Poured from the 750 ml bottle into a snifter, Fall Migration falls exactly in line for what you’d expect from a barrel aged Belgian golden ale. It has a hazy golden-yellow colored body that became more hazy as I got to the end of the bottle, due to the yeast sediment – pour carefully. A nice fluffy white head sits atop that did dissipate somewhat rapidly, leaving a little lace and retention.

On the nose, aromas of dry oak wood, white wine, white grape flesh, funk, hay and a minor citrus note towards the back end all come into play. It does have some floral hop notes giving it a decent balance of aromas. Very nicely done, and I certainly hope the taste is going where the nose does. One sip and again you’re tasting lots of dry oak up front, followed by a crisp and clean Chardonnay quality. The use of the wine barrels is quite evident. The base beer comes through mid-palate, bringing a nice amount of yeast and spice, bitter lemon and funk. The brett gives it a good bit of funk, not sourness – ending with a very earthy and hay-like quality.

It’s crisp, clean and the barrel didn’t take much away from the body which is good. Only my second “limited” beer from Evolution and this is really well done. I shared this with wine lovers, one who loves Chardonnay, and they really enjoyed this. It’s one beer that showcases how versatile beer can be, especially with the use of wine barrels. Once again, nicely done Evolution.

Rating

93
out of 100

Poured from the 12 ounce bottle into a tulip, Tidings has a cloudy golden orange body with an initially fluffy, creamy white head. The dissipation was fairly standard, and it did leave some minor lacing and a thin foamy ring. Not at all what you’d expect for a typical “winter” beer, but then again this isn’t typical.

The nose has plenty of lemon, wheat, coriander, clove, orange oils, white pepper and a bit of sweet honey/mead in the back end. It’s a very light, airy smelling beer which I really do like about it. Well spiced with tons of aromas are going on – nicely done. The taste has a lot of the same, zippy lemon and orange citrus notes up front, backed with a seriously nice wheat and pale malt backbone. The coriander and clove come in mid-palate and give this a very bright spicy character. The back end has some sweet honey notes and a touch of a peppery flavor. It feels very well carbonated with lots of tiny bubbles around the mouth giving the illusion of a very silky smooth feel. For being 7.80% ABV this is dangerously well hidden.

Port City took a chance at doing something other than your traditional Belgian Strong Dark, Strong Ale or Winter Warmer style for the winter. A Belgian Strong Pale Ale? You just don’t see that as a winter seasonal, but this works really well. It has a lot of Witbier spices with some warming winter-like spices that really make this beer shine. A fine attempt at their first one.

Rating

85
out of 100

The Farmer’s Tan pours a clear, pale, golden color with a medium amount of carbonation. Atop the beer sits a one finger white head that leaves some rings of lace on the glass. The aroma is light crisp and grassy with hops upfront and sweeter malts in the background. A good summery aroma for a beer.

The taste retains some crispness from the flavor but it is more dry than crisp. There is also a good amount of spice from the hops backed up by some citrus from the hops as well. Before it gets too intense, it is taken back by some of the sweeter malt characters. Thanks to having a 9% ABV, there is also a slight twinge of alcohol.

The Farmer’s Tan is more of an “intense” summer beer, but I don’t know if the overkill of the spices works well. It crosses the line from crisp and refreshing into the realm of dry and weak. If toned back a bit it could be a good summer beer, and the flavors could work well together but for now, it is unbalanced and doesn’t live up to its label.

Rating

68
out of 100

Unfamiliar with the term, I did some quick research to prepare for what style I’d be drinking. True to its roots, his British Bitter had some similar visual properties to other Pale Ales. This was a robust, caramel-amber color with no haze to it. I didn’t get any head on this pour, but what was present settled instantly into a thin, sudsy ring – not bad.

The scent of this transcended what I had imagined it would be. A really nice and bright floral hop note stood out immediately. Accompanied by sweet clementine and pink grapefruit gave the nose an incredible feel. Cutting through in the end was some gooey caramel malt. What a balance and incredibly diverse, yet collaborative flavor profile.

One sip gave me a moderately unenthusiastic impression. The body was on the lighter side of being medium-bodied and felt too thin for my likings. The carbonation wasn’t really what it should have been (I think). It was weak, although present. It reminded me of a flat soda mouth. I did get some bittering hops that cut through a dry, not juicy, pineapple taste. The backbone had an undertoned maltyness that left the finish nice and crisp.

This one confused me, if I’m being honest. I liked it, but I wasn’t quite sure what entirely to make of it. The nose was incredible, complex and tantalizing while the mouth left me wondering what is missing. I’m not sure if it was the bottle I received or if how this is what Peter intended the brew to be (I hope he’ll leave a comment and tell me!). Whatever the case, I can see a definite character in the beer that will be great. The flavor profile of the mouth simply needs to be enhanced, in my opinion. The nose is such a tease.

