Great Divide Brewing Co Oak Aged Yeti Stout

May 29, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

One of the beers I purchased the last time I came East but didn’t have the chance to try until this trip was the Oak Aged Yeti Stout, from the Great Divide Brewing Co in Denver, Colorado.

All I have to say is “Wow!” It was a nice, thick imperial stout with a ton of flavor and complexity.

Initially, it smells like coffee. It’s very malty and leaves your mouth with a slight warming sensation because of its strength. It is very smooth going down, and it leaves your palate flavored like coffee, chocolate, and vanilla. It was a very complex and deeply flavored beer, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Have you tried the Oak Aged Yeti Stout? What was your opinion?

Southern Tier Brewing Company Gemini

May 28, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ 2 Comments

I had the chance to try Southern Tier Brewing Company Gemini, based in Lakewood, New York. It’s a 50/50 blend of their unfiltered Hoppe and Unearthly beers.

As an IPA, I was prepared for an ultra hoppy beer, but it was an excellent blend that was very smooth. It didn’t have too much bitterness, and was very balanced.

The beer had four different types hops in boil, and five types of dry hops. This contributes a ton of citrus and floral flavor that balances out with the thick malt flavor.

I have to say, this was a great beer. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. Don’t let the IPA label scare you because the hop flavor and aroma was very subdued, but just be prepared for it to be thicker than your regular Pale Ale or other session beer.

Have you had Gemini? What did you think?

Lagunitas Brewing Wilco Tango Foxtrot

May 28, 2010June 2, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

I went East (specifically New Jersey), and if there’s one thing I enjoy about going East, it’s trying beers that haven’t made it to Iowa yet.

One of these I had the chance to try is Lagunitas Brewing Company‘s Wilco Tango Foxtrot. On the label it says “We’re not in the black, we’re not in the red. Does that mean we’re in the brown?”

It seems to be a stonger brown ale/red ale (it’s listed as 7.83%). Right off the bat, it smells like coffee and chocolate. The color is darker than a red, yet lighter than a brown. It tastes like roasted malt, and has a nice strong malt flavor. Because of the strength, it leaves a slight alcohol flavor with a little bit of warming. The hop finish leaves a bit of slight citrus and herbal flavor. It was a nice beer that would be great in colder times.

Have you tried Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Wilco Tango Foxtrot? What did you think?

Hop Growing Update

May 27, 2010May 27, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday I successfully put up my second hop trellis, for the Cascade hop bed and two Hallertau hop beds, bringing the total hop beds to six. The two Hallertau beds used the “Jumbo” rhizomes from Freshops.

When I previously bought hop rhizomes, I got the standard size, but after seeing the viability of the Jumbo varieties (it looked like a small tree trunk), I would definitely recommend buying the jumbo rhizomes from Freshops. In both cases, the rhizomes have vines over a foot tall within a few weeks.

As for the other three beds (Golding, Tettenang, and Willamette), I have one Tettenang hop vine that has already reached the top, and is about a foot above the trellis!

Stay tuned for updates, and I’ll see if I can snap a few photos of the setup, too.

Boulevard Brewing Zon

May 25, 2010May 25, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

I mowed the lawn today, and when I was done, I felt like having a less-traditional “lawn-mower” beer, so I picked up a 6-pack of Boulevard Brewing Zon (pronounced like zone). It is similar to a Belgian-style wit beer.

It was light and crisp with a lemon citrus flavor. On the finish, there was a slight tartness, and it was very refreshing.

Although it is different than several of the Belgian wits I’ve had, I did enjoy it. Have you tried Boulevard Brewing Zon? What did you think?