12oz pour. JK O'Donnell's, Fort Wayne, IN. $9.00 for the privilege! Back in the mid 00s I drank a few of these, but odd to see that there are no reviews of the Wit here. OK, let’s put that right. The beer sits as a cloudy gold with small head and a little lace. Nose is mostly a non-descript grain. The beer offers a kind of weird smokiness that is hard to place. I don’t remember this from 15+ years ago, but I suppose that’s hardly surprising. It’s very light in the mouth, but the smoky element...
Notes on beers served in the format
on-tap
Hitachino Nest
Canadian Breakfast
Stout (CBS) 2019
2019 CBS - at least that’s how it’s advertised. I don’t think CBS was ever the 12.3% printed on the beer menu, so there’s an element of doubt here. Anyway, not that important TBH. Poured with a head that could be better. Yes this is a 11+% beer, but it could be presented properly. Even in the warm glass this is pouring way too cold. Agitation created the head that you see, and that glass has warmed a lot since served. Nose and tastes are unremarkable. Remember when CBS was sending people into...
Delirium
Deleria
Odd that I have no notes on this beer until now, I've had it several times previously. Appearance as expected with decent lace and a lingering film on the surface of the golden body. Crystal clear. Nose is very sweet - surprisingly so, and the overwhelming experience in the aroma for me is wave after wave of pear drops. No oily slickness or cloying elements in the mouthfeel - dry. The pear drop experience follows into the initial tastes, but it dries VERY quickly. Again, surprisingly so....
Stone
26th Anniversary
12 oz pour, J K O'Donnel's, Fort Wayne, IN. Happy to stumble across this purely by chance on a random Tuesday afternoon. Great clarity on the mid-orange pour. Some lace, light film on the surface. As expected. The nose has a surprising, stinky cheese note which I wasn’t anticipating. The hop aroma here is a little odd. Lightly oily in the mouth, a little slick, but again approriate. Tastes are dank, but not at all aggressive. Bitter, quite green. Clean and a lingering sweetness evens things...
Three Blocks
Tripel
11oz pour, attractive tulip glass. It has taken me a little while to warm to The Landing Beer Co. in downtown Fort Wayne. If I’m honest that’s not really a big knock on them, it’s just the typical situation for a legacy drinker these days. Fake sours, pastry stouts and too many hazies/IPAs. Of course, these are universal, not local problems these days. However, on this visit we see 7/11 beers that I would happily try, so that’s a huge improvement on so many situations that I run into lately....
Mystic Farms (2021)
When a brewer/brewery owner texts you and says that there's a beer coming on in a few days that he thinks that you'll like, you pay attention. When Tom Carpenter is that brewer, who has had to suffer my bitching and moaning about some of the beers that he brews (in particular the recently re-released Cereal Killer series), it adds a certain urgency. He knows what I like, and more pointedly, he knows what I don't! Mystic Farms is a French Oak Chardonnay barrel-aged Saison with Brett. Tom has...
Mexican Cake
Two separate, approx. (what looked liked) 10-12 oz pours (in undersize Duvel glasses) at The Lodge, Hilton Head Island, SC. I had heard a little about Mexican Cake but would never have sought it out as such. Anyway, strolling into The Lodge at 4.00 PM on a Saturday afternoon I see that they have it on, and since it was one of only three beers on their list that I have never tried, I thought that it made sense - after all, it was right there in front of me, and Westbrook is such a feature for...
Anvil Porter
On Tap at Taco Mac, Prado, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, GA, USA. Nice to French Broad bringing out a new product. Requisite black pour but with a somewhat poor head - maybe as a result of some dodgy Taco Mac barstaff, but not sure. Pretty standard fare here. Light roasts sit throughout the nose and tastes and deliver a mild charcoal amongst the sweet malts. Well balanced and somewhat less aggressive than many American versions of the original, this beer delivers a fair bit of sweetness and most...
Mugshot IPA
Wow, I really, really, really like this beer. Pour is a mid-orange/copper with nice clarity, a little chill haze and a head that although present, could be better - HOWEVER, I watched the barstaff at Taco Mac pour this, and know that they did not do a good job so I suspect I could get a better appearance than they managed. Nose and tastes are SUBTLE! Imagine that! Very light fruits with some subtle, sweeter fruits like peaches, but a healthy dose of sweetened grapefruit giving the true IPA...
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Additional notes 08/22/23 (pictured) Draught, JK O’Donnell’s, Fort Wayne, IN. 12oz pour, presumably 2023 vintage. Now sporting an 11% ABV (as opposed to 10.4% in the bottled 2011 vintage) and a ‘Triple IPA’ moniker (yawn), it’s been around a dozen years since I’ve either tasted or seen this. Nice copper body, and with a more aggressive pour this would generate enough head and lace to be acceptable at this ABV. This does feel ‘hoppier’ than in years past, but also exhibits most of the...
Smokey
Very surprised to come across this - I hadn't heard that this was out, but delighted to try in when I took a break from the Atlanta Cask Ale tasting by slipping into the bar at Taco Mac, Prado with the wife. Pour was a dark brown affair that was presented with far too little head. This was a pouring issue rather than a beer issue - a common problem when drinking at Taco Mac. The beer was also too cold, which had an influence on the nose. With time, the beer did release its aroma and when they...
Blue Moon Pale Moon
On draught at Buffalo Wild Wings, Douglasville, GA, USA. Orange body with a small head and some sticky lace. Slight haze to the body. Quite a surprising green/ fresh hop note in the nose. Agitating the beer produces even more of the same - wasn't expecting that! No Belgian yeast character to speak of. The beer is quite 'snappy' with some really clean lines and some fairly well defined fruit notes. Light zing in the finish and a crisp drink. Not bad at all. A simple beer which is a plus for me,...
Porpoise Point Pale Ale
Decent looking pour with a golden body sitting underneath a small, white cap of foam. Despite the small head, the carbonation seems quite aggressive and vigorous and a little prickly. Not much aroma, even after it warms. This beer clearly doesn't have a lot of volatiles present. Semi-sweet grains with perhaps a touch of zesty fruit, but in no way is this beer either bitter or particularly tasty. Lacks much depth, but at least it is non-offensive. I found it refreshing and drinkable, but the...
Winter’s Nip Bock
Drank at the brewpub on 12/28/2010. Comes with a nicely capped white head, some lace all sitting above a decently colored, garnet/brown, clear body. The beer drinks true to style with some clean edges and a nice, malty base. Typical Gordon Biersch simplicity with their German based lagers. The mouthfeel was pretty light and made for some simple, easy drinking, Tasty beer.
Jubilation Ale
22 oz bottle, $10.99 from Arbor Place Beverage, Douglasville, GA, USA. Pour is a murky brown body with average head and lace. Not that enamored with the color or the appearance and it has me a little unhappy. On to the nose and taste. It actually drinks in a much cleaner than the color and bod would suggest. The light fruit touch and the cleanliness are traits that I have (happily) begun to associate with Baird, and they are attributes that I enjoy. the nose has a lightly spiced alcohol note,...
Ode To Mercy
On-tap at Taco Mac in Douglasville, GA, USA. Pour is a good looking, dark brown color with some nice clarity. Carbonation is relatively low which seems appropriate. Small head with some spotty film on the surface and a little lace. A little thin. I read a couple of reviews of this beer which described a coffee note to the beer which to be honest I took with a pinch of salt. "Coffee" taste is one of those default, fallback tastes that I think people sometimes imagine in Stouts and Porters and...
Old Man (Winter Ale)
This is NOT an Old Ale in my book. I was actually expecting it to be labeled as a Winter Warmer, but it drinks more like an American IPA. On tap at The Irish Bred Pub in Douglasville, GA, USA. Great looking pour with the deep copper, mahogany body showing superb clarity underneath a bone-white head. Head is not terribly well maintained, but there is some decent lacing. Nose gives up some fresh, raw hops. The beer is much hoppier than I was expecting and this is the abiding memory. Some good...
Jai Alai IPA
=== Original Review 11/10 === Drunk on numerous occasions on a recent trip to Jacksonville, FL, USA. This review is taken from one of the draft servings. High head sits a top the amber body and leaves some superb, sticky lace. The aroma and tastes match one another in as much as the beer gives a high fruit element amongst the hops. This is a fruity tasting IPA indeed, BUT it in no way skimps on the hop profile either. It's pretty unusual in the way in manages to combine the two elements that...
Bell’s Christmas Ale
11oz pour @ Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Firstly, $6.25 for the pour! Was once discussed here (long since gone). Pour is an amber color with some nice clarity, good head and some nice lace. Looks tidy in the glass. Nose gives a few notes of toffee and caramel and the tastes reflect that. The beer has a few nutty elements and is obviously and definitely malt based, but as for being a Scotch Ale I just don't get it! If you are looking for some of those classic notes, then I...
Iniquity (Imperial Black Ale)
It seems as though Southern Tier has decided to jump on the IBA bandwagon since the tap handle for this now proudly displays the letters "iba" in a very prominent fashion and "Iniquity" in much smaller font. On tap, Taco Mac Douglasville, GA, USA. I've never seen this on tap before, but then again I've never really looked for it since this is a style that generally does not interest me much. Pour has a couple of interesting aspects. Firstly it is black but definitely has some reddish brown...
Hop Crisis
11 oz pour at Deckard's. Their menu says 10.8% (new vintage with a different ABV perhaps?). Golden hazed body with relatively low carbonation. Bone white head that is small but well retained and tight. Lace is very pretty. West Coast Pine resin nose. Tastes are simply not as aggressive as the nose might suggest. Relatively subdued for the style, the nose and the ABV. Plenty of lightly warming alcohol and some lovely, peach/grapefruit sting in the middle and back end. Lingering aniseed in the...
Brooklyn Buzz Bomb Ale
On tap at Taco Mac Metropolis, Atlanta, GA, USA. Arrived at TM on a Sunday knowing that this beer had been tapped a few hours earlier. Asking my waitress if it was still on she said "no" and suggested the "similar", Brooklyn Pennant Ale! Good grief ::faceplam::. Anyway, I decided to investigate this myself by going to the bar - it was STILL pouring. Ho hum. From notes. A hazed, orange pour with a decent head and some lace. The lace is well formed and is nice and sticky. Nose and tastes are...
Inukshuk IPA
16 oz pint at Taco Mac, East West Connector, Atlanta/Austell, GA, USA. Strange one this. The beer pours an unattractive, soup-like, nasty, brown, murky color like dirty water. A mediocre head and virtually no retention complete the ugliness of the delivery - really unattractive color, especially for something that calls itself an IPA. The funny thing is, that the beer tastes a LOT better than the appearance would suggest, BUT it is an incredibly fruity, sweet IPA and NOT one that shows any...
Fred Brick
"Fred Brick" brewed by Red Brick in association with Fred Crudder of "The Fred" fame, and Taco Mac's beverage manager. (Nothing like naming bars and beers after yourself!) Anyway... ...16 oz pout at Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Pour offers a nice clarity with a lighter than expected golden color. It certainly doesn't have much "Red" or "Amber" color. Head is about average and offers some lace. Looks OK. Nose and tastes offer the usual Red Brick experience. Solid, OK,...
