Dorothy Goodbody's Stout

Beer Name: Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout
Brewery: Wye Valley Brewery
ABV: 4.6%
Serving method: 16.9-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

This is the last of the group of stouts I got, so hopefully we'll finish things off on a positive note. The only reason that this one was last is because it was furthest back in the fridge. Let's see how it goes.

Dorothy Goodbody's Stout is another pretty dark stout, but not quite as dark as the Oat was. This one is almost solid black, but has ruby highlights when held up to a light. There was a little bit of head on it which faded very slowly and left a whole bunch of lacing behind. The aroma here is very subtle acidic coffee. That doesn't sound very appealing, and it isn't.

This beer has a very sharp bite to it. That is the major taste that I get. It's a lot more bitter than most stouts I've had before, which is probably related to the acidic smell. It feels a lot hoppier than other stouts, or less malty, or both. As a stout, I am not sure that bitterness is the way to go. There is quite a bit of carbonation here, and that combined with the bitterness makes this beer a little harsh to drink.

Final thought - I don't really like this beer. It's too bitter and dry to be a stout. Maybe that's the way "English" stouts are supposed to be, but if so, then they're not for me.

-Jon

Long Trail Pale Ale - UPDATE!

I have good news about the Pale Ale! I had the last of the 3 contained in that Survival Pack, and it tasted just fine. So that means that other one was just bad, and the beer is normally tasty. This one had a good hoppy flavor and fits nicely into the "pale ale" category. And any time I can add another beer to my approved list, that's a good day.

-Jon

Firehouse Amber Ale

Beer Name: McNeill's Firehouse Amber Ale
Brewery: McNeill's Brewery
ABV: 5.5%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Best by Feb 2011

Day 10 - The fridge is starting to look a little lean. The number of selections has been declining steadily. I'm not sure we'll make it to Christmas.

I first tried this beer at one of the many brewers festivals this past summer. Then I saw a bottle of it at Ryan & Casey's, so I figured I'd give it another go. Unfortunately, this was the same day I got a very spicy burrito that paralyzed my tastebuds, rendering them incapable of savoring my newfound brew. So today is the day we finally give the Firehouse Amber Ale its due.

This beer is a cloudy golden orange color with a thick head that disappears very slowly. As it fades, it leaves a very heavy lacing behind. The aroma of this beer is lightly hoppy and citrusy.

Firehouse Amber Ale has a slightly bitter hoppy taste and then a sort of sour flavor in the aftertaste. I like the hops, but I don't think I really care for the sourness. There's a slight carbonation here which adds a nice bit of action to each sip. There isn't much other flavor going on here, which is kind of disappointing. I remember this beer being different the first time I had it.

Final thought - While it's not a bad beer, I'm just not a big fan of this one any more. I am not sure what happened between that first taste and now, but things just aren't the same. Sorry Firehouse Amber Ale; it's not you, it's me. We've just grown apart.

-Jon

Oat Imperial

Beer Name: Oat Imperial Oatmeal Stout
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 9.6% or 10.8% or 11%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

This ABV business is getting ridiculous. I've got 9.6% from Beer Advocate, 10.8% from the Southern Tier website, and 11% from the actual bottle. If a company can't stay consistent from their website to their own bottle, then there's almost no hope of me figuring it out. Maybe the bottle is rounding up? Either way, I'm not sure where BA is getting their figures.

The Oat Imperial Oatmeal Stout is possibly the darkest beer I've ever had. I actually held the glass up to a very bright light to see what happened, and it was like an eclipse. I was expecting a little bit of head on it, but I didn't actually get any. None at all. And despite this, there was still a very faint amount of lacing on the glass. I'm not sure where it came from. The beer's aroma was malt and oats, and it smelled delicious. I would wear this beer as a cologne. And then probably alienate all my friends and family.

Oh boy, this beer is tasty. It's very malty and has pretty much no hoppiness, so those of you who hate the Celebration Ale, give this a try. It's basically the opposite. I am not exactly sure what the oats contribute here, but I like it. The beer is super smooth, and if it weren't for the ridiculously high alcohol content, I could drink this all night. As is, I will probably be on my ass after this bottle, which is like drinking 5+ beers in 20 minutes. There is a bit of a sweet aftertaste to this beer.

Final thought - If this beer wasn't so expensive, I would drink a bottle every week. It is absolutely fantastic. In other news, this post is the first time there's been 4 tags instead of 3. Yet another landmark event during this fantastic beer streak.

-Jon

Long Trail Pale Ale

Beer Name: Long Trail Pale Ale
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
ABV: Um. . .
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 11/1/10

Alright, I am mildly concerned because this beer is not listed on the Long Trail website. That's weird. I hope this isn't a trap beer, which is actually poison. I guess we'll find out.

This particular pale ale is a cloudy golden color with a little bit of orange in there. There was about 1/4" of head on top which faded quickly and left a decent amount of lacing behind. The aroma here is of piney hops, as expected in a pale ale.

Hmm. There's something off about the taste here. I don't know if this is an issue with this beer in general or this specific beer because I remember trying Kathryn's beer before and it tasted fine. For whatever reason, this bottle of beer just tastes off. I can taste the hoppiness and the crisp bitter finish, but there's also something weird going on. Maybe it IS poison!! In non-paranoid news, the beer has a medium carbonation that works well with the beer's style. The finish is a little dry, but not too much. There's a mildly hoppy aftertaste.

