King of the Case: Troegs Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.

HopBack Amber Ale
When it comes to beer, I am a hops man first. Often times, when beers put a major stress on malt, they risk losing me. But this seemed to me to be a pretty ideal balance of the two ingredients.

DreamWeaver Wheat
This was really great! The banana taste jumped out. Big-time lemony punch. So crisp and easy-drinking, yet oddly flavorful and complex. A truly superior beer.

Pale Ale
I definitely enjoyed drinking this, but I remember thinking that there wasn't a terrific complementary aspect to bolster the hops.

Sunshine Pils
This is pretty good. A very nice beer to drink six of on a hot summer day. However, if it is beer adventurousness you seek, it would probably be best to look to a different choice.

The Labels
Will be honest: Have never really liked Troegs labels. They seem very old-fashioned to me. So let's start with the clear loser: the Pale Ale does not grab the eye at all. Just a reddish "Pale Ale" stamp on a green label. Not good. HopBack Amber doesn't grab me visually either. That leaves Sunshine Pils' smiling sun character against the magical tree image of DreamWeaver Wheat. I'm going with DreamWeaver because it took a long time for me to realize that the branches were spelling out "Troegs." Pretty clever.

The Winner
First of all, I apologize for this edition of King of the Case. I drank this case nearly a month ago and took absolutely ZERO notes. You see, I thought about giving it up after I lost to Lew Bryson in the Beer Scene writer competition. Suddenly I was drinking the case not to review it but simply to drown my sorrows. At that point, it seemed a little odd to take notes on stuff like "mouthfeel" and "texture." This being said, we like the good people at Troegs and we don't think it is right for them to lose their case review simply because the readers of Beer Scene made an incredibly horrible decision, like so many myopic boxing judges! Luckily for us, it doesn't take notes to tell you that there is a clear winner in this case: DreamWeaver Wheat. This is a classic of the hefeweizen genre. If you see it at your local bar - especially on tap - make sure to purchase it. It should also be said that this was the Beer Scene selection for the area's best wheat beer. Damn them. Sometimes, they really do get it right!
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The Pizza Project
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King of the Case: Blue Moon Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.
Blue Moon Brewing Company

Belgian White
The beer has a slightly hazy golden color and the scent is fragrant while not overpowering. You can pick up the Belgian-style spicing and there is a nice citrus kick. Still, it seems like it could really use the orange slice you would get at the bar (or the one I could get out of my fridge if I were not too lazy to get up). If you're a high-commercial-budget beer drinker looking to step up toward microbrews, this is a good place to start.

King of the Case: Long Trail Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.
Long Trail Brewing Company

Pale AleFeaturing a color between golden and amber, the pale ale had a hoppy scent that didn't translate to a powerful punch upon first sip. On the cosmetic side, it did pour a fairly thick, creamy head. What hops were there did not seem to be offset by a contrasting flavor. As it went on, I began to pick up an almost vinegary feel. All in all, the beer was fairly bland and unsatisfying. Not a major fan.

King of the Case: Great Divide Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.
Great Divide Brewing Company

Claymore Scotch Ale
Features a very smoky flavor. It's a little bitter with coffee notes, leaning toward the taste of a porter, but not quite getting there (thankfully, as I don't prefer porters). While it's described as a "Wee Heavy" on the bottle, it does not feel exceptionally weighty. Also, it is somewhat layered, with the power of the beer coming more on the finish than on the front end. A very interesting offering.

King of the Case: Philadelphia Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.

Philadelphia Brewing Company

Kenzinger
A very straightforward session beer that is uncomplicated, yet not boring. Incredibly crisp. Could easily drink several in a row. There's a nice little floral kick in the finish. Probably the Noble hops that are stated in the recipe. I'll give it a slight downgrade for a bit of an aftertaste, but would give it high grades as a good craft-beer intro piece.

Pennsylvania Pale Ale
Crisp flavor with sizable hops. More floral punch, almost (but just short of) a little musty. A nice combination of light and hefty.

King of the Case: Brooklyn Brewery

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.

Brooklyn Brewery

Brown Ale
A smooth yet complex ale. Includes hints of caramel and a healthy application of malt flavor. There's a nice finish with a bit of subtle smokiness. Almost has a bit of a porterish feel, but not too much in the chocolate/coffee department. Has a slight bitterness and maybe a tiny bit of a lasting aftertaste.

East India Pale Ale
A pleasing beer, but maybe a little too subtly hopped. It has a nice floral scent and certainly isn't a bad beer. But it isn't terribly distinctive either.

Lager
This has a lot more depth and complexity than your usual lager. The malt is fairly heavy and, again, there is some of the caramel that was detected in the Brown. It all combines for a vibrant flavor, one that exceeds the expectations of the usual lager.

Pennant Ale '55
Brooklyn Brewery seems to really stress the malt in its recipes. This one, which is dedicated to the 1955 champion Brooklyn Dodgers, features a sizeable amount, but it's pretty much all there is. Seems to be aiming toward an Oktoberfest, but falls somewhat short.

The Labels
Like the earlier reviewed Flying Fish, Brooklyn Brewery's labels stress brand recognition over adventurous design. Three of the four bottles feature a cursive B in a circular foundation. Surrounded by stars, the only difference is color combination. The Pennant Ale is the only variation, with the circle becoming a baseball and the background becoming a blue-and-silver stripe pattern. I'm going to go with the Brooklyn Lager. The green-and-black color combo is just really classy.

The Winner
It's a close one between the Lager and the Brown. In the end, I am going to go with the Brown, simply because it was both delicious and more complex. However, the Lager is certainly a classic of the genre and one that would make for an exceedingly enjoyable session beer.
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The Pizza Project
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King of the Case: Flying Fish Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.
Flying Fish Brewing Company

Extra Pale Ale
This is pretty significantly hopped for a pale. Nice vibrant scent and punchy floral taste. Very crisp, extremely refreshing, and perfectly colored. There's a bit of an aftertaste, but not really a bad one. More of a by-product of the extra application of hops.

ESB Amber AleNot a lot of flavor jumping out here. The recipe is based mostly on malt, yet the flavor is a little weak. It isn't horrible, but it is certainly a little too simplistic. Not much to enjoy.

King of the Case: Saranac Beers

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.

Saranac Beers (Matt Brewing Company)

Big Moose Ale
A fairly refreshing amber. The hops jump out to a decent extent, but so does the malt. The two elements come off almost equally, resulting in a character that falls short of distinction. There is a little bit of a harsh aftertaste. In the end, it is enjoyable, but not outstanding.

India Style Copper Ale
Doesn't have the feel you would expect from an IPA, but then again I think its recipe looks to fall a little heavier on the malty side. I believe they are going for an IPA/brown mixture. As a result, the mostly aroma-free beer falls more into the hoppiness of a pale ale than an IPA.

Vanilla Stout
I'm not a big stout person at all, but this one had an immediate coffee kick and hints of vanilla bubbling up from beneath. It's neither overly hefty nor undersized, and features a very agreeable scent to go along with a surprisingly smooth finish. It is extremely layered and rewards slow, focused sipping.

King of the Case: Yards Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.

Yards Brewing Company

Extra Special Ale
This amber-colored beer features a strong, bold flavor with hints of cocoa and caramel. It is an English-style ale, but it seems a little more drinkable to me than the usual concoction from the United Kingdom.

Philadelphia Pale Ale
This beer is a revelation from first sip. As soon as you bring it near your nose, you pick up a powerful, citrus scent. When you take a drink, fruity, pungent hop flavor jumps out at you like a mugger near an ATM. It's got session-beer ABV (4.6%), but a complexity that you usually don't find in such an easy-to-drink varietal. It's a crisp, interesting beer whose layers of flavor can simply be reveled in. Reminded me of the first time I drank Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin, which is to say I feel like I need to get a case of this alone.

Brawler Pugilist Style Ale
With its brownish coloring, this beer actually reminds a lot of the Extra Special Ale. The only difference is that this one has a bit of a smoky Rauchbier-type feel. This being said, I am not a huge fan of smoky beers. If made to choose, I would go with the Extra Special.

India Pale Ale
Yards does hops well. This one features well distributed hops and distinct flavor. It's not going to blow you away like some of the more spectacular West Coast IPAs, but it isn't run-of-the-mill either. Almost feel like I would have enjoyed it even more if I had not consumed it twenty minutes or so after knocking back the Philly Pale.

The LabelsFor the look of its labels, Yards shoots for a classic, dignified feel. However, by using vibrant color combinations, they are able to ensure that the bottles are never boring. I was tempted to declare the Extra Special Ale the winner simply because the green-and-yellow color combination appeals to me. I feel like I could drink this at a bar and it would communicate that I am a man who enjoys simple pleasures, like a manly beer, a novel by Hemingway, a film by John Ford. In the end though, I give the nod to Brawler. The blue-and-orange color combo, while it is the color of the New York Mets, has always been a favorite of mine. Plus, I enjoy the art of the fighter facing off against the demonic figure. I like to imagine that the fighter is Yards and the demon is the beer brand that believes it needs to put a "Super Cold" stripe on its cans to get idiots to buy it. Buffoonish saps! Keep fighting that fight, Yards!

The WinnerThese are all solid beers that I would not mind spending way too much money on while out at a fancy-schmancy night spot with my friends. The Brawler is probably the only one I would place as a "B" beer, and that is because I am not a major proponent for smoky beers. Still, in this battle of the beers, there is only one winner and it is undoubtedly the Philadelphia Pale Ale. Just an incredible specimen of beer craftsmanship. If you see this on a menu, order it immediately as it is one of the best beers I have tasted all year. One note of interest: Even if you buy it in a bottle, pour it in a glass. The open top releases all sorts of flavors upon your senses and it makes for a way-more-delectable experience.