AW's Beer Reviews

Fuller’s London Porter
Fuller Smith & Turner PLC | Chiswick, London, United Kingdom (England)
Purchased @ Whole Foods Market

Style: English Porter

It’s hard not to enjoy a good porter!! In fact I can’t recall when I had a bad one. Probably the most enjoyable aspect of this brew was its thick and creamy texture and flavors that had me enjoying it from start to finish! This brew is so rich that one could easily forget that they were drinking a beer! While enjoying this brew my mind was racing thinking of various beef dishes that it would pair up nicely with; although it could very well stand on its own as a great dessert beer too!

For my "beer-nerd" details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Stone Brewing Co. | Escondido, California USA
Purchased @ Kegs & Corks - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Black IPA

Say ‘hello’ to my little friend! This being my first Black IPA, I’m thinking that the bar has been set high by the folks at Stone Brewery! While at the beer store the other day I needed something to round out the selection that I was purchasing and saw this one out of the corner of my eye. Last bottle, so off with me it went! When I first opened it up I knew I was in for a treat because the aromas were just, well, intoxicating! Definitely one of the finest smelling brews I have yet to enjoy! Being a malt-head this brew is just the right choice; thick, rich, flavorful, awesome. This is one of those fine brews that should be paired up with a juicy porterhouse steak or a succulent rib-eye steak!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

Sapporo Reserve
Sapporo Breweries Ltd. | Tokyo-to Tokyo-shi, Japan
Purchased @ Kegs & Corks - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Pale Lager

What a surprise! This brew was much better than I had anticipated and has helped start the change in my mind as to the perceptions that I have towards certain beers from Asia! I truly enjoyed the maltiness of this brew! It looked so light but has a really good ‘chewy’ texture to it but it is nothing overbearing so don’t let that throw ya! This brew was very tasty too with flavors that were very well-blended. I will certainly be venturing more with Asian beers thanks to the likes of this one!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

Southern Star Bombshell Blonde Ale
Southern Star Brewing Co. | Conroe, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Blonde Ale

One of the few blonde ales that I have tried thus far and definitely one of the most flavorful! And the brewery is right here in Texas too! The rich texture and bold flavors have certainly put this brew high up on my list! I paired this brew up with some delicious venison round steak and what a match-up they were! With this long Texas heat-wave this summer, this brew was just the ticket for a momentary chance to cool down! What I enjoyed most was the ‘doughy’ flavor that this beer possessed; sort of reminded me of Hungry Jack biscuits! This brew is definitely one I will be pairing up with some slow-smoked brats on toasted hoagie buns and covered with sauerkraut!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

Avery Old Jubilation Ale
Avery Brewing Company | Boulder, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Strong Ale (Winter Warmer)

Holy smokes what an awesome tasting ale and the more it warms up the better it gets!! Hold your horses boys as this one is a ‘sipper’. The flavors are very complex and very fulfilling. The texture is very full and very rich. Although it is brewed for the winter season it can be enjoyed all year long; even in this Texas heat! If I had to choose a brew to have as a night-cap, this would be the one!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

Saint Arnold Christmas Ale (2011)
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Strong Ale / Winter Warmer

Gotta love Christmas in July!! First things first … this brew is way easy on the drink-ability scale! So pace yourself when you have some! Definitely a brew to stock up on during the summer to let age until winter rolls around (but have a few between now and then)! This is one classy brew in its style or category. When compared to other strong ales (e.g. winter warmers), this one is going to be on the lighter end of the scale but still provides one with a very rich and flavorful body and taste. There are a lot of Christmas-y flavors in this brew and it had a few Christmas carols roaming through my head even in the heat of summer! I’m thinking of pairing this up with some stuffed Cornish game hens in the winter!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

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Primo Island Lager (Bombucha)
Primo Brewing & Malting Co. (Pabst) | Honolulu, Hawaii USA


Style: Pale Lager

Another brew enjoyed while vacationing in Maui, Hawaii. When I saw this on the cooler shelf I knew I had to try it for two basic reasons; (1) it was the last one on the shelf, and (2) I have never tried it before and have never seen it in my area! This brew had a fantastic flavor that was making me take it nice and slow so that I could enjoy it for as long as I could! This brew is made with pure Hawaiian cane sugar and that makes for one fantastic tasting brew! This is truly wonderful as the company for this brew falls under the Pabst/Miller corporate structure and they have graciously kept from meddling around and mucking up the production of this tasty brew!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

