Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival: 2013 Edition

Wow, what a week!  I'm still recovering a bit from the mass quantities of exceptional (and exceptionally strong) beer that I consumed last week during the run up to and then at the GABBF on Saturday.  Alaska Beer Week has become an event in itself, with the Festival serving merely as the exclamation point at the end of a ton of great beer festivities.

My AK Beer Week started a bit late, with me driving up to Anchorage on  the afternoon of Wednesday, 1/16. Lots of events had already taken place, such as the draft release of Midnight Sun's 3000 Belgian Barley Wine.  I stopped by The Loft on my way into town, in the vain hope that there still might be some available.  No such luck, but I was able to drown my sorrows with a nice glass of this year's Arctic Devil Barley Wine.  The 2013 version was aged in brandy casks instead of bourbon barrels, imparting a subtle but delicious difference to this classic beer.  It will be released in bottles on Monday, January 28th, with a six bottle per person per day limit at the brewery.

Then it was off to check into my hotel before attending the Old vs. New "Throwdown" Beer Dinner at Kinley's Restaurant.  Samuel Smith and Kenai River Brewing beers of the same style were each paired with each of the five courses. Here's the menu:

Greet Beer 

Samuel Smith Organic Cider

First Course

Pale
Roasted Garlic Butter Poached Shrimp on Bacon and Cheddar Grits
with Crispy Prosciutto

Second Course

IPA
Slow Roasted Pork Ribs in a Chipotle-Blueberry Barbeque Sauce
atop a Bed of Cider Slaw

Third Course

Porter
Braised Beef Short Rib Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes
Topped with a Fried Oyster and Bleu Cheese

Fourth Course

Oatmeal Stout
Stout Braised Lamb Shank with a Fried Rosemary Oatmeal Cake
and Creamed Kale

Fifth Course

English Strong Ale
“Peach Cobbler”
Housemade Biscuit with an Apple and Peach Compote,
Vanilla Bean Cream, and Caramel Streusel

Old vs New at Kinley's

While I had tasted every beer on offer before (many times),  I have to say that this was one of the best beer dinners I have ever been to, primarily because Chef Brett Knipmeyer went above and beyond the call of duty.  He not only prepared exquisite food, but he had also quite obviously gone to great lengths to match the dishes to the beer styles, resulting in a truly transcendent dining experience. I think everyone had a fantastic time, even if the "throwdown" got a bit heated at times.

After a good night's sleep, my first beer event on Thursday was the Specialty Imports Trade Show.  I really enjoy going to this every year (and not just because of the great buffet they put out).  It gives me a chance to see what new beers they will be bringing it to the state, as well as the opportunity to hobnob with other friends in the Alaska beer scene.

Chad Yakobson of Crooked Stave

This year was no exception, with new (to me) breweries like Baranof Island Brewing Company from Sitka and Two Beers Brewing Company from Seattle on offer.  However, for me the most interesting new brewery on offer was Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, out of Denver.  Chad Yakobson was pouring three of their 100% brett-fermented beers, the Saison Vielle Artisanal, the Nightmare on Brett Dark Sour Ale, and the L'Brett d'Or Dry Hopped Golden Sour Ale.  I was so impressed that I made a point of picking up bottles of each of them from La Bodega later in the weekend, so that I will be able to do proper full reviews in the upcoming weeks.  Until then, let me just say that all three were exceptional beers, so snap them up if you get the chance.

I also learned at the show that Crooked Stave and Anchorage Brewing Company have brewed a collaboration beer.  It will be a burgundy-colored sour, fermented 100% brett (of course), then soured and aged in cognac barrels.  No name yet, but look for a possible release in 8 or 9 months, if things go as planned in the casks.

Once the Trade Show wrapped, the next big event was the Great Northern Brewers-Brewers Guild of Alaska joint event at the Snow Goose.  I arrived a little late, due to spending too much time enjoying supper, but the event was a big hit again this year.  Lots of great food and good beer was on offer, both homebrew and special stuff from the breweries.  I finally got to sample HooDoo Brewing's beer, as there was a keg of their Stout on tap.  It was great, and I look forward to getting up to Fairbanks later this year to check them out and try more of their brews.  Paul Gatza, the Director of the Brewers Association and Chad Yokobson were the guest speakers and gave very interesting talks.  Then the giant raffle was held, followed by a late night of partying to the sounds of Tom Dalldorf and his Rolling Boil Blues Band.

Friday morning I headed out to do some shopping, including a stop to load up at La Bodega, where Pam Hatzis had been kind enough to put some brews aside for me.  Then it was over to The Loft at Midnight Sun to meet up with Deuane Hoffman, a beer lover who had made the trek all the way from the East Coast for AK Beer Week.  As he and his family joined me for lunch, in walked Phil Farrell, the 2011 Beerdrinker of the Year, along with two mutual friends from North Carolina, James Bond and Dave Keller.  Naturally, we all ended up having lunch (and several beers) together.  I had a glass of Midnight Sun's Last Sun Barley Wine, made in collaboration with Last City Brewing out of Minneapolis-St. Paul (see my review below) and a damned-fine muffaletta sandwich.

