Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing

Hibernation Ale
Old Ale
Great Divide Brewing
Denver, CO

Today is a thrilling day of firsts! This is my first beer I've reviewed by Great Divide Brewing Co.* and it's the first blog that comes directly from a referral!

My friend Matt took a fantastic voyage to Colorado a while back and made a trip around what might be one of the greatest "beer-zones" in the world. He brought back stories about the incredible views, the nice people, and the excellent beer he had while there. It was Matt who brought Hibernation Ale to my attention.

And for that, I can not thank him enough.

But before I start raving about the beer, let's give credit where credit's due. Great Divide Brewing has got a lot to brag about. There beers have won all sorts of awards, and as far as I know, awards for beer can be hard to come by (notable exception: Blue Ribbons). I've had their Yeti Imperial Stout before (again, thanks to Matt) and I'm glad to have that bottle in my collection, as these guys not only make good beer, they also have awesome art work. Sometimes finding good beer from craft-breweries from far away lands can be a little tough. Today after work, I had to call 6 places until I found one that Hibernation Ale on the shelves... and it sounds like if I didn't act fast they'd be gone. Hibernation Ale is only available from early November to mid-December.

Hibernation Ale is an English-Style Old Ale. Old ale's are sort of a colloquial name given to beers that are stored for longer periods of time, typically in wood barrels (Old Ale, like Old Milk, but not really...). This means there is a longer fermentation period for the beer, which creates the robust tastes of Old Ales. If you plan on keeping it fermenting, you'll need to put in lots of sugars so the yeast have something to work with.

Also, back in the days when sanitation was a luxury and not a rule, storing opened your brew to all sorts of variables. The type of barrel you used would affect the flavor and transitioning from pot to barrel could lead to wild yeasts getting in and causing flavor-mayhem. Today, more and more brewers are using barrels that were once used for bourbons, wines, and other adult beverages in a more controlled way to accentuate the flavor of their beers.

True to the breed, Great Divide starts making this winter beer as early as July, and stores it for up to 3 months in barrels. The result is one of the most flavorful beers I think I've ever had.

And flavorful is a good thing. When I poured it out, I thought it smelled more like a fruit juice (grape or prune, probably) rather than any "ale" smell that I've ever encountered. The first taste took me off guard and betrayed the nose a bit. It's a sweet tasting beer, all dark chocolate, with some brown-sugary and caramel-y flavors, and maybe just a bit of cinnamon. I was surprised at how fast it fills your head up with flavor. It tickled my nose hair, like a strong mint or a careless booger. The after it's gone, it's got a nice hoppy flavor that you can breathe out for a bit, and leaves a trace of booziness. At over 8% ABV, you can understand how the alcohol would linger a bit.

Hibernation is a fitting name for this. Even though the beer takes it's "hibernating" period from July-October, after a few sips, you'll find yourself loosening your collar and getting ready to bunker down for a period of prolonged rest... and this time of year, that's a good thing.

Grab it while you can, you've got a month left!

* I'm sure the name comes from the geological division which passes through Colorado, I'd like to think it comes from The Band.

Brekle's Brown - Anchor Brewing Company

Brekle's Brown
American Brown Ale
Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA

I like the feeling of walking into a beer store with no shopping list, and finding something new and unusual... and it's extra nice when its from a brewery I like. That's what prompted me to snatch up Brekle's Brown when I saw it on the shelf.

Anchor in a big bottle!? I did a double take when I first saw it. I haven't noticed too many 22oz bombers from Anchor - either I'm not looking hard enough, they don't make enough or they do and it doesn't make its way to Jersey. It was like the first time you played World 4 on Super Mario Brothers 3 on NES - where the turtle shells are huge, the pipes are huge, and the blocks are so gigantic, they break into 4 normal sized blocks when you smash them!

...also, I know this bottle will look sharp in my ever growing collection of empty bottles.

Apparently Gottlieb Brekle, the first brew master of what would become Anchor in the late 1800's, was pretty into malts. For this recipe Anchor's put an emphasis on malt as a tribute to Gottlieb, a man who most likely was a prospector and found his gold in beer instead of in dirt. With one foot in the past, Anchor also plants a foot firmly in the future of American Brewing. This beer spotlights Citra, a new hybrid of hops that started popping up in beer in the last few years.

Citra isn't just a clever name. This stuff is potent.

When I poured it, the burnt color sort of sets off a Pavlovian response, and I thought I knew what I was in for. I really enjoy brown ales, and I have had enough to think I know what brown ale should taste like. Anchor proved me wrong.

