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.  

April Beers Sampled

Yesterday I attended The Big Ass Tap Takeover at Parry’s Pizza featuring beers from Avery Brewing Company and tried a few I had not tried before.    During the event I met Adam Avery and he toasted the event at 11:30 with a new release from Avery.

Samael’s 2008 (14.5% ABV and 41 IBU) is and oak-aged English strong ale and was from Mr. Avery’s personal stash.  It was excellent and the aging has only improved the beer.

Trogdor the Burninator (7.6% ABV) is a smoked doppelbock and I thought this was an excellent beer.  You could taste the smoke at just the right level.  Very well-balanced and it went well with the sweetness of the doppelbock.

3Point5 Pale Ale (3.5% ABV) is a session pale ale that is new from Avery and we had a complimentary serving with the event toast.  It was a highly hopped, bitter beer and one that could be consumed throughout the day with the low ABV. 

On a different trip to Parry’s Pizza, I enjoyed Elevation Brewing’s First Cast (6.5% ABV and 75 IBU) an IPA.  It was the first time I have tried something from this new Colorado brewer and I will try to sample more form them in the future.

Stone Brewing has created some new Imperial IPAs that are entitled “Enjoy by Month.Day.Year” that have limited distribution and are meant to be consumed fresh and by the date listed on the bottle.  I was able to find one at the local store and it is a very good IPA.  If you are lucky enough to find one I recommend purchasing some, as these are very good IPAs.  The one I had was Enjoy by 04.20.13 (9.4% ABV and 88 IBU).

Smoked Beers (Rauchbiers) and BBQ – A Great Pairing

April was a busy month at the homestead as we moved to a hotel for an extended weekend as we had the hardwood floors refinished.  We had previously scheduled a beer dinner that weekend and decided to host it at the hotel and it worked really well.  The theme was smoked (Rauchbier) and BBQ.  The menu was pulled pork, brisket, wings, beans, and coleslaw.  Guests brought over appetizers and desserts.  The beer paired very well with BBQ and it was a nice evening.  

Round 1 – Aecht Schlenkerla – Bamburg, Germany

Weizen (5.2% ABV and 20 IBU) – a beechwood smoked wheat beer

Marzen (5% ABV and 30 IBU) – a beechwood smoked Oktoberfest / Marzen

Urbock (6.4% ABV and 40 IBU) – a beechwood smoked Bock

Eiche (8% ABV and 40 IBU) – an oak smoked Dopplebock Christmas release

Round 2 – American Craft Beer

Stone Smoked Porter (5.9% ABV and 53 IBU)

Stone Smoked Porter w/Vanilla Beans (5.9% ABV and 53 IBU)

Stone Smoked Porter w/Chipotle Peppers (5.9% ABV and 53 IBU)

Stone Oak-Smoked Old Guardian Barleywine (11.4% ABV and 70 IBU)

Left Hand Smoke Jumper (8.9% ABV an 50 IBU) – an Imperial Smoked Porter

I enjoyed the Weizen and the Marzen best from round 1 and the tasters agreed that the Weizen was the top choice.  I enjoyed Smoke Jumper the best in round 2 and it was a toss-up between the tasters for Smoke Jumper and Stone Smoked Porter w/Vanilla Beans.  Smoked beers or Rauchbiers paired very well BBQ and the rich chocolate desserts we had that evening.

Soups and Beer from Stone

Last evening, we hosted another beer dinner and featured soup and beers from Stone Brewing Co.  Gayle and Dennis bought over chips, guacamole, sausage & cheese appetizer, chips and Stone Pale Ale.  Nicole and Tibor brought over fruit desert pizza and Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard.  Lori and I had prepared 3 soups, Ham & Beans, Chili, and Chicken & Noodles.  I also  whipped up corn bread muffins.  Everything tasted great and my recipe for the chili is below.  It is always great to get together with friends and we had a fantastic evening.

The beers we sampled -
Stone - Pale Ale (5.4% ABV and 41 IBU)
Stone - Vertical Epic 10-10-10 (9.5% ABV)
Stone - Vertical Epic 11-11-11 (9.4% ABV)
Stone - Vertical Epic 12-12-12 (9% ABV)
Stone - Arrogant Bastard (7.2% ABV and CLASSIFIED IBU)
Stone - Double Bastard (11.2% ABV and CLASSIFIED IBU)
Stone - Oaked Arrogant Bastard (7.2% ABV and CLASSIFIED IBU)
Stone - Lukcy Basartd (9.2% ABV and CLASSIFIED IBU)

We started with Pale Ale and the Vertical Epics were poured as a flight and the Arrogant Bastards were poured as a flight.  The Stone Vertical Epic 10-10-10 was the favorite of the Vertical Epics and it had been cellared for over 2 years.  For the Bastards, Lukcy and Double were the preferred Bastards.  These are big beers and they were really tasty.  I also really enjoyed the Pale Ale.  I think the Vertical Epic 10-10-10 was the best beer of the evening and it has really improved / evolved with age.  

Chili recipe 
8 Ancho dried chilies
2 Roasted Anaheim Chilies (these were purchased and frozen in the fall)
4 C. Water
3 T. Vegetable Oil
2 - 3 # of Pork Shoulder
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Coriander
1 1/2 tsp. Oregano
1 Yellow Onion
4 tsp. Garlic
2 Cans of diced tomatoes

Heat 4 C. of water to boil and remove from the burner, roast the Anchos over med. - med. high heat and remove the seeds and stems and place in the water.  Soak for ~30 minutes and place something on top of the Anchos to keep them submerged.  

While the Anchos are soaking, cut the pork shoulder into small cubes.  Heat a large skillet and the 3 T. of vegetable oil and brown the pork.  You will need to cook in a few batches and drain the port on paper towels.

Coarsely chop the onion and add the Anchos, water, Cumin, Coriander, Oregano, Garlic and Tomato in a blender or food process and puree.  

Place the pork and the puree into a pot or a crock pot and simmer for a few hours and stir occasionally.  You can vary the thickness of the chili by decreasing the amount of water.  Serve with corn tortillas, cheese, sour cream, and avocado.  

Saison du BUFF - A Great Collaboration

Take three great brewers - Stone, Dogfish Head and Victory, combine their creative thoughts and come up with a collaboration beer that each brewery brews and you have Saison du BUFF.  Each brewer brews the recipe and I had the opportunity to obtain a bottle from each brewer to try.  Saison is the French word for season and Saisons are also called farmhouse ales and were traditionally brewed for the farm workers.  I very much enjoy a good Saison and they pair well with a wide range of diverse foods.  The other interesting thing about Saison du BUFF is that they are brewed with Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.

Saison / Farmhouse Ale - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/129- BeerAdvocate

Victory is based in Downingtown, PA and the Victory Saison du BUFF comes in at 6.8% ABV.  

Dogfish Head is based in Milton, DE and the Dogfish Head Saison du BUFF is also 6.8% ABV.  

Stone is based in San Diego, CA and the Stone Saison du BUFF comes in at 7.7% ABV.  

All of these were very good and were really tasty and it was easy to taste the herbs used in the brewing process.  I would highly recommend that a taster pick up three bottles, one from each brewer, to sample and enjoy.  This was a very good collaboration beer and the brewers came up with a great example of a special beer that is unique and is very good.

Victory - http://victorybeer.com/beers/
Dogfish Head - http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/collaborations/Saison-du-BUFF.htm
Stone - http://www.stonebrew.com/collab/saisondubuff/

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/

Stone – Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA

I watched a recent podcast review of Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA (10.8% ABV and 110) that was very positive and I just had to locate it and try it.  Whenever I see something new or a special release from Stone, I try to obtain some.  I picked up a couple of bottles at a local shop and promptly sampled one.

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

Appearance – Copper and perfectly clear with great carbonation that poured with a three-finger head that stayed around for some time.

Aroma – Hops and glorious hops – citrus, grapefruit, pine, and perhaps a touch of tropical fruit (mango / orange).

Taste – Excellent – if you like hops you will like Ruination 10^th Anniversary.  You get just a touch of sweetness, but the hops are focus.  You get tastes similar to the aroma.

Overall – A+ - Ruination is called Ruination because your palate is “ruined” after trying it and this is a good thing.  Ruination is a very good beer and Stone made it even better with the special 10^th anniversary edition.  If you like hops and IPAs, try to find Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA – it is a real treat. Hopefully, you are worthy – to borrow a phrase from Stone. 

Website description – "Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA was created as an homage to the almighty hop. As the celebrated Stone Ruination IPA approached its 10th birthday this June, we knew we had to do something special, so we cranked it up from 7.7% to 10.8% and used twice as much hops–a whopping 5 pounds per barrel, including a pound each of Citra and Centennial in the dry hop. The results were GLORIOUS, but don't take our word for it. The only people more bitter than those who don't get any... will be those who do."

URL – http://www.stonebrew.com/ruintenth/

Stone at Parry's Pizzeria

Stone is currently conducting a contest called “The Most Bitter Bars – 2012 Challenge” and Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar is hosting a number of Stone beers on tap.  I have tried a number of Stone beers and I have enjoyed everyone they brew.  I decided to try Cali-Belgique (6.9% ABV and 77 IBU), a Belgian IPA and Double Dry Hopped Ruination IPA (7.7% ABV and 100+ IBU), an Imperial IPA.  Both of these beers were just fantastic and I think I liked the Cali-Belgique the best.  They went great with the NY Cheese steak Sandwich.  The contest is running through Father’s day and I think I will need to try a couple of more tomorrow.  I have tried all the other before and I will have to select one of my favs – Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (8.7% ABV and 90 IBU) and probably Stone Ruination IPA (6.9% ABV and 100+ IBU).  If you have one of these events in your area, attend it and try some really good beer from Stone.

Stone Brewing – http://www.stonebrew.com/home.asp

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

Stone Levitation

Stone Brewing is based in San Diego, CA and I have tried almost everything that is distributed in Denver.  One that I had not tried was Stone’s Levitation Ale (4.4% ABV and 45 IBU) that is an American Amber / Red Ale.  Levitation is the lowest ABV beer that Stone brews and it has won awards over the years.  Levitation is very good and it is a great beer to choose if you are looking for a session beet that has a lot of flavor.

American Amber / Red Ale – description –

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/128  Beeradvocate

Appearance – Amber / copper / garnet color with a nice two-finger head

Aroma – Nice hop aroma of citrus / grapefruit and nice caramel malt sweetness too.

Taste – Excellent – there is some caramel sweetness with a nice hop taste of citrus / grapefruit.

Overall – B+ – an excellent session beer.  Stone does a great job with this low ABV session Amber Ale.

Website description – “It's been said that "Gravity Sucks." Simple enough. Well, we at Stone have identified gravitational forces in the beer world. And we have come to the conclusion that they, well, see above. So we avoid these less-than-desirable gravitational forces. We avoid dumbed-down flavor profiles and the vigorous pursuit of the lowest common denominator. We avoid big dollar marketing mentalities. We avoid additives, cheap adjuncts, stabilizers and chemical preservatives. So in the defiance of gravity we bring you Stone Levitation Ale. This deep amber ale has rich malt flavors, a big hoppy character, citrus overtones (courtesy of the hops and our special brewers yeast) and modest alcohol.”

URL – http://www.stonebrew.com/home.asp

Stone - Double Bastard 2011

Stone provides some very interesting beers and they try to challenge the drinker's perception of what beer should taste like.  They waited one year to release Arrogant Bastard after they accidentally created it, because they did not think people would like it or "get it".  Arrogant Bastard proved to be very successful and helped put Stone on the map.  Double Bastard was first released on the one year anniversary of Arrogant Bastard.  Double Bastard (10.5% ABV and CLASSIFIED IBU) is a big beer that pours an orangery tan with a nice head.  It has very good malt tastes that is quickly overtaken by a hop wallop.  I have enjoyed the various Bastard releases by Stone and this year's release of Double Bastard is very good.  This is a "one and done" release for the year, so get it while the getting is good.  For those who really like Double Bastard, it is released in a 3-litre bottle - excellent.

