Beer Review: Victory – Wild Devil Ale
Aug0
Only slightly wild...
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 6.7%
Type of brew: IPA
Price: ~$6
The first thing I noticed when pouring this beer was the thick white head that occurred. I am fairly practiced at pouring beers so I am doubtful that it was a bad pour 
. Not saying that a large head makes the beer bad, it was just the first thing I noticed. The beer is a nice amber color and it has carbonation similar to Belgian beers. Looking at the back of the bottle they said they used a yeast that is commonly used in Belgian ales so go figure that the carbonation is similar .
I do find this beer to be not too hoppy. Supposedly it is an IPA but the hop taste is a bit weak for me or maybe I am just not sophisticated enough to pick up on the subtle notes. It is nice to have an IPA that isn’t crazy strong though. Since this IPA weighs in at 6.7% ABV it is a nice beer to have on a hot summer night. However, my wife thought the beer tasted exactly like an IPA. So, as with any beer review it all depends on the person’s tastes and what they normally drink.
Overall this was a nice beer and if you get a chance to pick one up I would suggest it.
The good: A mellow IPA that is a nice everyday beer
The bad: Could be really easy to pour it horribly
Beer Review: Brewdog Paradox Smokehead – An imperial stout matured in islay whisky casks
Aug0
Was that a hint of sock I tasted?
Type of beer: Imperial Stout
Wallet Thinning Factor: $16
Warm and Fuzzy Factor: 10%
Size: 330mL
I guess I should list off a few of the caveats that might affect my review of this beer.
1. Beer guy and I just moved to Dallas, Texas. Some might not consider this to be the beer/coffee/good food/nice people capitol of the world… And they would be correct.
2. Smoke beers and I haven’t really found our common ground.
3. Whisky and I haven’t really found our common ground. I think that is a losing battle.
4. Only after opening the beer and trying it, did I read the website which kindly points out that this beer is better with aging.
Other than that, this is just a plain, ol’ beer review.
The first thing to notice about this beer is the price. That is right, we paid $16 friggin’ dollars for 330mL of beer. The second thing to notice about this beer is the brewing company. Brewdog is known, and wants to be known, for making unique and non-mainstream beers. They achieved that lofty goal with this beer. The brewers also nicely made sure to tell people that this beer should be served at room temperature, unless you “live in an igloo.”
When I poured it, it was still a little cooler than room temperature. At first smell, all I could think of was Liquid Smoke. Beer guy thought about cleaning supplies. With the first taste, the first words were “smokey old socks.” Beer guy made a frown-y face and said that it had a “funny aftertaste.”
I can’t really taste any whisky notes, but I am guessing that the barrels added to the smokey flavor of the beer. Islay whisky is known for having a smokey taste because of the peat. A reasonable conclusion is that some of the smokey flavor is from being aged in the barrels.
As the beer has warmed up, it is starting to taste more like a stout and less like old socks. The smokey flavor is mellowing out. I could definitely see how this beer would taste better as it ages over the years in the bottle. Unfortunately, I just didn’t realize that it should age before I got my grubby paws on it and a glass.
Good: A great beer for someone with a specific hankering for a smoked beer.
Bad: Not for people who lack patience or that don’t like non-mainstream beers.
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Beer Review: Southern Star Brewing Company – Buried Hatchet Stout
Jun0
A yummy stout!
Amount of brew in can: 12 fluid ounces
ABV: 8.25%
Type of brew: Stout
Price: ~$9 (for a four-pack)
What I really want to say about this stout is it is one of the best stouts I have tasted, ’nuff said.
But, you probably want to hear my opinion as to why I think that. I have had this stout a few times and it has been good every time (yay! for consistency). When you pour it you can definitely notice the malt that they put into the can it is pretty overpowering. Kind of like hops can be easily noticed in certain IPAs during a pour. This is like many craft beers it gets better when it is not straight out of the fridge, the can says 55 degrees but I just know it is better when it is warms up . The beer is not too sweet but still has some sweetness to it, it has a little bit of a bitter finish too it so it doesn’t stay super sweet like a barrel-aged stout. So, why do I think this is a great stout compared to other stouts? Probably because it has just the right mixture for me of sweetness, flavor, body and finish. Some stouts come off rather bland to me, others just try to over power you. Now, do I think this is the best stout in the world? No, I am not that arrogant I am sure there are better ones. Is this a good consistent one that I can drink over and over and still enjoy it? You betcha!
