Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale

4.5/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

24 ounce bottle, 2011 batch so it is pretty fresh. Pours hazy golden orange color with a nice 2 finger dense light khaki head with incredible retention that reduces to a thick cap that lasts forever. Some decent lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of huge pine, orange, grapefruit, spices, and caramel. Fantastic aromas here, the exact reason why I love cascade and centennial. Taste of big grapefruit, orange, pine, grass, spices, caramel, and breadiness. Big bitterness in the front and finish; with lingering notes of pine, citrus, spices, and caramel on the finish. Alcohol is nowhere to be found, drinks incredibly easily. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a slightly creamy mouthfeel and light prickly carbonation. Fantastic balance of bitterness and sweetness as well. Overall an absolutely incredible wet hop IPA. I will be getting this again.

An incredible IPA from Sierra Nevada. This is probably the best beer I have had from them.

Arbor Jackhammer Old Ale

3.6/5

AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, no bottle date. Pours hazy dark reddish brown color with a small fairly dense khaki head with decent retention that reduces to a lacing cap. A small amount of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big molasses, dark fruits, caramel, spices, and alcohol. Initially it smelled pretty good, but as it warmed up the alcohol gave off a chemical vibe. Taste of big caramel, toasted malt, molasses, chocolate, spices, and some dark fruits. Slight amount of bitterness on the finish, with lingering notes of chocolate, caramel, spice, and light dark fruit notes. A small amount of alcohol taste near the finish with a decent warming afterward. This actually has some nice balance of flavor, and is not cloyingly sweet at all. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied; with a nice creamy and smooth mouthfeel that drinks pretty easily. Overall a nice beer, the aromas were a bit off putting though.

Overall a nice brew from Arbor. I need to try out some of their specialty 750 releases soon.

New Belgium Abbey

4.2/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

12 ounce bottle into tulip, best by Feb 12, 2012. Pours slightly cloudy red orange color with a fairly dense 2 finger khaki head with good retention that reduces to a cap. Decent amount of lacing clings to the glass. Tons of carbonation coming from the bottom. Aromas of big banana, bubblegum, clove, molasses, biscuit, spices, and some dark fruits. Some nice aromas that are quite different than I was expecting for a Dubbel. Taste of pepper, spices, biscuit, caramel, molasses, and toasted malts in to front; with some banana and bubblegum in the back. Lingering notes of caramel, banana, spices, biscuit, and caramel on the finish. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a warming on the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a nice creamy mouthfeel and smooth drinking. Great balance of flavors. Overall this is quite an impressive Dubbel. I would get this again if they distribute to the Great Lakes area in the future.

Surprisingly great Belgian Dubbel from New Belgium. I got this one a while back so it has a great shelf life as well.

Moylans Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale

3.6/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

22 ounce bottle into tulip, no bottle date. Pours deep bright orange color with a dense 1 finger khaki head with great retention that reduces to a lacing cap that lasts. Some thick lacing clinging to the glass as well. Aromas of big pine resin, caramel, grapefruit, orange, and spices. Some very malty aromas here, I have a feeling this is a bit old. Taste of big pine resin, caramel, breadiness, orange, and spices. Big bitterness present on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, pine, orange, and spiciness. Good balance of bitterness and sweetness. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very creamy and slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden with only a warming on the finish noticed. Overall a solid DIPA, but I feel a bit let down with all of the rave reviews. All breweries need to date bottles.

An unfortunate let down from what I was hoping for. I bought this from one of the best stores for beer sales turnover in the area too. At least I don't have to worry about their age-able beers like the Imperial Stout.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale

3.8/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle, best by Jan 2012. Pours hazy golden orange color with a nice 2 finger dense off white head with great retention that reduces to a thick lacing cap that lasts. Tons of carbonation streaming up from the bottom. Aromas of big fresh pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, caramel, and bread. Some very nice aromas here, probably the most pumpkin forward aromas I have ever had in a beer. Taste of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, bread, and allspice. No bitterness noticed, but there are some lingering notes of pumpkin, bread, allspice, and cinnamon on the finish. Taste is a bit on the watery side, but overall really solid and enjoyable. Medium carbonation and body; with a bit of a creamy mouthfeel that goes down very smoothly. Nice balance of flavors. No alcohol noticed in the taste or finish as expected. Overall this is a really nice and sessionable pumpkin ale. I would have this again.

A surprisingly nice and authentic smelling pumpkin beer. Probably the most pumpkin forward one I have had as well.

AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

4.4/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20

750 ml bottle into snifter, no bottle date. Pours dark reddish brown color with a small 1 finger dense caramel colored head with nice retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Some nice lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big caramel, roasted malt, molasses, spices, oak, sweet malt, and a bit of dark fruits with a bit of booze. Some very nice aromas here that are opening up as it warms. Taste of big sweet caramel, coffee, roasted malt, molasses, oak, chocolate, spice, light dark fruit, and a bit of whiskey in the background. Decent amount of spicy bitterness on the finish; with notes of molasses, caramel, chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and a bit of whiskey lingering on the finish for a good while. Sweetness powers over the bitterness, but the sweetness is not cloying at all with a slight amount of alcohol cleansing the palate on the finish. Medium carbonation and full bodied; with a very creamy and chewy mouthfeel. A good idea to swirl out the carbonation due to bottle conditioning on this one. For 10%, the alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight bit on the finish with warming. Drinks very smoothly as well, but is best enjoyed slowly. Overall this is an incredible scotch ale, with great flavor balance and drinkability for it’s gravity.

