When I purchased several, quite overpriced import, Coedo beers, each bottle had a little label attached. The label touted that their beers had received a superior taste award in 2008 from Monde Selection, which appears to be a consumer testing organization in Brussels . I agree that Coedo makes an above average beer, especially when compared to most Japanese beers, their beer doesn’t blow me away. It is drinkable, refreshing, crisp, pairs well with salty food, and has flavor. Coedo Kyara, along with Coedo Ruri, which I also reviewed, both fall along these lines.The brewery describes this beer as follows:

Rich golden brown with tinges of red – this is the color of Kyara Beer. Beneath the rich aroma of the hops and the finely textured head awaits the rich smooth taste of 100% malt. This beer is made to savor, and even if it is not fully chilled, the full-bodied flavor does not diminish. The name “Kyara” comes from the incredibly fragrant Aloeswood tree, and represents this beer’s unique color and aroma.

Where I Found It. Suruki Supermarket in San Mateo, CA.

Serving Type. 12 oz. bottle to a glass.

Date Reviewed. November 7, 2009

Appearance. Kyara has a white head with loose bubbles the head doesn’t have very much staying power. This beer has a golden-yellow with a tinge of orange. I think this beer might suffer from a tiny bit of chill haze because it was ever so slightly cloudy when I first poured it and it cleared up as it warmed up.

Smell. The aroma of this beer is rich, malty, with a hint of the lager yeast used to brew this beer. The hop bouquet is earthy and spicy. In conjunction with these aromas is a hint of copper.

Taste. The hint copper smell in Coedo Kyara is more pronounced in the taste but does not distract from the rich malty sweetness. The bitterness is smooth, subdued, and balanced by the rich malt. The bitterness is likely under 30 IBUs, which is what you would expect for this style of beer. On the whole, this beer tastes like a Japanese beer but with more rich malt flavors. With that said, it is a god beer but not spectacular. Being that it has such a premium cost, it might be worth waiting for it to go on sale before buying some.

Mouthfeel. This is a light bodied beer that is nicely carbonated and goes down smooth.

Drinkability. This is a very easy beer to drink and it goes great with burgers. It would likely also pair well with pizza or Japanese food.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 3.5
• Smell (20%): 3.5
• Taste (40%): 3.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 3.4

Information

• Style: Vienna lager
• Brewery: Coedo
• Alcohol by volume: 5%
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.81 (as of May 17, 2010)

Other Reviews

• MoIppai – Coedo Kyara
• BrewReview – Coedo Kyara
• Odakyu Beacon – Kyara by Coedo
• Beer Advocate – Coedo Kyara
• Rate Beer – Coedo Kyara

When I reviewed Rising Sun Pale Ale from Baird Brewing Company, I also purchased a few more of their offerings including Red Rose Amber. This is a delicious amber ale with an inviting aroma and malty yet hop-spicy flavor. I actually enjoyed this amber ale more than their Pale Ale.The brewery describes this beer as follows:

The Red Rose is a most original Amber Ale – the result of high fermentation (with ale yeast) at an unusually low (lager-like) temperature. This robust, rich brew, with fruity, malty flavors, is nonetheless crisp, refreshing, and dry. As a rose – extravagantly layered, expansively fragrant, and just a bit prickly.

Date Reviewed. October 1, 2009.

Where I Found It. City Beer Store, San Francisco, CA.

Serving Type. 12 0z. bottle into a glass.

Appearance. Rose Red Amber Ale has a foamy head with a color like that of buttermilk pancakes batter. The head has some lasting power but does not leave a trace on the glass. The color of this beer has a brown-orange oak hue and is very clear. Even more clear if you don’t pour the sediment into your glass.

Smell. The hop bouquet is floral with a tinge of grapefruit citrus and maybe a little spicy. The floral and citrus sweetness is enhanced by a sweet malty, biscuit, amber aroma. There also seems to be a very subtle hint of white grapes, which makes me wonder if they used Nelson Sauvin hops. The smell is very inviting.

Taste. Red Rose Amber Ale is almost exactly what you would expect from the aroma and a little more. The flavor has sweet roasted malt and biscuit flavor juxtaposed by a spicy hop bitterness. This beer is actually a bit more bitter than I expected and I like it. The malt sweetness and floral qualities seem to give a hint of grape again in the taste but just a hint.

Mouthfeel. This is a medium to light bodied beer with a dry finish but the dryness does not mean flavorless because this beer is packed with flavor. It might be a bit too dry for my preference. The carbonation in this beer is very strong  but gives a foamy feeling in the mouth.

