Anyway, back to the Ten FIDY in hand. This Imperial Stout is one that’s worth seeking out and paying the premium price. It’ll set you back about $11.99 for this 4 pack of canned delight. Yes, the Ten FIDY is a canned beer that happens to be a Russian Imperial Stout. All of Oskar Blues Brewery beers come in the easy to recycle aluminum can. This beer that I am reviewing was “canned  with care” on 10-01-09.

Ten FIDY pours out a very nice thick, black color that leaves one heck of a nice thick chocolate tinged foamy head. At first mouthfeel this beer offers many various notes of smokiness, chocolate, coffee and a slight tart fruit of cherries on the back of the mouth. As the beer sits and warms up the thickness of the original pour wears through a bit but it definitely hides that 9.5% ABV. This part could be dangerous as I could easily drink the 4 pack in one sitting. The hop presence is well balanced with the chocolate malts and oats used in this brew to provide a nice evening of drinking.

If you’re looking for a nice welcoming winter warmer, you cannot go wrong with the Ten FIDY!

If you are traveling to Denver for the GABF, click on this link to find out about all things happening regarding Beer both at the GABF and outside the festival. There are all sorts of events taking place so when the convention center gets a bit too crowded you’ll know where the next event is taking place.

Number of US Breweries the Highest in 100 Years

Boulder, CO • August 17, 2009 – The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, reports America’s small and independent craft brewers¹ are still growing (see Craft Brewing Statistics) despite many challenges and are continuing to provide jobs to the U.S. economy. Dollar growth from craft brewers during the first half of 2009 increased 9%, down from 11% growth during the same period in 2008. Volume of craft brewed beer sold grew 5% for the first six months in 2009, compared to 6.5% growth in the first half of 2008. Barrels sold by craft brewers for the first half of the year is an estimated 4.2 million, compared to 4 million barrels sold in the first half of 2008.

“At a time when many of the giant beer brands are declining, small and independent craft brewers are organically growing their share and slowly gaining shelf and restaurant menu space one glass of craft beer at a time,” said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association.

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The U.S. now boasts 1,525 breweries, the highest number in 100 years when consolidation and the run up to Prohibition reduced the number of breweries to 1,498 in 1910. “The U.S. has more breweries than any other nation and produces a greater diversity of beer styles than anywhere else, thanks to craft brewer innovation,” Gatza added.

Headlines from stories on beer and craft brewers in the first half of 2009 include the following:

• Winemakers Go After Beer Drinkers (Oregon Public Radio)
• Made by Small Brewers, But Delicious, Says Aficionado from Food & Wine Magazine (CBS Early Show)
• Frothy Diplomacy: What Beer Will Obama Choose for White House Meeting? (ABC News)
• Beer Edges Out Wine, Liquor as Drink of Choice in U.S. (Gallup Poll)

¹ The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

Fred Eckhardt

This was the first time I’ve been able to attend Fred Eckhardt’s  Beer & Cheese Tasting at Rogue Ale Distillery & Public House in Portland, Oregon. This annual fest is in its 18th year and takes place a few days prior to the start of the Oregon Brewers Festival.

Fred Eckhardt is well know throughout the beer industry for his one of a kind beer writing and has been fond of his hometown’s contribution to brewing excellence. He even has a beer named after him. With the assistance of Tami Parr, cheese writer, the two set out to put together 10 Beer & Cheese Pairings for this memorable event.

To kick off the event a tasting for Rogue’s Dead Guy Whiskey was placed in front of me. A nice smooth whiskey with just a slight burn on its back. This was my first time having a taste of their whiskey. I’ve had their rum in the past and have always enjoyed their gin so this was an extra delight to kick off the evening.

The first pairing was of Full Sail LTD 03 Lager with Fern’s Edge Fresh Chevre. The lighter lager from Full Sail went nicely with the very, whipped and creamy goat cheese from Fern’s Edge. Not much of an overwhelming taste in the cheese but a good first selection.

The second pairing was Eugene City Brewery Honey Orange Wheat with Willamette Valley Gouda. The gouda was outstanding, so outstanding that if overpowered the flavors of the beer. The beer was one of a nice crisp refreshing taste for a hot summer day but one bite of gouda wins this taste battle.

