Finally...Utopias!!

You are probably going - "Hey, Deshayes - did you forget about this little beer blog of yours?" Nope - I have been busy making sure that we had an awesome Active 20/30 event. Yup, we had an adult kickball charity tournament. Kickball, you ask? We had 450 ADULTS playing kickball at the same time. We had a blast and made some money for charity, so I can't complain. Congrats to Team Whatevzies who ended up being the top of 27 teams and winning $2,000 for being just dominant kickballers.

Anyway, it's on to the main event. At Christmas, I received a beer snob's dream - a bottle of Samuel Adams Utopias. Only four bottles of this made it to the Land of Enchantment - specifically, one went to the Triangle Grocery in the east mountains. If you haven't been to the Triangle, I'd suggest making a trip out there. They have an amazing beer, wine and spirits selection and the gentleman who runs it is really in the know.

I finally tapped the bottle of Utopias. That means, I held it from December 2009 to late April 2010...ridiculous. But it was well worth the wait.

Appearance - Coloring is consistent with iced tea and burnt brown sugar, obviously no carbonation, coats the glass lightly. Not opaque, but foreshadows some of the smells and flavors being a clearer beer. - 5.0/5.0

Smell - Sweet brown sugar, smells like a port or sherrie, alcohol, fruity, caramel, reminds me of a fine liquor. Sweetness is definitely the key smell, but not overpowering due to the presense of alcohol. Would have preferred less sweetness. 4.0/5.0

Taste - Smoke, tart fruit (plum and apple), vanilla, caramel, raisin. Excellent taste - I can imagine this would pair well with a lighter sweetdessert. Beer advocate says cheese - which I could maybe see. 5.0/5.0

Feel - Warms your throat and extremely smooth, with a different type of aftertaste. Doesn't finish sweet, but almost like a fine brandy with a tart plum. You can hold it in your mouth to extract the flavor, but it doesn't burn like you had a shot of vodka. Excellent mouth coverage. 5.0/5.0

Drinkability - Would definitely have it again. The small quantity is perfect and would be amazing after a fine dinner. The price is a bit daunting ($150 a bottle), which is the biggest thing against it. A small glass (say $15) would be great for a special occasion. - 4.0/5.0

McGarvey's Scottish Ale

Wow...normally, I have something clever to say about things...you know, a bit of banter before we get into the nuts and bolts of the subject beer. I can't do that with this beer, as there isn't much to say. Epic fail on this BevMo acquisition....booo!

Appearance - Well, first off - this is one foamy beer. I had to let it sit for about 10 minutes so I can actually pour the other half of the beer. Cloudy, copper colored. Ridiciously foamy tan head. Like...making it hard to drink this sucker foamy. 2.0/5.0

Smell - Alcohol - some sweetness from the malt. Tart fruit, maybe cherry.. 2.5/5.0

Taste - Bitter, sweet alcohol. Sharp malt taste...kinda sweet bready. Other than that, not a whole lot to speak of. 2.5/5.0

Feel - Bubbly initially, then smooths out. Aftertaste is slightly sweet and bready. 3.0/5.0

Drinkability - Had way better Scottish Ales...I've got a number of other ones that I'd rather drink. 2.0/5.0

Viva Las Vegas!

Ah, I love going to Vegas. Give me 3 or 4 days of a sweet depature from reality and I'm good to go for a long while. I don't end up gambling much, as I have WAY more important things to spend money on - delicious food and tasty brews. This recent trip was for a CPE conference (Tax Planning for the High Income Individual - i.e. clients, not me) and, while the conference was at the Bellagio, I had trouble paying $200 a night when I could pay $80 across the street at Planet Hollywood. And if you know me, you know I have no problem walking EVERYWHERE on the strip. The room I had reserved was just a standard room, which is more than satisfactory to me. Instead, I ended up getting the Boulevard Suite....1,400 square feet of overpriced luxury...including an air hockey table, but more importantly, this awesome view.

