Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop Ale
I was in Gail's Hops and Grapes again the other day when Monica popped out from behind the counter modeling this beer like one of Bob Barker's Price is Right merchandise models ;) I have learned to watch out for her. She's a hop head. So what did she have for me? Today's selection is Sierra Nevada's 13th Release Harvest Wet Hop Ale. Here's the blurb from the website concerning this special release:
The cornerstone of our Harvest series is the beer that started the modern-day fresh hop ale phenomenon in America, our original Harvest Ale.
Created in 1996, Harvest Ale features Cascade and Centennial hops from the Yakima Valley in Eastern Washington. These hops are harvested and shipped as "wet" un-dried hops - the same day they are picked - to our brewery in Chico where our brewers eagerly wait to get them into the brew kettle while their oils and resins are still a their peak.
There is no doubt in my mind that Cascade and Centennial hops combine to create an excellent mix of bitterness and aroma. It's a common combination and very worthy of its purpose. This beer is also quite malty as well with a significant punch from the caramel malts that are combined with the two-row pale malts to conjure up this pale ale. The body of this beer is heavier than the average pale ale, and the alcohol levels out at 6.7% ABV. On the hop scale, this beer rings in at 60-65 IBU which defines a nice punch of hop presence as well.
Sierra Nevada makes good beers. In fact, they really do make excellent beers. One of my favorite aspects of Sierra Nevada's brews, especially when it comes to these special releases, is they don't break my bank when I want to give it a try. This 24-oz bomber rang up on Monica's register at $5.09 plus tax.
Highland Clawhammer Oktoberfest
Today's sampling is from Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, North Carolina. I have had several of their beers before and always had excellent results and reviews, but this beer has a problem. I'm not sure if it's just this bottle or possibly the batch, but it has a bitter flavor that is very uncharacteristic of the style. It tastes like something is wrong with it. I actually poured this beer down the drain after 5 or 6 sips. Before I pass complete judgement on this beer, I'm going to chill another one and give it a try. If there is any difference in the next bottle, I will update this post with additional information.
My previous experiences with Highland beers have all been good. This is a brewery that I will always hold in high regards as well, so don't let this minor glitch steer you away from their wonderfully crafted beers.
*** Update ***
I opened another bottle of this beer this evening and it exhibited the same bitterness that the first bottle did. I poured it out. I'm going to try to talk to some others who have had this beer and compare notes...
Unibroue – Don De Dieu
I was browsing the sampler packs available at Gail's Hops and Grapes the other day and decided to give this one a try from Unibroue. Unibroue is a Canadian brewery in Chambly, Quebec. I have seen their beers around but have never tried any until this one...
The sampler I picked up has four different beers, and I think it's all the strong beers made by this brewery. Three of the four are 9% ABV and the fourth is 8% ABV. The Don De Dieu is their triple wheat ale. The Don De Dieu poured with an orange-ish golden color with a foamy head that subsided rather quickly and vanished quickly afterwards. The beer has a nice citrus aroma and extremely crisp flavor and a light body. The alcohol flavor doesn't really come though at the colder temperatures, so this beer can be enjoyed colder than some other beers at this alcohol level.
This beer style seems to be a bit on the novelty side for me. I like wheat beers, but a 9% wheat beer is just over the top. Sure... it CAN be done, but the question is why? I guess if you want to get slammed on less beers, then this is the one to go with. I like lower alcohol wheat beers that I can enjoy all afternoon without losing my functionality ;)
Sam Adams Octoberfest
Here's another seasonal I picked up recently at Gail's Hops and Grapes. Before I continue on this one, I have a comment for any of my local people who might be reading this:
If you are interested in sampling the seasonal's being offered at Gail's, I have three bottles of each of the following beers that I will trade you three of something that I don't have already. I really hate buying six packs just to try a beer, and now I have a collection of Oktoberfests that I won't drink up myself...
Samuel Adams Octoberfest
New Belgium Hoptober (not a real Oktoberfest)
Bell's Octoberfest
Highland's Clawhammer Oktoberfest
I will trade these one at a time or in groups of three for any of the other fall seasonals if you want to mix up your tasting regimen without buying six of everything...
