Tilburg's Dutch Brown Ale (8/10)

Tilburg's Dutch Brown Ale is a top-fermented ale produced in the village of Tilburg near the Belgian border.  The brewery is located inside the Abbey of Koningshoeven.

Bierbrouwej de Koningshoeven's

It pours a dark brown, with a thick head that's light tan in color.

The beer has a very nicely balanced flavor, which is a combination of very mild hops, cocoa, and a sugary sweetness... none of which overwhelms the others.

Beer Advocate rates it a 90/100 or "exceptional".  This is pretty much my opinion as well.  It's a great beer and highly recommended if you get the chance to try it.

The strange creature depicted on the beer's label is worth noticing.  It looks something like one of the spies from Mad Magazine's "Spy vs. Spy" cartoons, but has a slightly mangled snout and what looks like a spittoon on its head while it is sitting in an armchair.

I tried this beer at The Winking Lizard Tavern on Bethel Road, and I've seen it for sale at Weiland's Gourmet Market.

ABV: 5%
IBU: 18
My rating: 8/10

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis (8/10)

Sierra Nevada's Kellerweis is an American Hefeweizen (or wheat beer).  Like most wheat beers, it's very cloudy.  It features about a half inch of white head which leaves behind quite a bit of lacing on the glass.

The flavor is very mild with no trace of hops bitterness.  I can pick up a hint of banana and cloves in it, but just a hint.

It's one of the better wheat beers I've tasted, and one I'd be happy to serve guests who liked that style of beer.

I tried the beer at The Winking Lizard Tavern on Bethel Road.  I don't recall having seen it elsewhere.

ABV: 4.8%
IBU: 15
My rating: 8/10

Yuengling Porter (6/10)

The Yuengling brewery is one of the oldest in Pennsylvania.  They've only entered the Ohio market for a little over a year as of this writing.

Their regular lager beer is, to me, a bit better than mass produced beers but nothing to write home about.  Tonight I had their porter for the first time.

It is a deep black, with a thin beige head.

The aroma is a roasted grain and yeast.

The flavor starts slightly hoppy with a dose of burnt grain bitterness.  The usual malty nature of a porter takes a back seat to this bitterness.  The result is a beer that I am OK with but don't particularly love.  I would order it again, but only after making sure the other taps behind the bar contained mass produced ales and lagers.

Beer Advocate gives this an average rating.  I can't really argue with them on this. I want to love it, but I just don't.


I sampled this beer at the Trueman Pub & Grille in Hilliard, near Mill Run.

ABV:  4.5%
IBU: 32
My Rating: 6/10

BJ's Brewhouse P.M. Porter (8/10)

BJ's Brewhouse restaurant chain provides a number of house-brewed beers and a dizzying selection of menu items.

Their P.M. Porter is a nitrogen conditioned beer which is nearly black in color.  Its tan head, as is typical with nitrogen conditioned beers, is thin but lasts the life of the glass.

The flavor is rich and chocolatey, with some caramel.  It is a bit sweet, with a very mild hops presence that balances things out.  The nitrogen smoothness gives it a rich, dark chocolate mouth feel.

All in all, a great porter and one I look forward to having again.  I sampled it at their Tuttle Crossing location.

IBU:  unknown
ABV:  unknown
My Rating: 8/10

Stoudt's Oktober Fest (6/10)

Stoudt's Brewing Co. of Adamstown, PA, produces this Oktoberfest style beer.

It pours a dark amber with a thick beige head that becomes lumpy-looking after a bit. It leaves behind a lot of small spiderwebs of lacing that last a long time.

The aroma is yeasty with a touch of alcohol to it.

Flavor is initially mildly hoppy, then gives way to caramel maltiness. There is a hint of leather and perhaps grapefruit to it. Overall, it's a good but not outstanding beer. I would be happy to drink it again.

The Beer Advocate visitors rate it an 82, or "good".

I believe this was purchased at Kenny Road Market but I don't remember for certain.

ABV: 5%
IBU: 26
My rating: 6/10

Goose Island Pere Jacques (10/10)

Pere Jacques is made by Goose Island Beer Co. of Chicago, Illinois.  It’s a Belgian Dubbel style beer.

I pick up yeast in the aroma, and little else.

The color is a reddish brown, which Goose Island describes as “warm molasses”.

It starts with a strong alcohol warmth to it, followed by a malty, caramel sweetness with hints of Belgian style spices and raisins.  It finishes with just the faintest touch of hops and a bit more alcohol warmth.  It is a positively excellent beer for my personal taste.  I will definitely be putting it into my regular rotation.

