Last call!

My decision to scale back the release of Complete Updated Rankings to every six months has not been a popular one. The thing is, they are a lot of work. Although I do have to admit, they are pretty out of date right now. Regardless, it is almost time for new rankings. Here is what I've been drinking lately. Last call!

Blue Hills Black Hops Beer, Score: 5
i love that they are tackling the Cascadian Dark Ale style. unfortunately there is an odd sourness that really doesn't belong.

Blue Hills Red Baron Ale, Score: 6

Brasserie Dupont Foret, Score: 7
a good saision, but i've had better for cheaper...

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Score: 7

Full Sail Wreck the Halls, Score: 8
sold as a west coast ipa meets a winter warmer. certainly the hops play a bigger role than any malts or spices -- a good thing mind you. i liked it.

Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Score: 6

Lakefront Pumpkin Lager Beer, Score: 4

Rising Tide Ishmael, Score: 6
a new maine brewer! got to say though, i thought it was a little overpriced ($6 for a bomber) being a new beer and all. i didn't like the initial aroma, which one beeradvocate user accurately identified as closest to tobacco. i warmed too this beer as i drank though and am looking forward to their next offering.

Rogue Chatoe First Growth Wet Hop Ale, Score: 7

Sierra Nevada Estate, Score: 9

Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA, Score: 5
the "e" in emperial should give it away, but this is a Double IPA in the English style. points for uniqueness, but the hops tasted almost stale to me.

Drinking on the Phoenix

While the blog may have been quiet for the past couple of months, the articles for The Providence Phoenix have kept coming. Here are some of the new beers that I've reviewed for these articles:

Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen, Score: 5

Berkshire Oktoberfest Lager, Score: 7
an oktoberfest that pushes the limits in terms of alcohol and style, but i like it.

Berkshire "Shabadoo" Black and Tan Ale, Score: 6
my favorite bottled Black & Tan.

Berkshire Sour / Imperial Stout Blend, Score: 10
one of the most creative, most exciting beers i have had in some time.

Clipper City Heavy Seas Märzen, Score: 5

Coney Island Freaktoberfest, Score: 5
a brash beer with a clever name... we wouldn't expect anything else from the makers of He'Brew Jewbelation!

Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest, Score: 7
probably my favorite german oktoberfest.

Left Hand Oktoberfest, Score: 5

Mississippi Mud, Score: 4
not the finest beer ever made, but its a lot of fun to drink out of this pseudo-moonshine jug.

Paulaner Oktoberfest- Märzen, Score: 6

Portsmouth Octoberfest, Score: 7

Saranac Black and Tan, Score: 4
watery, dull.

Southern Tier Unearthly, Score: 9

Spaten Oktoberfestbier Ur- Märzen, Score: 4

Thomas Hooker Octoberfest Lager, Score: 6
another unusual oktoberfest with 6.1% abv, medium bodied, and decent hopping.

Weihenstephaner Festbier, Score: 7
very bitter for an oktoberfest... and not in a bad way.

Yuengling Black and Tan, Score: 5

ProPho: Beer: It's what's for breakfast

Good morning!
By JOSH SMITH December 1, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/food/112086-beer-its-whats-for-breakfast/

Breakfast beers aren't for everyone. People will think you have a problem. But we aren't talking about a hair-of-the-dog here — we're drinking beer because it goes great with breakfast!

Beer belongs at the breakfast table for several reasons. For starters, whenever talking about food and beer pairings, you should start by seeking out complementary flavors. Indeed, many of beer's flavors are also present at breakfast; the most prominent being coffee, grains, and fruit.

Furthermore, the malted barley in beer makes for a hearty, carbo-loaded beverage to get your day off on the right foot. Of course, you don't want too much alcohol to start the day, so reasonable Alcohol By Volume (ABV) levels or small quantities are a must when trying to find the perfect breakfast beer.

As with anything, breakfast beer is ultimately a matter of individual taste. That said, certainly some styles of beer work better in this situation than others. I've always thought the dark, heavy, coffee-flavored breakfast stouts and porters fit best. These darker styles substitute perfectly for coffee alongside eggs, breakfast meats, pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, or, my personal favorite, biscuits and gravy.

That said, lambics, fruit beers, and wheat beers can also work. If opting for a lighter breakfast of fruit, yogurt, bagels, or pastries, you're better off going with a lighter beer as well. Each of these styles offers some sweetness and liveliness that are sure to brighten your day.

I am not advocating for my readers to start boozing it up before work each day. But on a weekend (especially as temperatures drop), one of these 10 breakfast beers can really add something to your morning.

10) BALLAST POINT'S VICTORY AT SEA COFFEE VANILLA IMPERIAL PORTER is one of the beers on the list that I've already tried out as a breakfast beer. Moving a friend one cool, fall morning, the vanilla flavor in this imperial porter really stood out . . . and paired nicely with a stack of pancakes.

9) NEWPORT STORM'S RHODE ISLAND BLUEBERRY is a solid fruit beer, and a nod to the fact that the style — while not my favorite — can go well with certain breakfasts.

8) GREAT DIVIDE ESPRESSO OAK AGED YETI IMPERIAL STOUT is the most ambitious beer on this list. With 9.5% ABV and intimidatingly dark pour that most closely resembles motor oil, this is a beer best shared.

7) GOOSE ISLAND 312 URBAN WHEAT worked nicely one morning at a bar outside of Fenway Park while waiting for the game. This wheat beer has a floral hoppiness, light lemony taste, and is exceptionally easy to drink.

6) DOGFISH HEAD FESTINA PÊCHE isn't my favorite Berliner Weiss, but is the only widely available version of a style that demands a seat at the breakfast table. Both sour and sweet, Berliner Weiss is a fun style that would nicely wash down most any breakfast.

5) REDHOOK DOUBLE BLACK STOUT (WITH COFFEE) is easily the best beer I've had from this regional brewer. Coffee flavor is joined by a sweet nuttiness and hint of vanilla.

4) LINDEMANS KRIEK LAMBIC adds black cherries to create a pleasantly sour brew. Most of you are probably most familiar with Lindemans for their FRAMBOISE, but this is a far more refined, drinkable beer.

3) MIKKELLER BEER GEEK BREAKFAST is an awesomely named Imperial Stout from Denmark. Dark roasted flavor is offset by a lively bitterness. It's worth noting that there's also a smoked version of this beer called BEER GEEK BACON! Pretty awesome idea.

2) BRASSERIE DIEU DU CIEL PECHE MORTEL deserves consideration as the ultimate breakfast beer. Plenty of coffee here, from a rich java smell to a sharp, burnt coffee flavor. Complex and balanced, this is a joy to drink any hour of the day.

1) FOUNDERS BREAKFAST STOUT ultimately is too good to pass up for the top spot. Coffee is present from start to finish, plus other breakfast-friendly ingredients like molasses and flaked oats. It's the velvety creaminess that makes this such a great fit with breakfast. So summon up some self-confidence and pour yourself a beer with breakfast!

ProPho: Time for thanks

Giving beer a place at the table
By JOSH SMITH November 17, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/movies/111674-time-for-thanks/

The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock nearly 400 years ago, shortly after running out of beer. Certainly beer was consumed the following year at the first Thanksgiving. So surely beer belongs at your own table this Thanksgiving!

But which one . . . or ones? Anyone who has walked into a package store lately understands this won't be an easy decision — the past few years the market has been absolutely flooded with quality craft beer from all over the world! (It's one of those good kind of problems.) The feast that is Thanksgiving isn't an especially easy meal to choose pairings for either. With so many different flavors present, you could go in a lot of different directions. Fortunately, beer is incredibly versatile and really quite easy to pair with food.

The general rule of thumb is that lighter foods require lighter beers, and heavier foods need something a little darker. (That said, sometimes it may be more appropriate to contrast flavors, highlighting the opposing characteristics in each.) Hoppy beers are more appropriate with bold or spicy dishes, so don't really work with the sweet and earthy nature of most Thanksgiving staples.

Now if your family is anything like my own, there is going to be so much fantastic food that you won't want to fill up on beer. For that reason, I recommend shying away from malty amber's and those few remaining Oktoberfest's. Also, I'm looking for beers that are fairly accessible since family gatherings are the perfect opportunity to win over new craft beer converts! While SIERRA NEVADA'S BIGFOOT BARLEYWINE STYLE ALE might go well with dessert, its intense nature is sure to scare away whoever you are sharing the bottle with. Beer is a great thing to socialize with and bond over, so be sure to bring enough to share.

So let's get to it. Personally, I'm planning on bringing three different beers with me to Thanksgiving, one for each segment of the meal. For starters, you'll want a light but flavorful beer to go with appetizers. A Belgian Pale Ale like DUVEL fits this description perfectly. Easily one of my five all-time favorite beers, Duvel is crisp, fruity, yeasty, and has a depth few can rival. This is certain to be a crowd pleaser. If Duvel's hefty price tag makes you hesitate, a hoppy pilsner like VICTORY'S PRIMA PILS makes a very suitable (and very sessionable) replacement.

Far more difficult is selecting a beer that goes with turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes (both regular and sweet), cranberry sauce, and all those other family favorite dishes. Conventional wisdom says to play it safe and complement the subtle nature of these dishes with a beer of the malty persuasion. I would recommend, rather fittingly, MAYFLOWER'S THANKSGIVING ALE. Now when I first saw this beer on the shelves it seemed a little gimmicky, but it does earn its title! With caramel and nutty malts and a hint of vanilla there is a delicateness and depth to this beer that complements the meal very nicely.

Ultimately though, Belgian beers work best given their high alcohol levels and renowned complexity. Alcohol does a good job cutting through fatty meats and starchy vegetables, and the beers ranging flavors are able to find a companion somewhere in the Thanksgiving smorgasbord. Take OMMEGANG'S ABBEY ALE. This superb Dubbel boasts a sweet, malty backbone, a robust 8.5% ABV, and flavors ranging from toffee to dried fruit to cinnamon. Slightly more approachable for the novice beer drinker might be a fruity and refreshing Farmhouse Ale, like SAISON DUPONT. And Duvel would be perfectly suitable here as well. When it comes to Belgian beer, you can't go wrong!

Dessert again presents a number of options: Stout, Porter, Fruit Beer, Lambic, Barleywine, or Winter Warmer come to mind. Dark beers go over well in my family, so I am probably going to bring the tasty YOUNG'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT or STONE's bold IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STOUT. On the other hand, it's hard to beat pairing your pumpkin pie with SOUTHERN TIER's perfectly spiced PUMKING. There are some hard decisions to be made this Thanksgiving, but as long as you choose beer it should be an enjoyable holiday.

ProPho: Excellent exbeeriments: The wonderful world of beer blends

Black and Tan and you
By JOSH SMITH November 3, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/movies/110961-excellent-exbeeriments-the-wonderful-world-of-bee/

It is possible go into virtually any bar and order a Black and Tan. And if recent growth continues, soon it may not be the only blended beer available.

In the ever-expanding universe of craft beer, the practice of blending two or more beers together is currently experiencing a renaissance. Of course, bartenders and brewers have been blending beer for centuries. In Belgium, Gueuze style beers have always been created by combining and refermenting old and young Lambics. The first Black and Tans popped up as early as the 18th century, with pub goers ordering a mix of dark and light beers.

Contrary to popular belief, Black and Tans did not originate in Ireland, but in England. (In fact, the term Black and Tan has a very negative connotation in Ireland since that was the same name of a British force that once terrorized the country.) Typically, 50 percent of stout or porter is mixed with 50 percent of bitter, pale ale, or pale lager, producing a flavorful, yet easy-drinking session beer. By far the most common version involves GUINNESS DRAUGHT and BASS PALE ALE.

While most countries simply mix the beers together, in the United States Black and Tans are carefully separated. You start by vigorously pouring half of the Bass into a pint glass (producing a sizeable head will help to separate the beers.) Next, hold a spoon over the glass and flip it upside-down, pouring half of the Guinness slowly over the bottom-side of the spoon. If you are careful not to disturb the "tan" on the bottom, the "black" should layer distinctly on top, giving you a beautiful Black and Tan!

Obviously, some science is at work here. Although it may not look like it, Bass and most other Pale Ales actually have a higher specific gravity (or in non-home-brewing-terms, weight) than Guinness. Guinness' low gravity makes countless other layered blends possible, including "Half and Half" (Guinness and Harp), "Black Castle" (Guinness and Newcastle), "Black Smith" (Guinness and Smithwick's), and "Black and Blue" (Guinness and Blue Moon).

If a bartender can dream up these beers, so can you! I have conducted several exbeeriments (thank you, thank you) with varying success with several of my favorite Stouts and IPAs. Instead of Blue Moon, I've also tried a "Black and Blue" that substituted SEA DOG BLUE PAW WHEAT ALE. That didn't work for me. What did work was a "Black and Red:" Guinness and LINDEMAN'S FRAMBOISE, a raspberry lambic; 20 percent Framboise is more than enough to give this old favorite a sweet new twist.

Not surprisingly, several brewers have attempted to capitalize on the popularity of Black and Tans with bottled versions. YUENGLING BLACK AND TAN is the most visible example, a mixture of their porter and traditional lager. Like many of the bottled Black and Tans, the darker beer dominates and this ends up feeling like a watery porter. MISSISSIPPI MUD is also porter and pilsner, but the most interesting part of this beer is the gimmicky moonshine jug that it comes in. In fact, the only decent bottled Black and Tan that I've had was BERKSHIRE'S "SHABADOO" BLACK AND TAN ALE. Roasted malts, an edge of bitter hops, 6.3% ABV, creamy mouthfeel, drinkability — this beer has it all!

Another favorite bottled beer blend is OLDE BURNSIDE'S DIRTY PENNY, 60 percent Scottish Ale and 40 percent Stout. The result is a unique, sweet brew that is shockingly sessionable. OMMEGANG'S THREE PHILOSOPHERS mixes their quadruple with Lindeman's Kriek to create an unusually strong, dark beer with an exceptionally sour finish. Add in the launch of new blended beers from several elite California brewers — Russian River, Lagunitas, and Firestone Walker included — and a trend is clearly at hand.

