Last Post…For Now…

Well fellow beer lovers the time has come for me to say farewell for the semester. Going into the beginning of the semester I seem to have a good grasp on the timing of things in my life, but as the semester nears its end I find that planning seems to slip out of my hands, and quickly. For example, I was planning on visiting a few breweries this semester for this blog, but I never seemed to make it there because of other commitments in my life. Despite these commitments I still manage to find time to drink beer. Whether I do it in the comfort of my home or at a bar, I will always enjoy drinking my favorites as well as seeking out new ones.

I was tipped off to a brand new brew this past week from a fellow friend and group member who reminded me that there is a brew class right here at Colorado State University called FTEC 460 “Brewing Science and Technology”. Her boyfriend was enrolled in the class this semester and said that they created a delicious brew that just made its debut at Odells Brewery and will soon be on tap at the Ramskeller. Since the focus of my blog this whole semester has been on local craft brews I find that you cannot get any more local than this beer.

The Brewing Science and Technology class has created a tasteful and hand-crafted brew over the course of this semester called HellaHOPter. The beer is a Belgium style IPA that has been brewed with special style of hops called chinook hops. The description of these hops from BeerAdvocate.com states:

“Chinook is a bittering variety with aroma characteristics released in May, 1985. It was bred by crossing a Petham Golding with the USDA 63012 male. A high alpha acid hop with a wonderful herbal, almost smoky character when used as an aromatic during the last few minutes of the boil when dry hoping. Excellent for hopping American-style Pale Ales, especially those brewed to higher gravities. (alpha acid: 12.0-14.0% / beta acid: 3.0-4.0%)”

Coincidently chinook is a type of helicopter used by the military pictured here:

 Unfortunately I have not tried the brew yet but I found ONE tasting of the beer that has been posted online at BeerAdvocate.com. If you are curious about the tasting of this beer here is the tasting I found, but if you really want to know the beer I suggest you go out and try it ourself.

Tasting for HellaHOPter from BeerAdvocate.com:

“Appearance: Crystal clear orange amber copper color with a nice 1.5 finger white bubbly head. Good retention and gobs of lacing.

Smell: A spicy Belgian yeast presence together with a light malty sweetness and earthy hop character.

Taste: Similar to the nose in that the spicy yeast dominates from the start. Coupled with a medium bitterness and light sweet toasted caramel malt flavor. Well balanced. A lingering fruit and spice, peppery. Finishes crisp and clean.

Mouth-feel: Smooth and medium bodied with medium carbonation. Hides the alcohol well.

Overall: Unusual, but very good. I’ve never had such spice and pepper character in an IPA. It compliments the yeast flavors well. They did a good job! Enjoyable.”

If you go and try HellaHOPter please let me know how your experience is, I would love to have more information and opinions about t this beer.  Have a wonderful summer and don’t forget to never turn down the opportunity to try a new beer because you never know what you might discover!

CHEERS ALL!

~Carly

 

“Hottest beer this side of hell”

As the semester winds down I find that I have a very small amount of creative juices left for blog ideas, but that is what Google is for, right? After doing a few key word searches I remembered Twisted Pine Brewing I mentioned a few blogs back. Now I know that I am talking about yet ANOTHER Boulder brewery (sorry…) but I seem to find some very interesting and unique brew news coming from there.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of pairing beer with flavors I think of things like orange, lemon, chocolate etc. Lets just say I have never thought to pair beer with one of the spiciest peppers in the world…the ghost peppers. Folks, these peppers are 200 times hotter than a jalapeño and Twisted Pine Brewing thought it would be somehow, how do I put this…”refreshing” to put a few of these peppers in with their beer. They must have some mad beer scientists down there in Boulder because they came up with a concoction called Ghost Face Killah. The label for the beer is pictured here:

The idea for this beer began in the summer of 2009 at the Snowmass Chili Pepper Brew Fest when some drinkers claimed that one of their popular brews called Billy’s Chilies beer was not quite hot enough for them. As a result Twisted Pine came up with a new recipe that includes not only the ghost pepper but five other amazingly hot peppers including the Anaheim, Fresno, jalapeno, Serrano and habanero. After the beer has fermented the brewers must wear masks and gloves to cut up the peppers to allow the flavors of the peppers soak into the wheat beer.

