Allagash Black

Allagash Black

Relevant Links:
Allagash Black (Allagash Website)
Allagash Black | Allagash Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)
Allagash Black (RateBeer.com)

20150225:
This beer was pitch black, had a thick head, and had a coffee smell.

I thought it was a bit carbonated, and had a solid taste to it. I also found it was lightly bitter and flavorful. While not a great beer, the Allagash Black was decent.

As a side note, the beer doesn't taste like a creamy stout would taste. 8:32PM PT

Website Information:
Allagash Black

Allagash Black is a Belgian style stout brewed with 2 Row barley, torrified wheat, oats, both roasted and chocolate malt and a generous portion of dark caramelized candi sugar. The silky mouth feel is a great balance to the roasted character, coffee and dark chocolate notes expressed throughout this beer.

Description: Belgian Style Stout
ABV: 7.5%
Profile: Dark, Roasted, Chocolate
Serving Temperature: 40°-50°F
Availability: Year Round
Package: 750ml bottle, 5.17 gallon keg, 15.5 gallon keg
Ideal Within: One Year

Sierra Nevada / Three Floyds Chico King

Sierra Nevada / Three Floyds Chico King

Relevant Links:
Chico King: Pale Ale (Sierra Nevada Brewing)
Beer Camp Chico King (Three Floyds Website)
Chico King: Pale Ale (Beer Camp Across America) | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)
Sierra Nevada / Three Floyds Beer Camp Chico King (RateBeer.com)

20150221: [20150305 Edit]
The smell of this beer rises and reaches my nose as I pour it into the cup. It has a floral, sweet smell which is not grassy. The beer is cloudy orange and the head dissipates leaving a bit of foam and lacing.

The beer tastes slightly sweet, but perhaps its other flavors are masked by all the Vietnamese food I just ate. In particular, I don't detect any bitterness and so far the beer goes down real easily.

After the beer starts to coat my mouth, I begin to detect a bit of bitterness. Nevertheless, I find the beer enjoyable. 8:31PM PT

Website Informaton:
CHICO KING
PALE ALE

COLLABORATION PARTNER
3 FLOYDS BREWING CO.
Munster, IN

3 Floyds has a reputation as the Midwestern kings of alpha (hops), and it seems that one of our beers helped to lure them down the lupulin-paved path. Chico King is a mash-up of our mutual passion for hoppy pale ales and combines a uniquely robust malt body with intense citrusy and fruity new school hop varietals.

3 Floyds marches to the beat of their own (double kick) drum when it comes to collaboration, often partnering with comic book artists, tattoo parlors or heavy metal bands when inspiration strikes. These eclectic beers are coveted throughout the Midwest and some beers, like the legendary Dark Lord Imperial Stout, have spawned something akin to a beer-themed holiday in the brewery’s hometown of Muenster, IN.

OVERVIEW
ABV: 6.5
Beginning Gravity: 16.0
Ending Gravity: 3.3
Bitterness Units: 45

INGREDIENTS
Yeast: Ale
Bittering Hops: Mosaic, El Dorado
Finishing Hops: El Dorado, Citra, Calypso
Malts: Two-row Pale, Pilsner, Caramel

TASTING NOTES
Chico King is a regal yet raucous take on the pale ale that both our breweries adore. It features a complex malt body from the use of an undermodified malt, which leads to a complex and nutty malt flavor, and a bright fruit-forward blend of Mosaic, El Dorado and Calypso hop varietals. Chico King is a beer fit for royalty.

Moylan's Lonely Tart Club

Moylan's Lonely Tart Club

Relevant Links:
Lonely Tarts Club* | Moylan's Brewery (BeerAdvocate.com)
Moylans Lonely Tart Club (RateBeer.com)
*This beer is listed on BeerAdvocate.com as Lonely Hearts Club Sour Red Ale. I assume the actual name, Lonely Tarts Club, is a play on the Beatles album/song titled "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

20150220: [20150305 Edit]
Today, after rock climbing, my friends and I arrived at Elevation 66 in time for food. While somewhat tempted to try some of the house brew, I ultimately decided to order this tart beer instead.

At first, I saw a lot of carbonation rising in the glass. It had a dark reddish color and a light, fruity tart smell. The taste was similar to the smell: lightly tart, like a raspberry framboise. It tasted less tart than optimal, and was more fruity with some mild bitterness. 10:30PM PT

The beer ended well and, as it so happened, was followed by a nice tasting burp. 11:23PM PT

Website Information: (20140214 Press Release)
(Novato, CA) – Moylan’s Brewery announced today the release of their newest beer, Lonely Tarts Club. This cherry sour is made with both sweet and sour cherries, fermented with three Belgian yeast strains, and soured with Lactobacillus. A very light use of German Brewer and East Kent Goldings hops balances out this Belgian-style sour. Lonely Tarts Club comes in at 5.3% ABV and is making its debut at the famous Northern California brewery just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

Relevant Links:
Smashed Blueberry (Shipyard Brewing Co.)
Shipyard Smashed Blueberry (Pugsley's Signature Series) | Shipyard Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)
Shipyard Smashed Blueberry (Pugsley's Signature Series) (RateBeer.com)

20150219: [20150304 Edit]
After getting a Drake's Drakonic at Sliver, my friends and I migrated over to Eureka!, which has a less welcoming atmosphere, but a much larger beer selection.

This Shipyard Smashed Blueberry Porter absolutely smells like blueberry. And while I don't know when I've ever eaten blueberry candy, I find it smells exactly how blueberry candy would smell! Unfortunately, the taste is less interesting than the smell.

In contrast to the Shipyard Smashed Blueberry Porter, I recall the Sea Dog Bluepaw Blueberry Wheat Ale actually having a blueberry taste. Of course in all fairness, the Sea Dog Bluepaw is a light, fruity beer and this Shipyard is a porter. 6:35PM PT

Surprisingly, the blueberry taste sort of creeps up after the beer's initial flavor fades. Overall the beer tastes strange. The glass shows strong lacing. 6:47PM PT

Website Information:
Smashed Blueberry

"Pugsley’s Signature Series is named after Shipyard Brewing Company’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley.”
A hybrid between a Porter and a Scotch Ale, this beer has a rich mouth feel and a body of complex intensity. Up front, there are notes of coffee and chocolate; beautifully accentuated by the aroma of blueberries. The finish features a delicate balance of sweet fruit and dry hops. To fully experience all the flavors, this beer is best enjoyed at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

FIRST BREWED: May 2011
AVAILABLE: January - March
MALT STYLE: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Roasted Barley, Crystal, Chocolate, Light Munich, Torrified Wheat
YEAST: Top-Fermenting English
HOPS: Warrior, Glacier, Cascade
COLOR: Dark Brown
IBUS: 30
OG: 1.087
ABV: 9.0%

Drake's Drakonic Imperial Stout

Drake's Drakonic Imperial Stout

Relevant Links:
Drake's Drakonic - Imperial Stout (Drake's Brewing)
Drake's Drakonic Imperial Stout | Drake's Brewing Co.
Drakes Drakonic Imperial Stout (RateBeer.com)

20150219: [20150304 Edit]
The head dissipates quickly and the beer is pitch black. It has a coffee smell an a nice stout taste. Overall it is a good, solid beer.

I further note that the beer's smell is subtle, yet strong; I love beers with this type of smell. It has a similarly strong taste. 5:59PM PT

The glass has little to no lacing. 6:08PM PT

Website Information:
DRAKE’S DRAKONIC – IMPERIAL STOUT

Our malty beast. Two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, and dark Crystal malts to make up the grist. One hop addition, added for bittering, allows the abundance of malt in this beer to shine through. Drakonic is smooth and dense with flavors of licorice, coffee, and chocolates. Sip, savor, and give in to its seductive malt embrace. Available Year Round.

THE DRAKONIC STORY:
Despite the West Coast’s undeniable hop addiction and our general lack of truly cold weather, we here in Northern California still cannot resist the allure of an immense Imperial Stout with the strength and viscosity to tackle a Siberian mid-winter drinking session. With the hardcore beer aficionados of Northern California in mind, we crafted our first Imperial Stout in 2003. After many years of consideration while sipping and savoring this luscious, dense imperial stout, its name came to us in 2009. Drakonic Imperial Stout: seriously intense, seriously delicious.

FACTS
Malt: American 2-Row Barley, Simpsons Crystal 155-165, Weyermann Carafa Special 3, Simpsons Chocolate, Simpsons Roast Barley, Simpsons Caramalt 30-37
Hops: Bittering- American Bravo
Yeast: White Labs 001
Original Gravity: 21.1 degrees Plato
Alc/Vol: 8.75%
IBUs: 40

AWARDS
2012 Gold Medal for Imperial Stout and Honorable Mention Best of Show at the CA State Fair
2008 2nd Place for Russian Imperial Stout at the CA State Fair.
Winner Good Food Awards 2012

Half Moon Bay Calf-eine

Half Moon Bay Calf-eine

Relevant Links:
Half Moon Bay Beer Page
Calf-eine | Half Moon Bay Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)
Half Moon Bay Calf-eine (RateBeer.com)

20150213:
After bouldering at Bridges Rock Gym, my friend and I came to Elevation 66 for some food. Unfortunately the kitchen had just closed. With that being said, the beer I ordered was quite a meal.

This coffee milk stout by Half Moon Bay has a beautiful coffee smell. In addition it has a lovely malt taste. This might be as good as the Left Hand Milk Stout I had in April of 2014. 11:14PM PT

Website Information:
CALF-EINE

Made in collaboration with Not For Sale’s coffee company, Dignità, Calf-eine is a Coffee Milk Stout brewed with medium roast, cold brewed coffee. This beer has a rich and creamy texture from the addition of lactose, balanced by a roasty aroma and subtle bitterness from the coffee.

DETAILS
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 6.3% ABV
IBUs: 23.1
SIZES: 1/6 BBL Keg, 1/2 BBL Keg, Tap

Speakeasy Prohibition Ale

20150213:
This Speakeasy Prohibition Ale had a slightly bitter aftertaste, but it tasted sweet while sipping. 4:44PM PT

Speakeasy Prohibition Ale (20150213) - bottle

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20170204:
The Prohibition Ale slightly smelled as it should (an ale). The taste was slightly bitter, it had a grassy ale taste. It's been a while since I've had a proper beer such as this one. 7:42PM PT

Unfortunately, my final experience with the beer was poor, because it was a little sour and warm. 8:45PM PT.

Speakeasy Prohibition Ale (20170204) - draft in a glass, half full

[20171222 Edit]

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Speakeasy Prohibition Ale

Relevant Links:
Speakeasy Beer Page
Prohibition Ale | Speakeasy Ales & Lagers (BeerAdvocate.com)
Speakeasy Prohibition Ale (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

Prohibition Ale

Speakeasy Prohibition Ale (20140213) - back of bottle

Prohibition Ale is the first beer we bootlegged back in 1997. Anything but traditional and now a GABF winning brew (2013–American Amber/Red Category), Prohibition pours a deep reddish amber hue, with a fluffy tan head that leaves a beautiful lacing on the glass. A lush, complex aroma teases the senses with juicy grapefruit, citrus, pine, spice and candied caramel malts. Mouth-feel is creamy, with a silky, medium body and modest carbonation.

Style – American Amber Ale
ABV – 6.1% ABV
IBU – 50 IBU
Malt – Two Row Pale, CaraMunich, Crystal Malt
Hops – Chinook, Columbus, Cascade, Centennial
Availability – Year-round
Formats – Draft, 12oz. & 22oz. bottles

FOOD PAIRINGS
For the carnivore: Prohibition Ale's sweet, toasted and fruity profile will pair beautifully with fall-off-the-bone ribs or BBQ brisket. Try in place of red wine as the perfect companion for medium rare steak or roasted game.
Vegetarian: Prohibition is a fantastic match for fire-roasted tomato dishes or butternut squash.
Cheese pairing: A beer that is meant for cheese, try with an aged English cheddar or Spanish manchego.

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

Relevant Links:
75 Minute IPA (Dogfish Head Website)
75 Minute IPA | Dogfish Head Brewery (BeerAdvocate.com)
Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA (Cask/Bottle) (RateBeer.com)

20150212: [20150301 Edit]
This beer has a yellow-orange color and an orange, IPA smell. I find the smell is more delightful than off putting.

The taste is sweet and delightful. There are no grassy, bitter notes until having the beer sit on your tongue. 6:11PM MT

The beer is sweet and slightly grassy. Overall, it is lighter than other India Pale Ales, but it has a good flavor. 6:11PM MT

The last sip was very nice and sweet. 6:35PM MT

Website Information:
75 Minute IPA

ABV: 7.5
Availability: Limited
Original Release Date: 01/2012

Blend two Dogfish Head favorites, add maple syrup and carbonate the mixture naturally. What do you get? 75 Minute IPA.

The carbon dioxide trapped during bottle conditioning gives 75 Minute IPA a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Dry-hopped with whole-leaf Cascades, this complex IPA has been known to inspire pilgrimages to our brewpub.

Now we're sharing this animated blend of 60 Minute and 90 Minute with the rest of our fans, 750 milliliters at a time.

Food Pairing Recommendations: Burgers, grilled meats, avocado.
Glassware Recommendation: IPA glass
Wine Comparable: Chardonnay

Four Peaks Peach Ale

Four Peaks Peach Ale

Relevant Links:
Peach Ale (Four Peaks Brewing Company)
Four Peaks Peach Ale (RateBeer.com)
Arizona Peach | Four Peaks Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)

20150211:
Having had three beers today*, I was uncertain of whether or not I should get another. However, since the beers were half off and I was in Arizona, I decided to get another beer by Four Peaks Brewing Company. Considering my options, I eventually went with a glass of Four Peaks Peach Ale.

This beer has no head, has a yellow color, and definitely smells like peach.

The beer also definitely tastes like peach and has no aftertaste and only some carbonation. Thinking about the taste some more, I realize it tastes exactly like the Kern's Peach Nectar. In particular, it has the same sweetness, with the only difference being the carbonation. (I yawn, tiredness begins to kick in.) 11:50PM MT

The glass shows no sign of lacing. The beer reminds me of various mixed drinks I've had that contain peach schnapps. 20150212 12:16AM MT

The thought of peach schnapps becomes stronger. After finishing the beer, I begin producing saliva which undoubtedly tastes like peach schnapps. I suppose I could have just as well drank a glass of sprite and peach schnapps. 20150212 12:25AM MT

*Elevation Senorita, Four Peaks Kilt Lifter, and Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout

Website Information:
PEACH ALE

A light fruit beer with strong peach aroma, but not an overpowering peach flavor – great on a warm day. We chose peach because, believe it or not, peaches can thrive in Arizona and the flavor is very compatible with beer. Our peach ale has a subtle sweet flavor and aroma, while maintaining a light body and color.

BEER COLOR: 2 SRM

BEER STYLE: Golden Ale with Fruit
FLAVOR: Malty sweet, fresh peaches
AROMA: Moderately Peachy

MALTS: Two-row, Cara-pils, White Wheat
HOPS: Magnum, but not a lot
BITTERNESS: 9 IBUs

ALCOHOL: 4.2%
FOOD PAIRING: Light fare; fruit tarts, salads, desserts
CHEESE PAIRING: Mild cheeses; ricotta, queso fresco

Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout

Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout

Relevant Links:
Oatmeal Stout (Four Peaks Brewing Company)
Oatmeal Stout | Four Peaks Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)
Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout (RateBeer.com)

20150211: [20150228 Edit]
After having a Four Peaks Kilt Lifter, I decide to order a pint of Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout. After all, I'm in Arizona (Four Peaks is an Arizona brewery) and all craft beers are half off tonight at Sandbar Mexican Grill.

This Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout is pitch black and has a thick head. It has a stout smell and a watery mouthfeel. I find it tastes standard as far as stouts are concerned. 11:23PM MT

Website Information:
OATMEAL STOUT

An English Style stout that’s somewhat bitter, but is smoothed out by serving it with a nitrogen/CO2 blend. The nitrogen is less acidic than CO2, and creates the characteristic cascading small bubble effect and tight head. The addition of flaked oats further rounds out the flavor while creating a velvety smooth mouth-feel. Different from an Irish Stout in its subtle roastiness and subdued dryness, this beer finishes thick, chocolaty, and very creamy.

BEER COLOR: 35 SRM

BEER STYLE: English-Style Oatmeal Stout
FLAVOR: Rich, roasted, malty
AROMA: Toasted malts, some smokiness

MALTS: Two-row, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, De-bittered Black, Oats,Caramel 80L
HOPS: Golding
BITTERNESS: 25 IBUs

ALCOHOL: 5.2%
FOOD PAIRING: Classic with Oysters, Great with Chocolate
CHEESE PAIRING: Smoked Guda, Brie, Camembert

Four Peaks Kilt Lifter Scottish Style Ale

Four Peaks Kilt Lifter Scottish Style Ale

Relevant Links:
Kilt Lifter (Four Peaks Brewing Company Website)
Kilt Lifter Scottish Ale | Four Peaks Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)
Four Peaks Kilt Lifter Scottish Style Ale (RateBeer.com)

20150211: [20150228 Edit]
This beer has an orange-red tint, though it's hard to know for sure in such a dark lighting. It has a sweet smell and tastes pretty sweet with a very carbonated first sip. The beer is solid, and an especially good deal as the craft beers here at Sandbar are half off tonight. 9:38PM MT

In comparison to Jack's Odell 90 Shilling Ale, Jack thinks of mine as being richer. I think of the Kilt Lifter as being sweeter. 9:49PM MT

Website Information:
KILT LIFTER®
SCOTTISH-STYLE ALE

Kilt Lifter® is our award-winning flagship brew, crafted in the tradition and honor of the great strong ales of Scotland. Take one sip and you’ll swear it had been brewed by men in kilts, and maybe it was… It is a full-bodied ale with strong caramel and roasted barley flavors. Notice its amber color, malty sweetness and a hint of smokiness with a clean, dry finish – a true Scottish Ale. A four-time GABF medal winner!

BEER COLOR: 16 SRM

BEER STYLE: Scottish-Style Ale
FLAVOR: Malty Sweet, with Toasted, Smokey Notes
AROMA: Sweet Malt, Caramel, Toffee

MALTS: Two-row, Caramel 80L, Carapills, Roasted Barely
HOPS: Golding
BITTERNESS: 21 IBUs

ALCOHOL: 6%
FOOD PAIRING: BBQ, Smoked Meats, Wild Game, Duck
CHEESE PAIRING: Jarlsberg, Edam, Gruyere, Manchego

Odell 90 Shilling Ale

Odell 90 Shilling Ale

Relevant Links:
90 Shilling Ale (Odell Brewing Company Website)
Odell 90 Shilling Ale | Odell Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)
Odell 90 Shilling (RateBeer.com)

20150211:
Before ordering a beer, I had a taste of my friend's Odell 90 Shilling Ale. With a slightly grassy smell, it smelled like a standard pale ale. It had a light taste.

After taking a sip, the waitress/bartender came up and from across the bar asked for my ID - she wanted to make sure I wasn't just sneaking a drink. Though honestly, nobody with any sense would try to sneak a drink in plain sight.

Some moments later, after drinking some of my Four Peaks Kilt Lifter, I had another sample of my friend's 90 Shilling Ale. As before, I find it has a standard pale ale smell and standard pale ale taste.

Website Information:
90 Shilling Ale

We introduced 90 Shilling, our flagship beer, at our opening party in 1989. For a while, we’d been wondering what would happen if we lightened up the traditional Scottish ale? The result is an irresistibly smooth and delicious medium-bodied amber ale. The name 90 Shilling comes from the Scottish method of taxing beer. Only the highest quality beers were taxed 90 Shillings. A shilling was a British coin used from 1549 to 1982. We think you’ll find this original ale brilliantly refreshing, and worth every shilling.

5.3% Alc. By Vol.
27 IBUs

Awards
Gold, British Style Ale, 2011 Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival
Bronze, British Style Ale, 2009 Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival
Bronze, English-Style Brown, 2006 Los Angeles County Fair
Bronze, American Amber Ale, 1991 Great American Beer Festival

Elevation Señorita

Elevation Señorita

Relevant Links:
Señorita (Elevation Beer Co. Website)
Señorita, Horchata Imperial Porter | Elevation Beer Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)
Elevation Señorita Horchata Imperial Porter (RateBeer.com)

20150211:
After reading the description, I felt like I could definitely smell the vanilla, and maybe taste it too. The beer's label also says that it has chocolate malts. 7:42PM MT

"I love the smell. It has a stronger, more alcoholic taste than your average porter. The glass shows little lacing.

I LOVE IT." 9:19PM MT

"The beer is black in color and poured a thick head.

The beer began taking on a coffee-dominated smell. It was also amazingly smooth (creamy) and had a subtle, but delicious taste. While the beer had a coffee smell, it did not have a coffee taste, but rather just plain malty." 9:19PM MT

Website Information:
Señorita

This Seasonal Release beer pours a deep dark brown with a snow-white head. Aroma notes of Vanilla, Cinnamon and sweet milk hit the nose bringing up images of the delicious Mexican drink this beer is styled after. The beer hits the palate with Vanilla, sweet chocolate malts, and a hint of cinnamon; all with a medium body and a balancing hop bitterness. Enjoy this beer next to a roaring fire with your amigos in a cozy cabin after a long day of skiing the deep powder of the Rocky Mountains.

-Silver 2014 World Beer Cup, Herb and Spice Category

FOOD PAIRING
Mexican Chocolate Cake, Mole, Barbacoa Street Tacos

Style: Horchata/Imperial Porter
Alc/Vol: 8.4% (The 2014 bottle label says 8.55%)
IBUs: 35 (The 2014 bottle label says 25)
Hops: Northern Brewer, Chinook
Malts: Two-Row, Crystal, Aromatic, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Flaked Barley
Extras: Milk Sugar, Cinnamon, Madagascar Vanilla Beans
Availability: Winter 2013: 750 ml bottles and Draught

Black Series
Large flavorful beers from Belgian Quadruples to Douple IPAs. Perfect for the craft beer connoisseur.

Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA

Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA

Relevant Links:
Blindfold Black IPA (Sierra Nevada Website)
Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)
Sierra Nevada Black Blindfold IPA (RateBeer.com)

20150210: [20150228 Edit]
This beer has a hoppy smell. Possibly influenced by the beer's black color, I find it also has some dark chocolate notes. This was after the head had dissipated.

Before taking the first sip, I note that I had just eaten some salmon for dinner.

In any case, this beer has a little bit of a dark taste, up until the carbonation follows through. There is, however, less of a dark taste on the second sip. Then, on the next couple sips, the darkness sort of resumes.

Although uncertain of the taste, I would say it tastes most like coffee. I am certain, however, that the bitterness is different from that of a grassy IPA. With that being said, there is a bitterness that lingers in the mouth. 7:59PM MT

Thinking more about the taste, maybe its actually less like coffee and more like chocolate. 8:05PM MT

While the chocolate/coffee notes are nice, the grassy lingering taste may or may not be of interest to the drinker. 8:10PM MT

Website Information:
BLINDFOLD™ BLACK IPA

Bright hops pierce through roasty darkness.

Blindfold blankets us in darkness yet maintains a surprisingly light body and bold, hoppy character. This black IPA emerged from our Beer Camp program and builds on Sierra Nevada’s legendary love of hops with roasted malts for depth and complexity. Like its namesake, Blindfold is a bit disorienting—the color of a stout and the intense, hop-forward flavors of a classic American IPA.

OVERVIEW
ALCOHOL CONTENT 6.8% by volume
BEGINNING GRAVITY 16.4° plato
ENDING GRAVITY 3.6° plato
BITTERNESS UNITS 70

INGREDIENTS
YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Summit, Chinook
FINISHING HOPS Summit, Cascade, Galaxy
MALTS Two-row Pale, Carafa III

FOOD PAIRING
CUISINE Smoked chicken, Roasted Lamb, Blackened flatiron steak
CHEESE Roquefort, Gruyere, Parmigiano Reggiano

2012 Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet

20150209:
This wine has a deep, red smell which I like. It also has a nice, easy, smooth taste. Well, it's not perfectly smooth, but smooth enough to enjoy. 11:45PM MT

(20150209)

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20150828:
Unable to find a corkscrew, I went searching the internet and there were lots of ideas - some better than others. Among them, one of the simplest, most effective ideas involved driving a screw into the cork and pulling the screw-cork out with a hammer.

Asking the host if he had a screw and screwdriver, he came back with a screw, a Jenga-sized piece of wood with a hole drilled through the center, and an electric drill. Placing the screw through the hole, he drilled the screw partway into the cork. From there, it was a simple task for me to steadily pull the cork out with the makeshift corkscrew!

(20150828)

This wine had a sour taste and was slightly acidic. After I finished half a cup, I noted it had a dry mouthfeel. 8:57PM CT

I suppose, upon giving my second cup of wine a whiff, that I could smell a hint of chocolate, but it was a stretch. As for the wine's taste, I would still focus on its sourness; it was quite sour. 20150829 12:47AM CT

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2012 Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet

Makeshift corkscrew (20150828)

Relevant Links:
Red Velvet (Cupcake Vineyards Website)

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Website Information:

RED VELVET

CUPCAKE VINEYARDS RED VELVET
VINTAGE: 2012
APPELLATION: California

Experience a wine as rich, soft and elegant as red velvet. Our Red Velvet blend delivers over-the-top aromas of chocolate, deep dark blackberries and luscious red fruits that follow through to the palate. Finish with a hint of coconut and creamy mocha that shows unmistakable intensity and length.

(20150828)

Red Velvet combines Zinfandel, Merlot, and Petite Sirah. Each varietal adds distinct characteristics and lends structure, aroma and depth of flavor. We ferment each varietal separately before blending. Finally, a unique oak regime infuses creaminess.

CATEGORY: Red
HARVEST DATE: Sept-Oct 2012
HARVEST BRIX: 24° – 26°
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
TA: 0.56 g/100mL
RS: 1.2 g/100mL
PH: 3.6
RELEASE DATE: Fall 2013
AVAILABILiTY: National

2013 Ménage à Trois Red

20150209:
"This wine is bitter, but the underlying taste is alright." 11:40PM MT

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2013 Ménage à Trois Red

Relevant Links:
Red (Ménage à Trois Website)

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Website Information:

Red

Wine Attitude:
Sure, we could have settled for your good old-fashioned double entendre. You know, a not-so-subtle quip accompanied by a sly wink of the eye and a secret titter. But why stop at double when there was a triple entendre just waiting to be had? Ménage à Trois examines what happens when you put three attractive, single, young grapes from California in one exquisite bottle to create our red wine blend.

Varietal Information:
47% Zinfandel
33% Merlot
20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Detail:
Alcohol: 13.80% v/v
TA: 0.61 g/100ml
PH: 3.56
RS: 1.20 g/100ml

Vineyard and Winemaking
Ménage à Trois red brings together three strange bedfellows: Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. To add complexity and retain character, each variety was fermented separately, then blended together prior to bottling. On top we’ve got Zinfandel, a saucy tease that brings blackberry and raspberry jam to the relationship. Merlot, with its generous mouth feel and red fruits, fits perfectly in the middle. The rich flavors and firm tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon make it the ideal candidate for the bottom layer of the trio in our red wine blend.

Tasting Notes
Our Ménage à Trois Red exposes the fresh, ripe, jam like fruit that is the calling card of California wine. Forward, silky and soft, the delicious dalliance of our red wine blend makes the perfect accompaniment for grilled meats or chicken.

2012 Fallentimber Saskatoon Mead

20150209:
This mead is very tasty. It tastes like a dessert wine, except it is not excessively sweet. 9:31PM MT

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2012 Fallentimber Saskatoon Mead

Relevant Links:
Fallentimber Mead Website

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Website Information:

This fruit infused mead has been fermented with Ryan's honey, saskatoon berries, rhubarb and a hint of crab apple. The tartness of the fruit and the sweetness of the honey combine for a smooth finish.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Relevant Links:
Torpedo Extra IPA (Sierra Nevada Website)
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA | Sierra Nevada Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA (RateBeer.com)

20140209:
This beer appears somewhat cloudy and orange in color. While it has a regular, average IPA taste, I would also say it tastes good taste. Momentarily contradicting myself, I find the Torpedo Extra IPA is similar to the last beer I drank, Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA. Subsequently I correct myself, the Torpedo Extra IPA is more pure and/or tastes more like a typical IPA than the Ruthless Rye. 9:29PM MT

After finishing this beer, I reaffirmed my previous thoughts: it is very much a typical IPA, especially compared to the Ruthless Rye. 10:42PM MT

Website Information:
TORPEDO® EXTRA IPA

Whole hops, the whole time.

Sierra Nevada and hops go hand in hand. What began as a crazy idea scribbled in a pub eventually became our newest year-round hop bomb, Torpedo Extra IPA. The first beer to feature our “Hop Torpedo”—a revolutionary dry-hopping device that controls how much hop aroma is imparted into beer without adding additional bitterness. Torpedo Extra IPA is an aggressive yet balanced beer with massive hop aromas of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit.

OVERVIEW
ALCOHOL CONTENT 7.2% by volume
BEGINNING GRAVITY 17.0° plato
ENDING GRAVITY 3.7° plato
BITTERNESS UNITS 65

INGREDIENTS
YEAST Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS Magnum
FINISHING HOPS Magnum, Crystal, Citra
MALTS Two-row Pale, Caramel

FOOD PAIRING
CUISINE Lamb, Duck, Southwestern Cuisine
CHEESE Aged Cheddar

Sierra Nevada Golden IPA

Sierra Nevada Golden IPA

Relevant Links:
Golden IPA (Sierra Nevada Website)
Golden IPA | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)
Sierra Nevada Golden IPA (RateBeer.com)

20150209:
Sierra Nevada Golden IPA. Sniffing this beer, I find it hard to detect any IPA smell. The pour resulted in a thick, slowly dissipating head. The beer is cloudy and orange in color. On the first sip, I find it tastes quite different from a typical IPA. Afterwards, the bitterness begins to accumulate. 12:37AM MT

Website Information:
GOLDEN IPA

A gilded homage to Cascade hops.

We’ve always had a passion for hops, but in today’s hop-heavy beer landscape it’s easy to forget where that passion came from. In the early days, one variety changed everything—the Cascade hop. It captured us then, and the flavor is still gripping: floral and grassy with a pronounced resinous pine and grapefruit aroma. Our Golden IPA pays homage to the mighty Cascade and wonderful world of hop flavor it inspired.

OVERVIEW
ALCOHOL CONTENT 5.9% by volume
BEGINNING GRAVITY 13.8° plato
ENDING GRAVITY 2.8° plato
BITTERNESS UNITS 55

INGREDIENTS
YEAST Ale Yeast
BITTERING HOPS Chinook
FINISHING HOPS Cascade, Centennial
MALTS Two-row Pale, Munich, Caramel

FOOD PAIRING
CUISINE San Diego-style Fish Tacos, Grilled Marinated Tri-Tip Steak, Roasted Root Vegetables
CHEESE Aged Goat Cheese
DESSERT Tart Lemon and Candied Grapefruit Pastry