Invocation
Small pour at Ormsby's. Surprised to see this brew on a recent afternoon visit. Presented in a small snifter. Beer does DEFINITELY not have the color of a Belgian Pale, and on the menu it was advertised a "Strong Golden Ale" which again, it most definitely isn't. Not sure what they are going for here. To me it has more of the character of a dark(er), Belgian "single"/"simple" with perhaps a hint of Belgian IPA character in there too (American influence - unwelcome in my book). The pour is...
Coney Island Mermaid Pilsener
Review #2400. 16oz pint, on tap at Taco Mac, Woodstock, GA, USA. Golden pour that produces some nice lace despite the head fading fairly fast. Carbonation is medium. Nose delivers an unusual combination of a decent Pils-like bite of hops, but also a sweet background to the beer. The sweetness is the thing that stays with me which would normally make me a little unhappy, but the fact that there IS a decent dose of hop bitterness too, helps me to enjoy this beer a little more than I thought I...
Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale
On tap @ Taco Mac in Peachtree City, GA, USA. Absolutely delighted by the concept of a SN beer that *should* reduce the hop profile to a lesser role, let's see if the beer manages to apply that theory to practice. Nothing to complain about in the pour. A decent dark brown color (personally I'd like to see a little more red in the body but that's really a personal preference) with a nice, rocky, full head that lingers and produces some super lace. Good looking beer. Nose and tastes do well to...
Terrapin Substance Abuse
Sampled at Leon's Decatur for the "Terrapin Takeover" on 8/12/10. I went to this event specifically for this and Big Sloppy Monster, neither of which I had tried before. Rumor had it that this was a '06 version but at the time there was no way to confirm. Beer poured into a 10 oz glass looks much as expected. Jet black, but with a tan head that was a little smaller and less well-retained than other versions of this beer. The combination of age and liquor element provides a beer that is...
Terrapin Big Sloppy Monster
On tap at Leon's, Decatur, Atlanta, GA, USA on 08/12/10 as part of the "Terrapin Takeover". Attended the event particularly for this beer and Substance Abuse. 10 oz pour. The beer poured an alarmingly cloudy mid-brown with some serious yeastiness. The keg must have been terribly unsettled, and it wasn't until the second glass that I had (about an hour after the first), that I felt I had a handle on this. (It settled down in that time). The beer had lost it's hoppy edge in the barrel and it had...
Creme Brulee (Imperial Milk Stout)
Second time I have had this beer, this time on tap at Taco Mac, Douglasvile, GA, USA. Approx. 11 oz pour. Other review (with more notes) for reference, here; http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3818/43687/?ba=Ding The beer does have a slightly disappointing look in terms of head (or lack of it), even taking the ABV into full consideration. The overwhelming experience here remains the toffee elements and the sweetness. On draft it seemed a little lighter than the bottle and the body was less...
Cantillon Fou’ Foune
Most recently (March, 8th 2023) as a surprise gift from Dave Blanchard at The Brick Store, Atlanta, GA, USA (pictured) Last purchased ($60) at Monks in Philadelphia, summer 2015 to celebrate signing a book writing contract. Original notes 07/16/10 It's funny how these things work out, and over the years I learned that it's just SO much better to simply roll with the punches. What am I talking about? Well, for many years I've stared at bottle of this on the shelves in Atlanta and decide to pass...
Rare Vos (Amber Ale)
Apparently the house beer brewed by Ommegang for BXL in NYC, NY is actually not a new beer at all, but it's actually Rare Vos. Reported as an alias. Consumed today at BXL East on 51st. Pour is a mid-amber one with impressive head and lace. The lace is especially pleasing. A LOT of yeasty, bread notes in this beer that dominate both the nose and the taste. Excellent combination of sweetness and competing dark(er) dry character. Some fruit as well, the beer almost has a plum or other dark fruit...
Hop Sun (Summer Wheat Beer)
Had this a few times in the last week or so, both on tap and from the bottle. Definitely preferred the draft version and this review reflects that serving style. Bright orange pour with a decent amount of cloudiness. Seems clearer on draught than from the bottle which adds extra haze. Nice, high, substantial white head. In both cases I got a really decent amount of soap character in the taste. The hop presence seems to work up quite a big taste considering the style of the beer. If the soap...
Abita Select Weizenbock
Lovely, another Abita Select and to be honest after some initial scepticism on my part I've been increasingly pleased with some of their efforts. It seems as though most Taco Mac's in the Atlanta area have installed a permanent Abita Select tap; even the Douglasville one where this was consumed. Pour is the requisite, caramel colored, hazed affair with some pretty good head, lace and retention. Nose is important for this style and the beer does not disappoint. Good pineapple, bubble-gum, candy...
Breakout Stout
Drunk at the brewery just a few days after the first batch was brewed. (This was brewed for the first time in April 2010, but will eventually become a winter seasonal according to JBC). Classic, black pour with a few reddish highlights in the strong light. Head is thick, well formed, offers excellent retention and some nice lace. Creamy head. The nose gives a distinct oatmeal aroma (even though the beer is NOT an Oatmeal Stout) - Glenn (the brewer), suggested that this could be due to the...
Duvel Draft
Having missed out on the first wave of this coming to Atlanta several months ago, I've managed to catch it about four times in the last few weeks - pleasing. On each occasion (The Fred, The Brick Store and Ormsby's) the beer was served in the Duvel Green glass. Appearance is a nice golden clarity with a billowing head, but the whole package seems a lot flimsier than regular Duvel. Much wispier head, and although the lace is good the retention is not great. Well carbonation, even feeling a...
Abita Select Double IPA
On tap at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Part of the Abita Select series that we now see in Atlanta. Pour gives a golden body with a touch of chill-haze and some significant head,. The head retention is good and he lace that it produces is not insignificant. Good looking, but for some reason reminds me of a nitro pour - odd. Sweet nose and tastes which reflect the style pretty well. Plenty of sweetness to back up the aggressive hops, this beer is surprisingly simple but good. Large hop...
Terrapin Oak Aged Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
I've had this three times in the last couple of weeks at the Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Pour is the standard, close to black affair with virtually no head other than a thin film of mocha foam. Mouthfeel seems a little slick but comes with the standard coffee and light alcohol notes. The oak-aging seems very light with perhaps an increased vanilla presence and some edges taken off. I really didn't find this to be much different to the regular version but perhaps it's...
Yuengling Bock
On tap Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Pour is an attractive, mid to dark copper colour with thinnish, wispy head. Fades quickly. Lots of bready malts in the nose. One of the more "bready" beers that I have encoutered of late. Clean delivery of good malt and hop balance. Bitterness with a gentle metallic aftertaste. Slight sweet and sour combo brings the whole thing together. Conversely for the typical malt profile, this bock seems to finish a touch on the dry end of the spectrum. Adding to...
Ranger
On tap Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Pour is a very attractive golden hue with very good sticky lace. Appearance is the best part of the beer for me. Steady but mild bitterness with a clean edge that showcase the apparently pale malt base and the fresh hop feel. Aroma is clean. Well constructed for sure, but to be honest ultimately not a stand-out by any stretch. The bazillionth solid American IPA - yawn. Not sure how thi stuff will carve a niche for itself. Decent drinkability but not...
Vinyl
On tap Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Nice clarity and good dark copper color on the pour. Head is small but provides some lace. Nose faithfully creates some decent if simple, toasty malt. Tastes deliver the expected malt notes but the beer also brings with a surprising level of dry character. Dry notes are repeated in the finish and aftertaste almost to the point of giving some noticeable hop character - not really what I was anticipating. Carbonation in the glass seems quite strong without...
Gordon Biersch Czech Style Pilsner
The usual GB experience with this beer. Clean lines define the look of the brew, true to style with nice clarity on the pour and some very good, persistent carbonation. The beer looks good with the golden body and most importantly a well retained head that produces some nice lace. The one thing that the beer lacks is a serious Saaz like bite in the finish. There are two ways to look at this. On the plus side for the establishment it's probably brewed in that manner to keep it approachable for...
Hefeweizen
In a nutshell this is a lackluster Hefe, which, much like the GB Pils at the same establishment is somewhat true to style but seems to have all of the important attributes and elements toned down. Sure there is a cloudy yellow body, and sure there are a few clove like notes as well, but the mouthfeel is weak and the beer feels overall quite watery - in my book the cardinal sin for a Hefe. It's as if the beer has been deliberately taken down a notch or two, perhaps because the majority of the...
Allagash Burnham Road
On tap at The Brick Store. Interesting beer as it would appear that this is one of the few Allagash beers that steers away from your typical Belgian inspired styles and goes down a "road" that I was not expecting from them. Darkish, golden pour with excellent head, lace and retention. packaged in the Allagash flute/tulip, the beer holds its own nicely in the glass. Nose and tastes give a light smoke with plenty of peat in the background. it threatens to get quite strong but somehow is held...
Howl
A surprise package at the Douglasville Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Pour appears to be a brown affair with some reddish highlights and a white cap. Head fades quickly and lace is minimal. This was described to me as a Winter Ale, is in the BA db as I type as a Schwarzbier, and frankly looks and drank like neither! In essence there are some fairly significant chocolate malts which fade to give a malt dominated, mild beer with a tiny, tiny hop kick in the finish. Basically it sits somewhere...
DuganA IPA
Passed on this at Hop City in the bomber, and went with a pint at Taco Mac on the East-West Connector, Austell, GA, USA instead. Pour is a mid-brown with a nice rocky, creamy head that has pretty good lace, retention and "stickability". Looks good. Nose and tastes reveal some pretty strong west-coast style, grapefruit astringency with an additional fair amount of residual sugar and bitterness. Resinous feel about the beer as one would expect. Alcohol is there too. As usual for the style, the...
Charlie (JLS Release #22)
Marketed as, "Charlie 1981" at Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. 16 oz pint. Slightly murky, brown body with good lace. Some chill haze in the glass, not much clarity. Aroma has very hop-based and I could easily feel this ought to be classified as a typical American DIPA. Typically Rogue, the beer seems slightly over-hopped to me, and this beer is essentially a DIPA. Resinous hops, strong, astringent nose and a slight burn. Hops tire the palate quickly in a combination of...
Sierra Nevada Belgian Trippel
Delighted and surprised to find this on tap at Taco Mac in Douglasville, GA, USA. 16 oz pour. Pours with a bright, bright golden body, a decent head and amazingly clarity. Normally I'm a huge fan of such clarity but to be honest I expect my Tripel's to lack some that and have a least a degree of chill-haze about them. Surprised at the clear nature of the beer. Nose reveals some typical bubblegum notes. The tastes are essentially ALL, massive, sweet, sugar! There isn't really the slightly...
Tripel
11oz pour at Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Pour gives a classic, hazed yellow body but a rather disappointing lack of head (at least in terms of size). Lace is good. Very strong, even "artificially" so; plenty of bubblegum aromas and a lot of sticky sweetness. BIG estery fruits and plenty of alcohol too. Now, of course, all of this is completely in order for the style, including (to an extent) the slick mouthfeel, but to be honest it seems a little floral and...
