The Return Of Maybock At Maritime Pacific

Just last week, I told you about the returning Spring seasonals from Two Beers Brewing Company.  Now I have the priviledge of informing you about a new Spring seasonal release from Maritime Pacific Brewing. 

Here's the press release from Maritime Pacific Brewing:


So if you're a fan of Spring seasonals, especially bocks, head on down to Maritime Pacific Brewing this Thursday, 4/12, and get yourself some Maybock.  Cheers!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Seattle, WA – Maritime Pacific is celebrating the return of their Spring Seasonal, Maybock, in the Jolly Roger Taproom on Thursday, April 12, 2012, starting at 5 pm. Maybock will be available in draught on April 13^th at select pubs, taverns, and alehouses throughout Seattle and Tacoma.

Maybock is a traditional Helles Bock or Maibock style lager typically brewed to mark the beginning of spring. Brewed using the finest malts from Germany and the Pacific Northwest it has a noticeably clean, toasted malt flavor and is brilliantly copper. Unlike typical European brewed Helles Bocks, Maybock is aggressively hopped giving it a more pronounced hop aroma and a pleasing bitterness that lingers just long enough. At 6.5% ABV and a modest 32 IBUs, Maybock is a perfect springtime lager best enjoyed sitting in the sun watching the cherry trees blossom.

A crowd favorite, Maybock took a year long hiatus to make way for the 2011 Seattle Beer Week beer, Decompression.  It has been developing its unique flavors and aromas for 4 weeks in the conditioning tank, as is tradition in brewing a lager.  The beer release will take place on April 12, 2012, in the Jolly Roger Taproom starting at 5 pm.  There will be special pricing on pints of Maybock so come and celebrate of the beginning of spring.

Maritime Pacific and The Jolly Roger Taproom, located near Historic Ballard, is a small, family-owned brewery featuring hearty fare as well as world-class ales and lagers. The 40 barrel brewhouse produces over 6,600 barrels per year for its taproom and for distribution throughout the Puget Sound and the Spokane area.

The Jolly Roger Taproom features eleven (11) different Maritime beers at all times with two (2) cask conditioned ales on the beer engines.  Happy Hour runs from 3 to 6 pm daily, with a great menu of food and $3 pints.  The Taproom is located at 1111 NW Ballard Way, is kid friendly, and its hours are: Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm; Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to Midnight; and Sunday from Noon to 9 pm.

Cheers!

For More Information Contact:

maritimebrewery.ypguides.net

Twitter.com/MaritimePacific

Facebook.com/pages/Maritime-Pacific-Brewery/130576053648026

Russian River Event Tomorrow At Super Deli Mart

Coming up tomorrow, March 20th, at Super Deli Mart in West Seattle is a great Russian River Brewing Company tasting event.  This will also likely be one of  the last times you'll be able to find Russian River Brewing's Pliny The Younger in Seattle this year. 

Starting at around 5:00PM, Super Deli Mart will have available the Russian River Brewing beers either on tap and/or in the bottle:

• Temptatation
• Supplication
• Consecration
• Redemption
• Salvation
• Collaboration Not Litigation
• Damnation
• Pliny The Elder
• Pliny The Younger

Tickets for this tasting event went on sale back on March 13th but sold out in minutes.  A few additional tasting tickets went on sale yesterday, March 18th, but were sold out, according to Super Deli Mart, in less than a minute!

Don't worry if you didn't get a ticket, however, because while a ticket will guarantee you a 7oz pour of Pliny The Younger and three other Russian River beers, tickets are not required - but you'd better get in line early.  Those with tickets are guaranteed schooners of Pliny The Elder, Pliny The Younger, Damnation & Sour (Temptation or Supplication). 

So if you missed Pliny The Elder during any of it's other appearances around Seattle this year, or if you're just a fan of Russian River Brewing beers, get down to Super Deli Mart tomorrow and get your fill.  I might try to stop by, but I already have two other events planned for tomorrow (overbooking myself again!), so I may not make it. 

Super Deli Mart will also have a discount on all Russian River bottles during this event, from 5:00PM - 8:00PM, so get down there and stock up!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Firestone Walker XVth Anniversary Ale TODAY At Brouwer's Cafe - UPDATED

As my regular readers know, I'm a big fan of Firestone Walker Brewing Company out of Paso Robles, CA.  My favorite beers in the World right now all come from their 'Proprietor's Reserve' series, which consists of:

• Double Jack - Firestone Walker's Imperial IPA - and my favorite Imperial IPA, period.
• Walker's Reserve Porter - With notes of toffee, caramel and bittersweet chocolate.
• Abacus - Just one of Firestone Walker's amazing and complex barleywines (Soon to be renamed §ucaba (Abacus backwards)).
• Parabola - A rich and robust stout with bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor.
• XIVth Anniversary Ale - A complex blend of six different FW beers, including Double Barrel Ale, Sticky Monkey, Parabola, Velvet Merkin, Goodfoot and Black Xanthus. Simply amazing. 

