World Wide Stout

Beer: World Wide Stout
Brewery: Dogfish Head, Milton Delaware
ABV: 18%
Style: Imperial Stout
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 12 oz

Impression: This Goliath certainly demands your attention and respect right out of the gate. I am not sure I would refer to this so much as a beer, but rather an experience. The label pretty well sums things up, "a very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley." In fact Dogfish Head used so much barley in this brew that at 18% ABV it is a barley wine and not really a beer at all. I think the name may be a bit of a misnomer as it requires some tenacity to acquire this bold brew, but certainly worth the trouble. That is of course if you enjoy fierce dark beer that you could stand a knife upright in. To refer to this drink as rich would be a bit of an understatement. The bold roasted elements and strong coffee notes are omnipresent making a most enjoyable stout. The finish boasts deep dark sugars of raisin or possibly fig but settle nicely on your palette and quickly invite you back for another sip. However, one of these joys is certainly enough to satiate your senses and at the $11/bottle price tag it damn well better. If you enjoy stout and bold brew begin your search now for the World Wide Stout and your persistence will be rewarded.

Heineken

Beer:Heineken
Brewery: Heineken, Amsterdam, Netherlands
ABV: 5%
Style: Pale Lager
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 12oz

Impression: Heineken consistently delivers that unmistakable aroma and crystal clarity. The flavor is very mild with a hint of skunk that is characteristic of beer in green bottles. The color is very sharp due to the aforementioned clarity but, extremely light. Not to be vulgar but this beer actually reminds me of something I excrete after drinking real beer. I really don't notice much of the hop content and very little to zero malt flavor during the experience. The finish is quick and sharp and leaves me with a tangy skunky flavor. This is not one of my favorite beers. I think my brother put it best: "Heineken is like cooking for for a large group of people, you end up dumbing things down so you can find a middle ground acceptable for everyone." If I were to grade this beverage I think C- would be a reasonable mark. In summation I consider Heineken an airport beer, probably the best you can do in a situation with limited options.

Green Lakes Organic Ale

Beer: Green Lakes Organic Ale
Brewery: Deschutes Brewery, Bend Oregon
ABV: 5%
Style: Amber Ale
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 22 oz

Impression: This is the closest thing to homebrew I think I have experienced from a brewery. It drinks like homebrew with bubbly mouth feel and carbonated zeal bursting forth just after swallowing, eventually giving way to a sustained mouth coating. The rusty brown color fills the glass with a deep beautiful presence I find most inviting. Upon the initial inhale a cider like aroma greets you. The flavors are intriguing and likely due to the 5 types of malt used in brewing this ale. This beer is enjoyable and sumptuous without undue complexity. I really enjoy the tobacco and molasses like accents somewhere near the end and upon exhale I am greeted with subtle coffee notes. Hands down Green Lakes sets the standard for organic beer in my book as (gasp) Deschutes has actually created beer and not just a watered down gimmick. If you choose to resign yourself to organic beer this will suit your daily needs. Since I don't, I would rather order up a Black Butte Porter.

Cascade Ale

Beer: Cascade Ale
Brewery: Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon
ABV:4.5%
Style: Blond Ale
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 12oz

Impression: This is a light blond ale that pours up a hazy golden glass topped with a pure white velvety head. What makes this better than your average light beer are the hops. Deschutes provides enough hopping to garner citrus and fruit aromas which almost walk this libation into the pale ale class. I would guess that Deschutes probably used some adjuncts to achieve the lightness of body, but there aren't any detectable off flavors as a result. In the end Deschutes has created a perfect lazy weekend beverage to quench that midday thirst. It is my choice when I am not quite in the mood for the bolder hop elements of Hazed & Infused or Hop Knot. In many ways it reminds me of Session Ale and the general theme of that post would apply here as well.

