New Beer Friday 6/5/20

No matter where you fall in this long overdue societal upheaval; at least here, in this small corner of the interwebs, I think that we can all agree that craft beer is the unifying factor. And if we can all find common ground here, we can find it anywhere. So let's all unify around all of the liquid happiness we have swirling around us this week.

Shades - Pleasantly Pickled: The dill is of course most prominent. The pineapple is fairly subdued, with the chilies taking the rest of the load. This is quite different than many of the other kveiks that you've had from Shades and it's due to the low lactose levels and the intensity of the herbs and spices used. It's good on its own or as a cocktail mixer. Think: cheleda, bloody mary, margarita or as a pickle back. 6.5% - Only at Shades.

Cerveza Zólupez - Lager Mexicano: Before the pandemic Zólupez owner, Javier Chavez Jr. traveled to the city of Monterrey in Northern Mexico to make a collaborative beer with one of that regions premier brewers, Cerveceria Cabrito. Using Chavez's lager recipe they produced a classic Mexican lager. Ironically these lager have their roots in traditional German beers. This lager has a subtle malt profile with Saaz hops providing a slight zest. at 5.0% it's pleasantly dry and very crushable. This beer is just hitting the Ogden area and will so be in wide release.

Toasted Barrel - Pineapple Smoothie: Missed this one. However I understand this to be a barrel aged sour with the characteristics of of a kettle soured smoothie style ale. I'm very curious. Only at Toasted Barrel.

Bewilder - Mexican Lager: Sweet and grainy malts add a soft bread-like maltiness with a touch of toast. The hops are Nobel-like and add some nice grassiness and spice. Very drinkable on a warm June afternoon. 5.0% - Only at Bewilder.

Level Crossing - Berry Hazy: This is an American style pale, with a good amount of citrus qualities from the hops. The berry medley used adds a complimentary fruitiness that works extremely well with the base beer and it never falters until the end of the swig. 5.0% - Only at Level Crossing.

Four Peaks - Gilt Lifter: I don't know if this is the right style of beer (Scottish Ale) to take you into the low cal/carb game. There are some nice sugary notes but, you really want those big toffee flavors in styles like this. This more of a pool or recreating beer. 3.4% - Found at Harmons.

Great Divide Car Camper: Nice grapefruit notes, good aromatics with hint of dank bitterness detected. Dry hopped grapefruit is upfront and forward with some piney elements as well. The malt profile is light which makes the beer finish failed dry. Pretty good, you could kill a few of these no problem. 5.0% - Found at Harmons.

Deschutes - Lil' Squeezy: Citrusy hops with bread hops that creep into cracker territory. The taste starts somewhat herbal with some caramel and tropical fruits. Hints of citrus and melon with a long dry finish. 5.0% - found at Harmons.

New Belgium - VooDoo Ranger American Haze: Some star citrus fruitiness in the nose with some cereal like grains. The flavor follows with low bitterness. 5.0% - Found at Harmons.

Firestone Walker - Fly Jack: Herbal nose with some grapefruit. Upon first sip there's  lot of grapefruit, with some earthy hops as well. The flavor has more citrus hops with some lemongrass as well. Notes of pineapple linger towards the end. finishes with some orange pith. Another entry into the low-cal beer game.

Returning Favorites:

TF - Who's Barry?: In this new iteration look for a slight reduction in lactose sweetness with an increase in overall berry fruitiness. Slightly more tannic which helps it keep that fresh fruitiness. The mouthfeel seems to have a creamier feel as well.

Hopkins Chile Mangose: This beer was originally made as a collaboration with Salt Flats for last year's Utah Brewers Guild Collaboration Festival. This version has been bumped up to 5.0%. The chilies provide more flavor than heat in this sour based beer. Ever tried mango dusted with chiles? it's very much like that; with less intensity. A wonderful beer. Only at Hopkins.

Hopkins also has a huge selection of small batch beers to offer this weekend.  Check these out!


Cheers!

New Beer Friday 2/7/20

I think you'll find these New Beer Friday options agreeable to most beer nerds. If you're into stouts and porters this will be a good weekend for you.

Wasatch - Cerveza Molé (Mexican Red): Mexico was the inspiration for this beer. Brewed with corn, dried chilies, peanuts, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cumin and coriander. for such a busy beer it comes together quite nicely with mole flavors that take advantage of the caramel malt base. Quite nice. 5.0% On tap now, only at Wasatch Brewpub Sugar House, and only for a limited time!

2 Row - Smoked  Jalapeño Porter: The aroma has a faint hint of chilies and roasted malt. In the mouth you get a nice dose of cocoa and dark roast coffee. The jalapeño heat is pretty subtle and is mostly limited to a scratchiness on the back of the throat, with little fire. A solid chile beer. 7.5% Available at 2 Row, I also found it a Beer Bar.     

Policy Kings- Imperial Stout: Missed this one. Look for flavors and aromas of dried fruit, coffee, and dark chocolate in this new offering from the Cedar City brewery. ABV N/A. Only available at the brewery.

Policy Kings - Juiced Up: Missed this one.This a citrus forward pale ale featuring notes of grapfruit. ABV N/A. Only available at the brewery.

Roosters - Untamed Juicy IPA: This new IPA is very cirtus forward along with big tropical notes. It only has about 20 IBUs, so the bitterness is pretty low. This just went on sale and shout be at all Roosters locations soon (if it isn't already) 7.0%

Squatters - Strawberry Kolsch: This new 5% version has in-house made strawberry puree. It punches up the fruitiness, but not in an obnoxious way. It's clean, fruity and highly drinkable. Very nice. Available at Squatters Downtown.

RoHa - Barrel Aged Porter: This is RoHa's project porter aged on oak. Look for vanilla undertones with robust malts and a slight bourbon aroma. 5.0% - This is very limited and only available at RoHa.

