Crooked Stave Coffee Baltic Porter Artisinal Beer Project, Denver, Colorado

Date:  December 15, 2018

The Story—  Crooked Stave is one of the hottest breweries in the states.  (see December 1 for another of their beers.) The “staves” imply a barrel conditioning program which indeed they have.  We’ve found some of their sours and wild beers, um, challenging.  They can break the mold, though, and brew beers that even recent craft converts can appreciate.

Baltic Porter is a style that emerged around the time of the Napoleonic wars at the turn of the 19th century.   baltic nations were already experimenting with beers that could compete with British Porters and Russian Imperial Stouts, but Napoleon’s Continental System, which largely blocked British imports, pushed the Baltic brewers to experiment with European malts and even bottom fermenting yeasts.

The style emerged as a strong porter — over six percent with some approaching nine.  The use of lager yeast — or even ale yeast at lower than usual temperatures, cut the fruit and increased the cleanliness of these porters.   In our experience they can have a lactic edge not unlike some of the Schwarz biers that survived behind the Iron Curtin in the Cold War.

The style is a good choice for Crooked Staves.  It could have pushed the envelope to something sharper than other Baltic Porters, but instead took a gentler approach.  While there may be some “staves” here, they’re on a leash and the resulting beer is unusually accessible for a Baltic Porter from an adventurous brewery.

The Beer— Very rich thick dark chocolate with plenty of dark roasted coffee.  Slightly herbal finish and maybe just a bit of lactose under it but — so rich, so dark, and so chocolaty.  Ellie, who likes dark beers in general, couldn’t get much past “Wow!”

Value —  Good; at least you’re not paying shipping costs from Estonia.

 This week we focus on the US to highlight some great American craft beers, some of which we’ve found in researching out first US Beer publication: Brews and Snooze-– Breweries you can visit and walk back to a fine place to spend the night.  Look for it in 2019.

Next week we return to  HIGHLIGHTS OF EUROPE–  Including some surprisingly good beer in “bad beer cities” we’ve found in researching our next book – a guide to great beer in European tourist cities. (Planned publication 2019.)   We’ll shift back to great American beer for a few days before ending our year with “the best 10 beers of the last five years.”

 About these posts:  We taste and evaluate over a thousand beers every year.  The beers posted here rank in the top quarter of those tastings.   Values:  “fair” is a good beer at an above market price, “good” is worth the money, “very good” is a bargain, and “excellent” is a steal.

Yonkers (@ Two Roads) Hop Runner India Pale Ale, Stratford, Ct.

Date:  December 14, 2018

The Story—  Yonkers operates a restaurant and, apparently, a small brewery in, well, Yonkers, New York.   They’ve achieved some wider distribution by brewing at other facilities including Mercury in Ipswich, Mass.  (see Dec 11 post on Braven beer) and Two Roads in Stratford, Ct.

Two Roads is huge for a brewery that is barely over five years and especially huge for a start up — 50 barrel kettles and 100 barrel fermentors.   Like Mercury, they had some bumps in the road in their first years of production, but have produced consistently good beers in the last few years.   They’ve acquired a fine reputation among the bars in Massachusetts as well as distributing widely in the north east US.

We still like IPAs but honestly it’s been hard not to be bored by them lately.   The of “Another Effin IPA” from Mad Fox that graced our porch for a few weeks was great — easy drinking, clean, and fairly nice to our heads in the morning.   But it was, as advertised, “another” IPA.   I’m not convinced there are significantly large unexplored territories within the IPA empire; maybe the best we can hope for is another one that’s better than most of the other ones.   This one is.

The Beer—  Creamy chalk starts but it’s rich and tangy with plenty of fruit – stone fruit with hints of tropical fruit.   Chalky and cream remains to smooth the fruity fullness.  An easy drinking IPA with a good balance of 6.4% alcohol and 58 IBUs.

Value — good.  I wouldn’t mind a keg of this on my porch.

 This week we focus on the US to highlight some great American craft beers, some of which we’ve found in researching out first US Beer publication: Brews and Snooze-– Breweries you can visit and walk back to a fine place to spend the night.  Look for it in 2019.

Next week we return to  HIGHLIGHTS OF EUROPE–  Including some surprisingly good beer in “bad beer cities” we’ve found in researching our next book – a guide to great beer in European tourist cities. (Planned publication 2019.)   We’ll shift back to great American beer for a few days before ending our year with “the best 10 beers of the last five years.”

