Tag: iabeerbaron

Beer Review #112: Crooked Stave Hop Savant

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staveI was really excited to see Crooked Stave beers make their way into Iowa since I’ve been really digging saisons lately. I hope everyone was able to get a few bottles from this brewery. I grabbed mine at Hy-Vee in Marion and noticed they only had the Hop Savant.

This is a 100% brettanomyces, oak fermented, dry-hopped pale ale. The brewery used citra, mosaic, and Simcoe. It’s great to see breweries using more brett as I’m starting to become a brett junky. With the addition of these hops I had high hopes.

A beautiful orange pour with heavy thick white head. Tons of lacing on my glass that sticks throughout the whole drinking of the brew. A lot coming off the nose. Lemon really sticks out followed by citrus of grapefruit and bit of sweet pineapple along with the funk that great farmhouse ales bring. Flavor is much in the same! Not as creamy as I would have thought initially but wonderfully refreshing! Really enjoying this brew!

I really wish I could get my hands on more their products and hope they continue to bring their beer to the great state of Iowa for us to enjoy.

REVIEW

STYLE: Sour/Wild Ale

ABV: 6.7%

PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee Marion, IA

POUR: Murky Orange with a huge white head.

AROMA: A lot of lemon with some funk.

TASTE: Citrus, brett, funk.

Ratebeer.com rating: 99

Beeradvocate raing: 91

Overall: B+

My recommendation: It you are into farmhouse/saison/wild ales you want to try this brew. Very good stuff from Crooked Stave!

Sneak Peek at Tallgrass Brewing’s Zombie Monkey!

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Really looking forward to trying this beer! Coming soon to Iowa!

From craftcans.com:

A Post-Apocalyptic Porter from Tallgrass Brewing Co.

Tallgrass Brewing Company is fearless when it comes to branding their beers, like Buffalo Sweat, Ethos, Velvet Rooster, and 8-Bit Pale Ale. Their newest beer is no exception and embraces the zombie-mania sweeping the country.

Zombie Monkie: A Post-Apocalyptic Robust Porter, the latest seasonal offering from the Midwest brewery, will begin rolling out to selected markets the week of September 23rd.

The new beer will be equipped with the world’s first textured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can. This feature ensures that drinkers keep a steady grip on the beer as they flee from infected primates.

The new beer will be equipped with the world’s firsttextured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can

While the name of the beer and the design of the can are all about the undead, what’s inside the can is completely alive with character.

“We have been talking about brewing a porter since we started the brewery in 2007, but it had to be something special and this is it,” said Tallgrass Founder, Jeff Gill.

Zombie Monkie is brewed with a chocolatey combination of roasted and kilned malts. This gives the beer a full body with lots of chocolate and espresso-like flavors. Bravo, Willamette, and Nugget hops add hints of floral and citrus to finish off this complex porter.

“I dreamed this beer into existence,” said Tallgrass Brewmaster, Andrew Hood. “I dreamed I was drinking a beer in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The beer was dark and delicious, the kind you want for the end of days. It was also interesting and robust, which is good, because it might be your last. That’s Zombie Monkie, the perfect beer for toasting the end of humanity.”

Sneak Peek at Tallgrass Brewing's Zombie Monkey!

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Really looking forward to trying this beer! Coming soon to Iowa!

From craftcans.com:

A Post-Apocalyptic Porter from Tallgrass Brewing Co.

Tallgrass Brewing Company is fearless when it comes to branding their beers, like Buffalo Sweat, Ethos, Velvet Rooster, and 8-Bit Pale Ale. Their newest beer is no exception and embraces the zombie-mania sweeping the country.

Zombie Monkie: A Post-Apocalyptic Robust Porter, the latest seasonal offering from the Midwest brewery, will begin rolling out to selected markets the week of September 23rd.

The new beer will be equipped with the world’s first textured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can. This feature ensures that drinkers keep a steady grip on the beer as they flee from infected primates.

The new beer will be equipped with the world’s firsttextured “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can

While the name of the beer and the design of the can are all about the undead, what’s inside the can is completely alive with character.

