Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victory Koffee Kake - 6% - American Blonde Ale

The beer pours a clear golden color with a small head of fizzy white foam which leaves a touch of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.  The aroma features coffee, caramel, toffee, vanilla crème and grain.  Taste follows nose with additional notes of brown sugar, maple, cinnamon bun, oatmeal, and fresh baked bread. A surprisingly fun and interesting brew. I was expecting something a little more cheap and gimmicky, but I was pleasantly surprised by this collaboration between Victory Brewing Company and TastyKake.  

Overall Rating: Good-

===================================

Mighty Squirrel Cloud Candy - 6.5% ABV - New England IPA

The beer pours a hazy golden orange color with small head. The foam fades fast leaving bits of lace on the side of the glass. Nose features notes of tropical fruits,  fresh cut grass light grapefruit, mellon, and hard sugar candy.  Taste follows nose and added notes of mango, pineapple, orange and lemon. passionfruit, papaya, peach and especially honeydew,  Well made but typical NEIPA that's a bit more sweet than most.

Overall Rating: Above Average+

===================================

KCBC Marble Of Doom - 5% ABV - Fruited Kettle Sour

Pours a nice pinkish, hazy hue, with a moderate foamy head with good retention. Lacing nonexistent. Looks like a glass full of beet juice, opaque.  Nose brings aromas of raspberries, pomegranate, guava, passionfruit, pickle brine, and blueberry.  Taste follows nose with raspberry, blueberry, and tart cranberry leading the way over a malt undertone.  Appropriately refreshing and drinkability but nothing special. 

Overall Rating: Above Average

===================================

Kane Sneak Box -  5.4 % ABV - American Pale Ale

Pours a hazy gold with small initial head and good lacing throughout the tasting. Aroma is citrus peel, orange, fresh citrus fruit, and lemon.  Taste follows nose dutifully as Citra hops shine through. Fruit remains forward over a malty base.  More fruity than most pale ales but far from a juice bomb.  Well made and interesting it gets decent milage from it's fairly low ABV.

Overall Rating : Good-

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Half Canal Street - 8% - Imperial IPA

Get ready for a Citro, Samcoe and Kashmere hopfest.  The beer pours a very opaque blond-amber brew with an enduring white head. It's receding unevenly, indicating it's not wheat heavy. A hoppy aroma brings a nicely intricate dose with notes that include orange, pineapple, light lychee, pine, and a hint of mango. Taste follows nose along with with mild hints of berry, dank citrus, and resin.  After a touch of sweetness at first sip a medium bitterness pervails throughout.  Finish is lighly dry as Kashmere overpowering the Citra and Simcoe.  Well made to please hop heads and juicy fans.

Overall Rating: Outstanding -

===================================

Tired Hands DDH Oblivex - 9% ABV - New England IPA

The beer is made with oats and spelt, and dry hopped with Citra and Amarillo. The second dry hop is more Citra.  

It pours a murky, deep honey color with a substantial off-white head thal lingers. Lacing is plentiful and lasting.  Nose starts with light pepper, orange mango and light grapefruit notes. Taste follows nose along with with orange zest, and a small hint onion.  Noticeable dankness throughout.  Hoppy and flavorful.  

Overall Rating: Very Good +

===================================

Finback Cats Are People Too - 9% ABV - Imperial IPA

The beer is dry hopped with Citra, Cashmere, Mosaic, Nelson and Belma. It pours a hazy yellow with a solid 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with nice retention Nose brings moderate aromas of juicy citrus/orange, tangerine, pineapple, passionfruit, melon, and light biscuit. Taste follows nose with added notes of cantaloupe, papaya, light vanilla, and apricot.  No bitterness detected.  Smooth and creamy.  Nicely balanced and easy to drink for such a high ABV

Overall Rating: Good+

===================================

Tree House Nervous Energy -  8.1 % ABV - Milk Stout

According to TH, the beer is supposed to emulate the character of classic french toast. Pours dense and dark with a slowly cascading dark mocha head. Spotty lace with thin legs. Nose brings dark fudge, espresso, faint cinnamon, lactose, vanilla and maple.  Taste brings more of the same with notes of semi-sweet chocolate, iced mocha, roasted malt, molasses, and a touch more cola. Finish is sticky with an aftertaste of cocoa powder. The usual sweetness associated with most milk stouts is present throughout.  Well made but the sweetness is just short of cloying. 

Overall Rating : Above Average

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victory Koffee Kake - 6% - American Blonde

The beer pours a clear golden color with a small head of fizzy white foam. The head has a moderate level of retention, fading over time and leaving a touch of foamy lace on the sides of the glass. The aroma brings coffee, bread, malt, and vanilla crème.  Taste brings .toasted grain dessert-spice, brown sugar, and bitter yeast.  Think a house brand coffee creamer.  Not a typical blonde ale, and in this case, that's not a positive.

Overall Rating: Below Average+

===================================

Other Half Vapor Rings - 8.4% ABV - New England IPA

Pours an opaque pale gold color with a full 1 inch effervescent off-white head. Good head retention. Leaves a crown of lacing.  Aroma beings with a pungent citrus, white grape, oranges, peach, and a whiff of tangerine and pineapple.  Taste follows nose with  with added notes of overripe mango, passion fruit, papaya, and a hint of lemon. while finishing on the sweeter side with an underlying subtle tropical fruit bitterness. Essentially it tastes very much like tastes like every other oat and lactose thing from Other Half.  Solid but undistinguished.

Overall Rating: Good-

===================================

Bitburger Winterbock - 7% ABV - Helles Bock

Pours a clear, deep golden amber coloration with a medium, fluffy head. Nose brings melon, light citrus, herbs, malts, and honey.  Flavor follows nose with an underlying  malty sweetness with lighlybitter subtext. The Calista Hops are a wise addition to this as pale bocks can often be overly sweet and boozy but this has a decent fruity character. The 7% ABV is very well hidden.

Overall Rating: Good+

===================================

Hudson Valley Pendant - 8 % ABV - Imperial IPA

Pours a hazy light orange with soft head that leaves tons of lacing on the glass. Mouthfeel is medium, soft and it's well carbonated. Smell is juicy and lightly sweet with notes of gummy candy, mango melon, and pineapple. Taste follows nose with a dank earthiness with notes of melon on the finish.  It has a very light, soft bitterness on the finish as a slightly harsh dankness takes over. Just another decent entry in a crowded field.

Overall Rating : Above Average+

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Founders Underground Mountain Brown - 11.9% - Brown Ale

Ppours a deep dark hickory with a fairly impressive head that left some consistent and sticky lacing. Nose brings strong brown sugar, medium roast coffee, and robust chocolate, with hints of bourbon, vanilla and caramel.  First sip brings a sweetness quickly followed by rich roasted coffee, notes, coca, vanilla, oak, hazelnut, caramel malt, r bourbon, cinnamon, chocolate and toffee.  There is a slight alcohol burn that eventually fades. Overall a very nice barrel aged beer that’s almost like sipping a bourbon and coffee cocktail.  

Overall Rating: Good+

===================================

Finback Cats Are People Too - 9% ABV - Imperial IPA

Pours a hazy yellow with a solid finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with nice retention. Smells blend nice featuring  notes of tangerine, vanilla, ripe melon, papaya, and apricot. Taste follows nose with moderate amounts of orange sweetness, grapefruit and /passionfruit  Hops stay in the background but do impart a light bitterness which lingers slightly at the finish.  Well made and balanced. 

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

Foley Brothers Pieces of Eight - 8% ABV - Imperial IPA

Pours a hazy amber. Nice light creamy head with good lacing. Aromas of mellow tangerine, lemon peels, pine, caramelized barley malt. and citrus. Taste brings notes of tart grapefruit, oranges stone fruit, resin, lemon,  and a hint of roasted malt in the background. The hop bitterness is light to moderate. The mouthfeel is smooth.  There is just the slightest hint of astringency at the finish. 

Overall Rating: Very Good-

===================================

Sloop (No) Santa - 6.5 % ABV - New England IPA

Pours a hazy light gold color. Fluffy, slightly off-white head with excellent retention and ample lacing. Nose features pineapple, mango,  strawberries, orange and a touch of fresh hops, Taste follows nose with added backbone of a vibrant grapefruit. A balancing hop bitterness come in iearly and lingers throughout.  Well made and quite tasty.

Overall Rating : Very Good+

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Market Garden Festivus Holiday Ale - 7.5% ABV, Winter Warmer

Pours brownish red with a foamy almond head. Good retention and lacing.  The smell brings spices, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and roasted grains and malts. Taste follows nose with caramel and spices in front of a malty backbone.  A bit thin for the style.  For some this beer is just too loaded with holiday spices, for other it will be right for the season.  I'm in the former group. 

Overall Rating: Average

===================================

Shorts Pure Michigan Winter Pils - 7.3% ABV - Imperial Pilsner

Pours a translucent gold with a nearly white head with good retention and lacing.  A rather modest nose; mostly grains, grass, and herbal hops. Taste brings the same along with biscuits,  malt, and lemon citrus. Medium bodied with a crisp mouthfeel.  Finish is relatively dry with a light bitterness.  The beer is made with all Michigan ingredients.  Not your typical pils but tasty and well made.  As for calling it "Imperial" at 7.3%, well, it's on the can so it must be true.   

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

New Trail Ugly Sweater - 11.2% ABV - American Imperial IPA

Pours a straw gold, with a dense haze; off white head is rich frothy, and thick.  Nose brings a mix of toasted grains with citrus, tropical fruits, papaya, and pineapple.  Taste follows with added notes of orange, apple, apricot, and alcohol. As the finish nears hops move to the front but do not bring much bitterness. There is a just a hint of chalk from as oats and wheat.  Overall a cross between a true Imperial IPA, a Triple IPA, and barleywine.  An interesting beer. 

Overall Rating: Above Average+

===================================

Ommegang Everything Naughty - 9.5 % ABV - American Imperial (Blonde) Stout

Pours a hazy medium golden copper color with thin lacing and light carbonation.  Nose brings coffee, light smoke, with sweet malt and hints of candy.  . After the pour airs out, the aroma subsides quickly.  Taste brings nutmeg, strong coffee and chocolate with a lingering spicy citrus on the back side mixed with Belgium yeast.  This so called "Blonde Stout" finishes dry with lingering notes of high alcohol.  It is what it is but not for me..  

