Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen

Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen: I can appreciate that some people enjoy this beer, but I personally didn’t care for the banana notes which came off in a sour, overly fermented flavor to me. There was also the tiniest hint if spiciness from the clove and nutmeg, but overall, I couldn't get past the banana and Bavarian yeast combination that was just too odd to be tasting in beer. Maybe I can use it in actual banana bread though, so not a total loss!

Samuel Adams Hazel Brown

Samuel Adams Hazel Brown: At first I thought it was a tad bit bland, but the more I sipped, the more the complexity of the roasted hazelnut combined with subtle hint of sweetness from the malts, along with the twinge of hops presented itself, and the more I enjoyed this beer. It would also make a lovely addition to beer breads, or other fruited bread recipes. 

Peroni Nastro Azzurro Birra Superiore

Peroni Nastro Azzurro Birra Superiore: The title alone convinces me that this Italian beer is among the best. However when I cracked the bottle cap off, the smell told me that this was another Corona/Heineken style beer. Which…don’t get me wrong, I love those skunky smelling brews, but alas, it is next to impossible for me to tell them apart. While it is refreshing and easy to drink, it’s not one that will impress many beer aficionados. 

Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale

Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale: The bottle indicates overtones of sweet berries, followed by a bite of bitter. I could only detect the berry flavor if I really concentrated and thankfully the bitterness wasn't a prominent force. Overall, it was a nice beer to drink, and it went down fairly quickly. At 4.5 ABV though, it didn't knock me down, which is good too. It was a pretty coppery red color too, though far from the “blood red” color the bottle described. 

Lagunitas Day Time Fractional IPA

Lagunitas Day Time Fractional IPA:  This is my kind of IPA. Even though the bottle boasts a 54.20 I.B.U., it was light enough and not too terribly bitter to make me dump it down the drain. It has a delicious citrus bite and lightness that made it both refreshing and filling. That doesn't happen every day!

Deschutes Brewery Chainbreaker IPA

Deschutes Brewery Chainbreaker IPA:  Another one I've been ignoring because it says “IPA” on the bottle. At closer inspection, it also says “Ale brewed with spices”. Hmmm…sounds like a Blue Moon type and maybe worth a shot. YES, oh yes, this is delicious. Now I’m sorry I didn't commit to the entire six-pack as this is one I can see myself sipping on again. It had a more refreshing, crisper quality than the other beers “brewed with spices” and with a tad bit more citrus bite. Try it if you haven’t yet! 

MacTarnahan’s Fall Noble Scot Scottish Ale

MacTarnahan’s Fall Noble Scot Scottish Ale: I can’t even tell you the train of thought I was following that made me wait so long to try this. I must have associated “Scottish” with Scotch (which I don’t like) and just assumed this would be terrible. If ever a review lived up to the “don’t judge a book by its cover – er, uh I mean “don’t judge a beer by its label” it is this one! This was a delicious fall brew with its toasty caramel notes and smoky bite at the end, perfect to curl up with on a cool autumn evening.

Leinenkugel’s Lemon Berry Shandy

Leinenkugel’s Lemon Berry Shandy:  Since I didn't care for the straight up Lemon Shandy from this brewer, I didn't have high hopes for this one either…case in point, I opted to purchase only a single bottle and sincerely wish I had bought the entire 6 pack (or 2) now. YUM! The addition of blackberry juice to this Weiss beer, along with the lemon, gave me a sweet and sour pucker. The fruity flavors complement each other, and for any “fruity fairy beer lover” as one friend called it…this beer is for you! This “Berry Lemonade” doesn't even resemble beer, goes down faster than you might want, so careful when you stand up to get another! 

Widmer Brothers Gluten Free Omission Pale Ale

Widmer Brothers Gluten Free Omission Pale Ale: Another fabulous beer from the cutting edge brewing minds of the Widmer Brothers! If you are going gluten free, or have already done it, you don’t have to give up good beer to do so. This pale ale has a faint citrus flavor, no doubt from the Cascade and Citra hops used in brewing, and a slightly toasty finish. In true craft beer style, this gives a balanced flavor, and a surprising 5.8% ABV. For me, it was a perfect pale ale, and I certainly didn’t feel deprived! Gluten? Who need it!?!

Henry Weinhard’s Woodland Pass IPA

Henry Weinhard’s Woodland Pass IPA:  Finally, an IPA I can drink without 1) suffering from a hop headache, and 2) without dumping down the drain! This new brew from Henry Weinhard has a very balanced flavor that most beer drinkers should find inoffensive. It had a lovely grassy and slightly bitter hop taste, with a delicate hint of caramel at the finish to make it a very rounded beer. It was refreshing and not too heavy to enjoy a few back to back. Cheers! 

Deschutes Brewery Obsidian Stout

Deschutes Brewery Obsidian Stout:  If my mug of black coffee that I drink every morning was turned into a soda, this would be it! I am learning to appreciate the strong, bold, and rich flavors of darker beers more and more lately. This has a delicious, slightly bitter mocha essence followed by a lightly burnt aftertaste. Definitely a brew that requires all night to sip on, but like fine dark chocolate, tiny sips allow greater appreciation of the full-bodied flavors.

Red Hook Winter Hook #28 Seasonal Series

Red Hook Winter Hook #28 Seasonal Series: Neither the bottle or the cardboard carrier give any real description as to what to expect with this beer, all it says is “Bold” and “Dark”.  It still wasn't what I anticipated, but I liked it nonetheless. I have never had any of the other 27 variations of this release, but what I had was very balanced with a grassy overtone and slight molasses undertone. The sweetness and ever so subtle bitterness was nice, but the lack of toasty/nutty finish kept it from making my shopping list again. I was however, able to finish the whole 6 pack (NOT in one sitting!) so that is saying something!

Fire Station 5 Golden Brigade Blonde Ale

Fire Station 5 Golden Brigade Blonde Ale: This was a light, and vaguely peachy/honey tasting brew that was also had a pretty low ABV with 4%. It was nice enough to sip on when a beer sounds good, but also not something I’ll likely remember when I’m back at the store to buy more beer. Not bad though, I wouldn’t turn my nose up to it if offered one. 

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery America’s Original Pumpkin Ale

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery America’s Original Pumpkin Ale: Whether it’s autumn or not, this is a decent brew. Is it the original Pumpkin Ale as they claim? I don’t know, and honestly don’t care because it I enjoyed it. It has a slightly pungent pumpkin essence with the slightest hint of spices in a warm base…amber ale, maybe? It had no bitterness, but also none of nuttiness that I love, but still, it was nice to sip on, and very much reminded me of weather get cooler and leaves falling. I am not a big fan of the bitter beers, so in regards to many reviewers who give this a low score, I rate it a little higher simply because I am not a lover of extreme hops (so many seem to prefer that taste). It was a bit on the bland side, but I prefer that over headache inducing harsh beers any day!

Laurelwood Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale

Laurelwood Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale: So this might be the first from this brewery that I truly enjoyed. It was a nice little something to sip on after a long day, and considering the 7.5% ABV, it helped melt away any stresses I may have been holding on to. I could taste the “roasted pumpkin” which gave it a slightly caramel, slightly coffee flavor, but I definitely could discern the spice that brings the whole thing back to a familiar pumpkin experience. Really, a wonderful brew to ring in the autumn season with!