west coast brewery

New Beer Blog Ska Mole Stout


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In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at a new beer that just hit the market it is called Ska Mole Stout.  I know the Ska Brewery pretty well but this beer caught my eye when at Countryside Bar.  Ska Brewery was founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau in Durango, Colorado.  They put their everyday beers in cans or kegs.  They barely use bottles.  They brew several different beer styles.  Their flagship beer is their India Pale Ale called Modus Hoperandi IPA.  Let us get into the beers.

It is pitch black in color without a head. It has a slight chili to chocolate and toffee smell notes. The taste is about the same. It is really not drinkable beer.  Great beer!  However, towards the end of the beer, I needed some water.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  http://www.skabrewing.com

Twitter:  @skabrewing

In closing, I really enjoyed this beer at the beginning but towards the end I had another experience.  I need some water or move on to the next beer pretty quickly.  This chile peppers or powder in beer has been around for a long time in the brewing process.  Most of the beers with peppers I have had I could not get through them.  I do not like the burning down my throat but this one was a little different.  There is a little balance with this beer but with the build up in my throat and mouth the burning came out towards the end.  It is pretty interesting.  I recommend this beer if you enjoy peppers and hot or spicy food which I know you will enjoy this beer.  Please, let me know what you think of this beer.  I have always wanted to sit down with someone who enjoy these beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Big Horn Ram Oktoberfest


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In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another fall seasonal.  This fall beer is coming from Big Horn Ram Oktoberfest.  If you read my earlier blog post on this brewery’s beer, you know a little history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

The beer has a nice clear copper color without a head. The smell is a sweet malty to caramel to the beer. The taste is a sweet carbonation malty with a malty aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.theram.com

Twitter:  @theRAM

In closing, I enjoy this brewery for the value you get out of their food and beer.  This is a huge comment for this brewery and it is the fact this was one of the best Oktoberfest that I had this season.  It is extremely drinkable and great taste to this craft beer.  I love the malty taste throughout the drinking experience.  If you live by a Ram Brewery, you need to check them out.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Uinta Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale


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In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Uinta Brewing.  The beer that will be featured is called Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale.  This is beer is part of their Crooked Line, which there will be three more beer post in the future on their Detour IPA, Bareley Wine Ale, and Imperial Pilsner.  If you read my earlier blog on their spring ale, you are up to speed on this brewery.  If you have not, please read Uinta Hyve Ale beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This fall seasonal has a deep amber without a head on the beer. The smell is a little vanilla and pumpkin with other spices. The taste is a pumpkin and nutmeg with a cinnamon aftertaste.  It is not really drinkable.

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

Notes

Aged in oak

ArtLabel art by local Utah artist Trent Call

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Cranked up and primed to celebrate, Jacked reveals in the season.  Pop the cork for bursts of pumpkin and spices.  Aged in oak barrels, Jacked is wound and ready to play.  Pairs well with flavors of the season.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

In closing, I have to say as we start to wrap this year’s fall seasonals and get ready for the winter seasonals.  There are some last-minute fall  beers I wanted to post on and this is one of them.  I had this beer last year and loved it.  I was pretty excited to see it on the shelf in the Chicago market.  This brewery did something different then the same boring pumpkin beers out in the market.  They put their pumpkin ale in barrels.  This has been a rough fall season for the seasonals and I have been very disappointed.  I have to say this is the same gem that I discover last year and I am glad I picked up this bottle this year.  I am happy to say the breweries that I had huge wins on their fall seasonals are Milwaukee Brewing, Flying Dog, Ram, and Uinta.  Uinta Oak Jacked is only available in a limited time and it is in 750ml bottles.  I would run to your near by liquor store and pick up a bottle of this great pumpkin beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale


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In this blog, we are going to get into Oskar Blues Brewing and the beer is called Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale.  Oskar Blues was founded in 1997 by Dick Dale Katechis in Longmont, Colorado.  They brew several different beer styles but they use only cans for their packaging.  Oskar Blues was the first craft brewery to package their beer in cans.  Let us get into the beers.

It has a cloudy copper color with a white head on the beer. The smell is of a heavy citrus to almost grapefruit to the beer.  The taste is a sweet grapefruit taste with a balance from the malts. The aftertaste is a bitter dry to it. For being Double IPA, it is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the bar menu (Blues Bar):

This beer is intended to be assault for hop lovers and is a returning favorite from the little brewery in Lyons, Colorado.

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

Deviant Dale’s IPA (8% ABV, 85 IBUs) was born at the crossroads, in a juke joint, as if Dale’s Pale Ale sold its soul to balance Deviant’s foreboding aromas of citrus, grapefruit rind and piney resins with a copper ball-of-fire color and inscrutable finish. The 2011 GABF Silver Medal Winner (American IPA Category) is the Devil incarnate with untold amounts of malt and hedonistic Columbus dry-hopping. Oskar Blues’ southern spirit caught a northbound blues bus to Colorado to deliver the boundary bustin’ brewery’s first 16 oz. tallboy can.

