Monday, December 30, 2013

Sam dams Odyssey part 3: Whitewater IPA

Sam dams Odyssey part 3:
Whitewater IPA



Once again, I'm worried about this one. Not because I think its going to suck...ohh no, its because I really want to try it! I love the idea of a white IPA, and if Sam Adams can do something proper, its an IPA. I also like the rest of the beers in this collection (hopology), so yea, I do have expectations about this one..........very different from the first two I reviewed.

But who cares. Lets just jump into this one! Afterwords Ill write a bit on white IPA (the inspiration for this beer), with my information being taken from the book “IPA”, by Mitch Steele.


  • Sam Adams
    • whitewater IPA
      • Style: American IPA, 5.8%
      • rating: ratebeer (89\100), beer advocate (80\100)
      • personal review: BA style
        • appearance: You can clearly see the inspiration for this beer: it has a very present cloudiness to it that at a first glance would make you believe that it is a wit. When poured it had a very small head, but that rapidly disappeared. Despite that, it still looks great in my Scottish glass. 4.25\5
        • aroma: This is where the beer really shines. It has a lot of apricot and floral\fruity hop aroma. Not much spice that I can tell, but it really smells amazing. Full points. 5\5
        • taste: wow, this one really shoots for the hops. It flavors can be described as being very hoppy neutral bitterness. Very resinous and piney, with some bitter orange flavors thought the entire beer. It does start off as being somewhat sweet, but the hops really make you forget that. That's the main problem I had with the beer. Its hops covers up a lot of the witbier character that the beer might had had. I like it, but its not what I wanted. 3.5\5
        • mouthfeel: This beer has a nice smooth mouthfeel, with just the right amount of carbonation. I like it a lot. 4.5\5
        • overall: In some ways, this is a great beer......but it really missed the point. The point of a white ipa is to blend the flavors of a wit with that of an IPA. This one pushed the hops too hard, and it just came off as an American IPA instead of a white one. Still, its great American ipa! A good choice that will really surprise people who have no respect for SA. I give this one a 3.75\5 overall. If your looking for a beer with a unexpectedly large amount of hops, look no further.
          • Final review: BA(3.99\5), personal (84\100)
          • Its no White IPA, but it is a cool American one. Good from start to finish. Will have again.

    Style in Focus: white IPA


This beer may not be a so called “White IPA” (even if it did get the appearance and aroma correct), but what exactly is a white IPA? It's a style so new that its not even in the Encyclopedia of beer, and I had to find it in a new beer “IPA”, by Mitch Steele (which is a great read for anyone who wants to learn more about all IPA's). A very new style, in fact the newest style in the book, it has its origin with a collaboration brew. In 2011 Deschutes and Boulevard brewing companies worked together to form this style in two separate attempts. The stye is made by fusing the IPA style with that of the Belgian Witbier. The beer was made like a traditional wit except it was made stronger (7.4% abv) and aggressively hopped like an American IPA. Since then many breweries have made their own versions, some vouching for traditional wit ingredients and others going for more exotic ingredients like peppercorns, kumquats, and Brettanomyces fermentation (among other things).

The main things that most people can agree on the type of hops that they use. They favor citrusy and fruity hop varieties to play off the Belgian yeast character and spices. That is primarily why whitewater IPA is not a white IPA. Its hopping is too harsh and forward: it covers up too much of its Belgian character and spice (which mostly defines the beers aroma vs its taste). Hops used for white IPA's include Cascade, Centenial, Citra, and Galaxy.
I wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
A pocket full of money
And a cellar full of beer!
     — Irish toast

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Brew in focus: Victory Dirt Wolf

Brew in focus: Victory Dirt Wolf

ohhhhhhhhh Dirt Wolf, how is it that I can describe this beer. So much has been said about it, but I suppose I can take a crack at it.
To begin, this image comes to mind:


yea, Id say that that covers it. I know that people tend to throw “best ever” around a lot, but this really is the best IPA I've had this year. Most likely the best I've ever had. If you say that you like IPAs, especially big American double IPA's, you have no excuse. You have to pick this beer up when you see it. Hell pick up TWO. Its worth it. Trust me. And now, lets take a look at this gem:

  • Style: Imperial IPA, 8.7%
  • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (95\100)
  • Full Personal Review:
    • Appearance: it comes off looking like a very hazy peach colored liquid. Not red, not clear, just very, very hazy...yet, to me, it makes the beer look even better. No head on this one, but considering how much hop everything is in it, I'm not surprised. Hop oils do tend to kill off head retention. 4\5
    • Aroma: wow.....I mean,just wow. This one just leaps right out of the glass and punches you in the face with awesome. It smells of a bonanza of fruit: apricot, pineapple, pears, mixed in with a background of hop resins and a sweet malty goodness. 5\5
    • Taste: Not only does this beer smell amazing, it also has an abundance of flavoring hops as well, and it all works out perfectly. The beer starts off with a subtle sweetness that helps you work into its long, rolling bitterness that never feels too sharp or grading. Big American resinous, citrus, and floral hop flavorings that all take front seat in the flavor department, but keep the malty sweetness around to create a fantastic experience. Also a bit of peach flavor comes out of the stuff. 5\5
    • Mouth-feel: It has a bit too much carbonation that can add a bit too much of a bite to the beer, but it also allows for more aroma to leap forward, so I cant fault it too much in this department. I suppose I give it a 3.5\5.
    • Overall: Id say that overall, this beer has perfect aroma and flavor. The smell is just perfect. The taste is just perfect. It shows how a double IPA can have a huge amount of hops, and yet, not have the grading heavy hop character to drown out all the other flavors. This beer is not balanced, but its not overpowering. Its a brew that has all its characteristics working together to deliver the best possible outcome. 5\5.
      • BA average (4.8\5), or a 98\100
Best IPA of 2013. Will buy again.


This beer is still available in beer stop for about 10$\4, and I'm pretty sure that its the last store in town to have any. Enjoy.

Here is looking forward to Hop Ranch!

L'chaim!






Saturday, December 28, 2013

Sam Adams odyssey part two: Sam Aadms Light

Sam dams Odyssey part 2
Sam Adams Light


beer is sitting over my kegerator, and next to be beer flag


On my last review I tried the blueberry wit, and I expected that I would not care for the brew. I was wrong, and found it to be a decent brew. Now this is the one beer from Sam Adams that I have some of the least expectation for (Cherry wheat is the one that I have the most Dredd to try, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it). For this beer, I will be treating it like a light beer, aka comparing it to the other light beers I've had in the past. As a result it may have a high rateing, but just remember, this merely reflects its rating in its weight class.

Because of that, it might get a decent review. I have no idea. I really have never had it before. But yea, enough talk! Lets get started

  • Sam Adams
    • Sam Adams light, 1.69, bottle
      • beer style: light lager, 4.3%
      • rateings: ratebeer(16\100), beer advocate (75\100)
      • personal rating: BA style, followed by a overall x\100
        • appearance: This beer actually has some color to it. A very light amber coloration distinguishes itself from its other light brethen, with no real head forming in my glass. Might had been my extra careful pour. Overall not bad. 4\5
        • aroma: Their really isn't anything here that I like. It really just smells like your typical light lagger, with maybe some kind of odd hoping, but I cant place it. Even so, I really don't care for it. I was kinda hoping for a nice load of hop aroma. 1.5\5
        • taste: moment of truth.............and...............you know what, its really not that bad at all! Extremely neutral, light, with few flavors backing it up. Very grainy malt body dominates the flavor. The Trader Joes pilsner had far more hop characters to it, but then again, this is a light beer. Its not suppose to have a lot of hop character. Compared to Bud light, or platinum, seriously, I give this one a 4\5
        • mouthfeel: light with a heavy dose of carbonation, making it very spritzy and covering its very light body. 4\5
        • overall: This beer really was not made for me, but I'll be honest, I don't hate it. Id be happy drinking it for free at a friends house or at a party. Its easy to consume, and is not offensive at the least, and does count as a light lagger. That's impressive, as to make a light lagger inoffensive is damn hard. After drinking the entire glass, my final rating is............. a 3.75\5. Its not bad at all. I cant say that I like its aftertaste very much at all, but overall, the beer really is ok..........especially for anyone who wants to indulge the fantasy of a “diet beer”.

Overall, Id be happy to play a game of beer pong with this beer!
BA rating (3.45\5), overall(82\100)
Remember the rating is scaled against the light lager category!

Beer style in focus

Now that the review is over, lets look at some of the history of light beer (information gleaned from the Oxford encyclopedia of beer, section "light lagers"). Light beer is defined as any beer that has less caloric content than your standard variety of beer. As a result most of these beers are brewed to have lower levels of alcohol and malt sugars (less alcohol and final remaining sugars mean less calories). The FDA classifies any beer that contains 33% less calories than a standard offering as being light. In a time of health contentious individuals (and cost sensitive consumers), combined with some clever marketing, light beer has taken the largest market share of any variety of beer on the planet.