On to the third pairing of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar with Alsea Feta. This pairing was quite tasty. The sweetness in the beer went extremely well with the saltiness in the feta. (Finished 1st in Attendee Voting)

The fourth pairing was Rogue Dead Guy Ale with Monteillet Mejean. This cheese was a bit too “earthy” tasting for me. Also on the soft side. Probably one of the more challenging pairings for my taste buds. Of course, the Dead Guy was a delicious as ever.

The next pairing featured one of the best cheeses that many will enjoy. This fifth pairing was Rogue Mocha Porter with Rogue Creamery Chocolate Stout Cheddar. This cheddar was excellent and its made with Rogue’s Chocolate Stout. Very easy to enjoy cheese, an excellent choice for mac ‘n’ cheese that went well with the chocolate notes in the Mocha Porter.

The sixth pairing was Deschutes Twilight Ale with Bravo Cheddar Special Reserve. This lighter, easy drinking ale went well with another spectacular cheddar. This cheddar too would be great for mac ‘n’ cheese.

The seventh pairing  was Terminal Gravity IPA with Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. This was my first time tasting Terminal Gravity IPA. I’ve always have heard good things about it and those comments were correct. Maybe not the best IPA that I’ve had but according to Fred, this is his favorite!  So this solid beer paired quite well with this soft cheese melted on a cheese cracker. (Finished 3rd in Attendee Voting)

The eighth pairing featured Issaquah Brewery Menage a Frog with Rogue Creamery Chipotle Cheddar. This excellent Belgian Style Tripel offered a needed change in the previous beers to get ready for our final two beers. A nice smooth tripel. I believe the first time I’ve had this Rogue produced beer from Washington. The chipotle cheddar offered a fabulous presentation with the marbling of the chipotle peppers throughout the tangy cheddar. I enjoyed this cheese.

Issaquah Menage A Frog & Chipotle Cheddar

The ninth pairing was Hair of the Dog Fred Strong Old Ale with Rogue Creamery Oregonzola. So we finally got to taste the beer named after tonight’s jolly host. Wow, what a fantastic barrel aged beer. Its said to age for 6 months in oak barrels, what a delight and quite drinkable considering it sits at 10.3% ABV. The Oregonzola too was quite tasty. Beyond the catchy name this cheese is a bit more palatable than blue cheese, a bit creamery than its counterpart.

The final pairing was Rogue Imperial Stout with Maytag Blue of Iowa. This is one heck of a stout, very rich and bold tasting. Similar in boldness to this blue cheese from Iowa that is said to be one of the world’s greatest cheeses. The slice served resembled that of a small slice of cheesecake, just a bit more tart! This was my favorite pairing, a pairing of two bold tastes. (Finshed 2nd in Attendee Voting)

And to top off the evening a gift was given to all attendees, a 22 oz. bottle of Rogue Portland Sesquicentennial Ale. This beer is part of a series celebrating Oregon’s 150th year of statehood. There are other bottles for each of its Oregon breweries. The Portland bottle features artwork of the famed Portland Theatre.

In all this was one fine event. I’m glad that I finally attended one. The stories that Fred told throughout the evening were quite entertaining. He does one fine job with a mic in the hand and some sort of script to keep him rolling along!

The beers featured at the PIB include  many imports, beers from the Pacific Northwest and a few surprises. Some are being poured from the bottle while others are on draft. On Saturday and Sunday the festival will be pouring some rare beers which is enticing. On Saturday at 2pm will J.W. Lee’s Harvest Ale 2007, aged in Rayoso Dry Sherry Barrel.  And on Sunday at noon you can start the day off with a 40 Proof Black and Tan from Dogfish Head. PIB will have their Dogfish Head World Wide Stout (18%) and 120 Minute IPA (21%) to hopefully make a “Heaven & Hells”.

I had a few standouts from the first day. One being the  John John Hazelnut by Rogue that is aged in their Rum Barrels. This one had a nice rum aroma to it but surprisingly is only 5%. On the lower side for a barrel aged beer but went well on a nice, hot summer day. Another I enjoyed is the collaborative effort by New Belgium and Elysian, The Trip #1. This Belgian-Style IPA was quite delicious. One that could easily be drank on a nice summer afternoon. The Belgian yeast and its fruity notes goes quite well with the hoppy floral aroma, definitely worth trying. And for the Belgian beer fans out there you must check out the Cantillon beer, a great sour beer that leaves your taste buds extremely challenged.