Overall Rating : Below Average

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Root & Branch Displaying Arrogant Enthusiasm - 8% ABV, New England IPA

Pours cloudy orange juice color with a thick frothy head that that receded slowly. Smells of tangerine, orange peel, lemon zest, clementine, biscuit, coriander and pine. Tastes follows nose along with notes of with grapefruit, apricot, lime, tea leaf, graham cracker.  Light oats and dry floral hops throughout.  It’s nicely balanced for the style. ABV well hidden.  Smooth and drinkable that is not the typical juice bomb usually seen in the sty.e.

Overall Rating: Good+

===================================

Bronx American Pale - 6.3% ABV - Pale Ale

Pours a semi-clear orange. One finger of frothy white head with good retention and light lacing.  Aroma brings a light sweetness showcasing cascade hops up front with bright floral notes and hidden malts.  Taste follows nose with even more Cascade as finish brings light pine and a hint of bitterness.  Well balanced.  A solid beer that is easy to underrate because of its gentle take on the style.  An appropriate flagship for the brewery.

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

Kane Nightmare at Sea - 12% ABV - American Imperial Stout

Pours a dark thick black, medium tan head that has excellent retention. Looks like a creamy shake.

Aroma features roasted malt, chocolate, light coffee, grass, and a hint of honey. Tastes follows nose with notes of cocoa powder, roasted coffee beans, and barley. There is hint of sweetness from the honey.  Noticeable in the background is a light mix of wood and whiskey from the aging.  Alcohol no does not overpower.  Over all a ssmooth drink that reminds of a nitro pour. 

Overall Rating: Very Good -

===================================

Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue Peacharine - 5.8%%ABV - American Pale

Pours a very hazy gold with a tfinger of whippy beige head. Solid head retention & lacing. Nose brings clear notes of mangoes, peaches, papaya, tropical fruit, and pineapple. Taste brings soft peach and mango notes upfront with  pine and resin accents. passion fruit, green melon, and lime in the background.  Very light hop presence throughout. A drinkable pale but not as good a the regular Pseudo Sue or the many better ones in the category..

Overall Rating : Average+

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black Cat Long Live Beerworks - 6.5% ABV, American IPA

Pour is  somewhat hazy, nearly a straw yellow hue. Big frothy head. Smell is very citrus forward, hints of lemon zest and orange peel along with grassy hops, fruit citrus and caramelized malts. Flavor profile is a little less bright - light toasted malts, biscuits, tangerines with a hint of earthiness towards the back. Subtle hints of pine, and more citrus. Not very hop resinous, Well balanced.  Solid beer but not distinguished in a big field.

Overall Rating: Above Average

===================================

Stone 27th Anniversary Lemon Shark - 9.6% - Double IPA

Brewed with Peacharine and Riwaka hops, along with Phantasm – an extract from sauvignon blanc grape skins plus some Mosaic hops.   Pours a hazy - unfiltered WCIPA hazy - mango color with a frothy white head that lingers and provides splotchy lacing. The nose is filled with tropical citrus note of mango, lemon, and pineapple, some peach, a bit of green grape, and there’s also a grainy malt note. Taste follows nose with additional notes of green melon, a touch of tangerine, and grapefruit.  More juice than expected with the alcohol not very well hidden. If you like New Zealand hops you'll like the beer, if not, stay away.  I'm in the latter category.

Overall Rating: Average+

===================================

Ayinger Oktoberfest - 5.8% - Marzen

Pours clear medium amber with a 1/2" soapy/creamy eggshell white head that is lightly fizzy then recedes to edge quickly, Aromas are caramel malts, apple, biscuits, and light grape /lemon notes,  Taste features malts upfront, roasted rye, biscuits, and yeast, Near mid-sip hops appear with hint of tea and spice. Finishes with a lingering yeast, tea and lemon. It's less sweet than the majority of marzens, which is most welcome. Balanced with layers of flavor and complexity . Very well made.  If you can only have one marzen / fest beer this might be the one.

Overall Rating: Very Good +

===================================

Foam Pop Crimes - 10%ABV - New England IPA

Pours a murky orange/yellow with white head. Good lacing. Nose brings orange, grapefruit, pineapple, and ahint of vanilla.  Taste solidly follow nose with  additional notes of  honey, melon, and dank hops, The alcohol is very well hidden hidden making this drink more like a standard 7% brew.  Finish brings a noticeable but subdued resinous bitterness.  Very smooth throughout.  Very tasty and easy to drink so beware the 10% ABV.

Overall Rating : Outstanding-

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Industrial Arts Week 365 - 5% ABV, German Pilsner

Pours a crystal clear straw yellow (great) with a smallish, white head, brief retention but good lacing. Nose is flowery, doughy, peach, strawberry Starburst, light orange juice., and light bubblegum. Taste has light tropical sweetness balanced by some dry bitter notes. Feel is very clean and crisp. More like a session NEIPA than a true German Pils but the crispness and clarity of this beer works with the lighter hop notes. 

Overall Rating: Above Average

===================================

Tired Hands Double Alien Church - 9% ABV, New England IPA

Pours sgold/orange color. Quite cloudy/hazy with good off yellow head. Good retention. Uneven, rocky dissipation gives way to good lacing. Aromas are grapefruit and tropical fruit. Papaya, pineapple, melon, peach, and light white pepper.  Taste follows nose with a dank sweetness throughout and a lightly bitter finish. Well made by a most professional brewery

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

Dancing Gnome - 8.5%, ABV,  New England IPA

Pours a nearly turbid, burnt sunflower-orange body topped with two fingers of dense, fluffy, white foam; great head retention leaves over a finger of rocky cap remaining, along with a large, creamy collar.  Nose brings melon, peach, apricot, orchard fruit, wood, and tangerine.  Taste follows with light lime, honey, and dank pine. aFinish is lightly stringent.  Not the standard run of the mill NEIPA.  

Overall Rating:  Very Good+

===================================

Surly Furious - 6.7%, IPA

Made with Simcoe, Cascade, Amarillo, and Warrior this IPA ours a crystal clear copper/amber color with two fingers of creamy off white/tawny head.  Smells' are of grapefruit, woo, pine resin. with hints of caramel on biscuits. Overall, the aromas seem to be a bit restrained.  Tastes follows nose over a malt background that has metallic hints.  Finish brings a light bitterness that nicelly ofsets the earlier sweetness.  A solid though undisguised IPA.

Overall Rating: Above Average+

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Foley Bros. Prospect- 9. 7% ABV, Imperial IPA

Pours the color of liquid butter/shinny bronze with a medium sized head that leaves good lacing. The aroma is clearly hop forward featuring citrus, pineapple, light exotic fruit and light floral hints. Follows the nose with noticeable notes of  lychee.  A nice gentle touch of controlled bitterness lurks in the background throughout.  Finish brings tropical juice and a touch of papaya.  The alcohol is very well hidden so be careful since you just might have more than one.

Overall Rating: Outstanding

===================================

Foam Damage Control - 9% ABV, New England IPA

Pours a foggy haze of lemon-gold capped with multiple fingers of rocky, fluffy, white foam; good head retention leaves a thin veil of cap, a moderate, frothy collar, Aromas are of wet wheat, crackers, grape candy, passion fruit, orange juice,and  lychee,  Taste follows nose with an underlying dankness plus notes of tropical fruit.  Finish brings just a hint of bitterness.  The alcohol is fairly well hidden but you'll know it's there.  A decent entry in a very crowded field. 

Overall Rating: Above Average+

===================================

Mortalis Prometheus - 10.5%, ABV,  American Imperial Stout

The beer pours a syrupy black with warm caramel highlights around the margins. No head formation, neither cap nor collar, just a thin, oily film. Nose is sweet and nutty with cocoa,  cinnamon-like spice. bit of marshmallow, with a hint of maple syrup and a touch of coffee in the background. First sips bring in a lot of cocoa nibs.  Next comes macadamia, maple and big, roasty coffee,  Finish brings  Isweet nut fudge and hints of burnt coffee grounds.  Tasty but borders on too sweet and over roasted.

Overall Rating:  Above Average

===================================

Root & Branch The Assayer - 10% ABV, Imperial IPA

Pours a hazy yellow, copper/gold with a small, foamy white head that leaves a fair amount of lacing. Nose brings fresh strawberries, yellow citrus fruits, mango, pineapple, passionfruit, and crackers.  Tase brings mango, creamsicle, orange juice, guava and kiwi.  Overall it's juicy and dank,  Lightly bitter finish.  Another well made beer from this brewery.

Overall Rating: Good

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tired Hands Double Milkshake IPA - Watermelon - 9. 7% ABV, Milkshake IPA

Pours a hazy orange color with a long lasting, fluffy white head. Nose brings watermelon juice, tropical fruit, apples, and hints of banana; all with a sweet freshness.   Taste follows nose with with watermelon flavor dominating though  tropical fruit, light citrus. melon, papaya, peach, and mandarin orange are clearly there.. Vanilla and light spice linger in the background.  It's medium bodied with no bitterness. The high ABV is unnoticed.  Smooth and creamy throughout.  It's interesting but the milkshake style is for fans only.

Overall Rating: Above Average 

===================================

Bissell Brothers Reciprocal - 7.3% ABV, New England IPA

A three-inch, white cumulus cloud holds stationery over the densely hazy light orange beer when first poured in the gass. As the head recedes slightly a thick lace remains on the glass.  The aroma opens with fresh citrus, orange and grapefruit, followed by mango. Pine tar and herbal scents build with warmth as the initial freshness fades. The flavor is zestier than the nose, with tangerine and pith front and center. Pine resin follows with high bitterness. Sweetness struggles to maintain control, bringing out some mango nuances. The finish is long and moderately strong, with grass and chives. As the finish nears a hint of astringency appears.  Solid beer but in an overcrowded category.

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

District 96 Liquid Personality - 8.3%, ABV, Imperial IPA

The beer pours a very murky orange/gold,  The soft white head  head quickly settles leaving an uneven light lacing.  

