Epic Brewing Co. - Smoked & Oaked Belgian-Style Ale

We now travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to the Epic Brewing Company to have their Smoked & Oaked Belgian-Style Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

"You are holding something special - one of only 1800 bottles released and numbered." Our bottle says Release #5. "Smoked cherry wood malt brings a smoky sweetness to the caramel malts and a bit of peat flavor with a Belgian-style yeast. The entire batch aging in the whiskey barrels nicely dries out the perceived sweetness of the caramel malt leaving an almost scotch like taste." This is part of Epic's Exponential Series and is 9.9% ABV.

Overall average rating: 8.0/10

This beer is opaque and dirty (lots of sediment floating around). It is a red amber color with an off-white, moderately diminishing head with lacing on the glass. We smell yeast, malt, a touch of citrusy hops, and nutmeg/allspice. We also get stone fruit and a dark, earthy floral - presumably the smoked cherry wood. The taste is rich, Chris compares it to a Belgian dubbel. The taste lingers on the center of the tongue and is very unique. We discussed anisette or fennel mixed with the oak with the yeast adding sweetness.

Shawn- I love how many different flavors you get. It is crisp but not completely clean, in part because it is bottle-conditioned. I enjoyed it, but I expected more smoke in the flavor, 8.25/10.
Angela- This is thick and sweet, and a very good beer for what it is, it's just not my kind of beer, 7.25/10.
Chris- I really like this, though I think it would be better aged. It was made in March and bottled in May, but I think it would be excellent after aging, 8.5/10.

Dark Horse - Boffo Brown Ale

Next, we venture to Marshall, Michigan, to the Dark Horse Brewing Co. for thier Boffo Brown Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

This beer was brewed years ago and then put in semi-retirement for a while. It is now a year-round beer that is a favorite to many employees at the brewery. This pushes the envelope as to what an American Brown Ale is to most people. "Flavors of malt, caramel, toffee, and a mild earthy nutty finish allow this beer to be paired with hearty food and sips of bourbon." This is 6.5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 5.7/10

This beer is a dark coppery red color with a quick to diminish white head. Aromas of chocolate, caramel, malt, and oakiness are very present. The taste starts out rich, but thins quickly. It has a front and back tongue bite, with a hop finish and a slight metallic after taste.

Shawn- It could use a sweetness to alleviate the metallic after taste, 5/10.
Angela- This is slightly richer than the last beer, though I wish it were richer. Also, the more I drank, the less I tasted the metallic flavor, 6/10.
Chris- This has potential. It tastes like a nut brown, though I would appreciate a more nutty flavor, 6/10.

Fort Collins Brewery - The Kidd Lager

"Looks dark, drinks blonde"

Our next stop is Fort Collins, Colorado, at the Fort Collins Brewery. Their The Kidd Lager was purchased at Vintage Estates.

"A hint of smoked malt compliments [sic] chocolate malt in this Schwarzbier. Experience the Kidd's intriguing aroma and complex flavor as you enjoy this remarkable style of beer." This has about 24 IBUs and is about 4.5% ABV.


Overall average rating: 7.4/10


This beer is a translucent dark copper color with a quickly diminishing caramelly head. The aroma is of chocolate malt, caramel, and slight smoke. "This is one of the maltier smelling beers we've had so far" -Chris. The taste is thin with a front tongue bite, but has flavors of coffee, chocolate, and smoke with a slight hop finish.


Shawn- This beer smells fantastic, like Gonzo Imperial Porter. The taste is fairly spot on with the aroma, but it lacks boday, 7.5/10.
Angela- This is very delicious, though not as complex as I'd like. It is very fitting to the "looks dark, drinks blonde" description, 7.75/10.
Chris- This is a good representation of a Schwarzbier. It has crisp flavors that developed and aren't muddled, but I wish the flavors were richer, 7/10.

Victory - Golden Monkey Ale

"This Monkey's bound for glory!"

Next stop on our journey is Downingtown, PA, at Victory Brewing Co., drinking their Golden Monkey Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

"The magical, mystical Monkey whose golden soul glows with the wisdom of ages. This warming, flavored ale as rich in the spirited tradition of Belgian-inspired brewing. Our Golden Monkey is both playfully delightful and profoundly satisfying. Exotic spices from the East round out this global journey to joy. Get on board." This tripel ale is bottle-conditioned and brewed with spices and should be enjoyed before June 14, 2014. It is 9.5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 5.7/10

The beer is a translucent, cloudy straw color with a moderately diminishing white, frothy head with lacing on the glass. The aroma is crisp and very wheaty with essences of Belgian yeast, giving it a light banana scent. The taste has a front/mid tongue bite with a hoppy and acidic/s;ight metallic bitey finish. We can taste the wheat and Belgian yeast, though the flavors seem muddled.

Shawn- The aroma makes you think you'll taste great flavors, but the taste is all one flavor. It smells crisp, but the muddled flavors almost taste dirty, 5/10.

Angela- This has a clean, crisp aroma, as well as a crisp taste, but it is a little bitey for me, 6/10.

Chris- I like the slight banana taste and the hoppy after taste, but the aroma far outweighs the taste, 6/10.

Spoetzl Brewery - Shiner Bock

We now head down to Shiner, Texas, to the Spoetzl Brewery to try their Shiner Bock purchased at Vintage Estates.

Since 1909, every drop of Shiner is brewed in Shiner. It's handcrafted in the same brewery where it was first made back in 1913, and it is a gently hopped medium brown brew that is the pride of Shiner, TX (pop. 2070). This bock beer combines old world Bavarian heritage with American handcraft brewing for a smooth, delightfully drinkable dark beer. "Prosit!" It has 13 IBUs and is 4.4% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.3/10

It pours a clear amber with a touch of copper. "In the very recesses of the smell" (-Chris) we get citrus hop and barley, as well as a light caramelly malt/molasses scent. The taste holds flavors of sweet molasses and a smooth, rich, caramelly maltiness. It's initially bitey with hits on the front and side tongue, but it is a well-balanced hop.

Shawn- This is reall well-balanced, and although it doesn't have much nose, I would drink this again. The brewery has perfected the flavors of this beer over the past 100 years, 7.5/10.
Angela- This is a good late fall/winter beer. It's sweet, but not in the normal "sweet" sense, 7.5/10.
Chris- This is a good fireplace beer. It's not a bad bock; it would be enjoyed on a cool autumn night. I do think the aroma and taste could be more pronounced, 7/10.

Tommyknocker - Golden Saison Belgian Style Ale

Our next stop is Idaho Springs, Colorado, at the Tommyknocker Brewery to taste their Golden Saison Belgian Style Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

This is a "bright golden, effervescent brew that is slightly tart with a pleasantly spicy aroma created by a special blend of 4 Belgian style yeasts, and Perle hops." It is brewed in the winter for summer refreshment and comes straight from the brewpub. It is 5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.25/10

It pours a cloudy dirty blonde with a slow to diminish, thick white head. The aromas are of wheat, barley, citrus, and banana. There is a front tongue bite with a sweet, robust flavor. We get Belgian yeast, citrus, and wheat.

Shawn- This has a light, beautiful flavor, although it lack depth and complexity, in my opinion, 7/10.

Angela- This is another good, crisp summer beer. The citrusy bite makes me think it would be a good appetizers beer, 7.25/10.

Chris- This is the closest beer I've tasted to an actual Belgian beer from an American brewery, 7.5/10.

Merry Christmas! Tallgrass - Halcyon Wheat Beer

We celebrate this Christmas by beginning our trek through the Central United States! We start off in Manhattan, Kansas, at the Tallgrass Brewing Company, drinking their Halcyon Wheat Beer purchased at Vintage Estates. Their beers are all canned, and you can read their "Canifesto" here.

"Our thank to Bill Mai, the wheat farmer from Wallace County, Kansas that grows our wheat!" (At last year's Big Tap In, Shawn and I met a really nice guy from this brewery. Hopefully he'll be back this year!)

Overall average rating: 8.0/10

The appearance is an opaque, cloudy blonde, with a slow to diminish, thick white head. The aroma is of sweet wheat, citrusy hops, and a hint of sea salt. The taste is clean and refreshing, with wheat and hops (citrus with a little bitter) and a side tongue bite.

Shawn- This is well-balanced with a great flavor and aroma. I'd love to drink this again, 8/10.

Angela- This is a really good, crisp beer - like a light beer with flavor. I'm not normally a wheat beer fan, but I love this. It's a great summer beer, 8/10.

Chris- I could drink a case of this over the summer. It is so refreshing, definitely something I'd recommend to someone just getting into craft beer, 8/10.