Sigtuna Brygghus Kissmeyer No. 1 Stockholm Syndrome Double IPA

I ordered a glass of Sigtuna Brygghus Kissmeyer No. 1 Stockholm Syndrome Double IPA with at TJ’s in Paoli. The beer pours a dark amber color with a frothy cream colored head. The aroma consists of tangerine, strong caramel, and toffee. The taste is strong with caramel and toffee on the front end before strong bitterness takes over including grapefruit and tangerine. There is some underlying smoke on the finish with pepper, oak, and pine. This beer also allows the alcohol burn to linger, with the alcohol content at 9.0% ABV. I would not say this is your typical bitter Double IPA, as it has a largely sweet base and some smoke hints in there as well.

Neshaminy Creek County Line IPA

I went to TJ’s in Paoli after my fiancee’s hair appointment and I ordered a glass of Neshaminy Creek County Line IPA. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head that leaves a moderate lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, lemon caramel, and toffee. The taste is dry and bitter with lemon, tangerine, and grapefruit all providing a nice citrus punch. There is a pepper and spruce finish that lingers for a while on the tongue, but is quite pleasant. The alcohol content is 6.6% ABV. This was definitely a nice drinking IPA that I would come back to if I saw it on tap again.

Boulder Bourbon Barrel Bad Moon Risin

Another beer I ordered at Al’s of Hampden was Boulder Bourbon Barrel Bad Moon Risin, a black ale. The pours a black color with a frothy tan head. The aroma consists of bourbon, oak, chocolate, cherry, and vanilla. The taste is cherry and vanilla up front with chocolate and black licorice soon to follow. Bourbon and an oak finish finish out the beer and the alcohol burn lingers for a while. The alcohol content is 12.0% ABV. I was floored at how good this beer was and how well the bourbon intertwines with the licorice and chocolate flavors. If you see this beer, it is a must order.

Ballast Point Abandon Ship

While at Al’s of Hampden, I ordered a glass of Ballast Point Abandon Ship, a smoked lager. The beer pours a dark amber color with a thin frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, sweet smoke, malts, and toffee. The taste is dry and smoky with an overall great toast flavor. Caramel and toffee and there just to balance, but the smoke takes precedence. The alcohol content is 6.1% ABV. I liked the smoke notes in this beer, as they weren’t too overpowering or overbearing. I’ve had better smoked beers, but I would definitely come back to this one.

Brauerei Hofstetten Seit 1229 Barleywine Ale

I picked up a bottle of Brauerei Hofstetten Seit 1229 Barleywine Ale from Discount Wines and Liquors in Boonton, NJ. The beer pours a raisin color with a bubbly cream colored head. The aroma consists of raisin, oak, caramel, and malts. The taste is dry with oak and a sweet raisin and fig base. Caramel comes out as well before oak appears again and dries out the finish with some peppery spice to it as well. The alcohol content is 8.6% ABV. This was an interesting brew with quite a different flavor than I was expecting. The oak flavor really dried out the beer, but thankfully it had enough of a sweet base to balance it out.

Saranac High Peaks Lemon Ginger Saison

I picked up a bottle of Saranac High Peaks Lemon Ginger Saison from Discount Wines and Liquors in Boonton, NJ. The beer pours a golden color with a lofty and frothy white colored head that leaves a lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, ginger, wheat, pepper, and grass. The taste bites the tongue at first with some strong ginger and lemon flavors. That subsides and leads to pepper, wheat, grass, and caramel flavors. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV.This was a good saison, especially considering the cheap price, and had plenty of tasty flavors, especially the added ginger flavor.

Brouwerij der St. Benedictusabdij de Achelse Achel Trappist Extra

My buddy Adam brought over a bottle of Brouwerij der St. Benedictusabdij de Achelse Achel Trappist Extra to share. The beer pours a dark brown color with a lofty and frothy cream colored head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass as it subsides. The aroma consists of raisin, malts, caramel, Belgian spices, and a nice earthiness. The taste is bold with raisin and plenty of caramel flavors as well. A solid malt base then yields to a Belgian spice that also brings out some pepper and earthiness on the finish. The alcohol content is 9.5% ABV. This was a wonderful Belgian beer with all of the right flavors, a clean body, and an overly enjoyable drinking beer.

Terrapin-Shmaltz Reunion Ale '12

At Al’s of Hampden I picked up a bottle of the Terrapin-Shmaltz collaboration Reunion Ale ‘12. The beer pours a dark brown color with a foamy cream colored head. The aroma consists of cinnamon, coffee, toasted malts, vanilla, and chocolate. The taste is dry and filled with dark chocolate. Cinnamon dries the mouth out further before some vanilla shows up to sweeten out the flavor a bit. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. This was a decent beer and notably better than the ‘11 version of this beer. I can’t say I fell in love with it and would buy it again, but it was worth the try.