No preamble here; gotta get through these notebooks.

Stone Smoked Porter = 8/10

Ratebeer 3.8/5 99th percentile
Beer Advocate 91%

Even the Boy Scouts could not make a campfire that smells this good. Voluminous amounts of ash, campfire, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and Girl Guide aromas are released by the bottle opener. Every sip is like a burnt s'more: bacon, rich chocolate, coffee, vanilla and cocoa powder. The more you drink, the more you taste. This stuff never ends; the slick, powdery finish talks of a hot chocolate chaser. STELLAR BEER.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content 0 5.9%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (it is always fun to read the silkscreened story on the back)

Other Porter Reviews
Black Boss Porter
Black Death Porter (Russell)
Double Mocha Porter (Rogue)

No preamble today. I am focused on getting through these notes. Only 350+ reviews to go.

Ratebeer 3.54 94th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Point Reyes Porter = 7/10

Dry and roasted cocoa is the greeting from this pour. Things only get better with an upfront rich, yet tart, bittersweet chocolate taste. At mid-sip the roastiness calms to end in an effervescent bittersweet tingle. The ending is dry with pleasurable roasted astringency mixed with alcohol warmth. A good, dry and rich (but not robust) porter.
Wow, it actually sounds like I know what I'm talking about.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content 0 6%
Value +1
Appearance 0

Also had this at Dix Brewpub. Cleveland Steamer by the now defunct Aksarben brewery in Nebraska; at least that is the name that comes up in ratebeer. This was a California Common style for similar to the Anchor Steam.

Cleveland Steamer = 5/10
Ratebeer 2.3/5 - 2 ratings

With a colour of dark tea, I did not place much faith that this was a California Common style. It was very yummy; slightly yeasty with a tart citrus snap and lemons. The astringency was on the good side and the lemon rind linger was a little long. You could barely make out any toasted caramel malts. Tasty and creamy but not a Cali common.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content 0 5.4%
Value +1
Appearance 0

Anchor Steam

No preample. It's Rogue, it's dry hopped, yum!

St. Rogue Dry Hopped Red Ale = 7/10
Ratebeer 3.53 94th percentile
Beer Advocate B+


Oddly faint on the nose, but the roasted/caramel malts with citrus and floral hops foreshadow greatness. Up front it was very hop assertive: loads of spicy citrus, piney and quite dry. This hop blast fades to reveal a roasted caramel malt base. At the end a long bitter astringency lets you know PNW hops were here. A hop head must, but not stellar.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content 0 5.2%
Value +1
Appearance 0

Yukon Red Amber Ale
Skyhopper Amber Ale
Drop Top Amber Ale (Widmer)

It's an imperial IPA, what more do you want? Maybe a bottle opener?

Moylan Hopsickle = 9/10
Ratebeer 3.94 99th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

True to form: big citrus and sweet pine peak out of this mixed up hop soup. It is teeters on the good side of too hoppy, but oddly not very astringent. Each painful sip is very dry with mouth puckering resins, citrus and pine. The malt flavours are unknown due to an intense hop barrage. If I had to guess: floral and caramel. It stays long on the tongue with a resinous tingle. Sure to separate the true hop head from the wannabes.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 9.2%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (beautiful colour and OK label)

Unearthly Imperial IPA
Hop Stoopid
Half Pints Humulus Ludicrous

I like anything wood aged. The wood just gives an added dimension to the flavours: vanilla, tannins and sherry. I would wood age soy milk if the wife would let me.
Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale = 9/10
Ratebeer 3.84 99th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

Anyone who has tried an Arrogant Bastard will remember the flavours: grapefruit citrus, resin and toffee. I'm sure many people buy this beer because of the catchy name. The wood aging gives an extra layer of flavours: vanilla, roast, tannins and (obviously) oak. Bready and toffee malts try very hard to keep this hop monster in check. Upfront is quite bitter but not pucking; it is oddly smooth for such a high ABV beer. Every sip leaves a long lingering of astringent citrus notes.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 7.2%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (great looking silk screened bottle - I kept it)

Pike Entire Wood Aged Stout 2009
Dogfish Head Burton Baton
Innis and Gunn Canadian Cask 2009

Never before have I felt like I was cheating while drinking. This was the only time. One expensive pint was enjoyed at Veneto Lounge in secret. Normally I am a Clive's regular; drinking here almost felt like I was betraying my friends. At least the beer was tasty.

