Blue Moon Belgian White

This very crafty looking beer is actually owned/brewed by Coors. Being detached from the US beer market though, I don't really know how many small breweries are owned by the big boys, so maybe it's nothing to be concerned about. It will however take a lot to win me over, as I only indulge in a wheat beer once in a blue moon.

See what I did there?

After pouring the beer, I was instantly wowed. It's as cloudy as the Scottish moors, and pours a deep orangey/apricot colour. You cannot see a single thing through the glass. The mouth feel is light, but chunkier than your normal wheat.

So far I'm on side.

The flavour is citrus based as you would expect, but to the extent where you could be mistaken for taking a swig of orange juice. It's a breakfast beer! It is over-sweet though, almost sickly sweet. Maybe it wouldn't irk me so much on a hot summers day, but tonight is wet and windy and the heater is on indoors.

The dealer has all the cards in the deck. Crisp wheat, sweet malts, citrus, spice, light hops. I just wish they hadn't borrowed an amp from Spinal Tap to tune the sweetness, because the volume is firmly set on 11. It's too much for me, but apart from that we have here a very solid wheat beer.

If you're a Belgian Witbier head, your life would be lacking without trying this I will say.

7.5/10

Pabst Blue Ribbon

Milwaukee is one of the beer meccas of America I am lead to believe, they even have a baseball team named the 'Brewers'. So far I'd give the points to California in the craft beer stake, but the mainstream is still up for grabs. As I write this though I have just read that while established in Milwaukee, the brewery is now based in LA. Let's not spoil the romance though and pretend that it is still 1844.

The bottle is a very patriotic red, white and blue...which evokes a cry of "Ameeriicuuuurrr ffffuuuccckkk yeeeaahhhhhh!" in my head as I stare at it.

American lagers, in my experience, are generally diluted fizzy malt water. This however does not fall in to that category. There is notably more depth to the body of this beer. There are flavours of corn and rice, finished by your standard lager malts and then a sweet and (very) lightly hopped finish.

Still very basic, but solid for a macro lager. When the Yanks made things with bravado, instead of corner cutting, they did it better than most. If not all. This is a very drinkable lager. It hasn't followed a trend, or copied a Korean, or been manufactured in China.

I enjoyed this. Sometimes you need a break from complexity.

6/10

Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

This IPA comes from another Californian micro brewery, with the state serving up some real quality on this challenge thus far. Never have I been this dazzled by the Golden State, not since Tim Hardaway UTEP 2 Stepped his way across the paint like it aint no thang.

The beer pours an incredibly cloudy orange colour. It looks full and heavy and... delicious to be honest. It's one of those beers where you can literally see particles of awesomeness floating around inside it. There is barely anything to the head, it's all about the body. It's a butterface. Like Fergie.

And the taste...

Daaaayuuuummmm. HUGE. There is a very brief whiff of sweet malt before you are completely buried alive by bitter hops. There is a noticable 7% bite that combines with the bitterness to make a scorching but palatable finish.

As far from a sessionable beer as you can get, but gee whiz, definitely one to be experience if you are a hop head.

8/10

Big Sky Brewery Summer Honey

Montana's Big Sky Brewery didn't blow me away with their Brown Ale, and it's probably safe to say I wasn't expecting a riveting result with this 'seasonal' honey beer.

Interestingly this honey beer has a bit more fire in the belly than most. It has a spicy streak through the middle of it, and while not overbearing at all, did catch me off guard. Probably similar to a bear scooping a handful of honey out of a hive and copping a bee in his gob for his efforts. It's an individual amongst the honey beer mob that's for sure.

The Summer Honey is probably hopped a bit more that I would have expected as well. Despite the somewhat conflicting elements of piney hops, honey and spices... the balance does hold together well enough. Perhaps one of the rare menage a trois that doesn't leave everyone feeling awkward afterwards.

Still though... it's just flogging a dead horse with me. My world has never been set on fire by a honey beer, and it's unlikely to ever be. If you're an aficionado, try it, if not then don't lose any sleep.

6/10

Moosehead

The humble moose. Kind of like a really juiced up deer.

Along with the beaver, probably the animal most synonymous with the nation of Canada. You think we have it bad hitting kangaroos in cars, try running in to one of these blokes without coming off second best.

