Ommegang - Valar Morghulis

Ommegang Brewery

Valar Morghulis - Dubbel Ale (Game of Thrones edition)

The beer pours leaving a light and foamy head that is about a finger high.  The head goes down very slowly.  The color of this beer is beautiful rich mahogany that is barely transparent.  The color is very appealing.  The darkness of the beer along with the color is very enticing.

The aroma of this beer gives off a lot of smells.  I first noticed a wine like smell, rich with sugar and grapes.  I also get a little bit of candied sugar, yeast and cherry.  The smell is not at all overpowering at all.  

On the palate the carbonation is sharp but it hits you quickly then smooths out.  The flavor has a few different layers to it.  I get a little bit of cherry, grapes, and fig.  There is a creaminess that presents itself while drinking this beer that has some underlining notes of caramel.  There is a mild bit of bitterness and tart that appears on the very front end of the beer, and then re-appears after you have finished the sip.  

Overall I think this is a pretty good brew.  I enjoy the aroma, but I love the color.  The color of this beer is the most enticing part.  It is what really leads you into drinking the brew.  I feel the flavor is pretty good, but not the best part of the beer.  Overall I give this beer a 3.5 out of 5.

Pike Brewing - Pike Old Bawdy (2012)

The color of this beer is a nice a thick orange-copper.  It is a thick looking beer, barely even transparent.  The carbonation bubbles up the glass is thin little rows, it looks like a matrix code.  There is a tiny, thin ring of head around the top edge of the glass.  It's an alluring beer, the look draws you i

The aroma is sweet and rarely strong.  I notice notes of fig, caramel and candied sugar.  There is definitely an alcohol scent to this brew as well.  This beer isn't shy about presenting itself to you.  As soon as you top off the wax covered cap, the aroma jumps at you. The fruitiness and sweetness of this beer will make some people scared to drink it, but not me.

On the palate this beer is has the perfect amount of carbonation, it tickles the tongue and supports the flavors of the beer very well.  Just like the smell, this beer isn't shy when you taste it.  The first thing you will notice is that even though it smells super sweet, it has a bitter, hoppy body.  The caramel and dark fruits present themselves in the middle of the sip.  The hoppy bite stays with you through the sip, and lingers as the main aftertaste well after you have finished the swallow.  There is not a noticeable taste of the alcohol which I found a little surprising.  As the beer warms the bitterness settles down and blends in nicely with the other flavors, but it is still the main essence of the beer.

This beer is like a coin.  The smell says sweet, and the taste says bitter.  The look of this beer is awesome, I love the color and the way the bubbles streaming up the side.  The beer smells strong, full of sweet flavors and alcohol.  Then you taste it.  While you do get some of the sweeter flavors of the caramel and fig, the main essence of this beer is the hoppy backbone that carries through the sip.  I give this beer a 3.5 out of 5.

Finch's - Nuclear Winter

Finch's Beer Co.

Nuclear Winter - Belgain Dark Ale

This beer poured with a dirty copper color.  The head puffed up about an inch or more, and very slowly went down.  For a long time there was a thin layer of foam left of the top of the beer.  This slightly transparent beer was clouded with bubbles and yeast, that left a little sediment on the bottom of the glass.

The aroma of this beer is yeast, malt and dark fruit and some sweetness.  The a little bit of caramel and raisin.  I was expecting to get a hint of alcohol, but I didn't.  The smell gets little stronger the longer you let the beer and the sweeter aromas become more prevalent.  

Though the beer displayed a lot of bubbles, the carbonation is barely even there.  The carbonation barely tickles the tongue giving this beer a smooth creaminess.  The beer displays flavors of cracker, caramel, raisin, and finishes with a light but crisp bitterness to balance the whole thing out.  I again was waiting for there to be a warming alcohol sense, but it never came.  I hind that a little disappointing, I really enjoy that in these type of beers, but it didn't take away from the flavor.  

Overall this is a pretty good beer.  The appearance is a nice, the aroma was pretty good, and I think got better as it sat out, and it had good flavor.  I liked the barely there carbonation, and the smoothness of the brew.  The can art is awesome and made me laugh, so right there is a reason to go out and buy this beer.  I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

DuClaw - Bare Ass Blonde Ale

DuClaw Brewing Co.