Drinkability. Red Rose Amber Ale is crisp, malty, and bitter with a great nose making it very drinkable. The hop bitterness can intense but fades nicely just as you’re ready for the next bottle.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.0
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 4.0

Information

• Style: amber ale
• Brewery: Baird Brewing Company
• Alcohol by volume: 5.4%
• Beer Advocate rating: 4.03 (as of May 16, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Beer Advocate - Red Rose Amber Ale
• Rate Beer – Baird Red Rose Amber Ale

I received a special can of Tule Duck Red as a sample from Buckbean Brewing Company before the official cans were released so my photos of the can may not represent what you’ll find in the stores. This red ale is refreshingly different from other West Coast breweries in that it is not super-charged with the 3Cs (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook), instead the hops reveal themselves as more herbal and floral. The malt of this beer also gives is a sweeter flavor.Buckbean Brewing describes Tule Duck Red Ale as follows:

This red, robust ale combines a silky smooth, rich body with a fruity, caramel malt flavor and a soft herbal dry hopped finish. A full flavored, classic beer that pairs well with hearty foods of all types.

Date Reviewed. August 21, 2009

Where I Found It. Sent to me by Buckbean Brewing.

Serving Type. Can to a glass.

Appearance. Tule Duck Red Ale has a deep red-brown mahogany color and almost matches the color on the can. The head is off-white yellow-tan that is almost like a cappuccino. It is such a deep color it is hard to ascertain the clarity but it looks to be slightly hazy. The head has a mix of tiny and medium sized bubbles and lasts about as long as you would expect.

Smell. This beer has a sweet roasted malt aroma with a biscuit quality and with a touch of brown sugar and caramel. Unlike others of this style that I’ve had recently, it doesn’t smell like brew day or a brewery, fresh malts. This doesn’t mean there is something wrong with the beer, just an observation and quite to the contrary the aroma of this beer is great. It also has a little hint of coffee smell but a sweet and roasted coffee smell and not a burnt or woodsy. The hop aroma enhances the sweetness with floral notes and a hint of vanilla.

Taste. Tule Duck Red Ale has a sweet roasted flavor almost a woodsy earthy but weak roasted coffee with a touch of sugar added. I has little bit of caramel.  It also has a bit of bitterness that somewhat adds to the coffee flavor. The sweetness is malty but seems a little candy like.

Mouthfeel. This is a medium bodied beer with an average amount of carbonation.

Drinkability. This beer goes down smooth and is easy to drink. The candy-like sweetness is a little different and would probably keep me from having more than two, at the same time I rarely want more than two of event the best beers before I move on to try something else, sometimes it’s even just one.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.0
• Smell (20%): 4.5
• Taste (40%): 3.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 3.5
• Overall: 3.80

Information

• Style: red ale or amber ale
• Brewery: Buckbean Brewery
• Alcohol by volume: 6.2%
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.19 (as of May 15, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Drinkhacker.com – Review: Buckbean Brewing Company Beers
• Basically Red – To be Read, Basically – Buckbean Brewery Tule Duck Red Ale, Orange Blossom Ale, and Black Noddy Lager
• Beer and Whiskey Brothers - We Love You Buckbean!
• The Beer Snob – Beer Review: Buckbean’s Brewing’s Tule Duck Red Ale
• Beer Goggins – Bucking the Trend: Reviewing 3 of Buckbean Brewing’s Finest Beers
• Beer Advocate – Tule Duck Red Ale
• Rate Beer – Buckbean Tule Duck Red Ale

Monk’s Blood is a special release beer in a can from 21st Amendment that was available during the winter of 2009-2010 and it may no longer be available. This must have been one of the most unique beers that I ever had from a can. It is a bold complex beer with many layers of flavors and aromas. It was truly a delightful winter season beer and I hope it comes back to cans again soon.I also really enjoyed the packaging of this beer. The 4 pack recycled-paper box with a strange story about a Monk written all around it added some interest. I felt the name , the colors, and everything about the packaging was interesting, mysterious, and fun.

21st Amendment writes the following about Monk’s Blood:

21st Amendment founders Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan traveled the Belgium to develop the recipe for this special beer, visiting small, traditional breweries in the hop fields of west Flanders, not far from the famous Trappist abbey of Westvletren. Monk’s Blood is designed to pair beautifully with rish winter stews, creamy cheeses, unctuous desserts or just by itself, in a Belgian tulip glass, with a good book by the fire.