This particular lager is definitely a grab at the widely popular Euro style lager, like Becks, Heineken etc... Thin watery body, but very crisp and clean. Terribly boring, but a beer you could buy in a slab with a bunch of mates while parked in front of some sport on the telly. Refreshing, and easy to drink.

The Canadian macro lagers I've had are lighter and crisper than the Aussie equivalent, which tend to be heavier and bigger on the malts. I'm not saying either is better than the other, but just a general observation.

An acceptable mainstream pale lager. Different to the Kokanee, but for a similar result. Can't really split them.

4.5/10

Kokanee

We go coast to coast here from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada.

I remember having a bit of a soft spot for Kokanee when I was over there, as to a Vancouverite downing an ice cold can of Kokanee was not ritually dissimilar to an ice cold can of Melbourne or VB.

Kokanee is a very clean lager but less flavoursome than the Alexander Keith variety, it does however go down smoother. I think the carbonation plays a part, the AK has those crude big brewery bubbles. It makes a good companion with food as it doesn't mess with the palette. On it's own however, this leaves it a bit drab. When push comes to shove, Kokanee lives about as dangerously as an agoraphobic albino during a heatwave.

It certainly doesn't start a riot on your taste buds that's for sure. But for a sessionable beer after a day on the slopes, or after a hard days work, it serves it's purpose.

4.5/10

Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Style Lager

Now I may have offended some Canucks with my less than complimentary review of their 'Pale Ale'. There were some circumstances around this though. Pale Ales need to be made with care and purpose, and rarely have I ever tasted a macro Pale Ale that did the job. Watering down a pale ale is heresy in my eyes, and Alexander Keith's attempt was subsequently burned at the stake.

Now I'm hitting up their lager. This is where macros can shine, somewhat, as a lager is a more 'refined' beer that can cope with mass production. Pride is back on the line.

And for the most part, it has been restored. The complexity exceeds most macro lagers, with a slightly sweet malty body
and a refreshingly bitter lager finish. Very sessionable and would probably be a good summer lager, despite summer being illegal in Canada.

Now while 5/10 might not sound groundbreaking, for a macro lager it's a good score.

5/10

New Belgium Brewing Co Fat Tire Amber Ale

This 'Amber' Ale is surprisingly light in appearance, almost looking more like a Pale Ale.

The body on the other hand is heavier than it looked in the glass... the false advertising is similar to those 'suck em in' underwear and leggings that women wear. Looks lean at a glance, but once you unwrap the packaging it all hangs out.

But hey, there's nothing wrong with a bit of jiggle.

The feel is almost creamy, but without being 'oily', or watery. It's close to bang on perfect.

The flavour is a bit like those Arnott's malt biscuits, with just a very subtle bitter hop finish. All this does is add a bit of contrast to the beer, and doesn't come at you like Chris Leben in the third round.

This would be a great introductory Amber Ale for those wanting to get in to the craft scene. For me though at this point, it's not enough to really grab me by the throat.

Solid beer, well put together but lacking some punch. Like a Toyota.

7/10

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Hi, I'm in Delaware.

Is what you might be saying if you were visiting Dogfish Head's brewery based in Milton, Delaware.

It's rather unassuming bottle stares at you blanky from the shelf... looking like nothing but some crumpled paper with a crudely drawn fish on it. I like this approach. No flashing lights, no expensive graphic designer... things can only go up from here.

It says, "Don't worry about the label, there's beer inside."

It may be out of ignorance but I don't know what the '60 minute' line is referring to exactly. Perhaps something to do with the brewing process? Regardless, we have another IPA on the menu and I'm keen to dissect the Dogfish.

This would have to be one of the smoothest IPAs around. 6% alcohol which is mid-strength for an IPA, but it only adds to the balancing act that would have a big wave surfer jealous. Sweet and spicy. Pine and hops. IPA Bliss.

It might sound underwhelming so far, but this is a really great beer. There's nothing outrageous about it, it's a fairly straightforward IPA, but the execution is clinical.

Bottom line, if you like IPAs, Give this a shot.

8.75/10

Samuel Adams Black Lager

Now this is a conundrum. The Samuel Adams Boston Lager is $6 a pop, and while it is undoubtedly a quality beer, it's price kept me at bay for some time before I was forced into drinking it out of necessity.