Nose brings, citrus, oranges, papaya and apricot with a light dankness. Taste follows nose along with passionfruit, mango, and pine resin  Overall tastes akin to a dank, mango-banana smoothie with caramelized grapefruit undertones. It's a smooth drink featuring a syrupy slickness and no alcohol flavor.  Well made but on the edge of the style in terms of sticky mouthfeel.

Overall Rating:  Good+ 

===================================

Zero Gravity Frankie - 5.1% ABV, American Blonde

Pours a cloudy orange/pink with 3 fingers of foamy white head that fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing.  Aromas are straightforward - lemon, lime, grapefruit, bread crumbs, and slight cherry.  .Taste follows nose with some white pepper, doughy malt, and hints of tart cherries with lager like undertones. It is not a saison, sour, or even a traditional Blonde in terms of classic fruit beer tastes.  It's an easy drinking refresher for those new to craft beer.

Overall Rating:  Average

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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New Trails Broken Heels - 7% ABV, New England IPA

Pours a very hazy, nearly opaque light orange yellow with a thin white head. You are greeted with aromas of papaya, orange zest, lemon, tangerines, and light pine hop. Flavor profile carries follows with pine and grassy notes backing  - papaya, tangerine, grapefruit, orange zest, melon, passion fruit and lemon rind. Soft doughy malts and a touch of sweetness move to the front at the finish nears balanced by a light bitterness.  Well made but another good NEIPA among the many others  

Overall Rating: Good 

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Ithaca Java Power - 7.5%, IPA With Coffee 

This beer pours a hazy brown - orange with a thin off white head and minimal lacing.  The nose was somewhat off-putting with notes of stale coffee over light citrus hops,  Taste clearly follows nose  with added notes of light cream,  a faint touch of smoke. and lightly sweet tropical flavors. The malt character is noticeable in the background.  You rarely see a coffee IPA and this beers shows why that's true. Its well made but the two worlds just don't blend into a cohesive whole. 

Overall Rating:  Fair-

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Zero Gravity Frankie - 5.1% American Blonde Ale

Pours a bright peach -light red color with a slight haze. and small white head that disappates fairly quickly.  Nose brings juicy citrus notes along with lemon peel, malt, and light clove  Hiding in the background is a slight note of sulfur from the lager yeast they use.   Taste follows nose along with notes of white pepper, doughy malt, and light cherry. Near mid-sip sweet orange juice, crackers, malt, noble hops, and light grain enter.  Finish is light and dry.  A decent beer for a warm summer day but nothing really special.

Overall Ration:  Average 

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3 Floyds Zombie Ice - 8.5%, American Pale Ale

Pours orange red with a fluffy white head. Slightly hazy with good lacing.  Nose brings noticeable notes of floral hops sweet berries. apricots tangerine, mango, and pineapple over a hint of alcohol. Taste brings noticeably sweet tropical fruits with papaya, mango and tangerine up front with light toast and grain underneath.. Some light hops and a bit of mustiness appear at the somewhat sweet finish.  An interesting beer that is not quite in the league of the many better ones at this ABV and flavor profile on the market.  

Overall Rating:  Above Average -

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Keegan Super Kitty - 12% ABV, American Strong Ale

This beer pours a orange/brown body with just a wisp of foamy, white head.  Minimum but noticeable lacing.  The aroma had a nice blend of honey to oak chips meshing with a toasty caramel/toffee malt backbone. Light floral sweetness and a touch of grassiness. Flavor follows nose with earthy, piney, hoppy edge to an otherwise sweet and strong beer. Alcohol is somewhat noticeable but the beer is smooth and full-bodied.  Well made and delicious.

Overall Rating: Very Good +

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Trillium Oenobier: Semillon  10.8% ABV, Wild Ale

(The golden-skinned French Sémillon grape is regarded for its full-body, yet bright fresh-zested citrus and tropical fruit flavor.)  The beer pours a slightly hazy straw golden yellow with a creamy, frothy fast dissipating white foam head. Nose is rustic barnyard funk, wet hay, apples and apple cider vinegar. Light bodied with a crisp, prickly, but almost syrupy mouthfeel. Taste brings lemons, soured grapes, white wine, light malty grains, and tannic acid on the palate. Finishes sour, acidic, and warming in the throat.  An interesting beer for the adventurous palate.

Overall Rating:  Above Average 

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Aslin Master of Karate 8.4% ABV, New England IPA

It pours an opaque goldenrod color, with a one-finger pale white head. Lacing is good. Head retains fairly well. Nose brings candied orange peel, fresh wheat, mango and grapefruit. Taste follows nose with added flavors of tangerine jam. floral hops, mango, light orange and a faint hint of pine.  Finish is lightly sweet with  orange notes dominating. Overall a well-balanced beer in the middle profile of the style.

Overall Ration: Good

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. 

Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Foam Built To Spill - 8% ABV, New England IPA

This beer pours a yellow golden, with a soft foamy white head that lasts.. It opens with strong aromas of tropical fruit with candied mango and apricot dominating over hints of nicely complementary melon and citrus.  Taste brings flavors of lightly sweet melon upfront that stays dominant through the finish.  Notes of crisp apples, tart lemo, grapefruit, and orange balance things out. Just avoids being yet another NE juice bomb.  Well made; good example of the style.

Overall Rating: Good +

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Stone Patio Magic - 8.8% ABV, Imperial IPA

The beer pours a gold/ orange color with a very slight haze.  Head is loose and about one finger.  It disappiates fairly quickly leaving just a small touch of lacing. Nose is typical Stone in that it features hops along with soft notes of orange blossoms, peaches, strawberry, and a small hint of alcohol,  . Taste follows nose along with additional notes  of white grape, Kiwi, orange peel, and honeydew melon,  Finish brings a hint of bitterness under citrusy zest .  A solid beer but not a standout.

Overall Rating:  Above Average +

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Evil Twin Even More Hydra - 7% ABV, Wild Ale/Fruited Sour

This beer pours a thick purple with no head and no lacing. The aroma of this fruit smoothie/slushy revives memories of a candy store and fruit farm. .Expect vanilla marshmallow, cherry, and lemongrass with a hint of chocolate. Taste follows nose with an added medley of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.  Bitterness was negligible; Finish is long lingering  with notes of Smuckers strawberry jam.  Full bodied; low carbonation.  Sweet and filling.  Fun for 4 ounces but that's about it.

Overall Rating:  Above Average 

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Dogfish Head Citrus Squall - 8% ABV, Fruit Beer

This is an attempt to put those cocktail flavors into beer. It pours a hazed orange-amber color with a white head that fades rather fast. The aroma is agave mixed with grapefruit, lemon, orange, honeysuckle, and a hint of grain.  Taste brings more of the along with honey, cracker malts and some light herbal notes. The agave/tequila flavors moves to the forefront in mid taste alng with a light sweetness. Think grapefruit margarita.  Okay but a bit off the mark

Overall Rating: Average+

===================================

Old Nation Boss Tweed - 9.3% ABV, Double New England IPA

Appearance is hazy,  light, pale orange, with about one finger of white head that has reasonable retention.  Leaves a ight lacing on the glass.  Nose brings oranges, fresh cut grass, pineapple, peach, mango, guava,, and a faint hint of phenols.   Taste is a tropical fruit punch with citrus, pine, and light toasted caramel.  A balancing piney bitterness is in the background throughout.  Alcohol is very well hidden.  Well made.

Overall Rating:  Good+

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Half Acre Deep Space - 10%, Imperial IPA

Pours a copper color, somewhat transparent with slight haze  Head diminishes quickly but has decent lacing.  Smells are of watermelon Jolly Rancher, mild orange peel. tropical fruits along with some caramel. The flavors follow the nose along with peach, mango and pineapple, resin, citrus, and pine over a malt backbone. Alcohol notes near the finish but not off putting.  Considering the high ABV, sweetness is held in check.  

Overall Rating: Good

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Montauk Cold Day IPA - 6.7% ABV, American IPA

This pours bright amber from the can. There is a very slight haze and a tight, thin white foam cap that lingers.  Aromas are bready malts, citrus, honeydew melon, pineapple, grapefruit. a very light touch of pine.  Flavor follows nose along with some malt sweetness followed by a trace of bitterness. with light tangerine near the finish.  It's balanced, but thin.  There's a lingering sweetness that some may not like.  Acceptable but nothing noteworthy about it. 

Overall Rating: Average+

===================================

Half Acre Deep Space - 10% ABV, Imperial IPA

Pours a copper color with a finger of off-white head.  Nice lacing on the glass.  Nose brings grapefruit, peach, mango and pineapple with a hint of caramel. Flavor follows aromas with watermelon, citrus, resin, and pine present from start to finish.  It ends with a lingering light bitterness. It's bold but the alcohol is fairly well hidden.  Solid offering.

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

Equilibrium Peanut Cloud - 11%, American Imperial Stout

It was conditioned it on peanuts and marshmallows, with lactose added.  Pours like used motor oil with solid viscosity and density. The peanuts are very strong here, they dominate on the nose and palate with notes of chocolate and sweet coffee. As the finish near marshmallow and vanilla show their hand.  Overall a bit too sweet like peanut brittle.  An interesting beer that's fun to have a taste of but it would be hard to dink a pint.  

Overall Rating:  Above Average

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Smuttynose Old Brown Dog - 6.5% ABV, American Brown Ale

The pour is mahogany brown with a ring of white foam from faint carbonation.  The mild nose is faint but pleasant

with malt and a little chocolate. Taste brings sweet amber malts and brown sugar - think a light bock beer.  Light figs dates, coffee, butterscotch, and chocolate notes are not really balanced by a touch of hop bitterness.  It's a fairly well-made representation of a Brown Ale but it shows why the style is not wildly popular.

Overall Rating:  Above Average

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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State of the Art Winter Double IPA - 8.2% ABV, New England IPA

This beer pours a lovely orange hue with about 2 fingers of head. Aromas of citrus, tangerine,, peach, mango, and apricot blend nicely but are not long lasting.  Taste follows nose along with grapefruit, pine, very light lime and melon. A welcomed light piney bitterness with hints of lemon resting below the layer of juice keeping this from being yet another NEIPA juice bomb.   Finish is dry with a hint of spice.  Well made and balanced.

