Beer Sampling - Maduro Brown Ale

I'm over-the-top with the posts and consumption lately, but it's been a stay-at-home weekend with the wifey sick and the hubby looking for saucy fun in the form of good beers.

This is Cigar City's Maduro Brown Ale.


Poured from a can in to a pint.

A - solid brown in the middle, lighter brown towards the top and bottom of the pint (b/c of light and reflecting light); 1/4 inch head; nice yet dissipating lacing

S - cocoa; oaty; milky; really nutty; some subtle caramel of toffee

T - roasted malt up front; milk chocolate; cocoa up front and on the back; the roasted maltiness shines through; there's some subtly sweet oatmeal here; some mild and subtle hop aroma

M - this beer is creamy and pleasantly carbonated; mild body despite a full flavor; well-balanced; hardly any notion of alcohol; nutty smoothness

O - technically not sessionable at 5.5, this is still the kind of brown ale you could drink all night; there profile is solid...slightly sweet, delicious on the front end and the back, lots of roasted nutty goodness. Great brown ale offering up there with Avery's Ellies for any everyday beer.

Serving type: can

Some extra froth due to frosty mug...Maduro Brown Ale from Cigar City

Beer Sampling - Plymouth Rock Pumpkin Ale

Purchased at Bubble's which is across the street from Rockyard Brewing, the creator of this seasonal bomber. Here are the notes:


Poured into tulip-pint

A - reddish amber; virtually no head; no lacing; very little carbonation

S - caramel; toffee; boozy-ish from the malt I think; spicy

T - sweet bread; moderate pumpkin but heavy on the nutmeg; again, spicy; hints of molasses; some candy corn maybe; cinnamon in there as well

M - it's a little bitey; the molasses hits the back of the tongue adn stays; the spices hit there too; pretty easy to drink given all the spice activity here

O - this was purchased across the street from the brewery; that said, the bomber was $5...pretty solid for that price; I'm a big pumpkin fan in general, so this review is slightly weighted...however, this is towards the bottom third of pumpkin beers I've tried; nothing blew me away here...but a good value beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

Plymouth Rock Pumpkin Ale - Rockyard Brewing Co.

Beer Sampling - Russian River Pliny the Elder

Russian River Pliny the Elder - 8%abv; bottled on 8/14/12...YES, I realize this probably should have been enjoyed sooner; "hoppy beers are not meant to be aged", yadda x3; I hadn't encountered a Pliny until some time in August having kept my eyes open (albeit somewhat passively) for a couple of years, and then I encountered and bought 3 within a 5 week period; I was trying to save this last one as long as I felt I should, and realized it's now 2.5 months from the bottled date.

Pliny has a reputation that precedes itself, ranked regularly as one of the finest doubles; appearance is deep golden; there are some serious bubbles cranking in this, looking very effervescent; the head is massive and frothy; the lacing is sticky and staunch...after a sip the glass is barely visible from the other side.

The aromas make your mouth water; bitter citrus and grapefruit; heavy on the dank pine smell too.

The beer tastes like you think an IPA should: aggressively hop forward, slightly bitter but not overwhelmingly so; the hoppy flavors are not try, yet the beer keeps you grasping for more; there's a sweet-soapy taste on the backend and I fear it has something to do with me saving it, but feel I can remember this flavor from previous encounters; there is a tantalizing bread feel here too.

It's a smooth mouthfeel, a little cloying and just the right amount of carbonation; it goes down really smooth but leaves some sticky froth in the throat.

Obviously this is a top shelf beer and worth getting your hands on anytime...it's (usually) cheap too...only $6 for a 510ml. Russian River does a really good job with supply in that the manage to keep the demand heavy, maybe unnecessarily so but I don't work RR QC. That said, I've had better/comparable DIPAs that didn't evade me for years. If they made just a bit more of this and retained the quality, it just might be the best beer around for the money. As it stands, it compares well with DFH90, Firestone Walker Double Jack, and ODells Myrcenary.

The highly regarded Pliny the Elder

Beer Advocate Profile

I went out and made one...finally...and moved some 50-odd reviews from the blog over to there.

My profile is here.

I also went out and organized a Facebook group as I attempt to encourage a loose collection of friends and family to get together on a regular basis for a bottle share. The group is called the Front Range Bottle Share and the Facebook page is here. We'll see if I can grease the wheels on the idea and start getting folks together to share, explore, and enjoy.

I'm also going to start to at least TRY and use the typically utilized criteria for beer reviews:

Appearance
Smell
Taste
Mouthfeel
Overall

Does the ASTMO acronym seem a little odd to anyone else?

You can learn more about these designations from the Beer Advocate website and/or below:

What to look for 
There are five categories to evaluating a beer with your review: 

Appearance - Note the beer's color, carbonation, head and its retention. Is it clear or cloudy? Does it look lackluster and dull or alive and inviting? 

Smell - Bring the beer to your nose. Note the beer's aromatic qualities. Malts: sweet, roasty, smoky, toasty, chocolaty, nutty, caramelly, biscuity? Hops: dank / resiny, herbal, perfumy, spicy, leafy, grassy, floral, piney, citrusy? Yeast will also create aromas. You might get fruity or flowery aromas (esters) from ales and very clean aromas from lagers, which will allow the malt and hop subtleties to pull through. 

Taste - Take a deep sip of the beer. Note any flavors, or interpretations of flavors, that you might discover. The descriptions will be similar to what you smell. Is the beer built-well? Is there a balance between the ingredients? Was the beer brewed with a specific dominance of character in mind? How does it fit the style? 

Mouthfeel - Take another sip and let it wander. Note how the beer feels on the palate and its body. Light, heavy, chewy, thin / watery, smooth or coarse? Was the beer flat, over-carbonated? 

Overall - Your overall impression of the beer. 

Beer Sampling - Cigar City Jai Alai IPA

Cigar City Jai Alai 

I continued my exploration of recently received Cigar City brews with the cranking open of my Jai Alai IPA in a can. Here are my notes, with the beer poured from aforementioned can in to the above-viewable and always favorite snifterpint:

Crisp looking and deep gold/amber with some sediment present; exceptional foam, nearly a full inch; heavy lacing as well; smell-wise, this beer is really floral; smells like tangerines and oranges; Jai Alai has a pretty subdued taste given the heavy hints of hop and citrus on the nose; I'm getting notes of hops, bitter orange and tropical fruit, and some kind of cream; there is depth here, but I can't pinpoint what the layers are; it's crisp, creamy, and makes my glands salivate when I drink it; there's a solid malt-hop balance in the mouth; the bitter hops linger long on the tongue; overall, this is a solid IPA...plenty of punch packed without tasting too boozy. Great can of beer that I liken to Ska's Modus Hoperandi...with a little less bitter-hop up front and a lot more creaminess. 

Here are reviews on this beer from Beer Advocate.

Beer Sampling - Founders Breakfast Stout

We'll keep this one short and simple, because I really shouldn't be focused on a beer post at 7:20AM.

Founders Breakfast Stout - 8.3%abv; "double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout"; black as night; brown foamy 1/4 inch head; sticky lacing; full of coffee aromas on the nose, dark chocolate too; lots of roasted malt present; pleasantly hopped at 60IBUs; tastes like sweet cold coffee with the perfect amount of alcohol; slightly oatmeal-y; the sticky continues as the black gold drags from my mustache; slightly bitter on the back end just like you'd expect from a coffee stout; enjoyed on International Stout Day...jackpot!

Founders Breakfast Stout - one of the best stouts made EVER

From the Founders Brewing site:

Breakfast Stout

On Tap!

 

The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and Sumatra and Kona coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever.

ABV: 8.3%

IBUs: 60

Availability: Sep - Feb

Beer Sampling - Cigar City Tocobaga Red Ale

I've been hyper-actively engaged with various beer purchases from LetsPour.com of late. I need to stop, seriously. Because like any good shopper, there is only an end to the madness when you run out of resources. But I haven't seen Cigar City anywhere since I tried them at GABF last year...and they make some really good beer. Of note: if you're curious about online beer shopping, check out LetsPour...and if you're interested in Cigar City specifically and want to explore beyond LetsPour, check out LuekenLiquors.com. Keep in mind that some states do not allow beer sales/delivery to private individuals (read: residences) without a specific license to do so. Thankfully, Colorado is NOT one of those totally up-tight states. Given the passage of Prop 64 on Tuesday, Colorado is about as NOT up-tight as Amsterdam.

