Yuengling Brewery - Yuengling Traditional Lager

What: Yuengling Brewery - Yuengling Traditional Lager
Style: American Amber
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Not Sure (I didn't pay)
Where: Hooters Restaurant - Channelside (Tampa, FL)
When: March 31, 2008
Rating: 4
Comments: After the TB Lightning game, we decided to go get some food and one of the first places we ran into was this Hooters. I'm NOT a fan of the chain (overpriced, mediocre food) or the wings, but I wasn't in charge. I was pleasantly surprised to hear they had Yuengling on tap. I was first exposed to this beer when we were in Philadelphia for a wedding, last year. It's really a pretty good beer. I don't know that we can get it in Indy, but I'd mix in a six pack every now and then.
Ratebeer Link: http://ratebeer.com/beer/yuengling-traditional-lager/884/

Molson Breweries of Canada - Molson Canadian Lager

What: Molson Breweries of Canada - Molson Canadian Lager
Style: American Macro Lager
Vessel: Tall plastic cup (24 oz.)
Price: $9.00
Where: Tampa Bay Lightning Game
When: March 31, 2008
Rating: 5
Comments: I felt obligated to have a Molson at the hockey game. The game was between two teams based in the US, but I really thought we should give some respect to our neighbors to the North for introducing hockey to us. The beer was pretty good. Next time we're celebrating anything Canadian, this will be a must have beer.
Ratebeer Link: http://ratebeer.com/beer/molson-canadian/237/

Heineken Nederland BV - Heineken Lager Beer

What: Heineken Nederland BV - Heineken Lager Beer
Style: Euro Pale Lager
Vessel: Plastic Cup
Price: $10 for a small plastic cup
Where: Tampa Bay Lightning Game
When: March 31, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: Funny, just a few days ago I was talking smack about Heineken, and at the game it magically arrived in my hand. Well, my impression of it hasn't changed. I'm not a big fan.
Ratebeer Link: http://ratebeer.com/beer/heineken/37/

Anheuser-Busch - Bud Light

What: Anheuser-Busch - Bud Light
Style: Light Lager
Vessel: Plastic cup
Price: Free
Where: Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Game
When: March 31, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: I was in Tampa visiting some folks for work. They're a corporate sponsor for the Tampa Bay Lightning and we went to the game. In the corporate hospitality area they only had Bud Light on tap (and it was the only beer offered). Well, It's not a great beer, but what could I do?
Ratebeer Link: http://ratebeer.com/beer/bud-light/474/

Florida Beer Company - Ybor Gold Amber Lager

What: Florida Beer Company - Ybor Gold Amber Lager
Style: Vienna Lager
Vessel: Bottle
Price: Free (as part of hotel loyalty program)
Where: Westin Tampa Harbour Island
When: March 31, 2008
Rating: 4
Comments: I checked into to the hotel and we had a quick drink at the bar before heading to the hockey game. While they didn't have any beers on tap, they did have quite a few bottled beer. This was the only unique beer they had. It was really pretty good. Very smooth and easy to drink. Had we stuck around, I would have ordered another. It was much better than most of the other beers we had that night.
Ratebeer Link: http://ratebeer.com/beer/ybor-gold-amber-lager/2836/

Desnoes and Geddes - Red Stripe

What: Desnoes and Geddes - Red Stripe
Style: American Macro Lager
Vessel: Plastic cup
Price: Free, but I'll return the favor
Where: Friend's house
When: March 29, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: Yeah, it's not bad. It's not really great. If you're having an island themed dinner or something like that, it's worth a go. I wouldn't say there is much to distinguish this beer vs. the other macro beers out there.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/red-stripe/748/

InBev Belgium - Stella Artois

What: InBev Belgium - Stella Artois
Style: Euro Pale Lager
Vessel: Plastic cup
Price: Free, but I'll return the favor
Where: Friend's house
When: March 29, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: Is it me, or did this beer come out of nowhere in the last 12 months? They've landed here in Indy with a huge marketing campaign and they've been successful in getting on tap in several restaurants. Really, it's not a bad beer, but it's not something I would seek out. For the premium price (over the macro domestics), I'd rather pay just a bit more and try a new micro, or a micro I've had in the past and enjoyed. It's better than Heineken, but is that really saying that much?
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/stella-artois/1478/

