Every now and then, my friends and I drink and review beers we have no business drinking or reviewing. This review features me, Petey, James and Franny.
Reuben’s Robust Porter
Thomas:
First Impression: Looks like Reuben’s.
Look: Looks like Guinness.
Nose: Dark and malty. But actually, smells like how Guinness tastes.
Taste: Tastes like how Guinness should taste. It’s a light porter, almost tastes a little thin. But it has flavor in there, and it’s definitely enjoyable. I would not recommend chugging this beer after a walk on a hot day.
Feel: Not harsh at all, an easy beer to enjoy.
Rating: 6/10
Petey:
First Impression: Taste 1 of the night
Nose: Subtle. Coffee. Pungent, but not too pungent.
Taste: Good flavor overall, a little bite at the beginning but a smooth finish. You can really taste the roasted shit in it with a nice, sweet after taste.
Feel: Prickly feel, tickles the tongue.
Rating: Goblet.
James:
First impression: It’s just their logo.
Color: Coffee color
Nose: Acidic. Almost burnt.
Taste: Bitter flavor right off the front, but then it sweetens up in the end. But it leaves a lingering bitterness in your mouth.
Feel: My mouth feels thin.
Rating: I’ll finish my taster glass I guess. If I left a pot of coffee on the burner overnight, I’ll still drink it the next day. But it doesn’t mean I love it. This is that beer.
Overall:
Wow, we’re clearly not a porter crowd. Will we drink it? Yes, since we already bought it. Will we enjoy it? More than fighting each other, sure. On to the next one!
American Brewing Honor Saison Aged in Red Wine Barrels
Thomas:
First Impression: Red wax? Very classy. Label? Kind of boring. Full package? Looks like something I would give to my parents when I come to visit, they’d tuck it away and I’d see it in their garage a year later.
Look: A nice dark blonde kind of color. It looks like it will taste like yeast.
Nose: My nose just tickled and I think I smiled. This beer is super tart smelling.
Taste: Way smoother than the smell. Kind of a thick, creamy taste to it. Not much of an after taste. This is a lot like the sorbet of beers, a decent palate cleanser. It tastes great, but it leaves you wanting more.
Feel: Thick – how we like it.
Rating: 7/10
Petey:
First Impression: Taste 2 of the Night.
Nose: Hoppy with a hint of clover…something’s in there (deep sniffing).
Taste: Very smooth, creamy taste. Is that lavender I taste? Heavy on the Saison flavors.
Feel: Creamy and smooth. Almost cleanses the pallet.
Rating: Growler.
James:
First Impression: Dat wax top.
Color: Hazy gold, as one might expect.
Nose: I can smell the wine barrels, definitely some of that saison-y yeast.
Taste: Clean. There’s that Belgian yeast. Sweet for a second, but doesn’t linger on the back end.
Feel: Creamy, yet crisp.
Rating: This beer is that girl you have a fling with for a few weeks for a summer in college but realize that even though she’s cute and can hold a conversation you’re just not ready to commit.
Franny:
First Impression: The label is boring, but pretty damn classy combined with the red wax.
Color: Classic hazy citra-y colored beer.
Nose: Yeasty and sweet.
Taste: Easy with a sweet, short and delicious backend.
Feel: Creamy without the normal weird thickness that comes along with a creamy feel.
Rating: Almost a flavorful sipper.
Overall:
Guten Bier. For what it is, you would expect more flavor. That being said, it’s definitely an easy beer to drink. Perfect for all, would drink again.
Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Stout
Thomas:
First Impression: It looks like a bottle of bourbon. But wait! It’s not! It’s just aged in bourbon barrels!
Color: Dark, dark, dark. Looks like a dark beer.
Nose: This smells like carmelly heaven. I have a feeling I’m going to love this beer. I like Anderson Valley, so ya.
Taste: I was expecting one of my favorite bourbon barrel aged beers ever. Instead I get nuts in my mouth. It was so nutty. Really nutty. Not horrible, but…nut. Like I chewed up a walnut while I was drinking this beer and the walnut pieces got stuck in my mouth. Anyway, still a good beer. I’d recommend it to a person at a bar if they asked me about it.
Feel: Felt smooth. It didn’t feel like it had nuts in it though, which was nice.
Rating: 8/10
Petey:
First Impression: Standard sticker label with a somewhat fake parchment feel/ look. The word art font with the stencil lettering… was stupid as fuck. Its like they did not pay enough money to actually use the wild turkey branding
Color: No comment.
Nose: Hearty, strong smells. This beer thinks it is tough shit. Reminds of some dark nights with Wild Turkey (101)…
Taste: So much smooooother than the smell. Good flavor, but the smell gets you so much ready for a kick in the teeth. But it barely tickled my pallet.
Feel: Smooth and tasty with a good whiskey flavor.
Rating: Growler.
James:
First Impression: Ripped off Wild Turkey. Oh wait, aged in Wild Turkey barrels. Nevermind.
Color: Dark, looks slightly viscous.
Nose: You can smell the bourbon, but not the sort of fumes that burn your nose hairs.
Taste: Much lighter than I’d expected, a bit sweet and slightly toasty.
Feel: Light, but still sticks to the tongue.
Rating: It’s like when you want dessert but don’t want to feel fat, so you go for the tiramisu instead of the mousse.
Franny:
First Impression: Looks like it’s appeal to the person just getting into craft beer.
Color: The darkest dark.
Nose: Pizza dough, and shockingly less alcoholic than expected.
Taste: The most interesting kind of sweet flavor on the backend that lingers.
Feel: Light without being boring.
Rating: Intense sipper.
Overall:
This was probably the beer of the night. Well received, and a great starter beer for someone who wants to try their first bourbon barrel aged brew.
Had These Beers?
Have you had any of these beers before? Did our reviews his spot on? Are we idiots? Let us know in the comments below!
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