Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra

Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware 

Purchased: 12oz bottle single bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Strong Ale, 15~18% 
Reported IBUs: ?

This was once a whale, and now is a shelf turd. It's not waxed or in limited supply. It's also brewed by Cam Salamia and Dogfin Head. They have a hotel. About Dogfish Head:

Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.

The Raison D'Extra is the amped up version of DFH's stellar Raison D'Etre. Brewed with an "obscene amount" of malt, brown sugar, and raisins, the Raison D'Extra puts the "D" in Belgian Ales.

Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra

This pours into a reddish body that is reminiscent of a Belgian Dubbel, with purple tones in lower light. You get that sea foam carb on the beer, also reminiscent of a Belgian, with lots of lacing. It's very Belgian-esque. 

The aroma features the trademark high-gravity yeast/sugar aroma you get on all of DFH's high-gravity beers. You get a pound of sugar, muscovado sugar, jammy raspberries, raisin, alcohol, yeast esters, and some phenolic goodness. 

This tastes sublime...the beer rolls out massive raisins, dark fruits, jammy berries, jammy raisins, fruit preserves, muscovado sugar, intense phenolic notes, and lots of Belgian character typical of a Dubbel/Dark Strong. This is actually fantastic, and I would think that if you age this for a few years, it might start to take on some of that dusty/phenolic character you get in a good Belgian Dark Strong. There are some nice dark fruits in here as well, with shades of plums, blackberries, blueberries, and boysenberry. 

I'm a fan of DFH's high-gravity series, and this is no slouch. This brings the raisin along with a lot of other flavors, and it works out. At the variable 15~18% I'm not getting a ton of alcohol, but this definitely warms you up. Palate depth is good with nice duration -- making this a worthy sipping beer. This is also fairly complex, with lots of assertive raisin, muscovado sugar, and then more subtle dark fruit notes, Belgian character, and berries. Lots of berries. The finish is pretty clean too, and approaches drying. That in itself is commendable. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. At this time (I think this was bottled in late 2014? I couldn't tell, the date was smudged off my bottle) the beer is drinking just fine. BUT, I think with a little more age, this might settle into something really worthy. Since this is basically shelf turding these days, I will keep an eye out and try to snag a few more bottles to age. That actually shouldn't be a problem...I'd love to try this two or three years down the road.

Random Thought: It's hard to believe that there's basically just one more year of grad school left...

Moody Tongue Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison

Brewed By: Moody Tongue Brewing Company in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: American Saison/Fruit Beer, 6.3%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's been a while...ask me about my grad school problems. About the Moody Tongue Brewing Company: 

Moody Tongue Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Pilsen, Chicago. The brewery was founded in 2013 by Jared Rouben, who is a graduate of Washington University, the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and the Siebel Diploma course in Chicago, where he is now a faculty member. After completing culinary school, Jared worked as a cook at the Michelin Star Martini House in Napa and as Expeditor at the three Michelin Star Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City. Rouben also brewed at the Rock Bottom and Goose Island Clybourn. After working in the culinary and brewing world, Rouben intends to bring a culinary point of view to beer. For more info, check out the brewery's FACEBOOK page or their website.  

The Moody Tongue Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison is a Saison...brewed with lemon. The beer pours into a dark, honey-orange/bronze body, kicking up several fingers of fluffy head. There's good carb, and nice lacing.

Moody Tongue Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison 

I'm sure a lot of reviews are going hard on this for the overwhelming lemon aroma. This beer is outside the usual wheelhouse. But the aromas are legit. I'm getting a lot of lemongrass, lemon zest, Meyer lemons, some natural lemons sugars, and a light biscuit malt base.

This tastes amazing, if you are looking for lemons. I'm getting everything I was picking up in the aroma: lemon zest, Meyer lemons, lemon sugars and lemon meringue pie, lemongrass, and tons of that light biscuit malt base. The beer is refreshing, drinkable, and lemony. BUT, absent from the experience is that Saison base. I'm just not getting any of the citrus, funk, clove, pepper, or character that I would expect from a Saison. 

So, while I think this falls short of the Saison label in some regards, it definitely rises above your average fruit beer. This is easily one of the better lemon-infused beers I have had, and it drinks light and clean at 6.3%. The beer is carbed well, has good depth and duration, and actually drops a complex lemon portfolio that goes beyond your basic lemon juice addition. This is better than any janky Radler or Shandy or half-assed fruit beer you are liable to find on shelves these days. This doesn't have a ton of residual or artificial sugars, so it already elevates the game to Golden State levels unlike other "OG" breweries that turn out some pretty saccharine-heavy sugar bombs. This beer won't give you a cavity is what I'm trying to say. Also, aside from missing the Saison base, this beer tastes like it was masterfully brewed. Anyway...my final thought is I'm getting some ginger and lemongrass notes with this, so this would be my go-to sushi beer moving forward.  

