The Official INGO Beer Snob Thread

[Boba]

Munsterfest
Three Floyds Brewing llc.
Munster, IN
6.0% abv



Good initial Oktober spice aroma from the bottle. Pours a cloudy bubbling scarlet caramel. The tiniest bubbles just keep on coming, creating some interesting swirl patterns at the surface [see below]. This is Munster Indiana's Oktoberfest... this is MUNSTERFEST!!! Mouthfeel starts big and quickly dissipates to a watery consistency. Bavarian malted barley and German noble hops brewed in strict accordance with the German bier purity law of 1516, the Reinheitsgebot. Even keeled and tasty as all get out. This is the session lager as it should be. Finishes clean while still retaining it's flavor. Highly enjoyable. Get two bombers, or better yet find it on tap! Yum.

 

[Boba]

Ichabod Pumpkin Ale
New Holland Brewing Co.
Holland, MI
5.2% abv



This amber ale pours a cloudy burnt sienna with light to fair bubblage. Medium mouthfeel to a light finish. Different. From the bottle, "ale brewed with pumpkin and spices with spices added." Lighter on the pumpkin and more focus on the spices. Cinnamon comes through as the glass warms but the predominant spice is nutmeg which gives a flattened soap type middle end on the palate. So so. Bonus point for invoking my favorite halloween story character.

 

[Boba]

Never found a pumpkin beer that ever did anything for me

...for your consideration, see below...

 

[Boba]

Happy Halloween!

Pumking
Imperial Ale brewed with pumpkins
Southern Tier Brewing
8.6 % abv





From the tap, a pronounced harvest pumpkin squash and a faint of all spice with a clove and nutmeg punctuation on top. Mouthfeel is big but translucent and never overgrown. The faint sweet malt lights the way for the glow of hops and spice, displaying an illuminating balanced finish. Oh my goard! Sweet, buttery, and beer! Not merely a good seasonal but rather just a great beer, period. Hands down one of my top three of all time. Let's be clear, the malt is sweet, the squash is not. Pumpkin pie this is not! Almost like butter frosting. Too good not to partake. From the bottle its just as rewarding, but in truth a surrogate for the celebration that is on tap. Happy halloween to all!



God I love this beer!

 

[LanceRobbins24]

Harvest Ale
Founders Brewing Company
Grand Rapids, MI
India Pale Ale
7.6% 70 IBU


Huge hop grapefruit bitterness on the nose. Makes the mouth water just smelling this one. Pours a clear amber golden color with a one finger head of fluffy white foam. This gives a nice citrus and grassy taste with just the right amount of bitter to finish crisp, but not too dry...very light malty notes at the back end. This years brew is even better than last years version. Founders has once again knocked it out of the park with this wet hopped beast. I could easily see this as a contender in the "if I only had one beer to drink the rest of my life" argument. It's a bigger beer without being overly boozy. A must try if you can find it.

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[nmcqueen469]

LOVED last year's version, can't wait to get some of the new batch!!

 

[mg_srt]

My wife and I went up to Holland Michigan over the summer. While we were there we ate at New Holland Brewing Company which by the way had some excellent pizza . I tried several of their brews but Monkey King was my favorite, its a new brew for 2013. I live in northern Indiana and I have seen this for sale in most of the liquor stores in the area, as well as whole food store. I just noticed it there recently. You can go to New Holland Brewing website and they can show you where the closest distributor is in your area. This is not a dark beer, more of a light medium. 5.8% alc.

 

[Boba]

Imperial Compass
Sparkling Ale brewed with Rose Hips & Citrusy Hops
Southern Tier Brewing Co.
Lakewood, NY
9% abv




Bottle conditioned sparking ale, pours a faintly cloudy light cadmium yellow. Mouthfeel is light, tight, and bubbly. Effervescent and a bit yeasty. The rose hips and hops pairs quite well to cast a bitter/dry flavor. Very subtle. The mouthfeel fizzes at the roof of the mouth and dissipates as the flavors slide under the side of the tongue. Things sweeten up as the glass warms up. The hops become slightly more pronounced as the bottom of the bottle approaches. Your lady friends might like.
A fair journey with this compass.

 

[Boba]

Sorghum Pale Ale

Steadfast Sorghum Pale Ale
Gluten Free Pale Ale
Steadfast Beer Co.
Holyoke, MA
6.8% abv



