Nightshift Cloudjuice

The Stats
Style: American IPA
ABV: 5.3%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.02/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.07/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Cloudjuice is a new recipe designed to create a downpour of tropical goodness on your palate. Hopped with Galaxy, Motueka, Mosaic, and Huell Melon."

Pours out light orange in color with a hazy body and a finger of white head.

The aroma contains lots of stone and sweet fruits. A small lime character is also noticeable as is mild black pepper spice.

I get more lemon than lime on the taste and it is zesty and refreshing. Other fruity influences are peaches, apricots, and a good thud of honeydew melon. It's a veritable fruit salad up in here. The transition to me seems to knock on Galaxy's door as the middle of the mouth finally hits you with a delectable bitter bite which lets the beer flex it's hop muscles. That bitterness stays with you all the way on the second half where there is also the introduction of a powdery malt presence, which is trying to be as big as the hops. The finish goes back to some of that lime from the aroma for a pleasant ending.

Mouthfeel is medium and has an overall refreshing nature. The malt flavor lingers quite a bit, but is joined by some lasting lemon and lime.

Cloudjuice was in fact a juicy IPA and impressively packed in a lot of flavor for a 5.3% beer. While maybe not quite a "session" IPA, this one still goes down easy and would be welcome on a hot Summer's day. It's light and zesty, but still has a good smack of bitterness to make it balanced and delicious.

Rating
8.2/10

Night Shift Buzz

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.5%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.05/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.3/5
- RateBeer: 3.75/5

"Double India pale ale brewed with wildflower honey and Lupulin powder."

Pours out golden yellow in color with a hazy body and two fingers of white head.

Lots of lemon and lemon peel dominate the aroma and add some tart acidity. The other star is beeswax with honey sweetness.

The main theme of the taste is sweetness. The wildflower honey is not shy at all about making its presence known as it adds in a sugary component to produce a sweet-tasting IPA. I mentioned beeswax on the aroma and it is just as prevalent here which mixes with the honey itself for a natural honeycomb flavor. In addition to the lemon, a significant amount of orange is also here, but combined with the sweet honey, it makes for a dessert-like orange sorbet. Overall bitterness is dialed down, but that's likely due to the use of the lupulin powder. I think that was a good call as bitter hop juice wouldn't mesh as well with the overwhelming honey flavor. The only indication of bitterness is at the very end on the back end of each sip which has a lingering bitter character, which is a nice final touch.

Mouthfeel is full with a creamy texture and is quite fluffy on the tongue. It doesn't feel like an Imperial IPA and drinks much lighter than 8.5%. Some might not dig on the abundance of honey sweetness, but I personally like it.

Buzz certainly made use of the honey in this IPA and it was a good match for lupulin powder. The fans of the sweeter IPA's will gravitate towards this Night Shift offering. It might be an acquired taste, but I still think everyone can find something to like about this beer.

Rating
8.3/10

Night Shift Coffee Darkling

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.8%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.21/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.2/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"To create Darkling 2017 we filled both bourbon and rye whiskey barrels with our imperial stout, then set them away to age. Once the barrels had imparted their oak character, we blended them and prepared some special treat - Coffee Darkling aged with coffee beans"

Sits pitch black in the glass with just the smallest bit of ruby red on the edges. The pour produced less than a finger of khaki-colored head.

The coffee is nice and fresh on the aroma and there's a lot of sweetness from the bourbon. I'm getting a strong black cherry and dark fruit aroma to this along with molasses, black licorice, leather, brown sugar, and a touch of vanilla extract.

Surprisingly, the dark fruit presence from the aroma is the biggest component on the taste. Raisins, cherries, and figs remind me of a solid Quadrupel, but this is still a massive imperial stout at its core. The coffee is still well-represented and it is more of a bitterless cold-brew than anything else. The bourbon is still a big player with it's sticky, sweet taste that is coating every inch of my tongue with a tiny bit of residual alcohol to boot. As it warms, a significant roasted malt presence really starts to pop. The back end has a surprising amount of bitterness which lingers long after each sip has gone away. A little touch of additional coffee comes in on the finish with a small vanilla kick.

Mouthfeel is as full as it should be. I distinctly remember the standard Darkling having one of the thickest mouthfeels of any beer I have ever had. While this is perfectly to spec for the stlye, this does not match the viscosity of that beer. Alcohol is subdued for the most part with some residual flavor as mentioned before on the taste. Take this one slowly as it will knock you on your ass.

Coffee Darkling did have a good amount of coffee, but it wasn't as big as I expected. Still, the added coffee beans helped enhance the natural coffee notes of the base stout. Bourbon presence was sticky and sweet, but rye whiskey seemed to be absent. All that being said, as a barrel-aged coffee stout, this was a stellar offering well worth several hours of imbibing on during a cold winter night.