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this. This is a forgettable Saison but a memorable lemon beer. There are no lemon parties here. Just perfectly nuanced lemon goodness with a hint of ginger and meringue pie sweetness. This is one of the better attempts at a lemon beer, and I would buy a 4-pack of this sooner than I would buy some Stiegel Radler or LeinenMillerKegels Summer Shandy. 

So keep brewing this, Moody Tongue.

Random Thought: Moody Tongue sounds like a brand of acid. 

Spiteful The Whale Tickler Mango IPA

Brewed By: Spiteful Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2015 (Batch #246)

Style/ABV: American Imperial IPA/Fruit Beer, 9.2%
Reported IBUs: ?

About Spiteful: 

Spiteful Brewing was founded in January 2010 by Brad Shaffer and Jason Klein. Like many brewers, the duo started out homebrewing. As of today, the brewery houses a 2.5 BBL Brewhouse and 5 BBL Fermenters. Currently, as a nanobrewery, Spiteful Brewing is hand delivering to stores and bars. For more info, check out Spiteful's website, or their Facebook or Twitter. 

Whale Ticklers 

Tick tick tick.

"Late hours spent on the trade forums.

ISO: whalez.

FT: whalez.

The thrill of the hunt. At last, it's mine! Tickle now or tickle later? Maybe never, Whale ticklers, drink this on your hunt. Its tropical notes will brighten the most arduous whaling expedition. It's open season out there. Are you licensed to tickle?"

This is raw and cloudy in appearance, like real apple cider or any assorted juices. Head retention is surprisingly solid with lacing and foam, and there is carb abound. Look at this raw, murky ass execution. Beer uncut from a brewery that doesn't GAF except to make good beer.

Aromas are juicy with mango, pineapple, sweet citrus, sweet grass, agave, kumquat, and a basket of tropical fruit. This has some plantains as well, and rides some sweet and super juicy hop notes. This smells juicy, so if it tastes half as juicy as it smells mission accomplished.

This is raw and uncut, with juicy hops around every corner and tons of mango, citrus, some onion/garlic, juicy citrus, and juicy tropical fruit. The bitterness in this grows on the back end, and is heightened as your drink it. I'm not getting a ton of malts, maybe a faint caramel or cracker backing. 

At 9.2% I'm not getting any alcohol. This is juicy, medium-bodied, and juicy. Palate depth is good, and complexity is good. This has a slight astringent bitterness that grows over time, and works a bit against the lush, juicy notes. This is mostly a tropical juice blaster...with tons of mango, some onion/garlic/grass, and lots of nice bitterness. Would tickle again.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll toss this a Decent Above-Average. If not for the slightly astringent bitterness, this would be up there. It's a really solid beer, and I love the raw, uncut approach.

Random Thought: #whalez

Spiteful God Damn Coconut Pigeon Porter

Brewed By: Spiteful Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015 (Batch #223)

Style/ABV: American Porter, 8.2%
Reported IBUs: ?

Mmmmm coconuts. About Spiteful: 

Spiteful Brewing was founded in January 2010 by Brad Shaffer and Jason Klein. Like many brewers, the duo started out homebrewing. As of today, the brewery houses a 2.5 BBL Brewhouse and 5 BBL Fermenters. Currently, as a nanobrewery, Spiteful Brewing is hand delivering to stores and bars. For more info, check out Spiteful's website, or their Facebook or Twitter. 

The God Damn Coconut Pigeon Porter is without a website page, but the bottle reads: "Pigeons gone wild! After a late night at the pub we flipped on the boob tube only to see those god damn pigeons flaunting their assets. We knew we had to get our hands on those coconuts for our porter. Beads were the answer, so we stuffed our bags with with 'em and headed south. The play worked like a charm. Brewed with toasted coconut, this pigeon porter will have you thinking you live on the god damn equator." 

Spiteful God Damn Coconut Pigeon Porter

This pours into your typical dark, cola-black body, with a finger of tan head. What is there to say about porters and stouts these days that hasn't been said.

The aroma on this is a nice fusion of coffee, chocolate, cocoa, toasted sweetness, and layers of complex roast. It's not a super complex beer, and I'm not getting much coconut in the aroma. BUT, it smells really good for what it is, and the aroma is bold with aggressive coffee, chocolate sweetness, and roast.

You do get some nice coconut in the taste, which is what I was looking for. This drops a rich mouthfeel with tons of chocolate and coffee, and then the back palate bombs you with sweet toast, complex roast, and layers of coconut. The coconut stays in the realm of sliced coconut with some toasted coconut, and never veers into pastry la-la-land like some more complex or barrel-aged beers do. And that's okay.

