Beer Reviews
Helluva Caucasian
Living the Dream Brewing Company
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, November 21, 2017
| Beer Style: | Stout |
| City: | Littleton, CO |
| Rating: | 7.8 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Roasty malts and espresso. |
| Taste: | A combination of vanilla, coffee and malt sweetness. |
| ABV: | 8.1% |
| IBU: | 30 |
| Ingredients: | Stout brewed with peanut butter, chocolate, coffee and vanilla. |
| Impression: | Ever wonder what would happen if you mixed a White Russian cocktail with a milk stout? This beer, while paying homage to "The Big Lebowski," tries to answer that question. The result is a complex beer that has a lovely appearance and a velvety, thick mouthfeel. Though worth a try, this adventurous concept perhaps falls just short of blending its many components together into a Dude-like harmony. |
Helles
Copper Kettle Brewing Company
By Aaron Burns on Monday, October 9, 2017
| Beer Style: | Bavarian Helles |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.7 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Bread-like malt. |
| Taste: | Grain with a hint of honey and faint spice from the hops. |
| ABV: | 4.8% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Not published. |
| Impression: | In addition to its stable of American, English, and Belgian ales, Copper Kettle offers up this German-style lager year-round. It is right on point for the style: light and easy-drinking. There's a surge of carbonation up-front, followed by a malty mid-palate that's accented by a hint of honey and subtle hop bite. The beer finishes clean and crisp. A good beer for a fall session such as watching football, raking leaves... or simply enjoying a few beers. |
St. Bretta
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, August 1, 2017
| Beer Style: | Citrus Saison |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.5 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Citrus and tropical fruits; slight funkiness. |
| Taste: | Citrus and tropical fruit (mostly lemon), with hints of grass, coriander and sour funk. |
| ABV: | 5.2% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Brewed with citrus, lemongrass and coriander. |
| Impression: | Crooked Stave just started canning some of their beers this summer. Based on this offering, they are off to a terrific start. The brewer intentionally packages each can with a small amount of yeast to maximize freshness and flavor. The yeast is Crooked Stave's own house mixed-culture of Brettanomyces, a wild yeast which lends a funky--borderline sour--quality. The beer is succulent with a dry finish. |
Drone Uprising
Cerebral Brewing Co.
By Aaron Burns on Wednesday, June 14, 2017
| Beer Style: | IPA |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.6 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Subtle lemon and spice. |
| Taste: | Notes of cantaloupe, pineapple and spruce. |
| ABV: | 6.7% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Brewed with rye and oats; Hallertau Blanc, Huell Melon and
Cascade hops. |
| Impression: | Cerebral is known for super juicy New England-style IPAs.
This beer is a bit of a departure from their signature IPA. The New England haziness is
there, but the Drone rises up from there into different territory: This is a dry beer with
subtle fruit notes and a spruce-like finish. The hop presence is pronounced yet the
overall flavor profile is soft and round. One way to stand out in a crowded IPA
marketplace is to feature some hops off the beaten path (Germany, in this case). Cerebral
has triumphed by taking a chance with this beer. Drone Uprising debuted at the Cerebral
taproom on June 9. Crowler fills are available to-go (limit three per person). |
Peach Pale
Lone Tree Brewing Co.
By Aaron Burns on Monday, May 8, 2017
| Beer Style: | American Pale Ale |
| City: | Lone Tree, CO |
| Rating: | 9.0 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Ripe peaches. |
| Taste: | Ripe peaches, hint of lemon zest and bread. |
| ABV: | 5.8% |
| IBU: | 40 |
| Ingredients: | Brewed with real peaches. Hops used: Cascade, CTZ, and Simcoe. |
| Impression: | Canned on March 31st, this beer is drinking fresh now. The white fluffy head is bountiful and dissipates quickly.
With a thin body and just a hint of hop bite, Peach Pale plays somewhat like a lager, even though it's an ale. The semi-sweet peach flavor
and aromas dominate, with a very authentic, ripe character. A refreshing beer that goes down easy. |
Anniversary Ale 5
River North Brewery
By Aaron Burns on Thursday, March 30, 2017
| Beer Style: | Imperial IPA |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.5 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Floral bouquet with an edge of piney and citrus-like hops. |
| Taste: | Succulent cantaloupe, peach and resinous hops, blended with toasty sweet malt. |
| ABV: | 9.5% |
| IBU: | 120 |
| Ingredients: | Hops used: Amarillo, Mosaic, El Dorado, Columbus and Falconer's Flight, and this was bottled for River North's 5th Anniversary Bash in mid-February, 2017. |
| Impression: | The brewer claims this beer was "irresponsibly over-hopped." It's nice of him to confess, but there's really no problem here!
