Eye of the Hawk - Mendocino Brewing Company

Psilo707

California

4.08/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Actually looks pretty bland upon pouring into clear mug. Head and lacing are both minimal and I'm wondering if I... somehow... poured it wrong? But wait, that's stupid. Nevermind. Yeah, not too much of an appearance factor here.

S: Now that's what I'm talking about. How many times can you remember a beer that had a medicore appearance but had a great smell? Well this is one of the top runners in that category for me right now. A nice sense of floral arrangement and citrusy scents waft into the nostrils and this is very inviting.

T: The taste of this brew is by -far- the highest rated aspect of the entire thing. There is absolutely no coppery or weird aftertaste, and it hits your tongue in a prime way the instant you take a sip. This is good stuff for sure. Love the taste of it. As it smells, floral citrus and hops. Good stuff.

M: Both creamy and thin at the same time. I kind of expected it to last in the mouth longer than it does but it dissipates really quickly in a way. Not a bad thing, but definitely not a memorable thing either.

Overall: This is a strange American Strong Ale for me. It's lighter, thinner, and less-bodied than most of the same substyle. But it comes with a taste that is amazing and thanks to this taste, the entire brew is propelled into -worth the purchase- status. It's sense of hoppiness while still retaining an orange/semi-malty/inviting appeal is very prominent, and I would recommend this to anyone who wants to know what a GOOD -Strong Ale- tastes like from an American microbrewery. A- !!

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2012 02:44:25 | More by Psilo707

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Slightly hazy orange/peach/amber body beneath a foamy off-white head. Good head retention. Decent lacing with spots and splashes of lace left all about.

The aroma delivers some yeastiness, yeasty fruitiness, and caramel-accented malt and breadiness with just a hint of grassy/leafy hops in the background.

In the mouth it's medium-full bodied... but not quite creamy. Median carbonation.

The flavor delivers what the nose suggests with a bready, softly toasty, and gently caramelish malt lightly garnished with yeasty fruitiness and skirted by earthy/floral hops. It's solidly bitter, and the alcohol is somewhat noticeable leaving it with an edge in the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2008 12:50:30 | More by NeroFiddled

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A. Served on tap into a pint glass. Hazy brownish orange in texture with just a bit of lace.

S. Malts and not much else.

T. A smooth malty note, some mineral water and metallic tinges. The slightest notion of earthy hop. Not bad but not very good either.

M. Medium bodied and smooth and crisp.

D. Went down very easily, quite drinkable I would say.

Overall: A decent effort but I will not be seeking this out again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2008 23:19:27 | More by Stinkypuss

Offa

California

4.05/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is tasty,, full in feel, very enjoyable, and very smooth.

Amber, it has a largeoff-white head that lasts a long time and leaves some nice lace.

It has a pleasant, flowery, bready aroma with toasty grain, honey, hints of caramel, citrus, and earth, as well as a light alcoholic element lurking underneath.

The taste is somewhat sweet and spicy-zesty with a light bitterness slowly becoming present. It has rather sweet caramelly, toasty bread with light yeast element, a hint of winey-fruitiness, and a full, but smooth, lightly spicy alcoholic warmth. It's really best on tap, but it doesn't go all that well with some foods.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2008 17:43:49 | More by Offa

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

What a travesty. This beer was once a favortie of mine; I went to the brewpub summer anniversity party every year for good times and, more importantly, the annual unveiling of the new Eye of the Hawk. At one time this beer was very, very limited. It was only available at the Brewpub in Hopland, and even then only some of the time. The current version is barely a shadow of its former self.

The beer pours a solid copper amber color with fair head retention and virtually no lacing. On the nose this beer smells very sweet and malty. To no great surprise, flavors on the palate replicate the nose. This beer is excessivly sweet and malty with no noticeable underlying hoppy bitterness to hold up all that malt. The beer is only 8% abv, but yet it still tastes heavy and tiring to drink. This beer tastes like a simple, one dimensional, overly sweet amber. Extremely disappointing, espescially in light of what this beer once was and has now become. I doubt I will ever again buy anything from Mendocino brewing.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2008 19:57:58 | More by johnmichaelsen

shabbtastic

New York

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a crisp clear copper color with a white two finger head. Tons of sticky lacing.

S - Sweet toasted malt up front, hops kinda linger in the back, very solid for an ASA!

T - Malt bomb, but in a very good way. Tangling between the caramel maleness and biscuit maleness it pleased my taste buds. Notes of citrus hops followed by the warming of the alcohol finish.

M - Medium bodied with a strong carbonation feel.

