Lilja's Sasquatch Stout

I'm a sucker for a cool name and a cool label. Lilja's Sasquatch Stout has both! Thankfully, it tastes as good as it looks! It has all the characteristics I want in a stout. A dark color, great head, strong roasted flavor with a bitter, dry finish. This one also has a taste of currants and rye bread. Very complex, very interesting, and very delicious. Reminds me both of a milk stout and an imperial stout. I'm a bit confused as to who makes it, though. The label will lead you to Pangaea Beers, but beeradvocate.com has it under Sand Creek Brewing. However, Sand Creek's website doesn't have Sasquatch listed. I don't care who makes, it's wonderful!

Grade: A

Boston Beer Company on the Rise?

I found this article about the Boston Beer Company (aka Sam Adams) to be an interesting read

Great Lakes Brewing Company Nosferatu Review

Seeing as how this beer is called Nosferatu, I expected it to be one of two colors. Dark as night, or blood red. It was neither, rather it was amber. Despite the color being not what I expected, this beer certainly has "bite". They call it an Imperial Red Ale, but it tastes and feels much more like an IPA to me. It has all the familiar characteristics like the dry finish, the huge hoppy, almost piney flavor. It's quite good. And, like every Great Lakes beer, the label is awesome. The vampire really does remind me of Max Schreck.

Grade: B

Magic Hat #9

Magic Hat calls #9 a "not quite pale ale". Based on that, I was expecting something similar to Bass. I was quite wrong! Even though it's an ale, the color and taste were light and crisp like a lager with a lot of citrus flavor. It tasted like a peach/apricot iced tea, with less tea flavor. There were some light hop flavors, too. I liked it, but it wasn't what I expected. I would liken it to Sprite or Stairway to Heaven. When I'm in the mood for it, nothing else will satisfy, but I've gotta be in the mood. I would certainly have it again, but it's not something I would buy regularly.

Grade: B

Founders Breakfast Stout

Wow wow wow. This might be my new favorite beer, Founders Breakfast Stout. Pours black and thick. The second I opened it, I was bombarded by the smell of coffee. And not that cheap, free stuff at work. Real strong, bitter, delicious coffee. That's exactly what it tasted like, with a finish of bittersweet chocolate and toasted oatmeal. It's thick, creamy, and quite bitter. It reads more like a coffee with alcohol than it does a beer, but that's fine by me. By the way, why aren't there more coffee-with-alcohol drinks? And at 8.3% ABV, a few of these will put you where you want to be!

If you don't like coffee, don't even try it. Please save it for someone who will truly appreciate it. Delicious.

Grade: A+

Brooklyn Oktoberfest

Like I said, I am going through lots of Oktoberfest/Marzen styles now. Here's one from Brooklyn Brewing. It has a nice copper color and tastes of caramel, and maple, but it's not sweet like maple syrup. Compared to the Beck's, this is more complex, more roasted, more interesting, and has more overall flavor. They both have a similar finish. Good, but not great. I'd have it before the Beck's, but not before Great Lakes or Sam Adams (both reviews on the way).

Their website is pretty cool. Especially the recipe section which gives food pairings to their beers.

Grade: C

Wychwood Brewery Hobgoblin

I really wanted to like this beer. I really, really did. It's from Wychwood Brewery. A dark English ale with a cool name and cool label. It started out promisingly, pouring a deep ruby color with a nice head. Unfortunately, with the first sip, all I could taste was soap. Yes, soap. I figured I would let it sit and bring the temp up a bit, and it did reveal some more complex flavors like oak and mahogany, but the astringent soapiness was too much. I'm hoping I just got a bad bottle. I would try other beers from there, but I'm not sure I will be revisiting Hobgoblin. Too bad.

