Trust me, this is a tasting you don’t want to miss. Now, for the stars of the night…

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Anchor Steam Beer

Background: Steam beer is a lager brewed at warm temperature. Very rare.

The Anchor Steam has a nice brown-yellow color. It’s very transparent, with Little foam. I get a floral aroma, with just a bit of steaminess.

Wow is the taste interesting. The Anchor Steam starts off neutral, hitting you with its full, rich body but little overt flavor. Soon, it starts to pick up a lightly hoppy bitterness, with some bitter herbs, along with intense steam. That steam has a nice smokiness to it, like charcoal, but a bit lighter—almost like charred flowers. The Anchor Steam is very, very smooth, with an easy-to-drink aftertaste that nevertheless leaves you with a lasting finish.

4.3/5.0

Fat Tire Amber Ale

The Fat Tire Amber Ale is a bit lighter than the last, but with the same brown-yellow hue. Again, it’s transparent, with little foam. It has a very light aroma, too, with some light leather on the nose.

The Fat Tire Amber is a very light, easy-to-drink beer, with a surprising amount of nuance. It starts out with a big body, a bit neutral. It soon picks up leather and slight smoke, like an actual tire. However, it has a refreshing, slightly sweet corn flavor that emerges at the end. Light on the hops and very smooth.

4.5/5.0

Westmalle Trappist Ale Tripel

The Westmalle Trappist Ale Tripel has a very bright, blond color, though it’s completely clouded over with fizz. I get a very strong floral aroma, with some bright orange and herbal tea.

As for taste, it’s surprisingly strong for a blond. This Trappist Tripel hits you with a slightly sweet bitterness, with a heavy floral overnote. Expect some charred nuts to hit you in the middle of the taste, but with the floral quality relieving you slightly in the aftertaste. Very long, and a bit too strong and monotonous for my taste. Still, the body is great for something so blond.

4.0/5.0

Delirium Nocturnum

The Delirium Nocturnum comes with a beautiful nut brown/amber color. It has nutty cinnamon and fig on the nose, along with some caramel and dried fruit.

Flavor-wise, the Nocturnum is very strong and surprisingly sweet. It starts off nutty, like smoky walnut, with a huge body. It soon gives way to sweeter tones: floral caramel, with a slightly sour punch to it. It ends smoky, sour, and sweet, leaving the caramel lasting. I also get some nice chocolate out of the beer. It’s very easy to drink for something so big, nutty, and malty.

4.4/5.0

Rock Art Brewery Extreme

Background: Rock Art Brewery was started in a basement, with a beer named Monster. The problem was that the company Monster had already patented that name. Everyone rallied around brewery, pulling Monster’s energy drink from shelves to save the beer. Basically, Rock Art is a small-town brewery with a lot of support.

The Rock Art Brewery Extreme has a lovely amber-brown color, with light reflecting throughout. It also comes with a drop-dead delicious aroma. Expect hibiscus, honey, nectar, and apple—easily one of the best aromas I’ve ever had in a beer, and it’s incredibly strong.

If only it could taste like it smelled. The Rock Art Extreme starts out bland and bitter, and it stays that way throughout the whole taste, making for a very monotonous experience. It starts with a very up-front charcoal taste – not smoke, but charcoal, with all the tasteless bitterness of charcoal. Near the end, the Extreme picks up a slightly floral quality, but it’s not nearly enough to relieve the palate. Expect a relatively long, charcoal aftertaste.

1.5/5.0

Brooklyn Brewery Local One (Strong Golden Ale)

Brooklyn Brewery’s Local One features a strong, light blond, translucent color. It’s very floral on the nose, with a slight touch of honey. That aroma is rather strong, too.

And surprisingly, while I almost always hate blonds, this one is delicious. It has just the right body—light enough not to be overbearing. Even so, it’s extremely flavorful. It begins with a rather neutral herby flavor, amplified by a slightly bitter fruity sweetness as time goes on. At the end, I get something like lemon and lavender. Very accessible.

4.5/5.0

Trappist Rochefort 10

The Trappist Rochefort 10 has an intensely chocolaty nose, with light cinnamon, gingerbread, and cocoa honey.

And wow is it intense! The body is huge, and the beer is very, very rich, though it’s still incredibly smooth. Moreover, as you savor the Rochefort 10, it picks up some malty sweetness, like roasted caramel with a bit of smoke. I get lots of chocolate notes, and the beer is so rich the combined effect is almost that of fudge. I also taste a refreshingly woody, grassy earthiness near the end, lightening out the beer. The aftertaste could be a bit better, but you do get a long nuttiness.

4.6+/5.0

Bourbon County

The Bourbon County features an incredible, jet black façade, blocking off all light whatsoever. It also has an incredible nose – actual bourbon, chocolate, and viscous, syrupy fudge and caramel. Probably one of the strongest I’ve ever sniffed.

The taste lives up to that intense aroma, too. The Bourbon County starts off with a ferociously strong bourbon charm, giving you a smoky, chocolaty, woody, molasses type sweetness that could only come from bourbon. As you savor it, you notice a light burning developing across your palate, warming you up. And the aftertaste is extraordinary, with that bourbon woody caramel sweetness lasting on the palate, forcing the mouth to pucker. Very strong and very flavorful. Plus, the Bourbon County actually tastes like what it’s supposed to taste like: bourbon!  And the warming effect at the end is unforgettable.

4.6+/5.0

La Fin du Monde

La Fin du Monde is another beer with a light yellow-brown color and a very transparent look. It has a nose of honey and especially daisy, giving you the feeling of a fresh breeze.

It’s a very refreshing , crisp beer, with an extremely floral quality that hits you from the start and only picks up. Expect a very light, fizzy start, with notes of woody flowers and forest grass coming through as you savor the beer. These overtones leave you with a rather pronounced, though light and fleeting, finish. La Fin du Monde is extremely easy to drink. Still, it’s just a bit too light for me, both in body and flavor.

4.2/5.0

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And, you want flavor and strength? Belgians, unlike most of their European counterparts, don’t mind hitting higher ABV (8, 10, even 12%+), and they’ll quite frequently make doubles and triples, i.e. beers with double and triple the normal quantity of ingredients. Belgian beer is thus some of the strongest in the world—perhaps too much for the American market, in fact.

To add some variety, Beeritas also decided to taste a few non-Belgian, Belgian-style ales. Personally, though, I’d rather stick to the real deal. Emulators just can’t compare, especially when it comes to so historic a brewing culture as that of Belgium.

Anyway, I’ll get straight to the tasting. Enjoy!

St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Double)

Background: This beer comes from West Flanders. It’s made using only the standard 4 beer ingredients. Double means it has double of every ingredient, compared to the normal brew. You can age the St. Bernardus for up to 15 years.

The St. Bernardus Abt 12 features a lovely, dark-brown, nutty color, constantly clouded by fizz. It’s very foamy. It exudes the aroma of oak, pine, tannins, and some flowers.

