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Weyerbacher Merry Monks' Belgian Style Golden Ale

Let me start off by saying that I have been to Belgium and tasted some mighty fine beers. I am glad to see that some American breweries are stepping up to the Belgian's plate. But I haven't ever tasted trippels from this side of the ocean that measure up. Fortunately this offering doesn't over-reach by going for the archetypal Belgian. It is a manageable ale with a beautiful honey-golden hue and a distinctly, though not overwhelmingly, sweet Belgian nose. The flavor is a somewhat toned-down version of a trippel, still full flavored and with a rich, lingering sweetness. One more thing it has in common with its Belgian mentor: nice and strong, at 9.3% abv. Pretty pricey but about par for the course with Belgians, around $2 for a single 12 oz bottle.

Balvenie Double Wood 12 year old ingle malt scotch

I first tasted this particular scotch in Scotland in the spring of 2006. I had purchased a three-nip sampler of Balvenies, and found it much more appealing than either the Founder's Reserve 10-year or the Single Barrel 15-year. The nose is predominantly sherry, with a light peaty edge to it. The peaty nose blends perfectly in to the back of the palate on tasting. The scotch warms the mouth nicely, strong enough to bite gently but pleasantly, with a deep flavor that is subtle enough not to overwhelm. I like it especially because the bourbon barrel aging lends it an uncomplicated but exceptional smoothness. A good scotch to get when you want to spend $35 (750 ml). Look around, some places will have it for $45 or more.