Evil Twin Brewing: Falco 7%

I always love going to Mystic Station in Malden. They have one of the best beer menu's around and their food is amazing. This time I went with Falco from Evil Twin Brewing. It's a perfectly well-balanced American IPA. The color is golden with a foamy head. You get notes of malts, grapefruits, and tangerine. The taste follows the nose bringing all of those aromas back into the beer. Overall, Falco was a decent IPA. It wasn't really what I was looking for, but it was a decent a well-balanced IPA. 

Tree House Brewing Company: Haze 8.2%

Here we have another one from Tree House Brewing Company. Haze is a double IPA that is a super hazy yellow with a foamy white head. The smell is of peach, orange, and passionfruit. The taste follows the nose with some citrus notes followed by peach and grapefruit. Overall, Haze is another good juice bomb from Tree House. They seem to be slowly rising up the ranks for me and becoming one of my favorite breweries out there.

Lone Pine Brewing Company: Fidlar 8.1%

Fidlar is a new DIPA from Lone Pine Brewing Company. It pours a hazy gold with a short white head. You get aromas of mango, pineapple, peach, and pear. The taste follows the nose bringing all of those flavors back into the beer. It is fairly dry with a citrus finish and light bitterness. Overall, Fidlar was a hit for me and has become one of my favorites from Lone Pine.

Tree House Brewing Company: Green 7.6%

Tree House Brewing Company makes some amazing beers. They are slowing rising up the ranks for me as I try more of what they are coming out with. Green is an American IPA that is a hazy orange with a small white head. You get some flowery aromas when Green is poured out of the 16 oz can. There are slight citrus and tropical fruit aromas as well. You defiantly get that juicy aspect right from the first sip. The taste is citrus with a tropical fruit following. I pick up pineapple, grapefruit, orange and a little peach. It finishes with a mild bitterness. Overall, Green was typical NE style IPA that packs that juicy flavor. Its not my favorite from Tree House, but it's still a winner in my book. 

Tree House Brewing Company: Alter Ego 6.8%

Wow....those were the exact words that came out of my mouth as soon as I tasted Alter Ego. Alter Ego was a super hazy orange American IPA with not much head. The smell and taste was of juicy tropical fruits and citrus. I got notes of mango, peach, and orange zest. Overall, Alter Ego was a pure juice bomb. It was just amazing in every aspect and I wouldn't expect anything less from Tree House. It has the same base as Julius, but they altered the dry hopping process. I would suggest you make it out to the brewery and try one today.

Trillium Brewing Company: Fort Point Pale Ale 6.6%

Trillium Brewing Company is becoming one of Massachusetts go to breweries when you come to the state. Fort Point is Trillium's signature pale ale. You get aromas of citrus, tropical fruit, and peach. The taste is of pineapple and mango mixed with a combination of citrus and pine. It has a light bitterness with a dry finish. Overall, Fort Point was a decent pale ale.  

Bissell Brothers Brewing Co: Substance 6.6%

Substance is Bissell Brothers flagship ale at the brewery. It's a light hazy orange with a very foamy head. You get aromas of tropical fruits and citrus. The taste is of melon, orange, and tropical fruits. Overall, Substance is that NE style IPA that you just can't get enough of. It's one of those beers I always look forward to every time I head up to Portland, knowing I can find it on draft at almost any bar there.

Austin Street Brewery: Florens 7.2%

In my opinion this might be the best IPA I have tried from Austin Street. A thick, orange, hazy with an one-inch foamy white head, Florens is a grand slam in my book. You get aromas of peach, passion fruit, orange zest and more. The taste follows the nose with all those flavors bursting onto your taste buds. Florens is smooth with a bitterness ending. Overall, Florens was a fantastic IPA brewed with passion and care. Austin Street has recently made it a main stay in their lineup and I could not be happier.    

