To start off this post I must let you know that I realize that it is not exactly pumpkin beer time of year anymore.  Over the holiday season The Wife and I did a flight of four pumpkin beers and I am just now getting around to passing along the results.  All of this will still be useful (at least for me) since three of the four beers will be brewed again this year and the fourth is my home brew, which I will want to make again later this year.

With that out of the way I can let you know that today will be the first of four consecutive days that I will post the reviews for the pumpkin beer flight that we did.  I can also let you know that all but one of the images from the occasion was lost in a hard drive crash so you will see that single image over and over.  Take that as a warning for those who don’t back up their photos, I know we learned our lesson.

I reviewed each beer individually, but I gave The Wife a blind flight of the four to see where she would put my home brewed version of pumpkin ale (Blueprint Brewing) among the others.  I will reveal her final rankings in the last of these four entries.

Let’s get started . . .

Brewery: Blueprint Brewing (Winter Park, FL)

Name: Gourdeous One

Style: Vegetable Beer

ABV: 4.13% (+/-)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Smooth pumpkin spices noticeable (mostly nutmeg) with some slight sweetness underneath (brown sugar?).

Appearance: Deep amber to brown color.  Two finger (plus) cream color head that is thick with good retention and laced trail.  Clear with tons of bubbles visible.

Flavor: Low maltiness with a hint of sweetness.  The flavors of real pumpkin are noticeable.  No real bitterness and a clean finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation that leaves some bite.  Crisp and slightly creamy.

Overall Impressions: Pretty darn good, though other bottles from the batch have been a bit tastier.  Will make again with some slight tweaks to the recipe.  Definitely good enough for a revisit.

Grade: B+

The Wife enjoy her pumpkin flight.

Sometimes I need to prove to certain friends of mine that I still drink some Samuel Adams products now and again.  This is one of those times.

I still tend to go into drinking fruit beers with a little hesitation, as I don’t expect to like them that much.  The warmer days in Florida do seem to help out their case as the outdoor air and sunshine somehow changes how I feel about them.  Then again, being barefoot with my toes in the sand alone makes a lot of beers taste better to me.  So since I was not close to the beach when I evaluated this one, I was a bit surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

I should not have been too taken aback since it was a Boston Beer Company brew.  I may not love them all, but there is a consistent level of quality that I know will be there regardless of how my palate accepts it.

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, Massachusetts)

Name: Blackberry Witbier

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pilsner glass.  $8.69 per 6-pack

Aroma: Noticeable fruit nose (though not sure that I would have guessed blackberry).  Light wheat character with some slight spiciness (coriander) in back.

Appearance: Light gold (almost to full/deep gold) color.  Three finger, off-white head that is thick with good retention and leaves a trail.  Mostly clear with a slight haze and many bubbles visible.

Flavor: Nice sweetness with a hint of berry (just enough) and the slightest note of hops.  Well balanced with nothing overpowering.  A bit dry at finish, though not lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with high carbonation.  Smooth and slightly creamy with the slightest bit of dryness.

Overall Impressions: Refreshing and easy drinking.  Definitely glad I tried and was as good or better than expected.  I would drink again as a good summer beer.

Grade: B

Boston Beer Company - Blackberry Witbier

There are not many things that I would choose to do over watching a Syracuse Orange men’s basketball game, but the opportunity to go to the Florida Brewers Guild Beerfest in Tampa is apparently one of those things.  It was probably a good decision, now knowing that we (yes I use we in this case) lost and I likely would have spent the afternoon miserable at home otherwise.  The festival at least gave me an environment that I could not possibly be miserable in. So you might ask what do you do in preparation for such an event?  The answer, of course, would be to have your comrades over to the house for a bacon cake and coffee breakfast before piling into the car for the 90-minute drive.  There is nothing like a nice healthy breakfast of bacon and eggs (in cake form) to start the day off right.  There were certainly no complaints from Gregg, Wayne, and Joe.

Of course there are pecans and apples in there as well to round things out!

We arrived well in advance of the start of the event via an earlier than necessary departure time and the driving skills of Chauffeur Joe.  There was more than enough time to walk around the Ybor City area of Tampa a bit and also enough time that we would have considered (what I think was called) the urban race that was going on in the vicinity.  Now we still don’t know what the race exactly entailed, but it seemed to be a lot to do with a costume party mixed with a scavenger hunt.  It looked like a good time, so maybe next year.

