Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale: 2011-2014 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico, CA Working from the most recent, the barley wine starts off with present boozy notes, some caramel sugar, cherry pits and a hop bitterness at the finish. It’s complex but not defined. As it ages vanilla notes come into play and the mouthfeel develops into... View Article
Herkulean Woods (Batch No. 16 in Unchained Series) Summit Brewing Co.—St. Paul, MN Faint fresh pine rises from the glass that contains the color of golden leaves at the peak of foliage season. Warm notes of the maple combine with prickly resin flavors on the palate. With a slightly sticky mouthfeel and somewhat bitter finish,... View Article
Enlightenment Brut Enlightenment Ales Everett, MA Type of Beer: Belgian golden ale ABV: 11% Packaged in a traditional cage and cork finished bottle, you’ll get that resounding and satisfying pop when opening this beer, brewed in the Champagne method. The bottled we opened had been aging since 2013 and was robustly carbonated and very cloudy.... View Article
Blonde Glutenberg Montreal Type of Beer: Gluten-free blonde ale ABV: 4.5% We were halfway through our tasting of this ale when those at the table unfamiliar with this beer discovered it was gluten-free. While many cut from that cloth will have a sorghum, farm grain taste, this crisp blonde was refreshing. Aromas and flavors of... View Article
The Poet New Holland Brewing Co. Holland, MI Type of Beer: Oatmeal stout ABV: 5.2% Because a new year is a reason to wax poetic, here’s an inky black ale with a coffee-colored head to peer into while doing some self examination. Aromas of coffee and raisin rise and swirl from the glass, with hints... View Article
Last Chance IPA Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Easton, PA Type of Beer: IPA ABV: 5.9% Take a sip during the ball countdown and you’re leaving the year on a positive note. This golden, almost orange, cloudy ale is generously hopped with several varieties, giving a juicy aroma of pine, grapefruit and burnt orange peel. It has... View Article
Jolly Traveler The Traveler Beer Co. Burlington, VT Type of Beer: Shandy ABV: 4.4% A shandy combines beer and another beverage (often a juice or soda) and is usually a warm-weather drink. So, a winter-themed variety had us all intrigued. Once poured into a glass there’s no missing the aroma from anywhere else in the... View Article
Christmas Ale Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs, LA Type of Beer: Dark ale ABV: 5.6% The aroma is like a pine wreath hanging on the front door welcoming you inside. The burnt umber colored ale has ruby highlights and a host of interesting flavors. We detected Tootsie Roll, green tea and a brown bread, like... View Article
Holiday Ale Two Roads Brewing Co. Stratford, CT Type of Beer: Biere de Noel ABV: 7.3% Derived from the bière de garde style, we found this light caramel-colored offering to be generally lacking in the aroma department, with only subtle hints of sweet malt. Overall it’s enjoyable with a generally full mouthfeel that coated the... View Article