 About these posts:  We taste and evaluate over a thousand beers every year.  The beers posted here rank in the top quarter of those tastings.   Values:  “fair” is a good beer at an above market price, “good” is worth the money, “very good” is a bargain, and “excellent” is a steal.

Flying Dog Alpha Initiative #02 Pilot IPA Series, Frederick, Maryland

Date:  December 13, 2018

The Story—  Flying Dog is the brewery we love to hate– or maybe hate to love.  I’ve taught young women for fifty years and I recoil at the casual way women are referred to on labels and especially on the brewery tour.   But I’ve known people who have worked there, and the respect management shows to the people that make the beer and serve the beer is second only to Sierra Nevada.

So, shut up Tupper and drink the beer.   And that’s pretty easy to do.   Brewers are talented and work together in ways that suggest a winning sports team.  Flying Dog innovates and occasionally produces something that’s better for sewering than serving, but honestly, if you can’t tell from the label you’re not going to like it, it’s your fault not theirs.   For the most part even their adventures are easy to recognize as actual beer.  We’ve complained in recent posts about our describing IPAs as “another one.”  This one is something of a different one, and that’s not easy to brew these days.

The Beer— A big IPA – at 7.4% it’s just across the creek from a double IPA.   Big fruit that’s overwhelmingly berry – strawberry, raspberries, and even blueberry notes later and chalk underneath.  Popsicle fruit sweetness as it drinks but keeps its chalky base.  Ellie found fewer berries but got more of the the biting hop end.

Value — good to very good.

 This week we focus on the US to highlight some great American craft beers, some of which we’ve found in researching out first US Beer publication: Brews and Snooze-– Breweries you can visit and walk back to a fine place to spend the night.  Look for it in 2019.

Next week we return to  HIGHLIGHTS OF EUROPE–  Including some surprisingly good beer in “bad beer cities” we’ve found in researching our next book – a guide to great beer in European tourist cities. (Planned publication 2019.)   We’ll shift back to great American beer for a few days before ending our year with “the best 10 beers of the last five years.”

 About these posts:  We taste and evaluate over a thousand beers every year.  The beers posted here rank in the top quarter of those tastings.   Values:  “fair” is a good beer at an above market price, “good” is worth the money, “very good” is a bargain, and “excellent” is a steal.

Rogue Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout 2018 Barrel Works, Newport, Oregon

Date:  December 12, 2018

The Story— Rogue’s been on the scene since 1988, which makes it rather historic in a US craft context.   They’ve done extraordinarily good beers from the start, blessed with  John Meyer, an exceptional talent, and a management team that’s always sought interesting new directions while rarely losing sight of the essential nature of beer.

John has a national reputation for his adventure and skill, and also for being the most taciturn great American since Calvin Coolidge.   I’m told that our two-hour conversation on the stage of the Brickskeller still stands as the most extensive interviews he’s ever given.   I’m flattered, and also pleased I could bring some insight into an extraordinary mind while he slowly opened up to show his remarkably deep and wry sense of humor.

Rogue has been in the forefront of growing their own ingredients.  It’s not uncommon now for breweries to grow some of their hops, but Rogue was growing hops and malt on its properties years ago.

Rogue has brewed fine dark beers throughout its 30 years.  This one is is special even by Rogue’s usual standards.   We tasted it and wrote the notes early before dinner and set aside a generous half glass to sip on later.   “It’s mine!” Ellie said — and she almost never claims beers so I kind of had to give it to her.    But although she savored it, she didn’t finish it — it was just that rich.   So I got her portion after all….but it was late and I didn’t finish it.   It was lovely at room temperature the next day.

The Beer—  Huge and complex.  Boozy, wood, lots of fruit, chewy, cherries, and dark chocolate.  Rich boozy cherries with wood and clean citrus.

Value —  Very good.   Sell your car to get it if you have to.   There are buses.

 This week we focus on the US to highlight some great American craft beers, some of which we’ve found in researching out first US Beer publication: Brews and Snooze-– Breweries you can visit and walk back to a fine place to spend the night.  Look for it in 2019.

Next week we return to  HIGHLIGHTS OF EUROPE–  Including some surprisingly good beer in “bad beer cities” we’ve found in researching our next book – a guide to great beer in European tourist cities. (Planned publication 2019.)   We’ll shift back to great American beer for a few days before ending our year with “the best 10 beers of the last five years.”

 About these posts:  We taste and evaluate over a thousand beers every year.  The beers posted here rank in the top quarter of those tastings.   Values:  “fair” is a good beer at an above market price, “good” is worth the money, “very good” is a bargain, and “excellent” is a steal.