Kiitos - Oatmeal Stout: This is a straight-up oatmeal stout. Lots of cocoa and chocolate notes here with a slight bit of coffee. It's silky smooth and perfect for a rainy day. 5.0% - On Draft now at Kiitos.

Deschutes - Planéte Rouge:This is a somewhat vinegary take on the oud bruin style. Notes of dark malts, cherry and apple. The 10.2% ABV is a bit overwhelming; combine that with the acidic vinegar and you get an overly aggressive sour that's just average. Available at Slackwater Sandy and select DABC stores.


Returning 

Shades - Kveik Thai Tom Kah: Shades' 2019 gold medal winning herb and spice beer is back in limited release. The coconut is strong enough to be noticed, Ginger is pretty subtle and the lemon grass gets a little lost. All n’ all it’s damn delish. 6.5% At Shades.

Salúd!

New Beer Friday 2/22/19

The theme for today's New Beer Friday is "limited". If you want today's beer you need to hit the road sooner than later and avoid throwing those elbows. Have a great weekend.

Bonneville - AnniversaRYE: This beer changes every year (less the rye), this year’s take might be a true original for our market; it’s the area’s first Brut Rye Pale Ale. The rye adds a distinctive earthy, spicy character that plays with an experimental hop: EX 10416, which has its own spicy and herbal character offset by a punch of fruity citrus. The beer is pale in color with an aroma of lemon, tangerine and hints of rye. The sweet fruitiness is offset by the dry spiciness of the rye and the ultra-dry finish. Bittering hops were not used, as the complete fermentation leaves no cloying sweetness.4.0%.
Raise a glass of the 6th AnniversaRye to celebrate 6 years of Bonneville Brewery!

Kiitos - Tangerine Dream: This fruited IPA is a breakfast lovers dream and is probably one of the best brunch beers around; I'd go as far to say it's a 'beermosa'. It's full of all of the qualities that you want from a hazy IPA with the addition of citrus juice. You can tell there's real juice (not just juicy hops) by the way it lights up your salivary glands. This one is going fast, don't wait, it may not last the weekend. 

Uinta - Old Ephraim: This Flemish style brown is tart vague berries, a little metallic and lightly tart. Fruity malt character with more berry-like qualities. Nice bretty sourness, though it’s pretty subdued. I like this but seems like it was stretched a bit thin to yield more bottles. Worth snagging a bottle or two if your a fan of the style. 7.0%

Uinta Single Barrel Migrator: When Uinta originally released Migrator last November it was a blend of many barrels into one large batch. The best tasting single barrel was set aside, allowed to mature a little more and is now ready for you to try. This is a very limited run of 160 crowlers from Barrel #27. As you may recall: this bourbon barrel aged dopplebock is full of rich caramel and toffee. Next up you get a hint of roasted malts, then the bourbon kicks in adding complex vanilla and wood flavors. Finishes a tad sweet with not too much heat. Medium mouthfeel. The previous version came in at 8.0%, the single barrel dialed in at 10.5%. This goes on sale today 11am at Uinta.


Fisher - King Fisher: to celebrate the brewery's 2nd anniversary Fisher is releasing their 6th "high point offering an amped-up version of their Fisher Lager. Look for an unfiltered beer that has a  bolder malt and hop profile. Lager nerds won't want to miss this one. Along with this beer there will be other brewery events happening all day Saturday. Check out Fisher's social media more info. 6.6%. available at Fisher starting 10am??? 

Toasted Barrel Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Stout: No notes on this one, the name says it all. There will be a limited released tomorrow (Saturday 2/23), with the full release coming next week.  

Deschutes - Fresh Haze: Nose is marmalade and honey, but could have been bigger. A pretty solid IPA with flavor that leans toward orange and a hint of pine. Honestly, Hopped with Mandarina Bavaria, Amarillo and Simcoe. Overall, a pretty decent beer. But if Haze is your game you may come away wanting. 6.5% - Available at DABC.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 9/28/18

Apparently today is National Drink a Beer Day. This being the case, I've found a nice round selection of local regional beers to help you accomplish this sacred national obligation.

It's also worth mentioning that Utah has two new breweries that have gone online and are now fermenting beer. Policy Kings Brewing located in Cedar City started brewing last week and will hopefully be selling their suds to our brothers and sisters in Southern Utah in the coming weeks. The Templin Family (TF) Brewery went online yesterday and hopes to be serving beer at their Granary neighborhood spot by the end of October. Congrats to Utah's newest beverage playgrounds!

Fisher Purple Power Sour: Black Currents were added to this new brew. They give it a deep purple color that is tinged towards the red. The taste is lemony tart as you'd expect, with a good amount of berry fruitiness. One of their better sours for sure. 4.0%. Only at Fisher

Fisher Best Fresh Citra Pale: The name says it all - whick means this probably won't be around very long. There's a good amount of citra hops in here, which gives it that nice tangerine zing. The malts are equally pronounced giving it an all around balance. Tasty! 4.0%. Only at Fisher 

Kiitos Barrel Aged Barley Wine: This new 13.0% Barley Wine is being released tomorrow to celebrate Kiitos' one year anniversary. Look for big toffee, tobacco and dark fruits combined with bourbon and oaky vanilla. Boom!

Kiitos Fruit Milkshake: A bright red fruit blast, mostly raspberries with some blueberries and plums as well. Kiitos used over 1.5 pounds of fruit per gallon of beer and it tastes like a smoothie. Available in cans and on draft. 4.0% Available 9/29

Kiitos Marzen: is an amber lager and is their take on an Oktoberfest style beer. The beer is malt forward and very crisp. Available on draft only. 4.0% Available 9/29

Kiitos Session Brut IPA: is very light and dry with high carbonation allowing the citrus hop flavors to shine with no bitterness. Available in cans and on draft. 4.0% Available 9/29

Red Rock Fallen: This non traditional Dunkle is dark brown in color with aromas of dark malts, some cacao notes, banana and a touch of resiny hops. Taste has a somewhat spicy quality due to the ginger. The malts are semi-sweet and bready with cacao, banana, clove and lemon. It finishes with some citrusy hops. Medium/light body and carbonation. A nice twist on the Dunkle style, I think you'll like it. 4.0%. This should be hitting Harmon's Grocery stores anytime. 

