#298 Boulevard - Double-Wide IPA

This is part of Boulevard Brewing co. Smoke Stack series of beer that just recently became available in St. Louis. There are four beer in the series all 750ml bottles and big bold styles of beer.

This IPA has a strong hop aroma with fruit and pineapple notes, mixed with a hint of honey. The color is a light brown with red highlights. The head pour Very thick and has good retention keeping the foam thick with big bubbles long after the pour.

The taste starts with a strong malt sweetness tasting like honey. The malt is quickly over come by a stronger hop flavor with floral and spicy pine flavors. The hops have a good deal of bitterness which is normal for a beer with this much hops. The mouthfeel is medium full with good carbonation. The finish is hoppy bitter with a little floral flavor.

I really like this beer. It has a lot of hop flavor and some malt to balance it, this IPA is still hop heavy, but that is not a bad thing. Just a great enjoyable beer.

#297 Terrapin - Golden Ale

This beer has a slight aroma with DMS (corn smell) being the only thing noticeable. The beer has a golden color with just a hint of hazy keeping the beer from being crystal clear. The head pours thick and has moderate retention.

This beer has a DMS (corn) taste with a strong dose of hop bitterness. The DMS has plenty of sweetness and malt flavors are absent. The bitterness is clear and it tastes like hops, but there is no clear hop flavor. The mouthfeel is a little thick and the finish is pretty bitter.

I am not thrilled about this beer. I was expecting a Belgian style Golden Strong and got some odd corn base beer, maybe a cream ale. The bottle calls this beer a session beer meaning it's low alcohol and easy to drink, I guess it is but I don't care for the corn flavor or the bitterness.

#296 Terrapin Beer co. - Rye Pale Ale

The last Rye Pale Ale was Augie's RPA for the Heritage Festival.

This beer has a nice hoppy aroma with some fruity pineapple notes. The color is a hazy orange that can be seen through but not clearly. The head pours medium and quickly fizzes away.

This beer has a sharp hoppy flavor with a good deal of bitterness. The hops also have a flavor of sour fruit like lemons or limes. There is a slight grainy, or grassy flavor from the rye and only a hint of sweetness. The rye does give the beer a nice smooth full mouthfeel. The finish is a little bitter with hop flavors.

I don't like this beer. I think the hops are to bitter without any hop flavor and there is no malt to backup the large amount of hops. I do like the rye mouthfeel but that is the only redeeming quality of this beer.

#295 North Cost - Old Rasputin

This beer is on draft at The Stable a new bar in St. Louis.

This beer has a strong stout aroma with a hint of alcohol and a whiskey/bourbon barrel aged notes. The color is black without any light getting through. The head is a light brown and a little thick with medium retention.

The taste is rich and malty with a hint of roast. There is a strong aged beer flavor of store fruit and raisins. The taste also has hints of bourbon barrel aging but, this beer might not be aged in special barrels. There is some bitterness and a hint of hops, but hops are secondary to the malt. THe mouthfeel is thick and smooth. The finish is lightly sweet with little bitterness.

This is a really tasty Big Beer, with lots of flavor. It is always exciting to find such a big beer on draft.

#294 Orkney Brewery - Dragonhead Red Ale

This red ale has a caramel malt aroma with some hints of candy. The color is a light copper and is very clear. The head pours thick with some retention.

This beer has a dry taste with some light fruit esters. There is also a some bitterness in this beer
adding to the dry taste, there is only a hint of hop flavor that blends with the malt. The fruit flavor from the malt and hops is the main taste of this beer. The mouthfeel is thin and the finish is dry and bitter.

I really enjoy the fruity esters in this beer, it is nice and light and refreshing. I would like a little less bitterness and a bit more sweetness. This is a great beer.

#293 Orkney Brewery - Dragonhead Stout

This beer has a very malty aroma with roasted grain and strong chocolate notes. The color is black as can be without any light passing through. The head pours very thick with good retention and large bubbles.