He’Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale – Barrel-Aged
On tap at The Porter, Atlanta, GA, USA. Left over from a recent He'Brew/Shmaltz event I think. Pour gives a crystal clear, orange body with some wispy lace and head which ultimately settles to give a thin white film on top of the beer. Looks nice, a bit like lucozade. Similar to the orginal. Nose has a touch of liquor about it but many a clean edge of alcohol. The tastes are malty and alcohol laden. Drinks very cleanly with a solvent-like finish that again is...
Chocolate Starfish
A bit of background to this review. I ordered the beer at The Porter in Little Five, Atlanta, GA, USA. A few minutes later I was joined by a friend of mine who knows very little about beer and started engaging the barman about what to order and drink. As part of this conversation the barman started offering advice about brown ales but he did NOT mention the Starfish in that category. I was curious since it was a CLASSIC brown ale, and it was sitting in front of me,...
Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale
On tap at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Very expensive at either $6.50 or $7.00 a pint! Pour gives a very nice, chestnut brown pour with some decent (if short-lived) head but some nice lace. Above average in terms of looks. Nice malty nose with little nut character but nevertheless sweet and in line with the style. Simple, tasty, well-crafted a no-nonsense, no frills beer and that's a GOOD thing. In the USA, FAR too often these days it is difficult to track down quality examples of simple,...
Brooklyn Manhattan Project
Two draft pours at The Brick Store, Decatur, Atlanta, GA, USA. Delighted to come across this; an unexpected and happy surprise. Beer forms a not especially attractive, Dubbel brown body but is topped with a wispy, white head that is sustained well to leave great lace. appearance redeemed. I was NOT looking forward to this because I am not a fan of rye at all. HOWEVER, there is absolutely ZERO rye character present - I mean NONE! I guess that may disappoint some people, but for me it was the...
Red Brick Black Brick
On tap at the Brick Store on 10/16/2009. Description precisely as follows; 80% Altanta Brewing Co. 2007 Winter Ale + 20% Atlanta Brewing Co. Brown Ale, then aged in Jack Daniels barrels since 2007. Described by the brewer/brewery as a "Sour" and appears on the Brick Store menu as such, BUT only because it seems difficult to classify, and as it has been fermenting away for a couple of years. Classified in terms of the closest style available on BA, but fairly inaccurate. Very dark, still,...
Gordon Biersch Märzen
Say what you like about GB beers, they do tend to look good and generally they produce a reliable quality. The Marzen is, for want of a better word their "flagship" brew and as usual it is pretty steady at the relatively new, Buckhead location. Great clarity on the bright amber body, the beer is lively and vibrant. Head leaves a little to be desired but it's generally acceptable. Nose gives some quite large malts. More dryish yeast in the tastes (a GB trademark) but again more bready...
Gordon Biersch FestBier
On tap, $4.50 served in 0.5 L German style mug with an O'fest logo. A surpringly, light orange body. Color has some macro characteristics. Head is OK but fades quite badly. Extremely yeasty in the nose and tastes with some light fruits. The alcohol seems to build a little over the course of the beer. Dry ending with even more yeast. Light esters in the nose which seem more prominent in the smell than the taste. Lingers a little. Feels pleasing, rich and full in the mouth. A bit odd in terms of...
Bud Light Golden Wheat
Exciting times as I ran into this, the latest marketing ploy from AB at the Irish Bred Pub in Douglasville, GA, USA! Pour reveals a "dead" looking beer with less than an sixteenth of an inch of white head on top of a cloudy, butterscotch colored body. Partly due to the poor pour, but nevertheless even with agitation this beer fails to produce much life at all. Disappointing. Aroma is essentially of nothing. Again the circumstances don't help much (served FROZEN), but even on warming we get...
St. Feuillien Saison
OK, so I see that this has just made it to Atlanta (and possibly the US) and that it is $7.99 for the 750 mL corked and caged bottle. Pretty good value I thought, but I decided to pass the first couple of time that I see it. Anyway, fast forward a couple of days and Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA has it on tap. I order one and ultimately find out it is $9.50 for the small pour! TERRIBLE value. Anyway, back to the beer.... ...pour is slightly clouded and is on the orange...
Terrapin Reunion Beer 2009
On tap at Taco Mac on the East-West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Golden yellow pour with a nicely formed thickish head and some very nice lace and retention. Solid mouthfeel (an important feature for the style) and some moreish qualities that make you want to have another sip. Some simple banana notes with decent alcohol warmth and some spice notes. The beer is not over-stated despite the alcoholic content and it drinks and sits less agressively than one originally may have thought. Wasn't...
Big Matt’s ESB
On-tap. Slightly chill-hazed pour with a traditional, light, bubbly head that although not dense, still provides some very nice, sticky lace. Has a cask appearance in terms of the head. Served WAY too cold for my liking, even without the traditional, American frozen glassware! Let it warm a little. Body is a brownish hue which is not epecially attractive but I guess I'm being a bit hard here. Lacks the classic, deep garnet color that I would really love for the style, but I can live with that....
Dark White
Extremly odd beer for me. Pour is a turbid brown with very good head, lace and retention. The head was really thick and pleasing almost like the "scum" that one gets on top of a fermentation tank. The color is less appealing, but that's just a function of the beer and my persoanl dislike of that muddy brown, Dubbel-like appearance. Nose and tastes are very bready at first with a yeasty, spice, citrusy note that sits very oddly when you are looking at the beer. It's a case where the tastes tend...
Farmhouse Hefe
Interesting beer and Mike the Brewmaster was VERY enthusiastic about it. It has its roots in a Colombian recipe that turn turn has its roots in a genuine German one. A complicated story how it came to be in this part of the world, but nevertheless an interesting one. Standard look, with good lace and retention. The strongest part of the beer was the nose which was POTENT! One of the stronest clove notes I have witnessed in some time. Rounded out with a touch more spice and some light banana....
Southwest V IPA
Simple and good quality example of the style. The most abiding memory of this beer was the lace. Very fine, but also sticky and very abundant. Light orange tones with a fruity nose that belies its American roots. Slightly reminded me of an English version with a light touch on the alcohol and the hops. A gentle and subtle beer that would have some serious potential for crossover. Good summer drinking and nice beer to introduce the beer ignorant to. Approachable.
Traveler’s Pale Ale
Straight-up simple version of the style with a hop bill that is obvious but at the same time reserved. Good malt balance, refreshing and drinkable. Light orange body with minimal lace, the beer drinks easier than most of the style. Tasty and worth a visit. Probably a beer that could easily be put into a simple, everyday rotation. Less aggressive than some of the same ilk.
River Company Stout
Very solid example of the style. Simple, black pour with a fine head and lace. Not much to report other than solid. Decent roasted notes with a finish that was dryish but still left me wanting more. Not the best of the beers at The River Company but quite acceptable in terms of quality and the style. Tasty and drinkable, with a solid look.
Fairlawn’s Finest Cream Lager
On tap at the brewery with Mike (the Brewmaster) in attendance! First off I made an assumption about this beer that is often correct but in this case was a little off. The production of a beer like this in a brewpub is usually done mainly to satisfy the hoards of BMC drinkers that can only stomach a light beer of some description. When I asked Mike about this he told me that yes, there was *some* truth in that, BUT he would only be content brewing a beer that additionally stood on its own, and...
Razz-Ma-Tazz Raspberry Hefeweizen
On Tap. Seasonal special with 17(?!) IBU's and 5.0% ABV as advertised on the blackboard behind the bar. Murky, pink appearance with a good head and excellent lace. Drinks almost exclusively like a fruit beer so I categorized it NOT as a Hefe, rather as a fruit infused beer. The raspberry flavor predominates but there is the mouthfeel and character of a wheat beer in there too. Nose and tastes have some decent raspberry notes and the beer is sweet and drinkable in one sense, but after one I'd...
Blueberry Wheat
Another pretty dreadful effort from the sham of a "brewery" that is Hilton Head Brewing Co. An extraordinary beer in many ways. Firstly the color is essentially that of a Pale Ale or perhaps even an IPA. It has a mid-amber hue which would be fine if it were a beer that SHOULD look like that, but if you had asked me to categorize this, any type of "wheat" beer would have been my last guess. This is are recurring theme at HHB though, so God knows what they are doing with their malts and grains....
Red Brick Solstice Roggenbock
On tap at Taco Mac Metropolis on 06/23/09 - from notes; 16 oz pour. 30 year anniversary beer for TM from ABC. In summary, unoffensive but not much character that would suggest that this is a Roggenbier. The pour is a very surprising bright yellow affair with good clarity, some nice head and decent lace. Looks are possibly the strongest feature of this brew. Light on taste, in fact rather sweet. Almost no rye taste when compared to some other beers that contain the grain. Simple malty, bread...
Harpoon Leviathan – Imperial IPA
On-tap, Taco Mac Metropolis, Atlanta, GA, USA. 16 oz pour. Solid orange color, tight head with some good retention and lace. Looks as it should. Big whiff of (what appears at first) to be a "West Coast" style hop profile. This does get toned down a little as the beer warms. This is repeated in the tastes and the beer drinks as though it's out of California to me. There's some residual sugary notes too, but to be honest this beer is what it is - a large DIPA with nothing much else going on....
Newcastle Summer Ale
Good GOD, Geordies across the globe will be horrified I'd imagine, and as for the old-timers, well they must be mortified. I'm really not at ALL sure what style of this beer is supposed to be and S&N's web site (including the Heineken USA site) reveals nothing. HILARIOUSLY, a 'phone call to Heineken USA in White Plains, NY connects me with a courteous young man who tells me that no such beer exists - he takes my number and promises more research! === *** PLEASE NOTE: I've entered it here as a...
Sierra Nevada Brown Saison
16 oz pour, Summits Wayside Tavern, Woodstock, GA, USA. I've been fairly critical of SN in the past for over-hopping their beers so that so many of them taste so similar (The Harvest series, SNPA, Anniversary series, Torpedo, ESB, to some extent even celebration etc., all seem like clones of the same, hoppy-based beer to me with little or no imagination), so I always approach their beers with a degree of skepticism to say the least. However, on this ocassion we got a really nice brew. I'm not...
Ommegang Rouge
Stumbled across this at Summits Wayside, Woodstock, GA, USA last week and was delighted to see it. I thought that I was going to miss out on this brew, but happily got to catch up with it by chance. Served in a Gulden Draak tulip, the beer sits with a brownish-red body and a small head that disappears quickly. Better lace than I was anticipating. Nose and tastes do a great job of replicating the style nicely, but at the same time give a degree of accessibility that is somewhat unusual for this...
Sierra Nevada IDEA
Had this on tap at Manuel's, Atlanta, GA, USA. 16 oz pour. A bit turbid in the glass, not an especially attractive beer. A bit of a strange brew to say the least. Not sure how I would categorize it but it seemed to me like a cross between a brown ale and an IPA. To me, that generally means "American Brown Ale" with some of the appearance of a brown, but a hoppier presence that would otherwise be expected in such a beer. There are some dark malts present up front, and given SN's liberal use of...
Terrapin Oak Aged Big Hoppy Monster
How odd. VERY surprised to see this nonchalantly hanging out at the Duluth Taco Mac early on a Friday afternoon. Poured into an 11 oz wine glass, the beer sits exactly like the original BHM with a clouded, dubbel like brown color, a small head which ultimately reduces to a white collar and not much life. To me this doesn't really differ very much at all from the original. I would say there is a subtle touch of vanilla which smooths the beer out a little, but any adjustments that the oak has...
