Dubuque Beerfest Review

February 17, 20133 Comments

Saturday February 16th brought the 2nd annual Dubuque Beer Festival located in the Mystique Ice Arena. Last year’s event was a huge success and from the looks of crowd yesterday, I would say year 2 was just as successful. Lots of high points from the day as well as some things that I think they can work on overall. Thanks to my brother-in-law Tyler for getting us the tickets!

The Good
*Live music makes beer events that much better, and the Lonely Goats did not disappoint playing a nice mix of music that paired well with the overall vibe of the day.
*Food- I think a must at any festival, and one thing that the Dubuque Beerfest did better than Coralville’s BrrrFest is having different meat and cheese vendors dishing out samples but also a restaurant parked in the back serving huge burgers, wings, and more.

*Bent River Brewing – stole the show again. Jalapeño Wheat, Uncommon Stout, Raspberry Wheat, Dry-Hopped Pale Ale, all sampled by me and overall the best beers available. I even asked one of their guys to mix their stout with the raspberry wheat for a 1/2 and 1/2 and they happily obliged to create a beer that was the best thing I tasted all day. These guys are the real deal and I’m looking forward to seeing their products on the shelves in Eastern Iowa.

*Potosi Brewing – I’ve been critical of their beers in the past and haven’t really enjoyed much of what they have offered but yesterday they had everyone of their beers on tap and also brought along their Hopsmith IPA, one of their newest offerings. The aroma of this beer was fantastic, with hops greeting you strongly. A very good brew.

*Grumpy Troll- Always like to try beers from these guys based out of Mt. Horeb, WI. Fun guys to talk with and always some fun beers to try.

THE NOT SO GOOD

*Bottled beer vendors- too much of this. I can go buy bottled beer from many of the vendors in the store, I was hoping to see a bigger selection of brewers bring in fresh kegs for us to try instead of opening bottles and giving us a very small sample.

*More Iowa and Wisconsin breweries – Coralville’s BrrFest had a ton of small Iowa breweries and while Dubuque’s had a few, I was hoping for more. I would have liked to see Madhouse, Worth, 515, Confluence, CIB, etc. coming from Iowa and Ale Asylum, Capital, Central Waters, New Glarus pulled down from Wisky, just didn’t happen.

*Toppling Goliath – they were advertised but were not there. My brother-in-law has yet to try their beers and I was bragging them up pretty good, but for whatever reason, they didn’t show.

Overall a great experience, caping the night off with a trip to Monk’s Cafe for a beer and I am looking forward to year 3 of the Dubuque Beer Festival.

Beer Release News: Widmer Brothers

January 15, 20132 Comments

Widmer brothers has announced 5 of their beers being released in the first quarter of the year. I don’t have much luck finding many of Widmer’s special release beers so if you find a spot in Eastern Iowa that is selling any of the beers listed below please send me a message letting me know where you found it. The list definitely has some intriguing beers that I would love to try. The following info is from www.beerpulse.com.

Widmer Brothers Brewing is celebrating the start of a new year with five new beer releases and some bold new packaging updates.

The releases include two brand new Widmer Brothers beers: Columbia Common Spring Ale, the new recurring spring seasonal from the brewery, and Chocolate Russian Imperial Stout ‘13, a version of KGB Russian Imperial Stout brewed with Ecuadorian cocoa nibs. Additionally, three fan favorites will return as part of the brewery’s spring lineup: O’Ryely IPA, KGB Russian Imperial Stout and Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout ‘13.

“Our team is looking forward to introducing some new beers and bringing back some old favorites to kick off the year,” said Rob Widmer, co-founder of the brewery. “The best part is that each beer has a great story. KGB has been a favorite of ours for almost 15 years; Columbia Common is a great version of the common beer style brewed with Columbia hops, a variety that was recently saved from extinction; O’Ryely IPA was so well-received in our Rotator IPA Series last year that we had to bring it back; then we have the two Brothers’ Reserve Russian Imperial Stouts, Raspberry and Chocolate, which are rich and complex takes on the style.”

Widmer Brothers has also updated its packaging with these new beers to distinguish the seasonal offerings from other beers in the lineup, and to clearly call out the different beers released throughout the year as part of the brewery’s Rotator IPA Series.

