New Beer Friday 4/18/14

Less a couple of beers, today's New Beer Friday is all about the Belgian styles. Luckily many of you have a long weekend to get to know them all.

Hennepin Saison: Cloudy straw with a substantial head. The nose is of sweet malt and a bit of citrus. The taste is peppery and spicey with clove upfront followed by juicy citrus, banana and bubble gum . Some wheat malt flavor is present plus a bit of alcohol The finish is dry. 7.70% ABV @Beer Bar

Ommegang Witte: The nose has banana, wheat, crackers, some spice and orange peel. the taste starts with wheat, earthy yeast and coriander. Orange, banana and some coriander like spices round out the end. Solid Witbier. I like how the citrus and yeast profiles play off of each other. 5.2% ABV @Beer Bar

La Trappe Oak Aged Quadruple: The nose has raisin, brown sugar and belgian yeast. The taste
starts with dark sugar, fruity yeast and caramel malt. Raisin and cherry round out the back end with smooth oak coming through in the finish. It's quite sweet so take that into consideration. 10% ABV. @Beer Bar, Bayou

La Trappe Jubilaris: The nose is of malt, brown sugar and pear. The taste is much the same with dark malt, earthy dark fruits and and spices. Its finish is malty-dry, spicy and undeniably warm. 6.0% ABV @Beer Bar, Bayou

Green Flash/St. Feuillien Belgian Coast IPA:  The nose has Belgian yeast, clove, citrus hops and tropical fruit. The flavor starts with caramel malt, spicy Belgian yeast and light toffee. Finishes with lingering citrus hops and allspice. These are on the verge of getting old, they drink pretty well right now so gobble them now, they wont be too great in another month. 7.5%ABV @Bayou

Squatters French Saison: The nose is of malt, grain, yeast, spices, and some fruity aromas. Taste is much the same with a nice fruity flavor. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. finishes slightly lemony. A nice quencher. 4.0% ABV @Squatters, Beerhive

Bonny Doon Query Cider: Not tried this one yet. 6.9% ABV @Beer Bar

Roosters One Trick Pony California Common:. It is a copper colored beer with mild caramel character. The “One Trick” refers to the single hop Nothern Brewer hops used which provides both the bitter and aromatic flavors. 4.0% ABV @Roosters locations

New Belgium La Folie: The nose is sharp with cherries, cider and oak. Smells tart and delicious. The taste starts Sour and it carries through. A nice blend of oak and fruit come midway. Touch of funk in the finish, would've liked more. Overall more sour then funky with a ingering woody aftertaste.  Nice sour ale, one of NB's more popular seasonals. Glad we got some in the state. 6.0% ABV @Bayou

New Belgium Hop Kitchen RyePA: Some sharp rye and pine resin in the nose. The taste starts with a bit of nuttiness along with a mild spiciness from the rye. The hops come next giving off some resiny and grapefruit-like notes. Pine dominates the finish. A solid rye. 6.6% ABV @Bayou

Firkin Friday at the Bayou has Hoppers 80 Schilling Ale on cask. This version is dry-hopped with Colorado Chinook hops. tapping is at 3pm.

The Sweet Sixteen Round is over and I'm a bit surprised by some of the outcomes. I expected a much closer race between Elephino/Ghostrider and Fith Element/Elder Brett. But in a huge upset, winning by just one point, Uinta's Sea Legs Baltic Porter bested Squatters' Outer Darkness Imperial Stout. The Elite Eight Round will begin on Monday after the holiday weekend. Here are the results from Round Three.

Cheers!

Total	Answer
51.59%	Epic Hopulent IIPA	65 (51.59%)
48.41%	Dsrt Edge Road Rage Rye	61 (48.41%)

(126 Total Votes)

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Total	Answer
74.17%	RedRock Elephino DIPA	112 (74.17%)
25.83%	Wasatch Ghostrider White IPA	39 (25.83%)

(151 Total Votes)

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Total	Answer
68.55%	Squatters Fifth Element	85 (68.55%)
31.45%	Epic Elder Brett	39 (31.45%)

(124 Total Votes)

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Total	Answer
55.56%	RedRock LeQuatre Saison	80 (55.56%)
44.44%	Uinta Labyrinth	64 (44.44%)

(144 Total Votes)

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Total	Answer
54.14%	Epic Big Bad Baptist	72 (54.14%)
45.86%	Squatters Hop Rising DIPA	61 (45.86%)

(133 Total Votes)

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Total	Answer
50.4%	Uinta Sea Legs	63 (50.4%)
49.6%	Squatters Outer Darkness	62 (49.6%)

(125 Total Votes)

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Total	Answer
70.07%	RedRock Cohoperation	96 (70.07%)
29.93%	Epic IIPA	41 (29.93%)

(137 Total Votes)

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Total Answer 58.27% Squatters 529 74 (58.27%) 41.73% Uinta Cockeyed Cooper 53 (41.73%) (127 Total Votes) _________________________________________________________________________________________