Shipyard Brewing Co. : Double Old Thumper Ale

Mendocino Brewing Co. - Imperial IPA

Mammoth Brewing Co. - Double Nut Brown Porter

Shipyard - Blue Fin Stout

Port Brewing Co. - Santa's little Helper, Imperial Stout

Boulder Beer Company - Mojo IPA

Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. - Centennial IPA

Lagunitas SUCKS - Holiday Ale

The Brasserie des Géants: Noël des Géants

SeraFijn Shristmas Angel

Saint-Germain Page 24 Bière de Noël

Smuttynose Summer Weizen Ale

I am a big fan of the German weizen style with its banana and clove flavors, but this ale was more of an Americanized version. The yeast strain used in this ale left much less of an imprint on the final product, and instead, I found myself focussing on the spices- namely chamomile, evident in the flavor. This wasn't my favorite beer of this blog by far, but I probably wouldn't have tried it or about 20 other beers if I hadn't been encouraged by the opportunity to write about beer. It's been a delicious journey, and for that I say thank you to Smuttynose and all the other breweries.

Southern Tier Pumpking

I enjoyed this pumpkin ale while visiting good friends near Boston. I haven't sampled too many pumpkin ales and have nothing to compare this one to, but if you're looking for something that tastes like pumpkin pie, this is your beer. It definitely put me in the Halloween mood. It was also a very filling beer, so don't try to drink a bunch of bottles of these. Instead, enjoy them as you marvel at the changing color of the leaves, the chill in the air, and your faint desire to hibernate. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Founder's Dry Hopped Pale Ale

I really liked the label on this one. If it's not Mucha, it's very reminiscent of his work. Unfortunately, this ale didn't quite live up to the label. When I read "dry hopped" in a pale ale, I'm expecting a lot of hop aroma and flavor. Founder's didn't deliver with this one. However, I know that hop aroma is one of the first things to disappear with age, and since I have no idea how old the bottle was, I'll have to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one.
-Taster Be

Brasserie Caracole Saxo

Kent recommended this fine belgian ale and it was definitely a hit with me. Effervescent like most belgian ales with a high dose of spicy phenolics and esters, this was an excellent beer for pairing with fine foods and enjoying the company of good friends. If you are a fan of belgian blonde, golden strong, or tripel styles, this libation would appeal to you. If you've never tried one, this is a good starting point. Plus it has a cool label. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Russian Imperial Stouts

I shared these three beers with Kent during the Thanksgiving holiday. Ode to Mercy is actually an imperial brown from Wild Heaven in Georgia. Avery supplies the Out of Bounds Stout, and Weyerbacher makes Heresy. The brown obviously was the most different of the three, with flavors of brown sugar and molasses dominating. Heresy is aged in oak and it definitely influenced the flavor, giving it soft vanilla notes. Out of Bounds was probably my favorite though, because its flavor profile was more focussed on the roasty coffee and chocolate flavors of the malts. Not my favorite RIS, but still great beers. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Mad River Brewing Co.- John Barleycorn

I think this may be the first barley wine reviewed on this blog, but it's about time we all explore some examples of this fabulous style. My only other experience with a barley wine was Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot, and it was excellent, so I was equally excited to try this beer. It pours a nice reddish color. The flavor highlights the malt with some sweet caramel flavors. Hops are definitely present, but not in the quantities that would dominate the beer. Overall, this was a very pleasant, full ale that I'd love to enjoy again on another winter's night. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Wild Heaven Invocation