This 'Black Lager' was significantly cheaper, about $3.50 from memory. That is quite a large disparity between two imported lagers from the same brewery. The Black Lager was also on the very bottom shelf.

I'm just gonna come out and say it. That is straight up racist. The Pale Lager is worth about twice as much as the Black Lager? Black Militant Guy would have a field day with this shit.

While it's well established I prefer ales... my boundaries are pushed by this beer. It has similar attributes to a dark/brown ale/porter etc... but with a smoother composition. Roasted caramel and chocolate malts are well complimented by a clean body and finish. The lack of booming hops isn't greatly missed here for some reason. It's like drinking a liquid Rolo.

Well played Samuel Adams, well played.

7/10

Sky Brewing Co Moose Drool Brown Ale

For all I know, this potentially IS Moose Drool. It tasted a bit off to me out of the bottle, so I tipped it out in to a glass to see if it performed any better.

The beer pours an overwhelming colour, it almost appears like a glass of coke. Dense and brown/black, almost thick looking. The body is slim however in the mouth. The feel is lighter than anticipated, but where the antlers come out is in the flavour.

Heavy burnt toffee and caramel flavours dominate the scene. It's definately a beer that gets better over time as you begin to adjust to it's delivery. There is a hoppy finish to it... but it is strangely melded with a layer of chocolate. I'm sure some people love it, I don't. I would rather the hops dominated a little more, just to make it feel more like a beer I guess.

Horses for courses I guess. Or Mooses...meeces? What is the plural for moose anyway?

6/10

Lagunitas Maximus

As I peeled the bottle cap off this beer I swear I heard a faint voice say "Upon my signal... unleash hell!"

Mondays will do that to you I suppose.

This epic IPA from Lagunitas is worthy of such a gladiatorial mantle. The body turns from malty, to sweet, before a barrage of hops scatters across your taste buds like a volley of flaming arrows. I wasn't prepared for it as I assumed this just to be an IPA, whereas it is in fact a double. Behemoth levels of hops up in here.

I love the finish, and the bite of the 8.2% alcohol. Where this beer falls on it's own sword however, is with the main body. The fruity/sweet component is almost 'tropical'. Remember those Tropical Primas from when you were a kid? They might have held some good currency in the playground but it doesn't exactly translate to a heavy handed beer.

Envision Maximus fighting to the death in front of tens of thousands of rabid Romans in the center of the Colosseum... wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

It's just not the same is it?

7/10

Paulaner Premium Pils

It's been a while since I dabbled in this sort of territory. I've mainly been roaming through Aussie and American micro territory which vastly consists of cloudy,
hoppy ales. A German pilsner is a step in a different direction, but I figured it would be welcome at this point. As they say, change is as good as a
holiday.

The Premium Pils is brewed under Germany's purity laws and thus is just water, malted barley and hops. Minimalism here is a pro, as this is just a very simple,
drinkable beer. The finish is drier and more daring than your normal mainstream Euro Pilsner, which is much appreciated. It doesn't taste like a mindless zombie
drone clutching at your brain, the good people at Paulaner are capable of independent thought and do evidently give a shit.

If you've been following this you'll remember my rant on brewers using the word 'premium', to serve up something as far removed from premium as you can imagine. It's like buying tickets labelled 'box seat' which end up having you hanging from the lights on top of the Grandstand, suspended by abseiling equipment.

Unlike any politician in the modern world, this beer however stays true to it's word. It's a great macro Pilsner. One of the best. It's never going to steal the
heart of a micro ale head, but respect must be given where it has been earnt. Paulaner is a large brewery backed by Heineken. If only some of the other heavyweights swung with such conviction.

7/10

Deschutes Brewery Twilight Summer Ale

Deschutes done brought the whole fruit market to this one. It you close your eyes while drinking it you can almost hear an Italian man shouting "ONE DOLLAR, TWO
DOLLAR!". There is a whole hand basket full of different sweet and spicy flavours here, followed by a bitter malty hop finish.

The body is slim to moderate, but in this instance you wouldn't want it any different. It goes down an absolute treat, and was a perfect beer to drink on a sunny day. While it is just Spring not Summer, it still hit the spot.

Another very well balanced beer. It has a beginning, a middle and an end, with neither really being the standout performer. It's not going to win an award, but I
would trust this beer to hit an Apple on my head with an arrow more than I would William Tell.

