Sunday, December 18, 2011

Winter Beers: Part 2

Take 2.  Sam had finals and I was sick so there has been a real lack of anything to say as of late.

First one: Ninkasi's SLEIGH'R - a Dark Double Alt Ale.

As an aside, an alt is an ale that is fermented at lager temperatures; my thinking on this is that because it is a winter ale then it would make perfect sense to brew it at a temperature that you would be able to do anywhere.  As for the dark double part, it is a darker and maltier beer, the double part simply means it is a stronger version (perhaps by double the amount of grain as is the case for belgians).

So, the Sleighr:

I think it was a very nice take on the winter ale; very nice flavor upfront, however it has almost no aroma.  Big malty flavor upfront with a very subdued aftertaste with a equal mix of winter spice and hops for a very balanced finish.  I personally love the approach it takes.

Oh... well  I guess that's it actually.  Next week we'll tackle a few more, but we were undecided on them.  Then figure out the winners.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Winter Beers; Part 1

Finals week makes for a busy schedule.

We've been saving up some winter beers and we'll see which ones we liked the most.

One of the first one's we've had was Abominable Winter Ale by Hopworks.

What an amazingly solid brew, it's pretty much what I expect out of a winter ale.  Stronger in alcohol content, with a aggressively dark and malty flavor.  Unfortunately that was a while ago, but I do remember having a pitcher of it and a pint of it on another occasion. Definitely a recommended ale.

Next up is Cold Nose by Laughing Dog.  Had this on tap, it had a standard winter ale profile and a bit of a strong alcohol flavor.  Wouldn't really recommend it, just a little on the mediocre side.

Last one for today is Alaska's Winter Ale (brewed with spruce tips). This one has a nice mellow flavor (for a winter ale at least) and some fruity notes.  After a few sips in the spruce flavor kicks in as a lingering aftertaste keeping you warm and filling you with what you might call Christmas spirit.  If there is one thing Alaskan Brewery does right, it's beer for the colder months.


Also, as an aside, what's the deal with Guiness?  The Extra Stout stuff is not too bad, but the regular ones in bottles are just awful, do they just add water to the Extra Stout or something?  On the plus side it is a sessionable stout.  I wouldn't feel bad picking up a pack of Extra Stout Guiness if it weren't for the fact that I can get a pack of regional beer for way less.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Bham state of mind

Sam here.
Recently, I had the privilege of returning to Bellingham, WA with some awesome friends to reminisce and gain closure to a traumatic flight from there. While there, I picked up a Boundary Bay Scotch Ale by request of Nathan. Let me tell, you first off: Boundary Bay is part of what introduced me to beer and I am happy that it was craft beer that got me into beer. Presented in this predicament is a bit of a bias towards Boundary Bay beers.

As an aside: I know it's a sentiment that is kind of counteractive to the spirit of a beer review blog, but I like to be picky about beer. I love to know almost everything about what I put into my body (and by almost everything, I mean I don't want to see the poor animal's face before it gets slaughtered). It makes me consider what quality and what quantity that I want to consume and more is not always better. For example: when you learn the balance of consumption and budget and taste- I feel like craft, even though more expensive, comes out on top and eventually bar a disorder such as addiction- moderation wins out. Plus, I feel in a true craft culture, it's not cool to chug and chug and drink like a frat boy just out of mom and dad's. Unless you've got money coming out your ears that you don't have a better place to put (your retirement, supporting the community around you) the price deters you from buying cases and consuming the cases like said frat boy.

Back to the point: Boundary Bay Scotch Ale is a smooth, and in my humble opinion mellow beer that, when you smell it, exudes Railroad Ave in Bellingham. I know it's weird to say, but I could smell Mallards (amazing ice cream shop), the rain, the bay, and a couple of the other places nearby. It definitely captures the essence of Bellingham and is, according to Nathan, truly, "nostalgia in a bottle." It does not include the bite that you get at the end of scotch ale like Old Chub or the syrupy finish Pike's Kilt Lifter. The subtle caramel and malt flavors are a nice touch as well. I would have it again if given the chance. Distance and money definitely affect access as it's not very accessible outside of the north Puget Sound or Western Washington area. If you get a chance to have it, I definitely reccomend it, especially if you're a malt snob. Hop lovers may not enjoy this beer as hops are subtle if not undetectable to my oh so informed tongue (sarcasm).
You can find the beer profile here: http://www.bbaybrewery.com/ontap.php?k=10

