Review: Thirsty Dog Hoppus Maximus

This beer's name will not disappoint! The complex character of American hops and amber colored caramel malts make this beer very crisp and refreshing. Silver Medal winner at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival.

IBU's 43 

5.9 ABV

Thirstydog.com

Analysis:

     I have never heard of Thirsty Dog until today to be honest. So I came into this one with no opinion at all which is fabulous. Deemed a American-Style Amber Ale really confused me after first taste. Seems like an IPA to me but who am I. I just drink them I don't label them.

     It starts of with some light caramel malts and launches into the hops which easily overpower the malt but are not overwhelming in nature. A nice light and smooth beer which is extremely easy to drink. I turned six into two in no time at all! I am not sure where I can find more Thirsty Dog brews but I will be on the lookout.

Analyst Score: 8 

Review: Abita Andygator

Andygator, a creature of the swamp, is a unique high-gravity brew made with pale malt, German lager yeast, and German Perle hops. Unlike other high-gravity brews, Andygator is fermented to a dry finish with a slightly sweet flavor and subtle fruit aroma. Reaching an alcohol strength of 8% by volume, it is a Helles Dopplebock.

IBU 25

Color 8

Analysis:

     I really enjoyed the Abita Abbey ale so I went back to the well in search of another good Abita beer. That was a bad idea indeed. This beer Abita calls Andygator is grainy and  too sweet with premature dryness and awkward aftertaste. Abita lost their way with this one. I think Abita and I are finished for awhile. We need to take a long break. I don't think it was meant to be.

Analyst score: 2 

Review: Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale

Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale is a unique hybridization of two well-known beer styles, combining the rich, voluptuous taste of a traditional barleywine with the subtle, tart flavors of an American wheat ale, topped off with a healthy dose of crisp, herbaceous hops.

ABV 12%

Smuttynose.com

Analysis:

     As soon as I caught wind of the release of the BIG beer series I became overwhelmed with anticipation. Smuttynose has never let me down before. Beer after beer they produce some of the best in every style. I cracked this wheat wine open and my love began there with the most magnificent scent. It started with a syrupy caramel which lead into moderate sweetness. Bordering to sweet but it's Smutty so of course they got it right. Then it turns to the wheat flavor a hop pop and rolls out a little dry with the alcohol showing it's presence late. Home run again!

Analyst Score: 9 

Review Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout

 

 An onslaught of the senses. It starts with big, roasty malt flavor that gives way to rich caramel and toffee notes. YETI gets its bold hop character from an enormous quantity of American hops. It weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs.  9.5% ABV

GreatDivide.com

Analysis:

     I continue to roll through the Great Divide line of beers. If you find a good brewery why not stick to it! This is the fourth one I have had this month and the first three were great. So my expectations were high coming into this Yeti. It poured a jet black the exact look of used motor oil. It looked great in the glass and tasted great as well. A super malty syrupy front side then the hops made their presence known and linger throughout the finish. At 75IBUs I expected the hops to be more pronounced but this was not the case. Great Divide is ballin'! 

Review: Abita Abbey Ale

Abbey Ale honors the ancient tradition of monks who perfected the art of brewing beer to support the monastery and their "liquid bread". We offer up our support and thank them with a 25¢ donation to St. Joseph's Abbey with every bottle sold of this heavenly brew. Dark amber in color, the aroma of caramel, fruits and cloves invites you to contemplate the creamy head of this "Dubbel" or double ale. Abita Abbey Ale is a malty brew, top-fermented and bottle aged to rapturous perfection. This ale pairs well with barbecue, meat stews or a nice thick steak. For dessert, try Abita Abbey Ale with milk chocolate or chocolate bread pudding. We suggest serving this brew at 46 degrees. 

8%ABV

32 IBU

Abita.com 

Analysis:

     I went into this one with an uneasy feeling considering Abita has not impressed me in the past. CAUTION: Beware of the explosion when opening this beer make sure you are near a sink. After cleaning up the mess I made I finally got to tasting it. It delivered a sweet blow which flowed nicely into a array of fruitiness. The sweetness nor the fruitiness dominated leading to a nice balance. I usually shy away from a dubbel but this one is a gem. I am now eager to try Abita's other big beers Andygator and Save our shore. I hope I can find them around here.

Review: Great Divide St. Bridget's Porter

Great Divide Brewing Co

Analysis:

     I have started to dip my toe in to the line of Great Divide beers with a high level of excitement. I spotted this porter on the beer list and ordered it up of course. I believe that the balance of coffee and chocolate flavors in this porter are extraordinary. The bitterness is subtle in nature and the aftertaste lacks that overbearing sweetness some chocolaty porters possess. It's fabulous baby! Well above average porter.

Review: Hoppin' Frog Silk Porter

 

Dark, robust and silky-smooth, with many flavors of roasted, toasted and caramel malts. Porter is an old-world beer style, so popular that it helped start the industrial revolution. Taste the history.

6.2% a/v | 70 OG (16.9°P) | 26 IBU

www.hoppinfrog.com 

Analysis:

    I stumbled across this brewery a few months ago. I was eager to try it after I discovered they brewed it in my home state. The great state of Ohio in Akron. I found it at the local Total Wine store last week in NC and couldn't wait to crack it open. 

    My first encounter with Hoppin' Frog went as I had hoped. The silk porter lives up to it's name. Every so often you have a beer and say what else could they have possibly named it. This silk porter falls into that category. Hoppin' delivered the absolute smoothest porter I have ever tasted. Its as smooth as "silk" with great caramel and roasted flavors! This beer is fit for king. Maybe they could have named it Suave Porter but that doesn't sound as smooth as silk. I am now on the prowl to find other delightful beers brewed by the boys in Akron at  Hoppin' Frog.

Review: Terrapin Wake and Bake

Black as night, this coffee stout is thick, rich and full of real coffee flavor. Brewed with the Terrapin Wake-n-Bake coffee blend created by Terrapin & Jittery Joe’s Coffee.

Annual Release: November

The high content alcohol of these beers make them perfect for cellaring…hide them away and pull one out for a special event 2-3 years later.

ABV 8.6%

IBU's 50

www.terrapinbeer.com

Analysis:

      This beer from Terrapin is like many of their others. Its unique and well done. It delivers a rich coffee flavor beer with great balance. I could drink this one for breakfast and I think I will. Maybe a couple.

Review: Dogzilla Black IPA-Laughing Dog Brewing

A Big Bold Hoppy IPA that finishes with a dark twist.

True to its IPA roots Dogzilla has a massive hop presence that is Piney and Citrusy. A malty backbone, along with the dark malt gives it a bit of a roasty finish. Brewed with Simcoe and Cascade Hops, Pale Malt, Munich, and Black Barley.

6.9% abv and 69IBU's

Available In 22oz bottles, and draft 15.5, 5.2 kegs

laughingdogbrewing.com

Analysis:

     I picked this one up based on the fact it is brewed in Idaho. How does that not make this beer interesting... It's a big dark IPA with a bitter citrusy bite. It's a rugged tasting IPA especially after having Hop Stoopid recently which is extremely smooth. Laughing Dog says to hell with smooth this beer rips your face off! Overall it's a good beer with some interesting characteristics.