Beer # 182 - Single Wide IPA, Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City, Missouri

This is a great brewery I discovered on a cross-country road trip. I've enjoyed their Double-Wide Imperial IPA and am stocked to try the Single Wide! They add a bit of yeast at the end for a secondary fermentation in the bottle - sounds like a good idea!
Let's Pour!

It pours a brilliant straw color with a big head.

The aroma reveals big sweet hop with citrus and some evident yeast tones.

The full body reveals smooth hop that does not peak too high on the palate, but settles smoothly on the tongue. Yeast is predominant in the finish rounding out the hop with citrus/grapefruit tang.

The aftertaste reveals yeast and hop that lingers on the tongue, but the beer provides a very smooth finish. It is refreshing, but maintains a nice presence while drinking.

Cheers!

Beer # 181 - Jubel, Deschutes Brewing Company, Bend, Oregon

The Jubel 2010 - Once a decade beer! Fittingly at 10% - I was excited to give it a try - though I must say, I wish the beer was available more than just once every 10 years!!!
Let's pour!

It pours nearly opaque with a hefty head.

The aroma reveals malt with some sweetness and noticeable fig or raisin.

The Jubel is smooth with a full rounded body. Malt builds on the palate revealing fig and currant notes on the tongue. It finishes very smooth with a nice warming sensation. It has the presence of a well-aged port, but doesn't pack any sweetness with it.

It finishes fairly bold, but still drives a consistent smoothness through to the end. Assertive alcohol settles nicely - again reminiscent of a port. It is a smooth delicious sipper.
This is an excellent smooth beer offering up consistent flavorful palate pleasing sip after sip, pulling flavors from their excellent Jubelale. It is recommended that you buy one to enjoy now and cellar one for next year - a suggestion I will definitely take up!
Cheers!

Beer # 180 - Glissade, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California

I'm always excited when I see a new Sierra Nevada at the store. In recent years, they've been distributing a lot more of their beers and this was my first try of the Glissade, a Golden Bock.
Let's pour!
It pours golden with a thin head

The aroma is light and springy with some very very subtle malt presence.

It is delicate, very delicate, but refreshing. It has a beer beer flavor that greets the palate lightly. It has a very light body with subtle malt and hop, that don't develop.

It finishes clean and bright. It is refreshing, but the flavors don't develop too far and leaves the palate wanting a little more...

Cheers!

Beer # 179 - Hop Pursuit, Full Sail Brewing, Hood River, Oregon

Hop pursuit - what a good idea! I spend most of my beer drinking in the pursuit of hops, so this is a natural one to try! It is Full Sail's Extra Pale Ale offering -
Let's pour!
It pours a golden hazy hue with a tight head.

The aroma is crisp hop, earthy with honey notes - slight coriander and orange peel are evident, as well.

The full body is crisp with hop arriving early and developing fast to dominate the palate. Aggressive bitterness jumps all over the tongue. It is refreshing and lively, finishing with citrus and spice.

The aftertaste let's the bitter citrus linger on the tongue with mild spiciness on the palate. Like spicy food, you want to take a moment between enjoying - but you also can't help continuing to enjoy! Not for the fein of heart or for those afraid of bitter beer face! An excellent beer! Not a session beer by any means, but it sure tastes good while listening to the baseball game on the radio - I won't lie!
Cheers!

Beer # 178 - Auld Battle Axe, Laurelwood Brewing, Portland, Oregon

Ahhh, Laurelwood - a consistent provider of delicious beers! We ventured over to the East Side to enjoy the Laurelwood Pizza Company and happened across the very last bottle of the Auld Battle Axe, a Scottish Style Ale. At 10% in a beautiful bottle, I was anxious to crack it open -
Let's pour!
It pours a deep brown with a thin head.

The aroma reveals big malt, which greets the nostrils with big vanilla and slight nut.

It has strong alcohol tones right away that build with the big malt presence in the full body. It is strong and aggressive with vanilla, but there is not too much sweetness, with nuttiness rounding the vanilla off. It is lively on the tongue. Oak and slight cherry sourness arrives in the finish, giving it a very dynamic arc.

The aftertaste is big and strong with malt and alcohol dominating, with subtle nuttiness, oak and slight cherry.

It is a full body, full flavor beer - Bold, strong and delicious! For being so big, it still provides dynamic flavors that keep the palate lively -
If you can find it, get it!
Cheers!

Beer # 177 - Berserker Imperial Stout, Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Anchorage, Alaska

Another from the Midnight Sun in Anchorage - I sampled this with a good friend of mine who lived in Alaska for a spell, seemed like an appropriate time to crack it open!

It pours opaque, like midnight in winter. Opaque. It has a dark tan head.

The aroma is intense malt, with some sweet vanilla and chocolate evident.

I don't normally do this, but this is one beer that substantiates such a declaration in a such a truncated form - the description was muttered by my friend as we drank....

"Molasses in our glasses."

Enough said. The beer is INTENSE, black and thick and very hard to drink. If you want to push your palate to the very edge of reason and beyond - and you are a fan of Imperial Stouts, hit this one, it won't let you down. If you are not a fan of thick strong intense beers or such things like straight molasses, steer yourself clear!

Cheers!

Beer # 176 - Treat, Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Anchorage, Alaska

Midnight Sun hails from Anchorage, Alaska. I've had the pleasure of visiting the brewery last year and have enjoyed several of their beers. Their distribution has increasingly expanded and now I've seen their beers regularly around Portland. Treat is their Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter, at 78% with 30 IBUs. With pumpkin, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, it promises to be an interesting ale! Let's pour!

It pours opaque with a big tight head.

The aroma is lively with vanilla with clove, pumpkin and spice.

It has a very creamy full body. Pumpkin mixes with cocoa to make it slightly rich on the tongue. Cinnamon and spice take over on the back of the tongue, balancing back the sweetness of the pumpkin and the richness of the cocoa. Roasted malt arrives late to curb back the spice and the vanilla, allowing the beer a nice smooth finish.

The aftertaste is balanced by the roasted malt. Vague sweetness and pumpkin are apparent, but instead of a lingering sweetness, there is a nice long smooth full malt flavor.

It is a wonderful beer, one of the best pumpkin ales I've ever had!

Cheers!