Never The Machine Forever

This Friday we have an unfiltered wheat ale from the Odd Notion series at Magic Hat Brewing Company in South Burlington, Vermont.  The Odd Notion series is a seasonal series that beer fans are highly encouraged to give their feedback on, and since they asked for it… Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: Crisp hops and a bit of yeast in the overtone. Light lemon notes with hints of sweet berry in the undertone. (13/15)

Flavor: A slightly sour beginning with some wheat apparent. The middle has a light sprinkling of hops, which leads into a lemon dominated ending. An aftertaste of wheat, with hints of other grains. (18/20)

Appearance: An opaque, pale yellow with a good head. (18/20)

Mouthfeel: Medium, with some alcohol burn and light carbonation. (3/3)

Overall Impression: Refreshing, light, but still with lots of flavor. A great beer for Spring. (9/10)

Total Score: 43/50

B-

This Friday we have Snake Hollow IPA from Potosi Brewing Company in Potosi, WI.  I recently reviewed Potosi’s Pure Malt Cave Ale, and since Potosi seems to be the hot new brewery in Wisconsin, I figured that I had better review another Potosi brew.  One great reason to try all of Potosi’s beer is that all the profits go to charity.  Drinking and helping people out is always a good combination.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: An overtone of sharp, bitter hops.  The undertone brings in hints of citrus and a pinch of alcohol. (14/15)

Flavor: The beer starts out with a “hop shock,” that is somewhat overwhelming and unbalanced.  A sharp grapefruit flavor dominates the middle, with a rush of bittering hops rounding out the end of the beer.  The aftertaste is clean with hints of biscuit and some lingering hops. (16/20)

Appearance: Golden, medium amber with a good head and good clarity. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a very slight alcohol burn. (3/3)

Overall Impression: The hop profile on this IPA is much too simple and unbalanced.  The hops just seem to be there, and don’t add much to the overall character of the beer. (8/10)

Total Score: 43/50

B-

This Friday we have Scurvy IPA from Tyranena Brewing Company in Lake Mills, WI.  This beer is an IPA that has orange peel added, presumably to prevent scurvy in the taster, or at least that’s what the government thought. Tyranena Brewing Co is doing more than just preventing disease, it is also helping people stay in shape.  They sponsor a half-marathon Beer Run and an Oktoberfest Bike Ride to help stave off those beer guts.  Here is how the beer adds up:

Aroma: A “soapy” hops overtone of medium bitterness that reminds one vaguely of Palmolive dish soap.  The undertone balances nicely with hints of sweetness and citrus. (14/15)

Flavor: Palmolive soap initially greets the taster with hints of lemon and sweet grain.  The middle brings a surprise in the form of roasted grains, which is followed by a medium hoppiness to finish the beer.  The aftertaste is one of lemony hops. (17/20)

Appearance: A medium amber hue with excellent clarity and a strong head. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Medium body with no alcohol burn. (3/3)

Overall Impression: A good IPA with some interesting characteristics, but throughout, you just can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. (8/10)

Total Score: 45/50

B+

This Friday we have Pure Malt Cave Ale from Potosi Brewing Company in Potosi, WI.  Many people may not be aware of this, but Potosi, with a population of less than 1000, is home to the brand new National Brewery Museum, which showcases the rich brewing history in America through historical beer advertisements and vintage brewing equipment. The Potosi Brewing Company, founded in 1852, is the heart of the community, and was just recently restored after being shut down in 1972.  It is once again serving Potosi beer after an almost 40 year hiatus.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: An overtone of yeast with a slight maltiness, and an undertone of hops, which provide a hint of bitterness. (13/15)

Flavor: The beginning is quite mellow and bland, but the beer wakes up in the middle with traces of hops making an appearance over an unsweetened caramel maltiness.  The hops peak in the end, but still can not overcome the dominating malt.  The aftertaste is buttery with hints of salt. (17/20)

Appearance: A golden amber body with good clarity and a well sustained head. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a noticeable alcohol burn.  (3/3)

Overall Impression: An easy to drink ale that stands out due to its lack of hops at a time when many breweries are stepping up hop use. (9/10)

Total Score: 44/50

This Friday we have a Smoked Porter from Corner Pub Brewery in Reedsburg, WI.  The capacity at Corner Pub is only 100bbl per year, which means that the only place to sample their beer is on tap at the Corner Pub in Reedsburg.  While you’re there don’t forget to check out the large mural on the side of the building, which describes the brief “Hop Boom” that took place in Reedsburg during the 19th century.  On your way out, make sure to buy some homemade bread too, as it is made with the spent grains from the brewing process.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: An overtone of creamy caramel, with an undertone that can best be described as root beer. (14/15)

Flavor: The beer begins with strong coffee flavors combined with a hint of smokiness and bitterness.  The middle is where the coffee flavor really comes through in a powerful but not overwhelming way.  A surprising amount of mild hops bring balance to the end of the beer, but coffee makes a return and dominates the aftertaste. (18/20)

Appearance: Strong, sustained head on top of a dark body with hues of deep amber visible. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Smooth, with a medium to full body, and no alcohol burn. (3/3)

Overall Impression: A flavorful porter that does an excellent job of balancing deep coffee flavors with the right amount of hops.  Easy to drink from start to finish, and well worth a trip to Reedsburg. (10/10)

Total Score: 47/50

This Friday we have Picnic Ants, an Imperial Saison farmhouse ale from O’so Brewing Company in Plover, WI.  Check out my previous reviews of their Night Train Porter and their Hopdinger Pale Ale.  O’so seems to be gaining in popularity, and for good reason.  Let’s see if Picnic Ants can continue to make O’so proud.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: Overtone is warm and sugary, and is paired with an undertone of alcohol.  Not much going on. (12/15)

Flavor: This beer begins as an unassuming ale, followed by a very quick hint of astringency in the middle.  The beer ends with an excellent sour lemon flavor that fades beautifully into a satisfying aftertaste. (19/20)

Appearance: A hazy, dark yellow body without much head. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Very smooth for a medium bodied beer.  There is a noticeable alcohol burn in the middle. (3/3)

Overall: A unique flavor that displays the sourness of a Saison with some very summery lemon hints.  An unassuming beer that will really surprise you. (9/10)

Total Score: 45/50

This Friday we have an Irish Ale from Boulevard Brewing Co. in Kansas City, MO.  Boulevard claims to be “the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest,” and it offers a nice selection of year-round and seasonal beers.  An interesting item to note is that Boulevard bottle conditions all of their beers, a trend that many brewers are unfortunately straying away from.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: The overtone reveals a mixture of mild hops and malt sweetness, which is complimented by a very fresh and tart undertone with hints of blackberry and sweet malt. (13/15)

Flavor: The beer begins with a mellow mix of hops and malt that fills the whole mouth.  The hops rev up in the middle, but are still well balanced.  Fruity hops completely dominate the ending, but still remain subdued. A pleasant aftertaste finishes the beer with fruity hops that fade to bitterness. (18/20)

Appearance: A very strong head covers a dark amber body with hints of red and orange swirled throughout a semi-opaque haze. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Thinner than expected, but well carbonated with no alcohol burn. (2/3)

Overall Impression: An Irish ale that features more hops and less malt than is typical, but still remains balanced throughout.  The bottle conditioning adds a nice touch to the appearance and the flavor. (9/10)

Total Score: 44/50

This Friday we have Good Juju, a ginger beer from Left Hand Brewing Co. in Longmont, CO.  As I mentioned in my review of Fade to Black Export Stout, Left Hand has one of the most impressive beer websites I have ever seen.  Unfortunately it has temporarily been replaced by a WordPress blog, until the new site comes online in September.  Juju itself is quite simple, with the only listed ingredients being water, barley, wheat, yeast, and ginger.  The label should also be mentioned, because it is a beautiful piece of brewing art.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: An overtone of warm creaminess, with a hint of sour for balance.  The delicate sweetness and spiciness of ginger make a very slight appearance in the undertone. (13/15)

Flavor: The beer begins as a straight-up, pure, unhopped ale.  Citrus enters in the middle, and is finally followed by hints of ginger in the finish.  The aftertaste is that of butterscotch, but in a good way, not the “bad beer” way. (18/20)

Appearance: A very yellow beer that looks like a macro, but more intense.  A strong head with good clarity. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly creamy and smooth, very pleasant. (3/3)

Overall Impression: An excellent beer, for not having much going on.  It’s unique, but doesn’t stray too far from the mainstream, and would be popular among macro and micro fans.  Very refreshing and easy to drink.  (9/10)

Total Score: 45/50

This Friday we have an Organic IPA from Butte Creek Brewing in Ukiah, CA.  This brewery specializes in organic beers and they claim to be “Organic Pioneers” as well as producers of “The Official Beer of Planet Earth.”  Let’s see if they can live up to those claims.  Here’s how the beer adds up:

Aroma: An overtone of citrus, mainly grapefruit, and a hint of peach.  Dry malt dominates the undertone. (13/15)

Flavor: The beer begins with a slight maltiness and mild, low alpha hops that give hints of citrus.  Grapefruit tones mark the middle, which leads to a rush of mild hops in the end that doesn’t overwhelm, but does fill the whole mouth.  The aftertaste is very pleasant with lingering citrus and grapefruit shining through. (19/20)

Appearance: A dark yellow with some swirls of amber is topped by a strong, sustained head.  Good clarity with a slight haze. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick mouthfeel with very smooth carbonation and no alcohol burn. (3/3)

Overall: A very smooth American IPA that is light on hops, but big on flavor.  Organic and delicious. (9/10)

Total Score: 46/50

This Friday we have the IPA from Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, WI.  Two beers from Lakefront have been reviewed previously, Organic ESB, and New Grist.  Lakefront Brewery is the premier microbrewery in Milwaukee, and if you ever have a chance to take the tour make sure that you do.  Five dollars gets you a tour by the owners, a pint glass and four free beers.  Here is how the beer adds up:

Aroma: An overtone of subdued high alpha hops, combined with an equally subdued undertone of yeast and malt. (13/15)

Flavor: The beer begins as a malty ale that seems almost suppressed.  The middle sees floral sweetness with hints of honey, followed by an ending of mild hops that quickly return to a malty finish.  The aftertaste has a slight saltiness. (16/20)

Appearance: Dark orange with hues of red swirled throughout. Very well sustained head with good clarity. (3/3)

Mouthfeel: Smooth, almost creamy in texture, with no alcohol burn.  Quite unique for an IPA. (3/3)

Overall Impression: A malty beer with just enough hops to counter the sweetness, but not enough for me to consider it an IPA, especially in the American sense.  The whole beer seemed held back or subdued.  In fact, if the bottle did not say IPA, I would have guessed that this beer was a Scotch Ale. (8/10)

Total Score: 42/50