Great Lakes Moondog ESB

Great Lakes Moondog Extra Special Bitter

Another fine brew from my favorite brewery. The April, May, June seasonal from Great Lakes Brewing Co. Extra Special Bitter name comes from the English meaning -- pale or translucent, as it is not all that bitter and hoppy. The name comes from the first ever rock-n-roll concert in 1952, which was held in Cleveland and was called the Moondog Coronation Ball.

Pours a nice golden orange/yellow and has a nice earthy tone with a small amount of hops at the end. A nice malty beginning and a hint of floral at the finish. Moondog is very easy to drink and I found myself drinking a couple at a time.

I would recommend this beer to anyone because of its smoothness. Another entry from GLB which I wish they brewed all year round.

Who: Cathy
Where: Deck
Price: $$
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Presidente and Presidente Light

Presidente and Presidente Light Dominican Pilsner

The other beer from the Dominican Republic that was available at our resort. It was not very good at all. Probably one of the worst beers I have ever drank.

A big problem was that this beer was the only one served in the restaurants and bars at the resort (besides Budweiser and I wasn't about to drink an American beer while on vacation in another country).

Anyways, the beer had the green beer skunky smell right from the start. It poured a light yellow and had a grassy/straw taste but was pretty light. Not something that I normally like and didn't expect much going into it. I had drank one Presidente before at a small Cuban restaurant in Miami Florida but that was 4 years ago and didn't really remember much of the taste. I would prob drink one again if we ever went back to the D.R. because it would be free, but would never buy one for myself.

Who: Cathy
Where: Dominican Republic
Price: Free
Score: 1 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Bohemia Especial

Bohemia Especial - Dominican Republic

Caribbean style Pilsner. Light golden color with a small amount of white head. Very skunky smell from the beginning, but not overpowering in the taste though. Malty with a bread flavor and a very light beer with a slight bitter finish. They were stocked in the mini bar of our room every day when the maid came, so it was pretty easy to start the afternoon with one of these. Honestly it really was a typical beer from the Caribbean, no real significant difference from all of the others in Latin America/Caribbean (Corona, Caribe, Tecate, etc.)

Of the Dominican beers, I preferred this over Presidente for sure. It is worth a try if you are ever in the D.R., but not something I will be buying if I see it here.

Who: Cathy
Where: Dominican Republic
Price: Free
Score: 2 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Snake River Lager

Snake River Lager - Jackson, Wyoming

What a pleasant surprise. Very drinkable beer that looks a lot like an IPA. Nice amber color and smells of sweet caramel and malt. Not much hop flavor coming through, but a very nice alternative. It's not the best beer in the world but easy to drink a few at a time. I had trouble saving one for Cathy to try out of the 6 pack given to me by Thad (can't find Snake River in Cincinnati).

I would recommend this beer to anyone who can get their hands on a six pack. I have also been told that they sell growlers of this out west closer to the brewery and it probably would get any better than that.

Back to regular posting in June. Wedding and honeymoon this weekend!

Who: Thad
Where: Cleveland
Price: FREE
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Rogue American Amber Ale

Rogue American Amber Ale

Pours a very nice reddish brown amber color with a fair amount of white head at the top. Very hoppy taste for an amber ale. I was very much expecting a more malty flavor but this tastes a bit more like an American Pale Ale than your typical sweet amber beer. Maybe that is why they called it the American Amber...

As I have found with other west coast brews, Rogue comes in with big flavor (a lot like Stone, Full Sail, etc). Not a bad thing when done right, and this beer was done right. It wasn't my favorite beer and I am not going to be rushing out to buy a 6 pack, even though I think that some of my friends could enjoy this beer, especially those who aren't hop heads. I believe that Dead Guy Ale is a much better beer to drink, but all in all, this turned out to be a nice surprise for me and I will definitely try it again.

Who: Joe
Where: Beer Engine
Price: $$$
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Buckeye Brewing - Hippie IPA

Buckeye Brewing - Hippie IPA

Craft Brewer from Cleveland, Ohio.

My brother-in-law to be (3 weeks to go), Joe, took me to the Beer Engine in Lakewood, Ohio (10 mins from downtown Cleveland) to take in a few beers and a sandwich before we went to the Indians game.

I only had a sample of the other Buckeye beers but this one rules the roost of the one's I tried (mostly lagers). None of the others were worth getting a pint of...I always try to get the beer of the city/region that I am in since I can't get them back home in Cincinnati. The Beer Engine is the home of Buckeye Brewing so I had to start with them.

