Day 266: Ommegang Abbey Ale

Name: Abbey Ale

Brewer: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)

Classification: Dubbel

Alcohol: 8.5%

Thoughts: The Wife and I were in Baltimore visiting friends and we hit up a restaurant called Abbey Burger in the Federal Hill area. They have an impressive list of burger toppings and an even more impressive beer list. I waded though it and I felt Ommegang's Abbey Ale at Abbey Burger was appropriate. Poured into a chalice-like glass this dark auburn colored brew was topped by a quickly evaporating, off-white head. The aroma is simply gorgeous. I got dark fruits like fig and cherry mixed together with a wonderful sweetness that consisted of cinnamon, raw sugar and caramel. I smelled it before every sip because it seemed to add to the overall enjoyment of the beer. Sometimes Dubbels are a little heavier in body and can be way to malty in flavor. This Dubbel was much lighter in malt, which was balanced with the hops, which allowed the sweetness and flavors to shine like watching the sun from Mercury! Boom! Pow! Bam! Honey, brown sugar, more cinnamon, more malts, more cherry and figs and lots of badass awesomeness combine to create a sensational taste that cannot be ignored. This is easily one of the best beers I have ever had! However, it just misses the Top 10. Sorry, I don't make up the rules. Oh wait! I do make up the rules. 

Rating: 91/100

Day 265: Saison Du BUFF

Name: Saison Du BUFF

Brewer: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE)

Classification: Saison

Alcohol: 6%

Thoughts: Saison is one of my favorite types of beer. The spice, sweetness and the liberty that can be taken during the brewing process makes for a very appealing drink. Saisons are usually brewed during the winter so that they are ready during the spring. They usually signify the changing of the seasons in the beer world. Even though there are tons of this amazing style of beer, I still haven't had one quite like Dogfish Head's Saison Du BUFF. It is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, which I fully read like I was Simon & Garfunkel. It pours a crisp, highly carbonated gold color with a thick, off-white head. The head laced and ribboned around the glass very nicely. The aroma is bright and earthy with spices and herbs mixed in with the malty undertones. The taste starts out on the malty side with a little bit of pepper and grapefruit, but as that fades the savory herbal, earthy flavors come to the forefront. It is a truly unique taste and a rather exciting one at that. The alcohol is subdued and the finish is bubbly like champagne. All in all, a terrific beer and a great saison. I totally recommend this to everyone, because it offers enough for both the novice drinkers to the expert drinkers. 

Rating: 87/100

Day 264: Triangle White Ale

Name: Triangle White Ale

Brewer: Triangle Brewing Co. (Durham, NC)

Classification: Witbier

Alcohol: 5%

Thoughts: If you have been following The Beer Year you know that I have many different cans of beer. However, I have never had a can of witbier. I honestly never expected I would because, well, its witbier. It's one of those things that just doesn't seem right, even though you don't know why it isn't right. So I had to try it and see if it made a difference. I drank right from the can so I don't know what it looks like, but I assume a "White Ale" may give away the ending on that one. The aroma was heavily wheat induced with shades of yeast and pepper to go along. Nothing too original, but still good and likable. The flavors are really clean and crisp, which I rather like because some witbiers or hefeweizens have a little to much sediment or pulp in it. Triangle White Ale seemed to have little or none of those. I tasted a lot of yeast and wheat which reflected the smell, but in addition I got some soft coriander notes and tart lemon peel. It was a flavorful, lasting taste that I was surprised to have in a can. I think I am starting to see more and more canned beers that I really enjoy. I had been put off by the idea at first, but I am totally open to it now. 

Rating: 84/100

Day 263: Pale Ale #1 (Power Out)

I finally brewed my own beer! You can go onto the My Beer page to check out the brewing process and see how I made it. The name of my brewery is SMASH Brewery, and I plan on naming beers after musical references. If you are an Arcade Fire fan then you may recognize the name of this beer from their 2004 album Funeral. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) is one of my favorite songs and this beer is worthy of the name. At least that is how I feel. However, to remain objective I let my friend Matt review it. I find it only fair since I reviewed two of his beers: Kitchen Sink and Sink or Swim. Read what he has to say below. 

