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

The Maharaja (bottle) - 4.1

The Maharaja
Imperial India Pale Ale
Avery Brewing
Boulder, CO
ABV: 10.54%

Jon:
Smells of burnt orange and... intensity. Tastes a tad sweet, like molasses, plus a burny taste similar to the aroma. Interesting approach, good complex brew.

4.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 9/10 4/5 8/10 4/5 5/5 8/10

Mark:
This is intense! It starts out with a huge hop burst with lemony and floral flavors coming through. There's almost a sweet raisin-type thing going on, trying to balance out those hops. Of course, at 10.54% ABV, there's a warm mellow alcohol taste and fairly warm finish with a nice bitter aftertaste.

4.0	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 5/5 9/10 3/5 7/10 3/5 5/5 8/10

Jere:
Raisins, you say? Here?! I must warn the others--oh no, I've been shot!! By a 10.54% beer, that is. I've heard of 3.2 beers, but this is ridiculous. Not a good idea for a productive night of band practice.

4.0	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 5/5 8/10 4/5 8/10 2/5 5/5 8/10

Mirror Pond (bottle) - 3.2

Mirror Pond
American Pale Ale
Deschutes Brewery
Bend, OR
ABV: 5.0%

Jon:
This beer is responsible for our amazing musical abilities. We drink it at almost every gig. We know it so well, we can even tell when the keg is brand new or nearly spent. That said, there's really nothing too special about it, besides the fact that it's not so hoppy that it tightens our throats. It may be the perfect gigging beer.

3.1	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 6/10 4/5 6/10 3/5 3/5 6/10

Mark:
I think that the most sensitive part of your mouth is that little spot right behind your front teeth, which I burned with a hot piece of pizza (gluten free!) right before I tried this beer. I can tell you that this ale smells mildly of bananas and tastes especially hopped for a pale ale, with a nice alcohol aftertaste. Cheers!

3.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 6/10 4/5 7/10 3/5 3/5 7/10

Jere:
Having become accustomed to the draft version of this P.A., the bottled one did taste a little off... No banana flavor was detected though.

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 4/5 5/10 2/5 3/5 7/10

Jackman's Pale Ale (bottle) - 3.8

Jackman's Pale Ale
American Pale Ale
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
ABV: 5.2%

Jon:
Hazy. Tastes mildly of bananas. Clean finish, very agreeable.

3.6	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 3/5 8/10 4/5 3/5 7/10

Mark:
Very crisp, smooth pale ale with a surprising body that doesn't weigh it down. Tart, bright and hoppy with a balanced finish.

3.8	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 8/10 4/5 8/10 3/5 3/5 8/10

Jere:
Jackman--as in Hugh? That's what comes to mind first when sampling this robust brew, although the resemblance to Wolverine is purely coincidental. Perhaps there are other similarities to the professional Aussie, but at the moment they escape me. The palate certainly gets a workout, which may or may not be a result of the Chinese food leftovers consumed 20 minutes earlier.

4.0	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 9/10 5/5 8/10 3/5 3/5 8/10

Third Eye P.A. (bottle) - 2.9

Third Eye
India Pale Ale
Steamworks Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
ABV: 6.6%

Jon:
Fizzy and mild, a hint of sweetness prevails. Enough hops, but not shining through. Still decent.

3.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 7/10 3/5 7/10 3/5 4/5 6/10

Mark:
Not very strong-flavored for an IPA. The hops are there and the alcohol content but it almost tastes watered down. There's definitely an odd aftertaste--almost metallic. Maybe it has something to do with the naked, floating green lady on the label...

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 6/10 3/5 7/10 3/5 4/5 6/10

Jere:
Not terribly impressed, in case the rating weren't obvious enough... The naked lady on the box didn't really help bring up the rating either, sadly enough. A very zinc-y, mineral-y aftertaste.

2.1	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 5/10 2/5 3/10 2/5 2/5 4/10