Flying Dog Pale Ale

2nd beer of the day... man am I exhausted. good day of skiing, up next is the hot tub!

First Impressions: amber colored, smells plenty floral for a pale ale.

Taste: Extremely hoppy for a pale ale. Strong bite which carries through the middle, only near the end taste does it mellow out and get a bit malty. Clean finish

Overall: good this is a good, if hoppier then normal Pale ale, Id love to compare this head on with SNPA

Flying Dog In Heat Wheat

First beer after a long day of skiing. It has snowed nonstop for the last 20 hours or so up here so there is plenty of fresh powder, with more to come.

First Impressions: nice cloudy orange color, smells slightly sweet in a banana way like a weisse should.

Taste: faintest of bite at first, followed by mellow weisse flavor after, and a clean finish

overall: great. This is the best American-made hefe weisse, and the similar to the originals from Bavaria

Jay Peak (long trail) Tram Ale

Having this beer at 1 AM after a harrowing snowy drive through the boonies of Vermont to reach Jay peak to go skiing with my family.

First Impressions: dark amber colored, not much noticeable smell

Taste: smoothish bite at the start, then malty middle with a clean finish

overall: good There is nothing great about this beer, but it it smooth and totally drinkable

Stone IPA vs Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA

Today we have a battle between 2 of the Giants of the IPA world. In the Left corner we have Stone IPA With a clear golden-orange color... It is my current favorite IPA. In the right corner we have SNCA which has a slightly darker complexion, and which I have heard rave reviews of on BA.

Smell: both very floral

Blind Taste test:

Stone IPA: strong hops bite at first, which continues through out. I don't taste much variation here

SN Celebration: Again a strong hoppy bite(This is an IPA after all) but the middle and end is much more balanced, I can send some malt there(though its still plenty hoppy( It definitely has some body.

Winner : Celebration

To my surprise I prefer the Celebration, to Stone. Both are very hoppy(probably the 2 hoppiest IPAs Ive had... but the Celbration has a bit more balance which makes it more drinkable. Both however are great beers

Ommegang hennepin

I got a 3 pack of Ommegang beers from my brother(pictured here) for Christmas. This is the first. I'm having it up at my family's cabin the weekend after new years with my dad after a long day of cross country skiing.

first impressions: flight citrus scent, orange and cloudy colored

taste: slight bite at first followed by a smooth and malty middle, a few citrus notes. ends clean

overall: good/great. this isn't quite great... but its definitly better then most beers Ive call "good here. Its interesting and smooth yet strong for a saison

Trader Joes 2007 Vintage Ale (dubbel)

I got this a year ago when I first noticed TJs was putting out a Christmas beer. Had one bottle then, and wasn't a fan(though my pallet has changed a bit since then Id say) Ive had some of the 2008 recently and liked it. So Im looking forward to this. Unlike most TJs beer, this is actually brewed by Unibroue a well regarded Belgian-style brewery out of Quebec.

I opened up this bottle last night at my friends Nog N Glog party

First Impressions: Dark and cloudy
ABV: 9
Taste: Small bite at first, then a highly carbonated effervescent middle, followed by a malty slightly sweet end.

Overall: great. Im a bit surprised, at how much I like this. Its significantly better then the bottle I had last year. I think the other Belgian dubbel's Ive had recently helped in that, as well as serving it at 50 degrees instead of 40ish(fridge temp) as I noticed that the other Belgian dubbels I had got better after sitting out and warming up a bit.

Ohh and the best part about it(and TJs vintage ale in general) is its $5 for a 750

St Bernardus Prior 8

2nd Beer from my St Bernardus gift pack. This is another dubbel but obviously stronger then the 6

First Impressions: Dark, almost purple colored and opaque. Smells slightly sweet.

Taste: similar to the 6, but a little sweeter, and has a bite bite at first, then mellows out to some interesting malt flavors... no aftertaste

Overall: good/great This is good beer when taken out of the fridge.... but after 20 minutes or so of warming up its great. With this, the 6, and Trader Joes Vintage ale 2008, I think Im developing a taste for Belgian dubbels(still not a huge fan of tripels or quads though)