I hate to disappoint you all but I am not going to try Ghost Face Killah because I know I would regret that decision. But I did find another poor soul who tried Ghost Face Killah for the first time. His name is Johnathan Shikes and he claims to be a beer connoisseur and lover of spicy foods. He is known on twitter as @ColoBeerMan. To see how he matches up against this beer watch this video of him at Twisted Pine

Despite the obvious and overwhelming spiciness of the beer Shikes claimed that the beer was very well-balanced and smoky. In this video Shikes was one of the first people to try the beer, but for Cinco de Mayo Twisted Pine will be selling the beer to the public in twelve-ounce single bottles. Despite the warning for the heat level on this beer I think that Twisted Pine will sell a lot more of this brew than they expect just because people are curious and will want to see just how hot the beer really is.

If you still are convinced that this beer is as hot as they claim, Twisted Pine has submitted the brew to the Guinness Book of World Records to get it named as the hottest beer in the world. And if that is not convincing enough for you, I guess you will just have to go out on Cinco de Mayo and get yourself some to try! If you do I wish you the best of luck!

Cheers all!

~Carly

 

Boisterous Brews In Boulder

Driving around town the past few days I have seen an unusually large number of round bumper stickers that have a big red “A” that says Avery Brewing Company on them:

I realized that after seeing these sticker for the 10th time it was a sign and I needed to look them up. Much to my surprise Avery Brewing Company is located right here in Boulder, Colorado! Now I know some of Fort Collins local may be thinking that Boulder is just not the place for you, but I encourage you to get to Avery Brewing Company to check out their tap-room and beers.

Avery Brewing Company began in Boulder in 1993 by President &/Brewmaster Adam Avery after he had been experimenting with recipes out of his home. The first three recipes he began with, that they still sell today include Redpoint Amber Ale, Ellie’s Brown Ale, and Out of Bounds Stout. In 1997 Avery Brewing was gaining so much popularity it had to double the size of its brewery from 2,500 sq. ft. building to a 5,000 sq. ft. building.

Avery brewing has 21 brews available, so I was stumped when I was trying to pick one to try. After doing a little research I discovered that they have year-round ales, seasonal 6-packs, the Holy Trinity of Ales, the Dictators series, Demons of Ales, a barrel aged series and a special edition series. While all of them sounded wonderful, I went with White Rascal (an ale from their year-round selection). This is Avery’s unfiltered Belgium style white ale that is brewed with coriander and orange peel. The character on the label is pretty intriguing so I provided you with a link to view it (intimidating but creative at the same time):

http://www.averybrewing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=75

I bought the beer in a six-pack bottled version. It appears that they also sell cans and cases as well…

Appearance: Looking at the beer in the bottle you can tell that the beer has a lighter color. I poured it from the bottle into a chilled clear pint glass. It poured a darker straw color with a white fluffy head. Because the beer is unfiltered it has is a little cloudy and has some sediment of yeast on the bottom. Which some people may not like, but I think it provides some extra texture to the beer and really adds to the flavor. Although the beer is lighter the head remained and had strong resistance.  

Smell: The first smell I detected was the powerful wheat smell, but it was a very sweet wheat smell. I can detect notes of the coriander and orange. This beer is made with Curacao orange peel, but unless your nose can tell the difference between different orange smells (which mine cannot) the beer has a faint orange zest aroma.  

Mouth-feel: When I took my first sip the beer was smooth and creamy, the carbonation was light/medium, and the weight on my tongue was not too heavy, but definitely on the heavier side of a medium body.  The finish of this beer is pretty dry, but good overall.

Taste: Interestingly enough I can detect a small hint of banana along with the taste of the sweet wheat, coriander and orange peel.   

Overall, this beer is very approachable for people who have not experienced the craft beer scene yet. It is a great beer to start with at Avery. And guys, don’t be turned away by this beer. I know it is a lighter brew but just because it is not a “manly” stout does not mean you should not try this beer. I think you will find it is worth your time.