Website description -  "This is one lacerative muther of an ale. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory...and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slackjawed gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising ‘independent’ thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way ‘authentic’ or ‘original.’ It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy, and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall... NOW."

Stone - Sublimely Self Righteous

Stone Brewing is based in San Diego and is one of my favorite brewers.  Stone is known for pushing the limits and challenging ones concepts of what makes a good beer and Sublimely Self Righteous (8.9% ABV and 90 IBU) fits the image of Stone very well.  Sublimely Self Righteous is an American Style India Black Ale and this is one of the standard-bearers for this style, although it should probably be considered a double or imperial version the style.  Sublimely Self Righteous pours black with a very large head that takes some time to recede.  Just let it recede and let the beer warm a bit, as you do not want to taste this one fridge cold.  This is a nice hoppy beer and if you do not like IPAs, do not even bother trying this beer – you have been warned.  If you like IPAs, this is one to try and it is very tasty.

Notes from the Stone website - We're brewers whose substantial mettle and idiomatic approach to brewing allows us to consistently create works of art such as this justifiably self-righteous ale. Its bitterness hits our sweet spot. Its blackness lightens our hearts. Its liquid dichotomy pulls it all together in this sublimely sacrosanct ale. Yes, we damn well know our stuff here at Stone, and it would be irresponsible of us not to acknowledge how remarkable this heavenly creation of ours is. Thus the name we are compelled to give it --- Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale --- serves as a reminder of just how good we are, in both liquid and verbal form.

We're certainly not perfect. Too often, we allow our modesty to get the best of us as we're simply not inclined towards senseless braggadocio. When you're good, you're good. And when you do something great, the least you can do is acknowledge it. Others benefit from knowing. In this case, we find that we are compelled to point out how amazing this ale is that we rightly call the Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale.

First brewed in 2007 as the Stone 11th Anniversary Ale, this ale was an instant hit. With us. Other folks with great taste loved it too, but we were focused on how much we liked it, and we felt it was truly sublime. That euphoria didn't last long though, as it was soon replaced with the grim reality that when we sold out of it there wouldn't be any more. For us. And that was simply unacceptable. So, we are now blessing ourselves, and you the enlightened, with this ale. Thusly, you may now revel in your own self-righteousness as you see fit with this glorious example of ours. You are genuinely welcome, as it is our pleasure.

Stone - 15th Anniversary - Escondidian Imperial Black IPA

If you know anything about Stone Brewing and about Stone beers, you know they push the boundaries and challenge people to trying something beyond the normal.  While Stone is unabashedly forthright with “in your face” labeling and text, they back up everything by brewing excellent beer.  The 15^th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA (India Pale Ale) – 10.8% ABV is a great example of Stone bravado and another wonderful beer.  Stone is poking fun at the debate over the style that is classified by the Brewer’s Association as American Style India Black Ale.  There was a big debate over the name, Black IPA to Cascadian Dark Ale, and the people from the NW were not happy about the decision by the Brewer’s Association.  What a great opportunity for Stone to have some fun.  15^th pours black with a large frothy tan head that does not quickly reside.  This is a hoppy beer and you can smell the fruity hops and dark malts.  The taste is excellent and it is a wonderfully bitter and dark malty beer.  This is what you expect from Stone – they do not disappoint and I wish Stone a Happy Anniversary.  Just keep doing what you do - you are one of the best brewers in the U.S.

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.

Stone – Old Guardian – 2010, 2011 & Belgo

Stone Brewery’s Old Guardian is an annual Barley wine (11.3% ABV and 95 IBU) release.  Stone is known for use of hops and I like big beers.  I went to Roger’s last week and we started out with 2010 and later poured 2011.  I thought that the 2010 would be my favorite over the 2011 as I thought the flavors would have blended over the past year.  However, I preferred the 2011 over the 2010.  I thought 2011 was more balanced over the 2010.  Both years are malty and hoppy and they are good.  Later in the week, I poured the Belgo and I liked it the best.  Stone has an “Odd Beers for Odd Years” and this year, they “spike a few barrels of the Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine with our Belgian yeast strain”.  Belgo retains the characteristics of OG and blends well with the Belgian yeast strain.  Belgo is a great blend and it is a great take on the Barley wine style.

Stone – 10.10.10 Vertical Epic

When I think of sampling a product from Stone, I think – get ready for the hops and big beers.  I really like the big hoppy beers that Stone makes and I literally like everything I have tasted from Stone.  The next time I am in SoCal, I will stop by the bistro and enjoy some of the excellent beer and excellent food.  Stone has produced 9 beers in the Vertical Epic series starting with 02.02.02 through the current version of 10.10.10.  The final two will be released on 11.11.11 and 12.12.12.  I have cellared a few bottles of 10.10.10 for a vertical tasting with the other years.  10.10.10 was not what I expected from Stone and the closest comparison I could come up with is Midas Touch from Dogfish Head.  Stone describes 10.10.10 as an “Ale brewed with Muscat, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon grapes and chamomile.”  The Vertical Epic series is “As with any good epic, herein lies the promise of larger-than-life experiences, heroics and twists & turns as the adventure unfolds. These bottle-conditioned ales are specifically designed to be aged until sometime after December 12th, 2012. Provided you can wait that long. At that time, enjoy them in a "vertical" tasting. Each one unique to it's year of release. Each with its own "twist & turn" in the plotline. Each one released one year, one month and one day from the previous year's edition.”  10.10.10 is a really nice beer and almost reminds me of Champaign based on the pour and initial aroma.  The taste is sweet and you can detect the use of grapes and it is an incredibly complex beer.  I plan to do future vertical tastings culminating in Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic.  I really appreciate the work that Stone has done and the Vertical Epic series is a great example of how great Craft Brewers continue to try new things and push the envelope.

Stone IPA

Stone Brewing in Escondido, CA is known for pushing the boundaries and they have a great product line-up.  I have tried a number of beers from Stone and purchased a 6er of IPA.  Stone IPA has an ABV of 6.9% with an IBU of 77.  This one pours a gold / light orange and has a nice head.  There is a nice hop aroma and bitterness in the taste.  The hops are from the NW and this has a nice citrus aroma and grapefruit taste.  Stone describes their IPA as “An "India Pale Ale" by definition is highly hopped and high in alcohol - you'll find our Stone India Pale Ale to be true to style with a huge hop aroma, flavor and bitterness throughout. If you're a hop-head like us, then you'll love our Stone India Pale Ale! Medium malt character with a heavy dose of over the top hops! Generous "dry hopping" gives this beer its abundant hop aroma and crisp hop flavor.” There are a number of good craft brewers and there are a few great ones.  Stone is one of the great ones.  The next time I am in San Diego, I will stop by the Stone Bistro to sample the excellent beer and the wonderful food.  I have liked everything from Stone that I have sampled.

Denver - Winter BrewFest

Tibor and I attended the Winter BrewFest at the Mile High Station on Friday night and it was very good event that allowed us to sample a number of beers and chat with some of the representatives from the various brewers.  I had an opportunity to speak with a number of the representatives and talk to them about their respective beers, the brewery, and thank them for working the event and for the wonderful beer they make.  It was great talking with Dustin from Avery, Andy from Ska, Marty from Stone and the representatives from Alaskan, Breckenridge, Oskar Blues, Upslope, Mountain Sun, Rogue, and Sierra Nevada.

I tried many different styles from various breweries and my favorite of the evening was Modus Hoperandi from Ska - I had not has this one before and had a couple of samples of this one.  I also tried the Black Barley wine from Sierra Nevada that has garnered many accolades this year and won a metal at GABF.  I did tell the guys from Alaskan that I liked the 2008 Alaskan Barley Wine better.  I liked the Chocolate / Mocha offerings from Rouge and Great Divide.  The IPAs from Avery, Oskar Blues, Alaskan, Stone and Flying Dog were all very tasty.  If you get a chance to attend a beer festival - I encourage it.  The attendees were well-mannered, the brewers are friendly and you get an opportunity to try many beers.  You have to be selective, because there is no way to taste them all.   