Overall Rating: Very Good 

===================================

Bombastic Big Dumb Beer - 15% ABV, American Imperial Stout

Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque black in the glass with a half finger khaki head with fair retention and nice lacing. It opens with a bracing aroma of dark toasted malt, coffee, fudge, licorice, dates, moderate amount of dark chocolate, faint coffee, and booze.  . Flavor follows nose along with notes of brown bread and molasses. There is a roastiness in the background along with a very light bitterness.  Finish is a bit warm and boozy, with a flash of sweetness,  At 15% it's surprisingly drinkable.

Overall Rating: Good-

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Finback Among The Bandits - 7.5% ABV, New England IPA

This beer is hopped with Citra, Azacca, Belma, and Waimea,  It pours a very-hazy yellow orange with murky 2 finger head that had decent retention.  Nose is mainly gooseberry honeydew melon, nectarines, and light guava. Taste brings more of the same led by gooseberry along with pine, red berries, grassiness, and a touch of tropical fruit. As the finish nears a dankness appears and moves to the front. The bottom line is that's it's another NEIPA.

Overall Rating: Above Average -

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New Holland Cabin Fever - 6.5%, American Brown Ale

It pours a dark drown with reddish highlights, looking like a thick cola. A tan two finger head rides atop that is slow to dissipate.  It has aromas of rye, pumpernickel, coffee, toffee, and chocolate.  Taste brings malt, milk chocolate, light roast coffee, caramel, brown sugar and bread. As the beer warms dry figs and raisin notes appear.  Finish brings a sweetness  more rye, and a hint of medicinal hops.  Acceptable but better versions of the style out there.

Overall Rating:  Average

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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The Bruery Bakery-Cherry Pie- 10.2% ABV, American Imperial Stout

This beer pours a dense black with a dark tan head which fades slowly with minimal lacing. Nose brings easy to identify notes of  cinnamon, cherries and vanilla.  Taste is tart cherries up front along with a dose of cinnamon over chocolate covered cherries with a hint of vanilla near the finish. Lightly roasty with low carbonation and thick mouthfeel.  It's a pastry stout so be prepared for some sweetness.  In fact it's a bit too sweat for me but many will enjoy this beer.

Overall Rating: Above Average -

===================================

WeldWerks: Citra Juicy Bits - 6.7% ABV,  New England IPA

It pours a cloudy yellow/orange with quickly dissipating head.  Aroma bring notes of ripe pineapple candied apricot, tangerine, orange, and mango.   Taste follows nose with emphasis on orange, and apricot.  Finish brings some pine and zesty hops.  Not a juice bomb by any means but still a very solid example of the juicy NE style.   

Overall Rating:  Good

=================================

Sixpoint High Res - 11.1% ABV, Imperial IPA

This beer is light orange and pours with a big off-white head; frothy lacing that lingers appropriately.  Nose brings orange, pine, citrus fruits, and resin.  Flavors closely follow nose with each blending well together with a light underlying sweetness.  Mouth feels leans to syrupy but doesn't cross the line. The alcohol is fairly well hidden though it never lets you forget it's not a light beer. A light bitterness near the finish helps keep this quite drinkable. 

Overall rating: Good -

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Bitburger Premium Pils - 4.8% ABV, German Pilsner

This is the #1 poured beer in Germany.   It has a light, straw color with a well formed two finger white head that lasts and leaves good lacing all the way down. It is highly carbonated. Smell is mostly earthy hops, with bready/crackery malts backed by a light touch of floral hops and a tiny hint of pepper. IOverall however,  the aromas are somewhat muted.   The taste follows the nose fairly closely, with medium, floral bitterness mingling nicely with the malt body. . Finish is clean and crisp. Quite drinkable and refreshing, not nuianced which is what you'd expect from one of the biggest macro-brewed beers in Germany. All things considered with is a well made beer, sold at a fair price. 

Overall Rating: Above Average

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Fat Orange Cat Trick or Treat Kittens - 8% ABV, Imperial IPA

This beer is supposed to remind you of Halloween candy corn.  In a way it tastes more like that than it does beer. Pours out very golden and hazy, opaque and creamy-looking. Definitely sweet on the nose with a big pop of vanilla, some orange as well. Taste brings a ton of sweet flavors - powdered sugar, gummy rings, and even a bit of candied orange.  This leans into the milkshake category with an over abundance of vanilla and a strong dose of artificial sugars. 

Overall Rating: Below Average

===================================

Ommegang All Hallows Treat - American Stout, 7.6% ABV

Pours a deep brown and pumps a cocoa colored foam that rises confidently and slowly settles to a thin film.

Nose is solidly nutty with peanut butter and roasted nuts. Expect flavors of dark chocolate, peanuts, and sweet caramel malt with notes vanilla and a hint of smoke in the background. . Dry roasted nut notes throughout with some increasingly artificial tasting flavors as this warms.  It is designed to evoke flavors of peanut butter cup candy and succeeds somewhat.  The sweetness makes having one more than enough.

Overall Rating: Average-

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Tired Hands Eviscerated Pathway Of Beauty - NEIPA, 8.6% ABV

Pours a light orange haze with a moderate head. The nose is dominated by sweet citrus with tangerine and pineapple close behind.  Taste follows nose with added  notes of orange, apricot, and melon.  A not to subtle sweetness throughout.  If you enjoy juice bombs on the sweet side you will like this.  If you prefer a more balanced, nuanced NEIPA then this might not meet your desire. 

Overall Rating:  Average+

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Tree House The Greenest Green - NEIPA, 8.8% ABV

Pours a full and hazy orangeish yellow with a pillowy white head that leaves thick rings of lacing. You are greeted by aromas of ripe orange, grapefruit, mango passion fruit, green hops, and a vague hint of bubblegum.  Flavor follows nose with added notes of pine, melon. cantaloupe, with, of course, ever present green hops.  The carbonation was light enough to complement layered flavors and the ABV well hidden.  The dry finish added a final touch of green hops.  Well made and tasty.

Overall Rating: Outstanding-

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Ludlam Island - 6.5% ABV, Pumpkin Ale

Pours a hazy, coppery-orange color with a creamy head and thick lacing. There's not much pumpkin on the nose - mostly vanilla, lactose, and malt. While pumpkin isn't used in the mash on this ale there is a modest pumpkin pie flavor. The pie spicing blends with the vanilla and lactose in a somewhat palatable mix. There is a malty backbone and a hint of pepper and unidentifiable  spice throughout. This ale has moderate carbonation. Overall, Becky is an unassuming Pumpkin Ale with too much spice and not enough straight pumpkin. Acceptable as pumpkin ales go.

Overall Rating: Average

===================================

Bonesaw Peaches N' Cream - 7.1%, American IPA

This IPA is now known as "The IPA Formerly Known as SWOOSH" since a legal issue was raised by NIke. It pours a hazy, golden straw color with greenish hues and a thin, bright white head and creamy film of lacing. The fruity nose features tangerine, lemon, peach, and ripe melon, along with floral hops. The taste is fruity with tart lemon, grapefruit and sweet melon over a crackery malt base. Peach flavors are overly subtly for its name. Overall it has a slight a West Coast dryness but is much more fruity, New England taste. Refreshing and smooth but that's it.

Overall Rating:  Above Average

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Rusty Nail Fog Monster - 6.8%, New England IPA

The beer pours a cloudy wheat color with light lacing.  Nose brings dank floral citrus notes with pineapple, oranges, and light grass in the background. Taste is lightly sweet with a strong malt background behind solid hints of pineapple, mango, orange, and tropical fruits.  Decent carbonation; leaning to effervescent. Finish dry and harsh. Aftertaste brings a wood to orange pulpy/cardboard character. In a market saturated by this style you can find better.

Overall Rating: Below Average +

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3 Floyds Cheer Team - 7.7%, Imperial IPA

The pour fills the glass with a light gold liquid featuring a large bubbled, off-white head. Definitive smells of citrus/tropical fruits with lime, grapefruit, honeydew melon, and pine in the forefront.  Taste follows the smell with additional notes of gooseberries, melon, papaya, orange, and lemongrass. There is a strong malt background throughout with a light bitterness peeking through.  An interesting brew with a mixture of many hops.

Overall Rating:  Good-. 

=====================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for a free rating 

and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Mother Earth Cali Creamin - 5.5% ABV, Vanilla Cream Ale

Pours a lightly hazy honey-gold color with a half-inch of white head that had low-moderate retention and moderate lacing. The aroma brings vanilla biscuits, fresh wafers, and a hint of hops.  Flavors are led by vanilla, light cream, a touch of butter, and hints of vanilla ice cream in front of a modest hop background.  Bigger mouthfeel than most in the style.  Well made and tasty though some may find the vanilla a tad over the top.

Overall Rating: Good-

===================================

Swiftwater Alpaca Kisses - 6.6% New England IPA

Pours murky orange, thin head with decent lacing.  The nose brings oranges, melon, pine, lemon, and hints of honey. Taste follows aromas with notes of  grapefruit, citrus, honeydew, lemongrass, with a touch of mango.  There is a light sweetness early on that quickly fades to an ongoing measure of hop bitterness.  Overall there is a prevailing grassy, almost medicinal character to the beer.  There are many far better examples of the style out there.

Overall Rating: Average-

=====================================

Tree House The Greenest Green - 8.8% ABV, New England IPA

Pour an attractive yellow orange with a finger sticky white head that leaves thin streaks of lace, with long retention. Aromas are bold led by grapefruit with guava, papaya, mandarin, passionfruit, apricot, and light tangerine.  First sip brings hops with flavors that jump out on your palate - peaches, mangos, pineapple, grapefruit, tangerines, orange peel, floral esters, and passion fruit. The malt backbone is lightly toasted with crackers and wheat. Mouthfeel is medium, with a moderate carbonation offering fluffy textures . A resinous sheen brings an overarching juiciness through the backend, while a mild bittering develops to a fading hop finish.  Very well made from one of the consistently best breweries around.

Overall Rating: Outstanding

====================================

Zero Gravity Madonna - 8% ABV, New England IPA

Pours a hazy, straw translucent orange with a frothy white cap with good retention.  Aromas are papaya, tangerine, grapefruit, orange, and light pine.  Taste follows nose with grapefruit up front, along with pineapple, tangerine lemon drop candy. and light pine over a mild caramel and malt background. The long finish is lightly dank and bitter.