Some more traditional beer geeks may cringe at this seeming disregard for the integrity of a brewer's creation. But remember, craft beer is supposed to be fun and innovative! As craft beer grows more sophisticated, enthusiasts must constantly be on guard against the snobbery that plagues some wine drinking circles. So grab a couple your favorite beers and give blending a whirl tonight. You never know what your exbeeriment might produce!

Ebenezer's sister

My experience at the world's number one beer bar - Ebenezer's in Lovell, ME - has been well-documented on this blog. Not surprisingly then, the recently opened sister bar of Ebenezer's, The Lion's Pride in Brunswick, has ranked high on my to-do list. Last week on our way home for Thanksgiving, Kelly and I got the chance.

For starters, this was a sizeable place with a pretty big bar and even bigger eating area. Much like at Ebenezer's, beer paraphanalia lines the walls, albeit with more representation from American brewers. But what really caught my eye were the apparently hand-blown, illuminated, glass tap handles. I've never seen that before!

The tap list was as great as expected. Lots of great Belgian beers that I have never seen on tap anywhere else. I will say, however, it wasn't close to the quality of the taps in Lovell - I didn't see anything vintage on tap. My biggest problem with this place is the fact they don't have a single written list of their abundant supply of bottles. Get your act together guys!

The food was good and reasonably priced. I got a lobster roll and Belgian frites for $14. The beers are substantially more pricey, but worth it. I ordered the Sinebrychoff Porter (9) from Sweden. Much like the menu promised, this is one of the best porter's I've had with tasty charred coffee making up the backbone of this beer. My wife went for the BFM Tarry Suchong (3) sold to us as a sour beer with tea as an ingredient, but labeled as a smoked beer by BeerAdvocate. I didn't enjoy this beer for the note of antisceptic within.

This was a quick trip but there will definitely be a return visit. Of particular interest, other beers on tap included: Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge a Flanders Red Ale, Jan de Lichte a 7% Witbier, De Glazen Toren Onkineke Oilsjtersen Tripel, Van Steenberge Biere du Boucanier Golden a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, and De La Senne Stouterik an Irish Dry Stout. Talk about a to-do list!

Weekend in Portland

A weekend in Portland saw a lot of the normal haunts: Novare Res, Great Lost Bear, and Sebago Brewing. What was new was Mama's Crowbar, an awesome neighborhood bar on Munjoy Hill that I discovered thanks to Beer Advocate. Only four taps, but the bottle selection was stellar and it had a great relaxed vibe that many brewpubs lack. Add it to your list of must-stops in this craft beer destination.

Bavik Petrus Aged Pale, 5
all sour white grapes, not exactly delicately balanced.

Maine Beer Company Zoe, 8
my second offering from maine beer company and it was a fascinating amber. very hoppy, but with a heavy caramel malt backbone. try this beer.

North Coast Brother Thelonious, 4
a belgian strong dark ale. very dense with lots of dark fruit. reminded me of a red wine, or port even.

Run of the Mill What's Hoppenin' IPA, 6
bitter, with a slightly raw note.

Sebago Saddleback Ale, 3
i was expecting a simple light lager, but for some reason there was a fair amount of spice. not for me.

Sierra Nevada Blackbird Black IPA, 8
surely the style of cascadian dark ale (or black ipa) has arrived when sierra nevada's version makes it to the east coast. true to style with a sharp bitterness.

Recent ratings

Ratings dump! A lot of these are coming from the Beervana Fest in Cranston back in October. It was a great festival with a lot of new beers. So some good stuff in here, check it out!

Berkshire Lost Sailor IPA Aged in Cab Barrels, Score: 7
aging in wine barrels is hardly unusual at this point, but haven't tried an ipa like this. sour grapes take over the beer. fascinating.

Brahma, Score: 2

Brooklyn Local 1 (2006), Score: 7

Cisco Cherry Woods, Score: 7

Cisco Lady of Woods, Score: 8

Cisco Pumple Drumkin Spiced Ale, Score: 3

Clown Shoes Clementine Wit, Score: 7

Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA, Score: 9
my first beer from this michigan brewer -- i would love to see more midwest brewers make it this way in the future. great aroma and a very clean ipa.

Dogfish Head Fort (2006), Score: 3

Dogfish Head Old School, Score: 4

Dubuisson Peche Mel, Score: 10
all peach flavor with a fluffy mouthfeel. a great digestief.

Dupont Lambucha, Score: 8
green tea and spearimint make this feel fresh and quenching. worked pretty well.

Founders Porter, Score: 8

Frosty Knuckle Ale, Score: 4

Goose Island Bourbon City Stout, Score: 7

Harpoon Wood Aged Belgian Pale Ale, Score: 6

Heavy Seas The Great Pumpkin, Score: 7

Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew, Score: 7
most ginger beers are all spice, but a forward hop presence and a lot of darker belgian qualities makes this a must try.

Ithaca Brute, Score: 8
a wild ale that is very lively, lemony.

Kasteel Rouge, Score: 10
all cherry, all the time. smooth and delicious.

Meantime London Porter, Score: 9

Newport Cyclone Neo, Score: 7
fresh hops, sticky sweet -- this felt more like a double ipa than an american pale ale.

Offshore Great Pumpkin, Score: 5

Ommegang BPA (Belgian-style Pale Ale), Score: 9

Ommegang Cup o Kyndnes, Score: 5

Portsmouth Bottle Rocket IPA, Score: 9

Portsmouth Hefeweizen, Score: 5

Portsmouth Octoberfest, Score: 8

Rogue Hazelnut Brown, Score: 8

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary - Fritz and Ken's Ale, Score: 8

Smuttynose Chai Porter, Score: 6
kelly and i were excited to try this. the chai gave it a very coarse, cloroseptic-like feel. enjoyable but i wouldn't drink much of it.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee Milk Stout, Score: 9

St. Feullien Saison, Score: 8

Traquair House Ale, Score: 7

Trinity Decadence IPA in a Cask, Score: 5

Upright Four, Score: 7
a new brewer across from the rose garden in portland, or. as their "table beer," this saison is very light in body, with a refreshing grassy nature.

Breaking news: Full Sail in Massachusetts!

I had a hunch this was coming and today I found out for sure: Full Sail brewery of Hood River, Oregon is now available in Massachusetts!

This is a big deal. I have been clamoring for years to get some of those fine Oregon brews (beyond Rogue and Widmer) out to New England, and now it has happened! All we have to do now is get Deschutes and Hopworks...

Full Sail is an excellent brewer. Their Session, Amber, and Pale Ale are all top-notch, balanced, drinkable beers. The IPA is nice and flavorful, if not quite a full tilt West Coast IPA. Their Chris's Summer D-Lite is still the best Berliner Weisse I have ever had (but I don't expect to see it out this way any time soon...) Regardless, Full Sail has a great track record and really knows what they are doing.

For more details, check out the writeup from one of my favorite Massachusetts beer bloggers, Beer Nut: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/features/x893358815/The-Beer-Nut-Full-Sail-ahead-in-Massachusetts

So keep an eye out for Full Sail so you can enjoy a Pale Ale along with me!

CBC Great Pumpkin Festival 2010

Cambridge Brewing Company had one serious Halloween party last night! 30 pumpkin beers from CBC and other guest brewers were on tap, along with a menu full of creative dishes using pumpkin in some fashion. It didn't end there either, the whole restaurant and courtyard were decorated, many came decked out in costume, and at 10 pm they tapped a giant pumpkin full of beer! There was a $10 cover, it cost $1.25 for most samples, and we had to wait 1 1/2 hours in line to get in, but it was well worth it. A highly recommended event for next year -- just come early.

Allagash Ghouleschip, Score: 7
probably had the biggest buzz going.

American Flatbread Cornucopia, Score: 5
overly spiced and muddled.

Cape Ann Fisherman's Imperial Pumpkin Stout, Score: 7
a more alcoholic version of one of my favorite beers.

CBC Black Magic (Cask), Score: 9
espresso and chipotle, two of my favorite flavors in beer!

CBC Ich Bin Ein Kurbisweisse, Score: 10
simply fantastic. one of my favorite styles and the just nailed the pumpkin syrup you add in. sour and sweet -- kelly and i could drink this by the pitcher full.

CBC Punjabi Pumpkin, Score: 6
curry used barely registers... probably a good thing.

CBC The Great Pumpkin Ale, Score: 6
seemed like CBC's version of pumpkin Bud Light.

CBC The Great Pumpkin (Giant Pumpkin), Score: 4
flat and real earthiness to it. nice to see i wasn't the only one that struggled with the whole pumpkin keg concept. very fun though.

CBC The O.P.P., Score: 6
a sour porter with a little spice. odd but not bad.

CBC The Pumpeter!, Score: 7
a black and tan with their porter and great pumpkin. pretty good.

Elysian Hansel & Gretel, Score: 6
certainly do taste the ginger.

Iron Hill Pumktoberfest, Score: 6
one of the most over-the-top spiced beers of the night.

Jolly Pumpkin La Parcella, Score: 6
a sour that didn't quite mesh.

Rock Art Imperial Spruce Pumpkin Stout, Score: 7
a very textured imperial stout. good.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, Score: 7
solid, if a little unexciting.

The Alchemist Uncle Daddy, Score: 9
this was very good. a saison without spices, and none were needed.

Wormtown Pumpkin Ale, Score: 7
my first from this worcester brewer. light and sessionable.

ProPho: The best of Oktoberfest beer

Falling for an old style
By JOSH SMITH October 13, 2010

The Oktoberfest style of beer actually predates the first Oktoberfest celebration of 200 years ago. The other name by which this ancient style is known gives us a hint of its true roots: Märzen.

In the days before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew quality beer during the hot summer months. Instead, Germans brewed beer for the summer in March (or Märzen) and then stored the beer in cellars and caves filled with ice. The last of these batches were typically consumed in October, in time for the barrels to be reused for fall brewing. Eventually, inclusion of the style in Oktoberfest festivities became a natural fit.

The characteristics of the Oktoberfest/Märzen style were also shaped by history. Beers with higher alcohol levels preserve better and, as a result, Oktoberfest beers typically register a healthy 5-7% alcohol by volume. While a decent amount of hops are also used to help preserve the beer, after aging for three or four months the beer will mellow to have a decidedly malty tilt.

For the best representatives of the style we'll start, of course, in Germany, with a brewery that traces its roots back to Munich in 1417. HACKER-PSCHORR'S ORIGINAL OKTOBERFEST is deep red in color with a husky malt aroma that is distinctly German. The flavor is of nutty and caramel malts, but has a light, silky mouthfeel that allows one to drink another. Another personal flavor is PAULANER'S OKTOBERFEST- MÄRZEN. The toasted malts have a little more heft to them, but a balanced flavor also provides drinkability.

SPATEN OKTOBERFESTBIER UR- MÄRZEN is another widely available German Oktoberfest, albeit a fairly one-dimensional one with a building sweetness. AYINGER'S OKTOBER FEST- MÄRZEN is a little better with malts that taste fresh and crisp, a lighter body, and cleaner mouthfeel. WEIHENSTEPHANER FESTBIER is unquestionably the most unusual Oktoberfest I've had from Germany, with far more bitterness than a typical Oktoberfest. Still an enjoyable beer, but hardly true to style.

But what about the proliferation of American-brewed Oktoberfest beers? Now-adays it seems nearly every craft brewer makes an Oktoberfest, with a great deal of variation across the style. I think PORTSMOUTH'S OCTOBERFEST best follows the spirit of its German brethren with its ability to check the bready malts with some light herbal hops. This helps to create the lightness and drinkability you need in an Oktoberfest. My other favorite is BERKSHIRE'S OKTOBERFEST LAGER with its sweet, slightly spiced nose. Indeed, this seems to aspire to be a pumpkin beer, and a robust one at that with 6.8% ABV! Berkshire is certainly pushing the limits, but I love this beer.

Other options worth picking up include the strong but balanced THOMAS HOOKER OCTOBERFEST LAGER. LEFT HAND'S OKTOBERFEST has a more traditional maltiness, but stops short of being overly sweet. While a step below any of these four, SAMUEL ADAMS OCTOBERFEST, HEAVY SEAS MÄRZEN, and VICTORY FESTBIER are undoubtedly all readily available at your local package store. Move quickly if you haven't gotten your fix of Oktoberfest beers yet — winter warmers are right around the corner.

I would be amiss not to check in about the other exciting fall happening: the first annual Providence Craft Beer Week. Feedback seemed overwhelmingly positive, with events taking place throughout the city the first week of October. I got a chance to try BERKSHIRE'S SOUR/IMPERIAL STOUT BLEND on tap at the Avery, SOUTHERN TIER'S UNEARTHLY DOUBLE IPA at Julian's, and DOGFISH HEAD'S THEOBROMA chili beer at Brown's Graduate Center Bar. Throw in some freebies from the brewers and these were some fun events.

Capping it off was Beervana Fest in Cranston, the most extreme festival I've ever been to. Seemingly every brewer brought their Double IPA or Imperial Stout, many times after having been aged in wine or bourbon barrels. Highlights included BROOKLYN'S '07 BLACK CHOCOLATE STOUT, DUBUISSON'S PÊCHE MEL, and OMMEGANG'S BELGIAN PALE ALE. With speakers and entertainment throughout the night, gourmet food from Julian's on hand, and a pretty respectful crowd, this festival was a joy to attend. Kudos to all the organizers of what we hope will be many more Providence Craft Beer Weeks.

ProPho: Get ready for Providence Craft Beer Week!

By JOSH SMITH | September 29, 2010
http://portland.thephoenix.com/food/109267-get-ready-for-providence-craft-beer-week/

With the weather cooling down and the Oktoberfest 200th anniversary celebration in full swing in Munich, October just feels like beer drinking season. So it's only fitting that the first annual Providence Craft Beer Week will take place October 1-8.

The festivities are patterned on the massive Philly Beer Week that originated in 2008 and now draws visitors from across the country to the Greater Philadelphia area over the course of 10 days in June. More than two dozen cities have hopped on board with their own local beer celebration. And now Providence is going to join in on the party.

