219. Saranac Caramel Porter

The second beer I decided to try while I was at Brixx's Pizza, this one was recommended by our server for the night.  In hindsight, I should have went with something different, mainly because I was drawn to the sound of caramel porter.  Most malty beverages taste of caramel..duh.  Had a brain fart there but for $1.95, I wasn't going to complain too much.  I think this is the first time I've posted about Saranac http://www.saranac.com, although I'm convinced I've had their beer before.  

Beer was served in a standard pint, little to no head or signs of lacing apparent.  I do enjoy that restaurants want to fill the beer to the brim, get my money's worth and all, but it doesn't help when I do these reviews.  It has a shiny brown color to it.  Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, toast, reminiscent of a caramel chew.  

The beer was sweet, but not cloying and not as sweet as I had anticipated.  Still, the beer seemed to lack body and flavor.  I could taste caramel, toffee, sweet malt, a touch of butter, and some flavors that tasted artificial.  The more I drank it, the more I found the beer to be quite ordinary and the caramel and artificial flavoring notes more off-putting.  Light to medium body with medium carbonation, this beer is easy enough to session if you're going to be hitting the cookies or brownies for a while.

All in all, I found the beer to be slightly less than average.  Probably a decent gateway beer for those trying to expand their horizons.

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $1.95 (16 oz draught pint)

218. Triangle Brewing Habanero Pale Ale

Caught up with some friends from college and went out to Brixx Pizza, which is a regional chain that sells wood-fired pizza pies.  I had the pimento cheese pizza and decided to have a couple beers to go with it.  Certainly $1.95 domestic drafts on Monday is an absolute plus, considering their solid selection of local craft beers.  

Triangle Brewing's Habanero Pale Ale sounded appealing and I decided to go with that.  The beer was served in a standard pint.  Since it was dark and rainy and the lighting was dim, the beer had an amber look to it.  Less than half a finger of off-white head.  Aromas of, you guessed it, chili peppers.  There was also some aromas of cracker and some grassy hop notes.  

From a pale ale perspective, I've had better pale ales.  The hop presence was on the mild side, which is pleasant considering I've been getting a lot of pale ales that could fall into the IPA category.  The pepper taste is evident, but where's the heat?  I've had a jalapeno pale ale that was mild, I expected habanero to have more kick, make my tongue tingle, something like that.  Nope, nothing.    As for the rest of the beer, it was slick and light bodied, with average carbonation.

I was left underwhelmed by the lack of spice and punch.  I've had spicy cocktails that are absolutely delightful so I know that the heat can be upped and still be pleasant.  Maybe there's another brewery out there that isn't afraid to bring some heat.  Maybe I'm just unlucky and got a bad batch.

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $1.95 (16 oz draught pint)

217. Pisgah Valdez Coffee Stout

"Adhering to the strict philosophy of the Pisgah brewers, this mouth watering coffee stout is brewed just miles downstream from America's most precious watershed.  Brewed with Dynamite Roasters beans, the aroma of freshly ground coffee leaps from the glass, and lingers long after.  Treat yourself to the finest coffee stout this season.  Unfiltered for your enjoyment."

I decided to crack open this beer as  a treat to myself for dessert after a long day's work.  The beer was poured into a Guinness pint.  Dark brown color, not quite black.  Hues of brown and red along the edges.  A big fluffy three fingers of mocha colored head after a vigorous pour. Solid retention, leaving splotches of lacing along the edge of the glass.  Aromas of coffee dominate.  Couldn't really determine any other subtle aromas.  I can pick up just the slightest amount of semi-sweet chocolate.

The taste is predominantly coffee as expected, but then there's a few unexpected tastes as well.  There's a bitter, tangy, sour finish that does not sit well with me.  It definitely separates itself from the other coffee stouts I've experienced, and not in a good way.  The bitterness lingers a bit and I'm wishing that the aftertaste was sweeter.  Additionally, I don't know how this classifies as an American Imperial Stout.  The brew rates at 6.8% ABV.  Based on some quick research, there isn't a standard naming nomenclature for what constitutes as a an imperial or a double, which I think is kind of silly.  If a beer can't crack the 7.0% ABV number (I'd argue 7.5% even..), then it shouldn't be classified as an imperial or double.  The beer is surprisingly light bodied, with light carbonation, again a contrast to what I'd expect from an imperial stout.

I'm not sure if I ended up getting a bad batch of beer or if this is how the beer truly tastes.  Nevertheless, I can only go on what is here in front of me.  I was ultimately surprised by this beer as it wasn't as potent, not as thick, and had a sour finish and aftertaste.  All these things add up to a beer that I wouldn't recommend.

