Grainstore Rutland Beast: 6.5 – it has a sweet chocolate but more like truffle taste? I guess. That sweetness though almost takes the wind out of the beer sails power-wise which is what I wanted from the name/look of the beer. (Also fairly certain this is tap-only)
Price Average: Name $8
Website: http://www.grainstorebrewery.com/
Estrella Damm Lager: 5.5 – That’s actually a pretty decent beer. Not one I would likely buy again, but hey if I’m in Spain, and I’ve struck out on a local brew – at least this will be good on draft.
Price $4
Website: http://www.estrelladamm.com/en/
Count: 28/71
Hellhound: 2.0 – I’ll be honest – I don’t like this beer. I mean other beers have been able to use lemon to mostly middling results, but while this is certainly potent flavoring and it doesn’t become overwhelmingly lemon either something is wrong. It’s just not really the right mix of sweet/bitter/sour. However you get this in a shandy, and it shines like a diamond. (Honestly Mixability here would be a 7.5)
Price Average: Hellhound $13
Website: http://www.dogfish.com/
My final UK-centric post here. This comes as my duty-free purchase on the flight back (where I spent my entire layover in Switzerland running to catch my flight since the 1st was delayed). Anyway while there was a beautiful room of scotches, and multiple tastes tasting in the airport – I was sold the minute I saw the name Laphroaig next to a name (An Cuan Mor) that I did not know.
Franziskaner: 5.5 – It’s an average weissbier. I think it might be hard to find in the states, but overall while I like the beer – you are getting what you pay for price wise. It’s a nice balance of nut and banana with malt flavoring though.
Price Average: Franziskaner $3
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaten-Franziskaner-Br%C3%A4u
Holsten Pilsner: 1.5 – I have a theory. That theory is that this was originally call Holstein Piss, because cow piss is about what I think drinking this. I will admit this is slightly warmer than it should be, but no – this is not good.
Price $6 for 4-Pack
Website: http://www.carlsberggroup.com/brands/Pages/HolstenPilsner.aspx
Count: 27/71
Kindest Find: 4.5 – I’m personally starting to get annoyed with the usage of Imperial to define a beer being just slightly more potent. Regardless I do actually like this red ale, although it’s a bit too much on the hoppy side which takes over the other flavors.
Price Average: Kindest Find $7
Website: https://smuttynose.com/
They often say one should not judge a book by it’s cover. This is usually meant to imply that something that looks vain or vapid could be deeply rewarding and complex on the inside. The parallel here is that this looks like a cheap, spiced rum that may smell nice – but would kill a small hamster in a coughing fit from the burn itself. Instead though we get something that might as well have a Willy Wonka stamp on the side.
Brewdog Dead Pony Club: 6.5 – I got this in one of the most hipster places in London I could find, and it shows. However while this pale is more like.an IPA it doesn’t go too far as some ‘Pales’ tend to do when amongst the hipster crowd. This does not, and is therefore actually quite good.
Price Average: Brewdog Dead Pony Club $5
Website: https://www.brewdog.com/
