7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Regular version, bottle. Dark brown with a slight muddiness. The aroma is fudgey with a little bit of fruit. Very fudgey palate, some heat, some currant fruitiness. Nothing terribly spectacular but it’s a nice brew, well made and enjoyable to drink.
I had the non-barrel-aged version spiked with blackberries that was served at the Michigan Brewer’s Festival. Almost black, murky. Aroma is blackberry vs. coffee vs. chocolate malt. The flavours are a little better-integrated on the palate – vanilla, cream, blackberry, mocha. Okay experiment but nothing to lose sleep over if you never see it again. 7-4-7-4-14 = 3.6
I had the non-barrel-aged version spiked with blackberries that was served at the Michigan Brewer’s Festival. Almost black, murky. Aroma is blackberry vs. coffee vs. chocolate malt. The flavours are a little better-integrated on the palate – vanilla, cream, blackberry, mocha. Okay experiment but nothing to lose sleep over if you never see it again. 7-4-7-4-14 = 3.6
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Jul 2003
at 15:57
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
This is in much the same vein as the AleSmith Horny Devil I recently had the chance to partake of. Starts with a vinous, sweet aroma. The cloudy golden body is very flavorful and sweet (candi sugar?) with vinous notes, alcohol presence, and an earthy hops aftertaste. Most of what I like in a Belgian can be found here. It is important to note that this was brewed for the 2002 Tulip Time Festival held in Holland Michigan. Dutchmen (some flying) from around the world descend upon Holland, Michigan like a plague of locusts, devouring Windmill Cookies, dancing in wooden-shoed stupor, and enveloping themselves in the splendor of thousands upon thousands of tulips. Some even lay their eggs on the tulips, in hopes that their offspring will hatch and consume the leaves. Oh, did I mention I'm part Dutch too? Damn...
Tried
from Can
on 19 Jul 2003
at 16:57
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Real cherry? Hey, count me in as a fan of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, but the real thing is even better. Aroma is strong sweet/sour cherry, and emanates from an appropriately red body (including a pink-tinged head!). Flavor is a medley of typical cherry aspects: some sours, some sweets, some bitters, and some woody hints (note: some woodies was edited). I agree with hoppygrrrl that cinnamon plays a role here. I also have a hard time finding the "ale" beneath the cherry, but this is still good brew, although a notch or two below the Ichabod.
Tried
on 18 Jul 2003
at 19:53
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
A fall beer to add to the seasonal lineup! Appropriately orange, sediment-laden, and topped with a thin white head. The pumpkin pie aroma seemed out of place on a July evening, but fall is not too far off! Flavor was likewise spicy (ginger) pumpkin pie. A neat seasonal from an interesting local brewer.
Tried
on 18 Jul 2003
at 10:28
5.1/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Pretty boring, folks. A single malt, a single hop, and a ridiculous price. Not that the beer is bad; it has a nice, light malty feel to it. The beer does put other simple "beers" like Budweiser to shame, but it should be priced to boot. $4.50/6 seems reasonable to me. This would, as has been suggested, be a good introduction to microbrews for macroswillers.
Tried
on 04 Jun 2003
at 18:52
8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Each and every May, billions of Dutch, from this world and others, congregate at that singular place on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, namely, Holland, Michigan. The main attraction? Tulips, by the millions, lining the streets. May I suggest that these tulips be replaced by their liquid namesakes in the future. I am prone to love a great amber, and Red Tulip is a great amber ale. Pours dark amber, almost garnet-colored, with a lasting, thin tan/white head. Aroma is slightly bitter. Flavor is outstanding: fresh grain with a hops kick. Red Tulip goes down easy and fast. Not the thickest ale by any means, but an outstanding beer. I'll be sure to pick more up before supplies wither like those fleeting flowers.
Tried
on 23 May 2003
at 18:55
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Next up in the wheat sweepstakes is Zoomer Wit. I am enjoying the summer wheats. Pours a cloudy light orange, with a thin white head. The body is decidedly light, with strong carbonation. Flavor is as expected: notes of coriander and orange peel in a matrix of wheat, sweet malts, and just the right touch of hops. Too light and "typical" to be considered great, but worth the $. Plus, there's something about the bottle...
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 May 2003
at 18:46
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Full of sediment, and dominated by floral hops flavor. Malts add to the complexity, providing an almost sweet backdrop. A tasty pale.
Tried
on 21 May 2003
at 14:06
5.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Kind of strange. Decent amber color, whitish head. Not much of an aroma, and the flavor is rather murky and indistinct, with a strange bitter aftertaste. I'd choose a different Amber Ale. Try "The Poet" stout instead for a good beer from this brewery.
Tried
on 14 Mar 2003
at 12:28
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Nice hoppy aroma, lasting off-white head. Similar to most other IPAs I'm familiar with. Hoppy, floral palate and woody, bitter finish. Well done.
Tried
on 12 Mar 2003
at 17:31