Heineken Nederlaned BV - Heineken Premium Light

What: Heineken Nederland BV - Heineken Premium Light
Style: Light Lager
Vessel: Plastic Cup
Price: Free, but I'll return the favor
Where: Friend's House
When: March 29, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: The only reason I decided to try this was because I hadn't had it, it was in my friend's fridge, and I've got this newfangled beer blog. I've never been a huge fan of Heineken - it always seemed like something people who knew nothing about beer would buy to look like they knew about beer (not true of my friend who had this beer, but generally). I'll drink Miller Lite over this any day.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/heineken-premium-light-lager/48076/

Miller Brewing Co. - Miller Lite

What: Miller Brewing Co. - Miller Lite
Style: Light Lager
Vessel: Bottle
Price: Free, but I'll return the favor
Where: Friend's house
When: March 29, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: After a great dinner with some great friends, we headed over to some other friend's house. It was a very late night for us, but a blast. We were able to catch up with some old friends we haven't seen in a while and talk about some upcoming summer trips we have planned.

What can I say about Miller Lite? It's the beer that's always been around my social circuit. When there's a group of people getting together, we tend to lean towards Lite, especially if it's going to be a full day or evening session. While I really enjoy micro brews, I can also enjoy some of the macro beers. It's all about the company and experience. Miller Lite wouldn't be one of the best selling beers in the world if it wasn't a decent beer. There's not much to it - just rock solid consistency. If nothing else, it's a good default beer.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/miller-lite/403/

Newcastle Breweries - Newcastle Brown Ale

What: Newcastle Breweries - Newcastle Brown Ale
Style: English Brown Ale
Vessel: Bottle - no glass offered
Price: $3.64
Where: Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream
When: March 29, 2008
Rating: 4
Comments: We met up with some old friends for a very nice dinner in the Carmel Arts District. I'm a native north-sider, and am generally a fan of what they're doing in Carmel. Our friends knew we were fans of the area and wanted to check it out, so we met them up north. After strolling around a bit we decided to grab dinner at Bub's (btw, it looks like Bub's let their domain name purchase lapse, and now a p0rn site might be running it). This is a pretty family focused place, with a tightly focused menu. The food is great, but the beer selection is lacking. Their list is similar to a lot of restaurants - the major domestics with a few major imports. Newcastle is always a pretty solid choice. It's MUCH better on tap than in a bottle, but when you don't have many choices, it does the job.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/newcastle-brown-ale/132/

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - ApriHop

What: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - ApriHop
Style: Fruit Beer
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $2.59
Where: Home
When: March 28, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: It had all the signs of a gimmicky beer. I should have picked up on it. I didn't. I'm impressed that you can brew beer with apricot juice - really, I am. Just because you can, that doesn't mean you should. I expected more hops. It's an awfully tart beer, but not in a good way. I'll pass next time.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/dogfish-head-aprihop/13926/

Kiuchi Brewery - Hitachino Nest White Ale

What: Kiuchi Brewery - Hitachino Nest White Ale
Style: Witbier
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $4.69 (11.2 fl. oz.)
Where: Home
When: March 21, 2008
Rating: 3
Comments: Wow. I'm really surprised. I really didn't think this beer would do much for me. After a disappointing first beer of the night this beer was a welcome addition. I'm not sure it's something I would want all the time, but this is a really good, complex beer. It had an aroma I couldn't quite figure out - I asked the lovely wife, what she thought it smelled like - her response "beer" (she's not a beer drinker). Something about this beer reminds me of Thanksgiving and Christmas - is it the orange, floral, coriander smell (similar to what I use to brine turkeys with)? Is that smell bananas? Man, I'm stumped on the smell (any ideas, readers?) but I really like the beer. Now if it just had a price I could like - $4.29 for a bottle that's not even 12 oz? That's aggressive.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/hitachino-nest-white-ale/10526/