January Beer Tasting

Tibor, Chris and Dennis came over last night from food, drink and camaraderie and we had quite the line-up of craft and imported beer.  We started the evening with Avery – The Reverend – Belgian Quadrupel Ale, with an ABV of 10% and an IBU of 10.  I have had this beer before and it is very good – nice malt sweetness, hints of cherries, prune, and molasses.  This was a great way to start the evening.  I had Lori taste the Reverend and she liked it too.

I recently read a review of Samuel Smith's - Yorkshire Stingo - an English Old Ale in Draft with a rating of 100 and on the magazine's list of top 25 beers for 2010.  This beer has an ABV of 9% and an IBU of 30 –35.  You could taste the oak from the barrel aging and there was a slight sourness to the beer.  I picked up toffee, plum/prune, and raisin.

I served some chips and salsa and we also had other snacks including some Habanero Almonds.  Since we were eating some food with spice, I thought it was time to pull out a beer with some hops and Stone’s Arrogant Bastard seem to be a great match.  Stone makes great products and Arrogant Bastard is an American Strong Ale with an ABV of 7.2% and an IIBU of Classified.  Arrogant Bastard went great with the spicy foods and this is a good beer. 

Time to head back to Belgium for Westmalle’s Tripel with an ABV of 9.5%.  This is a wonderful beer that pours with a nice lacy head.  Great fruit taste and just a great beer and one understand the 100 rating by Draft and the renown this beer has.  You cannot go wrong with a Trappist beer and Westmalle is a great representative of these Belgian beers.

Back to Boston for Sam Adam’s New Work Tripel with an ABV of 10%.  This beer poured with no head at all, which was strange from my perspective.  Nice aroma and I could detect the oak from the barrel aging and the fruity sweetness from the malt and use of Belgian candi sugar (I presume).  Not a bad beer and I appreciate that Boston Beer Company continues to try new things.  This is one of my favorites from Boston. 

IPA Flight Time – I poured four different IPA’s for comparison – all were good. 

    - Dogfish Head’s 60 Minute IPA with an ABV of 6% and an IBU of 60.

    - Bear Republic’s Racer 5 with an ABV of 7% and an IBU of +75.

    - Uintah Brewing’s Detour with an ABV of 9.5% and an IBU of 75 – a Double IPA.

    - Stone’s Ruination IPA with an ABV of 7.7 and +100 IBU.

It was interesting to try these 4 in flight and to sample the different aromas.  I detected the most grapefruit from Ruination and a grassy aroma from Racer 5.  Detour reminded me of a Barley Wine ale and I now want to try Cock-Eyed Cooper.  Chris is not an IPA fan and he liked Detour the best.  I thought the IBUs were a lot lower and I think the higher alcohol and the malt sweetness hide the IBUs.  Detour also had the best head and left the Belgian lace on the sides of the glass.  These are all good IPAs and it was interesting to try them in a flight.  

Now, we jaunt to Canada for Unibroue’s -La Fin De Monde (The end of the World) that is a Belgian-style Tripel with an ABV of 9%.  While this is not a Trappist or Belgian ale, it is a very good, complex beer with nice mild orchard fruit sweetness and very drinkable.  The alcohol is well hidden and this is a great beer from Canada. 

We ended the evening with Left Hand’s Fade to Black Series 2 – a Smoked Baltic Porter with an ABV of % and an IBU of.  This is one of my favorites this winter and I have enjoyed a few of these.  I covered Fade to Black in an earlier blog post. 

It was a nice evening with some incredible beers.  None were bad and we were all impressed by the quality and fine taste that was represented in these beers.  Tibor is hosting the March tasting and we plan to focus on the beers of Germany and will probably have a Guinness in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  Since Tibor grew up in Germany, we will rely on his expertise with the German beers to sample.  I’ll have to make some German food to take.

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.