Broke into the Top 10!

Jon and I both broke into the top 10 at World of Beer UCF yesterday. We displaced both 9th place (146) and 10th place (141) by drinking our way to 147 and 148 beers. Woohoo! At this rate, we'll grab 4th and 5th place in just a few weeks.

--Jeff

Rogue Chocolate Stout

Thought I had a pic but I do not.  I
guess thats the only problem with
reviewing alcohol, sometimes you forget.

Why I tried this: Some dude online told Jeff that if you like the Shakespeare Oatmeal Rogue you will love the Rogue Chocolate Stout even more.  I also love stouts, realistically thats the only reason I need.  Also, look how happy that lady is.

Smell: roasted chocolate, while being the only scent I didnt think it was particularly strong.

Taste: Yummy.  This beer is really really good.  The chocolate flavor is more of a cocoa flavor and not as sweet as with most chocolatey beers.  Very subtle coffee flavor but somewhat noticeable.  For the most part all you will taste with this beer is the strong roasted chocolate flavor.  It actually tastes a lot like the bakers chocolate that says semi-sweet or whatever on the container.





We have been reviewing nothing but good beers lately but I guess thats not a bad thing. Anyway, this beer receives an empty glass for sure.  The bottle I purchased came in a 22oz bottle and I have already purchased it two times at World of Beer UCF instead of trying something new.  The flavor is a bit simple since its a roasted chocolate stout and thats exactly what you get but its so smooth and enjoyable I dont mind at all.  I always steal a sip of this when a friend has it and they get up and go to the bathroom, haha.




--Jon

Old Slug Porter

Why I tried this: It was another night of going down the list for me. The evening was nice, and I wanted a porter. I had just finished up with Old Engine Oil, and wanted to keep the good porter times rolling. Old Slug was next on the list. Kyle said it was good. Sure, why not?

Smell: Had a strong coffee and chocolate scent. Seems like this porter was heading in the right direction.

Taste: Moderately malty, with a good amount of roast. The chocolate and coffee notes definitely come out here, making a very pleasant mix. There was an ever so slight sweetness to it, that I could not determine. This is supposed to be black cherry. Quite impressive.

Overall, this was a really good beer. It poured a near black, with good light brown head that trailed the glass as you drink it. This 4.5% ABV porter was brewed by RCH Brewery, and I think it was a solid effort. It has a good porter smell and very enjoyable taste. It gets an empty glass award from me.

--Jeff

North Coast Pranqster

Why I tried this beer: My mother in law got me a six pack of some random beers she came across and this was one of the bottles in it. I noticed it was made by North Coast Brewery who makes Old Rasputin and Old Stock Cellar Reserve 2009 so I figured it'd be great. Well, spoiler alert! It did turn out to be great and I got it again at World of Beer UCF.

Smell: This beer smells like your typical Belgian however it has more spice to the scent.

Taste: This beer has a very balanced and delicious flavor. I would say this is probably the sweetest tasting of the Belgians I have had. Strong malt and sweet flavor with a perfect amount of hops, yeast and spice to make this beer very enjoyable. If you enjoyed the Grimbergen Blonde you will absolutely love this beer. In fact If I recommend one (Grim. Blonde or Pranqster) to a person I always recommend the other for their next beer. The citrus in the flavor of this beer sort of takes a back seat, it's still notable but not much in my opinion.


This beer receives as it deserves a completely empty glass. This is a beer I will continue to come to time and time again and will continue to recommend as I already have. This beer goes down smooth from its perfect balance and tastes great. North Coasts Pranqster takes a spot in my top favorite beers for sure. This is the 5th North Coast Brewery beer I have had and so far I have loved every single one.




--Jon

World of Beer outing with zee Germans

So once again Jeff, Scott and I hit World of Beer UCF and we hit it pretty hard... perhaps it hit us?....

We ended up bumping into a bunch of guys doing work over here, they came all the way from Germany. They were pretty awesome to talk to and hang out with but, to be honest I dont really remember much of the night. I guess in the words of Phil in the movie The Hangover "We obviously had a great f***ing time" since we cant remember the evening.

Looking forward to having more beer with these guys before they have to head back home oversees. Hopefully better pictures to come from those outings.

