Mendocino Eye of the Hawk Select Ale

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

I liked this beer best of all the Mendocino beers in the sampler....call me crazy. The copper/red color, carmel and mix of hops were very enjoyable. For a beer that packs such a high ABV it hides the alcohol very well. The ingredients are allowed to mix together and "get happy" and I am happy with the result.

Eye of the hawk pours like a cloudy apple cider. Has the aroma of a strong ale like a trippel or something. Pretty strong alcohol confrontation on the taste buds. Carbonation is weak but present. Only the finest malts and traditional hops are used. When I hear superlatives on the label, makes me nervous……finest in whose opinion? Quite aggressive flavor. Nosfuratu is much more refined and this is less enjoyable than east end snow melt. Finish is almost like it’s forcing you to catch a buzz. Quite bitter, but fades in a minute to just plain ‘what was that?’ Reminds me of the ‘in your faceness’ of lion stout.

Hazy copper/brown. Aroma: sweet malts. crisp and refreshing. Bottle Conditioning gives soft carbonation. Since I don’t care for this style, I was actually impressed that I enjoyed this brew so much. Definitely a sipper for me though, for taste as much as alcohol content. I’m really starting to like this brewing company more and more each time I try thier stuff. I would take this over Arrogant Bastard by Stone any day! Carmel, fruit, and banana tastes.

For its strength (8%), this is a very pleasant ale. If you’re looking to get stupid quickly and not have to look like you just saw your first goatse, this one will do. Goes well with Talon (people around Saratoga call them Eye-Tallions)

12 oz. bottle at The Vortex - Midtown in ATL. Pours a deep orange-amber with about 1 finger worth of crown. Good retention with some lacing. Aroma is very malty with smells of honey, caramel, some kind of spice, and some hops. Flavour is wonderfully full of malt, very sweet and yeasty and getting drier towards the finish. It finishes somewhat crisply, with a little bit of hop essence dancing on your tongue. Palate is medium-bodied and quite sticky in your mouth. Overall not a bad beer and highly recommended if you like those sweet strong ales. Not my cup o’ joe (or more appropriately, bottle o’ beer) here, but definitely worth another try on draught.

12 oz bottle ... clear orange / gold color ... thin, lasting white/cream colored head ... medium bodied ... slight malty aroma ... sweet malty inital flavor ... moderately bitter finish. I think this beer will become better balanced with a little more age.

12oz bottle. Poured a medium and hazy amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Lots of small suspended floaters. Aromas of some caramel, lightly fruity and I’m getting berries. Aromas on the light side. Tastes of caramel, fruity, and light spices.

Bottle. Sweet, yeasty, spicy aroma. Fruit, sweet hops, and some caramel. Orange pour with a beige head. Hoppy, bitter, dry taste with some fruity sweetness. Finish is rather dry and grainy, lasting dryness picks up some grassy notes toward the end. I like the potent hopping, alcohol comes through a bit too strongly, full and dry body. Light yeastiness. Caramel. Out of balance.