AW's Beer Reviews

Bruegel Amber Ale - Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. | Ertvelde, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Amber/Red Ale

My personal notes: This brew poured up a rich copper-colored body with a thick foamy head with great retention and lacing effects. Served slightly cooler than room temperature, the aromas of apples, malts and yeast (biscuits or bread) were just amazing. This medium-bodied brew produced some incredible flavors of warm caramels, sweet malts, and candy apples followed up with a slightly ‘hoppy’ finish. This would pair up well with a spicy stuffed shrimp meal or perhaps some halibut or flounder!

Big Sky Summer Honey - Big Sky Brewing Company | Missoula, Montana USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Pale Ale

My personal notes: Under the cap – “If yer gonna be stoopid, ya gotta be tough!” This brew poured up a clear golden body with a one-finger head (from a somewhat vigorous pour). Retention was minimal reducing down to a bubbly film on top with minimal lacing effects. Smell- Lots of sweet honey and spices throughout. Served ‘fridge-cold’. Scents and flavors of honey (duh!) and various spices and very little detection of hops or malts throughout. This is definitely a great session brew worthy of appearing at your BBQ (pulled pork, smoked sausages, brisket, etc.)!

Choc Beer 1919 - Krebs Brewing Co / Choc Brewing Co. | Krebs, Oklahoma USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Lager – Wheat Beer

ABV: 5%

My personal notes: This is one great session brew! This brew poured up a cloudy, hazy, murky golden colored body with a small fizzy head that dissipated quickly and left minimal lacing. Very citrus-y, lots of hefty malts and yeast. I did not detect the usual banana scents that are usual in this brew style. This wheat brew was a nice change from most other hefeweizens (although I like to keep hefes and wheats in their own categories) as it had a nice, smooth, creamy texture and very easy to drink. A great brew to pair up with some grilled chicken or turkey; perhaps some dove stuffed with jalapeno and cream cheese!

Real Ale Lost Gold IPA - Real Ale Brewing Company | Blanco, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – IPA

ABV - 6.6%

My personal notes: Well I might have found an IPA that is going to help me along in liking IPAs! Yeah I’m a malt-head but I do try and get a liking for IPAs as much as I can! This brew poured up a warm copper-colored body sporting a bubbly head which dissipated quickly and left minimal lacing. Lemon-grass, fruits (lemons, oranges), hints of caramel and malts. Light bodied with a warm smooth finish that had me thinking of warm biscuits (definitely not anything like other IPAs that I have tried where the finish had me puckering like I licked the outer surface off of a thousand lemon heads!!). If I can find more IPAs like this I think I could get the hang of them! This would be awesome paired up with some spicy seafood dish such as grilled fish or grilled shrimp!

Abita Satsuma Harvest Wit - Abita Brewing Co. | Abita Springs, Louisiana USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale - Witbier

ABV - 5.1%

My personal notes: A very refreshing witbier (white beer)! This brew poured up a hazy amber-colored body with a nice foamy head with good retention and lacing. Lots of fruits (pears and apricots with a touch of lemon) and lemon-grass suit up for a nice bright bitter bite followed up with a smooth sweet finish. The body is very light and with an ease of drinkability that you need to keep track of how many you are having! Definitely a good brew to have on-hand during the summer months and would pair up nicely with chicken fajitas or fish tacos!!

Flying Dog Woody Creek Witbier
Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick, Maryland USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Witbier

ABV - 4.8%

My personal notes: Yowzers what a delicious witbier; definitely going into my Brew Hall of Fame!!! This brew poured up a cloudy straw-colored body sporting a huge frothy head with awesome retention and lacing! Hints of clove, lemon-grass, sweet malts, spices, mellow yeast and light citrus-y fruits (lemons, oranges). The body is very light and exceptionally refreshing; scents and flavors complement well with none overpowering the other. Definitely a go-t0 brew for those summer BBQs or right alongside some hearty chicken fajitas or succulent fish tacos!

Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Wells & Young’s Ltd | Bedford, United Kingdom (England)
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Milk/Sweet Stout

ABV - 5.2%

My personal notes: Oh blissful chocolaty goodness! Yet another entry into the BHoF!! This brew poured up a deep, dark mahogany-colored body with a rich, thick, tan-colored, creamy head with substantial retention and lacing. Robust coffee, dark sweet chocolates, and just a slight tinge of hops on the finish that makes this stout something to be treasured oh so slowly! The flavors are very well balanced from a fine dance of the sweets and bitters that form this medium-bodied, velvety smooth brew into something to be enjoyed after a hearty meal. Have this brew all by itself as having with with a meal is only going to deter from its robust goodness. But for the daring, pour this over some vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a dessert that will blow you away!!

