Bell's 25th Annivesary Ale

Hmm. I think I like it. Slightly fruity, slight citrusy hop taste. Not heavy or thick. Not over the top at all.

Lagunitas - A Little Sumpin' Wild

I passed up a six pack of a Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale (as it will soon be year-round) for this puppy. Doesn't say its a belgian ipa, but it sure tastes like one.

Pretty good for the style. Lots of hops. I think I still like Raging Bitch better though.

Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin

Not too shabby. I had my other pumpkin beer of the season a while ago so my comparison might be a little off. Its neither too sweet, nor too thin, nor too overly spiced. I think it tastes more alcoholic than most pumpkin beers, and maybe a little too much for me. Its certainly leagues better than the historically bad Shipyard pumpkin ale that is still seared into my memory.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
It smells fruity. Oo, it smells like a candle. It does not taste like a fruit or candle. Well, I don't really eat pumpkin things, so I can't say whether it tastes like pumpkin or not. Ooo oo. Maybe a pumpkin candle? I think I like my pumpkin beer with more spice. My thoughts on this pumpkin beer are going to be much longer than your thoughts [accurate].

Bell's - The Oracle

Yet another imperial IPA from Bell's.

Woo. Pretty bitter. Lots of piney hops taste. More malty/sweet than hopslam?. A lot more bitter than hopslam. Comparable to Arrogant Bastard in how bitter it is. I don't think I'd buy a six pack, but I'd definitely drink it again.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
Its pretty good but I like Two Hearted Ale better. Which is good because I imagine that this would take one and a half years of your salary to buy.

Bell's Batch 9000

Larry Bell says this is not an imperial stout. Not sure I agree. Its fairly similar in taste to Dogfish Head World Wide Stout.

Lots of molasses and some licorice in the taste. Really sweet. Pretty tasty.

Avery The Kaiser

Really caramely sweet. Too much so for my taste.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
I like this a lot more than a the beers you usually make me try.

Founder's Breakfast Stout

This bottle had been sitting in my fridge for probably 10 months or so. Saved from a 4 pack from last fall.

Nice coffee and chocolate flavor. Good times. Not ridiculously heavy.


Bonus Mandy Thoughts
very coffee and chocolate syrupy.

and the aftertaste of an ashtray.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

Ooo. Very nice. Good balance of chocolate, coffee and malt. Gary, you should drink this if available.

Lindeman's Cuvee Rene

Definitely sour. One glass probably would have been enough. Mandy thought it was bubbly. Jeremy thought it was wine like. I'm glad I had people to share it with. Its a big bottle.

I think the Rodenbach was a lot more drinkable.

Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

From a sampler pack:
Slightly sweet/caramel-y, not overly hoppy. Pretty drinkable and enjoyable. Not mind-blowing though.

Victory Prima Pils

When you want a pilsner that doesn't take like crap, drink this. Wonderfully hoppy.

Saison du Buff

Dogfish Head version.

Still smells herby. This actually tastes better to me than the Stone version. Slightly more lemon flavor.

Victory Twelve

Surprisingly good. I was a little hesitant after the last two belgian-style Victory offerings (Wild Devil & Helios). Slightly fruity and some caramel. I'd recommend it.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
Um. Yeah. Its okay. A little sweet. Tastes like disappointment.

Even More Bottle Caps!!!!

18 - Two Hearted Ale
14 - Founders
11 - Southern Tier
9 - Great Lakes
8 - Dogfish Head
7 - Bell's
6 - Heavy Seas
6 - Flying Dog
5 - Victory
3 - Weyerbacher
2 - Stone
2 - Sierra Nevada
12 - Others

I think this was from mid-August to the end of September (there is a bottle cap from the flying dog barrel aged porter in there which is identifiable, looks like a red cap with a V).

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Jack and Ken's Ale

Hmm. This is extremely "hot". It would probably benefit from sitting in the back of my closet for a year or two.

Fairly bitter for a barleywine. Lots of roasted maltiness all up in it.

Not sure I like it. My least favorite of the anniversary releases so far. Elwood, avoid if you 're able to buy this.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout

Not sure what I thought this one would taste like.

I get a lot more hazelnut than I do vanilla. Its not bad though. Not great. Probably shouldn't have poured it to eat with a BLT.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
smells like it will go well with bacon. [long pause] it smells like it should taste like delicious butterscotch candy but it doesn't. [takes another sip] [grimaces] [smells again] [takes another sip] [long pause] [puts down the beer] i would have preferred a delicious piece of butterscotch candy.

like most of your beers, it smells better than it tastes. how about this? i don't like any of your beers. [pretty sure she wasn't serious].

Terrapin Gamma Ray

Interesting. Banana smell. Lots of alcohol. Pretty sweet. Like a wheat ale on steroids.

Dogfish Head Theobroma

Another one of the ancient ales or whatever they want to call them.

Supposedly brewed with honey (yes, you can taste it), cocoa nibs (nope), cocoa powder (nope again) and ancho chilies (maybe a little). Its not bad, infinitely more drinkable than the Midas Touch. Not out of this world or anything. Can probably skip buying a bottle.

This also marks the first appearance of my Ommegang glass that I was given as part of a beer week event. I had Rare Vos (okay), BPA (very tasty) and Scotch Ale (very smokey, more of a smoked porter than scotch ale, wasn't very malty). No Zuur to be found. Sad.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
Tastes like a dog picked it.

Troegs Troegenator Doublebock

Not overly sweet or malty. Not sure I could drink multiples in a night but I enjoyed it a lot more than the Bell's Dopplebock.

Founders Cerise

Almost like drinking a cherry pie. In a sort of good way. Fairly sour kick in the end.

I haven't had a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat in years, but I think this tastes a lot better.

More Bottle Caps!!

9 Two Hearted Ales
8 Raging Bitches
7 Founders
6 Anderson Valley Summery Solstice
6 Heavy Seas
4 Schlafly
40 Slew of random bottlecaps (oberon, harpoon, victory, weyerbacher, rodenbach, bell's, dogfish head, corsedonk, troegs, brooklyn, shipyard, great divide, red hook)

At this point, I can't remember the time period of this batch. I guess about two months? July and some of August?