--Jon

Old Engine Oil

Why I tried this: I had tried this beer a long time ago when I was up in Savannah at a Scottish pub. As it would turn out, this is a Scottish porter, making it a ripe choice for a rather inebriated me. It wasn't on tap so I decided to get it in bottle and see if it was as good as I had remembered.

Smell: Dark, roasted malts hit the nose, followed by a hint of chocolate, coffee, and fruits that I could not decipher. An overall complex and dark mix. Right up my alley.

Taste: Roasted, malty, chocolaty. Simpy delicious. The beer goes down thick, kind of giving a little credence to the name. The flavor is very rich and enjoyable all the way down.

Overall, I'd give this beer an empty glass rating, because it was honestly just fantastic. The roasted malts and chocolate just make such a nice, strong flavor. The smell complements the flavor by being more of the same. It's thick, and it's just damn good. Strongly recommend!

--Jeff

Sea Dog Bluepaw Wheat Ale

Why I tried this: I was sitting at World of Beer UCF with my wife Kristy, and my friend Derek. I had been on a stout and porter binge for the longest time, so I really wanted to break the mold and go for something a bit lighter, a bit more refreshing. Kyle recommended a wheat beer, so I went with Sea Dog Bluepaw on draft.

Smell: Notes of wheat and blueberry are definitely noticeable. The smell is light, but pleasing.

Taste: Outstanding. This is a very clean, crisp, refreshing wheat beer. Golden wheat, malts, and a mix of blueberry play with your palette in a very fun way. It's simple, yet effective. On top of that, when you're finished, you get to eat the blueberries that are floating around in there. Yum.

When this beer came to me, I kind of freaked out when I noticed huge objects floating in my beer. Turns out they were whole Publix blueberries. Guess I should have read the description more carefully. Sea Dog is a brewery from up in Maine, and I really found their Bluepaw Wheat Ale to be excellent. It was a clean, refreshing wheat beer brewed with blueberries that had a great taste that didn't overwhelm. All in all, just a very pleasant beer to drink, so I award this an empty glass. I'd get it again, and again, for sure.

--Jeff

Hitachino Nest White Ale.

Why I tried this: So very recently I got "burnt out" on my staple of wheat and belgian style beers that I tend to drink. I was needing something new, and something outside so I went on a short bender of strange and foreign beers. This was the first of many new and strange beers I'll be reviewing.

Smell: Very "citrus-y" with a light effervescent quality to it. Notes of wheat, orange, and lemon of all things. Not to bad.

Taste: I could definitely taste the lemon in this playing off the wheat which was a bit strange for me. The mouth feel was similar to a Sprite with the fine carbonation and left the palate a bit dry on the finish. It wraps up with a tart little bite, not so much a "lip pucker" tart as a nice pleasant tart pastry.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this a 7.5. So this is a solid beer for sure, and was a nice little mix up to what I normally drink. A safe and comfortable foray into new styles. This beer was easily drinkable, and more like a sort of dessert than anything else.

--Scott

P.S. The beer glasses are stupid. Not doin it.

Brooklyner Weisse

Why I tried this: I've really been in the mood for hefeweisens lately, and this was the only one on draft that I hadn't tried yet. Our waitress Panda said it was good, so I went with it.

Smell: Wheat and spice, perhaps clove. Also had a hint of citrus smell to it.

Taste: Pure, unfiltered wheat with a citrus bite. Very good, very drinkable and refreshing.

Brooklyner Weisse was a pretty good hefeweisen. Brewed in New York, this 5% ABV Bavarian wheat beer had quite a few things going for it. It was drinkable and refreshing, making it an excellent beer to drink during spring or summer. It had a pleasant, spicy and fruity smell. And, it had fairly good flavor. I've had better Hefeweisens, but this did not disappoint, and so I award it with the almost empty beer glass rating. I'd probably get this again if it were still on draft.

--Jeff

Old Stock Cellar Reserve 2009

On another World of Beer outing Jeff and I bumped into one of our really good customers, his name is Bill. I think Bill was the person that initially told me what a World of Beer was and that one was opening up down the road from us.  While Jeff and I finished a Beer he went over to the bar and told us he was going to send us something amazing, a few minutes later and this bottle was staring at Jeff and I.

