Beer reviews and blog posts by Tom Smillie
Tom started his journey into the beer world the summer of 2007. What began as a simple post-garage-cleaning beer with his Dad turned into a love for this “art in fermented form.” Adhering to the motto I can try everything once, Tom's goal is to sample just about every beer ever created. Trying styles ranging from Pilsner to Oak Aged Stouts to Flemish Red Ales, his tastes are varied. Tom's favorite styles are ESBs, Stouts, and Wheats. About a year after he started sampling, he began home brewing.
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast
Brewed with a hearty addition of oats and coffee this beer might be a great way to start the day. I’ll be honest, living in Illinois there is only one beer that can claim the right to drunk in the morning. That beer is none other than Founders Breakfast Stout....
New Belgium Fresh Hop IPA
A truly wet hopped beer, NBB incorporates freshly picked flowers that endure a quick road trip from Washington state to the brewery where they are then added to the boil. After reading the following article on Billy’s blog (a great blog to check out), I changed...
Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS)
CBS!!! One of the most sought after beers in 2011 after it was announced that it would be packaged into 750mL bottles. Selling at $18 per bottle at the brewery on October 1st, I’m sure it was a mad house as that is a great price point for such a phenomenal,...
Bruery & Dogfish Head Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder
An interesting collab brew that, according to the DFH website, is suppose to strike a contrast between American “bigger is better” and Japanese tradition. In doing so this beer incorporates Kumquats, a medley of 7 spices called schichimi togarashi, and...
Hoppin’ Frog D.O.R.I.S.
The Destroyer! This might be the stout to end all stouts? The big, nay, huge brother of BORIS clocks in with a hefty alcohol content and hopping. In fact, this beer is first wort hopped (hops added to mash) and dry hopped (hops added during fermentation) for...
Hoppin’ Frog B.O.R.I.S.
Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout. Known as “The Crusher,” BORIS has racked up some awards at GABF taking gold in both 2008 and 2011. I’ve been waiting to open up this bottle that has been cellaring in my basement for just over a year....
Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad (BBQ)
Take The Sixth Glass add some Bourbon barrels and cherry puree and what do you get? BBQ! As Mark Starr so eloquently put, the name plays tribute to the great culture of KC, Missouri in that Bar-B-Que is a staple. I personally think this beer embodies what a barrel...
Great Divide 17th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA
Based off their DPA, year seventeen tasted very close to that of its predecessor. It too was aged on American and French oak chips, brandished the same abv, and seemed to embody a similar malt and hop profile. The only thing that was noticeable different was the...
Blue Point Blueberry Ale
This easy sipping beer found favor in my eyes after cutting the grass one warm afternoon. I was looking for a beer that had flavor yet was simple enough to just be a thirst quencher. Having sampled a few of Blue Point’s beers already I knew this was going to...
Hoppin’ Frog Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S. 2009
2009 Vintage: Taking the original BORIS as a base, this beer undergoes some aging in Heaven Hill Whiskey barrels for some time. The cap on my bottle was green indicating it was batch 3 in 2009 (Gold – Batch 1-2 in 2009; Black – Batch 4 in 2010; Red...
Port Brewing Hop-15 Ale
Created to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Pizza Port location, this beer is the brain child of hop heads. It utilizes a medley of 15 different hops (varieties not given) that are then added in 15 minutes increments. If that does not excite the inner hop junkie...
Avery Mephistopheles Stout 2011
2011 Vintage: The last in the Demon Series of Ales by Avery. Complete damnation! Similar to Noel’s review of The Beast, I got owned by this beer. Coming in at an alcohol level which rivaled that of BrewDog’s intense beers, Mephistopheles packs more...
Boulevard The Sixth Glass
“In the sixth glass sits the Devil himself; he is a little well-dressed man, most charming and pleasant. He understands you and agrees with everything you say. He even brings a lamp to light your way–not to your home, but to his. There is an old legend...
Boulevard Dark Truth Stout
My second attempt at Boulevard’s Smokestack Series come in the form of a big stout with a Belgian touch. Using a Belgian yeast strain and a massive grain bill this beer does not disappoint. Seriously. It looks very similar to Great Divide’s Belgian...
Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
Wow! I have not had such a good reaction to a beer for some time. This beer is legit! Boulevard takes a classic older style and puts a little new age flare to it…and in a good way. Named in honor of fermentation vessel #7 which apparently produces a medley...
Anchor Small Beer
Served in irony, Anchor Small comes in a 1.6 fl oz bottle and has an interesting story. This low abv beer is made by using the second run off (see sparge) from the leftover grains used to make their Old Foghorn Barleywine. This idea is actually very earth friendly...
Hofbräu Oktoberfest
Hofbrau! A powerhouse of brewing in Germany has been reaching the masses for centuries over. Founded in 1589, it used to be the royal brewery (hence the crown in the logo) for the Bavarian “court” (Hof). Known for its massive Oktoberfest...
Hoppin’ Frog B.O.R.I.S. #100
100 batches of a quality stout. Congrats to Hoppin’ Frog and Brewmaster Fred Karm. Wanting to do something slightly different in order to celebrate this batch Fred mixed up the grain bill. Using English Pale Ale malt, this beer is going to have a different...
5 Rabbit 5 Vulture
My first full beer from this new brewery finds me sipping on an interesting concoction. This dark ale is brewed with ancho chilies (dried poblano) and made in the Oaxacam-style (a region in the Southern Pacific side of Mexico). While I’m not completely sure...
Anchor Porter
In the midst of sampling their Christmas Ale (’99-’11 vertical) I took a break to indulge on this wonderfully crafted dark ale. I’ve had this beer before, but it has been a few years since. I wanted to revisit it for a few reasons: 1) it is good...
Anchor Christmas Ale 2005
Tree: Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak) I found the latin name rather humorous. “Agrifolia” sounds close to agriphobia. Not sure what would happen if a tree had a fear of farming? I digress. Another stout-like brew for this year’s batch. It...
Anchor Christmas Ale 2002
Tree: Populus fremontii (Fremont/Alamo Cottonwood) Picking up where I left of yesterday, I found myself pouring vintage 2002. The contents of the bottle was much darker this time around and the head much more dense than before. Looking through the glass into some...
Anchor Christmas Ale 2001
Tree: Washingtonia filifera (California/Desert/Arizona Fan Palm) Pouring a deeper ruby reddish color it looked more like a Scottish style ale mixed with a Porter. The head plumed rather fast and formed a tight knit beige barrier. When it came to the aroma, this...