Bare Ass Blonde Ale - American Blonde Ale

The color of this beer is like a pale tangerine.  The play of light orange and pale yellow add a little depth to a beer that otherwise is pretty light and translucent.  I did a slower pour so there is almost no head, but what did pop up was light and left a little ring around the edge of the glass.

The aroma from this beer is subtle, but it does have something behind it.  There are notes of malt, a grassiness, and something that is similar to white wine.  The white wine smell kind of reminds me of honey and grape.  I will say I have a stuffy nose, so I might be missing something, or adding something, but those are the smells I get from this beer.

On the palate the tiny but sharp carbonation gives way to a that is subtle in flavor, and finishes with a mix of malt and bitterness.  This beer starts off with a bit of cracker and honey, it then adds a slight floral flavor and finishes with that mix of bread and bitterness.  It's a decent overall blend of flavors.  I do like the honey-esque notes in this beer, but the finish isn't my favorite.  It won't stop me from ordering this beer though.

Overall this is a pretty good beer.  Blondes are my favorite style, but I am a person that will try anything and be open to see for what it is.  This beer has a nice aroma, I like the color and look of this brew, the flavor has aspects I like, but doesn't wow me overall.  To me is a solid beer, a stable to have when company is coming over.  I give it a 3 out of 5.

Evil Genius - Naught or Nice

Evil Genius Beer Co.

Naughty or Nice - Winter Spiced Ale

The color of this beer is a deep, dark mahogany.  It is a slightly transparent brew, but the color makes it more translucent.  The beer gives off wonderful red tones, and a thin, quickly disappearing white head.

The aroma of this brew says holiday cheer.  There are nice notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, bready malts, and a slight sweetness.  It isn't the strings smell I have had from a winter spiced ale, but it is pleasant.  I kind of wish the there was a little clove, or more spice, but I still approve of the aroma.

On the palate there is a nice carbonation that leads the way to a beer that first hits you with a slight clove flavor, it is then followed by the nutmeg and cinnamon.  None of the flavors are overbearing.  The beer has a nice undertone of malt that is evident throughout the taste.  The last two things this beer does are hit you with an unexpected bitterness that is quickly covered up a the warming sensation of nutmeg, which is how the beer finishes.  

Overall I really liked this beer, people that don't like spiced beers shouldn't drink this.  I have seen some very negative reviews on, but I don't feel they are justified.  This isn't the best spiced winter ale I have ever had, but it is solid.  The color is really beautiful, the aroma is acceptable, and the flavor is pleasant and has some layers to it.  I give it a 3.5 out of 5!

Fish Tale - Bolg

Fish Tale Ales Brewery

Bolg - Belgain Stlye Tripel, The Hobbit Edition

I would normally do a full review but I don't have the time, so he is a condensed version.  Color is a cloudy gold, with hues of yellow and orange scattered throughout.  The aroma is bready, and yeasty.  It's not very enticing.  On the palate the barely there carbonation gives way to a beer lacking in flavor.  It is a weird mix of malt and bitterness, it leaves a nice warming sensation.  Overall this beer sucks.  1 out of 5.

Pizza Boy Brewing

Pizza Boy Brewing

Bean Dream - Milk Porter aged on Vanilla Beans

The color of this beer is a deep, rich brown.  The head of this beer came up about a half inch and was very fizzy.  The look of this beer reminds me of chocolate syrup, but it is not nearly as heavy.  

The aroma of this brew is pretty simple and straight forward.  It has some sweetness, a nice roasted malt, and a little cocoa.  It is not an overpowering smell, it is very subtle and pleasant.  

On the palate Bean Dream gives you a nicely balanced flavor.  The mild, and slightly fizzy carbonation leads way to a nice roasted malt, that gives way to the sweetness of the milk stout and slight flavor of the vanilla.  The beer finishes with a milk essence.  

Overall this is a pretty good beer.  It isn't amazing and boasting with flavor, but it does have a nice balanced flavor.  The sweetness of the milk Porter and flavor of the vanilla is nice.  It is definitely a beer to try.  I give it a 3.5 out of 5.