Fall Time Brews

Summer brews get a lot of hype.  Those thirst quenching, fruity wheat beers are easy and fun to drink while at picnics, parties and around the fire pit.  I love a good Bell's Oberon or Dogfish Head Festina Peche.  Christmas beers, with their spices, and winter warmers, with their high abv, get the attention of those looking to sip next to the chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  Packed in between those two beer seasons, are Oktoberfest beers.

I like a good malty Oktoberfest Lager.  I did my best to brew an oktoberfest ale for my wedding, it wasn't the same, but it was good. For the pure German in you, you can drink some Spaten or Paulander- easier to find German Oktoberfest beers. For the domestic side, I enjoy Flying Dog Dogtoberfest and Sam Adam's Oktoberfest.

But what else do people drink in the Fall?  I have a couple ideas of what I like.

Bring on the IPAs. Many people think that they summer is too hot to drink the hop bombs. The high IBU beers get drowned out by the Christmas beers, so drink them while you can.  It isn't quite cold enough to need the high abv beers, but the 6-7% beer might cut through the fall chill.  A perfect beer to grab would be the Sierra Nevada Estate- the freshest of the fresh, all locally grown ingredients. Grab a jacket and head outside.

The darker beers also work well when it starts to get dark earlier.  The porters, stouts and brown ales all work well.  The beers with a little extra body can carry you through the tail gate.  Picking up some Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald would impress a newcomer to craft beer or the seasoned mustached CAMBRA member.

Fall has unique beers too.  Pumpkin beers are in season.  I am not the biggest fan of them, but there are enough people that cannot wait.  Dogfish Head Punkin, Southern Tier PumpKing, Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin and (if you need some warming) Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin are all great beers that give a fresh dose of pumpkin.  Goes great with corn field mazes.

Finally, find some of the unique seasonals.  First one that should come to mind is The Bruery's Autumn Maple.  This perfect for Thanksgiving beer is brewed with yams, maple syrup and other spices that would accompany a Turkey dinner. Check with the local brewpubs to see what unique ingredients they are throwing in their beers, and take home a growler.

Hopefully, you can embrace Fall beers.  They are versatile and easy to drink.  What are your favorites?

Sometimes favorite lists can be fun...

I just thought I would throw my 2 cents into the ring and let you know some of my favorite beers for Christmas time (generally speaking, the holiday season).  I consider these to be some of the best beers to come out around the holidays. I have not tried all of the holiday beers available, but from what I remember, these are what beers I have dancing in my head on Christmas eve.

• Anchor Christmas Ale- a holiday tradition. Started in 1975, this has to be America's longest running Christmas beer (I did no research, but how could one be longer?).  The beer's recipe differs from one year to the next, as does the label- which features a different tree every year.  The beer is always very drinkable and very enjoyable.
• Delirium Noel- This 10% bomb is what is needed on a cold winter's night.  The high abv is well hidden in the beer, which can easily lead to a empty bottle.  The calm spices make this beer enjoyable, and the ceramic coated bottle is a unique feature.
• The Bruery 12 Days /Years of Christmas- There is just something about series, and these beers have been intriguing to me since they came out.  I love the unique ingredients added to make the name.  Two Turtle Doves used turtle chocolates, 3 French Hens was aged in French oak barrels- I cannot wait to see what they do for 12 Drummers Drumming.  The beers so far have been very good, with the Two Turtle Doves as my favorite.  If you see a bottle, you should pick it up.
• Sierra Nevada Celebration- Who doesn't like Celebration?  Are there people out there?  Maybe one or two?  This is the beer that is easy to drink.  Not super high abv (6.5 % is still higher than 4% sessions), not spiced up, not a hop bomb, but a really nice drinking beer.  Now it is even labeled as a "fresh hop".  The hops and malt seem to work so well together.  One sip it is a ton of citrus hops, the next sip it features the nice malt.  Cannot go wrong.

1. Scaldis (Bush de) Noel- the only beer that I put a number to.  I feel that this beer flies so far under the radar, it deserves some spotlight.  The above beers can be rattled off by beer geeks, most have tried them, all have heard of them- but when you ask if they tried Scaldis, many go blank.  This is the most drinkable 12% beer I know of.  It is sweet tasting with dark fruits and raisins.  Sure you can taste the booze (it is 12%), but the booze does not effect the mouthfeel.  I think it actually improves the taste, maybe thins the beer out a bit.  I don't know what it is about it, but everyone who I have had the pleasure of handing some to have all had the same comment.  Usually something like this, "Wow, that's a good beer".

So if you out looking at picking up some beers, maybe give this list a try.  Even better yet, give other beers that you have not heard of a try, they might become your favorite.

Beer Series

For whatever it is, there is a certain allure about drinking beers that are released in a series.  Recently, I have had the opportunity to partake Vertical Epic 10-10-10, Three French Hens and Scratch #35.  These beers are a part of a series that have will have the next bottle released a year later.  They are special releases, but not as limited as beers such as Dark Lord, Pliny the Younger, et cetera.

The Stone Brewing Vertical Epic series have been around since 2002; the beers are released on the matching month, day and year.  The first was released February 2, 2002 (hence 02-02-02).  This year's Vertical Epic was released on October 10, and is a Belgian Strong Ale that has honey and spices. 

