Thank you, Scott, for another fine beer!  Poured from a 1 pt. 6 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.  Then sampled by my wife before I even had a chance to taste it myself.  UGH!!!

I was sad to see that this had absolutely no head retention, though admittedly it could be because you don’t pour this style of beer into an American pint glass.  Lesson learned.  The color is light, dirty, with a little bit of caramel tinge.

It truly smells like a hefe.  Banana at the forefront.  Fairly wheaty, too.  Sweet and savory in my nose.

Super thick on the tongue.  Just like the nose, there is an abundance of banana.  Clove, too.  Tangy, sweet, almost syrupy.  Not lightly flavored and wheaty like the American hefes usually are.

While thick in flavor, this beer is not too thick in the mouth like a strong ale.  It’s easy going down.  Rich with a slightly bigger aftertaste.

Overall, this is a fantastic beer.  Lagunitas usually spits out solid IPAs, while lacking in other styles.  This is easily my favorite Lagunitas beer thus far, and it makes me much less hesitant to experiment with their beers some more.

Look: 6
Smell: 7
Taste: 9
Feel: 9
Overall: 8

Grade: A-

An Italian brewery with an American Amber / Red Ale?  Ok…?  It was cheap at Trader Joe’s.  Poured from a 1 pt. 0.9 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

This doesn’t look anything like any reds or ambers I’ve seen.  It looks like a lager, but with a super frothy head.

Smells like beer.  That may seem like a joke, but that pretty much sums it up.  It doesn’t have much scent to speak of, aside from the basic yeast and hops.

It tastes like crap.  Way back before the blog, I reviewed Redhook’s Copperhook and said it was one of the worst beer’s I’ve ever tasted.  This is almost as bad.  It tastes nothing like what I know a red or amber ale to be.  Yeast, hops, and barley were thrown in a vat.  I almost feel bad reviewing this beer.  I have better things to do.

The one redeeming quality of this beer is that it serves as a decent benchmark for mediocrity.

Look: 6
Smell: 3
Taste: 3
Feel: 5
Overall: 4

Grade: D

The blog is back!  I’ve also slightly modified my scales for review categories and weighting.  What you’ll see from this is a distinct line for beers I consider a B+ or higher.  Anything B+ or higher should be considered a “must-try” beer.  Anything C+ or higher should be considered a good to great beer.  Anything C- or higher may be considered a good beer.  Anything less should be avoided, possibly at all costs!

I stumbled upon this beer completely by accident.  There is currently a 2-pack of Unibroue beers at Costco for $15.  It includes Maudite (which is absolutely fantastic and which will be reviewed later) and Eau Benite.  Unibroue is a Canadian brewery.  They brew a solid collection of bottle-fermented Belgian style beers, all of which are flavor-forward and quite enjoyable.  This was poured from a 1 pt. 9.4 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

This pours frothy with a thick head.  Color is light and dirty, like so many Belgians.

Smells of yeast and fruits.  A bit of fig, or maybe dates.  Smell dissipates quickly.

The flavor is not overly sweet or rich like many others from Unibroue (see La Fin Du Monde).  Flavor is spicy and a little sweet, with mild fruits in the finish.  Flavor integrates as the beer warms, and the spiciness mellows, giving way to more fruit.

The mouth starts out a little sharp, bitter, and yeasty.  As the beer reaches room temperature, the sharp feel mellows and the beer starts to feel buttery.

This is the easiest Unibroue beer I’ve ever had.  A simple blonde tripel.  All the flavors are mellow and easy, almost relaxing.  I prefer explosive beers, but there is something to be said for this one.  Sweet, without being overwhelming.  Quite enjoyable.

Look: 6
Smell: 6
Taste: 7
Feel: 7
Overall: 7

Grade: C+

Scott bought me this beer.  Poured from a 1 pt. 9.4 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

Dark amber hue, highly carbonated, thick head, light, but frothy.

Light malt smell, toffee, maybe toasted almond, lots of yeast.

Bit of clove flavor.  Explodes on the back of the palate.  Super bitter, but not in an overwhelming manner.  Very layered.  Spicy, but light.  Excellent hop flavor.

Highly carbonated.  Excellent mouthfeel.  Sharp and crisp across the palate.

Complex without being thick or heavy.  Very refreshing.  Light-bodied for a dubbel, but not slack in flavor.

Look: 8
Smell: 7
Taste: 7
Feel: 8
Drink: 8
Overall: 7.8

Grade: B

This is a limited edition ale from Redhook.  I am a sucker for limited edition beers, so despite the gimmick plastered all over this bottle (aged at temperatures below freezing), I picked it up.  Let me say that often when a beer is brewed and/or aged at super low temperatures, it is done to maintain a much higher alcohol content (see Sink the Bismarck!).  Poured from a 1 pt. 6 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

The color is a strong reddish-caramel.  Thick, milky head pours 1-2 fingers and lingers for a very long time.

Smells of candy.  Rich, dark fruits, figs.  It smells super sweet and reminds me of an Avery beer.

Candy.  All candy in the flavor.  Thick and lots of bread, just like an eisbock.  I was a bit surprised at this point.  I laughed a bit at the thought of Redhook brewing a real eisbock.  The flavor is like an American Strong Ale, though.  A little bit of oak.  Mild bitter aftertaste.

The mouth is rich and frothy.  Almost syrupy.  Thick in the mouth.  The thickness lingers for a long time like after a dark soda.

This is definitely for sipping.  It’s got a decent flavor, but it is too thick and just way WAY too boozy.  I couldn’t even finish it.  I poured about 1/4 of it down the drain.  And believe me, it hurt to do so.  I just couldn’t get through the whole thing without forcing it.  This is maybe the weirdest, most imbalanced beer I’ve ever reviewed.

