Tundrabeary Summer Ale

Many thanks to Elise Meyer for purchasing this 6 pack when she visited during Bix weekend. Tasted prior to an 8 mile late run due to the extreme heat.


Appearance: Glowing amber but with a rubied/rose tinting to it. Because the beer was bottle conditioned, it remained relatively hazed. Hardly any head in existence except for a thin string of bubbles coating the perimeter of the glass, and a filmed accumulating in the center. Appears quite still.
Aroma: I get a very mellowed plume of blueberries and pear. Fruity but not so much tart, making me think it is something less of a concentrate and more of the internal fruit. Some caramel, and hardly any hops to speak of.
Taste: Sweetness plays a dominant flavor overall. However it is characteristically defined by the potent, yet not-so-tart fruit flavors that to me are reminiscent predominantly of mulberries. Some presence of blueberries. Addition of wheat to balance the fruit flavors, yet its presence is quite minimal and watered down.
Mouthfeel: Medium viscosity with light carbonation, though the body would be able to handle more ample carbonation. Finishes dry and leaves no aftertaste.
Overall Impression: It could use some additional hop bitterness to balance out the heavy fruit flavors. Similarly, I would prefer some tartness to play on a potentially refreshing taste. Although this brew is light and therefore very drinkable if your intention is to drink a lot in one sitting, it is on the bland side and lacks the character that would make me pick up another 6 pack.


70/100

Hop Strike Black IPA

Tasted following skinning, gutting and dressing my first ground-hog (though it was young and small). It will need to soak in salt water for the next day. Jaron brought over the mother 2 hours later after trapping it too. We plan to pit roast them, or make a stew. Thanks to Justen Parris for recommending this beer to me. Picked up a six pack from the Rock Island Hy-vee.

Appearance: Pour was a clear ambered brown. In the glass, the beer looks overwhelmingly dark (brown)  with the clarity inhibited by the color. Head is off white in color and minimal with somewhat of a soapy consistency and an ever so slight film on the surface. Lacing is wet.

Aroma: Very fresh smelling and a bit leafy. Cascade and other citrus related hops permeate the nostrils in a hop-juice rush. A very subtle chocolaty malt bill is exposed as an undertone to the hop dominant scent. Some breadiness and a bit of a stale smell can be picked up.

Taste: Foretaste is rich with a chocolate and roasted malt sweetness. Very nutty. By the middle, the citrusy hops begin to reveal themselves along side a bit of a burnt graininess. Pumpernickel. One can taste the leafy hops in the back of the throat along with the remainder of the roasted malt bill. the finish is dry and woody. Brown sugar comes through in the after breath along with the alcohol vapors. Generally however, the beer maintains a very well balanced stature with the malt and hops curiously complementing each other to the very end. One could say that this produces a bit of a biscuity taste. Bits of pine and spice coat the tongue. Dry and finishing with a tannined burnt aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation melds well into the body encapsulating a smooth mouthfeel. Body is on the medium side but with a chalky texture. Drying to the finish with a tannined/resin feel.

Overall Impression: This beer exposes a new variety of beer, going black and hoppy, yet still preserving the chocolate/burnt and roasted flavors of a stout. The Citrus mainly comes through in the mid to finish while the aftertaste re-exhibits a burnt tannin flavor. Certainly a beer of ultimate complexity, but equally balanced.

89/100

Maple Nut Brown Ale

A big thanks to Kate Ries for this donation to the blog.  Only have had a few Tommyknocker brews rated so far so this should be interesting!  Tasted on a Thursday night following the women's track team pre-meet dinner and while making some delicious pita chips (soooooo good).

Appearance:  Dark chestnut brown that poured with a thin, but bubbly head.  Within a few seconds, the head almost entirely disappeared and all that remains are microbubbles along the rim.  Very slight haziness and no carbonation can be seen in the glass.
Aroma:  The aroma is kinda hard to distinguish at first, definitely subtle and delicate.  Roasted malts hit the nose first followed by the sweet scent of maple and some brown sugar.  Mild earthy tones along with a bit of caramel scent.  Slight hint of nuttiness and hops at the end, but I feel you have to search for it to really find it.
Taste:  Very sweet in the first few sips.   Lots of maple sweetness and an overly woodsy character.  Not much beer flavor, I can't really taste any hops in the mix; this is more of like a sweet syrup.  Possible hints of caramel and brown sugar adds to the candied flavor. The beer might be very under attenuated or have the maple addition in secondary to preserve an overwhelming sweetness. Some spicing rounds out the flavor in the form of cinnamon and allspice. Licorice permeates the flavor as the beer warms.
Mouthfeel:  Light bodied mouthfeel with small and active carbonation.  The beer leaves a bit of maple sweetness in the aftertaste and is slightly sticky.  Lacks robustness
Overall Impression:  For those who like sweet beers with hardly any hop presence then this would be a beer for you.  The carbonation and mouthfeel adds a light drinkable quality to it.  Personally, I like my beer to have a little more kick to it from the hops, so I don't think I will be stocking my fridge with it in the near future. 


Jen: 67/100
Tim: 71/100

Cocoa Porter

Finished a day of work still feeling a little phlegmy, but went to practice anyway, did an easy run and got home by 6:00. Tasted with a dinner of organic rice and collard greens. Thanks to Greg Maggio for donating this to the blog. My impression of Tommyknocker brewery has been extremely poor because during the summer we paid $17.99 for their craft pack, and ALL the beer was stale. Big time deterrent.

Appearance: Dark molasses brown with a off white foam head that leaves a speckled lacing behinf. Up to the light it has a rubied hue which made me think Caramel/Crystal 60-90L. Relatively inactive within.
Aroma: Earthy and toasted with a huge cocoa chocolate bill. Some roasted elements to it but the main idea here is big time chocolate!
Taste: Strangely chalky that reminds me of a cheap hot chocolate mix with a bunch of lactose crystals and sugar. Very sweet and chocolaty. Underneath, a toasted caramel and bready element holds up under the dominating cocoa malt flavor. Mild honey sweetness while the beer then finishes with a slightly roasted coffee flavor, but it so subtle that it goes hardly notice over the other more prominent flavors. Some residual sweetness remains on the palate with still a cocoa powder taste that is even present in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation that is well integrated creating a smooth and creamy texture. Mid leveled mouthfeel, but still strangely watery.
Overall Impression: Huge chocolate sweetness. So if you like chocolate, this beer is definitely worth a try. Nevertheless something about the beer comes off as watery, even though the feel is smooth and it boasts a huge sweet cocoa flavor. Good, but not my cup of...beer.


79/100

Alpine Glacier Lager

Bought a sample 12 pack from Hy-Vee, but to our dismay, we found that a majority of the beer included was stale and therefore, unrateable. However, this beer from Tommyknocker was not a part of that majority.

Appearance: Rich yellow gold and has a slight haze with a filmed head.

Aroma: A bouquet of floral aroma, some grassiness.

Taste: This lager starts sweet, followed immediately by long, dry bitterness. Finally, there is a hint of grassy pine at the finish that clings to the palate.

Mouthfeel: Smooth initially, then the carbonation brings in a crisp bite of strong pilsner like bitterness.

Overall Impression: This is a really great lager that is filled with both sweetness and complementary bitterness. A fresh, rewarding brew.

87/100