Review #3 - Duck-Rabbit Duck-Rabbator Lager Doppelbock

Perhaps one of the most awesome names (Duck-Rabbitor) comes from one of the best dark beer breweries (Duck-Rabbit) from one of the most random places (Farmville, NC.) And no, this has no connection to some fairly lame social media game... I respect DR because when they made quite good dark beers, they quit when they were ahead. They only make darker styles of beers and they do it well. No crazy IPA's or spicy Belgian's, just simple quality dark brews. This particular beer was a bottle, but I have had it on draft as well. It has a distinctly toffee malted nose. It has a nice dark sense in the overall taste. The back end brings back the sweet toffee flavor. It finishes well and has a significant malty aftertaste. This is not a year round beer (yet) so definitely get it when you can. People who may not want a really dark beer can still appreciate the sweetness. People who do want a dark beer can appreciate the soul of the beer.
Overall: ✓+  ABV - 8.5%




Iechyd da!
~Tyler

*Really cool logo right?

Review #2 - Bell's Kalamazoo Stout

One of the best top to bottom breweries has to be Bell's Brewery. They have great seasonal and specialty releases, as well as year round beers. One of their great standard year round beers is their Kalamazoo Stout.  Bell's is probably Kristie's favorite brewery, she is a big Michigan beer fan. They have several great beers on the darker side in that area. This bottle had a very flat and understated malt taste. The roasted malt has a dark chocolate-like finish on it. The undertaste is definitely reminiscent of coffee. And that same flavor comes back in the form of a bitter* coffee aftertaste. If you are in the mood for a stout and it is on the menu, it is definitely a good buy.
Overall: ✓ ABV - 6.0%


Iechyd da!
~Tyler


*Remember, bitter is not always bad, just a feature!

Review #1 - Avery Maharaja Imperial IPA

One of the best full-bodied IPAs I have enjoyed is Avery Maharaja. Avery Brewing Co out of Colorado, has created some great brews that I recommend. But, my favorite is easily the Maharaja. Perhaps, the most notable aspect of the beer is the very floral/citrus nose. It quite famously stands out. Overall, for an Imperial IPA, it has a heavy malt balance that stays through the entire taste. The overtaste  is malty, yet has a bitter hoppy finish. It culminates with a minor bite and a dry aftertaste. It has a sprite mouthfeel that fades into Malty/bitter thickness. If you are not into IPAs yet, I do not suggest this one - just put it on your TO DO list. Everyone else GET IT!
Overall: ✓++  ABV - 10.24%  IBU: 102


Iechyd da!
~Tyler


P.S. I know a ✓++ has not been mentioned, but put it this way. Always have a back-up in your beer fridge.

Knowing is half the battle

Frequently, I will be posting a review of a beer on this blog. They will be posted according to their type.This will then, hopefully create a sufficient list for one to traverse the beer world. There is first an important step. And that is... who is writing the review! All reviews are basically my point of view. I could have a different take on a beer, my palate could have been off, or simply - I got a bad one (old, dirty, etc.) There is always this margin of error. but overall, we should be good.

Now, about my beer taste. I like to say that

Why Craft Beer?

There are very few things in this world that have as interesting an adjective as "craft" in their title. There are "big" and "super" and "first", but few things can be described with such utter reverence as craft. (Thanks for ruining my point "artisan" bread...) Still, that is really what it is, a craft. For anyone, like myself, who has brewed beer at home or even seen beer being brewed, you know that more goes into the process than in making a simple pitcher of sweet tea. It takes many hours of preparation and several more for the actual process. The overall character of a beer is made up of its flavor, aroma, and appearance (there are more specifics, but that is for another time), so much goes into the creation of said characteristics. Over a century ago, the macro breweries of this country settled in on a recipe that most people could stand and have made some semblance of that lager ever since.

Yet, it is in the last 30 years, and moreover, the last 10 years, that an industry called "Craft beer" has come to the forefront. While once a large and prolific industry,