Fresh Hop Mirror Pond (Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR)

Copper ale with a stark white head that leave a nice lace. Grass and grapefruit nose with a light malty base. Taste lacks the hop, oddly—some bitterness, but muddled badly with a sourdough taste with watery mouthfeel. Sweet ending, but too off center to have more than one. I was surprised because I've often liked the Mirror Pond Pale Ale, but adding fresh hop just didn't pull together.

Envious (New Holland Brewing, New Holland, MI)

Dark black beer with ruby and purple highlights around the edges. Poured hard and was unable to get the slightly brown head to linger at all. Fell flat immediately. Fruity, syrupy nose—smells of raspberries, dark cherries, Morgan David wine and hot alcohol. Pear is listed in ingredients, and there is an undermined fruity smell in it. Taste is sharp and acidic—strong fruit, and dark fruit, raisins and overripe plums. Sour note on the end that's a bit of an off flavor. NH is an excellent brewery, but this experiment did not pay off.

Harvest Dance (Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO)

Sunset orange beer with golden highlights around the edges. Fluffy white head lingers and bubbles nicely on top until a slow dissipation to just beer. Fresh wheat in the nose with spice and lots of soft fruit—orange peel, mango, pear. Clear, clean spice from the yeast that continues in the taste. Mouthfeel is a bit watery, but a nice twang from the wheat and spice, but the fruit lessens compared to the nose. Very nice beer. 9% is completely unapparent.

Tiny (Weyerbacher Brewing, Easton, PA)

Jet black beer that's pretty in the glass except for the chocolate brown head that falls flat almost before you can catch sight of it. Very subdued nose—some spice, roasted malt and chocolate, but light and easily overlooked. Sweet and slightly cloying initial taste on top of a roast and chocolate with a slight carbonic bite. Taste lingers nicely on the tongue and provides a pleasant evening sipping on the warming and slightly alcoholic beer.

Oaked IPA (Round Barn Brewing, Baroda, MI)

Round Barn's Oaked IPA is a golden IPA with straw gold highlights and a thin white head on top. In the bottle, the oak is more concentrated than the draft sample I had at the tasting room. Here, it feels a bit out of balance, and very strong on the wood. If you like oak--this is your beer. Very light malt and some floral notes in the nose--woodiness covers both a bit. Strong bite on the front of the tongue, and the same oak fighting with it a bit. Dry finish. I liked the beer a lot more on draft, mostly because the oak played its normal supporting role.  

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 08-04-2011 17:37:33
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Grand Cru (North Coast Brewing, Fort Bragg, CA)

Light golden ale with effervescent bubbles floating to the top, but the head disappeared immediately. Nose has a very light spice, clean and pleasant, with light apple, pepper and yeast. Bubbles appear with a carbonic bite with a spicy, light pepper before a sweet finish. Slightly hot with a clear taste of alcohol. Mouthfeel is a light for the style. Seems a bit out of balance, but a nice beer for the night. Not a fan of the beer, but enjoying it at the moment.

Simcoe Single Hop IPA (Mikkeller, Copenhagen, Denmark)

Copper ale with gold highlights, and, because I was watching football too closely, a fair amount of dregs in the bottom of the glass. Dirty white head on top that lingers for a long time. Simcoe hop is clean and clear in the nose, but not very strong. Need a swirl to pop it up. Strong carbonation bite along with the hop bitterness. Not an overly hoppy IPA, but very fun to drink.

Eighteen Anniversary Ale (Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO)

Copper ale with shiny gold highlights along the edge of the beer. Very thin off white head that melts immediately. Nose is promising with lots of clear hop and yeasty saison spice mixed in. Can clearly smell the dry hop. Pepper and spice strong in the mouth, but singular and a bit overwhelming and seems to clash with the nose. Mouthfeel is light with a dry bite in the aftertaste. Sounds great reading the bottle, but just doesn't seem to come together. Fine for the night, happy to give Avery the benefit of the doubt on any special beers, but I won't be seeking this one out again.