Of course with anything there are some things I don’t like. The ABV is a bit high for me to drink multiple ones in a day. And as far as I can tell it is only a midwest beer so my left-coast friends don’t know what they are missing .
The good: A mighty fine stout that I think anyone should try at least once
The bad: Can be hard to find
Beer Review: GDBC – Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti
Jun0
Watch out this Yeti has a bite!
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 9.5%
Type of brew: Stout
Price: ~$10
Yet another Yeti! GDBC just doesn’t stop producing different types of Yeti’s. Not that I am complaining but as my wife said “tastes like normal Yeti but with a chocolate aftertaste.” While I agree with her for the most part I want to say there is one thing that isn’t mentioned, the spice. Yes, that is right those peeps at GDBC threw some cayenne pepper into this beer. I actually kind of like it. They did a great job of balancing out the sweetness of the chocolate with a little kick from the pepper.
Another good/bad thing about this beer is that the 9.5% ABV is not even noticeable allowing people to quickly drink it. On the flip side if you tend to chug stouts (or any good quality beer) go read another blog 
. This beer reminds me of a cupcake that was recently put out by Cupcake Royale the Chocolate Scorcher although this beer is thankfully not as spicy. The beer pours nice and thick with a small amount of head. So pretty much it pours like most imperial stouts .
Overall this was another great Yeti from GDBC and I am happy that they released it. If you have a chance to pick up a bottle I would say go for it. It even works on a warm day (85 degrees @ 11:45PM as I write this). I would have to say overall the spice is the most surprising thing about this beer as most beers I have consumed rarely have a kick and it is a nice change.
The good: Another delicious stout
The bad: If you don’t like heavy beers stay away
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Beer Review: Flying Dog – Woody Creek White
Jun1
Is that bread in my glass or beer?
Amount of brew in bottle: 12 fluid ounces
ABV: 4.8%
Type of brew: Wit (a.k.a. white wheat)
Price: ~$9 for a 6-pack
I am not a huge fan of wheat beers so when the wife picked up this six-pack I wasn’t super thrilled. I do find it funny that the label says “belgian style wit beer” but usually when a beer is labelled as a “wit beer” it will be a white wheat beer that has origins in the belgian style but whatever. I am sure there is someone more knowledgeable than me that will be rolling their eyes and thinking “hello, there is an American style wit beer too” yea whatever.
This beer has a low ABV which is awesome since many craft breweries love to make strong ass beers which is not what you need on a warm spring or summer day. You want something refreshing and easy to drink, and this beer definitely fits that bill!
The beer pours a yellow color with a very small head. It has a smell that is reminiscent of belgian beers (shocking) mixed with wheat (yet another amazing statement). The beer has a clean crisp taste that is just slightly spiced up.
If you are ever looking for a beer to help you beat the heat and don’t want to sacrifice taste I would recommend this beer as an option.
The good: Low ABV, easy to drink and would be liked by many people
The bad: It’s a wheat beer
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Beer Review: Real Ale – Sisyphus 2008
May0
Oh how I love a good Barleywine!
Amount of brew in bottle: 12 fluid ounces
ABV: ~10%
Type of brew: Barley Wine
Price: ~$5
Recently me and the wifey migrated down to Texas. We were a bit worried about the beer situation in Texas since it is known for not having that great of beer. Even though the beer situation isn’t as good as Seattle we do not have to resort to drinking Budweiser. Although it would be nice to have a few good brewpubs at least it will cut down on our expenses . Anyways, today I am reviewing a Barleywine style ale from Real Ale Brewing company based out of Blanco, Texas. These guys know how to brew beer! All of the beers I have had from them have been pretty good. This barleywine isn’t as sweet as many of the barleywines I have had but on a hot day that is a good thing! It has a smooth caramel color and smells very slightly of hops. When you take a drink of the beer it is a little thicker than a normal beer (go figure) and has an initial sweet taste followed by a hint of bitterness.
Overall this beer is a very approachable barleywine. I am always hesitant to recommend barleywines to people but this is one I would for sure. Many barleywines are kind of like IPAs either you like them or you don’t but I feel this one is very approachable. So, if you are ever in Texas or see this one sitting on a shelf make sure to pick up a bottle and give it a try.