And the taste is very nice. The Abt 12 seems very light at first, particularly with the foam, but as you savor it, it picks up some body. Still, it’s light, very much like a light white wine, with a pronounced grape flavor. This beer also hits you with a strong, deliciously smoky walnut and oak punch. There is also a bit of the floral. And I like how long it lasts on the palate, finishing off leathery and warming you on the way down.

4.2+/5.0

Gulden Draak

The Gulden Draak has a much lighter, more floral aroma. It also has another brownish, nutty, somewhat opaque color.

This beer also feels light-bodied or even slightly watery at first. It’s very smooth, even more than the last. It has more of a woody flavor, without the grape taste to it. Very earthy, but surprisingly very floral and bright. Fairly nutty too, without much smokiness.

4.0/5.0. One of my favorite traditional Belgians.

Pranqster Belgian-Style Golden Ale

Background: This is an American beer. It has a floral nose and a full fruity flavor, with a clean  finish. Made by North Coast Brewing Co.

The Pranqster Golden Ale comes with an opaque, gold-yellow color. The background comment on the floral nose is right—it smells like white flowers.

It’s very big body for a golden beer, with a good amount of fizziness. It seems very neutral, but it does have a slight bittersweetness at the end, like herby, roasted flowers. Still, very light on flavor. The Pranqster Golden Ale is definitely more about the smooth body and easy drinking experience. Very long.

3.4/5.0

Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale

Background: This is a brew from Belgium, though slightly more hoppy than the others. It’s a Pale Golden Abbey Ale in the Tripel style (i.e. triple of everything). It’s on the dry side and can be aged in the bottle.

The Corsendonk has a murky golden-brown, with a strongly floral nose that has overtones of light berries.

It has a very neutral taste, with the focus on balance. It’s not really as dry as I expected, either. Instead, it has a slight off-dry quality that I find refreshing, as though you’re drinking dry caramel. Very smooth, and refreshingly malty at the end.

3.0/5.0

Rigor Mortis Brown Ale

Background: We finally get to the brown and malty side of Belgian beers. This one has very little bitterness. It carries overtones of chocolate and caramel from the malt. The Rigor Mortis typically tastes better after it’s matured for 6 months.

The Rigor Mortis Brown Ale has a very light (almost non-existent) nose, though slightly nutty.

But the taste is anything but light. Expect a markedly nutty, chocolaty, puckering flavor. It has a good body to it, with a lasting, clingy bittersweet chocolate finish. The caramel notes come out in the end very lightly, but this beer is never too sweet. Still, it’s rather one-note, and it’s too woody for me.

2.5/5.0. Too boring.

Monk’s Blood

The Monk’s Blood bears a muddy brown color. It has a strong, woody nose, like pine.

The taste feels as muddy as the color. Like the last, this is a very simple, chocolaty, caramel-flavored beer, with heavy malts and little bitterness. Still, it’s very one-note, even more so than the last. It doesn’t help that the body is rather light for such a big beer. Thankfully, there is a very slight smokiness that comes through at the end.

2.0/5.0

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

The Ommegang has a strong chocolaty nose. On the uptake, it’s very boring, with little other than a bland dark chocolate smokiness. As you savor the beer, that flavor picks up, though, eventually giving you a long dark chocolate finish that leaves you fuming chocolaty aromas. Unfortunately, this “Chocolate Indulgence” is still very bland. It’s okay on the body, but nothing notable.

1.5/5.0. Too little flavor.

You might be wondering, wine law? Isn’t wine just another commodity—why would it receive its own specialized branch of law? Plus, it seems odd to be litigating constantly over some aged grapes.

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Well, the field is actually hot as ever. And to understand why, In Vino invited one of the world’s leading professors of wine law, Dr. Théodore Georgopoulos, Director of the Wine and Law Program at the University of Reims in France, to give a lecture to the members. Below, I’ve summarized a few of his ideas.

It comes down first and foremost to the globalization of the wine markets. Consequently, technology has taken on ever-increasing importance in wine production. Moreover, wine has developed some kind of social element, democratized in a sense as it has become available at affordable prices to an ever-increasing number of people. It is not a simple agricultural product anymore, but rather an everyday element of life. And it’s neither something we drink in rural areas after work nor a luxury product reserved for the upper echelons of society.

The end result, relevant for lawyers, has been a massive increase in the importance and applicability of wine law, particularly in Europe. Before the last few decades, no serious laws existed dealing with wine. No one took wine law teaching seriously. Over the last 20 years, though, especially the last decade, wine law has become EU law. That is, wine, in its regulation under the common market has taken on a continental character, subject to the same standards across all of Europe. Regulations of the wine sector concerning label, region of origin, distribution, sales, and even regulation of alcohol abuse are all European law now.

So what are the implications for the wine lawyer? What skills and capacities does one need to adapt to these new changes and become a wine lawyer?

Well, the wine lawyer has to be a lawyer in context. He/she needs to have an outstanding knowledge of enology, wine marketing, wine economics, wine geography, and wine history in order to understand the challenges that modern winemaking presents. In Europe alone, there are 2000+ appellations and 27 different designations for wine labels. What’s to define and protect all these distinctions? And what’s to settle common regulations for all member states? The legal tools for traditional European law cannot account for the new complexity of common EU trade and regulation, and so traditional, national wine lawyers have gotten out of the business. They simply did not understand the effects of wine law.

Dr. Georgopoulos also went through five actual cases to give us a taste of the opportunities in wine law practice, at least in the EU. I’ll just briefly talk about the first, the Vines-Import case, to give you an idea. In the EU, to be exported into another member state without being confiscated, a vine needs an ID number. One of the parties in the case, a French winemaker, owned vines that he/she wanted to export to another member state. That state wanted to confiscate the vines regardless of their ID number, arguing that it needed to check for diseases and risks to consumer. Thus, it required anyone selling vines to have an establishment in the state. In reality, the problem basically boiled down to this: French vines are considered the best in Europe, so that it would be difficult for a state to compete against exported vines from France with its own varieties. Moreover, vines are not subject to the VAT tax, giving exporters a 20-25% reduction in export prices. Not surprisingly, the case has been highly controversial, drawing lobbying from national winegrowers around the EU. Right now, the case is pending, and a decision should be reached by 2013.

The key lesson we learned, then? Not only is wine law an emerging field, it’s actually quite interesting, controversial, and economically feasible. Just in the EU alone, wine cases have boomed dramatically over the last decade, and with globalization on the rise, the cases are only bound to rise, including in other parts of the world like the US. Thus, those interested in wine and law can actually do what they love and still make a fair bit of change doing it.

