Schneider Weisse

Schneider Weisse
Type of beer: Heffe-Weizen
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 5.4%
Country of origin: Germany
Rating: 85% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $3.95
Tasted on: 7/22/09
Colours of label: White/Gold/Blue
Drank From: Glass

Label Reads: "Brewed according to the German purity law of 1516", "Original Bottle fermentation", "From Bavaria's oldest brewery. Considered the classical German Hefe-Weizen. Classic bottle fermentation. Unpasteurized, unfiltered, with a pure top fermenting yeast that resettles on the bottom. Distinctive amber colour with a fine full head and a fresh bouquet. A light but firm body with plenty of champagne - like carbonation. Wonderfully refreshing".

website: www.schneider-weisse.com
Best for: watching "The Outer Limits"
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 16/20
Aroma: 10/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: A solid nutmeg and light caramel taste with a faint hint of coffee on top of the wheat flavours. The balance and complexity is played perfectly. It is warming, like a higher ABV (confirmed). What is that smell? I have this scent memory from somewhere. For some reason I remember an old 19th Century plow-shed, abandoned in the middle of the wilderness of a country field, green moss overgrown on its sides and wood-shingled roof. The aroma of rotten spruce and wheat unscythed for a hundred years surrounds me. Whether this actually happened or not, who cares? Thank you, Schneider Weisse.

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Beer #364 of 3,652

St. Peter's English Ale

St. Peter’s English Ale
Type of beer: Ale
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 4.5%
Country of origin: England
Rating: 85% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $5.50
Tasted on: 7/1/09

Colours of label: Green/Silver/Black
Drank From: Glass
Label Reads: "Organically grown barley and hops create a refreshingly wholesome flavoured ale with a delicate character. Brewed with skill and patience in one of Britain's finest and most innovative breweries. St. Peter's Brewery is located in a medieval hall in a remote, rural corner of Suffolk, Eastern England. There our beers begin life deep below the brewery with water drawn from a pure source - as it has been for 700 years. Our beautiful flask-shaped oval bottle is a faithful copy of one made c. 1770 for Thomas Gerrard of Gibbstown, just across the Delaware river from Philadelphia."
website: www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk
Best for: raking leaves

Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10
Handwritten notes: Oh, man. This beer shoots a flowery honey-suckle injection into your soul. The bottle is appropriately shaped like a medicine bottle because this beverage is the cure for almost any mental or emotional malady the world can throw at you. The flowery taste takes you to a childhood springtime, beneath the blossoming trees without a care in the universe except where to get a Popsicle. The taste is smooth, but with a perfect bite at the end. I think that all American micro-brews are seeking this perfect ideal.

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Beer #256 of 3,652

Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell

Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell
Type of beer: Lager
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 5.5%
Country of origin: Germany
Rating: 84% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $3.75
Tasted on: 7/25/09
Colours of label: Gold/Tan/Red
Drank From: glass

Label Reads: Something in German... looks like a treatise on Eugenics or something.

website: n/a
Best for: reading a doctoral thesis about "Spock" from Star Trek
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: A caramelly layer on top of the usual German lager goodness. This beer is very pleasing to the old Bard-er right now. A lovely bitterness, and an absolutely unique mix of malt/flowery hops/smooth grain. I wonder who the sexy barmaid on the bottle is modeled after. And I wonder even more if her mother approves of what she's doing. Ugh, these reviews are starting to give me brain damage.

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Beer #239 of 3,652

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale
Type of beer: Ale
Container Type: 550 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 5.0%
Country of origin: England
Rating: 89% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $4.50
Tasted on: 7/21/09
Colours of label: Brown/Gold/White
Drank From: Go Bears 2010!
Label Reads: "Product of England"
website: n/a
Best for: Revelry
Ratings:
Taste: 18/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 18/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Dear sweet God of beer, I've been so far removed from good ale that I've lost any sense of reality. Then along came Sam. This beer has a perfect bitter/sour taste and flavour of roasted coffee and chocolate, but not in a bad or in a usual way. Heavens, no. The flavours are blended and played so uniquely and so well that it brings a tear to my eye. This is why I do this, boys.