But really, suites aside, the more important thing was the beer. After a nice dinner, I headed over to New York New York, where I enjoyed a tasty pint of Rogue Shakespeare Stout at Pour 24. This beer bar is located on the upper level above the casino, sorta where the overpasses from Excalibur and MGM Grand meet, right next to the classy Coyote Ugly. At $7 a pint, not cheap, but from what I will find out, pretty standard for Lost Wages. They had a really nice offering of beer - Alaskan Amber, Abita Purple Haze, Big Sky Moose Drool, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA... I'd check this out if you were on this end of the strip and wanted a nice variety.

The next day, I went over to Monte Carlo for a quick bite at Rubio's Mexican Grill in the Monte Carlo food court. This is one of my favorite places for a tasty fish taco...so good. Near the tram station is their beer bar, The Pub, which was formerly the Monte Carlo Brewpub, which made their own beer. The Pub has morphed into a junior Yard House - offering about 70 beers on tap. They had some of the standard Micro/Macro Brews (Blue Moon, Widmer, etc...), but did offer a bunch of local things and more obscure beers. I was really in the mood for an IPA and ended up with a Stone IPA. Should have tried something more local, but my brain had been a bit...zapped by hours of continuing education.

Tina surprised me by showing up on Monday night and we had a nice, pre-anniversary dinner at Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palance. Get the Wild Mushroom Quesadilla...BEST quesadilla....EVER. We started off with a margarita and I ended up getting a Schneider & Sons Weizen-Eisbock with dinner. Pretty tasty beer - lots of malt taste to it and went well with the lamb I got. If you are ever out here, do try Mesa Grill.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to go to one of my favorite beer/food joints, which is Burger Bar over in Mandalay Bay. They have a great selection of beers and nothing goes better with a beer than a burger. After this quick trip (less than 48 hours....oy), I'm ready for a trip back, but with less "learning" and more "lounging and enjoying".

Toss in a blue, and you've got yourself a pretty patriotic beer

Having tried the Dogfish Head Black & Blue, I figured I'd hit up the Red & White...which I think would be the opposite beer on the color spectrum. This beer is an unique type of witbier, which has been fermented with Pinot Noir juice.

Appearance - The beer has a real rich thickness to it. This one has a bit more carbonation going for it, as well as some sediment in it - reminds me of pulp in orange juice. The head was rose colored and held itself for a long while. - 4.5/5.0

Smell - Light fruit aroma, champagne, grape, some citrus and coriander - 3.5/5.0

Taste - I can pick up the sweetness and spices that I would expect out of a witbier (orange and coriander). It starts off this way, but then it phases into the more oaky, robust Pinot Noir flavor. - 4.5/5.0

Feel - There's a discernable alcohol flavor, which isn't a negative. If you want a standard witbier, keep moving on as this one is a strong ale with witbier characteristics. The carbonation makes this feel a bit like drinking champagne. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - I would prefer drinking this over champagne any day, so would be a very suitable replacement for a special occasion. I liked the fusion of the witbier and strong ale styles - you can definitely get elements of both in this brew. 4.0/5.0

My name is Guybrush Threepwood and I want to be a Pirate!

After working in the yard for a few hours late this afternoon (ah, nothing like desk work, then "use the sunlight while you can" yard work...), my back started to complain about the type of work I was subjecting to it. So, with a beer in one hand and my PS3 remote in the other, I fired up the old console system to see that the Secret of Monkey Island is now a special edition download through Playstation Network.

I loved this game when I was younger. It tells the tale of Guybrush Threepwood, a wannabe pirate, who is out for adventure and faces the Ghost Pirate LeChuck(or Zombie Pirate or Demon Pirate...depended on the game, freakin' voodoo magic) during his various adventures. LucasArts - the same one that produces those Star Wars movies you may have heard of - did these games in the early 90s and they were a blast. From what I understand, a lot of these classics are getting a facelift and being re-released. These kids now-a-days think these things are new....HA!!! I remember when the screen stopped when you advanced in Super Mario Brothers....no Wario, no Yoshi, just Mario, Luigi, a Princess and a bunch of happy Toadstools telling you that you went to the wrong castle...