Double Trouble IPA = 7/10
Ratebeer 3.48 93th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

This was certainly a big WCIPA; the nose was bang on with pink grapefruit and cotton candy. Again the taste was big and sweet. Double Trouble slapped your tongue with pine, cotton candy and sweet pink grapefruit. The malts from this chewy, medium-full mouthfeel brew carried a mild caramel character. On the way out, only a light lingering of ruby red grapefruit and pine was left. It was not astringent at all - only smooth. A good, sweet WCIPA with flavour to spare.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 8.5%
Value 0 ($9 a pint!)
Appearance +1

Stone IPA
60min IPA
Torpedo Extra IPA

Sigh. A robust porter for my sampling pleasure. The things I do for my loyal followers. Please note the sarcasm

Firestone Robust Porter = 5/10

Ratebeer 3.66 97th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Robust is a relative term; this one barely meets the mark. Sure, the nose is sweet and roasted with dark chocolate and pine. The medium-full body is creamy but oddly not that flavourful. It's all there: sweet, roasted chocolate, not-too-bitter-cocoa and slightly cooling hops. It was all just too drinkable. Even the ending was glycerin-like with roasted chocolate. Robust should be gripping, not easy drinking.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content 0 5.9%
Value 0
Appearance +1 (nice label though)

Granville Island Porter and Real Life
Samuel Adams Honey Porter
Snoqualmie Porter and New Parts

Celebration Ale 2009

Ratebeer 3.76 98th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

Taste +3

Yes the picture is correct, it does look that red and caramelly. The big pillowy head had good retention but didn't reveal too much nose. This brew was in stark contrast to the last beer I sampled: the Torpedo. The bready and earthy malts were more prominent, with the astringent,resinous and floral hops taking a back seat. As it warmed up more toffee malts pushed the hops aside.

Aftertaste +2

The long astringent, resinous hops coated the tongue.

Alcohol Content +1 6.9%

Value 0

It was good, but not that good.
Ingame Enhancement +1

Still in Seattle sampling great beers. I'm sure how long me palate can last.

Overall 7/10

It was a little malty for an IPA, but still good.

Hop Trip Deschutes
606 IPA Paddock Wood
Slipknot IPA

Torpedo Extra IPA (Sierra Nevada)

Ratebeer 3.75 98th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

The torpedo is a magical dryhopping device.
From SN website "The device essentially works like an espresso machine. A stainless filter basket is packed full of whole cone hops loaded into the vessel and sealed against pressure. The device is then placed in the fermentation cellars ...The flow of beer out of the tanks, into the Torpedo and back into the fermenter can be controlled to extract different levels of flavor, aroma and bitterness. " The Torpedo IPA is also one of the few beers to use the Citra variety of hops.


Taste +4

The nose is oddly faint but a light citrus and pine does emerge. It pours a deep amber/garnet with little head retention which is not surprising because there is little carbonation. Like any good IPA there is sweet citrus, pine with a slight astringency. It is really not that bitter. The hops range from sweet tangerine to a mild cotton candy. You can barely make out the bready and toffee malts.

Aftertaste +2

There is a slight warm coating left on the tongue with a good dash of citrus, pine with a bit of herbal.

Alcohol Content +1 7.2%

Value +1

Hop Head Approved.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Still in Seattle sampling beers. I accidentally bought this one in Victoria recently. It was as good as I remembered it.
Overall 9/10

Torpedo is a big IPA. Everything is there: the tangerine citrus, cotton candy, pine and barely enough toffee malts to hold it together.

