Shepherd Neame Spitfire

I'd never seen any Shepherd Neame beers before, so I grabbed a bottle of Spitfire for my latest mix-a-six.  It claims it's a Kentish ale on the label, but it seems like a reg'lar ol' ESB to me:

Vittles:
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
4.5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 88/100

Impression:
I love the clarity of the poured beer and the creaminess of the head, which retains decently.  The pale malt aromas are fairly clear and support the earthy and herbal hops characteristics very well.  Caramel, toffee, and bready flavors come through, as do floral, grassy, herbal, earthy, and fruity notes.  The medium body, moderate carbonation, and dry finish complement the flavor profile very well, but what I found the most pleasing was the refreshing crispness this beer offers.  Very satisfying -- I'll have to keep an eye out for this bottle in the future.  It seems like it would go very nicely with grilled chicken.

Cheers!

Southern Tier UnEarthly

Southern Tier is one of the breweries that I associate with strong hops use and bold hops characteristics.  My husband has loved everything of theirs that he's tried (his other favorite brewery is Elysian).  I was in the mood for something good and hoppy that I hadn't tried yet, so my hubby handed me their UnEarthly:

Vittles:
Imperial IPA
9.5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 90/100

Impression:
I like the way it poured out, and not only did it have nice retention and lacing, but it had that stickiness that I expect to see in this kind of beer.  The aroma actually made my mouth water a bit, and I don't come across that too often.  The nose is a mixture of strong pine, citrus, caramel, and spice.  Pacific Northwest hops' best characteristics, as far as I'm concerned, with a decent representation of the malt bill in the amount of caramel I could smell.  The flavors largely follow the aroma, with the citrus coming through more clearly as grapefruit.  It's not the all-out hop-bomb that some other IIPAs can be, but it does have a strong, bold flavor profile with enough backbone to match.  It's nicely balanced between the malt-sweetness and the hops-bitterness.  It's moderately carbonated, so it tickles the tongue a bit, and it finishes somewhat dry and crisp.  All in all, a damn fine beer.

Cheers!

Appalachian Jolly Scot

Years ago, I went to the Appalacian Brewing Company with a few friends, and I remember we got a sampler of their beers.  That was before I really got into beer, though, so I wasn't really paying attention to the aromas and flavors.  I remember thinking most of the ones I tried were pretty decent, but I couldn't remember anything more specific than that.  ABC's Jolly Scot is one of the beers that I tried back then, but since I can't remember whether I liked it, I got a bottle to retry:

Vittles:
Strong Scotch Ale
5.9% abv
18 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 35/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 83/100

Impression:
It pours out pretty well, but the head starts thinning and falling almost immediately, so not much on the retention front.  The aroma is sweet, toasty, malty, and a little nutty, with some earthiness and fruitiness lurking in the background.  The flavors mostly follow suit, and some caramel and cracker/biscuit flavors join in.  There's also a bit of a metallic twang at first which slowly faded as the beer warmed.  I also picked up on some toffee and dark chocolate flavors with the warming.  The mouthfeel was on the thin side, and moderate carbonation levels brought a mild sting.  There isn't anything overly impressive about Jolly Scot, but it is a decent representation of a Scotch ale.

Cheers!

Stella Artois

I've actually never had Stella Artois before, and I wanted something new to round out a mixer.  It's been a while since I've had a Premium American Lager, so here goes:

Vittles:
Premium American Lager
5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 29/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 6/10
Overall: 74/100

Impression:
I have no idea why the BJCP classifies Stella Artois as a Premium American Lager, since I'm fairly certain SA is over in Belgium.  But, it does seem to have a similar flavor and taste profile to many of the "premium" lagers brewed here in the States.  It doesn't pour out special -- don't be fooled by that swanky commercial where the guy blows the glass, paints the logo and gold stripe on it, then passes it through to the bar where it pours out with such a well-formed head that the barkeep needs to level off the foam before serving it.  (That's like believing you'll get a pristine bun on your fast food burger.  But that's aside from the point.)  Anyway, the aroma was faint and grainy, and that may have been more appealing after a sweaty afternoon of yard work, but it wasn't quite hitting the right notes for me.  The flavors followed the nose with no surprises.  I found it to be moderately dry with a fairly high level of carbonation, despite the pretty pathetic head (and I know how to pour for a good head -- if you doubt my skills, look back at some of my previous posts).  On the plus side, it is somewhat crisp and refreshing, and there's little to no after taste.