Bill, Jeff,  Jon

Since Jeff and I didnt really purchase this bottle Im going to do an informal and quick review.  This beer was incredible, there is really no downside to it at all.  The only possible downside of this beer is that it will set you back $40 per bottle at the bar.  This beer is Aged in bourbon barrels for I think a few years we were told.  

You can smell the Bourbon from your glass but when you sip it, its a strong beer but its delicious.  At 13.16% you can obviously taste the alcohol but surprisingly its much smoother then you would think.   The flavor will remind you of raisins, brown sugar, caramel and bourbon.  I hate bourbon and raisins but this beers blend made it very enjoyable and it is quickly followed up by quite a buzz.

I would give this beer an empty glass and order it again, but it would have to be a special occasion.  

Jons glass, epic bottle, Jeffs glass

--Jon

Weekly Beers Recommendation Update

We've updated our beers of the week page. This is where Jon and I reflect on the beers we've had over the past week, and each pick one that was our favorite. We're going to keep a running list of our weekly choices for now, and update this page every week, so be sure to check it out every once in a while!

--Jeff

North Coast Old Rasputin

Why I tried this: I had Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout a long time ago but I didnt really remember what it tasted like.  While browsing the bottle menu at World of Beer UCF I came across it and decided to give it a try.

Smell: Has a strong scent which seems to be alcoholic with a coffee and chocolaty scent.

Taste: At 9% this beer is very enjoyable, from the flavor even with the smell as it was you would never guess this beer was 9%.  The chocolaty malts and coffee malts work together very well and make this beer very good.  The alcohol is well hidden and hardly noticably, less than in any beer I have ever had at 9%.  This is an Imperial Stout I would absolutely recommend trying if you like Imperial Stouts.

This beer deserves an empty glass most definitely.  From the well masked high alcohol content to the flavor this beer is pretty much unbeliveable.  The flavor is very well rounded and nothing at all is overpowering.  If you like an imperial stout with a nice coffee and chocolate malt you will absolutely enjoy this one.  While enjoying this beer you may find yourself asking as I did how could this possibly be 9%.





--Jon

100 beers defeated @ World of Beer UCF

Jeff and I will add our 100th beer posts soon, just wanted to add this for now since we are both now over 100 beers at World of Beer!

--Jon

Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

look at this angled picture Jeff took of me.  Jeff is such an
artist

Why I tried this: I was sitting at 99 beers and wanted to try something awesome for my 100th beer. I really wanted to find a good stout at World of Beer UCF that I had not had yet.  While browsing through the stouts I came across this 22oz mammoth and decided it could be a fitting 100th beer.

Smell: The smell of this beer was lighter than I thought it would be.  There was a slight chocolaty scent but its aroma was very mild.

Taste: This beer was pretty enjoyable overall.  There is a roasted malt flavor that stands out pretty strong in the flavor.  The beers flavor was simple but it was very pleasant and smooth.  The chocolaty flavor and oat flavor is most of what I could pick up on in addition to the roasted flavor.  This beer was an easy drink and went pretty quickly (all 22oz of it).


I gave this beer a rating of 3/4 completed because it had a smooth well rounded good flavor.  Its flavor was a bit simple but it overall worked out really well for this stout.  It was a delicious beer and I would definitely get it again however it wouldn't break into my "favorites" category.

(the emptier the glass the more we enjoyed it)




--Jon

Victory Storm King Imperial Stout

Why I tried this: I was at World of Beer UCF and felt like I needed a stout. Kyle recommended this to me, and although I have so far been wary of Victory, I trusted him. This could be a dangerous game to play...

Smell: Roasted malts and coffee. Lots of it. Just barely below the threshold I'd consider overpowering. I was fairly impressed.

Taste: Just as it smelled, strong roasted malts and coffee tones came through sip by sip. The beer was strong at 9%, but not strong enough that you could taste the alcohol. It was enough to let the strong flavors come through. Really good.

It looks like listening to Kyle paid off yet again. This was the first good beer I've had from Victory...lol. It was a fairly strong imperial stout at 9% alcohol, but it hid the alcohol well, and had a wonderful mixture of strong roasted malt and coffee flavors. The smell was nice and as a stout should be. The pour was thick and practically black, leaving a nice light brown head. Overall, I'd definitely get this one again.

