Kilt Lifter, Pike Brewing Company, Seattle Washington

Our next brew serves more as an example than as an actual tasting. The Scotch Ruby Ale from Pike Brewing is aptly named the Kilt Lifter. It's an ale with some umph and a bottle made it's way into my fridge awhile ago. Who knows what it's shelf life was before that, I bought it at a grocery in Washington. It didn't take long to realize it was too old for it's own good....

It pours a deep ruby.

The scent is mild oak, mild berry-ish.

The taste is sweet - sweeter than it should be...I begin to suspect. The body is fine with brown sugar and mile smoky oak. Then in the finish, the skunk appears. Ack! I've let a beer go bad. This is not reflection on the Kilt Lifter - I've had it plenty of times and know how it should taste.

The aftertaste isn't worth describing. Let this be a lesson - don't buy dusty beers that shouldn't be dusty (some are fine and some better that way - but not all!) and drink beers on time!

For fans of Scotch ales, I normally recommend the Kilt Lifter, available all over the Northwest.

Cheers!

Snow Cap, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle Washington

Pyramid has several locations including Berkeley, Seattle and Portland. It offers up a variety of beers and I'm sure most of us beer drinkers have had at least one of their beers. One of their most popular brews is Snow Cap. Some years, I like this beer a lot - some years, not as much. Which will it be....

It pours a deep deep red, nearly opaque.

There is not much aroma - just mildly malty.

The taste is smooth malt. It has a medium/full body and is mildly sweet and mildly bitter. It is a good winter standard with a lot of girth to it. Easy to drink, but particularly strong. A great holiday party beer.

The aftertaste is mildly malty and bitter.

From the website:
7.0%
Malts: 2-Row, Caramel, Chocolate
Hops: Nugget, Willamette, East Kent Goldings

It is available all over - grab one, this year - I like it!

Cheers!

Old Bawdy, Pike Brewing Company, Seattle Washington

Barleywine. Excellent. I enjoy this style immensely, it is to some degree an acquired taste. The first time I had it, I didn't really enjoy it much. Now, it's a different story. We'll be sampling several Barleywine's here - as the Pike website mentions, it's been brewed for six thousand years - so, we'll definitely be giving it it's due respect!

I should mention, that no animals were hurt in this tasting. Above, is our guest sampler, Tank - my sister & brother-in-law's dawg.

It pours amber with a big head.

The aroma is sweet malt and smoky.

The taste is mild, but complex. There is sweetness and hop as well, but that gives way to an oak and smoky flavor. There is also caramel/brown sugar in there as well. It is a viscous brew.

The aftertaste is hop floral and mild oak.

This is a sipper, for sure. Quite drinkable, but good to take it slow - enjoy all the flavors in there. We had it post Thanksgiving meal, which was a perfect time for it. It's a great beer to share. Obviously, Tank enjoyed it - but then again, I've never seen her turn her back on a beer before.

From the website:

10% with 90 IBU's.

It is available in several stores, including Whole Foods. Look for it in 12oz and 22oz bottles.

Malt: Pale, Wheat, Crystal, & Peated.
Hop: Magnum, Chinook, Centennial, & Columbus.

Cheers!

Jolly Roger Christmas Ale, Maritime Brewery, Seattle Washington

Back to Washington State.

It pours a deep amber with a thin head.

The smell is hop and sweet malt. It has a bourbon barrel type essence. Mild brown sugar or maple is detectable.

The taste is balanced malt. It's not sweet - more of a Strong Ale type of beer. A little of that bourbon barrel-ness is there. It has some of that maple/brown sugar flavor evident just behind the body.

The aftertaste reminds me of a barley wine style ale. It is mildly sweet, mildly bitter; aggressive and energizing on the palate -

This is an excellent sipping winter warmer for the coldest of the cold days. I've found it available in 12oz bottles in just a few locations around Portland here - Belmont Station and one or two grocers. A good beer to join a big holiday meal or to sip on the porch for some fresh air after dinner. It gains bold characteristics as it warms.

Cheers! or as the bottle says - Yo Ho Ho.

Wee Heavy, Hales Ales, Seattle Washington

Our next beer hails from new my old neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Hales offers up their winter brew in the form of the Wee Heavy - sounds good - let's give it a try....

