Wadworth 6X Amber Ale

Once in a while, like many beer drinkers, I pick up a mixed 6-pack to purchase beers I do not want to make a full 4 or 6-pack commitment to. Usually I can find a few gems, but a lot of the beers I pick I am happy with having only one can or bottle of and moving on.

While picking my most recent mix pack, I found myself craving malt a bit more even though it is still very summer-like outside. While that malt craving is stronger than it normally is this time of year, I am still not looking for something heavy. England's Wadworth 6X Amber Ale seemed to fit that bill nicely. Now granted, I was a little concerned about the freshness of the beer(according to the can, the best-by date is August 31st), so I am getting this blog in at the last possible minute for this can.

Clocking in at a summer-appropriate 4.3%, 6X pours a beautifully clear amber. Its aroma is rich in caramel, toasted bread, a touch of toffee, a hint of fruit, with some earthy, grassy hops and an unfortunate touch of cardboard. I was worried age had really taken a toll on this beer but when I took my first sip I was pleasantly surprised. It is not going to blow your socks off but this is a decent amber ale. Lots of malt sweetness up front, caramel sweetness to be more specific, with a touch of fruitiness, molasses, toasted bread, apple, a sad note of stale cardboard before an earthy, slightly bitter finish. It definitely could be fresher and I would have loved it to be just a little less watered down. The latter feels like a silly complaint when considering this is a 4.3% beer. The only other complaint I have is the strong taste of mineral water that accumulated on my palate the more I drank of 6X.

When I really stepped back and looked at Wadworth 6X, I did enjoy it. However, I think it works better in a mixed 6-pack because once I finished the can, I felt I did not need another. If you are a fan of the style, I think you should give it a try. It is by no means a bad beer. I just think there are better and fresher amber ale options out there.

Overall rating: 3/5


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Shiner Lemon Pils

The Shiner brand first got on my radar in 2007. I was sitting in a movie theater watching characters in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof enjoying a beer I had not seen before. At that time in my life I bought into whatever Tarantino was selling. I thought he was the absolute greatest thing to happen to movies and if he put his endorsement on a beer, I had to try it. Product placement worked on me and I began my quest to find Shiner Bock as soon as I left the theater. It took a few years, but I finally came across a 6-pack in Wisconsin. As I sipped it while tailgating a Pearl Jam show later that day, I remember thinking it was a solid beer. It was not the magical libation I thought it was going to be but it was a good beer. Fast forward almost a decade later, and it is still the only beer from the Shiner brand I have enjoyed.

My feelings on beer from Spoetzl Brewery come from years of disappointment. I keep trying their beer with the hope that I will find one that I enjoy enough for a repeat purchase, but outside of the Bock that has yet to happen. For this blog I wanted to take the time to vent about how I felt about the Shiner brand, but also review one of their latest offerings that I had yet to try in hopes of possibly finally finding a beer from them I could say something nice about.

Shiner’s Lemon Pils lined up with my current drinking habits. It’s a warm weather, sessionable lager with a hint of citrus. I had the hope that it would work as a summer crusher. I had no aspirations that this was going to be a world class beer, I just wanted a beer that would work well as a “lawnmower” or “beach” beer. The nose of Lemon Pils gave me some hope. It had a touch of citrus, particularly lemon, bready malt, grains, and a nice touch of floral notes with an herbal spiciness. While the aroma worked for me, the first sip was not what I had hoped it would be. Lemon Pils is surprisingly sweet up front. Lots of bready malt, and cereal grains before lemon and citrus come in. The finish is spicy and bitter with a lemon rind note that is a bit more aggressive then necessary. There is a disappointing metallic note in the finish as well. Lemon Pils is also extremely watery. Sadly, there is just not a lot to like here and this just turns out to be another mediocre beer from Shiner. I can't even recommend it as a "lawnmower" beer because there are so many better options out there.

Honestly, at this point I am not holding out hope I will find a beer outside of Shiner Bock from the Spoetzl Brewery that is worth purchasing again. I will give anything a try, especially for this blog, but even for blogging purposes my money is better spent elsewhere. I recommend you spend yours elsewhere, as well.


