Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale:

I don't have to say much about this beer but when I get started I don't think I'll be able to shut up...

Straight from the mouth of the Oskar Blues folks: "A Huge Voluminously Hopped Mutha of a Pale Ale". That gives you an idea of what to expect but it doesn't prepare you for the perfection of this serious Rocky Mountain Pale Ale.

Many moons ago I took a hiatus from canned beer. I discovered the delights of imported and American craft brews and dark bottles soon became the order of the day. Of course tailgating often involves drinking like you're in a video game, so the occasional warping into Crappy Beer World became unavoidable. Dale's Pale Ale shatters the system by delivering a hoppy, malty, smooth and delicious Pale Ale in can format.

Dale's is smooth enough to drink right from the can. Some brews taste a bit mealy when they're glugged right from the metal to your mouth: The air gets in there and foam makes you belch out obscenities before you even get to enjoy the swallow. But not Dale's Pale Ale. Pour it into a glass and you have an even smoother experience. The malty flavors open up and the hops mellow out but the Ale remains Pale and the finish stays dry. I'm almost getting a toasty sweetness that isn't sweet... toasted coconut? No, I'm not crazy.

Hops balance the malt and at 65 ibus, it weighs in a little hoppier than Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. 6.5% abv is just enough to get you going in the right direction while remaining sessionable enough to rock the can all night long. Can I give you some comparisons? How about Sierra Nevada Pale Ale ... Victory Hop Devil... It's kinda the perfect beer.

Aside from being the most flavorful pale ale ever, Dale's Pale Ale is infinitely drinkable. Oh, and portable! Yeah, the can thing is pretty cool. Fits nicely into coolers and fridges.

By the way, find Dale's on tap whenever you can. It's just as wonderful no matter how it's served. So expect a perfect score from El Presidente: Pale, stylish, drinkable, and awesome.

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: 1.0

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 4.0

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Green Flash West Coast IPA (draft):

Superior IPA. Chilled-out enough to recommend to any lover of good beers but bold enough to stash away for the occasional hop-fits that plague the hop-head from time to time. Stable malty skeleton with citrusy hops fleshed out on top. Grapefruity yet not overpowering. Light to medium in body with a bitterness up front. The bitterness disappears for the swallow and then magically reappears at the finish. Mystically good.

IPA lovers, drop what you're doing and grab one of these. Sometimes you need a pale; sometimes you need a double or an imperial; sometimes you need something just right. I'd put this in the "go-to" category right along with Victory Hop Devil or Dogfish Head 90 Minute. Also be sure to check out Green Flash Hop Head Red and Le Freak for daring drinkability.

Green Flash West Coast IPA is also one of a rare breed of brews that has a three-pronged attack: bottle, glass, or draft. This is a premier IPA, boasting 95 IBUs and cruising in at 7.3% abv.

As we enter Football Season, here's some Presidential advice: Definitely bring this one with you to a tailgater but guard it closely. You can protect it by saying, "You wouldn't like that... it's too bitter" (and you would be telling the God's honest truth), or you can be a hero to that random hop-head who eyes your brew knowingly. Use a West Coast IPA to barter for an awesome bratwurst sandwich or something but stand your ground on the value of this brew. Rare exception: that guy who has nothing to offer but stands in awe of your superior beer selection. You may bestow a Green Flash West Coast IPA upon this fellow traveler if you see in his eyes the determination to outdo you next time you meet. A truly grateful citizen of the FermentNation will take on this quest and deliver the goods.

Why not let the Brewmaster say it for himself: "A menagerie of hops are layered throughout the brewing process. Simcoe for unique fruitiness and grapefruit zest, Columbus for strong hop pungency, Centennial for pine and citrus notes, Cascade for floral aroma. A multi-dimensional hop experience." --Chuck Silva, Brewmaster.

Green Flash West Coast IPA:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: 1.0

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 4.0 Flags

Victory Hop Devil

Victory Hop Devil:

The brewers at Victory have laid it out pretty clearly in their own description of Hop Devil:

"Bold, spicy, and menacingly delicious..." I could probably end my review right there ... but you know I won't.

Hop Devil has just the right blend of style and accessibility to bring with you to any event: party, tailgater, barbecue, wedding, monster truck rally, or memorial service. Its versatility allows for pleasurable drinking from the bottle as well as on tap. Even when poured into a plastic cup so as to avoid being pinched by security, Victory Hop Devil represents the finest in American IPAs.