Their are four ways of making “light beer”. The first is simply to reduce the grain bill of an original recipe. The second is to sell the beer in smaller bottles so it contains fewer calories. The third way is to employ a longer mash time, which will result in a greater amount of fermentable sugars and a lower body. The beer is then diluted with water. The fourth way is to use exogenous brewing enzymes in the mash to break up a great quantity of starches into fermentable sugars. The final product is then diluted with water, and light beer is the final result.

Because light beer by definition has a very low amount of malt sugars and hop character, brewing defects and off flavors will be very noticeable in the final product. This means that near-perfect brewing is required to produce such beers, often requiring a detailed understanding of brewing science and a high-tech brewery to manufacture. As a result, it is actually quite difficult to produce such beers properly.

The third and fourth methods listed above are used primarily to produce most of the beer in this category, and has its origins in Coors light which was first introduced in the 1940's. It was discontinues before WW2, but it was not the end of light beer. The beer saw new life in 1967 with the release of Gablinger's diet beer. The beer was created by chemist Joesph Owades (and was produced by the Rheingold brewery). The beer was not a success, but the brewery Meister Brau responded by making their own line of light beer. Miller took over the brewery and re-branded it as miller light in 1973. Soon Coors relaunched their Coors light brand in 1978, and Bud Light was soon to follow in 1982. 8 years later Bud Light was the best selling beer in the world, and it has largely stayed that way since. Each one of these big three are very similar, but insist that they have some house uniqueness that distinguishes themselves from the other. The lightest beer to be made in this category was low carb beer that used a generous portion of exogenous brewing enzymes to leave very, very little final sugars in the beer. Marketed as low-carb beer, it had a strong early response, but sales slumped back heavily due to its weaker taste and a overall return to standard light lagers. Today it holds a very small portion of the style's market share.

Despite the difficulty of their production and distribution, light beers have dominated the market. I would say this is due to the offering of large bulk beer purchases at lower prices, effective marketing, low caloric content, and its 'un-beer like” flavoring. Time will tell if Light beer will continue to dominate the market as it has since the early 90's

now you know!



Anyho, I think that just about covers this posting. I was very surprised to find a light style that I could enjoy (for what it was) and doubt that Ill find another one that really fits the bill. I think that Id still prefer a Trader Joes Pilsener or a Narragansett to this (for the price). But hey, for a beer with few calories, it does the job better than any other.

A glass in the hand’s worth two on the shelf—
Tipple it down and refresh yourself!
     — Anonymous

Friday, December 27, 2013

Proof, the Tallahassee behemoth of beer

Proof, the Tallahassee behemoth of beer

The proof bottle shop............Do I really even have to elaborate on this store?
I mean, who doesn’t already go to this store when they are looking for the best stuff in town?

Very few beer stores have the kind of reputation. For many (myself included) it was the first place I really had good beer and as a result, it was the beginning of my love for beer. Hell, if it wasn’t for this place I probably would not had gotten into home-brewing.

I owe a lot to this place, in terms of how its helped me with beer and what not.

Packing the largest collection of beer in town, the most refrigerators dedicated to beer, and (easily) the most knowledgeable staff in town. There are a lot of reasons for people to check this store out.

Hell, even their custom made brews are pretty damn good.
As I said before, its goes without saying. Go to this place if you haven’t already. It will really get you started on enjoying better beer.


Now then...........
Here is a current list of some of the cooler bottles\cans on the shelf right now at proof:

WARNING: proof has a huge list of beer, and has more of some than others. sections that are in italics indicate that they may be out of that beer at the moment, and overall indicates beers in small supply. Some might be restocked later, some may not. Eventually, some of these will be struck off the list. Right now, in-between semesters, some beers may also be harder to find than others.
    bombers\single bottles
    (all of these are either 22 bombers or 750 bottles unless specified)
  • stone
    • punishment, 18.99, 500ml
      • Style: American strong ale, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (38\100), beer advocate (72\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • southern char, 18.99 500ml
      • Style: American strong ale, 12.6%
      • rating: ratebeer (n\a), beer advocate (96\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • self righteous, 7.99
      • Style: Black IPA, 8.7%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: 87\100
    • old guardian, 8.99
      • Style:
      • rating:
      • person rating:
  • Yeastie Boys
    • Rex attitude, 5.49, 12oz
      • Style: Smoked beer, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (59\100), beer advocate (81\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • williams brothers
    • black ball stout, 5.49, 12oz
      • Style: English stout, 4.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (67\100), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating: n\a
  • de ranke
    • XX bitter, 11.25
      • Style: Belgian IPA, 6.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • XXX bitter, 11.25
      • Style: Belgian IPA, 6%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • B nectar
    • vanilla cinnamon mead, 17.99
      • Style: mead
      • rating: ratebeer (90\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Panil
    • panil divina, 14.99
      • Style: unblended Lambic, 5.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (86\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Nøgne Ø
    • dark horizon 4th edition, 10.99 12oz
      • Style: Russian Imperial stout, 16%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: will arrive in 2-3 years when I drink mine ;)
  • founders
    • sweet repute, 17.99
      • Style: wheatwine, 12.6%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • southern tier
    • compass, 7.99
      • Style: American Pale ale, 9%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: 87.2\100. A great beer for people who say that they don't like beer, and a good beer substitute for campaign. Hoppy, floral, and spritzy.
    • pumping, 7.99
      • Style: Pumpkin ale, 8.6%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: 98\100. Simply the best pumpkin ale there is. Period.
    • oat, 8.99
      • Style: Imperial stout, 11%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • iniquity, 6.99
      • Style: black IPA, 9%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: 93\100
    • back burner, 7.99
      • Style: Barleywine, 10%,
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (90\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • chokolat, 8.99
      • Style: American imperial stout, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (95\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Coronado
    • Stoopid stout, 6.99
      • Style: American imperial stout, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (86\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Great Divide
    • Wolfgang dopplebock,
      • Style:
      • rating:
      • person rating:
    • Belgian style Yeti, 9.99
      • Style: Belgian stout, 9.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: n\a, but this beer is retired. If your curious pick it up. You never know when youl get another chance!
  • heavy seas
    • The big DIPA, 8.99
      • Style: Double ipa, 10.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (88\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Below Decks, 6.99
      • Style: barleywine, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (75\100), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Schneider
    • aventinus weizen eisbock, 4.99, 11.2 oz
      • Style: Eisbock, 12%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • heller bock saphir, 4.99 16.9 oz
    • Style: helles bock, 7.4%
    • rating: ratebeer (92\100), beer advocate (88\100)
    • person rating: n\a
  • zolo vintage roden batch, 18.99
    • Style:
    • rating:
    • person rating:
  • samichlaus, 15.99
    • Style: doppelbock, 14%
    • rating: ratebeer (94\100), beer advocate (89\100)
    • person rating: n\a
  • Brasserie de Rocks
    • tripple Impériale, 8.99
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • grand crue, 7.99
      • Style: Belgian strong ale, 9%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: Their are many who claim to be the best Belgian brewery, but I feel that for the money, these guys beat out all the rest. A must try for anyone who loves Belgian style beers, or is looking to celebrate something special. 94\100
  • buffalo Belgian stout, 8.99
    • Style: Belgian imperial stout, 9%
    • rating: ratebeer (79\100), beer advocate (82\100)
    • person rating: n\a
  • St Sebastiaan , 8.99, 16oz flip-top bottle (A souvenir!)
    • Dark
      • Style: Dubbel, 6.9%
      • rating: ratebeer (85\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Gold ale
      • Style: Tripel, 7.7%
      • rating: ratebeer (74\100), beer advocate (85\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Grand reserve
      • Style: Belgian strong ale, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (85\100), beer advocate (86\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Samuel Smith
    • yorkshire stingo, 11.99
      • Style: English strong ale, 9%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Harviestoun Brewery, (the old engine oil people!)
    • Ola Dubh 16 year scotch aged, 8.25, 12 oz
      • Style: old ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Ola Dubh 12 year scotch aged, 7.99, 12 oz
      • Style: old ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Ola Dubh 18 year scotch aged, 9.99, 12 oz
      • Style: old ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Schmaltz\hebrew
    • Origin, 5.99
      • style: fruit beer, 8%
      • Stats: ratebeer (61\100), beer advocate (80\100)
      • personal rating:
    • Reunion ale, 7.99
      • style: American brown ale, 7.5%
      • Stats: ratebeer (93\100), beer advocate (86\100)
      • personal rating: n\a
  • Swamp-head
    • hoe-hoe-hoe, 13.49
      • Style: Witbier, 5.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (40\100), beer advocate (84\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Ballast point
    • sea monster, 9.49
      • Style: American imperial stout, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (90\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • victory at sea coffee Vanilla porter, 9.49
      • Style: American porter, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (98\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • bear republic
    • Peter Brown tribute, 4.99
      • Style: American brown ale, 6.3%
      • rating: ratebeer (92\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • black bear stout, 6.99
      • Style: American double Stout, 8.1%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • cafe racer, 8.49
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 9.75%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • North Coast Brewery
    • Grand Cru, 13.99
      • Style: Belgian strong ale, 12.9%
      • rating: ratebeer (n\a), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Rogue
    • double dead guy, 13.49
      • Style: American strong ale, 9.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • terrapin
    • All American Imperial pills, 8.49
      • Style: Imperial Pils, 8.9%
