Flying Fish ESB Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Extra Special Bitter
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 5.5%
Serving Type: 12oz Bottle

Look: 8
Medium amber color, clear, with a foamy off-white head and decent lacing

Smell: 8
Sweet malt, caramel, subtle fruit, and earthy hops

Taste: 8.5
Caramel and complex malt flavors, balanced nicely by earthy hops


Mouthfeel: 8
Medium body and carbonation, and a creamy finish

Drinkability: 8.5
Very Smooth!

Overall Score: 8.2

Value: 9.5
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.42

Overall Impression:
I think part of the reason this beer does not receive as much credit as it deserves has to do with its classification.  Is it an American Amber Ale, or is it an English-style Extra Special Bitter?  Many of the reviews I have seen regard it as an American Amber, and as such, it has fallen a bit short.  But to me, this is clearly an ESB (the malt, hops and ale strain used are a dead giveaway people), and a good one at that!  This ESB is really easy to drink and it is fantastic with grilled and broiled food, or any type of food where caramelization is happening. 

Yard's Cape of Good Hope

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Double/Imperial IPA
State/Country: Pennsylvania
ABV: 8.1%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Amber color, clear, with nice a head and good lacing



Smell: 8
Pine, citrus, peach, mango, and sweet malt

Taste: 8
Initial metallic taste, but then the flavor follows the aroma, with a pleasant balanced finish

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Full-bodied and creamy, with low-medium carbonation.

Drinkability: 8.5
May I please have another?

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.78

Overall Impression:
Yard's consistently puts out good product, but this may be their best bottle release to date.  I am not a huge fan of the pronounced grapefruit flavors and aromas present in many of the American PA's regardless of strength  Thankfully, this fine DIPA only had hints of grapefruit, and the beer was very balanced.  Nice job Tom, Prost!

Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: American Blonde Ale
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 4.6%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Geraghty's Pub

Look: 8
Light golden color, slight haze, with a foamy white head and decent lacing.

Smell: 8
Sweet malt, grassy and earthy with mild fruit

Taste: 8.5
Light fruit up front, mild funk, with a nice biscuit malt and mild spice in the finish

Mouthfeel: 8
Light body with low carbonation, and a creamy finish

Drinkability: 8
Smooth and refreshing

Overall Score: 8.1

Value: 6 / 9 (bar / 6-pack)
Cost/12 oz serving: $5.00 / $1.60

Overall Impression:
Some people have referred to this is a Belgian Farmhouse Ale, but in my opinion, it lacks the spiciness, intensity, and complexity to qualify as such.  It IS a nice refreshing summer ale, and it is very sessionable,  Yet another solid offering from Flying Fish!

Brooklyn Brown Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: American Brown Ale
State/Country: New York
ABV: 5.6%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Reddish brown color, light brown head with decent lacing.

Smell: 8.5
Chocolate, caramel, and mild citrus hops

Taste: 8.5
Hops up front, giving way to caramel and chocolate in the middle, with warm nutty in  finish

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Light body with medium carbonation, and dry finish

Drinkability: 9
Highly Quaffable!

Overall Score: 8.6
Value: 9.5
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.78

Overall Impression:
Brooklyn Brown Ale is the original American Brown Ale.  The recipe has been modified over time to create greater depth of flavor, but it is still true to form.  Although there are many ABA's out there with more intense flavors, like Cigar City Maduro, there is still something to be said for a mellow, smooth, and balanced version like this one.

Food Pairing:
This beer is awesome with steak, pork, grilled meats & veggies, and BBQ...just go easy on the sauce.

Sly Fox Instigator

Reviewed By: Herr Rick

Style: Doppelbock
State/Country: Pennsylvania
ABV: 7.3%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Varga Bar

Look: 9
Deep ruby/brown color, creamy tan head with decent retention & lacing


Smell: 7.5
Malt, caramel

Taste: 8

Malt, brown sugar from beginning to end

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body & carbonation, sticky

Drinkability: 8.5

Light flavors make this a good session beer

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 6.5

Cost/12 oz serving: $6.00 ($3.25 for Happy Hour)

Overall Impression:
Not as flavorful or as complex as the better German examples, but still a good local beer worth sampling. Great beer for Newbeez!

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon

Reviewed By: Herr Mike

Style: American IPA
State/Country: Maryland
ABV: 7.25%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8
Light amber color, nice fluffy head, light lacing

Smell: 7.5
Light notes of citrus, bread and honey

Taste: 9

Up Front: Grapefruit, malt, caramel, spice. Finish: Bread, pepper, maple syrup

Mouthfeel: 8
Clean and sweet

Drinkability: 9

Good quaffer on a hot summer day! I would love to try this one on tap one day!

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 10

Cost/12 oz serving: $1.60

Overall Impression:
This is the beer that turned Crazy Gurl into a little “Hop Head”! It’s not as hoppy as a west coast IPA, but it’s a good starter beer for people new to the style.

