Mendocino Brewery Eye of the Hawk Ale

  Mendocino Brewery brings us the Eye of the Hawk,a fairly full flavoured beer Other reviews on this beer will tell you about its lacing, its head, its body, but to me flavour is king. This I would say was a lady in waiting in the royal court, but not royalty. Still, well worth drinking. Not, as one review described it, something that they poured the rest of away. What a waste. Well, here is the official word, so until I taste again I bid you peace.

  Eye of the Hawk is an excellent, rich bodied ale that is brewed to perfection. "Eye" is coppery reddish-amber in color and its unique taste is the result of a judicious mix of caramel and pale malted barley, balanced with Cluster, Cascade and Saaz hops. This gives the Eye its luxurious flavor, substantial mouth-feel and that slightly dry finish. Eye of the Hawk has garnered a cult following that is enviable.
Category American-style strong AleType handcrafted ABV 8.%

Goose Island Sixth Day Ale

  On the sixth day my Goose Island brought to me...
...Sixth Day, a festive brown ale, Goose Island proclaim. They are correct. A brown ale with a tasty, festive twist. If you are like me, not eager to let go of the festive season, grab a bottle, look at the snow, and turn the Christmas lights back on. After all, it can't be Christmas everyday, but a taste of Christmas could do no harm.
I enjoyed it. See if you do.Below official specs, and until I taste again I bid you peace.

Brewer's Notes:

Every year to celebrate the holiday season, we brew up our Sixth Day, and with each year we change the recipe slightly so that you have something special to look forward to.

Recipe Information:

Style: Brown Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 8.3
International Bitterness Units: 55
Color: Auburn
Hops: Pilgrim, English Golding, Celeia
Malt: Special Pale, 2-Row, Bonlander Munich

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Nonic
Food Pairings: Ham, Turkey, Lamb
Cheese Pairings: Aged Gouda, Dry Jack
Cellaring Notes: 180 days

Availability:

Seasonal (October - December)
Bottles: 6pks
Draft: 1/2bbl (IL & OH only)

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

  Let's celebrate January with a very quick review of a Christmas present from my wife: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. First note is that it has, and holds, a head, something to be proud of in a quality beer. (Sorry about your luck Bud Light) . Second note is a strong hop flavour, suggesting tasty use of ingredients. (Sorry again BL!) This is apparently an IPA that can hold its own.  A great bitter grapefruit taste.Makes me want to celebrate some more. This is not a beer for people that like watery, flavour lacking beers. It is also not for someone who has not yet developed a taste forIPA's. If you want to ease into the world of IPAs I recommend Sam's Rebel IPA. I will cover that later, hopefully. Meanwhile all that is left is a photo and the official description.
So until we meet again, I bid you taste!

Celebration^® Ale

Festive fresh hop holiday fun.

The start of Celebration season is a festive event. We can’t start brewing until the first fresh hops have arrived, but once they have the season is officially under way! First brewed in 1981, Celebration Ale is one of the earliest examples of an American-style IPA and one of the few hop-forward holiday beers. Famous for its intense citrus and pine aromas, Celebration is bold and intense, featuring Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops—honoring everything we have at Sierra Nevada.

Overview

• Alcohol Content 6.8% by volume
• Beginning gravity 16.0° plato
• Ending Gravity 4.0° plato
• Bitterness Units 65

Ingredients

• Yeast Ale yeast
• Bittering Hops Chinook, Centennial
• Finishing Hops Cascade, Centennial
• Malts Two-row Pale, Caramel

Food Pairing

• Cuisine Fish and Chips, Roasted Turkey and Dressing, Polenta and Grilled Vegetables
• Cheese Parmagiano Reggiano, Manchego