Final thought - I hesitate to make a decision about this beer until I try another one. I had a sip of Kathryn's last time she was here, and it tasted like a good pale ale. Not top notch, but still good. This one just tastes wrong. I will save my final judgment until I get another opportunity to try one.

-Jon

Double Chocolate Stout

Beer Name: Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Brewery: Wells & Young's Ltd.
ABV: 5.2%
Serving method: 16.9-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Best by 3/26/11

I believe this post marks the first beer from outside the United States. We're going global with this thing!!

Young's Double Chocolate Stout is one of the darkest stouts I've ever seen. You can just barely make out a hint of ruby at the extremes, but other than that, this baby is solid darkness. There is a light head, and the beer leaves an erratic lacing pattern on the glass. Based on the name of the beer, I bet you can guess that the aroma is chocolate. There also seems to be some roasted chocolate. Maybe that's the double chocolate from the beer's name!

If you ever try this, prepare yourself for a sweet beer. There are chocolate beers, and then there's this beer. By far, the dominant flavor here is chocolate. This is almost like drinking a dessert. I know there are wines classified as "dessert wines," but I am not sure if there are dessert beers. If there are, this beer has to be included. After the initial chocolateyness, there is a mild toffee flavor in the background at the end. This beer is not very carbonated, which makes it very smooth to drink. It has a mild chocolate aftertaste.

Final thought - If you know anything about me, you know that I love chocolate almost as much as a girl who just got dumped. Actually, maybe more. So obviously I enjoy this beer. It's good when it's cold and it's good as it warms up. The sweetness might be a little too much to drink more than a couple though, which is its only downside. Other than that, it's great.

-Jon

Hibernator

Beer Name: Hibernator
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
ABV: 5.6% or 6%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 11/3/10

There's still lots of new beers in the fridge, so the streak continues. I've got a Long Trail Survival Pack and 4 more untested bombers, so there should be daily updates from here to Christmas. Consider that your present from me.

So, Beer Advocate says that Hibernator is 5.6% ABV and Long Trail's website says it's 6%. I would assume that Long Trail knows its beer, but then again, it's in Vermont which means there's probably a lot of pot smoking going on. Hooray for stereotypes!

Long Trail's Hibernator is their winter beer in the Scottish ale style, which means that it probably gets rip-roaring drunk and then goes golfing and eats haggis. Yeah, stereotypes again!!. Anyway, the beer is a cloudy orange color with a thin head and a light lacing. Its aroma is a malty scent with a little bit of bread/grains and maybe something sweet like coffee or caramel.

This beer is deceptive. The first sip is weird, and seems not good. But then it gets more tasty as it warms up a little bit. Don't get fooled by that first taste. It gets much better. The beer has a slightly sweet malty flavor with a little bit of hops in the background. There's not a lot of carbonation, but it still seems like too much. The beer finishes cleanly without an aftertaste.

Final thought - This beer is good for the winter, since it tastes like a winter beer. I do wish it was slightly less carbonated, because then I could definitely just drink a bunch and avoid going outside for an extended period of time. Which is pretty much all I'm looking for during the winter.

-Jon

Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Beer Name: Lefty's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Brewery: Lefty's Brewing Company
ABV: 7.2%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown for sure, but sometime around 12/6

I have been looking for this beer ever since Mmmm, beers! launched and I found out that Lefty's was right up the street from Kathryn. Well, that search has finally concluded. Also, the confusion about the date up there is because Lefty's mentioned something on that particular date about Chocolate Oatmeal Stout on their Facebook page. I am not sure how exact it is though.

As a stout, this is another dark beer, but it's a deep brown with hints of red as opposed to the almost blackness of the last milk stout. Like the other dark beers I've gotten from Lefty's, there wasn't very much head or lacing. The smell was sweet roasted coffee at first, and then a strong chocolate smell after a minute or 2.

The Chocolate Oatmeal Stout doesn't taste as heavy as most other stouts. It's very smooth, with roasted chocolate as the main flavor. The beer also has a little bit of a burnt coffee taste. That sounds like it would be bad, but in beer that's not a problem. It's very malty, and there's a little bit of hop flavor to balance things out at the end. There's just a little bit of carbonation, and a slightly sweet aftertaste.

Final thought - After the way my brain hyped this beer up, there was pretty much no way it could possibly live up to my expectations. With that in mind, I still enjoyed it. I think it could possibly have had a little more chocolate, but that's just me. I'd be willing to drink it again, given the opportunity.

-Jon

Blackbeary Wheat

Beer Name: Blackbeary Wheat
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
ABV: 4%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 11/01/10

Let's keep this thing going. Four beers in four days, even though I am secretly writing this a couple of days ago. It's like a time paradox!

Blackbeary Wheat is one of many fruit beers that I enjoy because I am secure in my masculinity. And because I can't call myself a beer connoisseur without being open to all beer varieties. This beer is a pale yellow color and sort of looks like one of those beers you would be drinking at a keg party. There is no noticeable head or lacing. The aroma of this beer is blackberry (obviously) and maybe some malt. Mostly it's berries though.

Much as expected, the dominant flavor here is blackberry. As a matter of fact, this beer would probably be terrible without it. There's also some grainy flavor, which is probably the "wheat" part of the name. It's a very light beer, with a little bit of carbonation and no real aftertaste. Combined with the low ABV, you could probably drink a dozen of these before you run into any problems.

