08/2008 ROGUE CHOCOLATE STOUT
What a delicious beer! Slightly toasty, chocolate... so good. Serve it at 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. (Rating ****1/2) For further details on ROGUE CHOCOLATE STOUT, surf to http://www.Rogue.com/. To see if you can buy a bottle or three from our retailer, click here.

Labels: Chocolate Stout, Oregon, Rogue

 

08/2008 FULL SAIL SESSION PREMIUM LAGER
What to say about this brew? Well, obviously we love the retro-look bottle, which reminds one of the grenades chucked by U.S. forces in World War II. Beyond that, though, the contents are just good, American beer. It starts a little sweet, then closes a little bitter. It has more bite than BUDWEISER, and it feels more full in the mouth than RED STRIPE JAMAICAN LAGER. Very nicely done. (Rating ****) For further details about FULL SAIL SESSION LAGER or to get a half-dozen bottles or more, surf to here.

Labels: Full Sail, Lager, Oregon

 

07/2008 FULL SAIL LTD SERIES LAGER BOTTLING NUMBER 2
Ah, another pleasant surprise from the folks at FULL SAIL BREWING. Though the bottle says "lager," your mouth will sing, "full flavor!" This light copper beer ain't no Budweiser; au contraire,it's ale-like, with rich floral and malt flavors. It's tasty, and about 2-3 bottles will more than satisfy the belly. (Rating ***3/4) For details or to get some, surf to here.

Labels: Full Sail, Lager, Oregon

 

6/2008 WIDMER HEFEWEIZEN
"Uncompromised and unfiltered," announces the label of this WIDMER wheat beer. Well, we're all for that; we like honest hefeweizens. As readers may recall, we are rabid fans of SCHNEIDER WEISSE and its doppel-brother, AVENTINUS. This brew was a disappointment. It looks good in the glass -- pretty color, fat head. ... But it delivers nearly nothing to the nose or palate --- just a little yeast. Where are the clove, fruit, and banana notes? In the mouth it felt thin, and it closed with an odd, bitter, almost metallic flavor. Maybe we got a bad batch. (The labels on the bottles in this six-pack say they were bottled "040208".) Toss in a lemon, and the taste improves, but only because it is lemony. Bummer. According to the folks at Widmer Brothers, this brew has won medals in years past. Go figure. (Rating **1/2)

Labels: Hefe Weizen, Hefeweizen, Oregon, Wheat Beer, Widmer

 

2/2008 FULL SAIL BREWMASTER RESERVES SLIPKNOT IPA AND TOP SAIL IMPERIAL PORTER
The folks at FULL SAIL BREWING COMPANY of Hood River, Oregon have again impressed us. These two brews are a delightful pair. SLIPKNOT IPA is a hop festival in a glass. So pungent, yet, it's not obnoxious. Though a hefty pour, we could have enjoyed a few 22 ounce bottles of it. (Rating ****1/4) Meanwhile, TOP SAIL IMPERIAL PORTER is an absolutely fantastic beer. Aged in bourbon barrels for 10 months, it oozes roasty-malty notes. It's almost port-like; as it warms and breathes more flavors tumble forth-- fig, berry of some sort.... Wow, so much flavor. What can we say-- it's terrific. A PERFECT score. (Rating *****)

To see if our retailer can sell you a bottle, click here. Otherwise, check with the FULL SAIL folks at http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/.

Labels: Full Sail, India Pale Ale, IPA, Oregon, Porter

 

2/2007 FULL SAIL LTD SERIES LIMITED EDITION LAGER
This is a new brew from FULL SAIL, those beer meisters from Oregon. It is one robust lager- hooooo-eeee! Copper colored, oozing malt, with mild hops. And it's 6.4 ABV. Hubba, hubba. This is definitely a cold weather beer. Lucky us for getting the chance to try bottling number 1! (Rating****)

To see if our retailer can send you FULL SAIL, click SHOP and type "FULL SAIL" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, surf to http://www.FullSailBrewing.com/.

Labels: Full Sail, Lager, Oregon