We repeatedly get asked to run beer reviews on the site, but with so many announcements and news to cover in the beer world each and every day, it can be hard to find enough time to get it all done. But, it’s a new year and time to make it happen. Going forward, we plan to share more reviews and tasting notes on what we’re drinking and what you should be drinking too. We’d like to introduce a new series we’re calling “See, Sniff & Sip”.
Our goal with the series is to share new beers hitting the Colorado market, revisit some craft classics and occasionally pull a vintage beer from the cellar to see how it’s coming along. Along the way, we may feature a series of beers from a particular brewery, spotlight a style or take a suggestion from one of you. Who knows. And if you enjoy the collaborative reviews with our buddy Dave Butler at Fermentedly Challenged, we’re planning to continue those as well.
To kick things off in See, Sniff & Sip, we’re dishing up three completely different beers that recently caught our attention. Hope you enjoy.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Porter
Dry Dock Brewing Company, Aurora, CO
American Porter
5ish% ABV
A rare and sweet treat from Dry Dock’s Firkin Master Walt Chleva. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Porter is typically reserved for the occasional Firkin Friday and is always a guaranteed sell out. The particular batch we’re sampling was made for guests at Chleva’s wedding reception and we were fortunate enough to bring home a growler as a parting gift. Although not ideal conditions for reviewing a beer, opportunities to try this unique brew don’t come around every day, so here we go.
Format: 64 oz. Growler
Availability: Occasional Firkin Friday Release
Appearance: Dark brown, nearly black. No carbonation, with an oily coating across the top of the beer.
Aroma: Sweet aroma with heavy notes of chocolate and peanut butter. A touch of roasted coffee is hidden in there too. This baby smells like desert.
Taste: The flavor’s super sweet with the obvious peanut butter and chocolate presence dominating the beer. There’s also the slightest touch of hops, vanilla and coffee. A tasty desert beer that drinks like a rich, creamy milkshake. Peanut Butter has found its place in the beer world.
Score: 4 / 5
Our Special Ale 2006
Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, CA
Winter Warmer
5.5% ABV
Anchor’s Christmas beer is a tradition that’s been going strong since 1975. The tree on the label and the recipe change slightly every year and despite the low ABV, Our Special Ale is a popular candidate for long-term cellaring. We pulled this 2006 bottle from the cellar to see how it’s holding up.
Format: 12 oz. bottle
Availability: November – February
Appearance: Deep caramel / ruby red color, small creamy head.
Aroma: Raisins, cherries, gingerbread, pinch of sherry.
Taste: Oranges, tart cherries and plums take center stage in this fruitcake tinged brew. Surprisingly little oxidation, but the beer comes off a bit thin; while it’s still fairly drinkable after 7 years, it’s clearly lost something along the way. Cellaring beer is always a gamble, but the rewards frequently make it a risk we’re willing to take. For now, we’ll lay the rest of the 6-pack down and revisit in a few years.
Score: 2.5 / 5
Peach Berliner Weisse
Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis, MO
Berliner Weissbier
4.2% ABV
Another new addition to the beer scene, thanks to the hard-working boys at Crooked Stave Artisans distributing. Perennial began sending beer to Colorado during the 2013 GABF and has since sent us a variety of offerings, ranging from Belgian-inspired beers to Imperial Stouts. Their Peach Berliner Weisse landed in late Summer and was made using fresh Missouri peaches. This one’s a perfectly sessionable seasonal that pairs well with a game of lawn darts or a slip ‘n slide.
Format: 750 mL bottle
Availability: Late-Summer Release
Appearance: Hazy golden-straw color, 1-finger creamy white head, champagne-like carbonation, minimal lacing.
Aroma: Freshly sliced peaches, with the slightest bit of tartness.
Taste: Ripe, juicy peaches, a pinch of lemons and faint fresh grains. Minimal funk, very light touch of tartness.
Score: 3.5 / 5
That’s it for the first round, but we’ll have another update soon. Have a suggestion or beer you’d like to see us review? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you. E-mail (brewtallyinsane at yahoo.com), send a message on Facebook or leave a comment below.
Cheers!
