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...