New Beer Friday 2/26/16

Sorry for this late and half-assed New Beer Friday. It's been a busy morning. Please enjoy!

Ballast Point Mango Even Keel - A Session IPA with an assertive mango flavor, but I wouldn't call it a fruit beer.  The hops still shine through the fruit flavors and the malty backbone is not overpowering. Not too bad for a fruity IPA.3.8% ABV @Grocery/Convenience Stores

Deschutes Abyss (Rye Whiskey Aged) - The nose has bourbon, roasted malt, bittersweet cocoa, molasses, with a hint of dark fruit and barrel. The taste starts with roasted malt and cocoa followed by bourbon and molasses. Also has barrel throughout and a lasting molasses and rye aftertaste. Dry and bitter. 13.2% ABV @Beerhive

Uinta 801 Coffee Pilsner - If your expecting a dark color from the coffee addition you can forget it. This beer has all that filtered out leaving a nice yellow straw color behind. The nose is cappuccino-esque with a taste that is similar and subdued. Surprising drinkable. 4.0% ABV @ Bayou, BeerHive and Beer Bar

Beer Bar and the Beerhive have teamed up on a special order from Prost Brewing out of Denver. Prost is mainly a lager house similar to our own Bohemian Brewery. Here's what's in.

Prost Pilsner
Prost Weissebier
Prost Dunkel
Prost Altbier
Prost Dopple Bock

Prost!

New Beer Friday 2/19/16

A big damn day for sour lovers. If you've never tried any of Cascade Brewing Company's sour ales, you day has finally come. If you've had them, you get it. They are for the most part simply sublime and not exactly easy to get. The Beer Bar managed to secure a special order and me thinks, things will never be the same. The following Cascade beers are only available at the Beer Bar and The Bayou. I'm not going to get into prices (I never do) but, they're not going to be cheap - that being said, they'll still disappear fast. Don't wait to long. 

Cascade Brewing Blueberry Ale - The nose has oak mixed with a tart blueberry and unripened cranberries The taste starts with a hit of blueberries, some lemon peel and vinegar. There are some raspberry notes creeping onto the sides of the tongue as well but it ends with blueberry. the finish is fairly dry and prickly. 7.3% ABV

Cascade Brewing Cranberry Ale - The nose has rich berries and is slightly yeasty. The taste follows with added oak present as well. The cranberry isn't necessarily strong in flavor but the layers of flavor consisting of tartness/sourness, oak, and some green apple was excellent. Complex and very drinkable. 8.0% ABV

Cascade Brewing Noyaux Ale - The nose is oaky with some raspberries and apricot. a slight nuttiness too. The taste starts with raspberry and mango. Apricot comes next with a good smack lactic sourness sourness to balance it out. Finishes with a bit of plum and drying oak. Very yummy! 8.5% ABV

Cascade Brewing Sang Noir - The nose is full of cherry and a hint of vanilla bourbon. The taste is similar to the nose starting off with a slight sourness and bourbon with more distinct sour cherry notes rounding out the end. The finish is long and drawn outwith mild acidity. Probably my favorite of the four. 9.5% ABV

If sours aren't your thing, 2 Row Brewing has something in the complete opposite direction in regards to the sours listed above.

2 Row Limited Release Beer #2 American Porter - The nose has rich roasted malt, coffee and light chocolate. The flavors are similar, but not quite as sweet as the nose. Dark roasted coffee, roasted and blackened malt, smoky notes and a touch of toffee. The body is medium/full and the carbonation is prickly. 7.0% ABV @ 2 Row, Beer Bar, BeerHive, Bayou

Ballast Point Pineapple Sculpin - The nose has pineapple and tropical fruits. The flavor has pineapple, of course but not too sweet at all. The best part of this beer is that the IPA is still identifiable underneath. Just a delicious tropical hop West coast IPA with a subtle addition of pineapple. 7.0% ABV @ BeerHive & Slackwater

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado - The nose is all watermelon with some unidentifiable hops lurking beneath.The taste is pleasant watermelon with heavy bittering hops backing it up. The hops don't seem to compliment the melon very well. Beware, this dials in at 10.0% ABV @ BeerHive & Slackwater

Cheers!