--Jeff

Old Speckled Hen

This beer sucks so bad Im not even reviewing it. Somehow this beer has a B on other review sites. This is by far the worst beer I have had in my entire life. Imagine sour rotten meat, thats what this tastes like.

Smell: Something dead thats been rotting for years. Most awful scent I have ever smelt.

Taste: Rotten meat that has been juiced and somehow made more foul.


This beer gets no glass because I would never even order this or let anyone around me order it. Unless it was to troll Jeff.


<3 Jon

I thought this beer was fantastic. Not sure why Jon doesn't like it or won't give it a proper review :(

--Jeff

Lion Stout

Why I tried this: Continuing my love for these craft beers in cans I came across Lion Stout.  I had been wanting to try Lion beers for a while and finally decided today was the day.  Additionally, the brand is called Lion what more reason would I need anyway?

Smell: Smelt very much so like a stout does.  I sensed some chocolate and coffee scents with a hint of a toffee like smell.

Taste: This beer has a very typical flavor that for me changed into something more unique on the back end which I liked a lot.  The beginning of your sip is malty and fairly strong and you pickup on the chocolate and coffee malt flavors.  After a second or two the toffee flavor reveals itself more so and there is a bit of a more roasted/smokey flavor.



Jons Rating (see about ratings page)

I enjoyed this beer very much.  It tasted great and I enjoyed it from start to finish.  It isn't one of my favorites but I would order it again if I was out somewhere.  1/4 glass left for this beer.

(closer to empty means we enjoyed this beer more and therefore would drink more of it)





--Jon

So close to 100...

The race to 500 at World of Beer UCF has really been heating up lately. Jon is at 96 beers, Scott is around 60, and I'm at 89. Pretty pleased with how quickly I've caught up. We should all be hitting 100 very shortly. After that, our sights are set on the top 10!

--Jeff

Verhaeghe Echt Kriekenbier

Why I tried this: I had the Verhaeghe Vichtenaar about a week ago and it definitely got me interested in the Flemish Red style of beer. I wanted to try all Verhaeghe had to offer, so I went with their kriekenbier next, which was described to me as a full bodied cherry style. My curiosity got the best of me.

Smell: A sourness tickles the nose, followed by the pleasant smell of cherries. Very nice.

Taste: I was fairly impressed. A very moderate but sweet taste of cherries comes out immediately in the first sip, followed by a bit of sourness to make it tart. The balance is really quite good! You can feel the carbonation, reminding you that this is not a wine, but a beer.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this an 8. This balanced kriekenbier was simply delicious. Not too sour, not too sweet. Jon and Scott weren't big fans, but I really enjoyed the melding of the flavors and the age of the beer coming out as you continued to drink. The beer smells pleasant, and looks great in a glass, pouring with an initial big foamy white head. At 6.8% alcohol, you're left with a smooth beer that is still moderately potent, without any of the alcohol taste. All in all, if you think you can handle a Flemish Red, I'd recommend starting with this one.

--Jeff

horrible.  Like a whiskey sour minus the getting stupid drunk immediately.  2/10


--Jon

Another World of Beer UCF visit

A little behind on this update since it happened a few days ago ...oops.

Was hanging out with Jeff, Scott, and Kristy initially at WoB and then they had to leave.  Left on my own I did what I typically do at WoB when by myself and started talking to random people.  I eventually ran into the bartender there Jackie and two other guys Dimitry and Mark.  Hung out with them the remainder of the night a shotgun and a few pictures later pushed me to 92 beers.

Hanging out at the bar.

Shotgun, Jackie somehow beat me.  I was pretty upset. I
cant remember what beer it was but I don't remember it
being very good.  Also, I'm not sure I could type
a review from this sampling.

Video coming soon, I have to push it to youtube then here.

--Jon

Bell's Special Double Cream Stout

Why I tried this: On another World of Beer adventure I had no idea what to order next.  The waiter we had Kyle typically suggests good beer to me so I told him to bring me a stout that I haven't tried yet.  A few minutes later and this bad boy was sitting in front of me.

Smell: Smelt like your typical stout.  A roasted malt smell.  The coffee scent stands out a bit but not too strong.