Lots of well-aged beers to taste

Later Friday afternoon, attended a private beer tasting that I was invited to, at a location which shall remain undisclosed, though some of you may recognize it from the photo.  Lined up are just some of the beers I got to taste (as more arrived after I snapped this photo).  If you look closely, you can see that the third bottle from the left was indeed that legendary white whale among beers, Midnight Sun's M Barley Wine from 2005.  I did not get much, but the ounce or so  that I did get was more than enough for me to understand what all the hoopla was about.  Now I can understand how bottles of this beer could sell on E Bay for $1500+.  I can honestly say that I never thought I would ever taste this beer and I was truly surprised and honored to be given the chance to do so at last.

Saturday was the climax of AK Beer Week, when I attended the Connoisseurs' Session of the GABBF from 2 to 5 PM.  By my count, I managed to taste 17 beers in that three hour period, which wasn't bad, considering how high-octane some of them were.  Some of the highlights, according to my (somewhat scrawled) notes included:

Anchorage Brewing: Frequency IPA, 6.5% ABV, 70 IBUs

Anchorage Brewing: Anadromous Sour Black Bier, 8.5% ABV, 20 IBUs

Arkose Brewery: Bitter Earth ESB, 5% ABV, 26 IBUs

Arkose Brewery: Spindrift IPA, 5.5% ABV, 95 IBUs

Broken Tooth Brewing: Darth Delerium 2012 Belgian Stout, 12% ABV, 85 IBUs

Galcier BrewHouse: Russian Imperial Stout, 9.4% ABV, 50 IBUs

Haines Brewing Company: Black Fang Imperial Stout, 8.6% ABV

Kodiak Island Brewing: Double Wing Nut Imperial American Brown Ale, 7.9% ABV, 81 IBUs

Silver Gulch Brewing: 40 Below Stout, 8.5% ABV, 77 IBUs

St. Elias Brewing: Cuvee Rouge Barrel-aged Belgian Ale, 8.4%, 20 IBUs

GABBF

I was particularly happy to get to try the beers from Arkose Brewery, as until then they were the on brewery in the state that I had not had a chance to sample.

The other big moment at the session was the announcement of the winners in the two competitions, Winter Seasonal Beer and Best Barley Wine.  Jim Roberts, AKA Dr. Fermento, once again made the announcements, but this year he insisted I come up on to the stage to assist.  Kevin Burton of Glacier BrewHouse took top honors in the Winter Seasonal with his Glacier Eisbock.  Third place in the Barley Wines went to Black Raven Brewing Company's Old Bird Brain (which won 1st place in 2011 & 2012), while second place went to Firestone-Walker's Sucaba Barley Wine.  However, First Place in the Barley Wine Competition went to Gabe Fletcher of Anchorage Brewing Company's Cognac Barrel Aged Barley Wine (Edit: renamed A Deal with the Devil Barley Wine).

This monster of a beer had an Original Gravity of 1152, resulting in an ABV of 17.3%, making it easily the strongest beer ever brewed in Alaska.  It took over 4000 pounds of malt to brew this beer, and four separate 3.5 hours boils to fill just two 110 gallon used cognac barrels.  Gabe brewed it back in February and then let it age in the wood for over 8 months.  What's even more amazing is that this is a single malt, single hop beer, quite unusual for a barley wine.  So how does it taste?

In a word: Amazing!  No, make that two words: Freakin' Amazing! First off, tasting it, you would never believe that it is north of 17% alcohol.  It is so smooth and deep that I would have guess more like 12% tops.  It is incredibly complex, with a balance and depth of flavor profile that has to be experienced to be believed.  I first tasted it the day before the Festival and I immediately knew it would win first place; it was just that good.  Once again Gabe Fletcher has pulled off a brewing masterpiece; I'm starting to wonder if he didn't meet a certain gentleman at the crossroads late one night and make a deal for the power to brew these sort of beers.  After all, if Robert Johnson could do it to learn how to play the guitar, why not Gabe?

If you want to sample this beer, you need to get over to Humpy's or Cafe Amsterdam before it's gone.  Besides the Festival and those two venues, Gabe is sending some to Copenhagen and to barley wine festivals in San Francisco and Seattle.  And that's it.

With that, my report on Alaska Beer Week comes to an end.  If you missed it, you missed one hell of a good time.  Start making plans for 2014 now.

Three more pieces of news.  Kenai River Brewing has just taken delivery of another conical fermenter.  I'm not 100% sure of the size, but it looks like it is about 20 barrel capacity from the picture they posted.  Word is, they are getting ready to offer another beer in cans, their Peninsula Brewers Reserve, which would explain the need for another tank.  They are also upgrading from a 2-head manual to an automated 4-head canning machine, which should be here in the next month or two.

2nd piece of news:  Gabe Fletcher is planning a beer festival for late April.  Everything is tentative right now, but he is talking about a top-shelf event, with attendance limited to 300 people.  Tickets would be $100 per person.  The event would be catered, so there would be plenty of good food included.  The beers would all be personally selected by Gabe, approximately 60 of them, and all would be beers not normally available in Alaska. I'm sure many more details will be forth coming, but so far it sounds like an absolutely fabulous event.

3rd piece of news: Midnight Sun's 3000 Belgian-style Barley Wine was released today at Brown Jug Warehouse in Anchorage.  It will be available in certain of their stores, as well as at the brewery itself.  $15 per bottle, and you will be limited to 6 bottles per person per day.

Finally, let's do some beer reviews.

