Lackluster premium Guinness for the unrefined masses only. First off, mired Irish schwarzbier should be canned instead of bottled so aeration could properly activate yeast. Secondly, washed-out grain roasting, ashen chocolate wretchedness, and slick hop-charred bittering turn plastic by faux-nutty freeze-dried coffee finish.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: GUINNESS LTD., DUBLIN, IRELAND
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: S.A. DAMM, BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Less pathetic, but nearly as drab, as typical gluten-free pale lagers. Unlike competitors repulsive sorghum-based output, dried-out barley (lacking gliadin proteins) proves to be wise substitute for celiac sufferers. Nonetheless, watered-down toasted cereal graining and gentle prickly-hopped rice slip derailed by nasty corn-oiled malt liquor immensity as well as acrid vegetal musk.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: STONE BREW. CO., SAN DIEGO, CA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Indistinct 2011 collaboration between Stone, Japanese brewer Baird, and Guam brewmaster Toshi Ishii promotes Tsunami relief but lacks firm theme. Heavy yeast sediment clouds amber-hazed dry body. Advertised green tea influence lost between bitterly lemon-seeded Aramis hop dryness and honeyed ginger sweetness, recalling earthen herbal crisping and tea-leafed bittering of an English ESB by forgoing expectant citric-fruited tenacity of typical American IPA. Tertiary pineapple, grapefruit, and peach illusions merely warble across dark-spiced nicety. Not bad, but inessential.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: AUGUSTINER BREWERY, MUNICH, GERMANY
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: ARCOBRAU GRAFLICHES, MOOS, GERMANY
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: VICTORY BREWERY, DOWNINGTOWN, PA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Bold amber-hazed pale body closer to brisk piney fruited IPA. Sharp grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and rising lemon peel tang heighten juniper berry bite. Bright mango, tangerine, kiwi, pear, and quince fruiting sweetens caramel malt backdrop. Resinous wood-grained alcohol assertiveness plies grassy hop bottom.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: OPA OPA STEAKHOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON, MA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: SPOETZL BREWERY, SHINER, TX.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: CLIPPER CITY BREW. CO., BALTIMORE, MD.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: ATLANTA BREWING, ATLANTA, GA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Indistinct, but not unwelcome, stylistic changeup, rich for its class, but completely desolate up-front. Bittersweet apple-skinned naval orange, pink grapefruit, peach, and cherry tartness evaporates above chewy caramel buttering. Minor vegetal-wafted fungi sourness befits tertiary celery, rhubarb and spinach musk. Frugal flavoring stays at back of the throat.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: SPOETZL BREWERY, SHINER, TX.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Vapid dry-hopped Bavarian-styled pale lager lacks prevailing flavor profile. Instead, washed-out citric tartness ekes out space beside faded green grape esters, diluted Granny Smith apple pucker, and distant grapefruit dab. Earthen vegetal dulling and astringent honeyed malting pick up minor dishwater solvency.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: ORANGE BLOSSOM PILSNER CO., ORLANDO, FL.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Perfectly bland summer afternoon lawnmower fare with sticky-tongued orange blossom honey mildness above thin white wheat base gets lost in phenol hop astringency. Trifling orange-tangerine soaping, vegetal maize-dried snip and cardboard backdrop lag behind. Brewed by South Carolina’s Thomas Hooker for Orlando-based nanobrewery.





