The Year in Beer: Trends That Will Continue in 2014

2013 has been an excellent year for craft beer. A slew of breweries opened around the nation, hundreds of new delicious beers were brewed, and I can only imagine the amount of people who were converted to craft beer this year. When taking a look at the industry as a whole, what aspects stood out as popular and lasting trends? Here's my take on what to look for, from breweries large and small, heading into 2014.

1. Barrel Aging. I'm sure you've spotted and probably enjoyed barrel aged beers more often lately. The concept of aging beers in oak barrels is far from new, but it's more popular now than ever. Many beer styles can be aged in barrels that previously held spirits like whiskey or rum to give the beer a more complex flavor profile. Stouts, old ales and stronger Belgian styles are some of the more common styles I've enjoyed that went through an aging process. Increasingly popular sour ales are also produced through aging, most commonly using wine barrels as an environment for secondary fermentation with wild yeast strains. Expect to notice even more barrel aged beers in 2014 with more breweries getting their hands on used spirits barrels and breweries like Epic Brewing Company obtaining very large barrels called foeders to expand their sour beer programs.

2. Cans are the Packaging Method of Choice. As I discussed in a previous post, many breweries are moving toward canning as a packaging method. Some breweries, namely Oskar Blues, Ska, Upslope and Renegade, use canning as their primary packaging method for their distributed beers. Cans are better for their environment, easier for transporting, can be enjoyed more conveniently in the outdoors, and preserve beer for longer. Mobile canning lines also make it easier and less expensive for new, smaller breweries to package their product. Expect even more canned craft beer to hit shelves in 2014 and beyond.

3. For Some, Less is More. Session beers are a popular trend right now. A lot of consumers lean toward big, strong, aggressive beers with tons of flavor. Many consumers want those big flavors from beers that don't pack as much of a punch. Some breweries like Avery and Great Divide have begun to experiment with session IPAs that satisfy the thirst for hops but are low enough in alcohol content that they can be enjoyed throughout an afternoon without much impairment. I'd expect to see more breweries go in this direction with a variety of styles in the coming year.

4. Freshness Matters. While some beers can be aged or cellared for a couple years or longer, other beers are meant to be enjoyed fresh. Very hop-forward beers like IPAs and double IPAs are the latter. Stone Brewing Company has made it a priority to let consumers know that hoppy beers are fresh, and should be enjoyed that way. Stone created its "Enjoy By" series of double IPAs in late 2012, providing a specific date by which the beer should be consumed. Not only is it clever marketing, but the series drives home the point that really hoppy beers are best consumed now. As more consumers learn about this important aspect of enjoying hop-heavy beers, I think even more breweries will emphasize freshness in their products.

5. Craft Beer is Here to Stay. The Brewers Association has reported that craft brewers contributed $33.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2012. The amount that Colorado craft breweries contributed was $1.6 billion. Thousands of jobs are also included in these nation-wide statistics. New breweries are opening every week throughout the U.S., and the industry is showing no signs of slowing down. It's an exciting time for craft beer, and it's an industry that's all about people. It's about learning, discovery, passion, collaboration, and creating an inviting atmosphere for those who are curious and eager to try new things. I plan to help initiate more people into the world of craft beer in 2014 and beyond.

Flavors of Bavaria, Found in the Rocky Mountain Region

In a craft beer world that's seemingly dominated by ales, a good dark lager can sometimes be hard to find. One of my favorite darker lagers is a doppelbock, a classic German style that originated in Munich in the federal state of Bavaria. This stronger, rich beer was first brewed by the monks of St. Francis of Paula to provide them sustenance while fasting. It's a style that's still brewed by the Munich breweries and also by many craft breweries in America.
 

When visiting family in Salt Lake City for Christmas, I picked up and enjoyed a bottle of Double Skull Doppelbock Lager brewed by Epic Brewing Company. Epic was started in 2010 in Salt Lake City as the city's first brewery since Prohibition to brew exclusively high alcohol content beer, according to its website. In Fall of 2013, Epic opened a second facility in Denver's River North district to expand overall production and its sour beer program, and to open a taproom that features 25 of its beers. Epic has a very large array of beers, covering a wide range of styles, that it brews and sells in 22 ounce bottles.
 

I had heard good things about Double Skull, so I was excited to try it. The beer pours a rich mahogany color with a thin head. The initial taste is rich and sweet from the strong malty character. The beer is quite complex, unlocking flavors of caramel and dark fruits like raisins, plums and cherries. It's moderately carbonated, with a finish that's slick on the tongue. There's a mild alcohol presence that remains fairly well-hidden. This beer would pair well with a variety of rich foods and desserts, but I discovered it's definitely a nice complement to candied pecans! Now that Epic is in Denver as well and I have access to many of their excellent beers, I'll be seeking more out and plan to pay them a visit soon.

