Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Dark Beer (Presidential Brief)

What: Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Dark Beer 6.0% abv
Where: Not sure
When: April 17, 2010
What-have-you: "Harviestoun's 'Old Engine Oil Dark Beer'. Bitter chocolate, hops, with a medium body."

Sun Up Brewing Trooper IPA (Citizen Review)

What: Sun Up Brewing Trooper IPA 6.2% abv
Where: Sun Up Brewing (Phoenix, AZ)
When: February 26, 2010
What-have-you: "When I get an IPA, I like to know it's an IPA even before it hits my mouth. This IPA does not have much in the way of the aroma or taste of hops. Underwhelming. The good thing is that at 6.2% abv, I couldn't really taste the boost in alcohol either, so it was smooth, but to be honest, I would rather have a nice bite to my IPA, smoothness be damned."

Otter Creek Spring Ale

Otter Creek Spring Ale German-Style Kolsch:

Admittedly I'm not an expert on kolsch. I tend to pass over the lighter style in favor of funkier, spicier seasonals around this time of year. I seem to remember kolsch being a little bit pungent and very dry, almost like Pilsner's weird, emo, indie-rock younger sibling. Otter Creek Brewing Company from Middlebury, VT gives a little face-lift to the German-style brew.

Otter Creek Spring Ale pours a really nice bright golden color. The body is mostly light but gains a little heft from the malted wheat. Light and refreshing in flavor, this kolsch sits somewhere between a saison and a light pilsner. This would be another great back deck beer to relax with. In place of a glass of chilled white wine, perhaps? Use it to wash down some fish or poultry appetizers and you won't be disappointed.

Expect some see-saw scoring on this beer for a few reasons: I don't think this is the best Representation of a kolsch -- probably have to be a bit more traditional to ace that category. Accessibility is way good. Style: tough one. Yes, it breaks barriers in the kolsch world but it isn't so mind-altering as to redefine the style. And Preference: Gotta say, I really like it. Sassy yet subtle, I just might go back for more. Oh, and mysterious! Can't find the abv% anywhere.

Otter Creek Spring Ale German-Style Kolsch:

Representation: .70

Accessibility: .95

Style: .90

Personal Preference: .90

Total Score: 3.45 Flags

McKenzie Brew House Spiced Pumpkin Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: McKenzie Brew House Spiced Pumpkin Ale 5.5% abv
Where: McKenzie Brew House (Malvern, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "Good pumpkin aroma and flavor. On the lighter side but I'd have a few of these versus just one."

Check out McKenzie's Beer Selection [Click HERE]

New Holland Golden Cap Saison Ale

New Holland Golden Cap Saison Ale:

New Holland has really hit the mark with this jazzy saison ale. This season's winter brews have tended to be rich and warming and on the roasty, toasty, darker side but this smart Spring selection has hit the shelves just in time for the warm weather. Saisons are typically light and refreshing with a wheaty influence and some citrusy notes to quench a hearty thirst on a hot day. Golden Cap is "A farmhouse ale brewed with spelt, an ancestor to wheat." And refreshing it is!

New Holland Golden Cap is a very drinkable Spring beer that can be utilized way into the summer months. As sumer brews appear on the shelves in the next few months, DO NOT pass over the Golden Cap if it's still available. This farmhouse ale has just a hint of spice and a tiny kick to it (weighing in at a saison-friendly 6.25% abv) and would be perfect to sip in the happy hour time slot on a deck bar or a back porch or by a pool for months to come.

Golden Cap has a light to medium body with a touch of Belgiany sweetness up front, followed by an almost pilsner-like hoppiness, but the dry finish just about evaporates off the tongue. This beer is very clean and goes down smooth. It's somehow rich and refreshing at the same time -- which I suppose is the whole point of a saison.

True French saisons tend to be a little yeastier with just a tad bigger body but New Holland manages to capture the European essence while imparting an American signature. It kinda reminds me of something Victory might brew. If you're familiar with the Presidential tastes (which you should be by now, dear citizen), you'll realize that it's a fine compliment.

New Holland Golden Cap Saison Ale:

Representation: .99

Accessibility: .93

Style: .925

Personal Preference: .95

Total Score: 3.795 Flags

Iron Hill Brewery Nine of Diamonds Scotch Style Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: Iron Hill Brewery Nine of Diamonds Scotch Style Ale 8.5% abv
Where: Iron Hill Brewery (Maple Shade, NJ)
When: April 1, 2010
What-have-you: "'Nine of diamonds' scotch style ale. Malty and delish! Smooth, drinkable, and frankly kinda dangerous if ur not careful."

Opening the Ferment National Archives

From the Ferment National Archivist:

We take pride in the beer pictures we take at The Ferment Nation, and in an effort to spread some love and spread some notoriety, we are opening up the Ferment National image archive. We will soon be providing what we think are high quality images of great craft beers for general use by the public. Once you download the file, erase the background, crop it, whatever you want, but if you post it on your beer blog, give The Ferment Nation some credit. Something like this: (picture credit: FermentNation.com). Let us know what you think!

To start us off will be Ithaca Brewing Company's Cascazilla.

Selin's Grove Brewing Co. Captain Selin's Cream Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: Selin's Grove Brewing Co. Captain Selin's Cream Ale 4.5% abv
Where: Selin's Grove Brewing Co. (Selinsgrove, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "Light and crisp. Pretty good."

Spring Beer Preview

Spring is here, and so is the beer. Here are five beers that will be reviewed in the upcoming weeks: Dogfish Head Aprihop, Erie Brewing Co. Golden Fleece Maibock, New Holland Golden Cap Saison Ale, Sierra Nevada Glissade, and Otter Creek Spring Ale. Have any other Spring beers in mind you would like The Ferment Nation to review? Drop us a line! E-mail El Presidente [click HERE].

