Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Cranberry Lambic

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

After posting reviews for a number of true Belgian Lambic ales I saw fit to post my review of the Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic. This Boston take on the style features a cloudy browning body with a distinct red tint and minor glow. This very-hazy beer musters a medium, but still smallish head of a lightly pink foam. The head is short-lived and leaves very little lace behind. The nose features cracked grain maltiness with a moderate sweetness and a light astringency. Tart cranberries are present, but light, and the beer leans stronger toward sugars.

The beer is quite crisp, but doesn't match the Champagne-like mouthfeel of a true Lambic. In fact, this beer seems to have nothing to do with the style at all. Without a process of spontaneous fermentation or at least using a blend that includes some wild yeast strains it is hard to imagine any beer successfully mimicking the style. Cranberry flavor is light, moderately tart, and features some sugariness. The beer is sweet, but not cloying. The underlying malts matched with the beer's sweetness give the impression of a light toast with maple syrup. The finish is mild overall with a lasting toothsome sugar.

Final Verdict: C+

Mercury Brewing Company - Clown Shoes - Lubrication American Black Ale

Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a plastic cup

The Lubrication Black Ale from Clown Shoes/Mercury pours a deep brown body, pushing black with a ruby glow around its edges and on the pour. The full tan head is small, but creamy in consistency with a mild oily sheen. The head fades slowly and leaves light lace behind as it goes. The robust smokey nose features hints of coffee and a dry powdery essence on the back end.

With a smooth and satiny mouthfeel the beer features a toffee sweetness up front. Slowly the sweets slide into a medium roast coffee with mild smokey notes. The beer seems dry with a vague mineral influence. From the mid-palate through the finish the flavor fades and leaves an exceedingly dry and lightly smokey finish.

Final Verdict: B

Mercury Brewing Company - Clown Shoes - Clementine White Ale

Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a plastic cup

Clementine by Clown Shoes, brewed by Mercury (which also brews Ipswich), pours a light glowing orange body with steadily rising carbonation. The beer appears very cloudy, approaching opaque. The head is a thin white airy light foam with moderate retention. The head does not leave much lace behind. The dry nose is vaguely cellary with a minor sour-like funk. Orangy citrus on the nose sweetens the aroma and lends a light astringency.

Up front a grassy freshness meets light flavorful malts. Orange favor accents light citrusy hops. Mild coriander and white pepper notes mix with an almost ginger-like spiciness. The bold sweetness and spice culminate with a dry finish and a mild tartness. A lasting sweetness and spice profile persist on the slowly fading aftertaste.

Final Verdict: B+

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams Octoberfest

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

The Samuel Adams Oktoberfest from the Boston Beer Company pours a solid amber body with a slight orange glow. A medium-sized yellowed tan head of creamy foam sits on top and slowly fades with moderate retention. As the head disappears it leaves light wispy lacing along the glass. The nose is fairly light with some dry earthy tones and a modest sweetness. A very, very slight astringency lingers on the aroma.

The malts have a modest caramel component matched with a pronounced toasted breadiness. The beer has a very light hoppiness that is mostly dry, rather than bitter or overly aromatic. A slight spiciness appears late as well. The finish is dry and fairly flat on the flavor. A minor sweetness lasts on the aftertaste.

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+

Harpoon Brewery - Octoberfest

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

The Octoberfest märzen from Harpoon Brewery pours a dark tawny copper body with a light orange glow. The medium-sized yellowed tan head sports modest retention and is very light on lacing overall. The nose is very malty with sweet caramel notes and a lightly toasted bread component. A slight spicy hop character is also clear on the aroma.

The brew is malt-forward with a big malt profile. Hops in this märzen are very light and provide a slight dry bitterness more than anything. The breadiness is very mild and the malts seem more sugary than full-bodied. Mild alcohol near the end seems a bit out of place for the style and strength of the beer. Additional, but moderate spiciness is present on the finish, but it doesn't out do the grainy sweetness of the beer.

