New Beer Friday 1/6/17

To start the year you get either IPAs or stouts. It's not my call, that's just the way it is. Luckily all of this week's New Beer Friday options are all damn tasty. Enjoy!

Blue Moon Cappuccino Oatmeal Stout - The nose has dark malts and coffee. The tastes has nice cappuccino flavors with raisin, roasty grains, chocolate malts, and a little bit of hop bitterness. Finishes nice and dry. This a pretty decent coffee stout.4.0% ABV @ Grocery/C-stores

New Belgium VooDoo Ranger IIPA - The nose is mostly pine with some orange peel. The taste starts with bready malts and papaya. Pine resins come next with a dose of mango. The end is all pine & grapefruit. Finishes dry piney and grapefruity. 9.0% ABV @ DABC


New Belgium Whizbang Hoppy Blonde - The nose has a nice bouquet hoppy tropical fruits. The flavor is much of the same with more tropical fruit, caramel malts and a bit of pine. Semi-dry finish. 5.7% ABV @ DABC, Bayou

Proper Grand Sláinte Imperial Stout - Not had this yet. This releases on Saturday in both the bottle shop and the brewery on Main Street. Avenues Proper has done a session-strength Sláinte in years past, but this is the first high-point version.

2Row Tastes Like Citrus IPA - This is a North East Style IPA. These are typically cloudy in appearance - like a hefeweizen. This beer looks a bit like Orange Juice, which is helpful because this a citrus bomb. The nose has a massive grapefruit, tangerine, orange, peach and pineapple thing going on. Smells incredible. The taste follows the nose. Grapefruit, orange, tangerine and lemon zest. Slight pineapple and stone fruit mix with a bit of grass. Bready/cracker malts balance out the fruit salad. minimal bitterness in the finish - nearing sweet. Crazy good! 2 Row is becoming Salt Lake's IPA House. 7.5% ABV @2 Row Brewing, Beerhive

Samuel Adams Hopscape - The nose has citrus/fruity hops and tropical fruit. The flavor has wheaty/cracker malts, tropical fruit and citrus. The end resiny and spicy. Finishes dry. Solid offering from Boston Beer Co. 5.5% ABV @DABC

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Golden IPA - The nose has citrus, pine, spice with a wheaty malts. The taste follows notes of orange and grapefruit along with pine and lesser spicy snap. Vague tropical fruits come next with wheat undertones. Some mild pith and pine in the finish. Another solid IPA
from Sierra Nevada. 6.5% ABV @ DABC, Bayou

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 4/22/16

I've been doing New Beer Friday for quite a few years now, it still blows me away that there are still so many new options hitting bars and store shelves on a weekly basis. I wish I could try them all before Friday, but I'm only one man. Here's your latest, New Beer Friday lineup. 

Bohemian Cottonwood Common (Brewers Stache Series) -Haven't tried this one yet. This beer is Boho's interpretation on a California Steam Beer. They are typically malty with some mild fruitiness and have an assertive hop bitterness. 4.0% ABV @ Bohemian

2 Row Bier De Garde - Dried fruit aromas in the nose with some light floral notes. The taste starts with big bubble gum flavors,  rich dark fruits and some dried apricot. Herbal bitterness and some phenols from the yeast round out the end balancing out the palate. Medium body. A great tasting Bier De Garde. 7.0% ABV. @ 2 Row, Beerhive, Bayou

Proper Brewing Hop vs Hop - Haven't tried this one yet. For the first version of this beer Brew master Rio Connolly decided to go with Crystal and Summit hop varieties. 7.1% ABV @ Proper Brewing, Beer Bar, 

Proper Brewing Halfway to Concord - (an old-timey phrase meaning you've had a few) is a Colonial-style porter brewed with molasses, corn, and rye. Session-strength with just the right amount of body, this is the perfect "warm weather porter" 4.0% ABV @ Proper Brewing

Lagunitas Waldo's Special Ale - Pours a orange-ish, with a nose of strong pine resin, dank hops, grapefruit and herbal notes. The taste starts with a blast of pine resin and dank hop bitterness. Grapefruit grass, pineapple, mango and vanilla, round out the back end. Finishes lemony and herbal.
Full bodied, alcohol is hidden well but will rear it's head as it warms. 11.5% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

