The Official INGO Beer Snob Thread

[JokerGirl]

Oooooh that does sound pretty good! I might have to try that next time! I get the Optimator every time I go down to the rathskellar since they have it on tap

 

[Scutter01]

the same friend also introduced me to my new favorite beer. Spaten Optimator

Care to review it? I'd like to know more about it.

Remember that you have to actually post a review of the beer. "It's great!" is not a review. Tell us why you like it in more than one or two sentences. Who makes it? Where did you buy it? Why should we buy (or not buy) it? What kind of food does it go well with? Should it be drunk cool or ice cold? Remember that this is a "review" thread, not a "this is a picture of my favorite beer" thread.

...we'd like to see more detail than "I drank this once and it was good!" C'mon, we're BEER SNOBS!

 

[Boba]

Schlafly Dry Hopped APA
American Pale Ale
The Saint Louis Brewery
Saint Louis, MO
5.9% abv

"Bottled with Love," and very tasty. Slightly cloudy amber-burnt orange color. Floral fruit-ish hop nose balanced well by equal citrus notes. Flavorful big mouth feel. Lightly sweet with a touch of bitter, and enough citrus on the palate to finish clean. Yummy.

 

[Boba]

FLAT 12 Half Cycle IPA
India Pale Ale
Flat 12 Bier Works
Indianapolis, IN
6% abv

Deep carmel color with solid frothy head. Very different & unique from what I normally encounter. Sharp citrus nose with some sort of subtle musk or depth in the aroma at the end. I'm having trouble determining if this is the oils of citrus or diesel fuel. Maybe I'm off a bit since my partner (also a beer snob) doesn't get what I'm smelling, just a lot of citrus and floral hops. Not unpleasant, but different. Nice up front flavor, light, full, and citrusy... a bit bitter... and then there's some sort of concentrated movement of sensation into my sinuses. Weird. I may be alone on this one but it is consistent. I may need to try tis one again with some different meals & dishes to suss it out. The jury is still out on this one. Hope I'm not getting sick.

 

[jetmechG550]

FLAT 12 Half Cycle IPA
India Pale Ale
Flat 12 Bier Works
Indianapolis, IN
6% avb

Deep carmel color with solid frothy head. Very different & unique from what I normally encounter. Sharp citrus nose with some sort of subtle musk or depth in the aroma at the end. I'm having trouble determining if this is the oils of citrus or diesel fuel. Maybe I'm off a bit since my partner (also a beer snob) doesn't get what I'm smelling, just a lot of citrus and floral hops. Not unpleasant, but different. Nice up front flavor, light, full, and citrusy... a bit bitter... and then there's some sort of concentrated movement of sensation into my sinuses. Weird. I may be alone on this one but it is consistent. I may need to try tis one again with some different meals & dishes to suss it out. The jury is still out on this one. Hope I'm not getting sick.

It's not you nor are you sick. I wasn't overly crazy about this one and my wife and I consider ourselves big hop heads. I'm thinking it's the hops they use which is what I am betting you can't quite put your finger on. It's drinkable, don't get me wrong, but for the money there's much better IPA's available.

 

[dpasotti]

Wow, did not expect to find a thread like this on INGO. But I'm happy I did. I agree on the Half Cycle. I'm a big IPA lover as well, but there's just something 'sharp' about it. I want to say they use Summit hops for this beer, which can give an onion or even cat ****-like flavor in high quantities. Not something you usually search for in a beer...

 

[Boba]

Thanks for the feedback, Jet. Their site says they use American hops. But I've never had that kind of taste experience before with the like. I hope to think most beers, even ones I don't really care for could be very well suited with the appropriate food or meal accoutrement. Only time will tell.

 

[Boba]

Hoppy Bock Lager
New Belgium Brewing
Fort Collins, CO
6.9"% abv

This is a Lager... but, if you like IPA's you may like this one. Clear with a deep amber color. pleasant hop flavor and light aroma. Great balanced taste with a touch of bitter at the end to offset any sweet maltiness. Flavors' like ales but feels like a lager. On those days when you are in the mood for something akin to a pilsner, but don't want to give up all of your IPA flavor, this is a great adaptation. It doesn't carry the hefty robustness of an IPA, but then it is after all, a lager. Incredibly versatile and satisfying. Sorry for the blurry pic... beer goggles I guess.

 

[Boba]

19 Original Colonies Mead
Rogue Ales
Newport, OR
5.2% abv

Okay, okay... not a beer. I know, it's a mead. Regardless, from Chatoe Rogue or Rogue Farms, this is their "First Growth" (hops I assume); 19 colonies (of their own bees producing the honey for this); brewed with jasmine; mead. "No chemicals, additives, or preservatives." A very transparent amber. Brewed with champagne yeast & delicately fizzy. This is good. A pleasant solid aroma with hint of almost mint in the middle of the glass upon inspection. Clean smooth flavor that is dry, but not overly so. Dry enough to not be overly sweet. Then there is the light faint mint herb flavor that dissipates dry and clean. This is the jasmine and green tea leaves. Some meads tend to be so sweet it's like a punch in the face, and some are so dry they tend to be just meh & bleh. This on the other hand is a really well done mead. Certainly well balanced. $9-$10 a bomber. Big hit 'round here!

