What's New?!

Mikeller " From: To: " is what's new!
A delicious imperial Stout from Denmark
It's aaawwwweeesssooommmee
(note the multiple letters, indicating extra deliciousness...)

How the helldo you pronounce "Geants"?

Noel de Geants, a Belgian strong ale by Braserie de Geants sounds
suspiciously French. It's in Belgium but... Pfft on France!

Nice beer- just what I was looking for tonight after a 5 hour
Bartending shift outside in the cold ;) 55 degree weather.

Served by Papago in a traditional Belgian Tulip glass, it's spicy and
just right sweet and yummy :) Thank you Belgium for your nommy yeasts

Freaktoberfest!

Schmaltz may... Get ready... Be my favorite brewery.

I don't know if I've ever said that before. They do new things, big
things, classic, and subtle things. And they do them all well. This is
not a one horse (hop) brewer. I mean... I'm sortof annoyed by the
"hops or double hops or ULTRA SUPER hops" mentality of some (gigantic)
brewers.

Freaktoberfest is a crazy red colored lager. 6 malts, 6 hops, 6.66 ABV

RED. Colored. RED.

It's yummy though. I'm sick, and apparently the wife is trying to
knock me out, and a nyquil followed by Freaktoberfest fit the bill.

Oh damn, the beer dinner was one thing. Last night was crazy more.

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast was iiinnnn credible. GodFather and I absolutely loved it- 5 out of 6 in a six pack. My wife gave it only a 3. She explained that it was because it's just not her "style".

The question then lies in... is it fair to rate something lower because it's not your style, or do you simply rate it compared to other beers IN the style. My wife is very in to beer, but the dark porter/stouts, which BGB is a very solid example of, is not one she will choose when given options.

Thoughts can be left under comments.

We also tried the Sam Adams Cherry wheat which I personally thought tasted like cherry air freshener, she liked. Good thing since there is still one in the mix pack from Sam Adams that I got. "It's all you, baby!"

Sam Adams Octoberfest was good- 4 out of 6 in a six pack. Balanced, flavorful. Just good! It's a nice session beer.

Ska Ten Pin Porter. Solid, tho we tasted it after the BGB and it was really tough to not compare the two, though they are WORLDS apart. 4 out of 6

Andrew in the orange, Travis in the blue. Good looking bastards...

Beer tasting with dinner

My friend GodFather came in town and knowing that he is a beer geek, I stocked the fridge!

So we started the festivities with Ska Brown Ale which was perfect with the roasted cheese stuffed bacon wrapped jalapenos off the grill. Delicious! (next was Sam Adams brown which was... less impressive...)

With our pork rouldades, I paired Reaper Ale's Deathly Pale Ale. WOW! That was a huge beer.

~~~insert tequila shot here~~~

After dinner, we sampled the novelty beer Cave Creek Chili Beer. It was what you expect- a tasty beer that was perfect to share. It is very spicy and other than that... uh... yeah. I have 5 more that I will finish in the next 6 months or so. OR! Take to the in-laws for Thanksgiving.. yeah. that's a better plan ;)

For dessert, the coups de gras... an Oskar Blues TenFidy float with a really good vanilla bean ice cream. Freaking phenomenal! That beer is so huge, mixing it with the ice cream just smoothed everything out! It still had that bitter ZIP at the end before the ice cream really melted, but once there was meltification it TOTALLY rawked. If you can, PLEASE try this! Yes, Travis, I'll have TenFidy and ice cream next time you visit us down here in Tucson ;)

~~~insert another tequila shot here~~~

After that, what can you do? Well I shared some Full Sail Slipknot. I think that was a bad move. I mean seriously, at this point it was pretty much over. I'm sure it was a good beer, but I wasted it on a drunken fool (me) Then Sam Adams Dunkelweizen. Repeat earlier disclaimer of wasting beer.

What a great night! We're doing another tasting tonight!

YoYP Text Message Tested, Enthusiast Approved

Just testing out the new feature.
Tonight's beer was Anvil from BeerSmith. A refreshing ESB that finished smooth and was gone before I knew it.

Work. = Papago!

Speakeasy Cacao nib porter. I almost feel some grounds in my mouth as
I drink this. The head is huge and dense and stays forever. The beer
is subtle chocolate, and thick. Yummmm! 6/6 beers out of a 6 pack!

Chicken Killer!!!

So our friends Daniel and Victoria drove in from San Diego to
Halloween party with us, as is our tradition :)

They brought me a dozen Alpine Brewing bombers which I cannot WAIT to
break into...

When they arrived, I cracked open a Santa Fe Brewing "Chicken Killer"
Barleywine. It is absolutely delicious! It's not overwhelmingly "hot"
with alcohol on the tongue, tho it is 10% ABV. great flavors and
mouthfeel. I would definitely count it as one of my favorite beers of
the high-ABV type.

We also shared a couple cans of Trn-Fidy. It was their first time
drinking the beautiful thick blackness, but you've heard my feelings
on it in the past.

More beer adventures to come this weekend! :)

San Tan Excitement!

Seriously- Anthony makes great brews. He has pure talent. No doubt.

