CS Booze Club.

[Victory Sabre]

Big Woods Jackpine Savage. 5.3% ABV.

Golden colored with a thick head. I do smel hops in the nose.

Taste : wow, there are hops, but it isn't bitter like an IPA. If you're interested in IPAs but are worried about the bitterness, you might want to give this beer a try. Damn, it is very good, and a good way to end Christmas Eve.

7 out of 10.

[Victory Sabre]

I might regret this one, but here goes.

He'brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. Rye Double IPA. 10% ABV.

Beautiful amber color, with a little bit oh head. The nose is hoppy.

Taste : this is a surprise. It is hoppy, but it doesn't hit you till later. It is a rather smooth beer at first, then the hops hit you in the aftertaste. Damn, this is good, but with the higher alcohol content, not for the faint of heart. It also might not be for a non IPA fan either, but worth a look even if you aren't an IPA fan.

7 out of 10

Something that I forgot to add in my review is thaton the bottle is a tribute to Jewish Stars. On this bottle is a tribute to the comedian Leonard Alfred Schneider, AKA Lenny Bruce.

[dalesys]

... On this bottle is a tribute to the comedian Leonard Alfred Schneider, AKA Lenny Bruce.

Father Bruce by The Great Society 1966 (Grace Slick, vocals)

[Victory Sabre]

Having the beer that had Lenny Bruce on it inspired me to purchace one of his comedy albums off of iTunes. Worth it, to say the least.

Now, to today's drinking.

I did something today that I haven't done since 1978 (at least I think it was 78', could have been 77'): I went to a Min esota Vikings game, and just lime last time it was outdoors, the way pro football should be played. It was a good time, and the Sapporo beforehand really warmed me up, though, with all the clothing on, I was fine.

so now that I'm finally home, after a stop at the bar, a good beer is in the cards, or I hope it's a good beer.

Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen. 5.8 ABV.

It's got a nice darker amber color, with minimal head, that dissipates fast. The nose is hard to describe, but seems fairly typical for a Oktoberfest beer.

Taste : not bad. It seems to me to be a fairly standard Oktoberfest style beer. It's good, but nothing that knockes it out of the park for me.

5.5 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Corsendonk Pater Dubbel Ale.

Very dark brown colored, with little head. I like the malty nose to it.

Taste: it is interesting, however, not the best tasting interesting. it seems like it's got a lot of competing flavors thatdon't quite sync up to form an amazing beer. I wish I could give Iit more than a 4.5 out of 10, but I can't.

[Victory Sabre]

Trying to improve on the last one, I will try

Odell Cutthroat Porter 5.0% ABV

Nice black color, with a decent head to it. I get hints of chocolate and coffee in the nose.

Taste : I also get those hints in the taste. I do like the flavor, and it is very smooth going down.

6.5 out of 10.

[Victory Sabre]

Final beer review of 2014 (notHopefullywing beers while playing poker tomorrow night).

Wasatch First One Down Winter Warmer Ale. 7.1% ABV.

Nice dark brown color with a thick head. The nose hard to describe, but it is light.

Taste : well, oh, boy, not sure I like what I'm tasting. I was hoping for something like a scotch ale with this beer, it isn't. It's bitter, and not in a good IPA way. Very disappointed with this beer, and will only give it a 3 out of 10.

A bad not to wnd the year on. Hopefully the first review of the new year will be a good one.

[Victory Sabre]

Oh, boy. beer o rama today. I'm in Iowa ande got a ton of new beers.now at the Backpocket brewery and a review.

1st Runnings Ris. 11ABV!

Pitch black, with no head. no nose.

Taste: it's got a sharp taste to it. in a way a lot like a offee stout, but it is slightly different. it will mess you up fast, so I'd better get some food in my stomach. 6.5 out of 10. also bleep! they no longer have the Raygun! crap!

[Victory Sabre]

Here's a list of the beers I got today. Tale of the Shony Scottish Ale by Church Street Brewing of Itasca Illinois.

Sucha Much IPA from Kalona Brewing of Kalona Iowa.

West O Smoked Red Ale from West O Brewing of Okoboji Iowa.

Boulevard Thrillogy 3 pack from Boulevard Brewing Kansas City Missouri.

B-Craft Black Double IPA from Arcadia Brewing, Battle Creek Michigan.

Hop A Potamus Double Dark Rye Pale Ale from Great River Brewing Quad Cities.

Wildflower Mead Infused With Watermelon from Bootleg Hill LLC East Moline Illinois. It comes in at 14% ABV!

Now to a final review tonight.

Sucha Much IPA 7.1% ABV & 68.5 IBU & 1.068 O.G. (and, no, I don't know what O.G. is, but I've heard of it).

Nice golden color, with a thick head. A sweet hoppy nose to the beer.

Taste : well, hello. It id, fairly high in the IBU department, and it is an IPA, but, damn, the first sip doesn't taste like an IPA right away. It's got a smooth, almost mellow flavor going down, with the IPA bite after. For sure an experience. Even if you're not a fan of IPAs you might still like this, and i'll give it a 7.5 out of 10. Very good, and I recommend it.


Edit: my name is Victory Sabre, and I'm a beer horder.

[Victory Sabre]

Finally home, and need a beer. Considering how many I got in Iowa, the solution is in the fridge.

Great River Brewing Hop A Potamus. 9 ABV & 99 IBU

I think I'm in for a treat.