Austin Street Brewery: Kon Tiki 7.3%

Each time I go to Austin Street Brewery I am more and more impressed with their beers. Kon Tiki is a hop forward, tropical IPA. It's a yellow orange color with a slight haze and a thick, white, foamy head. You get aromas of pineapple, tropical fruits and spice. The flavor follows the smell with tropical fruit notes of melon, pineapple, and lemon zest. There is a layer of light bitterness hidden behind all those flavors. Overall, Kon Tiki was a very good IPA that has flavor and not too much bitterness to make it a very enjoyable beer.

Fore River Brewing Co: Estuary 8.4%

Day 7 has us at Fore River Brewing Co. in Portland, ME. This Double IPA was smooth with almost no bitterness. Estuary is an almost clear orange color with an 1-inch head when poured from its 16oz can. The smell is of citrus and tropical fruit notes with a hint of pine. The taste follows the nose with similar notes. The pine is so light that you almost don't taste it. Overall, Estuary was a very good DIPA that I enjoyed and I hope that you will enjoy also if you get a chance to try it. 

Lone Pine Brewing Company: Kiwi Cannon 7.5%

Day 6 takes us to Lone Pine Brewing. Lone Pine is a small brewery in Portland, but they sure are doing big things. Kiwi Cannon is an IPA brewed with New Zealand hops. Kiwi Cannon is a light hazy orange with a small head when poured. You get all kinds of fruity aromas right away. The taste is sweet with flavors of melon and kiwi. Overall, this was an interesting take on an IPA that I enjoyed. It was a switch up from the normal, bitter IPAs that I enjoy so much. If you want to try a different style IPA I would suggest you run to Lone Pine and try it now while they still have some.

Mast Landing Brewing Co: Double Dry Hopped Tell Tale 5.3%

Day 5 of Portland week brings us to Mast Landing Brewing Co. in Westbrook, ME. Double Dry Hopped Tell Tale pours a dark hazy orange. You get tropical aromas as soon as the beer hits the glass. As for the taste, it starts off with some citrus notes, followed by tropical fruits notes, and ends with a very light pine flavor. There is very little bitterness which makes Tell Tale an easy drinker. Overall, I was happy with Tell Tale. It combines all of the flavors that I look for in a beer. I would suggest that you check them out if you are ever in the area. 

Orono Brewing Company: Ozone IPA 5.6%

Day 4 of Portland week brings us a beer from Orono, ME. Ozone IPA is a very drinkable IPA with a mild bitterness and scents and flavors of citrus and pine. I found Ozone in Bier Cellar - an amazing package store up in Portland. They have a very extensive selection of beer, wine, and spirits. If you are ever in the area, I would highly recommend checking them out. Next time I go up to Portland I will definitely be going back there to find some other gems. Overall, I was a big fan of Ozone. I am hoping to one day make my way to Orono to check out the brewery and have some more of their beers. 

Bissell Brothers Brewing: Seed 6%

For day 3 of Portland week we have Seed from Bissell Brothers. Seed was part of the reason I made my way up to Portland this past weekend. Seed is a Berliner Weisse brewed with over 2,000 pounds of strawberries and raspberries. It's a deep red color with scents of strawberry, raspberry, and alcohol. The flavor followed the nose with strong tastes of strawberry and raspberry. Seed is a little tart but not too overpowering. Overall, my first experience with Seed was a good one. The strawberry and raspberry flavors make it taste more like soda instead of beer. I know Seed just dropped but I already look forward to next year's batch.

Foundation Brewing Company: Venture 8%

For day 2 we have Venture from Foundation Brewing Company. Venture is a Maine IPA brewed with Columbus, Cascade, Chinook, El Dorado, and Mosaic. Golden orange in color with a small head, Venture has a smell of pine and tropical fruits. The taste has mango upfront, followed by pine. It has a medium to strong bitterness. Overall, Venture is amazing. The taste and smell is everything I was looking for in a beer. It has been one of my favorites and a go to every time I visit Foundation. 