Love Brewpubs? Make Your Way to Vine Street or Mountain Sun

Much of the fun in visiting a brewery lies in the atmosphere and overall vibe of the place. There arguably isn't another brewery and pub that captures the Colorado spirit as well as Vine Street in Denver and Mountain Sun in Boulder. Both establishments are part of the Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery family, which also includes Southern Sun and Under the Sun in Boulder. As many craft breweries are sticking with taprooms for beer service and eschewing food service, the Mountain Sun pubs embrace the aspect of serving up delicious, affordable food to go with their large selection of amazing brews.

Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery was founded in 1993, and is a Boulder institution that's located on Pearl Street near the pedestrian mall. Vine Street opened up on 17th and Vine in Denver in 2008, and mirrors the look and feel of Mountain Sun but with more space. At both locations, old concert posters and chalk art adorn the walls. Look around, and there's someone from every walk of life enjoying themselves. There's a timeless feel to the pubs' ambience, made even stronger by the fact that they take cash only and no reservations. These establishments are always packed, but having a pint in hand and good conversation makes it easy to wait for a table.

There's always a large and varied selection of beer on tap at the Mountain Sun breweries. There's a handful of standard beers like the Colorado Kind Ale and the Illusion Dweller IPA, but you can find some excellent seasonals as well. On a recent visit, I had a snifter glass of the Onslaught Belgian Imperial IPA and a pint of the Trickster American Stout. Onslaught is a great Belgian IPA, with lots of citrusy hop flavor that's rounded out by the Belgian yeast. It's very smooth and a bit robust at 8.5% ABV. Trickster is a very hop-forward stout that I also really enjoyed. It has the thick, creamy body and big roasted malt presence of a stout, but drinks like a black IPA. The large amount of hops and bitterness work well in this beer.

Any Coloradan who enjoys craft beer should head to one of the Mountain Sun pub and breweries if they haven't yet had this experience. If you need a special reason to go, the breweries' Stout Month is coming up in February. Lovers of dark, roasty beer shouldn't let that month pass by without a trip to Mountain Sun or Vine Street.

The Original Barrel Aged, Wild Beer

The flavors and complexities of barrel aged and sour ales are enjoyed by many craft beer lovers, myself included. The trend of barrel aging and the use of wild yeast strains in fermentation has surged in popularity among craft brewers over the past couple decades. Many different styles of beer can be aged in oak barrels that previously held whiskey, rum or varieties of wine. Some brewers will also use this aging as a secondary fermentation process, inoculating the beer with a wild yeast such as Brettanomyces that imparts a sour or tart flavor to the finished product. While these types of brewing techniques seem quite innovative for American craft brewers, they actually originated more than 400 years ago.

Lambic beer is the original barrel aged beer fermented with wild yeast. This complex yet delicate beverage is brewed in the Senne River Valley region of Belgium, southwest of Brussels. It starts out with a grist of 70 percent malt and 30 percent unmalted wheat, which is cooked into a mash. Older, dry hops are boiled with the mash to create the wort, which then goes into shallow cooling pools in the upstairs of the brewery. The next process, fermentation, is a large part of what makes lambics unique. The brewhouse windows are opened to allow wild yeast and other microbes inside to inoculate the beer as it cools in the open pools. After a day of this open fermentation, the beer is placed in large barrels where the wild yeast turns sugars into alcohol. Several weeks later, the beer goes into smaller barrels and is aged for one to three years. Some lambic breweries infuse the beer with fruits like cherries (kriek), peaches (peche), raspberries (framboise), and apples (pomme) among others, during the aging process.

This historic and traditional brewing style is special for many reasons. The natural microbial flora in the air that's used for open fermentation is found only in this specific region. Lambic breweries make beer only from October to May because the colder months are when environmental conditions are optimal for open fermentation. Also, lambic beer recipes date back to 1559, making it very much an Old World beer. On our honeymoon in 2011, my wife Kris and I had the amazing experience of visiting Lindemans Brewery, one of the famous lambic breweries. We were able to see the brewery facilities, including the fermentation pools and massive aging barrels, first-hand. We also enjoyed a large variety of lambic beers that Lindemans brews, most of which were sweetened from fruit or fruit juice. It was a beer experience I'll remember forever, and worth seeking out for yourself if you make it to Belgium, the promised land of beer.

It's Not Winter in Colorado Without Hibernation Ale

When daylight starts to fade and the temperatures begin to drop each fall, it's easy to dread the coming winter months. There are reasons to embrace them as well. Seasonal winter beer offerings are a big reason, and they cover a wide range of rich, flavorful styles. One seasonal style that many craft breweries try their hand at is a winter warmer or old ale. Hibernation Ale by Great Divide Brewing Company is an English-style old ale that has cemented itself as a favorite among Colorado craft beer lovers. Great Divide opened in 1994, and has been brewing Hibernation Ale as its winter seasonal since 1995. Each fall, many in the Colorado beer scene anticipate the release of this festive traditional ale.

