The Brü Revü – Founders Double Trouble

Double Trouble is Founders’ Imperial IPA and after trying this for the first time I could be in serious trouble.  Founders finally found its way to Texas and the seasonal Double Trouble was included in it’s Texas roll-out.  I honestly didn’t have a clue what I was in for when I picked this up: I saw Founders beers and wanted to grab something and an Imperial IPA is right up my alley.  It poured a deep gold with a solid white head that had good retention and lacing.  The aroma was full of tropical fruits, floral hops and citrusy grapefruit notes.  The initial taste was a huge grapefruit rind bitterness that deftly slid into a lingering floral hop bitterness and dry finish.  The bready malt backbone helped hide alcohol that was undetectable.  As the beer warmed the flavors became more intense and well balanced taking you through it’s robust hop flavor profile with every sip.  A troublingly tasty and tippable brew despite it’s high ABV and bold hop flavors.  My palate is in trouble as it will never be the same again as the Double Trouble deftly darted up my list of top Double IPA’s.

Founders Double Trouble

The Brü Revü – Oskar Blues Gubna

The legendary Gubna. This is a love/hate brew for a lot of people, and I land on the love side.  The Gubna is Oskar Blues Imperial IPA that highlights a single hop variety, Summit, while trying to achieve 100+ IBU’s.  They have recently decided to introduce copious amounts of Cascade hops to raise the hop complexity too.  The beer poured a golden amber with a generous white head.  I got a hint of onion in the aroma like I had heard, but more of a sweet onion with a base of sweet citrus and tropical fruit.  The taste was a bitter hop monster that erupted in my mouth like biting into a grapefruit rind.  The Gubna was big, bold and full of hop dominance with a blast of grapefruit and dank resinous hops.  The rye malt gave the brew a spicy malt balance and a great lingering taste on my tongue.  This had a very strong balanced bitterness that was delicious and surprisingly smooth and easy to drink.  It got a little boozy as it warmed, but that’s to be expected with such a high ABV.  In the end I have determined that I am decidedly Pro-Gubna!

Oskar Blues Gubna

The Brü Revü – Karbach Barn Burner Saison

The Barn Burner Saison is Karbach’s spring seasonal and is now appearing in a sharply designed can.  As you can tell I try to grab as many Karbach brews as I can on my frequent forays to Houston, and I was fortunate to be able to get some of this sensational seasonal.  The Barn Burner poured a golden orange with a very effervescent and large white head.  The aroma emitted coriander and spices with hints of citrus peel and grains.  The brew had a thick and creamy mouthfeel that delivered coriander and clove spiciness with slight banana yeast notes.  It was very refreshing and hit similar notes as their Weisse Versa but with more spice and citrus peel flavors.  Karbach continues to produce great beer and make Houston proud.

Karbach Barn Burner Saison

American Craft Beer Week 2013

It’s American Craft Beer Week, May 13-19, so grab your friends and enjoy some great American craft beer!  

There are several events and special tappings happening all week long so check with your favorite craft beer bar or see the list at You Stay Hoppy Austin (big props to that blog) for events around Austin.

If you can’t make it out, be sure to enjoy some American craft beers at home or buy some to stock up your fridge.  Here are a few other ideas from Craft Beer:

• Conduct a craft beer tasting or pairing.
• Visit your favorite local brewery, restaurant or tap room and enjoy your local craft beers.
• Host a tasting at home featuring craft beer from small and independent producers.
• Organize a gathering for the first-ever national ACBW toast: Thursday, May 16 at 5 p.m. PT/6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT
• Seek out other like-minded folks by attending an official ACBW event. Use the officialACBW events page to find an event in your area.
• Tweet your pride for U.S. craft brewers using the hashtag #ACBW.
• Update your social media accounts to show support of ACBW with these cover photos and  profile pictures.

Have a great beer week everyone!

