357. Sam Adams – Latitude 48 IPA Deconstructed Zeus
Aug24

357. Sam Adams – Latitude 48 IPA Deconstructed Zeus

I’ve already reviewed the regular Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA.  This one is from the Latitude 48 Deconstructed 12 pack, where Sam Adams takes their Latitude 48 IPA and brews a beer with a single one of the five hop varieties used in the Latitude 48.  It’s a good chance to see what each hop variety tastes like with an identical grain bill.  For the first review of the deconstructed series, I thought I’d...

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356. Terrapin Beer – Rye Pale Ale
Aug17

356. Terrapin Beer – Rye Pale Ale

This beer was given to me by my friend Joe, which he picked up on a recent trip to the south. He really recommended this beer, and tried to brew a similar one himself at home.  I also knew this was one that was somewhat well known and well liked in the beer community.  This was backed up by the label, which indicated that this beer won the gold medal at the Great American beer Festival in 2002 in the American pale ale category....

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355. Eel River Brewing – Certified Organic Amber Ale
Aug17

355. Eel River Brewing – Certified Organic Amber Ale

I was looking for something different to drink tonight when I found this Amber ale from Eeel River in my beer fridge.  As I’ve mentioned a couple times before, my sister’s friend Courtney gave me several beers, and this was one of them. It looked interesting because the label says that it is brewed with the finest certified organic hops and barley and has a certified organic on the label. It says that Eel River brewing is...

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354. Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works – Baldock IPA
Aug14

354. Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works – Baldock IPA

My wife and I had a date night this evening and went and saw a movie (Planet of the Apes).  After the movie we decided to stop at Destihl for dinner and a beer.  We had the chicken wings, which were awesome.  She had the hefeweizen, which was way, way sour and obviously contaminated.  Fortunately, for me, the IPA didn’t seem to be contaminated.  The menu said, “copper-colored, crisp and dry india pale ale with high floral,...

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353. Flossmoor Station – Rail Splitter IPA
Aug09

353. Flossmoor Station – Rail Splitter IPA

I’m at my homebrew club meeting tonight and decided to buy a drink before the meeting.  I was looking for something I haven’t had before, and the Rail Splitter IPA caught my eye.  I had no idea who made it, and another guy at the meeting and I sat there with our phones trying to figure it out (after we both ordered one).  Initially, I thought it was from Triton Brewing in Indianapolis, since theirs was the only Rail...

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352. Spoetzl Brewery – Shiner Old-Time Alt
Aug06

352. Spoetzl Brewery – Shiner Old-Time Alt

A couple months ago, my friend Betty, who splits her time between Oregon and Texas, sent me package with a mixed pack of Spoetzl/Shiner beers.  I’ve already reviewed their Shiner Bock, Marzen Oktoberfest, and Bohemian Black Lager, so I was looking forward to trying a few more of their beers in the mixed pack. The bottle says, “This copper colored, medium to full bodied Düsseldorf style. Alts features a balance of malt and...

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351. Yazoo Brewing – Dos Perros Ale
Aug05

351. Yazoo Brewing – Dos Perros Ale

My wife is gone for the weekend and while my kids sit and watch a movie, I decided to grab a beer and relax after an afternoon at the children’s museum. I wasn’t exactly sure what this beer was, but it was given to me by my friend Joe, who liked it, and I thought I’d give it a shot. The label says, “Many Mexican beer styles today are descendents of old Austrian styles. When Austria ruled Mexico in the late 19th...

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350. Terrapin Beer Co. – Hopsecutioner IPA
Jul29

350. Terrapin Beer Co. – Hopsecutioner IPA

This beer was given to me by my friend Joe, after his trip down south a couple of months ago.  He seems to be a fan of Terrapin beers and gave me a few of them, including this one.  I was looking forward to something with a good hop flavor, so I thought I’d crack this one open after dinner this evening. Location: Enjoyed the bottled beer, in a Sam Adams perfect pint glass, at home in Bloomington, IL. Numbers: 7.2% ABV, 78 IBUs,...

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349. Boulder Beer Co. – Flashback India-Style Brown Ale
Jul26

349. Boulder Beer Co. – Flashback India-Style Brown Ale

It’s a nice warm evening, and I’m out in the backyard grilling up a steak for dinner. I don’t know if it’s possible to grill without a beer in my hand, so I headed out to the fridge and thought I’d drink whatever I happened to grab.  Out popped this brew, which I purchased a couple months ago in a “mix-a-six” pack at the local liquor store. Location: Enjoyed the bottled beer, in a Sam Adams...

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348. Lucky Bucket – Pre-Prohibition Style Lager
Jul19

348. Lucky Bucket – Pre-Prohibition Style Lager

We’re in the middle of a heatwave, and I’m in the back yard keeping an eye on the kids as they run around the yard with the neighbor kids.  I was looking for something light that I could enjoy on this hot afternoon, and went for the first lager I could find.  This beer was given to my by my sister’s friend Courtney a couple of months ago. The bottle says, “A lot of things go into making a great beer. This...

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347. Ska Brewing – Mexican Logger
Jul18

347. Ska Brewing – Mexican Logger

As I mentioned in my last post, I tried the Tallgrass Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat, and was looking for lighter beers because it’s HOT outside.  Not only did my friend Joe give me the Halcyon Wheat, but he gave me this beer from Ska brewing (both of which are top ranked beers on GoodBeerFest’s list of top 10 canned craft beers for summer).  He promise me it was of much better quality than Corona. Location: Enjoyed the canned...

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346. Tallgrass Brewing – Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat
Jul18

346. Tallgrass Brewing – Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat

It’s been a busy weekend of baseball and soccer games, and today the temperature is in the upper 90’s (although the heat index is over 100). After working outside on the garage for a little bit, I came inside and needed a cold, easy drinking beer.  Joe had given me this beer, recommending it for a hot summer day, and I figured it would offer something light and drinkable. Location: Enjoyed the canned beer at my home in...

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