer review ever.  PLEASE let me know how I did and or, how I can improve...CHEERS!