Stone Ruination IPA

written by Tom Neuhauser

The first thing I noticed about this beer is its strong aroma. Definitely citrus notes- the more I smell it, the sweeter and less harsh it becomes....same thing with the actual taste of the beer. First sip is definitely startling and a bit harsh- some natural piney notes accompany the bitter citrus taste. Each sip gets mellower and sweeter as the taste buds become used to the extreme hop presence. I think this is the hallmark of a really good beer- it tastes different from first to last sip and generally gets better as you drink it.

This is a very entertaining beer- as I drink it, I can taste sense different flavors on different parts of the tongue. Definitely not a beer to pound; this is a beer to savor. I wouldn't call this a good session beer because of the high alcohol content and strong flavor, but it definitely has its place. Compared to other IPA's, this one has much more of the piney, earthy, natural taste.

Overall, an excellent beer.

7.7 abv
100+ IBU's (seriously!)

Weyerbacher's Hops Infusion IPA

Reviewed by: Michael Stein

With good head follows good lace, that is regardless whether the suds’ foam is barely out of the glass or a few inches above the rim. We’ve all had those beers where the head sits like a Sundae with its scoops rising above the glass.

When I first tried Weyerbacher’s “Hops Infusion” India Pale Ale yesterday, I immediately texted Tom, to get his opinion. With my second text, proclaiming that there were not enough flavors on the palate in the opening bouquet, he was not totally swayed by my opinion. He said he tried it, and that he enjoyed it, but “I think the Double Simcoe is better.”

I’ve had the Double Simcoe as well, and over time my opinion generated a response that the Rainbow Coalition would be proud of, perhaps Weyerbacher’s Double Simcoe isn’t better than their Hops Infusion per se, but just a beer that serves a different purpose. Different beers for different purposes, so if I was judging on pure sessionability I would have to hand it to the Hops Infusion, as a six pack of it lasted me two nights and I was able to drink it amongst friends.

Often other beer sites give me the impression that the reviewer has immediately sat down to his keyboard and has quite literally just taken a sip from his beer in a first-taste, best-taste kind of review platform. But I feel like this can sell a beer short because over time, (even a small period of time like 2 or 3 days,) my opinions of one beer can change radically. But upon second review (after I had my first Hops Infusion IPA the night before), I figured I’d try to write initial taste impressions:

The big malt flavor is almost but not quite smoky, with a strong Abbey-Double alchy taste. On the second sip I tasted a hoppy bitterness avoidable in the cheeks until just before dumping it down the gullet. But this begs the question: are we Johnny College pledging Kappa-drinksa-lota or brew-masters-in-training and ale connoisseurs? Third sip: multiple palettes available, the beer has done the unthinkable, gone from unpalatable to thirst quenching. On my first taste yesterday I sensed a brutal bitter, like a flat Boddingtons that had sat in the sun for days. Now, it finishes off with lightness despite being a cloudy golden-amber in hue.

So in terms of one purpose, “Hops Infusion” is a lot better than Hopocalypse, in the sense of living up to its name.

So as I recanted my original doubt in Weyerbacher’s IPA capabilities, I had to text Tom to let him know that this beer was in fact sessionable. So much so that it was something I could drink a case of amongst 4-6 close friends.

Is it as good as a “Hazed & Infused?” The question is not mine to answer…that’s for you, the reader/imbiber, to decide. So if you can’t find a distributor, go to http://www.weyerbacher.com/, and see if they can’t help you out. In their own words, “We brew Hops Infusion all year 'round. So if your local beer store doesn't have it, tell 'em to get moving!”

6.2% ABV

JW Dundee's Honey Brown

Reviewed by: Jonathan Kosakow



I would not say this is the greatest beer I've ever had, nor does it fall under the broader category of "greatest beers I've had", but I do like it. I bought the twelve-pack only for the reason that I hadn't had a Honey Brown in a while, and it seemed like the right choice. Luckily, I was not wrong. Though a lager, it's on the lighter side, and goes down smoothly. To be honest, there's not much more to it than the obvious flavor of honey that accompanies each sip beyond the normal light-lager taste. If you're looking for something complex, this one's not for you, nor is it for you if you want something that'll fill you up after just one bottle. Sometimes, though, what you're looking for is a beer on the lighter side with a simple-yet-not-boring flavor, and that's what you get with a Honey Brown.

ABV: 4.5
Awards: 2004 World Beer Cup, Gold Medal, Special Honey Lager or Ale Category

What It Means to Us

In this world, there are many kinds of beer drinkers. You've got your social drinkers, your light drinkers, your heavy drinkers and your over drinkers. Some people drink it for the taste, and others drink it to get drunk. Okay, all beer drinkers drink to get drunk. However, some of us make a distinction.  

You've got your ales, pale ales, India pale ales, amber ales, red ales, lagers, light lagers, wheat beers, dark wheat beers, stouts, pilsners, porters, Lambics. You've got your German beers, Belgian beers, Czech beers, English beers, Irish beers, Jamaican beers, Mexican beers, and even Australian beers.  

Every beer, from every bottle, has it's own unique taste, and it's pretty gosh darn fun to find out which one is the best.