21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA
Brewed in San Francisco
7.2% abv
www.21st-amendment.com

Imperial Pale Ale is a GirlsonBeer favorite, but I was skeptical as to what this IPA from a can.

I poured the majority of the beer in a pint glass and got a monstrous amount of foam. Maybe that is a can thing, I don’t know. From a glass this brew is quite tasty. It’s a light IPA and it’s not too malty. The hops are full-flavored but not over-powering. This is a well-balanced brew. I could drink a lot of these.

I was curious though, what it would taste like from the can, so I drank a swig of the last of the brew that didn’t quite fit in the glass. It was not pleasant. All I tasted was aluminum.

While I really did enjoy it and I will probably grab a few of these to take on our next camping trip I’m forced into, I still won’t drink it out of the can. That taste stayed with me a little, and it’s not good (Note to self: Pack 2 pint glasses with the camping stuff).

“Are you writing it in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet and giving it the proper reverence it deserves? I want some iambic pantameter up in this b****. Octoberfest deserves it.”–my husband

Fine then.

This beer is here, no more waiting in vain

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

It is so very tasty and so crisp

Caramel, nuts, a little vanilla

It is well-balanced, full-bodied and sweet

Hops are detectable but taste is malt

It is a full tastebud experience

And you know what? My tastebuds say “Hell yeah”

To this very tasty seasonal brew

And your tastebuds should say that same thing too

-fin-

The first thing that comes to mind when drinking McSorley’s Irish Pale Ale is that this beer makes me want cheese. Like, really good Dubliner Irish cheese.

(My husband says breathing makes me want cheese. But anyway. Back to the beer.)

This brew, which is 5.5% alcohol by volume, is interesting. It’s somewhat sharp and lightly carbonated, with a seriously bitter aftertaste. And it’s got some bite to it, too.

There’s just a hint of hops and a hint of malt – it’s very balanced -  and it tastes slightly of caramel and wheat. And, to be honest, it tastes kind of like that cheese. Which isn’t a bad thing.

This isn’t the best beer I’ve ever had, but it definitely kept my tastebuds engaged and I’d drink it again.

I honestly can’t decide how I feel about Pete’s Wicked Rally Cap Ale. One sip and I think it’s great; another, and I think, “Meh.” I am confused, and I don’t like it when beer confuses me.

This American blonde ale, which is 5 percent alcohol by volume and brewed by Pete’s Brewing Co. in San Antonio, is just OK. It’s a summer seasonal beer with a hint of lemon, and not much other flavor. It’s also fairly light-bodied and not very carbonated.

This beer is decent – I’ve had worse – and I’m sure I could drink several, as it seems to be the kind of beer you could chug easily after a long day working outside. And perhaps that’s what the intent is. But as far as the taste goes, I’m not sure if I’d want to.

I like beer, and I want to like this beer. But it kind of reminds me of my college boyfriend in the sense that perhaps, while it has good qualities, we’re just not quite right for each other.

• 9.5% alcohol by volume
• Lakewood, New York
• southerntierbrewing.com

I stopped in a wine shop in northwest DC yesterday and noticed they had a nice selection of craft brews. They didn’t have a lot, but what they had was all pretty good beer. At the bottom of one of the small shelves I noticed a 22 oz. of Southern Tier Big Red Ale, an imperial red ale. I like red ale but it was the last bottle they had, which made it more interesting. Southern Tier Big Red is available year-round, but it only comes in 22 oz bottles.

It pours hazy and the color is deep amber. I was a little surprised by how fruity it smelled, but not citrus, more sweet, almost like cherries. I expected some fruity taste but it was sweet and slightly carmely. One thing I’ve come to expect from Southern Tier beers is a lot of hops. I didn’t find Big Red to be all that hoppy. I mean I could taste hops, but not a lot which might be what they intended. I just expected more. One thing that isn’t lacking is alcohol. I really noted the alcohol and at 9.5 percent ABV, this is not a beer to drink many of. I actually shared the bottle, as a 22 oz. is too much for me.

