Allagash Brewing Company certainly knows how to do Belgian-style beers and uses that expertise to produce Black Belgian Stout at its Portland, Maine brewery. As advertised, this is a Belgian-influenced riff on the ubiquitous Irish classic.
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Latest Reviews
Explore The Beer Connoisseur® magazine's database of most recent beer and cider reviews as evaluated by our panel of judges in the Official Review.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
24 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Yet another rock solid Pennsylvania brewery, Harrisburg’s Troegs Brewing Company has captivated beer drinkers across the country with its distinctive, easily recognizable beers. This time Troegs checks in with Dead Reckoning, its tasty porter.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
22 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Situated on the banks of the Lehigh River in Easton, Pa., Weyerbacher Brewing produces some of the East Coast’s most noteworthy beers, including the fearsome Blithering Idiot, a decidedly American take on the venerable English barleywine.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
From its earliest days back in the fall of 1988, Cleveland-based Great Lakes Brewing Company has developed a rightfully deserved reputation as one of America’s top breweries.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Perched above the scenic Columbia River Gorge in Mt. Hood, Ore., Full Sail Brewing Company has been serving up classic brews to dedicated fans for a quarter century. A heavy hitter in the repertoire is the Black Gold Imperial Stout, a hugely... Read More
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
24 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Since opening Port Brewing/Lost Abbey in 2006, co-founder Tomme Arthur has earned the reputation as “The Guy” when it comes to producing Belgian-style sour ales. Red Poppy is a Flanders-style red ale, displaying all of the expected trademark... Read More
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Originally a brewpub in downtown San Diego, 22 years later Karl Strauss Brewing Company produces over 30,000 barrels of beer annually. Head brewer Matt Johnson’s latest holiday brew, Two Tortugas Belgian Quad, is an 11% ABV that packs a serious... Read More
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
24 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Starting out in the back of a local homebrewing supply store in 1996, Ballast Point Brewing has continued to expand its exceptional beer lineup, including the sublimely hop-driven Sculpin IPA.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Located in a quiet Mira Mesa business park, AleSmith Brewing has been turning out stunning beers since 1995. Speedway Stout is a monster of a Russian Imperial Stout. Clocking in at a mind-boggling 12% ABV, it’s not a beer to be toyed with.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
19 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
28 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
Special E.S.B., from Durango-based Ska Brewing, was one of the first canned American microbrews and it continues to be a perennial favorite among a growing and increasingly devoted following.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
21 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Now entering a third decade of production, New Belgium founders Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan launched their brewery with Fat Tire and Abbey Belgian Style Ale.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
21 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Since first opening in Palo Alto in 1988, Gordon Biersch has grown into an international brewing powerhouse. Despite the growth, Gordon Biersch has remained committed to crafting exemplary German-style beers and maintaining an unwavering... Read More
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
22 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Although made under a license from the Affligem Abbey in Flemish Brabant by lay brewers, Affligem’s Dubbel follows the Trappist beer tradition and displays classic Dubbel character.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
21 / 24
Appearance:
4 / 6
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
More widely acclaimed for exceptional weissbiers, Paulaner delivers a lineup of fine lagers, including its Oktoberfest Bier. Released annually in late summer, this malty, slightly chewy brew’s easy drinking belies a lurking 6 percent ABV.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
21 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
8 / 20
Although made under a license from the Brewed in Munich every year since 1872, Spaten’s Oktoberfest is considered the world’s oldest version of this style.
Reviewed by: BC Review
Aroma:
22 / 24
Appearance:
4 / 6
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Brewed since 1862, Chimay Première is the flagship beer of the Trappist monks of Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont in Chimay, Belgium and is quite likely the most widely recognized Trappist beer in the world today.