Here is a youtube (www.youtube.com) video and their website (www.oskarblues.com):

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.oskarblues.com

Twitter:  @oskarblues

In closing, I am excited to have this brewery in the Chicago Market.  When I wanted to drink their beers, I had to work the phones or get friends or family to bring back beer for me.  For this brewery, I will not have to do that anymore.  I saw this beer on draft at the Blue Bar.  This is a pretty good India Pale Ale.  I really enjoyed this beer and I will be searching for it at my local liquor stores.  I see their Dale’s Pale Ale in most liquor stores which is expected.  This is a great brewery and I hope Chicago craft beer drinkers start showing them some love.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Coalition Brewing King Kitty Red Ale


When in Portland, I picked up this bottle from Coalition Brewing.  After we were done with Brewvana, a few of us went out and check out a few more breweries.  Coalition Brewing is a small brewpub on a side streets of Portland.  There is no history on the internet on this brewery.  They only have three beers that they put in 22oz bottles and this is one of them.  The rest of them they will fill up growlers for you.  This is the only beer I had and I fall in love with it.  Let us get into the beer.

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This beer has a nice red color with a white head on it. It has a slight malty to caramel smell to the beer.  The taste is a sweet malty carbonation with a slight bitter aftertaste. It is q pretty drinkable beer.

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

KING KITTY RED
5.74% ABV, 59 IBU, 11.6 SRM

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

King Kitty Red is a Northwest take on the typically malt forward style.  Brewed with four different hop varietals and a sweet malt backbone, this ale is balanced with a clean bitterness and enticing aromatics.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.coalitionbrewing.com

Twitter:  @coalitionbrewin

Closing out, I am not a fan of red or amber ales but this one is done very well.  I enjoy drinking this beer and I am down to one more bottle in my frig, which I am saving a little bit longer.  I do not know when I will get back out but I will be back at this little brewpub.  If you live in the Portland area, go and check out this brewery.  I am glad I stopped in and had a pint.  Put a bird on it and go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Uinta Tilted Smile Imperial Pilsner


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In this beer blog, Uinta Brewing Tilted Smile Imperial Pilsner is the beer and brewery that will be featured in this post.  This beer is part of their Crooked Line as everyday 750ml bottle.  If you read my earlier blog on their Uinta Hyve Ale, you know a little history on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a straw cloudy color with a strong head that kills after a while. The smell is a sweet malty to the beer. The taste is a sweet malty almond to slight hoppy earthy to the beer. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Tilted Smile breaks away from the crowd.  Strong in character, yet approachable and versatile.  Fonfidently balanced with Saaz hops, and 100% Pilsen malt.  Crisp and delightfully carbonated.  Explore pairing with grilled meats and seafood.

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

Notes

Tilted Smile breaks away from the crowd. Big in alcohol , yet approachable and versatile. Confidently balanced with Saaz hops and 100% Pilsen malt. Crisp and delightfully carbonated. Explore pairing with grilled meats and seafood.

Art

Label art by local Utah artist Leia Bell.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

Closing, just like their Detour IPA I really enjoyed this pilsner.  I just feel that most American Craft Breweries always find ways to mess up classic German Beer styles.  I am happy to say that Uinta did not mess up this Imperial Pilsner.  This Imperial Pilsner is my favorite one.  There are not too many good Imperial Pilsners.  I have over the last few months fall in love with craft pilsners.  This beer comes at a good price at retail and I believe you will be impressed with this Imperial Pilsner.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Happy New Years!

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Uinta Cockeyed Cooper Bourdon Barrel Barley Wine Ale


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In this beer blog, we are going to get into one of four beers from Uinta Brewing Crooked Line.  The beer is called Cockeyed Cooper Bourdon Barrel Barley Wine Ale.  If you read my earlier blog, you know the past of this  brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that post.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a nice amber color with a nice white head on it. The smell is sweet, Bourbon, vanilla and caramel to the beer. It has sweet malty to Bourbon vanilla ans a little caramel taste without any aftertaste to the beer. It is pretty drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Launch into the exquisite flavors of bourbon with splashes of vanilla.  Watch for currents of dark chocolate and dried fruit.  Generous amounts of hops and malts make for a smooth journey from start to finish.  Decadent desserts and aged cheeses make superb companions.

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

Notes

Aged in bourbon barrels

Art

Label art by local Utah artist Travis Bone.