Phillip's Crazy 8's
Brockton IPA
Red Racer IPA

Anchor Steam Beer

Ratebeer 3.3 75th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Taste +4

This beer has so much history under the cap, I hoped the taste was as good. The nose is a glorious floral hops and grassy malts. At the front there was a refreshing hop bite (earthy and citrus), with only the caramel and grassy malts coming as an afterthought. Overall the mouthfeel was medium with good carbonation.

Aftertaste +1

The hops coat the mouth to leave a mild citrus bitterness, but it is not overpowering.

Alcohol Content -1 4.8%

This is a great season beer.

Value +1

This was a great and flavourful beer. It was a bit different from the rest.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Today I found out that I will be getting a real beer blog for a real website! Granted it is for a health care professional website and it will be in the back corner lifestyle section. It also does not pay, but it is a start. I'm sure Micheal Jackson started writing for a small community newspaper..

Overall 6/10

This is a great beer that most people will enjoy. There is a good balance between the grassy/caramel malts and the citrus/earthy hops. Think of it as a pale ale but much richer.

Butte Creek Porter

Ratebeer 3.21 67th percentile
Beer Advocate B

Taste +3

When a porter is done right it is a beautiful thing. The faint whisp of roast and chocolate only invites you in to try a deep drink of this medium mouthfeel brew. A nice upfront hop bitterness sets the stage for a light bitter chocolate and faint smoke finish.

Aftertaste +1

It did not last as long as I would have liked for a light chocolate and roast flavoured porter.

Alcohol Content 0 5.9%

It just didn't make it for a positive score.

Value 0

This is a good porter, but not exceptional.

Ingame Enhancement 0

The only bad part about L4D2 is that there are only 4 player slots. It was like someone locked the clubhouse door. I know they were in there having fun, but I was standing outside in the cold.

Overall 4/10

A good porter with light chocolate and roasted bits. Certainly worth trying at least once.

Swan's Coconut Porter and Heart and Soul
Elysian Perseus Porter
Taddy Porter

Eel River Organic Porter

This covers two of my favourite styles: porters and organics.

Ratebeer 3.49 86th percentile
Beer Advocate B

Taste +4

Just as a good porter should be; the nose was roasted/smoky with dark malt and a slight cocoa aroma. The taste was also as expected. Simply delicious with smoked wood and sweet/dry cocoa nibs. Overall the taste was roasted and dry. As the drink warmed up, more molasses flavours came out.

Aftertaste 0

The sweet and dry cocoa just vanished.

Alcohol Content +1 6.3%

Value +1

This is a good, simple and rich porter.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Pure bias here. Organic is always a bonus.

Overall 7/10

Yet another solid, roasted and dry porter with hints of cocoa sweetness. Well done.

Black Boss Porter
Snoqualmie Steam Train and New Parts
Canoe Club Dark Cherry Porter

Stone Vertical Epic 9/9/9

Ratebeer 3.72 95th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

This is the most complex and tasty beers I have ever tasted. Normally a beer takes up a 1/2 page in my notebook. Stone Epic took up a full page of descriptions.

Taste +5

There is so much going on I must use point form.
Nose: vanilla, roast and wood, bitter chocolate.
Tastes: bitter chocolate,Stoli vanilla vodka, oak, bitter coffee, vague citrus.
The mouth feel was rich, full and oddly creamy

Aftertaste +2

All the flavours mixed together with a nice, long alcohol burn.

Alcohol Content +1 8.9%

The alcohol could be tasted and blended in well.

Value +1

WOW!
Ingame Enhancement +1

Very few beers knock me on my arse flavour wise and alcohol wise.

Overall 10/10

This is a limited release; if you see it get two or three. If not you will have to wait for 10/10/10.

Palo Santo Marron and Blog Integrity
Rochefort 10 and Believable Privates
Mikkell Beer Geek Weasel