Matt with a fresh Power Out

Name: Pale Ale #1 (Power Out)

Brewer: SMASH Brewery (Durham, NC)

Classification: American Pale Ale 

Alcohol: 5.2%

Thoughts: This is a guest blog post for Kyle's blog to review the beer that he brewed to remove some of the reviewer bias.  This is his first beer and he should be very pleased with his handiwork.  The beer pours with a minimal head and the smell is similar to freshly baked bread.  The color is a golden brown and looks very appetizing.  The first thing you should know about the beer is that it feels so good when it hits your lips.  The beer is smooth with a little bit of zing at the end.  All in all for a first brew this is a good beer and I would recommend it.  I'm actually on my third one and would happily take this beer out and drink it outside on a warm spring day.  I think that Kyle is well on his way to becoming a good brewmaster and I look forward to trying his next beer. 

Rating: 84/100 (Matt's Score, Not Mine)

Day 262: Nomad

Name: Nomad

Brewer: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Classification: Czech Pilsner

Alcohol: 5.4%

Thoughts: I have been eyeing this beer for a while. I really like pilsners and I really like Great Divide Brewing Co. So this sounds like a perfect marriage in my mind. Plus, the greatest film of all time (in my mind) is Lawrence of Arabia, and the label on the bottle looks like a T.E. Lawrence crossing the desert on a camel. Maybe that's not what is intended but that's what I got out of it. This pilsners pours a very yellowish gold color with a finger-wide, white head. I have to be honest. It kind of looks like pee, and last time I had a beer that looked like pee, it tasted like pee. Luckily, this time was much better. The smells were very bready and malty with a bit of cannabis mixed into the aroma. This is how I would describe the taste: A freshly baked cracker with honey, a dash of pepper, and some good dank bud on it. Then take the cracker, liquify it and ferment. That may not sound as appetizing as you might think, but thats what this beer tasted like and I really enjoyed it. 

Rating: 85/100

Day 261: Founder's All Day IPA

Name: All Day IPA

Brewer: Founder's Brewing (Grand Rapids, MI)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: 4.7%

Thoughts: I had a long day at work and I really wanted to just sit, watch a little Spring Training and drink a nice, solid beer. I opened up the fridge, looked at my available selections, and choose Founders' All Day IPA. I have had their Double Trouble IPA, so I thought why not try another IPA. This "session" IPA poured a bright gold color with a wispy, thinning head. I stick my nose deep into the glass because there wasn't much coming out of the glass. There is a little bit of fruit and an even smaller bit of hops, but that is about it. Then comes the taste, obviously because you drink the beer. It was a bit watered down, but citrus comes back into play. This time there is more hops and the finish is sharp, piney and dry. The finish is the best thing about this beer, but that isn't saying much. This beer needs more volume and body. It also needs more flavor. 

Rating: 77/100

Day 260: Rayon Vert

Name: Rayon Vert

Brewer: Green Flash Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)

Classification: Belgian Pale Ale

Alcohol: 7%

Thoughts: Yesterday I mentioned the changing of the season and how we get plenty of seasonal beers brewed just during the spring. This is not one of them, but it could be because of its lightness, crispness and all around sunshine-like qualities. Rayon Vert is another amazing beer from Green Flash. They make nothing but amazing beers and I can only think of a couple other breweries that maintain the quality of beer that Green Flash can. This Belgian Pale Ale pours a glowing, radiant copper with a thick, creamy head. The smell was a little under developed, but as the head faded fruity vapors, spice, pepper and lots of herbal hops rise from the glass like Zombies from the dead. Then comes bold flavors of awesomeness that lie in the waters of the Rayon Vert Sea. Plenty of fruit on the forefront of the tongue. I got peach, pear, and some type of berry. Then a peppery tartness comes into action. The finish is a little dry and a little bitter, but mostly amazing! I loved this beer so much that I am going to go out on the first day that The Beer Year is over and get one of these. So good! 