Anyway, you didn't come here to hear about my video game addiction, you came here for my OTHER addiction - good craft beer. Tonight's special - the Widmer 84-09 Double Alt 25th Anniversary Ale.

Appearance - Thick, rich looking copper brown. Head gone so quick you wouldn't have thought it was there. Low carbonation. - 3.5/5.0

Smell - Alcoholic malt with a sweet bread and light chestnut smell. 3.5/5.0

Taste - Molasses, raisens, some sweetness, bread, great blend of malt. Tart alcohol hits at the very end, but for a beer that is almost 10% ABV, the potency will creep up on you. As the beer settles and warms up a bit, you'll get some toffee and a bit more bitterness. - 4.0/5.0

Feel - Flavor builds up and you get a hit of sweetness near the middle of each taste. Aftertaste is mild, but alcoholic and malty. Body is on the higher side of medium. - 4.5/5.0

Drinkability - Flavorful brew, but on the strong side for something I'd get regularly. Great job by Widmer to celebrate 25 years of brewing. - 3.5/5.0

Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays

Today was the first day back to the office for me. After April 15th, I hopped state lines with Tina and hung out in Phoenix for a few days. Had some great beer out there, and ended up bringing a bunch back. Tina asked me if I was ready for going back to the office today....I felt like I worked at a bank that had just been robbed and I just wasn't sure if I ready for the experience again. It didn't help that when I got to the office at 7:30, I had realized I forgot my office keys...awesome. One of my monitors apparently took a dirt nap too.

Anyway, after this amazing "back to work Monday", I needed a beer. I hadn't had an IPA in a while, so thought I'd give the Full Sail Slipknot Imperial IPA a chance. With a 8.2% ABV, it wasn't so robust to floor me, but would likely help numb the irritation of broken technology and leave me in a condition where I could go to the gym later this evening.

Appearance - Gorgeous tangerine color that is especially dark in the upper part of the glass. The head is foamy, white and leaves a sticky lacing on the glass. The beer generally looks thick, but in a rich, inviting way. 4.0/5.0

Smell - The hops are surprisingly subdued and lean on the earthy side of aroma. There's a..."funk" too. Not sure how to describe it other than if you walked into a room that hasn't been opened in a while and there is an odd smell to it. 2.0/5.0

Taste - Pine and earthy hops, some bitterness initially, but that goes away pretty quick. Other than that, not really much to write about. 2.5/5.0

Feel - Feels as thick as it looks. Great mouth coverage, but disappointing bitterness. 3.0/5.0

Drinkability - Eh, I've had other Imperial IPAs that I way prefer over this one for a similar price (or a buck extra). Not really what I would expect from the style either. I've had a few things from Full Sail, but I gotta say, none of their beers stand out - they are all adequate. Nothing terrible, but nothing noteworthy. 2.0/5.0

Attack of the Andygator

When I saw this bottle over at BevMo the other day, I immediately thought of my dog, Andy. Talk about random freakin' reasons to buy a beer, but it worked. The Abita Andygator Helles Doppelbock was a steal too - only $3.50 for the bomber, which ain't bad.

Appearance - Foamy white head that lingered for a long while. Light yellow coloring, lots of bubbles. 3.5/5.0

Smell - Some malt and sweetness aroma, but it's really disappointing (i.e. very little there). 2.0/5.0

Taste - Strong malt taste, some spice to it, honey, sweet. Big bold flavor that hits you really hard when you first taste it. For a more alcoholic beer (8%), it's surprising light and smooth. 3.5/5.0.

Feel - Fills your mouth, but mellows out pretty quickly. Very little aftertaste, mostly just the spice. 3.5/5.0

Drinkability - It's a tasty beer. Maybe not the best example of a doppelbock. 3.0/5.0

Happy Anniversary Sierra Nevada

Got to celebrate my birthday with my lovely wife, Tina, my brother and dad over at Nob Hill Bar & Grill and I heard through the grape vine that they had the Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout on tap. This seemed like an appropriate beer to celebrate both a birthday and an anniversary.

