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

July Beer Dinner - Oskar Blues

Dennis and Gayle hosted the July Beer dinner and we focused on the beers from Oskar Blues. Gayle made some family favorites and the food was excellent – sausage that has specially prepared from a family recipe, cheese grit casserole, corn on the cob, carrot salad and strawberry rhubarb pie. Lori made guacamole and her salsa that is just fantastic for appetizers. Nicole and Tibor brought over chocolate chip cookies and a cherry cheesecake. Everything was excellent and all of the beers were fantastic. Tibor brought over some of his home made wine – a Gewürztraminer that was very good. I had picked up beer earlier and Tibor picked up beer too – we had all that is currently canned by Oskar Blues. Oskar Blues is based in Lyons, CO and there are 7 different styles available in cans. Ten Fidy is brewed in the fall and luckily, I had some stashed away in the beer fridge. I wanted to age some and taste it as time passes.

We started off with Mama’s Little Yella Pils (5.2% ABV and 35 IBU) a Traditional Pilsner and Silver medal winner for Bohemian Style Pilsener at the 2011 GABF - Great American Beer Festival.

Next up was Dale’s Pale Ale (6.5% ABV and 65 IBU) an American Pale Ale.

Followed by Old Chub (8% ABV), a Scottish Ale and winner of the Bronze medal at the 2011 GABF - Great American Beer Festival.

G’Knight (8.7% ABV and 60 IBU) was formerly called Gordon Knight and is an Imperial Red / Double IPA.

Deviant Dale’s (8% ABV and 85 IBU), an IPA that took a sliver medal at the 2011 GABF – Great American Beer Festival.

Gubna (10% ABV and 100 IBU) an Imperial IPA

We ended the evening with Ten Fidy (10,5% ABV and 98 IBU), an Imperial Stout. I think the beer improved with aging and I was amazed with the balance and smoothness enhanced by a little aging.

The food and the beers were excellent. All of these beers are really good and I highly recommend anything made by Oskar Blues. We were split on the favorites for the evening. Gayle liked Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Dennis picked G’Knight, Tibor picked Deviant Dale’s, and I picked Ten Fidy. I always have something in my fridge that is brewed by Oskar Blues. We are planning to go tour the brewery in August and eat at the Tasty Weasel. Next beer dinner will be in September – just in time for Oktoberfest.

Oskar Blues - http://www.oskarblues.com/

Great Divide - Nomad

I have tried a number of offerings from Great Divide and one of their latest is Nomad (5.4% ABV and IBU) a Bohemian Pilsner.  Great Divide uses two word descriptors on their labels and Nomad has the words “Bright” and “Elegant”.  These descriptors are spot on and this is a very nice pilsner from Great Divide.  Nomad is available January – March.

Czech Pilsener – http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/40 - Beeradvocate

Appearance – Straw yellow, clear with a silky two-finger head.

Aroma – Smell of a classic pilsner, grain, bitter hops and a hint of citrus (lemon).

Taste – Very clean and a little sweet to start and then a nice finish from the hops.  A very good pilsner without the skunky taste and smell that I find so many pilsners have.

Overall – B+ – Another really good beer from Great Divide.  Great Divide is one of those brewers that you can pick anything they offer and it will be tasty.

Website description – “NOMAD is our spin on the classic Bohemian Pilsner style.  The journey starts with German malts and Saaz hops that offer a lively floral nose and crispness, while a full 5 weeks of lagering time ensures that Nomad is eminently balanced.  This Nomad may wander, but it’s got serious roots.”

URL – http://www.greatdivide.com/

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.

Oskar Blues - Mama's Little Pils and Odell - Easy Street Wheat

Had the opportunity to sample two new Colorado beers yesterday and both have won awards in their respective styles. Oskar Blues – Mama’s Little Yella Pils is a Pilsner with an ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 35.  This was consumed from the can and this is a nice, drinkable Pilsner.  I thought it had a good balance and would be a very good summertime beer.  Oskar Blues describes Mama’s Little Yella Pils as “…an uncompromising, small-batch version of the beer that made Pilsen, Czech Republic famous. Unlike mass market “pilsners” diluted with corn & rice, Mama’s is built with 100% pale malt, German specialty malts, and Bavarian hops. “  I have enjoyed each of Oskar Blues products that I have tried and Gubna is still the best from Oskar Blues in my opinion.

After Martial Arts practice, I poured an Easy Street Wheat Ale from Odell at an ABV of 4.6% with and IBU of 15.  This is a nice light beer that goes down very easy.  Winter is essentially the time for stronger and darker beers, but this was a great beer to have after a couple hours of exercise.  I like the wheat beer and I would like to do a comparison between Easy Street and White Rascal from Avery.  Odell describes Easy Street as, “Light and refreshing, Easy Street Wheat is an unfiltered American-style wheat beer. Leaving in the yeast gives the beer a nice, smooth finish and a slightly citrusy flavor. Easy Street Wheat gets its name by brewers “taking it easy” and not filtering the beer. However, for ultimate enjoyment, we encourage you to work just a little harder in pouring it: pour 2/3 of the beer into a glass, swirl what’s left to stir up the yeast, then pour the rest and enjoy.”  I appreciated the pouring suggestion on the bottle.  However, there was still some yeast in the bottom of the bottle after following the instructions and this may have had some impact on the taste.  My wife enjoyed this and Odell is another good Colorado brewer.

Avery - Joe's American Plisner

Avery – Joe’s American Pilsner is a session beer at 4.7% ABV and 42 IBU.  As the story goes, Joe is Adam Avery’s grandfather who gave Adam his first taste of beer and Joe’s picture graces the can.  Yes, craft beer in cans and I think this is a good way to go.  The can is a great because there is no oxidation and no exposure to light that can damage beer.  Cans are very portable, easier to store, and are better for the environment.  The cans do not alter the taste of beer because they are lined and many craft brewers are moving to cans.  One thing that brewers in Denver have is the experience from Ball Corp. and from Coors. 

Joe’s is a nice beer and it is easy to have more than one because of the lower ABV.  I think this is the lowest ABV of any from Avery and is described on the can as, “You’re holding a contemporary rendition of a classic style. Hopped with purpose, Joe’s is beautifully bitter and dry with an abundance of floral, Noble German hops. Uber-sessionable. Utterly American. This is Premium American Pilsner.”  Avery added the hops to this beer to make it their own and this is a nice beer.  It pours clear yellow with a nice head that one needs to be aware as this can over run your glass.  The head is thick – almost meringue-like.  I poured it into a champagne flute to enjoy with dinner.  If you are a fan of pilsner’s, I suggest you try it.