Review: Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale

Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale from Highland Brewing
Rating: B

Thanks to ipa2xs for sending this one my way - it's the last of the beers I received in the No Name BIF....

Appearance: Garnet, almost purple in color. Good head, retention and lacing. Very clear. A fine looking beer, if nothing else.

Smell: Cocoa, heavy on the Christmas spices, definitely sweet-smelling.

Taste: Spices, maple syrup. Some cocoa and vanilla. Not much bitterness. Heavy flavors conceal the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Thicker body than I think I'd prefer, somewhat syrupy.

Drinkability: I split the 16 oz and that was plenty... Not a huge fan on the whole - not beery enough for me, I suppose.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-29-2007 20:43:10

Review: Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse Natürtrub

Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse Natürtrub from Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH
Rating: B+

Differently shaped bottle, but appears to be the same beer. Thanks to mymrngjckt for shipping it my way.

Appearance: Hazy peach/gold in color, huge white head with good retention. Appears highly carbonated. Good lacing - exactly like a hefe should look.

Smell: Banana bread - a nice combination of banana esters, bready malts, and clove-like spices.

Taste: Fairly light and easy to drink. Lots of banana. Some bread and spice. Citrusy, acidic finish. Aftertaste is banana bread.

Mouthfeel: Light-medium body, well-carbonated.

Drinkability: Nice and easy drinking, a great example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-27-2007 22:55:58

Review: Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Imperial Pumpkin Ale from Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Rating: B


Appearance: Deep orange/garnet in color, good clarity, big head with good retention. Lots of lacing. Really very nice looking.

Smell: Lots of big pumpkin flavor, with spices in the background - ginger being a standout. Hint of brown sugar.

Taste: Acidic pumpkin, toast, caramel. Spice - ginger finish. Aftertaste is interesting - caramel/pumpkin. 8% abv is well-concealed.

Mouthfeel: Medium-body, smooth, carbonation seemed a little light.

Drinkability: You can only really drink one pumpkin beer at a time, but this one isn't a bad one.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-26-2007 22:59:19

Review: Great Lakes Eliot Ness

Great Lakes Eliot Ness from Great Lakes Brewing Company
Rating: A-

Thanks to mymrnngjckt for sending this one my way in the Secret Bunny '07 exchange.

Appearance: Deep amber, almost garnet in color. Two finger head with good retention. Great lacing.

Smell: Lagery-clean, but much deeper and complex than just that... Bready, toasty malts. Caramel, slight citrus hops.

Taste: Toast and biscuit - malt profile is somewhat reminiscent of Fat Tire. Malt is in charge, but there's enough bitterness to balance. Finish is bitter hops, but aftertaste is all toasted malt.

Mouthfeel: Light-medium body, good carbonation. Creamy.

Drinkability: This is a great lager - anyone who thinks lagers are boring should sit down and have one of these. Sessionable for sure. Not surprising to see it's the highest rated Vienna Lager.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-25-2007 19:04:58

Review: SkullSplitter

SkullSplitter from Orkney Brewery
Rating: B

Appearance: Ruby/garnet in color, good head, some retention and lacing.

Smell: Very sweet smelling, caramel and butterscotch, some alcohol.

Taste: Sweet, caramel, some alcohol. Bitter finish aids drinkability a bit - sweetness doesn't get too cloying.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, carbonation maybe a bit light.

Drinkability: Usually not my favorite style, scotch ales are generally too sweet for me, but this one wasn't too bad.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-25-2007 16:22:17

Review: Gouden Carolus Tripel

Gouden Carolus Tripel from Brouwerij Het Anker
Rating: B

12 oz bottle at Stubbie, in Gainesville.

Appearance: Poured into a Gouden Carolus glass. Darker than your average Tripel, great head with good retention, not much lacing.

Smell: Banana-y, with a sweet caramel base. Almost wheat beer-like in the intensity of banana. The label indicates that this recipe includes oats and wheat, as well as barley.

Taste: Rich is the best way to describe it. Again, lots of banana. On the sweeter side. A lot *more* flavor, but less complexity than other tripels.

Mouthfeel: Medium body (on the full side for a tripel), probably from the oats. Carbonation seems light.

