Growlers

Nothin' But Growlers

What exactly is a growler? I'm sure most of you reading this blog are familiar with the term and no doubt, like me, have several empty ones hanging around the house ready to be filled. However, for the sake of clarification, a growler is a jug, usually made of glass though occasionally ceramic, used to transport beer. The typical growler, as seen to the right, is 64 ounces, however they do come in 32 ounce size as well as 128 ounces. Generally growlers of beer are not sold in retail stores the way six packs or 22 oz. bombers are. Growlers are filled on-site either at a brewery or brew pub or a bar, restaurant or other establishment that has beer on tap. Growlers are usually either brown or clear glass. When properly sealed and stored, a growler can keep beer fresh for quite a long period of time. I have had growlers I've stored in my cellar fridge for a month and the beer was excellent when opened. The key is to make sure the growler is completely clean before filling. Most places will run your growler through a quick and thorough wash before filling. If it's a clear growler, keep it out of the light.

Early growlers

Why are they called growlers? The name dates back to the 19th century. The typical method of
transporting beer from a local tavern to one's home was to fill a lidded pail. In transport the beer would be splashed around inside the pail and the CO2 escaping from the lid apparently sounded like a growl. Thus the term "growler." When Charlie and Ernie Otto of Otto Brothers Brewing Company (now Grand Teton Brewing Company) of Idaho developed the large glass jug for transporting beer in the 1980's, the name stuck. (Thanks Wikipedia). For the most part you'll only find growlers in the U.S., Canada and Australia - in other words the non-English-speaking English-speaking countries.
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With the growth of craft beers, growlers have become much more prevalent. This despite the fact that you pay about the same for 64 ounces as you would for the same beer in a six pack totaling 72 ounces. So why the rise in popularity? It's probably equal parts caché, perceived freshness and lack of 6-pack availability of some beers. Just as there is a certain je ne sais quoi to extracting a cork from a wine bottle as opposed to

An alternate style of growler with a porcelain
hinged top. There's a rubber gasket to keep
it airtight. 

 twisting off a cap or getting it from a box, there is that same "I don't know what" to opening up a growler that has been filled directly from a keg. Is the beer any better than it would be from a six-pack of bottles or cans? Might make for an interesting BOTB experiment down the road. But often, as was the case with several of the beers we tried this month, the brewery just doesn't bottle, so the only way to take it with you is with a growler.

Late last year we had a BOTB meeting where we brought our favorite beers to taste, review and rate. On July 31st (making the July deadline by the skin of our teeth) we had a similar meeting where we were to bring a favorite, or one we thought The Guys would enjoy, in a growler. The difference this time was that we didn't rate them against each other, but merely reviewed them. As has become our custom, we started with the lowest alcohol content and proceeded to the highest. That way we feel we can taste and appreciate each on its own merits and not be overpowered by a bigger beer.

AMERICAN PALE ALE

EASTWOOD BREWING COMPANY, EASTWOOD, NY
(Previously Double Barrel Brewing Company)

BOTB Note: Owner-brewer Pete Kirkgasser recently announced a name change. Firestone Walker Brewing Company brews a beer called Double Barrel Ale. The name is trademarked and Kirkgasseer was sent a cease-and-desist letter from Firestone Walker's lawyer. Thus the change of name to Eastwood Brewing Company.

Brewery Note: Eastwood Brewing is a nano-brewery, making most batches in a 1 barrel (31.5 gallon) brew kettle. They offer their beers as draft only - filling growlers. Eastwood has been open since early November 2013. Here's what we found:

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 6.0%

Color: Wheat to clover honey color

Pour: Decent head with good retention and some nice lacing

Aroma: hoppy / piney

Body: Medium

Taste: Balanced with  notes of pine

Overall Impression: Well on its way to "Can't Get Enough."

Comments: "This smells like a walk in the forest; It's a really nice blend, not too over-the-top with either hops or malt; It's a really good pale ale; This rivals a lot of IPAs; It could turn into a comfort beer; For the "New Kid on the Block" he's (Pete Kirkgasser - owner) doing all right; It just feels right - you can sip it or gulp it."

REBEL IPA

BOSTON BREWING COMPANY, BOSTON, MASS

The Beer Facts: STYLE: West Coast IPA; ABV: 6.5%; IBU: 45; MALT: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60; HOPS: American Caacade, Simcoe, Chinook, Centennial, Amarillo; SRM: 11

What the Brewer Says: "Rebel IPA, the first West Coast style IPA from the same brewers that started a craft beer revolution in 1984."

Color: Copper

Pour: A very nice head, with decent retention and good lacing

Aroma: Toward the hoppy with a little more malt. There is a clean, piney nose.

Body: Medium

Taste: Initially a bit of a sweet taste, but bitter on the back end. There are notes of pine and a little hint of grapefruit.

Overall Impression: Midway between "I Could Drink This" and "Can't Get Enough."

Comments: "There are usually some of these in my fridge; I'm glad Sam Adams is brewing a West Coast IPA, a good effort; One good thing is that you can always find it in the grocery store; It goes really well with pizza; It's a decent session type IPA; Nice finish; It's very drinkable."

INDUSTRIAL IPA

CORTLAND BEER COMPANY, CORTLAND, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 6.8%; IBUs: 79.9; SRM: 14.9

What the Brewer Says: "Typical of India Pale Ale, this ale is bold, assertive, and full of hop flavor. It has a medium to dry finish and a fantastic citrus overtone."

Color: Unfiltered buckwheat honey

Pour: Better than decent head, with good lacing

Aroma: Grassy hops

Body: A touch more than Medium

Taste: bitter, especially on the aftertaste, it fills the mouth and is heavy. There are notes of toffee.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough.