So, the inspiration behind the last two posts has been my latest brew obsession- a Belgian Tripel. I plan on brewing one up with Kent and my friend Dave this week and have been furiously doing research (you call it drinking, I call it research) in order to try to pull off something delightfully flavorful and yet powerfully strong. In my search for some decent domestic tripels, I came across this offering from just down the road in Decatur, Georgia. Wild Heaven has not been in existence for very long and in fact aren't even brewing their own beer yet. If they keep their releases as amazing as this one, though, then I'm sure they'll be able to raise the capital for their own brew system as they continue to win over beer geeks everywhere. It appears much like other belgian tripels, but I have to say that I've never poured a beer that created as much head as this one. I'm not sure this ale is exactly to style because of the hop bitterness that is present and because it uses no adjuncts, which I assume also means no sugar. The label itself says that they use American hop varietals which are not the norm and provide a much different flavor. The fruitiness is still there from the yeast, but when it combines with the malt, hops, and carbonation, it creates this sensation for me that reminds me of biting into my first fresh-picked apple of the season right off the tree. The sugary, tart sensation also has a bit of bitterness that I'd almost describe as powdery because of the perception of dryness that I get from this beer. I absolutely love it and hope you do too. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Finish The Drill- Fin du Monde (again)

I guess I should have saved this for my last post because of its name, but many of you probably thought that it was the end of my world anyway since I haven't written anything new since July. Lately, though, my desire to talk about (and write about) what I drink has increased immensely, so here we go. La fin du monde is a golden-colored belgian-style beer from Unibroue in Canada. It's been reviewed on this site before by another taster, but it's definitely worth another go 'round. I find this beer fascinating and highly recommend it to anyone willing to expand their beer horizons. It's different enough to blow your mind without seeming too extreme. Up front, the smell is spicy with a hint of fruit. Then it blasts you with a sweet fruitiness similar to peach along with a slight funk more common in saisons. It finishes nice and dry leaving you wanting more. The brewer made a mistake in naming the beer, though, as this beer clearly is the beginning of something new and exciting for this beer drinker. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Beers of Spain

So, after spending about a month in Spain, I am thankful to be back in the land of great beer selection. Spanish bars seem to offer one of Spain's big three: Mahou, Cruzcampo, or Estrella, all of which taste very similar to Bud, Miller, or Coors. Since summer highs in Madrid tend to be in the 90's, these beers aren't a terrible choice, in fact, they can be refreshing and crisp after a hot day checking out some old castles or masterpieces in the Prado, but it would be nice to find something else on tap from time to time. It's a shame, actually, because Spain offers some of the cultural nuances that could make it a heaven for beer lovers: a love for all things nocturnal, good cheese and amazing ham and sausages, generally light hearted/fun attitude towards life, proximity to Belgium and Germany, and most of all, tapas, a small snack served with every round of drinks. One of my most enjoyable beer drinking experiences was in Salamanca pairing and Affligem tripel with roasted and seasoned sweet peppers. The craft beer craze hasn't hit this marvelous country yet, but when it does, it will provide the beer aficionado with an unmatchable beer-drinking experience. Delicioso.
-Taster Be

Hale's Ales, Seattle, WA: El Jefe, Weizen Ale

First off, you have to love this beer's name and label.  Coming out of the rich craft beer region of the Pacific Northwest, Hale's Ales in Seattle is one of my favorite breweries.  The host a great variety of beer, one of my favorites is their cream ale - and their pub restaurant has some mean corn-beef and hash.

El Jefe is a good example of an American style wheat/weizen with a strong grassy/wheat taste, semi filtered straw-like color with a bubbly head.  I enjoyed this beer on a hot day in central Washington after walking through apple, pear and cherry orchards with a belly full of Mexican tamales.

"El Jefe" Weizen Ale possesses a flavor profile that is "true Bavarian Style" -complex and mouth-filling, with the spicey and fruity influences that only genuine hefeweizen yeast can produce. This is a beer that combines old world quality and character with new world freshness--the best of both worlds. -Hale's

Brasserie d'Achouffe, Belgium: Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Gnome crazy Belgians rule!  I love this Indian Pale ale Belgian style beer, with a harmonious balance between bitterness (three types of hops are used to make it) and a pleasant fruitiness.  The HOUBLON CHOUFFE is an aggressive unfiltered, and bottle re-fermented Belgian IPA.  Although I really love this beer, its gnome sister beer - LA CHOUFFE (golden style), is my favorite from this brewery.  While I've found this beer bottled in both bars and grocery stores, I would love to taste it on tap. 

