Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Dubbel
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 7%
Serving Type: 12oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Reddish brown color, clear, with a thin tan head and decent lacing.

Smell: 8.5
Mild aroma consisting of cherries, dark fruit, brown sugar, and spice

Taste: 9
Taste is much more pronounced than the aroma!  Very complex as well. Lots of spice with some hops up front. followed by a malt, cherry, raisin, and finishing with malt and a mild nutty flavor.

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body and carbonation, and a dry finish

Drinkability: 9
Dangerously easy to drink!

Overall Score: 8.8

Value: 10+
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.42

Overall Impression:
I LOVE this beer!  While it may not rival the best Dubbels brewed in Belgium, and it may not even be the best Dubbel brewed in America, it IS unquestionably the best one pound for pound...or should I say for the money.  To my knowledge, there is no other Dubbel anywhere near this level of quality on the market priced at only $7.99/six pack.  And price aside, it more than holds its own in this category.  Having said all of that, Belgian Abbey Dubbel is easily the best "year-round" offering from Flying Fish in my opinion!

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. 

Iron Fish 8/27/11

Cool Ice Sculpture, by Richard Glodowski, a chef at Iron Hill

IRON FISH, a Black Belgian Imperial IPA, is a collaboration beer from Flying Fish Brewing Company and Iron Hill Brewery in Maple Shade.

This fish was created to be a complete FAD Brew.  A future release is currently being Barrel Aged with Brett and Cherries, thereby covering every EVERY single fad at once.

The beer was excellent, and there was a great turnout at the event despite Hurricane Irene.

Chris LaPierre (Iron Hill), Suzanne Woods, Gene Muller & Casey Hughes (Flying Fish), Mark Edelson (Iron Hill), Kevin Finn, and Curt Decker (Noddinghead)

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier – Urbock

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Rauchbier, Bock
State/Country: Germany
ABV: 6.5%
Serving Type: 16.9 oz Bottle

Look: 8
Dark brown color, clear, with a decent head and little lacing

Smell: 9
Bacon, malt, and slight must

Taste: 9
Mild Smoke up front, then a wave of sweetness, and then the two trail off together in the finish

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium to full body, slightly creamy, with low carbonation.

Drinkability: 8.5
Surprisingly good!

Overall Score: 8.7

Value: 7
Cost/12 oz serving: $3.79

Overall Impression:
I was expecting to be overwhelmed with smokey flavors, but that was not case.  This beer is surprisingly well balanced.  There is plenty of malt backbone to stand up to the smoked malt and mild hop bitterness.  

There are those beer drinkers who consider Rauchbier strictly an acquired taste, and will have none of it. However, when paired with the right foods, Rauchbier can become the star of the show.

Food Pairing:
Suzy-QCB and I tried this world-class Rauchbier with a Pork Tenderloin that I smoked for 2.5 hours accompanied by green beans with roasted pecans and butter, and all of the flavor combinations were superb! 

Rauchbier goes extremely well with bold, full-flavored foods, real BBQ, and smoked foods such as smoked ham, smoked pork, smoked salmon, smoked sausages or smoked cheeses.  The smoky flavors in the beer and food complement each other perfectly! Rauchbier is also great with Mexican food.

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!

Stoudt's Pils

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: German Pilsner
State/Country: Pennsylvania
ABV: 5.4%
Serving Type: 12 oz. Bottle

Look: 9
Pale golden color, clear.  Thick white head with good retention and very nice lacing

Smell: 8.5
Floral hops, grass, and a touch of lemon and sweet malt

Taste: 8
Hops dominate the flavor profile, but there is just enough sweetness to balance it, somewhat.  Long hoppy finish.  Floral and Spicy.

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Light-medium body with medium-high carbonation.

Drinkability: 8.5
Very crisp and refreshing

Overall Score: 8.5

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.78

Overall Impression:
Very true to the style.  Assertive hops from beginning to end.  Stoudt's definitely knows how to produce authentic German lagers!  I would have to say that this is my second favorite German Pilsner.  It's a great beer, and with the NFL season fast approaching, this would be an excellent choice to go with wings and nachos!