“We have been talking about brewing a porter since we started the brewery in 2007, but it had to be something special and this is it,” said Tallgrass Founder, Jeff Gill.

Zombie Monkie is brewed with a chocolatey combination of roasted and kilned malts. This gives the beer a full body with lots of chocolate and espresso-like flavors. Bravo, Willamette, and Nugget hops add hints of floral and citrus to finish off this complex porter.

“I dreamed this beer into existence,” said Tallgrass Brewmaster, Andrew Hood. “I dreamed I was drinking a beer in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The beer was dark and delicious, the kind you want for the end of days. It was also interesting and robust, which is good, because it might be your last. That’s Zombie Monkie, the perfect beer for toasting the end of humanity.”

Crooked Stave Beers Hit Eastern Iowa Shelves!

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staveI was very excited to get the following information from the beer and wine manager at the Oakland Road Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids. Crooked Stave is here! Here’s what they are getting to us:

Crooked Stave Hop Savant 375 ml

7.99 per bottle

RateBeer  99

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

100% Brettanomyces Pale Ale. Dry Hopped Artisian Ale Fermented in Oak Foeders.

36% Citra, 36% Mosaic, 28% Simcoe.

 

Crooked Stave Vieille Artisanal 375 ml

7.99 per bottle

RateBeer 98

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Vieille meaning “Old” is our artisinal barrel-aged Saison, lightly dry hopped. Each batch release is a diverse blend of Vieille casks that have taken on a soft Brettanomyces character before being lightly dry hopped. Dominated by a floral, citrusy hop character, a subtle herbal note and a tart finish, Vieille’s character exemplifies artisan Saisons.

 

Crooked Stave St. Bretta (Summer) 375 ml

9.99 per bottle

RateBeer 98

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Whitebier Brewed with Blood Oranges(100% brettanomyces)

 

Crooked Stave Surette Provision Saison 375 ml

9.99 per bottle

RateBeer 98

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Brewed with traditional harvest grams. Surette is a provision Saison with a tart and vinous character from extended barrel aging.

Beer and Food Pairing: Stone Enjoy By 9-13-13 and Shrimp Ceviche

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photo (1)Thanks to the recommendation from Marc Morehouse I have now found the perfect mexican restaurant. El Perico in Marion, IA serves some great homemade mexican food. My favorite thing on the menu, their shrimp ceviche. Now, I understand ceviche is relatively easy to make. Just chop up a bunch of seafood or fish and let it soak in citrus juices for a few hours to cook it. But El Perico does it better than I can, and better than anywhere else I’ve ever had it.

My wife and I decided to grab El Perico for some takeout food, you know it’s good when you make a 20 minute drive for takeout, and I thought it would be great to pair the ceviche with a brew.

I bought a shit load of Enjoy By from Stone so I went with it knowing that IPAs usually pair well with spicier foods. This ceviche had lime and orange juice as well as jalapeno, which went perfectly with the IPA. The malts come out from the IPA and the citrus from the hops really shines through. If you are in the CR/Iowa City area, El Perico does ceviche right, and an IPA goes excellent with it! If you want a great homemade IPA recipe, I’m a big fan of the Beeroness and her blog, check it out here: http://thebeeroness.com/2012/08/21/ipa-ceviche/

New Deschutes Beers Coming in October

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deschutesMore Deschutes coming our way! Hop Trip and Chasin’ Freshies coming in October!

Breakdown of the these two beers:
Hop Trip – American Pale Ale – 5.5%

Chasin’ Freshies – IPA – 7.4%
Ratebeer: 81

The following is courtesy of beerpulse.com:

(Bend, OR) – Deschutes Brewery is taking full advantage of its close proximity to some of the world’s leading whole flower hops this season, releasing two fresh hop beers later this month. Hop Trip, now in its ninth year of bottling, is full of freshly harvested Crystal hops that travel from the fields at Oregon’s Sodbuster Farms and into the brew kettle – all in a matter of hours. Chasin’ Freshies, in its second year in the Bond Street Series, uses Gamache Farms’ famed fresh Amarillo hops for this year’s vintage.

Cam O’Connor, brewmaster at Deschutes Brewery, said, “Fresh hop season is one of my favorite times of the year. The number of different beers that are made with fresh hops gives people an unlimited selection to choose from. All the amazing flavors and aromas that permeate from fresh hop beers are really exciting for me. I feel like a kid in a candy store sometimes during this season.”

The highly celebrated Hop Trip has been enjoyed by Deschutes Brewery fans for nearly a decade and is once again offered in 12-ounce bottle 6-packs as part of the Bond Street Series lineup. Why the longevity for this particular brew? Not only does it taste fantastic, but there’s a great story. The brewery team rushes over to the Willamette Valley each year to pick, bag and load up fresh whole flower hops. They quickly return to Bend, Oregon and dump these freshly harvested jewels into the brew kettle. The result? A perfect pale ale with a uniquely citrus punch and fall spice flavor. 5.5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV); 38 IBUs

Chasin’ Freshies, dubbed after the ski town pastime of chasing fresh powder on the slopes, hit the scene last year with some well-carved turns. Rather than the heirloom Cascade hops of the 2012 version, the brewers changed things up for 2013 and feature the fresh and bold Amarillo hops in this IPA. Fresh hop beer lovers will appreciate the bold, juicy aroma and flavor that comes but once a year. 7.2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV); 65 IBUs

Both beers will be available in most of the 22 states where Deschutes Brewery beers are sold, starting in October.

 

New to Shelves: Boulder returns, Wasatch, Squatters

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boulderI just saw this update from John’s Grocery’s Facebook page:

2.5 tons of new beer just showed up on our doorstep (we did the math). From Boulder we now have Mojo, Hazed and Infused (bottles and cans), Sweaty Better, Hoopla Pale Ale (in cans!) and Flashback. Traveling all the way from Park City, Utah we have Wasatch Ghost Rider, Apricot Weizen, and pumpkin Ale. Finally we have Squatters from Salt Lake City bringing Chasing Tail, Full Suspension, and Hop Rising. 

 

Here’s a quick breakdown of these beers and what to expect from each:

BOULDER
Mojo -IPA – 7.2%
Ratebeer: 94

Hazed and Infused – American Pale Ale – 4.85%
Ratebeer: 87

Sweaty Betty – Wheat Ale – 5.9%
Ratebeer: 40

Hoopla – American Pale Ale – 5.7%
Ratebeer: 57

Flashback – Brown Ale – 6.8%
Ratebeer: 93

Wasatch

Ghostrider – White IPA – 6%
Ratebeer – 87

Apricot Weizen – Fruit Beer – 4%
Ratebeer: 33

Pumpkin Ale – Spice/Vegetable Beer – 4%
Ratebeer: 90

Squatters

Chasing Tail – Golden Ale – 4%
Ratebeer: 29

Full Suspension – American Pale Ale – 4%
Ratebeer: 72

Hop Rising – American Pale Ale – 4%
Ratebeer: 87

**Lots of new beer to try. If you try one of these brews I would love to hear your thoughts.**

Beer Review #111: Mikkeller Sort Gul Black IPA

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mikkellerMikkeller beers are usually a very adventurous brewery to buy from. Very cool artwork on the labels that usually don’t tell you much about the beer but for some reason I always go for it. Their beer usually costs a bit more but I have yet to be absolutely disappointed in any that I’ve tried.

My most recent Mikkeller purchase was their black IPA, Sort Gul. I was drawn by the awesome artwork on the label and then seeing black IPA made it a no-brainer.

Dark mahogany pour with a nice thick tan head. Toasted malt aroma with dark chocolate and then the hoppy pine aroma as well. Huge lacing on the glass. On the first sip you get the roasted malt flavor and then the citrus from the hops comes through. Not overpowering, great mix with the roasted malts. Very drinkable beer.

I get that the price tag on Mikkeller beers can be a bit hefty, but they sure a fun brewery to try. This was a very good black IPA. I would go back to this one without any hesitation.

REVIEW

STYLE: Black IPA

ABV: 7.3%

PURCHASED AT: John’s Grocery; Iowa City, IA

POUR: Medium sized tan head, dark black pour.

AROMA: Roasted malts, piney hops.

TASTE: Roasted malt flavor balance nicely by the hops.

Ratebeer.com rating: 98

Beeradvocate raing: 88

Overall: B+

My recommendation: Give it a shot. If you’ve had Black Top from New Glarus you will definitely enjoy this brew.

Tailgating Beers 2013

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8bitAs another Iowa Hawkeye football season approaches I sit here wondering what happened to all the talk of Bells canning their beers or Founders All Day IPA hitting shelves. I was banking on Founders All Day IPA being my go to this tailgating season, but the delay in the canning and then the delay in the distribution leaves Iowa without it for now. So, what other options do I have? I know some people are rebels and take in bottled beer, I personally, find that to be a pain in the ass. Bottles take up more rooms, can break, and are more difficult to dispose of. I know Founder’s Centennial is coming out and I haven’t had anything from Okoboji Brewing or Wild Onion yet so that’s why they aren’t on there. Anything I missed, feel free to comment!

**CORALVILLE WINE AND SPIRITS NOW HAS 12 packs of Founders All Day IPA**

So let’s breakdown what craft beer we can find in cans and whether or not it could make for a tailgating option. These are beers we can find in Eastern Iowa:

*Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat -4.2% ABV –  Is this considered craft now that AB-Inbev owns it? I don’t think it is but it is better than slugging pack 30 BMC products. Not my favorite, but a step in the right direction.

*Great River Brewing 483 Pale Ale – 5.3% ABV – definitely a solid choice. Supporting the Iowa craft beer scene and getting a solid pale ale in return. The 5.3% ABV isn’t too high, but maybe not as sessionable as some would like.

*O’Fallon Brewing 5 Day IPA – 6.1% ABV – an average IPA that might go down well when the heat is sweltering for the first game, but maybe too well. ABV is getting up there. 1 or 2 of these and then hit the lighter stuff.

*Tallgrass 8-Bit Pale Ale- 5.2% ABV – I will more than likely have some of this on hand. A couple of these will do nicely with the food and the hot day. Not too high on the ABV, which is nice for a 2:30 kickoff.

*Great River Brewing Big Cock IPA – 7.0% ABV – too heavy for this guy, but some might want to get a bit pissed quick. The name is also kind of a turn off for me.

*Samuel Adams Boston Lager – 4.9% – another one that will probably be iced in my cooler. Very sessionable and after all these years this beer still tastes good.

*Tallgrass Brewing Buffalo Sweat – 5.0% – this one might be a bit to creamy for the first few game, but once the cooler months role in, I will definitely be enjoying this for breakfast.

*Great River Dos Pistolas – 4.8% – this vienna lager might just be perfect this Saturday. Decent flavor, low ABV, pairs well with food. Might have a winner.

*Tallgrass Ethos IPA – 6.8% – as much as I would love to sit and drink this stuff this weekend, the ABV might be a bit too high, but maybe just a few?

*New Belgium Fat Tire – 5.2% – a decent pick, must not hitting my taste buds correctly at the moment.

*Tallgrass Halcyon Wheat – 5.0% – would be very refreshing for this hot weekend and the ABV would make this work well.

*Big Sky Moose Drool – 5.3% – my wife really enjoys this beer so it will be in the cooler, a nice break for the usual light beer nightmare that consumes most tailgates.

*O’Fallon Wheach – 5.1% – really good fruit beer that will do nicely this weekend. I only can do around 2 of these before the sweetness takes over.

*New Belgium Ranger IPA – 6.5% – maybe…but probably not. A good choice for an IPA, just not a tailgating beer unless 3-4 is your limit for the day which this would work great.

*Great River Redband Stout – 6.0% – same category as Buffalo Sweat, once the cooler months arrive this is great for breakfast.

*Sam Adams Octoberfest – 5.3% – might see this in my cooler as well. Always a must try seasonal and now available in cans!

*Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – 5.6% – nearing the line of too high ABV but it worked well for me last year.