Knee Deep Brewing, Tanilla Porter

Knee Deep Brewing's Tanilla Porter has become one of my favorite porters if not one of my favorite beers after tasting it earlier this week.  The porter has a sweet chocolate flavor from the roasted malts and a very pleasant vanilla flavor from the use of Tahitian Vanilla beans.  Drinking this beer on draft I didn't notice much head and the beer is a medium to light body and holds 6.3% abv. Although I didn't see a physical address posted on the Brewery's website it is apparent that Knee Deep is out of the Sierra Foothills and the Master Brewer is from Reno which makes this Lake Tahoe guy very happy.  Despite the low ratings and poor reviews for this beer on Beer Advocate.com I am sticking with this one and think it is top notch.  I am going to hunt down more beer styles from this brewery asap.

Unibroue - La Fin du Monde

(My first time enjoying this beer was in 2001 while on a road trip through Canada with my buddy Ty.  I remember buying the beer from a liquor store because I liked the name and label, the complex tastes of the beer expanded my horizons for high ABV Belgian beers.  After visiting some hot springs and sipping this beer we ended up sleeping in the car.  To this day, I still find myself seeking out this fantastic beer which invokes these great memories. You'll find a wide variety of sweet exotic flavors in La Fin du Monde; tropical fruits balanced with a nice bitter aftertaste.

La Fin du Mond: French for "The end of the world" is a Belgian Style triple fermentation (also refermented in the bottle) Golden Ale.  La Fin Du Monde’s appearance is a light cloudy golden hue, and while similar to most other Belgian triple ales in appearance, its flavor is less bitter and more spicy (featuring coriander and orange peel).  

The fully-fermented beer contains (9% ABV) alcohol content and an abundance of awesomeness.

21st Amendment Bitter American

I had heard of this brewery before because of this blog, so I knew that what I was getting into was probably going to be good, but to be honest with you, I probably would have bought this craft brew just because the packaging jumped out at me. First of all, it comes in cans, which are becoming increasingly popular. Then of course, there's the picture on the cans. Who can say no to a chimp in a space suit? 21A say that the plan behind this beer was to create something lighter in alcohol that could be consumed over a longer period of time. I think they did it rather nicely with this beer. There is a lot of late hopping or possibly a dry-hop aroma in this beer that goes along with a malt bill that gives this beer tons of flavor, but not nearly as much bitterness or alcohol as some of the other products I've reviewed on this blog. It's actually a refreshing change to what seems like an ABV arms race of sorts that has been developing over the past couple of years. Thank you, Bitter American. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Okay, so I'm delving into the archives of photos a bit, but this brew from Rogue was definitely memorable.  I got it because I heard from a respectable source that it was a great example of an American stout. Boy was I glad for the recommendation. Shakespeare himself could have hyped this beer and I still would have been impressed. It pours dark black with a nice light brown head. Initially, I thought there would be more hop aroma because of the "American" label, but this is definitely more for the roasted malt lovers out there. Very silky smooth mouthfeel with dark chocolate and roast coffee overtones. The yeast strain is mild enough to really let the malt and hops shine in this one. Finishing the last sip made me say "parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight 'til it be morrow." Delicious.
-Taster Be

Grand Ivey Brewing Co., "Wit and Nerdy"

Wit beers have become increasingly popular the last few years and with good reason, they’re refreshing and flavorful yet can be complex enough to satisfy beer geeks, especially on a hot summer day.  Much of the credit for this beer's popularity is due to Master brewer, Pierre e Celis, a farmer from the city of Hoegaarden, brought this ancient style back into modern brewing in the mid-1960's.

