Would you like some fresh ground lemon pepper in your beer?

I would wager that the guy who made the Lemon Pepper Saison that won the Sam Adams Longshot competition didn't just toss some lemon pepper into a summer ale. I certainly hope not at least - that would really destroy the mystique of it all. This is the 3rd of the Longshot series that I had - the others being the Mile High Barleywine and the Old Ben Ale.

Appearance - Spring-y golden lemon color, light head with very little carbonation. - 3.5/5.0

Smell - Coriander, spice, pepper, lemon - definitely what you would expect out of a saison style beer. 4.5/5.0

Taste - Crispy, very refreshing, with the spicy picking up late in each taste. The carbonation enhances the malt flavor. Very enjoyable and fitting for the style. 4.0/5.0

Feel - Mellow and refreshing! Aftertaste is spicy and crisp. -4.0/5.0

Drinkability - Excellent summertime beer, too bad it's a special deal. I would buy this for a summer BBQ. 3.5/5.0

Never imagined what the opposite of a Belgian White Ale was...

The Bruery in Placentia, CA is all over the Southwest Brewing News and other beer publications. Unfortunately, they're in California and....ah....I'm not. So, imagine my surprise and good fortune, when I found a number of their beers at BevMo! in Phoenix. So, I grabbed a Black Orchard for me and a Orchard White (wow, sorta like a chessboard...) for my sister-in-law. The one getting reviewed today is the Black Orchard. The Orchard White is quite tasty, but I didn't get enough to really do a full on review.

Appearance - Appropriately black for the name, cola colored head, mild carbonation except the head which reminds me of a coke, lots of sediment at the end. - 4.0/5.0

Smell - Sweet, malty, spicy, little bit of tart cherry and curant - 4.0/5.0

Taste - The wheat and Belgian spices blend well together. Sweet, but not terribly so. Cherry, caramel, blackberry and some breadiness. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Full, frothy, excellent mouth coverage and a mildly sweet aftertaste. 5.0/5.0

Drinkability - Excellent! Makes me want to take a road trip to Cali! 4.0/5.0

Rogue X-Ray Sierra

When I first started this blog about 15 months ago, I was really into the lighter beers. An amber was pushing it in terms of darkness. After some sage advice from one Tom Crow, I ventured into the deep end of the color pool and found the intense flavors of porters, stouts and more. When I was at Jubliation around my birthday in March, they were offering up the last 3 bottles of the Rogue XS 2008 Imperial Porter for only $3.99. Wha wha?! I think that I had speed rivaling the Flash when I grabbed that bottle and it was faithfully stored in the Beer Fridge until the proper time.

Appearance - Wispy mocha head, solid blackness, rich looking with low carbonation - 4.0/5.0

Smell - Strong toasted malt, alcohol and roasted coffee...delicious! 4.5/5.0

Taste - Rich earthy coffee flavor, little bit of an alcohol burn at the end, but it's tempered by the toasted malt flavor. Oaky, with a hint of dark cherry. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Really coats the mouth, carbonation more potent at first taste then mellows out quickly. Aftertaste is a lingering bitterness. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - While a potent 8.6% ABV, it's not as strong as other imperial porters, which I think makes it easier to drink. High quality and highly drinkable. 5.0/5.0

Part Deux - LongShot Series

So, there was big news a while back when Ben Miller from Rio Rancho won the Long Shot competition that Samuel Adams does annually where they will mass produce your recipe if it's up to snuff. Well, Mr. Miller did a fine job and likely received a copious amount of Samuel Adams attire, glasswear, coasters, beer, etc.... I did see him at a Dukes of Ale meeting with the Sammy shirt on. I think that if I were to win it, I'd be wearing those shirts daily. Anyway, as a fan of barley wine, I was interested to see what Ben did with his Mile High Barley Wine and I gotta say that I'm impressed.