River North celebrates their birthday in grand style by releasing this baby. It pours a lovely copper color--semi-hazy-- with a generous, fluffy beige head.
The taste follows the nose wonderfully, with a full, sticky mouthfeel to top it all off. Wonderful beer. Grab it now, while you can! |
Four Grains in the Membrane
Baere Brewing Company
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, December 20, 2016
| Beer Style: | Barleywine |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.4 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Blend of floral hops and bourbon with a juicy sour edge. |
| Taste: | Toasty grain and caramel; slight sourness, followed by smooth bourbon on the finish. |
| ABV: | Not published. |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Brewed with four grains (barley, rye, wheat and corn), the same four used by nearby Laws Whiskey House in their bourbon (those bourbon barrels were used to age the beer for six months). Bottled by hand on November 9, 2016. |
| Impression: | This beer is about as complex as they come. One major risk with this type of brew is if any element dominates. Fortunately, that is not the case here. The Laws bourbon barrel has imparted a smooth, well-rounded bourbon/oak dimension that integrates well with the traditional caramel notes of a barleywine. The dry-hopping adds just the right touch of aromatic hops and the wild yeast (brett) ties things together with just a kiss of sourness. Get this beer while you can, either at Baere, or in select Denver liquor stores. It should age well as many of the beer's characteristics will linger and continue to meld. |
East Coast Transplant
New Image Brewing Company
By Aaron Burns on Wednesday, November 16, 2016
| Beer Style: | Vermont-style Imperial IPA |
| City: | Arvada, CO |
| Rating: | 9.5 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Earthy and fruity hops. |
| Taste: | Mango and orange marmalade. |
| ABV: | 8.5% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Brewed with Pearl Malt, Honey Malt, White Wheat, Sucrose; Warrior, Simcoe, Amarillo and Citra Hops; English Ale Yeast. |
| Impression: | "New England IPAs" are purposefully unfiltered to create a cloudy look and a creamy, full body;
they utilize hops that lend tropical fruit flavors and aromas. This beer lays a legitimate claim to the New England moniker.
Sniffing and sipping from this glass of haziness puts you in the mood to watch the leaves turn in Vermont (or in the Rockies!)
on a cool, crisp fall day. A bold yet rounded hop profile brings mild bitterness along with succulent fruit flavors. |
Superdamp IPA
By Aaron Burns on Monday, October 3, 2016
| Beer Name: | Superdamp (a.k.a. Fresh Hop Superpower) |
| Beer Style: | American IPA |
| Brewery: | Comrade Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.8 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Cannabis and pine with a faint hint of tropical fruit. |
| Taste: | Cannabis with a kick of spiciness on the finish. |
| ABV: | 7.0% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Fresh hops added less than 24 hours after harvest from High Wire Hops Farm in Paonia, Colorado. |
| Impression: | It's back! The GABF 2014 & 2015 silver medalist has become an annual fall tradition at Comrade. Superdamp is the wet-hop version of their classic IPA "Superpower." The only difference is that they have added organically grown hops, fresh from harvest. The result is a "wet-hopped" beer which means this IPA is bursting with all the pungent, fresh character that hops can bring to a beer. Available at the brewery now through approximately mid-October. Also, look for it around Denver on tap. The beer is neither bottled nor canned. |
4.0 GPA Pale Ale
By Aaron Burns on Friday, September 2, 2016
| Beer Name: | 4.0 GPA |
| Beer Style: | American Pale Ale |
| Brewery: | Bull & Bush Brewery |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.5 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Subtle biscuit. |
| Taste: | Biscuit and slightly bitter grapefruit peel. |
| ABV: | 4.2% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Brewed with fresh grapefruit and grapefruit peels. |
| Impression: | Lately, many craft brewers have introduced IPA's and Double IPA's with real grapefruit added.
