8 Tasty Beers to Sample

Time to catch up as I have not had the time to keep up with the blog.  There are a number of great beers out there and I very pleased with the increased volume that is available from craft brewers, an increasing number of craft brewers, the quality of the products offered and the brewer’s interpretation and creative license on classic beers styles. 

Sierra Nevada – Ruthless Rye (6.6 ABV and 55 IBU) – American IPA - this is a seasonal release and rye is part of the malt bill.  Highly recommended - excellent beer.

New Belgium – Springboard – (6.2% ABV) – Belgian-style Pale Ale – gogi berries and Schisandra were added to this beer.  It is OK, not bad, but not great.

New Belgium – Rampant (8.5% ABV and 85 IBU) – Imperial IPA – Unlike any IPA I have tasted before and featuring Mosaic, Calypso, and Centennial hops.  Highly recommended – excellent.

Dry Dock – Paragon Apricot Blonde Ale (5.3% ABV) – Fruit / Vegetable Beer – I am not a big fan of fruit beers and I think I found an exception – Paragon is very tasty and the apricots make this beer special.

Dry Dock – Tripel (8.75% ABV) – Belgian-style Tripel – If you see something from Dry Dock, just buy it – they won “Small Brewery of the Year” for a reason.

Port Brewing Co. – Santa’s Little Helper (10.5% ABV) – Russian Imperial Stout – Port is based in SoCal and this one was on tap at Parry’s Pizzeria in Highlands Ranch.  Santa would be very pleased with this one – in a word – Fantastic.

Brewery Ommegang – BPA - Belgian-Style Pale Ale (6.2% ABV).  This was on tap at Parry’s Pizzeria and it was my first taste from Ommegang that is essentially a Belgian Brewery in Cooperstown, NY.  I look forward to sampling more from Brewery Ommegang.

Widmer – SXNW: South by Northwest (9.3% ABV and 40 IBU) – American Strong Ale.  A dark beer brewed with chilies, cinnamon, chocolate, and pecans.  I was not sure what to expect and this was very good – if you see it buy it, number 7 in the Brother’s Reserve Series.

These were all tasty beers from a wide range of brewers.  Some were just the basic style and some were very different and interesting variations from the brewer.  Bottom line – there are a number of fantastic selections and there is no need to stick with the macro brewers – get out and sample some craft brew.

New Belgium - Red Hoptober

Whenever I see something new from New Belgium I want to try it.  New Belgium brews very good beers and they do not disappoint.  Last year, I picked up and enjoyed Hoptober that is a fall seasonal offering from New Belgium.  This year, the fall seasonal offering is Red Hoptober (6.0% ABV and 60 IBU).  

American Amber / Red Ale - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/128 - BeerAdvocate

Appearance - Dark amber with a khaki two-finger head.
Aroma -Herbal, pine, and citrus (grapefruit / lemon) from the hops and caramel, biscuit, and maybe a touch of chocolate from the hops.
Taste - I was afraid this might be a little sweet, and it is very well balanced.  I picked up caramel and biscuit and then bitterness that is a combination of pine / resin and citrus.  
Overall - B+ - Red Hoptober is a very drinkable and I enjoy this seasonal that is different than many of the seasonal that focus on pumpkins and spices.  I will have this again.

Website description - “Fall is here and with it our seasonal ale, Red Hoptober. Shining like autumn leaves in a globe glass this beer pours a dark and lovely garnet as it builds a bright, inviting head. The Eldorado hops are bold and present with a distinct, piney flavor while the caramel malt and roasted barley provide a backbone to stand Red Hoptober upright. Centennial and Cascade hops offer hints of citrus, tickling the nose, while the tongue carries a subtle, roasty tone that pairs pleasantly with the warming bite of bitter. Red Hoptober is perfect for shortening days and campfire nights.”

New Belgium - http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=b061cbb7-2d6d-4489-a655-8cfa40171596

New Belgium - Shift

When New Belgium releases a new product, I add it to my mental list to pick up when I see, and that is just what I did on my last trip to the store.  Shift is available in 4 packs of 16 oz. cans.  New Belgium does not distribute nationwide yet, but they are adding a new brewery in Asheville, NC that I think will be used to further expand their distribution.  

American Pale Lager - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/155 - BeerAdvocate

Appearance - Copper / yellow with a nice white head.
Aroma - Bread, honey, citrus and herbs / floral.  I detect a bit of grass too.  
Taste - A nice blend of honey biscuit and citrus - orange / lemon and just a hint of grass / pine.  The hops are present at a light level and there is a nice balance and clean mouthfeel.
Overall - B+ - Very easy to drink and very refreshing.  This is a beer I would give to the Miller, Bud, Coors drinker to try.  It has really good flavor and would not be too much of stretch for the macro-drinkers.  I really enjoy the bready and honey notes from the malt and the light bitterness from the hops.

Shift description - “New Belgium employee-owners work in shifts to brew to life world-class beers. Those efforts are rewarded daily with a shared end-of-shift beer. We’re passing that welcomed occasion onto consumers in this lightly-hopped Shift Pale Lager. From work to play, from bottle to can, from bold and heavy to refreshing and sessionable; Shift salutes the shift in occasion, package and beer. So, go ahead and get your Shift beer, you’ve earned it!”  http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=fc35795d-8d9d-4f04-9e35-c1c55c2a0018

New Belgium Tap Takeover at Parry’s

On Saturday, the family went to Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar for lunch and for me to sample a couple of beers from New Belgium that I had not tried before. We arrived shortly after 1 pm and I ordered the New Belgium / Lost Abbey Collaboration – Brett Beer (7.5% ABV), a beer with Brettanomyces, and the waitress informed us that they had just tapped a keg of La Folie (6% ABV and 18 IBU), a sour brown beer, and it was already half consumed – in 10 minutes. So I placed an order for La Folie as well. For lunch Lori and I ordered the Greek salad and Fried Mozzarella – both were excellent and went well with the beers. I enjoyed both of these beers and La Folie was my favorite – I had been looking forward to trying this one for some time. I really enjoyed the sour beer and I will try more sours in the future.

Note - Photo from the Parry's Facebook Page.

La Folie (Left) and Lost Abbey / New Belgium Collaboration Brett Beer (Right)

Last weekend when we were at Parry’s, I tried Black Fox – Debut (6.6% ABV) a Saison or Farmhouse-style Ale that was quite tasty. Black Fox is a new brewer based in Colorado Springs that is transitioning from a “contract” brewer to a new brewery. If their other Saisons are as tasty as Debut, I’ll look forward to sampling more from Black Fox.

The next tap takeover will be Dogfish Head on the 28^th and I am looking forward to it.

New Belgium - http://www.newbelgium.com/beer.aspx

Lost Abbey – http://www.lostabbey.com/lost-abbey-beers/

Black Fox – http://blackfoxbrewing.com/Home_Page.php

Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar - http://www.parryspizza.com/parrysbar/

Belgian Dinner and Belgian Tripels

For the April beer dinner, we decided to focus on Belgian Tripels and a Belgian-inspired dinner.  I sent a note to Patrick, a friend in Belgium, who sent me over some recipes and some beer suggestions.  For dinner, I made Carbonade a la Flamande, Pomme Frites, and Lori made a side of green beans in a garlic almond sauce.  Dennis brought over a platter of cheese, salmon, strawberries, and pickles & olives.  Tibor brought over crème brulee with a Belgian chocolate topping.  The food and the beers were excellent; we did have one American version from New Belgium and one Belgian Christmas Ale.  It was very difficult for me to pick a favorite – all of these were great beers.  The tasting order was:

1)     Brouwerji St. Bernardus – Tripel (8% ABV) - http://www.sintbernardus.be/en/beers.html#tripel

2)     New Belgium Brewing Co. – Trippel (7.8% ABV and 25 IBU) http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=d6ed5dc2-7097-4c71-b1e3-9d72445c6db6

   3)     Brouwerji Corsendonk – Agnus Tripel (7.5% ABV) http://www.corsendonk.com/

4)     Brouwerij Het Anker – Gouden Carolus – Tripel (9%ABV) http://www.hetanker.be/DeBrouwerij/AlOnzeBieren/GoudenCarolusTripel/tabid/62/language/en-US/Default.aspx

5)     Brouwerji Corsendonk – Christmas Ale (8.5% ABV) http://www.corsendonk.com/

6)     Brouwerji Bosteels – Tripel Karmeliet (8.4% ABV) - see picture above. http://www.bestbelgianspecialbeers.be/main_eng.html

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

Food recipes:

Stoofvles or La Carbonade La Lamande -  http://www.grouprecipes.com/40440/stoofvlees-or-la-carbonade-la-flamande---flemish-meat-stew.html

Pomme Frites - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/follow-that-food/pommes-frites-recipe/index.html

Next month - wheat beers.

