Category: Beer and Spirits

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NON-WINE HOLIDAY GIFT SUGGESTIONS, PART 2: FIRESTONE WALKER “ROSALIE”

Wine aged in whiskey barrels, whiskey aged in wine barrels, beer aged in wine barrels, beer brewed with various fruits or other flavorings – so maybe beer brewed using wine grapes isn’t as unusual as my first reaction suggested?

Enter Rosalie. Paso Robles brewer Firestone Walker calls it “Beer Rosé”. Co-fermented with local wine grapes. In a way, this brew recalls the Firestone family’s history as winemakers in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley. 

The journey to Rosalie began September, 2018 when nearby Castoro Winery harvested 200 tons of wine grapes for the brewery, including 100 tons of chardonnay and smaller lots of viognier, sauvignon blanc, riesling, muscat canelli and orange muscat. After the grapes were pressed, the juice was delivered to the brewery ready for co-fermentation.

Brewmaster Matt Brynildson says creating Rosalie required much experimentation to get the desired result. The wort was made with a light pilsner malt and a judicious amount of hops (the resulting beer clocks in at only 10 IBU). Brynildson said the chardonnay provides appealing textures and flavors, while the other varieties lift the aromas and add complexity. The final recipe includes hibiscus flowers in the whirlpool to create the beer’s brilliant rosé color (and add a bit of balancing acidity). 

That attractive color is then followed by aromas of red berries and a suggestion of the wine grape acidity to come. Bright fruit flavors of strawberry and tart cherry glide across the palate with a refreshing, crisp dryness. And keep in mind, since this is a beer at its base, ultimately it is more akin to a sparkling rosé, than a table wine rosé.

Rosalie is available in six packs of 12 ounce slim cans ($9) at 5% ABV and is an ideal beer/wine for the holidays, especially if you want a rosé.

And if you are in the Denver area during the holidays, I suggest stopping by Liberati Restaurant and Brewery in Denver’s Five Points area just north of downtown. Its founder, Alex Liberati, was born and raised in Rome and owned a brewery and a pub there before moving to (of all places) Denver two years ago to open Liberati – what he describes as the only brewery in the world devoted to the exploration of Oenobeers.

He describes “Oenobeer” as a beer/wine hybrid with each beer using a different wine grape in its fermentation. And, while wine/ beer hybrids have been experimented with for at least the last several decades, Liberati claims to be the only brewery in the world solely dedicated to this type of beer. 

The location includes an osteria with the food prepared by Italian chef friends who joined him on this adventure in Colorado. Needless to say, the emphasis is on authentic Italian dishes with many ingredients made made in-house. 

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NON-WINE HOLIDAY GIFT SUGGESTIONS, PART 1: DIXIE SOUTHERN VODKA

Dixie Southern Vodka, an independent, craft distiller established in 2014 in Charleston, South Carolina, recently entered the Colorado market and I was pleased earlier this year to have an opportunity to sample its products with founder Matti Anttila at Denver’s Tupelo Honey Cafe. 

Mr. Antilla told me Dixie Southern Vodka is distilled six-times from American grown corn. He produces six 80-proof vodkas: the flagship Southern Vodka, Black Pepper, Citrus, Mint, Peach, and Wildflower Honey, with ingredients sourced from collaborative growing partners across the Southeast. Importantly, the flavor ingredients for several of these vodkas are obtained through collaboration from small, independent southern producers. 

They were a clean, flavorful and smooth. Typically, prices run about $23 per bottle. My favorite – a surprise to me- was the Black Pepper.

Dixie also is a member of 1% for the Planet, which means they have committed to donating at least 1% of sales to support local organizations across the country working together to protect the future of our planet. The current focus is bees, with donations to Charleston-based The Bee Cause, which provides observation hives to educate people about the importance of bees. They also have made donations for hives by other organizations across the country. This has included working with the Montzeuma Land Conservancy in Southwestern Colorado’s Four Corners area.

These vodkas shine in cocktails like Tupelo Honey’s “Wildflower Moscow Mule”, made with Dixie Wildflower Honey Vodka and “Madame Beauregarde” Martini, featuring Dixie Southern Vodka, St. Germaine liqueur, blueberry, basil, and orange. 

Mr. Anttila was proud that Dixie is a fast-growing brand nationally. After this tasting, I can see why. These vodkas would be an excellent gift for any of your vodka-loving friends. And while you are at the liquor store, pick up one (or more) bottles for yourself.

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SAMUEL ADAMS AUTUMN SEASONALS

We’re well into fall and quickly approaching the holiday season. And the brewers at Samuel Adams have brewed up a six-pack of seasonals I am confident you will enjoy. Herewith reviews and recommendations:

 

Samuel Adams Octoberfest (5.3% ABV 16 IBU)

Octoberfest celebrations may be in your rear window but this fine Märzen style beer should still be in your front seat (that’s a metaphor; I don’t mean of your actual car). It is a pleasant, easy drinking, deep red amber brew with malt and wheat tones. It’s Tettnang Tettnanger, Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops tread lightly, while and its malts – Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Munich-10, Samuel Adams Octoberfest malt, and Caramel 60 – dominate providing a smooth palate and finish.

 

Samuel Adams Harvest Hefe (5.4% ABV 14 IBU)

This deep golden beer uses Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend and White Wheat with Hallertau Mittelfrueh and Spalt Spalter Noble hops to achieve a malty profile with a touch of caramel followed by spicy citrusy and lightly earthy qualities that finish fairly dry with some bitterness. It puts a seasonal twist on a traditional hefeweizen with the addition of warming fall flavors. Aromatic notes of cinnamon and nutmeg complement the slightly sweet and clove flavors characteristic of the style, making for a bright, spiced beer.

 

Samuel Adams 20 Pounds Of Pumpkin (5.7% ABV 14 IBU)

Dark reddish amber in color, this one begins with Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, Special B, and smoked malt, which presumably is responsible for the malty flavors that compliment a mildly fruity beer. I don’t pick up the East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops but they likely are what lift this nice drink to excellence, ending with a very spicy finish. Critically, it is brewed with real pumpkin – about 20 lbs. of it per barrel – and a blend of classic pumpkin pie spices – clove, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. It yields a rich pumpkin pie taste (not sweet, though) accented with those brown spices.

 

Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen (5.1% ABV 13 IBU)

This amber wheat beer (pretty dark amber brown color) combines the spicy, fruity flavors of a traditional Hefeweizen with the sweet, toffee-like notes of roasted malt. Chinook hops compliment Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Wheat, Dehusked Carafa malt varieties. Aromas of creamy caramel and cardamon anticipate similarly spicy flavors with a creamy texture and a crisp finish.

 

Samuel Adams Honey Rye Pale Ale (5.8% ABV 33 IBU)

With a base of Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Rye Malt, Honey Malt and Simcoe, Cascade, Ella hop varieties, this deep amber drink satisfies with peppery, creamy, malty aromas and a light, crisp, citrusy palate finishing with a slightly bitter herb (maybe from the rye?) finish.

 

Samuel Adams Maple Red Ale (6.3% ABV 18 IBU)

A smooth, rich maple character (Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Special B, Naked Oats malt varieties) rounds out this deep red beverage’s hints of malt, pine and vanilla. With a fresh impact, more mapley malt and pine, leading into a spicy, crisp ending. Chinook hop varieties add a note of complexity.

 

So, pick up a mixed six pack including each beer or maybe six six packs, one of each beer. They’re a fine way to ease into the colder weather of the season.

NOTE: Featured image is courtesy of Samuel Adams.

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BLUME HONEY WATER COMES TO DENVER

Readers of this blog know my focus here is on wine. Occasionally I write about travel and more recently about beer. I seldom write about spirits and have never written about water. I’m making an exception here for Blume Honey Water.

I recently attended a media preview event featuring the waters at Bittersweet restaurant in Denver’s West Washington Park neighborhood. The restaurant did a fine job showcasing the waters in several cocktails and pairing them with three courses including cured wild trout, lamb bratwurst and a honey almond cake. Bar manger Nicholas Wermling described the challenge he faced in using the flavored waters in creating the cocktails.

Eiher Nick is a great bartender or Blume Honey Water is an unexpectedly successful cocktail mixer. I suspect both are true. Just read these recipes:

Blume-Me-Away: Ketel One vodka, Blume Blueberry Honey Water, St. Germain, blueberry jam, mint syrup

Bee Sting: Michter’s Rye, Blume Ginger Zest Honey Water, Nina amaro, lemon, ginger syrup, olive oil, activated carbon, egg white

Pollinator Punch: Centenario reposado, J.M. Rhum Agricole, Blume Vanilla Citrus Honey Water, orange juice, heavy cream, cinnamon-vanilla-almond syrup, bee pollen

Apart from its value as an ingredient in cocktails, the original purpose of Blume Honey Water is hydration. Co-founder Michele Meloy Burchfield, who previously spent nearly 15 years helping the Boston Beer Co. helping to build the Samuel Adams brand, pointed to a long history of honey water as a hydrating fuel, even back to the times of ancient Greece.

Co-founder Carla Frank expressed their excitement at bringing Blume Honey Water to Colorado. With previous experience in helping to launch Oprah Winfrey’s “O” magazine and time at Cooking Light and Glamour Italy, she said the waters currently are available in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. They hope to make the waters available in grocery stores, specialty food shops, coffee shops, and health clubs across the Front Range. Los Angeles will be next.

Burchfield said she and Frank spent two years studying bees, honey and its benefits, and experimenting with different ingredients and recipes in their kitchens. They are committed to making sure the waters are made with 100% bee-friendly, pure honey accented with only real fruits, herbs and spices. Working with local beekeepers, they even use a proprietary honey blend to avoid single sourcing and work only with the most passionately humane honey producers.

Such a producer is Highland Honey in Longmont. Beekeeper Tim Brod also spoke to us and it was obvious to me he has a passion for his work and the bees. Authenticity is critical, he said, which is why the honey is 100% raw and unfiltered.

The three flavors of Blume Honey Water – Wild Blueberry, Ginger Zest, and Vanilla Citrus – are light, aromatic and flavorful. They are an ideal alternative to the trendy overly sweetened, artificial drinks that today crowd the hydration/energy drink market.

All three Blume Honey Water flavors are sold in individual 10 FL oz. bottles for a suggested retail price of $2.49 each.

Get more information at https://www.blumehoneywater.com and https://highlandbees.com.

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BOULDER BASED COMPANY COLLABORATES ON CHOCOLATE BREWS

 

Boulder’s Cholaca, founded in 2012 by Ira Leibtag, produces a pure liquid cacao (mixed with coconut sugar) that is ideal for use in making hot cocoa, mocha drinks, baked goods, and … beer. In fact, Cholaca is used in chocolate beers by Oskar Blues, FATE, Fort Collins, Zwei, Big Choice, Copper Kettle, Coopersmiths, Crazy Mountain, and now Breckenridge.

 

I attended a tasting yesterday of Breckenridge’s new seasonal Nitro “Chocolate Orange Stout” (13 IBU, 6% ABV) brewed with Cholaca, orange zest and Mandarina hops. The finished product successfully conveys its components in a velvety texture with a creamy nitrogen head. I also will pair well with a variety of foods, especially roasted meats.

 

 

As a bonus, Cholaca is made with organic, fair trade chocolate from Peru and Ecuador that is vegan, gluten free and dairy free with no preservatives, emulsifiers or additives. I can see why breweries delight in using it for their chocolate brews. It’s easy to use, is available in different levels of sweetness, and is pure.

Cholaca is available for order at www.cholaca.com.

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MEDIA TOUR DURING 2017 GABF SHOWCASES NEW GREAT DIVIDE BREWERY

When Great Divide Brewing Co. was founded in 1994, there were 537 craft breweries in the nation, according to the Brewers Association. Today, there are nearly 5000 nationally and around 350 in Colorado alone. With the explosion of craft brewing in recent years, there have been a lot of changes in the industry, with many start ups failing and many others growing so successful they have become bait for multinational buyouts.

Some, however, like Great Divide, have grown and continue to be successful, while staying independent. Last year, they opened a new production facility just a mile north in Denver’s burgeoning RiNo neighborhood that will enable the brewery to eventually increase production from the current 37,00 barrels to potentially 400,000 barrels.

 

During the recent Great American Beer Festival (GABF), I joined a tour for the media of the new facility. Of course, we began with a tasting of a few current releases:

 

  • Yeti Nitro – I loved the roasted, rich malted and toffee of this Imperial Stout, a multiple GABF award winner
  • Barrel Aged Hibernation – an English Style Old Ale aged in whiskey barrels, this powerful brew was loaded with creamy, orange, caramel, coffee and molasses
  • Twenty-Second Anniversary Dark American Sour Ale – actually a blend of Hoss Oktoberfest Lager and Collette Farmhouse Ale aged in wine barrels, it is quite fruity and tangy, with lime, orange, and cherry notes while drinking firm, and intense
  • Denver Pale Ale – recently reformulated from more of a classic English style to more of a bold American style; now in cans, the package will feature a new artist each year

 

The new facility is impressive indeed and there are plans for a second phase of expansion on the property. Throughout its 22 years, Great Divide has been a Denver favorite and they seem to be making all the right moves. I’m rooting for their continued success.

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GABF 2016: Samuel Adams Beer Brunch

Each year at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) the Samuel Adams Brunch is one of the most popular events. In addition to being the largest craft brewer, the brunch affords attendees the opportunity to have tastes of new releases.

 

This year that was:

 

  • Fresh as Helles, a seasonal hellles lager, a smooth drink showing pleasant citrus and orange notes
  • Hopscape, a seasonal wheat ale with pleasant hoppy notes, and
  • Rebel Juiced IPA (part of the year round Rebel series) featuring mango juice and strong hop notes.

 

In his remarks, Founder and brewer, Jim Koch talked about his commitment to supporting small business. As at previous brunches, Mr. Koch announced the recipient of the “Brewing the American Dream Experienceship” award and the winners of the 2016 Longshot Homebrew Contest. Brewing the American Dream was created in June 2008 as a philanthropic program that champions the dreams of small business owners nationwide who are pursuing their passion in the food and beverage, hospitality, and craft brewing industries.

 

If I got it right in my notes, the program has supported 4000 jobs around the country. It is focused on how to set up and run a small business. As Jim explained, the program is informed by his own experiences in founding the Boston Beer Company. So, winners are able to benefit from loans to grow their business (in partnership with ACCION, a leader in the micro loan industry), sound business advice, including coaching, financial advice among others.

 

I think this is so cool. But, I wonder as the company looks to the future that they also should consider as a criteria to use in selecting breweries for the award, the business model. Specifically, I think it would show great foresight to encourage businesses that are set up as benefit corporations or even as cooperatives. It seems to me these business models are an ideal fit for the culture and ethic of craft brewing. Still, the company deserves a lot of credit for its efforts to support other craft brewers through Brewing the American Dream and Longshot.

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GET SOME SAMUEL ADAMS REBEL RAW DOUBLE IPA BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!

 

 

Samuel Adams just released its second batch of Rebel Raw Double IPA in 16 oz. cans. And, according to the brewer, you need to drink it sooner rather than later.

At 10% ABV and 100 IBUs, Rebel Raw Double IPA is powerful and extremely hoppy. It is brewed with seven hop varieties. Sam Adams ascribes the following contributions to the brew:

  • Polaris (kettle): Fruity and intensely floral with notes of fresh mint
  • Galaxy (kettle): Citrusy, spicy and herbal with hints of green fruit and red berries
  • Amarillo (kettle): Orange, grapefruit and tangerine notes with slight fruit sweetness
  • Zeus (kettle): Earthy and spicy with hints of citrus
  • Centennial (dry-hopping): Medium citrus, intensely floral with hints of wood
  • Cascade (dry-hopping): Floral, spicy citrus and grapefruit with hints of red berries
  • Simcoe (dry-hopping):  Intense pine, with aromas of passionfruit and apricot

Intended as a fresh hop brew, the whole point is to enjoy that freshness. And enjoy it you will. It opens with a very strong hop character with more of the spicy-piney nature of hops dominating solid grapefruit notes. In the mouth, you can really taste the high alcohol, along with a pleasant bitterness.

With its very short shelf life, don’t delay in picking up some 4-packs of Rebel Raw.

 

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IPAs, ALES AND NITROS: REVIEWS OF BOSTON BEER CO’s NEW SEASONALS

One of the things I admire most about the Boston Beer Company is even as they have grown into the premier craft brewery and (last I checked) the tenth largest of any kind of brewery in the U.S., they have not relinquished the urge to innovate and experiment. The culture of innovation at Samuel Adams is evident in extreme beers like Utopias and in the Rebel IPA series and the new Nitro Project beers reviewed here.

 

 “Rebel” IPA Series

 

The Boston Beer Company introduced Samuel Adams “Rebel” IPA (the company’s first IPA brewed with only American hops and made in the brash “West Coast style”) in 2014 and it was an immediate hit. In the two years since, the company has released several iterations of Rebel IPA.

 

Building on Rebel’s success, which the brewer has marketed as a celebration of founder Jim Koch’s and Samuel Adams’ revolutionary (beer) spirit, they soon released Rebel Rouser Double IPA and Rebel Rider Session IPA. And now there are two more new Rebels for us to enjoy.

Rebel Grapefruit IPA (6.3% ABV, 52 IBUs)

 

Rebel Grapefruit IPA relishes the grapefruit character so often imparted especially by West Coast hop varieties by actually adding grapefruit juice and peel to augment the Mosaic, Cascade, Centennial, and Citra hops. Tropical and citrus notes compliment that classic grapefruit character.

 

Rebel Cascade IPA (7.3% ABV, 76 IBUs)

 

Rebel Cascade IPA of course, is a tribute to the Cascade hop (thought the brew is accented with Zeus, Simcoe and Summer hops). It presents as more to the piney, resinous end of the citrusy hop spectrum. But is enticingly rounded out with hints of sweetness from Caramalt and Honey Malt.

 

And on to other new releases:

 

Escape Route (5.0% ABV and 30 IBUs)

 

First brewed in 2014, Escape Route is a limited release, Kölsch style brew (Kölsch is an ale/lager hybrid originating in Cologne, Germany). It is delightful and easy drinking (or what is typically called “sessionable”) beer. This unfiltered drink uses Aramis (French) and Strisselspalt (German) hops, with Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, acidulated malt, smoked barley, and carafoam malts.

 

Crystal Pale Ale (5.3% ABV, 35 IBUs)

 

No surprise, this pale ale features Crystal hops grown in Oregon, which give the beer its distinctive citrusy, floral American hop character, while the British varieties East Kent Goldings, and Fuggles supplement with earthiness.  Balance is provided by Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Maris Otter, and Honey Malt, which lend a deep yet subtle malt sweetness with notes of toffee.

 

Scotch Ale (5.5% ABV, 35 IBUs)

 

Rich and full-bodied as anticipated, with roasted and smokey notes, this one is lower alcohol than expected for this “strong ale” style. Its Munich 10, Caramel 60, Peat Malt (Scotland), and Chocolate Malt provide complexity, while the East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops keep the whole thing fresh. It is a good introduction to the style.

 

Samuel Adams Session Ale (5.0% ABV, 30 IBUs)

 

Typical of the session style, this new release is light – light on hoppy character, light on malty notes – but pleasantly so. And being made in an Extra Special Bitter style, it also has a nice impact on entry, probably from its earthy English hops. Definitely one to sip and dream of warmer weather.

 

Samuel Adams Nitro Project

 

And finally, Samuel Adams has made its first foray into the world of nitro beers with the release of its first three brews from the Nitro Project – Nitro White Ale, Nitro IPA, and Nitro Coffee Stout. Nitro beers, of course, use nitrogen in place of carbon dioxide (although upwards of 30% CO2 often is still used) and are most commonly associated with porters and stouts.

 

While Guinness pioneered the nitrogenation process, and countless other craft breweries offer nitro beers on tap, the beers of Samuel Adams Nitro Project are a welcome addition to the small community of canned nitros. Each can is equipped with a nitrogen-filled “widget” that releases the gas into the beer once the top is popped.

 

[As an aside for Colorado readers, Longmont’s Left Hand Brewing Company has brewed Nitro Milk Stout for about 15 years and that has been joined by Sawtooth and Wake Up Dead. These nitros are bottled with the gas already dissolved. ]

 

Not surprisingly, when Samuel Adams decided to get into nitros, they weren’t content to just follow the crowd. In a press release, company founder Jim Koch said they brewed more than 50 beer styles on nitro and experimented with more than 200 recipes ranging from porters to Belgian sours before settling on these three.

 

Nitrogenation doesn’t necessarily make a beer better, just different. And these Samuel Adams brews should introduce a lot of beer drinkers to the process. With nitrogen compared to CO2, the resulting bubbles are smaller and create the rich, creamy texture familiar to nitro beers. These beers also show more malt character.

Nitro Coffee Stout (5.8% ABV, 32 IBUs)

 

As I mentioned earlier, the nitro process is ideal for stouts, so it’s not a surprise a stout is among the first releases of the nitro series. It is rich and robust as dark roasted Caramel 60, Special B and barley malts added to the basic Samuel Adams malt blend create toasty, chocolatey notes. These are accented with Sumatran Mandheling (Indonesia) and Indian Monsoon Malabar coffee, which definitely shine through the bouquet and palate while the East Kent Goldings hops are barely noticeable.

 

Nitro White Ale (5.5% ABV, 15 IBUs)

 

Reflecting its Belgian influences, orange peel, coriander and Grains of Paradise are added to the brew, along with white wheat, lending hints of citrus and peppery spice in the nose and mouth as a light wheat character peeks through. An extremely light hand with the (Citra) hops leave it smooth all the way through.

 

Nitro IPA (7.5% ABV, 100 IBUs)

 

So, of course IPAs are all about the hops and this one sports six varieties – Amarillo, Centennial, Galaxy, Polaris, Simcoe, and Zeus. Under any other circumstances, this brew would be considered a “hop monster” but the nitrogenation process reduces the acidic bite and perceived bitterness typical of carbonated IPAs. The aroma tends more toward the spicy/ piney/resinous end of the spectrum, yet some citrus emerges. Full and rich, it is plenty smooth and has a nice, long finish.

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SPECIAL BEERS FOR SPECIAL HOLIDAY OCCASIONS, PART 2: BRECKENRIDGE

This time of year beer fans (at least in our family) like to buy special bottlings for opening at holiday events (like we really need an excuse).

 

This year, two of my favorites come from Breckenridge Brewery. Breckenridge has had much to celebrate this year reaching the twenty-five year milestone and a major brewery expansion. In the past twenty-five years Breckenridge Brewery has grown from just a 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to more than 64,000 barrels (placing it right at the 50th largest in the country) and five brewpubs and alehouses throughout Colorado.

Breckenridge is celebrating this anniversary with the aptly named “Twenty Five.” This limited release is an imperial version of the brewery’s Vanilla Porter. In this case, the vanilla porter is made to rest ten weeks in rum barrels imported from Barbados. Then, one-quarter pound of fresh, wet vanilla beans from Veracruz, Mexico are added to each barrel. Importantly, the beans come from small family farms where they were hand pollinated and hand picked.

 

As you would expect, there is vanilla though it accents rather than dominates malty and roasted notes, along with chocolate and coffee. Overall, it drinks smooth and creamy. The 9.8% ABV brew is currently available throughout key U.S. markets, packaged in 750-ml. cork-and-cage bottles.

 

Breckenridge also is celebrating with a different type of collaboration beer releasing “Silver Salmon IPL” in partnership with the band Leftover Salmon, which is releasing a new live album “25” to commemorate their twenty five year anniversary. The new album is packaged exclusively as a download with the limited-edition beer.

 

This India Style Pale Lager is expectedly light and refreshing but has plenty of flavor with noticeable citrus and slight bitterness and hints of herbs and pine.

 

For prices and availability, contact your local craft beer store or utilize Breckenridge Brewery’s Beer Locator. The album, 25, feature twenty-five never before released live recordings, and will also be available on iTunes and all digital outlets.