I discovered this delicious brew about five years ago, and still enjoy it as much now as I did then. Hibernation Ale is a complex, malty, aggressive beer that provides very nice balance between malts and hop bitterness. It's a stronger beer at 8.7% ABV, which lends itself to the potential for aging a year or two. However, it's perfectly delicious if you just want to enjoy it the same year it's brewed. The main flavor profile is a rich maltiness that resembles caramel and toffee. There's a robust hop character that gives an earthiness and spice to the finish. It really is a perfect beer for a cold winter night, and has all the elements I look for in this style of beer.

Although Hibernation Ale is only sold as a seasonal, it comes in 6-packs so it's easy to stock up on to enjoy throughout the year if you desire. Great Divide is known for including excellent big beers in its year round and seasonal line-ups, including Hercules Double IPA, Yeti Imperial Stout, and Old Ruffian Barley Wine, among others. They also brew in limited quantities a series of Yeti variations that has achieved a cult following among craft beer enthusiasts. Great Divide is one of the older and more established breweries in Denver and is a leader in brewing innovation covering all different styles. Located at 22nd and Arapahoe in Denver, it's a short walk from the Ballpark Neighborhood and LoDo, and is definitely worth a visit for a tour or just sampling. There's also word that Great Divide is expanding in the near future. With likely increased production, you out-of-staters may soon be in luck!

A New Twist on Old World Brewing at River North

Each craft brewery brings something different and special to the table. Most breweries showcase a variety of styles and profiles. A few focus on styles that originated in one country or region of the world. River North Brewery in Denver is one such brewery, focusing on making Belgian style beers, both traditional and with a twist. Though it's only been around for a couple years, River North has established itself as among the best in Colorado to produce high-quality, complex Belgian style ales.

I had the opportunity to stop in to River North for the second time recently and taste several beers. Located in Denver's Ballpark Neighborhood on Blake Street a few blocks north of Coors Field, it's in the heart of a growing craft beer mecca. The taproom is small and cozy, with a handful of tables and about 10 or 12 seats at the bar. Some of the traditional Belgian styles River North brews include a white ale, a saison, a quadrupel ale, and sometimes a dubbel ale, among others. They brew other styles like a red ale, a black IPA and a double IPA, but these are all fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. That means every beer they brew is a Belgian style, whether it's traditional or more innovative. They also age some of their beers in barrels, which adds another dimension of complexity to the beer and provides an amazing contrast between the original version and the barrel-aged version.

On this visit, I had the Hello, Darkness Black IPA, the Whiskey Barrel Quandary Quadrupel, and the Avarice Belgian Style Imperial Stout. All were excellent, and here are a few quick tasting notes. Hello, Darkness is medium-bodied and moderately carbonated. Belgian yeast is apparent in the aroma and the initial taste. There's a nice balance between dark roasted malts and hops, with a bitter finish that lingers on the tongue. The Quandary is one of the most unique beers I've had recently. Sweet whiskey flavors are right up front in the aroma. Whiskey is the initial flavor, and then the strong malt flavors come through. Flavors of butterscotch and caramel are abundant, and the beer leaves a buttery, candy-like taste on the palate. The Avarice is a very complex stout with big coffee notes in the aroma. Flavors of coffee and chocolate from the massive amounts of dark malts come through strong, and then there's a sweetness on the back end from the Belgian yeast.

Many of the River North beers are stronger and higher in alcohol content, as is typical for many Belgian styles, but there has been no burn from the alcohol presence in any of the beers I've had. That speaks to the complexity derived from quality ingredients and Belgian yeast, and to the expertise the brewers at River North possess. Whether you're new to Belgian style beers or you're well-versed in them, it's definitely worth stopping into the River North taproom or picking up a bottle at the store.

A Taste of My Hometown

Thanksgiving week has come and gone, and I was fortunate to have spent it in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky with a huge portion of my extended family. In addition to spending quality time with family and relatives who I don't get to see too often, I had the opportunity to check out a bit of the Louisville craft beer scene. Louisville is known for being a bourbon town, much like Denver is a major hot spot for craft beer tourists. That's not to say Louisville doesn't have any good beer. While the craft beer scene is relatively small, it's definitely growing, and there's some excellent local beer to be found.

