Grand Teton of Victor, Idaho makes terrific beers. This stout is another one of their “cellar reserves.” It serves up sweet chocolate and roasted notes. Black Cauldron is a really rich brew, a meal unto itself, and a real delight on a cool night. Anyone who enjoys big stouts (like Brooklyn Chocolate Stout and Mackeson XXX) will really dig this beer. (Rating: Excellent)
Read more about it at http://www.grandtetonbrewing.
Editor’s note: We’re republishing this review from May 2003 because the old copy still gets so much reader traffic.
We really liked this ale. It was a beer that grabbed the happy middle ground between thin, mass produced lagers that are served ice cold and hearty microbrews and English ales that are poured at a little below room temperature.
We tasted Saranac Pale Ale from 12 ounce longnecks served bone cold. It was a incredibly refreshing, a real lip smacker after a warm day, but offered enough malts and hops to excite our palates. Well done. (Rating: Good)
See if our retailer can send you this brew by clicking here. Otherwise, for more information, surf to http://www.Saranac.com.
Editor’s note: We’re republishing this review from April 2003 because the old copy still gets so much reader traffic.
Yummmmm. This black beer is made with Northwest Harrington Klages, Crystal 135-165 and Beeston Chocolate malts, Cascade hops, rolled oats, roasted barley…and water. It’s a tender, robust, delicious stout. Truly tasty, and nicely blending both sweet and bitter notes. Stout lovers are obliged to give this one a sip. (Rating: Very Good)
See if our retailer can send you this brew by surfing to BUY BEER. Otherwise, for more information, surf to http://www.Rogue.com.
Editor’s note: We’re republishing this review from April 2003 because the old copy still gets so much reader traffic.
I first learned of Ballantine’s while reading something by Hunter S. Thompson. He seemed to like it (then again, what didn’t he drink).
At the time, I couldn’t find it: beer store guys looked at me like I was asking for some 19th century product. Now, though, it can be found with relative ease, at least in New York City. I won’t kid you: Ballantine’s XXX is a cheap beer. Yet, unlike Hollandia or numerous other thin yellow beers, it has a character all its own. Whatever hops they use (Cascade?) import a dry, sweet bouquet to what would otherwise be a very pedestrian brew. Drink it very cold, for as it warms up it loses its crispness and becomes flabby. (Rating: Good)
Churned out by Pabst, Ballantine XXX goes for $1.10 for a 16 ounce optic lime green can. You can learn a bit more about Ballantine by surfing to this fan site: http://www.jadetech.com/~smallsha/ballantine_ale.htm or the Pabst Ballantine website at http://ballantineale.com/.
Editor’s note: We’re republishing this review from April 2003 because the old copy still gets so much reader traffic.
We came across this one while in dodging junkies and snaggle-toothed street people in downtown San Francisco.
We paid $1.75 for a 12 ounce bottle. Lagunitas (that’s Lah-GOO-KNEE-tuss) is made in Petaluma, California. LBC’s IPA struck us as watery and not quite right, but this pale ale was quite good.
Pretty amber-copper color, a thin head…a nice easy ale that has good flavor, a nice balance between sweet malt and crisp hops, and a finish that bites but softly. Well done. (Rating: Very Good) For further info, contact Lagunitas at http://www.lagunitas.com.
Editor’s note: We’re republishing this review from March 2003 because the old copy still gets so much reader traffic.
Long ago, I tried a French beer. It was a disappointment. I recall asking someone else to taste it. He too thought it was awful. Our attitude, perhaps unfairly, quickly became, “The French ought to stick to wine and cheese.”
The other night I decided to try Jenlain. In New York City, Jenlain is available it in corked champagne bottles for $4 to 5. The label boasted that it was finely crafted, used excellent materials, and so forth. I was hopeful. I poured it and it was deep copper colored with a fat head. It looked beautiful in a burgundy glass. I sipped it- my face bunched up. What the hell? The beer itself wasn’t spoiled or cooked. It just was thin and had a rank flavor that overwhelmed what few pleasant notes there were. Maybe my taster was off. I asked a friend with a near bottomless belly for beer to take a sip. One was enough. We dumped the bottle. (Rating *1/2)