Slim Chance Light Ale
16oz "pint" at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. I REALLY wanted to like this since at 3.9% this kind of beer is just about impossible to find in the US. Unfortunately it was DIRE. Appearance was just the usual, nasty macro, ho head, no lace, watery pour. Again, nose (virtually nothing) was as expected and par for the style/course. Mouthfeel was from the same stable, but again not to disappointing since, (a) it supposed to be somewhat like that, and (b) that was what i was expecting, however...
Drop Top Amber
Never really been impressed with Widmer and this isn't the beer that is going to change that feeling. 16oz pour, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. Appalling bad pour by the barman bringing me a flat beer with zero head. Not ideal, but I am forced to induce the head myself with a straw! The beer looks incredibly carbonated for the style, and there is a multitude of bubbles rising around the light brown/amber body. Collar of foam is all that's left of the head after a couple of minutes. No lace....
Terrapin Thirty Strong
Brewed especially for Taco Mac to celebrate 30 years of their existence, this beer is made with 30 ingredients! I understand that Spike calls this "kitchen sink" brewing! 16 oz pint sampled on the day of release at Taco Mac, Perimeter, Atlanta, GA, USA $6.96 for the pint! Hazed, amber appearance this has a Dubbel like murky brown apperance. Head is not large, but it does give some really nice, sticky lace. Nose is a fruity (pineapple), bubblegum and alcohol mix and this finds it's way into the...
Belgica
16 oz pint on tap at The Porter, Little Five Points, Atlanta, GA, USA. Golden body with a little chill haze underneath a pillow-like, rocky head. Good creamy peaks and troughs in the head. Noce retention and lace. Nose has the pre-requisite light fruit and IPA notes. The Belgian yeasts and sweetness are simple and subtle rather than massive, and the same is true of the hoppy notes. The bitterness and hop character only really cut in in the aftertaste, and the combo makes this very drinkable. I...
Sweetwater Double IPA
Dank Tank #3 sampled at The Porter, Little Five, Atlanta, GA, USA yesterday afternoon. Small, Wellington style glass pour, perhaps eight ounce. Golden hazed body, on the lighter side of things in terms of the shade. Small head, but it produces plenty of sticky lace with some decent retention. Great light floral, hoppy nose with a sweetness in the nostrils. Exactly the same in the taste. Super hoppy burps, but a real light touch (for a change) from an American DIPA. NO huge...
Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout
$5.00 for the pint at Taco Mac in Douglasville, GA, USA. Maybe a difficult beer to give an objective shake to, given that "normal" Guinness is the inevitable reference point. Pour was jet black but with a much smaller, wispier head than "regular" Guinness. The head looked whiter too. Retention and lace were both poor. Lacked much reverse surge. Much less smooth than regular Guinness and it lacked any kind of silky mouthfeel. Many more bitter notes than I was expecting as well. Thinner feel...
Son Of A Peach
$4.75 for the pint at Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Well, you get what it says on the label! Pour is a slightly clouded, bright orange body with some minimal head and lace. Nose is big on the peach/fruit side of things but also seems to me to have a white chocolate note. The Peach and Wheat attributes come through in the tastes but to a lesser extent than the nose would initially suggest. not much else to report here. A beer that acts well as a thirst quencher, but to be...
Shiner 100 Commemorator
On tap, Taco-Mac, Perimeter, Atlanta, GA, USA. Sat at the bar next to a Texas resident who tried to persuade me not to order this, but even though I listened carefully to his arguments I felt I had a duty to see for myself. As it turned out, his description of the beer as, "not bad, but not a very good Doppelbock" was pretty accurate. Pour was a standard dark, chestnut color but the head and lace are both WOREFULLY disappointing. This is at least in part to the pathetic way the beer was...
Sexual Chocolate
You never know what you might find! So, I take a completely unplanned trip up to Asheville, NC for the weekend and while I'm hanging out in Brusin' Ales, one of the customers (Scott) says that the Mellow Mushroom (a few feet away) has just tapped their keg of Sexual Chocolate! Happy coincidence. After all the hype surrounding this beer, and all of the trouble that people have gone to in order to get it, I found it a little perplexing/strange/amusing that it should be sitting there and being...
Pisgah Pub Ale
Drunk at the brewery on 4/3/09. Very difficult to categorize this, nor am I sure what Pisgah is trying to do here, but here we go. This is described as a "Pub Ale" but I have no idea what that really means. My suspicion is that they have drawn inspiration from the nasty, cream-flow, pseudo English bitters that we get in cans in the US. Seems like an unlikely source of inspiration for Pisgah, but hey, whatever. The beer is presented on nitro pour with a Hefe-like, clouded yellow body and a...
Mardi Gras Bock
Additional notes: 02/22/23 (pictured) Specifically went to Deer Park Irish Pub in Fort Wayne to drink this. The 2023 draft version seems a lot more "bock-like" than my notes from 2009 would suggest. Nice depth of flavor and that quaffable, mild sweetness and biscuity appeal. Nice balance of sweet and bitter and finishes strongly. Moreish, stylistically pleasing. Better than previously encountered. Original notes: 03/27/09 It's taken me a couple of years to get around to trying this, but here...
Rocky Mountain IPA
Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Over $5.00 for the 16 oz pour. VERY strong, astringent hop aroma that was reminiscent of of much hoppier beer. Almost double IPA like. Standard, mid amber pour with a nice head and some decent lace. The beer drinks much milder than the aroma would have you think. Pretty well balanced for an American IPA and drinkable with a solid backbone. I must admit that although this is a solid beer, quite how it can hope to win a serious part of the...
Sweetwater Ron Burgundy Scotch Ale
DELIBERATELY added as a different beer to the cask, Johnnie Walker chip-soaked version, this beer was drunk on tap at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. #2 in the Dank Tank series (The Creeper was #1). Regular keg version NOT the cask, flavored one. This is NOT just another serving type of the other beer currently listed in the BA db, this is a separate brew. Pour produces a very nice, mid-brown color with plenty of carbonation. The head is very nice and the retention is first-class. Lace is...
Imperial Smoked Porter
$4.75 for the 16 oz pint at Taco Mac, Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA, USA. AT LAST, a new SN beer that is NOT the umpteenth hop based, IPA clone for the bazillionth time - in itself that's a minor miracle for SN! Congratulations! Anyway, back to the beer. Fairly standard pour in terms of color, with a smallish coffee colored head. The lace is very good as the beer is consumed. The nose is quite alcohol based but this does not manifest itself in the taste. The alcohol IS there, but not as astringent as...
Tripel De Ripple
On tap at Brugge Brasserie and on tap downtown at Buffalo Wild Wings. This review reflects my experience at the source. Served in a goblet/chalice, the beer pour a typical bright golden hue with a significant amount of clouding. Head was a little disappointing and offered very little in the way of retention or lace. Alcohol is certainly a large factor as it the sweetness. Mild white pepper overtones (good), but a little on the slick side (bad). All in all a solid rendition with the emphasis on...
Big Red IPA
Well, essentially pretty much what you would expect for a brewpub cranking out a standard, solid IPA. Nothing remotely spectacular, pretty much average all the way around. Rather than "red" I got a copper tone with a small head and disappointing lace (clean glasses?). Simple hop and malt balance which is its strong point. Mild citrus all the way around in terms of the nose and taste and not much else. A very simple effort which the best comment can be "at least they didn't screw it up".
Triple Seven (7^3)
Advertised on their beer board as 7^3 (i.e. seven raised to the power of 3), the waitress called this beer "Triple Seven" (obviously the niceties of mathematics are not a strong point at The Ram) and told me it was 8.00% ABV. It drank pretty well at that point to me. Anyway, she described it as a "Belgian Wheat" that was brewed as batch 777 by the brewery. Apparently they mark these numbers with special beers. Nice Tripel color and it sit well in the glass with good head and lace. The beer is...
Black Beauty
Popped in for a lunchtime brew today and decided to give the Black Beauty a run. Described on the beer menu as a Dubbel, this looks, tastes and drinks much more like a Quad, and even has a few RIS notes. I spoke to Crawford and he agreed about the Quad descriptor, but was less sure of my RIS comparison. He LOVES to brew these "style-defying" Belgian beers and this is another example of the fine art he is in the process of perfecting. Pretty much jet black on the pour as far as I could tell...
InaugurAle
Very simple, copper colored pour with a nice, bone white head and some lace. Looks nice. The beer basically drinks up front like a simple ESB or English bitter. Very tasty and malt based with some simple hop accents. Where this beer goes in the finish is the interesting thing. I'm not sure if this is by design (either for this beer in particular or for the style), but it dried quite violently in the finish. Very, very dry as it ends and in the aftertaste, and I was surprised how quickly the...
Hopgasm
Clouded copper pour with plenty of haze and a nice, sticky head. Nose and tastes simply reflect the style very well. There are plenty of slightly resinous notes and a complimentary, slightly slick mouthfeel to go with it that is appropriate. Malts are in check, which again is appropriate but to me the combo seems somewhat tired. I'm not sure if the style is getting to my palate, but the beer gave me a bit of a yawn factor. Why not brew something DIFFERENT to make a mark? An entirely...
Spaten Dunkel
On tap at The Rathskeller, Indianapolis, IN, USA. So, I sit down at the bar and see the tap handle of this beer that I do not recognize. I order one and start chatting to the two guys sat next to me at the bar. One turns out to be the Spaten rep, and he tells me this is the first keg in the USA! Nice color on the pour with a deep russet, red/brown. Color is good but the head is non-existent. No head, no retention and no lace. Very poorly carbonated. Nice richness, but it maintains the lager...
Holy Mackerel Mack In Black
11oz pour at Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Jet black pour that is reminiscent of a stout, but lacks the creamy consistency and mouthfeel that you would normally associate with that style. Thin collar of lace forms. Strong apple cider acidity in the nose that has me a little worried. It almost smells infected! Tastes are better than the nose would suggest. Sweet, mildly alcohol licorice. A little thin and the cider infection taste comes through a touch too. I'm pretty sure...
Chocolate Porter
Oh dear. Porter only in name and color. Decent color, but no head, lace, retention or presence in the glass. Weak, weak body with a dreadfully acidic taste and nose. Possibly even infected to my thinking. Lacks any kind of creamy nature and the roasted malts seem bitter. The combination of unbridled bitterness and thin body come together to give a really nasty, heartburn inducing, watery beer - nasty. Southend is getting a reputation for producing some below-par brews and this is a good...
HopArt IPA
Tried this several times last weekend including a half pint dispensed at the brewery by Jaime herself. Subsequently at Sesame (a GREAT little sandwich place around the corner) and a couple more times. High, off-white head with a sticky lace residue. Quite sweet upfront by this levels out to give a well balanced brew. To my palate this is very obviously dry-hopped. If it ISN'T then it sure as hell tastes like it. Hazed appearance. Mild soapy notes, some grapefruit and a refreshing grassy malt...