I guarantee I’m leaving some great beers off this list so please let me know what I’m missing. Chances are there will be a nice mix of brews in the Baron’s cooler and more than likely some Grain Belt as well. Might sneak a few bottles in but not too many. Have a safe and enjoyable first tailgate everyone!

**Forgot Peace Tree Sidekick** Thanks for the head’s up Todd!

Pumpkin Time!

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pumpkinIt’s still August and it’s hotter than hell, but we are surrounded by pumpkin beers on our shelves. The question is, which one do we choose. I just received an email from Hy-Vee outlining the many pumpkin beers they are carrying. I didn’t see O’Fallon on their yet, hopefully we get that one in the next few months. So, which is your go to? (I liked Schlafly and Sam Adams, didn’t care for New Belgiums at all).

Ace Pumpkin Cider

9.99 per 6 pack

Commercial description

We first made this cider three years ago in 2010. It has become extremely popular since then. We add cinnamon, cloves and allspice to fermented apple juice to produce a 5 per cent cider which tastes like pumpkin pie. It is orange in color with a full rich taste that makes you want more….we carbonate the cider, cold- filter it four times before we bottle and keg it. This cider is released after Labor Day and is ideal for Halloween through Thanksgiving; although some customers think we should make it year round. It is the first Pumpkin cider to be made out West. One word for ACE PUMPKIN, delicious!

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

9.99 per 6 pack

Rate Beer 96

Commercial description

A full-bodied, deep reddish amber beer made with pumpkin and butternut squash and spiced with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. Celebrate the bounty of harvest with this rich, malty ale and invoke the season of plenty.

Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela 750 ml

12.99 per bottle

Rate Beer 97

Commercial description

Ok, so the joke was that Jolly Pumpkin doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer. Well, now we do. Just this one. Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice, and a gentle kiss of cocoa to liven the soul. An everyday easy way to fill your squashy quotient. Guess now folks will have to find something else to joke about…

New Belgium Pumpkick

7.99 per 6 pack

Commercial description

What’s that bite of tartness doing in a pumpkin beer? Adding the unexpected kick of cranberry juice to brighten this traditionally spiced seasonal ale. PUMPKICK is brewed with plenty of pumpkin juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but it’s the cranberries and touch of lemongrass that send your tastebuds sailing.

 

Rogue Pumpkin Patch 750 ml

10.99 per bottle

Rate Beer 91

Commercial description

The newest addition to the Chatoe Rogue series is Pumpkin Patch Ale, a beer made using fresh pumpkins grown in a patch that borders Rogue’s 42 acre hop yard. The pumpkins are picked, loaded into Rogue’s farm truck, driven immediately 77 miles to our brewery in Newport, quickly roasted, and pitched into the brew kettle to create a batch of Pumpkin Patch Ale.

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin 22 oz

8.99 per bottle

Rate Beer 89

Commercial description

Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. To fully enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Smashed Pumpkin pairs well with sharp cheeses, nuts, lamb, hearty stews and desserts like flan or pumpkin pie. Chefs find this an excellent beer to cook with in dishes such as braised short ribs.

 

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale

9.99 per 6 pack

Commercial description

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale is a crisp and refreshing wheat ale with delightful aromatics and subtle spiced flavor

 

Point Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale

8.99 per 4 pack

Rate Beer 89

Commercial description

Ale brewed with pumpkin and spices. Handcrafed using real pumpkin and savory pumpkin pie spices and hints of all natural cinnamon and nutmeg. Perle hops balance with rich Munich, Roasted, and Caramel malts for the full-bodied taste and exceptional flavor.

Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin

7.99 per 6 pack

Commercial description

A perennial favorite at our Brewery Halloween party, this reddish amber ale is perfect for fall. Real pumpkin adds a full body and sweetness, while deep roasted malts lend a toasty finish to this subtly spiced brew.

Lakefront Pumpkin Lager

8.99 per 6 pack

Commercial description

Pumpkin Lager is brewed with pumpkins in the mash, spices added during the boil, and lightly hopped. The rich specialty grains and lager fermentation combine to produce the taste and the texture of pumpkin pie.