I'm normally not a huge fan of IPAs. Too often they're just hopfests without much more to them than that. Nothing wrong with hops, of course, but there is more to beer than that.
When an IPA hits a homerun, however, things get more magical, and there should be little surprise that Laughing Dog, recently named the area's best brewery, got this Imperial IPA right.
It should be pointed out the bottle was about a week old -- IPAs are better enjoyed fresh -- and that certainly impacted the tasting in a positive way.
The Alpha Dog pours a nice hazy golden color that literally screams "hoppy." Literally! It pushes you into your chair and semi-abusively smacks your nose with citric hops on the smell, living up to its Alpha Dog moniker.
Yet it has its gentle side too. Sure, this is hoppy and bitter, but the way hints of orange and grapefruit laces the tongue, the finish is surprisingly mellow. This is a beer you'll have an intense relationship with. It'll take you for a marathon of flavors, for sure, but then gently caress you at the end.
It takes a strong personality to deal with a beer like that, but if you can stand the challenge, then it's worthwhile. This is a great Imperial IPA.
Your enjoyment of the W'11 will depend on your expectations of it. Any reasonable person would not expect an $8 six-pack of imperial stout to hold the same quality as a $10 bottle -- a fairly common price for the better stuff -- but then again, if Beer Advocate has taught us anything, it's that beer geeks are less than reasonable.
With that in mind, I don't think the W'11 is too shabby. It's not the Abyss, nor is it supposed to be, but it's a good imperial stout for the less than special occasions.
It pours a nice dark color, though not syrup-y black. Maybe just a hue of copper in it? It has a nice dark head, probably around a finger tall, and the glass sees some lacing.
The nose gives hints of smokiness and chocolate, though when it hits the lips, the smokiness overpowers just about anything else. This isn't really a bad thing, and it's not to a degree where you can't taste anything else, but the smokiness definitely is on the forefront.
More surprising is a bitter aftertaste. Again, not earthshatteringly a letdown or anything, but unexpected.
Mouthfeel is a bit on the thin side.
Look, this isn't a bad beer, it's just not mindblowing. I'd try it on tap. But for now, it's worth picking up a six pack if you just want a cheap imperial stout.
The brainchild of the respective owners of Fast Eddie's and David's Pizza, Famous Ed's is sadly more the former than the latter.
Word had it the pizza would be more than reminiscent of David's but it's not. Maybe they tried and failed, but Famous Ed's pies reminds me more of a slightly upscale version of Pizza Pipeline. That doesn't mean the pizza is bad, just that there are many better options out there, including David's itself.
The main problem lies in the crust, which has none of the great crisp you see at South Perry, Flying Goat, Ferrante or Veraci, nor the bite seen at Bennidito's. It's just a little bit dull and a little bit too doughy; something out of the Pizza Hut playbook. The pepperoni topping is good, though the cheese is just so-so.
As far as the place itself goes, there's nothing wrong with the decor -- laidback, with plenty of famous Edwards on the wall -- and I'm sure you could find a worse place to grab a beer and a pizza.
The main issue isn't so much what Famous Ed's is, it's what it isn't. There are many places in town doing pizza better. Had Famous Ed's opened ten years ago it might have been a contender, but in 2011, we should expect something a bit more than a slightly fancier take on fast-food pizza.
Go for the bread and baked goods but don't stay for lunch. That's the best way to sum up Great Harvest, a very good bakery, but less than stellar sandwich shop.
The former has the good, basic telltale signs. Baking occurs on premise and in full view in front of you. This certainly is better than other "bakeries" in town where all the goods are shipped in from central locations.
Bread and croissants hold high quality, as do the sweeter stuff, like some awesome macaroons.
The lunch fare, meanwhile, really isn't worth it. We're talking soup which surely was not homemade and tasted more like saltwater. Dull chicken salad. You get the point. Buy the bread, take it home, and make your own sandwich.
Because as far as the bakery goes, Great Harvest is definitely a good choice for your bread needs.