 

[red46239]

Wow, did not expect to find a thread like this on INGO. But I'm happy I did. I agree on the Half Cycle. I'm a big IPA lover as well, but there's just something 'sharp' about it. I want to say they use Summit hops for this beer, which can give an onion or even cat ****-like flavor in high quantities. Not something you usually search for in a beer...

Half Cycle definitely has an onion flavor... A buddy from work and I stopped by Flat 12 before a Pacer game a while back a did a little sampling. I couldn't put my finger on it, but he nailed it when he said it tasted like onions. The guy serving us the beer agreed and said it was due to the hops they use. Boba was right on - it is not unpleasant, just different.

 

[mbills2223]

Schlafly Dry Hopped APA
American Pale Ale
The Saint Louis Brewery
Saint Louis, MO
5.9% abv

"Bottled with Love," and very tasty. Slightly cloudy amber-burnt orange color. Floral fruit-ish hop nose balanced well by equal citrus notes. Flavorful big mouth feel. Lightly sweet with a touch of bitter, and enough citrus on the palate to finish clean. Yummy.

I've been wanting something different...this may be a winner. When is the inaugural INGO bar crawl taking place?

 

[Boba]

Victory Headwaters
Pale Ale
Victory Brewing Company
Downington, PA
5.1% abv

Pours light tight fine carbonation and keeps it. Nice color... it's more than amber, with a tinge of red, but not orange... almost a sienna but not quite, this is gamboge! (If anyone knows the "ballistic significance" of the color gamboge I just may have to buy you a beer!) Light and Easy hop aroma. Pleasant & subtly floral; I think I can smell some bitter about to wash over the palate. Yup! Not a big mouth feel but consistent. Apparently a bit more hops in the aroma than the flavor. Medium bitter. Light, clean, but I would not say crisp. In fact this beer feels real good swishing around the palate the more I drink it. It could be the quality water they supply their brewery with. Victory espouse themselves as watershed advocacy supporters. I personally like & support that. Light, transparent, a bit bitter, and consistent. Good with salty foods & snacks. What INGOer wouldn't appreciate a victory now and then? Decent.

 

[Boba]

Saga
India Pale Ale
Summit Brewing Company
St. Paul, MN
6.4% abv

Cloudy deep amber/honey color with a delicate fine head that dissipates to mere remnants. Faint hop aroma with a minor scent of soap. Light clean crisp citrus up font with some sweetness. A laid back middle bitter sustain. The carbonation sits on the palate to linger while the flavor develops and leaves a more full creamy mouth feel at the end without losing its bitter character. Nice ride. Different. Good job.

 

[Scutter01]

Continuing my fruit beer series, I present to you:

Tangerine Wheat
Lost Coast Brewery
Eureka, CA
5% abv

Appearance: Tangerine pours a beautiful amber with a full head that dissipates quickly. A slight cloudiness is apparent, as is usual for a decent wheat.

Smell: Strong citrus aroma, but not overpowering

Taste: The first sip is somewhat sweet, but not too much, with the taste of a very good wheat. The tangerine overtone fits in very nicely. It's not enough of a fruit taste to call it a shandy, though.

Mouthfeel: This is a medium-body wheat beer and tastes every bit of it. The tangerine lingers on the tongue for perhaps a bit longer than it should, but not unpleasantly so.

Overall: Summer fruit beers and shandies have been on my palate a lot lately, and this one is, by far, my favorite. The tangerine taste is present without being overpowering. Hefeweizens are among my favorite beers, and so combining the tangerine with the wheat, it's pretty much begging me to enjoy it. I've picked this one up a couple of times and I'll be buying more.

Letter grade: I give this one a very nice "A". When I go out of my way to drive to Cincinnati multiple times to find it, then you know it's something I like.

 

[mbills2223]

Continuing my fruit beer series, I present to you:

Tangerine Wheat
Lost Coast Brewery
Eureka, CA
5% abv

Any suggested garnishes with this one?

 

[Scutter01]

Any suggested garnishes with this one?

I guess you could put a paper umbrella in it if you want.

 

[Scutter01]

I have it on very good authority that I need to try Bells' "This one goes to 11", but it's only brewed at infrequent intervals. I'm willing to trade a rare INGO bacon morale patch (plus the cost of the beer) if anyone can get their mitts on a couple of bottles for me.

 

[mbills2223]

I guess you could put a paper umbrella in it if you want.

Not exactly what I was thinking, but they do make a world of difference on the beach.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

For those interested, there's a new microbrewery in Greenwood - Planetary Brewing

500 S Polk St, Ste 22

Tastings every Fri, Sat, and Sun when the tasting room is open.

They typically only have 4 varieties at a time - and don't pull out anything new until one is sold out.

500 S Polk St, Ste 22, Greenwood.

http://www.indystar.com/article/201...ood-news-briefs-new-brewery-expansion-schools

 

[Scutter01]

Tastings every Fri, Sat, and Sun when the tasting room is open.

They typically only have 4 varieties at a time - and don't pull out anything new until one is sold out.
http://www.indystar.com/article/201...ood-news-briefs-new-brewery-expansion-schools

Go forth, young man, and revieweth us a libation! That is your assignment and now your only reason for existence. Your entire life has lead up to this moment. Millions of years of human evolution have conspired to place you at this juncture in history! Don't waste this chance! Good luck. We're all counting on you. Now GO!