Appearance - rosy red, clear, light tan head, - 3.5

Smell - mid, almost strong hop aroma, some citrus and pine, - not as strong as aroma as I would have thought - 3.0

Taste - wow, really delicious, hops blend well with the sweet malt, sweetness that you would expect out of a barleywine, well aged, piney and citrus (I get more of the pine) hops are excellent. - 4.5

Feel - remarkably smooth, way better than a number of barleywines (probably equal to hopsquatch) - bit of fruity hop aftertaste - 4.5

Drinkability - A great example of the style...too bad it's not more regularly available! - 4.5

Santa Rosa - Not the NM one...

I was at the Active 20-30 International Convention in Santa Rosa, CA last week. Northern California is a lot of fun - lots of breweries and wineries, plus I've got a bunch of family and friends out there. I had heard about Russian River Brewing, and was glad to actually get a chance to visit it. I got to go there twice, so instead of a buttload of posts, we'll just consolidate into one fat post.

The brewery itself is a chill place - could tell that there were some definite regulars who frequent there. The first night we swung in, I got a pint of their Consecration - a 10% ABV American Wild Ale (i.e. sour style). Thursday, we came for my buddy's birthday and had some tasty beer bites as appetizers and started off with a pitcher of the Little White Lie, their Belgian White Ale. Followed that up with a pint of Pliny the Elder, then got a mega-sampler of beers that we ended up sharing with the table.

Pliny the Elder was probably one of the best beers I've ever had. I had heard a lot about both this one and Pliny the Younger, so definitely had to try it.

Appearance - A creamy head with medium carbonation and a golden amber color. Pretty standard looking for the IPA style. 4.0/5.0

Smell - Lots of piney hops - definitely the most definite feature of the aroma. 4.5/5.0

Taste - Hoppy, but not bitter. Some citrus and a lightly bitter aftertaste. The mix of the malt and hops are perfect. As mentioned in previous Imperial IPA posts, I get the impression that Imperial IPAs are either over the top or delightfully subdued. This fits into the latter. The hops are flavorful and the bitterness is perfect - 5.0/5.0

Feel - Extremely smooth, not as bitter as I would expect. Aftertaste is refreshing and has a good amount of flavor. 5.0/5.0

Drinkability - I think I would have this thing on tap at my house at all times. 5.0/5.0

My notes for the other two beers aren't terribly complete - talking with friends and family precluded good note taking! But here's the brief on them:

Little White Ale - a Belgian style White Ale. Refreshing with a nice kick of spice that you would expect in any Belgian style beer. I would say that the amount of spice and coriander in this beer is more than most other Belgian beers I've had. Definitely drinkable - if you like a lighter beer, try this one.

Consecration - an American Wild ale. If you are wanting to try something...unique, I would suggest grabbing a pint of this one. Sour...but not so bad as the Lips of Faith that I had from New Belgium. I think one pint was enough of this, but was worth a try for sure. At 10% ABV, will definitely kick you in the butt. The local guy who suggested this called it their "weird beer" - can definitely see why.

ya sure ya betcha

The first brewery I ever visited was the Redhook Brewery in Woodinville, Washington. I had a blast there and just missed the brewery tour, but got some delicious bratwurst instead. Now, I know they've been bought out by some craft beer group, but I still have fond memories of this place. This beer, the Big Ballard Imperial IPA, is a tribute to one of the first beers they brewed, the Ballard Bitter IPA.

Appearance - Light auburn color, nice frothy head (about a finger's width). I enjoyed the head retention, especially in IPAs. Looked slightly bubbly. 4.0/5.0

Smell - Piney, floral hops. Distinctive scent, but not overwhelming. I prefer my Imperial IPAs to have a potent aroma, which this was lacking. 2.5/5.0

Taste - There are five hops used this in beer (Alchemy, Williamette, Sterling, Northern Brewer and Cascade) and they are expertly blended well together. Imperial IPAs seem to go either over-the-top strong or extraordinarily smooth - this beer is the latter. There are lots of IBUs (73), but I didn't think it was really that bitter. Grapefruit, pine, hint of sweetness from the malt. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Unerrily smooth, the head tasted thick. Minimal aftertaste, the flavor hits you strong then dissipates. 4.5/5.0

Drinkability - This beer falls into the category of Imperial IPAs that will kick you in the butt without you knowing it. I would pick up again, if anything, for the nostaglia of it coming from the first brewery I visited. - 4.0/5.0

Who needs Chipoltaway with a beer like this?