This is a full-bodied beer that coats your mouth and has satisfying duration. At 8.2%, this feels bigger than it is, and consequently hides a lot of the alcohol. Palate depth is good, and this has good complexity. Up front is a lot of coffee and chocolate; the mids roll into coconut, dark fruit sweetness, and layers of roast; the back end trails with roast, coffee, shredded coconut, toasted coconut, and tons of yummy toasted notes. This is a good blend of an American-style Porter with coconut, and works well.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'll toss this a Strong Above-Average. Spiteful continues to do well with their God Damn Pigeon line of beers, and I'm happy that I picked this up. This isn't the most coconut beer I have had, but there is definitely coconut in the taste and it plays well with the strong base Porter. I could see myself buying another bottle to just sip on or pair with some coconut chocolate cake.

Random Thought: I hate not having laundry machines in-unit, ahhhh!!!

Revolver Brewing Blood & Honey American Ale

Brewed By: Revolver Brewing, LLC in Granbury, TX  

Purchased: 12oz bottle generously gifted to me; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Wheat Ale/Fruit Beer, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer was generously gifted to me, and I am excited to try it. This is a strong wheat beer described as an "ale brewed with blood orange peel, honey & spices. The bottle reads: "An unfiltered, deep-golden ale brewed with malted two-row barley and wheat. Finished with blood orange peel, Texas hone, and a blend of spices." 

The Revolver Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Granbury, TX. The brewery was founded by father and son, Ron and Rhett Keisler, with master brewer and cicerone, Grant Wood. The brewery uses in-house water from their own well, and incorporates seasonal ingredients into their beers. For more info, check out the brewery's website or Facebook page. 

As noted above, the Blood & Honey is an American Wheat Ale, brewed with malted two row barley and wheat. The beer is finished with Blood Orange zest, local Fall Creek Farms Honey, and other spices.

Revolver Brewing Blood & Honey American Ale

This pours into a juicy, unfiltered, orange-yellow body. It's murky and there is yeast sediment; it looks like orange juice and for all intents and purposes it might as well be. There's a firm white head that sticks around and will continue to stick around, as you'd expect with a wheat beer. It's purdy and if you like murky ass Saisons and rustic Wheat beers this is going to be right up your alley.

The aroma on this beer is overwhelmingly spice, with pretty pungent allspice, a little lavender, and maybe something in the realm of cardamom. Beneath the waves of spice is a nice dose of orange peel, which does come through on the aroma. The faint hint of malt on the nose suggests wheat beer, but it is blunted. 

I am instantly reminded of two beers: Jackie O's Paw Paw Wheat, and the Blue Moon Grand Cru. But this is better than both of those beers. For starters, it isn't a train-wreck, so it is an instant improvement upon the Blue Moon swill. Second, it is a bit lighter than the Paw Paw Wheat. I'm getting a really nice orange note, with lots of gentle spice. The spice leans towards allspice and flower/floral notes, with some cardamom in the mix. It reminds me of Blue Moon's Belgian White, and I would probably call this beer a White/Witbier if you handed it to me in a blind tasting. It's actually really nice, with orange peel and orange notes that continue to open up as you drink the beer. It's a real orange note, and I taste actual orange zest. The wheat malts ground the orange flavor, so this never drifts into a mimosa. The spice in the taste is much more mild than the spice in the aroma, which is a good thing. All things considered...I would classify this as a Witbier, and I would say it is really well executed. 

This beer is growing on me as I sip it. I'm not getting any of the mentioned 7% alcohol in the taste. This beer is medium-bodied with low carbonation that hits your tongue towards the mid palate. Palate depth is where I want it to be, and this is actually fairly complex. THIS ISN'T REFRESHING, per se. And should it be? Not at 7%...right? The carb, body weight, and heavy wheat malt finish never hint at summer beer to pound back while on the patio. I would definitely drink this in the summer, but this is truly the middle ground between something you would chug and something you would sip on. It opens up with lots of citrus peel, orange zest, and hints of grapefruit and mimosas up front; the mids roll into the spice and carbonation, dialing up some citrus zest, cardamom, tingly carbonation, champagne notes, and light allspice; the back end drops a healthy dose of wheat malts, and you get that hint of honey. The honey probably helps to weigh this beer down, and it feels like a beefed up Witbier in many respects.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd) 

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. Witbiers are not my style but this beer would certainly change my mind. It's really executed with finesse and has a refined quality about it that is hard to appreciate unless you have consumed a lot of different beers. It's clear that Revolver Brewing has a deft hand and they know how to infuse strong flavors like spices into their beer without turning it into a shit show. I would reach for this beer in the summer and treat it like a glass of sweetened iced tea. Something to sip on. I could also see this beer pairing well with a fruit salad, white fish, ceviche, and other summer foods.

Random Thought: I actually think this is a perfect "Texas" beer. It feels Texas to me.

Une Année Less Is More

Brewed By: Une Année Brewery in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 500ml (1 Pint 0.9 FL OZ) bottle bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Saison, 4.6%

Reported IBUs: ?

More Midwest shelf turds. About Une Année:

Une Année is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois located near the intersection of Grand and Ashland in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor (three blocks from the Goose Island Fulton St. production brewery). The brewery was founded in early 2012 by Jerry Nelson, who is "an Architect, Marine, Siebel Institute Graduate, and Chicago native who started homebrewing in 1995 while stationed in California." Currently, Jerry is the head brewer along with Dustin Zimmerman, who also attended the Siebel Institute, and previously brewed at Hamburger Mary’s Andersonville and worked at Nøgne Ø. The name "Une Année" means "one year" in French, and was chosen to reinforce the two main ideas behind the brewery: a focus on Belgian and French style beer, and an emphasis on seasonal beers. For more info, check out the brewery's website.

The Less Is More is an American-style Saison brewed with orange zest and juice. This pours into a hazy/cloudy yellow body, kicking up a couple of fingers of white head. The head retention is good, with lots of active carb, maybe overly so, and tons of lacing. This is radiant and bright...and it has good aromas.

Une Année Less Is More

This smells the part of an American Saison. The 4.6% thing means this is on the lighter side of the style, but it brings big aromas of lemons, orange juice, mimosas, wheat, white pepper, and MINIMAL yeast character. I wish this was more funky.

This isn't mind blowing, which is no real fault of Une Année. But at the same time, I've been spoiled with this style and this just seems kind of generic and streamlined, especially if juice was added. There's a lot of clean lines, bright hop notes, lemon, orange juice, citrus, some white pepper...and not much in terms of malts or yeast character. You pick up some wheat, and this hints at a bubble gum note from the wheat, but it never really takes things in the direction of the Belgian countryside. It also doesn't play up the orange juice character. It's not quite peppery enough, or mimosa-y enough. It just kind of is.

Despite being nonplussed by this beer, it does own it's 4.6% with a substantial but light medium-body. It's well-carbonated, easy to drink, and has good flavor. Palate depth and duration are middle-of-the-road, and complexity is low. Up front: lemons, mimosas light, good fruitiness, hops, wheat; the mids roll into wheat, with more lemons, orange juice, some mild white pepper; the back end rides out with juicy and clean lines. It's a bright and vibrant beer that I can't really fault except that it pretty much is what it is. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. This is really solid but I wouldn't seek it out at this price in singles. Maybe if they shoved this in a 6-pack format...I just don't think the capacity is there yet, so I do hope they can continue to grow their brand. This is not a bad beer by any means, but the Saison market is flooded with fantastic beers. Having said that, I'm excited to see where they go with these Belgian beers. And their sours. 

Random Thought: I have their Wild Ale/Sour coming up, and that I am excited for.

Blue Moon First Peach Ale

Brewed By: Miller Brewing Company (MillerCoors) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin   

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 12-pack bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: Fruit Beer/American Pale Wheat Ale, 5.6%

Reported IBUs: 15

I like peaches. About MillerCoors aka Blue Moon:

Blue Moon was first brewed in 1995 at one of MillerCoors' R&D arms; in a sandlot, in Denver, Colorado, by Keith Villa. Keith Villa is an OG player these days. He's off judging beer, and talking about his PhD in brewing from the University of Brussels. There's a PhD for everything these days. Seriously though, it's Blue Moon. Read the Wiki. 

Aside from the kind of rapey name, the First Peach Ale is a beer brewed with caramel and wheat malts; Mittelfruh hops; and is described as a "classic Belgian sour brown ale with an American Pale Wheat Ale." This isn't sour at all, and has tenuous ties to anything that is sour, therefore we can only conclude that Kevin Villa is actually a hack and the Blue Moon website is run by penises. First peach, seriously? 

Blue Moon First Peach Ale

This pours into a light brown, reddish-body. It's filtered and not at all hazy, and screams nothing Belgian or sour. There is a nice finger of wheat-fueled, amber-hued head. The hues are endless with Blue Moon. I really don't care about taking cheap shots, but Keith Villa is apparently a BJCP judge or something. Seriously, a sour?

The aroma on this is super inviting. A lot of people are calling this "overly" peachy and "too much peach." And maybe after drinking a proper soured fruit beer that could be said to be true. This actually nails the peach thing, with pronounced peach juice, peach tea, peach currants, peach pie, and Lipton Iced Tea: Peach. The aroma briefly dabbles in the realm of Del Monte Fruit Cocktails, but beneath all the heavy peach sweetness are some hints of caramel malts, and some slight candy sugar Belgian spice. And that's all I really got for this.

