Bell's Smitten Golden Rye Ale

Sorry, Jacobe (Bell's regional rep), apparently I lied. I said I would wait to try Smitten until Hopslam season was over. Nathan brought this home tonight, and I can't wait to try it as a palate cleanser after all the stouts we've had this evening.

It pours a light orange color with an off-white head that doesn't linger. It leaves minimal lacing on the glass, but there is significant carbonation. I pick up some orange and citrusy tones in the nose, along with some malt, and some spice from the rye. The first sip yields a fantastic American pale ale, with solid hop presence and great malt backbone. The rye comes through at the end of the taste, lending a lovely spiciness to the brew.

This. Is. Fantastic.

It's not too heavy at all, a wonderful refreshment after the stout session earlier. The bubbles really tickle my tongue. It makes me long to see the first pale green shoots of spring growth. Even the label recalls summer fun and lazy days. Or, at the very least, She Loves Me, She Love Me Not. I definitely am smitten with you, Smitten.

I had heard some discussion where Bell's was trying to make a solid session beer. I don't know if I'd classify it as a session beer, at it clocks in at 6% ABV, but it's well worth drinking 2 or 3.

4.5/5 caps

-Jennie

I can't really add too much to Jennie's epic description. The pour is light orange, yes. The flavor is citrusy and spicy, yes. The fact that this is a session beer at 6% astounds me (all the other session beers I've had were 5% or lower). This is just an all around fantastic brew. Worth buying a six pack of this. Just now noticing the heavy amount of sediment in the glass.It looks like seeds and carbonation bubbles that aren't moving. Almost like that Orbit soda, if you remember that (the soda with little pellet things suspending in the liquid). I never had the opportunity to try that, because my dick brother lied to me and my mom and convinced us that it was an alcoholic beverage (I was maybe 10 when they took it off shelves here). Thanks, dick. But you know what, now I'm sitting here, contemplating suspending things in beer, that I can do now, without your buzz kill ways. I'm thinking about how to do a real life Skittle Brau (Simpsons where Homer asks Moe if he he "has any of that beer with the candy in it. I think it's called Skittle Brau"). I'm getting off the inital subject of this...

This is a great beer, and would be more enjoyable on a spring to summer day (like a Kolsch is), as opposed to this bitterly cold day with yet another snow storm rolling in (note, this past week, we hit 67 degrees, followed by 65 degrees, followed by 27 degrees and snow).

4.3/5 caps

-Nathan-

Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout

Number four in our tetralogy of Dark Horse Stouts with Phil.

Phil says "this is VERY good" and that this is his favorite of the series.

Dark as dark can be. Dark coffee looking head. Aroma reminds me of a typical awesome stout with a hint of smoke.  The taste... Dark roasted malts, smoked malts. The smoked flavor comes out on the back and lingers. It's tasty. It wants me to drink more. I will listen to it.  The 8% ABV does not make itself known, but it does give a warming feeling while going down smooth.

Not the typical smoked stout, like I was expecting. But, then again, there's nothing that I previously thought about these brews that has been true... This is fantastic. I need to share this with friends.

4.3/5 caps

-Nathan

There's a reason I'm my dad's daughter... glad to see his beer buds are developing as mine are. This is pretty much my ideal stout, with a little added smoked flavor. It reminds me of drinking a good stout sitting beside a campfire. It's not too heavy, about what I could consider ideal for a stout: moderate body with moderate heft. Good balance of chocolate and coffee tones. And that wonderful campfire taste and smell. Yum. Yes, I want more. Please. There are sober kids in India... there doesn't need to be one in Ohio.

4.5/5 caps

-Jennie

Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout

3rd in our series of the night.

Phil says "Pretty good" and that this is his favorite so far in the series.

