Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale

Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale:  I did not think I would enjoy this at all simply based on the description on the bottle: “rich caramel flavor and smooth toffee finish”. Every other time I buy a beer with “caramel” or “toffee” in the description, it usually translates into bitter and burnt for me. However…this was lovely ale that had a slight wheat flavor, tinged with a subtle hint of “Belgian Sugar”, and finished with the warm toasty flavor I love. 

Kona Brewing Co. Longboard Island Lager

Kona Brewing Co. Longboard Island Lager:  Yum! I really liked this one…it’s so smooth and balanced, and finishes with just a touch of yummy toastiness. I’ll add this to my usual suspects!

Kona Brewing Co. Fire Rock Pale Ale

Kona Brewing Co. Fire Rock Pale Ale:  This Pale Ale has a slightly astringent, citrusy quality to it that reminded me of some of Widmer Brothers offerings. I did not mind sipping on the one I bought, but it’s  not my favorite flavor profile, so I doubt I’ll be purchasing more.

Kona Brewing Co. Aloha Series Wailua

Kona Brewing Co. Aloha Series Wailua:  This wheat ale is brewed with passion fruit, which lends a tart pungency to the light toastiness of this beer. It is easy to drink, refreshing, and just different enough to feel like a treat from your regular brew. 

Deschutes Brewery Inversion IPA

Deschutes Brewery Inversion IPA:  I am not generally a fan of the bitterness that inherently comes with IPA’s, but this one was okay to me because of the citrus undertones. It reminded a bit of Widmer’s Drifter Pale Ale, and Citra Blonde, which I liked. I could finish the one I was drinking, but probably won’t be buying any more.

Landshark Island Style Lager

Landshark Island Style Lager:  Think Corona with distinctly less skunky flavor. It’s nice; it does the job for assistance in unwinding after a long day. But if you PREFER the stronger flavor of Corona, than you may not appreciate this one! 

Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen

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Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen:  Besides the darker color of this beer, I honestly couldn’t tell much difference between this one and the lager of the same brand. I am not sure if the skunkiness is a by-product of light turning the flavor of the beer, or if this was the intended flavor. At any rate, lovers of skunky beer won’t have complaint, and I didn’t either! 

Spaten Premium Lager

Spaten Premium Lager:  This German brew (recommended by fellow beer connoisseur Matt Sandys) reminded me a great deal of Heineken, which I like. Being that it is not a nationally known brand like Heineken though, it is much cheaper and so in my book, I’m not paying for advertisement, I’m just paying for the beer. That’s good enough for me!

21st Amendment Brewery Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer

21^st Amendment Brewery Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer:  That’s a mouthful! But a delicious one…I approached this beer with great trepidation, since watermelon and beer do not exactly scream “soul mates” to me. But it was interesting and different enough, but not too weird and I enjoyed drinking it. I would even go so far as to buy another 6 pack. 

Guinness Black Lager

Guinness Black Lager:  It had a nice lager flavor, but was just too robust for me to sip on all night. I did enjoy it, but it was too heavy for me. I’d bake with it though! It’d make a nice pizza crust, or banana bread! 

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat:  Very subtle “pumpkin pie” flavor to this…not in a sickeningly sweet way either. Just taking sips of this lovely wheat beer, and as a very slight aftertaste, you get the hint of pumpkin pie. You feel compelled to keep sipping because it is so ghostly, you almost aren’t sure you really tasted it. I liked this very much, and will probably pick up another 6-pack if I see it again! 

Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier

Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier: Again, my delicate palate just isn’t suited to drink these dark beers. My taste buds translated the flavor as burnt coffee. Sad face.

Samuel Adams Irish Red

Samuel Adams Irish Red:  I think from now on, when I see “caramel notes” listed on a bottle, I am going to steer clear. All I taste is a burnt undertone that makes me not want to even finish this! Maybe if I pair these more bitter brews with some food (rather than drinking them without food) that compliment their flavors, I can get some pleasure from them. It is something to ponder if I ever decide to taste another one of these.

Samuel Adams Black Lager

Samuel Adams Black Lager:  I am shocked that I enjoyed this dark beer as much as I did, but I’ll credit it to the fact that it is a lager, my all time favorite type of brew. The bitter factor was so slight, and the toasty factor was just where I like it. I almost couldn’t tell that I was drinking a dark beer except for the slight heaviness, and of course the rich dark color!