Okay, So I Drink A Lot Of Beer

I mean, I know I do.  Shrug.  I like being on Untappd (FaceBook for beer drinkers); I like being able to keep tabs on my beer-drinking friends, keep up with all the new beers I try, and show off my numbers and stats.

This year, they sent me something new.  My Year in Beer Review.  Buckle in...

In 2018, I had 1549 total beers (probably more, because I don't always check in beers I've had before).  That's an average of about four a day.  Of that 1549, 1499 were new beers...from 574 different breweries.  I have 146 different distinct styles.

To the point that I don't check in beers I've had before, my top 5 most checked in beers were as follows:
4 Pliny the Elders
3 Sip of Sunshines
3 Ursus Premiums (local Romanian beer)
3 7K IPAs, and
3 Citra Ass Downs

That means that I every other beer I checked in I had only one or two of.  Remember that 1499 number.

My five most-checked in styles were IPAs (216), Double IPAs (105), New England IPAs (82), Pale Ales (64), ans Sours (48).  Remember that 146 number.

My top-rated styles (styles I rated above 4.6 (out of 5) were imperial porters, imperial oatmeal stouts, and imperial stouts.  Yep, I love the imperials!

My top five most-checked in breweries were Woods Boss, PilotHouse, Cheluna, Breckenridge, and Odell.  All Colorado. 

My top five most-checked in venues were the GABF (199), SAVOR (121), Two Penguins (a local bar) (53), Gertrude Stein (our house) (49), and Festivus (holiday beer fest) (46).

And I like to drink all over the world - in 369 unique venues, in 29 states/regions, and 9 countries.

As a bonus - since I'm a 12-year old and love badges - I unlocked 850 of them in 2018.

I could've bought a car.  Meh - It's New Brew Thursday!  Cheers!

Pliny The Younger

It's that time of year again - time for the long awaited release of America's most infamous triple... PTY.

Russian River - in Santa Rosa, California - has been brewing the beer since 2005, and its release is an annual shitstorm (even at the brewery itself) because the batch is extremely limited.  No bottles, no full pints.  The beer is served in 10oz snifters for a fairly hefty price.  And yet, folks comb social media portals, pore over local beer event publications, and chat up bar owners to find out when (and if) the beer will be available.  We stand in line for hours that we'll never get back.  And we lord our reward over those who have yet to get their lips on a serving.  Only a few places outside of northern California are treated to the rare bird, and only because bar owners are pals with distributors and the folks at Russian River.

Here in Colorado, there are about 10 places (around the state) that hold release events.

The beer itself is a triple.  And it's almost a true triple IPA with three times the amount of hops as a regular IPA.  It is extremely difficult, time and space consuming, and expensive to make.  Hence, its once-a-year release.

Is it worth it?  Some poo-poo it and say they prefer the double IPA from RR, Pliny the Elder, while others wouldn't miss a chance at it every year.  I guess it's sort of a beer "whale" that's hunted, prized, and notched in our ever-larger beer belly belts.

For me?  I'll be sitting at Freshcraft this afternoon around 3p just so I can get close to the ticket stand that opens at 5p and be ready for the 5:30p tapping.  I'll be slurping the nectar of the Russian River Gods by 5:35p.

Cheers!

Beer And Travel

Two things I love: beer and travel.  It's even better when I can combine the two!

A recent visit to Belgium really overwhelmed.  The sheer number of unimaginably great beers caused several Pepto/Excedrin/coffee/extra water/greasy food mornings.  But it was totally worth it!

Upcoming in March is a trip to New Orleans.  We were there a couple of years ago, but it seems at least three new breweries have opened since then.  Not to mention a need to revisit several good restaurants and tap houses while we're there.

This year we'll also visit Ireland (duh on good beers), France, Portugal, Spain, England, Canada, Africa, Argentina, and Chile.  Soooo many beers.  And I'm willing to volunteer my services to seek out as many new and interesting ones so long as my liver will let me!

Cheers to beer and traveling!

30 IPA's To Try Before You Die

I saw an article back in 2013 called 30 IPA's To Try Before You Die. I wasn't an IPA person back then, but saved the list and kept track of the beers.  I haven't made an update on that list since 2015 and have had 18 of those beers.  I started checking the ones remaining on Untappd and noticed some aren't even that highly ranked now.

I think I am going to delete the list. When the list was created, it was somebodies idea of the 30 best at the time, but like all lists, they don't always hold up. Pliny The Elder wasn't on the list. Dogfish Head 90 Minute was on the list.  I like both, but would pick Pliny over 90 Minute any day, but in Texas, I can't get Pliny, so that is kind of a moot point.

So many great IPA's these days. Personally, I tend to Double and Triple IPA's. Bells Hopslam, Founders Devil's Dancer, Martin House Big Hoppa are some of my faves. Cigar City just came to Texas, so I can have Jai Lai when I want now! Some IPA's I forget how much I like. Lagunita's IPA is a good one. Community Mosaic is one of my favorite local IPA's (note: it isn't a single hop IPA, there are 5 hops, Mosaic just happens to be the major one).