Final thought - This beer is good at what it does, which is be refreshing. It's not a beer that I would be super excited about, but it does make a regular trip to the fridge during the warmer months. Overall, it's very average.

-Jon

Milk Stout #2

Beer Name: Left Hand Milk Stout
Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Company
ABV: 5.2%
Serving method: 16-oz draft
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Bam! Three new beers in a row. Now we're cooking with gas!

After my delicious experience with Wachusett's Milk Stout, I decided that I should always try beers in the milk/sweet stout variety if I have the opportunity. So when the guy at the bar finally moved and I could read the draft list, I knew that Left Hand's offering had to be my beer of choice.

This is a dark beer. The Vanilla Stout from earlier was pretty dark, but this one makes it look more like Coca-Cola. The Left Hand beer is more opaque. There is a thin head on it, but it leaves a very heavy lacing pattern. The aroma here is like a roasted sweetness with the usual suspects of coffee and chocolate in the background.

This beer is delicious! It's a little sweet, but not overly so. It's not very carbonated though, which I liked because I don't want a lot of carbonation in my stouts. But some other people probably won't like it because it almost seems flat. Well, to each his own. There's a little bit of the coffee and chocolate flavor in here as well. This is an easy drinking beer.

Final thought - Buy this, drink this, enjoy this. It's fantastic. And it's not too strong, so you can have a bunch before there's a problem.

-Jon

Smuttynose IPA

Beer Name: Finestkind IPA
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
ABV: 6.9%
Serving method: 16-oz draft
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

See, I told you it was time to get serious. And back-to-back posts is the best way I know how to make that happen.

Smuttynose is one of the most hilariously named breweries around, and they have a little otter (or something similar) in their logo so they get to be on the list of beers I'll pretty much always try. The "Finestkind" IPA is a deep golden-orange beer with about 1/4" of head on the top. This lasted for a bit as well as leaving a nice lacing on the glass. The aroma here is the standard citrusy and piney hops of an IPA.

Whoa, this is a dry IPA. There isn't a whole lot of bitterness, but it's so dry that I almost needed a water afterwards to rehydrate my mouth. Ok, that's an exaggeration. But this is very dry. If you don't like your IPAs dry (think Stone IPA or Celebration Ale), then you'll want to skip this. As for drinkability, this beer has a medium carbonation and survives nicely as it warms up.

Final thought - This is an above average IPA, but I wouldn't rank it in the top tier of ones that I've tried. I'll drink it again though, because it was very enjoyable.

-Jon

Vanilla Stout

Beer Name: Saranac Vanilla Stout
Brewery: The Matt Brewing Company
ABV: 4.8%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Alright, it's time to get back on track with the beer tasting. November wasn't a major dropoff from the first 2 months, but it wasn't where it should have been. December is time to turn things around. Obviously I'm not spending my time eating burgers, so I should have plenty of opportunities to go buy new beers.

Or maybe Kathryn will have time to buy beers, like her Saranac Winter Pack. There were a few different beers that I was excited to try, but #1 on the list was the Vanilla Stout. It's a stout AND vanilla! That has to be delicious, right?

This beer, like most stouts, falls into the dark category. There wasn't really much head here, but that might be because it's been sitting in the bottom of the fridge for a bit. It still left a little lacing despite this. The aroma here is like a vanilla coffee.

Blah. This beer does not do justice to what I'm expecting for a vanilla stout. It doesn't taste like a typical stout, and that's not a good thing. There's a little bit of the vanilla here, but, as Kathryn put it, it tastes like a "soda beer." It's got a healthy amount of carbonation, and not much of an aftertaste.

Final thought - There were 2 Vanilla Stouts in the variety pack, and I won't be drinking the second one. That's pretty much all that needs to be said here.

-Jon

60 Minute IPA

Beer Name: 60 Minute IPA
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
ABV: 6%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 9/2/10

I bought this beer for 3 reasons: I'm on an IPA kick, there wasn't anything else that caught my attention, and "Dogfish" reminds me of Chloe's catfish-like face on her supposedly dog body. Hee hee, pugs are pretty ridiculous. Based on the name, I am guessing that this is an India Pale Ale that uses a 60-minute boil. You know, in case you cared.

This beer is a golden color and slightly opaque. It leaves a very thin head that quickly evaporates while still leaving a good lacing on the glass. There's a citrusy hop smell, as expected from an IPA. If you let it sit for a minute or two, you can also pick up on something else, but I am not sure what. You'll have to give it a try and let me know.

The 60 Minute IPA is classic IPA. There's a bunch of hops at the beginning of a sip, and then a little bit of maltiness. It finishes a bit dry and bitter, but not nearly to the degree of something like the Celebration Ale. The light amount of carbonation is perfect for this beer. There's more of an aftertaste here than I'd like, but it's not a deal-breaker.

Final thought - 60 Minute IPA is a solid beer that will enjoy a place on my rapidly growing list of approved Fridge Fillers (trademark pending). I think even nonfans of IPAs might enjoy it since it's not nearly as bitter as most others are. But it's still a little bitter, so don't try to misquote me by telling me I said otherwise. I'm on to you!

-Jon

Cabin Fever

Beer Name: Cabin Fever Ale
Brewery: Berkshire Brewing Company
ABV: 6.3%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown, best by 4/21/11

Wow, this beer is either really fresh, or lasts a really long time. April!?

