My current loves!

After years of beer tastings and working as a bartender - These are some of my stand outs for a great evening at home!

product: 

Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager

Product - Abita Strawberry
Brewed By: 
Abita
Self-Defined Style: 
Strawberry Lager
Strength (ABV): 
5.0% ABV

Ripe, red Louisiana strawberries are harvested at the peak of the season in the early morning chill. The scent of the juicy red Ponchatoula berries fills the air as they're picked and pressed for Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager. The end result is a light, crisp lager with just a hint of strawberry sweetness.

Best With: 
Outstanding on its own as a springtime refresher, or with salads with a fruit based dressing.
product: 

Allagash White

Product - Allagash White
Brewed By: 
Allagash
Self-Defined Style: 
Belgian Wheat Beer
Strength (ABV): 
5.0% ABV
Color (SRM): 
4º L
Bitterness (IBU): 
13 IBU

Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer, Allagash White is unique and truly refreshing. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and our own special blend of spices, this beer is light and slightly cloudy in appearance, with a spicy aroma.

Best With: 
Pair with a salad with vinaigrette dressing or a fresh goat cheese. Excellent accompaniment to poultry and fish entrées or a dessert such as a spicy apple pie.
product: 

Avery IPA

Product - Avery IPA
Brewed By: 
Avery
Self-Defined Style: 
IPA
Strength (ABV): 
6.3% ABV

In the 1700's one crafty brewer discovered that a healthy dose of hops and an increased alcohol content preserved his ales during the long voyage to India (as depicted in our label) to quench the thirst of British troops. Today, we tip our hat to that historic innovation by brewing Colorado's hoppiest pale ale. Avery IPA demands to be poured into your favorite glass to truly appreciate the citrusy, floral bouquet and the rich, malty finish. Brewed by hopheads for hopheads!

Best With: 
This IPA pairs nicely with spicy ethnic dishes and grilled meats.
product: 

Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA

Product - Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
Brewed By: 
Bear Republic
Self-Defined Style: 
India Pale Ale
Strength (ABV): 
7.0% ABV
Bitterness (IBU): 
69 IBU

This is a full bodied beer using American grains. The goal was to create a base for showing off the unique floral qualities of two Pacific Northwest hops, Columbus and Cascade. Columbus is a new hybrid High Alpha Acid hop used mostly for bittering, but used heavily as an aromatic in this bold brew. Cascade is the balance that ties the malt and bittering hops together. It is a true specialty ale and is our brewer's statement on this style.

product: 

Bell's Oberon Ale

Product - Bell's Oberon Ale
Brewed By: 
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Self-Defined Style: 
American Wheat Ale
Strength (ABV): 
5.8% ABV

An American wheat ale brewed with Saaz hops. Spicy and fruity, Oberon is the color and scent of a sunny afternoon.

product: 

Bell's Porter

Product - Bell's Porter
Brewed By: 
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Self-Defined Style: 
Porter
Strength (ABV): 
5.6% ABV
Color (SRM): 
40º L

A robust porter for all occasions. A blend of dark malts give this beer flavors of coffee and chocolate with subtle roasted notes.

Awards: 
Gold medal winner - Brown Porter category - Brewers Association World Beer Cup - 2008
product: 

Bell's Special Double Cream Stout

Product - Bell's Special Double Cream Stout
Brewed By: 
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Self-Defined Style: 
Double Cream Stout
Strength (ABV): 
6.1% ABV

Sweeter and smoother than Kalamazoo Stout. A beer for special winter occasions. Great with chocolate desserts.

Best With: 
The roasted and burnt malt notes of stout and its typical hearty nature make it an exceptional compliment to raw or steamed oysters, however stout is also at home with most chocolate or cream based desserts.
product: 

Blue Mountain Dark Hollow Artisanal Ale

Product - Blue Mountain Dark Hollow Artisanal Ale
Brewed By: 
Blue Mountain
Self-Defined Style: 
Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Strength (ABV): 
10.0% ABV
Color (SRM): 
44º L

The mystery of great beer challenges the spirit of adventure in all who seek a higher level to this ancient brew.

