Meantime Coffee Porter
Being a true porter, there is a robust combination of chocolate, maltiness, and roasted barley. The coffee porter is so smooth and tastes like chocolate covered rich coffee beans. The natural caffeine is also a plus for coffee drinkers!
Info:
- 6.0% ABV
- Fermented with chocolate and lactose
- Big head, heavy lace
- Dark brown in color
- Smells like: Black coffee, chocolate covered coffee beans
- Tastes like: sour when going down, like black coffee, malty
- Velvety and heavy finish
- True to porter
- Each serving is equal to one cup of coffee
- Limited Release
- Meantime Brewery, London, England
- www.Meantimebrewery.com
Grade: A
Pete’s Wicked Strawberry Blonde Lager
This lager is crisp, light, and sweet from natural strawberries. I would suggest drinking this with some grilled fish, chicken, or a salad with fresh fruit and crumbled blue cheese. A great summer beer, perfect for a barbecue.
Info:
- 5% ABV
- Small head, decent lace
- Light amber in color
- Light carbonation
- Smells like: dried strawberries, sour/sweet roof of mouth
- Strawberry hits side of tongue, sweetness lingers
- Thin but smooth
- Pete’s Brewing Company, Texas
- www.Peteswicked.com
Grade: B+
Hair of the Dog: Blue Dot Double IPA
It was too fruity, in all the wrong ways. The citrus peel was overwhelming and the additional dried fruit was too much. The lightness in color was deceiving, as the taste was extremely potent. It had a very bitter after taste being a double IPA.
Info:
- 7% ABV
- Smells like: Dried mango/apricot and fresh orange rind
- Tastes like: Dried apricot
- Hair of the Dog Brewing Co, Portland, Oregon
- www.Hairofthedog.com
Grade: D+
Midas Touch Handcrafted Ancient Ale
Midas Touch, from Dogfish Breweries has the color of saffron, and consistency of honey. It’s a sweet, medium bodied ale that went great with an aged monterey jack. Very smooth considering the 9% alcohol content.
Info:
- 9% ABV
- Tastes and Smells like: Honey, finish of golden raisins
- Dogfish Breweries, Milton, Delaware
- Limited release
- www.Dogfish.com
Grade: A+
Kelpie Seaweed Ale
Although the bottle describes the ale as having hints of chocolate, I couldn’t find them in this dark ale. I imagine this would go great with some sushi rolls or sashimi to compliment the natural saltiness of the fish, seaweed, and soy sauce.
Info:
- 4.4% ABV
- Smells like: Ocean, seaweed, delicate trace of maple syrup
- Tastes like: slight seaweed, salty finish
- Williams Bros Brewing Co, Scotland
- www.heatherale.co.uk
Grade: B-
Drake’s Imperial Stout
Drake’s Imperial Stout, from one of the first microbreweries in the Bay Area, has intense flavor with a silky texture. Perfect pick if you’re into toasted flavors with a deep finish of mocha.
Info:
- 8.75% ABV
- Smells like: burnt butter, candied roasted walnuts
- Tastes like: smoke, mocha, molasses, burnt butter
- Full bodied, dark, creamy, big head, sticky lace
- Drakes Brewing Co, San Leandro, California
- www.Drinkdrakes.com
Grade: B+
