Lagunitas Gnarleywine

      Lagunitas seems to be one of the only Breweries that make massively hopped beers that are also perfectly balanced.  It's amazing how few others can pull this off.  They are turning in to one of my favorite breweries.  Gnarleywine pours out a red orange thicker than oil.  The nose has strong herb, raisin, caramel, citrus and spice. Wow, that's some strong stuff.  It has gigantic hop flavors,  really huge herbal citrus.  But wait,  there's also tons of other yummy flavors.  That classic mix of dried fruit flavors, big caramels, spice, and your herb and citrus.  Very tasty and the body on this is titanic.  Add in the nice 10.6%ABV,  and you've managed to balance out that cascade of hop,  a whopping 75 IBU's.  Full Sail managed to completely ruin Bump in the Night which much less hop.  Once again Lagunitas has made another really good beer, well worth trying and cellaring.  Well played.

He'Brew Jewbelation

      I've never had He'Brew but I have had one of their Coney Island Brand.  This is their 14th anniversary beer in a nice big bottle with a startling 14% ABV.  You had me at 14%.  It was only 5 bucks too.  Jewbelation pours out like oil, black and heavy.  The nose is multifold, strong mocha, prune, other dried fruits like cherry cranberry,  and a hint of herb.  The flavor is equally complex.  Among the flavors are strong mocha, prune, massive burnt caramel, smoke and other fruits, it's just amazing.  This is so thick and rich a massive beer.  Oh yeah there's some hop in there as well.  This is a great beer, it's like an extra dark super barleywine.  This giant beer isn't for everyone,  like big pussies, but it's one of the best I've ever had.  Search it out if it's well worth it.  But don't look for it in the Total Wine in Sterling, cause I went back and bought the rest.  This would be a great beer to cellar.  Awesome.

Corsendonk Christmas Ale

      Another foreign beer this one from Corsendonk.  This comes in a very swell bottle with a nice cork Suitable as a giftt and I suspect for cellaring.  Donk pours out a heady dark brown with mocha caramel malt on the nose. It has excellent flavors of sweet mocha, and burnt caramel with nice medium hop.  This has a nice body and a lot of maltiness.  Overall, a very nice warming comforting Winter Beer.  This is great for now and later, very much on the nice list.