After our whole group had dinner at the Irish Rover Friday evening, a handful of us headed to Apocalypse Brew Works in the Clifton neighborhood. What we found walking up to the brewery is proof that craft beer culture is alive and well in Louisville: a food truck in the parking lot, a small but festive taproom, a nice selection of beers on tap, and plenty of craft beer lovers having a good time. Apocalypse opened in May of 2012 and, according to its website, the brewers have more than 40 combined years of brewing experience. The brewery's theme, which is deciphered by viewing the taproom decor and some of the beer names, goes along with its name. The taproom is even called the Fallout Shelter, and the brewery calls its fans the Survivors. It's a pet friendly environment, and we saw several well-behaved dogs enjoying themselves.

Everyone in our group really liked the beers they chose. My dad had the KY Hop-Brown ale, my wife Kris had the Pestilence Porter, my brother Jon had the Hoptoberfest, and my brother-in-law Monty and I both had the Hoptrocution double IPA. I was very impressed with how well-balanced and smooth the Hoptrocution tasted. At 10% ABV and 160 IBUs, this is a massive hop-forward beer, and honestly one of the best double IPAs I've had in a while. There's a sturdy malt presence that adds a sweetness to the initial flavors. The hop elements are mostly citrusy, which I usually prefer, and the finish is very smooth and not as aggressive as some double IPAs. I also had the Sunspot Stout, which was very good. Full-bodied but not overly creamy, this roasty beer is big on coffee and chocolate flavors. The many years of brewing experience definitely shows through in the quality of the beer.

As a Denver area resident, I really appreciate seeing a small brewery like Apocalypse thriving in a city not yet widely known for its craft beer scene. With its historic neighborhoods, growing young professional population, and fairly central geographic location, I think Louisville has the potential to be one of the next big brewing cities in the Midwest. For now, I'll be content with finding great new breweries when I head back to my hometown and make sure I spread the word about them!

Dinner, Drinks, and a Movie, All in One Spot

For many adults, the concept of dinner and a movie has been a mainstay in date or group activity ideas for decades. But we usually take that phrase to mean dinner at a restaurant, then a movie at the theater. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, located in Littleton, Colo., melds the dining and cinema experience together very well due to an emphasis on a high quality presentation. They also serve an amazing selection of craft beer, highlighting an array of local breweries.

The Alamo Drafthouse was founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas by Tim and Karrie League, according to its website. These two were inspired by the idea of enjoying movies with good food and beer. Since its opening, Alamo Drafthouse has opened other franchises in Texas and several other states. The Colorado location opened in early 2013 in the Aspen Grove shopping center, and has been very well received. Last night, my wife Kris and I saw our second movie there and had a great time. As I mentioned, craft beer is a central focus for the beverage service, but there's also a full selection of wine and spirits available. The tap list includes about 30 craft beers, most of which rotate to include seasonals. The food is also very good, with a large menu that includes salads, snacks, pizza, burgers, sandwiches and more. If you want to get a drink or a bite before or after the movie, there's also a cozy and inviting bar inside the theater.

Great drinks and food are an excellent starting point. What makes this concept work so well, however, is the theater's service and disruption policy. Each theater has stadium seating, with wide aisles and appropriately-sized tables for every two seats. The servers have room to maneuver when delivering food or taking orders, so the viewing experience is hardly interrupted. The theater also has a strict policy against talking or cell phose usage during movies, with the consequence being automatic dismissal from the theater upon the second violation.

If you can handle this policy and enjoy the experience along with your fellow movie-goers, Alamo Drafthouse is definitely a place to visit for dinner and a movie. So what movie did we see on Saturday night? Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It's a great movie that I highly recommend, even if you haven't read the books. To give you an idea of how good the tap list is, I enjoyed an Elevation Brewing Third Base Belgian Style Trippel and a Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout. A baked pretzel and a mushroom and caramelized onion pizza made a great meal to share. This is my kind of dinner and a movie!

Dark Roasty Malts & Lighter Comfort Fare

Stout season is upon us, and here in Colorado we're lucky to have many excellent choices available to us. Whether it's a dry, sweet, oatmeal, American or imperial stout, these complex beers offer so much character and intrigue for the drinker. On this November evening, I chose an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing Company to enjoy with a turkey reuben. This meal offers a lot of flavor and comfort while feeling lighter and very much scaled down from a traditional reuben. The sandwich features thin-sliced turkey breast with Jarlsburg cheese and angel hair coleslaw on marble rye, and then grilled on a panini griddler. We also had oven-baked sweet potato fries on the side.

Old Rasputin is a classic Russian Imperial Stout, very roasty and dark with complex flavors of coffee, dark chocolate and a hint of tobacco. It's more of a sipper that's most commonly enjoyed during the colder months, but can also pair well with certain foods and desserts. The beer's flavors went well with the meal, with the roasty malts playing nicely off the marble rye bread and the cheese. The turkey also works well with the dark elements of the beer, but is somewhat overpowered by the robust nature of this style. An American stout like Deschutes Obsidian Stout or Avery Out of Bounds Stout just might make a better pairing choice in the future.