Anyway, I've executed three orders of various Cigar City beers through LetsPour in the past two weeks. I've also placed an order for a friend as a favor. My last order that included today's beer was a little jumbled: I was suppose to get a CG Jai Alai white oak, but the packagers replaced that desirable beer with a third Tocobaga. After consulting with customer service, I was refunded $5 and given a $5 coupon towards a future purchase. Not bad, but I'm left without knowing what Jai Alai white oak tastes like! Lueken's sells it though, so I may give them a shot with an order soon.

To the beer!

Cigar City Tocobaga Red Ale - 7.2%abv; the beer is deep amber, almost a reddish copper in color; there's a small head with consistent lacing present; it smells crisp with clear hints of hops up front; subtly grapefruit-y and citrus-y; very well-balanced 'red'; pleasant hop flavor w/o being too overwhelming; some additional notes of sweet fruit, like a pineapple or kiwi...muted, but present; very smooth and almost a silky mouthfeel; a little dry bite on the backend coming from the red ale side of this beer; overall, very quality and completely sessionable. Look for more Cigar City reviews to come!

Cigar City Tocobaga Red Ale

From the CG site:


ABV: 7.2% IBU: 75 OG: 18 SRM: 12
Available year round
(Florida only) 

The Tocobaga lived off the bounty of Tampa Bay hundreds of years before the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500’s. They were potters, tool makers and the only Florida natives to grow maize. The large platform mounds they built are still with us today, with one of the largest found near Old Tampa Bay in Safety Harbor, Florida.
Climb to the top, and with a little imagination, you can see Tampa Bay as they did.

Tasting Notes
Pours amber in color with notes of citrus and caramel. Citrus hop bitterness upfront with notes of caramel and an Amish bread sweetness. Citrus hop bitterness returns at the end for a long dry finish.

Beer Sampling - Short's Brewing Co.'s Black Cherry Porter

Among the myriad of MI-area beers I brought back, Short's Brewing Co.'s Black Cherry Porter was included. Based on what I've seen on the shelves, their bottled beers are varied and vast. I've tried their Soft Parade (fruit infused rye ale) and their Huma Lupa Licious (IPA). I was really tempted to pick-up, if only for novelty's sake, their Bloody Beer, a "light bodied beer fermented with Roma tomatoes and spiced with dill, horseradish, peppercorns, and celery seed." YUM. Who wouldn't want one of those on a Sunday morning?!

Anyway, I dragged back a six-pack of the Black Cherry Porter and shared four with my brother and father-in-law. There's no description on their website for the beer, so you'll have to trust me and rely on mine if you're interested in its flavor profile. Here we go!

Short's Black Cherry Porter

Short's Brewing Co. Black Cherry Porter - 7.0%abv; brewed with black cherry puree; color-wise, this beer is dark, almost oil-like; there are some very slight red tinges in the head, which is a bit frothy and sits at about a quarter inch; the lacing is substantial and stays on the glass well after a sip subsides; the nose is very dark roasted, almost bitter; there is a very light sweetness in the aroma; that said, there really isn't any cherry flavor here; it's pretty bitter on the tongue, almost coffee roasted; again, some very light sweetness in flavor but the cherry is non-distinguished; interesting taste for sure and heavy like a porter!

Beer Sampling - Greenbush Brewing Co. Brother Benjamin

I alluded to my capture of a 4-pack of Greenbush Brewing Co.'s Brother Benjamin in a brewery review from a couple weeks back. The Sawyer, MI brewery's Imperial IPA offering checks in at 10.1%abv and 114 IBUs...pretty serious business for a heady imperial. I had hoped to hang on to this beer for a bit but am now two-deep into the four-pack. It's probably not going to make it to Xmas, but at this point...who cares!? 'They' say you shouldn't store and save your IPAs anyway...

So here are my tasting notes:

Brother Benjamin - 10.1%abv; 114 IBUs; imperial IPA; poured in to my non-traditional tulip pint, the color up front is caramel or deep amber; heading-wise, there is some solid beige froth; consistent lacing that stays sip after sip; the beer is very rich in citrus aromas with a touch of dry floral; there are some additional notes of grapefruit and cake-bread; the hops used in this beer 'feel' really bite-y, with a lot of pine-forward and semi-bitter finishes; you can taste the booze in this, although that doesn't make it un-balanced; it's also full of grapefruit notes on the back-end. This is a pretty big beer from such a small brewery, but I love having a taste of MI back here in CO and I'll buy this again when I head back.

Greenbush Brewing Co's Imperial IPA: Brother Benjamin. 'Prepare to be mystified!'

Beer Sampling - Paradox Bandeau Artiste

I caught wind of this new brewery in Woodland Park while checking out what was on tap at the 2nd closest brewery to home, Pikes Peak Brewing. Paradox Beer Company apparently just opened up in Woodland Park. Their website is pretty scant, but some additional and worthwhile information about their beer and the brewery itself can be found on their Facebook page.

According to this post on the Focus on the Beer website, last Friday was Paradox's grand release party. I believe the party took place at Pike's. Perhaps needless to say, I opened up my Project Bandeau Artiste Trip on Friday night, albeit at home in the comfort of my office leather chair.

According to the brewery's website, the Artiste Trip is all of the following: a Belgian Style Golden Ale, a Peche Lambic, and a Farmhouse Style Saison. I stopped in at Monument's Cork and Bottle and picked up bottle # 622 of 720. Here are my tasting notes:

Paradox Bandeau Artiste Trip, #622 of 720

Paradox Bandeau Artiste Trip - American-Belgo Blond Ale; 7.9%abv; ale aged in wine barrles; bottle conditioned; golden in color; carbonation is active; very minimal heading; lacing that is light and subsides quickly; Belgian yeast all over the nose; fruity on the nose as well, with some malt-forward aroma; faint hints of peach or apple; taste-wise, the Belgian yeast shines through with additional hints of peach; a little champagne in the mouthfeel; perhaps Chardonnay barrels were used in the aging...overall, a pretty decent beer that begs additional investigation with new releases from the brewery.

HopCat, Grand Rapids, MI

HopCat, visited on 10/10  (http://www.hopcatgr.com/main/About.aspx)

HopCat, essentially a beer-bar that also brews some of its own beers, was rated as the #3 such thing (a beer-bar, duh) by Beer Advocate. That's some seriously lofty praise, but we were intrigued. While attempts were made to actually try HopCat's beer, the tap list is pretty amazing and enough so to return the next time we're in Michigan. The location appears to be an old and restored street corner in downtown GR...it's a great location with ample street parking available and cobblestone streets in all directions.

The decor in HopCat is pretty neat, with a stamped reference to the building being used for transporting ghosts or something...I can't quite recall and I didn't take notes...I was having a fun day instead. HopCat is only about three blocks from Founders, so one could theoretically hoof it to two of GR's finest beer drinking establishments. The rustic-chic feel inside the bar is comfortable without being stuffy, although I can't say the same for the wait staff...we both got that 'too cool for school' vibe from our female attendee. There is lots of cool wood and art work inside, including the montage of band and actor wall-paper in the bathrooms. I could drink here all day...there were multiple students in here posted up for prolonged periods of time.

Here's what we tried:

Kwintel - 8.5%abv; imperial brown ale with Michigan maple syrup; heavy brown in color; solid head; moderate to heavy lacing that remind generally consistent; slightly sweet on the nose; boozy too; moderate sweet on the tongue; passive maple flavor; solid and well-balanced brown; not overly nuanced but certainly a solid take on a brown with local flavors instilled.

Hoppopotomous IPA - 6.3%abv; clear copper; light head; strong lacing throughout consumption; solid citrus on the nose; perfect up-front flavor balance; moderately hoppy; very solid sessionable beer all-in-all; slightly bitter on the back end.

