Dogfish Head, Palo Santo Marron

Look: Deep black, with heavy bodied pout and minimal tan silk head

Taste: Rich roasted malt with sweet fruit and raisin notes

Conclusion: Dogfish head is a fantastic brewery and this brew is evidence of that. Their 90 Minute IPA is probably one of the best there is and this drink is no different.

It starts with a tart but decadently rich mouthfeel that is choc full of roasted malts. You don't get the harsh, burnt taste, but rather it is followed up with sweet and voluptuous fruit flavors that I could only describe as raisin-like. Possibly fig? The brew itself is created in Palo Santo wood barrels which are derived from an exotic South American wood. Boy, does it make this drink ever tasty.

This beer is very unique but just seems like the hot ticket if you're sitting down on a cold winter day or night by a fire. An unbelievably delicious take on the malt beverage that will have other brewer's jealous and trying to create it's equal. Another welcome superstar from Dogfish Head.

9 Brews!

Maui Brewing, Coconut Porter

Look: Deep dark brown with red tint. Foamy small brown head that smells faintly of coconut

Taste: Bitter initially followed by toasted barley flavor

Conclusion: Porters never seems complicated to me. They really all seem to taste similar with the toasted barley flavor throughout. Sure there are ones better than others and thankfully this was better than average.

Food and/or fruit flavored beers really seem to bit hit or miss with me and nowhere in between. This one has the classical porter roast flavor...almost coffee-like, but there is an ever-so-soft coconut undertone throughout the tasting. This interesting little concoction won a gold medal at the international beer awards so show it some respect. Bow to your master! My beer reviewing friend and I spotted this during a lunch time beer run at the local liqour mart and I pulled the trigger the next time I saw it. Sure glad I did. This is easily one of the best Porters I've had.

8 Brews!

Oskar Blues Brewing, Old Chub

Look: Translucent black/red with no head. Only a ring of light tan bubbles around the edge.

Taste: Sweet tang, followed by oak/wood flavors with sweet undertone throughout

Conclusion: Besides the name sounding like an erection that's worn out its welcome(who knows what Old Chub is), this beer is absolutely phenomenal. The last brew of Oskar Blues I tasted, "Gordon", was in a can too but was simply one of the greatest beers I've ever run across. Apparently craft brewing companies are starting to use aluminum, even for these masterful beers because it holds the flavor better, doesn't let any light in(preventing skunkiness) and is made of the most easily recyclable material on the planet. Sweet! Sounds like a great idea to me.

There is an initial tang as you sip this Scottish Style Ale. Then the sweetness gives way to a tingly amount of carbonation. The body has a medium thickness that allows it to stick to the sides of the glass. The end of the drink is oak-like and almost tastes like a stout but the noticeable sweet overtone lingers through the end. At 8% it certainly has a nice set of legs but it doesn't flaunt it and the entire drink is considerably mellow and relaxing.

8 Brews!

Sierra Nevada, Harvest Wet Hop Ale (12th Release)

Look: Burnt orange with a good medium sized white foam head.

Taste: Bitter hop bite followed by spice and citrus flavor that finishes with a lingering hop note

Conclusion: Sierra Nevada tends to do quite a few cycling events. My favorite is the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, CA. I didn't even know Sierra Nevada made an IPA as we only see their porter and pale ale here in southern cali.

The mouthfeel is deceivingly thick. The tremendous hop smell and flavors fill your mouth and make the body feel as if you're drinking a light hop syrup. At the end of the drink a weight lifts off your tongue and your left with the spice and citrus/fruit flavors that taste mature but light enough not to overpower the hop backbone.

Although this is their 12th release I've never been lucky enough to run into this wonderful brew. Apparently Sierra Nevada rushes their hops down the night they pick them so they can be throw in the vats while their still fresh. They should give raises to all their drivers. This ale just tastes alive and packs an astonishing amount of bite and taste into a 6.7% alcohol mark. I love Sierra Nevada's Tornado IPA(think that's the name...it was so good I had one to many) and am sold after tasting their Harvest Wet Hop Ale. "I didn't know you liked to get wet". Well, yes. Now I do.

9 Brews!

Anchor Small Beer

Look: Dark, golden color with foamy white head

Taste: Initially bland with a skunky, bitter after taste that lingers a bit

Conclusion: This is the fourth beer in the Anchor line that I’ve tasted, and I was less than impressed… initially. The initial drink was light and tasted really bland, almost like drinking a bud light. And, it had a skunky taste to boot! Ugh… I was so disappointed at the brewery!

The skunky taste lingers, and leaves the slight aroma of a burnt firework. Its faint, but it reminded me of the 4th of July. The initial bitter, skunky taste washes way really quick, as the beer is very light. You can imagine my disappointment at Anchor Brewing… then, I started reading the label on the neck of the bottle. Apparently Anchor Brewing is steeped very deep in American brewing traditions. Small beer was traditionally made of the left over mash of a stronger, better flavored beer, so as to not waste the mash. Imagine my surprise when I read that Anchor Small Beer is made of the mash used to make Old Foggy! (Old Foghorn) Man, from such a great beer, you get this light, bitter, skunky beer?! How is this possible? Thats when I thought, so this is what beer tastes like when it’s reprocessed. Kind of like when you make coffee in a coffee pot with the coffee grounds you used to make the previous pot. It’s lighter, bitterer (yes, it’s a real word), less strong, and kind of bland… same theory applies here.