Rating
9.0/10

Night Shift Dynasty

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.5%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.09/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.22/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Our imperial stout has arrived to reign over the New England winter! Dynasty is a massive, rich beer - the perfect can for a beer share, a tailgate, or an after-dinner treat. Notes of dark fruit and baker's chocolate cascade over the palate with a backbone of roast and molasses. At 11.5% ABV, Dynasty has some serious power."

Pours pitch black with no hint of brown or ruby red. I got a solid finger of almond-colored head.

Strong aromas of black coffee, black licorice, and leather come forth with attitude. Bitter dark chocolate, milk chocolate, roasted malts, and even hints of pine bring the aroma to a conclusion.

Much like the aroma, the biggest players here on the taste are again the black coffee and black licorice. The initial impact is a thud of sweetness with hints of cherries, but dark chocolate bitterness and coffee grounds wash that clean away. As an accent to the bitter flavors, some citrus starts to emerge and helps fend off some of the more bitter times. The back half has moments of vanilla and maybe even the smallest bit of toffee, but that licorice flavor never seems to let up. There's even a bit of plum or fruit concentrate in the aftertaste which is mostly all coffee.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied with a smooth texture and subtle heat on each sip. The 11.5% is nowhere to be found and the body isn't cloying or too thick.

Dynasty was a great Imperial Stout that didn't need added flavors to wow the palate. Lots of bitterness with splashes of piney and juicy hops resulted in a complex stout that hides the massive 11.5% beautifully.

Rating
9.0/10

Night Shift Bennington

The Stats
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 7%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.16/5
- Untappd: 4.04/5
- RateBeer: 3.77/5

"Oatmeal stout with Dutch-processed cocoa and maple syrup."

Sits black in the glass with just the slightest hue of ruby red on the edges and a less than a finger of almond-colored head.

Cocoa powder is big on the aroma as is Hershey's syrup and dark coffee. A kick of sugary sweetness represents the maple syrup and this finishes up with chocolate milk.

A solid coffee ground base sets up the taste and then I am hit with lots of milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Some bits of vanilla strengthen the dessert aspects of this beer and I'm getting a tasty iced coffee flavor complete with cream. Much like the aroma, a genuine maple syrup taste isn't exactly present, but it is represented by confectionery sweetness without being too sugary. The finish is all bitter, dark, iced coffee with a residual stickiness from the maple syrup.

Mouthfeel is thick, but not viscous. It has the full body of a stout with minimal carbonation and no trace of alcohol.

Bennington is an excellent dessert beer with enough coffee and chocolate to make your head spin. There's plenty of sugar from the maple syrup, but a bit more genuine maple flavor would have been welcomed. Minor gripe aside, this is a delicious offering from Night Shift perfect for these upcoming colder nights.

Rating
8.6/10

Night Shift Cul-de-Sac

The Stats
Style: Cream Ale
ABV: 5.4%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.86/5
- Untappd: 3.66/5
- RateBeer: 3.52/5

"Cul-de-sac is a cream ale, dry-hopped with Amarillo hops. Our brewers came up with a nostalgic, yet innovative take on the cream ales of yore - drinkable and smooth with a kick of fruity notes from the dry-hop."

Pours straw yellow with a transparent body and a large, booming three fingers of solid white head.

The aroma is mild with subtle wheat and corn notes, but some lemon zest adds a refreshing touch.

A sweet corn flavor is accented by the (surprisingly large) dry hopping as notes of lemon and orange are far bigger that I had anticipated. The corn takes on a fresh cornbread flavor as opposed to being starchy and maize-like. Malts are bready and light without being too powdery or doughy. As it goes towards the back and on the finish, more of that lemon comes into play, but it comes dangerously close to being too artificial and shandy-esque, but luckily it is more refreshing and crisp rather than fake.

Mouthfeel is light, calm, and smooth. The Amarillo helps with the citrus and hoppy flavors and makes it easy to drink. Carbonation is decent, but not too high and the body does have a creamy texture.

Cul-de-Sac was a light and easy-drinking cream ale with a solid helping of Amarillo hops. The lemon flavor was a nice addition which helped the drinkability, but I think the base cream ale could also be released on its own. The smooth body was a big plus, but a little more carbonation would have been nice. This cream ale didn't have a generic, adjunct taste which elevates it above a lot of generic choices on the market.

Rating
7.3/10

Night Shift Nite Lite

The Stats
Style: Light Lager
ABV: 4.6%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.78/5
- RateBeer: 3.28/5
- Untappd: 3.44/5

"To us, Nite Lite isn't just a beer - it's a state of mind. This American light lager is a relaxing reward at the end of a constructive day, or a refreshing reminder that the sun's always out somewhere."

Pours a lighter than straw yellow with a mostly transparent body. An aggressive pour yielded less than a finger of fizzy, white head.

The familiar smell of so many adjunct lagers are here, but then there's an apple cider quality too. It has a more refined grain smell than typical macro lagers, so it doesn't smell off-putting at all.

