ALEXANDER KEITH'S NOVA SCOTIA-STYLE LAGER
(St. Louis, MO)
Todd Zachritz- 2.0
It pours a clean yellow-amber with a modest foam and delicate lace. It’s malty sweet on the nose, kinda corny, even. Not a great start. The taste is sweet, with a caramel-honey vibe. There's no complexity whatsoever here, and I found this one-dimensional, off-balance, and needing to be fine-tuned. No, thanks.
Jabez Martinez – 4.0
This beer poured an amber color with a big head. I could smell the malt grains. It had a light fruity flavor with some sweet malts, but it was well-balanced. It was not a bitter beer, which I expected. I liked this one a lot and will buy it again. It was very easy to drink.
Amanda Smith – 4.0
I am a fan of lagers and this one does not disappoint. The combination of warm, caramel undertones with a brightness of smooth citrus is pleasing on the palette and easy to enjoy. The malt in this beer was pronounced, but smooth. I would keep this in my beer fridge in the garage.
BODDINGTON'S PUB ALE
(Luton, England)
Todd Zachritz - 1.0
This "draughtflow system" pint can pours with a huge head of quickly-dissipating bubbles and no lace. The nose is sweet and even a bit toast-like. Flavor is mild all the way, and even watery. I'll give it points for being "creamy" and "smooth," yes, but this beer has little character or body. Thin and uninteresting, this is one to avoid.
Jabez Martinez – 3.0
I had high hopes for this beer, but it sort of let me down. It was a clear copper beer, but it had one of those nitrogen pellets in it, like a Guinness. It had a very grainy aroma, but nothing great that stuck out. The flavor was like the scent, grains with a little hops. I was hoping for more, but this was just an average ale.
Amanda Smith – 2.0
This isn’t good and it isn’t bad, it’s just…there. There is nothing notable about this beer. The texture is somewhat smooth and the head nicely creamy. And, it has directions on the can. If I have to have an instruction manual to drink my beer, I’m already a skeptic.
VICTORY SUMMER LOVE
(Downingtown, PA)
Todd Zachritz - 4.5
This nice, clean, golden ale immediately invites with a rich head of fine white foam and spotty lace on the glass. The aroma? Crisp and delightful, with plenty of fresh citrus hops and even a trace of fruit. I get more of the hoppiness in the taste, but this one isn't bitter or harsh at all. There seems to be hints of citrus and even apricot in there. It’s a delicious and palate-pleasing summer brew with tons of nuance and flavor, all the while remaining light and drinkable. Winner!
Jabez Martinez – 4.0
This is a golden straw-colored beer with good carbonation. It did have a large grassy aroma with another scent that I couldn’t place. It was just odd. I did like the creamy flavors of spices and fruits with a dry finish. Except for the odd scent, I did enjoy this beer.
Amanda Smith – 3.0
This beer has an aroma that is especially nice and fitting of the name “Summer Love,” conjuring up images of a lay summer day. It is a vibrant yellow and is, per my liking, excessively hoppy but very well-spiced. It is on the thin side, so it’s perfect for those warm-weather beer enthusiasts.
RIVERTOWN HOP BOMBER PALE ALE
(Lockland, OH)
Todd Zachritz- 4.0
This attractive pale ale pours a clean amber in my glass, with a thick head of bone-white foam. Decent spoke-style lacing. Olfactory-pleasing, with touches of pine and orange. The taste is mild, but distinctive and full of character. I get some citrus hops notes up front, with mostly orange peel, followed up with a malty backbone that smoothes out the hops and suppresses the bitterness. This one's a sturdy, well-balanced, and very enjoyable ale.
Jabez Martinez - 3.5
This beer has a copper color with a bunch of foam. It smells a little fruity with some spices. I could also taste some spices and a nice hop flavor. It was a little bit average, but had a nice, dry finish. It did have some bitterness to it but nothing like a regular IPA.
Amanda Smith – 3.6
First off—I’m pleasantly surprised. I thought I was going to be knocked over with a raw hop taste judging from the name. But, as much as I searched, the bitterness takes a back seat to the carbonation, pine and zesty orange. Well-balanced. Maybe not a homerun, but as a new offering from a new brewery, it’s at least a double, looking for three.