Bass Imported Pale Ale
Bass Brewers Limited | Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire, United Kingdom (England)
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: English Pale Ale

This brew was quite the easy drinker and a good brew to have at the BBQ or fish fry. Not too heavy and not too light makes this a great brew to pair up with smoked meats or fried fish. One interesting aspect of this brew is that the red triangle logo was the very first trademark to be issued in England! One noticeable flavor in this brew was something akin to caramel saltwater taffy; just a good sweet flavor with just the right amount of hops on the finish.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Dixie Beer
Dixie Brewing Co. | New Orleans, Louisiana USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Pale Lager

Not the most exciting of beers but certainly not the worst. Based on some information from other beer tasters, this brew was something of a big surprise. Well the big surprise for me was that there was no big surprise. It is your average pale lager which carried with it a distinct adjunct lager quality and characteristic. So basically if you want something with alcohol in it and with very little taste or distinction then by all means choose this brew and enjoy the results of your decision-making process. As for me, there are other pale lagers that would be much more worthy of consumption.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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

Style: American IPA

Good gracious man alive! Hoppy but daggum tasty and refreshing! I reckon my taste buds are starting to get acclimated to all this hoppy goodness because I was thoroughly enjoying the brew. The flavors in this brew were both sweet and hoppy with a finish that will have you wondering just how long you can hold out before taking that next sip! This is one brew to definitely put on your ‘to-try’ list and enjoy!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Westmalle Trappist Tripel
Brouwerij Westmalle | Malle, Belgium

Style: Abbey Tripel

If you have never tried a true Abbey Tripel, might I suggest you try this one?! It is an excellent example of the true Trappist brewing technique (and only a few monasteries in the world can call their ales ‘abbey tripels’!!). Loads of apricots and lemongrass in this flavorful brew; nothing overbearing, just a rich, succulent taste and texture in this fine beer. While this brew pairs up well with many foods, I prefer to have these as either an aperitif or as a dessert brew all to itself.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

Urthel Hibernus Quentum Tripel
De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel) | Ruiselede, Belgium
Purchased @ Kegs & Barrels - Richardson, Texas USA

Style: Abbey-style Tripel

While not a ‘true’ Trappist Tripel (those made by one of the few remaining Trappist breweries of monastic origin), this is still one absolutely astounding example of this brew style that should be tried by all! The first thought that raced into my mind once I started savoring this brew was, “Damn freakin’ good, mate!!” Next time I’m having this brew, it is going to be with some of my Creamy Chicken over hot buttered noddles. Now THATS gonna be a dinner worth the wait!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here

Gonna be changing up how I post up my brew reviews; rather than hitting the boards each day I will be posting up a single thread each week with five (5) brew reviews to help with the weekend planning!

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Affligem Tripel
Brouwerij De Smedt / Brouwerij Affligem | Opwijk, Belgium
Purchased @ Kegs & Barrels | Richardson, Texas USA

Style: Abbey-style Tripel

Absolutely hands-down THE most flavorful and enjoyable Tripel that I have yet to savor! This brew was so delicious that I completely forgot to write down my tasting notes while I was enjoying it! Once I tasted this sweet nectar, everything else came to a stop!! Flavors of ripe apricots and peppery spices paired up wonderfully and all led to a tasty finish that was dry and tart. This one is more full-bodied than others that I have tasted and it doesn’t disappoint with it’s near-high alcohol content. Sit back and savor this one slowly because as it warms those flavors and scents just magnify and become more enrichly robust!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Rahr & Sons La Grange Farmhouse Ale
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company | Fort Worth, Texas USA
Not purchased; received as a gift.

Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale

Hold the bus!!! I have just tasted one of the most flavorful and refreshing renditions of a farmhouse ale made by an awesome brewery right here in Texas!! Why all the big hoopla?! Texas is not known for cranking out farmhouse ales (saisons) so I’m happy to see the folks at Rahr & Sons stepping out into this amazing brew-style! Now before you savor this fine brew, go get some high-quality brats (preferably from some choice venues in West, Texas) and smoke ‘em up all nice-like, cook up a big mess of sauerkraut, and get ya some fancy deli-style hoagie rolls and toast them up a bit. Fix up your brat hoagie and top it off with the sauerkraut and some spicy mustard (heck fix ya up a few of these!!) and then sit back with some ice-cold La Grange and prepare to take your taste buds into a state of bliss! Loaded with apricot, grains, allspice and notes of grapefruits this brew is going to quickly become one of your favorites as it has mine!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Saint Arnold Weedwacker
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Hefeweizen

Now this was one good ‘thin’ hefeweizen. I was expecting a bit more in the flavors (when comparing against other hefeweizens) but this one just didn’t hold up to those expectations. Now don’t get me wrong, it is a good brew, just not as robust as I wish it would have been. Still a good brew to kick around at the fish fry for sure. Quite light and very refreshing with a zingy citrusy aftertaste so it is a fine bet that this would pair up nicely with some grilled oysters on the half-shell or some spicy fish tacos!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Brooklyn Pennant Ale ’55
Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn, New York USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: English Pale Ale

Pretty good run-of-the-mill pale ale; I enjoyed this one as it began to slowly warm up. This is one of those brews to enjoy when ya just want to kick back a few over a good meal with some good friends. Quite flavorful and won’t fill you up too quickly. Easy to drink on the drinkability scale and would be excellent with some smoked salmon.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale
Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick, Maryland USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Ale (APA)

Another good choice for your BBQ or fish fry. This brew is a bit more robust than other American Pale Ales that I have tried. Very full of flavor and a bit thicker in texture (which is a plus for me). Loads of hops in the brew but the malts come through to really balance things out. If you’re attacking some hot wings then have a six’er or two of these on hand and you won’t be disappointed.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Deschutes Brewery | Bend, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Ale (APA)

Another great APA! This brew is very well-balanced and is one that I could drink all day long and enjoy every drop! This brew is so versatile that it will pair up well with a multitude of foods that you just can’t go wrong with it! Deschutes’ brewing process is solid and their beers are top-notch! I think I’ll have another … or five!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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La Trappe Isid’or
Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V. | Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Belgian Pale Ale (BPA)

Hark! What flavor doth impart upon thine palate?! It is this BPA and my tongue is ablaze with delight! Goes daggum good with these buffalo wings! This brew had my senses on overload! Abundant in scent and abundant in flavor, this brew was quite the excitement from start to finish! As the brew warmed up those flavors and scents became much more robust and I found that as it continued to warm that brew just got better and better! Definitely a quality brew to have a good stock of on-hand!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn, New York USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Amber/Red Lager

Quite a good lager this one is! Very smooth and very easy on the drinkability scale; sure, you can chug it down but save that for those lessor quality macro-brews! This is a very solid brew and surely won’t disappoint you in any way. Very robust and flavorful and will be a nice addition to your BBQ or fish fry! A bit more hoppy than most other amber/red lagers that I have tasted but it is surely nothing overbearing nor takes away from its good qualities!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Great Divide Rumble IPA
Great Divide Brewing Company | Denver, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American IPA

I have only had a couple of American IPAs and both were just really good down-to-earth brews! This brew is a great brew to start with if you have not tried any American IPAs. The flavors in this one are pronounced but very well-balanced: caramels, vanilla, hops. Pair this brew up with something really spicy and you have a winning combination! I’ll definitely be enjoying more of this brew in the days to come!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Molson Golden
Molson Breweries Of Canada. Ltd. | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Pale Lager (Adjunct Lager)

Wooo doggie that is one skunky brew when I first opened it up; but that is to be expected from some of them adjunct lagers. Not much to yak about on this brew as it is much akin to all the other mass produced beers of this style: lifeless and tasteless. It would not surprise me to find this along side other macro brews at the local bar on those $1 pint nights! That’s a pint of beer (I reckon that’s what they are passing for!) for one dollar … one dollar … only the cheap brews baring the least of qualities and damning the name of good beer are sold at these ‘specials’. None for me thank ya kindly!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Magic Hat #9
Magic Hat Brewing Company | Burlington, Vermont USA

Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer

Yuck… just for the record, I would drink a Coors Light before having another one of these nasty brews. This beer (wanna-be) was not good at all. No life. No flavor. Heck even the label on the bottle was irritatingly … well, irritating! Maybe it is just that I am not too keen on these fruity beers but this one had me thinking I was sucking out the juice from a rancid apricot and that is just something in a beer that I can easily do without. So maybe if one is into fruit beers this might be right up your alley; but for me I keep smacking myself in the head and asking why I keep trying these nasty concoctions and not sticking with what works for me?!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Magic Hat Circus Boy
Magic Hat Brewing Company | Burlington, Vermont USA

Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer

Circus boy … yeah I should have stopped and put it right back on the shelf. At least they got the name right as it would be something to expect to be served at the circus! This is just a bland pale wheat ale (Magic Hat says it was a Hefeweizen just to be clear) that has been infused with loads of lemon-grass. Lemon-grass is amazing and very flavorful; but not so with this brew. I did not even get through this bottle; poured it down the drain about half-way through it. Definitely made my “do-not-try-again-ever-under-any-circumstance” list! Surely there are much better brews out there from Vermont than those from Magic Hat??!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Magic Hat Hex
Magic Hat Brewing Company | Burlington, Vermont USA

Style: American Amber/Red Ale

I am beginning to get embarrassed writing up these beer reviews for my tastings of Magic Hat brews. This is the ‘Hex’ and I reckon that is what they will have to put me under in order to get me to enjoy any of their brews! Seriously, I have tried several from their line up and none have impressed me in any way except to be a brewery line to tell folks not to try. I will say that of those brews from Magic Hat that I have tried, this one the most preferred. The sweetness and bitterness in the beer were balanced but very lack-luster and again another bland beer. Give it a try as it may be one that you might like; but if you don’t like it, well, it is not like I didn’t warn ya!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Saint Arnold Brown Ale
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA

Style: Brown Ale

Now this is a good brown ale to sink your taste buds into! Very robust in flavor and not heavy on the belly! Easy to drink would pair up well with some hearty smoked meats at the BBQ. This one had a nice smooth texture to it but it was also a little bit ‘chewy’ (which is a plus for me). This would be a great starter brew for those that haven’t tried any in the brown ale style of brews!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Delirium Nocturnum
Brouwerij Huyghe | Melle, Belgium

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

If you like your brews a bit on the strong side then this is a brew you should come to enjoy. With robust aromas and flavors this brew will surely appeal when paired up with a hearty beef/steak meal! Wonderfully creamy texture and a hearty malty flavor, not to mention a generous amount of alcohol in there, makes this an excellent brew to sit back and savor slowly. One mention on the alcohol though, it is very well-hidden amongst all of the flavors in this brew and as savory as it is go easy and enjoy responsibly on this one!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery | Milton, Delaware USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Brown Ale

Great leaping six-toed lizards!! This has absolutely got to be the MOST robust brown ale I have yet to savor! It’s stated that it is a cross between a scotch ale, an IPA and an American brown ale … I call it ‘delicious’!! The ease of drinkability on this brew is phenomenal and I found myself having to keep from going bottoms-up and chugging it down! (But I’m oh-so-sorry to report that I could not resist the temptation any longer … but damn that was gooooooooood!) No other brown ale that I have tried thus far compares to this and I’m afraid that the bar has been set very high – at least in my humble ‘average joe’ opinion. Plenty will be on-hand for some slow grilled rib-eyes or perhaps some deep-fried turkey this coming Thanksgiving! Smooth, aromatic, creamy, robustly flavorful … now I am wishing I had more of this succulent brew!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Dogfish Head Raison D’etre
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery | Milton, Delaware USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

By the beard of Zeus! What a delicious offering from the folks at Dogfish Head! Am I drinking a beer or some fine wine blend?! Loads of raisins, grapes and plums are in this brew from start to finish. There’s a nice alcohol bite throughout that just makes this brew such a joy to drink. It’s very creamy and silky smooth. Easy to drink so go slow and savor the flavor! It paired very well with my pecan-smoked jalapeno/venison sausage flautas! The flavors became much more intense and delicious as the beer warmed up some!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery | Milton, Delaware USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

