While visiting one of beerpusher’s favorite stores, I came across this beauty in the back cooler collecting dust. The 11th anniversary ale was released to the public back in September of 2007. I didn’t get a chance to try one out then, and looks like the Gods have smiled upon me by putting this bottle in my path.

This thing has got to be good. First its from Stone. Second it’s an IPA from Stone. Third, it’s a “Black” IPA from Stone. I mean, good God, Its hard to believe the beer selections these days. It just keeps getting better and better. 2008 is a great year for the beer connoisseur, and things don’t seem to be slowing down a bit.

It looks like a stout. For real. It pours out dark, thick and syrupy. There is just the faintest hint of light shining through this silky wonder. The head is dense, off white, and pocketed like an asteroid. What really blows me away is the fact that this gem stinks of hops. Yeah, I know it’s an IPA and it should stink of hops, but it looks like a stout, and my brain is trying to sort it all out. Given a closer sniff, indeed this is an IPA and the resinous hops have made their presence known.

The taste is magnificent. I don’t know how they are doing it, but Stone continues to make top-notch beer without exception. The mouthfeel is a bit more viscous than the average IPA, and I would image that this beer is loaded with malt, yet the flavor is dominated by the hops. It’s pretty incredible, I’d love to pour one of these bad boys for one of my buddies without telling them what it is, just to see them puzzle it out. It’s soo smooth, slightly roasted, yet bitter as hell. Very drinkable and very enjoyable.

If you can find one of these (I’ve only got one left aging in the cellar), buy it at all costs.

Serving Type:Bottle
ABV: 8.7% 

Posted by mallen | No Comments »

Lucky #13 has been my girl this summer. At $4 for a 22oz I can enjoy her multiple times a week if needed. I have always been a big fan of Lagunitas, their IPA and Maximus being my past favorites. I love hops and they gave it to me. This spring the Lucky #13 has quickly become my favorite Lagunitas beer as well as one of my favorite reds.

It poured well into my glass, very smooth considering the carbonated look. It has a nice carmel red color and a very clear appearance. The aroma is a powerful blend of hops and lots of malts. You can definitely smell the sweet scent of alcohol first. That is followed by a citrus hop aroma that weakens as the beer warms. The head is thick with full coverage and stays around for at least the first few drinks. The lacing is moderate as the first drink goes down.

Opposite of the aroma the hop flavor hits first. More citrus than piney the hop flavor hangs around the back of the tongue longer than any other flavor.  The next flavor is strong and malty. You can taste the alcohol and an almost roasted carmel flavor. In the long run the hops win out and leave you with a grapefruit flavor in your mouth till you eat or drink something else.

Overall I love this beer. Lagunitas also makes an imperial red which I have not yet tried. The Lucky #13 at 8.3% ABV has .7% more ABV than the imperial red. I guess this explains the MONDO title. This is the beer you could drink cold at a BBQ out of a pint glass, or savor after it has warmed up and calmed down a little.

Possibly the best red I have ever had at $4 for a 22oz sounds like a good time to me.

Serving Type:Bottle
ABV: 8.3% 

Posted by jon | No Comments »

There’s nothing like the anticipation of trying out a new beer, especially a dogfish head. Today, we have the Immort Ale. The bottle reads: A full-bodied ale with interwoven notes of maple, vanilla & oak. Sounds freakin’ amazing. Here we go.

The beer pours out relaxed and calm, typical for a high alcohol brew. The head formed nicely, a bit on the small side, and soon it was all but gone. A thin layer of froth is all that remains to cover up the deep amber liquid underneath. The color appeared opaque at first, but upon closer inspection, it allows a glimmer of light to penetrate.

The aroma is malty with hints of burned wood. I’m trying hard to find the vanilla in my nose, but it’s not there. Overall, the aroma is a bit more toned down than I expected.

The taste however is a rollercoaster ride through several loops of flavor. The carbonation level is moderately high, almost like a belgian, but there’s an amazing earthy flavor that I’m still working out. The vanilla flavor is present, but it takes a back seat to the more aggressive oak notes. The aftertaste lingers in my mouth malty and sweet. 

I’m not overly impressed by this beer as I am with most Dogfish selections, however, I can definitely applaud the ability of this beer to hide its alcohol behind a complex curtain of flavor. And despite not being overly impressed, the Immort Ale still rocks the pants off most beer. I’ve just come to expect something amazing every time I open a Dogfish.

I’ve got another one in the cellar, perhaps I’ll let it rest for 6 months and see what happens. I would anticipate this one to improve. 