Comments: "this has a complex taste; There is a little more alcohol presence - it announces itself, but not overly; The aftertaste is almost like 'give me another taste'; This is a good local beer that rivals the national beers; It compares with the West Coast IPAs."

ARROGANT BASTARD

STONE BREWING COMPANY, ESONDIDO, CALIFORNIA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Strong Ale; ABV: 7.2%; IBUs: NA; HOPS AND MALT: Classified

What the Brewer Says: If you haven't done so already, just read the back of a bottle. It is the very essence of what craft beer is all about.

Color: Dark amber / brown

Pour: A high, creamy head that lasts

Aroma: Tends toward the malty with hints of citrus

Body: Between medium and full, more toward full

Taste: Leans to the malty, with notes of malt, toffee and caramel. Nice bitter hop bite with a nutty, malty fullness. Bit of a nice alcohol burn to it.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough

Comments: "An absolutely delicious beer; It really is tough to beat this beer, it's big and bold, but you can have a few as well; If you like craft beer, you're an Arrogant Bastard fan; See the bottle...; the balance of maltiness and hop resins is rewarding."

PINE TAR IMPERIAL IPA

MILL HOUSE BREWERY, POUGHKEEPSIE, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Imperial IPA; ABV: 9.0%; IBUs: 95

Color: Amber / orange

Pour: Very large white foamy head with not a lot of lacing

Aroma: piney / grassy hops

Body: Full

Taste: Initially sweet with notes of butterscotch

Overall Impression: Between "I Could Drink This" and "Can't Get Enough."

Comments: "This has a GOOD flavor; It really snaps your neck back; It is nice and bitter at the end; It has a big burst of flavor; There is a good alcohol flavor at the back; It's a really nice beer; I could drink this; It is a 'kick-your-ass beer': It is soooooo good."

SMELLS LIKE A SAFETY MEETING

DARK HORSE BREWERY, MARSHALL, MI

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Imperial IPA; ABV: 8.5%

What the Brewer Says: "Take a wiff!"

Color: Amber / copper

Pour: Generous fluffy, creamy head

Aroma: Grassy / malty

Body: Full

Taste: Sweet with notes of caramel

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "It's a sweety; Tastes like a Breckenridge; It's a complex beer; Quite an interesting beer; It's real tasty - a good beer; I'm gonna sign up for a safety meeting; This is the most peculiar name for a beer that I've seen; A fine beer; It has a lingering piney taste."

MIDDLE AGES X

MIDDLE AGES BREWING, SYRACUSE, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 10.0%; IBUs: 90

What the Brewer Says: "Brewed in the style of an American Double IPA in celebration of our 10th anniversary. this beer is golden in color, had medium to full body, intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Ten additions of American hops are made throughout the brewing process."

Color: Unfiltered golden to light amber

Pour: Decent off white head

Aroma: Banana and clove

Body: Full

Taste: Hop bitterness right on the front with notes of banana, clove and butterscotch.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough

Comments: "This is a big one; You shouldn't operate machinery while drinking this beer;It has lots of alcohol, for sure, but it is balanced so it hides the alcohol; It just sits on my tongue; It tastes like a Middle Ages beer; It is English Ale-ish; I really like it; the bittering lasts through the swallowing; I like it a lot, but I couldn't drink a lot of it; It is very strong; It tastes like a 'hunting club' beer; I like this because that banana/clove taste is in the background and doesn't dominate - it compliments."

Miscellaneous Musings

Friend of the blog, Dave Grant, sent along one of his home brews for us to try and once again I was struck by how far home-brewing has come. I remember the first home brew I ever had years ago. In a word: awful. But Dave's beer, and those brewed by our own Mike Watkins as well as some others I have tasted are really terrific beers. Dave called his Hoppy Toady. It was a red IPA with a nice toffee malt flavor backed by a solid hop kick. Good beer. Thanks Dave.

 Speaking of Mike, he recently visited a few Central New York breweries along the Finger Lakes: 2 Goats Brewing in Burdett, NY, on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, Rooster Fish Brewing in Watkins Glen, NY, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, and Ithaca Beer Company in Ithaca, NY, just south of Cayuga Lake. The Finger Lakes have for several years been know for their wineries, with wine tours a staple around the lakes. But more and more craft breweries have been springing up around the lakes as well, and craft beer tours are gaining popularity. After sampling several beers from each brewery, Mike's recommendations are as follows:

2 Goats (the name is a play on Double Bock - bock being German for goat) - Goat Master Ultra Pale and XIPA were his favs. Also on tap they had Dirty Shepard Brown, Dirty Butt, Hefeweizen, Cream Ale, Goat Gasm (Ultra + IPA), Danger Goat Blonde, Dopplebock, and  Whiskey Richard (a big one at 12% ABV!)

Rooster Fish Brewing - On tap were: Summer Sky Hefeweizen, firehouse Blonde, Tripel Witch Belgian Tripel, Farmer Saison, Wee Heavy Scotch Ale, Mysterious Amber, Dog Tooth Pale Ale, Hop Warrior IPA, Original Dark Nut Brown Ale, Cocoa Porter, Raven Black IPA. His picks were Hop Warrior IPA, and Raven Black IPA.

Ithaca Beer Company - On tap were: Ground Break Saison Ale, Cayuga Cruiser (a Berliner-Weisse style ale), Flower Power IPA, Cascazilla Red IPA, Green Trail Session IPA, Apricot Wheat, #05256 (an amber ale made with a single new variety of hop yet to be named), Oatmeal Stout, White Gold. Mike's picks: Flower Power, Cascazilla, Green Trail, Oatmeal Stout.