I have been out of the beer game recently, which is sad. In actuality, I have been drinking lots of crappy beer, but Bud Light doesn't qualify for a place here since there's nothing "mmmm" about it. And also because a lot of it ended up making its way back out of my stomach by the same route it went in. Oops.

I am pretty sure that I've reviewed Cabin Fever before. In fact, I'm sure of it. But who cares? That was a long time ago, at a restaurant that no longer exists in that location. And it wasn't covered at this particular branch of the Mmmm [nouns] franchise. So let's revisit this tasty brew.

Cabin Fever Ale apparently fits into the "winter warmer" category. It's a copper ale with a mild head and a serious lacing pattern. It's like artwork. There's a malty aroma with a little bit of spicy hop.

As for the taste, it's more malty than hoppy. There's sweetness and grains, and a bunch of spices in the background. I am not feeling a whole lot of carbonation, and there's no bitterness. The aftertaste is a little sweet as well. If you don't like hops, you might like this beer, as they are very difficult to find here.

Final thought - Just like I thought last time I had it, this beer is delicious. I prefer it strongly to the other winter warmer I've had this season, although this was doesn't taste as much like Christmas. I suppose that if I were snowed in with a few growlers of this, things would be ok and I would not, in fact, suffer from Cabin Fever.

-Jon

Stone IPA

Beer Name: Stone IPA
Brewery: Stone Brewing Company
ABV: 6.9%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

A bottle is (almost) always safer than a draft beer at a slightly suspicious restaurant. After a couple of beer-related setbacks in the past week or so, I remain optimistic about this next beer purely based on its aroma.

The Stone IPA is a cloudy golden beer with no head. Even without the benefit of a foamy cap, the beer still leaves a lacing ring around the glass. There's no mystery about the aroma here; hops and citrus all the way.

This beer is hoppy and bitter. There really isn't a whole lot else to mention. If you like hops and bitterness, then this is a beer for you. If you don't, then avoid this one. It finishes very dry, and it leaves a bitter aftertaste of hops in your mouth. There's a light amount of carbonation here as well, which makes it nicely drinkable. I was surprised to find out that it was a nearly 7% beer.

Final thought - The Stone IPA is a good one, and fits nicely in the same tier as the Celebration Ale. I would suggest that if you like one of them, you'd probably like the other, which makes sense since they're both from Cali. It's an enjoyable beer for the IPA drinker.

-Jon

Harpoon IPA

Beer Name: Harpoon IPA
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
ABV: 5.9%
Serving method: Draft pint in a stange
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

So it turns out that being a Friend of Harpoon actually does get you free beer. Also, Kate says she told me that, so apparently it turns out that I don't listen to her as much as I should. I probably shouldn't put that into writing, since I can almost guarantee that it comes back to bite me at some point.

Harpoon was sponsoring an event at the Greenfield Grille, so we went to check it out. And get a free beer. But beforehand, we got some food and a couple of beers. I got the Harpoon IPA, because I am starting to enjoy IPAs more and more. So far the story is good, but it will soon take a terrible turn! Dun dun duuuunnnnnnn!! (That's that scary noise when something bad or foreboding happens.)

The Harpoon IPA is an amber colored draft with practically no head. It smells like a combination of citrus and hops. As I drank it, there was some lacing that lagged slightly behind the level of the liquid.

Ok, here's where things get bad. Something was not right with the tap, and the beer had a very off taste because of it. I don't know how to describe it other than comparing it to the taste you get when you have bad water. And yes, this is the terrible turn I mentioned earlier. Fortunately, after a few sips, that grossness faded and the real beer came through. It ended up having a nice hoppy flavor with a little bit of citrus. There wasn't a whole lot of carbonation, and no aftertaste. It's too bad that the beer wasn't treated as well as it should be.

Final thought - This beer has a lot of promise, what with having to battle the grossness of a dirty tapline. I am going to give it another try, at which point I will have a better idea about what is really going on. I imagine things will be better next time.

-Jon

Octoberfest

Beer Name: Wachusett Octoberfest
Brewery: Wachusett Brewing Company
ABV: 5.2%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown, best by Dec 2010

It must be almost the end of the Oktoberfest season, so hopefully I'll finish off on a strong note. I found this one in Kathryn's fridge, and it wasn't in there the last time I was here, so it must be pretty fresh.

The Wachusett Octoberfest is a golden orange color and slightly cloudy. Perhaps the color could be described as "coppery." There wasn't much head, and it faded almost immediately. The beer leaves a light lacing on the glass. The aroma here is fruity mostly and maybe a little bit of graininess.

This does not taste like an Octoberfest. It has a quality more like a red or brown ale (I can't remember which one is which sometimes). It's a little sweet, and there's a bready flavor to it as well. There's also a faint fruity flavor in the background. It's very drinkable as there is almost no carbonation here, and the aftertaste is only mild as well. If you are a big fan of it, you could probably drink a bunch of these without issue.

Final thought - Well, it's ok, I guess. It just doesn't feel like I'm drinking an Oktoberfest-style beer. I think this beer would go well with food, although I don't know anything about beer/food pairings. Let's say it would be good with. . . hot wings! Or something spicy. I think the sweetness of the beer would work well with spiciness in food. Go try it, and let me know.

-Jon

Big Bear Black Stout

Beer Name: Big Bear Black Stout
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Company
ABV: 8.1%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle served in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

This is another beer that I picked strictly based on its label. Come on! It has a bear on it! How can I turn down bear beer? This bear wasn't doing anything funny, but still. Bear beer!