Zion Pecan Nut Brown: A medium amount of sweet malts combined with toasted grain and pecans make this brown ale the perfect autumn companion. I fell in love with beer on the first sip. Very  satisfying and appropriatly complex for it's 4.0% ABV. Available At Zion Canyon's Brewpub and at Beer Bar for a limited time.

Wasatch Clothing Hoptional: While this beer isn't technically new, the use of the wild Summit County hops keep it different every year; so let's call it new. The addition of local malt makes it a true local beer. This beer debuts Saturday, 29th. at Wasatch's original Park City brewery.   

Desert Edge Fresh Hop Ale. This is an unfiltered pale ale brewed with farm fresh Citra hops used within 24 hours of harvest. Using fresh undried hops bring out subtle floral qualities usually lost in the drying process. This beer has light malt character and low bitterness to let those fresh flavors of peachy, citrusy, goodness stand out. 4.0%. Available at Desert Edge.

Desert Edge CitraNali Pale Ale: This unfiltered pale ale is brewed with lots of Citra and Denali hops for a bold hoppy ale full of bright grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors. Light malty background with high bitterness and dry finish. 4.0%. Available at Desert Edge.

Deschutes Hopzeit Autumn IPA: It starts off with toasted/bready malts and light caramel. The citrus and tropical flavors from the from the hops blend nicely with malts making it very drinkable. The finish has a nice dose of spicy/herbal bitterness. 7.0%. Available at DABC and better beer pubs.

Silver Moon Mango Daze: This is a new brewery to hit our market, it quietly slipped in from Bend, Oregon. It opens orange zest and mango. Tropical and citrusy hops dominate though, creating a nice fruit salad effect. The mango adds to the hop character in a way that seems natural and purposeful.   Mid way through you get mild toast/caramel notes with a finish that is mildly dry and acidic. Nice beer. 6.0%. Available at DABC and better beer pubs.

Dogfish Head Fruitful Fort: This beastly fruit beer dials in at whopping 18%. I don't want to over describe this beer's complexities because there's a lot going on here and it's not going to be everyone's jam. Look for chewy molasses along with concord grape, blueberry and raspberry. Calling it full bodied would be an understatement. It finishes super boozy and astringent. I'd grab some of these and cellar them for a few years. A little time in the bottle will hopefully mellow this fucker out. I found this at Beer Bar.

I'll be discussing these beers and other random beer topics this afternoon with Mick and Allen on KBER101 at 3:30pm. Please tune in.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 7/27/18

It's all about local tart and sour beers this week. That doesn't happen too often.

Epic Pie and Beer Day Sour Ale: This originally hit SLC on Tuesday it has aromas of dark fruit and oak. The taste is soured blueberries and boysenberries with some oak and red wine. Finishes with a good dose of funky yeast. Very nice. 7.7%. Available at Epic and Beer Bar.

Kiitos Cherry Berliner: This tastes a little less tart than some of Kiitos' other sour beers. This gives the cherry a chance to shine and really come through. Very nice. 4.0%. Available at Kiitos.

Uinta Alpenglow: This brand new wild ale from Uinta is being bottled this morning and should hopefully be ready sometime this afternoon. I should have tasting notes at 3:30 for New Beer Friday on KBER101. 9.4%. Available at Uinta.  

Toasted Barrel Grisette: This hoppy Belgian style is herbal with tea and a good dose of citra hops. 4.0%. Available at Toasted Barrel.

Deschutes Black Butte XXX: Missed out on this one. This Imperial Porter was blended using 8 different types of oak barrels, with notes of salted chocolate, whiskey and dried fruit.13.6%. Available at DABC.

Belhaven Scottish Ale: Missed out on this one. It's described as having a nutty, biscuit character, balanced with a subtle spiciness from Challenger and Goldings hops 5.2%. Available at DABC.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/15/18

You have beer in your life, but do you have new beer in your life? If not; we'll fix that today.

Red Rock Mango Berliner: This lemony tart beer offers a medium amount of lemony tartness with a fairly subtle amount of mango. It's there, but not super fruity. I liked it, super crushable. 4.0%. Available at Red Rock downtown.

Rogue Cold Brew 2.0: This blonde ale with coffee has a moderate java aroma. The taste is mostly coffee with some sweet malt, biscuit and a smidge of hazelnut. 5.6%. Available at DABC.

Four Sons Brewing - The Great One IIPA: This brewery just snuck into the market the other day from Huntington Beach, Ca. This IIPA is named after Wayne Gretzky and is described as being full bodied with  Chinook, El Dorado, Cascade, Fuggle, Nugget and Saaz hops. 9.9%. Available at DABC.

Four Sons Brewing Sour K: I've not tried this one yet. This beer is listed as being a 7.9% Wild Ale but some people are reporting that they've bought it locally in C-stores; putting it at a max 4.0%. Can anyone confirm this?

Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Lime & Blue Agave): big lightly tart limes, lemon, citrus zest, grapefruit, orange, peach, pear, red/green apple, melon, white wine, sea salt, 4.9%

Stone Vituale IPA: Missed out on this one. It's described as having big citrus notes of tropical fruit while upping the dank, resin qualities of Citra & Mosaic. 7.7% 

Deschutes The Ages: Just came across this at 4am, so I have no tasting notes on this one. This is a one and done American Wild Ale that is described as being a Gueuze-Inspired, multi-year wild brew brimming with hints of savory, fruity esters, and spicy, tangy pear and white pepper flavors. Be warned: there may be some sticker-shock involved here. 8.0%. Available at Bayou.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 3/2/18

2 Row Apricot Sour - There's a medium dose of lemony tartness with some noticeable apricot. Apricot is a little subtle for the level of tartness here, but if you like 'em tart this, you'll love this. 7.9%. At 2 Row and better beer pubs.

