Category: Guide to better beer

how to discover new beer to try

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Single Hop craze

Mikkeller started the trend (as far as I can tell) and now others are jumping on the bandwagon. There are citra hop IPA’s hitting the market from breweries like Kern River and now two other notable breweries are getting in on the action.
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Bear Republic has the awesome Apex amongst other great IPA’s but the new one that caught my attention was…
Rebellion™
American IPA
ABV: 6.0% IBU: varies
Rebellion is a single hop pale ale brewed to showcase different hop varietals. Always brewed with the same malt base and IBUs, the character of the hop really shines through.
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Then Terminal Gravity in tiny Enterprise, Oregon comes out with single hop DIPA’s! Using the “C” hops of Centennial, Chinook and Columbus.

Most of these are draft only so search for them.

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The Homebrew Chef

One of the people that I really would like to meet from the world of beer is the HomeBrew Chef, Sean Paxton.

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Just go to the recipe page to see some delicious ideas. Wit braised chicken or garlic IPA mashed potatoes. And, if you get the chance to attend one of his special dinners. TAKE IT!

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Mikkeller Beer Bar

I do not know how a person can brew across the world and have another job and now provide enough beer for bar dedicated to his excellent concoctions. Mikkel must work 27 hours a day. I am glad he does though.

“The grand opening of the Mikkeller beer bar in Viktoriagade 8BC, Vesterbro, Copenhagen will take place on wednesday May 5th at 17:00.
The opening will feature a huge number of new beers from Mikkeller and beers from the best brewers in Europe and the US. The opening events will go on and new beers will be tapped from May 5th-May 8th.”

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Beer Dim Sum

Don’t be confused. This is not pairing craft beer with Chinese food. (That’s an idea for another day). No, this is a great beer tasting idea that the Belmont Station folks created. They rummaged around their excellent store and bier cafe, which you must visit. They pulled out some aged beers. What follows is a list that should blow your mind…
Stone Oaked Bastard 2006 & 2007
Stone Vertical Epic 07-07-07
Stone Vertical Epic 08-08-08
Stone Double Bastard 2006
Stone IRS 2006
Full Sail Top Sail 2008 & 2010
Full Sail Black Gold 2009
Full Sail Imperial Stout 2008
Full Sail Wreck the Halls 2006
Bridgeport Old Knucklehead 2009
Roots Epic 2008
Deschutes Abyss 2007, 2008 & 2009
Hair of the Dog Fred from the Wood 2006 & 2008

They named it Vintage Beer Dim Sum and each beer cost a different number of $1 tickets– from one to five tickets, depending on its rarity. Part of the proceeds went to charity.

This is a great idea. I am kicking myself that I did not think of it. You bought your tickets and the beer would come around. You could choose to use your ticket or tickets, or not. It wasn’t a tasting where you could feel cheated because you are the one choosing!

This is exactly how I am going to hold my next tasting event.

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Parabola

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“We present Parabola, the first-ever bottling of this barrel-aged Imperial Stout. Just 1,000 cases [22 oz. bottles] were produced. This bold beer features nuances of bourbon and tobacco aroma. Rich dark chocolate flavors meld with charred oak, dark cherry and espresso finishing smooth on the palate. Parabola is best enjoyed in moderation and is a perfect addition to chocolate desserts.”

Tobacco? Charred Oak?
Now dark cherry and espresso, I can understand. But will it make me swoon like Velvet Merkin does?

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Beer delivery from New Mexico

My 50 Beers from 50 States challenge has slowed considerably. But that was to be expected. I blitzed through 25 states and now I have to do some detective work to ferret out craft beer from states with less options and even less distribution.

I was surprised by an offer of Rhode Island beer which I will talk about later and then I got these two beers from New Mexico. I feel the momentum building back up.
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Alaskan Pilot brews

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Alaskan Brewing is getting into the reserve series game. Actually, they have been in it for awhile. Us mainlanders just haven’t had access until now. Getting to market is a two step process according to the brewery, “Each new recipe is first created on our 1-barrel experimental brewhouse, perfected in our 10-barrel pilot brewhouse, then put to the test through our Rough Draft series of draft-only beers distributed in Alaska,” the most popular of the rough drafts take the leap to a limited release in the Alaskan Pilot Series.

“Years of local demand through Alaskan’s Rough Draft program of draft-only releases and a Silver medal from the 2008 Great American Beer Festival made our Raspberry Wheat the perfect brew to officially launch the ‘Pilot Series’.”

Two more Pilot Series beers will debut in 2010 — a black imperial IPA in October, and a re-release of the Alaskan Barley Wine— which just won a Bronze medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup on April 10 – in late December.

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Hair of the Dog tasting room

I saw this quote from Alan Sprints (who is a great guy) about HOTD floating around and since tomorrow is May, thought it might come in handy

“I will be open this May and will have a tasting room with a small food menu and regular hours. The new space is very close to downtown Portland and will provide Beer lovers with a chance to taste Beers still in the experimental stage.”

For more information and beers check out the Hair of the Dog Brewing Facebook fan site.
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