When I picked up this bottle of Victory Brewing’s Otto back in December I was under the impression that it was their attempt at your standard Rauchbier (smoked beer) and had put it aside for when I was really in the mood for one — which I have been in more often lately for some reason. It wasn’t until a need for smoke arose that I finally took the time to check out the beer’s history. It turns out that this 8.1% ABV brew is so much more than a Rauchbier.
Otto is apparently based off of an experience that he Victory co-founders had on a trip to Germany back in 1987. Why the muse or motivation struck them to produce this beer now, I have no idea, nor do I care. This is smoky treat isn’t your typical smoked beer. Sure it utilizes smoked malt, but these malts are Belgian, as is the yeast they pitch in during the brewing process. The end result of that process is a Belgian style dubbel with a strong smokey character. It not only served to satiate my craving for a little smoke, but I’m also a sucker for a decent Belgian beer.
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It’s been quite some time since I’ve had a beer from Bison Brewing and, after spying this Gingerbread Ale on the shelf last month, I knew it was time to revisit the brewery. Much like pumpkin ales are appropriate for cool Autumn evenings, the thought of gingerbread cookies as snow falls outside was more than enough for me to commit to purchasing at least one bottle.
Weighing in at 6.0% ABV, this herbed beer looks more like a porter and, to some degree, even has a light roast coffee aroma amongst the spices to give it that impression as well. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past wanting this to be a porter, but with the beer’s light body — appropriate for the spiced beer style, not for a porter — I’m not sure I enjoyed this one as much as I could have.
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At first, it was the bottle artwork that intrigued me. Then I remembered the run of really tasty brews from Quebec that I’ve enjoyed over the past twelve months. Well, this 5.5% ABV Oatmeal Stout from Le Bilboquet is another notch in the belt of small Quebec breweries.
I also don’t know how or why my local shop keeps getting all this Canadian treats, but I hope they keep it up. This was one tasty stout that had an excellent roasty and earthy character without weighing heavily on the palate.
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Press Release
“His axe is stained with the blood of a thousand adversaries. We fall in behind him as he leads us into darkness. He turns his gaze on us. ‘Tentanda via est!’ The way must be tried. Wildeman has arrived.”
And so begins the twisted tale that is Flying Dog Brewery’s latest release, Wildeman Farmhouse IPA.
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Press Release
SHINER, TX (January 24, 2012) – Debuting February 3, Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale will be joining the beloved family of Shiner Beers from the Spoetzl Brewery. Shiner Wild Hare is the first ale crafted by the Spoetzl Brewery in its 103-year history.
Shiner Wild Hare is a classic American Pale Ale made with American two-row barley with a blend of Munich and Caramel malts for rich malt flavor and clear amber color. US Golding and Bravo hop varieties are used in the kettle and fermenter for crisp bitterness and assertive fresh hop fruit and floral aroma. More than a pound of hops is used to produce each barrel of Shiner Wild Hare.
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I’ve had a few of Stone Brewing’s recent collaborative releases the past year or so. This latest combined effort sees forces from Stone Brewing, The Bruery and Elysian Brewing coming together to craft one of the more interesting pumpkin ales I’ve had. This 5% ABV effort is brewing with a variety of malts (honey and rye included), as well as yams, pumpkin, toasted fenugreek, lemon verbena, and birch bark. That’s quite a mix of ingredients.
I’m not entirely sure what fenugreek or verbena are, but thanks to the Internets I’m more educated on the subjects. That said, I’m not sure that I noticed either of these ingredients in this beer — a beer which I found delicate and subtle in its flavor profile. The beer is light and decent enough, but I’m not sure my palate is sophisticated enough to fully enjoy all that went into its collaborative recipe.
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Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA – The award-winning Mad Fox Brewing Company, known for their unique house-crafted brew pub experience, has announced their 2nd Annual Barleywine Festival, on Saturday, February 11, from 11 am until midnight. The event will feature Mad Fox’s own Barleywines, as well as some favorites from other breweries selected by CEO and Executive Brewer Bill Madden and his team.
This second annual celebration is the region’s only Barleywine Festival. San Francisco and Alaska host well-known high gravity beer festivals, but Mad Fox is the first MidAtlantic brewer to create such an event, drawing aficionados from across the region, and from as distant as North Carolina and New York.
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Much like Avery Brewing’s Mephistopheles’ Stout, this Belgian Grand Cru (appropriately named The Beast) is just flat out mean. This 16.83% ABV brew packs a wallop and is not for the faint of heart or faith. Delivering hints of rum, dark fruit and honey, among other flavors, the beer is meant to be enjoyed slowly, preferably after a few years in the cellar.
This particular bottle is from Batch #9, released in August of 2011, and is much to hot and young to be enjoyed thoroughly. Also, much like it’s stout counterpart, the beer not needs time to mature in the bottle and mellow out a good deal for it to fully come into it’s own. That said, enjoying it fresh is still a wonderful experience, but I suggest waiting a couple of years before cracking one open.
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San Diego, CA – January 19, 2012– The NY Times recently listed San Diego’s thriving craft beer scene as a top place to visit noting that “Long established craft breweries like Karl Strauss Brewing Company…have mentored brewmasters and created demand for some seriously offbeat ales”. Karl Strauss is proud to have played a major role in securing that reputation. As a pioneer in the local beer community, Karl Strauss is celebrating its 23rd Anniversary with the 2nd annual Changing of the Barrels event on February 2, 2012. This intimate event takes place inside the main brewery in Pacific Beach and will debut the release of the 23rd Anniversary Old Ale.
Changing of the Barrels is limited to 100 ticket holders who will be the first to try the 23rd Anniversary Old Ale and have the exclusive opportunity to taste the 24th Anniversary Flanders Red Ale before it goes into barrels for 12 months. In addition, there will be several specialty beers on tap, food from MIHO Gastrotruck, live music by Blackout Party, and the chance to mingle with the Karl Strauss brew crew. Guests will leave with a commemorative snifter glass.
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Yesterday I shared with you all a press release from Port City Brewing that announced the release of their new limited Scottish Ale, Tartan. Well now, I’ve got the label artwork for you all to check out as well:
Be on the look out for the new brew in early March.
