Stone Brewing Co. - IPA

See our review of Stone Pale Ale here.

With our second Stone review, and embarrassing that this is only the second, I blame myself, is Stone IPA. Stone does some great stuff with hoppy beers and this one doesn't disappoint. If you find yourself at a local watering hole and are looking for a safe IPA I'd go with this. I've drank a lot of IPA's in my day and this gem is one of the most balanced you will find for the style. Pours a nice hazy golden orange, with not much head, but plenty of carbonation, very light malt character with a punch of citrusy and piny bitterness. Classic west coast IPA style like a lot of their other offerings.

Coming in at 6.9% ABV and 77 IBU's, this guy surprisingly flies down the throat faster than a sorority girl manning an 8 tube beer bong. Great for a tailgate where you don't care for the concert, or a few before a blind date would make anyone interesting.

Other breweries need to take notes on Stone's presentation. I'm sure the silk screened bottles cost more to manufacture, but damn, do they look nice!

Drinkability: 8/10

Taste: 9/10

Value: 7/10
Curb Appeal: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

Full Pint Brewing Company - Pittsburgh Dad's 3-2-1 Win

I really wanted this one to be good! If you don't know who Pittsburgh Dad is check out a youtube example here.

This is another beer made by Full Pint outside of Pittsburgh, and you can check out some info on them in another review here.

Personally I think the videos are awesome and relate to more than just Pittsburgh, so check em out. They seem like really good guys and always are on local radio shows and do appearances around town.

Any who, this is Pittsburgh Dad's 3-2-1 Win Beer. It's named after Pittsburgh Dad's quote to when watching a the Pens or Steelers to countdown the last seconds of a game. Although he uses it for Pens more than Steelers. Sad to say I was pretty disappointed.

It's a pilsner and super clear and crisp, but that about all. Just kinda tastes like beer, which isn't bad, beer is great, but I was hoping for something a little more flavorful. But hey if its marketed to the local clientele this one flies off the shelves.

The pour is nice, small frothy head, and a grassy smell which lends the style. And drinkable, so I don't wanna be too harsh, its a pilsner and tastes like a pilsner.

I paid like 3 bucks for it, so its not breaking the bank, and I kick myself for not saving the bottle.

Drinkability: 6/10
Taste: 5/10
Value: 8/10
Curb Appeal: 8/10

Overall: 6.75/10

Ayinger - Bräu Weisse

So first let me start out that if you look at my profile I’m about as much of a hefeweizen fan as I am a fan of DQ's Peanut Buster Parfait, and I HATE the parfait. Sounds crazy I know, but it makes me sick and peanuts are a worthless nuts unless taken from the shell. But, I decided if my reviews are gonna be worth the screen they're written on then I need to dabble in to all styles. I've been sluggin hefe's the past few weeks so here goes.

If you wanna check out some info on Ayinger check out a past review here.

This was Ayinger Bräu Weisse. I'll start by saying the label and cap really make me feel warm inside. I like when a company puts some effort in the cap rather than the standard cap for all their brews, so points for that. Now the beer poured a nice farmy straw color which matches the artwork, with a nice frothy head. I've read that this beer on tap doesn't have the same effect, so for all those Ayinger reps reading this, might wanna educate your customers of proper serving psi. The smell is of citrus and slight banana, and the taste is the same with an addition of vanilla and some mild spice. As most hefe's this has that velvety mouth feel that relates to the style.

This went down fast and I could probably drink a dozen in a row. Really good summer beer, and would be quite refreshing after doing some lawn work.

The ABV is 5.1% and price was free for me from a beer trade at work. I traded some Magic Hats and a couple Yueng's, so I definitely made out on the deal, but I'm assuming 5-6 bones a bottle. Decent deal on a session-able hefe.

Drinkability: 8/10
Taste: 7/10
Value: 6/10
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

Atwater Brewery – Vanilla Java Porter

So, Atwater is located in Detroit so that’s about the only thing you can visit there in current times unless the Flint Tropics have a Megabowl goin on. They started up in 1997 and pride themselves on brewing lagers in such a traditional style that they import all their equipment and ingredients directly from Germany. On the other hand their specialty ales only use American hops so that’s where this one falls in line.

I’ve had a bunch of coffee/vanilla beers and some are just way to overpowering in flavors to really enjoy, but the guys at Atwater got this one right. It’s a smooth, dark and creamy porter, which surprisingly is very light on the body. It’s well balanced and very roasty but not a burnt roastyness you get with some porters. With that goin for it, the subtle hints of coffee and vanilla, and an ABV at 5.5%, I wouldn’t call this a session beer, but I could see myself pounding 3 or 4 of these without even noticing.

