Peak Organic Brewing Company - Fall Summit Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Twain pint glass

This organic brew pours a deep amber body with a tawny brown base. The head is thick and frothy colored in a slightly yellowed tan. Foam retention is excellent and leaves extensive lacing at the top of the glass. The nose is quite hoppy with a minor astringency. Lightly earthy tones define the beer and sport a mix of spiciness and a slight chalky essence.

After the nose, the beer is more malt forward than expected. A distinct dusty chalkiness develops from big mineral-heavy water notes. The malt base of the beer also carries a vegetal edge and, contrastingly, a sharp metallic edge. Caramel sweetness is clear, matched by very slight chocolate notes. Hops dominate the mid-palate through the finish. They're aromatic and oily with a slight piney essence. The finish is gristly and grainy with lasting sweetness and bitter hops.

Final Verdict: B/B-

Weyerbacher Brewing Company - AutumnFest Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Mark Twain pint glass

The AutumnFest Ale from Pennsylvania-based Weyerbacher pours a deep tawny amber body with a slightly yellowed light tan head. The creamy medium-sized head has solid retention and produces thin lace on the glass. The nose has sweet caramel malts with a slightly spicy edge. A moderate woodiness plays off the vaguest hint of chocolate. Hops lend a dryness, but are light on the bittering.

This ale's carbonation is mild and the beer almost seems to teeter on wateriness because the beer doesn't exude body. The flavor is very earthy with a dank woodiness that gives the beer an almost bock-like quality, two seasons late. Light biscuity malts have a toffee sweetness. Chocolate notes develop late and fade into the aftertaste. After the mild sweetness of the beer, the mild cocoa adds a bit of depth.

Final Verdict: B-

Mercury Brewing Company - Ipswich Harvest Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Mark Twain pint glass

Mercury Brewing's Ipswich Harvest Ale pours a very deep, tawny chestnut brown body. The Large head is light tan and very dense. The foam is creamy with a frothy consistency. Retention and lacing on the beer are both solid. The nose is very hoppy with citrus and resinous pine notes. The sticky hop aroma gives way to a significant malt character with molasses and brown sugar notes. A minor hint of coffee lingers at the edges.

A moderate smokiness on the front almost give the impression of a Black IPA, when paired with the considerable hop profile. The beer is highly hoppy with dry pine that lends heaps of bitterness to the beer. Certainly hoppier than most amber ales, this is another solid entry to the Ipswich line. Lingering hops on the finish further contribute to the beer's bold character.

Final Verdict: B+

Magic Hat Brewing Company - Hex Ourtoberfest

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass

Hex: 'Ourtoberfest' is an interesting and unique take on a traditional Oktoberfest Märzen. Like Magic Hat is known for, they've put their own spin on this one. The beer pours a slightly hazy amber body with a golden glow. The head is medium-large and is quite yellowed. The foam is frothy and sticky with excellent retention. The lacing is dispersed, but chunky. The nose is musty and lagery with a prominent honey sweetness. The hop bitterness is very subtle.

Definitely a modern take. The most noticeable departure is the addition of spicy rye malts. The lagery edge and crispness are characteristic. The beer has a defined honey sweetness with a balance of bitter dandelion-like hops. The carbonation is crisp and velvety giving this beer a fresh edge. Lingering sweetness and tea-like malt base make up the finish.

I found this beer surprisingly good. I've long heard the praises of Magic Hat, but I've met them with very mixed results. Some of the beers I've had in the past just weren't doing it for me. After this experience I'll have to reconsider some of them soon.

Final Verdict: B+

Blue Point Brewing Company - Spring Fling Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass

It's a little late, based on the name, but the Spring Fling ale from Blue Point still makes for solid summer drinking. The beer pours a clear and even amber body with a large head of light fluffy foam. Modestly off-white in color, the head has moderate retention and great initial lacing. The nose carries a slight sour graininess on top its malt-centric aroma. The slightly lagery edge brings this beer in line with a lot of standard amber ales.

The velvety mouthfeel is smooth and consistent overall with a solid carbonation. The beer is quite malty with an understated caramel sweetness. The toasted malts lean a bit toward biscuity, held back slightly by a minor dusting of hoppiness. A mild finish sends this beer off with a lagery edge and a hint of dryness.

Final Verdict: B

Rogue Brewery - American Amber Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits

Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass

Rogue's American Amber Ale pours a deep, but clear, cherry amber with light visible carbonation. The head is huge and fluffy with a slightly frothy consistency and an off-white coloration. The retention is great and the lacing is commendable. Hops are prevalent on the nose with a light dusty dryness and an underlying malty sweetness.

The beer is super grainy with a gritty, coarsely cracked grain mouthfeel. There's a light sour mash component to the front palate. The beer is slightly earthy with toasted biscuit notes and sweet caramelized malts that add color and flavor. The hops are tight and turn the palate crisp and shift the focus of the beer. The finish is grainy, but carries a lasting hop dryness.

Final Verdict: A-

Mendocino Brewing Company - Red Tail Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass

Another beer from Mendocino, this time from their Legend series, Red Tale Ale is an American amber ale with a lot going for it. The beer pours a glowing amber body with a hazy complexion. The head is a thin white foam, velvety smooth with tons of minuscule carbonation bubbles. The foam produces a series of lightly layer lace on the glass. The nose is sweet with caramel malts and comes across fresh and clean. There's a light dusting of hops, not pronounced, but pleasantly subdued.