Well, I continued to drink the tall boy of beer, and, a strange thing happened, the beer started to grow on me. Maybe the initial shock of rubbish washed off my tongue, maybe I got used to the skunkyness; but I started to appreciate the history and style of this beer. While I would not classify it as a light beer, technically it’s an ale, the light mouth feel was perfect for the bitter, skunkyness of the beer. If the flavors were allowed to linger any longer, it might have ruined the experience for me.

My eyes were opened… History was understood and appreciated… Small Beer’s score was bumped up a point… Cheers for Anchor Brewing for reviving this brewing tradition, but if you think about it, some traditions were meant to die.

I give Small Beer a 5 out of 10

Moylan's, Dragoons Dry Irish Stout

Look: Pitch black with light oak colored foam head

Taste: Roasted malt and barley. Dry finish

Conclusion: Wow. This is another small California craft brewery that pumps out the hits. This is the first dark beer of theirs I've tried and loved it.

Just a very non-offensive stout that has strong roasted malt flavor but doesn't shove it down your throat. It's very gentle, probably due to the "Irish stout" tag, and the finish is clean but still has flavor, even after the dryness sets in.

If you see any Moylan's brews anywhere do yourself a favor and grab one of them. You really can't go wrong. A very solid stout from a more than reputable brewing company, in this man's opinion.

7 Brews!

Bear Republic, Hop Rod Rye

Look: Medium hue of brown with a dirty white foam head

Taste: First hops then plenty of rye

Conclusion: The first thing you get when you taste this 8% hoppy drink is, well, hops. But immediately after you get a tongue-numbing rye flavor that's bitter and dry. This dissipates at the end of the drink and your left with a mild hop and rye aftertaste.

This is the second time I've tried this amazing brew. The first was after a 12 mile cross country mountain bike race. It was hot, dusty and I was absolutely spent. I suppose it has a soft spot in my heart for coming through after a painful race. A very unique and strong brew but oh so satisfying in the heat or after strenuous activities. Today took me on a 38 mile bike ride in the San Bernardino Mountains and man did this thing hit the spot. Damn, this brew is good. Highly recommended!

8 Brews!

Waimea Bay Pale Ale

Look: Dark golden brown, slight foamy white head

Taste: sharp, but sweet with smokey after taste

Conc: This beer was given to me by a co-worker. She didn’t know what to do with it as she does not drink pale ales. She donated it to 10-51, and I humbly accepted.

This beer is proudly brewed in Kauai, Hawaii. If you’re in the area, or planning a vacation, check them out. Its my first Hawaiian beer, and I’m tempted to see what else they have to offer.

This beer is a really good refreshing BBQ beer. It has a slight sweet aroma when poured into a glass, and the slight sweetness transfers over into the drink. On first taste, the beer is not too sharp, but has an initial kick. The hops and barley flavor come through nicely with a layered effect. You get sweet tones initially, then a nice pale kick, but it washes down with a crisp, clean finish. Them islanders sure know how to brew a good summer time brew!

I give it 7 out of 10

Pig Skin IPA

Look: lighter than honey color, with nice white foamy head

Taste: your typical IPA, without the blitz

Conclusion: With a name like Pig Skin IPA, I was expecting my taste buds to be sacked, or something. They were not. This is a good IPA, full flavor, and a nice balance, but it was nothing spectacular. I guess its good to have a few if the boys are coming over to watch the game and you don’t want to torture them with Buttwiper and light garbage. I guess it’s an IPA a domestic beer drinker could get into, but Im no Buttwiper drinker, so I expected a bit more.
Its still and IPA, but not one of the best. I picked it up because it is football season, and I liked the art on the label. I guess it’s a good starter IPA, if you are not accustomed to the sharp, supper bitterness of most IPAs, as its not as sharp as most.

I give it a 6 out of 10

Hoptown, IPA

Look: Hazy golden brown with frothy sudsy head

Taste: Mild hops with dry subtle finish

Conclusion: This is another hop filled IPA but it comes across as an amiable friend instead bitch-slapping you with it's bitterness and power.

At around 6% it remains a secure enough with its muscles that it doesn't have to flex them the entire drink. This IPA certainly has the refreshing citrus hops included but the dry-hopping keeps the finish clean and crisp. There's no lingering sweetness. Like a welcome house guest this brew will keep a smile on your face, clean up its own mess, and leave you in a state of tranquility. What's more, you'll want to invite it over again!

This wasn't the flashiest IPA I've had but it was solid and non-offending. A fantastic selection on a hot or warm day. Hit's the spot and doesn't have the heavy sweetness like some of the more powerful IPAs out there.

7 Brews!