Each night bars and restaurants across the city will host different craft breweries, Oktoberfest celebrations, beer dinners, and neighborhood pub crawls. To cap it all off, on Friday, October 8, the Beervana Fest will take place in Cranston, showcasing more than 200 of the world's best craft beers. With events being added by the day, it seems there will be something for everyone during the course of the week.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Julian's is up front beating the drum for Providence Craft Beer Week. Together with the Avery and E&O Tap, the neighborhood bars are teaming up to create the "Beermuda Triangle." Fourteen different brewers will host special events each weeknight. And since none of the bars is more than a three-block walk from each other, this is one Triangle you should be able to navigate your way around.

While each bar will have their own approach to these special brewery nights, Julian's events are a good example. Four tap lines will be dedicated to the guest brewery, while a representative will be on hand from 9 to 11 pm to give away some freebies. For any craft beer enthusiast, the chance to talk beer with knowledgeable people from inside the industry is a pretty exciting opportunity.

It's an all-star lineup too. Monday is arguably the best craft brewer for the canning category, Oskar Blues of Colorado. On Tuesday, the always creative Dogfish Head Brewery is bringing beers using such eclectic ingredients as rice, pumpkin, and blackberries. On Wednesday Julian's will welcome western New York's Southern Tier and my absolute favorite pumpkin beer: Pumking. And on Thursday, New Hampshire's Smuttynose Brewing is coming to town with its executive brewer, David Yarrington, two vintage beers, and two special series beers.

Dan Henry, a field manager for Smuttynose, summed up the excitement around these events: "The people at Julian's treat beer in a way a lot of people don't." So when Smuttynose offered to bring a couple of rare vintage beers to the event, Julian's jumped at the opportunity. "Our vintage beers have done a spectacular job aging," Henry said. "Many taste like a totally different beer. They have mellowed with a different body to it, going the way of a fine sherry." I'm sure he is right, but want to find out for myself.

As if this isn't reason enough to venture to the West Side, the other points of the Beermuda triangle have some pretty amazing brewers lined up. The Avery is will have Providence's own Trinity Brewhouse on Sunday, Heavy Seas on Monday, Harpoon Tuesday, Smuttynose Wednesday, and Wachusett on Thursday. Over the same five nights, E&O Tap will welcome Redhook, Blue Point, Cisco, Abita (of Louisiana), and Ithaca. It's especially encouraging to see local businesses engage in collaborative efforts such as these for the sake of the Craft Beer Week.

The Beermuda triangle is just the beginning. Consider:

• On the other side of town, the Wild Colonial Tavern has lined up four evening events of its own: Harpoon (Monday), Cisco (Tuesday), Dogfish (Wednesday), and hometown favorite Narragansett (Thursday). Narragansett will be bringing Fest, their new Oktoberfest beer, among others.

• English Cellar Alehouse is a fitting place for Maine's Shipyard Brewing and its traditional, English-styled beers on Monday night. Next come Cisco, Victory, and Wetten Importers.

• If you are lucky enough to have access to Brown's Graduate Center Bar, Cisco (Saturday the 1st) and Dogfish Head (Wednesday) will make an appearance.

• New York craft brewer Blue Point will be dropping in at Harry's Bar and Burger on Wednesday.

• Union Station Brewery will be throwing an Oktoberfest celebration on Friday, while Loie Fuller will have Oktoberfest beers on tap and German food available all week long. Bring your best authentic German costume, if possible.

• The Apartment will welcome Long Trail, Shipyard, and Pennsylvania's excellent Victory Brewing on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, respectively.

• Snookers will see Shipyard, Long Trail, and Wetten Importers (of such notable beers as Delirium Tremens and Kasteel Rouge) Tuesday through Thursday.

• Vermont's Long Trail will also be at Scurvy Dog on Thursday.

• And Pawtucket is getting into the act with Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub hosting events each weeknight, including what promises to be a fantastic beer dinner with Peak Organic of Maine on Wednesday.

The week culminates with a massive beer festival on Friday at the historic Rhodes-On-the-Pawtuxet in Cranston, Beervana Fest promises to be a seriously good time. From 6:30 to 10 pm, the ballrooms of the Rhodes will be transformed with 1000 beer enthusiasts in attendance.

Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 at the door and entitle you to a tasting glass, festival guide, bottle of water, entrance into educational seminars and, of course, 2-ounce pours of some of the world's best craft beers. By my count more than 200 beers will be available from the 30 domestic brewers and even more international brands present.

I caught up with Dan Keating of C&C Distributing Services, one of the organizers of Providence Craft Beer Week. "What sets the Beervana Fest apart is the adventurous beers that brewers are bringing" Dan said. "Some of these beers, Cisco's Woods Beers, for example, are interesting beers of which only a handful have ever been made. It is rare to see any one of these beers on tap, but here you will have the opportunity to try a few side by side."

I couldn't agree more; the beer list for Beervana is chock-full of rare styles and vintage brews. A few of the beers I'll seek out include: Berkshire Sour Imperial Stout blend, Brooklyn Local 1 from 2005, De Dolle Stille Nacht Special Reserve from 2000, Hariestoun Ola Dubh 40 (as in years aged in a whiskey barrel), and Trinity Decadence Imperial IPA in a cask. I could go on but, with my word limit quickly approaching, you'll have to do some searching of your own.

Two educational seminars will also take place during the festival. Tod Mott, head brewer for Portsmouth Brewery of New Hampshire, will speak about his lengthy brewing career that includes creating the renowned Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout. The other slot will feature Don Feinberg, founder of Ommegang Brewery and Vanberg & Dewulf Importers, a beer distributor that has helped bring illustrious Belgian beers such as Saison Dupont and Scaldis Noel to Rhode Island.

So if all of this sounds like a good time to you, tickets are being sold at Nikki's Liquors, Julian's, and Brown's GCB in Providence, and Track 84 in Warwick. I hope to see you there!

Providence Craft Beer Week is a pretty big deal for the city. The variety of craft beers available in Rhode Island has grown in recent years alongside demand and hasn't shown any sign of slowing. Given its reputation as the Creative Capital and the city's great culinary history, Providence is well-suited to continue to swell the ranks of craft beer converts. Craft Beer Week will only help.

Again, Dan Henry of Smuttynose: "This could be a good catalyst for the city. In the last few years I have seen craft beer grow by leaps and bounds. This week could be a great education for people and a chance to see craft beer is not going away."

Dan Keating agrees: "In my time working in beer distribution, I have seen the sophistication of the Providence beer scene grow tremendously. The city has gotten engaged in craft beer so that there is now a critical mass interested in events like this."

These are exciting times; Providence is preparing to join the class of elite New England craft beer cities and needs our support to do so. Turning out for one or more of these events is a great place to start.

ProPho: Go Global!

Become a worldly beer drinker
By JOSH SMITH September 7, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/food/107966-go-global/

Talk of international beer typically conjures up images of German beer gardens, Belgian monasteries, and pints of Guinness. But where is the rest of the world in this Eurocentric fantasy?

Indeed, with all but a couple of shelves in the international beer aisle devoted to European offerings, you can be forgiven for this limited world view. However, in the age of globalization, beers from exotic locations are enjoying ever greater circulation, including in your local package store and ethnic restaurant.

Leading the way is Asia, where a rise in disposable income has precipitated a meteoric growth in the beer industry. But with only the weak and watery TSINGTAO enjoying any shelf presence in the US, this is one market where China still places second to its neighbors.

At the forefront is Japan, with Rice Lagers as the dominant style. Not as interesting as you might imagine, rice plays the role of cost-cutting adjunct, much like corn for US macro-lagers. KIRIN ICHIBAN, ASAHI SUPER DRY, and SAPPORO PREMIUM BEER are the most commonly seen brands, of which I prefer Sapporo. But if you are looking for more out of a beer than just its ability to wash down wasabi, KOSHIHIKARI ECHIGO BEER is the way to go. Crisp and clean, the light hops pair nicely with the more delicate nature of Japanese food.

Where Japan stands out, though, is the fact that some of its craft beers are available in the US, and not only its most popular lagers. Legendary sake maker HITACHINO NEST is the most recognized with its highly-acclaimed and very unique Witbier, WHITE ALE. While interesting, I personally liked both their tart and yeasty RED RICE ALE, and lively REAL GINGER BREW better.

There are other Asian options beyond the Land of the Rising Sun. Thailand’s SINGHA has a smoothness and balance that makes it ideal to pair with a meal. The Philippines’ SAN MIGUEL DARK LAGER is a similarly well-constructed but maltier brew. And Singapore’s TIGER BEER and Thailand’s CHANG BEER are other easy drinking alternatives. LION of Sri Lanka puts out a macro-lager of its own, but its STOUT has made a name for itself in the craft beer community. A flavorful Irish Dry Stout, this is a beer that can stand on its own merits without being paired with food.

While most of these beers will do the job, when washing down the spice of Indian food I prefer an authentic experience with a couple of good, clean Indian beers. United Breweries out of Bangalore steps up by offering three different beers: KINGFISHER PREMIUM LAGER, TAJ MAHAL PREMIUM LAGER, and FLYING HORSE ROYAL LAGER. Kingfisher and Taj Mahal have some off-notes mixed in, so Flying Horse is my pick. Clearly trying to stand out with a classy bottle replete with tasting notes on the beer, Flying Horse has a more pleasant, multi-dimensional malty backbone.

Now I love Mexican food almost as much as Indian and have worked my way through the Mexican beer scene. I prefer the darker NEGRA MODELO and DOS EQUIS AMBER LAGER for their crisp, dry, refreshing nature. The lighter and more watery MODELO ESPECIAL, PACIFICO, and TECATE come in a distant third through fifth. It should go without saying that you shouldn’t let anyone put a lime in any one of these beers.

As you might expect, African and South American beers are severely underrepresented in the international aisle. The surprisingly good TUSKER PREMIUM LAGER of Kenya is the only African beer that I have been able to find. South Africa, in particular, has some excellent beers to offer the world, such as the sweet and roasty CASTLE MILK STOUT. Someday soon, perhaps!

Similarly, the underwhelming BRAHMA out of Brazil is the only South American beer that I’ve been able to track down. This is a shame since other countries like Argentina are supposed to have solid craft brewing traditions. So whether you are traveling abroad or just down the international aisle of your favorite beer store, take a chance and bring a worldly new beer home with you.

Providence Craft Beer Week

I am currently writing an article for the Providence Phoenix about the first annual Providence Craft Beer Week. Taking place Saturday, October 1st through Friday, October 8th a number of local bars and restaurants are hosting representatives from different breweries. Add in a couple of Oktoberfest celebrations, a beer dinner, and beer festival, and it is shaping up to be a pretty awesome week in The Biggest Little.

Julian's:
- Oskar Blues, Mon
- Dogfish Head, Tues
- Southern Tier, Weds
- Smuttynose, Thurs

The Avery:
- Trinity Brewhouse, Sun
- Heavy Seas, Mon
- Harpoon, Tues
- Smuttynose, Weds
- Wachusett, Thurs

E & O Tap:
- RedHook, Sun
- Blue Point, Mon
- Cisco, Tues
- Abita, Weds
- Ithaca, Thurs

Wild Colonial Tavern:
- Harpoon, Mon
- Cisco, Tues
- Dogfish, Weds
- Narragansett, Thurs

English Cellar Alehouse:
- Shipyard, Mon
- Cisco, Tues
- Victory, Weds
- Wetten Importers, Thurs

Brown’s Graduate Center Bar:
- Cisco, Sat
- Dogfish Head, Weds

The Apartment:
- Long Trail, Tues
- Shipyard, Weds
- Victory, Thurs

Snooker’s Billiards:
- Shipyard, Tues
- Long Trail, Weds
- Wetten Importers, Thurs

Harry’s Bar and Burger:
- Blue Point, Weds

Scurvy Dog:
- Long Trail, Thurs

East Ave:
- Merchant du Vin, Thurs

Union Station:
- Oktoberfest celebration, Fri

Loie Fuller:
- Oktoberfest beers on tap and authentic German food available, all week
- Oktoberfest costume celebration, Sun 10th

Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub (Pawtucket):
- Dogfish, Mon
- Heavy Seas, Tues
- Peak Organic beer dinner, Weds
- Lindemans & Rocheforte, Thurs

And last but not least...

Beervana Beer Festival:
- Friday night, 6:30-10:00pm
- $40 in advance, $45 at door
- 2 oz samples of 200 beers
- Tickets available at Nikki's, Julian's, Brown's GCB, and Track 84

Suitcase survivors

Another skill I have honed in the process of destroying my liver has been that of successfully packing a ridiculous number of beer bottles in a single suitcase. My last trip to Portland was especially productive. These three beers I enjoyed while on vacation at my cabin in Maine... and alone were worth the effort.

Cascade Kriek Ale '09, Score: 8
i feel like i am arriving a little late to the sour party (although i am quite certain this isn't the second coming of ipa's as some predict.) tartness comes on strong at first but mellows slightly. certainly an enjoyable beer.

Midnight Sun Sockeye Red IPA, Score: 6
midnight sun is a well respected alaskan brewer that i was eager to try. bitterness is quite brash, making this an over-the-top ipa in my opinion. i still enjoyed it though.

Best in show:
Alesmith Speedway Stout, Score: 10
the hype is justified. coffee shines through while booze is held at arms length. silky smooth only begins to describe. i savored this over the course of two nights with hardly any decrease in quality. put this one on your bucket list.

Homebrew #11 & #12

With a hoppy pale ale almost finished (a Mirror Pond Pale Ale clone), I realized that I never briefed you on my last two homebrews. Both were tribute beers, the most recent going down as my favorite homebrew to date...

