Eye of the Hawk - Mendocino Brewing Company

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

Mosstrooper

California

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance: Hazy pale amber color with a large off-white head that dissipates quickly, yielding a thick wall of lace.

Smell: Lots of fruit- apple, oranges, and sweet white grape with mild bready notes.

Taste: Begins with sweet apple and bitter orange peel flavors, before rounding out to a sweet breadiness. Finish is citric with a balanced, toasty bitterness and a nutty hint.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy body with balanced, natural carbonation and a sticky finish.

Overall: A very good, complex beer. Deceptively drinkable at 8% ABV, so watch out!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 02:15:12 | More by Mosstrooper

Tolosa

4.33/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

That is one heavy hitter of a beer.

A : Nice deep gold, dense head, but you've probably seen sexier. Hawk logo is as tacky as a trailer park Halloween party. Bottle is pleasantly plump, tho.

S : This is where it begins to be interesting. Smells a bit hoppy but, wait, what is this alcohol I feel in the background ?

T : Did anyone poured a slint of jack Daniel's in my beer while I was looking away ?!? This is an incredibly boozy beer, the alcohol flavor burst into the palate. Mind you, not cheap alcohol, bit a high quality one. Way above any of those beers already mixed with alcohol. This level of warmth and taste in a beer is quite something.

Mouthfeel : You will not be able to gulp this one, because every gulp is like a jab from Mike Tyson, only much much much enjoyable.

Overall : Incredible, has to be tasted to be believed. A beautiful beer, plain, boozy and bold. For the brave only, as it will knock your socks off after 2 bottles.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 00:22:49 | More by Tolosa

elNopalero

Texas

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a toasted straw color with a thick layer of billowy white foam.

There’s a light lemony hop aroma with a sodium bicarbonate zing. The flavor has more lemon, with a slight pine-resin hint on the finish. As it warms a delicate honeyed sweetness emerges.

No indication that it’s 8% ABV.

This was a welcomed surprise and one of the more enjoyable bird beers from Mendocino.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 17:53:24 | More by elNopalero

TheSixthRing

California

4.13/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a solid golden amber with a white 2 finger head. Good retention. Resulting lace is thin, but consistent and sticky.

Smell - Smells of fruity esters and a bit of alcohol. Sweet bready malt undertone.

Taste - Caramel malt and fruity esters upfront. Apple and hints of citrus hoppiness. Pleasant, warming alcohol character. Somewhat bready. Great balance. Finishes with a continued caramel malt that lasts well into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full body; decent carbonation. Smooth, and entirely too drinkable for the 8% label.

Overall - Mendocino's flagship beer, and it's a great one. Strong, assertive and a completely American ale. Beautiful complexity. I've been drinking this beer for years, and it never disappoints. Sometimes comes with a touch more metallic taste than tonight, Not one for sessions; drink with caution.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 03:09:11 | More by TheSixthRing

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

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

Props to my buddy Evan for procuring this one for me...

A - Pours a slightly hazy copper colour with a reddish hue, thumb of soapy head with solid retention and nice sheeting lacing.

S - Musty caramel and grassy hops, hint of citrus, earthy undertones and a hint of peat.

T - The caramel malts come across nicely off the top offering upa dose of sweetness alongside some nice toasted bread notes and the leafy green hops. An english toffee flavour lingers alongside a sour citrus sweetness.

M - Medium bodied, extremely smooth and finishes with a touch of dryness.

O - This stuff is incredibly drinkable and loaded with flavour for the style. An unsuspecting gem that is highly recommended and I'm super stoked I got the opportunity to try it out.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 23:07:40 | More by andrenaline

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

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

A: copper-bronze with a little chill haze; slightly off-white head, good retention, leaves a bit of lace.

S: Sponge toffee, cotton candy, candied tropical fruit, hint of cider.

T: Grapefruit rind, sponge toffee, piny resin, papaya, good bitterness, really leaning towards a DIPA.

M: Light residual sweetness with a bit of hop acidity.

