Cooperstown Old Slugger Pale Ale (NY)

Knowing this brewery, I wasn't expecting a Sierra Nevada clone, and I didn't get one. Ringwood yeast makes itself apparent right away with a slightly butterscotch aroma. The beer is a nicely clear copper, but the head dies quickly. The carbonation that caused the head, on the other hand, sticks around, and is sharp and prickly.

I made the mistake of swigging this along side some garlicky food, and the effect was almost painfully spicy. Even after cleansing my palate, the hops came across as spicy/earthy. But Old Slugger doesn't lean too far in one direction between hops and malt (slightly fruity, twangy). The finish is almost musty.

Overall, it reminds me vaguely of Pride of Milford, but that bigger beer has more interesting messiness than this one does. Old Slugger isn't a weak pale ale, but it isn't a polished one either, and I know some won't like it at all. It isn't high on my list of re-purchases.

Cooperstown Back Yard India Pale Ale (NY)

The most important point that can be made about Back Yard IPA is that it is not a West Coast hop bomb. It's not even an East Coast hop bomb, but instead is something closer to a traditional British IPA (not a surprise from this brewery). This is, presumably, one IPA that won't be affected much by rising hop prices.

According to the brewer:

English pale barley malt is predominant in this beer with just a small amount of crystal malt. It is well bittered with Cluster and Cascade hops and finished with a mix of local hop and larger amounts of Fuggle hop.

The malts probably beat out the hops here, and there's slight Ringwood yeastiness as well. To me, it's grain and grass, with a touch of citrus hops coming through at the end. Overall, it's subtle, or maybe just quiet, and doesn't tip it's hand too far in any one direction. I checked the comments at the big review sites, and unsurprisingly, there's a lot of complaining about the low hop content. Judging it by what it tries to be, I think it comes across better, but still isn't essential drinking.

Cooperstown Strike Out Stout/Benchwarmer Porter (NY)

Two dark beers from Cooperstown Brewing Co. tasted side-by-side. I liked their Pride of Milford Ale, which was an interesting beer of the sorts that isn't too common among US breweries. The stout and porter, however, compete in crowded fields in their styles.

Strike Out Stout: This pours very dark and opaque, with a fairly modest head. It smells stout-ish to me, akin to the dry Irish stouts. It has a standard roastiness to it -- coffee mostly -- that turns a bit smoky near the end. There isn't too much in the way of hop bitterness. The body is on the light side, which will be a deal-breaker for some, but I don't mind. Carbonation is restrained. It's only 4.6% ABV and makes for a good sessions stout.

Benchwarmer Porter: I've noticed other reviewers claiming the stout was over-carbonated, but for me, it's the porter that's out of control. Even with a careful pour I wind up with a massive head that overstays its welcome. The fizziness infects the body as well. Add the look (redder than the stout and translucent) and the taste (pretty sweet) and it really reminds me of cola. Admittedly, the sweetness is perhaps more molasses than corn syrup, and to its credit there's some roasted flavors underneath. As it warms up, I think I detect some butterscotch from the breweries' use of Ringwood yeast. This one has over 6% ABV, and I think there are a lot of flavors there buried beneath the fizz. But it's just too close to a cola alco-pop for me.

So I prefer Strike Out Stout and intend to drink it again. At both ratebeer and Beer Advocate, however, reviewers prefer the porter. Few reviewers note the excessive carbonation, so I'm wondering if there's a lot of variation among bottles.

Cooperstown Pride of Milford Ale (NY)

In contrast to Ommegang's fish-out-of-water Belgianity, Cooperstown Brewing Company embraces their town's baseball heritage with offerings such as Strike Out Stout and Benchwarmer Porter. In fact, the brewery is located in nearby Milford, NY, from which this "Special Ale" gets its name.

Cooperstown uses Ringwood yeast, and the first sniff reveals the telltale buttery aroma. The butter doesn't overwhelm the beer, but is something to keep in mind if you have an aversion to it. A lot of people talk about Pride of Milford being fruity, but I don't detect too much of that either. It is definitely malty -- biscuity, I think -- with hops only used to keep it from getting carried away. The nearly 8% alcohol is noticeable, giving it a sherry-like undertone. The body isn't all that heavy, though, and it has a somewhat sparkly carbonation. If everything else makes it a winter beer, the mouthfeel could actually suit a summer brew.

This is kind of an unusual beer. I like it, and give it points for being interesting.