Grade: D

Price Paid: $6.99 (22 oz bomber)

216. Schilling Oak Aged Cider

"Semi-dry.  Scotch character.  Smokey cinnamon.  Clove and vanilla.  Extra smooth finish.  Perfect at 45 deg. Schilling oak aged."

I like to mix things up.  Beer, wine, cider, spirits, I'm all over the place.  Today I had a beer.  Yesterday I had gin with cranberry juice.  The day before I had wine.  Before that, beer.  Since I like to rotate, I usually get the urge to have a hard cider.  Today wasn't that day, but that day did occur sometime last week.  Schilling is a new brewery to me (http://www.schillingcider.com), but apparently they are from Washington and I'm glad that their stuff is getting distributed out to the east coast.

The beer was poured into a Guinness pint, served somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 degrees as recommended.  Clear yellow color, decent carbonation.  Aromas of apple, honey, oak.  

Much of the nose is in the taste, with a touch of sweetness and the wood lingering in the aftertaste.  The can advertises scotch, cinnamon, clove.  I could pick up the scotch but the spices weren't quite there.  Not overly complex, nor is it meant to be in my opinion.  Finish is a touch on the tart side.  Light bodied with medium carbonation.  

I wasn't sure how I felt about this cider initially.  I've only had so many ciders that went through the barrel process and they were excellent.  I knew from the get-go that I like the combination, and I liked this one.  I'm curious to see how much better it could get if the brewery decided to try and get creative with their offerings.  That said, for one of their standard bearers, this one is solid.

Grade: B

Price Paid: 2.09 (12 oz can)

215. Howard Action Man Lager

I had this beer over a year go but I'm finally getting around to getting this posted.  I was visiting a roommate from college and having dinner together at a restaurant.  Ended up ordering this beer, which came from a nearby brewery.  They had just recently put out a canning line.  I was given a can and a glass to pour it in.

The beer was an amber color with some orange highlights.  A rigorous pour provided about two fingers of foamy, off-white head.  Moderate retention, leaving a healthy amount of lacing on the glass and film at the surface.  Considering this is a lager, I didn't expect a lot of crazy aromas.  Sure enough, I picked up toast, caramel, and a hint of pepper.

The taste was very similar to what I picked up on the nose, fresh toasty bread, a touch of sweetness, and a slightly spicy finish.  Medium body and carbonation makes this one a little on the lively side.  

It's not often that I get my hands on lagers since most breweries tend to focus on ales instead.  Still, I found this one to be quite palatable and definitely refreshing in its own right.  I haven't had a lot of Vienna Lagers, but I'm sure that down the road I'll be more familiar with the style.

Grade: B-

Price Paid: $4.00 (12 oz can)

Haul for 10/17

The second of two hauls, this one the most recent since I pulled this one off yesterday.  Just swung by Tasty Beverage after work and went a little out of control.  I guess I won't be buying much beer next month based on what I splurged on today.  Here's the haul:

• Boulevard Collaboration #4 Saison - For this collaboration, they paired up Ommegang to create a saison.  I don't think I've ever had Boulevard beers before, but I am a fan of Ommegang so I figured I'd give it a try.  Price paid: $8.99
• Boulevard Smokestack Bourbon Barrel Quad - I have to admit, I was drawn to several beers that were labeled as one or two per customer only.  I understood that meant they were either in high demand, were rare, or both.  I pounced on the most of them in the store, considering they were reasonable in price.  Price paid: $12.99
• Stone Enjoy By IPA - My date was 10/31/14, and it was consumed last night.  That means that you'll likely see a review next year.  Ha.  No, I'm going to try and get my recent drinks completed and then work backwards to manage my pending list.  Every time I turn around, this beer is sold out so I considered myself lucky that I'd finally get to try this bad boy.  Price paid: $6.99
• Wicked Weed Briars & Brett - I'm not sure if I've ever had a sour before.  Again, was drawn to the one-per-customer thing.  I know Wicked Weed recently opened the Funkatorium; they basically have over a dozen taps dedicated to sour ales.  I figured I'd let this one age and go experiment with sour ales in the near future.  Oh yeah, this one was aged in gin barrels with blackberries.  Interesting combo.  Price paid: $9.99
• Highland 20th Anniversary IPA - Would you believe that this was the beer that drove me to come by the store?  I had the previous 2 anniversary beers and this was the 3rd beer (There are releasing more beers than that to celebrate 20 years, but I'm only focusing on the beers that are labeled as 20th anniversary beers) of 4.  Price paid: $8.99
• Fullsteam Fearrington Apple Rye IPA - I was intrigued by the combination of apple, rye, and IPA.  They said they used apple because everybody else is focused on pumpkins.  I just hope the combination pays off.  Price paid: $6.49
• Fullsteam Tree to Sea Gose - I was impressed by the fact that they used NC ingredients to make this beer, and it came from all over the state.  To support my love for NC (I know, silly right?   I could be supporting my love for NC a myriad of different ways than buying this beer) I decided to buy this beer.  Call me a sucker.  Price paid: $12.99 

