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.  

Great Divide - Orabelle

I have tried almost all of the offerings from Great Divide and they make one of the best Imperial Stouts available that is named Yeti.  When I saw that there was a new offering named Orabelle (8.3% ABV) a Belgian-style Tripel, I wanted to try it.  One of my favorite Yeti varieties is Belgian Yeti, and I was thinking Great Divide is probably using the same yeast strain for Orabelle.  Orabelle is a seasonal offering that is available January – March.  Great Divide adds a two word descriptor on each bottle and the ones for Orabelle are Beautiful and Golden. 

Tripel - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/58 – BeerAdvocate

Appearance – Just like the bottle descriptor, Orabelle pours a golden straw color that is a bit hazy and has a small two-finger head that quickly dissipates. 

Aroma – Belgian yeast, peach / apricot, a touch of lemon and biscuit.

Taste – Very similar to the smell with a subtle touch of warming booziness.

Overall – “A” – This is a very good offering from Great Divide and a very good Belgian-style Tripel.  It is only here for a short time, so pick some up and enjoy.

Orabelle description – “ORABELLE is brewed with barley, wheat, oats, and rye.  This Belgian-Style Tripel is a golden beauty.  Its two yeast strains, orange peel and dash of coriander impart surprising complexity and richness to this delicate ale. Don’t let Orabelle’s demure nature fool you; this is one flavorful pour.  Watch out, she’s a charmer – one sip and you’ll be in love.”  Great Divide Website

URL – http://greatdivide.com/beer/seasonal/orabelle/

Two Anniversary IPAs

I had a couple of anniversary IPAs in my fridge and IPAs are best consumed fresh.  I had a Great Divide 18th Anniversary Wood Aged Double India Pale Ale (10% ABV) in the fridge for some time now and it had a bottle on date of March 20.  The Stone 16th Anniversary IPA (10% ABV and 85 IBU) had an August 2012 date and I knew this one was very fresh.  The difference besides age was the wood aged via the use of oak chips and an IPA brewed with lemon verbena and lemon oil.  I did not try these side-by-side as one of these is enough for anyone at 10% ABV, and I wanted to get in a mountain bike ride the next morning.  I enjoyed both of these beers and they are fantastic.  

I had a very fresh version of Great Divide 17th Anniversary last year and the beer was almost too “oaky” for my liking.  With a little age on the 18th Anniversary, I found that the oak had calmed down a bit and from my perspective, this beer tastes better with a little age.  I understand that the hop bitterness and aroma with fall out and the beer will be closer to a barley wine - I am fine with this for 18th and I very much enjoyed it.  

The Stone 16th Anniversary IPA is unique and I have never had anything like it before.  Stone uses Amarillo and Calypso hops with the addition of lemon verbena and lemon oil and you can tasted the ctirusy, lemony focus of this beer.  It is very good and Stone has been producing some very good double / imperial IPAs.  The Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA was fantastic and one of the best of the year.  

Both of these beers were very good and I would drink them again.  I think the a brewery’s anniversary ale should be something special and Stone and Great Divide provide excellent examples of some special with these beers.

Double / Imperial IPA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/140 - BeerAdvocate
Great Divide - http://greatdivide.com/beer/seasonal/18th-anniversary-wood-aged-double-ipa/
Stone - http://www.stonebrew.com/anniv/ale/

Great Divide - Nomad

I have tried a number of offerings from Great Divide and one of their latest is Nomad (5.4% ABV and IBU) a Bohemian Pilsner.  Great Divide uses two word descriptors on their labels and Nomad has the words “Bright” and “Elegant”.  These descriptors are spot on and this is a very nice pilsner from Great Divide.  Nomad is available January – March.

Czech Pilsener – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/40 - Beeradvocate

Appearance – Straw yellow, clear with a silky two-finger head.

Aroma – Smell of a classic pilsner, grain, bitter hops and a hint of citrus (lemon).

Taste – Very clean and a little sweet to start and then a nice finish from the hops.  A very good pilsner without the skunky taste and smell that I find so many pilsners have.

Overall – B+ – Another really good beer from Great Divide.  Great Divide is one of those brewers that you can pick anything they offer and it will be tasty.

Website description – “NOMAD is our spin on the classic Bohemian Pilsner style.  The journey starts with German malts and Saaz hops that offer a lively floral nose and crispness, while a full 5 weeks of lagering time ensures that Nomad is eminently balanced.  This Nomad may wander, but it’s got serious roots.”

URL – http://www.greatdivide.com/

December – Beer Tasting – Porters and Stouts

Tibor, Dennis, Chris and Chris came over to my humble abode for the next round of beer tasting a couple of weekends ago with a focus on Porters and Stouts.  Dennis had just returned from a trip to Georgia and brought back some regional offerings from the south.  We sampled a number of beers and there were some really good beers.  Chris brought over some BBQ that went wonderful with the beer.  We also had some Honey BBQ wings and chocolate pie.  One of the most interesting pairings of the evening was a side-by-side tasting of Belgian Yeti and Oak-aged Yeti.  By themselves, everyone liked the Belgian Yeti the best.  It was the first time that I had tasted this version of Yeti and it was very good.  The Oak-aged Yeti was an excellent pairing with the chocolate pie and everyone liked Oak-aged Yeti better when sampled with the chocolate pie.  We had some fantastic beers, good food, and good fellowship.  Below is a list of the beer sampled and pictures of the bottles.

Deschutes – Black Butte Porter – 5.2% ABV and 30 IBU

Lazy Magnolia – Southern Pecan – 4.39% ABV and 19 IBU - Nut Brown Ale

Stone – Smoked Porter – 5.9% ABV and 53 IBU

Alaskan – Smoked Porter – 6.5% ABV and 45 IBU

Great Divide – Belgian Yeti – 9.5% ABV – Imperial Stout

Great Divide – Oak-aged Yeti – 9.5% ABV – Imperial Stout

Left Hand – Wake Up Dead – 10.2% ABV and 45 IBU – Russian Imperial Stout

Alltech Lexington Brewing - Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale – 7 – 9% ABV

Terrapin – Rye Pale Ale – 5.5% ABV and 35 IBU – Pale Ale with Rye

SweetWater Brewing Co. – Georgia Brown Ale – 5% ABV and 24 IBU

Yuengling – Black and Tan – 4.7% ABV

Yuengling – Lager – 4.4% ABV

Next month we will sample Pilsners.

Great Divide - Hercules

Hercules (10% ABV) is a Double IPA produced be Great Divide Brewing in Denver.  The descriptors on the label are Mighty and Revered and this is a big beer.  There is a very good hop aroma when on pours this orange beer with a two-fingered lacey head.  This is a hoppy beer and the emphasis is on the hops, but there is some good malt sweetness too.  Another really good one from Great Divide – Yeti is not the only really good beer they make.

Great Divide describes Hercules as, “not for the faint of heart. It is, however, fit for the gods.  HERCULES delivers a huge amount of hops from start to finish. Its hefty backbone of nutty, malty sweetness balances its aggressive hop profile.”  Suggested food pairings are: “Grilled fish tacos and aged Dutch cheese.”

Great Divide - Rumble

Rumble (7.1% ABV) is an Oak Aged India Pale Ale that is seasonally available May – October.  The descriptors on the label are Exemplary and Balanced and these words describe Rumble very well.  Rumble pours gold / orange with a small head (depending on how you pour) and has great carbonation.  You can pick up the hops and know this is an IPA.  Rumble has the taste of an IPA and I could detect oak in Rumble.  This is another nice offering from Great Divide – another great Colorado brewer. 

Great Divide’s description of Rumble – “Rumble IPA is an American IPA with subtle nuance. Brewed with heavy handed additions of Pacific Northwest hops, this beer is gently aged on French and American oak resulting in a wonderful balance of bitterness, caramel sweetness, vanilla, and undertones of pine and citrus. Very inspiring. 7.1% ABV.”  Suggested Food Pairings are “Marinated skirt steak, grilled sweet potatoes, ripe Brie or Talleggio cheese, apple crisp with creme friache ice cream.”  Great Divide is located close to Coors field, so if you are in Denver, this is an easy brewery to visit.

Great Divide – Samurai and Odell – Red Ale

Great Divide makes a number of different styles and I had not tried Samurai (5.1% ABV) that is a Rice Ale.  Samurai pours cloudy straw yellow with a lacey head.  It is easy drinking and I would compare it to a Hefeweizen or Belgian Wit.  I’ll admit that I prefer the Belgian Wits and I think they taste better and are more refreshing.  Great Divide describes Samurai as “an easy drinking, unfiltered ale that changes the status quo for unfiltered beers. The addition of rice gives Samurai a slightly fruity, crisp, refreshing and clean taste. This is definitely not your everyday unfiltered beer.”  Samurai is not a bad beer; however, I prefer other styles.

Odell’s Red Ale (6.5% ABV and 50 IBU) is an American style Red Ale.  Red pours red / amber with a frothy head.  Red has a nice aroma with good bitterness levels from the hops.  I think this is a well-balanced ale and is another good ale from Odell.  Odell describes Red ale as “The Rocky Mountain Goat is no ordinary goat.  Just like Odell Red in nor ordinary red.  We took the American style red to a whole new level by adding a variety of aggressive American hops giving this ale a distinctive fresh hop aroma and flavor.  We think you’ll agree this red has some serious kick.”  This offering is seasonal from January to April.  Odell is a good Colorado brewer and they have some tasty beverages. 



Great Divide – Claymore

Great Divide’s Claymore is a Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (7.7% ABV) and has a malt focus as Scotch Ales do.  From a historical perspective, the Scotts only wanted to pay the Brits the minimum required for whatever they were purchasing from the Brits.  In the case of beer, the Scotts purchased hops from the Brits and they only used what was needed to preserve the beer and provide slight aroma and bittering.  The two word descriptors on the label of Claymore are “Hardy” and “Noble” and these words describe Claymore very well.  This pours dark reddish brown, almost – not quite, black and has a great aroma from the malt.  Good mouth feel and has an emphasis on sweet malitness aligned with the style.  Great Divide describes Claymore as “Named for a medieval Scottish sword, Claymore Scotch Ale is our tribute to the legendary “Wee Heavy” beers of Scotland. This malty, deep-ruby beauty features lots of caramel sweetness, a reserved hop profile, and a subtle warming character. Unlike its namesake, this beer only requires one hand, but it’ll still make you feel like nobility.”  Suggested food pairings are “Pot roast with roasted vegetables, seared lamb shank with white beans, bread pudding.”  Another nice one from Great Divide and I am looking forward to the Great Divide Triple Release Party on April 8^th.

Grand Cru and Old No. 23

I had two great beers last and these were fantastic.  Great Divide – Grand Cru is a Belgian-style Dark ale with an 11% ABV.  Great Divide has the words “Elegant” and “Exquisite” on the label and these two descriptors are spot on.  Great Divide describes Grand Cru as “our very special Belgian-style dark ale. Imported malts give it a round malty richness, and the fruity complexity and slightly spicy character come from brewing with a proprietary Belgian yeast strain. Don’t let the name fool you; while it may be a special occasion beer, this medium-bodied, elegant incarnation is anything but snobbish.”  This beer is a seasonal release (Jan. – March) that is released in 22 oz. bombers and this is a sipping beer that you just need to sit back, relax, and relish in the deliciousness. 

Old No. 23 Barleywine won a silver medal for American Barley Wine-style Ale (ABV – 9.14% & IBU – 34) at the 2010 GABF.  Bristol Brewing is based in Colorado Springs and is a brewery I want to visit this year.  No. 23 is a limited release and is available in a 4 pack of 12 oz bottles throughout Colorado.  Bristol describes No. 23 as “an annual Bristol tradition, Old No. 23 revives an English farmhouse brewery practice of making a complex ale to set aside for special occasions. Our version, while painstaking and time-consuming to brew, rewards the connoisseur with an ale that has the depth and complexity of a good brandy or single malt scotch. Massive quantities of malt and hops, a long aging time and limited availability make this a special ale worthy of its reputation.”  This pours a tan / orange and with a nice head and it is just a pleasure to partake.  This is another beer to just sit back, relax, and slowly enjoy this beauty.  I will be buying more if it is still available.

Great Divide - Oak-aged Yeti and Avery - Ellie's Brown Ale

Last night Lori prepared a dinner of BBQ Ribs and fried potatoes.  Preceding dinner was an appetizer of Texas Torte – a spicy cheese treat.  Following dinner was Chocolate pie – which is unbelievable.  Randy and Chris brought over salad with all the fixings and a raspberry-based terrine.  I had two beers selected for dinner and desert and these were Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale and Great Divide’s Espresso Oak-aged Yeti.  I have had Ellie’s a few times and it a very nice brown ale with an ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 17.  Ellie’s pours a dark reddish-brown with a nice head and this was literally a perfect pairing with BBQ ribs.  Avery’s website suggests pairing Elile’s with roasted meats with spicy and / or smoky preparations and Ellie’s with BBQ worked very well. 

I knew I would need a different beer with the rich chocolate desert and Imperial Stout is a perfect pairing with chocolate deserts. I am a big fan of Great Divide’s Yeti and there are a few varieties – Yeti, Oak-aged Yeti and Espresso Oak-aged Yeti.  I decided to try the Espresso Oak-aged Yeti (ABV of 9.5%) and this went very well with the rich Chocolate pie.  One can pick up the flavors of coffee, espresso, and chocolate from Yeti that cut through the fat in the pie and balanced the sweetness of the chocolate pie.  I need to send a thank you to Garret Oliver – brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery for providing excellent data on beer and food pairings in his book – The Brewmaster’s Table.  It is my reference for pairings and he is spot on.

Great Divide - Belgica

Belgica, a Belgian-Style IPA, from Great Divide has an ABV of 7.2%.  This one pours a crystal clear gold and has a nice fluffy head that takes some time to recede.  Be careful pouring as you can pour a large head on this.  The carbonation is incredible and I think it bubbled the entire time in the glass.  The words on the label are “Singular” and “Ebullient”, which means boiling or agitated (for liquid or matter) or cheerful and full of energy.  I can see with the carbonation, head, and taste where both definitions fit the descriptors.  Great Divide describes Belgica as “The Roman name for the Low Counties - is a marriage of the best in American and Belgian brewing traditions. Belgian pilsner malt, a generous amount of American and European hops and a unique Belgian yeast strain combine to give Belgica big notes of citrus and spice, creating a lively concoction perfect for spring in the Rockies - or the Ardennes.”  This is a nice beer and I can taste the Belgian influence as the Belgian yeast strain provides a “Belgian” taste to the beer.  This is a drinkable beer with a very low level of bitterness, but the bitterness is there and makes is distinct and different from a Belgian Golden Ale.

Great Divide - Titan and Hades

Great Divide’s Titan is an India Pale Ale with an ABV of 7.1% and is a very good IPA.  I am not sure if this is the flagship brew from Great Divide, but it has to be one of the top sellers.  It pours a golden amber with a large and nice head.  This one has a nice hop aroma of pine and citrus and is nicely balanced for my palate.  I take in the nice malt sweetness and then have a balance with the bitterness of the hops.  Great Divide describes Titan as a “big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale brewed for hop disciples. It starts out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors, and finishes with a nice rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness.”  The descriptors on the label are “Assertive” and “Aromatic” and if you want to know what to expect with a beer from Great Divide, just look at the label.  I appreciate the accurate description’s Great Divide provides on the label of their products. 

Hades from Great Divide is a Belgian-Style Ale with an ABV of 7.8%.  This one pours a clear gold / straw color that reminds me of the color of Pilsner.  This is another nice beer from Great Divide and you can definitely taste the Belgian yeast in this Belgian inspired beer.  The label descriptors are “Golden” and “Spirited” and Hades has a good balance with a little more hops than classic Belgian ale.  The description of Hades is “a Belgian-Style golden ale brewed with a rare Belgian yeast strain that gives a complex spicy flavor and aroma. Noticeable hops and medium malt character make it a very well balanced, crisp ale.”  I am very much enjoying my samplings from Great Divide. 

German Lagers and Wild Raspberry Ale

Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel has an ABV of 5% and pours a nice dark tan with a head that quickly recedes.  This was poured in a Bavarian-sytle Pilsner glass.  Ayinger is a brewer in Bavaria and is close to Munich.  Altbairisch Dunkel translates to "Old Bavarian Dark Beer." [and] This is the most traditional style of beer in Bavaria.”  I enjoyed with roasted pork tenderloin, roasted potato, and a salad.  This is a great beer to have with food and it paired nice with the pork and potatoes.  I think it would go great with sausage and any German food for that matter.  While I typically pick ales, I wanted to sample some German lagers.  Lagers have a different taste profile compared to the ales and I am sure it is due to the different yeast used in the brewing process.  The German beers I sampled also were lightly hopped, with just enough to balance the sweetness of the malt.

Paulaner is based in Munchen, Germany and Salvator is a Doppelbock with an ABV of 7.9%.  This is a nice beer that pours an orange / tan with a head that quickly recedes.  This was poured in a Bavarian-sytle Pilsner glass.  The taste emphasis is malt and with hints of dark fruit, chocolate, and smoke.  Paulaner Salvator is known as the beer that represents Doppelbock I enjoyed it.  Paulaner’s website describes Salvator as “The Paulaner monks used to drink Salvator as a food substitute during Lent” and since beer is “liquid bread” it makes since the monks would brew and drink Salvator during Lent.

Great Divide’s Wild Raspberry Ale has an ABV of 5.6% and is a raspberry infused ale.  I am not a big fan of fruit beer, but I appreciate Great Divide making this beer for people who do enjoy fruit beers.  I poured this into a no-nick pint glass and it was clear with a pink hue, which has to be attributed to the black and red raspberries used in this beer.  It has a nice head and you can easily pick up raspberry in the aroma.  Great Divide uses descriptors of “Flavorful” and “Refreshing” on the label and the website states, “Wild Raspberry Ale is a unique, thirst-quenching ale fermented with real red and black raspberries. Its balance of malt and fruit flavors make it a beer lover’s fruit beer.”  This beer has won a few awards and I think it would compliment a chocolate desert with raspberry sauce nicely.

Great Divide - Denver Pale Ale

Denver Pale Ale is Great Divide Brewing Company's English-Style Pale Ale and has an ABV of 5.4% and an unknown IBU.  This one pours a crystal clear light amber / gold with great carbonation and wonderful effervescent bubbles visible in the no-nick pint glass.  I know these are traditional served in a shaker pint, but I prefer the no-nick pint glass.  DPA has a very nice aroma and nice malt taste with low bitterness as with the English-Style vs. American-Style Pale Ale.  This is beer is very quaffable and with the lower ABV, I would categorize this as a session beer.  Great Divide describes DPA as “a world-renowned, classic pale ale with a malty middle and an equally hearty complement of hop aroma, flavor and bitterness. “  The words “Brilliant” and “Balanced” are on the sides of the label and I like how Great Divide uses these descriptors on each of their beers.  It gives the buyer an idea of what they are buying because Great Divide is very accurate with these descriptors.  Great Divide is another excellent brewer in Colorado.  This beer along with many others has won a number of awards over the years, and I look forward to sampling more from Great Divide.

Red IPA, Total Disorder Porter and Hibernation Ale

I went to a going away gathering for one of my co-workers last night at C.B & Potts and I enjoyed a Bid Red IPA.  Big Red is red / amber in color and has an ABV of 6%.  This has the bitterness of an IPA and it is not bad, and I would call it an average IPA – nothing extraordinary.  The C.B. & Potts website describes Big Red as “An American style IPA, our Big Red combines the distinctive and assertive citrus flavor and aroma of Amarillo hops with a crisp, pleasantly bitter finish.” I had the GABF 2010 Gold winner with Total Disorder Porter next and I liked it much better.  This is a good beer with nice malt use and tastes of chocolate, caramel, and toffee.  Total Disorder Porter is describes as “satisfies with chocolate, coffee and caramel flavors plus a smooth, rich finish. Best of all, this Gold Medal winner is in our everyday lineup and is available anytime!”  I would order Total Disorder Porter again the next I go to C.B. & Potts.

Later that evening, I poured a Great Divide Hibernation Ale that is an English-Style Ale with an ABV of 8.7%.  This one pours with a nice head that quickly recedes.  I was impressed by the malty sweetness and an almost “hot chocolate” aftertaste.   The website describes Hibernation Ales - “…has been our celebrated winter tradition since 1995. This robust, dry-hopped ale has a malty richness balanced with a complex hop profile and hearty, warming character.”  This is a nice beer and I look forward to having a few more of these over the winter.

Beers Before the Blog

2010 – Beers before the blog – Before I started this blog I had tried a number of other beers and they are listed below.  I thought I would do this to keep everything recorded and current.  The list below is listed in alphabetical order by Brewer.

Alaskan Brewing Company is a great regional craft brewer that I very much enjoy as I toured the brewery during a vacation in Juneau.  They are known for the Smoke Porter and the Amber and these are very good.  I recently tried the Barley Wine and it may now be my favorite from Alaskan.

-       Amber is an Alt-Style Ale with an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 18

-       White is a Wheat Ale with an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 15

-       Summer is Kolsch-Style Ale with an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 18

Avery is my favorite craft brewer and is based in Boulder, Co.  I have sampled the lineup that is available and I have enjoyed all of them.  I plan to visit the brewery / tap room early this year.  Ellie’s Brown Ale, the Maharaja, 17, White Rascal, Salvation and the Reverend are my favorites.  Avery is known for higher ABVs and the use of hops.

-       Hog Heaven is a Barley Wine with an ABV of 9.2% and an IBU of 104

-       The Reverend is a Belgian Quadrupel Ale with an ABV of 10% and an IBU of 10

-       Salvation is a Belgian-Style Golden Ale with an ABV of 9% and an IBU of 25

-       The Maharaja is an Imperial IPA with an ABV of 10.24% and an IBU of 102

-       The Kaiser is an Imperial Oktoberfest Lager with an ABV of 9.3% and an IBU of 24

-       Collaboration, not Litigation Ale with an ABV of 8.91%

Blue Moon is owned by Coors and I really like their Pumpkin Ale.

-       Harvest Moon is a Pumpkin Ale with an ABV of 5.7%

Boston Beer Company is a huge craft brewer famous for Sam Adams and has been instrumental in carrying the craft brew flag.

-       Honey Porter with and ABV of 5.5%

Breckenridge Brewery is a local craft brewery in Breckenridge Colorado and makes a number of styles and the 471 series is a small batch series with some interesting beers.  I purchased a 12 pack with 4 different styles and my favorite was Vanilla Porter.

-       Vanilla Porter with an ABV of 4.7% and an IBU of 16

-       Avalanche Ale is an American Amber Ale with an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 19

-       Summer Bright is an American Wheat Ale with Fruit with an ABV of 4.5% and an IBU of 15

-       Lucky U IPA with an ABV of 6.2% and an IBU of 68

Ft. Collins Brewery is a local craft brewer and I wanted to try the Chocolate Stout that took gold at this year’s GABF.

-       Chocolate Stout with an ABV of 4.8% and an IBU of 33

Grand Lake is a local craft brewery in Grand Lake Colorado and I purchased a six-pack with six different styles.  My favorite was Plaid Bastard.

-       Hoppy’s One Ton Pale Ale with an ABV of 5%

-       Wooley Booger Nut Brown Ale with an ABV of 5%

-       Plaid Bastard is a Strong Scotch Ale with an ABV of 8%

-       Stump Jumper IPA with an ABV of 5%

-       Rocky Mt. Red is an Amber Ale with an ABV of 5%

-       Shadow Mt. Stout with an ABV of 5%

Great Divide is a large craft brewer based in downtown Denver.  I have only tried a few beers from Great Divide and my plan is to sample their line through 2011.  

-       Titan is an IPA with an ABV of 7.1% and an IBU of 65.

Left Hand Brewing is a local craft brewer in Boulder, CO with a large number of styles.  I really like Milk Stout and the 2010 Fade to Black Series 2 Smoked Baltic Porter.

-       Polestar Pilsner with an ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 33

-       Sawtooth is an American-Style ESB with an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 27

New Belgium Brewing Company is a very large craft brewer in Ft. Collins, Colorado that is best known for Fat Tire Amber Ale.  There are a number of offerings from New Belgium and their release of Ranger IPA was a big hit in 2010.  I really like Fat Tire (who doesn’t?), 1554, Abbey, and Ranger.  I recently tried Blue Paddle, Pilsener Lager, and it is another nice beer from New Belgium.

-       Fat Tire is an Amber Ale with an ABV of 5.2% and an IBU of 18.5

-       1554 is a Black Ale with an ABV of 5.6% and an IBU of 21

-       Abbey is a Belgian-Style Ale with an ABV of 7.0% and an IBU of 20

-       Ranger IPA with an ABV of 6.5% and an IBU of 70

-       Trippel is a Belgian-Style Ale of with an ABV of 7.8% and an IBU of 25

Red Hook is a regional craft brewer in Seattle best known for Red Hook ESB.  This was my go-to beer when I lived in Seattle and when I first moved to Denver, I kept asking for Red Hook and everyone always asked do you mean Fat Tire?  It will be interesting the next time I am in Seattle if I asked for a Fat Tire.

-       ESB is an Extra Special Bitter Ale with an ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 13

Sierra Nevada is a large and excellent California craft brewer that makes a wide variety of styles.  They were one of the big stories in 2010 with the 30^th Anniversary series.  Tumbler is a very good brown ale.

-       Tumbler  is a seasonal Autumn Brown Ale with an ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 37

-       Porter with an ABV of 5.6% and an IBU of 32

-       Stout with an ABV of 5.8% and an IBU of 50

Ska is a Durango, Colorado based craft brewer. I have only tried a few different styles from Ska and I need to try more.  I really liked Buster Nut Brown Ale.

-       Buster Nut Brown Ale with an ABV of 5.15% and an IBU of 29

Stone is a very good brewer based in Escondido, CA that is known for the Arrogant Bastard line of ales and for the use of copious amounts of hops.  I have not tried a beer from Stone that I have not enjoyed.  Your palate is in for a kick and these are great beers.

-       Arrogant Bastard with an ABV of 7.2% and an IBU of ??

-       Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale with an ABV of 8.7% and an IBU of 90

Twisted Pine is a local craft brewer that took home a silver medal in this year’s GABF with Big Shot Espresso Stout. This was a nice beer and had good coffee overtones and I thought would be actually great with breakfast.

Dogfish Head - Midas Touch and Great Divide - Old Ruffian

I tried two new beers this evening and the first was Midas Touch from Dogfish Head with an ABV of 9% and IBU of 12.  I had heard / read about this one and what I recall was that Sam Calagione had heard of a fairly recent archaeological discovery of the tomb of King Midas and one thing discovered was a recipe for beer.  Sam is a creative and extreme brewer and he tried to replicate it.  This one poured a nice golden straw color with a smaller head and the carbonation was incredible.  This one is very smooth and I could detect the sweetness and the grapes used in brewing and it had a nice sweet / dry finish that reminded me of a Gewurztraminer.  The description from the website - “This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead; this smooth, sweet, yet dry ale will please the Chardonnay of beer drinker alike.”  I would agree that this would please the wine drinker and I will purchase more as I think my wife will really like this one.

Great Divide’s Old Ruffian Barley Wine-Style Ale is a hop monster at an IBU of 90 with an ABV of 10.25%.  This one poured a nice amber / garnet color with a nice head that receded quickly.  The hops were very apparent in the aroma and this was a very fresh bottle with a bottling data of Nov. 2010, I could not make out the exact day on the stamp.  The aroma and the bitterness in the taste reminded me of an Imperial IPA that is then balanced by nice caramel malt sweetness.  Really interesting beer and I can taste why Old Ruffian has won awards over the years. The description on the bottle stats that Old Ruffian is “a hefty, hop-forward Barley Wine-Style Ale.  Seemingly mellow at the start with subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness.  It quickly becomes aggressive with its bold hop flavors and huge hop bitterness.  Ultimately, the big body, succulent sweetness and massive hop character come together to work wonders on your palate.”  Old Ruffian is another really great beer from Great Divide.  I have only had one other Barley Wine-Style Ale and it was Avery’s Hog Heaven.  This is a style that I like and I will have it again.  I am not a big fan of winter – too dark – do not like snow – however, I like the beers of winter.

Great Divide - Hoss

Great Divide’s Hoss is a Rye Lager with and ABV of 6.2% and IBU of ??.  Great Divide describes Hoss as “based on the Marzen lagers of Germany. Rich, layered malt notes, with hints of cherry and dark fruits, dominate, while the unique addition of rye imparts a slightly earthy, spicy character. Hoss finishes crisp and dry, and its brilliant red-orange color is a toast to the sunsets that make the perfect backdrop for this beer.”  This is a very accurate description of this beer and at first I was taken back by the flavor, but it grew on me as I sampled the beer.  I thought this would go great with a Rueben as I could pick up on the rye notes in the beer.  Hoss has won a number of awards for Great Divide and this is a unique beer with the addition of the rye.  I have not tasted anything like it.

Great Divide - Oak-aged Yeti

Great Divide’s Oak-aged Yeti is an Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV and 75 IBU.  This one pours a much frothier head as compared to Yeti and the head is so think you can pick it up with fork.  I know because I did.  The aging seems to blend the flavors and further balances this already very good beer.  I did not pick up oak per say, but I still picked up caramel, toffee, coffee and smoke.  The coffee and smoke had mellowed out.  I paired Oak-aged Yeti with a dinner of Burgundy Pepper marinated Tri-Tip, Sweet Potato and a mixed vegetable sauté of onion, jalapeno peppers, carrots and broccoli.  I thought this pairing worked very well together and the sweetness and caramel notes of Yeti were enhanced by the meal.  Oak-aged Yeti is very nice and I can easily recommend it.

Great Divide’s website describes Oak-aged Yeti as ”Yeti Imperial Stout’s sophisticated sibling. They may be from the same clan, but they have entirely different personalities. Oak aging gives a subtle vanilla character, rounding out Yeti’s intense roastiness and huge hoppy nature. Who says you can’t tame a Yeti?”  This beer has won numerous awards and suggested pairings are “Grilled NY strip, fudge brownies, strong/salty blue cheese”.  This is a very nice Imperial Stout and if you like this style, you will not be disappointed.