The Bruery's 12 Days/Years of Christmas series is in its third year.  It started with Partridge in a Pear Tree, last year's release was Two Turtle Doves, and this year gives us Three French Hens.  These beers are all Belgian Dark Ales, but each has a twist.  A portion of the Three French Hens is aged in French Oak Barrels. Two Turtle Doves features cocoa, taken from the turtle chocolate candies.  Partridge in a Pear Tree was a Belgian Dark Ale that helps form the base of the future beers.

Troeg's Scratch Series are one-off beers that the brewers make when they want to try something out.  It could be an IPA, saison, Belgian pale ale or stout.  The sky is the limit, and sometimes the beers have been bad, and sometimes the beers have been so good they put it into production (like the Flying Mouflan).

These two lines of beers are very good, and I have enjoyed them immensely.  But what makes them special?  Being special releases helps.  Knowing when the beers are released (Vertical Epic on the matching day, The Bruerys around Christmas) allows beer geeks to plan on them.  I have found that they are great beers.  The Vertical Epic 09-09-09 has been one of my favorite beers to drink.  And has lead me to pick up the beer whenever I see it on the shelves.  The Scratch Series is different, as the beers are released on a more random basis.

These series are very intriguing, and have lead to many people being happy.  The Vertical Epic series is always highly regarded, the 12 Days/Years of Christmas are always great Holiday beers and the Scratch Series are always well crafted beers that leave you wanting more. 

I look forward to finding and trying more beer series, and eventually becoming addicted to them all.

Quick Review- The Bruery Orchard White

Even though it is a cold night, I decided to think of summer.  In comes the bottle of The Bruery Orchard White that is in the beer box.  From The Bruery's website:

Orchard White is an unfiltered, bottle conditioned Belgian-style witbier. This hazy, straw yellow beer is spiced with coriander, citrus peel and lavender added to the boil and whirlpool. A spicy, fruity yeast strain is used to add complexity, and rolled oats are added for a silky texture.

I will open, sample while cold, and then make notes as it warms:

Poured a bright yellow, with the smallest amount of orange.  Huge head hangs for a bit, then diminishes to a quarter inch on top.  No lacing remains.  In the nose, the beer comes with a lot of yeasty spiciness.  Also gives off a scent of lemon (peel?) and rosemary lavender (decided to read the bottle).

Initial taste:  Carbination jumps out of the glass and doesn't allow the coriander and lavender to flourish.  Yeasty spice comes through, and combines with the nice malt to create a nice backbone.  Lavender holds on to the finish.  The combination mends well together, creating a drinkable beer (even though the carbination may be a bit too much).

The 5.7% abv doesn't effect the beer, and it might as well not even be present.  Seems like a beer that I could easily have a few of.

Update:

Slightly warmer, the carbination calms down, the citrus (lemon?) turns up.  Coriander also becomes more of a featured taste.  With the lavender continuing to dominate the finish.  As the beer continues to warm, the coriander becomes dominant, as the other flavors mellow.  The yeasty spiciness disappears, and the lavender and lemony flavors are subjected to the background.

Beer Bracket 2010- The Sweet 16

After an exciting first round, and an even more exciting second round, the Sweet 16 is set.  Every beer in the Sweet 16 is a beer that I enjoy. The beers that came out on top were:
Brewer's Art Ozzy
DogFish Head 90 Minute IPA
Kuhnhenn Solar Eclipse
Selin's Grove Scottish
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja
River Horse Triple
Flying Dog Raging Bitch
The Bruery Autumn Maple
Avery Maharaja
North Coast Old Rasputin
Bush Noel
De Dolle Dulle Teve
Pauwel Kwak
Samuel Smith Toddy Porter
Budweiser Budvar
BrewDog Tokio

A little something for everyone.  From IPAs, a Belgian Christmas ale, imperial stouts and a beer made with maple syrup.  Crazyness.  Hopefully your favorite team beer is still in the tournament.

dreary day beer stop

I would like to say everyone should take a moment today to think about those serving the country.

I had off today, but had a lunch meeting for a committee that I work with.  After the lunch, I ran up the Well's Discount Liquors to use a gift card I received last christmas (most people wouldn't be able to hold onto it as long as I have).  I came away with a couple of things that I can look forward to, and another that I thought I would give a shot.

I gave Anderson Valley Brewing's Brother David Double a go.  I didn't know much about the brewery or the beer, but thought I would try it.  If you have had it, let me know.

Next, I grabbed a bottle of Wild Devil from Victory Brewing.  I loved this beer when I had it before, and wanted to make sure I had a bottle for another time.

I then saw the bottles of the Stone Vertical Epic 09/09/09.  One to drink this winter, one to save for the future.  This is one of the few porters that I like, so maybe I should have grabbed a bunch of them.

Finally, I was able to grab a bottle of the Autumn Maple from The Bruery (last one on the shelf or I would have grabbed a couple).  I have been looking forward to trying this beer, and this was the first opportunity I had to get one.

Overall, I feel that I had a good go at the store.  I didn't spend too much money, and was able to being home some good stuff.

Have you picked up anything lately?