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Natural Light Naturdays

When I first read about Natural Light Naturdays I thought it was a joke. I took it about as seriously as a snail flavored beer announcement of April Fool’s Day. Then when I found out it actually was a real beer, I instantly dismissed it. I knew I would try it at some point, but I thought for sure my low expectations would not be met and I would end up dumping the remainder of it down the drain.

When Naturdays started getting distribution to Western NY, I found myself  in no rush to buy it. However, I was stunned by how quickly it was flying off of shelves. Then, in an even more surprising turn of events I started hearing positive things from fellow beer enthusiasts. I was still skeptical but I decided to accelerate my time table for trying it and purchased a 30-rack. I justified that purchase because it was extremely inexpensive and  I was having a get together over the weekend. I thought most people there out of curiosity alone would give it a try. Later that night, I opened a can and got the biggest surprise of all.

After I took my first sip of Naturdays, I found myself staring at the can, stunned. I took another sip, then another, and before I knew it the can was empty and I was reaching for another. I could not believe how smooth, refreshing and easy to drink Naturdays was. It beautifully blends together strawberry lemonade and a light lager. Both are present and neither dominates the flavor. It is not overbearingly sweet either, and I was thrilled about that. The finish is crisp and clean, and that concluded a shockingly good drinking experience.

There is no need to dive deeper into more subtle notes of Naturday. I do not believe one spends less than 20 dollars on 30 beers to do that. I will just say that Naturday is a really fun, refreshing, crowd-pleasing summer beer. One that goes very fast at a party and one that I can’t believe will be taking up real estate in my refrigerator all summer long.


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Dogfish Head Super Eight Super Gose

From the moment that Dogfish Head & Eastman Kodak's collaboration beer SuperEIGHT Super Gose was announced, it was only a matter of time until I blogged about it. I am a fan of Dogfish Head's beer and I am the son & nephew of long time makers of Kodak film products. For that reason alone, I could not pass up an opportunity to try this beer as soon as distribution hit Western NY. 

What makes SuperEIGHT fun is that it is a 2-for-1 beer. It is a light, fruited session gose and it also develops Kodak's Super-8 film. It pulls this off by having a low pH which means that SuperEIGHT is going to be a touch acidic but that should work perfectly for the style.

As the can says, SuperEIGHT pours a vibrant red. Besides the beautiful color, the lemon, lactic sour aroma was the first thing I noticed as I poured the beer. The aroma is also very fruity, grainy, and a touch floral with the berries and prickly pear really shining. The pear added a really nice note of watermelon and that is the first thing I noticed and loved about my first sip. Raspberry and watermelon really come through in the flavor before a touch of malt and grain. The finish is very tart, with a touch of salt, bubble gum, green apple and lemon rind. The lemon rind lingers on the palate long after the beer is gone and to be honest is not ideal. Also, I can't say all SuperEIGHT ingredients are noticeable. The mango in particular seems MIA which is disappointing but there is still a lot going on here and this beer is a lot of fun. 

SuperEIGHT is one of those beers where Dogfish Head's unrelenting creativity pulls off something really cool. Sometimes, their use of adjuncts goes a touch a overboard and while this beer is no different, I found myself really enjoying it. With summer just around the corner, SuperEIGHT would serve as a wonderfully refreshing beer to both make and develop summer memories. I highly recommend picking it up.

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Omnipollo Super Size Hilma DIPA

If you have read my blog long enough you know I tend to buy the occasional gimmick beer. Whether it is a beer based on a show or band I like or a beer with an odd adjunct in it, I will give anything a try and hope for the best when I do. For this blog, I purchased one of those beers with a strange adjunct. Omnipollo Super Size Hilma is a double dry hopped imperial IPA with vanilla, crispy French fries, and burger buns. It sounds ridiculous, right? That was what I thought, but I was curious how it would all come together.

The aroma of Super Size Hilma did little to show off the fries & burger buns but gave me hope I was going to drink a fantastic double ipa. The aroma was very fruity, lots of fresh pineapple, tangerine, grapefruit, passion fruit, with a touch of grass, bread dough and a light hint of vanilla. At this point I was slightly disappointed that I did not notice the French fries in particular but I felt that I had purchased a really nice beer. I could not have been more wrong. Super Size Hilma is a disaster of a double IPA. The pineapple comes through initially, along with some citrus before sweet, bready malt takes over. This is the most dominant note of the beer. It certainly allows one to believe they are getting the burger bun aspect of the beer. The vanilla then comes through along with some grass before a very hot, saline finish. None of these flavors work well together. As far as the heat goes, letting this beer sit a few weeks might help that a bit. Nothing however, is going to help the salt aspect. It’s not refreshingly subtle like in a Gose, it’s very prominent and frankly does not fit well with anything here. It is also the only indication that French fries were actually used in this beer.