Serving Type:Bottle
ABV: 11% 

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Sierra Nevada sure did step it up with this batch. They flew all the way down to New Zealand to pick a variety of fresh hops, dried them and shipped them to the US to be brewed with North American malts. I think this fits into the “going above and beyond” category.

Upon the initial pour there was an ale that was nicely carbonated with a big head that pitted and had very nice lacing that lasted throughout. The generous amount of malt used contributed to the deep copper color that was very crisp and clear. This was a perfect looking IPA.

Sticking my nose into the snifter brought me a very nice fresh hop nose with citrus and grassy notes. I definitely smelled fresh hop cones not just a hoppy beer.

The taste was a very well rounded hop flavor that’s not overwhelming, but very robust. It seems like they used several different hop varieties since there were so many different characteristics coming through. Citrus, grass and soft spice notes were the prevalent flavors along with a sweet caramel that balanced everything out perfectly. As I sat thinking how great this beer was I had this nice semi-bitter aftertaste that was definitely worth noting. This is one delicious IPA from Sierra. I finished my 24 oz. bottle and definitely wanted another.

Serving Type: Bottle
ABV: 6.7%

Posted by Jozey | No Comments »

Josey inspired me to drink up some barleywine. I was in the store the other day and saw this bomber at the bottom of one of the coolers. I’ve had most of the standard Left Hand beers and consider it a pretty good brewery. Actually I used to consider Left Hand a great brewery.

Back in 1994 when I used to review beer in Ohio, we had a hard time getting our hands on any good micros from afar. Left Hand was one of the first that started distributing East of the Mississippi and to me the legend of Colorado Microbrews began. Eventually I discovered the many other breweries and Left Hand took a back seat to the likes of Avery, Ska, Oskar Blues, and Golden City. 

So, after a long hiatus, I’m ready to open this thing up.

The beer poured out excited, much more carbonated than I would expect for a barleywine - maybe I didn’t let it settle long enough. It’s a cloudy brown with a big head that’s starting to pit nicely. Interestingly, the nose is a bit hoppy. It’s got a malty backbone, but not too strong - there’s no indication that this is a barleywine.

I’m getting suspicious about this one. It doesn’t taste like there is much alcohol in this thing. Now I could be wrong of course, but I’d say there is 7-8 percent alcohol. I’ll look it up here in a second. Also, checking the bottle, I notice the words “barleywine style ale” on the bottle ….so is it a barleywine or not? OK, so i’m reading it’s 8.8%, I was off by a little. Either way, it still seems a bit low for the “style”. Despite all that, the taste is quite pleasant. Though It does have a penetrating tobacco/peat flavor that persists throughout, the malt and hops seem to balance it all out into a manageable experience. Perhaps its the oak aging that lends to the flavor. 

Overall, this is a perfect beer to introduce a barleywine novice to, however, it will likely disappoint an aficionado. I’d drink it if someone put a glass in front of me, but I don’t think I’ll try this one again this year.

Serving Type:Bottle
ABV: 8.8% 

Posted by mallen | No Comments »

This was my first sample of the J.W. Lees Harvest collection. When first looking at the bottle I wasn’t too impressed since it’s a fairly standard big-box brewery-looking bottle, but after looking at the ale details I knew this was a special brew.

Upon my initial pour into a nice little snifter I saw the cloudy caramel red with a creamy white head that pitted nicely, was just the right size and produced a nice lacing. It’s a great looking beer.

The nose was surprising with a strong smokiness and dried fruit. I was expecting more of a whiskey aroma due to the cask conditioning, but the wood smoke replaced that, which was pleasant. Not as present as a rauchbier, but definitely there.

The flavor was big. An evident wood smoke without the whisky. Dates, prunes, wood smoke and a solid sweet malt were all very much there. The taste was that of a favorite barley wine that had been smoked. As it warmed it seemed to get more fruity and I picked up on a little apricot and raisin.

This was a great brew, but I would suggest letting this one sit for at least a couple of years to mellow. It was a big robust beer that had some rather sharp flavors that could use a bit more time.

Serving Type: Bottle
ABV: 11.5%

Posted by Jozey | No Comments »

I always used to say that,”someday I’ll learn to enjoy the taste of barley wines”. Why the hell didn’t you slap me? You know who you are. After a short conversation with a trustworthy beer store employee he came back with a complimentary Olde School hoping this would change the way I feel about barley wines.

Upon the initial pour into a nice snifter this fine brew was a beautifully clear amber-red that had a deep-dark core. A fine ivory head arose that produced some sexy lacing that lasted throughout. This looked damn good.