Anyway, that has little to do with the tasting, structured around the theme “New World v. Old World” and generously set up and sponsored by Moët-Hennesy. On first sight, you might be wondering what Moët would be doing with Old World wines—it is, after all, a French winery. To my own surprise, though, I recently discovered that it has labels in practically every major wine-producing region, including some I’ve personally experimented with in the past: Newton in California, Cloudy Bay in New Zealand, Lapostolle in Chile, Terrazas de los Andes in Argentina, etc. I’d especially recommend Terrazas.

Before I move on to the tasting, I’d like to extend my personal thanks to Dr. Georgopoulos for an excellent lecture on the intricacies of wine law and to Moët for sponsoring such a fine tasting.

Now, without further ado…

What I Tasted

Chateau de Sancerre Blanc 2009
Region: Loire, France
Composition: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

For a Sauvignon Blanc, surprisingly golden, with light yellow and greenish hues shimmering throughout. Bright white reflections.

Grapefruit and slight honey on the nose. A bit of lemon and orange, too, but very slight. Predominantly grapefruit.

Very balanced throughout, as I’d expect of a French Sauvignon Blanc. Expect this Chateau de Sancerre to hit you with slightly citrus and a lot of balanced earthiness, like dirt. As you savor it, it picks up surprisingly bitter and sour notes, like an intense grapefruit. It also picks up a rather pronounced woody, almost nutty aftertaste. Very long, too. Leaves you burning on the way down, with a very pronounced (for a Sauv Blanc), almost nutty aftertaste. Rather nice (medium-light) body for a Sauvignon blanc, too.

3.0/5.0

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Composition: Sauvignon Blanc

Much lighter color than the last, to the point of seeming watery. This Sauvignon does still have golden reflections though, especially as you swirl it.

The nose is far earthier than the last, surprisingly so. It starts out slightly citrusy, but soon turns musty, like a basement, barrel, or leather. Expect some wood and dirt, too. Very few sweet smells. The smell dissipates quickly, though it’s very strong immediately after airing.

This Cloudy Bay is much, much more flavorful and complex than the Chateau de Sancerre, too. It begins with a noticeably lemony uptake, soon picking up a slight grapefruit. It ends with a surprisingly fruity sour-sweet twist, with lemon reemerging again, this time also with some sour berry. The grapefruit and citrusy finish leaves a palpable bitter sourness tingling on the tongue. Again, it warms you on the way down. Also, rather long for a white.

3.5/5.0

Numanthia Termes 2008
Region: Toro, Spain
Composition: 100% Tinta de Toro (i.e. Tempranillo)

Jet black center, rubyish sides, and a beautiful purpling on the sides. Bright gemlike ruby reflections emit from the glass.

The nose is deliciously sweet and syrupy, like a mix of tannin with sweet sherry. Also, the Termes emits a strong earthiness, like musty grapes. I get some notes of fruity caramel and light cinnamon, too.

Surprisingly, though, it doesn’t taste fruity or sweet at all. Instead, the Numanthia Termes begins with a very big body and a neutral oaky flavor, one that leaves you puckering in the best way—not overpowering, but hitting all the corners of the mouth with a burning tannic smokiness. Expect roasted or charred walnuts. A very slight chocolate permeates throughout, along with an equally slight fruitiness (of black fruits, especially). I really loved that fruitiness. The Termes ends very long, leaving your mouth wringing. Still, it’s a bit one-note in its smokiness.

4.3/5.0

Newton Vineyard Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Region: Napa Valley, USA
Composition: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot

A bit of a lighter color than the last, with slightly orange edges. Light ruby reflections throughout.

Far woodier aroma than the Termes, like a moldy barrel, but with a similarly sweet syrup or sherry overtone—one which quickly gives way to the strong tannins. I also get some leather.

Flavor-wise, the Newton Unfiltered Cabernet is delicious, with a very intense smokiness, much more than that of the Termes. The bitterness can be a bit much at first, but the wine mellows out nicely, with a nice red berry sweetness coming through near the end to relieve you. The finish leaves you fuming the incredibly flavorful aroma of fruity oak. The unfiltered quality can make the wine feel rough as it goes down, though I do like the big body.

4.2/5.0

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What I Tasted

Czechvar Premium Czech  Lager
Country: Czech Republic

Very nice color—a golden, brownish yellow that’s almost completely translucent, with light reflecting throughout. Very light, wheat, bread aroma.

Somewhat light and neutral in terms of taste. Very fizzy, especially on the uptake. It’s also rather mild, with a very light hoppy bitterness hitting you throughout, as well as a slight dried leaf / mowed lawn flavor. Nice body for such a light-flavored beer. Still, for a “premium” Czech Lager, it’s too bland for me.

2.0/5.0

Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss
Country: Germany
Background Note: Brewed under Bavarian purity law from 100 years ago. Only 4 ingredients: hops, malt, yeast, and water. Pretty classic, standard beer. 5.8% ABV.

Cloudy yellow-brown color. Light aroma of sweet bread, pastry and cinnamon.

Very delicious. Still, rather mild, like the Czech beer, but with an almost cinnamon-like, spicy sweetness that hits you near the end. Hops are rather light, but they give a bit of counterbalancing bitterness right in the middle of the taste. Nice body with a light bit of fizziness. Also a very light smokiness in the finish, as well as a light, sweet bitterness.

4.0/5.0

Duvel  Belgian Golden Ale
Country: Belgium

Very light, translucent yellow, with shades of gold throughout. Strong citrusy aroma, with the smell of fresh grass predominant.

Rather strong, esp. for a blond beer. Hits you with a bit of hoppiness that becomes increasingly stronger as you savor the beer. A light fizziness and a great mouth feel, too. Add in a very pronounced herby flavor that leaves you fuming in the aftertaste, plus a slight smokiness, and you have some really good flavor. Also, the Duvel has a very light overtone of lemon.

4.0/5.0. Probably one of the best “normal” bottled beers.

La Divine Slandeln
Country: France

Golden-brown color, but with more darkness than the rest. Very light aroma of wood and cinnamon emerges as the beer airs.

Very, very fizzy from the get-go. The Slandeln begins somewhat flavorless and then quickly becomes overbearing with hoppiness, leaving you with a coal-like bitterness in the mouth. Slightly burning at the end. More positively, there’s a slightly tannic and grassy quality that counteracts some of the bitterness, but it’s really not enough.

1.5/5.0. Too strong.

Okocim Porter
Country: Poland
Background Note: Won a gold medal.

Very intense black color, almost completely blocking out all light. It has a strong aroma of maple and maple syrup, along with toffee.

Very sweet, but actually delicious. It hits you with a heavy, malty, caramel flavor upfront, but it’s never overbearing. As you savor this porter, it starts to pick up tannic, oaky notes, which soon give way first to maple and then to bittersweet chocolate. The Okocim Porter ends with a nicely smoky, rather bitter finish—intense enough to last on the palate, but never overwhelming.