I've never actually been to Chipotle - I hear it's good, but can't say that I've gone out of my way to try it. I like Chipotle peppers and have had those a whole bunch. So, when I saw the Rogue Chipotle Ale at Sunflower Market the other day, I had to see whether the pepper makes or breaks the beer.

Appearance - A beautiful rich amber. A decent amount of head - looks pretty carbonated. 4.0/5.0

Smell - You can get a hint of the pepper, but that's all - just a hint. The malt dominates the nose. I really was hoping for a slightly more dominate chipotle smell, but didn't get it. - 2.5/5.0

Taste - Mostly malt, and kinda sweet. You can detect a slight pepper burn, but it's really mild. For a chile beer, I expect a stronger flavor than what I got. The Sierra Blanca Pancho Verde is on the other end of the spectrum, being an almost overly strong green chile taste. Some smoke as well. - 3.0/5.0

Feel - Coats the mouth well, with a bit of pepperly aftertaste. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - Given the style, I'll pass on it. While I enjoyed it, it's not what I would have expected from a beer whose style is focused on the chile. 2.0/5.0

Old Ben - first of the Longshots

This is the first of the 3 Samuel Adams Longshot Beers that came in the 2010 pack. The other two, the Lemon Pepper Saison and the Mile High Barleywine (from a local brewer, no less!), are pretty good and we'll get to them soon. Tonight's brew is the Old Ben Ale, which is the product of one of Sam Adams' employees who won the best brew for this year.

Appearance - Slightly translucent golden color. Really spotty, light tan head, almost filmy. - 3.0/5.0

Smell - Sharp malt scent, with a hint of hops to it. Some fruit - tartness, plum, cherry. 3.5/5.0

Taste - Pine, sweet malt, caramel, tart cherry. There's some alcohol burn at the end of each taste, which is very enjoyable. There's a maturity to this beer is evident - makes sense for an old ale style. 4.0/5.0

Feel - Medium bodied, somewhat thick. Carbonation is light. - 3.5/5.0

Drinkability - Good, not sure I would get it again - I preferred the Lemon Pepper Saison and Mile High Barleywine. 3.0/5.0

Oy! A beer fitting for a rabbi!

I crack up each time that I see any of the Shmaltz Brewing offerings - you'll see the little Rabbi guy and the He'Brew logo and you know you found Schmaltz. I've had their Genesis Ale and the Messiah Bold - tasty brews and I gotta love the Jewish connection. I did find out that these are Kosher beers - so...just FYI if you do Kosher. This beer is the Rejewvenator - Year of the Date - it's a dopplebock style beer that has included dates into the brewing process. The 2008 version used figs, 2009 dates and 2010 will have grapes. After having this beer, I'm definitely interested in trying out the 2010 Grape version, plus check out the brewery in San Fran.

Appearance - Deep amber color, minimal head that dissipates into a film. - 3.0/5.0

Smell - Sweet malt with some caramel. The dates are fruity and bold. - 4.0/5.0

Taste - Bready malt, sweetness that comes from a mix of the malt and the dates used in the beer. Definitely a dopplebock with the strong addition of the date. I wasn't sure if the dates would be overpowering, but they are very complementary to the style. - 4.0/5.0

Feel - Really enjoy the medium thickness of the beer, carbonation was good too. The brew felt hardy and substantial. 4.5/5.0

Drinkability - I'd have this one again. Tina enjoyed it too. It was an enjoyable use of the style, while adding a nice dimension with the addition of the dates. 4.0/5.0

Mirror Mirror on the wall, who has the best beer of them all?