Taste: This beer at first tasted like I would expect a stout to taste like.  Since the label said cream stout I did expect a slightly creamier flavor then I sensed but it was still enjoyable.  This beer had a very well rounded flavor none of the malts in my opinion took over the flavor too much.  There was a flavor in the back I couldnt detect that gave it a very good and very original flavor.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this beer an 8.  This beer was very tasty and had a flavor I could not describe that made it more enjoyable.  Other than that this beer tastes like what you would expect a good stout to taste like.  If you are a fan of stouts and haven't had this one out I would definitely recommend it.

--Jon

Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner

Why I tried this: I was feeling in a pilsner mood. The name struck me as interesting, so I thought I'd dive in with this mermaid.

Smell: I was hit with a moderately strong smell of bitter hops, which I thought was a bit unusual for a pilsner. It had the profile of a pale ale. There was also an underlying sweetness to the smell. Overall, not bad. Time to dig in.

Taste: Yuck. I really think they tried to do too much with this beer. You get a very strong bitter hops taste of grass and perhaps oak. There was an attempt to balance this out with a hint of caramel malts, but it's too little, too late. The hops just leaves a bad taste on my tongue.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this beer a 4. Overall, this beer was needlessly complex to the point where it just doesn't make sense. The flavors don't work, and while the scent is fairly enjoyable and the beer makes for a nice looking pour, unfortunately taste is nine tenths of the law. If they simplified between a couple hops and toned down their intensity, perhaps add a bit of citrust, this beer might stand a chance. As is, I don't recommend.

--Jeff

Stone Ruination IPA

Why I tried this: This is another brew off of my IPA bender, and Stone is a brewing company that I've enjoyed other brews from. They always seem to make their beer with a little "like it, or fuck off" attitude, which was enough to engender me to their style.

Smell:This has a super piney hop smell, almost like sticking your nose into a bucket of raw hop flowers. While it's not a super pungent smell, it definitely lets you know what's coming up.

Taste: Ouch. This thing is like taking a sucker punch to the gums from the amount of hop flavor there is. I can almost feel the enamel in my teeth beginning to rot a way a little as I sip on this bastard of a brew. The strangest bit is actually the mouth feel though. It's a nice smooth feel, but the after taste almost punishes you for even daring to drink it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 6. This is just a personal preferences sort of thing. I found Stone Arrogant Bastard to be an interesting drink, and the Ruination definitely follows suit for that in your face attitude. If you're into a more hoppy bitter beer, then I definitely recommend it, but if you're more of a fruity Mike's Lemonade swill drinker then stay away. Your kind aren't wanted or welcome with this group.

--Scott

Boulder Hazed and Infused Dry Hopped

Why I tried this: I'm going to be completely honest here. I was really drunk, and don't know how I got this beer. Damn you World of Beer, damn you.

Smell: Had a light floral hop scent with a strong sense of citrus. Pretty pleasing.

Taste: It starts off with a bitter hop that is balanced out by a sweet lemon flavor. The hoppiness is medium bodied, and quite tolerable. The ale was smooth, drinkable, and highly refreshing.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 7.5. I have to admit, this is probably one of my more favorite pale ales. It was an easy to drink beer with great flavor. It smelled wonderful, and poured a nice looking white head. As the name suggests, this is a craft pale ale from Boulder, Colorado. Not bad. I'd recommend giving it a try.

--Jeff

Erie Smokebender

Why I tried this: Erie Smokebender just recently came up on the draft menu, and it was described as a unique beer with a smoked flavor. I had figured smoked would be similar to roasted, so I just thought I was in for a very malty beer. It was worth a try.

Smell: Smoked. Like this somehow just came off the grill. It was very strong.

Taste: Smoked. Unbelievably smoked. I felt like I was drinking charcoal. It was the most awful thing short of Steel Reserve or Colt 45 that I had ever put in my mouth. It was so strong, and there was nothing else I could discern from the taste.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this beer a 2. The only reason I gave it a 2 is because I was able to finish it. But, that took a long time, and my stomach felt awful afterwards. I give it a point for personality, but the only people who might even be able to stomach this beer would be heavy scotch whiskey drinkers. Other than that, simply awful. Stay away.