Final Verdict: B-

Belgian Beer Fest 2011

On Saturday September 10, 2011 I volunteered for the Belgian Beer Fest hosted in Boston, MA by Beer Advocate and Allagash brewing company. This time, as compared to my time at the ACBF in June, I was able to take more photos, some of which you will see below, but I was, unfortunately, unable to take notes on the beers I tasted. Luckily, I was able to sample and enjoy a number of beers, a (very select few) I will mention as stand outs below.

The Cyclorama as the tables and curtains were being set up. If you've never been, the Cyclorama is a great space with exposed brick walls and a gigantic dome ceiling. The echo was loud during the set up and the magnification of the general hum of the beer drinking crowd was impressive.

During the set up period we delivered cases and kegs of beer to the tables for the breweries and distributors who would be in attendance.

Boston Beer Company featured two beers from their barrel aged series.

On the right side of the hall a number of breweries set up their tables with decorations and tap boxes. Smuttynose was one of several New England-based breweries in attendance.

On the left side of the hall Pretty Things worked on getting pretty with their signature felt banner and flower decorations.

The calm before the storm.

Fest attendees enjoying samples of delicious Belgian and Belgian-inspired beers.

Chimay USA, representing one of my favorite brewers, was in attendance, featuring a Seth Rogan look alike pouring excellent beer and dispensing beer knowledge.

As part of what looks like a new art direction for their advertising campaign, Chimay was giving away wooden-handled bottle openers.

I greatly enjoyed the fest and had a lot of fun working, but, unfortunately, I was unable to take notes on my favorite beers. I tried a many, but was only able to keep track of a few. Luckily, the ones I remembered were stand outs.

Low Alcohol Beers

While there may have been other in attendance, I noticed two, very interesting, low ABV beers. First was the Beerstand Berlinerweiss from Haverhill Brewery. The beer is a Berliner Weissbier that weighs in at between 2.7-3% ABV. Through a sour-mashing technique the beer has a distinctive tartness, but also features prominent wheat malt character and a mild spiciness. A great Summer-drinking beer that's light on alcohol.

Also featured at the Fest was Magnifico from Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project. Magnifico is a Summer seasonal, draft-only, Belgian-style Pale Ale. The beer came in at about 3.4% ABV, but has all the trappings of a real beer. Delicious and highly drinkable the beer has a light bodied maltiness and a dusting of hops on the finish. Magnifico is a total rarity that may be a one-off run. I'd recommend checking it out, but it might not even be possible.

Belgian Lambics

Lindemans is a great Belgian Lambic brewery that has wide availability in the USA. While many of their Lambic fruit beers are easily found, their distributor, Merchant du Vin, brought Cuvée René and Faro with them to the Fest. Faro is a blended Lambic style, formerly exclusive to Brussels and still not commonly found outside of Belgium. The beer's blend also includes the addition of candi sugar and is often spiced slightly with pepper and orange peel. The addition of the sugar syrup takes away slightly from the acidity of other Lambics and makes the beer highly drinkable, although sweet.

Cuvée René is a Lambic Gueuze from Lindemans and it is fantastic. It's everything that a Gueuze should be. The beer is delicious with sweet notes and a defined fruity tartness. Grape-like components are spectacular and the carbonation dances on the tongue. A solid, solid, beer that is available in the USA, but is certainly more rare than the fruit-flavored fare from Lindemans.

Farm House and Wild

Two other stand outs from the Fest were Cellar Door from Stillwater Artisinal and Mattina Rossa from Allagash. Cellar Door was secretly available at the Fest. No sign was hung and the bottle(s) were kept hidden from plain view. However, requesting a taste gave you a nice pour and a wink. The beer is a spicy saison style oozing with freshness and yeast character. The spicing was elegant, but powerful.

