New Beer Friday 11/1/13

Tenaya Creek - God of Thunder Baltic Porter: Nice nose full of espresso, roasted malts, chocolate and dark fruits.The taste is starts with roasted malts and dark fruits. Coffee notes come next with a nutty toffee end. Finishes smooth with chocolatle and a hint of booze. A nice, full bodied Porter. @Beerhive

Firestone Walker - Velvet Mirkin Bourbon Stout: Chocolate, The nose has dark fruits, but bourbon is most prevalent. The taste starts with chocolate and espresso, nice bourbon and oak characters come through next. with a finish that is surprisingly dry. This is not a big boozzy Impy Stout, so adjust you perceptions. Firestone Walker really know their barrel aging- a must try! @BeerHive

Deschutes - Black Butte XXV (25th Birthday Reserve):  The nose is of black currants, tart berries with a healthy doses of dark chocolate, coffee and bourbon. The taste starts with dark chocolates, pine bitterness and some tartness. Roasted notes of coffee come next with bourbon, black currants, dark fruits and rich chocolate. The finish is a bit boozy with a lingering tartness. @DABC - Bayou- Beerhive


Bear Republic - Café Racer 15 IIPA:  Nose is big with grapefruit, pine and big citra hops. Mild bready malt is beneath. The taste starts with juicy grapefruit and tropical hops. Spicy dankness and pine follows up in the middle. Bready briefly, then a nice dry, crisp resinous finish. Damn yummy! @ Beerhive - Bayou

John Smith's Extra Smooth Ale: The nitro can produces a finely foamed darkish ale. The nose was of faint malt, grain and dough. The taste has toasty malt with some light caramel followed by a mild, floral hop flavor. Leaves just a hint of bitterness on the tongue. @ Grocery (I saw it at Harmon's)

For Firkin Friday @ the Bayou, Hoppers presents Rockwell's Fireside Porter. It's full of smooth chocolate and dark crystal malt flavors with a light hop finish, cask refermented with real maple syrup and with lightly toasted American Oak.

Cheers!

Bear Republic - A Monster Beating and An Apology

After month & months of waiting Bear Republic has finally invaded Utah! Mark Alston called me yesterday to say that he was moments from picking up his long awaited beer order.

The Bayou received a good portion of Bear Republic's regular line-up, including Big Bear Stout - Hop Rod Rye - Pete Brown's Tribute Ale - Red Rocket Ale - XP Pale Ale & of course Racer 5 IPA (2009 GABF Gold Medal Winner).

Mark got 12 cases of each (15 of the Racer 5). But don't wait too long. they'll be gone before you know it.

In other news, I just doesn't pay to be a dick. Well it does, for many... quite often in fact... but not this time.

Anyway, Rock Art Brewery the makers of “The Vermonster” beer, and Hansen Beverage Company, makers of Monster energy drinks, reached an agreement that will allow Rock Art to continue to use the name “Vermonster” for its beer, so long as it stays out of the energy drink market.

The media shit-storm quickly began to tarnish Hansen’s reputation as a beverage manufacturer as it began to take a real beating in the marketplace as beverage retailers, distributors and tens of thousands of everyday consumers rallied against Hansen’s efforts against quash tiny Rock Art. Personally, I'm still done with Monster.

Finally , a week ago I implied that that both of the DABC's new alcohol commissioners were teetotalers. In fact only one of the two is a non-drinker. Jeff Wright considers himself a social drinker, but doesn't think that should be a factor. My apologies to Mr. Wright.

I think we've covered everything, have a great weekend.

Cheers!