Josh's Homebrew's Wit and Wisdom
Bottle -- Brockton
named for the recently departed howard zinn, a former brewer himself. to call this a gusher doesn't begin to describe. this is the first time i have had a bottle explode... and a growler too! what a mess. cloudiness you hope for in a wit. aroma is primarily citrus and some biscuity malts. again, a very fruity flavor. sweet and slightly tart. wheat lends a textured, dryish mouthfeel. overall, very easy to drink. an enjoyable summer beer.
Score: 7

Josh's Homebrew's Stash
Bottle -- Brockton
first off, you may be wondering about the name. it's a tribute to phish, who i was preparing to see at mansfield. (a phenomenal show, but i know that is not why you are here to read about...) this was my second ipa, and while the first one was pretty good, i wanted a hoppier, cleaner ipa this time around. in pursuit of this goal i used 5 ounces of cascade, fuggle, and columbus hops and was overly cautious in straining the beer. the results were fantastic. generally i am slow to render judgement on a homebrew but this time i declared it a winner after the first taste. very piney nose, and the flavor follows. very tasty. while the bitterness is fairly robust, it is easy to put away a few at a time (i am going to have to ration this liquid gold...) orange in color and good clarity. add it all up and you clearly get the greatest beer i have ever made.
Score: 9

ProPho: Local Flavors

Treat yourself to a sampler tray
By JOSH SMITH August 25, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/food/107426-local-flavors/

Sampler trays were invented for the adventurous, the inquisitive, and the indecisive. Whether you fall easily into one of these categories or not, now is the perfect time to try a sampler.

Beer Advocate — the craft-beer loving magazine and website — is promoting the last full week of August as Local Beer Week. This is a great idea and great opportunity to explore the variety of offerings from your local brewer.

Drinking local beer has many good effects: it's green, it's fresh, and it supports small businesses in your community. So when you're out at the local package store, bar, or restaurant this week, order from a brewer in your state, or city if possible. And if they don't have any to choose from, ask why not!

This shouldn't be much of a sacrifice for residents of the Biggest Little. Providence features several excellent beer bars, an elite beer store, and two well-established, centrally located brewpubs — TRINITY BREWHOUSE and UNION STATION BREWERY. With a number of regularly rotating taps, the sampler tray (also called a taster tray) is recommended for all but the most frequent of customers.

Taster trays are an opportunity to learn what a brewer is all about, as well as try some new styles of beer. When tasters are not pre-selected for you, do be sure to order a mix of different styles. This is the perfect time to test the limits of your comfort zone and try your first Smoked Porter or Berliner Weisse! At a slightly more than the cost of a pint, the investment is minimal . . . and you may just discover your new favorite beer!

Generally coming in 4-ounce pours, samplers allow one to peruse the standard six plus taps in one sitting and still walk out under one's own volition. I have had samplers come in countless different sized paddles, place mats and, at YESTERDAY'S ALE HOUSE in Newport, a model schooner ship! Whatever the format, samplers are fun and social, a great chance to hang out with friends and compare thoughts on craft beer.

Most brewpubs will sort your selections into a logical drinking order. Unfortunately, their logic may be incorrect. There is a very pervasive myth that when sampling you should drink beer from lightest to darkest. While the color will give you some clues about the beer you are about to drink, it does not tell the whole story.

Instead, it's more important that you know your ABVs and IBUs. The percentage of Alcohol By Volume and number of International Bitterness Units are far more indicative judges of what you are in for. By starting with less alcoholic and only mildly bitter beers and then working your way up the spectrum, you preserve your palate for the beers at the end of the tray. Think about it: if you start off with a monster Barleywine, that Blonde Ale is only going to taste like water in comparison.

Take for example my taster from Union Station. I started with their SUMMER BLONDE and GOLDEN SPIKE ALE since these two had the lowest amount of alcohol. My more bitter beers — the TRIP HOP and HALF DAY IPA — came next. I closed with the beers over 5% ABV, the RIVER OTTER PORTER and BARLEYWINE. My taster at Trinity followed a similar pattern: BELGIAN WIT, SCHWARZBIER, THE KOLSCH, ESB, IMPERIAL IPA, and RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT.

To be clear, I'm not telling you that there is only one correct way to drink a sampler. But to properly appreciate each and every beer you are sampling, some attention must be paid to not utterly destroying your finely tuned palate. Cleansing your palate with a sip of water between samples is another effective trick to this end. Rating each sample adds to the fun, though you shouldn't put too much faith in your rating of a few ounces. Beers do change between the start and end of a pint. Overall though, I think tasters provide an adequate sample to make some judgments about a beer. So go out this week, and support Local Beer Week by building a taster tray of your own!

Happenings in Brookline

So there have been some developments at The Publick House in Brookline since my last visit. Some of you may be aware that Publick House also operates a Provisions Store and sister restaurant on the other end of the block. However, The Roadhouse, a BBQ joint has been replaced by American Craft, more geared towards "artisinal" food. A quick peak indicated a more modern decor but similar taplist to what I would find at The Publick House. Not making it in to Brookline as much as I would like, it is going to be hard to pass on the original when the quality is so high. Could make a nice mini-pub crawl though...

Mayflower Autumn Wheat Ale, Score: 7
dark and bitter, so an unusual wheat to say the least. nice fall beer though.

Pretty Things Hedgerow Bitter, Score: 6
very coarse grassiness. not my favorite.

Victory Saison Du Buff, Score: 5
so as dan explains it to me, victory, dogfish head, and stone all took the same recipie and then brewed the beer seperately. so that is interesting. the whole "sage, rosemary, and thyme" was a little too gimmicky for me. between the spices and hoppiness, this didn't work in practice either.

Wachusetts Larry, Score: 8
very piney and sweet. not exactly sessionable, but not unapproachable either. solid doublle ipa.

ProPho: Tips for Tastings

How to survive a beer festival
By JOSH SMITH August 11, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/food/106720-tips-for-tastings/

There's a special place where you can sample dozens of different beers with fellow enthusiasts in a single session. Thanks to the growing popularity of craft brews, beer festivals are now a common occurrence from coast to coast.

With festivals in Providence, Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon under my belt, I consider myself an intermediate festival attendee. Each of these festivals has been a wonderful opportunity to discover both new brewers and new beers.

Beer festivals are not, however, intended as an occasion to get hammered. Of course, some will and, more importantly, this will happen to you too if you aren't careful. So as not to lose the chance to appreciate these special events, here are several simple tips to surviving a beer festival.

BEFOREHAND, PREPARE BY READING UP ON THE FESTIVAL AND COME IN WITH A GAME PLAN. Understand the rules of the show. Is there a limit to how many samples you can have? How big are the samples? Depending on the size of the festival, it probably won't be possible to try every beer in attendance. Figure out which beers you would be sad to miss out on and prioritize accordingly.

You will also need to figure out a logical order in which to drink these sought-after beers. In much the same way that you would approach a sampler tray, try to start with some of the lighter, low-alcohol beers early on and save the monster beers for later. A little forethought will go a long way toward preserving your palate for the end of the session.

It's worth noting that I always buy tickets in advance for whichever session I think will be less crowded, typically the afternoon. Second sessions tend to draw a more raucous crowd and the lines only grow longer as the event goes on. These events become significantly less fun once you have to fight through a mob to get to your next sample.

EAT AND HYDRATE, EARLY AND OFTEN. Drinking plenty of water and having a sizeable, carb-heavy meal a few hours beforehand is the single most important thing you can do to prepare for the day. I recommend pancakes or French toast. You should also snack on the food available during the festival, but making yourself a pretzel necklace ahead of time is one better. Requiring only some string and a bag of pretzels, these necklaces are a great reminder to keep eating and a whole lot of fun!

And when the show is done you really should switch over to water and eat a solid meal. No matter how full you may feel from drinking all of these different styles, you'll be glad you did.

BRING A NOTEPAD TO SCORE EACH BEER YOU TRY. This is not the time for full, official ratings since your senses will inevitably be somewhat dulled by the final hour. I will focus on the unique characteristic that defines each beer and award an overall score. The next day you'll be pleased to have a ready list of new beers to work into the rotation.

GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE FESTIVAL! Remember, you are coming to drink beer! Some festival-goers will show their spirit with elaborate costumes, beer paraphernalia, or group T-shirts. The aforementioned pretzel necklace is both festive and a great conversation starter. Do talk to other people in line — you're with fellow beer lovers, after all! And above all else, talk to any brewers present. Many will be friendly and quite enlightening, especially for home brewers.

It should go without saying that no matter what precautions you've taken, you'll need to have arranged for a ride home or be prepared to cab it. If you follow this and the other guidelines, your next beer festival is sure to be a blast. With several great local festivals coming up this fall — including the Great International Beer Festival in Providence (on November 13) and the Belgian Beer Fest in Boston (November 5 and 6) — there is no shortage of chances to check one out for yourself!

ProPho: The Beers of Summer

Mowing the lawn? Mow a few of these down
By JOSH SMITH July 28, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/movies/106009-beers-of-summer/

In the country that gave birth to supersizing and the stretch Hummer, bigger is often confused with better. The world of American craft beer is no exception.

Jim Koch of Samuel Adams is proud to take credit for launching the era of extreme beer in 1994 with his 17.5% ABV (alcohol by volume) Triple Bock. That record as the strongest beer ever brewed has been broken repeatedly, along with other boundaries like the number of IBUs (International Bitterness Units) that hop monsters can top out at. While rarely to my own taste, extreme beer shouldn't be dismissed merely as a passing fad. Without extreme brewing, I doubt craft beer would contain such a wide variety of ingredients (like seaweed), techniques (aging in bourbon barrels), or styles (such as the newly-emerging black IPA).

That said, I think many craft brewers are ready to come back down to earth. Let's face it, beers with a blinding bitterness (think BrewDog's Nanny State and its 225 IBUs) are only going to scare off potential converts to craft beer. Even less extreme, malty standards like Bocks and Browns tend to turn off macro-drinkers as too filling. Sometimes you do need a lighter, more drinkable beer; perhaps for that upcoming barbecue or for when you're out mowing the lawn this summer.

What I refer to as a lawn mower beer is called a session beer in craft beer circles. Session beers contain no more than 5% alcohol, a critical consideration since obviously too many beers in a row with high ABV will result in intoxication (not the end goal of craft beer drinking, mind you). Almost as importantly, a session beer must be balanced; too many IBUs or too heavy a malt profile will overwhelm a drinker's palate. With these guidelines in mind, here are my favorite session beers for the dog days of summer.

Pale Ales are a great place to start for their balance and flavor. SMUTTYNOSE SHOALS PALE ALE is one of my all-time favorites for its bitterness reminiscent of a traditional English Bitter you could drink by the mug-full. BOULDER HAZED & INFUSED is certainly infused with a lot of hops, but is still drinkable pale ale. If you aren't a self-avowed hop-head like me, STOUDT'S AMERICAN PALE ALE is equally well-crafted but a lighter and better-balanced beer.

Less common but equally well-suited to summer drinking is the Blonde Ale style. SIXPOINT SWEET ACTION out of New York is my favorite, with a distinct fruity flavor that conjures up the sublime sensation of sucking on a giant peach. Two standard-bearers from Maine, SHIPYARD EXPORT ALE and GRITTY McDUFF's VACATIONLAND SUMMER ALE, offer a choice between light bitterness and a sweeter, malty profile, respectively. In Massachusetts, IPSWICH SUMMER ALE is far more flavorful than most other summer seasonals, and MAYFLOWER GOLDEN ALE pairs well with most any meal.

A few other notable session brews have a little farther to travel to get to Rhode Island. Oregon's WIDMER HEFEWEIZEN bears little resemblance to a traditional German Hefeweizen, but has a pleasingly light body and citrus flavor. The import HOEGAARDEN ORIGINAL WHITE ALE is another beer with remarkable thirst-quenching abilities and is a common sight on tap. And one of the oldest beers in America, San Francisco's ANCHOR STEAM BEER, is just as widely available and has a very unique earthiness to it.

It's worth noting that personal favorites, THETAP LEATHERLIPS IPA and SAMUEL SMITH'S OATMEAL STOUT, both qualify as session beers by weighing in at an even 5% ABV. However, given the robustness of the hops and chocolaty malts, respectively, I have never had more than two of either in a sitting. And while technically not session beers, I have to mention that THOMAS HOOKER BLONDE ALE (5.1% ABV), VICTORY PRIMA PILS (5.3% ABV), and IPSWICH ORIGINAL ALE (5.4% ABV) are some of my favorite summertime staples. Just beware that when multiplied a few times, those measly tenths of a percentage point can make a mighty big difference. So good luck in finding your own favorite session beer; once you do, mowing the lawn will never feel like a chore again!

Armsby Abbey

Armsby Abbey is a much recommended restaurant / craft beer establishment in Worcester. This past Saturday saw myself and a few friends finally make the trip out. I am glad we did.

This is not a big place by any mean, with maybe a dozen tables inside and a few out. The bar itself is pretty classy with plenty of glassware on display. The bottle list is comprehensive, and the tap list, while hard to see from some booths, is completely up-to-date. Being able to order sampler trays is a huge plus, and their menu is filled with interesting local options. (The pulled pork wasn't my favorite but their cheese platters were excellent.) I thought the service was quite good, starting with water on the table and his ability to keep straight some complicated orders. Having a TV but refusing to put on the Sox-Yankees game was a little pretentious, but I understand they are trying to create a certain environment here. Overall, very high marks.

Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale, 9 is an American Pale Wheat that registers at a shocking 7.3%. Hoppy and smooth, I was blown away by this beer. De Ranke XX Bitter, 7 is a beer I have had but never rated. The grassy bitterness is good, but it is far mustier than I remembered. Victory Helios, 5 was a sufficiently dumbed down saison, with little of the funkiness you would hope for. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, 8 is a beer that I have been searching for for some time now. It is usually hard to match those high expectations, and this was no exception. The sweetness was a bit too much for me, but very well put together overall. (I prefered the Smuttynose Big A IPA that followed with all of its grapefruit hops. I had to try North Coast's Old Rasputin on tap too. It was as fantastically smooth and flavorful as you would hope.)

Mikkheler Texas Ranger, 7 these guys have figured out how to name beers. They started with Beer Geek Breakfast and now this is what they come up with for their Chipotle Porter. Nice. Very roasty with the pepper working in the background and leading to a slightly spicy mouthfeel. Far more delicate and well placed than the chipotle peppers I used in my own homebrew... The Bruery Mischief, 7 poured surprisingly light colored for a beer with 8.5% abv. Surprisingly dull too though. De La Senna Taras Boulba, 5 was alright but had a funny note of antisceptic at the end. De Dolle Bos Keun, 9 was the beer I chose from the Abbey's extensive bottle menu, mostly for its semi-reasonable price of $10. Great aroma and complexity in this Belgian Strong Pale Ale, with a very well hidden 10%. Nice way to end a very enjoyable afternoon of drinking.

