400 Pound Monkey (bottle) - 3.4

400 Pound Monkey
India Pale Ale
Left Hand Brewing Company
Longmont, CO
ABV: 7%

Jon:
Really fizzy, sudsy head. Slightly sweet, spiced nose; malty brown sugar notes. The flavor is subdued. I thought that this was some really heavy-handed stuff at the Keystone Beer Fest, but it's not nearly as complex in the bottle. Very acidic mouthfeel, which I don't mind. Awesome bottle art!

3.8	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 8/10 4/5 8/10 2/5 4/5 8/10

Mark:
Creamy, clumpy head with little lacing. Toasty English malt with a strange bitter coppery metallic aftertaste.

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 5/5 6/10 2/5 6/10 3/5 4/5 6/10

Jere:
I don't really care for the taste of alcohol in my beer, and this one is pretty strong in that department. On the bright side, that's the sort of problem that goes away once you get to the second pint!

3.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 3/5 7/10 2/5 4/5 6/10

JuJu Ginger (bottle) - 3.0

JuJu Ginger
Herb/Spice Ale
Left Hand Brewing
Longmont, CO
ABV: 4%

Jon:
One of my favorite ginger beers! Slightly sour nose, pretty hefty amount of ginger on the first sip. Slightly sweet and very bubbly. This is one of the priciest beers I buy on a semi-regular basis... usually the pricey beers I lean toward have a much higher ABV.

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 6/10 3/5 7/10 3/5 2/5 7/10

Mark:
Sweet and spicy gingerbread beer. I'm not really sure I like the sweetness of this. I feel an immediate urge to eat something salty.

2.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 4/10 2/5 3/10 4/5 2/5 4/10

Jere:
After trying some of Mark's latest distillery efforts, I probably should've had a palate cleanser before trying this ginger beer... Perhaps ginger would've done the trick! I could drink some more of this, which is high praise coming from me.

3.6	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 4/5 8/10 3/5 3/5 7/10

Jackman's Pale Ale (bottle) - 3.8

Jackman's Pale Ale
American Pale Ale
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
ABV: 5.2%

Jon:
Hazy. Tastes mildly of bananas. Clean finish, very agreeable.

3.6	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 3/5 8/10 4/5 3/5 7/10

Mark:
Very crisp, smooth pale ale with a surprising body that doesn't weigh it down. Tart, bright and hoppy with a balanced finish.

3.8	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 8/10 4/5 8/10 3/5 3/5 8/10

Jere:
Jackman--as in Hugh? That's what comes to mind first when sampling this robust brew, although the resemblance to Wolverine is purely coincidental. Perhaps there are other similarities to the professional Aussie, but at the moment they escape me. The palate certainly gets a workout, which may or may not be a result of the Chinese food leftovers consumed 20 minutes earlier.

4.0	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 9/10 5/5 8/10 3/5 3/5 8/10