The Brü Revü – Saint Arnold Elissa IPA

The Saint Arnold Elissa IPA has to be my favorite Saint Arnold brew from their year round line-up.  It poured a nice golden amber with lots of floating sediment which seemed a little strange, but it did not detract from the brew.  The Elissa had a bitter hoppy flavor that was diligently balanced by a strong malt body.  It was a nicely balanced beer that didn’t try to overwhelm me with hops, but struck a delicate balance.  This is an easy drinking and thirst quenching IPA and a great introductory beer to the Saint Arnold Brewery.

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA‏

Firestone Walker in Austin

This week is the official roll-out of Firestone Walker in Austin.  Austin is the first city in Texas to get their world class beer and you can read my review of their delicious Union Jack IPA.  Believe me you will not be disappointed with any of their brews.  There are several events this week to highlight the roll-out, and I am a little late on posting the news.  

See the below list of events which started last night, or go here: Brown Distributing

Tuesday 2/19
    Evening Brand Launch/Sampling Events

• Flying Saucer @ 5PM Dinner and Beer Pairing
• Bangers@ 6PM
• Chicago House @ 8PM

Wednesday 2/20
    Evening Brand Launch/Sampling Events

• Home Field Grill/Flix @ 6:30PM
• Pint House Pizza @ 6:30PM
• Hopfield’s @ 8PM

Thursday 2/21

• 2:00 – 4:00PM SPECS Brodie
• 4:30 – 6:30 PM Whole Foods - Lamar

     Evening Brand Launch/Sampling Events

• The Draught House @ 7PM
• Red’s Porch @ 6:30
• High Hat @ 8PM

Friday 2/22

• 2:30PM – 4:30PM HEB Circle C
• 5:30PM – 7:30PM Handlebar

The Brü Revü – Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

The Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is a truly extraordinary beer. What makes it so extraordinary is Sierra Nevada makes a very rich and full flavored IPA that can hang with the best IPAs in the world yet it is widely distributed and very inexpensive. The torpedo poured a deep golden amber with a full and fluffy head. The aroma was full of citrusy dank and herbal hops. The flavor is almost straight up juicy grapefruit with a piney hop on the back end that coats your palate with a dense bitterness. The citrus grapefruit hops pulls me in and the thick chewy body makes the torpedo a satisfying brew. If you are ever looking for a value craft beer option you can't go wrong with the Torpedo. Check that, If you are looking for a great IPA you can't go wrong with the Torpedo!

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Jester King Farmhouse Wytchmaker Rye IPA

Early in their development, Jester King switched from an English Ale yeast to a “farmhouse” yeast that was derived from the local naturally occurring yeasts floating around their brewery.  You can see my review of the Original Wytchmaker here.  The farmhouse yeast give their beers a sense of “local terrior” while Jester King embraces their local environment as well as using as many Organic ingredients as possible. While the OG Wytchmaker was exceptional and had more of the traditional IPA notes with a rye twist, the farmhouse version definitely tweaks the spiciness.  The beer poured a deep gold with a full white fluffy head while the aroma had citrus hops with a hint of pineapple and spice.  The flavor is where the farmhouse yeast began to assert itself.  The fruity citrus and piney hops mixed with the spicy rye flavors all rode a wave of slight barnyard and funk characteristics.  It took their already fantastic rye IPA and really ratcheted it up several notches.  There were so many dynamic flavors intertwined into a bold and balance brew.  I know the farmhouse yeast flavors can be a love or hate relationship with some, but I love it and how it improved to their already stellar Wytchmaker Rye IPA.

Jester King Farmhouse Wytchmaker Rye IPA

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA

Take a good IPA, brew it with some rye malt and combine it with the greatness of Sierra Nevada and you have the Ruthless Rye IPA.  It poured a deep copper with the typical Sierra Nevada overly effervescent head.  The nose was spicier than a typical IPA with less of the citrus and pine hop and more of the rye spice.  The taste was a peppery hops with the hoppy bitterness balanced by the spicy rye and some caramel to boot.  The Ruthless Rye had a thin and spicy front that left a herbal bitter coating on my palate.  While maybe not as complex as some rye IPA’s it is still a tasty tippable brew that was highly satisfying. A great change of pace and another great brew from Sierra Nevada.

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA

The Brü Revü – Stone Lukcy Basartd

Stone Lukcy Basartd is a blend of Arrogant Bastard, Double Bastard and Oaked Arrogant Bastard that was made to celebrate the 13th Anniversary of Arrogant Bastard Ale.  It was supposed to be a once only release, but lukcy for us Stone released it again.  I am an unabashed Stone fan and especially of their Double Bastard so picking up a Lukcy Basartd was a no brainer.  The brew poured the signature bastard deep ruby amber color with an off white head that lukcily lingered.  The aroma had the big malt and hoppy aroma you expect with a Bastard with more of the Arrogant tones showing through.   The taste was great.  It was all of the Bastards in one place giving their best flavor attributes while complementing the others with a great roasted nuttiness holding it all together. I detected more of the Arrogant flavors which held their own alongside the dominate Double while the thick syrupy mouthfeel and heavy body was definitely all Double.  The Lucky Basartd was a great marriage of these fantastic Stone brews that created a Basartd of it’s own.  I was definitely one Lukcy Basartd to have this magical elixir.

Stone Lukcy Basartd

Beer Bums Meeting – February 2013 – Mardi Gras Beers

Mardi Gras beers allowed for a little creativity in the interpretation at least for some.  There are some obvious choices in the group too.   A fun month and the bonus Left Hand Wake Up Dead was exceptional.

Saint Arnold Santo
Victory Hop Devil
Dixie Beer
Abita Mardi Gras Bock
Left Hand Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout

Next Month, March – Pisces Beers

Pint Glass Nights - February 2013

Misc. pint glass nights around Austin for February.  Buy the beer, keep the glass.

Gingerman – Mondays, at 6 PM
Feb 04   Rahr & Son’s Iron Thistle
Feb 11 Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Feb 18 Bellhaven Scottish Ale
Feb 25 Staropramen

The Tavern – Tuesdays
Check their facebook page for glass updates

Zax Pints and Plates – Wednesdays, at 6 PM (I will update once Zax updates their calendar)
Feb 06 Real Ale Devil's Backbone
Feb 13 Sunner Kolsch
Feb 20  Brewery Lupus
Feb 27 Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

Flying Saucer  - Wednesdays, at 7 PM
Feb 06   Blanche De Bruxelles
Feb 13 Flying Saucer Valentine’s Day Glass
Feb 20 Maredsous
Feb 27 Rahr & Son’s Iron Thistle

Draught House – Wednesdays
Check their twitter page for glass updates

Red's Porch – Thursdays, at 5 PM
Check their events page for glass updates