SPECIAL REVIEW: Central Waters Brewers Reserve Kosmyk Charlie Y2K Catastrophe Ale (AGED: 1 year - bottle)

The Dirt
Oh barleywines, how I love thee. Especially after aging, as the hops tone down and the beer usually gets quite smooth. The Y2K was a great representation of a barleywine with a very present black liquorice like profile for the first half of the beer from the hops and malt mixture. It then fades to a delicious toasted caramel flavor, something I think American barleywines do more of, and I love.

Although I haven't had this beer fresh, I can tell the aging process made the beer smoother, as there are remnants of its harsher past. As the beer warmed up, the hopes became more present and lingered longer, perhaps being a bit too hoppy and slightly too dry. The nose becomes more hoppy as well.

All in all, a delicious barleywine that's a beautiful hazy burnt orange and brown color. I've had the privilege of having the bourbon barrel version of this, which is an absolute five out of five. A year or two longer of aging might get this regular version a step or two closer to such status.

Worth it?
My brother gave me this because he's not a fan of barleywines (yet). Even to purchase, the answer is yes. A good representation of its style that is good for aging.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Dogfish Head Midus Touch 2010 (AGED: 2 years - bottle)

The Dirt
Every now and then I get a little too creative, whether it's cooking up a meal or aging a beer. I happened to have an extra Midus Touch lying around for a bit so, having not read anything against aging it, that's what I did. It's 9% alcohol and is similar to a tripel, so why not?

Oh silly me - I wasted a perfectly good Midus Touch that when fresh is a tasty brew (review to come someday). Turns out this beer is about as age-worthy as milk. The nose smelled like strong grape juice, which wasn't surprising given that grapes are used in the beer. But the taste was that of the worst wine you've ever encountered. It was like taking cheap champagne meets store brand grape juice and putting it in your car for all of July before drinking. There was also a nasty gray film on the cap. Needless to say I did not finish this experiment gone horribly wrong. Sorry Sam for wasting one of your perfectly good brews.

Worth it?
The beer, when fresh, is worth it as a treat now and then. But aged? No sir. I regret my decision 110%.

The Final Word

 

SPECIAL REVIEW: The 2012 Great American Beer Festival

The Dirt
Another year, another Great American Beer Festival (GABF) has come and gone. This year, our sixth straight, hosted over 2,700 different beers under one roof. No, I sadly did not drink them all. But there were some stellar beers as usual.

This year did not start off smoothly. Tickets were a fiasco, as GABF switched completely over to Ticketmaster as the provider. Both the members ticket and public ticket offerings experienced technical glitches that frustrated many, including yours truly. Buying through Ticketmaster also meant the end to free pints at the Wynkoop and 2-for-1 at Winter Park on every ticket. But many did not get tickets this year with the public sale selling out in 45 minutes, so I still feel lucky to have gotten tickets regardless of the snafu. That said, I was sad to learn that not all members tickets were for the member's entrance, which grants ticket holders the ability to wait indoors and enter the festival 15 minutes early to get in line. Times be a changing. What didn't change was our battle plan. Two nights of Beerfest: Thursday and Friday.

What's Special
Once the week of Beerfest arrived, all ill feelings had been forgotten. Before I even set foot into the festival, the week started off with a Deschutes tasting 27 floors above downtown Denver. As a lover of all things Deschutes, this was the perfect way to get the party started.

Deschutes brought six beers for tasting, which was about the most delicious six-pack ever assembled. From left to right, top to bottom: Jubelale, Chainbreaker White IPA, Hop Trip, Black Butte XXIV, Conflux No. 1, and The Dissident. Holy wow Batman. The Jubelale is always one of my favorite holiday beers, bringing great caramel notes especially on tap. The Chainbreaker is my new favorite summer beer, while the Hop Trip excited every bit of the hophead in me. The Black Butte XXIV was thick deliciousness, acting like my dessert with so many dark spice and sweet notes. The Conflux No. 1 (a collaboration beer with Hair of The Dog Brewing Company) was like a high octane sour dubbel and might be one of the best beers I've ever had. And last but not least, The Dissident sour satisfied the La Folie lover in me. Good times!