Whammo Blammo that’s one hoppy brew! “Who let the hops out? Who? Who? Who? Who? Who?!!” Hoppy is as hoppy does! One of the most hoppy brews I have tried thus far and the first of the “Minute” brews from Dogfish Head for me. Nothing overbearing but full of hops from start to finish and loads in between! But given that, it’s a darned good brew! There’s just enough sweet malts in the background to tame this brew into something I can definitely learn to appreciate!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Hofbrau Oktoberfest
Hofbrauhaus Traunstein Josef Sailer KG | Traunstein, Germany
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Marzen / Oktoberfest

Having this brew (and watching “Beerfest” for the ump-teenth time!) is helping me look forward to that special time of the year, OKTOBERFEST!! This celebration runs from the middle of September through the first weekend of October. One day I shall travel there to celebrate in person! Now to the beer! A wee bit skunky upon opening but it quickly ebbs away. This is a good and flavorful brew that can be enjoyed quite numerously throughout the day. At my BBQs or fish fry this is one of a few staple brews that you will always find on hand as it is a great compliment to some good meats and fried fish or seafood. Very refreshing and very light in the belly so it won’t weigh ya down! Neighbor, when was the last time you had some Hofbrau Oktoberfest? Well, that’s too long!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Orval Trappist Ale
Brasserie d’Orval S.A. | Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Belgian Pale Ale

Odd but ‘spicy bubblegum’ first came to mind when I first tried this brew. The flavors in this one are many rolled into one and each vying for their own moment in the spotlight. Intense but very well-balanced and very much enjoyed and savored. This is definitely a brew to sit back and enjoy ice cold and then savor the flavors as they change while the brew slowly warms. This is also a very aromatic brew that had me wishing they would make a dangly air freshener made with this scent! (yeah… odd, random thought there) This is a great brew to try if one has not gotten into Belgian Pale Ales.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Big Sky Montana Trout Slayer Ale
Big Sky Brewing Company | Missoula, Montana USA
Not purchased; received as a gift.

Style: Wheat Ale

Here’s one of my all-time go-to brews! A delicious, very delicious, pale wheat ale from Big Sky Brewing – the Trout Slayer. Now being an angler at heart, fishing for trout has been something I’ve enjoyed doing since a young lad fishing the banks of the lovely White River in Arkansas. So naturally when I saw this brew I had high hopes for it to be something stellar, and it sure didn’t let me down! I’d put this up against any other brew in the same style and I know it would come out on top! Very well balanced flavors of the bitterness of the hops and the sweetness of the malts. So if you are looking for an excellent all-around brew, give this one a try soon! An excellent pairing with some spicy stuffed duck breasts and wild rice.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Anchor Humming Ale
Anchor Brewing Company | San Francisco, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Ale (APA)

Delicious hops right from the get-go! I’d have to score this one right at the top of the list of the American Pale Ales (APAs) that I have tried thus far! Paired up excellently with my meat-lovers pizza! Although hoppy, this brew is fantastically refreshing without an bitter or harsh aftertastes (and that’s a lot coming from a malt-head like myself!). I dare say that this one may become my favorite from Anchor’s line of brews!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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North Coast PranQster
North Coast Brewing Co. | Fort Bragg, California USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Belgian Strong Ale

Great day in the mornin!! My first thought when tasting this beer, “Oh my! That is delicious!!” This brew is an excellent rendition of the delicious Belgian Strong Pale Ales. This brew has so many flavors going on at once that you are going to enjoy something different on each sip. The creamy-slick texture of this brew is one to be admired; so good it almost makes one want to chug that brew down! You can but you would definitely miss out a loads of flavors that this brew provides. There is quite a bit of alcohol in this one so keep an eye on how many you are enjoying; strong but hardly noticeable. I’m sure that once you start trying out these Belgian ales, PranQster will become a big favorite of yours too!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Abita Pecan Harvest Ale
Abita Brewing Co. | Abita Springs, Louisiana USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Amber Ale

Unfortunately I was not too impressed with this brew. My expectations were high because with most “nut” ales it is made by using some sort of elixir to get that nut taste in the brew. Abita uses real Louisiana pecans in the making of this brew so I was really expecting something good out of it. I hope on future runs of this ale that it is ‘beefed’ up a bit to make it more robust. It came across as a watered-down brew with light hints of pecan in with it. When I try it again, I’ll probably have me a big ol’ slice of homemade pecan pie with it!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Fuller’s ESB
Fuller Smith & Turner PLC | Chiswick, London, United Kingdom (England)
Not purchased; received as a gift.

