2011 ACBW Day #5: Blue Point Brewing Co. - Hoptical Illusion

Blue Point Brewing Company - Long Island, NY
Hoptical Illusion IPA
6.8% ABV, 60 IBU, 12 oz

I can't quite recall when, but I know I've had this beer before. The first bottle I had though was actually purchased at Bert's Better Beers in Hooksett, NH during my first visit. Either way, I'm glad I picked up another bottle to share my thoughts.



The beer pours a rather pale and basically crystal clear golden color. There is a medium head with a slight orange tinge to the head. The foam sits atop the beer for a while, before simmering down into the body of the brew. It is also nicely carbonated!

The aroma is very floral. A nice pronounced hop character is present, and picked up instantly. The flavor of the beer is mildly hoppy, pleasantly bitter, but still crisp and clean. The Hoptical Illusion finishes with a clean and dry flavor. It has a nice blend of malt as well, with a slightly lingering after taste.

The mouth feel on this IPA is on the mild side. It's color hints at a medium at best feel, but the hop presence provides a nice balance. The beer coats the tongue, but does not overpower.

I'd also rate the drinkability on the Hoptical Illusion IPA medium high. While it's not the most bold or robust IPA I've had, it is certainly a respectably good beer. I would highly recommend it to all IPA lovers!

2011 ACBW Day #4: Short's Brewing Company - Bellaire Brown

Short's Brewing Company - Elk Rapids, MI
Bellaire Brown - Classic American Brown Ale
5.2% ABV, 12 oz

This was my first go around with Short's Brewing Company, but I'll have to keep my eyes out for more of their beers around the greater Boston area!



The Bellaire Brown pours a rich, dark amber brown liquid, with hints of deep, dark red/maroon. It poured a short white foamy head, which melted almost instantly. It was somewhat hard to see, considering the beer was so dark, but you can see that it's mildly carbonated.

The aroma is rich, malty, and subtly sweet. It also has an essence of brown sugar and tones of caramel.

The flavor of the Bellaire Brown is bold and malty. The flavor definitely backs up the aroma, with its dark brown sugar notes. The beer actually reminded me of Smuttynose Brewing Co.'s Old Brown Dog Ale. The Bellaire is slightly crisp, but has a nice little bite to it.

The beer gives a moderate mouth feel, as you might expect from a hand crafted brown ale like this. The liquid coats the entire mouth, but finishes rather dry with a nice little aftertaste.

I give the Short's Brewing Company Bellaire Brown a medium drinkability level. It feels a bit heavy, so it may limit you to a few long necks, but this is a nice brown ale! I only purchased a single bottle; however, I could easily go back and pick up a full six pack.

If you have any suggestions on other beers by Short's Brewing Company, please let me know!

2011 ACBW Day #3: Clown Shoes - Tramp Stamp Belgian IPA

Clown Shoes – Brewed under contract by Ipswich Ale Brewery: Ipswich, MA
Tramp Stamp – Belgian IPA
7% ABV, 22 oz

This was probably my third beer by Clown Shoes, and I must say it’s coming awfully close to being my favorite beer by them. I reviewed their Hoppy Feet back in November, and tried their Eagle Claw Fist back in January or so, but the Tramp Stamp Belgian IPA was opened last night. Truthfully, I’m kind of indifferent to the name and label. Apparently there has been some buzz on Facebook over the name, and to me it’s more important what’s on the inside of the bottle, versus the outside.

With that being said, here are my notes:

The beer pours a dark pale orange hue. It’s pretty cloudy, but with a nice carbonation level. It has an ample and foamy orange head that dissipates fairly slowly. The aroma blends a nice balance of pronounced hop character with a malt background. It’s incredibly floral, with a mixed scent of Belgian yeast.

My initial thought on the flavor is that it was cool and crisp. But, then it produced a nice moderate hop punch on my taste buds, which I thoroughly enjoyed! It has a nice bitterness to the ending as well. It leaves awesome tracing on the glass as you continue to drink this very nice Belgian IPA. This particular bottle was towards the end of its peak freshness, but the Columbus, Amarillo, and Centennial hops aided in keeping this bottle fresh. Incredibly aromatic and flavorful!

The mouth feel on the B-IPA is full. But, this is a bold, robust IPA with a nice little Belgian yeast kick to it. There is nothing like a great blend of hop character, bitterness, and malt to make this hop head happy. Considering this is a 22 oz bomber, and 7% ABV, I’d say one and done with the Tramp Stamp. It’s good enough to put down yourself, or share it with a close friend.

2011 ACBW Day #3: Avery Brewing Co - White Rascal

Avery Brewing Co. – Boulder, CO
White Rascal – Belgian Style Ale
5.6% ABV, 12 oz

This Belgian style ale is brewed with a few added ingredients, such as malted wheat, coriander, and Curacao orange peel. It is also labeled with the slogan “Deviously Delicious,” which is hard to disagree with.