I spent a while trying to find something I like about this beer. It was priced at 7 dollars a can so I was trying very hard. Instead, I found myself pouring it down the drain. I was not expecting a great beer, I was expecting a fun beer, Super Size Hilma was neither.



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Labatt Blue Citra

When I first saw Labatt Blue Citra on the shelf, I knew it was only a matter of time until I tried it. Normally, Labatt is a brand I tend to shy away from. My reason for this has little to do with how it tastes, but more because of the memories associated with it. It was the beer from my early days of drinking that I not only lost some battles to, I lost the war.

To this day, I can’t look at Labatt Blue, Jack Daniels or Absolut Citron without feeling my stomach turn. Perhaps, one day that will change, but I have been thinking that for well over a decade and nothing has changed. However, when I first saw Labatt Blue Citra, a light, hoppy session lager, I surprisingly did not feel my stomach turn. I thought it had potential to be a nice, sessionable, reasonably priced summer beer. So for the first time in a very long time, I purchased a beer with the Labatt name on it.

The Citra & Mosaic hops featured in Labatt Blue Citra are light and most noticeable in the aroma. Zesty grapefruit, along with tropical fruit(particularly pineapple) come through along with bread dough, floral notes, herbal spice and grass. Once it hit my palate, the unfortunate memories of drinking Labatt Blue came flooding back. The familiar bready, grain malt sweetness comes through, and combined with the grassy, spicy finish should have made me nauseous. What was different though were the subtle notes of grapefruit & tropical fruit. They were a welcome addition to this familiar beer and I found myself enjoying them. I want to reinforce that the hops here are light but I do not feel like I needed more from a beer that was clearly brewed for a broader audience. The hops were just enough to make a familiar beer just different enough.

Labatt Blue Citra is not going to blow your mind. It is just a simple, easy drinking lager with a touch of hops. If you are a fan of Labatt Blue, I think you will like this beer. From the point of view of someone who typically avoids Labatt products at all costs, I found it to be a surprisingly enjoyable beer I would not mind drinking again when the weather gets warmer. I found that to be a pleasant surprise.


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Oskar Blues & Cigar City Bamburana

From the moment the Oskar Blues & Cigar City breweries announced Bamburana, a double barrel aged collaboration imperial stout, I had been counting the days until I could get my hands on some. It took longer than I hoped but it finally hit shelves in Western NY. I was so excited to purchase it that literally moments after it hit shelves I found myself in the car going to purchase it. I am a huge fan of both breweries and had extremely high hopes for this beer. Everything about it sounded fantastic and I am pleased to report that Bamburana did not disappoint.

Bamburana gets its name from amburana, a South American wood. It is a wood that adds unique flavors and reduces acidity. It successfully accomplished both in Bamburana. In fact, this is one of the most unique stouts I have had in awhile.

Bamburana spent time in both whiskey & brandy barrels but in both the aroma and on the palate they only play a complimentary note. Dates, figs, chocolate and the amburana wood are front and center here. The aroma caught me off guard in that aspect. Figs, dates, cinnamon, molasses, chocolate, caramel, an earthy woodiness and smoke shine with brandy complimenting the fruitiness. On the palate, the fruitiness of the figs and dates, along with notes of dark cherry and brandy come through initially before savory notes of cinnamon, licorice, molasses, ginger, coconut, caramel, vanilla and fudge. There is also a subtle espresso note, with a touch of whiskey before a tobacco, woody, spicy finish. With each sip, I found myself enjoying Bamburana more and more. It's a full-bodied, velvety smooth-sipper that offers a ton of complexity. In short, I am a huge fan of this beer.

