Either it's going to blow, or be an explosion of taste....

I will give Full Sail some serious credit for a cool name - Vesuvius has a lot of "uumph" behind it...not just liquid hot "magma". The Full Sail Vesuvius Belgian Style Golden Ale comes in a 22 oz bomber, which is priced at a bargin at $3.99. I've been on a dark beer kick lately, so having something more on the lighter end of the spectrum was very welcome.

Appearance - light white head, bubbly, golden, slight cloudiness, very little lacing - 3.5

Smell - definitely belgian; coriander, lemon, sweet and a bit funky - 2.5

Taste - Oddly mellow, malt is the high point and the belgian spices are pretty subdued. Tart apple, clove and banana flavors, but pretty mild. - 3.5

Feel - a bit syrupy, good mellow mouth coating, sweeter finish actually like how it feels. - 4.0

Drinkability - for $3.99, it sure wasn't bad. Maybe not a regular brew, but something I would have again if offered - 3.5

Key West Golden Lager - fresh from Flo-rida

The Key West Golden Lager was one of the beers I got in my last beer of the month club shipments. I was curious about this one, as most of the beers I have gotten have been IPAs, Witbiers or Stouts. So, getting a lighter beer was a surprising change. As I can imagine, this beer does well in Florida, where it's hot and everyone sweats all their fluids out due to the humidity.

This beer was good - I had just gotten home from the gym and was really hot and wanted to play a video game. As everyone knows, video games are much better with beer. The Golden Lager was really refreshing and crisp. Unfortunately, I think it lacked a lot of distinctive characteristics, be it flavor, scent, etc... - it was a much better form of a Miller or Budweiser type beer. Personally would probably not get it again, just cause it was ok...

Look - 3.0/5.0 - Really light, golden color - clear - head retains pretty well, light white head
Taste - 3.0/5.0 - cold, sour bitter malt/hop; clean, little aftertaste, some sweetness too
Smell - 3.0/5.0 - sharp ale scent, malty, hint of sour
Feel - 3.5/5.0 - nice no aftertaste, fresh, most of the flavor in middle back of tongue
Drinkability - 3.0/5.0 - refreshing, specially after a workout - not a lot going on with it - good for someone who likes lighter beers but doesn't want Miller or Bud

I'll Believe it When Dogs Fly

I have actually seen a dog fly. Once Sarah (our hyperactive terrier) somehow went from the coach in our living room to the dining room table. And for a dog that is only 12 lbs, 10 feet is a long way to jump. But the Flying Dogs that I prefer are the ones that come in glass bottles. I got the Tire Bite Golden Ale and Kerberos Tripel as part of the recent Beer o' the Month Club. I had seen the Golden Ale in stores before, but the Kerberos was an unknown quantity.


The Tire Bite stood out from first whif...the aroma was pungently sour. I didn't think you could smell sour, but this beer managed to do it. The taste was pretty light, offering some hints of hops. Not hop like you'd expect from an IPA, but enough to warrant that sour smell (only 16 IBUs). I had this when I was really hot after working in the yard and it went down really quick. I had another one when I wasn't hot and I wasn't terribly impressed. This is definitely a summer beer, so if you're going to be sitting on the patio getting some rays, not a bad pick. If you're going to sit inside in the A/C, go for something else. While this was a good enough beer, it's lack of "versitility" brings down its score a bit. 78% - better than your average beer, but not quite there.


Flying Dog has a select group of beers that are a bit more...rowdy than their normal fare. These, called Canis Major, include the Kerberos Tripel, a Belgian style tripel that offers a real sneaky kick. Like most tripels, you can expect the Kerberos to have a light fruity aroma and taste. The malty aftertaste is crisp and refreshing. The ABV is what is sneaky - 8.5%, which means you can have a few of these things and really feel it afterward. Even though it features a higher IBU rating (26) to the Tire Bite, the bitter taste is really short at the beginning of each taste.

I really enjoyed the Kerberos and I do give it a few extra style points for the nice reference to the three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades. So, 88% on this beer. If you can find it here in ABQ, let me know where, as I haven't been able to locate it at Quarters, Kelly's or Sunflower.