Appearance - A frothy, creamy tan head; a thick blackness with quick lacing. 4.0/5.0

Smell - The aroma was lighter than I expected with the malt dominating, followed up by some coffee. 3.0/5.0

Taste - Lots of malt and alcoholic coffee flavor. Oaky, with some acidic tart cherry at the front end, then blends into a molasses flavor. Highly enjoyable. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Coffee dominates the end, but the flavors are well blended and are subtle as they dissipate. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - A very tasty, great representation of a stout. A great offering from Sierra Nevada and I would regularly get this, if it wasn't a special deal. 4.0/5.0

You can pick this up at Quarters and Jubliation - about $10 for a fancy looking bomber.

Four Peaks - Tempe

Tina and I are big fans of Four Peaks Brewing, but had never ventured out to the Tempe location, where all the magic happens. Suffice it to say, I'm glad we came over here. The Scottsdale Grill & Tap is chill, but definitely has a "Scottsdale" feel to it - older crowd, a bit more sophisticated. The Tempe Brewery is a chill college hang out. The place is huge too - lots of seating room. The waitress we had was great - she knew her beer, which was appreciated.

We had lunch while we were there - the food was excellent. Between Fish & Chips, a Lamp Pita, Fried Chicken and Waffles and a Burger, we were well fed! Their Leroy Brown Ale was the seasonal draft - a very tasty brew, that could easily be a session beer (only 4.9% ABV). Some of the merchandise was on sale, so picked up some pint glasses for only $3.25 each (down from $5, I think). Also, picked up a 12 pack of their Kiltlifter Scotch Ale in cans...awesome.

Cheers to you, Uncle Sam!

Another April 15th has finally come and I managed again to avoid kissing a bus to soothe the madness that is my life at this point. Every year I get a nice bomber of beer that I crack open once the final return is signed and extension check dropped off. This year, Quarters had just received a bunch of new Rogue beers, including the Rogue John John Ale, which is Dead Guy Ale that has been aging (gracefully) in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels.

Appearance - Lightly opaque amber; with a sturdy white, frothy head. 3.0/5.0

Smell - Hmmm...whiskey. Malt is subdued and slightly sweet. I would have preferred a strong aroma. 3.5/5.0

Taste - Gotta say it again...hmmm...whiskey. Oaky, with a tasty, toasty sweetiness near the middle of the taste. Finishes off as you would expect a sip of quality whiskey would, with a hint of vanilla and caramel. Flavors are balanced and not overly strong. - 4.0/5.0

Feel - Smooth, full aftertaste. Lacks the syrupy quality that I've seen in bourbon beers, but that's ok, this one works. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - This is an amazing harmony of a spirit and beer, would definitely get this one again. 4.0/5.0

Either it's going to blow, or be an explosion of taste....

I will give Full Sail some serious credit for a cool name - Vesuvius has a lot of "uumph" behind it...not just liquid hot "magma". The Full Sail Vesuvius Belgian Style Golden Ale comes in a 22 oz bomber, which is priced at a bargin at $3.99. I've been on a dark beer kick lately, so having something more on the lighter end of the spectrum was very welcome.

Appearance - light white head, bubbly, golden, slight cloudiness, very little lacing - 3.5

Smell - definitely belgian; coriander, lemon, sweet and a bit funky - 2.5

Taste - Oddly mellow, malt is the high point and the belgian spices are pretty subdued. Tart apple, clove and banana flavors, but pretty mild. - 3.5

Feel - a bit syrupy, good mellow mouth coating, sweeter finish actually like how it feels. - 4.0

Drinkability - for $3.99, it sure wasn't bad. Maybe not a regular brew, but something I would have again if offered - 3.5

Three Philosophers not named Moe, Larry & Curly

This corked bottle looked particularly interesting as Tina took me on a little beer shopping spree at Jubliation for my birthday this past weekend. Did I tell you it was my birthday on the 28th? If you feel bad about not knowing, I'd be happy to accept some delicious beers as an apology. But birthday side the point, the Ommegang Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend is a pretty potent beer, weighing in at 9.8% ABV (a fact that was not noticed until I uncorked this sucker). Another interesting facet of this beer is the fact that it has 2% cherry ale blended into it.