I promised you a review of the Last Sun Barley Wine, brewed by Midnight Sun and Last City, so here it is: it was served on nitro and was opaque with a smooth, tan head.  The aroma was heavy with malt, alcohol, and bourbon notes.  The mouthfeel was thick and smooth , made even more so by the nitro, and the flavor profile was quite complex: malt, bourbon, wood, toffee, caramel, perhaps a touch of tobacco and old leather, falling away to a long, slow and delicious finish.  Very nice.  On nitro draft at the brewery and perhaps some other select venues around town.

Before I dropped out for AK Beer Week, I reported that Kenai River had a new beer on, their Pilgrim Imperial Rye Pale Ale or P.I.R.P.A.  I picked up a quart on my way home on Tuesday, 1/15/13, and drank it that night.  It poured a cloudy dark honey color with a small, off-white head.  The nose had lots of Pilgrim hops in it: earthy & spicy notes.  On the palate the carbonation was good, with decent mouthfeel.  The flavor profile was straightforward but nice, with a touch of peppery spice from the rye and what I perceived as a bit of toffee.  Nice finish.  All-in-all, another nice take on an imperial rye pale ale.

Well, that's about it for this week.  Next week I'll be getting back to business, reporting more local beer news and more reviews.

Until Next Time, Cheers!

Let The Beer Week Begin!

We've been waiting patiently, but the wait is finally over.  Yes, Alaska Beer Week is upon us at last!  I can't even begin to catalog in this blog the over 80 (!) different events which are scheduled to take place both in Anchorage and at other locations around the state.  Your best bet is to visit the dedicated Alaska Beer Week website at http://www.akbeerweek.com/ and look over the entire list to see which events you can possibly attend.  If you're interested in attending a beer dinner or any other event that requires tickets/reservations, you'd better get them now, as things are starting to sell out.

If you're interested in seeing me during Alaska Beer Week (maybe to have your copy of Beer on the Last Frontier autographed?), here are three events that I definitely plan to attend:

Old vs. New "Throwdown" Beer Dinner at Kinley's Restaurant Wednesday, 1/16 at 6 PM

Great Northern Brewers Club Meeting at The Snow Goose,  Thursday 1/17 at 7 PM (GNB members only)

Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival, Saturday 1/19 session, 2 to 5 PM

Otherwise, look for me to pop up anywhere good beer is being poured in Anchorage next week!

Since AK Beer Week has pretty much dominated the "beer news" since last week, let's jump right into beer reviews.

I cracked open a bottle from Batch #2 of Mikkller's Invasion Farmhouse IPA, brewed at Anchorage Brewing Company and bottled in November.My understanding is that Gabe Fletcher adjusted the hop profile a bit from Batch #1. It poured a slightly cloudy gold with a dense white head.  The nose was bright with citrusy hop aroma and a subtle brett tang.  On the palate there was good carbonation, lots more citrusy hoppiness, and a nice light mouthfeel, with more brett elements appearing toward the finish.  Looking at my notes for Batch #1 (reviewed on 9/20/2012), it seems #2 was a bit less carbonated (the cork showed no signs of popping itself this time around), was gold rather than orange-gold in color, and perhaps a tad more balanced in the hop profile. It's another hoppy, brett-laced masterpiece from Gabe Fletcher.  8% ABV.

I had another beer from Troegs Brewery, part of my recent shipment from a friend on the East Coast.  This was one of their Scratch Beer Series, which I gather are small experimental brews that let them tinker with new techniques and different ingredients. They are only sold at the brewery itself, so I am very lucky to have been sent a few to try.

This week, I had a bottle of Scratch Beer #57, a weizenbock.  It poured a dark honey color, a bit cloudy with a decent cream-colored head.The aroma was mainly malt, but with a touch of alcohol warmth.  On the palate, there were lots of nice, clean malt flavors, as you'd expect from a proper bock, with just enough hop bitterness to balance the malt.  Overall, the flavor profile was rich and slightly sweet.  A very nice weizenbock, and one I'd love to see go into full production.

The shipment also include a bottle from of Cold Mountain Winter Ale from Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC.  I have been eager to try a beer from the brewery for some time, as I have heard many good things about it in particular and Asheville, NC breweries in general.  Unfortunately, this particular beer left me unimpressed.  I am wary of spiced beers to start with, and this one used hazelnut, cranberry, vanilla, and cinnamon.  It poured a cloudy, dark honey color with a cream-colored head.  In the nose I picked up the cinnamon and sweet malt.  The palate was a bit of a jumble, with the various spices jostling for position.  Had they gone with just one or even two, I think I would have been OK, but four was just too much.  Still, I did not pick up and production flaws, so I look forward to trying something else from the brewery.

Well, that's about it for this week.  Since I will be busy enjoying Alaska Beer Week next week, there won't be a blog.  However, look for an extra long one the following week as I report on what happened during the week and any news or rumors I pick up during it.  Even if you are unable to attend any of the events, be sure to raise a bee in celebration!  Remember the Alaska Beer Week motto:

"Brave the cold. Revere the beer."

Until Next Time, Cheers!

2013: A New Year of Beer

So here we are again, having survived both the Mayan Apocalypse, and the Holiday Season.  Time to buckle down and get back to talking about beer.  Lots of beer news has accumulated during my holiday stand-down, so let's get to it!