We are intrigued enough to come back, and will at some point in the future. It may require an overnight stay in GR however.

Not only is she my beer-drinking buddy, but she's also my wife. Hairclub for Mike! 

Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI

Founders Brewing Company, visited on 10/10  (http://foundersbrewing.com/)

Our second stop of the day of MI brewery visits included Founders in Grand Rapids. Founders is extremely well-known for their Breakfast Stout of which I've dragged two four-packs back home to CO with me. Their Breakfast Stout includes a 99/100 rating on Beer Advocate...pretty impressive work. That said, I didn't try one at the brewery and have regretted it since. We still had two more stops on the day!

The brewery is just off the highway and tucked in to what looks like a recently rejuvenated downtown part of Grand Rapids, to include a lot of brick cobblestone streets and new builds. There appears to be a pretty legit sammich/snack menu, but we didn't indulge and instead spent $15 on a screwed-in bottle opener. Here's a shot of the brewery from the front:

I get the impression I could spend several days poking around beer haunts in Grand Rapids...unfortunately, we only had a few hours. Thankfully, HopCat (review to come!) was walkable from Founders. Here's what we drank, in pint form no less:

Licorice Whip - 5.4%abv; light looking, almost clear golden in color; minimal head, consistent and solid lacing; smells like liquid pizzelle; slightly black licorice on the nose; consistently rising bubbles and strong carbonation; instantly licorice up front; plenty of bitter notes that both instantly whet the palate AND make it kinda dry; the beer gives me a slight dizzying feel because of the strange and unique flavor. Well-balanced for such a different taste.

Centennial IPA - 7%abv; pleasant copper in color; light head; nice orange-smelling tones on the nose; robust lacing; lacing lasts through the entire beer; good balance of malt and hop; definitely hop-driven however; slightly minty but mostly hoppy...and clearly Centennial-hop forward; leaves a lot on the tongue after it's gone; kinda busy; a 'blue collar' IPA to me. Solid overall.

Our beers and my wife...

Bell's Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI

Bell's Brewery, visited on 10/10 (http://bellsbeer.com/eccentric-cafe/)

As a continuance of our honeymoon/Michigan beer tour, Holly and I headed out on a four-stop trip through Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids (rated #22 among 'beer cities' in the world), and Holland, hitting up some of the state's finest craft beer establishments. I'm going to review Bell's, perhaps my favorite stop of the day.

Bell's Eccentric Cafe is located in a cool somewhat industrial/but downtown part of Kalamazoo. It seems to be near the main drag of the city and adjacent to railroad tracks, adding elements of blue collar nostalgia. The bar is neat with an interesting take on service: you head to the bar to give beer and food orders, and pick up both when they're ready. We enjoyed the pretzel plate which was just ho-hum. There is also a sweet beer store with a ton of beer-making items and ingredients to go along with Bell's shwag.

Entrance to Eccentric Cafe

Here's what we tried, and keep in mind that while I realize 'real' taste-tests need to come in the form of a pint, this was our first stop of the day. I didn't want to blow my beer load but did instantly desire a return visit the moment I walked out the door to get my hands on some fuller pint-tastings:

Draft list

EXP Hop 2012-4 - 4.8%abv; penned a Hefeweizen with 998 hops; nice copper color, much darker than typical hefies; lil head; consistent lacing; airy smell; lil fruity with fruity pebbles up front; solid and interesting as a hoppy-hefe.

Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout - 10.9%abv; let's be honest, we got right after it here...if a beer on the draft list seemed 'big', I ordered it up: no wonder I left here well on my way; the color here is deep mahogany; light red at the top; no head; minimal lacing; boozy on the nose, slightly sweet; very bourbon-y in flavor; very faint smell/taste of cherry; delicious and extremely well balanced...dank!

Bourbon Barrel Batch 9000 - 14.9%abv; um, yeah...this is a f'n wine; it's hardcore with booze and a pint of this would put you on your ass; it's an aged imperial stout; looks dark brown, almost black and tan; minimal head; hints of vanilla and clove; light lacing; really boozy, really bourbon-y (again); this is heady and will get you drunk. 

This One Goes to 11 - 11%abv; imperial red ale; reddish copper; moderate head; grapefruit and citrus strong on the nose; wow, this beer is awesome...delicious pine and citrus balance; one of the best beers I've ever tried; perfect balance! Top notch beer! (note: I somehow found a 6er of this at a farmer's market in Sawyer...I brought it back in full and will review further in a future post. No I will not share).

Rye Stout - 6%abv; 'earthy, dark chocolate aroma'; significant head; strong lacing; deep brown in color; malty on the nose; chocolate malt in flavor; one of the lightest stouts I've tried; easy and sessionable, but slightly bitter.

Double Cream Stout - 6%abv; 'made with 10 specialty malts'; darkest of the beers we tried, and that's saying a lot; medium head; minimal lacing; cocoa and malty nose; slightly bitter; faint hints of hops; easy-drinking stout with a creamy aftertaste, easy mouthfeel; solid overall.

Build your own sampler...and I did! 

Thanks Bell's...we'll be back...and I already can't wait to get in to the sixer of TOGT11 when I get the chance. Jackpot!

Greenbush Brewing Company, Sawyer, MI

Greenbush Brewing Company, visited 10/9 (and 10/11 and 10/13!) (http://www.greenbushbrewing.com/)

I mentioned Greenbush back in my early September post about summer travels and brewery visits. We were back in MI for our honeymoon and Greenbush is about 10 miles from the lake house. Needless to say, we went to GB three times last week. They rock a killer pulled pork sammich with delicious sauces, really tasty pub cheese, and other good eats. They also rock outstanding beer, including seasonals and in-house specialties. Here are some tasting notes:

Unicorn Killer Pumpkin Ale - 7.4%abv; copper color; great frothy head; slightly sweet on the nose; consistent lacing down the glass; well-balanced up front; malt-forward; good, soft and subtle pumpkin flavor; sessionable fall beer; a little 'bitey' on the back end.

Unicorn Killer

P. Tenera Brown Ale - 7.6%abv; made with nori and shitake mushrooms; ordered up by a Japanese chef in Chicago; dark in color; very small head; minimal lacing; bitter brown in the nose; slightly sweet in the nose too; smooth, almost sweet in flavor...which is odd for a beer made with mushrooms; tastes like it'd go great with sushi actually...mild and complimenting.

P. Tenera Brown Ale

Felt Board Messiah Belgian Trippel - 9.9%abv; made with Vignole Grapes from Domaine Berrien Winery; golden in hue; real sweet in smell; described as a beer with Welches grape juice; tastes wine-sweet in flavor; well-defined sweet/grape up front; hidden ABV which makes this dangerously delicious and accessible to traditional wine-drinkers averse to beer.

Mr. Hyde Sumatran Coffee Cream Stout - 7.8%abv; light head; solid lacing; dark brown in color; coffee bitter on the nose; slightly caramel too; really solid coffee flavor; malty, bitter, all about the dark roast/Sumatran coffee blend flavorwise; I believe this is GB's answer to the ever-popular Founders Breakfast Stout, if only unintentionally.

WIPA - 7.8%abv; wheat IPA; light gold in color; frothy head; strong lacing; light, fruity hop nose;  hoppy wheat or wheaty IPA...can't say which trumps the other, but this fact at least makes it a well-balanced beer; tasty sessionable with a solid ABV punch. 

1825 Belgian Strong Ale - 9.3%abv; considered a Belgian golden ale; the beer is absolutely a nice golden hue; the lacing is solid, with a minor head; the beer smells fruity but still very strong and boozy; it's easy to taste the sugars in this beer; at 9.3%, it's serious business when it comes to consumption, and I think our waiter at the time (while totally overwhelmed w/ other patrons on a very busy Saturday) mistakenly poured me a pint of this when I had asked for a 4 ozer...no worries! This is a VERY strong offering in both flavor and alcohol.