Haul for 10/10

Remember when I said I'd try to get 6 complete last week?  How much did I get done?  1!  Talk about not meeting one's goals.  I'm not pleased with myself, but now I've had the chance to enjoy a lazy Saturday, lounge for a bit, recuperate a bit.  Yeah, my goal is to finish two hauls and at least 4 reviews for a total of 6 posts.  Like my chances?  I don't, but until the wife gets home, I like my likelihood of having the free time to do what I need to do.  It's not often that I get to go by Bottle Revolution anymore, but I was in the area and decided to drop by and get a quick 6 pack.  What did I get?  Here's the haul:

• Red Brick Brother Leo Belgian IPA - Part of Red Brick's Brick Mason series, I had tried or at least purchased some of their other Brick Mason series offerings, so I figured I'd snag this one too.  Price paid: $3.39
• Schilling Oak Cider - I haven't had a lot of ciders aged in wood, but the ones I have tried have been great.  I've never heard of Schilling before, so I figured I'd give them a go.  Price paid: $2.09
• Schilling Ginger Cider - Since the price was affordable, I didn't just get the oak cider but the ginger cider as well.  Hope these cider makers know their stuff..!  Price paid: $2.09
• Unknown Over the Edge IPA - I've passed this Charlotte based brewery several times and wondered when they would have something that I could buy in stores.  Time to figure out how they rank with the other NC breweries..!  Price paid: $1.99
• Weyerbacher Autumnfest - I feel like I missed Oktoberfest.  September came and went so quickly.  What's the deal that Oktoberfest is really held in September?  Anyway, I'm ready to make up for lost time, plus I may not get around to drinking this until next year.  Price paid: $2.09
• Duck-Rabbit Marzen - Continuing my need to celebrate Oktoberfest, I decided to pick this one up at well.  Looks like Duck-Rabbit is spreading out their offerings.  And better yet, I just realized that they finally updated their website.  Finally a website that matches the quality of their beer.  Price paid: $1.79

214. Mother Earth Endless River Kolsch Style Ale

"A clean, crisp beer, Kolsch offers a very slight fruity flavor and aroma.  It is light gold in color, with a delicate head.  This light-bodied beer appeals to nearly everyone who samples it.  Expect to enjoy a slight tang in the finish."

I haven't reviewed in a loooooong time.  Life has been busy, but the beer drinking hasn't stopped.  I have a lot of notes that I just need to type up.  The goal for today?  Take care of a half-dozen.  This one will be the first.  Had this one last night with some pizza.  It was poured into a pilsner glass.  Clear gold color with three fingers of fluffy white head.  Splotches of lacing left behind.  Long retention.  Attractive beer.  Simple aroma profile, picking up bread, crackers, some light grassy notes, just a touch of grape peel.  

Tastes are consistent with the aroma, but grassy notes are a little more forward and the finish brings out the lightest bit of citrus and hop character.  Very crisp with medium to high carbonation, light bodied (4.9% ABV).  

This is an incredibly easy to drink beer, very sessionable.  I haven't had a lot of kolsch beers, but I get the impression that this is very representative of the style and that it is one of the better representations as well.  If you like a light bodied brew and you're not fond of dark or overly hoppy beer, I think this would be a great candidate to get someone introduced to the world of craft beer.

Grade: A-

Price Paid: $1.79 (12 oz bottle)  

Haul for 3/22

Wow, it's been a while since I've had a haul (and a while since I've posted, but I'll get around to updating when I get more free time..work has left me very, very busy).  Anyway, I had spent my money for March on bourbon instead of beer, but came to find out that the bourbon I bought for myself was accidentally gifted away.  I've dropped by a few ABC stores but haven't been able to find the bottle since.  That snafu replenished my alcohol funds and I decided to drop by Bottle Revolution to get one bottle of cider and walked out with a lot more...no surprise there.  Anyway, here's the haul:

• Angry Orchard Muse - This was what I came to the store for, noticed that Angry Orchard had a new cider and wanted to give it a try.  Still haven't consumed Strawman and Iceman yet, but I'll eventually get around to it.  Price paid: $13.99
• Doc's Pumpkin Cider - I have yet to try my pumpkin cider, but they had this on closeout for cheap, so I figured it would be worth a pickup.  Price paid: $2.00
• Raleigh House of Clay - I've noticed a lot more variety of NC brewers in the store and I know they've been popping up all over the place.  Not enough money, too much breweries, but I figured I'd make the effort to try a few here and there when I can.  I like Rye IPAs and the price point seemed okay, so I figured I'd give this a go.  Price paid: $5.49
• Fullsteam Fearrington Winter - The label said coffee pecan porter.  Sold!  Price paid: $6.99
• Lonerider Addie's Revenge - I don't know if this is year-round or the new seasonal, but Lonerider decided to release an IPA.  Price paid: $1.79
• Hi-Wire Contortionist - I've seen more of Hi-Wire in the area and I figured I'd get a good feel for their year-rounders and seasonals to see how they stack up with some of the other NC breweries I enjoy.  This one is a black IPA, so I'm assuming it's their seasonal release.  Looks good.  Price paid: $2.69
• Hi-Wire Bed of Nails - This is their brown ale and I'll be comparing it against Lonerider's Sweet Josie Brown.  It'll either be better, worse, or about the same.  If it can't match up, I won't be having another.  Price paid: $1.79
• RJ Rockers Black Perle - Another black IPA that I look forward to drinking, I know they're out of South Carolina and I haven't really tried their offerings before.  Price paid: $2.59
• Big Boss Centaur - I thought I saw some news that they have some sort of Alpha series and some other type of series to correspond with their brews.  Centaur is their saison ale and I want to say that I should be able to transition onto different breweries because I've bought at least one of everything from them, I think.  Price paid: $3.39
• Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald - I was at the end of my six pack and I wanted to buy something cheap (but good) to fill out the 6 pack.  I think I made a great choice.  Price paid: $1.59

Haul for 2/25

Alright, so after this post, I'll be caught up with my current hauls.  Seems a little on the light side, but I have been buying beer at restaurants and other types of activities and those purchases eats away at my budget to buy, hold, and consume at home.  On this particular day, I headed to Tasty Beverage after work to get a few goodies, knowing it was towards the end of the month and remarkably, I hadn't spent a lot of money on beer.  That was going to change.  Here's the haul:

• Terrapin Side Project Pineapple Express - I had meant to get this a week or two ago when I first heard that it was out, but decided to roll the dice instead, wait, and hope it was still around.  Luckily for me, there was still a couple bottles to be found in the refrigerated section.  Price paid: $7.99
• Big Boss Warhawk - Big Boss' Pale Ale offering is just another named beer that I haven't tried.  Fortunately, I'm going to get to the point where I've had them all and I can focus my attention on other local NC breweries.  Price paid: $3.25
• Big Boss Deuces Wild - Another Big Boss beer that I haven't had yet.  This is the DIPA.  I doubt it stands up to some of the better DIPAs I favor, but maybe I'll be surprised.  Price paid: $3.99
• Red Brick Beard Envy - I guess beer and beards are pretty popular.  At least this one wasn't made with yeast from some guy's beard though.  Again, trying to keep up with the Georgia breweries too, so this one made my list.  Price paid: $3.25
• Mother Earth Endless River Kolsch - I've had several beers from Mother Earth but I think this is one of the few year-round offerings that I have yet to try.  Was looking to round out my 4-pack with something that wasn't so expensive.  Price paid: $1.75
• Lagunitas Sucks - I still had plenty of Lagunitas sitting at the house, but I know it's a seasonal and it would soon depart and I felt the need to get just one more six pack to last me the next several months.  It's sooooo worth it.  Price paid: $9.99

Haul for 2/20

Before I left Charlotte to get back home to Raleigh, I dropped by a local Total Wine to see if they had any selections that I wouldn't be able to get back in Raleigh.  I know that with a big chain like that, it would be very unlikely that I would find anything that was specific to the area, but one would never know unless they check it out, right?  Anyway, I did find that most of the selection was the same, although they had some things that I couldn't find in Raleigh because they were already bought and snatched up.  Good to know for future reference.  Anyway, I couldn't just walk in without getting something, and I did get one thing, and this is the haul:

• Unibroue Terrible - I'm very much a fan of Unibroue and I understand that they don't make a whole bunch of different beers.  They just make the ones that they have and they do it incredibly well.  So of course, I'm going to be intrigued by a bottle that looks different from Maudite, La Fin Du Monde, Ephemere, etc.  it's a black bottle with little more detail than that.  It's even corked and caged.  Color me intrigued.  Price paid: $9.99

Haul for 2/19

When I go to Charlotte for work purposes, I typically stay at the same place.  Not because I'm trying to rack up hotel points, but because I go for the cheapest, decent place that's available.  Since the hotel I frequent is actually about ten to fifteen minutes outside Charlotte, I've been known to frequent the same places to eat for dinner when I'm in the area.  Once again, I decided to swing by String Bean Market & Deli and pick up a burger to-go, and decided to get a few brews while I was waiting.  I kept the haul small, but here it is:

• Heavy Seas Small Craft Uber Pils - I was looking to get a 4-pack that wasn't overly expensive and also wanted to get some refrigerated beers that would be ready to drink to go with my dinner.  The selection in the fridge is limited compared to the selection that are on the shelves.  I was also trying to pair my dinner with my beer and thought a pilsner would work pretty well.  Price paid: $2.50
• Stone Pale Ale - Another refrigerated winner, I was also of the opinion that a pale ale would work too.  Price paid: $2.00
• Dogfish Head Piercing Pils - See a theme here..?  This was one of the beers that was not refrigerated, so it was the one beer that I actually took home with me.  The others were consumed at the premises of my hotel room.  Price paid: $2.99
• Howard Trail Maker - It's not often that I get canned beer, but I was still looking for pilsner or pale ale variants without dipping into Black IPAs or porters or any dark beer, for that matter.  Ended up going with this one.  Price paid: $1.99

Haul for 1/12

Yeah, we're at the first of March and I realized that I forgot to put in a haul from almost two months ago.  Ended up going to Myrtle Beach for a family function and decided to drop by the Piggly Wiggly in the Market Commons area.  Very nice area, by the way.  I was primarily trying to find South Carolina beers that I have little to no access to up in North Carolina.  It wasn't much of a haul because I couldn't mix and match six packs effectively and just stuck to getting a couple of bombers.  Anyway, here's the haul:

• Coast 32/50 Kolsch - If I was going to get beers from SC, I wanted to at least get beers from different breweries.  I don't get a lot of light colored beers in bomber form, so I thought I would give this one a go.  Not to mention, I didn't want to get something too expensive since my beer money budget was pretty close to being up.  Price Paid: $6.49
• Westbrook Orange Bliss Stout - Just like the name implies, imagine a chocolate covered orange.  That's what I'm imagining, and that's why I decided to get the beer.  Hopefully I won't be disappointed.  Price Paid: $9.99

213. Hi-Wire Strongman Coffee Milk Stout

"Inspired by our head brewer's cafe con leche fueled travels in Key West, this is a milk stout with some kick.  Local coffee from Dynamite Roasting Co. is cold extracted and added post fermentation to this sweet, creamy stout"

Alright, so it's been a while since I've dropped a post.  So what happened?  A cold happened.  Took me down for several weeks, I was unable to drink since it's not a very good idea to drink when you're sick.  At least, that's the impression I get.  I should be drinking water and juice, not alcohol.  So I was a good boy and I abstained until I got better.  It took a while, but now I'm back.  That said, I've had about seven to eight different beers since I've posted, and I did drink some during the Super Bowl, and I'll get around to catching up eventually.  

Anyway, I had a six-pack of this and finally got around to cracking it open to see what I was about to get.  Beer was poured into a pilsner glass with about one finger of head.  Has a dark brown complexion with a khaki colored head.  Looks good, smells good too.  Coffee is big and bold up front with some roasted malts and some undertones of chocolate.  Straight and to the point.

The beer tasted of coffee, light roasted malt, a little bit of char.  It seems a little watery and light bodied with moderate carbonation.  

Don't get me wrong, I like coffee based beers, but this one was just off for me.  After I thought about it, I realized that I'm missing some lactose or some sugar to really help this beer along.  It had a bitter finish and without the sugar, it was all one-note.  Maybe I'll crack open one of the other 5 beers and come up with a different result.  For now, I think I'll leverage these as an alternative to an espresso shot when I need it.

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $2.33 (12 oz bottle)

212. Aviator Hogwild IPA

Okay, so I mentioned that the last beer I had was the last I had before I got sick.  That's technically correct, but I forgot to add one in.  Went with my buddy to a hockey game and grabbed a beer while I was there.  Ended up going with the Aviator Hogwild IPA.  The brew was poured into a plastic 24 oz cup.  Little to no head and lacing based on the pour.  Smells heavy of grass and pine notes.  Seems to be a one trick pony.

The taste is all resin and pine and not much else.  Incredibly bitter.  Too bitter.  For me, this is an absolute palate wrecker.  I had to leave and get something extra to eat just to get through this one.  Moderate body with moderate carbonation.  I wish I knew the IBUs behind this because this was a chore to get through.  I've had many an IPA and I've had some dry hopped IPAs before, but this one was absolutely not for me.  I can't recommend unless you just love bitter, bitter, and more bitter.

Grade: D-

Price Paid: $10.00 (24 oz draught)

211. Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

"You pair wheat, hops and belgian yeast and suddenly Bingo, a wheat like nobody else's.  With real depth, coriander and sweet orange peel, it's citrus-packed and silky smooth going down."

This is the last beer that I got to enjoy before a rather nasty cold put me down for the count for almost the entire week.  I'm still going through the effects now, haven't had anything more solid than mashed potatoes and mac & cheese in three days.  Still feel like crap but hopefully I'm turning the corner.  Hate when it happens over weekends.  Anyway, less about me, more about the beer.