Shiner Old-Time Alt

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Altbier
State/Country: Texas
ABV: 5.0%
Serving Type: 12 oz. Bottle

Look: 7.5
Light Amber color, clear.  Thin head with little retention, but nice lacing


Smell: 7
Mild scent of toasted malt, nuts, hay, and corn 

Taste: 7
Toasted malt, balanced nicely by the hops, then some mild malt, and a lingering metallic taste

Mouthfeel: 7.5
Light body, and medium carbonation, with a slight dry finish

Drinkability: 7.5
Crisp and smooth

Overall Score: 7.3

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.42

Overall Impression:
Another pretty average beer, but it was better than I expected.  I bought a variety 6-pack, which is kinda cool, since you typically have to get a 12-pack or a case for a 4-6 beer variety.  This is far a great representation of the Altbier style, but judging it on its own, it was pretty enjoyable.  Not every beer has to be amazing or cost you an arm and a leg.  If you want to save a few bucks and drink something decent, check it out.

Otter Creek Copper Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Altbier
State/Country: Vermont
ABV: 5.0%
Serving Type: 12 oz. Bottle

Look: 8
Amber color, slight haze.  Medium head with decent retention and lacing



Smell: 7
Very mild scent of sweet malt, raw sugar, and herbal hops 

Taste: 7
Metallic hops, toasted malt, with a hint of caramel and toffee, and a lingering bitterness

Mouthfeel:7.5
Light-medium body, and medium carbonation, with a slight creamy finish

Drinkability: 7.5
Smooth and easy to drink

Overall Score: 7.4

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.42

Overall Impression:
A pretty average beer across the board.  The aromas and flavors are nice, but there is not enough of them.  Still, a good beer for the money, and certainly worth checking out

Stoudt's Gold Lager

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Munich Helles Lager
State/Country: Pennsylvania
ABV: 5.0%
Serving Type: 12 oz. Bottle

Look: 8.5
Pale golden color, clear.  Thick white head with nice retention and decent lacing

Smell: 9
Sweet malt, toasted malt, grain, and floral hops

Taste: 8.5
Sweet/bready malt, balanced by herbal and mildly spicy hops, finishing with with a biscuit malt

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body and carbonation, with a slight creamy finish

Drinkability: 8.5
Uber-Drinkable

Overall Score: 8.6

Value: 9.5
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.78

Overall Impression:
"Helles" means "bright" in German.  This style of lager was Munich's answer to the Bohemian (Czech) Pilsners  that quickly swept across Europe in the mid-1800's.  They are bit maltier, and more balanced compared to their hop forward cousins.

This is the third Munich Helles I've reviewed this week, and it is easily the best of the three.  Interesting that this one came from America, and the other two were from Germany.  However, it's not surprising given the huge influx of Germans in this region.  Breweries like Stoudt's and Victory obviously know how to produce outstanding lagers that rival the best of Germany.  Stoudt's Gold Lager is no exception.  Prost!

Food Pairing:
Here I am several hours later to add some additional color to this review.  I just made a chicken breast heavily seasoned with Jamaican Curry powder and Applewood Smoked Red Savina (a mutant red habanero that is twice as hot as a regular habanero - 550,000 Scoville Units).  The flavor and spice was powerful and amazing!  Stoudt"s Gold stood up to it no problem at all!  The sweet malt tamed the heat of the chilies, and blended nicely with the pungent curry.  The mild hops and ample carbonation scrubbed the palate, making every bite as good as the first.

The typical recommendation for pairing Munich Helles with food is: lighter dishes, chicken, sandwiches, and all things pork (of course).  Most experts would suggest an IPA as the perfect pairing for this fiery and pungent Jamaican dish, but this particular Munich Helles was spot on! 

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!

Samuel Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Bock
State/Country: Massachusetts
ABV: 7.0%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Hawthorne's

Look: 9.5
Black color with reddish hues, thick creamy tan head with great lacing.

Smell: 8.5
Dark chocolate, roasted malt, and lots of cherry

Taste: 9
Blast of cherries and chocolate up front, balanced by the hops and roast in the middle, and finishing with chocolate and cherries.  Flavors are linear, which is typical for the style

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium-heavy body with low carbonation, and a slick finish

Drinkability: 9
Decadent!

