Cisco Brewers - Whale's Tale Pale Ale

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Whale's Tale Pale Ale
Cisco Brewers 
5 Bartlett Farm Road
Nantucket, MA USA
Est. 1992
www.ciscobrewers.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy amber to copper color.
Smells biscuit malt, slight sweetness and a scosh of hops.
White two fingered head, covers quickly to wisp.
Fair amount of lacing down the side of the glass.
Malt forward body with a nice grippy finish of hops.
Medium carbonation.
Light to medium bodied. Super enjoyable to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
American brewed, but and English Pale Ale. And a classy one to boot. The fresh tasting English malts combine nicely with the domestic American malts. A good dash of Kent Golding hops and viola'! Nice working pale ale.

I've had their Blonde Ale, which was brought back from a trip up north, closer to where it is brewed. The best part for me is that Cisco now makes it's way into my state. Now I don't have to search for it any longer. The name makes a double pronged statement. On the one hand, Nantucket was once the whaling capital of the world. On the other hand, "Whale's Tales The Prince of Wales" is an age old drinking game. Yours truly just happens to know all the sorted rules, having played it fairly extensively during ditch digging school. Back in the day. Check it out on their website and you'll see.

Whale's Tales The Prince of Wales, in a stationary court of two, calls on YOU!

Samuel Adams - Rustic Saison

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Samuel Adams Rustic Saison

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.35 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, light yellow color.

Spice, and yeast funk with some citrusy aromas.

Two finger, creamy white head. Tight bubbles leaves some nice lacing.

Taste is not as intense as in the aroma. It is sweet and not as funky as most saisons.
Lightly carbonation and softly nucleated.

Light and tart and dry mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Rustic Saison showed up in a 12 pack mixer of Sam Adams. This one was hiding out in the back of the crypt's fridge, next to the butter and eggs. Must have felt right at home.

As far as Saison or Farmhouse Ales go, this is not a home run, but it is easily a hit. I found the dryness was a little too astringent but not overly puckery. The head dissapates into a yeasty skim and as it warms in my tulip glass.  There do not seem to be any pronounces esters common in Belgian Saisons. The citrus, yeast and floral components are all there, but without a lot of depth or complexity. A good effort, and all the same, I still enjoyed drinking it on a hot and humid day.

Refreshingly light and easy to drink at 4.35% ABV, those are characteristics of a Farmhouse Ale.

Harpoon - Leviathan Imperial IPA

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Leviathan Imperial IPA

Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Avenue

Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986

www.harpoonbrewery.com
 

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Deep clear orange color. 

Mostly malt grain and trace floral hop aromas.
Off-white and yellow, one finger head. Head does not last long, but lacing goes on and on.

Sitcky hops taste with a balance of malt on the finish. Some alcohol also sneaks through.

Moderate amount of carbonation.
Medium to full bodied. Heat from alcohol and 120 IBU's of hops. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Leviathan Imperial IPA is a very nicely balanced Imperial that won't be a home wrecker for your mouth. The 120 IBU's of hops are lively, warming, sticky and even juicy. The 10% ABV comes along and turns the heat up just a bit more. Whoa, muaahaahahahaaaa! I like it! But do not fear. The folks at Harpoon saw fit to add a nice rescue of sweet malt in the backbone, acting as first aid for your indulgence. Hops and malts are balanced very nicely. Finishes strong, but clean.

Do you think you're up to it? This is not a beer for the timid or uninitiated. However, if you are used to life on the hoppy side, this one will not disappoint. It's a powerhouse of an Imperial IPA that lives up to the style.

Try some if you dare.

Samuel Adams - Light

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Samuel Adams Light

Boston Beer Company

Boston, MA USA

Est.1985

www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, pleasant light amber color.

Malt, toasty grain and hops aromas in balance.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Malts and hops are balanced with a very slight hint of peach flavor in the taste.
Lightly carbonated.

Light and smooth tasting mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Light beer, when done right, can be a beautiful thing. This bottle, actually two of them, appeared in a mixed 12 pack of recently purchased Boston Beer products. I have a penchant for stronger ales and beers, so I was prepared for the worst when seeing the word 'light' floating in the ribbon below the Sam Adams label. After all, I take my motto seriously, "Helping to pass beer into the great beyond...one at a time." So this one would also be reviewed.

I braced myself and took a sniff or two. Nice gentle Bavarian Noble hops aroma, just like those found in their Boston Lager. Hmmm. Let's pour it. Rich amber color. Whoa! Was expecting clear yellow fizziness. Okay, barriers and preconceived notions are crumbling at this point like the Berlin Wall. I sipped, and sipped. Did someone say this was a light beer?

