Beer Review: What I've Been Randomly Drinking These Past Months

And now another beer review.  I tend to buy 12-pack samplers or individual bottles because I want to try as many different beers as possible, so in the past 7 months I've had a number of different beers and here I give you my impressions of them.  These cover late fall through spring, and I really got back into porters and stouts this past year, so a majority of these are of those varieties.  I also wanted to brew a Black IPA this summer, which I have, so I tried a few bottles of that variety.  Here's a run down of beer I've been drinking just to share my thoughts on good beer.

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

Beer: Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout ABV 10.0%

Label Message: none

Notes: I really enjoyed this one and glad I bought a 4-pack of it and not just a single bottle.  It has a complex, powerful aroma with a smoky, chocolate flavor.  It was a solid dark color with a strong body. I bought this in early December and savored every bottle of the 4-pack.  This was a quality beer and I might keep my eye out for it next year when it's brewed for the season again.

Lauren says: "There's lots of different things happening."

New Holland Dragon's Milk

Beer: New Holland Dragon's Milk  ABV 10.0%

Label Message: "Aged in oak barrels.  The High Gravity Series From New Holland Brewing"

Notes: This one kick butt, and not in a good way.  It was the same ABV as the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, but the alcohol taste really overpowers the beer in Dragon's Milk where it's not noticeable at all in the Black Chocolate Stout.  Overall, this had a good flavor and body with a nice, dark color, but I don't recommend it.  I had been eying this for months but never bothered to plop down the $8 for a bomber, and finally tried it when a friend brought it over to share during an afternoon of brewing.  Glad to have finally tried it and thankful to the friend who shared it, but won't be drinking it again.

Lauren says: "Vanilla.  I like it.  Don't ever want to finish it."

Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout

 Beer: Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout  ABV 5.0%

Label Message: "Malt Beverage with Natural Flavor Added."  "Theobroma Cocoa"

Notes: This beer is amazing!  And only $4 for a British bomber, so I've bought it a few times now to wet my whistle.  It is smooth with a full body and a sweet, smooth aroma.  The head forms well and stays a while.  The color is dark as it should for the variety.  The chocolate flavor permeates it through and through and is almost like drinking a melt milkshake.  I like this so much I've given it as a gift.

Lauren says: "More like mousse.  Young's Double Chocolate Stout is like a milkshake.  This is more like a mousse.  I likes it a lot."  [Ed. note: We had recently gone out with friends and I had a tall can of Young's Double Chocolate Stout.]

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

Beer: Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale  ABV 8.7%

Label Message: none

Notes: I picked up this black IPA while visiting my brother in Houston.  I spent my day traveling there trading Facebook comments with a college roommate who's a big homebrewer who posted he was brewing a beer he called an homage to this beer.  When my brother picked me up from the airport I asked him to find us a nice beer store where I could purchase it.  I drank it that night with steak dinner and loved it.  It had a nice dark color with a good foamy head.  There was a bite in its flavor with a hoppy aroma that was sharp but not too much.  The taste was appropriately bitter with a good ABV amount.  Overall: great!  My former roommate gave me the recipe for this homage and I've since brewed my version of it and it turned out rather tasty.

Lauren says: My wife was not in Texas with me when I drank it, so no comment. 

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale

Beer: Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale  ABV 7.5%

Label Message: nothing interesting

Notes: I've heard and read about this beer for a while now so was happy to have a chance to try a bottle. It had a great hoppy, floral aroma that was strong but not too sharp. The head formed nicely and had good retention. I enjoyed the flavor that was medium-strong and not at all overpowering.

Lauren says: "Smells good, like [GLBC] Christmas Ale.  Tastes good, light and springy, tastes like flowers; like licorice."

Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black Indian Pale Ale

Beer: Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black IPA  ABV 6.5%

Label Message: nothing interesting

Notes: I bought this one to try a black IPA before I made my own.  Tommyknocker is a quality craft brewer and I've not been disappointed by their stuff before so I was looking forward to this one, and it did not let me down.  It was a solid, dark color with a nice aroma that was sharp and strong.  This bottle was a bit over-gassed in that that carbonation almost masked some of the flavor, but the sharp hoppiness couldn't be overpowered by a bit too many bubbles.  The head formed nicely and had good retention.  I liked it was ready to brew my own.

Lauren says: Did not like.

Atwater Vanilla Java Porter

Beer: Atwater Brewery Vanilla Java Porter  ABV 5.5%

Label Message: none of interest

Notes: Since I tried the Stone Smoked Porter w/ Vanilla Bean I've kept my eyes open for vanilla in beers, and since I've reintroduced porters and stouts into my beer rotation this one was clearly meant to be drunk by me.  The vanilla in this one was forefront in the aroma, and it's good flavor was strong and not overpowering.  The coffee bitterness is there but does not detract from the taste.  The only negative thing I could say about this beer is that the body is a bit thin; it could use more dextrinous sugars in the final product.  Overall I liked it and looked up it's location: downtown Detroit.  Next time my wife and I are visiting her family in Detroit I'll suggest we check it out.