Pile O' Dirt Porter (Crow Peak Brewing, Spearfish, SD)

Dark black, opaque beer with a velvety brown head that dissipates fairly fast. Roasted barley and coffee in the nose with slightly burnt note over a light hop spice. Smooth taste with the coffee predominates and finishes bitter. Carbonation seems a bit high for the style, but the mouthfeel is very satisfying and rich. I was very happy to buy this Crow Peak porter in Sioux Falls and like it a lot—and not just because it was the best thing in Sioux Falls!

11th Hour IPA (Crow Peak Brewing, Spearfish, SD)

Copperish IPA in the glass with rocky, off white head that falls while leaving large bubbles around the edge. Strong floral and spice nose, clean American style hops with lots of grapefruit. The nose really attracted me to this beer initially, in part, because I didn't expect such a hoppy beer from a SD local brewery when I bought this in Sioux Falls. Very pleasant surprise. The hop continues in the taste and has a good strong bite, a bit grassy—if you like chewing your hops, this is a good one. Slightly resiny and piney like a Double IPA can often be. Somewhat sweet finish to counter the hop sting. Nice IPA and fun to drink. Good luck to Crow Peak Brewing—hope to buy some more next trip to SD.

Sorachi Ace (Brooklyn Brewing, Brooklyn, NY)

Got a bottle from Petschens and very happy with Brooklyn again. Hazy shimmering gold beer with a lingering white head. Drank it the same day I bought it, so didn't let it settle out, so I may be the cause of the haze. Gorgeous complex lemongrass, citrus nose and strong peppery spice that is clean and multi-layered at the same time. Carbonic tang on the tongue and the yeast and spice fills the mouth fully. Dry finished that accents the hops. Brewed with rare Japanese Sorachi hops (according to the website), the lemony character is intrinsic to the hop. I'm a fan and would love to get some more of this beer.

Clutch-Lips of Faith series (New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO)

Being a fan of sours, New Belgium is always a good bet and this one doesn't disappoint. Dark brown to black beer with a tan head that falls with a nice lace. Sour note on top of chocolate malt and some dark fruits. Subtle but interesting. Light sourness in the mouth that lingers nicely with taste of dark chocolate and cherries. Sweetness and malt underneath the sour in a fine balance. Well worth the effort to get a bottle.

2012 Black Ale (Stephens Point Brewery, Stephens Point, WI)

Tan head bubbles up nicely on the pour over a nearly black ale, as advertised. A very light mouthfeel is the weak point of the beer. Watery base has a light roast malt, but not overly complex or interesting. More coffee than roast in the nose, which is fine,and none of the Cluster, Saaz and Cascade hops listed in the brewery's website description. Overall, a serviceable beer for the night and a standard beer for Stevens Point.

Claymore Scotch Ale (Great Divide Brewing, Denver, CO)

Dark tan head that fell quickly over a dark brown with ruby highlighted beer. Strong malt with light peat and smoke in the nose. Light and pleasant. Some dark fruit in the nose as well. All of the nose continues cleanly in the taste with the fruit increasing a bit. Mouthfeel is a bit light for the style. Overall, the beer is well done and perfectly adequate. However, it's not a stellar beer that's going to get me to pick up a six pack.

Big John (Goose Island, Chicago, IL)

Dark tan head billows up nicely and lingers for a long time. Look almost luscious sitting on top of a jet black opaque beer. For all the dark malts in the beer (according to the website: chocolate, caramel, roasted barley, de-bittered black), there's not a coffee or an overly roasted smell in the nose. Just chocolate thanks to the cacao nibs. If you pause slightly, there's a light spice on the top from the hops (Columbus from website). Mouthfeel is luscious and creamy with slight hotness from the 11.5% ABV and a slick oiliness as well. The chocolate from the nibs give a clean, earthy chocolate taste that's different and nice compared to most chocolate stouts. Overall, a very well done big beer that's fun to drink. This bottle is only six months old, so drank it as a baby. Might have to get another bottle to aged it up to suggested five years on the label.