The Sam Adams Octoberfest, even though they (as did Bell's Brewing) spell it wrong, is a decent representation of the style. It poured a very rich copper/amber color with a thick head of foam. The malty aroma came through quickly and there are practically no hop aromas found that contribute significantly to the overall aroma. From the website:
The first thing you notice when pouring a glass of this seasonal beer is the color. Samuel Adams Octoberfest has a rich, deep golden amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. Samuel Adams Octoberfest is a malt lover's dream, masterfully blending together five roasts of barley to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The beer is kept from being overly sweet by the elegant bitterness imparted by the German Noble hops. Samuel Adams Octoberfest provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the winter's heartier brews.
The Sam Adams Octoberfest is probably going to fall in the middle of the road of my favorites in this group this season. I'm not sure what is causing it, but there is a little bit of leftover bitterness in the aftertaste of this beer. That isn't characteristic of this style. This beer should finish on a sweet note with a caramel aftertaste if there is any aftertaste at all. Its not as full bodied as the Bell's and its got just a little bit crisper flavor. We'll see how these stack up to the Highland Brewing's Clawhammer Oktoberfest that I have been saving. I'm expecting it to be my favorite of the bunch so far...
Celebrating with a St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve
Today presented cause for celebration, so I made a quick trip out to Gail's Hops and Grapes and picked up a bottle of St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve out of the best beer cooler in Hickory. This beer is made by the Sterkens Brewery in Meer, Belgium.
St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve is a Belgian strong pale ale that rings in at 10% ABV. As we know from previous tastings of beer with this level of alcohol, they usually serve better at warmer temperatures to take the alcohol flavor away, and this one is no exception. Notes from the bottle:
A single batch of St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve is brewed each year. This limited edition release from Brewery Sterkens is brewed with utmost care to be one of the finest beers in the world...
The Belgian ales are beers that I haven't spent a lot of time tasting, but I plan to in the near future. I have been reading about them with the anticipation of possibly brewing a Belgian ale sometime in the near future. I bought a book that is quite informative called "Brew Like A Monk" a while back, but I haven't gotten through it all yet. Anyway... this beer is really nice. It poured with a golden/amber hue with a thick head. The aroma was rather sweet with citrus notes and possibly a small hint of apple. The hop presence is very low while the beer has an extra crisp flavor that resides soundly on the malty side. This beer is definitely a keeper and it's gonna fall high on my list of recommended drinks that will be coming up after I get to the 100 count in tasting this year.
As for the celebration, I finally landed a job in Radiography. After spending three years back in school to get re-trained for a different career, I finally have my foot in the door. It's a part time job, but it's a great start. Luckily, the place that is hiring me was my favorite clinical site while I was in school, so that's a bonus too :)
New Belgium’s Hoptober Golden Ale
Here's another beer that I picked up from Gail's Hops and Grapes recently as I started collecting some of the fall seasonals for tasting. There is definitely one thing I need to keep in mind about New Belgium Brewing in Ft. Collins, Colorado. They are definitely outside of the box. What you might expect from the isn't always, or usually, what you will get. I like this beer, but I'm going to whine a little about it as well...
This beer poured a beautiful golden color as possibly anticipated by the Golden Ale on the label. The head was nice and foamy and left a fantastic lacing on the glass. The lacing was pretty enough that I almost wanted to make a photo of that... The hop presence in this beer is duly noted by the name of the beer and the flavor and aroma that arises from this glass. This beer has a rather light and crisp body which is representative of some of my favorite summertime drinks, but the hop bill here creates something rather delicious and new. From the bottle:
Five hops and four malts make HOPTOBER Golden Ale a veritable cornucopia of the earth. Pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats to create a medium bodied ale with a cream mouth feel. Centennial, Cascade, Sterling, Willamette, and Clacier hops form a bonfire of citrus notes, fruity cheers and a bold finale.
I can't really argue with any of that. This is an excellent beer at 40 IBU and 6.0% ABV. My bitch with this beer is simply that it ain't what I was lookin' for. I only wish they had named this beer something else. Any beer name that contains, alludes to, or summons the idea of the month of October in its name must contain caramel and toasted malt notes with medium to heavy body and an amber to orange hue and minimal hop notes ;) I think New Belgium's offering could very appropriately be named "Harvest Ale" or something along those lines...
Maybe I'm just getting to be old enough that change isn't something I can deal with as easily :)