Overall: 6.8/10

The beer pours a thick, foamy head that is more than three fingers. It’s been awhile since I ever poured a beer that is so frothy. There is clear evidence of the yeast that goes into this brew that is somewhat disguised by the carbonation that continuously bubbles. The color is clear with an orange-amber body.

The aroma of the Tremens is best described as a sharp, spicy and citrusy scent. The aroma is reminiscent of oranges and lemons and the yeast also sprinkles through the scent. It reminds me of some of the best Belgian Pale Ales.

The flavor is actually warm and inviting as it has strong citrus accents with solid carbonation. This is not a hoppy beer by any means. If you are looking to get your hop on, I would recommend looking elsewhere. The beer can be summed up with a light body and a sharp dry, biscuity taste to it.

This beer was a warm welcome after enjoying another strong Dogfish Head World Wide Stout last night. It has the potential of being really great but I was hoping for a sweeter flavor with more of a lingering aftertaste. While the Tremens is a great addition to anyone’s beer fridge, it unfortunately falls short of being something spectacular.

Rating 8.5/10

The beer poured nicely into my Arrogant Bastard [plug!] pint glass. It had a nice, cloudy and murky golden color. It was topped off with a two finger fluffy nugget head, that dissipated rather fast. The smell is loaded with hops and buttered biscuits. It has accents of floral aromas, mostly from the hops, and a nice, smooth maltyness. It was a nicely balanced, very much what I was hoping and expecting for in an Ale.

The taste has mild carbonation and was medium-bodied. It’s very drinkable, however, with a buttery biscuit type taste to it. Personally, I was anticipating a more hoppy taste though I wasn’t disappointed at all. It was a very enjoyable beer that was smooth and dry finish.

Drinking this beer reminds me of having a beer at the ballpark. It was like enjoying a freshly cut grass-in-the-air type of day (unless you’re allergic to fresh cut grass). I look forward to enjoying several of the other brews that Brooklyn has to offer. I would highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys a nice, medium-bodied Ale.

Overall: 8/10

The 12 oz bottle was poured into my pint glass and gave off a quite interesting color. It was extremely clear once the rush of carbonation settled into a nice, small, fizzy white head. The color shined a very pale yellow and left really no lacing on the glass.

The aroma was packed with spice and citrus. I expected to get a yeasty smell, considering it’s a Wheat Ale, and sure enough it was right up front. The citrusy lemon zest and peach were present but dominated by the cloves. Overall, it smelled well balanced and pretty typical for the style.

One sip of this gave me a pretty different mouthful than expected. It was pretty light and carbonated but balanced. You get the immediate up-front bite of sweetness and a flavorful lemony zing. The middle was nice and smooth with a touch of banana, and the brew took on a mild yeast backbone. Also in the finish, I got a linger of spices, it tasted like cloves again, with a touch of bitter hops, although muted.

The Sweaty Betty, in all it’s graphic and namesake glory, is a light and refreshing beer for the Spring and Summer. While the immediate mouthful is bubbly, it’s balanced, smooth overall and tastefully delicious. If you’re looking for an additional [Pale] Wheat Ale to add to your Spring repertoire, give Boulder’s Sweaty Betty a shot.

Overall: 8/10

When poured into a pint glass, either on tap or from a bottle, #9 has a pale gold color with minimal head that leaves almost no lacing on the glass as you drink it. In the description of the beer that Magic Hat provides on its website they say #9 is being “cloaked in secrecy” and that it is “An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers”. One thing that is not a secret is how fruity this beer is. The aroma is a sweet, mostly composed of apricot which only becomes more prevalent when you take your first sip. There are some other hints of various fruits, but what is not prevalent at is any real sense of hops or malt, and to an IPA lover like me who needs to taste the true elements of beer this comes off as a negative. Fruit is fine and good in a beer but it should be balanced by something else.

Magic Hat #9 is an easy drinking beer, something you would drink if you just want a beer that is not too complex and not too hard on your palate. It is a beer that you could easily hand to your mother for her to drink (assuming you mom is not a big fan of beer like mine). #9 does have a lot going for it, the fruity character is pleasant but after two can become too much.

I’m unsure how to rate this beer, I feel a sense of attachment to it. It was one of the first craft beers that I had and at initially I loved it, but as I have gained more experience its shortcomings have become more prevalent. Don’t get me wrong, Magic Hat has produced a good beer with #9 and it has a strong following but there is too much fruit and not enough bite to make it a truly great beer. The bottom line: if you are somebody just getting into craft beer go ahead and try #9 and you will not be disappointed, if you are a seasoned veteran you will probably expect more than this beer has to offer.

Overall: 7/10