May Beers Sampled

Alaskan Brewing Co. is based in Juneau and I have toured the brewery a few years ago.  One of their new offerings is Freeride APA (5.3% ABV and 40 IBU) a very tasty American Pale Ale.

Backcountry Brewery is based in Frisco, CO and their Pale Ale (5.6% ABV and 60 IBU) is another good American Pale Ale.  This beer was formerly know as Telemark IPA and is a Gold medal winner at 2000 and 2009 GABF.

Crooked Stave is just brewing some fantastic beer and St. Bretta (5.5% ABV) is a sour Witbier and it is excellent.  I need to try it side-by-side with Surette to see which one I like best.  Very easy with Crooked Stave, if you see it on the shelf, but it.

Deschutes is based in Portland and is one of my favorite brewers.  I picked up a bottle of River Ale (4.2% ABV and 28 IBU) recently and enjoyed this American Blonde Ale.  It is one of the new session ales that many brewers are releasing and I think a session beer taste-off may be a great choice sometime this summer.

Goose Island out of Chicago brews a large selection of ales and I saw Honker’s Ale (4.3% ABV) recently at Buffalo Wild Wings and really enjoyed this English Bitter.

Hey Day (5.2% ABV) is a Witbier and a new release from Great Divide.  It is not great, but it is not bad – somewhat middle of the road.

Grimm Brothers is a relatively new brewer in Loveland, CO and Master Thief (6.7% ABV) is a German Porter.  I enjoyed the beer and I will try more from this brewery in the future.

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale (9.75% ABV and 67 IBU) is an American Strong Ale and it is excellent.  It is very easy to drink and be careful - it packs a wallop at almost 10% ABV.  Lagunitas makes excellent products and you can pretty much pick anything they brew and it is good.  

I recently went to Parry’s Pizzeria and Pub and there was a tap of Sierra Nevada’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale (6.7% ABV and 67 IBU) an Imperial IPA that was very tasty.  I will add Northern Harvest to my “to try” list.

Telluride Brewing Company is based in Telluride, CO and I picked up Face Down Brown Ale (5.7% ABV) that was a Gold medal winner at the 2012 World Beer Cup.  It was very good and I will try some more from Telluride.  

Holiday Beers – The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

There are a number of very tasty holiday / seasonal beers available to the craft beer drinker and from my perspective it is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”.  Some of the selections are quite hoppy, taking advantage of the recent fall hop harvest; some are quite malty focusing more on the sweet side, and some use holiday spices to make things interesting.  I usually pick up a number of these to enjoy over the holidays and are part of an annual purchase and some of these are new.  There are some very tasty winter / holiday / seasonal beers and go out and pick up something new.  Below are some that I have recently sampled.

Sierra Nevada – Celebration 2012 (6.8% ABV and 65 IBU), is an American IPA and fresh hops are used in the brewing process.  I am currently reading Mitch Steele’s IPA book and he describes Celebration as one of the first IPAs that was brewed by craft brewers.  It is a fantastic beer and one that is on my “buy list” each year.  This is one for the hopheads. 

URL - http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/celebrationale.html

Left Hand – Fade to Black Vol. 4 (6.5% ABV and 64 IBU), is a Black IPA or a Rocky Mountain Black Ale as described on the label.  Each year, Left Hand releases a different volume of Fade to Black and this year’s version if for the hop lover.  This one was not too hoppy and I really enjoyed it and yes this is on my “buy list”.  

URL - http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/beers/fade-to-black

Magic Hat – Heart of Darkness (5.7% ABV and 30 IBU), is a Stout and is a very tasty one.  Heart of Darkness is malt forward with notes of chocolate / cocoa, and it is very easy to drink.  This was the first beer I tried from Magic Hat and it made the “buy list”.  I will look for additional offerings from Magic Hat in 2013. 

URL - http://www.magichat.net/heart_of_darkness

Others on the “buy list” – these are just a few and all have been previously reviewed.

Avery – Old Jubilation (8.3% ABV and 45 IBU), is an English Old Ale that is malty and warming – a very tasty beer that is to be savored. 

URL- http://averybrewing.com/our-ales/old-jubilation-ale/

Deschutes – Jubelale (6.7% ABV and 60 IBU), is a Strong Ale that is a mix of malty and hoppy.  One first gets malty sweetness and then the hop bitterness kicks in.  URL - http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/jubelale

Firestone Walker – Velvet Merlin (5.5% ABV and 27 IBU), is a wonderful Oatmeal Stout with a creamy mouth feel and focuses on malts with hints of coffee and chocolate.  URL - http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/velvet-merlin-fall-and-winter

Did not make the list

Goose Island – Christmas Ale (7.3% ABV and ?? IBU), is a Brown Ale that I did not like at all, it is better than macro-beer.  I was really expecting a tasty beer from the Goose as I enjoy some of their other offerings and this beer did not meet expectations.

Deschutes – Chashin’ Freshies – Fresh Hop IPA

Deschutes is based in Bend, OR and they are one of my favorite brewers.  They brew a number of seasonal brews and a new one this year is Chasin’ Freshies (7.4% ABV and 60 IBU) is a fresh hop IPA.  Fresh or Wet Hop beer is made at hop harvest time and the hops are as fresh as possible when used in the brewing of fresh hop beers.  The term wet hopped is also used because the hops are not dried, and again, are fresh.  The vast majority of hops are dried and palletized for easy storage, shipping and use by the brewer.  Chasin Freshies is brewed with Pilsner malt, flaked oats, Bravo hops and “Fresh Heirloom Cascade Hops”.  This beer is available October to December in most states west of the Mississippi River – I picked up a 22 oz. bomber for $5.99.  Deschutes is slowly expanding east with much anticipation from Deschutes fans.

American IPA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/116 – BeerAdvocate

Appearance – Perfectly clear and a bright pale yellow with about a two-inch head.  The beer is nicely carbonated producing a steady stream of small bubbles in the glass. 

Aroma – Very subdued malt profile and the emphasis is on the hops.  I noticed citrus, herbal/mint, hint of grass, and a hint of tobacco (? – something else that I could not quite identify – not unpleasant at all – I just could not describe it).  

Taste – Many beers with a hop focus are hammers and slam you with bitterness – this is not bad, when you want one like that.  Chasin’ Freshies is more subtle and delicate.  The malt base provides a great canvas to use the Bravo and Heirloom Cascade hops to show their colors.  There is a nice sweetness and a touch of honey from the malts and citrus (lemon and orange/tangerine/grapefruit) with a touch of grass and herb.

Overall – A – The bottle cap states “Bravely Done” and this is a very good fresh hop beer.  I am glad this is not a palate wrecker and showcased a more restrained version of the hops.  This is a great beer to fine and savor.  It will be another add to the “pick up when it is brewed” list of seasonal beers.

Website description – “Like fresh powder, it’s a seize-the-moment thing. At harvest, we rush Goschie Farms' Cascade hops fresh from vine to kettle. Not any Cascades, mind you, but an heirloom strain, from a single field, restored from the original rhizome. Hope you’re as hopped up as we are.“

Chasin’ Freshies – http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/chasin-freshies

Deschutes - Chainbreaker

Deschutes is based in Bend, Oregon and is one of my favorite brewers.  If you open my beer fridge, you can bet on finding choices from select brewers and Deschutes is one of them.  I had seen and read advertisement on a new offering from Deschutes called Chainbreaker (5.6 ABV and 55 IBU), a white IPA, in the spring and added it to my mental list of beers to pick up when it made it to Colorado.  I spoke with the local Deschutes representative a couple of months ago and she said that Chainbreaker should be in Colorado in August and I picked some up on my last visit to my local craft beer supplier.  I also appreciate the mountain bike references with the name and label.  Mountain biking is very big in Bend and the name also pays tribute to the Cascade Chainbreaker Mountain Bike Race.  Mountain biking and beer are a perfect combination and a nice Chainbreaker after a mountain bike ride would be very tasty.

Belgian IPA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/174 - BeerAdvocate

Appearance - Cloudy yellow with a fluffy white head.
Aroma -Belgian yeast - banana / bubblegum, and citrus - orange / tangerine / lemon and perhaps a bit of pine / resin.
Taste - The taste is very good and I would describe Chainbreaker as a more hoppy (bitter) wit beer.  The citrus hops are a very good and complimentary addition that enhance the sweet orange ingredient.   
Overall - B+ - Chainbreaker is an easy to drink beer and I think it is a great beer for the summer.  I think Deschutes does a very good job of adding hops with strong citrus characteristics (Bravo, Citra, Centennial, and Cascade) to Chainbreaker.  I have used all but Bravo in various homebrews and these are excellent hop selections (IMHO).

Chainbreaker description - “Deschutes is taking you into the next beer frontier. Brewed with wheat and pilsner malt; this IPA displays beautiful citrus aromas from Cascade and Citra hops that meld with the esters of Belgian yeast. Think thirst quenching hopped-up wit beer with enough IBUs to warrant the IPA name.”  http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/chainbreaker-white-ipa

Deschutes - Fresh Hop Mirror Pond

When I saw a bottle of Deschutes Fresh Hop Mirror Pond, hereafter referred to as FHMP, at the store, I had to buy it.  I had previously tried Hop Trip and really enjoyed it.  I was sure that FHMP would good.  FHMP (5.0% ABV and 40 IBU) is a Pale ale with limited release from Oct. - Dec.  To me, the best thing about fresh hop or wet hop beers are the aroma and the taste.  These need to be consumed soon after purchase to obtain the fullness of the beer that the brewer wished to impart with the beer.  FHMP pours an a golden orange with a large head and the aroma of fruity hops is easily detected.  The taste is Mirror Pond, but the hops seem to be much more discernible on the nose and the palate.  FHMP is very good and Deschutes does a great job showing how the addition of fresh hops provides changes to their very solid pale ale.  I suggest you try these two side-by-side for a good comparison between Mirror Pond and Fresh Hop Mirror Pond.

Website description - "This noble, fresh hop version of our classic American pale ale arose from a single plot of heirloom Cascade hops. Revived by our brewers from the original rootstock developed at Oregon State University, grown by Goshie Farms in Oregon, this very limited release is just for you".

Two excellent seasonal beers from Deschutes

You just cannot go wrong when you purchase something brewed by Deschutes.  The two latest ones I tried were Hop Trip (5.4% ABV & 38 IBU) and Jubelale (6.7% ABV & 60 IBU).  Hop Trip has limited availability from Oct. – Dec. and you want to drink this soon after purchase to capture the freshness of the hops used in brewing this pale ale.  The hops are raised locally to Deschutes and they go from vine to brew kettle in 4 hours.  Hop Trip pours copper gold with a nice two-finger head.  There is a very solid hop aroma and I really expected a hoppy tasting beer.  I should have known that Deschutes would balance Hop Trip perfectly and it a wonderful blend of sweet malt and bitter hops.  This is a fantastic beer.

Website description – “Each year around Labor Day, Deschutes brewers high-tail it over the pass to Doug Weather’s hop fields near Salem for the harvest. After bagging these aromatic jewels, we hustle back and toss them into the brew kettles within four hours of picking. Our reward: a pale ale with a uniquely bright citrus punch and fall spice. It’s something only Deschutes would take past the idle-talk stage.”

Jubelale is a winter seasonal offered between Oct. – Dec. and is a Stong Ale.  I knew when I poured this garnet tan colored beauty that it would be a malty beer.  I has an excellent sweet malt start with spicy notes then a nicely bitter finish from the hops.  Jubelale may be my new favorite holiday beer and I will pick up some more.  If Deschutes distributes in your area, I suggest you picked these up and they will be gone all too quickly.

Website description – “A dark, malty celebration ale with layered flavors and beautifully balanced hopping. Jubelale pours deep garnet in color, medium bodied, with notes of chicory, earth, spice and fruit. To beer lovers, it’s like Yule fire and family.  The collaborative art of Central Oregon artists Cara Thayer and Louie Van Patten adorns this year's label.”

Deschutes – Hop in the Dark

Deschutes is a fantastic brewer and I have wanted to try their Cascadian Dark Ale called Hop in the Dark (6.5% ABV and 70 IBU) that is seasonal and only available May – September.  Hop in the Dark fits in one of the newer styles recognized by the BJCP named “American-style India Black Ale” and the brewers in the Pacific NW were not too happy about this as they prefer the name Cascadian Dark Ale.  To further complicate matters, some call this style Black IPA.  Regardless, Hop in the Dark is fantastic.  It pours dark with a large head and has a nice hop aroma.  The web site describes Hop in the Dark as, “Can an IPA be black?  Semantics aside, this noir version has subtle coffee undertones born of a blend of oats with dark, Munich and crystal malts. What emerges is something deeper, less orthodox, and all its own. After 22 trial runs in our Bend and Portland pubs, we got it right.”  This is a really nice beer and after 22 trial runs, I would say Deschutes definitely got it right.

Abbey and Twilight

Deschutes Twilight (5% ABV and 35 IBU) is a summer seasonal Golden or Blonde Ale.  This is not one of my favorite beer styles, but I wanted to try it since it was from Deschutes.  Twilight pours golden amber with a lacey two-finger head.  Twilight has good flavor and it is mellower than some of Deschutes other varieties – it has a good malt base with light hop bitterness to balance the beer.  I am also thinking they tried to tweak the color to match what it would look like at twilight across the Deschutes river as captured on the label.  The web site description of Twilight is, “A lighter, yet full-flavored, aromatic Ale for the long days of summer. Twilight’s solid malt foundation pairs with distinctive Amarillo hops for flavors every bit as intriguing as bigger, heavier ales. A back porch, lingering sunset wonder.”  This is a nice summer beer. 

New Belgium is best known for Fat Tire but they make many other styles.  One of my favorites is Abbey (7% ABV and 20 IBU).  Abbey pours cloudy dark tan with a two-finger head and has an aroma of a Belgian-style ale.  The aroma comes from the yeast used by the brewer and Abbey smells really good.  New Belgium describes Abbey as, “Winner of four World Beer Cup medals and eight medals at the Great American Beer Fest, Abbey Belgian Ale is the Mark Spitz of New Belgium s lineup - but it didn’t start out that way. When Jeff and Kim first sampled the beer at the Lyons Folks Fest, reviews were mixed at best. One of founder Jeff’s first two Belgian style homebrews (along with Fat Tire), Abbey is a Belgian dubbel (or double) brewed with six different malts and an authentic Belgian yeast strain. Abbey is bottle-conditioned, weighs in at 7.0% alcohol by volume, and pairs well with chocolate (or boldly served by itself) for dessert.”  Abbey tastes great and I understand why it has won the number of medals it has garnered over the years.  This is one of my favorites from New Belgium and my list from New Belgium is Abbey, 1554 and Ranger.  These are all very good.

2 Pale Ales and 4 IPAs

Deschutes – Red Chair - NWPA

Red Chair (6.2% ABV and 60 IBU) is a seasonal offering from Deschutes and is described as a NW Pale Ale.  Red Chair is available January through April and it almost crossed the border into IPA territory.  Red Chair pours golden amber with a two-finger head.  Deschutes uses seven different malts with a citrus focus on the hops.  Red Chair is very well balanced and is another very good beer from Deschutes.   

Alaskan - IPA

Alaskan Brewing Co.’s IPA (6.2% ABV and 55 IBU) pours gold with a small head that quickly recedes.  If you compare the ABV and bitterness with the beer above, you can become confused in the difference between an IPA and a Pale Ale.  IPAs are typically higher in ABV and IBU than Pale Ales and I think Deschutes used the NW Pale Ale designation to categorize the beer between the Deschutes Pale Ale and the IPA.  Alaskan IPA is another well-balanced beer between malt sweetness and hop bitterness with a citrus focus.

Boulder – Mojo and Hazed & Infused

Boulder Beer Co. produces a number of styles and Mojo (7.2% ABV) is their IPA.  Mojo pours golden amber with a vigorous head – I had to pour it a few times to allow the head to recede.  Mojo leans towards bitterness over malt sweetness and Amarillo hops are used in the brewing of this beer.  I could not find information on the actually IBU of this beer. 

Hazed & Infused (4.85% ABV) is a dry-hopped ale that is very popular and is an award winner.  Hazed & Infused pours cloudy amber tan with a small head.  This is cloudy because it is an unfiltered beer.  There are 4 different hop varieties used in the brewing process and 2 are used in the dry-hopping (fermentation addition) phase.  I was expecting more bitterness and was somewhat surprised with the malt forward taste that had a well-balanced finish.  Hazed & Infused is very drinkable and I can see why it is so popular.

Upslope – IPA

Upslope is a new Colorado brewer based in Boulder and they currently offer 3 different styles in cans.  I had sample two at the Winter Brewfest and picked up a can of their IPA (7.2% ABV) last week.  One complaint is their website – there is very little information about the beer or the brewery.  Upslope’s IPA pours amber with a tan two-finger head that quickly recedes.  This IPA is not bad; however, there are others that are much better.  Upslope also brews a pale ale and a brown ale.  The pale ale has received positive notes and it will be interesting to compare it with Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale.  

Anderson Valley – Hop Ottin’

Anderson Valley is a California brewer and they brew a number of different styles.  Hop Ottin’ (7% ABV and  80 IBU)  is an IPA that pours golden amber with a nice head – it took a few pour / recedes before I could empty the glass – just look at the picture.  Very good use of aroma hops for a citrus bouquet.  This is a nice IPA with a focus on citrus hops and a lot of them.  If you are a hop-head, I think you will like it.  I look forward to sampling more from Anderson Valley.

It does amaze me at the variety of color, aroma, and tastes of beers of similar style.  The varieties of malt and hops and the varieties of way they are combined make an almost infinite number of possibilities.  Some you will like better than others.  I tasted these over the course of a week and it is great to be able to purchase mixed 6 packs to sample a number of different beers from different brewers.

A Pale, an Amber and a Russian Imperial Stout

Boulevard – Pale Ale

Boulevard is based in Kansas City and I have tried their Nutcracker Ale and their Chocolate Ale.  I enjoy Pale Ales and thought this would go nicely with the tacos we were having for dinner.  Boulevard Pale Ale (5.4% ABV and 30 IBU) pours orange / amber with a large head that I had to let recede a few times and continue pouring to empty the bottle.  Boulevard describes Pale Ale as “a smooth, fruity, well-balanced beer with year-round appeal. A variety of caramel malts impart a rich flavor and amber color, while liberal use of whole hops adds zest and aroma. Pale Ale is the first beer we brewed, and continues to be a perennial favorite.”  It is very easy to drink with the low bitterness and it went well with the salad and tacos.  I look forward to trying more from Boulevard in the future.

Deschutes – Green Lakes – Organic Ale

Deschutes is another Oregon brewer that brews a number of different styles and they are best known for Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale.  I had not tried their organic beer called Green Lakes (5.2%ABV and 45 IBU).  Green Lakes is an amber ale and it pours amber with a large head – be careful pouring.  Deschutes describes Green Lakes as “Environmental pedigree aside, Green Lakes Organic Ale is a finely balanced beer with a mellow malt profile and  subtle hop leading edge. On the  ingredient roster: five types of 100% organic malted barleys and a  complementary dose of Liberty and Sterling hops. It’s a profoundly satisfying, easy-drinking beer.”  Organic aside, this is a tasty amber ale and Deschutes does not disappoint.  Green Lakes has good malt taste that is well balanced with the hops.  If you are into organic food, this is a nice beer to add to the list.

Widmer – W11 KGB

Widmer is a Portland brewery that was founded by two brothers, Kurt and Rob in 1984.  I sampled a few of their beers when I lived in Seattle and I thought they did a great job with the various styles they brew.  I had never tried anything in the W series and W11-KGB is a Russian Imperial Stout measuring 9.3% ABV and 65 IBU.  W is the brewmasters series and a different beer is released every year in the W series.  This is a big beer and it pours black with a nice frothy head.  Widmer describes W11-KGB as “Using roasted barley, chocolate malt, and Midnight Wheat, KGB has a color that is as dark as a torrid past, a body as full as a well kept dossier, and a taste as complex as a conspiracy theory. KGB boasts a deep, opaque black color. It has tremendous body and mouthfeel, achieved by the use of roasted barley and other specialty malts. A spicy hop character helps balance the beer out to create a rich and complex warmer.”  W11-KGB represents the style well and this is a nice sipping beer.

Anchor – Porter and Deschutes – Obsidian

Anchor is the oldest craft brewer in America that began in 1896, survived prohibition, and Fritz Maytag saved near extinction in 1965 when the brewery had a bank balance of $128.  First, thank you Mr. Maytag for this purchase as this is one of the breweries that started the craft beer revolution.  Anchor is best know for Anchor Steam – a California Common Beer – was first released in 1975.  Flash-forward to today and Anchor has five styles available year-round and special seasonal and project releases.  Lori made a nice birthday dinner last night of grilled rib eye, sautéed green beans and fried potatoes.  I was confident that Anchor’s Porter (5.6% ABV) would be a perfect pairing and it was. You cannot go wrong with pairing a porter with steak.  Anchor Porter pours very dark with a nice thick head.  This beer has great aroma and has a wonderful taste of chocolate and coffee that went beautifully with the grilled rib eye. 

For desert, Lori had made my favorite, German Chocolate Cake.  I was confident that a stout would pair nicely with this and I choose Deschutes Obsidian (6.4% ABV and 55 IBU).   This stout pours black and has a great nose with taste of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate.  This is a very nice stout and I really enjoyed it with the cake.  Obsidian has won many awards ove the years and I can taste why.  I like everything I have tried from Deshutes and they are one of my favorite brewers.  When I get back to Portland, I will stop by the tap room.

Deschutes – Inversion IPA

Deschutes is an Oregon brewer based in Bend, OR.  They are know for their Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Ale, and I have had both and they are very good.  I went to Lukas on Friday and Deschutes was having a tasting and I tried Obsidian Stout and Inversion IPA.  I purchased a six of Inversion IPA and the rep gave me a bottle of Obsidian.  Inversion IPA (6.8% ABV & 80 IBU) pours golden amber with a nice frothy head.  It has a nice aroma and is well-balanced – I was expecting more hops considering the 80 IBU and was pleasantly surprised.  The hops are there and are well-balanced with the malt sweetness.  Deschutes describes Inversion IPA as “No mere hop sledgehammer, Inversion is a careful fusion. Crystal and Carastan malts woven throughout provide for a surprisingly soft, caramel complexity for an 80-IBU IPA.”  I have a bottle of Obsidian Stout and a bottle of Red Chair NWPA to try.  I have been very satisfied with Deschutes and I will try more from them.  Also - check out my new glass from my bike shop - Salvagetti - these will sell out fast.