Sweetwater Creeper
On-tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. #1 in the Dank Tank series. Golden pour with an impressive head and some nice lace. Nice carbonation. Would definitely categorize this as a hoppy tripel rather than a Belgian IPA. The sweetness is certainly a big factor with some distinct Belgian type candy notes. It also has the Tripel alcohol, but it lacks much (if any) of the white pepper notes that we might expect. The hop bitterness is very much in the back for me. A tasty beer and perhaps a...
First Snow Ale
16 oz pint at Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Having tried a few of the RJ Rockers line so far (and been impressed) I was happy to see this and keen to give it a whirl. Pour is somewhat ordinary looking in terms of color (a golden macro color), but above average in terms of head and lace. Nose is an interesting combination of faint cinnamon and a bunch of other spices. This carries through to the tastes where we get an solid but subtle arrangement of Winter Warmer tastes...
Winterhook Winter Ale
16oz pint on tap at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Interesting one this. The first pint that I was given had a very nasty, plastic taste about it. I was pretty sure it was line cleaner which is ironic given what the line cleaner is supposed to do. The bar manager Ben was called, and he pulled a full pitcher off and the resulting pint was very tasty. Just a little effort is all that it generally takes. Chestnut brown pour with very nice clarity. The head is a little too small for me, and the...
Heavy Seas – Märzen
16oz pour a Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. $6.00 - first time I've really noticed the increase in prices recently. Hazed ornage appearance with a decent head and some lace. Lots of sweetness in the nose and the initial tastes. Really quite fruity with plenty of juicy, semi-hard fruits present. Some apple character but also pears and other esters. Well balanced beer but the malts obvious take the lead. Nicely put together and tasty. well rounded in the mouth and the finish has...
He’Brew Jewbelation 12
11 oz pour at Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. $6.25! A still, "black as night" pour with no head. I suspect that this is just due to the inability of the barstaff to pour a beer, but ho hum this is Taco mac and this is what you get - suck it up! Obviously I wanted to allow this to warm some and when one does one is not disappointed. As is often the case with Shmaltz we get a very complex beer in the nose and the tastes. Layer after layer of hops and rich, rich malts compete...
Gimme Shelter Bock
Enjoyed two small glasses of this at Max Lager's yesterday. Chill-hazed, dark brown appearance with hints of red clarity. Nice, well formed egg-shell head. Good retention and lace. All the components of a solid bock are present with dominant (but balanced) malt backbone and a hint of hoppy bitterness. More like a double bock than a straight up bock to me. I have no idea if the advertised ABV is correct, if it is it drinks WELL below that number and in that respect is a little dangerous! All in...
Max Oktoberfest
2008 version sampled 11/7/08. Simple, clear and orangey/red/mid-brown pour with minimal head and lace. In fact, carbonation this low reminds me of a cask ale (a good thing). This brew pretty much nails the style nicely. Good, sweet malts are supported with some subtle bitternes for balance. Nicely rounded in the mouth (which I always feel is an important feature of the Marzen type brews). According to the blurb this was brewed in the taditonal style in as much as it was made in March and then...
Pipeline Porter
On tap at the Austell Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. WOW! What a pleasant surprise. Delighted. Jet black body - exceptional. Small, perfectly formed head, this looks very reminiscent of a Guinness. Lace is good. Nose is exceptional too. A beautiful, rich coffee-laden experience that is very memorable and reminiscent of a much more expensive beer. Mouthfeel and tastes are equally memorable with a paradoxical cacophany of coffee creaminess and porter satisfaction coming...
Bell Ringer
I'd seen these bottles around the ATL for weeks now and decided to dive in finally at the Taco Mac on the East West connector, Austell, GA, USA. 16oz draft pour. $4.75. Viscous orange pour with little carbonation and little head. Lace is scant too which is fair enough considering the ABV. Light hops in the nose that are not overpowering. Not at all cloying in the mouth, in fact rather light. Interesting tastes. Viscous sugar is there amongst the alcohol and hop base, but to my great surprise...
Twain’s Honest Lender Imperial Brown
Crystal clear pour with a solid head and nice lace & retention; this looks very good. Tasty malts are the order of the day (as they should be for a brown ale), and surprisingly (becasue this is categorized as an AMERICAN brown) the hops are reserved. Don't get me wrong, I MUCH prefer toned down hops in my brown ales since it make sense to have a brown with malts being the dominant character, but American browns usually do exactly the opposite - this one doesn't. Couple the fact that this has...
La Madragore
Draft, Brick Store, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pours with the look of an RIS. Much thinner though. Lactic, sour notes hit the nose and the combination of that and the thin mothfeel make this one a non-starter for me. Nasty, lacklustre effort that has a sour milk note. This would be bad enough if it were some kind of stout but to put this in a Belgian Strong Dark category is a travesty. Acidic and tasteless. Another really disappointing beer from this stable. Avoid.
Sierra Nevada Double DeBockEl
11oz pour, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. $5.50. Surprised to see this here - bonus! Golden body with excellent clarity. Surprisingly good carbonation considering ABV. Head is absent (possibly because of the crappy pour) but at this ABV unlikely to be very big anyway. Very light color for the style. Nose is malty alcohol but even on warming it reveals little. Certainly sugary sweet presence amongst the alcohol, but the beer manages to stay away from the viscous syrup that can plague this style...
Twain’s Tidy Soul Dunkelweiss
Kinda interesting. Like others have noted, a deep dark brown pour, but with surprising clarity for Dunkelweizen - must be filtered, because this is really clear. Head and lace are good, in keeping with the beers that Twains regularly produces. Bubblegum and banana notes meet the nose and the tastes reflect pretty much exactly what I would expect in the style. Nose and tastes match well. Drinks a little easier and cleaner than some of its German forefathers. An interesting beer that solves the...
Autumn Fest
Strange one, this. Served as an 11oz pour at the Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, Atlanta, GA, USA. Not sure why this is in the smaller pour since it is only a 6.1% beer, probably just Taco Mac screwing it up again - at least the glass isn't frozen in the smaller pour! $6.00 for the pour, so I think they've got it wrong again. Someone needs to educate this chain PROPERLY. Great clarity on the pour with some fine carbonation. A real orangey/red/amber body. IF ONLY the pour were one...
Abbey Six
Ran into this one on tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. This has been getting some mixed reviews at the pub so I thought I'd better road test it myself to be sure. Orange, hazed body with a moderate head and not a great deal of lace. Looks unspectacular and NOTHING like a "Belgian Dark Ale". I would be looking for a bigger head and some much darker, browns and blacks to get to that particular classic look. This looks more Tripel like. Fruity ester meets the nose and the early palate....
Eden Ale
Consumed at The Britannia Inn, St. Austell, Cornwall, England. An interesting concept behind this beer - this is taken from the Saharp's web site; "The Eden Project was set up in Cornwall to promote the understanding and responsible management of the vital relationship between plants, people and resources leading to a sustainable future for all. At Sharp's we are committed to making great beer with the least possible impact on our environment. Eden Pure Ale was developed in conjunction with...
Atlantic IPA
Fantasic beer with a decent ABV (considering the style) that manages to combine both a refreshing, summer drinking type ability along with one of the more satisying experiences of a "lighter" beer. A combination of four hop varities goes into the beer, which although not necessarily easy to detect as individual notes, do lend a certain complexity to the brew. A light citrus note is first followed by some deeper soapy like notes. The malt cuts across the whole beer to leave a satisfying...
Twain’s Temperent Temperance Mild Ale
Nice clarity on the 12oz pour with a small head that maintains a ring of lace on the surface and a little on the glass. Good chestnut color. Some real metallic bitterness here, especially in the finish which has a little copper coinage metal in the back. Nice beer, that is a bit edgy, and for me lacks a little sophistication. Also, to me this is simply NOT a mild ale. In my milds (which I think are originals) we would look for more sweetness, a greater malt presence and less bittering from the...
Parris Island Oatmeal Porter
An unusual combo this one, oatmeal used in a Porter rather than a Stout. Struck me as a pretty light body for the style, with good color, head and lace. The light body adds to the drinkability, but could do with a little "beefing up". Josh desribes this, thus; "Crafted from chocolate and crystal malts, this medium bodied porter has a sweet distinct chocolate taste, followed by a smooth mellow finish. Plenty of smooth, creamy notes to this, and the chocolate malts shine through. Mild roastiness...
Albergottie Amber
Josh described this to me as a lighter version of an amber that drinks much more like a lager - he was spot on, with the drinkability being a BIG plus. Very easy, light drinking and much less "red" than you would imagine for the style. In his words, "Dark copper in color with a subtle roasted flavor. This beer is a low hopped, very drinkable beer with a wonderful flavor profile". Simple copper colored body with a nice head and lace. Good clarity, nice looking and in line with the style. Very...
Brickyard IPA
Not sure if this one should be entered as a DIPA, but for now it's just a LARGE IPA! Josh says, "Light Copper in color, with a huge hop aroma followed by a strong hop bitterness. This one is for all you hop heads out there!" I would describe the color as much more yellow than copper. A real butterscotch hue in the glass, with almost a "cask like" head. For those of you unfamiliar, that means really just some soapy bubbles on top of the beer rather than a tightly formed, compact and dense...
Port Royal Light
Described by Josh as, "Our lightest beer yet - straw in color, with a crisp, clean finish and a light hop character. Perfect for those steamy Beaufort days & nights". Difficult to argue with the description of the beer as being light, this brew is a very nice example of the style, but simply something I am not especially interested in. It DOES have the redeeming characteristics of a beer in the style, namely really good head and great lace, great clarity and a simple, refreshing clean edge...
Mocha Porter
Drunk on my June 2008 visit to HHI. Standard color in the pour but little or no head and zero lace. Looks a bit flat, which is strange because the beer has an odd, prickly over carbonation that is inappropriate for the style. Interesting tasting beer though. Quite light and lively with a decent malt base and some chocolate notes. Quite a distinct coffee finish. Not the worst beer that I have drunk at HHB, so in that respect it was not too bad, but still an "amatuerish" feel about the beer -...
Ondineke
Oilsjtersen Tripel
Additional notes 02/08/23 (Pictured) Bottled 18 Jun 2022. A small gusher. Lace is good again. Again, fifteen years later and this time out of the bottle and not on draft, plenty of alcohol is present. Nice, light burn. Not as fruity as some, muted esters and a lack of white pepper that is typical for the style, I would put this as a bit of an outlier in terms of the style, it seems a LOT drier. That said, I like it. Original notes 06/21/08 On tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small...
Chubourbon
On tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small (perhaps 10oz) pour with a jet black body and a quite large (for the serving), dense mocha head. It's worth while saying at the outset that I am not especially keen on the Bourbon aged brews. I often find that the Bourbon simply takes over the brew, and in the case of, say, a RIS there is no need to add an extra dimension to an already huge combo of characteristics. Anyway, this is MUCH more subtle than many other Bourbon aged beers that i...
Allagash Rosa
Enjoyed this one as part of the 11th Anniversary celebrations with Lance, Dave, Mike et al at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA yesterday. Significantly orange body with a limited amount of head and lace. It actually appeared that the glassware was seriously affecting the head and lace; the Allagash stemmed glass produced some nice attributes while other glasses did not do the appearance justice. Clouded body beneath the varying amounts of head. Plenty of Brett in the nose, but it never really...
