Bolero Snort Brewery

     I am pleased to have finally tasted 2 offerings from the Bolero Snort Brewery.  Bolero Snort is the homebrew label of Bob and Mel.  I went to school with Mel's sister and I frequent the same craft beer bar as the hoppy couple.  So with the disclaimer behind us let's talk about the beer.  Bob left 4 different beers for me at the Copper Mine and since this site has 2 contributors, I decided I would take 2 and give 2 to Josh.  So being the hophead I am, I chose the Longhop naturally and decided to give the Wee-Heifer's Fruitcake a try.  Since these beers aren't for sale I won't go into too much detail.

     The Longhop, at 6%ABV, is on the lighter side for an IPA.  There was an excellent hop aroma and flavor but it didn't blow out my taste-buds like some IPAs will.  It poured a dark orange/light brown, sorry the picture isn't too great, and it had a nice frothy head and laced on the glass beautifully.  The best beer I can compare it to is Smuttynose Shoal's Pale Ale.  If you want to taste a nice crisp, clean, smooth, easy to drink beer that still has a nice hop bite then that is the beer that will give you the same experience.  If they do become a production brewery, I think Longhop needs to be their frontline beer.

     The next beer I sampled was the Wee Heifer's Fruitcake.  I should have read the label before choosing because there's one ingredient in this beer that I've never enjoyed in beers.  CHERRIES.  It's really a personal preference.  I think they hit the flavor right on the head.  I'm sure the beer is excellent and I'm sure I'm the only one that didn't like it, but the disclaimer is I don't like beers with cherries or any overly sweet fruit flavor.  Troegs Mad Elf is a beloved beer to many, but I won't touch the stuff.  Ommegang Three Philosophers elicits the same feelings.  For Bob and Mel this is not a negative review.  Consider it an abstention due to a conflict of interest.  And don't hold it against me when Scotty Goes Bullnanas is ready for distribution because I really do like bananas.  So if any of you know Bob and Mel, please support their ambition and raise a pint to many more excellent brews in their future.  Longhop gets a solid 4.5 pints(that can easily become a 5 if some Oak-aged Longhop finds its way into my belly) and Wee Heifer's Fruitcake gets an abstention due to my personal preferences, but if you have a chance and you like cherries I do recommend the beer.