Style: Premium Bitter/ESB

One amazingly delicious beer! Most folks get thrown off by the term “ESB”, or Extra Strong Bitter. This beer by no means is overly bitter; heck I have had other ales that would bruise your cheeks from making ya pucker up so much from all the bitterness! Not so with this brew! The taste and texture of this brew is like silky smooth chocolate or toffee with a hint of orange or lemon; and it only gets better as the brew warms up! Truly a brew made for you to kick back and sip a few and relax!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Hoegaarden Wit-Blanche
Brouwerij van Hoegaarden | Hoegaarden, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Belgian White (Witbier)

This was my first time trying this witbier from Hoegaarden (who-garden). It is very flavorful and not overly sweet like most witbiers are and that is a great plus for me! This is a great summer-time brew, especially here in Texas! Loaded up with great aromas of fresh-cut hay and a zesty lemon flavored bite from start to finish. Next fish fry I’m having I know that plenty of these will be on ice awaiting to accompany all those delicious fish meals!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Ayinger Ur-Weisse
Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying | Aying, Germany
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Dunkelweizen

My goodness this was one flavorful brew! This excellent brew is chock full of ripe apple flavors and I’m already wishing I had me a hot apple pie to pair this up with! But this brew seemed like an apple pie in disguise! Loads of apples, cloves and other spices fill this brew from start to finish and long afterward! When ya find some of this brew, get a few bottles and enjoy!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company | Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Wheat Ale

This was one tasty brew that had some rather odd thoughts running through my mind. Smelled like lime sherbet with Sprite poured over it and had sliced up lemons in as well. I wonder what it would taste like if this beer was substituted for the Sprite??!! This is a good “light” brew to enjoy during this hot Texas summer! Lots of flavors of lemon and muddled mint leaves!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Brooklyn Pilsner
Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn, New York USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Pilsner

Not a bad brew but nothing overly exciting about it. A bit thin and watery for my preferences but would not be a bad choice for the cookout or fish fry. Not very heavy so it won’t weigh you down if you decide to enjoy a few.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Moinette Blonde
Brasserie Dupont sprl | Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Belgian Strong Ale

This brew is insanely aromatic and intensely delicious! Brews of this style are great right when they are bottled and shipped but get a few and age them out a few years and you’ll be deliciously amazed! Like a fine wine, these get better with age! A brew of this nature is one that I would recommend sipping slowly and all by itself. Pairing it up with foods would only serve to detract from it’s intense flavors: sweet, sour, spicy, fruity. Words cannot adequately describe a brew of this quality. So I suggest you go get some and try for yourself! Prosit!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Smithwick’s
Guinness Ltd. | Dublin, Ireland
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Irish Ale

This is another one of my go-to brews! Ultra smooth and crisp. Good sour bite all the way through. Silky caramel feel and taste from start to finish. Such an easy drinking brew that it can be enjoyed repeatedly all day long! Just a note I’d like to toss in – the “w” in Smithwick’s is silent! I get a good chuckle when folks order it at the bar! I tell folks that don’t care for a regular Guinness to give this brew a try and most that do tend to add it among their favorites! Give it a shot and I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate it as well. I’m thinking lamb burgers next time I’m enjoying this brew!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Pyramid Juggernaut Red Ale
Pyramid Breweries, Inc. | Seattle, Washington USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Amber Ale

Quite a good brew for those looking for a red ale that is both flavorful and easy on the belly when drinking. This brew is loaded up with just the right amount of sweetness and bitterness that will have you enjoying every drop! Keep in mind this is more of a baseline brew in this beer style which means it is nothing over the top but definitely not a bad brew by any means. Paired up real well with some spicy chicken enchilada casserole.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Latrobe Rolling Rock Extra Pale
Latrobe Brewing Co. | St. Louis, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Pale Lager