It took two years of figuring, researching, deconstruction and polish for Jim Koch & Company to come up with the formula that breaks the notion of what a light beer can be. The result? A great tasting light beer that, oh-and-by-the-way, won an award at a German beer competition with no light beer category!

Much as I hate to admit it, I now can say that there's a light beer I like.

Harpoon - Summer Beer

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Harpoon Summer Beer

Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Avenue

Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986

www.harpoonbrewery.com
 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Pale straw yellow color. 

Mostly malt grain and trace floral hop aromas.
White, tightly bubbled crisp, one finger head.

Head lacing fairly nonexistent.
Malty grain taste with a bit of sourness.

Active carbonation balances any thin watery appearance.
Light bodied. Slightly drying on finish. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Here's another crisp Kolsch for our perusal. These beers are refreshing in taste. A bit crisper than a lager. A bit more floral bite on the finish. Perfect for warm summer days. Great for killing your thirst while easy on the taste buds and alcohol. An ale yeast, not a lager, is used to set this apart from ordinary beer. The beer will have a dry, tart, almost sour taste. It is not for everyone's palate, but I prefer the tartness.

Freshen up with a Kolsch and see what your summer is missing.

Samuel Adams - East-West Kolsch

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Samuel Adams - East-West Kolsch
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.01 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale golden color.
Lemon zest, biscuit and slight fruit notes.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Slightly sweet and fruity with a nice dry biscuit taste.
Light and airy mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Leave it to Sam Adams to come up with this wonderfully refreshing Kolsch. According to their website, they use  Jasmine Sambac, a fragrant night blooming flower from Southeast Asia to give this floral aromas to this traditional German style of Kolsch. Hence the Asian (East) and the European (West) moniker in the name.

Either way, it creates a fresh tasting, delicious thirst quencher. I enjoyed it on a rather warm day and must say it really hit the spot.

Cisco Brewers - Bailey's Blonde Ale

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Bailey's Blonde Ale
Cisco Brewers 
5 Bartlett Farm Road
Nantucket, MA USA
Est. 1992
www.ciscobrewers.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy orange/yellow in color.
Smells fruity/hoppy, with some biscuit malt and yeast notes.
Off-white two fingered head, covers to wisp.
Fair amount of lacing down the side of the glass.
Hoppy taste with bitter finish and a firm malt body.
Medium carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel and enjoyable to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
An American take on a Blonde ale, Cisco Brewer's Bailey's Blonde is named after their very own blond Labrador. You can see the silhouette on the bottle label. Speaking of the label, on it I noticed a rather nice $10 word, "piquant". Its definition, courtesy of Dictionary.com is...

pi·quant/ˈpēkənt/Adjective

1. Having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.

2. Pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.

This seems to be quite the adjective in describing the proper characteristics of virtually any Blonde/Blond, (however you might want to spell it.) And for an American version, I'd say that Cisco has pretty much "nailed the coffin shut" on this one. According to Cisco's website, Bailey's Blonde is a past gold medal winner at the World Beer Championships.

I should have picked up a second bottle...it can be had in 12 oz., 22 oz. and very selectively on tap, most likely in the general distribution area of the brewery.

Here's a little tidbit for those of you wanting to learn more about Cisco Brewers.  They are in cahoots with two other ventures, namely Triple Eight Distillery and Nantucket Vineyard. They seem to be covering all the bases of the fermented and distilled. Cheers!

Sarah's Stash - Apple Beer

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Apple Beer

Sarah & Matt Home Brewing

Allston, MA USA

Est. 2009

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Cloudy amber orange color.
Spiced apple/citrus fruit nose.

Sweet apple taste with something of a chamomile tea flavor.
Clove and all-spice flavors present.
Active carbonation; zesty.
Three finger off white head with spotty lace on glass.
Light mouth feel. Nicely refreshing. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Home brewing is an extension of thought, a heartbeat of passion and sufficient curiosity to say, "I think I can do that." So many are home brewing these days, in large part to former President Jimmy Carter, who enacted legislation allowing American citizens to brew beer in their homes back in 1979.

Visiting with family and friends this past month, I was exposed to some home brew from a rather unlikely source. My best friend of thirty plus years, was holding onto a bottle from his daughter's home brewing adventures. Could it be that Sarah, this girl I held in my arms many years ago as a week old infant, is all grown up and making beer? It's true! I should not be surprised.  After all, I did mention that he is my BEST friend!