I also picked up a four-pack of Brother Benjamin, GB's Imperial IPA. According to their site, here are the following specs. I tried one of these singularly at the house in MI and picked up a four-pack for home in CO:

Prepare to be Mystified

Be prepared, be prepared I say, to receive the mighty powerful taste of this truly heavenly Imperial India Pale Ale! It is a true force of nature my children! It's a mystification!

Grain: Maris Otter Pale, Belgian Munich, Belgian Aromatic, Caramel Malt 60, Honey Malt, Honey

Hops: Columbus and Cascade

Yeast: House yeast

Extras: Clover Honey and Beet Sugar

Specs:

114 ibu

alc. 10.1% by vol.

15º Lovibond

I ALSO grabbed a six-pack of Memento Mori, GB's Oktoberfest Ale, to share with friends and family. Here's the description, and I'll update the blog with tastings notes of both bottled beers in the coming weeks:

A perfect way to pass the time

Ahhh, Fall. Time for contemplation, time for relaxing, time for… a Greenbush Oktoberfest ale. German noble hops linger like summer days past before the end of yet another season. Enjoy one now before it's too late.

Grain:Maris Otter, Munich, Crystal 40L, Honey Malt, Chocolate Malt

Hops: Hallertau

Yeast: house yeast

Specs:

alc. 6.3% by vol.

27 ibu

Cheers! And thanks Greenbush for all the good food, great beer, and time well-spent in SW MI. We'll absolutely be back! 

Beer Sampling - Southern Tier Unearthly IPA

I should follow-up with my comments two posts ago about my collection of beer presently and all the catching up I have to do on this blog (with beer content, of course). I managed to kind of snicker away a few Southern Tier Brewing Co. beers after our trip back east this summer. That is, after I dragged them all back to CO. The brewery is awesome...certainly one of the best in the NE-Mid-Atlantic area, in my humble opinion.

After a busy few days and some household chores, I decided to reward myself with my 3-months young Southern Tier Unearthly IPA. "Another IPA!", you say...yes indeedy...I'm hop-driven. I poured this bad boy in to a fluted pint (again, see below) and discovered some serious olfactory joy. The beer smells like fresh hops and sweet malt, with the latter coming through almost moreso upon consumption. Unearthly poured almost deep copper...practically redish but still retaining some shiny hues. The head was perfect...a solid one-inch of lacy goodness. The beer is balanced, complete, sweet and bitter...one of the best IPAs have tried 'new' in a long time. If you happen upon one of these, definitely pick it up. I can only imagine how good the oak-aged Unearthly is...

Here are the notes from Southern Tier's website:


ABOUT THE BEER
STYLE: Imperial India Pale Ale
BREWED SINCE: 2006
ABV: 9.5%
FERMENTATION: Ale yeast, two types of malt, four varieties of hops
COLOR: Light copper
EFFERVESCENCE: Medium carbonation
NOSE: Sweet malts, piney hops, a bit grassy
FLAVOR: Lightly sweet, caramel, big hops linger, peppery
BITTERNESS: High
BODY: Medium-bodied, but dense, resinous.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 42°F
GLASS: Fluted glass
AVAILABILITY: Year-round / 22oz / 1/2 keg, 1/6 keg
CELLARING: 35-40°F

Great work Southern Tier...you've once again hit another beer out of the park. Cheers!

Beer Sampling - New Belgium/Alpine Beer Co. 'Super IPA'

Last Friday, I enjoyed a New Belgium 'Lips of Faith' series collaboration with Alpine Beer Co. beer. It's called a 'Super IPA' and at 9% and 99IBUs, it would appear, at least mathematically, pretty super.

I poured this guy out in to my 'snifter-pint' glass (see image below) and took my notes. There are some nice, golden hues here, a soft head with some great lacing overall. It smells dry-hopped to me, and of course it is. According to the bottle, it's a "triple dry hopped Imperial IPA bursting with Columbus, Amarillo, Centennial and Simcoe hops."

From the New Belgium site:


The Alpine Beer Co. and New Belgium have come together for the love of IPAs. This collaboration is hop-wonderful with Amarillo, Columbus, Simcoe and Centennial hops, bringing the bitter all the way to the front. A nice balance Is present with Pale, C-80 and Carapils malts, but the tropical and citrus tones of the American hops dominate. This Super IPA pours a sheened copper and carries a bright, white head. Consider yourself a hero for getting an  Alpine beer outside of San Diego.

Just the facts Ma'am...
Birthdate - August, 2012
ABV - 9.0%
IBU - 99
Calories - 265
Hops - Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo, Centennial
Malts - Pale, C-80, Melanoidin, Acidulated, Carapils
Body - Medium-Light
Aroma - Hop domination: dark dank pine, fresh cut grass, citrus, herbal, slight hints of fresh sweet bready malt character in the background.
Mouthfeel - Almost coating from the crazy amount of essential hop oils, warm in the palate and belly from that 9+%ABV, firm and enduring bitterness.
Flavor - Bitter and Boozy Baby! The malt sweetness tries so hard just to brush against the hop bitterness without countering its cause in this SUPER IPA!
Visual - Golden sunflower with a slight hop sheen, low foam and even lacing.

I enjoyed the taste of this beer...slightly licorice-y, hop flavor with the right amount of malt. It's definitely got that traditional citrus/piney flavor of bigger IPAs. It's pretty hop-forward, but ultimately well-balanced. I don't notice the high ABV too exceptionally, usually a good thing. This is a solid collaboration beer, although when all is said and done, not overly remarkable. Good work in general and at $6.99, certainly worth the experimentation.

Blog Update: I Swear I Still Drink Beer

So, I realize it's been nearly three whole months since I've authored a post. But it certainly hasn't been that long since I last enjoyed a beer, visited a dank microbrewery, or otherwise thought about content for this blog. I/we have been ridiculously busy over the summer, to include extensive travel, a bunch of concerts, and work trips.

That said, I want to update you on some of my non-Colorado brewery visits AND let you in on some changes to this blog. I know I can't go explore a new microbrewery on a weekly basis, at least not now that I've covered a good chunk of breweries on the front range (although I still need to get up to Fort Fun and north Denver upwards!). So I'm going to start doing bomber and other dank beer reviews on here to keep myself...and you...more engaged. I've got a number of SUPER heady beers on stash in the house, and starting very soon I'll get in to individual beer reviews that I enjoy from the comforts of my own  home.

This summer, Holly and I ventured up to her parent's lake house in MI...another FINE state for craftbrewing. Last summer, we did the same...and Holly and I managed to find a really neat little microbrewery in Sawyer, MI called Greenbush. Greenbush Brewing does some amazing work beer-wise...including their IPA Dunegras and their black IPA Anger. They do some really good specialty beers on-site too...so if you're ever in the area, including nearby South Bend...go and visit Greenbush!

While traveling back east, we also managed to visit one of my favorite non-Dogfish Head Brewery-breweries (more on them in a bit), Southern Tier Brewing Company. Southern Tier does AMAZING work...and their tap room, in little Lakewood, NY (near the beautiful Chautauqua Lake) is ideal: cozy but spacious, surrounded by natural wood elements and a great outdoor patio space. There's even a cool outdoor stage for live music. Anyway, back to the beer...2xIPA and Phin and Matt's (pale ale) are excellent year-round staples that we sampled on site. We also dug in to what can only be described as dessert-perfection in a glass: Crème Brûlée Stout. If you ever get a chance to try this beer, DO IT...9.5% ABV and delicious. We also dragged back across the country a few bombers from Southern Tier: Unearthly (Imperial IPA), Gemini (Imperial Blended Unfiltered Ale), and an oak-aged Unearthly. AND...to continue ranting about Southern Tier...I joined Let's Pour, a (sort of expensive) distributor of 'sale' microbreweries based out of Washington that will ship to your door. I executed my first order last week and am awaiting some deliciousness: Southern Tier Pumking (x3), Port Brewing Mongo Double IPA, Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA, and a Silver City Brewing 'Saint Florian' IPA. I'll be sure to post reviews of each of these in the coming weeks!

Finally, both work and personal travel brought me to northern Virginia, where I managed to get myself to Dogfish Head's Alehouse in Falls Church. If you know me, you know how much I love DFH. 90 Minute, 120 Minute, Punkin Ale, Palo Santo Marron...all SUPER DANK in my world. I managed to gather 6 of my local buddies at the Alehouse and I believe we all got tuned up on some DFH greatness. I managed to enjoy 120 Minute, Palo Santo, Raison D'etre, and Black & Blue on draft. I know that any time in the future I head back to the DC-area, I'll be making a stop here.

So that's it for now...I'll be posting some reviews...and any lucky trips to microbreweries...here in the coming weeks. Stick with it...there'll be a lot of really great sampling as fall gears up. Cheers!

BJ's Brewhouse, Boulder

BJ's Brewhouse, visited on 5/27 (http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/bj-beers)

Let's be honest: many 'traditional' microbreweries might not consider a BJ's, or another 'chain' restaurant as a true craft brewer. But BJ's makes, at least in appearance, small batch beers, if only they're supplying regional other chains in doing so. It doesn't appear they bottle, and this little brewhouse on Pearl Street in Boulder as all the appearances (mash tons, tanks, etc.) of a 'normal' microbrewery.

The same party that visited Wild Mountain in Nederland stopped in at BJ's somewhat accidentally, essentially looking for a place to consume a drink or two while awaiting dinner. BJ's has an overly ridiculous food menu (think Cheesecake Factory) and a decent list of beers that look pretty tasty. I only managed to enjoy their HopStorm IPA, which at 6.5% ABV is completely sessionable if not overpoweringly hoppy.

I'm sure given all our recent jaunts to Boulder, we'll come back to BJ's for a few more pints and I'll update this post at that point. If you can get past that chain-feel of a microbrewery, which is pretty easy to do with the exposed tanks and comfy booths at this venue, you might find yourself enjoying one of their offerings without feeling like you've lost your 'beer edge'. The sip of Harvest Hefeweizen I tried was good, and I'd love to try their Pumpkin Ale in the fall. Perhaps we'll see you in November...

Wild Mountain Brewery, Nederland, CO

Wild Mountain Brewery, visited on 5/26  (http://wildmountainsb.com/)

With Chris and Kate in town for a long Memorial Day weekend visit, we trekked up to Estes and elsewhere for some gorgeous mountain vistas and general exploration. After stopping at the Stanley Hotel and deferring our planned drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park, we took the Peak-to-Peak Highway to Nederland where we all decided we were in desperate need of some beer. A stop at Wild Mountain Brewery did the trick.

Nederland is a pretty rugged and crunchy town, first and foremost, but one with enough amenities and beauty to live in full-time. The town's seemingly sole brewery fit the description of the town itself, with a cozy atmosphere, full food menu, and a gorgeous back deck that while pretty windy on most days, serves as a great outpost for enjoying some afternoon brews. There's a front deck as seen below that's great for enjoying a couple pints and people watching, the latter activity seemingly well-fulfilled given the town's inhabitants.

Holly and I shared a sampler as I was driving and she's a lightweight...and yes, I realize samplers aren't really the ideal way to go when trying to enjoy a brewery's beers to the fullest. Sure you can try near everything made, but you can't really enjoy 3 ounce pours as well as you can a full pint. That said, here's an image of the sampler we enjoyed:

The Otis Pale Ale (middle, I believe) was a decent, sessionable pale with a solid balance and a generally clean mouthfeel. I favored the Hop Diggity IPA, Wild Mountain's "biggest ale", but it wasn't overly hoppy or boozy. I can't quite recall what the other beers were all about, which isn't necessarily a good sign, but a couple pints of Hop Diggity might justify a future visit. We'll think about a return in the fall when the gorgeous surrounding terrain changes and the brewery becomes that much more cozy.

Lone Tree Brewing Company, Lone Tree

Lone Tree Brewing Company, visited on 5/13  (http://www.lonetreebrewingco.com/)

Holly and I have visited Lone Tree Brewing Company on a number of prior occasions, but I had never sat down and put pen to paper (or finger to iPhone, as it were) as it relates to the brewery's beer offerings. LTBC holds a fairly special place in my heart as it was the location where I asked Holly's dad for her hand in marriage. Let's just say Sunday's visit was a little less stressful than that fateful visit back in February.

LTBC is yet another brewery operation posted up in a nondescript commercial strip, really close to Park Meadows but thankfully off the beaten path of other strip malls and PM Mall. The bar room is pretty sprawling with ample table spaces and a really big soft-L shaped bar. The tanks and fermenters are all visible, as is the general working space for those lucky employees who are regularly tasked with creating what I drink. There are a few TVs in the bar, a stack of games in the corner, and a popcorn machine to help wash their tasty beers down with something salty. Strike that though, and reverse it...Willy Wonka style.

Here's what we drank, this time. I've enjoyed every one of their flagship beers and the February-to-May carryover, Cherry Chocolate Stout, on prior visits:

Hoptree IPA - 80IBUs, 8.0%ABV; dark amber in color; very minimal head; light lacing; 'soapy' bubbles present; grassy on the nose; hoppy and citrusy, almost orange or tangerine smelling; great balance up-front; overall, heady grapefruit and smooth hop flavor; bitter and slightly piney; easy-going 8% abv beer...borderline sessionable; probably the best LTBC beer, although I'm always sympathetic to IPAs.

Hoptree IPA in foreground, with a line of yummy taps behind

Toots Oatmeal Stout - 31IBUS, 5.2%ABV; very dark colored...almost tar-looking; small head; light lacing; lightly sweet and oatmeal-y on the nose; nutty, almost coffee-pungent aromas; nutty on the front when drank; again, lightly sweet and cocoa smooth; good, well-balanced stout.

Das Bart Dunkelweizen - 15IBUs, 5.8% ABV; I originally ordered the Hefeweizen, which I've tried and liked on prior visits, but the keg was getting changed and the barkeep recommended this tasty number; great 1-inch head; nut-brown looking; smells a bit like a burnt banana; spicy bubblegum on the nose and mouth; kinda tastes like roasted banana bread in liquid form; hints of clove and all-spice; German-malt-laced Hefe, by all accounts; good beer!

I always enjoy my visits at LTBC, and while it's a bit far away from the city and well in to the suburbs, it's absolutely worth a visit. There's quality beer getting made here...and as far as I know, short of a few local restaurants, you can only get it on-site.

Mountain Sun Brewery, Boulder

Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery, visited on 4/5/12  (http://www.mountainsunpub.com/)

I've been to their sister restaurant in Denver a few times and it's always been packed. Holly and I stopped at the original location in Boulder off the Pearl Street pedestrian mall prior to hitting up an Explosions in the Sky show at Boulder Theater. It wasn't tremendously crazy, but still quite busy. Here's what we tried:

Hop Vivant - 10%abv; 8 oz. pour; I believe this is their seasonal imperial IPA; it's almost red in color; crisp looking; light lacing; very small head; very grapefruity on the nose; a little sugary on the nose as well; this beer tastes like fruity pebbles; good and easy hop taste, but not overly so; really soft in the mouth; I don't notice any overly heavy malt flavor; the beer lingers; hints of anise with a mouth swish; slightly bitter too; the beer sticks to your throat long after a sip; this is a good beer.

Nitro Old School Stout - unsure of the ABV, maybe around 5-6%; there's a dark look to this beer, somehow like oil; there's a nice light-looking tan head as contrast; moderate lacing; quarter-inch head; heavy malt nose; the beer is smooth poured via nitro; tastes very roasted; good light stout flavor; decent sessionable stout.

FYIPA - huge head!; 7.2%abv; again, real big head...almost a full inch and dense; dark amber in color; sorta cloudy; good lightly citrus on the nose; good hop-forward beer; 'American' hoppy - dry, slightly bitter; heavy grapefruit flavor; packs a punch too; I really like the taste of this beer; it's been dry hopped and it's noticeable; I could drink 3-4 and be hammered; good flagship IPA; Holly thinks it tastes like perfume.

Cleveland Brown - love the name by the way, an apparent ode to Family Guy, or the worst football team in NFL history...both are comical; Holly ordered this beer in an 8 oz. pour; 4.9% abv; again, dark and malty; we have a first-day waiter...this may have been the stout ordered twice, or the hops have ruined my palate!

