Sam Adams Utopias tasting

Last night went to the Utopias tasting at Beer Junction. We tasted 5 different Sam Adams beers. First the Stony Brook Red, it is a flanders style red. It started out tart and had a malty oak finish. A pretty decent beer. Second was the Thirteenth Hour stout, a belgian imperial stout barrel aged. This beer was disappointing. It came out flat and a lack of flavor. Third we tasted Tetravis, which is a belgian quad. It was bold and rich. Filled with complex sweetness characteristics. Fourth was Utopias. It was 28%! When you smelled it, it smelled like bourbon aged it brandy casks or vice versa. It was uncarbonated, thick and sweet. It was like drinking a glass of brandy and well worth the experience. We finished with Rebel IPA. It was balanced and floral. It was a decent IPA but average compared to PNW IPAs that are available. Cheers!

Beer Tasting and More

During the wild card weekend I got to enjoy a 2012 Fremont Bourbon Abominable Ale. It was smooth, sweet, and chocolate. It had the aroma of bourbon when you smelled it. It was incredible. Word cannot describe how much I love this beer.

Last Friday I went up to a friends place and we did a beer tasting. My favorites of the night was 2011 Firestone Walker Parabola( aged in bourbon barrels, it had vanilla notes and sweetness and being from 2011 a balanced flavor), Gigantic  Imperial Russian Stout (Big and creamy and tasty), Black Raven Old Bird Brain Barleywine, and He'Brew 16 anniversary Jewbalation Ale( this had the cinnamon spicy sweetness, aged in barrels and was 16%. 

Had a ton of great beers over the last two weeks. New ones come up everyday! Eat, drink and be merry!

Prost and Go Hawks' 

Holiday

Crazy Holiday season and a lot of delicious beers. Time flew but brews were just as tasty. We did a Hair of the Dog beer tasting. It involved Ruth, Adam, Fred, Doggie Claws, Otto, and Bourbon Fred. The majority liked Doggie Claws a American hoppy barleywine, my favorite was Otto which is Cherry Fred blended with Peach Fred aged in Oak barrels for 18 months. I also had Stone Smoked Vanilla Bean Porter and Pelican Mother of All Storms both were amazing. I also tried  Black Ravens Gun Powder Imperial Bourbon Porter which had a burnt sweet flavor really enjoyed the intensity of the flavor. Nice Beers and good Company this Holiday. Hope you did the same. Prost!  

Portland Trips

If you ever go to Portland here are a couple of place to hit up. First Hair of the Dog and while you are there try vintage Bottles.  I recommend the 2010 Matt: a bouron barrel aged stout and the 2011 Bourbon Fred: a bourbon barrel aged style strong ale. Both are excellent. Second check out BigAss Sandwich in The Mississippi District, it is in the parking lot of Prost. You can get a sandwich then walk in and get a 1 litre of Licher. Lastly Deschute in Pearl District. They have solid beer, but you can alway find a limited on tap. Last time I had the Abyss Imperial Stout. Quite tasty! Enjoy Beer! 

Portland Brew Tour

Couple weeks ago went to Portland for the weekend. Hit Hair of the Dog and Cascade Brewing. At Hair of the Dog, I had Lila, Cherry Fred on Wood, Matt, and Bourbon Fred. My least favorite was Lila. I really enjoyed the Bourbon Fred and Matt. Both aged in bourbon barrels. Matt is a stout and Fred is a special golden ale. Both were phenomenal. We went to Cascade and I had the Bourbonic Plague which is there double porter aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla bean and thai cinnamon. Amazing. If you are ever in Portland I highly recommend these two breweries. Cheers!      

National Drink a Beer Day

Happy National Drink a Beer Day! I enjoyed Laurelwood's Pumpkin Ale. Spicy and Balanced. Definitely a fall favorite. Prost!

Seahawks!

Hawks lead the west and are off to a 3-0 start! Celebrate with the 12th Can. The 12th Man Pale Ale is by Hilliard's in Ballard. It is smooth, balanced and lightly hopped. Legion of Boom!