it didn't taste like milk surprisingly

store: trader joe’s
type: american amber/red ale
abv: 5.50%
suggested by: debbie morales

at first taste, i wasn’t a huge fan… but since i had six of ‘em, it kind of grew on me.

it’s kind of funny — the different things i’ll notice the second, third, fourth time i drink a beer — it’s a bit on the hoppier side, but it has a slight creamy finish as you progress through the  bottle, which is nice.

i’ve ended up eating a snack whenever drinking this — try it with those lays jalapeno kettle cooked chips – that’s a good combo… well, they’re good chips overall – ha

i think that fat tire is a bit smoother to drink, but this one is alright.

beeradvocate: B-
me: B+

beer, pare!

store: bevmo
type: american adjunct lager
abv: 5.00%

FIFTY…. ridiculous that i got the goal a little past the halfway mark of the year. i definitely wanted this one to be my fiftieth (that looks weird, so i’ll just write 50th).

ahh… san miguel — the beer of choice for the filipino. i remember family parties (when i was a wee one) where uncles would drink this stuff… that was when i thought beer was gross (so maybe when i was like 18 or so)… the commercials on the filipino channels were awesome too — i couldn’t find the one i was looking for, but i saw these on youtube and they’re just as awesome:

SABADO, SABADO, SABADO — this is my jam before i roll out on saturdays — make it yours too:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixSN4LwCXLs

and the obligatory pacman spot:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbMd4QOsfDA

anyways… it’s a really smooth lager (american adjunct lager — you’ll notice this is a pretty popular type)… it’s light just like the rest of ‘em…with minor flavors of grains

you might be thinking, “damn, joe… what an anti-climactic drink to achieve your goal on”

i say, “nay”

it’s kinda cool that it all came full circle around the world back to the philippines… aww

but don’t take my word for it, take it away, zane! (awesome — it’s a still image of balut! don’t click that if you’re squeamish!!!!)

[hulu:http://www.hulu.com/embed/D368zUt8zJ1pI0VxvseulQ]

beeradvocate: C
me: B+

the beer for the italian businessman

store: trader joe’s
type: euro pale lager
abv: 4.60%
suggested by: debbie morales

so this is one of three different types of beers that were given to me as a ‘thank you’ gift from andy’s mom, debbie (being a computer nerd has its perks). it’s funny how reformatting a computer is like pulling teeth to some people, but to me — it’s actually fun… something about wiping a computer and making it faster than before.

apparently, i didn’t have italy up on the list so this is her contribution to the list!

birra moretti was a very clean, drinkable beer… if you’re a comparison-type person, then it kinda was on the same level as a miller lite, which isn’t a bad thing… if i had a choice between ML and CL, i’d totally choose ML.

poured into my frosted stone smoked porter mug with a one-finger head and had a gold color to it

overall, it was a good after-work beer that won’t destroy you or anything… i could totally drink it again… i accompanied it with the awesome combo from vons*

*if you’re not familiar with the combo, it’s potato wedges, mac/cheese, and chicken strips (LIKE A BOSS!)

beeradvocate: C
me: B

¡levántate!

store: probably some corner “siete-once” in the country of colombia (ha!)
type: american adjunct lager
abv: 4.00%
suggested by: juan

thanks to juan for this beer… straight from mexico… err colombia — same thing i guess, right?

all to get his country’s flag into my modest list! he had to fool the TSA by turning this (and another can) into a suppository… yea… i totally drank outta the can!

so let’s see — at first sip, i KNEW it was similar to a bud light/coors light type… and i was effin’ right (american adjunct lager)! i dunno if that’s a testament to my taste buds, or the fact that i drank so much of that during the july 4th weekend (ughhhh).

tho, i will give it credit — it was a lot SMOOTHER than BL/CL imho… those other beers have a weird harshness to it that makes it lack drinkability.

i can totally see myself drinking too much of these and fuckin’ myself up… good stuff!