Yet another outstanding brew from Alesmith. There are still a few others I have not had yet. I may have to mail order or trade them. I do have the Horny Devil in storage right now though.

Meantime Coffee Porter

3.8/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

11.2 ounce bottle into snifter, best by 55th day of 2011. Pours crystal clear dark brown color with a nice 1 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Some nice lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big espresso, dark chocolate, roasted malts, caramel, molasses, and some spiciness. Some excellent aroma here with nice balance. Strikingly similar to breakfast stout aromas too. Taste of bitter coffee, roasted malt, caramel, and big spiciness near the finish. Good amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of roasted malts, caramel, and spiciness. Medium body and carbonation, with a fairly creamy an smooth mouthfeel. Alcohol is hidden well, with only a small warming on the finish noticed. Very drinkable as expected for being 6%. Overall a very nice coffee porter, I have a feeling this is better when it is fresh.

Very nice despite the fact that it was well past its freshness date. I will have to try more from this brewery in the future.

Southern Tier Choklat

4.3/5

AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

22 ounce bottle into snifter, no bottle date. Pours opaque black color with a fairly dense 1 finger tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Not much lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of huge milk chocolate, roasted malt, rich caramel, toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, and a bit of spicy hops in the background. Absolutely incredible aromas here, unlike anything I have ever had. Taste of big milk and dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, cream, bitter espresso, and spicy hops. Fair amount of bitterness noticed on the finish with lingering notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, rich caramel, bitter espresso, and toffee. Medium carbonation and full body; with a creamy and slick mouthfeel that is very nice and smooth. Alcohol is well hidden for 11%, only a warming after the finish noticed. Great drinkability for 11%, but is a sipper for sure. Nice balance of bitterness and sweetness, so it is not overly sweet at all. Overall this is an outstanding and highly enjoyable imperial chocolate stout.

A fantastic imperial stout from Southern Tier as I would have hoped. The whole Blackwater series is amazing.

Bells Oarsman Ale

3.6/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle, bottled 6/22/11. Pours slightly hazy golden straw color with a small 1 finger foamy white head with decent retention that reduces to a ring of lace. A good amount of carbonation streaming up from the bottom of the glass. Aromas of light wheat, tart lemon, grass, and a bit of spices. Some decent aromas here, but they are pretty muted. Taste of nice tart lemon, grass, spice, wheat, and breadiness. Super dry finish as I would have expected from the style, with nothing but a slight lingering spiciness and a bit of tart citrus. Big effervescent carbonation with a light body. Smooth and drinkable mouthfeel, with no alcohol presence as expected. Overall a nice and enjoyable brew for the style. I would definitely like to try this one fresher.

Overall a nice beer. I don't have much experience with this style(Berliner Weiss), and unfortunately not too many exist.

Smuttynose Homunculus

4.2/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

22 ounce bottle into tulip, 2011 release. Pours slightly hazy golden straw color with a dense 1 finger white head with great retention that reduces to a thin cap. Some nice thick lacing clings to the sides of the glass as well. Aromas of lemon, grass, pepper. spices, banana, and clove. Some nice and fairly strong aromas. Taste of big banana, clove, pepper, spices, lemon, and breadiness. A bit of a yeasty tang in the back. Decent amount of spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of pepper, spices, citrus, and clove. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel. Great drinkability for being over 9%. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden, nothing but a small warming after the finish. Overall this is an excellent and well balanced hoppy Belgian golden ale. I would get this again.

More great beer from Smuttynose. Overall I have really enjoyed the majority of the Big Beer Series offerings I have had so far.

Oud Beersel Kriek

3.9/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

375 ml bottle into tulip, best by 10/14/2013. Pours slightly cloudy brick red color with a nice and dense 2 fingers of pink colored head with fantastic retention that reduces to a lasting lacing cap. Thick lacing clings to the sides of the glass as well. Aromas of tart cherries, cherry juice sweetness, spices, and a bit of vinegar. Some nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of sweet cherries, spices, and a bit of tart cherry as well. Pretty dry finish, but there is a bit of cherry sweetness that hangs around for a bit. Light-medium bodied with medium carbonation. A bit of a creamy and syrupy mouthfeel is present. No alcohol noticed at all as expected for being 4%. Sweetness of this beer is not cloying at all, and this drinks extremely well. Overall a very nice and tasty kriek! I will have to check out the oude kriek vieille soon.

A very nice sweet kriek here, a little harder to find than their other one. I will be having it soon enough.

Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest

4.3/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

22 ounce bottle into snifter, batch 8, August 2011. Pours crystal clear golden orange color with a small dense khaki head with very nice retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Not much lacing clinging to the glass. Aromas of big caramel, raisins, bread, sweet malt, molasses, apricot, figs, and a bit of booze. Some very nice and balanced aromas here with good strength. Taste of big caramel, bread, toasted malt, raisins, apricot, molasses, spices, and some bourbon. No noticeable bitterness on the finish as expected. Fairly dry finish, but some lingering sweet notes of caramel, bread, molasses, bourbon, and spices. Big sweetness here, but not cloying at all. Fantastic balance of all flavors. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden, only a slight warming on the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel. Overall this is a truly outstanding imperial Oktoberfest. Great balance, flavor, and smoothness.

Another fantastic high gravity brew from Avery as I was hoping. I will pick it up again sometime for sure, probably next year.

DuClaw Black Jack Stout

4.2/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

22 ounce bottle into snifter; no bottle date but this is a winter release so it must be pushing a year old. Pours dark as night with a fairly dense 1 finger tan head with nice retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lasts. Some nice lacing clings all around the glass as well. Aromas of big dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, caramel, molasses, smoked wood, and a bit of dark fruit. Some very nice and interesting aromas for an RIS here, nice balance as well. Taste of tons of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, smoke, wood, caramel, and light dark fruits. Good amount of coffee-like bitterness present on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, molasses, dark fruit, smoke, and wood for a decent amount of time. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly nice and creamy mouthfeel that drinks smoothly for the level of alcohol. Alcohol is nicely hidden as well, didn’t really notice anything other than a slight warming on the finish. Overall this was an excellent and unique Russian Imperial Stout. Tons of nice complexity and balance.

An excellent and delicious RIS from DuClaw. I don't know when I will be able to a have one of their brews again, I got this in Maryland.

Arcadia Jaw-Jacker Ale

3.7/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle, no bottle date but most likely from this season. Pours very hazy golden orange color with a fairly dense 1-2 fingers of off white head with nice retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Aromas of big cinnamon, clove, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, caramel, and a bit of citrus. Decent aromas here, but there seems to be an odd medicinal aroma as well. Taste of big spiciness, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon up front; with some caramel and sweetness near the finish. Not much bitterness on the finish; but notes of big spices, pepper, clove, and cinnamon linger on the finish. Medium bodied with fairly high carbonation; with a bit of a creamy moutfeel and smooth drinkability despite the carbonation level. No alcohol noticed other than a slight warming after the finish. Overall this is actually quite good for a spiced ale. Good balance of spices and sweetness, and I definitely enjoyed this.

A surprisingly nice and tasty spiced ale. I would probably have it again, but not buy a 6 pack.

Captain Lawrence St. Vincents Dubbel

4.3/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

750 ml bottle into tulip, no bottle date. Pours nice hazy reddish orange color with a fairly dense 2 finger khaki head with amazing retention that reduces to a thick lacing cap. Some bits of lacing cling to the glass as well. Tons of carbonation streaming up from the bottom of the glass. Aromas of huge grape juice, raisin, molasses, caramel, chocolate, nuttiness, and spices. Huge aromas here I could smell as soon as I poured it. Nice stuff. Taste of big white grape, caramel, toasted malt, pepper, spices, bread, and molasses up front; with some chocolate and nutty notes near the finish. A slight bit of tartness in the back adds a different aspect to this, with lingering notes of chocolate, nuttiness, spices, molasses, and caramel. Finish is excellent, not too dry, leaving a nice amount of linger flavors. Nice balance of flavors as well. Alcohol is nicely hidden with none noticed except for a small warming on the finish. Great drinkability. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a nice and creamy mouthfeel. Overall this is definitely an outstanding dubbel with tons of flavor and great balance. This improved a lot as it warmed up.

Fantastic Dubbel from Captain Lawrence. Not sure if this was brewed with wild yeast or not, but the tartness added an excellent dimension to the flavor.

Lagunitas Our Own Bavarian-Style DoppelWeizen

4.1/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

22 ounce bottle into weizen glass, no bottle date but it was released last month. Pours hazy golden orange color with a fairly dense 3 finger white head with nice retention that reduces to a lacing cap. A good amount of carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass. Aromas of huge banana, clove, bubblegum, pepper, spices, bread, and some wheat tartness. Some outstanding and complex aromas here with big strength. Taste of big banana, clove, bubblegum, bread, pepper, spices, and tart wheat. Small amount of bitterness noticed on the finish; with lingering notes of big spices, clove, banana, an bubblegum for a good period of time. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a nice creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel. Alcoho lis well hidden for 9%, only a slight warming after the finish. Good amount of drinkability but is still a sipper because of the gravity. Overall this is an excellent weizenbock with a ton of flavor and nice balance.

More excellence from Lagunitas as I would have expected. Not on par with Aventinus, but it is still tasty stuff.

Highland Oatmeal Porter

3.6/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

12 ounce bottle, no bottle date. Pours crystal clear dark brown color with a small fairly dense 1 finger light tan head with good retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Aromas of caramel, chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, oats, and some spicy hops. Some nice and decently strong aromas here. Taste of big roasted malt, chocolate, oats, spicy hops, and caramel. Nice amount of bitterness present on the finish; with lingering notes of spicy hops, caramel, and chocolate. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly nice and creamy mouthfeel despite slightly high carbonation. Decent balance of flavors as well, but spiciness seems to take the prominence. No alcohol noticed except for a small warming after the finish. Overall a solid and drinkable porter, but definitely not memorable.