The beer has an intense and super complex flavor. The malt character is strong - and with a lot of cinnamon and brown sugar in the front end. But the flavor of the citra hop defies what I'd expect to follow, making the beer bitter but tasting really citrus-y. It reminds me of orange flavored chocolate - something we had in my house as a kid around the holidays. I know that "orange flavored chocolate" might be one of those nuggets that end up being thrown out with the heart-shaped box they came in, but in this beer, it works really well.

If you like Brown Ales, this is worth checking out. It takes a couple sips to let the beer break you in, but when it gets you there, it's a great place to be. Gottlieb's legacy has left us with a beer thats worth thinking about, and a beer company worth drinking to.

--Joe

Research:

anchorbrewing.com
http://www.brew-dudes.com/citra-hops/557

Gonzo Imperial Porter - Flying Dog Brewery

Gonzo Imperial Porter
Imperial Porter
Flying Dog Brewery Company
Frederick, Maryland

A quick break from my Summer-ale sessions to tackle a horse of a completely different color. I got a random pack from a liquor store by my house, and I'll be knocking them out over the next few days. Good news for you!

Ah Porters, the dessert of the beer world. Chocolately, heavy, and high in alcohol content, this is a real treat after you've finished whatever you've been doing. Porter was believed to have first been just a combination of the three types of ales served in pubs - pale ale, brown ale, and "stale" ale. Today's Porters are a bit more complex than that, thankfully! It tops my list in beer-types, but I don't think I've ever had more than two in one sitting - these are big flavorful drinks that are not session brews.

Flying Dog is a brewery that closely alligns itself with this beer's namesake - Hunter S. Thompson. The art of their bottles is created by Gonzo artist Ralph Steadman and is definitely a unique part of this brewery's line. Available in 45 states, Flying Dog is likely available wherever you are - and with a bunch of awards under there belt, probably a good pick up!

This beer has a lot of taste and is bold character. It tastes rich - like a chocolate layer cake with raisins, and topped with gooey caramel served in a room full of hop-aroma. It's a great example of how well great Hops can work along with great Malts... this beer has the best of both worlds. With 7.8 ABV, alcohol is a flavor, but it fits in with everything else going on. I couldn't bang these out - I don't know if I'd be able to handle a second after the first, but that's fine by me!

Gonzo Imperial Porter makes me wish it was colder out - I could use a drink like this when there is snow on the ground and no place to go. I don't know much about Hunter S. Thompson or else I'd write about how this beer is just like him, but if it truly does reflect his personality ... that guy was tasty!

--Joe

Work Cited:

http://www.flyingdogales.com/Beer-Specialty-Gonzo.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_%28beer%29
http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=180680

Anchor Summer Beer - Anchor Brewing Company

Anchor Summer Beer
American Wheat Beer
Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA

As I type this, I'm in my boxers trying to keep cool. An obnoxiously premature July-spell popped up in May, and it's be around 85-90 for a day or two. Here inside my sauna, I've been presented a great opportunity to enjoy a new summer beer in the appropriate context.

Wheat beers are a strange breed of brew. Almost every wheat beer I've ever experienced has been a version of a German Wheat beer, which typically are flowery tasting, like Hoegaarden. According to the Hoegaarden site, actual dried orange peels and coriander are used in the brewing process to give it the flavor explosion that has typically turned me off. Substituting hops in favor of malts, in my opinion, leaves a lot of room to experiment with the flavor of the beer - but why fix that which is not broken?

Ah San Francisco, home of the 49ers, Golden Gate Bridge, and the incredible car chase from "Bullit." I've never made it to the West Coast, but Anchor Brewing would be on my list of stops if I ever do. Anchor Steam didn't wow me at first sip, but after reading about the company, I'm intrigued. They have been around since forever ago and have a real appreciation for the tradition and craft of beer making. All eight brews in their line start with a malt-mash.

This particular drink claims to be the FIRST American Wheat Beer in Modern times. Having been first brewed and Bottled in the summer of 1984, it is a recipe that is just about as young as I am.

Leaving the flowers out, Anchor Brewing has created a summer drink that speaks to ME! It's light, clean tasting, and crisp. The initial taste is full, with just a hint of citrus and honey. A little tart on the way down, the aftertaste is earthy and almost ... biscuit-y? It it lacks in strength it makes up for in freshness.

I could kill a 6'er of these happily and easily. First off, its really hot here, and the beer is cold. But more importantly it doesn't really upset my tastes. The flavor is so agreeable and understated that you could kick back a few with out noticing how many are going down. Probably in my top five wheat beers I've had, which isn't really saying much. But still!