The Big Bear Black Stout is also super dark, but I don't think it's as dark as the milk stout from a couple days ago. This one has a lot more head, and it leaves a little foam layer after most of the rest of it disappears. There's also a fairly detailed lacing pattern on the glass. The aroma is a combination of roasted malt and faint hops. I think there might also be a coffee scent deep underneath as well.

This is a unique stout. It has the roasted flavor of malt that you normally expect, but there is a hoppiness to it that is unexpected. Delightfully unexpected, I would say. There's also a light coffee flavor. Despite being over 8%, it doesn't taste extremely strong. I can imagine that being a problem because this beer is easily drinkable and could result in brownouts, blackouts or loss of pants if you're not careful. The beer is more carbonated than most stouts I've had as well, but it's an ok amount. There is a slightly sweet aftertaste as well.

Final thought - I like it! I think this would be a good stout for people who don't usually like stouts. The hops change up the normal flavor, so it's like a gateway stout. And it's got a bear! Done deal.

-Jon

Winter Warmer

Beer Name: Harpoon Winter Warmer
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
ABV: 5.5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle poured into a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown, best by 3/15/11

I am now a Friend of Harpoon, which gets me. . . beer? I don't know, as I didn't really pay attention to anything while I was signing up. Kathryn told me that there are some Harpoon events coming up that you need to be a Friend to get into, and that was good enough for me. I hope that I get a little member card and learn a secret handshake!

So the first thing that I learned is that "Winter Warmer" is actually a style of beer and not a specific brew from Harpoon. This particular one is a clear amber color with almost no head at all. It has an aroma that makes me think of Christmas, with cinnamon and maybe nutmeg. I am not positive about what nutmeg smells like, so I have to go on instinct here. The smell actually reminds me of Shipyard Pumpkinhead a little bit, so I will bet that there are some overlapping spices.

I think that this particular bottle is not very good, but I've had this beer in the past and enjoyed it. Like last week when I had one at the Lighthouse. I will try to mix those memories with what I'm currently drinking and see what I get. Harpoon's Winter Warmer is super spicy. Not spicy like hot sauce, but spicy like there's a buttload of spices in here. If your tastebuds aren't overwhelmed by the spice factor, there is also a bit of malt flavor hidden underneath. It's not very carbonated, and it leaves a medium spice aftertaste.

Final thought - I am not sure what happened to this bottle of beer. I know I like this beer in general, but not this specific one. The spice level is probably too high to have more than a few of these beers, but those few are usually enjoyable. Just hope you don't run into a dud, like I just did.

-Jon

Milk Stout

Beer Name: Wachusett Milk Stout
Brewery: Wachusett Brewing Company
ABV: 5.8%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle served in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown, best by Mar 2011

I realized recently that I have frequently written "16-oz pint" in the "Serving Method" section up above, and that's stupid. What other pint size is there? So that ends today. I apologize for the foolishness.

Today is New Beers Day. Or should that be New Beers Eve? You know, because it sounds sort of like New Year's Eve? Right? Get it? Nuh-uh, you're stupid! At any rate, I picked up a nice selection of new beers, as well as some Celebration Ale in order to fulfill my previous post's promise. I am going to kick things off with the Milk Stout because that one is already cold.

First off, this beer is dark. Like solid black dark. It's so dark, that, much like a black hole, it absorbs all the light around it. There is almost no head on the beer, and the little that is there dissipates quickly. We're all about the beer for this one. However, despite the low head level, the beer does leave some lacing. So there's that. . . The aroma has a bit of coffee, and a bit of sweetness, and a bit of chocolate. All signs point to this being a nice, smooth brew.

The beer's flavor matches up with the scent. There's some chocolate and coffee flavors, along with a roasted/burnt malt taste. There is actually a sharper flavor than I was expecting, which is unexpected based on both the beer's style and its smell. Weird. It seems to soften up as it warms, and I prefer it this way. The carbonation is light, and there's a moderately sweet aftertaste.

Final thought - Wachusett Milk Stout is a tasty beer for any stout-lovers out there. It's not the greatest stout I've had, but it's definitely above average and very enjoyable. I like that it has a sweetness without being overly sweet. This beer is a keeper.

-Jon

Celebration Ale

Beer Name: Celebration Ale
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
ABV: 6.8%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

It's a celebration bitches! Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is a winter seasonal beer that doesn't taste like a standard winter beer. This is an IPA, and it's a hoppy one!

I had this at a bar, and I had already had about 8 gin & tonics and a couple glasses of wine, so this may not be the most intelligent beer review on the site. So, um, the bottle is brown with a reddish label. I have no idea what the beer itself looks like, because the bottle is pretty dark. There is a major aroma of hops here, which should be preparing your tastebuds for the hop assault that is about to occur.

The Celebration Ale's flavor is dominated by the hops. This beer is intensely hoppy, and it's also seems very dry. Like most IPAs, there is a bitter finish, but it's not overly bitter. It's a bit carbonated, but nothing too strong. This is a beer that will wake you up when you drink it.

Final thought - I don't understand why this beer is only available in the "winter." It's delicious! I should be able to drink them whenever I want! Stupid Sierra Nevada jerks!! So obviously I like this beer, and I will be drinking many more of them during the next month or so.