It would be great for an after meal treat and won’t get you beggin for a nap after.  I think this bad boy cost me $2.50 at my local bottle shop, so a really great deal for a specialty beer.

Drinkability: 7/10
Taste: 7/10
Value: 8/10
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 7.25/10

Great Lakes Brewing Company - Alchemy Hour Double IPA

Talk about your summer IPA's, this one is like the tropics in a glass, if the tropics were full of alcohol, which in my experience they are.

I know, I know, Nick does another Great Lakes review, well deal with it! If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The boys from Cleveland do it again with this gem. It's a nice hazy light amber/orange with a bitterness and ABV (9.4%) that will knock you off your stool (or couch, or toilet, wherever you choose to enjoy). The nose is bitter and sweet with the scent of tropical fruits, and the finish does hold true to the smell.

Now let me tell you, I have experimented in drinking these all night, and they will knock you on your ass. So if you like that feeling, which is why im guessing you're on this site, go ahead and slam em.

Keep an eye out for this one, and keep an eye out for it as a different name. Currently there is a lawsuit that is making them change the name because some beer bums decided to copyright the name "Alchemy" in any beer name. Sounds dumb to me, somehow they won, but i'm no lawyer.


Malts:
-Harrington 2-Row
-Caramel 45
-Honey malt

Hops:
-Nugget
-Mosaic
-Cascade

Other Great Lakes Beer Reviews
Lake Erie Monster IPA
Conways Irish Ale
Commodore Perry IPA
Eliot Ness Lager
Rye of the Tiger IPA
Christmas Ale

Drinkability: 8/10
Taste: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

Great Lakes Brewing Company - Conway's Irish Ale

I'm a big Great Lakes guy and I don't know how, but I never knew this one existed til I saw it on tap at my regular dive. Honestly I'm pretty disgusted with myself for lack of knowledge, because this is another good beer from the town Lebron use to play in. It is a seasonal but I'm not making any excuses.

This one is smoooooth. Nice malty sweetness, not to much hop character, just a perfect balance. When I ordered I was thinking it would taste more like an Irish Red, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not to knock Irish Reds, I wouldn't turn one down from a one legged older woman in a sequence dress at the Clark House.

It has a heavy creamy feel to the palate and the caramel malts relate well to the season (available January - April). You can knock these back all night, and at 4 bucks and 6.5% ABV its a deal for the quality. Smooth pour, creamy head, and lacing on the glass til the end. You can't go wrong with Great Lakes.

I did drink this next to a very annoying Russian man, who was actually from Germany. He offered the bartender 1000 Euros to sleep with him. She turned it down, but I don't know why, didn't seem like she had anything to lose. oh well...

Nerd Facts:
Malts:
Harrington 2-Row
Crystal 77

Hops:
Northern Brewer
Mt. Hood
Willamette

Other Great Lakes Beer Reviews
Alchemy Double IPA
Lake Erie Monster IPA
Commodore Perry IPA
Eliot Ness Lager
Rye of the Tiger IPA
Christmas Ale

Drinkability: 8/10
Taste: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 7.25/10

Full Pint Brewing Company - Festivus

"A Festivus For the Rest Of Us"

My love of Seinfeld drools over this beer. The label boasts an Aluminum Festivus pole, a dumbbell for the feats for strength and a megaphone for the airing of grievances, I dono what more you can ask for visually, although the artwork is sub par, its cool they even incorporated it in this thing.

So this beer is made by Full Pint outside of Pittsburgh, and in my mind, a really good winter beer. This one is so seasonal they dont even put it on the website, so dont even try lookin. Not much info on the actual brewery out there, but one of the guys was the assistant brewer at North Country in Slippery Rock PA, and now head brewer for Full Pint, and North Country puts out fantastic products, so I'll be trying others from Full Pint.

This is a spiced brown ale, with the typical Christmas spices, slight cinnamon, clove, maybe some ginger, and a pine/mint hop presence. It is well balanced with a strong malt flavor. The flavor was malty with a hint of spice and very good aroma It was 6%, but only a few in a sitting would do it, then I think I'd move to a different taste.

All in all it does justice to being represented with the best tv show in the history of time. For those of you who know the Festivus episode, let me remind you how many things are actually going on in 30 minutes.

1. Festivus
2. H&H bagel Strike
3. Jerry dates a two face
4. Elaine and the denim vest guy
5. The two horse betting gentleman
6. Human Fund donation

...and probably many more


Drinkability: 7/10
Taste: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 6.75/10

I Love The Sauce Presents: Eye Patch, A Black I.P.A.