Rating: 90/100

Day 259: Little Hump Spring Ale

Name: Little Hump Spring Ale

Brewer: Highland Brewing Company (Asheville, NC)

Classification: American Pale Ale

Alcohol: 4.5%

Thoughts: It's Spring time which marks the coming of flowers and rainbows and butterflies! Oh, and Spring Seasonal Beers!!! I love this time of year because of all the crisp, refreshing beers that come out solely to celebrate Spring. The first one of the season is going to be Highland Brewing's Little Hump Spring Ale. It pours translucent yellowish-gold with a floating, bubbly head. The smell had a little bit of bitterness to start with but was quickly topped by pale malts and a decent helping of grapefruit aroma. It was slightly perfumey as well. The taste is a rather outdoors-like taste. There is more fruit like grapefruit and apricot, there is a floral hop contingent and what seemed like evergreen or spruce. Of course this is a crisp clean beer, you can look at it and tell that. But it is much more than that. This is a really good beer. It is much more exciting than I expected it to be.

Rating: 86/100

Day 258: High Five!

Name: High Five!

Brewer: Dugges Ale (Landvetter, Sweden)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: 7.5%

Thoughts: My friend Greg, the same one that did a Guest Post on Lapin Kulta, has been living in Finland for almost 3 years now. If you are unaware Finland is next to Sweden and to most Americans it is basically the same thing. Well, he told me that the Swedish culture loves American beer. I mean like Miller Lite and bullshit like that. So, it is no surprise to me that there is a company that makes an American IPA. The surprise is that it is a craft brew company and that it is very good beer. High Five pours a brash hazy copper color with a moustache-like, white head. The remarkable aroma has a bit of skunk in it, but after that it is just loads of dank hops, sweet malts and wonderful toasted grain. It is one of those smells that goes straight to the brain and overwhelms the olfactory nerves. The flavor is similar to the smell because it too starts with a bit of skunk, but it is soon forgotten as sunshiny hops, grassy notes, and a bulging pocket of sweetness irrupt on your palate. The oily, almost syrupy-like feel to the beer makes you realize you are drinking something with substance and guile. This is one flavorful beer. I recommend this to everyone and everything! Sincerely one of the most interesting beers I have had on the blog!

Rating: 92/100

Day 257: Victoria

Name: Victoria

Brewer: Grupo Modelo (Mexico City, Mexico)

Classification: Vienna Lager

Alcohol: 4%

Thoughts: Sometimes I just want to sit outside, sweat a little bit, and drink a cerveza. Well that's what I did today. It was 85 degrees out, I got off work a little early and I had a little time to myself. I had many options for Mexican beer but I went with Victoria because it was the only one I hadn't had. As you can see in the picture I drank it out of the bottle because that is what should happen with a cerveza. I took a couple of whiffs before my first sip to see if I could get anything in the nose. The aroma was pretty weak, but the smells I did get were mostly grass and grain. I find that fairly typical with mass produced Mexican beers. The taste was a little better. It was sweet, grainy and slightly watery. The feel of this beer was crisp and extremely light. I could go through a six-pack and feel nothing. Which makes it a great beer to get wasted on!

Rating: 72/100

Day 256: Flagship IPA

Name: Flagship IPA

Brewer: Carolina Brewery (Pittsboro, NC)

Classification: English IPA

Alcohol: 5.9%

Thoughts: Tonight I went to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro to check out Neon Indian in concert. he Cradle is my favorite place to see concerts because it big enough to have a good crowd, but small enough to still have an intimate concert. Also, I love going because the serve Carolina Brewery Beers on tap. I may have said this before because the other Carolina Brewery brews I have had on the blog have lacked a picture just like this one. This is because it is too dark to get a good picture. Also, it is slightly embarrassing to hold up a beer and take a picture of it in front of a bunch of strangers. So you will have to trust me on the look. It poured a pretty clear copper color with minimal sediment and a creamy head. The smell was tough to manage as there a bunch of sweaty hipsters that smelled like smoke hanging all over the place. I don't think I ever got an accurate description of the aroma. The taste was much easier to read. The flavor opens with a faint malt note that mildly bready and then finishes with a strong citrusy, grapefruit hoppiness that's smooth and pleasing. There is also a good bit of spiciness that adds a bite to the hop character and to the finish. It was good. Nothing more and nothing less. The show was great. Nothing more and nothing less. 