This beer scores well because it fulfills it's intention. I don't really know what a 'Summer Ale' is meant to officially be, but this is an ale, and it is a top drink
on a hot day.

7.5/10

James Squire Pale Ale

Do my eyes deceive me? I thought I had gone through all of the ales on James Squires' menu, but before me stands a Pale Ale titled "One Fifty Lashes". I am fairly sure I have never tried this. Today is a good day.

Squires' always seem to find a great balance. Simple, but effective. They don't try and fill you up to your eyeballs with hops, or add cranberries or some bizarre
ingredient to be 'different'. They just make moderately flavoured, balanced, and refreshing beers.

This is really no different in that regard. It is an ultra thirst quenching Aussie ale. The refreshment levels are like diving head first into a vat full of KFC
refresher towels. Even if you aren't thirsty, this beer will make you thirsty and then quench that thirst all in the same go.

It's basically malt and hops. No nonsense. The aftertaste is a bit tame for a Pale Ale, perhaps in a bid to appeal to the wider market. It isn't catastrophic, but it does feel like something is missing.

This all sounds very positive so far, but I am actually disappointed in this beer. It is probably the weakest of the Squire ales, and the most 'generic' tasting.

It is a bit of a worrying turn of events really. It is still a good beer, but it has more of a waif-like body than I was hoping fpr. Stop worrying about the lowest common denominator and be yourself James.


6.5/10

Acme California Pale Ale

Well there you go. I thought Acme was primarily involved in selling oversize fireworks and anvils, but they also apparently brew beers! And according to the bottle, they are "one of the ten best brewers in the world" by the 'Beverage Testing Institute'. Riiiiight. The 'Beverage Testing Institute' sounds as credible as the
patented hyrdolizing beta-proxy-enzymes in the beauty products advertised on TV.

After all the bravado though, the beer itself is fairly disappointing. The flavour is tame and is mainly breads and malts, with some moderate carbonation and a very
feint hopped finish. Pretty quiet for a Californian really. It's not a loudmouth, convertible driver wearing a bluetooth headset... which is fine, but more a
cardigan wearing professional scrabble player. Neither is someone you want to invite to a party.

That really sums it up. Not a bad beer, but very tame by Pale Ale standards.

6/10

Stone Levitation Ale

After the glorious success of Stone's IPA, I thought it a safe bet to get into another one off their roster. This is the 'Levitation' ale, and according to the
bottle it wears a 2007 Gold Medal from the American Beer Awards. I'm not too familiar with what type of ale this is, as 'levitation' is a bit of a vague reference to make to a beer.

The 'Levitation Ale' has a sweet caramely texture to it, with some citrus bursts. The flavours are as smooth as James Brown after a waxing appointment, and the feel is solid enough to remain crisp, but certainly not watery. The beer then finishes with a longer dry spell than a Vatican City nun. It is reminiscent of some American style Pale Ales I've had so I'm guessing that is the steez it is repping, although it could also qualify as an Amber Ale.

I wasn't as thrown back as when I got slammed by the IPA, and this would only be on the fringe of the best APA's I've drunk. That being said, this is still nothing to shirk at. This is a very good beer.

8/10

Stone IPA

This beer was recommended to me by one of the guys in Acland Cellars. From a shop that stocks over 500 beers (they claim), that is a fairly sizeable recommendation.
Stones is based in California, which I am discovering boasts some pretty serious micro breweries. I am extremely late to the US craft scene and am thoroughly enjoying my virtual treck through their beer havens, from the comfort of my leather recliner.

After the bottlecap had been tossed aside, amidst lifting this beer to my mouth I was socked in the face by a striking aroma of hops. I have never been sucker punched like this before. This is the Campbell Brown of beers. I literally pulled back in mild shock at this feisty customer that had just leapt out of it's glass housing.

The body is slick and clean, with a near perfect weight to it. There are well balanced citrus and fruits, before an unimaginable hop laded landslide engulfs your tastebuds leaving them gasping for more. At 6.9%, the balance is astonishing. The pouding bitterness seems to hammer down the alcoholic bite, making this high volume beer sessionable enough to cause a serious threat to your liver's wellbeing.

One of the best stand alone beers I've drunk I would say. Well spotted beer shop guy.

9.25/10

Anchor Liberty Ale

Aaaaah.

This is the sound you will make after a long hard day, once you open the fridge and crack open one of these bad boys.

Anchor's Liberty Ale is an ultra-refreshing and well balanced American style pale ale. The flavours are subtle to moderate, with a solid dry hop finish. It's mainly a floral, caramel style flavour but the strength of the beer is in it's refreshing feel. Smooth flavours in combine with light carbonation and a dry finish form a solid trifecta.

It has a similar feel to the Sierra Nevada beers. Hard to describe in words, but basically if you have a thirsty beer itch then these beers will scratch the shit out of it.

It isn't huge, it isn't adventurous or outrageous. It's an old style pale ale that has been executed with more precision than Lee Harvey Oswald's magic bullet.

If you don't like this then you don't like beer.

8/10

Alaskan Amber

This beer has travelled quite a journey to reach the chilled confines of my refrigerator. All the way from Alaska, the snow-capped Northernmost state of America. A rather humble and rarely scrutinized part of the states... prior to the emergence of one of the most disappointing examples of the human race, Sarah Palin.

The bottle bares a very 90s looking design with a fishing boat chugging along in front a mountain peak. While this is all very nice and representative, it is in dire need of an overhaul, and had I not picked it up out of necessity I would have never normally been enticed by it's charm. Or lack thereof.

Mediocrity is in it's nature as in appearance. It's got roasted malts and dark caramel. It's got bitter hops in it's tail. The ingredients are there, but everything feels half assed. The performance is reminiscent of a straight to DVD Nic...well actually every Nicholas Cage movie from 2005 onwards.

Alaskan know the product, they know the craft, but they've just gone through the motions rather than try to create something special. So, at the end of the day, the job has been done. This is an acceptable Amber Ale, but would I go out of my way to source another one?

No.

6/10

Brew Dog Trashy Blonde

After my second Brew Dog, I'm guessing that the long bitter hop finish is something they stamp on their beers. The bitter finish leaves you feinding for your next hit, when combined with the moderate body making it a great summer beer. In one mind quenched, in the other dying of dehydration... a paradox that can make a beer disappear within seconds. Brew Dog do watch their weight a bit more than some of the more heavy set craft beers, bringing a jab of flavour, but certainly not a left hook.

The marketer's describe it as a 'statuesque fruity ale'. It is definitely fruity, but not overly packed with citrus like some other 'fruity' beers. It's sweet and biscuity and just 'generically' fruity. I can't really pinpoint something that stands up head and shoulders above the rest, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't generally like being shot in the face with an orange or lemon, or something of the like.

It's a very good beer, at first I was being critical within my own mind at the slight lack of punch or bravado that put it up with the best. But as I finished the bottle, I did realise how quickly it went down and how I'd love another one.

They are very easy to drink. So I warn that a night out on THE trashy blondes could end up with you on A trashy blonde.

8/10

Brew Dog 5 AM Saint Amber Ale

So, Brew Dog. We finally meet.

I have heard whispers of these guys making some pretty top notch craft beers but was yet to come across one admittedly. When I spotted this at my local bottleo I
grabbed it as they'd never stocked it before.

The label has a long speel about how they are beer 'punks' trying to drag everyone away from the mainstream corporate breweries. Sounds like a cause worth fighting for.

The experience of drinking this beer resembles skiing down a back country run, through a pine forest, and collecting every branch with your face on the way. There is an overpowering herby/piney flavour sitting on top of the hops. You do get whiffs of pine in some powerfully hopped beers, but this is some next level shit. You actually have to dig to find the caramel/malt base that is usually iconic of an amber ale.

Because of this, what you get is more of a soft IPA than an amber ale. I feel like there was a skirmish between an IPA and an Amber Ale inside the bottle and the IPA ended up on top.

Very interesting. When you read 'amber ale' on a bottle you don't expect to feel like somebody shoved a handful of car air fresheners in your mouth. Everything manages to meld enough to create a good, unique beer though. I wish I could have another one to be honest, as I am struggling to garner whether I would get sick of this beer or it would continue to grow on me.

7.5/10

Anchor Summer Beer

This is the perfect summer beer to drink when you are going on a long awaited vacation...

...from flavour.

Upfront this beer is a bit sour. The body is light and watery with a wheat beer feel that is followed by spicy stinging carbonation. Everything is very soft though, apart from the carbonation. That's really the biggest element to this beer. And when that is the strongest tool in your kit... you're unlikely to get the job done.

It is what it is I guess. It's an American Wheat beer, this being one of, it not my first. I compare it to American TV executives taking a European idea, and then watering it down. Thank god they didn't also add more cheese in this instance.

To be fair it is refreshing, and certainly doesn't taste bad. The carbonation bites like a crazed pitbull though, and the lingering effect is like sticking a 9 volt battery on your tongue.

I'm sure that on a 35 degree day in California this might feel like heaven in a bottle, but I have to rate each experience as it comes. A good beer, but I would rather one I could dive into head first without the lack of depth leaving me a paraplegic.

6.5/10

Bohemia Clasica

When I glanced at this bottle on the shelf for a brief second I assumed it was a fancy Czech beer. What with it's fancy golden trimmings and 'Bohemia' title. Upon further examination, it is actually a Mexican beer.

Argh.

Great. Home after work on a Friday stinging for a beer... and I get some slightly malty water.

At least this is trying to be a beer though. It's more of a malty lager, rather than the thin as an Olsen twin Corona style they love to pump out.

Unfortuntaly though it is still fairly crude in execution. It kind of reminds me a bit of an Italian style lager, like a Birra Moretti or Menabrea. Similar in flavour but weaker in body. That's the best way I can describe this beer, it is more generic than different and an average performer at best.

So really at this point in time, the Bohemia Clasica has been about as satisfying as an all night thumb war tournament against Freddy Kreuger and Wolverine.


3/10

Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Porter

Black Butte Porter. Not the most attractive of titles.

This is a beer that wouldn't be out of place on Willy Wonka's factory floor. It's one of the strongest 'Chocolate' flavoured beers I've ever drunk. There was one I had from the Whistler Brewing Co many years ago, the Winter Ale I think, which this reminded me of.

There is deep burnt toffee, the mandatory malts and a bitter dark chocolate punch. While these can be common in Porters, the chocolate is big here. It really is a case of the back seat driver grabbing on to the wheel. Normally a background act, here it is the star of the show.

There's a bit of coffee in there aswell, which I'm not huge on but really I'm going to just ignore it because this is a class beer. You really do need to just sit down and 'drink' these beers. And by that I mean, don't force it down at the pub after work, don't swill it inbetween a conversation, don't wash your dinner down with it. This is like a meal in itself.

If drinking a Stella at the bar is shuffling around to generic house music, this is lying on the recliner with Pink Floyd on some Sennheisers.

It's not refreshing enough to be a legendary beer for me personally, but if you like your Porters I can guarantee this one.

8/10

Lagunitas IPA

"Thanks for choosing to spend the next few minutes with this special homicidally hoppy ale. Savour the moment as the raging hop character engages the Imperial Qualities of the malt foundation in mortal combat on the battlefields for your tastebuds!"

This is scribed around the border of the logo on the front of the bottle. So to battle we go!

With the sharpness of a bayonette, this IPA lands on the beach of your mouth with an assault of flavours. The fruits and malts tangle in the trenches, with the taste of grape being something that sticks out. Before the final curtain of war has been drawn though, there is a final barrage of hops that flatten the terrain like a strike of napalm.

The Americans seem to have some good IPAs in their arsenal. This is a Californian brewery, and it has recruited not only the normal elements of battle hardened IPAs, but enlisted the help of some merceneries. Orange/citrusy touches and the grape like flavour are what make this unit stand out.

While it might not have won the war, I would back this in to win more battles than it would lose in the world of IPAs.

8/10

Red Duck Pale Rider

The American Pale Ale is a beer that really grew on me over this challenge. Before I began this I always knew I liked Pale Ales, but wasn't really up on the variations. 'Pale' and 'Amber' were the main two I'd played around with. Within the 'Pale' moniker though, you will discover many sub-categories with some subtle, and at times extreme differences.

The title of the beer I assume is a throwback to the Clint Eastwood western, whose title of the same name referenced the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The rider on a pale horse, the pale rider, was Death.

This ale might not be full of life, but it is far from six feet under. It has that sweet toffe/malt flavour to it, and then a strong lingering bitter aftertaste. The initial flavour is a bit subtle compared to the best APA's I have to admit.