The taste is a shell of the aroma, and reverts to this basic Blue Moon profile present in all their beers. Again, Keith Villa, you fucking hack. You will forever be known as the corporate shill that brews these regurgitated saccharine-sweet wheat beers with this awful extract malt profile. I'm actually quite partial to Belgian beer, so whenever Blue Moon slaps their Belgian stamp on a product it sort of triggers all sorts of angst. Again, I could not care less that Blue Moon is owned by people that have enough money to clone, kill, and cover up Keith Villa and his whacky creations. I should say this beer tastes like Peach Lipton Tea, peach juice, Del Monte Fruit Cocktail, and misguided caramel malts. There's that underlying saccharine sweetness that tastes like making out on the dance floor with strangers and bar bathroom perfume aromas. 

Blue Moon has become the de facto "crafy" brand for MillerCoors, but the veil is thin. This might as well be Miller High Life with some peach juice thrown into the mix. In some respects, I like that, but I really think this beer would benefit from being slightly more hand job crafted. You just can't reproduce the complexities of those Belgian malts and those Belgian candy sugars in some Canadian sandlot. At any rate, this beer is too sweet for 5.6%. It's medium-bodied with blunted carb. The palate depth is full in all the wrong places, and this lacks complexity. It's not bad and at 5.6% I find it enjoyable...I obviously like something about this beer since I bought a 12-pack. Ummm...yeah.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. This has that great peach note up front, with some Lipton Tea in the mids....it's basically a glorified wine cooler until the back end drops those disjointed and artificial caramel malts. To add insult to injury, the 12-pack design for this beer is shitty and cheap cardboard. I picked up four 12-packs at the store, and each one broke at the handle resulting in a near-disaster. I feel like Blue Moon should make right by that and release the location of Keith Villa's clone factory. 

Random Thought: A 12-pack of this shit costs $14.99. That's not terrible, but you'd be much better off grabbing a 4-pack of Festina Peche for around the same price or less. Even the Lindemans' "Faro" Pêche is FAR AND AWAY better than this. At least that beer has some malt complexity, albeit crashing against 8 pounds of added sugar. 

On the Budweiser Super Bowl advertisement that has rustled so many jimmies...I just don't care. I really don't. I thought the ad was clever and effective. It hit its mark, and craft beer shouldn't be effected. This isn't a zero sum game anymore. Craft beer has thousands of brewers, and that's just in America. Craft beer is blowing up in other countries now, including Canada, Mexico, etc. Craft beer is also seeing a Renaissance in countries like England. So what the fuck is the big deal? So what if the commercial was emasculating or portrayed the craft beer crowd as neckbeard hipsters. Go stand in a line for any beer release...you'll be shocked to discover that it is mostly neckbeard hipsters. And many of them are as annoying if not more so than the pretentious douche pianos portrayed in the commercial. 

Marz Community Brewing Company Bubbly Creek Yuzu

Brewed By: Marz Community Brewing Co. in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Berliner Weiss, 3.0%

Reported IBUs: 10

Chicago breweries have apparently hit critical mass in the past six months, so I feel obligated to try something new. About the Marz Community Brewing Company:

The Marz Community Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois. The brewery launched in 2014, and was a project started by brothers Ed and Mike Marszewski, along with a handful of professional and amateur brewers. The website credits several "members of the Colletive," including Alex Robertson, Mike Marszewski, Pete Alvarado, Johanna Wawro, Michael Freimuth, Doktor Kazys Ozelis, Eric Olson, Ed Marszewski, Mike Redwick, Malread Case, Tom Piekarz, Eli Espinoza, and Tim Lange. This is like a football team or film credit roll, and I'm sure their list of contributors will expand. The brewery's POV is that they are a collective comprised of home brewers, professional brewers, and artists, that have united to make small, artisanal batches of beer. And that's all you really need to know. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

Marz Community Brewing Company Bubbly Creek Yuzu

The Bubbly Creek Yuzu is a Berliner Weiss-style beer brewed with yuzu. And it pours into a hazy yellow-orange body, kicking up a finger or two of that perfectly white, tightly packed, Berliner Weiss head. It's a good looking beer, with lasting carbonation.

On the aroma: a lot of mild-mannered lactic funk. The lactic notes in here include some buttery/oaky sourness sans the barrel of course, with tons of lemon, lemon tree, lemon tree leaves, wet rain, a faint pineapple note, some fruited candies, yuzu, and light wheat. This smells vibrant for a small 3.0% package.