Full menu here of a lot of tasty items; real good bar-food eats with vegan options. I had a good buffalo chicken sammich; Holly had an ok quesadilla; Good food and good drink offerings...a mandatory stop if you're poking around Pearl Street with nothing to do...or before a show at the Boulder Theater.

River North Brewery, Denver

River North Brewery, visited on 3/10/12  (http://www.rivernorthbrewery.com/)

We had wanted to stop at River North Brewery a few weeks back when we hit up Strange and DBC, but that was their opening day and it was nuts to butts in there when we drove by. The location of River North Brewery is fantastic, and walkable to Great Divide and Breckenridge Brewery, as well as the Sandlot brewery attached to Coors Field. What I'm saying is that you can hit up 4-5 great places to pound dank beers within a 6-8 block radius downtown. If that doesn't cut it for you, Falling Rock Taphouse is right there too.

The little brewpub on Blake, aside from being a kick-ass location for this Saturday's St. Paddy's Day parade, is quaint and simple. If I lived across the street at Ballpark Lofts, I'd be here almost daily. The bar area is small with some tables spread about...enough room for 25-30 people comfortably. I was a little hazy at this point in our day, but it looks like the glass windows to the right of the bar display what appears to be a HUGE brewing space, with tanks and other production devices posted up in ample room and high ceilings. There is no food served here except bags of chips for .50 cents, but there was a little food vendor set up outside. I think they were serving burritos. Again, another great place to pre-game before Rox games. Here's what we got in to:

RNB samplers...yum.

Hypothesis Belgian Double IPA - 9.0%abv; 130ibus; after doing some very preliminary research, I knew this was the first and only pint I needed to order here...and yes, you read that right: 130 ibus!; I think this is the highest claimed amount of IBUs I've ever drank in a beer; some folks in our party say the beer has a distinct anise flavor...I say it smells like heaven; the color is bright and solid amber; no head and light non-consistent lacing; the nose is like a grapefruit slap in the face; amazingly, this beer doesn't taste as boozy as 9%abv; I'm a huge fan of this beer...kudos for aggressive experimentation.

We got the sampler (picture above), with the Hypothesis the one second from the back (not the light color #2, the opposite side in the row that is dark amber). My Hypothesis pint got finished before I would try anything else they made. The black IPA (foreground front) is almost everyone's favorite; the River North White is ok; Marie Saison is good with good alcohol content and a solid balance; the Belgian Style Red is also balanced and sessionable. Good beers that will certainly evolve over time. We dug the space and the beers were impressive given the brewery's short history. Good work River North! 

Great Divide, Denver

Great Divide Brewing, visited 3/10/12  (http://greatdivide.com/)

A first stop on another mini brewery tour for Holly's brother's birthday. I've been to Great Divide a few times in the past, the last time in the summer of 2010 for Kyle Hollingsworth's Brewfest. I love the brewery and I love the beer. The venue is in a great downtown location, and while no food was present or served, a tasty looking food truck was posted up out front serving up around 7 different kinds of gourmet-ish looking sliders. The entry bar room is a little tight, but the bigger beer room in the back has plenty of space and great seating. This room is also exposed to the huge windows through the brewery room itself. The sun was shining through on a gorgeous and warm Saturday afternoon. Here's what we tried:

Hercules Double IPA - 10%abv; unknown ibus; love this in a bottle and on draft; pre-conceived notions of flavor; light head; significant lacing; exceptional bitter citrus on the nose; light lemon grapefruit notes too; the beer is very hop-forward, but retains good beer balance; a little nutty malted flavor here; easy on the mouth; could drink this all day; one of the boozier beers that hides his ABV content extremely well.

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti - 9.5%abv; good head...1/4 inch of brown foam; dark chocolate in color; good cocoa, coffee and even vanilla hints in the nose; very well-balanced; love the espresso overtones; after trying the Belgian Yeti in a bottle the night before, this one kind of blows it away; oak and subtle hop flavors on the back of the tongue.

Wild Raspberry Ale - 5.6%abv; no lacing; little head; very red in color; very fruit forward on the nose; love that it's more flavorful than a wheat; great balance; good beer...really enjoyed the refreshing taste on a warm day; good solid light fruit offering in a crowd of 'big' beers.

Oak Aged Yeti - 9.5%abv; why not try my second full draft of Yeti for the day and the third different Yeti in a 24-hour period; good near half-inch head; solid lacing; powerful oak on the nose; very earthy; slightly sweet up front; light cocoa and bitter; surprisingly hoppy; well-balanced; some hints of roasted vanilla; ultimately my favorite Yeti; this beer could get me drunk; super clean finish; still get the oak taste at the back end.

Great Divide is a downtown institution. It was slamming the entire 2 hours we were there. We even toured the brewery for shits and giggles. We tried a few other beers in sample sizes like the Hoss Rye Lager and the Nomad Pilsner, but I didn't consume more than a few sips and therefore refuse to give either a review. If you're heading to the stadium for a Rockies game, or anywhere near downtown and want to try some of the best of what CO as a whole has to offer, go to Great Divide. You won't regret it.

Pikes Peak Brewing Co., Monument

Pikes Peak Brewing, visited on 3/2/12  (http://pikespeakbrewing.com/)

I pulled in to another non-descript commercial strip, but inside the feeling is anything but ordinary. As a now-steady snow flurry fell on a cloudy Friday afternoon, I half-expected the place to be dead, or at least a little slow. Instead, there wasn't a seat at the bar and most of the cozy spots near the fireplaces were taken by older men and younger gals. While a little tight, the joint is decidedly cozy, with a near full view of the brew tanks on display through the glass windows behind the bar. If I lived close, I'd live here.

Devil's Head Red - 7.1abv, 38 ibus; first of all, I love the name, after one of my favorite front range hiking spots, Devil's Head Firetower...about 5 miles from my front-door as a crow flies; there is a very minimal head; even less lacing; the beer is a dark red amber in color; it smells hoppy, with hints of chocolate and roasted malt on the nose; there's a crisp, almost dry hop flavor, although minimally bitter; the beer is well-balanced; it's similar to O'Dell's Red, although not as nuanced, and with a light malt aftertaste; mouthwise, this is pretty clean; I get more roasted malt the longer I keep the beer on my tongue.

Gold Rush Belgian Blonde - 7.4abv; 26ibus; half-inch head; nice golden color; head settles after first sip; great Belgian hop nose; very well balanced on the nose as well; totally Belgian forward; accessible; smooth flavor; again, balanced; overall light but fruit-flavored and well-hidden abv; almost Fruity Pebble cereal taste here; good beer.

There's a light menu of food; apps, cheese/meat plates; paninis; pulled pork; soup; enough of a menu you could hang here for hours. I love that it's in Monument as it requires no highway drive for me. Neat outdoor seating = summertime return. Good adult clientele and friendly barmaids. Overall, I was impressed with the inside atmosphere and the well-balanced and alcohol-serious beers! Great work Pikes Peak!

Fruity Pebbles in a glass? Pike's Gold Rush Belgian Blonde

Rockyard Brewing Company, Castle Rock

Rockyard Brewing Company, visited on 2/24/12  (http://www.rockyard.com/)

I've been to Rockyard copious amounts of times given that it's the closest brewery to my homestead. They've also got pretty good beer, and every Friday tend to tap a firkin or small-batch keg that in my experience has usually been quite good. The brewery is really a huge restaurant too...very family-friendly and usually pretty busy. I've been here in the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday and it was slow, but otherwise, it's usually hoppin...clear signs that a one-horse brewery in any town can do well.

While discussing plans for an upcoming BIG event, Holly and I enjoyed the following:

Jellyman's Deviation - 6.1abv; a 'Belgian Hopyard IPA', or so I'm told; Jellyman is Rockyard's head brewer I believe (Kjell Wygant); the beer has a light head; little lacing; almost a light ale in color; subtle Belgian style iteration IPA; light grapefruit and citrus flavor; hop on the front, Belgian bitter towards the end.