Mother Earth Sweet Spot IPA - Graham cracker like maltiness with notes of passion fruit, melon, green berry and a light floral dankness. Finishes with a bit of peppery bitterness. Nice IPA. 6.7% ABV. @ Bayou, BeerHive  

Full Sail Bourbon Barrel Wheatwine Ale - Haven't tried this one yet. Thanks for the locator Brady! 12.0% ABV @ 300 w. Wine Store

Full Sail Classic IPA - Haven't tried this one yet. Not sure if this is just a re-branding of their regular IPA. @DABC

Upslope Oatmeal Stout - Haven't tried this one yet. 5.0% ABV. @ DABC

Blue Moon Belgian Table Pils - Haven't tried this one yet. 4.0% ABV. @ Grocery/Convenience Stores

Estrella Jalisco - This light-flavored Mexican pilsner from Guadalajara, Jalisco is very popular south of the boarder and is now available in the states. 4.0% ABV @ Grocery/Convenience Stores.

Don't forget, we do New Beer Friday reviews and discussions on KBER 101, every Friday afternoon at 3:30pm with Mick and Allen. Check it out if you can.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: True Man Edition

Back in April 2013  we told you that Shipyard Brewing was entering the Utah market. We had no idea that it would take 15 months, but I guess that's the way things work here in Zion. Here's the first of those beers to pop up in the market. I haven't had a chance to try most of beers this week. Please share your thoughts on them if you have.

Shipyard Brewing Company - Smashed Blueberry: Dark brown in color. The nose is mild with berries, dark fruits and cocoa. The taste starts nutty with chocolate and coffee. The berries soon take over and carry on through the end. There are some hops detectable in the finish. Not exactly a "summer beer" but it's a pretty decent fruity porter. 9% ABV @ DABC

Hive - Blackberry Stinger Cider: Sadly I've not tried this one yet. I guess the name says it all. Anyone care to share their thoughts? 6.9% ABV

Roosters - Devil's Grip Blackberry Ale: Mikey no try either. It's described as having a cloudy apricot color with a bready nose full of of blackberry. Look for a sweet malt base on the tongue with plenty of pine and blackberry. 4.0% ABV @ Roosters locations

Lagunitas - A Little Sumpin' Extra! Ale: The nose has a nice tangerine/ripe orange aroma with a hint of malt and pine. The taste starts tropical with citrus up front and big sweet, bready malts. Pine resin notes come next with a hint of white pepper. The end is fresh and dry with more rind bitterness. Finishes dry - not too boozy. 8.74% ABV @ Beer Bar (limited supply)

Blue Moon - Pine in the Neck IPA: : Mikey no try. Described as having a rich malty backbone, supporting bright piney hops bitterness. 7.5% ABV

Blue Moon - Rounder Belgium Pale: Mikey no try. Described as having a nose that is slightly peppery with spice, caramel, and a bit of floral hop. Flavor is floral up front, moving to a sweet caramel and toffee finish with a lingering bitterness on the end. 5.6% ABV @ DABC

Cheers!

Dirty Little Secrets

Everyone has those dirty little secrets about themselves that they like to keep hidden. You know, parts of your personality; that if were to get out would destroy or taint what little credibility you have with your friends and family. You know like... like... liking ABBA. Okay I said!!!

I-like-ABBA, so fuck you!... Now before you start tuning-out let me get on with my point. In the world of the beer-snob there are all kinds people with little dark secrets. You know, that guy who only drinks true Belgium beers, but keeps a "Natty-Light" hidden in the back of the fridge "just in case" someone comes by. My dark beer secrets are PBR and Blue Moon. Again, fuck you!

I can't help you with the PBR. There are thousands of alternatives to hide your proclivity for cheap beers, but if your embarrassed to show up with the Blue Moon or simply want an alternative to it, I have a great and somewhat better alternative in Hoegaarden. Some would say this is the Witbier that all others are judged. I'm not sure about that but it is quite good and widely available around the Wasatch Front.

Poured into a branded Hoegaarden glass a dull, cloudy yellow color with a frothy two fingers of head. The nose is sweet and fruity with banana, pear and sweet melon. Taste starts with sweet spices, banana, melon and some coriander. Next comes notes of bready wheat, but the fruit flavors dominate. The finish was very mild with light, floral hops. The mouthfeel is light with moderate carbonation. 4.9% abv. This is a great summer session beer. Very drinkable because of it's light body, well-balanced; smooth and creamy flavor. Mama-Mia!