Rediscovering Modern Classics

I haven't completely run out of new beers around the Lehigh Valley to try, but new brews are generally getting more expensive and harder to find. The hunt is fun sometimes, but lately I've been revisiting great beers that I tried years ago and then forgot about in my quest to try, well, everything.


Honker's Ale
Goose Island
English Bitter | 4.20% ABV

B+ / 3.95
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Heck of a beer - the 6-pack didn't last too long in my fridge. While this beer is crisp and rich in flavor like a good American Pale Ale, it has the low alcohol and balanced taste of a classic English Bitter. I'd consider this a well-made hybrid of the styles. On one end there's a tasty mix of barley grain, dark bread, and wholegrain crackers, while the Styrian Golding hops present both earthy spice notes and fruity citrus rind. This brew covers a lot of different and complimentary flavors, all while keeping a light, drinkable body. This is a fantastic session beer.


Two Hearted Ale
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
American IPA | 7.10% ABV

A- / 4.05
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Ok, this might be the best looking IPA I've ever had, but not the best. The appearance has a short creamy head with thick lacing. The aroma is just a general citrus punch, a little weak. The flavor picks things up a bit, but it's not as bitter as I expected. It's a smooth bitter that puts it on par with a hearty pale ale. Still, the taste is of wonderfully fruity hop juice. Not overly powerful, but nice. I'd like a little more kick, but it's still a great beer.


Pikeland Pils
Sly Fox Brewing
German Pilsener | 4.90% ABV

A- / 4.2
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

This beer looks amazing, it has a white head that won't stop and reminds me of Duvel. Smells of sweet, light malts. The flavor is bland at first but then the hops kick in. Overall tastes of long-lasting grassy, earthy hops with added grapefruit and a bit of fruity malt. A little hoppier than the imports I've had, more like Prima Pils. Actually it's a lot like Prima Pils, but I think I like this better. My can was a touch over carbonated, but it was still very drinkable.


Rare Vos (Amber Ale)
Brewery Ommegang
Belgian Dark Ale

B+ / 3.8
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Had a bottle with seafood enchiladas at The Mission Restaurant in Syracuse, a great pairing. Rare Vos reminds me a bit of an amber Duvel, though not quite as the complex. The malts are sweet and mild with an apple, cherry, and berry taste. Very drinkable and tasty, but it might be overpriced if you're a budget beer shopper or think Rogue is too expensive.
I've heard people recommend this to beer noobs, but I dont think I'd do the same. The flavor is really all in the bitterness, so if you're not into that, tough.

Best Beers for the Holidays

Whether you're looking for a tasty brew to pair with your Festivus feast or just want to get merry with your fam, I've got a beer for you:


Festivus Feast - Before you open up the Airing of Grievances, I recommend opening a bottle of Hibernus Quentum. The Belgian Tripel is my favorite style for holiday meals. They're effervescent, lifting fat and flavors off your tongue to clear your palate. The spice matches up with holidays seasoning. And they're complex enough to beat or match any wine most of us could afford.

Urthel Hibernus Quentum
De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel)
Tripel | 9.00% ABV

A- / 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Poured from a skinny 330ml bottle, there's a tall white head with loud (relatively speaking) bubbles. On my tongue the beer is a little flatter than many Belgian, but that, I think, brings out more flavor instead of simply stinging my tongue. The flavor starts with a wonderful mixture of fresh baked white bread and earthy honey and ends with a hint of spicy hops for balance. In the aftertaste, a slight orange and cream flavor develops that's quite nice. The aroma has a slightly simpler profile with a mild perfume of Belgian candy and fresh (mild) herbs, like I've got one nostrel in a candy store and another in a garden.

This is a very well made Belgian tripel, though the complexity comes from its subtleties, so be prepared to stop and ponder the depths of this beer to enjoy to its fullest.


Get Merry - Look no further for liquid cheer - or just a great beer to sip by a fire. Bourbon-barrel beers are all over the board, some too thick and syrupy, some are thin and don't really resemble any sort of whiskey. Goose Island's BCS balances big mocha stout with smooth vanilla bourbon while providing a hell of a punch.

Bourbon County Stout
Goose Island
American Double / Imperial Stout | 13.00% ABV

A / 4.4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | drink: 5

Vintage 2007, 13% abv.

Easily the smoothest, tastiest ~13% beer I've ever had. Yes, it's a bit thick, but no more so than weaker double or imperial stouts. The aroma is rich with the bourbon which once on the palate, doesn't dominate, but compliments the strong, dark chocolate ad espresso flavors. Throw in a dash of oak and vanilla and you've got a hell of a beer. More please.


Party Like it's 1999 - If you're looking to party through this year and into the next, you'll need a session beer that won't knock you on your ass to fast. Pikeland Pils is Sly Fox's hoppy take on this classic German will satisfy your palate from first beer to the last.

Pikeland Pils
Sly Fox Brewing Company
German Pilsener | 4.90% ABV

A- / 4.2
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

This beer looks amazing, it has a white head that won't stop and reminds me of Duvel. Smells of sweet, light malts. The flavor is bland at first but then the hops kick in. Overall tastes of long-lasting grassy, earthy hops with added grapefruit and a bit of fruity malt. A little hoppier than the imports I've had, more like Prima Pils. Actually it's a lot like Prima Pils, but I think I like this better. My can was a touch over carbonated, but it was still very drinkable.

I've heard people recommend this to beer noobs, but I dont think I'd do the same. The flavor is really all in the bitterness, so if you're not into that, tough.

Dave Zabriskie Needs a Beer

Dave Zabriskie! You just took second at the Amgen Tour of California! What are you going to do next?

Well, I'm going to drive home, get a speeding ticket and then find out that thieves cleared out my house.

Sure they took his cars, computers, and home stereo. That junk is replaceable with an afternoon shopping in the suburbs. What's awful to hear is that they took his 14 bikes and race medals. Ouch. Even the overpriced comic book statues can probably get replaced with a little works (maybe he could get a life-size bust of the Creature from the Black Lagoon this time around). Regardless, now is likely one of the very few times ever that I can say it sucks to be Dave Zabriskie.

Dave, this beer's for you - in the metaphysical sense, of course.

Bourbon County Stout
Goose Island
American Double / Imperial Stout

A / 4.4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | drink: 5

Vintage 2007, 13% abv.

Easily the smoothest, tastiest ~13% beer I've ever had. Yes, it's a bit thick, but no more so than weaker double or imperial stouts. The aroma is rich with the bourbon which once on the palate, doesn't dominate, but compliments the strong, dark chocolate ad espresso flavors. Throw in a dash of oak and vanilla and you've got a hell of a beer. More please.