The trolley was on purpose, the finger was not.

This area was less than busy.

There was also plenty of time to grab a bite for lunch before getting to the beer sampling, so we headed to Tampa Bay Brewing Company for some food and, well, a beer.

Just the type of decor I appreciate.

The event started at two and though it was only a few minutes after that when we exited our lunch location, the plazas were already packed and the line at the check-in was down the street of people yet to enter the fray.  I am not going to say that we cut to the front of the line, but since we had a limited window for beer sampling lets just say we didn’t wait very long in it!

Just one half of the action early on.

What is a beer festival without this?

A few familiar faces were found among the crowds as I ran into Tom the Beer Guy multiple times during the day.  I have to thank him very much for suggesting the event (as I would not have known about it otherwise) and for having some Toasted Coconut Porter on hand to sample again.  Though I had no real expectations going in, it turned out to be bigger and better than I thought it would be.  It will be going on the calendar for next year for sure.

At the end of the day for us I was also able to meet up with (now award winning home brewer) Mike Melton and a few of his friends at Tampa Bay Brewing Company.  It was nice to get to catch up with a really nice (beer) guy. It was a fast and furious afternoon and part of an evening.  We definitely all had a great day and I thank the boys for joining me for the fun.  I have some interesting video to share as a way to experience the crowds without having gone to the festival so this will simply be the first of two parts of recapping the event.

A little empty outside after teardown.

As a teaser to that second post and a close to this one I will list a few of the beer highlights for me:

• Hunahpus Mayan Chocolate Imperial Stout from Cigar City – Very glad to sample this one since I will not be able to make the release party at the brewery this Friday.
• Tampa Bay Brewing Company – Since I had never tried any of their beers previously and generally enjoyed them all.
• Cream Ales in general – A style that enjoy but cont drink very often.  Offhand I remember TBBC and Bold City Brewery having nice ones.
• Iniquity Imperial Black Ale from Southern Tier Brewing – A unique style for me and probably my favorite beer of the day.  I immediately went back for a second sample.

Stay tuned!

As promised on Tuesday for my unofficial “Lagunitas Brewing Company Week” I have another review that I have waited too long to share.  Reading back over this evaluation reminded me that I have not made the effort to drink it again as I suggested to myself at the time.  I guess not revisiting old favorites is one of the bad things about having so much good quality craft beer out there to choose from (even with so much yet that I can’t get here in Central Florida).  I cannot think of another downside to having that kind of selection, but perhaps I will put some further thought into it.

I kind of like these unofficial brewery dedicated weeks, so maybe I will throw a few in again along the way.  With that said, I bring you another Lagunitas brew to keep an eye out for . . .

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)

Name: Sirius (Special Release High Gravity Cream Ale)

Style: Cream Ale

ABV: 7.6%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  9.99 per 6-pack

Aroma: Light hop aroma with a medium malty, sweet background.

Appearance: Pale gold to amber in color.  Three finger, light cream color head that dissipates rather quickly with some trail.  Crystal clear with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium hop bitterness with low malt character that is slightly sweet toward the end.  Slightly dry finish with some sweetness, though not lingering.  Well balanced overall.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and refreshing with medium to high carbonation.  Very smooth with slight warmth.

Overall Impressions: Really enjoyable, very easy drinking light(er) bodied beer with the perfect amount of hop character(s).  As expected, higher ABV than typical for style (4.2-5.6%).  I would like to compare it directly with other cream ales.  Definitely will be drinking again.

Grade: A-

Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Sirius

On a bit of a side note (Is it still a side note if I start off with it?), I have decided to go a bit heavy on the beer reviews in the coming weeks.  Since there are so many in the back log I am going to push a few extra out there, so you will likely see more than the two a week for a short while (or longer if it works out).

With that out of the way, I can move on to another really good beer with an excellent name.  So good in fact that I think it warrants another beer review from the brewery later this week for sort of an unofficial “Lagunitas Brewing Company Week.”  I have done months, so why not weeks?  No need to delay any longer, so I bring you . . .

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)

Name: The Hairy Eyeball Ale

Style: Strong Ale (Old Ale?)