New Belgium - Belgo IPA

My wife and I cooked a dinner last night of roasted chicken using Sweet Mama’s BBQ Chicken Rub and Alderwood Smoked Salt from the Savory Spice Shop in Littleton, CO.  With the chicken, we prepared glazed carrots and a side salad.  I decided to pair New Belgium’s Belgo IPA (7% ABV and 60 IBU), a Belgian IPA, with dinner.  It was a very good combination and I think the Belgian IPA is a very versatile beer to pair with many dishes.

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

Appearance – Pale yellow, straw-colored with a nice head poured into a New Belgium globe glass.

Aroma – Citrus from the four hop varieties that are citrus focused and the distinctive aroma of Belgian yeast.

Taste – Very nice balance between the citrus from and banana from the yeast with nice malt sweetness.   

Overall – A – New Belgium does the style well.  I highly recommend Belgo IPA, New Belgium is a very consistent brewer and you can not go wrong selecting something they brew.

Website description – “When we set out to brew, we use imagination and salvation to guide us – not necessarily style guidelines.  It’s the Belgian way.  So, Ameri-Belgo and IPA both being styles, the branding begged for new Belgium whimsy to liven things up.  Hmmm Belgo souds like a Belgian disco.  Hops like to party.  Next thing you know, we bust out the disco-ball and brewers started grooving.  Hops started hoppin.  Add in an authentic Trappist yeast strain and the place brewed into a frenzy of citrus hoppy folly.”

URL – New Belgium Brewing -  http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=9c361fac-3e04-4e8b-8a74-bd9619e8cd5f

URL - The Savory Spice Shop - http://www.savoryspiceshop.com

New Belgium - Dig

New Belgium is a local brewer in Ft. Collins and they make a number of great beers.  They are best known for Fat Tire and when I saw Dig, their new spring offering, I wanted to try it.  Dig (5.6% ABV and 36 IBU) is a Pale Ale.

American Pale Ale (APA) – description - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/97 - Beeradvocate

Appearance – Pours gold with a two-finger white head.

Aroma – Lemon, citrus, and tropical fruit, with a hint of evergreen / pine needle and malt sweetness.

Taste – The focus is on the hops and the use of Sorachi Ace and Nelson Sauvin.  One tastes lemon and tropical fruit and then a finish of grassy / spicy / weed notes.  Interesting tasting beer.

Overall – B – At first I was not sure of this beer and the more I tried it, the more I liked it. 

Description – “Unearth your bottle-opener because this Pale Ale is something you can Dig.  Sorachi Ace provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma.  Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach.  American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale.  Dig in!”

URL - http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=6bf4da61-f80d-4947-b024-397616f1888f

Beer Pairings – Seasonal Beers and Mexican Cuisine

Tibor, Chris and I gathered at Dennis’s house for the next beer tasting and Gayle picked up some tasty tamales, green chili, queso, tacos, salsa, chips, veggie tray and some cupcakes.  The tamales and green chili were a highlight – they were excellent.  For the beer, we started off with Rockyard’s Plymouth Rock Pumpkin Ale (5.8% ABV) is a pumpkin beer and classified as a Fruit / Vegetable Beer.  It has an aroma of pumpkin and cinnamon and was a tasty beer. 

Milk Stout Nitro (6.0% ABV and 25 IBU).  I reviewed this beer earlier – (last month).  It is just an excellent stout and if you get a chance to try it after it is distributed beyond Colorado, pick it up.  This was everyone’s favorite of the evening.

New Belgium’s Snow Day (6.2% ABV & 55 IBU) is a winter seasonal ale that has a nice malt sweetness on the start and a hop bitter finish.  It reminded me of Deschutes Jubelale and I liked it.

Next up was a big one Twisted Pine’s 16 Anniversary Bough Breaker Barley wine (9.1% ABV and 120 IBU).  I think this is the bitterest beer I have ever had in terms of IBU and it was OK.  No one liked this beer and some just did not like it at all.  The only hop used in this beer is Amarillo and they use a lot of it.

Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale (8% ABV & 38 IBU) is from Boulevard Brewing Co. and it is a Saison / Farmhouse Ale.  This is a style that I really appreciate and it was one of my favorites of the evening.  Very effervescent and was just a pleasant drinking saison that one could easily discern the Belgian yeast influence.

Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout (4.95% ABV and 31 IBU) is an oatmeal stout and a really good one.  This has some coffee-like tastes and paired beautifully with the chocolate cupcakes.  Tibor picked two nice stouts for the evening.

Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest (9.3% ABV and 24 IBU) is one of my favorites from Avery and my wife really enjoys it too.  I think everyone liked this one for it’s clean malt sweetness and light bittering.  The Kaiser is a very nice Oktoberfest and it is brewed once a year in limited quantities.

Avery Mephistopheles’ Stout (15.83% ABV and 107 IBU) is one big stout that is brewed once a year and is only available in 12 oz. bottles.  This was a 2009 vintage and proves you can easily cellar beer given the right style, ABV, and conditions.  This beer was almost 2 years old and I bet you could easily cellar it for 10.  It is as dark as night and had an intense molasses aroma.  It is a sipper and I think everyone enjoyed it.  We split it four ways, so only 3 oz. pours – very nice way to end the evening. 

New Belgium – Hoptober

Hoptober (6.0% ABV & 40 IBU) is a seasonal Golden Ale from New Belgium based in Ft. Collins, CO.  I wanted to try this beer last year, but I could not find it in stores.  When I saw it this year, I immediately bought some.  Hoptober pours clear and gold / yellow with a large fluffy head.  The carbonation on this beer is great and the bubbles do not stop.  Hoptober has a pleasant aroma of spice and earthy hops.  The taste is very well-balanced and I thought the hop level was just right.  The spicy notes probably come from the rye.  This is probably my favorite American Blonde Ale to date.  I am not a big fan of the style, but Hoptober is very good and I will buy it again.  It was great to enjoy a few of these on Halloween evening while sitting out on the front porch doling out candy to the kids.

Website Description – “Five hops and four malts make Hoptober Golden Ale a veritable cornucopia of the earth.  Pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats to create a medium-bodied ale with a creamy mouthfeel.  Centennial, Cascade, Sterling, Willamette, and Glacier hops form a bonfire of citrus notes, fruity cheers and a bold finale.  Seasonal in August, September, October.”

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.

1554 – Enlightened Black Ale – New Belgium Brewing

I have had this beer a few times and it is one of my favorites from New Belgium, who is best known for the ubiquitous Fat Tire and 2010’s Ranger.  While 1554 may not receive the accolades or the limelight that Fat Tire or Ranger do, this is a very drinkable ale that is available at many carryouts.  1554 is a dark Belgian Ale that uses a “lager yeast uses a lager yeast strain and dark chocolaty malts to redefine what dark beer can be” with an ABV of 5.6% and an IBU of 21. 

Additional notes from the website that I thought was interesting – “In 1997, a Fort Collins flood destroyed the original recipe our researcher, Phil Benstein, found in the library. So Phil and brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert, traveled to Belgium to retrieve this unique style lost to the ages. Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and mouthfeel”  I like 1554 and I appreciate that New Belgium experiments with other styles and take chances.  They have a “cash cow” with Fat Tire and this allows them to try new things.  1554 has been in the stable for a while and it is one that many people will enjoy..

New Belgium - Ranger and Bridgeport - Ebenezer Ale

My wife and I went out last night to The Outback and they had Breckenridge's Vanilla Porter on tab.  I have had this one before and it was good to have it again.  It was a little sweet and would probably go better with desert than steak.  It was not bad with the steak, but I think Odell's Cutthroat Porter or another standard porter would go better with steak. 

I had had purchased a mix 6 pack earlier in the day and one that I had was Ranger by New Belgium Brewing.  I have had Ranger a few times and I like this IPA.  It is readily available and is one of the big beer stories for 2010 because this was the first mass-produced IPA by New Belgium and it is a great addition to the line-up.  I think Ranger will not become as ubiquitous as Fat Tire, but it will have a large following.  Ranger has an ABV of 6.5% and an IBU of 70.  Ranger pours a nice golden color with a large head - be careful pouring - and it has a nice citrus, fruity aroma and taste from the use of NW hops. I like this beer and New Belgium has done a great job with Ranger.

Next up was Ebenezer Ale by Bridgeport while watching a Dr. Who Christmas Special.  Ebenezer is a very good winter ale and enjoyed it - my only disappointment was that I did not purchase more.  Ebenezer pours a nice dark red / mahogany and has a great aroma.  I really like this beer and the malt has a nice caramel taste with great balance.  This is an easy drinking beer and with an ABV of 6.4% it is not too heavy.  The IBUs are not high on this one to emphasize the malts and the balance on Ebenezer is very good.  Bridgeport describes Ebenezer as “Our special Holiday brew, Ebenezer Ale is a smooth ale with a complex palate derived from four different roasted malts and a blend of local and imported hops. Deep mahogany in color, its malty first taste and full body is balanced with a light hop aroma, leading to a caramel finish. It’s a festive elixir that can transform the mood of any scrooge! So forget the egg-nog and have a pint of Ebenezer.”  I also picked up Hop Czar by Bridgeport and I look forward to trying it and other offering from Bridgeport.