The taste is very roasty and malty with a burnt smoky taste. Being a Scottish beer peat smoked malt is likely used. There is some bitterness with no noticeable hop flavors. This stout has some sweetness and even a hint of fruit esters. The mouthfeel is very thin, surprising for a beer with such a thick head. The finish is malty with a hint of smoke.

This is a really good stout, lots of strong flavors and all well blended. With a little more body this beer could be mistaken for an Imperial Stout with so much flavor but it only has 4% alcohol. A really good beer.

#292 Kennybunkport - IPA

This beer has a malty, hoppy, buttery aroma with no on characteristic being most noticeable. The color is a brownish copper and very clear. The head pours thick and has good retention like an IPA should.

The taste is a lot like the aroma, a few muted flavors. There is some malt grain flavor with only mild sweetness. There is some piny hop flavors and a bit of bitterness. And there is the buttery diacetyl taste with some fruity esters. The mouthfeel is mild with a hint of the slick diacetyl feel. The finish is bitter with a hint of malt.

This is an ok beer, too many weak flavors competing in a beer that should have strong flavors. This is very drinkable but it will not win anyone over for greatest beer.

#291 Brouwerij Van Steenberge - Gulden Draak

This Belgian starts with a strong clove spice aroma and a hint of yeast. The color dark burgundy with a bit of reddish light coming through. The head pours thick and has good retention.

There is a lot of Belgian spice flavors to this beer, with clove, orange peel, and coriander notes. There is some sugary sweetness giving this beer a candy like flavor with just a hint of sour. The mouthfeel is very carbonated and effervescent. This Belgian finished sweet with some spice flavors.

The Belgian spice flavors are a little too over the top on this beer. I enjoy the clove and coriander taste, I would just like some other flavors mixed in. Still a fine beer.

#290 New Holland Brewing - Dragon's Milk

This beer has a malty stout aroma mixed with a hint of alcohol. The color is a very dark brown with just a hint of light coming through on the edges. The foam pours thick and has good retention.
There is a pronounced roasted malt flavor with coffee and grain notes. There is a good deal of sweetness to this beer is has some malt flavor but with Milk in the name this is likly a milk stout using Lactose as a sweetener. A hint of floral hop flavor is present, but no more than a hint. The alcohol smell is only a hint of alcohol taste. There is a smooth creamy mouthfeel that adds to the Milk name. The finish is malty sweet with a little oak aged taste.

This is a really tasty beer. I like the smooth mouthfeel and the sweetness blending with the stout flavors. I am interested in making a beer like this it is so enjoyable.

#288 Sweet Water - 420 Extra Pale Ale

Not really sure what's with the drug reference in this beer. This is only beer in Sweet Water's lightup with any innuendo, other beers not names for style alone are Road Trip and Festival Ale, so this is an odd change.

This beer has a nice floral hoppy aroma with a hint of malt. The color is a dark straw or light gold. The head pours thick, with moderate retention.

The taste of this Extra Pale Ale is a little fruity with the blend of hops and malt. There is some malt flavor with a little sweet caramel bread taste, but light. The hop flavors any light just a hint of floral flavor, and the bitterness is pretty strong. The most pronounced flavor is the bitterness. The mouthfeel has some body, but overall thin. The finish is a little bitter, but mainly clean.

This is an alright beer, lots of slight tastes, just not balancing really well.

#287 Naked Lion - Copper Flask

This beer starts with a light malt aroma with a hint of yeast. The beer has a very clear gold color with just a light touch of foam.

The taste is a little malty with a little caramel flavor. The closest flavor to hops is a little skunk flavor that comes from the hops exposed to light in a clear bottle and a hint of bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin and refreshing. This beer finishes with a hint of malt.

This is an ok beer. Nothing really good, nothing really bad, just not much taste beyond the hint of skunk.

#286 McEwan's - India Pale Ale

This IPA has a slight acetone smell mixed with stale beer. The color is a medium to dark brown but very clear. The foam pours low and has some retention at that low state.

