Stone Smoked Porter

Hmm. Definitely smokey. I'm not sure I like it. I'm not really getting a lot out of this. Slight coffee taste to it. Not really creamy or anything like that. It has a pretty bitter aftertaste.

The charcoal/smoke taste just overwhelms it for me. I mean, its on the label "smoked porter", I just didn't think it would be this smoked. I won't be buying another.

Leffe Blonde

This is one of the first beers that I remember really liking. Like almost everyone else in college, I went on a little trip to Europe at one point. Prior to this, I think I drank a lot of Icehouse and Southpaw. I was in Brussels for two or three days, and we drank a fair amount Leffe Blonde and Brunne, as it was pretty ubiquitous there.

This had an ample amount of carbonation with a slightly nutty flavor. Its a little sweet as well.

Its always a good one to have about once a year. In the end, I much prefer the Leffe Brunne though.

Blue Moon Honey Moon

I'm not sure if I've ranted about Blue Moon here yet. I don't think I'll start now, so this will be short.

This had a pretty sweet finish (not a good thing). ugh.

I will not be buying this again.

Blue Point Summer Ale

A little more "traditional" in the summer ale category.

A little fruitier and not as malty as the brooklyn. Its nice. I like it.

Bonus review from Mandy: "I prefer [Magic Hat] #9 if I'm going to have a fruity beer. Its not offensive. Its fruiter than Sam summer and Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Brewery IPA

Nice floral smell.

I actually drank a Club Lemonade (thank you Butcher Block) immediately before enjoying this, so I think my taste buds are a little off. It has a little more caramel taste than I remember, and its not overly hoppy. Maybe this is because I typically drink it out of a bottle (a "beer tasting" no-no).

I guess I just enjoy more hops in my IPA. This didn't have the bitter aftertaste that I'm looking for in an IPA.

Its good for its availability in NYC, but I won't be buying this after I leave here.

Brooklyn Summer Ale

Hmm. A little darker than most "summer ales", which I don't think is an actual type of beer.

I like it though, its maybe a little maltier than a lot of summer ales, but it still not too heavy for my tastes.

Its a good start to the summer beer season, much better than the Blue Moon summer seasonal that we had a few days earlier and will be written about at some point when I crack open the last one (I'm not in any rush).

Left Hand Milk Stout

I purchased this at the same time as the Lagunitas Brown Shugga, as I was looking for some beers on the darker end of the spectrum. This lived up to what I was hoping for.

It poured pretty dark, with not a lot of head. It had a slight coffee smell. It had a nice amount of carbonation and tasted slightly sweet and of coffee. I liked it a lot.

I'd definitely recommend this, especially if you're a fan of sweeter stouts.

Lagunitas IPA

Part two of my Lagunitas drinking extravaganza.

This poured with a nice head and left some lacing on the glass as I drank it. It had a nice hop flavor and was pretty drinkable. All in all, I think I like it a lot. I'd definitely buy a six pack of this. But I generally have a soft spot for IPAs.

Lagunitas Brown Shugga Sweet Release

A few Friday's ago, I went into the neighborhood beer store (the one with the good selection). I felt like a brown ale, possibly because I've been drinking Avery's Brown Ale anytime I see it on draft in the city (its an amazing beer). I saw this on the shelf with "brown" prominently displayed on the packaging and thought it would hit the spot.

I was in for a surprise when I opened it at home. Long story short, its actually a strong ale that's brewed with brown sugar. Not a brown ale. Woops.

As such, my entire experience with this beer was tainted. I guess it was good. It fairly malty and was just slightly bitter. Even thought it had a high ABV, the alcohol didn't overpower everything else. In the end, if you're looking for a brown ale, don't buy this beer. If you're looking for something that will get you buzzed from two beers, this is for you.

Dunkin' Donuts

Mandy brought this donut home for me recently. She said it was a "very berry" donut or something of the sort. Whatever it was, it was scary looking.

The frosting almost tasted like strawberry Quick (that's not good). The donut was filled with vanilla creme (like a Boston Creme). Overall, it was pretty terrible, mostly because of the icing. If they still have these in stores, I'd recommend staying far, far away.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA

I've always liked the standard Sierra Nevada ale. It works in a pinch. Its not bland or overly bitter and can be generally found at every corner deli.

I read somewhere online about this beer and was intrigued. This IPA is supposedly one of the first new year round brews for Sierra Nevada in sometime

This poured with a good head. It was actually maltier than I expected. Its not extremely hoppy/bitter (for an IPA). I think I actually like this better than their standard ale.

I'd definitely buy this again, just probably not in my neighborhood (a six pack would've been $12).

Blue Point Toasted Lager

Hello, blog. As I haven't really been doing any interesting cooking this past month, I've decided to share my drinking adventures instead.

Up first is Blue Point's Toasted Lager. Generally available in the tri-state area (that's NY, NJ and CT; not MD, VA, WV and MT or whatever).

I'd had a couple of these over at Hobo Gary's at some point, but I couldn't remember whether I liked it or not. After drinking a six pack over the course of a week, I'm still not sure if I really like it all that much.

It has a nice amber color and pours with a sizeable head. It goes down smooth with just a slightly bitter aftertaste. I could probably drink a lot in a row. In the end, its really just tastes like a standard lager to me. I'd probably save my cash in the future and just drink Yuengling instead.