Belgian Strong Ales — North Coast Brewing Co. vs. New Belgium

North Coast Brewing Pranqster
Belgian Style Golden Ale
ABV 7.6%

Color: Orange, slightly hazy, very low carbonation.
Aroma: Floral honey, cardamon, bit of damp cellar funk.
Flavor: Almost no carbonation. Honey sweet, almost mead-like with herbal notes.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty.
Finish: Sweet with piney/rosemary herbal notes.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

New Belgium Lips of Faith
Belgian Style Blond
ABV 8.5%

Color: Straw yellow, fitting of the blond(e) moniker.
Aroma: Very sweet smelling, like banana cream pie.
Flavor: Classic banana and clove. Not as sweet as it smells.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty (but not as much as Pranqster).
Finish: Dry, woody, slight hop bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Winner by unanimous decision: Pranqster. The New Belgium came out swinging and really had Pranqster on the ropes for awhile. But despite a slow start (the low carbonation took some getting used to) the Pranqster eventually wore down the Blond with a touch more complexity and range of flavors. However, if you're in the mood for a American version of a Belgian style beer you can't go wrong with either of these offerings. Both were more appealing to us than the world-renowned Duvel.

Extra Credit: Despite the different names of these beers, they actually both fit in the Belgian Strong Ale category. That means, be careful. These will sneak up on you. One minute you'll be enjoying a Belgian Strong Ale with friends and the next you'll be playing a one string banjo in a boxcar headed for Bakersfield, California.

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this battle features a sample bottle received from the New Belgium Brewery.

Imperial Stouts — Samuel Adams vs. North Coast Brewing Co.

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout
ABV 9.2%

Color: Deep dark brown/black.
Aroma: Sweet chocolate malt shake.
Flavor: Slightly bitter chocolate milk.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Mostly just sweet with a mild bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre

North Coast Old Rasputin
Imperial Stout
ABV 9%

Color: Deep dark brown/black.
Aroma: Coffee with cream, burnt wood.
Flavor: Sweet molasses, black coffee and a bit of citrus hop character.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Burnt toast, coffee grounds and citrus hops.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Winner by unanimous decision: North Coast. Old Rasputin is a tough opponent. It ought to be tough, since it's named after a guy who just wouldn't die. Old Sam was just a bit too one-dimensional. If alcoholic chocolate milk sounds good to you, then give the Samuel Adams a try. It's so sweet that it might match up with sweeter desserts as well. Old Rasputin, on the other hand is wonderfully complex, combining rich roasted malt and coffee flavors with a nice complement of citrusy hops. Drink enough of it and you might be able to grow a beard as impressive as Rasputin's.