Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA

Always, a nice hop aroma on a black beer is confusing! This is just dark as hell, but light and full of hop flavor. Makes me think of an experiment I've read about where wine tasters are given a white that has been dyed with red food coloring, and they describe it as a red. Well I know what this is so I'm not being fooled, but tasting IPA and seeing black just always disorients me! This just has the best of all worlds. IPA all the way, but I think I taste some dark roasty flavors, but I am conscious that could be just because I'm seeing the color. Either way, this is a happy little treat. Just solid construction and tastes oh so smooth, so I gotta go MB. Was worried, as I first saw a sticker on the shelf saying this was behind the counter. Figured it would be pricey, but a week later it was on the shelf, and not expensive at all. So if you can find it, get it. If you love both IPAs and dark beers, you will be thoroughly entertained.

22oz bottle, 8.3% ABV

Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Paso Robles, CA

purchased at Kenwood

Too Cream Stout

Dry and grainy on the whiff. Nice dry roasted flavor. Not too thick. Did I say dry? Drinking this colder than stout-appropriate temperature, but that does this justice, I think. Had a sip of this a bit warmer the other day when my girl was drinking one. She didn't care for it, and she has taken a liking to stouts, and I more or less agreed at the time. Now though, I can't find a flaw. Almost a bit of Guinness taste here, but only faintly. The flavor is just dry, roasty happiness, with a light body. But after searching hard for a flaw, maybe it is too light for what I want in a stout. That's the best I can find flaw-wise, so if you're a Guinness fan looking to expand into the world of other stouts, I nominate this as a good next step. Drink up! ID

12oz bottle, 7.5% ABV

Dark Horse Brewing Company

Marshall, MI

purchased at Kenwood

 

Robert Johnson's Hellhound on My Ale

Always good to find new Dogfish Head! An aromatic bouquet and nice flavor. Slightly sweet, but only slightly, with ample bitterness and a small hint of lemons. As always DFH puts together a nice package. Wish I knew where my Robert Johnson boxed set was to listen as I drink. This goes down pretty easy with only a bit of sweet burn on the back end, telling me it is packing a punch. Gotta love it! MB

25.4oz bottle, 10.0% ABV, 100 IBU

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Inc.

Milton, DE

purchased at Kenwood

Hop Burn Double Imperial Pale Ale

Sweet smelling.But only slightly sweet, as the hop bitterness keeps it in check, letting it be smooth and easily drinkable. Tasty! I was hoping for some crazy hop flavor, but it is not there. But it is so fresh, smooth and drinkable, while packing a high ABV, so I'm gonna call this MB

11.2 oz bottle (European MFs!), 10% ABV

Mikkeller At De Proef Brouwerij

Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium

purchased at Kenwood

Night Stalker Imperial Stout

Sweet with alcohol flavor. Label says it's hoppy, but I don't taste it. Had many good stouts lately, so this is just not making the cut. The dryness on the back end is nice. ID

22oz bottle, 11.5% ABV
Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago, IL
purchased at Kenwood

St Peter's Cream Stout

Sweetness of a European for sure. Not what I've been in the mood for, but it is ok. Sometimes UK brews leave a bad taste in my mouth. ID

1 pt 0.9 oz bottle

St. Peter's Brewery

St. Peter's Hall, Nr. Bungary, Suffolk, UK

purchased at Holiday Market

Hopulent IPA

Nice and flavorful! I am definitely digging this. Bitter, but more hop flavor than bitterness, which is absolutely my style! Silky smooth and oh so delicious. An awesome IPA from Utah?! Whoda thunk? MB

22oz bottle, 9.1% ABV
EPIC Brewing Company
Salt Lake City, UT
purchased at Holiday Market

Amber Ale

Looks light in color for what I'd expect in an amber. Spent awhile not liking ambers. But this is a great one! Only slightly sweet, with almost a wine barrel aged quality to it. Very nice flavor with very ample bitterness. Definitely a winner, and so easily drinkable! MB

12oz bottle, 5.8% ABV
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Comstock, MI
purchased at Kenwood

Big John Imperial Stout with Cacao Nibs

Dark and very roasty, thick with sweetness and a chocolate flavor. The tangy sweetness is a bit obnoxious. Not at all bad, just not the best, and I've been trying lots in this genre lately. Ok, a bit of forgiveness is in order, once I've seen what it's packing! But still ID

22oz bottle, 11.5% ABV
Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago, IL
purchased at Kenwood

Lion Stout

Light grain on the sniff. Dark roasted flavor, yet very easy drinking. This was rated highly, and is cheap, which makes me agree. There is a bit of a funky smell, being old and imported, but that aside, it is really tasty! For quality and value, MB.

21.13oz bottle, 8.8% ABV
Lion Brewery (Ceylon)
Sri Lanka
purchased at Holiday Market

Fire Rock Pale Ale

Grainy whiff and sorta dry grain flavor. There is a good hop bitterness and tiny fruity flavor, but the rich grain flavor, like putting a handful in your mouth, dominates the flavor profile. Drinkable, and I think this one would count as putting some fiber in your diet! ID

12oz bottle, 6% ABV
Kona Brewing Company
Kona, HI; Portland, OR; Woodinville, WA; Portsmouth, NH
purchased at Kenwood

The "Perfect Crime" Black Smoked Saison

A 3-way collaboration brew, so that's gotta be good, right? Never been a fan of smoked ales, but figured I'd give this a shot. Saison on the whiff and aftertaste, otherwise dark, thin, and very smooth. If they used liquid smoke or something, I don't taste it, so this is good, my apprehension unwarranted. MB

12oz bottle, 6.8% ABV
Evil Twin Brewing/Stillwater Artisanal/Stone Brewing
brewed at Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, San Diego County, CA
purchased at Kenwood

Two Hearted Ale

Familiar aroma and unique flowery hop flavor, along with plenty of bitterness. The label calls this "an IPA style" beer. Light, refreshing, the whole package of a well-engineered beer. Haven't had this in a long time, and I had forgotten just how good it is! MB

12oz bottle, 7% ABV
Bell's Brewing, Inc.
Comstock, MI
purchased at Kenwood