New Beer Friday 7/20/18

Happy New Beer Friday! For the most part this week's option are mostly out of the Northwest, get on these while they're fresh and new. Also keep in mind that Pie and Beer Day is coming up. I'll be talking beer with Mick and Allen on KBER101 today at 3:30, then from 4pm - 7pm I'll be with Bad Brad Wheeler on KUAA 99.9 to preview Pie and Beer Day stuff.

 

Toasted Barrel Brett Brown: A malty brown base beer with a good dose of funky Brett. More beer like this is going into oak barrels to become sourlicious and funkified! 4.0%. Available at Toasted Barrel.

Rogue Kulture Clash: This beer/kombucha blend tastes malty and doughy with funky herbal tea and some orange/grapefruit rind. A hint of tartness and earthy/leafy hops round out the end. Even if you're not a kombucha fan you may like this. 6.9%. Available at DABC.

 

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 10: The nose has a good ctirus and stonefruit along with light pine and bready undertones. The taste starts off with a bit of orange, grapefruit and light apricot. Next comes a nice earthy pine bitterenss that has lightly toasty malt undertones. Finish is mildly bitter with lingering grass and a hint of citrus pith. Very nice. 5.9%. Found at Beerhive.

 

Anderson Valley Hop Hyzer: This has an aroma of toasted grains and lemon and coriander. The flavor follows for the most part; adding more citrus, a more subdued spice profile and a good dose of malts. Finishes with medium bitterness. 4.9%.  Available at DABC.

 

Gigantic Kölschtastic: A good amount of toasted cereal with complimenting floral and citrus-like hops. Slightly over hopped, other that that very true to style. 5.0%. Available at Beer Bar.

 

Gigantic Kiss the Goat: Missed out on this one. It's described a Bock/Porter hybrid if that helps. Can't wait to get into this one. 8.0%. Available at Beer Bar.

 

Gigantic High Fidelity IPA: Light citrus, tangerine and hints of stone fruit, light pine and citrus hops, semi-sweet malts. Nice IPA that veers into APA territory. 5.9%. Available at Beer Bar.

 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/9/17

Here I am, still drying out from last weekend's Mountain Brewers Fest, and now I have wrap my tongue around this massive amount of new beers? I hope you all know how much I love you...

This week we have not only new beers but new breweries. Look for Ex Novo Brewing and Pfriem Family Brewers [both from Oregon]. Big thanks to Rich and Duncan at the Beer Bar for bringing these gems to SLC. Uinta Brewing has a brand new Brett Saison that should be released today as well. Guess we'd better get on with it.

2 Row Hop Dust (Simcoe) - The nose has a blast of tangerine and orange like candy. The taste is very much Clementine-like. Next comes apricot and chewy malts. The finish is on the spicy resinous side with lingering hop bitterness.9.1% ABV @ 2 Row, Beerhive

Uinta Brewing Brett Tripel - If all goes according to schedule, this should be released sometime today. I hope to have some tasting notes by this afternoon at 3:30pm on New Beer Friday - KBER 101.

Ex Novo Dynamic Duo - The nose has apricots, peach, citrus and malt. The taste is malt forward, earthy and spice mixed with big NW citrus and pine hops finish. Bitter and resiny. 8.0% ABV @ Beer Bar 

Ex Novo Eliot IPA - Haven't tried this one yet. 6.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ex Novo Cactus Wins the Lottery - The nose is fruity and juicy. The flavor starts off with tangy prickly pear. It adds a nice sweet balance to the lemony base of the beer. Nice, light and refreshing. 4.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic Dip Hoppa II Belmont Boogaloo - The nose has spicy citrus with some tropical notes. The taste is mostly orange and herbal with some ripe tropical fruit. Finishes dry. 5.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic Massive - Haven't tried this barley wine yet. 12.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic Mons Meg Ale - The nose has big earthy malts and herbal hops. The flavor follows suit, with rich caramel malt and light citrus and spices. A tasty, malt forward beer. 8.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic PipeWrench - Haven't tried this one yet. 8.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic The City Never Sleeps - The nose on this is very Imperial Stout like with big roasted notes of char. The taste is far more subtle. Molasses, plums, toasted barley to start it off. Chocolate, brown sugar, plum and vanilla round it out. The finish is slightly herbal. Very nice! 7.6% ABV

pFriem Family Brewers Saison - The nose is phenolic and wheaty. The taste has dry crackers, spicy phenols and pepper. Next come a mild sweetness combined with white grapes and green banana. surprisingly vinous.Very nice. 6.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

pFriem Family Brewers Brett Wit - Nice doughy, horse blanket nose. The taste is very brett forward with some malt fruitiness, dough and peppercorns. The end has a splash of tartness. Very Yummy! 5.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Oakshire Citrafonix - Haven't tried this one yet. it's described as having deep citrus zest and piney hop nose. It is a light bodied American Pale ale with a balanced bitterness and a mildly tangy finish. We used a mélange of citrus including, orange Peel, lemon peel, lime peel, grapefruit zest, and a splash of grapefruit juice in both the kettle and the fermenter to give a citrusy fruit character that perfectly compliments the American hops. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Oakshire Sun Made Cucumber - Haven't tried this one yet. 4.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Deschutes Cultivateur -  Haven't tried this one yet. It's described as having rustic brett notes of pear and apricot blended into this bright oak aged saison.8.0% ABV @ The Bayou

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Breakside Edition

New beer Friday this week is for the most part dedicated to Breakside Brewing Company. The Beer Bar guys have been working on acquiring Breakside's beers for quite some time. In a state with 150 breweries this Oregon brewery's beers tend to always stand out - we're lucky to have them available in SLC.
    
Breakside Oui, Chef - Pours a straw-color with a moderate amount of thick foam. The nose is mostly earthy fennel. The taste starts with a rye like malty spiciness. doughy wheat and fruity yeast comes next with apple , liquorish and pear rounding out the back end. the finish has a bit of citrus bitterness. A wonderful take on a saison. 6.9% ABV. @ Beer Bar

Breakside India Pale Ale - This light copper beer has huge citrus and tropical fruit aromas with hints of perfume and pine. The taste starts with a nice malt punch of caramel and bread. Next comes the hops with lots of oranges, grapefruit and pine tar. The finish is persistently dry. The body is smooth
and highly drinkable. 6.8% ABV @ Beer Bar

Breakside India Golden Ale - Pours a near opaque light orange with a thick white head. The nose has juicy grapefruit and notes of jasmine. The taste starts with the citrus/floral and floral hops that transition to Graham Cracker malts. Sweet tropical fruits round out the back with bitter resinous pine. Finishes dry and herbal. This is one of the most amazing golden ales I've ever tried. Not to be missed. 8.1% ABV. @ Beer Bar

Breakside Lunch Break India Session Ale - Pours a clear golden with a good amount foam on top. The nose has floral, pine and a bit of citrus. The taste starts with citrus and pine. Next come a bit of earthy malt and a touch of honey. Pine. Some bitter flowery notes round out the end. The finish is clean and hoppy. A nice flavorful session IPA. 4.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Breakside Amuse Farmhouse Ale - Pours a bright yellow amber color. The nose has great floral aromas with spicy clove and hibiscus.The taste starts with pepper, lemon peel and a touch of corriander. Earthy floral notes come next with sticky pine rounding out the end. A nice, full flavored - but light saison. 5.0% ABV. @ Beer Bar

Avenues Proper Ainsly Amber - Haven't tried this one yet. It's apparently brewed with Buckwheat so it may have a bit of  "nuttiness" to it. And no, It's not gluten free. 4.0% ABV @ Avenues Proper

Uinta Ready Set Gose - Pours a hazy straw color with a nose of lemon dough. The taste is mostly cereal grain and wheat with minor sodium bite. Lemony tartness is soft and subtle. I was hoping the tartness in this beer would have been a little more assertive. For the most part it's pretty tame. Tasty but tame. Give me more sour! 4.0% ABV This will be available at the Utah Beer Festival on Saturday and should be popping up on Uinta's seasonal tap handles early next week.