Perhaps the single biggest piece of news was the announcement by Midnight Sun Brewing Company of the impending release of their 3000th brew, named appropriately enough, 3000 Belgian-style Barley Wine.  This is indeed a name to conjure with, given that their 1000th brew, named simply M from the Roman numeral for 1000, has become one of the most legendary and sought-after brews among beer hunters around the world.  Bottles have been seen for sale on E-Bay for prices north of $1500.

So with a track record like that, you can be sure that the demand for 3000 will be fast and furious.  The entire 15 barrel (465 gallon) batch will be released in Alaska, on draft and in 22 oz. bottles.  Here's what Barb Miller, MSBC's VP of Sales and Marketing had to say:

"In this ridiculously wonderful world we’ve created,we make beer- one batch at a time. As the scientist in us demands, we number said batches. And while every batch of our beer is special for us – providing a fresh start on a new day, establishing an experimental opportunity, bringing together our minds and spirits, projecting our company forward – each batch also scores time."

"To celebrate our 3000th batch, we present a Belgian-style Barley Wine, simply called 3,000. Luscious layers of flavor begin with barley, wheat and rye malts followed by triple-hoppping with a single varietal. Fermentation, using two distinct yeast strains, achieves complexity in character and, of course, alcohol. This special batch was transferred into red wine oak barrels for eight months to age gregariously yet gracefully. After bottle-conditioning, this exclusive beer is ready for immediate enjoyment although it can be lovingly cellared for future festivities."

"As we release 3,000 in January 2013, we hoist our glasses in thankful toast to YOU – our dearest friends in beer!"

The latest word is that that they are shooting for a release next Friday, January 11th, so make your plans now.

More good news from Midnight Sun:  their Fallen Angel Belgian Strong Golden Ale will now be available year-round. Also, on Friday, January 4th, the artist Scott Clendaniel will be kicking off his month long show at MSBC's Loft Bar.  This is Scott's third show there, and is titled "Homage to Homebrew".  He's got quite an eye for beer, so if you 'll be in anchorage on the 4th, you should stop by to check it out, as well as sample the firkin that they'll be tapping.  If you miss the opening, the paintings will be on display all month long.

There will be plenty of other beer events taking place, as we all spool up for the start of AK Beer Week on Friday, 11 Jan.

Denali Brewing Company has released their Single Engine Red Ale in cans, joining the growing number of AK craft brewers to opt for that packaging choice. They are also holding a "Brooms & Brews" event from 6 to 10 PM on Monday, January 14th during AK Beer Week.  This will not involve competitive sweeping or playing quidditch; it is all about curling.

Click to enlarge

This particular event takes place at the Anchorage Curling Cub and will include food, as well as big rocks sliding on ice and craft beers.  As you can see from the flyer to the left, there will lots of good food to enjoy with eight different beers from Denali Brewing Company.  Boe Barnett of Denali says: "Basically we were looking for a fresh take on the conventional beer dinner, of which there are so many during [AK] beer week."  I'd say this event definitely qualifies as something different! Admission is $50 per person, with a portion of the proceeds being dedicated to the Anchorage Curling Club's expansion project.

The Snow Goose has released their 2012 Old Gander Barley Wine, and has their monthly beer dinner next Thursday, January 10th.  You can find the entire menu here and the beers will include three of their own ales, plus some imports from Specialty Imports.  Cost is $55 per person (tip included), and you must buy tickets in advance as seating is limited.

 Up in Fairbanks, HooDoo Brewing Company now has a Mild on tap;  I'm a huge fan of this obscure style of beer, so I'm hoping they will be bringing some to the Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival in a couple of weeks.  Other than St. Elias Brewing Company's Marathon Mild Ale from several years ago, I'm not aware of any other Mild that has been brewed in Alaska.  So here's an official tip of my hat to Bobby Wilken and the guys at HooDoo for doing so.

Speaking of St. Elias, they have a new beer on tap, named Horseshoe Porter.  It's brewed with a bit of peated malt, giving it a nice, subtle smoked flavor.  Along with their CK Porter, it presents another nice option.  For AK Beer Week, they will be offering $5 goblets of all their specialty beers (like their award-winning Moose Juice Barley Wine) from Friday, 11 Jan thru Thursday, 17 January.

Kenai River Brewing also has a new beer on tap: Pilgrim Imperial Rye Pale Ale (P.I.R.P.A.), at 8.8% ABV.  I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I hope to soon.  At Kassik's Brewery, they are giving away a free Bob's Pint Glass with every $10 purchase. Down at Homer Brewing Company, I believe they still have their special holiday ale Clestiale available, so get ti while it lasts.

Moving on to some beer reviews, over the holidays I had a couple more brews from Troegs Brewery, part of a shipment from a friend on the East Coast.

The first one was Dead Reckoning Porter. This beer poured opaque with a decent khaki head. The aroma was redolent of roasted malt, chocolate, and Chinook hops; very nice.  The carbonation was good and the mouthfeel was middle of the range. On the palate there was a good match between bitterness from the roasted malt and bitterness from the Chinooks; too often the flavors clash rather than compliment.  To me, this was a classic hoppy porter, with the hops coming in before the roast, then lingering after it on the finish.  Quite enjoyable.

