Filed under: Schneider & Sohn, Weizen Bock (mug, stein, weizen) | Tags: American ingenuity, banana, banana bread, beautiful, Belgian style, bitter, caramel, Cinnamon, clove, craft, dark, deep, excellent, fruitiness, hazy, hops, lemon, maple syrup, nearly opaque, nice, orange, persistent head, quick bread, strong, sweet, sweetness, thick, vanilla, walnut, wheat
Purchased at: OakTree BuyRite, South Plainfield, NJ (Thanks, Jason and Matt)
Price: $3.99 (!)
Size: 16.9 fl oz
ABV: 8.2%
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 300 C
RateBeer Rating: 96
Aural: quiet opening, visible carbonation, heady pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet
Impression: nice
Malt Aroma: banana bread, vanilla, walnut
Hops Aroma: cinnamon, orange
Other Aroma: banana
Notes: One of the clearest banana aromas I’ve ever encountered.
Appearance 4 out of 5
Color: amber
Clarity: hazy, nearly opaque.
Head Retention: persistent
Lace: present
Notes: beautiful, deep, hazy, thick, and dark with depth.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Impression: nice
Malt Flavor: wheat, quick bread, maple syrup, walnut, caramel
Hops Flavor: cinnamon, clove, orange, lemon
Other: banana
Notes: Very much the taste profile of banana bread – nicely done. Very hoppy for something that has the impression of sweetness.
Palate 4 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: drying warming
Body: full
Carbonation: medium
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: medium
Balance: bitter
Notes: A very bitter, fruity finish. Very nice.
General Impression: 19 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: Reminds me of Chouffe’s Dobblen IPA. A very nice mix of hops, sweetness, fruitiness, Belgian style, American ingenuity, and craft.
Filed under: Baltic Porter (pint, stem glass, tulip), Victory | Tags: carbonated, common, crisp, dark roast, deep, faint, hops, not bad, not the best, persistent head, plain, plums, quiet, roasted, ruby
RateBeer rating: 89
Calories: estimated at 375 C
Volume: 22 fl oz.
Glass: stem glass, tulip, English pint
Purchased at: Laurenti’s Shop RIte, Hamilton, NJ
Price: $4.99
Consumed at: home
First Impression: Seems like many other brown ales and porters. Looking forward to the hit of the 8.5%. Respectable head, good deep ruby color. Aroma is faint and quiet, plums perhaps. Visuals are a deep ruby with a relatively persistent head. Taste is in a word, plain. Not watery – good hops, nice dark finish, but kind of flat in terms of layered flavor. Palate is crisp, carbonated, roasted, with a medium finish. Second Impression: Not bad at all, but victory has a lot better choices on offer. I’d take it over many other brands, because it has a nice depth, color, and hoppy finish, but only because of Victory’s lineup. Having just had Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Breakfast for the first time the other night didn’t help this brew’s standing with me, either. See Hop Wallop or V12 for what Victory does great things with.
Aroma: 6 out of 10
Visuals: 4 out of 5
Taste: 6 out of 10
Palate: 4 out of 5
Overall: 15 out of 20
Filed under: Anchor, Barleywine Style Ale (snifter) | Tags: alcohol, beautiful, bitter, brown, depth, expensive, grapes, great, hazy, hoppy, lovely, nice, persistent head, quiet, roses, ruby, sharp, simple, siren, slick, strong, sweet, warming, well done, wispy, wonderful
Purchased at: Issac Newton’s, Newtown, PA
Price: $6.00
Size: 12 fl oz
ABV: 9 %
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 190 C
RateBeer Rating: 97
Aural: quiet opening, little carbonation, simple pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sharp
Impression: nice
Malt Aroma: grapes
Hops Aroma: roses
Other Aroma: alcohol
Notes: An inviting and forewarning aroma. Enticing and siren like.
Appearance 5 out of 5
Color: brown
Clarity: hazy
Head Retention: persistent
Lace: medium
Notes: ruby body and wispy white head – quite beautiful.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Impression: very nice
Malt Flavor: grain sweet toffee licorice
Hops Flavor: dust cinnamon lemon sugar
Other: alcohol
Notes: A wonderful flavor, full of wine live depth and flavors. Very sweet, but not cloying.
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: slick warming
Body: full
Carbonation: average
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet
Notes: A surprisingly deep mix of hoppy bitterness and sugary sweetness. Well done.