Oakshire Overcast Espresso Stout - I didn't get a chance to try this one. It's described as being black/brown with a nose of coffee and burnt toast as well. Coffee dominates the flavor with light notes of bitter dark chocolate and cacao as well. Medium weight body, slick and creamy. 5.8% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic Snakebite - Light straw in color with a small cap of foam. The nose is full of apple, pear, and grapefruit rind. The taste starts with an earthy floral hop presence. The apple fruitiness comes next and is a bit more subdued on the tongue. Sweet malted grain rounds out the back with a bit of grassy hops and grapefruit rind. Quite subtle and pleasant. 5.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Gigantic White Light White Heat - Pours a copper/amber color with a pleasant nose of citrus and grassy hops and light tropical fruits. The flavor starts with bready wheat, cardamom and clove. Citrus rind and mildly grassy hops come next with a bit of Belgian yeast spiciness. The end is plesantly hoppy, leaving a nice lingering bitterness in the finish that melds well with the spices. This one has a little more alcohol than your typical White IPA. Seems more like a Belgo-IPA. Tasty. 8.2% ABV. @ Beer Bar

Goose Island Sofie -Hazy, golden pale color with a thick frothy head. The nose is big with banana, spices, tropical fruit, peppery, sweet pale malts. The taste starts with phenolic peppery-fruity notes. Coriander and orange zest come next with a bit of grape must and biscuit rounding out the end. The finish is somewhat tart and crisp. Dry, smooth and refreshing. 6.5% ABV @ BeerHive

Whew! my head is still spinning after all that "research" yesterday afternoon. Don't forget, it's the Utah Beer Fest tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon  at Library Square and Oktoberfest at Snowbird also begins this weekend. It looks like beer is in your future this weekend.

Skol!

New Beer Friday 2/27/15

First, let me preface this week's New Beer Friday by saying all of these beers will be available at the Beer Bar, later this (Friday) afternoon. Unless the DABC is unable to get them into their system on time, then they will be available Monday afternoon. Check back here or the Utah Beer Facebook page for updates on their availability. 

The big news this week is Beer Bar's acquisition of Gigantic Brewing Company's brews. Gigantic makes a shload of highly regarded hoppy beers and is also known for their eye catching comic book style beer labels. Here's what made it to the market. I have no reviews for most of this week's new brews. Sorry.
Ginormous Imperial IPA
Gigantic IPA
Intensify Belgian IPA
Saboteur Baltic Porter
Catch 23 Experimental Pale Ale

Hopworks Urban Brewery Rise up Red - Pours a ruby/mahogany color with an fluffy off-white head filling top of the tulip glass. The nose is juicy with pineapple and grapefruit. some toffee sweetness as well. The taste starts with resiny grapefruit peel and juicy pineapple hops. Light caramel and toffee come next adding balance with a bit of berry fruitiness rounding out the back end. Moderately bitter finish. Not a brilliant red ale but quite tasty.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic Belgian Apple Ale - No review
Hopworks Urban Brewery Motherland Imperial Stout - No review
Hopworks Urban Brewery Nonstop Hefe Hop - No review

Base Camp Ultra Gnar Gnar IPA - No review

Oakshire The Perfect Storm Double IPA - No review. If this is half as good as their Watershed IPA we'll all be very happy hop heads.

This week the Annex has their Schwartz with Coffee bean and Cocoa Nibs in the firkin. Sounds damn yummy! Geoff tells me that last week's firkin was gone by 8pm, so don't procrastinate. Tapping is at 4:30pm. $3 Firkin Pints. Also look for a solid tap line up including Kettle Sour IPA, Berlinerweiss, Belgian Pale Ale, IPL single hopped with Centennial Hops and Milk Stout on Nitro.

Cheers!