Full Sail: Session EZ IPA -  This session NE style IPA has a great fruity profile with a nice dose of citrus. Can’t go wrong here. 4.8%. Had it at Beer Bar.

Kiitos NEIPA - This new addition to Kiitos’ lineup is super tropical and fruity as well. It’s super fresh and it has Kiitos’ pop top can. 7.3% at Kiitos.

Deschutes Swivel Head Red IPA - I have not tried this one yet. 6.5%. At select DABC stores.

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA - Again, Another solid NE style IPA. This one has a slightly more better finish than the previous IPAs mentioned. Very nice. 6.7%  I had it at Beer Bar.

RoHa Brewing Project Belgian Pale Ale - This has the typical farmhouse nose, but is easy on the pallet. Not overly fruity and drinks like a pale ale.  If you want to introduce your taste buds to a mellow Belgian beer, this is the ticket. 4.0%. Available at RoHa.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Adiós 2017

What a weird year 2017 has been, there's been no shortage of strange shit and many of us wondered if we were living in some kind of alternate reality. However, there was one thing that wasn't out of Bizzaro-Land; Utah had a record breaking year in regards to brewery expansion. 2017 saw the  addition of A.Fisher Brewing Co., the RoHa Brewing Project, RPM Brewing Co.and Kiitos Brewing Co. to our brewery count. As I see it, Utah now has 28 breweries (counting two independent brew houses for Roosters and Proper and three for the Wasatch/Squatters group). 2018 will likely see an additional three or four new breweries added to the roster. I don't have to tell you that a vibrant beer scene will help take Utah's beer culture out of the 1970's while greatly improve the outstanding local beverages we currently enjoy. Happy New Beer Friday and please have a happy and safe New Year!
  
Strap Tank Barrel Aged Stout: This is a barrel strength stout. Meaning it is not blended with a fresh batch of the base beer. This gives the beer more "umpf" and body. The beer is jet black, with a chocolate colored head. the nose has chocolate, booze, bitter coffee, woody highlights, and tangy cream sweetness. The flavors are rich and robust, with a smooth milk chocolate highlighted by campfire smoke. All of this on a bitter roasted coffee backbone, with woody and boozy highlights. Some crème notes, too. It has a rich, chocolate and vanilla aftertaste, with whiskey highlights in there, too. Smooth, slow finish, with a nice warmth and lingering chocolate. 9.6% ABV. Available for enjoyment at the brewery today. To-go sale coming next week. Congrats on UTah County's first barrel aged beer! 

Avenues Proper Coffee Pale Ale:  Brewed with La Barba Ethiopian coffee beans and American hops. The idea here is to find a good combination of a fruit-forward coffee bean that wouldn't be overly acidic to pair with fruity American hops and bready malts to try and coax some flavors out of a coffee beer that you don't normally see. I havn't had a chance to try it yet but it sounds very intriguing. 4.0% ABV. Only at Avenues Proper.


Kiitos Wheat Ale: Kiitos is flexing a little muscle with this beer. Though it's only 4.0%

ABV, it's made using 75% wheat malt. If you've ever brewed with large amounts wheat and rye; you know it's a sticky mash. Kiitos' brew system allows them to utilize these water retaining grains with high efficiency. Basically, what I'm saying is that you won't find many 75% wheat beers in the market. This one is clean and bready with nice cereal and cracker qualities. Give this one a shot. Available at Kiitos. 

Moab FMU Double IPA: Generally FMU means "Fuck Me UP" and while that may not be Moab Brewing Company's intent, it is becoming common vernacular in regards to high ABV beers. This Double IPA boasts a shload of throughout and packs a 9.6% ABV. I'd give this a rating of, "meh". This feels more like a thin barley wine. It's sweetness overpowers much of the hop profile, though it does finish quite bitter on the back of the tongue. Available at most DABC stores.
  

Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fiddy: Some bourbon, vanilla, oak, chocolate, caramel and a bit of coffee in the aroma. Lots of chocolate malts and some vanilla, caramel and coffee. Some roasted malts. The Bourbon isn't too overpowering. Smooth, silky texture. A very nice brew!
12.9% ABV. Available at your better beer bars.

Base Camp 5th Anniversary: This beer is basically an olde stock ale. It's kind of a baby barley wine. This was aged in multiple wine and "spirit" barrels. The malts are sweet and the barrel aging adds nice vinious tartness that is light and pleasant. It does feel a bit thin though. Non the less it's an enjoyable beer. I found it at Beer Bar. 7.9% ABV.

Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA: : A tropical and citrusy nose with mandarin orange, mango and pineapple along with malt. The taste is similar with orange and and mango off the top. The pineapple is a bit more restrained by the malts and the fruitiness as whole. pineapple. The finish is light and bitter. A nice and easy IPA with good fruit flavors and nice balance.7.3% ABV.

Deschutes Abyss - Tequila Barrel: The nose has a noticeable tequila that works well with the dark chocolate, coffee notes and licorice. I can't tell if I'm getting agave or not, but there is a vegital like sweetness off the top of the taste. This Abyss variant is a little lacking in the distinctiveness of the tequila barrel. And frankly I don't know if tequila is the best fit for an Imperial stout like this. What are your thoughts? 11.9% ABV. I found this at the Bayou.

Cheers!

Thanks to the Columbia Daily Tribune for letting me alter their cartoon.

