Category: Front Page

Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

Lots of people really like this. I do not like this.

2.75/5 rDev -29.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

. Pours pretty enough. Reddish orange with a thin head of khaki foam that falls fast. Nose is very sweet fruit. Floral and just a sugary sweetness. Hard to name a fruit. The malt is caramel and also smells sweet. There’s no herbal no depth. Just sweet and a touch of alcohol fumes. Taste is cough syrup. Sickeningly sweet fruit meets hop bitter. The caramel is thick and pronounced and then fades out to the alcohol on the palate and the hop bitterness that over rides s the fruitiness. it’s got way too much alcohol. it was hard to rate the mouthfeel. For a 12 percent beer it had a 12 percent mouthfeel. For an IPA it had a syrupy sluggish and very slow mouthfeel with some stickiness. Tasted awful and I actually made a face.

Thank you Roguer for the chance to try this beer.

2

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

______________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

If you know me then you know I am not fond of the black IPA. I find the style elusive to me personally. I think that the roasted and heavier stout like qualities of the malts clash with the citrusy and IPA like qualities. And that chocolate, while it does go with orange, does not go very well with grapefruit. This beer has changed my mind about the style.

“Inspired by Paul Revere’s midnight ride, we rebelled against the British style IPA, embraced the more aggressive American version and then recast it in bold, brave, defiant black. Our Black IPA is a Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the expected.”

Pours very dark like black walnut with a crimson hue deep within the beer. A fat khaki head of foam falls slowly and leaves lace. The nose is bright with grapefruit. Really tart smelling and earthy with a bit of the peel. Some toasted sugar comes forward as it warms and a bit of dark malt scent like coffee. The taste is excellent. The mouthfeel is thin and has the quality of a good light IPA. The malt takes center stage in the drink as it comes forward with a touch of bitter roast and some weak coffee. A light caramel and some citrus take up the mid palate where the grapefruit has been tamed but still very much present. Finishes dry and roasty with a bit of the malt sweetness and a hint of char to linger at the back of the throat with some of the bright citrus peel. What it does not do is blast away at the finish with hop bitterness and that lets those roasted malts linger a touch with the citrus as a gentle compliment.

I really liked this one and I think 21st amendment has shown us what is possible with this style. They have struck a balance between what tastes good and what is just for show. Some may call the flavors weak or diluted but I think that one has to account for the idea that a lighter palate does not require as much effort to understand it. The balance in this beer is apparent as the malts come forward but not heavily. The malt is as light as it could possibly be and still be roasted almost black. Light and drinks lightly. I love it!

4

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

_____________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

Pours a beautiful orange, hazy and with a melon hue to it. It’s eye candy with an orange tinged head of off white foam that falls slowly leaves lace, refreshes itself and also sports a ring and cap.

I had to go in deep for the nose but it is pleasant. Some fresh orange, a bit of grapefruit rind and a light tropical fruitiness. Some herbal and a touch of sugar for malt. Drinks exactly like that except the tropical fruit is the surprise to the palate. It’s so light on the nose and you are expecting that grapefruit peel first but it’s a light tropical fruitiness first, the juicy orange to back it up and the tartness of the grapefruit goes to the background.

There is a woody little herbal in the drink that I found very pleasant and original. A soft and supple malt with a light bread and a sweetness that is like some light brown sugar. The bitter on this one will not knock you down but it does it’s job. Starts at the finish and lasts a bit with some resin to help it linger. There is some earthy pine notes in this but they do not stand out too far in front.

The mouthfeel is creamy with just a few bubbles to give it some tingle and the heavier side of light.

This beer has exceptional balance. All the flavors working well together to present a milder and original IPA experience to the palate.

4.3

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

_______________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Good news! The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) is pleased to announce that affordable, turnkey, broad-coverage insurance is available to homebrew clubs across the country. That’s right—after more than a decade of investigating options for a nationwide insurance plan for homebrew clubs, the AHA has finally found an insurance product that is a good fit. (Yes, the process was as daunting as it sounds.)

Why Homebrew Club Insurance?

Homebrew club members know the fun and the value of being in a club—and the degree of risk that is involved when a group of people gathers to share alcoholic beverages. That risk involves both the venue hosting the club meeting or event and the risk to the club itself if an accident were to occur following a homebrew club gathering.

