Loch Down- Scotch Ale

Loch Down 

Scotch Ale

Introduction: after a 3 month liver break I've decided today was the right day to post a beer. But why today? Well after today I needed a drink lol long story short, while cleaning the gutters on my roof, the ladder slipped from under me and I fell. Literally fell off the roof... So if that's not a good reason to have a beer I don't know what is...lol

Brewery- Arcadia Brewing Co. 

Country- USA

ABV- 8%

Look-it was in a bottle so I did not ascertain the look of this beer. 

Feel- A little carbonated, kind of like seltzer water carbonation.

Smell- First whiff, it smelled like, well beer.... Second whiff was a nose full of malt. Quite pleasant smelling actually

Taste- Malt like not too bitter not too sweet. Very nice balance. 

 Opinion- I'm very happy with this one. I bought it on a whim and couldn't wait to try it. It was worth the wait. It is not too strong, but not weak by any means. By ABV beer standards it is quite strong lol. It is very tasty for an 8% ABV beer. It may be the best Scottish Ale I've had outside of Scotland. It is a so.id 8.5/10. I highly recommend. 

On Location-World of Beer

World of Beer
New Jersey

Location- World of Beer

335 George St 

New Brunswick NJ 

Info: I decided that I'm going to review a few places, some large some small, to grab a beer every once in a while. Last night after a movie we stopped at World of Beer in New Brunswick. 

Look- It doesn't look like much on the outside, with just a generic feel and World of Beer sign. There's a few tables outside as well. Inside it's pretty cool, bar to the right and yup full of beer.. Cases upon cases of beer. Don't forget the tap, a very large selection on tap as well. There's bar seating, table seating, pub table seating and there's plenty of room. It's not like you're thrown together like cattle. I liked the leg and elbow room. 

Feel- It was not cozy in that I had room to breathe. There's plenty of space to move around. I didn't feel like I was falling over people walking in, or around. The wait staff was very pleasant aside from one guy not knowing where drinks went... He kept asking us if we had ordered something. At one point we joked about saying yes and hoping it went on another tab... It was a joke, we wouldn't have done it, or would we? Lol

Tastes- Upon sitting we got menus, they were not the only beers they had. We were given a tablet and voila!!!! BEER! Type in the country, abv, style etc etc and it narrowed down what it had. It was a bit overwhelming lol

Opinion: I liked the place. I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of beers they had. It was a little loud when the band played, as opposed to the music over the PA system. The band wasn't horrible, just for lack of a better word, too loud. We could not speak and we were two feet from each other. When the music was on, (not the band) it was much easier to have a conversation. It's probably just me, so I won't hold it against them. The patrons were probably mostly mid 20s to mid 30s (present company excluded of course) in no way did I feel out of place being there so that was cool too. The waitress was very polite and helpful. She asked numerous times if we were ok and was pretty good at getting everything in a timely fashion. The beer selection is huge and vast, I picked 2 beers, one they did not have which was disappointing as I was really looking forward tot that one, so I settled for a 2nd choice and it wasn't that good lol my second beer was much better. If I'm rating this on a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a solid 8. As even I was overwhelmed, I. An only imagine others. Maybe there could be a Best sellers list, or a staff recommends list for people who want to try something new but aren't sure what to get. As I said, cool place, I'd definitely recommend it and go again. Cheers!

Happy Birthday America part 2

James E. Pepper

1776 Ale

Brewery- Georgetown Trading Co

Country- Kentucky USA

ABV- 10.4%

Look- it looks a lot like cola... Very bubbly. Brownish with a foamy head

Smell- smells very syrup like, with a hint of whiskey.

Feel- It's pretty carbonated. 

Taste- it's quite strong. There's a definite taste of heavy syrup. It even burned the esophagus going down. It's definitely heavier on the whiskey than the  last one I reviewed and there is a taste that lingers on the tongue... Whiskey taste

Opinion- I like this one a lot. Not too strong not weak. It's sweet but tastes like a whiskey ale... It's quite good. I like that this one ended my 4th of July weekend. This is my new 4th of July beer. I'd give it a solid 8 out of 10... And highly recommend it to beer drinkers...