In my opinion Big Red is really good, but it’s a bit heavy for a summer beer, but like i said, I couldn’t overcome my curiosity. I’ll probably wait until fall to have another one of these. Another brew I will snag in the fall is Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale, which releases next month. I love pumpkin ales and have never tried an imperial, I can’t wait!

Let me preface this by saying I love about 98 percent of the beers Sam Adams (also known as Boston Beer Company) makes, so it was highly doubtful I was going to dislike the company’s Blackberry Witbier.

It didn’t disappoint. Unlike a traditional witbier, which usually has a wheat and citrus flavor, this witbier also – SURPRISE!- combines the taste of blackberries, which makes it a little sweet, but not sickeningly so. There are also hints of orange.

This is a very drinkable, balanced brew that’s not too heavy. It has a very understated aftertaste and I found it to be very refreshing. Non-beer drinkers would probably enjoy this beer quite a bit.

The beer is 5.5 percent alcohol by volume and is available year-round, unlike some of the company’s seasonal brews.

We both have an affinity for India Pale Ale, also known as IPA, so we decided to take on a few this week.

British brewers developed IPA in the late 1700s to survive the long voyage from England to India. Supposedly they began increasing the hops and alcohol content, which are natural preservatives. This stronger brew became known as India Pale Ale.

According to Beer Advocate American IPA is usually more flavorful than traditional English IPA and typically uses American hops. Double, or imperial IPAs, are basically IPAs on steroids. Brewers use larger amounts of malt and hops. Double IPAs typically have alcohol content above 7 percent by volume.

Beer me:

• Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
• Alcohol by volume: 7 percent, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Kalamazoo, Mich.
• Website: www.bellsbeer.com/

Melanie says: Please excuse the pun, but I double-heart this beer. It is one of my go-to IPAs. It’s very golden in color and has a hint of haze. The hops in this brew have a slightly sweet, citrusy taste, and it smells exactly like grapefruit. The hops are pretty tame though, not overpowering. The texture is slightly creamy and I think this brew has absolutely no aftertaste. The balance of hops and malt is excellently balanced.

Meredith says: Forgive me, but I love this beer slightly less than Melanie does. Not enough to put it in the “beer meh” category, because it is good, but I give it a B+ for originality — it’s not very complex. However, it’s light and creamy and is very balanced, and goes down very easily. I could definitely drink a couple in a sitting — and maybe I will. This, along with the Lagunitas reviewed below, was a little hard to find in the Maryland ‘burbs and I had to ask Melanie to bring me some, which she did all in the name of Girls on Beer. Points for Mel; no points there for Bell’s.

Beer me:

• Lagunitas Maximus
• Alcohol by volume: 7.5 percent, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Petaluma, Calif.
• Website: www.lagunitas.com/

Melanie says: This is a pretty good beer. I almost put it under “Beer meh” but it just didn’t seem fair. It’s very light for an IPA but stronger and hoppier than Lagunitas’ regular IPA. It has a strong malt and flower smell. It tastes very light and I think might use flowery hops and maybe a hint of spice. It has a clear amber color with hints of gold. This beer is very clear and not too carbonated.

Meredith says: This brew had me with its honey-citrus-little-bit-of-floral taste. It goes down sweet, with a bitter aftertaste, and kind of makes me think of those “first they’re sour, then they’re sweet” Sour Patch Kid commercials. But in reverse. It’s a little on the heavy side as far as IPAs go and I think one in an evening is probably enough.

Beer me:

• Stone Ruination
• Alcohol by volume: 7.7 percent, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Escondido, Calif.
• Website: www.stonebrew.com/

Melanie says: Ruination can be tough to get at our local store. It’s often sold out, leading me to think this is a pretty popular brew. This beer is cloudy, the cloudiest IPA I have seen. The color is golden with a hint of amber. The taste is very strong and immediately I notice bitter hops and a hint of citrus. The bitter taste really lingers. I’m very aware of the alcohol in this beer though. While the alcohol by volume is not as strong as others, the taste is strong. If you like your IPAs on the bitter side, this is the beer for you.

