This IPA pours an aroma consisting mostly of grapefruit, some pineapple and tropical fruit, and a bite of pine resin on the back end. The flavor is quite balanced, bringing in more malt than average and in doing so it comes across sort of like an amber IPA hybrid. Caramel and crystal malts provide a solid sweet base, while Munich brings an entirely new twist on things which is unseen in other IPA’s. Hop flavors are very herbal, more pine-centered than citric. Mouth feel is smooth and creamy with a good bit of hop oils that come in on the finish and linger with a slow drying. I think there’s a flaw in the way the malt comes together with the hops where the combinatory flavor simply isn’t working. Its sort of a medicinal or soapy twang perhaps caused by the Munich malt addition, or maybe the strange variety of hops, several of which are less commonly used. On the positive side I enjoy the good balance of malts and hops, sweet and bitter, and I think they did a pretty good job. However, something on the bill needs adjusted for things to come together better. It’s worth trying, but I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it. If only Deschutes handled hops as well as they do malts…

Hops: Millennium, Horizon, Centennial, Northern Brewer, Cascade, Citra

Malts: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Caramel

6.8%

80 IBU

Bend, Oregon

5.8%

? IBU

Comstock, Michigan

7.7%

100+ IBU

Escondido, California

9.0%

38 IBU

Milton, Deleware

9.1%

? IBU

Downingtown, Pennsylvania

My Antonia is an imperial pilsner that started out as a collaboration at Birra del Borgo outside Rome with owner/brewer Leonardo DiVencenzo. I don’t typically note the color of the beer, but this one has a particularly unusual and beautiful hue I’ve not seen before. She opens with floral hop aromas, bright citric hops, grainy pilsner malt and sweet caramel. The palate begins with a warm delivery of sweet pilsner and grainy pale malts. Yeast weaves its way in perfectly as earthy and spicy hops quickly precede, leaving a drop of pine oil. Sweet tangerine, pineapple, and apricot later fill in the gaps for a delightfully fruity finish. It has a smooth, rounded off sort of feel with moderate carbonation, somewhat easy to drink but bittersweet enough to keep from being a session beer. This is probably one of the most aggressive double pilsners I know of. Any hop head would love this, and you really get the best of all worlds because the malt, hops, and yeast all go together so perfectly. This is pushing the boundaries of the style, and it really comes across tasting like a well malted, pilsner IPA hybrid. I find it delicious, very satisfying in mouth feel, and I think the flavor combination is really solid. Everything comes together so well and I highly recommend this beer. On the downside, the bottle size is just over 12 oz, it’s priced at around $7, and the ABV is average-low. Regardless of those negatives, it’s a great beer worth picking up. Cheers!

7.5%

? IBU

Milton, Delaware

This porter marks my first beer from South Dakota, brought back with my best friend on a recent trip to the Black Hills. It opens with sweet aromas of caramel, cold brewed coffee, roasted barley, a hint of vanilla, and milk chocolate. The palate begins silky with malted milk balls that pair up with coffee and a light dose of sweetness. Hops then thrust forward with mild bitterness, carrying an herbal/citric character that elevates the body enough to transition smoothly into a tart blackberry highlight to finish. The feel is thin at first, but as it develops it grows more wet and rich, almost semi-dry in closing. I quite like this porter, and I think they’ve done a good job crafting it. The range of flavor from sweet to bitter to tart is all in good balance. I would purchase this again, and I recommend picking this up if you’re ever in that neck of the woods.

6.0%

40 IBU

Spearfish, South Dakota

Green Flash has been filling in the Belgian gaps in their lineup, including this Saison (farmhouse ale). Aromas include semi-spicy Belgian yeast (white pepper, clove), bread dough, white grapes, oranges, and bright lemon. Palate flavors begin with sweet wheat and a light use of pale malt that add bready, doughy flavors that merge with dried fruits. Next, hops bring in a grassy flavor and yeast begins to throw out hints of clove and white pepper with hints of banana. I enjoy the balancing blend of fruit (lemon zest, grapes, oranges, pears) with spices (ginger, grain of paradise, clove, and white pepper). Mouth feel is somewhat crisp and zesty, and the body is super light so it’s a session beer that’s probably perfect for spring or summer. Green Flash handles hops well, and while I really enjoy their IPA’s and stouts, their attempts at European styles (Rayon Vert, Grand Cru, Tripel) are simply off par. I think they should consider revising this recipe and upping the alcohol for me to take this beer seriously. While it’s a fine beer, it’s rather restrained and simple. Plus the $11 price tag for four beers at a meager 4.2% is simply not worth it so I’m forced withhold recommendation.