Coopers Brewery - Original Pale Ale

What: Coopers Brewery - Original Pale Ale
Style: English Pale Ale
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $1.99 (12 fl. oz.)
Where: Home
When: March 28, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: My wife and decided we would stay in on this Friday evening. What a good choice. It wasn't a good choice because I was finally able to try this beer. No, this beer wasn't good. In fact, had this been the only beer, it might have been a somewhat disappointing night. This beer tasted..hmmm...skunky. Me no likey.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/coopers-original-pale-ale/4060/

Boon Rawd Brewery Co. - Singha Light

What: Boon Rawd Brewery Co. - Singha Light
Style: Light Lager
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $3.75
Where: Sawasdee Restaurant
When: March 27, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: This was my second beer at dinner with the wife and neighbor. I enjoyed the "regular" lager quite a bit more than I enjoyed the light version. There just wasn't much to it. Again, I enjoyed having the Thai beer with the Thai food, but I definitely wouldn't seek this beer out, either.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/singha-light/59057/

Boon Rawd Brewery Co. - Singha

What: Boon Rawd Brewery Co. - Singha
Style: American Macro Lager
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $3.75
Where: Sawasdee Restaurant
When: March 27, 2008
Rating: 5
Comments: Had a lovely dinner with my wife and our neighbor. Sawasdee never disappoints on the food front. It's our favorite Thai joint in Indy. Unfortunately they only have the major domestic beers, and a couple of Thai beers (Singha lager and light). I had never had either of them, so I decided I better try both. The lager wasn't too bad for the style of beer. It was better than some of the American macro brews, but not as good as what I consider the standard - Budweiser. I enjoyed having the Thai beer with the Thai food, but I wouldn't seek this beer out. I think next time we're at Sawasdee, I'll stick with Miller Lite, or Bud (if I don't want a light beer).
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/singha/1092/

Three Floyds Brewing Co. - Pride & Joy Mild Ale

What: Three Floyds Brewing Co. - Pride & Joy Mild Ale
Style: American Pale Ale
Vessel: Bottle (no glass offered)
Price: Included in cost of cooking class
Where: Grillmaster's Garden
When: March 25, 2008
Rating: 4
Comments: While at Grillmaster's Garden, I also sampled this Three Floyd's beer. I thought this was a pretty good beer. I wouldn't say that it was very distinctive. A little hoppier than I expected (which is always a good thing), so it had that going for it. By no means is this a bad beer, just nothing too out of the ordinary.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/three-floyds-pride-&-joy-mild-ale/6223/

Buffalo Bill's Brewery - Orange Blossom Cream Ale

What: Buffalo Bill's Brewery - Orange Blossom Cream Ale
Style: Fruit Beer
Vessel: Bottle (no glass offered)
Price: Included in cost of cooking class
Where: Grillmaster's Garden
When: March 25, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: Went to Grillmaster's Garden for a grilling class. My wonderful wife (have I mentioned that she rocks?) was kind enough to treat me to two classes as part of our Christmas gift exchange (I told her I didn't need anything for Christmas, but I really do enjoy beer and meat - she did an awesome job taking that vague info and running with it). I went to the class with a friend who is also interested in grilling and beer. The theme of the class was slow cooking and the Big Green Egg. I'm sold - I want one and I can't wait to get one. Maybe next Christmas, if we save our nickels (lots and lots of nickels)? This was my 4th or 5th event with Cheff JJ. He does a great job of keeping things informational and informal. He even sent me an unsolicited follow up email to a discussion we had during the class - now that's service!

There were two beer choices - this one, and a Three Floyd's Pride and Joy. I knew I'd have time for 2 - 3 beers, so I thought, what the hell, might as well try the orange beer. I took my first sip - wow. Interesting. Not really a good interesting. Is this really beer? What's that taste like? Yup, Sunkist Soda. I'm not really into fruit beers, but if I were this one might make it into the rotation. It's true to the name - Orange Blossom, but that's not really my speed when it comes to beer. I'd call this a gateway beer. If you like orange soda, but you don't like beer, this will turn you into an alcoholic.

Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/buffalo-bills-orange-blossom-cream-ale/29160/

Bell's Brewery - Two Hearted Ale

What: Bell's Brewery - Two Hearted Ale
Style: American IPA
Vessel: Bottle (no glass offered)
Price: $4.50
Where: D'Vine - A Wine Bar
When: March 26, 2008
Rating: 2
Comments: Met some friends for drinks and a cigar after work. We'll be going on a fishing trip in a few weeks and this was a great preview of what we have in store for us. If the trip is anything like the evening, I expect a lot of immature hazing, drinking and cigar smoking. What more could a guy ask for?!

Even though D'Vine is a wine bar, I was in a beer mood. I've had Two Hearted before, and having enjoyed it, I decided I would order it again, for review purposes. This is another great IPA. It's probably a little more "balanced" than some of my other favorite IPAs. It's a pretty hoppy beer, but the beers I rank as a "1" have a bit more hop flavor than this one. I'm becoming more and more impressed with Bell's - I haven't had any of their beers that I didn't enjoy.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/two-hearted-ale/1502/

Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company - India Pale Ale

What: Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company - India Pale Ale
Style: American IPA
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Gift
Where: Home
When: March 23, 2008
Rating: 3
Comments: My wonderful wife was kind enough to get me a beer of the month subscription. This is one of the beers that arrived, magically at my doorstep. This is a pretty hoppy beer. Had it not been sent to me, I probably wouldn't have tried it. I'm glad I did. This was a darn enjoyable beer. I can't say I'm crazy about the finish on it, but I really enjoy the aroma and the initial flavor.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/lake-placid-ipa/25419/

Brouwerij Van Steenberge NV - Bruegel

What: Brouwerij Van Steenberge NV - Bruegel
Style: Belgian Pale Ale
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: No idea
Where: Home
When: March 23, 2008
Rating: 4
Comments: I found this beer in a drawer of our beverage fridge. Yeah, we've got a full sized fridge for beverages - jealous? It's about half full of bottled water and the other half consists of beer, G2, and sometimes diet soda. I'm working on drinking the case or so of Miller Lite we've had in there since a party last summer, in order to make more room for good beer.

I'm guessing this bottle is over a year old. I think I got it as a gift in a mixed pack. It's held up surprisingly well. Very carbonated, but also very smooth. It has a bit of a floral aftertaste. I've got no idea how much this beer costs, but if it's on par with some of the others in this style, I'd say give it a whirl.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bruegel/3957/

Boston Beer Co. - Samuel Adams White Ale

What: Boston Beer Co. - Samuel Adams White Ale
Style: Witbier
Vessel: Pilsner Glass
Price: $4.50 (23 oz. draft)
Where: Chili's (Trader's Point)
When: March 23, 2008
Rating: 5
Comments: Yeah, we went to Chili's. I'm not proud. We needed something fairly quick, that we knew would be open. To my surprise they had a couple of Sam Adams beers on tap, not just the three major domestics. It's been a while since I had the White Ale, so I decided I'd try it again. It's OK. The first couple of sips had a pretty strong alcohol taste, but near the end it really evened out and finished well.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/samuel-adams-white-ale/165/

Dos Equis XX Amber

What: Dos Equis XX Amber
Style: Vienna Lager
Vessel: Huge Goblet (really - it was huge)
Price: $5.75
Where: El Torito Grill
When: March 22, 2008
Rating: 6
Comments: Not a horrible beer. The only draft selections were Bud Light or Dos Equis - what would you do? It's a Mexican restaurant, so I had to go with the Dos Equis. For as average as the beer is, the food was great and the service even better. It's been a long time since I've had service that good in a restaurant - really - I was surprised it was anything more than average.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/dos-equis-xx-amber/224/

Hofbrau Munchen - Oktoberfest

What: Hofbrau Munchen - Oktoberfest
Style: Oktoberfest
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Don't remember
Where: Home
When: Over several months
Rating: 6
Comments: Not a great beer, but not a bad beer. Bought this in the fall excitement at Costco (yeah, the Goose Island and Hofbrau were the same trip). As previously mentioned - no more beer buying at Costco, unless we're having a big party with folks who don't drink a lot of beer other than the large domestics. Probably wouldn't buy it again - I'd just try some other similar style beers next fall.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/hofbr%E4u-m%FCnchen-oktoberfestbier/8823/

AleFest Indy - A Celebration of Craft Beers

What: AleFest Indy
Price: $32.00 (after fees)
Where: Murat Center
When: March 8, 2008
Rating: A pretty good event.
Comments: We ventured out to the First Annual AleFest Indy and enjoyed it quite a bit. We sampled quite a few new beers. Found some we like (Hopslam) and some we didn't care for at all (won't mention any by name - it's been a while since we went, and my notes aren't very good).