Palo Santo Marron

Beer: Palo Santo Marron
Brewery: Dogfish Head, Milton, Delware
ABV: 12%
Style: Brown Ale
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 12 oz

Impression: Its a bit unnecessary to state this given that Dogfish Head concocted this brew, but from the first sniff I realized I was in for a unique experience. The aroma reminds me of a homebrew combined with hints of a mild bourbon. This piqued my curiosity, only to further arouse it as the deep black color gave way to a roasted caramel hued head that quickly receded. Waxing bold, a large first sip engulfed my palate and almost buckled my senses. Lurking within this black broth lies a complex giant that initially obfuscated my palate. Strong malty notes are pervasive and almost overshadow softer caramel accents. Somewhere in there I also detect a dark cherry or maybe currant flavor. The finish yields a sustained malt base that primes you for the woody flavor resulting from the cask conditioning in Palo Santo barrels. At the tail end of this marathon finish the high alcohol content makes its appearance. Upon exhaling, it is synonymous with the feeling of breathing out a fine cognac.

Overall this is a well crafted beverage. However, I won't put it in my normal rotation for a few reasons. The extremely malty finish is too syrupy and leaves my palate bogged down. I don't want to rush right back for another sip and almost have to will myself to do so. In my opinion the best part of an ale is the refreshing and revitalizing experience that keeps you coming back for that next sip. It shouldn't be me vs. brew. Then there is the price. I understand all that went into making this but, at $16 / 4 pack I am discouraged. Don't get me wrong this is a good beer with some great components but, I think it is an experience best enjoyed once a year...like fruit cake.

Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Beer: Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Brewery: Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon
ABV: 5%
Style: Pale Ale
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size:12 oz


Impression: This is a straight forward expression of the pale ale style. Mirror Pond is light and smooth without compromising a rich body or satisfying flavor. This ale pours up a lush creamy head. Unfortunately the head didn't last long, but the beautiful orange-yellow color more than made up for that. By far my favorite aspect of this ale is an elegant hopping that provides a crisp clean finish. The construction is just so perfectly balanced that each swig really satisfies and makes you want another sip. To be fair I must admit that I am a bit of a Deschutes fan boy but, then again their style of brewing matches my tastes. At the end of the day that is what every beer enthusiast is looking for, a brewer making beer you like to drink. Overall I rate Mirror Pond in the top 1/3rd of beers. It isn't going to blow your socks of or surprise you. It will however, consistently provide you delightful hopping and satisfying refreshment.

Kirin Light

Beer: Kirin Light
Brewery: Anheuser-Bush, Los Angeles, California
ABV: 4%
Style: Pilsner
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 22 oz

Impression:Well there are really no surprises here. This beer provides you with about what you would expect from a Japanese pilsner. This concoction offers one a basic, light bodied, extremely mild lager. The aroma is lackluster, color wantingly light, and the mouth feel is dreadfully thin. Allegedly this lager is brewed with the Saaz hop, whose use in pilsners was popularized by Pilsner Urquell fame, but I really don't detect it. I do however detect some adjuncts on the finish, which cheapens the overall experience and reminds me I am drinking an Anheuser-Bush product. It is unfortunate because I have actually been lucky enough to try one of these in Japan and can assure you they are better over there. In fact there are some stellar Japanese beers like Yebisu Black that would suprise anyone who has only encountered this run of the mill stuff. You would certainly find an ice cold Kirin Light most refreshing on a hot day but, overall this scores pretty low on my list.

Mojo IPA

Beer: Mojo IPA
Brewery: Boulder Beer Co, Boulder Colorado
ABV: 6.8%
Style: IPA
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 12 oz

Impression: Good beer at a great price! This ale may be pale in color but Boulder Beer Co packs in tons of hoppy flavor and malty goodness. The Centennial and Amarillo hops give this beer a huge citrusy floral nose that makes me want to dive right in. Admittedly, I am a bit of a hop head so I will always be partial to beers that boast bold hopping, but this IPA is balanced quite nicely and doesn't kill you with a bitter finish so common in these days of extreemism. I am more partial to their Hazed & Infused but, this is a close second. For $5.99 and plenty of well crafted hoppy bliss this beer is an easy pick for a daily drinker. Wait, did I just admit to drinking beer daily?