BeerCritic


Great Divide Belgica Belgian IPA

Great Divide Belgica Belgian IPA

Style & glass: Belgian Ale, Trappist

12 fl oz x 7.2% ABV = 86.4 / 60 = 1.44 beers * 150 C = 216  calories (est.)

Available at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $8.99

Scent of leather, centennial hops, fruit, and decay, visuals are a brilliant golden body with a long lasting white head, taste is begian sweetness, bananas, and biscuits, with IPA citrus, bitterness, and presence. Palate is drying, active carbonation, and creamy. Overall, a very good beer. I hope it’s regularly available, because I’d like to have it all the time.

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Dogfish Head Burton Baton
Dogfish head Burton Baton Oaked IPA

Dogfish head Burton Baton Oaked IPA

Originally reviewed July 5th, 2008. Revisited on June 16th, 2009 in honor of Rob Mangold who gave a 4 pack as a gift. Cheers, Rob!
ABV: 10%
RateBeer rating: 94
Calories: estimated at 200 C
Volume: 12 fl oz.
Glass: snifter, tulip
Purchased at: OakTree Buy Rite, South Plainfield, NJ (Thanks, Jay and Matt!)
Price: $4.99
Consumed at: home

Tanka: the fire’s been lit

the devil’s red eyes
the clean smell after phys ed
biting, shocking, hot
live circuit completes in mouth
and lights you up so brightly

aroma 10 out of 10
visuals 5 out of 5
taste 10 out of 10
palate 5 out of 5
overall 20 out of 20

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Ridgeway Criminally Bad Elf BWSA
Ridgeway Criminally Badf Elf BWSA

Ridgeway Criminally Badf Elf BWSA

Style & glass: BWSA, Snifter

16.9 fl oz x 10.5% ABV = 177.45 / 60 = 2.96 beers * 150 C = 444 calories (est.)

Available at: Canal’s, Lawrenceville, NJ for $5.80

sweet, syrupy aroma, deep brown body under a white head, quickly dissipating, cloying, syrupy, sugary, unbalanced, blunt mouthfeel, Slightly unrefined for the style. Blunt, dull, and hammering.

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Victory Hop Wallop
Victory Hop Wallop

Victory Hop Wallop

Glass: snifter, tulip
Originally Purchased at: Laurenti’s ShopRite, Hamilton, NJ on July 3rd, 2008

Today: A gift from Bryan K and Angel B – Thanks!

Price: $1.83
Size: 12 fl oz
ABV: 8.5%
Estimated Calories: 250 C in 12  oz
RateBeer Rating: 93

Aural: quiet opening, good carbonation, simple pour

Aroma 9 out of 10

Intensity: medium

Balance: sweet

Impression:  very nice

Malt Aroma: wheat, rye, brown sugar, toast ed peanuts, light caramel
Hops Aroma
: dust, fern, star anise, lemon
Other Aroma
: tea, peach

Notes: An absolutely amazing, if faint, aroma. Wondrous and inviting.

Appearance 5 out of 5

Color: copper

Clarity: brilliant

Head Retention: persistent

Lace: intricate

Notes: A beautiful presence, nicely retained white head, simple lacing, and a deep copper body.

Flavor 9 out of 10

Intensity: strong

Balance: bitter

Impression: nice

Malt Flavor: wheat, rye, cane sugar, roasted peanuts, light caramel
Hops Flavor: dust, lemon, orange, zest,
Other: tea, oatmeal

Notes: Likely the best feature of this delicious brew – very hoppy, not well balanced, likely on purpose. Bitterness is key.

Palate 5 out of 5

Mouthfeel

Sensation: sour cream, oil, tea towel

Body: full

Carbonation: faint

Finish

Length: long

Intensity: strong

Balance: bitter

Notes: A delicious and richly textured finish.

General Impression: 18 out of 20

Craftmanship:  excellent

Freshness:  fresh

Personal Taste:  loved

Notes: One of my favorite beers.



