Beware of the Dog Series: St. Nikkilaus Spiced Christmas Ale

Beware of the Dog Series: St. Nikkilaus Spiced Christmas Ale, Black Husky Brewing, Pembine, CA
(Spice/Herb/Vegetable)

Dark burgundy pour with a thick, foamy, tan head that stays for a while before fading. Immense holiday spices on the nose. Caramelized sugars, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon. The aromas come through in the taste as well. The Christmas spices, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, lead the way. Sweet toasted malts and brown sugar round out this beer. Complex flavors. Full bodied. Just like with pumpkin beers, if you like spices, you'll love this one.

Jubelale

Jubelale, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
(English Strong Ale, Rated 96)

 Deep, dark, brown pour with a nice thick, off-white head.  Aromas of toasted bread, dark malts, and light spices. Taste is similar, with dark roasted malts, spices, a touch of sweetness, and a slightly bitter finish. A slightly different take on the Christmas beer, but it just might be that this isn't my favorite style.

Fistmas Ale

Fistmas Ale, Revolution Brewing Company, Chicago, IL
(Spice/Herb/Vegetable, Rated 91)

On this Christmas Eve, I toast you this fine holiday beer. Dark reddish-amber pour. Aromas of pine, ginger, spices, oranges.  Tastes of holiday spices, ginger, caramel, orange peel, and underlying malt sweetness. Smooth with a bit of a hoppy finish. Very nice Christmas ale.  Merry Fistmas!

Highway 128 Blood Orange Gose

Highway 128 Blood Orange Gose, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA
(Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer, Rated 90)

Hazy, orange pour with a nice, white head that steadily dissipates. Inviting aromas of sweet oranges and tanginess. Taste is citrus, salty, sour, and great sweet oranges that compliments. This gose is tart and totally refreshing. One of my favorite of this style so far.

Tail Waggin' Double White Ale 2010 Cellar Reserve

Tail Waggin' Double White Ale 2010 Cellar Reserve, Grand Teton Brewing Company, Victor, ID
(Belgian White (Witbier))

This one was hiding in the shadows and I nearly forgot it was there. Tonight was a perfect night to share it. Pours a golden, yellow. Unfiltered with lots of sediment that lends to the great taste. Aromas of lemon and orange citrus, bread, and spices. Classic Belgian witbier. Complex flavors of spices, pepper, orange, lemon zest, sweet malts. I detected a hint of bitterness as well. Better than I remembered it was.  Cheers!

Destihl Wild Sour Series: Here Gose Nothin'

Wild Sour Series: Here Gose Nothin', Destihl Brewery, Bloomington, IL
(Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer, Rated 94)

Cloudy orange pour with a fluffy, white head that fades after a few. Aroma is tart, dank, fruity, funky. Taste is lemon, major salt that fades to a touch of sweetness. Loads of citrus. Solid example of a gose. This will make a great Summer beer.

Highway 128 The Kimmie, The Yink, and The Holy Gose

Highway 128 The Kimmie, The Yink, and The Holy Gose, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA
(Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer, Rated 92)

Gose beers seem to be the new craze in craft beer. They are certainly gaining in popularity. Many of them may be more on the milder side of bitter and, in a way, gateway beers into sours. This one, not so much. This one pours clear gold. Aroma is light tart, lemony, and a little bready malt. The tartness hits right up front. Tangy. Lemony. Salty. Crisp, clean, and balanced.

Ride Again

Ride Again, Lucette Brewing Company, Menomonie, WI
(American Pale Ale, Rated 93)

Lucette rides again with this fantastic pale ale. Clear, golden-yellow pour with a nice, frothy, white head. Inviting aromas of citrus hops, sweet malt, and grass.  Taste is smooth malt up front, followed by nice piney, citrus hops. Really solid pale ale.

Farmer's Daughter

Farmer's Daughter, Lucette Brewing Company, Menomonie, WI
(Golden Ale/Blonde Ale)

Not too long ago, I was fortunate to sample beer from Lucette, a smaller brewery in a more remote part of Wisconsin.  Here's one of them. Golden yellow pour with a white head. Aroma is light, grassy, fruity, biscuit. Light bodied. Taste is earthy with a nice spice note. Hay, tea, and pale malts. Just a bit different than your average blonde ale. A very refreshing beer.