Estrella Damm
Damm S. A. | Barcelona, Spain
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Lager – Pale Lager

ABV - 5.2%

My personal notes: Quite a refreshing lager coming out of Barcelona, Spain! This brew poured up a crystal clear straw-colored body sporting a nice fizzy head with some retention and minimal lacing. When compared to other pale lagers that I’ve had the opportunity of sampling, this brew has them beat hands-down in the looks department! But it is a pale lager so scents and flavors are all pretty much the same; mellow hops and malts but this brew does NOT have that ‘corn’ taste like so many other pale lagers possess; and to me this makes for a far better taste. It’s a light-bodied brew and really good for those summer BBQs or after a long hard day of working in the yard or garden.

Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale
Avery Brewing Company | Boulder, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Brown Ale

ABV - 5.5%

My personal notes: A very nice session brew in the brown ale line! This brew poured up a dark mahogany-colored body sporting an amazingly thick, cream head with good retention and lacing. Roasted malts and chocolate combine to make a medium-bodied, very smooth, creamy, malty, sweet brown ale with subtle hints of robust coffee with a finish that’s only lightly ‘hoppy’ and not bitter tones. Some slow-smoked beef ribs, beer bread, and a German-style (creamy) slaw would pair up very well with this fine brew!

Seeradler Classik
Brauerei Max Leibinger GmbH | Ravensburg, Germany
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV - 2.6%

My personal notes: Well of all the fruit beers that I’ve tasted thus far, this one is by far the best! This brew poured up a slightly hazy, pale yellow colored body sporting a vibrant frothy head with fair retention and minimal lacing. Lemons, roasted malts and a touch of hops. The body is VERY light and easily drinkable (not much alcohol in that drink). Enjoy during the heat of summer at the BBQ or by the pool.

One of the coolest pull-tops I’ve ever seen on a bottle!

Saint Arnold Spring Bock
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Lager – Heller Bock

ABV - 6.4%

My personal notes: This brew poured up a light reddish-brown with a one-finger thick head that dissipated rather quickly and left minute lacing. Roasted malts, floral hops, light chocolaty-spicy notes up front with a bright hoppy finish. Medium bodied that finishes clean with no bitter aftertaste. A great brew to enjoy in the spring as well as throughout the year. Would make for a great pairing with a squirrel gumbo or rabbit stew!

Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey
Left Hand Brewing Company | Longmont, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: English-style India Pale Ale (IPA)

ABV - 7%

My personal notes: Served ‘fridge’ cold, this brew poured up a hazy, light copper colored body with a one-finger thick foamy head with good retention and lacing. Very hoppy with some hints of caramel and spices both in scent and flavor. Medium bodied with a clean, slightly spicy finish with just the right amount of ‘bite’. This would pair well with some smoked or grilled oysters on the half-shell or some spicy grilled shrimp!

Labatt Blue
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. | London, Ontario CANADA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Adjunct Lager

ABV - 5%

My personal notes: This brew poured up the standard pale yellow colored body with a foamy, bubbly head that dissipated quickly and left negligible lacing. General aromas of corn and malts. Flavors of the same. Light body and well carbonated makes this an easy quaffer. Brews like this are good for pizza, meatball sandwiches, and hot wings.

Victory Storm King Imperial Stout
Victory Brewing Company | Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Russian-style Imperial Stout

ABV - 9.1%

My personal notes: These Imperial Stouts are just amazing! This brew poured up a rich dark black body with a one-finger mocha-colored head with great retention and lacing. Loads of hops, malts, chocolate tease your sense of smell while flavors of chocolate, toffee, and coffee tease your sense of taste. Medium-bodied while a nice hoppy bite at the finish with hints of espresso here and there. This is definitely a dessert all to itself!

Rahr & Sons Texas Red
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company | Fort Worth, Texas USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Amber/Red Lager

ABV - 4.7%

My personal notes: These boys from Rahr & Sons surely don’t disappoint! This brew poured up a dark walnut-amber colored body sporting a two-finger bubbly head with great retention and lacing. Warm aromas of malt and hops so richly balanced that it entices one to stop and savor the brew with the nose before taking in that first tantalizing sip! A very malty tasting beer (which I really like cause I’m a malt-head!) with hints of the hops hidden here and there. This brew is slightly heavier than a light brew but slightly lighter than a medium-bodied brew. This brew is very, very, very easy to drink; so for a session brew it ranks up there of my highest picks! An excellent pairing with some beef/chicken fajitas or some slow-smoked wild game!

Sierra Nevada Porter
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Porter

ABV - 5.6%

My personal notes: This brew poured up a near jet black body sporting a frothy one-finger head that dissipated quickly to a thin film leaving amazing lacing effects on the glass. Served just cooler than room temperature, scents and flavors of chocolate, coffee, toffee, roasted malts, and slight hints of hops and citrus. Medium-bodied with an ease of drinkability. Would pair well with grilled or smoked meats and several wild game dinners!

Sierra Nevada Stout
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Stout

ABV - 5.8%

My personal notes: Now this is an amazing American stout! Served just cooler than room temperature this brew poured up a near jet black body sporting an enormous frothy head (as a result of a vigorous pour) with good retention and excellent lacing effects. Aromas and flavors of chocolate, burnt brown sugar, molasses, roasted malts, dark fruits (plums, etc.) balanced with just the right amount of hops for a clean subtle bite. Medium-bodied, robust, rich and creamy with no harsh aftertaste. Excellent when paired with grilled or smoked meats and wild game.

Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale (2010)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV - 5.5%

IBU - 37

My personal notes: Definitely a quality brown ale to have in stock!! Served 'fridge-cold', this brew poured up a rich dark brown colored body with an off-white creamy, foamy head with great retention and lacing effects. Aromas and flavors of caramel, spices, nutmeg, roasted nuts, warm butter, toffee, and hearty roasted malts. Medium-bodied with a nice spicy bite and aftertaste. One of the best browns I have sampled thus far! Easy on the drinkability scale. Excellent when paired with grilled or smoked meat or wild game (duck, dove, rabbit, squirrel, venison).

Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock (2011)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Maibock / Helles Bock

ABV - 6.4%

My personal notes: Served 'fridge-cold', this brew poured up a rich, dark golden colored body sporting a frothy pearl-white colored head with marginal retention but good lacing effects. Aromas and flavors of peppery spices, bready yeasts, lemon-grass, and a slight hint of hops and malts on the end. It has a light to medium body and easily drinkable. An excellent brew when paired with fish/shellfish dinners or pastas with a light white creamy sauce to it.

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Hefeweizen

ABV - 4.8%

My personal notes: Another addition to the AW Beer Hall of Fame!!! Served 'fridge-cold', this brew poured up a hazy, cloudy golden amber colored body with a hearty pearl white colored foamy head with amazing retention and lacing effects. Aromas and flavors of wheat grains, lemon-grass, hops, apricots (maybe a tease of tangerine?) and something akin to wild honeycomb. Light to Medium in body, this brew is absolutely like velvet or silk on the tongue! Very creamy with a crisp, clean finish with just the right amount of 'bite' from the hops to make for an easy-to-drink hefe! Foods to pair with this brew would be grilled or smoked poultry, fish/shellfish, and wild game such as pheasant, quail, dove, etc.

Oskar Blues Ten FIDY
Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery | Lyons, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV - 9.4%

My personal notes: Another grand addition to the AW Beer Hall of Fame!! This brew poured up a thick, rich, ooey-gooey (like motor oil!), black colored body sporting a one-finger thick mocha-colored head with minimal retention but amazing lacing effects! Rich aromas and flavors of coffee, dark fruits (raisins, plums), bitter chocolate. The body is thick and very creamy; chewy, just the way I like it! Drinkability is very easy but take your time with it and enjoy! This is an excellent brew all by itself. But if I were to pair it up with a meal it would have to be grilled or smoked choice cuts of beef or perhaps a choice wild game dinner compose of wild boar.

Harpoon IPA
Harpoon Brewery | Boston, Massachusetts USA
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American IPA

ABV - 5.9%

My personal notes: Well I just might have found an IPA that I can enjoy! Served 'fridge-cold', this brew poured up a clear, copper-colored body with a sporty, frothy head with good retention and lacing effects. Aromas of hops and fruit (somewhat like grapefruit) and a light hint of malt on the backend. Flavors of melted caramel from the malts are well-blended with the hops and slight grapefruit taste. Medium-bodied and very easy to drink with a good bite in the aftertaste; but nothing overbearing. Pair this up with some wild game such as duck, pheasant, rabbit, salmon, shellfish, and venison for a great dinner & drink!

Tecate
Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, S.A. de C.V. | Monterrey (Nuevo León), Mexico
Consumed @ Casa de Baldwin - Texas USA

Style: Mexican Adjunct Lager

ABV - 4.55%

My personal notes: This brew poured up a pale yellow-colored body with a one-finger frothy head with minimal retention and lacing. General aromas of mild hops and malts. Flavors of the same. Light body and well carbonated makes this an easy quaffer. Brews like this are good for pizza, meatball sandwiches, and hot wings.

Tommyknocker Jack Whacker Wheat Ale
Tommyknocker Brewery | Idaho Springs, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV - 5.4%

My personal notes: Another addition to the AW BHoF! This brew poured up a hazy orange-yellow colored body with a white frothy head that dissipated rather quickly and left minimal lacing. Aromas of lemon, malts, lemon-grass. Flavors of the same but also a hint of peach or apricot hiding in the background. The body is no heavy at all and very easy to drink with a nice, crisp, clean finish and no bitter aftertaste. This is an awesome brew for the BBQ! Will pair well with pheasant or quail, fish (such as trout, crappie, catfish, sand trout, sea trout, flounder, etc.) and grilled spicy shrimp!

Victory Golden Monkey
Victory Brewing Company | Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Ale | Tripel

ABV - 9.5%

My personal notes: Another addition to the AW BHoF!!! This brew poured up a hazy golden-colored body with a one-finger white foamy head with moderate retention and exceptional lacing. Aromas and flavors of hops, spices, pears. Heavy body making for a thick brew and a spicy bite on the finish. A grilled rack of pork (very spicy) would be my first pairing with this delicious ale!