There is a horrible flat, stale beer taste to this. There is carbonation so it is unlikely to be flat, but it tastes flat. There is a little grain flavor that is noticeable mixed with the stale beer taste. There is not a sour taste from an infected beer, and there is not a cardboard, foot taste of an over oxidized beer, or a skunk taste of a beer that got too much light, just a flat stale taste like a beer that was left out overnight. The finish is a lingering stale taste that do not seem to go away.

I don't know if this bottle is bad for some reason, but this beer is nasty. Only a few sips is all I can stand.

#285 Anheuser Busch O'Doul's - Amber

After last night's 16% beer a change to a non-alcoholic beer is needed. I think non-alcoholic craft beer is a missed market, no reason to believe someone drinking N/A beer wants to drink fizzy yellow liquid.

There is a slight caramel aroma to this beer mixed with a chalky lager aroma. The color is a very light brown that is very clear. The head pours thick with some retention keeping the top covered.

The taste is a light malt flavor with some caramel and grain flavor. There is no hop flavors, but a noticeable bitterness. There is a slight flavor of something that is not right, it could be the lack of alcohol. The mouthfeel is light and refreshing, and the finish is a little malty sweet.

This is a fine, easy drinking beer. This would be a great lawnmower beer, very refreshing and light.

#284 Avery - Mephistopheles' Stout

Mephistopheles is a term used of the Devil or Satan, it is more properly the name of a demon for the Faust legend. Mephistopheles is more man like while Satan has the hooves and horns of a goat.

This beer has an aroma of an aged beer with raisins, and earthiness. There is also a strong malty chocolate aroma with a hint of alcohol. The color is black, without any light passing through. The head is a milk chocolate brown and very thick with good retention.

This beer has a strong malt flavor without any roasted flavor. The malt gives the beer a chocolate flavor with some mild sweetness. There is also an aged beer flavor of raisins that blends well with the sweet chocolate taste. This stout has a pronounced alcohol warmth almost burning which is not surprising for a 16% beer. The mouthfeel is very smooth, creamy, and full. This beer finishes malty sweet.

This is the kind of beer I hoped to find when I started my year of beer. Lots of great flavors blending well together. If this beer was a lower proof I could see enjoying this everyday, but at 16% this is quite strong for an everyday drinker.

#283 Maredsous - Dubbel

This Dubbel has an aroma of Belgian spice and yeast, it is an almost floral smell. The color is a dark brown, with just a hint of light passing through. The head is thick with good retention.

The taste is malty with chocolate and roasted malt, almost coffee notes. There is also a good amount of Belgian spice flavors blending well with the malt. This beer has a hint of aged beer oxidization and dried fruit which goes well with the malt. The mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy. The finish is malty and full of spice.

This is a really good Dubbel, there is lots of flavor and a great mouthfeel. A really enjoyable beer.

#280 Highland Brewing - Black Mocha Stout

This stout as a roasted malt aroma with a hint of coffee. The color is defiantly black, without any light getting through. The foam is very low, just a slight covering on the top of the beer.

There is a pronounced roasted taste to this stout, almost camp fire roasted taste with only a slight coffee flavor. The bitterness is clear with a suggestion of hop flavor and slight tannins. The mouthfeel is full and effervescent. This beer finishes with some roast flavor and a hint of bitterness.

This is an ok beer, so far my favorite from Highland Brewing company. I like coffee stouts, but this isn't really a coffee stout, it's just a really dark stout.

#279 Highland Brewing - Gaelic Ale

This Ale has a slight caramel aroma or a slight dry malt extract aroma. The color is a reddish copper and clear. The head pours full with big bubbles, but fizzes away quickly.

The taste is slight malty with some a caramel notes. There is a hint of hops in taste and in the bitterness. This is surprisingly dry beer there is no residual sweetness. The mouthfeel is thin without much too it and the finish is dry like the rest of the beer.

I don't like how dry this beer is, this could really use a bit of sweetness. I wonder what yeast is used to make such a dry beer.

