When I poured it into the glass, I wasn’t surprised with the white pillowy head that quickly disappeared along with very minimal lacing. I was, however, very surprised with how light this Belgian wheat was. It is a very light, water down yellow that is slightly cloudy. Definitely the lightest color beer I’ve had in this category.

The smell is primarily of wheat, banana, and a hint of cloves. When I took the first sip, I was hit with grainy flavors with a touch of orange. Then a growing taste of bread and cloves flooded my tongue. It had a good amount of carbonation that was a nice balance with everything else going on in my mouth.

This beer is very drinkable and has good flavor despite the low alcohol content. A solid witbier.

ABV: 3.9%

Grade: B

Fortunately for me, my beer-of-the-month club agrees with me and has shipped a nice wheat, whose bottle’s adornment is, fittingly, a monkey, relaxing, just simply hanging around. So I follow suit on a lazy Saturday afternoon and swing into this brew.

My not-too-aggressive pour leaves me with a buoyant, puffing white head that fills my hefeweizen glass. It settles down, gracing the hazy, apple juice colored brew with a cap of one-finger. Its scent is a weizen-type dirty which I’ve been finding more an more in the unfiltered wheat beers I’ve sampled, but is blended with a bit of citrus to lighten into pleasantry. The flavor itself is more potently citrus, but its main quality is its refreshment. I cooled it a bit more than I typically do and the combination of the light body, the citrus and the cooler temperature makes for a spot-on choice today. It finishes light, hardly a linger of anything to speak of, but perhaps a little banana (justifying the name, I suppose), and simply cleanses my mouth.

While surely not the best wheat out there, Lakefront has done a good job, making a refreshing beer, perfect for a warm summer day.

ABV: 4.2%

Grade: B

Yes, ladies and gents, it is. And for no reason other than (from what I can tell), it’s simple and classy. Oberon might get a lot of rep from college students trying to expand their horizons beyond Blue Moon and Shock Top, but nothing says flagship like a steady, well-balanced dark(er) ale. Bell’s Amber doesn’t impress as much at colder temperatures, although it does manage to give you a touch of subtle grassy bitterness before those Munich malts kick in. But I’m grateful for the German influence here; the toasty caramel flavor really pairs well with the American hops used (not sure which ones). Think along the lines of a slightly more hop-balanced maibock and you won’t be far off. It’s also not too carbonated; smoother is definitely better with an amber like this.

To tell the truth, the room temperature dregs of the bottle I’m currently polishing off are actually some of the best beer dregs I’ve had in a while. Caramel and toffee notes really shine and it’s a bit more boozy. You definitely don’t have to sip it…but I would recommend prolonging the experience to get to this point. Flagship indeed; a pleasant, malty release from my IPA-infused summer.

ABV: 5.8%

Grade: B

I’ve chilled it a bit more than my typical brew and the glass sweats, the picture of refreshment. The smell is light and airy, yeasts are prevalent and blended with a lemony citrus. Its a stingingly cool taste, yet cleansing like the warm, lemony towels they give in first class. It coats just long enough to rinse the inside of my mouth and then disappears in an easy, non-dry fashion. The carbonation keeps me from gulping, so it forces me to enjoy each sip, rather than chugging it down with the sole purpose of attacking my thirst. The lemony refreshment again blends with the yeast to form a simple, but effective mixture.

I think this brew finds its niche in a crowd where ‘craft’ brews are typically a bit too much of a palate-stretcher for the average attendee. It is well-built and a perfect choice on a hot day, while bearing a brand common enough to fit in to a barbeque without causing too much of a stir.

ABV: 5%

Grade: B

It starts off as a hazy yellow-pale brew with a substantial eggshell white head when placed on your coaster. From there you’re taken on a wonderful ride through a fruity citrus filled beer that demands respect. Using Nugget to bitter, Simcoe and Cascade to finish, then dry hopped with Amarillo and Chinook (I hope I got that right) Tim provides you with a nice range of hop aromas and flavors to explore. The malts are light, bready and give a slight hint of caramel. There is a citrus blast that comes as you waft aromas with hints of grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and tangerine. Complimenting that is a nice floral component along with a pungent piney quality that makes me think I’m standing in a NW pine forest.

This fresh and lively beer does not stop at the nose. With regards to taste it is pleasantly hoppy all the way through, but does so in a non-aggressive manner (even though it might be aggressively hopped). It is somewhat pungent allowing for a slight resinous/oily aftertaste. This only served to remind me of the citrus hop blast I first smelled yet allowed the bready pale malt backbone to come out. Basically, it had a fruity bitter blast up front, a smooth sweet middle, and a lightly piney resinous finish.

Overall, it is one of the better APAs I’ve had in my lifetime and I appreciate that it stays within the style’s range. One could consider it an IPA, but only due to its freshness that accentuates the hoppiness. I forgot to look up the ABV, but my guess: somewhere between 4.6-5.8%.

ABV: 4.6-5.8%

Grade: A

American Dream IPA

This annual release is brewed around the summertime (if I remember past years correctly). The first time I tried this beer a couple years ago I became a fan.

The appearance is basically similar to the Pale Ale in just about every way. It might have been a little bit darker, but not by much. The aroma was similar as well with a huge volley of citrus grapefruit and orange notes that were vivid. It also carried the similar bready malt profile, but with a bit more sweetness in the nose. I could make out a slight alcohol presence as it came in at 6.8%.

I remember Tim telling me that the hops used were similar, with the exceptions of Cascade and Chinook, but I failed to ask what the additions where and how much. Either way, it had a cleaner, drier finish than the Pale. By that I mean not as resinous/oily. At first there was a light toasty malt teaser that then gave way to an amped up fruity citrus bitterness the rest of the way. I could tell the bitterness was increased, but it lacked the piney, pungent aspects of the pale. The abv was minor, but it helped to distinguish the two beers. The floral/citrus bitter aftertaste was spicier and backed by a slight alcohol warmth. Not a bad IPA.

ABV: 6.8%

Grade: B

Fruity ale smell- pleasant- malts and floral hops.

First sip really hit me with an iron presence and I was immediately turned off. My first instinct is that the iron note comes from the water used in this brew but by my third or fourth sip the iron taste was gone thankfully. Now that I think of it, a brewery would not likely use water with high amounts of iron in beer making on purpose.

This beer tastes in the style of a red ale, there are some nice flavors that come from the malts- some nuttiness mixed with some caramel sweetness. The texture of this beer is smooth and a tad creamy. The carbonation adds to the light creaminess but also contributes a tingle at the end. There is some definite hop bitterness, but a beer I’d call far from hoppy, as it shouldn’t be. The hops are there, but they are muted nicely as to allow the barley flavors to shine.

Ouisconsing (the Algonquin name for the Wisconsin River) is a nice red ale. Slightly aromatic, malty, smooth, and finishes with a nice bite. I’m interested in Central Waters and more of their beers.

ABV: 4.8%

Grade: B

After a vacation, I always feel like I need another vacation before I go back to work. The unpacking, laundry, cleaning that is required after a trip is not something I look forward to. So, to take a break from unpacking I decided to indulge in one of my new beers. I decided to go with a refreshing pale ale from Madison River Brewing Co.

It poured a golden, orange color. It was very pleasing to the eye. The pillowy head quickly dissipated. The scent was of sweet malts, hops, and a good amount of citrus. The taste is very refreshing. The carbonation hits you at first and then finishes quite smooth and clean with a nice amount of hops. It is a good balance of flowery hops and fruity malts. The ABV isn’t anywhere on the bottle but is on their website.

This beer is a solid pale ale. It is very refreshing and enjoyable on a hot, summer day.

ABV: 5.7%

Grade: B

Rock Art’s Ridge Runner is a “mild Barley Wine” Ale brewed with no less than the following: Pale, Dark Crystal, Munich, flaked barley, black and chocolate malts, and Cascade, Crystal, Challenger and Perle hops. Now I am no expert when it comes to Barley Wine, but any brew that totes those ingredients is one I gotta try. I poured (excitedly) the Ridge Runner into my favorite snifter glass, producing a finger and a half of light tan head. The color was a dark amber – looks mostly brown, but obviously red when held up to the light. The nose was a little confusing to me … I picked up mostly the roasted malts, but they were faint. Probably due to the fact that there are some seriously sweet malts, and some seriously aromatic hops involved, there was no bursting nose. Everything equalized, leaving a somewhat boring nose. Not bad, just boring.

After one sip I decided that this is a satisfying Barley Wine. Now I’m told that Barley Wines are close kin to Old Ales: deep, rich, high in ABV. I would say that’s true in the case of Ridge Runner. This beer has a sweet, roasty flavor to it that spikes ever so slightly in between the start and the finish with a little kick of hop bitterness. It boasts a 7.5% ABV, which could be hidden a little better with a little more carbonation. Mild compared to other Barley Wines I’ve tasted, this Ridge Runner is probably the most enjoyable I’ve tried so far.

ABV: 7.5%

Grade: B

Aroma is quite surprising, pleasant, and pleasing. Chocolate, caramel, coffee candy- really quite impressive. Like the inside of a coffee or candy shop.

Taste: I definitely get a roasted note, with a light coffee aftertaste which is really good. The middle of the sip offers a good mix of caramel and roasted barley, with a mouthfeel that is not overpowering and causes me to want more. It’s carbonated to the point where the beer feels creamy to my palate, yet I wouldn’t consider this a creamy beer at all. It just has such a soft finish, no crispness, but in this beer that works. The hops are well hidden, although present. After every sip I’m getting the roasted note and it really fits with this beer.

Overall I really enjoyed this beer. A welcome relief from the hop focused beers I’ve gravitated toward lately. I’m happy I bought this and thoroughly enjoyed this “no-name” beer. Trader Joe’s and Goose Island strike again.

ABV: 5.8% (Thanks to Claudia @ Goose Island for tracking down the brewery spec sheet to verify ABV)

Grade: B

Their IPA is what I’d call a good cross between an American and traditional British style. A generous helping of American citrus hops, but with a nice caramel-honey malt character in the back to balance it all out. Smells fairly mild as IPAs go…looks absolutely awesome. There’s a definite sweetness in the taste that gathers as it warms, so the malts hold their own. It’s refreshing to say the least, and delicious with spicier food, which today happened to be some curried fish my mom picked up from Whole Foods. At 6.9% ABV, it also bites a little bit at the end, making it slightly less sessionable but enhancing the bitterness. Solid craftsmanship.

Still…I get the sense that this IPA exists in the Southern Tier lineup more so because it has to, not because it’s an incredibly unique interpretation of the style. Certainly I’m not accusing Southern Tier founders Phin and Skip of brewing an IPA just to appease the masses. This is a tasty, well-crafted beer. It’s just not jaw-dropping. And Southern Tier’s website recounts that despite the huge success of the IPA at the brewery’s beginning, the other two of their first three beers (a Pilsner and a Mild Ale) were the ones they initially dubbed the “flagship” brews. As an IPA, it just lacks…passion. Do I still recommend it? For sure. But when all’s said and done, I don’t think they’re going to be hanging their hats on this one. With so many other great beers…they don’t really need to.

ABV: 6.9%

Grade: B