A solid porter, but it is lacking the robust flavor I usually expect in porters. Also my first brew from North Carolina.

Moylans Dragoons Dry Irish Stout

4.4/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20

22 ounce bottle, no bottle date. Pours pitch black color with a small 1 finger fairly dense tan head with nice retention that reduces to a lacing cap. A small bit of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big milk chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, toffee, vanilla, and some coffee. Some damn nice aromas here with good strength and balance. Taste of big roasted malt, milk chocolate, and caramel; with light coffee and vanilla. Some noticeable bitterness on the finish, with lingering notes of chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, and vanilla on the finish for a short period of time. Still quite dry as would be expected. Medium carbonation and body; with a nice smooth mouthfeel with tons of creaminess. No alcohol noticed at all in the taste or finish as expected. Overall, this is the best dry stout I have ever had. For 5%, this has tons of flavor with a great mouthfeel.

Definitely the best dry stout I have had. Great creaminess and bold flavor for the alcohol level.

Anderson Valley Brother Davids Triple

3.1/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20

12 ounce bottle into chalice, no bottle date. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a small fairly dense 1 finger white head with decent retention that reduces to a thin cap of lace. Not much lacing clings to the glass, but there is a decent amount of carbonation streaming from the bottom. Aromas of big pepper, lemon, clove, spices, bread, banana, and orange zest. Some decent aromas here with good balance. Taste of big pepper, spices and booze up front; leading to lemon, bread, clove, and banana near the finish. Lingering notes of citrus, clove, banana, and spices linger on the finish with some boozy notes. Medium carbonation and medium full bodied, with a bit of a boozy mouthfeel. It still drinks fairly easily, but has a fairly hot finish with a big warming present. Overall it is an ok Tripel, but its a bit too boozy and unbalanced. It improved a bit as it warmed up, but not by a forgivable margin.

After all of the fantastic Tripels I have had recently, this one really doesn't fit the bill at all. Big booziness and mediocre flavor.

Allagash Dubbel

4.1/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

750 ml bottle into tulip, batch 67. Pours clear dark reddish brown color with a nice and dense 2 finger light khaki head with fantastic retention that reduces to a thick cap. Some nice lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big raisin, apple, caramel, grape, candi sugar, molasses, and cherry. Some very nice and complex aromas here. Taste of grape, raisin, caramel, toasted malt, chocolate, toffee, and yeast spiciness. Fairly dry finish, but there is some lingering notes of dark fruits, caramel, roasted malt, chocolate, and spices on the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a very nice creamy and smooth mouthfeel. No alcohol noticed at all in the taste or finish. Very nice drinkability for 7%. Overall this is definitely an excellent Dubbel from Allagash. Very balanced and drinkable.

More excellence from Allagash. They may have pulled out of Michigan, but these older batches are still pretty well available here. I would like to try a fresh bottle sometime though.

Flying Dog Wild Dog Coffee Stout

4/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, batch 2. Pours dark as night was a small fairly dense tan head with decent retention, that reduces to a ring of lace. Small bits of lacing clinging to the glass as well. Aromas of big dark chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, bitter coffee, vanilla, toffee, molasses, and oats. Some very nice and balanced aromas here. Taste of big dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, roasted malt, and espresso. Decent amount of coffee bitterness present on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and roasted malt. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a nice creamy mouthfeel. No alcohol noticed other than a warming after the finish. Good amount of drinkability but it is still a sipper. Overall a very nice coffee stout from Flying Dog.

An all around solid and delicious coffee stout from Flying Dog. I got this when I was in Maryland for a day a couple months ago. Haven never seen it anywhere else.

Unibroue La Terrible

4.3/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

750 ml bottle into tulip, best before 1-30-2016. Pours clear very dark brown color with a nice and fairly dense 2 finger khaki head with very good retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Small bit of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big dark fruit, apple, caramel, fig, breadiness, and spicy yeast. Very nice aromas here with good strength. Taste of big raisin, fig, apple, caramel, molasses, toasted malt, and spices. Some tanginess present on the finish, with lingering notes of caramel, dark fruit, molasses, and light spiciness. Tons of sweetness, but with no cloying at all. Great balance of all flavors. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied, with a nice creamy and slick mouthfeel that drinks surprisingly easy for 10.5% but is still a sipper. No alcohol warming noticed at all until well after the finish. Overall an incredible Belgian Dark Ale. Tons of flavor and balance without being cloying.

Another one I have not had in a while, but now that I have a strong experience with Belgians there is a whole new appreciation for how amazing this really is. One of the best widely available Belgian Strong ales out there with such a great price at $9 a 750ml.