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.

New Belgium - Blue Paddle and Alaskan Barley WIne Ale

New Belgium is best known for Fat Tire, but they have a number of good beers.  I had the opportunity to purchase single bottles while I was in Phoenix at Total Wine and I purchased a wide variety.  One such purchase was Blue Paddle – Pilsener Lager with an ABV of 4.8% and an IBU of 33.  I poured this into a Pilsner glass and let the head come up that quickly receded.  Blue Paddle poured a nice gold with good carbonation as a Pilsner should.  New Belgium describes Blue Paddle as “Climb on in and grab a paddle. Our first foray into lagered beers, Blue Paddle Pilsener-Lager, is a Czech style pilsener with a refreshing crispness from noble hops and a rich, malty finish. ‘Blue Paddle’ refers to the implement our warehouse manager’s Grandma once used to lovingly paddle his a** when she caught him stealing sips of her beer. With more body than a traditional Belgian pils, Blue Paddle is reflective of Europe’s finest pilseners.”  I had this with dinner and it nicely paired with roast beef, loaded baked potato and a salad.  This is a nice one and another good beer from New Belgium.

Off to Alaska for Alaskan Brewing Company’s Barley Wine Ale with an ABV of 10.4% and an IBU of 60 that I picked up at Total Wine.  I love Alaskan Brewing Co. and I had the opportunity to tour the brewery when I went to Juneau.  This one pours a dark amber / mahogany with little head.  This is a complex beer and the malt has a great caramel / toffee sweetness and it is very smooth.  The website describes the flavor profile as “Alaskan Barley Wine is a full bodied ale, deep mahogany in color and brewed with an array of complementing malts to achieve its high original gravity. Multiple hop additions in the boil and dry hopping during fermentation provide contrast to the big malt character resulting in the smooth balance that distinguishes this specialty brew. Like many fine wines, Alaskan Barley Wine may be aged in the bottle and gains deeper malt complexity and smoothness over time.”  I have tried many beers from Alaskan Brewing Company and this may be my new favorite over Smoked Porter.

Christmas / Winter Ales

I picked up three Christmas Ales / Winter Ales for Christmas dinner and the evening.  First up was Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale with an ABV of 6.8% and IBU of 65.  This was a nice ale to enjoy with dinner of a standing rib roast (prime rib with the bone) as it cut through the fat and the malt blended well with the rib.  I also thought this went well with the pecan pie.  Sierra Nevada describes Celebration Ale as "The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration^® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration^® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home."  Celebration Ale has won a number of awards and this is a nice brew.

Next up was 2 Degrees Below by New Belgium with an ABV of 6.6% and IBU of 32.  I probably should have had this one first as the lower IBU after the Celebration Ale made this beer a "let-down" for me.  It is not a bad beer, but I was expecting a little more kick.  New Belgium describes 2 Degrees Below as "Pull on your wool socks and crack open a 2° Below Ale. This tasty winter warmer started life as a small batch beer brewed for the Al Johnson Uphill Downhill a telemark ski race in Crested Butte, Colorado. The Uphill Downhill celebrates the exploits of Al Johnson, letter carrier extraordinaire, who delivered mail by ski in the late 1800 s. Dry hopping during fermentation creates a floral nose with a hint of pepper and spicy, subtle undertones. 2° Below provides a bright, hoppy palate and a cheery warm afterglow. "  I did not find this beer hoppy at all - probably because of the higher hopped Celebration Ale.

The last tasting of the evening was Ska's Euphoria Ale at ABV of 6.1% and IBU of ??.  This is a nice ale and I appreciated more hops / bitterness after the 2 Degrees Below.   This one poured a nice golden brown with a head that quickly receded.  Nice aroma from the hops and this was a nice beer.  I think the best of the evening.  I am a fan of craft beer in cans and I think the cans keep the beer in better condition than bottles.  Ska describes Euphoria as an IPA, but lists pale ale on the can and the Ska description states -  “This seasonal beer is brewed in the Do It Yourself (DIY) spirit along with our friends from Bayfield at the Venture Snowboard Factory. An India Pale Ale, the Euphoria is crafted with piles and piles of Golding hops to provide a unique spicy finish. Great for after hitting the slopes. Anarchic enlightenment: (1) Brewed in strict accordance to D.I.Y. methodology, the beer of choice for epic powder days. (2) brewed and bottled by Ska Brewing Company, Durango Colorado using the finest hops, yeast, malted barley and San Juan waters.”  I like this beer and I would purchase it again.