Grade: D

Hofbrau Oktoberfest

Continuing with my Oktoberfest theme, I went with the real deal. Hofbrau Oktoberfest. This has been served since the original wedding party that then became Oktoberfest. According to them, what they bottle is the same stuff served at their tent at Oktoberfest. It pours a surprisingly light straw color compared to the ambers and coppers of most Oktoberfests and marzens. That said, it has a very good flavor. It's not at all watery. There are hints of grass, hops, and some fruit. It's light, crisp, and has a late, mildly bitter finish. I can see why Oktoberfest is so popular!

Grade: B

Founders Dirty Bastard

This beer is a Scotch style ale, it is called Dirty Bastard, and it has a tartan on the label. Impossible for me to pass it up, and I was not disappointed! It pours a light brown color, almost like the darkest iced tea you've ever had. The flavor is very complex with a ton of different malt flavors going on. There is roastedness, piney, hoppy, a little bit of not very sweet maple, even a hint of scotch. It's very bold and has a long bitter, but not acrid, finish. I like this a whole bunch and will be looking for more! I feel like about 6 of these would, in fact, make me a Dirty Bastard.

Grade : A

My Scale

I figured since I'm rating beers I should give the rubric on my grades

A: Absolutely love it. Will buy it again and again and again
B: Enjoyed it very much. Would buy again
C: Thought it was fine. Not upset I got it, but probably wouldn't get it again
D: Could finish it, but would not buy again. I'd drink it if it was free, though!
F: Had to pour it down the drain

Abita Amber

From the bayou in Louisiana comes Abita Amber. This is the company's first and most popular beer. It has a light copper color, a little bit of a caramel feel and some citrus notes. It is a lot lighter in color, doesn't feel as heavy, and has a less bold flavor than something like Great Lakes' Eliot Ness or Flying Dog's Old Scratch. Think more like Yuengling. It's very good, just don't expect something heavy and aggressive. I liked it quite a bit and would get it again!

Grade : B

Smuttynose Robust Porter

Porter is my favorite style of beer, so I'm always looking to try a new one. Smuttynose's Robust Porter is a very good example of what a porter should be. Very dark with a full deep tan head. It has bite, bitterness, and a late dry piney finish. This lingers quite a bit, too. The classic characteristics of a porter are here with the roasted malt, coffee and chocolate flavors. I wouldn't say there is anything special or atypical about this compared to other porters, but it's very good. And I happen to love porters.

Grade :B

Beck's Oktoberfest

Since it's fall, I think it's time to try some Oktoberfests. I'm starting with Beck's Oktoberfest. Which, by the way, is owned by InBev/Anheuser Busch. This had great head, an inviting deep copper color. As I was trying to figure out the flavors in this, before I knew it, it was gone! It's very smooth, crisp, and clean. There is a subtle caramel flavor to it and a little bit of hoppy bitterness, but nothing really stood out. It didn't have anything really aggressive nor did it have a lot of character. Seemingly everything about it was average in taste and body. There are certainly Oktoberfest styles out there that are bolder and have move flavor. However, it would be easy to polish off quite a few of these!

Grade: C

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

I first had this beer one delightful summer afternoon on the patio at The Wine Merchant in Findlay. The aroma had me hooked before I even took a sip. As much as I love beer, I also really enjoy bourbon. All the familiar characteristics of a good bourbon hit me immediately. That oakey and vanilla scent, the copper color. It drinks like the smoothest bourbon you've ever had with that unctuous buttery feel going down. And a hint of residual warmth. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is delicious, smooth, and has an aggressive, tricky 8% ABV. If you're wondering where all the bourbon characteristics come from, this ale is aged in barrels that were previously used for bourbon. Brilliant!

While there are beer traits with the color, lacing, and carbonation, the flavor is much closer to bourbon than to any beer I have had.

If you like bourbon, you'll like this. If you don't, then save it for someone who does!

Grade: A

Relaunch

I quit this for a while since the place with the best beer selection in town shut down. But with some new places including Ray's picking up some of the slack, Vino Bellissimo now carrying some beer (which you can buy by the bottle), and a few trips up to The Wine Merchant in Findlay, I feel it's time to get it going again.