The second beer from Troegs was their Java Head Stout.  This is an American Stout brewed with coffee, hence the name.  This beer weighs in at 7.5% ABV and also poured opaque with a nice khaki head.  The nose was a combination of coffee notes and citrusy American hops.  Carbonation was good, as was its mouthfeel.  There was no acid coffee "bite" and the citrusy hop flavors actually worked quite well with the coffee elements, which were especially evident on the finish.  Not a flavor profile that I would have expected to work, but it was actually extremely successful, making this a very nice American Stout.

Finishing up the porters, I also had a bottle of Firestone-Walker's Walker's Reserve Porter. At 5.8% ABV, this beer was actually not opaque, just very dark with some ruby highlights and a big, dense tan head.  The aroma was entirely of roast malt, and there was good carbonation, but it was a bit thin on the palate for my taste.  Roasty malt flavors lead the flavor parade, but there were also some woody notes in the background, especially towards the finish.  A nice beer, but not exceptional.

I also finally cracked open a bottle of Brux Domesticated Wild Ale, a collaboration brew between Sierra Nevada and Russian River Brewing Companies. It poured a lovely clear gold with a nice white head.  In the nose the unmistakeable aroma of brettanomyces was quite prominent. There was excellent carbonation and very light mouthfeel.  The beer was exceptionally dry, with plenty of brett flavors, though it did drop off a bit abruptly toward then end.  If you like brett in your beers (and I certainly do!) you should really enjoy Brux.

Finally, I had the bottle of Midnight Sun's Obliteration IX Double IPA that I was given during my last Anchorage trip.  The latest iteration of the series uses Citra & Saaz hops, a most atypical pairing.  It poured a lovely golden color, with a dense white head.  The nose was loaded with hop notes, from both varieties.  I had thought the brash Citra and delicate Saaz might clash, but it did not happen.  Instead, each complimented the other quite nicely.  On the palate, the 80 IBUs made itself felt, but it was still quite drinkable for such a hop bomb, clean and crisp, with some spicy, peppery rye notes. At 8% ABV, this is a big beer, but a very enjoyable one.  Another great addition to the series by Midnight Sun.

Well, that's it for this week.  I'll be back next week with all the last-minute news before AK Beer Week kicks off.

Until Next Time, Cheers!

Northwest Brewing News Correction

I'm sure some of you read my column in the Northwest Brewing News about the happening on the Alaska brewing scene.  An attentive reader just pointed out to me that in the last sentence in my most recent column in the December/January issue, I incorrectly stated that Jeremiah Boone took over as head brewer at Midnight Sun Brewing Company following Gabe Fletcher.  This was an error.  Ben Johnson served as head brewer between Fletcher and Boone.  I'd like to apologize to him and to all my readers for this mistake.

I have asked my editor to run a correction in the Feb/Mar issue, but in the meantime I wanted to make this post to acknowledge my error.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

This will be a short post, as I am really looking forward to taking a break until the new year.  However, I've got a few pieces of news to pass along and a some reviews to post before we say so long to 2012.

My good friend Jim "Dr. Fermento" Roberts reports that 22 oz. bombers of several of Baranof Island Brewing Company's beers will be making the long trek from Sitka to Anchorage, thanks to the efforts of Specialty Imports.  You can be on the look out for their Halibut Point Hefeweisen, Peril Strait Pale Ale, Medvejie Stout, Silver Bay IPA, Redoubt Red Ale, and Baranof Brown Ale.  I've tasted their beers at the last Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival, and they were excellent, so I'm really looking forward to being able to taste them more than once a year.

Ben Millstein out at Kodiak Island Brewing reports that he has taken delivery of two 300-gallon square tanks that were formerly used at a winery.  These will be his dedicated brettanomyces tanks, allowing him to conduct long, slow secondary fermentations using that yeast without risking cross-contamination of his primary brewing equipment.  No word yet on when the first new brett-laced brew might be ready...

I was up in Anchorage for a few hours on Monday and stopped by The Loft at Midnight Sun.  Since we were still counting down to the Winter Solstice at that point, they still had their "all dark beers" tap line-up on; as of today, they should be pouring all light-colored beers.  Anyway, while there I had a small glass of their Oaked Even Dahker; it was outstanding!  I was lucky enough to get the first bottle off the line of Obliteration IX DIPA; I'm looking forward to trying it.  Plus I got my brauler filled with their Full Curl Scotch Ale, which will go nicely with the turkey we're smoking for Christmas dinner.

For those of you who care, sales of Elaine's and my book Beer on the Last Frontier: The Craft Breweries of Alaska have been pretty brisk.  The signing we did last weekend at Kenai River Brewing Company was a lot of fun.  If you are local, copies are available at Kenai River, St. Elias, and the KPC Bookstore.  Further afield, you can find them at Homer Brewing and Kodiak Island Brewing.  In Anchorage, they have them at MSBC's The Loft and La Bodega.  Otherwise, look for it on Amazon.com.

OK, let's move into reviews; I've got four new ones for this week.

First, Kenai River Brewing's Kenai Classic Pale Ale.  I was drinking this at our book signing and took some home as well.  It poured a lovely honey color with a good-looking off-white head.  There was a nice hop nose and plenty of good carbonation.  The beer was lighter on the palate than a full-on IPA, as you expect from a pale ale, but still had plenty of good, clean bitterness with zero off-flavors.  Extremely drinkable and an excellent accompaniment to food.  A top-notch pale ale.