Overall Rating:  Above Average+

=====================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for a free rating 

and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Chimay 150 - 10% ABV, Belgium Pale Strong Ale (also known as "Spéciale Cent Cinquante" and "Chimay - Green" 

Pours gold with clarity, until clouded by upending bottle. Creamy off-white 1-finger head, with excellent retention, Nose brings sweet spice, pear, with light banana, clove, and coriander.  Taste brings engaging flavors of sweet malt, yeast, apple, pear, honey, bubblegum, with a touch of alcoholic warmth.  The finish is dry with light pepper and bread notes.  Complex and balanced, this pleasant drinking beer.  If you like Chimay, you'll like this for sure. 

Overall Rating: Very Good-

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Firestone Walker Mind Haze: Tiki Smash, 6.2% ABV, New England IPA

This beer pours a golden orange with a foamy white head and excellent lacing.  You will be greeted by aromas of coconut, mango, pineapple, papaya, tangerine, with a hint of vanilla.  Taste brings notes of pineapple, coconut, orang, and lemon citrus, with a hint of mango.  An acceptable NEIPA with the addition of toasted coconut enhanced by Sabro hops making for a fun twist  

Overall Rating: Above Average

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Duvel 6.66:  6.66% ABV, Belgium Strong Ale

This was brewed in celebration of Duvel Moortgat brewery's150th anniversary   It's made with 6 different hop varieties with Saaz and Styrian Golding featured.  The nose is classic Belgian, with apple, pear, orange, yeast, and clove notes. Taste brings more of the same with added white grapes, pepper, coriander, herbs,, and ripe citrus notes.  A late taste of a light herbal bitterness and lemongrass appears near the finish.  If you enjoy Belgium beers this won't disappoint.  

Overall Rating: Good

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District 96 Sexual Fluctuation: 8% ABV, Imperial NEIPA

Pours a cloudy, yellow-orange with a short foamy head that was relatively long lasting.  First pour brings solid aromas of lemon, lime, peach, sweet tropical fruit, pine, and a whiff dankness. There's not much hop presence in the smell.  Taste is fruit forward with notes of sweet tropical fruit, vanilla, lemon and lime with light notes of  Citra and Galaxy hops tin the background.  This is well made, nicely nuanced beer that hides the ABV quite well. Could have benefited from more bittering hops as the fruit sweetness stays in the forefront throughout.

Overall Rating: Good

===================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for a free rating 

and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Dragon's Milk Reserve Stroopwafel - 11% ABV, Double NEIPA

If you like stroopwafel (an unrolled sugar cone filled with maple-flavored caramel)you'll enjoy this imperial bourbon barrel aged stout.  The nose brings pastry like notes of caramel, bready/grainy malt, cinnamon, coffee and roasted malt. 

Taste follows nose with added notes of toasted nougat, fresh cookies, vanilla wafer. caramelized grains, toffee and milk chocolate.  Finish is robust with a light bourbon notes.  A good variant and better than the original Dragon's Milk. 

Overall Rating: Good-

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Sixpoint Smoothie - 6.5% ABV, New England IPA

This beer welcomes you with aromas of fruit gummy pack, banana, pineapple, mango, more mango, orange, graham cracker and a faint hint of onion.    Taste follow nose with oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and other tropical fruits. Slight earthy dankness on the back end along with sugary gumdrops notes.  It's a mango muddled juice bomb with zero offsetting bitterness.  No a good example of the style.

Overall Rating: Below Average -

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Sly Fox Hazy Fix - 5.5% ABV, American IPA

The beer pours a cloudy yellow body, large white head, and spotty lacing.  The aroma is quite muted with perhaps  notes of grain, wheat, malt, yeast and a hint of a hint of hops.   It will take some work but you might pick up tastes of apple, orange, grapefruit, and lemon on drinking it,.  The finish brings light notes of citrus and resins. Mouthfeel is light. Little body and with no real hop presence or malt counterbalance.  If you want a decent IPA look elsewhere.

Overall Rating: Poor+

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Toppling Goliath 18 Hours From Brooklyn - 7.8% AVB, Imperial IPA

Pours a dark hazy orange yellow hue with ample frothy white head with excellent retention. Expect moderate aromas of gooseberries, papaya, stone fruit and white grape.  Taste follows nose with white grape and gooseberry jumping to the forefront. with hints of lime, bread, and malts in the background.  Finish brings a light, fruity, grape sweetness.  An interesting take on the style.  

Overall Rating:  Good

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for a free rating 

and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Tree House Mega Treat - 8.7% ABV, Double NEIPA

This beer pours a yellow-orange, is opaque; dense, and creamy, with a small but firm white head.  Fairly intense fresh fruit aroma, citrus primarily; orange and pineapple. lacing is thick but slides down the glass quickly. The taste follows along with notes of yeast, pineapple, papaya, orange, lemon, cream, lemongrass, and grapefruit.  There are some phenol notes throughout. Heavy body; creamy texture; some alcohol heat; mild acidity.  To put it more simply, it's a sweet juice bomb.  Well made but the sweetness brought an artificiality to the taste for me.

Overall Rating: Good-

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Allagash Coolship Resurgam  - 6.3% ABV, Lambic

The beer pours a hazy orange/yellow with a bright white head.  It is a blend of both old and young unfruited spontaneous beer.  Aroma brings peach, cherry, mango, and melon.  Flavor follows nose with additional layers of  apricot, lemon zest, and candied fruit. Notes of tropical fruit and flavors of funk lead to a clean, tart and dry finish.  An interesting complex beer.  A good example of a quality Gueuze.  (note: my  bottle was from 2017 and it had aged well)

Overall Rating:  Very Good 

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Fat Orange Cat Evil Orange Cat - 9% ABV, Imperial IPA

Poured out a cloudy, golden, dark orange color with a reasonable off-white head.  You're greeted by aromas of honey, hops, melon, ripe pineapple, and candied orange with a touch of caramel.  Taste follows nose with an emphasis on the candied orange along with some piney resin and toasted malts.  An underlying sweetness with hints of alcohol is noticeable throughout.  A citrus presence tries to offset them but fails.  Many better Imperials IPAs on the market.

Overall Rating: Average

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Firestone Walker Hopnosis - 6.7% ABV, India Pale Ale

This IPA brewed is brewed with Cryo Hops® pellets, which is still somewhat uncommon.  It opens with smells of  orange, grapefruit, light pine and crackers.  Taste brings dank, pine, herbal notes, grapefruit pith, sweet berry, nectarine, and mango   The very light bitterness is overwhelmed by the malt characteristics.  Mango with lychee and passion fruit notes appear at the semi-dry finish.  This is a malty, somewhat sweet, undistinguished IPA  despite the use of Cryo hops.  More bitterness is needed to balance things out.

Overall Rating: Average+

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for a free rating 

and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Founders Four Giants and the Haze of Destiny  - 8.4% ABV, New England IPA

This hazy pours a golden peach color this is indeed hazy, but not murky in the least, and sports a bubbly white head with moderate lacing. The nose is loads of peach and mango, and a bit of malt sweetness from the oats. Taste brings pineapple, hint of citrus rind, melon, grapefruit. a touch of resin. and an underlying sweetness.  Tangerine, oats, and malt notes move forward at the finish.  Considerably sweeter than many NEIPAs with this level of alcohol.  Decent but better examples of the style are in the marketplace

Overall Rating: Above Average-

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District 96 Political Juice - 6% ABV, IPA

Pours a festive orange color with a nice fluffy off-white head.  Aromas of tangerine, orange, pineapple, grapefruit, with hints of creamsicle greet instantly on the pour.  Taste follow nose with emphasis on tangerine backed by melon, with hints of light lime and vanilla. This ale is medium bodied, fairly creamy in feel, with pleasant carbonation. The temperate 6% ABV allows for easy drinking but still provides layers of flavors.  Another well made beer from this superior NY brewery.

Overall Rating : Very Good

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4 Noses Flatiron Fog - 6.5% New England IPA

This beer pours a hazy/turbid pale yellow. Not terribly vibrant with a white, dense head. Nose features moderate aromas of orange, tropical fruit, gooseberry, and very light lime.  Taste folows nose with additional notes of lychee. Little to no bitterness is perceptible. The beer is made with Centennial and Citra hops the the Citra being dominant.

A nice tasty beer but does not stand out in the oversaturated style 

Overall Rating: Good

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Interboro Canary Burgundy - 5.6% ABV Fruited Sour

It pours a hazy sunset orange color. Wispy head that soon dissipates   The enticing nose features fresh fruit with  bright citrusy juices of orange, lime and grapefruit.  Taste follows nose with added notes of passion fruit and pineapple and apricot. First sip brings a welcoming tartness but without any strong acidity.   The tartness is nicely balanced/complimented  with notes of crisp crackers, fresh malts and hints of  wheat. As the finish near lemon, lime and pineapple appear.  Dry overall, with a smooth finish.  A well made fruited sour which is refreshing and easy to drink. It's lightly tart and very accessible. 

Overall Rating: Very Good -

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Troeg's Hop Horizon  - 6.5 % ABV, American IPA

The beer pours a  hazy orange-yellow with a small but acceptable white head.  Opens with a nose of fresh grapefruit, tangelo, kiwi, and pineapple.  Taste is clearly led by Mosaic hops with a touch of Citra and Sabro in the background.  Citrus flavors pronounced. Expect flavors of grapefruit, orange, fresh grass. pineapple, and very  light bubble gum. A decent beer but can't seem to decide if it's a juice bomb or not.

Overall Rating: Average +

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Ommegang Keep It Crunchy - 6.5% American Stout With Granola

Interestingly this beer is made "with "caramel color" and "pecan flavor" making it an adjunct stout,  It pours a dark brown with a big tan head.  It starts with smells of pecan, vanilla, light toasted malt and a generic sweetness. Taste follows nose with additional notes of granola, honey, cocoa, roasted grains, and cranberry.  Flavors are muddled though pecan dominates as granola takes a back seat.  The signature Belgium styled beers from Ommegang  just doesn't work with these flavors.