This pours like the Too, black as used motor oil with a coffee colored head. The aroma is straight up blueberry,  no notes of malt. The flavor is interesting, not like a bad "he's was always an interesting guy, it doesn't surprise me he killed that guy in the alley." (Ray Lewis) There are darker malty tones, almost coffee notes, slight dark chocolate with some bitterness, and fresh blueberries blending together in a perfect harmony.  This is an amazing brew. Nothing that I've has that I can relate to. The  aftermath of this gives coffee and blueberry notes lingering for a bit in a pleasant concoction of epicness.

4.5/5 caps

-Nathan-

I was a little leery of this in the wake of the Rivertown Blueberry debacle. (That was so bad, I am still tempted to go back and lower the rating on it.) This reminds me of, once again, Blueberry Waffelos in the nose, but not as obnoxious as what I will now term the Berry Bad Beer. The blueberry in this, though, smells and tastes more natural. It's predominant in the nose and not so in-your-face when you actually taste it. It's still there, like a lovely shy woman, hanging out and waiting to be introduced to your buddies on your third date.

Nathan once brought home a Green Mountain Blueberry coffee, and Tres reminds me of that. I much prefer it in beer form than non-alcohol form. Thank you, Dark Horse, for bringing my opinion of blueberry beers back around. I couldn't handle another Berry Bad Beer.

4.2/5 caps

-Jennie

Dark Horse Too Cream Stout

2nd of the series. For recap of what's happening- see our Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout review.

Phil thinks this is "All right. I like it better than the last [the One Oatmeal Stout] ".


This one pours dark as oil as well. The head on this is dark, like a small amount of coffee in a clear container. The aroma is lighter. Not as predominate with the alcohol nose. It has a roasty nose. The taste is .... coffee tones with cream. Not as creamy as most milk stouts, but slightly noticeable.  Thre are some bitter chocolate tones as well in this. The 7.5% ABV, again, not noticed in this. This has no hop taste, but it's not cloying. It has a slight bitter tinge on the end. Yeah, definitely getting coffee tones out of this. Overall, a good beer. Worth checking out if you like coffee and/or milk or cream stouts.

4/5 caps

-Nathan-

Oh. My. Goddess. I think I have a new favorite stout. This is fanfuckingtastic.

The differences between this and One are subtle and nuanced, as I'm guessing the grain bills and hop additions are very similar, if not the same. This tastes like I like my daily necessity, coffee -- strong, with coffee and cream. It has a thinner body than the oatmeal stout.  I find it even more smooth than the One, surprisingly, as oatmeal tends to smooth out the brew. I want to roll it around on my tongue all night long. Not like that, you pervs. I think, with its predominant coffee flavors, this would make a most excellent morning quaff. Coffee, my dear, dear friend, you just might be replaced.

4.3/5 caps

-Jennie

Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout

This is part one of 4 different stouts from Dark Horse's series of stouts. I figured it would be a fantastic idea to split the 4 different ones between Jennie, her dad Phil, and myself.

Phil's comment on this was 'It's alright. It's a little strong. But isn't that what stout beers are?'

This pours dark as oil. The head on this is dark too, about like coffee with cream in it. The aroma is has alcohol vapors and sort of a chocolate vibe to it. The 7% alcohol is not noticed in the taste. What is noticed is oatmeal, semi-sweet chocolate, little bit of cream flavor with light toffee. Some bitterness on the back end that dissipates quickly. Not a bad beer, but it's a good beer for a bitterly cold night.

4/5 caps

-Nathan-

I love Dark Horse Brewing; they rarely put out a sub-par beer. This is technically one of five stouts in a  series. We'll not be covering Plead the 5th Imperial Stout due to lack of availability here in Ohio.

I agree with Nathan, it's dark as midnight on a clear, new moon night. I get some licorice and some toasted chocolate in the nose. The oatmeal makes it smooth as a baby's bottom. I love the roasted flavors in this. It's quite tasty... moderately heavy, but I tend to expect that from oatmeal stouts.

4/5 caps

-Jennie

Buckeye Brewing Co. Hippie IPA

Nathan brought home a double deuce of Hippie IPA from Buckeye Brewing out of Lakewood, OH, the other night. This is one I feel I should have had... can't remember if I have had it or not. I like the bottle, as the label is strongly reminiscent of the Ohio flag.

It pours a beautiful bright, medium orange color with a light caramel-colored head that leaves mild, tightly knit lacing on the glass. The aroma is of citrusy hops and brown sugar and perhaps a hint of toffee. The initial taste is of piney hops with a burnt-sugar flavor quickly following. The end of the sip gives off pine needles and pine resin. I'm guessing they use copious amounts of Northern Brewer and Cascade hops. The overall hop flavor, though, is milder than I expected. It has a light malt backbone, not as well balanced as I had hoped, but it's there.

Overall, I'm a little disappointed. I was expecting a fantastic brew, and while this is definitely a good, solid IPA, I feel there's something lacking. Is it because it's the middle of the Super Bowl and I'd rather be watching the ads (because I have no desire to watch the game)? Perhaps...

3.85/5 caps

-Jennie

We started sampling this during the Super Bowl, right after Ray Lewis killed the lights. I have no interest in this game other than the commercials. So, onto the beer. As Jennie said, a beautiful bright, medium orange color, not opaque, not translucent. Citrusy hops in the aroma. Beautiful aroma. Great flavor, nothing lingers too long. There is a bitterness that lasts longer than the pine resin. Slightly sticky mouthfeel on the back, but tolerable. I agree that there is something missing from this brew. A good IPA, none-the-less, just lacking that extra UMPH to shove it into the fantastic rage.

3.9/5 caps

-Nathan-

Elevator Three Frogs IPA

Jimmy, this one's for you.

Elevator Brewing is pretty close to our hearts, as we filmed our pilot episode there. And yes, there's allegedly a trailer coming soon. We know, we know. Great crew, great brews. A Columbus gem, if you ask me, and the brewpub (or Draught House, as they call it)... oh so beautiful. This particular brew is their IPA, and it's a good go-to if you're a hophead in Columbus (because they self-distribute, it's hard to find outside of Cowtown).

It pours a medium orange color, moderately hazy, with an off-white head that quickly dissipates. The nose reminds me of orange blossoms. The initial sip is citrusy with some pine in the background, and honey. There's a lovely malt backbone that doesn't overwhelm yet balances perfectly with the hoppiness. Grapefruit really comes through on the finish. It's very well-balanced, with a touch of stickiness.

A solid offering from a local brewery... check it out, if you're not already a fan!

4/5 caps

-Jennie

This is Jimmy's favorite beer. Jimmy is a good friend/ integral part of my drinking team of legal friends, or legal team of drinking friends, however you want to look at it. And we have love for Elevator. Dick (owner) is an amazing guy with a hell of a vision artistically (he designs the labels) and Vic is a hell of a brewer. I have yet to have a selection from them that disappointed me. Elevator's Dark Horse was one of two beers that got me into the craft scene, so I'll always have a special place for them.

The color is a beautiful orange, it leaves beautiful lacing.  The smell is what gets me though, at least from the get go. Citrus and malt notes. The taste. Oh yeah, the taste. Citrusy, piney, malty perfection. It's a great mouthfeel, with some sticky resin from the hops, but finishing slightly dry and leaving you wanting more of the hops. This is one of many reasons I'm glad/ proud of where I live (another being The Ohio State University). I cannot wait to try this brew, amped up with hot peppers for the Fiery Fest at North Market (Feb 16th and 17th).

At 7.6% ABV, this one will kick you in your genitals, but you won't feel it, 'cause you'll be pleasantly buzzed. But the alcohol notes do not come through. This is just a fantastic brew from a fantastic local brewery. The only thing I regret is that I don't have better pictures of Elevator's ceiling at the Draught House.

4.5/5

-Nathan


Note: below are pictures from their stunning Draught House's ceiling