Foundation Brewing Company: Cosmic Bloom 5.8%

To start off Portland week as I'm going to call it, we have Cosmic Bloom from Foundation Brewing Company. Cosmic Bloom is an American Ale brewed with Galaxy, Amarillo, Centennial, Azacca, and Magnum hops. This beer smelled absolutely amazing. You get grapefruit and mango aromas as soon as it comes out of the can. The taste starts off bitter with flavors of grapefruit, orange, berry and mango. Overall, the more I drank Cosmic Bloom the more I ended up liking it. It's one of those beers that you'll end up falling in love with the deeper you get into it.

Gun Hill Brewing Company: Mosaic Soft Serve 3%

You wouldn't think a 3% IPA exists, but Mosaic Soft Serve from Gun Hill Brewing Company has made one. Foggy yellow in color, Mosaic Soft Serve has a very light lemon aroma to it. The taste is also very light and includes flavors of pine. Overall, I wasn't a big fan of Mosaic Soft Serve. There just wasn't enough flavor to keep me wanting to drink it. I will, however, give Gun Hill Brewing another shot when I find another one of their beers in a store near me.

Backlash Beer Company: Fenway 7%

Backlash Beer Company has been turning out some good beers lately and Fenway is no different. Fenway is an IPA from their Stomping Grounds Series. It's brewed with Citra and Idaho hops. As soon as I poured Fenway from the can I could instantly smell citrus, orange, melon, and pine. The taste had a lot of similar flavors. It started off with a bitterness and ended somewhat smooth. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Fenway and can't wait to see what else Backlash has coming out in their Stomping Grounds Series. 

Cisco Brewers Inc.: Madaquet Double IPA 8%

I was very intrigued when I saw Madaquet DIPA on the chalkboard series at Yard House. I'm a big DIPA fan so anytime I have the chance to try one I'm all for it. Madaquet was a hazy yellow orange color with very little head poured on draft. It had a light citrus smell to it. The taste, on the other hand, was something totally different. Madaquet had a pine taste to it, lacking the citrus flavor I was hoping for. The beer also had a mild to strong bitterness to it.  Overall, I was slightly disappointed in Madaquet. I was expecting a juicy, New England style DIPA, but got something else. I guess you can't always get what you want now can you?

Aeronaut Brewing Company: 3 Years With Dr. Nandu 7.6%

I was very happy when I found out that Aeronaut came out with a 3 Year with Dr. Nandu because I'm a big fan of A Year with Dr. Nandu. 3 Years with Dr. Nandu is a hop forward DIPA brewed with mosaic hops. Poured from a 16 oz can into a can style glass, I pick up a big hop smell. The taste is smooth with a big citrus flavor up front, followed by a slight pine taste. It's not as juicy as Double Hop Hop but it still has that juicy aspect to it. Since it's so smooth there is not a lot of bitterness to it. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Where A Year with Dr. Nandu is more malt forward, I was happy that 3 Years with Dr. Nandu was more hop forward to change things up a little bit. Aeronaut is coming out with some amazing beers so you should check them out if you haven't yet.

SingleCut Beersmiths: Softly Spoken Magic Spells 8.6%

Finally, a different brewery I get to try out...SingleCut Beersmiths. Softly Spoken Magic Spells from SingleCut Beersmiths is a IIPA that packs flavor and is super soft to your lips when you sip it. A dark hazy orange color when poured from a can, you pick up aromas of citrus and hops. The taste was soft like a fluffy pillow with flavors of tropical citrus and pine. Overall, Softly Spoken Magic Spell was pretty amazing. The way it felt soft to drink and the combination of flavors made me wish I bought more than just one. 

Tree House Brewing Company: Sap 7.3%

Tree House Brewing Company absolutely crushed this one. Sap is an American IPA brewed with North American Hops. It pours a foggy orange with a medium white head. You get aromas of grapefruit, pine, pineapple, and mango from the first sniff of the glass. The taste has a soft dry finish with flavors of citrus and not as much pine as you would expect for the amount that you smell. Overall, I thought this beer was amazing. From the complex flavors to the soft dry finish, this beer is a winner in my book. I look forward to seeing what else Tree House has to offer. 

