(From last weekend)
A: Remember when you had that beer blog?
N: Yeah, I remember that. That was fun.
A: Why did you stop?
N: Well, there was no reason really. I guess I should do it again.
And here we go.
So what's happened beer-wise in the last 10 months (or since I last penned a beer blog post in April 2014)? Well, to start: I celebrated my 30th birthday in Bend, OR, which was arguably the best place I could possibly celebrate anything given its status of a beer-plus-outdoors mecca.
Favorites from that adventure included Crux Fermentation Project's Outcast IPA, GoodLife Brewing's Descender IPA, and Boneyard's Notorious Triple IPA. Bravehorse Tavern recently had Notorious on tap, making it the most recent Bend beer I've had in awhile. At a 12% ABV and an estimated 90 IBUs, the Notorious lives up to its name in stats - but not necessarily in crazed intensity. Boneyard's 3x brewski joins the ranks of a precious few triple IPAs (and their brewers) that can blend high hops, ABV, and drinkability without dropping into the brandywine abysss of doom (or at least according to my one-trick-wonder-IPA palate). This is a distinction reserved for only the hoptastic crème de la crème, such as Reuben's Brews (Blimey that's Bitter [10.5% ABV; ~80 IBUs]), Georgetown (Kick Ass Blaster [11.4% ABV; unknown IBUs), and this year's Hop Mob hero (and total darkhorse, according to some of Seattle's beer scene insiders), Snipes Mountain Brewing with Hayduke the Wrencher (9.3% ABV; 97 IBUs).
Oops, be kind and rewind to August 7: IPA Day! I had the distinct pleasure of celebrating this glorious event at Reuben's Brews, which offered a fairly fantastic IPA sampler in honor of this high holy day of hops. I took advantage of Reuben's IPA sampler, through which I got to experience the wonderment of crisp, delightful Crikey IPA (6.8% ABV; 53 IBUs). I completely agree with this untappd review: "Tastes way bigger than the ABV and IBUs suggest - grassy and piney with a background of tropical fruity flavours." Pine plus citrus plus refreshment = a major score in my hoppy book.
In October, I fully embraced Seattle's fresh hop season, ranging from the Pinebox's big fresh hop bash to the Noble Fir's daytime hoppy hour(s). For me, a decidedly amateur beer appreciator, fresh hops season offers the awesome opportunity to really delve into what types of hoppy flavors you - or in this case, I - prefer at a more in-your-face, hops-in-your-mouth level. So what did I learn? It turns out that I love Amarillo hops, which are largely responsible for the intensely citrus-y, grapefruit-imbibed IPAs I happen to adore. It also turns out that Reuben's Amarillo Fresh Hop Ale, one of the most amazing citrus-fresh-hop-bombs out there, makes me want to sing Ben Folds' "I Am the Luckiest" at the top of my lungs upon swilling this stellar brew.
Right before December, I made a beer advent calendar. Yes, that really happened. And Fremont Brewing's social media maven said "Oh my Holy Christmas Beer DIY Goddess...you win everything!" And then my life was made.
A: Remember when you had that beer blog?
N: Yeah, I remember that. That was fun.
A: Why did you stop?
N: Well, there was no reason really. I guess I should do it again.
And here we go.
So what's happened beer-wise in the last 10 months (or since I last penned a beer blog post in April 2014)? Well, to start: I celebrated my 30th birthday in Bend, OR, which was arguably the best place I could possibly celebrate anything given its status of a beer-plus-outdoors mecca.
Favorites from that adventure included Crux Fermentation Project's Outcast IPA, GoodLife Brewing's Descender IPA, and Boneyard's Notorious Triple IPA. Bravehorse Tavern recently had Notorious on tap, making it the most recent Bend beer I've had in awhile. At a 12% ABV and an estimated 90 IBUs, the Notorious lives up to its name in stats - but not necessarily in crazed intensity. Boneyard's 3x brewski joins the ranks of a precious few triple IPAs (and their brewers) that can blend high hops, ABV, and drinkability without dropping into the brandywine abysss of doom (or at least according to my one-trick-wonder-IPA palate). This is a distinction reserved for only the hoptastic crème de la crème, such as Reuben's Brews (Blimey that's Bitter [10.5% ABV; ~80 IBUs]), Georgetown (Kick Ass Blaster [11.4% ABV; unknown IBUs), and this year's Hop Mob hero (and total darkhorse, according to some of Seattle's beer scene insiders), Snipes Mountain Brewing with Hayduke the Wrencher (9.3% ABV; 97 IBUs).
Oops, be kind and rewind to August 7: IPA Day! I had the distinct pleasure of celebrating this glorious event at Reuben's Brews, which offered a fairly fantastic IPA sampler in honor of this high holy day of hops. I took advantage of Reuben's IPA sampler, through which I got to experience the wonderment of crisp, delightful Crikey IPA (6.8% ABV; 53 IBUs). I completely agree with this untappd review: "Tastes way bigger than the ABV and IBUs suggest - grassy and piney with a background of tropical fruity flavours." Pine plus citrus plus refreshment = a major score in my hoppy book.
In October, I fully embraced Seattle's fresh hop season, ranging from the Pinebox's big fresh hop bash to the Noble Fir's daytime hoppy hour(s). For me, a decidedly amateur beer appreciator, fresh hops season offers the awesome opportunity to really delve into what types of hoppy flavors you - or in this case, I - prefer at a more in-your-face, hops-in-your-mouth level. So what did I learn? It turns out that I love Amarillo hops, which are largely responsible for the intensely citrus-y, grapefruit-imbibed IPAs I happen to adore. It also turns out that Reuben's Amarillo Fresh Hop Ale, one of the most amazing citrus-fresh-hop-bombs out there, makes me want to sing Ben Folds' "I Am the Luckiest" at the top of my lungs upon swilling this stellar brew.
Right before December, I made a beer advent calendar. Yes, that really happened. And Fremont Brewing's social media maven said "Oh my Holy Christmas Beer DIY Goddess...you win everything!" And then my life was made.
(1) Maine beer fun with G & M, and my beloved dog niece R (yes, G "made" me drink my Baxter Stowaway IPA out of a straw. If I lived in Maine, I'd probably designate this IPA as a can go-to for every adventure.)
(3) An even more epic IPA showdown in upstate NY (spoiler: Fremont's Brother IPA won - a beer that's increasingly becoming my all-time favorite IPA)
Coming attractions: the amazing beer I had when the Seahawks tragically lost the Superbowl (the smallest of small, small, small silver linings); SF Beer Week, otherwise known as PlinyQuest 2015; and Tahoe's finest IPA (preview: it's from Stateline Brewery).
Cheers!
N
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