Anniversary Tasting Notes

January 1, 2012 By Rick Lyke

Avery 18 Dry Hopped Rye Saison

This 8.12 percent alcohol by volume ABV Colorado beer pours a cloudy amber color with a respectable head. There is a hint of citrus to the floral nose. The flavor gives off touches of apple skin and a bit of the rye spice, without being too peppery. Plenty going on with the flavor of this brew. The yeast brings with it some fruit that lingers between mango and strawberry notes.

Deschutes Black Butte XXIII

This Oregon double porter comes at you with a 10.8 percent alcohol by volume ABV strength and 60 IBU. One of the more interesting flavor profiles for a porter, with spicy Pasilla Negra Negro chilies emerging through a base that features chocolate nibs and bitter Sevilla Seville oranges from Spain, all embraced by the whiskey barrel aging. Roasty, big and malty.

Great Divide 17 Oak Aged Double IPA

This beer pours a wonderful golden color with a fluffy white foam. The hops are clear in the aroma, and you get the oak esters from the very start. A unique vanilla and pepper mix is a clear sign of barrel aging. This Denver beer is balanced with an appropriate level of malt, which enhances the drinkability of this 10 percent alcohol by volume ABV ale.

New Belgium Grand Cru Abbey

A nice example of a specialty ale. This 9.5 percent alcohol by volume ABV member of the Lips of Faith series pours a reddish brown with a thin tan head. Even though it is from Fort Collins, COolo., it has the perfect “Belgian brewers’ garden” range of flavors. The tastes go from caramel to biscuit, with hints of clove, raisin, nutmeg and banana.

New Belgium Super Cru

This is brewed using the essence of New Belgium’s popular Fat Tire beer, but supped up to celebrate the brewery’s 20thth anniversary. The 10 percent alcohol by volume ABV beer features a thin head on a copper- colored body. There is a nice level of malt to this beer, with clear indications of the Asian pear juice that has been added in both the aroma and flavor. Saison wildness is present throughout the background.

Short’s Anniversary Ale Blood Orange Wheat Wine

This anniversary brew from Short’s Brewing in Michigan lives up to its name with an orange-red color topped by a thin white head. It is dry- hopped and spiced with green peppercorns to balance the zest from the blood oranges. Surprisingly light and flavorful beer, even with the orange, 63 IBU from the hops and 10 percent alcohol by volume.

Summit Silver Anniversary Ale

This 80 IBU and 6.5 percent alcohol by volume ABV brew uses a combination of Citra, Centennial and Cascade hops is in a solid, straightforward extra pale ale. The Minnesota beer pours with a slight hint of orange tint to its golden color, producing a thick, lacing white foam. Plenty of good hop aroma and pine and spice notes to the flavor.

Twisted Pine 16thth Anniversary Bough Breaker Barley Wine

This beer from Boulder, CO, pours amber red with a thin head. Its 120 IBU coming come rushing forward, as does hints of the 9.1 percent alcohol by volume. If you want a hop bomb, this answers the call quite nicely. It finishes very dry.