Beer Advocate’s visitors rate it 88/100 or “good”.  Reviewers there describe it as complex, drinkable, and tasty.  Some described it as boring and not complex enough.  Ultimately, you’ll have to try it yourself to see what you think.

I've seen this at a number of local retailers.

ABV:  8.2%
IBU:  26
My rating: 10/10

Kingfisher Premium Lager (6/10)

While dining at an excellent Indian restaurant, I ordered a Kingfisher Premium Lager to chase it down with.  Although labeled on the menu as a beer from India, the label claimed that it's brewed here in the United States.

It's an amber colored beer, with a thin, white head that lingers a bit.  The flavor is mildly to moderately hoppy, with a touch of smokiness.  All things considered, it's not a bad beer, but nothing fantastic.

Beer Advocate rates it a 66 (poor).

I had this beer at Aab India in Grandview.  I have also seen it at Kenny Road Market and perhaps other retailers.

ABV: 4.8%
IBU: 22
My rating: 6/10

O'Fallon Wheach (8/10)

O'Fallon Wheach is a wheat beer brewed with peaches, from the o'Fallon Brewery in Missouri.

According to the label, it won the Best Beer in St. Louis for 2007.

It pours a slightly cloudy yellow with a thick white head. The head dissipates quickly and leaves behind a thick but short-lived lacing.

The aroma is one of wheat, yeast, and fresh peaches.

The flavor is mild, which is typical for a wheat beer. It's a lot like a not-too-sour, not-too-sweet peach wine cooler... Or maybe a light wheat beer with a slice of peach soaking in it. Very nice. I look forward to having it again.

The Beer Advocate crowd rates it 81/100, or "good".

This beer was purchased as part of a "make your own 6-pack" at Kenny Road Market.

ABV: 5.1%
IBU: unknown, best guess 15
My rating: 8/10

Stone Saison du Buff (3/10)

Earlier this year, while visiting one of my favorite beer retailers (Kenny Road Market), the cashier suggested that I might want to check out Saison du Buff.

The beer is a collaboration of Dogfish Head, Victory, and Stone breweries. As such, you would expect it to be a bit different.

It pours a slightly cloudy yellow. The head is white, dissipates slowly, and leaves behind a spotty, thick lacing. The aroma is spicy, but not like a Belgian tripel so much as a can of Italian spices in your kitchen. It is brewed with the Simon and Garfunkel combination of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The aroma also picks up the hoppiness for which Stone Brewing Company is so well known.

The flavor is, in a word, intense. The initial hit is typical Stone hoppiness, followed by a tidal wave of spice notes that, for my taste, are almost entirely unpleasant in a beer. My overall reaction is that it's unnecessarily bitter and mostly unpleasant. To me, it tastes like an IPA that spent too long in a restaurant spice cabinet and has picked up all the most unpleasant qualities of both. I am happy to have had the chance to TRY such a limited edition beer, but far more glad that I only purchased one.

Stone's Arrogant Bastard is a hoppy brew that I sometimes enjoy. Victory's V Twelve is great. Dogfish Head makes many beers that I enjoy (like Ta Henket, Chateau Jiahu, Festina Peche, Palo Santo Marron, and Punkin Ale. Working together, I expected this trio to produce something amazing. This strange, hoppy, oddly spiced brew isn't it.

Given their preference for hop-forward beers, I am a bit surprised to see Beer Advocate rate this 79-87 out of 100 or average to good. It is a beer that just doesn't work for me.

ABV: 7.7%
IBU: unknown... Best guess is in the 45 range
My Rating: 3/10

Hitachino Nest White Ale (6/10)

Japan’s Kiuchi Brewery, the home of Hitachino Nest Beer, produces some very unusual (but good) beers.  I’ve had several of their brews:  XH, Red Rice Ale, Sweet Stout, and now White Ale.  Their White Ale is a witbier style beer.

It’s a cloudy yellow beer with little head.  The flavor has a touch of orange and coriander to it.  There is a very mild hops presence to it.  The result is a good and very drinkable beer. It’s not my favorite witbier, but it’s one I’d happily drink again.

As is occasionally the case, the folks at Beer Advocate disagree with me on this one.  I’d rank it as “above average” but nothing special.  They rate it “exceptional” or “world class”.  It’s good, but I’m not sure I’d go that far.

I had this particular beer at The Winking Lizard Tavern on Bethel Road, but I've seen Hitachino Nest products for sale at The Andersons General Store (very consistently) and at Whole Foods Market in Upper Arlington.

ABV:  5%
IBU:  13
My rating: 6/10