Holiday Beer Round Up

Alright folks, despite my best intentions the hustle and bustle of the holiday season kept me from blogging about all of the holiday beers that I procured over a month ago. I have finally had the chance to try all of them and thought I would give you a sampling of what I thought was good and unique this year!

Best New-to-Me Winter Seasonal
Drum roll please.....this award goes to Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice! This delicious brew gives you a bright maltiness not to mention warms you up at 6.9% ABV. The finish on the beer is the big surprise, an extraordinarily smooth cream soda finish. Cream soda taste in a beer? Delicious! I drank it while chowing down on my favorite holiday treats but could have also done a few really fantastic cheese parings!


Most Unusual Seasonal
This has to go to the Spoetzl Brewery with their Shiner Cheer. This was like drinking a peachy fruit cake! Part of you wants to like it and part of you wonders why on earth anyone ever decided to make a fruitcake a holiday tradition. It's claim to fame is the combination of peach and pecan flavor. Well it certainly has the peach part down, the aroma of this beer is like cracking open a can of cling peaches and breathing in the overly sweet nectar. You have to think pretty hard about the nutty flavor but it is there hiding in the distance. There was something appealing about the brew, however. I found my glass empty quicker than most holiday tastings this year as I enjoyed this sweet substance.

Yearly Must Haves
All of this being said, I do have a few bottles that I must pick up each year. As you have read before New Belgium's Frambozen is still firmly at the top of my list and 2 Below gets an honorable mention. I also always have to try Anchor Christmas Ale. After touring Anchor Brewing in San Francisco and being in the presence of Fritz Maytag's creation I have a fondness for that brewery and have yet to find a beer there that isn't worthy of being enjoyed with friends.

Finally, I hope that if you are reading this you have had a chance to enjoy a beer with those you love. After all, the friends we keep, the family we treasure and the ability to celebrate the season in each others company is really what the holidays are about!

Warming up to Ebenezer

May the seasonal beer tasting continue with Bridgeport's Ebenezer Ale! I found this beer to be aptly named, with it having much in common with Dicken's famous character Ebenezer Scrooge. At first sip, I was taken aback - offended almost by strong malty flavor that was a tad harsh. But just like the story's Scrooge I warmed up to it as time passed.

This is a very malty beer with a distinct caramel flavor and just enough hops to keep it from getting too sweet. I tried it for the first time in a pint glass, but would recommend a goblet or something similar that is easy to hold on to and warm up the beer. It will stand up to most traditional holiday family meals which gets a thumbs up from me. While not my favorite, not a bad beer either and if available, is definitely drinkable.

First Up, Frambozen

Do you ever have a beer that you look forward to all year? That when you see it in your local store you stand there dumbfounded with a big goofy grin like you found your long lost friend? My old friend in holiday beers is New Belgium's Frambozen.

This raspberry brown ale pours a deep ruby color and provides the lucky drinker with a delicious experience. The flavor of the raspberries balances perfectly with the rich malty brown ale. The beer is not over-the-top sweet or sour like some raspberry beers (especially lambics), but rather provides a highly addictive full flavor that allows you to enjoy more than one in a session. The other great part is that they use real raspberries from the northwest, not a manufactured syrup or artificial flavor.

As many of you know I also have a fine appreciation for all baked goods. That is probably why I love this beer so much, it is a perfect partner for a good ole fashioned chocolate brownie but also pairs well with flan and fresh berries.

Cheers to the season of new Beers!

I will be the first to admit this is a tad over the top. I stopped by my favorite Total Wine & More tonight and went a little crazy picking up holiday and winter seasonal beers. What can I say, some indulge in chocolate, cookies and other items each holiday season and even though I do enjoy my chocolate and cookies, beer is really my favorite indulgence each holiday season. The anticipation of trying a limited edition set of beers is awesome....knowing that some will rock my world and others will be hard to choke down. So, I must officially mark the beginning of the holiday season with this shopping trip and what is sure to be a lot of blogging as I work my way through the collection I amassed tonight.

