Left Hand Milk Stout

Beer Name: Left Hand Milk Stout (#49)

Style: Sweet Stout

Country: USA

Size: 12 oz bottle

ABV: 5.2

From the book: In the late 19th century, sweet stouts were touted as being "healthy" for you. Besides being high in calories, there was no real "health" benefit to the beer. Left Hand Milk Stout is very dark and is 5.2% alcohol by volume. Milk sugar is added to smooth it out and give it a rich, chocolaty flavor.

Sweet, smooth and chocolaty. This beer was very good and extremely smooth.

7/10

Thirsty Dog Maibark

Beer Name: Thirsty Dog Maibark (#228)

Style: Maibock

Country: USA

Size: 16 oz draft

ABV: 6.5

From the book: Maibocks are the lightest of the Bock style of beers. Generally served in the spring around or during the month of may. Maibark is made using only German grains, yeast and hops to give it an authentic, traditionally brewed Maibock. Golden colored with grassy, citrus hops notes and big toasted grain flavors.

So you know how when a hairy dog gets wet it has an awful smell that never seems to go away? That is EXACTLY what this beer tasted like. So painful to drink, I had to chug it so I could get to the next one to purge the flavor from my mouth. AWFUL!

1/10

Goose Island Pepe Nero

Beer Name: Goose Island Pepe Nero (#177)

Style: Belgian Farmhouse Ale

Country: USA

Size: 10 oz draft

ABV: 6

From the internet: Black Belgian style farmhouse ale, brewed with black peppercorns.

I should have known going in that I wouldn't care for this beer. I am not a fan of pepper, and I am not really a fan of this limited availability beer.

3/10

Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning

Beer Name: Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning (#41)

Style: Imperial Pilsner

Country: USA

Size: 12 oz bottle

ABV: 7.5

From the book: Or as they call it, an Uber-Pils, Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning is bottle conditioned, malty for the pilsner style and weighs in at a hefty 7.5% alcohol by volume. The overall malt sweetness is tempered by the use of four types of hops: Amarillo, Saaz, Hersbrucker and Tettnang.

After having such a variety of beer styles, pilsners have become kind of ho-hum. This one is a good beer, but other than the excessive use of malt, there is nothing special about it.

5/10

Aventinus

Beer Name: Aventinus (#3)

Style: Weizenbock

Country: Germany

Size: 16.9 oz bottle

ABV: 8

From the book: Aventinus was first brewed in 1907. The picture on the bottle is of Johannes Aventinus, the famous historian who first described Bavaria and its people. This beer is a Michael Jackson four star beer and 1996 platinum medal winner at the World Beer Championships. It has a deep, tawny color and, when poured, produces a big head. It is a very flavorful beer with hints of chocolate, fruit and spices. It finishes with a sense of cloves.

This beer was quite unique in the flavor department. To me it tasted like a mix of banana and clove, and while that sounds unappealing it was quite delicious!

9/10

Brooklyn East IPA

Beer Name: Brooklyn East IPA (#135)

Style: IPA

Country: USA

Size: 16 oz draft

ABV: 7

From the book: The Brooklyn East India Pale Ale is absolutely true to the British India Pale Ale style. It is brewed with two-row English Pale Ale malt and East Kent Golding, Cascade and Williamette hops. It has a very strong alcohol content of 6.9%. This beer is extremely dry with lemongrass flavors. It is one of the Brooklyn Brewery's most requested varities.

I am not a fan of IPAs at all, and this one is not high on my list. The lemony flavor does stand out, which made it slightly refreshing as it was a blistering hot day and we were on the patio, but that is not enough to make me enjoy it that much.

3/10

Troegenator Doublebock

Beer Name: Troegenator Doublebock (#233)

Style: Doppelbock

Country: USA

Size: 16 oz draft

ABV: 8.2

From the book: This hearty beer from Troegs is a great representation of the doppelbock style of beer. Mahogany colored with a rich nutty and bready aroma, it starts sweet with likely malty flavors of light caramel and roasted nuts. In the end it brings a nice warming alcohol presence with a mild spiciness.

I am a pretty big fan of doppelbock beers, my all time favorite is one, and this is another solid version. I didn't get too much of the caramel flavor, but the nutty flavor did stand out more to me. This was April's glass of the month beer.

7/10

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout

Beer Name: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout (#248)

Style: Stout

Country: USA

Size: 10 oz draft

ABV: 9

From the internet: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout pours a thick dark brown color with a firm tan head. The beer has a very nice roasted malt flavor base and a subtle sweetness emerges as the beer opens. It is full and rich, with the 9 percent alcohol by volume content not easily detectable.

Definitely right up my alley, this dark delight has strong flavors of chocolate and a bit of coffee and I enjoyed every drop.

8/10