Sapping Mammoth IPA

Sapping Mammoth IPA, Maine Beer Company, Freeport, ME
(IPA, Rated 90)

Holy fresh hops! This amazingly, juicy collaboration between Half Acre Beer Company (Chicago, IL) and Maine Beer Company (Freeport, ME) pours a hazy, golden, orange color with a nice white, frothy head. Huge fresh aromas of oranges, citrus, tropical fruits, and mangos. Tastes of lemon zest, orange peels, juicy citrus, and tropical sweetness. Sticky and juicy. Has a grassy, earthy character. Medium body with a mild bitterness to the finish. This is one fantastic IPA!

Bushel Basket IPA

Bushel Basket IPA, The Hop Garden, Belleville, WI
(IPA)

Dark copper pour with a thick, foamy head. Aromas of resiny pine, herbs, with an earthy undertone. Taste is sweet caramel malts up front that give way to a tangy, grassy hop spice. 7.3% abv. There's something missing with this one.

Evil Power Imperial Pilsner

Evil Power Imperial Pilsner, Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN
(Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils)

Hazy orange pour with a thick, white head. Good lacing on the glass. Aroma is lightly malted and earthy. Flavors of sweet malts, lemony citrus, and herbal. Dry with a hoppy finish. This is a solid pilsner, but the style is not a favorite of mine.

pseudoSue

pseudoSue, Toppling Goliath Brewing Company, Decorah, IA
(American Pale Ale, Rated 100)

Here's another fantastic pale ale. Pours a clear golden color with a nice, white head. Aroma is sticky resin, citrus, and big mango notes. Tastes of peach, mango, herbal, pale malt, and citrus hops. Sweet and moderately bitter. Incredible blend of fruit and hops. Amazing APA. 5.8% abv.

Golden Nugget IPA

Golden Nugget IPA, Toppling Goliath Brewing Company, Decorah, IA
(IPA, Rated 99)

It took a while, but finally Toppling Goliath has made it's way to Wisconsin. This Iowa brewery has a reputation for making some great beer. This is one of them. A hazy, golden pour with a light, white, frothy head. Gorgeous, sweet aromas or tropical fruits, lemon grass, and a little pine. Crisp taste of floral hops, sweet citrus, and earthy. Smooth mouthfeel, well balanced, and a very subtle bitter finish. Too smooth to be 7.2% abv. Great IPA!

Space Station Middle Finger

Space Station Middle Finger, Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN
(American Pale Ale, Rated 96)

Hazy orange pour with a medium, frothy white head. Amazing zesty aromas of orange, mango, citrus, and tropical fruits. The aromas come through in the taste. Tangy citrus, grapefruit, orange, and sticky resin. Great mix of sweetness and bitter. Chewy and juicy. 6% abv. Three Floyds knows how to make fantastic pale ales!

12 Rye Beers

Here's the next of my themed lists, which I review twelve rye beers. Beers in this category have rye as one of the predominant ingredients in the beer, often substituting for a portion of barley malt. A similar style is the German Roggenbier, which was a style brewed until the 15th century. The addition of rye adds a dry, spicy flavor that can also have sour characteristics. In the United States, the use of rye in beer recipes has spawned a new style called "rye PA", where brewers push the hops so they resemble pale ales and IPAs. I happen to really enjoy the complex, spicy flavors that rye adds to beers, especially to one of my favorite styles, IPAs. You'll find that most of the beers in this review are of the "rye PA" style. Still there are a few others. Without further ado, here are...

12 Rye Beers

Smitten Golden Rye Ale

Smitten Golden Rye Ale, Bells Brewery, Galesburg, MI
(American Pale Ale, Rated 88)

Hazy golden pour with a white head and nice lacing. Aromas of rye, grass, and light citrus hops. Flavor is much of the same, rye spice, an earthy tone, a bit of hop bitterness, and a malty backbone with a resin finish. Definitely more on the pale ale side of hops. At just 6% abv, a solid drinker that leaves me wanting more.

Red's Rye IPA

Red's Rye IPA, Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI
(IPA, Rated 99)

Pours a great crimson red color. Citrus, pine, floral hop aroma with sweetness from caramel malts. Citrus and floral hops well balanced with malted rye giving this great beer a nice crisp, spicy finish. A fantastic rye IPA from Founders and one of their many favorites of mine. 6.6% abv.

