Deep Enders Dark Porter, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville California

Anderson Valley....Consistently one of my favorites!

It pours opaque with a tight head.

The aroma is all malty.

The taste is smooth, very smooth. It's malty in the full body with a slight sweetness. There is bitterness in the finish, but it is very light. It is chocolaty and roasty without dominating the palate.

The aftertaste is roasty malt and it resets quickly. It's smooth, very smooth and doesn't stick around being sticky and thick.

A great smooth porter!

Cheers!

Winter Solstice, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville California

Now here is a place I've been wanting to go to for years. I've passed Boonville, California more times than I care to admit on 101 without stopping. One of these days, and it wont be long! For now, I will take my trip via the Anderson Valley beers. So, fasten your seat belts, keep your hands and arms inside and let's go! The Winter Solstice has arrived....

It pours a dark amber with a medium head.

It has a subtle sweetness to the aroma with a general freshness.

The taste is creamy. It is a medium/full body and very silky. It has a roasty malt flavor, but is in no way heavy. The spiciness keeps it a little light on the palate with a graham cracker-esque flavor. It is well-balanced in that neither the malt nor the spice controls the flavor. It has several dimensions to it and definitely evokes the winter season! There is a nice spiciness in the finish.

The aftertaste is a creamy spiciness that lingers nicely.

I love this beer. Though I strive to be objective in my beer tasting, I decided to be a little more subjective in my winter beer tasting - even as much to make a Winter Beer Rating on the side of the blog. This beer takes #1 (so far) and I HIGHLY recommend seeking it out. I found it at the wonderful Belmont Station (beer store) in Southeast Portland, but on the Anderson Valley Brewing website, there is a beer tracker map that allows you to find distributors of their beers. Do it!

It is 6.9% with Caramel and Crystal malts and a "private" spice blend. It should be kept in the refrigerator.

Cheers!

20th Anniversary Imperial IPA, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville CA

Well, maybe to celebrate a week away from a landmark day from me (stay tuned, next wednesday will be a special tasting) or maybe to wash down the pizza we had while watching the debate tonight, I decided to tap the Anderson Valley 20th Anniversary Imperial IPA - Imperial IPA's are one of my favorite styles, so let's go....

It pours a dark amber with a creamy full head.

The smell is all hop - it has almost a raw hop aroma to it. A hint of that smell you get when you are a few blocks from a brewery. It also has a mild malt smell. It is spicy and flowery, as well.

The taste is bitter (in a good way). It has a medium body and an aggressive hop flavor. There is also some yeast in there, as well. The maltiness does not balance the hop too much, so there is plenty of floral hop flavor to fill the senses. It is not for those who do not enjoy the gift of extreme hop, but if you do or willing to try it out, this is a wonderful example of the Imperial IPA.

The aftertaste is hoppy with a lot of bitterness. It dominates the palate, so beware of what you decide to enjoy along with it.

I found this particular beer at Food Front over here in NW Portland. Anderson Valley beers are available all over, I found them plenty in Boston. I'm not sure how long the 20th Anniversary Imperial IPA will be around, my suggestion is to grab it soon.