While I cannot say that it's definitely Deschutes, they do have an awesome variety of beers that I have really come to enjoy. It doesn't hurt that Deschutes and Deshayes (my last name) are very similar in spelling. Tina, the Queen of Beers, took me on a little beer shopping spree for my birthday back in March. One of the beers, the Deschutes 2009 Reserve Mirror Mirror, was one of the fine bombers purchased that day. It has been sitting in my beer fridge since late March because the bottle told me to wait. No really - on the label there was a "Best AFTER 4/30/2010" marking.

Instead of waiting until midnight on the 30th, like an impatient guy watching a toaster, I figured it would be a good idea to wait a few more weeks for Tina and I's 5th anniversary to pop it open. We got into our bathrobes, sat on the porch and enjoyed this fine reserve.

Appearance - Rich copper, thick looking, very minimal carbonation, light lacing. When you swirl the glass, you can tell it's thinner than it originally looked- 3.5/5.0

Smell - Very earthy and piney hops, sweet and delicious - 4.0/5.0

Taste - Flavors are well blended, hops are present and as expected in a barleywine, not overpowering, bit of fruityness and sweetness, hop flavor is really tasty. As expected with a good barleywine, the ABV of 11% is deceptive and will creep up on you if you're not careful - 4.5/5.0

Feel - Enjoyably smooth, flavor profile is really well done - felt good, aftertaste is hoppy and sweet. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - I did wait until the prescribed "best after 4/30/10" - really enjoyable barleywine that I would definitely have again- 4.5/5.0

Finally...Utopias!!

You are probably going - "Hey, Deshayes - did you forget about this little beer blog of yours?" Nope - I have been busy making sure that we had an awesome Active 20/30 event. Yup, we had an adult kickball charity tournament. Kickball, you ask? We had 450 ADULTS playing kickball at the same time. We had a blast and made some money for charity, so I can't complain. Congrats to Team Whatevzies who ended up being the top of 27 teams and winning $2,000 for being just dominant kickballers.

Anyway, it's on to the main event. At Christmas, I received a beer snob's dream - a bottle of Samuel Adams Utopias. Only four bottles of this made it to the Land of Enchantment - specifically, one went to the Triangle Grocery in the east mountains. If you haven't been to the Triangle, I'd suggest making a trip out there. They have an amazing beer, wine and spirits selection and the gentleman who runs it is really in the know.

I finally tapped the bottle of Utopias. That means, I held it from December 2009 to late April 2010...ridiculous. But it was well worth the wait.

Appearance - Coloring is consistent with iced tea and burnt brown sugar, obviously no carbonation, coats the glass lightly. Not opaque, but foreshadows some of the smells and flavors being a clearer beer. - 5.0/5.0

Smell - Sweet brown sugar, smells like a port or sherrie, alcohol, fruity, caramel, reminds me of a fine liquor. Sweetness is definitely the key smell, but not overpowering due to the presense of alcohol. Would have preferred less sweetness. 4.0/5.0

Taste - Smoke, tart fruit (plum and apple), vanilla, caramel, raisin. Excellent taste - I can imagine this would pair well with a lighter sweetdessert. Beer advocate says cheese - which I could maybe see. 5.0/5.0

Feel - Warms your throat and extremely smooth, with a different type of aftertaste. Doesn't finish sweet, but almost like a fine brandy with a tart plum. You can hold it in your mouth to extract the flavor, but it doesn't burn like you had a shot of vodka. Excellent mouth coverage. 5.0/5.0

Drinkability - Would definitely have it again. The small quantity is perfect and would be amazing after a fine dinner. The price is a bit daunting ($150 a bottle), which is the biggest thing against it. A small glass (say $15) would be great for a special occasion. - 4.0/5.0

McGarvey's Scottish Ale

Wow...normally, I have something clever to say about things...you know, a bit of banter before we get into the nuts and bolts of the subject beer. I can't do that with this beer, as there isn't much to say. Epic fail on this BevMo acquisition....booo!