Dark Hollow blends the miracle of two crafts--brewing and distillation--to create a work greater than the sum of its parts. An Imperial Stout has been aged in charred American oak bourbon barrels still dripping with uncut whiskey. For 100 days the young beer patiently breathes in and out of the wood, gaining complexity, character, and serious attitude.

product: 

Blue Mountain Full Nelson Pale Ale

Product - Blue Mountain Full Nelson
Brewed By: 
Blue Mountain
Self-Defined Style: 
Strong Pale Ale
Strength (ABV): 
5.9% ABV
Bitterness (IBU): 
60 IBU

Bursting with local hop flavor, our flagship Strong Pale Ale features our own farm-grown Cascade variety hops as one of the key ingredients. A strong malt backbone gives this ale a rich taste and vibrant copper color, while the generous addition of hops contribute a pronounced bitterness and floral, citrus aroma.

product: 

Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout

Product - Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout
Brewed By: 
Breckenridge
Self-Defined Style: 
Oatmeal Stout
Strength (ABV): 
5.0% ABV

Rich, round and roasted, our Oatmeal Stout is satisfaction in a glass. It's a bold, smooth-bodied concoction that oozes dark-roasted coffee aromas and flavors of espresso and semi-sweet chocolate. We round out these heady pleasures with a dose of flaked oatmeal for a creamy body and a semi-dry finish. Unforgettable.

Best With: 
Find a recipe for Breckenridge Brewery Oatmeal Stout Beer-B-Q Sauce on BreckenridgeBrewery.com.
product: 

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Product - Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Brewed By: 
Breckenridge
Self-Defined Style: 
Herb and Spice Beer
Strength (ABV): 
4.7% ABV

Who would have thought deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and Madagascar grew the perfect ingredient to build an extraordinary Porter in Colorado? An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted nut flavor of a classic Porter, with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure, real vanilla bean. Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter. A vanilla kiss in a rich, dark sea.

Best With: 
See recipe for Vanilla Porter Milkshake on BreckenridgeBrewery.com.
product: 

Rogue Mocha Porter

Product - Rogue Mocha
Brewed By: 
Rogue
Self-Defined Style: 
Mocha Porter
Strength (ABV): 
5.3% ABV

Dedicated to the chocolate lover in each of us. Mocha Porter was once known as New Porter, in honor of the town of Newport, Oregon and home of Rogue Ales. The January/February 1995 issue of Men's Health magazine features a bottle of Rogue New Porter (today's Mocha Porter) in the Fifth Annual Collection of Good Advise, Health News, Dire Warnings, Notable Folks and Unsolicited Opinion. New Porter is described as the Best New Beer for 1994!

Best With: 
This porter and it complex personality pairs well with beef dishes, chocolate confections and fruit tarts.
product: 

Smuttynose IPA

Product - Smuttynose Ipa
Brewed By: 
Smuttynose
Self-Defined Style: 
American India Pale Ale
Strength (ABV): 
6.2% ABV
Best With: 
Rich meats, wild fowl, intense earthy pastas are great choices as well as stews and chilies. Strong and sharp cheeses would pair nicely.
product: 

Lagunitas IPA

Product - Lagunitas Ipa
Brewed By: 
Lagunitas
Self-Defined Style: 
India Pale Ale
Strength (ABV): 
6.2% ABV
Bitterness (IBU): 
46 IBU

Thanks for choosing to spend the next few minutes with this special homicidally hoppy ale. Savor the moment as the raging hop character engages the imperial qualities of the Malt foundation in mortal combat on the battlefield of your palate!

Best With: 
This IPA would have a wonderful relationship with a hearty meal of steak, stew or chili. Strong and sharp cheeses, like the Roquefort or Stilton pair nicely.
product: 

Hoegaarden White

Product - Hoegaarden
Brewed By: 
Hoegaarden
Self-Defined Style: 
Belgian White Beer
Strength (ABV): 
5.0% ABV

Hoegaarden is the authentic Belgian wheat or white beer. It has a unique and extremely complex brewing process whereby the brand is first top fermented and then is refermented within the bottle - ending up in a unique cloudy-white appearance. The brand's unique appearance is mirrored by its one-of-a-kind taste - sweet and sour beer with a little bitterness, slightly spicy, with a strong touch of coriander and a hint of orange, perfect for warm summer days, instead of other refreshing beverages. Refreshing, a little quirky, and decidedly different - naturally.

Best With: 
This Belgian-style wheat beer works well on its own as an aperitif, but also pairs well with lighter fare such as salads with a citrus dressing. It can work surprisingly well with omelets made with apples and goat cheese. Some people enjoy this beer with a slice of orange as a garnish.
product: 

Left Hand Fade to Black, Volume I

Fade to Black Logo (72dpi).jpg
Brewed By: 
Left Hand Brewing
Self-Defined Style: 
Foreign/Export Stout
Strength (ABV): 
8.5% ABV

One-hundred thirty-four days of blackness. Three thousand, two hundred and sixteen hours before the clocks are switched again. Welcome to Fade to Black. That time of year when the day seems to fade away. Drifting further into the darkness with each passing day.

