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Day 5 (ish) - Paulaner Hefeweizen

Failed. Will start to repost soon

Some of what happened was a new job and deployment to Europe. More soon....

Day 4 - Black Toad Dark Ale

I told my kids that I was drinking Toad Juice. It made them make funny noises.

This beer reminded me of Guinness Original Stout that had been thinned a bit with lager, if you know what I mean. It has a dry, hoppy smell and a surprisingly thin taste. It's one of those beers that when you silently burp, you get a great blast in your nostrils.

Not the best stout I've had, it was a meager $4.99 for a sixer at Trader Joe's. I drank 2, so I've got another 4 for breakfast.

The Facts:
Name: Black Toad Dark Ale
Origin: Chicago, IL
Strength: Not sure - tasted about a 5%
Container: 12oz Brown Bottle
Bought at: Trader Joe's
D Rating: 55 (out of a possible 100)

Day 3 - Abita Purple Haze

It was hazy and just a wee bit purple. Ok, maybe hazy orange. It was apparently raspberry flavored, but the taste of raspberries escaped me - it did taste of something kinda sweet, but I'm not exactly sure what.

Had it not had the fruit reference, I would have called this a pretty fine light bodies wheat beer with some underlying flavors.

This beer would be a fine one to have while waiting for the coals to gray over on a nice August day, coals that take their time like a real barbie should have. So then you'd want to have a second, maybe then a third. Purple Haze is a very morish beer. Not really a winter drink, but good none the less.


The Facts:
Name: Abita Purple Haze
Origin: Albita Springs, Louisana
Strength: 4.75% ABV
Container: 12oz Brown Bottle
Bought at: World Market
D Rating: 67 (out of a possible 100)

Day 2 - Trader Joe's Bavarian Style Hefeweizen

Hefeweizen Stvle. Not Hefeweisen - at least they made the distinction. Apparently "craft brewed" too. Nice label as well.

A decent light wheat beer with a mild subtle taste. Pours cloudy (like it should) , slight banana and clove aroma (like the label says), and just a tad sharp. No nasty aftertaste, and no change in taste as you move towards the end of this brew. TJ's tends not to do stuff badly; thankfully this holds true for this beer. I like it!!

I've had better wheat beers, but I have also had many worst. At $5.49 for a six-pack, you can hardly go wrong.

The Facts:
Name: Trader Joe's Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
Origin: San Hose, CA
Strength: 5.3% ABV
Container: 355ml Brown Bottle
Bought at: Trader Joe's
D Rating: 78 (out of a possible 100)

Day 1 - Lion Stout

The label boasts "5 International Gold Awards". It's a fine, imported stout, "brewed and bottled by the Lion Brewery Ceylon Limited, Biyagama, Sri Lanka".

A really nice beer. It have a slight chocolaty taste, and does not overwhelm with a roasted sharpness. At 8.0 % Alcohol By Volume, I was expecting a strong tasting beer; not so. If this is as strong as it says, this one could get dangerous after a few, as it really does not have the taste, nor the smell, nor the aftertaste of other beers.

I wonder what the 5 international awards were for; whatever, it deserved it. As the first beer I'm reviewing, it has set a high bar.

The Facts:
Name: Lion Stout
Origin: Biyagama, Sri Lanka
Strength: 8.0% ABV
Container: 330ml Brown Bottle
Bought at: World Market
D Rating: 80 (out of a possible 10o)