The beer reveals a nice hazy pale yellow color, with a fluffy, gentile, and velvety white head sitting on top of the brew. It is unfiltered with ample carbonation. With the “Belgian Swirl” (saving the last few ounces and swirling in the bottle before pouring into the glass), the head floats upon the liquid for some time!

The aroma of the White Rascal is very fruity, typical of most Belgian style beers. It gives off a slight banana ester, and is VERY inviting!

The flavor of the beer is soft and silky smooth. Avery’s beer coats your tongue with a citrus and fruity blend of liquid goodness. For an American Belgian style white, this might be one of the best I’ve had. It finishes with a subtle spiciness, most likely from the coriander and yeast strain.

The White Rascal has a moderate mouth feel. Again, this has a silky smooth feel to it, and it gives a decent coating of your tongue and mouth. It’s very nice.

This with out a doubt holds a high drinkability factor. It’s very pleasant and gentle, event at close to 6% ABV. This is a great late spring / all summer long beer and another great brew from Avery Brewing Co.

2011 ACBW Day #2: Opa-Opa Brewing Co - Opa-Opa IPA

Opa-Opa Brewing Company - Southampton/Williamsburgh, MA
Opa-Opa American IPA
6% ABV, 12 oz (also available on draught)

The IPA was my first and only Opa-Opa offering to date, but I have to say I was pleased. I first had the beer on draught at the Horseshoe Pub at Josh from Lost In the Beer Aisle's Craft Beer Tweet-up in March, and have been on the lookout for it ever since.

The beer pours a nice pale orange hue, often typical of an India Pale Ale. It pours a bountiful, foamy white head, which fades slowly into the liquid. As you might expect of an IPA, the aroma is full of citrus and pine notes, but to my surprise in somewhat of a muted way.

On the other hand, the Opa-Opa IPA flavor is a bit more robust. It has a pleasant mix of pronounced hop character, blended with a nice malt support. It's tastier than the aroma leads you to expect.

This IPA also has a moderate mouth feel. It leaves a nice little aftertaste, which naturally invites you back for another sip!

I give the Opa-Opa IPA a medium drinkability level. While it's not the best IPA I've ever had, it is certainly a great offering from this western Massachusetts brewery and a nice addition to the New England IPA family. It is certainly worth getting if you can find it in your local package store. While I preferred this beer from the tap, it was still enjoyable out of the bottle.

On a side note, the brewery is technically part of the Opa-Opa Steakhouse and Brewery. To me, I can't think of a better combination - red meat and beer! Nevertheless, the restaurant is certainly on my radar as a place to visit when I find myself in the western part of the state. They recently moved the brewing segment to a new brewery in Williamsburgh, MA, and they offer tours Saturdays at 2:30pm.

ACBW Kicks Off at Bert's Better Beers - Today!

Bert Bingel and the rest of the crew at Bert's Better Beers are kicking off 2011 American Craft Beer Week in style today at his store in Hooksett, NH. The Craft Beer Guild of New Hampshire will be pouring the "best of Breckenridge/Oskar Blues", as well as Lagunitas tonight.

From 4:30pm to 7:30pm you can sample some of the Oskar Blues line up, such as Dale's Pale Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Company's Hop Stoopid Ale, and Firestone Walker Brewing Company's Double Jack Double IPA just to name a few. According to Bert, there will be more beers to be cracked open, as well as fresh cheese and crackers to nibble on while trying some spectacular American craft beers!

Bert's Better Beers is located at 1100 Hooksett Road Ste 105 in Hooksett, NH. It's right off the highway, so if you're looking for a place to go, look no further than Bert's!

2011 ACBW Day #2: Samuel Adams - Wee Heavy

Boston Beer Co. / Samuel Adams - Boston, MA
Imperial Series: Wee Heavy
10% ABV, 12 oz.



The Wee Heavy is just one of the beers in the new Imperial Series put out by Samuel Adams. The series all come in four packs, and like the Harpoon Leviathan series, you can tell why.



The Wee Heavy pours a dark brown concoction, reminiscent of many porter style beers. It has a minimal, clightly brown/tan head that melts into the body of the beer rather quickly. The beer has a slightly sweet aroma. You can also pick up a hint of smokiness to it, as the brewing company uses some specialty malt. You can also pick up the rich caramel tones as well.

The flavor of the Wee Heavy is smooth, rich, and almost creamy. It has a moderate carbonation level, which adds to the richness of the beer. It has subtle notes of the peat smoked malt, which are noticeable enough to give the Wee Heavy a layered body. When I tried the beer, it was mid 50's outside, which was perfect for this Scottish-inspired beer. Its flavor was also similar to some barleywines, due to the higher alcohol content and slight caramel sweet flavor.

For 10% ABV, you would expect a heavy and full mouth feel; however, that was not the case with the Sam Adams offering. Contrary to the darkness of the brew, it was still a moderate mouth feel. Certainly not light in body, but not over-the-top heavy...you could say a wee bit heavy.

