Montecorna’s Ripasso

Name: Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2013 Vintner: Remo Farina Montecorna Grape: Valpolicella (Veneto (North-East Italy)) ABV: 14.0% Cost: $19.99 About the Wine/Grape: Valpolicella grapes are naturally light in flavor like a Pinot Noir or a Gamay, but the Italians found a way to make the taste more complex and dynamic.  Amarone (the wine in your cabinet) uses a technique called…

Abbot Ale

Brewery: Greene King Type: Ale (England) ABV: 5.0% Review: A sudsy, pleasant looking foam, on yet quite a flat beer.  And a lovely copper colour. It’s an earthy, caramelly flavour, very smooth in the mouth.  A long lasting flavour, but consistent, doesn’t go bitter once it’s gone.  Perhaps it’s a sweetness to the undertones that keeps it…

Berthold Keller

Brewery: Brouwerij Martens NV Type: Lager (Belgium) ABV: 5.0% Review: Such a light taste that I barely pick up any one thing.  No hopiness, very little head/carbonation, a flat, simple, clean beer.  There is a hanging feeling of soapyness.  I feel like it’s a low calorie beer but it probably isn’t.   Nothing to hate, but not much to…

Hopped Whisky

Brewery: J. P. Wiser Type: Hopped Whisky ABV: 40% Taste: Medium body and strong caramel finish. Burst of sensation after a second of swishing.

Grolsch

Brewery: Grolsch Type: Lager (Holland) ABV: 5.0% Taste: It’s 400 years old. ’nuff said.  It’s absolutely delicious.  It might be the best flavoured ‘everyday’ beer on the planet.   Smooth, balanced, refreshing, poundable, sweet.  Sweetness is something I notice in this beer.  It has a bit of a bad smell to it.  Doesn’t throw me off though.   Other:  Grolsch…

Czechvar

Brewery: Czechvar Type: Lager (Czech Reublic) ABV: 5.0% Taste: Crisp and fresh but still really smooth.  It has just a little of that German pilsner aftertaste, if that means anything to you.  Not hops or alcohol, not even ‘bitter’, just… ‘that taste’.  Overall refreshing and delicious.  In my opinion this is the Czech Heineken, good for any occasion….

Hockley Dark

Brewery: Hockley Valley Brewing Company Type: Dark ABV: 5.0% Taste: Delicious. Mild-ish for a dark beer. malty and a bit of bitterness towards the end. Medium body.

Wild North Series

Brewery: Lake of Bays Brewing Company Type: (Dark) Midnight Bock ABV: 5.5% Taste: 

Rock Cut

Brewery: Lake of Bays Brewing Company Type: Lager ABV: 4.2% Taste: Standard lager. Not much smell, clean with a very slight oat taste.

Wuchak Black

Brewery: Kichesippi Beer Company Type: Dark IPA ABV: 6.0% Taste: Dark and hoppy. Overall not bad but the hoppy bitterness lasts through to the end. It does have some creaminess or thicker body than a normal IPA.  

Jubilee Amber Lager

Brewery: Thornbury Beverage Company Type: Amber Lager ABV: 4.8% Taste: Bright, crisp. Has a bit of tanginess – maybe from hops. Slight malt flavor. Complex.