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Amstel Light

Tom: 1

Straw colored with an almost "skunky" aroma and harsh carbonation. A lot of light beers are almost devoid of flavor. Unfortunately, this one is not. It’s been many years since I’ve had an Amstel Light and I now remember why.

Todd: 2.5

Pouring a clear pale gold (with little lacing), this unassuming and simple lager is crisp, light, and malty. It's well-balanced and not in the least bit challenging. A perfect example of a light lager, this one's more on the watery side. Likeable for what it is, though not one I'd seek out or stock at the house.

Jabez: 3

This is a slightly dark gold lager. This beer smelled a little skunky to me. It was hard to review this beer when I was drinking the others. It did have a light grainy flavor but nothing that stuck me very hard. It also has decent carbonation.  It was very easy to drink and it was just your average lager. 

Dylan: 2

Not really a craft beer, but I’ve always really enjoyed Amstel Light; it’s a good old lager that refreshes and stays clean, unlike the bitterness that comes along with another old fashion cousin, Heineken. Always has been a favorite of mine with a big meal, as it isn’t remotely heavy – but as light beers go, and like any regular Amstel Light drinker knows, it doles out more flavor than many (if not most) other beers in the “Light” category.

Goose Island Hex Nut Brown Ale

Tom: 4

Dark reddish brown with a decent tan head. Nice sweet, nutty malt aroma. Nicely textured with good carbonation and a nutty toasted flavor with a hint of hops. A very satisfying beer that I’ve had before and will have again.  

Todd: 3.5

This brown ale gives the appearance of being almost a stout, with its rich and deep, almost black appearance. The initial taste heralds a malty chocolate note, with a pleasant sweetness that's not overbearing nor artifical-tasting. Tasty and enjoyable stuff.

Jabez: 3.5

This beer poured a clear brown with a small tan head. I could smell hints of caramel in it but nothing major. It was nutty and had some caramel in flavor also. Would consider this an average nut brown beer in this market.

Dylan: 3.5

Deep brown, near-black color with a creamy head. Initial shot of semi-sweet maltiness that lingers, but only for 10 seconds or so. Balanced – the malt/hop proportions keep it fairly middle-of-the-road – which suits me just fine. Compared to English brown ales, the “tone-downedness” of this one is tame, and suited for American tastes, but it still manages to be rich and flavorful enough to be quite satisfying.

Pyramid Snow Cap

Tom: 3.5

Deep brown color with reddish hints and a creamy tan head. The nose is surprisingly weak, but the flavor has a nice fruity maltiness to it that is fuller than the aroma suggests.  A very drinkable winter beer.

Todd: 4

This dark, opaque amber ale hits the palate with a zingy citrus punch at first, followed by a hoppy bitterness and burnt nuttiness. Quite a unique and flavorful taste experience, this winter warmer is 7% but the alcohol presence is fairly obscured by what I call a profound "flavor roll", whereas different taste elements evolve on the tongue. An invigorating and impressive beer.

Jabez: 4.5

This was my favorite of the group. It was a very dark and clear but not cloudy. I could smell a little bit of bananas and cloves in this beer. I was presently surprised by the spiciness of this beer. I could also taste the cloves in this beer. It did have 7% alcohol content. This beer was very smooth.

Dylan: 4

Black in my pint glass with a thin head – aroma is musky, spicy, warm – traits associated with the winter season. Like the Goose Island Nut Brown, malt predominates, and is similarly tempered so as not to be “sickly sweet,” which can happen when a brewer gets too malt-happy. The G. Island is Pyramid’s closest counterpart this month, and is overall a more approachable dark ale, but Pyramid offers more start to finish satisfaction.

Mendocino Imperial IPA

Tom: 4

Medium copper color with a dense, lasting head. Strong, hoppy aroma with hints of citrus and a full, creamy mouthfeel. The sweet, hoppy flavor nicely masks the strong alcohol presence. A nice beer for this time of year.

Todd: 3.5

An intensely floral hoppiness emanates from the bottle at once, certainly a good opening scent. This one's a nicely amber-red in appearance. It's "only" 7.5% ABV, but this hop-monster packs a bitter wallop -- certainly not for beginners. Actually this is a pretty traditional IPA, and not too fanciful or unique. Solid, but not outstanding.

Jabez: 4

This beer almost appeared to have a dark orange color to it. I could really smell the hops but also could detect a grapefruit odor. This beer did seem to be a little syrupy. It did have a nice smooth caramel taste and the 7.5 % alcohol was nice. I could also detect a hint of pine for some reason but a very good beer.

Dylan: 4.5

Gorgeous deep-amber hue that starts cloudy and turns clear. Heavy hops give it the requisite floral nose plus a trace amount of an herbaceous aroma. The first sip reveals a complexity I didn’t expect from an India Pale Ale; the flavors exploit each taste receptor on the tongue; any given sip offers sweetness, bitterness, even a hint of saltiness – and each subsequent drink reveals different flavors in difference proportions. A surprise in each sip, and an impressive accomplishment by the brewmaster at Mendocino.