It's surprisingly sweeter than I thought it would be. I don't think malts play much of a factor into the recipe, but I think this is going back to the Granny Smith Apple aroma with the addition of some sourness. Wet grains and wet hay don't personally make me wet, but it's not offensive to my palate. I think a faint kick of berries and lemon juice add a modest refreshing character. The finish is a bit metallic and has an aftertaste filled with stale corn.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp with lots of carbonation. Again, the small level of lemon zest can make this refreshing from time to time. I just think that aftertaste can be a turn off, especially if you let it get too warm.

Nite Lite was like a drinkable Bud/Miller/Coors lager. The only thing it had in common with the popular macro beers was the finish, but aside from that, this would make a good transition beer for those just getting into craft beer.

Rating
7.0/10

Night Shift Furth

The Stats
Style: Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.5%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.99/5
- RateBeer: 3.54/5

"Named after a Bavarian city, this globally enjoyable hefeweizen sips with refreshing notes of clove, banana, and orange rind"

Pours a cloudy, glowing orange witn two fingers of bright white head.

Familiar banana aroma associated with the style is big, bold, and even sweet. A nice doughy yeast is noticeable as is some orange zest.

The taste is pretty on par with the aroma, but with a few subtle differences. The banana is obviously here, but not as sweet as it was on the nose. Some black pepper spice and a lot of bready dough from the yeast are highlights too. It shares characteristics with an American Blonde Ale with the always present doughiness, but in this case, it isn't as dry. An American influence of orange zest and orange skin is here throughout which makes an already refreshing beer even more so. The finish actually goes back to banana and they are much sweeter on the back end than they were on the initial sip. It's a nice gush of flavor to cap off a solid Hef.

Mouthfeel is standard for the style with a light-to-medium body. Carbonation is solid and while not a true "session beer" at 5.5%, this can still be crushed easily on a hot Summer's day.

Furth is a perfectly good example of a Hefeweizen, but an American influence adds a touch more flavor than other examples that go by the book. It's sweet and refreshing with enough spices and yeast to keep the style in check. This is very drinkable and flavorful, so don't hesitate to grab a 4-pack when you see it.

Rating
8.4/10

Top 10 Beers of 2015

2015 marked the 2nd year of this blog and my first full 365 day commitment to it. I reviewed over 130 beers this time around and hopefully that number will be even higher for next year.

Instead of just doing a standard Top 10 best beers (don't worry we are still doing that), I want to add a couple of other categories and even toss in some honorable mentions. I do have some ground rules for the lists...

• The beer had to be reviewed on the blog in 2015. If I had it at a bar, a bottle share, fest, etc, then it doesn't qualify.
• No re-reviews. I think I only re-reviewed one beer that I had in 2014, but still, a re-review of a beer that has already been featured on here cannot make the list
• Multiple beers from one brewery are allowed. Frankly, if the brewery makes that many good beers (in my opinion) then I'm not going to fault them for it. Is this foreshadowing? Maybe...

Other than that, is there anything else I'd like to say? Sure!

Plans for 2016

Ideally I'd like to get more reviews out. I will confess that I do get lazy sometimes and choose not to review a beer and just drink it instead. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I know if I want more content then I have to make more of an effort to review more of what I drink. I think a goal of 200 reviews is reachable if I stick with it.

Additionally, I want to do more than just reviews. Not that I don't like doing them all the time, but I want to diversify my content. I visit breweries regularly and it makes sense to do a write-up on them with photos. I also did one "Versus" review this year where I compare and contrast two different beers and I want to make sure to get more of those in too.

Now let's get to it!

Biggest Disappointments of 2015

When you think of a disappointment in the beer world it more often than not has to do with the failure to live up to the hype. I think that's what happened in this small list. Granted, I didn't build any of these items up in my own mind as the be-all/end-all of existence, but when you hear about a beer's reputation you expect something good.

3. Lawson's Finest Liquids/Tree House Shhhhhhh...!

This was the 2nd collaboration between these two breweries with the 1st being an awesome DIPA called YAHHHRRRGGG! which I waited over seven hours in line for with a buddy. Yes we are that stupid. At the end of the day it was what you'd expect from two of the biggest hop powerhouses in New England: a super juice and hop explosion. When word got around that these two were going for it again, I thought the result would be similar. While it was by no means a bad beer, it still left me wondering how they didn't catch lightning in a bottle twice.

The taste was surprisingly more tree sap resin and hop oils as opposed to big citrus juices both breweries are known for packing into their beers. It was at best a satisfying beer, but not the world-class effort each brewery has put forward both on their own and together.

2. Other Half Brewing

Other beer reviewers and Beer Tubers (YouTube Reviewers) have blazed a trail before me and often times I use their reviews as suggestions for what to seek out. I had never heard of Other Half Brewing out of New york until this year and some of the aforementioned beer reviewers were going apeshit over their hoppy beers. Since they are not available in my area I had to work out some trades to get them in my belly. I reviewed multiple OH beers (and one of their collaborations which may or may not be seen later in this post) and found that almost all of them failed to blow wind up my dress.

