Southern Tier's Un*Earthly Imperial IPA

After I got home this evening, I decided to take the dogs outside and relax on our new lawn chairs. I decided, why not try a beer that RJ and Christie gave me. Seeing that is was a warm evening, I went for the IPA.

Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial IPA


Wonderful aroma. Well balanced. I can detect the Cascade and Chinook hops. A wonderful combination of the "C" hops. Mild malt aroma. Slightly copper in appearance with good head retention.

The flavor is a little more malty than a normal IPA. This is very interesting and tasty!! My only problem is the diacetyl that I detect. It is the "buttery popcorn" flavor that many have described. This is definitely not a flavor that is found in IPAs. The inclusion of red wheat is most intriguing.

What a wonderful mouthfeel. There is great carbonation and some slight alcohol warmth. No astringency is present.

I would have to give this beer a 44/50 just do to the diacetyl I detected. Would I try this again? Most definitely. The 11% ABV is a nice touch to this well balance IPA. Perfect for an evening of unwinding and enjoying the warmer season outdoors!!

Weston's Drop Kick Ale

I'm back after a little hiatus from reviewing. The weather here is wonderful now, so I'm trying to spend more time outside. However, spending time outside makes me want to drink more beer.....

About a month ago I picked up a six pack of Weston Brewing Company's Drop Kick Ale. What first attracted me to the beer was the pledge that Weston made to donate money to the KC soccer club for every 6 pack or keg sold of the DKA. Being a soccer fiend, this was right up my alley.

After I opened the bottle and poured a little I got a very caramel, malty smell. Perfect for this category. There was a mild hop aroma with no esters. DKA is copper in color with good clarity. A thin ring of bubbles persist after the pour.

There is a nice bready malt flavor. Good balance bitterness. I didn't detect any DMS. I noticed a slight diacetyl flavor, but this is common. There is a medium mouth feel. Great carbonation and no alcohol warmth. There is a minor astringency, but smooth overall.

This is a great example of a Brown Ale. The DKA has a very pleasant taste and easy drinking. I would definitely buy another 6 pack.