Finback Brewery: Meridian 7%

WOW.....Finback Brewery has a winner on their hands. Meridian is an IPA dry hopped with meridian and mosaic hops. The smell is of tropical fruits. The taste is very simple and starts with a strong melon flavor that you just want to fall in love with. Next comes notes of lemon and pineapple. There is very little bitterness which I seemed to love for this particular IPA. Overall, this was a grand-slam for me. We don't get a lot of Finback here so when it shows up it moves quickly. I will be keeping my eye out for the next time another one shows up so I can be sure to try what else is in their lineup. 

Night Shift Brewing: Furth 5.5%

Another day, another Night Shift Brewing beer. This time it's Furth, their German-style hefeweizen ale. It pours a very slight orange, for that classic look of a hefeweizen. The smell is wheat, banana and cloves. Taste follows the aromas with a light wheat flavor, followed by banana and cloves. I also pick up a slight orange flavor. Overall, Furth won't be a go to for me when it comes to hefeweizen, but it's a decent effort from Night Shift.

Great Rhythm Brewing Company: Burst 6.2%

Burst is a collaboration between Great Rhythm Brewing Company and Black Hog Brewing Company. They call Burst a kettle sour IPA and that is exactly what it is. The color is a very hazy light orange with a pink tinge. The smell is sour with an alcoholic scent to it. There is intense guava, strawberry and grapefruit notes in Burst. As you know, I am a big IPA fan but not a big sour fan, so I was intrigued by this combination. Overall, Burst was the right combination of sour and IPA to make me like this one. It had that sour aspect to it but still had that hoppiness that I look for.

Night Shift Brewing: The 87 8%

Hands down, one of my favorites from Night Shift Brewing is the 87. Named after their address, 87 Santilli Highway in Everett, the 87 is an American Double IPA that is very well balanced. You get aromas of pine and citrus as soon as you run your nose over the glass. The taste is of citrus, tropical fruit, and fresh grass. The bitterness is not too overpowering, but rather quite pleasant. Overall, the 87 is just one of those beers that you need to try if you make your way to the brewery or happen to find it in a store near you. 

Down the Road Beer Co: Feyborn Berliner Weisse 4.5%

It was time to switch things up from the normal IPAs and Hefe. This time I went with a Berliner Weisse from Down the Road Beer Company. Rose pink in color with a small white head, you pick up aromas of fruits (specifically strawberries) and wheat. The taste is very tart and sour with flavors of strawberries and maybe even some raspberries. You also taste a little wheat and malt. Overall, Feyborn wasn't a bad beer. If you're into sours you should give it a shot. I'm not sure if I'll ever be a fan of sours, but I also said that once about IPAs and now they are one of my favorites. So, there is always that chance one day I will like sours. Here's to the next sour that gets the chance to win me over. 

Night Shift Brewing: Morph #53 5.5%

Another one from Night Shift Brewing. This time it's Morph batch #53. Morph is a rotating IPA series with new recipes from batch to batch. They experiment with different hops and malts to showcase a range of IPA varieties. When they made #53 Night Shift brewed with Rakau, Vic Secret, and Idaho 7 hops. You get notes of Meyer lemon, grapefruit zest, melon rind, and slight herbaceousness. The color is a hazy orange with a fluffy head. Overall Morph #53 was a great experience. I always look forward to each Morph batch to see what Night Shift has done to switch things up. 

Maine Brewing Company: A Tiny Beautiful Something 5.5%

Maine Brewing Company A Tiny Beautiful Something is that beautiful pale ale that you have been looking for. A stunning cloudy orange color with a super fluffy white head, you get aromas of floral hops followed by citrus and grassy notes once poured into a glass. The taste is very clean and refreshing with notes of citrus and pine. There is also a light malt sweetness and clean bitterness to this beer. Overall, A Tiny Beautiful Something was a phenomenal pale ale brewed with precision and I look forward to picking up another one from Maine Brewing Company.