 A while back I referenced an article in which Sam Adam's Jim Koch claimed that a teaspoon of yeast prior to each beer he drinks significantly reduces the effects of alcohol. Since that time there have been numerous articles written by bloggers and reporters anxious to test this theory (or find an excuse to drink during work hours). Just Google "Sam Adams Jim Koch and yeast" and you'll get a page of links to writers who have attempted this. The most scientific of these - performed by NPR - seems to show only a minor lessening of alcohol in the bloodstream, while other, more anecdotal accounts - primarily this one by the Daily News - seem to validate Koch's claims. I've tried this experiment myself in a completely unscientific manner at the last couple of BOTB meetings. Basically I gulped down a packet of dry yeast mixed with water a bit before the festivities (ugh - tastes like Death in a glass). My conclusion is that I seemed to feel the effects less than normal and we did have some pretty high ABV beers at both meetings. For me the jury's still out.

Next month we sample some Vermont beers Hud's providing after a grueling working vacation throughout that state. 

Sláinte,
The BOTB Guys

BOTB Blast and Some Road Beers

BOTB ANNUAL OUTING

Once again our yearly BOTB Blast was held at Clark's Cottages in Port Ontario, NY. And once again it was a great day of fun, food, music and, of course, beer. Early June in Central New York can be tricky weather-wise - you could have temperatures in the 50's or in the 90's. There could be clouds, rain, sleet, hail, or bright sunshine. Luckily we had the the sunshine and temps in the 70's.
The day started out with golf at Steamside - captain and mate. The top finishers all received some bottles of beer compliments of Sam Adams and bottle openers compliments of Saranac. If you're interested, the results were:
First Place: Tim Hart and Dan Riley - winning a round of golf at Streamside, 4 tickets to the Boxing Hall of Fame and a six pack of Sam Adams.
Second Through Seventh Place: Received a sixer of Sam and a Saranac bottle opener.
Closest to the Pin: Chris Courtwright - 2 sleeves of balls
Longest Drive: Nate Hart - 7 wood golf club

Back at Port Ontario we had mountains of great food and a firkin of Middle Ages 19th Anniversary Imperial IPA from Middle Ages Brewing. The beer, available now at the brewery, was absolutely awesome. The firkin returned empty. The afternoon was rounded out with some Beer Club Trio sing-along, including, of course, Beer Run. All in all, a great time was had by all.

TRAVEL NOTES

-In May, my wife and I had the chance to spend some time in Los Gatos, California, not far from San Francisco. During the trip I jotted down some notes on any beer-related activities. Below are the unvarnished musings you are welcome to peruse-

Heading to San Francisco. Waiting in the Syracuse airport. Noticed that there is a Saranac pub here now. Cool. Unfortunately, no time to grab a beer.

After hitting four wineries in the Napa Valley on Friday and Saturday - touring and tasting at each - we stopped at Laguinitas Brewery on our way to Los Gatos on Sunday. While I certainly enjoyed the wine (I felt a little like the Thomas Haden Church character in Sideways - pretty much saying "Hmm, I like this" to every one I tried) I soon began to long for the beautifully bitter bite of a bountifully hopped-up brew.

Looking For Mr. GoodBeer

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant and brewery on Saturday, but the best beer they produced was a Red Ale that was just okay - the others were mostly German lager types, but pretty bland. So I was really looking forward to Laguinitas.  Unfortunately I was the only beer drinker of the four of us - I believe the others suffered my desire to visit the brewery with good grace. I longed to compare notes and opinions with the other BOTB Guys while we made our way through the taps.

The place is very laid-back, done in a kind of disheveled chic with lots of outdoor seating and a funky vibe. The walls of the bar area are plastered with quirky, clever signs and posters. I only had time for a couple of beers while we had lunch. I started out with a delicious Laguinitas Sucks which I personally prefer to their regular IPA. Sadly they were out of Hop Stoopid so I then had a Little Sumpin' Sumpin'. I realized I had seen that around for a while, but had never actually tried it.  I took a chance on it even though it is a wheat beer. But the guys there said it was a really hopped up. It was surprisingly good. And stood up well even after Laguinitas Sucks (which it doesn't, by the way).

 Stopped at a Safeway  to pick up groceries when we returned to Los Gatos and I grabbed a couple of interesting sixers: Back in Black  a black IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery, and Big Daddy IPA from Speakeasy Brewery out of San Francisco.



Back in Black is a nice, hoppy IBA with some really rich, chocolate notes to it. Liked it a lot. Big Daddy is an outstanding IPA loaded with that big grapefruit/pine aroma and taste you expect from a West Coast IPA. (Brought back a bomber of Speakeasy's Vendetta IPA - also quite awesome.) Sorry we can't seem to get Speakeasy brews back East. Very impressive beer.






Tried to get to Anchor Brewing. Anchor arguably was the first brewery to experiment with beers to challenge mega-brew lager/pilsner taste profile that prevailed in the U.S. since the end of WWII. Their Liberty Ale, brewed in 1975 to celebrate the bicentennial of Paul Revere's ride, was the first IPA brewed in

America since Prohibition. So I was interested in stopping in to visit the brewery that kicked off a revolution by celebrating a revolution. Made it there on a Friday afternoon after spending the day at the Presidio. Anchor was about five miles away - or in San Francisco traffic, about 45 minutes! We got there only to realize that Anchor does not have a bar nor do tastings! They do tours, but we were too late. Very disappointing. 21st Amendment Brewery was only about a mile from there, but by now it was after work hours on a Friday and game day (SF Giants). The place was packed and there was no place to park. Every public parking lot had big signs saying "Flat Rate $30." Did I mention it was game day? I'm willing to spend more for a good craft beer, but thirty bucks was a bit more than I cared to go. So we exited San Fran without hitting either of the two breweries I was hoping to get to. Sigh.