Nitro Strike Stout - 6.2abv; Holly ordered this as we've come to acknowledge that she's the dark beer drinker in the 'family'; good half-inch head; light lacing; good roasted chocolate nose; really creamy because of the nitro; good stout flavor; balanced.

Old BroAle - 8.5abv; English style old ale; from the Brew Bros of Pikes Peak (I believe a collaboration with Rockyard); almost no head; very minimal lacing; immediately taste some sugary sweetness; similarly lightly sweet on the nose; good balance; kind of raisin-y; lightly malty; very good beer I enjoyed above all others here.

Rockyard has a full menu, a huge restaurant space, and is one of the better places to grab a decent beer in all of Douglas County. The food is usually pretty good, but I've never had anything spectacular. You don't usually come to breweries for the food though, do you? Except you wouldn't know if they are trying to be a really good brewery or a really good restaurant. I'm just happy I can do some good drinking and good eating so close to home. The Rockyard Knots, two giant jalapeno-cheese stuffed pretzels, are fantastic and great companions to beer drinking.

Denver Beer Company, Denver

Denver Beer Company, visited on 2/18/12  (http://denverbeerco.com/)

After our long day of beer at various Denver-area locations, we ended our Saturday at Denver Beer Company. The location of this brewery is practically unbeatable for downtown: right on Platte by the river in a huge and spacious industrial-vibe warehouse-y building. Most of the front of the facility is lined with the summer-appealing glass garage doors which I'm sure also lends itself well to the sun shining through in the cooler months. We were here late on a Saturday in February, so none of these positive traits prevailed in our visit. However, a few negative ones did.

Here's what we drank:

Graham Cracker Porter - real dark in color; nice half-inch head; solid lacing; good coffee aroma; very minimally sweet; good light porter flavor; very drinkable, although I desire a bit more taste in a "graham cracker" beer.

Powder Day DIPA - no clue about hops, booze, or anything else; dim amber color; light lacing; good hoppy aroma; light grapefruit; tastes too light in IBUs for a double; easy drinking; expect more from anything calling itself a double IPA.

In general, there's a cool industrial vibe brew pub; I might be wrong however, but there may have been a straight-brimmed hat dooshbag convention here that night. It may have had something to do with being somewhere newish, downtown, on a Saturday during Mardi Gras, but the crowd was less than awesome. They sell $5 soft pretzels, but that's it for food. They are giant...and look great...but a little 'undone'. Chili Billy Quesadillas was here but we didn't indulge...their menu looks good. My last note on the clientele: how many people with double ear piercings can high five each other in a 60-minute period? DBC has the answer.

Despite my notes from the night-of, I want to go back. I have to believe that such a cool location/building so close to where I lived in LoDo has the redeeming qualities I think it has, or should. Despite all of it, I wasn't overly impressed with the beer. I'm hoping a return visit in the warmer months, maybe during the week, will shed a better light on the brewery. I think some of the beer kinks are reflective of 'not having been in the game' long enough. That said, there's definite potential for the beer, the brewery, and DBC as a whole...why hasn't anyone called themselves Denver Brewing until now?!

Strange Brewing Company, Denver

Strange Brewing Company, visited on 2/18/12  (http://www.strangebrewingco.com/)

Saturday was a decidedly Denver-day-drinking experience, and only after we spent two hours at Hops and Pie in the Highlands were we ready to hit a brewery. Our stop at Hops and Pie was planned, but we weren't aware until the night before the H&P was having a 'grand opening' to celebrate the expansion...and the celebration happened to include the tapping of some 12-14 Dogfish Head beers. Now, if you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE DFH. They are far and away my favorite brewery on the east coast. There's almost nothing that comes close until you cross the Mississippi. Our group of 7 ALL enjoyed DFH beers on tap, with Bitches Brew, Chickory Stout, Hellhound, Pangea, Midas Touch, Fort, Raison D'etre and 120 Minute ALL being enjoyed in luscious pints or snifters (except Fort...which was sampled...and loved by me). I indulged in the latter two beers, having only tried Raison on draft once or twice when I lived back in NoVA and having NEVER had 120 on draft. I was actually pleasantly surprised when they came out with 120 poured in a 10 ounce pint glass...I fully expected an 8-ounce pour in a snifter. YUM. 120 Minute is easily my greatest beer indulgence.

Following our stop at H&P, we headed to Strange Brewing, kind of hidden in a non-descript commercial stretch of older shops near Mile High Station. Strange was pretty busy for a Saturday afternoon, but I'm assuming that was kind of normal. It was easy to try some other beers when you go in a group...everyone can still order a pint and everyone can give it a taste or two. Below are my tasting notes for beers I enjoyed at Strange:

Gingerbread Man - 6.5abv; 30ibus; I believe, if I can recall, that this is a brown ale, at least in style; the color was dark brown; a full inch head was found here; smells nice and spicy; there are subtle hints of nutmeg on the nose too; this tastes real gingerbready, which I love; very good, not overly sweet beer; moderate sweetness overall; very easy to drink; really good balance of taste and complexity; NICE!

Cherry Bomb Stout - 5.2abv; 46ibus; dark; very small head; no to little lacing; lightly bitter on the nose; good cherry flavor; tastes like a very light stout; sessionable; good beer with a touch of sweet cherry flavor and not overly heavy.

Cherry Kriek - 4.7abv; 15ibus; light in color; moderate to little lacing; almost red 'lager' in color; very sweet, tastes A LOT like cherry pie, and sold as such; good beer, but might be a little hard on the belly over time; probably something to enjoy after a meal; almost lambic-y without the heavy sweet.

IPAphany IPA - 7.0abv; 66ibus; light in color, almost a medium amber; minimal lacing; good hop odor, light though...likely a reflection of the moderate ibu number; good simple IPA in flavor; nothing overly complex, but well-balanced; drinkable in doses. I enjoyed this after all the sweetness I drank here.

Strange is pretty small and tight, with two rooms serving as tasting rooms with picnic tables in one; there was a food vendor on-site that was 'attached' to the open-ended picnic table room; we tried some of their 'beer balls' which were basically baked dough with sausage and something else undiscernible in it...not bad, and good to soak up some booze with. Overall, Strange had a mellow vibe with some good experimental but accessible beers. Once again, we'll be back!

Elk Mountain Brewing, Parker - Part 2

Elk Mountain Brewery, visited again on 2/12/12  (http://www.elkmountainbrewing.com/)

Following my personal visit to Elk Mountain in January, Holly and I decided after a hike last Sunday at Castlewood Canyon that we'd return. I wanted to take her on one of my favorite local drives too...83 to Greenland Road across miles of plains dirt road.

Here are the updated beers we tried that I hadn't tried before:

Pump IPA - 6.5abv; 60ibus; nice color tones, amber color but slightly darker; bubbly head; little lacing; good hop flavor, light though; light citrus on the nose; good IPA taste, not overwhelmingly hoppy; good sessionable IPA.

Ghost Town Brown - 5.3abv; unusual light brown in color; very small head; minimal lacing; light cocoa nose; very easy brown ale in flavor; touch of cocoa powder in flavor as well; apparent silver medal winner at the Colorado State Fair; comparable to the recently-tasted Avery's Ellie's Brown without all the flavor; good accessible beer.

Rock Slider Amber, on nitro - 5.5abv; like most ntiros, seriously creamy head; good light amber color; real creamy take on an easy to drink amber ale; love having nitro as an option; creamy flavor all the way through; Holly says, "bright flavor!"

We once again pulled a growler of Vanilla Caramel Porter and I've decided this beer is one of the better sweet porters I've ever tried. We can't go back for a while though...I've got to get out an explore some of the un-visited breweries!

