Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

Beer score: 5.5
Web site: Schlenkaerla
This German "smoked beer" suffers from the tiniest bit of flatness, but it has a cool burnt quality that's the equivalent of one of the weaker porters. Worth drinking. Even makes a good sipping beer while you're on the computer for long hours.

Ayinger Ur-Weisse

Beer score: 4.7
Web site: Ayinger
Very smooth with a light sweetness that builds the more you drink, almost turning into a sourness going down. Nice to try, but nothing worth drinking regular. Not the best Ayinger beer.

Ayinger Jahrhundert-Bier

Beer score: 5.8
Web site: Ayinger
This Bavarian lager has a smooth blond color and a smooth, bitter taste. The bitterness is too strong, even tasting a little like a British "bitter" style ale. Has a very nice, frothy head. Should score better, but the bitterness is too overpowering.

Ayinger Brau-Weisse

Beer score: 6.3
Web site: Ayinger
Has a nice frothy head. Also has a soured fruity flavor that is standable, but builds the more you drink it. After a few tastes, the sourness is really too much. Still, not a bad beer over all.

Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

Beer score: 7.0
Web site: Ayinger
The bottle calls this an "authentic Bavarian dark lager." Brewed in Aying, Germany, by Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkamner. Brought to the U.S. by the Merchant du Vin Corp. of Seattle, Washington (these guys bring plenty of great beers into the United States). This beer has a nice dark flavor with a hint of a sour smell, but not enough to really ruin the tasting experience. Some carbonation on the tongue, but again, not enough to hurt.

Avery Brewing Co. Out of Bounds Stout

Beer score: 7.4
Web site: Avery Brewing
Frothy with a strong burnt molasses flavor like many good stouts have. You could do far worse than to give this heavy drink a try.

Avery Brewing Co. India Pale Ale

Beer score: 6.0
Web site: Avery Brewing
Boulder, Colorado, is where this tasty beverage is brewed. Generally speaking, while I love pale ales, I tend to not like India pale ales because they often have a sharp, almost grapefruit-like sour taste going down. This India pale ale is an exception for me; it still has a touch of the sourness but not enough to be overpowering. Goes down easy and frothy. India pale ales (I.P.A.) are named after a type of pale ale shipped to British troops in India during the nineteenth century.

Avery Brewing Co. 14'er E.S.B.

Beer score: 5.8
Web site: Avery Brewing
Smooth and bitter with a bit of a malt aftertaste. Weak enough that beer snobs could drink it like non-snobs do Budweiser. Big thanks to Larry Avery of the Avery Brewing folks for giving me permission to use their logo on my old website about a dozen years ago. Avery Brewing makes some pretty good beers.

Avery Brewing Co. Ellie's Brown Ale

Beer score: 5.8
Web site: Avery Brewing
I'm guessing Ellie is the name of a dog since there is a picture of a black dog on this Boulder, Colorado, beer bottle. A little heavy, somewhat like a stout with a little bit of the burnt maple taste of a stout without being quite as heavy as a stout (you got all that?). This would make a fine brew for folks working their way up to heavier fare like stouts or porters.

Augustiner Brau Munchen Dunkel

Beer score: 5.8
Web site: Augstiner-Brau Wagner KG
Made in Munich, Germany since 1328. Has the texture and burnt taste of a sturdy porter. This is a good beer for those of you who like dark German brews. You Beck's fans would probably like this. Not nearly as sweet as Augustinerbrau Munchen Maximator, but has more carbonation.

Augustiner Brau Munchen Maximator

Beer score: 5.4
Web site: Augstiner-Brau Wagner KG
Way too much sweetness. Worth tasting at least once so you'll know about it and so you won't have to try it again. There's a bit of a woody and nutty flavoring here, but the depths of all that malty sweetness really hurts the enjoyability of this brew.

Augustiner

Beer score: 4.3
Web site: Iron City Brewing Company
This lager comes from the Pittsburgh Brewing Co., the folks known for making Iron City Beer. Pretty smooth with a slight dark beer taste, but not a true beer snob’s beer. Tips for beer tasting: use a clear glass and have some crackers or bread to eat between beers; also, try to have no more than two or three beers when tasting because you start to get tipsy, and that influences your tasting judgment.

Augsburger Golden

Beer score: 4.1
Web site: Stevens Point Brewery
Has a little more kick and taste than normal, cheap American beers. Not a bad beer to try, but probably not something you want to drink regularly. The flavor is American-mass-market with some extra sweetening. Apparently Joseph Huber Brewing Co. used to own this brew, but then Stroh Brewery Company owned it when I tasted it in 1997. Now the Stevens Point Brewery makes this beer, so perhaps they've improved upon it.

Athenian

Beer score: 3.5
Web site: Athenian Brewery
Nothing special here, but nothing really rotten either. It basically tastes like Budweiser with a snazzy label on the bottle. Comes from Athens, Greece, and the Athenian Brewery.

Aspen Edge

Beer score: 2.9
Web site: Coors
This is Coors' version of the new low-carb light beers that are hitting the market in early 2004. This beer isn't awful, but it's not good. A little fizzy at first, with a soapy aftertaste in your mouth once you've finished a bottle. Very made-for-America with a cheap beer flavor.

Apollo Lager

Beer score: 6.3
The Big Bang Brewery of St. Paul, Minnesota, brewed this, but they are no longer in business. The blue bottle is quite unique with an image of one of the Apollo spacecrafts on the clear label. A weak looking beer, but has a smooth strength to it. A little too complicated for beginners.

Andechs Spezial Hell

Beer score: 7.9
Web site: Andechs

This German brew is light with a crisp bitterness, kind of like a hefeweizen. Light enough that non-beer snobs could stand it, but they might not like the strong bitter flavor that hangs on the tongue.

Andechs Dunkel Weissbier

Beer score: 7.1
Web site: Andechs
This beer has a strong, fizzy sweetness that's too complex for non-afficionados. Has a slight tea-like texture. Brewed in a monastery's cellar.

Andechs Dunkel

Beer score: 7.6
Web site: Andechs
Hits you with a strong caramel flavor that turns into a burnt-tasting bitterness on the way down. Just a tad too much carbonation for my taste, but not enough to ruin the drink. Quite enjoyable.

Anchor Steam Beer

Beer score: 8.9
Web site: Anchor Brewing

This is a must-try brew for beer snobs. Made in San Francisco, California, by Anchor Brewing Co. Strong and smooth. Too complicated for folks not used to good beer. Due to its strength and excellent taste, this brew is surprisingly good as a bar beer as long as it is taken in moderation. Goes great with bar food and cigars. You'll smell the caramel before you even get to taste it. Comes with a slight fruity flavoring. The bitterness doesn't kick in until the end when this stuff is sliding down your throat.