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 5/12/17

This week's New Beer Friday finds are mostly local, including the highly anticipated Flanders Red from Uinta Brewing and home brewer Rob Rutledge. Have a great weekend!

Bohemian's Pro/Am Lagerpalooza IPL - Nose of light citrus fruit, herbal hop notes. Flavors follow the nose with honey and citrus notes on the front and sides, a bittering herbal hops note to the middle and rear, and a toasty grain flavors in the back and aftertaste. Very nice.6.0% ABV @ Bohemian

Desert Edge's Kellerbier - This is an unfiltered German Helles. The aroma is full of sweet grainy malt. The flavor is doughy malt and subtle spicy and floral German Saaz hops. Low hop flavor and bitterness let the pilsner malt dominate for a malty yet light and refreshing lager. @Desert Edge

Squatters' Laurel Lager - Herbal and grassy nose. The taste had sweet and toasted grains with balancing herbal and grassy hops. Very nice lager. 4.0% ABV @ Squatters

Uinta Cahoots Flanders Style Red - This came out yesterday afternoon, and I missed out. I'll have tasting notes this afternoon at 3:30pm on KBER 101. 8.0% ABV @ Uinta

Deschutes Pacific Wonderland - The nose has sweet biscuit, earthy and lemony hops. Flavor follows and has a nice dry finish on a well balanced. 5.5% ABV @ Bayou, DABC

Upslope Citra Pale Ale - Not had this yet. Upslope describes it as prominently featuring Citra hops, our Citra Pale Ale delivers pungent grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas on the nose with a semi-dry finish. Juicy notes imparted by the hops pair with the light caramel malt character to balance this drinkable, “go-to” American Pale Ale. 5.8% ABV @ Bayou, DABC

Fisher Brexit Brown Ale - haven't tried this yet. 4.0% ABV @ Fisher

There are more new addition to your American Craft beer Week Calendar from Bohemian and Roosters. You can find them here.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 2/3/17

My self imposed beer exile is finally over - And just in time, because there a shload of new stuff covering the board this week.

RedRock India Red Lager - Haven't tried this one yet. Look for Fruity caramel malts with big citrus hops. 4.0% ABV @ RedRock Downtown

RedRock Lady Ga Gose - Lemon tartness with a moderate amount of sodium bite. A nice Gose. 4.0% ABV @ RedRock

Ballast Point Red Velvet Nitro - Not tried this one yet. The deep red color comes from beets, which add a rich, earthy character that complements the chocolate flavor and aroma. The foamy head of the nitro pour is the “icing”, adding a creamy smoothness to the mouthfeel. But this liquid dessert still finishes like a beer – not sweet, but just as satisfying. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater

Ballast Point Manta Ray - The nose has lots of tropical fruits. Mango, papaya, passion fruit, and some citrus. The taste is more citrusy with some tropical fruit notes. Bitterness at the end with some pine. A bit boozey. Some toasted malts. 8.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Deschutes Black Butte XXVIII - The nose is a blend of coffee, raisins, chocolate, bourbon, prune and alcohol. The taste is a complex blend of chocolate, coffee, bourbon, oak, raisins, apricots, pine and vanilla. Very nice addition to the series. 11.5% ABV  @ DABC, BeerHive

Desert Edge Waimea IPA - This is a session IPA brewed with Waimea hops from New Zealand and a bit of citra in the dry hop. The aroma is mango and citrus. The flavor is the same with underlying grassy and botanical flavors with a hint of ripe melon. The malt flavor has just enough bready malt and light caramel to balance the hops. A firm bitterness keeps all the fruity flavors in check for highly drinkable session IPA. 4.0% ABV @ Desert Edge

Melvin Lambda3 - Brewed with 4+ lbs of Simcoe and Mosaic hops per barrel, then double dry-hopped. Flavors of peach, stone fruit, and herbal forest. 11.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Melvin Drunken Master - The nose has pine resin with peach, melon and mango. The taste is slightly sweet with mild hints of toffee/caramel, heavy tropical fruits, hernal hops finishing with a moderate hop bitterness. @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Melvin Citradamus - A lot of tangerine and grapefruit happening here with a good deal of tropical fruits as well. Malts subtle and caramely  9.0% @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti -  The Nose has chocolate, roasted malt, toffee, raisins, plums and figs. The taste is similar with the addition of a very sweet base. It tends to take away from the barrel that is already a bit subtle. Needs more of those bourbon/vanilla/coconut flavors that you want in a BBS. 12.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Sierra Nevada Sidecar - This beer has a pop of bright orange flavor that emphasizes the natural citrus-heavy character of Cascade, Equinox and Mandarina hops. Brewed with orange peel added directly to the kettle, and all the classic hop flavor you'd come to expect from our all-new take on the hop-forward fruit beer. @ Beer Bar 

Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo - Mmango, papaya, and passion fruit dominate this version of Torpedo. 6.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Squatters Outer Darkness Cans  Not new, but it is in new packaging. Handy-dandy 12 oz. cans!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 11/4/16

Let's face it. We're all winners when New Beer Friday is involved.