The malts are clear and predominant on the palate. The sweetness is substantial, almost like candied fruits, but far from cloying. There's a slightly herbal, almost clover-like honey character as well. The beer is lightly earthy, but not gritty and without the 'dirtiness' often characterizing earthiness. Almost flowery, there are hints of hibiscus near the finish. The hops are present, but light overall. They provide a dash of bitterness for some added depth, but remain understated.

Final Verdict: A-

Lagunitas Brewing Company - Censored (The Kronik)

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass

Whether the beer's decidedly banal, but underhandedly provocative name is a marketing stunt or not, I approve. The beer's color lives up to its subtitle "Rich Copper Ale" with the coppery body holding a fine yeast suspension. The head is a medium-sized white foam with a creamy consistency. The malts of the beer carry a caramel sweetness, doughy bread, and vanilla. A hint of alcohol sneaks its way in, but subsides gently to a vague nutty aroma.

The mouthfeel is satin with a light crispness, but a prevailingly smooth tone. The beer is high on it's maltiness. Despite the prominent grain profile, the toasted sweetness is held in check. The flavors are earthy and gritty, tempered slightly by hints of mild, dried apricots. The bittering is gentle. The hops here are clear, but understated. This is a very unique and highly delicious Amber Ale worth checking out.

Final Verdict: A

Ballast Point - Calico Amber Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a pint glass

Following up Ballast's IPA, Calico is a red ale for the California brewer. The body is a deep red amber with a sticky, frothy, tannish head. The head recedes very slowly leaving a ton of lacing clinging to the walls of the glass. Hops are potent on the nose with a mild astringency and a slight mineral edge.

From the start, the beer is quite hoppy, in true California style. The malts are clear and seem big and chunky. The mouthfeel is exaggerated by some carbonation on top of the malts that are already full of body. The malts give the beer a bit of a biscuity character. The mid-palate is hit with a cherry sweetness and a lingering toasted caramel. The finish seems a bit dusty and the mouthfeel is left seeming powdery.

Final Verdict: B

Stone Brewing Company - Levitation Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. screen-printed bottle, poured into a pint glass

Stone's Levitation Ale is an amber/red ale and another solid entry from the San Diego brewer. The beer pours a deep ruby brown with amber highlights. It has a large creamy tan head with great retention. There's a ton of lacing the the pattern is quite varied. The nose is intense with sticky pine hops that beat back all but a notion of malt sweetness.

The mouthfeel is quite airy and keeps the beer seeming fairly light. Hops are dominant and stand out among the other flavors. The hops have a minor floral component to them, which keeps them from pushing this beer too far toward a darker IPA. The beer finishes up with caramel malt sweetness and a lingering hop character that creates a crisp finish. Overall the beer is very drinkable, but hoppier than most red ales.

Final Verdict: A-

North Coast Brewing Co. - Ruedrich's Red Seal Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Mark Twain pint glass

Interestingly enough, Red Seal Ale comes from Fort Bragg, California, in Mendocino County, which is also the home of Mendocino Brewing Company, the brewers of Mendocino Imperial IPA, which I reviewed last week. An unplanned, but notable coincidence. This red ale is a dark hazy amber in color with a generous yellow-tinted head. Both the head retention and lacing are modest.

The nose has initially noticeable light sweet malts with hints of white grapes. The hops on the nose are herbal and highly floral. There's a slight yeasty must component as well. The taste starts off with a pleasing honey sweetness followed up by bready, lightly toasted malts. The finish is sweet with delicious clover honey and a light dusting of spiciness. The aftertaste is long-lasting and flower-infused.

This beer is incredibly pleasing and has a complexity not found in many red ales. Worth seeking out.

Final Verdict: A

BrewDog - 5 A.M. Saint

BrewDog - 5 A.M. Saint

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits

Serving Type: 11.2 oz. bottle, poured into a mug

My first beer from BrewDog, the makers of Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Sink the Bismarck, among the highest ABV beers in the world. 5 A.M. Saint pours a light, glowing, hazy amber body with moderate visible carbonation. The head is a stiff tanned light foam head with a mild orangey sheen. The very hoppy nose has hints of sticky pine sap and fresh grapefruits.

A crisp graininess pushes its way through the extra hoppy foretaste. There’s a tight tartness like early-season McIntosh apples with a light caramel sweetness. The hops definitely dominate this beer, but they aren’t biting. Finish is clean and carries a slight lingering tart aftertaste. 

Final Verdict: B

Opa-Opa - Red Rock Ale

Opa-Opa - Red Rock Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits

Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Mark Twain pint glass

Red Rock Ale comes with a deep amber and red body with ruby glow throughout. The head is modest with a light-to-tan coloring and fair retention. It produces light lacing on the glass. Crisp malts are present on the nose with a bit of unusual soy or ginger scent. Smells a lot like a lunch bento box from a Japanese restaurant. Interesting indeed.

There’s medium body to the mouthfeel and a crunchy malt character. There’s a slightly rough early component and the lightly toasted malts are full of flavor. The hops add fair bittering, but also have an interestingly coarse feel to them. The hops persist into the aftertaste and bring a bit of malt with them on the way out.

Final Verdict: B