AleSmith Brewing Company - Speedway Stout

What, you really thought I wasn't going to do a stout for St. Patrick's Day? Come on now.. But we're not just tackling any stout today. We're going for perhaps the mother of all stouts in San Diego- AleSmith's Speedway Stout. Speedway has been around for quite a while now, but (in my opinion at least) it's yet to be surpassed by any stout I've had from San Diego. Somehow, in my infinite wisdom, I've been forgetting to review this beer for far too long. It's been a staple on the Top 100 (and now on the Top 250) List for a long, long time and it's time to give this beer it's well deserved time to shine. At #45- Speedway Stout.

Speedway Stout pours a jet black color with a monster, three-finger mocha colored head. It's not the thickest beer I've come across, but it still manages to leave some tracks of lace soaring high up the glass. When I first poured the beer, it had just come from the fridge and the smell seemed to be lacking a bit. But as it warmed up, it began to really intensify, bringing rich notes of dark roasted coffee mixed with the slightest trace of booze. When the beer warmed even more, I got a sweeter aroma that reminded me of milk chocolate, Whoppers, caramel, wet earth and toffee. This beer smells incredible.

The taste is a luscious blend of dark roasted coffee and rich dark chocolate. The middle shows just a hint of brownie/fudge and toffee sweetness before a big hit of espresso. The finish is pure dark roasted coffee bean deliciousness. At 12%, you would think this would be a challenge to drink, but it shows little trace of it's weight. The only hint is a slight warmness and dryness on the finish, but the beer is far from tasting harsh.

As far as coffee beers go, this is up there with the best of them. The coffee (brewed in San Diego by Ryan Brothers Coffee) isn't as intense in the smell or the taste as a beer like KBS, but it's so well melded into the other flavors here that it just might give KBS a run for its money. And while warming some stouts might bring out some off flavors you don't really want, warming this beer up only enhances the experience. If you haven't tried this beer, get on it. It's fairly easy to find and well worth the price. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all (or what's left of it).

Final Grade: A

Top 250 Beers Tasted: 115

Alesmith Brewing Company - Alesmith My Bloody Valentine

Yes, my friends, we've reached that magical time of the year- Valentine's Day. In general (though there are definitely exceptions), I wouldn't say it's much of a beer drinking holiday. However, if you are so inclined to drink beer tomorrow, I think I have just the beer you need- Alesmith's My Bloody Valentine. Alesmith has been brewing My Bloody Valentine for a few years now, but this is the first year they've bottled it. Let's give it a try.

My Bloody Valentine pours a deep ruby color with a half-inch sandy colored head. The head appears pretty dense and it leaves thick tracks of lace down the glass. The smell had a great mix of floral and citrus hops along with a really nice caramel malt presence. I also picked up some grapefruit and just a hint of chocolate.

The taste opens with some earthy and floral hops. These are quickly replaced by a biscuity malt overtone. Toast and sticky citrus hops come next before a clean and hoppy finish that leaves a bit of an unsweetened chocolate bitterness as well. My Bloody Valentine is definitely one of the more aggressive reds out there. So if the mood strikes you this Valentine's Day, don't hesitate to crack one of these bad boys open.

Final Grade: A-

Top 250 Beers Tasted: 109

Alesmith Brewing Company - Alesmith Decadence 2011 Maple Smoked Barleywine

In my opinion, Alesmith is one of the best breweries out there. I've tried almost their entire lineup of beers and can say that they range from "well above average" (Anvil ESB, My Bloody Valentine) to "absolutely unforgettable" (Speedway Stout and most of its numerous variations, Alesmith IPA). So when I spotted their newest anniversary ale on the shelf at a local store, I had a feeling it was going to be fantastic. Add to my opinions of Alesmith the fact that Decadence 2011 is a Maple Smoked Barleywine and I was definitely all in.

Decadence 2011 pours a deep amber color with a big foamy cream-colored head. The aroma was way more faint than I was expecting, but I was able to coax out some notes of caramel malt and citrus hop resin. Not really what I was expecting out of a maple smoked barleywine. Hmmm...


Decadence 2011 claims to be a blend of a barleywine and a rauchbier (smoked beer), but doesn't really taste like either. I got a lot of malt right away and it never really faded. Somewhere beneath the malt, I was able to pick out some brown sugar, char, and a bit of red currant. While it wasn't a terrible beer, Decadence never really showed the elements that made me so excited about it in the first place. There's a chance that those elements might come out more as the beer ages, but I'm not really interested in paying $15 more to find out. You still have me, Alesmith, but this was undoubtedly not one of your better efforts.

Final Grade: B-

Top 100 Beers Tasted: 37