Well, I just got some great news about the next offering in the Proprietor's Reserve series.  I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale.  And now it seems my wait will be handsomely rewarded.  XVth Anniversary Ale from Firestone Walker will be on tap at Brouwer's Cafe in Seattle Today: Monday, November 14th starting at 7:00PM. 

Brouwer's also says they have another little 'surprise' in store for us on that evening, but for now they're keeping us in suspense as to what the surprise might be.  Frankly, I'm hoping they'll put on a keg of a rare beer from Firestone Walker known as 'Sticky Monkey'.  It's a beer they usually only make for blending purposes, but I was fortunate to have some on tap at Brouwer's last year after the Firestone Walker & Homebrew Chef collaboration dinner I attended back in May of this year. 

I'll also be dropping by Bottleworks in Seattle this morning, as soon as they open, to grab a few bottles of XVth Anniversary Ale.  They should also have some rare XIIIth Anniversary Ale available, so I'll grab a few of those as well.

I still have at least one bottle each of Parabola, Walker's Reserve Porter, Abacus (Soon to be renamed §ucaba), some XIVth Anniversary Ale at home.  Once I get my hands on some XVth Anniversary Ale (and some XIIIth Anniversary Ale) bottles this year, I'll have to pick up a Double Jack, have a few good friends over and have an all Firestone Walker Reserve Series tasting.  Talk about a beer-gasm!  I'll have to see what kind of menu I can come up with to accompany this incredible lineup.  My compliments to the Firestone Walker Brewmaster and to their master blenders. 

I will definitely be at Brouwer's Cafe tonight to get some XVth Anniversary Ale on tap (and, perhaps, splurge on a bottle of XIIIth Anniversary Ale as well).  Will I see you there? 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Classes, Competitions, Elections & Oktoberfest

BJCP Certification Classes:

Over the past few weeks, I've been busy cramming my head with craft beer knowledge.  The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) is about more than just tasting beer.  It also requires that you have a strong understanding of the entire brewing process for all major styles of beer, from malting grains all the way to the glass.

I've had four classes so far, covering various topics from malting and kilning grains to the mashing process, what enzymes and reactions take place at what different temperature ranges, how different water chemistry and other factors can have a major influence on the finished beer, etc. etc.  As I've been saying all along, it's a lot to learn. 

Next week we have no class due to a schedule conflict, so I'll be using it as a self-study week.  We were given a partial practice test to work on to help prepare for the real exam coming up in October, so I'll be going over that in detail next week.  Also, luckily, there have been enough cancellations that I have made it from the waiting list into the October exam.  So no matter what happens, I'll be taking my first crack at the BJCP exam this October.  I'm hoping for a score of at least 70 for my 'Certified' ranking, though I'll take a 60 if that's all I can get ('Recognized' rank).  The first few mini practice tests I've taken in class tell me that I still have a lot of studying to do.

My Fly-PA Entry Is In:

Last night, I finally dropped off my 'Summer Snob' Imperial IPA entry for the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery 'Fly-PA' competition at Larry's Brewing Supply in Kent.  I'm pretty happy with my entry.  Since bottling it for competition a couple of week back, I've been drinking it myself and sharing some with friends.  I've gotten lots of positive feedback and accolades, so I'm hoping I'll do well in the competition.  It would be great if, somehow, I managed to win & my Imperial IPA became Flying Bike's very first beer. 

At this point, I have no idea how many other entrants I'm up against, but Flying Bike has announced that the judging will be taking place this coming weekend.  So, hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the results.  Wish me luck.

There are also a few other homebrew competitions coming up soon in the area, so I may enter my IPA into more than one contest.  I bottled a few extra bottles just in case I needed more for other competition entries.  I may even bottle some of my Oktoberfest soon for a 'Novembeerfest' competition coming up in November. 

Flying Bike Board Member Elections:

Also coming up soon will be the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery Board Member elections.  I've been campaigning for a position on the Flying Bike Board of Directors, and all the candidate profiles are up for viewing on the Flying Bike website.  We're still waiting for the current Board to announce the date(s) for the election, but I'm hopeful that I will soon be a member of the Flying Bike Board of Directors.  You can also see my video appeal for your vote HERE.  Wish me luck. 

Oktoberfest Is Almost Here:

The first official day of Oktoberfest this year is September 17th.  In 1994, the schedule for Oktoberfest was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd (which is the case this year), then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). 

My regular readers know that I've had my Oktoberfest lager (the first lager beer I've ever made) conditioning in a keg in my beer fridge since June of this year.  I brewed it in early May and wanted at least a 3-month long lagering period before serving the beer.  I haven't tasted it since moving it to the conditioning keg back in June but, at that time, it tasted great and should only get better over time.

This year, I plan to do things up right by making a full, traditional German meal on September 17th.  Right now, my menu consists of Jägerschnitzel, Käsespaetzle and Red Cabbage.  I'm also considering making some German pretzels for appetizers.  To do those right, I'll have to pick up some lye.  True German pretzels are dipped in a lye solution just before baking.  It's what give them that distinctive texture and flavor that says you're enjoying a real German pretzel. 