      • rating: ratebeer (89\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Hopping Frog Brewery
    • silk porter, 9.99
      • Style: American porter, 6.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Gangster Frog, 8.99
      • Style: American IPA, 7.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (95\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Karminator, 11.49
      • Style: Doppelbock, 9.3%
      • rating: ratebeer (92\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Hopped up Goose Juice Rye, 8.99
      • Style: American IPA, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (86\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Mean Manalishi IPA, 11.99
      • Style: Double IPA, 8.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (85\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Hop Dam tripple IPA, 15.99
      • Style: imperial IPA, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Belgian IPA, 10.99
      • Style: Belgian IPA, 8.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (86\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Dogfish head
    • Rhizing Bines, 12.49
      • Style: imperial ipa, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (91\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • lagunitas
    • lucky 13, 4.99
      • Style: American Strong Ale, 8.56%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: 88\100
  • Brasserie De La Pleine Lune
    • Aubeloun, 11.49
      • Style: Belgian IPA, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (79\100), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating:
    • Super Nova, 11.49
      • Style: American style IPA, 6.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (80\100), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Avery brewery
    • mephistopheles, 9.49 12 oz
      • Style: Imperial stout, 16.43%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Samael, 8.99, 12 oz
      • Style: English barleywine, 15.53%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • hog heaven, 6.99
      • Style: American barleywine, 9.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • humboldt
    • 500 bc, 8.49
      • Style: imperial IPA, 8.3%
      • rating: ratebeer (91\100), beer advocate (90\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • New Albanian
    • Black and Blue grass, 8.49
      • Style: Saison, 6.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (69\100), beer advocate (79\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Highland brewing company
    • Imperial Kashmir, 8.99
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 10.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Evil Twin
    • Justin Blabaer, 12.49
      • Style: Berliner Weisse, 4.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (93\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
    • Barrel aged project 1 Sherry, 19.49
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (49\100), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Barrel aged project 11 Armagnac, 19.49
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (86\100), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Barrel aged project 10 Madeira, 19.49
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (n\a), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Barrel aged project 13 Cognac, 19.49
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (94\100), beer advocate (n\a)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Shipyard
    • Bourbon Barrel aged Monkey Fist, 13.49
      • Style: American IPA, 7.6%
      • rating: ratebeer (n\a), beer advocate (84\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • victory
    • Red Thunder, 8.49
      • Style: Baltic porter, 8.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (94), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Unibrue
    • 17 grand reserve, 12.49
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • La Terrible, 8.99
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 10.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Green Flash
    • Saison Diego, 7.49
      • Style: Saison, 4.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (89\100), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Trippel, 7.49
      • Style: tripel, 9.7%
      • rating: ratebeer (91\100), beer advocate (84\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Anchor Brewery
    • Number 4 Fort Ross Farmhouse Ale, 10.99
      • Style: Saison\Farmhouse ale, 7.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (86\100), beer advocate (80\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    4\6 packs
  • breckenridge
    • regal double pills, 11.49\4
      • Style: Double Pilsner, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (68\100), beer advocate (81\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Sierea Nevada
    • Kellerweis, 8.99\6
      • Style: Hefeweizen, 4.8%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: If there is any style that some people feel American brewers cannot touch, it is German styles. How could Americans beat breweries that have been brewing their German styles for HUNDREDS of years, when we have only come back as a brewing nation in the last 2 decades. Well this brew gives them a run for their money. Easily the best American made hefewisen, period (and better than most German hefewisensas well). A high recommendation. 92\100
    • Narwal, 9.99\4
      • Style: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: in a old review of this beer, I stated that it tasted like “liquified black chocolate”, and only had criticism for its subtle aroma. For the money, you can not do any better for a high quality stout like this one. Pick it up if you haven’t already. Rating: 96\100
  • U-rthel
    • hop-it, 14.99\4
      • Style: Belgian IPA, 9.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Brasserie de Silly
    • scotch de silly, 14.99\4
      • Style: scotch ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (90\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Samuel Smith
    • Imperial stout, 10.49\4
      • Style: imperial stout, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Nut Brown Ale, 10.49\4
      • Style: English brown ale, 5%
      • rating: ratebeer (92\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: 90\100
    • India Ale, 10.49\4
      • Style: English IPA, 5%
      • rating: ratebeer (86\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Fullers
    • ESB, 10.99\4
      • Style: Premium ESB, 5.9%
      • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: 88\100)
    • London Pride, 10.99\4
      • Style: Premium ESB, 4.7%
      • rating: ratebeer (87\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: 87\100
    • porter, 10.99\4
      • Style: English Porter, 5.4%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Coronado
    • Islander IPA, 12.49\6
      • Style: American IPA, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (85\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Idiot IPA, 12.49\4
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 8.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Mad river
    • humboldt haze, 11.99\4
      • Style: India pale ale, 7.95%
      • rating: ratebeer (80\100), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • New planet, gluten free
    • Pale, 8.99\4
      • Style: gluten free pale ale, 5%
      • rating: ratebeer (8\100), beer advocate (63\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Raspberry, 8.99\4
      • Style: gluten free fruit beer, 5%
      • rating: ratebeer (10\100), beer advocate (66\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • mission
    • shipwreck double IPA, 13.49\4
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 9.25%
      • rating: ratebeer (92\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • unibroue
    • don de dieu, 10.49\4