Pleasant summer time lager and a good thirst quencher. I would easily choose this brew over the ‘big-boy’ mass-produced brews anytime! Lots of corn in the smell and taste of this beer. Not much going on otherwise but still a tasty brew and easy on the pocketbook. Drink it ice cold!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager
Dixie Brewing Co. | New Orleans, Louisiana USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Schwarzbier

A real good ‘drinkin’ beer; very easy drinker for a beer of this style. Sweet up front with a nice bitter bite on the finish. Not as dark as I was expecting but this one is way better than the brew they call “their best” (i.e. Dixie Beer)!! Definitely a good brew to have on-hand to enjoy with a good burger or some smoked brats.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale

Zangy & tangy!! This is definitely a lemon-lover’s brew!! Amazingly refreshing with an excellent ‘chewy’ texture. One of the best of this beer style that I have yet to savor! Smells like lemon meringue pie! Wicked carbonation in full effect. Tastes like ‘dessert-in-a-bottle’! Definitely one to put on your ‘to-try’ list if you haven’t had the pleasure of tasting this brew!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Man I'm thirsty now and it's only 9am hehe

Rogue Mocha Porter
Rogue Ales | Newport, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Porter

What a heavenly scent one receives when this brew is first opened up! One of THE best American porters I have yet to try! Loads of chocolate and coffee/espresso in this brew. Let it sit out of the ‘fridge for an hour or so and enjoy the more robust flavors and scents! (Brews of this style intensify as they warm to room temperature!) This brew is absolutely superb!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Green Flash Trippel
Green Flash Brewing Co. | San Diego, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Abbey Tripel

What an outstanding tripel-style ale! Thick and full of flavor. I would definitely match this brew up against the Belgian Tripels anytime! This is one of those brews that one pours and then slowly savors because as this brew slowly warms up it intensifies in flavor! This brew blends sweetness, tartness and alcohol in a way that is absolutely delicious. Green Flash continues to impress!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Hoegaarden Original Witbier
Brouwerij van Hoegaarden | Hoegaarden, Belgium
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Belgian White (Witbier)

Considered by many to be the bench-mark for a witbier, this brew certainly does not disappoint!! Truly a great brew made for these hot Texas summers! The contrast of sweet and sour flavors pleases well on many levels – smell, taste, and quenching one’s thirst! Would definitely love to go to Belgium and try this brew there at its freshest.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Buffalo Bill’s America’s Original Pumpkin Ale
Buffalo Bill’s Brewery | Hayward, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable

Taunted as originally brewed by George Washington himself, I was quite curious to try this brew. Sadly though, that is where the excitement stopped. This is a marginal brew to say the least and I hope that Washington’s version was much, much better! (or maybe this is why his teeth were wood!!) Thin and very watery much like that runny juice on an old slice of pumpkin pie that has sat around too long. I most likely will not be going back to this brew ever again. There are definitely many more pumpkin ales to enjoy from other breweries.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon Brewery | Boston, Massachusetts USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen

Quite a tasty Oktoberfest style brew! For the most part this brew comes off sweet but nothing overbearing with just a tad hint of hops to balance things up. Surprisingly, this brew strikes me more of a rich amber ale rather than a marzen/oktoberfest; but still a good brew to enjoy nonetheless!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Molson Canadian Lager
Molson Breweries Of Canada. Ltd. | Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Pale Lager

This was a much better tasting brew than I had anticipated! Corn is prevalent in the taste of this brew. Put this up next to Miller, Coors, etc. and I am choosing this one! The flavor is very robust and this is a really good thirst-quencher! Easy enough to put a 6-er away throughout the day. Very rich and a bit thicker than most other lagers of its style.

