Kasteel Tripel by Brouwerij van Honsebrouck, N.V.

A- / 4.2
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 3.5

Style: Belgian Tripel
ABV: 11% ABV
Purchased: $8.19 for a 750mL bottle at the good Kroger in Roanoke, VA

Bottling on 090303 - I assume that's Belgian for March 3, 2009.

The first pour out of a traditional 750 mL green Belgian bottle is bright and clear golden with the faintest touch of haze evident. Tight bubbled swath of foam blankets the top with fairly good retention, eventually fading to a wisp. Effervescent.

Pleasant earthy noble hop nose, a bit spicy/herbal and perfumy. Fresh farm smells, deep and complex, balanced by breadiness and some light candy-like, almost banana sweetness - more with warmth. In the second pour, as more yeast becomes involved, aroma leans towards spicy lemon/orange esters, and phenols.

Again complex and deep with the flavor. Lemon-lime esters, earthy hops, crisp and spicy alcohol notes, just short of hot, probably a healthy dose of wheat. High carbonation, but just about right. Balanced spice from the yeast. Moderate bitterness. Finishes peppery, with a dry sweetness and some alcohol.

Easy to drink, though the alcohol is high enough that you feel it after one glass. Could be a bit too hot; I get a warming in the chest but also in the head. Ultimately, it's a very good shot at a higher than normal alcohol Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

Beer Here (Nogne O) Morke Pumpernickel Porter

Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 7.5%
Purchased: About $8? for a 500 mL bottle at Publick House Provisions in Brookline, MA

A+ / 4.55
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Pretty damn dark and opaque with a dark tan head, fine bubbles which clump on the glass.

Tremendous depth to the aroma, with creamy caramel and toffee melding into fresh rye bread, pastry, and some black pepper at the end. Christmas pudding and and pumpernickel round it out. Spices enhance, but its hard to pick them out. Port-like undertones.

Very creamy, dextrinous, slick mouthfeel makes the caramel, chocolate, and dark bread flavors pop. Spicing is faint but brightens it up further. A touch of roastiness balances moreso than any hops. Dark raisin/plum flavors poke out with warmth. Carbonation is slight, letting the flavors linger on the palate longer. Could use a bit more bite, but makes for a highly drinkable beer. Alcohol warms subtly. Definitely check it out.

Wachusett Green Monsta Ale

B+ / 3.8
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Style: American Strong Ale
ABV: 7.30%
Purchased: Birthday present from parents, in Massachusetts. Price unknown.

Thanks to the parents for a birthday 6-pack. Pours a stately orange-amber with a nice healthy swath of creamy head. Pretty hazy.

Slightly husky, biscuit, and caramel aroma mixed with some gentle noble hops for a balanced aroma.

While balanced in flavor as well, the malt is very interesting and almost more pronounced than the hops: sweet with light caramel, butter, and lmilk chocolate notes. The noble hops provide life and crispness to the beer, making for a very poundable beer.

Nice little brew...the head never went anywhere and the haze seemed to lift with warmth. Never guessed it was a strong ale, even with the "Big Pale Ale" note, until I saw the style and ABV on BA. Send more, Dad!

Great Divide Hades

C+ / 3.05
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 7.80%
Purchased: ~$10 for a six pack at the Good Kroger in Roanoke, VA

Very light and clear golden straw color, with a wispy, kind of sad head atop. Completely filtered, which always bums me out when dealing with a bottle of Belgian-style ale. Bottled on April 3, a little under 2 months ago. Bottle says 7.8%, not 7.3 as listed above.

Almost entirely yeast on the nose, with a bit of butter and honey. The aroma has kind of an off spice note kind of sour smelling. Not very pungent or pleasing.

The flavor first hits with light sweetness, honey maybe, then kicks in with yeast spice and clove, then finishes with that slightly off, somewhat astringent spice note again. Mouthfeel is plenty dry and peppery and it makes for one of the more refreshing 7.8% you may have. The goods just don't really do it for me.

Stone Cali-Belgie IPA

A / 4.45
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

Style: Belgian-style IPA
ABV: 6.90%
Purchased: $8.49 for a 22 ounce bottle at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

I purchased this bottle skeptical about how well Cali would meld with Belgique, but with a deeply-rooted trust in Stone. The best Belgian ales are powerful and complex yet delicate, a quality American brewers often disregard. Stone, however, can seemingly do it all.