      • Style: Belgian strong pale ale, 9%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • trois pistoles, 10.49\4
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 9%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: 91\100, very very good.
    • maudite, 10.49\4
      • Style: Belgian strong dark ale, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • ephemere apple, 10.49\4
      • Style: fruit beer, 5.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (82\100), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • lagunitas
    • little sumpin, 9.49\6
      • Style: American pale wheat ale, 7.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: 81\100
    • brown shugga, 10.99\6
      • Style: American strong ale, 9.99%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (90\100)
      • person rating: 92\100
    • censored, 9.49\6
      • Style: American red ale, 6.75%
      • rating: ratebeer(88\100), beer advocate (84\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • pills, 9.49\6
      • Style: Czech Pilsener, 6.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (71\100), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • maximus IPA, 10.49\6
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 8.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • IPA, 9.49\6
      • Style: IPA, 6.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (94\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Lexington
    • bourbon stout, 14.49\4
      • Style: Imperial stout, 8%
      • rating: ratebeer (88\100), beer advocate (81\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Erie brewing co
    • derailed black cherry, 10.49\4
      • Style: fruit beer, 5%
      • rating: ratebeer (35\100), beer advocate (74\100)
      • person rating: 90\100. Ill be honest, this is a slanted review. I'm rating it to style. In terms of a beer tasting of black cherries and not sucking, this beer is the only ones I've ever had to deliver. Trust me, its worth it. Would work great with some vanilla icecream.
  • Dogfish head
    • festina peche, 9.99\4
      • Style: Berliner Weissbier, 4.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (82\100), beer advocate (67\100)
      • person rating: 65\100
    • Burton Baton, 15.99\4
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 10%
      • rating: Ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Palo Santo, 15.49\4
      • Style: Imperial brown ale, 12%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (93\100)
      • person rating: 87\100
  • Smuttynose
    • vunderbar, 9.99\6
      • Style: German Pilsener, 5.1%
      • rating: ratebeer (88\100), beer advocate (84\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • victory
    • Prima Pills, 9.99\6
      • Style: German pilsener, 5.3%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: 93\100. By far one of the best American made pilseners there is. A fantastic hop-flavor focused brew, light and easy on the pallet, its a perfect easy drinking beer for long days when you need to beat off the heat of summer. A must try if you have not done so already.
    • Golden Monkey, 11.99\6
      • Style: tripel, 9.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: 85\100. a good trippel, but really, I remember this beer as being the ones that I would buy for the highest craft alcohol by volume for the lowest price. If that is your goal (to get drunk) but still want craft, this is your beer.
  • highlands brewing
    • Thunderstruck coffee porter, 9.99\6
      • Style: American porter, 5.9%
      • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: 94\100, by far one of the best coffee beers on the market. Great, great beer at a good price. Highly recommended.
  • hinterlands
    • white cap white IPA, 10.91\6
      • Style: Belgian IPA (aka, white ipa), 4.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (77\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • terrapin
    • Moo-hoo chocolate milk stout, 9.49\4
      • Style: sweet stout, 6%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: 91\100. Best commercial milk stout on the market.
    • Big Hoppy Monster, 14.99\4
      • Style: Imperial IPA
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (91\100)
      • person rating: 85\100
    • Pumpkinfest, 9.49\4
      • Style: Pumpkin ale, 6.1%
      • rating: ratebeer (91\100), beer advocate (84\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • fathead
    • headhunter IPA, 11.99\4
      • Style: American ipa, 7.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (97\100)
      • person rating: 94\100
    • bumbleberry honey blueberry ale, 11.99\6
      • Style: fruit beer, 5.3%
      • rating: ratebeer (61\100), beer advocate (82\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Six point
    • Bengali Tiger, 10.49\4 pints
      • Style: American IPA
      • rating: ratebeer (94\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: 90\100
    • Autumnation, 10.49\4 pints
      • Style: harvest ale, 6.7%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: 90\100
    • Crisp, 10.49\4 pints
      • Style: German pilsener, 5.4%
      • rating: ratebeer (59\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Goose Island
    • 6th day, 8.99\6
      • Style: Strong American Brown ale, 8.3%
      • rating: ratebeer (88\1000, beer advocate (80\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Bells brewery
    • Expedition, 15.99\6
      • Style: imperial stout, 10.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (100\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: 96\100. A near perfect, enormous imperial stout. Well worth the price. Should sit well and age for years. Get it while you can.
    • Double cream, 12.99\6
      • Style: American stout, 6.1%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: 89\100. Note: its not a sweet stout, and has no lactose or dairy products in it. A True malt-lovers brew.
    • Java Stout, 15.99\6
      • Style: American stout with coffee added, 7.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • fort collins brewery
    • z smoked amber lager, 12.99\6
      • Style: Rauchbier, 5.4%
      • rating: ratebeer (61\100), beer advocate (80\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Hoptitude, 11.99\4
      • Style: Double IPA, 7.5%
      • rating: ratebeer (45\100), beer advocate (77\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Rocky Mountain IPA, 12.99\4
      • Style: American IPA, 6.2%
      • rating: ratebeer (80\100), beer advocate (83\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Boulder brewing
    • Mojo Risin, 13.49\4
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 10%
      • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (85\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Green Flash
    • green Bullet, 13.49\4
      • Style: Imperial IPA, 10.1%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (88\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Grand Cru, 13.99\4
      • Style: Belgian dark strong ale, 9.1%
      • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (85\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • West Coast IPA, 10.99\4
      • Style: American IPA, 7.4%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (94\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Double Stout, 10.99\4
      • Style: American imperial stout, 8.8%
      • rating: ratebeer (99\100), beer advocate (92\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Rayon vert, 10.99\4
      • Style: Belgian Pale ale, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (97\100), beer advocate (86\100)
      • person rating: n\a
    • Hophead Red, 10.99\4
      • Style: American amber ale, 7%
      • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (89\100)
      • person rating: n\a
  • Southern Tier
    • Harvest ale, 9.99
      • Style: Premium ESB, 6.7%
      • rating: ratebeer (95\100), beer advocate (87\100)
      • person rating: n\a