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Beer #228 of 3,652

De Koninck

De Koninck
Type of beer: Pale Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 5.0%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 88%% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $3.00
Tasted on: 6/22/09
Colours of label: Red/Green/White
Drank From: Margarita glass (I did my best, folks)
Label Reads:"Belgisch Beer"
website: www.dekoninck.be
Best for: star-gazing
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 10/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. One of the most original tasting beers I've had in a dog's age. The smell is light and grassy, with woody caramel tones poking through. The taste is sharp caramel and fruity cloves, or some other spice. Perfect takeoff and flawless landing. I wonder if people living in Belgium drink Labatt's Blue and dream of living in Canada.

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Beer #197 of 3,652

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Type of beer: Lager
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 4.9%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st officially - I had one at a ball game in 2001.
Cost: $0.90
Tasted on: 5/23/09
Colours of label: Blue/Maroon/Silver
Drank From: mug

Label Reads: "Award winning Samuel Adams has led a return to flavorful American beer. Samuel Adams uses only classic ingredients and traditional brewing methods".

website: www.samueladams.com
Best for: drinking at a ball game 8 years ago.
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: A copper-coloured lager hopped from here to the tropics. Between the Boston Ale and Lager, this one is a bit lighter and cleaner which is fine by me. This beer is a lot like Keanu Reeves. Follow me with this one. Yeah, this is a good beer and yeah, Keanu was hilarious in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure". But that does not mean that beers like "Honey Porter" and movies like "The Matrix" need to be made. That's because what Sam Adams does best is hop beers to fuck. What Keanu Reeves does best is play a character who is a moron. Stick with what you do best, people. (I'm not sure what got in to me on this one).

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Beer #180 of 3,652

Summit India Pale Ale

Summit India Pale Ale
Type of beer: India Pale Ale
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 6.4%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 2nd
Cost: $0.90 (USD)
Tasted on: 5/22/09
Colours of label: Blue/Gold/Green
Drank From: Mugga Fugga
Label Reads: "Est. 1986, St. Paul, Minnesota".
website: www.summitbrewing.com
Best for: watching old Star Trek episodes
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 15/20
Buy again: 16/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Hopped to fuck. Bitter as fuck. Sorry for the language, but when I taste a beer like this I get a temporary touch of Tourette's... Maybe my favourite Summit product so far... Beautanimous IPA, as it should be... I would bathe in this stuff if I could. But the wife would disapprove and that would probably mean another night on the couch.

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Beer #152 of 3,652

Goose Island India Pale Ale

Goose Island India Pale Ale
Type of beer: India Pale Ale
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 5.9%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 83% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $1.20 (USD)
Tasted on: 5/23/09
Colours of label: Green/Black/White
Drank From: Mug
Label Reads: "Recognized as among the world's finest, Goose Island's India Pale Ale has a spicy hop aroma and an inviting fruity flavour. This exceptional beer is one you will not soon forget".
website: www.gooseisland.com/
Best for: luaus
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Wow. Nice, lighter than I would have expected, but just as bold... Very obvious fruit flavours - banana or pineapple... Second sip - pineapple big time... spicy and bitter (just luscious) but finishes well with a sparkling bite. Yes. I am a sucker for IPA and this may be the best American beer I've had so far.

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Beer #148 of 3,652

Delirium Tremens

Delirium Tremens
Type: Strong Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 8.7%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 85% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 1st
Cost: $4.20
Tasted on: 4/20/09
Colours of label: Light Blue and other groovy colours
Drank From: bulby glass
Label Reads: "Extra Strong Beer".
website: www.delirium.be/
Best for: midnight canoe rides
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 15/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 10/10
Intangible: 8/10

Handwritten notes: Ah, one review a day, that is ultimately healthier I think... and what an appropriately named beer, after 102 different beers in a month... a cloudy/silty beer with a foamy head that soaks up the silt and makes the feel in the mouth a bit gritty... a sour sort of heffe-like taste, well played flavours... light and citrussy... were it not for the punch of alcohol at the end, it would be hard to tell the strength... brilliant wheat, malt, hop flavours played to near perfection... I was expecting Duvel to taste like this... damn you, Belgium and your awesome beers, save some for the rest of us! So complex it's almost stupid. And the label is a trip! Alligators walking downhill, pink elephants, and what looks like dragons balancing on the sun. Groovy. (sorry for the blurry picture, I'll try and do better next time).

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Beer #105 of 3,652

Lasko Club

Lasko Club
Type: Lager
Container Type: 500 mL can
Alcohol volume: 4.9%
Country of origin: Slovenia
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 10+
Cost: $2.95
Tasted on: 4/16/09
Colours of label: Green/Gold/White
Drank From: Can
Label Reads: "Traditionally brewed with love since 1825".
website: www.lasko.eu
Best for: learning to play keyboards
Ratings:
Taste: 16/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 15/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Very hoppy and pleasant for me right now... hits the spot(s)... citrussy and fresh, a perfect quencher of thirsts and crasher of cars.