Highlights
Once the festival started it was clear that there were some new beers that were going to wow us. Here is a small subset of what grabbed our palates this year at GABF:

• Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine - this...this is a barleywine ladies and gentlemen. Central Waters is known for their bourbon barrel aging expertise, and they did not disappoint with this beer. The bourbon was a perfect compliment to the black licorice-like malt and hop combo. The aging in the barrels made this big and intense beer as smooth as a baby's bottom.
• New Glarus Enigma - a delicious sour brown ale with tart Wisconsin cherries. I would have had more if the line wasn't one of the longest at the festival.
• Avery sours - even though Avery isn't far away from me, we always stop by for their sours. This year they sported a barrel aged sour brown that was intense, and a softer slightly fruitier sour that was also delicious.

• Stone 2008 Russian Imperial Stout - as some of you may recall, I aged one of these beers for a year and it was amazing. Turns out aging for four years is more than four times better. This beer was epic: smooth, big, chocolatey, and just plain delicious.
• Stone Drink By 11.09.12 IPA - Stone was on fire this year. This was their version of a Pliny the Elder, and it did not disappoint. Incredibly hoppy, but not bitter, and super fresh pine and citrus notes.

• Real Ale Scots Gone Wild - last but not least is what I deemed the best beer of GABF 2012. Who would have thought that a sour scotch ale would be a good idea let alone so delicious? Real Ale did, cementing why they're possibly my favorite brewery in Texas and probably in my top ten overall. Tart, malty, and a bit of oak with a hint of cherry. It was also the beer I had the most of this year. One of the best beers to ever grace my palate.

Once again a very tasty experience. Other breweries of note were Jester King bringing their tasty Boxer's Revenge and Goose Island's bourbon barrel stout. That said, I'm sure happy I live on the Front Range where a massive variety of great beer exists. But it's sure nice to get to experience other beers I cannot get here.

Cap It
GABF 2012 was a bit more crowded, especially on Friday, and the ticket fiasco was not a fun experience. But the beers were as tasty as ever. No real "it beer" for 2012, although all of the sours I had were spot on so I guess everyone is getting more versed in their creation. Next year we're thinking of changing it up by attending the members-only session on Saturday afternoon rather than the Friday night session, but likely still going Thursday. Yup, we're already planning 2013.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Real Ale Sisyphus 2008 (AGED: 4 years - bottle)

The Dirt
"Four years? What the heck were you doing!"

A fair question my friend. Barleywines can be great to age a couple of years, but truth be told, this was somewhat of an accident. I bought this when it was already a year or two old, and should have consumed it then, but wanted to hang onto it for just a bit longer. Before I knew it, I was pulling this out of my wine fridge and going "Oh crap! Need to drink this NOW."

In the end, this "accident" wasn't all that bad. I concluded that I certainly waited far too long, but this made for an interesting experience. First off, this baby was smoooooooth to the n-th degree. That's what four years of hibernation will do - obliterate any unsuspecting hops until there are none left. It was almost too smooth, as the back-end was a bit too subdued - almost stale in a sense. The front half was delicious though, with great barleywine flavor sans the usual bite, and a slight biscuity flavor in the middle. Despite the empty end, the beer left what is best described as a film on the tongue. That may sound nasty, but it was actually kind of interesting, as it was almost sweet. To put it another way, it did not detract from the experience. The beer improved a bit as it warmed up a tad, but letting it sit too long allowed the alcohol to come out way too strong.

Lesson learned: try 1-2 years next time. Leave long-term aging to the Dogfish Head 120 Minute.

NOTE: This review is primarily based on the aging of this specific beer, not for a newly bottled and purchased version of the Sisyphus. Perhaps I'll get there one day.

Worth it?
If I recall, the Sisyphus is a bit pricy. But it is delicious, especially if you like barleywines. I would certainly try this again, but age for only two years versus four.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Sam Adams Utopias

The Dirt
Extreme beers usually refer to brews with complex tastes accompanied by high alcohol - say 12-18% abv. So what do you get when you multiply extreme by two? Sam Adams Utopias. Released every two years, this beast comes in at a healthy 27% abv. No, that's not a typo folks.

