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| Definitely one of the craziest brews I’ve tried in a while. The Avery Fifteen is an ale brewed with spices, herbs and figs. To be more exact it’s black mission figs, hibiscus flowers and white pepper and fermented with 100% brettanomyces.That’s right, brettanomyces.
The head is a fizzy white with no lacing and the body is a hazy pale-orange, but don’t you worry. The nose is that of a fine wine. Herbal and fruity, but not to warm. I’m constantly reminded of a roll of Smarties. You know, the tart little candies that dissolve around the edges. The taste is immediately tart, but just a subtle bit. The rest of the flavors come through gradually.
Without the description of the ingredients I would have never been able to guess what was in here. The figs are there and the hibiscus is there. And who the hell would add white pepper to beer? Adam Avery is a genius. Drink this beer. It’s damn good.Serving Type: BottleABV: 7.68% |
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Looks like we have our second beer in the ‘Bastard’ series. This time it’s a Scotch Style Ale coming from Grand Lake Brewing up in the little town of Grand Lake, CO located on the beautiful western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. This brew comes in a sixer and also a 22oz bomber, which is what I was trying this time. They did a good job with the label since the bright plaid pattern definitely caught my attention.
It poured a deep mahogany that you could just barely see through with a light brown head that was small with little lacing.
The nose was that of black cherries and dried fruit with chocolate and cookie and a touch of smoke. The whole reminded me of a box of chocolate covered cherries. And I mean the good kind with the dark chocolate and real black cherries inside, not the processed marchiano variety. Very nice smell…definitely wanted to take a sip after the first sniff.
There are some very deep and rich flavors in this beer. The dried fruit carried over into the taste, but it’s more of a prune/date and it has a deep sweet molasses flavor in the malt. There are hints of licorice and smoke, but there was also a very distinct flat cola aftertaste, which was a wee-bit heavy for my taste. This Scotch Style Ale has a great range of flavors that are all very distinct, which makes this a fun beer to try. Its sweetness would make it a great dessert brew or as a nightcap. Pair it up with some cheesecake, some buttery cheese (Brie) or a nice slice of pecan pie.
I would definitely suggest visiting this brewery and picking up your bomber there. Take this into Rocky Mountain National Park and find a nice lookout on Trail Ridge Road. I guarantee you will have one of those moments were you look around, take a sip and think, “this is livin”.
Serving Type: Bottle
ABV: 8%
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Holy frickin hops Batman! This is another, and in my opinion best, new creation from Victory. Victory doesn’t classify this beer in the traditional way…it’s just a “very hoppy ale”. You got that right brother!
The pour produces an average sized white head that dissipates quickly. The body is a clear amber with little to no lacing. Right on for the style, whatever that style might be.The nose is a big citrus hop with big malty grain. There’s a bit more going on underneath, but it’s masked pretty well by the intense lupulins. The smell is very good.The taste is like sucking on a grapefruit. A big ripe and juicy grapefruit. Big bitter citrus, but very well balanced with a hefty load of sweet malt. This adds to the alcohol, but it’s not noticed.
This brew is for hop heads only! As Dale would say, “A huge voluminously hopped mutha of an ale”.Serving Type: Bottle ABV: 8.5
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Birrificio Italiano is a small brewery from Italy with Agostino Arioli heading the brewing. I was lucky enough to land a bottle of this ale from my generous buddy Bacon. Not many people would let go of a fine brew like this.
A first glimpse of this bottle, with its elegant curves and long neck, with tell you that you’re in for a treat. I had never tried an ale with cassis (black currant), so I was definitely looking forward to this one.The body of this beer was a cloudy, bordering chunky, amber to orange. The head was huge with a tight white cone that took some time to get a full pour. The head was very similar to some of my favorite Belgians. The nose on this one was very complex. A rich and fruity currant was up front, but there was a subtle vanilla lingering in the background. Holy crap this is one tasty brew!
The first sip revealed a very bubbly and fruity surprise. The grains were very present, the hops were very subtle, but definitely there and the currant not overwhelming in the least bit. This is an incredibly balance beer that hold champagne qualities, but with a much deeper and warmer feel. The 6.4% ABV was hidden well and not too warm. A silky mouthfeel added a nice touch while I considered the complex series of flavors, which someday I’ll hopefully be able to describe.
Overall, this was one of the best beers that I have tried. The Cassissona is a deep and complex ale that is not light and fruity like you might think. Pair this with some cheese and fruit like the bottle suggests and you will have an experience you will not soon forget. Serving Type: Bottle ABV: 6.4%
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Victory’s Prima Pils is a classy brew that reminds me of some of the dank pilsners that I’ve tried in Poland. Once popping the cap you get this instant blast of flowery hops. It pours showing a straw colored body that’s a bit hazy. It has a fair amount of carbonation that produces thin strips of bubbles that last for the remainder of glass. The head is a clean white that’s fizzy and dissipates quickly. The nose is a nice floral herbal bouquet and a distinct grainy cereal aroma that is right on with this style. The taste is a crisp malt with flowery to grassy hops that ends in a nice bitter on the back of the tongue. It has a thin mouthfeel, but the carbonation keeps it interesting. Victory has done it again with the Prima Pils. They took this traditional style and beefed it up a bit with a hearty hop and grain bill to produce a quality brew that I just can’t get enough of. Keep it up Victory!Serving Type: BottleABV: 5.3%
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