This is a really, really good winter beer to sip and savor.   It’s a big beer at 9.5% ABV, and it’s got a heavy body with sweet caramel and roasty notes in both the nose and middle, with a sweet lingering finish.   This could be my favorite from Sam Adams.

I give it a 4.4 out of 5.

Finishing my “Texas Beers” series is probably the most famous of Texas beers, Shiner Bock.  As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a huge fan of this beer, and it’s generally right above Bud Light on my list of choices.  It’s got a bready nose and middle, and really not much of a finish at all.  I guess I’d call it a watery finish.  It’s a light bodied beer, and light on taste as well.  Not light in any derisive sense of the word, just in that it doesn’t have a lot.

I give it a 2.4 out of 5

Smells of strong sweet hopiness.

I don’t like most hoppy beers because to me they have a nasty bitter aftertaste…but not this IPA!

The 9.2% abv is nicely hidden in this great tasting Imperial India Pale Ale.

Will have to pick another bottle up and taste test this against @DogFishHead 90 Minute IPA
(ScottW will you join me?)

This is my second Beer from @BrewDog and so far this Scottish Brewery is batting 2 for 2!
(the other was the insane 18% Tokio)

RichP

Review Submitted By: Rich Plakas

Continuing my “Texas Beers” series…Another beer from St. Arnold.   I love brown ales, and this is a good one.   Roasty and nutty, this beer is well balanced and has nice body.

I’d give this a 4.3 out of 5.

Continuing my “Texas Beers” series…To be completely clear, ZiegenBock is not a craft beer.  It is in fact from the antithesis of a craft brewery, Anheuser-Busch.  It’s designed, as far as I can tell, to compete with another Texas beer, Shiner Bock.  It’s a amber lager, and I have to be honest, I don’t hate it.   I’m not a huge lager fan, and not particularly a Shiner fan, so maybe my bar is low but when I compare this to some of the other absolutely horrendous “craft beers” that AB has produced, this isn’t terrible.  There isn’t much here (it is a lager, after all) but it’s light and malty and decently balanced.

I’d give it a 2.5 out of 5.

Continuing my “Texas Beers” series…Rahr is a craft brewery from Fort Worth, and Stormcloud is their take on an IPA.   It’s a good, if unremarkable take on the IPA.  A bit on the bitter side (which I like) with a light sweetness in the middle.  This is a good, average IPA.

I’d give it a 3.3 out of 5.

This is a winter warmer from the Saint Arnold Brewing Company in Houston.  The nose has light caramel notes, but there’s less body and sweetness than I expect from a winter warmer.  It’s a good beer, but not my favorite in the style.

I’d give it a 3.6 out of 5.

The second beer on tap (well, not really on-tap) for New Year’s was St. Rogue Red.

It has a very nice deep red color with plenty of hops.

This was a really good beer to close out the year with.

Rating: 4 out 5

Find more of my beer recommendations on Pintely.

Review Submitted By: Scott Watermasysk

Rusted River Irish Red Ale, from Rust Belt Brewing Company in Youngstown, Ohio, is dedicated to the steel mills and steel workers that built the area. The artwork on the bottle is beautiful. Unfortunately for any homebrewers it seems like it is affixed to the bottle with something like cement combined with super glue. It’s a nice session beer at 5.5% ABV. It is tasty, well-balanced and very easy to drink (especially after some of the big beers I’ve had lately) if unremarkable. The body seemed a little light and watery to me.

If this beer sold for somewhere in the range of $6-$8 for a six-pack then I might buy more and enjoy it as a session beer. But I believe I paid $3.99 for a 22 oz. bomber so if my math is correct that puts the price at somewhere around $13/six-pack, which is way too much for this beer. I know bombers sell at a premium, but even a price of $10/6-pack would be too much for me.

My rating: 3 out of 5
Beer Advocate page: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19190/51686

Dan Hounshell : http://danhounshell.com
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Review Submitted By: Dan Hounshell

The Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Bock was the first beer we opened for New Years eve 2010 and it was a damn good choice.

It is a beautiful roasted brown bock and was quite enjoyable (even by the MGD 64 crowd).

I am guessing it won’t be around for long, so if you have the opportunity, grab one ASAP.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Find more of my beer recommendations on Pintely.

Review Submitted By: Scott Watermasysk