The Censored Rich Copper Ale

Description - Copper Ale

Maker - Lagunitas Brewing Company

Notes - While preserving that distinctive metalic flavor, this copper had hints of coffee and other dark highlights.

7/10

Herman Joseph's Private Reserve

Description - Lager

Maker - AC Golden Brewing Company

Notes - Fairly average lager with a decent bite. Nice grainy aftertaste. Very similar to Budweiser, just a little richer.

7/10

Avalong Cab 2008

Description - Cabernet Sauvignon

Maker - Avalon Winery

Notes - Not good and not bad, but altogether unimpressive.

5/10

The Pinot Project 2009

Description - Pinot Noir

Maker - The Pinot Project

Notes - A spicy pinot noir. Decent.

6/10

Jackman's American Pale Ale

Description - Pale Ale

Maker - Left Hand Brewing Company

Notes - A darker tasting pale than I'm used to with elements of coffee and nut.

7/10

Hazed & Infused

Description - Dry-hopped Ale

Maker - Boulder Beer Company

Notes - Reminiscent of an IPA. Pretty average.

6/10

Boom Boom 2009

Description - Syrah

Maker - Charles Smith Wines

Notes - Another wine that got me by the packaging. I was half expecting the title to reflect the flavor, but in the end it was just a really solid syrah. It wins.

8/10

Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Description - Pale Ale

Maker - Great Divide Brewing Co.

Notes - Brewed using "wet" hops, this grassy ale was really well done. Using the hops before drying them creates a great earthy flavor that's pretty unique to pale ales.

8/10

Project Happiness Syrah 2007

Description - Syrah

Maker - Oreana Winery

Notes - While this bottle's uniqueness got me to buy it, it's taste won't get me to buy many bottles. A rather flat pallet, yet not unpleasant leads to a rather average syrah.

6/10

Peter Mertes 2009 Auslese

Description - Riesling

Maker - Peter Mertes

Notes - Pretty average Riesling.

6/10

Ska ESB Special

Description: Extra Special Bitter Ale

Maker: Ska Brewing Co.

Notes: I didn't expect to like this one. But is has some great herbal notes that really mix well with the hops.

7/10

Raison D'Etre

Description: Belgian style ale

Maker: Dogfish Head

Notes: This is a heavy one with hints of coffee and spices. Dogfish Head did a nice job at giving this belgian a unique twist.

8/10

Joh. Jos. Prum. 2003

Description: Riesling - Spatlese

Maker: Joh. Jos. Prum

Notes: This was drier than I expected for a spatlese. It was still quite balanced in terms of sweetness. An overall mellow flavor.

8/10

Carlson Plum Wine

Description - Plum Wine

Maker - Carlson Vineyards

Notes - Growing up on Japanese plum wine, I had high hopes for this one. But, it's turns out to be a pretty generic, tangy fruit wine. Not altogether bad, though.

6/10

Blanche De Bruxelles

Description - Witbier

Maker - Brasserie Lefebvre

Notes - A very light, delicious beer. The coriander and orange highlights are not overpowering, and lend themselves nicely to this wheaty brew.

8/10

Kamosturu Tokusei Gold

Description - Daiginjo sake

Maker - Kamotsuru Sake Brewing Co.

Notes - This ranks up there as one of the two best sakes I've ever tasted. Served best cold. It's sweet and smooth, lacking any unpleasant astringency or bitterness.

9/10

Genbei-san no Oni Kokroshi

Description - Sake

Maker - Yamamoto Honke Co.

Notes - This is a really smooth, all-around drinkable sake. It's decent warm, room-temp, and cold. That's hard to attain in a sake.

8/10

Vin De Glace

Description - Muscat Wine

Maker - Garfield Estates

Notes - Like sweet candy in your mouth, this muscat really delivers. It has floral highlights and a very mild fruitiness. Excellent.

9/10

Ft. Collins Chocolate Stout

Description - Chocolate Stout

Maker - Fort Collins Brewery

Notes - A rather average roasted flavor with a rather unpleasant tang that I'm not used to in a Stout. It's more reminiscent of a tinny porter.

5/10

Tread Lightly Ale

Description - Gluten Free Beer

Maker - New Planet Beer Company

Notes - As far as GF beers go, this is one of the better. It's not quite up there with Redbridge or the Greens, but it's a pleasant alternative. It's not overpowering with the sorghum, and has a few flavors to interest the pallet.

7/10

Double Wide IPA

Description - IPA

Maker - Bouldevard Brewing Co.

Notes - A complex IPA with a mellow sweetness to it. The heavy hopping adds a great aroma.

7/10

Weyerbacher Quad

Description - Quadruple Ale

Maker - Weyerbacher Brewery

Notes - This rich, sweet, barley wine-esque quad is a real pleasure to drink. Dark and smooth, you'd never know it was 11% alcohol.

9/10

Honey Brown

Description - Lager brewed with Honey

Maker - Dundee Brewing Co.

Notes - This deliciously rich choices is great with food. I had it with seafood, which was great. And like Dundee's regular Honey brew, I'm sure it would be excellent with a burger, too.

8/10

Grolsch

Description - Lager

Maker - Grolsche Bierbrouwerij

Notes - This brew has a great grain body and a little bit of bite for a kick. Unfortunately it had gotten a little overheated in my trunk before I could drink it. Still good though.

7/10

Brooklyn Lager

Description - Lager

Maker - The Brooklyn Brewery

Notes - A fairly hoppy brew, this one was pretty average. I had it in a karaoke box, though which was cool.