On the bottom of their page they have a neat interactive way to look at all of their brew:

http://averybrewing.com/

Also, if you are interested, they are having a four course Avery Brew dinner at Restaurant 4580 in Boulder that I’m sure will not disappoint. On Restaurant 4580′s website the dinner promises to have, “Salvation Ale and Vermont Cheddar Soup; ‘Steak and Egg’ with grilled NY Strip Steak, Crispy Egg and The Reverend Garlic Sauce; Czar Braised Pork Belly with french green lentils and a sweet ending of NY Style Cheesecake with Mephistopheles Anglais. This tasty and unique paring of suds and grub will take place on Thursday, April 28th @ 6:30pm and is a bargain at only $45 for 4 courses and 4 beers!

CHEERS!

~C

 

Colorado Beer Week

I wanted to spread the word about the beer celebration happening this week, as we speak, in our own backyard. The first ever Colorado Beer Week is happening the week ,April 8th through April 16th,  at various locations across the state. This celebration allows various breweries, bars and restaurants to showcase the craft brewed ales and lagers that makes Colorado known as “The Napa Valley of Beer”. It seems as though Colorado needed something to compliment the Great American Beer Festival and Beer Week that happens every year in the fall. What better way to do this than pair local brews with food that compliments the unique flavors of the ales and lagers Colorado is known for. The website for this event can be found at:

http://www.cobeerweek.com/

As stated on the website, the main goal of Colorado Beer Week is to give attendees the opportunity to taste beer alongside word-class food. This can range from a six-course dinner to special menu items designed specifically for the featured beers. Also, this is a great way for new beer drinkers (like myself) to get the most beer knowledge in one dose. Because the week is divided among many venues attendees get an intimate setting to explore the beer. Depending on the venue attendees can interact with brewers and experts from some of the best breweries in the nation.  

The breweries representing Northern Colorado are:

-Odells Brewing  Company

 -The Fort Collins Brewery

-New Belgium

I hope to see this spring event continue for many years to come. I think it is a great way for breweries to build a better connection with their consumers as well as providing restaurants with an efficient way to showcase their cuisine.

Whether you just want to attend one venue or visit all of them throughout the week there is a ticket for you. For a full list of tickets to events closest to you please visit:

http://www.cobeerweek.com/events/

If you are not sure which events to attend this blog has a list of the top events that are a “must-see”:

http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/news-and-events/news/show?title=colorado-beer-week-celebrates-a-strong-craft-beer-tradition

If you do end up going to one of these celebrations please share your experience, I would love to hear about this new event! Thanks fellow beer lovers!

CHEERS,

Carly

 

Rogue Chocolate Stout

I stumbled upon a new beer called Rogue Chocolate Stout after I came across a beer review website called Pintley.com. After I created an account I realized that the website was very helpful but the content was a bit over my head. If you are looking for a beer review website that is thorough and extensive Pintley is a great place to go, but for my purposes I think I will stick to smaller websites and other blogs for my info. Regardless, Pintley tipped me off to a beer called Rogue Chocolate Stout. I’m not entirely sure what stood out about this beer but we have not looked at a stout yet so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity!

After doing a little research I found that Rogue Brewing Company began in Asher, Oregon in 1988 with their first brews being “Amber” and “Gold”. Since then Rogue has developed many more recipes with a combined total of 41 brews. They brew most of their beer in Oregon, but have breweries in Washington and California as well. As always, you know you have a good beer on your hands when you click on the “awards” page and you have to scroll down for quite some time. Rogue brews have won many prestigious brewing awards leaving me with no doubt about the quality of beer they distribute.

Here is a link to their website if you are looking for further information regarding Rogue Ales:

http://www.rogue.com/

I got this picture from: http://www.thebrewsite.com/2006/03/01/chocolate_stout.php

Appearance:

I think that the look of this beer is what drew me to it. It has a dark, rich ebony color with highlights of light brown. The head of the beer is a rich, creamy, and dark in color but it was small to medium size and did not dissipate, it actually stayed intact for a long time. Pouring right out of the bottle the beer was very thick and reminded me of motor oil. After letting it sit I noticed that the beer stays very thick and does not clear up as time passes.  

Smell:

I was expecting the beer to have a strong stout smell, but I was disappointed when I did not detect any chocolate smell. The aroma was like any typical stout: stong and a little bitter.  

Mouth-Feel:

The feel of this beer was extremely smooth but heavy on my tongue. Even before the liquid hit my tongue the bubbles in the head was the first thing that hit my lips and tongue. Overall, the beer is very rich and heavy. It is not a beer that I would drink on a regular basis. I would reach for this beer when I was craving something really decadent and rich. To be honest, it was hard to finish the whole bottle because of the texture. Regardless I finished the beer, but I did take my time sipping it.

Taste: If I was to have my favorite chocolate dessert in liquid form this beer would be it. There is a dark but sweet chocolate taste. Towards the end of each sip there is a hoppy bitterness, but a sweet bitterness you would find in certain chocolates. Even before I drank the liquid the head of the beer had a distinct chocolate flavor. I can detect certain hints of coffee and citrus as well.  

Overall I would give this beer a 4 (out of 5). The only reason I am giving this rating is because I do not have many stouts, let alone chocolate stouts to compare Rogue to. I would say that the praise this beer is given by many beer connoisseurs is much deserved. Thanks Rogue, I look forward to trying more of your ales in the future!

Also, this beer has a blog that contains some really interesting news and information involving the beer:

http://roguechocolatestout.blogspot.com/

Until next time,

CHEERS!

 

Missing Good Beer…

Hello again my long-lost fellow beer lovers!

Well I successfully made it back from vacation this last week with many amazing memories. After being away for two weeks I have come back with a greater appreciation for the things I have in my life here at home. After trying one of the few beers they have in Thailand called Chang I couldn’t help but miss the beer I can admit to being spoiled with. I do not know if any of you have ever experienced what I call “beer withdrawal syndrome” but for most it is characterized by dry mouth and distracting thoughts of complex, well crafted beer. I can say that after having the only ”quality” beer in Thailand I had intense symptoms for the remainder of my vacation.

Regardless, I am home now and searching for the beer worthy of my next tasting. Since I have been back it seems like new beers and breweries are flooding to me. That is why I am turning to you guys, my readers, to help me decide where I should go to next. I want to do my first tour to add to the “Delicious Destinations” page. After talking to a few of my friends we have 3 options to choose from:

Option 1: Asher Brewing Company (Boulder, CO)

http://www.asherbrewing.com/indexb.html

This relatively new brewery opened up in Boulder as the first certified (USDA) all organic brewery in Colorado. From what I can gather they brew all different types of ales like an imperial I.P.A., an amber, and a wheat. I have never had a certified all organic beer so I am curious to see if it tastes any better than non-organic beers. They believe in creating quality organic beer through “environmentally sustainable and socially responsible practices”. Their brewery is run on 100% wind power which is WAY COOL! I think this would contribute to a unique brewery tour experience. 

Option 2: Funkwerks Brewing (Fort Collins, CO)

http://www.funkwerks.com/content/Company/History.aspx

Funkwerks was founded in 2009 and just opened their taproom in Fort Collins. From their website it seems as though they only serve two different style of brews: a saison and a white. They claim that their beer was inspired by the Andrennes region of Belgium. In this area brewing beer took place in farmhouses along the countryside. They used the Saison style of brewing that consists of a stronger, drier beer that is made with more hops and spices to help the beer last longer without becoming infected with bad bacteria. Their taproom has limited hours but I think that scheduling a time to visit the brewery would be worth it. Have any of you ever had a “white” style of beer? This term is new to me and I am very intrigued….  

Option 3: Twisted Pine Brewing (Boulder, CO)

http://www.twistedpinebrewing.com/twistedpine.html

Last but not least is Twisted Pine Brewing. What intrigues me about this brewery is the fact that it was started by Gordon Knight (in case you forgot already he was the man I wrote about in my last post). Knight started the brewery in 1995 after he acquired some brewing equipment from New Belgium brewery. He started off with three brews: American Amber Ale, Honey Brown Ale and Raspberry Wheat Ale. YUMMY! Because his beer was of such good quality many local restaurants adopted his brews. Over the years Twisted Pine has grown distribution throughout the country and won many prestigious brewing awards. From the website it seems as though they sell 12 different brews. I would love to check out where Knight came from and what his beer tastes like.

So, given all of that information please give me your opinion! If you think that one place sparks your interest more than the other two let me know and I will go check it out for you. You can expect to see a tour review within the next couple of weeks so I have time to hear back from you guys and get a chance to schedule a time. Thanks again everyone for your input and in the meantime I will be tasting Rogue Chocolate Stout for my tasting this week.

CHEERS!

 

Goodbye Gordon…Welcome G’Knight

Well everyone, the time has finally come for me to pack up my things for my much-needed vacation in beautiful Thailand. Before I head out I want to share with you not only another wonderful beer, but a truly amazing story behind the decision to re-brand a well established beer.   

Oskar Blues Brewery has become one of the most successful micro-brewing companies in Colorado. In just the past year Oskar has increased their overall total distribution by 60% from January 2010 to January 2011 (http://beernews.org/2011/02/oskar-blues-brewery-posts-60-yoy-growth-in-january/). Unlike other large beer brewing companies, Oskar has demonstrated their ability to manage success while operating a large business with a ”small” company mentality. If you look a little closer at the stories behind the beer brewed at Oskar Blues you will find that their success comes as no surprise. I find that companies who turn their focus and dedication to the people behind the scenes acquire success with ease. For example, working as a part-time barista at Starbucks Coffee Company I experience first-hand the dedication and recognition of people behind a successful company. In the case of Oskar Blues, they chose to use their product as a way to recognize and remember one of these special people.  

To those who knew him, Gordon Knight was more than a good friend that could brew a delicious batch of beer. After growing up in Nebraska Knight found himself as an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam. His heroic efforts as a pilot overseas earned him a Purple Heart. In 1988 he moved to Boulder where he turned his beer brewing hobby into a profession. He continued his love of flying as a firefighter pilot. Sadly, on July 30, 2002 Knight’s courageous and valiant efforts came to a close when the helicopter he was flying during a battle against a forest fire crashed near Lyons, Colorado. I never understood why tragic events, like the one involving Knight, happen to the people who dedicate their lives to helping others live theirs….

During his time in Colorado Knight was a craft beer brewer that used a 5-hecoliter brewing system, which he acquired from New Belgium Brewing Co. founders Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan. The Estes Park Brewery in Estes Park, Colorado is the current version of Knights’ original venture called High Country which began in Boulder. After riding his bike home from his day job to his night job, Oskar Blues Brewing company founder Dale Katechis meet Gordon. Little did either of them know that their relationship would lead to such a successful brand of beer. 

In 2003 Oskar Blues began canning a dry hopped imperial red ale which they named after the man who inspired the creation, Gordon. Seven years later, Oskar Blues was given a cease and desist oder by Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group. Instead of take a defensive approach, Oskar Blues used this order as an opportunity to celebrate, which in my opinion demonstrates the true personality of craft beer people. The new name G’Knight was released on February 19th, 2011 during a celebration for the birthday and life of Knight. The following videos are clips from the festivities:

Although Gordon has a new look the beer inside the can remains the same. Lets explore the imperial red ale behind this story:

Appearance: Poured from the can into a glass, G’Knight has a rich mahogany brown color. The light through the glass accents the red colors, opacity and small amount of carbonation in the beer. The head of the beer is small but sturdy and appears to be a light tan color.

Smell: After immediately raising the glass to my nose I can smell the hops used in this beer. The smell of hops dominates, but I can detect small hints of a mild fruit smell. I can tell that the sweet smell of malt will contribute to a delightful taste.  

Mouth-feel: On my lips the beer feels thick and sticky. On my tongue however the beer is smooth and easy to drink. Because of the hoppy smell I was afraid that the hops would dominate my taste buds. I found that this worry was no longer relevant as I proceeded to finish the beer.

Taste: After identifying the malt and hops I can detect a fruit flavor that seems to be apricot. Towards the end of each pull I detect the bitterness of the quality hops used in the beer. Very nice balance of sweet malts and bitter hops. The alcohol in this beer is very well hidden, which can prove to be dangerous for a beer that packs 8.7% apv.  

For me this beer is more than deserving of a 5 out of 5. Not only is the beer complex, easy to drink and satisfying but the story behind the beer somehow makes my taste buds happier. I think if more people knew the story behind not only this beer, but the many other craft beers they drink, they would experience something similar to my association between label and taste. So I encourage you all to take the extra step and look beyond the label of your craft beer. You never know what incredible stories you might find!

Cheers!

Carly

(I gathered all information on the life of Knight from http://n3978y.com )

 

 

Change of Plans

It may come as a surprise that I am writing a few days in advance, but after visiting my parents in Longmont this evening I couldn’t help but share my amazing discovery with all of you. I know I told you that this week we would be trying Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues but my trip home turned my plans in a different direction for this week…and remember, change can surprise you in the most amazing ways…  

After sitting down at the dinner table tonight for a prime steak and baked potato (thanks mom) my ears perked up when I heard the opening of a beer can. Leave it to my dad to pour me an ice-cold beer to have with dinner. It came as no surprise that the beer he served me was from Oskar Blues Brewery located just down the street from my parents’ house. What did come as a surprise were the overwhelmingly delicious flavors I discovered in this limited edition Oskar Blues brew. Pictured here is the can of Oskar Blues’ One Hit Wonder (their new Imperial IPA) that I tried:

Appearance:

Perhaps it was the lighting in my parent’s kitchen but this beer, when poured into a clear pint glass, had one of the most beautiful orange-red color I have ever seen for an IPA. The lighter amber color allowed for bright highlights to shine through the glass. The head on the beer was silky, lacy and not very thick. 

Smell:

I was so excited to try the beer that I began to lift the glass to my lips when my dad stopped me.  “Wait, before you take a sip, what do you smell?”  Obviously my dad had researched the smells and flavors of the beer and decided a pop-quiz would be fun. What I smelled immediately was an unexpected floral aroma; as to what flower I was not entirely sure. After a second sniff I discovered the lemon, orange and pine aromas of the beer. Finally, my nose caught the fresh hops that IPAs are known for. I turned the can of beer upside down to check the date of canning. Here is what I discovered:

Brewed and canned less than two weeks ago, the smells I was able to detect were fresh clean and bright.      

 Mouth-Feel:

Even before I detected any flavors I noticed the feel of this beer in my mouth. I was expecting a heavily carbonated and light beer, but I was surprised to find that the consistency of this beer was quite the opposite. This IPA had a medium body with a very velvety and smooth consistency. I also noticed that the beer hit the back of my tongue the most.   

Taste:

The first thing I noticed when I took my first sip was the tropical flavors.  My tongue detected orange, tangerine and pineapple, YUMMY!  After these tropical flavors I noticed the hops and malts of the beer. The lasting hops flavor was not overwhelming and did not leave an unpleasant after taste. I was left with the tropical and floral flavors that I was first introduced to when I first sipped the beer.       

Overall, I would give Oskar Blues One Hit Wonder a 5 (out of 5) rating. I really enjoyed their specialty version of this IPA. 

There is good news and bad news…Good news: I discovered that if brewed correctly I really enjoy IPAs. To be honest, I was extremely nervous to try this beer. In the past I have not enjoyed the extremely bitter taste of IPAs, and I expected this one to be just like the rest. Much to my surprise One Hit Wonder was very tasty and I can say that this brew has changed my palate as I have acquired the taste for IPAs. I will be trying more of this delicious beer in the future. Thanks Oskar!  

The bad news: Oskar Blues only canned 200 cases of this very special brew. So if you want to get your hands on some you will have to make the trip down to Longmont where they are quickly selling through cases at The Tasty Weasel Taproom.  

For more information about Oskar Blues Brewery and One Hit Wonder here is the link to their website:

http://www.oskarblues.com/

For our next tasting adventure we will be sampling Oskar Blues re-branded G’Knight (and yes these are for sure my plans, the beer is sitting in my refrigerator right now). If you are/were familiar with Oskar’s Gordon, G’Knight is the re-release of this beer so get yourself a can soon so we can continue the Oskar theme. 

CHEERS ALL!

~Carly

 

 

Review: New Belgium’s Sahti Ale

Hello again everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful week and were able to try New Belgium’s Sahti Ale.  As some of you may have noticed, this beer was a little on the expensive side, but I hope you discovered you enjoyed your beer purchase.  Overall, I liked New Belgium’s Sahti Ale and would give the beer a 4 (out o f 5) rating.  But after doing some additional research I found that Sahti Ale is brewed by many and perhaps New Belgium’s version may not be the best.  Even so here was my experience with New Belgium’s Sahti Ale:

Appearance:  After pouring the beer from its 22oz brown bottle into my pint glass I immediately noticed the beers vibrant amber color.  With a lot of carbonation the beer left a creamy and thick white head of foam about 1/2in. thick.  This head began to dissipate as soon as I finished pouring the beer.   