Appearance - Well, first off - this is one foamy beer. I had to let it sit for about 10 minutes so I can actually pour the other half of the beer. Cloudy, copper colored. Ridiciously foamy tan head. Like...making it hard to drink this sucker foamy. 2.0/5.0

Smell - Alcohol - some sweetness from the malt. Tart fruit, maybe cherry.. 2.5/5.0

Taste - Bitter, sweet alcohol. Sharp malt taste...kinda sweet bready. Other than that, not a whole lot to speak of. 2.5/5.0

Feel - Bubbly initially, then smooths out. Aftertaste is slightly sweet and bready. 3.0/5.0

Drinkability - Had way better Scottish Ales...I've got a number of other ones that I'd rather drink. 2.0/5.0

Viva Las Vegas!

Ah, I love going to Vegas. Give me 3 or 4 days of a sweet depature from reality and I'm good to go for a long while. I don't end up gambling much, as I have WAY more important things to spend money on - delicious food and tasty brews. This recent trip was for a CPE conference (Tax Planning for the High Income Individual - i.e. clients, not me) and, while the conference was at the Bellagio, I had trouble paying $200 a night when I could pay $80 across the street at Planet Hollywood. And if you know me, you know I have no problem walking EVERYWHERE on the strip. The room I had reserved was just a standard room, which is more than satisfactory to me. Instead, I ended up getting the Boulevard Suite....1,400 square feet of overpriced luxury...including an air hockey table, but more importantly, this awesome view.

But really, suites aside, the more important thing was the beer. After a nice dinner, I headed over to New York New York, where I enjoyed a tasty pint of Rogue Shakespeare Stout at Pour 24. This beer bar is located on the upper level above the casino, sorta where the overpasses from Excalibur and MGM Grand meet, right next to the classy Coyote Ugly. At $7 a pint, not cheap, but from what I will find out, pretty standard for Lost Wages. They had a really nice offering of beer - Alaskan Amber, Abita Purple Haze, Big Sky Moose Drool, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA... I'd check this out if you were on this end of the strip and wanted a nice variety.

The next day, I went over to Monte Carlo for a quick bite at Rubio's Mexican Grill in the Monte Carlo food court. This is one of my favorite places for a tasty fish taco...so good. Near the tram station is their beer bar, The Pub, which was formerly the Monte Carlo Brewpub, which made their own beer. The Pub has morphed into a junior Yard House - offering about 70 beers on tap. They had some of the standard Micro/Macro Brews (Blue Moon, Widmer, etc...), but did offer a bunch of local things and more obscure beers. I was really in the mood for an IPA and ended up with a Stone IPA. Should have tried something more local, but my brain had been a bit...zapped by hours of continuing education.

Tina surprised me by showing up on Monday night and we had a nice, pre-anniversary dinner at Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palance. Get the Wild Mushroom Quesadilla...BEST quesadilla....EVER. We started off with a margarita and I ended up getting a Schneider & Sons Weizen-Eisbock with dinner. Pretty tasty beer - lots of malt taste to it and went well with the lamb I got. If you are ever out here, do try Mesa Grill.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to go to one of my favorite beer/food joints, which is Burger Bar over in Mandalay Bay. They have a great selection of beers and nothing goes better with a beer than a burger. After this quick trip (less than 48 hours....oy), I'm ready for a trip back, but with less "learning" and more "lounging and enjoying".

Toss in a blue, and you've got yourself a pretty patriotic beer

Having tried the Dogfish Head Black & Blue, I figured I'd hit up the Red & White...which I think would be the opposite beer on the color spectrum. This beer is an unique type of witbier, which has been fermented with Pinot Noir juice.

Appearance - The beer has a real rich thickness to it. This one has a bit more carbonation going for it, as well as some sediment in it - reminds me of pulp in orange juice. The head was rose colored and held itself for a long while. - 4.5/5.0

Smell - Light fruit aroma, champagne, grape, some citrus and coriander - 3.5/5.0

Taste - I can pick up the sweetness and spices that I would expect out of a witbier (orange and coriander). It starts off this way, but then it phases into the more oaky, robust Pinot Noir flavor. - 4.5/5.0

Feel - There's a discernable alcohol flavor, which isn't a negative. If you want a standard witbier, keep moving on as this one is a strong ale with witbier characteristics. The carbonation makes this feel a bit like drinking champagne. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - I would prefer drinking this over champagne any day, so would be a very suitable replacement for a special occasion. I liked the fusion of the witbier and strong ale styles - you can definitely get elements of both in this brew. 4.0/5.0

My name is Guybrush Threepwood and I want to be a Pirate!

After working in the yard for a few hours late this afternoon (ah, nothing like desk work, then "use the sunlight while you can" yard work...), my back started to complain about the type of work I was subjecting to it. So, with a beer in one hand and my PS3 remote in the other, I fired up the old console system to see that the Secret of Monkey Island is now a special edition download through Playstation Network.

I loved this game when I was younger. It tells the tale of Guybrush Threepwood, a wannabe pirate, who is out for adventure and faces the Ghost Pirate LeChuck(or Zombie Pirate or Demon Pirate...depended on the game, freakin' voodoo magic) during his various adventures. LucasArts - the same one that produces those Star Wars movies you may have heard of - did these games in the early 90s and they were a blast. From what I understand, a lot of these classics are getting a facelift and being re-released. These kids now-a-days think these things are new....HA!!! I remember when the screen stopped when you advanced in Super Mario Brothers....no Wario, no Yoshi, just Mario, Luigi, a Princess and a bunch of happy Toadstools telling you that you went to the wrong castle...

Anyway, you didn't come here to hear about my video game addiction, you came here for my OTHER addiction - good craft beer. Tonight's special - the Widmer 84-09 Double Alt 25th Anniversary Ale.

Appearance - Thick, rich looking copper brown. Head gone so quick you wouldn't have thought it was there. Low carbonation. - 3.5/5.0

Smell - Alcoholic malt with a sweet bread and light chestnut smell. 3.5/5.0

Taste - Molasses, raisens, some sweetness, bread, great blend of malt. Tart alcohol hits at the very end, but for a beer that is almost 10% ABV, the potency will creep up on you. As the beer settles and warms up a bit, you'll get some toffee and a bit more bitterness. - 4.0/5.0

Feel - Flavor builds up and you get a hit of sweetness near the middle of each taste. Aftertaste is mild, but alcoholic and malty. Body is on the higher side of medium. - 4.5/5.0

Drinkability - Flavorful brew, but on the strong side for something I'd get regularly. Great job by Widmer to celebrate 25 years of brewing. - 3.5/5.0

Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays

Today was the first day back to the office for me. After April 15th, I hopped state lines with Tina and hung out in Phoenix for a few days. Had some great beer out there, and ended up bringing a bunch back. Tina asked me if I was ready for going back to the office today....I felt like I worked at a bank that had just been robbed and I just wasn't sure if I ready for the experience again. It didn't help that when I got to the office at 7:30, I had realized I forgot my office keys...awesome. One of my monitors apparently took a dirt nap too.

Anyway, after this amazing "back to work Monday", I needed a beer. I hadn't had an IPA in a while, so thought I'd give the Full Sail Slipknot Imperial IPA a chance. With a 8.2% ABV, it wasn't so robust to floor me, but would likely help numb the irritation of broken technology and leave me in a condition where I could go to the gym later this evening.

Appearance - Gorgeous tangerine color that is especially dark in the upper part of the glass. The head is foamy, white and leaves a sticky lacing on the glass. The beer generally looks thick, but in a rich, inviting way. 4.0/5.0

Smell - The hops are surprisingly subdued and lean on the earthy side of aroma. There's a..."funk" too. Not sure how to describe it other than if you walked into a room that hasn't been opened in a while and there is an odd smell to it. 2.0/5.0

Taste - Pine and earthy hops, some bitterness initially, but that goes away pretty quick. Other than that, not really much to write about. 2.5/5.0

Feel - Feels as thick as it looks. Great mouth coverage, but disappointing bitterness. 3.0/5.0

Drinkability - Eh, I've had other Imperial IPAs that I way prefer over this one for a similar price (or a buck extra). Not really what I would expect from the style either. I've had a few things from Full Sail, but I gotta say, none of their beers stand out - they are all adequate. Nothing terrible, but nothing noteworthy. 2.0/5.0

Attack of the Andygator

When I saw this bottle over at BevMo the other day, I immediately thought of my dog, Andy. Talk about random freakin' reasons to buy a beer, but it worked. The Abita Andygator Helles Doppelbock was a steal too - only $3.50 for the bomber, which ain't bad.

Appearance - Foamy white head that lingered for a long while. Light yellow coloring, lots of bubbles. 3.5/5.0

Smell - Some malt and sweetness aroma, but it's really disappointing (i.e. very little there). 2.0/5.0

Taste - Strong malt taste, some spice to it, honey, sweet. Big bold flavor that hits you really hard when you first taste it. For a more alcoholic beer (8%), it's surprising light and smooth. 3.5/5.0.

Feel - Fills your mouth, but mellows out pretty quickly. Very little aftertaste, mostly just the spice. 3.5/5.0

Drinkability - It's a tasty beer. Maybe not the best example of a doppelbock. 3.0/5.0

Happy Anniversary Sierra Nevada

Got to celebrate my birthday with my lovely wife, Tina, my brother and dad over at Nob Hill Bar & Grill and I heard through the grape vine that they had the Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout on tap. This seemed like an appropriate beer to celebrate both a birthday and an anniversary.

Appearance - A frothy, creamy tan head; a thick blackness with quick lacing. 4.0/5.0

Smell - The aroma was lighter than I expected with the malt dominating, followed up by some coffee. 3.0/5.0

Taste - Lots of malt and alcoholic coffee flavor. Oaky, with some acidic tart cherry at the front end, then blends into a molasses flavor. Highly enjoyable. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Coffee dominates the end, but the flavors are well blended and are subtle as they dissipate. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - A very tasty, great representation of a stout. A great offering from Sierra Nevada and I would regularly get this, if it wasn't a special deal. 4.0/5.0

You can pick this up at Quarters and Jubliation - about $10 for a fancy looking bomber.

Four Peaks - Tempe

Tina and I are big fans of Four Peaks Brewing, but had never ventured out to the Tempe location, where all the magic happens. Suffice it to say, I'm glad we came over here. The Scottsdale Grill & Tap is chill, but definitely has a "Scottsdale" feel to it - older crowd, a bit more sophisticated. The Tempe Brewery is a chill college hang out. The place is huge too - lots of seating room. The waitress we had was great - she knew her beer, which was appreciated.

We had lunch while we were there - the food was excellent. Between Fish & Chips, a Lamp Pita, Fried Chicken and Waffles and a Burger, we were well fed! Their Leroy Brown Ale was the seasonal draft - a very tasty brew, that could easily be a session beer (only 4.9% ABV). Some of the merchandise was on sale, so picked up some pint glasses for only $3.25 each (down from $5, I think). Also, picked up a 12 pack of their Kiltlifter Scotch Ale in cans...awesome.

Cheers to you, Uncle Sam!

Another April 15th has finally come and I managed again to avoid kissing a bus to soothe the madness that is my life at this point. Every year I get a nice bomber of beer that I crack open once the final return is signed and extension check dropped off. This year, Quarters had just received a bunch of new Rogue beers, including the Rogue John John Ale, which is Dead Guy Ale that has been aging (gracefully) in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels.

Appearance - Lightly opaque amber; with a sturdy white, frothy head. 3.0/5.0

Smell - Hmmm...whiskey. Malt is subdued and slightly sweet. I would have preferred a strong aroma. 3.5/5.0

Taste - Gotta say it again...hmmm...whiskey. Oaky, with a tasty, toasty sweetiness near the middle of the taste. Finishes off as you would expect a sip of quality whiskey would, with a hint of vanilla and caramel. Flavors are balanced and not overly strong. - 4.0/5.0

Feel - Smooth, full aftertaste. Lacks the syrupy quality that I've seen in bourbon beers, but that's ok, this one works. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - This is an amazing harmony of a spirit and beer, would definitely get this one again. 4.0/5.0