The Rest of PDX

While the Oregon Brewers Festival was the highlight, we tried a few other beers while in Portland. Starting with a trip to two of my very favorite brewers: Deschutes and Hopworks.

Deschutes Sagebrush Classic Pils, 8 is a very clean, crisp German pils. Deschutes The Greens IPA, 7 has a nice piney bitterness without the harsh aftertaste. Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA, 9 delivers citrus, as advertised. Very, very good. Deschutes Hop in the Dark Cascadian Dark Ale, 10 is a great example of this new Black IPA style. 70 IBU, 7% abv. Citrus hops dominate with some roasted coffee on the side. While the two contrasting flaors blend nicely, I wouldn't drink more than one in a sitting. I may have to brew one of these.

Hopworks What the Helles, 5 was a "light summer lager" without any umph. Hopworks Velvet Underground, 7 has some nice sweet, piney hops. Hopworks Noggin Floggin, 6 was supposed to be an "imperial black ESB." Dark as night and at 8.7% abv this seemed closer to a Russian Imperial Stout to me. Smooth, but you really taste the alcohol. It is worth noting that the other beers from the sampler were 8's, 9's, and 10's.

Full Sail Hop Pursuit, 7 was on cask. The grassiness reminded me more of an ESB than an IPA. Quite gulpable. Full Sail Saison A Pleine Voile, 4 is a saison, but too watery with a funny aftertaste. Pass. Lucky Lab Bavarian Crystal Hefeweizen, 6 was surprisingly clear for a hef. Not badly made with lots of yeast and cloves on the nose and banana's on the taste. Not sure I would drink a whole pint of this though. Lucky Lab Super Dog IPA, 6 heavy citrus hops with a raw bite at the finish. Not great. Caldera Pils, 7 was well made and made for a nice time shopping for bottles at Belmont Station.

OBF: Another perspective

By Kelly Smith

Being married to a craft beer connoisseur, such as Josh, has its share of drawbacks. Every available inch of our garage is lined with hundreds of different craft beer bottles. Our house is known as Brewery North. The home office has been transformed into a beer storage facility. The aroma of wort frequently fills our home. However, it also has its perks. The Oregon Brewers Festival was certainly one of those perks! I was so inspired by this fine collection brewers with quality beers that I have decided to share my thoughts with you.

10 Barrel Brewing Company, ISA: 7
Citrusy aroma, moderate hop bitterness, surprisingly decent flavor, 6.7% ABV

21st Amendment Brewery, Hell or High Watermelon Wheat: 2
This is a watermelon jolly rancher in a bottle. I love wheat beer. I love fruit beer. But this is a poor excuse for a beer.

Boulder Beer Co, Kinda Blue: 2
Ehhh. The best quality of this beer was that it was cold. (Too cold for most craft beer drinkers, but that’s how I like it!) Little blueberry flavor, light and easy to drink but with no taste, why bother?

Boulevard Brewing Compan, Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale: 7
There is a lot going on here. Nice citrusy hopped aroma, medium body, sharp yeast

Boundary Bay Brewery, German Tradition Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale: 7
Nice and hoppy with no sharp aftertaste. Not my favorite style, but I can still appreciate a well crafted brew.

Buckbean Brewing Company, Original Orange Blossom Ale: 8
With the aroma of a frozen ice pop, this is an inviting, fun summer beer. This medium bodied pale has a unique citrus flavor and is easy to drink.

Caldera Brewing Company, Hibiscus Ginger Beer: 7
Very pleasant floral aroma, pleasantly mild flavors with a floral taste, medium body, lightly hopped, unique beer, fairly easy drinking

Cascade Brewing, Summer Gose: 9
I don’t particularly care for anything sour, so the fact that I found this beer to be fabulous was a shock! This lightly sour beer is unique and refreshing. Surprisingly, with a ABV of 4%, it is also sessionable.

Collaborator, Sunstone Pilsner: 4
Slightly hoppy for a pilsner, stale in taste

Fort George Brewery and Public House, Vortex IPA: 5
Overly hopped northwest style IPA, fairly good balance and medium body. Not my favorite style, but I appreciate the ambition.

Great Northern Brewing Company, Wheatfish: 6
I love wheat beers but it is hard to find a fabulous one. This one is no exception. Low in bitterness and very drinkable but not very flavorful either.

MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company, Lip Stinger Farmhouse Ale: 4
Peppercorns do not, I repeat, do not belong in beer! They are very present in the aroma and distinctive in the taste. Medium body, a touch lemony.

Marin Brewing Company, Bluebeery Ale: 8
Yum! My kind of beer! Sweet (not syrupy) blueberry flavor, light, balanced, very drinkable

Maui Brewing Company, CoCoNut Porter: 4
Porter is not my favorite style. Perhaps this is a well crafted beer, but it is lost on me. Unique light coconut flavor at the end.

Natian Brewery, Destination: 5
The combination of the dark roasts and sweet bee sugar gives this beer a malty, sweet balance. A bit too malty for easy drinking, but interesting to try.

New Belgium Brewing Company, Ranger IPA: 8
Northwest hops through and though- yum!! From first taste to aftertaste, it is crisp and clean.

Pelican Pub and Brewery, Kiwanda Cream Ale: 4
Floral, citrusy aroma, creamy and smooth mouth feel, bit of stale lemon in the aftertaste- doesn’t linger too long but certainly doesn’t increase enjoyment.

Ram Restaurant and Brewery, Barefoot Wit: 8
Clean and crisp aroma, slightly citrus flavor, refreshing and easy drinking. A solid wit, although I would have enjoyed a bit more flavor.

Surly Brewing, Bitter Brewer: 4
Very bitter beer, which flavor lingers. If you like IPAs, this may make a good camping beer.

The Bruery, 7 Grain Saison: 6
Not nearly as complex as expected from this well regarded brewery with a solid line up. Moderately hopped, light body, creamy mouth feel

Upright Brewing Company, Reggae Junkie Gruit: 8
Heather tips make this beer floral in fragrance and taste. Slightly sweet, low malts. If you are up for a unique, easy drinking beer, then give it a try!

Oregon Brewers Festival!

While on the west coast, my wife and I had the chance to attend the Oregon Brewers Festival. Arguably, the best outdoor beer festival in the country, this event took place in the picturesque Tom McCall Waterfront Park. 81 different domestic brewers showed up with one special beer. The festival itself worked on a token system; 1 token (or about $1) for a 4 oz sample, or 4 tokens for a full mug of beer. Of course, our goals was to try as many different beers as possible, but totally insane lines (we were there on a Saturday) led us to switch over to pints at the end of the afternoon. Regardless, this was easily the best festival we have been to and an awesome afternoon of drinking.

Tier 1:
Firestone Walker Union Jack (8) was my number one priority coming in and was a very piney, sweet IPA. Not on my radar was New Belgium Ranger IPA (8) with an equally big flavor. Double Mountain The Vaporizer (9) and Boundary Bay German-tradition Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale (9) two excellent pale ale’s, and possibly my favorite beers of the whole day. Surly Bitter Brewer (10) belongs in those discussions as well; I would love to be able to buy six of these cans at a time. Cascade Summer Gose (9) was certainly my wife’s favorite beer of the day and I too found it to be a very refreshing sour. Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale (9) was another top priority and I was duly impressed with the use of corn flakes to smooth out the mouthfeel. Rounding out the top tier was Upright Reggae Junkie Gruit (8). New to the scene, Upright did an excellent job of simulating the sensation of hops by using heather tips, orange peel, and a healthy level of carbonation.

Tier 2:
Tier 2 started out with three solid IPA’s: Beer Valley Leafer Madness (7), Laurelwood Organic Deranger Imperial Red (6), and Fort George Vortex (6). Surprisingly, Laughing Dog Dogzilla Black IPA (8) was the only “Cascadian Dark Ale” to make an appearance. This newly-emerging style has great potential, and indeed the hops and roasted malts played very well with each other. Maui Coconut Porter (7) took the prize for longest line of the day and kicked pretty early on. Coconut worked well, if imparting slightly too much sweetness in the middle of the flavor. Buckbean Original Orange Blossom Ale (7) tasted like a frozen orange ice pop according to Kelly, which was actually pretty good. Easy drinking Pelican Pub Kiwanda Cream Ale (7), 10 Barrel ISA (7), and Collaborator Sunstone Pils (7) round out this class.

Tier 3:
Our last grouping features some very ambitious beers that didn’t quite come together. Caldera Hibiscus Ginger Beer (4) and Caldera Rose (5) came on too strong to be enjoyable but didn’t miss by much. Natian Destinatian (5) is a new nano-brewer that got the invite and responded admirably with an interesting brew containing Oregon honey. MacTarnahan’s Lipstinger Farmhouse (3) utilizing peppercorn was less good. Same goes for Ram Barefoot Wit (4) and Great Northern Wheatfish Wheat Lager (5). The surprise of the day though had to be not one, but two beers from The Bruery falling to the last category. The Bruey Oud Tart (6) and The Bruery 7 Grain Saision (5) were very one-dimensional offerings.

ProPho: Oh! You Pretty Things

A great new beer is coming to town
By JOSH SMITH July 14, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/food/105436-oh-you-pretty-things/

Dann Paquette, head brewer for the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, fondly refers to himself as a "gypsy brewer." And while it may or may not be a permanent home, Rhode Island can be thankful that these Pretty Things are showinng up on their doorstep.

When Buzzards Bay Brewing of Westport, Massachusetts, closed up shop last September, Paquette stepped in to fill the void. Formerly contracting with Paper City Brewery in western Massachusetts, Paquette decided to relocate to the larger South Coast brewery.

While Pretty Things may be new to the craft beer scene, Paquette — a veteran brewer, most recently off a stint in England — is not. Impressively, Pretty Things’ lineup already boasts nine beers, ranging from a Pale Lager to a Quadrupel. My favorite though is undoubtedly their flagship beer: the JACK D'OR.

Now I’m on record as a big believer in quality over quantity, and slowing down to appreciate the finer side of beer. That said, in my columns I have rarely had the opportunity to say more than a few passing words on any one beer. But Pretty Things’ gem is one of those beers that demands a closer look. In fact, 700 words may not be enough!

As his first ever-release, Paquette calls the Jack D'or a "Saison Americain." The Saison style, also known as Farmhouse Ale, is of Belgian and French origin. Fruity, yeasty, and spiced, these beers are typically complex, full of flavor, and easy to drink. Of course, given the self-selected style name, we are probably in for a surprise.

Six dollars will buy you a 22-ounce bomber of the Jack D’or — just the right amount of beer for my typical night of drinking. The colorful label features Jack, which according to their website is a “mournful grain of barley . . . the soul of beer, nature’s magician, creating sugar from starch and bringing together the Pretty Things to create the substance we adore: beer.” In Paquette’s artwork, Jack can be found in the woods, preparing for a dip into the mash tun and ostensibly pondering his future as beer. What a beautiful starting point for a brew.

The pour into my oversized wine glass is a magnificent golden with orange tint. It is hazy, yet clear enough that the stream of bubbles rising up steadily from the center of the glass is unmistakable. This same healthy level of carbonation creates a thick, whipped head that fades into wispy snowflake-like lacing on the side of the glass.

As appetizing as the Jack D’or looks in a glass, its bold nose draws you in even further. It has a very fruity aroma, with the hops taking on a citrusy, grassy, and lemony nature. There is a slight spiciness and some funky, musty yeast present, but both are far more restrained than is typical for the style.

The flavor of fruit in the beer is an evolving one; citrus and lemon again lead, with white grapes, pear, and grapefruit also registering. As a result, the taste is alternately bitter, tart, and sweet. The malt profile is more detectable in the flavor, with some pale pilsner malts and wheat bringing sanity and balance to the brew. In the end, the Americana side comes out in a solidly bitter finish that pushes this beer up the spectrum toward a Belgian IPA.

While the complexity within leads me to savor this beer, it is also immensely quaffable. The oats lend a real smoothness to the texture of this medium-bodied beer. And while there are no spices added, the yeast produces a delicate pepperiness throughout, creating an unmistakable dryness. Taken together, the Jack D'or strikes a balance between flavorful and refreshing, which is absolutely necessary for that perfect summer beer.

Ultimately, this beer’s bold characteristics and hopped-up flavor make it a distinctly American take on the classic Farmhouse style. I love the creativity and depth present in this beer — it’s a truly transcendent experience. And with the Rhode Island launch for Pretty Things coming up at the end of the month (check prettythingsbeertoday.com for updates), you’ll have the opportunity to join Jack and myself in contemplating this exquisite beer.

MY COMPLETE BEER RATINGS

2 1/2 years, 200 plus posts, and 1,109 beers. Wow. I always print up these ratings on one sheet of paper to keep in my wallet and refer to when needed but that is getting harder and harder to do...

