Eye of the Hawk | Mendocino Brewing Company

4.7/5  rDev +28.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Great malt presence, citrisy hop flavor, diserving alcohol note. I love it, if you like Stones Arrogant Bastard you should try this.

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3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

Appearance - clear copper color with beige head

Smell - molasses, caramel, oak

Taste - molasses, caramel, oak, nuts

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, not much complexity to the flavor

Overall - nothing wrong with this beer, but nothing about it was particularly memorable either. Fans of the style might want to give it a shot

Price Point - $2.25/12 oz bottle

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3.55/5  rDev -3%

This is a very decent brew. With the hefty 8% abv that isn’t detectable. The light mouthfeel is a throw off of some of the flavors that shine through. This reminds me of what a candy beer would be. Almost like a medicinal fruit syrup followed by bready malt and slight hoppy finish. Though nothing screams excellence, this brew is still worthy.

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4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep orange with a real nice medium creamy,sticky head,aroma is deeply fruity with a slightly hop background.I realy like the maltiness of this beer also there is some alcohol notes that come thru in the finish.A whisky like taste stays in the mouth after each sip.Iam very impressed with this beer,very enjoyable.

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3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance – Light orange body with a decent head.

Smell – Sweet malt and fruits dominate the nose of this one.

Taste – Big malt sweetness to say the least. It tastes more like a light type of caramel, but whatever it is, it is strong, chewy, gooey, and sticky. This is what I think of as a classic, strong old ale. Solid ABV (8.0), big malt, a smidgen of hops for balance, and lots and lots of sugary sweetness.

Mouthfeel – Low carbonation in accordance with the style. This one sticks to your teeth.

Drinkability – This is like drinking (highly alcoholic) candy. Well done.

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4.25/5  rDev +16.1%

4/5  rDev +9.3%

3.22/5  rDev -12%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I've had this one a little while now. Never realized it was a strong ale actually.

No head at all on the pour. Some white bubbles came up but they disappeared almost immediately. Clear caramel colored body. Color is good on this one, as well as clarity but it just lacks any head or retention.

Sweet caramel malts dominate, lots of raw candy sugar comes through as well. Sweet overall with some floral hops. Hints of sweet alcohol come up as well. Smells okay, not too complicated though.

Taste is sweet again. The malts come through differently in the flavor though. They are a bit more biscuity and sweet roll like. Hops are different as well and offer up some herbalness in there with the floral hops found in the aroma. Still pretty sweet overall with lots of processed sugar coming through. Alcohol makes it a little rough around the edges.

Mouthfeel is a bit thinner than I usually expect for the style. Carbonation levels are okay and adds some crispness while on the tongue.

Okay drinkability, not what I consider a standout of the style. The taste is okay but something about it keeps this from being really easy to put down, it might be the raw sugar flavors.

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3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

3.74/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12oz brown bottle. No freshness date, but it's got a pretty cool looking hawk on the label.

Appearance: Clear, rich amber with nice carbonation activity that creates a consistent creamy lace head.

Smell: Big fruity aromas. Fresh, sweet pale malt notes.

Taste: Huge dose of sweet, rich malts. Mouthfeel is full-bodied, smooth and extremely robust. Lively carbonation foams up the palate with an assertive alcohol presence, fruity esters and a delicious rind-like hop flavour that helps to balance/cut through the huge malt profile and dry alcohol flavour. You can really taste the unique yeast strain towards the end. Apart from a "yeasty" flavour, it has a semi-bready flavour that pulls through and enhances the malt flavours. Finishes rather clean given all that is going on.

Notes: Hot damn! Complex, balanced, dangerously drinkable. A force to be reckoned with, in its own right. Consume with respect.

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2.63/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. The label has no freshness date or abv%.

Appearance: From the pour I got a tall creamy off white colored head. This covers a deep amber brew with good clarity. As I drank the tall head slowly faded out to just a light ring around the edge of the glass which left a little slick lacing.

Smell: There is a rich malty character in the nose with a mix of bready and candy like notes. Hop notes are slight and way off in the background.

Taste/Palate: The flavor matches the aroma with a sweet candy like, almost fruity malt base. Inside there is a well hidden abv and some mild floral/spicy German lager like hop notes. It finishes smooth and feels smooth (somewhat slick) on the palate with soft carbonation.

Notes: This is a well made ale with a well hidden 8%abv that can sneak up on you.

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3.54/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle poured into pilsner glass. $2.99 at Sprouts Market
Appearance is a hazy nice burnt sienna(orange)color. Smell is of malt and hop balance "eye" or center of the malt/hop/wheat flavor profile, decent lacing.Taste-malt and dark chocolate with apricots, wheat and bitey hop at the finish. Orange peel, dank, complexity is there..medium to heavy mouthfeel. For this, I feel Summer Strong ale. salmon or corn chowder, or blue-cheese burgers.

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4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Killer beer, killer not meaing good though. This is a good beer in a way but a bit devious with the 8% abv. We get this beer served in full pints around Boston at regular beer prices, an evil beer to love.

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3.2/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clear orange with a one finger head that quickly drops to some ring lacing. Grapefruit and piney hops dominate the aroma. Alcohol burn is the initial sensation in the mouth, of this medium bodied and moderately carbonated ale. Caramel malt sweetness is the first impression on tasting, but bitter piney hops and alcohol quickly obliberate any semblance of malt balance here. Piney and floral hops run the show here, and there is also an earthy mustiness present in the background. Alcohol becomes a distraction toward the end, and is not at all hidden. Aftertaste is slightly astringent. Not really bad, but not one of my favorites.

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3.25/5  rDev -11.2%

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: red/brown in color, 1/3 inch head, moderate carbonation, clear

Smell: caramel and toasted malt

Taste: caramel, toasted malt, and citrus hops towards the end

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, medium/high carbonation, sweet with a slightly bitter backbone

Drinkability: A slightly above average strong ale. I like the caramel taste, but nothing I would rush to get again. I could have a couple of this sweet and malty beer.

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3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

3.06/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours an orangish-amber color with a white head. The aroma is a mix of caramel malt and assorted citrus. The flavor is toffee and dark fruit. The beer doesn't really taste like it smells. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Decent, but nothing special.

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3.8/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: clear copper/amber , inch of tan foam that dissipates to a thin lasting layer.

Smell: a malty nose with some fruity esters , bit of alcohol.

Taste: a nice big and "robust" malty body , sweetness is kept in check with a pleasant alcohol and orange peel raw hop. Some fruity esters in there , as well as a yeasty character to the finish.

Mouthfeel: full bodied

Drinkability: A very drinkable and balanced Strong Ale , especially for its ABV. Fair amount of malty complexity and quality. A welcome sight.

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4/5  rDev +9.3%

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a filmy copper color with little head. The smell is a crisp fruity smell that is not too strong or not too weak. The taste is like the smell: fruity that is not too strong and not too weak. There is a little after taste, but nothing a true bear drinker would frown at. I could drink a good bit of this. Verdict: try it.

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