Arcadia Ales - Cereal Killer Barleywine Ale

We end our journey by coming back to Michigan, this time to Battle Creek (home of Kellogg's!), to visit Arcadia Ales Brewing (the website is currently under construction) to drink their Cereal Killer Barleywine Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

This is brewed in the traditional English style of Barleywines. Having a high alcohol level allows this beer to be great for aging. As it ages, the beer will develop more sherry-like flavors and aromas similar to a cask-aged port. It has 70 IBUs and is 10% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.0/10

This is a translucent cloudy amber beer with a quickly diminishing, frothy off-white head. We smell yeast, barley, grapes, brown sugar, and a little clove. The flavors are a little hop, a touch of banana and chocolate, as well as a sweet wood flavor - maybe cherry wood?

Shawn- It smells more like a Belgian than a Barleywine to me. The flavors are somewhat muddled, almost like they aren't individually added. It could have been amazing, but it lacks palatability and needs blended better, 7/10.
Angela- To me, it tastes like a Barleywine, which is not my favorite style of beer, 6.5/10.
Chris- When I think of a Barleywine, I think of Hog Heaven from Avery.I might mistake this for a Belgian dubbel more than a Barleywine. I think if it were aged, the flavors would become more defined and I'd give it a higher rating, 7.5/10.

Boulder Beer Co. - Obovoid Oak-Aged Oatmeal Stout

We travel over to Boulder, Colorado, to visit the Boulder Beer Co. and drink their Obovoid Oak-Aged Oatmeal Stout purchased at Vintage Estates.

Boulder Beer is Colorado's first microbrewery, established in 1979. This is an ale aged with oak, and is part of the brewery's Looking Glass series. The label boasts that that color is "as dark as deep space" and defines obovoid as "1- an ovoid with the broad end toward the apex, 2- a fun word!" It has 40 IBUs and is 6.8% ABV.

Overall average rating: 8.25/10

This beer is opaque with a caramelly/mocha moderately diminishing head. The aromas are coffee, oatmeal, chocolate malt, oak, some citrus, and molasses. The flavors include roasted, malty bitter chocolate, oats, and a strong coffee finish.It starts off with a front tongue bite and ends with an outside tongue bite.

Shawn- This is a balanced and well-done beer. The only flaws is that it could use more oak taste and body, but it has great drinkability, 8.75/10.
Angela- This has a good chocolate and malt taste, although I'm not a huge fan of the finish, 8/10.
Chris- I expected more from an oak-aged beer, although this is really delicious. It has the potential to be great, but I want more out of the flavors. I would love to try this on tap/on nitro, 8/10.

Left Hand - Black Jack Porter

We return to Colorado, this time to Longmont, to visit the Left Hand Brewing Co. to drink their Black Jack Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

The ingredients are Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, malted wheat, hops and yeast. It is brewed on the banks of the mighty St. Vrain."You never know what treasures may be lurking in the darkness. Will you play the game?" It is 16 P, has 35 IBUs, and is 6.8% ABV.

Overall average rating: 5.5/10

This pours a deep, rich dark red with hints of copper - almost borderline maroon. It is translucent with a quickly diminishing off-white head. The aromas are a deep caramel, chocolate, and a deep roasted malt. The taste initially is of very malty coffee. The flavors are not thick or long-lasting; there is just a slight lingering on the tongue. The guys also taste a touch of white pepper (perhaps some peppercorns are added in the brewing process?).

Shawn- This came after porter week, and it is an easy drinking dark beer. It doesn't possess the body and developed flavors of a porter, im ny opinion, 5.5/10.
Angela- This is a little thin for me, although it's not bad, I just wish it was more developed, 5.5/10.
Chris- I have been impressed by different porters, but this leaves something to be desired as far as the porter style, 5.5/10.

Dixie - Blackened Voodoo

We now travel down south (central south..?) to New Orleans to visit the Dixie Brewing Company to drink the Blackened Voodoo Lager purchased at Vintage Estates.

