Two Beer Dudes: Two regular dudes who happen to be huge fans of American craft beer.

Rico Sauvin

Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse

Imperial/Double India Pale Ale

5.1 by scot

Purchased at Flight Bottle Shoppe on 2022-01-07. There is a date on the can but I cannot read it. I will preface this review with the face that I purchased this beer as I like the can art. No expectations. Pours cloudy. Chill haze? Nice white head. Great retention with the foam frothy and becoming creamy. Thick lacing. Aroma is off. Makes me wonder about date. This is malt forward with a huge hint of caramel sweetness (C40 or C60?). The aroma reminds me of a brewery after they pull t...read more

Overall Rating: 5.1 by 1 dude 0%

Self Care

First Forest Brewing

Imperial/Double India Pale Ale

7.8 by scot

Purchased at Flight Bottle Shoppe on 2021-01-07. No date on can but assuming it was fresh since it was a new release that week. Pours with a chill haze, potentially from the brewing process as well. Solid one inch of white foam covers. Okay retention. I think my glass was snuck into the dish washer therefore the lacing is nonexistent. Aroma is a bit dank. Some pineapple and grapefruit. Thankfully not all that sweet. Taste is dank, like the aroma. Grapefruit really shines here, especia...read more

Overall Rating: 7.8 by 1 dude 100%

Fugu

Tox Brewing Company

American India Pale Ale

8.1 by scot

Purchased at Flight Bottle Shoppe on 2021-12-23. No date on can. Pours cloudy/opaque with half a glass of white foam. Great retention. Lacing is wispy but sticky. Aroma of mango, pineapple, and orange. Taste follows the nose. Good mango, pineapple and orange. Little bitterness that counters the mellow sweetness of the drink Light end of medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is similar. Juiciness that doesn’t fade. Bravo. No date can and from the east coast. This usually means that it is...read more

Overall Rating: 8.1 by 1 dude 100%

Phantom Unicorn

Pipeworks Brewing Company

American Imperial Stout

9.0 by scot

Purchased at Flight Bottle Shoppe. Poured from a can with date of 2021-06-14. Pours opaque. No foam and no lacing. Aroma of rich bourbon and char from said barrel. Hints of tobacco and brown sugar. Taste is fantastic bourbon, vanilla, brown sugar, tobacco and vanilla. Rich and robust flavors. Big body with light carbonation (it doesn’t need it). Dry. Not cloying on the lips. This is ridiculously good. The richness of the fresh bourbon barrel is fantastic, especially since I prefe...read more

Overall Rating: 9.0 by 1 dude 100%

Hang 'Em Hi-IIPA

One Trick Pony Brewing

Imperial/Double India Pale Ale

7.7 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 23 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Pours cloudy, like a NEIPA. A finger of off-white foam that has solid retention. Lacing begins immediately: sticky yet thing. Aroma goes to 11. Orange, sweet, bubble gum, peach, apricot, white grape with hints of tropical fruit. Well layered and complex. Taste loses a lot of the hop profile but there is still orange, sweet, white grape, and peach. The tropical fruits are gone as is the apricot and b...read more

Overall Rating: 7.7 by 1 dude 100%

Niu

Phase Three Brewing

American Porter

7.9 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 23 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Pours opaque with a finger-and-a-half of light mocha foam. The foam is thick and rich with good retention. Lacing clings but is thin. Aroma is toasted coconut and vanilla. There is a an almost milk creaminess to the aroma as if lactose was added to the beer. Taste is oddly similar to the aroma. Coconut, vanilla, chocolate, and light roast. The finish lets the coconut oil linger with a sense of milk ...read more

Overall Rating: 7.9 by 1 dude 100%

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Will County Brewing Company

American Amber/Red Ale

5.7 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 22 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Date on can of 2021-10-22. Pours clear but the dark hue of the beer makes it hard to see from side-to-side of the glass. Great tan foam covers, frothing and becoming rocky as it ebbs. Aroma is subtle but honey, caramel and hints of toffee are layered on top with cinnamon coming up from behind delicately. Taste is hard to take. Very sweet, almost cloying. Honey and caramel are on high alert with cinnam...read more

Overall Rating: 5.7 by 1 dude 0%

Jam'd - Lime & Raspberry

Brickstone Brewery

Fruit Beer

7.1 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 21 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Date on can of 2021-11-03. Pours with a haze that make it opaque. Finger plus of off-white, tightly packed foam. Leaves sporadic juicy bits of lacing. Aroma of wheat, tart, and sweet. Citrus fruit. Taste is tart and sweet at the same time. Well balanced. Then comes the strangeness of the fruit juices. The lime comes through but I couldn't say raspberry if my life depended on it. Light body. Mediu...read more

Overall Rating: 7.1 by 1 dude 100%

Bernie Hot Chocolate

Noon Whistle Brewing

Milk/Sweet/Cream Sout

5.7 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 20 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Date on can of 2021-11-12. Pours opaque with over an inch of light mocha, big bubbled foam. Good retention. Lacing contains said large bubbles making it not look that impressive. Most of the lacing does creep back to level (not sticky). Aroma is undeniably sweet. Chocolate, vanilla and milk sugar intertwine creating a sense of a cake stout. Did I mention it is very sweet on the nose. Taste is simil...read more

Overall Rating: 5.7 by 1 dude 0%

Consonants

Liquid Love Brewing

Schwarzbier (Black Beer)

8.2 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 19 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Pours opaque due to the color. A nice finger of foam. Good retention with lacing that is sheeting but mostly falls back to liquid level leaving sporadic, sticky blotches behind. Aroma is chocolate, roast and coffee. Straight forward and pleasant. Taste is almost a duplicate of the aroma with more chocolate and roast, finishing with the addition of coffee. Roast and coffee lingers but not bitter. Med...read more

Overall Rating: 8.2 by 1 dude 100%

Solero

Crystal Lake Brewing

American India Pale Ale

6.8 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 18 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Date on can of 2021-11-03. Pours clear with a finger of off-white foam. Good retention, frothy and rocky. Thick sporadic lacing. Aroma is mellow. Hints of pine, tropical fruit and some spice. Caramel sweetness. Herbal. Taste reminiscent of old school India Pale Ale: caramel, hops and bitterness in the finish. Lots of pine that holds on into the finish assisting in the bitterness. Some fruit but no...read more

Overall Rating: 6.8 by 1 dude 100%

Tis the Season

Lil Beaver Brewery

Cream Ale

6.3 by scot

Received as a gift from Sheri and Mike. Thank you! Day 16 of 24 beers of Christmas 2021. Date on can of 2021-11-03. Pours clear with a slightly pink foam that covers for a brief period of time. No lacing. Aroma is mellow. Almond and vanilla prance with a sense of caramel sweetness. Taste is very sweet with vanilla nd almond until it hits the finish when the carbonation and cranberry create an abrupt line that fights the sweets. Light body with a huge carbonation. Dry. Tis the Season i...read more

Overall Rating: 6.3 by 1 dude 0%