Run for Beer

Posted on May 8, 2017 by melsmosaic

The title of the blog is pretty literal. Was visiting a friend in Seattle, who I happen to know via running. So I had to find a race for us to run so we could really catch up. Did some googling and found the Brewery Running Series. They do 5K at breweries around the city throughout the summer. You get a free beer with your registration fee and part of the proceeds go to benefit local non-profits. Not too bad.

We took part in the first one of the season at Rooftop Brewing Company.

It didn’t start until 11am, which was late for a race, but oh well. Was a perfect day for a 5K, then great reward — free beer! So I had to decide from quite the brew list.

I went for the Glorious Baser, their Hefe. Our Blood Orange Wheat Beer is built for Basking in the Seattle sunshine! Come enjoy this super refreshing adult beverage on our deck! 5% ABV. This was just perfect for a sunny spring day. Nice weight, nice citrus taste.

My friend I ran with doesn’t enjoy the enjoy this stuff as much as me so I was able to use her ticket for another great sample. For my second taste (these were pints — I couldn’t drink two full ones, we did run there, so had to run home), I opted for the No. 6 Pomegranate Cider. 6.5% ABV. Nice non-sugary cider. Could drink several of these problematically because you don’t realize they are alcoholic.

Prost Brewing

Posted on January 14, 2017 by melsmosaic

Last time I was in Ft. Collins was able to visit another new (to me) brewery — Prost Brewing. They also have a location in Denver. To find this place, you have to walk down crazy back alleys and around corners. Sort of hard to find, but very fun.

They have a huge menu of German-style brews, and offer all of them in small pours (as well as quite large ones), so you can get a good taste range. They have based what they offer on quite a history of alcohol & beer in the US. The way they craft their suds is from German influence and you get great bier satisfaction at this place. And, they welcome dogs. How can you go wrong with that?

There were a few of us there and we ordered several small pours to share. I know I grabbed the Weißbier and Kölsch. Both just great. The others around the table were equally as enjoyable. Glad I was able to check this place out.

Prost!

Big Beaver Brewing Co.

Posted on January 5, 2017 by melsmosaic

When recently in Colorado, I of course had to try a new brewery. This time I checked out the Big Beaver Brewing Co in Loveland.

Wanted to get a taste of all their beer so opted for a sampler — the Beaver Teaser. They give you hefty 3oz. of 8 beers for $6.50. They say it’s only supposed to be 2oz each but that doesn’t happen. All the beers have great names, as noted below to the left.

A description of the beers, per the brewery:

Wonder Weiner Wheat: This beer is brewed in the Bavarian tradition with notes of cloves and bananas. No, we do not put bananas or cloves in the beer. The aromas are produced by special yeast that are neither lager nor ale yeast. ABV: 4.6%, IBU: 10

Bust-a-Nut Brown: Our most popular beer, this brown ale is brewed in the Northern England malt forward tradition. A light, sweet malt flavor with a clean, nutty finish. ABV: 4.6%, IBU: 10

Shaved Tail Ale: This classic Belgian ale is brewed with Belgian yeast, hops and malt. It contains a minimal amount of hops, which gives it a crisp finish without the bitter bite. ABV: 6.0%, IBU: 10

Juicy Peach Ale: A sweet twist on Belgian ale, this beer has the light aroma and flavor of a ripe peach picked right off the tree. A subtle citrus flavor balances the peach and hop bitterness. ABV: 5.8%, IBU: 10

Amber Was Her Stage Name: Amber was her Amber’s bright copper in color with a golden head, medium bodied, and smells of fresh biscuits. She’s made of flaked barley, has a moderate amount of Horizon hops for bittering, and a slight residual sweetness from caramel malt. ABV: 5.8%, IBU: 35

Whiskey Dick Stout: Bourbon soaked French oak chips are used to make this well balanced stout. Finishes smooth and the bourbon is not overwhelming. And darn it all… who took a sip of the stout before I finished taking the photos? ABV: 6.0%, IBU: 17

Screw the Pooch Ale: This American Pale Ale is a 100% domestic ingredient beer, made with hops and barley grown in Washington State. Citra hops produce a citrus aroma and flavor. Crisp finish and a pleasant bitterness will make even non hop lovers’ palates tingle with excitement. ABV: 5.7%, IBU: 24

Potent Peter IPA: This IPA is nicely balanced with a moderate dose of bittering hops and crystal malt. A variety of hops are used to dry hop this beer, which produces unique aromas and flavors. ABV: 5.7%, IBU: 42

The Wheat was nice and I loved the Peach — would be perfect during the summer. The Shaved Tail was also a nice standard beer. The others were good to try but not ones I would reach for all the time. Overall, though, nice beer making and glad I checked this place out.

7 Locks Brewing

Posted on July 12, 2016 by melsmosaic

Microbreweries are growing and growing. One of the latest is in Rockville, MD (just outside of DC), 7 Locks Brewing.

(logo source: 7locksbrewing.com)

They have a nice spread of beer on tap, which can of course always change.

When I checked it out, my friend and I split of flight of 6 (4 oz each), which is only $8. We also did this because they were sponsoring a 5K that we had to run not to long after we were going to enjoy the brew. All were nice to try, not all were my (personal) favorites.

