Beers #152-171: Miscellaneous Summer Tastings

Some more ratings from June & July at various locations ...

#152/365: BrewDog Original Dogma:
From bottle, courtesy of dpjuart. Rye, green peppercorns, floral with pineapple, lemongrass, allspice, and sassafras. Deep coppery amber clear with foamy off-white lacing head. Starts and stays spicy with herbal notes. Smooth and sweet with lasting herbal and bitter finish. Fairly clean after.  Spice/Herb/Vegetable  72/100

#153/365: Evil Twin Yang:
First beer tried in my new Spiegelau IPA glass. Sweet caramel and toffee, mild Twizzlers and brown sugar. Aromatic floral-fruity hops and tea with candied oranges. Hazy orange amber, dark with amber creamy lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Alcohol warming. Starts and stays sweet with brown sugar and candi sugar, alcohol, and neutral fruity character. Floral hoppy character with oranges and apricots. Sweet finish with alcoholic warming. Medium bitter after with sugary tang.  Imperial/Double IPA  84/100

#154/365: Heather Ales Grozet:
From bottle, courtesy of Frank. Light earthy sewage notes. Wheaty with an astringent tang. Hazy-cloudy pale amber with thin white dissipating head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium dry and dull with wheat and a flat hop bitterness. Light bitter berry flavor. Sulfury-sewage aroma permeates the flavor, too. Astringent bitter after.  Traditional Ale  32/100

#155/365: Just Beer Horseneck Golden IPA:
On tap at Benjamin’s. Mild floral hop aroma with some butterscotch and biscuit. Medium amber hazy with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body and carbonation. Starts dry with lots of hop flavor, light carbonic acidity and medium biscuit sweetness. Big finishing hop flavor with lasting medium bitter after.  India Pale Ale  64/100

#156/365: Blue Point Rastafa Rye Ale:
On tap at the Knick. Really nice floral hoppy aroma, sweet with caramel and some brown sugar. Spicy rye grain notes. Hazy medium amber with thin off-white head. Medium body with heavy carbonation and carbonic fizz. Starts medium sweet with biscuit and toffee, light spicy character and decent floral hop flavor. Light sweet finish and smooth after.  Specialty Grain  58/100

#157/365:  Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout: From bottle, 4 or 5 years old. Smoky roasted aroma with toffee, vanilla, and a bit of oak. Dark black opaque with no head. Medium heavy body with medium carbonation and alcohol warming. Starts sweet with chocolate, vanilla, oak, and toffee. Big rich malt profile with medium dry bitter roast and some hop bitterness components. Finish is sweet with alcohol notes, roasted bitterness and coffee. Smooth sweet after.  Imperial Stout  84/100

#158/365: Fat Head's #1:
On tap at Mad Mex, Cranberry. Pleasant floral-sweet malt notes with honey, jasmine, and yeast. Mild bubblegum esters. Medium amber clear with light haze, topped with thin white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with lots of floral and fruity character, yeast, and bubblegum. Smooth sweet finish with no bitterness.  Saison  72/100

#159/365: Dark Horse Artic Dekoorc Eert:
On tap at Mad Mex, Cranberry. Wonderful hoppy apricot aroma. Fruity and fresh with light resin and light sweetness. Medium golden amber clear with thin head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Mild sweet starts with tons of hop flavor. Apricot and resin, big bitterness throughout. Finish is apricot and mild sweet with big bitter. Medium bitter after.  India Pale Ale   72/100

#160/365: Hill Farmstead What Is Enlightenment?:
From growler, courtesy of Peter & Yolanda. Beautiful hop aroma - piney, apricot, pineapple - sweet and luscious. Pale golden haze with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium sweet with tons of hop flavors. Mild bitterness but intense flavor. A delicious APA and a real treat to try.  American Pale Ale  92/100

#161/365: Otto's Arthur's Imperial Red:
On tap at the brewery. Malt roasty character, nice sweet notes. Mild fruity character, nutty with medium hop aroma. Floral. Dark ruby-amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with cask carbonation. Starts malty with roasted grain and lots of fruity notes. Floral hops, bitter throughout. Finish is smooth and nutty with tons of great hop flavor.  Amber Ale  78/100

