Legend - Hopfest

Legend Brewing Co. - Hopfest

Hopfest is a 6.5% ABV American IPA from Legend Brewing out of Richmond, VA.

Pours a dark gold/amber with a good two finger beige white head.  The head dissipates moderately with good head retention at the end.  Nice sticky lacing.  Bits of floating sediment can be seen through the glass.

Hopfest smells of toasted malt and pine/resin with subtle lemon, lime, and apple aromas.  There is also some light caramel.

Big hops in the taste with a pretty bitter and dry finish.  Grapefruit, citrus fruit rind, pine, and toasty malt are also present in the taste.  Good carbonation and a smooth, slightly sticky mouthfeel.

Legend's Hopfest is a solid IPA and the toasted malt flavor is a nice touch that I don't find in most IPAs.  If you're into IPAs with big bitter hops and also enjoy toasted malts, this is a good VA beer to try out.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Surly - Hell Lager

Surly Brewing - Hell Lager

Hell Lager is a 4.5% ABV German style Munich Helles by Surly Brewing outside of Minneapolis in Brooklyn Center, MN.  Unfiltered, brewed with Pilsner malt, and fermented with German Lager yeast.

This lager pours a straw/Mountain Dew yellow with a good beige white head that fades moderately.  Good carbonation flowing through the glass and light lacing.

Hell smells of yeast and light citrus fruit.  There are also some pilsner malt aromas along with bread and grains.

Surly's Hell Lager tastes of wheat, light citrus and yeast, and pilsner malt.  Also some light bread and grains.  Crisp and medium bodied with a semi-dry finish.

Hell Lager by Surly is a very good representation of the style.  If you're into lagers and German style beers, this is definitely one you may enjoy.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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DuClaw - Retribution 2012 (Barrel 15)

DuClaw - Retribution (2012, Barrel 15/15) 

Retribution is an 11.5% ABV imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels from DuClaw Brewing Co. just outside Baltimore in Abingdon, MD.  This particular bottle was aged in bourbon barrel #15 from 3/21/2012 to 9/21/2012.

Pours a jet black with half a finger tan brown head that fades quickly.  Good sticky lacing around the glass.

The aroma on Retribution is mainly big bourbon and dark fruit with some coconut, vanilla, and dark chocolate.

Retribution tastes of dark fruit, dark chocolate, and vanilla with a big bourbon and oaky warm finish.  The body is in between medium and full with a semi-dry finish.  Very sweet and boozy with moderate carbonation.

DuClaw's Retribution is a solid barrel aged imperial stout. It's a bit sweeter than I normally like in an imperial stout but still enjoyable.  I'm definitely looking forward to trying the barrel 14 batch and some of the variants.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Dark Horse - Fore Smoked Stout

Dark Horse - Fore Smoked Stout

Fore Smoked Stout is a 7% ABV smoked beer by Dark Horse from Marshall, MI.  This is the fourth of five in their Holiday Stout Series.

This smoked stout pours jet black with a half finger tan brown head that fades quickly.  Lacing is pretty non-existant in this brew.

Fore Smoked Stout smells of light roast and smoke with subtle dark fruit.  There's also aromas of coffee and chocolate with some caramel.

In the taste, there's medium smokiness with coffee, dark chocolate, and tobacco.  Very subtle caramel and dark fruit.  Medium bodied with a semi-dry and smoky syrupy/oily finish.

Fore Smoked Stout is a solid representation of the style.  Nothing feels overpowering which is good especially as too much smokiness can sometimes be overwhelming.  This is probably my third favorite in the Dark Horse Holiday Stout Series after Tres Blueberry and One Oatmeal.  It's definitely worth sipping on if you enjoy smoked beers and stouts.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Dark Horse - Tres Blueberry Stout

Dark Horse - Tres Blueberry Stout

Tres Blueberry Stout is a 7.5% ABV American stout by Dark Horse Brewing Co. out of Marshall, MI.  This is the third of their five holiday stout series.

This blueberry stout pours a one finger head with a nice tan brown head that fades quickly.  Jet black body and light lacing.

Tres Blueberry Stout smells pretty amazing with big blueberries, chocolate, and coffee.  There's some light roast as well and maybe a bit of caramel.

The blueberries are the main player in the taste followed by some good coffee and dark chocolate notes.  Tres Blueberry Stout is slightly roasty and there's also some very subtle caramel and licorice. Medium body with a semi-dry finish.  Pairs well with a block or two of dark chocolate.

So far, Tres Blueberry Stout may be my favorite Dark Horse Holiday stout between it and One Oatmeal and Too Cream.  I have the Fore Smoked Stout on deck for another review and have yet to find Plead The Fifth which is the hardest of the five to find.  If you enjoy stouts, blueberries, and/or fruit forward beer, this is definitely one I recommend trying.