Date Reviewed. December 19, 2009

Where I Found It. City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA.

Serving Type. 12 oz can to a tulip glass.

Appearance. While pouring Monk’s Blood it has a very clear mahogany amber color. In the glass, the beer is nearly opaque black but when you hold it up to the light it has a slight glow of a deep dark sanguine and mahogany hue. The head is light tan, khaki colored with very little retention. When there is less in the glass the beer is a dark mahogany color and clear.

Smell. The aroma of this beer is dried fruit, like figs or prunes with a hint of sourness. There is also a candy scent with a hint of red licorice (Red Vines not Twizzlers) so maybe that means a bit of cherry. It has a dark rich roasted malt smell and is not bitter smelling like molasses. Finally, there is a little vanilla and a little wood.

Taste. Monk’s Blood has a flavor of dark roasted malt sweetness balanced by a sourness in the background that is noticeable but complimentary. It has a little candy sweet with a hint of molasses. There some taste of a herbal spice quality like anise or tarragon. I detected some chocolate flavors but it was very dark chocolate. Monk’s Blood tastes dark, malty, and red. Sorry, red is not a taste per se but that word kept coming to mind while tasting it.

Mouthfeel. This beer is full bodied with a slight syrupy texture. It has moderate levels of carbonation and is not harsh but not super smooth.

Drinkability. For a strong dark ale Monk’s Blood is surprisingly refreshing. I think this is a very well balanced and very well crafted beer. Just a hint of sour to balance the sweetness and a touch of bitterness from the hops and dark malts. The spice quality is not in your face either and is subtle but apparent. All aspects of this beer nicely balance together.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.5
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.0
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 4.35

Information

• Style: Belgian dark strong ale
• Brewery: 21st Amendment
• Alcohol by volume: 8.3%
• Bitterness: 34 IBU
• Hops: Magnum, Centennial
• Malt: Belgian pilsner, two-row pale, caramunich, caravienne, aromatic, special b, flaked oats, flaked wheat
• Other ingredients: Belgian candi sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, dried black mission figs, aged on oak
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.79 (as of May 14, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Links coming soon

The Napa Smith Brewery is a fairly new brewery out of Napa, California. The brewery was started by “The Smith Family” who was able to hire a master brewer of 30 years, Don Barkley, with the simple premise that the beers they produce should pair well with food. Their core offerings are Pale Ale, Amber Ale, and Wheat Beer. The beer that I reviewed is either a seasonal or special release called Lost Dog Red Ale and is quite delicious.Napa Smith describes this beer on the back of each 22 oz. bottle as follows:

Napa Smith is a handcrafted artisan beer brewed at the southern gateway of the Napa Valley. Our family brings together the finest ingredients and 35 years of brewing experience. Our full-bodied Red Ale is rich and robust with a hoppy finish. With a warm red hue and a dense off-white head, Lost Dog is the perfect beer to share with someone special or a long-lost friend.

Following with the philosophy of pairing beer with food, the following food pairing is on the back of this bottle, “Our Lost Dog pairs well with short ribs, hamburgers, and garlic fries.”

Date Reviewed. January 4, 2010.

Where I Found It. Draeger’s in San Mateo, CA.

Serving Type. 22oz. bottle to an imperial pint glass.

Appearance. Off-white head foamy head that has average to below average retention. Crystal clear orange amber color.

Smell. Lost Dog Red Ale has a wweet malty, toasty, and biscuit aromas. Floral, pleasant, orange blossom hop bouquet. Maybe a slight vanilla flavor. Very inviting smell.

Taste. The taste of this beer matches the aroma quite well. It has a pleasant bitterness that contrasts well against the malty biscuit sweetness. In this respect, the bitterness is smooth and refreshing but present and tasty and just slightly spicy. Quite delicious and well crafted.

Mouthfeel. Lost Dog Red Ale has a medium to full bodied beer with a smooth and almost creamy texture.

Drinkability. For a malty sweet beer, the bitterness makes it refreshing and smooth.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.5
• Smell (20%): 4.5
• Taste (40%): 4.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 4.5

Information

• Style: red ale
• Brewery: Napa Smith Brewery
• Alcohol by volume: 7.2%
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.36 (as of May 12, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Bay Area Beer Blog – Beer of the Week: Napa Smith Brewing Lost Dog
• BetterBeerBlog – 14th Annual Fairfax Brewfest Recap
• Beer Advocate - Lost Dog
• Rate Beer – Napa Smith Lost Dog

Brasserie d’Achouffe is a brewery located in the Ardennes region of Belgium and produces N’Ice Chouffe as thier winter seasonal beer brewed with thyme and curaçao. This brewery was founded in 1982 and produces wonderful Belgian beers including La Chouffe, a Belgian blonde ale, and Houblon Chouffe, an excellent Belgian IPA. This brewery also has a very distictive gnome-theme for their brewery and beers.