#162/365: Goose Island Night Stalker:
On tap at Zeno’s. Sweet with licorice and molasses. Chocolate, coffee, cream, and smoke. Alcohol vapors. Dark black opaque with thin than head. Medium-heavy watery body with medium carbonation. Chewy. Starts and stays cloyingly sweet with soy, molasses, licorice, chocolate, and syrup. Big sweet finish and after with cloying sweet soy notes.   Imperial Stout  76/100

#163/365: Elk Creek Great Blue Heron Pale Ale:
On tap at Zeno’s. Rye, malted grain, spicy hop nose. Medium amber clear with some haze, topped with thin white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with spicy rye notes, dry grain, and pale malt sweetness. big hoppy presence but not harsh or overpowering. Nice pale ale.  American Pale Ale  72/100

#164/365: Church Brew Coconut Stout:
On tap at Benjamin’s. Light roasted malt with a bit of acrid smoke, lactose sweetness and a hint of coconut and chocolate. Dark black opaque with creamy light tan lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts medium dry with roasted and lightly burnt malt. Coconut flavor with some coffee and chocolate, and a bit of carbonic acidity. Finish is sweet with coconut and vanilla and mild nutty bitterness. A little watery.  Sweet Stout  64/100

#165/365: Ommegang Fleur de Houblon:
On tap at Zeno’s. Nice floral-fruity nose, like a traditional saison. Honey and bubblegum and spice. Mild hops. Light golden clear with some haze, topped with thin head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium sweet with dry hop flavor, bubblegum, and wheat. Fairly dry finish with smooth sweet after.  Belgian Ale  80/100

#166/365: Old Forge Celestial Blond Ale:
On tap at The Knick. Mild sweet wheat aroma with some coriander and orange. Honey. Golden amber clear with light haze and thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet with bubblegum, coriander, and honey. Some yeast and fruity esters. Finish is dry with a little honey and mild hop bitterness. Nice but a little too sweet for my taste.  Belgian Ale  66/100

#167/365: Straub IPL:
On tap at The Knick. Rich malty lager aroma, like a heller Bock with lots of fresh grassy hops. There is a note of oxidation here, however not detrimental. Medium-dark amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy watery body with medium carbonation. Starts medium sweet with rich malt notes and a bit hop bitterness - like a hoppy Bockbier, basically. Some oxidation notes. Big bitter finish and nutty sweetness, with lingering bitter notes.  Premium Lager  58/100

#168/365: Southern Tier 2X Stout:
On tap at The Knick. Mild rich malty nose with lactose, coffee, and chocolate. Pleasant, but not assertive. Mild oak and vanilla. Dark black opaque with beautiful light tan creamy lacing head. Medium body with smooth nitro carbonation. Starts sweet with lactose, chocolate, toasted and slightly bitter malt, and a hint of coffee and smoke. Smooth and sweet with pleasant nutty sweet finish and clean after.  Sweet Stout  80/100

#169/365: Marzoni's Hoppy Wheat:
On tap at the brewery. Nice fresh hop aroma. Citrus, pine, grass, and a bit of wheat tang. Medium amber hazy with thin white lacing head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Starts with mild wheat and pale malt sweetness. Huge hop flavor throughout with mild bitter finish and after. More like an APA than a wheat. Refreshing and delicious.  Wheat Ale  82/100

#170/365: New Holland Imperial Hatter:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Nice hoppy aroma. Spicy and piney with mild sweet caramel and toffee. Deep coppery amber clear with thin head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts somewhat sweet, sugar and caramel. Big hoppy flavor with smooth after and a bit of warming.  Imperial/Double IPA  76/100

#171/365: Lancaster Boss Hog:
On tap at Benjamin’s. Mild hoppy nose, not what I’d expect from IIPA. Deep amber clear with thin head. Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation. Very mild beer for IIPA. Malt sweetness with butterscotch, caramel, and light hop bitterness. Very little bitterness anywhere, with sweet smooth after.  Imperial/Double IPA  60/100