Bedlam (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Burnt orange and cloudy in the glass with a slightly off white head that falls into a nice lace. Overripe grapefruit in the nose and some pepper and spice on top of some funky, yeasty smells as well. Good but convoluted. Bite is fairly strong from the hops in the initial taste that's followed by the funky, yeasty spice. Citra hops in the website description are apparent in both. More funk than hop in the taste. Nice Belgian IPA (note how easy it is to talk about it like it's a singular style already), but the marriage of the yeast and hop on this one is not a comfortable pairing. It seems to fight a bit, but just fine for the six pack I bought of it.

Fat Lorenzo's (Minneapolis, MN)

I'll start with this review, but I would like to go back and give Fat Lorenzo's another chance. May have had a bad night. 

Beer list was good. Maybe 40 beers on the list and a nice combination of locals like Summit and Surly and a few regional like Tallgrass. Asked about taps and was told the bottle list was it. Sitting on the patio, so didn't really look or figure it out. Had a Tallgrass Halcyon and a Summit Honeymoon Saison, both beers I hadn't tried yet, so that was nice. Served in a can and bottle respectively, but brought a pint glass on request. 

Food was alright. Alfredo pasta was good, but a bit watery and the garlic bread was nothing special that came with it. A slice of Slim's veggie pizza was good NYC style, but not quite on the mark. Bit underdone and arrived cold. Which was the crux of the issue--the service was slow.  One meal came out slightly longer than reasonable, but fine for a busy night; two more of us just ordered one slice of pizza each, which took forever to show up and well past when our dining companions were done eating. And, the slices were cold when they arrived--astounding. Still tasted good, but put a damper on the evening and I was the only one willing to give the place another try some time in the future. 

We went there on the strength of the pizza and that my brother in law had had it as delivery, but in person we were sadly disappointed for a place that has a great old school rep. Should probably have sat inside. Patio was extremely loud next to Cedar Ave and I wouldn't sit outside again. Guess there was a reason why the wait for the inside was longer in spite of a being a perfect patio night. Hope to get another chance to eat inside and see if the experience improves. Not an exceptional place for beer, but easily passable if you're there for the pizza.

Reviewed on: 08-11-2011 02:43:42

Thunderstorm Summer Ale (Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN)

Thunderstorm is a beer that I didn't much like at all when I first tried it, but really love the beer now. My first note of a beer named Thunderstorm at Town Hall was in 2004, and I'm unsure of how much it's changed over that time. Now it's one of my very favorite beers made by the brewery.

Sunny gold ale that has a puffy white head that has great retention. Light biscuit and malt in the nose with some spicy notes from hops and spices. Like smelling a flower—but since I'm allergic to flowers, this is so much better. Notes of lavender and lemongrass. Clean and pleasant.

While true to a degree for all beer (or should be), this is truly a multi-sensory ale. Taking in the first taste, the floral and spicy characteristics pop on the tongue and blend with the nose. Each is a bit different and the contribute and build nicely together. Lemongrass comes out in the mouth more, and lingers nicely as you sip on the beer along with a nice sweetness. Slightly astringent as well, but in the very best way.

Careful—drinking a few can catch you unaware as the immense drinkability of this beer masks the 7% ABV. A very remarkable beer that testifies to Town Hall's quality as a brew pub.

Hop Index (Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN)

Beer the way it's meant to be. In spite of my best efforts to be an omni-style drinker, I'm falling into the depths of being an hop head and love this beer. Copper colored beer that turns burnt orange in the light. Very nearly white head that bubbles up nicely without foaming too much, and lingers nicely with a heavy lace. Normally not a big fan of growlers, this one doesn't seem to have lost a step like most beers when they come home compared to the tap. This one matches or exceeds what I had two days ago on tap, but I was distracted when I drank on site, so the comparison might be fuzzier than warranted.

Enormous nose that is clean and fresh without being grassy. This is a skill that I would like to learn. Lots of fresh citrus, grapefruit from the Summit and CTZ (Columbus, Tomahawk and Zeus) according to the website. I was surprised by the 104 IBUs (again, according to Town Hall) because, while there's a very clear bite, it's so nicely balanced with the malty backbone of the beer that it's not overwhelming. The grapefruit dances lightly on the tongue and lingers there about until the next sip. Fills the mouth and really makes for a pleasant experience. The body of the beer is full and smooth, and light enough that the hops shine.