Although it is called Wee Heavy, there is a noticeable kick to it. One to two beers is the limit for me on this one, although it would be interesting to try it after aging it for six months - as suggested on the box the beer comes in!

2011 ACBW Day #1: Tröegs Brewing Company - Sunshine Pils

Tröegs Brewing Co. - Harrisburgh, PA
Sunshine Pils - German Style Pilsner
5.3% ABV, 45 IBU, 12 oz

This is the summer seasonal beer from Tröegs Brewing Company, and is available from April through September each year.



The beer pours a pale yellow liquid with a minimal head. Granted, the Tröegs website suggest the beer is poured in a Pilsner flute, the pint glass I used resulted in a short head, which disappears rather quickly. It does, however, have a nice moderate carbonation level.

The Sunshine Pils gives off a pale malty scent. To me, I found it hard to identify much floral and hoppiness, despite the fact that this beer clocks in at 45 IBU. I also didn't pick up much for floral or bitter characteristics.

The pilsner has a medium bodied flavor - the malt definitely takes the reigns on this beer. It finishes rather dry, and with a smooth ending. Overall, the Sunshine Pils has a rather minimal mouth feel. Not exactly watery, but light in flavor and body. It does seem similar to most pilsners I have had though.

If you're a pilsner fan, you would probably enjoy the Tröegs Sunshine Pils. It's light enough to enjoy a few in a sitting, and considering it has a light body and a smooth finish, it seems to be a decent pilsner summer offering. For me though, I wasn't a particularly big fan, so I would rate the drinkability rather low. In all fairness though, pilsners don't rate near the top of my preferred beer style.

2011 ACBW Day #1: Cisco Brewers - Summer of Lager

Cisco Brewers – Nantucket, MA
Summer of Lager
5.6% ABV, 12 oz or 22 oz, also available on draught

This summer lager is brewed in the fall, aged all winter, sampled in the spring, and released right around now!



The Summer of Lager pours a hazy golden orange brew, which gives the appearance of being unfiltered (although I couldn’t find anything saying it was/wasn’t filtered). It also includes a moderate carbonation level. There is virtually no sustainable head, although it was light, white, and fluffy while it was around.

The nose of the beer picks up floral and citrusy tones, and has a slightly malty backbone. It also has nice notes of flagrant hops.

The flavor of the Summer of Love Lager is slightly bitter, but you can pick up the floral and citrus flavors from the hops. The lager is still clean, and nicely refreshing. The citrus aspect really shines through on this offering from Cisco Brewers. I can’t quite compare this with the citrus levels of a Belgian or summer brew, but it’s surprisingly citrusy. In a good way though.

The mouth feel on this beer is mild. It has a nice spiciness that lasts on your tongue after a few sips, and goes down smooth and easy. With that, I give this Summer Lager a fairly high drinkability level. It’s a really nice late spring/early summer lager. I found this beer in six packs, but it is also available (according to the Cisco Brewers website) in 22oz and draught beer. If you get a six pack, you could drink a few of these, and definitely share them with a friend!

2011 ACBW Day #1: Notch Session - Session Pils

Notch Session – Boston/Ipswich, MA
Notch Session Pils – American Session Beer
4% ABV, 12oz bottle (also on draught)

Chris Lohring, the founder and owner of Notch Session, is a crafty fellow. He is the brain child behind bringing Session beer to America (or at least New England), which is a category of beer created in Britain to provide high flavored beers with low alcohol levels. Originally, the style was created so that labor workers in Britain could have a few pints, and head back to work without being drunk. Chris’s vision is to provide high flavored, full bodied beers that contain 4.5% ABV or less. With the Session Pils, he does just that.

I first tried Notch Session Hop Ale at the Haven in JP back in early February and then the Pils and Ale at the bottle release party at the Lower Depths a few weeks later. I met and spoke with Chris for a little while at the bottle release party, and I was happy to see that he opted to release his beer in bottles. Previously, his Session beers were only available on draught, which is the manner in which I had the beers previously, but I found a six pack of the Pils and picked one up.



To begin, the beer pours a golden pale liquid with a medium, fluffy white head. The foamy goodness hangs around for a little bit, inviting you to dive in for your first sip. The aroma has a nice blend of malt with a slight sweetness to it. Tones of citrus and hop come out as well.

The Session Pils features a smooth, crisp, and clean flavor that complements the scent. It also has a slightly sweet flavor, with a nice mellow (read: not overpowering) bitterness. The brew also has a nice balanced body. The hops are pronounced, but again are not overbearing.

The mouth feel is surprisingly full, considering this is a low-gravity, low-alcohol content beer! The Pils goes down smooth, leaving nice traces on the glass and a subtle, lingering aftertaste. It reminds you that you still have some beer left, and entices you back for more.

As you would expect, this beer has a high drinkability level. With its low alcohol content, and smooth, crisp flavor, you can drink several of these in a sitting without getting sloppy drunk. It is a very, very enjoyable beer in which I highly recommend you try.