New Beer Friday 1/31/20

It's the last day of January, Dryuary, Veguary, Mortuary, or whatever. If you decided to forgo something in your life to help you get a jump on 2020, I'm officially giving you permission to dump that shit and get on with your life. This week's New Beer Friday options will defiantly help with the latter. Try not to do it all in one day like me....

TF Brewing - Fluffy Nuts: Yes, I said "Fluffy Nuts". This is a 5.0% pastry stout, and the complimenting ingredients are marshmallow and peanut butter. Fluffy Nuts debuts today; I hope to have tasting notes for you on this, later this afternoon with Mick and Allen on KBER101 at 3:30pm. Fluffy Nuts....

Proper - Peach and Mango Sour Ranger: The newest member of the Sour Rangers squad is quite tart and slightly soapy. The flavor for the most part is lemon with some mango floating around in the background. The mango becomes more pronounced towards the finish. Not much in the way of peach flavor. Enjoyable enough. 5.0% - Available at Proper

Epic - Sour Brainless Lucy: This is a tart, foeder aged, unfruited blonde ale with notes of green stone fruit and mild tannins. The effervescence is on the light side and it finishes quite dry. Lucy is the name of the foeder that had aged this particular sour beer. Sadly Lucy's day are over and she's being dismantled. All that's left is being put into crowlers and they can be found at Epic Brewing. Thanks, for all of you delicious beer, girl. 

Level Crossing - Dallas Alice: This new beer from Level Crossing is a Belgian style blonde ale. There;s some sweet earthy clove and banana in the nose. The taste follows with added candy sugar sweetness that punches up the body and flavor. German hops round out the overall providing balance. Finishes with a hint of sweetness. 6.2% - Available at  Level Crossing - There will a release party today as well.

Bewilder - Oatmeal Stout: This is not an overly roasty stout, but it does have nice cocoa notes to carry it through. The oatmeal adds smoothness to the overall feels of the beer. The nitro gas adds a perceived sweetness that is pleasant and authentic. 5.0% - Available at Bewilder

Talisman - Adventures in IPA No.5: I'm really pissed that I missed this one. Talisman went a different direction in this IPA; pursuing German hop varietal instead of American/New Zealand blends. The use of  Mandarina Bavaria and Hallertaur Blanc Hops, will likely make this a different and delicious IPA. 5.0% - Available at Talisman

Hopkins - Cranberry Farmhouse:  Brewed with cranberry and a touch of cinnamon, this beer has a
slight cranberry tartness, balanced with complex notes from the Kveik yeast. 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins - Apple Pie Amber:  Heavily malted with just enough hop bitterness. Brewed with apple,
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla. It's the American classic in a glass! 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins -  Citra Hefe:  Traditional-style German Weissbier featuring Citra hops which are
very popular among IPAs for its tropical citrus aroma and flavor. 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins - Dankster Saison:  This "dank" saison is heavily hopped with a citrus blend and finishes
with complex spiced notes of the Belgian style yeast. 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins -  Kitchen Sink Session IPA: This beer has a heavy body for a traditional IPA, but sits nicely at 80 IBUs. 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins - Mango-Lime Ale:  Brewed with mangos and lime; featuring a simple grain bill with a citrus blend of hops, perfectly complimented by mango and lime. 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins - The Dude Ale: Inspired by the drink of choice of the hero in Big Lebowski, this beer is
White Russian themed. Cream ale base, lactose, vanilla, rum extract, coffee.
It really ties these small batches together, and we abide by that! 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Hopkins - Early Morning Stout:  Brewed with maple syrup, vanilla, coffee, toasted oak chips. This beer will have you feeling like you're spending time away in a cabin in the woods! 5.0% - This very small Batch beer will be available starting Saturday at Hopkins.

Roadhouse - The Walrus: I missed this Double IPA. Look for flavors of tangerine, pineapple and  melon with big tropical fruits and bitterness. 8.3% - I found it at the Bayou.

Roadhouse - Outcasty Sweet Potato Porter: Made with hand-peeled, quartered and roasted sweet potatoes, this porter has all of the classic flavors - caramel, cocoa and coffee with added earthy/nuttiness from the sweet potato. 8.0% - Also found at the Bayou.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 12/6/19

The cuteness factor for this New Beer Friday is off the freak'n charts! All of these beers are adorably delicious AF, and ready for your favorite glass or trough.

Saltfire - Apollo 18: This IPA has a mellow aroma of grapefruit peel and 'herbs'. The taste is somewhat similar but more intense with  orange, pine, resin, and cannabis rounding out the flavor profile. The malts are medium sweet. Nice use of Apollo hops. NEIPA 'purists' may find its bitter finish and lack of suspended matter off-putting. 7.1% - Available at Saltfire

Hopkins - Strawberry Sorghum: For a gluten free beer, you'd never notice the lack of barley. The strawberry is subtle and it works well with the sorghum as it some sometimes add a hint of tartness. Nice GF (gluten free, not girlfriend) beer. 5.0% - Available at Hopkins. 

