Independence Brewing Company's Convict Hill Oatmeal Stout

Finally, another Texas stout.

Pours an opaque black with reddish highlights as it pours and a nice dark tan head.

The oatmeal lends a great grainy smell to the roasted and coffee flavors.

It feels like it's going to have a nice body at first, but then it gets a bit watery. Very nice taste though. Still grainy from the oatmeal, and the coffee comes out a bit more in the taste.

Not quite enough body for an oatmeal stout, but otherwise a very good beer. I hope they keep it around.

Tallgrass Brewing Company's IPA

This one's left over from a Kansas trip last Thanksgiving. I've had beers from this brewery in BOTM shipments, so I had to finish out their others when I saw them.

Pours a foamy and slightly hazy amber with huge carbonation and a huge pillowy tan head.

Great smell. Nice and grassy, slightly sweet malt.

Nice. Body is a little light, but it's spot on otherwise. This is the best Tallgrass beer I've had so far, and it's a very good IPA.

Oskar Blue' Gubna Imperial IPA

Sweet. Heard about this one, but just now found it at Spec's. Glad to see Oskar Blues expanding./

Pours a deep, clear amber with a nice tan head. Slow carbonation, hopefully due to a big body.

I guess my nose isn't working, because I can barely smell anything from this one.

Taste may be gone too, because although there's quite a bit of bitterness I don't really get anything else from it.

I'll revisit this one in a few days.

Real Ale Brewing Company's Devil's Backbone Belgian Style Tripel

I must have been in a hole somewhere, because I had no idea that Real Ale was even coming out with this beer. And of course I'm no Belgian fan, but I have to get everything they put out. Plus, I bought it as a single, so there was little risk.

Pours a nice, clear orange-tinted yellow with a very nice pillowy white head. Nic ecarbonation too.

Smells right for a tripel. Solid and malty, it still has the plastic smell that I'm not liking.

Wow, this one hits you in the face. A bit hoppier than most tripels, it has the standard Belgian yeast taste and although I can't find the ABV, it has a definite and sharp alcohol bite.

It's right on type, but I won't be finishing it.

Sherwood Forest Brewers's Friar's Belgian Style White Ale

This came in a BOTM shipment a while back, and I've been avoiding it like the plague. I'm not a fan of whites, and this brewery doesn't impress me with its name or label, so, let's just get it over with.

Pours a very pale yellow with a thin white head.

Well, it smells yeasty but not overly so. None of the plastic or chemical smells I hate in some lighter Belgians, especially the lighter styles.

Yeah, there it is. More plastic than chemical, but it's there. Light in body and fairly fizzy, it's right on type. If you like whites, you'll like this one. I just don't.