Hop Kitchen #5 RyePA

Hop Kitchen #5 RyePA, New Belgium Brewing Company, Fort Collins, CO
(IPA, Rated 85)

This IPA pours a clear amber with a thick white head. Big aromas of rye and pungent, fruity hops. Flavor consists of citrus and pine hops, little tropical fruit, and resin. Has a great spicy, malty rye backbone. Bit of a bready mouthfeel. Nice balance of sweetness and hops. 7.5% abv. A really great IPA.

Fade to Black Volume 5: Black Rye Ale

Fade to Black Volume 5: Black Rye Ale, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO
(Specialty Grain, Rated 95)

This rye ale pours a dark brown with a light, off white head. Aromas of dark, roasted coffee and subtle smokey wood. The flavors cover a varying range beginning with a nuttiness and sweet molasses. Sweet turns to spice as the rye spices come through. Bit of a dry, earthy finish. I love dark beer. This black rye ale is pretty special and it packs a 7.8% abv punch.

Rye of the Tiger

Rye of the Tiger, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, OH
(IPA, Rated 97)

Another favorite of mine. This IPA pours a golden orange with a small white head. Fruity hop aromas with lemon and an earthy tone. Initial taste is grapefruit and rye. Rye spice isn't as harsh as some others, but it lingers throughout. 7.5% abv is masked well. Nicely balanced and a clean finish. Excellent rye beer!

Rogue Farms Roguenbier Rye

Rogue Farms Roguenbier Rye, Rogue Ales, Newport, OR
(Specialty Grain)

Pours a brownish-red with a foamy, off-white head. Aroma has spices, malt, little caramel, and some smoke. Definitely has the roasted malt flavor with a touch of caramel sweetness. Nice spicy, rye bite with a smoky flavor that lasts through the finish. Medium body and a light, dry finish. 6.6% abv.

RHYE IPA

RHYE IPA, Smuttynose Brewing Company, Portsmouth, NH
(IPA, Rated 97)

Make mine a Smutty! This beautiful IPA has a hazy, orange color with a nice, thick, white head that's long-lasting and leaves nice lacing on the glass. Nice aromas of bread, citrus, sweet grass, and some spicy, rye malt. Fantastic blend of hop flavors and spicy rye malts. Piney, citrus, little caramel sweetness, and rye spice that tingles. Well balanced. Little dry at the finish. Just 6.8% abv. A great IPA!

The Bruery Rugbrød

Rugbrod, The Bruery, Placentia, CA
(Specialty Grain, Rated 94)

Rugbrod is Danish for rye bread and this offering from The Bruery fits the bill as it is brewed with three types of rye malts. Pours a dark brown with a nice, thick tan head. Aroma is spicy, sweet caramel, a bit earthy, and malty. Taste isn't far from the nose with sweet caramel, bit of dark fruit, and that nice spicy rye. The rye isn't overpowering, but appears subtly at the end. The 8% abv is hidden by the sweetness. Dry finish. A different take than the others. Amazing beer!

Rye Hatter Rye P.A.

Rye Hatter Rye P.A., New Holland Brweing Company, Holland, MI
(Specialty Grain)

Dark orange pour with a thin, white head. Aroma is sweet caramel, citrus, malty, and a bit earthy. Nice mild hop taste with rye spices. Detect a little caramel sweetness as well. Hops are not overpowering. Well balanced with lingering flavor. The rye spice tingles the tongue well after the finish.

Hebrew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.

Hebrew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A., Shmaltz Brewing Company, Clifton Park, NY
(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 98)

This 40th anniversary beer pours an amber color with a thin, white head. Very aromatic with strong hops, piney, and sweet malts. Excellent flavors of rye spice, resiny hops, and burnt caramel. Tons of hops and malt flavors. A palate pleaser for sure. Smooth finish for 10% abv.

Rye Dopplebock

Rye Dopplebock, Sand Creek Brewing Company, Black River Falls, WI
(Doppelbock)

Deep brown pour with an off-white head. Nice, rich, full aroma of sweet caramel and malts. Flavors of molasses, dark fruits, and caramel. Spicy rye comes through in the finish. A very flavorful beer. Smooth body. Nice balance. Very enjoyable.

Rocketdog Rye IPA

Rocketdog Rye IPA, Laughing Dog Brewing Company, Ponderay, ID
(IPA, Rated 91)

This rye ipa pours a clear, golden, yellow with a thick, foamy, white head. Aromas of grapefruit, rye, floral hops, and sweet honey. Hops up front but tame. Taste is a tad bready with rye spice, citrus hops, and a malty sweet finish. Smooth and well balanced. Excellent drinker at 6.9% abv.