Fisher - Lotus pale ale: Missed this new pale ale. 5.0% - Available at Fisher.

Fisher - Polar bear pale ale: Missed this new pale ale. 5.0% - Available at Fisher.

Proper - Thunder Mountain Black Out: This new Schwarzbier ia a pretty traditional German version of the style, with all German ingredients and special techniques to extract the color and some characteristics of the dark malt while still making it something super crushable. 5.0% - Available at Proper.

Heber Valley - East Ridge Tripel: Missed this new Belgian style Tripel. 8.0% - Available at Heber Valley Brewing.

Shades - Egg Nogg: You may be saying, whaaa? Yup, the minds at Shades that brought beers like Peach Cobbler and Mojito are still blurring the line between beer and well.... everything else. This beer is a Wheatwine at its base with all of the traditional nog spices (no eggs). It was also dosed with bourbon oak chips and a shload of lactose for that big egg nog sweetness. It's a bit sweet for me but it definitely captures the whole holiday feel. There is a hint of tartness though from the Kviek yeast. 9.0% - Available at Shades. 

Funkwerks - Provincial Raspberry: The raspberry aroma is strong, along with tart almost lemon quality. The flavor is tart berry with subtle briny notes, and a touch of yeast. The drinkability is excellent. Dry but not puckery, crisp but not overdone. Because the berry flavor is mild. 4.2% found at Angry Goat.

Funkwerks - Provincial Pineapple: Aroma is splattered with random notes of peppercorn, pineapple, bread, and yeast. Flavor profile is pineapple with a slight tangy, sour twist. 4.2% - found at Angry Goat.

Roadhouse - Loose Boots: This ahs a hazy, pale yellow color with a big pine and citrus aroma. Excellent light citrus smack to the flavor; lemon; light bread with well-rounded hop bitterness. Crisp, dry. 4.7% - Found at Harmons.

Roadhouse - Family Vacation: This cream ale has flavors of nutty biscuit and bread dough with citrus rind and lemony hops. Aroma is very light with hints of grains. 4.9% - Found at Harmons

Odell - Good Behavior: This session IPA has an aroma of juicy citrus and dank piney hops. The flavor is citrus, tropical fruit some sugary malts. Semi-dry finish. 4.0% - found at Harmons.

Oskar Blues - One-y: This session IPA has an orange citrus character with a modest bitterness. malts are thin with a slight herbal bite in the finish. Good balance for a light IPA. 4.0% - Found at Harmons.

Rogue - Just a Pinch: This gose has a fruity aroma with hints of lemon peel, berry, and grass. Flavors of  boysenberry, lemongrass, biscuit and sodium round it out. Lighter body with a tart and salty finish. 4.5% - Found at Harmons.

Rogue - Dreamland: I wasn't able to get to this new lager. 4.8% - Found at Harmons,

New Planet - Seclusion (gluten free) IPA:  I wasn't able to get to this new session IPA. 4.9% - Found at Harmons.

Carakale - Dead Sea-rious Gose: This Gose comes from the country of Jordan. Aromas of grapefruit, wheat, lemon and salt. The taste follows with a more subtle interpretation. Very smooth and appealing. If your not into goses, this may not change your mind, but if you dig 'em you'll be quite happy. 5.0% - Found on draft; only at the Bayou.

Saint Somewhere - Saison: Missed out on this saison. 5.0% - Found on draft; only at the Bayou.

Breckenridge - Colorado Core: Missed out on this apple blonde ale. 4.9% - Found at Harmons.

Breckenridge  - Strawberry Sky: Missed out on this strawberry kolsch. 4.9% - Found at Harmons.

Also Happening tomorrow is the BAD Fest (Brewers Vintners and Distillers). This is an educational  opportunity to help inform locals about the brewing arts. Participants will experience tastings from wineries, breweries, distilleries, and enjoy artisans locally-made products at this ultimate craft beer, whiskey and spirits and wine experience.

Whether you are a full-fledged homebrewing expert or just trying to understand the difference between a rye whiskey and bourbon, you will find more than one workshop to expand your palate at the Brewers, Vintners and Distillers Festival.

There is something for everyone – from mead and wine tastings, seminars and burlesque performances, to conversations with craft beer and homebrewing influencers, there are tastes and enticements at every turn.

Your entry includes a commemorative glass, access to workshops, tastings and live entertainment. Tickets and more info about BAD Fest can be found here.

Cheers!