Rating: 83/100

Day 255: Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Name: Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Brewer: Kiuchi Brewery (Ibaraki, Japan)

Classification: Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Alcohol: 7%

Thoughts: People in the beer world may have heard of Hitachino Nest brews. They make a good selection of beers and they are well respected. However, they can be very difficult to find. I found a few kinds yesterday when I was shopping at Sam's Quik Shop. I did have to shell out $5 for this 11.2oz bottle. That is $30 for a six-pack! So if you go looking for it, just know it will cost you some monies. It poured a cloudy orangey-gold with a quickly evaporating head. The smells floating from the glass were very sweet, like a sticky nectar. It was fragrant and perfume-like too. I wasn't sure what to expect out of this beer since it is Japanese. They can be a little odd sometimes and I half expected this to taste like octopus juice or something like that. Luckily it did not. It did taste like a more tart version of a traditional Belgian Pale Ale. It was biting me all over the palate and down the throat. I assume it was the carbonation or the fermented rice. In addition you get citrus, strawberry, and some peppery spice. It is a rather complex beer that shows a real talent for brewing. I have to try more of these beers. I just need someone to fund it.

Rating: 88/100

Day 254: He'Brew Hop Manna

Name: He'Brew Hop Manna

Brewer: Shmaltz Brewing Company (San Francisco, CA)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: 6.8%

Thoughts: Today I went downtown Durham and stopped at Sam's Quik Shop to grab some good beers. I don't go there that often, but when I do I always find good stuff. They have a huge selection of beers you can't get in a lot of places. They also have beer on tap that you can drink while you shop, which is exactly what I did. I order He'Brew Hop Manna and walked around the store shopping for beer. That is awesome! I recommend doing this if you have a bottle shop near you that has beers on tap. This American IPA poured a dark golden copper color and on top sat a big, fat, fluffy head. It was one of the bigger heads I've seen on a draft beer. The aromas were really clean and enticing. There was a big gulp of grapefruit, and smaller gulps of piney hops and sweet malts. The taste was as hoppy as a rabbit on meth. It had a good sharp bitter quality to it that accentuated the fruity notes. There was a crisp, smooth, light feeling to the beer and made it very pleasant. There was also some other taste in the beer that I couldn't put my finger on, but it was very distinguishable and likable. I also got to keep the glass and I purchased some good stuff that I will be drinking over the next few days.

Rating: 84/100

Day 253: Sink or Swim IPA (Homebrew)

Name: Sink or Swim IPA

Brewer: Big-Eared Dog Brewery (Matt & Anna's House)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: ?

Thoughts: So Big-Eared Dog Brewery, otherwise known as my friend Matt, is making their second round on The Beer Year. I asked what he planned to name the beer and his wife Anna jumped in and said Sink or Swim. Matt was unsure about it, but he didn't come up with anything better so I am using Sink or Swim. This time he made an American IPA. It poured a much darker brown color than I would have expected from an IPA with a sliver-thin, off-white head. The nose was pretty solid with some notes of piney hops and rich, full malts. In addition to the hops and the malts there was a sweet character to it that led into the taste quite nicely. I asked Matt if he had added any fruit to it and he said there were oak chips added somewhere in the brewing process. The oak chips really put a different twist on this beer both through the aroma and the flavor. The taste also consisted of raw grain, a piney sharpness and some bitterness. The finish was not all that dry and lacked any alcoholic warming. To some this may indicate a lack of hops, but to me it indicated a well-balanced IPA that did nothing out of the ordinary. This combined with the oakiness made for an interesting experience that made me glad he left some extra bottles at my house. In return I gave Matt a bottle of my homebrew that he will be reviewing soon. So be on the lookout for that!

Rating: 83/100

Day 252: Leviathan Quad

Name: Leviathan Quad

Brewer: Harpoon Brewery (Boston, MA)

Classification: Quadrupel

Alcohol: 11.75%

Thoughts: Earlier in The Beer Year I had Harpoon's Leviathan Series Imperial IPA. It was pretty great and I knew I would eventually have another Leviathan. Well, I finally got another opportunity to try another one and I wasn't going to pass it up. This Quad pours a deep mahogany with a simple, even tan head. The smells and aroma of this brew were rather bleak for a beer that holds a 11.75% ABV. Yes, I said 11.75%! That is getting into wine territory. There is a bit of toasted bread and dark fruity undertones in there, but they aren't real strong. The taste of this beer is slightly overshadowed by the alcohol. Although it is not a warming alcohol, it is a fruity, flavorful alcohol. Therefore some people may find it as a good thing. Other notes in the flavors are plums, grapes, a dash of pepper and something that reminded me of cough syrup. The feel is very thick and sticky with a moist, alcoholic finish. This beer was a bit all over the place. It is nowhere near the quality of the Imperial IPA, but it wasn't half bad. 