Heartland Brewery Indiana Pale Ale

Reviewed By: Herr Rick

Style: American IPA
State/Country: New York
ABV: 5.9%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Heartland Brewery

Look: 8.5
Golden orange color, clear, medium head with decent retention & lacing

Smell: 8.5
Floral hops, sweet & bready malts

Taste: 8.5

Up Front: Grainy & bready. Finish: Citrus, caramel, sweet malt

Mouthfeel: 8
Medium body and carbonation, slightly cloying finish

Drinkability: 8.5

I could have 2-3 of these

Overall Score: 8.4

Value: 7.5

Cost/12 oz serving: $5.50 - Hey, it was NYC

Overall Impression:
It's a pretty good IPA. If you are ever in NYC, check it out in any of their locations

Lucifer Golden Ale

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
State/Country: Belgium
ABV: 8.5%
Serving Type: 750ml Bottle

Look: 9
Bright golden color, slight haze, fluffy white head with good retention & lacing

Smell: 8.5
Apple, pear, Belgian yeast, alcohol

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: Strong bite, sweet malt, mild hop flavor
Finish: Very spicy, booze, bitterness

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body with a crisp/sharp carbonation

Drinkability: 7
As it warmed up, the bitterness in the finish made drinkability more of a challenge.

Overall Score: 8.4

Value: 7.5
Cost/12 oz serving: $4.55

Overall Impression:
Cool name, cool label, and a decent example of the style. Strong flavors might turn off Newbeez.

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: American IPA
State/Country: Maryland
ABV: 7.1%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Amber color, medium white head, decent retention and lacing

Smell: 8
Floral hops, some citrus

Taste: 7.5
Up Front: Sweet malt
Finish: Floral hops


Mouthfeel: 8
Medium body & carbonation, slightly sticky

Drinkability: 8.5
Smooth and easy to drink

Overall Score: 8.1

Value: 7.5
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.60

Overall Impression:
Not a bad IPA, and it's not a bad value. Certainly worth trying out

Left Hand Sawtooth Ale

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: ESB
State/Country: Colorado
ABV: 4.75%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8
Copper color, small white head, little retention & lacing

Smell: 8
Herbal English hops, sweet malt

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: Sweet malt, toasted malt. Finish: Herbal hops, some pine

Mouthfeel: 8
Medium body, low carbonation

Drinkability: 9
Very sessionable

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.60

Overall Impression:
A pretty straightforward ESB. Not complex, with mellow flavor and aroma. The low abv allows for extended session. It would be a great beer for Newbeez to check out

Bell's Expedition Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick

Style: American Double/Imperial Stout
State/Country: Michigan
ABV: 10.5%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Black color, medium tan head with decent retention & good lacing

Smell: 7
Raw chocolate, some dark fruit, and not much else. Strangely devoid of roasted malt and coffee notes

Taste: 9

Up Front: Dark fruit, chocolate. Finish: Chocolate, coffee, roasted malt. licorice, lingering sweetness. A lot more going on then that smell led me to believe

Mouthfeel: 7.5
Full body, low/medium carbonation, slightly cloying

Drinkability: 7.5

Ok, but the sweetness gets in the way

Overall Score: 8

Value: 5

Cost/12 oz serving: $4.30

Overall Impression:
This beer is all over the place: Great look, funky lackluster smell, complex & powerful flavor, with a sweet sticky feel. Somehow it managed to come out as "good", but just barely

Bell's Java Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick

Style: American Imperial Stout
State/Country: Michigan
ABV: 7.5%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Black color, medium tan head with decent retention & good lacing

Smell: 8.5
It screams dark roasted coffee

Taste: 7.5

Up Front: Slightly tart, and then a huge blast of espresso. Finish: Dark roast coffee, and earthiness

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body & carbonation, creamy

Drinkability: 8

If you really like coffee, the score would be a little higher

Overall Score: 8.4

Value: 6

Cost/12 oz serving: $4.30

Overall Impression:
I DO like coffee, stouts, and coffee stouts, but this was just a bit over-the-top in the coffee department for me

The Bruery Orchard White

Reviewed By: Herr Rick & Herr Mike
Style: Witbier
State/Country: California
ABV: 5.7%
Serving Type: 750ml Bottle

Look: 8.5
Pale golden color, cloudy, medium head with decent retention & lacing

Smell: 8.5
Citrus, wheat Belgian yeast, coriander

Taste: 8
Up Front: spices, coriander. Finish: Banana, sweet malt

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body, medium/high carbonation

Drinkability: 8.5
Silky smooth and easy to drink

Overall Score: 8.4

Value: 7
Cost/12 oz serving: $4.04

Overall Impression:
This is my least favorite beer from The Bruery. Luckily, it's also the most affordable one. Regardless, it's still a good Witbier, and it should go over very well with Newbeez. MUCH better than Blue Moon, and closer to the real thing.