Happy Birthday America Part 1

July 4th Weekend

Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale

Yards Brewing Co.

Philadelphia PA

8% abv

Look golden Amber with a cream colored head

Smell-hoppy... Kind of earthy hops

Taste- extremely bitter.

Feel- quite carbonated with an almost immediate burp affect 

Opinion- I am not particularly fond of the Jefferson Ale. Though I do like bitters this one is just too bitter for my liking. For that reason and because it's July 4th weekend I'll give it a 4 out of 10.... Happy birthday America... 

Fathers Day Edition

Not Your Fathers Root Beer
Ale With The Taste of Spices

Country- USA

Brewery-Small Town Brewery- Illinois

ABV 5.9% - this makes it a very dangerous beer indeed...

Look- it's dark but not black, it looks like a root beer looks. Not much head but that was my fault I had put it in the freezer..oops..

Feel- carbonated like a soda, not too bad at all.

Smell- sweet, exactly like root beer. I was at poker and one of the guys brought it, I smelled the root beer from across the table.

Taste- it is very good, refreshing even. It tastes just like root beer with a slight hint of alcohol. Pretty damn impressive. I think this could be an awesome BBQ or firepit beer...

Opinion- I loved it. It is exactly what it says root beer beer... This is a beer that can get very dangerous very fast..lol I give it 9 out of 10 (because I like the different beer tastes and this one was not a beer taste at all... Root beer yes, beer no, that's the only reason it's not a 10.)

Rye of the Tiger - 6/9/15

Rye of the Tiger

Brewery- Great Lakes Brewing co

Country-USA

ABV- 7.9%

Look orangish like a sunset orange. Pretty decent sized head

Feel - not very carbonated. But it feels thick.

Smell- smells great! Light.not sure how to describe it. After smelling it again, it smells a bit fruity.

Taste- a little bit not overly bitter. Nothing stands out or is distinguishable. 

Opinion- it's not the worst beer I've had. It's not something I'd crave or go running back to, but if it didn't have my favorites, I'd drink it. I'm kind of indifferent to it. 6-10


(Side note- as the drinker drank on it is noted that it tasted better the more you drank and that is indeed a good thing no?) and no we did not listen to eye of the tiger by survivor when this beer was opened.

Lancaster Milk Stout (June 6,2015)

Lancaster Milk Stout

Country-USA (Lancaster PA)

Brewery-Lancaster

ABV- 5.3%

Look- Dark, almost black with no head.

Feel- Lightly (very) carbonated

Smell- Sugary, Syrupy, Malty.

Taste- Very stout like with a heavy smooth malty taste.

Opinion- Yudy said "...spoiled Guinness..." While I don't think it's quite that bad, it's really not all that great either. I've had similar tasting stouts but there's something missing here. I'd say that this is a below average beer, but not terrible. It's a weak 4 out of 10.

Side Note- This is my first milk stout so I have nothing to compare it to really. 

Elysian Immortal IPA- 5/22/15

Elysian Immorta IPA

Info: game 4 eastern conference finals...Rangers win! This pic is right before St.Louis' goal.              .

Country USA

Brewery Elysian Brewing Co

ABV 6.7%


Look: golden Amber with minimal head.

Feel: not overly carbonated with very little after burp.

Smell: distinct IPA scent with an abundance of hops.

Taste: strong, but not overpowering IPA. Even though it smells of hops, it's not overbearing in the taste.

Opinion: I really like it. It's a good solid IPA. I'd recommend this very tasty IPA to those that are not fans of overpowering IPA's. This gets a solid 8.5 out of 10.

:

Magic Hat- Dream Machine IPL

Dream Machine IPL

Info- I like the Magic Hat Brewery so when I saw this one I had to give it s shot. I mean why not right?

Brewery- Magic Hat Brewery

ABV-5.7%

Country-USA

Look- Golden Amber

Feel- Pours heady with some carbonation.

Smell-at first it smelled like a light IPA hence the IPL lol. I ever thought I'd be able to smell differences between ale and beer.

Taste- BITTER, quite bitter.