--Joe

(As per request)
Work Cited:
anchorbrewing.com
hoegaarden.com

Aprihop - Dogfish Head

Aprihop
India Pale Ale (f. Apricots)
Dogfish Head
Milton, DE

2 posts in 2 days! 2 seasonal brews! And a 2nd post on Dogfish Head! What a coincidence. The double entendre in the name of this beer - A brew made with real apricots, and released around April. It's a warm weather drink for sure.

Apricots have been used in all sorts of styles and fashions since before anyone could ever remember. Some estimates say Apricots reach further back than 3000BC! Alexander the Great brought them to Greece, Egyptians dried them and turned them into sweet drinks, and Dogfish Head puts them in beer. While I might not see eye-to-eye with the apricot, its fair to say that I can respect all of its wonderful accomplishments.

I don't think I have ever eaten an apricot before, outside of one that I mistaken pulled out of a bag of trail mix while hiking in 7th grade. Popping what I thought was an oddly shaped huge cashew into my mouth left a gross impression that kept me away from Apricots for a while. (Full disclosure - I though it was a dead larva.) I've always had a hard time picking out fruit at a grocery and since I'm too afraid to ask for help, I have stayed away from fruits that aren't apples and bananas.

In my mind, beer with fruit has a negative connotation - Corona and Blue Moon never did it for me. It seems like a bad excuse to make a boring beer more interesting - like a guy who wears novelty t-shirts to parties. I'd rather just have a good tasting beer.

If I can point to a single beer that defies that notion, its this. Aprihop is surprisingly fun! The bitterness and sweetness play off each other really well. The smell and first taste is almost all hops - business as usual for Dogfish Head. But as the taste lingers, the fruitiness starts to take over. The aftertaste leaves me with what I can only equate to sweet Banana Breath. The flavor sticks around for a while, and it's so good that I don't think of my unfortunate past! This is a classic case where more is better - a concept that DfH has down. Hops and 'Cots are pushed to the max in this brew.

Something I'm starting to learn about seasonal brews - I don't think they have staying power for me. Its probably best this is served in a 4-pack. I don't know if I could spend a long night with this beer, but it is a real treat to throw into the mix!

Summerfest - Sierra Nevada

Summerfest
Pilsner-style Lager
Sierra Nevada
Chico, CA

Sorry for the delay folks, but I've been out and about in search of more beer to try and tell you about. I've stocked up the fridge, and I'm going to hopefully get to a few over the next few days. Right now, we've got a heaping helping of in-your-face seasonal action.

Sierra Nevada is another one of my favorites. I think their Porter is one of the best beers available on the planet, and their Pale Ale has become a stand by in my fridge. I'm glad to see it is showing up on more and more beer lists in bars and pubs around me that typically only have your standard Bud/Coors/Miller faire.

Pilsners are brewed and fermented in cold temperatures. It's a crisp tasting, clear, and straw-colored. There isn't all that much difference between a Pilsner and "American Lager" - except what ingredients are used (Rice like in Bud).

Its probably fair to guess that most people started out on a variety of Pils - stuff you sneaked from the nearest adult's fridge. This particular drink reminds me a lot of my first beer - it tastes like what I thought all beer tastes like.

A seasonal beer calls for a seasonal anaolgy:

On a perfect summer day, there isn't a whole lot going on. It's hot and you don't want to move around much. You'll mow the lawn, because you have to, and you'll smell like grass for a while. Then you'll call up some friends, who are also not doing much, meet up by a pool, and do nothing together until it gets dark. And that's just fine. That pretty much sums up what I think of this beer.

This particular drink stays true to its namesake. The taste is subtle, a little flowery and spicy, but nothing crazy. It's all about the after taste here, hoppy and like a summer evening - full of reflection on a day that rolled by just slow enough. Nothing outstanding, but nothing awful. At 5% ABV, I could kick back a few of these and watch the day go by with no problem.

In a word it's... nice.

Not a fan of the style, it's not very bold tasting, and I can see why this isn't a Fall beer. Good for a BBQ, and keeping cool in the heat. I don't love it, but I like it enough.

Palo Santo Marron - Dogfish Head

Palo Santo Marron
Brown Ale
Dogfish Head
Milton, DE

I don't live far from DE so fortunately for me, I have an opportunity to try out a lot, if not all, of Dogfish Head. Dogfish Head is the reason I started actually tasting beer, not just drinking to get crazy. It still makes me crazy sometimes, and at 12% ABV, Palo Santo Marron gets me feeling warm after the first few sips.