Hanssens Oude Gueuze

4.4/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

375 ml bottle into tulip, no bottle date. Pours hazy golden amber color with a small fairly dense white head with good retention. Some nice lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big sour cherry, apple, wood, hay, acidity, spice, and tons of funk. Huge complex and strong aromas here. Taste of big tart apple, cherry, lemon, grass, spice, and earth. Finishes very tart and sour, but not overwhelming at all. Great balance of tartness and sweetness. Lingering notes of sour apple, cherry, hay, spice, and funk. Medium carbonation and body, with a nice smooth mouthfeel. No alcohol noticed at all as expected. Overall, just an outstanding brew. I have not had too many Gueuze so far, but I can tell this one is a winner for sure.

This is definitely a mind blowing Gueuze style, and the best one I have had yet. I can't wait to try some more of the highly regarded ones in the style.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

3.5/5

AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled 08/02/2011. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a small fairly dense 1 finger off white head with good retention. Small bit of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of tons of pumpkin, cracker, brown sugar, and nutmeg; with light allspice and cinnamon in the background. The aromas were very much different from what I was hoping for in a pumpkin ale, a little odd. Taste of big pumpkin, bread, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, and allspice. Finish is a tad dry, with some light lingering notes of pumpkin, spices, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Medium carbonation and medium bodied, with a fairly creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Nice drinkability for 7%. No alcohol noticed other than a warming after the finish. Overall it was certainly different from what I was expecting, but it was enjoyable.

Not really a pumpkin ale I will be seeking out again unless I am at a bar or something. Still fairly enjoyable however.

Weyerbacher Insanity

4.4/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, 2011 batch most likely. Pours hazy ruby red color with a small light khaki head with decent retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Fair amount of lacing clinging to the glass as well. Aromas of big bourbon, caramel, dark fruit, oak, molasses, biscuit, spice, and a bit of booze. Tons of complexity going on here, very nice stuff. Taste of big caramel, toffee, dark fruits, oak, vanilla, bourbon, and a bit of spice. A small amount of bitterness on the finish, with lingering notes of caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, and bourbon. Great balance of flavors as well, the bourbon does not come on too strong at all. Medium carbonation and full bodied. Super creamy and slick mouthfeel. Surprising drinkability for being over 11%, did not notice any alcohol except for a warming after the finish. Overall, Weyerbacher has blown me away with yet another high gravity offering. Business as usual.

An outstanding barrel aged barleywine from Weyerbacher. I will be picking this up again when I am back home in Ohio, because it is not distributed to Michigan.

Michigan Brewing Peninsula Porter

3.1/5

AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20

12 ounce bottle, bottle date of 04/08/10. Pours clear reddish brown color with 1-2 fingers of a fairly dense light tan head with nice retention that reduces to a cap that lasts. No lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of roasted malts, light chocolate, caramel, coffee, and a good amount of spicy hops. Some pretty weak aromas here, with a lot of hop presence. It improved a bit as it warmed up. Taste of spicy hops, with a bit of roasted malts, light chocolate, bitter coffee, and caramel. Fairly dry finish, but has a decent amount of bitterness, with lingering notes of roasted malt, light chocolate, caramel, and spicy hops. Medium bodied with fairly high carbonation. A bit of creaminess in the mouthfeel as well. Overall quite a hoppy and interesting porter, but 1.5 years have not been kind to this beer. I may have to pick one up fresh and see how it is. I had no idea they dated the front of the labels.

It may be better when it is fresh, but I can't be sure yet. I may try out some more brews from Michigan Brewing in the future, but I am not sure which ones as of yet. I really enjoyed the spiced ale though.

Short's Huma-Lupa-Licious

4.4/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

12 ounce bottle into tulip, bottled on 08/08/11, so a little under 2 months old. Pours hazy golden orange color with a gigantic 3 finger creamy off white head with incredible retention. Some thick lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of huge pine, orange, tropical fruit, bread, spice, and lemon. Some excellent aromas here with nice strength. Taste of tons of pine, orange, tropical fruit, lemon, caramel, bread, and spices. Nice amount of bitterness present on the finish that lingers with citrus, breadiness, pine resin, and spicy hop notes. Medium carbonation and medium bodied with a very nice and creamy mouthfeel. Super drinkable for an IPA, with no alcohol noticed at all. Fantastic balance of bitterness and sweetness as well. Overall an outstanding IPA. I had no idea they dated the bottles until now. I will be on the lookout for a fresh 6 pack and then it will be mine.

A fantastic IPA I will be picking up again. Finally had my first Short's brew since entering Michigan, and I will be grabbing some other random singles to try out soon.

Big Sky Slow Elk Oatmeal Stout

3.7/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

12 ounce bottle, best by 01/12/12 printed on the bottle. "Big Hole Cologne" printed inside the cap. Pours crystal clear dark brown color with a nice and fairly dense 1-2 fingers of light tan head with great retention that reduces to a lacing cap that lasts. Some fairly thick lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, oatmeal, and bitter coffee. Some surprisingly nice aromas with good strength. Taste of light chocolate, oats, caramel, light coffee, and roasted malt. Finish is fairly dry, but there is some light bitterness with lingering notes of roasted malt, caramel, light chocolate and coffee. Alcohol is completely hidden as expected for a beer of 5.4%. Medium body and carbonation, with a decently creamy mouthfeel. Very smooth and easily drinkable. Nice balance of flavors. Overall a nice oatmeal stout I thoroughly enjoyed.

A surprisingly nice oatmeal stout from Big Sky, my first from Montana. Now that I know they date the bottles, I will try and find some of their IPA fresh to see how it is.

Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Tröegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout

3.8/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled sometime in July most likely. Pours black as night with a fairly dense 1 finger tan head with very nice retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lasts. Decent amount of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big sour cherries, dark chocolate, roasted malts, caramel, coffee, and cherry juice. Decent aromas here, but not as good as I was hoping. Taste of big dark chocolate, tart cherries, bitter coffee, caramel, and molasses. Slight bit of bitterness present on the finish; with lingering notes of big dark chocolate, caramel, tart cherry, and molasses. Decent balance of tartness and sweetness is present, with the sweet chocolate taking over the most. Insanely thick and creamy mouthfeel with light-medium carbonation. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall a really nice stout collaboration. I was hoping for more tart cherry flavor, similar to Bells Cherry Stout.

I had been searching for this since it was released, but I don't think it made it into the state til quite a bit later. I found this one in VA. Overall not as good as I was hoping for, but still very nice.

Sinebrychoff Porter

4.3/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

11.2 ounce bottle into snifter, bottle code: E93565K. Pours opaque black color with a nice 1 finger dense tan head with great retention, that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lasts. Thick lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big raisins, chocolate, coffee, molasses, caramel, and roasted malts. Some very nice and balanced aromas here. Taste of big chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, caramel, and dark fruits. Decent amount of bitterness present on the finish with lingering notes of chocolate, molasses, dark fruits, caramel, and coffee. A bit of a metallic taste was present as well, but it did not detract from the overall complexity of this beer. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Drinks way too easily, and there is no alcohol noticed other than a slight warming after the finish. Overall this is definitely an outstanding Baltic porter, and at a great price as well!

This one was suggested to me when I was in a beer store back home in Ohio. At 3 bucks a bottle I couldn't turn it down, being from Finland and all. I later learned that this is a highly regarded Baltic Porter.

Voodoo Big Black Voodoo Daddy

3.9/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

22 ounce bottle into snifter, no bottle date. Pours thick pitch black color with a dense and creamy 1 finger tan head with nice retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Some nice lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, roasted malt, oak, and a bit of alcohol. Some nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of big dark chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, vanilla, oak, coffee, and some smokiness. Fair amount of bitterness on the finish, with lingering notes of dark chocolate, oak, smoke, bitter coffee, and roasted malt that last on the finish. Light-medium carbonation and nice full body; with a creamy and slick mouthfeel. Surprisingly no real alcohol was noticed other than a warming after the finish. Nice and smooth drinking for 12.5%, but is still a sipper. Overall an very nice and huge imperial stout that is smooth, with nice balance of flavor.

A very nice Imperial Stout, but not as good as I was hoping for. The flavor balance seemed a little off from what I was hoping for. Now that I am in Michigan, I can get this brewery easily at any time. I never saw them in Ohio oddly, even though they are in PA.

Hoppin Frog Frog’s Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale

3.9/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

22 ounce bottle into tulip, 2011 release. Pours crystal clear golden orange color with a small off white head with decent retention that reduces to a thin lacing ring. Minimal lacing on the glass. Aromas of big cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin, clove, brown sugar, and breadiness. Very nice and balanced aromas here. Taste of bread, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and pumpkin. Lingering notes of pumpkin, spices, and breadiness on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy mouthfeel and nice smooth drinkability. No alcohol noticed other than a slight warming on the finish. Overall a really nice pumpkin ale, with nice balance of flavor and smooth drinkability.

I decided to re-rate with this years batch. All around tasty stuff. Very nice balance of flavors.

Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam

4.1/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

750 ml bottle into tulip, batch 749/750, bottled 3-9-2011. Pours hazy golden orange color with a huge 4 finger off white head with incredible retention that reduces to a thick lacing cap that lasts. Some nice lacing on the glass with tons of carbonation coming from the bottom of the glass. Aromas of big grass, spices, lemon, bread, tart apple, and some funk. Nice aromas with good strength here. Taste of lemon, grass, bread, pepper, spices, and a bit of tart apple in the back with some funk. Lingering notes of big spice, bread, and grass that last. Medium-high carbonation and medium body, with a very smooth mouthfeel. Fantastic drinkability with no alcohol noticed at all. Overall an excellent and enjoyable saison as expected.

Yet another delicious offering from JP. I should really make the drive to their cafe some time.

Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Stout

3.6/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled Dec 2010. Pours pitch black color with an instant 3 finger than head with great retention that reduces to a nice lacing cap that lasts. Some moderate lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of dark fruits, roasted malt, bourbon, oak, vanilla, and some chocolate and coffee in the background. Some interesting and bourbon forward aromas here. Taste of big oak, bourbon, and roasted malts on the front, that leads to chocolate, vanilla, and light coffee on the finish. A bit of bitterness on the finish with lingering notes of chocolate, roasted malt, and a bit of bourbon. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a nice creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Overall, not too bad. This was pretty enjoyable.

This was one someone at a beer store suggested to me. I took it because it sure sounds promising, but turns out it really doesn't live up to it's name.

New Holland Farmhouse Hatter

4.1/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

22 ounce bottle into tulip, 2011 vintage. Pours hazy orangish golden amber color with a huge and fairly dense 4 finger off white head with fantastic retention that reduces to a fairly thick lacing cap that lasts. Some nice lacing clings to the glass, with a steady stream of carbonation coming from the bottom of the glass as well. Aromas of big orange, peppercorn, pine, spices, and grass; with a bit of apple, and other light fruits. Some nice and hop forward aromas here as I would have hoped. Taste of big breadiness, pepper, spices, lemon, orange zest, grass, and a bit of funk. A decent amount of bitterness on the finish; with big lingering notes of spices, pepper, lemon, and orange zest. Medium-high carbonation with medium body; with a fairly creamy mouthfeel and very smooth drinkability. No alcohol noticed other than a very slight warming after the finish. Overall, an excellent Belgian IPA that has a nice hop flavor profile with great balance with the spiciness from the yeast.

A surprisingly excellent Belgian IPA from New Holland. Really tasty and drinkable Belgian style.

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

3.8/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle, bottled 6/24/11, so a little over 3 months old. Pours fairly dark reddish brown color with a nice, fairly dense 2 finger light tan head with great retention that reduces to a small lacing cap. A bit of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of caramel, toasted malt, chocolate, molasses, a bit of dark fruits and spiciness. Some decent aromas here that are on the weak side. Taste of big caramel, chocolate, roasted malt, brown sugar, and spices; with a small hint of nutty flavor as well. A fair amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of spiciness, caramel, and roasted malts. Medium carbonation and body, with a nice creamy and smooth mouthfeel. No alcohol noticed other than a warming on the finish, very drinkable. Overall, a very nice brown ale with some unique character.

Finally trying this again after well over a year since I last had it. Really unique and nice stuff.

Allagash Curieux

4.2/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

750 ml bottle into tulip, bottled in June 2008. Pours hazy golden amber color with a fairly dense 2 finger white head with great retention, that reduces to a fairly thick cap. A bit of thick lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big lemon, clove, banana, pepper, citrus peel, honey-like sweetness, white grape, oak, and bourbon. Surprisingly no real booziness was noticed, and there is a great amount of complexity going on here. Taste of tons of oak, lemon, clove, banana, vanilla, bourbon, white grape, and yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of of mainly bourbon, oak, and vanilla; with a bit of pepper, light fruits, and spices as well. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a decent slightly prickly mouthfeel that is still very smooth. No alcohol noticed other than a warming on the finish. Overall this is an excellent barrel aged tripel. I would definitely like to try a fresher bottle of this because I hear it is even better while it is younger.

Great barrel aged Tripel. I have a late 2009 bottle back home so I will definitely try that as soon as I can to see if there is a difference. I found this 2008 bottle in a random party store. Assuming Allagash keeps making this, I will have a fresh bottle sooner or later.

The Bruery Autumn Maple

4.4/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

Review 400! 750 ml bottle into tulip, bottled in 2010. Pours very hazy dark reddish brown color with a small 1 finger dense khaki head with great retention that reduces to a fairly thick lacing cap. A small amount of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, caramel, yams, and some sweet maple syrup and yeast spiciness. Some very strong and inviting aromas here, nice balance as well. Taste of big sweetness of caramel, molasses, maple syrup, dark fruits, and yams in the front; leading to nice spicy notes of clove, nutmeg, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Spices take a bit of a back seat here, but with one year of age, it is expected for the most part. Lingering sweet notes of maple, molasses, yams, and caramel on the finish with a small amount of spiciness as well. Medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a nice creamy and thick mouthfeel. This drinks quite smooth despite the alcohol level, but is still a bit of a sipper. No real amount of alcohol was noticed other than a slight warming on the finish. Fantastic balance of flavors here as well. Overall this is an incredible spiced/vegetable beer by The Bruery. A fantastic choice for my 400th.

This was incredible, yet I will still admit I would have chosen something else for my 400th originally. Unfortunately a majority of my goodies are back at home, so I will have some of them when I get the chance to return. Fantastic beer after a year of age.

Arbor Espresso Love Breakfast Stout

3.6/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, no bottle date. Pours clear dark brown color with an instant 3-4 fingers of foamy tan head with decent retention, that reduces to a thin cap of lacing. A little bit of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of dark fruits, molasses, dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and caramel. Some interesting and decent aromas here, but it is definitely improving as it warms up. Taste of espresso, dark chocolate, roasted malt, and caramel; with a bit of dark fruits and molasses. Finish is a bit too dry for my liking, but there is lingering notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, and caramel. Not much bitterness other than bitter coffee on the finish. Medium body and carbonation; with a decent creamy mouthfeel that goes down pretty smooth. No alcohol other than a warming on the finish noticed. Overall this is not as bold as I was hoping for because of my love of FBS, but this is a solid stout.

For all of the rating hate this gets, it was actually solid stuff. I definitely am looking forward to trying out some of their 750 bottles. I have heard these are the better offerings from them.