Uinta Tangerine Hop Nosh

Building on the success of Citrusy enhanced IPAs like Ballast Point's Grapefruit Sculpin - Uinta Brewing has announced that they are coming out with a tangerine enhanced version of their Hop Nosh IPA. This 7.3% ABV beer called Hop Nosh Tangerine will be coming soon in 12oz bottles and cans.

In other Uinta news - Ready Set Gose is getting it's own packaging and is now for sale at the brewery. The sour and briny German style beer has been on tap handles around the Wasatch Front since last summer. Now you can take it home with you! It should be popping up in grocery and convenience stores in the next week or so.

Cheers!

Hop Nosh Tangerine image provided by Shipcompliant.com

New Beer Friday- Seer Stone Edition

This week the Mormons released this image of what is said to be seer stone used by Joseph Smith to translate some "divine" texts into the Book of Mormon. As I look through this magic stone, all I can see is some serious New Beer Friday action and I think there's a peep show somewhere in there as well.... Yeah, I know - tough call, eh? Regardless, it's a pretty diverse New Beer Friday. Please enjoy! 

Ballast Point - Habenero Sculpin: The nose has a bit of grapefruit and a hint of chille meat. The taste is where this one really shines. It begins with grapefruit peel and flesh, balanced by a light mango sweetness and pine. Next comes vegetal habanero with an increasing presence of grapefruit peel and more pine resin. Finish is highly spicy and modestly bitter with peppers, grapefruit peel and grainy malt. If you like pepper beers this one will be right up your zip code. There's a near perfect balance of west coast IPA and pepper heat. 7.0% ABV @ BeerHive, Beer Bar, Slackwater

Sierra Nevada - Harvest Newly Developed Hops IPA: Note: I've got a bit of a cold so my palate is off - please add a review in the comments if your experience is different with this one.  The nose is fruity and herbal - slightly dank as well. The taste follows, but not as fruity. Lots of dank hops with a hint of berry flavors. Light and refreshing. 6.5% ABV  @ BeerHive, Slackwater

Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) Abbey Ale: Me no try yet. It's described as having a nose of plums, raisins, caramel malt and Belgian spicing. Flavor is bitter light and dark dried fruit, sweet malt, finishing with an astringent sugary bitterness. Appropriate flavors here for a dark Belgian, but the spicing and bitterness overwhelm the malt body, unbalancing this ale. Medium bodied with some creaminess. 8.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

New Belgium - Long Table: Pours a hazy golden color with a thin foamy head. The nose is strong with coriander and rye malts. The taste starts on the hoppy side with Belgian yeast and spicy malts. Some citrus and berry notes come next with heavy coriander at the end. The finish has a bit of banana and very slight citrus. Good and refreshing. 6.2% ABV @Beer Bar, Slackwater, Bayou

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/19/15

New Beer Friday is always great, but it's especially great when a local brewery debuts their beer. 2 Row Brewing is offering two of their beers for sale today, starting at 11am - at the brewery.

RedRock Gypsy Scratch 100% Brett Pale: Pours a hazy orange with a creamy white head. The nose has some wonderful Brett funk, along with tropical hop notes - some sweet malt as well. The taste is not tart. This is a young brett ale, instead the Brett takes a strong stance and adds an amazingly complex earthy quality despite being so young. Still getting some of the tropical flavors the nose suggested, but it's subdued. Medium-bodied, with a fairly crisp mouth-feel. Such a wonderful beer! Kudos to Brewer Chris Harlin for this great "out of the box" beer. 4.0% ABV @RedRock Downtown.

