Category Archives: Beer Reviews

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, England, Hawkshead Brewery, IPA - Black

Hawkshead Hop Black

Friday, 18 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Hawkshead Brewery
Country: England
ABV: 5.6%
Style: American Black IPA
Other Notes: Hops – Chinook, Citra and Simcoe.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dark in colour but surprisingly light and refreshing on the palate, with aromas of tropical fruit and resinous pine from big flavoured American hops, Chinook, Citra and Simcoe.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.28
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.1

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of March 2016 and poured into an oversized wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear dark brown colour with a slightly less than one finger tanned head that dissipated quickly leaving spotty lacing.
Aroma: Pine, citrusy orange juice followed by cocoa and toffee.
Taste: Lightly bitter with citrus orange, cocoa, chocolate and pine.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with low to medium carbonation but on the watery side.
Overall: Was hoping for more hoppy bitterness and it was definitely on the thin side. Too watery for my liking.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, The Lost Abbey, USA

Lost Abbey Inferno Ale

Thursday, 17 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: The Lost Abbey
Country: USA
ABV: 9%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Port Brewing Company, San Marcos, CA.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Corruption, Greed and Lust. They’re all represented on the hooks today. Tomorrow, they’ll be stringing Gluttony, Desire and Sloth. Go ahead. Tell yourself you’re better than all of them. But you can’t. Hell can be funny like that. Down here it’s all just sin. Everyone here is screwed just like you. They don’t care who you sliced, diced or cheated. No one is escaping this heinous place.

Your roommate is an ax murder. Eerily, he’s not threatening. How can he be? Here, the Fallen Angel owns your body, mind and soul. As such, no one can take your life. It’s already been taken. Or was it given? Neither matters. Did you seriously think you were living a virtuous life? At least, Satan serves beer in Hell. He brews it himself right there in that flame stoked cauldron. Rumor has it the beer is straw yellow, bone dry and simply labeled Inferno.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.01
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 12.7 fl oz corked and caged bottle with no visible best before date and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy straw yellow colour. Despite pouring extremely carefully, there’s was a crazy huge five finger fluffy white head that has super retention but eventually leaves lots sticky clingy lacing on the glass.
Aroma: Pear, apple with some lemon and a hint of banana and clove.
Taste: Much like the aromas, there is pear, apple, white wine grape and lemon to start which then settles to some banana and clove. Finish had some light boozy alcohol feel to it.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with huge carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable solid Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Pale Wheat Ale, Beer Reviews, Bell’s Brewery Inc., USA

Bell’s Oarsman Ale

Tuesday, 15 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Bell’s Brewery Inc.
Country: USA
ABV: 4%
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Buoyant, tart and refreshing from using traditional sour mash methods. Great for you and your crew.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.18
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.9

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a packaged date of 6th March 2015 and poured into a short stemmed wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a very cloudy light straw yellow colour with a one finger white head that dissipated quickly to nothing leaving minimal spotty lacing.
Aroma: Tangy, lemon honey mix with a hint of apple and pear.
Taste: Light sour lemon and sour green apple juice.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: This was a decent enough sour wheat ale. It is easy to drink and refreshing but not my favourite for the style.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter IPA

Thursday, 10 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 6.2%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 60 IBUs. Brewed with farm distilled hop oil.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Hop Hunter IPA is the first beer to feature oil from wet hops steam distilled directly in the field, minutes after harvest. We use this pure, powerful hop essence in concert with whole-cone hops in our brew kettle and in our Hop Torpedo to create the ultimate IPA experience.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.32
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a packaged date of 10th August 2015 and poured into a short stemmed wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a nice slightly hazy golden colour with lots of nice upward streaming bubbles and a one finger white head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Fruity tropical aromas of peach, pineapple and mango. In the background, there is a bready, grainy maltiness.
Taste: Starts bitter, piney, with some citrus lemon and grapefruit and a nice lemon tea finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation
Overall: A very nice IPA that I could drink over and over again. Hopefully it will officially make an appearance in Hong Kong soon.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Black Market Brewing Co., German Berliner Weisse, USA

Black Market Tradecraft Series Cherry Sour

Tuesday, 8 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Black Market Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 3.8%
Style: German Berliner Weisse
Other Notes: 6.2 IBUs. Malt – Wheat and Pilsner. Hops – Czech Saaz.

Brewer Description: (from website) Based off of our wildly popular “1945” Berliner Weisse, this cherry flavored sour was created for both the crossover drinker and those who find few sessionable style sours can options. Our goal in creating this 6-pack can line was to give the craft beer drinker an alternative to the typical craft beer styles found in cans.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz can with no visible best before date on the can. It was poured into short stemmed wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy reddish pink colour with a one finger surprisingly white head that dissipated fairly quickly with almost no lacing.
Aroma: Tart cherries and cherry juice. There is also that buttery aroma that I got in the Blackberry Sour, but it is much less, which is a good thing.
Taste: Much like the aroma, it is of tart sour cherry and cherry juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: This was definitely better than the Blackberry Sour in my opinion. Although my dislike of the buttery like aroma was still kind of there, it was not nearly as overpowering. The sour cherry taste was also more my thing although it is still overly juicy (juice like).

words of another dreamy traveller