Sierra Nevada Harvest Hop Ale

**Update**
3-8-08

I bought this again, and after having it for a 2nd time I up my review to 3.9 out of 5. The fresh hops do make a difference in taste and smell, but I still wish it was a bit thicker.

A slight taste of pine hoppiness to this one with a malt finish. A bit thin, too much malt flavor, a little bitter ending.

Nothing spectacular, but not a bad beer by any means. Not worth the price I paid for it though. It cost more than the Ruination I also bought..

3.5 out of 5

pics to be added when i find my cable to my cell.

Green flash brewing co. Imperial IPA

Another So. Cal IPA

First pour smells of lots of hops and citrus.
Has a strong bitter hop and citrus blast with a mild dry pine hop that has a pretty mellow ending. This is a great IPA. I"ll try to get this as much as i can while i'm out here.
4.4 out of 5

Lagunitas Maximus IPA

Another ale in my search for for So. Cal's finest I.P.A.'s

This has a pretty strong citrus/hops smell when pored.
A mix of lots of hops, citrus and pine taste with a lingering bitterness at the end.
Over all this is very good IPA. I don't know if we'll be able to find it back east but if so, i recommend picking it up.
4.1 out of 5

Marin Brewing Co. I.P.A.

This is a pretty smooth tasting IPA. Mellow hop flavor with a slight grapefruit undertone.
If someone would ask what kind of IPA they should start with, i would say this is i one of them. Not the big Hop Impact that i was expecting.
3.4 our of 5

Rogue Imperial I.P.A.

I found this at Bevmo in Valencia CA.

This comes in a neat ceramic bottle.

First mouthful gives all good characteristics of an IPA. nice bitter hop all the way through with a citric pine tang at the end. The malts they use make every sip taste full and rich. A very hoppy malty beer.
4.2 out of 5

Oktoberfest beers.

With Oktoberfest right around the corner and the fall beer on the shelves, it's hard to get away from the IPA's and other hoppy ales and give the more malty seasonal type beers a far shake in reviews.

Having said that we picked up a 6 of Harpoon Octoberfest and Great Lakes Oktoberfest this past week and both felt like we could have used a hopslam to wash them down.
Maybe some kraut, bratwurst and schnitzel will cure this.

I'm sure we'll review more in the up coming month and a half.

Three Floyds: Rabbid Rabbit.

Alexander: Sweet and spicy- very smooth ending- could be a Fall/Winter
4.0 out of 5

Chad: Can taste the sweet rock candy, nice spices and smooth.
4.2 out of 5

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

Chad- Right amount of hops mixed with citrus flavor.
4.2 out of 5

Alexander- Even hops and citrus all the way through.
All around solid IPA, I'm glad i gave this one a second chance. ( a mellower version of Bell's Hopslam maybe?)
4.3 out of 5

Dog Fish 60 Min IPA

Chad- A bit to sweet/syrupy. Not enough hops.
3.4 out of 5

Alexander- More of a malty tasting IPA with very light flavoring of hops from start to finish.
sweet
3.5 out of 5

Great Lakes Commodore IPA

Chad- Smooth hops, not bitter- fruity smooth.
3.6 out of 5

Alexander- Nice bitter hop all the way through with a dry hop fruity ending and a nice blend of malts. Solid IPA
I could by a 6 pack of this more often.
4.0 out of 5

Hop Ottin IPA

Chad- No Comment.

Alexander- Light hop to start that hits a tinny hoppy flavor.
We only had one so it was kinda hard to rate. rating pending.

Ale Smith IPA

Chad- A bit bitter. Nice hops!
4.3 out of 5

Alexander- Bitter all the way through from start to finish with a dry hop end. One of the more bitter IPA that i've had.
I think i would get a 6 pack. 4.4 out of 5

Goose Island IPA

Chad- not as hoppy as your more expensive IPA's. Starts off slightly hoppy, finishes a bit orange. For $5.99 it's hard to beat. 3.5 out of 5 .I could give it a 4 due to the low price tag.
-Now that this is 8 or 9 bucks a 6 pack, I would have to suggest getting something else instead.

Alexander - Starting off with a light hop flavor, seems to go into a traditional IPA with some sort of a fruity aftertaste. Mild bitter hop end. 3.4 out of 5.

Bell's Cherry Stout

Bottle says "A mysterious dance of tart Michigan cherries with the dark, roasted malts of a big and bold stout."

One of Bells specialty beers, being available for a limited time (November-March), I was happy to find this last week.

Me - I don't even know how to describe this beer... Starts out tasting like a smooth stout, then the tart punches you in the face. I don't really taste the cherry too much in this one. I'd buy it again, but not as a regular even it were available all year round. 3.5 out of 5

Alexander - The first smell has the characteristics of a stout and a porter because of the "roasted malts." First taste, the roasted malts come through followed with a blast of tartness in the middle and a roasted malt ending. I'd like to try this again around Christmas time. 3.5 out of 5

Bell's Third Coast Beer

Bottle says "A golden beer with an American hops contributing to a crisp, refreshing bitterness. A tribute to the Great Lakes, T.C.B. is a truly quaffable beer."

Me - Smells like a German and tastes like one at first, then it gets very weak and watery with an overpowering bitter finish. Not one I'd buy again, and I'm a big Bell's supporter. 2 out of 5.

Alexander - Has a German smell, the body is light with weak flavor with an almost too sour / bitter ending. For a supposed German-style beer, I don't think I'd drink this with a German meal. 2 out of 5.

The beer reviews start now.

Me and Alexander will be tasting beers and logging our thoughts here for future reference, and for anyone who may be interested in our expert beer tastebuds.

We will be rating beer on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the perfect beer.