Dry, slightly vinous, peppery. I really like this kind of saison, the only ding here is that I ordered the doppelbock.
Festive and molassessy, this reminds me both of chai and the old Sam Adams gingerbread stout. Cinnamon, cardamom, nothing too poky - easy drinking and tasty.
Absolutely could have been over the top but I think it actually evoked the flavor really nicely. Banana, chocolate, vanilla, booze.
Way too sweet, not very coconutty either. It tastes a bit like marshmallow fluff, I guess, but really wanted some more backbone here.
Tart, wonderful citrus punch flavor. Not too sweet, and not fake-tasting at all.
Might have been the aftereffects of the Vital Spark on my palate, but this was really astringent, herbaceous, medicinal.
Postdoc Vital Spark Peach (2025)
Extremely tart, peachy. Not very funky, more like a kettle sour. Had to take a break between sips.
Definitely tastes more like berries here. It's good, if dry.
This doesn't tate at all like an IPA to me - more like a lightly fruity blonde maybe? Decidedly unhoppy.
Fragrant, sweet, cereal lager. The flavor is a bit too intense, I think. Tongue feels oily.
Classic robust stout flavor, slightly peppery hops and smooth, milky-sweet finish.
Coffee, and quite sweet vanilla - almost over-the-top. Boozy and dessert-like, but glad it's a small glass.
Had a better reaction to this than last time. I think the vanilla melded a little better into the overall grapefruit flavor. There was still a slightly smokey/harsh aftertaste that belied the harmony.
Cloudy, buttery, uric. Leaning toward a German pils but with more robustness of flavor.
Light tasting but pleasant amber lager. Notes of plum and date, just on the edge of watery, but goes down easy.
It’s like a beer made by monks and their secret side fling with strawberry blonde hair…
2026. This would be a lot normally but to my mind this is exactly what you want if you're ordering a Triple IPA. Citrus-grape, fragrant, piney, resinous, undeniably strong but somehow also not overwhelmingly acrid or bitter.
A strong, creamy stout. Thick and lightly sweet, chocolate up front. Interested in knowing more about this one.
Citrus pine, clean, not bitter. Very drinkable.
Unsweet, light roast, milky finish. Moderate bitterness on the back end, but finishes clean.
Lemon-pine, strong hoppy follow-through. Pithy. Tastes like can. First class is nice, though.
Lemon-pine fragrance up front, bright and strong, with a sweet lager finish. Very drinkable.
Crisp and dry, with a dry, vaguely citrus finish that adds a lot of character to the beer. I thought it was quite bright and drinkable.
A little more robustly flavored than you'd expect from a dark lager... Very similar to the porter, but maybe a little smokier?
A throwback porter, with some more hop fruitiness up front in addition to the roast, notes of licorice. Like a proto-CDA.
Based on my previous log, this is helped by not being on nitro. It is still a fairly bitter beer for what is ostensibly a smooth (or at least sweet) style. It's neither of those things.
A little more sharp on the alcohol. Overtones of licorice candy, sugar syrup. Quite good but it can't measure up to the Grainshift.
Firestone Walker Grainshift (2025)
Delicious, smooth and frothy. Graham and chocolate at the forefront; otherwise it feels like everything I remember about Parabola (a beer I have not had in some time).
There's something savory/fermented about the smell here; it reminds me a little of black bean paste (jjajang), so you can bet I was worried. Flavor is actually quite nice: dried fig, a decent amount of heat, caramel but unsweet. Less desserty than other Parabola variants.