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.