Smuttynose Ry(e)an Ale

My friend Casey picked me up a bottle of Smuttynose Ry(e)an Ale, which was brewed exclusively for Julio’s Liquors. The beer pours a dark caramel color with a frothy beige-colored head that leaves a hint of lacing on the glass. The aroma is caramel, rye, sweet bourbon, vanilla, pepper, and cherry. The taste is sweet at first with lots of caramel and toffee before it bitters with rye quickly. A sweep of dry bourbon takes over the tongue, leaving some honey, vanilla, and cherry lingering on the tongue. A hint of flowers remains in the after taste, which was quite enjoyable. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. The beer was put together extremely well and it did not let down in the flavor offering throughout the tasting experience. It was bold and peppery with a smooth and delicious bourbon flavor.

Marble Reserve Ale 2012

My buddy Chad brought a growler to share of Marble Reserve Ale 2012. The beer pours a dark amber color with a thin filmy white head. The aroma consists of cinnamon, raisin, Belgian yeast, and Belgian spices. The taste is smooth and sweet consisting of caramel and yeast. A bourbon tinge coupled with oak and vanilla finishes strong and leaves behind cinnamon on the tongue. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. The spices in this beer mixed with raisin and bourbon really played well on the tongue, and the oak and vanilla flavors hung on for a long time. I completely enjoyed how complex and bold this beer was, and I recommend trying it if you get a chance.

Brooklyn Blast

I ordered a glass of Brooklyn Blast on a recent trip to Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours a golden color with a thin filmy white head. The aroma is floral and has caramel, lemon, pepper in it. The taste is very floral and dry with a caramel backbone. Pepper and lemon accents balance the beer nicely and tie it all together. The alcohol content is 8.0%. The was a really good beer with English hops. The floral flavors were more than enjoyable, and the beer was exceptionally balanced.

Pizza Boy Grasslands

Another recent tapping at Al’s of Hampden was the Pizza Boy Grasslands, a saison. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white head. The aroma consists of lemon, grass, and pepper. The taste is dry and peppery with lots of grassy hops. Lemon hints provide a nice accent and the beer has an earthy finish, resulting in a light sweetness on the tongue. The alcohol content is 4.7% ABV. While not perfect, I’d say that Grasslands was a rather good first attempt at a saison from Al, and I look forward to see where this beer goes in the future.