I was fortunate enough to learn how to brew this beer earlier this year with the head brewer of Grand Ivey who told me about the importance of Pierre's work.  We happen to brew this batch of Wit on Friday April 9th, 2011 - We later learned that Pierre past away the following day on Saturday April 10th.  So this one's for Pierre, Cheers! 

Congratulations to Grand Ivey for producing such an incredible wit style brew.  I loved the light white-wheat color and its refreshing flavors,  The beer had a medium, bright white head that laced perfectly and all of the spices came through just as we hoped.  I am sure there is room for improvement in brewing this beer but I am proud of it and I think Pierre would be too!

Delicious!

-K

Full Sail Brewing Company

My-oh-my.  My Beer-connoisseur-sister from Portland, OR sent me a special-special gift of black nectar from one of the world's beer meccas.  Thanks for sending me Full Sail's Black Gold Sis, even though it came with a "only drink after: date" that kept me waiting for about 3 months... but it was worth the wait to enjoy this bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout.  This is a serious beer: it tastes like a french roast coffee  cappuccino mixed with a shot of strong Kentucky whiskey.  With out a doubt, this beer put some hair on my chest, not to mention my wife's too.  At some 11% ABV it was like licking the inside of a bourbon cask with it's woody, boozy flavor which was balanced out with its smooth, malty, chocolaty, coffee flavors that are more commonly associated with stouts.

“This extended aging presents hints of vanilla and allows the Stout to pick up the flavors of the wood, bourbon and oak. The aging combined with the robust character of the Imperial Stout make for an extraordinary and wonderful taste experience. It has a strong roasted malt character and a full body. Chocolate and caramel nuances blend with the hops for a smooth Imperial Stout,” described by Jamie Emmerson, Full Sail Brew Master.

Awesomeness.
-K

Iron Springs Brewing Co., Fairfax, CA

Just as I started to feel like, maybe I've had one too many IPAs and it is time leave those hop-headed-heroes on the shelf for a while, a friend of mine put this beauty in front of me and I was re-inspired.  This is an excellent IPA, an excellent beer.  The first thing I noticed while enjoying beers at Iron Springs Brewery just 7-10 miles north of me in Fairfax, CA was the amazing color quality of ALL of their beers (I ordered 10 samplers so I got to see most if not all of the beers they had on tap).  Secondly, Iron Springs does a great job bringing out the characteristics of each beer style, so while I see them as a creative brewery, I also think they are really good at following traditional modes of brewing.  There must be some Block-headed German in one of the beer-masters, just try their Kolsch style beer: "Kent Lake".
Anyhow,  I enjoyed this 22 of the JC Flyer IPA at the brewery and took one home with me.  It pours with a hazed golden body with a small white head. The aromas are of orange, tangerine, and pine. The flavors are dry, grainy, citrus and there is a very light caramel flavor, dry body, lively carbonation with no astringents and weighs in around 9%. A well balanced big hoppy beer that reinvigorated my pallet. -Kbaer

Wittekerke

Yes, it's another Belgian witbier, and this one happens to be one of the best ones I've tasted. I think most anyone could like this beer. First off, the color is incredible. The cloudy almost off white beverage is a spectacle in itself. I tried it in a dark room and I was still amazed by how light it was. I can only imagine what it would look like in the late afternoon summer sun. Next is the aroma and flavor which are equally appealing. Nothing stands out as overpowering, and I would venture to say that Wittekerke is quite restrained for this style, with only a slight taste of belgian yeast and traditional spicing. But, my fellow flavorful beer aficionados, fear not. Wittekerke's balance is what makes this beer so special. Flavor-wise, it is simply refreshing- in the hot days of July and August (add May and June if you live where I do), this would be like bottled heaven. The malted wheat provides something here that most beers just don't attain. I tried to describe it (unsuccessfully) in an earlier post, and I still can't pin it down, but if you're a fan of wheat beers, you might know what I'm talking about. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Ommegang Hennepin