Overall, this was a delicious meal made even better with the chosen pairing. Old Rasputin can be found in many states throughout the country year-round, and is an excellent value at approximately $10 for a 4-pack of 12 ounce bottles. That's quite reasonable for an excellent beer that's 9% ABV. This kind of darker, complex, soul-warming beer style is ideal during the fall and winter. It's perfect to savor with loved ones or friends while enjoying the kind of warmth that good company can provide.

Football, Friends, and Good Beer

This weekend, my wife Kris and I took an unforgettable road trip with our friends Brian and Doug who I've known since our Air Force ROTC days at Michigan State University. The destination was Lincoln, Nebraska to watch our MSU Spartans take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a pivotal late-season matchup. An essential part of the college football game day experience is tailgating near the stadium before the game. It's ideal to enjoy food, beverages and camaraderie with friends old and new while donning your school's colors on a beautiful fall Saturday. For this occasion, I selected the Dry Dock Brewing "Booty Box," a variety pack of cans that features something for everyone.

The four beers in the pack are Hefeweizen, Apricot Blonde Ale, Amber Ale and Hop Abomination IPA. There are several reasons why this pack is an excellent choice for bringing to a tailgate with a smaller group. For one, canned craft beer is lighter to carry and leaves you with less waste to throw away. The variety in styles and flavors ensures that everyone in the group should find something that suits their palate. The Hefeweizen is an excellent example of the style, with a lighter body but delicious wheat flavors and fruity esters from the German yeast. The Apricot Blonde is brewed with real apricot puree, providing a lot of flavor without making the beer overly sweet. The Amber is an English style that's big on toasty caramel malts, and Hop Abomination is a well-balanced IPA. All four beers go well with many different foods, and they're all fairly sessionable, with Hop Abomination the strongest at 6.5% ABV.

Needless to say, we had an enjoyable tailgate with great craft beers and bratwurst while getting to know fellow Spartans and a few Huskers as well. More importantly, we had an amazing experience at Memorial Stadium watching MSU beat Nebraska in football for the first time ever. If you ever get a chance to see a game in Lincoln, I highly recommend it. Fortunately, the Nebraska fans are just as hospitable to opposing fans after the game as they are before the game. Lincoln also has a great beer bar called YiaYia's where we had a couple pints later in the evening. The tap list features about 10 rotating taps of excellent regional craft beers, and well over 100 bottled beers from around the world. It was a nice place to end a very memorable day while enjoying great company and savoring a huge Spartan road win.

The Canned Craft Beer Revolution is Here

Canned beer is not what it used to be. For decades, beer in a can was synonomous with cheap, flavorless light lager. Now, you can find any style of craft beer in a can, from an apricot blonde to a Russian imperial stout. So, what led to this revolution in the craft beer industry and how did canning become not only acceptable, but a possibly superior packaging method?

Oskar Blues Brewery, which was founded by Dale Katechis in Lyons, Colo. in 1999, started the canning trend in 2002 by being the first craft brewer in the United States to can its beer. Oskar Blues is known for its big, burly beers and for bucking conventionality in how it markets its brand. The fact that OB produces excellent beer definitely helped, but the idea of canning craft beer caught on. Shortly after, Ska Brewing in Durango, Colo. also began canning its product, much to the pleasure of the region's active, outdoor enthusiast beer drinkers. Over the years, many major players in the craft brewing industry such as New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, Avery and Boston Beer Co. have started canning a segment of their product line.

The reasons why canning is an excellent packaging method for craft beer are abundant. Aluminum cans keep out virtually all light and oxygen, preserving the beer for longer. Cans are also more environmentally friendly than glass bottles, making the process more sustainable. Cans are lighter in weight than bottles and are great for taking on hikes, camping or fishing trips, tailgating and wherever else you want to enjoy a delicious craft beer. The can also has no impact on the flavor because, due to the canning technology, the beer doesn't actually touch the aluminum. With all these great reasons for choosing a canned craft beer, old misconceptions and stigmas of canned beer have been fading away.

The option to can beer has also been a huge boost to smaller breweries looking to package and distribute their product. Mobile canning lines make it possible for small, newer breweries to can their beer without the large cost of having a fixed, permanent canning or bottling line. They're able to package and distribute beer to local markets at their own pace and at a cost they can handle. This helps give consumers in some markets even more choice and selection when they stop by their local liquor store, and gives more excellent breweries a chance to be real players in their local or regional markets.

The canned craft beer revolution has been nothing but beneficial for the industry and for consumers, in my opinion. As more breweries move toward canning, the canned beer stigma will continue to fade. It may also make craft beer more approachable for the uninitiated, exposing more people to the many beer styles we know and love.