Overall Rating: Below Average +

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Drowned Lands Deep Terra - 8.2% NEIPA

This beer is made with a blend of Pilsner, Marris Otter, Wheat and Oats (raw and malted). Hopped with Motueka, Wakatu, and Cashmere(which takes the lead in the flavor profile).  It pours a cloudy yellowish gold, with a medium sized foamy white head The aroma contains strong juicy citrus, tropical fruits, floral and dank hops, and light caramelized malts.  Taste brings flavors of honeydew melon, orange citrus,  pineapple, peaches, ripe melon, lemon, limes, and light malts. Well made and balanced for the style.

Overall Rating: Good +

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Kane Object Permanence - 13.3% Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine

Pours a murky dark brown with a thin layer of light tan head that has good retention considering the ABV.  Big, complex nose with smells of caramel malt, brown sugar, molasses, nuts, prunes, grapes, raisins,, oak, bourbon, and vanilla. First sip brings a light barely tart before moving into a toasted sugar with cherries. As this warms flavors are raisins, figs,  toffee, honey graham and a sweet bourbon.  The lightly dry finish brings nuts, molasses, alcohol and chocolate. Very well made by this NJ brewery but in general the bourbon is a bit subdued.

Overall Rating:  Very Good

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Sixpoint Smoothie Hazy  - 6.5 % ABV, NEIPA

The beer pours a  cloudy gold with a solid white head.  Opens with a nose of fruity gum, banana, pineapple, mango. and light onions.  Taste features notes of old oranges, ripe tangerines, light grapefruit, mango, and apricot.  Not much of anything beyond standard fruit haze.  A bit more carbonation and actual lactose/citrus would have been more to the style.  No obvious flaws but far better examples of the style are in the marketplace.

Overall Rating: Average

===================================

Root + Branch Chapter III: War Is Peace - 8 % ABV, Imperial IPA

This beer pours a glowing,, opaque orange gold with a dense meringue-like head.  Smells of fresh oranges, pineapple.. light grapefruit and some fresh mowed grass.  Taste brings flavors of soft citrus, pineapple, honey, light tropical fruits, light caramel, and bright acidic oranges. Not a juice bomb; balanced with smooth finish.  Another solid entry from the highly regarded brewery in Copiague, NY.

Overall Rating: Very Good+

=====================================

Captain Lawrence Galactic Fog - 8.5% ABV, NEIPA

The beer has a hazy golden color and pours with a small off-white head.  Aromas feature tropical fruits with pineapple, mango, orange, and light pine.  First sip brings apricot, tangerine, and grapefruit. A mild grapefruit bitterness appears in the middle and quickly goes leaving light pineapple and orange zest near the finish.  The end brings hints of orange creamsicle with a light touch of strawberry.  Alcohol is well hidden.  It has been double dry hopped with Galaxy hops and shows it.  A good example of the style but not a standout in a crowded field.

Overall Rating: Good +

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Other Half Nelson + Simcoe - 8.5% ABV, Imperial IPA

The beer pours a murky / hazy gold/yellow with a finger of white foam. The nose brings white wine, tropical fruit, tangerine, and grapefruit.  Taste follows noise with cantaloupe, weedy hops, pineapple lemon zest, dragon fruit, and white grape with grassy accents. Bright and medium bodied, lightly bitter near the finish. Well made and really showcases the hops.  Another fine IPA from one of the best breweries around. 

Overall Rating: Outstanding-

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis. Contact:webmaster@beernexus.com

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Spencer Monk's Reserve  - 10.2 % ABV, Quad

Pours a dark reddish chestnut brown color, producing half a finger of bubbly, frothy, off white head that fades quickly. Nose brings aromas of dried dark fruits, chocolate, toasted bread, and biscuits.  Taste follows with additional layers of dark malt, molasses, pumpernickel, prune, raisin, figs and light yeasty clove spiciness. The finish brings licorice, with hints of black cherry cocoa; molasses, and a vague hint of rum.  A bit thin for the style with less than expected sweet malt notes.  Still, it's a solid, strong Belgian-style ale though you might try Rochefort or St Bernardus first.

Overall Rating:  Above Average+

===================================

Toppling Goliath Witches' Broom - 7.8% ABV, NEIPA

Made with Cashmere, Citra, Idaho 7 & Galaxy hops, the beer opens with smells of pineapple, grapefruit, mango, and honeydew. Taste follows nose with a tropical sweetness featuring notes of, peach, and apricot. Hops appear near the finish bringing  light resin notes, white pepper, and lightly sweet orange.  A good example of the style.

Overall Rating:  Good

===================================

Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout - 17.3% ABV, American Imperial Stout

Medium toned black with a hint of brown edging, brown cap. Smell has waves of rich caramel, dark fruit, dark oak,, sherry, semi-sweet chocolate and molasses dark fruit.   Taste brings raisins, figs, port wine, rum, dark olives, boozy chocolate, vanilla, and cognac. The high ABV does not bring an extra heat,  Multiple layers of flavor enhanced by the barrel aging. This is a complex beer clearly distinguishable from the non-barrel WW Stout.

Overall Rating: Outstanding-

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis.  Contact BeerNexus for details. 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Other Half Instant Green - 6.2 % ABV, NEIPA 

A single IPA from one of the nation's best at making the style.  Featured hops are Mosaic, Simcoe and Nelson a well known combination.  It opens with a nose of orange, strawberry, melon, onion, and light dankness.  Flavor follows smell along with ripe pineapple, berry juice, and lightly biting hops  Finish adds notes of tangy fruit bitterness and light malts.  Surprisingly big mouthfeel for a lower ABV beer.  Another well done beer from Other Half.

Overall Rating:  Very Good-

===================================

Beer Tree Any Days Haze - 6.3% ABV, NEIPA

This IPA is made in New York and features Citra, Strata, and Kelly Cascade hops.  It opens with alluring smells of honeydew melon and strawberry.   Taste brings more of the same along with papaya, grapefruit, mango, and orange. Per style, it has no bitterness, but it's fruitiness teeters on the edge of an inappropriate sweetness.  Easy to drink with medium mouthfeel.  A decent if undistinguished New England IPA.

Overall Rating: Good-

=======================================

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing - 6.7% ABV, NIPA

This is a fruit forward NEIPA which features Citra, Comet, Simcoe, El Dorado, Mosaic hops.  The nose is rather tame with light notes of pineapple, orange, hard candy, and caramel. Taste reveals flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, lemon drops hard candy, malts, orange, and hints of light honey. Finish brings notes of bread and pine.  Overall this is a drinkable, pleasantly clean, balanced, not overly juicy NEIPA,  It's a solid entry in a crowded field.

Overall rating: Above Average+

==========================================

----------------------------------

Note to homebrewers - Sandy is now accepting your beers for rating and analysis.  Contact BeerNexus for details.  

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Short Throw Green Tops - 8% ABV, Imperial NEIPA

The beer opens with a moderate pine and white grapefruit aroma.  First sip brings the same and quickly brings notes of lime, ,lemon grass, mango and hints of toasted caramel.  Finish brings orange marmalade and guava. Bitterness is low-medium, with some fruity esters.  Balanced and well made but it's essentially just another NEIPA

Overall Rating:  Above Average

===================================

Founder's Blushing Padre - 10.8% ABV, fruit beer aged in tequila barrels

This is the brewery's well regarded Belgian-style raspberry ale "Blushing Monk" aged in a tequila barrel.  It mostly works but only if you love raspberries.  It pours a brilliant garnet color. with an attractive beige head   The nose brings raspberries with sweet raspberry candy and a hint of tequila. Taste follows nose for sure as artificially sweetened raspberries dominate with hints of tequila barrel and Belgium yeast notes at the end.  

Overall Rating:  Average -

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Brooklyn Black OPS - 11.6% ABV, Russian Imperial Stout

This near legendary bourbon barrel aged beer opens with aromas of oak, bittersweet chocolate, raisins, roasted grain, and light bourbon.  Taste features dark chocolate, black coffee, expresso bean bitterness, light bourbon, and hints of oak and vanilla. The finish brings warming dark fruits and some alcohol.  A touch thin in mouthfeel for the style.  Well made and complex.

Overall Rating:  Very Good-

===========================================

Tree House Juice Project - 8.4% ABV, Imperial IPA

In making this the brewers used a small amount of hop extract in the kettle and saved the entirety of the hops for the cold side of the brewing process.  Aromas are orange, ripe peach, mango, sweet grapefruit, and papaya,  Taste follows nose plus  notes of pineapple, tropical fruit, cantaloupe, and kiwi.  It is the typical NEIPA juice bomb notched up a bit.  If you like those sort of beers you will find this an excellent version.  If you're tired of the same old juicy brews, even of well made ones like this, then it simply is what it is.

Overall Rating:  Good+

===============================================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

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Trillium Barrel Aged German Chocolate Cake Donut Imperial Stout - 15% ABV, Imp. Stout

This is a 15.0% Imperial Stout that pours a thick, pitch black with an espresso-colored foam cap. The nose is rich and malty wtih caramel and roasted malt notes. First sip brings brown sugar and an intense bourbon barrel character with hints of vanilla.  Finish adds creamy chocolate, vanilla frosting, and toasted coconut.  This is quite the complex.  The body is viscous, providing structure for it's big flavor profile.  A touch sweet but appropriate  for the style and ABV.

Overall Rating:  Outstanding

===================================

O"Fallon Salted Caramel Pumpkin -  5.4% ABV

Once you say "pumpkin" that ends the conversation for many craft drinkers but for those who care this beer opens with smells of pumpkin spice, butterscotch pudding, fresh milk, vanilla, and lactose. First sip bring the usual pumpkin pie spices of cinnamon and nutmeg but then caramel and toffee notes more to the front with light cinnamon in the background.  Salt noted throughout.  An interesting take on pumpkin beer.  If you like the style you'll probably enjoy this.  If not, forget about it.  

Overall Rating:  Average-

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Founders Velvet Rush - 11.1% ABV - American Brown Ale

You don't see a lot of brown ales around these days, especially not with such a high ABV.  This beer opens with aromas of coffee, chocolate syrup, vanilla, caramel, and biscuits.  Taste follows nose with flavors of coffee, bourbon, and vanilla the clearest notes, backed by sweet cocoa, dark sugar, and a faint hint of smoke.  There is a lingering dry bitter finish with underlying malt notes.  Body is surprisingly thin for such a big beer.  

Overall Rating:  Good-

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Rogue Dead 'N' Dead - 9.5% ABV - Maibock

This beer is aged in Dead Guy Whiskey Barrels, making this the evolution (as in kicked up a notch) of Dead Guy Ale. 

It begins with smells of sweet malt, vanilla, wood and a hint of alcohol.  Flavors are caramel, toffee, cherries, raisins,  and dark fruits.  Notes of oak throughout. giving it context and depth. Whiskey notes. Very solid bitterness. Low sweetness. Balanced and smooth.  The Rgue's original maibock '''s older, strong brother.  Same family but bigger.

Overall Rating Good+

==========================================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

=================================================

Lough Gil  Arethusa -  5.3% ABV, Oatmeal Stout

This beer features a dense aroma of dark chocolate followed by sweeter milk chocolate mixed. Notes of  coffee, mocha, and dark fruit lurk in the background.  Mouthfeel is quite thin for the style.  Taste follows nose with flavors of plum, cherry, espresso, and chocolate taking the forefront.  Finish brings a tuch of sweetness.  A general metallic taste, subtly in the background throughout, making for an unpleasant drinking experience of what would have been an average beer.

Overall Rating:  Below Average 

===================================

The Bruery Chocolate Rain - 19.6% ABV, American Imperial Stout

This powerhouse opens with strong aromas of bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, and oak with hints of toffee, roasted malts, and figs in the background.   It's rich, dark, heavy, appropriately sweet and delicious. The addition of cocoa and vanilla add flavor to a beer that, honestly, didnt really need any help but somehow serves as an upgrade.  Flavors bring  sugary notes of chocolate, vanilla bean, toffee, molasses, caramel and bourbon.  Finishes dry with a roasted and bourbon linger. Smooth and soft throughout.  If you see it, buy it but be warned, it's pricey - a 750ml bottle is around $50 and a sixtel's wholesale price is just under $500.  It's worth the tariff.

Overall Rating:  Excellent -

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Horny Goat Chocolate Peanut Butter -  6.5% Porter

This is as if an average porter was added to peanut butter than peanut butter was added to a glass of porter. It opens with smells of a somewhat artificial, earthy peanut, old coffee, and toasted bread.  The flavors of inexpensive peanut butter, chocolate, and coffee are in the forefront throughout.  Sweet syrup notes rise up near the finish as do notes of an artificial sweetener that makes the peanut butter/chocolate even more cloying. There is an overall metallic bitterness in the beer that is noticeable but not enough to balance the beer.

Overall Rating:  Below Average-

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Offshoot Retreat - 8.6% New England IPA

It's yet another NEIPA that opens with a nose of lightly dank tropical fruit featuring mango, orange, and melon.  There is also notes of pineapple and lemon. Taste follow nose with pineapple, mango, papaya, and citrus flavors dominating. In a word it's tropical thanks to the Mosaic, Cashmere and El Dorado hops that are used to make it. As the finish approaches hints of  mandarin orange, lemon, lime, peach, apricot, and passion fruit come into play.

If you like the style you'll like this one.  Well made from an excellent brewery.

Overall Rating:  Good

=========================================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

==================================================

The Brewery Terreux Roses Are Red -  5.3% ABV, Gosa

Nose brings aromas of grapes, raspberries, apples, and cranberries with light notes of ,soft oak, strawberry and lemon.  Taste brings sour cranberry juice, with some notes of tart white grape juice, blueberries, cherries and  hint of salt.  Light bodied with a moderate to high amount of carbonation. Think a crisp, refreshing. rosé  wine.  Finish is quite tarty yet kept in check giving the beer balance. Subtle and surprisingly complex.  Well made by a brewery that simply doesn't make a bad beer.

Overall Rating - Outstanding -

===================================

Flying Dog Operation Breakfast - Imperial Stout - 9.1%

This beer has an Impenetrable dark brown color. Full, light brown head that fads quickly to a cap   It greets you with strong coffee aroma, along with smells of chocolate, roasted malts, light maple, and hint of smoke.  Taste brings

dark coffee, caramel, maple, dark bakers cocoa, and vanilla cream with a warming, smoky booze in the finish.  Not quite up there with Founders Breakfast Stout but a solid offering.  Be warned, those who do not like smoked beers, no matter how subtle, might not rave about this one.

Overall Rating - Above Average-

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Tree House Juice Project - Imperial IPA - 8.4%

The beer opens with smells of oranges, mandarins, mango, lightly toasted malts, a touch of papaya, melon, and pineapple. Taste follows nose with additional notes of sweet cantaloupe, sweet caramel malt, a touch of earthy hops, creamy peach, pineapple, caramel malt, and a hint of toast, Finish is juicy and soft with only the slightest hint of alcohol.  Another well made beer from this famed brewery.  If you don't like an extra juicy NEIPA then stay away.  If that's your style, hurry out and get some.

Overall Rating - Outstanding

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Collective Arts Project:  IPA No. 18 - American IPA - 6.4% ABV

Pours a hazy lemon/yellow with a loose frothy white head that dissipates quickly. Nose features lime, mandarin orange and passion fruit with hints of cedar, lemon, peach and coconut.  Flavors are light lime, cantaloupe, mango and lemon, with a fair bit of coconut also coming through especially at the end of a sip. . There is a bready pale malt sweetness is a background with more coconut, lime and syrupy stone fruit lingering into the aftertaste.  Too fruity and sweet for a true American IPA but not so much that it's clearly a NEIPA.  Overall, good try, no cigar.

Overall Rating - Average

===========================================

See you next month.  If you have a home brew you'd like a complete BJCP level evaluation of send me a an email here at BeerNexus.

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

==================================================

Mast Landing Jonah - Imperial IPA, 8.1 % ABV

The nose is candied grapefruit, ripe mango and papaya, pineapple, slight dankness and pine resin, and a touch of grassiness.   First sip brings grassy dankness with notes of blueberry, raspberry, green tea, grapefruit, orange rind, and mango.  Resin notes are steady in the background.   Mid taste festures floral honey notes. with a light sweetness coming to the fore.  Finish showcases light grape, melon, mango, and grapefruit. , Featured throughout are Nelson-hops backed by light Citra.  Well made but not in the top tier of this crowded category.

Overall Rating - Good

===================================

Tree House Juice Machine - New England IPA  8.2%

The beer opens with aromas of orange juice, creamy peach, doughy malt, light pine, and mango.  And more mango. Taste follow nose featuring mango with tropical fruit, citrus, and pine. Mid taste finds earthy notes and a very light-bitterness.  Finish brings more mango with nectarine, and  grapefruit oils   The beer is aptly named.  If you're a fan of NEIPAs you will definitely love this beer.  If not then it's just another (well made) juice bomb.

Overall Rating: Outstanding -

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Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue - American Pale Ale  5.8% ABV

Aroma isn't timid featuring peach, tangerine, and a little bit of grapefruit. mango, and light bready malts.  Taste is all Citra hop with notes of lemon. orange, grapefruit, mango, and pine.  Finish brings bready malts and crackers with a light sweetness in the back.  It's a New England version of a pale ale.  Well made with more flavor than expected for this style.

Overall Rating:  Good +

========================================

Odell 180 Shilling - Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy 9.9% ABV

This beer opens with a nose of caramel, bread, molasses, plums, and figs.  Taste features more of the same with raisins, apple, apricot, toffee, and brown sugar.  A slight tartness appears near the somewhat dry finish.  There is a lingering maltiness with dark fruit and an alcohol warmth.  Might be a tad too sweet for some but nonetheless a good example of a style that's not often seen.

Overall Rating:  Very Good -

============================================= 

  Want your homebrew reviewed here by Sandy? Write webmaster@beernexus.com for the details.

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

and "+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

==================================================

Bells Flamingo Fruit Punch (formerly called Larry's Flamingo)

This is a 5% ABV Tart ale/gose brewed with passionfruit and lime .  This hazy, orange tinted brew opens with a nose of lime, sea salt, tart, sweet tropical fruit. Passion fruit, kiwi, guava, pineapple, peach.  Taste brings juicy/tart/tangy passion fruit,, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, melon, berries, grass, wheat, crackers, and a light lacto earthiness. Finish has very light spiciness from tart/sour passion fruit notes,  It's a nice fruity summer beer but that's it.  

Overall Rating:  Above Average

===============================================

Bissell Brothers The Substance

This is a 6.6% ABV New England IPA made with Falconer's Flight, Centennial, Apollo, Summit, Chinook.  It opens with subtle aromas of berry, citrus, and sweet pine. peach, caramel. and a mix of tropical and stone fruits.  Taste brings papaya, mango. mild orange, and a touch of honeydew, cucumber and watermelon. The finish brings a touch of tanginess that augments the flavor profile. It's well balanced and very drinkable. 

Overall Rating:  Very Good-

================================================

Founders Más Agave Clásica - Prickly Pear

This is a 9.% gose that is tequila barrel aged to resemble a margarita! which it does.  The nose brings aromas of  watermelon, prickly pear flesh, cherry jolly rancher, and strawberry Taste features agave, prickly pear, cherries, and ripe melon. Underlying is a gentle tartness, with notes of tequila and a light saltiness. The finish brings a light berry sweetness, with hints of tequila, salt and lemon.  The alcohol is very well hidden. It's a delightful summer cocktail in a beer disguise. Pour over ice with a shot of tequila at your own risk.

Overall Rating: Very Good+

===================================================

Allagash North Sky

This is a 7.5% Belgian-inspired English Stout that pours a near black.  Aromas feature sweet darker fruits roasted coffee, black strap molasses. plums, and underlying light smoke.  Mouth feel is somewhat thin as in a porter.  Taste follows nose with additional notes of mocha, bakers dark chocolate, and dark fruits.  A light caramel sweetness appears at the finish.  It's a stout you'd expect a Belgium centric brewery .  Some may like this but when I drink a stout of my choice this won't be it.

Overall Rating:  Average+  

==============================================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

"+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Founders 4 Giants

This is a 9.3% Imperial IPA that Founders says is a mash up of four of their favorite imperial IPA recipes.  It opens with a nose of pine and citrus in the foreground with a touch of spice, light stone fruit, bready malt, and caramel sweetness in the back. Taste features flavors of bracing resinous pine, citrus, orange, grapefruit, and lemon Underlying there is stone fruit, peach apricot, a bit of peppery spice, slightly toasty bready malt, and a caramel honey sweetness. You'll know this is a big IPA from first sip and there's nothing wrong with that.  It's a more than solid double IPA with plenty of malt heft and nice hoppy bitterness. If they had gone total West Coast instead of slightly hedging their bet with NEIPA hints it could have been most special.

Overall Rating - Very Good

==========================

Rusty Nail Birthday Suit

This is an 7.5% ABV American Strong Ale that features a smell of sweet starchy vanilla, cake batter, crackers, and loads of lactose. Taste follows the nose plus flavors of buttermilk biscuits malty crackers, artificial vanilla cake, and more lactose.  Although it's not cloyingly sweet for the most part,  the finish is.  Some people may like this as a dessert beer but it's tough going for those who appreciate traditional ales like me. Bottom line - here are many superior milkshake  and dessert beers in the marketplace.

Overall Ration- Below Average+

=============================

Dogfish Head Hazy O

This is Dogfish's new, nationally distributed beer.  It's a NEIPA (what else) that comes it at 7.1% ABV.  What makes it different "off center" is that it is oat milk-centric.  We'd expect no less from Dogfish.  It pours slightly hazy golden amber with a frothy eggshell white head.  Nose features aromas of  tropical and stone fruit, melon, citrus, light grass,  bready malt, lactose, and caramel.  Taste brings notes of light cream, citrus, l tangerine, a touch of lemon lime, mango, peach, apricot, fresh bread, and caramel.  Thee is an underlying sweetness to it that some will find unappealing.  An interesting take on a NEIPA but not worth seeking out. 

Overall Rating - Above Average 

======================

Troegs' Lollihop

Dry hopped with Citra and Mosaic this imperial IPA comes in at 8.2% ABV.  You will be greeted by smells of lemon, peach, caramel, mango, and passion fruit. Flavors are the same plus notes of honey, biscuit, mango, melon and red berries.  There is an underlying light sweetness throughout with little bitterness to offset it.  Not a juice bomb but not enough hops to be a more traditional IPA.

Overall Rating - Average

======================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

"+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Founders Panter Pub

This is a 9.2% ABV robust porter, Panther Cub aged bourbon barrels available along with a touch of maple syrup and vanilla extract.  Aroma brings lots of chocolate, maple syrup and a chocolate  sweetness. Flavor features vanilla, oak, light bourbon, fudge, caramel, and chocolate notes.  The finish brings hints of woodiness and dark fruits that linger lightly on the tongue.  This is one porter that is a secret stout .Well made and multi-layered.

Overall Rating - Good

======================

Allagash Kurkuma 

This saison comes in at 5.3% ABV. made with turmeric.  It pours a pale, straw-amber color with mild haze and good head.  The nose features smells of straw, light Belgian yeast, mild biscuit, and lemon peel .  First sip brings flavors of cracker-crusted malt nectar; light bubble-gum, spices, and yeast  Any flavoring from the turmeric is, to be kind, extremely subtle at best. If you like saisons then it's probably worth a try,

Overall Rating - Average +

========================

Lost Nation Mosaic IPA

This is a 5.5% New England IPA that is fairly well balanced.  It has aromas of grapefruit, lemon, barley, grass, guava, and light pine. Taste follows nose along with grassy, citrus, and green tea notes.  A litgh hint of bitterness on the finish.  The single hop Mosaic is put to good use but the overall dankness of the beer inhibits some of its flavor.  A solid but not special beer.

Overall Rating - Above Average+

===========================

KCBC This is Your Brain On Hops: Mosaic & Nelson

This is an 8.5% Imperial IPA from New York.  It pours a very cloudy golden color with a thick foamy head.  Nose brings pine, grapefruit, light hops and sweet tropical fruits.   It features flavors of juicy grapefruit,  grass, pine, citrus, and light malt,   The Mosaic dominates the Nelson which only is hinted at in the finish.  Low bitterness with a touch too much sweetness at the finish,   An solid beer but there are better one that feature Mosaic out there.

Overall Rating: Above Average

===========================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious! Worth much more than the price; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

"+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

--------------------------------------------------------

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale

This is a copper colored red ale that opens with aromas of light  caramel malt and Nobel-like hops and no yeastiness.  Fairly balanced with hops in the background only though they are a bit more noticeable in the finish.  Taste brings a light sweetness, caramel malts, bread, and hints of toffee, plums, blueberries, and black tea.  Finish is clean.  It is what it is -  a pleasant and drinkable Irish Red.

Rating : Above Average+

=====================

New Belgium Wild Ride

This is a 7% ABV American IPA made for the 30th Anniversary of New Belgium, as a  special, hoppy  tribute to their fairly bland flagship beer Fat Tire. It is dry-hopped with Mosaic, Galaxy, Idaho 7 and Sabro.  The combination works fairly well.  Smell is notably malty with light caramel and toast along with hints of pine lemon rind, and a touch of grapefruit.  Taste follows the nose with notes of grass, mellow lemon, and caramel.  Hops assert themselves keeping this an IPA and not the amber ale some call it. Overall a basic, drinkable, decent IPA .

Rating : Good -

=====================

Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo IPA

This beer gets it's name from the brewery's use of a "hop torpedo" device to deliver hops in the brewing process.  Its nose features citrus, tropical hops, orange, marmalade, pineapple, with some hints of bready malts, and earthy yeast. Taste brings the usual cast of characters ripe pineapple, mango, orange-passion fruit, with perhaps a touch of strawberry.  Sweetness is fortunately subdued so it's still an IPA and not a juice bomb.  Drinkable and refreshing.

Rating :  Good

=================

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious worth the price and more; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

"+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

Oskar Blues BA20 Vol. 4: Zuccotto

This is an 12.5% ABV Imperial stout aged in brandy barrels with white and dark chocolate, raspberries and vanilla.  Sorry, no kitchen sink. Mostly dark chocolate, but just enough acidity from the raspberry, complexity from the barrel, and sweetness/creaminess from the white chocolate to keep it interesting Finish is just short

of being cloying.  Well worth trying.

Overall Rating: Good+ 

-------------------------------------------------

Fireston Walker Propagator Citra

This is a 5.8% NEIPA.  It opens with aromas of right citrus, pineapple, tropical fruit, and sweet pale malts.  Taste features notes of lemon,orange mango and pineapple over a base of   doughy malt..  There's a  mild bitterness near the finish that quickly disappears.  Solid but nothing special in the category

Overall Rating: Above Average+ 

----------------------------------------------------

Anheuser-Busch Natty Daddy

How did this get on my desk?  Maybe it's a prank but I'm reviewing it anyway.  What can I say about Natty Daddy? It does it's job, and it does it well. It's a cheap gas-station beer with no pretentions. The price reflects

the complexity. You can get a 25 fluid ounce can for less than $2. It's a lager that's sweet

and thin, with corn as the dominate taste.   There's a moderate alcohol burn throughout.. And that's it folks

Overall Rating: Poor+ 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious worth the price and more; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

"+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

============================

Troegs Double Blizzard

This is an 8.35% ABV Imperial IPA . It opens with aromas of peach, pineapple, pine, and a touch of vanilla.   Taste is led by grapefruit, tangerine and pineapple on the front with underlying notes of pine

throughout. Not a "juicy" IPA but the fruit is noticeable. Light   alcohol notes near the finish.  A most decent DIPA.

Overall Rating: Good- 

======================

Kane Through The Empty Space

This 8% oatmeal stout from a good brewery in NJ.  The nose brings roasted malts, well done toast, and dried coffee.  Taste features  creamy oats, with a light coffee bitterness.  Hints of dark plums and cherries lurk in the background.  Roasted barley and minerals appear near the finish.  A very nice oatmeal stout.

Overall Rating: Good+ 

=========================

Lawson's Fayston Maple

This is a 10.1% ABV American Imperial Stout from a highly touted Vermont brewery.  It begins with aromas of maple syrup, nutty roasted malts dark chocolate,  and coffee. Taste follows the nose with added notes of dark fruit, cherries, and a touch of hops.   The finish brings a light, toasty bitterness. Interesting but not great offering saved by the maple.

Overall Rating: Above Average+ 

Rating System

(from best to worst)

Excellent- seek it out, one of the best of the best;  Outstanding- delicious worth the price and more; Very Good - if you see it buy without hesitation; Good - well made, when in doubt buy this and you can't go wrong; Above Average - tasty but better beer in the style are available;  Average - decent but not noteworthy in any way, Below Average - drink if it's the only thing available, Poor - tastes worse than very bad homebrew, avoid;  Undrinkable - a drain pour from the first sip.  Return to sender. It's even worse than bad seltzer.

"+" or "-" indicate half way to next level

Equilibrium Particle Physics

This 5.5%  American Pale Ale.  The nose brings juicy citrus, orange juice, papaya, tropica, fruits, and light pineapple.   Taste features mango, pineapple, papaya and a hint of banana. Mild bitterness.

Unassuming and subtle that is easy to drink but could use just a touch of punching up in depth of flavor. Still, a good beer for sure.

Overall Rating: Good-

==================================

Maine Wolfe's Neck

This is an 6.5% ABV American IPA . It opens with a laid back nose of orange, pineapple, pine, and apricot.  Taste follows nose with some additional grapefruit, citrus, grass, herbal hops with a grain and malt presence underlying it all.  Finish is relatively dry.  Overall well made but subdued in flavor almost to a fault

Overall Rating: Above Average+

=====================

Tree House Doubleganger

This is a 8.2% ABV New England IPA. It is the same base as the brewery's Doppelganger with higher kettle hopping rates and dry hopping rates.  The nose brings smells of mango, apricot, peach,  

grapefruit, and hints of green grass  Taste f ollows nose with a touch of vanilla/caramel

and stone fruit.. Alcohol is very well hidden. A fine beer if you find it.

Overall Rating: Outstanding-

=================

            Want your homebrew reviewed here by Sandy? Write webmaster@beernexus.com for the details.