Mendocino Eye of the Hawk Select Ale

Brewed by Mendocino Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Hopland, California USA

Definitely a bang for your buck. a fairly delicious satisfying ale with 8% ABV. A 6-pack of this and good friends definitely leads to good times.

All in all, this is a good beer. I liked the appearance the most. Orange/Golden color with a white head that dissipated rather quickly. Not a very strong aroma. good beer, taste like fruit.

very nice grainy, chewy mouthfeel with nice fruity (grapefruit/orange) undertones and a good hop balance. not overhopped like many beers of this style.

Somber orange-brown effervescent body with a halo of white head, bald in the middle... not far off from the Belgians in appearance... somewhat blunted, fruity aroma--not sharp or round, but present... warms the mouth with effervescent movement in the teeth... the throat is treated last with a late simmer of warmth... solid, but not substantial in its style... quite sour--the alcohol is marked early by citrus--grapefruit; a bit gassy and more than a bit acidic--sticks in the teeth... quite immediate astringency. Not a compliment--to me or Mendocino-- that I drank my first of these in a pint glass, not recognizing (or realizing) it was a storng ale. In a researched session, the genre becomes clearer, and actually works within its suggested expectations.

A- Pours a murky copper color with a small head that fades fairly quickly leaving almost nothing behind. S- Smell is sweet and mettalic, grains as well as a slight alcohol character. T- sweet and grainy yet full and well balanced. raisans and other darker fruits capture the palate. M- Thick and well carbonated. Very easy going down. D- Despite the somewhat high alcohol content this beer is amazingly drinkable. For a cheaper beer purchased from trader joes I think this brew is a home run.

Pours clear copper color wih a minor head and few lacings. Aroma is mild hops, some sweetness. Taste is like an amber ale with a bit of wine-ale overtone. Slightly bitter aftertaste. Alcohol is all too apparent. Reminds me a bit of drinking boilermakers in my mis-spent youth. All in all not a bad brew just a bit too high an abv for this guy.

It’s okay. Pours a thin white head. Not much aroma. Drinkable but unremarkable flavor. Eh, OK.

From bottle... poured dark gold with small head. Malty aroma. Sweet and malty taste with a sticky, bitter finish. Pretty enjoyable, but not my favorite from Mendocino (had this as part of a $28 variety case... probably the most consistently good 4 beers I’ve had from any one variety case). I’d get that case again regardless of whether or not this beer is included.