Ambar Export

Excellent malty 8% delight from Spain.

Poretti Bock

Very similar to the earlier Poretti beer that I reviewed. I really can't tell the difference between the two...both nice beers.

Urbock The Barbarian

Urbock 23 is a heavy-hitting Austrian beer. It claims on the label to be one of the strongest beers in the world, and doesn't dissapoint at 10%. Its older brother, Samislaus, probably is the strongest beer--14%. Very malty and sweet...in fact I found it a hair too sweet. For those with a taste for Barlywine, Urbock is for you.

Fischer

Fischer is a solid yet unremarkable French beer (among high-level beers). It is a dry lager with no discernible maltiness. A small head after being poured. Nice bottle, but as a beer nothing to jump around about.

Adelscott

Adelscott is an unusual beer. It claims to be brewed with a touch of whiskey. The whiskey taste is very slight, but noticeable. About 6%, very balanced and refreshing. Highly recommended.

Guiness the next generation

St Peter's Stout rocks! Dark roasty grains that kicks Guiness to the curb. Chocolaty notes weighing in at 6.5%. Enough said.

So fresh and so clean

Despite the name, Dirty Dicks Ale is a very balanced brew. Between 5 and 6 percent, it is a smooth and clean brown ale with a nice hint of sweetness. Good pub beer.

Sugoi!!! (It's good!!!)

O.K., you might think that since I live in Japan I might be a little biased...Nope. Yebisu, brewed in the Sapporo Beer Forest (which by the way has a great tour), is a truly exemplary beer. 6%, golden, smooth and perfectly balanced. The thing that struck me the most is the mouthfeel. It has such a full taste and satisfying feel in the mouth that you almost don't want to swallow it. The best qualities of Japan incarnate in a beer (I should be a tour-guide).

Don't be Cru', to a heart that's true

Hoegaarden Grand Cru. 9%, a golden belgian ale. Slight malt, strong hop, yet light and slightly lemony. Very refined and delightful beer. Small head.

O'l Time Religeon

Ahh, Adam and Eve sure created a mess. De Verboden Vrucht (A.K.A. Le Fruit Degendu) or for us uneducated English speakers, The Forbidden Fruit. The makers of Hoegaarden have created a deep and fantastic beer. 9%, sweet yet not cloying, this creation from the Garden is almost as good as the original apple. I would guess that Adam would have taken this quicker than Eve's apple (depending on what the apple actually was). OK, enough of my annoying musings, this is a great beer. Kudos to the original couple for letting us have all the little imperfections of this life.

It's a Trappe!

La Trappe is one of my favorite Belgian Trappist ales. Made in the only Trappist monastery outside of Belgium (in the Netherlands). Strong hop, malt, and carbonation linger in the center and back of the tongue. 9% alcohol content, a massive head, and beautiful bottle art (a glass-blown insignia) makes this one of my top 10 beers.

Bob Marlen

Marlen is a golden light tasting ale (despite being 6%). I think that it is from Spain (correct me if you know where La Zaragozana is). It has a healthy beautiful head. It has enough sweetness to make it interesting and has some lemony notes. I hesitate to call it a "girl beer" because of its alcohol content. I enjoyed it, but it is not my style. Recommended with a seafood dinner.

Pietra

Pietra is a truly smooth and balanced beer. From France, it is in the 6% range. It has equal parts malt and hops, with a smooth and refreshing taste from beginning to end. A great find!

Bierra Porreti

Bierra Porreti is an Italian beer in the 5% range. It is an amber beer with a small head. It is moderately malty with a slightly bitter hit in the middle of the mouth. It has a full feel in the mouth without being heavy. I enjoyed this beer and found it very balanced.