“We are really excited about the new bold, colorful and informative packaging planned for 2013,” said Lorin Gelfand, brand manager. “We’ve received a lot of helpful feedback about our packaging since early 2011, when we made some significant packaging changes, and the new look will help our fans easily identify our seasonal releases and the different Rotator IPAs we’re planning to release throughout the year.”

Coinciding with the new releases, Widmer Brothers is changing the name of Series 924 to the W Series. The W Series includes Pitch Black IPA and Nelson Imperial IPA as year-round offerings and three limited releases throughout the year, beginning with this month’s release of KGB Russian Imperial Stout. The brewery is also retiring the Alchemy Project and will release beers previously included in the Project (Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout, Old Embalmer Barleywine and Barrel Aged Brrrbon) as part of the Brothers’ Reserve Series beginning in 2013.

Columbia Common Spring Ale

The Columbia hop was near extinction when we brought it back to create this crisp, easy drinking common beer. With a rich amber hue, Columbia Common, the new spring seasonal release, has mild grassy and spicy hop notes that are complemented by a subtle fruity character and clean finish brought on by the use of Hefeweizen and lager yeasts. It’s the perfect beer for spring.

Malts: 2-Row Pale, Munich 20L, Caramel 40L, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Alchemy, Columbia, Willamette
Original Gravity: 11.75 Plato
IBU: 32
ABV: 4.7%

O’Ryely IPA

O’Ryely IPA is a big, punchy IPA with notable hoppiness and just a touch of caramel malty sweetness. Brewed with rye and Nelson Sauvin hops imported from New Zealand’s South Island, the beer features subtle rye spiciness and fruity, berry-like aroma and flavor.

Malts: Pale, Carapils, Caramel 10, Rye, Caramel Rye
Hops: Alchemy, Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy
Original Gravity: 15 Plato
IBU: 50
ABV: 6.4%

KGB Imperial Stout

Using roasted barley, chocolate malt and Midnight Wheat, KGB has a color that is as dark as a torrid past, a body as full as a well-kept dossier, and a taste as complex as a conspiracy theory. First brewed in 1998 and a longtime favorite in the Widmer Brothers Gasthaus Pub, KGB was bottled and released as the W’11 release, the brewery’s spring seasonal in 2011. KGB is the first of three limited releases in the Widmer Brothers W Series in 2013.

Malts: Pale, Roast Malt, Caramel 60L, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Alchemy, Willamette, Zeus, Cascade
Original Gravity: 21.5 Plato
IBU: 70
ABV: 9.3%

Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout ‘13

Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout was first brewed by Widmer Brothers Brewing in 2008 for the Portland Holiday Ale Festival. In the summer of 2011, our brewers discovered a barrel of the initial batch, which was known as Babushka’s Secret, in the brewery’s cellar. After tasting the beer and realizing how well the beer aged with time, the brewing team decided to brew and release the beer once a year, beginning in 2012. The addition of raspberries during fermentation results in an almost purplish opaque color with a beautiful brown head on Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout and warm chocolate and roasty notes offer the perfect complement to the hop bitterness.

Malts: Pale, Roast Malt, Caramel 60L, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Alchemy, Willamette, Zeus, Cascade
Original Gravity: 21.5 Plato
IBU: 70
ABV: 9.3%

Chocolate Russian Imperial Stout ‘13

We took our delicious KGB Russian Imperial Stout and put another new twist on it. Our brewers threw Ecuadorian cocoa nibs into the brew to create a decadent and complex beer that is sure to hit your sweet spot. Chocolate Russian Imperial Stout ’13 offers flavors of cocoa, roasted barley and coffee, balanced out by a unique hop profile.

Malts: Pale, Roast Malt, Caramel 60L, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Alchemy, Willamette, Zeus, Cascade
Original Gravity: 21.5 Plato
IBU: 70
ABV: 9.3%

About Widmer Brothers Brewing

What started as a dream for two ordinary brothers who just loved beer has now become a reality for two ordinary brothers who still just love beer. Kurt and Rob Widmer helped lead the Pacific Northwest craft beer movement in 1984 when, in their 20s, they dreamed of brewing unique interpretations of traditional beer styles. In 1986, Widmer Brothers Brewing introduced the first American-style Hefeweizen; today, the unfiltered cloudy beer is the company’s signature brew and one of the best-selling wheat beers in the country. Based in Portland, Ore., the brewery currently brews a variety of beers including its Rotator IPA Series, Drifter Pale Ale, Pitch Black IPA, Nelson Imperial IPA, a high-end Brothers’ Reserve Series and a full four seasonal lineup. For more information about Widmer Brothers Brewing, visit www.widmerbrothers.com.