There you have it, twelve rye beers. Most rye beers are seasonal beers for many brewers. I'll be honest that I wasn't sure that I'd find twelve to review here, but I did. In fact, here are a few more...

2XRye

2XRye, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY
(Specialty grain, Rated 95)

Clear burnt orange pour with a thin white head. Nose of caramel, sweet malts, orange zest, and a rye spice background. Nice carbonation. Taste begins with spicy rye, then sweet caramel malt, finishing with a mild mix of citrus and pine bitterness. Not overly spicy. Complex and balanced at the same time. Way too easy of a drinker at 8.1% abv. Cheers!

Road Warrior

Road Warrior, Green Flash Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 98)

This is one fantastic imperial IPA! Pours a nice dark, copper color with an off-white head. Aroma is herbal, earthy, citrus hops, and rye bread. Great complex flavors of dark fruits, bitter rye spice, piney resin, and citrus hops. Full mouthfeel and delicious. Has a malty sweetness as well. Flavors are like a roller coaster through the mouth. Nice lingering alcohol burn at 9% abv. This beer surprised me a bit. Excellent!

Sour in the Rye

Sour in the Rye, The Bruery, Placentia, CA
(Sour Ale/Wild Ale, Rated 99)

Ahh the sour ale. A style of beer that has taken a little more time for me to really enjoy than others have. But let me tell you, this style of beer is nothing short of fantastic. This one pours a deep golden orange with a thin white head. Tart acidic aromas of sour cherry with a faint hint of sweet oranges. Taste is funky, sour, a blend of sour with a touch of sweet. Spice from the rye is subtle, but noticeable. Fresh lemony, sour finish. The 2014 year is 7.8% abv.

Reeb Rye'd IPA

Reeb Rye'd IPA, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO
(Specialty Grain)

I picked up this delicious offering at an Oskar Blues tap takeover event at Ray's Growler Gallery, which is part of Ray's Liquor, one of my favorite bottle shops near where I live. Pours a hazy, golden orange with a thin white head. Nice aromas of rye spice and citrus hops. Little hint of sweetness. Taste is rye spice up front. A well-balanced mix of rye spices and citrus hops. The hops are tame to the extent that they accentuate the rye spice but do not overpower. Nice bitter, dry finish with 7% abv. An excellent rye pale ale.

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Rye certainly adds some distinct and sometimes complex flavors to beer. Being a lover of IPAs, the added spicy, rye flavors to an already bitter and spicy just enhances my enjoyability. That being said, the "rye PA"s have been my favorites, though the Rye Dopplebock was very tasty. If I had to pick a #1 from this list, it has to be Green Flash's Road Warrior. Thankfully, I still have a few more of those in the fridge.

I think I say this after each and every themed list I do. These are a lot of fun. The search for the beers for the list and then drinking and reviewing each one are great. These are educational opportunities for me as I research and learn more about the distinct styles or the special ingredients used. Being a craft beer lover is like being a foodie, only with alcohol. The brewers that create these fantastic recipes are not only chefs, they are artists. I am definitely looking forward to my forthcoming adventures.

So what's next? Another pumpkin list? A second barleywine themed list? How about a pepper beer list?  Do you have any suggestions?  If you do, I'd like to hear them. Until next time, Cheers!

50 Shades of Beer

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Founders Backstage Series #10: Dissenter Imperial IPL

Backstage Series #10: Dissenter Imperial IPL, Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI
(Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils, Rated 98)

Beautiful golden pour with a nice, fluffy white head. Fantastic aromas of mild citrus, sweet grapefruit, tropical fruit, and floral hops. Taste begins with hop bitterness, sweet citrus, with an earthy, malt goodness. Complex, crisp flavors. Well balanced. Couldn't tell this was 8.7% abv at all.

Beer Camp Across America West Coast Double IPA

Beer Camp Across America West Coast Double IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA
(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 96)

Nice golden, yellow pour with a thick, white foamy head that leaves some great lacing on the glass. The nose is bready, malty, and citrus. Brewed with five varieties of hops, this beer is packed full of hop flavor. Bit of sweetness up front followed by a mouthful of bold hop flavors. Grapefruit, orange citrus, floral. Finish is dry with a malty, lingering, bitterness. 8.5% abv is well hidden. Excellent West Coast IPA!