Overall Score: 9

Value: 7
Cost/12 oz serving: $5.50

Overall Impression:
It was like drinking Cellas® dark chocolate covered cherries.  Deelish!

Food Pairing:
As I was drinking this I was thinking how great it would be with ANY type of chocolate desert with or without cherries strawberries or raspberries, cheesecake again with or without fruit, and vanilla ice cream.  I paired my second one with food...here is the review

When Trying New Beers...

...A little bit of knowledge goes a long way!

For those of you that are new to the wonderful world of Craft Beer, nothing will aid in the enjoyment of the beer you are about to try more than a basic understanding of what to expect!

Even the crusty old vets would benefit from a refresher now and again, especially if the beer in hand is "not one of your favorite styles" or one you have not had in a while.  Certified Beer Judges review the styles before competitions, so it certainly wouldn't hurt.

To illustrate my point, let's take Brown Ale.  Do you know that there are two distinctly different versions of Brown Ale?  How about the styles that are similar, like Amber Ale or Porter?  Do you know the differences between them, or how they came to be?  How about the flavors that are typical or considered unacceptable to the style?  What color should it be, and what is the ABV range?  And finally, do you know what foods would go perfect with the particular style?

If you do not know the answer to all of the above, then how can you judge the beer correctly or appreciate it to the fullest?  I think you know the answer; you can't!

By not knowing what to expect, there are three typical responses the newcomer will have when trying a new beer:

1. It was good
2. It sucked (usually citing Bitterness as the culprit), or
3. It was just ok

This holds true for all new experiences, not just beer.  When I worked for Bryn Mawr Stereo/Tweeter Home Entertainment, we were huge on doing proper demo's and wowing the customer.  The basic formula was:

1. Set The Stage - tell them what they are going to hear (setting expectations)
2. Do The Demo - allowing the customer to experience it
3. Confirm The Experience

SETTING THE STAGE
Imagine this scenario: "John, I am going to demonstrate the imaging capability of these loudspeakers for you.  Imaging is the placement of the instruments withing the soundstage.  A truly great loudspeaker can create the illusion of actually being there with the musicians.  This a track from (ARTIST).  I want you to focus on the following. The bass player will be dead center holding down the groove.  The clean vocals will appear in front of the bass player, about 6 feet high.  Take notice how the the sound of the vocals emanate outward giving you a sense of the spaciousness of the room they are performing in.  The guitarist will appear clearly positioned five feet off to the left.  But your main focus should be on the drums.  The drummer is a few feet off-center to the right.  At one point he does a sweeping drum roll followed by the a crash of the cymbal.  You will be able to actually "see" the mammoth drumset before you, with every piece in the kit precisely defined in space."

DEMO

CONFIRM
"John, did you hear what I was talking about with the vocals?"

Customer response: "Absolutely, but what you told me about the drums...OMG that was incredible!  I was totally convinced that I was right there with the band!" ...And then the customer continues to expound on the experience, ultimately and finishing with, "I'll take a pair!"

That is a far cry from "It was good, or just ok".  The difference maker was simply a little bit of information on what to expect.

This is a universally applied concept.  So take a few minutes to gain a basic understanding of what to expect, and heighten your enjoyment of every glass!

BTW, I recently took my own advice regarding Brown Ale, particularly American Brown Ale, and I have a significantly deeper appreciation for a style that I didn't really care for prior.