Uncle Teddy’s Bitter
On tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Pint poured with a surprising degree of chill haze and a distinct lack of clarity which worried me. The head was not well formed either, and the lace suffered a little - I was also surprised at the temperature - The Brick Store is usually pretty much spot on with temp, but this seemed too cold. Mid-brown body. Not the best beer i have ever seen in the glass. Nice malt based bitter with a simple light hop profile lurking underneath and in the finish....
Butte Creek
Organic Revolution XI Imperial IPA
On tap, $5.75 for the 16oz pour, Taco Mac, midtown, Atlanta, GA, USA. Served too cold. Cloudy, deep orange pour with a small head (partially because of the pour which was not aggressive), but still yields some good lace. The lack of clarity is not that attractive. The nose on the beer is as expected with a full blown blast of hops but it seems controlled. Similarly, in the taste we have a big hop presence but the whole thing is tempered with malt and the beer is memorable as sweet rather than...
Kulmbacher Edelherb Premium Pils
On tap at Taco Mac midtown, Atlanta, GA, USA. $6.00 for the 16oz pour. Macro, pale yellow pour with plenty of clarity and carbonation but a lack of head and lace. Disappointing look to the beer. To be honest a dreadful disappointment. Lacks Saaz bite, cleanliness, and general refreshing qualities. I am beginning to wonder if TM has put a macro beer on tap instead of the advertised! Plenty of vegetable notes and corn finish. Not good at all. Bad value and a pretty poor beer - lacked Pils...
Adnams Regatta
From notes, Summer 2007 when I drank this at "On the Waterfront" in Exeter, Devon, England. Spent MANY, many happy hours at this pub eating the "dustbin lids" pizza's as a student - now I'm back with the wife and kids! GULP. Well - what a shock! Adnams is a brewery that I have GREAT respect for, and generally I love their beers, but this was a HORRIBLE disappointment. Essentially a lager, and not a very good one at that. I guess this is simply one of these, dumbed down Golden Ales that have...
Terrapin Oak Aged Rye Squared
On tap, Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Happened to share the first pint of this with pghlee when it was tapped at the Brick Store for the first time. I *think* that this is similar (if not the same) to a version that was tasted at the Atlanta Cask tasting in Jan '08; I didn't care for it much then, nor do I care for it now. The pour is an orange brown, with a lot of chill haze and murkiness. Head is not relevant and the lace is scant. In a nutshell there is just WAY too much going on here. To...
Brewer’s Ale 2008
Difficult to be absolutely sure if this is the correct listing for the beer that I had at lunchtime today, but for now I think it may be for the following reasons; 1. I drank it at Summit's in Snellville which has a "special" relationship with Rogue. 2. The one other review seems to resemble what I drank. 3. It was listed at the bar as "Brewer Ale". Anyway, a very dark brown pour with a pretty lively, frothy head. The head eventually settles down to yield some nice, spotty and creamy lace. The...
Fire Rock Pale Ale
Recently arrived in GA, I must admit that I really wasn't too excited to try this - I thought that it had too much potential just to be "another Pale Ale" taking up shelf space. In the end it was much better than expected. On-tap at the Brockett Pub, Clarkston, GA and subsequently at Taco Mac, Marietta. Nice looking reddish/brown pour, but served waay too cold. When it warmed a little it revealed a solid malt backbone that really was pretty sweet. I really enjoyed the deep malts. I would...
Seson
On tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Golden, mildly hazed pour with some cloudiness and yellow highlights. Good lace on top of the smallish head. The usual funk character, but a very earthy note to this. The organic nature seems to make this beer feel a little rough; almost like a homebrewed Saison. Here the emphasis is definitely on the Farmhouse side of things. The earthy taste was almost literal, with a hint of soil being in the taste! Strange. Actually it drank better than my...
La Grande Blanche
Wits used to be one of my favorite styles, but of late I've been enjoying them less so I was pleased when this one was better than expected. On-tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Classic, lemon yellow, hazed pour with an attractive, dense looking head and some superb lace. The mouthfeel seemed to add an extra dimension compared to many examples of the style. A bit fuller than usual. All the classic Wit notes with an extra dimension of mild tart apples. The extra "funk" associated with...
Michelob Hop Hound Amber Wheat
16oz pour at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. An "Amber Wheat" (whatever THAT is), so here we go. Pour has an amber colour with a decent head and some lace. Nose to me appears to be non-descript. Taste lacks any depth, description or character. I'd describe it as malt based with a watery consistency. Not offensive, but that's about as far as my praise will go with this. Happy to give A-B credit where it is due, but that's NOT here. Marginal taste, and a bland offering in the extreme. I'm...
Shock Top Belgian White
Review #1500 - a bit sad. Very happy to drink anything once, and this is no exception. It was described to me as "Blue Moon with more orange flavor" - OOOKaaaayyy?? We'll see. 16oz pour, Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Head is large over an obviously orange colored, cloudy body. Nose reveals virtually nothing. Head is lively, carbonated and short lived. Taste is NASTY - all I get is dishwasher soap. There is simply nothing else to report. Blue Moon is an infinitely better beer, and that is...
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
On-tap at The Brick Store, Atlanta, GA, USA. Whatever. What's the point in SN producing yet ANOTHER hoppy beer? I just don't get it. In the wake of so many others in their portfolio, this is just another average, hoppy brew. Golden yellow (macro like) pour with a semi-decent head. Hoppy aroma which is obviously translated into the taste. Overbearing hops - not in a very aggressive way, but just unbalanced and mediocre. Tired. Seems like a cross between the PA, The Harvest and the (HA, HA!)...
Chimay Cinq Cents Tripel (White)
Additional Notes 07/28/22 I enjoy this beer a lot more than the notes below indicate, and 18 and 14 years on from those I have a true, and much deeper appreciation for the beer. However, I STILL maintain that the White is not necessarily a quintessential Triple. There's a hop note in the back end (the soapy element that I note below), and a distinct lack of driving alcohol sweetness that one gets with typical examples of the style. In that regard come with an open mind. It's a beautiful beer...
Quinte55ence
Thanks go out to Crawford for generously giving me a bottle* of this (plus bottles of The Answer and Cloud 9) in February of this year. Shared this (along with The Answer), at The Brick Store with Dave & Bob amongst others. *Obviously this is still a draught version, but Crawford bottled some of this beer in corked & caged 750s. Pour is a dark brown almost black body with very little sustainable head. I thought it was rather porter like it its appearance. Very nice nose with plenty of...
De Proef Reserve Signature Ale (w/ Tomme Arthur)
On-tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. WOW - classy! Mid-orange pour with a super high, dense, bone-white head. Nose has a mild grapefruit which is reflected in the taste. It is isn't until the ending that you get the Brett/Funk/Saison/Farmhouse notes. All melds together to give a deep, satisfying experience in the glass. Some bitterness in the finish but it comes together beautifully to give a memorable beer. Smooth on the palate, I would characterize this in the mould of a Belgian IPA,...
Dominion Lager
16oz pour, Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. $4.25. Seems like a macro lager in micro clothing. Light, golden color with a disappointing head and lace. Distinct lack of head and lace, and an odd "plasticy" type aftertaste for me. Seemed to have a grainy alcoholic, weirdness to it. Not at all sure that I would be able to distinguish between this and several macro adjunts - rather poor.
Saison Style Ale
On-tap, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. $4+ for the 16oz pour. Nothing special to look at - in fact it has the appearance of a macro lager. In that respect it does not reflect the style very well. I'm looking for a big, fluffy head in my saisons, some nice lace and some cloudiness in the body. Given the style it purports to be, I was disappointed. Some funk in the nose but not much. Rather than funk being the predominant taste, I get a sweet Belgian fruit blend. It's not unpleasant but it seems...
Fisherman’s Tea Party
$5.99 for the 13oz pour at Sunset Grill & Tap, Boston (Allston), MA, USA. Mid-brown body with plenty of very sticky lace above the minimalist head. Nose gives away a sugary sweet concoction laced with some alcohol and a light hop presence. I am generally wary of American Barleywines since I think far too many of them have way too much hop presence for their own good. The nose kind of confirmed my fears, but the tastes did NOT come crashing in as I was expecting. The tea seemed to add a sweet...
Mayflower IPA
Delighted to have the opportunity to quaff some of this at Sunset Grill & Tap, Boston (Allston), MA, USA. 13oz pour. Relatively new to the market, Matt has produced a very simple, subtle beer again. I don't know what his intention was, but essentially apart from the rather high ABV, he has produced an English version of the style rather than an American one. More subtlety than in your face - I love it! I WISH more brewers would do this. Mid-brown pour, not really especially attractive and...
Atomium Grand Cru
Enjoyed this one on tap at Deep Ellum, Boston, MA, USA. Surprisingly I had never seen this beer or this brewer with beers on tap in the USA, so I was delighted and excited to try it. It was served in the brewery's own glassware - an impressive, bowl-like goblet that really looked great! Allowed me to take some lovely, large, satisfying gulps that swirled around inside the mouth. Beer feels bigger than it really is. Very solid example of the style. Lovely pale yellow color with nice head and...
Belgian-Style White Ale
16oz pour $2.38 during Happy Hour. Cloudy appearance with a very light mouthfeel and taste. A little too light for my tastes, in fact maybe even a little watery. Slightly too simple? Some Belgian yeast notes come through. Refreshing and drinkable, but lacks body and character. It was a beer that I would call competent. Not bady made, but something that I would imagine a half decent homebrewer could put together. One for the ladies?
Altbier
8oz pour, for $1.69 during Happy Hour. Lovely dark dark brown pour and a nicely formed head. Some lace. Good malts (obviously) which are going to be the basis for any decent Alt. I pick up a mild nutty roastiness, and some golden syrup. Slightly too sweet for me, but a pretty good stab at the style - drinkable.
Saison Noire
On tap, Deep Ellum, Boston, MA, USA. What a great beer. Poured into a large snifter, the beer comes out almost completely black. Nice full head, lace and general appearance. Looks robust. I get plenty of licorice and aniseed. Tasty mild funk too (to give a nod to the Saison moniker), but it is muted and light in terms of presence. Good body, and a beer that feels authentic to me. Malty. I really enjoyed this very much, and the idea of mixing the darker malt base into this style really pulls...
Fred Red Ale
On draught at Bailey's Grille & Pub in Fredericksburg, VA. Simple Red Ale - no more no less. Not memorable, but at the same time not offensive. Lacked much character, was a little too malty and lacked the dry finish. It was served too cold, but that's a bar problem rather than a beer problem. Somewhat non-descript first offering from this brewery for me, but not horrible so I will gladly try again.
Irish Red Ale
On tap, Tyler's Taproom, Durham, NC, USA. $4.25 for the 16oz "pint". Classic look, with a deep garnet hue and a good half-inch of solid, foamy head. Head disappeared quite quickly, some lace. Very solid offering from a reliable brewer that consistently hits the spot in terms of styles and drinkable beers. Nice hop/malt balance, but the most important attribute for a Red is the finish. This hit the spot with a characteristic, dry note and left a subtle and pleasing aftertaste. Lots of (partial)...