Twisted Pine, Boulder

Twisted Pine Brewing, visited on 2/4/12  (http://www.twistedpinebrewing.com/)

Following our stop at Avery, we decided to hit up the nearby Twisted Pine Brewing. We went for a sampler here of six beers and got a free taster of a special beer that will melt your face. The brew pub is smallish, cozy, and was pretty busy. The feel was definitely one of a 'local's brewpub'...we felt welcome, and they were celebrating the launch of their Imperial Indian Black...a black IPA. The pub had a very friendly vibe and there were parents with infants enjoying tasters...the parents, not the infants. Below are the tasting notes for the beers we tried:

Billy's Chilies - 5%abv; light head, solid lacing; "the most interesting beer I've tasted", says Holly..."where's the breakfast burrito?"; Indeed, the breweries site recommends this beer with a breakfast burrito; we both felt like some hot pepper jack cheese and a butter cracker would be a great compliment as well; distinct almost burning nose; very noticeable, although not intense, chili flavor all down the throat; full flavor..."it's fun", she says; great accessible experimental beer; four days after we tried it, I still find myself craving this beer.

Raspberry Wheat - 5%abv; low to little head; little lacing; light raspberry nose; very wheaty; very light in flavor; from Holly: "like drinking raspberry sparkling water with alcohol"; good, easily sessionable fruit beer.

Hoppy Boy - 5%, although I'm not sure; small head; exceptional lacing; lightly hopped; easily sessionable; light in color, prob. light abv w/o knowing; guessing under 60IBUs as well; expect more of a hop-forward flavor from TP's primary hop beer.

Honey Brown - 6%abv; amber to brown in color; light head; serious lacing; tastes like cocoa, but not over the top; easy to drink; made with local honey, but honey flavor kind of hard to find; good slightly sweet flavor

Big Shot Espresso Stout - unsure of the abv; little head; no lacing; dark; probably a great paring with cheesecake; smells like a cup of coffee; slightly espresso bitter; tastes as if a porter and a cup of coffee were poured in to one glass; good beer!; I believe I have a 22oz. of this upstairs...and didn't know it when we tasted

Imperial Indian Black - unsure of abv; this beer was launched the day we visited; dark!; small head; solid all around lacing; very fruity on the nose; hoppy and dark; very good balance; light grapefruit; love the dark/fruity combination; prob the best beer I've tried here; will be looking for a bottle down the road; tasty!

Ghost Face Killah - I have no idea what kind of abvs are in here...and it really doesn't matter; you aren't drinking more than a few sips; I saw a $4.50 12oz bottle at Bubbles last week and almost pulled the trigger; made with a blend of Ghost Chili; almost a metallic pepper smell on the nose; burns my throat immediately; my good lord that burns; this is the hottest beer (or drink!) I've ever or will ever taste; I almost can't type as I'm taking notes; instantly feel like I'm breathing fire; NOT for the faint of heart, fun experimental beer to share with friends.

And that's it! We enjoyed TP and I think Holly counts it among her favorite breweries visited thus far. It looks like there's a light menu of pizza, sammiches and snacks, although we didn't indulge. We'll certainly be picking up a 6er of Billie's Chilies with some good cheese. Yum.

Avery Brewing Co., Boulder

Ellie's Brown Ale and duganA IPA

Avery Brewing Company, visited on 2/4/12  (http://www.averybrewing.com/)

I've long since loved Avery and count it among my top 3-4 breweries in the state. I realize these are blog-related pre-conceived notions. But their Maharaja is one of the better imperial IPAs I've ever tasted. Avery is popular and makes good beer. It's ok that I've enjoyed their offerings many times. It was finally time however to visit their brewery. And after a 2 day stretch of unending snow fall on the front range, Holly and I needed an 'outing'. We met some friends in Boulder for a show at the Fox Theatre, but not before we got our hands on some colddankbeers. Here's what we tried:

Ellie's Brown Ale - 5.6abv; I've enjoyed this beer in a bottle and a can, as far as I can remember, and know it's good; the beer is a moderate brown, good hue but not too dark; quarter inch head; a lot of lacing, particularly from a brown; light ale on the nose; delicious light chocolate flavor; small hints of brown sugar; really good sessionable brown ales; in fact, one of the best I can remember

duganA IPA - 8.5abv; solid golden hues; small head; good solid lacing; delicious pine smell; Holly thinks it was "made with giant grapefruits"; indeed, very noticeable grapefruit flavor; love and taste the 93 IBUs; subtle hop nuance that makes it accessible to non-hopheads; still big and danky; well-hidden ABV; lighter in 'hop-punch' than Avery's Maharaja; great balance here

Salvation Belgian Golden Ale - 9.0abv; half inch head; lacing stays, then magically disappears; taste and smell the Belgian style right away; very very light apricot and honey flavor; good bubbles!; overall, pretty good, but Holly says, "too plain!"

2011 Beast Grand Cru - 16.83abv; 68 IBUs; drinking from a 4-oz snifter; still, good head...half inch; still fizzing as it sits; dark cherry in color; says its made with 6 hops, 6 sugars, 6 malts; smells very malty, sweet; on a first sip, it's got serious punch; tastes ALOT like Samiclaus; very cherry sweet; has a bread flavor on the backend, oddly enough; I can't get over the malt taste in it; love the experimentation here, although there's a flavor profile that is a little bitter; this has to be the last beer I try here...it's a palate destroyer! Both Holly and a group of young men near us exclaimed at different times, "it tastes like cherry cough syrup!" It's def. better than that.

Avery's is a great little brewpub; the place was bumping on a Saturday afternoon; slight view of the flatirons...would be great to drink outside; tucked away in a commercial complex...what's up with that lately? Pretty hardy menu of grub; we ate stuffed jalapenos that were ok; good place to day drink.

Salvation Belgian Golden Ale...and a pretty background...

Elk Mountain Brewing, Parker

Elk Mountain Brewing, visited on 1/31/12  (http://www.elkmountainbrewing.com/)

After cancelling a gym membership in Parker (oh the irony), I felt the distinct need to visit the town's only brewery. Elk Mountain is a simple little brewpub tucked away in an obscure commercial strip in Parker. The place still manages to feel like a neighborhood bar. There's no food offered but there is a little popcorn machine, games and several mounted TVs for 'sports-watchin'. Elk Mountain, at about 4PM on a Tuesday, had a row of 8 or so men and women enjoying their brews. There's a blue-collar feel here despite the fact Parker isn't really all that blue-collar. The barkeep was friendly and I chatted up a man sitting next to me who's son works back east in small-arms training/physical security in MD. Small world.

I tried three beers, all of which were quite good. I walked out with a growler of the last one I tried, and after finishing the growler last night with Holly, vowed to return for a fill or two of the same beer. Or another...

Wild Wapiti Hefeweizen Wheat - 5.5abv; good yellow/golden hue; cloudy, but not full of sediment...I imagine this is not unfiltered; good quarter inch head, light lacing; as with many hefes, there is a VERY noticeable banana flavor; crisp taste; smells a little bitter, doesn't taste bitter at all; smells 'wheaty'; good beer, very easygoing; lack of overall complexity, but a great summer beer I'm sure. Despite always trying hefes, and usually never being overtly impressed, this was an impressive beer to session for the lighter-palate crowd.

Elk Horn Oatmeal Stout - 7.2abv; debated on this or Vanilla Caramel Porter for a second pint; this beer is dark; there is no head, almost no lacing; coffee and cocoa on the nose; strong oatmeal flavor; a touch of sweet that almost goes unnoticed; a little bitter on the back end; I'm curious about any hops used; hardy beer perfect for winter; I'm almost instantly full; overall a great stout flavor with an abv wallop you can't even taste. Good beer, great oatmeal stout.

Vanilla Caramel Porter - 6.3abv; I took town a 2 oz taster of this and LOVED it; ultimately left with a 64 oz growler; growler was a reasonable $5, fill of this winter season was $12...worth it! Good quarter-plus inch head; again, very dark; companion at the bar says 'dessert beer'; smells exceptionally like caramel and vanilla; great nose overall; heavy on caramel in flavor; despite the flavor and color, this beer isn't overly heavy; repeat sips really brings out the caramel; delicious beer. Not quite dessert, but certainly sweet and yummy, perhaps nonetheless an 'apertif beer'. H and I really enjoyed the growler...and I think I've found a beer lineup she can really get behind: slightly sweet, but definitely dark...she's a porter/stout girl.

Good stuff Elk Mountain...I'll be back for a growler fill soon!