Until then, I'll keep studying my BJCP materials, enjoying my Summer Snob Imperial IPA, and hoping for the best in both the Flying Bike Fly-PA competition and the Flying Bike Board Member elections. 

Also, don't forget, the annual Hopfest at Brouwer's Cafe starts THIS Friday, 9/9.  Don't miss it! 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

My Trip To Portland

This past weekend was my birthday; and for my birthday I wanted to continue my quest to visit several different breweries.  This time, however, I decided to leave the confines of WA, leave the motorcycle at home and head down to Portland for a day trip with my wife, Lynn. 

On the agenda was Gustav's (an excellent German restaurant in Vancouver, WA, where we stopped for lunch), Hair of the Dog Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery and Laurelwood Brewery.  I'd like to take this opportunity to again thank my wife, Lynn, for being my designated driver for this little adventure. 

Gustav's:
If you're a German food fan, Gustav's is worth the trip!  Their menu includes schnitzels, spaetzle, red cabbage, lamb shank, sauerbraten, fondue and more; it's all here and all done very well.  They also have a full selection of German beers to accomapny your meal: Hofbrau Delicator, Aktien Zwick'l Kellerbier, Spaten Munich Helles, Radeberger Pilsner, Hacker Pschorr Dunkel Weisse, Ayinger Celebrator, Paulaner Oktoberfest, etc. etc. etc. 

The Stained Glass Behind the Bar at Gustav's

In fact, they have such a great selection of German and other European beers that Gustav's owner is strongly considering opening up a separate, German style pub in Portland in the near future. 

My Radeberger Pilsner

For my first meal of the day, I opted for the veal Jaegerschnitzel with Spaetzle and a Radeberger Pilsner.  The Jaegerschnitzel was done perfectly and I've always been a fan of Spaetzle over potatoes as my side with German meals.  The Radeberger Pilsner was spot on, with the traditional German Pilsner notes of flowery/spicy hops and a nice pilsner malt character.  It was the perfect accompaniment to my meal. 

A Trip To Silver City Brewing

This past weekend we had a bit of nice weather, so I decided to jump on my motorcycle and take a trip to a brewery I hadn't had the opportunity to visit yet.  That brewery was Silver City Brewery & Restaurant in Silverdale, WA.  I could have taken the Bremerton ferry from Seattle to get to Silverdale but, since I live a bit farther South and it was a nice day for a ride, I decided to take the waterfront route along Dash Point to Tacoma and then on through Gig Harbor, Oak Harbor and Bremerton on Highway 16 and Highway 3. 

I arrived at the brewery, surrounded by fast food joints (Mickey D's, Jack in the Box, Skippers, etc.) and set adjacent to a mall with places like Kohl's and Macy's Furniture Gallery.  It was an oasis for those seeking a real brewpub (as opposed to the pale imitation that is Red Robin, just a few doors down - does that place EVER clean their tap lines?)

I took a seat at the bar and ordered an Indianola IPA.  The first sip had a bit of a 'yeasty/homebrewey' kind of taste, but it soon passed and presented a fairly well balanced IPA.  A bit on the sweet side and a bit light on the hop bite for my tastes, but as my regular readers know, I'm a serious hop-head.  It had a sweet caramel malt and floral hop aromas (subdued).  I was preparing to order some food, but learned that Silver City's happy hour is 7 days a week.  I was a bit after 2:00 and their happy hour started at 3:00, so I decided to nurse in Indianola a bit, and wait until happy hour to order food. 

The Taps At Sliver City Brewery & Restaurant

When happy hour arrived, I stepped things up on the beer side, ordering a Whoop Pass Double IPA.  This 9% deep copper colored IPA is the stronger and hoppier counterpart to Indianola.  It had a nice grapefruit/orange citrus aroma with just a bit of caramel and brown sugar type sweetness in the background.  Assertively hoppy, this is my type of beer; grapefruity and piney with just enough malt backbone to support the assertive hoppiness. 

I paired my Whoop Pass with a bowl of Silver City's Gumbo and a pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw.  Though not traditional Southern style, the gumbo was pretty good, with andouille, chicken, red peppers, onions and served over rice.  And their 'small' happy hour bowl wasn't exactly tiny (though for $5.99, it shouldn't be.  I'm used to lower prices for happy hour soup servings - but smaller portions too). 

The pulled pork sandwich with slaw was also good ($5.99 also).  Not too heavy on the BBQ sauce, which I like, but it may have almost been too light on the sauce. My first few bites were a bit on the dry side.  I find that getting the BBQ sauce to pork ratio correct for a pulled pork sandwich can be a challenge.  There are varying opinions on how much sauce is enough - how much is too much, etc.  I think the best solution would be if more restaurants started going ligher on the BBQ sauce, but including an extra side of it for those who want more.  The bun was firm but not hard and the slaw had the right amount of dressing; not too much or too little. 