Beer, Score (1-10)

21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer, 1
21st Amendment IPA, 7

Abita Christmas Ale, 7
Abita Jockamo IPA, 4
Abita Purple Haze, 6
Abita Restoration Pale Ale, 2
Affligem Blond, 8
Alameda Bavarian Hefe, 8
Alameda East Village Amber, 6
Alameda Klickitat Pale Ale, 7
Alameda Irvington Juniper Porter, 7
Alameda El Torero Organic IPA, 8
Alameda Black Bear XX Stout C02, 7
Alameda Black Bear XX Stout Nitro, 8
Alameda Wolf Imperial IPA, 7
Alameda Siskiyou Golden, 3
Alaskan Amber, 7
Alaskan Smoked Porter 2008, 9
Albany Pump Station Evans Extra Stout, 9
AleSmith Horny Devil, 9
Alesmith IPA, 10
Alesmith Old Numbskull, 7
Alexander Keith's IPA, 2
Allagash Black, 7
Allagash Burnham Road, 2
Allagash Confluence Ale, 7
Allagash Curieux, 9
Allagash Dubbel Reserve, 8
Allagash Fluxus, 9
Allagash FOUR, 6
Allagash Grand Cru, 10
Allagash Hugh Malone, 8
Allagash Interlude, 7
Allagash Tripel Reserve, 10
Allagash Victoria Ale, 9
Allagash White, 10
American Flatbread Bob White. 6
American Flatbread Extra Stout, 7
American Flatbread Farmhouse Ale, 7
American Flatbread Solstice Gruit, 8
American Flatbread Wassail, 8
Amnesia Blonde Beech, 6
Amnesia Copacetic IPA, 9
Amnesia Desolation IPA, 7
Amnesia Double Dry Hopped Desolation, 8
Amnesia Dusty Trail Pale, 7
Amnesia Slow Train Porter, 7
Amnesia The ESB, 7
Anchor Christmas Ale, 4
Anchor Liberty Ale, 6
Anchor Old Foghorn Ale, 5
Anchor Porter, 8
Anchor Steam Beer, 8
Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, 9
Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale, 9
Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA, 9
Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema, 6
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice, 8
Andrew's English Pale Ale, 6
Andrew's St. Nick Porter, 8
Arcadia IPA, 5
Arcadia Scotch Ale, 4
Asahi Super Dry, 3
Atlantic Bar Harbor Summer Ale, 4
Atlantic Brother Adam's Bragget Ale, 5
Atlantic Coal Porter, 7
Atlantic MacFoochie's 7+ Scottish Ale, 7
Atlantic Mount Desert Isle Ginger, 7
Atwater Vanilla Java Porter, 7
Atwater Voodoovator, 6
Avec Les Bons Voeux, 7
Avery 14er ESB, 6
Avery Ale to the Chief , 9
Avery Anniversary Ale - Fifteen, 5
Avery Collaboration Not Litigation, 7
Avery Karma Ale, 5
Avery Out of Bounds Stout, 9
Avery The Czar, 5
Avery The Maharaja Imperial IPA, 9
Avery The Reverend, 9
Avery White Rascal, 5

Baladin Elixir, 3
Ballast Point Big Eye IPA, 8
Ballast Point Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter, 8
Baltika #4, 6
Bar Harbor Acadia Pale Ale, 9
Bar Harbor Cadillac Mountain Stout, 10
Bar Harbor Harbor Lighthouse Ale, 8
Bar Harbor Thunder Hole Ale, 9
Bass Pale Ale, 6
Bayerischer Bahnhof Brau Berliner Style Weisse, 5
Beamish Irish Stout, 5
Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout, 10
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye, 10
Bear Republic Racer 5 India Pale Ale, 8
Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale, 9
Bear Republic XP Pale Ale, 7
Beer Belly Ball and Chain IPA, 8
Beer Valley Pigskin Pale Ale, 6
Beer Works Back Bay IPA, 7
Beer Works Bay State ESB, 8
Beer Works Black Bat Stout, 5
Beer Works Bunker Hill Blueberry, 7
Beer Works North Shore Light, 3
Beer Works Pumpkinhead Ale, 5
Beer Works Saison Nouveau, 8
Beer Works Salem American Pale Ale, 8
Beer Works Smoked Porter, 6
Beer Works Splendid Splinter, 6
Beer Works Tell Tale Lager, 7
Beer Works Terrier Scottish Ale, 5
Beer Works The Grinch, 6
Beer Works Triple A Amber, 7
Beer Works Winter Works, 7
Beer Works Witch City Red, 5
Belfast Bay Lobster Ale, 4
Belfast Bay McGovern's Oatmeal Stout, 5
Belhaven Scottish Ale / Export / 80 Shilling, 7
Bell Lager, 2
Bell's Java Stout, 5
Bell's Pale Ale, 5
Bell's Porter, 7
Bell's Two Hearted Ale, 10
Berkshire Cabin Fever Ale, 6
Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter, 9
Berkshire Draymens Porter, 8
Berkshire Imperial Stout, 9
Berkshire Lost Sailor India Pale Ale, 8
Berkshire River Ale, 5
Berkshire "Shabadoo" Black & Tan Ale, 8
Berkshire Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale, 4
Berkshire Traditional Pale Ale, 7
Berkshire Springs Stock Ale, 4
Big Horse Russian Redneck, 8
Bison Organic Chocolate Stout, 5
Black Bear Pail Ale, 5
Blue & Gray Stonewall Stout, 7
Blue Hills Extra Pale Ale, 6
Blue Hills India Pale Ale, 8
Blue Hills Wampatuk Wheat, 7
Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, 5
Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, 6
Blue Point Honey Moon Summer Ale, 6
Blue Point Rastafar Rye Ale, 7
Blue Point Toasted Lager, 3
Blue Point Winter Ale, 3
Boddington Pub Ale, 5
Boulder Beer Hazed and Infused, 7
Boulder Beer Mojo IPA, 8
Boulder Beer Pass Time Pale Ale, 3
Boulder Beer Planet Porter, 6
Boulder Sundance Amber Ale, 4
Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel, 8
Bray's Brewpub Brandy Pond Blonde Pale Ale, 4
Bray's Brewpub Causeway Cream, 6
Bray's Brewpub Mount Olympus Special Ale, 5
Bray's Brewpub Red Eye Pale Ale, 7
Bray's Brewpub Smokehouse Brown, 3
Bridgeport Black Strap Stout, 4
BridgePort Blue Heron Ale, 7
Bridgeport ESB, 6
Bridgeport Haymaker Extra Pale Ale, 7
Bridgeport Hop Czar, 6
BridgePort IPA, 6
Bridgeport Porter, 7
BridgePort Ropewalk Amber Ale, 6
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, 10
Brooklyn Brown Ale, 8
Brooklyn Cuvee de Cardoz, 8
Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, 5
Brooklyn Lager, 7
Brooklyn Local 1, 10
Brooklyn Local 2, 8
Brooklyn Winter Ale, 6
Brooklynator Doppelbock, 5
Brown's IPA, 2
Budweiser American Ale, 3
Budweiser Shock Top Belgian White, 3
Butternuts Heinnieweisse Weissebier, 6
Butternuts Moo Thunder Stout, 4
Butternuts Porkslap Pale Ale, 4
Buzzards Bay Alt, 4
Buzzards Bay Black Lager, 5
Buzzards Bay Hefeweizen, 2
Buzzards Bay Pilsner, 6

Caldera IPA, 10
Caledonian Organic Great Scot Pale Ale, 4
Cambridge Amber, 8
Cambridge Arquebus, 3
Cambridge Benevolence, 4
Cambridge Big Man Ale, 9
Cambridge Bitchin' Bitter, 8
Cambridge Blunderbuss Barley Wine, 7
Cambridge CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout, 10
Cambridge Charles River Porter, 8
Cambridge Espresso Stout, 9
Cambridge Half Wit Belgian Style Wheat, 7
Cambridge Hefe-weizen, 9
Cambridge Imperial Skibsol Danish Smoked Dark Lager Beer, 7
Cambridge Never Mind the Bollekes!, 5
Cambridge Regatta Golden, 7
Cambridge Sgt. Pepper, 2
Cambridge Spring IPA, 8
Cambridge Spring Training IPA, 6
Cambridge Tall Tale Pale Ale, 7
Cambridge Tripel, 6
Cambridge Tripel Threat, 7
Cambridge You Enjoy My Stout, 7
Cantillon Gueze 100% Lambic, 7
Cape Ann Fisherman’s Brew, 8
Cape Ann Fisherman's Bavarian Wheat, 5
Cape Ann Fisherman's Brew IPA, 7
Cape Ann Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout, 9
Cape Cod Hot Blonde, 7
Cape Cod IPA, 6
Capital Blonde Doppelbock, 6
Captain Lawrence Captain's Reserve Imperial IPA, 10
Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold, 7
Carling Black Label, 3
Carlsberg Brown (Malawi), 4
Cascade Sang Rouge, 8
Casco Bay Brown Ale, 4
Casco Bay Carrabassett Pale Ale, 5
Casco Bay Carrabassett Winter Ale, 4
Casco Bay Pale Ale, 7
Casco Bay Riptide Red Ale, 9
Casco Bay Summer Ale, 8
Castle Lager, 1
Castle Milk Stout, 6
Central City Red Racer IPA, 10
Central City Red Racer Pale Ale, 6
Cerveja Super Bock, 2
Cervesera del Montseny Lupulus, 7
Chang Beer, 3
Chelsea Checker Cab Blonde Ale, 8
Chelsea Hand Pumped Cask Ale, 6
Chibuku Shake Shake, 0
Chili Head Lager, 5
Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue), 7
Chimay Premiere (Red), 10
Chimay Triple, 9
Chimay Tripel - White, 7
Cisco Captain Swain's Extra Stout, 7
Cisco Gray Lady Hefeweizen, 6
Cisco Moor Porter, 6
Cisco Whales Tale Pale Ale, 3
Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop3, 8
Clipper City Heavy Seas Red Sky at Night, 7
Clipper City Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning, 9
Clown Shoes Black I.P.A., 7
Colt 45 Malt Liquor, 2
Concord Junction Porter, 10
Concord North Woods Ale, 7
Concord Rapscallion Creation, 4
Coney Island Sword Swallower, 6
Coniston Bluebird Bitter, 8
Cooperstown Back Yard IPA, 5
Cooperstown Benchwarmer, 8
Cooperstown Nine Man Ale, 4
Cooperstown Old Slugger, 3
Cooperstown Pride of Milford Special Ale, 7
Cooperstown Strike Out Stout, 5
Corona Extra, 3
Cottrell Old Yankee Ale, 8
Craigmill Fraoch Heather Ale, 9

Davidson Brother's Dacker Authentic Adirondack Ale, 8
Davidson Brother's IPA, 5
Delirium Nocturnum, 7
Delirium Tremens, 8
Deschutes Armory Extra Pale Ale, 6
Deschutes Bachelor ESB, 8
Deschutes Bachelor ESB (Cask conditioned), 9
Deschutes Big Mountain Bock, 5
Deschutes Black Butte Porter, 10
Deschutes Cascade Ale, 8
Deschutes Cinder Cone Red Ale, 9
Deschutes Green Lake Organic Ale, 9
Deschutes Inversion IPA, 9
Deschutes Mirror Mirror, 8
Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale, 10
Deschutes Miss Spelt, 7
Deschutes Obsidian Stout, 9
Deschutes Pilsner 005, 5
Deschutes Red Chair IPA, 10
Deschutes Streaking the Quad, 3
Deschutes Twilight Ale, 7
De Proef Reserve Signature Ale (w/ Tomme Arthur), 10
De Struise Black Albert, 9
Dick's Best Bitter, 6
Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager, 5
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, 9
Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA, 10
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, 5
Dogfish Head ApriHop, 9
Dogfish Head Black & Blue, 4
Dogfish Head Burton Baton, 9
Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu, 6
Dogfish Head Chicory Stout, 7
Dogfish Head Festina Peche, 4
Dogfish Head Fort, 8
Dogfish Head Immort Ale, 9
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, 8
Dogfish Head Midas Touch Golden Elixir, 8
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, 10
Dogfish Head Pangaea, 7
Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale, 9
Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre, 8
Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra, 5
Dogfish Head Red and White, 8
Dogfish Head Sah'tea, 9
Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale, 4
Dogfish Head Squall IPA, 6
Dogfish Head Theobroma, 9
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, 6
Dos Equis XX Amber, 5
Double Mountain The I.R.A., 9
Dubuisson Scaldis Triple (Bush Ambree), 7
Duchesse De Bourgogne, 10
Duck-Rabbit Porter, 8
Dundee Original Honey Brown Lager, 5
Duvel, 10

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale, 6
Eel River Certified Organic Porter, 6
Eel River Climax Noel, 6
Element Brewing Dark Matter, 7
Endurance Glacier Gold, 6
Eugene City Tracktown IPA, 7

Federal Jack's Taint Town Pale Ale, 2
Fish Tale Organic India Pale Ale, 6
Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, 6
Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter, 5
Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat, 2
Flying Dog Road Dog Scottish Porter, 7
Flying Horse Royal Lager, 5
Fort Collins Kidd Lager, 8
Fort Collins Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat, 4
Fort Collins Rocky Mountain IPA, 7
Fort Collins Z Lager, 5
Fosters Lager, 2
Founders Breakfast Stout, 10
Founders Centennial IPA, 6
Founders Cerise, 6
Founders Curmudgeon, 9
Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA, 6
Founders Dirty Bastard, 9
Founders Double Trouble, 8
Founders Reds Rye, 9
Franziskaner Hefe-weisse, 4
Freeport Black Gold Porter, 8
Fresh Catch Amber Ale, 2
Frosty Knuckle Ale, 6
Full Sail Amber Ale (USA), 9
Full Sail Chris's Summer D-Lite: Red, 6
Full Sail Chris's Summer D-Lite: Green, 7
Full Sail Grandsun of Spot, 6
Full Sail IPA, 7
Full Sail Keelhauler Brewmasters Reserve 2009, 5
Full Sail LTD Series - Bottling 03, 5
Full Sail Pale Ale, 10
Full Sail Rip Curl, 8
Full Sail Session Lager, 9
Fuller's ESB, 7
Fuller's London Porter, 8

Geary’s Autumn Ale, 9
Geary’s Hampshire Special Ale, 9
Geary's Imperial IPA, 6
Geary’s London Porter, 9
Geary’s Pale Ale, 9
Geary’s Summer Ale, 8
Geary’s Winter Ale, 6
George Killians Irish Red, 6
Genesee Cream Ale, 4
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat, 6
Goose Island Honker's Ale, 7
Goose Island IPA, 8
Goose Island Matilda, 7
Goose Island Sofie, Score: 8
Gouden Carolous Noel, 5
Gouden Carolous Tripel, 10
Grado Plato Chocarrubica, 1
Grand Teton Pursuit of Hoppiness, 7
Great Divide Denver Pale Ale, 7
Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, 8
Great Divide Hercules Double IPA, 9
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, 9
Great Divide St. Bridgets Porter (St. Brigids), 7
Green Flash Hop Head Red, 8
Green Flash West Coast IPA, 9
Gritty McDuffs 21 IPA, 5
Gritty McDuffs Best Bitter, 7
Gritty McDuffs Black Fly Stout, 6
Gritty McDuffs Christmas Ale, 8
Gritty McDuffs Halloween Ale, 9
Gritty McDuffs India Pale Ale, 9
Gritty McDuffs Lions Pride Brown Ale, 5
Gritty McDuffs Original Pub Style, 4
Gritty McDuffs Raspberry Wheat, 5
Gritty McDuff's Red Claws Ale, 4
Gritty McDuffs Scottish Ale, 7
Gritty McDuff's Sebago Light Ale, 2
Gritty McDuffs Vacationland Summer Ale, 8
Guinness Draught, 4
Guinness Extra Stout (North America), 3