And welcome to Fade to Black, a new seasonal beer already fraught with controversy. Is it a Winter Beer, a Christmas beer, a Holiday beer, what exactly is it? Does it have spices? Is it a dark beer? What style is it?

Best With: 
The roasted and burnt malt notes of stout and its typical hearty nature make it an exceptional compliment to raw or steamed oysters, however stout is also at home with most chocolate or cream based desserts.
product: 

Malheur Brut Réserve

Product - Malheur Brut
Brewed By: 
Malheur
Self-Defined Style: 
Sparkling Dark Beer 'à  la méthode originale'
Strength (ABV): 
12.0% ABV

Sherry, vanilla, wood & Hopjes from the Hague with a coffee flavour as a result of the roasted malt. Its taste is oak dry. Its bitterness is nicely balanced with the tannin of the wood and just a sweet zest from the alcohol. It has an unusual cork dry finish.

Best With: 
Excellent with rich, gamy meats, or with creamy or chocolate based desserts.
product: 

Malheur Cuvée Royale

Product - Malheur Cuvee Royale
Brewed By: 
Malheur
Self-Defined Style: 
Sparkling Blond Beer 'à  la méthode originale'
Strength (ABV): 
9.0% ABV

Perfumy, slightly oily with suggestions of peach stones and roses. The body is firm and slippery-smooth. The flavours are tightly combined and restrained: vanilla, peach, apricot, orange, lemon curd.

Best With: 
Excellent with steamed mussels or clams, or broiled saltwater fish.
product: 

Neuzeller Bathbeer

Substyle - European-Style Dark Münchner Dunkel
Brewed By: 
Neuzeller
Self-Defined Style: 
Bath Beer
Strength (ABV): 
5.2% ABV
Best With: 
This dunkel pairs well with roast pork loin, fried chicken, barbeque and quesadillas.
product: 

Nectar Ales Red Nectar

Product - Nectar Ales Red Nectar
Brewed By: 
Nectar Ales
Self-Defined Style: 
American Red Ale
Strength (ABV): 
5.4% ABV
Color (SRM): 
22º L
Bitterness (IBU): 
35 IBU

Boasting a ruby hue and an exquisite floral aroma, Red Nectar is a robust yet elegant brew with distinctive accents of toasted malt, caramel, spice and residual sweetness.

The beer that started it all… Red Nectar was considered a strange bird when it was first released in 1987. After all, where did a robust, handcrafted all-natural amber ale fit into the massive flock of American industrial lagers? Answer: it didn’t. So it blazed its own trail, helping set the pace for the craft brew revolution.

Awards: 
2009 California State Fair - Gold Medal
2009 LA County Fair - Silver Medal
2006 California State Fair - Gold Medal
2005 LA County Fair - Bronze Medal
2004 Great American Beer Festival - Silver Medal
product: 

New Glarus Spotted Cow

Product - New Glarus Spotted Cow
Brewed By: 
New Glarus
Self-Defined Style: 
Farmhouse Ale
Strength (ABV): 
4.8% ABV

A farmhouse ale made with flaked barley and Wisconsin malt. This beer has a nice fruity body and is very satisfying. Naturally cloudy ...

Best With: 
This Naturally Cloudy Farmhouse Ale pairs well with: BBQ, Grilled Steak, Jambalaya, Brats, Steak, Fish, Seafood, Linguini, Limburger Sandwich, Burgers, Fries, Stir Fry, Bacon and Eggs, Cheese Curds, Potato Chips, Chicken Sandwich, Tilapia Filets, Spicy Foods, Pork Rinds, Reuben, Wings, Fish Fry, Nachos Cheeses: 5-Year Cheddar (Hook's Cheese, Avondale Truckle (Fayette Creamery), Silver Lewis Brick, Smoked Gouda, Havarti
product: 

New Glarus Fat Squirrel

New Glarus Fat Squirrel.gif
Brewed By: 
New Glarus
Self-Defined Style: 
Nut Brown Ale
Strength (ABV): 
5.8% ABV

100% Wisconsin malt of six different varieties impart the natural toasted color to this bottle conditioned unfiltered ale. Clean hazelnut notes result from these carefully chosen barley malts.

Best With: 
The subtle malty sweetness of this brown ale bring out the flavors of barbecue (particularly with tomato and honey based sauces) phenomenally well. Also excellent with grilled meats, such as ribs or sausage.