Westmalle Tripel

4.4/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

750 ml bottle into chalice, best by 07/28/12. Pours hazy golden straw color with a nice a creamy 1-2 fingers of white head with outstanding retention that reduces to a thick cap that lasts. Tons of carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass. Some nice thick lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of white pepper, spices, lemon, grape, herbs, bread, grass, and other light fruits. Very nice and complex aromas here. Taste of big lemon, grape, pepper, spices, bread, herbs, and a yeasty tang at the end. Lingering notes of huge pepper, spices, light fruits, and breadiness. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied, with a very creamy and nice mouthfeel. No alcohol really noticed at all other than a slight warming after the finish. Overall, an outstanding Tripel with tons of balanced flavor and smooth drinkability for the alcohol level. Best one I have had for sure.

It has taken me this long to finally try a classic of the style. I think it is time to revisit some other Trappist ales and have the ones I have not had yet, soon.

Petrus Oud Bruin

3.9/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

11.2 ounce bottle into tulip, no bottle date. Pours very hazy and cloudy dark red color with a fairly dense 2 finger light tan head with nice retention. Tons of carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass. A bit of thick carbonation clinging to the glass as well. Aromas of big tart cherry, grape, apple, light vinegar, fruit skins, and a bit of spices. Very nice aromas, there is a lot going on here. Taste of light tart cherries, spices, light fruits, caramel, oak, and a bit of fruit peel. The taste is nice, but a little weak and hard to discern. Finish is very dry, but some lingering fruit and spice notes stick around for a bit. Medium-high carbonation and medium boded, with a nice smooth mouthfeel. Very drinkable with no alcohol noticed at all. Overall, I really enjoyed this one but it wasn’t as tart as I was hoping for. Really nice stuff though.

After all of the meh reviews I have seen in the ratings, this is pretty impressive. I have the Petrus aged pale in the fridge right now, so I will likely be giving that a go soon.

Founders Centennial IPA

4.3/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

12 ounce bottle, bottled 08/29/11, so some pretty fresh stuff. Pours hazy golden amber color with 2 fingers of a fairly dense and creamy light khaki head with great retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lasts. A good amount of nice lacing clinging to the glass as well. Aromas of big orange, pine, spice, caramel, grapefruit, and a bit of grass. Excellent aromas here as expected. Taste of tons of pine, orange, grapefruit, caramel, and spices. Nice amount of bitterness on the finish, with lingering notes of citrus, pine, and spices. Fantastic balance of bitterness and sweetness. Medium carbonation and body, with a bit of a creamy mouthfeel. No alcohol noticed other than a small warming after the finish. Overall an outstanding IPA that is super smooth and full of well balanced flavor.

Yet another re-rate for me as of recently. Founders still wins with me. And now that I live in MI, I am going to have to make a stroll out to Grand Rapids for a beer weekend of HopCat and Founders plus more. A 2 hour drive that will be worth it. Another note I will add, is I picked up a 2 week old 6 pack of this at the Meijer 2 minutes from my apartment. They have a nice selection of quick 6 packs for when I am in the mood for a local brew that will be fresh.

Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela No. 1 Pumpkin Ale

4.2/5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

750 ml bottle into tulip, Batch 855, bottled 8/18/11. Pours very hazy orangish golden amber color with 1-2 fingers of a fairly dense off white head with fantastic retention that reduces to a fairly thick lacing cap that lasts. Lots of nice lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of tons of tart apple and funk at first; then spices, cocoa, and light pumpkin begin to appear as it warms up. Excellent aromas here, as I have come to expect from JP. Taste of big spiciness, cinnamon, allspice, bread, pumpkin, cocoa, and a bit of light fruitiness. Slight bit of tartness on the finish, with lingering notes of spices, bread, cocoa, light fruit, and pumpkin. Medium-high carbonation and medium body, with a nice fairly creamy mouthfeel. Super drinkable stuff, with no alcohol noticed in the taste or finish. Overall definitely an excellent brew from JP. It is interesting because most of the spiciness is definitely from the yeast, in contrast to most other pumpkin ales.

A delicious and drinkable brew from JP once again. I have been told this year's batch has more spice characteristics that last years. Luckily I have a 2010 bottle back at home, so I will have to give it a go once I retrieve it.

Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster

3.6/5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

12 ounce bottle into tulip, 2011 vintage, but no bottle date. Pours hazy red orange color with a fairly dense 1 finger light tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lacing cap. A bit of nice lacing sticks to the glass as well. Aromas of big orange, grapefruit, caramel, and tropical fruit; with a bit of pine, spices, and alcohol. Fairly sweet aromas here with good strength. Taste of big orange, grapefruit, caramel, pine, toasted malt, and spiciness. Nice amount of bitterness present on the finish, with lingering notes of caramel, pine, citrus, and a bit of spice. Pretty large amount of sweetness in comparison to bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied, with a fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden, with only a warming on the finish noticed. Decent drinkability for the level of alcohol, but it was still somewhat of a sipper. Overall a decent imperial red ale, but maybe it is better when it is fresh. This may have bit a bit too old.

For being my first Terrapin brew, I was hoping to be more impressed than this. No idea on the age, but it was in a fairly warm beer store in Virginia when I got it so that could have been a factor.