My second beer at The Brick Store, this belgian-style saison straight from New York was delicious. Spicy, tropical fruit, combined with loads of carbonation made this the perfect beer to drink when in an optimistic mood, ready to float off with the dreams of tomorrow. I was in heaven imagining descriptors for this one until someone (and if you know me, you know who it was) suggested circus peanuts. There's nothing like orange foamy sugar to bring you back to Earth. Maybe I shouldn't take myself so seriously and just enjoy this fine beer. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Victory Storm King Stout

As someone who cut her brew teeth on red cups of Natty Ice and water's second cousin, Rolling Rock, I'd like to think that I've come full circle. And by that I mean completely reformed, not regressed. Victory Storm King Stout is about the best way I could think of to tip my proverbial forty to that reformation. It's creamy and chocolate-y and high gravity. It made me want to compliment the waiter. It must be good.

-Nic B.

Full Sail Cascadian Dark Ale

Growing in popularity, the CDA variety is gaining some traction this season. This one from Full Sail blends dark malts with a pleasant hoppiness that is full bodied but not heavy. Very tasty.
BJ - Posted from my iPhone

Gouden Carolus Tripel

Oh my fellow fine beer drinkers, last night I had the pleasure of enjoying a few rare beers at The Brick Store in Decatur, GA. This place was incredible. Each beer I ordered came in its own special glass not only appropriate for the style, but also baring the name of the brewery. I began the evening with this Belgian tripel in the upstairs Belgian tap room. The nose reveals very subtle hops and the spiciness of the belgian yeast strains.  The taste was soft, yet very complex with fruits reminiscent of apricot and delicate sweetness. This beer made me want to sit and sip and enjoy a mind-expanding conversation with my wife while marveling at my good fortune in life. I don't get a chance to drink this style on draft very often, and the whole experience was something I will remember for a long time.  Delicious.
-Taster Be

Marin Brewing Co., Mt. Tam - Pale Ale

This is a pretty good Pale Ale.  Apparently, judging by the bottle's very discriptive label, some beer afficionados this this pale is simple supurb with several awards from festivals and associations to its credit.  The color was a cool-yellowish amber and the taste was very mild, kind of middle of the road and perhaps a bit too balanced because I didn't find a lot of character within.  Never-the-less, I enjoyed this beer and would go back for more.  It is my impression that this brewery and restaurant has been doing good business and making distinguished brews for a long time.  Plus, I have to root for my local brews, this one out of Larkspur, CA.

Mammoth Brewing Co: Hair Of The Bear - Dopple Bock Lager

Hailing from 8000 feet above sea level is Mammoth Brewing Co. where the waters of the Eastern Sierra mix with roasted dark malts to produce this amazingly delicious Lager.  Standing in at 9% ABV with a smooth chocolate-nut flavor this is one big bear of a beer and one of the best beers I've posted this year.  I'd track down this beer any day of the year.

Coors Brewing Company: Blue Moon- Pale Moon

Golden Colorado lays claim to a Belgian-Style beer with its line up of Blue Moon beers but the end result remains in line with what the brewery does best...perhaps these beers should be called Belgian-style-light beers and come packaged in a hyper-colored-gimmicky can. Ahh, I am upset that I spent good beer money on this 6-pack.

