Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale

I ordered a glass of Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale from Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours a golden color with a thin filmy white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, oak, grass, and a powerful whiskey smell. The taste is strong and bold with whiskey on the front end that brings out a hint of peat and smoke, but it isn’t too overpowering. Oak dryness and light caramel flavors come out in the background, and grass lingers behind on the tongue. The alcohol content is 6.4% ABV. I enjoyed the whiskey aspect of this beer, as it provided a nice accent. Peat can be enough to make me dislike a beer, but it was subtle and complimentary rather than overbearing.

Clown Shoes Miracle IPA

I ordered a glass of Clown Shoes Miracle IPA while at Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours a copper color with a bubbly white head. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, candy, and orange. The taste is dry and bitter with orange, grapefruit, and tangerine citrus flavors. There is a light sugar finish with candy-like properties. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. This was a flavorful India Pale Ale with plenty of citrus coming forward. I thought it was a little sweet and candy-like and although that may not be a terrible thing, it wasn’t what I was looking for in a beer that night. I will probably order this beer again since I know what to expect from now on.

Brasserie des Rocs Brune Belgian Brown Ale

My buddy Adam brought over a bottle of Brasserie des Rocs Brune Belgian Brown Ale to share. The beer pours a brown color with a bubbly off-white colored head. The aroma consists of toasted malts, Belgian yeast, spices, pepper, raisin, and fig. The taste is raisin, fig, malts, caramel, and a hint of toasted malt. The Belgian yeast provides a sweetness through the finish with hints of pepper. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. The Belgian yeast provided a nice sweetness to the toasted malt and raisin flavors to this beer and they each complemented each other nicely.

De Proef-Hair of the Dog Flanders Fred

As part of the Rare Beer of the Month Club, I received a bottle of De Proef-Hair of the Dog collaboration Flanders Fred. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head that lingers for a while. The aroma consists of lemon, tart cherry, grass, and a light hint of vinegar. The taste is light and refreshing with a good tart flavor. Hints of lemon and cherry make up the tart flavor, and it finishes with a a grassy and light peppery finish. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. This was a nice light and and refreshing beer with a good tart twist to it. It was nice and fruit with hints of vinegar, all making an enjoyable experience.

Brasserie Bailleux Au Baron Cuvee des Jonquilles

My buddy Adam brought of a bottle of Brasserie Bailleux Au Baron Cuvee des Jonquilles to share. The beer pours a golden color with a lofty and frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of lemon, grass, pepper, hay, and a little bit of barnyard funk. The taste is light and grassy with a great bubbly mouth feel. There is a nice lemon touch to the beer with a hint of sugar. Pepper and hay make up the finish and dry out the beer a little bit, but not too significantly. The alcohol content 7.0% ABV. This was nice refreshing Biere de Garde with a wide variety of flavors. I loved the light lemon citrus flavors with a great lightly dry finish.

Pizza Boy Brewing Peach Luna

I picked up a growler of Pizza Boy Brewing Peach Luna from Al’s of Hampden to share with friends. The beer pours a dark brown color with a lofty and frothy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, peach, and malts. The taste is bold and robust was caramel and toasted malts and a hint of peach sweetness on the finish. The after taste is dry and has some toasted toffee. The alcohol content is 5.3% ABV. This was a very enjoyable lager with a great accenting peach flavor. I will definitely be ordering this beer again if it is on tap.

Elysian Peste Chocolate Chili Ale

I ordered a glass of Elysian Peste Chocolate Chili Ale when I went out to dinner at the new Sturges Speakeasy in Harrisburg. The beer pours a black.color with a thin frothy tan head. The  aroma consists of chocolate, vanilla, chili pepper, and toasted malts. The taste is spicy with a large chili pepper kick. A chocolate background and toasted malts are a bit subdued by the spice,and the beer finishes with a peppery flavor that warns the throat. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. I enjoyed the spiciness in this beer and thought it had a pretty solid backbone to withstand the amount of chili pepper in it.