Backcountry Pizza and Tap House (Boulder, CO)

7/13/12

Started our visit to Boulder at Backcountry Pizza and Tap House.  Advertised as the "most taps" in Boulder and they do seem to live up to the billing.  Better yet, the taps are well curated.  I had excellent drafts of Green Flash Founders Linchpin and The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel.

With good beer as a start, we started with an incredible soup: Arrogant Bastard Cheddar and Onion soup.  We ordered breaded eggplant parmesan sandwich that was good but wish I had saved room for more than one slice of the spectacular Mediterranean pizza.

In short, Backcountry is at the top of my list the next time I return to Boulder. And, I will be sure to start with the pizza.

Avery Brewing (Boulder, CO)

7/13/12

Another Friday night stop on our tour of Boulder, Avery should be a list topper for every beer drinker: iconic, widely-distributed Colorado brewery the consistently delivers great beer.

However, if you're expecting a taproom that rivals Stone World Bistro because of the big name, you'll be disappointed.  Instead, Avery is a small, crowded local with an extensive selection of their beers to try, well beyond anything I've been lucky enough to find in stores over the years.

On this stop, we jumped right in with a Lilikoi Kepolo.  Lilikoi is passionfruit and we remembered having a fantastic lilikoi beer at Kona Brewing years ago; I didn't think this one matched up, but Gloria liked it. Excellent drafts of Nineteen and Dry Hopped Salvation followed.  Drinking these on-site-only variations defines the very purpose of drinking local.  We finished with Samael's, a 15.6% ABV beer that could've been a wonderful end to our evening in Boulder (or wouldn've been if not for sharing snifters) if we hadn't hit Avery early on our tour.

Any fan of Avery would do well to plan a little time at the tap room to sample their extensive list, including the regulars that are distributed plus several extra special beers just for showing up.  As warned on the website, the taproom isn't big and most of the seating is outside, so dress accordingly if the plan is to settle in.  Food and smaller draft samples are available so that the excitement of so many options doesn't overwhelm.    

Asher Brewing (Boulder, CO)

07/13/12

Our hosts Cheryl and Susannah from Boulder brought us to Asher Brewing, a local haunt that's a certified organic brewery. Lively on a Friday night, it was raucous with friends and pets outside the small pub and others playing games in the back by the barrels aging.

Started with samples: $2 per, so $12 for the set. Pricey but craft and organic come with a price, and usually more when combined.

Fun and games by the barrels in back

My favorites were Tree Hugger Organic Amber, Green Monstah Organic Strong Ale and Green Bullet Organic IPA, which I followed up with a draft.  I was excited to try the Grenade Organic Double IPA, but was disappointed. Chatting took precedence over beer notes, but overall the brews were cleanly brewed with a fresh, full flavor.

















A beer conundrum that I haven't been able to figure out is why I have never had an organic beer that is exceedingly better than my non-organic favorites. The basic argument is that superior ingredients should yield a superior product. Yet, I have yet to sample an organic beer (or set of beers) that proves that theory in spite of a strong desire to like them.  Limits of organic ingredients?  Unsure, but Asher's beers are like most organics that I've tasted: good, well brewed but not amazing. Asher isn't my new favorite pub, but it was a great night with friends and an excellent local that I would happily frequent if I lived in the neighborhood.

Muddy Pig Festival of Hops 2013 (St. Paul, MN)

The Muddy Pig brings back its Festival of Hops again, and it's as fun as ever.  With 50+ taps full of hoppy goodness, for me the test is how many new drafts are ready to pour into my taste database.  To my surprise (or arrogance), I found nine new brews—a pretty amazing number for any stop.  Three samples for $10 is a fairly affordable way to taste these high hop beers.

Let's start with tips for a successful fest at the Muddy Pig:

• Order by number.  With so many beers, the names are just a confusing mess for the servers.  Say each number clearly, in order.  The beers are served in order with a ticket to remind you what is in each glass.  
• Every sample has a lace.  The MP does a great job of serving samples, so be confident that what is being tasted is what was meant by the brewer.  It's very tough to wash and serve in sample size glasses, but MP does it well. 
• Show up early.  I was a bit after the dinner our and plenty of seats were left on a Tuesday night.  I chose the back because it's lighter and away from the commotion, and most were empty in the back but it filled up quickly
• Free WiFi.  Ask for the code and get some monkey work done.  I was able to productive doing relatively mindless tasks with internet access, and could also research my samples on the fly and take notes.  I found it fun to have my full beery resources available while tasting.  
• Be prepared.  Walk in, find the numbers, order when you get a chance, including water immediately.  The servers work hard, but its a popular place and hesitation will cost valuable drinking time. 
• No Pints.  I didn't try this, but the table next to me ordered a pint and was rebuffed; evidently, they were only serving samples for the fest.  Happily, I was able to find enough to keep me entertained for the evening, so it didn't matter.  I fail to see the reasoning for no pints, but I'm guessing there's some pragmatic reason.  

I optimistically started to review each sample, but became distracted with other concerns.  My first set of samples started well, took a dip and then finished well.  I started with Two Brothers Revelry, a copper ale with an off white lace.  Spicy hop and caramel nose that leads to a solid bite.  Listed as a red ale, it packs a punch.  Good start.  Next was Bell's Roundhouse, a dark golden ale with a wispy lace and the nose of a fresh hop ale—fruit and grass, followed by a biting taste that is completely expected from the nose.  Listed as an amber ale on BA, I would call it a bruising APA that makes up its lacks in subtlety with an amazing bite.  Finally, I couldn't resist the Lucid Foto IPA, a hazy copper ale with white tightly bubbled head.  Elegant nose of grapefruit-orange juice, fresh bread, spice, and pepper underneath.  Spice seems to be a combination of hop and yeast, but not sure.  Nose is more promising that the than taste that seems a bit muddled.

Round Two: Lake Superior Black IPA, a midnight black with no head, nose and taste is unexpected, and oddly unbalanced.  Off fruit taste and its elements fail to meld.  Very disappointing.  A bit busy at school lately, so I have tried a Pour Decisions brew yet. My first was their Maroon and Bold, Imperial Red IPA; it's a maroon beer to match the name with a full lace, heavy malt and caramel nose with hops fighting to the top, and some hop in the taste but the sweet base overwhelms.  Adequate, but I'm not in love with the beer in spite of being in love with the name of the brewery.  Lift Bridge Hop Dish IPA was next, but my mushroom and onion pizza interrupted the sampling, so I need to try it in full draft to give it a proper chance in spite of my initial positive impression.

After dinner, I tried Boulder Nitro Flashback, Fulton The Ringer, and Mendocino Double IPA, but, as mentioned before, lost track of writing up each.  Strong finish and especially looking forward to visiting Mendocino during our summer trip.  As I'm finishing my last rack of samples, a group of youngster professionals were chatting away and oblivious to the hop fest.  Not of the bitter persuasion, they, sadly, had to resort to drinking bottles of Amstel light.

Well worth the effort, I've been to several of MP's fill-the-tap festivals and have enjoyed each one.  Low key but MP festivals provide a unique combination: good value for beer quality, excellent presentation of samples and a selection that can wow even a hardcore geek.  Pick a night, settle in and drink and learn.

Eighteen (Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO)

Picked up a bottle of Eighteen at Top Ten Liquors in Woodbury recently.  Ironically, I drank Nineteen a few days ago on site at Avery during our trip to Colorado.  While I try to keep up on beer happenings, I do lose track of some of the details for breweries not local.  Buying a anniversary ale a year late would fall into that category, but that will teach me to trust the Top Ten bottles a bit less--especially those on sale.  I should know better, but life happens.  It's just beer and it's still Avery.

Eighteen is (was) a dry-hopped rye saison, but the hops are missing in the nose this late in the game.  Light white head falls quickly over the cloudy, ruby ale.  Rye and yeasty spice are clear in the nose and pleasant.  Taste is heavy, flat and a bit muddled, but guessing time has taken the shine of this ale.  Still pretty good and fine for tonight.

Eighteen Anniversary Ale (Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO)

Copper ale with shiny gold highlights along the edge of the beer. Very thin off white head that melts immediately. Nose is promising with lots of clear hop and yeasty saison spice mixed in. Can clearly smell the dry hop. Pepper and spice strong in the mouth, but singular and a bit overwhelming and seems to clash with the nose. Mouthfeel is light with a dry bite in the aftertaste. Sounds great reading the bottle, but just doesn't seem to come together. Fine for the night, happy to give Avery the benefit of the doubt on any special beers, but I won't be seeking this one out again.