    bulk\box sets
  • Davy Jones lagger, 19.99
    • style: steam beer, 6%
    • rating: ratebeer (49\100), beer advocate (83\100)
    • personal rating: n\a
  • 312 wheat, 16.99
    • style: American pale wheat ale, 4.2%
    • rating: ratebeer (29\100), beer advocate (78\100)
    • personal rating: n\a
  • All day IPA
    • style: American ipa, 4.7%
    • rating: ratebeer (96\100), beer advocate (87\100)
    • personal rating: n\a
  • Fat tire, 18.49
    • style: Amber ale, 5.2%
    • rating: ratebeer: (48\100), beer advocate (82\100)
    • personal rating: 75\100. Not a bat beer at all, but also not that amazing. For the price, its usually a OK option.
  • Dales pale ale, 19.49
    • style: American pale ale, 6.5%
    • rating: ratebeer (98\100), beer advocate (88\100)
    • personal rating: 50\100. I really did not care for the cheesy hop flavor of this beer. It just tasted like feet to me. Not recommended at all, but I seem to be the minority here.

spot update: Cigar City Black ash at proof



This ones looks like its a peppery, unique black lagger, that is aged in black ash casks. Its a collaboration between cigar city and Max Lagers (an Atlanta brewery). Its ingredient list looks like it uses a lot of the same ingredients that you would get off of a black IPA, except fermented more like a lagger.

its high gravity lagger yeast should mean that its hop and wood character should shine through the most.




  • Cigar city,
    • black ash, abv unknown
    • Style: black lager
    • rating: ratebeer (unknown), beer advocate (unknown)

Their is not a lot of reviews, information, or background to this one atm. its very new and really as a result, is not very well known. the Reviews of it atm are pretty good, so I would suggest picking it up if your a huge fan of either Black IPA's (and want to try one in the form or a lager), or a a big Cigar city fan.
Get it while its still available!

Prost!

The Sam Adams Odyssey P1, Blackberry Witbier

The Sam Adams Odyssey P1

ahhhhhh good old Sam Adams. Its where most people got started in drinking good beer. Its the largest craft brewery in the world, and the most widely distributed craft beer as well (its hard to find a place that doesn't sell their iconic Boston Lager). However, the question arises: is their beer ACTUALLY good? Can it stand up to scrutiny of a seasons craft beer drinker?