A smell unlike anything I've ever encountered, save a greenhouse, greets me kindheartedly, as if presenting me with a wreath of flowers for my triumph in bringing it home to be released to my senses. It's massively floral, hops blending perfectly with the earthy, fruity, and bubble gum/lemon pound cake sweet yeast aroma. Very suitable for the seasonal warmth and dampness.

The head is modest at first, a finger's worth in a fairly wide snifter. It settles thin and wispy but forms a very fine patch of lacing on the glass. The second (more vigorous) pour produces two fingers, The body is a crystal clear, brilliant golden poppy color, and I was surprised to see it was a filtered beer.

The beer is wet on the palate like morning dew. Earthy, fresh, berry fruit with a touch of lime (think mojitos), blending so well with gentle malt sweetness and again some bubble gum, that it seems the ingredients have aged together for centuries. Alas, being filtered I'm not sure how long you could age it. This is unfortunate as my only real gripe with the flavor is that it's maybe a bit too bitter for that Belgian yeast delicacy. It grows on you though.

Hops and spice coat my mouth, pleasant for me but not for all. Definitely an IPA sharpness to it. Trademark Stone.

Not really a session ale, but not supposed to be. I could see drinking a couple because it's so good, but for most, one will satisfy, if not sit heavy.

Rodenbach Grand Cru

Style: Flanders Red Ale
ABV: 6.00%
Purchased: 11.2 oz. bottle acquired by a friend for an unknown amount.

A+ / 4.6
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | drink: 5

Thanks a million to Aaron for this freeby. Dark brown with streaks of auburn, a snap crackle pop head that settles along the edges of the glass. The aroma is light but complex. Oak and fruit with dark chocolate malts and a bit of dubbel-like raisin and yeast character.

Holy crap, there is no shortage of flavor here. Admittedly I'm still new to sours, but this is the best I've had so far. The fresh, clean, sweet wine taste finishes with a mouth-puckering tartness. Glorious.

Perfect carbonation matches the tartness, producing an acidic, crisp all-encompassing mouthfeel devoid of any slick or syrupy sensations.

Incredibly drinkable, I find it hard to savor for very long. At 6% you could drink them as long as you could afford them.

Stone/Jolly Pumpkin/Nøgne Ø Special Holiday Ale

A / 4.45
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

Style: Winter Warmer
ABV: 9.00%
Purchased: By a friend for ~$5.00 for a 12 ounce bottle at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA

An emerging trend amongst successful breweries is to form partnerships with other breweries in which the brewmasters brainstorm ideas for new recipes with each other, and brew their collaboration beers at each brewery, typically as a one off specialty. This is the first example I've tried of such a beer, this one produced by Stone Brewing Co. of Escondido, CA, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales of Dexter, MI, and Nøgne Ø, of Lillesand, Norway. Keep them coming!

Mahogany/ruby-brown with a lot of bubbles that cascade about from the pour, beneath a tight, tiny-bubble, tan head. In a special Sam Adams glass, I saw plenty of lacing and a resilient head. Visually very pleasing.

I can definitely pick up the sage first, followed by juniper berries, with a slight citrus throughout. The smell finishes with subtle, roasted chocolate malt. It's also got a light perfumy floral thing going on, maybe from the caraway seed although I'm not really sure what that smells like to be honest. Very complex nose, which carries over to the flavor in a big way.

In the mouth: piny, musky evergreen sap you could crawl in and get lost in, a gin-like juniper bite, with sage on the periphery that seizes the finish. A very thick and mysterious mouthfeel that does well to balance the bitterness of the spices. Not much out of the malts in terms of flavor other than a solid backbone, enough sweetness to mellow it out and enough roastiness to not be too sweet. The rye and oats really contribute positively to the mouthfeel, creating a slick, spicy wonder that allows you to pull the most out of the spices. The alcohol is well-hidden until you stand up after half a bottle and fall over.

This is indeed a crazy beer...big thanks to Aaron for surprising me with it. It's an acquired tasted, but focused, and personally I enjoy it. As a homebrewer who's been dabbling in herbs and spices this winter, it's inspiring to sample such a masterpiece of extremity and balance. Here's to more collaboration beers from great brewing minds!

