Beer Review: "Store brand" Metolius Beers !!!!!

Hopefully you read my little post on "store brand generic beers" and were curious about how the Metolius Golden Stone Amber Ale and the Metolius Dolly Varden Indian Pale Ale stacked up. If not, I encourage you to go back and read it, and then check out these reviews...


Beer: Metolius Golden Stone Amber Ale
Served: From a pint glass
Location: My back deck

Some words from Metolius: Stonefly at sunset, perfect fishing, Stonefly Metolius, the perfect amber. Brewed with a toasted amber malt for a round, malty and robust flavor.

Style: American Amber / Red Ale

Style Description from our friends at BeerAdvocate.com: Primarily a catch all for any beer less than a Dark Ale in color, ranging from amber (duh) to deep red hues. This style of beer tends to focus on the malts, but hop character can range from low to high. Expect a balanced beer, with toasted malt characters and a light fruitiness in most examples. The range can run from a basic ale, to American brewers who brew faux-Oktoberfest style beers that are actually ales instead of lagers.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 4.0-7.0%

(This beer doesn't tell you it's % abv)



1. Appearance - It's amber, go figure. It has respectable head retention, nice and clear with only a slight haze with happy little bubbles rising to the top.

2. Smell - Malty sweet, with slightly roasted biscuit aroma, with hints of cut grass. (A note on smell - I have a very limited sense of smell, that comes and goes, so my opinions on beer smells should be taken with a grain of salt... That being said, my nose must have been working that day!)

3. Taste - Sweet roasted malt. Not bad, improves as it warms. Would be a nice backbone for a mild IPA.



4. Mouthfeel - Moderate body, farly smooth and nicely carbonated.

5. Drinkability - Easily consumed. Better than most beers available at the grocery store, but only average for a craft beer.

Drinkability Scale from 1-10: 7 (I don't love it but I wouldn't turn one away either.)

On to the next beer...



Beer: Metolius Dolly Varden IPA
Served: From a pint glass
Location: My back deck

Some words from Metolius: Dolly Varden Trout are full-bodied, so is our IPA. A well-hopped, deep, golden ale with malty, full-bodied taste and refreshing finish.

Style: American IPA

Style Description from our friends at BeerAdvocate.com: The American IPA is a different soul from the reincarnated IPA style. More flavorful than the withering English IPA, color can range from very pale golden to reddish amber. Hops are typically American with a big herbal and / or citric character, bitterness is high as well. Moderate to medium bodied with a balancing malt back bone.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 5.5-7.5%

(This beer doesn't tell you it's % abv)



1. Appearance - Looks similar to the Amber Ale, but lighter with less of a haze. Featuring a cream

2. Smell - I detect the hops and caramel, I think. (A note on smell - I have a very limited sense of smell, that comes and goes, so my opinions on beer smells should be taken with a grain of salt... That being said, my nose must have been working that day!)

3. Taste - Toasted smooth malt start with a lightly hopped finish. Much like the Amber Ale, it gets a bit better as it warms. would prefer mall flavor all around, more malt and more hops would have nice. Its a meek beer, a with hints of pine and citrus.



4. Mouthfeel - Nicely carbonated, but a little too light for me. On the light side of edium bodied.

5. Drinkability - More satisfying than your average macro on the grocery shelve, but in the grand scheme of things, not a great IPA. It's a mediocre island in a sea of low quality mass produced beers.

Drinkability Scale from 1-10: 6.5 (Its just 'OK' nothing more.)