The Good, the Bad and the Hoppy (031, 032 & 033)

A couple weeks ago my brother, Dave, and I went to the Saucer for a couple brews before going to a concert (King's X at Volume 11 Tavern... GREAT SHOW by the way) in downtown Raleigh.

I had a couple good beers, but one was so awful, I couldn't finish it. The first beer I ordered was an Avery Karma. If you remember a few posts ago, one of the better beers I had was the Avery Maharaja, so I figured I couldn't go wrong, right? Wrong. There was so much fruit and flowery stuff going on in that beer, it should have it's 'beer' status revoked and slapped with a 'wine cooler' label. I got through half then told the bartender to dump it. Waste. Check out the description below... there are words in there that should not be in the description of a beer: 'mandarin orange', 'belgian biscuit', 'marshmallow', 'light bananna', 'light peach', 'floral flavor', 'coriander spices'... I've had bananna in beer before, and it was good. I've had Belgian beers that have had orange and it was good... BUT, all of these in one beer does not end well.

The second was more my speed: Rogue American Amber Ale. I've sampled Rogue beers before, but it was my first at the Saucer. Classic beer dinker's beer. Then Dave and I split an Otter Head Ale, which wasn't a bad English Ale at all, great taste and nice finish.

Rogue American Amber (BTL)

Container: Bottled
Style: Amber Ale
Brewer: Rogue Ales
City: Newport, OR
Country: United States

Description: This amber ale is slightly fruity with a nice hop character in the nose. It is a dark copper color with a nice rocky head. It finishes hoppy and slightly dry - go figure!




Avery Karma (BTL)

Container: Bottled
Style: Belgian Style Ale
Brewer: Avery Brewing Co.
City: Boulder,CO.
Country: United States

Description: Deep copper orange color with a very vivid appearance. Light mandarin orange aromas, with some belgian biscut notes, marshmallows and light bananas. Sweet on the lips, with some light peach and floral flavors. Some light coriander spices, with a smooth palate. Overall a good beer, very tasty, and light; perfect for a sunny spring day.






Otter Head Ale (BTL)

Container: Bottled
Style: English Ale
Brewer: Otter Brewery
City: Honiton, Devon
Country: United Kingdom

Description: Otter Head is a low-foaming English Strong Ale which pours a dark ruddy copperish brown color with a light creamy, off-white head. This brewer knew what he was up to - this beer is extremely well balanced. Overall taste is wonderful in this medium bodied, low to moderately carbonated, smooth drinking beer.