#278 Corsendonk - Abbey Brown Ale

Corsendonk is named after the Priory of Corsendonk in Oud-Turnhout which comprised a large brewery and malt house. The Priory was founded in 1398 and closed in 1784. The brand as it is now was introduced in 1982 by the Keersmaekers firm in Oud-Turnhout.

This beer has a malty earthy aroma with a hint of alcohol. The color is dark brown with red highlights and just a bit of light passing through. The head is not very thick but has enough retention to keep the top covered in foam.

The taste is malty with some grain flavors and a bit of sweetness. There is a bit of Belgian clove spice and there is another spice flavor that might be from wild yeast. This beer also has a little alcohol warmth not over power just enough to know it is there. The mouthfeel is full with plenty of carbonation. This beer has a malty clove spice finish.

This is a really good beer, there is no overpowering taste just a few subtle flavors. The wild yeast, maybe horse blanket flavor is really nice in this beer.

#277 Boulder Beer - Hazed and Infused

This beer has a rich hops aroma, with piny and grassy notes. The color is a medium brown that is too cloudy to see through. The head is very thick with good retention. This beer initially opened and fizzed over just like yesterdays, they have both been kept is a cool fridge and came from the same store, makes me wonder about the store.

The taste is very hop forward with distinct pineapple flavors and floral notes. The malt flavor is a very like sweetness giving most of the taste to the hops. There is only a slight bitterness for such a large amount of hop flavor, not surprising for a dry hopped beer. The mouthfeel is full and well carbonated. The beer finishes bitter with a hint of hops.

This is a good hoppy beer, lots of great hop flavors without much bitterness. This is a good example of what a well hopped beer should taste like.

#276 Atlanta Brewing (Red Brick) - Peach Tree Pale Ale

This beer fizzed over when opened, normally a sign of a bottle that has wild infected yeast, or a bottle that was over filler or had too much sugar added at bottling. Very strange for a beer outside of home brew.

The aroma of this pale ale is very hop heavy, lots of floral and citrus hop flavors. The color is a light yellow or amber with a hint of hazy. This beer pours with a thick head of foam, but it quickly fizzes away to a light covering.

This beer has a hoppy bitter taste with a hint of malt. There is a slight malt sweetness, but it is overwhelmed by the huge bitter taste and with a slight hop flavor. The bitterness is so strong my mouth is water and there is only a hint of hop flavors. The mouthfeel is full with plenty of carbonation, and the finish is bitter and dry.

I am not impressed with this beer, too much bitterness and not enough hop flavors.

#275 Great Divide - Titan IPA

The label on this beer describes it as "Brewed for hop disciples", I really enjoy some hops so this sounds like a fine beer for me.

This beer has a strong hop aroma with floral and fruit notes. The color is a reddish brown, or honey color and very clear. The head pours thick and white, with moderate retention.

The taste is very hoppy with plenty of bitterness making my mouth water. The hop flavors are grass and floral, and the bitterness seems to match well with the flavor. There is not much malt, just a little sweetness to give the hop flavors some backbone. The mouthfeel is full and rich. The finish is bitter and dry, but not overly.

This is a fine beer for anyone who likes hops, could use a little contrast, but still lots of good hop flavors. This might be a good beer to age, all the hops should give the beer a long life.

#269 Atlanta Brewing – Red Brick Ale

Sunday June 1st.

The aroma is malty with caramel and toffee aromas. The color is a dark reddish brown with only some light getting though. This beer has a very thick head with great retention lasting long after the initial pour.

Red Brick Ale has a large malt taste, with distinct tannin and grain flavors. This beer is dry with some hints of roasts grain and caramelization of grain. There is no hop flavors except for some bitterness. The mouthfeel is full giving the beer plenty of body. This beer finishes dry with some bitter hints of roast.

This is an alright beer, lots of malt flavors, but over all too dry for my taste.

#273 Highland Brewing Company - St. Terese's Pale Ale

This Pale Ale has a floral hoppy aroma with a hint of honey. The color is a medium brown like dark honey, and very hazy. There is little to no foam on this beer, but there are some bubbles coming up from the side.

