Goose Island Sofie

Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 20 IBUs. Malts – 2 Row, Pilsen and Wheat. Hops – Amarillo

Brewer Description: (from bottle) 80% Belgian style ale blended with 20% Belgian style ale aged in wine barrels with orange peel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.41
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle bottled on 16th December 2015 and poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly cloudy champagne golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly but left some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Strong orange peel, juicy orange, lemon and white grape. Light funkiness with a hint of mango.
Taste: Juicy mix of orange and lemon with a hint of mango. Light tartness, some peppery spice notes and a hint of bread on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to high spritzy carbonation.
Overall: A great solid saison with nice juicy citrus notes. Very refreshing on a hot day.

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Green Flash Cosmic Ristretto

Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 8.2%
Style: Baltic Porter
Other Notes: 45 IBUs. Brewed with espresso

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Intergalactic infusion. Live long and drink Cosmic Ristretto. This highly revered brew will go down in history as one of the first graduates of our Genius Lab program into our front line. Marvel at its rich black appearance with bruleed edges and mocha-colored beer foam. Savor its smooth, espresso flavor and breathe in its chocolate, coffee, and sweet malt aromas. Don’t fight its gravitational pull. This bold, complex, java-centric Baltic Porter with espresso is irresistible. Houston, we have a problem, my glass is empty.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.06
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 22 fl oz bottle with a best by date of 10th August 2016 and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear dark brown colour with a reddish hue and a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin ring of lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruits especially grape, bubblegum and roasty espresso with a hint of chocolate and vanilla.
Taste: Lots of coffee and espresso with a light char. Hint of dark fruit sweetness, mostly grape, plum and prunes as well as a hint of bittersweet chocolate and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A solid Baltic Porter with nice coffee and espresso notes.

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Lawson’s Finest Sip of Sunshine

Brewery: Lawson’s Finest Liquids
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Brewed by Lawson’s Finest Liquids at Two Roads Brewing Co., Stratford, CT.

Brewer Description: (from can) This lupulin-laden India Pale Ale is packed with juicy tropical fruit character, bright floral aromas, and delectable layers of hop flavor. Pour mindfully, inhale deeply, and enjoy a tropical vacation in a glass. Always store cold, enjoy fresh and stay cool!

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 1 pint can canned on 1st April 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger frothy white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Lots of fruit with orange, orange rind, grapefruit pith, lemon and pineapple. There’s also some honey and a hint of dank mustiness.
Taste: Citrusy lemon, lime, orange zest, tangerine and grapefruit bitterness plus tropical mango and peach. Nice light candied toffee and caramel sweetness in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Ahh, what a stunning DIPA. I prefer Sip of Sunshine over Heady Topper, but in the end both are really good. Great balance between bitter and sweet and easily ends up as a must buy beer for me.

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Amager x Crooked Stave Chad, King of the Wild Yeasts

Brewery: Amager Bryghus x Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Country: Denmark
ABV: 5%
Style: Euro Sour Ale
Other Notes: Malts – Pilsner, Carapils and Flaked Oats. Hops – Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra and Amarillo. Yeast – Brett CMY.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) After long years of beer geek discussing hops to exhaustion, now yeast is finally getting a glimpse of the spotlight. This tiny little creature has for way too long been leading a Batman-like existence: outcast, living in the shadows and not getting enough credit for his work. However, the importance of fermentation is no news to Chad Michael Yakobsen from Colorado’s Crooked Stave brewery. He has been fondling with various fermenting agents for longer than most people have been drinking. So it was on a beautiful spring day that Mr. Yakobsen came to Amager to bombard us simpletons with his knowledge on all things yeasty, and especially, bretty. However, due to stubbornness from our end, we still insisted the brew to carry a mother#&@ of hops. The answer to what ingredient won the battle lies within this bottle. But in our opinion, we are all winners.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 500ml bottle, batch no. 1102, best before July 2016 and poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy pale straw yellow colour with a one finger fluffy white head that dissipates to a thin frothy layer and leaves nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong barnyard funky, brett, sweat and hay with lots of fruit, mango, lemon, pear, pineapple, orange, passion fruit and tartness.
Taste: Like the aroma, lots of fruit with lemon, lime, orange pith and grapefruit. Some graininess and bread, hay, grass, floral and funky. Also a hint of bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: I preferred the aroma over the taste but still a nice funky, bretty ale.

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Three Floyds Alpha King

Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.66%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: 68 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Alpha King is a bold yet balanced American Pale Ale with slight sweetness and aggressive citrus hoppiness.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.16
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 12 fl oz. bottle bottled on March 31st 2016 and poured into a mini Mikkeller long stemmed tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear copper colour with a one finger off white head that had decent retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: A bit light but grapefruit and pine come through along with some caramel malt.
Taste: Bitter citrus grapefruit, lemon and orange peel, sweet lemon tea, lightly sweetened tea, pine and caramel malt in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and well balanced. Good mix of bitter and sweet.

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