Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle thanks to Davecooks. Color is brown with low clarity, small head. Aroma is very musty with lots of wet wood (must be the oak). Lots of sour woodiness that have fruity aspects. Taste is very subdued for the expectations I had, basically a woody brown ale. Leaves a slightly bittered flavor mixed with alcohol. Moldy sweetness all around, yet nice.
CloakedDagger (37568) reviewed IPA from Drake’s Brewing Company 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
(On tap - cask - Toronado) Ever so slightly hazy, dark golden with a creamy, off-white head. The nose is full of sweetish caramel malt and good aroma hops. The body comes medium with a soft and extremely pleasant mouthfeel. Lightly sweet caramel flavours and then all these great aroma hops. Very pleasant - the limited carbonation doesn’t take the 84 IBUs very far. IPA on cask is a different but rewarding experience! 290307 (Bottle 35,5 cl) Courtesy of aspidites. Pours a hazy, amber golden with an off-white head. Very fresh, citrusy aroma. Medium-bodied and caramelish with a distinct, hoppy and citric finish. Clean, clear and fresh. 8/3/7/4/15=3.7 310507
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Bottled (Thanks stoutlover 72!). Dark nutbrown colour, not much head. Alcohol, raisins, oak barrel and some vanilla in aroma. Flavour is raisins, malts, alcohol, spices and some slight notes of vanilla. All in a wellmixed balance. Burningly warming, still very pleasantly done.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottled
Muddy brown color, no head. Nose has oak barrel, vanilla and whiskey. Soft palate. Brandy, lots of vanilla, alcohol and some raisins (making this beer fruity) in the flavor. Very balanced beer for slow drinking.
CloakedDagger (37568) reviewed Hop Salad from Drake’s Brewing Company 19 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
(On tap - Toronado) Clear, amber golden with a small, off-white head. Sweetish, caramellish nose. Fairly full body with loads of caramel. Hoppy and very fruity finish. Excellent. 250307
bb (18607) reviewed Hop Salad from Drake’s Brewing Company 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5
Draft. Rich ruby-amber beer with a whitish head. Citrus and some tropical fruit aroma. Citrus, tropical fruit flavor with some resin, malt and pine. Good hop flavor but not overly bitter. Hides alcohol well. Lingering citrus, resin and fruit.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle. Murky, brownish-amber color with little head. Brown sugar/caramel malt aroma with lots of apple. Musty apple brandy flavor. Earthy/malty flavor with apple and brandy backing. Seems a bit oxidized. More brandy than beer in the flavor and the brandy definately lingers. Dry finish and just lacks something that’s going to make it into a good beer.
Clarkvv (16760) reviewed Blonde Ale from Drake’s Brewing Company 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
6-pack, questionably fresh, from the notorious pilsner stock piling Hollingshead Deli. This was refrigerated, however, so I’m going to go with it….
Bottle consumed over the weekend, 3/22-3/24/2007
Extremely frothy, large white head is slow to recede and laces moderately well. Clarity is high. Carbonation is forced, with plenty of bubbles in the deep blonde colored body with plenty of straw tones.
Grainy and straw-like malt notes right away show dryness in the malt bill, but a honey-vanilla sweetness creeps on the back end. Soft, fruity and lightly herbal hops are very reserved, though still very aromatic, adding very little bitterness. No flaws in the aroma, medium strength, no alcohol.
I like the variation on the malt flavors; not just all honey, or vanilla-cream or cookieish pale malts. The light grainy edge really helps break up the sweetness, as well. Clean yeast, with very low ester production and soft, floral hops with light nectarine/peach fruitiness and some mildly bitter spiciness. A touch of doughiness and a pretty full body relative to style. That’s ok though, it’s better than the beer being watery. Wow, Drakes really are showing themselves to be in the top tier of brewing malty beers. They’ve really got their mashing down solid and don’t skimp on the malt. Maybe not as well suited for a pils or blonde ale, though this one was still very enjoyable, and I have yet to have their pils fresh. Looking forward to the Brandy barrel barleywine and Imperial Stout I have of theirs!
bb (18607) reviewed Hopyard Pale from Drake’s Brewing Company 19 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Draft. Amber beer with an off-white head. Light fruity aroma. Resiny, woodsy flavor with good bitterness and some fruitiness. Slightly astringent. Lingering bitterness and astringency. Medium body. Would do much better if some of the astringency were gone.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle from aspidites, Thanks Mike!!! Nose of floral and piney hops, copper with a small off white head, Flavor of hop bitterness and light caramel for balance, not really hoppy enough for a IIPA, but has a good hop balance ala an APA or ASA, Not a hop bomb so some of the raters should like it, well balanced!