Lucky Bucket Pre-Prohibition Lager

The name of the brewery sparks up nostalgia of underneath the bottle cap picture puzzles, but this lager is a probably a bit more interesting than what my six-year-old palate remembers of the sips of Lucky Lager that Dr. Grandpa used to let me have. I like the label and its description of the beer, but this is the first beer that I have imbibed thus far that I taste and think "Holy corn!" It makes me wonder if they used it as an adjunct, but according to the description of this beer, there aren't as many additives as one finds in most of today's American lagers. To me, that reads like the adjuncts used today. An interesting drink, but not my favorite American lager. I don't really taste the west coast hops used in dry hopping, and really all I can think of is corn.  Now if it would have had some drawings underneath the cap, I might be swayed to buy some more. Weiner desk a shin.
-Taster Be

Michigan Brewing Co. Nut Brown Ale

This was a nice brown ale in the same vein as a Newcastle. Definitely had some nut-like overtones and went down smooth. A nice relaxing beer to drink after fixing something around the house- flavorful with subtle complexity, yet rather light.  Incidentally, when I went to the Michigan Brewing Co. website, I saw that they also are now the home of the Celis line of beers and that a brewing legend, Pierre Celis passed away earlier this month. Celis is often credited with bringing the Belgian style wit beers back from near extinction, so here's a toast to your memory, Pierre, and may you continue to inspire more fine brews. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Leffe Blond

I could have sworn I've tried this before, but when I tasted the first sip, it was clear that I hadn't. I would have kept drinking them all night if I didn't have a final the next morning in Alabama. The richness of the taste reminded me of a sweet, custard-like dessert, followed by a spiciness much like cinnamon. It was a welcome departure from the other beers I had been drinking all week, which were heavy on hops, roasted malts, or both. This is an excellent drinking beer and I can see how the complex flavors and aroma could compliment a large variety of foods. It is so smooth that I was blown away when I read it measures 6.6% ABV. I will drink this again many times over. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Harpoon UFO White

"Light, crisp, refreshing UFO White follows in the tradition of spiced wheat beers that have been brewed in Belgium for well over 300 years. Brewed with orange peel and a unique blend of spices, UFO White is the perfect choice for a summer’s barbecue, a night out with friends or any time you¹re thirsting for something a little different."
Harpoon

In my unending quest for the perfect Belgian Wit, I came across this offering from Harpoon at the grocery one day and decided to give it a try. There is a broad spectrum of beers within this category, and this one seems to fall on the floral and fruity end of the spectrum rather than the spicy and yeasty side. I should have known by the orange slice on the label which one this was- floral and fruity. I found it similar to some of the American wheats I've had recently. Clearly refreshing with that bright punch that seems to be present in all wheat beers, but alas my quest continues as I prefer the spicier, yeastier versions. Next wit: a collaboration between Grand Ivey Brewing Co. and the Lousy Buckle head brewmaster.
-Taster Be

Wells Banana Bread

"Tempting banoffee aromas tempered by a grassy, lemony nose all leading to a finely balanced, fresh, delicate flavour of peppery hops with a lingering dry finish."
-wells and youngs


I tried this recently while devouring an awesome grass-fed burger and onion rings in Decatur at farm burger. The experience was just divine. Although I would have liked to have let the brew warm up a little bit to experience the full flavor, the delicious combination of grease, fat, and refreshing beverage were just too much for my feeble will to withstand. I've seen it written before that sometimes your environment fools your taste buds, and that may have been the case, but this beer was delicious, and if there's any banana bread lovers out there, this just may seem magical to you as well.  Delicious. 
-Taster Be  

De Kluis Brewery, Belgium - Hoegaarden

Although it is not the first time this beer has been posted on this blog I had to mark my own experience with this beer - in preparation for a visit to Grand Ivey Brewing Co. in Dacula Georgia where I had been invited to work along side their brew-master on a Wit Beer I had to do some research in the field - I started with one of my favorites, Hoegaarden. 

The brilliant white beer is brewed to a traditional recipe which dates as far back as 1445, although the beer Hoegaarden has only existed since 1966. Hoegaarden gets its great taste partly due to there being special ingredients added during the brewing process, such as - wheat, coriander and curacao orange peels. Also the pale, cloudy appearance of this mysterious looking drink is all thanks to an additional second fermentation in the bottle.  Hoegaarden is quite strong for a beer, standing at 5% vol.

