Unibroue Maudite

Unibroue Maudite is nothing if not gorgeous. Deep amber color and a big fluffy head that will not give up! Mostly yeast in the nose. Leads to some lightly toasted malt and a bit of a crisp hop kick. Some hints of clove, banana, and citrus in there, too.

Complex, and well balanced, but not very assertive. The flavors from the yeast are the most pronounced I'm getting.

Grade: B

North Peak Siren Amber Ale

North Peak isn't a brewery that has a ton of beers on the market, just four year rounds, but I like what I'm getting from this Michigan brewery so far.

This is their Siren Amber Ale. Nice, crisp amber color. Not much of a head. Just one smell has you knowing you're going to be in for something different. There is a ton of flavor in this Siren. Lots of malt, caramel, toasted bread, some hops in the finish. Big, round mouthfeel. There's a bit of a dry, bitter finish.

Tons of flavor, well balanced, and a bigger feel than you'd expect. I'm impressed.

Siren wouldn't stand up to some Imperial Stouts or huge IPAs or anything like that, but it's a very good amber ale.

Grade: B

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale

If I had to pick out one brewery that really got me into craft beers, and one that I compare all other breweries to, it's Great Lakes. Maybe it's because it's the only craft brewery readily available around here. Maybe it's because their sampler introduced me to both porters and IPAs. I will always have a soft spot in my heart and Great Lakes. Conway's Irish Ale is another winner! Crisp dark orange color with a tight white head. There's nothing overpowering in this, and that's why I like it. It just tastes good! If you really want to search for flavors, you'll get some bread, a little bit of roast, maybe a hint of apple (but not sour) at the end with a dry finish. It's one of those I don't really want to get too technical on in the review other than to say "Try it. You'll like it." Give me a 6 (or 12) of this on March 17th. I'll leave the green stuff alone!

Grade: A

Lagunitas Censored Copper Ale

This is the first beer I have tried from Lagunitas, the Censored Copper Ale. True to its name, it pours a copper color with a thin white head. Smells of malt, some warm spice, maybe even a hint of vinegar. The vinegar, thankfully, isn't in the taste. Malt and spice, bitter hops, a hint of orange, some sweet grain, then bitter hops again. A lot going on in just one taste!

The more I'm having of this, the more I like it. It's complex, yet balanced. Full and aggressive, but not overpowering.

If you're wondering about the censored, it's actually called Kronik. Apparently that isn't OK, but hemp beers are.

I'd do this again

Grade: B

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

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

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