These two amazing breweries have brewed a fantastic imperial stout. Since Oskar Blues contract brews some of Cigar City’s offerings I hope this is the first of many collaborations to see a wide release. That is looking to the future though. In the meantime, I highly recommend picking Bamburana up as soon as possible,


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Cherry Chouffe

Over the past few weeks I have been a bit obsessed with Rodenbach Alexander. It has been a mainstay in my refrigerator since I blogged about it and I do not foresee that changing anytime soon. Unfortunately, I cannot blog about Rodenbach Alexander every week, that would get fairly boring. So, to keep it fresh I picked up the new cherry forward offering from Brasserie D'Achouffe, Cherry Chouffe.

I will start this out by saying this beer is by no means as good as Rodenbach Alexander. In fact, I would say this straight forward Belgian-style fruit beer tastes more like Nyquil than Alexander. Being cherry forward is about the only thing these beers have in common. When I took in the aroma, I got a strong hit of cherry cold medicine. The phenols were noticeably strong in this beer. This carried over into my first sip. The cherry note is fantastic at times. It added a nice bit of tartness and blended well with the sweetness in the finish. There is a touch of graininess, licorice, toffee, chocolate and a vegetal note but they are mostly hidden behind the cherry. It’s weird to put it like this, but if you like the taste of cold medicine, you will enjoy this beer. If you hate the taste of cold medicine, I would strongly encourage you to purchase something else.

For me, Cherry Chouffe is definitely a one and done. It was by no means a drain pour for me but it is a beer I have little interest in purchasing it again. Cold medicine is a flavor I expect from cold medicine, not from my beer.

Once again, if you are looking for a cherry forward beer, go with Rodenbach Alexander.


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Jack’s Abby Citra Brau Lager

I am always looking for a great value and Jack’s Abby always seems to deliver just that. Over the years, the Framingham, Massachusetts Brewery has become a personal favorite of mine. The main reasons for that are they consistently push the boundaries of creativity with their lagers and they are always priced reasonably. I honestly can’t recall a single beer from them I have not enjoyed. Granted, there are some of their beers I prefer more than others, but that is how I feel about every brewery. Jack’s Abby consistently makes solid beer at a great price and their latest offering, Citra Brau, reinforces that.

I keep mentioning that Jack’s Abby beer is always a great value, but Citra Brau is the first beer from them that actually gave me “sticker shock”. “Sticker shock" is something that happens to every beer enthusiast at one time or another. It usually occurs when you find yourself paying a bit more for a beer than you expected to. For Citra Brau, a dry-hopped citra lager, I had the complete opposite reaction. A 6-pack of 16 oz. cans is priced around 10 dollars. Once I tried it, I felt like I had found one of the best values currently on the market. 

Citra Brau certainly showcases the citra hop but Jack's Abby balances it beautifully with a fantastic lager backbone. The aroma is super dank, floral, grassy, grainy and very fruity.  The taste matches the nose and as I mentioned earlier it is beautifully balanced. Orange, lemon, peach, melon, resinous pine and grass hit initially before the slightly sweet, grainy, crackery malt profile comes into play. The finish is dry, peppery, crisp & clean. Nothing here is going to blow you away, but this is a really nice, easy drinking lager with just the right amount of hop flavor.

Clocking in at 5.5%, Citra Brau is sessionable and a beer I hope to see year-round from Jack's Abby, especially for the summer. Citra Brau has "lawnmower beer" written all over it. In the meantime, its very reasonable price point could make it a staple in my refrigerator for the foreseeable future. Once again, Jack's Abby delivers another solid beer.


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Orkney Skull Spiltter Scotch Ale

I am always looking for something  new to try for this blog. Once in awhile though, I come across a classic beer I have yet to try. That is the case for this blog.

For as long as I have been drinking beer, I have heard people talking about Orkney Brewery’s Skull Splitter Scotch Ale. I always thought it had a badass name and that I should pick it up, but sadly it never went any further than that. I would always tell myself that I would pick it up sooner than later but somehow always forgot about it when it came to restocking the fridge. Well, thanks to a friend's generosity I finally had a bottle in my refrigerator with no excuses. It was time to try Skull Splitter.

From the moment I took in the aroma, I knew I had made a huge mistake by not trying this scotch ale sooner. The aroma was incredibly fruity with notes of dark cherry, plum, dates, figs, toasted bread, caramel, a hint of apple, a touch of earthiness, and a warm boozy reminder that this is an 8.5% beer.