This is actually really delicious, with simple and clean wheat, yuzu, and lemon profile, running against appreciable lactic funk. The lactic funk is well done, and there is nice griping sourness here, but it isn't too sour or too funky. 

For 3.0%, this has a surprisingly substantial body. I'd go as far as to call this medium-bodied, thanks obviously to the wheat. Despite the appreciable body, this is incredibly refreshing and drinkable. Palate depth is great for the style, and complexity is good too. There's a lot of juicy lemons and yuzu up front; the mids roll into a softer and sweeter fruit, with some candied lemon notes and wheat malts; the back end drops mad wheat notes, with some faint cracker/biscuit malts. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is a nice offering from Marz, and I hope they keep this around because I would happily pick this up again. Noice. 

Random Thought: I have a bunch of Deschutes' shelf turds that I'm debating to review. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Paw Paw Wheat

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Wheat Ale/Fruit Beer, 9.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

An American Imperial Wheat Ale fermented with Ohio's state fruit, the paw paw? That sounds pretty good. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Paw Paw Wheat is an American Wheat Ale brewed with the paw paw. The paw paw is a tropical-esque fruit that tastes similar to bananas, mangoes, and cantaloupe, with a sweet, wild-wood flavor. It sounds pretty tasty, so let's get this into a glass. 

I love the bottle art, I'm a sucker for all things tiki-tropical. This pours into a lush and radiant bright gold body, with fantastic bronze and yellow tones. The beer is slightly hazy, and kicks up that chalky white-colored head typical to American Wheat Ales. There is some Dalmatian-spotty lacing on my glass, with glossy alcohol legs to boot. 9.0%, here's to you. Cheers. Respect beerz. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Paw Paw Wheat

This has three main aromatics: huge tropical fruits, giant wheat notes, and some booze that points this in the direction of a Weizenbock or maybe a Belgian Strong Ale. I'm getting big pears, mango, tropical citrus, tropical apples, and some funky pineapple. There is definitely some wheat on the aroma, with a little clove funk, and tons of wheat fields. And, as noted already, you do get a touch of Weizenbock booze which is welcomed with this ABV.

Wow...this was not at all what I was expecting. This one is gonna require me to recalibrate, as it is incredibly thick and sweet. It reminds me of a Weizenbock and, oddly enough, strong Lagers. This has tons of wheat malts, with Pilsner-like notes, and lots of fruit. The fruit plays into some of the wheat-alcohol notes, and you get some candy notes, sweet tarts, esters that are suggestive of banana, mango, papaya, sweet melon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and some apple from the wheat.

At 9.0%, I'm not getting much booze, but this is full-bodied and sweet. The wheat adds a lot of body to the beer. This has okay palate depth, okay duration, and okay complexity. It's kind of what you would expect from the description, and that's good for me. Up front: tons of wheat, clove, banana esters, melon, mango; the mids roll into wheat, more esters, more sweet fruit notes; the back end continues to hit the fruit. This is easy-going, and very drinkable for 9.0%.  

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this; 3.5. Almost Above-Average, but I feel like if you are going to jack up the ABV to 9.0%, you had better bring a lot of noise. This just sort of rolls out the promised wheat and fruit notes. It's delicious, easy-going stuff, but the price and ABV handicaps this in some respects. There are other fruity wheat beers out there that are more sessionable, flavorful, and cheaper. Having said that, this beer would pair with some spicy Caribbean flavors, mango, and chicken.

Random Thought: I still have a bunch of Jackie O's stuff laying around...I am excited. 

5 Rabbit / Nøgne Ø Naked Rabbit (Conejo Desnudo)

Brewed By: 5 Rabbit Cerveceria in Bedford Park, IL /Nøgne Ø in Grimstad, Norway

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: Pale Ale/Fruit Beer, 6.6%

Reported IBUs: ?

I wanted to jump on this beer sooner than later. This Pale Ale collaboration between 5 Rabbit and Nøgne Ø is brewed with "juniper and mango." That sounds great, except the weather outside has been cold and shitty. About 5 Rabbit Cerveceria: 

5 Rabbit Cerveceria is an Illinois-based craft brewery launched in 2011. The brewery has a unique perspective, focusing on Latin-themed craft beer. The company is lead by CEO Andrés Araya, Creative Director Randy Mosher, and brewmaster (and former Goose Island employee) John J. Hall. For more info about the brewery, check out their Facebook or their website. 

About Nøgne Ø:

Nøgne Ø is a brewery based out of Grimstad, Norway. The brewery was founded in 2002 by homebrewers Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun. The name Nøgne Ø, which translates to "naked island," is a poetic term used by the poet Henrik Ibsen to describe the stark, barren landscapes visible in the rough sea off Norway's coast. The founders co-opted the term, because they felt it was symbolic for their passion to share their beer. Sort of like a flasher, only with beer and not balls. This "uncompromising brewery" loves Marris Otter malt and American hops. With a passion to show you their goods and brew bold beer, what could you complain about?  

