Hoppy Boy

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Hoppy Boy

• Brewery: Twisted Pine Brewing (Colorado)

• Style: American Pale Ale

• ABV: 5.7%

• IBU: 50

• Pour Color: Dark golden color.

      A sweet malt and hoppy scent off the top. A nice golden color a little darker then most pales. The head was a good size and stuck around for a good few splashes into the follicles. The flavor of this one is much sweeter then most pales I've had. Almost a sweet orange flavor to it. Very ballenced for being a pale.
      It says balance is the key but this one is on the hoppy side. I disagree with that statement. This one was really sweet and seemed to hide the hoppy bitter I expected and wanted. I could see this being a gateway beer for someone but it's not a really hoppy beer. I even would say the malts were the star of this beer making for easy drinking. It just didn't strike me as a pale ale though. Good but not anything I'd go out of my way to find.  

Rating: **1/2

CANfusion

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: CANfusion

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and Oscar Blues

• Style: Rye Bock

• ABV: 6.8%

• IBU: 45

• Pour Color: A bronze color with a slightly more red hue.

      The rye bock was slightly over carbonated and exploded out of the can. A bronze slightly red hue to the pour. The head came up and met up with me as soon as the glass was lifted. The head disappeared quick once it tangled with me. The aroma was mostly malts. Slightly sweet lager scent with a slight presence. The hops come thru as a slight citrus scent. Not really much for the rye in the aroma. The flavor is quite sweet. It has a good flavor from the rye but not as spicy as I hoped. The hops are citrus and nice but not enough to balance out the flavor of this sweet bock beer. Wouldn't be one of my every day go tos.
      First review in awhile and the big number 200! Seems fitting that it just happens to be a oskar blues/ Sierra Nevada collaboration. Sorry I waited so long to open this beer camp. Most won't be able to find it now but me and the face found it while travling from NY to FL. Wish this one would have been a better one. Much sweeter then most bocks I've enjoyed and not as rye as I hoped. Really a good offering but not as great as I would hope from two of my favorite breweries. Hope one of my other ones in the box surprises me for a different reason. 

Rating: ***

Stranger

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Stranger

• Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Company (Colorado)

• Style: American Pale Ale

• ABV: 5%

• IBU: 36

• Pour Color: An amber golden color that lets light thru

      A gold colored amber that can be seen thru easy in the glass. The head wasn't much and didn't hang around to long. The scent off the top is citrus and piney. Not really much of a malt character to the bouquet. The hops give you a mix of granny smith apple, lime, and lemon. You also get a nice spiciness. Alot of stuff going on and a pretty good pale ale.
      I enjoyed what this beer had to offer. A mustache swim in something this complex is always fun. Unfortunately I think they go a little too light on all of these flavors. A pale, to me, should drink this easy and leave such mellow notes on the finish. This being my first Left Hand product I was excited but really didn't find it to be that special.

Rating: ***

Never Summer Ale

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Never Summer Ale

• Brewery: Boulder Beer Company (Colorado)

• Style: Winter Warmer

• ABV: 6.5%

• IBU: 40

• Pour Color: A dark red color. Light makes it through.

      The head didn't come up fast on this one and would only be a film at the top for most the glass. The color was a nice ruby red that's easy to see through. The scent off the top is a caramel and spice. The roasted caramel malts give both sweet and bitter flavors. The spices give a nice warming sensation in mouth. A nice cinnamon, coriander mix that makes the follicles frolic. A nice piney earthy flavor to the hops. Really a nice mix of spices and flavors to make a nice winter warmer. 
      Another great brew from Colorado, Maybe it's something in the water. I only like a few winter warmers cause most of the time the spices feel out of place. This one seems to be made by that warmer sensation. That sensation gives you a liquor warmth that, with the caramel malt, makes you think it's stronger then it is. This is the type of beer you can drink on the snow covered deck and it's gonna keep a chill away!

Rating: ****1/2

Hoss

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Hoss

• Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company (Colorado)

• Style: Oktoberfest

• ABV: 6.2%

• IBU:

• Pour Color: A Clear Orange Color
  
  
  
        On pour the head stood up about two fingers high. Shining a darker orange in my glass. The scent is very malty, as an Oktoberfest should be. It had a nice caramel and fig scent too. The taste was a mix of caramel, clove, and yeast. Very well ballenced taste. This is a Oktoberfest that most people would love!
        Hoss is a delicious Oktoberfest beer that tastes great. It's got that clean malt character you expect and a little more hop character then some. Much sweeter flavor then I like for the most part though. The bitter is there too though and good. Your mustache would be loving Hoss if it was bathing in it right now!
  
  Rating: *****

Summerbright Ale

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Summerbright Ale

• Brewery: Breckenridge Brewing Company (Colorado)

• Style: Wheat Beer

• ABV: 4.5%

• IBU: 15

• Pour Color: Golden, light can easily pass through.

