Singha

Look: Translucent yellow with decent amount of carbonation and a head as white as the label

Taste: Slight edge on the initial drink followed by a tasty and crisp barley flavor throughout

Conclusion: This beer has an interesting little story behind it. I was in a teleconference meeting at work when I noticed a nauseous feeling in my gut. I then realized the entire building wash shaking pretty heavily from side to side. Next thing we know we're evacuated from the 10th floor and are told we can go home. SWEET!

So it was off with my brew reviewing buddy(ya, we work in the same building) to our favorite little Thai restaurant. As we sat down, it dawned on us...we can order beer! Supersweet!

This little brew paired excellent with my plate of rice and garlic tofu. It's a light lager and being a Thai beer, goes perfect with Asian food and rice. Bite of tofu...wash it down with a good beer. Now, that's a great meal. This wouldn't be a beer to drink on its own, though it is light and refreshing. Either a warm summer day or any oriental food and you've found this beer a nice friend. I'd rate this the second best Thai beer I've had behind the best of them, Phuket.

6 Brews!

Summer Solstice Cervesa Crema

Taste: strong malt flavors throughout

Conclusion: This beer was too sweet for a summer brew. I couldn’t quite place the taste, but it had a definite creamy caramel flavor that was very overt. While it was light looking, it had an odd thickness to it, kind of like that half and half orange soda. Although it looks like a soda, it is thick and creamy. Same principle applies here.

I was not a big fan, I give it a 4 out of 10

Sam Adams Boston Lager

Taste: sharp hoppy taste with a crisp, clean finish.

Conclusion: this is a classic beer for all occasions. Its great on hot days, cool days, and even the late night midnight snack. It goes well with BBQs, pizza, hot wings, and the like. Its strong bold flavors make this beer a slight acquired taste, but once you acquire the taste, you will never look back to lesser lagers. You will crave the bold, hoppy flavors of Sam Adams lager.
If you wish to become a hop head, this is a great starter beer.

I give it an 8 out of 10

Landshark Lager

Look: typical yellow lager look, little to no head

Taste: slight hoppy taste… maybe some barley… lots of water.

Conclusion: This beer had no flavor to speak of. Buttwiper has more to offer than this beer. It says it is an island inspired lager, but really, if any island inspires you to make this, you had best get off that island. You have obviously been there too long and have gotten lazy. I don’t want to say no effort was put into this beer because it had to take some massive effort to put hops, barley and yeast together and get no flavor in the end result. I mean not even an accident or anything.

This rates as one of the most bland tasting beers I’ve ever had. Not the way to get a party started, nor a very refreshing beer for those hot summer days. You’d do well buying a 12 pack of Arrowhead over this for liquid refreshment.

I give it a 1 out of 10.

Ice House

Taste: Kind of bland, but with a barley kick. Has a slight sweetness to it, but its not overpoweringly sweet.

Conclusion: It’s a great beer for a hot day in the sun (or after skydiving) but it is still lacking in the flavor department for my liking. It is a bit stronger than your usual blond beer, but that’s no excuse to skimp on flavor.

I give it a 5 out of 10

Blue Dawg Brewing, Wild Blue

Look: Purple pomegranate body with grape juice-like foam head.

Taste: Blueberries, cough syrup

Conclusion: Today we had a 5.8 earthquake at work and got out early. What better way to celebrate than to hop on the singlespeed bike and head to the liqour store for some brew!

This one caught my eye, mostly because there was a vast selection of mainstream filth in the beer section! Hey it's 8%! Might be an odd beer, but why not? Damn my curiosity to hell. The first swig I thought I was drinking those frozen fruit punch cylinders they sell at the supermarket. It really is similar tasting.

Blue Dawg Brewing describes it as "wildly refreshing". If flat Blueberry soda is refreshing...I agree! Their site even pairs this "interesting" beer with food dishes: "dishes, like pork tenderloin with apricot mustard, really brings out the flavors and aromas in this full-bodied beer. I also enjoy this beer paired with a mixed-green salad with dried fruit” Whaaa? I couldn't imagine this Nutrasweet tasting blueberry drink would go with any food item. But if you drink cups of cough syrup with dinner I think you may disagree with me. So who recommended this science experiment of a brew anyway? --> Jill Vaughn, a brewmaster from Anheuser-Busch. Oooooh...it all makes sense.

2 Brews(I use that term loosely)!

Kona, Longboard Island Lager

Look: Clean crisp gold with slight white head

Taste: Barley and a slightly bitter finish

Conclusion: Okay, I've had this brew before at a restaurant called Islands but I never got a picture of it. I was sad, only because I'd have to buy the beer again to get the picture. As luck had it I asked my wife to pick me up an IPA from the store last week. Instead of IPA she heard "beer"....so I got me a sixer of Kona Longboard Island Lager.

Disappointed not to be downing my IPA, I cracked one of these open and tasted the mediocrity I remembered from my visit to Islands(no relation to this beer). Like a million other Budwiesers, Coronas, and Tecates, this brew tasted like "fizzy yellow beer". And as Stone Brewing states, that kind of beer is for wussies.

Not saying it didn't taste good. Actually, on a hot day a brew like this is refreshing if only because it's cool and tastes beer-like. The finish was either slightly bitter or slightly skunky...I couldn't tell the difference. As such, I dub this beer....Meh.

4 Brews!

Beer Lao Dark

Look: Dark like a Newcastle, but not as thick

Taste: Light and refreshing like a pilsner or a lager, but with a semi-sweet malty flavor

Conclusion: I must give credit to my friend Carlos for finding this gem in Laos. I was pretty burnt out of trying all the horrid blond beers from South East Asia that a brewery that made a dark beer scared the crap out of me. Immediately, flashbacks of the atrocity that is Heineken Brown came rushing into my head. “Aw hell,” I thought to my self, “you only live once.” I am so glad I tried this beer. It was easily the best beer I had the whole trip!
Understand that Carlos and I do not agree on a lot of things such as beer, bars, clubs, etc. So when he liked it, I was worried, to say the least. Well, we have beer number two we agree upon. It is light and easily drinkable. It has a semi-sweet, smokey malt flavor that hangs around in your senses for a while and it is most welcome to move in if it pleases. Beer Lao was good, Beer Lao Dark was better. I can not stop singing the praises of this beer. I have sadly not found it in any import shops I’ve been to, but if you do find a sixer, pick it up. You’ll thank me later. While you’re at it, pick one up for me too!

I give Beer Lao Dark a 8 out of 10.

Birra Moretti

Look: Light gold color with foamy white head

Taste: Lots of barley flavor with a semi-sweet malty flavor

Conclusion: This is an Italian import I found at my deli. Again, a poor offering from the other side of the pond. I guess if you’re having pasta with sea food and water just wont do, this would be the next best thing.
It has a good aroma when you hold the beer in your mouth for a bit, but then it just disappears. If they could get the great aroma to hang around for a while longer, the score would have been higher. It wasn’t that bad, but the good flavor the beer had just washed away like a leaf in the Colorado River.

I give it a 4 out of 10

Hillas Beer

Look: Foamy white head with light golden color

Taste: Malted barley flavor, but kind of soapy…

Conclusion: I picked this beer up at my local deli hoping to find something that paired up well with my sandwich… not so much. It is a Greek import that was big on malt flavor with a clean finish, but it washed away all too quickly. It was refreshing, if only for a few seconds.
I’m always looking for import beers. “Taste the world, one beer at a time.” I always say… well, I will from now on anyway. The thing I don’t understand is why many countries are afraid of flavor. I have come to the conclusion that the hotter the country, the worse their beer. Seriously, the more of this beer I drank, the lower the score went.

I give this beer a 3 out of 10

Phuket, Lager

Look: Crystal clear yellow with no head

Taste: Dull but clean barley with soft finish

Conclusion: This Thai beer is right at about 4% so it's not offensive at all. I had this with a light sandwich and it paired perfectly. The flavor is a smooth and has a quiet barley flavor that is cleaner than a lot of other blondes I've tasted. Most definitely a superb lager that avoids the oh so common blonde beer trait of ending skunky or bitter.

Supposedly the green bottles aren't as good as keeping Pepe Lepew out but I found no evidence of stinky in this fine drink. Most impressive considering it's inclusion in the "Beers of the World" pack. This is brew #2 of the bunch and so far...2 for 2! And a funny name to boot...this beer just keeps on giving.

7 Brews!

Grolsch Premium Lager

Look: sunshine yellow with a foamy white head

Taste: Refreshing barley taste with a slight hoppy after taste

Conclusion: This beer is great for a hot summers day. The beer itself was not too exciting, but it had a very distinct, clean taste. At 6.5% alcohol, it allows you to have a few while catching a nice buzz. My brother and I finished a 1.5 liter bottle while loading a truck with furniture and this beer was just the thing we needed to quench our thirst. It was light and tasted better than water, but I am still on the hunt for the perfect blond…

I give it a 5 out of 10.

Beer Lao

Look: Blond, light foamy head

Taste: nice barley flavor with a slight bitter to it, but not overwhelming

Conclusion: This was the second best beer I had on my whole trip. I can not tell you how may of these cans my friends and I drank. We just could not get enough! Well, that and there were really no other beers to drink… that’s besides the point! This beer had a great balance of refreshing bitter that gave way to a delectable cooling sweetness. We were not phased by the humidity or the heat at all. Sun burn was a different story.
While not the perfect blond, this baby came very, very close to being it. I don’t know if you can find it here in the states. Probably an import shop will be your best bet. I highly recommend you give this beer a try - you wont regret it.

I give Beer Lao an 7 out of 10

Red Horse Beer – Extra Strong

Look: Blond with a light white head and an ice cube to fight off the heat

Taste: Sweet, but got more bitter with every drink.

Conclusion: While it was refreshing, it was a bit too sweet for my liking. It had a strong yeast and barley flavor that either didn’t finish fermenting/ breaking down or was thrown in late on purpose… for flavor? When I mentioned this beer to some of my friends back home, they lovingly referred to it as “Dead Horse” because of its flavor. I don’t know (nor care to know) what a dead horse tastes like, I doubt this beer compares. Dead horse takes it.
While this beer had a refreshing taste, I wonder if it was the actual beer or the heat and humidity that was getting to me. There is just nothing special about this beer that makes it stand out asside from a great nick name.

I give Dead Horse, err, RED Horse Beer a 2 out of 10

Asahi Super Dry

Look: Very light yellow with a foamy white head

Taste: Rather bland initial taste with a slight dry after taste

Conclusion: This beer is nothing to write home about, although, I guess I am… Its got some barley flavors in there, but they wash down rather quickly. Its smooth, but boring. This beer has less flavor than Buttwiper, if that’s possible.

2 out of 10

Anchor Liberty

Look: like amber held up to the sun, with minimal white head

Taste: Nice sharp, bitter initial taste with hoppy, floral undertones

Conclusion: This beer was really good. I am familiar with the Anchor beer line, but I had not tasted this one. Like the other Anchor's I've tasted, it did not let me down. It had a nice bite to it and a welcome lingering bitterness that nestled on your tongue like a puppy on your lap. It tasted slightly aged, but not in a bad 'aged milk' way. This was a good aged like they let the beer sit in the cooler for a while so the beer can get as much out of the hops and barley as it could.
I liked this one for a nice warm spring day…

A 7 out of 10

Corona

Look: yellow as bottle it comes in



Taste: lots of barley, crisp, cool and refreshing



Conclusion: This beer has become a staple at all Latino gatherings. It is the ideal beer for a hot summer day as it offers a great refreshing flavor and is very cheap for a 12er. I fancy it to the Mexican Pabst.
It offers a great initial burst of flavor, but it washes away too quickly. The good thing is that it pairs up nicely with most any food you can think of. While I am not a fan of "fruiting the beer", it does taste a lot better with lime and a little salt.

I give this beer a 5 out of 10 because of the versatility.

Michelob Marzen (seasonal)

Look: Honey color, white bubbly head

Taste: Very light, smooth barley flavor

Conclusion: This is an aged Oktoberfest style brew that is brewed up in March (Marzen) and stored in ice filled caves until October when they are taken out, and served to the masses. Or so they will have you believe. There is not really much going on in this beer. I was anticipating it because last year it was fantastic. This year left me wanting though. The barley taste washes way almost immediately, and there is little to no after taste to be savored.
This is a simple beer with no complexity to speak of. It does leave a slight dry feeling in your mouth that makes you reach back for another drink, but that’s about it. Having been to Oktoberfest in Munchin, I know they would not serve this up to the masses. Perhaps brewed in the style of and Oktoberfest beer, but I doubt it is brewed with the same purity laws followed by all German breweries. I was hoping for a lot more.

This beer gets a sub par 4 out of 10

California Gold Blond Ale – Oggi’s (OC)

Look: Golden/ blond with a light white head

Taste: Strong initial barley taste with a slight sweetness to it. Has a bitter finish with a bread/ yeasty after taste.

Conclusion: The beer was very light and refreshing. It was definitely a step above Buttwiper (Bud), but just didn’t really do it for me. I do enjoy a good blond from time to time, but like in life, its hard to find a blond you want to settle with. The search for the perfect blond continues…

A 5 out of 10

Samuel Smith's, Organically Produced Lager Beer

Look: Clear, golden with a white head

Taste: Flat malted barley flavor with a crisp finish

Conclusion: The taste of this beer is refreshing and malt flavored. Very light going down but it has a zesty and mellow flavor. All in all, not a ton of flavor but this is a lighter lager and is probably better suited on a hot, dry day. You can drink it in the winter if you like though, I won't tell.

Samuel Smith makes some of the smoothest brews I've had. While this one was easy to drink, it wasn't anything to write home about. And if any of the feel-good hippies out there can fit some time into their incense lighting schedule I'm sure they'd enjoy this one. I have to admit I'm all for organically products, especially with the status of today's food industry(another story altogether), and I did feel comfortable knowing there were no pesticides sprayed on the ingredients. Always a plus. You want a beer with chemicals in it, go grab a Bud.

6 Brews!