Lamplighter Brewing Company: So Much For Subtlety 8%

WOW just WOW. I have been waiting to try something from Lamplighter Brewing Company and boy was So Much For Subtlety a good one. Pour from a 16 oz can into a tulip style glass you pick up aromas of citrus right off the bat. I would say orange is a major player in this one. The taste brings that orange back into the beer but it also brings other major flavors such melon and pine. In my opinion a DIPA is much smoother than your regular IPA and there was not much bitterness in this one. Overall, So Much For Subtlety was very good. I look forward to visiting Lamplighter and seeing what else they have.

Heretic Brewing Company: Make America Juicy Again 6.5%

Make America Juicy Again by Heretic Brewing Company is an American IPA. I drank this one from the can so not sure what color it was but it definitely was juicy. You pick up aromas of passion fruit, citrus, lemon, pineapple, pine, biscuit, and malt. The taste was similar to the smell with a lot of the same notes. Make America Juicy Again was very smooth with very little bitterness which is surprising for an IPA. It also had a dry finish. Overall this was a very good introduction to Heretic Brewing Company for me and I look forward to trying what else they have to offer.

Weihenstephaner: Hefeweissbier 5.4%

Another one of my favorite hefeweissbier. Like i've prevoulsy have said Weihenstephaner is "The oldest brewery in the World". There Hefeweissbier is amazing and what I would consider a top notch hefe. It pours a golden cloudy yellow with a super fluffy white head. You get a nice yeasty aroma followed by banana, wheat, and spices. The taste is fairly sweet with very minimal bitterness.  Hefeweissbier packs flavors of banana, yeast and grains. Overall if your looking for a  Hefeweissbier this is the one you would want to get. 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales: Shoegaze 6%

This beer was strictly bought off the look of the can and the name of the beer. Shoegaze from Stillwater Artisanal Ales is an distorted farmhouse pale ale. A super bright golden color with a fluffy white head it packs a bunch of different flavors. It's tart and dry with a base of citrus, grass, and tropical fruits. The smell puts off aromas of pine and citrus. Overall this was something different that I wasn't expecting. I took a shot in the dark on something and it turned out to be a winner in my book.

Lawson's Finest Liquids: Super Session #8 4.8%

Super Session #8 is an American IPA by Lawson's Finest. Poured from a 12 oz can into a can style glass Super Session is a light amber color with a super fluffy head. You get aromas of peaches, apricot and pineapple. The taste brings a lot of the flavors back into Super Session #8 with added flavors of malts and mango. Overall Super Session #8 is solid beer. It's a nice light IPA that packs all of the flavors some of the heavier IPAs bring to the the table. 

Night Shift Brewing: Santilli 6%

Another day another Night Shift beer...this time I went with Santilli. Santilli is a smooth sipping American IPA that packs flavor. Poured into the 16 oz Santilli can glass Santilli is a straw golden color with a big white fluffy head. It has aromas of pine and citrus. On first sip you get a nice clean malt taste, followed by pine and citrus. There's a medium bitterness to Santilli. Overall, once again Night Shift did their thing and made a great beer to add to an already strong line up.

Night Shift Brewing: Fluffy 5.2%

Night Shift Brewing Fluffy is an American IPA brewed with Topaz, Vic Secret, and Hallertau Blanc hops. Poured from the 16 oz can into a can style glass Fluffy is a hazy dark orange with a tall cream head. You instantly get aromas of orange and grapefruit followed by melon and some sweet malts. The taste is a bit light on the palate with an upfront flavor of orange and tangerine. It is followed by some floral hops and a little melon. Overall Fluffy was an easy drinker, which at 5.2%, you kind of expect that. This adds another solid beer to an already strong lineup for Night Shift. As of now, it has only been brewed three times and only available at the brewery. Hopefully they will brew this one again. 

