Best Beers Sampled June - August

Since it is raining today and I am not on a bike, it is a great time to catch up on the blog and I have 3 months to write up.  The highlight was a family trip to Tennessee and two weeks off from work – very nice.  I was able to sample some of the offerings from the states we visited too.  During this time we also visited a few tap rooms with friends.  The following are the beers I enjoyed the most: 

Avery – 20^th Anniversary – Imperial IPA (9.7 ABV)

Funkwerks – Tropic King – Saison (8% ABV)

Odell – Celastrina – Saison (7.5% ABV)

Sierra Nevada – Hoptimum – Imperial IPA (10.4% ABV & 100 IBU)

Stone – RuinTEN 2013 – Imperial IPA (10.8% ABV & 110 IBU)

Stone – 17^th Anniversary Gotterdammerung – Imperial IPA (9.5% ABV & 102 IBU)

Stone – R&R Coconut IPA (7.7% ABV & 90 IBU)

Stone – Farking Wheaton Woot Stout – American Double / Imperial Stout (13% ABV)

Strange Brewing Co. – Cherry Kriek – Kriek (4.7% ABV & 15 IBU)

The list has a number of IPAs and Stone brewed some excellent beers in this time frame.  The Farking Wheaton Woot Stout was a collaboration with Will Wheaton and Fark creator Drew Curtis with Stone Brewing – it was not easy to find in stores and I tried it on tap at Parry’s Pizzeria and Pub in Highlands Ranch.  I would have loved to obtain a few bottles for aging - the one glass was excellent.  Many of these are limited releases and some have limited distribution.  Hoptimum should be available nation-wide.  

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.  

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.

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot 2012 & Narwhal 2012

Sierra Nevada has been in craft brewing for over thirty years - the company was founded in 1979 and if you want consistently good beer and a variety of styles to select, Sierra nevada is an easy choice.  They also have nationwide distribution and are one of the largest craft brewers in the U.S.  One of their new offerings is Narwhal (10.2% ABV and 60 BU) is an Imperial Stout, which is one of my favorite styles and an old offering is Bigfoot (9.6% ABV and 90 IBU) is a Barleywine style ale.  Both of these beers are seasonal offerings and you will need to purchase them when they are available.  Narwhal is in 4-packs and Bigfoot is in 6-packs.  These are appropriate for cellaring and the Bigfoot is almost one year old.  These are big beers and they should be poured into a snifter and allowed to warm up a bit (50 - 55 degrees).  Think of sitting be a fire and slowly enjoying these - you want to savor every drop.  Both of these beers deserve space in your fridge / cellar and I plan to keep back a few bottles of each and plan to do a vertical tasting of these at some point in the future.  I rate both as A beers and Narwhal recently won a medal at the GABF in Oct.  If you want to try either of these styles - Sierra Nevada makes two excellent ones.  

Also - start looking for Ruthless Rye - a seasonal offering that is now available from Sierra Nevada.  

Russian Imperial Stout - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/84 - BeerAdvocate
American Barleywine - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/19 - BeerAdvocate

Narwhal website description - “A malt-forward monster, highlighting the depths of malt flavor.  Narwhal Imperial Stout is inspired by the mysterious creature that thrives in the deepest fathoms of the frigid Arctic Ocean. Featuring incredible depth of malt flavor, rich with notes of espresso, baker’s cocoa, roasted grain and a light hint of smoke, Narwhal is a massive malt-forward monster. Aggressive but refined with a velvety smooth body and decadent finish, Narwhal will age in the bottle for years to come.”

Bigfoot website description - “Our cult-classic beast of a barleywine.  Bigfoot is a beast of a beer, brimming with bold flavors of bittersweet malt and heaps of aggressive whole-cone Pacific Northwest hops. First introduced in the winter of 1983, Bigfoot is a cult-classic beer brewed in the barleywine style, meaning a strong, robust, bruiser of a beer with the refined intensity of a wine. Bigfoot is prized by beer collectors for its supreme cellarability. Under the proper conditions, it can age like a fine wine, developing new flavors and character as it matures in the bottle. Each new release or “expedition” is vintage dated. Collect your own and see the flavors develop and progress.”

Narwhal - http://www.sierranevada.com/beer/high-altitude/narwhal-imperial-stout
Bigfoot - http://www.sierranevada.com/beer/high-altitude/bigfoot-barleywine-style-ale

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.

Beer Camp #78 – Baltic Joy and Devotion

On Friday, I took the family for some pizza at Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar and for a tapping of Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp #78 Baltic Joy (7.4% ABV and 35 IBU).  Baltic Joy is a Baltic Porter and was brewed with almonds and coconuts and I am thinking a good bit of chocolate malt to get a taste reminiscent of the Almond Joy candy bar.  I was amazed at the head retention on this beer and it seemed to never truly go away.  Baltic Joy was very tasty and I could detect chocolate, coffee, and hits of nuts and coconut.  The beer reminded me of Maui Brewing’s Coconut Porter.  This beer is very limited and it was not even listed on the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp site.

I also had a glass of Lost Abbey’s Devotion (6.25% ABV).  Devotion is a Belgian Pale Ale and the Lost Abbey is a noted brewer of Belgian-style beer.  Devotion was a great beer to enjoy with pizza and I liked the tastes of Belgian yeast, bread, sweetness and a touch of citrus bitterness. 

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp - http://www.sierrabeercamp.com/#/camp-beers

Devotion - http://www.lostabbey.com/lost-abbey-beers/year-round-beers/devotion/

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

Sierra Nevada – Beer Camp 2012

Sierra Nevada hosts a Beer Camp each year and the lucky participants work with the brewer to try some recipes and create something new for Sierra Nevada.  Sierra Nevada releases a Best of Beer Camp 12 pack that contains 3 bottles of four different selections.  When I see this offered up each year, I just pick up a twelve pack as the selections are always tasty and there is a good mix of different styles.  This year’s selection included a Pilsner, an Imperial Red Ale, an IPA, and an Oatmeal Stout.  I had tasted Red-Oric, the Imperial Red, at Parry’s earlier this year and I thought it was very good.  The Oatmeal Stout was excellent and my favorite of the selections, followed closely by Red-Oric, the Floral IPA, and finally the Pilsner.  All of these selections are very good and these are only in stores for a limited time – get them while they are still available.

Beer Camp #43 – Imperial Pilsner or Sticke Pilsner (5.7 ABV and 35 IBU)

Beer Camp #45 – Oatmeal Stout or Snowed in Stout (9.4 ABV and 51 IBU)

Beer Camp #53 – Floral IPA or Long-stem IPA (5.6 ABV and 54 IBU)

Beer Camp #65 – Imperial Red Ale or Red-Oric (8.5 ABV and 65 IBU)

Beer Camp - http://www.sierrabeercamp.com/#/camp-beers

Yippee Rye Aye and Pere Jacques

After a Mountain Bike ride and yard work, I grabbed a quick shower and went to Parry’s Pizzeria and Pub for lunch.  I ordered a meat calzone and enjoyed two beers, Sierra Nevada Yippee Rye Aye Beer Camp #51 (5.9% ABV) an ale with black peppercorns and Goose Island – Pere Jacques (8% ABV and 26 IBU) a Belgian Dubbel.  There was very little information on Yippee Rye Aye and I admit that I liked Red-oric better.  The Pere Jacques was excellent and I hope to try more Goose Island beers in the future.

Pere Jacques website description – “Brewed with loads of malt and Belgian yeast, Pere Jacques is a wonderfully fruity, malty ale. Pere Jacques’ complex flavors stand shoulder to shoulder with the Belgian Dubbels enjoyed in the world’s finest beer bars. At the dining table it’s the perfect alternative to a glass of vintage port."

Note - photo below is from the Goose Island website

Goose Island – http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/home/56.php

Sierra Nevada – http://www.sierranevada.com/index2.html

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

2 Tasty IPAs – Palate Wrecker and Hoptimum

Yesterday evening, my friend Roger called and asked I wanted to join him and his wife Kristina at Parry’s for a couple of pints and a pizza.  I promptly headed to Parry’s and they had a glass of Green Flash – Palate Wrecker (9.5% ABV and +100 IBUs) waiting for me.  It was interesting because I took a sip and then Kristina had me try Odell’s Myrcenary, which is not a small beer, but I should have tasted it first because Palate Wrecker dominated the taste buds. 

Kristina ordered some fried pickles that were excellent and we ordered a Summer of 2010 pizza with pepperoni, spicy sausage, jalapenos, and pepperoncini – it was spicy and tasty.  For round two, I enjoyed Sierra Nevada’s Hoptimum  (10.4% ABV and 100 IBU) and it went great with the pizza.  I have had Hoptimum before and it was one of my favorite beers that I tried last year. The 2012 version was excellent two.  If you like IPAs or Double IPAs, both of these beers are fantastic and I highly recommend them.

Double / Imperial IPA – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/140 - BeerAdvocate

Green Flash – http://www.greenflashbrew.com/our-beers.php

Sierra Nevada - http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/hoptimum.html

Parry’s Pizzeria & Pub - http://www.parryspizza.com/parrysbar/

Sierra Nevada – Red-oric

I know very little about Red-oric.  I went to Parry’s Pizzeria with Roger, friend and martial arts training partner, a few weeks ago and I spoke with Scott, the local Sierra Nevada Market Rep.  Scott informed me that Parry’s would soon have a very limited offering named Red-oric and that Parry’s was the only establishment in the Denver area that would receive a keg.  

When Lori finished up her classes and we decided to go to Parry’s on Saturday.  When I saw Red-oric Imperial IPA (8% ABV) on the list, I wanted to try it and I was not disappointed.  If you can find, try it, especially if you like IPAs.

Double / Imperial IPA – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/140- Beeradvocate

Appearance – Red with a nice one-finger head served in a New Belgium glass.

Aroma – Resiny / piney hops and a touch / hint of caramel malt.

Taste – This is a hop forward beer and is a great example of a West Coast IPA.  I enjoyed this with the green bean appetizer and chicken parmesan.  Red-oric is a very tasty beer.

Overall – A – A very nice beer and I was very impressed with this limited release.  I saw another Sierra Nevada limited release on the “to be tapped soon” soon – looks like I’ll need to go back to Parry’s soon. 

Sierra Nevada – http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/paleale.html

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

Port Brewing – Anniversary Ale

I went to lunch with my friend and martial arts training buddy Roger yesterday at Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar, which is becoming a regular spot for me.  We had a great meat pizza and I ordered the Port Brewing Anniversary Ale (10% ABV and ? IBU).  Port Brewing is based in Carlsbad, CA and they have won numerous awards over the years for their beers.  Scott, the local Sierra Nevada rep was there and I got a chance to talk to him and provide some accolades for Ruthless Rye, Hoptimum and Raiders of the Lost Hops.  I had met Scott at Denver Winter Beer Fest and spoke to him again at Lukas Liquors.  It was good to get a chance to speak with Scott and provide some feedback on the Sierra Nevada beers.

American Double / Imperial IPA - description – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/140 -BeerAdvocate

Appearance – Straw / orange with a nice white head – poured in a New Belgium globe glass.

Aroma – Hops and more hops, this is a West Coast IPA and focuses on the contributions from hops – citrus and pine with a touch of lemon and just a hint of caramel malt sweetness.

Taste – Excellent – this is a fantastic Imperial IPA and I am really glad I tried it.  It is a West Coast Hop blaster and you get the citrus, grapefruit, lemon with a tough of sweetness that quickly is overtaken be the bitter finish.  I can taste why Port Brewing has taken home awards over the years.

Overall – A – This is excellent and I look forward to trying other offerings from Port Brewing.

Website description –  “A massively hopped strong pale ale brewed to celebrate our anniversary each year. Anniversary Ale is light gold to pale orange in color and offers a potent aroma of fresh pine and citrus with some warming alcohols present.  The taste is a thick, chewy hop presence only barely contained by balancing malts. The finish is pure hop expression with a moderate warming alcohol sensation.”

URL – http://www.portbrewing.com/our-beers/anniversary/

URL - http://www.parryspizza.com/parrysbar/beer/

Sierra Nevada – Raiders of the Lost Hops

First, good luck finding this one as it is “keg-only” and not widely distributed – I read on one blog that only 12 places in the US received this beer.  I have a shout-out and thank Roger Schardijn who told me about the new pizza place in Highlands Ranch with 50 beers on tap named Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar (http://www.parryspizza.com/parrysbar/).  I saw Sierra Nevada’s Raiders of the Lost Hops (7.6% ABV) and I had to try it.  I have never seen it anywhere and knew this would be one of those times that you either tried it now or missed it.

American Amber / Red Ale – description - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/128 - Beer advocate

Appearance – Pours amber / gold with a nice head.

Aroma – Lemon and nice citrus hop aroma. 

Taste – Excellent – Raiders is a hop-forward beer and it is excellent.  The hops are not over top and just paired beautifully with pizza.  This is a really good beer.

Overall – A+ - I really liked this beer and ordered a second one to enjoy with pizza.  It was excellent and I would really like to see this one as one of the regular offerings from Sierra Nevada.

Description – Not Available – the only description I have seen is lemon wood chips were added to the beer and it is part of beer camp and is number 58.

URL - http://www.sierranevada.com/index2.html

Note – you will not find Raiders of the Lost Hops on the website.

Sierra Nevada – Ruthless Rye

When I see a new offering by a one of my favorite brewers, I make a purchase.  A few weeks ago, I saw a new offering from Sierra Nevada – Ruthless Rye (6.6% ABV and 55 IBU) that is an IPA brewed with rye as a component of the grain bill.  This is a spring seasonal offering from Sierra Nevada and I hope it becomes a regular offering.  This is an excellent beer and I will pick up some more on the next trip to the store.  For Sierra Nevada, I always pick up some Tumbler in the autumn and Celebration in the winter and Bigfoot this time of year.  I will add Ruthless Rye to that list of annual purchases.  Sierra Nevada is one of the larger craft brewers and I appreciate them trying new beers and always – I mean always – producing great beers that are a pleasure to taste.

Rye Beer – “Not to be confused with a German Roggenbier, beers that fall into this category contain a notable amount of rye grain in the grist bill. Bitterness tends to be moderate, to allow the often spicy and sour-like rye characteristics to pull through”.  Beer Advocate

Appearance – Copper / amber with a frothy two-finger head.  If you pour this quickly, you will get a large head. It is clear with good carbonation.

Aroma – You smell hops and a really nice citrus smell of grapefruit and lemons with some hints of pine.

Taste – I first was hit by the citrus / grapefruit by the hops then a bit of bread from the malt and then a nice spicy dry finish from the rye. 

Overall – A – this one is easy to grade and is just a wonderful beer, the appearance, aroma and taste make for a great sensory experience. 

Website description – “Rye has been a staple grain for millennia—sought after for its stubborn resilience in the field and revered for its unique flavor. Ruthless Rye IPA is brewed with rustic grains for refined flavors—combining the peppery spice of rye and the bright citrusy flavors of whole-cone hops to create a complex ale for the tumultuous transition to spring”.

alcohol content 6.6% by volume	malts PALE, RYE, CARAMEL & CHOCOLATE
beginning gravity 15.2 Plato	yeast ALE YEAST
ending gravity 3.1 Plato	bittering hops BRAVO
bitterness units 55	AROMA hops CHINOOK & EXPERIMENTAL HOPS
COLOR DEEP RED	DRY HOPS CHINOOK, CITRA & EXPERIMENTAL HOPS

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

Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale 2011

Celebration Ale (6.8% ABV and 65 IBU) is a seasonal release from Sierra Nevada for the holidays and is a fresh hop ale.  Celebration pours an orange gold with a nice two-head that has a great citrus and pine aroma.  Celebration is a very solid holiday ale and I will probably purchase at least one 6 pack each season.  The focus is on the fresh hops and if you like stronger pale ales and IPAs this one would be tasty for your palette. 

Website description - "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."

Sierra Nevada - Tumbler

My favorite season is fall.  I am not sure if it because I grew up in a farming community with a emphasis placed on the harvest, the beauty of the trees changing to brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows, the cooler weather, or a combination of these factors.  One thing to look forward to in autumn is also seasonal beers and there are some good ones.  One of my favorites seasonal offerings is Sierra Nevada’s Tumbler (5.5% ABV and 37 IBU).  Tumbler is described as an “Autumn Brown Ale” and pours brown with a nice head – be careful pouring.  Tumbler is easy drinking and it is just a fantastic Brown Ale.  Sierra Nevada describes Tumbler as, “As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. In honor of this yearly dance, we bring you Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale and invite you to enjoy the show.  We use malt within days of roasting at the peak of its flavor to give Tumbler a gracefully smooth malt character. So pour a glass, and grab a window seat to watch as the leaves come tumbling down.”  Grab some Tumbler if you get a chance and enjoy this quaffable brown ale.  One other thing, the artwork on the label is really good and you can see that Sierra Nevada takes care of details – including the labels. 

Four from Cali – Alt, IPA, Smoked Porter and a Dubbel

Lagunitas – Lucky 13 Alt (8.9% ABV and 77 IBU) is what I would call an “Imperialized” version of an Alt-style beer.  I consider Alaskan Amber (5.3% ABV and 18 IBU) as the standard bearer for this German inspired old-style beer and Alaskan Amber is the flagship for Alaskan Brewing Co.  Lagunitas took the Alt-style and amped it up in both ABV and IBU.  Lucky 13 is an anniversary ale that pours orangey copper with a two-finger bubbly head.  This is a real treat and Lagunitas did a great job with taking a style and putting their own spin on it.  I have recommended it to a few friends and I look forward to hear their impressions.  I also appreciate that Lagunitas also thanks some of the initial craft brewers in the anniversary label thanking Anchor Steam and Rogue Ales. 

 Last night we had dinner with some friends and Randy had purchased some nice selections.  He picked Firestone Walker Union Jack (7.5% ABV) a really nice IPA for me and a Stone Smoked Porter ( ABV and IBU) for him along with a couple of bottles of Ovila Abbey Dubbel to enjoy with appetizers and dinner.  Union Jack is awesome and I am very happy that Firestone Walker is now being distributed in Colorado.  This is an excellent IPA and I will purchase it again.  I tasted a small sample of the Stone Smoked Porter (5.9% ABV and 53 IBU) and as I told Randy – I have liked everything I have tried from Stone.  Someday, I would like to do a side-by-side comparison of some of the noted smoked beers and pit Alaskan Smoked Porter vs. Stone Smoked Porter.  It was also very good to taste the Sierra Nevada – Ovila Abbey Dubbel (7.5% ABV) again (reviewed in the blog earlier) and it paired perfectly with marinated and grilled flank steak.  These four are very good beers from brewers in California and each did very well with four different styles.

Sierra Nevada – Ovila Abbey Saison

In the Brewmaster’s Table by Garret Oliver, in the section covering Saisons, Mr. Oliver essentially writes that if he had to pick and drink one beer style the rest of his life, it would be Saison.  Saison is French for “season” and historically the name was originally given to low-alcohol pale ales brewed seasonally in farmhouses in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Begium, for farm workers during harvest season.  Sierra Nevada is brewing three special editions this year as a fund raiser for the Abbey of New Clairvoux.  I tried the dubbel earlier and I really looked forward to the other offerings.  When I saw the Saison, I picked it up.  Ovila Saison pours cloudy gold / light tan with a large head and a fantastic aroma.  This is one very easy drinking beer and it went perfectly with Mu Shu Pork with Plum Sauce and Crab Rangoon.  I have not had a large number of Saisons, but I do know a great beer when I taste one.  This is a great beer and I highly recommend it.

Ovila Saison is described as, “For centuries, the monastic tradition has followed the Rule of St. Benedict – Ora et Labora (prayer and work.)  This Saison farmhouse ale is in honor of the noble labor in which the monks engage.  Hazy blonde in color, these rustic ales are designed to be complex and contemplative but also refreshing and drinkable after a day in the fields.  With earthy and spicy aromas this Saison has notes of green grass, and a faint citrus tang.  The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and dry, peppery, and refreshing finish.”

Summer Beers

I decided to obtain a few summer beers to try them out as the hot weather has hit Colorado.  I picked up Sierra Nevada – Summerfest (5.0% ABV and 28 IBU), Widmer – Hefeweizen (4.9% ABV and 30 IBU), Breckenridge – Summerbright (4.5% ABV and 15 IBU), and Left Hand – The Stranger (5.0% ABV and 36 IBU). 

I think it hard to beat a Hefeweizen or Belgian Wit in the summer and the Widmer Hefeweizen is very good.  It has your typical cloudy yellow color with a nice head.  I prefer ales to lagers and while Summerfest is a lager, it is not bad at all – I would probably select Kellerweis over Summerfest though.  It pours crystal clear with great carbonation and pours yellow / gold with a nice two finger head.  Summerbright is very refreshing and with the low ABV, one could literally drink this all day with no issue.  The addition of citrus, oranges and lemons, to this wheat beer is well done and this is a nice beer.  At first taste, I did not like The Stranger Pale Ale, but as the ale warmed up, I grew to appreciate it.  The taste difference is due to the use of rye malt and it is not a bad beer – just let it warm up a bit.  Below are pictures and web descriptions for each beer.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest - "Our Summerfest^® is a refreshing, pilsner-style lager. Its incredible smoothness comes from an extra-long lagering period. Lighter in body than our ales but just as complex in character, Summerfest^® quenches your thirst with big aroma and a tangy hop bite."