4.3+/5.0. Probably a 4.6-4.7 for the price.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Country: Ireland
Background Note: A little different from the Guinness we drink here. More hops. Sent out to European countries only.

Almost pitch black, and very cloudy. Light aroma of malt and wood.

Smoky, smoky, and smoky! The Guiness Foreign Extra Stout starts out neutral, with a nice, big body. Soon, however, it picks up an almost charcoal-like smokiness, one so strong that it eliminates almost all trace of every other flavor on the palate. In the middle of the taste, there is a slight bit of the earthy, muddy, and herby, like the taste of twigs and leaves. But it’s very light, and it’s almost completely obliterated by the intense, long finish. Far too bitter to be enjoyable. Very one-note.

1.0/5.0

Samuel Smith’s India Ale
Country: England
Background Note: This is pretty representative of English beer, being that it’s not that good. Brewed with well water.

Beautiful, light brown color, like the color of apple juice. Surprising amount of caramel, along with some gingerbread, on the nose.

Very boring in terms of flavor, though. Starts out very fizzy and neutral. It picks up little additional flavor other than a bit of herby hops. For an India Ale, Samuel Smith’s is surprisingly not all that hoppy—a positive, given how overbearing India Ales can be. Regardless, it’s simply bland, ending very watery.

1.0/5.0

So, in anticipation of the President’s speech, and in the spirit of US solidarity, Harvard Law’s Beeritas put together a tasting from across the nation, finally bringing together the feuding Eastern and Western styles of beer to settle the feud once and for all. The plan was to take a given style and find a good example of it from each coast, rather than trying to look closely at how each state does it.

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And I have to admit, the coast can make a night-and-day difference. The three styles for the night were Brown Ales, Belgian Ales, and IPAs. Normally, I’d just stereotype the first as nutty and heavy, the second as watery and neutral, and the third as bitter. But that was exactly the point of the night—within any style, it’s almost impossible to stereotype, because the regional variations can make all the difference.

So while the East Coast, especially New England, emphasizes the traditional and the balanced, the West goes for the extreme, making everything bigger. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, though, as that very intensity can often backfire. At the same time, East Coast beers can often feel weak or monotonous. Each coast, then, has its strengths and weaknesses.

Most surprising, though, was the range of flavors among the beers. During this one tasting, composed of solely three different styles, I had the chance to taste everything from shampoo-flavored Belgian ale from Massachusetts, to an extremely smoky, sour, and hoppy Brown Ale from Colorado, to a maddeningly acidic and bitter IPA from California. These beers all have personality and style, whatever their relative merits may be.

Best of all, though, was simply kicking back with good friends, having a few beers, and watching the pres deliver an entertaining speech (one which was, of course, more interesting after the beer).

Beer and politics—it just doesn’t get much more American than that!

What I Tasted

Shipyard Brown

Lovely walnut color, mixed with chocolate. Light hoppy, barley aroma, with a slightly herby quality.

Flavor-wise, very simple, traditional, and clean. This is a very plain, nutty beer that goes down extremely smoothly, with balanced hops and a nice body. The nut taste is light at first, but still noticeable. It picks up by the end so that it leaves you with a refreshing, palate-cleansing blast of slightly smoky hazelnut in the aftertaste. There is an underlying bitterness that is both mouth-puckering and somewhat overdone, kind of like a mix of coke and walnut/hazelnut. Very controlled aftertaste.

3.8/5.0. Slightly underflavored, but very smooth.

Avery’s Brown Ale
Boulder, Colorado

Background: West Coast  tends to do Brown Ales drier than the East. According to our official beer expert, this beer is better than the last.

Similarly nutty, brown color with a touch of dark chocolate. Very light on the foam. Extremely light on the aroma.

Much, much more interesting / complex than the last. It starts out fizzy and light, hitting you with a light nuttiness. It picks up in intensity very quickly, combining the smokiness of hazelnut with a slight sourness, a strong hoppiness, some oak, and a very controlled dryness. It ends even more intense, hitting you hard with walnut and hops.

3.2+/5.0. Too strong for me, but the quality is undeniable.
Cody Brewing SOS Hoppy Belgian Ale

Background: Cody Brewing is a homebrew startup that has just made it into distribution in Greater Massachusetts. It probably makes this beer out of a bathtub, which is why it tastes like shampoo (not an understatement!).

Light brown-yellow, but cloudy color. Beautiful aroma of wood, herbs, chocolate, and flowers.

Terrible flavor, though. Really, this is about the closest thing to shampoo in a bottle. It starts out smoky and tasteless. Soon, it picks up an even more intense smokiness, like that of charcoal, along with a light herby, floral flavor—one that really goes a long way in balancing out the other flavors. That herby quality itself eventually becomes overbearing, though, combining with the intense hops to just become bitter and muddy in the house. The charcoal taste just clings to the palate, too.

0.2/5.0

The Bruery Orchard White, Belgian-Style Ale
Orange County, CA

Background: The main ingredients in Belgian-Style Ale: coriander, orange peel, and lavender. This is a standard, artisanal white.

It literally shimmers with a golden color, so light that you can see the bubbles fizzing to the top. It hits you with an aroma of mud with mango, lemon, and herbs—at first unpleasant, but it grows on you. The coriander and lavender come through nicely too.

The beer comes off as very balanced and surprisingly nuanced. First, it seems simply citrusy and orange-flavored. As you savor it, though, the lavender begins to emerge, providing a lasting, refreshing undertone to cleanse the sweetness. I also enjoy the slight bit of acidity and sourness that hits you near the end, like a lemon tang. The hops begin to emerge near the end, too, giving you somewhat too much bitterness. Still, underflavored and watery. Very foamy.

2.5/5.0. Too boring and weak for me.

Ispwich Ale Hosiery Mill Double IPA

Background: 1.5 Liter bottle. East Coast IPA. Balanced, malty, and not especially bitter. Doesn’t kill you with acidity. Brewed for the 375^th anniversary of Ispwich.

Nutty brown color very similar to the first two, though cloudy and fizzy. Delicious aroma of heavy nuts, wood, soil, and malt.

Surprisingly complex, too. It begins nutty, refreshingly sweet, slightly charcoal-flavored, and slightly herby, with a light fizziness. It ends chocolaty, bitter, and very smoky, again like charcoal. It leaves the mouth fuming a tangy smokiness. Very long finish.

3.0/5.0

Ruination IPA
California

Background: Tons of hops. Crazy acidic. Tastes like grapefruit.

Very dark yellow color, with hues of light brown. Light aroma of hops.

Flavor-wise, too bitter for my palate. It starts out bland, though with a nice body and a refreshing crispness. It picks up some hoppiness, with some orange and grapefruit notes. However, the bitterness and acidity kick it up a notch as you get nearer the end, forcing the taste buds to practically go numb. Too intense to be enjoyable. Extremely long.

2.0/5.0. Nice body, but hops are way overdone.