Smell: To my surprise the smells in this beer were not as prominent as I expected.  This Sahti Ale is known for its juniper and citrus scents, none of which I could really detect from the smell.  Even so, I did pick up on the strong malty scent of this beer.  It was not until I watched the video below that I picked up on the “copper” scent that they discuss in the video.  It happened to be that many of the smells of the ingredients in this beer were hidden.

Taste: As soon as the beer hit my palate I was surprised by how crisp and clean the beer was.  I could immediately pick up on the complex malts and hops in the beer.  After a few more sips I could detect flavors of lemon, juniper and caramel (interesting combination). 

Mouth-feel:  As I mentioned, this beer was crisp and clean and felt somewhat light on the tongue.  Even though the beer appeared to have a lot of carbonation I was not able to detect the level of carbonation I was expecting.  I found this beer to have a ”dry” finish, meaning that the flavor of the beer did not linger on my tongue for very long as there was not an aftertaste of the flavors I was expecting.  

So, overall I would give New Belgium’s Sahti Ale a rating of 4 (out of 5).  I really enjoyed this beer but I want to try other Sahti Ales and compare them to New Belgium’s version.  Unfortunately this beer was more on the expensive side but I am glad that I spend the money because I discovered I will not buy this beer again so I can try other Sahti ales.  I do enjoy a beer that has complex and distinct flavors and I was disappointed that I did not receive that this time.         

Here is a good video of a tasting of New Belgium’s Sahti Ale (even though I do not agree with some of their conclusions):

If you are still looking for more information on this beer please visit:

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=b3fe1756-9dcf-4e2a-97d0-37542800aa09

Jumping ahead to next week!

To contrast the tasting from this week, this coming week I will be trying another Colorado brew: Oskar Blues Ten FIDY Imperial Stout.  So put on your big kid drinking pants and get yourself a can of this brew!

CHEERS! ~Carly

 

The Correct Way to Taste Beer

I think I am speaking on behalf of all beer lovers when I say we are fully aware of how to consume a beer: open, drink, repeat.   But do we really know how to drink a beer?  Throughout the duration of this blog I hope to introduce you to a variety of beers that will expand and challenge your palate.  To accomplish this we must first know how to correctly taste a beer to uncover the dimensions and depth that differentiates one beer from another. 

After doing a little research I have summarized some key steps to properly tasting a beer:

#1- Never taste beer out of the bottle- Make sure to pour the beer into a clear glass.  I discovered that there are many different varieties of beer glassware to choose from depending on the type of beer you are trying.  Here is a good link that outlines these glasses thoroughly:

http://www.hopsaficionado.com/glassware.html

But for purposes of our tasting whatever clear glass you have will suffice.  As you pour the beer at a 45 degree angle take note of the color and appearance.  Is it cloudy? Dark? How much carbonation is there?  To complete the pour bring the class upright.  Does the beer have a head on it?  If so, how big is it and how long does it take to dissipate?  Watch the first minute or so of this video for clarification:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-pour-different-types-beer-properly-206108/ 

#2- Sniff the beer- What do you smell?  Do you smell the hops and malts?  If you can smell the alcohol, is it strong?  What herbs, spices, flavors, aromas can you detect in the beer? 

#3-Sip the beer- Take in enough beer to cover your entire tongue.  Notice the initial feel of the beer in your mouth.  Is it heavy or light?  Does it feel fizzy, silky, or chewy?  Is there a good balance between hops and malts?  Can you taste the alcohol?  How much carbonation can you detect? Before you take your second sip write down your initial thoughts. 

If you want to plan ahead, next week we will be trying a New Belgium beer called Sahti Ale.  It is part of their Lips of Faith collection.   

Your homework assignment for my reviews: go out, buy the beers, and TRY THEM!  Use the tasting process I have provided here and report back in a comment about your experiences.  I hope to get a discussion going about your tasting; what did you like? what did you not like? Did you discover anything unusual?  My hope is that through these discussions we can grow and accumulate beer knowledge together.       

For further information about tasting beer here is a great video that explains the basics for a beer tasting. (yes I know it is Sam Adams, but his steps are helpful);

If you are having trouble finding Sahti Ale here is a helpful link to track it down:

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/finder.aspx?nbbid=311

So go out, buy your beer and I will report back to you all next week about New Belgium’s Lips of Faith Sahti Ale. CHEERS!