AW's Beer Reviews

[AWMiller]

Victory Golden Monkey
Victory Brewing Company | Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Ale | Tripel

ABV - 9.5%

My personal notes: Another addition to the AW BHoF!!! This brew poured up a hazy golden-colored body with a one-finger white foamy head with moderate retention and exceptional lacing. Aromas and flavors of hops, spices, pears. Heavy body making for a thick brew and a spicy bite on the finish. A grilled rack of pork (very spicy) would be my first pairing with this delicious ale!

[AWMiller]

Almaza Pilsner
Brasserie Almaza S.A.L. | Beirut, Lebanon
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Adjunct German-style Pilsener

ABV - 4%

My personal notes: Not a bad brew coming out of Lebanon. This brew poured up a pale golden-colored body with a one-finger fizzy head with minimal retention and lacing effects. There's quite a bit of carbonation going on! Aromas and flavors of grass and apples and something akin to fresh-husked corn. Very light bodied and surprisingly smooth with a dry finish with a nice subtle bite and aftertaste. This would make for a good beer at the BBQ or fish fry.

[AWMiller]

Rahr & Sons Summertime Wheat
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company | Fort Worth, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Hefeweizen

ABV - 5.5%

IBU - 19

My personal notes: Need a great brew for the BBQ or fish fry? This is the one!! This brew poured up a hazy, dark golden-colored body with a sporty two-fingered head with good retention and lacing effects. Aromas of lemon-grass, oranges, bananas. Flavors of the same and very well balanced. The body is medium-light and very easy to drink with no strong aftertaste; just a nice, clean finish. Pair this up with some smoked chicken or spicy grilled fish or shrimp!!

[AWMiller]

Full Sail Limited Edition Lager (LTD 05)
Full Sail Brewery | Hood River, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Amber/Red Lager

ABV - 5.6%

IBU - 28

My personal notes: I can see that it is going to be easy to get hooked on these limited editions from Full Sail!! This brew poured up a dark crimson red-colored body with a light foamy head that quickly dissipated and left minimal lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of caramel, roasted nuts, hops and malts. Flavors of the same; very well-balanced with a crisp, clean, smooth finish. Light bodied so this is a very easy-to-drink brew which makes for a great session beer. Pair it up with some smoked or grilled meats or poultry.

[AWMiller]

Real Ale Firemans #4
Real Ale Brewing Company | Blanco, Texas USA
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Blonde Ale

ABV - 5.1%

IBU - 18

My personal notes: Probably THE brew to have with a good fish fry! This brew poured up a golden colored body with a frothy crystal-white head with good retention and lacing effects on the glass. Robust aromas of grapefruit and hops. Flavors of the same along with hints of some spices and clove and sweet malt. Medium-light body and loads of carbonation with a superbly clean finish and no harsh aftertastes. Definitely a quality brew when paired up with spicy fish tacos or a hearty flounder meal!

[AWMiller]

Deschutes Twilight Summer Ale
Deschutes Brewery | Bend, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Blonde Ale

ABV - 5%

My personal notes: What an awesome seasonal summer blonde ale! This brew poured up an amber colored body with a two-finger pearl white bubbly head with moderate retention and lacing effects on the glass. Strong aromas of hops and citrus fruits and flavors are the same; strong hops and citrus notes throughout but enough malts to mellow it out on the palate. Medium-light body and a smooth, easy-drinking brew. This would pair well with a really spicy meal such as chicken fajitas, fish tacos, or spicy stuffed shrimp & dirty rice!

[AWMiller]

Strongbow Cider
Bulmers Cider (Heineken UK) | Hereford, England
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Cider

ABV - 5.3%

My personal notes: Definitely a cider to have on-hand for those hot summer months! Perfect for those days spent doing yard work or out in the garden; a pleasant alternative to beer! This cider poured up an amber-colored body with a thin head with minimal retention and lacing effects. Aromas of ripe apples and a hint of lemon and grapefruit. Flavors of the same. This is a very light drink and is very easy on the palette; no harsh or bitter aftertaste. Drink it ice cold; heck drink it over ice!! Great for the BBQ and fish frys!!

[AWMiller]

Oskar Blues Old Chub Scotch Ale
Oskar Blues Brewery | Lyons, Colorado USA

Style: Scotch Ale

ABV - 8%

My personal notes: Bring in the choir it is time to sing!!! Another addition to the AW BHoF!! This brew poured up a pitch black body with a tan-colored bubbly head with good retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas and flavors of strong coffee, licorice, chocolate, malts, caramel, and hops. Medium-bodied, creamy, smooth, no harsh aftertaste; just one excellent brew! Enjoy this one with something off the smoker (meats, sausages, salmon) or all by itself as it makes for an excellent dessert beer!