Mermaids Red Ale

Mermaids Red Ale, Coronado Brewing Company, Coronado, CA
(Amber Ale)

Amber ales, sometimes red ales (depending on the color mainly), focus more on malts, but the hop character varies. Some of my favorite amber/red ales have had higher hop profiles. No surprise considering my love of IPAs. This offering from Coronado Brewing has a reddish color with a nice off white head. Aromas of sweet caramel malts with hints of citrus and floral hops. Taste is toasted malt up front, with a smooth sweetness, and finishing with a hoppy tingle on the tongue. Very drinkable!

Fuggles IPA

Fuggles IPA, Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, ME
(IPA)

Rich copper color with a faint, white head. Aroma is malty, citrus bitterness, and sweet fruit. Taste is earthy and a bit harsh. Mild piney hops. Finishes bitter and a little watery. After having so many amazing IPAs, the poor examples seem to stand out even more.

Escape to Colorado IPA

Escape to Colorado IPA, Epic Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, UT
(IPA, Rated 90)

Deliciousness in a can, this IPA pours a near clear, golden yellow with a thin white head. Aromas of citrus, grapefruit, and tropical fruit are subtle. Taste is mild citrus, pine, with a bit of malt near the end. Low on the hops. Light body. Earthy. Nice 6.2% abv of easy drinking here.

Ale Epeteios Imperial Stout

Ale Epeteios Imperial Stout, Left Coast Brewing Company, San Clemente, CA
(Imperial Stout, Rated 94)

Solid black pour with a faint mocha head. Rich aromas of roasted malts, coffee, licorice, and chocolate. Flavor is robust with bitter roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a toasted nuttiness. Nice hop-malt balance. Easy finish. Just a tad boozy at 9.5% abv.

Crowdsourced Batch # 5 Night & Day Vanilla IBA

Crowdsourced Batch #5 Night & Day Vanilla IBA, MobCraft Beer, Madison, WI
(Black IPA)

 Dark brown pour with a thick, almost never-ending, tan head. Aromas of roasted toffee, rich coffee, malts, and faint vanilla sweetness. Holy carbonation! The fizz lasts throughout the taste. Bitter hops up front, followed by roasted coffee, and finishing with vanilla goodness. Yet, the carbonation tingles my tongue to the very end. Great beer!

Let me share a little about MobCraft. They are quite a unique beer company, well, unique to me anyways. They crowdsource most of their recipes and every month there are new beers that are one-time only brews. Beer lovers visit their website (or receive invitations via email) and submit ideas for a beer flavor or style that they have wanted to see if it could get made. The recipe ideas are put up for a vote and the winning recipe gets brewed. How awesome is that?! One recent recipe I had that I thought was totally awesome was called Tequila Mayan Bird, a beer brewed with cocoa powder, white ghost chilies and aged in tequila barrels. YUM!  If you are in the area, give these guys a try!

RAD

RAD, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
(Fruit Beer)

RAD is a blend, or radler, of fruit juices and ale. Pours a cloudy orange-pink, like grapefruit juice. Whatever foamy, white head this beer created upon the pour, dissipated well before I could take the picture, leaving it truly looking like fruit juice in my glass. There is some grapefruit in the aroma, along with some citrus wheat characteristics. The taste is a Summery mix of sweet and tart with fruity explosions. Bitterness bites your tongue and lingers for a bit before fading. At only 3.2% abv, this is definitely a beer for those hot Summer days.

Radlers, or blended beer, are beer-based mixed drinks that combine beer with soda, lemonade, or fruit juices. Shandy's, such as Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, are a variation of a radler.

Blakkr (Surly Release)

Blakkr Imperial Black Ale, Surly Brewing Company, Brooklyn Center, MN
(Black IPA, Rated 99)

Blakkr is the spawn of a collaboration between Surly Brewing Company, Three Floyds Brewing Company, and Real Ale Brewing Company. This beauty pours black in color with a thick tan head that leaves some great lacing on the glass. Aroma is packed with dark roasted malts and floral hops. Complex flavors of dark malts, chocolate, espresso coffee, citrus and pine. Detect a hint of licorice too. Sweet and creamy up front followed by intense hops. The finish is sweet but bitter. The 9.99% abv is there, but hidden well. Outstanding Black IPA!