Sun Up Brewing Light Rail Cream (Citizen Review)

What: Sun Up Brewing Light Rail Cream 4.6% abv
Where: Sun Up Brewing (Phoenix, AZ)
When: February 26, 2010
What-have-you: "Pretty plain, but nice and smooth. Very light coloring, which always makes me suspicious, but this is definitely meant to be a drink-it-all-night-long kind of beer."

Yuengling Bock Beer

Yuengling Bock Beer:

America's Oldest Brewery makes a supremely drinkable Lager and Porter. This Bock Beer is a nice attempt but doesn't quite hit the mark. It looks great -- dark caramel color, nice bubbles -- the flavor is a little malty with a mildly spicy hop profile. On the right track, but something isn't quite right. There's a bit of a funk to this beer where the smoothness ought to be. Perhaps I'm just comparing this brew to some of the time-tested European doppelbocks like Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, or Spaten Optimator (a tough crowd to stand out in). Perhaps I'm holding this bock to the standards of Samuel Adams' Traditional Bock from the Longshot Series or their Double Bock from the Imperial Series.

Expectations play a big part in your enjoyment of a brew. Even though I tried to experience Yuengling Bock Beer with an open mind with regards to its particular qualities, there are certain things I've come to expect from bock beer as a style. I know there's a hoppy influence to counter-balance the malt but honestly I was expecting something smoother.

Yuengling Bock Beer is interesting and therefore worth a try. Overall, though, I was a bit underwhelmed. Compared to other yummy bocks and compared to Yuengling's consistently accessible stable of session beers, the Bock Beer leaves a little something to be desired.

Yuengling Bock Beer:

Representation: .70

Accessibility: .75

Style: .80

Personal Preference: .60

Total Score: 2.85 Flags

McKenzie Brew House Unicorn Amber Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: McKenzie Brew House Unicorn Amber Ale 4.6% abv
Where: McKenzie Brew House (Malvern, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "High flavor, light body. Brown ales aren't my favorite this is an acceptable version."

Check out McKenzie's Beer Selection [Click HERE]

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

Heavy Seas doesn't like to play softball when it comes to their beers' flavor and body. Potency also features prominently in the Heavy Seas lineup from Clipper City Brewing Company in Baltimore, MD. And Ahoy!! The Great Pumpkin arrived a little late to the Presidential stash to be reviewed in time for Halloween 2009 so it had to be set aside for a snowy day. So here goes:

The Great Pumpkin pours an awesome honey-golden-amber-pumpkin-orange color that fairly glows like a jack-o-lantern when you hold it up to the light. In the aroma and at the front of the sip, an interesting hoppiness and bitterness sneak up on you when all you expect is pumpkin pie. dig deeper and take a few deep whiffs. Breathe with purpose as you drink this big boy pumpkin beer and you will be rewarded with a treasure chest full of pumpkin spice aromas and flavors.

Imperial indeed at 8% abv, The Great Pumpkin is rich and powerful. Well blended are the pumpkin and the ale, though both are just a tad over the top. This actual review takes place in February, long after the pumpkin ales have been put away, so perhaps it's just a little out of context for me, but it seems to have crossed a line or two. That's fantastic for a Halloween party, but I seem to crave beers that are not only well-blended but also well-balanced. In other words, as much as I reach out to more and more pumpkin brews over the years, I've shifted my preference from "Pumpkin! Drink! It's a beer!" to a more subtle "Wow, what a great beer that has amazing pumpkin flavor!"

The Great Pumpkin reminds me a bit of Southern Tier's Pumking and Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin. The Style Points are huge, inversely affecting the Accessibility. Totally worth a try if you're into pumpkin seasonals and a must-have if you're on a mission to try them all.

Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale:

Representation: .99

Accessibility: .825

Style: 1.0

Personal Preference: .90

Total Score: 3.715 Flags

Sun Up Brewing Amber (Citizen Review)

What: Sun Up Brewing Amber 4.8% abv
Where: Sun Up Brewing (Phoenix, AZ)
When: February 26, 2010
What-have-you: "Great whiskey color Kind of lacking in either a bold malt or hop taste. When I think of an amber, I think of something like Hop Back, which is kind of unfair. Sun Up's Amber is smooth and easy to drink."

Founders Round-Up

Founders Brewing Co. Round-Up:

When you think of Michigan, the 26th State in the U.S. of A., you might think "Wow! That state looks like a giant mitten!" or maybe "I love Motown music!", and here at The Ferment Nation that is exactly what we think, but we also think that Founders Brewing Company is one of that state's finest contributions to the Union. Located in Grand Rapids, MI, Founders Brewing Company has been creating some really great crafts beers since 1997. The Ferment Nation is a fan of theirs, and we wanted to re-cap some of the beers we have already reviewed.

Founders Imperial Stout:

Imperial Stouts got their name because of their intended audience: royalty. So if you have the grapefruits to call your stout "imperial" you'd better be prepared to back it up with quality you can taste. Founders Imperial Stout does that and more. [Read the full review]

Founders Double Trouble Double IPA:

Another wonderful offering from Founders. This Double IPA is really hoppy and bitter and goodness gracious dry! Even though there is a slight floral sweetness to this brew because of the serious hoppage, the finish is outrageously dry like a wine finish. [Read the full review]

Founder's Red's Rye:

Had this beer several times on tap at Cork, once at High Street Grille, and now in a bottle. Damn fine. Simply described as "red ale made with rye", this beer has a lot more than that to offer a real beer lover. [Read the full review]