Left Hand Brewing Java Lava

I ordered a glass of Left Hand Brewing Java Lava at the Colorado Brewer's Guild Brunch at Freshcraft. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan head. The aroma consists of coffee, milk chocolate, toasted malts, and vanilla beans. The taste is dry with coffee, dark milk chocolate, and toasted malts. A vanilla smoothness and sweetness comes out on the finish, tying the flavors together quite nicely. The alcohol content is 6.4% ABV. The vanilla beans are what absolutely made this beer, as they bridged the gap between the dark chocolate and coffee flavors together.

Left Hand-New Belgium Beer Week Sauce

Another beer I ordered at Varga Bar in Philadelphia was the Left Hand-New Belgium collaboration Beer Week Sauce. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan colored head that stays for a while. The aroma consists of dark Belgian chocolate, toasted malts, vanilla, and caramel. The taste is dark chocolate and rather dry with a light vanilla accent and a caramel sweetness. Coffee provides a great balance and wonderful flavor. The beer finishes a little dry and bitter, but has a wonderful overall flavor. The alcohol content is 6.0% ABV. This beer had an amazing balance of chocolate and coffee flavors with a nice vanilla and caramel sweetness.

Left Hand Imperial Stout

One other beer I ordered at the Left Hand tasting room was the Imperial Stout. The beer pours a dark amber color with a thin bubbly white head. The aroma consists of raisins, malts, and chocolate. The taste follows suits and has chocolate, malts, raisins, and coffee dancing on the palate. The alcohol content is 10.2% ABV. I will say that the Imperial Stout was quite smooth for the high alcohol content and didn't have a sharp alcohol bite on the finish.

Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA

Another beer I sampled from the Left Hand tasting room was the Twin Sisters Double IPA. I have not previously seen this beer on the east coast, and I was quite excited that Left Hand was offering a Double IPA. The beer pours an orange copper color with a bubbly white head. The aroma consists of caramel with grapefruit and sugar. The taste is big and strong with lots of caramel and some grapefruit and sugar accents. The alcohol content is 9.6% ABV. The Twin Sisters has a surprisingly smooth finish that doesn't bite or leaving any bitter remnants behind.

Left Hand Milk Stout

While in the Denver area, one is expected to visit the local breweries. Therefore, my friends and I took a road trip to visit Left Hand Brewing Company. Being left handed, I am quite fond of the namesake and seek their products whenever I can. One of the samples I tried in the tasting room was the Milk Stout. The beer pours a black color with a thin filmy tan head. The aroma consists of coffee and chocolate. The taste is smooth and creamy, filled with chocolate and coffee flavorings. Finally, the Milk Stout has a bitey toasted finish. The alcohol content is 6.0% ABV. I really enjoyed the Milk Stout offering from Left Hand, as it is smooth and easy drinking, yet it comes with a nice kick on the end to remind you this is a beer and not a child's drink like chocolate milk.

Left Hand/Terrapin Oxymoron

On draft at TJ's in Paoli was the Left Hand/Terrapin collaboration Oxymoron, so I ordered a glass. The beer pours an orange-amber color with a foamy white head. The aroma consists of lemon, pine, and citrus. The taste is full and round with lots of lemon and pine. Most pleasing in this beer is the caramel base that has some orange flavors hidden away. There is a little dry finish with a hoppy and bitter after taste. The alcohol content is 7.2% ABV. I really enjoyed the Oxymoron and its balance of pine and citrus without sacrificing a great caramel base.

Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey

I picked up a bottle of Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey, an English-Style India Pale Ale, from Pinocchio's in Media, PA. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy and lofty white head. The aroma consists of light lemon and pine hops with a butterscotch and toffee undertone. The taste is very light and smooth, mostly with a light lemon flavor and a peppery hop finish. The aftertaste has a sour grapefruit punch and a bit of mandarin orange. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. The 400 pound monkey can be summarized is two words: very drinkable. It is not overly hoppy or overly sweet, but just drinkable and enjoyable.

Left Hand Fatde to Black Volume 1- Foreign Export Stout

Another bottle I picked up at Brass Rail was the Left Hand Fade To Black Volume 1- Foreign Export Stout. The beer pours dark black and very thick and has a light tan head. The aroma is malty and chocolate with light hints of milk. The taste is dark bitter chocolate and it has a light cream finish. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV. I thought that the beer had a very good deep chocolate flavor and almost tastes like a s'more. I would highly recommend this beer, as it is great tasting and very smooth drinking.

Left Hand Polestar Pilsner

I tried a bottle of Left Hand Polestar Pilsner. The beer pours a yellow color with no head. The aroma is lightly hoppy and smells mostly of wheat. The taste is light with a slight lemon taste and also lightly hoppy, with the hops tasting somewhat like grass. It finishes pretty smooth with no aftertaste, but there is not a lot of taste with the beer to begin with. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV. I'd only say the beer was okay, but not excellent. I'd say this beer would be better in the summer months or at a tailgate when a lighter drinking beer is required but you want to drink something better than Miller Lite.

Left Hand Rye Bock Lager

My friends and I opened a bottle of Left Hand Rye Bock Lager to share. The beer pours a dark amber. The aroma is very sweet with a sharpness to it. The taste of the Rye Bock Lager was sweet with a nice spice undertone, coming from the rye. The alcohol content is 7.6% ABV. The Rye Bock Lager is brewed in the style of a Dopplebock and I thought it was an excellent beer. I will definitely try this one again.