Pig in the Wood

Pig in the Wood, Finch's Beer Company, Chicago, IL
(American Strong Ale, Rated 93)

I've been quite impressed with Finch's Beer Company so far. This beer is pretty solid! Categorized as an American Strong Ale, this one pours a deep mahogany with a nice foamy, off white head. Aged for over six months in a local Chicago distillery's Koval whiskey barrels, the whiskey is there in the nose along with caramel sweetness, vanilla, and molasses. Such an amazing aroma. Taste is smooth up front with some of that caramel, toffee, and molasses that gives way to the whiskey flavor that warms and lingers through the finish. Love this beer!

Lakefront My Turn #007 - John - Dark Lager with Cherries

Lakefront My Turn #007 - John - Dark Lager with Cherries, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
(Fruit Beer)

My Turn #007 pours a dark, reddish-brown with a thick tan head. Aromas of malts, sweet caramel, and tart cherries in the nose. Flavor is smooth up front with sweet grains and malts followed by a nice cherry flavor and finishing with cherry tartness on the tongue. Little sweet, little sour, but very smooth. Cherry flavor lingers.

Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale

Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale, Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant, Novato, CA
(Scotch Ale)

Moving through my queue and came across this scotch ale. Pours a dark reddish-amber with a smalle off-white head. Aroma is light...faint...sweet caramel malt, some toffee, and a bit of an earthy note. Taste is sweet, malty, little nutty. Not detecting any smokey character. Light body with a semi-dry finish. Not bad, but I've had better.

Thumbprint Series Berliner Weiss

Thumbprint Series Berliner Weiss, New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, WI
(Berliner Weisse, Rated 99)

Another fantastic beer from New Glarus' Thumbprint Series. This one pours a clear, straw-colored, yellow with a big, pillowy, white head. The aroma is lemons, Belgian yeast funk, and cider tartness. True to the style, this beer has light lemon tartness, little sour green apple, and some acidic floral notes. Very clean and crisp with some sharp carbonation. At 3% abv this is a great Summer drinker! Amazing beer!

Hoppy Feet 1.5 Double Black IPA

Hoppy Feet 1.5 Double Black IPA, Clown Shoes Beer, Ipswich, MA
(Black IPA, Rated 99)

You know what they say about big feet, right?  Big beer! This beauty pours a dark, mocha brown with a tan head. Fantastic aromas of dark roasted malts, dark fruit, licorice, and hops. Full of flavor! Chocolate, licorice, dark fruit, roasted malts, a little spice, pine and citrus hops...lots of hops. Well balanced and not overpowering though. Smooth on the palate. I expected a stronger alcohol presence at 10% abv. Just a little booze burn at the finish. This is one fantastic black IPA...one of my favorite styles!

NightTime Ale

NightTime Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA
(Black IPA, Rated 98)

Never a bad time for Lagunitas! This black IPA pours a very dark brown with a tan head. For a black IPA, this beer has everything you'd expect. Aromas of dark roasted malts, piney hops, black licorice sweetness. Resiny hops jump out at first taste followed closely by some intense spice. Dark roasted malt and a bit of sweetness at the finish. Very well-balanced and smooth with an 8.6% kicker, An amazing representation of the style. Cheers!

Permanent Funeral

Permanent Funeral, Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN
(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 100)

This fantastic imperial IPA from Three Floyds pours a hazy orange with a small white head. Aroma is totally juiced up with citrus fruit hops, grapefruit, and pine. Catching a little tropical mango note as well. Taste is like one giant piece of juicy fruit gum with sweet maltiness, tangerines, and sticky pine resin. Starts sweet then moves to bitter, but well balanced. The booze is there at 10.5% abv. Bright. Aromatic. Phenomenal!

Forrester Double IPA

Forrester Double IPA, Two Beers Brewing Company, Seattle, WA
(Imperial/Double IPA)

Dark orange pour with a thick, white head. Great lacing on the glass. Aromas of citrus, light grapefruit, orange, with a malty, earth note. Taste begins heavy on the citrus flavors of grapefruit and sticky pine resin. Strong bitterness and a dry finish. Not too shabby at 7.8% abv.

Single Hop Single Farm Mosaic IPA

Single Hop Single Farm Mosaic IPA, Two Beers Brewing Company, Seattle, WA
(IPA)

Yellow-orange pour with a frothy, white head. Great lacing on the glass. Aroma is grassy, citrus, lemon, and pine. Big hop flavors of citrus, lemon, orange that is definitely West Coast style. Nice malty finish to accentuate the hops. Delicious IPA!