Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter

Brewed in: Middlebury, Vermont
Style: American Porter
ABV: 4.4%

Tasting Notes:
Dark with a thick, foamy, long lasting head. Smoky aroma. Smoky taste with a light finish. Very much as advertized. No dominant flavors just a very smokey porter. There are moments when I feel like I'm enhaling from a fireplace but if that's what I'm looking for then its good to go. A great campfire or BBQ choice.

Ernst & Co. 2007 Pinotage

Region: South Africa

Type: Red Wine

Tasting Notes:

A spicy Smokey scent makes this wine appealingly. it has a dry crisp and sharp taste that finishes smooth. The fruits are present adding to the complexity. Very good wine.

Stone smoked porter

Brewed in: San Diego, California

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.9%

Tasting Notes:

Light roasted coffee aroma. Bitter front before the smoky flavors come along. Stays light and goes down And practically disappears. Smokiness lingers. Good not great.

Troubadour Blonde

Brewed in: Belgium

Style: Belgian Pale Ale

ABV: 6.5%

Tasting Notes:

The aroma is typical and expected; Sweet Belgian yeast and citrus common with all blondes whites and Belgian Wheats. The taste is an upgrade. There's a nice sharp taste on the second half taking away from some of the sweetness. The citrusy flavors linger throughout making for one of the more balanced Belgians I've had.

Brooklyn Weisse

Brewed in: Brooklyn, New York

Style: Hefeweizen

ABV: 5.1%

Tasting Notes:

A sweet, citrusy hefe without the overwhelming yeast flavors.

by: Lee

This beer tastes like lemons and bananas. More on the lemons. Good stuff.

by: Lydia

Avery White Rascal

Brewed in: Boulder, Colorado

Style: Witbier

ABV: 5.6%

Tasting Notes:

Similar look and scent of your everyday white but it's surprisingly better. There's a crispness and dryness that's unexpected but decent. The finish is equally as crisp. Mostly no different than those of its style but it makes for a couple pints as the sweet taste isn't overwhelming.

Magic Hat Vinyl Lager

Brewed in: Burlington, Vermont

Style: American Amber/Red Ale

ABV: 5.1%

Tasting Notes:

Citrusy spring flavors are present in a smooth, lightly dense beer. It's spring flavors blended into a wintry consistency make for a great balance and a nice choice for an early spring beer. It's less of an amber than a mix of two seasonals.

Clown Shoes Tramp Stamp

Brewed in: Ipswich, Massachusetts

Style: Belgian IPA

ABV: 7.0%

Tasting Notes:

On cask this beer has a bitter aroma right in the face. There's a good balance between the typical Belgian sweetness and the bitterness of an IPA. That balance makes it noteworthy but the intense bitterness at the finish is too much for me.

Avery Joe's Premium American Pilsner

Brewed in: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Pale Lager

ABV: 4.7%

Tasting Notes:

There's nothing premium about this beer. Low ABV, pale, light, maybe a bit of citrus prevents it from being a PBR. It's balanced with perhaps a slight bite to it but it's nothing I'd seek out or try again.

Butternuts Amber Lager

Brewed in: Garrattsville, New York

Style: American Amber

ABV: ?

Tasting Notes:

Nothing special here. Butternuts Brewery's known maltyness is present throughout but the beer is never too sweet as a result. It's a pretty simple and basic amber lager. Nothing is overpowering or even present.

Hofbrau Dunkel

Brewed in: Munchen, Germany

Style: Munich Dunkel Lager

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes:

An extremely underrated beer. The aroma is faint but the taste is of vanilla and nutty flavors. There are some sour notes in the middle off to the finish but it's all very balanced and refreshing. It pours a medium brown color which looks great in a pint glass and the moderate alcohol allows for multiple rounds.

North Coast Ruedrich's Red Seal Ale

Brewed in: Fort Bragg, California

Style: American Amber/Red Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes:

The beer looks great with its reddish, amber color but any type of aroma is absent. It's a crisp, dry and easy drinking amber. There's a slight citrusy note somewhere in there but it's hard to pinpoint. I'd have it again, but there are better options.

Brooklyn Winter

Brewed in: Brooklyn, New York

Style: Scottish Ale

ABV: 6.0%

Tasting Notes:

Very light winter ale. Balanced with smooth but oddly heavy finish. No distinct flavors. The scottish style is clear as its lighter and somewhat bitter. Nothing special. Not what I'm looking for in the winter as it lacks spices and a weight to "keep warm".

Southern Tier Old Man Winter

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: Old Ale

ABV: 7.2%

Tasting Notes:

It pours dark amber, never too thick. There's a faint spice aroma that would be expected in a winter beer. That spice is also present in the taste however the beer is light. It has a good consistency to it and is a good alternative to the heavier winter options.

Southern Tier Gemini

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Imperial IPA

ABV: 10.5%

Tasting Notes:

This beer is just too alcoholic, if not in ABV than in flavor. I see what they were going for with it but it's not for me. The light hoppy and alcoholic aroma sets you up for a pretty balanced beer but then the taste is all alcohol. Add that balance and it may succeed but for me, it's not one I'll ever seek out.

