Beer reviews and recommendations

[IronMan WannaB]

Fathers day I split a Chimay Grand Reserve, blue label (Belgium strong dark ale), with my dad and one of my bros. 12 bucks for probably a 750ml bottle. Made by Trappist Monks. Very good beer and worth the splurge. Nice dark carmel head, 2 two fingers. Beer very dark amber color. Very fine carbination, almost champane like. Malty start and very fine bubbles on palete. Smooth finish. 9% ABV. Warms the stomach but doen't overwelm. Rated #2 by Beer Advocate for Begium dark strong ale. I would buy this one again.
Berkshire Brewing Lost Sailor India Pale Ale. Probably my favorite summer time session beer. Nice off white 1 finger head. Citrus smell and taste. Hoppy at end. The citrus is like lemon and faint. Hoppy end is mellow. Will purchace again and again. I realy like this IPA as the hoppyness it isn't over powering and long living at the end.

[Mister Moose]

2 IPAs I had recently.

Captain's Reserve Imperial IPA by Captain Lawrence. 9% ABV. An odd size bottle at 17oz. A little more resin, a little more bitter at the end, but still a very good beer. Lots of layers and character here, less on the nose at first.



Dogfish Squall. Unfiltered and bottle conditioned, this is 90 Minute IPA estate bottled version. Really liked it. ALso 9% ABV. If you like Dogfish 60 or 90 minute, you gotta try this.

The beer will come out in June of 2009 in a handful of eastern seaboard states. It will only be packaged in 750ml champagne bottles. Seek it out... and hoard it from the non-believers.

[IronMan WannaB]

Stone "Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale". WOW.

[lifeisgood]

Put together my own "fall assortment" pack over the weekend. A 6 pack each of Long Trail Harvest Ale, Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale, and Brooklyn Octoberfest. All 3 were good. Want to go back and try some more of the pumpkin ales before they disappear.

[Dr. NO]

Ironmanwannab home brew. 5 to 10 % by volume and great stuff! He is gonna open a brewery on the access road if he keeps this up. HICKup!

[Skiume]

Right now the Portsmouth Brewery (NH) has 2 different IPAs on tap: simply called #1 & #2 . The #2 is most excellent!

[robrules]

Right now the Portsmouth Brewery (NH) has 2 different IPAs on tap: simply called #1 & #2 . The #2 is most excellent!

I would hardly call harvest #1 an IPA - more like an esb.

The grassy/spicy nature of wet (fresh) hops doesn't really do it for me as far as hoppy beers go.

The Ginga Ninja they had on tap was pretty tasty though - but the pastrami on rye was the best thing I had there last week.

[robrules]

As far as Oktoberfest beers go, Spaten gets my approval this year. Classic deep, rich bready/toasty/nutty/caramel marzen flavor with somewhat substantial hop flavor and bitterness that balances the sweet malt nicely. So done with feable US attempts at the style.

Spaten has upped its game with a revamp of the Ofest and Optimator recently - I guess selling out to InBev wasn't as bad as most people predicted.



The beer I have been drinking the crap out of lately (besides homebrewed IPA's) is Victory Helios. A 7.5% abv Saison with some leathery brett flavors. Great balance and drinkability and goes great with a ploughman's platter. Best part is that its only about $3.40 /22oz. which is a bargain that is unheard of for large bottle format craft beer with this kind of abv. I buy whatever I find on the shelf when I see it.

[Skiume]

We tried the Ginja Ninja and thought the same "interesting"

Potential as an apertiff sipper maybe - but couldn't see drinking copious quantities of it.

[skiersleft]

Stone "Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale". WOW.

One of my favorite beers. They are selling them at Charity's.

[Skiume]

Bottles or draft?

[skiersleft]

Bottles or draft?

If you're talking about the Arrogant Bastard Ale, it's available by the bottle at Charity's.

[tt431]

Bottles or draft?

If you're talking about the Arrogant Bastard Ale, it's available by the bottle at Charity's.

"Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the Worthy are invited, and then only at your own risk. If you have even a modicum of hesitation, DO NOT buy this bottle. Instead, leave it for a Worthy soul who has already matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those in the know refer to as "Liquid Arrogance.""

[RustyK]

Bring on the Pumpkin!

[Mtn Man]

Bottles or draft?

If you're talking about the Arrogant Bastard Ale, it's available by the bottle at Charity's.

"Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the Worthy are invited, and then only at your own risk. If you have even a modicum of hesitation, DO NOT buy this bottle. Instead, leave it for a Worthy soul who has already matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those in the know refer to as "Liquid Arrogance.""

Best bottle synopsys EVER!

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