Tag: GABF

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GABF Brewery # 3 – DC Brau

While at the Great American Beer Festival, of the 35+ some odd 1 ounce samplers that I had, one was called the Corruption from DC Brau.

Once you get past the political themed names, you find some solid beers. Before GABF, I had their collaboration fall beer, Fermentation without Representation that they brewed with Epic from Utah and really enjoyed it. The Corruption IPA also fell into the enjoyed category. A crisp beer that had enough bitterness for a left coaster like myself.

Two other tidbits that raise their approval ratings for me are that they are canning in the Capital and that they are politically active in the arena of DC statehood. Canned beer has a better chance of making it out to me and if we got DC as a state maybe people will stop talking about Ohio for half a second. (Sorry, election year rant)

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GABF Brewery # 2 – No-Li Brewhouse

One of the new breweries that I tried at the recently concluded Great American Beer Festival was No-Li Brewhouse out of Spokane, Washington.

I was drawn to their booth by their simple but cool bottles that they had next to the pitchers of their beer.

L.A. people may bristle at the W.S.U. Cougar roots of No-Li. They will not at the beer. I sampled Silent Treatment (One of the best beer names ever) and it cut through the other beers that I had sampled at the convention hall.

Next time, I will try the following….

BORN & RAISED IPA

“This big bold copper colored ale showcases a big malty body and sweetness contrasted against a substantial hop presence which begins in the nose, continues in the flavor and ends with a lingering hop finish.”

CRÉME ALE

“Very pale, flavorful version of an original American beer style which combines the fermentation characteristics of an ale with the smoothness and maturity of a lager. Look for delicate soft maltiness complimented by the finest Northwest hops.”

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Sean suggests for October

Been back from the Great American Beer Festival for a couple days and getting back into the swing of the blog again with the monthly beer shopping list….

October 2012

Click the link (once or twice depending on the type of computer) then print out the list or memorize (depending on the type of brain) and then shop for beer. It’s my favorite pastime.

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Beer Search Party at GABF – Facts & photos

I am now back in Los Angeles and I am looking back on my second Great American Beer Festival visit. My first trip a couple years back was overwhelming. It only took two days and one session for me to say “no mas!”. But I was also new to the beer blogging scene. I didn’t know anybody and quietly drank some beer and left. Also the scene was different in Denver then too.

This year, thanks to expanded access and to pacing myself, I was able to really enjoy not only the beer but also all the people that come out every year too.

The Brewer’s Association always puts out fun tidbits from the festival. Data like how much ice is used and how many beers are judged in the IPA category. So here are some of my Beer Search Party facts. With breaks for some of my favorite photos from my visit.

By rough estimate, I tasted 87 different beers. Most in 1 ounce pours.

I had three sampler trays from three new Denver breweries – Prost, Renegade and Strange. And re-visited three “older” Denver breweries – Great Divide, Wynkoop and Breckenridge.

My top three beers were Fiat Luxe from Brooklyn Brewery, Monk’s Indiscretion from Sound Brewing and Kaffir Lime Wheat from Denver Beer Co.

There were 49 California medalists at the the awards ceremony. You can search the medal database for GABF HERE.

I FINALLY tasted an Alabama beer. Freckly Belly IPA from Back Forty. Then I tasted a Peanut Butter beer from another Beer Engineers! Now I only have North Dakota to complete my 50 beers!

GABF is just a beer lovers paradise. Even if you don’t go to the main festival, there are enough breweries to visit, special events and beer tappings to find and hidden gems (like the Beerliner) that you find yourself having to decide between so many different places to go and beers to try.

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Beer Search Party at GABF – Part 3

Today dawned bright and early for awards day!

Brewdad Mike (recent winner of the CanFest blogger contest) and I headed back towards the convention center to learn which beers were deemed the best for 2012.

This years ceremony was held in a much bigger space which was well filled despite the early hour and the fact that it overlapped with the Saturday morning session.

And the L.A. scene saw some awards come our way…..

First to win was Smog City!

Beachwood snared two medals.

TAPS grabbed two medals too!

And that was not all that was won. Figueroa Mountain picked up some hardware as did Pizza Port locations and Firestone-Walker too. California did good but the big winner was Devil’s Backbone from Virginia who won medal after medal and will set off many a metal detector on the way home.

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Beer Search Party at GABF – Part 1

Quick and easy (though very early) flight out of LAX. And all of a sudden we are in Colorado airspace.

Beer buddy Richard and I started at Great Divide. I picked up a fresh hop ale. Not to be confused with a Colorado fresh hop ale which was also on tap. It was a clean and crisp and medium hopped pale (in my opinion) that I really enjoyed. Great first beer to take the edge of the travel day.

Then it was on to Wynkoop for lunch. I missed the ‘Koop the first Denver visit and probably should have skipped it again. All three beers were sub-par to me and I can’t blame it on palate fatigue because it was still early in the trip. Though the Mac and Cheese was nice and much needed to balance out all of the drinking ahead.

Then (many then’s in this story), we stopped by the Beerliner. An old Bluebird bus that had been spiffily painted and retrofitted with big TV’s and four taps on the side that was parked near the Falling Rock Tap Room that was pouring only Texas beers through the weekend. Plus you got hillbilly music!

I had the English pale ale and the kolsch from Peticolas Brewing. I was quite taken by both offerings but didn’t linger because more beer beckoned (though I may return to that bus).

Now it is time for a brief rest. Followed by the Thursday session and getting a media badge. Exciting times ahead.

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GABF Brewery # 1 – Back Forty Beer

Since I will be making my triumphant return to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival, I thought that this month, I would focus on three little known breweries that I will attempt to sample from while I am there.

First up is Back Forty Beer from Gadsden, Alabama.

Per their website, they have four offerings currently Naked Pig Pale, Truck Stop Honey (which is a brown ale), Freckle Belly IPA and Kudzu porter. The artwork for the labels is simple but very effective especially for the Naked Pig which is described as “German malts provide a perfect balance to the five hop additions that go into every batch we make.”

Sounds good to me! I will add a review below if I get the chance to taste it!

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Rosemary Swamp Fox

I subscribe to Beer America TV which reviews some great beers and one of the on camera talents is brewer John Pinkerton who recently won gold at GABF!

“It was for his Rosemary Swamp Fox IPA in the “Herb and Spice or Chocolate Beer” category. It beat out 90 other entries for the honor.

In addition to the normal amounts of Centennial, Chinook and Brewer’s Gold hops, Pinkerton dry-hopped the Rosemary Swamp Fox IPA with fresh rosemary. The beer’s assertive citrus hoppiness was complemented by a blast of the piney, aromatic rosemary. It tasted just like it smelled.”

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Let’s Tour – Black Market Brewing

GABF medalists from Temecula, California. Say hello to the Black Market, Brewing Company that is.

I recently tasted a few of their beers at a Meet the Brewery style event at Blue Palms Brewhouse and came away with mixed feelings. The brown ale was solid and I know the Rye IPA is good but I was left a little cold by the red ale (Scary Carrie) and their Hefeweizen and dunkle which just tasted off style and too cereal grainy to me.

That said. Not all breweries have exceptional beer from top to bottom that suits my particular taste. I’m just glad that more breweries keep springing up in the Golden State.