Lazy Magnolia - Backwoods Belgian

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co.

Backwoods Belgian - Belgian golden ale brewed with honeysuckle tea

The color of this beer is a nice golden color with hues of orange.  The head came and went as quickly as I have ever seen.  The beer is slightly transparent, with a little bit of haziness that makes it hard to see through.  It's not an exciting looking brew, but it looks good.

The aroma that this brew gives off has notes of honey, that is the strongest, but it also has some citrus and banana notes.  There is also a nice backing of bready maltiness that is coupled with a hint of clove.  It smells fantastic, just makes my mouth water.

On the palate the prickly carbonation leads you to a nice a plethora of flavor that is balanced and awesome.  This beer gives you a nice balance of flavor.  The honeysuckle is nice, and blends extremely well the citrus flavor and the banana.  The clove spice kicks in at the backend and slightly warms the mouth. It's a nice finish for the beer.

Overall this beer is one this years favorites.  The aroma is fantastic, it is not to strong, but gives enough scents to let you know what you are going to drink.  Th flavors or where this beer shines.  It is well done.  Nothing to crazy, but flavorful, tasty, balanced, and fantastic.  This is my favorite beer this summer, it's a shame it sold anywhere near me and I had to go to the south for a wedding to find it.  I give this beer a 4.5 out of 5!  Go and get it.

Deschutes - Inversion IPA

Deschutes Brewery

Inversion IPA

The beer pours a bright copper with hints of red.  It is an awesome color, with a nice depth, but also let's just a little bit of light through.  The head of this beer is a nice bright white, it doesn't leave a bit of lacing.  Overall it is a great looking beer.

The aroma of this beer is slightly sweet, with some citrus notes.  There are also some floral notes.  The smell of this beer is well balanced and not overpowering.  The sweetness is first thing you notice, but the hoppiness hits you second and hangs around for a while.  

On the palate the mild carbonation leads you to a very smooth beer.  The flavors are blended together, and come at you all at once, unlike some IPA'sk where there is more of a take your turn aspect to the flavors.  You definitely get some malty sweetness, it blends well with the citrus notes and the floral notes and you notice lastly.  There is a mild bitterness that remains on the backend, but is dies away nicely and leaves you wanting more.

Overall this is a very nice brew.  The color is awesome, and one of the nicest looking beers I have seen in a while.  The aroma has enough power to it to be enticing without being overpowering.  The flavors are well balanced and well done.  This beer has some really nice flavor and is worth a try.  I give it a 4 out of 5.

DuClaw - Neon Gypsy

DuClaw Brewing Co.

Neon Gypsy - India Pale Ale

The color of this beer is orangey-gold.  It's an awesome color that is slightly transparent, and has a small white head.  The head goes down quickly and leaves no lacing.  Even thing about the look of this beer is clean and fresh.  

The aroma of this brew gives off a wonderful notes of grapefruit and citrus.  There is an underlying smell of pines, and strong hop kick on the backside.  Nothing about this aroma says weak, or lacking flavor.  It's an aroma that makes you want to drink this beer.

On the palate the mild carbonation is perfect for the amount of flavor that this beer gives off.  The flavor of this beer is very unique.  There is a grapefruit flavor that is crisp and clean.  Then you notice a piney flavor.  The pine flavor is subtle but a pleasant complement to the grapefruit.  The backend of this beer finishes cleanly.  There is a mild bitterness at first, then it gets a little strong, like a crescendo in music, but it disappears quickly.  

Overall, this is one of my favorite IPA's.  I love the flavor, and the finish if the beer.  It isn't heavy, but it is a beer that makes you want to sip it because of the flavor, not because it is heavy.  The color is awesome and the aroma is very well done.  I would highly recommend this beer.  I give this beer a 4 out of 5.

Flying Fish - Farmhouse Summer Ale

Flying Fish Brewing Co.

Farmhouse Summer Ale - An American Blonde Ale

The color of this beer is a crystal clear straw yellow.  The head came and went very quickly and left no lacing on the glass.  

The aroma of this beer is faint, nearly nonexistent leaving a slight biscuit aroma.  There is also a mild sweetness, from fruit, maybe lemons.  It is difficult  figure out since the aromas are so muted.

On the palate the barely there carbonation leads the way for a beer that is light, crisp, and lacking flavor.  The biscuit flavor from the malt gives way to a grassy, lemon flavor.  It doesn't have much else going on.  There is a little bit of muddled flavors as an after taste, which doesn't make me want to keep drinking.

Sadly I feel this beer falls flat.  While it is easy drinking, there is no aroma, and the flavors are disappointing.  There isn't much going on.  I will only be drinking the rest of this because I don't want to waste it, plus I took the picture of it.  I give this beer 2 out of 5.

Cigar City - Jai Alai

Cigar City Brewing

Jai Alai - India Pale Ale

The color of this brew is a wonderfully rich orange/copper.  It leaves a mild head that quickly dies down to a subtle coating on the top of the beer.  There is a good depth to the color, you and make out different hues of orange and copper.  The beer is transparent, letting a decent amount of natural light through, but there is enough body to it to only let the light through.  

The aroma gives off a scent of hoppy bitterness that is accompanied by grapefruit.  There is also a caramel sweetness to the scent that helps to balance out the bitter.  It is a very nice aroma that welcomes you to taste the brew.  

On the palate the light but slightly prickly carbonation leads you to a beer that has a nice transition of flavors.  Upfront you get hit with a mild fruitiness, that gives way to that caramel malt.  The beer then transitions again, leaving your tongue tasting grapefruit and some bitterness.  The beer finishes with a slight drying effect on the tongue, obviously this was done to make you drink more.  If you like IPA's, you definitely will drink more.

Overall I would say this is a flavorful IPA that does a good job at remaining true to itself.  It's balanced, but let's you know that the bitterness is here to stay.  It has a wonderful color, and it smells great.  I would recommend this beer to anyone that likes IPA's.  I give this beer a 4 out of 5.

Deschutes - Hop in the Dark

Deschutes Brewery

Hop in the Dark Cascadian Dark Ale - An Americam black ale

The color of this beer is DARK.  It's a solid looking beer, the almost black, but you can see a hint of brown color is rich and mysterious.  The light brown head goes away at a medium pace, and leaves some uneven lacing as it goes down the glass.  No light can get through this brew, it is way to solid for that.

The aroma of this brew gives of noticable scents of roast malts, a bitter chocolate and coffee aroma is also present in this beer.  Hiding amongst the other flavors you will also get hints of piney hops.  It's a pretty interesting aroma, that is pleasant and intriguing.  It's a smell that makes you want to take a sip.

On the palate the mild carbonation delivers a beer full of wonderful flavors.  The maltiness gives a nice backdrop to the hops that arrive and linger on your tongue long after you have finished your sip.  The piney flavors, with semi sweet chocolate flavor play well against each other.  There is also a hint of citrus the produces itself the more you drink it.  The beer finishes a little dry, and there is the slightest hint of alcohol, but not enough to add a warming sensation to the mouth and throat.  

Overall this is a pretty good beer.  There is a lot of flavor, the beer goes down very smoothly, and it has a nice aroma.  The color and aroma entice you to drink it.  I would say Deschutes did a nice job with this ale.  I give it a 4 out of 5.  Go and get it.

DuClaw -Sawtooth

DuClaw Brewing Co.

Sawtooth - Belgian white ale

The color of this beer is a nice cloudy gold, with a little tint of orange.  It's a translucent brew, that allows you to almost see through it at the edges, but it's only a tease.  There is a nice depth to the color, as it is deepest in the middle and then gentle fades as it approaches the edge of the glass.

The aroma of this beer is mild but has some layers to it.  I notice a yeastiness that gives way to a little bit of spice that smells like coriander, and you also get a nice light citrus scent.  It's a pleasant overall aroma with a nice mix of aromas that play well with each other.

On the palate there is a barely there carbonation that is very fine.  The flavors of this beer are blended together to make a crisp, refreshing beer.  You definetly notice the yeast, but at the same time you get some spice and citrus.  The lasting sweetness of the beer is pleasant as an after taste.  There is also a little bit of spice that remains after you finish your taste.

Sawtooth is a crisp refreshing beer that is nice for summer.  This beer finishes nice and light, and it isn't heavy and has a lower ABV for those who don't like a stronger beer.  This beer is worth a try, and is the type of beer you can have several of without filling up.