Rogue Chipotle Ale

Rogue Chipotle Ale
Type of beer: Ale
Container Type: 650 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 5.50%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 87% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Drank From: Bears
website: http://www.rogue.com/
Best for: Paying customers only!
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 19/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 10/10

Handwritten notes: This review I'm doing "on the fly" (drinking as I type). The first thing I said to the clerk in buying this beer was "that sounds like a terrible idea". People, I love hot peppers. I currently have 20 different strains growing. With that said, to be more brutally honest I am not having a good intestine day. So much so that I was forced to make a white-knuckle stop at a Subway bathroom. Even so, I am drinking this beer -- and it is good. The taste is almost like a rauchbier, except that, as time goes by, the back of your throat does battle with a wee bit of capsicum. This is the first beer that actually tastes good when you belch it up. I'm in love.

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Beer #532 of 3,652

Tripel Karmeliet

Tripel Karmeliet
Type of beer: Tripel
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 8.40%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Drank From: Glass
website: http://www.bestbelgianspecialbeers.be/
Best for: a Moondance
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 8/10

Handwritten notes: Aww, nice. That old strange yellow fruity taste and peppery finish. Every once in a while when you get down in the mouth about life, and you find yourself lacking the energy to tie your shoes and you find yourself getting up from your recliner to get 2 beers (both for yourself), throw a tripel down your neck. Liquid Prozac, pals.

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Beer #522 of 3,652

HaandBryggriet Odin's Tipple

HaandBryggriet Odin's Tipple
Type of beer: Imperial Stout
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 11.00%
Country of origin: Denmark
Rating: 84% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Drank From: Glass
website: http://www.haandbryggeriet.net/
Best for: Polling the electorate
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 14/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: I am writing this prior to sipping, It poured like zombie blood with a fizz-less moan like a tortured soul. Alright, let's see what a $10 beer tastes like...

Zombie blood. Thick, dark, soulless alcohol swimming in a french-press coffee brine. I would hate to be future Bard right now. The ABV is not overpowering, but omnipresent. Omnipotent even. I've never had a beer with this texture before. It begs to be sipped slowly, the port of beers. Gosh almighty. Great Caesar's Ghost! Oh... I mean BY ODIN'S BEARD!

...I'm writing this the next day. After 3/4 of this beer I gently folded my hands over my chest and closed my eyes. And woke up 2 hours later.

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Beer #495 of 3,652

Russell Wee Angry Scotch Ale

Russell Wee Angry Scotch Ale
Type of beer: Scotch Ale
Container Type: 650 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 6.50%
Country of origin: Canada
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Drank From: GW Glass
website: http://www.russellbeer.ca/
Best for: succumbing to injury
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 8/10

Handwritten notes: Scotch ale is fast becoming a favourite style of mine. This is a "roasted, more porter than not but fuck it it works" Scotch Ale. The elements of classic Scotch ale are these, tucked beneath the hard porter rain. It's really quite unique and unexpected. It's a surprise party in your mouth. Have you ever been invited to a surprise party? Not me. I don't even think they really exist outside of 1980s sit-coms. Also, is brunch a real thing? Huh.

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Beer #460 of 3,652

Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot

Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Type of beer: Strong Ale
Container Type: 1 pint 6 oz. bottle
Alcohol by volume: 7.83%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Drank From: GW Glass
website: http://www.lagunitas.com/
Best for: Smoking it right down to the filter
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 15/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: The cleverest names take me a few minutes of quiet reflection to figure out. The joke is quite apropos. Something about this beer is me. Just like my new found love of dark lager, this beer is a wolf in sheep's clothing, or sweat pants as it were. This is boldly hopped, but not grapefruit to the tits. The second-tier of flavour is a deep and dark roastiness and stomach warming goodness. Well done, old man.