Bull & Bush decided to dial back that approach by adding grapefruit and grapefruit peels to a Pale Ale. The result is a
very light beer, low on hops and subtle on grapefruit. Up front the beer is very malty. The grapefruit you seek comes
through on the finish and lingers pleasantly with the sensation of peel more so than juicy fruit. This sessional summer
beer was bottled on 7/21/16 and is still available these days, so grab it while you can before fall hits. |
Three Putt Pale Ale
By Aaron Burns on Thursday, August 4, 2016
| Beer Name: | Three Putt Pale Ale |
| Beer Style: | Pale Ale |
| Brewery: | Wonderland Brewing Company |
| City: | Broomfield, CO |
| Rating: | 8.7 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Subtle grain and caramel. |
| Taste: | Bready malt melded with slight spice from the hops. |
| ABV: | 5.5% |
| IBU: | 25 |
| Ingredients: | Tettnang and Crystal hops. |
| Impression: | As the name dictates, this beer plays well during a hot day on the golf course. Though technically an ale, Three Putt reminds you of a Pilsner, due to the Tettnang hops (from Germany). The spice from these hops meld nicely with a bready malt character. Though not exactly a thirst-quencher, the lager-like flavors edge this beer away from an American definition of "Pale" toward something more refreshing. |
Life's Trade
By Aaron Burns on Thursday, July 7, 2016
| Beer Name: | Life's Trade |
| Beer Style: | Saison |
| Brewery: | TRVE Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.0 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Lemon peel with a hint of funkiness. |
| Taste: | Lemon blended with malty grain, slight tartness and earth. |
| ABV: | 4.7% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Multiple yeast strains, fermented in puncheons. |
| Impression: | This was the first beer TRVE released from its second production facility, The Acid Temple, which focuses on sour beers. Technically, though, this beer is not a sour since it was produced as a test at the new place before brett (bacteria) was introduced to the environment there. The beer features a fluffy white head that nicely complements a dusty, grainy profile. Because it is so low in alcohol, Life's Trade is very drinkable, but it's also very distinctive. The puncheon (barrels) lend a bit of woody earthiness to the taste. |
Princess Yum Yum
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, June 7, 2016
| Beer Name: | Princess Yum Yum |
| Beer Style: | Raspberry Kolsch |
| Brewery: | Denver Beer Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.4 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Tart raspberry. |
| Taste: | Tart raspberry with light biscuit undertones. |
| ABV: | 4.8% |
| IBU: | Not published. |
| Ingredients: | Fermented with real raspberries. |
| Impression: | This beer is so dominated by the raspberries--in terms of color, aroma and flavor--that the base beer is more of a vehicle to deliver the fruit. Nevertheless, it's a pleasant beer, especially during these hot summer months. The thin body and low alcohol level epitomize a session beer; the tartness and dry finish counteract the notion of a session beer. Look for Princess Yum Yum in cans through August. |
Contrarian
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, May 3, 2016
| Beer Name: | Contrarian |
| Beer Style: | Imperial Pilsner |
| Brewery: | Renegade Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.5 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Grain, corn, wheat. |
| Taste: | Corn, booze. |
| ABV: | 8.0% |
| IBU: | 35 |
| Ingredients: | Pilsner and Dextrin Malts; Noble Hops. |
| Impression: | Say what you will about this beer, you cannot label it "tame" or "generic." You hear "Pilsner" and you think light beer but like any Imperial beer, this one delivers more. The Contrarian is unfiltered which explains its cloudy appearance. The rather syrupy body cascades smoothly off the bubbly head. It's quite a boozy beer--even more so than the 8% ABV indicates. The alcohol overwhelms the other dimensions of the beer. After consuming one 12 ounce glass, only a contrarian would pour another of this Spring seasonal from Renegade. |
Beatrice
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
| Beer Name: | Beatrice |
| Beer Style: | Saison |
| Brewery: | Spangalang Brewery |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.2 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Lemon, spice. |
| Taste: | Belgian yeast with lemon and coriander. |
| ABV: | 6.0% |
| IBU: | 30 |
| Ingredients: | Ingredients not published. |
| Impression: | This beer is on tap frequently at Spangalang and rightly so, as more and more breweries consider this style a staple in their lineup. Beatrice brings a high level of carbonation, creating a lively, jazzy riff of lemon and coriander across your palate. There is a slight hint of banana from the Belgian yeast. Beatrice is a versatile beer that you can enjoy no matter the weather. But with spring and summer emerging, she plays particularly well these days...answering the farm worker's need for afternoon respite. |
'Bout Damn Time
By Aaron Burns on Monday, February 22, 2016
| Beer Name: | 'Bout Damn Time |
| Beer Style: | American IPA |
| Brewery: | 4 Noses Brewing Company |
| City: | Broomfield, CO |
| Rating: | 9.2 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Tropical fruits. |
| Taste: | A bitter yet smooth blending of tropical and citrus fruits. |
| ABV: | 7.3% |
| IBU: | 74 |
| Ingredients: | Simcoe, Mosaic and Equinox hops. |
| Impression: | About damn time, indeed. 4 Noses had already proven adept at brewing various other IPA's: Session, English and Imperial.
Now they have embarked on a classic American style, in the West Coast tradition. The results are right on-target. This is a hop-forward, tropical-fruity
affair with a touch of earthiness, perhaps from the Simcoe. This first batch was so well-received, 4 Noses plans to start canning the beer soon. |
Blame It On Kane
By Aaron Burns on Tuesday, January 12, 2016
| Beer Name: | Blame It On Kane |
| Beer Style: | English Dark Mild Ale |
| Brewery: | Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.0 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Caramel and nut. |
| Taste: | Biscuit, nut, earthy quality. |
| ABV: | 5.8% |
| IBU: | No IBU listed for this beer, but should be low being a mild ale. |
| Ingredients: | Our Mutual Friend does not publish all ingredients used, but the malt was provided by Troubadour Maltings, from Fort Collins, Colorado. |
| Impression: | A great beer for a cold winter day. Or most any day, for that matter. This style is known as a lower ABV, very malty beer with just a hint of hops.
Blame It On Kane actually tilts higher with the ABV but does not hit you with booze, nor hops. This beer is all about the malt. Troubadour has created an excellent grainy,
earthy malt profile here. For such a light, drinkable beer, the body is surprisingly substantial, not watered down at all. It is best enjoyed near room temperature,
so take your time. You can try it yourself at Our Mutual Friend, where it was tapped on January 8, 2016, as a small batch offering. |
Triple Bypass Imperial IPA
By Aaron Burns on Wednesday, December 2, 2015
| Beer Name: | Triple Bypass |
| Beer Style: | Imperial IPA |
| Brewery: | Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.7 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Citrus and pine. |
| Taste: | Citrus, caramel, and booze. |
| ABV: | 14.5% |
| IBU: | 450 |
| Ingredients: | Jagged Mountain does not publish ingredients used. |
| Impression: | Served from a tap at the brewery. Jagged Mountain calls this a "Triple IPA" which is a catchy way of saying "Super Imperial IPA." The term Triple IPA is reserved for high-alcohol behemoths like this one. Triple Bypass is a sipper for sure. To approach this beer, you want to get in the mindset of sipping on a liqueur, not throwing back a beer. The hops are bold but not overpowering. For some people, the booze factor is overpowering. The caramel sweetness blends well with the hops. A big syrup-like body adds a wonderful dimension to this beer. |
Citra IPA
By Aaron Burns on Monday, November 9, 2015
| Beer Name: | Single Hop IPA: Citra |
| Beer Style: | IPA |
| Brewery: | Station 26 Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 9.7 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Tropical fruits, and citrus. |
| Taste: | Zesty and lively hops-- a blend of lime and papaya in a punch of up-front hop bitterness. This gives way to a faint cracker malt profile. It ends dry with lingering hops. |
| ABV: | 6.3% |
| IBU: | 70 |
| Ingredients: | brewed with 38 lbs of Citra hops in each batch. |
| Impression: | Served from a 12-oz. can, which was canned on 9/22/15. The motto on the can instructs you: "Drink Me Now." This is one in a series, each offering features a certain hop -- in this case, Citra. This beer delivers exactly on what the brewer set out to do. The fresh, lively, intense taste of the beer follows directly from the promising aromas. If you like IPA, especially in the citrus and tropical fruit realm, this beer is for you. Stay tuned for the next in the series: Chinook. |
Märzen Oktoberfest
By Aaron Burns on Monday, October 26, 2015
| Beer Name: | Märzen Oktoberfest |
| Beer Style: | Märzen |
| Brewery: | Prost Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.8 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Lightly toasted grain. |
| Taste: | Rich maltiness with slight nut accents. |
| ABV: | 5.8% |
| IBU: | 24 |
| Ingredients: | brewed with Munich, Vienna, and Caramunich malts; and Hallertau Mittelfruh hops. |
| Impression: | This fall seasonal offering is brewed in the Oktoberfest tradition. By using authentic malts, hops and yeast, Prost makes this beer true to style. The medium body complements the bread-like flavors nicely. Thanks to the low ABV and faint hop character, this tasty yet modest brew goes down very easily. |
Fresh Hop Pale Ale
By Aaron Burns on Thursday, October 15, 2015
| Beer Name: | Fresh Hop Pale Ale |
| Beer Style: | Pale Ale |
| Brewery: | Great Divide Brewing Company |
| City: | Denver, CO |
| Rating: | 8.2 out of 10 |
| Smell: | Grassy, floral. |
| Taste: | A mild grassy hop flavor with a hint of citrus, combined with a honey-like malt sweetness. |
| ABV: | 6.1% |
| IBU: | 55 |
| Ingredients: | brewed with wet, whole cone hops from the Pacific Northwest. |
| Impression: | This seasonal offering is available in four-packs. Bottled on September 30, 2015, this beer comes with a label declaring "Brewed fresh to drink fresh." The tradition of using the fall hop harvest to liven up a pale ale is a popular trend in the craft beer industry. This beer has been a big part of that movement; the 2015 version delivers a relatively tame hop experience, considering the dynamic hops typically available from these recent harvests. |