i grade it a B (yes, partly because of the length of personal travel from point of origin to my belly)

beeradvocate: C
me: B

10w-30 motor oil

store: bj’s
type: russian imperial stout
abv: 8.00%

it’s a tradition to drink this b*tch on birthdays so i had two pints of it… i was running ragged the next day (“doesn’t that mean that you’re drunk?” “no. it means i was drunk yesterday” — name that movie!)

it’s kinda funny tho — i used to loathe this beer, but now it’s not so bad. i guess my tastebuds grew up apparently (or i’ve destroyed my sense of taste, whichever one you feel applies)

this is a creamy ass stout (as stouts are wont to be) — it had a thin head (experts would say a one-finger head, but you guys are too childish for that term), but look at it in the pic… it’s a nice malty color

beeradvocate: B+
me: B-

darkness!

store: stone brewery
type: baltic porter
abv: 8.50%

first of all, if you haven’t been to stone brewery in escondido, you must… even if you don’t drink beer (yea, there are some people out there… *cough* chaunce) — it’s an all-around chill place to eat and meet with friends.

this time i was here for white mark’s birthday

i REALLY enjoy their smoked porter so i wanna try some other type of porter… this is from another local brewery to san diego: lightning. i’ve been to this particular one last year with geoff and greg — we did a three brewery crawl (ballast point and alesmith), but it wasn’t my favorite of all the places… ballast point was (tho that’s some hoppy-ass beer)

anyway… this beer didn’t really hit me as a porter — it had more alcohol taste than anything else… much like a mild tatonka (bj’s — the restaurant, not the… well whatever)

i was a thick beer — worth a shot for a first try, but wouldn’t get it the next time around

beeradvocate: B+
me: B-

forget the beer... garlic fries!

store: gordon-biersch
type: maibock/helles bock
abv: 6.80%

i thought i hadn’t had a maibock type of beer before, but apparently i have (i just haven’t reviewed it yet — bad.. i know)

went to gordon-biersch for a gorirra meeting and this was their seasonal beer.

it started with a 2-finger head and a malty smell to it… it was pretty good, i must say… it’s a stronger beer (abv-wise), but i had some food with it so it didn’t kick my ass

paired it with a damn good cheeseburger and garlic fries (drooooool…)

would i have it again? maybe… tho their dunkles is a really good seasonal — i’d prolly prefer either golden export or marzen

beeradvocate: B+
me: B

STELLLLLLLLLLAHHH!

store: ?
type: euro pale lager
abv: 5.20%

it surprised me when i noticed that this was belgium… most belgian beers have a particular taste and this one definitely doesn’t follow

as for taste… it’s very mild, but that can be a good thing — like if you’re having it with a meal, which i did.

i’ve had this earlier in the year but delayed the review — i was initially going to give it a C… it might’ve been a bad 6-pk or maybe my tastebuds changed

i’m still iffy on green-green bottled beers tho…

beeradavocate: C+
me: B-

shocking that the king of beers made a witbier

store: vons
type: witbier
abv: 5.20%

i was curious when i saw this — a belgian white made by anheuser-busch

it pours a cloudy gold color and the taste, well… they’re close, but not quite…

i always reference the hoe train with wits and shock top doesn’t hold a candle to hoeees

this definitely has the citrusy taste, but then has a medium aftertaste of yeast — i wouldn’t drink it with a full on meal, maybe snackages like cheese or something

beeradvocate: C+
me: B-

honey? really?

store: ?
type: american amber/red lager
abv: 4.50%

as sarmad said, this beer was “kissed by a honeybee” — apparently there was supposed to be a hint of honey flavor to this beer, but for the life of me, i couldn’t spot it

it had a mild malty flavor that i actually enjoyed — it’s a good starter (of the night) beer because its “middle-of-the-road” flavor

ba wasn’t really fans of it tho, giving it a C+… i’m still gonna give it a B — i can see myself drinkin’ this again (maybe…)

beeradvocate: C+
me: B