Got home and had a Back in Black to commiserate.



Back in Los Gatos, stopped in at the Los Gatos Brewery. This is a small brew pub that doesn't bottle. Had their Cask - Firkin Fuggel Ale (Extra Special Bitter) which was quite tasty.
Later had their Oatmeal Stout - also very good.




However, the good news was we did
make it to a brewery (other than Los Gatos Brewery) called Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. Half Moon Bay is a little community south of San Francisco, located near a surfing mecca known as Mavericks, where giant waves form due to the unique geologic shape of the sea floor and shoreline there. The brewery is just outside the town near the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. Their beers are brewed under the moniker Maverick's Beers and Ales. It's a relatively small brew pub, but they both bottle and can many of their beers for sale at the pub. I was unable to locate them anywhere else for sale. They also have a constantly changing line-up of beers on tap. I have found at many such smaller production breweries that there is a tendency to brew "to the middle." In other words, to brew beers that fit into that middle ground that does not stray too far from the German lager taste profile found in the big brews. I've had IPA's that, in my humble opinion, are not deserving of the name. So it was with some trepidation that I ordered up a flight of three intriguing brews (plus a fourth I had the opportunity to taste) and I was pleasantly surprised. I tried the following beers:. Back in the Saddle Rye Pale Ale, Princeton-By-The-Sea IPA, Earl Triple IPA, and Damage Inc. Imperial Stout. I jotted down my impressions of each as I drank them. Here's what I found:

Back in the Saddle Rye Pale Ale - 3.75% ABV; 29 IBUs; Nice pale ale with very low ABV. More bitter than I expected from the 29 IBUs. Nice crisp, dry finish. Make a great golf beer, boat beer, session beer.



Princeton-By-The-Sea IPA - 6.1% ABV; 62 IBUs; Brewed with Cascade, Centennial, Chinook hops with Simcoe for bittering; Terrific IPA. Nice grapefruit aroma that comes through on the taste buds as well. Nicely balanced but not

afraid of the hops. Delicious. Wish I could get it around here.



Earl Triple IPA - 11.1% ABV; 150 IBUs!; Alright, so there's a little bit of wink and a nudge that goes along with the 150 IBUs label here. Nonetheless, this is a big, hoppy beer. There's a very solid alcohol presence without being overpowering. It's pleasantly warming, full bodied with a big bitter bite. There's a real pleasing aftertaste that to me was reminiscent of a nice scotch.

Damages Inc. Imperial Stout - 10.4% ABV; 82.5 IBUs; I have to say, one of the best Imperial Stouts I've ever had. The taste of full, rich deep dark chocolate hit first with pleasing coffee undertones. Toffee, caramel and cocoa flavors also intermingled nicely.  What really sets this apart is the fact that it is not cloyingly sweet as some Imperials can be. It makes for a wonderful dessert beer.

Sláinte,
The BOTB Guys

A Two-fer

TWO-FER?

BOTB Guy Note: Last month I was on the road and somehow Ron's email with his invaluable notes on our March meeting vanished into the cyber Twilight Zone. Since Ron had rotator cuff surgery in March, I assumed (incorrectly) that he just hadn't gotten them to me. Anyway, at the April meeting we got things straightened out and he re-sent the notes, so we'll run March and April together. Ergo, a two-fer.

SHERMAN ON THE MOUNT

ITHACA TAKEOVER AT WOB

Stopped in at World of Beers in Destiny the other day and happened to hit on "Ithaca Takeover" where Ithaca Brewery had 10 of WOB's taps. On tap were: Flower Power, Ground Break, Apricot, Cascazilla, Fleur de Belgique, Obscurite, Hopbloem, Sixteen, White Gold, and Laissez-Faire. I sampled Ground Break, Hopbloem and Fleur de Belgique. Ended up getting Fleur de Belgique, a Belgian IPA. Yes, a Belgian! But what a terrific Belgian. The typical Belgian yeast flavor is understated and blends nicely with this West Coast style IPA. 

We also had a Reuben and fries. Good food, good beer. And a wait staff knowledgeable of craft beers. Awesome.

Having traveled around the country a fair amount, I'd have to say that the Syracuse, NY area stacks up pretty well when it comes to the availability of craft beers. More and more restaurants are adding good craft beers to there taps. Of course, places like The Blue Tusk and J.Ryan's were ahead of the curve, but Copper Top has become a popular stop for craft beer lovers, and now its sister restaurant, Tully's  has begun adding craft beers as well. What surprises me now is that more places don't follow suit. I noticed the new place in East Syracuse, Mixers, now includes three Central New York craft beers on tap: Syracuse Pale Ale, Empire IPA, and  Saranac Pale Ale. But the chain restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones etc.) still aren't on board. I believe I speak for a lot of potential customers out there when I say that if I have a choice of eating at a place that serves only mega-brews vs. one with an IPA or two (or Stout, or Belgian other than Shock Top or Blue Moon), there's no contest.