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Beer #443 of 3,652

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
Type of beer: Brown Ale
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 12.00%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 86% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $unknown
Tasted on: 7/10/10
Colours of label: Pink/Brown/Turquoise
Drank From: Glass

Label Reads: “An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. At 10,000 gallons each, these are the largest wooden brewing vessels built in America since before Prohibition. It's all very exciting. We have wood. Now you do to.”

website: http://www.dogfish.com/
Best for: easing on down the road
Ratings:
Taste: 16/20
Flavour: 14/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Ah, my first beer from the renowned Dogfish Head. They need my good review like Carrot Top needs another freckle. Even so, this is a throat-wrenching dark ale that brings forth instant beads of love sweat to my forehead on a sticky summer night. I am drawn to a comparison to Ola Dubh in the way that this beer coats your mouth in happiness. A balsamic, peppery spiciness abounds. Wowwza. Hey, what's with the clever ass label? How much did you pay Steve Martin to write that joke for you? Maybe it's just me, but I would have wrote: "this beer will make blood flow to your genitalia!!". Cut to the fuckin' chase.

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Beer #433 of 3,652

Orval Trappist Ale

Orval Trappist Ale
Type of beer: Belgian Pale Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 6.90%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 86% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $5.50
Tasted on: 7/18/10
Colours of label: Purple/Gold/White
Drank From: Affligem glass
Label Reads: “Authentic Trappist product.”
website: www.orval.be
Best for: Sweating out the evil
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 18/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 10/10

Handwritten notes: There's something just... right in this beer. Something homey and welcoming, like the smell of a cellar full of childhood memories. It tastes real. The taste is sweetly sour, with a complex sort of spiciness that lets you know it's genuine Belgian. If any Trappist monks are reading this right now, God bless you. Please say w'sup to Jesus. This beer is a truly religious experience, and I wonder if its yumminess is some fiendish joke, some sort of "Brewmeister Smith"-esque plan to conquer the world. I can't believe it has taken this long for this beer to find its way home to my gullet. Hallelujah!

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Beer #431 of 3,652

Harviestoun Ola Dubh

Harviestoun Ola Dubh
Type of beer: Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 8.0%
Country of origin: Scotland
Rating: 83% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $7.25
Tasted on: 7/5/10
Colours of label: Black/Orange/White
Drank From: Glass

Label Reads: "Ale Matured in Whisky Casks". "Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park's beautifully balanced 12 year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey.", "Ola Dubh (or 'Black Oil') is so named because it is gloopy and viscous. This limited release has been matured in casks from Orkney's award-winning Highland Park distillery to add complementary whisky notes to what is already an amazing brew. It is chocolaty with a roasty, bittersweet aftertaste. " "Highland Park is made with the same enduring belief and integrity, to the same exacting standards, as it has been since 1798. That's why it's the most respected single malt in the world, recently named Distiller of the Year. Like our friends at Highland Park, we at Harviestoun are passionate about quality. We hope you can enjoy this Ola Dubh Special Reserve and you feel that our efforts to brew one of the world's finest beers have been worthwhile".

website: www.harviestoun.com
Best for: Purchasing contraband sound systems
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 13/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 10/10

Handwritten notes: Wow! A deep and dark milk chocolate with an ever-present bitterness. It is thick like a glass of chocolate milk. I used to like chocolate milk as a kid. Now, the thought of chugging another animal's bodily fluids as a thrist quencher on a hot day is just disgusting. But this beer has something more than that, a hidden woodiness that suits the chocolate malt just perfect. Screw my objection to dark beer in the summer. This is the cat's meow.

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Beer #418 of 3,652

Summit India Style Rye Ale

Summit India Style Rye Ale
Type of beer: Rye Ale
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 6.30%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 83% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $1.25
Tasted on: 6/23/10
Colours of label: Tan/Green/Black
Drank From: Ginny glass
Label Reads:"Unchained series. Batch 03".
website: www.summitbrewing.com
Best for: changing the litterbox
Ratings:
Taste: 16/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 16/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 8/10

Handwritten notes: There's just a hint of rye whiskey in there, among the usual grapefruit players. There is also a woody oak-like taste that is too intriguing to pass by. It's just enough complexity in the oakiness to drag your mind away to some sock-drawer memory of your early youth. This is certainly different than anything else I've had lately. This is one of those rare occasions where you have no idea that the beer has a high ABV. Killer.