Rating: 81/100

Day 251: Saranac Irish Red Ale

Name: Saranac Irish Red Ale

Brewer: Matt Brewing Company (Utica, NY)

Classification: Irish Red Ale

Alcohol: 4.5%

Thoughts: Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and I really don't know what I will end up drinking for it. So in preparation I wanted to drink an Irish beer from New York, because I am an Irish guy from New York. This Irish Red Ale pours a dark brownish amber color that is slightly opaque and topped by a paper-thin head. The smells are malt rich and tied together with caramel sweetness. It isn't a very strong aroma and makes me think this beer may not be the best thing I've ever had. As a few sips slide down my throat I start to get a good sense of this beer. While the malts are tasty and there is a bit of hop and spice in this beer it doesn't really try too hard. It seems like the brewer was like, "Let's just throw some of this and that in there. I'm sure it will turn out fine." I really like Irish Red Ales. They are a sweeter version of Amber Ales. However, this one feels uninspired and it is rather undesirable. 

Rating: 78/100

Day 250: Eliot Ness

Name: Eliot Ness

Brewer: Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Cleveland, OH)

Classification: Vienna Lager

Alcohol: 6.2%

Thoughts: If you are unsure of who Eliot Ness is than may I recommend you watch The Untouchables. It is one of three Kevin Costner movies that was any good (everything else sucks). Anyways, Eliot Ness was a Prohibition Agent based in Chicago who fought against Al Capone. So I find it ironic that a beer be named after him. However, it is a damn good beer and even he would have enjoyed it! It pours a glowing amber that seems to have this majestic property about it. The head that rests on top was as perfect as a head can get. Just look at the picture and see how even and smooth it is. The aromas dancing out from the glass include beet sugar, toasty malts, and some traditional yeasts and hops. This is a full flavored beer with plenty of malts and sweetness to make any beer drinker happy. Then comes the light hops to balance out this beer and lead it into the dry finish that puts a nice, little ribbon on it. Great Lakes has only been distributing to North Carolina for a couple of months, but in that time I have managed to have two of their beers and both have made huge impressions on me and the score I give them. If you have a chance to try something from Great Lakes, just trust that you will enjoy it and order it. 

Rating: 89/100

Day 249: White Hawk IPA

Name: White Hawk IPA

Brewer: Mendocino Brewing Co. (Ukiah, CA)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: 7%

Thoughts: I don't have much to say about this beer. I blame the beer really. It did not inspire me to write anything about it. An uninspiring beer is not worth my time or my words. I do not recommend it. 

Rating: 71/100

Day 248: Brooklyn Lager

Name: Brooklyn Lager

Brewer: Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)

Classification: American Amber Lager

Alcohol: 5.2%

Thoughts: Today I have one my favorite beers, but I haven't had it in a while. Brooklyn Lager was one of the first non-mainstream beers that I ever had and liked. Of course my knowledge of craft beer is much more extensive now so I wanted to how it fairs against the competition. To be honest, I didn't even know it was an Amber Lager before today. Now that it has been poured into a glass I can see the light amber color with hues of orange a mid-sized, off-white head. The aroma is very sweet but light at the same time. I picked up motes of honey, grainy malts and a dark fruit, maybe raisins. The flavors fairly normal for an Amber Ale. There are caramel notes, hints of toasted malts, and a good helping of hops. This is one of the more hoppy Lagers I have ever had. And remember this is a Lager, not an Ale. Lagers are usually malt dominate, but this one seems to much more balanced. Bravo Brooklyn, Bravo!

Rating: 82/100

Day 247: Eurotrash Pilz

Name: Eurotrash Pilz

Brewer: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)

Classification: Czech Pilsner

Alcohol: 5.2%

Thoughts: I have purposely been avoiding Southern Tier brews because I had a bad experience with the first beer I tried from them. However, I am a forgiving man and I decided to give them a second chance. I have seen my friends try their Eurotrash Pilz and I have gotten mixed reviews about it, so it was worth a try to figure out my own verdict. I had this straight out of the bottle because I sat on my back patio and enjoyed this beer in the 70 degree weather. However, like I said I have seen this beer and it pours a crystal clear, pale yellow. So clear that it looks like ginger ale to me. The smells stemming from the bottle where quite soft with bits and pieces of floral, grassy hops and grainy, earthy malts. The taste is a lot better than I expected. It was very clean and crisp. It was a great beer to drink from the bottle and a great beer to have on this day. However, when the situation ends this beer is nothing more than mediocre. I would describe the taste exactly as I would the smell, but a little more generic. In the right time and place I would have this beer again, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you like pilsners as much as me. 

Rating: 80/100

Day 246: Sweet Josie Brown Ale

Name: Sweet Josie Brown Ale

Brewer: Lonerider Brewing Co. (Raleigh, NC)

Classification: American Brown Ale

Alcohol: 6.1%

Thoughts: Sweet Josie Brown is a local legend in Raleigh. Everybody serves it and everybody drinks it. Today I need a little Raleigh Luck as I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see if NC State got into the NCAA Tournament. They did and I was able to enjoy this wonderful American Brown Ale. It poured a dark, chocolate brown with a heavy tan head. After sticking my nose deep into the glass to get a full whiff I picked up rich roasted malts, a small hint of bittersweet chocolate and a fresh nuttiness. Sometimes with Brown Ales the first couple of sips seem to form lumps in my throat and it takes a minute to adjust to the absence of any hops. And even though Sweet Josie doesn't have much in the hop department the malts are just phenomenal and fresh as can be. The malts are roasted, toasted and sweet. There is a bit of chocolate nibs and some caramel or toffee in the finish. This beer is also smooth, full bodied and rather drinkable for such a malty beer. This rivals Big Boss's Bad Penny as my favorite Brown Ales I have ever had ... And they are both made right here in the Triangle!

Rating: 85/100

Day 245: Dale's Pale Ale

Name: Dale's Pale Ale

Brewer: Oskar Blues Brewery (Lyons, CO)

Classification: American Pale Ale

Alcohol: 6.5%

Thoughts: Well not to harp on it but ACC refs are the worst! I mean they are unbelievably bad and UNC fans should be ashamed the won the game the way they did. So yeah, that happened. Oh, and I also drank a Dale's Pale Ale out of a can. The obvious is that I drank it out of the can so I am unsure of how it looks. The not so obvious is that the aroma of this beer is quite pungent for a Pale Ale. It smells of strong, tart citrus and floral hops with a dash of pepper that tickle the nostrils. The taste is rock solid. By this I mean i is unyielding and it stands its ground pretty well. The citrus fruits combine with the piney hops to build a strong base. The biscuity malts and pepper spice layer on top of it to make this taste consistent from the tip of the tongue to the back of the throat. The feel is pretty standard for a lighter Pale Ale. It is also oily and smooth. This is a well brewed beer and it shows in every aspect. It doesn't do enough to take it over the top, but it does enough to leave me wanting more. But seriously, fuck those refs!

Rating: 85/100

Day 244: Angry Angel

Name: Angry Angel

Brewer: Big Boss Brewing Co. (Raleigh, NC) 

Classification: Kolsch

Alcohol: 4.5%

Thoughts: I snuck out of work early today to go catch the NC State vs UVA game because I have a case of the March Madness. I decided to hit up a local sports bar that has a great selection of local NC beers. I ended up selecting Angry Angel from Big Boss which poured this sparkling straw yellow with an airy white head. The aroma was minimal but pale malts and a small amount of hoppy perfume are noticable in the nose. The flavor is extremely clean and balanced. Some grainy malts and floral hops create a base layer of taste. The finish has a little spice and a little pine in it. The feel is very light bodied and drinkable. I had three of these pretty quickly without any buzz or desire to switch to another beer. This is a great beer to sit back and enjoy on a hot summer day. It wasn't very hot yesterday, but it was still very enjoyable. It also shows off the range of beers Big Boss has been able to nail down. Plus, NC State won and moved on to play UNC tomorrow. Both the beer and the basketball went well. 