Top 25 Beers of 2012 (available in Eastern Iowa) Part 3 of 5

December 28, 2012December 28, 20122 Comments

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and got to drink some wonderful beers. I’m hoping to get this list done by New Year’s Day so here we go with part 3 0f 5.

NEXT 5

Stone Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA – Imperial IPA – 10.8%

Yes, another Stone brewery beer is on this list. But that has to tell you how great their beers are and how lucky we are to have them on our liquor/grocery store shelves in Eastern Iowa. This beer was my favorite of the year until I ran into their Enjoy By IPA, but still an amazing beer. Huge citrus hop presence in the nose and the flavor is much the same. It was one of those beers that you were lucky to try one, but if you saw 20 bottles you should buy the whole lot. Description from the brewery:

And as Stone Ruination IPA turns 10, we thought we’d make ourselves a nice little birthday present to celebrate. But what kind of selfish jerks would we be if we didn’t share?! Behold, the Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA. (Clever name, eh? That’s why us folks in the Marketing Dept. get the big bucks!) It’s an amped-up version of Stone Ruination IPA, with a bit more malt to bring the abv up from 7.7% to 10.8%, and a very heavy dose of hops. “Classic” Ruination uses 2.5 pounds of hops per barrel–which is more than double the amount we use in any other of our core beers–but for Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA, we went double again, using an impressive 5 pounds of hops per barrel, including about a pound each of Citra and Centennial in the dry hop. (Hell. Yes.)

Suggested Pairings, provided by “Dr.” Bill Sysak
Appetizers: Kimchee, ceviche, bacon-wrapped jalapeños (or habaneros)
Entrées: Salt and pepper shrimp, jambalaya, roasted pork chops with apple sauce, pineapple curry
Desserts: Apple pie with caramel sauce, toffee bars, spiced carrot cake
Cheeses: Aged Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Roquefort, Mimolette
Cigars: Ashton Classic Majesty, Litto Gomez Diez, Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label Invictos Corojo Robusto

Evil Twin Biscotti Break – 8.4% – Imperial Porter

A perfect beer to drink during the winter months in Iowa. Nice robust flavors of nuts, biscuits, coffee, dark chocolate, and malts. The flavor is sweet, caramel and coffee dominate with a nice bitter finish. I’ve seen mixed reviews on this one and the price tag is relatively hefty, anywhere from $15-$20 for a bottle, but definitely worth seeking and trying in my opinion. From the brewery:

Editors note: the first edition was brewed at Fanø Bryghus, Denmark for the Beer cruise Rome-Barcelona, June 2011 and held 7.5% ABV.

Porter made with espresso, vanilla and toasted almonds for the Beer cruise Rome-Barcelona, June 2011. Italy has a certain “je ne sais quoi” – fab food culture, highly decadent history of art and cool countryside. Some might argue the people are loud and flamboyant, they steal our women, and their soccer players melodramatically flop on the pitch. Listen – that’s all part of the secret Italian ingredient – keep it cool, confident, arrogant and extravagant. Forza Italia!
Malt beverage with almonds, vanilla beans and coffee added.

Founders Double Trouble – 9.4% – Imperial IPA

Another relatively new brewery in Eastern Iowa this year that has multiple beers on my list. I think it goes to show that local breweries are going to have to up their game a bit to compete for shelf space with the craft beer greats such as Founders and Stone. Powerful double IPA with strong citrus flavor. Very drinkable and be cautious as it comes in at 9.4% ABV. Great stuff, can’t wait for spring release! From the brewery:

An imperial IPA that was brewed to turn your world upside down. Hops have got you coming and going. Pungent aromatics up front paired with a malt balanced backbone and a smooth bitter finish. 86 IBUs.

