Reviews written by Erin

Faint, decent aroma - picked up maple syrup & lesser notes of caramel.

Opens with tart toasted/bready malts & nuttiness. Hop profile is mild to non-existent, slight tea flavor. It's a typical amber ale, perhaps a bit sweeter.

Mildly carbonated, thin mouthfeel. This would be a good session beer, fairly generic. Not bad.

Pours a clear, dark, chestnut brown.

The aroma detected are spices, cinnamon and citrus, fresh & wintery.

Tastes of raisin and pumpkin, with Softly rounded caramelized and toasted malt. The finish somewhat spicy. Hops add enough bitterness to balance it all out. Great mouthfeel, clean finish.

It's an interesting take on a pumpkin ale, overall a well orchestrated beer.

It poured an obsidian black. The Abyss is aged in bourbon whiskey barrels and brewed with licorice and molasses. This 11% beer had barrel character, but it was never overpowering. Sweet and dark chocolate malts start of the sip, while the finish brings out the bourbon vanilla and coffee.

Light nuances of oak and vanilla and a kiss of bourbon gave it great complexity. It’s definitely on par with a fine dark rum or bourbon as a mature sipper.

Thick and viscous, it definitely lives up to its reputation.

Its blend of roasted malts, dark chocolate, dark fruits, and alcohol yielded chicory and some vanilla on the nose. New World Porter is not your typical dark beer, as it’s dry hopped. Citric hops are evident and impart a slightly bitter bite, while splinters of woodiness, chocolate and coffee provide for an even balance.

Pouring a clear, rich mahogany brown with amber highlights, there's a strong aroma of chocolate, with roasted malts and hints of coffee grounds.

The taste is more of the same, composed primarily of toasted malts, a bit of caramel and the faintest hints of dark fruit. A nice hop bitterness lingers in the finish with some faint molasses and brown sugar.

It's on the lighter side of medium body, with average carbonation. Really nice sessionability, especially for a Porter.

Spring. Release: March - May
Serving types had: bottle (162), on-tap (25), cask (4), growler (3).

The aroma is intriguing. There are clean fresh hops dominating the nose, but spicy yeast and subtle hints of citrus zest, candy sugar and cut grass follow quickly behind.

Musty barnyard notes lead off and linger at the top of the palate. It's funky and tangy as hell and very versatile with flavors of plant roots, earthy soil and a little bit of fruit and clove, along with some Belgian yeast. The Brett flavor is pretty mild.

It's light to medium bodied with a full, average carbonation level. Good stuff overall and a great beer for spring and summer.

Pours an orange-amber color, with a slight hazy glow and some lacing. There's earthy, herbal hops aroma in the forefront, with some sweet malt in the back.

The taste is rich, toasted malty flavor with some floral bouquet, citrus, honey and very slight chicory bark flavors. Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated. A decent amber ale - I would drink this beer again, but not sure I would seek it out.

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The pour is a clear orange/amber with flocculent frothy head and plenty of tiny bubbles wriggling from the glass. Hay-like grassiness and flowery notes rise from the glass, then transcend into an abundance of spicy smells. A hint of apples and dried cherries is also present. Incredibly complex.

The taste is slightly earthy, with peach cobbler hidden behind the mountain of apples. As the beer warms, more sugar comes out, with some caramel notes. It is smooth drinking with the right amount of carbonation and effervescence, with a slightly dry finish.

In a way, it really epitomizes the Belgian Pale style, but with a kick. It tastes like an accomplishment.

The orange is very noticeable upfront and dominated by notes of orange peel and coriander. But, luckily it's not so overpowering as to turn this into a fruity tasting beer. Nice balance of light Pilsner malt, wheat, citrus, coriander and honey flavors.

It's great for sitting outside in the warm summer sun.

Pours out a dark brown to almost black. There's a slight twang sour smell, along with some roastiness.

Burnt coffee and dried fruit come through. There's a rich malty goodness and nice warming quality, perhaps from the chocolate malts. Also tasted is light caramel, mild English yeast and slight licorice flavor.

The hops presence is mild but exactly where it should be for the style. It's medium bodied, smooth and clean in the mouth. Overall, a very nice porter - one that I'll happily try again.

NicoShot – For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, the smoking ban revolution in bars and pubs brought about the Nicotine-infused beer from Germany. There's no tar or carbon monoxide that comes from burning tobacco in the beer.

It’s brewed to the German Purity Law of 1516 and contains 3 milligrams of naturally derived nicotine alkaloids, 63 calories and 4.5 carbohydrates, with 6.3% alcohol by volume per 250ml shot can. The beer is fire brewed separately and a standardized herbal extract of natural tobacco leaf of the Solanaceae nightshade family is added at the end of the brewing process. "NicoShot is cigarette satisfaction in a beer without the smoke," according to a company press release.