-Jon

Country Ale

Beer Name: Wachusett Country Ale
Brewery: Wachusett Brewing Company
ABV: 5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle, poured into a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown because I forgot to check

Wow, it's been a while since I tried a new beer. That's a little bit sad, but it's mostly because I have a backlog of beers in my fridge and Kate's fridge, and I can't buy new stuff until I clear out some space. But I can drink any random ones I find in there, like this one.

Wachusett Country Ale is an American Pale Ale, which I am assuming is different from India Pale Ale and regular old pale ale. It's a golden colored beer with a whole bunch of head. It's darker than a normal pale ale, so there's your first difference right there. It's got a malty aroma and a bit of a fruity smell. I'm not sure which fruit, but I think maybe apple. The head hangs around for a long time, but it surprisingly only leaves a light lacing.

This beer has a confusing taste. I like it, but I can't really figure out what I'm tasting. It's not super hoppy (pale ale difference number 2!), and there's a grainy taste, sort of like bread. And a little bit of apple I think. At first it seemed like there was a lot of carbonation, but only for a few sips. Then it calmed down and was a lot more drinkable. This beer does not have a strong aftertaste.

Final thought - I enjoyed my Country Ale, and I'll be drinking them again next time Kathryn picks up a 6-pack. I don't know if I'd buy them for myself though. It's good, but it's not so great that it sticks in my brain as a new favorite.

-Jon

Pale Ale

Beer Name: Lefty's Pale Ale
Brewery: Lefty's Brewing Company
ABV: 6%
Serving method: 16-oz pint poured from a 22-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Last time I tried this beer, it had been sitting open in Kathryn's fridge for a couple weeks (or months possibly), so it wasn't too spectacular. Or even drinkable. Seriously, I did my best to drink it, and managed like 3 sips. So obviously this isn't the type of beer that you can open, then not finish, and then let sit for an extended period of time. Having committed such a grievous beer atrocity, I felt that I owe it to Lefty to give his beer a real try.

This pale ale is lovely golden color with a thick head. The foam sticks around for an extended period of time, and it leaves a heavy lacing on the glass. The aroma is mostly hops (Cascade hops, if my nose is correct), and there is a slight hint of sweetness.

The taste come in two parts. There is a sweet flavor at the beginning, and then the hops finish with their standard bitter taste. The sweetness is similar to the sweet flavors I was getting from Lefty's Coffee Porter and English-Style Porter. I think that has to come from the malt being used. The beer is lightly carbonated, and finishes with a very mild bitterness.

Final thought - I want to like this beer, mostly because it's available within 10 minutes of Kathryn's house, but it's too sweet for me. Not too sweet for a beer, but too sweet for a pale ale. Just give me a bunch of hops and we'll be fine. Don't get crazy.

-Jon

Dead Horse IPA

Beer Name: Dead Horse India Pale Ale
Brewery: McNeill's Brewery
ABV: 5.7%
Serving method: 16-oz pint poured from a 22-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown, best by Jan 2011

McNeill's is another brewery that is fairly close to Kathryn's, but they have a website that is completely uninformative. I spent a pathetic amount of time on it yesterday trying to figure out whether they sold beer directly at the brewery and what hours the brewery is open, and came away with no answer to either question. That's annoying. Instead, I had to pick up a bottle of their beer at Ryan & Casey, a place with very clear hours and beer availability that I have to assume charges me more than I would have paid at McNeill's. Bastards.

Usually this is the point where'd I make a joke along the lines of "it's made with bits of dead horse, so you know it's good!" Except that dead horse sounds gross, so I'll skip that part. The beer is a cloudy orange brown color. There is a small head on the beer that lasts for a good amount of time. It also leaves a light lacing on the glass. The aroma is of flowery hops.

The Dead Horse IPA is not as hoppy tasting as I expected it to be. There is a light hop flavor, but it's more of a bitter finish than the main flavor. The initial flavor is maltiness, with a medium to high amount of carbonation. The beer also has a strong, dry aftertaste with some emphasis on the bitterness.

Final thought - This beer seems a bit different from the standard IPA. There is less hoppiness and more malt flavor than what I'm used to. After the initial surprise, I like that flavor. I am not as big a fan of the dry finish. I would drink this again, but not frequently.

-Jon

Our Oatmeal Stout

Beer Name: Our Oatmeal Stout
Brewery: The People's Pint
ABV: 5.1%
Serving method: 16-oz pint poured from a 22-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

I am not sure whether to refer to this beer as "Our Oatmeal Stout" because that's what is says on the label, or "Their Oatmeal Stout" because saying "Our" makes it sound like it's my beer. It's sort of like that scene from The Simpsons where Bart is answering the question about who can prevent forest fires. That's a really old episode, so if you don't remember it, I'll let it slide. This time. I guess technically this specific bottle is mine, so henceforth, it will be "My Oatmeal Stout." Glad we cleared that up.

My Oatmeal Stout is dark. No light is making it through this beer. There is no head on it at all, which is probably why there wasn't any lacing. I am not sure if the beer is supposed to be like that or if my bottle was defective/old/out-of-date. I guess we'll have to wait for the tasting portion to find out. It smells like chocolate mostly, with a faint aroma of oats.

The first sip of the beer has the chocolate flavor I was expecting from the aroma. There is also a little bit of grain flavor, which I'm guessing is from the oatmeal. It's a very smooth beer with almost no carbonation. That's what I was expecting based on the lack of head, so maybe I know a little bit more about beer than I thought. There's a very light hint of hops at the back end, and a slight aftertaste of bitter chocolate.