The finish is really long. Just when you keep thinking it's going to wrap itself up, it keeps on going. Kind of like that second Transformers movie, but without the bad taste in your mouth.

Still, if this is what is on tap beyond the grave, I'm not going to be upset about it.


7.5/10

Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

The American micro breweries serve up another Pale Ale, and this one comes from Oregon. The story goes that the brewery is a stones throw from 'Mirror Pond' which sits belows the Three Sisters mountain range. A reflection of the mountainside is permanently stamped on the surface of the water, and hence the name 'Mirror Pond'.

It's a slightly spiced fruity style Pale Ale that pinches some Amber characteristics, with a caramely vein of flavour through the body. And as an American Pale Ale usually does, it goes out with a bitter bang.

Top drop really. I've never really been much of a fisherman, but I imagine a day spent out in a tinnie on the Pond knocking back a few of these and shooting the shit with an old friend is probably a good way to spend your time. Even if you didn't get a bite.

7/10

Alexander Keith's Pale Ale

Alexander Keiths, the pride of Canada. AK is a macro brewery based in Nova Scotia, which is on the far east coast of Canada. This brewery's popularity is prominent across most of the continent however, and during my time in Vancouver seeing an Alexander Keith in someones hand was about as rare as STDs on the Jersey Shore.

My first encounter with this beer was when I was still acquiring a taste for it, and mainly drink whiskey. It seemed good

enough for a beer and better than some of the other mainstreamers I'd drunk at the bar. This is going back about 6 odd years, and boy have things changed.

This is jut an incredibly watered down version of a Pale Ale. It's faintly malty, and has just a speck of hoppy bitterness.

The only positive I can see with these beers is they might act as a gateway beer into craft beers. It might just plant a seed in someones mind that there is a world beyond the lager on tap at the bar. We all discovered unique beers through trying some sort of cloudy ale or the like.

While this is a terrible example, if it encourages someone to stray from the beaten track, then it was still worth it.

Unfortunately this beer is a victim of circumstance, after drinking 200 odd beers, most of them micros, the standards have been set pretty high.

3.5/10

Arctic Fox English Pale Ale

Oh dear.

This is a diplomatic nightmare.

An Australian brewer has produced 2 Ales, one of American heritage and the other of English. The English beer is significantly more watery and tame than the American. This is likely to cause major offence, enough to even have us excommunicated from the Commonwealth.

Well, maybe it's not so bad after all then.

This is really disappointing. Imagine a 4 year old in the front row of a Wiggles gig after a full set, with 3 encores, and STILL no Wake Up Jeff. This is my face right now, while drinking this beer.

There are some malty, toffee like flavours in here but all in all it's a very watery, bland affair. It doesn't make sense.

Watery, clean beers are not supposed to be English Ales. It's kind of like someones crushed up some biscuits and toffee into a Eastern European Pilsner.

4/10

Arctic Fox American Pale Ale

This is the first beer I have sampled from Victoria's Arctic Fox Brewery. I have seen the beers around before but never gone for one as the label always looked a bit tacky. 'Arctic Fox' kinda sounds like the name of a cheap pre-mixer company that puts out artificially flavoured Passionfruit Vodkas, made with 'vodka' that a homeless Russian man would even turn his nose at.

The label states that there is 'nothing subtle about this beer and refers to everything in it as 'big'. Big floral, big malt, big hops. So the dog barks quite loudly from the yard. Those new to the area would still most likely get a surprise, like your mate who always tries one of your 'weird' beers and pulls a strange face and then asks "Do you have a Draughtie or something?". However those familiar with the territory will peep over the fence to discover a small Pomeranian with a big pair of lungs.

To cut a story short, there is more bark than bite.

The floral and citrus tones are there, moderately. It's the malt and hops that don't bang down the door like they do in other American Pale's. The bitter aftertaste comes on strong, but just doesn't go the distance. It's the depth and presence that this beer lacks compared to it's counterparts.

Good beer, but it's more shadowboxing than hitting the button.

6/10

Lobethal Bierhaus American Pale Ale

Bravo Lobethal Bierhaus. Folks we have here another World Class Australian micro brewery. This is the second of their stable that I've taken out on the track and both are winners.

Like the Pilsner, this is darker and cloudier than the normal make of its class. Almost like an ominous storm is brewing inside your glass. There are different beads of colour floating around inside, like you get with Chimay beers.

