St. Bernardus Pater 6

I really don't taste anything to distinguish this from other abbey ales or weak dubbels out there. It's the usual: vinous, fruity, very slightly earthy. Fairly complex, but not overwhelmingly interesting.

St. Bernardus Tripel

Some strong similarities to the Watou Tripel, but less buttery and a little more astringent. Significantly drier by the end. My preference falls towards the Watou.

Watou Tripel

Some acidity and clove in the nose reminiscent of a Chardonnay, with really heavy caramel and vanilla (maybe herbal hops contributing some light fruits). Incredibly buttery, especially in the head. Light spices. The yeast carries the rest of the spice and alcohol, bringing it closer to the "regular" tripel taste.

St. Bernardus Wit

Reads, "Pierre Celis Signature Edition". I feel like I'm in Bavaria. Bubblegum, clove, dark fruits and some citrus. I would have guessed 7% but it's 5.5%. Finishes with wheaty malts and very dry.

Hercules Double IPA

Very bubbly head, reminds me of the distribution of galaxies throughout the universe. The second flavor after the attack of the alcohol strikes me as some sort of astringent kitchen cleaner, but when you pour the bottom of the bottle in it turns into a pine-y, peanut-y thing that's slightly more reasonable.

Stoudt's Double IPA

Oddly light for something that has obviously higher ABV. I guessed 8%, but it's 10%. In the 60/90 IPA vein... I only wish there was more head.

Victory HopDevil

Evenly malty and hoppy. I've recently realized: maltiness does not imply wheatiness, but wheatiness is one type of maltiness. On the first really warm day of the summer/spring (82F) I wonder if maybe the hops in IPAs were not only to preserve the beer while it traveled, but also to refresh the troops during the hot Indian summer.

Schneider Weisse Hopfen Weisse

Unusually clovey hops and banana, makes me think of sour vegetables instead of the regular sour fruit.

Nostradamus

Vinous, very slightly tart, finishes dry. There's something slightly metallic, maybe nutty in there. I vaguely taste darker fruits, but the oakiness stands out to me more.

Troeg's Pale Ale

A tarter Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but I'll have to try them next to each other to be sure.

Dale's Pale Ale

If this is a APA, I don't understand where you draw the hop-line that defines an IPA. A bit of malt in the back, some jasmine bitterness and hoppy fruit in the front.

Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale

A little thin, slightly tart and sweet, some wheaty malt. A bit of nuttiness. In the "something I'd expect to find at a party, and would be willing to split with someone" category.

Eggenberg Doppelbock

Incredibly smooth and round, very sweet and malty. A little nutmeg on the aftertaste? Totally reasonable, but unfortunately overpriced.

Spaten Dunkel

I thought it was a brown bottle, but turns out it's green and just really dark. Dark fruits, malts, doesn't keep its head well. I feel like this would go well with most German meals. Not especially exciting, but reasonable.

Sweaty Betty

La Fin du Monde's immature little sister. Weird color, heavy clove + citrus, notes of wheat.

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Characterized as a "Belgian Pale Ale", I couldn't agree at all. Really weird sake flavors combined with a strange fruity tartness and slightly higher alcohol content. Exceptionally weird, but not necessarily bad.

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Full, bitter, sweet, fruity, hoppy. Meaty. Vanilla. Some malt. Lots of little things.

Allagash White

Seems very thin/light to me, though it's balanced and has some nice spiciness. I don't taste the complexity other people seem to appreciate, but maybe it's just the style.

Ruination IPA

Like the normal IPA, but more. More hoppy, more bitter, more detergent. I prefer the DFH fruity hops direction rather than this more bitter direction.

Stone IPA

Like they say, big hop flavor, big hop bitterness. Slightly detergent-ish. Very fruity. A bit more of a pale ale than other IPAs.

Weihenstephaner Korbinian

Starts as a "regular" doppelbock: vinous, sweet, slightly smoky. Finishes as a... pale ale? Very malty and wheaty. Smooth. Bavarian.

Grand Cru

Buttery aroma leads to a very clean, balanced, spicy, vinous ale. Slightly sweet? Perfectly dry.

Tripel Crown

Low carbonation, starts with a slightly lambic tartness and develops a more tripel or even quad-ish highly alcoholic character.

Troegenator

Like a less earthy three philosophers, plus some more wheat. Very fruity. Oddly light aroma.