The Beer Critic Beer reviews for beer enthusiasts.

Brewery Website: http://www.redhook.com Type of ... Read More »

It's important to remember that this isn't your typical oktoberfest lager. It's an ale (amber ale) with oktoberfest style ingredients. Magic Hat is well known for making slightly odd-ball brews with flavors you normally wouldn't see in beers. Hex fits in very well to their lineup of strange brews. This "hybrid" oktoberfest or as they put it "Ourtoberfest" is a mild beer that tastes mostly like a Marzan with it's sweet flavors and buscuity maltiness. There is only a slight hint that this beer isn't a lager as the hops make the beer a little dryer than what you would normally see in an oktoberfest marzan style lager. The is also a special ingredient they fail to mention. I personally think it's some sort of melon but you will have to taste to determine for yourself. The flavors are quite mild making this is a worth session beer. I would have liked a little less carbonation, more flavor and a little more balance to the sweetness but overall it's a decent beer that I will certainly buy again. Cheers! Read More »

Starts off pretty mild and sweet with with flavors of vanilla, caramel malt and toasted sugar hitting the tongue first. Flavor starts to dry out with a hop bitterness that is spicy more than the floral. While the hops are certainly apparent but only make a dent in the malt-heavy backbone. Finish is somewhat dry with little to no aftertaste. Read More »

The malt sweetness comes through first creating a very smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Much like what you would expect from a Marzan. The malt gives way to the hops that give an gentle bitterness that gains some momentum towards the finish. The flavorful mixture of bready malts, bittersweet chocolate and citrus hops create a balanced and very tasty American style Oktoberfest beer. Finish is dry and clean. Read More »

Label copy: “The inception of Darkness was rather humble. In 2006, Todd Haug, Surly Head Brewer, told me he was going to brew twelve barrels of this Russian Imperial Stout. I wondered how we would ever sell 24 kegs of this giant brew to Twin Cities’ bars and restaurants. Given my faith in Todd, I did not stop him. Thank God. We soon heard of people pouring their beers into 12-ounce bottles, capping them and taking them home. Well, if bottles were what Surly Nation wanted, then bottles were what they would get! That year, two whole kegs -60 growlers- were sold. Read More »