Bottle at Oak Tree. Pours semi cloudy gold with white head. Nose/taste of banana, yeast, lemon and wheat malt. Lighter body. Dry spicy finish.

A deep dark stout with a thick resilient dark brown head. In aroma, light smooth chocolate with light berry notes. In mouth, a smooth powdery chocolate with light coffee acidity, a bit grassy and somewhat off. On tap at Barcade, July 1, 2012.

Total Wine, Chantilly 12oz ($2): Pours a slightly hazed yellow with a white head. Aroma is lemon and bread. Taste is quite sour for a helles. The lemon is the primary flavour. There is a bit of bread and the like. I never had a beer of this style with so much fruitiness, and I can’t quite determine whether I think that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Not bad ESB, knocked another MJ 500 Classic Brews off my list. Amber in color with an off white head that lasted for a little while. Caramel malt and floral hoppiness. Nice relaxed ESB with a very balanced flavor, nice.

Slightly hazy orange coloured body with an amber glow and a ridiculously large, ten centimetre tall soapy tan head. Aroma of yeast, wort, sugars and a quite a bit of hop pellets - not much more. Medium-bodied; Strong grassy and floral notes up front with some lighter hop notes, but showing a bit of malt and way too many soapy type flavours - not very complex. Aftertaste shows a lot of malty and earthy notes with some english hop flavours and even more grass and especially clean soap. Overall, way too carbonated and not complex enough to be a good beer, but the flavours don’t remind me of a good bitter or ESB at all. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle from a six pack, purchased from Liqour Outlet in Boonton, New Jersey for US$8.75/6pack sampled at home in Washington on 08-June-2012.

Deep amber coloured body with a hint of a brown tint and a two centimetre tall tan head - more of an ESB look than an IPA to me. Aroma of light earthy malt, some subtle hops, yeast, wort and a touch of nuts, not too much exciting at play here. Medium-bodied; Some mild earthy and floral hops thrown in with some subtle malts, a touch of sugar and a little caramel flavour. Aftertaste doesn’t show much either with a little hint of citrus and grapefruit, some more earthy malt and not much hops at all. Overall, a pretty poor IPA, not even a good APA - just a slightly more malty and citric amber ale, if that - not worth searching out. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on 16-February-2012 for US$10.99 for a 6 pack, sampled at home in Washington on 23-April-2012.

Bottle. Pours black with brown head. Nose is flavorful coffee, roast dark malts, vanilla and chocolate. Taste follows suit - lots of coffee and dark roast. Finishes a bit dry. Body a little light for an imperial but doesn’t detract from mouth feel. Nice beer label.

Bottle. Hazy brown color, smal bright white head. Aroma of pine and caramel. Taste is bitter pine. Could be better balanced, but overall not bad.

Tap at BP Old Towne. Hazy deep amber-tan. Foamy beige/off-white head. Sort of odd. Some apple tones among the caramel and specialty malt richness. Almost a touch of Rye. A little off, but drinkable.