Mattina Ross from Allagash is a Wild Ale style beer aged in oak and flavored through two additions of raspberries. Unfortunately, the bottle conditioning of the brew turned out a bit spotty. Some bottles refermented to produce carbonation, while others remained still (at least so far). As a result, the quality control issues prevented the beer from being offered for sale to the general market. Luckily, a few cases made it to the Fest. Delicious, tart, fruity, and spicy, this beer is a gem. I can only hope Allagash won't be deterred from trying this beer again, or following up with an even better entry sometime in the future.

Stand Out Stinker

I had a feeling, but I kept an open mind and tried this unusually flavored beer with some hope. Unfortunately, the Chapeau Banana Lambic from De Troch was just bad. The trappings of a quality Lambic were seemingly missing and the banana flavoring seemed artificial. Slight tartness was nice, but the flavors of a Lambic beer and a banana may just be destined to clash. I wouldn't recommend the beer to most people.

Cisco Brewers - Bailey's Blonde Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, marked "3/4 pint," poured into a pint glass

This brew from Nantucket pours a bleary golden blonde with diffuse wisps of floating yeast in the mellow glowing body. The slightly yellowed head is large and frothy with excellent retention. Dry citrus hops on the nose complement the fresh grainy malts. A hint of green grapes and a Champagne component keep this from being your 'every day' blonde ale.

For a blonde, the beer has a significant hop character. Some grapefruit citrus provides a moderate bitterness and plays with an almost-herbal pine. The malts are clear and clean with a fresh cracked grain character. A mild breadiness leads into the finish, which is arid with a mild, lingering, but mellow, sweetness.

Final Verdict: B

Opa-Opa Brewing Company - Blueberry Lager

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

Opa-Opa's Blueberry Lager ("with all natural flavor added") pours an extremely pale, almost diluted looking straw with a bluish/purple tint. The moderate white head also carries a slight tint, but musters disappointingly lousy retention. The nose is sweet and sugary with a canned blueberry pie filling aroma. Luckily it doesn't smack of either artificiality or cloying sweetness.

This beer has big soda-like qualities. It seems a bit like a soda, only the 'natural' side of things, without the overbearing sugar. It isn't very beer-like but it isn't bad either. The blueberry flavoring adds a sweetness, but isn't over blown or artificial seeming. The modest tea-like maltiness peaks near the finish and is accompanied by a moderate dryness and lacks the customary sugary toothsome feel.

Final Verdict: C

Harpoon Brewery - Harpoon's UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen

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

The raspberry version of Harpoon's "UnFiltered Offering" pours a thin straw with a pinkish hue. The coloring is reminiscent of a cranberry juice cocktail or grapefruit juice. The head is extremely light and airy with huge carbonation bubbles and a slightly-tinted off-white color. The candy raspberry nose is very sweet and tart.

The thin wheat malts seem sour under the excessive and toothsome sweetness. The tight and crisp carbonated mouthfeel gives the beer a soda-like edge. The finish has a slight adjunct lager taste to it along with a sugary tooth feel and a modest candy-like raspberry flavoring.

Final Verdict: D+

Cisco Brewers - Indie Pale Ale

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, says "3/4 pint", poured into a pint glass

The new Indie Pale Ale from Cisco pours a striking ruby-orange-tinted full amber body with a hazy and deeply colorful complexion. The head is a massive, frothy light tan foam with a slightly yellowed edge. The head retention is stellar and the beer produces a moderate, but flowing, lace on the glass. The huge hop nose is not exactly piercing, but to call it pungent may be an understatement. The hops are fruity, sweet, and aromatic with a clear edge of grapefruit.

The coarse graininess of the beer gives the mouthfeel some texture. Full-bodied grains are toasty with a caramel sweetness that tones down the beer's hops a bit. The hopping is big and dry with moderate citrus notes. A slight resinous pine component adds an extra layer of complexity to the bittering. The hops are quite strong, but are never overbearing. This is a clear East Coast take on a West Coast-style American IPA.