The overall impression I got from their IPA's was a resinous, garlic/onion taste that I associate more with the West Coast rather than something from the East. Maybe that is the style New York/New Jersey IPA's have taken on, but for me they don't drink as easy. While my sample size was relatively small (and maybe OH's many other hoppy beers are better), I was not impressed with what I was able to have.

1. The Founders Backstage Series

At what point do you just give up on a series? When Founders started their (formerly) highly acclaimed Backstage Series of unique beers back in 2011, they produced one of the highest-rated beers in the history of mankind: Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout. Since then the series has put out a lot of pretty good to very good beers with a lot of "meh" thrown in. Last year one of the better ones I've ever had made my Best of List for 2014, but when it came to 2015, the series crapped out and frankly I don't think I care about it anymore.

There were three releases in 2015: Blushing Monk, ReDankulous, and Project Pam. Blushing Monk was actually a re-release of the first ever Backstage Series beer, but it was just a glass of raspberry juice. Re-Dankulous was a sticky malt bomb with no hop flavor, but most disappointing was Project Pam. This was supposed to be maple syrup and bourbon explosion over a base Imperial Black IPA. All it gave me was a sweet, thick, schnapps taste that left me crying myself to sleep. These releases used to be immediate "must haves", but now if I see them at my local stores, I will tread more lightly.

The Worst Beer of 2015

 I don't make it a point to seek out what are regarded as "bad beers". My thought process when I go into a store isn't to review something I'm sure I won't like in order to just give a low rating. Maybe I will review some of the more notorious macro beers (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc) in 2016, but for now I have to go with what I did review last year. Going through my reviews I didn't rate enough beers low enough to compile an entire "Worst of" list, so I decided to highlight just one, which got my lowest rating in 2015.

Miami Brewing Vice IPA

On a stupid side note, the photo for this beer has the best lighting of any photo I took in 2015. I have been unable to re-create the magic and its ironic the worst beer got the best photo. Ok, stupid rant over.

When I traded for some Funky Buddha beers last year this was thrown in as an extra. Miami Brewing was something I had never heard of and if I never have another beer from them again I won't complain. Vice IPA was possibly an infected can, but from what I read in other reviews, this is how the beer is supposed to taste. A chewy mouthfeel with odd flavors of stale Heath Bar, green beans, and V8, this was bordering on undrinkable, but I think the 12oz serving made it possible to finish. Any bigger and it might have gone down the drain.

There were some other beers I had that were flavored with fruits or poorly barrel-aged that almost were put in this spot, but Vice IPA was a standard IPA that was bad on its own. I only drank it because it was free of charge, but if you see it in a store or at a bar, do not spend your hard-earned money on it.

The Top 10 Beers of 2015

Before we get to the main course, here are some of the honorable mentions that just missed making the top 10.

Honorable Mentions

 

Cigar City Good Gourd

Pumpkin Ales get a bad rap among beer enthusiasts and I admit that 99% taste the same. Once in a while one comes along and blows your hair back. Enter Good Gourd by Cigar City - an imperial pumpkin ale with spices.

The genuine pumpkin taste combined with big cinnamon and vanilla will have you thinking of liquid pumpkin pie, but without the overly sugary sweetness that plague a lot of other examples of the style. I've also had the rum barrel-aged version of this beer, but the base beer wins out because the flavors shine brightly without the overpowering barrel character. Throw in easy drinkability and this pumpkin ale is at the top of the heap.

Trillium/Other Half Green Street

Previously I mentioned my underwhelming experiences with Other Half Brewing, but I guess they just needed Trillium to help them out.

Out of all the Trillium beers I had this year, this one stuck out due to it's incredibly sweeter demeanor as compared to other hoppy Trillium offerings. Lots of bubblegum taste with some lime and that notorious Trillium orange sherbet flavor had my mouth watering with each sip.

Collaborations are very hit-or-miss, but this one was stellar in all aspects.


Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout (2015 Vintage)

When the smoke cleared from Black Friday and I had all of my Bourbon County reviews done, there was one that stood out from the pack.

The base BCBS is amazing enough, but the addition of that coffee helped replace the base beer's smokey char and tobacco with rich espresso, chocolate, and coffee. It's almost like bourbon-soaked, chocolate-covered coffee beans and yes, it is as good as it sounds.

Hopefully I can also find some next year because I am officially hooked on this beer.


Now for the main event. You're here to see the best of the best and I will not hold out any longer. Thank you for your continued support of the blog and here's to a stellar 2016. Don't forget to like the Facebook page, follow me on Twitter (@threwredbutter) & Untappd (threwredbutter), and share with friends. Cheers!

10. Foundation Epiphany

What the hell is a "Maine IPA"? When I first read that on the can of Foundation Epiphany, I didn't know what to expect. The hop lineup had me excited with promises of Cascade, Citra, Columbus, Ella, and Mosaic and the result was the best IPA I had from Maine in 2015.