Perhaps Victory's Hop Devil holds such a special place in my heart because it was one of my "gateway beers" into the craft world. Even still, whenever I go back to Hop Devil for refreshment and bold, spicy hop action I realize that nostalgia doesn't play a part in my enjoyment of this devilish beverage. Everyday usage or special occasion, Hop Devil satisfies every time. 6.7% abv is just right, too: Enough to provide body and warmth, but easy enough to sweat out while playing horseshoes or standing really close to a bbq grill.

By the way, Victory Hop Devil on cask: One of my fave IPAs on cask? Must be a winner, right? Answer: that depends. Here's the skinny: Had it twice at bars in Philadelphia (awesome bars, at that) but was disappointed. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it when I had it at the Victory brewpub in Downingtown, PA but I figured it was worth a shot (the third time being a charm and all that). My hunch was right... It was AWESOME!!! My conclusion: perhaps it simply doesn't travel well. Fresh as hell at the Victory location is definitely the way to go if you are in the mood for some hand-pumped VHD.

Also of note: Be on the lookout for Victory Wild Devil on the loose near you. It's Hop Devil brewed with wild yeast. I enjoyed it the first time I had it and I look forward to experiencing it on tap at Victory's Beer Dinner on Thursday, May 28th at the Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

So as for the scoring of Victory Hop Devil, what would you expect if I told you this brew is in the running for my one "desert island" beer. There is competition, but not a whole lot. Perfect score.

Victory Hop Devil:

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: 1.0

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 4.0 Flags

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout:

I've had some imperial stouts that are so big that they fairly stand up from inside the glass and start ordering you around. Many American imperial stouts explode with flavor and throw their weight around, brandishing an imperial alcohol content somewhere between 9% and 12% abv. Don't get me wrong... I love these, of course. (Check out Weyerbacher Old Heathen, Victory Storm King, and North Coast Old Rasputin for good examples). British beers seem to favor erring on the side of caution (as evidenced by their milder IPA presentation which we Americans have adopted and cranked up to sometimes staggering levels of hoppiness). Samuel Smith has chosen to err on the side of sublimity.

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is as finely crafted as beer gets. Every bit as robust as any imperial stout with 50% more alcohol, Sam Smith's Imperial maintains its dignified reputation at a reserved 7% abv. The dangerous thing about this is its smoothness and drinkability. With just the right meal or lively conversation, this imperial stout could accidentally turn into a session beer... Oh good heavens!

Dark as night, with malty and some fruity notes, this hearty stout has a bready warmth, an unbelievably smooth mouthfeel, and a slightly bitter finish. Just enough boozy tang at the end to remind you that it's imperial. Fit for royalty.

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout:

Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: 1.0

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 4.0 Flags

You're Gonna Taste Hops in Your Mouth... - Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA

Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA:

As you may have read in my review of the Grey Lodge, this double IPA rocks my world. Serious IPAs sometimes overpower the tastebuds with hoppy bitterness or a lingering aftertaste. The body is generally lighter than an ale or a stout and the mouthfeel is frequently sharp. Hopmouth, however, combines all of the elements of a stellar ale with the hoppiness advertised by its name. It even has the creamy mouthfeel one would expect from a cask-conditioned ale. What a winner!

I've sampled lots of IPAs so I sometimes pass over a whole 6-pack of IPA in favor of singles, or reach instead for an ale with well-known drinkability (like Yards or Sierra). I won't pass this one over again. I look forward to trying Hopmouth in bottles. I have a feeling it may make it to the canon and join the vaulted ranks of such dignitaries as Victory Hop Devil and Troegs Hop Back. I'll be sure to let you know.


By the way, the alcohol content is 8.1% so don't get carried away. Extremely drinkable!

Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA:

Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: 1.0
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score 4.0 Flags

Irish Stout Round Table

Sorry for the delay, dear citizens, but technical difficulties have delayed the release of the St. Patrick's Day video footage. Never fear, however. This shall not keep McPresidente from his appointed rounds. Or from his appointed duties, for that matter.


Slater's Pub in Audubon, NJ provided the backdrop for this roundtable discussion/blind taste test between the three most standard and popular of the Irish Stouts available in this area. Several other stouts can be found in bottles, and some others only appear on draft. These three are the ones we could find in the pub-draught cans: Guinness, Beamish, and Murphy's. Each of the three rounds was brought to the participants without their knowledge of the brand. Each was ranked according to the standard rankings. Finally, after all three rounds were finished and ranked, we guessed at the brands. Not to brag, but we nailed it.