After my first sip. I was astounded by the complexity of this beer. Toasted bread, caramel, tobacco, dark cherry and molasses are the strongest notes to come through. There are also hints of dates, figs, smoke and apple. The finish is dry, spicy, and boozy with a pleasant hint of lemon. The lemon was subtle but a really nice touch. There is so much to like here from this Scottish classic, I wish I had a second bottle to follow this.

It might sound like I am gushing here but I really enjoyed Skull Splitter. This classic scotch ale lived up to its reputation and it will not be long until it finds its way into my glass again. If you are a fan of scotch ales and have yet to try this one, I highly recommend picking it up.


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Lawson's Maple Nipple Amber Ale

I am excited that offerings besides Sip of Sunshine & the Super Session session IPA from Vermont's Lawson's Finest Liquids are getting distribution to Western NY. It feels like only yesterday I was waiting in line for a draft pour of Sip of Sunshine and now I can walk in to any beer isle and find their beers. What a time to be alive! Since I had yet to try their Maple Nipple Amber Ale, I wasted no time in purchasing it once it hit stores. I thought it would be the perfect beer for this blog.

First things first, I am not going to lie. I had a touch of sticker shock when I saw the 17.99 price tag for a 4-pack but figured if it was from Lawson's, it was going to be well worth purchasing. After opening my first can and pouring it into a glass, I took in the aroma. It reminded me of Fall more than anything else. Rich caramel, toasted bread, a lighter than expected maple syrup note and herbal hops greeted me in the aroma. It instantly took me back to October and in hindsight, if it was paired with a crisp Fall night I might have enjoyed it slightly more. 

When I took my first sip, I found myself underwhelmed. The caramel, toasted bread, toffee and spicy, herbal hop finish stand out the most. In a way, this very much reminded me of a stronger Oktoberfest, and for a moment I enjoyed it. The maple syrup is there but there is not enough of it in the flavor for my taste. If you have been reading my blog long enough, you know that when a beer promises maple syrup, I really want to taste the maple syrup. With Maple Nipple, it is definitely there, there is just not enough of it. I found myself disappointed by that and even more disappointed by the green apple off-flavor that I continued to pickup the further I got into the pint. By the time my glass was empty, I felt like the best thing about Maple Nipple was its hilarious can art. 

With some beers, if I feel future batches could improve them, I have no problem revisiting them down the line. That could very well be the case for this one. However, with this beer's price point and the level of disappointment I feel as I write this, I highly doubt I will be picking up again.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Harpoon The Craic Irish Red IPA

With a snow storm right around the corner, I, like many other beer enthusiasts are preparing for the prospect of being snowed in. Preparation for a storm includes getting all the necessary supplies, and that includes filling the refrigerator with beer. Now, in the past I have had a tendency to just drink beers on the heavier side when snowed in, and while I have plenty of those, this is my first big snow storm as a homeowner and I have been on a quest to find an adequate snowblowing beer. 

For this particular storm, my snow blowing beer will be Harpoon’s The Craic Irish Red IPA. The reason I chose this beer is because it walks the line between a Red IPA & an Irish Red Ale. One style reminds me of some of my favorite holiday & Winter seasonal beers and the other reminds me of Spring and the warmer weather to come. The Craic does a really nice job of balancing both. 

The aroma of toasted bread, caramel, and toffee instantly made me think of St. Patrick’s Day. I then picked up the herbal, pine & citrus notes from the hops. The taste matched the nose for the most part. The malt profile shines nicely before the hops add another welcome layer of complexity. The hops add a nice amount of spice, along with grapefruit, orange and pine. The malt profile was nuttier than I expected but only enhanced my enjoyment of The Craic. The only thing I was not crazy about was the finish. It was earthy, dry, piney, bitter and provided contrast to the malt sweetness but it did not work as well as I hoped it would. This is a small criticism though, this is a really nice beer and has me really looking forward to seeing more Irish Red Ales on the shelf soon.

The Craic is also one of the best beers I have had from Harpoon in a long time. I usually pass on beers from the Boston-based brewery because they are usually average at best. This one however is a lot of fun and will definitely get a repeat purchase from me. It will also make for a nice reward after multiple trips outside clearing snow.