Final Verdict: A-

Musings On The Road (Again)

Despite the fact that I still haven't finished posting about my beer experiences from my trip to the American West and Southwest, more beer-related travels are in my future. Expect the rest of my trip experiences to appear on the blog this week (actually, unlike last time I said that).

What's in my future?

First up is the Belgian Beer Fest, put on by BeerAdvocate. Like my time at the American Craft Brew Fest I will be volunteering at the early Saturday session with the hops of tasting a bunch of beers during my breaks. Stay tuned for my coverage.

The BBF is being held at The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts Friday September 9 and Saturday September 10. There's an evening session Friday and two Saturday sessions. Friday's "Night of Funk" promises a more personal experience, with limited tickets. Saturday boasts over 125 beers for your sampling needs. For more information check out the official website.

Second, like last time again, I will be heading to the airport on the Monday following my Beer Fest adventure. This time, instead of heading West, I'll be heading East. I have two primary stops, Scotland, home of Scotch, and Munich, home of the world-famous Oktoberfest, which will be in full swing when I arrive.

Expect scenes from my travels, from the festival, and thoughts on beers and whiskeys. Your thoughts and recommendations for sights and sounds on my travels are appreciated. I'm especially looking for ideas in Scotland. I'll be primarily (if not exclusively) in Edinburgh. 

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 IPA (Revisited)

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

I reviewed this beer some time back and thought it solid, but not remarkable. Upon revisiting it, after trying the five single-hop variations, it is safe to say that I appreciate it more. However, I'm still not in love with it.

The nuance and depth of each of the component hops is there, but the total package doesn't overwhelm me. The beer pours a deep amber body with a modest ruby glow. The light tan head is large and frothy with great retention and feathery lacing. The lacing is light along the top off the glass and slowly fades as the beer disappears. Bitter and tight hops define the nose with a hint of mineral water. Mild citrus makes up the brunt of the hop profile backed by a subdued, but present, pine with a resinous edge.

Sweet toasted malts underly the beer with a solid presence, however, they're not center stage. The sharpest, most pungent additions on the hops bill seem blunted and diffused by the more aromatic and subdued varietals. The Simcoe and Ahtanum seem to be knocked down in their strength by the Hallertau and Goldings. The mild citrus notes play off the resinous pine. The finish is slightly sticky with pine hops that produce a lasting aftertaste.

Final Verdict: B

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 Hallertau Mittelfrueh IPA

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

The Hallertau Mittelfrueh varietal rounds out to the Latitude 48 hop bill and is the final single-hop beer in the Deconstructed variety pack. The same deep amber body pours with extra brown tones and a large, off-white-to-light-tan head. The foam is fluffy and sudsy in consistency with solid retention and large swathes of lace. The beer is sweet and malty on the nose with mild citrusy dry hops. Minor pine notes skirt the edges, but are far from prominent.

The mouthfeel of the beer is velvety and reveals and moderate, earthy hopping. The bitterness is mild and makes for very smoothy and easy drinking. The beer is closer to an amber ale than an IPA, but is not nearly as grainy on the malt side of things. Like the East Kent Goldings, this varietal seems to pair well with others, but doesn't stand its ground to produce a traditional IPA when it's done single-hop.

Final Verdict: B

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 Ahtanum IPA

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

Ahtanum, fourth in the series, also pours a matching deep amber body with a large frothy head, colored light tan. The same solid retention is present here with a nice show of varied lacing on the glass. Pine shows immediately on the nose with minor hints of vanilla. The hops here are pronounced, but seem to carry a delicate aire.

The sweet malts balance the hops right off the bat and accentuate the fruity citrus elements of the Ahtanum hops. The hop varietal seems very fresh and floral, packing tons of aromatics and maintaining a very flavorful body. The hops, while strong, are not drying, acidic, or even very bitter. The finish here is mild as the hops subside and blend nicely with the body of the beer.