Squatters Solstice Saison - Light coriander and clove round out subtle chocolate flavors in this deceptively light looking - but flavorful "spiced" saison. 4.0% ABV @ Squatters

Uinta Jack Rabbit Barrel Aged Saison - Pine, juniper and a bit of oak compliment this lightly phenolic saison. Some cereal flavors as well along with a slightly boozy burn. Finishes with a tiny bit of tartness. 9.3% ABV  @ Uinta, Bayou, Beerhive

Roosters Daily Rise and Shine - Definitely coffee forward. The base is semi-chocolaty which compliments the coffee flavors well. Made with Layton's Daily Rise Coffee. If you like Java stouts? it's worth your time. 4.0% ABV  @ Roosters

Strap Tank Dirty Politician - an American brown ale with notes of milk-chocolate and Reese's peanut butter cups. 4.0% ABV @ Strap Tank

Lagunitas Born Yesterday Fresh Hop Pale Ale -  The nose on this is like fresh fruit salad full of peach, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, caramelized bready malt, with dank earthy herbal grass and spicy resinous pine. The taste is far more citrusy with notes of orange, tangerine and subtle grapefruit pith. There are also some sweet mango notes, followed by peach and pineapple. Not much malt but it's present. Fantastic pale ale. 7.0% ABV @Beerhive, Bayou, Dick and Dixie's, Lucky 13

Wasatch UT-X Azacca - Light caramel malts with a big tropical fruit hop profile. This is Wasatch's rotating session IPA series. Always worth trying. 4.0% ABV   @Wasatch

Deschutes/Hair of the Dog Collage 2 -  Smell is of sweet malts, bourbon, raisins, oak, vanilla, cherry, heaven. Taste follows the nose with boozy raisins being the most prominent. Dark alcohol soaked fruits, tobacco and whiskey come next. Slightly pruney and tart in the end. Wine barrel is also noticeable. This is a boozy beast. approach with caution. A year or two in the cellar will do wonders for this. 14.3%  @Beerhive

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: A Beer is No One - Edition

There's quite a diverse crowd of beers this week. Plenty to keep a faceless man, well... um..."faced".

Samuel Adams Nitro Coffee Stout - The nose has nice espresso and roasted malts with a bit of dark chocolate. The tastes starts malty sweet with dark roast coffee and a bit of toffee and cocoa. Nice and creamy in the mouth, thanks to the nitro. Tasty. 5.8% ABV @ DABC, Bayou

Samuel Adams Nitro IPA - Pours a clear gold honey hue with a good two fingers of nitro head. The nose has subtle citrus hops. The taste light with grassy and citrus hop along with muted malts. Finishes fairly bitter and dry. Creamy mouthfeel. 7.5% ABV @ DABC, Bayou

Deschutes Pinot Suave - Pours black and opaque with little head. the nose has Port wine, prunes and alcohol. The taste is more mellow that the aroma, There are tons of tart dark fruit - like prune, dates and current. The wine notes from the barrels are very apparent and add a nice vinous tartness. Notes of char and dark cocoa round out the back. finishes slightly tart and dry. It's listed at 11.2% - mine listed it at 11.8% ABV. @Beer Bar, BeerHive

Coney Island Hard Orange Cream Ale - It's what you'd expect from a cream soda, very creamsicle-like, with a little alcohol bite. Best in small doses. 5.0% ABV @ Bayou, DABC

Samuel Smith's Organic Apricot - Not tried this one yet. I imagine there's apricot flavors somewhere in there. 5.1% ABV @Slackwater

What did I miss? please share!

Cheers!

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 12/4/15

I made this meme for "New Beer Black Friday" that should have run last week. As I didn't have anything new last week and I was slacking on my meme making duties, your stuck with my out dated attempt. The beers however are not outdated.

Hoppers Blonde Patersbier - This new seasonal has all the traditional fruity Belgian Trappist yeast flavors and aromatics. Hopper's version is unfiltered and well hopped with Pacifica hops, giving it a pleasant aroma of wildflower a and tropical fruit. The grains used include oats for a smooth yeast textured mouth feel. The flavor starts off crisp citrus with a honey like sweetness, then finishes dry with a lingering complex flavor of mango, strawberry and rich malt. 4.0% ABV @ Hoppers

Boulevard/Cigar City Collaboration #5 Tropical Pale Ale - Tropical fruit and berries in the nose. The taste is nice and fruity as well. More berries with a bit of mango and tangerine. Finishes slightly woody. A great balance of malt and topic-esque fruitiness. Defiantly Worth your quatloos. 7.2% ABV @ Beerhive

Deschutes EHOP - The nose has a bit of anise and cocoa malt. The taste starts with a sage/tyne spice combo that blends nicely with the malts. The end has coffee and a bit chocolate. Finishes with lemon bitters. Interesting beer spiced beer. I'm a bit on the fence about it though. 8.0% ABV @ Beerhive

These Epic beers have technically been around, but have been reworked so their sorta-kinda new. Epic will be debuting them as a series tonight at a tap takeover at The Hogs Wallow. They are all 4% ABV

Epic Session IPA - A Mosaic and Simcoe hopped IPA that has powerful and juicy nose and nice citrusy body.

Epic Single-hop Golden Ale - Featuring Centennial hops that gives it floral and citrus qualities.

Epic Witbier - a spiced Wit. Typically made with coriander and orange peel.

Epic Orchard Raspberry Ale - Tart raspberries with some coriander spiciness from the yeast. 

Kettle Soured IPA - Big lemony tartness, with equally large grapefruit peel bitterness.

 Cheers!

New Beer Friday - House of Cards Edition

The Mormon Francis Underwood's star may be on the rise, but that doesn't mean he has to piss all over your weekend. Here are some tasty, barley based treats to keep your spirits up!
  
Green Flash Jibe Session IPA - pours it clear golden color with a nose that is floral with some citrus and grass. The taste is piney and earthy upfront with toasty malt notes. The end is mostly piney with some floral bitterness.  Finishes quite dry. Overall this IPA is thin, even for Utah standards.  If you're a fan of Green Flash then it's definitely worth your time. 4.0% ABV @Smith's & Harmon's Grocery Stores.

New Belgium Fat Tire - This is the new 4% version that is mow available in Utah.  I haven't tried it yet,  should start showing up at most grocery stores and convenient stores around the state.