All in all, I'm glad I tried it, but my tasting tonight basically confirms what I suspected -- it's a relatively flavorless brew, which is why you find it all over the place.  It's not a special beer -- it's a beer with faux-Euro charm that won't offend anyone's taste buds.  If I were in the mood for a premium American lager, and this was cheap enough, I'd have it again, but a whole lot of stars have to line up just right for that.

Cheers!

Erie Derailed Black Cherry Ale

A few months back, I had gotten a variety box from Erie Brewing Co., and I remember most of those beers being somewhere in the B range.  Derailed Black Cherry Ale seemed interesting, so I tossed it in a mix-a-six, and here we are:

Vittles:
Cream Ale
5% abv
17 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 31/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 75/100

Impression:
The head poured thin, had very little stay, and left virtually no lacing, so I wouldn't exactly call this a "pretty" beer.  The aroma carries a lot of cherry and berry notes along with a bready/malty sweetness and some faint yeasty esters.  The flavors follow fairly well, with toasty malt, caramel, and a slight grainy quality backing a fairly prominent cherry character.  I found the cherry and malt flavors to be very slightly jarring, like they didn't quite mesh right for me.  The medium-light body makes it a little refreshing, but at times the sweetness seemed to edge on cloying.  Maybe it could have benefited from being slightly more tart on the fruit notes.  Not awful, but I probably won't reach for this one again.

Cheers!

Widmer Alchemy Ale

I've only had one Widmer Bros. beer before.  I try not to judge a brewery overall until I've had most of their offerings, so to start filling in some gaps, I picked their Alchemy Ale for one of my mix-a-sixers:

Vittles:
American Pale Ale
5.8% abv
40 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 34/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 84/100

Impression:
It's a pretty pour with good retention, almost brilliant clarity, and moderate lacing.  Fruity, floral, spicy, and bready notes in the aroma are fairly balanced and enticing.  Citrus (orange zest and grapefruit) come out more on the tongue, as do caramel, vanilla, banana, and toasted grains, with an underlying floral quality.  With decent carbonation and an almost silky texture, this is an enjoyable brew.  It finishes dry and slightly crisp with a subdued aftertaste.  Decent overall, a solid beer, but it seems a little generic since there isn't much to really distinguish this beer from other APAs.  I'd like to try it again, maybe on tap.

Cheers!

Full Pint Chinookie IPA

Chinookie IPA is the third Full Pint beer I've tried so far.  Full Pint seems like a B-range brewery for me so far -- good stuff, but nothing overly spectacular.  Let's see if Chinookie can change my mind:

Vittles:
American IPA
6.2% abv
103.1 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 32/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 81/100

Impression:
It pours well, has good retention, and leaves sticky-sweet lacing as it goes.  The aroma carries a fairly strong hops presence (spicy, piney, slightly herbal/earthy) against a moderate malt backbone (caramel, bread, lightly grainy), with a hint of yeast character lurking in the shadows.  The flavors follow suit, but they seem just a little off to me, out of balance.  I think a slightly more assertive malt bill would be needed to stand up to the level of hops in this beer.  On the plus side, as the beer warms, it draws out a floral quality, too, that complements the piney notes.  The mouthfeel is medium with light to moderate carbonation and a slight sting, but it finishes fairly dry despite the mild stickiness.  Overall, it's a decent American IPA, but it's not going to stand out from the pack.

Cheers!