The next three beers were all supplied by an acquaintance on the East Coast, who shipped them to me.  To my knowledge, they are not available in Alaska.  The first one was an anniversary beer from Weyebacher Brewing, their Fifteen Smoked Imperial Stout, released in 2010.  I had a couple of Weyerbacher brews back in 2010 during my last visit to the East Coast, so I already knew that they brewed good stuff.  Fifteen poured opaque with a small tan head.  The aroma was of chocolate, roasted coffee, and a touch of smoke.  On the palate there was lots of good mouthfeel, more malt and roast flavors, as well as more smoke.  I thought it was quite well-balanced, with no single component running away with things. 10.8% ABV.  All-in-all, an absolutely excellent smoked imperial stout.

The second beer was Belle Saison from a brewery I'd never heard of, À l’abri de la Tempête. Since the entire label was in French, I surmised (correctly) that this beer was from a brewery in Quebec.  It poured a light, clear gold, with a small white head.  There were spicy notes in the nose, ginger and cinnamon, I believe.  The beer was very light on the palate, with good carbonation and more spicy flavors. 5.8% ABV.  Personally, I prefer my saisons dry and without spices.  In this one, the spices seemed to be to the forefront.  Well-made, but not my personal cup of tea.

The last beer was Troegenator Double Bock from the award-winning Troegs Brewing in Hershey, PA. I'd heard of this beer before, most notably when it took a Gold Medal at last year's GABF, so I was eager to give it a try.  It poured a deep, translucent bronze color, with a very nice cream-colored head.  The aroma was primarily of bready malt, as befits a style of beer nicknamed "liquid bread".  On the palate there was great mouthfeel.  This is certainly a malt-forward beer, with the 25 IBUs there purely for balance.  Very clean tasting, as you'd expect from a lager.  An excellent example of the style; easy to see why it has won so many awards.  8.2% ABV.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week and for this year.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and drink plenty of excellent beer with your friends and family.  I'll see you all in 2013, where will will continue our explorations of craft beer in Alaska and beyond.

Until Next Time, Cheers and Happy Holidays!

A Change in the Weather

Well, we've all been wondering when the snow would show up, and it looks like it's here now, with some freezing rain thrown in for variety.  On the plus side, temperatures are now well above zero. (On the plus side, get it?  That's a pun that wouldn't work in Celsius...).

I just took delivery of a brauler from HooDoo Brewing and it is impressive.  If you haven't heard of it, the brauler is a stainless steel growler produced by The Zythos Project, a bunch of craft-beer-crazy engineers.  These growlers have amazing caps, very big with lots of threads, much superior to the ones on standard growlers or even those on Hydroflasks, which I've never been able to get to seat properly.  Plus, they have an even more high-tech cap that has a small port in it to allow you to pressurize the brauler with carbon dioxide after you have re-closed it.  So you could drink half a growler, recap it, then pressurize it, so that the remaining beer will not go flat.  Amazing!

These puppies aren't cheap, running you about $50 retail, but I think they're worth it.  You can't buy them direct; you have to get them from a participating brewery.  As of now, the only breweries in Alaska selling them are HooDoo in Fairbanks and Kodiak Island Brewing Company, but I know some others are considering it.  They've been so popular that HooDoo is currently out, but they are selling gift certificates that entitles the bearer to one from their next shipment when ti arrives in January.  Makes a great Christmas gift to the beer geek in your life, or just for yourself...

Speaking of gifts for Christmas, my new book, Beer on the Last Frontier, is now available in paperback on Amazon.com, as well as at Kenai River Brewing Company, St. Elias Brewing Company, and the Kenai Peninsula College Bookstore in Soldotna.  It will be on sale in Anchorage at La Bodega and Midnight Sun's Loft Bar starting next Tuesday (12/18).  If you're looking for an autographed copy, Elaine and I will be doing some signings, starting with one at the Kenai River Tap Room this Saturday from 5 to 7 PM.  Stop by and get your copy signed or just tell us what you think of our little book.

Continuing to speak of Christmas gifts, Midnight Sun Brewing Company has kicked off a special for the holidays: their 12 Beers in a Box, a special combo case of brews for $69.  It has the following:

CoHoHo Imperial IPA
Kodiak Brown Ale
Operation Hay
Monk’s Mistress Special Dark Ale
Mammoth Extra Stout
Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter
Snowshoe White Wit Beer
Trickster Pumpkin Ale
Sockeye Red IPA
Panty Peeler Tripel
Brewtality Belgian Black Beer with Espresso
XXX Double Black IPA

plus a can koozie and a bag of Doug's Nuts.  Sounds like a great gift, especially for someone Outside, who can't get access to the great MSBC brews on a regular basis.

Gabe Fletcher at Anchorage Brewing Company filled his new 12 barrel coolship today.  What spontaneously fermented wonders will emerge from it? Only time will tell...

Kassiks' Brewery now has their Caribou Kilt Scotch back on tap, along with the Big Nutz Imperial Brown and the Chocolate Cherry Stout.  Look for the Smoked Russian Imperial Stout on tap from 21-24 December, and say hi to their new brewer Luke.