Allagash Four

A- / 4.05
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

Style: Belgian-style Quadrupel
ABV: 10.00%
Purchased: ~$9.00 at the "good" Kroger in Roanoke, VA

Murky amber-medium brown, even with a fairly delicate pour. Light just dies in the middle of the Chimay goblet. Modest head winds up a wispy froth, mostly on the edges of the glass. Batch #16, says the bottle.

Quady notes of candi sugar, caramel, milk chocolate, butter-fried hot dogs and brown sugar baked beans are prodded forth by the various Belgian yeasts. Yum.

Clean feel with just the right amount of spicy hops and carbonation makes this not too heavy to enjoy. Herb, earth and mint also comes to mind with the hops, balancing a very dark sugar-forward flavor, with some tobacco notes. Booziness is perceived before tasted - it creeps in with warmth, as butterscotch and candied dates do on the nose. With the second pour, the sugar lets up a little and I notice more chocolate and earthy hop flavors, and it's a bit smoother on the palate.

This could almost be considered a dubbel; it's easier to handle and relatively drier than most quads I've had, certainly too dark for a tripel, but lacks the raisin and sourness most dubbels tend to have. Well-crafted, warming, gets you drunk. A joy!

Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale

B / 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 5

Style: Kolsch
ABV: 4.60%
Purchased: $2.29/bottle at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

First off, I was misled by the label into thinking this was a Pale Ale. Indeed it is pale and it is an ale, but it's actually a Kolsch-style ale. Fine with me, nothing wrong with a good Kolsch (it may even be next on the brewing agenda).

Poured into a stange, this beer exhibits a very light straw color with a touch of haze. The white foamy head has a respectable layer of retention with some clumping. Lemon and a bit of cake on the nose.

The mouthfeel strikes me as starchier than expected. Its rough, hop-forward flavor exhibits lemon tartness and pale German malt. The hops give character where the grains merely balance. Very spicy bitterness. This would be a very nice summer pounder but the lemon flavor is a little too one-dimensional.

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel

C+ / 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | drink: 3

Style: Dunkelweizen
ABV: 5.00%
Purchased: ~$2.49 at Cave Spring Kroger in Roanoke County, VA

Hazy, orange-amber, kind of like a cats eye stone, but kind of dull. Plenty of foamy head that never comes close to fading. The yeast is in the forefront of the aroma, with a subdued creamy banana smell under around hints of sweet German hops.

The taste unfortunately left a bit to be desired. It just seems unnecessarily thin and watery. There's not much malt character, a good hop bite, and some yeast flavors, but in the end you're left with a residual sweetness that isn't even palatable enough to serve as a thirst-quencher.

Freshness may be an issue but a bottling date is nowhere to be found. The bottle is a lighter than normal brown with some greenish tints. I'm not sure the journey west did this one much good.

Castle Eggenberg Doppelbock Dunkel

B / 3.7
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 8.50%
Purchased: ~$2.50 at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA

Into a flute glass pours a dark yet mostly translucent mahogany ale with a beige head that shows promise before hanging around the edges and finally fading. Carbonation is ample, and head reappears with a swirl.

Aroma is stale when cold, then produces fig with some caramel notes with warmth. Faint herbal, even minty hops.

As with aroma, warmth induces the best flavors from this beer. Highlights are the dark fruit esters of figs and dates, slight butteriness, and a sugary caramel that comes to the forefront towards the end of the bottle.

Mouthfeel is excellent, a bite from the carbonation but otherwise balanced; full-bodied but not heavy.

Alcohol not pronounced at all despite the 8.5%. Highly drinkable, but might start sitting heavy if sessioned. Worth a try if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 09-07-2008 03:31:09

Southern Tier Imperial Cherry Saison

A / 4.4
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 8.0%
Purchased: $7.99 per 22 oz. bottle at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

Pours a majestic hazy blush-gold with a modest white head that hides on the edges of the glass. Not much lacing, but oh well.

The initial aroma is grass and hay from the yeast, with a touch of cherry. Very clean, and gains strength with time. More of a sweet, honey-cherry-smokey oak flavor with warmth, which puts the first few whiffs to shame. Served outside on a warm day, it should be spectacular.