So folks, we are now gonna break for a second from our normal beer review routine. Here at I Love The Sauce we love beer (and scotch I may add), as well as anything about beer; the conversation,  the atmosphere, the laughs, the tears, the bowling, and the hangovers. For those of you who do not know us personally, we have a wide range of personalities, a vast knowledge of useless information, and interests that greatly differ from person to person, as well as living geographically all across this great nation. But we are brought together by the brotherhood of beer, and we hope these differences can relate to every aspect of you, the consumer.

Anyways, as stated in my heartfelt intro, we love beer, and well, some of us even make beer. Now let me start out by saying I am novice at best, but learning more and more each day.  I figure if a product is made that tastes good, why not let you all know about it, to make myself feel good.

So this is a Black IPA, it has the same light mouth feel and characteristics of a standard IPA, but a deceiving a dark appearance. This bad boy is hoppy, and leaves you with a nice bitter burn long through the finish until the next sip. It is overly hopped and dry hopped in the fermenter.  I went a little crazy on the specialty grains, and used some black patent, carafa, and crystal, but the blend came out pretty good if I don’t say so myself. 

I am more than willing to share the recipe if there are any other brewers out there interested, all I ask is you say hey, I Love the Sauce sent ya.

Oh yea, this is 7.7% ABV, so slug til the Pirates break .500

Drinkability: 7/10
Taste: 7/10
Value: 6/10 (ingredients-time/effort)
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 6.75/10

21st Amendment Brewery - Monk's Blood

I've done some 21'st Amendment reviews before, and you can check out some company info on a past review here.

It's really hard for me to pass up any of the 21'st lineup. I haven't been disappointed yet, and  the can artwork really draws the eye. For this brew the founders traveled to Belgium to research and develop a recipe, but we all know how the internet works, so my guess is it was an excuse to go and drink in a foreign land, that's why Canada exists for me, but it was worth it!

This beer is dark in color, I'd say about the same color as the can, and has a very complex flavor. Those boys from San Fran really hit the mark in Belgian style. Its thick and creamy, like drinking actual blood, hence the name I guess, the Monk part comes from where they were visiting in the Trappist area of Belgium, where a buncha Monk's use to live and brew.

It's a hearty beer, would pair well while eating cheese, or some sort of thick jambalaya type stew,or while watching some medieval games. Definitely couldn't drink more that 2 of these in a sitting, it has very strong overpowering flavors, brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, figs, and aged with oak.

It put me back around 5 bucks, which doesn't break the bank, and it was 8.3% ABV which is right up my alley.

Drinkability: 7/10
Taste: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Curb Appeal: 8/10

Overall: 7/10 

Brouwerij Palm - Palm Speciale

Please rock out to this while reading...

So Palm was a new beer on tap at my local bar, and I'm always a sucker for a beer that comes in the appropriate glass, so I went for it.

Palm is a Belgium beer and they brew in four different locations across Belgium. The website doesn't give much info on them at all, pretty secretive. I don't know what they are trying to hide, because this bad boy is pretty bland. I feel most Belgium's are more complex but I guess some sway from the norm.

The taste is a little flat, and a two finger head that fell immediately, but the visual is crystal clear amber. The smell is malty, grainy, and a little metallic, but ended with a skunky old attic smell. First taste was watery and not much flavor. Second taste was the same, and didn't change throughout.

They market this as "A great alternative to traditional pilsners and lagers for the beer drinker looking for something a little different". I say is tastes like a watered down Yuengling, with a bad smell.

All in all, I say pass this up, its only 5.4 ABV, so its not breaking any records, and $5 for a glass is a rip.

Drinkability: 4/10
Taste: 3/10
Value: 2/10
Curb Appeal: 3/10

Overall: 3/10

Pittsburgh Brewing Company - Iron City Beer

The name says it all, its a Pittsburgh beer, and I'm pretty sure its only consumed inside the city limits. I only drink this stuff on 3 occasions; Steeler games, Pirate games, and Penguin games. I know what your thinking, why don't I drink it during Pittsburgh Power games, well because that's just dumb.

Pittsburgh Brewing Company has been around since the 1860's by two German guys, and then passed on to two other German guys. Its actually brewed outside Pittsburgh in Latrobe, but corporate headquarters are in the Strip District just outside of downtown. They make a variety of beers, including the always glorious American, American Light, and Old German. Apparently German's make good beer, but apparently its not Iron City

The beer tastes like beer. Thats really all there is. If you think what beer tastes like, its this. If you went to someone who doesn't really drink beer, and said taste this beer, they would say, yeah that tastes like beer. The first few go down a little rough, but then the flood gates open to an all night bender, and a pending hangover that will make you butthurt in the morning.

All in all give it a shot. It's a good tailgate beer and a good Pittsburgh beer. Not complex, not hoppy, and nothing to think about. Oh yea, and its cheap, like 2 bucks a bottle at a bar, and 4.5% ABV.

Drinkability: 7/10
Taste: 4/10

Value: 8/10
Curb Appeal: 5/10

Overall: 6/10

Great Lakes Brewing Company – Lake Erie Monster

Check out some brewery and past review info on great lakes here and here.

I will have to say that Great Lakes is in my top 5 breweries worldwide. They produce a nice variety of beers and never seem to disappoint. All are pretty complex flavors, and you can throw back any of their flavors throughout the whole night without feeling too shitty the next day.  Not to mention, from my experience, their employees are cordial and like to have a good time.

I first tried Lake Erie Monster at 2012 Philly Beer Week, a comrade of mine got me into a private Great Lakes event at the Waterworks, behind the art history museum. Pretty rad event, only about 30 people, and 6 beers on tap, all you can eat and drink. They tried to throw some water conservation crap at me, but I was 8 beers in or so, and didn’t feel like a lecture.  But that was some museum employee, so I won’t knock Great lakes for it.

Please see below for me and Benjamin Franklin.  Ben Franklin has a haircut I may pursue in the near future, and he let me hold his cane. Even if he did nothing else, those 2 facts make him ok in my book

I first must say something about beer week. I highly recommend everyone who is interested in alcohol make a trip out. Philly Beer week has over 650+ events all around the city in a week span.  I read some facts, and I vaguely remember San Diego being the closest to compare for just over 350+ events for their beer week. It’s a beer drinking city and it’s awesome.  That being said, breweries need to take it easy on the hops.  It seems like the new thing is to hop the shit out of a beer just for hops sake. Now, I am a hop fan, but it is my conclusion that some sub par breweries just add the bitterness because they can’t make a superb beer, and hops can mask the taste. I dono, prove to me that you a reputable and make an all malt beer taste good, and then I’ll give you some credit.

Ok, Lake Erie Monster is real good. Not to mention the label looks like the Luck Dragon from Never Ending Story got bit by a zombie.  It’s an unfiltered, hazy double IPA with a huge hop presence. Bitter but smooth, and you can drink em all night long. Great Lakes doesn’t disappoint again. They use Harrington and Caramel malts, as well as Simcoe and Fuggle hops. The combination boast an ABV of 9.1%, so maybe drinking them all night is even a better idea now. 

Price wise, mine was free, at the museum event and another Great Lakes event I caught out there. But I bought a draft recently for 5 bones.

Other Great Lakes Beer Reviews
Alchemy Double IPA
Conways Irish Ale
Commodore Perry IPA
Eliot Ness Lager
Rye of the Tiger IPA
Christmas Ale

Drinkability: 8/10
Taste: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Curb Appeal: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Wychwood Brewery – Hobgoblin

First off, a pretty kick ass website for Wychwood.  Wychwood is located in Witney, Oxfordshire UK, sounds pretty prestigious, but history will tell you the city’s claim to fame is bread, blankets, and beer. It must be a pretty cozy town.  The brewery was started in 1983 named ‘Eagle Brewery’, then changed its name to ‘Glenny Brewery’, then finally ‘Wychwood Brewery’ in 1990. In 1988 Hobgoblin was first brewed by request from a local landlord who wanted celebratory ale for his daughter’s wedding.  The guests were so giddy and drunk, Wychwood knew they had something good on their hands, fast forward a few years and they started bottling it in 1996.

Not to slam the beer in any way, because it’s pretty damn good, but when I ordered it, on the menu it was titled ‘HoPgoblin’, so I expected a very hoppy IPA. Then when it was poured I realized it was a typo. Talk about your snaffoos.  But no harm, I love brown ales, and I’m not one to turn down a beer of any sort at any time.

The color is a nice deep brown, and very sparkly. It’s like the Reunite Lambrusco of wines, if it was a beer, if that makes any sense.  Not very much head, like pouring a Cherokee Red, just fizzed out in a few seconds, but that’s ok.  It’s not hoppy at all, I’m guessing all that was used they added at the end for aroma, because there is definitely no bitterness and it’s very crisp and clean. I’d drink this anytime of year, some good malty, toffee, chocolate notes, and not heavy at all. I’m gonna search for some more Wychwood’s out there.

Did I mention the sweet witch on the bottle? 

ABV: 5.2%

Hops: Fuggles, Styrians

Malts: Pale, Crystal, Chocolate

Drinkability: 8/10
Taste: 7/10
Value: 5/10
Curb Appeal: 7/10

Overall: 6.75/10