Category: Guide to better beer

how to discover new beer to try

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New Breweries at GABF

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NEW in 2009
(Breweries with * next to their names will be judged only.)

(512) Brewing Company
10 Barrel Brewing Company
AC Golden Brewing Company
Asher Brewing Company
Back Forty Beer Company*
Battered Boar Brewing Company
Big Al Brewing
Black Raven Brewing Company
Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery*
Breakwater Brewing Co.
Cathedral Square Brewery
Chuckanut Brewery
Cigar City Brewing
Colorado Brewing Company/ Draft House
COOP Ale Works
Corner Cafe & Brewery*
Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Evolution Craft Brewing Company
Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon
Freetail Brewing Co.
Glacier Brewing Company
Golden Hills Brewing Co.
Healdsburg Beer Company*
Heater Allen Brewing
Hometown Beverages
Hop Valley Brewing Company*
Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
LoneRider Brewing Company
Lovejoys
Main St. Grille and Brewing Co.*
Main Street Brewery & Restaurant
Metropolitan Brewing
Mt Emily Ale House
Napa Smith Brewery*
New Planet Beer Company, LLC*
NOLA Brewing Company
Old Forge Brewing Company
Old Mill Brewery, LLC
Palisade Brewery
Pisgah Brewing Company
Pittsfield Brew Works*
Sonoma Springs Brewing Company
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Sun King Brewing Company
TableRock BrewPub
Upslope Brewing Co.
Wedge Brewing Company*
Wild Mountain Smokehouse & Brewery
Wind River Brewing Co.
Yak and Yeti Brewpub

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New Rogue line

from Draft Magazine…

Chatoe Rogue, a new offshoot label of the brewery, has announced its flagship brew Wet Hop Ale as the first brew of a series set for release in 2010.

And you guessed it, wet hops are the star of this beer; a 200-barrel brew is made with 3,000 pounds of wet, First-Growth hops.

These hops are brewed the same day they leave the ground, and then they are blended, bottled, and kegged by Rogue brewmaster, John Maier. Each of Chatoe Rogue’s products, all First-Growth GYO Certified, will use hops from Rogue’s Micro Hop yard.

Wet Hop Ale is made with Independence and Revolution hops, but the label also promises a Pinot Envy Ale, a Dirtoir Ale, a Single Malt Ale, and an OREgasmic Ale that will assuredly have big shoes to fill.

Rogue is really amping things up. First they do the John-John line of beers and the Sesquicentennial beers and now this!

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09/09/09

Thank you Daily Pint for pouring the latest Vertical Epic from Stone! More on that in a bit. First, I have to say, that I really like Stone beers in French Oak. I had Arrogant Bastard from the Daily Pint handpump and it was smooth and hoppy with spice notes that could also make it a session beer. Of course, I recommended it to various people and they were taken aback. Presumably due to the lack of arrogance.

On to the Epic. It pours dark black and almost has the espresso head on it. It has spice notes and roasted notes and is easy to drink at first. Then the alcohol swoops in and it becomes more of a sipper. I am not a big dark beer fan but this is a complex beer with multiple flavors swirling in the glass.

photo
photo courtesy of Richard Rosen

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Beer menu for Search Party Canned beer tasting

So here is the menu….

We start with 21st Amendment Watermelon Wheat. A nice wheat beer with the refreshing taste of watermelon. When I tell people about this beer, they usually wince and say it must be bad. Then I pour it and opinions change.

Second is Caldera Pale Ale. A classic hoppy pale ale from Ashland. It is an excellent beer to push people to try who are stuck in lager land.

Third will be Moose Drool from Big Sky. An excellent amber/brown ale. Easy to drink with a lot of flavor.

Lastly, Siamese Twin from Uncommon Brewers. A strong yet spicy Belgian ale. Very complex.