--Jeff

Bell's Two Hearted IPA

Why I tried this: I was on an IPA binge this certain day, after coming off a Magic Hat #9. I'm generally not a huge IPA guy, as they always seem one dimensional and overly hoppy, but Magic Hat showed me otherwise. This baby was on draft and generally Bells makes a fairly quality product, so with one IPA down the gullet I braved this little number.

Smell: It has a nice herbal hop smell to it, balanced with a fruity scent that had some citrus notes to it akin to grapefruit. Definitely a strong nose on this one, and actually a huge head sitting at about 1.5 inches.

Taste: It's got a nice bitter hop taste to it up front, giving that nice herbal taste that you come to expect from an IPA. The citrus notes are nice and mild, nothing like a Belgian Wheat might have, so definitely a good addition there. The end is sealed off by a slight malt taste, not to strong, but present. A nice bitter American IPA to be sure.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this beer a 7.5: It's a very drinkable beer for sure, would go great on a nice spring or summer day, but not anything out of this world in my opinion. It's definitely worth a try though, especially if you can get it on tap. A bit of a side note however, make sure you let it warm up a few degrees first. If it comes out too cold it will mute all the flavor this beer has to offer.

--Scott

Verhaeghe Vichtenaar

Why I tried this: I was browsing through the various beer types at World of Beer UCF, out of boredom. I came across a style known as Flemish Red, which intrigued me because it was described as sour tasting. I've never had anything like that before, so I decided to be adventurous and give it a go. Vichtenaar was the first I found in the menu under that brew style.

Smell: Wow. Sour. It felt like a blast of vinegar, with a very slight hint of sweetness, perhaps from berries. I knew I was in for one hell of a sip.

Taste: My initial reaction was that I was drinking vinegar. Several sips into it, I began to get through to the full taste of the beer, and the sourness lessened somewhat with a little sweetness. It was a full bodied taste, very strong. Not recommended for the uninitiated.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this beer a 6. Verhaeghe Vichtenaar is a sour Flemish red ale made in Belgium. With 5.0% ABV it was not very strong, but the taste was anything but. Expect a similarity to vinegar. There is little to balance this strong flavor out. It is exactly as described, red and sour. If you're looking for something interesting out there, I can say this might be something to look into, but I probably wouldn't get it again. However, this did get me interested in other Flemish Red style beers, which turned out to be a great thing.

--Jeff

Probably the most awful beer I have had in my entire life.  Still cant believe this is a beer style 2/10.

--Jon

Lost Coast Downtown Brown

Why I tried this: I was on a brown ale binge the day I tried the Downtown Brown. After having the Shipyard Brewer's Brown Ale and being disappointed, I wanted to leave on a high note, so I asked the bartenders at World of Beer UCF for a recommendation. This is what I received.

Smell: Good and malty, just the way a brown ale should be.

Taste: I took my first sip and got a mouthful of nice, dark malts. Behind the maltiness was a bit of nuttiness, which complemented the flavor fairly well. The only down side I can say about the taste was that it was perhaps too simple.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 7. With a malty smell accompanied by a dark, malty, nutty taste, this brown ale was good but somewhat pedestrian. It was fairly light and drinkable, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for a beer of this type. Brewed in California, this 5.0% ABV beer is probably about on par with Newcastle. I may or may not get it again.

--Jeff

I dont really like brown ales that much but this one was OK. 7/10

--Jon

Dunedin N2 Stout

Why I tried this: While Browsing the menu at World of Beer I came across I new stout that I hadn't tried yet so I decided to give it a shot. In addition to looking like a tasty stout it was also from Florida.

Smell: Taking a sniff of this beer was as expected for the most part. Dark malt scent with a very strong coffee malt scent. The coffee smell was much stronger then expected.

Taste: This beer tastes almost exactly as it smells. You get the flavor of dark malts and then the coffee flavor comes in, takes over, and pretty much keeps punching you in the face. I like coffee so this was pretty enjoyable however I do look for more than that in a beer. If you are a coffee junky you will probably enjoy this beer.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this beer a 7.5. This beer was pretty good and drinkable but I do look for a little more depth in my beer then just a strong coffee flavor. Would I get this again? Probably not. If I went to a bar and there were only one or two other stouts on tap I may end up getting this but there are plenty of stouts Id rather drink instead of this.

--Jon

I had a few sips of this and found it to be very similar to a Guinness, but with a more pronounced coffee tone to it. Didn't quite like that, since I'm not a fan of coffee. I'd rate it a 6.5/10.

--Jeff

Dale's Pale Ale

Why I tried this: One of the bartenders let me try it one day but I didn't really remember what it tasted like.  I thought it was interesting it came in a can and I was in a pale ale mood so I decided to give it another go.

Smell: Aside from the scent of can I also picked up a hoppy citrusy scent pouring out of the opening of the can.

Taste: It was interesting drinking something that wasn't Coors Light or Bud Light out of a can.  The first sip kind of blew me away because of what you expect beer in a can like this to taste like.  There was a hoppy flavor with a little citrus and I couldn't really detect a good standout malt flavor.  The hop flavor wasn't really overpowering at all this beer had a good taste but was relatively mellow.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this beer a 6.5.  It was pretty good and amusing that it comes in a can and while it is refreshing thats about where the wow factor ends.  I might drink this beer again but none of the flavors really stuck out in this beer as much as I would want.  I'm all for a well rounded refreshing beer but I like something with a bit more flavor than this.

--Jon

Quick Update

Just wanted to say that the Scotch Silly was just a wee bit heavy. That is all.

Tripel Karmeliet

Why I tried this: By now some of the bartenders are getting to know us pretty well. One of the bartenders we get pretty often is named Logan. I asked him to recommend a beer to me and after a short discussion about Belgian beer Tripel Karmeliet is what he came back with. He told me it was one of his favorites so I decided to go for it.

Smell: grainy yeasty earthy scent, not too strong, balanced and fresh

Taste: WOW! By far the best Tripel I have had to date. This beer was extremely well balanced and an extremely tasty smooth flavor all the way down. A refreshing flavor balance between a grainy flavor, slight citrusy flavor, sweetness, hops, malts and yeast. The carbonation of this beer was interesting as well and really completed the package.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this beer a 9. This beer was incredible from my first sip to the last. The depth of how well the flavors worked together was awesome. This was a great beer suggestion on Logan's part and I will absolutely be enjoying more of these in the future. Next time I run into Logan we will for sure have more discussions about more Belgian beers to try.

--Jon

Shipyard Brewer's Brown Ale

Why I tried this: I was sitting at the bar at World of Beer UCF and I had noticed they rotated this brown ale onto the draft menu. I'm a pretty big fan of brown ales, so it was a natural decision for me.

Smell: Lots of malts. Kind of hard to discern, but not overly strong notes, so that didn't help much. Was rather neutral about it, so I went on to the tasting.

Taste: This beer was rather light going down, starting off with a slightly bitter, very malty flavor. At the very end, you catch a little maple syrup. The malts didn't feel like a solid mix, and tasted overall of oak or something similar. I didn't really enjoy the taste that much.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this beer a 5. It was overly malty with little pleasing flavor, marginally balanced out by a bit of bitterness and then a very slightly sweet ending thanks to the maple. The beer was lighter in mouth feel than your typical brown ale, making it feel a bit watery. Definitely no where near a Tilburg's. Overall, fairly sub par and a bit disappointing, although not awful. I wouldn't get it again, and don't recommend bothering with it.

--Jeff

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Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Why I tried this: I'm a big fan of stouts, what can I say? It was on draft, and I've heard nothing but good things about this beer.

Smell: Such a powerful smell. You get very strong chocolate notes that are balanced out by a bit of coffee and roasted malts. Almost wish I could eat this beer.

Taste: Creamy, malty, chocolaty goodness. You get such a nice mixture of flavors that pass over you as you drink it. It's so smooth. The malts in this beer are quite roasted, which give it a bit of a burnt impression, but that's where the chocolate kicks in to sweeten it up a bit. The flavor of this beer is just so rich.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it an 9/10. Young's Double Chocolate Stout is definitely one of the better stouts I've had in a long time. It's smooth, it's thick, it's creamy, and it's incredible delicious. With a nice chocolate and coffee smell to complement, this beer really isn't missing anything. The only downside I can see is that it's not a beer you'll be able to drink more than a couple of in one night. Other than that...strongly recommended.