The brewery describes N’Ice Chouffe as follows:

The N’ICE CHOUFFE is a strong dark beer that will warm you up during the winter months. It is spiced (with thyme and curaçao) and a light hop taste, a well-balanced beer. The N’ICE CHOUFFE is unfiltered, and re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg.

Date Reviewed. January 8, 2010.

Where I Found It. Draeger’s in San Mateo, CA.

Serving Type. 750ml bottle to a tulip glass.

Appearance. N’Ice Chouffe has a dark reddish brown or oak color and is quite cloudy. The  head is a creamy a-little-darker-than-buttermilk color and has tiny bubbles but does not last long. However, the effervescence causes some foamy bubble to always be on the top of the beer.

Smell. When I opened the bottle, my first thought was champagne like a champagne-yeast smell. It has notes of wine grape dry fruitiness coupled with a sweet candy sugar and malt aroma. It has a slightly herbal aroma, I want to say thyme but it’s not terribly strong. It contains a little banana and not much cloves with a hint of sourness. At 10% abv it smells a little boozy.

Taste. N’Ice Chouffe has a slight sourness contrasted by the sweetness of the malt. It is more sweet than bitter meaning not too much bitterness from the hops. It has a bit of a taste of cola nut, dried fruit (like dates or prunes), a subtle fresh herbal flavor like thyme or oregano, and a hint citrus in the foam like orange peel. It has a spicy cloves taste too.

Mouthfeel. This is a full bodied beer with plenty of natural effervescence. The tiny bubbles from the natural carbonation give a slightly creamy or smooth texture. It is quite nice.

Drinkability. At 10% alcohol by volume this is a sipping beer but a sipping beer that you can enjoy throughout the night.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 3.5
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.0
• Overall: 4.15

Information

• Style: Belgian dark strong ale
• Brewery: Brasserie d’Achouffe
• Alcohol by volume: 10%
• Other ingredients: thyme and curaçao
• Beer Advocate rating: 4.07 (as of May 10, 2010)

Other Reviews

• The Beer Critic – N’Ice Chouffe
• Beer Crusade – N’ice Chouffe, Achouffe Brewery, Achouffe, Belgium
• Mike Loves Beer – N’Ice Chouffe 2007
• Hoosier Beer Geek – KOTBR #65 – (Delayed) Jingle Bells
• Beer Advocate – N’Ice Chouffe
• Rate Beer – N’Ice Chouffe

Full Sail Brewing Company, of Hood River, Oregon, produces 4 seasonal selections each year, three of which are branded as LTD, which stands for both limited edition and also “Live The Dream.” LTD 3 is the summer offering and is a pilsner-style beer perfect for warm summer weather and BBQs. It is also an award winner with a silver medal in 2009 at the World Beer Championships.

Full Sail describes this summer brew as follows:

Well looky here, a crisp new pilsner-style lager all ready to rock your tastebuds’ little world. The latest addition to our LTD series is pale-golden in color, featuring a spicy floral hop aroma, malty medium body, and a smooth, thirst quenching finish.

Another great thing, for homebrewers, about their LTD series is that they list the ingredients on the bottom of the box so you can make an attempt at recreating this beer at home.

Date Reviewed. August 9, 2009.

Where I Found It. Trader Joe’s in San Mateo, CA

Serving Type. 12 oz bottle into a glass.

Appearance. Full Sail LTD 3 has a smooth white head that lasted long enough to take a few pictures. This beer is crystal clear with a rich burnished golden yellow color.

Smell. After opening and pouring out the beer you can immediately smell the floral and spicy bouquet of the Sterling hops. The malt aroma is biscuity, sweet, and like fresh sweet grains. There is a slight coppery smell that I always get when drinking Pilsners. Ever so slightly citrusy.

Taste. LTD 3 is gently sweet and well-balanced by a smooth bitter hops taste. This is a crisp beer and the bitterness does not linger. It has a bit of grainy sweetness with a hint of a buttery flavor. All-in-all this is a nicely flavored pilsener.