Haffenreffer Private Stock, 4
Hair of the Dog Adam, 9
Hair of the Dog Blue Dot Double IPA, 8
Hair of the Dog Fred, 9
Hair of the Dog Ruth, 6
Hale's Ale Kolsch, 6
Hansa Pilsener, 3
Harp Lager, 2
Harpoon Ale, 5
Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale, 5
Harpoon Brown, 6
Harpoon Celtic, 5
Harpoon Hibernian Ale, 5
Harpoon Imperial IPA (Leviathan Series), 3
Harpoon IPA, 6
Harpoon Leviathan Saison Royale, 9
Harpoon Old Rusty's Red Rye Ale, 7
Harpoon Smoked Porter, 6
Harpoon Summer Beer, 3
Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen, 7
Harpoon UFO White, 3
Harpoon Winter Warmer, 3
Heartland Big Belgian Blonde Ale, 6
Heartland Buffalo Bock, 5
Heartland Cornhusker Lager, 2
Heartland Farmer Jons Oatmeal Stout, 7
Heartland Harvest Wheat, 3
Heartland Indian River Light, 3
Heartland Indiana Pale Ale, 5
Heartland Red Rooster Ale, 5
Heater Allen Pils, 8
He'Brew Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah (13), 8
He'Brew Messiah Bold, 7
Heineken, 3
Henry Weinhards Blue Boar Pale Ale, 6
Henry Weinhards Private Reserve, 7
Het Anker Lucifer, 6
High & Mighty Home For The Holidays, 6
High & Mighty Two-Headed Beast, 4
Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale, 7
Hitachino Nest White Ale, 4
Hoegaarden Original White Ale, 6
Hofstetten Kubelbier, 9
Hook and Ladder Golden Ale, 3
Hook Norton Hooky Gold, 7
Hoppin Frog BORIS The Crusher, 9
Hoppin Frog Mean Manalishi, 10
Hopworks Anniversary Cream Ale, 8
Hopworks Crosstown Pale Ale, 9
Hopworks Deluxe Organic Ale, 10
Hopworks HUB Lager, 8
Hopworks IPA, 10
Hopworks Rise Up Red, 9
Hopworks Secret Alt, 8
Hopworks Survival "Seven Grain" Stout, 9
Hopworks Terry Porter, 7
Hopworks Totally Raddler, 3
Hopworks Velvet ESB, 10
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel, 7

Ipswich Dark Ale, 9
Ipswich India Pale Ale, 7
Ipswich Oatmeal Stout, 10
Ipswich Original Ale, 10
Ipswich Summer Ale, 4
Ipswich Winter Ale, 3
Ithaca Flower Power IPA, 8

Jacks Pumpkin Spice Ale, 6
Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere, 6
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja, 8
Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza, 7
Joseph James Red Fox, 6
Josh’s Homebrews Bia Kahawa Afrika, 8
Josh's Homebrews Crimes Against Humanity Bitter, 7
Josh’s Homebrews Hold-The-Lemon American Wheat, 6
Josh's Homebrews Hoppy Holidays! / Obama Beer!, 5
Josh's Homebrews It Must Be Wedding Saison, 8
Josh’s Homebrews Mr. Jack Ale'Lantern, 6
Josh's Homebrew's Naughty or Nice, 4
Josh's Homebrews Promised Land Porter, 7
Josh's Homebrews The-Waiting-Is-The-Hardest-Part Pale Ale, 5
Josh's Homebrews You're So Vain... You Probably Think This Stout is About You!, 1
Just Beer Moby D, 5

Karmeliet Tripel, 9
Kasteel Tripel, 9
Kelso Nut Brown Lager, 7
Kennebec River Magic Hole IPA, 5
Kennebec River Penobscot Porter, 6
Kennebec River Summer Ale, 7
Kilimanjaro Premium Lager, 1
King Cobra Premium Malt Liquor, 1
Kingfisher Premium Lager, 2
Kirin Ichiban, 2
Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale, 6
Kona Wailua Wheat, 1
Koshihikari Echigo Beer, 4
Kronenbourg 1664, 7
Kuche Kuche, 1

La Chouffe, 9
Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale, 8
Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout, 9
Lagunitas Censored, 5
Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale, 6
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, 7
Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale, 4
Lagunitas IPA, 7
Lagunitas Pils, 8
Lagunitas Sirius Ale, 9
Lake Placid 46'er Pale Ale, 7
Lake Placid IPA (Frostbite Ale), 9
Lake Placid Ubu, 6
Lakefront Cream City Pale Ale, 7
Lakefront Fuel Cafe, 3
Laughing Dog Alpha Dog Imperial IPA, 8
Laurelwood Bottled Blonde, 4
Laurelwood Free Range Red (Organic), 8
Laurelwood Hooligan, 6
Laurelwood Hop Monkey IPA, 7
Laurelwood Mother Lode Golden Ale, 5
Laurelwood Organic Tree Hugger Porter, 7
Laurelwood Space Stout, 6
Laurelwood Workhorse IPA, 10
Leffe Blonde, 4
Left Hand Black Jack Porter, 4
Left Hand Milk Stout, 9
Legacy Hedonism Ale, 7
Legacy Midnight Wit, 7
Legacy Nor'easter, 7
Legend Brown Ale, 6
Legend Pale Ale, 6
Leinenkugels Oktoberfest, 4
Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, 1
Leinenkugels Sunset Wheat, 3
Les Trois Mouquetaires Imperial Weizen, 5
Liberal Cup Alewife Ale, 8
Liberal Cup Backhouse Bitter, 7
Liberal Cup Bug Lager, 6
Liberal Cup For Richer or Porter, 7
Liberal Cup Tarbox Cream Stout, 8
Lindeman's Framboise Lambic, 7
Lindemans Kriek Lambic, 8
Lion Stout, 6
Loco Pilsner, 6
Lompoc Centennial IPA, 8
Lompoc C-Note Imperial Pale Ale, 7
Lompoc Condor Pale Ale, 4
Lompoc Fool’s Golden Ale, 4
Lompoc LSD (Lompoc Strong Draft), 7
Lompoc Proletariat Red, 4
Lompoc Sockeye Cream Stout, 6
Long Trail Ale, 7
Long Trail Belgian White, 4
Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat, 7
Long Trail Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout, 8
Long Trail Double Bag, 8
Long Trail Hefeweizen, 5
Long Trail Hibernator, 5
Long Trail Hit the Trail Ale, 6
Long Trail India Pale Ale, 5
Long Trail Winter White, 8
Lost Abbey Lost & Found Abbey Ale, 7
Lost Abbey Carnevale, 5
Lucky Labrador Dog Day IPA, 8
Lucky Labrador Hawthornes Best Bitter, 7

Mackeson XXX Stout, 7
Mad River Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, 7
Magic Hat #9, 4
Magic Hat Blind Faith, 7
Magic Hat Circus Boy, 5
Magic Hat Fat Angel, 6
Magic Hat Hi.P.A., 7
Magic Hat Hocus Pocus, 6
Magic Hat Irish Red Ale, 7
Magic Hat Jinx, 6
Magic Hat Lucky Kat, 5
Magic Hat Odd Notion American Pale Wheat, 6
Magic Hat Roxy Rolles, 8
Magic Hat Single Chair Ale, 7
Magic Hat Vinyl, 6
Magic Hat Y33, 3
Maine Beer Spring Peeper Ale, 9
Manchester Conspiracy Theory, 4
Manchester Emperor Norton's Peppermint Stout, 3
Marshall Wharf Tug Pale Ale, 3
Mash Tun Alberta Pale Ale, 2
Mayflower Golden Ale, 6
Mayflower IPA, 4
Mayflower Pale Ale, 7
Mayflower Porter, 7
Mayflower Summer Rye, 9
Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale, 3
McMenamins Concordia Pale Ale, 5
McMenamins Hammerhead Ale, 5
McMenamins India Pale Ale, 5
McMenamins Nebraska Bitter, 7
McMenamins Ruby, 2
McMenamins Terminator Stout, 8
McNeill's Extra Special Bitter, 6
McSorley's Irish Black Lager, 4
Meantime IPA, 8
Mendocino Black Hawk Stout, 4
Mendocino Blue Heron Pale Ale, 3
Mendocino Red Tail Ale, 5
Mendocino Saratoga Lager, 8
Michelob Pale Ale, 3
Mickey's, 1
Middle Ages Beast Bitter, 7
Middle Ages Kilt Tilter, 4
Middle Ages Wailing Wench, 8
Millstream Colony Oatmeal Stout, 6
Millstream John's Generations White Ale, 8
Mikkheler Beer Geek Breakfast, 10
Moat Mountain Hoffman Weiss, 8
Modelo Especial, 3
Molson XXX, 2
Montana Brewing Whitetail Wheat, 8
Mosi Lager, 1
Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial IPA, 6
Murphy's Irish Red Beer, 5
Murphy’s Irish Stout, 5

Narragansett Cranberry, 2
Narragansett Lager, 5
Nashoba Valley Bolt 117 Lager, 4
Nashoba Valley Heron Ale, 5
Nashoba Valley Oaktoberfest, 4
Nashoba Valley Wattaquadoc Wheat, 6
Negra Modelo, 6
Neumarkter Lammsbrau Organic Pilsner, 8
New Belgium Abbey Style Belgian Ale, 9
New Belgium Fat Tire, 8
New Century MoonShot Beer, 1
New England Sea Hag IPA, 9
New Holland Mad Hatter IPA, 7
Newcastle Brown Ale, 7
Newport Storm Chocolate Porter, 6
Newport Storm Gloria, 6
Newport Storm Henry, 6
Newport Storm Hurricane Amber Ale, 4
Newport Storm's Irish Red, 3
Newport Storm Regenschauer Oktoberfest, 6
Newport Storm Rhode Island Blueberry, 7
Ndovu, 1
Nile Special Lager, 1
Ninkasi Total Domination IPA, 7
Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA, 10
Nogne Special Holiday Ale, 7
North Coast ACME California IPA, 8
North Coast Blue Star, 8
North Coast Le Merle, 5
North Coast Old No. 38 Stout, 8
North Coast Old Plowshare Stout, 8
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, 10
North Coast Old Stock Ale, 9
North Coast Pranqster, 7
North Coast Red Seal, 9
Northampton Black Cat Stout, 6
Northampton Maggies Wee Heavy, 8
Northampton Old Brown Dog, 6
Northampton Pale Ale, 8
Northampton Redheaded Stepchild, 6
Northampton Steamer, 7

Oak Pond Dooryard Ale, 5
Oak Pond Nut Brown Ale, 8
Oak Pond Oktoberfest, 6
Oak Pond Pale Ale, 4
Oak Pond Pilsner, 6
Oak Pond Somerset Lager, 7
Oak Pond White Fox Ale, 7
Offshore Hop Goddess, 6
Offshore India Pale Ale, 7
O'Hara's Irish Red, 5
O'Hara's Irish Stout, 8
Okocim Beer, 3
Old Dominion Dominion Ale, 8
Olde Burnside Dirty Penny, 9
Olde Burnside Ten Penny Ale, 6
Olde Burnside Ten Penny Ale Reserve, 9
Olde English 800, 1
Ommegang, 8
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout, 9
Ommegang Hennepin, 10
Ommegang Rare Vos, 7
Ommegang Three Philosophers, 8
Ommegang Witte, 6
Opa-Opa IPA, 6
Opa-Opa Steakhouse Red Rock, 7
Orlio Organic Black Lager, 5
Orlio Organic Common Ale, 6
Orval Trappist Ale, 9
Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale, 10
Oskar Blues Gordon, 9
Oskar Blues GUBNA Imperial IPA, 5
Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils, 6
Oskar Blues Old Chub, 9
Oskar Blues Ten FIDY, 8
Otter Creek Copper Ale, 4
Otter Creek Helles Bock, 3
Otter Creek Otter San, 3
Otter Creek Pale Ale, 5
Otter Creek Raspberry Brown Winter Ale, 3
Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, 5
Otter Creek White Sail, 4
Owen O'Leary's Black & Tan, 4
Owen O'Leary's Dave's Blueberry Ale, 4
Owen O'Leary's Golden Eagle Ale, 5
Owen O'Leary's I.P.A., 4
Owen O'Leary's Irish Sunsetter Red, 6
Owen O'Leary's Summertime Wheat, 3
Oxford Hefeweizen, 4

Pabst Blue Ribbon, 4
Pacifico, 3
Palm Amber, 6
Pannepot - Old Fisherman's Ale (2007 Version), 9
Paper City Batch 108, 8
Paper City Blonde Hop Monster, 8
Paper City Fogbuster Coffee House Ale, 8
Paper City One Eared Monkey, 2
Paper City PC Blue, 2
Paper City Riley's Mother's Milk Stout, 9
Peak Organic Espresso Amber Ale, 8
Peak Organic IPA, 7
Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale, 3
Pearl Street Canal Street Stout, 9
Pearl Street Lake Effect Pale Ale, 7
Pearl Street Trainwreck, 4
Pennichuck Bagpipers Scottish Ale, 5
Pennichuck Black Lager, 8
Pennichuck Engine No. 5 Firehouse Red Ale, 6
Pennichuck Halligan RyePA, 7
Pennichuck The Big O Octoberfest Lager, 6
Penobscot Bay Half Moon Stout, 7
Penobscot Bay Old Factory Whistle Scottish Ale, 9
Penobscot Bay Whig Street Blonde Ale, 8
Petes Wicked Strawberry Blonde, 5
Picaroon's Best Bitter, 6
Picaroon's Man's Best Friend, 4
Pinkus-Mueller Organic Ur Pils, 8
Piraat Ale, 7
Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop IPA, 7
Port Brewing Shark Attack Double Red Ale, 6
Port Brewing Wipeout IPA, 8
Portsmouth ALTernator, 9
Portsmouth Bottle Rocket IPA, 8
Portsmouth Dirty Blonde Ale, 7
Portsmouth Oatmeal Stout, 8
Portsmouth Smoky Dunkelweizen, 5
Pretty Things American Darling, 7
Pretty Things Baby Tree, 8
Pretty Things February 27th, 1832 Mild Ale, 7
Pretty Things Jack D'or, 9
Pretty Things Saint Botolph's Town, 6
Primus, 1
Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen, 5