Vacation - Seattle and Pacific NW Beers

My wife and I went to Seattle over the weekend of 19^th and 20^th for a wedding and I had the opportunity to try to tasty beers.  The three highlights were Pike Brewing Co.’s Old Bawdy Barleywine, Alaskan Brewing Co.’s Double Black IPA, and Deschutes Black Butte Porter. 

During the flight, I started the vacation with a Blue Moon Belgian White (5.4% ABV).  On Thursday evening we attended the rehearsal dinner at Ray’s Boathouse and I had a Maritime Imperial Pale Ale (7.5% ABV), Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale (5.0% ABV & 40 IBU), Widmer Heffeweizen (4.9% ABV & 30 IBU) and Deschutes Black Butte Porter (5.2% ABV & 30 IBU).  We later went out to Bel Mar in Ballard and I had a Firestone Walker Double Barrel Pale Ale (5.0% ABV).  These were all tasty beers and the standout was Black Butte Porter with desert – an excellent pairing.

On Friday, we met one of Lori’s previous co-workers at Cutter’s and I had Maritime Jolly Roger Christmas Ale and a Mac& Jack’s African Amber that paired nicely with a lunch of fish and chips. Later, I went to the local QFC and picked up Alaskan Brewing Co.’s Double Black IPA (8.5% ABV & 70 IBU).  I had this at the Friday evening party and it is excellent.  If you want to try a Cascadian / Black IPA this is a great one to try, if you can find it.

On Saturday, I tried the Pike Old Bawdy 2008 (10% ABV & 90 IBU) in the afternoon and this is a great beer that I enjoyed.  Later that evening, we met up with George & Mary Lou, and Michael at Wilde Rover in Kirkland for some good Irish food & drink and billiards.  I had a Guinness Stout (4.2% ABV), Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale (4.5% ABV) with a dinner of corned beef and cabbage, New Castle Brown Ale (4.7% ABV), and Kilkenny Irish Red Ale (4.3% ABV).  We had an excellent time and George and I actually won a few matches of pool.  At dinner, I gave George a bottle of Avery Hog Heaven and Michael a bottle of Avery The Reverend.  George replied that he tried and really liked Hog Heaven.

On Sunday, we meet Ben (one of Lori’s former students) at Cutters and I had a NW flight of Manny’s Pale Ale (5.5% ABV & 37 IBU), Diamond Knot Winter Warmer (7.7% ABV & 60 IBU) and Elysian Bifrost (7.5% ABV & 55 IBU).  Flights are a great way to sample different beers and these were approximately 4 – 5 oz. servings for the price of a normal pint.  At the reception that evening I tried Widmer Broken Halo IPA (6.0% ABV & 45 IBU) that was excellent with dinner.

On Monday, Lori and I went to my favorite lunch spot in Bellevue, the King and I.  I ordered Phad Thai Tofu and enjoyed a Pyramid Heffeweizen (5.2% ABV & 18 IBU).  I love Phad Thai and this is one spot to get great Thai food.  That evening, we met friends at Paulo’s in Kent and I had a Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale (5.0% ABV & 40 IBU) with ravioli in a walnut cream sauce and this was excellent.

We returned to Denver on Tuesday and I took Lori, Jonathan and Donna (Lori’s mom) to NoNo’s and I had an Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager (4.2% ABV & 13 IBU) and a Bridgeport Ropewalk Amber (5.6% ABV) with a dinner of Cajun meatloaf.  This was a nice pairing and it is too bad this beer is no longer being brewed at Bridgeport.

The trip to Seattle was excellent and it was great to see old friends and enjoy good food and drink.  There are some excellent beers in Seattle and the Pacific NW and I was able to do a quick tour of Pike Brewing Co.  If you are in Seattle downtown, stop by Pike – they have a great selection and you can obtain many “goodies” to go.