It seems like for a brewery, it's same thing all the time

I now have something to write about! Hooray!!!

In 3 days, I've encountered 2 new awesome beers- the SanTan Amber
(yesterday known as Awesome Amber) and... Get ready... Smoky Red!

Yes, a smoke beer!!! Holy carp! This is smoky, and yummy! On the nose,
smoke. On the "palate" (to use a wine-fuck term) smokey and sweet. I'd
say, in the words of a friend, BBQ smoke, not grill smoke.

Hooray Anthony for breaking out of the rut. I'm so happy and Go!!!!
San Tan!

Ok really

Christian Audigiererieriet has an Ed Hardy beer. This is absolute and
irrefutable PROOF that there is no god.

Ed

Hardy

Beer

GFY

So I worked tonight...

Obviously that means head to Papago.

Firestone OakToberFest is ok. I mean... Sure. Isn't Octoberfest
supposed to be low alcohol and not too "forward" so you can drink it
for 12 hours? That's about what this is

Green Flash Abbey Trippel is yum. It's not like... TOO Belgium'y. It
is srsly strong tho. It's got that nice mouthfeel that Belgiums
typically bring, but it doesn't linger. Know what I mean? It would be
called "satisfying" if that made sense.

Ahhhh good times. Got here at 10:50 and it's EMPTY. (it is Tuesday
tho...) Drink More Beer people!!!

Not my beer OR bewbz

Still- Yardhouse is quite impressive.

Chupacabra Pale Ale. I wouldn't kick
It out of bed. Actually pretty good, but not any "wow" to it.

Oh Travis!!! Hi! I see you!

Taste of...

Hear ye, hear ye...
The beer gods have once again shone their graces on the Tempe area
with the opening of A Taste of Tops! Despite a rather predictable and
unexciting name, the Taste offers to Tempe what Papago has given
Scottsdale...a place to enjoy those rare beers that elude many
connoisseurs and boggle the minds of the average Joe Schmoe.

My only word of advise is to be patient, like any great beer, a smooth
running bar from a new owner takes time to ferment into an established
mark on the map. I have no doubt that Taste will succeed in this. So,
deposit those paychecks, and go grab something that will knock your
pallet off!

Odell's Bourbon Barrel Stout

On the way home from a gig, stopped at Papago. Anyone notice a pattern?

I'm introducing so many people to Papago.... It is very rewarding :)

They have odell's bourbon barrel stout on draft.

Can Odell's make a bad beer? Seriously! Every. Single. One. Is
completely incredible. The BBS has a deep dark color, a nice head that
stays around, and tastes like a dream- that woody and bourbony taste
up front which gives way to the deliciousness of the brew.

I liked the Four Peaks bourbon barrel Kiltlifter (except the cliche
Kiltlifter moniker...) but it was like beer with a shot of Maker's in
it. It was tasty in a hit-and-run way.

This is just a lovely example of blending some yumminess with other
yumminess.

Wine- 3 ingredients. And technique. //yawnnnnnn

Beer- a variety of ingredients and techniques so wide that you haven't
even THOUGHT of all the possible combos. It's awesome

I have a serious happy :)

Ten Fidy

This beer is the thickest, blackest, most viscous beer in the world.
If I am wrong, PLEASE let me know because WOAH!

Is it wrong to drink a Ten Fidy at 2 when you are doing a new employee
orientation at 4? Naaaah- it's called "priming the pump" people...

Long sleeves = Stout drinks

With the much appreciated changing of the seasons here in the desert,
many trends reemerge, my most favorite of which is showing up to my
favorite watering holes a little chilled and warming up to a frothy
Stout. Tonight's is no exception to greatness, Four Peaks Oatmeal
Stout, with its very subtle hints of oatmeal, it washes over the
pallet like a warm fuzzy blanket and finishes very light and airy.

For those of you out there with first time quarries and misplace views
on Guinness, I'm here to assure you that dispite how heavy many Stouts
appear in the glass, the fact is that they are a very smooth varietal
of beer. As for the myth that this beer has a high alcohol content and
high calories, the truth is that most Stouts float around the 5% ABV
mark and Guinness has only 100ish calories per pint.

So the next time you get a chance, warm up with a frothy Stout and a
bowl of clam chowda to compliment.

Cheers!

Travis

Whole Foods

So a trip to Bev-Mo on monday was less than "all that". Overpriced beers. IMHO

I took a trip to Whole Foods on the way home today- got another 4 pack of Oskar Blues Ten Fidy and it was only $7.99!!! On the other hand, Left Hand mixed 12 pack was $20.99 WTF! Ska's mixed 12 was $17.99 What is this world coming to!?!?

I had to drown my sorrows at the Whole Foods Tapas bar with a glass of Old World Brewing's Irish Red. I thought that I had had it before, but now that I tried it again- No Way! I would have remembered it for SURE- It was quite sour!

Heather the beer chick also suggested that I try Left Hand's smoked beer- she says it's more of a Barbeque smoke flavor than a Grilled smoke flavor. I almost threw her down behind the bar right then and there, but I practiced a LOT of self control.