D - There's allot going on in this one! Pretty complex than the smell has you think. Very drinkable, and mighty tasty. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2008 14:42:11 | More by shabbtastic

jayfarley3

Nevada

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

had on tap in a pint glass at, has a cloudy dark amber color to it. smells sweet and malty with only a slight hop aroma to it. tastes very smooth for the 8% abv and is medium-bodied. drinkability is good. paired very well with my club sandwhich i had with it for lunch.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2007 23:49:28 | More by jayfarley3

Goldorak

Quebec (Canada)

3.05/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Light brownish amber, a thin ring of lace, again with the biker pour, maybe I should shave my goatee and start wearing suits to bars...

Smell: Grainy, wheat, some interesting fusel alcohols, hops were too elusive for my nose to pick up.

Taste: Yeasty, banana-like esters, which mixed with the very prevalent alcoholic buzz, it's almost like a pina colada. Some spicy hops in the tail end. This Beer is hard to pin down.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2006 00:02:18 | More by Goldorak

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Crystal clear filtered amber hues under a beige white slick of foam leaving light lattice lace.

Clean vegetal malt aroma like celery and red apple malts.

First swigs: Can't get over the apple skin. Ripe red apples, cidery. Mixed hops in the background.

Feel is medium bodied, becomes cloying. Slightly estery and awl-kee-hawl in the feel.

Last swigs: 8.0 % ABV hidden, apple malty. From a growler filled at the Saratoga NY brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2005 05:12:01 | More by blitheringidiot

Truh

New Hampshire

3.38/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Did the Vulcan mind meld with this one on 5/15/2004. 10.5-oz. pour in a goblet at Redbones in Somerville, MA.

Light golden with ruby hues, very clear and quiet with little noticeable activity in the carbonation department. With that said, just a fine sheen of head was present in the king’s chalice, but in the end, nothing to speak of. Bouquet was made up of orange peel, fuzzy malt, and was almost overwhelmed by the alcohol. In the end, there was a nice malt flavor, but again, the pronounced alcohol seemed to do it in. Jammy, sticky mouthfeel that didn’t impress, and was a little biting.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2004 20:50:15 | More by Truh

jcalabre

California

3/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this on draft at Hollingshead in Orange, CA on 13 September 2003.
Appearance: This pours a slightly hazy orange-ish/ amber-ish color with a small white head.
Aroma. The nose is malty with a hint of hops.
Overall: The word that comes to mind is 'lackluster'. I really had some high expectations because this is a 'special edition' type of beer. It was no better, in my opinion, than most amber ales.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2003 16:51:02 | More by jcalabre

woemad

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

When I asked what this was the bartender told me it was a pale ale. Therefore I was very surprised by what I recieved. Not disappointed, however, as it was quite tasty.
Color was a very orangy amber with a very small head that soon diappeared. No lacing at all. Smelt of sweet candyish malt. Taste was of sweet malt, with a mild hoppiness in the background. Mouthfeel was o.k., nothing to write home about. This is a very sweet, drinkable beer, and could probably lead someone to consume a lot of it and end up trashed.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2003 05:48:23 | More by woemad

Jason

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +10.2%
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.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2001 00:34:14 | More by Jason

BeerAficionadoMCMXC

California

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Alright, here we go strong ale. Appearance is a solid amber color. It smells of apricots and some hops. Tastes alcoholic, but sweet and nutty. For the ABV, I think it's worth is. I think it's a little unbalanced seeing as it lacks a stronger hop flavor and aroma, but overall it's a good buy. Maybe this is why the stock hasn't skyrocketed in the past couple of years.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 07:49:46 | More by BeerAficionadoMCMXC

bwolmarans

California

3.1/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75

wonderful taste on the third bottle. I can't bring myself to write that the smell is particularly great, and yes the first bottle is metallic. but who cares, this is a sublime beer, and in the department all of us care about (I don't care how many fingers of head a beer has) this one tastes great on the last bottle, which for me, is three at 8% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 05:12:51 | More by bwolmarans

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.44/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a tulip glass with two fingers of head on a cloudy, dark straw colored body.
The aroma is metallic and grain. Not great.
The taste is nice with a strong maltiness, which is nicely balanced by the lemon/grapefruit bitterness.
The texture is crisp and smooth despite the boldness of the brew.
Besides the smell, this is a great ale. It's big but still quaffable, maybe to your detriment.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 02:05:23 | More by Fatehunter

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a bronzed red with just a ring of head. Very hazy.

Caramel, toffee, brown sugar, raisin, and a slice of grapefruit. Or maybe pine. Lopsided malty, but very aromatic.

Bitter medicinal flavors with dry pine hops and candied caramel malts. A little papery and boozy with very light peppery spice. Attenuated for lack of promotable hops, nor rich toffee flavors. Scaled back, yet strong.

Medium body and medium carbonation. Lots of alcohol, however.