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Beer #415 of 3,652

Half Pints Pothole Porter

Half Pints Pothole Porter
Type of beer: Porter
Container Type: 341 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 7.9%
Country of origin: Canada
Rating: 86% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $4.00
Tasted on: 3/17/10
Colours of label: Brown/Dark Brown/Red

Drank From: HP Glass
Label Reads: "stare into the abyss".
website: http://www.halfpintsbrewing.com/
Best for: A plain ol' March evening
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 18/20
Aroma: 9/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 8/10
Handwritten notes: I want to clear the air and admit that I was a Winnipeg Jets fan. Home town pride is one thing. Being a huge fan of a frickin' good brewery is another. No matter where this beer is brewed, it is stupid good. It's just a happy coincidence that it's brewed in my back yard. This is the third strong-ass dark-ass beer I've had in three days, and my liver is still kicking. At first sip you will taste a strong milk-chocolaty flavour, much like a cup of cocoa. This gives way to a solid smoky bitterness that brings forth a reticent admission of my love of prairie winter and a sadness at its having passed away. Winnipeg Manitoba lays claim to -40ºC winters and 40ºC summers. It's no wonder that our spring streets are riddled with potholes. There's nothing like a $850 car repair bill to usher in the spring. That, and a beautiful Half Pints brew.

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Beer #385 of 3,652

Lava Smoked Imperial Stout

Lava Smoked Imperial Stout
Type of beer: Stout

Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 9.4%
Country of origin: Iceland
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $7.00
Tasted on: 3/16/10
Colours of label: Brown/Yellow/Orange
Drank From: Glass
Label Reads: "The most active volcano in Iceland is Hekla. The image on the label resembles the scenery of an eruption seen from the brewhouse".
website: n/a
Best for: doing your taxes (Sometimes these things are real. This is one of those times).

Ratings

Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 15/20
Buy again: 16/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 8/10
Handwritten notes: Iceland, boys. Iceland. Of all the places in all the world that sound cool to visit, the land of ice sounds the most fantastic and surreal. This stout is just superb. It is smoked just to the tip of perfection. After I took my first sip I honestly slapped my hand down and said "whooo-boy!" which is a strange thing for a fellah from Canada to do. If there really is a land of ice, or a Camelot, or a Narnia, or a middle earth, I would gladly pay any and all surcharges necessary to have this beer delivered from said fictitious places to the smack-ass middle of North America. Do yourself a favour and go to your travel agent, buy a ticket to Iceland, hop on a plane, watch "Cheaper By the Dozen 2" during the flight (but don't pay for headphones), land in Iceland, buy a couple dozen of these beauties (send a six to me) and enjoy! Ridiculously good.

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Beer #384 of 3,652

Alley Kat KGB Russian Imperial Stout

Alley Kat KGB Russian Imperial Stout
Type of beer: Imperial Stout
Container Type: 650 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 10.0%
Country of origin: Canada
Rating: 85% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $unknown
Tasted on: 3/14/10
Colours of label: Maroon/White/Black
Drank From: Glass
Label Reads: "Extra strong beer", "We have ways of making you drink, comrade".
website: www.alleykatbeer.com
Best for: Pissing in the sink, just for a change of pace
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 18/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: By special request, I am tasting this badass beer tonight. Props to my homie from the FMC for this brain-boggler. I opened and poured it thinking maybe I was the butt of some elaborate practical joke, and that the contents of the bottle were replaced with NyQuil. Nope. This street-tar stout attacks your brain like the Blob. There are powerful, powerful chocolate and coffee notes in this stout that are outrageously present. The thing I like the most about this beer, besides the fact that I don't need to worry about losing an hour of sleep tonight (friggin' daylight savings time) is the brash bitterness. It is a perfect cover for the omnipresent alcohol content. It's like what Lenin said... you look for the person who will benefit, and, uhhhh....