I also tasted the Breckenridge Octoberfest. It was really tasty, light as (I am learning) an Octoberfest should be. I mean, if you are drinking from 9 AM till well after sunset, you don't want a big heavy beer, right?

Thank you Whole Foods for taking my money, and thank you Heather for an enlightening experience!

(there is a reason my chef friend calls it "Whole Paycheck"...)

Post- "responsible alcohol service class" recovery

So today was the 6 hour alcohol awareness class. What a joy :(

The only thing that can tale away the sting of sitting and listening
to my wife lecture for 6 hours (hee hee! I joke) is beer!

Papago is on the way home. Well. Sorta. Kinda. Almost. Ermmm...
Anyways- today Jess suggested 471 Small Batch by Breckenridge and
Weihenstephan dunkel. Fantastic, both of them. I typically avoid the
hefes, but this is light and refreshing, beautiful white head, and
served in the cool-looking Weihenstephan glass :)

The wifey is enjoying her breckenridge however as it is served in the
small snifter, indicating it's over 8% abv, it will be consumed quickly.

Papago run!

First things first- it was Sierra Nevada night at Papago. Since I
tried the Harvest last week, I decided to go WetHop. Which is also
great.

Papago- it's the best BrewHouse ever. If you live in Phoenix, you
know. If you are visiting, you MUST get there. Scottsdale and
McDowell. Tell your driver. They serve 30 QUALITY drafts and have
hundreds of bottles. The bartenders are nice, fun, witty, and have
really great smiles. AND KNOWLEDGE!

I tried the Sam Adams white, but... Too sweet. Then the Gordon's
Pale... Really didn't want a pale.

I went with Jess' suggestion of Weistephaner Original- Hit. The. Spot.
I wanted something Belgiumy, but today my choices were Lost Abbey (go
fuck yourself) and the Sammy White. This has good floral Belgium
overtones (DB word) and is light enough to finish off. It's very very
nice.

Also had a caprese. Which was delicious, but not enough protien for
tonight. I need some freaking MEAT!

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy

Oh my gosh- this beer seriously looks like motor oil. It pours thick
and is dark and wow! It is an imperial stout and at 9.4% it's a kick
in the ass. It's smooth and thick in the mouth, my chest feels warm
after the second sip. Chocolate chocolate chocolate!

New belgium

Kerri and I went to Papago for beer after work last night- she enjoyed
a Papago Orange Blossom Special- the sole beer she will drink.

I tried New Belgium Hoptober. It was light yet satisfying and had some
nice hops o. The finish. Having only one, a lighter alcohol beer is
better- it makes me cautious to have a second.

We were there for 1 1/2 hours and I drank a pint. I must be broken-
too slooowwww

Mee Toooo!!!

Wow! Talk about bourbon taste!

They don't allow growlers because they only brew one keg at a time...
They'll have another ready in a couple of months.

Seriously- this is like beer Makers Mark. Quite sweet, vanilla
flavors, mmm good

4 Peaks Special Kilt

Hey all, today's delicacy is the elusive 4 Peaks Bourbon Barrel Aged Kiltlifter.
Served similar to the HopSquatch, this beer comes in a snifter at a 10
oz. pour. Aged for at least 6 months, it carries a dark amber hue
that's a few shades beyond the normal Kiltlifter.
At first taste, the bourbon flavor kicks pretty strong, but not over
powering. After a few more sips, that kick melts away into a nice
caramel blanket of bourbon over the classic Scottish Kiltlifter flavor
that Tempe has grown to love.
This brew is the best of two worlds with out the midday stumble that
straight bourbon may give. Holding a true bourbon flavor from start to
finish, it's definitely a sipping beer that if aged a bit shorter
would stand up to any pint. Delicious never the less.-T

Continued Tastings

After leaving Papago, we went to Rula Bula in Tempe on Mill Ave. Specifically to try Guinness 250. It was fine. Definitely not my favorite beer of the night. Rula Bula is the 8th largest seller of Guinness in the country! Who would have thought that a 5000 square foot restaurant/bar in Tempe would pour so damn much! Excellent! Then my friend who is the manager, asked if I would drive one of the waitresses home. Excellent AGAIN! Good times, good times... -A

Late night surprise.

Much better than anything Santa ever brought me, Samichlaus is a
naughty spanking topped with frothy sweetness.

Typically not swayed by advertisement...I saw that Samichlaus claimed
to be the world's strongest beer (despite actually being a malt
liquor), and I was intrigued.

This 'beer' is a whopping 14% and throws a load of flavor right into
your face. It passes over like a porter with a slice of bitterness
thanks to some well placed hops. This brew finishes clean with little
after taste and allows accompany of food pairings.

My best 12 oz. of the week so far. -T

Tonight's beers

Today I learned that Sierra Nevada makes an estate beer. This means that all Ingredients come from the brewery's own land. Hops, barley, water, and a proprietary yeast strain. Great IPA :)

Tonight:

Rockart Vermontster Barleywine

Left Hand 400lb Monkey IPA

Sierra Nevada Estate IPA

Papago ElRobusto Imperial Porter
-A