Round One:
This stout is pretty tasty and pretty smooth. Quite drinkable, but lacking some pizazz. Overall, a darn fine brew. We guessed Murphy's. We were right.
Representation: .80
Accessibility: .85
Style: .75
Personal Preference: .80

Total Score: 3.2 Flags

Round Two:
Definitely not our favorite. Different from the rest, yes. But not necessarily in a great way. I really like Irish stouts, so my personal scores would have been a bit higher. But the other participants were not so forgiving. We compromised and settled on the following scores for the second stout, Beamish.
Representation: .70
Accessibility: .70
Style: .80
Personal Preference: .70

Total Score: 2.9 Flags

Round Three:
Yeah. There it is. Nobody second guesses himself now...Guinness. We tried to explain the rankings at this point to an observer who wanted to know what Accessibility was. When I explained it in terms of, "Could you drink it all night?" my cousin Bud (a.k.a. Buddy Love, a.k.a. J.T.) responded simply, "I have." Thanks, Bud, for setting the record straight.
Representation: 1.0
Accessibility: 1.0
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 4.0 Flags.

So there you have it. The first family wishes you and yours a happy St. Patrick's Day (although a bit belated). So many stouts are out there (not jus the Irish ones). We love them, too. So keep your eyes open for some more round table discussions. We had fun doing this one, and hopefully you enjoyed the reading. Citizens, if you get one going for yourself please share the results with me at president@fermentnation.com. I would love to post your results as well.

Raison to Live

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre

One of my all-time favorites! Dogfish Head Brewery holds nothing back when they brew their "off-centered ales for off-centered people". Sometimes subtle, often over-the-top, Dogfish Head challenges beer drinkers to open their minds. Raison D'Etre is hard to describe because it is so near to perfection.

Raison D'Etre is a "deep mahogany ale brewed with Belgian beer sugars, green raisins, and a sense of purpose." The sweetness comes from raisins; this provides a deeper, fruity essence as opposed to a sugary one. There is a dry, wine-like quality that counteracts the sweetness, however, so the brew is dry and crisp -- not syrupy.

Around these parts, Raison doesn't usually appear on tap, but I've had it at Dogfish's brew pub in Rehobeth, DE. That is an experience. That taste is so distinctive that bottle or draft, you know you're drinking Raison!

This ale is entirely unique. It is a masterful fusion of fruit and beer and magic. From aroma to finish and right into your next beer, Raison D'Etre stands alone in its individuality. If you're trying this beer for the first time, hold onto your hat. The flavor forces your tastebuds into action right away. Your lungs struggle as Raison steal your breath. You heart breaks when the glass is empty. But stay alert -- your brain needs to know that Raison is 8% abv.

If you love beers that take a chance with bold flavors, drink Raison D'Etre. If you dig a good belgian tripel and an ale with a good body ... if you like the complexity of a dopple bock or a weizenbock ... perhaps the refreshment of a fruit beer ... dryness of a wine ... This beer has it all. Bold and beautiful.

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre:

Representation: 1.0
Accessability: 1.0
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: 4.0 Flags.

The Whole Nine Yards - Yards ESA Cask

Yards ESA Cask:

One of the beers I had whilst at the Standard Tap was the Yards Extra Special Ale --Cask Conditioned and hand-pumped. Holy Crap! This is the Nation's first perfect score. What I'm wondering is how did Yards find King Arthur's brewmaster? This ale is fit for the once and future king along with his band of valiant knights. Creamy and smooth but not flat! Drinkable? Ask not such an unworthy, nay, blasphemous question. This ESA is so drinkable that if it weren't for some watchful Round Table Knights, your loving president would have ended up wounded full sore and dumped in a moat. I think I even witnessed Excalibur being extracted from the stone.

This brew is the best I've yet tasted from Yards. But Yards has always ranked highly, and when the dust settles from some civil unrest, hopefully the nation will be strengthened with two wonderful Philadelphia brewers.

The taste of this beer is sublime. It's bold but not bonkers. A true winner. It's What I imagined "cream ale" to taste like when I heard of it as a kid but had not yet tasted beer. Dreamy. Go forth on a quest for this Holy ... well, you know.

Yards ESA Cask:

Representation: 1.0
Accessability: 1.0
Style: 1.0
Personal Preference: 1.0

Total Score: A perfect 4.0 Flags!