Appearance - A really foamy, light almond head starts off the beer and sticks around the side of the glass for a good few minutes. The beer itself is a dark amber color, opaque in the lower 4.0/5.0


Smell - A sweet malt aroma is the key scent of this brew. True to the ingredients in it, you can get some tart cherry in the nose. 3.5/5.0


Taste - Definitely a Belgian beer with all of the spices that I would expected in a Dubbel/Trippel/Quadrepel beer, but the tart and mildly sweet cherry flavor (which isn't overpowering - you're not drinking a cider here) adds a very different spin. It subdues the normal spiciness of the Belgian beer, then adds a level of tartness that finishes off each taste. While highly alcoholic, you can't taste it... 4.0/5.0

Feel - Smooth at the beginning and end, but really sharp flavor in the middle. Finishes clean and doesn't have really anything to speak of for an aftertaste. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - While an interesting beer, not quite my type of beer. - 3.0/5.0

Imperial Series - Bring You Beers That Will Knock You Into Next Week

The Imperial Series from Samuel Adams came out a while ago and I've watched them from afar. 4 beers for $10 is daunting to me - so, haven't really jumped on board. However, this past weekend was a special occasion, so decided to splurge for the Imperial Stout. They also offered a Double White and a Double Bock.

Appearance - Mocha head - foamy at first, then fades out and spotty at the end. Not all that carbonated, and the beer itself is really black. 4.0/5.0

Smell - Alcoholic malt, roasted coffee, dark chocolate. However, not all that potent, which I would have expected more of in this type of beer. 3.0/5.0

Taste - Molasses, malt, tart fruit, alcohol near the middle of each taste, bitter coffee. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Remarkably smooth, leaves very little aftertaste. Thicker, fuller body. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - Glad I tried it - for the price, I'd probably look at a different imperial stout, only since $10/4 pack is a bit on the steep end. 3.5/5.0

Lobos Helping Lobos with a Fine Porter

Hopefully everyone had a great St. Patty's Day - some friends and I went over to Fat Squirrel and listened a bunch of wannabe Irishmen slur like the best of them while we waited for a table. Guinness and Smithwick's were enjoyed and I has an awesome Irish stew in a bowl the size of my head. Tonight, I'm waiting for the Lobo game to show up and am enjoying a Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter. Had this at the aforementioned Fat Squirrel once, but didn't have a chance to review....soo....here it is:

Appearance - 4.5/5.0 - Toasted almond, foamy head. The beer itself looks thick, black and rich.

Smell - 3.5/5.0 - Lots of malt with some coffee and smoke, but not terribly strong.

Taste - 4.5/5.0 - Rich flavor - the smoky malt is the highlight. There's some sweetness at the end of each taste, which balances out the coffee and smoke. A great example of a porter.

Feel - 4.5/5.0 - Smooth, some creaminess to the feel. The aftertaste is sweet and is only around enough to notice, then off it goes. It's not nearly as thick as it looks, but that's ok - I enjoyed the "lighter" body.

Drinkability - 5.0/5.0 - A great beer, definitely one that can go down quick and smooth. At 5% ABV, wouldn't get you in trouble either.

Chile Beer? seriously?

I love spicy foods - give me something that will nuke my mouth and make it inhabitable for years to come, and you've got one happy man. Tina, my beer muse, stopped by Sunflower Market last night and got this dandy six pack, Sierra Blanca's Rio Grande Pancho Verde Chile Cerveza. I was curious about what other folks thought of this beer and on Beer Advocate, it's mostly negative...probably because almost all of the reviews were from East Coast people, who don't "get" chile and its addictive properties. I don't get them either, so it's all good. Anyway, I think this is a beer that New Mexicans (or neighboring areas) will appreciate - may not be everyone's "thing" but if you're a chile-head, give this one a try.