New Belgium Pumpkick - Pours a deep but clear amber color. The nose is mostly pumpkin pie spices. The taste has more of a yam character rather than pumpkin. She does not force the spices are subtle though. Drinkable but not my favorite of the pumpkin beers  that I've come across. 6.0% ABV @Bayou, Beer Bar, BeerHive

Descutes Zarabanda Saison - Pours a clear dark gold with a thin, dissipating head. The nose is full of spices and citrus. Lots of yeast, malt, lemon lime, pretty complex. The flavor is spicy yeast, pepper, very herbal, grass, grains, citrus lemon and lime. The finish is clean, crisp, very drinkable. 6.1% ABV @ Bayou, Slackwater

Rogue Pumpkin Patch Ale - Pours a dark amber/orange color. The nose has vanilla, pumpkin spices, clove, allspice, and nutmeg. The tastes starts with vanilla, clove, cinnamon, and pumpkin flesh. Caramel malts come next with some hop bitterness and coriander rounding it out. It's okay, but thinner than expected 5.6% ABV @ Bayou

Sea Dog Sunfish Wheat - Pours a pale straw color with a medium thin head. The nose is big with floral notes and heavy peach. The taste starts out very sweet with flavors of orange and peach, then some mild breadiness comes in from the wheat. It's alight beer but the peach is quite overwhelming. 4.6% ABV @ Bayou

Upslope Brown Ale - The nose is a nice mix of nuts and roasted malts with a little hint of caramel and molasses. The nutty maltiness from the nose  continues through to the tongue with just enough caramel in there to weigh the beer down and a mild, bitter twang at the end. The finish is long toasty. 6.7% ABV @ Bayou, Beer Bar

Mother Earth Belgian Quad - Pours a mostly clears amber/brown color. The nose is a bit boozy with dark fruits and a hint of whiskey. Taste wise this is more akin to a barley wine than a Belgian quad. deep toffe notes and dark spicy fruits create an almost English barlewine feel. The alcohol for the most part is masked nicely. 12% ABV @ BeerHive

Green Flash Soul Style IPA - Pours clear golden color with a finger of head. The nose is strong with citrus, floral and some malty sweetness. The taste gets more complex with some melon flavor up front then more resiny flavors of citrus and floral. Finishes nicely with bitterness of hops dominating but some sweetness from malt. Overall, a nice IPA. 6.8% ABV @ Slackwater

Prost!

New Beer Friday: Pie & Beer Day Edition

Oh yeah, Baby! It's New Beer  Friday, and if that's not enough for you to celebrate it's also Pie & Beer Day! I know that many of you have your Pie & Beer Day celebrations already planned out. Weather your celebrating at home with friends and family or hitting some of the many planned events around the Wasatch Front, these great new beer option can only make your day better.
 
Squatters - Safety Meeting IPA: All Vienna malts and 100% Summit hops - create a damn refreshing citrus blast in this seasonal session IPA. 4.0% ABV @Squatters - Pair with Cheesecake

Pelican - Golden Pelican:  Herbal, fruity and hoppy nose with a spicy rye flavor profile that works well with the fruity and spicy Aramis hops and farmhouse yeast. 8.5% ABV @Beerhive, Beer Bar, Slackwater, Bayou - Pair with Cherry Pie

Pelican - Flock Wave Pale Ale: Bright floral and citrusy nose. The taste has smooth wheat characteristics with a crisp citrus peel snap. Finishes light and dry. 5.9% ABV @Beerhive, Beer Bar, Slackwater, Bayou - Pairs with Rhubarb Pie

Full Sail - Session IPA: Light citrus in the nose. The taste is slightly grassy with cirus and pine beneth. Malts are light. Refreshing light body. It's not going to blow your mind but it'll do. 5.1% ABV @Beer Bar - Pairs with Quiche

Aztec  -Sacrifice Red India Ale: Dank, hoppy nose. The hoppy bitterness comes on strong and lingers throughout. Big caramel and roast malt flavors are intense as well. Quite dry and roasty for a Red Ale. 7.6% ABV @Beer Bar, Slackwater, Barrelhouse - Pairs with Pecan Pie 

Aztec  - Hop Serpent: Flowery and piney nose with a nice woody malty taste. A hint of char comes next with herbal hops and apricot. Interesting IPA. 9.9% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Barrelhouse - Pairs with Apple Pie

Shiner - Ruby Redbird: This Radler has a spicy grapefruit nose and a palate to match. The taste is mostly grapefruit with ginger ale backing it up. This has much more of a snap than your typical raddler. 4.0% ABV @ Harmons  - Pairs with Custard Pie

Santa Fe - Black IPA: Roasted malt, pine and orange peel in the nose. The taste starts with a big dose of char and toffee. Strong piney hops come next with a hint of citrus in the back. Finished bone dry. I think I'm loosing my enthusiasm for the Black IPAs. It's a good representation of the style. 7.1% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater  Pairs with Black Berry Pie

Deschutes - Pine Drops: Big piney/citrusy nose. Herbal up front with a nice dose of honey malt. The rest of the beer is an onslaught of resinous pine and citrus. So damn tasty! 6.1% ABV @ Beer Bar - pair with Key Lime Pie

Have fun and be safe this weekend.

Prost!

New Beer Friday 5/21/15

Yeah there's a lot of rain. However, did you know beer is the perfect accompaniment for it? Why do you think there are so many breweries in the North West? Here are this week's New Beer Friday options.