Edit:
The post title's namesake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMiBZ6s4SjY

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Freshly Hopped Beers

We really like fresh hop beers now.  I'm a big fan myself because they are typically reminiscent of a IPA's hoppiness, but are generally more subdued without losing the flavor thanks to what we'd call 'wet-hopping' (adding the hops in when they are fresh; ie. not dried out).  We've had the Mirror Pond version and just recently we got a bottle of Deschutes' Hop Trip, as the name implies it is hoppy.  The picture on the label is a rendition of the trucks that haul the hops to their brewery nearby.  The Hop Trip's claim to fame is less than 4 hours from harvest to being a part of the brewing process.

How does it fare?  Quite well actually and it's a shame that these are only seasonal.  They also will very likely not age well, this is a beer that is most definitely best when had as fresh as possible.  We found it to have more of a malty flavor than FH Mirror Pond, more akin to a very hoppy amber ale.  Nice and dark color with a great smell off the head.  Layers of hops hit you from the smell, the taste, and the aftertaste.  Flavors of grapefuit are definitely there. Did I mention the hops?

Deschutes officially labels it as an American Pale Ale, 5.4% ABV, and a very low 38 IBUs.

Also... keep in mind that most IPAs are around 60 or 70 IBUs.  I will definitely try to pick up this beer the second it comes out next year, honestly I'd say it beats out pumpkin beers for harvest season.




- Nathan

Hop Trip website

Saturday, November 5, 2011

New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire

Hey, Nathan here.  I just got hired at Manito Tap House on the South Hill in Spokane.

Hopefully I'll be able to get some unique insight on the backside of the house.

The last beer I had was a New Belgium Fat Tire and a Rogue Dead Guy Ale.  I've mentioned the New Belgium before and I really have nothing to say about it.  The fact is that I think it is a very neutral beer; I've heard people say "tastes  like beer" when they try something I give them (ensue my eye rolls), but I think it actually applies here.  It has a bit of hops upfront due to the Belgian influence (word is the brewmaster made the amber ale while on a trip in Belgium), however past that the malt flavors are there but they seem to fall flat into a lackluster aftertaste.  I've tried this beer many times and each time I get this feeling no matter how hard I try.

Fat Tire is definitely more in the session territory, but is a little heavier than say a Hef.  Then again, by American standards anything below 6% is often considered session.

So here it is, not a terribly interesting beer.  Not the strongest or lightest on the tongue, but if you're not sure what to get or recommend go for this.  Perfect by the pitcher, but I really do think there are better ambers or pale ales or witbiers (all comparable styles).

P.S. Dead Guy is perfect with Dubliner cheese, yum!

Here's an older picture I have of the New Belgium:

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Deschutes Reserve Series

This is what I've managed to collect from Deschutes' Reserve Series:


  • 2009 The Abyss
  • 2011 Black Butte Porter (23rd Anniversary)
  • 2011 The Stoic
The beer in the picture is The Stoic, it was EXCELLENT.  The others are being held onto for now.

Click to see full version!

Service Announcement

Hey, we just wanted to say that after some thinking we are going to try to post up a new blog post around by every Sunday, so posts will go up sometime between Friday and Sunday night.

The other change I want to make is updating the look of the site, at the moment it is really in place holder status.

Some ideas I have are beer by the budget, which would entail looking at some similar beers and their prices or availability to see what we think are some winners or more affordable brews, taking a look at any technical aspects of beers and making easy connections to enjoying a glass, also . . . blind tastings with friends.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Deschutes Tasting

There was a Deschutes brewery tasting hosted a few weeks back at Enoteca in Post Fall, ID.
Sampling included:
  • Deschutes / Boulevard White IPA #2
  • Mirror Pond Fresh Hopped Ale
  • Inversion IPA
  • Hop in the Dark
  • Obsidian Stout
  • The Stoic


We started off with the Boulevard Collaboration #2; a white IPA.  This particular beer actually has the same recipe as Deschutes' Conflux #2, but is brewed in Oregon whereas Collaboration  is brewed in the midwest. A white IPA could be described as a mash-up of a White Belgian Wheat and an India Pale Ale.