Final thought - I enjoyed this beer. I don't think that it's my favorite stout, but I wouldn't mind having it again. Another quality brew from the fine folks at The People's Pint.

-Jon

Gold Spike

Beer Name: BBC Gold Spike
Brewery: Berkshire Brewing Company
ABV: 4.2%
Serving method: 16-oz pint
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

I guess that this beer continues the theme of railroads that Steel Rail started.

Gold Spike is a light golden yellow color with a slight head that is very short-lasting. I had it in a weird glass, and it didn't leave much lacing behind. The smell was similar to the smell of most mainstream beers, like Bud, Miller, or Coors Light(s).

This beer tasted like it smelled, which means it tasted like the basic offerings from the big American macrobreweries. Although Anheuser-Busch is now owned by InBev, so is that still an American company? Who cares, as that is not relevant to this discussion. The point is that this tastes like a slightly more beer-y version of those beers. I bet that Dave would like it, especially if we told him that it was Bud Light draft.

Final thought - I am not a big fan of those crappy Light beers. Obviously I'll drink them at places like the Festa or keg parties or while I'm playing a little pong, but in those situations, the idea is to drink as much as possible. If I'm relaxing with a beer, I want something with more flavor. Kathryn said she'd drink it again, so it looks like we have a hung jury here. Looks like you'll have to try it for yourself.

-Jon

Blueberry Ale

Beer Name: Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale
Brewery: Atlantic Brewing Company
ABV: 5.2%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle poured into a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown, best by Feb 2011

I wonder who the first person was that decided that combining blueberries with beer might be a delicious idea. Obviously this man was a genius. I realize that it's pretty sexist to assume it was a guy, but I'm just playing the odds here. As they say, don't hate the player; hate the game. I am not exactly sure how that fits in here, but let's just go with it.

This particular blueberry offering comes from the folks who brought you Coal Porter: Secret Agent. It's an amber-esque colored beer with hardly any head. And that little bit is not there very long. I also did not get much lacing. Blueberry Ale smells mostly like blueberries. Big surprise. There is also a background smell of something grainy, which gives an overall impression of a blueberry muffin. That's good, as blueberry muffins are delicious.

The first sip is dominated by blueberry. Strangely, the berry taste faded as I continued drinking it. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. The beer has a crisp taste from the carbonation, and finishes without an aftertaste. Very refreshing.

Final thought - As far as fruit beers go, this is a good one. I'd like to enjoy a few in the summer while sitting in Kathryn's hammock and pretending I'm not going to fall asleep. Hopefully I finish the beer first so that I don't spill it all over myself.

-Jon

English-Style Porter

Beer Name: Lefty's English-Style Porter
Brewery: Lefty's Brewing Company
ABV: 6%
Serving method: 16-oz pint poured from a 22-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Apparently Lefty does not like putting dates on his bottles. Since I bought it straight from the brewery, I am fairly confident that it is pretty fresh.

This is another "style" beer, as opposed to those beers which are not any style I suppose. Like maybe the beer is a mystery and you have to figure out what style it is just by drinking it. The next step after that would be bottles that are completely unmarked. Maybe it's beer, maybe it's soda, maybe it's a bottle of water that we put a Bud Light cap on to see if we could fool Dave.

The English-Style Porter is a dark amber color with a bunch of head that slowly fades away while leaving a bit of lacing behind. It smells roasty and sweet, and also a little bit fruity. That last part is weird, because I didn't know that porters had anything in them that would give off the smell of fruit. Usually I associate them with a very strong roasted aroma and flavor.

This beer is sweet. Not too sweet for me, but it's very sweet. It has a little bit of fruit flavor, then a sweet flavor and a slightly sweet aftertaste. This is another very smooth beer with only a little carbonation.

Final thought - This is a nice beer to drink after dinner while just sitting and relaxing. It's not my favorite Lefty's beer though, so I think it will probably be forced to live in the shadows of the Irish-Style Stout, the Coffee Porter, and, presumably, the Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. At least Lefty's is less than 10 miles from Kathryn's, so I can get nice fresh beer easily, regardless of which one I choose.

-Jon

Coffee Porter

Beer Name: Lefty's Coffee Porter
Brewery: Lefty's Brewing Company
ABV: 6%
Serving method: 16-oz pint poured from a 22-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

I find it strange that I like coffee in everything except actual coffee. Coffee Coolatta? Good. Coffee ice cream? Good. Coffee beer? Good. Actual coffee? No thanks.

Lefty's Coffee Porter was my second choice since they did not have any Chocolate Oatmeal Stout (that has to be good; just look at the name!). That stout is elusive! I also got another bottle of the Irish-Style Stout and a bottle of English-Style Porter. Hopefully they will not start a war inside the fridge.

The Coffee Porter is a dark reddish brown color. There is practically no head, and it's all gone within a few seconds. I am curious if that has something to do with the coffee that is used. Maybe there is something in caffeine that represses the carbonation. Also, if you're wondering, the coffee used is Sumatra coffee. I have no idea if that is a company or a type of bean or a style of roasting the beans, but that's what it is. Obviously the main aroma is coffee, but there is a slight secondary aroma of sweet malt.

Coffee is the also the most noticeable flavor, which you probably expected. It's not overwhelming though, and there is a nice sweetness to the beer as well. This beer is not bitter at all, and it finishes with hardly any aftertaste. It's very smooth, and there's very little carbonation.

