Hop Savant -  Citra | Crooked Stave Brewery & Taproom | Denver, Colorado | American Brettanomyces India Pale Ale | 7.00% ABV

Served chilled from a 12 oz bottle and poured into a snifter. Pours a hazy orange color with a two finger white foam head. Smell is tropical, citrusy and somewhat tart. Carbonation is moderate with a medium body. Taste is earthy and peppery, with hints of lemon, lime zest, and some mango. The funk isn't too sour, and overall creates a pretty complex beer. The taste was absolutely nothing like the smell. I had been expecting a very sour version of a West Coast IPA, and what I got was a more slightly funky version of a mix between a Belgian wheat and American Pale Ale. 

Overall, this was a decent selection from Crooked Stave. I have tried many of their beers before and they never disappoint (though this is at the bottom of my list for them). Besides Citra, they also have versions with the Galaxy and Amarillo hops-definitely wishing I went with the Galaxy but that will have to be next time!

85/100
91/100 Beer Advocate

Not Your Father's Root Beer | Small Town Brewery |  Wauconda, Illinois | Herbed/Spiced Beer | 5.9% ABV

My Mid-West friends have been begging me to try this for several years now, and have been awaiting the review since I launched the website. Well I finally have the chance now that Small Town Brewery has made it's way from Illinois over to the East Coast! Not Your Father's Root Beer has been a huge hit since arriving this summer, and stores can't hold on to it. I was able to pick it up both in Massachusetts at Palumbo Liquors and in New York at Carmine Street Beers in the West Village. This review below is for the 5.9% version, though they also make a 10% and 19% (can't wait to find those too!)

Served chilled from a 12 oz bottle and consumed straight from the bottle. You know what. I'm not going to do a full review here. This is root beer. If I had a blind taste test between different brands of root beer, say Mugs, Barqs, Stewarts, IBC, A&W and this, it would be very hard to distinguish. The alcohol is masked incredibly well, and there really is no funk to it (I was expecting some metallic quality or weird spicing). This stuff is so good, and should become your new go-to beer for summer BBQs. I literally will pick up a six pack of this every time I see it.

Bravo, Small Town Brewery. And please send the other versions east as well!

98/100
94/100 Beer Advocate

Habanero Sculpin | Ballast Point Brewing Company | American IPA with Habanero Peppers | San Diego, CA | 7.00% ABV

I had been looking to try this one since it was initially released, and was pleased to find it at Palumbo's in Medfield, MA. What a treat to not only find it, but pick up a 6-pack (knowing it was Ballast Point I was going to love it).

Served chilled from a 12 oz bottle and poured into a tulip. Pours an orange amber color with a two finger frothy foam head. This is one of my favorite beer pictures I have ever taken. Such a beautiful color for an IPA. Smell is a mostly citrus and hops, with hints of pepper (but not much). Carbonation is medium to light with a medium body. Taste contains a few distinct parts. The initial taste is exactly like the regular version Sculpin. The malt is sweet and the hop blend mixes the floral with the citrus. All of a sudden after swallowing the beer, you get a quick rush of freshly sliced jalapeño or habanero peppers. Not the spice just yet-just the veggie flavor. Basically like someone just picked it fresh from the garden. Then comes the heat. WOAH! This stuff is HOT! The spicy flavor lingers for 10-15 seconds before fading into nothing. Such a complex beer, and so delicious.

I would highly recommend trying this one. It makes you drink much slower, knowing the intense heat that sits on the horizon of the next sip. Yet, each time the flavor and tasting pattern follows, with IPA, fresh peppers, then HEAT. I could drink this one all summer. Be sure to be on the lookout!

95/100
85/100 BA

Da Fuzz | Pipeworks Brewing Company | Chicago, IL | American Pale Ale | 8.00% ABV

Served chilled from a 22 oz bomber and poured into a tulip glass. Pours an orange amber color with a two finger off white foam head. Smell is heavily of peach, with hints of mango and a graham cracker malt. Carbonation is moderate with a medium body. Taste is sweet and tropical, with an almost creamy consistency. This beer is perfectly balanced, and the peach flavors taste natural. 

I was shocked to find out this beer was 8% alcohol, as the pale ale and Amarillo hops mask the booze quite well. The peach flavoring was wonderful, and the consistency compares very closely to Bear Republic's Apex Double IPA. A big thank you to Tyler for finding this beer upstate (figured I would save this post for your bday) Will definitely be looking for more Pipeworks beers in the near future (and I'd recommend you all look too!)

98/100
94/100 Beer Advocate