Opinion- I didn't mind it. It was pretty good. It's definitely my least favorite of the Magic Hat Brewery (of those I've tried anyway) I'll give this one a 6 out of 10.

Three Eyed Raven

Game of Thrones

Three Eyed Raven

Info: in honor of the last of the pirated Game of Thrones episodes and me having to avoid spoilers from inconsiderate people, we decided to review one of the Game of Thrones themed beers.

Brewery: Ommegang

Country: Westeros? (Or USA - Cooperstown NY)

ABV: 7.2%.

Look: Dark, almost black. I suppose that is what they were going for with Three Eyed Raven...

Feel: Very heady, and carbonated. (Not much after burp though)

Smell: this was tough. First whiff, maltish... 2nd whiff was a hint of fruit... 3rd whiff ale is a good description... Not too hoppy not too malty.......lol

Taste: Avery strong bitter.

Opinion: I really liked it. I'm a huge fan of the show and I assure you this has nothing to do with it. It was really good. Tasty, strong, and though the third whiff smelled of beer, it did not have a strong beer taste. It was quite good. I give it 8 out of 10. Good beer.

Canadian Beer #2- Dundee ale

Dundee Ale

Info: so tonight we went to a local place. I tried finding the Rickards Dark but no one seems to have it. I decided on the house brew, they had Dundee Red and Dundee Ale. I chose the latter. (Abv etc coming soon)

Brewery- Genese Brewing Co

Country- USA

ABV-5.3%

Look golden. See through...That's Yudys Sangria in the background. She really liked that too...

Feel- not overly carbonated.

Smell- Very strange that there's no stand out scents in this one. There's a citrus malty aroma but it's faint... 

Taste- it tastes like an ale. Since I ordered an ale, that's a good thing. Citrus is very slight and in the background only, it doesn't dominate the beer.

Opinion- it paired very well with my burger so that is definitely a plus in my book. It left no ill aftertaste, that's also a plus. It was an ale and It was better than yesterday's beer ...7/10 ...but again it could be skewed because I'm in Montreal lol 

Greetings From Montreal- Rickards Irelander

Rickards- Red

Ale de Style Irelander

Info- Greetings from Canada... I decided while I'm here to do a couple beers. I'll fill in the abv etc later but for now... Beer 1...

Brewery: Molson

Country of Origin- Canada

ABV - 5.2%

Look-See through reddish brown, with a white foam head that wasn't too heady.

Feel-Quite carbonated in every sip.

Smell- It smells like beer, and that's not a bad thing because well, it's beer...the aroma is malty/hoppy with a hint of spices..

Taste- It's very hoppy, smooth and pleasant. 

Opinion- Now this could be just because I'm in Montreal and whatever I had would have been good, but I liked it. It's not bad at all. Not terrific but it's good. I'll give it 6/10

4/9/15 Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

Kentucky Bourbon Barrell Ale

Info: I've had this beer before and it is fast becoming one of my favorite beers. If your like beer and you like bourbon keep reading... I'm reviewing this because ive been craving this beer for a few weeks.

Name: Kentucky Bourbon Barrell Ale

Brewery: Alltech Lexington Brewing Co

Country: USA

ABV: 8.2

Look: Amber slightly brownish. (The clarity is amazing as well)

Feel: It's light but not in taste. Very smooth with a little carbonation.

Smell: Bourbon! There's almost no beer scent at all. It's a wonderful bourbon aroma. 

Taste: Bourbon, smooth, and not overpowering. As I said I've had this before, this batch seems to taste much more like bourbon than other times I've had it.

Opinion: Fantastic... It's a sipping beer for sure, definitely not a beer to be chugged by any means. It's a distinct taste of bourbon, but it's still a beer. The taste is not overbearing, but not light that you can't taste anything. As of this moment it is in the top 5 beers I've ever had, and for that reason, I will give this a perfect score. 10 out of 10. As a sipping beer this is amazing! Highly recommended. Enjoy!

4/3/15 Bluepoint Brewery Pumpkin Ale

Bluepoint Brewery Pumpkin Ale

4/3/15

Info: I went to a beer tasting back in July 2014. Bluepoint Brewery was one of the vendors. I liked both their beers so I wanted to review one of their beers.