Hippie, pours a nice amber with a slight white head. Very much a beer for hop heads, as the explosion of hops is apparent from start to finish (smell, taste, after taste). There is also a caramel malt flavor. Other people didn't think this was quite as bitter as I did, but that was what truly came through in my tasting. Not the best IPA I have had, but was decent and I would probably get another if I ever went back.

Who: Joe
Where: Beer Engine
Price: $$
Score: 3 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Stone IPA

Stone IPA - Escondido, CA

A true IPA if I have ever tasted one. This is a full blast of hops from beginning to end. If you aren't into bitter beer, then this is not the beer for you.

Stone IPA pours a nice deep golden amber/copper color. You can smell the hops from the very beginning a very light amount of malt helps smooth the beer out. There is a lot of hops smell and taste but somehow it isn't that overpowering. They have done a tremendous job in capturing what an IPA should taste like. Hop heads all around will enjoy this beer. It has a pretty high ABV (almost 7), so I wouldn't recommend having more than 2, unless you feel like getting pretty crazy.

Overall it was great to re-discover this IPA. I was worried because Stone is usually so over the top with there beers they are hard to enjoy (Arrogent Bastard comes to mind. This is probably one of the better IPA's out there. I will rank it highly in my list.

Who: Bill
Where: the deck
Price: $$$
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55

Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55

Last Friday, Bill and I sat on the deck listening to the Reds lose to the Brewers and kicked back with a few beers. I went for the Brooklyn first, since I really enjoyed a few of their other brews.

American style Pale Ale that pours a typical amber/orange color. You could really smell the malt over the hops in this beer. A very sweet carmel flavor with a slight citrus bitterness at the end. It was a pretty smooth drink because the hops were very weak.

I would recommend the East India Pale Ale or the Brown Ale from Brooklyn over this brew. It's not necessarily a bad beer, just not what I enjoy so much. Especially copmared to the Stone IPA and the Hazed and Infuzed we ended up drinking alongside this one.

I wouldn't refuse one next time around, but you probably won't see me buying a 6 pack for myself anytime soon.

Who: Bill
Where: the deck
Price: $$
Score: 3 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Dos Equis - Amber

Another Mexican beer has made its way back into our refrigerator this week -- Dos Equis coming to us from Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery in Mexico. Mostly because it was on sale for Cinco De Mayo. Cathy and I thought we would give it another go. Previously I really enjoyed this Amber lager, not so much anymore.

I just don't find the taste that good. Even if you shove a lime into the beer it still doesn't help. The beer is a dark amber color and smells of sweet malts. It has a slight malty and carmel taste. I also think that there is another flavor in there, I just can't get my finger on. All in all it is a pretty average beer, which is probably why the 6 pack was only $5.99.

I would much rather have Pacifico or even a Corona over this beer again.

Who: Cathy
Where: Home
Price: $
Score: 2 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Pacifico

Pacifico

One of my favorite summer time beers. Best enjoyed with friends on the deck or lounging on the beach.

Mexican pilsner first brewed in the early 1900's and aptly named Beer of the Pacific because the brewery is based in Mazatlan on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Currently brewed by Mexican beer giant Grupo Modelo (mostly owned by Anheuser-Busch).

This beer is what it is, a Mexican Lager. It is in the same boat with Corona, Tecate, Sol. Except in my opinion has a much better flavor and taste. Goes down very easy and doesn't have that skunky after taste of a Corona. I think it outdoes even some of the American lagers like Coors and even Miller Lite (gasp!).

Recommended for anyone. Always better enjoyed with friends!

Who: Cathy
Where: the deck!
Price: $
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Guinness

Guinness Draught

Much better in a pub and actually from the tap instead of the bottle with their fancy nitrogen widget/rocket thing. One of my all time favorite beers, I've been known to kick back a handful of these in one sitting. A lot of my friends think it is very filling and can only have 1. I personally can drink these all night long.

Beautiful black color with an extreme amount of head. Very nice toasted and chocolate smells. Such a smooth drink, even Cathy enjoys them every once and awhile. I can still remember my first one. It was back at home and on my 21st birthday I had this as my "free" beer from the West End Tavern. Very good choice and I haven't stopped drinking them yet.

