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.