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.

Firestone Walker - Parabola

I received an email earlier this week that there would be a special tapping of Firestone Walker Parabola (13% ABV and 60 IBU) at Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar on Sat. and I hopped on the bike for a nice ride to Parry’s, a glass of Parabola and then a nice ride back.  The route to Parry’s is primarily uphill and is just under 7 miles from my route.  I have been looking forward to trying Parabola for some time and it is not an easy beer to find.  If you see it in a store or at a bar, buy it.  Firestone Walker is one of the best brewers in the U.S. and this is one of the highest rated beers in the U.S.

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

Picture from Firestone Walker website

Appearance - Black as night - there is no light coming through this beer, there is very little (no) head and there are alcohol legs on the glass.
Aroma - Chocolate, coffee, a bit of oak and malt sweetness.
Taste - First, let this warm up a bit if it is served cold, cup the glass with your hands to warm it up if needed.  This is a sweeter version of a Russian Imperial Stout, but it is not too sweet.  One tastes coffee, chocolate, and hints of oak and vanilla.
Overall - A+ - Wow, Parabola is very good and I enjoyed every sip.  I can understand why this beer is highly regarded.  If you see it in a store or offered on tap, buy it.  Another great beer from Firestone Walker.

Website description - “Parabola has been a major component of past anniversary blends and is one of our most aggressive offerings. This beer features bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor. Parabola is best enjoyed in moderation and is a perfect beer to pair with those chocolate dessert favs.”

Firestone Walker - http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/parabola
Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar - http://www.parryspizza.com/parrysbar/

Double DBA is Awesome

Back at Parry’s for another couple of pints with friends and some great food.  Tibor and I split calzones – he ordered a Buffalo Chicken Calzone and I ordered a Meat Calzone.  I was surprised with the Buffalo Chicken Calzone as I was not sure what to expect; it was excellent.  For beers, Melanie informed me that they just tapped Double Double Barrel Ale from Firestone Walker and I promptly placed an order.  DBA is a very tasty beer on its own and Matt Brynildson, head brewer at Firestone Walker, is at the top of his game.  I think Firestone Walker is the best brewer in the U.S. at this time – period.  Double DBA (12% ABV) is classed as a Barley Wine and is essentially a double strength DBA.  DBA is the flagship beer at Firestone Walker.  Double DBA is excellent and easily one of the best beers I have had the opportunity to sample this year.  DBA has very nice caramel, toffee and oak tastes and is just perfectly balanced with the triad of alcohol, bitterness and sweetness.

Double DBA website description – “DDBA is our flagship beer brewed at double strength.  It is amazingly similar in many respects to our barrel fermented DBA and possesses everything we love about that beer times two.  English caramel malts lend rich toffee character that pairs well with assertive medium toast American oak barrels.”

Firestone Walker - http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/double-dba
Parry’s Pizzeria and Bar - http://www.parryspizza.com/parrysbar/

I also sampled a Sam Adams Old Kentucky-style Ale (7.5% ABV - ??) that is classed as an American Strong Ale.  It is not a bad beer, and is easy to drink.  However, I would suggest not trying it after Double DBA.   Double DBA is a much larger beer and easily overpowers Old Kentucky.  There is very little information that I could find on Old Kentucky Ale and I would like to try it again – first this time.

Wookey Jack & Hop 15

We went to Parry’s the other day for dinner and I tried a couple of new beers. I am a “fan” of Firestone Walker and I had not tried Wookey Jack (8.5% ABV and 60 IBU) that is an unfiltered Black Rye IPA. I also tried Port Brewing’s Hop 15 (9.7% ABV and ?? IBU) that is a Double IPA. So, two beers with the IPA as the base or foundational style and I liked Wookey Jack the best. I thought Wookey Jack was very well-balanced and I liked the combination of Citra and Amarillo hops. I have used both these in home brews and they add great aroma and flavor to the beer. Hop 15 was a good beer and really focused on the hop bitterness, Wookey Jack was just preferable to my palate. I would have either of these again. 

Wookey Jack website description  – “Wookey Jack is our first foray into the dark outer world of black IPAs. Rich dark malts and spicy rye careen into bold citrus laden hops creating a new dimension in IPA flavor. This brew has been left unfiltered and unfined to retain all of its texture and character. At 60 IBUs, Wookey Jack is gnarly on the outside yet complex and refined on the inside.” 

Hop 15  website description – “Welcome to San Diego- Home to Hop Heads on every corner and THE best place in the world to live if you enjoy Humulus Lupulus and the smell of a well hopped beer. This is Southern California, it’s the place where Blind Pig started the Imperial IPA revolution and San Diego Brewers have continued to be at the forefront of its evolution. Today, fans of Double IPA come from every corner of the globe in search of many of the world’s best and most incredibly well hopped beers. It’s no secret that you can find many of them at Port Brewing as well. Like you, we love these beers and mostly we enjoy the happiness they bring us. First brewed in 2002 to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Pizza Port in Solana Beach, Hop 15 was imagined and designed by Tomme Arthur and Jeff Bagby as a celebration of 15 years of “Good Beer Brings Good Cheer.” Hop 15 has 15 different hop varieties added to the beer every 15 minutes. Over the years, Hop 15 has racked up numerous accolades. It has won two silver medals at the Great American Beer Festival. It also was named Alpha King in 2004 and 2008, and received a first place award at the Bistro Double IPA beer festival in Hayward, CA. Hop 15 remains won of the stickiest most resinous beers we have ever tasted and for that, we are thankful it is on tap at our brewery each and every day.”

Firestone Walker - http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/wookey-jack-April-2012-
Port Brewing - http://www.portbrewing.com/our-beers/hop-15/ 

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

Firestone – Pale 31

I picked up Pale 31 as part of a mixed 6 pack a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it with a couple of other selections from Firestone.  Pale 31 (4.8% ABV) is a pale ale – Firestone calls it a California Pale Ale – that has won a ton of awards over the years, including a Gold Medal at the 2011 GABF.

American Pale Ale – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/97 - Beeradvocate

Appearance – Crystal clear, gold with a two-finger head.

Aroma – One can detect the grain and sweetness from the malt and nice citrus aroma from the hops.

Taste – Excellent, well-balanced, quaffable, very nice.

Overall – A – One could drink these all day.  This is very well-balanced beer that has a great aroma and taste.  This is one of those beers that shows why you should seek out and try craft beer.

Website description – “Pale 31 is an ode to our home California, the 31st state to be added to the union.  Beer may not be associated with terroir the way wine is, but we believe that where we’re from impacts how our beers taste. This dry-hopped California Pale Ale represents the bold yet approachable spirit that embodies our state.”

Firestone – http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/pale-31

Firestone Walker - Walker's Reserve

I have a few brewers that when I see an offering I have not tried, I just buy it.  It does not matter the style, as I am confident that the brewer will do a great job and I’ll enjoy it.  Firestone Walker is one of these brewers and you can be confident that whatever they brew will be very tasty.  I saw Walker’s Reserve (5.8% ABV) that is a Robust Porter and I wanted to try it.  Walker’s Reserve pours very dark with a large head that took some time to recede.  There is a very pleasant aroma of roasted malt with some hints of chocolate and coffee.  The taste is very good and it has a nice roasted malt tastes with the chocolate / coffee notes and a touch of toffee / caramel.  The oat addition adds to the mouth feel and there is nice clean hop bitterness of citrus, but not too much.  Walker’s Reserve is another great offering from Firestone Walker. 

 Website description – “A singularly distinctive beer that represents our finest brewing efforts, Walker’s Reserve is a elegant dark ale featuring robust flavors of toffee, caramel and bittersweet chocolate. This brew employs five specialty malts, as well as oat and barley flakes, for added complexity and flavor”.

http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/walkers-reserve

Firestone Walker – Double Jack

Double Jack is an Imperial IPA (9.5% ABV) from Firestone Walker and I have wanted to try it for some time.  Fortunately, Firestone Walker started distributing here in CO this summer and I picked up a bottle of Double Jack on my last visit.  Double Jack pours amber with a three-finger, small bubble head.  The aroma is incredible and you can pick up slight sweetness from the malt and huge citrus aroma of orange and grapefruit.  The taste is very good and it starts sweet and ends with a nice bitter finish that is just right.  This is a fantastic IPA and I have liked everything I have tried from Firestone Walker.  I can understand why they were awarded the Brewery of the Year at the 2011 GABF for the third time and Double Jack was awarded a Silver at the 2011 GABF.