ABV: 8.7%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Strong malty sweetness (caramel-like) with some dark fruit notes and no noticeable hops.

Appearance: Deep reddish brown color.  Very short, light brown head that slowly dissipates with some trail.  Clear with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium to high dark caramel/molasses-like malt flavor with some dark fruit that lends a port-like character.  Some warmth comes through towards end.  A sweet finish with some (carbonic) bite.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation.  Very smooth with the perfect level of alcohol warmth balanced in.

Overall Impressions: The sweetness and warmth are balanced well.  Incredibly enjoyable and a great beer to sit and relax with.  Would drink again for sure.

Grade: A

Lugunitas Brewing Co. - The Hairy Eyeball Ale

The time has come for the final beer review of “Great Divide Brewing Co. Month” and it is no surprise that it is another good one.  Sure I would love to continue on with Great Divide reviews, but it is time to move on to some of the others that I have done.  Fortunately there are enough brews left in their portfolio for me to do another dedicated month down the line if I choose to.  Then again, there are so many other breweries that need a month of their own before I start returning to those already honored.  Enough rambling and on to the beer . . .

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Yeti

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV: 9.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge (58 degrees +/-) and served in a pint glass (by mistake).  $6.49 for 22oz.

Aroma: Strong malty sweetness (barleywine-like) with a low roasted character (less than I expected).  Noticeable hop profile (somewhat earthy) with some warmth in back.

Appearance: Black (dark, dark brown with the slightest hint of reddish brown at edges when held to light).  Very tall, thick, frothy, mocha/chocolate head with great retention and a heavy trail.  Opaque (really).

Flavor: Deep roasted maltiness with a light burnt character.  Rich chocolately flavors from middle to end.  Moderate bitterness (some from roasted grains and some from hops) with a hint of fruitiness(?).  Somewhat dry at the finish, though with light sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Full body with medium to low carbonation.  Smooth and somewhat tongue coating.  Even alcohol warmth (mostly from middle to end) that is well balanced in with the strong flavors.

Overall Impressions: Big flavor profiles that continue through finish.  Start to notice dark fruit flavors as it warms a bit.  Pretty complex with new flavors with (almost) every sip.  Fantastic beer to enjoy slowly.  Looking forward to trying the entire Yeti family (need to collect and cellar some).  Still prefer the Oak Aged of the two I have tried.

Grade: A

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Yeti

A close up of the goodness.

Though I do enjoy standing in the store staring at the shelves trying to decide what beer I want, it also nice to go in with a plan of attack.  Having narrowed the field down to only Great Divide brews I was simply looking for one of them to catch my eye.  A high gravity version of a witbier was an easy choice knowing that I do not see them often, if at all.

After initially not expecting to enjoy this one, The Wife quickly warmed to it and even went back for a bit more.  I always consider that to be a pretty good endorsement.  That combined with a unique style (at least somewhat) is more than enough reason to try it if you have the opportunity.

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Double Wit

Style: Witbier

ABV: 8.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge (51 degrees +/-) and served in a pilsner glass.

Aroma: Light wheat/grainy sweetness with a faint bit of spice.  Hint of acidity (kind of sauvignon blanc/white wine-like).

Appearance: Medium straw color (to golden).  Very tall, thick, frothy, off-white head with good retention and laced trail.  Mostly clear with slight haze and tons of tiny rising bubbles.

Flavor: Honey-like sweetness with a bit of citrus fruitiness.  Low spice (coriander) profile with slight acidity and dryness at finish (not lingering).  Well-balanced components.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation (without bite).  Smooth with good creaminess and noticeable warmth toward finish.

Overall Impressions: One of only two higher gravity witbiers that I can recall having (Sam Adams Imperial White being the other).  The warmth blends in well with the flavor profiles.  Might want to drink it slightly colder than I had it this time.  Good throughout, but the first tastes were the best.  As the name indicates, this is certainly a double/imperial version of this style (typically in a 4.5-5.5% ABV range).

Grade: B+

Double what?

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Double Wit

The initial pour stirred things up a bit.

As mentioned on Tuesday, we are on to the second Pale Ale for the week in this month of Great Divide beer reviews.  Today we have the American Pale Ale of the pair.  Since I enjoy borrowing previously written content (and it makes as much sense with this post), I will say again that it is probably time for me to do a series explaining and defining the different beer styles for both my education and yours, but for today I will just say that the English Pale Ales tend to be more balanced and “drinkable” than their hoppier American cousins.  Now on to the beer review . . .

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Fresh Hop

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 6.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Full, citrusy hop aroma with a low malty sweetness.  The hops dominate the really nice overall aroma.

Appearance: Light amber color with some golden character.  Two finger (plus), off-white head that is frothy with good retention and a laced trail.  Clear with consistently rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium (toward high) citrusy hop flavor up front with a bit of grassy profile underneath that.  Very slight toasted maltiness in back.  Balances to hops with good amount of bitterness toward end (moderate/not too much).  Some dryness at the finish with some lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium(ish) body with moderate carbonation (really just right).  Smooth with no harshness.

Overall Impressions: I think my palate leans toward the DPA  (of the two) . . . Fresh Hop is as good as DPA, but very different.  Really enjoy the hops character(s), though I have to be in the mood for it because they are really prominent.  The hoppiness grew on me as the glass emptied and it definitely lands on the “buy again someday” list.  Do not drink too cold.

Grade: B

Great Divide Brweing Co. - Fresh Hop

It seems that it is going to be a Pale Ale kind of week with the Great Divide beer reviews.  Today we have the English Pale Ale of the pair.  Don’t worry though, the American Pale Ale with be represented on Friday.  It is probably time for me to do a series explaining and defining the different beer styles for both my education and yours, but for today I will just say that the English Pale Ales tend to be more balanced and “drinkable” than their hoppier American cousins.  Now on to the beer review . . .

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Denver Pale Ale

Style: English Pale Ale

ABV: 5.4%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  $1.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Moderate hop aroma with a low fruity profile and a medium, somewhat sweet (caramel-like) malt aroma.  The two are almost of equal strength.

Appearance: Golden in color with a bit of copper/orange to it.  One finger, cream color head  that is frothy with good retention and trail.  Clear with some rising bubbles and small particulates visible.

Flavor: Good maltiness up front (bit of nutty profile?) with medium bitterness (more middle through end).  Moderate dryness at the finish without lingering.  Pretty well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium (to low) carbonation.  Has creaminess that gives the impression of a more full body.

Overall Impressions: The bitterness builds on the palate and becomes more prominent as the glass empties.  The hop flavors and aromas are just enough without being at all overpowering.  Really very drinkable . . . the characteristics work well together making it better as I drink.

Grade: B to B+

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Denver Pale Ale

Though typically fruit beers are not one of my favorite styles, I don’t think I can continue to add fruit to my home brews and maintain that opinion as a baseline.  It is not that I don’t like fruit beers, but many that I have tried had an artificial flavor that just does not work for my palate.  Of course with that, there are also some that are really quite good.  This one falls solidly on the good end of the fruit beer scale for me.  The Wife likes her fruit beers quite a lot and really enjoyed this one (would have graded it higher than I did), so that should be endorsement enough.  This one will likely find its way into our house again in the future.

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Wild Raspberry Ale

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 5.6%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  $1.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Full, smooth berry aroma (that is not artificial smelling) with an underlying malty sweetness.

Appearance: Amber color, but with a reddish hue.  One finger, off-white head with decent retention and a hint of a trail.  Very clear with a few rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Berry flavor up front that goes away fairly quickly.  Fruitiness intertwined completely with the good base of malt flavor(s).  Bit of dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium (toward light) body and moderate (to low) carbonation.  Some slight astringency (dryness).

Overall Impressions: Typically not my favorite style, but pretty good as they go.  Better when not extremely cold.  The fruit/berry profile is nice (natural and well balanced).

Grade: B+

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Wild Raspberry Ale

Sure I choose breweries for a theme month that I am already pretty familiar with, but it also provides me the bonus of trying brews from them that I have never enjoyed before.  Already being a fan of Great Divide, I expected that my least favorite beers for the month would still be pretty darn good.  However, with Oak Aged Yeti getting me hooked on their product in the first place and setting the bar very high, I did not expect anything to approach that.  Though my porter drinking resume is not all that extensive (yet), this one is certainly up there with the best that I have tried.  Definitely one to have if that is a style that suits you.