So during our abbreviated trip up north, we did gather for some good pizza and beer, when this bottle of apple flavored beer was produced. Sarah and friend Matt have been brewing since the fall of 2009 and were particularly active this fall as she states:

"...we had a couple types at one time. It [the apple beer] is actually the favorite out of all of our brews thus far. Our friends loved it. It was our first apple beer, so we have some notes for what we would like to do differently next time, but all things considered, it was a success."

Her favorite styles to drink when not brewing?

"Our favorite style of beer is generally Belgian Ales. Although, my tastes run the gamut."

It seems that grown up Sarah has tastes in spirits as well. I have found that many a beer drinker also has a few levels of indulgence once up to the brewing level and Sarah is no different. Scotch and bourbon, a couple of her uncle's favorites (that's me!)  We have so much in common. Her dad is proud of her accomplishments in life so far, and I am equally impressed with her range.

Go Sarah!

Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 IPA

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Samuel Adams - Latitude 48 IPA
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark amber color that pours 'thick', almost murky.
Mostly the smell of floral hops, a bit of sweet malt in the nose.
One finger, fluffy off-white head.
Foam leaves behind some sticky spotted lacing.
Complex hops, (grapefruit and sticky pine) tastes with malt in the background.
Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Latitude 48 IPA gets its name and taste from hops collected along, (you guessed it), the 48th latitude. These are primarily from Ahtanum, Simcoe and East Kent Goldings style hops.  They are 'dry hopped' according to the Sam Adams website, which achieves the extraction of the lupulin hop oils directly from the plant matter. There is a nice malt component in the background. It is a soft, sweet caramel taste that blends well with the hops.


After tasting and reviewing my notes on this IPA, I looked at the body and noticed it looked a bit thick and creamy upon the pour. I then read other reviews to see if that was a common element of their finding, but mostly everyone else saw a nearly clear beer. Perhaps this one had been mishandled? It did not affect the taste, however it did look just a bit off and detracted from the full pleasure of drinking the ale.


I shall try again sometime and compare my notes against this particular bottle.  What has been your experience?

Samuel Adams & Weinhenstephan - Infinium 2010

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Infinium 2010
Samuel Adams
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Weihenstephan 
Bavarian Staats-Brauerei
Weihenstephan, Freising Germany
Est. 1040

www.weihenstephaner.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden yellow color.
Sweet maltiness. Banana notes.
Big, tightly bubbled white head that sticks around.
Bubbly, effervescent foam leaves behind little lacing.
Starts sweet in taste with malt and banana flavors. Finishes tart, tight and dry like champagne.
Big carbonation.
Light and dry mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is the year to replace your champagne or other fine sparkling wine with a beer. 2009 was the year of the beer.  For 2010, beer has become a suitable accompaniment for the holiday festivities. Infinium is the collaborative effort of two galactic and stellar breweries. The young meeting the old.  The master Jedi Weihenstephan and the young knight Samuel Adams.

Weihenstephan: I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.
Reinheitsgebot: He will learn patience.
Weihenstephan: Hmm, eh, much anger in him, like his father. 
Reinheitsgebot: Was I any different when you taught me? 
Weihenstephan: He is not ready.
Sam Adams: Yoda!?! I am ready...Ben, I can be a Jedi! Ben, tell him I'm ready...
Weihenstephan: Ready are you? What knows ready? For 800 years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! The Jedi must have the most deepest commitment, hmm, the most serious mind. This one, a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm! What he was doing! Hm..adventure! Eh, excitement. Heh, A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.
Reinheitsgebot: So was I, if you remember. 
Weihenstephan: He is too old. Rest! Too old to begin the training!
Sam Adams: But I've learned so much. 
Weihenstephan: (sigh) Will he finish what he begins?
Sam Adams: I won't fail you. I'm not afraid.
Weihenstephan: Wuuuh...you will be...you will be! 

And it seems that the young apprentice of 25 years can learn a thing or two from the master of 1000 years. As we also know, the young Jedi did prove his worth in helping to topple the evil empire. It's no secret, Darth Vader is a Bud Light(saber) kinda' guy.

If you are in the market to try a bubbly brut beer, look no further. The foil neck wrapper has a 2010 printed on it, making me think that there will likely be several sequels.

Mercury - Ipswich India Pale Ale

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Ipswich India Pale Ale
Mercury Brewing Company
23 Hayward Street
Ipswich, MA USA 
Est.1991
www.ipswichalebrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.5% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep copper/amber color.
Citrus hops smells and some malt undertones.
Frothy off white head with very nice glass lace.
Malt and hops balanced taste with great hops flavor finish.
Medium carbonation.
Medium body. Clean finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Another Ipswich ale from Mercury Brewing.  Great tasting IPA that didn't go over the top. Excellent taste and easy to drink by the session.  I am glad they now ship to our area.

Check out the three masted schooner in scrimshaw effect on Mercury's Ipswich labels. Shiver me timbers and sink one of these soon, ya' landlubbers! Very cool logo.  Slightly different from its little brother the "Original Ale". Looking forward to other selections from them soon.

Mercury - Ipswich Original Ale

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Ipswich Original Ale
Mercury Brewing Company
23 Hayward Street
Ipswich, MA USA 
Est.1991
www.ipswichalebrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.4% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep orange amber color.
Malt, biscuit and bready nose with aromas of finishing hops.
Frothy off white head with good lace.
Malt taste and hops finish with more malt in the balance.
Medium carbonation.
Medium body. Clean finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
A real find at the local watering hole.  What can I say, mortals? Here is a brew that has heretofore been unseen in these parts of the southeast. I tried this one first and then his big brother, the IPA. It was truly a nice amber colored English Pale Ale. Quite tasty indeed!

A great lead in to the IPA and it also helped that it quenched my thirst. Sail out of the store with some of these any time at all.

Harpoon Octoberfest

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Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986
www.harpoonbrewery.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Reddish to copper color tone. 
Faint malt nose with trace hop aromas.
Off white, fluffy two fingered head that dissipates very slowly.

Head lacing drapes down entire glass.
Moderate carbonation.
Light to medium bodied; easy drinker. Super easy to session. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A fine example of the Marzen/Octoberfest style.  Once again, the folks at Harpoon have given us a straightforward and non-interpretative brew that nicely matches the style.  Leading malts, though faint, are finished nicely with a dash of bittering hops.  It balances nicely between the sweetness you desire and hops finish to bring you back for more. While most Octoberfest beers are at the 6% or slightly higher ABV mark, this one is easily sessionable at a mere 5.5% ABV.

As the beer warmed, more of the characteristics of the malt made their presence known.  Let this one warm on you.

Samuel Adams - Summer Ale

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Samuel Adams - Summer Ale
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden yellow color.
Mostly the smell of lemon and some Grains of Paradise pepper.
Some wheaty notes and light citrus scents.
A bit of hops character in the aroma.
One finger white head that's gone in less than a minute.
Foam leaves behind little lacing.
Lemon and peppery taste as in the aroma.
Light and refreshing mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
We took a consensus of several persons at our seating after sampling.  We had on tap as well as in the bottle. "Lemon Pepper chicken of beer" said one.  "Mushy lemonade" offered another.  "Meh!" was the general attitude, though none panned it outright and all finished their draw.

I will add this.  The hotter the day and the colder the serving, would be my recommendation for refreshment. Guess that's what makes a good summer ale.

Harpoon Raspberry Hefeweizen

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Harpoon Raspberry Hefeweizen
Harpoon Brewery
306 Northern Avenue

Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986
www.harpoonbrewery.com

www.ufohefeweizin.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.1 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Cloudy, unfiltered, reddish hued color.
Distinct raspberry nose; smells natural and fresh.

Slight yeast smell as in bread.
White, foamy two fingered head that dissipates very slowly.

Head lacing coats entire glass.
Moderate carbonation with sweet berry taste.
Light bodied; tartness in finish.  Easy drinker.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Very good for a fruity change of pace over other hefe's.  This is light and easy to session.  Nothing more, or less to add other than this would be great on hot days as a refreshing substitute for a wine cooler or cider.  Since it's a beer, that makes it all the more special.

Samuel Adams - Brown Ale

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Samuel Adams - Brown Ale
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.35 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0  

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep amber brown color.
Lots of malt sweetness and nutty smell.
Aroma is bready with a bit of fruitiness.
Short, loose bubbly head with pretty good lacing.
Tastes like fresh bread and nuts.  Dry, but not too dry.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is a solid brown style ale.  While nothing really stands out, neither does it detract.  It's simply a good easy drinker and something nice to switch up if you've had too many hoppy beers.  Sam Adams has done 'browns' justice with this English style brown ale.

Just a straightforward good beer.  Sorry about the short review...I'm just a 'lazy-bones' tonight.

Samuel Adams - Utopias 2009

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Samuel Adams - Utopias 2009
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 27.00 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 3.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber color.
Smell of alcohol like bourbon, wafts from the snifter.
No carbonation, no head. Served at room temp.
Extremely sweet on the sip; sweet and malty in taste.
Dry on the palate and warming going down.
Some alcohol bounce at the end, but mellow.
After 20-30 seconds a distinct beer flavor presence appears.
There are clear 'legs' that coat the glass when swirled.
Medium bodied viscous mouth feel, similar in feel to pure maple syrup.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I got two words for you.........."UTOPIAS, BITCHES!"

Contrary to popular belief, you meet the nicest people at bars.  I met Dean at World of Beer over the holidays and we struck up a casual, yet mutual conversation over beers.  He is experienced in sampling many different beers as myself, but has had some that I would never have the same access to.  He told me he had a bottle of Sam Adams Utopias and was willing to share some with me.  I blushed at the prospect.

Our mutual admiration for different beers led us to a second meeting with his wife Jennifer, and that sealed the deal for today's third meeting.  Meeting today with Utopias in hand, he poured a generous sample of the libation for me to review.  I felt as giddy as an eight year old schoolgirl.  The beer is amber and rich like a fine bourbon.  The most peculiar thing noted was looking into the glass from the top, I could see my fingers at the bottom, holding the glass.  But when observed from the side through the glass snifter, through the beer, my fingers disappeared.  The stuff was like polarizing film when turned at a 90 degree angle.  That was odd to say the least.  

Utopias has a heady distinct alcohol smell to the nose and again, I'm thinking bourbon.  That is where the differences end.  The taste is very sweet initially, and slowly simmers down while warming and coating the tongue and back of your throat.  Where a whiskey or bourbon would continue warming down the esophagus into the stomach, the beer quits at that point. But, at about 30 seconds into the sip, there is an unmistakeable beer flavor that makes it's presence known.  Very good, indeed!

Overall, I found it quite interesting and pleasurable to sip.  It is not one to quaff in volume as it is a mind boggling 27% ABV.  Enjoying it with a cigar would make a great pairing if you partake in smokes.  Most importantly, enjoy it with friends, old or new!

Harpoon Glacier Harvest '09 - Wet Hop Ale

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Harpoon Glacier Harvest '09
Wet Hop Ale
100 Barrel Series
Harpoon Brewery
306 Northern Avenue

Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986
www.harpoonbrewery.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 6.7 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber to copper in color.
Malt and hops present in aroma, in nice balance.
Caramel, fluffy three fingered head that dissipates very slowly.

Head lacing coats entire glass nicely.
Moderate carbonation with hops bite after each sip.
Medium bodied.  Full Hops flavor. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Some things were meant to last.  This should be one of those things.  Glacier Harvest '09 Wet Hop Ale comes to us from Harpoon's 100 Barrel Series.  This is "session 28" as the label states. And as the sessions come in the 100 series, they also go as well.

The hops are so alive in this ale.  The ale also yields a fine balance of malt character alongside the hops.  The alcohol is modest at 6.7 ABV; not overwhelming.  The 38 IBU's is spot on producing that hops warmth and pop.  As stated before, this should be around for a long time, but alas, it's not the fate of this fine ale.

A glimmer of hope...they named it with an '09, so.....perhaps it will be run again?  We can only hope and wait.  See if you can get some to stash away until then.

Harpoon Winter Warmer

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Harpoon Winter Warmer
Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986
www.harpoonbrewery.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Beautiful mahogany color tone.
Malt and spice nose with trace cinnamon and nutmeg fragrance.
Caramel tan, fluffy three fingered head that dissipates very slowly.

Head lacing coats entire glass nicely.
Moderate carbonation with warming spice finish.
Medium bodied; easy drinker. Sessionable. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The holidays are officially here and there was no better way to welcome them in with this wonderfully crafted beer.  The work day is done and with a week and a half of holiday festivities ahead, there will be much to celebrate.

The Harpoon Winter Warmer is inviting upon the smell with a pleasant touch of winter's spice reminding you of that, "...over the river and through the woods..." trip to Grandma's house.  A little ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon does the trick.  Some might say that it's too much, but for a winter ale, I think this hits the spot.

So if you have some time to kill around the fireside this yule time, get yourself some of this grownup goodness in a bottle.  To all a good night!

Samuel Adams - Winter Lager

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Samuel Adams - Winter Lager
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber color.
Dry wheat aroma wafts from the glass.
Roasted caramel malty and dry spice flavor like clove.
One finger, tan colored head that quickly dissipates, leaving some lacing.
Light to medium body with carbonated mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
From The Boston Beer Company comes a chillin' brew for your winter solstice.  The Bock style dark wheat is warming and inviting even if we are in the tropic clime of South Florida.  The spice in the beer sets well against its dark wheat body and adds a really great finish to each sip.  It would be best paired with a nutcracker and some of your favorite nuts.

Speaking of nuts, be sure to have plenty of Winter Lager around this holiday when the family comes a'calling!