      This one poured like a champ for the Face and I was anxious to take a swim! The head was fluffy and actually quite thick for a summer wheat beer. The head hung around for a good while too. The color was light golden was nearly transparent. The scent off the glass was a wheat one of course. A slight hint of citrus in there too. The beer it self is very light bodied and ballenced well. It has a nice sweetness in the malts. A very wheat flavor too. The citrus kick is what makes this refreshing. It gives it a crispness in flavor that works really well to just give a little bitter. I really enjoyed this summer ale. 
      Another summer seasonal and another really good beer. With Sam Adams summer you get hit with lemon hard. Now, myself, I really enjoy it. This one doesn't do that though. The orange and the lemon peel mix well to give a great flavor.  Most the summer ales I've reviewed don't fall under 5% abv. This is a great easy drinking ale that won't knock you on your butt on those 95 degree days. Also a real delightful kick of citrus that gives it character. Treat your mustache (upper lip) to a dip in it today!

Rating: ****

Hazed and Infused

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Hazed and Infused

• Brewery: Boulder Beer Company (Colorado)

• Style: Pale Ale

• ABV: 4.85%

• IBU: 70

• Pour Color: A hazzy golden color that light passes through.

      Hazed and Infused seemed to be right down my alley. The face grabbed it due to it's hippie look. Out the bottle it had a nice head that would stay for most the beer (I imagine). The scent was piney hops and a slight malt character. The color was a hazzy gold. It was the taste that threw me off. Once on the follicles I got a strong taste of iron that pretty much ruined this one from the get go. The hops and malts were ballenced and good but the strong taste of iron was horrid, ruining the whole experience. A few drenches and I couldn't take anymore. This and pork slap are the only beers I've ever had that the Face poured out. 
      Maybe it was the bottle... Although it did say enjoy by the 27th of this month. Or maybe it's just me. This beer has a yeast strain that must be close to Brewcrafters cause they have a similar taste. Although with Brewcrafters I've never been drenched in what tastes like blood is an ingredient. Also this is the first beer from Colorado that has been horrid! Being from the state that produces Oskar Blues beer that shouldn't be possible!

Rating:

Old Chub

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Old Chub

• Brewery: Oskar Blues (Colorado)

• Style: Scotch Ale

• ABV: 8.0%

• IBU:85

• Pour Color: On pour a dark red almost brown, No light passes through

      Right out the can you begin to pick up on those scents associated with other scotch ales. Caramel is there and almost a fig scent on top of it. The pour was a very murky red that is not see through at all. The head was much smaller then I expected and disappeared quickly. As the beer soaked me I realized I was in a malt dream. Sweet and full bodied because of the malts this one has a real nice feel to it. A sweet almost roasted flavor is the main flavor. A nice raisin or fig taste is there too. Finally this beer doesn't have that alcohol taste at the end that some do. Most scotch ale have that almost scotch taste to it. This one though really didn't have that last bite. All and all really strange but wonderful brew that I liked. 
      Kinda feel weird drinking, and liking, an Old Chub... This one though has a complexity and mixture of flavors I haven't found before. Most scotch ales taste like what all the other scotch ales taste like. This one wasn't like that. It had some of the flavors you expect from a scotch ale but, it's a full bodied beer that has a easy drink ability that you can't dislike. If it's next to dale's on the shelf again the Face will be picking it up for me! 

Rating: ****

Deviant Dale's

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Deviant Dale's

• Brewery: Oskar Blues (Colorado)

• Style: Imperial IPA

• ABV: 8.0%

• IBU:85

• Pour Color: A bright amber not quite golden but see through

      Deviant comes in the tall boy can delivering the fresh taste you crave. The deviant has a slightly stronger scent to it then Dales Pale. The hops come forward quickly backed by the malts. The head is tall fluffy and thick. Now on taste comes a interesting orange taste to this one. Both sweet and bitter it's got a nice balance. It also has a linger that lasts. All that hoppy goodness echos lowly forever. I don't know if I should curl tighter or droop lower. Deviant may have given me a wedgie and made off with my wax. It was worth it though!
      I think I said this before. Dale's may be the best beer on the market as far as I'm concerned. Deviant has a lot of the things I love about dales. It also has a higher alcohol kick. Dale's easy drink ability still pulls it ahead slightly for me. Still an amazing imperial IPA.

Rating: *****

Rocky Mountain IPA

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Rocky Mountain IPA

• Brewery: Fort Collins Brewery

• Style: IPA

• ABV: 6.2%

• IBU: 80

• Pour Color: Almost a orange color really. very murky.