A Russian River Experience at Parry's Pizza

Each time I visit Parry's Pizza, I'm reminded that this is arguably the finest beer bar in the south Denver metro area. I discovered this gem in April of this year, a couple weeks after Parry's Greenwood Village location opened. They feature 50 craft beers on tap, with many local breweries represented. The food menu is expansive as well, centered around New York style pizza but also including starters, salads, calzones and more. It's also a family-friendly place that's appropriate for kids. But I think a major factor that sets this bar apart from others, in addition to the large and ever-rotating tap list, is the schedule of frequent beer events Parry's hosts. They've held major tap takeover events featuring Avery Brewing, Odell Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Dogfish Head Brewing and others. By "major," I mean close to 20 draft beers from the featured brewery, including limited and highly sought after offerings. Needless to say, I'm a fan.

When I saw a message recently from Parry's "Ale Yeah!" email group about a special Russian River Brewing Company tapping, I knew I had to make another visit. I passed up the chance to try two of Russian River's wild ales at Rackhouse Pub's "Battle of the Barley," so I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by! Russian River, located in Santa Rosa, California, is most famous for Pliny the Elder double IPA, the nation's highest rated beer. It also produces some of the nation's highest rated wild or sour ales, and it was about time I tried them. Russian River has scaled back its distribution outside of California in the past year, so kegs of these amazing beers don't make it to many bars in Colorado. When they do, they usually don't last more than a few hours.

I was able to have a glass of Pliny the Elder before the keg kicked. It was my second time trying it, but the first time on draft. It's a wonderful, balanced double IPA with huge citrus and piney hop aroma and flavors. While Pliny is an outstanding beer and example of what a double IPA should be, I've had several other DIPAs that definitely give it a run for its money. I think this is more a reflection of how many great breweries are able to consistently produce excellent hop-forward beers.

The highlight of this Russian River experience was the opportunity to also try the beers Temptation and Supplication. Temptation is a wild blond ale that's aged in Chardonnay barrels. It pours clear and pale, with a thin head. An aroma of tart fruits is present, and the taste is crisp, tart and finishes very dry. It's a very complex wild ale that exhibits a lot of character from barrel-aging and the use of the wild yeast Brettanomyces. Supplication is a wild brown ale that's been aged in pinot noir barrels with sour cherries. It's an absolutely delicious beer that's delicate, complex and mesmerizing all at once. Several wild yeast strains are used in the aging process, giving it an appropriate amount of funky, sour flavor.

Overall, it was another great craft beer occasion at Parry's. I really appreciate having a place like this in my neighborhood, and can't wait to hear what they plan to pull off next.

TRVE Brewing Carves Its Niche in the Denver Beer Scene

What does craft beer have to do with the occult? Not much, usually. But at TRVE Brewing Company in Denver, they've coupled these two things remarkably well. TRVE, pronounced "true," is a heavy metal brewery and taproom in the historic Baker Neighborhood on Broadway, a part of town known for its eclectic vibe and alternative scene. This brewery fits in well with its surroundings, but also produces some high quality beer to help satisfy this area's growing thirst.

I recently checked TRVE out for the first time, and had a great experience. While it's not my typical scene, I definitely didn't feel out of place because there was such a diverse mix of people there. The taproom is quite dark, with a long communal table in the front section. The bar area is lit by candle light, and the decor makes it clear this is a metal brewery. Of course, metal music is played throughout the taproom, with the loudest area being the bar. There are beautiful, dark paintings of eery, dilapidated houses around the walls. Toward the back of the taproom, beyond the bar, brewing kettles are on display. The photo below doesn't really do justice to the ambience of the place.

Now, on to the beer. I sampled a handful of TRVE's beers, but the ones that stood out were Grey Watcher, a slightly tart farmhouse ale; Atma, a Belgian Golden Strong Ale; and Hell Patrol, a Double British IPA that was brewed in collaboration with Oregon's Ninkasi Brewing. All were very tasty and were a reflection of true brewing expertise. Later on, I sought out Tunnel of Trees IPA, but it's so popular that there was none left by that point in the night. Another popular TRVE beer, the Stout O))), was also out. They're both on the list for my next visit!

TRVE Brewing adds another layer of depth and character to the already-vibrant Denver beer scene. They pride themselves on brewing interesting and delicious beers that don't fit solidly into particular styles, so it gives them some room for creativity. Some of the best breweries in the U.S. were built on being unconventional, so it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for TRVE Brewing.