Hops: Saaz

4.2%

20 IBU

San Diego, California

Each epic must eventually reach its conclusion. This is the final brew in Stone’s anniversary ‘Vertical Epic’ series which started in 2002 and slowly added one ingredient each passing year. Therefore, an arrangement of spices were added to this Belgian strong dark ale including cinnamon, allspice, orange peel, clove, and rose hips. The aroma is like “Red Hot” cinnamon candies highlighted by christmas spice, a fruity touch of fig, molasses, root beer, belgian yeast, and just a bit of herbal hops. The deep palate is softly carbonated, beginning with warm Belgian candi sugar and a sweet fruity accent of figs and grapes. Malts then begin to expose a dark chocolate character bordering on burnt dark bread, sweetened with brown sugar and caramel. Next, grassy hops combine with the orange peel as everything pulls together for a great holiday spice effect (this beer would be absolutely perfect with a Christmas feast). It eventually finishes off with charred barley, brewed coffee, some ester alcohol, remnants of plum, anise, black pepper, and a splash of hop oil. As is style appropriate, sweetness slightly overtakes bitterness, but there is point at which they exchange control about midway through. The mouth feel is chewy and smooth with a semi-dry finish. There is an earthy, dank nature as it becomes clear that this beer is pushing the limits of style boundaries and pulls in a wide range of influence. In the end, I understand why this series had to come to an end, and this is an appropriate beer to conclude the series. It’s been interesting to watch the recipe progress, but based on Stone’s affinity for anniversary beers I’m sure they’ll find an excuse to brew another specialty. Recommended.

9.0%

? IBU

Escondido, California

This Scotch ale (wee heavy) has a wonderful earthy aroma with an almost tart caramel, roasted malt, mild chocolate undertones, leather, and just a touch of floral herbal hops. This uses a combination of ten different malts on the bill, so its quite complex. The flavor profile begins with sweet caramel, a panoply of fruits ranging from orange to guava, then delves into milk chocolate, and further with a touch of smoked peat. A drop of pine oil finishes out with a perfectly level 50 IBU bitterness. Additional hints of cinnamon, tobacco, vanilla, walnuts, almonds, and charred whiskey barrels. This delivers an impressive range of flavors, and each is due to one malt variety or another for a perfect mix that’s neither too sweet, too sour, or too bitter. Hops take a backseat, and that’s a good thing in this case. Mouth feel is sort of soft and mellow, well-rounded by alcohol. I actually got half way through the glass before I gasped and realized this is 8.5%, because the alcohol is just so stealthy. I think 8.5 is the perfect ABV. Founders is simply amazing and I just don’t have enough good things to say about their work.

8.5%

50 IBU

Grand Rapids, Michigan

This amber ale is brewed using 100% organic malts, and hops specially cultivated to preserve salmon spawning streams. The aroma brings in a splash of oranges and melon, but is dominated most by pale malts which are roasted lightly to bring out a richer malt character. The palate is so easy going, touching first on orange flavored hops and toffee flavored malt as carbonation rises for the chorus where amber grains begin a buildup of rich flavor. As detected on the nose, there’s a sweet honeydew and cantaloupe character that pairs nicely with the orange flavor of the hops. Malt flavors wash out in their final remnants as grassy/herbal hops lightly descend to balance out the finish with mild bitterness. I enjoy the well rounded, ‘wet’ mouth feel, and all the flavors are in good equilibrium with one another. This is a session beer designed for easy drinking and therefore lighter flavor, so if that’s your desire this beer is for you. However, I prefer a richer, more bold amber ale that has a bit more to say when it speaks. Some people would probably love it, but I don’t think the seasoned craft drinker would miss much if passing this one by. Deschutes does no wrong, so just give it a shot.