[AWMiller]

Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale
Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) | Tadcaster, United Kingdom (England)
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: English Brown Ale

ABV - 5%

My personal notes: Another fine brew from the Samuel Smith brewery! This brew poured up a rich, dark-brown colored body with a light, frothy off-white head with good retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of roasted nuts, grains, toffee, nutmeg, caramel. This medium-bodied brew boasts flavors a roasted hazelnuts, caramel, toffee, and I swear chocolate-flavored saltwater taffy! Very creamy with a nice dry finish with no harsh aftertaste or any bitter bite. A hearty grilled steak would be a perfect pairing with this brew! For a wild game pairing go with dove, duck (roasted), goose (roasted), rabbit, squirrel, or venison (roasted, grilled, or fried).

[AWMiller]

Maui CoCoNut PorTeR
Maui Brewing Co. | Lahaina, Hawaii USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Porter

ABV - 5.7%

IBU - 30

My personal notes: Now this is one excellent porter!! This brew poured up a jet black body sporting a foamy, creamy, tan-colored head with amazing retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of kona coffee and roasted coconut. Flavors of the same along with sweet malts; the flavors are so well balanced you won’t even know you’re drinking a brew! Medium-bodied, rich and creamy, smooth clean finish with only a slight bitter hit on the finish. Throw some meat on the grill or in the smoker to pair up well with this porter! Wild game considerations would include dove, roasted duck or goose, squirrel, venison, and wild boar.

[AWMiller]

Deschutes Jubelale
Deschutes Brewery | Bend, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Winter Warmer

ABV - 6.7%

My personal notes: Winter Warmer is not a brew just for winter! This brew poured up a dark brown body with a sporty bubbly head with good retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of caramel, hops, malts, chocolate, coffee, dark fruits (plums, prunes). Flavors of the same with a smooth clean finish full of chocolate and espresso. There are also hints of fig and something akin to candied apples intermingled with all those flavors. Medium-bodied and one that will definitely warm you up! Excellent when paired up with a hearty steak or perhaps some wild game (venison, wild boar, etc.)

[AWMiller]

Quilmes
Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes / Grupo Bemberg | Buenos Aires, Argentina
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Adjunct Pale Lager

ABV - 4.9%

My personal notes: While this brew is a macro-brew, it beats others in its class by a good margin when it comes to taste! This brew poured up a clear straw-colored body with a one-finger bubbly head with minimal retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of citrus (lemons) and hops. Flavors are very complex but very refreshing and clean. Light-bodied and easy to drink without that harsh skunky smell/aftertaste most adjunct lagers tend to possess. Makes for a great BBQ or fish fry brew!

[AWMiller]

Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout
Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) | Tadcaster, United Kingdom (England)
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV - 7%

My personal notes: Another fine stout from the boys in Tadcaster! This brew poured up a jet black body with a huge tan-colored foamy head with unending retention and exquisite lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of coffee, dark rum, chocolate, molasses, dark fruits (figs, raisins, or prunes). Flavors of the same. Medium- to Full-bodied, extremely smooth, very creamy and just the right amount of hops to make for a flavorful bite at the end. No harsh aftertastes from the hops or alcohol. Enjoy this brew all by itself; other foods will just distort the brews true flavors!

[AWMiller]

Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale
Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) | Tadcaster, United Kingdom (England)
Purchased @ Oliver's Fine Foods - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Winter Warmer

ABV - 6%

My personal notes: Another great winter warmer to be enjoyed anytime of the year! This brew poured up a rich dark amber colored body with a thin, foamy head with good retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of toasted malts, hops, and biscuits. Flavors of toasted malts, melted caramel candy, oranges, spices, hops. Medium-bodied and a brew to drink slowly and enjoy no matter the time of year! Nice hoppy bite on the finish; and the finish is really dry. As with most warmers, enjoy this one all by itself to really get at all those flavors in the brew!

[AWMiller]

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale
Lagunitas Brewing Company | Petaluma, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Strong Ale

ABV - 9.87%

IBU - 74

My personal notes: This brew poured up a dark cherry (or dark mahogany) colored body with an off-white frothy head that quickly dissipated and left minimal lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of hops (lots of hops; lagunitas likes it hoppy), grapefruit. Flavors of the same but include some malts which adds some sweetness to the brew to beat back some of that hops (did I mention this brews has some hops in it?!). Medium-bodied with a little bit of carbonation. Starts off hoppy, ends hoppy with a hoppy punch right in the middle; there is some sweetness from the malts mixed in but still the hops comes through in a strong manner.