Country: Long Island NY USA

Brewery: Bluepoint Brewery www.bluepointbrewing.com

ABV: 6.0%

Source: Bottle 12 oz

Look: orangish/Amber, with a little head/foam to top it off.

Feel: It's a little carbonated, but not overly carbonated. (You can see the bubbles in the picture above.)

Smell: There's a distinct smell of pumpkin, and what I think may be cinnamon. 

Taste: It's quite good. Despite the strong smell of pumpkin, the taste of pumpkin is not overpowering. However the spices of the pumpkin is evident.

Opinion: like I said in the taste section, it's quite good. I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin to begin with because in food it can be very overwhelming. (And in beer it is hit or miss, , I missed big time with my home brew) However in this beer, it is not. It's tasty but not too spicy. It is a beer that you can have more than one and still enjoy it. It's a solid 7 out of 10. I'd recommend this to others. 

Fixed Gear American Red Ale

3/25/15

Fixed Gear 

American Red Ale

Intro- I felt like having a beer... I picked one of my randoms that I had bought bout a week ago.

Country- USA Milwaukee WI

Brewery- Lakefront Brewery

ABV- 6.8%

Source- from a bottle to a glass.

Look- Reddish brown ale.

Feel- It's pretty carbonated. When I popped it open there was a rush of foam spilling out.

Taste- Strong!!! It definitely reminds me of an IPA but it is not one. It's very strong tasting.

Smell- It has a distinct bitterness to it. 

Opinion- Asi said it is strong indeed. It is not for the faint of heart. I don't mind bitter beer, but this one is really bitter. I like it but I don't love it, it's good but not great. If you like strong taste in a beer, you'll like this one. I wouldn't turn it away or snub my nose at it. That said, it's probably a 5.5 out of 10 in my book. 

Wrought Iron IPA (3/22/15)

Wrought Iron IPA

INTRO- Well it has been a couple weeks since the last beer. Unfortunately I was ill and in no condition to drink, however im better now and decided to try something new.

BREWERY- Abita Brewing Co. LLC

COUNTRY- USA (Abita Springs LA)

ABV- 6.9%

LOOK- a kind of Orngish yellow. 

SMELL- smells like an IPA with a hint of sweetness to it. 

FEEL- it is quite carbonated and heady.

TASTE- hoppy, but smooth.

OPINION- I like it. I expected it to taste like well wrought iron. Honestly it is nothing like that. It's quite tasty. Hoppy for sure but very tasty. It's not too strong, but it does have a kick of sorts. I'd rate this a solid 7 out of 10. Very good beer for a whim... Cheers!

Leinenkugel's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter

March 7, 2014

Leinenkugel's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter

Intro- So, I felt like having a beer. That's it, nothing more. 

Brewery- Leinenkugel Brewery  

Country- USA

ABV- 6.9%

Source- From a bottle to a glass,m (but finished from the bottle lol)

Look- The beer lets some light through but not much, kind of a dark brown in color. 

Smell- Even at first whiff, I definitely smell malt. I definitely smell a sweet cocoa scent .

Feel- A little more than moderately carbonated. After about 4 oz. I was already burping.

Taste-Definitely tastes sweet and you can taste the vanilla and cocoa for sure. Not a bad tasting beer. 

Opinion-  It's not a bad beer by any stretch of the imagination. Despite the carbonation, it's pretty decent. I preferred to drink it from the bottle, not sure why I just did. I like darker beers, and this is a darker beer. I definitely like the hint of vanilla and cocoa. The bottle says there is a coffee flavor too but I did not taste it in this bottle. I will update when I have more. I am going to continue rating on a scale of 1-10 as I think it gives me a little more wiggle room for beers that the 1-5 scale did. How do I rate this one? I would give it a solid 7/10. It is a beer I would definitely recommend to others, but I have definitely had better and MUCH MUCH worse. Enjoy the Leinenkugel's...