The brewery is great because they have lots of events, from runs to concerts to yoga, and more, all including beer. Can’t go wrong with that.

Avery Brewing

Posted on December 22, 2014 by melsmosaic

So, Colorado for the holidays, can’t go wrong. Side note: I’m not doing my blogs in order of what I consume (it is not influenced by what I’m consuming), but more because of the bliss of the food and drink. The first place I checked out when I arrived the other day was the Avery Brewing in Boulder, CO.

Nice small place, makes you feel very welcome. And I love what some of the info on the site says (reading it now) — “We are dedicated to making beer from the inside out: we brew what we like to drink–with utter disregard for what the market demands– and search out fans with equally eccentric palates.”

Did a read-through of the menu and was of course overwhelmed. So many choices! My friend highly suggested the Winter’s Day IPA. I’m sometimes worried that the winter brews are a bit darker than I truly enjoy. He told me it’s not too dark, more of a copper color. And, based on the description it has a unique spice, beer-wise, in it — “Created with Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident, this IPA is spiced with rosemary.” The ABV is 6.5%. WOW! Great brew. You can get a slight bit of the herb on the nose and then just enough when you drink it. Great, great beer. My other friend had the White Rascal Belgian-Style Wheat Ale. After the sip I had, very nice traditional white Belgian beer. Of course my two friends can come here any time because they live a few miles away. If you’re in Boulder, check this place out.

Horse & Dragon Brewery

Posted on December 22, 2014 by melsmosaic

I’m in Ft. Collins for Christmas and of course have to check out some of the local ‘fare’ — that mostly means good microbrews. So today that meant a new brewery by the name of Horse and Dragon Brewing Company.

Wasn’t sure what to get so opted for a sampler. Ok, sampler? Six brews of 4oz each for $8 — that is quite the nice pour of some high octane beer.

The half dozen tastes included:

Fort Kolnz Keller Kolsch-Style Ale — “A grainy sweet aroma holds well with a slight citrus note derived from the moderate hopping. Dry and clean on the palate, bitterness is present but not overpowering. Extended cellaring is evident in the clean crisp finish and despite a very pale straw color and light body our ale has great depth and complexity. Ein Prosit Der Gemütlichkeit! ABV: 5.2%”

Sage Adweisse Berliner Weisse — “A light, effervescent, slight tart wheat ale that tastes so refreshing that it mush be good for us. Dominant ingredients are evident from the first sniff; wheaty goodness mixed with traditional German yeast scents and a hint of tartness. One glass will make you wonder why anyone ever put a lime in a beer, though this beer is sometimes served with dashes of flavored syrup. Our lowest ABV brew, this is an ale you can enjoy all day. Sage Adweisse was name for our (well, really, Linsey & Titus’s) brewdog. ABV: 3.6%”

Whistle Blast Honey Brown — “A welcoming ale displaying warm mahogany earth tones accentuated by a thin veil of creamy foam head, our Honey Brown Ale is as inviting as the historic English pubs where the style originated. Slight roast malt character leads the nose to a warm sensuous balance of mild hop bitterness and sweet honey malt after notes. A clean, somewhat drying finish allows the sweetness of malt to shine through and remain as a memento for each sip. Quaffable in design, this ale will toast well in any social situation and keep you coming back for more. Cheers! ABV: 6.3%”

Picnic Rock Pale Ale — “Picnic Rock Ale aligns itself with recreation in Colorado and our noticeable desire for great craft beer. Fresh hops aromas likened to lemon, pineapple, and honeydew melon stand out in front of this golden colored ale holding a white laced head. The aroma taking center stage is then carried into the noticeable hop bitterness. Malt body is medium-light and complements the bitterness, allowing for a smooth finish with a light floral hop linger. Let’s go for a picnic! ABV: 5.4%”

L3 IPA — “The L3 IPA pours an inviting copper color topped by a strong, slightly off-white foam. Your first sniff reveals the complex balance between the citrusy, spicy pear hop aroma backed by slight caramel malt notes. Tasting the beer takes you further into a flavorful American hop experience with plenty of hop bitterness balanced perfectly with the sweet malt backbone. This flavorful combination lingers on the palate yet finishes clean and prepares you for another sip. A very drinkable IPA, L3 is hop forward yet balanced. ABV: 7.6%”

The Dark Crystal Cascadian Dark Ale — “A relatively recent style that has gained traction in the Pacific Northwest is the American Style India Black Ale, or “Cascadian Dark Ale”. Deliciously hoppy, also hugely roasty-toasty malty. Get on in here and give it a try! ABV: 6.5%” (forgot to snap a picture — it is definitely dark!)

They were all quite unique — have to love microbrews. My favorite two were the Picnic Rock and L3. We decided to leave with a growler of the latter to enjoy some of before dinner and to have on hand the balance of the week.

Brew-story

Posted on December 9, 2013 by melsmosaic

Saw an interesting article in USA Today this morning about old-school beers that just aren’t what they used to be. Some of the ‘big guys’ are losing steam as (awesome) microbrewers are making their way onto the red carpet of beer. There are nine brews many Americans no longer drink. Check it out.

(Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images/Brand X)