While not tasting the same, Hop Index is analogous to Masala Mama (a bit more hop than malt) and Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale (again, not necessarily a direct comparison of taste) in that it's a strong pale ale and doesn't have the qualities of an Imperial IPA. Light, refreshing, and crazily hoppy. Summer in a glass.

Cocao Stout (Round Barn Brewery, Baroda, MI)

Dark, nearly opaque, chocolate brown beer with a sizable tan head on top. Very clean cocoa, dark chocolate with light roast and floral notes in the nose. Light coffee underneath, but very little. Lactose added to the brew (according to website) makes for a very smooth mouthfeel, sweet and somewhat luscious in spite of a rather thin body otherwise. Cream and malt early, and the roast and coffee hit harder in the end. Nice, well done stout, especially for someone who's learning the style and wants something more accessible. Good stout, if a bit thin is all.

Mad Belgian (Mad River Brewing, Blue Lake, CA)

Orange gold beer under an almost white head that falls with little to no lace. Higher carbonation on the cap pop, which can be felt on the front end. Strong yeasty smell with orange and lemon, a faint must and vinegar. Clear alcohol in the nose as well. Acidic, yeasty taste up front and the fruit is muted. Very sweet—would guess the attenuation is low. Overall, an ok Belgian with a clear yeast characteristic, but too many things going in different directions. Final product doesn't meld well into a great beer.

Oaked IPA (Round Barn Brewery, Baroda, MI)

Golden IPA with straw highlights and a thin white head on top. In the bottle, the oak is more concentrated than the draft sample I had at the tasting room. Here, it feels a bit out of balance, and very strong on the wood. If you like oak, this is your beer. Very light malt and some floral notes in the nose; woodiness covers both a bit. Strong bite on the front of the tongue, and the same oak fighting with it a bit. Dry finish. I liked the beer a lot more on draft, mostly because the oak played a more normal supporting role.

Contorter (Ale Asylum, Madison, WI)

Pours a deep black with ruby highlights around the lighted edges. Tan head lingers nicely on top for quite a while. Light chocolate and roast in the nose without much else, maybe a light hop note in the middle of the bready base. Smooth is the selling point on the bottle and the website description, and it is very smooth with little to stop it from going dryly off the back of the tongue. Roast is light and lingers a bit on the tongue, but the thin body detracts from the overall taste. While a decent porter, it lacks enough depth to keep me interested beyond a bottle or two. Had the same beer on tap recently and it seemed to have a bit more too it then.

Pitch Black IPA (Widmer Brothers, Portland, OR)

Living up to it's name, Pitch Black IPA is...pitch black. Only with a direct light behind it could I get copper highlights on the very edge. Tan head on top that fell with a nice lace. Big hop off the top—Cascade hops, from smell and according to the website. Some malt in the nose underneath, but mostly the hop. Not overly complex hop continues in the mouth with a clean, solid bite. Tastes like the hop addition was fairly early—or at least fairly big for the early hops. Nice roast taste without an bitter or coffee taste. Grass and roast off the back, dry and clean. Not a bad beer, and, depending where I was, would have another if I wasn't distracted by other choices. Mouthfeel is a bit lacking and watery, but otherwise a good beer.

Bancreagie Peated Scotch Ale (Brau Brothers, Lucan, MN)

According to the label, Bancreagie is named after the granite that creates the aquifer from which the brewing water comes from in Lucan. The rest of the label basically says they are trying to make an authentic Scottish ale.

Off white head bubbles up high when I tip the glass a bit too hard for the last bit of beer, which settles into a light lace. Amber to copper ale in the glass with highlights around the edge. Definite smokey peat in the nose over top of lots of malt, some hop and a mineral smell. Light and airy in the mouth, peat isn't as strong as the nose would suggest. Strong caramel and burnt biscuit. Not a lot off the back—somewhat disappears. Not a bad beer, but I'm not a huge fan at this point. Happy to drink this one but unlikely to get a six pack.