2/26/15 Beers Around the World Part 3- (Beer # 5-10 of the night)

Beer #5 

Ayinger Albairisch Dunkel

Brewery- Brauerei Aying

Country- Germany

ABV- 5.0%

Source- In a glass.

Look- a clean light brown.

Feel- It is actually quite carbonated, but not at all in a bad way.

Smell-It's a very, weird smell, for lack of a better word. I smell fruit, nuts oats maybe.. Nothing jumps out at me like Hey this is the scent!!!

Taste- It was a good beer. It had a roasted nut taste to it and no taste of fruit at all, which makes the smell stranger.

Opinion- I am torn on this one, it is good but not great. It is definitely something I'd buy and drink again. I do not have anything negative to say about this one. I'd definitely recommend this one to others as a tasty clean crisp beer. I wanted to give it a 6.5 or 7 and my friend said the same thing so we decided that on this one I'd give it a 6 and he a 7 so that it received the score of 6.5. So this one gets a 6 or 7/10 lol

Beer #6

Malka Keha

Brewery-  Malka Brewery

Country- Israel

ABV- 6.0%

Source- In a glass.

Look- Dark but not completely black.

Feel- More than a moderate carbonation

Smell- It is a crisp smell, something about it I can not put my finger on.  (or nose on lol)

Taste- I distinctly taste syrup. This beer was sweet.

Opinion- I like it for what it was. A crisp beer. It was tasty, sweet but not too sweet. The carbonation was a little more than the others and I've been burping since the first sip. The afterburp however is not good at all. It is foul and the second taste is umm well I did not like it at all. This one was definitely not as good as the Ayinger BUT not deserving of a 5 so I gave this a 6/10.

PS- this is also my first beer I have ever had from Israel.

 Beer #7 

Rodenbach Classic Red

Brewery- Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.

Country- Belgium

ABV- 5.2%

Source In a glass

Look- See below. it is a cloudy brown. As we were drinking this it was often referred to as a "shit" brown. It was also called toilet water, and diarrhea... we hoped the taste did not reflect the look.

Feel- It is carbonated and it is disgusting...

Smell- There are so many smells, the one that stands out is lemon pledge (YES the cleaning supply) OH SO BAD!!!!

Taste- Oh so bad, I can not describe with enough adjectives as to how bad this beer is. It has got so many tastes to it, it is sweet, it is malty, it is fruity it is BAD just plain BAD!!!!

Opinion- HOWEVER, despite this not being at all good as a sipping beer, as a sipping drink, ice cold, it is not terrible. But by calling this a beer, it is not good, it is quite disgusting. I gave this a 3/10 because it is not (BY FAR) the worst beer I have ever had. Time for some water and pretzels to clear the palate after this one..

Side Note- I usually really like Belgium Beers. That's why this is so bad, I cant believe it is from Belgium ...

 Beer #8 

Moa Imperial Stout

Brewery- Moa Brewing Co.

Country- New Zealand

ABV- 10.2%

Source From a glass

Look- Very dark in color. Not quite black but darker than brown.

Feel- Not too much carbonation.

Smell- It has got a punch ya in the face, strong wake you up in the morning scent. (How's that for a description)

Taste- It has a very strong coffee like taste. I like coffee so I liked this taste.

Opinion- I liked the strong taste. It was really a smack ya in the face, hello how ya doin' taste. I would NOT recommend this to anyone who does not like strong beers. However if you like dark strong tasting beers, I think you'd like this. This was another one that went on the 6 or 7 scale so another friend that felt the same voted 7 and I voted 6 in order to give it the 6.5 score. so this should be rated as a 6 or 7/10.

PS- Again first beer I've tried from New Zealand. 

Beer #9

Thornbridge Kipling

Brewery- Thornbridge Brewery

Country- England

ABV- 5.2%

Source From a glass.

Look- it is a light yellow.

Feel- Slightly heady with some carbonation .

Smell-It has a distinct IPA smell to it. Very Hoppy.

Taste- It tastes strong and hoppy.

Opinion- I like IPA's but this has a weird fruity taste to it as well. That is what makes this fall a notch on my end. It is very drinkable and the taste is pretty decent. I scored this a 7/10.