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HERE

Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

This pours pitch black. No light escapes this dark brilliance. A chocolate colored head of creamy foam resides on top and plans to stay forever. It has no choice but to fall slowly and almost deliberately leaving spots of lace in defiance to the alcohol legs. By the bottom of the first glass I have a thick ring and layer of film on top.

Nose is complex. It has some dynamic dark bakers chocolate on it. The kind that has dryness, snap and perfume to it. It has a lovely bourbon scent that is fruity like bourbon is and seems to be almost like there’s a shot of bourbon sitting under your nose. BUT it’s not so loud as to disturb the fragrant bit of vanilla that’s wafting around on the nose like some kind of butterfly. There’s a breath of oak, a fruitiness you cant name yet and the underpinnings of molasses and toffee just starting to show themselves.

Taste is brilliant in it’s unique texture. This is dry, crisp, creamy, fluffy and light as feather. It reminds me of one of those puffed up chocolate candies that melts in your mouth as soon as you bite into it and leaves itself on your tongue sensually and as if it has died a little. Malt is soft. There is a surprising bit of bold espresso coffee on this that is not on the nose. Some licorice back notes that add depth but not that harsh licorice flavor. The bourbon is sweet and sultry, the vanilla smooth and seductive. The palate culminates with a touch of back cherry and a faint bit of bitterness from roast.

I am in love with this beer. The mouthfeel is a light as a feather considering that this is a stout. The champagne qualities of the yeast have done this beer many graceful favors. It has given it a texture that is almost ethereal. It finishes dry and drying to leave resonant aftertastes of toffee, cherry and chocolate. This one was a ride in a limousine.

(I have not written a review this long since Palo Santo – Happy New Beer Sunday )

4.7

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

______________________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled for PGA by Maria Devan

Pours a golden color with a slight haze that fell off to reveal perfect clarity by the bottom the glass. The head was scant but creamy white foam that fell with no lace.

The nose is crisp wheat, a touch of bread, some grass, and a very light banana and a sweet little bit of pineapple. I think I am getting a bit of clove but not too much. Taste is excellent.. A nice sweet pineapple that is not too acidic and not too tart meets a flaked wheat sweetness.

That mouthfeel is perfect. A little carbonation to keep it light, creamy, crisp and dry. Juicy middle.

The bit of pineapple and banana are just enough to taste and enjoy but nothing that makes the beer too sweet or too much like a hefe. The clove disappeared on the palate for the most part and the hops came up deftly to balance this beer with a graceful bitter that you might not even notice.

Saucy little beer and I really liked it! Thank you Kerry T. Adair for giving me my first beer from Arizona.

4.

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

____________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Pours a beautiful orange amber with a slight haze and a stream of bubbles rushing up the center to meat a creamy head of off white foam that lasts and leaves rings of lace. Gorgeous!

Nose is sweet lemon peel with a bit of tart grapefruit. A touch of sweetness form malt and some hefty pine. A bit of spice tickles the nose and then as the beer warms it develops a sweeter fruit scent that is lightly tropical.

Taste is crisp dry and piney. The fruits are juicy and a bit sweet. The malt is a dry cracker and the pine is healthy and green.

The mouthfeel is soft and creamy. The finish leaves some of that pine resin on the tongue and the back of the throat while the malt sweetness comes to you one last time. The fruits did fizzle a bit on the back end but it was still darn good. The pine is a steady constant even in the finish and the hops bitter is outstanding.

It’s good enough for an IPA but there was enough flavor in this that it fits very well. Leaves you with a bit of tart fanfare and lovely lingering aftertaste.

Thanks Kerry for the chance to try this beer.

3.8

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

_____________________________________Beer HERE

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

If I don’t get this down while the blur is still fresh in my mind even more of it will slip away.

Last Saturday evening I attended Session B (and they don’t call it a session without reason) of the 13th Annual Mafiaoza’s Music City Brewers Festival downtown. Thousands? (I don’t have any actual numbers but it was crowded) of folks attended the event which included representatives from most local breweries, many from out-of-state, and a few from other countries: more than 60 in all.

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HERE