band camp

New Beer Blog Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ballast Point Electric Ray IPL

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In this special set of beer blogs, we are going to get into the first of twelve beers from Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp sampler pack.   You will notice a theme throughout these beers.  The name of the beers and beer styles is taken from the partner craft breweries.   The first one that I picked is partner Ballast Point Brewery.  It is Electric Ray IPL.  Ballast Point Brewery was founded in 1996 by Jack and Yuseff.  It came from a home brewing supply shop that they opened in 1992.  The themes of this brewery is coming from the sea, water, or ocean.  They brew several different beer styles but they are known for their IPA’s like most West Coast craft breweries.  Let us get into this IPL.

It has a clear light copper color with a constant white head.  The aroma has floral to grapefruit notes.  The taste has a light carbonation grapefruit notes with a dry grapefruit finish for the aftertaste.   It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This nautically named India Pale Lager combines intense cirtusy, floral American hops with the clean, classic malt body of a blonde lager.

As ever, San Diego’s Ballast Point looked the sea for inspiration.  A play on the fish’s scientific name – Torpedo California – Electric Ray pays homage to our Hop Torpedo, the source of much of this beer’s big flavor.  Its massive grapefruit and floral notes deliver a high-voltage hit of hop flavor.

Here is a description from their website (www.beercamp.sierranevada.com):

As ever, San Diego’s Ballast Point looked to the sea for the inspiration behind Electric Ray. A play on the fish’s scientific name—Torpedo californica—this beer pays homage to our mutual home state, as well as to our Hop Torpedo, the source of much of the big flavor in this high voltage, hop-forward Imperial Pale Lager.

Ballast Point brought their homebrewing dreams to the big leagues and started brewing professionally, but they never forgot their roots. They still run a successful homebrewing supply shop in San Diego. A love for hops and the ocean inspire incredible brewed and distilled offerings, and their one-of-a-kind labels boast some beautiful, and sometimes gnarly-lookin’, fish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.ballastpoint.com and www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @bpbrewing and @sierranevada

Closing, it is kind of fitting the fact that there would be IPL in this pack.  IPL is a growing beer style in the world of IPA’s.  I love the fact they named it after Electric Ray because of Ballast Point (BP).  BP using fishes and everything in the water to name their beers.  I really love the packaging  and how it explains the back story of the partner brewery.  I love how it explains their thoughts on why they picked this beer style.  Of course, being a Hophead, I had to pick one of the India Pale Ale or Lager.  I love the aroma and the taste profile that this beer offer.  This is one of the best beers in this pack.  I realize this is the first one I had in this pack that I am doing a write up but when I am finish this review up.  I will already had about half of this pack.  I recommend you getting a pack if you can find one.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Bell’s Mallard’s Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into the second beer of twelve in this Beer Camp sampler pack.   Sierra Nevada Brewery teams up with Bell’s Brewery out of Michigan.  It is their Maillard’s Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on either one of their craft breweries, you know the history of this Midwest and West Coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know both of these breweries.  Let us get into Imperial Dark Ale.

It has a jet black color with a nice tan color head.  The aroma has a chocolate to coffee notes.  The taste has chocolate to coffee notes with a dry coca notes for the aftertaste.  It is scary drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This robust dark ale is layered with complex malt flavors of toffee, caramel, chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit.

Rich, dark, and roasty.  That was our shared vision, and Maillard’s Odyssey is exactly that, taking its name in part from the famed Maillard reaction-the “browning” of sugars and amino acids-that creates the wonderful caramelized toffee-like and roasted flavors so abundant in this beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.beercamp.sierranevada.com):

Rich, dark, and roasty. That was the concept Bell’s beer guru John Mallett aimed for and, true to John’s vision, Maillard’s Odyssey is exactly that. Its name honors the Maillard reaction—the “browning” of sugars and amino acids—that creates the wonderful caramelized toffee-like and roasted flavors so abundant in this beer.

Bell’s has done a lot to raise the Midwest’s craft beer bona fides. They are masters of many beer styles from their portfolio of top-notch American stouts all the way through to the alpha acid assault of their Hopslam Ale. Bell’s constantly reinvents beer styles and refines recipes with artful mastery and an oddball slant.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bellsbeer.com and www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @BellsBrewery and @sierranevada

Closing, I was pretty impressed with this beer in bottle and draft.  I had it at first on draft at Ashley’s in Westland, Michigan.  I am not a huge fan of Bell’s Brewery.  I love my dark ales and lagers.  There is a ton of notes going on in this brew.  It is pretty complex ale.  I love that because you are paying a nice penny to get this sampler pack and you are getting your money worth.  I would hope all these breweries look at this time to give something different to the craft beer drinker.  I believe that Sierra Nevada and Bell’s Brewery did just that for the craft drinker.  This is a great dark ale and I hope either brewery pick up the recipe to make it everyday beer or seasonal.  I love it.  I highly recommend this beer.  I hope you can find it on draft or this sampler pack.  Good Luck!  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13