Victroy HopDevil

Victory HopDevil
Victory Brewing Company
6.7% ABV I.P.A.

I chose this beer as a reviewable beer for 1 reason. The brewery. Victory. Reminds me of the victory for the free world over terrorism last night, When the Navy SEALS took out Osama Bin Laden. But enough! Let's get down to the review.

This is a hoppy beer. Hoppier than any other Victory offering I've had so far. The hops are more in your face too. The nose of the beer is hoppy, and it just gets hoppier from there. The flavor is great, slightly malty with a huge in your face helping of hops. And the aftertaste? You guessed it, hops. You would think that this sort hop flavor and smell could be a turn off for this beer. But it isn't. And I'll explain why.

This is not a session beer. This is a one and done beer. You have one, enjoy the flavor, smell, taste, mouthfeel etc. Then you think to yourself, "I could have another one of those.... Tomorrow." Which is true. So give it a shot. Enjoy it! It tastes great, looks greats, smells great. Have one and see for yourself.



And oh yeah. Let's hear it for the SEALS.

Sierra Nevada Glissade

Sierra Nevada Glissade
Sierra Nevada Brewing
6.4% ABV Golden Bock

Everyone has had Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. It has become a symbol of craft brewing. And many have tried Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, a wet hopped (read ultra fresh) IPA. But Glissade? Now there is a Sierra Nevada beer not many people have tried. And I aim to change that.

This beer is delicious. From the first Sip, you'll be hooked. IT's a fairly malty beer, with a very subtle hop flavor. Which is different from most of Sierra Nevada's offerings. But different in a good way. The hop flavor is there, but by not using so much of it, it really allows the malt of this beer to shine through. And the malt they use in this beer has a nice sweet flavor to it. The combination is a clean sweet beer, with just a touch of hop flavor.

All in all, try this beer. Everything I have reviewed up to now, I have had before I tried it for the review. This is my first new beer. And it really impressed me. Not only would I buy this beer again for myself, I would buy it for the stranger next to me at the bar, just so they could try it too. Definitely worth a shot.

Sol Cerveza

Sol Cerveza
Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc
Unknown ABV, Cerrveza

This is a nice beer. And I normally don't like Cervezas, but the I like this one. Even the label looks cool. But this beer is everything that Corona wants to be, minus the lime. Corona, for me at least, has always been lacking something. I can't put my finger on it, but it's missing something. Sol, on the other hand, delivers.

It is a nice refreshing beer. Clean tasting, malty, it goes down easy. And the next one goes down easy too. And the one after that. This is most assuredly a session beer. I think it would probably go down even better on the beach, in July, but I'll have to test that out in a couple of months and get back to you.

In short, this is definitely a must try. Just grab a sixer. I'm not saying you will have this beer in your house all the time. But in the summer, this is a great beer to have on hand, for a picnic, or a beach trip, or whatever. So give it a shot, let me know what you think.

219 IPA

219 IPA
Deep Creek Brewing Company
5.6% ABV IPA

This beer is a homebrew. I made it. So I'm sorry, I can't tell you to go out and buy one, or where you can get one. You can only get one from me. And maybe someday I'll have a giveaway on this blog, with some homebrew as a prize. But until then, just sit back, and trust me.

My 219 IPA is a nice hoppy IPA. It has a strong hop flavor, and is tempered a little bit by a nice malt body, which imparts a caramel, creamy flavor to the beer, especially in the nose. It is carbonated evenly throughout, and has a very smooth mouthfeel, something I have really been trying nail down in my beers. The aftertaste is subtle, but hoppy, and leaves you wanting more.

Is this a perfect beer? Not by any stretch of the imagination. Just try the 21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA, and you'll taste something worth remembering. But for my first really good homebrew recipe, I would call it a winner. And if you could taste it, I think you would too.

Yuengling Lager

Yuengling Traditional Lager
Yunegling Brewing
4.2 % ABV Lager

I feel as though I have to review this beer, since I live so close to where it's brewed. And in my area, if you order a beer at a bar, and you want a Yuengling, you just ask for a lager. It is the most ubiquitous beer in my area. Some places my serve Coors, some Miller, some Bud, but everyone serves Yuengling.

And they serve it for a reason. It is the beer to have if you want a session beer. You can drink Yuengling Lager all day and all night, and never get tired of it. Is it the greatest beer in the world? Not hardly. Nothing about the taste really stands out. It is a perfectly serviceable lager. But there is just something about it, at least in my area. It's a local beer, from the oldest brewery in the country. It has history.

And that, I think, is it's selling point. Philadelphia is a historical place, and we always stand behind our own. It doesn't matter how terrible a sports team is, or how silly a parade on January 1st may look, Philly sticks by its own. And Yuengling Lager is no exception. It's a Philly beer, brewed by Philly people. And it doesn't matter what it tastes like, I'll never stop drinking it.

Brew Free or Die IPA

Brew Free or Die IPA
21st Amendment Brewery
7.0%  ABV IPA

This is a great beer. It's a great beer for many reasons. Taste, color, price, container, smell, it has it all. This is an in your face IPA that comes at you in a can. Cracking that can, besides giving you that satisfying sound, lets a hoppy aroma free that few beers can match. This beer simply smells great.

Then you take a sip. This is an IPA, and there is no mistaking that fact. It's an in your face hoppy beer, and it is proud of it. Smooth, and with a nice hop bitterness, this beer is simply delightful. And cracking open a 12 ounce can is something you will do often once you've had this beer. I hate to call any beer my favorite beer, but this is definitely right up there.

It's a perfect beer for whenever you're drinking. Easy to drink, big on flavor, and big on alcohol, this is everything you want in an IPA. and since it is in a can, it's easier to take with you than most bottled beer is. All in all, this is one of my favorite beers, and definitely a must try.

Genesee Cream Ale

Genesee Cream Ale
Genesee Brewing Company
5.1% ABV Cream Ale

Maybe you've heard of this beer, maybe you haven't. If you're reading this, and you're a fan of Budweiser or Coors Original, I highly recommend you give this beer a try. It's taste to price ratio is through the roof.  It doesn't have any overpowering hop flavor, but it does have a nice malt flavor to it. Its flavorful enough that it doesn't taste plain like some watery beers do, but it gives enough flavor not to bore the palate.

It's a beer I would serve at a party, or at a tailgate. It's pretty cheap, but you're getting a good value for your dollar. Plus, it isn't a widely recognized name, so you can have it at a party and when people ask about it, you have an instant conversation starter.

In short, its a serviceable session beer. It isn't anything I would show off or call my favorite, but when I'm looking for a cheap six pack to drink during a game or have while I'm sitting on my back porch, Genesee is definitely on my list.