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Stay warm!

Samuel Adams Bavarian Lager

These days, I do not drink many new beers with the Samuel Adams' name on them. It is a shame because the Boston Beer Company played a huge role in me falling in love with craft beer. Occasionally for the sake of this blog, I pick up a new offering from them, but aside from the surprising Sam '76, I have found little outside of the classics(Boston Lager, Winter Lager, Oktoberfest etc.) that I want to purchase again. I decided to pick up their latest release, Bavarian Lager, for the sake of this blog, but I will admit I had higher hopes for this beer than other recent releases. This brewery has made classic lagers and I was hoping that Bavarian Lager would take its place among them.

True to the Helles-style, Bavarian Lager pours a pale golden-yellow. It is unfiltered and the aroma of bread dough stands out along with fruity, citrusy, grassy hops. The flavor matched the nose for the most part-- bread dough with a touch of honey sweetness, with a hint of fruit, orange and grapefruit. The finish is grassy, slightly spicy and a touch metallic. The metallic note did not ruin it for me, it is fairly subtle. Overall, I actually I enjoyed Sam Adams Bavarian Lager a lot more than I thought I would. I think it is a huge upgrade over the subpar Fresh As Helles Lager they first released in 2017. Actually, it is an upgrade over most of the beers I have had from Sam Adams recently.

Sam Adams Bavarian Lager is an easy-drinking, crowd pleasing lager that has a satisfying amount of  body for the colder months ahead. I want to be clear, this is not a beer that is going to blow your mind, it is just a well crafted beer from a legendary brewery. It is also a beer I am happy to say I look forward to buying again, sooner than later.

Overall rating: 4/5



Overall rating: 4.25/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

New Belgium Brut IPA

For a New Year's blog a champagne-like beer seemed appropriate, so I decided to take a look at New Belgium's Brut IPA. The Brut IPA puts a fun champagne-like spin on the style. It's wonderfully effervescent, super dry, light on hop bitterness and very refreshing. After some deliberation while beer shopping, I decided to purchase New Belgium's Brut IPA for this blog. As a fan of New Belgium, I was particularly excited to see their take on the style.

As I started pouring Brut IPA, I found myself enjoying the sight of a light golden, clear IPA. I am by no means tired of hazy NE-IPAs but this was a nice change of pace. The aroma is tropical, citrusy(zesty lemon, grapefruit & orange), and a touch white wine-like, with herbal tea notes. The first bubbly sip was enjoyable with grapefruit, lemon, white grape, pineapple, grass and herbal tea. The hops are a dialed back a bit as expected with the style but what is there is really nice. The finish is where things took a turn for me. While a dry finish it is what you should expect from the style, in New Belgium's Brut IPA's case it is extremely dry & astringent, to the point I felt I needed a tall glass of water once I finished it.

New Belgium's take on a Brut IPA is not all bad but one bottle goes a very long way. As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the hop flavor. There was a nice touch of grain in there as well, it just all fell apart in the finish. This is a beer I would love to revisit down the line to see if the recipe gets tweaked slightly. The potential for something great is there. In its current state, it would work for a toast at midnight on New Year's if options are limited. As a session beer, I advise you to look elsewhere.

As far as the style of Brut IPA goes, I am excited to see how big this style gets. Brut IPAs are growing in popularity by the day with more and more breweries attempting them. I look forward to trying and writing about many more.

Overall rating: 2.5/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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Happy New Year!

El Segundo Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA

There are few beers I have looked forward to trying more than El Segundo Brewing Company's Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA. The idea of a beer designed by the Beer Swilling Texas Rattle Snake Stone Cold Steve Austin was something I just had to try. The fact that it was not distributed in New York is the only reason I had yet to get my hands on a bottle. With the holidays here I found myself looking for a unique wrestling gift for a friend, and a bottle of Broken Skull IPA seemed like the perfect gift. Since I was going to order one, I thought I might as well get a second one to try to find out if this West Coast IPA was everything I hoped it would be.