Seward Brewing Company is shutting down for the winter after this week.  On Friday night, they will be having Ugly Sweater Discount.  The uglier the sweater you wear, the bigger the discount (15 to 50%).  Then on Saturday they will filling growlers for only $7.  Get your SBC fix now or you'll have to wait until spring.

For those of you ambitious beer geeks out there, it's time again to submit your resumes for Wynkoop Brewing Company's Beerdrinker of the Year Contest!  You can find all the details on their website, here. If you are selected as one of the three finalists, they will fly you to Denver in February to compete in person.  If you win, you'll get a $250 bar tab at your local drinking establishment plus free beer for life at the Wynkoop.  As the 2010 Beerdrinker of the Year, I speak from experience when I say it's a great time.  If you don't apply, you can't win, so get those resumes in before the end of the year.

Let's go to beer reviews.  I have five new brews to write about this time.

First, there's the new Imperial Red Ale from Alaskan Brewing.  This is the latest beer in their Pilot Series and it's on sale locally at Fred Meyer and other locations.  It poured a deep, clear red with a nice dense cream-colored head.  The aroma had plenty of citrusy hop notes from the blend of Centennial, Citra, Meridian, and Summit hops used, with perhaps a touch of caramel behind it.  On the palate there was plenty of good bitterness up front (70 IBUs) and a very clean flavor profile, falling away to a nice finish.  Between the IBUs and the 8.5% ABV, this beer is no session ale, but it's quite drinkable for such a burly brew.  Another very fine entrant into the Pilot Series.

Next, I had a liter growler of King Street Brewing's Black IPA that I picked up at the La Bodega growler bar.  When I try a black IPA, I always have to wonder if what I'm about to taste is really a hoppy porter, i.e. is it going to have a ton of roasted flavors to go along with the hops.  Not this time around.  This is a dark brew with ruby highlights and a nice light tan head. Nose is hops alone, no roasty notes, and it's the same on the palate: excellent hop bitterness but not even the slightest hint of roasted malt.  This is a true black IPA; close your eyes and you'd have no idea that you're not drinking a good copper-colored American IPA.  Very nice job from the guys at King Street.

The third beer is a weird one: Neapolitan Milk Stout from Saugatuck Brewing in Michigan. This isn't a beer you can find up here in Alaska, but a colleague brought me back a bottle from the Lower 48.  As the name implies, it's a milk stout made with cocoa, vanilla, and strawberry flavors, just like the ice cream.  It poured opaque with a huge, dense head.  Sure enough, I could pick up all three flavor elements in the nose and on the palate.  If you can imagine Neapolitan ice cream, but not that sweet, plus some roasty flavors, you know what it tasted like.  An amazing tour de force, but I can't help wondering: why bother?  Is there really a big market for ice cream flavored beers out there? Oh well, if it floats you boat, who am I to criticize? 6.3% ABV.

Next, there's Kenai River Brewing Company's Pilgrim Single Hop IPA.  The latest in this on-going series, this beer poured a clear gold with a nice off-white head.  The aroma was of hops, but with some interesting citrus notes: lemon & grapefruit.  There was good carbonation and lots of up front bitterness, plus some more of the citrus notes.  A very unusual hop and another excellent addition to the Single Hop IPA family.  Also, when I was picking up my growler of this beer, I had a sampler of their new Kenai Classic Pale Ale.  I haven't done a formal review yet, but I can tell you that I really enjoyed that sampler.

Finally, I picked up a few bottles of Sierra Nevada's Narwhal Imperial Stout.  Given the quality of beers Sierra Nevada routinely produces, I was expecting a lot from this beer, and it did not disappoint.  It poured completely opaque with a small tan head.  The aroma was all roasted malt, with elements of coffee and cocoa.  There was excellent mouthfeel and the flavor profile was extremely rich and complex, with various elements making themselves known -- coffee, figs, cocoa -- plus a touch of alcohol heat on the back end.  This is definitely one to sip and savor at 10.2% ABV.

Well, that's about it for this week.  Next week's blog will be the last one for this year, as I'm taking the holidays off to enjoy them with my lovely wife, Elaine.  Good luck with your Xmas shopping. Remember: Craft beer is always a great gift...

Until Next Time, Cheers!

My 200th Post

I'm not usually big on milestones, but a couple of weeks ago I happened to notice that this blog was coming up on a pretty big one: this is my 200th post.  I made Post #1 on July 10, 2008, so it's taken me just shy of four years and four months to get to this point.  Checking my stats, it seems this blog as has had 37,719 page views to date.  I honestly never thought it would last anything like this long. Besides sheer longevity, writing this blog has led to many other good things, like my Redoubt Reporter column, becoming Wynkoop's Beerdrinker of the Year, writing for the Northwest Brewing News, and now publishing a book.  I want to thank each and every one of you who read this blog; without your support, I certainly wouldn't still be doing this.

Today is also another important milestone.  On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution was officially ratified, ending the disastrous social experiment of Prohibition.  While the anti-alcohol forces are still with us, they are but a shadow of what they were a century ago, for which we can all be thankful.  So pour yourself a craft beer, fill your bathtub with gin, and let's celebrate the day that America came to her senses seventy-nine years ago! 