It pours opaque with a thin head.

The aroma is sweet and roasty.

It is malty, but balanced with a medium body. It gets better as it warms toward room temperature. It finishes with a burnt roastiness at the end. It sounds odd, but there seems to be a little dried banana amidst the body. Interesting - not terrible, but interesting.

The aftertaste is mildly sweet with burnt roastiness.

The character isn't overly prominent and I would suggest some other ales if your winter tasting season is on budget or short. It isn't terrible, but at that bar of where ales should start.

Cheers!

Bifrost Winter Ale, Elysian Brewing Company, Seattle Washington

Our next beer comes from one of my favorite brewpubs to visit - the Elysian Brewery in Seattle. Spectacular beer, great food, it's a great place. If your in Seattle and haven't been - check it up on Capitol Hill. Their winter offering is the Bifrost. It's available in 22 oz bottles throughout the winter. I found mine at Whole Foods, their distribution is fairly wide throughout the US.

It pours bright amber with a good head.

The smell is hop and yeast with some mild malt.

The taste is hop earthiness balanced with a nice malt. It is very very smooth and the bitterness builds. It has some very nice light yeast overtones. There is also mild honey in the body, which is medium to full.

The aftertaste is malty-hop-bitterness. I think this is a great holiday warmer that is well balanced and would go great with a holiday meal.

Cheers!


From their website:

It is 7.5% with 42 IBU's.

Malt: Pale Malt with Munich and Crystal Malts.

Hop: Bittered with Centennial, finished with Amarillo and Styrian Goldings hops.

Monk's Uncle Tripel Ale, Pike Brewing Company, Seattle WA

We'll reel it back to the West Coast with Pike Brewing Company's Monk's Uncle. This is a Belgian Tripel Style ale....

It pours a glowing amber, unfiltered with a big foamy head.

The smell is spicy yeast with a mild citrus sweetness.

It is strong and the yeast dominates. It has a pronounced bitterness and is crisp and refreshing but has substantial body to it.

The aftertaste is a citrusy bitterness. It lingers for awhile in the mouth.

I enjoyed this on our sunny streak one afternoon here in Portland. It comes available in the Spring. I found mine at a grocery in Bellingham, WA. Pike's beers are available all over, I encourage you to visit Belmont Station, here in the Portland area.

Pale, Pils, Wheat, and Aromatic malt varieties are used with Nugget and Saaz hops. It is a hefty 9% with 38 IBU's.

I think this is a strong example of the Tripel style and highly recommend it to new comer's of Belgian ale's or those well versed in these beers. Pike is located in the Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA. It is sometimes difficult to get a parking spot near the area, but I recommend checking it out if you find yourself in the area. Perhaps before hitting the Showbox. It's a good place to grab a few good beers with some good friends.

Cheers!

Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, Elysian Brewery

Alas, it is truly fall. But I face the end of summer bravely with the prospect of the arrival of pumpkin beer (not to mention I've seen the first of the Christmas beers arriving in stores!). Pumpkin beers are a favorite of my wife, so she is adding her perspective in our beer of the day.

The Night Owl pours dark amber without much head.

The smell is definitely pumpkin...like pumpkin pie, with prominent clove and cinnamon.

The taste is obviously very pumpkin and cinnamon. Although this is not to be taken for granted. I've had some that are not a prominent in their pumpkin-ness. The first taste is sweet, but finishes with spice. It is a light body. Holding it for a moment, their is a bit of clove.

The aftertaste is refreshing with a nice spiciness. In all it reminds me of autumn, one of my favorite seasons...It is truly a solid Pumpkin Ale and I strongly recommend it!

From the bottle: "Ale brewed with pumpkin, pumpkin seeds & fermented with spices." Brewed with over 7lbs of pumpkins per barrel and "spiced in conditioning with nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice."

It is 5.9%. I found it in a grocery store in Bellingham, WA (on a recent trip to my hometown) but I think it is available in most large stores and beer stores - at least on the Western side of the Country. It comes in a 22z bottle. For those of you so inclined, I strongly recommend visiting the delicious Elysian Brewery in Seattle.