After work and am now enjoying a Fat Tire from New Belgium (http://www.newbelgium.com/). I remember when this beer first came out; everybody was going crazy for it. I tried and remember thinking it was overrated. I then went to a wedding in Iowa CIty with my wife where they had this on tap and was blown away by how good it was. It is now a “go-to” beer for me when I can’t figure out what I want. It is a very balanced beer with good flavor. If you are new to the craft beer world and looking to try something different, I think this would be a safe bet.
REVIEW
Pour:  Amber color pour with a thick off-white head.
Aroma: Malts, caramel, and hops.
Taste: Sweet caramel flavor with hop bitterness in the end. A really solid amber ale.
Overall: This is a very drinkable beer and for people who are looking for something different, a good start to micro-craft world. Like most beers for me, I think it is much better out of  fresh tap.
RATING: C+

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available just about anywhere beer is sold.

A seasonal type of beer that I’ve come to appreciate more is Octobefest styles. Bells and Sam Adams are responsible for my transition into a fan of Octoberfest beers. Bells Octoberfest (www.bellsbeer.com) has a nice malty flavor with that hop bitterness in the end. It is perfect for a fall day. Although I would rather have a Sam Adams Octoberfest, Bells is still a close second.  Octoberfest beers pair excellent with a nice grilled bratwurst or any other type of sausage. 

REVIEW
Pour:  Copper/Amber pour with a thick white head.
Aroma: Roasted malts with caramel.
Taste: Sweet caramel flavor with hop bitterness in the end. Very smooth.
Overall: It is the time of year for us to be drinking Octoberfest beers. If you can’t find Bells, Sam Adams is widely available. A nice cool day and cold Octoberfest go great together. Cheers!
RATING: C

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is/will be available at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. I’ve seen many Bells products at Hy-Vee but their selection does change. It should be available by the end of August until November.

Everywhere I go I see Bud Light Lime being sold. Now I see it in 24 pack cans. This has become a very popular beer and it’s a shame. Bud seems to be playing off the popular trend of putting a lime in Corona, Pacifico, etc. and are now making a bunch of money off of it. I did think it was going to worse than it was after trying the train wreck that is Miller Chill. Anyway, artificial flavored crap from Bud. There are so many amazing fruit beers out there that are refreshing and still give you the satisfaction of drinking a good beer.
REVIEW
Pour: Golden color pour with no head.
Aroma: Smell of lime.
Taste:It tastes like a bad diet lime soda; artificial and weak.
Overall: I know it is a big trend right now but try to avoid this beer. Try a Wheach from O’Fallon or a Son of Peach from RJ Rockers instead. Those are terrific fruit beers.
RATING: F

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available everywhere, but go to a local Hy-Vee and pick up O’Fallon Wheach or RJ Rockers’ Son of Peach. Even buying a sixer of Pacifico and putting a lime in it is much better than this.

Bass Pale Ale is relatively well-known around the world. Most Irish pubs will have this on tap or in the bottle. All liquor stores I have been to carry this beer. This beer was brewed in Ireland for a while but now is being made in the UK. Not a knock your socks off beer but not too bad either.
REVIEW
Pour: Amber colored pour with nice white head.
Aroma: A faint smell of toast but not much for hops.
Taste: Flavor is malty not very hoppy like your American Pale Ales. Kind of disappointing.
Overall: So many better pale ales out there, I wouldn’t waste my time with this one. Flavor seems to have changed as this used to be pretty decent. Buy a good American Pale Ale and don’t blow $8 on a sixer of this.
RATING: D+

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available all over the area, but don’t spend money on this, look to Millstream’s Pale Ale or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. This is a pretty piss poor pale ale.

A favorite brewery of mine is Ale Asylum in Madison, WI. Very hoppy and fantastic beers and really cool brewery with a limited but very good menu ranks Ale Asylum near the top of my list. Ambergeddon is a hoppy beer with a nice amount of malt flavor. Madison, WI is only a 2-3 hour drive for Eastern Iowaners, so make the trip to Ale Asylum (www.aleasylum.com). On the drive up, stop in Potosi, Mount Horeb, and New Glarus, for some great beer.
REVIEW
Pour: Amber colored pour with nice white head.
Aroma: Smell of hops and malts.
Taste: Initial flavor of hops and the malts come in next. Good stuff!
Overall: Another strong beer from Ale Asylum. Like I said above, Wisconsin is making some awesome beers, make the trip up there and drink some really good stuff.
RATING: C+

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available at all Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits, John’s Grocery, Benz Beverage Depot, and probably most liquor stores. Give it try!

A beer that impresses me every time I have it for its creaminess and smoothness. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (http://www.youngs-chocolate-stout.com/) is one of the finer stouts out there. An English brewed beer Young’s combines milk chocolate with dark chocolate for this wonderfully smooth stout. I try to keep this beer in my fridge as much as possible but for a 4-pack of their cans the cost is anywhere between $8-$10. But, sometimes to drink good beer you have to ignore the price. 
REVIEW
Pour:Dark cloudy brown with a thick tan head.
Aroma: Smell of chocolate and maybe a little coffee.
Taste: Wonderfully chocolate flavor with a little coffee in there as well. Creaminess is very similar to Guinness if you have had that.
Overall: A terrific beer. If you are into stouts this is something for you. If you are new to trying the “darker” beers you might want to start with this one because of its creaminess and smoothness.
RATING: A

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available at all Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits, John’s Grocery, Benz Beverage Depot, and probably most liquor stores. Give it try!

A beer that impresses me every time I have it for its creaminess and smoothness. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (http://www.youngs-chocolate-stout.com/) is one of the finer stouts out there. An English brewed beer Young’s combines milk chocolate with dark chocolate for this wonderfully smooth stout. I try to keep this beer in my fridge as much as possible but for a 4-pack of their cans the cost is anywhere between $8-$10. But, sometimes to drink good beer you have to ignore the price. 
REVIEW
Pour:Dark cloudy brown with a thick tan head.
Aroma: Smell of chocolate and maybe a little coffee.
Taste: Wonderfully chocolate flavor with a little coffee in there as well. Creaminess is very similar to Guinness if you have had that.
Overall: A terrific beer. If you are into stouts this is something for you. If you are new to trying the “darker” beers you might want to start with this one because of its creaminess and smoothness.
RATING: A

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available at all Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits, John’s Grocery, Benz Beverage Depot, and probably most liquor stores. Give it try!