Anchor Steam Beer

It's been years since I've had Anchor Steam.  I enjoy the hybrid styles quite a bit -- in fact, the first batch my husband and I ever brewed was a California Common -- and I usually find them refreshing and quenching:

Vittles:
California Common Beer
4.9% abv

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 24/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 9/10
Overall: 93/100

Impression:
It poured out very well and had excellent head retention, leaving nice lacing as it went.  The aroma is fairly light with a little toffee-sweetness, toasted malt, and a clean hops quality.  The flavors are well in line with the aroma, with bread, caramel, and a mildly stronger hop presence.  What I enjoy the most about this beer is that the flavors are well balanced, so you get sweetness from the malt, but it isn't cloying, and you get the fine, clean flavor of the hops without it being a show-stealer.  The carbonation is fairly high, so it brings some sting, and it finishes somewhat dry but nice and crisp, giving it a very refreshing quality.  It's the kind of beer I'd like to keep on hand for those hot, sweaty summer days.  It'd be perfect for relaxing in the sun after mowing the yard.

Cheers!

Sam Adams Cold Snap

I rarely have more than one beer in a night, but we were at the restaurant for a while, and I wasn't driving, so I ordered a Sam Adams Cold Snap after my meal:

Vittles:
Witbier
5.3% abv
7 IBU
6 SRM
187 cal.

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 85/100

Impression:
Just like with the Wells Banana Bread beer, this one had virtually no head and very weak carbonation, so I'm blaming the bar on that one -- they must not have their kegs set to the right psi.  I'll have to try this one again either at a bar that has its shit together or out of a bottle for comparison.  The aroma had a  prominent but savory yeast quality backed by fruity, floral, spicy, bready, herbal, and earthy notes -- nicely complex and intriguing.  I can taste many of the same characteristics, but the citrus (orange & lemon) comes through much more clearly, as does some plum and a golden raisin flavor that I find pleasant.  Coriander rounds it out nicely with an earthy-spiciness, and it's well-balanced, refreshing, and crisp overall.  I'd definitely try this again, but probably not from this bar.

Cheers!

Wells Banana Bread Beer

I keep seeing Wells Banana Bread Beer all over the place near me, but I had some reservations about trying it -- it seemed like a love it or hate it kind of beer.  But, when I went out for dinner with my husband and a friend of ours, it was on tap at the restaurant, so I decided to gopher it:

Vittles:
Fruit Beer
5.2% abv

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 35/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 82/100

Impression:
I can never get a decent pour when I go out for drinks -- there's almost never any head on the beer by the time it gets to my table.  I'm pretty sure it's at least partly due to the fact that they use detergent to clean the glasses (don't get me wrong, I prefer the glasses I share with strangers to be as sanitized as possible), and surfactants do detract from the head formation and retention, so the beer's almost never "pretty."  Anyway, the aroma delivers exactly what you'd expect from a banana bread beer -- heaps of banana, bread, yeast, and a warm nuttiness in the background.  The flavors match the aroma almost exactly, but the nuttiness, caramel, and yeasty-breadiness are more apparent on the tongue than in the nose.  It's fairly sweet but nicely dodges the cloying bullet.  I found my beer to be a little under-carbonated, but that could be due to the bar that served it rather than an inherent fault of the beer itself.  I'd like to try this one again, maybe from a bottle so I can compare.

Cheers!

Full Pint Festivus

I admit, the name of the beer intrigued me more than anything else about it.  I've had one or two Full Pint beers before, and as I recall, they were pretty decent, so I grabbed their Festivus:

Vittles:
American Brown Ale
6% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 86/100

Impression:
The head is on the thin side, and it didn't seem like there was much carbonation swirling around as I poured -- seemed like it would be mostly flat.  The aroma has a nice toasty malt quality with biscuit, caramel, bread, toffee, and spice (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg) notes.  Warmer spices like vanilla come through more as the beer warms, adding an interesting complexity to the brew.  The flavors largely match the nose, and they bring some herbal and earthy tones into play.  Fairly well balanced overall.  The carbonation was lacking, as was the mouthfeel, which can across as medium-light, smooth, and somewhat creamy.  I enjoyed this one quite a bit, but I think it would've been better with a little more carb to it.

Cheers!

