Kenny and Shannon's 2006
Autumn Beer Bacchanalia
By
Kenny and Shannon
Here it is! Kenny and Shannon's ratings of autumn beers, chosen under the
strictest of guidelines using a juried process and double blind voting. (Well,
okay. They were actually chosen based on their availability at Liquor
Barn and then we brought them home to rate so we wouldn't have to drive.)
One thing to note as you peruse this list: um, the ratings started to go
DRAMATICALLY down hill the more beer we drank, so just keep that in mind. Do you
have favorite seasonal beer? Do you know of a particularly BAD beer that is so
horrible you feel you should warn people? Let us know about it! And
with that, we give you, Kenny and Shannon's 2006 Autumn Beer Baccanali!
Pumpkin
Ale, Buffalo Bills Brewery, San Francisco (Hayward), CA
Kenny says, "Slight
pumpkin smell, light flavor with some hops and a little fizz. The flavor is
good, but I'm not a huge fan of hoppy beers, so this one is not my fav."
Shannon says, "Nice pumpkin
color, slight spice. WAY too fizzy for my taste. Decent pumpkin flavor, but the
fizziness overpowers what little flavor there is."
Post
Road Pumpkin Ale, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
Kenny says, "Nice
October-like smell. Nice amber color. I would love this beer if it were a bit
fuller in flavor. I'm not mad at this beer, but I'd say it falls a few clicks
short."
Shannon says, "Again, nice
pumpkin color, perhaps a bit darker than most. Nice aroma, about what I would
expect in a pumpkin ale. I wish the pumpkin flavor were a bit more pronounced,
but it has a pleasing nutmeg aftertaste. Ultimately, a nice, drinkable beer.
Dogtoberfest,
Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO
Kenny says, "By
the aroma, I am excited about this beer. I've decided to go in, taste buds
first, flanked in the back by the rest of my tongue. SCORE! I like this beer
like a marsupial loves a pouch. I rate it a 17 out of a possible 19.
Shannon says, "Pleasing amber
color, no distinguishable aroma. Tastes like dry leaves. This would be a great
beer if they completely changed the recipe."
Samuel
Adams Octoberfest, Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA
Kenny says, "Great
spice. Very rich, nice amber color. I like amber beers and this one is
especially good with its smooth taste and nutty finish--kind of like when UK
came back from 31 down against LSU and Walter McCarty was bringing 3s. You
know, before Rick Pitino went to the Dark Side. VADER!
Shannon says, "Dark amber
color, pleasing spice aroma. Good aftertaste with hints of clove and nutmeg. I
am deeply saddened that there are only 31 days in October to enjoy this beer.
Damn you, Sam Adams! Why must you taunt me so with your good beer that's
only available on a seasonal basis? You are evil, Sir. Evil."
Ichabod
Pumpkin Ale, New Holland Brewing Company, Holland, MI
Kenny says, "Kind
of sweet and fruity. I'm not a pumpkin pro, but then again, maybe I'm glad I'm
not, because if being a pumpkin pro were my lot in life, I'd probably quit
drinking."
Shannon says, "Damn this is a
good beer. It's a bit lighter in color than the other pumpkin ales and it has a
well rounded flavor that is truly enjoyable. If Ichabod Crane is the inspiration
for this beer, then I say we lop off the heads of EVERYONE named Ichabod
if that's what the Brewmaster wishes. He must be allowed to continue his great
work. Command me, Master. Have another, you say? Yes, Master!"
Late
Harvest Autumn Ale, Red Hook Brewery, Portsmouth, NH
Kenny says, "Great
smell, nice flavor for a seasonal spiced beer. I think probably pumpkin ales are
only sold and distributed to boost sales in the fall. This is an enjoyable
beer."
Shannon says, "Amber color,
blah, blah, spice aroma, blah blah. Holy crap! What's this? Freakin' good taste,
is what that is! Welcome, Good Taste, my old friend. Screw the apples, I'm
bobbing for this beer."
Tommyknocker
Maple Nut Brown Ale, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO
Kenny says, "First
off, I'm extremely excited about trying this beer because it has a maple flavor.
Let's smell...I love the smell of maple as my Grandad used to teach me how to
tap maple trees to make your own syrup. Let's look inside...I could not be
happier. The taste is good, a little sweet, but this is MAPLE for gosh sakes, so
what do you expect. I give it a 71 out of a possible 85.6."
Shannon says, "Everytime I
look at this beer it reminds of how badly that Stephen King book, The
Tommyknockers, sucked. I wonder if this beer is any better. Well, it looks
good, nice chestnut pour. Rich aroma, but an odd taste. Wait, I'll try it again.
Okay, it was better that time and I kind of liked it. Let's try it again.
Nope! I don't like it. Crap! This beer makes me feel like Sybil! One sip,
I like it! Next sip, it sucks! Next sip, delightful! Next sip, Mommy
never loved me and used to tie me to the piano until I peed. I just don't know.
I give it an A and a D. Where's my Zoloft."
Nosferatu,
Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, OH
Kenny says, "Deep amber
color, hoping that Great Lakes comes through again. A little hoppy for me, but
I'm sure my wife LOVES this beer."
Shannon says, "This beer had
me at FREAKIN' VAMPIRE-THEMED beer! I'D even drink blood if it meant I
could have a beer this good named after me! Great Lakes came through for
me again!