Appearance - 3.0/5.0 - A light lager beer, with a reddish tint to it. Very wispy head, sorta disappointing in that regard.

Smell - 5.0/5.0 - Wow, it does indeed smell of green chile. It's peppery, but not so where your nostrals burn. There is some sweetness too, I'd guess from the malt.

Taste - 4.0/5.0 - Peppery green chile taste. Smooth, crisp and I'd definitely call it "cerveza". Makes me think of fresh roasted chiles and NM. Some heat at the end, but only enough to give it a chile flavor, not chile heat.

Feel - 4.0/5.0 - Smooth, some chile aftertaste, but not all that much. Crisp tasting - would be awesome with some enchiladas or tacos.

Drinkability - 3.5/5.0 - I'd definitely have it again, but it would likely be with New Mexican food or in the summer.

Yippee!

Tina and I watched a documentary on beer called "Beer Wars" tonight. There was a neat historical prospective on beer, Prohibition and then there was some sort of jump to "Corporate People Are Real A-Holes." Also, there was a shot of "If you sell out, you're a real sucker and not true to your roots." A number of entrepreneurs I know tend to get something going, make it successful and sell it...so they can move on to a new adventure. The founder of Dogfish Head was in the deal a lot - he's definitely an adventurous beer guy, but I gotta say - get off the soapbox. Instead of being "Oh, woe is me - big beer keeps us out of Wal-Mart.", focus on just making awesome beer. Whatever, this isn't a soap box - but a BEER FRIDGE!!!


Tina and I really enjoyed the Santa Fe Brewing 20th Anniversary Imperial Penn Porter, so I picked up a bottle of the Yippee! Imperial IPA. I had high hopes, since we really enjoyed the Imperial Penn Porter. Fortunately, I was happily pleased with this offering from Santa Fe.

Appearance - Foamy tannish head; amber coloring. Pretty standard for an IPA. 3.0/5.0

Smell - There are some piney hops, but more malty and alcohol than I would have expected. 3.5/5.0

Taste - Very well blended hop flavor. Piney, citrus, grapefruit, sweetness, malt. Not overly strong, but notable flavors. Not as bitter as I would have expected either. My wife, who isn't an IPA fan, said the sips she had were nice - that's saying something. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Thickness, almost a syrupy feel to it. the lack of bitterness that I have come to appreciate in IPAs is a downgrade, but at the same time, the beer felt good and the flavors stick around a lot. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - It's one of the better Imperial IPAs that I've tried. given it's a limited run, not sure how often I'll get this, but would definitely do it again. 4.5/5.0

The Imperial Penn (Porter)

Santa Fe Brewing is a common find at most local grocery stores and liquor shops. Good stuff, my particular favorite is the State Penn Porter. For their 20th anniversary, Santa Fe Brewing created three very interesting potent beers - the State Penn Imperial Porter, the Imperial Yippee IPA and the Sangre de Frambuesa Raspberry Belgian. Tonight, we'll talk about the Imperial Porter and later we'll get to the Yippee IPA. I gotta tell ya, I expected this beer to be good and I was definitely not disappointed. In fact, my lovely bride, Tina, talked me into going out and grabbing another one of these from ol' Quarters. They are on sale at most liquor stores for only $6.99 a bomber.

Appearance - A rich, smooth black brew. A mocha colored, foamy head tops the beer, which also has a really appealing, rich "bubbly" look. The head doesn't dissipate and is just pretty to look at- 5.0/5.0

Smell - Lots of coffee and dark cocoa in the nose. Enough aroma to enjoy, but not too much to overpower. 4.0/5.0

Taste - Wow! Rich, powerful flavor. Coffee, dark chocolate, some alcohol, woody flavors. Some bitterness too, but enjoyable 4.5/5.0

Feel - Thick and coats the mouth. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - Well, let's put it this way - we went out and bought another one. 5.0/5.0

Ranger Danger!