When it launched back in 2005, it sounded like a Saturday Night Live sketch. Imagine Adam Sandler ordering a “pint of fags”, then proceeding to down a 6-pack in order to get his cigarette cravings satisfied, not realizing that equals about 2 packs of cigarettes. He starts jittering and blinking to the speed of Metallica playing in the jukebox. Cut to Tina Fey, who explains she likes the “taste”, but secretly drinks them because she thinks the nicotine will help her lose weight just as her Camels used to. “I’m not drinking!” she says in a sprightly voice, “I’m sminking!”

“Smoking” and drinking at the same time, as Guinness would boost - brilliant! In our world of multi-tasking and improving products by making them faster, smaller, and in general helping you save time – it’s pure marketing genius. Just think about it - how many precious seconds, minutes even, have you wasted fumbling for a smoke when you could have been drinking? What about you non-smokers? How many times have you had to give up your seat at the bar to join your “smoker friend” outside to satisfy his/her craving?

Hell, maybe Nautilus GmbH Laboratoriumsbedarf (say that ten times fast) is onto something? Vices unite! McDonald’s can start serving cigarettes alongside their whoppers – “I’ll have the whopertte combo please.” Starbucks can sell compilation reality DVD’s w/ episodes of “Bad Girls” and “Rock of Love” at the registers instead of those Jazz CDs. “Would you like to make your mocha a mochality?” The Home Shopping Network can start selling drugs…Vegas can open up prostitution directly at the black jack tables! BJ for a Black Jack?

Ah, the possibilities.

Standard witbier hue, pours a hazy pale golden color with nice contrasting white head. Strong wit-style aroma - slight citrus peel, lemongrass, slight floral and wheat. The taste is reminiscent of the nose, with plenty of carbonated coriander flavors to go around. It's got a slight peppery nature and a light flowery citrus edge, but lacked a crisp bite and spiciness. Overall, lighter than one would think. Maybe not the best Wit on the market, but the drinkability is pretty good.

The presentation is flawless - cloudy, light goldenrod hue with a large effervescent head. The fruity aroma is also quite amazing with apples, lemons and grainy notes.

The taste starts off sweet with honeysuckle and pear, backed up by sweet malts which then turns to a spicy, somewhat dry finish. The mouthfeel is satisfyingly fizzy and very dry.

The alcohol is reasonably well-covered for the abv. It is radically expensive for a beer (likely a reflection of the labor intensive production). A champagne alternative for special occasions, this classy, bold Biere Brut pairs well with seafood and lobster.

This pours a hazy, golden color with a nice white head. Taste is hop-forward, with lemon tinged hop bitterness. medium bodied, as is the carbonation.

The hops are somewhat citrusy with a herbal undertone. After each sip, there is a nice soft bitter hop note that lingers. The malt shines through in the beginning, with some sweetness to balance the high ABV. It's much more drinkable for non-hoppy heads. Goes down very easily.

Hazy orange-copper color with a thick, cloud-puff of head. The hops take the lead in the aroma with a light, crisp, citrus, grapefruit and tiny hints of herbs and sweetened pine.

A milder IPA, it's got a great malt backbone with a nice assertive hop bitterness. Overall, a well balanced beer. Smooth medium light body. It's not exceptional but pretty darn good.

Indica is strong enough to hold up to very spicy foods, like curries or Thai food, or with strong cheeses like bleu, pepper jack or gorgonzola.

Poured from a 12oz slim Euro-style brown bottle bought from Trader Joes. Pours a hazy yellow, with a nice thick head. A smell of wheat and lemon zest dominate the nose, with a slight touch of clove and banana....a nice light finish. It's a very refreshing beer.

Hoegaarden is a very fruity-tasting beer because beers made with wheat are usually fermented with ale yeasts, which accentuates their fruitiness. It’s spiced with Curacao orange peels, coriander and other herbs in the background.

The brilliant white beer is brewed to a traditional recipe which dates as far back as 1445, although the beer Hoegaarden has only existed since 1966.

Full on amber red with a nice thick off white head that retains well.Aroma is dominated by a rich caramel malt, faint bread and grassy hop. This is offset by modest floral notes with just a few faint hints of citrus.

The taste is very similar to the smell. The lighter, toasty malts are the primary flavor in the taste.
Good medium bodied beer that makes you want to take another sip. A nice finish.

There is a large malt and earthy scent which reminds me of a barleywine. It was also full of dark fruits -- raisin, plum, figs and a strong toffee presence.