Below is the 2011 Brewers Association Style Guidelines for American Brown Ale:

American Brown Ales range from deep copper to brown in color.  Roasted malt caramel-like and chocolate-like characters should be of medium intensity in both flavor and aroma.  American brown ales have evident low to medium hop flavor and aroma, medium to high hop bitterness, and a medium body.  Estery and fruity-ester characters should be subdued.  Diacetyl should not be perceived.  Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Original Gravity (ºPlato) 1.040-1.060 (10-14.7 ºPlato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato) 1.010-1.018 (2.5-4.5 ºPlato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.3-5.0% (4-6.4%)
Bitterness (IBU) 25-45
Color SRM (EBC) 15-26 (30-52 EBC)

To download the The 2011 Brewers Association Style Guidelines, visit http://www.brewersassociation.org/ - Type 2011 Style Guidelines in the Search Box

Significantly more in-depth Style Guidelines can be found at http://www.bjcp.org/index.php
The Style Guidelines are on the top right in the Quick Navigation Side Bar

The Brief History of Brown Ales can be found here:
http://allaboutbeer.com/learn-beer/styles/stylistically-speaking/2008/05/basic-brown?singlePage

Food Pairing info and more in-depth history can be found in The Brewermaster's Table, by Garrett Oliver, and Tasting Beer, by Randy Mosher

A small investment of time will pay huge dividends in enjoyment!  Now get busy!

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: English Brown Ale
State/Country: England
ABV: 5.0%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 9.5
Deep copper color, thick creamy head with great lacing.

Smell: 10
Toffee, caramel, sweet malt, butterscotch, apples and hay


Taste: 9.5
Up Front: Mild hops and caramel, with  nuts and sweet malt in the middle, and a mineral character in the long finish

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body with low-medium carbonation, and a dry finish

Drinkability: 10
Amazingly smooth and mellow!

Overall Score: 9.6

Value: 10
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.96

Overall Impression:
This is the classic Norther English Brown Ale!  It is smooth, warm nutty, and it has the signature butterscotch and mineral character that Samuel Smith beers are known for.  It simply does not get better than this!  As it was with their Taddy Porter, this was like revisiting a long lost friend.  I love Samuel Smith beers and I will be drinking them often.

Cigar City Maduro

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: American Brown Ale
State/Country: Florida
ABV: 5.5%
Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Look: 8.5
Chestnut brown color, thick light brown head with nice lacing.


Smell: 9.5
Chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, butterscotch, and an interesting herbal/minty hop aroma.

Taste: 9
Up Front: Caramel and sweet malt, balanced by the hops in the middle, and finishing with pleasant nuttiness. There is also a lingering roasted flavor...and it hangs out for a while.

Mouthfeel: 9
Light body with medium carbonation, and oily finish from the oats

Drinkability: 8.5
Highly quaffable!

Overall Score: 8.9

Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.96

Overall Impression:
This beer has an insanely good aroma...one of the best I've experienced in a brown ale. I wanted to say that I faintly detected fine cigars in the aroma and flavor, but I think that was my imagination. While I initially loved the roasted flavors, they wore on me as I drank it. Otherwise I would have given this a 10 for flavor, a 9 for drinkability, and a 9.2 overall. Hey, an 8.9 is still great!

Food Pairing:
The next time I enjoy this will be with some authentic BBQ, the food that American Brown Ale was made for! Because of the extra sweetness of this particular beer, it would even do well with BBQ sauce.

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.

Brooklyn Lager

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Vienna Lager
State/Country: New York
ABV: 5.2%
Serving Type: 12oz. Bottle

Look: 8.5
Light amber color, very clear, with a fluffy white head and nice lacing

Smell: 8.5
Piney and floral hops, biscuit malt

Taste: 8.5
Lots of hops up front, giving way to sweet malt, and finishing with biscuit malt, caramel and a touch of hops

Mouthfeel: 8.5
Medium body with medium-high carbonation and a dry finish

Drinkability: 9
Lagers tend to have high drinkability and this one is not exception! 

Overall Score: 8.6
Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.78

Overall Impression:
An outstanding example of Vienna Lager. There are not really a lot of good commercial examples of this style, which was all but extinct except in Mexico prior to the Craft Beer revolution. Sam Adams Boston Lager would be one good example, and I as much as I like it on tap, I prefer this version. Brooklyn Lager is the benchmark for the style.

Allagash Les Deux Brassuers

An Allagash/De Proef Collaboration.  Les Deux Brasseurs is a Golden Ale fermented with two strains of Brettanomyces.

