*Pairs well with sports games, a relaxing game to unwind with after a long day or your preferred video game genre.

Welcome to the first official review for Games And A Glass! The first review for the website will be Victory’s Juice Boost, from Victory Brewing Company. This is described as a dry-hopped sour ale and was suggested as the introductory beer to be reviewed. Before going into my thoughts, I’d like to highlight the brewery and give a bit of background info. This will consist of a brief history of the brewery, with details on the beer’s provided notes and the hops, or ingredients, that go into the beer.

To begin, let’s introduce Victory Brewing Company. Located in Downingtown, Kennett Square and Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, these taprooms offer tastings of their beloved beers, tours, food, and merchandise. A craft beer staple, Victory is known for their wide array of beers that includes Golden Monkey, Sour Monkey, Dirt Wolf and many more.

“Victory Brewing Company opened its doors to the public on Feb. 15, 1996. What was once a Pepperidge Farm factory became home to a 144-seat restaurant, 70-foot-long bar and a full-scale brewery. In its first year, Victory Brewing Company brewed 1,725 barrels of beer.

Since then, Victory has increased the size of the restaurant to 300 seats. The brewery has also expanded, producing  125,713 barrels of beer in 2014. As loyal craft beer drinkers continue to show their dedication to flavorful, quality beer, Victory plans to continue its own growth. Onward to Victory!” (http://www.victorybeer.com/about/)

As their website details, Victory uses “German malted barley, a mix of European and American whole flower hops, 45 unique yeast strains (for our wide variety of beers), and the highest quality local water is blended to create our refined brews.” These will provide aromas and tastes that are piney, citrusy, earthy and aromatic.

As for their listed notes on Juice Boost, “This vibrant sour ale brings together citra hops and a precise souring into a delightful crossing of tart and tang with tropical fruit hop flavors.”

And now onto my thoughts!

Nose: The first smell immediately brings out the suggested citrus. It’s subtle, but refreshing. As I explore its aromas more, there’s a balance of hops and it works well together to present what should be a friendly and approachable beer. Despite its description, I find myself unable to come across any scents of sourness. Perhaps this is how it’s intended, as the sour is something I’d expect from the taste and not necessarily the smell. Overall it smells nice!

Palate: Much to my surprise, I don’t taste any sour at all! I notice the citrus right away, and while it’s again subtle, it’s tropical and fruity and would serve well in the summertime or warmer weather. It is a seasonal brew, however, so we’ll see if it sees life later in the year. The hops complement this beer as a second wave of flavor and provides a nice finish. It’s a simple, but solid flavor profile.

Overall I like this beer! It’s a little higher in alcohol content, at 7.2 percent, but it doesn’t come off that way and instead is a nice and easy drinking beer. I can definitely see myself buying a four pack to show to friends and I’m always down for a citrusy IPA, even in the winter. Despite being inexperienced with sour style beers, I’m admittedly disappointed in its lack of sourness. But the hops and citrus provide for a solid craft beer. I’d definitely recommend this if you’re able to try it.

Please be sure to leave any suggestions or feedback for these reviews! This is a new and exciting process, and I’m hoping to hone my, no pun intended, craft as these reviews progress. I’m still in the process of finding a routine for posting these reviews due to school, work, and life. This also applies to my weekly video game related articles. But once I find my routine, I’m excited to evolve this idea as it goes along!

As the first of many, I’d like to thank you for reading my craft beer review. If there’s ever a craft beer you’d recommend I try and/or review, please let me know! I’m open to try any style and I’d love to develop my tastes and experience more. And like a fine alcoholic beverage or a memorable video game, please enjoy in moderation.