      On pour this one had a nice head that was fluffy it held fairly well. As the Face lifted the glass it was a nice floral and pine scent off it mainly. The malt does come through on scent too though. On taste the malt again is only in the back ground as the hops comes forward. Bitter with almost a grapefruit and pine mix. Really a well balanced beer that lingers on the follicles between sips.
      An Elephant on your bottle is a easy way to get the face to try your beer. Easily mesmerized that one. Anyway Fort Collins Brewery joins the list of great Colorado breweries. This IPA is another great example of delicious beer from the rocky mountain state. Canned or bottled I'm enjoying Colorado beer!

Rating: ****1/2

Vanilla Porter

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Vanilla Porter 

• Brewery: Breckenridge Brewery (Colorado)

• Style: Porter

• ABV: 4.7%

• IBU:16

• Pour Color: A dark beer on pour. When held up to light shows red through.

      This one looked to me to be another flavored novelty beer that the Face likes to get. It poured and had a slight head that went away fast. That worried me to. The came the scent off the glass. It was scent of coffee, slight nuttiness, and sweet caramel. Altogether just in scent I started to twinge waiting for a splash. Then it came and I twisted a little tighter. A nice little taste of caramel and coffee are heightened with a nice roasted flavor. Chocolate comes through and a nice cereal taste on top of it. Then comes their vanilla taste. Not to strong at all it really seems to help brighten the other flavors in this one. This one is light for a porter in body but all and all lots of flavor. 
       Colorado is starting to flow pretty regularly on me.  Oskar blues is one of my favorite breweries. This one though just made me a fan of Breckenridge Brewery too! A nice balanced porter with a extra kick of vanilla. A beer no one should be sad to have in their mustache. Thanks again Face!

  

Rating: ****1/2

G'Knight

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: G'Knight

• Brewery: Oskar Blues (Colorado)

• Style:Imperial Red Ale

• ABV: 8.7%

• IBU: 50

• Pour Color: A copper color, transparent

      G'Knight don't take prisoners. I'm sitting here soaked in G'Knight and realizing what the Face did to me. A low but steady head came up on the pour. Nothing to fluffy for me though, i dove right in. The scent was a sweet, red ale, smell before impact and boom! A nice mix of hop and malt played out on me. The follicles could tell this one was bitter but sweet. This was fairly easy drinking as the Face sipped on. That could be a quick problem though. 8.7% and not really the taste of an imperial. This mustache is leaning on the wax again after a can of this one. 
      G'Knight has a nice mix of earthy tastes to it. I was surprised as the hops seemed to give earthy hints and the malts almost gave it a biscuit taste. This one is a red ale that doesn't stop. High on flavor, and high on alcohol, this is what a imperial beer should be. Two cans of this Dales Pale and Mama's Little Yella Pills would make a great six pack. I think I'll go get one once I sober up.
      
      

Rating: *****

Mama's Little Yella Pils

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Mama's Little Yella Pils

• Brewery:Oskar Blues (Colorado)

• Style: Bohemian Style Pilsner

• ABV: 5.3%

• IBU:35

• Pour Color: A nice golden color nearly transparent

 

      A great golden color on the pour. The head was nice and fluffy. After 3 or 4 sips it still held strong to me but my wax prevailed finally taking the fluffy cloud down. A nice mix of sweetness and only a slight bitterness makes this a great beer. A real hop flavor that's nice and crisp is complemented well with it's malt finish. If mama's got some yella pils I'd steal a few.
     This little can, can be found pretty close to it's big brother Dale's Pale Ale. Another example that cans mean little when enjoying a great beer. Mama's lil yella pils is a great name for a great pilsner. Forget the mass produced crud they call pilsners and get one of these. 

Rating: ****1/2

Dale's Pale Ale

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Dale's Pale Ale

• Brewery:Oskar Blues (Colorado)

• Style: American Pale Ale

• ABV: 6.5%

• IBU: 65

• Pour Color: A clear copper/amber color.

      The scent of this beer -much like the taste- is amazing. The hop flavor is huge in this beer. It's a delicious citrus hop flavor and blends with the malt flavor to be a perfect pale ale. If you love hops I would choose this over most IPAs. It's got the hop kick but also has a refreshing character that's hard to find in hopped up brews. Might not get stuck in your mustache for long, but every splash in that fur the Face should be thanked for.   

      Hate a can? So do I... The thought that only cheep beers come in cans is outdated. I have a different problem with the can. Do you know how hard it is to get a good taste from a canned beer when you're a mustache? Now Oskar Blues cans their stuff. 'Till Face got to choose beers out, on tap, I didn't get much of a taste.  First sip off that pint glass though and I was hooked. This is one of the best overall beers Face or I have ever had and is listed as one of our favorites. Even if you hate a can it's a must have beer. No seriously. If you're of age and can find dale's go get it NOW!

Rating: *****