 

Website description – “Double Jack IPA is our first ever Imperial IPA. It features a big malty middle to cloak the high alcohol and mouth puckering hop bitterness. Huge tangerine, grapefruit and juicy fruit aroma blossom over the herbal blue basil and malt earthiness of this aggressive beer. Best enjoyed in moderation.”

Thanksgiving Beers – a Brown and two Stouts

I sampled three beers over the Thanksgiving week holiday and I liked them all.  Firestone Walker’s Velvet Merlin (5.5% ABV and 30 IBU) is an Oatmeal Stout that pours black with a two-finger head.  Velvet Merlin has an wonderful aroma of coffee and dark chocolate.  This is an excellent beer with tastes of coffee, chocolate with a silky mouth feel that and would go great with an after dinner desert.  I liked this one the best.

Website description – “A decadent Oatmeal Stout brimming with cocoa and espresso aromas. Partially aged in bourbon barrels, this beer features a rich, dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavor with a creamy mouth feel and wonderfully dry finish. The addition of U.S. grown fuggles hops contributes the perfect amount of bitterness to this exceptionally balanced beer”.

Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout (6% ABV) is an American Stout that pours black with a large head.  It smells and tastes of coffee, chocolate and just a hint of licorice.  I was happy it was just a hint of licorice because I am not a big fan.  I thought they had just the right touch.  A very nice stout, but I liked Velvet Merlin better.

Website description – “Kalamazoo Stout represents stouts in the Bell's year-round roster, offering a blend of dark chocolate and coffee flavors with just a hint of brewer's licorice. One of our oldest recipes, it balances a significant hop presence against the roast malt body.

Commonly asked trivia:

·        The brewer's licorice we use is gelatin-free, making it acceptable for vegetarians.

·        The label comes from a series of portraits by a local artist”.

Lost Coast’s Downtown Brown (5.0% ABV) is an American Brown Ale that pours a dark tan with reddish notes and has a nice head.  Downtown Brown is a nice brown ale that is easy to drink.  It is not as roasty as a porter or a stout and is not as hoppy as a stout or an amber.  Downtown Brown hits that fine line of a lightly hopped, caramel roasty flavor of an American Brown. 

Website description – “A smooth, full-bodied nut brown ale, lightly hopped with a hint of roasted and crystal malts.  This ale is dark in color without the heavy taste of porter or stout.”

Firestone Walker - Double Barrel and Union Jack

Colorado is a great state to live in if you enjoy craft beer, as the state has over 100 craft brewers and the number may be over 150.  We also have some good distribution for notable craft brewers out of state and one that has recently came to Colorado is Firestone Walker.  I had Double Barrel (5% ABV) earlier this year during a trip to Seattle and I had Union Jack a few weeks ago at a dinner at a friend’s home.  Double Barrel is a British Pale Ale and took a silver at the 2010 GABF for the Ordinary or Special Bitter category.  The website description is, “A British Pale Ale never tasted so fresh. We challenge our good friends across the pond to match this one. Can’t be done. We’ve honored the traditions of the great British Pale brewers of Burton-on-Trent using our patented Firestone Union oak barrels. You’re left with a mild blend of vanilla and toasted oak flavor touched with an elegant hint of English noble hops. DBA is the flagship of our company and wildly popular.”  Double Barrel pours an orange / copper with a nice head.  The hops used are classic English hop varieties and this is a really nice drinking beer. 

Union Jack (7.5% ABV) pours lighter in color that Double Barrel and also has a nice head.  There are 4 pounds of hops used per barrel and I have a home brew recipe for Union Jack that has the largest hop bill I have ever seen.  Union Jack has won a number of awards and I can see, smell and taste why.  It is in the top 10, maybe top 5 of IPAs that I have tasted.  The website describes Union Jack as, “An instant classic, Union Jack is the recipient of numerous awards including back to back wins at the Great American Beer Festival. Union Jack is abound with hop aroma and character. In fact this well balanced, west coast IPA is dry hopped 3 separate times, each lot giving it more and more of the grapefruit citrus hop aroma and flavor it is known for. Overall it utilizes over 4 pounds of pacific northwest hops per barrel.”  I will try more products from Firestone Walker and I am glad they are in Colorado.

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.