Left Hand Good JuJu

My feelings on ginger are mixed. Love it fresh, can't stand Ginger Ale (the pop), love the women. This is my first try at a ginger beer, Left Hand Good Juju.

The color is a hazy light copper with a fluffy just off-white head. One whiff and even if you didn't read the label, you'd know it's a ginger beer. The most powerful flavor is, of course, ginger, but there's some malt and a bit of hops in the finish. It's not particularly complex, but I do think the ginger is well balanced. Just a tinge of that ginger heat, too. You don't need to worry about the alcohol in this one, just 4.5%. I'm thinking of some Chinese dishes this would be the perfect match with.

Another winner from Left Hand. I'd like a little bit more hops just to give it a bit more complexity, still it's very good.

Can't beat that bottle design, either. I don't like all their bottle redesigns, but I love this one.

Grade: B

Left Hand Stranger Pale Ale

Left Hand makes a lot of tasty brews, and this is the first I have tried the Stranger Pale Ale. Light in color, the nose is full of hops and orange. But the flavor isn't has bold as the smell would lead you to believe. There is a bit of hop bitterness and character, but also a lot of grass and rye. A dry, spicy finish.

It's almost like a mild IPA. It's smooth and drinkable, even if the flavors aren't over powering. And at 5% ABV, it's a good session beer.

I don't think the Stranger is bad, but I'm not in love with it. Doesn't have enough to be an IPA, but maybe a bit more than what a standard Pale Ale should have. At least it's aptly named.

Grade: C

Left Hand Fade to Black

This is a beer I have been looking forward to for a while. Left Hand's Fade to Black. I have been impressed with everything from Left Hand, especially their Black Jack Porter and Milk Stout. Hopefully I will get to try Wake Up Dead soon.

They describe Fade to Black as a smoked Baltic porter. Pours black with a thin, dark tan head. The smoke is definitely there, along with some meat notes. This really does taste a bit like bacon, but with more smoke. The mouthfeel is somewhere between heavy medium and light heavy. It certainly has some body, but it's not really heavy. There's a bit of malt sweetness in the finish as this is more malty than hoppy.

This style is right up my alley, and it's exceptionally well done. A pretty interesting story on the history of the beer on their website, too

Grade: A

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