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Moosehead Lager
Moosehead Breweries Ltd. | Saint John, New Brunswick (Canada)
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Pale Lager

Very “skunky” upon opening (a common trait for brews in clear or green colored bottles) but thankfully this wore off very quickly. Good hit of hops right off the bat wakes those taste buds up and then finishes off with a sweet malty taste. Truly a good beer designed for its purpose – to quench ones thirst. Oddly though, I was getting flavors of lemon saltwater taffy as an aftertaste. Need to enjoy more of this brew to confirm!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Boulevard ZON
Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Belgian White (Witbier)

Not overly sweet (which is a personal plus for me!), very refreshing and quite the thirst quencher during this scorching Texas summer!! Lemony, sweet and very crisp. Very good representation of this brew style. Now all I need are some brats loaded up on top of some sauerkraut and spicy mustard and I’m in heaven!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Boulevard Single-wide IPA
Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)

This brew is insanely delicious! Intensely good hoppy hit right off the bat! Very aromatic and I was totally blown away with this IPA! Robust flavors of sweet caramel and burnt sugars linger long afterwards. Excellent with a homemade beef pot pie!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Real Ale Oktoberfest
Real Ale Brewing Company | Blanco, Texas USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen

This brew is a right nice rendition of a marzen/oktoberfest beer! Not much hops detected and not overly sweet. Tastes good and is very refreshing. It was hard to fight not chugging this one down cause it is so tasty and so smooth! Fall is in full swing so its time to start enjoying the fall season brews!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Lagunitas Imperial Stout (Unlimited Release)
Lagunitas Brewing Company | Petaluma, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Imperial Stout

Nursed this delicious brew as long as I possibly could (some 1.5 hours!!) after opening it! Oh how delicious this one got as it warmed up! Loads of flavors and all so deliciously balanced; espresso, nuts, caramel, tobacco, molasses, chocolate. Makes for a perfect nightcap! Vigorously aromatic!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Yuengling Traditional Lager
D.G. Yuengling and Son Brewery | Pottsville, Pennsylvania USA
Purchased while on vacation in Florida.

Style: Pale Lager

A very good beer from the oldest brewery in America! Can’t find this brew in Texas (or at least in my area) so off to Florida (got this one in Key West) we went to enjoy some much-needed vacationing and savoring of some hard-to-find brews. Definitely the brew to choose when matched up to most mass-produced beers in its style. Very crisp with a clean finish and a definite thirst-quencher! This brew would be a staple brew in my stock if I could just get it in my area. Sweet (but not overdone), malty and a tad bit citrusy; delicious!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Miller High Life
Miller Brewing Co. | Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
Not purchased; received as a gift.

Style: Pale Lager

Nope, you’re not seeing things! I’m actually doing a review on a brew that I enjoyed many moons ago; Miller High Life! I must say that this brew tastes better than what I remember as I have not tried any in ages! There’s not much going on except for the ever present taste of corn but this brew is very crisp and a good thirst quencher. One thing I have noticed is that I prefer the canned beer as opposed to the bottle beer. This is due to the fact that the bottle is clear and sunlight does a big number on destroying the taste of the brew if it is not properly stored at any point between the brewery to your counter. Quite the nostalgic brew for me as it brings up some great memories from way back when!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Unibroue La Terrible
Unibroue | Chambly, Quebec (Canada)

Style: Belgian Strong Ale

These brews from Unibroue continue to amaze! This is definitely one of the more complex brews that I have enjoyed in quite a long time! This brew is definitely a ‘sipper’ as there are just so many intriguing flavors. This brew really came across muck like a fine port wine more than a beer. With these dark ales I prefer to open them up and take a quick sip and then let it sit at room temperature for roughly an hour and then pour and savor. Doing this lets the flavors intensify! While enjoying this brew I noticed the “best before” date was 01-30-2016!!! Time to go get several bottles and let them age!!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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Svyturys Baltas (White)
UAB Svyturys | Klaipeda, Lithuania
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Hefeweizen

This is the first brew from Lithuania for me to savor, and enjoy! I am quite pleased with this brew and it is definitely a great intro-beer from this region! Near full-bodied and packed with the right flavors and balance that a good witbier should possess. If you find some, grab ‘em up as they are not in high demand (yet!) and quantities are limited. I love the big citrus hit up front and the sweet, slightly tart, finish! Shake well before opening. Seriously! This releases more flavors and they even say to do so on their website!

For my 'beer-nerd' details on this brew, please click here.

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