Drinkability: More on the full and rich side than I think I prefer in the style, limiting sessionability.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-25-2007 16:16:08

Review: Bell's Expedition Stout

Bell's Expedition Stout from Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Rating: A-

Thanks to mymrngjckt for sending this one my way in the Secret Bunny '07 exchange.

Appearance: black as the night, with a seriously dark and seriously big head. Some retention, good lacing.

Smell: Heavy on cocoa, roast (almost burnt - black malt?) and some soysauce. Hops come across as somewhat grassy. This is one you can keep smelling for a while before taking the first taste. Some alcohol.

Taste: Very similar profile to the nose, but I think soy sauce is a bit more pronounced. Caramel notes come out more on the palate, as well. Good finish. Reminds me of a homebrewed stout I made, except better. Solid bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Nice and thick, good carbonation. Sticks to your tongue - after this, an APA would taste like water. I'm surprised at the bros' reviews - the carbonation on mine was fine, must have been a batch issue??

Drinkability: Very nice, but not sessionable, both for the huge flavor and the high alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-25-2007 00:49:06

Review: Big Daddy IPA

Big Daddy IPA from Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Rating: C+

Thanks to mymrnngjckt for sending this one my way in the Secret Bunny '07 exchange.

Appearance: Bottle appears to be underfilled, only slightly past the beginning of the neck - odd... Color is lighter than I'd expect for an IPA, more hazy golden than a rich orange. Head isn't big but exhibits good retention and lacing.

Smell: Predominantly citrusy hops, but a surprising amount of sweet malt. Makes me do a double take and check to make sure this isn't a very very pale DIPA.

Taste: Citrusy hop flavor at the tip of the tongue, sweet malt middle, bitter finish. Finish is actually kind of weak and insipid. Not a great IPA.

Mouthfeel: Lighter than I expected from the nose, but about right for the color... Interesting. Body is light, carbonation seems right, despite the underfilled bottle - maybe it would have been too carbonated with a full bottle? Again, that weak, watery finish detracts...

Drinkability: Not bad, but there are much better IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-25-2007 00:43:10

Speakeasy Big Daddy IPA

Review: Gumballhead

Gumballhead from Three Floyds Brewing Co. / Brewery & Pub
Rating: A

Really an exceptional beer. Received from mymrngjckt in Secret Bunny '07

Appearance: Hazy golden-amber in color, good-sized head, retention and lacing.

Smell: I already know it's going to be good. Much more hops than I was expecting in a wheat ale, but not overwhelming. Sweet, fruity hops in the nose. Light, wheaty malt base - I find myself looking for the typical wheat aromas and do detect a tough of bubblegum.

Taste: Wow, great stuff here. Plenty of hops flavor on top of a light, wheat, somewhat fruity base. Again, I find a tough of bubblegum at the swallow that reminds me this is a wheat beer - and the non-beer drinker that tasted with me agreed, definitely bubblegum. Great balance, the amount of hops lets it avoid becoming cloying. Easily my favorite wheat beer to date.

Mouthfeel: Wheat gives it a nice smooth mouthfeel. Finishes dry and acidic, improving drinkability. Medium body, good carbonation.

Drinkability: If all Three Floyds beers are like this, maybe I should consider a move to Indiana. Really exceptional, this one. Only 4.8% alcohol? Very sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-23-2007 20:07:49

Review: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier from Brauerei Weihenstephan
Rating: A

Received from mymrnngjckt in the Secret Bunny '07 exchange.

Appearance: Poured into a weizen glass, hazy gold with a ridiculous head - rocky and great retention (billows of carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass maintain it). Sheets of lace. Appearance is perfect for the style.

Smell: Complex! Reminiscent of a tripel, really, in its complexity and spiciness. As far as typical hefeweizen aromas go, less bubble gum and banana, more clove. Crisp-smelling, not overdone.

Taste: A little less thrilling than the appearance and aroma. Spice, yeast, doughy malts. Banana and bubblegum are mild. Makes it more balanced, less "heavy" than many hefeweizens. Almost citrus-like acidity, but certainly not a "sour" beer. Not a trace of alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy, light-medium body, carbonation seemed high in the glass but works fine in the mouth.

Drinkability: High! Not surprising to see it rated so highly. Easily sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 03-22-2007 23:18:28

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier