Left Hand Brewing - Fade to Black Series 2

I got the family home safe and sound from a holiday in Phoenix with the relatives and after driving 16 hours, I was ready to drink a nice beer.  I opened up a Fade to Black Series 2 from Left Hand Brewing.  This smoked imperial stout has an ABV of 7.8% with an IBU of 35.  This one pours very dark without a head if you pour down the side.  On the second one, I poured the last 1/3 of the bottle in the middle that resulted in a nice creamy head.  This is a great beer and I really enjoyed it.  You can detect the smoke and the chocolate malt. The smoke is not overpowering and not as "smoky" as Alaska Brewing Company's Smoked Porter.  This is very balanced and is very drinkable.  This would go great with a rich chocolate desert. 

Left Hand's website has this description, "Fade to Black, that time of year when the light seems to fade away. We drift further into the darkness with each passing day. Volume 2- Smoked Baltic Porter is inspired by our collaboration with Nørrebro in Denmark. This mischievous cousin to Smoke Jumper has a penchant for pillaging and burning everywhere he goes. Smoked malts redolent of the burned thatched roofs in villages and towns all over Northern Europe impart flavors to warm the spirit of invading hordes far from home. You finally have something in your hand darker than the winter night sky."  Great job on this one and I will purchase it again, providing there are any left at Davidson's.

A Dark Night - 2 Porters and 1 Stout

One great thing about Christmas is the good food and the associated leftovers.  Can one go wrong with  a dinner of leftovers that included– standing rib roast, baked potato, salad and pecan pie paired with Avery’s – New World Porter.  New World Porter has an ABV of 6.7% and IBU of 45.  This beer poured very dark, almost black, and had a nice creamy head.  This paired very nicely with the rib roast and the pecan pie.  Avery’s website describes New World Porter as “A traditional black porter, with a surprise twist - it's dry-hopped!!  We've expanded the porter category a bit, adding a delightful, dry hop aroma to blend with the sweet caramel and chocolate characteristics of a Robust Porter.”  It was nicely balanced and I will purchase it again.

I then tried Cutthroat Porter from Odell at an ABV of 5.1% and an IBU of 43 that pours very dark with a nice thick head.  This beer has won a number of awards over the years and I detected undertones of chocolate, smoke, and coffee.  It was interesting to have this beer after New World Porter as they are similar in style, color, and IBU; however, both have distinctive differences and both are very good.  Odell's website describes Cutthroat Porter as "Not quite a stout but definitely no lightweight, Cutthroat Porter is smooth and robust.  Inspired by the classic London porters, we use dark roasted malts to create a deep, rich color and flavor that hint at chocolate and coffee.  We named it Cutthroat Porter as our tribute to the Colorado state fish - with its own heritage and unmistakable dark coloring.  And while we're big fans of small batches, here's to the currently threatened Cutthroat population reaching mass quantities."  I would purchase Cutthroat Porter again. 

Ska’s Steel Toe Stout has an ABV of 5.4 % and IBU of 29 and Ska describes Steel Toe as “Milk Meets Its Maker.  It’s as though a cow stared into the face of God and as God told it the meaning of life we grabbed its udders and squeezed out a bucket.  This traditional English Cream Stout is brewed with actual milk sugar to create a creamy and sweet brew.  Jet-black in color, the latte frothy head will make you moo for more.”  I would love to try this with some chocolates and compare it to Left Hand’s Milk Stout.

Christmas / Winter Ales

I picked up three Christmas Ales / Winter Ales for Christmas dinner and the evening.  First up was Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale with an ABV of 6.8% and IBU of 65.  This was a nice ale to enjoy with dinner of a standing rib roast (prime rib with the bone) as it cut through the fat and the malt blended well with the rib.  I also thought this went well with the pecan pie.  Sierra Nevada describes Celebration Ale as "The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration^® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration^® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home."  Celebration Ale has won a number of awards and this is a nice brew.

Next up was 2 Degrees Below by New Belgium with an ABV of 6.6% and IBU of 32.  I probably should have had this one first as the lower IBU after the Celebration Ale made this beer a "let-down" for me.  It is not a bad beer, but I was expecting a little more kick.  New Belgium describes 2 Degrees Below as "Pull on your wool socks and crack open a 2° Below Ale. This tasty winter warmer started life as a small batch beer brewed for the Al Johnson Uphill Downhill a telemark ski race in Crested Butte, Colorado. The Uphill Downhill celebrates the exploits of Al Johnson, letter carrier extraordinaire, who delivered mail by ski in the late 1800 s. Dry hopping during fermentation creates a floral nose with a hint of pepper and spicy, subtle undertones. 2° Below provides a bright, hoppy palate and a cheery warm afterglow. "  I did not find this beer hoppy at all - probably because of the higher hopped Celebration Ale.

The last tasting of the evening was Ska's Euphoria Ale at ABV of 6.1% and IBU of ??.  This is a nice ale and I appreciated more hops / bitterness after the 2 Degrees Below.   This one poured a nice golden brown with a head that quickly receded.  Nice aroma from the hops and this was a nice beer.  I think the best of the evening.  I am a fan of craft beer in cans and I think the cans keep the beer in better condition than bottles.  Ska describes Euphoria as an IPA, but lists pale ale on the can and the Ska description states -  “This seasonal beer is brewed in the Do It Yourself (DIY) spirit along with our friends from Bayfield at the Venture Snowboard Factory. An India Pale Ale, the Euphoria is crafted with piles and piles of Golding hops to provide a unique spicy finish. Great for after hitting the slopes. Anarchic enlightenment: (1) Brewed in strict accordance to D.I.Y. methodology, the beer of choice for epic powder days. (2) brewed and bottled by Ska Brewing Company, Durango Colorado using the finest hops, yeast, malted barley and San Juan waters.”  I like this beer and I would purchase it again.