Accolades

  • 2011, Bronze Medal, New Zealand Beer Awards, Wood and Barrel Aged Beer
  • 2010, Bronze Medal, North American Brewers Association Awards, Wood Flavored Beer
  • 2010, Gold Medal, World Beer Championships, Wood Aged Beer

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

In closing, I did enjoy this beer which is a little weird.  This why it is weird because most Barley Wines I have to age them a year before drinking them.  I do not know if it is the barrels make this barley wine ale a little different from the rest of them on the market.  I also like the fact I can get this beer anytime of the year unlike the rest of the barley wines on the market.  Most barley wines are available in the late fall to winter time.  This is an awesome beer at reasonable price for the style of beer.  I highly recommend this beer and let me know what you think of it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Upright Brewing Bird Calls


When in Portland, our last stop of the breweries tour from Brewvana.  It took us in the basement of a bar where Upright Brewing is located.  This brewery specializes in French and Belgian Farmhouse brews.  There is really no history on this brewery.  It was pretty neat to go in the basement of this building to see a brewery.  They are small but they make some really good beers.  Let us get into the brew.  Sorry there was no spot to put the beer down to take a photo so I had to use the restroom counter.  LOL!  It keep this unique.

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It has a nice brown color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a nice sweet malty to a little maple to it.  The taste is a sweet little carbonation malty with a dry caramel aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Bird Calls Brown follows the Safe as Milk, using the same British ale yeast and equally well hopped, using a mix of willamette and magnum hops over a toasty grist reminiscent of midwest and east coast brown ales. It finishes quite dry and is perfect for people who enjoy darker beers with a bite. Named after one of Charles Mingus’ most exciting compositions, from the 1959 album Mingus Ah Um. 6%

Here is a website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uprightbrewing.com

Twitter:  @uprightbrewing

Closing out, I really loved the unique scene of this brewery.  I did enjoyed their Bird Calls Brown.  It was nice balance and extremely drinkable.  I am not a huge fan of farmhouse beer styles.  I would love to come back to this brewery and try them.  Who knows maybe they will make a fan of that beer style.  I am glad I made this trip to Portland and I am glad we went with Brewvana (thanks for showing us around.) I highly recommend this brewery.  Put a bird on it and go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Breakside Brewery Beer Flight


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When in Portland, the next stop on the beer tour was Breakside Brewery.  Breakside Brewery has very little to no history on the internet.  Here is a little something from the website called www.beerpal.com.

Breakside Brewery is the invention of Scott Lawrence and Tony Petraglia. Some
mutual friends introduced the two after learning they both had a desire to leave
their corporate jobs in order to pursue their dream of opening a brew pub. They
jumped in head first and committed their minimal financial resources and made it
happen.

We brew many of our beers in house on our 3 barrel brewery.
These beers range from classic styles to experimental concoctions. In addition
to our house beers, we offer a rotating selection of guest beers.

It is a young brewery that make some interesting beer but yet keeping the non craft beer drinker interested. Let us get into the brews.  There is a photo I took of their beer flight.

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This will go to right to left. First up is Kolsch, Wit, Dry Stout, Aztec Woodlawn IPA, IPA, and Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA.

Kolsch

It has a clear yellow color without a head on the beer.  The beer has a shunky smell to it.  The taste is a sweet carbonation slight fruity notes with a nice crisp finish.  It is an extremely drinkable beer.

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

Our new director of brewing operations Jacob Leonard has designed his first Breakside beer! We’ve made a number of kolsch-esque beers over the last few years, but they’ve all had something non-traditional about them. With this beer, Jacob takes us to the heart of true Cologne beer with an elegant and restrained interpretation, using German pils and wheat malts, and Hallertauer and Tettnanger hops.

5.1% ABV 16 IBU

Wit

This wit has a cloudy white color without a head on it.  It has a heavy yeast to lemon smell with other spices that I cannot figure out. The taste is a heavy lemon to a little wheat taste with a nice lemon aftertaste.  It is very drinkable beer.

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

Our summer seasonal is back for a six month run in our lineup! This beer is brewed in the style of the great wheat beers of Belgium. Spiced with orange peel, coriander, and chamomile, it is refreshing, slightly tart, and easy drinking.

4.4% ABV 16 IBU

Dry Stout

It is black in color without a head on it.  It has a roasted coffee smell to the beer. There is a heavy chocolate notes in the taste with a slight coffee aftertaste.

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

An Irish-style stout brewed in the tradition of Guinness. Dark in flavor but light in alcohol, this is a roasty and chocolaty beer that won’t make you feel stuffed. SILVER MEDAL, 2011 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL; BRONZE MEDAL, 2012 WORLD BEER CUP

4.2% ABV 36 IBU

Aztec Woodlawn IPA

It has cloudy dark copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a burn citrus smell to the beer.  The taste is sweet carbonation hoppy and way too many spicy to it.  It is not drinkable beer.

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

A new addition to our full-time lineup, this second IPA showcases four pungent American hops that we don’t use in our regular IPA: Newport, Amarillo, Cascade, and Chinook. It is slightly darker, more full bodied and less bitter than our flagship beer, and at under 6% ABV, it’s a hoppy beer that you can drink all day long.

