This is my third beer review post, and I know I have a very select viewing audience so I hope this is in everyone’s interest realm, the blog is “Racing to the Brew” after all. I don’t really know how to review beers, and my knowledge of them is limited, but I know what I like and that is truly what it should all come down to for everyone. If nothing else it embodies a sort of journal for me where I can look back on some beers I have had and liked and unliked. Here’s some more beer reviews of some recent favorites:

This is the Noble IPA, and was picked up from a new beer “garden/den” I have found near my office called Farmers Harvest. The ABV on this is 7% from this beer out of Anahiem. Anahiem for those who arent familiar is also home to the best baseball team on earth. This is supposed to be a West Coast IPA and has alot of positive, a nice darker color, IBUs if I had to guess around 70-80, and a nice smell with citrus and floral scents. The brew is fresh tasting, and its always cool to get a good fresh and properly handled batch from a real local brewing company. Just a real solid IPA, very drinkable and the alcohol is nicely hidden but still there. Not a huge hop monster or tons of different citrus or floral flavors but very well balanced and a nice carbonation, maybe a little too much. Anyways, great fresh beer, gotta keep it fresh! Grade: B-

It is that time of the year for Stone’s 14th anny release! Courtesy of James for giving me my first 22 of this bad boy. I had a “good time” with the 13th but this one really went to another level for my tastes. Not to discredit the 13th, just a different beer and totally good, but the 14th as an “Emperial” IPA is way more my style. They say this is has its roots in the English IPA, and it is definitely different, but WAY better than any English IPA I have ever had. It is light color, really light color for a 8.9% beast, due to its white malt and “Burtonised” water, with its multiple english style dry bodied hops, this is a beyond solid. This beer just gives you a great feeling, and was enjoyed after a solid day of hard riding, the best way to do it! One bad thing: if you have this beer 1st of the night, its a tough one to follow up, it definitely is a DreamCrusher. The malts are so nice and sweet and complement the hops perfectly. Stone is so on top of their game, and this is unlike any other “Emperial” IPA I have ever had, it definitely gets an Grade: A (this was an easy A, like that easy A grade Usain Bolt got in running 101, no brainer!)

Port 4th Anniversary packing a serious ABV of 10%. This was a big old hop bomb but….. Good balancing with the malts. This one in comparison to other awesome IPAs from Port like Mongo, Booya Steeze, High Tide, etc. is too malty and not enough good old fresh beautiful hops. Although to their credit they do call this a Strong Pale ale not an IPA, and I think they hit the nail on the head with that characterization.  This one was thicker and “chewy” with alot of good hops too, just “masked” out a bit by the malts. No complaints here, was an awesome beer and would be perfect for a colder day after a good ride. Maybe they should start releasing this in December/January! Grade: B+

This beer is my first intro into Rye IPA’s. I first had these beer a year ago and loved it. This and the Nelson Rye IPA from Alpine Brewing Company are the only two I have ever had, and theyre both knockouts. Bootlegger’s is a brewery located in Fullerton, CA which is about 30mins from my place, one day I will go when I can get a growler-full of this stuff. Sometimes Beeradvocate blows it, it may be American but its more of a Rye IPA than just American, people don’t appreciate the Rye enough to give it its own division! Only a 6.2% but this beer is just fresh and still packs 85ibus, and its a sneaky one! The rye grains give it a whole different bitterness to the hops and its awesome, check this stuff out if you can find it, totally worth it. Grade: A-

And I will leave everyone with a couple completely random and off-the-wall (c’mon van’s)
) photos:

Story: Randomly on a whim she went out and crushed 3 hrs and 45+ miles on the road bike without riding for atleast 3-4 months. I did indeed marry an athlete, cause I couldnt ever do that in my dreams. Sarah definitely had a couple celebratory brews after that ride, so awesome! And I am pretty sure she can create/design/obliterate all other web designs with her new company, amazing ideas and creativity in a beautiful and completely affordable package.

Story: Galaga, I dominate it! Anyone wishing to challenge me should apply here at the COME SEE ME BOOTH! (Yes, I also dominate Wack a Mole and win Jackpots)