Christmas Gift - Beer and Glassware

I received some great gifts from my wife and mother-in-law for Christmas that will be great to try.  My wife gave me Rochefort Brewery - a Belgian Trappist Brewery - number 6, 8, and 10.  All of these are highly rated and 6 is difficult to acquire because it is brewed only once a year and represents only 1% of the brewing output from the Abbey of Notre Dame.  My mother-in-law gave me a large bottle and a small bottle of St. Bernardus Abt 12.  This is the highest quality ale produced by St. Bernardus and is considered a showpiece for the brewery.  I am looking forward to sampling these highly rated Belgian Ales.  I also received some nice glassware of a set of 4 each - Imperial Pint, Czech Pilsner, and Bavarian Pilsner. 

Oskar Blues - Gubna and Trader Joes - Winter Ale 2010

Christmas Eve started with a Trader Joes - Winter Ale 2010 at ABV of 9.0 % and IBU ??.  This is not a bad winter ale with spicy undertones in the aroma and taste.  I detected hints of cinnamon / nutmeg / cloves that is not unpleasant and is probably best with desert like pumpkin or pecan pie.  It might also go well with fruit cake.  It pours dark with a thick head that you need to allow to sit to recede. 

I had Gubna after dinner and this is one fantastic beer made by Oskar Blues in Colorado.  Gubna is an Imperial IPA at ABV 10% and 100 IBU that pours golden with a nice head.  The aroma on this beer is fantastic and you can tell this will be a hoppy beer due to the citrus aromatics.  It was nicely bittered with the hops, but I thought the balance was excellent and I found myself "nursing" this beer as it was the last one for the evening and I wanted to just savor the flavor.  This is a very good beer and I will purchase it again.  The Oskar Blues website accurately describes Gubna as "Emphasizing that complexity of character can arise from simple elements, this ale is made with 3 malts and 1 hop. Its light amber color and slightly spicy malt character are derived from the use of German Dark Munich Malt and Rye Malt respectively. North American 2-row barley combines with the other grains to lay the foundation for the hop onslaught to come. Summit hops are used exclusively in the boil for bitterness, flavor and aroma but it doesn’t end there. Post-fermentation dry hopping allows the 10% ABV monstrosity to gently coax the citrus rind and grapefruit aroma to join the 100 IBUs already present. This beer will greet you with a pungent citrus blast, provide a spicy yet round middle and finish with a brisk, clean bitterness."  If you like IPAs or Imperial IPAs, this is a great beer to try.

Four Peaks Brewery - Kilt Lifter

Four Peaks is a brewery in Tempe, AZ and their flagship offering is Kilt Lifter.  Kilt Lifter is a Scotch Ale that has an ABV of 6.0% with an IBU of 21.  This one pours a dark amber color with very little head.  Kilt Lifter is on the sweet side with very little bitterness and a slightly higher alcohol content that is consistent with the style.  I paired this with a grilled steak, baked potato, tossed romaine salad, and mixed fruit.  This was not a bad beer and it has won a few awards for Four Peaks Brewery.  The website for Four Peaks highlights the other beers and I think the Peach Ale might be good for people new to craft beer or for those who say they do not like beer.  They seems to have a nice offering of eight different styles with some seasonal ones too. 

2 Pale Ales and an IPA

I purchased a number of brews for the next couple of weekends and started this evening with 2 pale ales and 1 IPA.  First up was Oskar Blues - Dale's Pale Ale at ABV of 6.5% and 65 IBU.  This one pours a light amber / golden color with a light head that quickly recedes and has a nice citrus aroma.  Oskar Blues describes Dale's as "America’s first hand-canned craft beer is a voluminously hopped mutha that delivers a hoppy nose, assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and hops from start to finish. First canned in 2002, Dale’s Pale Ale is a hearty (6.5% and 65 IBUs), critically acclaimed trailblazer that has changed the way craft beer fiends perceive canned beer."  Dale's is highly rated and well-respected and I can taste why as it is nicely balanced with a nice hoppy finish.

Next up was Stone - Pale Ale at ABV 5.4% and IBU of 41.  This is a very drinkable beer and is noticeably not as hoppy as Dale's.  This one pours amber with a small head that quickly recedes.  A nice balance with nice malt sweetness and slightly bitter hops.  Stone describes their pale ale as"Our flagship ale, Stone Pale Ale is our Southern California interpretation of the classic British pale ale style.  Deep amber in color, Stone Pale Ale is robust and full flavored.  A delicate hop flavor is balanced by a rich maltiness.  This is an ale for those who have learned to appreciate distinctive flavor.  Stone Pale Ale is great by itself, or with food that requires a beer of character."  This is a nice one - 2 for 2 for the evening.   

The final beer of the evening is Stone - Ruination IPA at ABV 7.7% and IBU 100+.  I knew this one would be hoppy due to 1) IPA, 2) 100 + IBU and 3) Stone.  This is a hoppy IPA and if you are a hop head, you are going to like it.  Stone warns the reader of the label to beware because your palate will be challenged and Stone delivers on the measure.  I have had 100+ IBU India Pale Ales, but they are usually double or imperial varieties.  This is for the IPA lover and hop head.  Stone describes Ruination IPA as "So called because of the ruinous effect on your palate!  This massive monster has a wonderfully delicious and intensely bitter flavor.  One taste and you can easily see why we call this brew a 'liquid poem to the glory of the hop!'  Those who seek, crave and rejoice, in beer with big, bold, bitter character will find true nirvana in Stone Ruination IPA!"  3 for 3 for the evening.  These were all very nice beers.  Stone and Oskar Blues do not disappoint.