A complex, earthy nose packed with chocolate, roasted nuts, dark fruits and freshly baked molasses cookies. Balancing the malt is a mild hop character featuring mild bitterness.Mouthfeel was good -- very thick & luxurious. It's a slow sipper and is a go-to beer on cold Winter nights.

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into an Ommegang Chalice. The French word for season, saison, has become a stylistic designation to distinguish a group of beers from Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.

It pours a deep orange/gold, with a bit of haze. The scent of lemon, apple and pear permeate this summery beer, reminiscent of fruit soaked in alcohol.

With a real earthy fell, the spiciness lingers and the dryness lends more nutty flavors toward the end. Soft and pillowy, the alcohol is warming, but not overally obvious. Very crisp and satisfying on a hot day with active champagne-like effervescence. It is a charming blend of musty and zesty, grainy and fruity.

Ommegange serves well as an aperitif. Try it with washed-rind cheeses, such as Uplands Pleasant Ridge, an exquisite farmstead cheese with a nutty, clean flavor. Hennepin's ginger and coriander notes lend themselves to the composed spicing in Asian cuisines. It also goes well with Thai and Indian cuisine, sushi, Mongolian hotpots, fried fish and Peking duck. I enjoyed this beer at the French restaurant in Culver City called Fraiche, celebrating my friend’s birthday. Snacking on fondue, duck pate and enjoying Ommegang is a great way to spend a Monday.

It pours a dusky, harvest orange with a generous, barely off white, soapy head. Taste is smooth and balanced; with malt, grains, some mild bittering hops and roasted character. Accents of lemon come through, but the caramel is pronounced.

The mouthfeel of this beer had a medium body with a bit of dryness. It's not quite a traditional Octoberfest style, but still a damn good beer.

This is a nice, crisp pilsner with a slightly creamy body and a touch of effervescence.

The acidity was pleasant. Definitely crisp, the flavor is reminiscent of fruit cocktail juice, with a sparkling white peach tartness and light wheat finish - dry and slightly sour.

Mouthfeel is bubbly and effervescent, with lemony acidity and tart citric undertones.

This beer makes for an excellent summer drink and one that washes down quickly.

Company owner Sam Calagione says, "Festina Peche proves that an extreme beer need not be extreme in alcohol."

I agree wholeheartedly with Dogfish's food pairing recommendations. Enjoy Festina with grilled chicken or fish and salad. If you're a Pinot Grigio fan, you should give this one a try.

It's available every year in 4-packs starting June 1st through the summer.

Named in honor of founder Jeff's bike trip through Belgium, it has a fairly light body and with a nice, moderate carbonation.

Nice malty, nutty and butterscotch aroma... The taste is well balanced; toasty, biscuit-like malt flavors coasting with earthy hoppy freshness.

The mouthfeel is smooth and then gives way to some carbonated bitterness. It's a very drinkable American style amber ale.

Chef Todd Davies, Partner of Tap House Grill, recommends:
Fontina stuffed banana peppers with smoked chicken, fennel sausage, corn flan, and tomato fonduta. Spicy banana peppers cut the sweet malts as the stuffing of the sweet hickory smoked chicken and fennel scented sausage complement. The fontina adds a pepperey element, complimenting the hops. The tomato sauce, cooked with Fat Tire, blends and smooths the ingredients, and the sweet corn flan cuts the spice while adding and intensifying the sweetness of the malts.

Derek Kennedy, Owner/Cheese Aficionado at Choice City Butcher, recommends:
Fat Tire is a perfect example of a beer that pairs with lots of different flavors. Its sweet malts and aromatic, bittering hops allow a choice of a robust cheese. I like to go big with either a farmhouse cheddar or Parmigiano-Reggiano. The cheddar is creamy and plays with the sweetness of the malts for a swirl of difference; the dry nutty undertones of the parm allow the fullness to come through.

The details on the label are cool, and signed (though electronically) by the brewmaster.

The Treblehook pours a dark cherry wood/garnet color with a good sized head. The aroma is sweet and malty with background smells of hops and some light spices. The flavor is reminiscent of little chocolate - like RedHook states - with some impressions of bourbon and deep woody herb. It has a smooth, but aggressive hop presence, larger than you normally find in a Barleywine. Sweet caramel plays with berries and steps near the line of boozy, but doesn't cross it.

If you're ready to go double digit big, this is a greatbarley wine to pick up during the winter. This is a brew I will definitely pick up again.

This refreshing, yet complex ale is matured in oak casks. After the first and secondary fermentation, the beer goes for maturation into the oak barrels for 18 months.