What are some of your favorite IPA's?

There's More To Beer In Louisiana Than Abita

For a recent trip to New Orleans, we scoured the interwebs to see if we could put together a brewery crawl.  We were a little concerned because we hadn't seen too many Louisiana beers come down the pike; Abita and Dixie.  But much to our delight, we came across 30+ breweries - many of them right in New Orleans.  I felt a crawl coming on.

In the city, we visited Brieux Carre, Crescent City, Courtyard, Urban South and NOLA.  We enjoyed beers from Great Raft, Parish, Gnarly Barley, Bayou Teche, Tin Roof, and Port Orleans.

The Bulldog (Mid-City) Taphouse

Sunset outside the Bulldog (cemetery in the distance)

Courtyard Brewery

At the Courtyard

The Avenue Pub

Must Kuld - Estonian, not Louisianan

Lunch at Red Fish

Dinner at Felix'

Crescent City Brewery

NOLA

NOLA

Flight at Brieux Carre

Fridge at Cooter Brown's Taphouse

Cooter's oysters

We missed out on Wayward Owl, Second Line, Chafunkta, Chappapeela and a dozen or so more.

They're brewing some pretty tasty beers down there.  I guess we'll just have to go back.

Hosting A Small/Vertical Tasting

We have a couple of friends who are as nuts as we are about beer.  Especially about saving beer...for years.  Why do we do this?  So we can have a vertical tasting...we can compare a beer to itself based on the year it was brewed.  Example: We have four vintages of Pumpkinator (an imperial pumpkin beer from Saint Arnold, Houston) - 2011, 2012, 2014 & 2016.  In a vertical tasting, we can see how the beer's character has changed with age, different conditions, and the brew master's recipe itself.

In addition, we have a vertical of  Avery's Rumpkin and Tweak (2014 & 2015 - I'm heading out today to see if I can find a 2016 or 2017), and of Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine (2015 and 2016).  One friend has a three year vertical of Old Horizontal from Victory, and the other has a couple of Stickee Monkees from Firestone Walker.

The key to a good vertical tasting is to pour a snifter of each vintage and try them against each other, rather than drinking all of one year before moving on to the next.  Let the beer breathe for a bit.  Slosh it around in the glass and get some air into it.  Put your hand over the top of the glass and swirl the beer around, then tent your hand and stick your nose in the glass to get a real sense of the aromas you've just released.  We find that the older the beer, the mellower it becomes.  The alcohol smooths out, flavors integrate and become less pronounced, and the mouthfeel usually gets a bit stickier.  Younger beers tend to show off all the flavors, older beers attenuate and secret bolder flavors into a more satisfying mix.

It's unfortunate that IPAs, Pales and Sessions are not appropriate for verticals...the hops just doesn't hold up over time.  Double IPAs are a little better at keeping their flavors, but the best options are the bigger beers, Porters, Stouts, Imperial Stouts, Barleywines, Belgians...you get the idea.

It's also vital that you have some good food to pair with each style.  Of course I'm always at the ready with some good nosh for a beer tasting.  Blue and creamy cheeses, milk and dark chocolates, salty crackers, caramels, stone fruit (jam, dried or fresh), a variety of nuts and olives, and cured meats.  Be sure to have plenty of water on hand, as well.

Cheers to a good tasting!  Enjoy!

Happy GABF Day!

Today is the first day (of three) of the Great American Beer Fest!

Before Joe and I moved to Denver, we only dreamed of attending this festival whose competing brewers touted wins to the world.  Now, as locals, we await - like children for Christmas - the opening of the doors and the resounding lilt of bagpipes announcing one of the greatest beer gatherings, like, ever. 

We went in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2015.  We didn't go last year because we were moving (and had spent a fortune renovating).  But this year, I had my finger on the button to be one of the first to get tickets.  And here we are...day one.

Over the years the festival has gained traction as the craft brewing industry has exploded.  The first several years, it was a way for brewers to convene.  Tickets never sold out.  Last year, tickets sold out in about 47 minutes.

Denver - and most of Colorado - has jumped on the band wagon, claiming the whole week as Colorado Craft Beer Week.  There have been events at almost every major brewery; many restaurants get in on the action holding tap takeovers or special tappings.  It's really quite exciting to see brewers not only convening and competing, but taking an interest in their fans, and brewing special beers for the occasion. 

This year there are just over 800 breweries in attendance - and more than 3900 different beers.  We have tickets for tonight and Friday night, but will only taste around 250 beers (at a couple of sips at a time - pours are about an ounce, and Joe and I share...it's the only way).

So, I've picked out the beer t-shirt I'm wearing (a vintage GABF shirt), I've made an attack plan, and noted a couple of the special must-have beers (Sam Adams Utopias).  I think I'm ready!

Cheers!