Belgian fun with St Bernardus

Who knew that my day was going to take a fabulous turn when I poured a bottle of St. Bernardus Abt 12? I knew it was going to be good, I had no idea it was going to blow me away! This is hands down one of the best beers that I have had the pleasure of consuming to date. The brewery has past connections with the Trappists and sits in Watou, West Flanders in Belgium. No, I didn't know that off the top of my head but pulled it from one of my new favorite books, Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium 6th Edition.

Ok, so what makes this so good is that the beer is huge but disguises how strong it is amazingly! 10% ABV in a 11.2 fl oz bottle. You don't really notice the alcohol until you hit the warm finish of the beer, as you have a virtual cornucopia of flavors you experience first. So far I have picked up raisin, vanilla, dark fruit, brown sugar in a syrupy way, a little phenolic and am sure I will get something different and more complex with each sip. For a beer of this style that is this big it drinks impossibly light bodied while remaining it's complexity with many different flavors that play shockingly well together.

The Lost Abbey's version of the 10 Commandments

Ok, so I have a bit of a weakness for Belgian beers - I do believe I found a brewery that shares the same affliction. The Lost Abbey a sister line to Port Brewing is all about the Belgians. My first bottle of 10 Commandments, a seasonal from Lost Abbey was awesome. A BIG beer in both flavor and ABV (10%), it did not disappoint.

Brewed with honey, raisins and rosemary it took the Belgian Abbey to a new place with a fruity sweetness and an herbal finish. But the fun didn't stop there, on the bottle is their version of the Lost Abbey 10 Commandments, couldn't have put it better myself!

- The most imaginative beers are our crusade
- We believe we are all in this together
- We strive for honesty and integrity in our lives like you
- Fresh beer is great. Aged beer is better
- Now that you have found us help us spread the message
- There is good and evil in the world. Our beers are good
- Passion isn't something you can buy at the corner store
- We believe an inspired life is worth living
- Life is about choices. The Lost Abbey is a good choice
- We are not perfect, but no one is

It's still 100 degrees in AZ = I am still ok drinking summer beers!

I know it is starting to snow across the country but here in sunny Arizona we broke a record when temperatures climbed to 102 yesterday. So, instead of diving into one of the fall beers in my fridge I decided to try out Dogfish Head's summer seasonal Festina Peche (pronounced peshy, in case you were wondering).

I always get a little excited and a little scared when I pick up a Dogfish Head beer. Excited for what is sure to be a trip to a new place in beerland and scared for what is almost without fail an incredibly strong beer. Festina Peche proved to appeal to the excitement but delivered it in a rarely seen low ABV of 4.5%.

This is a Berliner Weisse style of beer - what is that you ask? I had to look it up to be sure. It is a beer whose grain is half wheat, half barley and is characterized by a distinct tartness. A style that is not widely used in the US and is given a unique twist in this beer by adding peach juice during fermentation. What you get is a beer that would appeal to a cider lover, Belgian sour lover or anyone that enjoys mowing through a king size bag of sweet tarts. While tart, it does have a pleasant fruit quality from the peaches that makes it refreshing instead of pulling your mouth into a permanent pucker.

Finally a note on Dogfish Head - these guys are pioneers in the craft beer world. Spend 30 seconds on their website and you will know what I mean. Often a little more expensive than the other crafts beers out there but most definitely worth the price of admission!

Twilight in Arizona

So I must say there are benefits to living in Arizona, you know 70 degrees in February, plentiful supply of cacti, over 300 days of sunshine. But there are a few downsides, 115 degree days and what always seems to be a too short summer beer season. Honestly folks, even though it is mid-September it is still 100+ degrees here. So you can imagine my delight at trying Deschutes Twilight Ale and finding it to be a truly awesome brew! Then to figure out it is a summer brew and will require a search party to find left over stock in the stores - quite sad.