After tackling a few of the better known winemaking regions, In Vino Veritas finally decided to head over to New Zealand. I have to admit, I myself had never had much experience with New Zealand wine, so it was as much a learning experience for me as for anyone else.

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Unfortunately, I wasn’t there for much of the presentation, so I can’t provide a detailed account of the characteristics of New Zealand wine. From what I’ve gathered, though, New Zealand is a white wine specialist. Its breakthrough came in the late 1980s with its cultivation of high-quality Sauvignon Blanc, and to this day Sauvignon Blanc, particularly from the Marlborough region, remains the most highly produced varietal in New Zealand. Many critics even consider New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to be among (if not the) the best in the world.

In this tasting, though, it was surprisingly not the Sauvignon Blanc that stood out. As with most new wine-producing regions, New Zealand has been stereotyped as a one hit wonder, producing Sauvignon Blanc and little else. Our wine guide for the evening, Ranit Librach from New Zealand Wine (nzwine.com), came to show us that New Zealand has a lot more to offer—and she did a great job of proving her case, too.

She began with a sample of New Zealand’s most common whites. After Sauvignon Blanc, the next three biggest grapes are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris. While I wasn’t a big fan of the rather tame Riesling—little surprise, considering I lived along the Mosel, perhaps the source of the world’s best Riesling—I was excited by the quality of the whites, which I normally don’t enjoy so much.

Barring the Sauvignon Blanc, each came honey-colored and almost golden. Mineral, earthy flavors abounded, as did floral and fruity ones. For example, in the superb Pinot Gris, I tasted pineapple, citrus, walnut, an almost sherry-like sweetness, and a very refreshing smokiness—a sensation I’ve never before experienced in any white wine. And in the Gewürztraminer, I was getting fruity berry, grapefruit, a refreshingly bitter oakiness, and a very full body.

Forget everything you know about whites. These aren’t overly light, bland, monotonous, or watery. Instead, New Zealand whites have bolder flavors and bigger bodies, making for a wine that I could actually see as a good accompaniment to a meal—something I’d say of very few whites.

The reds were less impressive, though they were still good. New Zealand’s red wine market is, not surprisingly, somewhat less prominent and developed than the market for whites. Typically, New Zealand reds come in the form of pure Pinot Noir or as Bordeaux blends, the latter typically made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Some other varietals are starting to make their way into production, such as Syrah and Tempranillo, but progress has been slow. Production of reds remains concentrated in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand’s oldest wine-producing region.

Again, to show us the most common takes on New Zealand reds, Ranit provided us with a Pinot and a Cab-Merlot blend. I found the Pinot somewhat disappointing with its simplicity, despite its slightly tangy oakiness. The Hawkes Bay Cab-Merlot blend, though, was special, hitting me hard with the dry, smoky, and bitter all at once, along a backdrop of minerals and fruit.

Overall, I left the tasting glad, both to have enjoyed such great wines and to have discovered a new region of the world. While every wine wasn’t a knockout, New Zealand wine does have a level of consistent quality and sheer flavor that I find refreshing, especially considering the price. New Zealand wine is a steal, plain and simple, and I’d encourage anyone to give it a try.

Many thanks to Ranit Librach for a fantastic tasting. Not only did she give us very high-quality wine, but she showed us the sheer range and potential of New Zealand winemaking as a whole.

What I Tasted

Villa Maria Riesling 2008

Marlborough, New Zealand

Nice light, golden color, though a bit murky and light for a Riesling. Mellow acid and citrus on the nose, with a very light fruitiness. The aroma is light, though, since it’s been sitting out.

And that lightness is typical of the taste, too. While the wine is slightly fruity, it’s surprisingly not all that dry or sweet—i.e. it doesn’t have that typical Riesling boldness. Very tame. Still, I enjoy the mouth feel—light, but still relatively richer than most light whites. This Riesling doesn’t have much complexity or a big flavor, but I do like how it hits you with a very controlled acidity, as a tangy, citrusy lemon and a slightly sour cherry hit you near the very end to leave your mouth puckering and your throat burning gently. A slight dryness also hits you on the front of the tongue. This wine is very accessible, but needs more flavor. It ends bitter and fruity, and it is very long for what it is.

3.2+/5.0

Woollaston Pinot Gris 2008

Nelson, New Zealand

Very golden, almost shining color, which is slightly more intense than the last. Strong minerals and earthiness emerge on the nose initially, giving way to more floral aromatics.

The taste is equally golden—surprisingly assertive and bold with seemingly abrasive flavors, yet delicious. This Pinot Gris starts out light, with a refreshing fizz on the tip of the tongue. It quickly gives way to a full-on strike of the bitter, smoky, and fruity—flavors that I’d never associate with each other. I get overtones of sweet pineapple, earth, citrus, and walnut, all with an intense bitterness that I just can’t put my finger on. That bitterness, while slightly too strong at the end, plays off so nicely against the strong fruitiness of the uptake—an almost sherry-like sweetness—that it’s hard to penalize. And this wine feels bright and crisp, as a slight acidity hits you in the back of the throat.

4.3+/5.0. For a cheap drink, more of a 4.6+/5.0. One of the most unique wines I’ve ever had.

Spy Valley Gewürztraminer 2007

Marlborough

Forget white. This wine is sheer yellow, with almost no white at all—very similar to honey. It is the most beautiful of the whites by far. And, nicely enough, I get some honey on the nose, along with a very floral (white flower) aroma.

The taste is a slight disappointment compared to the boldness of the Woollaston Pinot Gris, but this wine is so balanced that the lack of boldness is easy to overlook. It has a very watery uptake, with few overtones, making it feel simple at first. Soon, though, it becomes floral, exuding the taste of daisies or violet. I also get something smoky, like roasted nuts, though the fruitier berry and (especially) bitter grapefruit cover it up. I also get a nice acidity at the end—one that melds nicely with the wine’s bitter, oaky flavor. Surprisingly light when it goes down, though it’s very full-bodied for a white.

4.0/5.0. More if you love balanced, flavorful white wine.

Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Wairau Valley

We finally get to a white that actually looks like a white—just a bland, austere, almost water-like look. The wine exudes the aroma of crisp mango and other tropical fruits, also giving me the feel of a fresh breeze. It smells lightly of dirt, too.

It hits with a very quick, in-your-face flavor that gives out within a few seconds, leaving you with a very short, fleeting experience. Still, I very much dislike Sauvignon Blanc for its blandness, and I found this one not just flavorful, but enjoyable. It starts out light but soon picks up an extreme, delicious tanginess, leaving a puckering sourness on the back of the throat, a bit like actual lemon. Along with those strong lemon tones, I get some sweeter fruitiness on the uptake, like berries. I love how this wine leaves the sides of your mouth watering. Not a bad body for a Sauvignon Blanc, either. Very simple, very straightforward.