Utopias is a blend of previous batches, with some having been aged for 18 years. They've spent time in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels, Spanish Sherry barrels, Madeira casks, and Port barrels from Portugal - all of which give Utopias an unseen level of complexity. It's brewed with champagne yeast, which allows for the high alcohol level. However, it is uncarbonated, allowing it to be stored and saved at room temperature. In fact, it's best served at room temp, and is meant to be saved after opening (besides it's abv, the other reason for this will be clearly revealed below).

Upon opening the mash tun-like bottle and pouring a few ounces, Utopias smells like the world's greatest Ports. Then when you take your first sip - WOW. Your brain tries to write down what your taste buds are screaming, but it can't keep up. After only one sip, it's abundantly clear that this is the most complex thing I've ever tasted. After a few more sips, Sherry and Port appear to make up the front end, while the back has a Cabernet Sauvignon profile - fruity with a hint of dry. Occasionally tastes of cinnamon appear through the barrel-aged flavors, along with maple syrup. Nearing the end of the 4oz. pour, my friend pointed out undertones of dark chocolate, and maybe even hints of a little toffee and raisins. There are a million other flavors that I could not grasp long enough to describe, but together makes for one incredible experience.

What's surprising about Utopias is that the alcohol is not that present. There is a slight tingle on the tongue at first, but otherwise you wouldn't guess that you're drinking 27% alcohol - it's that silky smooth. Also interesting is the Utopias glass that comes free (+ S&H) with the purchase (see below). It was made special for drinking Utopias, and it actually makes a difference. My friend drank from a small snifter glass and noted that the alcohol was present in the nose of the beer, but was not as potent in the Utopias glass. We deduced that the taller and slim design allowed the alcohol to escape, but on the sip would concentrate the flavors to the nose. Meanwhile, the snifter glass's bulb shape trapped it all. That...or the 27% was getting to us and we were completely making that up.

Worth it?
Well, it's a yes-no answer really. If you find it hard to spend more than $7 on a 6-pack, this beer certainly isn't for you. If you shop on the top shelf of the bourbon shelf, then perhaps. As someone who is on a quest to find the best tasting beers in the world, I can't put a price on something like this. But the liquor store sure did - roughly $200 with tax for 750 mL. Yup, that's nearly $8/oz. for those of you keeping score at home. So logically, the answer is no. But this experience isn't about logic - it's about a once-in-a-lifetime experience of something rare and unmatched. So for us, the answer was yes. The fact that I was even able to purchase this was a miracle. Most stores get about two bottles (if your store even gets one), and one usually goes to someone at the store. The last one is either pre-ordered or snatched up very quickly. I happened to see that my local store listed it on their website. That could just mean they've had it before, but when I asked one day after checking out, they said they had one. It was in a locked display case for all to see. My decision was made then and there, and if it happened again...chances are I'd pull the trigger once more.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: The 2011 Great American Beer Festival

The Dirt
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), or simply known as Beerfest amongst those who have attended before, is one of the grandest beer festivals one can attend. Typical beerfests are on a Saturday afternoon and might have a dozen or two breweries on-hand, while GABF is three days with 450+ breweries and 2,000+ beers for 2011. It is held every year in the massive Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. This year marked the 30th Anniversary of GABF, running from Sept. 29-Oct. 1.

What's Special
This year marked the 5th straight GABF that my partners in crime and I have attended, and over the years we've witnessed and established a number of traditions that make GABF even more special than it already is.

Every year legends such as Dogfish Head, Sam Adams, and New Belgium have some of the longest lines at the festival. But no brewery has a longer line than New Glarus (pictured above-left). We make it a point to make New Glarus our first stop each year, and now that we have American Homebrewers Association memberships, that means getting in just before GABF officially opens, allowing us to get in line early. This year's lineup was a bit weaker than in the past, but their Raspberry Tart is one of the finest. It's like eating fresh raspberries, but tart and delicious as a beer.

Dogfish Head is probably a close second to New Glarus' line (pictured above-right). This is likely due to their always outstanding lineup, but also because founder Sam Calagione is back there serving beer (pictured pouring me a beer below-bottom). He is a rockstar in the craft beer world, and it's always a treat to get a sample straight from him.

But Sam isn't the only notable name we see at Beerfest. Over the years we've had the true honor of getting to know John Leinenkugel, one of the three Leinenkugel brothers of the Leinenkugel Brewery (pictured with us above-top). John is a hoot and a great guy who always loves talking beer with us, including what's happening on the Leinenkugel docket. This year John was joined by his brothers Jake and Dick, who too are upstanding guys. And this year's visit with John was extra special, as he presented us with a box of their Russian Imperial Stout signed by him and Jake (see below).

Highlights
It's impossible to try every single beer at GABF - well, if you want to live to tell about them - but that makes for some diamonds in the rough. Here's a list of what stood out at this year's Beerfest:

• Bull & Bush Legend of the Liquid Brain - a delicious imperial stout from a local Denver brewery that is worth a visit on its own. Also gets props for a crazy unique name (see logo below-left).
• Avery Immitis Barrel-Aged Sour Ale - might be one of the best sours I've ever had. What is certain is that this was the best beer I sampled at the festival. The bad news: it was a very limited release.
• Russian River Brown Ale - aged in oak barrels with cherries, this beer filled the void that we all have for New Glarus' Belgian Red - very delicious. Their other offers were quite tasty too, and had a healty line at all times.
• Dad & Dudes Breweria Toffee Porter - the first time I've seen toffee used in a beer, and a porter was the perfect vehicle for it. Kind of wonder why it hasn't been used before. Not something I'd drink often, but was tasty and unique.
• Dogfish Head World Wide Stout - this may be the 120 Minute of dark beers, as it certainly has its alcohol profile (18%).
• Sam Adams LongShot: Derf’s Secret Alt - one of the three beers that attendees can vote on to appear in the LongShot variety pack, this one stood out amongst a very strong showing this year. I believe it won, so be on the lookout for the LongShot 6-pack.

Overall, the Rocky Mountain section probably had the strongest showing, with solid beers from even the smallest and lowest-profile breweries. And if you ever happen to be in Michigan, see if you can get some beer from Shorts Brewery - very good stuff.

Cap It
Overall, Year 5 was one of the best despite being one man down on night two (NOTE: do not drink a growler's worth of barrel-aged imperial ales - you will get sick). This year's most popular styles seemed to be Oktoberfests (makes sense given the time of year), pumpkin beers (including imperial), beers aged over cherries, and barrel-aged beers in general. Needless to say, it was Cloud 9 for our taste buds. And as always, GABF was what I like to call the largest gathering of the happiest people on earth. The countdown to 2012 is already underway.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (AGED: 1.5 years - bottle)

The Dirt
Another accidentally aged beer! And a Russian Imperial Stout no less. I've had one of these un-aged and it was tasty, but like the Stone Russian, the aging mellowed it out. This guy has a little more spicy dark chocolate tone right up front, but smooths out and has great body. As noted, it has become more velvety in texture with age.

Worth it?
The couple of times I've bought this at Spec's it was on sale for like $5 or $6 for a 4-pack. Both times I got the last pack on the shelf. I would have bought more if they were there. If I were forced to pick only one between the Stone and the Brooklyn, I'd have to narrowly pick the Stone. But this guy is definitely worth it, on sale or not.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Stone Imperial Russian Stout (AGED: 2 years - bottle)

The Dirt
Aging beer is fun, but tough. It's not about keeping it in the right conditions or anything like that. It's tough because the beers that are best for aging...are the most difficult to put away and avoid drinking for years. Fortunately I hid this one in my wine fridge, and completely forgot about it until 2 years later. Boy did it pay off.

I don't think I've had this beer straight from the store, and I'm sure it would be great, but aging 2 years hit the ball out of the park. It poured dark and thick, which got me excited from the start. At first it had heavy dark chocolate tones and a silky disappearance that left you excited for the next sip. As it warmed up, the beer got a bit more complex, with a mocha dry back end, great malt and roastiness, and eventually a little spice in the middle. But overall it was very smooth and you could tell it mellowed a bit with the aging.

Worth it?
I have no idea what I paid for the 22oz. bomber, probably like $6, and it was more than worth it. And as tough as it was to let it sit, that was WELL worth the wait as well. This may be one of the best beers I've ever had. It had it all, from start to finish, and from cold to warmed. I couldn't get over the smoothness and flavor profiles, as they were intense, but perfectly balanced. I'm going to have to buy a case of this next time and try them over different aging periods...if I can hold myself off from them over time.

The Final Word