Beer Log: March 9-19, 2012

Beer Log: March 9-19

Mar. 12: Today’s Beer: Devil’s Canyon’s California Sunshine IPA: Another fine beer from Devil’s Canyon! This is actually a Rye IPA, a style I’ve come to enjoy very much. At 85 IBU it is hoppy, but very smooth. There is also a very nice bright sweetness and a toasty maltiness that is very inviting. Reasonably strong at 7.1%ABV. Reasonable head, but dissipates quickly. Even though it is pale, it is almost more like a brown in the toasty, earthy sweetness. I’ve been meaning to get to Belmont to check out their other selections, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Now, with this, the second beer I’ve seen from them, I’m even more committed to getting over there. I also picked up a bourbon barrel aged Full Boar that I’m very excited about trying.

Mar. 13: Today’s Beer: Heretic Brewing’s Shallow Grave Porter: Very Dark. Verry Dark. Like being hit in the head with a 2x4. But in a good way. Deep dark burnt malt dominates, with only a hint of sweetness – just enough to pull back from the edge of the bitterness cliff. Only a hint of sour. This is the first I’ve tried from Heretic. Impressive stuff.
Mar. 14. Today’s Beer: Bear Republic’s: XP Pale: Classic West Coast Pale. Quite tasty. Light and citrusy with a distinct piney character, probably from the Cascade hops. Also a hint of a peppery flavor. Mild sweetness from the malt, but overall the hops are front and center. Not as bitter as Sierra’s Pale and not as sweet as Firestone’s 31.

Mar. 16. Today’s beer: 21^st Amendment’s: Bitter American: Pale Ale. Classic bitter American style. Smooth lightly hopped at 42 IBU and relatively low alcohol at 4.4 ABV. Nice and earthy maltiness. Not as floral or citrusy as some pales and IPAs. Great drinking beer with sipping flavor. Fizzy but not too much heard. Good malty aroma.

Mar. 17. Today’s Beer: Nectar Ales: Black Xantus Imperial Stout: A very solid imperial stout. Very black and burnt malt flavor – almost like unsweetened chocolate with a hint of espresso. The scent has a hint of the aroma of soy sauce. I’ve noticed this element in other beers as well (most notably in Lagunitas’ Reuben and the Bretts). Low hop presence, so the malts are in charge. Low carbonation. High in alcohol at 11%ABV, so it has the strength of a barley wine, so this is most definitely a slow sipping beer. It is also one that benefits from warming toward room temperature. As it gently warms, the flavor becomes more subtle and more smooth (or, maybe that’s the consequence an influence of having consumed much of the bottle). This is an expensive one at about $14 for 22oz, but comparable to a good bottle of wine, and you can share it in the same way. I didn’t, but you can. This is the first I’ve tried from Nectar. They are owned by Firestone, so the beers are brewed at the same facility, by the same brewers. This is a very good imperial stout – not as good as Sierra’s XXX version with Fritz Maytag, but that one doesn’t exist anymore. So, this is a good backup. Appropriately enough, I tried this on St. Patrick’s Day. What better occasion to try an imperial stout? I know, it’s not Irish, and my wife was gravely disappointed, but I’ve had a lot of Guinness in life and it seemed appropriate to me. She’ll get over it eventually.
Mar. 19: Today’s Beer: New Belgium’s Belgo: Belgian IPA. Cloudy, bottle conditioned, mildly yeasty. Tasty balance of hops, including Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo. Sweet fruity taste – very delicate and soft character, but with nice pleasant bitter finish. More Belgian than IPA. Good kick at 7% ABV. Nice golden color. I don’t know if I’ve been giving enough credit to New Belgium for their creativity.