Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale is an American Strong Ale, 9.70% ABV.

Appearance: An aggressive pour yields a massive head that diminishes fairly quickly. The ale itself is a cloudy bronze color. Fairly decent lacing.

Smell: Like a forest of piney hops, some floral hops mixed in. I get hints of Belgian spices as well.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with about average carbonation.

Taste: Hops! Piney hops, citrus hops, floral hops – essentially the flavors that I got from the nose were present upon first taste. Nice blend of caramel malts as well. The alcohol is definitely present as well, especially on the back end.

Overall: This beer is a bouquet of piney, citrusy hops. Upon the first half of the pint, I thoroughly appreciated the balance and smoothness of something this high in ABV. Towards the end, however, the ale ended up being more about the alcohol present and less about the hop experience. Although this ale isn’t as memorable of a drink as I would have hoped, I would still say Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale is worth trying for fans of Lagunitas’ other high ABV releases.

88 out of 100

Schneider Weisse Tap 6 Unser Aventinus is a Weizenbock, 8.20% ABV.

Appearance: Pours a hazy brown with a near 2-finger head. Minimal lacing is left behind.

Smell: Bready and fruity. Almost like banana bread with some bock/tripel notes as well.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, and a little warming. Medium carbonation.

Taste: Very complex. A great combination of wheat, fruits (mostly bananas, but I also taste hints of cloves), and roasted chocolate round out to a dry finish. Sweet without any real hints of alcohol. The yeast tastes a bit peppery as well.

Overall: A phenomenal and easy-going beer. Very drinkable, but doesn’t skip any corners when it comes to the nose or the taste. This isn’t my first time with this Weizenbock, though it is my first time scribing my notes while consuming it. Although this isn’t a beer that I can have multiple of in the same session, it certainly is one that I will occasionally find myself craving. A heavier malt profile compared to most Weizens, but I personally find that to be a good thing. I fail to find too much to criticize about this brew. Pure quality, top class in its field, and fairly easy to come across as well. Go grab a bottle.

98 out of 100

The Perfect Crime is a collaborative Saison by Evil Twin, Stillwater, and Stone Brewing Co. 6.80% ABV.

Appearance: Dark brown, nearly black pour that yields a half-finger head. Decent lacing.

Smell: Roasted malts, smokey aromas, Belgian yeast, slight fruitiness as well.

Mouthfeel: Creamy body, medium carbonation.

Taste: Instantly hit with smokey, roasty goodness that doesn’t overwhelm. Nice Belgian yeast flavors at the back, dry hop finish.

Overall: Is it the “perfect crime”? Not nearly. For fans of the Belgian style, however, this is definite worth a try. I get some of that farmhouse funkiness from it, but I still struggle with calling this a true Saison. At under $4 a bottle, this isn’t a bad buy for those into this type of flavor profile. Interesting idea from these breweries, but it lacked a bit in execution. It was an easy, thin drink – maybe too thin. However, this wouldn’t be a bad starting point for those looking to get into more smokier ales; this beer blends flavors nicely without overpowering.

80 out of 100

The album, the follow up to 2010′s Option Paralysis, is due out later this year and will be released via the band’s own Party Smasher Inc. Check out the album art below:

And of course, for all news regarding this highly anticipated album, check out mAltIntel.

An already stacked lineup of anticipated 2013 video games just got even more awesome.

In an investor call, a member of Time Warner management confirmed that a new game, the third in the Batman: Arkham series, will be released sometime this year.

John K. Martin, the company’s CFO, stated that Warner Bros. has “a strong” lineup of games in 2013, “which will include the next release in the Batman Arkham franchise.” Martin goes on to say that he expects 2013 to be “as good or maybe even a little better than 2012.”

This third entry in the series has seemed inevitable following the overwhelming success of the first two games. Rocksteady has hinted previously that its next game will not be Batman-based, and Variety reported the rumor that Warner’s next Batman game will be a Silver Age prequel featuring members of the JLA.

As more news breaks on the next installment of the Batman: Arkham series, we’ll get it to you.

5. Anson Mount

Anson Mount just looks the part of a Gotham protector. Most recently starring in AMC’s Hell on Wheels, Mount would be a great take on a gritty and dark Batman. Although the 39-year old actor would stray from the “younger take” on the caped crusader, a clean shave to play a billionaire playboy would bring some youth to his look (he is, after all, 10 years older than Henry Cavill, Batman’s superhero counterpart in the JLA).

4. Ryan Gosling

Before you throw your hands up in disgust, hear me out on this one. Gosling is young, fit, and has the ability to play a dark role. Take his acting in Drive, for example. Gosling’s potential is far more than being a teen heartthrob. He can be mysterious, he can be brooding, and seeing how his stock is high at the moment, it would bring a lot of attention to the Justice League film.

3. Josh Hartnett

Josh Hartnett sure could use this role. Think back to his suited, playboy-esque role in Sin City and let your imagination expand from that. Hartnett would be an excellent sleeper pick for this role. Hartnett isn’t necessarily the youngest of our selections, but 34 isn’t too bad either. Plus, he has experience in big-screen versions of comic characters (although the 30 Days of Night movie itself was hardly memorable). Hartnett may not be the name that should be attached to the caped crusader, as unlike the case with Gosling, his stock is not too high at the moment. Nevertheless, if Hartnett were to land the role, it would certainly resurrect his career and I think he would be a great choice.

2. Armie Hammer

Armie Hammer is no stranger to Batman rumors – and he would definitely be a worthy choice. Having seen him play rich snobs in the past (take The Social Network, for example), we have an idea of how Hammer’s Bruce Wayne would look. He’s clean cut, can certainly wear a suit, and is built well enough to portray the superhero. We’ll be keeping an eye on Hammer in the upcoming big screen version of The Lone Ranger, and most likely Warner Bros./DC will be as well.

1. Jon Hamm

If you throw the youth movement concept out the window, Jon Hamm should already be cast as the role of Batman for the Justice League movie. We know how the Mad Men star looks in a suit and tie, he’s a naturally muscular fellow, and he has the jawline and chin that simply screams Batman. Should we care that Hamm is in his early 40s? After all, Christian Bale is 38 and we all know that his portrayal of Bruce Wayne was nothing short of awesome. Alongside Cavill, Hamm is someone that could make DC/Warner Bros.’ dynamic duo of Superman and Batman one to rival what Marvel is doing on their end with The Avengers. And after all, it’s not as if Marvel cared about Robert Downey Jr.’s age when considering him for Iron Man. In my mind, Hamm would be a homerun to portray Batman in the next installment of movies – it simply comes to whether Batman will be portrayed as young and inexperienced or the older, mature veteran.

Any other names you would like to see considered?

Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute Ale is a limited release American Imperial/Double IPA. 7.85% ABV.

Appearance: Pours a nice golden color with a half-finger head.

Smell: Citrus hops and grapefruit. A bit of sweet caramel beneath the hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation with a medium body. Slightly creamy as well.

Taste: Incredibly crisp and clean hop flavors. Very complex, but also extremely balanced. Sweet malt flavor fades into a hop bite on the finish. Moderate bitterness that doesn’t overwhelm. Extremely drinkable for a DIPA.

Overall: It’s great. This was hyped up for me, so I quickly grabbed it when I saw the six pack at my local store. Needless to say, expectations were met in all regards. There have only been a few other DIPAs that I’ve tried that were as crisp and clean as this one. It doesn’t wreck the palate, yet still has a nice hop bite. The floral, fruity flavors all blend wonderfully. I’m almost relieved that Lagunitas Sucks is a limited release because I fear that if I had this regularly, it would eventually lose its grandeur in my mind. Certainly, this is a DIPA that warrants looking forward to each year.

97 out of 100

Yesterday, the Lost Abbey announced on its blog that there will be a third release event for its Ultimate Box Set this Saturday, January 19th. If you’re in the San Diego area, this is a can’t miss event!

Here are the details straight from their site:

What: One case of each track (1-13) will be loaded into the cold box

When: Saturday January 19, 2013 – 12:30pm to 8pm

Where: The Lost Abbey / Port Brewing, San Marcos, San Diego County, CA

How Much: $20 per bottle, and as with previous track releases, bottles are for on-premise consumption only.

Caveats: Due to anticipated high demand, customers will be limited to purchasing one bottle each (1), from two separate tracks at any given time. Complete details available at time of purchase.