Southern Tier Iniquity

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Black Ale

ABV: 9.0%

Tasting Notes:

The aroma is very strong with alcohol and hops present. Its an extremely dark beer as advertised but it lacks variety. There are better options for black beers and black IPAs out there as this one is decent with out an overwhelming alcohol or flavor, but it's simplicity could be its downfall.

Southern Tier 422 Pale Wheat Ale

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV: 5.8%

Tasting Notes:

This beer is pretty uneventful, but I believe that's the intent. It's not sweet like a normal wheat beer but there's no bitterness like a pale ale. It's easy drinking and light, great for summer or early fall, however, likely never the best option.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: Imperial Milk Stout

ABV: 10.0%

Tasting Notes:

This is a dessert beer in the vein of a Clown Shoes Pecan Pie Porter. The aroma is similar with strong waves of cake, pie, vanilla and cream. The taste is similar. It's oddly refreshing, especially if served very cold. It's rich and sweet but the sweetness is never overpowering. You could enjoy a full pint of this without getting to sugared up, however, you may want to stop there.

Southern Tier Phin & Matt's

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.4

Tasting Notes:

This is a pale ale no matter what they want to call it. Light aromas of hops and alcohol match the tastes. The look is an even golden color with a small head. It has a light bite throughout with alcohol present at the finish. Its a pretty standard beer with nothing to write home about.

Southern Tier Porter

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.2%

Tasting Notes:

Evidently this is a pretty illusive and limited brewed beer. That may be why its popular because there's nothing too grand about it. It's a lighter porter with no real obvious flavors. That makes it easy drinking for a dark beer so no complaints if that's what I'm looking for.

Southern Tier Backburner

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Barleywine

ABV: 10.0%

Tasting Notes:

I'm not generally a fan of barleywine's but this one has aged well and has become quite balanced. It has a great look with a solid head. The alcohol is there in the aroma but not too overwhelming in the taste making it a pretty solid and balanced beer.

Southern Tier Choklat

Brewed in: Lakewood, New York

Style: American Imperial Stout

ABV: 11.0%

Tasting Notes:

Pours very dark. It has a great look for a stout. Chocolate aromas are pretty much all you get and that's matched by the taste. Its a very good dessert beer with strong rich chocolate flavors. There is a slight alcohol taste at the finish which actually adds a nice little reminder that its a strong beer.

Joseph's Brau Stockyard Oatmeal Stout

Brewed in: San Jose, California

Style: Oatmeal Stout

ABV: 5.0%

Tasting Notes:

For a trader Joe's brew... I'm very pleased. They are usually good but this is great. Pour light and smooth. Dark with little to no head. Roasted coffee aroma. Flavors are coffee, chocolate, and breast oatmeal. Mostly smooth with a sharpness throughout.

Lexington Brewing Co. Kentucky Bourbon Barrell Ale

Brewed in: Lexington, Kentucky

Style: American Strong Ale

ABV: 8.19%

Tasting Notes:

Pours a great red/amber color. Fruity aroma but if you let it breath a stronger bourbon scent builds. Creamy and fruity flavor. Balanced well but not perfectly. Might be a bit too much on the fruit side. Light Bourbon taste almost makes me wish for a stronger beer. Pretty easy drinking.

Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier

Brewed in: Bramburg, Germany

Style: Munich Helles Lager

ABV: 4.3%

Tasting Notes:

Pours a light, golden color with hardly any head. The aroma is barely there but you can find a faint floral hint. The beer is lighter and dry and goes down very smooth. There is a mild bitterness to be found somewhere but its never overwhelming. The flavors are simple and balanced. Maybe some bread or honey hints.

***

Pretty Things Jack D'Or

Brewed in: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 6.4%

Tasting Notes:
Aroma and taste match. Has the look of a wheat or white beer. A sharper front than expected with a light sweetness. Sweetness becomes stronger at the finish. Bitterness and alcohol are present but not overpowering. Good spring or summer option but couldn't drink too many.

***

Harpoon Double Wood

Brewed in: Boston, MA
Style: Oak-Aged Dunkel
ABV: 6.8%

Tasting Notes:
Big head and a very dark amber color makes the beer look great. Extremely well varied and balanced. Creamy up front, spicy in the middle with a light, sharp finish.

*****

Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale

Brewed in: Boonville, California
Style: American Amber/Red Ale
ABV: 5.8%

Tasting Notes:
A lighter amber makes it easy drinking. Better for summer or early fall. Hint of creaminess but balanced throughout. Perhaps a very slight bitterness at the end.

****

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Brewed in: Brookyln, New York
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.0%


Tasting Notes:
A heavier stout with definite chocolate flavors. Pours very dark with a nice head which was never too thick. Can't taste the alcohol too much, always a plus. It has a very slight bite to it, but nothing overpowering, just enough to add balance.


****