MICHELOB -
WINTER'S BOURBON CASK ALE (St. Louis,
MO)
Todd: 3
A winter tradition at News 4U HQ, this seasonal ale pours a clean amber, and tastes
smooth and sweet, with a rich, molasses-like maltiness that would be more
palatable if not for the overbearing vanilla accents. Nonetheless, this is a
decent and drinkable brew, not outstanding but not altogether awful, either.
Tom: 2.5
Golden amber with a weak
nose dominated by vanilla. Thinnish and carbonated with a very light
finish. The short, sweet flavor is not bad, but fades quickly and does not
satisfy. Not a characteristic bourbon beer.
Jabez: 4
This beer appearance is medium
brown, and I liked the roasted malt and light nutty flavor. It did have an odd
flavor that I couldn't put my finger on, it was the vanilla. This was listed on
the bottle, which I didn’t read until I was about done drinking it) It gave the
beer a different flavor which set it apart from other beers I have been
drinking. A nice change.
Dylan: 2
Take the vanilla party out
and this would be perhaps my favorite of the bunch – the maltiness is perfect
and rich, and the ale is beautiful in a glass, but I can’t get past the
vanilla.
MICHELOB - RYE P.A. (St.
Louis, MO) (Available
only in the Michelob Sampler)
Todd: 4
Deep red-amber with a rich, foamy head and nice
lacing, this pale ale boasts of a fragrant hoppy aroma. Yum. Taste is a solid,
bitter IPA with a strong rye spiciness - challenging and completely in line
with what a sturdy IPA should be like. With the rye addition, this one's a real
craft beer with higher aspirations. Superb.
Tom: 3.5
Bright amber color. Nose is
sweet, but perfumy, with little hop presence for an IPA. Medium to thin in the
mouth with evident carbonation and a mild creaminess. Taste is bigger than the
nose suggests. Only a mild hoppiness, but surprisingly refreshing.
Jabez: 4.5
I just got this beer in
variety pack that I purchase at Buy Low. It pours a dark amber color with a
nice white head. I enjoyed the nice malty flavor and the spices from the rye.
This beer was really easy to drink and look forward to purchasing more.
Dylan: 4
It’s kind of a shame this
isn’t offered in six-packs. One of the more overall satisfying brews this
month, I was impressed with the balance – hoppy, but not bitter, solid but not intimidating,
strong-finishing but it doesn’t hang out too long on the palate too long like
some others of its ilk. Good stuff.
SHIPYARD
PRELUDE SPECIAL ALE (Portland,
ME)
Todd: 3
Another clean amber ale, this one begins with a warm
and comfortable aroma of clove and spice. The taste reflects this, with a
strong spicy palate and smooth malty inclination. Unfortunately, there's little
residual complexity. The sweetness is overpowering, rendering this beer decent,
but not outstanding.
Tom: 4
Brownish, amber with a light
tan head. Nice, sweet aroma that adds to the character and a smooth, medium
mouthfeel. Flavor is sweet and complex – fruity, malty, spicy, and hoppy with
an impressive lingering aftertaste. An excellent holiday beer.
Jabez: 3.5
This beer was a dark amber
color. It had a light spicy aroma. It had a sweet flavor with a bit of hops. It
also had a wine flavor to the beer, which I didn’t care for. The beer was ok,
but the wine taste just turned me off.
Dylan: 3
The aroma and look are
gorgeous, and evocative of the season. There are a lot of flavors competing
here, though, and it’s as if the brewmaster couldn’t make up his or her mind,
which is a pity, because there’s a lot of potential for greatness here. In the
end, it’s the sweetness – too much of it – that makes this one a bit of a dud.
GREAT
DIVIDE - HIBERNATION ALE (Denver,
CO)
Todd: 3.5
A dark red ale with a massive foamy head and
super-sweet character, this one's got a punchy, spicy taste-character that
gives way to a firm, alcoholic burn (it's 8.7% ABV). This one's definitely a
sipper - strong, potent, and hearty. Approach with caution.
Tom: 4.5
Dark amber brown with a
thick head and an outstanding strong, malty aroma. Great texture and a full
body. Flavor is complex, yet pleasant, with a strong dry hop flavor that lingers
for what seems like forever. A great winter beer.
Jabez: 4
This beer poured a reddish
brown with some what of and orange head. It had a nice fruity aroma which it
had also a fruity taste to it. The 8.7% alcohol content was also nice, which I
could taste. It also had a bit of cream chocolate flavor that I really liked.
The bottle is a little blah looking compared to the others but looks were
deceiving.
Dylan: 5
Great Divide’s offerings are
consistently great, and this guy captures the spirit of the season perfectly.
The high ABV warms, and balance of spice, malt and myriad intangibles conspire
to create my favorite brew of the bunch this month.