Final Verdict: A-

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 Simcoe IPA

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

Third in the series, the Simcoe hop varietal Latitude 48 pours with the matching amber body with a large and healthy head of foam with a very frothy texture. The retention here is solid with varied lacing of layers both thick and delicate. Sharp piney aromatics come through on the nose with mild citrus. The pungent Simcoe hops completely dominate the malts on the beer's nose.

On the taste, the hops strike a balance with the malts. Hops are at the forefront, but work very well, complimenting the toasty malt flavors. Grapefruit is clear, but not overwhelming and works well with the distinctive pine elements. The hops are not harsh here, but commanding. The finish is tight, crisp and very refreshing. A true single-hop IPA.

Final Verdict: A

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 East Kent Goldings IPA

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

Second in the Deconstructed series is the East Kent Goldings hop variety. The beer pours a deep amber body with a ruby glow, matching, almost identically, the first version. The head of the beer seems a bit lighter, more of an off-white than a tan. The size is medium with moderate retention and thick, but somewhat sparse, lacing. The nose is bigger on sweet malts than Zeus. A lighter hopping, here, is very feint and mild.

The softer hops are apparent on the taste and allow the beer's malts and caramel sweetness to take center stage. Slightly grassy, the hops are mild with some floral notes, much more on aromatics than bitter flavor. The texture of the beer is the same as the first version and packs some tight hops on the finish, but allows the beer's sweetness to define it throughout.

While technically and nominally an IPA, this beer doesn't seem like one. East Kent Goldings is a hop varietal that doesn't stand alone in creating the full IPA experience.

Final Verdict: B-

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 Zeus IPA

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

First in the Deconstructed series, Zeus pours a deep copper body with a ruby glow, and almost purplish hints. The head is a healthy, medium-sized, light tan foam of large bubbles. The retention is solid and the lacing is light, but attractive. Earthy grains shine on the nose with prominent hops. The hop essence carries a lightly earthy edge with a mild, almost soapy, bitterness.

The mouthfeel is velvety and remains fairly crisp throughout. Pine notes are strong on the hop taste with a deep sappy resin. The bitterness is strong and just about overpowers the malts. A light toasty caramel sweetness rounds the malts and combats the prominent hops. However, the malts are far from the star in this brew.

Final Verdict: B+

Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 Deconstructed IPA Variety Pack

Coming this week is the Samuel Adams Latitude 48 'Deconstructed' IPA variety pack from Boston Beer Company. This interesting and innovative sampler takes the conventional Latitude 48 IPA and splays it into its individual parts.

Each of the five hop varietals on Latitude 48's hop bill takes center stage in its own single-hop IPA. With two of each style, five of styles is a single-hop, showcasing the flavor profile and aromatics of the hops, while the sixth is Latitude 48, which combines each of the varietals into a single, coordinated, IPA.

I've reviewed Latitude 48 before, but this is another go around with a look at each of the constituent hops. My overall impression remains about the same, although refined. However, this variety pack was an excellent opportunity to gain an appreciated for each of the hops that go into the beer and a hands-on learning experience. If it is still available in a package store near you, I highly recommend picking it up, solely for the hop-tasting experience.

Stay tuned. I hope you enjoy this look at the Latitude 48 'Deconstructed' IPA variety pack!

American Craft Brew Fest 2011

On Saturday June 4, 2011 I attended the American Crraft Brew Fest in Boston, Massachusetts. The festival was held at the Seaport World Trade Center with over 100 brewers, hundreds of beers to sample, and thousands of attendees over three sessions and two days. I was there as a volunteer for one session. As a monitor I was able to get a look at most of the booths and try a bunch of beers during my breaks. It was a lot of fun and something I plan ondoingagain in the future. I wasn't able to take as many notes as I was hoping to and didn't get any photos. I hope that next year I will be able to get some better coverage.

Below is a listing of most of the beers that I was able to try with some of my short tasting notes.

Maine Brewing Company - Peeper Ale - Golden color with a lightly bitter hoppy nose. Malty and slightly earthy with a moderate bitterness. Crisp with a dry finish.