Now that it's December, it's time to really start thinking about Alaska Beer Week in January.  This year it will run from Friday the 11th thru Sunday the 20th.  Events are already beginning to be scheduled and tickets for some of them are already on sale.  Events happen all around the state, not just in Anchorage.  For example, our very own St. Elias Brewing Company will be offering $5 goblets of their beers all week.  Your best bet is to pay frequent visits to the Alaska Beer Week website at www.akbeerweek.com and check out the events listed there.  You wouldn't want to miss out on a great event simply by learning about it too late, would you?

In addition to AK Beer Week next month, there are lots of things happening this month.  I wrote in last week's blog about Glacier BrewHouse's Twelve Days of Barley Wine.  Well, on Saturday, December 15th, they will also be having a "Pint for a Pint" Event.  The Blood Bank of Alaska'a LIFEmobile will be parked out front and anyone who donates a pint of blood will get a pint of root beer and a complimentary pint glass from Glacier. You can call 222-5630 to make an appointment between 10 AM and 5 PM, or just stop by see if they have an opening.  There's no worthier cause than giving blood so others may live, and I think it's great that Glacier is supporting this.

Over at Midnight Sun Brewing, their new Brew Crew has released their first beer: Pleasure Town IPA is brewed with Cascade and Citra, then dry hopped with Chinook and Citra, a great refreshing touch of grapefruit at the end of this crisp treat.  6.13%ABV and 65 IBU's.  This Friday is First Firkin Friday, and they will be tapping a cask-conditioned Lust Belgian Dark Strong with Sour Cherries and Bret.  This marks the five year anniversary of the original release of Lust; I wrote a bit about it back on July 27, 2009, but it had been out for over a year and a half at that point.

This firkin is coming out of the original batch; it has been quietly waiting, un-carbonated, in a keg in MSBC's "cellar". Last month it was transferred to the firkin to begin it's natural carbonation process. If you want to actually get some of this, I recommend you are at The Loft well before the firkin's tapped at 5 PM; this one won't last long...

This just in: The Loft at MSBC was selected as the Best Brewpub in Alaska for 2012 by the readers of the Northwest Brewing News!  Also, MSBC's Arctic Devil Barley wine tied with Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot for Best Barley Wine in the Northwest!

I have also heard that La Bodega was voted the Best Beer Store in Alaska for 2012 by the readers of the Northwest Brewing News.  La Bodega's Christmas Party at The Snow Goose is tonight; check last week's blog for details.  They will also have La Fin du Monde, Unibroue's Belgian-style tripel, on tap at their growler bar starting on December 19th; stop by and stock up for The End of the World...

Moving to local news, Kassik's Brewery has Big Nutz Imperial Brown Ale Christmas ornaments in and they look great. Kenai River Brewing put a new beer on tap last Friday: Kenai Classic Pale Ale.  It's described as "an American-style golden-straw colored ale assertively hopped with Pacific Northwest hops."  I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I plan to stop by soon.  St. Elias Brewing Company now has the latest version of their award-winning Moose Juice Barley Wine on tap.  I stopped by last Friday after work and had a glass, so let's move into beer reviews.

The Moose Juice poured a murky brown with zero head.  The aroma was of malt, alcohol heat, plus some oaky, bourbon notes.This version was aged for over a year in bourbon, rye whiskey, and brandy barrels before being blended together, and the blending is top-notch.  The various flavor profiles come together in perfect harmony, making for a rich and warming whole.  Every aspect is properly integrated, making this an exceptional barley wine.  I would not be at all surprised to see this take another medal at the GABBF next month.

Thanks to La Bodega's growler bar, I also got to try To Ol's Snowball Saison, from De Proefbrouwerij in Belgium.  De Proef is an experimental/contract brewery; as such, they brew beers for many, many different people.  This particular beer is an 8% saison, heavier and hoppier for the cold winter months. It poured a slightly hazy gold with a dense, white head.  The aroma was of hops (Styrian Goldings?) plus the classic spicy, earthy notes of a Belgian yeast.  There was good mouthfeel and plenty of hop bitterness plus a good malt backbone.  it some ways it reminded me more of a Belgian pale ale than a saison, but there is a touch of funkiness.  The flavors fall away nicley to a good finish.  All-in-all, and excellent brew, though stronger and maltier than your typical saison (if there is such a thing).

Finally, I had a bottle of Jaipur IPA from Thornbridge Brewery in the UK, again thanks to La Bodega. I had read many good things about this beer, mostly in blogs written by beer lovers in the UK, so I was excited to give it a try, even if it was in a bottle rather than cask-conditioned.  It's 5.9% ABV and poured a lovely light, clear gold with a big white head.  There was a wonderful clean, floral hoppiness about the beer, with excellent carbonation.  This beer reminds me of everything I love about a great British Ale: spritely & refreshing carbonation, delicate but assertive hoppiness, and what I call "moreishness", i.e. when you finish one, you always want more.  As good as it was in the bottle, I shudder to think how outstanding a well-kept cask of this beer would be, served on hand pump in a fine British pub.  Truly an exceptional beer, and one I plan to do my best to drink more of.

Well, that wraps things up for this week, more or less.  It appears that the printed version of Elaine's and my book, Beer on the Last Frontier, will be for sale on Amazon soon.  With any luck, you will be able to order it for $8.99 by the weekend.  Or you can wait about a week more and it will be on sale at several of the local breweries.  It makes a great stocking stuffer...

Until Next Time, Cheers!