The taste is a little malty with some grainy notes and a hint of tannins. There is some hop flavor with a piny and floral flavor. There is a mild amount of bitterness that is keeping with the whole beers overall light flavored theme. The mouthfeel is medium with plenty of carbonation and the finish is clean with a hint of bitterness.

This is a fine beer, not a lot of great thing, but nothing bad. This is pretty much what a Pale Ale should taste like.

#271 Wellpark Brewery - Tennent's Lager

This beer is a called the Budweiser of Scotland, it is common in pubs and stores. It's also a light lager like Budweiser.

The aroma is mildly hoppy with some lager chalky notes. The color is straw and clear as expected from a light lager. The head pours thin and quickly fizzes away to almost nothing, but there are still plenty of bubbles coming from the bottom of the glass.

The tastes is slightly malty sweet with an accent of honey and a little graininess. There is a pronounced bitterness that tastes a little like hops. There is a hint of green glass skunk but it is so slight it just adds another dimension of flavor to the beer. The mouthfeel is thin and light. The finish is crisp with some bitterness.

This is a pretty good beer, for such a commercial beer. There is a little flavor mixed in with an overall clean taste. I am really impressed, I like this beer more than I expected too.

#270 Arcadia Ales - IPA

Lot of hop aroma to this IPA with floral and grassy notes. There is a sharp citrus note to the hop aroma. The color is a muddy brown with a hint of honey, and very cloudy. The head is very thick with good retention, and large bubbles. There some flakes of sediment floating in the foam.

This IPA has a lot of hops flavors, piny hop flavors, there is an almost Pine-Sol taste to this beer. The hop taste is so heavy pine, it is likely that a single variety of flavor hops was used. The malt starts with slightly sweet, but is not enough to balance against the hops. There is only a slight bitter taste to a beer with so much hops. The mouthfeel is full with good body. The finish is slightly piny.

This is an ok beer, I am not thrilled with the pine taste, but it does not ruin the beer. There are plenty of better beers from Arcadia I would rather drink.

#268 Yazoo – Dos Perros Ale

Saturday May 31st

This is a mexican style beer brewed in Nashville TN. Mexican beers a similar of old Austrian styles because Mexico was rules by Austria in the late 19^th century.

This beer has a clean malty aroma. The color is a dark brown with some red highlights. There is little to no foam on this beer.

This ale has a slight malty molasses taste with a hint of roasted flavor. There is a slight corn DMS taste this this beer making it taste like a mix between a cream ale and an English stout. The mouthfeel is well carbonated and effervescent. The finish is clean with a hint of roast.

This is a tasty beer, a great one to drink on a hot day. The flavors are clean and light even for a beer with a dark color.

#266 Great Lakes - Burning River

Drank Thursday May 29th.

Still to come

#264 Full Sail - IPA

Drank on Tuesday May 27th.

Post to come

#265 Homebrew Imperial Stout

Drank Wednesday May 28th. This batch was brewed a few months ago and has been aging.

Write up to come

#263 Homebrew Maibock

This beer was drank on Monday May 26th. This is a batch brewed specifically for the beach trip.

Review to follow.

#262 SABMiller - Icehouse

This was the first beer I had once I arrived at my friend's beach house in Mexico Beach Florida on Sunday May 27th. There will be a lack of images for the next few beers and they will be posted well after they were drank over the next few days. .

Icehouse has a chalky lager aroma with a hint of hops. There is a dark straw color allowing plenty of light to get through. The head pours thick and quickly fizzes away.

Icehouse has an odd taste, it is not a malt taste more of a rice or corn taste. There is no hop flavor but there is some bitterness that seems to be required for a drink to be called beer. Icehouse is well carbonated with a thin mouthfeel. The finish is very dry.

Icehouse is a cheap 5.5% beer, and it tastes about like that. There are lots of beer I would rather drink. Drinking beers like this reminds me how great good beer is.