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Beer #102 of 3,652

Trappistes Rochefort #10

Trappistes Rochefort #10
Type: Trappist Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 11.3%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 1st
Cost: $5.90
Tasted on: 4/17/09
Colours of label: Tan/Black/Blue
Drank From: bulbous glass
Label Reads: "Authentic Trappist product."
website: n/a
Best for: Cool spring nights
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 10/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 10/10
Intangible: 7/10

Handwritten notes: smells rural and fresh... strong alcohol content but no accompanying sickly-sweetness... complex and powerful, like dried fruit, woodsy, piney, nutty... yowza this is kicking my ass... a wine like warmness... beautiful.

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Beer #92 of 3,652

Innis & Gunn Original (Oak)

Innis & Gunn Original (Oak Aged)
Type: Scottish Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 6.6%
Country of origin: Scotland
Rating: 84% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 4
Cost: $3.60
Tasted on: 4/15/09
Colours of label: Maroon/Gold/White
Drank From: muggsy

Label Reads: "For 30 days this honey-hued beer matures in hand selected oak barrels, gradually absorbing the subtle flavours from the wood. Barrels are then emptied and maturation continues for a further 47 days allowing these natural flavours to fall into perfect balance".

website: www.innisandgunn.com/
Best for: pinchin' pennies
Ratings:
Taste: 18/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 15/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 810
Intangible: 7/10

Handwritten notes: powerful, distinctive flavour. Once you've had one, you'll never get that taste out of your mind... old oak taste with great malty undertones... a kind of old, but fresh taste. Does that make sense? If you've had this beer, it does. **In hindsight I've had 5 of these now and I had no idea it was 6.6% alcohol.**

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Beer #91 of 3,652

St. Louis Gueuze Lambic

St. Louis Gueuze Lambic
Type: Lambic
Container Type: 375 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 4.5%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 83% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 1st
Cost: $4.90
Tasted on: 4/16/09
Colours of label: Yellow/Green/Black
Drank From: glass
Label Reads: "Spontaneously fermented beer with sugar and sweetener"
website: n/a
Best for: plain, boring days
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 12/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 10/10
Intangible: 9/10
Handwritten notes: OH MY GOD. My first real lambic, and I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.... what an experience... save your pennies, kids, and try this... but BEFORE YOU DO, read about lambic beer and how it has been/is made. It will heighten the experience... like a universe of flavours - orange, nutmeg, Cinnamon, pineapple, woody, allspice... and the next sip reveals another fucking layer! I feel like I know what a lambic is all about now.
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Beer #87 of 3,652

Tankhouse Ale

Tankhouse Ale
Type: Ale
Container Type: 341 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 5.2%
Country of origin: Canada
Rating: 83% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 1st
Cost: $2.05
Tasted on: 4/11/09
Colours of label: White/red

Drank From: mug
Label Reads: "Mill Street Tankhouse Ale is a deliciously complex and spicy ale. We use a staggering amount of hops and five different malts to produce a rich, fiery pale ale, copper-red in colour, and truly satisfying in flavour"
website: n/a
Best for: summer
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 16/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10
Handwritten notes: Wow... fresh tasting and surprisingly delicious ale... made in the North American style of ale... full flavour with no real let-down... this gem is the hallmark of a good Canadian Ale.
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Beer #72 of 3,652

DAB

DAB
Type: Lager
Container Type: 500mL can
Alcohol volume: 5.0%
Country of origin: Germany
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: 20+
Cost: $2.95
Tasted on: 4/7/09
Colours of label: Green/White/Gold
Drank From: Pint Glass
Label Reads: "The beer of world fame"
website: www.dab.de/unternehmen/1362_a4936.html
Best for: an accompanyment to hot dogs or fried bologna
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 18/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity 7/10
Intangible: 9/10
Handwritten notes: Pungent lager... full finish... lovely everyday beer.
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Beer #64 of 3,652

Beck's

Beck's
Type: lager
Container Type: 710 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 5.0%
Country of origin: Germany
Rating: 83% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: wow, I don't know... a thousand? Or thereabouts.
Cost: $3.60
Tasted on: 4/6/09

Colours of label: White/Red/Black
Drank From: Bears mug
Label Reads: "Beck's Quality. Brewed under the German Purity Law of 1516".
website: www.becks.com
Best for: family gatherings

Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 20/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity 7/10
Intangible: 7/10
Handwritten notes: My current #1 everyday beer... sharp pungent finish, sweet hoppy as fuck taste up front... a good "fuck I'm thirsty" beer... the most readily available, and therefore most consumed GOOD beer by yours truly.