Meredith says: This brew is most definitely on the pricey side — I paid $23, including tax, for a six-pack at Gilly’s Craft Beer & Fine Wine — but the bottle alone almost makes up for the cost. It’s got an evil gargoyle-looking thing painted on it in gold, and what appears to be a novella on the back of the bottle discussing the history of the brew. They lay it on a little thick with the hyperbole, but man, that is some hops. The brew is dry and the bitter aftertaste sticks with you. But not in a bad way.

Beer me:

• Flying Dog Raging Bitch
• Alcohol by volume: 8.3 percent, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Frederick, Md.
• Website: www.flyingdogales.com/

Melanie says: This is a tough beer — but not tough in a negative way. The name fits the beer. It’s strong and it tastes strong. It smells sweet but the flavor is so bold. I think Flying Dog took a big chance on this beer and at first I was a little put off, but the flavor had a way of winning me over.

Meredith says: Two words: Holy hops. I heart this beer. This brew is hoptastically bitter, with a hint of peach. It’s very aromatic, and not too filling. Drink two and you’ll get the job done quickly. However, those who don’t prefer hoppy beer may not like this, and malt lovers need not apply.

Beer me:

• Dogfish 90 Minute
• Alcohol by volume: 9 percent, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Rehobeth, Del.
• Website: http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/index.htm

Melanie says: Dogfish 90 Minute is an Imperial IPA. This beer is dangerous. It goes down so easy, considering the strong alcohol content, almost too easy. It’s so full-bodied and full of flavor. It’s malty and very creamy. Has no aftertaste whatsoever. Be sure and go easy on the number of these you drink. If you like this beer you should try the Dogfish 120 Minute IPA, but be careful, it contains 18 percent alcohol by volume.

Meredith says: This beer manages to be simultaneously classy and sassy. Guys, if it were a chick, you would want to date it. Hell, if I weren’t married, I might want to date it, too. Like Melanie says, it’s very flavorful, with a hint of grapefruit and other citrus. And — bonus — it will make just about anything you eat taste better. I drank it while I ate some cheese and crackers and could have sworn I heard my tastebuds sing the Hallelujah chorus. Those who are intrigued, but hesitant to jump into the wonderful world of IPAs, might want to try out its slightly more reserved little sister, the 60 Minute IPA.

— Written by Meredith Williams and Melanie Kramer

We decided to have a little fun with this review and trade some bottles of beer. Since one of us lives in Maryland and the other lives in Virginia, we have had some problems finding the same brands since the liquor distributors and laws vary between states, and even counties. We each picked beers easy to find in our neighborhoods that we liked and hoped the other would enjoy just as much.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @GirlsonBeer!

Beer me

• Dogfish Aprihop
• 7 percent alcohol by volume
• Rehoboth, Del.
• www.dogfish.com

Melanie says: This brew is so sweet, but very good. It’s dark red in color. This batch must have had slightly too much carbonation, though. It’s a little bit overwhelming. It seems very strong, too, I feel like I can taste the alcohol. It’s syrupy sweet though and quite tasty with lots of hops. It’s a good choice for a spring/summer beer.

Meredith says: One sip and I’ve burped three times. Classy. Melanie’s right — this batch is super carbonated and super sweet. But you know what else it is? Super good. You can really taste the hops in this India Pale Ale (IPA), and the apricot taste is just right. This brew is very light and is definitely a spring or summer beverage — perfect for a lazy afternoon in the backyard or an evening barbecue on the deck. I could drink several bottles of this beer — it’s that good.

• Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster Imperial Red Ale
• 8.75 percent alcohol by volume
• Athens, Ga.
• www.terrapinbeer.com

Melanie says: This sweet hazy beer looks like liquid copper when poured. It has a surprising hint of coffee at first but perhaps that is just because this brew is so malty. It’s like a malty caramel creamsicle. I like it very much though. I taste the centennial hops right away. This is a pretty strong beer, too. Just a few drinks and I’m a little bit buzzed.