Extra Brune
On tap at Tyler's Taproom, Durham, NC, USA. Served in a Brooklyn snifter, $6.00. Flanders Oud Bruin? Not to me. This appeared to be an overly sweet Dubbel. Typical, dirty brown Dubbel body with some floaties. The overwhelming sensation and taste here was sweet, sweet, bubblegum. The bubblegum aroma and taste were extraordinarily strong to the point of being distracting. No hint of any sour notes that one might expect in a more typical example of the (alledged) style. Hubba-Bubba aged?? I...
Sleeman Red Ale – Rousse
On tap, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. $4.75 a pint. Taco Mac is advertising this as "La Russe", which for now, I am assuming is this beer - seems reasonable, but maybe I'll have to change it later. As usual, TM has a tenous connection with beer knowledge. Served way too cold. Pint has a nice garnet color, but a small head and not much lace. Has a typical, British, kegged-bitter appearance, which to be brutally frank, is not necessary wonderful. In reality, I quite liked this beer - it seemed to...
Donnybrook Stout
From notes, from a draft offering at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Here's the deal - by all means make a sessionable, simple, low ABV beer (the lack of these type of beer is what I am pretty much constantly lamenting here in the US), BUT that's not an excuse to brew a beer that is frankly thin and bland and lacking taste. Very poor effort for me all the way around. The mouthfeel is VERY thin, and the taste lacks character - I wasn't expecting much depth, but there was very little taste....
Red Brick Helles Bock
On-tap at Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. $4.50 for the 16oz pour. Very attractive golden, orange hue that had good clarity, nice carbonation and a decent white head and some good lace. A close look at the body seems to reveal a little oily, viscous nature - more of that later. Taste is relatively crisp and refreshing, but ends with a surprisingly large alcohol taste. Not sure if it was actually the alcohol, or whether it was just a "taste" of alcohol. The mouthfeel is a bit viscous, and together...
Agave Wheat
On tap at Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. $5.30 for the dubious pleasure of this beer. Just reached GA in the last few days. Butter colored beer that literally looks like melted butter! "Unfiltered" doesn't do this beer justice. It reminds me of the Widmer Hefe. Not very appetizing to look at. Minor film of fine bubbles as the head fades, and minor lace too. Thinnish mouthfeel and very little taste to speak of at all. Some light tartness but really very little.A little grain character but the...
Rising Moon Spring Ale
BA Review #1400 - not a classic! Looks like this got to ATL in the last few days. I've seen a few six packs around in the last couple of days, and I tasted this as a 16oz pour at Taco Mac, East-West Connector, Austell, Atlanta, GA, USA. Charged me $3.98 for the pint. Served with an orange slice...mmmm!!! I like the packaging - fresh, green look to the label, immediately distinguishable as a Blue Moon/Coors product. Label gives it an extra 0.5 points on the "appearance" score. Typical macro...
Glen Ale ( JLS Release #27)
On tap at Charlie Mopps, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, GA, USA. $5.35 for the 16 oz pour. Despite the reputation of Charlie Mopps amongst some, they are still serving their beer in frozen glasses, and you can still barely breathe for the smoke in there....anyway, back to the beer. Simple looking amber our with a nice head, good retention and some sticky, ivory colored lace. A nice looking pint. Simple malt and bitter balance with (for Rogue) a sensible amount of malt backing up the hops. I though it...
Wells Bombardier (English Premium Bitter)
I've been enjoying this over the course of the last few months at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Great clarity on the pour to leave a mahogany colored body and plenty of ivory colored head and lace. Looks super. Very typical of the genre, with it's biscuit based malts supporting the very mild bitterness. This has traveled better than many others of the style, and I feel that this is a good example for Americans to sample a simple, moreish, English Bitter. Better on cask (what isn't?), but...
Black Dog Ale
$4.00 for a 16oz pour at Taco Mac on the East-West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Advertised there as an English Amber - whatever the hell that is! Do these people have a CLUE? Anyway - sent one in a frozen glass back, and it's still served too cold. When it warms, this was much better than I was expecting. A simple pour with good clarity, a bronze body and some half decent lace. Biscuit malts dominate with a nicely balanced finish. Some hops in the ending. This reminded me a lot of a simple...
Bayonet ESB
On tap at Old Town, Greensboro, NC, USA. If I were scoring this within style I don't think it would do very well at all. Essentially this strikes me as an English IPA - by that I mean far too hoppy for an English style ESB, but not big enough on the hops for an American IPA. Strange beast. Light orange pour (typically IPAish) with some head. A little lace. This would need to be browner for an ESB methinks. Some malts, but they are put in the background by the hop profile, which although quite...
Slam Dunkelweizen
On tap at the Brewpub. 16 oz pint serving. A little difficult to tell the color of this beer in the dark, smoke filled room, but it looked a little lighter than the murky brown that I was expecting. A little clearer than the norm and more orange like. Some clove and banana nose which faded to leave a bit of an oatmeal taste. The oatmeal flavor added to the body of the beer that was perhaps its best characteristic. Sweet finish that made this easy to put down. Not a huge fan of the style, but...
Bare Knuckle Stout
Oh dear, oh dear, of dear. I like to give AB the benefit of the doubt when I can, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so. Taco Mac, Douglasville. GA, USA - 16oz "pint". Frankly the pour is pretty decent; leaves a fairly standard nitro stout-like pour, with a small, perfectly formed head. Good black body - essentially OK. Smell and taste leave an odd fishy/acidic combo. All very poor. Thin beyond thin. It's almost impossible to imagine a stout with less body and taste. As my Dad...
Allagash Fluxus 2007
On tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small serving in a goblet. Hazed, orange pour with a huge head and plenty of great lace. Very good carbonation. Looks super. Belgian base (yeast and sugar) but a significant level of herbal notes. Grassy hop feel and significant organic feel. This really takes the edge off the sugar and sweet notes. Certainly Belgian, Strong and Pale, but at the same time NOT typically Belgian Strong Pale! Less sugar sweetness, and a far more savory angle on this...
Red Oak Amber
Had this on tap twice on a recent visit to Greensboro, NC - once in Old Town, and once at Smokey Bones. Pretty simple and drinkable brew that lacks the dry bite of a true amber/red, but certainly has more taste than a simple pale ale. Drinks above the 3.8% advertised. Nice looking red body with a rather small head. Good lace that belies the lack of head. Plenty of simple malts and a sweet bread character that defines this beer. Tasty finish, but lacks the dry character that I would expect for...
De Dolle Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch)
Additional notes 05/13/23 (Pictured) Bottle - Belgian Style Ales. Golden body, perfect head. Classic sweet Tripel with an excellent alcohol edge and clean lines. Perfect example of the style with white pepper and spice at an appropriate level. Some fruit but the cleanliness of the beer is its signature. Original notes 11/03/07 On tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small serving in a goblet/wine glass. Appearance is a lemon/mustard yellow, clouded with a small ring of head and lace that...
Braumeister Harvest Pils
On tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Served in a Prima Pils glass. Slightly cloudy, yellow body lacking the super-clarity associated with the style. Small head and a disappointing lack of retention and lace. Apperance is not the strength of this brew. Tastes are really quite sweet. A lot of malts sits on top of a mild hop finish. Very easy to drink, I'd have to put this in the "summer quencher" category. As I got down to the bottom of the glass it began to lose some life - a little...
Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale
Quite why I had never bothered to pick this up in Atlanta is totally beyond me, but I suspect that the lack of 22oz bombers (only sixers) of it had something to do with it. Finally got around to trying in on tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Superb looking beer. Deep, dark crimson color and perfectly formed head. Looks VERY inviting. This beer has ALL of the attributes of an American Strong Ale. Great malt presence, delicious hop profile and the two marry together just about perfectly....
471 IPA
Delighted to find this on tap at the Taco Mac in Austell. 11.2oz pour which is a huge bonus because it avoids the conversation about NOT pouring the beer into a frozen glass! Very light, orange pour with excellent sticky, white lace. Unfortunately served waaaay too cold so you have to wait for this one to wam up a little. It's a shame theat they keep getting the temperature of these pours wrong at TM because although I don't really mind waiting a bit, after that time lapse, the head and its...
Honey Moon Summer Ale
=== New Review 06/08 - bottle === Single from Mac's Midtown in their mixed six-pack, $7.99. Stil VERY sweet even for my sweet-tooth. Remains pretty drinkable in SMALL quantities despite that as long as the summer weather is here. More than a couple and the sweetness would be getting to me. === Original Review 10/06 === Enjoyed this. $4.25 on draft, Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. Take it for what it is. Simple, sweet beer that drinks like a refreshing lager rather than an ale. Taste is...
Red Brick Oktoberfest
On-tap at the Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Lifeless looking pour with a head that dies away quickly to leave almost nothing on the surface of the beer. No lace. Mid-brown, uninteresting to say the least. Sweet malts in the nose and some in the taste. Wouldn't guess this was supposed to be an O'fest, it seems like an amber/sweet lager without any distinguishing character. Utterly bland beer (not offensive, but just blah..). This is a typical ABC beer. Not bad, not...
Sweetwater Donkey Punch
Followed up my bottle review of last week with a sampling of this on draft at Taco Mac on the East West Connector in Austell, Atlanta, GA, USA. Small (10oz??) serving for $4.00 - good value. ($4.50 for a 16oz pour at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA but as usual the lines seems less than 100% clean to me). Seems to be much sweeter on tap (perhaps my imagination) and it moves more toward the Barleywine side of things rather than the Double IPA style of the bottle from last week. Despite the...
Hop Stoopid
Draught, The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Wow. Even by West Coast standards this seemed like a BIG hoppy beast. Pour is a typical cloudy orange with a nice head and some good, sticky lace. After that...well, very little to report except in your face, piney, resinous, mouth coating hops. It's fine but after a while this gets a little wearing. I found that one pint was just about all I wanted. Alcohol is there but is in balance. Also, the finish really was quite "puckeringly" dry and not...
Terrapin All American Imperial Pilsner
2007 release on tap, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. Good grief! What happened to this beer? This release is a MESS. Huge alcohol and syrup, the beer is close to undrinkable for me. There seems to have been ramping up of the package that resulted in an offensive high gravity malt liquor. This beer has lost all its subtlety and is now drinking more like Special Brew or a high alcohol malt liquor from the gas station. Body is thick, alcohol is way too obvious and the slick mouthfeel combined with...
Late Harvest Autumn Ale
$4.00 on tap at Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA. I think that there is a problem with the cleanliness of the lines at this Taco Mac. Many of the beers have this strange, plastic like taste imparted to them and this was another of those. Maybe this review is not fair in that regard, but for now these are my thoughts. Looked good in the glass with an amber clarity, small head and some retention. That's where the good experience ended. Lacked taste and had a very, very bitter angle. A lack of...
Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale (2007-2009)
On draught at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Nice beer, but for me this is a VERY bog-standard IPA. Nothing much to report here. Decent copper color, nice clarity and a decent head. Not bad retention. Looks good. Some simple west coast pine notes, but not especially pronounced. Drinks easily and tastily, a bit like a poor mans Celebration. OK beer, but seeing as it is a "special" release I thought it was a bit weak. If yu're expecting something special look elsewhere, this is just another,...