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Beer #62 of 3,652

Inveralmond Lia Fail

Lia Fail
Type: Ale
Container Type: 500 mL
Alcohol volume: 4.7%
Country of origin: Scotland
Rating: 89% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: first
Cost: $4.55
Tasted on: 4/3/09

Colours of bottle: Orange/Red/Gold/Black
Drank From: Bears
Label Reads: "Lia Fail is Gaelic for 'stone of destiny', which for centuries was the coronation stone of the Kings of the Scots. Taken from its Perthshire home at Scone in 1296 by Edward I, it was finally returned to Edinburgh Castle in 1996. Like the stone our ale is proud and robust. A dark beer with a well balanced sweetness, malt and chocolate tones. Challenger, Fuggles, and Cascade hops produce a rich and spicy aroma with a balanced bitterness and full-bodied flavour. Ensuring premium quality is paramount, which is why we use whole leaf hops in our brewery."

website:http://www.inveralmond-brewery.co.uk/bottle_laifail.htm
Best for: religious experiences
Ratings:
Taste: 19/20
Flavour: 19/20
Buy again: 18/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Intangible: 8/10
Complexity: 8/10
Handwritten notes: Dear Jesus, thank you for this... perfect balance of burnt sugar, with a full fuckin' body... smooth... I am getting spoiled by these low alcohol, high taste European pieces of gold.
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Beer #55 of 3,652

Marston`s Old Empire IPA

Marston's Old Empire IPA
Type: India Pale Ale
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 5.7%
Country of origin: England
Rating: 88% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: first
Cost: $4.80
Tasted on: 4/3/09

Colours of bottle: Purple/Gold/White
Drank From: bottle
Label Reads: "Official Beer of England"
website: http://www.marstonsdontcompromise.co.uk/
Best for: extended periods of time in smelly, tropical countries
Ratings:
Taste: 18/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10
Complexity: 9/10
Handwritten notes: Spicy, a world of bold and perfectly balanced flavours... drinking this beer makes me hate commercialized beer. I'll just say it, Canadian beer sucks.
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Beer #54 of 3,652

Morocco Ale

Morocco Ale
Type: Ale
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 5.5%
Country of origin: England
Rating: 89% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: first
Cost: $4.60
Tasted on: 4/4/09
Colours of bottle: Green/Gold/White
Drank From: beer glass
Label Reads: "A rich, dark & mysterious ale brewed to the ancient recipe held secret at Levens Hall for 300 years" "The recipe for Morcco Ale is believed to date from Elizabethan times. Every May-time until 1877 the unique, dark, spiced Morocco Ale matured for 21 years, was served at a great feast held in Levens Gardens, Cumbria. The guests were required to stand on one leg and empty in a draught a tall constable glass filled with 'Morocco' whilst pledging to the Ancient House 'Luck to Levens' Whilst T'Kent flows'"
website: http://www.dalesidebrewery.com/morrocco.htm
Best for: standing on one leg, apparently.
Ratings:
Taste: 18/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10
Complexity 10/10
Handwritten notes: Fruity and tasting of ancient spices... a million different flavours meshing as one like a fruitcake... orange/pineapple/banana... painfully complex
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Beer #49 of 3,652

O'Hara's Irish Red

O'Hara's Irish Red
Type: Ale
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol volume: 4.3%
Country of origin: Ireland
Rating: 88% (see below)
Number of times I've had this type: first
Cost: $4.40
Tasted on: 4/1/09

Colours of bottle: Maroon/Yellow
Drank From: Mug
Label Reads: "O'Hara's Red has a traditional hop flavour to balance a sweet malty caramel finish"
website: http://www.carlowbrewing.com/
Best for: shomer shabbas
Ratings:
Taste: 18/20
Flavour: 19/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10
Complexity 8/10
Handwritten notes: OH MY GOD... this is what dark ale should be... one of the best things I've ever had... wow... I like this more than the Marston's Oyster Stout which changed my life... This is why I do this, boys.
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Beer #47 of 3,652