--Jeff


Had this the other night it was great.  The flavor is very smooth and makes for a very tasty beer. 9/10

--Jon

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Starr Hill The Love

Jon enjoying some Love

Why I tried this: Jeff and I were at World of Beer the day the Starr Hill Brewery guys showed up. However, we didn't get a chance to stay and talk to them because we had to leave early. We decided the next time we went to WoB we would try some of their beer. We sampled all three WoB had and decided to start with a hefeweisen that goes by the name of "The Love".

Smell: yeasty/wheat smell with some citrus scent. A nice refreshing scent.

Taste: This beer has a very smooth well rounded flavor. None of the flavors are overpowering and it makes for this beer to be very enjoyable. Wheat and sweet deep dough flavor up front that slides into a citrusy finish.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this beer an 8. This beer smells great and tastes very refreshing. All of the flavors make this beer very well rounded and nothing is really overpowering. The only thing I would actually of liked in this beer is a stronger flavor. This would be a nice refreshing beer to drink on a hot day or something to relax with.

--Jon

Had the beer as well, and wasn't quite as impressed with it as Jon. The smell was your typical wheat with a hint of orange peel and possibly banana, with the taste not differentiating much from the smell. I agree it was refreshing and drinkable, but oddly it felt a bit flat and just had weak mouth feel. Could probably do with having a slightly bolder taste. I'd probably give it a 7/10.

--Jeff

Red Brick #'s Ale

Why I tried this: No idea. Was going for random that day! An ESB wasn't exactly on the top of my lists, but what the hell, right?

Smell: It had a very light smell of various hops. There was a definite bitterness to it, but nothing overpowering. Pretty typical for an ESB.

Taste: The flavor was actually better than I expected. You get a moderate mouth full of hops, with a slight malt and bitter to balance things out. The beer is light, smooth, and fairly easy to drink. Combined with the balance of flavor, it was fairly enjoyable.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this beer a 7. I don't think I'd personally get it again, but it was a quality ESB from Red Brick. The smell was ordinary, but the taste was above average, making this beer a solid choice if you're an ESB fan. I'd recommend it if you'd like to try something different, but otherwise probably wouldn't bother with it unless someone bought you one.

--Jeff

50 down, 450 to go...

Took me an extra week over Jon to reach my 50, but I feel like I did a pretty good job considering I had less trips recently than he had.

Started the night at 46, and went from there, determined. Had to keep things light and simple, since Jon was being a pansy and had to leave in an hour, so I needed beers we could drink quickly.

First up was your traditional Yeungling lager. I'll spare you guys since I know everyone has had that one.

#48 was a Sam Adams Noble Pils. Not sure why I picked that one, but I was browsing the WOB bottle's list and really wanted a Sam Adams for some reason. Fairly hoppy, not bad.

#49 was an O'Hara stout. Jon is probably going to get a review up on that one, but suffice to say that it was a decent beer. Nothing standout about it, unfortunately.

#50 was...wait for it...a Becks. We had the bartender pretty confused on that one. He almost refused and wanted me to get something better haha. I told him it was for sentimental purposes. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Beerfest...but next time when I hit 100, I'll do it with something more interesting.

Well, got the 50 shirt, pretty happy. Bobby @ WoB UCF was awesome as usual, and didn't rag on me too hard for coming in with my Manchester United jersey. Met shortly with a micro brew rep from Starr Hill and got a picture, which was cool. We'll be trying their beer shortly, so stay tuned!

--Jeff

Franziskaner Dunkel-Weiss

Why I tried this: I had recalled Scott mentioning this brand several times, and saw this particular beer on draft at World of Beer. It was described as a mix between a Dunkel and Hefeweisen, which sounded right up my alley.

Smell: It has a strong scent of yeasty wheat on top of roasted malts. I can also detect a hint of fruit and spices. Very pleasing.

Taste: Has a strong, roasted, malty flavor. There are undertones of wheat, followed by a hint of cinnamon, which was a pleasant surprise and explained the spice smell. Overall, one heck of a taste.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this beer an 8.5/10. Franziskaner's Dunkel-Weisse is one heck of a beer. It has what you like about a hefeweisen, mixed with what you'd expect in a dunkel. You know you're in for a good drink once you take a whiff. At 6.0% alcohol, you couldn't taste any over all of the flavor, which was great. I'd definitely get this beer again, and strongly recommend it.

--Jeff

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