Southern Tier Iniquity

My hubby surprised me the other night by bringing home a variety box of Southern Tier.  He loves their IPAs and knows I haven't tried very many of their other stuff.  The first one I grabbed was Iniquity:

Vittles:
Specialty Beer (Imperial Black Ale)
9% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 24/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 9/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 91/100

Impression:
With a decent pour and fair head retention, this beer starts off on the right note.  The aromas are full and complex, dominated mainly by roasted tones like coffee and chocolate/cocoa, with a bit of citrus, plums, dates, and a piney twang in the background.  The flavors follow the nose pretty closely, but some of the malt-sweetness (caramel in particular) comes through more clearly, while the roasty character (burnt/charred toast) adds to the complexity.  What impresses me the most about this beer and brings it up to an A level for me is the full-bodied smoothness -- it goes down like rich velvet.  I'm glad there's one more left in my keezer.

Cheers!

Swashbuckler Highland Heather Ale

Earlier this year, I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.  They have their own brewery there, Swashbuckler Brewing Company, so I bought a bottle of their Highland Heather Ale.  It caught my attention because it's made with heather flowers, not hops, so it sounds more like a Scottish gruit (which I've only had once before, a LONG time ago):

Vittles:
Specialty Beer (gruit)
7.5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 30/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 74/100

Impression:
Not that great of an appearance -- it looks murky and hazy.  The aroma is very interesting -- smoky peat stands out the most, followed closely by old leather, with caramel, honey, floral, and fruity notes lurking in the background.  As the beer warms, the aroma improves, so I tried to score on an average above, since my initial reaction was like 15/25, but by the end of the glass, I found it much more pleasing.  The flavor profile is similarly smoky and leathery -- it tastes like whiskey would if you eliminated most of the alcohol, but there's more of a sweetness to this beer, almost like honey.  I went into tasting this thinking it wouldn't be too different from a regular beer, so once I got over the differences and started to taste this without trying to compare it to other beers, it became much more enjoyable.  It does have a pretty thin mouthfeel, so it seems more watery than I'd like.  I think the very strong earthiness would throw most people off; I like earthy, but this hits near the top of my earthy limit.  Still, I found that I only disliked this brew because of the expectations I had going in.  Once I was able to get past that, I was able to appreciate the flavors much more.  When I first tasted this one, I was ready to pour it down the sink and give it an F, but as I tried another sip and then another, it started to grow on me.  By the time I finish the glass, I was thinking more like high C range, but I tempered the scores to reflect my initial reactions as well.  If you're not into earthy/smoky flavors, or if you're looking for something akin to "real beer," this probably isn't up your alley.  But, if you don't mind experimenting, you might find you enjoy this one.  I'm considering homebrewing a gruit, just to try my hand at it.

Cheers!

Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale

I don't normally grab more than one beer from the same brewer when I put together a mix-a-six, but the Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale looked more interesting than some of the other singles.  And Elysian hasn't disappointed me yet:

Vittles:

American Pale Ale

7.6% abv

58 IBU

Score:

Appearance: 8/10

Aroma: 20/25

Taste: 34/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 4/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 82/100

Impression:

It's got a pretty pour and decent head retention, plus the lacing it leaves as it drinks down is pleasing.  The aroma is mostly pine, spice, and fruit/citrus, with herbal, earthy, caramel, and a slight woodiness in the background.  It tastes sweet and earthy, piney, resinous, and fruity, though there is something like wet cardboard in the back.  As it warms, other earthy tones, like grass, make an appearance.  Moderate carbonation brings a bit of a sting, and the medium-light body carries a nice smoothness.  I'd prefer this kind of flavor profile during the warmer months, to be honest.

This isn't really what I think of when I hear "winter warmer," since it's basically an APA or mild AIPA, but with some "wintery" flavors.  When someone says "winter warmer" to me, I think moderately dark malt bill, dark fruit flavors, brown sugar/molasses, earthy and herbal hops... that kind of thing.  Something that you can really sink your teeth into, something that will warm you from the inside.  Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale is good, but it isn't a winter warmer.  It's some sort of Pale Ale with a scarf around its neck.

Cheers!