An explosion of orange and pineapple hit the tongue first and creates a juicy, refreshing feeling on the first half. That is until the back end which switches to an earthy bite with some pine. The mouthfeel is never dry and it drinks like a single IPA rather than an Imperial. It's so juice-forward that at times you forget that you are drinking beer. Maine may be the "Pine Tree State", but thanks to Epipany, it should be the "Orange Tree State".

9. Trillium Artaic

I've had so many Trillium IPA's that it's hard to keep track. From their stellar "Street" IPA's to their one-off Imperials, it is hard to find one that isn't good, so when one manages to distance itself from the pack, then that is an accomplishment.

Artiac is a DIPA brewed exclusively with Mosaic hops with an addition of raw wildflower honey. A near sensory overload, Artaic provided juicy pineapple, black pepper, cedar, and sugary honey to form one of the more unique flavor profiles I have experienced in a DIPA. To me 2015 saw an explosion of breweries using Mosaic hops, but Trillium (not surprisingly) seemed to utilize its potential best.

8. Firestone Walker 18th Anniversary Ale

The universally acclaimed Anniversary Ales from Firestone Walker blend together multiple FW beers which are aged in numerous spirit barrels. I've had the chance to try every Anniversary Ale since FW 14, but this year marked my first official review of one of these bad boys and frankly I wasn't surprised when it received one of my highest scores.

Despite having Parabola as its biggest component, the dark fruits and other Quad and Doppelbock qualities stood out most, but I wasn't complaining. The big punch of milk chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts also came through loud and clear as did the juicy hops of the Double Jack and Wookey Jack. Taking the best parts of Imperial Stouts, Quads, Barleywines, and then barrel-aging them made for an orgasmic experience. I can't wait to crack open my 19th Anniversary!

7. Avery Fortuna

It's not that I am opposed to the Wild Ale style, it's just that I prefer others in favor. Avery has a reputation for these massive, barrel-aged beers which can come off as too hot right out of the gate. When I heard they were making a tequila-aged beer, I was apprehensive to say the least. But since the beer was given to me for free as a gift, I knew there was no harm in trying. After having it, it was something I definitely would have spent my own money on.

The equivalent of a tequila shot with full salt lick and lime wedge, Fortuna was one of the best sour ales I've ever had. High quality, top-shelf tequila never at any point had an alcohol taste or burn and it matched perfectly with the lime zest and Gose-esque saltiness. Amazingly the sourness of the bacteria and the salt did not make the beer hard to drink nor did it make my mouth dry up as this was surprisingly refreshing for the style and the ingredients used. This was tequila aging done right.

6. Tree House In Perpetuity

Much like Trillium, I have had the chance to try a lot of Tree House IPA's and at this point I expect a great beer. I luckily one day had the time to drive to the brewery on a weekday to get this one-off IPA and man was I one lucky duck.

Supposedly brewed with both Nelson and Citra hops, I (for the most part) only picked up on the Nelson's dominating flavors, but the result was so good I didn't care at all. Overpowering (in a good way) white grape and white wine made for a Nelson Nuke, but a small amount of citrus was detectable as was a Trillium-esque orange creme taste. If you get hard for Nelson hops then this is where you want to be. Very reminiscent of Alpine Nelson, I really hope they decide to brew this one again.

5. Night Shift Darkling

Before rolling out my Bourbon County reviews, I dubbed this beer the "Bourbon County Killer". Now that I had a chance to give a full review of BCBS, and had the chance to compare the two, I must say that my opinion hasn't changed one bit.

Darkling had all the usual flavors you expect from BA stouts with the sweet bourbon, oak, char, and dark chocolate, but it also added in vanilla and even some caramel and quad-like dark fruits. What set it apart from others was that mouthfeel. It was the thickest imperial stout I've ever had and almost had a barium-like thickness that slowly moved over the tongue and covered everything in its path like The Blob. Night Shift has become known for their hoppy beers lately, but their barrel-aging program seems to be on point as well.

4. The Bruery Grey Monday

I received this in a trade and felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I opened the box. I knew this was going to be amazing even before I opened it as the sheer smell of the beer resonated from just the outside of the bottle. I could have held it to my face and smelled it all day and I would have been perfectly satisfied.

I've had Black Tuesday and Chocolate Rain from The Bruery and they made their mark as big-ass Imperial Stouts. While they were big and flavorful, they did tend to lean on alcohol taste and booziness to help move the sweeter aspects along. Grey Monday was the first Black Tuesday variant I had that didn't weigh me down and was light on the booze and heat.

This variant is made with hazelnuts and they added a nutty taste which accented the base beer's chocolate. The hazelnuts and chocolate made for liquid, bourbon-soaked Nutella and the additional coffee and vanilla turned this into a superb dessert beer. I was surprised at how drinkable an 18.0% beer was, but those hazelnuts neutralized the overly sweet/sugary flavors and masked the alcohol beautifully.