Dark amber in color, with a very thick head. Wow, a very hoppy ose smell.

Taste: yep hoppy. Very hoppy. Deliciously hoppy. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you like a hoppy beer, you will love this. The rye also adds another layer of flavor to tis beer, and I like it a lot.

7.5 out of 10.

[Jester]

From last night...

I haven't posted much lately, as I've been very busy with work and what passes for my social life. Plus the holidays and football, etc., etc. Also, at the local World of Beer, mid-December I became the first Loyalty Club member in Key West to hit 1,000 different, unique beers drank at World of Beer. There was much rejoicing and utter silliness for this "accomplishment," such as it was, which took me about 21 months to do. (At some point in the near future, I'll be commenting more on that, referencing my favorite beers from that thousand or so. It's all just research for your benefit, of course....)

Since that particular "feat," I've been having a lot of old favorites, both out and about and at home, so haven't had too many reviews to do. But, as I love trying new beers, it wasn't going to be long that I'd be away.


From Greene King in England, I have Olde Suffolk English Ale (6.0% ABV), which is, according to the label, a blend of two different ales, one aged in oak vats for two years.

I bought this because it reminded me somewhat of Old Crafty Hen in its packaging and color, though upon pouring it I see it is actually much darker than the OCH, bordering on black, which is odd, as in the store it seemed to me to be much lighter, almost caramel colored. Maybe I was just taken in my the packaging, which IS very reminiscent of OCH.

The nose is smooth and subtle, with an underlying richness hinted at. The taste is very smooth, slightly sweet, with the aforementioned underlying richness present, but far more subtle than expected. A smooth, delightful beer, perfect for just about any occasion, though if you're looking for hops, you won't find them here. Delicious! 7.5.


I'm very excited about this next beer, because in the last couple years, this brewery has become one of my favorites. Aecht is a German brewery specializing in rauchbiers, which are smoke beers, and their products were the first smoke beers I'd had that combined good taste with definite, positive smoke presence. Though to be honest, you really have to like smoke to enjoy these beers. I do, so I do.

This is one of Aecht's beers I have had yet, so when I saw it in the store, I immediately bought four bottles--they're one of those breweries that I'll buy their stuff regardless, as more times than not I'll love them. (Worst score I've given to any Aecht product so far is a 7.5 out of 10.)

This is Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche Dopplebock (8.0% ABV). The color is a dark reddish brown, almost dark orange brown. The nose is supremely smoky, as I've come to expect from Aecht, and this smokiness is a pleasant, almost refined smoldering after a fire, rather than the smoke right out of the barbecue smoker. And the taste.....oh, the taste. Sweet, smoky, like your favorite barbecue sauce was transformed into a beer by a smoke genie. It doesn't taste like barbecue sauce, don't get me wrong, but the sweetness and smokiness kinda remind you of that. Definitely oaky, which makes sense, as it's an oak smoked beer. Slightly lacking in the typical brown sugar prominence of a typical dopplebock, but this is anything but typical. It is not for everyone, to be sure, but it is for me.

7.5. Very good, but not over the top brilliant like some of its brethren from the same brewery. Still, not regretting getting the four bottles of it.

[Victory Sabre]

Rauchbier Smoked Lager from Exile Brewing

Nice amber color, with moderate head that dissipates quickly. The nose, well, there really isn't any.

Taste - Well, there is a good smoked flavor in the taste. It's not as strong as others, but it does taste good on a cold winter night. It tastes like a nice fireplace smells (I know that sounds strange).

Not bad, and 6.5 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Next up tonight is Tale of the Shony Scottish Ale from Church Street Brewing - 5.1% ABV and 32 IBU.

Dark brown in color with minimal head. As with the last one, no nose to it.

Taste - Well, I'm not too sure about this beer with the first sip. It's ok, but so far, not the best Scottish ale I've had. Sadly the second sip isn't much better. There's kind of a sweet flavor to this beer, and I'm not too impressed with it. Maybe it'll get better, but not too sure.

Sip 3, yeah, not the best.

4 out of 10

Damn, I wish I would have picked up a 6 pack of the Olde Main Sodbuster for myself instead of this. Oh, well.

[Jester]

From Inveralmond Brewery in Scotland, Blackfriar Scottish Premium Beer (7.0% ABV): The appearance is very odd: a very cloudy brownish red. Don't think I've seen one look like this before. Certainly not one from Scotland. The nose is sweet, almost like a barleywine, but with a hint of malt hiding underneath. Despite the odd appearance and weird nose, the taste is quite delicious. A bit sweet, but lighter than it looks, with a bit of malt richness to round it out. It's not my favorite Scottish beer, but then, I love a lot of Scottish beers, so that is not that hard a knock on it. 6.5.

Vic, if you like smoked beers, seek out Aecht. It's a brewery from Germany that specializes in smoke beers. They're amazing. You may have seen a few reviews of mine about their products in here.....

[Victory Sabre]

West O Smoked Red Ale from West O Brewing of Okoboji Iowa.

Dark amber colored, with a decent head that lasts for a bit. There is a slight nose to the beer that is hard to describe.

Taste : this is a strange beer. I was expecting it to be more smoky in flavor, like the last one was, but there is hardly
any in it. I do get hints of fruit in the beer. It's not a bad flavor, just unexpected. I, probably, wouldn't go out of my way to get more of it, though, it's made right on the Mn/Iowa border, i do like it. 6 out of 10