My first Gluten free beer. Pours a crystal clear medium light amber with a healthy light colored head. Proficient bubbler. A barely-there aroma gives no indication of the initial sweet medium bodied mouthfeel, followed up by a surprisingly unique flavor. Made with sorghum, molasses, and cascade hops.
With a "Celiac Friendly" seal this brew is truly gluten free and not merely gluten removed. I sympathize with individuals with gluten sensitivities and applaud Steadfast for taking the initiative to be a flagship for gluten free beers (they also have a gluten free golden blonde and pumpkin spice varieties). I wonder though, wouldn't someone with celiacs naturally be a non beer drinker and hence unlikely develop a taste or need to partake in libations of the bier kind? I can only imagine a very narrow target audience, but with the onset of poorer and poorer gut health associated with the Standard American Diet and the rise of food allergies in general perhaps Steadfast is ahead of the curve here. Kudos enough to give it a try.
A bit of an astringency quality at first but mellowing as the glass warms. I'm struggling a bit with this as it is not barley, wheat, or rye but altogether something different. Sweet upfront with a fair light middle then a dominant taste moves to the sides of the tongue. At first it was so alien to me that I could only compare it to what craft paste glue smelt (and I dunno maybe tasted) like as a child. But I'm overreacting. Again this is not barley, wheat, or rye but altogether something different and I need to treat it as its own unique thing. Like if someone handed you a chicken pot pie and asked you to give it a beer review. It's the molasses I believe. The dense, deep, sharp, earthy, mineral-ish component to molasses. Look out! I warm up to it as the glass warms up. I'm moving through the glass slowly but it does fair better the longer I take. I would be curious to discover what food pairings would highlight this unique beverage as I'm sure there would easily be something to help make it shine. Maybe cakes, muffins, bread rolls, biscuits, pancakes, pastas, macaroni, spaghetti, doughnuts, cereal, pies, puddings, and dumplings. Just kidding. But I could serious go for a BLT right now!! Weird.

 

[Boba]

Enjoy by 12.13.13

Enjoy by 12.13.13
Double IPA
Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido, San Diego County, CA
9.4% abv



Pours a wonderfully clear amber with a dissipating chunky tight bubbled head. Light aroma thats hard to pinpoint...is this what hops essential oil would smell like? It's not the assault on the ole factory like most hoppy brews. It's noticeable but subdued. Piny hops and woody smooth. A bit floral and minimally sweet with just enough dense central bitter. Less bitter than most Stone varieties. The sweetness comes out as the glass warms up. Very well balanced. The freshest of hops. This is impressive. If you haven't tried this yet then, "sucks for you," you missed it. Enjoy by 12.13.13.

 

[LanceRobbins24]

Enjoy by 12.13.13
Double IPA
Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido, San Diego County, CA
9.4% abv



Pours a wonderfully clear amber with a dissipating chunky tight bubbled head. Light aroma thats hard to pinpoint...is this what hops essential oil would smell like? It's not the assault on the ole factory like most hoppy brews. It's noticeable but subdued. Piny hops and woody smooth. A bit floral and minimally sweet with just enough dense central bitter. Less bitter than most Stone varieties. The sweetness comes out as the glass warms up. Very well balanced. The freshest of hops. This is impressive. If you haven't tried this yet then, "sucks for you," you missed it. Enjoy by 12.13.13.

One of Stone's best offerings. I've been able to get 4 previous month's releases of these this year and hope they keep it going in 2014. I've got 2 more of this months version left in my fridge. A for sure "must try".

 

[littletommy]

Any of you on Untapped? My user name on there is TomH66, feel free to add me to your friends list.

 

[handyman]

Had company christmas party yesterday. Had an angry orchard and was really impressed. much better than woodchuck.

 

[JettaKnight]

Had company christmas party yesterday. Had an angry orchard and was really impressed. much better than woodchuck.

Could be because Samuel Adams owns Angry Orchid.

 

[Boba]

Sum Nug IPA
Shoreline Brewery
Michigan City, IN
abv 7%





A persistent burnt sienna bubbler. Sweet malt with dense summit & nugget hops. This tastes like a successful craft brew you'd expect. Independent, unique, and lingering. Hardy & filling. A meal of a beer and a homegrown winner to be proud of. Makes a great evening.

 

[Boba]

Omission
Gluten Free Pale Ale
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.
Portland, OR
abv 5.8




Hey! Not bad. Pours a cloudy warm amber with a touch of cadmium red. Micro fine bubbles amidst a millimeter or two of "head." "Skimmings," more appropriately speaking. Good lacing around the glass. Medium faint aroma, but surprisingly good flavor. Very light but not too watery mouthfeel. a bit sweet up front. Consistent. Good with salty foods but that's easy for most beers. Not dense or robust flavor but sufficient, and appropriate for a pale ale, and not at all offensive to be gluten free. To be clear, this is a gluten removed-gluten free beer (based on a low gluten barely verses the truly gluten free sorghum beers out there). Cascade and Citra for the hops geeks with a 33 IBU. I would drink another. In fact if I had to go gluten free, as of now I would reach for this. Now I'm interested in their IPA and lager varieties. Good on ya, mate!

 

[Caleb]

I like beeer!

 

[wtburnette]

I like beer as well, though I don't try a lot of new ones. Sam Adam's Boston Lager is my go to beer, though I like the occasional Dos Equis when eating mexican food. I did try the Shocktop seasonal beer that came out with apple flavoring and I really liked it. Reminded me of when Leinenkugel's had an apple beer for a couple of years.

 

[LanceRobbins24]

Any of you on Untapped? My user name on there is TomH66, feel free to add me to your friends list.

just sent a friends request on Untappd. My username is Vincenzo24.

 

[HollidaySlim]

My user name on Untappd is thatbeerguy if anyone wants to add me.