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.  

Tasting - Crooked Stave, Magic Hat, Empyrean, Lagunitas, Odell and Russian River

Time to catch up on a few weeks of tasting different beers.  These are from Colorado, Vermont, California, and Nebraska.

Crooked Stave is based in Denver and the focus is on barrel-aged beers and the use of brettanomyces.  Chad Yacobson, the owner and brewer, of Crooked Stave wrote his Master’s on the topic and I have been wanting to try his beers for some time.  He offers a subscription program that is sold out and when I saw a couple of bottles at the store, I promptly purchased them.

Surette (6.2% ABV) is a wood-aged Farmhouse Ale and it is one of the best, if not the best beer I have tasted this year.  The sourness is perfectly balanced and this is a fantastic beer.

Vieille (4.2% ABV) is another Farmhouse Ale and I could not find much information on it.  It is a very good beer – I liked Surette best.  However, Vieille is an excellent beer too.

Magic Hat is based out of South Burlington, Vermont and I picked up a mixed 12 that contained the following beers.  They offer many different varieties and are now in Colorado.

Wooly (4.5% ABV and 20 IBU) an English Special Bitter brewed with spruce tips that is OK.  I am not a big fan of spruce tips in beer.

# 9 (5.1% ABV and 9 IBU) a Fruit beer that is OK – I am not a fan of fruit beers.

Encore (6.4% ABV and 35 IBU) an American IPA that is very good.

Heart of Darkness (5.7% ABV and 30 IBU) is an excellent Stout.

Empyrean Brewing Co. is based in Lincoln, Nebraska and I had not tried anything from them before.  Their packaging was very good and I thought their branding on the package and labels was excellent.

Fallen Angel (5.5% ABV and 17 IBU) is an easy drinking Sweet Stout and is very good.  I will try other products from Empyrean.

Lagunitas is based in Petaluma, CA and they are opening another brewery in the Chicago area.  Lagunitas is one of my favorite brewers and they consistently make excellent beer in many different styles.  They have a very robust seasonal list and when I saw WTF, I picked it up.

Wilco Tango Foxtrot or WTF (7.83% ABV) is a Double / Imperial Brown Ale and is just fantastic.  Brown Ales are easy drinking and some consider them “ho-hum”.  I like a good Brown Ale and WTF is an excellent one.

Finally, my family took me to Parry’s Pizzeria and Pub a couple of weekends ago for my birthday and I had two very tasty beers.

Russian River’s Damnation (7% ABV) is a Belgian / Golden Ale that is incredible.  Russian River makes some very good beer and it is on rare occasion that I find one in Colorado.  When I do, I purchase it.

Odell’s Amuste (9.3% ABV) is an Imperial / Double Porter and is very good.

Lagunitas Sucks – Brown Shugga’ Substitute

One thing I have learned in life is I learn my most memorable lessons when I experience a failure or a defeat.  It has taken me some time and some gray hair to not only learn this lesson, but also to take it in stride.  Mistakes also occur at companies and Lagunitas Brewing Co. serves as a shining example of learning from a mistake and taking it in stride.  Brown Shugga’ is a seasonal release from Lagunitas that could not be brewed one year due to “construction-induced capacity issues”, and Lagunitas decided to brew another beer and make fun of themselves in the naming of Lagunitas Sucks (7.85% ABV and 63 IBU), an Imperial IPA.  This year, I had the opportunity to sample both Brown Shugga’ and Lagunitas Sucks – both are excellent.  Learn from the example of Lagunitas - learn from your mistake, take it in stride and figure out a way to improve.  

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

Appearance – Copper, like a bright new penny, with a two-finger head that takes some time to recede and with nice lacing.

Aroma – Hoppy and you know you are in for a hop trip – tropical fruit and citrus are the main aromas.

Taste – A bit of sweetness – think a touch of honey - and then citrus (lemon / orange / grapefruit) and tropical fruit (mango / papaya) with a piney / resin finish.

Overall – A – This beer is fantastic and I am really glad that Lagunitas needed to make this substitute – it is available for only a short time and if you are a fan of IPAs – buy it.  I plan to pick up another 6er on the next trip to the store, if any are remaining.

Website description – “E. K. Ross would have enjoyed our suffering in 2010 when he saw we couldn’t brew our Brown Shugga.  But in that time of deepest despair, as is common to artist everywhere… broke, hungover, abandoned by the muse and prepared to take a job at Arby’s, we found that in that darkness the  spark of inspiration that would yield up this nearly sanctified recipe!”

Lagunitas Sucks – http://lagunitas.com/beers/sucks/

Lagunitas – Brown Shugga

I had listened to a few podcasts and read a few reviews that had highly recommended Lagunitas – Brown Shugga' (9.9% ABV and 52 IBU) and I had this one on my list to obtain the next time is was available.  Brown Shugga' is a strong ale that is brewed with brown sugar and is released in October of each year.  From reading the website, Brown Shugga' was a “failed” attempt to brew a batch of Olde Gnarlywine and the brewing team added a bunch of brown sugar in an attempt to rescue the batch.  While the rescue failed, the birth of a new beer was realized and it has become a favorite that Lagunitas fans look forward to each year.

American Strong Ale – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/78 -BeerAdvocate

Appearance – Deep amber red with very nice carbonation.  There was a two to three finger head that did not recede quickly.  This beer is perfectly clear too.  There are some alcohol legs on the sides of the glass too.

Aroma – Carmel sweetness was the first thing I noticed.  Then I detected citrus fruit – think of zesting a lemon and an orange.  The citrus was not overpowering and very complimentary.

Taste – Unlike anything I have every had and it is excellent.  It tastes just like it smells with a combination of caramel, citrus, a little resin, and some biscuit with a nice dry finish.  A very tasty beer.

Overall – A  Brown Shugga' is a very good beer and is just plan tasty.  Be careful as this one is high in ABV and the alcohol is well-hidden.  A couple of these will do.  This is one to add to your list as it is a unique beer and it is very good.

Website description – "How Come you Taste So Good?? Boatloads of Pure Brown Sugar in Each Batch, That’s How! The Rich, Roasty and Mysteriously Drinkable Ale might best be described as... Irresponsible. It Leaves a Lot of Stories in it’s Wake."

URL – http://lagunitas.com/beers/brownshugga.html

Lagunitas - Little Sumpin’ Wild

Lagunitas is based in Temecula, CA and is opening another brewery in the Chicago area.  Lagunitas brews a number of beers and has a robust seasonal schedule, featuring 8 seasonal beers.  I recently obtained a bottle of Little Sumpin’ Wild (8.8% ABV and 72.5 IBU) that is available in July.  A wild yeast in used in the fermentation of Little Sumpin’ Wild that should provide some interesting taste.

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

Appearance - Orange / Yellow - bordering on a light copper color.  Very good carbonation and a creamy head.
Aroma - Little Sumpin’ Wild is a very aromatic beer and you detect banana and bubble gum from the Belgian yeast and citrus from the hops.
Taste - One first hits the sweetness, then banana and bubble gum, then a finish of citrus bitterness that lingers for some time.
Overall - B+ - A very tasty Belgian IPA and it is another fine example of a very good beer from Lagunitas.  If you like IPAs and Belgian IPAs, this would be one to add to your list to try.  

Website description - “Another Big Sister of the Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale.... Lots of Malted Wheat for a Curious Malt Complexity & and Fermented with Our Belgian Yeast strain leaving it Huge in Flavor and Satisfaction.”

Lagunitas Beer List - http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/index.html

January Beer Tasting – Pilsners and Thai

Last night, Tibor, Chris, and Dennis came over for a night of tasting Pilsners and Thai food.  The Thai food was obtained from one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Colorado, Wild Ginger in Littleton, CO.  I picked up Pad Thai Chicken, Panang Curry with Pork, Pad Prik Khing, egg rolls, and peanut sauce.  Chris also brought over some veal brats in sauerkraut and I had some hot wings too.  We had a number of Pilsners from various brewers and the pairing of Pilsners and Thai food was excellent.  I had earlier read the food pairing section for Pilsners in Garret Oliver’s The Brewmaster’s Table and he suggested spicy ethnic food (Thai, Indian, and Mexican) and any variety of sausage.  Mr. Oliver’s recommendations were perfect and I highly recommend Pilsners with Thai food.

The beers sampled in order were as follows:

Pilsner Urquell (4.4% ABV) – This is the one that started the Pilsner style in 1842 from the Czech town of Pilsen.

Pug Ryan’s – Pali Pilsner – Is named after a ski run in the Arapahoe basin and is a Bohemian style Pilsner.  Pug Ryan’s is based in Dillon, CO.

Left Hand – Polestar Pilsner (5.5% ABV and 33 IBU) – From Left Hand Brewing in Boulder – I enjoyed one of these after a long bike ride last year and it is tasty.

Bristol – Yellow Kite (5.25% ABV and 25 IBU) – Bristol is located in Colorado Springs and Yellow Kit is a European-style Pilsner.

Lagunitas – Pils (6.2% ABV and 38 IBU) – Lagunitas is a very good brewer from California and Pils is a Czech-style Pils.

Oskar Blues – Mama’s Little Yella Pils (5.3% ABV and 35 IBU) – Oskar Blues is based in Lyons, CO and is one of my favorite brewers.

Unita – Tilted Smile Imperial Pilsners (9% ABV and 35 IBU) – Don’t let anyone tell you they do not brew beer in Utah.  This was everyone’s favorite of the evening.  It was just a tad sweeter than the others and was very easy to drink.  One cannot taste the higher alcohol in Tilted Smile.

The evening was great and it is always great to be able to spend time with good friends, food, and tasty brew.  Next month, we will be going to Tibor’s for a trip to Belgium. 

Lagunitas – Hop Stoopid

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid (8% ABV and 102 IBU) is brewed for the hophead.  I have been looking forward to trying this for some time and I was not disappointed.  Hop Stoopid is a hop-focused beer and it poured a nice golden orange with a large head – be careful pouring.  Hop Stoopid has a very nice aroma and this is a very good double IPA.  I paired it with an appetizer of fried green tomatoes and the bitterness and acidity of the tomatoes brought out the malt sweetness of the beer.  Lagunitas describes Hop Stoopid as “For those mornings when you have to cut right to the chase, this is the one. Sure to blast through just about anything still lingering from the night before, this mouthful of Hops and huge rich Malt has a guarantee built right into the name!”  This is another nice beer from Lagunitas and I will try more in the future.

Lagunitas - The Censored and Anchor - Liberty Ale

Lagunitas The Censored (6.75% ABV) is described as a “Rich Copper Ale” and is an American Amber / Red Ale and The Censored pours a beautiful copper color this is a malty beer and it has some nice bitterness with it.  I enjoyed this one and Lagunitas is a great brewer.  The web description of The Censored is, “The original name of this original ale was originally derived from an origin so heinous that we cannot reveal its aboriginal oregeny. sorry. Actually, it's an easy drinking malty Copper Ale that goes easy on the hops. Whatever.”  Side note – Chronic is slang for Marijuana – I am not sure if this is what they are referring to.

 Anchor Liberty Ale (5.9% ABV) and was first brewed to commemorate the bicentennial of Paul Revere’s famous ride.  Liberty Ale pours golden with a large head.  This is another tasty beverage from Anchor.  Anchor is a great brewer and I really appreciate them leading the craft beer revolution.  The web description of Liberty Ale – “First introduced in 1975, Liberty Ale^® is brewed strictly according to traditional brewing methods, and, like all Anchor Brewing Company products, uses only natural ingredients — water, malted barley, fresh whole hops and yeast.  A special top-fermenting ale yeast is used during fermentation and is responsible for many of Liberty Ale's subtle flavors and characteristics. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called "bunging," which produces champagne-like bubbles. Dry-hopping (adding fresh hops to the brew during aging), imparts a unique aroma to the ale. It is a process rarely used in this country today.”  Note – There are a number of brewers that use the dry-hopping technique today.  These are the craft brewers and I do not know if any of the macro-brewers use this technique.

Lagunitas - Pils and Alaskan - Summer

Lagunitas Pils is a Czech-style Pilsener (6.2% ABV and 38 IBU) that pours yellow / gold with a little head and great carbonation.  I do not think it stopped bubbling the entire time I enjoyed it.  This is a nice fizzy yellow beer and is definitely not a “macro” beer.  Pils has a crisp clean taste with a bready malt character and low bitterness.  Pilsener are one of the harder styles to brew because there is little that can be used to mask any mistakes.  Another nice one from Lagunitas.

Alaskan Brewing Co. is one of my favorite brewers and I had not tried Summer (5.3% ABV and 18 IBU) for a while and I was able to pick one up in a mixed six.  Summer is a Kolsch-style ale and is called Kolsch-style because only German brewers in Cologne can label their Kolsch beers Kolsch.  Summer pours golden straw with a nice head and is a drinkable beer.  Summer is a session beer with the low ABC and bitterness.  It could be described as a “lawnmower” beer and enjoyed during the summer.

Lagunitas - IPA and Gnarly Wine

Lagunitas is a brewer from Petaluma CA and Gnarly Wine is their 10.12% ABV Barleywine.  This is an annual release in January and is sold in 22 oz. bombers.  This one pours a nice amber with nice one finger head.  It has a sweet malty aroma and the taste is more malt focused – like a Scottish Ale – than hop / bitterness focused.  This is well-balanced and goes down easy.  Barleywine is one of my favorite beer styles and this is another good.  The American Craft Brewers are doing a great job with this style and I have been impressed with the complexity and overall taste of these Barleywines. 

Lagunitas IPA (ABV – 6.6% and IBU – 45) pours a orange / amber color with a large head – be careful pouring.  I paired this with a grilled pork chop and rice with a chili verde sauce, and sautéed mixed vegetables (onion, carrot, jalapeno pepper, and asparagus).  This beer paired well with dinner and I like the classic West Coast IPA style with this meal.  I would like to try some other offerings from Lagunitas – these two are good.