Wailing Wench (Alcohol Content: 8 percent)

Middle Ages Brewing Company

Approx.: $5 for 22 oz.

1 of 4 mugs

Middle Ages Wailing Wench is by far one of the nastiest girls I’ve ever hooked up with. She will lure you in like a black widow with a full, hoppy aroma and deep red color, but after the first sip you will realize you are not dealing with the average bubbly Syracuse sorority girl. Wailing Wench has some serious kick, and as the beer’s mantra suggests, it is a ‘Full-Bodied Ale Screaming with Hops.’ Wench is hoppy to the point of being potent and goes down bitter. It will leave a tingle in the back of your mouth long after it is gone, and if you are brave enough to make it till the last sip, you will find it just as intense as the first.

Wailing Wench does have a saving grace in that the full-bodied scream of hops comes with some serious alcohol. At 8 percent, one glass of Wailing Wench is the equivalent of nearly two of most light beers, which almost makes the suffering worth it. There is definitely a niche for power hop beers that will put hair on your chest, but unless you like beers that go down like cold black coffee, the Wench is not for you.

Ommegang Witte (Alcohol Content: 5.1 percent)

Brewery Ommegang

Approx.: $6.49 for 750ml bottle

3 of 4 mugs

Witte is a smooth wheat beer brewed right down I-90 in Cooperstown at Ommegang’s traditional Belgian Ale Brewery. Using hops gathered from the company’s private hop farm right next to the brewery, Witte pours with a foamy head that dissipates slowly and gives the glass a cloudy, yellow glow. A good whiff will reveal hints of wheat that are more reminiscent of pasta or bread than beer.

The first mouthful brings the wheat taste to the front of your tongue, and if you let it linger you will detect a mild citrus sweetness floating around as well. Witte finishes extremely clean and comes across so refreshing you may consider swapping it for your Gatorade to get a jump start the morning after a night of heavy drinking. A clean and crisp beer anyone can enjoy, you can get Witte in corked 750ml bottles at most big liquor stores or on tap anytime at Faegan’s