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.

New Belgium - Blue Paddle and Alaskan Barley WIne Ale

New Belgium is best known for Fat Tire, but they have a number of good beers.  I had the opportunity to purchase single bottles while I was in Phoenix at Total Wine and I purchased a wide variety.  One such purchase was Blue Paddle – Pilsener Lager with an ABV of 4.8% and an IBU of 33.  I poured this into a Pilsner glass and let the head come up that quickly receded.  Blue Paddle poured a nice gold with good carbonation as a Pilsner should.  New Belgium describes Blue Paddle as “Climb on in and grab a paddle. Our first foray into lagered beers, Blue Paddle Pilsener-Lager, is a Czech style pilsener with a refreshing crispness from noble hops and a rich, malty finish. ‘Blue Paddle’ refers to the implement our warehouse manager’s Grandma once used to lovingly paddle his a** when she caught him stealing sips of her beer. With more body than a traditional Belgian pils, Blue Paddle is reflective of Europe’s finest pilseners.”  I had this with dinner and it nicely paired with roast beef, loaded baked potato and a salad.  This is a nice one and another good beer from New Belgium.

Off to Alaska for Alaskan Brewing Company’s Barley Wine Ale with an ABV of 10.4% and an IBU of 60 that I picked up at Total Wine.  I love Alaskan Brewing Co. and I had the opportunity to tour the brewery when I went to Juneau.  This one pours a dark amber / mahogany with little head.  This is a complex beer and the malt has a great caramel / toffee sweetness and it is very smooth.  The website describes the flavor profile as “Alaskan Barley Wine is a full bodied ale, deep mahogany in color and brewed with an array of complementing malts to achieve its high original gravity. Multiple hop additions in the boil and dry hopping during fermentation provide contrast to the big malt character resulting in the smooth balance that distinguishes this specialty brew. Like many fine wines, Alaskan Barley Wine may be aged in the bottle and gains deeper malt complexity and smoothness over time.”  I have tried many beers from Alaskan Brewing Company and this may be my new favorite over Smoked Porter.

Dogfish Head - Midas Touch and Great Divide - Old Ruffian

I tried two new beers this evening and the first was Midas Touch from Dogfish Head with an ABV of 9% and IBU of 12.  I had heard / read about this one and what I recall was that Sam Calagione had heard of a fairly recent archaeological discovery of the tomb of King Midas and one thing discovered was a recipe for beer.  Sam is a creative and extreme brewer and he tried to replicate it.  This one poured a nice golden straw color with a smaller head and the carbonation was incredible.  This one is very smooth and I could detect the sweetness and the grapes used in brewing and it had a nice sweet / dry finish that reminded me of a Gewurztraminer.  The description from the website - “This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead; this smooth, sweet, yet dry ale will please the Chardonnay of beer drinker alike.”  I would agree that this would please the wine drinker and I will purchase more as I think my wife will really like this one.

Great Divide’s Old Ruffian Barley Wine-Style Ale is a hop monster at an IBU of 90 with an ABV of 10.25%.  This one poured a nice amber / garnet color with a nice head that receded quickly.  The hops were very apparent in the aroma and this was a very fresh bottle with a bottling data of Nov. 2010, I could not make out the exact day on the stamp.  The aroma and the bitterness in the taste reminded me of an Imperial IPA that is then balanced by nice caramel malt sweetness.  Really interesting beer and I can taste why Old Ruffian has won awards over the years. The description on the bottle stats that Old Ruffian is “a hefty, hop-forward Barley Wine-Style Ale.  Seemingly mellow at the start with subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness.  It quickly becomes aggressive with its bold hop flavors and huge hop bitterness.  Ultimately, the big body, succulent sweetness and massive hop character come together to work wonders on your palate.”  Old Ruffian is another really great beer from Great Divide.  I have only had one other Barley Wine-Style Ale and it was Avery’s Hog Heaven.  This is a style that I like and I will have it again.  I am not a big fan of winter – too dark – do not like snow – however, I like the beers of winter.

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.

