Grolsch Review

Name: Grolsch
Brewed by: Grolsch Bierbrouwerij
Type: Lager
ABV: 5%
Score: 9/10

A great beer steeped in history (est. 1615). The flavor and feel are aspirations of Heineken and Carlsberg. But the packaging is one of a kind: the swing-top cap and heavy-duty bottle make this beer a work of art.

Latitude 48 Deconstructed Pack (Five Single-Hop Beers)

Name: East Kent Goldings IPA
Brewed by: Boston Brewing Company
Type: IPA
ABV: 6%
Score: 6.5/10

One can certainly taste and smell the apricot notes in this beer. The drink is smooth but has a subtle sour aftertaste I don't much care for; I find it conflicts rather than compliments the initial crisp apricot taste.

Name: Mosaic IPA
ABV: 6%
Score: 9/10

Wow! What a refreshing change of pace after No. 1. Mosaic is perhaps the sweetest IPA I have ever tasted. It's crisp with subtle notes of pineapple and mandarin orange. An amazing single hop IPA.

Name: Hallertau Mittelfrueh IPA
ABV: 6%
Score: 8.9/10

I found this brew to be very similar to No.2. It's not quite as sweet, it's but just as balanced.

Name: Simcoe IPA
ABV: 6%
Score: 9.8/10

Gorgeous. This single hop embodies the epitome of an American IPA in my opinion. Great grapefruit flavor balanced by a malty sweetness.

Name: Zesus IPA
ABV: 6%
Score: 9.9/10

An aptly named hop-- this one is king. So much flavor, so cloying, so tantalizing.

Pale 31 Review

Name: Pale 31
Brewed by: Firestone Walker
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 4.9%
Score: 10/10

A perfect pale ale, Firestone is well on its way to becoming this connoisseur's favorite brewery.

Mutiny IPA Review

Name: Mutiny IPA
Brewed by: Capital Brewery
Type: IPA
ABV: 6.2%
Score: 9/10

Nice tangy taste and aroma, clean (and green) packaging. A solid brew.

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Review

Name: Oktoberfest
Brewed by: Sierra Nevada
Type: Marzen
ABV: 6.2%
Score: 9.5/10

Well balanced and creamy. Good quality.

Goose Island Oktoberfest Review

Name: Oktoberfest
Brewed by: Goose Island
Type: Marzen
ABV: 6.4%
Score: 9.8/10

Crisp, clean, impressive. Great work from Goose Island.

Upheaval Review

Name: Upheaval
Brewed by: Widmer Brothers
Type: IPA
ABV: 7%
Score: 9.5/10

Mellow and heavy are the words that come to mind sipping this beer. Crisp clean aftertaste. A very well done brew.

Extended Play Review

Name: Extended Play
Brewed by: Lakefront Brewery
Type: India-style Session Ale
ABV: 4.2%
10/10

What a hybrid! The flavor of an IPA but with the crispness of a session. The drinkability leave the consumer in heaven.

Lord Chesterfield Review

Name: Lord Chesterfield
Brewed by: Yuengling
Type: Ale
ABV: 5.4%
Score: 6.9/10

Crisp and drinkable, this is not a bad beer. I'll take the original Yuengling any day of the week tho.

Oaktoberfest Review

Name: Oaktoberfest
Brewed by: Firestone Walker
Type: Marzen
ABV: 5%
Score: 10/10

Well it's October. Meaning stores and restaurants are stocking multitudes of pumpkin and marzen (Octoberfest; called Marzen, the German word for March, because these beers are traditionally brewed in March and barreled until late September) beers. I figured I'd start the season off with a winner.

Oaktoberfest is magnificent. This statement should be significant coming from a man who does not put much stock in marzen beers. FW knocked it out of the park-- perfect.  

Hopalicious Review

Name: Hopalicious
Brewed by: Ale Asylum
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Score: 10/10

So much aroma, so much flavor, so little bitterness tasted. The guys at Ale Asylum pulled off what they were going for to perfection with this one.

Dog Days Review

Name: Dog Days
Brewed by: Two Brothers
Type: Dortmunder Lager
ABV: 5.1%
Score: 8/10

At first sip I didn't think much of this beer, but it grew on me. A crisp finish with notable yeast flavor; I'd recommend this brew to individuals who like Belgian-style beers.

Easy Jack Review

Name: Easy Jack
Brewed by: Firestone Walker
Type: IPA
ABV: 4.5%
Score: 9.9/10

An impressive, very drinkable IPA. 0.1 deduction for the fact it tastes exactly like Union Jack, only with half the amount of hops.

Rolling Rock Review

Name: Rolling Rock
Brewed by: Latrobe
Type: Lager
ABV: 4.4%
Score: 7.5/10

If you're beering on a budget, and still want quality flavor, Rolling Rock is the way to go. Crisp and refreshing, it's king of the commercial "light" beers. Great mission and vision to boot.

Dream Machine Review

Name: Dream Machine
Brewed by: Magic Hat
Type: IPL; India-style Pale Lager
ABV: 5.7%
Score: 10/10

YES! I have finally found a beer by Magic Hat where the amazing art and labeling is matched by the quality of beer. Hybrids are difficult to pull off, but Dream Machine blends the crisp refreshment of a lager with the hop flavor of a hearty IPA to perfection.

5 Grass Review

Name: 5 Grass
Brewed by: 5 Rabbit Cerveceria
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 6.2%
Score: 2/10

Funky taste. I liked the labeling, especially the story behind the name, but there was also a spelling error on the label.

Elder Betty Review

Name: Elder Betty
Brewed by: Magic Hat
Type: Elderberry Weiss
ABV: 5.5%
Score: 7.2/10

Solid beer. Loved the labeling, and the message under the cap was at least in the right artistic vein. My favorite by far of the three Magic Hat products I've sampled.

Midwestern Pale Ale Review

Name: Midwestern Pale Ale
Brewed by: Bell's
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Score: 9.4/10

Comments: While Bell's Two-Hearted gets all the love in the Chicago craft beer scene, its better brother flys under most radar. Midwestern is crisp with no hop notes, but no less flavorful. Pairs well with a vast variety of foods.

Hop Czar Review

Name: Hop Czar
Brewed by: Bridgeport Brewing Company
Type: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Overall Score: 6.8/10

Comments: Light amber, medium body.
Positive: Crisper and more malty-- in a good way-- than most IPAs.
Negative: Billed as having an "irresponsible amount" of hops, taste does not live up to the pitch.