This is my first beer from Deschutes, (http://www.deschutesbrewery.com) which seems to be one of those Oregon breweries that gets some solid attention across the states.  I had this with dinner, if I can remember right, it was with some baked chicken breasts, brussel sprouts, and California vegetable mix.  The cloudy, golden yellow colored beer was poured into a pilsner glass, kicking up almost three fingers of soapy white head that doesn't have much retention.  Webs of lacing still remain on the side of the glass.  I detect aromas of dough, wheat, lemon, grass, coriander and black pepper.  All the smells are subtle aside from the dough and the wheat, it doesn't give me the impression that this is an IPA.

The taste also doesn't give an impression of an IPA.  All the tastes are there, the dough, wheat, lemon, grass, spice.  Added is a slightly sweeter citrus note, like orange peel.  I also can taste bubblegum.  The finish is dry, but only slightly bitter.  For an IPA, this is very nuanced and controlled.  I would think this is a pale ale based on the finish.  With a moderate body with moderate carbonation, this beer is very easy to drink, has a lot of sessionable qualities to it.  Maybe that is appropriate for the style, being classified as a Belgian IPA instead of an American IPA.  

This was easy to drink, easy to enjoy.  Very solid beer, which I would heartily recommend.  If anyone can provide some other very good White IPA alternatives, I'm all ears.

Grade: B+

Price Paid: $2.50

210. Ass Kisser Porter Pounder Smoked Porter

"Ass Kisser Ale is a state of mind!  Just as you contemplate the flavors of this fine ale you can contemplate sharing a bottle with a friend or your boss...maybe they are one in the same and then again maybe not!  We are just sayin'!  The Ass Kisser Porter Pounder is a dark, rich, balanced ale that is smooth and yet structured with light coffee and mocha aromas.  The subtle smoky aroma lures your palate to sip through the dark tan head.  Enjoy with grilled and spiced foods.  Enjoy!"

I had this to go with dinner, which consisted of some homemade beef vegetable soup and some toasted french bread.  The beer was poured into a white wine glass since I was too lazy to go upstairs and get some more appropriate stemware.  It had a dark mahogany color with about two fingers of khaki colored head.  The head is dense, leading some spotty amounts of lacing along the glass.  I detect aromas of smoke, milk chocolate, and coffee grounds.  The smoke is strong with this one, it's clearly evident that it is there.

Tastes of smoke, ash, roasted malt, milk chocolate is still there, along with some boozy afternotes.  I don't mind having smoked beers, but this one just didn't sit well with me.  I think it has to do with the ash and char that I'm tasting in the beer.  The brew is medium bodied with low to medium carbonation.  I think it is a good effort, but I've had better smoked beers and better porters.  Agree?  Disagree?  Let me know!

Grade: B-

Price Paid: $3.99 (12 oz bottle)

209. Devil's Backbone Kilt Flasher Scottish Ale

I decided to enjoy this beer after dinner, getting a glass of this with my popcorn while the wife and I caught up on some tv shows we had on the DVR.  Good times.  I have to admit, the picture on the bottle is humorous.  I've never heard of Devil's Backbone Brewing Company (http://www.dbbrewingcompany.com) until I had picked up the beer, so I'm hoping for some good things.

The beer was poured into a stemless brandy snifter.  It has a nice dark brown color, very reminiscent of sweet tea (or just regular tea for you folks that don't live in the South).  It had about a finger of tan head that had low retention.  No signs of lacing on the glass.  Aromas of caramel, toffee, toasted malt, some dark fruit, and some alcohol esters.  

The taste was similar, more caramel, toffee, and malt than anything.  The dark fruit barely comes through, just enough to make you think something is there.  A little bit of the alcohol comes through as well.  There's a little more depth to this beer, maybe some earthy notes.  It's sweet, but not overly sweet.  Medium bodied but with low carbonation, it's easy to drink but the sweetness might get cloying after a while.  I haven't had a Scottish Ale in a while and I was pleasantly surprised by this and enjoyed it.  I'm not sure how it compares with other beers of the same style, but it will get some pretty good marks from me in the meantime.  For a beer that might be available in a six pack, I would definitely recommend.

Grade: B+

Price Paid: $2.29 (12 oz bottle) 

208. Bold Rock Virginia Draft Hard Cider

"From the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Wintergreen, VA comes Virginia Draft.  This smooth and distinctive Hard Cider combines its apple heritage with superb drinkability.  Crafted with care and tasted (at least) daily by our thirsty band of Bold Rockers, Virginia Draft is perfect anytime anywhere.  Bold and refreshing, it is best served stone cold or over ice.  Gluten free.  We invite you to come by and drink in the scenery or visit us online at www.boldrock.com."