The good: a very easy drinking barleywine
The bad: Limited supplies
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Beer Review: Rogue – Dirtoir Black Lager
Apr0
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: ~6%
Type of brew: Black Lager
Price: ~$7
This is our first, first growth beer by Rogue. We (I say we because me and wifey are reviewing this beer together) usually don’t like lagers but this one is mighty delicious. It pours dark and fairly thick for a lager. The beer tastes smokey but it is still light and refreshing. At least up here in Washington this beer can be found at most decent beer stores. Personally I picked this up at Rogue’s brewpub when we dropped off the kegs from our recent wedding. If you are ever in Issaquah I would strongly suggest going to the Issaquah brewpub it is awesome and can be rather devastating to your pocketbook . The beer did pour with a thin brown head and it almost seemed like a stout but tastes completely different.
The beer is rather enjoyable and I could see it being quite good on a warm day. See, we have to think about these things as we are moving to Dallas. Which means hotter than shit weather and less tasty beer than up here in Washington.
The good: A great light lager
The bad: Umm….
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Beer Review: Mikkeller – Nøgne ø
Mar0
The breakfast of champions(?)
Amount of brew in bottle: 16.9 fluid ounces
ABV: 7.5%
Type of brew: Stout (Oat & Coffee)
Price: ~$12
With a sub-title of “beer geek breakfast” this beer was just calling to me to try. While having a beer for breakfast sounds gross to me, to each his own. The beer says it is a “mixture of an oat and coffee stout” which I can tell when I drink it. Overall this beer is thick and a little sweet. As it warms up it gets a lot sweeter than when it was cold (shocking I know). This is the first beer that I have had that was solely brewed at nøgne-ø and I have to say I am quite surprised. One thing that is nice is that the beers are in pints and not 22-ounce bottles which makes it a lot easier for one person to drink by themselves.
Since this is a combination of an oatmeal stout and a coffee stout the oatmeal portion gives it a nice little bitter finish which is great counter-balance to the coffee portion. If you ever get a chance to get your hands on this beer I would suggest letting it warm up a bit before drinking it. Overall this is a nice little stout to drink although it is a bit high on the ABV but not over the top like a lot of the beers. But the price is pretty damn steep. I expect for $11 to not go “eh” for a stout, I mean it is good but is it $11 good? Nah. I know they had to import the bugger but they have to do that for other beers as well.
But hey if you are feeling like you have a bit of extra cash and want to try an imported oatmeal stout go right ahead. However, there are far better ways of spending your cash…like you know buying me a bottle to review .
The good: A good craft stout
The bad: Expensive!!
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Beer Review: Midnight Sun Brewing Co – T.R.E.A.T
Jan1
A delicious pumpkin beer!
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 7.8%
Type of brew: Pumpkin Stout
Price: ~$11
Ahh pumpkin beers how I love thee. Seriously though I usually associate pumpkin beers with Halloween, go figure, right? But, when I saw this beer in the grocery store it was very intriguing and with the better half’s blessing I purchased it (granted she loves pumpkin beers so that helped). Neither of us were disappointed by this brew it is very good. This beer takes a stab at dethroning our favorite pumpkin beer (pumking from Southern Tier). This is the second beer – first review here – that we have reviewed from Midnight Sun and both have been top notch brews. I will have to consume a few more of their beers before I put this brewery into the “good brewery list” but it is on its way. Anyways, back to this beer. It pours dark and smooth like a normal stout, there is very little head and it has a rich smell mostly of cinnamon and pumpkin (shocking as shit I know). The taste of the beer is a little bit like a weak chocolately pumpkin pie. The aftertaste is also very nice. This beer doesn’t pack as much of a wallop as the pumking which is one mark in this beer’s favor.
Overall this is a great beer as long as you like pumpkin. If you don’t like pumpkin well you should steer clear of this guy.
The good: Awesome pumpkin beer
The bad: A bit expensive
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Beer Review : Smuttynose – Baltic Porter
Dec0
Deliciousness in a bottle
Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 8.7%
Type of brew: Porter (Baltic)
Price: ~$6
My fiance is interviewing for her residency throughout the U.S. and I have been going with her on some of these trips. While in New Hampshire I decided to pick-up this local beer. For some reason porters go hand and hand with cold-ass winter nights. This brewer must have thought the same because this beer kicks-ass. This porter pours fairly thick and bubbly with a nice head, there is a slight amount of carbonation and it smells of chocolate. Not surprisingly the beer has a hint of chocolate but it is also slightly bitter but in a refreshing way. The beer is super easy to drink and gives you a nice warmth as you drink it, granted the beer weighs in at 8.7 ABV which is pretty strong but since this beer is part of the “big beer series” it is not surprising . I am really surprised at how good this beer is. I have not heard many good things about east coast breweries but so far this one has been decent.
The good: A really good porter
The bad: You can only get it in New Hampshire and local areas
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