RedBones Chester Street Amber, 7
Redhook Blonde Ale, 4
Redhook CopperHook Spring Ale, 4
Redhook Double Black Stout (with Coffee), 9
Redhook ESB, 7
Redhook Long Hammer IPA, 3
Redhook Sunrye, 5
Ridgeway Seriously Bad Elf, 6
Ringwood Old Thumper (USA), 6
Riverhorse Tripel Horse, 6
RJ Rocker Patriot Ale, 3
Rock Art Magnumus Ete Tomahawkus ESB^2, 8
Rock Art Vermonster, 8
Rock Bottom American Dream IPA, 7
Rock Bottom Improper Hopper IPA, 5
Rock Bottom Lumpy Dog Light Lager, 1
Rock Bottom Mad Cow Milk Stout, 6
Rock Bottom Munich Gold, 4
Rock Bottom North Star Amber Ale, 2
Rock Bottom Off-Kilter Scotch Ale, 5
Rock Bottom Pumpkin Ale, 6
Rodenbach Classic, 8
Rogue American Amber, 6
Rogue Brutal Bitter, 5
Rogue Captain Sig's Deadliest Ale, 6
Rogue Chipotle Ale, 2
Rogue Chocolate Stout, 8
Rogue Dead Guy Ale, 9
Rogue Mocha Porter, 7
Rogue Morimoto Soba, 7
Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale, 9
Rogue Shakespeare Stout, 7
Rogue Somer Orange Honey Ale, 2
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, 8
Roots Burghead Heather Ale, 6
Roots EXXXcalibur Imperial Stout, 9
Roots Island Red, 7
Roots Pale Ale, 7
Roots Pond Turtle Pale Ale, 8
Roots Woody Organic IPA, 8
Run of the Mill Bug Zapper Super Lager, 7
Run of the Mill State Budget Red Ale, 5
Russian River Blind Pig IPA, 9
Russian River Pliny the Elder, 10

Safari Lager, 2
Sagres, 6
Saint Somewhere Lectio Divina, 6
Saison Dupont, 8
Samuel Adams Black Lager, 9
Samuel Adams Blackberry Wit, 3
Samuel Adams Boston Ale, 7
Samuel Adams Boston Lager, 9
Samuel Adams Brick Red, 5
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, 4
Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, 3
Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic, 1
Samuel Adams Cream Stout, 8
Samuel Adams Double Bock, 8
Samuel Adams Dunkel Weiss, 7
Samuel Adams Hefeweizen, 5
Samuel Adams Holiday Porter, 8
Samuel Adams Honey Porter, 2
Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner, 6
Samuel Adams Imperial Stout, 2
Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale, 6
Samuel Adams Light, 5
Samuel Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale, 3
Samuel Adams LongShot Weizenbock, 9
Samuel Adam's Noble Pils, 7
Samuel Adams Octoberfest, 4
Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale, 5
Samuel Adams Pale Ale, 4
Samuel Adams Scotch Ale, 7
Samuel Adams Summer Ale, 7
Samuel Adams Triple Bock, 1
Samuel Adams White Ale, 4
Samuel Adams Winter Lager, 6
Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout, 5
Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout, 10
Samuel Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale, 4
Samuel Smiths Organic Raspberry Fruit Beer, 3
Samuel Smiths Organically Produced Ale, 8
Samuel Smiths Taddy Porter, 8
San Miguel Dark Lager, 4
Sapporo Premium Draft, 3
Saranac Adirondack Amber, 4
Saranac Black and Tan, 5
Saranac IPA, 4
Saranac Pale Ale, 5
Saranac Pumpkin Ale, 4
Schlitz, 5
Sea Dog Blue Paw Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale, 3
Sea Dog Riverdriver Hazelnut Porter, 3
Sebago Barrel-aged Lake Trout Stout, 8
Sebago Fryes Leap IPA, 7
Sebago Full Throttle Double IPA, 9
Sebago Hefeweizen, 3
Sebago Lake Trout Stout, 9
Sebago Local Harvest Ale, 6
Sebago Runabout Red Ale, 5
Sebago Slick Nick Winter Ale, 5
Serengeti Premium Lager, 1
Sheepscot Valley Bold Coast Pemaquid Ale, 6
Sheepscot Valley Boothbay Special Bitter, 2
Sheepscot Valley Sheepscot River Pale Ale, 8
Sherwood Forest Archers Ale, 5
Sherwood Forest Sheriffs IPA, 8
Shipyard Light, 3
Shipyard Brewer's Choice Special Ale 2008 (Brown Ale), 7
Shipyard Brewer's Choice Special Ale 2009 (Royal IPA), 8
Shipyard Blue Fin Stout, 7
Shipyard Brown Ale, 3
Shipyard Chamberlain Pale Ale, 6
Shipyard Export Ale, 9
Shipyard Longfellow Winter Ale, 8
Shipyard Prelude Ale, 9
Shipyard Pugsley's Signature Series Barley Wine Style Ale, 7
Shipyard Pugsley's Signature Series Imperial Porter, 8
Shipyard Pugsley's Signature Series XXXX IPA, 8
Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, 8
Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin, 8
Shipyard Summer Ale, 3
Shipyard Tremont Ale, 8
Shipyard Tremont IPA, 4
Shipyard Wheat Ale, 5
Sierra Nevada 12th Release Harvest, 6
Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale, 7
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, 9
Sierra Nevada Brown Ale, 8
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, 8
Sierra Nevada Early Spring Beer, 7
Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock, 5
Sierra Nevada India Pale Ale, 8
Sierra Nevada Kellerweiss Hefeweizen, 7
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, 8
Sierra Nevada Porter, 9
Sierra Nevada Stout, 8
Sierra Nevada Summerfest, 7
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA, 8
Singha, 4
Sixpoint Brownstone Ale, 7
Sixpoint Righteous Ale, 8
Sixpoint Sweet Action, 10
Sly Fox Pikeland Pils, 8
Smithwicks Ale, 4
Smuttynose Big A IPA, 10
Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale, 5
Smuttynose IPA “Finest Kind”, 6
Smuttynose Old Brown Dog, 6
Smuttynose Portsmouth Lager, 6
Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, 6
Smuttynose Robust Porter, 10
Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale, 9
Smuttynose Summer Weizen Ale, 6
Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale, 6
Smuttynose Winter Ale, 7
Snapperfish IPA, 4
Southampton Double White Ale, 9
Southampton ESB, 10
Southampton IPA, 4
Southern Tier Back Burner, 7
Southern Tier Big Red, 7
Southern Tier Cuvee Series 2 (Oak Aged Series), 6
Southern Tier Harvest Ale, 7
Southern Tier IPA, 8
Southern Tier Jahva, 6
Southern Tier Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale, 6
Southern Tier Porter, 8
Southern Tier Raspberry Porter, 5
Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat Beer, 3
Spanish Peaks Black Dog Ale, 5
Spanish Peaks Crystal Weiss, 4
Speakeasy Prohibition Ale, 9
Sprecher Black Bavarian, 8
St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, 9
St. Bernardus Abt 12, 10
St. Bernardus Witbier, 10
St. Feuillien Tripel, 9
St. George Summer Ale, 6
St. Ides High Gravity Malt Liquor, 3
St. John Brewers Virgin Islands Pale Ale, 2
St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition, 9
St. Pauli Girl Lager, 3
St. Pauli Girl Special Dark, 3
Steel Reserve 211, 5
Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, 8
Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale, 9
Stone Double Bastard Ale, 9
Stone India Pale Ale, 9
Stone Leviathan, 6
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard, 9
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2006, 8
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2008, 7
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2009, 7
Stone Pale Ale, 9
Stone Ruination IPA, 8
Stone Russian Imperial Stout 2006, 9
Stone Russian Imperial Stout 2009, 8
Stone Smoked Porter, 8
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale, 9
Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale, 8
Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale, 6
Stone Cat IPA, 7
Stone Coast 840 IPA, 8
Stone Coast Knuckleball Bock, 6
Stone Coast Sunsplash Golden Ale, 2
Stoudts American Pale Ale, 9
Stoudts Double IPA, 8
Stoudts Fat Dog, 8
Stoudts Gold Lager, 8
Stoudts Scarlet Lady ESB, 6
Strangford Lough Legbiter, 6
Strangford Lough St. Patrick's Best, 5
Sunday River Alt, 3
Sunday River Black Bear Porter, 6
Sunday River IPA, 5
Switchback Pale Ale, 7

Taj Mahal Premium Lager, 3
Tecate, 1
Terminal Gravity IPA, 7
Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, 7
The Bruery Orchard White, 7
The Bruery Saison Rue, 9
The People's Pint Pied pIPA, 4
The Shed National IPA, 8
The Shed Mountain Ale, 7
The Tap American Pale Ale, 7
The Tap Ascension, 8
The Tap Bock, 7
The Tap Chocolate Porter, 8
The Tap Dopplebock, 4
The Tap GestAlt, 5
The Tap Haverale Cream Ale, 6
The Tap Hewitt Brown, 6
The Tap Irish Stout, 7
The Tap Leatherlips IPA, 9
The Tap Nut Brown, 7
The Tap Smoked Pils , 8
The Tap Whittier White, 7
Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper, 6
Thirsty Dog Siberian Night, 10
Thomas Hooker Blonde Ale, 7
Thomas Hooker Hop Meadow IPA, 9
Thomas Hooker Liberator Doppelbock, 10
Tiger Beer, 2
Tommyknocker Alpine Glacier Lager, 3
Trade Route Ginger Pale Ale, 4
Trappistes Rochefort 10, 8
Trinity Belgian Gold, 6
Trinity Belgian Wit, 4
Trinity Brown Ale, 6
Trinity ESB, 7
Trinity Hefe Weizen, 5
Trinity Imperial IPA, 6
Trinity Larkens Irish Stout, 7
Trinity Rhode Island IPA, 8
Trinity Russian Imperial Stout, 9
Trinity Schwarzbier, 5
Trinity Special Kolsch, 8
Trinity The Kolsch, 6
Troegs Hopback Amber Ale, 8
Troegs Java Head Stout, 8
Troegs Pale Ale, 6
Troubadour Obscura, 6
Trout River Rainbow Red Ale, 5
Trumer Pils, 6
Tsingtao, 2
Tuckerman 6288 Stout, 7
Tuckerman Pale Ale, 8
Tusker Lager, 2
Two Brothers Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale, 7
Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA, 6
Two Brothers The Bitter End, 7

Uganda Breweries Pilsner Lager, 1
Uinta Angler's Pale Ale, 8
Uncle Jim's Homebrews Amber Ale, 4
Uncle Jim's Homebrews Cream Ale, 6
Uncle Jim's Homebrews Oatmeal Stout, 6
Uncle Jim's Homebrews Red, 8
Uncle Jim's Homebrews "SB", 6
Unibroue Chambly Noire, 5
Unibroue La Fin Du Monde, 9
Unibroue Maudite, 8
Union Station Belgian Tripel, 4
Union Station Summer Blonde, 4
Union Station Golden Spike Ale, 6
Union Station Trip Hop, 5
Union Station Half Day IPA, 5
Union Station River Otter Ale, 3
Union Station Barleywine, 4

Val-Dieu Grand Cru, 10
Van Steenberge Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale, 5
Vermont Pub and Brewery Forbidden Fruit, 5
Vermont Pub and Brewery Dogbite Bitter, 7
Vermont Pub and Brewery Vermont Smoked Porter, 8
Victory 12, 4
Victory Bags Packed Porter, 7
Victory Baltic Thunder, 9
Victory Braumeister Harvest Pils, 6
Victory Festbier, 6
Victory Golden Monkey, 9
Victory HopDevil, 9
Victory Moonglow Weizenbock, 4
Victory Prima Pils, 8
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout, 10
Victory V Lager, 6
Victory Whirlwind Witbier, 4
Victory Wild Devil, 7
Victory Yakima Twilight, 8

Wachusett Blueberry, 5
Wachusett Green Monsta, 7
Wachusett IPA, 5
Wachusett Octoberfest Ale, 3
Wachusett Summer Breeze, 4
Wachusett Winter Ale, 7
Watch City 38 Schilling Scottish Ale, 6
Watch City Biking Bob's Bohemian Pilsner, 4
Watch City Bombed Blondeshelle Belgian Strong Ale, 5
Watch City Dubbel Belgian Ale, 6
Watch City Hops Explosion IPA, 9
Watch City Kingpin Imperial Stout, 7
Watch City Moody Street Stout, 7
Watch City Pie Eyed Pumpkin Ale, 6
Watch City Shillelagh Irish Red Ale, 5
Watch City Titan Brown Ale, 9
Watch City Totem Pale Ale, 8
Watch City Uber-Okto-Lager, 6
Watch City Wheat IPA, 7
Weihenstephaner Kristall Weissbier, 8
Westmalle Trappist Tripel, 10
Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, 8
Weyerbacher Hops Infusion, 7
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumkin Ale, 7
Weyerbacher Insanity, 6
Weyerbacher Merry Monks' Ale, 7
Weyerbacher Winter Ale, 4
Widmer Brothers Drop Top Amber Ale, 8
Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen, 9
Widmer Brothers Snow Plow, 7
Widmer Brothers W06 NW Red Ale, 8
Wild Goose IPA, 5
Windhoek Lager, 3
Wolaver's Farmhouse Ale, 8
Wolavers India Pale Ale, 7
Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout, 4
Wolaver’s Will Stevens' Pumpkin Ale, 5
Woodstock Inn Pemi Pale Ale, 6
Woodstock Inn Pigs Ear Brown Ale, 5
Wynchwood Fiddler's Elbow, 5

Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale, 7
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, 7
Young's Oatmeal Stout, 9
Yuengling Traditional Lager, 8

Z Street Mocha Java Stout, 8