Long Trail Brewmaster's Series Double IPA

I picked up a bottle of Long Trail Brewmaster's Series Double IPA when I was in New Jersey. The beer pours a vibrant yellow-gold color with a lofty bubbly white head. The aroma consists of lemon and tangerine with light pepper accents. The beer tastes creamy and lemon, almost like lemon meringue. There is some tangerine accents on the finish and a bit of caramel and pine. The alcohol content is 8.6% ABV. This was a thoroughly delicious brew. Every time I pick up a Long Trail beer, I am surprised as to how great it was for the price I paid. This was a great example of a double IPA, and I think it could be drinkable by most people.

Surly Coffee Bender

As part of a beer trade with Lee from Hoptopia.com, I acquired a can of Surly Coffee Bender. The beer pours a dark brown color with lofty foamy tan head. The aroma hits on all coffee with bits of chocolate. There is a faint hop undertone in the aroma as well. The beer is pretty light, as it is an ale and not a stout or porter. The taste is heavy on the coffee with background hints of creamer. The beer finishes a little dry from the coffee. The alcohol content is 5.1% ABV. I really enjoyed this coffee offering. It was a slightly different variation from other coffee beers, and wasn't as focused on the chocolate or creaminess. However, this was a delicious brew that you should give a try if you like coffee.

Sullivan's Potomac Pale Ale

My friend Ryan recently began home brewing and he gave me one of his beers to try. The first beer I had was a Pale Ale. He allowed me to give the beer a name, so I am going to call it Potomac Pale Ale since it was brewed in the DC area. The beer pours a golden color with a lofty foamy white head. There are a good amount of bubbles rising in the glass. The aroma has sour hops with light malt undertone. The taste is bubbly and carbonated up front with good malty backbones and a crisp hop finish. The alcohol content approximately 4% ABV. This beer shows a lot of promise for future brews. While it may have been crafted out of a home brew package, the process was followed correctly and it is noticeable in the taste.

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

I stopped into the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Falls Church, Virginia on my last visit to DC. They had the 75 minute IPA on tap, so I ordered a glass. The IPAs from Dogfish Head are typically named for how long they are boiled, but this beer is not boiled for 75 minutes. Instead, it is a blend of the 60 Minute IPA and the 90 Minute IPA and then cask conditioned. The beer pours a light amber color with a thin filmy white head. The aroma is fresh and hoppy, mostly smelling of pine and flowers. The taste is lightly malty with some caramel and toffee hints. The finish is heavy on pine hops. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. I thought that this concoction was delicious and very refreshing. The weather outside is getting warmer, and a nice IPA will help cool you off.

Nogne-o/Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales/Stone Brewing Special Holiday Ale

I picked up a bottle of Special Holiday Ale when I was in New Jersey visiting. This beer is a collaboration from Nogne-o, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, and Stone Brewing Company. The beer pours a dark brown color with a bubbly tan head. The aroma is spicy, consisting of nutmeg, cinnamon, molasses, pine, and pie crust. The taste is thick and smooth, with heavy accents on the molasses, nutmeg, and cinnamon. There are accents of sage and pine in there as well. The beer finishes with a pie crust taste and a bit dry from the great hops in the beer. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV. This was a totally delicious brew and I highly recommend picking up a bottle if you get a chance. There were so many levels to this beer, no doubt due to the fact that three different brewers had a hand in it. My only regret is not buying more bottles of this, as I was saddened when the bottle was gone.

Steel Brewing Steel Reserve

One of my coworkers picked up a case of Steel Reserve for poker. The beer pours a straw color with foamy white head that sticks to the glass. The aroma is heavily malty with wheat and smells like a frat house or standing over a brew kettle. The taste is malty and a bit sour on the finish. The beer is also somewhat creamy, but a pretty smooth drinking beer. The alcohol content is 8.1% ABV. Overall, it was pretty decent and drinkable, and it was not as bad as I was expecting.

River Horse Tripel Horse

I picked up a six-pack of River Horse Tripel Horse the last time I was in New Jersey. I have enjoyed every River Horse beer I have had to date, and was really excited to try the tripel. The beer pours a golden color with a foamy cream colored head. The aroma is full of banana with hints of pepper and candisugar. The taste is full of banana and heavy on the alcohol flavor and has an undertone of candisugar and rock candy. The pepper does not hit until the finish, but is a very pleasant accent. The alcohol content is 10.0% ABV. This was a very rounded tripel. It may have a decent alcohol bite, but the banana and pepper flavors are very enticing in the mouth.

Ithaca Excelsior Twelve Monastery-style Quadrupel Ale

I acquired a bottle of Ithaca Excelsior Twelve Monastery-style Quadrupel Ale through a beer trade with Lee from hoptopia.com. The beer pours a dark brown color with an over-the-top lofty bubbly head. It took several minutes (more like 10-15!) and pours to get the beer to a drinkable condition, and the wait killed me, but was totally worth it. The aroma consists of sweet malts with raisins, figs, and a bit of molasses. The taste contains heaps of raisins and a good amount of fig. There is a light toasted malt undertone with a sweet chocolate finish. There are hints of oak on the outside of the mouth. The alcohol content is 12% ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed this Quad, and it would rank among my favorites Quads. Not only does it include the typical raisin and fig flavors, but the chocolate and toasted malts really enhance the experience. Get your hands on this beer while you can.