The Naked Rabbit is a collaboration, as previously stated. The back of the bottle reads: 

"A chance encounter between our two breweries led to a realization of some common values and a collaboration was born. It turns out that juniper from the cool north and mango from the torrid south are soulmates, amplifying each other and blending perfectly in this characterful pale ale. Motueka, Pacific Jade and Hallertaue Blanc hops add to the beautiful piney, fruity aroma. 

The name is a mashup of our brewery names: Nøgne Ø means "naked island." It has been an honor to work with Norway's first and most important craft brewery."

5 Rabbit / Nøgne Ø Naked Rabbit (Conejo Desnudo)

This yields something very reminiscent to a Pale Ale: a slightly hazy, golden-orange, pale affair. The beer kicks up two fingers of fluffy, white, sustaining head. The head leaves nice lacing, is hop fueled, blah blah. The beer is carbonated nicely. 

The aroma is one note, like a baroque juniper symphony. Some Bach apologist will show up and defend the nuances of baroque, and your eyes will glaze like adult industry psychology majors with broken dreams. I was cracking this beer to protest the cold weather, but all I smell is Christmas. Juniper, pine, Christmas trees, Midwest forests, and some suggestions of mango that are otherwise held hostage by the overt juniper.

The taste is much more in line with what I was hoping for. Here the mango gets to shine, with refreshing waves of apple, apple slaw salad, mango, sweet pine, and big floral hops. This leans in the direction of mango and pine, with hints of floral and fruity juniper in the taste. This is clean with little in the way of malts. There's maybe some faint caramel sugars in the back, but this mostly rides on carbonation and hops with the fruity adjuncts brightening things up.

As far as fruited Pale Ales go, this is really solid. It's incredibly juicy and refreshing at 6.6%, with a light-full to medium-light body, tons of carbonation, juicy fruits, and good depth and complexity. I mean, you really can't ask more from this beer. While the aroma is unsettling, this does settle into something incredibly enjoyable. I'd be very happy butt chugging this in the Summer months. To recap, this opens with big refreshing pine, mango, and apple/slaw up front; that gives way to really nice hoppy notes, with floral pine, floral mango, some hints of citrus, and mild bitterness; the back end lingers with mango, apple, pine, juniper, and some faint caramel. This finishes clean and refreshing, and is actually both unique and drinkable.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average here. Very good for a Pale Ale. My only regret is this beer's limited availability and the price. I'd like to see this in a 6-pack on the regular. I'm going to pair this food with leftover Italian chicken with mozzarella and tomatoes, but I think you could go with some more inspired Summer dishes. Like many of 5 Rabbits beers, I think this beer would be a great food pairing vehicle. 

Random Thought: Go see Gone Girl. It was fantastic...minus some potential misogynistic implications that I am still exploring. 

Spiteful God Damn Peanut Butter And Jelly Pigeon Porter

Brewed By: Spiteful Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 (Batch #166)

Style/ABV: American Porter, 8.2%
Reported IBUs: ?

As my significant other would say, "It's peanut butter jelly time." About Spiteful: 

Spiteful Brewing was founded in January 2010 by Brad Shaffer and Jason Klein. Like many brewers, the duo started out homebrewing. As of today, the brewery houses a 2.5 BBL Brewhouse and 5 BBL Fermenters. Currently, as a nanobrewery, Spiteful Brewing is hand delivering to stores and bars. For more info, check out Spiteful's website, or their Facebook or Twitter. 

The God Damn Peanut Butter And Jelly Pigeon Porter is without a website page, but the bottle provides a detailed description: "Normally we HATE gossip, but listen to this. Colin told us the Raspberry Pigeon and Pirate Pigeon were getting hot and heavy at the Chocolate Banana Pigeon's party. In fact, we heard they GOT IT ON! What you hold in your hands is their love child, bearing notes of peanut butter and tart raspberry. Unfortunately, this means more F-ing pigeons!"

Spiteful God Damn Peanut Butter And Jelly Pigeon Porter 

This pours out like a Stout/Porter, but the head crackles away into something reminiscent of cola. The body has those rooooby rad tones, and this is surprisingly thick all things considered. To me, this beer is oily and Stout-like, not like your typical light porter affair. 

On the aroma: peanut butter and jelly. Wow. Spiteful nailed this one on the nose. The peanut butter is really coming through the nose with assertive force. I'm getting some Porter-y notes, but they hint at bread crust, whole wheat bread, and cafeteria peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The jam is descriptive and raspberry. If you've had a lot of beer and know the ingredients, you can deconstruct this into notes of roast, fruit, and coffee...but honestly, this smells like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The secondary thing I'm getting on the aroma is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  

Oh wow. This is fantastic. This is an amazing fusion of peanut butter and jelly on a relatively non-intrusive Porter backdrop. Again, if you drink a lot of beer you'll be able to deconstruct some of the base with its roast, coffee, and cocoa notes...but then the beer goes all Ken Griffey and slams you with legit peanut butter, Reese's peanut butter candies, and jelly. This tastes like peanut butter and jelly. The raspberry notes in here are constrained and nicely done. This isn't too sweet or too thick...it's just right. 

I give a lot of love to Pipeworks, but Spiteful have been flying under the radar for whatever reason. This is a perfect example of a fantastic, local, Chicago beer. At 8.2% this is medium-bodied, well carbonated, and surprisingly refreshing and drinkable. I think a lot of that falls on the raspberry addition. This has fantastic palate depth for a Porter. Porters sometimes fall of in one area of the palate or another...this one provides a full ride without cheating (it's not Stout-like). This also has good complexity. If you can't tell, I'm quite smitten with this beer. It's a nice progression with raspberry, roast, and coffee up front; the essence of the Porter then shifts into huge peanut butter, with peanut butter, Reese's candies, and more jelly; the back end just dials up the peanut butter and jelly, with hints of bread fusing the two flavors together. The finish lingers the P&J with some hints of coffee and roast. It finishes clean too.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm going to go with a Strong Above-Average on this. Not only does it deliver the promised peanut butter and jelly that is advertised on the bottle, BUT it is also a really good Porter. I'm not a huge Porter guy...I prefer the denser, bigger, roastier, Imperial Stouts. But this is really working for me. This is clean and drinkable...but flavorful and expansive. I would pair this beer with a gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Or maybe a Monte Cristo. Dammit, now I want a Monte Cristo. 

Random Thought: I realize the irony of me giving high marks to an adjunct Porter after I submitted the DDB article about bitch palates to Reddit. Oh well. Ain't no shame in being a hypocrite. 

Arcade Grapefruit IPA

Brewed By: Arcade Brewery in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (batch #2) 

Style/ABV: American India Pale Ale, 6.3%

Reported IBUs: 65

These Midwest shelf turds keep growing!! About Arcade Brewery: 

The Arcade Brewery is another new Midwest brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois. They had a successful Kickstarter launch back in 2012, and opened their doors officially sometime in 2014. The brewery is owned by Chris Tourre and Lance Curran, and the current Brewmaster is Jay Eychaner who formerly interned at Metropolitan Brewing. For more info, check out the brewery's Twitter or Website.

The Grapefruit IPA is described on the bottle as "a heroic, citrusy IPA, brewed with grapefruit juice." This one pours into a really dark and murky body...I'm really surprised at how dark this beer is. It takes on an almost maroon or brown color, kicking up two fingers of hop-fueled, brown/maroon-tinted head. If you told me this was an IPA, I'd tell you the swamp called and they want it back. It does leave nice lacing and some glossy alcohol legs.

Arcade Grapefruit IPA

On the aroma: caramel malts, orange, heavy candied grapefruit and orange, and dank hops. The hops are coated with sugars and smell dense. There is a secondary character of pine, and it is also pretty dank. This smells dank and heavy more than sweet and citrusy...I'm curious how this is going to taste.

Whew...this actually tastes pretty good. I was worried this would be a malty-intense beer like Finch's IPA, but it isn't. This isn't overly complex, but it is solid in its execution. I'm getting big grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Mimosas, and dank hops that sort of chill in the back. Actually, the hops mostly just provide some bitter resin and dankness on the finish, helping to dry out the fairly juicy and sweet front end. This really is a grapefruit juice ride, with maybe a little rind or citrus from the hops. Nice.

This is medium-light bodied, well carbonated, and way more refreshing in the taste than the aroma suggests. From the aroma alone, you'd probably be cautious about this beer. But it ends up keeping everything together thanks to the grapefruit juice. Palate depth is good, the complexity is low. This goes down smooth at 6.3%. Up front: grapefruit juice, mimosas, citrus hops, light lemon/rind; the mids roll into more grapefruit, with some bitter and dank hop character taking shape; the back end goes dark drying things out. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. This is pretty solid as far as fruit juice plus an IPA goes...BUT, it doesn't really do anything more than give you what is advertised. I'm not really blown away by the complexity or nuances of this. As it warms the malts start to come out, and you get some nice caramel, but the hops don't really stand out and the juice doesn't really stand out. I'm about to pair this with an omelette...I think that will be nice. Not bad at $7.99 or whatever I paid.

Random Thought: Tomorrow is the first day of class. Woo.