A few comments about the event - they got a bigger crowd than expected, which says good things about the beer scene in Indy. The downside was that they started running out of some of the beers fairly early. We were trying to take our time and not get too "happy" too quickly. Because of this, we missed out on a few beers I really wanted to sample. Near the end of our ticket allotment, we started going back to the few beers that we knew we liked, and were still available (Brugge Beer - both Black and White versions). Not a big deal, we certainly enjoyed ourselves, but we would have liked to have had an opportunity to sample a few that they ran out of. We also didn't map out a game plan and a "hit list" of beers we wanted to try. Next year we'll be a little more prepared.

Goose Island Beer Co. - India Pale Ale

What: Goose Island Beer Co. - India Pale Ale
Style: American IPA
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Don't remember
Where: Home
When: Over several months
Rating: 1
Comments: Before I had tried Hopslam, this was my favorite IPA. It's still one of my favorite beers. This one beer drove me to buy a mixed case of Goose Island beers from Costco. I wish I would have just bought a 12 pack of the IPA. It's very good stuff. Hoppy and clean.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/goose-island-india-pale-ale/814/

Goose Island Beer Co. - Oatmeal Stout

What: Goose Island Beer Co. - Oatmeal Stout
Style: Oatmeal Stout
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Don't remember
Where: Home
When: Over several months
Rating: 5
Comments: Part of the Costco mixed case. I'm a fan of stout beers, but I've recently focused on IPAs. This beer has an extremely smoky (almost burnt) taste. It's not a very "thick" beer. It's no Guinness, but it's OK.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/goose-island-oatmeal-stout/815/

Goose Island Beer Co. - Honkers Ale

What: Goose Island Beer Company - Honkers Ale
Style: English Bitter
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Don't remember
Where: Home
When: Over several months
Rating: 4
Comments: Another Costco impulse buy. They had a variety pack with the IPA, Nut Brown Ale, Oatmeal Stout and the Honkers Ale. It's a pretty straightforward beer. It's better than drinking Miller Lite, but not as good as drinking their IPA. I've pledged to stop buying beer by the case. It's only six packs and 12 packs for me. More variety = more reviews = more fun.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/goose-island-honkers-ale/811/

Goose Island Beer Co. - Harevest Ale

What: Goose Island Beer Co. - Harvest Ale
Style: ESB
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: Don't remember
Where: Home
When: Over several months
Rating: 5
Comments: I saw a case of this at Costco and decided to buy it. I wish I had only bought a six pack. It's a decent beer, and Goose Island rarely disappoints, but I'd much prefer their IPA or Nut Brown Ale over this one. It's a good Fall beer, but now that spring is coming, it's time to finish them off.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/goose-island-harvest-ale/76811/

Bell's Brewery - Hopslam

What: Bell's Brewery - Hopslam
Style: Imperial IPA
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $13.99 (6 pack)
Where: Home
When: Whenever possible
Rating: 1
Comments: Ho. Lee. Shit. This is good stuff. The holy grail of beer. I thought I knew good IPAs. I didn't until I tried this. Best beer ever.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bells-hopslam/35488/

Stone Brewing Co. - Arrogant Bastard Ale

What: Stone Brewing Co. - Arrogant Bastard Ale
Style: American Strong Ale
Vessel: Pint Glass
Price: $5.00
Where: Badaboomz (Northside)
When: March 20, 2008
Rating: 3
Comments: Hoppier than expected. Smooth and tasty. It's a good change of pace. If I saw this on a menu and looking for a beer I know I'll enjoy, this would fit the bill. The marketing is a bit pretentious, but if you can get past that, it's not too bad.
Ratebeer Link: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/arrogant-bastard-ale/1315/