3.7/5.0. A 4.0/5.0 for a cheap drink, or if you like Sauvignon Blanc.

Tarras Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008

Central Otago

You can tell this is on the younger side from the orange hues on the corners. Still, I liked the intensity of the ruby color in the center. And the nose is wonderful—expect the syrupy sweetness of viscous sherry, some bright sweet berry, honey, and a fair dose of mineral-filled dirt.

However, the flavor is surprisingly light on the uptake, leaving you with the expectation of simplicity, especially compared to bolder, heavier CA Cabs. Still, once you get over the initial shock, you realize an underlying blend of red sweet fruits, like raspberry, with a more prominent dry, dark fruit smokiness—a blend I find deceptively attractive. After the first uptake, this wine settles on the earthier, darker flavors, providing for some oak and minerals. It ends long, so that your mouth fumes out blackberry or blackcurrant. Very tangy end. Still, far too simple, and a bit too light and one-dimensional for me.

3.0/5.0

Teawa Cabernet Merlot 2007

Hawkes Bay

A nicer color than the Tarras Pinot Noir, with purpling corners—always a good sign. I get less of a nose, with a more mineral, earthy, and sour cherry focus.

But wow, does the flavor astound with its boldness. I’m not really sure what to think at first. This wine hits you with little noticeable flavor, but within a couple seconds it goes off the charts with the mineral-y, bitter, dry, and smoky. Expect heavy oak and dark fruits, esp. blackberries—things that leave fruity smokiness on the mouth. Very, very long, with a slight tanginess that helps to take the load off the bitterness. I also get dark chocolate and an excessively oaky flavor. The Teawa Cab-Merlot is not the most complex blend, but it does what it does well. A bit too dry at the end, though.

4.0/5.0. 3.0/5.0 for those who can’t handle intense, puckering smokiness. Some will just not enjoy this wine b/c it’s too intense. My whole mouth is wringing after the experience.

I had been training for months, developing my palate to be able to withstand the force of any beer. After several tastings with Beeritas, I’d gone through the sour, the fruity, the dark and earthy, and the sweet.

So I felt I was ready to yet again face the dreaded India Pale Ale, the one variety of beer I’ve never in my life been able to truly enjoy. And Beeritas didn’t take it light, either, bringing together an assortment of six of the bitterest beers around, all to test the ability of our palates to withstand unfathomable levels of bitterness.

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So what is the story behind the IPA? The original rumor was that IPAs were created for preservation purposes. By introducing large amounts of hops into the beer, it would last longer, and the British could finally export beer to India. But, as with most legends, this one’s just a rumor. In reality, the much darker porters were also being shipped to India at the time.

So why did the IPA really come about? Nobody knows, but I’d have to guess that it was the product of a sadomasochistic contest among beer lovers to see who could hold out the longest against the excruciating bitterness.

I’ll present the evidence. Beer does indeed have its own unit of bitterness, the International Bittering Unit (IBU), which typically ranges from 0 to 100. All the beers in today’s tasting exceeded 50 IBUs. IPAs tend to fall on the higher side of the scale, and some even exceed 100. I don’t know how it happens. More perplexing, though, is how anyone can stand to drink anything that strong.

All the bitterness aside, though, IPAs do have quite a bit of range, in both flavor and style. The main focus is, of course, on the hops, which typically give IPAs a piney, flowery taste, in contrast to the chocolaty, sweet overtones of malt. Hops and malt can, however, combine in some very unique ways. For example, among some of the better selections in the tasting was the Anderson Valley Imperial IPA, a 100 IBU beer with so much malt that it actually tastes less bitter than some of the beers that come in around 70 IBU or so. And some brewers have been getting creative, cooking the malts long enough to turn the IPA dark. The resulting Black IPA is a creature all its own, combining the bitterness of IPAs with the chocolaty, nutty smokiness of darker beers.

The IPA, then, isn’t quite as one-dimensional as I may have thought, however hoppy it may happen to be. I still don’t know if I’ll ever learn to embrace it with open arms, like some of my more daring cohorts, but I can see why some people find themselves enamored with this type of beer. While technically all IPAs have one style, that one style has enormous range in flavor, so that any lover of beer can probably find at least something to enjoy.

That said, I’d rather leave the stronger stuff to all the hopheads out there.

What I Tasted

Dark Horse Crooked Tree

Background Notes: Pretty classic version of an IPA. Lots of crisp, citrusy notes that tend to go along with IPAs. Citrus goes better with bitterness than with chocolaty beers.

Nice dark brown-gold color, with a bit of fogginess. Little aroma. But wow is this hoppy! On taking a sip, I get a lot of pine, along with some walnuts and a very herby, sylvan aftertaste. It’s extremely long, leaving the palate dry with a marked woody taste in the very back of the throat. Very crisp on the uptake, but one-note.

2.8/5.0

Ballast Point Skullpin

Background: Gold medal in 2010 World Cup for IPAs. From California. CA is the epicenter of IPA popularity—where brewers constantly try to up it a notch. 70 IBU beer. The Skullpin features a grassy, freshly mowed lawn smell and flavor, as opposed to the dried leafy flavor of dry hops.

Does indeed have a strong, mowed loan smell, with a lemon tree thrown in. It features a slightly lighter color brown-gold color than the last.

Better than the last in terms of flavor, too. While it’s more bitter, that bitterness only hits you really in the end, where it leaves you with a citrusy, long aftertaste. On the uptake, though, this beer has a strong grass, woody, tannic flavor that is both intense and oddly unique. Much more complex than the last.

3.0/5.0

Anderson Valley Imperial IPA

Background: Imperial tends to just mean that it’s more boozy and sometimes more hoppy. 9% ABV. IBU here doesn’t measure how much a beer is going to hurt you. This is a 100 IBU beer, but it has so much malt in it that the malt counterbalances the bitterness. Very malty, very clean-drinking. Also, this beer won a Gold Medal in 2009 in the US Beer Championships.

The beer smells of buttery butterscotch infused with pine. Surprisingly, for a 100 IBU beer, it’s actually less bitter than the other two, leaving a very small, clean bitterness at the very hand. Moreover, the maltiness gives it a satisfying caramel overtone—one which is very light, since it’s constantly attacked by the bitterness, but which nevertheless adds a lot of flavor. The light fizzy uptake is very nice, tingling your mouth just right.

4.0/5.0

Ass Kisser Double IPA

Background: Fortworth, TX IPA. This beer is less about the hops, more about the maltiness and citrus. 9% ABV.

The same dark bronze color. Aroma of egg, sweet wood, slight caramel, and pine.

Probably the most bitter-tasting beer of the night. It starts out hoppy and only becomes worse as you savor it. It has a nice herby uptake, but it soon becomes overwhelming. Very one-dimensional, to the point that it numbs your mouth with nutty bitterness. Very dry finish.