Look: 8
Smell: 9
Taste: 8
Feel: 4
Drink: 3
Overall: 7.3

Grade: B-

I have walked past Unibroue beers dozens of times without trying one.  I always meant to try Terrible.  At the Monterey Beer Festival this year, I tried Terrible and La Fin Du Monde.  Both were outstanding.  La Fin Du Monde was the best beer I had at the entire festival.  And I don’t usually like tripels.  Reviewing it was a must.  Poured from a 1 pt. 9.4 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

Even with a gentle pour, this thing came out with four fingers of head.  Lots of lace left behind.  The beer itself is thick and golden, with a bit of caramel hue.  It’s almost unfiltered in appearance.

You can smell it the instant you pop the cork.  Heavy citrus fruits.  Smelling this beer is an exercise in itself.  The notes are meaty.  This beer must lift weights.  Lots of powerful yeast, followed by apricot, followed by some malt and spice.  Nutmeg?

The smell really lends itself to the tasting experience, also.  Malt and apricots on the middle palate, slight bitter aftertaste from the lingering fruit and hops.  Super complex and balanced.  A beer to sip slowly so you can appreciate all the different flavors.

Super smooth mouthfeel for a tripel.  I don’t usually like the bitterness in tripels that comes from the hops and citrus fruits.  The spice in La Fin Du Monde balances the load and makes drinking it a truly unique experience.

If this wasn’t 9%, I’d have another.  You would, too.  It’s absolutely delicious, but what makes it a true world class beer is the complexity and balance of different flavors.  Hey, wine lovers!  Try this one.

Look: 8
Smell: 9
Taste: 10
Feel: 10
Drink: 10
Overall: 9.4

Grade: A

Poured from a 1 pt. 6 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

Absolutely no head on the pour.  A creamy head forms after the pour to less than a finger, then dwindles slowly to leave almost nothing behind.  Rich caramel in color with a red hue, almost copper.

Rich and fruity smell.  Hops and malt are smooth and balanced.  Lots of apple in front, followed by a bit of sweet tobacco.

This has a full malt over the entire palate.  There is a hint of burnt toffee.  The tobacco really comes out in the flavor.  There are only hints of fruit on the back palate, though which fruits are unclear.  Full-flavored, but the complex flavors are not balanced well.  The fruit lingers in the aftertaste, but is overwhelmed by the other flavors.

Smooth over the tongue.  Easy to drink, but not savory.  Not hoppy at all, especially compared to most red ales.  Enjoyable, but the burnt toffee is too prominent.  Full in flavor, but not in body.

Very drinkable.  Not heavy, not overwhelming in flavor.  However, not very complex, and therefore, not very impressive.

Look: 7
Smell: 9
Taste: 5
Feel:6
Drink: 6
Overall: 6.4

Grade: B

I’ve been meaning to try this guy for quite some time.  It’s just…quite expensive.  Poured from a 1 pt. 9.4 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

This porter has a unique pour from the start.  It spills out of the bottle with an incredibly dark caramel/coffee color.  The head is rich, frothy, and large, but it shrinks from the bottom of the glass up the second you start to pour, leaving behind about three fingers of froth.

You can smell this on the pour, from 3 feet away.  It’s hoppy for a porter.  Also smells of dark, dry chocolate.

Tastes super hoppy.  A real surprise.  Creamy and chocolatey on the back of the palate.  This is a very dry beer; at least much more dry than I expected.  Full body and a bitter aftertaste.  Very unique for a porter.

The feel is smooth and sharp at the same time.  the flavors clash, but not in a bad way.  The hops are a little too strong for my taste, and coupled with the super dry finish, the other flavors are hard to enjoy.

This tastes like a creamy IPA more than a porter.  I’m honestly disappointed.  The commentary on this beer has been fairly positive, but the experience itself, while unique and enjoyable, is underwhelming.  I do like the beer, but for $11, I would much rather pick up a Chimay.

Look: 9
Smell: 6
Taste: 6
Feel: 6
Drink: 6
Overall: 6.6

Grade: B

I don’t necessarily want to make a habit of reviewing one style or one brewery two weeks in a row, but I bought this one in conjunction with last week’s doppelbock, so c’est la vie.  This was poured from a 1 pt. 9 oz. bottle into a freezer-chilled pint glass.

This looks more like a dubbel.  I dunno.  I do still get confused by differences in beer styles.  Don’t judge me.  Amber/caramel in color.  Thick and a little murky.  It almost looks unfiltered.  The head is thick and rich, and it lingers for some time, eventually leaving a milky lace.

It smells like a dubbel, too.  A lot of biscuit and yeast with just a little bit of fruit.  I’m even more confused now.  This reminds me of Belgian beers more than German.

It tastes like a dubbel!  Can we call this a bock?  To clarify, dubbels tend to be quite fruity and are not to be confused with doppelbocks, even though the name means double bock.  I guess this is a little bit thicker, creamier, and maltier.  But it certainly doesn’t taste like the doppelbocks I’m used to.  While it does taste fruity, the fruit is not very prominent, and I can’t pinpoint any one flavor.  It’s fairly complex.  The malt and hops are both fairly mild.

This beer is not overly rich in flavor, but it is very rich in body.  It goes down super smooth with a pleasant aftertaste that is almost like biscuit and jam.  It’s a bit thick, but it doesn’t leave that feeling behind like soda does.
I don’t know that I have a full handle on this beer.  It’s tasty, but a little too heavy and rich for my stomach.  Certainly an enjoyable beer, but there is nothing spectacular about it.  Something about it hints at excellence, but it doesn’t quite get there.

Look: 8
Smell: 7
Taste: 8
Feel: 8
Drink: 5
Overall: 7.4