Boulder - Single Track Rye Pale Ale: Didn't get a chance to try this one. It's described as a refreshing, medium-bodied ale, Singletrack Rye Pale Ale is brewed with toasted rye and caramel malt for a slight nutty flavor with a brilliant copper color. Reflecting a lifestyle adopted by many at our brewery and in Boulder, Singletrack is an homage to the two-wheeled athletes and weekend warriors pounding the narrow trails of our backyard mountains 4.0% ABV @Harmon's

Boulder - Buffalo Gold Golden Ale: Pours a clear golden yellow with two fingers of tall puffy foam. The nose has some sweet grains and a slight doughiness with some floral hops. The taste is more malty like a pale ale with a bit of unripened apple and pear. Floral and grassy hops round out the end.  4.0% ABV @ Harmon's

Deschutes - Armory XIPA:  Deep copper/orange color with a clumpy three fingers of head. The nose has light caramel and biscuit with an herbal spiciness. The taste starts with toffee like malts and toast. There are also hints of nutmeg and clove Lots of zesty tropical notes come next with a hint of  herbal spices. 6.0% ABV @ Select DABC - I saw it at Bountiful's Store

Hive Winery Black Cherry Brandy: The Hive Brandy Company’s first spirit and Utah’s first brandy. This light amber spirit fronts with vanilla notes finishing with a fresh cherry. Made with 11 pounds of Utah grown black cherries per bottle and aged on oven toasted French oak this spirit will warm you all the way through. For the best brandy drinking experience serve it in a large brandy snifter. This allows the aromas to fill the glass and pass into the lungs each time you take a sip. As a fantastic alternative on the sweeter side add a little real maple syrup to your brandy and swirl it in the snifter. This blends the maple with the cherries and vanilla to make a fantastic combination with a slight sweetness to intensify all the flavors. If you do not have a brandy snifter use the largest wine glass you have at home and you will get the same effects.We only bottled 122 bottles of this magnificent brandy so it will not last long. Each bottle is hand numbered and hand sealed with a double dipped wax cap. Come in and get one of these very limited brandies. This is only available at The Hive Winery/The Hive Brandy Company Location. $68.95 for a 750 ml bottle. 80 proof 40% alcohol by volume.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 2/20/15

Deschutes Jubel 2015 - Pours a dark ruby brown color. It has a nose of roasted malt and toffee with some spicy dark fruits. Some vinous barrel notes as well. The taste starts with fig, raisin and prune. Big malt sweetness comes next with some tobacco notes. The end has nice wine flavors from the barrel. It's a rich tasting beer, but not overly sweet. Impressive effort from Deschutes. 10.4% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

New Belgium Cocoa Molé -  Pours a muddy looking brown color. The nose has chile spices with rich chocolate notes. Definitely smells like molé. The taste starts with roasted malt cocoa and roasted chiles. The chile spices are at medium heat, so there a good amount of pepperiness on the back of the throat. This is a great marriage of chiles and cocoa. It is quite rich and delicious but not cloying. Reminds me of Ramon's Chocolate Molé from Red Iguana. 9.0% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter - Pours a bright looking straw color with a good three fingers on top. The nose is all hops with dank weed, spruce and citrus rind. The taste follows the nose with malt lingering in the background. there is a bit of light honey like sweetness towards the end as well. Finishes super dry bitter. This is a hop extract bomb. Not for the timid. 6.2% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

The Annex's End of the Firkin Work Week Firkin is the Annex IPL (India Pale Lager) with whole leaf Amarillo and Mango. $3 pints, Tapping at 4:30. 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Choose the Beer (CtB) Edition

Had this nice young man that "hates me" chosen the beer instead of the right he may not be in the cocaína fueled pickle he's in now. Max, try craft beer. It's legal, it's tasty and there's a whole new bunch of it today in New beer Friday!

The Annex - Single Hop Golden Ale with Galaxy Hops: The nose has pineapple, orange, and pine. The taste starts with a subtle malt sweetness. Pineapple notes and dank pine bitterness round-out the back end. The finish has a slight yeast breadlines. Damn tasty and drinkable. A nice single hop ale. 4.0% ABV @ The Annex and Beer Bar.

Deschutes - Foray Belgian IPA: The nose is malty with apple, pear and citrus. Hints of Belgian yeast spiciness as well. The taste starts with citrus zest, apple and pear flavors. Mild hop bitterenss and spicy yeast notes follow. The finish is nice and crisp. The fruity and mild Belgian yeast qualities make this a tasty and easy to drink Belgo-IPA. Worth your time! 6.5% ABV @ Beerhive

Firestone Walker - Oaktoberfest: The nose has biscuit malt and a touch of grassy hops. The flavor starts with caramel and biscuit malt. A nice touch of vanilla follows with light grassy hops rounding out the back. This is a tasty beer but not the best representation of a traditional marzen. 4.6% ABV @Beerhive

Kujukuri - Ocean Weizen: Big banana and spices in the nose. The taste starts fruity with banana and a touch of oranges. Spicy hops come next drying the beer out a little. The end has a nice sour edge with a touch more bitterness. A rich, Japanese Berliner weisse that is surprisingly refreshing. 5.5% ABV @ Takashi Sushi

Iwate Kura Japanese Herb Ale Sansho: The nose has strong notes of parsley, oregano and thyme. The taste starts with spicy thyme and parsley. Pleasant honey, caramel and ginger come nest with a nice herbal bitterness rounding out the end. For an herbal beer it's pretty drinkable. 5.5% ABV @ Takashi Sushi

Echigo Stout: The nose has roasted malts and some earthy chocolate. The flavor starts with nutty/roasty malts. Fig and currant sweetness come next. The end has more earthy chocolate with some nice espresso flavors. It finishes with some lingering smokey notes. 7.0% ABV @ Takashi Sushi

Returing Champions

Uinta Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Pours a dark copper orange. The nose is of sweet malt, pumpkin pie spices, vanilla, and some wood notes. The taste is of sweet malt and pumpkin puree up front while nutmeg, allspice vanilla and Bourbon round out the finish. The spices add a sight earthy bitterness that lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is an incredibly delicious pumpkin ale with a nice balance of all the flavors. One of the best pumpkin beers, in the Universe.

Bohemian Octoberfest: The nose contains caramelized malts, fruit, some grassy hops and spices. The taste starts out sweet with flavors of fruit and caramel. Then some breadiness comes in from a hearty malt character and lager yeast. The hops presence is mild but brings some balance. Another excellent lager from Bohemian!

Kampai!