I should mention that I've had but one Hoppe and two Unearthlys at out of state beer bars and loved them both, so I was ecstatic about seeing four of their selections at the local beer store this week. First sip is verrry complex on the palate, but I'll take a stab at it: the first thing I get is mustard seed of all things. I've never tasted anything like it in a beer. Mint, oregano, tomato/ketchup, grass, oak trees, a babbling brook, and a partly cloudy sky may also be found here. And some vanilla and cherry. Theres a dry bitterness attributable to the magnum hops but not an overwhelming hop flavor. They show up more on the nose.

Mouthfeel full for a saison yet it sits easily on the palate and has a pleasant spicy kick on the finish. Speaking of kick, there's a pleasant warmth building in my chest and buzzing in my legs as I tackle the final 5 or so sips. With this beer, Southern Tier has done nothing to remove itself from the top 3-4 of my favorite breweries.

Unibroue Maudite

A- / 4.2
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 5

ABV: 8.00%
Style: Belgian strong dark ale
Purchased: $2.49 per 12 oz. bottle at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

Served in a Maudite snifter, this beer pours with 3 fingers of pillowy head that crest over the top of the glass. It holds together well leaving tons of fine lacing. The body is a dark auburn color, slightly hazy. There's a gentle fragrance that is clove-y and yeasty, with a farm-fresh quality that intensifies as it warms and is swirled. Almost minty.

There's a lot to like out of the first sip; abundant caramel and specialty malt flavor balanced well with the Belgian yeast, and a light, wet, yet highly carbonated almost soda-like mouthfeel that seems to provide exceptional drinkability. Finishes spicy but still not dry. This beer provides a jolt to all senses.

If I could change anything, it might be sacrificing some drinkability for more depth in the body. If I'm paying $2.50 a bottle I'm probably not going to be pounding these all night, so it could sit a little heavier. Still, that's a minor complaint. Very nice, and now I'm even more proud of my Maudite snifter.

Left Hand Oak Aged Widdershins

A+ / 4.55
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

ABV: 8.80%
Style: English Barleywine
Purchased: On tap at Union Brewhouse in Weymouth, MA for $5.25 per 10 oz. draft

Enjoyed on tap at Union Brewhouse in Weymouth, Ma. Being the only tap offering served in a 10 ounce (tulip) glass, and it being my birthday, I of course had to try this one out.

This beer was fairly light for a barleywine and until looking it up I couldn't tell if it was a barleywine or just a strong ale of some sort.

The aroma was amazing and completely unexpected. The first thing that came to mind was opium; a very dense, floral, perfume scent, with malts providing a candy backbone. Superb.

Taste was similar, floral and malty with a spiciness. I probably could have stuck with these all night, but they would have been peeling me off the bathroom floor. Very intriguing and unique brew, hope to find it again.

Weyerbacher Blasphemy

B / 3.65
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3

ABV: 11.8%
Style: Belgian-style quadrupel
Purchased: $8.99 for a 22 oz. bomber at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

This one is not to be fucked around with, to put it blasphemously. Pours a dark amber with a prune-ish tint, and a couple fingers of head that settle in a ring around the rim of my snifter. There's a sharp blast of booze in the nostrils comprised of bourbon, vanilla extract, banana and some raisin, though not as much as the Quad, it's close cousin.

Even more bourbon in the flavor, and while it's hard to cut through the booziness, some of the raisin and fruity esters present themselves on the sides of the tongue. Although only .6% higher in abv than the Quad, this is a whole different ballgame due to the sharpness of the alcohol. Make sure you're not going anywhere for a while; this is one of few beers I would recommend sharing your bomber with a friend. Acidic on the throat and heavy in the stomach, it's not something you'll probably need or want seconds of. That said, I'm always a fan of extremes, and this one certainly fits the bill.

Brooklyner Weisse Beer by Brooklyn Brewing Co.

B+ / 3.95
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

ABV: 5.10%
Style: Hefeweizen
Purchased: Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

This beer poured with out much of a head for me, and it's also surprising that it's a rather clear straw color without much yeast floating around. I bought it as part of a basket of five different beers that was marked down from a ridiculous 25 dollars to $4.99. Still, the label claimed fresh before July.

The smell is extremely clove-heavy as it should be; banana abounds as well. There's a spice that I can't place in the aroma that is really emphasized in the taste. It's slightly cinnamon, a bit meaty, like roasted ham, plus vanilla and butterscotch. There's definitely a lot going on.