Lauren says: "Looks like Coke.  I like it, very nice."

Left Hand Black Jack Porter

Beer: Left Hand Brewing Company Black Jack Porter  ABV 6.8%

Label Message: none

Notes: Another porter for the list.  I generally like Left Hand's brews, but I don't hold their Milk Stout or its Nitro version as highly as others, so I was cautious about this one.  The head formed very nicely and had good retention.  The aroma was pleasant and sweet and the flavor was lightly sweet, what I expect from a porter. The bottle suggested it be consumed at 55°F, so I tried to let it warm up by holding the glass it in my hands to see how the warmer temperature affected the beer.  I'm glad to report that the full yet smooth body was better and more accentuated when it was warmer than in the first sips.  

Lauren says: did not try

Mendocino Black IPA

Beer: Mendocino Brewing Company Black IPA  ABV 6.0%

Label Message: none

Notes: Yet another black IPA to help me gain insight in this variety.  The head formed well and had good retention.  The aroma was pleasant but light.  The flavor was enjoyable and the hop taste was sharp but not too much.  This beer didn't stand out but also didn't have anything going against it.  A quality brew from a smaller outfit in NorCal.

Lauren says: did not try

Smuttynose Robust Porter

Beer: Smuttynose Robust Porter  ABV %

Label Message: Nothing of interest, but the picture on the label is of a real circus strong man.

Notes: I've had this brewery's Shoals Pale Ale before and enjoyed it, and this past winter when I was on the hunting for porters or stouts I haven't tried before so I picked up a 6-pack of this, their Robust Porter.  It's dark color and great head formation and retention were just the visual leads to an amazing performance of flavor and aroma.  Malty-sweetness lead the aroma and flavor, which was followed by great mouth feel.  Allowing this beer to warm, either before or upon pouring, is highly recommended as the taste and aroma open up at higher temperatures.  The descriptor "robust" is definitely earned and this new favorite lasted several months in my fridge, with the last bottle enjoyed on June 2, 2013.  This could easily become a go-to porter if I want something dark and full-body in the colder months.

Lauren says: "Full, rich flavor.  Don't like the bitterness, but it's ok."

Full Pint Perc E Bust Coffee Porter and Old Dominion Morning Glory Espresso Stout

Beer: Full Pint Perc E Bust Coffe Porter and Old Dominion Morning Glory Espresso Stout
ABV 6.0 & 9.0%

Label Message: Perc E Bust: "This Robust Porter was Brewed with Percolated Guatemalan Coffee from the Commonplace Coffee Co. in Squirrel Hill, PA", no photo form Morning Glory Stout

Notes: These are two beers I enjoyed when out drinking with a friend at a local bar that has an amazing bottled beer selection.  Every I time I drink there, every few months or so, I have at least 2-3 beers I've never had before.  I thought it was funny that that one night there were two dark ales, a porter and a stout, that were both busty lady themed that one night we went out.  In the dark bar I couldn't get a good look at their color other than "dark," but their flavor and aromas were enjoyable.  However, their bodies were both a little light for their styles.  I did like them enough to pick up single bottles the last time I was at Save On Craft Beer and gave them a second chance.  Still enjoyable if not a lighter than my tastes prefer.  Old Dominion also has another busty lady beer, Double D IPA.  Haven't tried that one, but did see a bottle of it at Save On.

Lauren says: Was not around to try them.

Beer: 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Ale  ABV: 4.9%

Label Message: none

Notes: I picked up this single can at The Wine Spot, a new local wine and craft beer store in Cleveland Heights.  I usually wander in there if it's open when I'm buying bread at Stone Oven Bakery next door, and when I was last over there I picked this up along with a bottle of Hard Root Beer (short review: liked it!) and a bottle of Dogfish Head's 2011 Theobroma.  I haven't had that last one yet and it will get it's own review when I do.  But I saw this one and decided to give it a go for the warm weather this summer.  It was interesting.  A wheat beer brewed with watermelon juice, it was crisp yet smooth, a lighter-bodied draught for refreshment on a hot day.  I would not drink this during the cold of winter, but for the recently hot weather it was perfect.  The head didn't really form or stay.  The watermelon taste doesn't come in until near the end of a sip, and is refreshing and interesting for a beer.  Not my favorite but something that caught my eye and spurred on a purchase.

Lauren says: "Ugh, I'm not used to beer... oh, there's the watermelon.  It's good." [Ed. note: Lauren was out of town for a week and so was out of touch with trying the beers I drink.]

So there you have it, beers I've tried since the winter and a promise for a special review in the near future.  Have you tried any of these?  If so, what do you think?

Until next time friends, happy brewing!