As you should be able to see in the picture, these are cloudy very pale beers.  Spice and the mellow wheat flavor match nicely with the light bitterness and floral finish of the hops.  Despite having exact copies of the recipes there was a distinctly different impression on the two.  Deschutes' brought a smoother, hoppier approach with the spice and hops leaving a lasting impression.  Boulevard had more of an upfront flavor, slightly more carbonated as well as being significantly cloudier and lighter in color.  Flavors on both were orange, coriander, citrus, and yeast.

Hops used were Bravo, Citra, Cascade, and Centennial.  Malt Profile: Pilsner, wheat, and oats.
8% ABV and a respectable 60 IBUs


As for the Mirror Pond Ale, it also shares a recipe.  Unchanged from the standard Mirror Pond, the hops are added to the brewing process within 24 hours.  Not only is the flavor surprisingly different, it also seems to change the fermentation with the regular having more (we were able to try them side by side).

We both thought the smell was both stronger and superior, offering up a "wetter" taste.  Sort of a dank plant-like or grassy flavor. Hard to describe, but it adds a lot of substance to the brew.


The Inversion IPA is great.  It is a more balanced IPA, with a high amount of hops without being overpowering.  A caramel malt taste up front is chased by the floral aspect from the hops.  This is an excellent IPA for someone looking to try IPAs that prefers darker beers or ambers.


Having Hop in the Dark again was fun, I just keep wanting to come back to it.  Sam said it's "coffee with full bodied in-your-face flavor>"


To top off the night, we sampled The Stoic.  A quadruple belgian ale.  These are made by brewing and barrel aging four different ales, then combining them before bottling.  The Stoic offers up a sweet and rich smell, thick (but not too thick) body, and a pinot noir and pomegranate flavor that rises to the top and lingers in the mouth.  Despite being 11% ABV there is no alchohol flavor to be had.  I thought it tasted like the holidays, particularly Thanksgiving.

Definitely one to drink slow and savor, this beer reminds me of drinking a barley wine.  Perhaps the easiest beer for a wine drinker to transition to?  Deep and inviting, pick up a bottle if you can find it.  Would likely age well.


What was our favorite?  I'd say Fresh Hopped Mirror Pond Pale Ale, we had a chance to have it on tap at a bar a week or so later and really liked it.  It's best I think around 45 degrees.







Thursday, October 13, 2011

Beer and Cheese? Yes, please!

Hello! It's Sam on this post. I have a couple beers that I will be reviewing.

Nathan and I moved to a really really great neighborhood within trotting distance of some pretty awesome beer selections. We are near Manito Taphouse, The Hop Shop, Super1 Foods (Excellent selection and decent pricing) and Brews On Washington. We have yet to try The Hop Shop but we'll get there.

The Manito Taphouse has an amazing selection and after our misfortune of leaving the Up and Up in Bellingham and moving to the beer desolation that is Spokane Valley, we were happy to find a place such as this place. The two beers I tried there were:
1. Double Dead Guy Ale (Rogue Brewing- Newport, OR)
2. Bitter Root Porter (Bitter Root Brewing- Hamilton, MT)
I might also add that we drank both of those accompanied with yam chips (yes, YAM CHIPS) and a Gorgonzola cream dip that Rogue made. Cain I just say, AMAZING? Not only does Rogue make damn good beer but they make damn good cheese too. You may see us relocate to Portland if I have anything to do with it.
1. Double Dead Guy Ale was strong. Imagine Dead Guy Ale (if you've had it) with about three flavors. The first flavor was good ol' Dead Guy with a syrupy midtaste (I know it sounds disgusting but syrupy was the only way I can describe it) and a smooth finish. It is definitely not a beer to session, but if you're like me, it'll make you a cheap date. I was done pretty well right away. If you're my friend, you'll be on the floor watching top gun in 20 minutes. You know who you are. Would have again.
2. Bitter Root Porter- One of the most unique porters I've had in a while. I was expecting a porter like Black Butte Porter with some substance but it had the consistency of an amber or a red ale with the delicious smokiness of a porter. It was refreshing and delicious. Would have again... many times.
If you're ever in Spokane, I recommend you visit the Manito Taphouse. My only real complaint was that happy hour beer specials weren't as good as they could be. I am hoping that with time, it lowers in price.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Pumpkin Season

Hey, so I've been busy with moving and not having internet at home...  that tends to make posting hard.