Allagash Brewing Company: Emile 7.2%

When I saw Emile in the store I was excited to try it out seeing that it was aged in wine barrels. However, when I took my first sip I was disappointed. Not realizing that it was going to be a sour gave me a little bit of a shock. It was very tart with a taste of vinegar, oak, and grains. The smell brought in all of the notes with an added smell of cider. As for the color it was a very dark redish brown with medium grey head. I'm usually a fan of Allagash but unfortunately this time I was not. 

Finback Brewery: Lollipop Woods 6.8%

Lollipop Woods was a very interesting beer. It was the third collaboration between Finback Brewery and RAR Brewery. They categorize it as a cherry lime IPA. Poured from the 16oz can it was almost a pink grapefruit color with barely any head. You can pick up some fruity hop aromas. For the taste I didn't get any lime or cherry. It was more of a grapefruit with a slight orange taste to me. There was a medium bitterness to Lollipop Woods. Overall it was a pretty decent effort from Finback and RAR.

Banded Horn Brewing Co: Veridian IPA 6%

I'm not a fan of giving bad reviews but if I didn't give my honest opinion what kind of blog would this be so here it goes. Poured out of a 12oz can Veridian IPA was a cloudy yellow with a very tall fluffy head that lasted for a long time. A very strong hop aroma with a slight citrus smell. The taste brings all the flavors back into Veridian IPA with an added pine taste. There was a mild bitterness with a slight aftertaste. Overall I wasn't really impressed with this one. It just didn't do anything for my flavor pallet. I will be willing to try more from Banded Horn in future.  

Gneiss Brewing Company: Weiss 4.8%

I was pleasantly surprised to find this Weiss from Gneiss Brewing Company. A small brewery in Limerick, ME they surely have perfected the art of making a hefeweizen. Poured a cloudy yellow you start to pick up a smell of wheat and clove. The taste brings that wheat and clove back into the beer with an added banana flavor that you expect from a hefeweizen. It had a light crisp refreshing feel to it as I kept drinking it. Overall this is a nice addition to the hefeweizen family. I will definitely be looking forward to another one of these.    

Long Trail Brewing Co: Space Juice 8.7%

Long Trail Brewing produces Space Juice in limited quantities. Brewed with Galaxy, Mosaic, Citra, Columbus and Ella hops, the beer is quite hazy yellow in color. It poured with a finger high white head that died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. Moderate aromas of piney hops are present in the nose along with notes of tangerine citrus. The taste starts off with flavors of citrusy hops and hints of passionfruit and finishes with strong amounts of piney hops that linger into the finish. There is a moderate to high amount of bitterness. This DIPA has a nice mix of citrus and piney flavors along with bits of tropical fruits.

Avery Brewing Company: Liliko'i Kepolo Passion Fruit 5.6%

When I go out to eat I usually try to find a place that has a good beer list and Yard House is one of those places. I normally head straight to the IPA section but I decided to switch things up this time. I looked in the fruit, lambic, and sour section and found Liliko'i Kepolo Passion Fruit by Avery Brewing Company. Pours a golden hazy with a small white head. This beer really packs all the tropical fruit flavors that I was looking for. Juicy peach, apricot, passion fruit, mango, and pineapple are just some of the smells I picked up. The taste is followed by all the same fruity notes that I picked up when I first smelled Liliko'i Kepolo. It has a little bit of a sour taste to it, but nothing too overpowering. I would say just the right amount with almost no bitterness whatsoever. Overall, Liliko'i Kepolo was a nice switch up to my normal everyday beer choice. 

Down The Road Beer Co.: Seventh Star IPA 6.5%

Currently Down The Road is building a new brewery and taproom in the fermentation district of Everett, MA. It will be right down the street from Night Shift and I cannot wait until they open after having this Seventh Star IPA from them. Golden orange in color, you get a slight strawberry smell with some hops tossed in. The flavor, on the other hand, is all pine. I'm not getting any fruity taste whatsoever. It has a smooth up front taste with a huge bitterness ending. Overall if you're looking for a beer with huge bitter notes this is the one for you.

