WEIHENSTEPHANER - ORIGINAL PREMIUM

WEIHENSTEPHANER - ORIGINAL PREMIUM

-Origin: Freising, Germany
-I Paid: $2.99 for a 1pt 0.9oz bottle at BevMo
-Rating: 4.5/5
-Verdict: BUY
-Appeal: From the world's oldest brewery (est. 1040).

-Review:

Mild but flavorful, this would be really good with a steak. This really is a great beer. However, I do have a word of caution for those new to the brand. Weihenstephaner Original Premium is great, but Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbeir is UNBELIEVABLE!!! I'll properly review it one of these days. Until then, if you're at the liquor store and don't know which to buy, get the Hefeweissbeir.

FIRESTONE - DBA (DOUBLE BARREL ALE)

FIRESTONE - DBA (DOUBLE BARREL ALE)

-Origin: Paso Robles, California
-I Paid: $1.59 for a 12oz bottle at BevMo
-Rating: 4/5
-Verdict: BUY
-Appeal: It's won a bunch of awards and has a cool picture of a lion and bear boxing on the label.

-Review:

I'll be honest. I haven't been the biggest ale drinker in the past. I had a bad ale when I was new to beer and was turned off them ever since. This beer though, has just about changed my mind. Rich with a woody finish, it's not hard to see why this DBA has been so successful in The World Beer Cup. I look forward to trying Firestone's other beers, and I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

GUINNESS DRAUGHT - BOTTLE

GUINNESS DRAUGHT - BOTTLE

-Origin: Dublin, Ireland
-I Paid: $1.79 for a 12oz bottle at BevMo
-Rating: 3/5
-Verdict: PASS
-Appeal: A Guinness you can drink straight out of the bottle.

-Review:

One of my favorite things in the whole world is a good Guinness. And Guinness, even though I love the way it tastes, is all about the texture. Something about the thickness and rich head of a Guinness is enough for me to call it a bona-fide comfort food. Unfortunately, the bottled version doesn't have that. Maybe I wasn't supposed to pour it in a glass. Maybe it would have been better straight out of the bottle. This time though, was just okay. It tastes like a Guinness, but it doesn't feel like a Guinness. Next time, I will definitely put up the extra money and get the cans.

TSINGTAO BEER

TSINGTAO BEER

-Origin: Qingdao, China
-I Paid: $1.39 for a 12oz bottle at BevMo
-Rating: 4/5
-Verdict: BUY
-Appeal: It's beer... from China?

-Review:

I guess I've watched too many YouTube videos about copycat cars and iPhones from China, which lead me to believe that Tsingtao would just be a watered down version of something I've already had before. But I was very, very wrong. This is a good beer. Lots of malt, hops and barley, but not too much. So well balanced that I could imagine drinking it everyday. I would tell any skeptical beer lover to give it a try. China makes good beer. Who would've guessed?

WIDMER BROTHERS - HEFEWEIZEN

WIDMER BROTHERS - HEFEWEIZEN

-Origin: Portland Oregon

-I Paid: $1.39 for a 12oz bottle at BevMo

-Rating: 3/5

-Verdict: PASS

-Appeal: An American unfiltered Hefeweizen... sounds great, right?

-Review:

When you first pour it in your glass you see that beautiful, golden, cloudy, rich looking liquid and think, "This is gonna be so good." So you drink it. The texture is fantastic. It has those tiny hefeweizen bubbles dancing on your tongue. It feels as rich as it looks, but suddenly... you realize that it has almost no flavor. Sure, it's a little citrusy, it's not bad, but you've had much, much better. Widmer Brothers - Hefeweizen falls short of being a great beer. If it just had more flavor, combined with it's already great texture, it would really be something special. It's sad to be honest. I really had high hopes for this beer. And considering the price tag compared to other Hefeweizens out there, I can't in good conscience recommend it.