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Flying Dog - Lucky SOB Irish Style Red

Flying Dog - Lucky SOB Irish Style Red

Lucky SOB is a 5.5% ABV Irish style red ale brewed with four-leaf clovers.  It comes from Flying Dog out of Frederick, MD.

Pours a nice dark amber red color with a two and a half beige white head that fades fairly quickly.  Light lacing that doesn't stick around for too long.

The aroma is mostly herbs and spices with some caramel and scotch.  Not too much going on in the smell.

Like the aroma, there's not too much going on in the taste.  Herbs and spices are the main tasting notes with a decent bitter finish.  Slight nuttiness and bready notes along with some scotch.  Medium bodied with a dry finish.

Lucky SOB is a decent Irish style red ale but probably not one that I'd return to.  It seems like an interesting combination with the four-leaf clovers and is worth a try for the novelty.

Score: 3/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Russian River - Pliny the Elder

Russian River - Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Elder, named after the Roman who created the original botanical name for hops, is an 8% ABV Double IPA from Russian River out of Santa Rosa, CA.  A world class beer mainly available in California and Pennsylvania outside of trading.

Pliny pours a straw/light golden yellow with a good three finger beige white head and nice sticky lacing.  The head fades at a moderate pace, not too slow and not too fast.

There are nice aromas of pine/resin and grapefruit as is usually the case in many double/imperial IPAs.  Pliny also gives off some light caramel and tropical fruit aromas.

Pliny the Elder tastes of big grapefruit with juicy citrus notes.  Pine/resin and some biscuit notes are also there.  The finish is bitter and semi-dry with big floral hops.  Medium bodied and nice carbonation with light lingering flavors.

As Russian River's possibly most talked about beer, Pliny the Elder definitely lives up to the hype.  It's not an easy beer to find but if given the chance, make sure you snatch some up!  Definitely a top notch beer along with The Alchemist's Heady Topper and DC Brau's On The Wings Of Armageddon.

Score: 5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Bottle Description:

"Pliny the Elder, born in 23 A.D., was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer.  Pliny and his contemporaries, created the original botanical name for hops, "Lupus Salictarius" meaning "wolf among scrubs".  Hop vines, at that time, grew wild among willows, likened to wolves roaming wild in the forest.  Pliny the Elder died in 79 AD while saving people during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.  He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle's legacy by documenting much of what his uncle experienced during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.  This beer is an homage to the man who discovered hops and perished while being a humanitarian.

Unlike many of the Russian River Brewing Company beers which are ageable, the beer inside this bottle is meant to be consumed fresh.  Keep Pliny the Elder refrigerated and consume fresh to experience the explosive hop character."

Founders - Double Trouble

Founders - Double Trouble

Double Trouble is a 9.4% ABV Imperial IPA from Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids, MI.  This is one of their seasonal releases available from May to June.

Pours a dark honey yellow with a one finger beige white head that fades quickly.  Decent sticky lacing around the glass.

Double Trouble smells of big grapefruit and floral hops, along with some nice tangerine, mango, and peach aromas.  Maybe some light resin and caramel as well.

Big grapefruit and floral hops in the taste with a hop bitter finish.  Some pine/resin and decent lingering flavors.  Light booze with a slightly warm finish from the 9.4% ABV.  Juicy finish.

Founders Double Trouble is a top notch Imperial IPA that I highly recommend if you're into Double/Imperial IPAs.  They also have a barrel aged version called Doom which I haven't been able to acquire due to its limited release, but sounds interesting if you're into barrel aged beers.

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Great Lakes - Rye of the Tiger IPA

Great Lakes Brewing Co. - Rye of the Tiger IPA

A pun on the song Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, Rye of the Tiger IPA is a 7.5% ABV rye IPA by Great Lakes from Cleveland, OH.  Brewed with rye malt and Columbus, Simcoe, and Warrior hops, this rye IPA is their April seasonal release.

Rye of the Tiger pours a nice golden color with a massive four finger fluffy head, dissipating slowly and leaving a good bit of sticky lacing around the glass.  Decent carbonation.

The aroma includes rye, caramel, toasty bread/biscuit, light pine, light citrus.

Rye of the Tiger tasting notes include rye and spice, grapefruit, tangerine, and toasty bread/biscuit.  I also got some light pine/resin and maybe a little maple syrup.  Medium bodied with a fairly dry finish.  Great hop bite on the backend.

Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes some solid beers and this is one of them.  It's not my favorite rye IPA but it's still very tasty and worth a sip if you enjoy rye IPAs.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Sixpoint - Apollo

Sixpoint - Apollo

Apollo is a 5.2% ABV kristalweizen by Sixpoint from Brooklyn, NY.  Apollo is Sixpoint's summer seasonal offering brewed with Weihenstephaner yeast and comes in four packs of 16 ounce cans.

The brew pours a good two to three finger beige white head that fades quickly with light lacing.  A nice straw/gold yellow that you would expect from a wheat beer and some haziness.

The aroma of Apollo is mostly banana and yeasty funk with some wheat, light citrus, and bubble gum.

Apollo tastes of banana, wheat, and yeasty funk throughout.  Some bubble gum and maybe a very subtle smoky/bacon flavors are also there.  Apollo is medium bodied with a semi-dry finish and light linger.  It's not too bitter or hoppy clocking in at only 11 IBU.

Sixpoint's Apollo is worth checking out if you enjoy wheat beers and lighter brews.  It would definitely be nice on a hot day with its crisp and refreshing profile.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Heady Topper and More at ChurchKey

The Alchemist - Heady Topper

Heady Topper is an 8% ABV Imperial/Double IPA from The Alchemist in Waterbury, Vermont.  It's brewed with a proprietary blend of six Pacific Northwest hops and is unpasteurized and unfiltered.  I've had Heady Topper once before in February 2013 and had to make it out to ChurchKey when I heard they were serving it on Saturday, 5/18/2013.

Heady Topper has a good two finger beige white head and pours a cloudy/hazy honey orange.  Good head retention with lacing that sticks around for a bit.

The aroma is mostly grapefruit citrus with some other citrus fruits and tropical fruits.  Caramel and floral notes also compliment the aroma.

Heady Topper is medium bodied with lots of grapefruit citrus in the taste, as well as some caramel, pine, and resin.  Good carbonation and a nice amount of malt to support the hops.  The finish is semi-dry and bitter with some lingering bitterness from the hops.

Highly recommended.  Since it can be hard to find due to the limited distribution in Vermont, definitely try some if you're given the chance.  When life gives you Heady Topper, drink it!

Score: 5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Bluejacket/Half Acre/Revolution/Three Floyds - Fistcal Cliff

Fistcal Cliff is a 6.3% American IPA brewed at Revolution Brewing (Chicago, IL) in collaboration with Bluejacket (Washington, DC), Half Acre (Chicago, IL), and Three Floyds (Munster, IN).  It is brewed with five hops and dry-hopped twice with four.

Fistcal Cliff pours a nice golden honey/amber with a beige white head.  It has a sweet aroma to it with caramel, toffee, and subtle herbs.  Smooth medium body with pine and grapefruit/lemon/lime citrus.  Lingering citrus and hop bitterness after the finish.

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Firestone Walker - Double Jack IPA

Double Jack IPA is a 9.5% ABV Imperial IPA from Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, CA.  This was the first Imperial IPA that they brewed and they've won quite a few medals for this beer.

Pours a shiny golden color with a beige white head and good lacing.  The aroma consists of citrus fruits, pine, resin, and honey.  Double Jack is medium bodied with fantastic grapefruit and pine notes, along with a kick of hop bitterness.

Score: 5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Bluejacket/Brasserie De la Senne - GrayJacket

GrayJacket is a 5.4% ABV blond saison brewed at Brasserie De la Senne (Belgium) in collaboration with Bluejacket (DC).

Pours a light straw/pineapple yellow with a beige white head and good lacing.  The aroma consists of yeasty funk and orange citrus.  GrayJacket tastes of orange and wheat with a light hop bitterness and subtle yeast.  It's not as "saisony" as some kinds of saisons as Stu at ChurchKey would say.  Very refreshing and well worth a try.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Great Lakes - Lake Erie Monster (Dry-hopped with Simcoe hops in the cask)

Lake Erie Monster is a 9.1% ABV Imperial IPA by Great Lakes in Cleveland, OH.  This particular glass was poured on cask and dry-hopped with Simcoe hops.

Pours a hazy apricot orange color with a beige white head and lacing that fades fairly quick.  The aroma is mainly orange and apricot with some caramel.  Lake Erie Monster tastes of apricot and candied fruit with light alcohol and a juicy finish.  Medium bodied with a good hop bitter backend that lingers.

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Sierra Nevada - Hoptimum

Hoptimum is a 10.4% ABV Imperial IPA from Sierra Nevada in Chico, CA.

Pours a shiny translucent amber with a beige white head and quick fading lacing.  Hoptimum smells mainly of pine, citrus, and floral aromas.  Medium bodied with pine, grapefruit, and big hops.  Bitter semi-dry finish.  A very nice beer if you like lots of hops!