White Birch Brewing Company - Barrel Aged Elysium - Moderate flat brown with light hops, smoke, and a woodiness on the nose. Sweet with a slight charcoal bourbon component. Slightly boozy with a sugary finish.

Watch City Brewing Company - Oink Oink Bacon Beer - Deep brown body, but clear. Prominent bacon on the nose, smokey with a lightly sweet malty aroma underneath. The beer is highly smokey, but the flavor is medicinal and artificial. Mixed reactions from most tasters, but I had to toss the rest of mine.

Watch City Brewing Company - Lunar Shine Barley Whine - Deep brown with a malty aroma and big grapes. Strong and boozy with ample grape flavor. Grapes seem deep and sweet like concords with a slightly artificial finish.

Dale's Ale - Scotch - A very slight nose, with a malty sweetness and light caramel. Beer is lightly winey and smooth with a light mouthfeel and seemingly minimal carbonation.

Maine Brewing Company - Zoe - Hoppy, lightly smokey and earthy on the nose. A very crisp drying bitter hops component. The mouthfeel is slick with an oily hop resin on the finish.

Watch City Brewery - Toasted Ah Ah Pale Ale - Tawny brown with huge banana phenols on the nose paired with lightly toasty malts. The beer is sweet and big on the malts. The banana holds true and gives the beer a smooth mouthfeel.

Mendocino Brewing Company - Blonde Ale - Light honey colored straw. Light hops accent a clear and clean floral honey sweetness with a modest carbonation bite.

Surley Brewing Company - IPA - Light clear straw with moderate hops on the nose. Malts are clear and very fruity. The beer has a spicy Belgian profile. It is light on the hops, but very tasty. Slightly watery mouthfeel near the finish.

Cape Ann Brewing Company - Sunrise Saison - Slightly tawny hazy straw body. Banana phenols are prominent with a light spiciness. The beer is grassy, but sweet and fruity.

Cape Ann Brewing Company - Bavarian Wheat - Sweet and spicy, but slightly medicinal on the mid-palate. Tasty and refreshing overall.

Cape Ann Brewing Company - Tea Party - Fluffy head with an understated nose. Mild smokiness but medicinal and gross. Sweet and cloying.

Jackie's Pub and Brewery - Hocking Triple - Darkish hazy straw with a sweet boozy nose. The beer is boozy and leafy with a slight spiciness and a mild tea-like component.

Boulevard Brewing Company - Quadrupel - A modest brown with a deep amber glow and a surprisingly light nose. Minor dark fruits add sweetness to the boozy and strong beer. Tight carbonation, but silky with a slightly minerally water edge.

Lake Placid Brewing Company - Hefeweizen - Sweet and light nose with banana phenols and prominent wheat malts and spice. Malts are thin and watery. There's a nice, but light, spicy coriander edge.

Lake Placid Brewing Company - Ubu Ale - Deep, but moderate brown Toasty sweet and lightly earthy with moderate chocolate. Crisp finish with lingering hops.

White Birch Brewing Company - Wrigian - Hazy medium brown body. Brown sugar sweetness with wheat malt characteristics. Rye malts add depth and a pleasantly light spiciness.

White Birch Brewing Company - Hooksett Ale - Brownish, hazed amber with a citrusy hop aroma.

White Birch Brewing Company - Oak Aged Tripel - Sweet winey green grapes. Slightly tart and refreshing. Lightly boozy with a light and clear finish.

Stone Brewing Company - Russian Imperial Stout Belgo - Deep brown with an orangey glow. Lightly smokey with licorice on the nose. Smooth and smokey, clearly strong, but not overwhelming or alcoholic. Anise hints and a spicy Belgian yeast profile.

* - My notes didn't always include the full names of the breweries or beers, so some of the names may be incomplete or inaccurate. If I can, I will update this post with corrected names. This post is coming while I'm on the road, so double checking names and posting is more complicated.