Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Poured into my czech pilsner glass, Peroni is a yellow-golden brew with lively carbonation bubbles, and a slim head that recedes to a very modest rim.

The smell of a pilsner is very upfront, with sharp, grassy tones, coupled with toasted notes of barley & hops.

The taste is very mild.  Comparable to a friendlier Moosehead Lager.  Hardly any astringency to mention.  A clean body, a touch of hops, and a reserved degree of malts.  Actually a bit on the sweet side.

Carbonation is a little much in this brew.  Veering toward pop territory, but not terrible.

Certainly a solid beer.  Definitely sessionable, but that's all.  If you are in the mood for a night cap, I recommend you grab a different beer from the fridge, but I can't say that it would be a bad idea to keep this one around.  It just might go well with pizza.

Bitburger Premium Pils

On the back label reads what I assume to be the "bottled on" date: 29 04 10 (4/29/10)

Pours a yellow golden, almost murky, hue. Slim, fluffy white head recedes to a thin rim with left over head tracings in the middle.

Smells grassy, skunky, w/ sharp floral hops.

Tastes like its aroma, but with the addition of ripe white grapes. A bit of astringency at the the tail end, encouraging one to drink more to quench their never ending thirst.

A good bite up front w/ a wet finish. I could certainly imbibe more than a few. A good pilsner.

George Killian's Irish Red

As far as I can remember, this marks only the second time that I've had George Killian's Irish Red. My first experience happened to be around the time I hadn't yet discovered the beautiful complexity of beer, so I'm going to drink this one with optimism.

Well, the predominate hue is nice. Amber brown to mahogany. A beige head shows its weakness, and over the course of less than a minute, dwindles down to a sorry nothingness. Evidence of what once was a head lays pitifully on the top, like a shattered continent on a map of the globe. A thin rim tries to keep it together, and remind me that this is a beer in my glass.

The smell is toasted. Burnt brown sugar, malts, & sweet caramel. Doughy & full-bodied in the nose.

The taste is malty & toasted, with a dry, corn kernel-like finish. A mild hint of butter.  Dryness trumps the attenuation, hiding what I tend to complain about.

Medium-bodied, but missing a considerable depth of character. Still, one of the better beers offered by Coors.

Saranac Pale Pale Ale

Appearance: Pseudo cloudy, light amber gold.
Smell: Malty/bready undertones w/ hardly a scent of finishing hops in the nose. As it warms up, floral notes begin to play lightly.
Taste: Malty, with flat bittering hops. Toasty hints; muffled.
Mouthfeel: Mild bitterness, light-medium body; noticeably attenuated.
Drinkability: Easy to drink, but lacking in depth & character.

Asahi

Appears golden, with a hint of light brown.  Nice lacing & a white head that turns to a misty layer up top.

Smells sweet, malty, with mild grainy notes.  Tastes dry, clean, & malty.  Remarkably clean.  Hops pull through to balance the malty first impression.  Astringency from the hops.

Great light-medium body.  Smooth, slightly grainy finish.  Went well with mixed vegetables dressed with a kung pao & peanuts sauce.  Much better than most macro American Lagers.

Duquesne Pilsner

In a Czech pilsner glass sits a golden body with a slim white head that descends into a mere rim.  It smells of grains; sharp grape in the nose.  A scent of sweet white wine.

Dry to the tongue.  Husky, yet notably clean.  Astringency in the back end, but nothing to fuss about.  Nutty; mild corn kernel taste in the finish.

Light-medium in body; friendly on the tongue, but just enough bite to satisfy the buds.

Not a bad brew at all.  Considering the excessive hype leading up to & since its recent release, a better beer than I anticipated.  P.S. That is not me below.

Warsteiner Premium Verum

From the bottle it smells exactly like what I was hoping for: a grassy pilsner.  Poured into a Czech pilsner glass, Premium Verum shows a yellow gold body; transparent.  Very active lacing.  In the nose it is toasted & hoppy.

The taste is unique.  Wet upfront, active in the middle, with a slightly acidic, dry finish.  It washes away so cleanly, leaving behind only a trace of its best characteristics: fresh hops, quality malt tones.  A well-shaped body.  Not too thin, not at all heavy.  Crisp.  So well balanced.  Extremely drinkable, while remaining exceptionally satisfying.

Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Dark

I picked this bottle up for a very reasonable price, somewhere around $1.75.  From looking at the bottom of the bottle (after the pour), the brew appears to have been bottle conditioned.  The brew shines a cloudy amber-brown.  A pretty white head slims down to a silky rim environment.  It smells of yeast, wheat bread, and banana, but the aromas are toasted to a pleasant degree.

A lot of acidity comes out first with the initial sip.  Muted fruit, and a buttery finish.  Yeasty on the tongue.  Thin in the flavor category.  Noticeable attenuation.  Medium-bodied.  Somewhat bland & a little disappointing.  I've also discovered a "Produced On" indicator on the bottom-right corner of the label: 10/08.  Tell me that's a mistake...

Southampton Altbier

According to the label, a "Dusseldorf-Style Brown Ale," Southampton Altbier pours a heavily carbonated, partially transparent brown.  The nose gets a toasty malt treat.  An aggregate of figs, burnt raisin-bread, semi-sweet milk chocolate & brown sugar.

A toasty, coffee-like experience in the taste.  A dash of fruit fits the style.  Mild to the mouth, and a touch of acidity.  Light-medium body; noticeably attenuated.  Very drinkable.  I wouldn't mind having one of these brews with breakfast.  My only complaint is the complete lack of head retention.  Overall, I approve.