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Beer #383 of 3,652

Inveralmond Ossian

Inveralmond Ossian
Type of beer: Scottish Ale
Container Type: 500 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 4.1%
Country of origin: Scotland
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st

Cost: $4.55
Tasted on: 11/12/09
Colours of label: Gold/Orange/Black
Drank From: HP Glass
Label Reads: "Ossian, Son of Fingal, was a legendary 3rd century Scottish warrior. Sir Walter Scott wrote:’In this still glen, remote from men, Sleeps Ossian, in the narrow glen’ This superb golden ale continues to win awards including, in its cask version, the Champion Beer of Scotland. It is perilously smooth and drinkable with distinct nutty tones and fruitiness. First Gold, Perle and Cascade hops create our unique spicy orange zesty aroma and refreshing flavour."
website: www.inveralmond-brewery.co.uk
Best for: playing the spoons
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 7/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 9/10
Handwritten notes: Hooooooo-wheee! A beautifully hopped piece of honey-suckle gold. Sweet, but not "sweet-sweet", bitter, but not "bitter-bitter". As complex as a Philosophy graduate student, and just as likely to land a good job. But I guarantee if you sit down with this mo-fo you'll become enlightened, and come to a fuller understanding of Heraclitian flux. Honestly, folks, I'm not as pretentious as I sound. I'm smart, but not "smart-smart". I can drive stick shift while talking on the phone and eating a hamburger and smoking a cigar. Anyways, the beer's good.

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Beer #365 of 3,652

Breckenridge Remarkable Vanilla Porter

Breckenridge Remarkable Vanilla Porter
Type of beer: Porter
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 4.70%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 82% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $1.25
Tasted on: 11/8/09
Colours of label: Tan/Red/Brown
Drank From: Glass
Label Reads: "Ale brewed with real vanilla beans", "Original mountain recipe", " Seldom seen never duplicated".

website: www.breckbrew.com
Best for: obtaining racial harmony

Ratings:
Taste: 16/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10
Handwritten notes: Wow, this is truly remarkable. Of all of the beers that appear to be "gimmicky", this one is one of the best (if not the best). The vanilla is a genius pairing to the chocolaty stout, like a vanilla/chocolate swirl ice cream. I hesitated to try this beer because it sounded like a gross idea for a beer. How outrageously wrong could I be? I would pour this shit on my Lucky Charms. Fantesticle.
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Beer #359 of 3,652

Boulder Brewing Hazed and Infused

Boulder Brewing Hazed and Infused
Type of beer: Pale Ale
Container Type: 335 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 4.85%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $1.25
Tasted on: 10/26/09
Colours of label: Blue/Yellow/Green
Drank From: HP Glass

Label Reads: "Take a trip through the Looking Glass to discover a whole new world of ales from the brewers at Boulder Beer Company, makers of Singletrack, Buffalo Gold and the Boulder Beer family. Introducing Hazed & Infused, the first release in the Looking Glass Series of specialty beers. This unfiltered dry-hopped ale is "hazed" in its natural state and "infused" with Crystal and Centennial hops, creating a flavorful aromatic brew you have to taste to believe."
website: www.boulderbeer.com
Best for: oooh yeah! ooooooh yeah!
Ratings:
Taste: 15/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 8/10
Handwritten notes: This beer has something over and above a punch in the grapefruits. There is a strange and trippy caramelly complexity to this that my taste buds pursue but can never catch. I think Led Zeppelin's first album is pure genius, but have you ever thought about the lyrics to Dazed and Confused? If you just read them (without hearing the music) you would think it was written by a ten year old with ADD. But the song rocks because it's all in the delivery. Just like Neil Young's "Down by the River" - in the solo he plays one note 38 straight times (I counted) but it's perfect. I've gone off the tracks here-- this beer is well worth hunting down cracking open to the nonsensical wailings of one Robert Plant and the mono-tonical strums of Mr. Young.
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Beer #335 of 3,652

Boulder Mojo Risin Double IPA

Boulder Mojo Risin' Double IPA
Type of beer: IPA
Container Type: 355 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 10.0%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 80% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $2.00
Tasted on: 10/19/09
Colours of label: Blue/Orange/Yellow
Drank From: Glass

Label Reads: " In a moment of creative chaos, our brewers at Boulder Beer Company decided to take our hopalicious MoJo India Pale Ale to the next level. The Result - MoJo Risin' Double IPA, a souped-up, extreme version of the one and only MoJo IPA. We added more than half a ton of extra malt and twice the amount of Amarillo hops, so be prepared for a full sensory explosion. The double dry-hop addition elevates the grapefruit-like aroma and flavor to an outrageous intensity, while the added malt raises the alcohol level to 10% by volume. And if you say you never loved it, we'll know you are a liar! This limited edition, single batch brew of MoJo Risin' Double IPA is the 6th Release in our Looking Glass Series of specialty beers. Discover all our award-winning beers at BoulderBeer.com. "

website: www.boulderbeer.com
Best for: Chim-chim-cheroo!
Ratings:
Taste: 16/20
Flavour: 16/20
Buy again: 14/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Ow, that hurt. Right in the mouth. The high ABV leaves a sweet skid mark down your throat. But I feel like that distracts from what should be a persistent and overpowering bitterness. No, you know what? It's just right. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down but I'm a full grown man who has never been molested by a chimney sweep. Sorry, Dick Van Dyke, if that is your real name. What was it I was trying to say? Ah yeah, how come most of the top rated beers are high ABV (be it Beer Advocate, or elsewhere)? Because the medium is the message and you can't review it without drinking it, and you can't drink it without a fuzzy happiness descending upon you. Whoo.

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Beer #321 of 3,652

Innis & Gunn Triple Matured

Innis & Gunn Triple Matured
Type of beer: Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 7.2%
Country of origin: Scotland
Rating: 84% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st

Cost: $6.50
Tasted on: 9/29/09
Colours of label: Blue/Gold/White
Drank From: HP Glass
Label Reads: "Brewed in small batches", "Hand-Crafted Scottish Beer", "Scottish beer triple matured in selected oak barrels", "We are delighted to present this limited bottling of Innis & Gunn which has been TRIPLE MATURED in select oak barrels. The result unique process is a seriously smooth beer with enormous depth of flavour. We hope you enjoy this beer as much as we do".
website: www.innisandgunn.com
Best for: Trippin'
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 15/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Complexity: 9/10
Intangible: 8/10
Handwritten notes: Dear God - a caramelly, stouty 'splosion. This makes me happy I bought a single beer in a box despite the fact that it's the definition of pretentious. This is like a kiss from an angel, but not a male angel with a handle-bar moustache who smells of KFC and old spice and kisses you behind the dumpster of some high school. No sir. It's like a kiss form a bona-fide angel who (I guess) died as a hot chick. I am "sassified". And I can always tell when I'm sassified, cuz I start calling the beer's name, like Innis & Gunn... Innis & Gunn...Innis & Gunn...Innis & Gunn...Innis & Gunn... oooooooh, shit, Innis & Gunn.

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Beer #308 of 3,652

Half Pints Phil's Pils

Half Pint's Phil's Pils
Type of beer: Pilsner
Container Type: 341 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 5.2%
Country of origin: Canada
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $2.00
Tasted on: 9/19/09
Colours of label: Brown/Yellow/Red
Drank From: Phil's glass

Label Reads: "hoppy aroma and a malted honey flavour", "craft brewed in winnipeg, mb canada".

website: www.halfpintsbrewing.com

Best for: Realizing that Joni Mitchell is really not that bad... once you give her a chance. Sexy voice. Not a good looking woman, though. No sir, not at all. Joan Baez on the other hand.. hubba hubba.

Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 17/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 7/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 8/10

Handwritten notes: Every day I wake up, wash my face with goat's milk soap, and thank the sweet lord of liquor that I live in Winnipeg and have access to these beers. Lovely bitter hop taste on this guy, there to greet you at the door, and lead you in to the crisp-ass malt shindig going down on the back patio. Most "Phil"s I've ever met had moustaches and wore brown sweaters. I wish I was Phil. This may be the only time in your entire life you will hear a human being say "I wish I was Phil". There is a real fusion going on with this company's products that scratches me right where I itch. They have fused traditional Canadian-type maltiness with American craft brewing (in terms of hop flavour, mostly). Beer is food after all, and the food and drink of any region tell that region's history. Where am I going with this? Who knows. Go Goldeyes!

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Beer #303 of 3,652

Chimay

Chimay
Type of beer: Strong Ale
Container Type: 330 mL bottle
Alcohol by volume: 8.0%
Country of origin: Belgium
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $6.00
Tasted on: 9/2/09
Colours of label: Yellow/Black/White
Drank From: Glass

Label Reads: "Ale brewed at Scourmont Abbey", "The logo 'Trappist' certifies that this ale was brewed within the walls of an existing Trappist monastery under the control of the Trappist community. A major part of the sales revenue is used by the monks to support charitable works . The flavour of Chimay Triple comes from the aromas of fresh hops and yeast. It is best drunk at a temperature of 6º C to 8º C."

website: www.chimay.be
Best for: slipping up
Ratings:
Taste: 16/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 14/20
Aroma: 8/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 8/10
Intangible: 9/10

Handwritten notes: Much like me in November, this beer is best drunk at a temperature of 6º C to 8º C. This beer is very Duvel-like in the liveliness of its head and the inviting "grandma's kitchen" smell it emits. The taste intriguing and cookie-like, finishing with a hint of Vanilla. The best part of this beer is the lovely bite of alcohol it injects at the end like a nurse who says "hey--look over there!!" then jabs you with a tetanus shot. It's for the best, though. I'll take my medicine like a good boy and go to bed.

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Beer #293 of 3,652

Surly Brewing Co. Furious

Surly Brewing Co. Furious
Type of beer: IPA
Container Type: 473 mL can
Alcohol by volume: 6.2%
Country of origin: United States
Rating: 81% (see below)
Number of times I've had this beer: 1st
Cost: $2.00
Tasted on: 8/25/09
Colours of label: Red/White/Silver
Drank From: Glass

Label Reads: "Beer for a glass, from a can", "Get Surly! A tempest on the tongue, or a moment of pure hop bliss? Brewed with a dazzling blend of American hops and Scottish malt, this crimson-hued ale delivers waves of citrus, pine and caramel-toffee. For those who favor flavor, Furious has the hop-fire your taste buds have been screeching for.", "Fresh beer, keep it cool!", "IBUs - 99".

website: www.surlybrewing.com
Best for: Bringin' the futher-muckin' ruckus!
Ratings:
Taste: 17/20
Flavour: 17/20
Buy again: 18/20
Aroma: 7/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Complexity: 7/10
Intangible: 8/10

Handwritten notes: This rat bastard packs a bitter grapefruit and woody malt taste. From what I hear, the dudes who make this beer will kick you in the nuts with steel-toe boots sure as look at you. I do so appreciate a good shtick. This is my type of brew, and what I assume air tastes like in heaven. The best part is perhaps the bubbly spice left behind on the upper lip after a sip. Peace and love, brothers, and just calm down a bit will ya? Take a Valium, for God's sake.

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Beer #286 of 3,652