I would recommend this beer to anyone and strongly suggest having one in an Irish pub where the pour the beer correctly with a sliver spoon. I am waiting on that trip to Ireland someday to have the beer the way it was intended to be served.

Who: Many different people
Where: Many different pubs
Price: $$$
Score: 5 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Magic Hat - Circus Boy

Circus Boy - Hefeweizen

From the Magic Hat Pandora's Box.

I am normally not into Hefeweizen (or any wheat styled beer), but this one really wasn't all that bad. From what Cathy says, its very close to what you would get in Germany, so in my opinion it can't be all that bad. She did say it wasn't as good as those in Germany, but still not a bad American styled wheat beer.

Pours a nice hazy yellow/orange color without much head. You can very much taste the wheat and a small citrus flavor at the end. That citrus bitterness is probably why I liked this one a little more than other wheat beers I have tried. Still won't get a very high score from me, but
I would recommend trying this to anyone. Especially since you can get 3 of them in a Pandora's box, if you don't care for it, then you won't have to worry about getting rid of 5 more!

Who: Cathy
Where: Home
Price: $$
Score: 3 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Magic Hat - Odd Notion (Spring)

Magic Hat - Odd Notion Spring 2008

The spring brew from Magic Hat. Available in Pandora's Box (4 types of beer 3 of each kind in the box). It was an Irish Ale styled beer (which makes sense with St. Patricks Day in the spring).

The beer pours a very nice amber red color with a very small or almost no head. It has a simple taste and not as bitter as the Great Lakes (Conway's Irish). You can very much smell the cinnamon, ginger and cardamon in the beer. Those flavors also leave a nice spicy feel to the mouth when you are drinking the beer.

It was easy to drink and I am not upset that I gave it a try. Definitely not my favorite beer but very drinkable.

Who: They Guys
Where: My House
Price: $$
Score: 3 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Ballpark Beer and Dog

The Ballpark Beer and Dog

My favorite time of year is here. Baseball always brings great things, Spring, optimism (every team has a chance) and draft beer with hotdogs, pretzels, or nachos.

It doesn't matter that the beer is Miller Lite, Bud Light or Budweiser. Or that it costs $6.50. We don't care. It's all about making the gameday experience more enjoyable. Partnered with a dog and peanuts, there is almost nothing as satisfying.

Cheers to another fantastic baseball season. And I hope all of your teams come out on top.

My MLB Predictions:

American League
East: Boston Red Sox
Central: Cleveland Indians
West: LA Angels
Wildcard: Detroit Tigers

MVP: Alex Rodriguez
Cy Young: Erik Bedard
Rookie: Jacoby Elsbury

National League
East: New York Mets
Central: Cincinnati Reds
West: Arizona Diamondbacks
Wild Card: LA Dodgers

MVP: David Wright
Cy Young: Brandon Webb
Rookie: Johnny Cueto

Playoffs
ALDS 1: Cleveland over LA
ALDS 2: Detroit over Boston
ALCS: Cleveland over Detroit

NLDS 1: New York over LA
NLDS 2: Arizona over Cincinnati
NLCS: New York over Arizona

World Series: Cleveland over New York

Who: Everyone
Where: Ballparks everywhere
Price: $$$
Score: 5 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Magic Hat #9

Magic Hat #9 - American Pale Ale

I think this beer is actually termed a fruit beer. It really doesn't have the hoppiness of regular pale ales and has a distinct apricot flavor. I first starting drinking this beer when I would visit Luke in Washington D.C. It always had a pretty fair price and is easy to down a few in a row. Magic Hat finally started showing up at my neighborhood grocery last summer and I have been able to grab a 6 pack every once and awhile.

Amber orange color with a sweet citrusy smell. This beer is very drinkable and is easy to introduce to any beer drinker. I would recommend this beer to anyone, especially those who tend not to stray away from the American lights...Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.

All in all I have always had pleasant experiences with #9. I still need to get up to Burlington for Magic Hat fest. I hear its a great time -- plus I could do some skiing while up there.

Who: Luke
Where: DC
Price: $$
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Full Sail Amber

Full Sail Amber - Hood River, Oregon.

When I am tired of IPA's, I always seem to turn toward the amber style. I guess it's a nice change up from the bitter hops of the IPA's.

The beer pours a nice dark amber color as you would expect from the style of beer that it is. A nice mix of citrus fruit, hops and malt are the first things you notice when you smell the beer. Also notice a sweetness (maybe caramel from the sugar).