As I poured Broken Skull IPA into my glass, I was immediately greeted by its wonderfully bold hop aroma. Loads of sticky pine resin, along with zesty grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine and an herbal spiciness seemed to jump out of the glass. I could not wait to take my first "swig of beer" and when I did I was immediately rewarded by the bold flavors of citrus and pine. Grapefruit and tangerine in particular shine, along with a touch of tropical fruit. The citrus and fruit notes provide a nice contrast to the pine & grass, which I have to admit is more subdued than I expected, but it is just the right amount for this beer. The doughy malt backbone is light but that is all that is needed here. Then a really nice touch of herbal spiciness from the Chinook hops comes in just before the crisp, clean finish.

As I worked my way through the 22 oz. bomber, I found myself stunned(see what I did there?) by how easy Broken Skull IPA was to drink. At 6.7% ABV, it is not exactly an ideal session beer but that is exactly what it drinks like. If this was available in New York, it would be a staple in my refrigerator because it is a well-made brew that is accessible to a craft beer novice as well as the more experienced craft beer enthusiast. I guess what I am trying to say is, if someone offers you a chance to try Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA, give them an OH HELL YEAH!


Overall rating: 4.25/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Ommegang Game of Thrones: King In The North

I have only purchased a few beers in Ommegang's Game of Thrones series. The main reason for this is that I felt underwhelmed by the early entries in the series outside of Fire & Blood and decided that maybe they were a bit too gimmicky for my taste. The 2018 Game of Thrones Royal Reserve Collection had a few offerings that piqued my interest, but nothing that got me to walk out of the store with a bottle-- that was until I saw the final entry in the series.

King in the North is a barrel aged imperial stout and in early December that seems to be the only style I want to drink and blog about. I apologize for this but every time a season begins to change, I find myself looking for beer that I feel defines the season. Huge imperial stouts fit that bill and if they are aged in a barrel, even better.

King in the North is aged in a bourbon barrel, but immediately on the nose I noticed the barrel aging was not as bold as I normally like. Instead, there is the aroma of a really nice imperial stout. There is a lot of roast, dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, smoke, a hint of dark fruit and oak tannins. I was looking for more of a vanilla or bourbon note but unfortunately there was not much there.

When I took my first sip of King in the North, I was hit with a huge amount of roast, bittersweet dark chocolate, molasses, plum, dark cherry, smoke, and brown sugar with a boozy, earthy, fruity, peppery, woody finish. There is a lot to like here, the flavors line up nicely for what I would expect from a great Belgian-style imperial stout. I just wanted the barrel to shine a bit more. There were hints of vanilla, but the oak was the strongest note from the barrel. My other criticism is that King in the North is a touch thin. For a beer brewed for Jon Snow, I wanted it to have just little bit more body. Nevertheless, I enjoyed King in the North, it is a solid beer that is priced very reasonably and its bottle presentation is excellent. It also pairs nicely with the season 8 teaser trailer.

Overall rating: 3.5/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Why I Love Bourbon County Black Friday

Black Friday is my favorite day of the year. Why I feel that way has nothing to do with great deals on electronics, clothing or other household items. It has everything to do with the release of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout.

The release of BCBS always seems to bring out a polarizing reaction amongst beer enthusiasts. The reason for that is undoubtedly the fact that they are owned by AB InBev. To some, it does not matter and they will wait in line to purchase a beer they adore. For others, it is a day to make a statement that they avoid Ab InBev and all of their products. From the latter, one thing I found amusing was a viral image on Facebook of people marking themselves safe from AB InBev like they were marking themselves safe from a catastrophic event in their area. I do not fault anyone who avoids purchasing Goose Island BCBS because of the entity that owns them, in fact I respect it.

As someone who loves BCBS, I have to admit, it bums me out that I am supporting AB InBev. Especially because I spend the entire year avoiding most of their products and love supporting Independent Craft Beer. However, to me, this one particular day is about more than just the beer for sale. It is about getting together with family and friends and the beer serves as a reason to do so. It has become a yearly tradition for us and each year I cherish it more and more.