Wanting to finish with something a bit lighter, I switched to Silver City's Hefewizer for my last beer.  I was preparing to use lemon in my Hefewizen, as I often do with American-style Hefe's, but I was pleased to discover that Silver City's Hefewizen, which I had never had before, was a German Style Hefe.  I don't use lemon on German style Hefewizens, so I put the lemon wedge aside and enjoyed.  They did a decent job with this one.  I've had better Hefes, but the traditional clove and banana notes were there, along with a nice wheat malt character with a medium body.  Very refreshing. 

We haven't had a whole lot of great weather so far this summer, but I hope I'll have more opportunities to visit other breweries in the state this year, so I can share my impressions with you.  I'll have to start figuring out which brewery I'll visit next.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

The 33rd Annual NHC Starts Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the kick off for the 33rd annual National Homebrew Conference (NHC) in San Diego, CA.  I wasn't able to make it to this year's conference, but for those who can, there's a lot going on.

Happening right now are a bunch of pre-conference activities, including:

• Brewery tours
• Beer pairing breakfast
• Beer pairing dinner
• 30th St. pub crawl
• Hornblower afternoon beer cruise
• Golf at Riverwalk Golf Course

For details on these and other pre-conference events, take a look HERE.

There's also a Pro-Brewer's night, which offers attendees a private beer festival within the conference with 1800 of their closest homebrewing friends, clubmates, and professional brewers from across the country. This year, there’s also a pro-am competition taking place. Just to add to the fun!  The theme for this year's Pro-Brewer's night is Fun in the Summertime (Now, if only we could get a little Summer here in Seattle!) 

See HERE for a complete list of participating breweries for Pro-Brewer's night. 

Do you belong to a homebrew club?  The Club Night is for you.  You can attend just for fun, or get a booth for your homebrew club.  You can sign up for a booth space by contacting Roger Morrissey at ClubNight2011@seven4.com, and provide him with the following information:

• Club name, city and state
• Contact person’s name, email and phone number
• Do you need power?
• Do you need more than 10 ft x 10 ft space?
• Do you want to share a space?
• Do you need a table?
• Approximately how many beers will you have on tap and/or in bottles?
• Approximately how many members are coming from your club?
• Are there any clubs that you want or do not want to be situated beside your booth?

See HERE for the complete list of participating clubs. 

You can also drop by the Hospitality Suite to sample homebrews, talk with suppliers, etc.  The HS moves poolside after the conference's evening events.  You can look HERE for a list of participating clubs. 

I have some friends in San Diego now having fun.  I'll have to try and make sure I can join then for next year's fun.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Firestone Walker & The Homebrew Chef Collaboration Beer Dinner at Brouwer's Cafe

Last night, Monday, May 23rd was, for me, the highlight of Seattle Beer Week.  My wife and I attended the Firestone Walker & The Homebrew Chef Collaboration Beer Dinner at Brouwer's Cafe.  This was a 10-Course dinner, paired with 12 different Firestone Walker Beers and beer creations.  Brouwer's Cafe closed at 3:00PM to prepare for this special event, and the doors opened for ticket holders shortly after 6:00PM. 

As we were brought in and seated, servers came around to present us with our 'Reception Beer': Firestone Walker's Union Jack IPA on Cask.  Other than Brouwer's few booths, most of the seating for the dinner was at long tables.  So we enjoyed our Union Jack as we introduced ourselves to the other attendees at our table and marveled at the menu for the evening, which was laid out in front of us on large, beautiful menu sheets.

As we were finishing up our Union Jack, Matt Bonney (Owner of Brouwer's Cafe), Sean Paxton and David Walker (Owner of Firestone Walker Brewing Company) came out to welcome us all and to tell us a bit about the evening we were about to experience. 

Course 1:

The first course for our dinner consisted of Cajun Prawns.  These were prawns, brined in Firestone Walker's Pale 31, dusted with Creole spices, coated in a Pale 31 beer batter, coated in shaved coconut, fried crispy sweet and served with apricot DBA mustard sauce.  This was paired with a Firestone Walker Solace - a Summer Wheat beer. 

I'm sure many of you have had coconut prawns as an apetizer at one time or another.  These... were nothing like that.  The succulence of the prawns was easily apparent due to the Pale 31 brining, and the subtle yet slightly spicy Creole spices came through beautifully in contrast with the apricot DBA mustard sauce. 

Intended as a light opening course, it paired perfectly with Firestone Walker's Solace, whose citrusy/fruity notes and clean finish complimented the prawns without obscuring the flavors. 

The Washington Brewer's Festival Is Coming Up Fast

Not that I want to distract you from Seattle Beer Week, which starts in just two days, but the 2011 Washington Brewer's Festival is approaching.  It happens in Saint Edwards State Park (14445 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore, WA) on Father's Day weekend, June 17-19. 

This three day event is a fundraiser for the Washigton Beer Commission, which represents all of the breweries in Washington State (over 100+ & counting), and works to ensure that Washington beers are made, as much as possible, from Washington ingredients to support our states brewing and agricultural industries. 