I have also started homebrewing. So far I've made a Porter, American style Bock, British PA (not an IPA), and I currently have a Honey Cream Ale fermenting. The Homebrewery has fantastic products and everything you need to get started. It really isn't that difficult, however there is a lot that can go wrong. They have pre-made kits where if you can follow a recipe, you can make the beer. They also have everything you need to come up with your own recipe. I have been very impressed!

Now, onto the beer!

Indian Brown Ale - Dogfish Head

Dogfish Head is in Delaware and it's what I'd call more of an "experimental" brewery. While they do offer a few styles of IPA, that's about the only normal brew you'll find. The Midas Touch is a fascinating story which I'll get to in the future.

Indian Brown Ale is pretty interesting. A deep brown, nearly black color. The head isn't huge, but it's certainly there. The aroma and flavor both have a roasted nuttiness and almost fruitiness to it. There's almost a cooked brown sugar lingering flavor that is a little bitter. It's pretty complex, but the mouth feel is surprisingly light. The alcohol is well hidden, too (read: It'll getcha drunk!) Honestly, this is similar to a porter, but that was not the original intention. There's a video on the page I linked to explain how it was made.

I'm rather enjoying this!

Grade: A

Lunar Lager

Oh, the Lunar Lager from Thirsty Dog Brewing Company in Akron. This beer was made specifically for the Summer Moon Festival in Wapakoneta, Ohio, which is the home of Neil Armstrong. He said the moon is made of jam, or something. Anyway, it was made for the 40th anniversary and was first made available to the public at the Summer Moon Fest. Pretty cool if you ask me. When I asked the people from Thirsty Dog how they came up with it, I got kind of a convoluted answer about taking characteristics from other lagers they like and that it didn't quite meet the original IBUs they had anticipated. But hey, at least they responded, not all craft breweries would do that.

Now, to the beer. To be perfectly honest, if I didn't know it was a lager, I'd think it's an ale. It's a cloudy gold color, similar to a hefeweizen. Nice head, very good lacing, and a little bit of bitterness. It almost tastes like a milder version of Great Lakes' Grassroots Ale. It's got that kind of muddled herby citrusy taste to it. A very dry finish, too.

It's good, but not great. Honestly, the novelty is the most appealing feature. Certainly no problem finishing a sixer, though!

Grade: B-

Old Scratch Amber Lager - Flying Dog Brewery

Flying Dog's Old Scratch Amber Lager. This is one I've read great things about and was very excited to try. Pours a hazy copper with a decent head. The flavor is light caramel and fruity, but not citrusy. The finish is a little dry and almost tastes like butter. Perhaps more like butterscotch. Very smooth and drinkable. Another very good all-day beer. I'm not blown away by it, but I do like it and would certainly get it again!

To quote Flying Dog, quoting Hunter S. Thompson, "Good people drink good beer." Indeed!

Grade: B

Sawtooth Ale - Left Hand Brewing

When trying a new brewery, I like to start with their standard ale. Why? Because if they can't get that right, chances are anything more "special" is going to blow. This is the Sawtooth Ale from Left Hand Brewing. Based in Longmont, Colorado, this company has a pretty interesting history. Started in a basement and with a few different buy outs and mergers after that. There are a ton of craft and microbrews (yes, there is a difference) in Colorado, so I figure if they can make it out of there, it's probably pretty good!

Sawtooth ale pours a cloudy copper. It took me a bit to pick up on the flavors. I got the grain, a hint of caramel, and a little bit of hops. It has a late and dry, yet subtle, bitterness. No flavor was really prominent, but I'm OK with that. Everything was kind of middle of the road. Decent head and lacing, medium body, but not watery. Then I realized why I liked it; because it's middle of the road. I think this beer has a great potential for mass appeal. It would be a great gateway beer and an all night beer. Let's face it, no one is going to crack a porter at noon on a Sunday and go with that through 3 football games. To use a cliche that I hate, it doesn't try to do too much. It's very drinkable. Try it!