Final thought - If you like coffee beers, this is a good one. It's not on the same par as my two favorites (which haven't been discussed yet, so they must remain mysterious), but it's definitely a close 3rd. If you ever find yourself in Bernardston for some reason, you should stop by Lefty's and pick up a bottle.

-Jon

HI.P.A

Beer Name: Hi.P.A
Brewery: Magic Hat
ABV: 6.7%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle poured into a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Hi.P.A is one of Magic Hat's "IPA on Tour" beers, which has to mean something. I am not exactly sure what it means, but my guess is that they are doing a series of IPAs, and this is one of them. Based on the name, I am suspecting that it is a beer that is an IPA and high in alcohol. Also, that is based on the fact that it's packing a 6.7% ABV.

The beer is a pale orangey yellow, sort of like a light honey. It pours with a boatload of head that sticks around for a little while without overstaying its welcome. As it fades, it leaves a heavy lacing on the glass. There is a strong smell of hops here, and maybe something citrus.

Hi.P.A. tastes very hoppy. It's pretty much the defining flavor, which is what is supposed to happen with an India Pale Ale, so hooray! The beer starts a little sweet with that citrus I mentioned earlier, and then you get the hops and bitter finish. The aftertaste is mild and also pretty hoppy. It's like I'm eating hops!! As for carbonation, this fits into the light category with an overall smooth drinkability.

Final thought - I think this beer is great. I'm a big fan of hoppy beers now, and this one is high in the hop department. If you like IPAs and don't mind the bitter finish, this is a beer for you.

-Jon

Coal Porter

Beer Name: Coal Porter
Brewery: Atlantic Brewing Company
ABV: 6.5%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle poured into a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

Coal Porter sounds like it could be the bad guy in an action movie. Or the good guy in a video game where you do a lot of shooting. Either way, it would be spelled "Cole Porter," but you get the idea.

Atlantic Brewing Company is a microbrewery in Bar Harbor, specializing in small-batch brewing and also soda. Mom and Chuck got us a sample pack (and also a 6-pack of root beer that was entirely consumed in my absence) during their delayed honeymoon, and that is exciting because it means new beers to try.

Coal Porter is a dark brown beer with a thin head and a whole lot of lacing. The lacing is so thick that it's practically not lacing, but rather more of a foamy cloud left behind on the glass. There is a deep roasted aroma with a hint of sweetness, probably chocolate.

It tastes like a porter. Obviously that's not very helpful, but if you know porters, you know what you're getting here. There's a brief taste of sweetness, and then the roasted bitterness at the end. Light carbonation in there as well. The ABC site claims that there is a subtle hop flavor to this beer, but I'm not getting it. Maybe it's because I am expecting the flavor of Cascade hops, and this one doesn't use those. The point is, there's not a whole lot of hops going on here, so don't be expecting major hoppiness. There's also a mild aftertaste that hangs around a bit after each sip.

Final thought - The Coal Porter is a good beer if you're looking for something heavy. It's got a fairly strong flavor, although it's not overpowering. I don't know when I'll ever get another one, but I'll be keeping on eye out for it.

-Jon

Black & Tan

Beer Name: Saranac Black & Tan
Brewery: The Matt Brewing Company
ABV: 5.1%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

This beer has not one but two mysteries! The first is when it was brewed, and the second is why does the beer's webpage and the Beer Advocate page about this beer have two different ABVs? Someone has to be wrong there.

Before we get into this specific beer, I think a little beer education is in order. If you already know all there is to know about black and tans, you can skip this paragraph. For the rest of you, a black and tan is a hybrid beer mix of a dark beer (like a stout) and a light beer (like a pale ale) to make a new Frankenbeer. Those beer types aren't fixed though, since I've read that you can also use a porter for the dark one and a lager for the light. Hey, if you're the one that's drinking, you can do whatever you want. You can get a black & tan premixed, like the beer I'm about to drink, or you can make a cool layer effect by pouring the light beer in first, and then carefully pouring the stout on top of it. If you do this, use Guinness as your stout, which is actually very light in stark contrast to both its reputation and appearance. Don't let people fool you; Guinness is less than 5% ABV, which means you can have a bunch before you get silly. It also means that it's a good choice for black & tans, because if you're going to be making fancy drinks (where "fancy" means "requiring any sort of effort"), you might as well make a bunch of them.

The Saranac Black & Tan is a mix of stout and lager. Specifically a German lager if the bottle can be believed. The aroma of this beer is dominated by sweet malt from the stout contribution. I am not picking up anything from the lager, and I'm guessing that is because the maltiness is dominating everything else.

This beer's taste comes in two parts. First you taste the malt and sweetness of the stout, and then you get the bitter finish of the lager. This beer feels very heavy while you're drinking it, and the aftertaste sticks around for a while. There's a lot more carbonation in there than I would expect from something containing stout beer, so that has to be from the lager. Drink this beer fast; letting it warm up a little kills the flavor.

Final thought - Saranac Black & Tan is not a beer for a situation with a lot of drinking. This is a beer to be paired with a meal or to drink on a cold winter night when there's nothing good on television so you might as well clear out the beer fridge. Even though I have been told it isn't possible, this beer feels like it warms me up. It's not a beer I'd drink regularly, but I will keep it in mind from time to time. Think of it like Julian Tavares: the Sox never really wanted to put him in the game, but it wasn't the end of the world if they had to. Unlike Rudy Seanez.

-Jon