Belgians and Beef: A Good Match

Tonight's dinner at our house featured seasoned tri-tip steak, mushrooms cooked in red wine and beef stock, and pureed cauliflower. To complement this rich, decadent meal, I chose New Belgium Brewing Abbey. This Belgian-style dubbel ale holds a special place in my heart, as it was one of my forays into Belgian beers about eight or nine years ago. It's also one of the finest examples of the style that you'll find from an American craft brewery. According to its website, New Belgium first brewed Abbey in 1991, the same year Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan started the Fort Collins brewery.

My wife Kris had prepared this meal a couple times before, so I knew just how flavorful this dish was going to be. Abbey was exactly the kind of beer that could stand up well to the flavors, but not overpower them either. The beer pours a nice mahogany color, with a thin head. It's a complex beer, brewed with six different malts and fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. Malt dominates the profile, creating flavors resembling dark fruit and caramel. The beer is slick and slightly oily due to its complex nature. At 7% ABV, this beer is sturdy enough for this meal yet allows the food flavors to speak for themselves. It's a very nice match.

The sweetness of the malts makes this beer nice for sipping even after you're done eating. New Belgium beers are available across much of the U.S. these days, and Abbey is priced quite reasonably for being such a great beer. If you're seeking out a dubbel that's from Belgium, there are of plenty of outstanding ones to choose from if you have a good beer store nearby. Achel, Maredsous and St. Bernardus are just a few of the Belgian beer brands that feature excellent dubbels and a full selection of ales. If you're interested in getting this meal recipe, just give me a shout!

A Fall Seasonal Beer That Sets a Standard

Mountain Standard by Odell Brewing Company isn't your typical fall seasonal. There's no pumpkin, spices or caramel malts. But to me, Mountain Standard is the perfect fall beer in its own way. It's a double black IPA, so it features a huge amount of hops with a sturdy backbone of dark, roasted malts. I enjoy big hoppy IPAs all year-round, but they can be especially satisfying on a hot summer day. Darker beers brewed with roasted malts, like porters or stouts, are more often savored during the colder months. Mountain Standard melds the hoppiness and roasted maltiness together beautifully, and what you get is a unique drinking experience that reminds you of this season of transition.

The beer pours black with a thin head. The aroma you get up front is a large burst of hops with a sweetness from the roasted malts. The taste is exactly what you'd expect from the aroma - a fruity and piney hoppiness with some sweetness and roasted character. The big flavors you get from the ingredients hide the higher alcohol content, which checks in at 9.5% ABV. It's medium-bodied; this beer isn't overly thick or heavy, but not thin either. There's a nice balance for a beer with this much malt and hops. The finish is a lingering piney bitterness that stays with you for a minute or two.

Mountain Standard is an excellent example of this style, and a great beer for any hop head to try. The hops used in this beer are also grown locally on Colorado's Western Slope. The story told by the label is a treat as well, sparking intrigue and drawing me in. Odell is the consumate storyteller with its beers and label art, and there's a commonality to this brewery that makes it very approachable. Not to mention Odell consistently brews outstanding beer that appeals to a wide range of palates. The Mountain Standard label features a moon sneering at a grimacing sun, symbolizing the impending change from daylight savings time back to mountain standard time. The beer's roasted malts are also symbolic of the darker days ahead of us. Fortunately, enjoying some good beer with our friends and family makes those days seem not so dark.

A Great American Beer Night at Rackhouse Pub

This past week, the Great American Beer Festival was held here in Denver. Luckily, attending one of the festival's tasting sessions isn't required to get into the GABF spirit and drink some amazing beers. Many bars and restaurants step up their already impressive game throughout the week and host tap takeovers or feature a lot of incredible beers that are usually hard to find under one roof. Such was the case for Rackhouse Pub this week.

On any given day, Rackhouse features 30 great, rotating beers on tap, most of them from Colorado craft breweries. This week, they held a "Battle of the Barley," an unofficial contest between Colorado and California breweries to determine which state produces the best beer. Customers enjoyed an amazing selection of 30 top-notch beers from each state, doubling what Rackhouse normally pours. It was as impressive and broad a list as I've ever seen in one bar!

The tap list was dominated by sour ales, stronger Belgians, Imperial Stouts, and Double IPAs. With it being a Thursday evening and having to work the next day, I was forced to tread lightly and choose my beers wisely. Kris and I shared several beers, which included a New Belgium La Folie sour brown ale, Julian Brewing Cherry Bomb cider, Prost Brewing Oktoberfest, and Crooked Stave Vieille Artisanal Saison. I also enjoyed a Bear Republic Brewing Racer 15 Imperial IPA. All were excellent, but I'd say my favorites of the night were La Folie and Racer 15. Both are world-class examples of their style - La Folie with its lovely balanced sourness yet high drinkability,  and the Racer 15 with its distinctive west coast hoppiness big on citrus and grapefruit flavors.

So which state produces better beer? With this range of quality and selection, it doesn't really matter. I'm just lucky to live in area where great beer can be found within minutes of travelling in any direction, all year round.

Crafting an Impression: The Need for Beer-Savvy Servers

For many diners, the pairing of food and beverage is what makes a dining experience complete and unique. Wine has long been the category of beverage that fine diners pair with their meals. But with the renaissance of beer and the rise of the craft brewing movement, beer is gaining ground as a great choice to enjoy with food. The vast array of styles and the variance in flavors among different types of hops, malt and yeast make beer just as versatile as wine, if not more so, for pairing with food.

Given this rapid transition in the culinary landscape, restaurants need to proactively adapt to the needs and wants of their patrons. To their credit, many restaurants I've been to in Colorado and elsewhere in the country in the past few years have either stepped up their beer selection or already had a nice selection that complemented their menus. But the one aspect of beer service I sometimes find lacking is the basic knowledge about beer styles and descriptions. A nice restaurant wouldn't allow its staff to lack basic wine knowledge, so why doesn't beer consistently get the same treatment?

The bottom line is that beer enthusiasts and connoisseurs are savvy and, if they're like me, want to always learn more about the beverages they enjoy. At a minimum, restaurant servers need to know a beer's style, with a short description of the flavor profile. For example, "Odell Five Barrel is a pale ale with a distinctive hop flavor." Any further description that accurately delves into what makes this beer unique just adds more credibility to the server and the restaurant. For me, it leaves a lasting impression that the restaurant takes beer seriously and appreciates the opportunity to help their patrons choose a beer that will complete their meal. On the flipside, when a server inaccurately identifies a beer's style or doesn't know anything about a particular beer on the menu, that also can leave me thinking that perhaps this restaurant just doesn't care about giving its patrons the best service or experience possible.

I think the solution lies in the restaurant's attitude toward beer and its role in the overall dining experience. There's a beer that goes perfectly with food of every flavor imaginable, they just need to be explored and shared with diners. A restaurant can't go wrong if it tries to meet its customers where they're at with regard to knowledge of the food and drink products they serve. A knowledgeable staff can only add credibility to the restaurant, and can help give diners an excellent experience that'll keep them coming back for more.

A perfect pairing for hops lovers

On Sunday evening, my wife Kris and I enjoyed one of our favorite meals - a delicious pork tenderloin stuffed with spinach, feta cheese, and basil pesto, topped with herbed diced tomatoes. Kris is a phenomenal cook, so this is just one of many excellent meals that are mainstays in our dining rotation. On the side, we had rice pilaf, although parmesan risotto also goes great with the pork.

I knew that a crisp beer with a big hop profile would stand up to the rich and bold array of the flavors in the meal. So I chose Stone IPA to enjoy with dinner, and it was a very good decision. Stone IPA is a world-class IPA with huge citrus, grapefruit and pine hop flavors - my favorite type of IPA. The hop flavors cut through richness of the feta, pesto and pork, and provided a clean finish to each delicious bite. I savored every bite and sip to the very end.

Any top-notch American IPA with a similar hop profile, such as Odell and Avery, would do just fine paired with this meal. Other beer styles I would suggest to try with it include a Belgian IPA, trippel, golden ale or saison.

Welcome Beer Lovers!

Mmmmmm.....Craft Beer.....

For those who know me well, starting this blog is long overdue. Put simply,  exploring craft beer has been a passion of mine for virtually all of my adult life. I've created this blog to share with others my passion, knowledge, musings, and opinions on pretty much everything craft beer.

So what started me down this path so many years ago? I think it was a combination of friends introducing me to a wide variety of craft beers and styles in my college years, and a palate that was ready to be shaped and molded to appreciate such intriguing flavors. When I graduated from Michigan State and moved to Cheyenne at age 22, I was excited to discover the Colorado craft beer scene with a completely open mind. I was like a sponge, quickly soaking up knowledge and appreciation of all the different beers and styles I experienced.

I've homebrewed a bit as well, which has also given me an understanding and appreciation of the ingredients and process of brewing. On my honeymoon in 2011, I was lucky enough to experience the beer cultures of Belgium and Germany, arguably the two most historic and amazing beer cultures in the world.

What you, as an interested reader, can expect to find on this blog: Posts about brewery or taproom experiences, beer reviews, beer bar reviews, and anything else I may want to share with you. In exchange, I'd love your feedback or comments, and for you to share this with anyone else who may be interested.

I'm of the belief that life is too short to drink crappy beer. Sure, drink what you like, but why limit yourself to what you know? The craft brewing revolution is upon us, and local and regional breweries everywhere are giving us choices and selection of styles we've never had before. Not on this scale, at least. So read along as I discuss Everything Craft Beer!