You can go HERE to get advance tickets.  The prices are:

Friday:
Advance/Door $15
4:00PM - 9:00PM

Saturday:
Advance $20 Door $25
11:00AM - 9:00PM

Sunday:Advance $20 Door $25
11:00AM - 6:00PM

Prices include a taster glass and beer tickets (4 for the Friday session - 6 for the Saturday or Sunday sessions).  All attendees must be 21 or over - no children or pets allowed.  Go HERE for further details. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Cooper's Alehouse IPA Fest is Happening Now

If you're an IPA fan, you need to get down to Cooper's Alehouse.  Going right now is their 9th Annual IPA Fest, with over 66 different IPAs being rotated on their taps through April 29th.  You can simply order pints or, a better deal is 4 8oz tastes for $8 and change. 

Things kicked off on Friday, April 8th, and I managed to make it down for a few 8oz samplers:

Anderson Valley Hop Ottin IPA - Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, CA).
Aroma - A nice floral, citrusy (grapefruit) and piney type hop aroma.  Subdued carmel malt aroma in the background.

Appearance - Clear (not cloudy), with a brilliant copper/orange hue.  Foamy head with medium head retention and good lacing throughout. 

Flavor - A citrusy/piney hop flavor dominates, and the hop bitterness sticks around to the aftertaste.  This is balanced well with a touch caramel sweetness of malt, but the hops clearly dominate here. 

Mouthfeel - A light to medium body with light carbonation (still acceptable for the style). There is no astringency and the beer finishes clean with a slightly creamy feel. 

Overall Impression - A well balanced IPA with an emphasis on floral/citrusy/piney hop aromas and flavors.  This is one of my personal favorite IPA's. 

Avery Dugana Double IPA - Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, CO).
Aroma - Citrus hop aroma is the first thing noticed, with slight/subdued peach/apricot-like aromas.  Very pleasant.

Appearance - Clear with a very light copperish color.  Poured with a good head, but the head faded quickly and left only some lacing (low head retention). 

Flavor - Very prominent piney hop bite followed closely by Earthy malt undertones.  The piney and slighly fruity hop flavor lindegers through to the aftertaste with a slight bite. Little to no sweetness aparent. 

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with some slight alcohol warming and definite hop aggressiveness.  Good/appropriate level of carbonation with a hop bite that sticks around. 

Overall Impression - I had never heard of Dugana before this IPA Fest.  Like most others, I had heard of Avery's Maharaja (which is antoher very good IPA), but not Dugana.  It is a solid double IPA, but lacks enough malty sweetness to fully balance out the aggressiveness of the hops.  Regardless, this was my second favorite IPA of the day. 

Black Raven Wisdom Seeker - Black Raven Brewing Company (Redmond, WA).
Aroma - Grapefruit, orange and some pine notes dominate the nose with a slight carmel malt sweetness in the background. 

Appearance - Light golden hue with good/appropriate level of carbonation.  Poured with a good head that stuck around fairly well and left good lacing (Good head retention). 

Flavor - Piney and citrusy (grapefruit/orange), very well balanced with a moderately prominent carmel malt sweetness.  Finishes clean with just a slight citrus hop aftertaste (still balanced with the malty sweetness). 

Mouthfeel - Medium body with slight alcohol warming.  Complex with the fruity/piney/carmel flavors balancing well. 

Overall Impression - Probably the best balanced IPA I had today.  Appropriately hoppy in the nose and on the front end taste, but so well balanced with the malt sweetness - while not diminishing the hop character.  My favorite of the day. 

Boundary Bay Cask IPA - Boundary Bay Brewing Company (Bellingham, WA).
Aroma - Fruity/citrusy hop nose is present, but is subdued by too much yeast aroma and some minor carmel malt sweetness. 

Appearance - Light brown mud.  Clearly the cask was either agitated and/or had too much trub left over.  Even my glass had a VERY noticeable (1/8" or more) layer of trub on the bottom of my glass.  Far too much yeast still in suspension.  This adversely affected head retentiton as well, which was poor. 

Flavor - Some citrus and very slight pine hop flavors are present, but again subdued by the presence of too much yeast still in suspention. 

Mouthfeel - Thick.  Unpleasant.  Poor carbonation level.  Needed lots of water to cleanse my palate of yeast before continuing. 

Overall Impression - Unfortunate.  I've had this beer before in better conditions.  I think this may have been a bad cask or poorly handled (over-agitated).  Not reccommended for this IPA Fest. 

Bridgeport Hop Czar - Bridgeport Brewing Company (Portland, OR). 
Aroma - Slighthtly sour and musty.  Not appropriate at all.  Suspect an issue.  Clearly apparent vinegar in the aroma as the beer warmed up. 

Appearance - Almost cider-like.  Extremely cloudy with a color similar to dark brown apple cider.  Poor head retention. 

Flavor - Sour/spoiled.  Subsequent sips revealed a slight vinegar taste. 

Mouthfeel - Astringent.  Thick.  Not inviting. 

Overall Impression - This was clearly a 'bad' keg.  I had one of the staff at Coopers taste it as well - and it was immediately pulled from the taps.  I beleive they may have had another keg to put on later - but I never got a chance to try it.  They 'replaced' this beer for me - and my selection was Hop Ottin IPA (Above). 

As you can see, I had a few unfortunate pours in my tasting flight.  Between Hop Ottin, Dugana & Wisdom Seeker, however, I was still a very happy IPA drinker.  I wasn't able to make it back to Cooper's on Saturday, but I did make it back for a few more on Sunday.  I'll be writing up my tasting notes for the other beers I had that day in a later post (later today or tomorrow). 

For now, here is the complete list of all IPAs that either have been on tap, are on tap now or will be on tap during Cooper's IPA Fest:

First Class IPA - Airways Brewing Company (Kent, WA)
Sky Hag IPA - Airways Brewing Company (Kent, WA)
Anacortes IPA - Anacortes Brewing Company (Anacortes, WA)
Hop Ottin IPA - Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, CA)
Dugana Double IPA - Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, CO)
Maharaja Imperial IPA - Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, CO)
Racer 5 IPA - Bear Republic Brewing Company (Healdsburg, CA)
Big Al's IPA - Big Al Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Bridgeport IPA - Bridgeport Brewing Company (Portland, OR)
Bridgeport Hop Czar - Bridgeport Brewing Company (Portland, OR)
Single Wide IPA - Boulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, MO)
Boundary Bay CASK IPA - Boundary Bay Brewing Company (Bellingham, WA)
Boundary Bay IPA - Boundary Bay Brewing Company (Bellingham, WA)
Trickster IPA - Black Raven Brewing Company (Redmond, WA)
Wisdom Seeker - Black Raven Brewing Company (Redmond, WA)
Iversion IPA - Deschutes Brewing Company (Bend, OR)
Hop Henge 'Experimental' IPA - Deschutes Brewing Company (Bend, OR)
Hop Lava - Double Mountain Brewing Company (Hood River, OR)
Hop Lava CASK - Double Mountain Brewing Company (Hood River, OR)
Diamond Knot IPA - Diamond Knot Brewing Company (Mukilteo, WA)
Diamond Knot XIPA - Diamond Knot Brewing Company (Mukilteo, WA)
Diamond Knot Industrial IPA - Diamond Knot Brewing Company (Mukilteo, WA)
Shipwreck - Diamond Knot Brewing Company (Mukilteo, WA)
Dick's IPA - Dick's Brewing Company (Centralia, WA)
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA - Dogfish Head Brewing Company (Milton, DE)
Earth Thirst - Eel River Brewing Company (Scotia, CA)
The Immortal IPA - Elysian Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Double Jack - Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, CA)
Interurban IPA - Fremont Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Lucille IPA - Georgetown IPA (Seattle, WA)
Glacier Brewhouse IPA - Glacier Brewing Company (Anchorage, AK)
Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, CO)
Titan IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, CO)
Green Flash West Coast IPA - Green Flash Brewing Company (Vista, CA)
Green Flash Imperial IPA - Green Flash Brewing Company (Vista, CA)
Supergoose IPA - Hale's Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Point Defiance IPA - Harmon Brewing Company (Tacoma, WA)
Iron Horse IPA - Iron Horse Brewing Company (Ellensburg, WA)
Lagunitas IPA - Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA)
Lagunitas Maximus Imperial IPA - Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA)
Hopworks Organic IPA - Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland, OR)
Lompoc Centennial IPA - Lompoc Brewing Company (Portland, OR)
Hop Monkey IPA - Laurelwood Brewing Company (Portland, OR)
Workhorse IPA - Laurelwood Brewing Company (Portland, OR)
Lazy Boy IPA - Lazy Boy Brewing Company (Everett, WA)
Alpha Dog IPA - Laughing Dog Brewing Company (Ponderay, ID)
Devil Dog Imperial IPA - Laghing Dog Brewing Company (Ponderay, ID)
Maritime Pacific Imperial IPA - Maritime Pacific Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Nectar IPA - (Contract brew from Firestone Walker - Paso Robles, CA)
Ranger IPA - New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO)
Tricerahops - Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, OR)
Total Domination IPA - Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, OR)
Pike Double IPA - Pike Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Wipeout IPA - Port Brewing Company/Lost Abbey (San Marcos, CA)
Rogue XS Imperial IPA - Rogue Brewing Company (Newport, OR)
Pliny The Elder - Russian River Brewing Company (Santa Rosa, CA)
3 Grid IPA - Schooner Exact Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Chico, CA)
Southern Tier XIPA - Southern Tier Brewing Company (Lakewood, NY)
Wildcat IPA - Snoqualmie Brewing Company (Snoqualmie, WA)
Indianola Pale Ale - Sliver City Brewing Company (Silverdale, WA)
Whoop Pass Double IPA - Silver City Brewing Company (Silverdale, WA)
The Gospel IPA - Skagit River Brewing Company (Bellingham, WA)
Ruination IPA - Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, CA)
Evolution IPA - Two Beers Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)
Hop Wallop - Victory Brewing Company (Downington, PA)

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

My Experience At Brouwer's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival

Yesterday I attended Brouwer's Cafe's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival. It was packed to the gills, as usual, but I made sure I got there early. I know from past experience how fast Brouwer's can fill up during Hard Liver. It's a good thing I did too because, even in the pouring rain, the event, which started at 11:00AM, already had nearly 20 people in line by 9:30AM! I guess next year, I need to get there even earlier.

When the doors opened, they only let a few people trickle in at a time. Brouwer's is usually already 3/4 or more full when the doors open for Hard Liver. This is because of the judges, who arrive and begin their judging around 9:00AM. So, seating can be slim pickings for the general public once the doors open.

Once I made it in the door, just a few minutes after 11:00AM, I spotted a single open seat at the bar. I was attending this year's Hard Liver alone, since the two people who were going to attend with me had to cancel. So I made a beeline for the bar seat, praying that it's occupant wasn't just in the bathroom. But no; I was in luck! I got the LAST bar seat, and within minutes they stopped letting people in from the line outside. They would have to keep waiting out in the pouring rain until some of the judges or other patrons started leaving. For me that definitely wouldn't be anytime soon.

After getting settled at the bar, I began looking over the tap list, and writing down the tap numbers for those I wanted to try on the tasting note sheet I'd brought with me. I usually bring my own paper for tasting notes, since the tap list provides very little space for note taking.

Here are my impressions for each barleywine I was able to try (in alphabetical order):

Anderson Vallley Horn of the Beer '09 - Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA:
-Excellent head retention and lacing throughout.
-Light/Clear amber color.
-Light hop nose.
-Excellent balance - just a bit on the hoppy/bitter side.
-Very smooth and full bodied.

Big Time Bill's Bearded Wonderfulness '09 - Big Time Brewing Company, Seattle, WA:

-Medium head retention. Light lacing.

-Medium amber color.

-Flowery hop nose.

-Nicely hoppy. Good bitterness but still well balanced.

(Note: Big Time's barleywine is usually called 'Old Wooly'. This year was a bit special, since Bill Jenkins is leaving as head brewer at Big Time this month.)

Black Raven Old Birdbrain '09 - Black Raven Brewing Company, Redmond, WA:

-Poor head retention. No lacing.

-Light amber color.

-Hoppy but also sour nose.

-Slightly sour/winey/cidery.

-Not very hoppy.

-Light body.

Dick's '05 - Dick's Brewing Company, Centralia, WA:

-Decent head retention. Some lacing.

-Amber color.

-Very light nose.

-Slightly sour/puckering (a bit cidery).

-Slight warming.

Dogfish Old School '10 - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE:

-Poor head retention. Slight lacing.

-Very light amber color.

-Winey/cidery & slightly astringent.

-Not hoppy.

Firestone Abacus '11 - Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, CA:

-Decent head retention and lacing.

-Deep amber color.

-Woody/malty nose.

-Caramel and very pleasant light cognac notes.

-Not very hoppy.

Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws '10 - Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Portland, OR:

-Poor head retention. Almost no lacing.

-Medium dark amber color.

-Slightly fruity nose.

-Slightly fruity/sweet.

-Very light hops/bittering.

-Slight cognac notes.

Lagunitas Gnarleywine '10 - Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA:
-Good head retention and lacing.
-Light amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Good balance.
-Slightly husky/grainy.

Marin Old Dipsea '10 - Marin Brewing Company, Larkspur, CA:
-Medium head retention. Decent lacing.
-Dark amber color.
-Slightly cidery nose.
-Pleasant Belgian and bananna notes. Estery/fruity.
-Not very hoppy / slightly sweet.

Moylan's Old Blarney '10 - Moylan's Brewing Company, Novato, CA:
-Medium head retention. Some lacing.
-Amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Nice hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slighgtly astringent.
-Slight warming.

Ninkasi Critical Hit '10 - Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, OR:
-Good head retention. Nice lacing.
-Medium amber color.
-Very light nose.
-Medium hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slightly 'grapey' (not quite winey).
-Slight warming.

North Coast Old Stock Ale '10 - North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA:

-Good head retention. Nice lacing.

-Medium amber color.

-Light body.

-Slight 'band aid' flavor (Phenolic).

-Not very hoppy.

Speakeasy Old Godfather '09 - Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, San Francisco, CA:
-Medium head retention. Some lacing.
-Medium amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Good hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slight cognac notes. Very pleasant.
(Note: I had this one at Beveridge Place Pub's Barleywine Bacchanal. It was one of my favorites from that fest. so I decided to have a little more!)

Victory Old Horizontal '10 - Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA:
-Excellent head retention and lacing.
-Very good balance.
-Good hop flavor.
-Slight musty 'old sock' flavor (undesirable).