Huge nose! Oak, raisin, dried fruit and a hint of the 15% alcohol was letting me know this was going to be a warm one. Smelled damn tasty.

The taste was a slice of heaven. Sweet malty burst up front with dried fruit and an oaky/woody flavor that was very complex, but kept on getting better as it warmed up. As it warmed I picked up on toffee that sweetened everything nicely. This barley wine had a nice silky mouthfeel and I noticed that the alcohol was hidden a bit too well.

This is one classy drink that should be taken seriously. I was a complete jackass for having my initial opinion of barley wines. If you have not been a fan of barley wines then do yourself a huge favor and TRY THIS ONE!!!

Serving Type: Bottle
ABV: 15%

Posted by Jozey | 1 Comment »

Green Flash Brewing has not been disappointing in the way of the hop. They have been turning out some of the dankest brews that I’ve come across. When I first saw this Hop Head Red I definitely giggled a bit. I love hoppy reds, and I was pretty excited to try GFB’s rendition.
The initial pour into a glass mug revealed a deep reddish-brown that had a nice light caramel colored head that was nicely carbonated, but not fizzy. The lacing was nice. There was also a bunch of little floaties swirling around…probably some of those Amarillo hops that were left behind during the dry-hop process.
The nose was a huge citrus hop with a sweet malt noticeable in the background. It smelled delicious.
Swishing this badboy around in my mouth brought about an explosion of bitter citrusy hop with a great bold caramel malt. Everything was in perfect balance. Definitely a nice malty red with a refreshing dry-hop crispness to it. This stuff kicks ass! It’s great anytime, but best with a filet and a river.
Serving Type: Bottle
ABV: 6%

Posted by Jozey | No Comments »

Hale’s Ales comes to us from Seattle, Washington, home to some of the finest micro’s on the planet. I found this 22oz bomber hiding on the bottom shelf in one of my favorite small liquor stores in Denver. It was the only Hale’s that I’ve ever seen in Colorado, so I thought I had stumbled upon something special here. I poured this Hefeweisen into a glass mug and notices a very cloudy dark orange brew that was much darker and chunkier than I was expecting. It looked like a thick glass of apple cider with a similar head…pretty much nonexistant.

The nose was a big banana with not much else.Upon tasting this dirty brew I got that musty banana flavor that I was smelling. I also picked up on a bit of dirty old leather. There is a bitter aftertaste, but not a hop bitter. It’s more of an asprin bitter. I definitely wanted to take another sip just to make that asprin aftertaste go away. If you like leather and asprin then this hefe is for you! To sum it up, El Jefe is El Crappy.

Serving Type:
Bottle.ABV: ?%

Posted by Jozey | No Comments »

Well, tonight comes a special treat. This one came highly recommended from a trustworthy beer store employee. It’s from Jolly Pumpkin, and having tasted a few of their beers, I know I can expect something different. I’ve had their Bam Noire and also the Farm Ale, both of which were definitely out of the box.

The pour is a deep amber/red liquid that is nearly opaque - compliments of the bottle conditioning. It’s hearty looking, thick almost, with a fine mist of sediment. Perhaps it would clear with age, but likely it would not. The head began it’s life dense and proud, but shrank quicker than expected leaving a thin layer of pitted froth revealing larger bubbles intermixed with the dense head.

The aroma makes my mouth water. Its a sour ale to be sure. Its sweet like caramel, and sour like granny smith apples. There is no hint of hops whatsoever.

The taste is amazing. I know I say that about nearly every beer I review, but this beer just explodes in my mouth, hitting all parts of my tongue with electric zing! Seriously, this is one of the best sour ales I’ve had out of a bottle. Its a tricky thing, I think, to bottle a sour. Often the beer just tastes off, or bad, or skunked. It can be hard to appreciate a sour. The average person simply doesn’t associate sour with beer, and when they are combined, it tastes wrong. But, here we have an exception. A great exception. The sourness doesn’t really hit until the aftertaste. And by then, my tongue seems more willing to embrace the experience. Its like crack. I take a swallow and before I can set the glass down, I’m thinking - did I really just taste that? Which leads to another swallow and the process repeats itself. Its like I can’t quite hold the whole flavor in my brain. I need a constant flow to get my fix. Medic! I need an IV!

This beer sets the bar high. The quest has begun. I’m hooked on the sour. Josey, you gotta try this one.

Serving Type:Bottle
ABV: 7.2%  

Posted by mallen | No Comments »