Produced in Vichte, Belgium, this sweet and sour beer was named for the Duchess of Burgundy, a 15th century champion of the Flemish people, who died at 25 in a fall from a horse while falconing. The Duchesse (pronounced DOO-SHAY) pours a dark, garnet amber, with a thick and lively tan head. Also recommended for wine lovers, this 6.2% ABV beer has a dark chocolate covered sour cherry and slight vinegar taste. Hints of green apple, herbs and cinnamon are also present. These conflicting characteristics mingle together magically.

It’s a true sipper and is wonderful paired with apple cobbler or a nutty cheese plate.5

Slightly hazy, chestnut-orange color with some suspended yeast. Smell is mostly malt with earthy old wood, slight ginger and wet grass.

Taste has an unexpected toasty malt character, leading up to tropical fruits sweetness. Some orange peel taste comes out after it warms a bit. Soft on the palate w/ good carbonation, a somewhat dry finish. A respectable, albeit atypical saison, worth trying once.

I enjoyed this beer at The Father’s Office in Culver City, CA for $8.

New York has the Statue of Liberty, Basil has the Hammering Man on the Aeschenplatz, Paris – the Eiffel Tower and Brussels has the Manneken Pis.

Introduced in 1989, and translating to ‘Brussels White' , the witbier’s label is an image of the famous cherub taking a leak. This selection from the Lefebvre brewery, located in the town of Quenast in Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region, pours a hazy bright lemon yellow with some rusty hues. Blanche de Bruxelles owes its natural cloudiness to the large percentage (40 %) of wheat that goes into its composition.

Although there is obviously a reasonable amount of yeast in this beer, it is not overpowering at all. During the brewing process, the natural spice aromas of coriander and bitter orange peels are added. The brewing method, which includes infusion, is very slow. Always served chilled, between 3°C and 6°C.

At 4.5% ABV, the flavor is tart and spicy with coriander and orange peel, with a hint of some lemon peel. Pine and clove are also present.

Go ahead, relax, kick back and enjoy this wit beer on a sunny day. It’s light enough to drink a few...so don’t worry if there’s no toilet nearby.

As they say, when in Brussels...

"A celestial collision of orange-hued ale, citrusy lemon verbena, and unidentified flying Brettanomyces".

Biere de Mars’ celestial orange hue inspired the planetary play on words. Brettanomyces is a wild yeast strain that spoils many beers but here lends a mild grassy, barnyard flavor and creates a refreshingly sour smack across the palate.

Pours murky rust orange with a thin, foamy head. Aroma is an intriguing blend of spices and floral hops with slight cookie-like malts. There seems to be a light bready note with a slight nutty undertone.

The flavor starts off with the fruit and spiced saison esthers, that lean towards lemon peel, toffee, nutmeg, and perhaps allspice. A beer with a lot of character, it was surprisingly easy to drink. Not spectacular, but a really good beer.

This naughty elf pours a clear amber in color with a decent off-white head.

The nose is full of bready malts, a bit of molasses and a light sweetness. Since this is an IPA the hops are there, but well balanced with the malt and a touch of spices in the background.

It shows depth and texture within the malt presence. The slightly sweet apple and orange notes blend nicely within the bready malts and hop bitterness. The hop character isn't brutish and the light sugars linger whilst a touch of cinnamon shows its hand.

It's slightly different and lighter than most winter warmers, but a good beer to pick up during the holidays, nonetheless.

This is an especially great beer to break out in the Spring and Summer time… lemon and spice - dry finish (a mildly spicy hefeweizen) – Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and a special blend of spices, this beer is light and appears to be a cloudy muted apricot color. The flavor is laden with banana pith, coriander and clove. The coriander is joined by a light lemony tartness and some citrus zest.

There's more complexity than in the aroma. The softness of the spice blends beautifully with the citrus resulting in a superb balance between sweet and spicy. It’s light on the tongue with a somewhat malty finish.

All of the bottled beers at Allagash are bottle conditioned. Bottle conditioning is also referred to as the methode champenoise. It calls for two fermentations, the first in the fermenting tanks and the second in the bottle itself. This means that just prior to bottling, a fresh dose of yeast is added, along with a measured amount of Candi Sugar. After bottling, the beers are moved into a temperature controlled cellar, where the yeast will actually begin a new fermentation in the bottle. This new fermentation naturally carbonates the beer, and greatly enhances the traditional Belgian character. The aroma, feel and balance of Allagash White are what other wit breweries should be aiming for and perhaps what other wits wish to be. Overall, it is a beer that is very drinkable and smooth any time of the year. Exceptional.