5.4% ABV 49 IBU

IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a citrus to earthy smell to the beer. It has a nice citrus to piney taste with a nice dry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Our take on the classic India Pale Ale style–the favorite craft beer of the Northwest. This amber colored brew is loaded with four different types of hops during the brew day and then gets dry hopped after fermentation is complete. Our IPA has a huge citrus and pine character with a strong, but refined bitterness.

6.9% ABV 65 IBU

Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a nice copper color without a head on the beer. This beer has a nice citrus taste to it with nice dry aftertaste to it.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

The final of our fresh hop beers is a true hop explosion: it’s a wheat-based double IPA using one of our favorite aroma hops. The tropical fruit notes in this beer are wildly intoxicating.

8.4% ABV ? IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.breaksidebrews.com

Twitter:  @breaksidebrews

In closing, here is another brewery that I wish I had a little bit more time to enjoy their beers.  There are not too many Kolsch I like in the market but this one from this brewery found a way to make a good one.  I do not know what it is but American Craft Breweries find ways to mess up classic German beer styles.   I am not a huge fan of wheat beers, which I had a chance to talk to the brewmaster about it.  I can see people liking this beer.  Their Dry Stout was pretty good.  This is a beer I could find myself drinking it all day.  Hello Mass produced Dry Stouts take notes on this one because this is what your stout is supposed to taste like.  Good job on this beer!  Aztec Woodlawn IPA, I was not fan of it.  I am not a fan of chili powder or peppers in the beer.  I hate the burning down the throat but this is the new thing in the craft beer world.  There are people are looking for this beer just because I do not like this beer does not mean you will not like it.  Please go try it and let me know what you think about  this beer.  There normal IPA was pretty good.  I really enjoyed it.  Fresh Hop Citra Double IPAis a really good beer.  I wish I had more time to try some of the fresh hop beers.

Here is the beers I love to unlike:

  1. Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA
  2. IPA
  3. Dry Stout
  4. Kolsch
  5. Wit
  6. Aztec Woodlawn IPA

This is my thought pattern and it is the golden word in craft beer world.  I am just an idiot with a ton of thoughts in the world.  However, this is a really good brewery, when you are in the Portland, you need to stop in and check this brewpub out.  I will be back at Breakside Brewery in Portland.  Put a bird on it and go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Cascade Brewing


When in Portland, Brewvana took us on a little brewpub tour around Portland, Oregon.  Our first stop was Cascade Brewing.  I was pretty excited to stop here because this brewery is known for their sour beers.  In my recent years, I have become a huge sour beer fan.  Here is a little history of the brewery.  Cascade Brewing was founded in 1998 by Art Larrance, who started in beer industry in 1986 with the Bridgeport Brewery.  Cascade Brewing brews several different beer styles but they are known for their sour beers.  They have two brewpubs around the Portland city limits.  They are being sold in a few states from the West and East Coast.  There are no states in the middle of the United States where their beer is sold.  They have won some awards at the Great American Beer Festival.

Here are a few photos from their back room where they storage the beer in oak barrels:

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Here are the beers I had a chance to try while I was there:

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It has a cloudy light copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a berry smell to the beer. It is a heavy sour taste to the beer.  Sour beers are not drinkable.  The drinker will have one and have to move on unless they are slipping on them through out the night.

Here is a descriation from their website (www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com):

Noyaux 8.94% ABV

This NW style sour ale features blonds and triples that were aged on oak between 18 and 24 months, then additionally aged for 12 months on raspberries and apricot noyaux. Sweet raspberry fruit, rose petals, almond and vanillin are noticed up front. Tart raspberries, oak and a soft almond note on the tongue lead to a finish of rich, tart raspberries with lingering hints of almond and maraschino cherries.

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This beer came straight from the fernating tank.  It has went through the packaging process.  This is their Blueberry Sour beer.  I cannot remember if he had a name on it.  I do not have it on their beer list.   It has a nice blue with a violent color head.  It has a slight blueberry smell with a little sour to the beer.  It is same as the taste to the beer.  It is pretty drinkable.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.cascadebrewing.com

Twitter:  @cascadebrewing

Closing, this was a great experience to get by this brewpub.  I know the next time I am around Portland.  I will make another visit to Cascade Brewing.  I just wished I would have picked up a few bottles but I did not know if I could have got them on the train the next day to Seattle, Washington.  I will be checking on some online shops or just make a trip there.  Both of these beers are slipping beers not drinking beers.  Not many beer drinkers get this process of drinking sour beers.  They are meant to be sipped over time.  They were both very enjoyable and I wish I had time to try their other sours.  My favorite from the two I had there was their Blueberry.  Good pick Ben and Brewvana!  Go get some or put a bird on it!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser