Founder's Red's Rye PA is, well, awesome.  I really enjoy rye ales, and hoppy ales, and this is both, and a cut about the rest.  The nose is heavy grapefuit, the middle is packed with grapefruit, pine, and the signature dry bite of rye, and the finish is more grapefuit, sweet, with some bitter rind at the very tail. The balance and complexity are both outstanding, and I'm glad I found this one in a six-pack, because this is definitely one I want again.  

I give it a 4.7 out of 5. 

"Wilco" isn't actually the phonetic alphebet, but I imagine that they needed to avoid "Wiskey" so that they wasn't any confusion about the contents of this big brown ale.   They call it "malty" but that doesn't translate to "sweet" as it so often does.  This is a hoppy, bitter brew, and the predominant flavors in the middle are of oak and alcohol and a hint of citrus rind, with the malted sugars coming only coming through in the finish.  I'm not usually a big fan of brown ales, but I'm definitely a fan of hoppy ales, so I liked this one better than most, though it could have used a bit more complexity in my opinion.

I give it a 3.6 out of 5. 

From New Belgium Brewing's "Lips of Faith" series, Biere de Mars is a spring seasonal called an "Ale brewed with spices."  It's brewed with wild yeast which gives a bit of a Belgian scent in the nose, and lots of fruitiness all the way through.  There isn't any bitterness in this beer, and really not a lot of spice either.  This seems like a fruit beer to me.  There some subtle orange flavors throughout, some banana in the finish, and a hint of cherry in the background.  I'm betting that if you like fruit beers, you'll like this beer.   It's a fine beer, but doesn't really grab me.  

I give it a 3.5 out of 5. 

This IPA from Ska Brewing in Durango, Colorado is an American IPA, which is noticable in that there's a fair amount of sweetness balancing out some of the traditional hoppy bitterness.  There's a creamy velvety head that adds a nice texture, and notes of grapefruit and pine in the nose.  The middle is bitter with lemon zest and grapefruit rind, followed by sugary sweetness from the malts, and finishing with pine.  I didn't really didn't have any expectations for this beer coming in, but even so, I'm pleasantly surprised.   I'm not generally a huge fan of American style IPAs, as they tend to be too sweet for me, but this is a really nice beer.  I like it a lot.   

I give it a 4.2 out of 5. 

I give it a 3.8 out of 5. 

Due to a somewhat recalcitrant A\C unit, despite the fact that I'm writing this well into the evening my office is at a fairly  toasty 86.4 degrees fahrenheit, so I'm in need of refreshment.   What I've found in the fridge is a bomber of Dogfish Head Black & Blue, which should hit the spot.  Black & Blue is a Belgian Golden Ale brewed with blackberry and blueberry puree.  It's a beautiful red copper color in the glass, with a full, frothy light head.  The nose is Belgian yeast and the middle is sour fruit: raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, some orange and cherry, that fades to a heavy, sweet malty finish.  This is predominantly a sour beer, with some strong sweetness, and no bitterness that I detect.   If you like sour fruit based beers, this is a good one from Dogfish Head, and I have to say, I'm definitely feeling refreshed.  

I give it a 4.4 out of 5.  

This is a big, rich beer.   You know it from the the beginning, from the heavy pour to the dark copper coloration in the glass.   There's oak, sweet caramel, a hint of earth and maybe I'm detecting a bit of citrus.  The oak explodes in the middle, like whiskey, with pine and alcohol.   The finish is nicely balanced between sweet vanilla and the bitter hops, neither overwhelming the other.   This is a huge, strong, heavy beer and is probably best paired with a big heavy rich dinner.   There's a bit too much oak for my liking, but as usual, it mellows into a more balanced profile as it warms.   This is a beer to drink with a big ribeye steak, and it's one of the best for that task. 

I give it a 4.4 out of 5.  

A farmhouse ale with a classic Dogfish Head twist.  In this case, loads of spice.  There isn't much of a scent...What's there is clean, and a bit yeasty.   The middle is packed with orange and peach, and then the spices (this beer is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme) kick in, and they're quite prononced but not out of balance or overpowering.  Finally, there's more orange in the finish. This is a light, hoppy ale, and you can trust that Dogfish Head has made it as just as interesting and unique a take on the style as they always manage to do.  It's a good refreshing beer.   

I give it a 4.2 out of 5.  

I give it a 4.8 out of 5.