5/10

Hitachino Nest - Ginger

Description - Beer Brewed with Ginger

Maker - Kiuchi Bewery

Notes - This is really where it's at. A light beer with a robust ginger flavor. If you're not into ginger, this beer's not for you.

7/10

Hitachino Nest - JCA

Description - "Classic Ale"

Maker - Kiuchi Brewery

Notes - This one wasn't so great. But a similar looking one from the same brewery that's brewed with ginger is awesome.

3/10

Koshihikari

Description - Beer brewed with rice

Maker - Echigo Beer Company

Notes - Overall a nice, mellow beer. Not a lot of flavors stand out, but it's good.

7/10

Vino e Buono Cherry Wine

Description - Cherry Wine

Maker - Spero Winery

Notes - Unlike a lot of cherry wines, this one has the right level of sweetness. Some are so tart your cheeks are caving in, but spero really has something here.

8/10

Framboise Lambic

Description - Malt beverage with raspberries added

Maker - Brouwerij Lindemans

Notes - This raspberry beer is like alcopop taken to the next level. It has a nice richness, a pleasant tartness, and an overall drinkability that lends itself to a summer afternoon.

8/10

Green's Dubbel Dark Ale

Description - Double Dark Ale

Maker - DeProef Brouwerij

Notes - This is probably the closest to a Belgian Ale of the three available. It has that distinctive hop character of the region and is nicely balanced with the other grains. Slightly sweet and packs a little punch.

8/10

Green's Tripel Blonde Ale

Description - Triple Blond Ale (gluten free)

Maker - DeProef Brouwerij

Notes - A little on the sweeter side of GF beers. Strong, but not overly alcoholy. Possibly worth the extra money for the import.

7/10

Green's Amber Ale

Description - Amber Ale (gluten free)

Maker - DeProef Brouwerij

Notes - A decent substitute for regular beers, but a little on the bitter side. Maybe not worth the price over other GF beers.

6/10

Chocolate Cherry Satin Mead

Description - Mix of Mead, Cherry Wine, and grape neutral spirits

Maker - Meadery of the Rockies

Notes - This was pretty incredible at WineFest, but the second time around wasn't so awesome. Still pleasant when mixed with club soda.

6/10

Backpacker's Red

Description - Colorado Red Table Wine

Maker - Augustina's Winery

Notes - This wine would indeed be an amazing addition to any backpacking trip. It has a hearty feel to it, with lots of body. Great buttery elements and a balance of flavors on the tongue.

9/10

Clairette De Die

Description - White Sparkling Wine

Maker - Carod

Notes - A sweet, bubbly dream made from muscat grapes. This is really how champagne should be.

9/10

Ornery Amber

Description - Amber Lager

Maker - Tommyknocker Brewery

Notes - A healthy dose of molasses flavor in this full-bodied amber. Very nice.

7/10

Alpine Glacier Lager

Description - Lager Beer

Maker - Tommyknocker Brewery

Notes - A little forgettable, but decent. Nothing stands out.

6/10

New Grist

Description - Sorghum and Rice Beer (gluten free)

Maker - Lakefront Brewery

Notes - Beer with an intense sorghum flavor. I wasn't wild about this, but the brewery makes an amazing pumpkin beer.

4/10

Redbridge

Description - Sorghum and hop beer (gluten free)

Maker - Anheuser-Busch

Notes - A very drinkable beer. Well-rounded flavor and body.

7/10

Bard's Gold

Description - Sorghum Malt Beer (gluten free)

Maker - Bard's Tale Beer Co.

Notes - An interestingly-spiced sorghum beer. The sorghum isn't overpowering.

6/10

Wheeler Wheat Ale

Description - Wheat Ale

Maker - Backcountry Brewery

Notes - A delicious, brew with a unique butter base, atypical of a wheat beer. It, however, adds a savory fullness that's highly refreshing.

9/10

Switchback Amber

Description - Amber Ale

Maker - Backcountry Brewery

Notes - A well-rounded and slightly buttery amber with a medium body.

8/10

Villa M Rosso

Description - Sparkling wine made from Brachetto grapes

Maker - Villa M

Notes - A light and sweet carbonated dessert wine with nice hints of honey.

7/10

Carlson Peach Wine

Description - Peach Wine

Maker - Carlson Vineyards

Notes - A very pleasant, slightly sour wine. Not a lot of peach flavor, but really tasty.

7/10

La Petite Angie 2004

Description - Zinfandel

Maker - Kamere Winery and Vineyard

Notes - A wine with incredible complexity, savory and full-bodied, fruit and sweet highlights galore, with a pleasant bouquet of tannins in the finish.

10/10

Van Duzer 2006 Pinot Noir

Description - Pinot Noir

Maker - Van Duzer Vineyards

Notes - Delicious. Well balance and sweet.

9/10

Casa Nuestra 2008 Rosado

Description - Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cab, and Petite Sirah Blend

Maker - Casa Nuestra

Notes - Reminiscent of a Pinot Grigio, overwhelmingly sour. Not many other flavors.

2/10

Singha

Description - Thai Lager

Maker - Singha Corporation

Notes - Highly reminiscent of a rice-infused beer like Kirin or Budweiser, but light like a Corona. It also has a great wheaty sense to it.

7/10

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Description - Oak-aged Ale

Maker - The Stone Brewing Co.

Notes - A decent IPA. The oak flavor is really a nice addition an otherwise prominently hoppy beer.

6/10