Author: BuffaloJern
I am the Buffalo editor and curator of Honest Booze Reviews
River Styx Brewing ‘Eros’ Imperial Stout
Eros Imperial Stout: 7.5 – Oooo that is very chocolatey and decadent. We railed against their sour patch experiment two weeks back, but as far as getting a beer to an almost Oreo like flavor – well done, well done indeed. For the record it’s not an exact Oreo flavor, but really has that feeling of a great imperial stout beer that is combined with a chocolate style not mired in coffee like many chocolatey beers. The result is delicious, unique, and a reminder that nearly everything River Styx does is fantastic.
Price Average: $22 for 4-pack tall cans
Website: https://riverstyxbrewing.com/
Summum Vodka 750mL
New Drinking Game: Have a shot of this every time we say wheat in this review. Spoiler you will be smashed by the end, because fuck is the French wheat on full throated display here. We’ve had a mixed bag when it comes to French vodka’s in the past. Mostly it’s been hate for Bourge Noble, Belvedere, and Exclusiv, but some praise for Balinoff even if they stupidly have a polar bear on it.
Sawbelly Brewing Fresh Caught India Pale Ale
Fresh Caught: 6.0 – It thankfully is not very bitter as is the way with IPAs which is a welcome addition. There’s not really a strong citrus fruit or something like that here – instead it’s more of a tropical fruit, and weirdly pine flavoring. The effect is worth it though, and as is the case for those who shy from the IPAs – know there are a select few out there that don’t suck.
Price Average: $14 for 4-pack
Website: http://www.sawbellybrewing.com/
Wolfhound Irish Whiskey 750mL
Another week and another cheap whiskey, although at least in this case it’s actually not too bad. Sure it’s made by some weird group that apparently was worked in some section of Kilbeggan, and – well it has a screw top folks. Okay and yes it does burn like dog biting your leg, but like you snuck up on him in his spot under the table – he’s still a very good boy.
River Styx Brewing Morpheus: Sour Patch Watermelon Tart Ale
Morpheus: Sour Patch: 3.0 – This might be one of the rare River Styx beers that is quite negative. It’s not like Sour Patch kids taste bad, and the concept of a candy going with tart – it works for sour candies, why not beer. Sadly however this is an experiment gone quite wrong.
Editor’s Note: We’ve been told that this also had a tendency to explode if not kept cold, it stands to reason then that the fermentation likely was still a bit active and as such your results taste wise may vary.
Price Average: $20 for 4-pack
Website: https://riverstyxbrewing.com/
896 Barbados Gold Rum 750mL
Would a rum by any other name tastes as sweet? We have no idea, because this barely even has a name (just the enigmatic 896), and is to us a ghost. No text, no identifiers, no website – it merely exists. This causes complications for us. One the hand we promote that you let the contents of the bottle do the real talking, on the other we feel you should at the very least stand by your work. If however you don’t frankly care about that – the good news is this is a pretty decent rum for not a lot of money.
The Orkney Brewery Skull Splitter Scotch Ale
Skull Splitter Scotch Ale: 5.0 – Now thankfully this hasn’t fallen into the deep pit of scotch ales that often can be like a bad bourbon cask with a cloying sweetness and wallpaper paste. However there’s something a bit off about this ale, it’s not a bad scotch ale – and surely is someone’s taste. But it’s like a weird banana bread sort of aspect that isn’t ideal.
Price Average: $12 for 4-pack bottles
Website: https://www.orkneybrewery.co.uk/
Winchester Kentucky Rye Whiskey 750mL
Now we know two things in regards to Winchester. The first being they made the Winchester rifle, the gun of the American West. We also know of the Winchester House, home of Sarah Winchester which is very haunted and weird. (What we like ghost stories even if they aren’t real). Now something we don’t know of is the ‘Winchester Cowboy’ or “Winchester Whiskey’ and yet here we have the name of the famous brand on this Rye – but why?
Ommegang Rosetta Sour Ale
Rosetta Sour Ale: 5.5 – This is another ‘does what it says on the tin’ it certainly is more of a sour compared to other types of beers. You also get a lot of that cherry. Is it a mind-blowingly complex or amazing tasting cherry sour – no. But it’s good, just you know – a sour ale with cherry.
Price Average: $12 for 4-pack cans
Website: https://www.ommegang.com/