Our yearly tradition usually starts with me picking up my friend(s), with one of us usually running late, and heading to our first stop around 8 AM. We pick up our bottles, and then head off to the next stop as soon as we cash out. Usually around the second stop the need for coffee comes into play for everyone else in the car. I normally run on excitement throughout the morning but it turns out my friends and wife do not. We look for the nearest coffee shop, which was Tim Horton's this year, and I am fairly certain the coffee we got that morning has yet to cool down. My dad will then call and join in the fun. Years ago, my dad thought the concept of chasing this beer was ridiculous, but the infectious nature of traveling from place to place to get something that could sell out at any moment became a thrill for him. Also, he realized it was an easy way to Christmas shop for his son. My dad also enjoys the mid-morning break of stopping for breakfast at one of our favorite diners. Then after breakfast the second part of the hunt begins, and that is finding the beer on draft. Once we find it, we  share a few laughs over a pour, reminiscing about the morning and laying out a better plan for the following year. The most ridiculous part of the day then begins-- my friend Paul and I go shopping for matching shirts(this year's dancing bears X-Mas sweaters were exquisite) before heading home for a mid-afternoon nap. We then get together for a late dinner and catch up with other family & friends over a BCBS and a lot of laughs. The night normally goes late and our Saturday mornings tend to start a little bit slower.

This whole thing might sound ridiculous to you but it is something I look forward to every year. As I get older I realize that some traditions matter and this is one of them. Life pulls us in many different directions throughout the year. I love that there is one day on the calendar that we all just drop everything and enjoy some beer. Black Friday for us is that day and I hope the tradition never ends. 

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

I first came across Dogfish Head's 75 Minute IPA as part of their bomber series. At the time, I thought it was a bit too pricey and I left it on the shelf. I still wanted to try it but admittedly I forgot all about it. There is always a surplus of great beer on the shelf and if I pass on one, there is always something else to try. I admit however, I was thrilled to see 75 Minute IPA get a fall release. I am on a huge maple syrup beer kick and I really wanted to see how the beer in between two classics(60 Minute & 90 Minute) stacked up.

Like Wood Aged Bitches Brew earlier this year, 75 Minute IPA is now packaged in 6-packs and its per-ounce price has dropped substantially. The aroma of this copper-colored ipa was familar(grapefruit, orange peel, earthy pine, caramel, toasted bread) for a Dogfish Head IPA but offered something new, a subtle maple sweetness. When I took my first sip, those familiar notes shined and I knew I was drinking a Dogfish IPA. The normally bitter finish is where you can find the addition of maple syrup. It adds a nice touch of sweetness and complexity. As always, I wanted the maple syrup to be a touch bolder but I will admit what is here works just fine. This may not be a beer I want to drink year-round, but it works nicely as a nice compliment to crisp Fall weather.

Dogfish Head rarely misses when it comes to IPAs. I really enjoyed 75 Minute IPA. I will need more time to figure out where it stands on my list when it comes to 60 & 90 minute, but I think the answer for me, funny enough, will be somewhere in the middle.

Overall rating: 3.75/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Firestone Walker Dark & Stormy

The Firestone Walker Proprietor's Series needs no introduction. This series is so outstanding that even my least favorite beer in the series is still excellent. The only reason I would spend any time writing about it is if they did something different enough with it that I legitimately was not sure what to expect. With Dark & Stormy, Firestone Walker did just that. Dark & Stormy is a rum barrel aged blend that is 80% Helldorado and 20% Velvet Merkin, with freshly zested ginger and lime. 

When I first heard about Dark & Stormy, I was not as excited as I usually am about a new release in the series. I had no issue with the blend or the rum barrels, only the addition of ginger & lime. They felt like unnecessary adjuncts to an amazing series, but if any brewery could pull it off it was Firestone Walker.

The aroma of Dark & Stormy is very rum-forward. There is a nice honey sweetness as well, along with ginger, lime, a hint of chocolate, vanilla, coconut, caramel and spice. I grew optimistic from the aroma and that was rewarded when I took my first sip. Rum dominates initially before the ginger & lime are showcased. The creaminess of vanilla from the barrel finds its way in, along with the familiar graham cracker from Helldorado and a touch of chocolate from the Velvet Merkin. I wanted more of the Velvet Merkin to come through but I found myself enjoying Dark & Stormy for what it was. A fun, yet different addition to an illustrious series. However, I would not recommend this to any one who does not like rum. Rum is the dominant note here and I could see that being off-putting to some. 

Dark & Stormy is another great addition to the Proprietor's Series. I will admit it rates on the low end for me as far as the series goes, but I still think it is excellent.

Overall rating: 4/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!