Blazin'!

The Beer: Mighty Arrow

The Back Story: Due to this blog being based in a state where New Belgium brewery doesn't distribute, (WHY DEAR GAWD WHY?) we had to drive 4 hours to pick this up. We also managed to fill the back of a Jeep Liberty with more bottle and cans of Fat Tire than you'd see at a homeless person convention.

Beer Chosen By: Keith

The Reviews:

Keith:

This is a very good beer, yet another in the New Belgium line up that does not disappoint. Very close to Fat Tire but a bit lighter and quite a bit more hoppy. This is hoppy done right, not bitter in the slightest. This beer confirms that if I'm ever in Colorado again, a trip to Fort Collins is in order. I'll have to bring the camping gear though as I will be camping out in the New Belgium brewery for a bit. Don't think they'll mind, somehow I think a large bearded fellow drinking beer all day will fit in well there. Overall 9 out of 10. Yes its that good. And very rare so if you find some, get it!

Robby:

Great name. Great label. Great beer. Progressive brewery. This beer was a hoppy delight followed by a malty punch in the throat. Mighty Arrow seems to use Fat Tire as its base and builds upon it with Cascade hops and a hint of honey. This interesting combo produces an excellent brew. Highly recommended!

Ashleigh:

Sh*TFu*kDa#n!

This is a big step up from last week's hobo piss. This is a beer. This is America. This tastes like I'm drinking freedom, a star and stripe studded flag and a bald eagle at the same time. Seriously. This is a refreshing, hoppy beer. I'm not a hop head but New Belgium got it right with this one. I think the honey takes out the sting of the hops. This might be the first overtly hoppy beer I'm a HUGE fan of.

I will say it does have hints of Fat Tire to it & that's not a bad thing – I love the Tire.

This brewery can't do anything wrong except not distribute in this state. I give it a hard 9 out of 10. Only reason I won't give it a 10 is, its just a shade short of living up to its Fat Tire brother.

Nick:
Absent are the glow sticks, shirtless gay men and house music. But in every other way Mighty Arrow is like a really ballsy dance party in my mouth. As another ridiculously great addition to the brilliant brewing cannon of New Belgium it’s thirst quenching and yet I don’t want to drink it too fast for fear of missing the bright overtones and perfect effervescence. Plus, I’ve got to get all giddy about New Belgium’s hippie-chic bike rack having,hybrid driving, wind powered world headquarters. The perfect combination of great flavor and corporate conscience makes me feel like a dude that really like wants to help the environment and stuff.

New Belgium’s Mighty Arrow is easily one of my top five favorite beers, now if they would only start shipping to Kentucky…

My Funky Ballantine or Did A Hobo Throw Up In My Mouth?

The Beer: Ballantine Ale

Chosen By: Keith

Keith:
Will turn your collar blue if it isn't already. This is a good solid American Pilsner, and that's coming from someone who doesn't love many Pilsners, especially American. The cost is cheap and the taste is dry, crisp and light-bodied. Would be a good cheap summer beer if it weren't currently the dead of winter. The label is beautiful, simple and classic splashed with good ole' American marketing's creative use of adjectives:
'Ballantine Ale, America's LARGEST Selling Ale.'

That about says it all. Scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 5 or a 7.5 if you are in the right mood.

Ashleigh:

The odor is dreadful. Just dreadful. That said, here's my review.

I awoke in a gutter to the sounds of my fellow homeless brethren in a mixed squabble about who's big toe, toe nail would fall off first. My first response was, "Shut up, I'm sleeping off a Ballantine Ale bender." Then two teeth fell out of my mouth and landed in a puddle as an insufferable stench cloud rolled out of my mouth. My clothes reeked of death and failure. Thanks Falstaff.

2 out of 10 for the beer. 8 out of 10 for the packaging.

Robby:
Nothing like a Ballantine for Valentine’s. No matter how lonely you are on this “Day of love” there is always comfort to be found in Ballantine’s skunky nectar. Cuddle up next to a hot fire, pinch your nose and chug away. Ballantine, I love you.


Website:
http://ballantineale.com/

Gimme Liberty or blah, blah, blah, insert cliché here

Beer: Liberty Ale

Chosen By: Ashleigh

Ashleigh:

Sticker shock was the first thing that hit me. $11.00 for a six pack of this seemingly normal looking ale. But after cracking open the bottle, I discovered why.

If Sierra Nevada ever decided to shape up and become a decent brewery and remove the horrid aftertaste of their Pale Ale, this is what they would make. (Does anybody else taste metal when they drink Sierra Nevada or is it just me.)

Liberty Ale is hoppy but comes off fairly smooth. I could see myself skipping some work this spring, sitting outside and enjoying a few of these. I give this one a big shout out for pale ales. Good times. Around a 7.5 out of 10.

Robby:

Great bottle. Hoppy. Packed with flavor. If Sierra Nevada had a long lost twin, this would be it. An excellent beer overall, but next time I would go with the less expensive alternative, Sierra Nevada.

Keith:

Very hoppy, but not an offending hoppy. Good flavor, crisp and dry. Has some body to it, but not too filling. I like this beer but like it even better when its cheaper and says Sierra Nevada on the label. Scale of 1 to 10, it gets a solid 8.

Website:
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/libertyale.htm

Sweet Sassy Moleassy

The Beer: Hobgoblin Brown Ale

Chosen By: Robby


Robby:
Great beer. Great bottle. Packed with a punch. Every sip of this 7.2% dark brown ale left me craving another. It’s probably a good thing I only had one bottle.

Keith:

I'm not a huge fan of dark beers, the reasons? Their over-filling quality as well as usual bitter aftertaste. I am a fan of this dark beer, the reasons? Its full-bodied but doesn't leave you feeling like you just ate 6-8 loaves of bread as well as a complex and tasty flavor that doesn't stick with you for a fortnight. (I'm talking about an English beer here, I had to use the word 'fortnight.') Scale of 1 to 10, it gets a solid 8.5.

Ashleigh:

I wanna take this Hobgoblin back to his cave, raid his fridge, knock him out with some hemlock and run back to my castle, arms full of his tasty, swill/grog. Flat out, this stuff rocks. ROCKS! The higher alcohol content is a nice kick in the pants too, that and the fact it's a single large bottle. Out of 10, I'd give it a 9, I'd also give him my number and have him call me. Has a hint of molasses too.

Website:
http://www.wychwood.co.uk/

I'm A Pranqster, I'm A Ganqster!

Here we go. First week of The Six Pack Project.

As we go along we'll improve the site some but for now, enjoy the first review.

The Beer: Pranqster

Chosen By: Keith

The Reviews:

Keith:

Nice full bodied Belgian Ale. Not as fruity as most Belgian Ales. We actually discussed this having somewhat of a vegetable taste in there...in a good way though. Very complex flavor overall. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a solid 7.

Robby:

I've never had Belgian vegetable soup, but I assume it would taste a lot like this beer. At first taste it seemed promising, but the vegetable soup after taste soon began to take over. All in all, it wasn’t too bad, but not my favorite...my Mom’s soup is better.

Ashleigh:

You know that taste you have in your mouth after you get over a cold? The, "is that something I ate or is this the virus that's been living inside and has it finally decided to leave my body through my mouth and leave me with a horrible case of rancid breath?" Well that's Pranqster. But oddly enough I kind of like this beer. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 but ONLY if I'm drinking one if them and if I keep some mints around.

Website:
http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-Pranqster.htm