Mouthfeel. This is a medium-light bodied beer with a good amount of carbonation. Palate cleansing.

Drinkability. Thirst quenching, crisp, and smooth and very easy to drink.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.0
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.5
• Drinkability (10%): 5.0
• Overall: 4.15

Information

• Style: pilsener
• Brewery: Full Sail Brewing Company
• Alcohol by volume: 5.6%
• Original Gravity: 1.056
• Hops: Sterling
• Malt: 2-row pale malt
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.64 (as of May 9, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Beervana – Hard Reviews: Full Sail LTD 03 and Ninkasi Radiant
• The Full Pint – Review – Full Sail LTD 03 Lager
• Draft Magazine – Tasting Notes: Full Sail LTD Series No. 3
• Beer Advocate – LTD Series – Bottling 03
• Rate Beer – Full Sail Limited Edition Lager (LTD 03)

The brewery origin of this beer called Duke’s Big Ass Bock are a bit convoluted. First, the brewery is not “Duke’s” it is listed on the bottle as “The Wheat Beer Company.” The beer itself is actually brewed by the Jack Russell Brewing Company in Camino, CA (which is now under new ownership) for “The Wheat Beer Company,” which doesn’t seem to have it’s own home page or any other presence for all that I can gather. So is it contract brew or just an alias for Jack Russell Brewing? Whatever the case may be, I pick up a 1 liter bottle and enjoyed it. Apparently there are mixed reviews so I must have lucked out with a decently produced bottle of this beer.The Jack Russell Brewing Co. says the following about this beer:

Also for “The Wheat Beer Company.” Another southern German-style wheat beer, a bit stronger and more robust than the hefeweizen; also has a hint of coriander.

Where I Found It. BevMo in Sacramento, CA.

Date Reviewed. June 13, 2009

Serving Type. 33oz pop-top bottle to a pint glass.

Appearance. Big Ass Bock has a pleasant dark orange hue and is slightly hazy in appearance. The head is white with lose bubbles and does not last very long at all.

Smell. The aroma of this beer is sweet malted grains without a roasted flavor. It also has a very nice honey aroma with an orange blossom or jasmine flower bouquet. Unless the hops are providing the sweet citrus bouquet there is no discernible hop notes in the smell.

Taste. Big Ass Bock has a nice malted barley sweetness with hints of biscuit. The sweetness, however, is not sugary sweet and the sweetness is blanced by just a hint of bitterness. The bitterness enhances the spicy flavor of cloves which was not detectable in the smell of this beer. The honey aroma follows through in the taste but the orange blossom bouquet is not present in the taste. The differences between the taste and smell of this beer make it very interesting and it all seems to fold together into a nicely refreshing beer.

Mouthfeel. This beer is a smooth and easy to drink medium bodied beer. The carbonation level on this beer is high. Immediately after pouring you can see many bubbles steaming to the top of this beer. You can definitely feel the effervescence while drinking this beer.

Drinkability. Despite the higher alcohol content of 6.8% this is a very drinkable beer. It is refreshing, smooth, and pleasant to drink.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 3.5
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 3.9

Information

• Style: weizenbock
• Brewery: Jack Russell Brewing Co.
• Alcohol by volume: 6.8%
• Beer Advocate rating: 2.48 (as of May 9, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Beer Advocate – Duke’s Big Ass Bock
• Rate Beer – Dukes Big Ass Bock

Deschutes Brewery is the number 6 craft brewery, by sales volume, in America (as of 20008 and 2009) and they continue to produce excellent products such as Hop Henge Experimental IPA. Hop Henge is part of Deschutes Bond Street Series, which features hop-forward beer that are inspired by the original Deschutes Brewery & Public House on Bond Street in downtown Bend, OR.

This beer almost seems like a hybrid between and American amber ale and an American double IPA. It is very hoppy with a smooth biscuity sweetness to it. Deschutes describes Hops Henge as follows:

First brewed in 2006, Deschutes Brewery’s Hop Henge Experimental IPA reappears this year with more extreme hop flavors than ever before. The new formulation is the epitome of the brewery’s experimental style and commitment to innovation, while gratifying their unquenchable thirst for beautifully balanced hoppy beers. The newest incarnation of Hop Henge uses several new hop processes and techniques to create a truly unique and unexpected beer.

Where I Found It. BevMo in Sacramento, CA.

