GABF Report, 2nd edition

The Great American Beer Festival was a few weeks ago now, but my memory is pretty good when it comes to beers. Props to first-timer Dan for joining Kate, Jim, and I this year, and sorry to the many people that could've gone on Friday night had we gotten tickets sooner. Apparently I was in the mood for uniquely overpowering brews this year, because that's definitely what caught my eye:

• Avery's 15th Anniversary Ale wins my award for uniqueness. Hibiscus and white pepper are strange beer ingredients, but it makes for a surprisingly drinkable (and just plain surprising) brew.
• Rocky Mountain Brewery's Smoked Hefe is wickedly intense. It's nearly as smoky as the last bottle of mezcal that I bought. Liquid smoke.
• Speaking of smoky, Arbor Brewing's Engine #9 is a bit more palatable than Rocky Mountain's Smoked Hefe. Smoked Hefe is like putting a campfire in your mouth. Engine #9 is like cooking smoked bacon in your mouth. Mmmmmmm, bacon.
• Twisted Pine's Oak Whiskey Red picks up a huge alcohol taste from aging in bourbon barrels for 3 months. It tastes a helluva lot like Maker's Mark... I really want to find out where they get their barrels.
• Despite the mildly sexist name, Bull & Bush's Man Beer was one of my favorites of the night. Crisp, intensely earthy hops; like licking grapefruit juice off a pine tree (if you can imagine that being a pleasant experience).
• And to round out the list, Tröegs Brewing's Hopback Amber is quite possibly the most balanced ale I've ever tasted. Nothing overpowering here, just straightforward flavors that stand up to each other nicely.

So there you have it. Another year, another beer fest. Lesson learned this year: If you show up right when the doors are about to open, don't follow the arrows to the end of the line. You'll just end up walking around the entire convention center. Literally.

-Jon

Random update

Oh little beer blog, how I neglect you so. I should be recapping beer fest, but then I saw this and had to share: Cancer-fighting beer

I love science.

-Jon

GABF Tonight

I'll be making my way on over to the sold-out Great American Beer Festival tonight. I know you're maddeningly jealous, it's okay to feel that way. Unfortunately I'm going through some déjà vu... Just like last year, I'm recovering from a cold. And also just like last year, I warmed up with a Skinny Dip last night. Hopefully my sense of taste and smell will be up to par for the onslaught of one-ounce beers that are about to come my way.

-Jon