Side Note- This in fact was not an IPA it was an EPA

Beer #10

Titan IPA

Brewery- Great Divide Brewing Co.

Country- USA

ABV- 7.1%

Source- From a glass

Look- a cloudy brown, but you can tell it is from the pour.

Feel- Moderately carbonated.

Smell- Again this is a distinct smell of IPA

Taste- This is a solid hoppy IPA. It is so good.

Opinion- This one is so smooth and so drinkable. As I said I really like IPA's. This one is fantastic. I highly recommend this beer. It was a great beer to end the night with. 9/10

 The overall lineup in the order we drank them ... 

  

The Final Tally, including rank, scores, where we drank the beer in the night etc.. 

Overall this was a really fun night of beer drinking. I definitely look forward to these as they almost always introduce me to different beers I would normally not try on my own. I am already looking forward to the next one. But I think the next big tasting review will come from the Battleship New Jersey and the Craft Beer Festival in June. 

2/26/15 Beers Around the World Part 2 (Beers 1-4 of the Night)

Beers # 1-4

Beer 1 

Tsingtao

Brewery- Tsingtao Brewing Co Ltd

Country- China

ABV- 4.8%

Source- In a glass.

Look- light yellow, almost clear. Looks like a light beer to me.

Feel- not much carbonation to this at all. Kind of reminds me of a seltzer water with more flavor.

Taste- to my surprise it was a little spicy. I'm not sure what the spice was but it had a little "kick" to it so to speak. 

Smell- The first whiff was kinda stinky, but it definitely grew on me and after a few sniffs it was not stinky at all, it was a fresh type scent.

Opinion- there was not much taste to speak of one way or the other. There is a hint of spice and no aftertaste at all. For the first beer of the night I gave this a 5/10.

Beer #2

Smithwicks

Brewery- Smithwicks Brewery

Country- Ireland

ABV- 4.5

Source- From a glass

Look- Dark, reddish brown.

Feel- very low carbonation, easily drinkable.

Smell- There was not much of a smell at all. Beer scented, which is good.

Taste- I was not a fan. I tasted a hint of ...dirt.. that was the best description.

Opinion- I really did not like this one at all. It tasted like complete dirt, had a bad aftertaste and was not a pleasant drink. It was rather difficult to finish and I was not overly impressed. I scored this one 3/10

Side Note- After the reveal I was shocked. I actually do like Smithwicks beer. I am hoping that this was just a bad batch and that they have not changed the recipe like they did the bottle. I have not had Smithwicks in over a year so it is possible I suppose.

PS- I am also not a fan of the new bottles...

Beer #3

Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Organic Ale

Brewery- Samuel Smith Old Brewery

Country- England

ABV- 5.0

Source- From a glass. 

Look- Yellow, light orangish. 

Taste- There was absolutely no distinguishable taste at all. It was neither here nor there. 

Feel- Light to moderate carbonation. 

Smell- It was foul. I can not even describe the smell because it was just that bad. 

Opinion- Because there was no distinguishable taste, I cant really say whether it was good or bad. I am going to give it a 4/10.

Side Note- This was the first Organic Beer.

Beer #4

Old Engine Oil Black Ale

Brewery- Harviestoun Brewery Co. Ltd

Country- Scotland

ABV- 6.0

Source- In a glass

Look- Very dark brown to black. Looks like Old Engine Oil. lol absolutely no light shines through.

Feel- It is moderately carbonated.

Taste- This tastes really good. There is a definite oakish chocolate taste to it.

Smell- Syrupy and Chocolatey. It smells YUMMY!!!!

Opinion- I really like this one. It has a very distinct taste, and a very familiar one too. Turns out I did have this one before. It was the winner of our last Beers Around the World night. It is a solid tasty beer. The after burp, first of the night, is very pleasant. There is no foul aftertaste and it was very smooth to drink. I am very happy with this beer. I can honestly say that this is the first one I would highly recommend to others. I gave this one an 8/10

Side Note- This was last Beers Around the World winner.  I'm going to look if I can find how we all voted last time vs. this time. That would be interesting.