It's heavy and highly bitter with some sweet malty tones to it. It differs from the Pilsner in that it is thicker in flavour and less refreshing. Not as sessionable but great on it's own. Some of the better American Pale Ale's I've had are light and vibrant, whereas this is more grizzly.

If this American Pale Ale were a person it would be one of those dudes with the giant beards on the Gettysburg movie poster.

8.5/10

Lobethal Bierhaus Bohemian Philsner

The Pilsner game done changed.

Take everything you knew about the European Pilsner and throw it out the window.

Maybe I've been sleeping under a rock and this is just the style, but this 'Bohemian' Pilsner (named Phil-sner after one of the brewers) is from another planet.

It's body is dense and far from watery. It has a sweet maltyness to it, somewhat reminscent of a Belgian Trappist beer, before a bitter Lager hop finish.

I'm not sure if I've had a Bohemian Pilsner before, none that have openly advertised it anyway. I've had Czech Pilsners, the modern incarnation of the term 'Bohemian', but nothing has matched this South Australian interpretation. This is my type of Pilsner. This is awesome. It's deep and spicy and everything a normal Pilsner isn't.

A new world has been discovered. As others before me... like those who deserted their homeland for the pursuit of new riches, the Columbuses, Cooks, and Abletts.

The Bohemian Pilsner.

Win.

8.5/10

William's Organic Pale Ale

This is a 'certified organic' pale ale from the William Bull Brewery who also brought us the Red Angus Pilsner, which I sampled earlier in the challenge.

This is one of those citrusy ales that sometimes get labelled with 'Golden'. It's maybe a touch misleading, even though you do get citrusy style pale ales, there are some elements lacking in this one. There is no layer of malt to thicken the flavour, so it ends up weak and flimsy, and unlike a boxing kangaroo, there is also no hoppy punch.

It just isn't MY type of Pale Ale when it comes down to it. 'Pale' isn't just referring to the colour, in this instance it refers to the entire experience. Thin, pale, weak. This beer needs to go outside and live a little more.

I suppose we will start seeing more of this though. Typical 'craft' styles of beer become watered down to draw the average punter away from his Draught or Euro Lager.

5/10

Sierra Nevada Porter

Order has it's chaos. Superman has his kryptonite. The Richmond Football Club has it's september.

We all have chinks in our armour somewhere. I will readily admit that Porters and Stouts are an area where I have seldom ventured. It's one of those once bitten twice shy things. As a youngster, when it was more about forcing beers down for the after effect rather than enjoyment, I really didn't like my first Porter or Stout.

But there comes a time when we must move past these prior experiences and launch head first into a new world. And what a better way to do it than with a Sierra Nevada.

Bare with me, as I'm new to this, but the whole feel to this beer is 'burnt' if that makes sense. The malts taste charred, the toffee/cocoa seared... and the hops are also well cooked to form a bitter finish. But like a scorched snag on a hot summers day, it still feels right.

Sierra Nevada beers all have this amazing refreshing feel to them, as if they were brewed with water melted from an untouched Antarctic Iceberg that was then blessed by a monk.

Good beer. Deep, purposeful, refreshing.

7.5/10

Doss Blockos Pale Lager

This beer actually comes with individual brown paper bags to help you avoid the po-po, a humorous and interesting touch where packaging comes in. I like it. Packaging and branding is an area where the craft brewing crowd could do with a little more creativity. I'm by no means tarring them all with the same brush, but there are many bland, uncreative and let's admit - outdated- labels to be found.

Within the brown paper bag lies an interesting wrap around the bottle. There is a european street art style image that looks almost like a brunette being spanked by a blonde whose hand is on fire. I imagine even the German porn industry would struggle with that one. The label on this beer also tells a strange story about squatters in New York. It's too long to recap here, but out of left field nonetheless.

The beer itself is simple. Pale malts and cascade hops. The body is light, the carbonation fast but sharp. Nothing that really sounds that exciting on paper but where this beer excels is in the execution. The bullets are small, but with the aim of Tom Berenger in Snipers.

It's very easy to drink, and has more body than you normally get with your average Pilsner. It doesn't wow and excite and stand out like an Alfa Romeo, but rather be reliable and steadfast like a Toyota.

Solid beer.

7/10