Bowmore is a favorite, not talked about much but I think they punch above their weigh class in value. Haven’t had anything above 18 year though
1 Like
Totally agree!!!
1 Like
Heartbreak’s Edge by Wondrous Brewing Company (Emeryville, CA) - IPA
Very crisp WCIPA with a good balance if mainly citrus flavors (with some tropical mango and peach in the background) and a moderate piney taste with a dry, low bitterness finish. Unusual high carbonation. Nothing earth shattering unusual but a very solid, easy drinkable IPA
3 Likes
K Hop Hazy Hunters by Alvarado Street Brewery (Monterey, CA) - Hazy IPA
NZ hops have for me often a grape flavor undertone and this one is no different. Some added peach notes and plenty of citrus flavors complete the picture. Very dry, low bitterness finish makes this hazy IPA quite fruit and citrus forward.
3 Likes
Banter Lord by Fieldwork Brewing Company (Berkeley, CA) - Hazy DIPA
Very tropical flavors (mango, pineapple, orange) and overall a bit on the sweeter side but also some floral notes in the second half. Relatively low bitterness finish with creamy mouthfeel. Good hazy IPA which could have benefited from a bit more bitterness to counterbalance the sweetness.
3 Likes
Pound of Mosaic Feathers by Icarus Brewing (Brick Township, NJ) - Imperial Pilsner
Very good imperial pilsner with a lot of the characteristics of a pilsner, like malt and some bready, cakey flavors with hints of floral notes but at the same time the dry hopping added some slight, not overwhelming, honeydews flavors and added hints of sweetness in the finish. Very good pilsner with some unique notes which really helps to stand out
3 Likes
Cool Headed by Wondrous Brewing Company (Emeryville, CA) and Shred Beer Company (Rocklin, CA) - Cold IPA
Flavors not unlike a classical IPA but a bit more muted and with a crisper mouthfeel. Peach, mango and orange flavors are quite balanced with a good dose of floral, slightly piney tastes. Dry, low-to-medium bitter finish.
3 Likes
Sky Meadow by Sapwood Cellars Brewery (Columbia, MD) - Festbier
Rather “classical” festbier with a malty backbone, spicy hop bite and some rather pronounced floral flavors. Dry, medium bitter finish. Easy to drink
2 Likes
Treacherous by Ill Will Brewing (Columbiana, OH) - Not sure what it is but not a beer
I like it a lot when breweries experiment with beers and trying to push boundaries but it is important to still recognize the base as some kind of beer. Ill Will Brewery is pushing it a bit too far with this one - mainly a way overly sweet smoothie of apple and cinnamon flavor with some hints of white chocolate but nothing else what reminds you that you drink a beer (and it wouldn’t even be a good smoothie). Doesn’t happen often to throw something way but here…
3 Likes
Daily Dank Hops by Cellarmaker Brewing Company (Oakland, CA), There Does Not Exist (San Luis Obispo, CA), Alvarado Street Brewery (Monterey, CA) - Hazy IPA
This IPA is really about dank, resiny flavors which prominently displayed throughout. Some mango, orange and papaya notes are noticeable upfront but otherwise many layers of dankness with piney and resinous dominate. Dry, medium bitter finish.
3 Likes
Baby Blammo! by Cellarmaker Brewing Company (Oakland, CA) - Stout
The little brother of Blammo and very similar flavor profile with less alcohol - plenty of roasted coconut with dark chocolate, toffee, caramel and milk coffee. Notes of roasted malts as the backbone of the stout with long lasting finish which has hints of sweetness and some vanilla in the background. Pretty close to a porter with the relatively low level of bitterness. But nice sipping beer which gets an even “rounder” profile when warming up.
3 Likes
Rainbow Dome by Grimm Artisan Ales (Brooklyn, NY) - Fruited Sour
Fruited sours tend to often have unusual mix fruits and other ingredients but sometimes it is great to have a sour which just focuses on a single fruit and the right tartness. This sour is a great example with well dialed in apricot flavor without being sweet and plenty of tartness. Drinks very much like a berliner weisse - excellent sour
3 Likes
Classic by Baeren Bier (Morioka-shi, Iwate, Japan) - Dortmunder Export (lager)
Well balanced lager with slightly roasted malts as the backbone, slight sweetness and some floral notes with a quick spicy kick. Relatively light beer with a creamy mouthfeel.
3 Likes
Double Tap by Berryessa Brewing Company (Winters, CA) - Hazy DIPA
Orange, grapefruit and hints of peach flavors are starting off before plenty of piney notes take over with some tartness but also some sweeter caramel malt flavors in the background. Very dry, high bitterness finish which lingers for some time
3 Likes
Miami Rice by Barebottle Brewing Company (San Francisco, CA) and Hop Dogma Brewing Company (El Granada, CA) - IPA
Mainly citrus (lemon, lime) and pine tastes throughout the sip with a sharp flavor. Hints of grass and some very slight floral notes. High bitterness finish - not a bad IPA but feels a bit one dimensional.
3 Likes
Chavez Ravine, a hazy IPA from Boomtown Brewery.
This used to be sold exclusively at Dodger Stadium and now it’s available throughout Los Angeles.
Quite refreshing. It goes down better since I’m a dodger fan.
4 Likes
Fear the Reaper by Original Pattern Brewing Company (Oakland, CA) - Triple IPA
Well balanced TIPA - citrus notes (grapefruit) and piney flavors in good balance. Hints of grapes and berries but also some dankness and slight sweetness from the malts but nothings overwhelms. Dry, low-medium bitterness finish. Drinks quite light for a triple
3 Likes
Fedora Cocktail from “12 Bottle Bar” - dissolve 1 Tbl powdered sugar in 1 Tsp water and shake with ice, 1oz cognac, 1/2oz amber rum, 1/2oz rye whiskey and 1oz orange liqueur. Strain in rocks glass filled with crushed ice and garnish with lemon wheel
4 Likes
Shifted Universe by Cellarmaker Brewing Company (Oakland, CA) and everywhere (Orange, CA) - IPA
Very citrus-forward (grapefruit, orange, lime) hazy IPA with hints of peach and grape in the background. It then turns fast into an interesting mix of dank, pine and some light floral flavors with hints of malt sweetness. Soft body but unusual high carbonation which makes for an unusual mouthfeel. Dry, low bitterness finish - interesting and a bit unusual, complex IPA
2 Likes
The Soughten by Great Notion Brewery (Portland, OR) and Breakside Brewery (Portland, OR) - IPA
First IPA for me with the addition of Euphorics which are hop oil emulsions - IPA smelt tropical but was heavy on the citrus in taste (grapefruit, orange peel) before grassy, piney and dank flavors took over. Dry, medium-high bitter finish which lingered for a long time. Was expecting a bit more fruit flavors from the addition but overall not a bad WCIPA
3 Likes