Well, actually not. Due to a complete lack of creativity, the term "stranger danger" was in my head and stranger rhymes with danger...so, there you have it. Today's sampling is definitely not something you should run away from as if it was some crazed madman that you'd find in some horror flick where common sense doesn't exist. The New Belgium Ranger IPA is a new addition to New Belgium's line of beers and I think their first offering that they have marketed as an IPA. This beer is tasty, but lacks some of the qualities that I have come to expect and love in IPAs. I think if you want to put your toe into the IPA pool, this could be a way to introduce someone to this type of beer.

Appearance - Lighter than a number of IPAs I have seen, but a lovely frothy white head. The bubbles are very inviting, but not so many as to make you think this beer is going to fill ya up. 4.0/5.0

Smell - Like standing in the middle of a forest, there's some definite pine in the aroma of this beer. The hops are nice and pronounced, but not so sharp as to offend (well, I love hops, so not sure that would happen). 4.0/5.0

Taste - The citrus hop flavor is far more blended and subdued than I would have expected. The bitterness is lighter than I usually like, but it's not bad. Like some other reviews I have seen about this beer, I would probably call it a pale ale, rather than an IPA. I expect a lot of boldness in an IPA and this beer just didn't deliver that. - 3.0/5.0

Feel - Smooth, with a great mouth coverage. The aftertaste is a bit sour, but doesn't stick around very much, unlike the hop taste which does hang with you for a while. - 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - As an IPA, probably not. I have a large list of IPAs that I would have on a regular basis. This beer's similarity to a pale ale would put in consideration if I wanted that, but alas - I'll just stick with an IPA. On that note, this isn't a bad beer - just more of a pale ale. 3.0/5.0

Well, I've been up a creek without a paddle before, but not this one

Fortunately, this beer doesn't have the same...outcome as it's sister creek. I've had a few experiences with SC, all of which end very very poorly. Tina has seen the Grand Teton Brewing Bitch Creek ESB at BevMo! a number of times, each time accompanied with a laugh. I haven't had many ESBs - Redhook comes to mind first, and tried one over at Marble the other day. They are tasty beers, but it doesn't seem like most breweries want to venture into actually making one.




Appearance - Lighter head, but a thick looking auburn hue. Darker than the other ESBs I have had. 3.0/5.0
Smell -Malt, caramel, toffee - 3.5/5.0
Taste - Sharp malt, caramel, nuts, bit of sourness at the end. I detect a bit of earthy chocolate flavor, plus some fruitiness that balances well with the malt and hops. 4.0/5.0
Feel - Thick with great mouth coverage. The flavors roll through your mouth as it goes down. 4.0/5.0
Drinkability - I'd have this one again for sure - just be careful as its 6.5% ABV will not make it a session beer. But if you've had a hard day at the office, this one will feel real nice going down. - 4.5/5.0

Nothing tastes better after 13.2 miles than beer

Congrats to my lovely wife for finishing The Arizona (Half) Marathon today! She did some serious training, including a 12 mile run from Tramway & Montgomery to Saggio's by UNM (yikes!). I did my fair share of training, but mine involved testing the limts of my taste buds when it comes to good beer.

So, I did some arm curls with the Rogue Hazelnut Brown over at the Yard House at Scottsdale Fashion Square. I didn't notice this beer at first, with the initial beer being a Green Flash West Coast IPA. I really had trouble with the 2nd beer, but after combing through the beer list (which upon counting was 119 draft beers), I noticed I completely skipped over the Hazelnut Brown - shame on me, as it was a very tasty brew (like most of what I have out of the Rogue Brewery)

Appearance - An oddly semi-translucent brown with a fine tan head - 3.5/5.0
Smell - Very mild with nuttiness and malt. From what I understand, this is a fragrant beer, but that wasn't the case with the one I picked up. 2.5/5.0
Taste - A rich, bold flavor with some (obviously) hazelnut and chocolate. There's some smoky nutty malt as well. You can get some sweetness out of this, but just a hint. 4.5/5.0
Feel - Silky, with a little crispness at the end. Definitely lighter bodied than I expected. 3.5/5.0
Drinkability - Loved the beer, but would have loved to had more detectable aromas. 4.0/5.0