Elysian Men's Room

So I took a picture of Elysian Men's Room before I imbibed.  Unfortunately, it seems to have gotten corrupted somewhere between my phone and my laptop, so I'm supplying a post-enjoyment pic instead:

Vittles:
American Amber Ale (Red Ale)
5.6% abv
33 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 34/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 84/100

Impression:
It poured a clear golden-amber color with a thin white head.  The head had very little linger to it, but it left decent lacing as it went.  Cascade hops character comes through on the nose, along with some biscuit/cracker, floral, and earthy notes.  The taste is fruity, mainly grapefruit/citrus, but it's well-paired to the malt bill.  The caramel-sweetness offsets the bitterness of the hops, allowing more subtle spicy/peppery notes to come through.  Smooth and medium-bodied, this beer finishes somewhat dry and fairly refreshing.  It's not going to knock your socks off, but it is a solid beer nonetheless.

Cheers!

Redhook ESB

I don't think I've ever had any Redhook beers before, though I have heard of the brewery.  I grabbed their ESB for my latest mix-a-six (it was between that and their Long Hammer IPA, but I already had a couple IPAs).  Besides, it's been quite a while since I last had an ESB:

Vittles:
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
5.8% abv
28 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 32/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 79/100

Impression:
With a thin, off-white head and poor retention, it's not going to win any beer beauty contests.  However, the aroma is fairly solid for an ESB.  It's grainy, biscuity, earthy, fruity, and a little floral -- decent complexity for the style.  I also picked up on some sort of metallic note that detracted from the aroma.  The aroma and flavor profiles are very similar, right down to that metallic flavor, unfortunately.  Thankfully, the off-flavor dissipated over time, so as the beer warmed, I was able to enjoy more of the malty-sweetness, like caramel, which had been hidden by the off-flavor.  Some spiciness also came out to play over time.  All in all, it's alright, but I won't be rushing out to grab another bottle.

Cheers!

Goose Island Sixth Day

I can't recall how Goose Island Sixth Day wound up in my keezer (I hope I'm not forgetting to thank anyone!), but it seemed like a good beer to try tonight:

Vittles:
American Brown Ale
8.3% abv
55 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 90/100

Impression:
I'm pretty impressed with the pour, though the head didn't have much linger to it.  Biscuit, caramel, and toffee dominate the aroma, with spicy, herbal, floral, and fruity notes in the background.  I enjoyed the complexity in this one quite a bit.  The malt backbone is prominent, but not out of balance with the more delicate hops characteristics, and there's just enough of sticky-sweetness to offset the mildly bitter bite.  Brown sugar and molasses came to mind, as did cherries, raisins, and something like cloves or nutmeg.  The flavor profile becomes more interesting as it warms, with some minor earthy and floral hints in the background.  Overall, I like this one quite a bit.

Cheers!

Thomas Creek River Falls

I've only tried one Thomas Creek beer before, and it was their Up the Creek.  I really enjoyed it, as did my dad.  He found another of their varieties recently, their River Falls Red Ale, so he gave me a bottle to try:

Vittles:
Irish Red Ale
6.2% abv
25 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 90/100

Impression:
It starts with a very impressive pour, the head has decent retention, and it laces like crazy.  The nose is dominated by toffee and caramel notes, but there are some earthy, spicy, and faintly floral tones in the background.  The flavors follow cleanly, and the solid malt character comes through prominently, complemented by the gentle English hops notes.  There's a slight stickiness to the medium body, but it goes down smooth and finishes crisp and slightly dry.  A light roast character carries into the aftertaste along with the caramel and a hint of spiciness.  All in all, a very good example of an Irish Red Ale, and I'd certainly pick it up again.

Cheers!