I decided to have this cider after dinner and not during dinner.  I figured it would be something good to drink while playing video games with the wife (Borderlands 2, for those of you wondering).  This is my first beer from the folks at Bold Rock (http://www.boldrock.com) and I'm interested to see their take on hard cider.

The beer was poured into a pilsner glass and it's what you would expect from a cider.  Apple juice colored, no head, no lacing, no nothing.  Aromas of sweet apples and that's about it.

The taste is..something.  It has a nice sweet apple taste, but then the apple goes away.  The lingering sweetness in the cider that simply seems bland.  Imagine tasting a canned pear.  While it is carbonated, it is not as highly carbonated as a Woodchuck cider.  After a while, it simply tastes like apple juice with maybe some earthy kick.  It wasn't a drain pour, but it simply wasn't good either.  I may pass on trying the other offerings from Bold Rock.  

Grade: D+
Price Paid: $2.29 (12 oz bottle)

207. Unibroue La Fin Du Monde

Before Christmas, I had to clear the beer out of the fridge to make space and because I have family members that don't drink and don't approve of drinking and I essentially had to hide my goods.  No big deal, these particular family members only come over once or twice a year anyway, and since I keep no more than 4 beers in the fridge, it doesn't pain me to make it happen.  Nothing like a little extra motivation to drink beer!

La Fin Du Monde is a belgian tripel and it's been a while since I've had one.  I know the reputation behind this beer.  It was poured into a stemless brandy class.  It didn't pour as light as the picture that I have shown, it was a darker, copper like color to it.  Two fingers of off-white head, average retention that leaves rings of lacing.  I detect aromas of fresh baked bread, banana, clove, allspice, steel, and bubble gum.  Interesting combination here.

I could taste many of the same elements that I could smell.  The banana and malt are dominant, the spices also come through.  It comes off a little sweet, just slightly cloying.  The alcohol is well hidden, but I suspect that it shows itself a little more as this beer warms.   It has a great mouthfeel, medium to full bodied with a creaminess to it that comes from low carbonation.  

I don't drink a lot of tripels so I know that this one is hard to gauge, especially when compared to my personal preferences and my likes and dislikes.  That said, as a beer drinking fan, I found no problem drinking this brew.  It was pretty good.  I know it gets a lot of high praise, so I came off being slightly disappointed.  Still, I would gladly have again if it's available.

Grade: B

Price Paid: $2.75 (12 oz bottle)

206. Red Hook Pumpkin Porter

I took my brother to a hockey game before Christmas and wandered around the arena trying to figure out what I wanted to drink.  For a 24 oz cup, you can pay $9.00 for Coors Light, Bud Light, or any of that other crap, or you can pay $10.00 for a craft brew.  Walking the concourse, I remembered that they have a cart that is dedicated to offering Red Hook beer (which is a little false, because Kona Brewing Longboard was at the cart too).  Still, they had a seasonal offering of a pumpkin porter and that's about as creative a beer I'd find at a hockey arena.  Time to give it a shot!

The beer was poured into a 24 oz plastic cup.  There was a half finger of tan head to go with a very dark brown body.  Aromas of pumpkin, nutmeg, clove, allspice, roasted malts, stale coffee.  Most of the aroma is pleasing, the pumpkin very evident in it.  

The roasted malts come through first, then the pumpkin and the pumpkin pie spices.  I also taste some burnt sugar and molasses.  It's sweet without being cloying.  Since it is a porter, it seems a little watery, not as full bodied, but I'm okay with that.  It makes the beer much easier to drink.  Medium bodied, it helps give the pumpkin pie spice some added kick.  

I also think it tastes better than Southern Tier's Warlock, which is the only other pumpkin porter-like beer I've had.  That is a heavier beer and a stout to boot, and it did not work for me.  This one tasted better, easier to drink, a solid brew.  If you're a Southern Tier junkie and you think I got it wrong, let me know!

Grade: B

Price Paid: $10.00 (24 oz draught)

205. McKenzie's Green Apple Cider

"McKenzie's Green Apple Hard Cider has quite the kick.  With its deliciously crisp, slightly tart bite of fresh, green apples, it's the most fun you can have with apples" 5.0% ABV

This was more of a dessert than a dinner drink.  Was in the mood to have some cider for a change.  It was poured into a stemless brandy glass.  The cider pours very clear, bubbles rising from the carbonation.  Looks like apple juice, smells like tart apples and a little bit of wheat.  There's some sediment in the glass.

As expected, the cider is tart, but it is also a touch sweet.  It's crisp, but it doesn't leave a dry finish.  It does leave a lingering finish that leaves more to be desired, as if it's missing some extra oomph.  Light bodied, easy to drink.  

It could use a bit more complexity, otherwise, it's not a bad cider.  Agree or disagree?  Let me know! 

Grade: B-
Price Paid: $2.50 (12 oz bottle)

204. Great Lakes Rye Of The Tiger IPA

"Like tigers creeping through tall grass, hopheads will stalk this majestic golden brew, rising to the challenge of its bold flavor attack.  Full-bodied and loaded with hops, our Rye of the Tiger IPA is brewed with rye malt, adding a spicy complexity to every sip.  It's an ale meant to inspire feats of strength and skill, a worthy contender in the bout against the flavorless.  If you can step into the ring with this hopped-up cat, you've earned your stripes."  7.5% ABV

I ended up having this with my dinner.  I think the best-by date had already come and gone, but I've found that IPAs still tend to be pretty good, even after the fact.  Still, I understand it will always be best when fresh.  I poured the contents into a pilsner glass.  It had a murky copper color with some brown highlights.  Two fingers of off-white head.  Average retention, little splotches of lacing on the glass.  I detected aromas of dark fruit, biscuit, rye, and alcohol.  Really impactful on the nose after it warms.

Like most IPAs, the initial taste has a caramel sweetness from the malt, then the hops kick in.  This particular brew seems to be more forward with the pine and resin, but I did detect some citrus notes as well.  There's a spiciness that comes from the rye that is a nice complement and gives the IPA a slightly different character.  No complaints here.  The brew is medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Even past the due date, I found this beer to be quite enjoyable.  Still, as a fan of the citrus forward IPA, I can't give this one as high a score as it simply isn't as good as those.  Still, a worthy beer to drink and I wouldn't hesitate to have another in the future.

Grade: B

Price Paid: $1.90 (12 oz bottle)

203. Railhouse KA-BAR Brown

Decided to go with the KA-BAR Brown with one of my dinners.  The beer was poured into a stemless brandy glass.  It had a solid mocha color to it with a finger of tan head that had solid retention, leaving small splotches of lacing on the glass.  Aromas of roasted malt, peanut, brown sugar, and a hint of cocoa powder. 

I could taste the roasted malt, brown sugar, peanut, and cocoa powder in the brew.  It has a light bitter finish that suggests the presence of citrus.  Not sure how I feel about that.  The brew itself is pretty sweet, could have more of a roast bite to it.  Light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation, it's an okay brown ale, but I've had better.  Agree or disagree, let me know!

Grade: B-

Price Paid: $1.59 (12 oz bottle)

Haul for 12/31

Happy new year everyone!  We're officially into 2014 and I see that I'm 200+ beers in, with another twenty beers still pending a review, not counting the other beers I didn't review almost 18 months ago.  I'll be updating the inventory list, beer list, and grades shortly.

Anyway, I mentioned that I wasn't going to get any more beer for the rest of the year, but then I just had to drop by the beer store on New Year's Eve.  I saw the new releases and felt I needed to make a move because I didn't think the beers I wanted would last.  Nevertheless, because I mentioned that my beer budget will not exist in 2014, I don't have any intentions of buying anything else this month.  I ended up dropping by Tasty Beverage to get my goodies, and here's the haul:

• Hi-Wire Strongman Coffee Milk Stout - I liked the nifty six pack box that it came in, it certainly got my attention.  Still, I enjoy milk stouts and I enjoy coffee beers so I figured this would be worth a try.  Price paid: $13.99
• Lonerider Deadeye Jack - I do wish that Tasty Beverage had a more extensive lineup of singles beers.  I don't like the idea of getting multiples of anything unless there's a party involved.  I've had the Deadeye Jack and I really liked the porter, so now I'm going to get to enjoy it a half dozen times.  Still, when I'm on a budget, I really like to get variety and buying in 4 or 6 packs will wear it out in no time.  There are better stores that do this, unfortunately they are farther away.  Still, if I do the math, I bet it'll be worth the drive.  Price paid: $9.99
• Shmaltz Reunion 13 - This is a collaboration with Terrapin and I actually have the Terrapin '12 and the Terrapin '13.  I wanted to put the Shmaltz and the Terrapin 13 side by side to determine the differences.  Sounds like it'll be a fun experiment.  Price paid: $7.99
• Widmer Brothers Vanilla Barrel Aged Brrrbon '13 - It was the Brrrbon beers that brought me out on this trip in the first place.  I felt that if I waited any longer, they'd be gone, so that's why I had to show up to the store on New Year's Eve.  Price paid: $9.99
• Widmer Brothers Ginger Barrel Aged Brrrbon '13 - I think I'm looking more forward to the ginger version than the vanilla version but I honestly couldn't tell you why.  I'm glad I was able to get both, I look forward to letting these age for a couple of years and enjoying!  Price paid: $9.99