Triton/Black Acre Collaboration - Sassy Pants

Is it worth drinking? Yeh

Drinkability: 8
Smoothness: 7
Bitterness: 3
Flavor: 8

This beer is pretty tasty, I just expected a little bit more. You can't go wrong with either Triton or Black Acre, so I think that I had set an expectation that was a little to high for this one. If you are a fan of either of these breweries, it is worth drinking. Thinking about it now I can understand, when you get 2 amazing breweries together to make a beer for the first time you probably want it to appeal to all beer drinkers, and not specifically a hop head, or sour head etc. This is a well balanced beer with a little sour kick, a hint of hoppy, and a taste of funk. If you find it try it.

Terre Haute Brewing Company - Stiffy Green IPA

Is it worth drinking? Yes!
Drinkability: 8
Smoothness: 6
Bitterness: 5
Flavor: 8


Terre Haute Brewing Company has released their official (Non test batch) IPA called Stiffy Green. If you are a pale ale fan, you will like this beer. If you only like IPA's that are over hop level 9000, this won't be for you. This was a joy for me, because as I am slightly burnt out on IPA's and tired of many of them tasting so similar. This one is super smooth, and not over the top with hops and bitterness. I was delighted at how drinkable, and flavorful it is. It tastes like a good pale ale, only with a slightly more hoppy aroma, and hoppy finish. This is a perfect beer for anyone that is starting an adventure into IPA's, and starting to develop flavor for hops, and bitterness. It is also great for people like me that are kind burnt out on the "Hopped Out OMG Level 5000000 IPA" being the only IPA's available at the pub. This is a straight forward classic IPA that everyone can enjoy. Good work THBC!

For those of you interested "Stiffy Green" is a local legend here in Terre Haute. It is a concrete bulldog that was a favorite of a local man (pictured left). Once the man died the concrete bulldog was placed inside his mausoleum. The dog had green marbled eyes, and obviously being concrete it was"Stiff". Locals would take others into the cemetery at night, and tell stories followed by shining a flashlight into the mausoleum to see the green reflection of Stiffy's eyes shine back, and scare the person they where telling stories to. This gave rise to many other legends about Stiffy, but that is main, and truthful story. He was Stiff, and had green eyes, so "Stiffy Green" stuck.

The guys at THBC have turned this into a great marketing idea. While they have shirts with the logo seen on the tag hanging from the growler in the picture above. The rear of the shirts say "Get a Stiffy". This is hilariously awesome, and very creative. Many craft breweries are coming up with fun names, and silly one liners to go with them, and this one is perfect.

Fountain Square Brewing Company - Hop for Teacher Pale Ale

Is it worth drinking? Yeh

Drinkability: 8
Smoothness: 8
Bitterness: 8
Flavor: 8

Fountain Square has put together a quite tasty, and interestingly flavored pale ale in Hop for Teacher. The interesting thing is that its border line IPA, with each drink my brain, and my tongue where arguing over which style of beer this particular ale resembled most. This was making me confused, and dizzy so I decided to just drink the rest of the beer, and gather my thoughts. It has a highly hopped flavor, and aroma, however the body is light, and smooth. The color could resemble either, but its pretty pale so, we'll go with that. The taste is also light, with a heavy finish of hops, leaving you with the thought "Is this an IPA?" causing a second look at the bottle to make sure that I read it correctly. For all you hop heads out there, this is a great pale ale to try out, as you will be sure to like it. For everyone else I suggest giving it a try, especially if you're newer to craft beers, and not sure if you can handle to super hopped, and bitter flavor of a traditional or double IPA. This beer will help you close the gap and either appreciate or hate hopped up beers. The choice is yours, please feel free to let me know what you think!

Terre Haute Brewing Company - Carp Slayer Pale Ale

Is it worth drinking? YES!