Ok, about the beer. It was balanced, refreshing, amazing, well hopped and I wanted more. It had a sweet malty flavor that lulled you into your comfort zone before an explosion of floral hops. This might be the perfect summer beer. I know, my enthusiasm is a tad over the top I was just in a moment of beer bliss with this session brew. So, run, don't walk to your store to see if you can pick up Twilight in it's twilight.

Hoptober at the Hub

Our trip to Colorado ended in the best way possible: a trip to the New Belgium Hub. We made the trek across the airport and down the long hall of Terminal B just to enjoy a tasty brew. Our efforts were rewarded when we found out that the new fall seasonal, Hoptober was on tap!

Mmmmmm, Hoptober was delicious in a way that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I could taste the Cascade Hops like in Skinny Dip but also the Sterling like in 2 Below. Add to that an unusually creamy mouth feel for this style I must say I was stumped. So I turned to my friendly bartender, Jake and asked to see the sell sheet. Well Jake went above and beyond and clearly knew his beer (so proud) and told me about the FIVE different hops in the brew, including both named above plus Willamette, Centennial and Glacier. Add on to that FOUR grains: Pale and Wheat malts with rye and oats for fun explained the creamy mouth feel.

After learning all of this, the flavors became a little clearer and made each sip an adventure to see what I could pick up next. This should hit stores any day now and will most certainly be served at Tour de Fat.

I must apologize for the photo, our priority was the beer and we closed the place down, as you can see...

Ahhh, Colorado land of good beer

I am happy to say I just returned from my home state and mecca for good beer, Colorado! Mick and I headed up for the long weekend to enjoy some quality family time and a few good beers too. Our adventures started with a hometown favorite, Colorado mountain pies (pizza) at Beau Jo's. This place takes it's pizza seriously, you order by the pound and eat the extra thick crust with a drizzle of honey....perfection!

Now it would be just fine with just great pizza but when you add great beer it is turns into the perfect experience. Your brew comes in a mason jar, just adds to the ambiance of a place that serves it's salad bar from old bathtubs. We had two great beers ther - Mick got a New Belgium Blue Paddle and I ordered a Tommy Knocker Pick Axe Pale.

Fair warning, I worked for New Belgium and therefore am a tad biased as I love this brewery!! When you pick up a bottle of Blue Paddle you see a lovely canoe scene on a lake. Little do you know that Blue is named for the paddle that an NBB coworker got smacked on the behind with for stealing sips of beer. The beer itself is a good Czech style pilsner. Very drinkable and a good fit for those that dig a traditional pilsners like Pilsner Urquell or other imports like Stella Artois.

So being a former NBBer I had to get my hands on something new (don't worry I indulged in plenty of the NBB goods while up there). Tommy Knocker brewery was located just a few doors down from Beau Jo's in Idaho Springs. I have heard about Tommy Knocker but since they don't distribute to Arizona haven't had a chance to try it...until now. The Pick Axe Pale was delicious, it had a bright hoppy flavor to it that reminded me of Anchor Liberty Ale. It was smooth and well balanced and paired perfectly with the pizza.

Karma, Beer Style

May the birthday beer tasting continue with a little Avery Karma. A seasonal from this Boulder, CO based brewery that already has a wide variety of beer. Karma looks like it should be inspired from India but in fact is based on a Belgian Farmhouse style of beer. It tastes like a mellow Saison to me, still has the delicious fruit ester quality without being sweet.

So Saisons are a fun style of Belgian beer. They originate from the farm houses in Belgium they are brewed during planting, fermented during growing and enjoyed at harvest. It seems that no two Saisons are alike and that adds to the uniqueness of this style of beer.

Ok, back to Avery's version. When compared to a Saison I find it to be a mild version of the style but still quite enjoyable. I love that it is a unique seasonal that doesn't conform to the big four in craft beer seasonals: hoppy spring beer, light summer lager, octoberest followed by spicy holiday brew. If drinking more Karma gives you good "Karma" then I'll be sitting down with a six pack of this very drinkable brew.

