Long Trail Brewing Co. - Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 650 mL "bomber" bottle, poured into a Nonic pint glass

Long Trail's Coffee Stout is part of their Brewmaster Series and features locally roasted coffee beans. The beer pours a deep brown, edging up to black. The pour is thick and syrupy ad results in a sizable brown head, with a definitively creamy texture. The aroma carries massive coffee and chocolate notes. The cocoa definitely comes across as the stronger of the two. There's a very feint smokiness under the rich chocolaty sweetness.

The body of the beer is silky smooth with a luscious creamy consistency. The coffee comes across big on the flavor with a deep French Roast darkness and complexity in the blend. The roasted barley is flavorful and hearty. The smokiness comes in near the finish, but it's more subtle than many Imperial stouts. There's a very slight hint of alcohol, barely noticeable, after the finish.

Final Verdict: A-

Mendocino Brewing Company - Black Hawk Stout

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

Black Hawk Stout, the final beer from Mendocino's Select series pours an extremely dark body with only a feint flicker of ruby glow at its base. The head is a frothy tan foam that approaches chocolate milkshake status in its froth and produces great clingy lacing. There's a light smokiness to the roasted malts that comes through on the nose. The aroma seems simple and concise with a hint of hops to lighten it up a bit.

The mouthfeel is initially smooth, but carbonation makes its way in with an abrupt entrance and almost turns out a bit watery. The flavor turns from quite mellow to what seems slightly sour. Huge smoke comes in late to turn the beer around a bit and is coupled with hints of vanilla. The finish has a gritty coarseness to it and produces a fair aftertaste.

Final Verdict: B-

Mendocino Brewing Company - Eye of the Hawk

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

Switching back to the Select series (i.e. White Hawk) comes Mendocino's Eye of the Hawk, and American strong ale. The beer pours a deep amber with apparent reddish hues. The head is an airy light tan, moderate in size, with surprisingly good retention from the initial pour. The nose is leafy and fresh with a waxy honey sweetness and hints of light caramel toastiness.

The caramel and sticky molasses are huge in this beer. Overall the focus here is on big malts and very light on hops. There's an earthiness to the beer, but it's missing some of the deft nuance of the Red Tail Ale. There's a slight spiced rum character to the beer, but it is thankfully lacking the burn of the real deal. A bit of alcohol develops on the finish and lingers with a considerable dryness.

Final Verdict: B+

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-

Beerisms 13 - Instruction of Amenemope

"And give a hand to an old man filled with beer."

The Instruction of Amenemope

Mendocino Brewing Company - White Hawk Select IPA

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

The White Hawk IPA from Mendocino pours a moderate-to-deep amber with a hazy light glow. The off-white head has a fluffy and frothy texture. The retention is moderate but the foam produces great, cascading layers of lacing on the glass. The beer is highly aromatic with pungent piney hops and biscuity malt undertones.

The mouthfeel is velvety smooth and full-bodied. The caramel malts are smooth and lightly bready. There's a light honey, almost syrupy, sweetness that rounds out the malt character. The hops are great with a floral essence and an even bittering. Very flavorful. The finish is high on the piney character from the hops with a long-lasting flavor.

Final Verdict: A-