"Inspired by old-world brewing methods, this bewitching all-malt brew is a darkly rich, exotic lager, crafter with a touch of magical New Orleans spirit. The century-old Dixie Brewery was almost destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but restoration is underway. With the help of our friends, we're working hard to re-beer New Orleans and the rest of the country." It is 5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 6.5/10

This beer is a translucent, dark coppery red color with a quickly diminishing slightly off-white head. The aroma is primarily a roasted rich malt with a light hop scent. We also get caramel and molasses essences. The taste has a strong side tongue bite with a slight front tongue bite. There is a slight caramel sweetneess, and the hops are balanced (light and thin). There is a molasses after taste lingering on the back of the tongue.

Shawn- This has a good drinkability, though it isn't terribly memorable. The flavors don't hit a crescendo, 6.5/10.
Angela- It is not amazing, but it has decent flavors, 6.5/10.
Chris- It says it's a lager, but it reminds me of an amber. It doesn't define the style, but I would drink this again, 6.5/10.

North Peak Brewing Co. - Siren Amber Ale

We travel north from Comstock to Traverse City, Michigan, to visit the North Peak Brewing Co. to have their Siren Amber Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

"A malty classic, with the subtle hop flavor & aroma from Willamette & Fuggle. Enjoy the caramel sweetness with just a hint of roasted barley, which provides the rich amber color & a slight dry finish." It is 5.1% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.25/10

It is a lightly cloudy, transparent beer with a color that we categorize as an amber with a little honey added. The head is slightly off-white and is quick to diminish. The aroma is caramelly and a little roasty, with a light barley an citrus hop scents as well. The taste has a front tongue bite and has a rich molasses and malty flavor.

Shawn- This has great drinkability with a smooth, clean finish. I wish it had some more nose, 7.5/10.
Angela- This is a clean beer that is flavorful but thin, 6.75/10.
Chris- There are more flavors than aroma, but I find it delicious. I would suggest this for anyone who hasn't had an amber beer before, 7.5/10.

Bell's - Amber Ale

More than halfway on our journey through the Central U.S., we stop in Comstock, Michigan, at the Bell's Brewery to have their Amber Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

This was first brewed in 1985, and it "embodies the heritage of our brewery and celebrates the nature of the Great Lakes region." It "deftly balances a mixture of toasted grain & light caramel notes with a range of floral, citrus and herbal hop notes, capped by a clean bitterness." It has a shelf life of 6 months and is 5.8% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.1/10

This is amber in color and very cloudy with aromas of malt, some citrus hop, and Belgian yeast. The taste is clean and crisp, with a front and side tongue bite and then a mid tongue bite in the after taste. We also taste light malt, slight barley, and a warming hop taste.

Shawn- This beer is pleasant, balanced, and clean. I actually love the hops in this beer. I would give this a higher rating if it weren't for the metallic taste, 7/10.

Angela- It's not terribly memorable, but it's not a bad beer. I (surprisingly!) enjoy the warming hop finish, 6.75/10.

Chris- I think the more I drink this beer, the higher I'll rate it overall, 7.5/10.

21st Amendment - Hell or High Watermelon

Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2012 with a stop in Cold Springs, Minnesota, at the 21st Amendment Brewery to have their Hell or High Watermelon canned beer purchased at the Cornersburg Party Shop.

"Like Lady Liberty, we stand for independence and perseverance. In the pursuit of innovative beer, there is no obstacle too great. No journey too long. No fruit too gigantic. This American wheat beer is brewed with real watermelon, for a flavor that's surprisingly crisp, dry and refreshing—summer in a can." This beer is a summer seasonal, available from April to September. It starts off as a traditional American wheat beer with fresh watermelon added during a secondary fermentation. It has 17 IBUs and is 4.9% ABV.

Overall average rating: 6.9/10

The color is a translucent straw color with a white head. There are aromas of wheat, light barley, light citrus, and a hint of watermelon. The tastes starts out with wheat, with a front/mid tongue bite, and ends with a watermelon finish on the back of the tongue.

Shawn- I wish it was 110 F out - I love to drink this when it's hot out, but unfortunately it's December in Ohio so my score is somewhat effected. I love the watermelon finish, although I think the drinkability diminishes slightly in cold temperatures, 6.5/10.
Angela- It reminds me of a watered down watermelon Jolly Rancher. It is a uniquely refreshing summer beer, 7.25/10.
Shawn- This is a very adventurous beer as there are no other watermelon beers. It's like a Hefeweizen. I didn't rate it higher because I want more watermelon. The more it warms, the more wheat and less melon I taste, 7/10.