Palo Santo (Spanish for "holy wood") is a type of wood that according to the tale on the bottle, comes from Paraguay. It is one of the hardest woods available on the planet. Outside of brewing in Milton, its also used for cricket bails, police clubs, mortar and pestles and even as an insulator for wiring in the San Francisco Street car system (Thanks wikipedia!). It also is a fragrant wood which adds to the complex flavor of this ale.

I credit my understanding of what I'd call "Malt Beverages" to my college experience. They were what you got when you were partying econo - cheap, big, high in alcohol, and awful to taste. The classification of a "Malt Beverage" is really just an indication of high alcohol content usually created by adding an ingredient to the brewing process to boost ABV. As I'm sure you can imagine, Dogfish Head did not create their own 40 guzzler with this.

I should probably talk about the taste, but I'm finding that describing beer flavors can be boring. It is more similar to the Scotch Ale I had recently than it is to a lager, so I don't want to sound too redundant. It comes in strong, and like the bottle says there is definitely vanilla and caramel going on. It leaves a little tart and a little smokey and maybe even salty, like a good Port wine. If you drink it too fast, besides having a lot of fun, you might also get a sticky ring around your mouth.

Dogfish Head wants you to know about this beer, and in order to do so, they posted a really incredible series of youtube video's where they describe it a lot better than I ever could (though I was still set on trying!) Find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWNo2oKNmTU


--Joe

Dirty Bastard - Founders Brewing

Dirty Bastard
Scotch Style Ale
Founders Brewing
Grand Rapids Michigan

Scotch Ale's, much like the folks that drink them, are not to be messed with. This has serious taste, and packs a wallop at 8.5% ABV. Scotch Ales by nature are potent, a trait which has more to do with history than process. Back when your granddad was a kid, Scotch Ale was a beer that needed to keep well.

The alcoholic drink we know as "Scotch," by definition, is created using no grain other than barley. It follows then that Scotch Ales are given the title due to flavor, presenting themselves barley-y over hoppy. 1800's Scotland was not conducive to growing hops, so barley played a stronger role in flavor.

The packaging is unique - lets face it, its nice to live in a world where you can go out in public and buy something that so freely uses the word "Bastard". Under the script "Dirty Bastard" there's a Scotsman grinnin' something fierce! I got a six pack for around $11 - affordable for the legs this beer gives you. Don't confuse this with Stone's Arrogant Bastard, (a beer I also love, and sometime soon I'll tell you all about it) as they have very different tastes.

Founders was started by two college kids in the 90's who decided to put down the skate board and Sonic Youth albums and get busy. They've done well for themselves, and now I can find their beer in Jersey. Way to go guys! (http://www.foundersbrewing.com/foundersnew/beer/)

This beer is a lot of fun - like a smokey carnival. It's got a red-brown tint to it, and its very, very sweet - burnt caramel for lack of a more innovative description. There is a lurking hoppy taste to this that doesn't disrupt. I don't know if you have ever had a beer and said you were upset by how hoppy a Scotch Ale tasted, but I don't think you run that risk here. If you aren't expecting it, the first sip or two will make you think about what you are drinking. Alcohol isn't a prominent flavor, and but kind of plays with the other sensations in your mouth. The after taste is enjoyable and not surprisingly similar to a swig of JB, but with out the burning or regret. If you've ever had an extended evening with a bottle of scotch, you know what I mean. If you haven't - DON'T!

This is like a tub of Ben and Jerry's - filling, textural, and delicious. Also, it's great beer for sharing with friends - just twelve ounces of this stuff goes a long way. But the trip is worth it.

--Joe

Why, hello...

Hello Internet!

My name is Joe. I really like beer. All the different styles, tastes, colors, smells... one of the most enjoyable parts of the day is heading home and cracking open a new 12 oz. adventure.

The purpose of this blog is NOT to tell you what to drink - there are plenty of billboards, magazine ads, and in-bar promotions that do that already. And quite frankly, I wouldn't expect you to tell me what to drink, and whats good for the goose is fine by me.

I just want a place where I can talk about what I think about different beers. And what better place than on the internet. For the world's eyes only.

I am by no means a beer snob. I like what I like, you like what you like, and what I like is usually better. This site will have as many different brand/tastes/styles of beer as I can get my mitts on, and that's that. I'll try and tell you about my particular experience in the best way I know how. Nor am I a writer. There will be grammatical errors, typos, and with any luck, a subject/verb disagreements or two.

So that's the arrangement.

Today is March 29th, 2010, as good a time as any to get this started...

Drink Responsibly, and Enjoy!