Rogue Fresh Roast: Poured a deep, brown that produced a thick, creamy, light brown head. The taste starts with some hints of coffee and roasted malts. Nice bready notes come next. Mild cocoa bitterness rounds out the end. The beer is very smooth and very easy to drink. 5.7% ABV @Beer Bar

2 Row Accelerator IPA: Pours a light amber with a large collar of foam. The nose was very sweet with big plunges of tropical/citrus fruits. The taste is much of the same. Some mild spicy hops with more tropical fruitiness. Malts balance nicely. The finish is semi dry and super clean. The body is thin to medium, with great carbonation giving it a light creaminess.7.0% ABV @2 Row Brewing

2 Row 24K Golden Ale: Pours a goldenrod color with a foamy, pillowy white head. The smell is fresh, lively citrus hops and a hint of sweet malt. The taste duplicates the smell and is so sweet and hoppy at the same time. Perfect balance with a creamy, smooth mouthfeel that is also crisp and refreshing at the same time. The drinkability of this is amazing. 5.7% ABV @2 Row Brewing

Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale: Me no Try yet - 5.5% ABV @Beer Bar

Ballast Point Wahoo White: Me no Try yet - 4.5% ABV @Beer Bar

Ballast Point Piper Down Scotish Ale: Me no Try yet - 5.8% ABV @Beer Bar

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/12/15

Sorry that New Beer Friday has been absent the last few weeks. Between a slow release schedule and a little "me" time, things got lost. Well, it's back now - in all of it's twisted glory... tall tales and all. Oh and by the way, The Upslope beers are here!

Uinta Contrail White: Pours a somewhat cloudy straw color. The nose is doughy with hints of coriander. The taste is similar with doughy bread and dry crackers. Coriander spiciness comes next with a moderate amount of florals and grass rounding out the end. 4.0% ABV @grocery

Ballast Point Even Keel: Pours a golden amber color with a nose that citrusy and floral. The taste starts with tangerine rind and grapefruit. Thin malts come next - the end is quite bitter and dry. It's nice, I was hoping for a little more from a Ballast Point offering. 3.8% ABV @Bayou, Beer Bar on draft. Should be available in can a some grocery.

Rogue VooDoo Doughnut Lemon Chiffon Crueller: Me no try yet. 6.9% ABV @better beer bars and some DABC

Rogue Brutal IPA: pours a light amber color with a citrusy nose - whiffs of malt as well. Nice balance  of caramel malts and citrus peel. A very easy drinking IPA. 5.8% ABV @most better beer bars and DABC

Full Sail Cascade Pilsner: pours a brilliantly clear golden yellow with a nose of toast, citrus and pine. The taste follows with nice toasty grains and bright cirus from the cascade hops. A bit of malt sweetness comes next with pine rounding out the end. A wonderfully drinkable American lager. 4.5% ABV @Bayou, DABC

Mother Earth Big Mother: Pours a hazy apricot color with a big fruity citrus nose - a little boozy too. The taste starts fruity with some mango and apricot. Big juicy hops come next, full of grapefruit and tangerine. Chewy caramel comes next with a little alcohol heat. For a 10.8% IPA it's pretty well balanced. Just don't underestimate it. @Beerhive

Upslope Craft Lager: Yup! They're here. Pours a crystal clear pale yellow color with a nose of toast, grain and grass. The taste is grainy sweet with a slight corny flavor. Hop are grassy and spicy. Nice, very drinkable lager. 4.8% ABV @Beer Bar

Upslope India Pale Ale: Pours A somewhat dark amber color with a nose of citrus peel and pine – hints of chewy malts as well. The taste is malty up front with a hint of toffee. Big bitter citrus rind comes next with a bit of pine resin in the end. This is more like a strong pale ale to me - rather than an IPA. Nice beer. 7.2% ABV @Beer Bar

Upslope Brown Ale: Me no try yet. 6.7% ABV @Beer Bar

Did I miss anything? Let me know. 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 5/29/15

If your going to be hanging around this weekend, here are some new beers to keep you happy.
 
Shades of Pale - Beer X Belgian Tripel: It's described as slightly sweet with fruity banana esters.  At 9.2% abv, it's Shades of Pale's first high point 12oz.  Available only at the brewery bottle shop. 