3. Toppling Goliath King Sue 

Toppling Goliath IPA's have much hype surrounding them. In my experience I have found them be ok for the most part, but not load-blowing by any means. Most recently I found their all-Mosaic DIPA to be a major letdown, but when it comes Citra-hopped DIPAs, then I think King Sue might be at the head of its class.

A pure Juice Nuke if I've ever had one, King Sue's aroma of orange and citrus was bursting from the bottle before I even poured into the glass. When I did, the aroma filled the room like an air freshener, but the taste told the whole story. If Hi-C was a beer, then it would be King Sue. The Citra hops are unrelenting from start to finish and there is never even a moment where the beer transitions to anything bitter, grassy, herbal etc. It's a flood of Citra at every turn and is just plain refreshing. It's hard to believe that it's even beer, but King Sue has earned its royal moniker with an elite DIPA.

2. New England Brewing Fuzzy Baby Ducks

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than with a beer like this. It was worth the effort to do the in-person trade down in Rhode Island because this Citra bomb has all of the Citra flavor as King Sue, but FBD is a single IPA and not a DIPA which makes it even more impressive.

I'd compare it to the aforementioned King Sue, but also Tree House Julius and Hill Farmstead Susan with its onslaught of orange, mango, and fresh-squeezed hop juice. The subtle addition of hop flavors gave it a little more complexity than any IPA on this list. In a blind test I'd swear this was a Citra DIPA considering the sheer amount of flavor, but when a Single IPA crams in this much flavor, then the result is a one-of-a-kind IPA that can't be missed.

1. Bottle Logic Fundamental Observation

One of the final beers I reviewed in 2015 was not only the best, but it was my only perfect score for the year.

Probably the best use of vanilla beans I've seen in a stout, Fundamental Observation was a melted s'more in a glass, but soaked in delicious bourbon. Massive chocolate and creamy marshmallow made me feel like I was having a hot fudge sundae, but covered in the contents of the four bourbon barrels the beer was aged in. The mouthfeel was also thick like hot fudge and the kicker was that there was no alcohol taste to be found out of that 14.0% abv. Very rarely will an Imperial Stout this big be this drinkable and dessert-like, but that is why it earned the perfect 10/10.

Night Shift The 87

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.0%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.27/5
- RateBeer: 3.68/5

The 87 DIPA is named for the street number at which Night Shift Brewing resides and is a big, hop-driven Double IPA that is a self-described "hop bomb". It was initially released in bottles, but is now available in 4-packs of 16oz cans and appears to be part of the regular rotation of Night Shift beers.

Pours a dirty, hazy dark orange with a finger of white head.

The aroma is heavy on the hop oils and pure hop juice. There's a small amount of grapefruit acidity and a tinge of orange.

The hop intensity is strong with this one. Much like the aroma that was swimming in hop oils, the taste is exactly the same. It's not what I'd typically call a "hop bite" as it isn't overwhelmingly bitter, but instead it's just pure hop juice. Imagine throwing a ton of hops into a blender and that is the experience I am getting. There's also a decent malt presence which adds a touch of sweetness and the subtle grapefruit from the aroma is here too to add a slight fruity component to take some edge off the hop oils. The finish has a small thud of lingering dankness and doesn't wuss out and finish too clean.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied for the style. I will definitely say that this is not shy about being dry as a sip of water might come in handy with this one, but it doesn't take anything away from the taste and overall experience. It's not a calm feel by any means, but it is still not a challenge to put down.

The 87 was promised to be a hop monster and it did not fail to impress in that aspect. An Imperial IPA with this much of a hop presence can sometimes come off as an explosion of bitterness, but this has found a way to squeeze all of the juices and oils from the hops without an excessive, bitter bite. Very drinkable for a big IPA and this has earned a spot in the regular rotation in my fridge.

Rating
8.6/10

Night Shift Darkling

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.0%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.66/5
- RateBeer: 3.57/5

I believe this the 2nd release of Darkling and the first time I have had the chance to try it. Not much word on the aging process, but it is an Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels. The latest release was held this past Wednesday, but I was able to snag a few bottles a day later. No big deal.

Pours dark brown out of the bottle, but sits pitch black in the glass with just hints of that dark brown on the edges. The pour produced less than a finger of khaki-colored head

Damn that is decadent. Huge aromas of bourbon, oak, bitter dark chocolate, and dark fruits.There's also some dessert-like vanilla and caramel at the end of the line. Pretty stellar stuff.

The taste...I mean...just...wow. Ludicrous amounts of bourbon right out of the gate with so much oak and barrel character it will make your head spin. The bourbon is velvety smooth and just sweet enough without being cloying. Bitter dark chocolate envelopes every taste bud along with cherries which makes for a cherry cordial flavor. Sugary caramel and coffee beans with a dusting of cocoa powder are also prominent, but vanilla isn't as nearly big as it was on the aroma, but an abundance of quad-like dark fruits are more than making up for it.

