#19: Double Hop Monster IPA (Greene King)

Name: Double Hop Monster IPA

Brewery: Greene King Brewery

Style: Double IPA, 7.2%

This bottle caught my eye months ago, and I finally got to have one. Can't resist a dragon with gold wings! It's a simple label—a bit cartoony, but charming. Personally, I would love if this had some chili in it so you could feel like you were breathing fire like a dragon, but I'm not the one brewing this beer.

The label says that it is "late hopped for maximum aroma and a refreshingly bitter finish", and I'd say with that they deliver what they promise. Unfortunately this bottle wasn't the freshest, but I can imagine this would be excellent if it had been. That said, this beer didn't blow me away; the dragon merely hiccupped some sparks and smoke, a shadow of what it could be. I wouldn't buy another bottle, but if I found it fresh on tap somewhere I would definitely give it another try.

Label: 4/5

Beer: 3.5/5

#18: Janis Porter (Naparbier)

Name: Janis Porter

Brewery: Naparbier

Style: Porter, 6.2%

Just like 60s fashion, this groovy-looking brew is past its prime. If you find this somewhere, keep that in mind. Even though it's old, there are nice chocolatey notes, and it tastes more boozy than I was expecting. I also generally like a thicker mouthfeel and less carbonation in my dark brews.

I don't have much to say about this one other than I wish it hadn't been cellared quite as long, but it's still plenty drinkable in my opinion.

Label: 3.5/5

Beer: 3/5

#17: Oktoberpretzel (Mikkeller)

Name: Oktoberpretzel

Brewery: Mikkeller

Style: Oktoberfest, 5.8%

The first beer I ever liked was an Oktoberfest. It tasted like bread and it was an eye-opening breakthrough for me; I didn't know beverages could taste like that! When I saw Mikkeller start advertising their new Oktoberpretzel, I was excited. I was hoping for something yeasty and with a nice malty sweetness. The label reminded me of when my after school German class made pretzels.
I got to try it at the Mikkeller & Friends Bottle Shop, and I'm sad to say I was a bit disappointed. It wasn't bad, but it certainly didn't have any of the bready taste I was hoping for with a beer named after a German soft pretzel. Since that first Oktoberfest beer that left such an impression, I've had a couple others and they have tasted pretty boring to me. This wasn't much of an exception. It did taste a little salty, which was interesting and I guess that's where the pretzel part is supposed to come in. Without the bready flavor that I was hoping for, the saltiness seemed a bit misplaced. Oh well. Happy Oktoberfest anyway, everyone! Prost!

Label: 3.5/5

Beer:3/5

#14: Moose Islay (Nómada Brewing Co.)

Name: Moose Islay

Brewery: Nómada Brewing Co.

Style: Russian Imperial Stout, 12%

A cat in a moose costume? I mean, come on now. This is actually the label that inspired the conversation that resulted in this blog's existence. It's like they made this label just to get me personally to buy it. And hey, it worked! I was surprised to see later that this is actually one of the highest rated Spanish beers on Untappd. Bonus!
Excited to try it, I didn't let it sit out of the fridge to warm up long enough at first. It smelled like soy sauce and tasted bitter and metallic. I thought my hopes had been dashed. However, after it warmed up a bit, some berry notes came out and it was much more palatable. Still not the best Russian imperial stout I've had, but I think if I was really craving one it would do the trick as long as it wasn't served too cold.

Label: 4/5

Beer: 3.5/5

#5: It's Alive! - Lychee (Mikkeller)

Name: It's Alive! (Brewed with lychee and aged in white wine barrels.)

Brewery: Mikkeller

Style: Sour Ale, 8%

A poster at Mikkeller & Friends caught my eye. Is this someone drowning in pink champagne? What? It wasn't until I went up to it that I saw that it was actually a poster size version of a beer label. Then I saw the word "lychee" and I was sold. I had to have this beer. They had it in the bottle shop, and it was this cute little ladylike bottle, looking very much like champagne.

I was a little disappointed with it, but only because I was expecting it to be absolutely heavenly. I wanted a lot more lychee; I only picked up on it (and the white wine with it) for a fleeting moment before the aftertaste set in. It was a good beer, but it could be so much better.

Label: 4/5

Beer: 3.5/5

#2: Motherland (Hopworks Urban Brewery)

Name: Motherland

Brewery: Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB)

Style: Russian Imperial Stout, 9.6%

What was I just saying about liking things that look like stereotypical Commie Russia propaganda?

I had high hopes for this one because I loved the label, and I love stouts, and I knew I could usually trust HUB to make a good beer. This one, however, was nothing special. I wouldn't quite say it was as boring as a communist's closet, but I wasn't impressed. It's a stout that doesn't stand out. It'll do the trick if you're craving a strong dark brew and this is the best one available, but this would never be the one I crave specifically.

Label: 4/5

Beer: 3.5/5