Beachwood Thrillseeker Beachwood BBQ & Brewing Long Beach, CA 7.1% | India Pale Ale Minus the luxurious hair, I often feel like the hop on the Thrillseeker label. This is really a nontrivial IPA: piercingly bitter, huge layerings of pine and pithy grapefruit and tropical fruit, and a tongue-numbing quality that takes a few sips to... View Article
Samuel Adams Rebel Rider IPA (4.5%), Rebel IPA (6.5%) and Rebel Rouser Double IPA (8.4%) Boston Tasting side-by-side-by-side the new India pale ale trio from Samuel Adams is akin to turning up the volume on the radio as an excellent band starts to play, hits a stride and then brings it home. Samuel Adams is no... View Article
Squatters Wellied Irish Style Stout Utah Brewer’s Cooperative Salt Lake City Type of Beer: Irish style stout ABV: 4% All the traditional, familiar aromas and tastes associated with an Irish-style stout are here, happily mingling in a dark brown ale beneath a strong, mocha-colored head. While there is a light coffee-roast flavor, unsweetened chocolate in... View Article
Black is the new Wit Terrapin Beer Co. and New Belgium Brewing Co. Athens, GA Type of Beer: It’s Complicated ABV: 8.2% The beer world is now firmly in the era where one style is mashed up with another. Once upon a time we simply had India pale ales, now we have them in all manner... View Article
Enigma New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus, WI Type of Beer: Brown Ale ABV: 5.5% Confounding. In the same sniff that reveals balsamic vinegar, there’s also sweet, baked cherry. Why, there’s ripe melon, and shaved oak in there as well! This spontaneously fermented, limited-edition brown ale from New Glarus Brewing Co. is part of the... View Article
Devils Tale Devils Backbone Brewing Co. with Coronado Brewing Co. Lexington, VA Type of Beer: Black India pale ale ABV: 7.5% Dark brown in color with deep garnet highlights and an off-white head, while it lasts. As I sniff, notes of pine tree and orange rind co-mingle with lightly toasted rye bread and the slightest... View Article
Eight Point IPA Devils Backbone Brewing Co. Lexington, VA Type of Beer: India pale ale ABV: 6.2% As the bottle is opened the room fills with a sweet pine aroma. While a rocky white head forms, faint feline notes appear. The first sip is surprising. There’s a musty lemon flavor that quickly transitions to what... View Article
The Devil Went Down to Oregon Devils Backbone Brewing Co. with Ninkasi Brewing Co. Lexington, VA Type of Beer: Imperial rye ale ABV: 7.2% There is no questioning this beer is chock full of rye. A deep orange, it sits in the glass spewing forth a potent aroma of black pepper, molasses and anise. My... View Article
Double Gooch Devils Backbone Brewing Co. with Fat Head’s Brewery Lexington, VA Type of Beer: Imperial pale ale ABV: 8% Hops, hops and more hops, from all over the world. This is a motley assortment of smells. Ripe peach and passion fruit are recognizable first. White grape must and lemon zest come after, working in... View Article