The Brü Revü – Aleman / Two Brothers / Stone Dayman Coffee IPA

A Coffee IPA which was the result of a collaboration between Aleman, Two Brothers Brewing and Stone Brewing after Aleman won the Iron Brew homebrewing competition. This may sound rather odd but surprisingly the flavors worked well together and created a uniquely excellent beer. First off, due to our lovely beer laws in Texas this wonderful brew was stuck in TABC purgatory for several weeks so by the time it hit shelves in Austin it was 2 months old. Better late than never in this case as the Dayman was impressive.  The beer poured a copper brown with minimal tan head with a strong coffee aroma with hints of citrus and floral hops.  There was a deep rich coffee flavor on the front end that faded nicely into a citrus and floral hop bitterness that was well blended and balanced.  I trusted the brewing chops of Stone and their collaborators to nail this one and they delivered.  A great surprise of a beer and one they need to bring back in the future.  Finally an IPA for breakfast!

Aleman / Two Brothers / Stone Dayman Coffee IPA

 

The Brü Revü – Southern Tier IPA

Southern Tier just started distribution in Texas and have several highly sought after beers which makes them a welcome sight.  I was able to try several of their brew at a launch at Draught House including their Creme Brulee which was very unique and tasty.  Their bottles have been limited in the stores so I felt lucky to grab a sixer of their IPA.  The IPA poured a bright gold with a pillowy white head with citrus and floral hops on the nose.  The taste had citrus hops upfront that faded quickly to a dank pine presence that melded well with the floral hops.  The brew left a pleasant bitterness that lingered on my tongue with a caramel malt body that added just the right amount of sweetness. The Southern Tier IPA was fresh and bright and a great example of an American IPA that I will gladly drink.  

Southern Tier IPA

Beer Bums Meeting – May 2013 – Austin Beerworks Brewery Tour

For our May Beer Bums meeting we decided to branch out a bit and attend Austin Beerworks’ Friday Happy Hour and Brewery tour which they have almost every Friday from 5-8. This was a perfect opportunity for our group to visit a local Austin brewery and sample several of their beers in one sitting.  It’s difficult to get one of their tour tickets, which are free, as once they announce when the tickets go “on sale”, they disappear in a matter of minutes.  This is a testament to the popularity and quality of Austin Beerworks beers.  So, if you intend on attending on a particular Friday you will need to plan ahead.  

Their setup is typical for most of the Austin Breweries: For $10 you can purchase a glass and get 3 full pour samples, or you can opt for the free version and get 3 smaller sample pours.  We all opted for the glass purchase and full pour options, of course.  While most of their beers are available around town in cans and on draft, they had a few that I had yet to see. 

My first sample was their Soul Glo, which was a barrel aged sour ale and one I have never seen available from them.  It was superb, with just the right amount of sourness without overwhelming your palate.  It was quite refreshing and very appealing considering our growing summer heat.  

Their seasonal was the Heavy Machinery Black IPA that I have seen in limited amounts on draft and supposedly will be available in 16 oz cans very soon as well.  The Heavy Machinery Black IPA was exceptional.  Very roasty and deep with a good hop profile that stood on its own over it’s deep dark body.  

My final sample was the Mr. Falcon which was a mix of the Black Thunder Schwarzbier and the Fire Eagle IPA.  A nice mix of the two beers, although I may prefer each brew on their own.  All in all, Austin Beerworks brews are all top notch and high quality. It was a unique experience to get a peek behind the curtain of their production.  

They also have some strange fascination with Unicorns, or maybe its that Unicorn magic that makes their beers so good!  Cheers to Austin Beerworks, and SCREEEEEEEEEE!

Pint Glass Nights - May 2013

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

Gingerman – Mondays, at 6 PM

May 06   Breckenridge Agave Wheat

May 13 Alaskan Amber

May 20   Brooklyn Summer Als

May 27 Oskar Blues

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)

May 01   Brooklyn Brewing Silver Anniversary

May 08 Saint Arnold Santo De Mayo

May 15   Independence Stash IPA

May 22 Southern Tier Brewing

May 29 TBD

Flying Saucer  - Wednesdays, at 7 PM

May 01   Rahr & Sons Bucking Bock

May 08 Adelbert’s

May 15   Sierra Nevada

May 22 Lagunitas

May 29 Firestone Walker Pivo Pils

Draught House – Wednesdays

Check their twitter page for glass updates

Red's Porch – Thursdays, at 5 PM

Check their events page for glass updates