Ruthless Rye - Sierra Nevada

APPEARANCE: (5) Foamy thick head

AROMA: (5) VERY intense raw peppery smell. Hops almost smell like pilsner hops, Hallertau?

TASTE: (4) High bitterness and the grapefruit smell that was felt in the aroma is confirmed in the taste.

EXTRA: (5) Sierra Nevada always brews top class ales. This is an experiment with Rye which is very flavorful. This is not an easy drinking beer, rather a slowly enjoyed session beer. The label is so cool and beautiful like everything from Sierra Nevada.

Beer style: IPA with Rye
Serving temperature: 10 C
Alcohol: 6.6%

Food Pairings: This is a difficult beer to pair with food. I would just enjoy it as is.

APPEARANCE: 5 x 5 = 25
AROMA: 5 x 10 = 50
TASTE: 4 x 10 = 40
EXTRA: 5 x 1 = 5

Total: 120/130

Hop Rod Rye - Bear Republic

APPEARANCE: (5) Creamy milk white thick foam. Deep dark brown reddish color.

AROMA: (5) Peppery and hop strong aroma with hints of smoke and cognac.

TASTE: (5) Very bitter on the palate but still with a high drinkability.

EXTRA: (5) A very elegant beer in flavor and aroma even if its label does not look that way with its hot rod car. This is a wonderful beer.

Bear Republic

Beer style: Strong ale brewed with 20% rye
Serving temperature: 10-12 C
Alcohol: 8.0%

Food Pairings: Semi soft, semi strong cheese

APPEARANCE: 5 x 5 = 25
AROMA: 5 x 10 = 50
TASTE: 5 x 10 = 50
EXTRA: 5 x 1 = 5

Total: 130/130

Charleville Box of Chocolate Quad

APPEARANCE: (4) Creamy white foam which increases with a twirl of the testing glass but not extraordinary.

AROMA: (5) Very rich chocolate aroma with strong scent of banana liquor and hints of vanilla.

TASTE: (5) Very rich sweet taste of chocolate which by itself can be a little bit overwhelming. Pairing it with a chocolate desert makes the whole difference and brings out the best of this sweet beer.

EXTRA: (5) Only made once, not even seasonal as far as I understand. As chocolaty as any beer could get.

Charleville vineyard
Beer style: Quadruple
Serving temperature: 10-14 C
Alcohol: 10.5%

Food Pairings: Desserts, preferable chocolate

APPEARANCE: 4 x 5 = 20
AROMA: 5 x 10 = 50
TASTE: 5 x 10 = 50
EXTRA: 5 x 1 = 5

Total: 125/130

B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout - Hoppin Frog Brewing Company

APPEARANCE: (5) Super dark, heavy almost molasses looking when pouring into the testing glass. Foam is weak at first when pouring. Builds up somewhat when twirling the testing glass. The foam then looks like thick milk chocolate pudding.

AROMA: (4) Intense scents of chocolate and banana liquor.

TASTE: (5) Sweet, intense and very hoppy.

EXTRA: (4) Label and Website is approved. It would have been nice to read something more about each beer on their website though.

Hoppin Frog Brewery

Beer style: Imperial Stout
Serving temperature: 10-12 C
Alcohol: 9.4%
60 IBU

Food Pairings: Nuts

APPEARANCE: 5 x 5 = 25
AROMA: 4 x 10 = 40
TASTE: 5 x 10 = 50
EXTRA: 4 x 1 = 4

Total: 119/130

Oatmeal Stout - Free State brewing

APPEARANCE: (4) Ink jet black with light brown creamy head.

AROMA: (4) Oat and malt, distant smell of banana.

TASTE: (4) Pretty good mouth feel. Malt and hops in perfect harmony with either sticking out over the other. There is a pleasant after bitterness that comes hunting you later.

EXTRA: (3) See previous testing. Website OK but again, why is it so difficult for these breweries to print the alcohol level on the label or at least on their website?

Beer style: Oatmeal Stout
Serving temperature: 10-12 C
Alcohol: Unknown. 6.10% ABV according to Ratebeer.com

Food Pairings: Hard cheeses, deserts or as a session beer.

APPEARANCE: 4 x 5 = 20
AROMA: 4 x 10 = 40
TASTE: 4 x 10 = 40
EXTRA: 3 x 1 = 3

Total: 103/130

8 (ball) Stout - Lost Coast brewery

APPEARANCE: (4) Very dark (as expected from a Stout :-)) Not a very rich foam head initially but some twirling of the testing glass builds up the foam which is creamy milk chocolaty.

AROMA: (4) Hints of chocolate and coffee

TASTE: (5) Very rich chocolate flavor. There is some coffee in the after notes but the first taste is chocolate. There is some sweetness is this beer and the special 'house flavor' of Lost Coast brewing. This is a very nice stout, well balanced and pretty drinkable.

EXTRA: (3) Nothing really to mention. Website is OK but not much information about the beers.

Beer style: Stout
Serving temperature: 10-12 C
Alcohol: 5.50% ABV

Food Pairings: Session beer and pairs well with some deserts and cheeses.

APPEARANCE: 4 x 5 = 20
AROMA: 4 x 10 = 40
TASTE: 5 x 10 = 50
EXTRA: 3 x 1 = 3

Total: 113/130

IPA - Arcadia Brewing Company

APPEARANCE: (5) Clear dark golden color with a head so thick that the beer cannot be poured immediately even into a very large testing glass.

AROMA: (5) There are fresh hops in the aroma. Apricot and banana scents.

TASTE: (4) The beer has a pretty good mouth feel but the hops is not easy to identify in the taste. The bitterness is perfect but I was hoping for some more aroma hops in the flavors. This beer has been sitting for some month in my home so I am not sure if this is typical for this beer or if the beer in my bottle has faded somewhat.

EXTRA: (4) Extra points for printing the ABV on the label. The website is nice and informative but I wish that breweries would use more websites that focus on the content and not the design. It is difficult to overview the beers with the 'spinning pictures'.

Of some reason I cannot find this beer either on the brewery's web site or Ratebeer.com.

Arcadia Brewing Company

Beer style: India Pale Ale
Serving temperature: 8-10 C
Alcohol: 6.0% ABV, printed on the label!!!

Food Pairings: Hard flavorful cheese.

APPEARANCE: 5 x 5 = 25
AROMA: 5 x 10 = 50
TASTE: 4 x 10 = 40
EXTRA: 4 x 1 = 4

Total: 119/130