I quite liked this beer - surprising for a sour beer. I got the blueberry but not as much of the ginger, which is probably for the best.

You know, honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe I should have had this one before the stout… but it just didn’t really stand out to me.

A good hearty stout on a cold dank night.

It did not come in pints, alas. But i highly recommend the meat pie.

Very creamy. a wee bit heavy for me on this summer night but it would be better on the same date in the other hemisphere

All beers taste better after a 13 mile day in the mountains.

Great refreshing beer. the elderflower is not overwhelming.

It’s like a less sweet almond joy… with everything that implies.

Solid. A little bit more of that nice lingering almost toasty finish that I like.

Really solid. The finish lingers nicely with toasty notes.

It’s too sweet like how Starbucks is too sweet.

The rum is too forward. This is hard for me to write but it’s true. Otherwise not enough going on for a stout.

This is the lemon version of the lager. And it’s better.

A very standard lager.

A little bit alcohol forward after a few sips but otherwise a fine stout.

Surprisingly strong but in a good way for sure. The finish goes on and on

So I didn’t like this because it’s watery. But then it paired well with food. But then I realized it’s just watery. So. Whatever.

Okay I get the idea of making this moon sour… it really brings out the raspberry. But I’m not sure I like it?

It’sa really nice standard German Pilsner. Pleasant for these last dying days of summer. A short finish. Especially compared directly with the Czech Pilsner

My first impression was that this was a bit too sour - but as I went, the sweetness and the sourness kind of balanced out. And it was a pleasant sour. In the end, surprisingly good.

Was this too… malty? Is that the word I’m looking for?

Nice!

Normally not a fan of the IPAs, but this one wasn’t too bitter on the hops.

A refreshing blonde, maybe a little grassy.

Smooth and silky.

Perfect balance of tart and fruit and… um… beer?

Also perfect for a hot summer day.

Perfect for a hot summer day.

I would expect a quad to be bolder, mustier? But this was fine to drink even if a bit unremarkable.

This is much better than the banana thing. Proof that peaches > bananas

Too sweet and artificial flavored. If it was actually banana and cream, but it’s not.

I knew there was something wrong with this but it took Matt explaining that it was too sweet!

I thought this would be disgusting. It’s not. Actually quite good. The pickle is not over the top.

Too light and unable to overcome the pralines and cream I apparently paired it with…. Hahaha

Smooth on nitro. Which is all one asks. I do like the rye hint

Nice chocolate and cherry notes. Very pleasant but too hard for today.

I think having this after the disco lemonade colored my opinion of it.

Super refreshing on a hot day. The lemonade makes sense as a name

Fine.

“Pineapple” and “beer” do not mix. Or so I thought, prior to having this beer. I was utterly surprised at how well this worked. Just enough of the sweetness and tartness of the pineapple but not overwhelming. A true balance act.

I dunno… seems kinda normal and standard. Not in a bad way, just not in a creative and inspiring way either…

It’s not as complex as I expected this. But I do feel like a god.

I think someone gave this to me over the summer and I’ve only just gotten around to trying it in November. And I feel like this would have been even better on a sultry lazy summer evening… but even on a crisp cool night it’s pretty good. Definitely get the grassy, hoppy thing.

Well, I think it’s starting to go bad because if it’s supposed to taste like this, then yucky

A complexity that’s takes a few drops to come though. A tad on the sweet side for my liking but

A bit malty and cereal-y for me…

This has the unfortunate misfortune of following one of the best stouts I’ve had… but it is nice enough.

Truly a privilege to have had this beer. The balance, the sweet and the dry, the char and the smooth molasses. Sublime really.

Nice.

It’s like someone poured OJ into my beer.

A bit plain but fine.

Refreshing and cool on a hot day. Surprisingly complex.

Very Smokey. Almost peaty. Like drinking an Islay but in Beer form. That’s probably sacrilegious to say. Oh well.

Maybe it was because it was on draft, maybe because it was fresher, maybe because it didn’t cross an ocean before being drunk, maybe it was just refreshing after walking three miles in 85 degree heat… maybe it was sipping a beer on the banks of the Tiber…

It’s so hot one can only drink lager. But this one is fine. You can taste the multi cultural history of Sicily in every drop. Or maybe that’s the sweat from my forehead. It’s hot.