Out of the nearly 60 barleywines Brouwer's had on tap yesterday, I was able to try 14 of them. Not too shabby. My favorite from the ones I tried was Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer '09. It was exceptionally smooth and well balanced, and very easy to drnik. I'd have to give my personal 2nd and 3rd places to Speakeasy Old Godfather for #2 and Firestone Abacus '11 for #3.

The official winners of the festival, as announced at Brouwer's at around 2:00PM, were:
1. Anacortes Old Sebastes '10 - Anacortes Brewery, Anacortes, WA.
2. Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer '09 - Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA.
3. Glacier Brew House Old Woody '10 - Glacier Brewhouse, Anchorage, AK.

Unfortunately, by the time the winners were announced, I'd already just about had my fill. So, I was only able to try one out of the three 'official' winners, but I'm OK with that. The festival was an amazing experience, as always, and I got to try some truly World Class barleywines.

So, if you're local to Seattle or can get here in mid to late march next year, I urge you to check out the annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival at Brouwer's Cafe. You won't regret it! Just be prepared to get in line early or to have to wait a bit before you can get in.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

BJCP Education

Early today, I downloaded and have been looking over the BJCP Beer Exam Study Guide. It's loaded full of great information including information about the BJCP exam, the BJCP point earning experience and schedule, the beer evaluation and judging process, etc. It even includes extreme detail on all the ingredients used in brewing as well as an outline of the entire brewing process.

Remember in my prevous post how I'd said I wanted my tasting notes to be more precise, consistent and accurate? Well, here is just a short list of some of the terms/tastes I'll be learning to eavluate as part of the BCJP program. This is an overview of the most important beer flavors and flavor flaws that BJCP judges will encounter when judging:

Acetaldehyde:

Has the taste/aroma of fresh cut green apples (also compared to grass, green leaves and even latex paint).

Alcoholic:

A spicy or vinous character in the aroma and taste - often accompanied by a warm or prickly mouthfeel.

Astrigency:

Gives a mouth-puckering sensation, similar to chewing on grape skins or grape seeds.

Bitterness:

'Excessive' bitterness (above desired) is usually perceived as a harsh, dry taste, and is uaually due to over-hopping a beer.

Body:

The 'fullness' or viscosity of the beer on the tongue/palate. Can range from watery to satiating or even thick. Body is a component of 'mouthfeel'.

Dicetyl:

Responsible for an artificial butter, butterscotch or toffee-like aroma and taste. Can also produce a 'slick' feel on the palate. Dicetyl is extremely difficult to percieve as a taster - and a significant number of tasters simply cannot taste dicetyl.

DMS (Dimethyl-sulfide):

Gives the aroma and taste of cooked vegetables (especially corn, celery, cabbage or parsnips). May be reminiscent of shellfish or water shrimp has been boiled in at extreme levels.

Estery/Fruity:

Remeniscent of banannas, strawberries, pears, apples, plums, papaya and/or other fruits.

Grassy:

With a flavor and aroma a freshly cut grass or green leaves.

Head Retention:

Head rentention is the measure of how well a beer holds it's head after being poured. It is measured in terms of the time it takes for the head to collapse to half of it's initial height (should be at least a minute in well-brewed beers).

Husky/Grainy:

With an aroma and/or taste of the flavor of spent grains.

Lightstruck/Skunky:

The 'skunky' scent is due to the presence of the very same mercaptans that are found in the scent glands of skunks. You may have heard that light is the natual enemy of beer(?) Believe it. Light is what causes skunky beer.

Musty:

Musty flavors or generally not desirable, but may be found in some cellared beer styles like Biere de Garde.

Paper/Cardboard:

A papery/cardboard like flavor or aroma are never appropriate - can be a common flaw in many old commercial beers.

Phenolic:

Has an aroma/taste often compared to Band-Aids (tm), medicine chst of disinfectant. Generally never desirable except for a clove-like, vanilla-like or smoky flavors in Bavarian wheat beers and some Belgian ales.

Sherry-Like:

Like the aroma/taste of dry sherry, often accompanied by hazlenut or almond notes. One of the very few positive flavors attributed to oxidation.

Solvent-Like:

An aroma/taste similar to turpentine or acetone - often accompanied by a burning sensation in the back of the mouth.

Sour/Acidic:

High levels of sour or acidic flavors can indicate an sanitation problem, but they are an important part of styles like lambics, Berliner Weiss styles and some Belgian White beers.

Sulfury/Yeasty:

Not to be confused with DMS (See above), with the aroma and taste of rotten eggs, shrimp or rubber.

Sweet:

The appropriate level of sweetness in any beer is dependent on the style. Refer to BJCP Style Guidelines.

Having read over the basics of all of these flavors/flavor flaws, I see several I could have applied to the tastes I experienced at the Barleywine Bacchanal.

In fact, I'm heading back there tonight with my wife to try out a few more and enjoy a few vertical tastings they'll have on tonight (A 'Vertical tasting' is when a single beer is sampled over several, often consecutive, years of production). So if I'm feeling bold, I might try my hand at using a few of these terms to describe the barleywines I'll be trying out tonight.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!