A friend of mine had recently brough over a six pack of O’Fallon Hemp Hop Rye (www.ofallonbrewery.com) to my house to taste. I was a little skeptical since I had never really heard of this brew before. The description of this beer says they use hemp seed to give the beer a nutty flavor and along with the rye there are many different flavors going on. Did I love this beer? No. I did however, find it drinkable, but I found myself wanting something a little more. Maybe it was more nuttiness or maltiness, not sure, I think I will have to try this one more time to find out.

If you do decide to try this beer let me know your thoughts.
REVIEW
 Pour: Amber pour with a nice white head.
Aroma: Malty and sweet aroma.
Taste: Flavor is sweet and malty, with a little nuttiness at the end.
Overall: B
Eastern Iowa Residents:Friend got it at his local Hy-Vee.

Sorry for the long delay between reviews, just got back from a small vacation. Onto the brew!!!
The next beer on my list is a pale ale from Boulder Beer Company (www.boulderbeer.com) called Hazed and Infused. I love pale ales and this one really came through. The description on this beer is that it is unfilered and “dry-hopped” which means hops were added after the fermentation process to give it a really nice hoppy aroma. An ABV of 4.85% makes this a very drinkable beer and will be nice and refreshing after mowing the lawn this summer. Looking forward to trying more from this brewery!
REVIEW
 Pour: A nice hazy orange pour with big white head.
Aroma: Floral hop aroma, some pine and citrus also.
Taste: Really nice and smooth hop flavor, citrus, and pine
Overall: B-
Eastern Iowa Residents: I have only seen this at Family Beer and Liquor in the East Dubuque. If you have seen it elsewhere in Eastern Iowa area please let us know!!

A beer that is glorified through commercials of beaches, good-looking women, and parties; Corona Extra has really become very popular in recent years. I’ll be honest, I could easily grade this beer as an “F”, it tastes and smells very skunky, but on a 95 degree day in Iowa, add a little lime and as long as it’s cold, it hits the………Screw it, this beer sucks, there are much better things to drink during the summer. If you want Mexican beers to drink go for a Negro Modello, Dos Equis Amber, or a Pacifico.
REVIEW
 Pour: I have never actually had a Corona poured in a glass before.
Aroma: Skunky aroma, not very pleasant.
Taste: Same as the aroma, skunky
Overall: F
Eastern Iowa Residents: Available everywhere. Save your money.

My local grocery store is always displaying beers from Point Brewery (www.pointbeer.com/point) out of Steven’s Point, WI. so I decided to try one of their six packs. I went with their White Ale. I guess I can sum this beer up pretty quickly, it wasn’t all that impressive. It wasn’t a terrible white ale, but it did nothing to stand out. It was drinkable but I wouldn’t throw the $6-$7 for another six pack of this. John’s White Ale and BLue Moon are better white ales than this one.
I will try their Cascade Pale Ale next to see if that one is any good.
REVIEW
 Pour: Hazy yellow pour with a white head.
Aroma: Light spice smell, wheat, and yeast.
Taste: Sweet flavor with the spice notes in the end.
Overall: C-

Eastern Iowa Residents: My local grocery store carries this beer and I have seen it at all Hy-Vee and major liquor stores. Looking at $6-$8 a six pack, save your money and grab a Millstream John’s White Ale or Blue Moon.

Back to one of my favorite breweries, Rogue Brewery. One of their most popular is Rogue Dead Guy Ale. (www.rogueales.com) I actually have to give my brother-in-law to be props for introducing me to this beer a few years ago. He brought it to our families beer festival and everyone was kind of put off by the look of the bottle but in the end it did very well. In my previous post about Capital Breweries Maibock, I kind of bashed that style. Well, apparently Rogue Dead Guy is a German Style Maibock. So, I’ve kind of put my foot in my mouth, but I know I would much rather have Rogue’s than Capitals. 
Very malty taste and very smooth. A great beer to sip on and enjoy. Rogue keeps pumping out terrific beers. Give this one a try, it’s worth it.

REVIEW
 Pour: Copper, dark orange color pour.
Aroma: Smell of malts, caramel, and apples
Taste: Sweet caramel with a honey-wheat bread flavor
Overall: B

Eastern Iowa Residents: This beer is available for purchase at most high-end liquor stores such as Benz, Hy-Vee, Family Beer and Liquor and John’s Grocery. The Wig and Pen on the Coralville Strip also has it in bottles. The price of $9.99-$10.99 is worth it. A very good beer.

This review should have a big *asterisk* next to it because I’m reviewing a style of beer that I have never been fond of, so if it comes off as unfair or off the mark it’s because I’m not a big Bock or Maibock drinker. Capital makes pretty good beer, located in Middleton, WI, most of their beers are available in Eastern Iowa. The Maibock beer is available from February to June.
This beer was just too sweet for me, a bready/honey sweetness that I just couldn’t get by. Not enough hoppy bitterness to overcome that overlysweet taste. I won’t discount Capital for this beer and am looking forward to trying some of their others.

REVIEW
POUR: Golden orange pour with thick white head.
AROMA: Fruity (apples, pears), yeast, sweet honey smell.
TASTE: Flavor of malts, fruit, and dominantly sweet
OVERALL: C-

RESIDENTS: John’s Grocery and Hy-Vee carry multiple Capital products.

I have to credit Boulevard Brewing (www.blvdbeer.com) with getting me into the craft beer scene with their Wheat beer. I always like to try their new releases and their beers are something I know I will enjoy if I can’t decide on another beer.
Let me first say that if you are new to craft beer and had been drinking light beers all the time, then Pilsner styles might be a good transition to the craft beer scene.
With Boulevard Pilsner, this is what American Pilsner should be. A straw colored beer, aroma of grass and malts. Flavor on the lightside with a little hop at the end. Not bad. However, I’ve recently been addicted to Sam Adams Noble Pils which is my favorite American Pilsner out there.
REVIEW
POUR: Deep golden,straw colored pour with nice white head.
AROMA: Grassy, malty smell.
TASTE: Flavor of malts, yeast, and hops at the end.
OVERALL: C

EASTERN IOWA RESIDENTS: See this more often now, and the price tag has been anywhere from $6-$8. A great transitional beer and very easy drinking. Try this and then make sure you try Sam Adams Noble Pils.

Leinenkugels’ beers (www.leinie.com)  for me are usually middle of the road, they won’t knock your socks off with a fantastic flavor but they won’t repulse you with their products either. This is a decent nut-brown ale, and reasonable priced. Fireside nut-brown is a little too sweet for me, has sugar caramel almost Tootsie roll taste that sticks out a little too much for my taste.  The price for a six-pack is very reasonable however and this beer is drinkable. I would rather spend my six bucks on a Hazelnut Brown by Rogue however.
REVIEW
POUR: Dark brown color pour with a somewhat tan head. Nice lacing.
AROMA: Roasted malts, nuts, and caramel.
TASTE: Overly sweet caramel taste, a little too much for me, roasted malts. A good brown to start on.
OVERALL: C

EASTERN IOWA RESIDENTS: A winter seasonal offering by Leinenkugels that is available at most good liquor stores. Hy-vee, John’s Grocery will certainly have it.
If you’ve had it, let me know your thoughts!