Rating: 84/100

Day 243: Raison D'Etre

Name: Raison D'Etre

Brewer: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE)

Classification: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Alcohol: 8%

Thoughts: Raison D’Etre is French for “reason for being”. I know because I speak a little French or Je parle un peu de Francais. Many people may have their own reason for being. I have many. My wife, my family, my friends, music and of course beer! This beer pours a rich mahogany color with a finger-wide tan head. When I smelled it, there was a mellow sourness and hints of sweetness as well. After a good couple of face-in-the-glass sniffs, I picked up on the raisin in the nose, but was personally unable to differentiate the raisin in the nose as green raisin as opposed to regular old red raisin. This has quite a creamy/oily mouthfeel and seems to be medium to full bodied. There is a slight hint at the finish that there has a higher alcohol content. The beer feels quite carbonated and alive in the mouth but it settles quickly. The flavor profiles are comparable to that of a good deep red wine. There is a sweetness that precedes the soon-to-come, slightly sour hop notes and strong flavors of raisin and dark plummy fruit. There is also a good amount of oakiness in the flavor. It is a complex beer in a lot of ways and it is interesting, but it has no joy in it. It seems like it is a challenge to like it. It makes for a great session beer, but not one I would want to drink with friends or at a bar. It is not a reason for being for me. 

Rating: 79/100

Day 242: New Belgium Dig

Name: Dig

Brewer: New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, CO)

Classification: American Pale Ale

Alcohol: 5.6%

Thoughts: Tyler's is difficult to stay away from. The food is great, the atmosphere is great and they have the best beer menu in Durham! The only problem is that I have had most of their regular menu and I depend on their rotating handles to get new beers. With as much as I am there these handles need to switch more often.  I decided to go for New Belgium's Dig as it is all over the place and curiosity had set it. It come out in the wonderful snifter glass with a great big bubbly head and color that lies somewhere between copper and amber. The aroma was concentrated together because of the glass with lovely malt characteristics, some citrusy malts and small hit of grassy elements. A few sips in you could sense the fizzy carbonation on your tongue and the thin, smooth feel on the tongue. The flavoring started with some bright fruity hops and was followed by nutty, toasted malts. Like the color it was some where between a Pale Ale and an Amber Ale. This was like a hybrid beer almost. I recommend a pint or two of this stuff. Since the carbonation was part of the attraction I am not sure how this would fair in a bottle, but it definitely works as a draft. 

Rating: 84/100

Day 241: Wyld

Name: Wyld

Brewer: Uinta Brewing Co. (Salt Lake City, UT)

Classification: American Pale Ale

Alcohol: 4%

Thoughts: I have really grown to enjoy Uinta Brewing Co. They make a lot of interesting beers on very different levels. They have some outrageous beers like oak-aged barleywine and imperial pilsners. However, I wanted to see what they could do with the standard Pale Ale, which they call an Extra Pale Ale. This APA pours a lighter copper color with orange hues and a massive, bubbly head that spilled over the side of the glass. The nose on this brew is moderately hoppy and piney with large quantities of citrus and bready malts. The smell was much more balanced than the taste though. The taste was a bit bitter with more citrus than you can shake a stick at. Although, the citrus wasn't overly sweet. It was more like they used the rind or peel of the fruit to flavor the beer rather than the fruit. It creates a whirlwind of palate sensations and makes this beer extremely drinkable as it drowns out the 4% alcohol that this beer had to begin with. This brew feels very light and thin making it slide down your gullet like slip n' slide. I wish it did have more of a malty presence and some more fermentation to challenge me, but it is a great summer beer that I will definitely have again. 

Rating: 83/100

Day 240: Buckshot Amber Ale

Name: Buckshot Amber Ale

Brewer: Natty Greene's Brewing Co. (Greensboro, NC)

Classification: Amber Ale 

Alcohol: 4.9%

Thoughts: In the attempt to drink 366 beers in this Beer (Leap) Year I have run into some issues. First of all, this is an expensive habit if you want to do it right. Second, I get stuck at restaurants with not so great beer selections, but I need to try one to keep the blog alive. Third, there are so many beers I want to try that I can't get access to so it can be frustrating. Because of this I have had to settle for beers I have had before, just not on the blog. This is one of those times. I have had Buckshot Amber Ale a number of times, and while I have enjoyed it I really wanted to try something completely different. Buckshot is a good solid Amber Ale with all the amenities required to be called a good Amber Ale. It has a sweet, malty backbone with a bit of hops and of course is amber in color. That is really all you need to know about this beer. It fits in with every other Amber Ale that hasn't taken the extra steps to set itself apart. This is my problem with having beers I've had before. It doesn't keep me interested enough to write a real review. 

