Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
The Defense against the Dark Beer reviewer tested a bottle from Port Brewing.
12% abv 12 oz bottle
Old viscosity aged on bourbon barrels. Super dark in color, no head. Smells like booze not beer. Tastes the same. It’s smooth but it has lost all the beer qualities in the bourbon. I’d much rather have a special old engine oil.
It holds the balance between the two better.
Here, courtesy of FoodGPS is the latest news on another great watering hole for us craft beer geeks…
Check out the time lapse HERE
Here is a short clip of Sam Calagione from Dogfish head pouring beer at the GABF…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kN_OKyyvqs]
Top 10 beers that I should have tried…
Ommegang – Adoration
Alpine – Willy Vanilly
Cascade – Vlad the Imp Aler
Hollister Brewing – The Pope
Oakshire – Collaborative Evil
Pizza Port /Carlsbad – 547 Haight
Short’s – Strawberry Short’s Cake
Surly – Coffee Bender
Weyerbacher – Double Simcoe IPA
Chuckanut – Vienna Lager
BEST BEER outside of GABF
Fresh Hop Ale from Great Divide
Lovely hop aroma. Bold but not aggressive. Cool lacing on the glass. Nicely balanced between hops and malts. Excellent bitter taste. It slightly edges out Elysian’s Loser Pale Ale.
While I was in Denver. I took the opportunity to visit some area beer institutions. Here are the reviews (from best to lesser best).
Great Divide – Small interior with outside seating. Great atmosphere. Good amount of taps and really friendly servers. Prices are fair for the quality. Many growlers were filled before the Rockies game.
Falling Rock – Set back from Blake Street. Tap handles and empty bottles adorn the walls and rafters. Dark inside. Nice downstairs with a snug and a pool room. Good amount of taps but no updated list. Some servers more helpful than others.
Breckenridge – Nice, large sports bar type of place. George Wendt from Cheers was here when I was sipping an Agave Wheat. Good sized selection of house beers.
Tommyknockers – Nice place on Miner Street. You could buy bottles to go or have one with dinner or at the bar. Buffalo burgers were good.
24 Rare beers on the 2nd floor of the historic Wynkoop Brewing Company. Sounds like heaven to me.
Though I only had 8 of the beers. (I only have so much tolerance + that Utopia killed my taste buds), it was an awesome gathering with great people. Garrett Oliver and Sam Calagione were pouring. Carl Singmaster from Belmont Station was in attendance. And who knows who else was in the large crowd.
Here are the beers that I had…
Brooklyn Wild 1
Funky and farmhouse with interesting spice notes. Strong but sprightly.
Deschutes Black Butte XX
Oyster and coffee notes. Black in color. Smooth and tasty.
New Glarus R&D Golden
Sour right off the bat. A little bit of a fight here between flavors. Doesn’t quite work.
Harpoon Wet Hop Ale
To me, a typical East Coast IPA in that it is a really good pale ale.
Bison Reunion 09 Double Wit
The doubling sorta of pushes the wit spices away to much. A little to strong alcohol wise for a wit.
New Belgium Trip II
Another beer where the yeast overpowers the hop and tilts the balance. It is really close to being an awesome brew.
BEST OF MY LIMITED FEST
This goes to Brooklyn Breweries Cuvee de Cardoz. Mostly because any beer that could put umpteen different Indian spices on top of a base wheat beer and make it come out good, has to get my vote. This is a unique beer without needing an acquired taste. It is finely balanced and complex.