Stone - Oaked Arrogant Bastard and Lukcy Basartd

Happy New Year – another year begins with some interesting beers to try and continue the beer tasting journey.  Stone is the first stop of the 2011 with Oaked Arrogant Bastard at an ABV of 7.2% and an IBU of ??.  Stone does not publish the IBU of any of the “Bastard” line of ales.  They all are significantly hopped with high IBUs.  I think Oaked Arrogant Bastard is my favorite of the line that I have sampled.  This pours an orangey brown with a lacy head and a nice citrus aroma.  This one is smoother and I appreciated the oak taste in this ale.  I like the quote on the bottle “Another reward for those seeking new sources of passion, and another point of dissension for those who are not.”  This is not a cheap beer and one taste explains it.

Lukcy Basartd Ale has an ABV of 8.5% and an IBU of ??.  Lukcy Basartd is an anniversary blend of Arrogant Bastard celebrating the 13-year anniversary of Arrogant Bastard.  The blend consists of Arrogant Bastard Ale, Oaked Bastard Ale, and Double Bastard Ale.  This one pours a deep caramel color with a think beige head that has good retention.  This is a very nice blend and you detect sweet malt, oak hints, and a nice hop-induced bitter finish.  Stone is a very good brewer and they like using the hops.  I appreciate the brashness in the packaging and assertion that these are not beers for the average beer drinking.  This is a one-time release and I am sure it will be unavailable all too soon.

New Year's Eve - Avery's Demons of Ale

Last evening for New Year’s Eve, I acquired in Phoenix and Denver the Demons of Ale series from Avery. First on the list was Samael’s, an oak-aged ale flavored with oak chips at ABV of 14.9% with an IBU of 41, and bottled in April 2007 batch 3. Avery describes Samael’s Ale as “a super-caramelly, oak aged English-style strong ale. Perhaps the least hoppy (sacrilege here at Avery!!) beer we’ve brewed, to accentuate the malt. The oak is very apparent in this rich and high gravity ale, adding additional depth and complexity with a woody and cask-like nose and a pronounced vanilla flavor on the palate.” This one pours a nice copper color and you can taste the oak and is sweet on the first taste with a dry finish. This is a sippin’ beer and I enjoyed it.

Mephistopheles’ Stout with an ABV of 15.92% and an IBU of 107 and bottled November 2008 batch 4. I really enjoy the darker ales and I was looking forward to this one. It pours very dark with a small lacy head. Avery describes Mephistopheles as “the crafty shape shifter, the second fallen angel. Amazingly complex, coal black, velvety and liqueurish, this demon has a bouquet of vine-ripened grapes, anise and chocolate covered cherries with flavors of rum-soaked caramelized dark fruits and a double espresso finish. I could pick up the cherries and a slight coffee note on the finish. This is a nice one and it was a great for round 2.

The Beast Grand Cru with an ABV of 16.31% and an IBU of 68 and was bottled in 2008 batch 6. Avery describes the Beast as, “a seducer - accommodating, complicated, powerful, dark and created to last the ages. With a deep burgundy color and aromas of honey, nutmeg, mandarin orange and pineapple, this massive and challenging brew has flavors akin to a beautiful Caribbean rum. Dates, plums, raisins and molasses are dominant in a rich vinous texture. Cellarable for 10+ years”. This pours a reddish-brown and produced a small head. I could understand how this can be “cellared” for a long period of time. This is an interesting ale and there is a lot to be tasted as I picked up the fruits of dates and raisins with the sweetness of molasses.

The Demons of Ale from Avery are complex and there is much to be tasted with these ales. Avery has done a great job with these and I found a great brewer. I plan to visit Avery brewery this year and I will compliment them on their products. Avery was the first brewery I decided to sample and I have tried all of the offerings that are currently available in the line up. The next brewers of focus are Great Divide, Left Hand, and Odell.

Great Divide - Hoss

Great Divide’s Hoss is a Rye Lager with and ABV of 6.2% and IBU of ??.  Great Divide describes Hoss as “based on the Marzen lagers of Germany. Rich, layered malt notes, with hints of cherry and dark fruits, dominate, while the unique addition of rye imparts a slightly earthy, spicy character. Hoss finishes crisp and dry, and its brilliant red-orange color is a toast to the sunsets that make the perfect backdrop for this beer.”  This is a very accurate description of this beer and at first I was taken back by the flavor, but it grew on me as I sampled the beer.  I thought this would go great with a Rueben as I could pick up on the rye notes in the beer.  Hoss has won a number of awards for Great Divide and this is a unique beer with the addition of the rye.  I have not tasted anything like it.