Anyways, it's pumpkin season.  Fall is pretty awesome, winter beers come up soon after fall seasonals and rein in an era of amazing dark beer that lasts until spring.  My favorite fall seasonal has to be Red Ales, it is just so much fuller than an amber or something Hoptober (New Belgium; that is a pretty tasty ale though).  Not to mention that beautiful dark ruby that it pours.  One of the best reds that I've had is Elysian's Men's Room (which seems to be available year round), on the cheaper side of things is Pyramid's Juggernaut (only in the fall).

Anyways, I've been really wanting to try some pumpkin ale, but it's pretty scarce in Spokane for some reason.  I've seen a couple that I can pick up so it should be ok.

To subsitute I had a pretty sweet beer.  New Belgium's 1554, a "enlightened" black ale.  Interestingly enough this uses a lager yeast, proof that good beer doesn't have to be an ale only.  It weighs in at a nice 5.6% ABV with a silky, but not thick consistency.  Not much aroma to it, but the taste is full of a nice malty, but not an in-your-face roasted flavor you'll get in porters or stouts; follow this up tons of chocolate flavor and you have 1554.  Oh, did I mention that I had it with a slice of pumpkin pie?  The spicier the pie, the better.

I guess that wasn't really a short post.   Here's the site for more info on 1554

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Schweitzer Summer Fest

Some pictures from the Schweitzer summer festival.  Late August.  It was very, very hot up there.  They didn't have nearly enough stuff on tap and most of the servers had no idea what they were serving.  Sadly, the Lagunitas Red and another beer or two ran out before I even got to try it.

The first beer I had at Schweitzer was the Brew Free or Die IPA by 21st Amendment brewery; it was an incredibly thick drink, I didn't know anything could trump a stout.  I've heard the term syrupy thrown around and I think this might be it, it wasn't really a bad thing though.  To describe the drink, it was hoppy (ie, you can taste the hops) upfront with a nice warm carmel malt flavor lingering in between followed up by a floral and hoppy aftertaste.  The drink actually brags about using 6 hops, if there's one thing that Californian beers don't like doing, it's being modest.  I would drink this again.

The second beer was the Deschutes Hop in the Dark; a 'Cascadian Dark Ale.'  It's an IPA brewed with Cascadian hops and roasted grains.  A Dark or Black IPA, this is a really recent style of brew that became really popular in 2010 and 2011, not sure when the first one was made.  Hop in the Dark is a strong beer at 6.9%, which is pretty typical IPA territory.  It's also not that bitter; Deschutes lists it as 60 IBU.
I can't say I've made up my mind with these.  It has all the bitterness of an IPA, but it's harder to find the floral or herbiness you usually get with an IPA.  Certainly not citrus.  An incredibly complex and high quality beer, but I just don't think it's for me (at least for now).  Will definitely be trying dark IPAs from time to time, they really have that best of both worlds mentality.





Brew Free or Die info

Hop in the Dark info

Huckleberry Cream Ale


To start off, we have a Huckleberry Cream Ale! A local beer from Sandpoint made by Laughing Dog Brewing.

It was a pretty balanced beer, faint smell of huckleberries on the head.  No % was given, but it felt pretty light around 4-5% ish, a session beer if I ever saw one; if you don't know session beer is what you call something that is light and low on alcohol.  Was really sad that the head disappeared before I even got to drinking it; on the other hand, it did have a creamy mouth feel and a nice after taste of huckleberries.

Would not buy again, it was okay.  Would definitely drink if offered, but I won't be going out of my way for this one as the berry flavors were kinda meh.  This would still be really good on a hot summer day, which is the point anyways.


This is . . . the beginning

Okay, here goes.

This is the start of my beer blog.  I'll be slowly adding more content to the site, but for now it is a little bare-bones with a default template.

For the zero people that were following this before I had made a few posts, but was unable to get it to show up properly and  hopefully this will fix that problem.