The body and feel on this beer are unlike anything I have ever had in an Imperial Stout. In all of my past reviews of stouts I have commented on thick, viscous mouthfeels. Darkling has practically reinvented what an Imperial Stout should feel like. It's almost barium-like due to its absurd level of thickness, but not chalky or verging on solid in any way. Once it hits your tongue, it almost momentarily stops as if the beer hit a brick wall due to its thickness. I think Riley Reid is only person on Earth who has taken thicker and darker things in their mouth. As for the 10.0%, I can't find it as there is absolutely no burn and no warming. It's just smooth sailing all around.

Darkling was a mind-blowing experience. Though this is my first time having it, I (in my own humble opinion) will safely call this a Bourbon County killer. Everything I love in a barrel-aged Imperial Stout is found in this bottle, but it has a mouthfeel 10x better than arguably any BA stout out there. This is not only up there with the likes of BCBS and Parabola, but I would choose this over those in a heart beat. Call me a "homer" all you want, but I dare you to try this and disagree with what I've said.

Rating
9.7/10

Night Shift Awake

The Stats
Style: American Porter
ABV: 8.70%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.23/5
- RateBeer: 3.78/5

Night Shift has been killing it recently with their hoppy beers such as Whirlpool, Morph, and Santilli, but they also make some delicious dark beers. Awake is a big porter coming in at 8.70% and is brewed with Counter Culture Coffee.

Sits nearly pitch black in the glass, but you can see dark brown on the bottom, top, and edges. The pour produced two fingers of eggshell head.

Obviously massive coffee on the aroma, but also some cocoa powder and vanilla (a lot of vanilla). The base porter's dark roasted malts are also inviting.

Big bitterness from those dark malts hit the front of my tongue first followed by wave after wave of coffee. The vanilla was quite big on the nose and while it is here on the taste, it isn't equal to the aroma. Some nice cocoa bean flavor and even milk chocolate or chocolate syrup is really turning this from a coffee porter into a sweet dessert beer. The finish goes back to the bitter dark malts, but they aren't unpleasant and they don't linger.

A big porter at 8.70%, it does tend to feel a little thin, but still robust enough to remind that it's a big beer meant to be taken seriously. Not a lot of carbonation as it leans more towards a velvety feel with only a slight feeling of mouth-coating. A sticky sensation stands out after each sip, but it's nice and sweet.

Awake is a better-than-average coffee porter. It adds some sugary chocolate and vanilla notes to a great base porter without being cloying or overly sweet. Frankly, coffee porters are a dime a dozen, but Night Shift's interpretation is bold and dessert-like which adds enough complexity to make it worth your while.

Rating
8.3/10

Night Shift Whirlpool

The Stats
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 4.30%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.10/5
- RateBeer: 3.69/5

I made my first trip to Night Shift last year and this was the beer I brought back home in a growler. Whirlpool is a super sessionable Pale Ale coming in at a miniscule 4.30%. A few months ago Night Shift opened their canning line making this is available in 4-packs in 12oz, but luckily, 16oz pint cans will be released very soon.

Pours a hazy, pale, straw yellow with a finger of bright white head.

Massive zesty citrus on the nose with some earthy hops.

The taste retains the huge citrus presence from the aroma with lemon peel, some peach, and grapefruit. There are also some sweeter flavors in their too that remind me of orange sherbert or like sprinkling sugar on grapefruit. A pleasant tartness on the back end, but no huge hop component, but at such a low abv, it is easily forgivable.

Mouthfeel is light and refreshing without being thin. The burst of citrus, light feel, and 4.30% abv make this an easy ride. Nothing lingers for too long and flavors have a tendency to leave your palate a little too quickly.

Whirlpool is a fresh, citrusy Pale Ale with tons of flavor packed into a small package. It drinks bigger than its abv would suggest and with Spring having finally arrived, this is an ideal beer for warmer weather and time outside.

Rating
8.6/10

Night Shift/NoDa Stop, Collaborate, & Glisten

The Stats
Style: American Wild Ale
ABV: 8.90%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.19/5
- RateBeer: 3.77/5 (Mean Avg)

Fermented in wine barrels with Sauvignon Blanc grape must, this collaboration between Night Shift and NoDa Brewing is a big 8.90% Wild Ale. NoDa gained notoriety last year at the 2014 World Beer Cup when it unexpectedly took the gold medal in the American IPA category. Night Shift wisely hooked up with the hot name in the beer world at the time and brewed a beer that was in Night Shift's wheelhouse.

Pours a murky, glowing orange with decent carbonation and it gave off two fingers of fizzy white head that disappeared quickly.

The aroma is fresh, tart white grapes, white wine, and some sweetness.

Wow, is that tart. Tart from both the white wine as well as the bacteria and yeast strains used. There's very subtle oak, but the sweetness from the aroma is back on the taste. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it has almost a cream soda quality and that kind of flavor helps offset the tartness. In addition there's a slight fresh-squeezed orange juice taste on the back with some pineapple too.

When held in the mouth, this has tons of carbonation much like soda and the tartness is mouth-puckering. However, given it's assorted palette of flavors, the combination of sour and sweet makes this highly drinkable and quite refreshing. It has a medium body and I would have never guessed this was almost 9.00%.

