8.0% ABV, IPA brewed with 20% rye malt, Bear Republic, Healdsburg, CA; on draught at Dingle House Pub, West Chester, OH  

Deep reddish-amber beer with a short-lived pale beige head. Crisp, citric hop aroma wafts from the glass with floral & pine notes. Bitter up front, with toasted & deeply caramelized malts, but mostly dry in nature. Heavy side of medium bodied with a good mouthfeel. Some fruity esters. Light carbonation bite. Accent towards the hops, but with great balance. Lengthy finish with lingering bitterness and grapefruit peel. My tongue feels like its coated by hops! Scattered dots of foam remain on the glass. Towards the end as it warms, I pick up an almost cocoa-like aromatic undertone. Tatsy & substantial beer.

Thirteenth Anniversary Ale, 9.5% ABV, imperial red ale, Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA

It’s definitely red – deep red-amber, almost the colour of Grade B maple syrup, with great clarity. (My photo doesn't do it justice.) Thick, creamy pale beige head starts out over a finger’s width tall and holds a good eighth-inch thick after dropping. Hoppy aroma with lots of citrus and some pine resin. Moderately full-bodied, very creamy on the palate. Lots of hop character right off – floral, citric, piney and bitter, with some toasted and caramelized malt underneath. In the finish, a somewhat astringent note shows up with a mild undertone of something. I thought maybe anise or licorice, then rose hips, but it was fleeting and in the end I just get a grapefruit pith note. Alcohol is noticeable but not hot; smoothly integrated.

Solid beer, tasty, with plenty of hops, a wonderful texture and impressive foam sheeting on the glass, but lacking a bit in medium crystal malt or Vienna malt character to go with the colour. Expect generous hop flavour and bittering. At the barely cool stage (cellar temperature?), it actually seems more balanced, with the bitterness less dominating. Still a hoppy beer, of course!

Lagunitas, Petaluma, CA; 7.7% ABV, 102 IBU

Lovely, clear & bright light amber brew topped with a pillow of cream-coloured foam. The foam maintains some hilly terrain for a brief time, then falls to a thick ring and thin layer. Aroma of grapefruit leaps out of the glass, with some orange and lemon following. Finely carbonated with a rich, velvety mouthfeel; body on the heavy side of medium. There’s plenty of citric hops with some resin, over caramel malt with a toffee-like butteriness. Firm bitterness leads into a lingering hoppy finish. Some orange marmalade & orange oil shows up as it warms – reminiscent of Ale to the Chief. Delicious! Another classic American IPA – plenty of hops, but with enough malt to provide balance. Heavy foam sheeting clings to the glass.

6.2% ABV, saison with coriander, lemon balm, chamomile and lemon basil; Great Lakes Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH

Hazy old-gold color with a long-lasting, dense head of off-white foam. Complex aroma with herbs, a sour fruity note with lemon zest, and hints of earthy old barn and hay scents. Light and refreshing on the palate, with a dry, sour character. Carbonation is medium and very fine, giving the beer an almost creamy texture. The herbs and spices are restrained and well-balanced, with hints of coriander, lemon zest, and chamomile all detectable but enhancing, not dominating, the beer. The finish fades away gently with a mild sour note and increased bitterness. Partial rings and scattered bits of foam remain on the glass. Quite drinkable. A great summer refresher.

Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD; 4.9% ABV on cask at Dilly Café, Mariemont, OH

Hazy deep golden-amber in appearance with a finger of thick, off-white foam. Some light citrus & hint of caramel in the aroma. Smooth, creamy texture, very light carbonation with a medium body. Served very lightly chilled. Mix of light toasted malt, floral hops, some butteriness or butter rum, hint of grapefruit rind. Pleasing, balancing bitterness. Some tanginess. Balanced beer which seems to aim for drinkability and not too much of any one element. At 4.9%, makes for a good table or session beer. Definitely more English in character. Nice foam sheeting.