Ommegang Hennepin

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
State/Country: New York
ABV: 7.7%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9
Bright golden color, slightly cloudy, dense head with nice lacing

Smell: 8
Lemon, spices, sweet malt

Taste: 8
Up Front: Sweet malt. Finish: Fruit, spices

Mouthfeel: 8
Light body, highly carbonated, with a dry finish

Drinkability: 8.5
Crisp & refreshing

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 8
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.14

Overall Impression:
This is a beer I've had several times, but I have never been overly impressed with it. It's a good beer to drink on a hot summer day, but I can think of many others I'd rather drink in its place. That's just my opinion. If you look elsewhere, you'll see that this beer is very highly rated. Judge for yourself.

Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: English IPA
State/Country: Colorado
ABV: 6.7%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Straw yellow color, clear, medium head with decent retention & lacing

Smell: 8
Floral hops, some citrus, faint malt

Taste: 8
Up front: Grapefruit. Finish: Sweet malt, tea

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body, low carbonation, with a dry finish

Drinkability: 7.5
A little too much bitterness in the finish, but still ok

Overall Score: 8.1

Value: 7.5
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.87

Overall Impression:It's a pretty good English IPA. It's more floral and less citrusy as compared to American IPA's. Certainly worth checking out.

Firestone Walker Double Jack

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Double/Imperial IPA
State/Country: California
ABV: 9.5%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Sidecar Bar & Grille

Look: 8.5
Deep copper, clear, medium head, decent retention & lacing.

Smell: 8
Citrus, malt, caramel

Taste: 8
Up Front: Pine & grapefruit from the hops. Finish: sweet malt

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body with light carbonation

Drinkability: 8.5
You could easily throw a few of these back!

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 7
Cost/12 oz serving: $6.00

Overall Impression:
The problem with this review is: I tried this beer after Pliny the Elder. Yes, I cleansed my palate and waited a few minutes, but you cannot follow that act!!! I'm sure if I had this first, I would have good things to say about it, but at the time, my taste buds were simply underwhelmed. If I see it again, I will definitely try it again.

Great Divide Colette

Reviewed By: Herr Mike
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
State/Country: Colorado
ABV: 7.3%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle


Look: 8
Cloudy golden color, small head, nice lacing

Smell: 8
Fruity, funky, cloves, banana, coriander

Taste: 9.5
Up Front: Citrus, grass, sweet, slightly tart. Finish: Dry, fruity, spicy, bready

Mouthfeel: 8
Clean and lightly carbonated

Drinkability: 8
A funky farmhouse quaffer for me! You don’t taste the alcohol in this girl!
Definitely a thirst quencher!

Overall Score: 8.3

Value: 8
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.32

Overall Impression:
I would smack lips with Colette anytime! Not tops for the style, but it is worth a taste if you have the greenback!

Boaks Monster Mash Imperial Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Mike
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 10%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle


Look: 9
Dark coffee color, no head, very light lacing

Smell: 7.5
Very subtle smell, chocolate, malt, coffee

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: chocolate, coffee, vanilla, slight smoke. Finish: burnt toast, chocolate, slight alcohol at end

Mouthfeel: 8
Slightly sticky and dry

Drinkability: 8
This needs to be sipped like a cognac. One and done for me!

Overall Score: 8.2

Value: 8
Cost/12 oz serving: $2.67

Overall Impression:
Not my favorite R.I.S. It did taste better than the last one I had (maybe due to some cellaring) as the beer warms, more notes come through. I met Brian Boaks at the Philly Winter Beer Fest and he told me that the beer was aged a year before distribution.

Ithaca Cold Front

Reviewed By: Herr Mike
Style: Belgian Dark Ale
State/Country: New York
ABV: 7.5%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Deep chocolate color, fizzy head that dissipates quick, good lacing

Smell: 8.5
Brown sugar, alcohol, wood, slight banana

Taste: 8
Up Front: Cola, spice, burnt toast, clove. Finish: Toffee, chocolate, bread, slight banana

Mouthfeel: 8
Slightly sticky, carbonated, dry

Drinkability: 8
I probably wouldn’t drink more than 2 of these in a sitting

Overall Score: 8.1

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.43

Overall Impression:
This is an OK beer. I’m not running around naked singing “Halleluiah” while I’m drinking it! It didn’t hit my “Belgium G Spot”, but it wasn’t the worst beer I ever drank. Try it, you might like it.

Avery Out of Bounds Stout

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Irish Dry Stout
State/Country: Colorado
ABV: 5.1%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Black, clear, nice dense head head with good retention & very good lacing

Smell: 8.5
Milk chocolate, malt, oatmeal, mellow roast coffee

Taste: 8.5
Up Front: It mirrors the smell - Chocolate up front. Finish: Malt, oatmeal, coffee

Mouthfeel: 8
Medium body, low carbonation, with a dry finish

Drinkability: 8.5
A good session beer for sure!

Overall Score: 8.4

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.60

Overall Impression:
A pretty solid beer all around. I thought it was just a touch too sweet for a Dry Stout, but was still enjoyable.