This collaboration brew between Night Shift and NoDa has a well-constructed equilibrium of sour and sweet. This was originally released in the summer of 2014 and it I can see how it would be ideal for a hot Summer's day with it's sourness, light-to-miedium body and refreshing finish. If there's a better beer named in honor of a Vanilla Ice song, then I have yet to find it.

Rating
8.5/10

Night Shift Sour Tea

The Stats
Style: American Wild Ale
ABV: 7.50%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.59/5
- RateBeer: 3.48/5

As the label says, Sour Tea is a variation on Night Shift's Bee Tea which is a Belgian Wheat Ale brewed with orange peel and honey and then aged on green tea leaves. I'm not sure what wild yeast it was introduced to in order to make the sour version, but hopefully it is tangy and strong.

Pours a transparent dark orange with a finger of off-white head.

The first aroma I pick up is the honey followed by green tea and somewhat of a sawdust smell with blood orange. Definitely some funk from the souring, but it is subdued.

Those green tea leaves hit me first on the taste. I know this isn't made with apples, but it has a cider-esque quality. Not just cider, but even an iced tea taste too. Almost as if you took an American Barleywine and eliminated all of the hop character. How is the souring? Well, unfortunately it isn't hitting me with satisfying tartness, but rather a bad sour candy taste. It does have somewhat of a sweet flavor thanks to the honey, but it's so faded that it does little to help balance out the wild bacteria.

The mouthfeel is rather thin and the unpleasant sour character combined with the aforementioned sawdust lingers after each sip. Carbonation, while not too noticeable, is producing bubbles on my tongue and some belching on my part.

I was hoping for a tart, green tea wild ale, but instead Sour Tea is sour for all the wrong reasons. Granted, there is some enjoyable green tea, honey, and zesty orange to be had, but they don't outweigh the negative souring process that has taken place. Not repulsive, but I wouldn't go for it again.

Rating
6.4/10

Night Shift Harborside

The Stats
Style: Gose
ABV: 5.10%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.05/5
- RateBeer: 4.09/5

The Gose has been making a small comeback as of late with plenty of breweries throwing their hat into the ring in an attempt to craft the best example of the style. Night Shift Harborside takes the classic Gose recipe and adds the twist of Island Creek Oysters from Duxbury, MA.

Pours a bright, hazy, golden yellow with plenty of carbonation. Produces a fizzy, white head that goes away quickly much like soda.

The smell is reminiscent of the ocean with hints of sea salt and those oysters. Some sour lemon is there as well, but this smells like low tide at the beach.

My initial reaction on the taste was a mouth-puckering lemon tartness combined with an oceanic sea salt that is accentuated by the raw seafood addition of the oysters. When you think lemon taste, you most commonly think of an acidic feel, but in this case it is just tart like a sour candy. The ocean water saltiness isn't unpleasant and it adds to the well-balanced sour flavor. There are no hops to speak of in this beer as oysters and salt appear to be dominant, but in a style such as Gose, it isn't intended to be hop-forward. As it warms up, the oysters are more prominent. They do leave a noticeable aftertaste which is disappointing. Hours after I drank this I was still left with a residual oyster taste.

With a light body and 5.10% abv, this is designed to be very sessionable. Harborside can taste like a salty, lemon bomb at times and it would be drinker-friendly if not for such a strong oyster presence.

Night Shift Harborside has delivered an interesting rendition of the Gose. The end result is a crisp lemony tartness that can be washed away by raw oysters. An acquired taste for sure.

Rating
6.8/10

Night Shift Trifecta

The Stats
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 6.40%
Current Beer Advocate Rating: 3.61/5

Night Shift Trifecta is a Belgian Pale Ale brewed with three different Trappist yeast strains and then aged on Madagascar vanilla beans.

Pours to a dark orange with two fingers of white head which leaves plenty of lacing.

I was taken aback by how sweet this beer smelled. I get the classic Belgian yeast with hints of banana and in the back those vanilla beans smack you in the face. Also in the mix is quite a large hop presence. Crazy, but this reminds me a lot of a cream soda with it's intense vanilla.

The taste follows the nose rather well. Big vanilla up front and typical breadiness you get from Belgian yeast is there too. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but this is unexpectedly sweet. In addition to vanilla, the banana is very present. Maybe even a faint caramel on the finish.

For as sweet as it is you'd expect it to be heavy or even syrupy, but it's not. Some decent carbonation makes this taste more like that cream soda I mentioned earlier. Surprisingly the finish shows no sign of bitterness as this is just sweet from front to back. It's not cloying at all and your taste buds are begging for another sip.

I am pleasantly surprised by this offering from Night Shift. I didn't expect the vanilla to be so prominent, but it's not shy and it works well with the Trappist yeast. The flavors make for a carbonated vanilla/banana bomb with hints of hops and breadiness. Well done, Night Shift. Well done.

Rating
9.0/10