FLORIDA BILL COULD STICK IT TO CRAFT BREWERS

Perhaps this is an indication of the success of the Craft Beer Industry in that whenever something becomes popular suddenly everybody has their hands out looking for a piece of the action. In a move that sounds like it came from the mind of Catch 22's Milo Minderbinder ("What's good for M and M Enterprises is good for the country") Florida is considering a bill that would require craft brewers who sell their beer in in-house facilities to first sell it to a distributor, then buy it back from that distributor at a significant increase in price before they could sell it to the consumer at their own brewery. This, of course would make the beer more expensive for the consumer. Check out THIS ARTICLE for the details. 

Just wonder who's behind this bill. Who benefits? Well, two groups that I can see right off: 1. The beer distributors, of course; 2. The multi-national Beer companies such as InBev and Miller/Coors. It just seems like another obstacle to inhibit the growth of craft beers. The bill is so potentially detrimental to craft brewers that Cigar City Brewing in Tampa said they would look into opening a brewery outside the state of Florida. Hey, I've had their beers - come to New York!

You might want to head to change.org.  You'll find a petition there asking to vote no on the proposal.

BONE-HEAD BILLS NOT LIMITED TO FLORIDA

Brewers and farmers have had a rather nice, symbiotic relationship for some time now. The spent grain from the breweries makes excellent feed for livestock, therefore brewers have been giving the spent grain to farmers, benefiting both. The brewer does not have to pay to have the grain removed and farmers get free feed. What a great idea. Who could possibly have a problem with this? Check out THIS ARTICLE to see. Again, one has to wonder: who benefits from this proposed rule? Just saying. Certainly not the farmers, and certainly not the brewers, and, by extension, certainly not the consumers.

MARCH

BEERS FROM THE MIDDLE

We at BOTB are located in the great Northeast so many of our reviewed beers are Northeastern brews. Either that or brews from the larger West Coast breweries with wide-ranging distributorship (think Sierra Nevada, Stones, Pyramid). This is in part because we certainly like to promote locally as much as we can and in part due simply to the availability of these beers. However, lately craft beer has exploded across the nation and more and more breweries are finding ways to get their beers over borders and around the country. We decided this month to focus our taste buds on some brews from "The Middle." Our definition of middle was broad - from the Rockies to the Appalachians. No coasts unless it's one of the Great Lakes. Style wasn't stipulated, but, surprisingly, all were IPA's except one. And that one was a Double IPA (have I mentioned that we tend to obsess on IPA's?). We were still a man down with Herb doing a little recon work in warmer climes so only six beers were up for review.

We reviewed the beers in order of their alcohol content - lowest to highest. When we finished, we rated them according to drink-ability, taste, and a willingness on our part to go out and buy more. 

The Line Up:

-LUCKY U IPA - Breckenridge Brewery in Denver, Colorado

-HOP STRIKE - Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs,Colorado

-TWO HEARTED ALE - Bell's Brewery, Comstock, Michigan

-TITAN IPA - The Great Divide Brewery Company, Denver, Colorado

-HOP NOSH IPA - (Formerly Hop Notch. More on that later) Uintas Brewery in Salt Lake City, Utah

-CONNIPTION FIT DOUBLE IPA - Atwater Brewery, Detroit, Michigan

LUCKY U IPA

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY, DENVER, COLORADO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.2%; IBUs: 68; MALTS: Two Row Pale, Munich, Carmel, Torrified Wheat, Carapils; HOPS: Amarillo, Magnum, Perle, Cascade, Apollo, Fuggle, Goldings; YEAST: Top fermented ale yeast

What the Brewer Says: "Nice forefront, hop bitterness with underlying malt character. ...a well-balanced, soulful IPA with just the right amount of hoppiness. An even keeled ale that goes down clean and refreshing, but still lets you know it's been doted on by the Brewmaster. It's true to it's IPA heritage, but also highly drinkable."

Color: Unfiltered apricot/golden honey (the brewery describes it as "spun gold")

Pour: Sparse tan head

Aroma: hoppy/grassy

Body: Toward the thin/light

Taste: Balanced, with notes of toffee and coffee

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "This has more hops aroma than taste; Nice taste; It tastes like a session beer; It would be a good drink on a nice hot summer day; It's pleasant; It's not a West Coast IPA; It plays more toward the malt than you would expect from an IPA; It tastes to me like a liquid Heath Bar; I don't know if I would run right out and get a 6-pack of this, but I wouldn't feel bad if a friend offered me one from his refrigerator."

HOP STRIKE BLACK IPA

TOMMYKNOCKER BREWERY, IDAHO SPRINGS, CO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Black IPA (or perhaps an IBA); ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 78; MALT: Dark Rye; HOPS: Chinook, Summit, Willamette

What the Brewer Says: "Hop Strike is a dry hopped black IPA. The beer is characterized by an intermingling of spicy citrus hops and chocolate malt. Hop Strike's substantial 78 IBUs are balanced by roasted rye resulting in a nice depth of malt character and deep color.

Color: Near black

Pour: A bit below "decent head" that is near milk chocolate in color.

Aroma: Burnt, dark roasted malt

Body: Between medium and full

Taste: Notes of coffee and chocolate

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "This tastes like a porter; The hops clean up the finish; It's not heavy or syrupy; I'd say it's tasty; It has a nice chocolate and coffee taste that finishes nicely; If you have a malty beer you can throw a lot of hops in it before you get a hoppy taste; You would think an IPA would be more toward the bitter; I'm not believing this beer I'm drinking is 78 IBUs."

TWO HEARTED ALE

BELL'S BREWERY, COMSTOCK, MICHIGAN

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.0%; IBU: 55; HOPS: Centennial

What the Brewer Says: "Bell's Two Hearted Ale is defined by  its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale."

Color: Unfiltered orange

Pour: Decent, near white head 

Aroma: Grassy/hoppy with a bit of pine

Body: Medium

Taste: Tending toward the hoppy bitter end of the spectrum with floral and citrus notes

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "This beer has a nice nose; That's a GOOD beer; And mighty tasty; It has a nice, citrusy taste; I could just sit and drink this - just pour me another; Terrific; It's right in my wheelhouse for the way an IPA should taste; To me, it has the taste of Flower Power; Yeah, a nice floral taste; This tastes like another."

TITAN IPA

GREAT DIVIDE BREWING COMPANY, DENVER, CO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.1%; IBUs: 65; MALT AND HOPS: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Titan IPA is a big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale brewed for hop disciples. It starts out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors, and finishes with a nice rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness."

Color: Dark Amber

Pour: Decent white head

Aroma: Hoppy - grassy/fresh hay aroma, herbal and floral

Body: A little more than medium

Taste: On the bitter side of balanced, with citrus notes

Overall Impression: Very close to "Can't Get Enough"

Comments: "Some (a little) nose; Tastes a little like Lucky U to me but with a bit more flavor; I'm not getting a strong IPA flavor - more of a Pale Ale flavor; it's a nice beer, I like it; Maybe a bit of pine at the finish; It looks like a winter brew, but finishes a little hoppier than it looks; I have nothing bad to say about this beer."

HOP NOSH (formally Hop Notch)

UINTAS BREWERY, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

The Backstory:  Originally this beer was called Hop Notch but there arose a copyright issue. Here's how the brewer explains it: "Uinta Brewing has agreed to change the name of Hop Notch, the brewery's flagship beer and one of the fastest-growing IPAs in the country, following a request from Massachusetts-based Notch Brewing, which owns the trademark for the word 'Notch' as it relates to beer and breweries. Notch Brewing clained that Hop Notch was creating marketplace confusion. 'We came to an amicable agreement,' said Chris Lohring, the founder of Notch Brewing. According to a press statement from Uinta Brewing, the Hop Notch brand will be changed to Hop Nosh, but the brewery said the label imagery and recipe will remain unaltered."

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.3%; IBUs: 82; SRM: 15; MALT and HOPS: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Bold and refreshing, this IPA combines an abundance of hops with a smooth malt profile. Embracing our inner foodie, Hop Nosh is so big in hop character that it is literally a hoppy snack."

Color: Golden

Pour: Decent off-white head

Aroma: Pine and grass

Body: Medium

Taste: It strikes a level of balance initially with a terrific finish. There were notes of pine, grapefruit, and even nuts were detected.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!!

Comments: "There's a nice little bite on the back end; A West Coast IPA taste; This is why I drink beer; This is one of my regular rotation beers; It is relatively new to the area; It is always a part of my 'mixed six' pack; I could drink this - every day; Because of the hops taste on the tail end - it's not my favorite; That's exactly what I like about it; It makes your tongue do a dance; It hits all the notes; It's a damn good beer."

CONNIPTION FIT DOUBLE IPA

ATWATER BREWERY, DETROIT, MICHIGAN

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Double American IPA; ABV: 8.0%; IBU: 92; MALT and HOPS: NA

What the Brewer Says: "This tasty American Double Imperial IPA is 8.0% and 92 IBU."

Color: Unfiltered honey yellow

Pour: Decent frothy off-white head

Aroma: Late season, second cut hay or dried grass

Body: Toward the full/thick

Taste: Sweet malty on the front end before there is a bit of hops. There are notes of butterscotch and horehound.

Overall Impression: A little better than "I Could Drink This"

Comments: "It doesn't taste like a double; It doesn't bite like you'd think a double would; Lots of light roasted malt; I would like one, but wouldn't want a bunch of them; Nice bitter middle with a butterscotch sweet beginning; It doesn't hide the alcohol; There is something there all the way through - the bitter is pleasant; Maybe, but I'm not getting it; I'm not tasting the alcohol."

AND THE WINNER IS...

Using our usual rating system, we each rated the beers separately 1-6 then added the scores with the low score winning. As usual, we were not unanimous in our choices for our favorite, but combined here were the results:

#1 - Hop Nosh - Uinitas Brewery - A really wonderful IPA at a very affordable price - making it a regular in my fridge.

#2 - Two Hearted Ale - Bell's Brewery - A close second. This and Hop Nosh were the top two for all. Classic IPA taste. 

#3 - Titan IPA - The Great Divide Brewery - A nice beer, some of us felt it was more Pale Ale than IPA, but a real tasty brew that would be a welcome sight at any restaurant.

#4 - Conniption Fit Double IPA - Atwater Brewery - As is true so often with bigger beers like Double IPAs, one is enjoyable, but definitely not a session. This was one of those "split decision" beers with The Guys - some were fans, others not so much.

#5 - Hop Strike Black IPA - Tommyknocker Brewery - An enjoyable beer. It tended toward the malty with chocolate and coffee vibes that made it reminiscent of a Porter. 

#6 - Lucky U IPA - Breckenridge Brewery - We felt the hops were more aromatic than present in the taste. Much more malty than one would expect from an IPA. We found it enjoyable but not one we would actively seek.

APRIL

SARANAC SPECIAL

12 BEERS A SPRINGING AND CAN DO

Mixed 12-packs can be a decidedly mixed blessing. On the one hand, variety is the spice of life and it's nice to have a variety of brews to try. With the right mixed-12 you can have four (or three) different beers ready  for whatever brew mood might move you. Or you can match a beer to a particular meal if you are so inclined. However the down side is that if there is a beer that you consider a loser - one that you absolutely have no interest in consuming - you are stuck with two or three of them taking up valuable space in your fridge. I remember bottles of Cherry Wheat that took up residence in my basement "beer fridge" for so long I started claiming them as dependents on my income tax forms. They stayed there until a guest happened to see them and say without a hint of irony, "Wow! Cherry Wheat! I love Cherry Wheat!"
But sometimes you can hit on mixed-12s that have a "weak sister" that isn't that bad. Something you can certainly live with. Of course we at BOTB like those mixed IPA packs (think Sam Adams'  IPA Hopology or Sierra Nevada's 4-Way IPA variety packs) but we decided to check out a couple of Saranac's currently available Mixed 12s: 12 Beers a Springing and their newest addition Can Do.
With each beer we added a question following our comments: "Would you buy a 6-pack of this beer?"

12 Beers a Springing

Matt Brewing Company out of Utica, New York has been producing their Saranac "12 Beers a...(or of)" variety packs for several years now. They like to give you six different beers - two each - in their mixed 12s. Each season has its own mix, usually combining their standards with some seasonal beers and/or new beers they might want to test market. For example, this years 12 Beers of Winter had their flagship Pale Ale combined with a Belgian Pale and 4059 Porter  plus three new beers: Moonshadow, Decoction Concoction, and Spiced Christmas Ale.

12 Beers a Springing has an interesting mix:

Forbidden IPA
Red IPA
Prism White Ale
Dry Hop Lager
Irish Stout
Pale Ale (The Pale Ale is in the Can Do mix as well, so we'll look at that when we do that mix)

FORBIDDEN IPA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs; 50

What the Brewer Says: "This citrusy IPA has a distinctive fruity flavor complemented by a playful bitterness. We'd tell you how we brew it, but then we'd have to kill you."

Color: Honey

Pour: Well past Decent head

Aroma: Grassy, herbal

Body: Medium

Taste: Nice hoppy/grapefruity flavor 

Overall Impression: Well toward "Can't Get Enough"

Comments: "Nice little hop finish to it; They have enough IPAs to make a variety pack of IPAs; You know I really like this; Make a good session IPA; It's kind of nice to see some IPAs with lower ABVs so you can kick back and have a few without getting plastered."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Yes.

RED IPA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Red India Pale Ale; ABV: 6%; IBU: 60; MALT: European Dark Caramel Malt; HOPS: Calypso, Palisade, Chinook.

What the Brewer Says: "Our Red IPA is a twist on a traditional West Coast IPA featuring a deep red color form European dark caramel malts. We brew with generous amount of American hops including Calypso, Palisade and Chinook to give this IPA a distinctive hop aroma. You'll notice a strong hoppy flavor with caramel malt undertones and a unique color that gives this IPA a whole new personality"

Color: Mahogony

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Hay, grass, herbal

Body: Medium

Taste: Nice bitter bite with a balance of Malty and Grapefruit hop flavors

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "I really like this; Kinda' like the color; Nice bitter finish, malty start, hoppy finish; I prefer it to their regular IPA; I'd put it between  their Pale and Legacy; Ought to make a Can-Can 12-pack with this, Legacy and their IPA or maybe their Imperial IPA; I really like this beer, smooth with lots of flavor."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Absolutely!

PRISM WHITE ALE

  

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Belgian White Ale; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs: 40

What the Brewer Says: "This light colored wheat ale might have a hazy appearance but one thing's crystal clear: it practically sparkles with bright, citrusy flavor. Enjoy!"

Color: Unfiltered wheat

Pour: Decent white head

Aroma: Peach, citrusy

Body: Between Light and Medium

Taste: Kind of a sweet lemon, fruity taste with hints of coriander and apricot

Overall Impression: For us it was a "Leave it on the Shelf"

Comments: "Tastes like the bastard child of Ithaca Apricot Wheat and Magic Hat #9; Not my favorite - I'd say my least favorite; I wasn't thrilled at first, but the taste kind of grows on me a little bit; It's that Belgian vibe that a lot of people really like, I'm just not a fan; I definitely like their White IPA better; Like to see White IPA, Red IPA, Forbidden IPA and Legacy in a mix - I'd buy that in a heartbeat."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: NO.

DRY HOP LAGER

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Lager; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 30; MALT: North American and German malt; HOPS: Mittlefrau, Saphir, Opal, Taurus.

What the Brewer Says: "...we dry hop with Opal, a new variety known for its citrus and herbal characteristics, and Taurus, a unique new variety with wonderful aromatic qualities. Lagers aren't typically dry hopped, but we wanted to showcase a lager blooming with hop flavor and aroma. You'll experience a medium body with subtle malt notes to round out this uniquely hopped brew. Cheers!"

Color: Golden lightly filtered

Pour: Better than Decent head

Aroma: Metallic

Body: Between Light and Medium

Taste: Tending toward sweet, malty

Overall Impression: We'd "Leave it on the Shelf"

Comments: "Not great, I much prefer the Wild Pils; I don't know, tastes like a Lager to me; Stick with ales!; Much better than Bud, Miller etc., maybe a good 'intro to craft beer' type beer; I much prefer many of Saranac's other beers."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: No.

IRISH STOUT

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Dry Stout; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 30

What the Brewer Says: "Deep within the heart of the Irish lies an uncanny passion for what they call 'leann dubh' or black ale. Saranac Irish Stout is a lavish beer blended with dark malts to create a coffee-like taste. Look for a roasted character that is surprisingly smooth and refreshing, pint after pint. Cheers!" 

Color: Black

Pour: Impressive Guinness class head

Aroma: Molasses, sweet, sorghum

Body: Up in the Full range

Taste: Tending toward sweet with hints of malt, bread, nut and coffee

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "If I were to purchase a Stout - this is it; This is better than some of the Irish Stouts I've had; Id order this for my wife - she really likes Stouts and Porters, and not so much IPAs; It's one fo those nice, pleasant drinkable Stouts; Not heavy, but full-bodied and good flavor."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Possibly, on St. Patrick's Day; Sure, if I was feeling like a Stout.

CAN DO VARIETY PACK

-Wild Hop Pils

-Saranac Pale Ale

-Legacy IPA

WILD HOP PILS

The Beer Facts:STYLE: Pilsener; ABV: 5.2%; IBU: 28; HOPS: Belma 

What the Brewer Says: "This unique pilsener features Belma hops, found growing wild on a hop farm in Washington State, for a clean, tropical taste. Pair it with marinated pork tenderloin, chicken wings, prosciutto, bacon and chevre or Havarti cheeses."

Color: Pale yellow

Pour: Decent white head

Aroma: Grassy with typical Pilsener herbal aroma

Body: Medium

Taste: Somewhat balanced with a nice bready, nutty undertone. A bit of hop bitterness and pine. A Pilsener with a subtle hop presence.

Overall Impression: I Would Drink This. 

Comments: "Not a bad golf beer. Why the purple can?; Not a big fan of Pils - but this is better than most; Easy drinking beer; Aroma has a little more than average Pilsener; Session beer; A faint bitter undertone at the end; Not a 'must have' beer, but not bad; A better 'weak sister' than many variety packs have; Not bad."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: No, but a mixed 12 to try it or as a change of pace beer.

SARANAC PALE ALE

The Beer Facts: STYLE: English Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 32; MALTS: six specialty malts; HOPS: English Kent Goldings, Fruggles

What the Brewer Says: "Saranac Pale Ale is a classic English Pale Ale brewed with six specialty malts and aggressively hopped with hand-selected English Kent Goldings and Fruggles hops. Look for a rich fruity hop bouquet. A copper amber color and a smooth, full-flavored taste with a crisp finish that only comes from a genuine top fermented ale. Enjoy!"

Color: Amber

Pour: Decent off white head

Aroma: Grassy, herbal, floral

Body: Medium

Taste: Balanced with nice malty, nutty, bready base and pleasant blend of English hops

Overall Impression: I Do Drink This!

Comments: "I think it's one of the best straight-up Pale Ales out there; Good standard, great stand-by; Backbone of many of their mixed 12s; Their flagship beer for good reason; Good boat beer, golf course beer; One of the better beers in a can out there; Such a nice, smooth beer."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Yes. Already do, on a regular basis.

 LEGACY IPA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 60; MALTS: North American Two-Row and Munich; HOPS: A blend of historic, traditional, and innovative hops.

What the Brewer Says: "Our founder passed down his legacy of great beer. Inspired by his recipe, this heavenly IPA's aroma and depth of flavor is our gift to you."

Color: Golden

Pour: Better than Decent head

Aroma: Bready yeast and grass

Body: Medium

Taste: Balanced with a nice bitter bent

Overall Impression: Well toward "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "Nice sustainability; I think this should just replace their regular IPA; I like the way this opens better than the Pale - but I like the way the Pale finishes better; Very tasty; I was buying their White IPA 12 packs last summer (rather than 6-packs) in part because of the bonus pint can of Legacy IPA; I'm glad they're continuing with the beer - I was afraid they would follow the same route as Guinness with their 250 a few years ago where they stopped producing it after a period of time; Good beer."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Absolutely, yes.

THE BOTTOM LINE

So we took a look at a couple of variety packs by Saranac and afterward we batted around our opinions on each. After some interesting give and take, we put it to a vote. The question: Would you buy this particular variety pack? The results were as follows:

12 BEERS A SPRINGING - With seven members this one came as close as you can to a split decision. By a vote of 4-3 we said (as a group) we would not buy this. The four nays sited the fact that they couldn't get past the Prism White Ale and Dry Hop Lager enough to purchase the 12 pack. The 3 dissenting votes felt that those two brews were not weak enough to keep them from buying the 12 pack. They didn't mind those two beers and enjoyed the others enough to take the plunge.

Can Do Variety Pack - This one was unanimous. All of us said we would buy this 12-pack. We felt that Legacy and Pale Ale were terrific beers and Wild Hops Pils made for a decent boat/golf beer. In fact, I purchased a Can Do pack to take to a family Easter dinner. Twelve beers traveled with me to the dinner. None returned. To quote Stan Lee: "'Nuff said."

SOME HEADY STUFF

I had a can of Heady Topper which was generously donated to me by my buddy Dave Grant and I shared it with a couple of early arrivals. We had reviewed this back in March of 2012 and loved the beer, but it is a tough brew to hunt down. It's one of those beers that has become almost legendary. We certainly enjoyed it.

I also brought back from Springfield, Illinois a growler of Engrained IPA from Engrained Brewing, a small brew pub in Springfield. We had lunch there and, after I had one of their IPAs, I ran out and grabbed a couple of growlers I had brought and filled them right up. Terrific beer. If you ever happen to be in Springfield, I highly recommend looking this place up. Besides the IPA, they had an American Pale Ale that was very good as well as a Kolsch, a wheat, an Irish Red and an Oatmeal Stout.

BOTB BASH

Check your calender and clear June 1st. That's the date for this year's annual BOTB blast. Golf, food, music and, of course, good beer. Who's invited? Anyone who reads this blog. Details will be forthcoming. Let us know if you're in by RSVPing to battleofthebeers@gmail.com.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys