I’m not a huge fan of IPA’s, although the more beer I drink the more I like them. As I’ve said before, it’s the bitterness that gets to me. This IPA, however, is incredible. It has very little of that bite common to most IPAs. It also has a milder bouquet, which is a little disappointing, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too. With the oak aging, this beer is mellower and smoother than your standard IPA. The picture may not show it, but there were some big suds in the bottle after I poured it.  Make no mistake about it; this is a full-bodied beer. The mouthfeel is thicker than the color would suggest. Before I knew it, I was at the halfway point of the glass and feeling fine. On warm summer days, this is a great refresher and everything a person could want in a beer. Take mouthfuls, or sips, either way is great. However, this guy will get you lit up quick – it’s a whopping 11.0% ABV!

Specs:
22 oz. bottle
11.0% ABV

This is supposed to be a “Brew 2000 Imperial”. I don’t know what that means. It’s only 6.3% ABV, which seems low for an Imperial, and the label doesn’t go into further detail. It does say that it took the gold in the 2008 World Beer Cup. I was more intrigued by the fact that this has jasmine in it. It’s not that I have an unhealthy obsession with Disney characters, or that I have any special affinity for jasmine. It’s really more that I’m interested in things I haven’t seen before, and I’ve never seen a jasmine beer. I am not 100% sure what jasmine tastes like, but to me this seems like a fairly standard IPA. It’s a little less bitter, and a little smoother on the finish than other IPAs I’ve had, but otherwise tastes like a bitter beer. I’m not sure what I was expecting out of a “Jasmine IPA”; something more exotic or interesting tasting, but this doesn’t meet up with my expectations.

Specs:
22 oz. bottle
6.3% ABV

Think a standard yellow beer. (The beer is actually a little lighter than the picture shows.) Say, Budweiser. Give a bit of a fuller flavor and slightly thicker mouthfeel. (This would be from the maize included in this beer.) Now add more hops for a dry, slight bitter finish and floral notes, and you’ve got an idea what this beer tastes like. Post sip, it’s clear that this was beer you were drinking. This beer is pretty well carbonated – not to the point where it’s annoying, but it continues to bubble as I write this, 5 minutes after the pour. It leaves a pleasant foam band on the glass.  It’s a decent enough warm weather “I just mowed the lawn” sort of beer, but otherwise it’s unremarkable. At $4 for a 22oz bottle though, it’s worth it.

Specs:
22oz bottle
5.6% ABV