Widmer Hefeweizen - "Meet the beer that started it all. Our naturally cloudy flagship brew starts with the highest quality wheat. It's bold, clean flavor and pronounced citrus and floral aromas are what define American-style Hefeweizen. So pour yourself a cool, cloudy glass, finish with a lemon and enjoy the original."

Breckenridge Summerbright - "The brewmaster's goal: the perfect ale for summertime quaffing, nothing more. Breck Brew's SummerBright is the result. The craftsman's touch combines white wheat, two row pale and munich malt with the pacific northwest's most intriguing hops to create a bright, clean ale ideal for picnicking, evenings on the screen porch and enjoying the whims of the summer breeze."

Left Hand The Stranger - "Sane or senseless? Harmless or harmful? Sometimes it takes awhile to get to know a stranger. Initial impressions are not always reality, so you must delve deeper. Beyond the initial floral hop aromas, malt sweetness is revealed, yet with a spicy undertone that exposes a very rye sense of humor. Take your time to get to know the Stranger. It’s strangely satisfying."

100th Post - A Black Ale and a Blonde Ale

Last evening I tried the final style in Sierra Nevada’s Best of Beer Camp offering, #16 Juniper Black Ale (8% ABV).  #16 pours black with a two-finger head, and you need to take care pouring as this can easily foam up.  This has a very thick head that you could pick up with a fork and it takes a bit of time to recede.  #6 has an aroma of malt, hops and pine / juniper.  Taste is very good, I expected more juniper, and was actually somewhat surprised by the balance.  My palate picked up the juniper as closer to bitterness from hops.  I thought this was a tasty beer too and the Best of Beer Camp by Sierra Nevada is worth picking up to try some different and tasty beers.  These all seem to pair well with the dishes I selected for them.  I paired #16 with a cheeseburger on French bread with melted provolone and sautéed Vidalia onion and mushrooms. 

Chris stopped by and he was wanting a lighter beer so I opened a couple of Twisted Pine Blonde Ales (5% ABV and 24 IBU) that is classified as a Kolsch / German Pale Ale.  Blonde Ale pours cloudy yellow with great carbonation and a two-finger head.  Blonde Ale has a floral / fruity aroma and is easy to drink.  The taste has a nice malt / grain start with a slightly hop / bitter finish.  Another nice offering from Twisted Pine.

Light and Dark

Sierra Nevada’s Best of Beer Camp #8 is a California Common (6.5% ABV).  Beer Advocate describes the California Common or Steam Beer style as, “is a unique 100% American style lager. It's usually brewed with a special strain of lager yeast that works better at warmer temperatures. This method dates back to the late 1800's in California when refrigeration was a great luxury. The brewers back then had to improvise to cool the beer down, so shallow fermenters were used. So in a way the lager yeast was trained to ferment quicker at warmer temperatures. Today's examples are light amber to tawny in color, medium bodied with a malty character. Mildly fruity with an assertive hop bitterness.”  #8 pours a straw orange with a nice two finger head.  There is very good carbonation with #8 and a pleasant aroma of malt, grain and fruit.  Taste is nicely balanced between the malt sweetness and hop bitterness – very drinkable.  I need to do a side-by-side comparison with Anchor Steam.

Twisted Pine’s Pearl Street Porter (6.7% ABV and 23 IBU) is a Winter Seasonal offering.  Beer Advocate describes Porter as, “Inspired from the now wavering English Porter, the American Porter is the ingenuous creation from that. Thankfully with lots of innovation and originality American brewers have taken this style to a new level. Whether it is highly hopping the brew, using smoked malts, or adding coffee or chocolate to complement the burnt flavor associated with this style. Some are even barrel aged in Bourbon or whiskey barrels. The hop bitterness range is quite wide but most are balanced. Many are just easy drinking session porters as well.”  Pearl Street pours very dark with a small head that quickly dissipates. The nose has malt and slight chocolate hints.  Twisted Pine brewed this beer for the 150^th anniversary of Boulder, CO.  This is a very nice beer with a classic porter taste and chocolate / mocha hints.  Pearl Street Porter would be a great beer to introduce someone to dark beers.