We set our sites on brewing a beer similar in color and taste as Hoegaarden.  With its light body and citrus aroma, this beer is just perfect for a hot summer afternoon, but what really makes it work for this beer lover is the spicy quality of the coriander which becomes reminiscent of warm spice drinks served around winter season holidays thus making this beer a year around favorite.  

Judging by the fine quality of ingredients selected by Grand Ivey Brewing and the initial color and gravities of the wort, I trust that the batch we brewed in homage to the great tradition of Belgian Style Wit Beers will be exceptional and I look forward to sampling a glass or two.

Bell's Brewery Inc., Kalamazoo, MI - Oberon Seasonal Wheat Ale

I recently enjoyed this beer on a hot afternoon while in Florida.  This wheat beer had a prominent citrus flavor and was not too sweet for my liking.  The ale was very drinkable with a subtle hop favor but the spice qualities were a bit masked by the fruity aromas and citrus flavor.  I really liked this beer and just a couple days later enjoyed another one of Bell's best brews, the Two Hearted Ale which is reviewed by Taster B on this blog. 

"This American Wheat beer is fermented with Bell's signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas. The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel, making it a classic summer beer."
-Bell's

Red Brick Brewing, Atlanta, GA: Red Brick Brown

Red Brick out of Atlanta builds its marketing on the pride and personality of Southern culture and hospitality. The label pulls together a local focus with text like "Beer from around here. A nice, smooth ale that says yes Sir and yes Ma'am"

As described on their website: "The beer seems to have all characters for a beer with personality but is kind of dissociated having intense flavors at first, then some emptiness in the middle of the mouth and finishing with a bitter finish."

Ahh, B-.

Sweet Water Brewing Co, Atlanta, GA: 420 Extra Pale Ale

Sweet Water Brewing Co offers some good quality beers in the state of Georgia. The 420 Extra Pale Ale is very good but the vibe of the brewing company itself throws me off a little. You can easily see their marketing attracts the mainstream with their conservative name and fish logo (how many more brewery fish logos do we really need?) while playing off the quazi stoner-rasta-frat boy subcultures with their beer names like "420" or "Happy Ending". I don't know, they seem to be one of the more widely distributed craft beers in Georgia, they have a good product but I value the story of a craft-micro brew and I just don't buy this one.

Terrapin Brewing Co, Athens, GA: Hop Karma Brown IPA

My oh my, how Terrapin Brewing has something good goin' on in Athens GA. I mean they are on top of every last detail from their branding to the diversity of their beers to their extensive website: Terrapin is going to have the state of Georgia on lock down - slow and steady wins the race.

This year around beer, the Hop Karma Brown IPA is awesome. I brings together the best of both worlds of Brown Ales and IPAs by cutting the Brown's sweetness with the hop bitterness of an IPA while maintaining the nutty flavor of the brown.

http://www.terrapinbeer.com/beers/7-Hop-Karma-Brown--IPA

Great Northern Brewing Co., Whitefish Montana, Black Star

This Golden Ale didn't really register with me: all of its characters were mild and maybe that is it's best quality. I would imagine this beer would be a good one to select on a warm summer day after a hike when you just want a cold, refreshing beer.

"Black Star is a double-hopped golden lager based on traditional European Pilsner style beers. It is brewed with both Bavarian Mittelfrüh and Czech Saaz hops and two row malting barley. By hopping it in the kettle, and then again before finishing, Black Star opens with a distinctive hop aroma and a rich, full bodied flavor, yet closes remarkably crisp, light and refreshing."

Radeberger, Germany: Pilsner

Pilsners of Central Europe are hard to beat so I am always happy to see Radeberger widely distributed on the West Coast of the USA. This pilsner just gets better as you drink it and it goes well with any meal even breakfast.

Looking at the bottle's details the other day, I found it peculiar to find a note on the bottom of the back label noting: "Puerto Rico, Please don't litter."

Good advice.