New Belgium - "Lips of Faith" Pear Ginger: Described as having pear and ginger aromas with a taste of pear juice, and spicy ginger flavors. Some heat in the finish. 7.0% ABV @ Beerhive

Sierra Nevada - Fresh Hop IPA:  Clear amber-orange. The nose malty with a good amount of citrus. The flavor is mostly citrus, floral, and pine with a solid malt backbone. 6.7% ABV @ Slackwater Pizza

And of course all of the Ballast Point beers

Ballast Point - Pale Ale: German-style Pale Ale, inspired by the Kolsch Ales of Cologne, Germany. This Pale Ale drinks like a Pilsner, only with more body and flavor. 5.2% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Beerhive and Bayou

Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA: Massive nose of citrus and tropical fruit. Light caramel malts keep the balance towards the hops. Medium bodied. A light, fruity, juicy and bitter IPA. 7.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Beerhive and Bayou

Ballast Point - Grapefruit Sculpin IPA: This version of Sculpin IPA has grapefruit added; the grapefruit flavor really enhances the citrus aroma of the hops. It showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon.7.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Beerhive and Bayou

Ballast Point - Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Porter: Whole vanilla beans and Caffe Calabria coffee beans are infused into this robust porter with. The subtle roasted notes and minimal acidity of the cold brewed coffee, balances perfectly with the sweet caramel undertones of the malt, creating a winning combination for your palate. 10% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Beerhive and Bayou

Ballast Point - Dorado DIPA: Has a nose that is primarily citrus. The taste is smooth and crisp with  a little bit of grapefruit and mellow caramel notes. For a 10% DIPA is surprisingly easy to drink.  @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Beerhive and Bayou

Ballast Point - Big Eye IPA: HAs a nose of pine, citrus hops and tropical fruits Tatses starts off with a nice citrus and piney hops then transitions into bready caramel. Tropical fruits round out the end with hints of pine resin, and grapefruit peel. Similar but different than the others. 7.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Beerhive and Bayou

Cheers!

Ballast Point Brewery Arrives

Hazzah! The Ballast Point beers are here and will be slowly trickling their way into the specialty beer bars and restaurants in the coming days. As of lunchtime today (5/27/15) Slackwater Pizza in Ogden is the only place selling them. Beer Bar in Salt Lake hopes to have them by this evening and the Beerhive and Bayou are shooting for Thursday or Friday.

Ballast Point does some brilliant pale ales, and that's why five of the six initial beers fall into that category. Ballast Point's Even Keel Session IPA (3.8% ABV) is not part of the initial line-up but should be popping up in grocery stores soon. Also. All of the BP beers are in 12oz. bottles or cans. There's another added bonus. Here a list a what beers you can look forward to trying.

Ballast Point - Pale Ale: German-style Pale Ale, inspired by the Kolsch Ales of Cologne, Germany. This Pale Ale drinks like a Pilsner, only with more body and flavor. 5.2% ABV

Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA: Massive nose of citrus and tropical fruit. Light caramel malts keep the balance towards the hops. Medium bodied. A light, fruity, juicy and bitter IPA. 7.0% ABV

Ballast Point - Grapefruit Sculpin IPA: This version of Sculpin IPA has grapefruit added; the grapefruit flavor really enhances the citrus aroma of the hops. It showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon.7.0% ABV

Ballast Point - Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Porter: Whole vanilla beans and Caffe Calabria coffee beans are infused into this robust porter with. The subtle roasted notes and minimal acidity of the cold brewed coffee, balances perfectly with the sweet caramel undertones of the malt, creating a winning combination for your palate. 10% ABV

Ballast Point - Dorado DIPA: Has a nose that is primarily citrus. The taste is smooth and crisp with  a little bit of grapefruit and mellow caramel notes. For a 10% DIPA is surprisingly easy to drink

Ballast Point - Big Eye IPA: HAs a nose of pine, citrus hops and tropical fruits Tatses starts off with a nice citrus and piney hops then transitions into bready caramel. Tropical fruits round out the end with hints of pine resin, and grapefruit peel. Similar but different than the others. 7.0% ABV

Cheers and Happy Hunting!