Beer of the week: Guilford Golden Ale

Beer score: 4.1

Web site: Natty Greene's Brewing Co.

ABV: 3.8

IBU: unknown

I was really looking forward to this lighter American ale. It's from a regional brewery in Greensboro, North Carolina, and I always like trying something new. Plus, I was in the mood for a brew that wasn't real heavy, and I had hoped this beer would suffice. It didn't. Sorry, but the smell assaulted me right off the bat with a skunkiness reminiscent of something like Old Milwaukee. The flavor has sort of a light, bread-like quality, but that's it. Nothing special here, and the fizz was a bit too much, though not overpowering. Also, I found three different Web addresses for the brewing company, none of which was working, so I'm not sure if this company is still in business or not; apparently they are also a restaurant and pub. I've included a link above just in case the site was only down temporarily. Regardless of my all-around disappointment, this was just one brew, so I'll give this brewery another shot at some point.

Guinness Extra Stout

Beer score: 9.6
Web site: Guinness

Much too strong for beginner beer snobs. This is a good strong food beer, especially with mustard, pretzels and peppers. For something adventurous, try a bottle of Guinness with a 1/2 cup or cup of lime juice - it kills much of the strength and gives you a different taste entirely. Guinness is one of the thickest, stoutest and strongest beers there is - a six pack will get you very wasted. This is my favorite of all the stouts, even if it is mass marketed.

Guinness Draught

Beer score: 8.4
Web site: Guinness

Comes from Dublin, Ireland. Has an extremely smooth head to it; in fact, the smoothest, frothiest head on any beer I've ever had. Has the expected Guinness strength to it. Not quite as tasty as Guinness Extra Stout, but still has plenty of burnt caramel flavoring. The term "draught" generally means, in modern usage, a drink that comes from a pressurized can or keg. Here, it's usually from a can, though there is Guinness Draught available in a bottle (which has one of those little floating ball things inside it which is supposed to pressurize the beer or at least make it taste pressurized, not sure which).

Grolsch Summer Blond

Beer score: 4.3
Web site: Grolsch
Wet with lots of froth and a touch of lemon. Reminds me a little of Rolling Rock but not even that strong. I believe this brew has been replaced with Grolsch Blond.

Grolsch Premium Lager

Beer score: 3.8
Web site: Grolsch
A pretty weak but wet beer. A Heineken wannabe (and that's sad). For beer snob wannabes. You can get better for the price.

Grolsch Amber Ale

Beer score: 5.5
Web site: Grolsch
There is a little strength to this brew from Holland, so beer snob novices beware. The taste is dry but smooth. A decent drink to go along with cheese and crackers. Not great, but not bad.

Grimbergen Triple

Beer score: 5.8
Web site: Maes
This has got to be the sweetest beer I have ever tasted. What taste there is isn't bad, but it's so hard to get to it through all the sweetness. Only truly experienced beer tasters should even think about trying this. So sweet I couldn't finish a bottle (but it was a big bottle). Has a strong alcohol aftertaste. Worth trying when you are in the mood for something unique.

Grimbergen Double

Beer score: 6.1
Web site: Maes
Over-the-top sweet with a touch of a toffee flavoring. Not for sissies. This dark ale apparently has been brewed since 1128 by monks in a monastery just north of Brussels, Belgium. Goes down smooth, but it's so sweet it tastes more like wine than beer. I've also seen this one labeled as "Grimbergen Dubble." And why is it called a "Double?" Because it's been fermented twice.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Beer score: 7.3
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Strong with a not-quite-but-almost stoutish burnt taste. Pretty smooth. Porter fans, and those who like a sturdy beer, will love this one.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Beer score: 8.4
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Pretty smooth, some froth. Has won numerous awards. Good flavor. A good beer snob's beer but smooth enough for beginning-to-mid-rank beer tasters to ease in with. Truly, an exceptional brew.

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale

Beer score: 7.4
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
This excellent brew comes from the Great Lakes Brewing Co. of Cleveland, Ohio. As of this tasting, I have yet to have a bad beer from this brewery. This beer is smooth and burnt tasting. Goes down well. Good and frothy. Pretty bitter with a touch of fruitiness. This beer was the World Champion at the 1995 World Beer Championships in Chicago, Illinois. The beer is named after a Cleveland police officer who is the grandfather of two co-owners of this brewery.

Great Lakes Cleveland Brown Ale

Beer score: 6.2
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.

The Great Lakes Brewing Co. has made another fine beer here. This one honors autumn and the Cleveland Browns football team. This brew is one of the better brown ales, with a slight sweetness and maybe a little too much carbonation.

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Beer score: 4.8
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Enough is enough. If you who are reading this just happen to be a brewer or someone with some say at a brewery, STOP making these spiced holiday brews. Even good brewers, such as Great Lakes, are making these sorry drinks. As always, lots of cinnamon flavor here with some ginger thrown in. YUCK!

Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

Beer score: 8.9
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
A little history lesson: In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in northern Ohio caught fire - yes, I said the river caught FIRE. Since then, northern Ohio - especially the city of Cleveland - has cleaned itself up quite nicely. Still, some folks today laugh about the burning river incident. Thus Burning River Pale Ale was born. This brew has won numerous gold and silver prizes and is known as one of the best American pale ales around. The flavor is quite strong with a powerful bitter/fruity zing. Goes down very smooth. Goes well with chunky peanut butter and honey on french bread (yes, I've tried this).

Great Lakes Barrel Select Pils

Beer score: 6.4
Web site: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Probably the strongest pilsner-style beer I've ever had. Tastes more like a strong lager or maybe a sweet amber beer. Not a bad beer, but not quite up to the usual standards of the Great Lakes Brewing Co. But apparently this brew is no longer available, so there's that.

Great Divide Whitewater Wheat Ale

Beer score: 6.4
Web site: Great Divide Brewing Co.

This Denver, Colorado, brew is light and wet with some sweetness, as many good hefeweizen beers should be. A pretty good drinking brew as long as the sweetness doesn't grow too strong on you. Update: Unfortunately, the brewer has stopped making this decent beer.

Goose Island Honker's Ale

Beer score: 6.3
Web site: Goose Island
A good, bitter flavor without a lot of fizz. Smooth going down. Thanks to the Goose Island people for letting me use their logo for my old Web site, Ty’s Pages for Beer Snobs, which is now defunct.

Goose Island Nut Brown Ale

Beer score: 6.7
Web site: Goose Island
This beer isn't as strong as the color would make you think. It's actually fairly bland the first few sips, but goes down smooth and malty. The more you drink the stronger it gets, but it's still not very strong. A little caramel and burnt taste. Even though the taste isn't very strong, this beer is so smooth it is worth drinking. Before 2010, this beer was known as "Goose Island Hex Nut Brown Ale;" I'm not sure what the difference is other than the title.

Gritty McDuff's Best Bitter

Beer score: 4.3
Web site: Gritty's
Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company of Portland, Maine, brews and bottles this stuff. Gritty McDuff's is also a brew pub in Portland. The heavy mix of sweetness and bitterness is overpowering at first, but the strength dies away until it is tolerable by the time you're halfway through the bottle. The smell is still too strong. Leaves your mouth dry. Would go well with bar food.

Goose Island Blonde Ale

Beer score: 6.9
Web site: Goose Island
The Goose Island Beer Company works out of Chicago, Illinois, and has apparently won all kinds of awards. As with most Goose Island beers, this one goes down smooth. The flavor is slightly bitter. If you like fairly light, blonde ales, this one is for you.