Grade: B

Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale - Black Sheep Brewery

I'm a huge Python fan, and not just of Holy Grail, so I had to try Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale! Pours a light golden color. Good head retention, with some lacing. At first, the taste of a slightly bitter grain, but after I swallowed, I noticed a distinct sweet fruitiness. Almost like sweet grapes. There's a subtle bitterness and it's just a little watery. Good, but not great. There's nothing that really stands out about it, other than the title.

Grade: C

Stone - Levitation Ale

Stone Brewing Company is tied with Great Lakes as my favorite brewery. Opened in Escondido, CA, just north of San Diego, in 1996. Their ales are, overall, the most aggressive bunch I've had from any brewery. If you want mild beers, steer clear! I love the attitude and writing on the bottles, as well. Seriously, the writing on the bottles is almost as entertaining as the beer itself. And the Gargoyle's pretty sweet.

Levitation is a red ale. As expected, it pours a rich amber color. The hops are evident the second it's poured. At first, there is a high citrus note but that goes away as the hops kick your mouth's ass. It doesn't have the most bite of any beer I've had, but the bite is there for sure! Surprisingly low ABV at 4.4.

Great color, great flavor, aggressive but not overwhelming bite, very good lacing.

Grade: A

Great Lakes - Edmund Fitzgerald

Great Lakes Brewing Company is one of my absolute favorite breweries. Based in Cleveland and opened in 1988, I haven't had a beer of theirs yet that I haven't loved. The variety is incredibly wide, including lagers, ales, a porter, and seasonals.

Edmund Fitzgerald


This is Great Lakes' always available porter, which is one of my favorite styles of beer. Oh, and just because a place calls itself the Porter Pub doesn't mean they actually serve porters. But that's another story. It pours an incredibly dark, almost black, amber color. It's full and smooth with a complex, smokey flavor mix of chocolate and coffee with just a hint of bitterness in the back of the throat. Fantastic lacing, too.

A note about porters, stouts, and other dark beers. They're not meant to be enjoyed at next to freezing temperatures. Let it warm up a bit - Great Lakes says it's best at 55 degrees. When beers like this are too cold it can mask the flavors. And you don't want that, now do you?

As it warms, the bitterness does get a little more aggressive, but it's far from overpowering.

Grade: A

Hi! I'm The Beer Fan. I love beer and it has nothing to do with getting drunk! (ok, maybe a little) However, I am not a beer expert. I'm not a brewmaster, I don't write books about beer, and I'm not a professional beer sommelier. I'm writing this blog to help you explore a world of beer that maybe you don't know about. I'm just a beer fan giving reviews, histories of breweries, advice, and answering questions for people who love beer, but perhaps don't know what Fuggles are.

So, what do you need to know to get started? Well, you should learn what you like and there's no way to do that other than trying! But it's good to know what characteristics and styles you like.

Ale or Lager?
The two types of beer. Ales are brewed using a top-fermenting brewers yeast that works better at room temperature. Lagers use a bottom fermenting yeast and is fermented at cold temperatures. Lagers tend to be lighter in color, with a more mild, yet crisp and clean flavor. Ales are generally richer, more complex, and more full bodied. Lagers also tend to have higher carbonation.

It's dark, that means it's bitter, right?
Not at all. The color of a beer comes from the roast and is not at all an indication of how bitter or bitey a beer is.

Head is good?
Indeed! When you've got a foamy head on a beer, it releases gases in the beer which then bring out some of the subtle nuances and aromas that make the beer unique. That leads to lacing, which is the trail of foam left behind. The more lacing, the better beer experience you'll have.

A great website is beeradvocate.com It will answer a ton of questions, break down almost any style of beer you can find, has reviews of every beer I've ever tried, and even has a list of where you can find beer in your city. Seriously, check it out!

Happy tasting!