I didn’t know dark lager was a thing. I wouldn’t quite say this is life changing, but I’ll certainly be seeking out more!

This is an excellent sour. Which coming from me is high praise. The fruit is just enough.

Single hop which actually agreed with me!

Cinnamon actually goes really well in this stout. And nitro of course. Yum.

This went well with Portillo’s. Cut through the greasy well.

So. I’m trying not to let the earlier IPA color this but a little fatigue is setting in. Dark and brooding, the way this sort of thing should be.

So complex… one of the early rum aged stouts right? There’s something strange about rum aging, where you’d expect a sweetness but i actually find it brings out the wood more than whiskey barrel aging.

Molasses is the forward thing here. Thick heavy and stout.

I just didn’t really like something about this… it’s hard to place but almost reminiscent of old laundry… a dank mustiness that did not appeal.

Yeah this is nice. The coconut is not too overwhelming, it’s quite drinkable. Not too heavy.

You know there’s this weird subtle under taste here that doesn’t sit well with me. Otherwise it’s fine.

This is a very nice wheat beer. Crisp.

Nicely paired with the Cuban sandwich. A hearty, tad sweet stout that warmed on a cold rainy day.

I was waiting for the right occasion to open this beer that Gene brought us over the summer, and I’m happy to say that I shared it with Mike during his visit (first since lockdown) and that the beer is wonderful, a really pleasant sour that is complex and woody and fresh at once.

Like Apple-y beer.

After 11 years it was flat but still quite good. Not too sweet which is the way to do this… a little bit of molasses for me. Spice. Dark but not brooding.

I’m reminded of Homer Simpson asking Apu, “what do you have in the way of a dessert burrito?”

So the thing about Stella is this: it will always remind me of this dish that Gene made back when we were down-the-hall neighbors at the Sevi in Queen Anne. He might not even remember this, but I do, and will, forever. Because it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. And it had a bit of Stella in it. So Stella’s always gonna be alright in my book.

Having enjoyed the Hell Quöllfrisch, I figured I’d try another beer from the same brewery, and they delivered! This one is much less musty, while maintaining a cereal base upon which some sweeter, almost fruit almost wildflower overtones mix. It’s nice.

Ugh. You cannot name something “Matterhorn” and be this dull. This is super unfortunate because I had even gone down to their brand new tasting room where I met the owner and talked him up and everything… only to find out that I was four months early… they were still working on opening it up to the public. So I did what I could and bought a bottle at the grocery store next door. At least I didn’t have to hide my disappointment in front of him…

Honestly i expected a little more complexity but it goes fine with my pulled pork sandwich.

I bought this beer to cook with, and had a little leftover, so I felt compelled to drink it. I think that is pretty much all that needs to be said.

A little musty, which isn’t really what I’m looking for in a lager, but somehow it worked fine. There was a wheaty malty body to it that really didn’t speak lager to me, so once I got over the dissonance from the label, and just savored a nice beer from the other side of the world while finally actually going there again… what more can one ask? Oh I forgot to mention that I chose this beer because it’s from Appenzell, which also makes some pretty yummy cheese.

I have no idea if i categorized this correctly but whatever. It’s good. Like I’m hanging out with people for the first time in over a year good.

Making Eden jealous.

Just a lingering bitterness that doesn’t quite sit with me

Just a nice hint of the sweet malt but maintains the crisp lightness of a lager

Normally not a fan of hoops forward beers but this one is fine.

It’s just too weak and the thing about things that are flavored like piña coladas that aren’t piña colada’s is they are basically like drinking sunscreen

I agree with Matt’s assessment

Funny thing is earlier tonight i passed up the piña colada for dark Cherry ice cream. And it’s the same with beer.

Not feeling the ipa right now

A beer poured by someone else on a perfect Midwest evening with friends and family outdoors? Maybe this skewed the results, but i don’t care.

There is an instant of really pleasant surprised confusion as the tea flavors hit (I had not read the label or prepared myself in any way to know what this beer was supposed to be about)… but then the just overwhelming sweetness and viscosity come through…. and it doesn’t work. Tea, even Earl Grey, is not supposed to be *thick*. It can be broody, heavy, moody, dark… many things. But not *thick* and basically that kinda ruins it. I’m pretty sure tea will never go with a thick beer like stout for me…

Superlative Urn beverage consumed with gratitude to Eden.

Really chocolatey and poured smooth. Maybe just a tad on the sweet side for me but solid.

Normally I would never say this, but this could have been just a tad sweeter. I’m sure everyone else loves it, and I might also have loved it any other time, but for some reason I wanted something with just a tinge of sweet with the sour in cherry and this was just short of that. Also, thanks Roy and Sara!

The cinnamon and chili are immediately present in the nose. So much so that I expected it to overpower the palate, but surprisingly, it balanced it really well with the cocoa. Very good. Just short of perfection. Also happy birthday Mike. Thanks for the beer!

Apparently I had this seven years ago. The beer is the same, but the world has changed.

I was trepidacious about this upon reading the label, but I’m pleased to report that the flavors are subtle. Almost too subtle. Like several sips in, the pepper finally starts accumulating enough to register. Otherwise, I have to admit I don’t really get the peanut here, even though it’s the third ingredient listed behind water and barley. Hmmm.

Yes, I can taste the peaches. It also says something about Mango on the can. But really all of this is overshadowed by the fact that it is an IPA... with all that bitterness and general non-goodness.

Honestly it just tastes like any other IPA to me... which is to say, not something I’d go out of my way for. I read the label just now and it claims “notes of lemon and mango.” But uh, no, I don’t think so.

So if I’d wanted lime in my beer, I’d cut one up and squeeze it in myself. And not have started with an IPA. So... yeah.

First impression was a bit of a shock because I didn’t read the label, but after a few more sips, it started to really come together. I mean, this is pretty much eating a Mounds bar in liquid, alcoholic form. They should add some almonds to it and make it even better. Also, this is totally silly but I like the *feel* of the matte finish on the can. Yeah, I said that. It matters.

Very nice on a warm summer day. Good grainy flavor but smooth as you’d expect from a lager.

Thanks Roy! This was a nice farmy monky-almost ale. A nice way to spend a quarantine Friday.

Tasty. A little bitter but that’s rye for ya.

It’s this or Medalla. Which means, pass the Ron del Barrilito, por favor!

Sweet. Also I’m like 4 Ron del Barrilito 3 stars in so maybe rating system not entirely reliable.

Good cherry, a little sour, a little musty.

Tasty and balanced.

So I kept expecting sour and it just wasn’t there. Which in my younger days I might have thought was good, but this is just too fruity and sweet without that sour to balance.

The more I drink this the more complex it becomes. The port-barrel is niiice.

A tad on a sweet side, but solid

The coriander doesn’t hit you too hard which is a good thing.

Nice balance between the sweet and the not sweet

Nice and creamy smooth. Not too strong.

A pleasant IPA.

Another collaboration with Other Half and another winner

This was the best beer on the trip. A collaboration with Other Half, and the balance is excellent. Nice complex taste and lingering finish.

So this was presented as a dessert Stout and it's a bit wacky

The best of the porters here other than the collaboration. And it has the added sex appeal of üüümmmmlääüüts

This is their flagship porter,and it's solid.

Finally getting to some dark (real) beers... Alas this one was a little watery

The real birch leaves are awesome!

Doesn't seem very Kolshy but what do I know, I'm some sort of... buckaroo...

Most lagers down here don't react too well to bullets...

Nice lager, reminds me a bit of a fuller Czech pilsner.

Surprisingly agreeable given the hoppy description. It works though, the hops don't overwhelm. Nicely balanced and refreshing on a summer Baltic night.

Really unhoppy. Which, surprisingly, makes it taste kinda wrong.

This is the best beer I've ever had... In Finland.

Bought this beer because it had the fewest number of words I could decipher. Turns out this is not a terrible way to choose beer after all!

I was expecting less bitter/hoppy...

Surprisingly oakey. Hinted at a stout almost. Or I was projecting my desires onto it...

It tastes better with the special moon landing labels.

Pleasant and fruity while also being a gose. Not my usual thing, but it was nice on a hot summer afternoon.

Having this midday was probably a mistake. It’s thick. Like molasses. That said, it was still a tasty meal.

You can taste the monastic idyll.

Smoke. Lots of smoke. Which I like.

Aged a bit but just short of perfection today...

So perfectly balanced... Fruit is perfectly balanced by the sour and just that hint of mustiness.

Light. Smells like POG. Which is kinda disturbingly good.

This one is legitimately good. Creamy burnt sugar notes. Nicely oaked. Smooth on nitro. Hint of coffee and chocolate.

Yup finally a good one. Either that or in finally drunk enough to loosen up the higher ratings

A nice maltiness

I dunno. Just nothing standing out here. Kinda bland.

A bit too middle of the road... Not creamy enough

Too fruity for me but I do like the lemon on a hot summer night

A bit better than the bock

A bit disappointingly watery...

Way better than I thought it would be. Goes perfectly with pork!

This was not as pineappley as I thought it was going to be. It was really good. Also, it was free because they had to tap a new keg and the server decided that ten minutes was a long time for me to be lounging by the pool without a drink.

Did I have this one at the brewery? I forget. If I did, I must have liked it enough to bring home a bottle. Which I then left in Mike’s car. Fortunately, he gave it back and now I have a nice little tasty, albeit fleeting, souvenir, from that trip.

So it was a bit old and I was afraid it was like skunked but it came into its own and was great.

Right. Thick. But not quite sold on the coconut.

So having spicy Thai is generally not good for beer tasting...

Just enough maltiness to make it interesting

I dunno. Maybe it’s me, but anything heavier than a lager doesn’t seem to go with Chinese food for me... which is a shame because this beer was pretty good. Just didn’t go well with dinner.

Not too peachy not too sour. The way I like it.

It's yum+. Because it's better than the Fourth Wave. But not awesome level. It's like butter pecan ice cream in a beer. With coffee. And alcohol. How can you go wrong.

I dunno. Tasted like an IPA...

I just didn't like the funk

Just not really into the raspberries...

Meh. Could be penalizing for being late in the tasting but not impressed.

Surprisingly palatable IPA. Apparently I don't hate "hazy" IPAs... as much. Or something.

My favorite beer from today.

Standard annoying too bitter too hoppy IPA...

Just enough of the grapefruit and orange to keep it interesting.

Goes well with the blue cheese and bacon waffle fries...

Really long malty finish. If you're into that this is awesome. I'm not sure I am though....

Yeasty a bit.... But clean and crisp as you'd expect a pilsner to be.

Starts tame and then kicks in a bit before finishing nice and easy. Just a hint of malt? Grassy too but in a good way.

This was amazingly smooth and unbitter for an IPA.

This would have been a lot better if the Bears had won.

The freshness. Is so fresh.

They started making this stuff under the Japanese occupation, just as my grandparents were born under the occupation, so it seemed appropriate to drink this while my uncles reminisced about their long and interesting lives under a free Taiwan.

Well it has character. The label says "lager" but coulda fooled me.

Well it seemed good when I first started but then the Blandness just takes over and in the end it's just meh

I’m not into fruity beer but this seems drinkable.

A hint of celery or cucumber kinda in a bad way.

It’s bad when the best tasting thing you’ve had at a brewery is the cheese plate.

It reminds me of walking into a Hello Kitty store.

This would taste better if the Cubs were winning.

An IPA that actually isn’t an outright assault on my taste buds! But still an IPA, so let’s not get too excited here.

A bit watery. Reminds me of a rose wine. In a bad way.

Really coffeeey and chocolateley. Also, engineers do more after midnight than most people do all day...

Smells like URLACHER. No, not really it is a little too sweet and chocolateley

Really nice a bit malty but balanced and just the right hoppy

Wonder what this would be like sipped through a straw out of a box...

Stouty in a good way. Though a little bitter on the finish.

A little bitter for my taste but serviceable.

Not too bold, easy drinking summer brew.

This would be really good if I could get over the slight medicinal taste... unfortunately it gets more noticeable as you go not less.

Nice summer beer

I think they do these every once in a while but still felt special because we got the insider connection. I've never seen it anywhere else, anyway.

So I’m eating kinaa spicy food with this prolly not the best for partiality... also mike you’re missing the party get over here

I know somebody who works for Elysian now so of course it’s good.

Nice with dinner

better with dark chocolate for sure

Super drinking time. Also, how do you categorize a draft that went into a can?

Ooh. Aptly named. Very smooth and dangerous.

The lighter, more watery offering from the pirates.

First drink in Cuba! Are you surprised it was not a Cuba Libre? Also, finally a el presidente I can agree with!

Cervezas para dia caliente. I use up all my Spanish!