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum – 10.4% – Imperial IPA

The first time I had this beer I was enjoying one with my brother. His first comment upon opening the beer is that it smelled heavily of weed, which I guess must be a good thing, because this beer blew me away. In your face hop presence in both aroma and flavor. A very aggressive beer, not for virgin craft beer drinker. From the brewery:

A group of hop-heads and publicans challenged our Beer Camp (#19) brewers to push the extremes of whole-cone hop brewing. The result is this: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Simply put- Hoptimum: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced. Aggressively hopped, dry-hopped and torpedoed with our exclusive new hop varieties for ultra-intense flavors and aromas.

Hops, hops and more hops are the stars of this big, whole-cone Imperial IPA. Resinous ‘new-school’ and exclusive hop varieties carry the bold and aromatic nose. The flavor follows the aroma with layers of aggressive hoppiness, featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar and tropical fruit – all culminating in a dry and lasting finish.

Beer specs:
ABV: 10.4%
Original Gravity: 22.8 Plato
Final Gravity: 4.5 Plato
Bitterness Units: 100 IBU
Color: Orange Amber
Bittering Hops: German Magnum
Aroma Hops: Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
Dry Hops: Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
Torpedo Hops: Citra & Chinook
Malts: Two-row Pale, Golden Promise, Munich & Wheat
Yeast: Ale

Great River Redband Coffee Stout – 6% – Stout

Brewed in the great state of Iowa used with their local coffee shops coffee beans this an intense coffee stout. Huge coffee flavor that pairs perfectly the dark chocolate and roasted malts in this stout. Nice bitter finish that lingers for a bit. A great beer, and glad to have this made in Iowa. From the brewery:

We love our local roaster’s New Orleans Iced Coffee so much we decided to use their beans in our brew. Redband Stout is made with Indonesian and Ethiopian beans using our 18-hour cold brew extraction method, resulting in a satisfying brew with intense coffee aromatics. The marriage of two of our favorite beverages.

Millstream Brewing Brewmasters Extreme Series Lineup for 2013

November 13, 2012Leave a comment

The following comes from Millstream’s website http://www.millstreambrewing.com/Brewmasters_Extreme_Seri.html.

Some new sounding beers being added to their Brewmasters’ Extreme series.

Here is what we have for the 2013 line up:

January – ?
March – Wit-less Hop Meister
June – Big Honey Hefeweissen
September – Pumpkin Imperial Stout
November – Blitzed Bliteen Baltic

Sounds interesting! Makes me look forward to next fall for their Pumpkin Imperial Stout!

Beer Review #91: Founders Backwoods Bastard

November 13, 20123 Comments

It has been a wonderful year for beer in Eastern Iowa. Green Flash, Stone, and Founders have made their way to our state and have graced us with some fantastic brews. Founders was the first major brewery to re-enter the state of Iowa and they have brought some amazing beers with them. I love their Harvest Ale, Breakfast Stout, KBS, and their IPA is really solid as well. Those are all your basic style beers, IPAs and stouts, so I was a little frightened to venture into the land of Barrel-Aged wee-heavy or scotch ales. I’m not a whiskey drinker by any means so I was under the impression that I would really dislike this brew……..I was very, very, wrong.

Description from Founders:

Big and delicious for your ’perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts. A bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.

I think the most important thing when drinking a bourbon barrel aged beer isn’t getting a mouthfeel of bourbon to taste the balanced the booziness will be with the rich flavor of malt from, in this case, a Scotch Ale, and Founders really nails it with this beer. Is the bourbon in the beer? Absolutely, but not overwhelming, and a nice warming sensation when drinking. This is not a beer to chug in 10 minutes, but to sit and enjoy for 30 minutes or so. The dark chocolate undertones you get with the bourbon when you first start drinking transform, at least for me, into a chocolately-coconut aroma and taste. Halfway done with this beer and I thought I was drinking a liquified Almond Joy candy bar.

A rustic, old world beer that hits my Top 10 beers of the fall/winter to try. This beer would also be great for aging. When the snow starts falling and you are out shoveling like a sucker or snow blowing your drive; coming in from that and having one of these waiting for you makes it all worth it.

REVIEW

STYLE: Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale bourbon barrel aged.

ABV:10.2%

PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee; Marion, IA

Pour: Dark red pour with a brown hue. Minimal white head.

Aroma: Malt, bourbon, caramel.

Taste: Caramel, dark chocolate, brown sugar, and bourbon. The warmer it got the sweeter the taste.

Overall: A-

My Recommendation: Awesome beer, a great winter warmer.