Beer Ratings: Favorites

Brauerei Knoblach Litzendorf, Bavaria

Tap. Full-golden clear and bright pour with a frothy white cap. Nose is predominantly clean malty with strong grassy notes. Mouth: malty, bodied despite the abv, hints of honey and perfect soft bitterness. Loved it!

Brouwerij Corsendonk Turnhout, Antwerp

Helder donker robijnrood bier met een 3-vingerdikke crème kleurige schuimkraag van gemiddelde structuur die lang blijft staan. Ik ruik een aroma van karamel en zoet rood fruit. In de smaak heeft het rood fruit de overhand. Karamel, toast en een klein beetje koffie completeren het geheel. Het bier heeft een lichte structuur en door de nagisting op fles is erg veel koolzuur aanwezig dat de smaak wat wegdrukt.

Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. Decorah, Iowa

Very hazy deep orange coloured body with a very large, microfoamed off-white head, about five centimetres tall, above the 90 per cent opaque body. Aroma of grass, citrus, hay, light sugars and some crisp hops and bitter scents - nice! Medium-bodied; Strong rich biscuity and slightly grainy malt notes dominate with a pretty funky and cardboardie flavour, but balanced well with a lightly citrus hop flavour that has some alpha acid bitterness and a good kick of sugars at the end. Aftertaste is pretty balanced and easy-drinking, but still fairly bitter from the fresh hops and showing some biscuity and funky malts, but the sugars and light fruitiness at the end provide some complexity. Overall, a nice, balanced IPA that is easy-drinking, relatively low ABV, while still having some actual hop bitterness. Nice to sample far from Iowa by way of Michigan, but sampled down in Washington. I sampled this sixteen ounce, pint-sized can, purchased from ml. Spirits in Birmingham, Michigan on 18-April-2023 for US$4,29, packaged on 02-October-2020 with a 'best by' date of 30-January-2021 but sampled at my house here in Washington on 01-June-2023.

Other Half Brewing Brooklyn, New York

Super hazy, very light golden coloured body with a nice two centimetre tall microfoamed off-white head that covers the 90 per cent opaque raw honey body. Aroma of honey, light mangoes, papaya, lactose, oranges and flowers - very nice and showing nicely without any pungency - in the nose, at least. Full-bodied; Rich sweetness of honey, papaya and lactose with some dry and slightly floral hop notes that show a touch of alpha acid bitterness, but the sweetness and hops are balanced nicely. Aftertaste shows the deep pungency of the fruits - especially mangoes and papaya, with a light dose of citrus fruits as well, all balanced with a great easy-drinking oat and wheatie maltiness, a good hit of sugars with some smooth hops - this is great throughout! Overall, a very nice, new school IPA that shows Imperial Status from the sugars and rich malts, but is somehow easy enough drinking and seemingly around 8 per cent abv - very nice and worth trying to find to drink fresh! I sampled this sixteen ounce, pint-sized can, purchased from Knightly Spirits in Orlando (Orange Blossom Trail), Florida on 31-December-2022 for US$8,49!!!, canned on 12-October-2022 and sampled at my house here in Washington on 29-May-2023.

Three Floyds Brewing Company Munster, Indiana

Ever so slightly hazy, but beautiful crisp copper, bronze and amber coloured body with a nice, larger bubbled tan head, about three centimetres tall, with a ton of bubbles rising from the bottom - very beautiful looking! Aroma of grass, light pine, some earth, a dash of metal, caramelised sugars and toffee with some subtle hop notes and alpha acids, too. Full-bodied; Rich, nutty, caramelly and earthy malt with a good deal of pine, resinous and cleanser-like flavours with a ton of pungency here in a good way with a big malt bite, some smoother caramelly sugars at the end, but this is a big beer here with tons of strong flavours throughout, in a good way. Aftertaste is rich, pretty bitter, but showing a lot of earthy and resinous notes with some good older school Pacific NorthWest hop flavours amplified, with a thick, sweet caramel finish. Overall, a very nice older school, pungent and deep real Imperial IPA that brings back old Dreadnaught vibes (when I was in college!) and is great to sample, quite fresh and highly recommended, especially if you like older school Imperial IPAs. I sampled this sixteen ounce, pint-sized can, purchased from Marlin Market in Pocomoke City, Maryland on 26-February-2023 for US$16,99/four pack (US$4,25/for one), packaged on 14-October-2022 and sampled at my house here in Washington on 08-May-2023.

Russian River Brewing Company Santa Rosa, California

Pours a clear golden color with strong white head. Herbal floral spiked aroma and taste. Notes: bottle from Hole Foods, May ‘24

Fremont Brewing Company Seattle, Washington

22 ounce bottle shared by Todd. Deep dark pour with boozy nose bit very rich tasty bourbon toffee body nice

Trillium Brewing Company Boston, Massachusetts

47 cl can @ home. Pours hazy golden with a white head. Aroma and flavour are tangerine, peach, melon, and malt - with a slightly bitter finish.

Surly Brewing Company Minneapolis, Minnesota

Lots of vanilla and chocolate. Very good but not top 50. Palate is perfect. No heat, which is great. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Two Pitchers Brewing Company San Francisco, California

Pool party! Let’s go. This is the perfect match for the warm weather and splashing around in Texas heat. Passionfruit and guava heavy in a fresh squeezed kind of way. Uniquely different, my highest rating.

Moonlight Brewing Company Santa Rosa, California

On tap at the brewery in Santa Rosa. High clarity golden color. Dank noble hop aroma. Crisp and easy to drink.

Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen Beersel, Flemish Brabant

Bottle @Luppolo Station (Rome). Borgogna viva, appena velata, schiuma bianco/rosata media. Naso straordinario, ciliegia pulitissima, frutta rossa, vinoso, leggero balsamico, legno. In bocca è acida decisa ma bilanciatissima, succosa, vinosa, legno, rotonda, complessa. Corpo medio, carbonazione media. Tra le migliori 3F mai bevute, straordinaria!

Deya Brewing Company Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Can @Luppolo Station (Rome). Color pesca giallona, torbida, opalescente, schiuma bianca media, discretamente persistente. Al naso note di frutta tropicale, frutta gialla, erbaceo. In bocca è morbida, succosa, fruttata, chiusura amara media. Corpo medio, carbonazione media, vellutata al palato. Molto buona.

Hill Farmstead Brewery Greensboro, Vermont

From a large bottle at the DC tasting. Pours a clear gold with an off white head. Aromas of bret and apple. Flavors are a bit tart and delicious.

Jester King Brewery Austin, Texas

16 oz can served in a tumbler, from Heb 620- poured a transparent light yellow color, lively medium carbonation. White ring about the vessel for a head, light aroma of various hops and wheat. Hits the mouth with a light body, malt tastes like liquid sunshine, middle has a very slight bitterness in the middle that lasts through the finish. Pretty good