O: This 'American Strong' is boardering on a DIPA... and I like it.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 03:07:17 | More by Derek

Brewmaster_Rick

California

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Tons of heavy caramel malt, mild bitterness for balance, a bit of sweetness (probably due to high ABV) but very palatable. Fantastic stuff, one of my go-to beers. Apollo bittering, Cascade flavoring, Saaz aromatics. Like Red Tail Ale's big brother!!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 01:08:34 | More by Brewmaster_Rick

Daveychu

California

4.33/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Boozy as hell. Always at Trader Joes for seven dollars. How can I not like this? It tastes like very strong, pretty damn good beer. Um..also it's brown, nice lacing and smells like alcoholic candy. When I'm in the mood for some fancy strong Belgian business but don't want to drop ten bucks on less than a liter this is a fine fine option.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 06:25:13 | More by Daveychu

oogenesis

California

4.13/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A surprisingly light, but full bodied ale that reminds me of a good wheat brew with more OOMPH. Buttery, slightly fruity, with a floral aftertaste. The head on this brew is THICK and lasts quite a while. I prefer IPAs, but this might replace Lagunitas IPA as my go-to, everyday beer. Yum.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 19:55:56 | More by oogenesis

rundocrun

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Body is a translucent amber-brown with orange highlights. Yields 2 fingers of light tan head. Retention is decent, though i'm left with a 1/4" of foam after about 3 minutes. Relatively small amount of lacing.

S - Lots of caramel malt in this one! Truckloads of raisins, sweet figs and prunes. Not much hop aroma to speak of. Almost candy-like. Smells a bit like cherry-flavored candy or syrup. As the beer warms I get some buttery diacetyl as well.

T - Sweet caramel and darkly toasted malt up front. Has a pleasant biscuity flavor as well. Some hop bitterness and earthy hop flavor is noticeable through the middle and the finish. Here and there I get some fruitiness. Has a slightly dry bready flavor of a beer utilizing dark roasted grains.

M - Medium-to-thick body. Surprisingly dry finish leaving me with a residual hoppy bitterness and a touch of toasted malt.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 03:05:33 | More by rundocrun

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

With all the one-off, barrel aged, high buck beers out there now it is nice to come across a classic US beer that sells for the same price as the regular line up , comes in 12 oz 6 packs and has been around since the first wave of craft brewing.

The beer is a mix of a Barley Wine and and an Old Ale with that caramelly malty flavour found in Dopplebocks. The nose is lovely hops mixed in with a deep burnt sugar note. I found the beer fairly complex but very drinkable. The sweetness in the finish was probably about right and never interfered with the next sip. Great beer that is very under the radar for Today's Craft drinker

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 18:52:04 | More by canucklehead

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle from a mixed 12 pack
A - slightly hazy orange amber with a one finger foamy head that leaves a little lacing.
S - strong barley and hop character with a dark fruity component.
T - definite fruity/barley wine character coming through in the taste even when still cold. Fits the description, almost like a blended old ale and barley wine combo.
M - moderately carbonated with a medium to heavy body that flows easily enough. Leaves just a slight lingering aftertaste that is pleasant.
D - a high abv that is not noticeable which might ease the drinking but this should be a slow drinker.
A distinct and clear old ale character comes through that is tempered by a hit of hops and a dallop of barley.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 02:32:13 | More by Beer4Baltimore

flagmantho

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: orange hue with plenty of haze and what appear to be tons of tiny floaties. Head is a thick finger of frothy ivory foam. Not too bad.

Smell: tropical fruity smell dominated by an overripe banana aroma, rather like banana bread. I'm not opposed to this aroma, but it's a bit on the sickly-sweet side and doesn't really appeal to me.

Taste: sweet malt with a lot more of that fruity banana flavor. This flavor profile works more for me in a hefeweizen or dunkelweizen than in a non-wheat strong ale like this. That said, it's not bad, and it's not as sickly-sweet as the aroma would suggest. Perhaps it's an acquired taste.

Mouthfeel: medium-thick body with a great carbonation and very nice creaminess.

Overall: a very weird beer. I could see myself growing into it, but it tastes nothing like its "strong ale" label would suggest. I do kind of like it, though.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 02:03:24 | More by flagmantho