Rating: 80/100

Day 239: Kirin Ichiban

Name: Kirin Ichiban

Brewer: Kirin Brewery Company (Tokyo, Japan)

Classification: American Pale Lager

Alcohol: 5%

Thoughts: The wife is obsessed with a large chinese restaurant chain that shall not be named. Well we decided to grab some food there and while I was there I decided to get a beer. It seemed fitting to get a Kirin Ichiban. It came out in this ridiculous tall glass, but its clear, golden color and thin, wispy head were looking good. The aroma is mostly nonexistent, but you notice a tad bit of hops and that's about it.   The taste was a little better. I mean it was enjoyable and I would have had another, but only in this setting. It is not a beer I would buy a six pack of, or buy when there are better options. It is crisp, dry, malty and everything else a Pale Lager should taste like. It finishes thin and drinkable. Like I said, it is alright, so try it if you want to. 

Rating: 75/100

Day 238: Modus Hoperandi

Name: Modus Hoperandi

Brewer: Ska Brewing (Durango, CO)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: 6.8%

Thoughts: I got home this afternoon after a morning of working and decided, "I need a beer". This wasn't a difficult decision as I need a beer most of the time. I opened the fridge to see the selection brew in front of me and I thought Modus Hoperandi looked good. This IPA pours a bright blue color with an orange head a chunks of chocolate cookies floating it. That may have been an exaggeration. I didn't actually por it out so I don't know what it looks like. Although the smell did have a tremendous present after jettison from the can. Great big whiffs of piney, dank hops followed by some tasted malts were noticeable. The taste is again soaked with bitter, dry hops that hit on the beginning and end of the tastes. In the middle there is some good malty flavors that balance the hops out enough to make them overbearing. The finish is very dry which intensifies the bitterness, but it is enjoyable. It just takes a little adjustment. I was really surprised by how non-can this beer tasted. I think this beer is worth a try plus some. 

Rating: 86/100

Day 237: Blanche De Bruxelles

Name: Blanche De Bruxelles

Brewer: Brasserie Lefebvre (Rebecq-Quenast, Belgium)

Classification: Witbier

Alcohol: 4.5%

Thoughts: There are a few types of Blanche De Bruxelles, but this is their White Belgian style beer, which is a witbier. I have had this beer before a couple of years ago, and I liked it. However, this time something was different, something was off. It comes out in a nice little Belgian snifter glass with a pale yellow color and a big foamy head the lingered throughout the drinking experience. The nose is exactly what I expect with a yeasty, peppery intake and a dash of citrus. It was pleasant, but not overly enjoyable. The taste started along the same path with a little bit of floral hoppiness on the tip of the tongue, a little yeast/wheat on the palate, but then a weird cardboard taste hit me. It was this odd, sour paper taste that I had never had before and it really turned me off of this beer. In fact I did not even finish it because I could not take the flavor. If anybody knows of a reason why this was the case please let me know. That couldn't have been the intend taste for this beer, otherwise it wouldn't have made it out of the brewery. 

Rating: 73/100

Day 236: "Finest Kind" IPA

Name: "Finest Kind" IPA

Brewer: Smuttynose Brewing Co. (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)

Classification: American IPA

Alcohol: 6.9% 

Thoughts: The weather today was absolutely amazing! It was almost 80 degrees with a little bit of cloud coverage, but still sunny and a nice breeze. In other words, it was "drink beer outside weather". I ended up on the patio outside the Flying Saucer in Raleigh and it was heaven. All I needed was a good beer and it would have made the moment complete. I ordered a Smuttynose "Finest Kind" IPA. It poured a solid copper color with a small, tight, white head resting on top. The smell went perfectly with the spring-like weather. It was very floral and flowery with hops and hops and hops. There was a little bit of piney resin the background of the aroma. The flavors were intense! Lots of hops, maybe too many hops. They actually overpowered the fruitiness and the bit of malts this beer did have. It was very dry and very bitter. Sometimes with these types of beers you can get this sticky sensation in the roof of your mouth, and that is what happened here. Despite that this is a good beer, and it has received numerous great reviews from all over the beer world. I recommend this, but beware of the sticky sensation. 

Rating: 86/100