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale (Brett)
State/Country: Maine/Belgium
ABV: 8.5%
Serving Type: On Tap @ Issac Newton's

Look: 9
Golden color, clear, with a fluffy white head and great lacing

Smell: 9.5
Nice and fruity featuring pear and pineapple mostly, with a a touch of Brett funk, and floral/spicy Saaz hops

Taste: 10
Lots of fruit, with Brett, graham cracker, and spicy hops. Very complex with a long finish. Very Funkilicious!

Mouthfeel: 9
Light-medium body with medium-high carbonation, and a crisp, dry finish

Drinkability: 9
Highly quaffable, but be careful, the high ABV can sneak up on you

Overall Score: 9.3
Value: 7
Cost/12 oz serving: $7.00

Overall Impression:
I love Brett, beers from Allagash, beers from De Proeff, and this one was no exception.  Issac Newton's mistakenly had this listed as a Tripel, so I was thrown off at first because this was obviously a Belgian Strong Pale Ale. The Brett and graham cracker created an interesting flavor combination that I really enjoyed. The Brett was not overwhelming, so if you are new to Wild/Brett beers, this would be a great one to try....if you can find it.

Hill Farmstead Edward

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: American Pale Ale
State/Country: Vermont
ABV: 5.2%
Serving Type: On Tap @ The Hulmeville Inn

Look: 9
Amber color, hazy, with a big off-white head and great lacing

Smell: 10
Fresh and floral, with tropical fruit, and bready malt - WOW!

Taste: 10
Taste follows the aroma. The malt balances the beer, but the hops are the star of this show! So fresh and flavorful that it is almost mind-boggling!

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body with medium-high carbonation and a slightly dry finish

Drinkability: 10
Quaffable to the N'th degree!

Overall Score: 9.6
Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $4.75

Overall Impression:
Hill Farmstead Edward is unquestionably, the best American Pale Ale I have ever tasted!  It had more flavor than most IPA's...top rated IPA's at that!  I don't know how the brewers packed so much flavor and aroma into such a modest style, but who cares? This beer is truly Nectar of the Gods!  I look forward to trying more beers from this brewery...I hope the mighty Hulmeville Inn keeps tapping them!

Stone Pale Ale

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: American Pale Ale
State/Country: California
ABV: 5.4%
Serving Type: 12oz. Bottle

Look: 8
Deep amber color, hazy, with a medium, off-white head and good lacing

Smell: 7
Faint malt, and piney/resinous hops

Taste: 8
Hops coat the tongue, and give way to a mild malt flavor in the finish

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Slightly sticky and mouth coating

Drinkability: 8
Smooth, mellow, and refreshing

Overall Score: 8
Value: 9
Cost/12 oz serving: $1.78

Overall Impression:
I reviewed this beer by request. I'm glad I did, because I do not recall trying this one before, and I thought I tried everything from Stone. West Coast brewers are known for their over-the-top beers, and few brewers exemplify this more than Stone. Their beers are as bold and brash as the words displayed on their bottle. I still think they have the best bottles and verbiage going. But back to this beer...I was curious to see how Stone would do with a more "basic" style of beer, and I was not surprised that they pulled it off. It was nice to see that it was not overly hoppy. I dare say that it was balanced...very different than the beers that they are more famous for.  Definitely worth checking out!

Triumph Bitter

Reviewed By: Rick S.
Style: Ordinary Bitter (English)
State/Country: New Jersey
ABV: 4.7%
Serving Type: On Hand Pump @ Triumph Brewing Co (Princeton)

Look: 10
Reddish Brown color, very clear, with a foamy tan  head and amazing lacing

Smell: 8
Bready malts and floral English hops


Taste: 9
Malty, fruity and complex from beginning to end. Tons of flavor from a session beer!

Mouthfeel: 9
Medium body with low carbonation due to cask

Drinkability:9
If Suzy-QCB wasn't with me, I would have pounded several!  

Overall Score: 9
Value: 6
Cost/12 oz serving: $5.50

Overall Impression:
I had this right after the Bohemian Pilsner, so that may have affected my judgment, but I loved this beer! Then again, I usually do enjoy this particular beer on cask@ Triumph Princeton. Real Cask Ale done right is always a treat.