Review Date. July 11, 2009

Serving Type. 22 0z. bottle

Appearance. Hop Henge has a crystal clear but bold red-amber color and you can see the bubbles rising to the top. It has a tan head that started off with loosely coupled bubbles but after that subsided the head was tighter, creamy, and long lasting. After drinking half the beer, there is still have about 3mm of head.

Smell. The aroma of this beer is slightly bready aroma with much stronger notes of biscuity malt coupled with a roasted quality. The hop bouquet is earthy, spicy, and a little floral with pine and maybe some cedar. Since this is made with Cascade and Centennial hops, I was expecting a little more citrus and more in-your-face hops smell. However, my bottle was about 3 months old.

Taste. Hop Henge has both spicy and smooth bitterness from the hops. Although this beer has 95 IBUs, it does not seem overly bitter. It has a nice noticeable bite but is not overwhelming. The biscuit aroma follows through in the flavor with malty sweetness that you taste up front followed by that wonderful hop flavor. The sweetness of the malt buffers the 95 IBUs of bitterness. This is an 8.75% abv beer and sometimes you can taste the alcohol astringency and sometimes you cannot.

Mouthfeel. The beer is nicely carbonated with small bubbles giving is a more creamy nature. It is a full-medium bodied beer with a hop spiciness. The spiciness is not burning like a chili pepper but the spiciness is more that of black pepper or ginger, with out the flavor of those of course.

Drinkability. It’s summertime and I’ve been craving a lot of IPA beer discovering it to be more refreshing in hot weather than I previously expected. This beer is a little sweeter than some of those other quenching IPAs that I had. That and the high alcohol content makes this not a session beer. It is so delicious however that you do want your entire 22 oz. bottle to yourself.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.5
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.0
• Drinkability (10%): 3.5
• Overall: 4.05

Information

• Style: Double IPA
• Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
• Alcohol by volume: 8.75%
• Bitterness: 95 IBU
• Hops: Centennial, Cascade
• Malts: crystal, pale and carastan
• Beer Advocate rating: 4.1 (as of May 6, 2010)

Other Reviews

• The Brew Site – Hop Henge (2010)
• Drink Hacker – Review: Deschutes Brewery Hop Henge Experimental IPA
• The Full Pint – Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA
• It’s Pub Night – Hop Henge and Pliny the Younger
• Beer and Whiskey Brothers – Deschutes Hop Henge: What time is it?
• Hopzine – Hop Henge Experimental IPA
• Beer Advocate – Hop Henge Experimental IPA
• Rate Beer – Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA

Rubicon Brewing Company is a small brewery in midtown Sacramento, CA. It seems that the only beer that the distribute in bottles in their Rubicon IPA and a good choice at that. This IPA was a Gold Medal Winner in 1989 and 1990 at the Great American Beer Festival.Rubicon describes their IPA as follows:

Generous portions of Cascade and Chinook hops are added throughout the brewing process to create Rubicon’s Flagship Ale. Golden in color with an assertive hop bitterness. This beer won gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival. A true American Classic.

Where I Found It. BevMo in Sacramento, CA.

Date Reviewed. July 24, 2009.

Serving Type. 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance. Rubicon IPA has an off-white foamy head that leaves a bit of foam on the glass. Some clumps of foam remain on top of the beer as you consume it. It has an oak, orange, amber color which is slightly cloudy.

Smell. The hop bouquet of this beer is citrus, floral, and a hint of spiciness. The aroma is roasted malty sweet with a hint of vanilla and caramel.

Taste. Rubicon IPA has a wonderful taste of roasted malty sweetness with a hint of caramel. The malt flavor is complemented by a spicy and citrus hop bitterness that gives it an almost grapefruit flavor. The hop flavor starts out smooth and finishes with a bite. The hopiness only lingers for a bit on the tongue.

Mouthfeel. This is a medium to full bodied beer that has a smooth creamy texture and nicely carbonated.

Drinkability. Rubicon IPA is well hopped beer but not loaded with so many hops that you can only have one. After a 22 oz. bottle I could likely enjoy another 22 ounces of this beer. The balance of this beer makes it a nice and drinkable IPA.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 3.5
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 4.2

Information

• Style: IPA
• Brewery: Rubicon Brewing Company
• Alcohol by volume: 6.5%
• Hops: Cascade and Chinook
• Beer Advocate rating:

Other Reviews

• United Nations of Beer – Rubicon Brewing IPA
• Draft Mag – IPA by Rubicon Brewing
• The Full Pint – Review – Rubicon IPA
• Beer Advocate – IPA
• Rate Beer – Rubicon IPA