Crown Valley Brewing - Gunslinger

Crown Valley Brewing

Gunslinger - Double IPA

The color of this beer is an orange with a base of brown.  It gives off a nice foamy head, the laces down the glass, and sticks around for a little while.  The beer is faintly see through.  The color is a little dirty, wish it was crisp and more defined.

The aroma of the beer gives off a nice maltiness with hints of lemon and honey.  It is a pretty mild aroma.  The aroma is inviting though, even though it isn't very strong.  The mild sweetness and slight bite from the hops play well on the nose.

On the palate this is a pretty well balanced beer.  The sweet maltiness with a slight caramel, then you notice the honey and lastly a little lemony tang with a clean and a little dry.  The flavor a balanced, more sweet than bitter.  There is nothing amazing about the taste, it is just good.  

Overall this beer goes down easily, which could be an issue since it is 9% abv, but then again, I could just drink it slower.  The color is not my favorite, but the aroma is nice, and the flavors are balanced and pleasant.  This is a pretty good double IPA.  I give it 3.5 out of 5

Barrel House - Local Species

Blue Mountain Barrel House Brewery

Local Species - Belgian Strong Pale Ale, aged in charred bourbon barrels

The color of this beer is a dark copper with distinctive reddish brown look.  It's a translucent beer, that has a slight cloudiness.  The head is white and foamy, and goes away very quickly, and does not laces the glass.

The aroma of this beer is full bodied and gives off a bunch of scents.  You will get a sweetness of candied sugar, citrus, a slight hoppiness and a little bit of caramel.  The smell isn't over powering, but it is full and rich.  

On the palate this beer has a lot going on.  Up front you taste a rich smooth caramel, followed by a nice balanced hoppiness that has a slight citrus taste to it.  There is a slight spice, and then finishes with a slight dryness.  There is a warmth to this brew that you experience during the entire taste.  There is a sense of alcohol, but it isn't strong, but complimentary to the overall flavor of the beer.

Overall this is a wonderful beer.  It's well balanced in flavor and has a nice aroma.  The color is just plain gorgeous, and draws you in from the start. Overall this is a solid beer worth getting.  4 out of 5.

Ithaca - Apricot Wheat

Ithaca Beer Co.

Apricot Wheat - A fruit wheat ale

The color of this beer is is a pale yellow, with the slightest tint of orange.  The beer pours leaving a light head that disappears quickly and leaves no residue on the side of the glass.  It's a beer that looks very light, crystal clear, and leaves you thinking there is no body to the beer.

The aroma given off by this beer gives off a prominent fruit smell.  It smells a little fake, like a candy or even dried fruit.  The smell isn't really strong, but it is there, and hard to miss.  I don't really get any other smells from this beer.  

On the palate it is a light tasting beer.  If you are looking for something that has a ton of flavor, and body to it, then you will not like this brew.  It is very light, the apricot flavor is light and crisp.  It has a mild bitterness in the mild of the taste, but it is fruit up front and finishes sweet.  It finishes clean with little after taste.  There is not much else to this beer.  

Now I know it seems like I am disappointed in this beer, but that is not the case.  It is a beer that is available year round, but I would only drink it in the summer.  It is light, crisp, has decent sweetness, and finishes clean.  It's a nice light beer for warm weather, that if you like the taste of you could drink a few of, but also have no problem switching brews.  Overall it's a decent beer.  I will give it a 3 out of 5.

Deschutes - Black Butte

Deschutes Brewery

Black Butte - Porter

The color of this beer is a deep dark chocolate.  The solid color has a light tan head that doesn't stick around too long.  Not light passes through this beer, and just at the edge of the glass you can see the deep brown color giving way to the light.  It's a wonderful looking brew.

The aroma is a nice clean chocolate.  The nose also picks up a nice roasted malt smell, that is complimented by the slightest hint of coffee.  The aroma is nicely balanced and fairly enticing.  The dance between the sweetness and the roasted malts goes well together.

On the palate Black Butte has a very mild carbonation, kind of like a flat soda, which is nice, I don't like it when these types of beers are too carbonated.  There is a little bit of hoppy bitterness that blends on nicely with the sweet, chocolate flavor of the beer.  The roasted malt and a little bit of coffee flavor finish of this beer.  The after taste is dry with coffee flavor being the flavor that lingers on the tongue.

Overall this is a pretty good beer.  I really enjoy the look and smell of this brew.  I like how is sets up for a favorable drinking experience. The flavor itself isn't bad either.  I think it is a little bit lacking, and could use a bit more flavor, but it is balanced well and doesn't disappoint, you just want more.  It is a beer worth trying.  3.5 out of 5.

Dogfish Head - Namasete

Dogfish Head Brewery

Namasete - Witbier

The color of this brew is a wonderful straw color.  It is a translucent beer that seems to have to body to it.  The head disappears rather quickly and the carbonation looks fine and tiny.

The aroma is malty, kind of like a pilsner.  There is some straw/grassy notes to it with the slightest bit of citrus.  There is not a lot of backbone to the smell, it is actually a little weak.  I wish it more to it.  Leaves you wondering if there is going to be any flavor.

On the palate the carbonation is fine and mild, it is actually barely noticeable.  The beer is crisp, and light.  There is a mild citrus note, a mild spice and a dryness on the back end as you drink it.  The flavors are pretty dull, but not in a bad way.  

Overall this beer is pretty good.  Nothing about it is amazing, but it is clean, crisp, refreshing and mild in flavor.  It's very nice for a warm day.  I wish the aroma was more enticing, but it goes well with the mild flavor.  I give it a 3 out of 5.

Healthiest beers

A quick easy read on some healthy beers and how to choose which one to drink.

https://greatist.com/health/10-healthier-beers-and-how-choose-right-one

Sam Adams - Cream Stout

Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Cream Stout

The color of this beer is a rich, dark, melted chocolate brown.  The head foams up nicely to a nice beige then recedes quickly, but leaves a tiny little ring around the edge.  Obviously, this beer is completely opaque, no light gets through, and there isn't even a fade along the edge like most beers.

The aroma of this beer is similar to coffee, but with a hint of sweetness to it.  The coffee and roasted smells really come through first.  Though the smells given off from this beer are subtle, they are clear and defined.  Although this is supposed to be a cream stout, it gives off more coffee smell then I thought it would.  Since I am not a coffee drinker, it really makes me wonder if I will like the flavor of this beer.

On the palate, the carbonation is crisp, but mild.  The carbonation doesn't distract you from the flavor of the beer.  The beer reminds me of a mix between hot chocolate and coffee.  There is definitely a coffee taste to the beer, but it is not as strong and as dominate as the smell lends you to believe.  There is a nice roasted malt aspect, along with balanced sweetness.  There is a mild bite on the backside of the beer and it finishes smooth leaving the front of the tongue feeling dry.  After a few seconds I get a weird bitterness taste in my mouth.  It's unexpected, and I am to a fan of it.

Overall this stout is not bad, but it isn't really something I would have two of.  The aroma is mild, and defined.  The flavor is not bad on the front end of the beer, but the after taste is something I am not a fan of.  I would give this beer a 2.5 out of 5.