5.2%

45 IBU

Bend, Oregon

This Russian Imperial Stout marks my first Norwegian beer from what appears to be very reputable brewery. The aroma has a rich roasted dark chocolate malt with a raspberry accent, hints of anise, and sweet molasses. The flavor profile begins instantly with chocolate malt as layers of dark chocolate and cocoa develop alongside fruity alcohol esters and a perfectly balancing note of herbal hops that carry moderate bitterness. Wild yeast adds a funky Belgian-like character that pairs up with fruity alcohol esters boasting a bright cherry accent. The malt unfolds its flavor, and I imagine there are several varieties on the malt bill, obviously including some European curiosities. Hops add a light touch of orange peel bitterness that merges with that cherry flavored alcohol and just a dash of mint to top it off. Hops are more of an underscore and really weaves its way into other flavors so that its difficult to distinguish. These guys have allowed a more open canvas more malt to fully develop, and this obviously allows alcohol to penetrate but they’ve managed to work with it instead of trying to conceal it. A complex mouth feel begins with aggressive, prickly carbonation, gets slick with alcohol, then dries out very slowly to end off a little astringent. This is definitely a European take on the style with a good appreciation of malt, a yeasty twang, and some deep complexity. I’ve never had anything quite like it, and I feel like I could go on and on about the wonderful balance and how well the wild yeast is working with a double stout. The palate of flavor is hitting on all cylinders and it’s really a sensation to drink. I recommend this only to those of you who can handle the alcohol (flavors) and appreciate its uniqueness.

11.0%

? IBU

Drammen, Norway

This witbier IPA fusion blends the smooth sweetness of wheat with the citric bitterness of hops. It won a silver medal (American-Belgo-Style Ale) at GABF in 2012. The ‘white IPA’ is a new trend these days in the craft beer world. The aroma on this guy is full of banana, with just a dash of clove and a sour whiff of hops. The palate is rather light, highly carbonated, and feels like club soda. The hop flavor is completely dominated by sour lemon, not quite puckering but still pretty tart. Wheat immediately rushes in with sweetness but not quite enough to balance out the bitterness. Pilsner malts develop and it finishes with additional notes of herbal hops, orange peel, and light coriander. The sustain is somewhat quick, and it leaves off a little dry so it’s super easy to drink and I would definitely consider this a session beer. It actually shares some wild ale characteristics too, being so sour with a bit of funky yeast.This is sort of cold beer I would reach for when mowing the lawn in the heat, because it’s so crisp and refreshing. I recommend you try it, but know it would be best when you’re craving a lighter, more sessionable beer. It may not be for everyone but it’s good.

Malt: Pilsner, Wheat, Unmalted Wheat

Hops: Bravo, Citra, Centennial, Cascade

Other: Sweet Orange, Coriander

5.6%

55 IBU

Bend, Oregon

This robust porter was a gold medal winner at GABF in ‘02. Aromas are roasty with hints of chocolate and caramel malt and a mild grainy accent. The flavor profile begins with bittersweet chocolate, then dries out to expose a black malt character with hints of coffee. For the finish, hops touch lightly on orange peel, and a mild leafy hop character. The hop flavor is actually quite subdued, so I’m guessing it’s of British origin. This allows for a more minimal impact on the flavor of the malt, while providing just the right amount of bitterness. The chocolate/coffee tradeoff is perfect, and so is the balance of bitter and sweet. Mouth feel is medium-low in body, somewhat thin, perfectly carbonated, and creamy. This is a stunning example of a proper porter. I’d say it’s practically perfect, but they’re definitely playing it safe in keeping it simple. There’s always room for improvement, but I highly recommend it.

5.8%

? IBU

Cleveland, Ohio

This double stout is brewed with real vanilla and coffee beans provided by San Diego coffee roaster, Caffe Calabria. It pours with enticing aromas of warm french vanilla, roasted coffee beans, and dark roasted malt. This is an exceptional, unique beer which is neither too sweet nor too heavy. The palate begins with a bold base of viscous malt, chocolate merges with orange and mint flavored hops that enter midway with a bright menthol accent, then slowly dries out into roasted coffee. Vanilla gets its opportunity to come forward on the finish to highlights the roasted espresso and chocolate malt, ending off with a dash of pine oil. The malt is dark roasted, but not quite burnt. There is an immaculate sense of balance between bittersweet chocolate, espresso, and vanilla bean. Malt comes out on top, but do a dance with hops and trade off in good rhythm. Alcohol imparts black berry flavors which combine with hop flavors for a very positive effect. The body is a bit chewy, creamy smooth, and the alcohol gives a sort of slickness with slow warmth. Despite being 10% it drinks more like an 8% because the body is surprisingly light. Though the mouth feel falls a tad short, the flavor makes up for it. Like most complex beers, the flavor does actually improve as it warms so don’t be afraid to let that baby come down to room temperature. Highly recommended.

10.0%

? IBU

San Diego, California