Port Brewing Wipeout IPA

Port Brewing Wipeout IPA

Style & glass: IPA in a tulip
22 fl oz x 7% ABV = 154 / 60 = 2.5 beers * 150 C = 375 calories (est.)
Available at: Craft Beer Outlet, Philadelphia, PA for $5.99
Citrus aroma fills the room, deep amber body under a bright white sticky head with good legs, lemon zest and surprisingly bitter flavors for an IPA, highly bitter, zesty with a very long finish, overall, a complete winner for hopheads.

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Flying Fish Exit 4 American Trippel

Beer review: Flying Fish Exit 4 American Trippel

Visually stunning orange body, but less than stellar head dissipates too quickly. Aroma is as expected orange cloves, honey, and banana, and taste is much the same. Very well done version of the style. Very hoppy, mindful of Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen. Delicious. Points off for being a gusher and quick head, but otherwise, fantastic. Available at Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $10.00

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Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout

A thick sticky tan head above an opaque black body, Aroma is coffee, nuts, caramel, and tea. Taste is sweet, tea, licorice, taffy, and pepper. Texture is smooth, with a nice rounded mouthfeel. A great session, even if not by definition. Very enjoyable, and extremely affordable, at $12 a case at Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ.

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Ballast Point Sculpin IPA


Style; glass: IPA; tulip
22 fl oz x 7% ABV = 154 / 60 = 2.56 beers * 150 C = 384 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Craft Beer Outlet, Phila, PA for $11.99

Aroma: nice, calming, beach, field, grassy, salty, citrus.

Visuals: brand focused packaging, a bright engaged yellow, brilliantly clear, bright white tight bubbled head, sticky lace.

Taste: expertly balanced, honey, citrus, rind, peppers.

Palate: Bright, crisp, and layered, drying, increasingly bitter long finish.

Overall: Fantastic. In my top 3 IPAs, certainly. A favorite.

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Stone Old Guardian BWSA

First Published on June 13th, 2008

link to collage on Picasa Web Albums

Glass: snifter
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ
Price: $6.49
Size: 22 fl oz
ABV: 11.26%
IBU: n/a

Estimated Calories: 400C
RateBeer Rating: 97

Aural: uneventful opening, quiet carbonation, simple easy pour

Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sharp (alcohol)
Impression: nice

Malt Aroma: bread sweet nut caramel roast coffee
Hops Aroma:
mud mold clover rum rubber mango
Other Aroma:
grapes arugula pepper
Notes: An amazingly deep set of aromas – very interesting.

Appearance 4 out of 5
Color: dark
Clarity: slightest cloudiness, almost clear

Head Retention: poor
Lace: poor
Notes: The color has great depth and character, but there is little head to speak of.

Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet start with bitter finish
Impression: amazing
Malt Flavor: brown sugar rye walnut caramel dark chocolate liqueur roasted espresso
Hops Flavor:
dirt grasses star anise smoke grapefruit
Other:
mango, ashes
Notes: One of the best barley wines I’ve ever had, and no surprise from Stone.

Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel

Sensation: drying warming
Body: full
Carbonation: average
Finish

Length: very long
Intensity: very strong
Balance: very bitter
Notes: A fantastic finish that leaves you looking forward to the next sip.

General Impression: 19 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: Except for the slight critique of the missing head, which is forgivable considering the alcohol content, which is well hidden, this is a nearly perfect BWSA. Great job, Stone, as per the usual. This brew was purchased to celebrate the finish of my summer 1 Mediation class at Rider University in the Graduate Program for Organizational Leadership. The review of this fantastic ale is dedicated to the efforts of Jon Millen and the COM 390 class. Collaboration, not litigation.



Lagunitas Hop Stoopid DIPA

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid DIPA

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid DIPA

Style; glass: DIPA; Tulip
22 fl oz x 8% ABV = 176 / 60 = 2.93 beers * 150 C = 439.5 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Super Saver Pennington, NJ for $4.49

Aroma: hay, orange peel, pineapple, pine trees, salt.

Visuals: intriguing packaging, looks like top shelf whiskey, deep amber, brilliantly clear, off white head, intricate thin lace.

Taste: well balanced, light sweetness throughout, citrus rind tones continuously present, strength balanced with sensibility.

Palate: dry, towel, long bitter finish with sweetness lying underneath.

Overall: A very well balanced DIPA. A definite repeat. A sure favorite. At $5 a bomber, an amazing value.

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