New Beer Friday 3/4/16

This guy is making my brain hurt. Luckily New Beer Friday will numb us from the dumb.

Anchor - Saison Spring Ale: This beer is described as having lemongrass, lemon peel and ginger - whose synergy adds a tangy crispness and herbal spiciness to this sharply refreshing, uniquely California saison.

Ballast Point - The Commodore: This American Stout has a nose of coffee, roasted malt, chocolate, some caramel, and some bready malts. The taste has roasted malt, chocolate, some slight coffee, and a bit of vanilla. Finishes on the bitter side with hops and char. A nice stout. 6.5% ABV @ Bayou, Beer Bar, Beerhive

Boulder - Shake Chocolate Porter: The nose is is full-on milk chocolate not much else. The taste is slightly sweet chocolate syrup and roasted malts followed by coffee-like bitterness. Very creamy texture with a semi-sweet, piney bitter finish. 5.9% ABV @ Bayou, DABC

HUB - IPX El Dorado: This IPA is huge with floral and tangerine and tangerine both in the nose and in the taste. Malts are subtle and sweet with a moderate to strong bitter finish. Really nice an easy drinking beer. 6.0% ABV @BeerHive, BeerBar

Hive - Ghost town Dry Oaked Mead: described as having a bourbon nose with clover, sage and oak on the tongue. Sounds wonderful. No ABV listed @ Hive Winery

Cheers!

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!

While at the Grocey Store...

It seems that when we discuss new beers that have entered the market the topic usually turns to, "what liquor stores are they at"? Today is one of those rare occasions where you don't have to find a liquor store, they're at your good ol' grocers.

Deschutes River Ale: Bready & grassy undertones, & ending with citrus, faint mint, an herbal and mild biscuity finish.

Phoenix Ale Brewing Hoppy Valley IPA: Hop forward, with grapefruit and citrus flavors, a hint of pine and a tiny bit of malt on the finish.

Unsacred Unfaithful IPA: Floral & grassy light biscuit, not much malt body 

Unsacred Rimando's Wit: Estery, some citrus, wheat, a bit of spice.

Unsacred The Vision Lager: Slightly grassy & grainy, with some sourness.

Unsacred Priesthood Pale Ale: An earthy pale with mostly pine & hints of citrus

Boulder Brewing Singletrack: Sweet, clean, buttery base supports a very citric and American (odd) hop. The nutty note is there as well. Only a slight cardboard finish as a minor flaw.

Boulder Brewing Buffalo Gold: Sweet pale malt, grain, mild floral hops, and slightly metallic.

Cheers!

Hazed & Infused

Here's a relatively new beer to the area, that you probably never got a chance to try. Even though this offering from from Boulder Brewing has been around since November not many have noticed it. One of the thing that makes this brew so delicious is it's great hop profile. Hazed and Infused is brewed with Centennial, Willamette and Cascade hops then is "dry hopped" with Crystal and Centennial hops. If your not familiar with "Dry Hopping" it's the process whereby hops are added uncooked or "dry" to the beer at different stages of fermentation. Many beer styles, such as pale ales or IPAs, are traditionally dry hopped to produce the authentic fresh hop flavor.

This brew really shines. Pours a clear light amber orange with a large three fingers of fluffy creamy white head. The nose is an intense bouquet of citrus and pine( I think I felt it move).

The flavor is even better, very hoppy for an APA, hoppier than some IPAs. Excellent grapefruit and tangerine find balance in soft floral and sweet grass. Solid caramel malt backbone. Complex and flavorful. Body is medium, soft, creamy and smooth. Extreme drinkability. One of the best American Pale Ales available in town.