Great Divide Hibernation Ale

8.7 ABV

Holiday Beer Series Part I

Since the first snow fell in Fort Collins this past week, we feel it is only appropriate to kick off our holiday beer tasting.  The first in our series is Great Divide’s Hibernation Ale.  It was the perfect beer to start with – a very malt dominated festive winter ale with a dry quality that earns its place in the category of English style Old Ales.

The beer pours a light toffee colored head atop a reddish, mahogany colored backdrop.  The aroma is very malty – it reminds us of a rum cake, with rich toffee aromas that gain hints of the holiday spices as it warms.  It smells “hot” – you immediately notice the strong alcohol presence in this 8.7% beer, which is exactly what we wanted on a cold, winter night.  At the end there is almost a floral hop note, but it is subdued and barely detectable. 

The first sip is ever so smooth; it has a rich, roasted toffee flavor that matches its aroma and color.  The taste starts sweet and malty, transforming into a mild earthy hop flavor with hints of coffee bitterness, and finishes dry on the back of the tongue, leaving you with a lingering, spicy note reminiscent of cognac.  This beer is multilayered and complex – the malts have such a strong dominant presence, but their taste is very well blended with the finish: earthy, spicy, hot.    

This beer is highly recommended for a cold night.  It makes us want to sit in the dark and watch the snow fall while it warms the belly.  This beer is only available through January – so grab one now and enjoy!

http://www.greatdivide.com/

Anchor Steam Beer

4.9% ABV

Anchor Brewing Company is one of the oldest breweries in America, first starting their brewing operations in 1896.  The brewery has a long, and unique, history.  Much like the brewery itself, Anchor Steam Beer is a unique style of beer – Steam Beer (which is trademarked, so is known as California Common for non-Anchor brewed beer) is an American style lager that utilizes special lager yeast adapted for warmer fermentation temperatures. 

Anchor Steam Beer pours a bright amber hue, with a yellowish head topping the brilliantly clear beer.  From the first whiff, you know this is definitely a lager.  It has a clean, malty smell that finishes with a slight fruity aroma – it’s not over the top, but it’s apparent at the end. 

The first sip is creamy – it starts with a nice grain bite and ends in the slight taste of hops.  It feels heavier than you’d expect looking at this beer – that clear, bright color is deceptive.  It is definitely malty, but not over the top sweet – it tastes like they added rye to smooth out the sweetness, but this beer is made from all 2-Row Barley.  It finishes dry, almost bitter like the initial grain taste, but the bitterness is subdued, much like the sweetness of the malt.  The finishing notes bring a bright, crisp taste that reminds us of that slight fruity aroma.  Overall, this has a nicely balanced flavor – a medium body with a creamy mouth feel. 

The head really contributes to the taste of the beer – it gives it a full flavored, full bodied kind of feel.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t last as long as we would like it to –more head retention would be great, because it really enhances the flavor of the beer. 

Anchor Steam Beer is a great summer and fall beer that would be an excellent companion to a burger, or fish and chips.  It would probably make an amazing beer-batter too – we’ll have to try that sometime! 

http://www.anchorbrewing.com

Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

5% ABV

40 IBUs

Our friends have known us to call Deschutes "God's gift to breweries."  Seriously, if we lived in Portland or Bend, we would be at their brewpubs at least twice a week.  We can both remember the first time we tried their beer - it proved that love at first sight (or taste) was something that existed.  Of their many styles, Mirror Pond Pale Ale is one of our favorites, and we're not the only ones - it won Gold this year at GABF for a reason.

From first pour, this beer just looks like it's going to be delicious - it shows off a burnt orange, almost copper color, topped with a pale yellow head.  The sweet caramel aroma welcomes you - its floral earthy notes subtly unveil themselves at the end, transcending into citrus notes as the beer warms.  Upon the first sip, the rich, sweet taste quickly transforms into bitter, hoppy goodness, while finishing earthy and smooth.   It feels velvety on the tongue - it has a malty bitterness about it that makes us unsure how categorize it, almost like it is a hybrid between American and English pale ales.  It doesn't have that powerful citrus characteristic that is common with American styles, but it's not as dry and bitter as traditional English pales. This creates a complex and enigmatic ale, leaving your mouth wanting more. This is truly a beer that we would feel comfortable recommending to anyone, regardless of their taste in beer. 

We were lucky enough to be in Portland while Fresh Hop Mirror Pond was on tap.  If you happen to have the opportunity to try it, seize the moment - it changes the beer in amazing ways!

For more about Deschutes Brewery, visit http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brewery/default.aspx

New Belgium Brewery's Ranger IPA

70 IBU
6.5% ABV

We could think of no better beer to being our reviews than Ranger IPA.  Born in Fort Collins out of New Belgium Brewery, it is both local and one of our favorite styles - IPA.

A brewery known for its Belgian-inspired beers, New Belgium breaks out of its niche to give the people what they have asked for: it proudly boasts on the side of the bottle "Are you a hopinista?  Thank our Beer Rangers for inspiring (and begging for) this well balanced Simcoe, Cascade, and Chinook hopped IPA."

Our first impression was the sparkling clarity of the bright amber colored beer, which was topped with a hazy, white-yellow head.  Breathing in the smell of piney, slightly citrusy hops, the sweet-toasty smell of the malt comes through at the end like an afterthought.  The first sip goes down easily -- the bitterness typical of IPAs is definitely apparent, but not overpowering.  Sweet caramel and herbal notes linger over the palate, finishing clean and almost reminiscent of a pale ale.  Each sip leaves us wanting more!

Ranger IPA is available all year round.  If you can't go enjoy one at the brewery, consider yourself lucky if you live in one of the 26 states that currently carry this great brew.

Cheers!



New Belgium Brewery is located in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Started in a basement in 1991, this brewery has grown to be one of most successful craft breweries in America.  The brewery is now employee-owned and wind powered (the first in the United States!).  If you are in the area, stop by New Belgium for some samples! http://www.newbelgium.com

Beer Enlightenment Blog is up and running!

Greetings beer lovers!  If you have wandered across this page, you most likely have the taste for high-quality craft beer.  You are not alone -- we are two beer enthusiasts on a quest to enlighten others about the great beer we encounter.

Our goal is to inform and enlighten you of the great beers that are out there, seasonals that come along the way, and reserve beers that are definitely worth finding.  We hope that you will become enlightened as you share the beers we are drinking.  We want to provide a good mix of beers available nationwide, as well as those that are only available to the local scene.

We are really lucky to live in Fort Collins, CO, one of the great beer cities in the nation.  Here, craft beer is celebrated for its variety of styles - from its Belgian-inspired beers to its hoppy IPAs, Fort Collins is an excellent place for brewers and beer lovers.  With an estimated population of 140,000, Fort Collins boasts seven craft breweries in a state known for having the most beer production with its 103 breweries.

Join us on our search of quality beers!