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Saint Bridget’s Porter

Style: Robust Porter

ABV: 5.9%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge (allowed to warm a bit) and served in a pint glass.  $1.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Smooth, lightly roasted malt aroma with a hint of sweetness and a light note of bittersweet chocolate in back.

Appearance: Very, very dark brown color (with slight red hue when held to light).  One finger (plus), light brown, thick head with good retention and trail.  Clear (when held to light) with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Excellent roasted malt flavors up front with nice coffee notes through the middle and a medium amount bitterness toward the finish.  Mostly dry at the finish with a hint of sweetness.  Well balanced components overall.

Mouthfeel: Medium (toward full) body with moderate amount of carbonation.  Smooth with good creaminess and the slightest bit of sharpness (from the roasted grains).

Overall Impressions: Memorable porter for me (where others have not been) and probably the best that I have tried to date (definitely top three anyway).  Don’t drink too cold as it is better as it warms.  Really nice balance of everything (aroma, flavors, mouthfeel).

Grade: A

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Saint Bridget's Porter

It had to be posted eventually and today is as good as any to reveal the only A+ that I have given to a beer to date.  Maybe my thoughts would be different if I tasted it again, after tons of evaluations between then and now, but I cannot imagine this one ever dropping out of the A range in my grading.  There was something about this beer on that evening that just blew me away and I am looking forward to the day where I give it another try.  With so much going on with the flavors, I fell for it on the first sip and I continued to find more that I liked about it as the glass emptied.

Enough gushing and on to the review . . .

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Oak Aged Yeti

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV: 9.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge and served in a pint glass.  $7.99 for 1pt 6oz.

Aroma: Heavy hop aroma up front (pretty aggressive) with the slightest bit of roasted grains in the background.

Appearance: Jet black in color.  A well formed four finger, sort of mocha/café au lait color head that slowly dissipates with a heavy trail.  Completely opaque.

Flavor: Prominent roasted malt/grain flavor with a slight burnt note.  Some hop bitterness, though much less than what aroma might lead to believe.  A bit of alcohol noticed in back.  A lingering finish with some bitterness as well as some burnt and alcohol notes.  A lot going on, but well balanced all around.

Mouthfeel: Very full bodied with an almost chewy texture (tongue coating).  A low amount of carbonation with a noticeable warmth, though well balanced in and smooth.

Overall Impressions: Really awesome.  Intense with tons of flavors, ranging from bitter to sweet.  Every drink seems to bring out something different.  Somewhat wine/port-like in a way with a hint of vanilla (oak aging?).

Grade: A+

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Oak Aged Yeti

Today is the official kickoff of “Great Divide Brewing Co. Month” on this site and I am doing so with a review for a beer that I really enjoyed.  The enjoyment part will be a pretty constant theme for the beer reviews in the coming weeks.  However I will say that after writing this post from my notes that I would really like to evaluate this beer again at some point.  I believe my palate has evolved over the last year and I would now better be able to put into words exactly what I experienced with this beer.  The same could be said for many that I have done along the way, but my taste for IPAs has probably grown more than any other style over that time.

With that, enjoy the review, look for a possible redo in the future, and certainly give it a try sometime if you have the chance.

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Hercules Double IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 9.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in an oversized wine glass (snifter-like).

Aroma: Heavy, but very bright and sweet hop aroma.  Slight fruitiness and a hint of alcohol.

Appearance: Copper color (with a hint of orange).  Thick, persistent, off-white head with a heavy trail.  Good clarity with tiny rising bubbles.

Flavor: Strong, but even (not harsh) hop flavors with a slight malty undertone and some dryness (astringency) at an otherwise very nice, even finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium (maybe towards light) body with good carbonation and a warming alcohol character underneath.

Overall Impressions: Well balanced (the slight maltiness and alcohol balances out with the hops) and very enjoyable.  Would certainly drink again.

Grade: A-

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Hercules Double IPA

The official first post for “Great Divide Brewing Co. Month” will start with your regularly scheduled beer review tomorrow.  Discussing some of the product seems to be an appropriate way to start such an event.  So for today, I have for you another entry for “Food And Travel Monday,” which in the past has been respectfully referred to as “FAT Monday.”