Zoller :Zwickel Beer 5.5%

Zoller Zwickel Beer is the ultimate lawn mower beer, perfect for a hot day. This beer is golden in color with a big foamy white head and has scents of barley and hops. Zwickel if super light in taste with hardly any bitterness. This is perfect for someone who's not a big beer fan but wants to try something different. Check out your local foreign section at your closest liquor store and pick one up today.

Blue Point Brewing Company: Citrus Plunge IPA 6.5%

Citrus Plunge is an East Coast IPA brewed with orange and honey. Poured from a 16oz can it's a cloudy orange with a tall foamy off-white head. You get major notes of floral hops and citrus. The first sip brings a hoppy flavor with some citrus. I'm getting some orange, lemon, honey, biscuit and earthy notes. This was a very smooth drinker and left a long lasting bitterness on my tongue. Overall the Citrus Plunge was decent. It wasn't my favorite IPA but I would give it another shot to prove it's shelf to me.

Tree House Brewery Co.: Lights On 5.6%

I've heard so many good things about Tree House that I had to try it out for myself. I went with a Lights On and it did not disappoint. Lights On by Tree House Brewery is an American Pale Ale. It pours a super hazy orange with a white fluffy head. As it comes out of the 16oz can you get all kinds of fruity aromas. The first couple of sips brings flavors of papaya, guava, and mango. There was almost no bitterness at all. It had a medium body with a smooth and creamy center. I can't wait to make it out to Charlton to see the new brewery and pick up some cans.

Distelhäuser: Landbier Dunkle 5.1%

This is another German import that Night Shift Distribution brought over and it is a great one. They really did their research when it came to finding great beers to bring over to the US. Landbier is a dunkle with 5.1% ABV. It comes a dark amber color with a small head poured out of the one pint glass bottle. You pick up some sweet and malty aromas as you go to take the first sip. The taste was very smooth with a well balanced flavor of malts, hops, and not really a lot of bitterness.  Distelhäuser has been brewing beers since 1811 and they also won brewery of the year in 2014. Overall if your a dunkle fan or just looking for something new to try I would suggest you go get a Landbier.

Night Shift Brewing: Swell 7.1%

When I found out that Night Shift was coming out with Swell, an American IPA, I knew I needed to try it. The combination of Mosaic, Citra, and Amarillo hop made me feel like this was going to be a winner, and boy it was. It's from their small-batch series and I really hope they bring it back. Poured from a 16oz can you get a slight hazy yellow color and a big white fluffy head. The first sip brings flavors of candid papaya and pineapple. A smooth beginning with a small bitter middle and a light finish, Swell just keeps getting better and doesn't disappoint. Swell adds a great beer to an already amazing line up from Night Shift Brewing. There might not be any cans left so if you are able to make it out to the taproom I would suggest getting over to Everett to try Swell on draft before its gone.

Jack's Abby Craft Lagers: House Lager 5.2%

Jack's Abby Craft Lagers has really been trying to get their beers out there. Whether it's Fenway, Gillette, or even your local restaurant, you are starting to see more and more of their beers around. This time I was at the  Myopia Polo Club in South Hamilton to watch a polo match for a party and saw they had Jack's Abby House Lager so I gave it a shot. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Its a Munich Helles Lager with aromas of biscuits, malts, and honey. You pick up a lot of the same flavors as you start to sip the Helles. Overall it was very smooth with a light sweetness. If you see it out somewhere I would highly recommend that you give this a shot.  

Backlash Beer Company: Citra Salute 8%

I was excited to find out that Backlash was coming out with a citra version of Salute. I've tried a lot of their beers in the past and have been very happy with them. This was not the case with salute this time around. I was kind of disappointed with it. I think it has to do with the fact that I was building this one up in my head to be a juice bomb. I don't know why that is, they never said it was, but in my mind I figured it would be. Overall it was still a decent DIPA. It was a hop forward double with a smooth upfront taste and a slight bitterness finish. I found it to have a bitter aftertaste that would just linger around for a little bit. You definitely could smell some citrus as I was drinking it from the can. At the end of the day I will give Citra Salute another go to try to win me over.