Pretty much what I was expecting. This could use some more hoppiness, or if it were an old ale or barleywine, some more oomph to the malts.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 15:32:41 | More by thecheapies

EnjoyTheFlavor

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is my go to beer. Its easy to find, affordable, good abv and a good body and taste to it. This ranks up in my top 3 with Founders and Commodore Perry. Its hoppy, slightly bitter with a very med body. I rate this high because i consume it weekly but i really do recommend trying it if you have not. I have begun to find it in more and more supermarkets and party stores which means it is easy to find and affordable. As long as it does not get bought out by Anheuser i see a good future for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 07:17:12 | More by EnjoyTheFlavor

scottfrie

California

3.4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle split with my father-in-law (his choice).

A: Pours a couple shaded deep than copper with a couple fingers of light tan head that fade into a wispy film leaving a few streaks of lace down the glass.
S: Amber ale notes of caramel, metallic copper and pine resin mixed with stout notes of cocoa powder and anise.
T: Follows the nose with notes of copper amber ale flavors and caramel mixed with darker stout flavors of chocolate, licorice and toasted marshmallow. I get notes of citrus and pine hops in the finish and bready malt in the aftertaste.
M: Medium body, fizzy but fairly smooth carbonation, crisp and drying mouthfeel.
O: Better than I remember (sampled before BA), but still not my favorite. Interesting profile and idea but the outcome is a bit rough.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 02:01:52 | More by scottfrie

Guyute

California

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lots of booze to this one, can tell after a couple of bottles. Pours an orange, hazy color. Not a lot of hops to the aroma, a little more burning-ish, like malt liquor. Minimal head by height, but what's there is pleasant.

What I found most impressive was how well it paired with spicy, sweet Chinese food. A nice surprise/happy accident. A bit too much ABV though, two is enough for the night.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 03:26:59 | More by Guyute

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a Walter Payton shaker pint glass.

Something tells me a crappy Survivor cover band tried to make their own mark with this diddy...and failed... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear copper topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises buttery caramel, biscuit, light cinnamon, and a vague sense of very mild grass. The taste holds notes of orange peel, caramel, lightly-toasted biscuit, and a touch of fennel. Things seem limp, uninspired (whatever that friggin' means...). The body is a light-leaning medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, a weak little beer, one that lacks any discernible character worth paying attention to.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 06:46:42 | More by TMoney2591

deaconoflove

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber brown with no head (probably too cold). Aroma has caramel, cider, w/ some alcohol sharpness to it. The taste is caramel candy, piney (although I just finished cleaning up tons of pine needles) with a tart bitterness. There is some fruitiness in there.
Feels a little sticky sweet as goes the style. Definitely a sippy beer. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 21:51:13 | More by deaconoflove

BenHesk12

California

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Eye of the Hawk American Strong Ale, or "Hawks" as me and my buddies like to call it, is an instant classic. My first experience with this beer was at a social occasion where after taking a few sips, I realized I was drinking something special. It was a huge surprise to see printed on the side of the bottle 8% alcohol. This is a strong ale with a sturdy mouthfeel, and an appropriate and sippable bitterness you would expect from this style. Crisp, clean, and refreshing, with the alcohol content of malt liquor, whats not to like? Overall its just one of those beers that you're happy to drink any time, any place, without getting too fancy or stealing the spotlight. The best thing about this beer though, by far, is the value. $6.50 for a 6 pack at Trader Joes. YES! Overall just a great beer that is a refreshing change from the hophead trend, with great value and flavor that keeps you interested without overdoing it.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:38:42 | More by BenHesk12

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Good lookin' out going out to my local in-person trader, Tone77, for providing me with this one. I used to drink this pretty routinely as part of our tailgating pre-game warm-up for Pitt games as students. The mixed 12-pack case was a good deal and we ran through a lot of it about a decade ago. Since then, I have not indulged until now.

From the bottle: "This award winning brew is Handcrafted to perfection."; "A Premium American Classic from a Pioneer Brewing Legend."

My pour provided me with a thick finger of dense, tawny head with decent retention. Color was an oh-so-slightly hazy orangish-amber. Nose smelled like a Sugar Daddy bar - very caramel! Mouthfeel was medium, kind of prickly in its carbonation and the heat was immediate. Phew! Once I got past that, the caramel sweetness was about as much as I could handle. Dang, but this was making me sweat. Finish was semi-sweet as the yeast had converted much of the sugar into alcohol. Wow! And to think that we used to swig this like water ...

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 04:19:51 | More by woodychandler

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured a hazy amber gold and produced a white creamy one finger high head. It dissipated with spotted lacing.
The smell is very sweet, like honey and fruit. Some hops in the background.
Tasting this beer, I am reminded of mead. Lots of honey notes up front, combined with a fruity hop flavor of apple as well as a caramel and malt backbone. This balanced combination follows through the hole tasting.
Nice medium to heavy bodied beer, very sweet in taste, but also very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 02:27:10 | More by Hopfenpeter