General Impression: 18 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: A great beer, but hard to find and a bit expensive at $6 a bottle. I hope it comes to Jersey soon.
Filed under: IPA (shaker, tulip), Sierra Nevada | Tags: amazing, bitter, commercial, copper, delicious, dust, fantastic, flowery, mold, persistent head, red, sweet, very nice, well done
RateBeer rating: 97
Calories: estimated at 300 C
Volume: 24 fl oz.
Glass: tulip
Purchased at: Towne Wine and Liquor, Princeton, NJ
Price: $4.29
Consumed at: home
First Impression: A very nice IPA, if a bit commercial. Aroma is very flowery hops, dust and mold. Visuals are a beautiful red – copper body with a bright white head that is persistent with nice lacing. Taste is sweet with a bitter ending – very well done. Palate is crisp, dry, with a long bitter finish, but not very strong. Second Impression – an amazing value – a fantastic IPA for regular enjoyment. Delicious, and done in the true spirit of the craft.
Aroma: 8 out of 10
Visuals: 5 out of 5
Taste: 9 out of 10
Palate: 4 out of 5
Overall: 17 out of 20
Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Southern Tier | Tags: bitter, black, burnt, chocolate, coffee, hoppy, long, nice, opaque, orange, persistent head, quiet, resin, roast, sand, sharp, simple, strong, volcano
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Purchased at: Joe Canal’s Lawrenceville
Price: $5.99
Size: 22 fl oz
ABV: 12%
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 400 C
RateBeer Rating: 99
Aural: quiet opening, quiet carbonation, simple pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sharp
Impression: nice
Malt Aroma: chocolate roast coffee
Hops Aroma: earth resin citrus
Other Aroma: wetness
Notes: Amazing presence of aroma – reminds of the scent of a smoking volcano about to go.
Appearance 5 out of 5
Color: black
Clarity: opaque
Head Retention: persistent
Lace: intricate
Notes: An amazingly appropos appearance. Deeply coffee inspired.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Impression: amazing
Malt Flavor: roast coffee, nuts and ashes.
Hops Flavor: earth resin orange
Other: just amazing dark depth of burnt flavor.
Notes: dark, coffee, dark roast, sand, delicious
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: creamy drying warming
Body:full
Carbonation: medium
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Notes: amazing palateexcellent, delicious, and finish – exactly what you’d expect of both a great coffee stout and a Southern Tier bomber.
General Impression: 20 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: A Favorite – obviously I love hoppy, dark stouts – and this one does not disappoint. What an amazing flavor and color and aroma, and finish. 8 stars.
Filed under: Kolsch (kolsch, altbier), Victory | Tags: achievement, beautiful, brilliant, copper, floral, Grain, great finish, herbal, honey, hoppy, nice, persistent head, strong, sweet
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Purchased at: Canal’s Discount Liquors, Burlington, NJ – Thanks, Mike!
Price: $1.89
Size: 12 fl oz
ABV: 8.5 %
IBU:
Estimated Calories: 175 C
RateBeer Rating: 84
Aroma 8 out of 10
Intensity: Medium
Balance: Sweet
Impression: Nice
Malt Flavor: Grain Bread Sweet Toast
Hops Flavor:Earth Floral
Other: Hops, bit of mold
Notes: A very nice aroma, though somewhat faint for the flavor.
Appearance 5 out of 5
Color: Copper
Clarity: Brilliant
Head Retention: Persistent
Notes: A stunningly beautiful beer. It is a deep copper under an off white head that won’t quit. Very nice.
Flavor 9 out of 10
Intensity: Strong
Balance: Nicely balanced between Sweet and Bitter
Impression: Nice
Malt Flavor: Grain Bread Sweet Toast
Hops Flavor: Earth Floral Herbal
Other: Wheat, hops, honey
Notes: A surprisingly hoppy beer, and delicious. Dark, roasty, and deep. A great beer.
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: Creamy Warming
Body: Full
Carbonation: Lively
Finish
Length: Long
Intensity: Strong
Balance: Bitter
Notes: The finish is one of the best parts of this beer. Thanks again, Victory.
General Impression: 18 out of 20
Craftmanship: Excellent
Freshness: Fresh
Personal Taste: Liked
Notes: A great achievement in both your history and this beer. Fine job, and keep it coming.