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Brouwerij Van Steenberge - Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale

Monk's Cafe is a Flanders Oud Bruin (a style of sour ale) from Brouwerij Van Steenberge in Belgium.  It was originally exclusive in the US to Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia, PA.  It is also known as Bios Vlaamse Bourgogne in Belgium.

Pours a dark reddish brown with a 1-2 finger beige white head and sticky lacing.  The aroma is mostly sour fruit and vinegar.  Monk's Cafe tastes of sour grapes and vinegar along with slight tartness. Medium bodied with a semi-dry finish.  Not as sour as I usually like but still a solid brew.

Score: 4/5 (Untappd Caps)

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DC Brau - On The Wings Of Armageddon Imperial IPA

Located in Northeast DC, DC Brau Brewing Company is Washington, DC's first brewery since 1956 and was founded in 2009.  On The Wings Of Armageddon (OTWOA) is their Imperial IPA released in limited batches a few times a year.  DC Brau started canning OTWOA in March as a brewery exclusive and also releases kegs/casks to bars and restaurants throughout DC.  They created this beer as an homage to the so called "end of the world" on December 21, 2012.

This particular can is from the 5/1 batch released during DC Brau's Growler Hours on Saturday, 5/4/2013.  OTWOA pours with a massive four finger khaki white head with an orange/caramel brown body.  Good sticky lacing around the glass with a slowly receding head.  There is some noticeable yeast sediment in the glass.

OTWOA smells of mostly grapefruit and orange citrus, along with tropical fruit and pine/resin.

Huge grapefruit citrus in the taste with light caramel.  Pine and resin also come through along with great hop bitterness.  The alcohol is well masked at 9.2% ABV.  Juicy finish with a very slightly warm backend.

Highly recommended if you can find some at the brewery or elsewhere.  DC Brau has Growler Hours on Saturdays from noon to 4 PM where you can take a brewery tour, sample beers, buy cans/bottles/merchandise, and fill growlers.  They also have a different local food truck/vendor each week to supply some sustenance while you're there.

Score: 5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Description:

"And so it was written...

According to Mayan and Hopi calendars, the "transition from one world age to another" will happen on December 21, 2012.  As an homage to the "transition" DC Brau has concocted an imperial IPA named "On The Wings Of Armageddon."

Russian River - Blind Pig IPA

Blind Pig is an India Pale Ale (IPA) by Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California.  The name is an ode to the Prohibition Era where asking for a "blind pig" would get you a beer in an unmarked mason jar.  See the description at the end for more information!

Blind Pig pours a honey/copper yellowish brown with a good three finger beige head that fades moderately.  A decent amount of carbonation can be seen flowing through the glass.

The aroma is mostly tropical and citrus fruit with light pine and caramel.  Some floral hops are also evident.

With the taste, grapefruit citrus is the main player along with pine and resin.  Good carbonation and a medium body.  Floral notes from the hops come through towards the end with nice hop bitterness and a somewhat dry finish.  The hops and malt play nicely together and don't overpower one another.

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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Bottle Label Description:

"Ask for a "blind pig" in a saloon during prohibition and you might just get a beer...  During prohibition, using the term "blind pig" discretely meant many different things.  Sometimes it was the secret code given to a bartender to receive a beer.  In other places, it meant that you paid a small fee to see a "blind pig", and along with the viewing you'd get a beer, or something else...  And what type of glassware would your "blind pig" be served in?  An unmarked mason jar of course.  In those days, a mason jar was known as a pig, and an unmarked mason jar was known as a Blind Pig.

Use the term discreetly today and you'll get Russian River's Blind Pig IPA, a bold IPA packed full of hop aroma, flavor, and bitterness.  Please keep Blind Pig IPA refrigerated and consume fresh to experience the immense hop character.  Unlike many of our other beers, Blind Pig IPA is not meant to be aged."

Tallgrass Brewing Company - Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat

Tallgrass Brewing Company's Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat is their Buffalo Sweat Oatmeal Cream Stout brewed with vanilla beans.  From Manhattan, Kansas, Tallgrass has been brewing since 2007 and canning since 2010.  I first got introduced to Tallgrass with their Buffalo Sweat on tap when Pork Barrel BBQ opened in Alexandria, VA.

A creamy and smooth brew coming in at 5% ABV, it's very smooth and easy drinking.  The Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat poured black with a fluffy four finger tan head that dissipates quickly.  Decent lacing around the glass that doesn't stick around too long.

The aroma consists of mostly vanilla along with some caramel, coffee, and chocolate.

It tastes close to the aroma with good vanilla notes throughout lingering through the finish.  Caramel, milk chocolate, coffee, and subtle roast compliment the vanilla and help balance out the sweetness.  Medium bodied with a slightly syrupy finish.

Score: 4.5/5 (Untappd Caps)

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