Pretty smooth and sweet beer. I had 3 last night while watching the Dayton Flyers @ Ohio State basketball game. I think that I would have been better off with 2, as the 3rd didn't go down as easy as the first two. A touch of bitterness showed up towards the end of the last beer that wasn't there with the previous two.

I think that this is a well crafted beer from Full Sail. They talk about how they first started brewing this beer during the 80's light lager craze. Almost as if they were the first brewers to try something different during that time period. I will most likely try others from their collection if I see them in the future and I might even buy another 6 of the Amber if I want a sweeter taste in the future. Overall it was an unexpected pleasant beer.

Who: Billy
Where: My house
Price: $$
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Snake Rive Pale Ale

Snake River Pale Ale - Jackson Hole, Wyoming

I had been itching to try this beer for a couple of years but was always unable to find it. A couple of weekends ago while in Cleveland, Thad bought a 6 pack for me to try -- Actually not knowing I had wanted to try the beer, but because he really enjoys the Snake River brews when he heads out West with friends.

The beer was better than I expected. It had a very smooth taste and was not as Hop heavy as other pale ales -- probably because its an American PA. Poured a nice dark yellow color with slight head. Nice floral and citrusy smell. A hint of caramel malt to tone the bitterness of the grapefruit (not nearly as potent as the Loose Cannon).

It wasn't my all time favorite, but a very drinkable beer that I will keep on my list of beers to buy if I see it again. I would love to get the chance to taste the other Snake River brews. Thad says that they are much better out west, and I believe him. Based on my experience with beers from the west, when drank in Cincinnati vs. where they come from, it isn't even close.

Who: Thad and Cathy's family
Where: Cathy's Mom's house
Price: Free
Score: 4 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Landshark Lager

Landshark Lager from the Margaritaville Brewing Company.

Jimmy Buffett brings us this Island style lager from the songs he sings about. I would guess that this beer is best enjoyed with a big fat cheeseburger with all of the fixins and sitting on your deck or patio with a nice summer breeze blowing.

My brother brought this over to our parents house for Easter lunch since we hadn't tried it yet. It was as expected for a beer from Jimmy Buffett. Think something in between Corona and Bud Light. Now, I'm not one to put Lime in beer, but it just seemed weird that there was no lime and a hot breeze blowing in the background. This beer really made me want the warm weather and honestly I can't wait to kick back with another 6 pack on the porch this summer. It wasn't my favorite beer but once its hotter and I don't want something so bitter and filling, I'll probably grab this before Corona next time.

Who: the family
Where: Mom and Dad's house
Price: Free
Score: 3 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Heavy Seas - Loose Cannon

Heavy Seas - Loose Cannon

After our first wedding shower (well I should say: Cathy had a bridal shower while my dad and I went and had lunch...came back and moved packages from the shower to the cars), we went out with some of our friends to the Winking Lizard in Peninsula, Ohio for a couple of beers. I really like bars like the Lizard because they have so many to choose from and usually I can find a few I haven't tried before.

My first beer at the bar was the Loose Cannon. I really wasn't into the beer at all. It was very bitter and not really what I wanted at the time. It has a very distinct grapefruit smell and you could really feel the bitterness of the fruit in the back of your mouth. That is the only thing that I remember from the beer because it was so overpowering for me. So I can't really tell you anymore about it.

I almost always like IPA's and I think if I were to drink it again, I might like it more. I had a few beers at lunch with dad and I think that kind of hurt the palette for this beer (I had a Sierra Nevada, a Bell's Two hearted and then when we got home from the shower I had a Great Lakes Eliot Ness...)

Right now the score for this beer is probably going to be on the low side, but maybe after another try I will like it more.

Who: Cathy, Ang, Mindy, Bethie
Where: Winking Lizard (Peninsula)
Cost: $
Score: 2 / 5

Happy Drinking!

Green Beer - St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patricks Day!

America's drinking holiday, where you don't have to be believe in anything to celebrate!

So, to honor this day, here is my review of green beer.

What can you say really, its usually Bud Light or Miller Light with green food coloring. Most of the time you end up with rings of green around your face from all of the drinking. But good times are always had by all. So its really a perfect beer....sort of.

Who: Everyone
Where: Bar's Everywhere
Price: $
Score: 5 / 5

Happy Drinking! --- PS - Be safe today!