2.0/5.0

Back in Black IPA

Background: This is a Black IPA from San Francisco. Black IPAs involve malt roasting. They have the same amount of everything, but the malt is cooked longer. 6.8% ABV. 65 IBU.

Refreshingly malty aroma: a bit of wood, a bit of licorice, a bit of chocolate. As for taste, this beer starts off rather sour and citrusy, overpoweringly so for some. I actually enjoyed it, though. That sourness soon transitions to a nice roasted smokiness that increasingly picks up as you get near the end. Slight oakiness at the end, too. Very nice body.

4.1/5.0

Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet 1.5 IPA

Background: Double Black IPA. The brewery doubled every ingredient in the Hoppy Feet batch. 11% ABV. Around 90 IBU. Website claims you should be tasting chocolate and dark fruit.

This one is far stronger than the last. It begins far more neutral, with a slight oakiness. However, it picks up an incredibly burnt, very slightly fruity flavor. It is overwhelmingly toasty, almost like coal. It goes down a bit roughly compared to the last IPA, leaving a harsh aroma in the corners of the mouth. One-note. Very heavy.

1.5/5.0

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And Tish really knows how to throw a cocktail party. A former editor for wine enthusiast, he decided to add some life into the age-old wine event, turning it into both an instructive and enjoyable experience. At various points, he’d stop to have trivia, while delivering a joke or two, e.g. putting on glasses made of forks, using an expanding spoon, etc.

More interesting, though, was his philosophy. I thought that he, as a guy who has worked in the industry, would be all for the traditional, somewhat snobbish system of wine tasting and rating, trying to teach us “exact” steps to find wines that we like. Instead, he went the complete opposite route, emphasizing the oft-ignored subjective elements of wine tasting.

In fact, he was completely against the rather pretentious rating system of the wine world. The big magazines and critics try to reach objectivity through peer group analysis—that is, by performing blind tastings of a number of wines of the same varietal at a time. The key problem? It’s not so much about the individual wine as much as the varietal. Chances are that if you like one wine of a type, you’ll like the others. Some middle-aged wine critic sipping on five wines of the same varietal at a time may be looking for nuance, but that critic is simply expressing a personal  opinion on that given day. Critics try to establish large differences among wines in each varietal, and it’s simply not how people actually taste or enjoy wine.

Personally, I don’t see completely eye-to-eye on this issue, but I do think Tish brings up some key points to remember. As you’ve probably noticed by now, I love employing ratings. It’s important to note, though, that the value of those ratings is in their very subjectivity. Time and time again, I’ve seen just how manipulable and downright inaccurate wine ratings can be. Whenever I base a decision simply off of a 95+ rating from Wine Spectator, I’m almost never satisfied. At the same time, though, I do think (and I think Tish would agree) that you should express yourself about wines. The way I increased my wine IQ was simply by tasting, taking constant notes, and comparing the results as my palate developed and I learned to distinguish tastes. Ratings can be a useful learning tool, as long as you don’t take them too far or think they’re the sole authority.

Tish is also a strong believer in wine pairings. For him, wines can be enhanced through the use of food, and some wines will actually taste completely different against the backdrop of a meal or snack. That means everything from the basics (cheese, crackers) to some bolder foods, like salami. It’s definitely an art form—one Tish knows well—and it adds a new dimension to flavor.

Anyway, I send my thanks to Tish for an excellent tasting. Without further ado, I’ll go on to my tasting notes. The wines were arranged from lightest to fullest, starting with the whites and then moving onto the reds. Everything was poured into glasses at the very start of the event, so aroma was in general weak, and it was more difficult to see the natural development of the wine as it aired out.

What I Tasted

Fritz Windirch Riesling Kabinett 2008

Mosel, Germany

Very light, whitish yellow color. Translucent but a bit weak. Very little aroma, too, but then again it’s been airing out for a while.

Still, this wine has a very nice off-dry, fruity sweetness that leaves you with just the right balance of dry and sweet. I taste a tiny bit of lemony honey, with some fresh melon and pineapple. The finish is where the drier bitterness and citrus flavors really hit you. Not much body, nor that much flavor, for a Riesling.

3.5/5.0. Add a few tenths for value.

Dashwood 2009 Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

The wine features a very light, white color, with very few shades. It has a light, citrusy pineapple aroma.

Surprisingly, it’s huge on flavor, though. I’m getting lots of citrus, some butter, and especially grapefruit, with a tiny bit of an herby quality in there. It’s very strong in the finish, leaving a very long bitter dryness that can be somewhat abrasive. It has a nice body for a Sauvignon Blanc, too.

2.0/5.0. Too monotonous and bold for me.

Calera 2008 Chardonnay

Central Coast, California

Nuts, butter and light citrus on the nose. The taste is extremely creamy, overly so for my taste. Expect lots of body and butter, leaving a thick coating across the palate. It is thus very round. Unfortunately, the taste can be monotonous and overpowering, especially with its extreme dryness. The wine begins a tiny bit fruity but quickly turns very earthy, with notes of mud, walnuts, and perhaps a slight citrus (?). It leaves you burning in the end, gasping for relief from the dryness.

2.5/5.0

Clos du Mont-Olivet Font de Blanche 2007

Cotes-du-Rhone, France

Ruby color that’s light, almost like cranberry juice. Nice mixture of oak and sweet berries on the nose.

Taste is too much for me. It starts out chocolaty and nutty, but soon turns somewhat fruity and extremely muddy/earthy, picking up in acidity until it becomes abrasive by the end. It leaves you burning. Moreover, the flavor verges on sour.

1.5/5.0

Los Vascos 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Chile

Nice tannic aroma, mixed with some red fruits, including cherry, and some grass. This Cabernet starts out a bit light, setting you up for a rather one-note flavor. However, it quickly becomes much more flavorful, with lots of fruit and oak, as well as a deliciously berry, acidic finish. That acidity is really the star here—just enough to leave you burning slightly, but in a refreshing way. This wine is extremely long, leaving a lovely berry taste on the top of the palate. The body isn’t all that big for a Cabernet, though. Great balance.

4.0/5.0. Probably a 4.3+/5.0 for a cheap wine.

Marques de Murrieta 2005 “Finca Ygay” Reserva

Rioja, Spain

The nicest color of the night—a beautiful ruby. The wine also has a lovely aroma of mud, oak, fresh grass/breeze, and some flowers.

It is also easily the most complex and most delicious wine of the evening. Very full-bodied and smooth, with incredible flavor and balance. It starts out chocolaty and lightly fruity, proceeding to pick up some oakier tones and some very delicious fruity smokiness at the very end, as though from roasted hazelnuts mixed with berries. Long, acidic, smoky finish. It’s just a bit watery at first.

4.3/5.0. Probably a 4.5-4.6/5.0 for the price (about $15-$20).

Composition: Grüner Veltliner.
Region of Production: Austria.
Price: $12-$17 on Wine-searcher.com.