The taste is much as i described, but the cinnamon spiciness, and some fruitiness is highlighted.

The mouthfeel is interesting, bready, foamy, sharp on the finish, and of course spicy if that makes sense. Again, complex.

Nothing major to detract from drinkability. True to style.

This might be the most impressive offering by Brooklyn Brewery I've had yet, aside from the appearance, which may have been due to a weak pour. Still, no lacing, no real sign of head retention. If i had another 20 minutes to smell it I could probably find 20 more aromas. Good summer ale.

Humboldt Red Nectar Ale

A / 4.3
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

ABV: 5.5%
Style: American Amber Ale
Purchased: $1.99/bottle at Sumdat Farmer's Market in Roanoke, VA

Pours a murky, sediment-filled auburn color with a finger of beige head that covers the glass fairly well. The unfiltered characteristic gives the impression you're drinking a homebrew, but I wish I could make 'em this good. Very jazzy label by the way.

Smell is lively, citrus hops blended with candied, buttery caramel malt. Chocolate presents itself with warmth.

Candy on the palate as well, with a chocolaty caramel flavor, and it goes very well with the citrusy hops. For me, the most distinguishing character is the chewy, tangy, and slightly bready mouthfeel. This beer definitely has it's share of specialty malts, which give it a soft, unique flavor, but it is balanced with the hops enough to be quite drinkable.

I hadn't seen this one for a couple years so I picked it up when I found it in town (at Sumdat Farmer's Market). Still impresses now as it did then. Excellent version of the style.

Stone Imperial Russian Stout

A- / 4.15
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

ABV: 10.8%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Purchased: $6.99 at Sumdat Farmer's Market in Roanoke, VA

Pours darker than a black steer's tukus on a moonless night. Attractive caramel cap of fine bubbles which thin out a bit but gravitate to the edge of the glass where they leave their mark copiously.

Aroma is roasted and toasted malts and some earthy hops.

Big and bold, imbibing this beer feels more like eating chocolate birthday cake with caramel icing, at least in body. The taste exhibits some of this, but leans more heavily on toast and nuts. Starchy and bready on the finish, the mouthfeel is silky up front.

Butter presents itself on the nose and palate as the beer warms, and with it a more prominent booziness. And this one will have ample time to warm, as it's a very slow sipper. No room for seconds; more like dessert for two.

Legend Brown Ale

A- / 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

ABV: 6.5%
Style: English Brown Ale
Purchased: $3.99 at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA

Three plus fingers of creamy head, dense bubbles slowly settling, leaving 1/4" of head over the mahogany-amber body. For all the froth, lacing is minimal.

Watermelon, yeast, bubble gum on the nose. Fruity, malty, refreshing and light, but complex.

Fruity, candied malts up front, while light citrus hops provide a dry finish, and round out the malts.

Mouthfeel is spot on for a brown. Wet at first and dry on the finish.

Easy drinker, sits well. Perfect with some hot dogs watching the afternoon ballgame.

Boulder Hazed and Infused

A- / 4.15
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 3.5

ABV: 4.85%
Style: American Pale Ale
Purchased: $2.19 per 12 ounce bottle at Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, Va

This beer pours about 3 fingers of thick-foamed off-white head, so much so that I can't fit a whole 12 ouce in my oversized Maudite snifter. Head sticks around the whole way down the snifter. Impressive looking.

There's a hefty amount of piney, citrusy hops on the nose, as well as a light apricot aroma, and it reminds me of HIPA and other Magic Hat hoppy beers, in the way it is dryhopped with sweet, pungent hops. The smell has an aggressive, sharp, and clean bouquet that just overtakes your olfactory nerves.

The taste is light citrus and almost lemon. The hops are juicy rather than overly bitter; they taste and smell very fresh. So thick with hops it resembles perfume and oil.

Mouthfeel is light but it's full of flavor. I can't believe this beer is under 5% ABV. I don't remember the last beer I had at that level but it tastes 2% stronger than it really is.

Very impressed by this and the Mojo I've tried from Boulder Beer Co. They know how to do their hoppy beers and they are all better than average. Hops are definitely in excess for a beer of this strength, but are still constructed in a refreshing and tasty manner. For Hop Heads Only.