As a first for The Wife and me, we awoke quite early on Saturday morning to head down to Tampa for a weightlifting competition.  We had a very good reason, as Cousin Adam was to compete in the bench press at the Raw Unity Powerlifting Championships that morning.  Certainly check out the site (and results) to satisfy your curiosity, but this is an occasion where I can let some pictures tell most of the story for me.

Waiting on deck.

You could sit one of me on either side of the bar.

The important part (as I am concerned) is that Cousin Adam set a meet record and won the lightweight division by lifting 363 pounds while weighing in at the 132-pound weight class.  Try to wrap your head around that for a moment.  Obviously a big congrats goes out to him and I know all of the family and friends there supporting him were more than proud.  By the smile on his face after, I would say he was pretty pleased as well!

Collecting some hardware.

Lightweight and Heavyweight champs

After leaving there late Saturday morning, our day continued to be excellent as I was able to visit Cigar City Brewing on our way back to Orlando.

The welcome sign.

Fortunately, since we were there at about 11:01, they open their tasting room at 11 on Saturdays and since they had to unlock the door for us, maybe we arrived 59 seconds earlier than I thought.  One of the good things about being the first and only people there initially was that, as The Wife later put it, I could get “my beer geek on.”  For what turned out to be 90 minutes or so, we were able to talk all things beer with Mike Melton, about Cigar City and beyond.

A brewery is a happy place for me.

As we worked our way through sampler paddles including Jai Alai IPA, Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale, Blueberry Maduro, Winter Warmer, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, and Berliner Weiss (guest tap) I was able to gain a lot of good information.  Visiting a brewery, hearing more of the back-story, and getting to meet some of the people almost always makes me appreciate the product even more and this was no exception.

A few of the participants.

It is certainly tough chose favorites among a lineup of beers where none of them are bad, but I will say that if I had to choose only two to have again they would be the Jai Alai IPA and the Winter Warmer.  The Wife also really enjoyed the Winter Warmer (I believe referring to it as a “glass of awesome”), but her surprise co-winner was the Berliner Weiss.  Even though the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie really grew on me, I went with a growler of the Jai Alai to take home for future enjoyment.

Some of the where the magic happens.

Maybe there is a prize for drinking the contents of this bottle?

You can always take some home with you.

I have gone on a bit longer than usual, but that should be evidence enough of how much I really enjoyed the entire day (also check out the recap from The Wife).  A big thank you to Mike for allowing me to bombard you with questions for a while and for giving me some excellent tips to help me with my home brewing experiments as well as providing additional inspiration to keep chasing my beer dreams.

Say hello to Mike when you stop by on Saturdays

The things happening at Cigar City Brewing in the near future (and beyond) are very exciting, especially for me in Central Florida where we may soon see bottles on the shelves.  I would expect to see more awards and medals on their wall as the months and years pass.  The visit this weekend will not be my only one and if any of you have the opportunity, do yourself a favor and stop by to drink some good beer with some good beer people.

Apparently I was not completely truthful when I said the other day that I was concluding my stretch of Flying Dog reviews that I have in the backlog.  After flipping through the pages this morning there was another one staring at me.  I would like to say again that this is the last one, but I really thought that before.  This is a good one so if it is the last, it will be appropriate to end the run of reviews this way.

I also said that day that I would soon be announcing the brewery that the month of February will be dedicated to.  After giving a few hints yesterday, I am going to wait until tomorrow to announce it.  I wouldn’t want to announce such a thing when doing a review from another brewery!

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery (Frederick, MD)

Name: Snake Dog IPA

Style: American IPA

ABV: 7.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Prominent hop aroma (citrusy with a hint of floral).  Slight maltiness in background with a hint of warmth.

Appearance: Medium copper color (with some orange).  One finger, off-white head that gradually dissipates with some trail.  Very clear with a few visible rising bubbles.

Flavor: Medium to high hop flavor (a bit floral and piney?) with an equal amount of hop bitterness.  Low amount of malt character with a slight sweetness.  Medium dry finish with some lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.  Smooth with very slight warmth.

Overall Impressions: Pretty well balanced in my opinion with a nice amount of hop bitterness.  Very enjoyable . . . I prefer it to their Pale Ale.

Grade: B+

Flying Dog Brewery - Snake Dog IPA