Breckenridge Avalance Ale

I'm a sucker for variety boxes, and the one I picked up from Breckenridge has been fairly decent so far.  Let's see if their Avalance holds up:

Vittles:
American Amber Ale
4.4% abv
19 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 32/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 76/100

Impression:
Not as impressive of a pour as the Lucky U IPA, but it did leave a fair amount of lacing as it went.  The aroma holds mostly toasted grains, caramel, and toffee, with a twinge of bitterness in the background.  The flavors are a little more pronounced on the tongue, with more biscuity notes coming through, but it still isn't very impressive in the flavor department.  It has a decent body, and it feels smooth and creamy, with a slightly dry finish.  I'm glad I tried this one, but I won't be going out of my way to have it again.

Cheers!

Leffe Blonde

I'm kind of craving the yeasty deliciousness of a Belgian brew, so I'm trying Leffe Blonde tonight.  This is one that I've never had before, but I've heard decent things:

Vittles:
Belgian Pale Ale
6.6% abv

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 89/100

Impression:
I love the way it pours, and it's so brilliantly clear in the glass it almost sparkles.  The aroma carries the banana and clove esters and phenols that I love so much in Belgians.  I also smell biscuit and cracker, with a touch of warm sweetness in the background.  The flavors follow, with the yeast profile taking center stage.  It has a clean bread and biscuit taste, and there are floral, herbal, earthy, and caramel hints in the background.  This doesn't stand out as a pale ale, since the focus is more on the yeast and malt than on the hops.  It tastes more like a weizen/weissbier than a BPA.  I could definitely see myself enjoying one of these come the warmer months, especially after doing yardwork.

Cheers!

Breckenridge Lucky U IPA

I doubt IPAs will ever replace Belgians as my favorite style of beer, but they're creeping up there.  Tonight's beer is a Breckenridge Lucky U IPA.  My husband tried it earlier in the week and said it was pretty good, so we'll see:

Vittles:
American IPA
6.2% abv
68 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 20/25
Taste: 34/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 81/100

Impression:
Nice pour, decent head, and pretty good retention.  It's leaving quite a bit of lacing on the glass, too.  The aroma is mainly citrus -- grapefruit and lemon -- with a mild floral/earthy note in the background.  The malt profile smells like caramel, toffee, and a little biscuity.  The flavors are decent -- citrus up front, more earthy/herbal/floral notes in the background, and everything's nicely in balance.  The body is medium-light, and it finishes moderately dry.  All in all, this is a textbook American IPA.  It's not going to knock your socks off, but it does showcase some of the more prominent American hops characteristics (esp. grapefruit aroma/flavor).

Cheers!

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

I came across another porter that looked interesting -- Breckenridge Vanilla Porter -- so I couldn't help but give it a try:

Vittles:
Brown Porter
4.7% abv
16 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 87/100

Impression:
I should probably note that I had this one closer to room temp, not at "standard" serving temp, so the earthy aromas and flavors would probably be more subdued if you drink it colder than I did.  The head poured nicely but fell quickly, leaving fair lacing as it receded.  The aroma smells roasty, slightly sharp, and significantly warm and earthy with strong tones of vanilla.  The flavor follows suit, but it's much richer and more complex than I expected based on the nose.  The vanilla is clear and prominent, but not overdone, and it's balanced by the earthy and roasty flavors, including caramel, chocolate, and a very slight hint of coffee.  Smooth and medium-bodied characteristics round out the beer very well.  This isn't the best porter I've had, but it is up there.  I would have this one again.

Cheers!

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

Porter is an overlooked and underrated style of beer.  I wish there were more varieties of porters out there.  Or that I had more easy access to the ones that are out there.  At any rate, I was looking forward to cracking open the Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald I had in my keezer -- I was hoping it would be delightfully chocolatey.

Vittles:
Robust Porter
5.8% abv
37 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 91/100

Impression:
The head poured nicely but dissipated quickly, though it did leave nice lacing as it went.  Roasted malt notes, especially chocolate and coffee, stand out in the nose.  It smells rich and earthy, with a pungent bittersweet aroma in the background.  The flavors follow, except the chocolate comes through more bitter than I expected, but the sharpness in the flavor is moderated by the creaminess of the body, and the result is a rich and complex blend of flavors that shift subtly as the beer warms.  This is probably one of the better porters I've tried in the last year or so, and I'll be keeping an eye out for it again in the future.

Cheers!