Meredith says: Melanie is right, this brew is incredibly malty, as well as smooth and creamy. It smells a bit like coffee and caramel and is very drinkable and full-bodied. I expected a little more hops than I got — probably since it’s got “big hoppy” in its name — and I love me some hops, but this beer didn’t disappoint. Thank you, thank you Melanie for introducing me to an imperial red I’ve never been able to find at my local beer joint.

• Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale
• 7.25 percent alcohol by volume
• Baltimore
• www.hsbeer.com

Melanie says: This is a very easy drinking beer. It’s quite pale, and I’m not really sure what style this brew is. It’s stronger than regular pale ale, but not quite as strong as IPA, but has quite a hoppy kick. This slightly citrus, tasty beer seems to be in a category of its own. It’s light and has a great flavor. It has no aftertaste and is pretty refreshing. I could easily drink several of these in a sitting. At the risk of completely losing my waistline, I will resist. But thank you Meredith for bringing me three of these!

Meredith says: Love, love, love this bold American IPA — it has hints of grapefruit and orange and pine. It’s sweet like malt, bitter like hops — perfectly balanced. It’s very smooth, creamy and not too carbonated, and I could definitely drink a few. This is an unwind-after-a-long-and-stressful-day type of brew — one, OK, two, (along with some Massive Attack  and Zero 7  and my dog) took the edge right off. Plus — bonus! — the label has a pirate on it. And who doesn’t love pirates?

Beer me not, Beer me:

• Harpoon UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen
• 4.8 percent alcohol by volume
• Boston
• www.harpoonbrewery.com

Melanie says: I’m sure I have expressed my feelings about raspberry in previous blogs, so to summarize — I am not a big fan. This beer scared me at first pour. It’s ruby red and the fruity smell is super strong so I anticipated a strong raspberry flavor and I was not let down. This beer is light and has lots of carbonation and that’s all I really noticed. I could not get past the raspberry flavor and only had a few sips. I appreciate Meredith trying to expand my appreciation for raspberry, but I just can’t get past my distaste.

Meredith says: Very crisp and refreshing — perfect after a long day where you just need a light pick-me-up and not a place to drown your sorrows. The taste of raspberry is very slight, and not overwhelming. This is perfect for a late happy hour on your back deck, and is a great beer for non-beer drinkers because it doesn’t have a very strong beer taste. If you’re craving the taste of hops or malt, this is not the beer for you. And, if you don’t like raspberry, you’re not going to like this. I should have remembered that Melanie doesn’t dig it.

— written by Meredith Williams & Melanie Kramer

Here’s where to find some of the brews reviewed in this post:

View Girls on Beer: Beer Trade! in a larger map

We decided to be healthy this week and try out some organic and gluten-free beer. Organic beer is made the same way as conventional beer, except 95 percent of its ingredients are grown without the use of chemicals and pesticides. Gluten-free beer is made without wheat, barley or rye and is often an alcoholic beverage of choice for people with gluten intolerance, also known as Celiac disease.

Beer me:

• Wolaver Pale Ale
• Alcohol by volume: 4.6%, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Middlebury, VT
• Web site: www.ottercreekbrewing.com

Meredith says: As far as pale ales go, Wolaver’s certified organic pale ale is pretty good. It’s very balanced, with a malty yet crisp taste — a little caramel from the malts and some citrus from the hops. This is a light, refreshing beer that I could easily drink two or three of in one sitting without falling out of my chair. And I would justify it by saying, “Hey, it’s organic. It must be good for me.” Wolaver’s gets its organic status from the USDA and Vermont Organic Farmers. It was one of the nation’s first certified organic breweries.

Melanie says: I agree with Meredith completely. Right away I noticed the strong, sweet malt and while its strength surprised me in a pale ale, it still seemed really balanced. As I drank more of this creamy brew, I think the hops taste got a little stronger. I really liked this beer and look forward to trying more of Wolaver’s organic line.