This is my first experience with a Grüner Veltliner, and it’s rather impressive for a white wine. This wine features a very light, white color overlaid with faded gold tints. It also exudes an aroma of grapefruit and light citrus.

Not surprisingly, it goes down very smoothly, with a good dense mouth feel for a white wine. It seems simple at first, but as it airs, it picks up a lot of overtones, especially an orange- and blood orange-hinted bitterness. The wine ends with a delightfully fruity, dark chocolate finish, along with a slight touch of acidity that hits the tip of the tongue. Unfortunately, the bitterness increases in intensity with time, eventually becoming overpowering. Moreover, that intensity can make this wine feel monotonous.

Full Disclosure: This wine was a gift / tasting sample. I have tried to keep the review as fair and objective as possible. Take the score for what you will.

Score: 3.2+/5.0. If factoring in value, a 3.6/5.0.

Normally, if I’m looking for variety, I don’t turn to beer. There might be beers of different strengths and different hoppiness, but I don’t find quite as much nuance in beer as I would in wine, for example.

And then I experienced a tasting with Haverhill Brewery, one of Massachusetts’ best-known and most successful breweries. Started 7 years ago as a pub, Haverhill is a small operation managed by five high school friends who really just loving brewing good, innovative beer. Whenever they discover a beer variety they haven’t tried yet, they immediately go about brewing it in their local brewery in Haverhill, MA. Last year, they even managed to brew 53 different varieties. I know Americans love their beer, but that kind of dedication simply takes it to another level.

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Anyway, right before finals season hit in last semester, one of Haverhill’s owners decided to drop by Harvard Law School to give the stressed-out students of the beer society a beer experience to remember. While I’m not much of a beer drinker, even I was impressed at the sheer range and flavor of the brews. We covered everything from simple “gateway” beers to the malty and nutty to the dry and fruity to the sourest drink I’ve ever had in my life. And of the six beers I tried, I would easily recommend four of them—probably the most beers I’ve ever liked in any one given tasting. The brewers at Haverhill truly are experts at what they do, and they really know how to find something for everyone, even if some of their beers may be too outlandish for some.

In short, if you’re a beer lover, you really owe it to yourself to try out some of Haverhill’s creations, particularly the dry, honeysuckle-flavored Lady of Peronne and the gold medal-winning, oaky GestAlt.

What I Tasted

Cream Ale

Background: Best seller at the pub. A “gateway” beer—i.e. it’s nice and light. Cream Ales are fermented at around 65 or 70 degrees and are aged cold, like a lager. They don’t have a lot of hops.

Nice light, golden color that’s almost completely translucent. Very little aroma.

The beer is very light, refreshing, and crisp. It has just a bit of hops, but it’s not too bitter. Rather, the focus is on body. This beer goes down very cleanly, leaving you with a very light, puckering bitterness. It does not have too many overtones or flavors, though I got some leather at the very end. A nice slight fizziness hits you in the middle of the taste.

2.7/5.0. Probably 3.5/5.0 for a gateway beer.

Scottish 80 Shilling Ale

Background: This beer has some nice maltiness and a crisp finish. It’s relatively low in alcohol (about 5%) and is stored for about 2 months, which is traditional for a low-alcohol Scottish Ale.

Nutty aroma, like chestnuts with a bit of burnt smoke. Also, a subtle spice.

And the flavor is very interesting. Smoky, malty, chocolaty, and extremely nutty, it hits you strong from the very start. It has a lot of body and substance, too. The texture is interesting as well—fizz hits you pretty strongly in the middle. The aftertaste is very long and very intense, giving you an intense burst of roasted nuts and leaving you fuming with smoke.

4.2+/5.0

GestAlt

Background: Our guide’s personal favorite beer. The only town that makes it is Dusseldorf, Germany. It’s basically an ale posing as a lager. It uses a special de-husk type of barley. Haverhill takes the seeds out and then roasts the barley, so that you get the same color but not the roasted flavor. The beer is stored cold for 2 months before sold. This GestAlt just won a gold medal, beating out 37 other Altbiers from across the nation at the biggest beer competition in the country.

Nutty color, with a nice shine to it. Pronounced oaky, chocolaty aroma.

Great flavor, too—probably the strongest I’ve tasted so far. It’s never overpowering, though. Instead, the notes of walnuts, wood, and barley are delicious, hitting you subtly but constantly. The aftertaste is delicious and intense, leaving a bittersweet, strongly tannic finish. Hops hit you near the end. Extremely long and very smooth.

4.4/5.0.

Lady of Peronne (French Style Country Ale)
6.8% ABV

Background: The French do make beer, but mostly in two styles. This is one of them. It’s a blend between an ale and lager. It has fruitiness on the nose, but a light body and some dryness to it. The use of lager yeast also makes it smooth. Haverhill’s take on the variety is named after a female brewer from Peronne, France.  When Haverhill’s guys were traveling around Europe to learn about beer, they found a woman staring at them, who happened to own one of the oldest breweries in France.

A lighter, murkier brown color than the last. Very floral, apple aroma.

Surprisingly flavorful, too. Expect a light body and a very nice smoothness throughout, with a very deliciously dry, elegant finish. Normally, I’m not a huge fan of lighter beers, but this one comes with enough flavor that I’m even satisfied. The beer packs overtones of sour raspberries, light honey, and some honeysuckle. It is very balanced among the dry, the sweet, and the fruity, and the long aftertaste just makes it better. Very delicious fizziness.

4.6/5.0

Ruby Bruin

Background: This beer has darker, caramel malts. It also has more body and sweetness to balance out the tartness.

Murky, blackish color. Very strong barley, twig, and muddy aroma, with a refreshing blast of basil.

And wow is the taste unique! Very, very sour. It starts out like sourdough but picks up an extreme, lemony flavor that overpowers all the other flavors by the end. It’s definitely not for everyone. At the same time, the extreme body and heavier nutty flavor help to take the kick out of the beer. Matching the dark with the sour is a very smart choice.  I really like the mouth-watering, sour aftertaste.

4.0/5.0. Be warned, though: Only for the brave!

Leather Lips IPA

Background: Haverhill’s biggest seller. IPAs from California are super hoppy, with 7-8% ABV. The weird thing about Leather Lips is that it’s just as hoppy as those, but with only 5% ABV. There is not a lot of residual sugar, so it has very dry finish. It has a grapefruit, leathery, lavender flavor.

Light-brown color, with yellowish hues. Probably the strongest aroma of the bunch, bursting with leather and a little gingerbread.

Very, very hoppy. Expect it to start bitter and to continually become more extreme, leaving you with an abrasively bitter aftertaste—one only amplified by its long length. On the more positive side, it has an incredibly floral and slightly herbal taste that helps to balance it out. Expect lavender, cilantro, and just a little violet. Still, the hops are so strong that they overpower everything.

2.0/5.0