Most say no. Most say that they are now a very boring brewery: unable to properly coax the seasoned beer drinker into buying either their staple 6 pack beers or their seasonal 4 pack or bomber beers. However, it cannot be overlooked that their is a real bias against the Boston Brewing company. They are, after all, the largest craft brewery. Their brewing volume and use of tv advertisements (Boston brewing co is in fact, one of the only craft breweries that relies on traditional advertisements like tv or billboards) have caused many the beer aficionado to shun them in favor of “local” and smaller breweries which they see as being the producer of the better beer.

Is this criticism correct, or does Sam Adams have some real winners out their that people are just ignoring just because of their own biases? Well that's the questions that I hope to answer, one beer at a time. I will look at trying ALL the beers from Sam Adams (or at least the ones I can find and afford), and giving a honest and good-natured review to all of them.

I will be focusing on both their bomber\4packs series and larger 6 packs. Hopefully this will eventually paint the breweries overall skill into focus and show once and for all whether or not Sam has what it takes for me to call them a real “craft” brewery, not in terms of what the BA paints it as, but merely as the producer of good beer.

Ill be starting with this brew I picked up with my new years beer (of which I might do a spotlight on as well), Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier.............picked up for the usual 1.99 a bottle from the Proof bottle shop

consumed at breakfast with two toasted waffles covered with peanut butter. Because, why not!

Da Review, Beer-Advocate style:
Blackberry Witbier



Appearance: strikingly clear, looking more like a cider or campaign than a witbier. Really, only the most style-driven lovers of wits will have a problem with this (tho YES, I gotja...wit bier means white beer and this isn't the cloudy white that it should be) but still, as opposed to grading it on style, it looks very nice if you grade it merely as a blackberry beer.
Ill compromise and give it a 3.5 for appearance.

3.5\5

S
mell: This beer smells wonderful. It has a sour blackberry smell, mixed in with the character of the beer. Id say that it comes out smelling like a blackberry scone or another type of fruit pastry. not too shabby!
4.5\5

T
aste: see what I like about this one, is how subdued it is. The blackberry flavor never takes up too much power from the beer, and it never gets to be too powerful to be cloying. Too many fruit beers do that and I find it in bad taste. However, this brew has some problems. It does not have enough wit flavors in it....and what little it has will not satisfy wit diehards (it has just a slight touch of soft bready wheat character). but for what it is as a fruit beer, I've it a 3.75 on taste.
3.75\5

M
outhfeel: Relatively middle ground in body final gravity, with a great heavy dose of carbonation. easy drinking.
4\5

O
verall: Ill be honest, I liked this one, against all expectation. I'm not a big fan of wits OR fruit beer. mixing them together? odds are that if it was not for my blog, I would never had had this one. but I like it. if you treat it as a blackberry beer, its pretty good. I like it. overall, Id give it a 3.5\5

That totals out to a 3.86\5 on BA......but I feel that's its closer to about a 80\100 overall.

if it had just a BIT more un-malted what (and maybe some more oats) I would give it more.
its good, and great for the uninitiated in beer, especially if they like blackberry's.
Unexpectedly good. Not recommended for lovers of the classic wit style...you will not find any classic witness here.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

spot update: Woodchuck cellar series dry hop




This little gem was found at beerstop, and my god, is it a good cider. Of course, its title can be misleading. This beer has no bitterness whatsoever. Of course, anyone with any brewing knowledge would know this, since dry hopping adds absolutely NO bitterness to a brew.

Bitterness can only occur when hops are boiled in a process of isomerization, where the alfa and beta acids of hops become soluble to the liquid as a result of the heat. However, the boiling process vaporizes the sensitive hop oils and resins present on the hops, which is why late additions and dry hopping is used to enhance beer aroma and hop flavor.

This liquid is unique because it is a cider that has the aroma of a well hopped beer. I found it to be both a fantastic deal and a fantastic bottle of cider.

I honestly did not believe the price. 3 bucks a 22 oz bottle? Really? I had to ask the clerk to be sure. And had to buy a bottle when I left after looking around and adding some new material for the next beerstop brewlist update.

This cider does quite a lot. It finds a good balance between being too dry and being too sweet, coming off with a champagne like mouth-feel, but with a much sweeter taste (yet not approaching what i would call apple juice sweetness). The hop aromas also make for a very unique experience.

I suggest that you pick it up for new years, especially if your not a big fan of beer but are curious to seeing the positive effects of hop aroma and flavor.

ratebeer (84\100)
92\100. and for 3 bucks, their is no excuse.

La' Cheim!