Hades Ale
Additional notes 01/08 In the bottle, $5.99 Toco Giant, Atlanta, GA, USA. This experience pretty much reflects the original, draft review. A little more white pepper in the finish. Original notes 08/07 On-tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. A lighter, less sweet Duvel. A pretty good beer then? Good golden color but lacks a little body and depth, and although the head is there it lacks great retention and is not as big as I would have liked. Aroma has some mild spice and banana, but these...
Berliner Style Weisse
On-tap, The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Dave pulled this one out as a sample a few days ago. He was having one hell of a time with the carbonation of the keg, and it took him forever to pour a small glass. Pour is about as pale a yellow as you can imagine. Basically it has the appearance of a washed out or watered down Wit beer. Head was good and there was plenty of lace. Certainly a little tartness, but not especially lemony or acidic on my palate. The guys at the Brick Store were calling...
Lagunitas Sirius Ale
This has been in GA for a little while now, but I didn't get around to picking any up - to be honest the thought of another, bland and uninteresting Cream Ale hardly set my pulse racing. Anyway, I was discussing the likelihood that ths beer was not particularly interesting with brickstoredave, when he said, "actually its pretty good". Dave and I don't always agree on such matters so I was still a bit sceptical as he offered up a draft sample. I was pleasantly suprised. Offered up as a macro...
La Rullés Triple (Bière De Gaume)
On-tap, the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Small pour in the correct glassware (as ever). Has the appearance of a high quality Wit, but with a better head (rocky, dense and bone-white). The second beer that I have had in the last couple of weeks that I would describe as a "light" tripel. The standard charactersitcs ARE there, but the tell-tale alcohol and Belgian candied and yeast characteristics are somewhat muted and depressed. The upside of this is that the beer becomes drinkable and...
Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
On-tap, Taco Mac, Newnan, GA, USA, $5.25 a pint. Pours somewhat macro looking, with a clear golden body, a small head but with better lacing than one would normally associate with a macro lager. Aroma is distinctly "Belgian", but muted and not obvious. Standard sugars (mild), a little alcohol and characteristic yeast. This is a very light "Belgian" Pale and it reminded me a little of Duvel, but MUCH, MUCH lighter. Duvel light anyone? Initially served WAY too cold, the beer develops with...
Kira
On-tap, The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Served in the correct glassware, as usual very classy presentation at the BS. Not my favorite style, but this still looks good. http://www.kirawhitebeer.com/ Just above average all the way around. The aroma, taste and mouthfeel are all there, but nothing else or above average to report. Very mild spice and an aroma that is reminiscent of light, grassy hay. This will sell (and drink) pretty well all summer in hot places like Atlanta (and I may drink...
Skipjack Amber
On-tap, Mellow Mushroom, Hilton Head Island, SC, USA. Better than average AB product, poorer than average Amber Ale (which for me is what it most closely resembles). Standard pour with a decent color but as usual head and lace are basically non-existent. Aroma and tastes are vaguely based in toasted malt and caramel sweetness but remain non-descript. Decent carbonation, good clarity. Drinks OK, but this is a pretty bland beer in the grand scheme of things. I wonder if this is actually EXACTLY...
Raspberry Wheat
A re-review in June 2006 since new owners now have the brew pub but have kept the Raspberry Wheat on. Having given this a 3.45 (overall score) back in 2004, this is now a completely different beer. It pours ridiculously dark (as did all of the beer on this visit, I wonder if they are using just ONE malt for all thier brews!) and it SUCKS! No head, completely still and lifeless this is a horrible looking beer with a murky brown body. It has a nasty, chemical acidity to it and both the aroma and...
IPA
Had my first pint of this on my latest visit to Hilton Head in June of 2007. An IPA is apparently a new venture for the new owners of the brewpub (as of December 15th 2006). This poured close to black, and at least very, very dark brown! Alarming at the best of times, but on the same visit ALL five beers that they were offering were VERY, VERY dark. Not a problem for the Scottish/Wee Heavy or the Porter, but the Wheat, the IPA and the Summer Blonde(!) were at best odd looking, and at worst...
Summer Blonde
=== Updated Review 06/08 === A bit better than a year ago - not much, but a bit. Same, darker than average oour and same dry finish, but this time with a little more of an IPA hop note. Still flat looking with no head, but at least there was some lace this time. drinkability had improved. === Original review 06/07 === Well, they called this a "Golden Ale" and named it Blonde, and it's so dark it can't possibly be either! It's basically Amber in color, but the IPA and the Raspberry Wheat were...
Tiger Shark Dark
TSD as it is advertised on the tap handle, this is described as a Porter. Drinks well, with a good Porter color, plenty of malt upfront, and a decent chocolately based, initial taste. Decent balance, with some lace. Fairly smooth. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed. A simple beer that has potential to be a decent offering.
HSA (Heritage Scottish Ale)
A different beer to this (at least in theory); http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4336/23218. That beer was brewed by a different owner. This used to be brewed a the brewepub every year for the Heritage golf classic in April. Sampled on draft at a 20 oz pour. $3.50. VERY, very sweet and malty. Some alcohol present, but this is one large, malt bomb. If you don't like sweet, malt based beers you will not like this - I do, so it was OK. Even for me this lacked balance, and more than a couple of...
Brooklyner Weisse
Had this a few times from the bottle, but this is my first review from a draft offering. On-tap, Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austall, Atlanta, GA, USA. 16 oz pour. Frankly, very disappointed. This beer looked and drank like an American macro lager! Apart from a little banana in the aroma and taste I could have been drinking a BMC swill product. Perhaps served too cold, it looked way too clear, had way too much carbonation and felt very thin. No hint of clove and depth, nor was there any...
Red Ale
On tap at Crabapple location of Taco Mac, Roswell, GA, USA. $3.75 for a 16 oz pour. Served way too cold, this couldn't be appreciated until it warmed up quite a lot. Thin, wispy lace, small head on top of the reddish brown body. Mild bitterness lingers all the way through with the malts becoming more apparent as time passes. A small, bitter, grapefruit finish. Pretty average Red, but OK. I'm not generally fond of Abita products, in fact I think they are a pretty mediocre brewer, but this...
Dad’s Little Helper Malt Liquor
On-tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. $4.50 a pint. I really enjoyed this! Macro golden pour with a very nice head that left some pretty nice lace. Very smooth (no nasty skunk or edges on the beer). Served at just the right temperature and in the late Atlanta Spring, a couple of pints of this really hit the spot! It is very sweet so if you are not keen on that sweet, malt taste then you should stay away. Also I would imagine that a few pints of this could give you a NASTY hangover, so...
Money Shot
$4.25 for a 16 oz pour at Taco Mac, Winward location, Alpharetta, GA. Typical North American macro looking pour with some thin lace. Pretty clean beer with a little residual sweetness and a smooth mouthfeel, but very little in terms of taste. Very simple brew. Seemed to have a slightly green tinge to it amongst all the yellow "macroness." Carbonation was good. Weakest beer from OB I have had and not something that I would bother with again.
Andygator
Part of the $5.95 sampler at Wild Wing Cafe, Marietta, GA, USA. Errr...Doppelbock - NO. (Subsequently changed in the BA database to read American Barleywine....errr...NO!) Straw colored lager looking pour with some creamy white head. Looks OK. Aroma is non-descript and the taste seems to be a cross between a relatively high ABV Malt Liquor and a sweet Pilsner without the hop bite. Quite creamy in the mouth. Pretty drinkable, but God only knows what this is supposed to be; Doppelbock or...
Sunrye Ale
On tap as part of the $5.95 sampler at Wild Wing Cafe, Marietta, GA, USA. Pour is a very clear, urine yellow with good clarity and a small white head. Lots of carbonation. Nose and tastes have some rye character but it is VERY weak - very muted. Finish is dry and mouthfeel is rather weak as well. Put this against a full bodied Terrapin Rye and it's like drinking soda water! I dunno, this seems like a half-assed effort at a rye beer that falls very flat. Grain characteristics, but no real...
Sweetwater Road Trip Ale
$4.00, 16oz serving on tap, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. The new release from Sweetwater. Pump clip is an attractive sky blue color. Nice looking golden yellow pour with a medium head that unfortunately fades quickly. Nose and taste have the Pils feel, but the finish lacks that typical hop bite. This is especially disappointing since this is advertised as a DOUBLE Pilsner. A bit lightweight all around. Goes down easy and it is a refreshing summer drink, but for me this was a disappointment -...
Terrapin Hop Karma IPA
Additional notes 11/09 I've really come to the conclusion that I don't like this beer very much at all. The combination of what amounts to a wet, fresh hop presence against a malt-based, sweetish Brown Ale simply doesn't work at all well. It simply goes beyond the American tinkering with styles and is a very good example of why pushing the envelope often ends up producing crass beers in poor taste, that taste poor! I'm even going as far to say that this beer simply isn't very good. Original...
Thomas Hooker Irish Style Red Ale
On-tap, Taco Mac, East-West Connector, Austell, GA, USA $4.75. Nice looking pour, pretty deep brown color with a decent head and good lacing. Plenty of malty caramel notes, a dryish finish and some final bitterness. Smooth. The dry character makes this a good Red Ale, but the overall character is more reminiscent of a solid Brown Ale. Pleased I tried it. Surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. I wasn't expecting much but got a pretty good sessionable and drinkable brew. Solid effort, nothing...
J.W. Lees Vintage Harvest Ale
1995 Vintage, on tap at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Classic English BW in all respects. Deep orange pour with little or no carbonation and minimal ring of lace on the surface of the beer (as expected). Very sweet. Strong aroma is dominated by Sherry and Port notes. Alcohol comes through quite strong but this is still amazingly drinkable. Smooth, but with a kick in the finish. Aftertaste is minimal (a good thing I think). Plenty of caramelized malts and a little bitterness (in true...
Molson Canadian Lager
On-tap, $3.25 Taco Mac, Douglasville, GA, USA.I think I last drank this at The Maple Leaf in Covent Garden - MEMORIES! WOW, that brings back MANY, MANY HAPPY days! What to say? Not much. Light yellow pour (could be any macro in the world), some decent lacing but no head of any description. Some spotty cream on the surface of the beer. Mild corn aroma, not too offensive and just the usual in the taste. Just about managed to finish one of these, but it wasn't easy - all in the name of research!...
Leute Bok
On-tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Upstairs in the Belgian Bar. As Dave suggests, the silly glass and wooden block (like Kwak) means the kids love this without understanding the very average nature of this beer. Looks decent with a dirty, Dubbel like color (that I am not fond of) and a nice looking (small) ivory, rocky head. In terms of a Belgian Strong Dark, this is a very weak beer. Its main shortcoming is the mouthfeel, but the whole experience is very muted. It has a lot of...
Brewer (JLS Release #17)
On-tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Dark, chocolate colored pour with a small head but some decent sticky lacing. Certainly looks above average. Bready, hoppy nose with plenty of character. Rogue is stamped all over this. Huge hops that give a cloying bitterness that is not subtle in the least. The hops cut into the finish and even over-shadow the relatively high ABV. I just can't seem to get to grips with many Rogue beers. Everything seems super-hopped for no apparent reason that...