Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Black Ale

This is the first I've heard of Harviestoun Brewery. Old Engine Oil is one of the best beers I've ever had. This is some really good stuff and is exactly what I want when I get a dark beer. It even has an A rating on Beer Advocate from both the users with an A- and the site owners with an A+, which is pretty rare from what I've seen.

Left Hand Brewing Co. Chainsaw Ale

Chainsaw Ale is excellent. It's a double Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand's amber ale. I seem to have gotten a 2008 bottle even though it's 2010, but it's still good. The label is pretty has chainsaws. Anything with chainsaws is cool.

Schmaltz Brewing Co. Coney Island Human Blockhead

This beer has a picture of a guy pounding a nail into his face. You have to buy a beer with a label like that. Fortunately, it's also good. The notes at Total Wine and More described it as a cross between a double bock and an amber ale. I can definitely taste that and some hints of red ale. It's really good.

Schmaltz Brewing Co. Coney Island Albino Python

Coney Island Albino Python is labeled as a white lager with spices. It's like a cross between a lager and a wheat beer. It was different from pretty much anything else I've had and is definitely something I'll pick up again. The Coney Island beers are from Schmaltz Brewing Co. who also make the He'Brew beers, which are also great. These have a circus theme to them with some pretty cool labels.

Left Hand Brewing Co. Fade To Black Vol 1

Fade To Black is Left Hand's new seasonal beer. Rather than normal winter seasonals, they have decided to release a beer called Fade To Black each winter. Every year the beer will be a different style. This year's (2009-2010) is an Export Stout and is really good, so it's a bit disappointing that they won't be making it anymore.

Yuengling Bock Beer

Yuengling Bock is a limited release beer which may become a seasonal release from the sounds of it. I mostly bought it because the label has a goat drinking beer. It wasn't bad, but I'd take one of their lagers over this any day.

Great Divide Hades Ale

hades Ale is probably the first belgian style golden ale that I've been able to drink. There's something about these that I normally don't like. It wasn't quite as strong in this ale, though, and I actually enjoy it quite a bit.

New Holland Brewing Company Night Tripper

New Holland Brewing Co. is another one of my favorite breweries. The most recent beer of theirs that I've had was Night Tripper, an imperial stout released for Fat Tuesday.

Rogue Brewery John John Ale

Alright, I'm really all out of stuff to say as far as "reviewing". They all sound the same these days. Also, no one reads this. So from now on I'm mostly going to mention the beer, eventually get pictures up, and just make a quick comment at most.

Now, on to the first one where I don't really bother with an attempt at a review. John John Ale from Rogue Brewery. It's Dead Guy ale, which I really like, but aged in a whiskey cask, which I also always like. Good stuff. The label has a picture of redneck guys, probably the guys from the brewery, but it's kind of creepy. The name also makes me think of the Testament song Jun-Jun.

Rogue Brewery Dirtoir Black Lager

Dirtoir Black Lager is from a series by Rogue Brewery called Chatoe Rogue where they use hops and malts that they've grown on their own. This is probably my least favorite of Rogue's beers that I've tried. That says a lot for Rogue, though, since it was still good and something I'd choose over a lot of other beers.

Rogue Brewery American Amber Ale

The American Amber Ale from Rogue was a nice surprise. I was expecting Miller Lite, but a bit more flavor. These lighter beers frequently taste that way to me, even from quality breweries. Rogue came through, though. It's full of delicious hoppy bitterness like a less bitter, slightly less citrus flavored IPA.

Olde Richmond Beer Company Batch No. 11

Olde Richmond Beer Company seems to be a fairly new, very small brewery. From what I have read, they work with St. George Brewing Co., which produces many good beers. Batch No 11 is an IPA. This is one of the more drinkable IPAs I've had. It's got the usual hops and citrus flavors, but unlike many IPAs, it doesn't go over the top. I could easily drink several bottles of this stuff.

BrewDog and Stone Brewery Bashah

Bashah is a beer made jointly by Stone Brewery and BrewDog. It's labeled as a black belgian style double ipa, so I had no idea what to expect. It turns out it's really damned good. It's smooth and dark tasting initially, but then gets hoppy. It's a very strong hop flavor, but not quite the usual over the top hoppiness that Stone beers have.

Troegs Brewing Company Java Head Stout

Troegs Java Head Stout is another coffee stout. As expected, it has a great flavor and is something I'd drink regularly if it was not a seasonal brew. Nothing particularly stands out, but it's good.

Southern Tier Brewing Company Imperial Creme Brulee Stout

Southern Tier's Creme Brulee Stout is an interesting beer. It's very sweet, with a lot of coffee, vanilla, and caramel flavor. It's more like drinking one of those alcoholic desert drinks than a beer. It was very good, though, and it was nice to drink something very different from my usual beers.