Beer meh:

• Peak Organic Amber Ale
• Alcohol by volume: 4.9%, 12-oz. bottle
• Brewed in: Portland, Maine
• Web site: www.peakbrewing.com

Meredith says: Peak Organic Amber Ale tastes like…beer. It’s smooth, but it just doesn’t do much for my tastebuds. The flavor is very mild. Don’t get me wrong—it’s perfectly drinkable but as Simon on American Idol would say, there was no moment and I’m afraid it’s forgettable. It’s malty, it’s toasty and kind of has a hint of caramel, but I drank it and moved on to bigger and better beers. There was very little carbonation. Peak Organic gets its organic status from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Melanie says: I’ve tried several of the Peak Organic beers, many can be found around the DC metro area. While I favor amber ale’s, this one really didn’t do much for me. Meredith is right, there is just not anything memorable about this beer. It smells really caramely (which I love), but I don’t notice any caramel in the flavor. It’s a little toasty and a little bit of nut flavor begins to seep in after a few drinks. While I might not be adding this to my weekly shopping list, I am however, a big fan of their branding. Peak Organic’s labels are not the regular male-centric marketing stampede of most craft brewers. They also get extra points for not having an animal in their logo. Instead, they use photos and quotes submitted by customers who enjoy their beers.

Melanie says: Oh, Oxford Organic Raspberry Wheat Beer, I knew from the start we would have a rocky relationship. See, I am not a fan of raspberry but I thought I would give you a chance. If you like raspberry and super-sweet beer, please disregard the following: Do you remember when you were a little kid and you had to take liquid cough or cold medicine? Holding my nose and trying to down that syrupy concoction is all I can think of when I drink this beer. Upon second (forced) drink, it’s not nearly that bad. The initial raspberry must have numbed my senses. The sweetness is overwhelming (think raspberry flavored pixie sticks) and I can’t stomach more than a few drinks. Despite this introduction to Clipper City, I do look forward to trying more of their stuff and more of the Oxford Organic line. According to the brewer, Clipper City’s organic status comes from the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Beer me not:

• New Grist Beer
• Alcohol by volume: 5.7%, 12-oz bottle
• Brewed in: Milwaukee, WI
• Web site: www.newgrist.com

Meredith says: New Grist Beer, made from sorghum and rice extract, left me wondering what the hell sorghum is. Wikipedia says it’s numerous species of grasses and upon realizing that, my brain started yelling, “Oh, hell no!” After a few sips, New Grist started to grow on me a little — it started to taste less like grass without the “g” and “r” and more like really weak cider — but I think that might have had something to do with my tastebuds shutting down in protest. It’s light-bodied — what else would you expect from grass? — with a hint of apple, and you can practically see through it. If I had to give up the gluten, I’d probably just become a wino.

Beer me not:

• Bard’s Beer
• Alcohol by volume: 4.6%
• Brewed in: Minneapolis
• Web site: www.bardsbeer.com

Melanie says: It would be harsh to say yuck so I will just say no thanks to Bard’s gluten-free sorghum malt. If I had Celiac disease I would drink this beer every now and then, if I had to, even despite the horrible after-taste. But that’s only because I really, really love beer. The label said it’s malt sorghum and I don’t notice much malt in this beer. All I notice is that it tastes over-carbonated. I couldn’t even drink half a glass of this beer. It must be popular though; I picked this beer up at Total Wine in Sterling, Va., and they only had one single left and no six packs.

Here’s where to find the brews reviewed in this week’s post:
View Organic & gluten-free beer DC in a larger map

Click here to locate breweries, brewpubs and craft beer supplies in the DC metro area.

When you open a drink menu and the names of more than 50 beers stare back at you, or when rows and rows of bottles taunt you from a liquor store shelf, it can be hard to decide what beer to try. As the wives of two self-taught craft beer brewers, we’ve learned a lot in the past year about the industry and the variety of tasty brews. We’re always willing to try something new in the name of helping our husbands out–and in the name of educating our own tastebuds.

Craft beers are gaining popularity in the U.S. and while large brewers, like Anheuser-Busch, still hold the majority of the market share, more and more Americans are ditching the often tasteless, well-known beers in favor of more complicated and less-processed craft beers. Once you go craft, you may not go back. In 2009, small and independent craft brewers saw sales revenue increase 10.3 percent and volume increase 7.2 percent in 2008, according to sales numbers from the Brewers Association, a nonprofit that promotes and protects small and independent brewers. If you don’t want to be an expert, but would like to find a decent brew at a bar or at the store, stick with us.

With spring moving in, our thoughts and tastebuds are gravitating toward the many sunny days to come. There are many types of brews that are good for warm days, so we decided to put a few light/spring beers to the test.

Beer me:

• Lancaster Strawberry Wheat
• Alcohol by volume: 4.7%
• Lancaster, Pa.
• LancasterBrewing.com

Melanie says: Lancaster Strawberry Wheat is a very refreshing fruity (obviously) brew perfect for a warm day. The strawberry smell was really strong, but the taste wasn’t quite as flavorful as expected. It was a little tart and possibly contains strawberry extract instead of fresh fruit, because it tastes like a strawberry Pop-Tart. It’s sweet with a hint of hops and contains 4.7 percent alcohol by volume in a 12-oz. bottle. If you like fruit beers or you’re looking for one to try, this one is a great option. Lancaster is a 200-year-old brewery based in Lancaster, Pa.

Meredith says: This beer is sweet but not too sweet. It’s a good beer for chicks who are aren’t beer drinkers – and men secure in their masculinity – and is definitely a warm weather beer. The strawberry is not too overwhelming, but Melanie is right, it is too extracty. I wouldn’t drink more than one.

• Victory Brewing Prima Pils
• Alcohol by volume: 5.3%
• Downingtown, Pa.
• Victorybeer.com

Melanie says: Victory Brewing’s Prima Pils is a golden pale lager that is very easy to drink. It has a malty smell and a hint of lemony taste with a trace of hops. This is a great pilsner with big flavor and it has 5.3 percent alcohol by volume in a 12-oz. bottle. Victory Brewing is based in Downingtown, Pa., which is also the location of its only brew house. They have been in operation since 1996.

Meredith says: Pilsner, how I love you. This is everything a pilsner should be, and then some. This brings out the flavor in just about anything you’re eating. It tastes a little lemony, which makes it super refreshing and light. I could definitely drink a couple of bottles over the course of a meal.

• Dogfish 60 Minute IPA
• Alcohol by volume: 6%
• Brewed in: Rehobeth, Del.
• dogfish.com

Meredith says: Dogfish Head 60 Minute India Pale Ale is the beer equivalent of a Jason Mraz song: light, refreshing, crisp and smooth. The beer, brewed in Lewes, Del., is mildly bitter with a citrusy taste. It’s very balanced and not too filling, with 6 percent alcohol by volume in a 12-oz. bottle. Overall, it’s very drinkable. If you really like it, Dogfish has taphouses in Gaithersburg, Md., Fairfax, Va., Falls Church, Va. and Rehoboth Beach.

Melanie says: This is one of my favorite beers. It’s definitely my go-to beer. It’s smooth and so easy to drink and extremely flavorful. It’s a really hoppy beer, so if you don’t like hops this beer is not for you. If you don’t know if you like hops give it a shot. Beware, more than two of these and you won’t care if you like hops.

• Flying Dog In Heat Wheat
• Alcohol by volume: 4.7%
• Frederick, Md.
• flyingdogales.com

Meredith says: Flying Dog In Heat Wheat Hefeweizen tastes like alcoholic, liquid banana bread, with just a hint of citrus and cloves. If you’re not a fan of bananas, you probably won’t like this much. It’s a very carbonated, light-bodied wheat beer with just a hint of hops, and has a 4.7 percent alcohol by volume in a 12-oz. bottle. Flying Dog’s brewery is based in Frederick, Md.

Beer meh:

Melanie says: There aren’t many hefeweizens I’ve tried that I haven’t liked. This is not one of my favorites. I completely agree with Meredith, the banana in this beer is overwhelming and so is the wheat. The combination ended up being just too much. It’s not on my list for a six-pack.

–written by Meredith Williams & Melanie Kramer

Here’s where to find the brews reviewed in this week’s post:
View Spring Beer DC in a larger map