Fun with Framboise

You have to hand it to the Belgians for breaking all of the "rules" of beer. They love to through in spices, fruit, whatever makes them happy at the moment. Lindemans Framboise is the poster child for Belgian fruit beers. It is a deliciously tart raspberry lambic that will make you pucker after your first sip.

Now you can enjoy this brew just as it is....or try something a little different. I happen to love it over ice cream. The tart, fruity, fizzy beer perfectly compliments smooth, sweet vanilla ice cream. Forget the root beer float, go for a real beer float.

First Up - Full Sail Limited Edition Lager

As the bottle says: "Well looky here. A crisp new Pilsner style all ready to rock your tastebuds' world." I must pause to say that I love beer folks because there is room for cheeky labels, this group doesn't take itself too seriously.

A part of Full Sail's, LTD Series this is recipe number: 03. A few breweries have gone to this kind of test brew/seasonal system including Breckenridge. I tend to like it and know what to look for on the shelf at my favorite retailer to find the next special thing from these breweries.

Admittedly, Pilsner Lagers are not my favorite style of beer. Most of the time I find them boring and many times skunky. I must make an exception for this beer. It starts like a traditional Pilsner but finishes with a light floral hoppy finish giving it a very refreshing quality. Thank you Sterling Hops, I am glad your brightness is a part of this brew.

Birthday Gift-o-Beer

I love good friends that know exactly what I want for my birthday, enter Mel. I met her working at Rock Bottom and she put up with living with me during college. She too enjoys a good beer. We met to go out to lunch today and she brought me a belated birthday gift.

First the perfect card:
Then the bag-0-beer:

From left to right we have: Dupont Foret, Dolle Brouwers Oerbier, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Lindemans Framboise Lambic, Avery Karma Ale, St Bernaardus Abt 12 (Abbey Ale), Kona Longboard, Full Sail Limited Edition Lager

I have tried a few (including my favorite, Foret) but have not tried some of the others. Check back for my thoughts on each!

I am a Craft Brewer Video

I love this video, it really embodies the craft beer culture! It features over 35 of the finest craft breweries and was produced by Greg Koch of Stone. http://iamacraftbrewer.com/

I Am A Craft Brewer from I Am A Craft Brewer on Vimeo.

Beer roulette at Yard House

Yard House, a sight for sore eyes. I love walking in and seeing the 100+ taps and a great focus to beer. Let's not kid ourselves, this is not what I would define as a true beer geek bar, it really is main stream as far as beer bars go. But, you can get a yummy meal - trust me, you must try the mac & cheese and a choice of more beer than usual.

After a little convincing my husband and I grabbed some dinner there on Thursday and decided it was time to pick something new. For him, a Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA and for me a Firestone Double Barrel Ale. Dogfish Head is known for their inventive and sometimes off the beaten path brews, with 90 minute being one of their more commonly known beers. It is a big beer - in alcohol and flavor. It is a heavily hopped but not overbearing IPA and should be savored in a goblet as it goes down. Now Firestone I wasn't as familiar with, I had to do a little research to find out what these guys are all about. Turns out they love pale ales and brew three of them in a smaller setting. I can see why Yard House mistakenly classified this as an Amber/Red as it was very well balanced with a crisp hoppy finish. Overall, I am sure you will be finding that both of us will be enjoying each of these brews again, the beer gods were on our side this time!

A place to call home, with a beer of course...

Among friends and family I am frequently asked what my favorite beer is...a question not easily answered. My response usually starts with: "today I am really digging..." and so it goes depending on the latest beer I have tried, my mood, the weather, etc. So those who know me even better ask what I have been drinking lately and if there is anything that they should try. Now you know why the blog is here - a way to share my discoveries in beer with those that also appreciate a good pint.