Drinkability: 8
Smoothness: 8
Bitterness: 5
Flavor: 10

Im excited to review the Terre Haute Brewing Companies, Carp Slayer Pale Ale. This is mostly because I'm super excited that my home town now has a brewing company! Again... for the 3rd time.. I think it will be different this time around as it has some great, young, and enthusiastic beer practitioners behind it. Ill get to the details of the brewing company later in this write up if your interested.

As for the flavor, just take my word for it, its good! I don't really know how to describe it. It looks like a standard pale ale, however the flavor is nothing like I have ever tried before. I wrote this review, and sat on in for nearly a month trying to think of ways to describe the flavor to the masses. I also tried it with friends, and their take on it is the same as mine. The top note is slightly bitter like an IPA, but the body is medium, its not harsh, and very drinkable. The finish is of citrus and slightly earthy, this is incredibly hard to describe but, incredibly delicious! As of the time of this writing the Terre Haute Brewing Company's beers are only available at the brewhouse/taproom/brewpub. I'm not sure what the plans are for the immediate future as far as distribution, but the taproom is well worth a trip.

If you are in the area of eastern Indiana, we are roughly 70 miles southwest of Indianapolis, along I-70, please come check out this brewery. You will not be disappointed. This brewery has been in the region for over 100 years, and was at one time one of the largest breweries in America. It is famed for the creation of Champagne Velvet beer, before the Upland Brewing Company acquisition. The second time it opened it started brewing the Champagne Velvet beer again, along with several other beers, named according to their flavor. The single owner, single brewer company struggled, and eventually closed. Now its back, and in full force with an excellent team, and modern mindset with the previous owner involved, and backing it up! Please read more at www.terrehautebrewingcompany.com

Central State - Garden Leipzig Gose

Is it worth drinking? - Yeh

Drinkability: 7
Smoothness: 6
Flavor: 6
Bitterness: 0

This beer is pretty good, for all you sour/gose fans our there. Though I had higher hopes for this beer, advertised on the can as a Leipzig Gose with Lemon Peels, that is 100% Brett yeast brewed. It was a bit more tart than most gose's with a very slight hint of lemon. Overall making this not to different from most standard gose's out there. I don't have to much else to say on this one, I haven't tried anything else from Central State. I am interested in paying them a visit, and trying a couple flights/samples. They are a 100% Brett Brewery. Which means they use wild yeast in all their brews! Check more of them out here: Central State Website

P.S. My curious puppy wolfdog Anju, is not allowed to consume alcoholic beverages! (Shes not old enough!)

Black Acre - Saucy Intruder IPA

Is it worth drinking? yeh

Drinkability: 8

Smoothness: 6

Bitterness: 7

Flavor: 7

Click here for more info on, My Beer Scale

Black Acre, Saucy Intruder IPA has an edge on the competition with a citrus flavor, and aroma. Its a well balanced IPA, and an excellent concoction for their one, and only IPA(smart move in my opinion, allowing them to focus on other unique offerings). If IPA's are your thing you will enjoy this beer!

WARNING: Personal IPA rant ahead!

Most companies are trying to set themselves apart with a distinct flavor of IPA, mostly because thats what is popular right now, but with so many it's very hard to be "distinct". Some breweries offer several IPA's in their lineup, so I gave it a yeh, based on the simple fact that the market is, and ill say it again, really flooded with IPA's, and many are citra hopped or citrus flavored. What sets this one apart from the rest, is a citrus flavor from the rye malt, and falconers flight hops. I had to get a bit technical there because knowing what the ingredients for an IPA are, is about the only thing that will set IPA's apart from one another due to the fact that there are so many.  I would highly recommend trying out anything that black acre brews aside from saucy intruder, as I have yet to be disappointed with anything that comes out of their facility. The Natural Liberty Lager, and Cherry Ol' Fritz Berliner Weisse Tart are excellent choices! Next time I am in their neck of the woods I'm very excited to try their collaboration with Triton Brewing Company, "Sassy Pants" Kettle Sour Farmhouse Ale.

For more information on this amazing Indiana Brewery check: blackacrebrewing.com