PIB continues Saturday and Sunday starting at noon each day.

Prior to departing Chicago my friends organized a beer bar hop on a trolley. Fun was had by all…from what I can remember. We started the day off at Rock Fest at Rock Bottom in downtown Chicago. I assisted Pete in pouring some of his fabulous beers during the day. Of course I had quite a few for me but I had to pace myself. The trolley was to leave at 5 and I arrived at Rock Bottom at noon. So when the trolley arrived at Rock Bottom we departed for Piece Brewery and Pizzeria.

A View at Piece

 The trolley driver had some difficulty maneuvering the alley but he ended up getting some assistance from Chris and John.

Chris and John Directing Traffic

Once we arrived at Piece we placed our pizza orders and I had to get the Garlic and Clam with White Sauce one last time! I believe I turned on some of the naysayers to these toppings! I better be able to find it out here in the Northwest with all the plentiful crustaceans. Then from Piece we went to Goose Island – Clybourn. There we had some of Will’s fabulous beers one last time, or until Denver in September! He even gave the trolley goers a tour of the brewery.

Pete, Steve, Todd & Myself at Goose

After Goose Island we departed on the trolley for the Hopleaf. By this time we were all feeling quite good.

Steve (3 sheets) & Erin

Some of us more than others! Well at the Hopleaf we met up with Steve and Sean from the Drinking & Writing Brewery and fortunate enough for Pete and I they had spots for us at the bar. Of course while at Hopleaf what else would you order, some of their delicious mussels! So good. At this point we had some more beer while others left the group. But we were not done at Hopleaf, we still had one more stop on the trolley, Brownstone, to watch some UFC fights. Not too sure on who were able to actually watch the fights but none the less we did arrive and ended the night there. A big thanks for all my friends that I’ve left behind in Chicago. Please come out an visit, you have a place to stay here in Portland! And to that I bid Chicago farewell….welcome Portland!

Herman Joseph’s Private Reserve is only available in Colorado in “finer restaurants”, mainly around the Denver area. All 24 pack case bottles are hand packed in nice heavy case cardboard boxes. It seems that each batch is numbered. The bottle I tasted is labeled Brew Number 001.

On to the beer itself, this is a lager that is said to be “Chill Lagered” using Noble Hops and Moravian Two-Row Barley. This lager pours out to a dark golden color with a nice head to it. Once tasted there was a nice maltyness that came forth once the beer opened up. The overall taste was quite crisp but a bit thinner than expected with a deep color that this beer offers. When in the Denver area this would be a decent beer to seek out.

New Glarus Brewing Co. ALT

New Glarus Brewing Co.‘s seasonal offering ALT is their version of the great, hard to find beer that comes from Dusseldorf, Germany “officially” called altbier. Altbier is a top fermenting beer that is later lagered to offer a very crisp, clean taste compared to that of a British Ale. 

This version of Altbier by New Glarus is only loosely based on the more traditional style of altbier. Dan Carey’s version is only similar in a few aspects. Yes, ALT is a top fermented with heavy use of caramel malts but from there is where the difference begins. Dan’s ALT uses Raw Turbinado Sugar and then is aged on oak in open topped fermentors followed by a bottle conditioning. 

New Glarus Brewing Co. ALT pours out to bold copper color with just the slightness of a cloudiness to it with a thick rich amber head. The aroma is that of bold caramel and noticeable alcohol that ultimately takes over the entire beer. From the first tastes of this beer all I could taste was the overpowering sweetness and alcohol (must be from the oak fermentors). A very strong beer and not like its Dusseldorf’s counterpart of being an easy session beer. ALT is just not the beer for me.

Lineup of Pumpkin Challenge

Back in early December I purchased a mixed 6 pack of various Pumpkin Beers at Woodman’s to sample and taste. Well I ended up forgetting about this purchase until I found it in my car’s trunk last night. Therefore, some of these 6 beers may not be in their freshest form but I sampled them anyway. A beer is a terrible thing to waste!

Pumpkin Beers can be hit or miss, some love them while others loathe them. I am one that always enjoys their uniqueness and search out brewpubs and bars in the fall that have them on tap. Sometimes one is all that’s necessary in a setting. However, a Pumpkin Beer does offer something unique in the crisp autumn air. George Washington is said to have brewed beer using pumpkins so this style of brew can be considered part of our American heritage. Even the GABF has a category for beer brewed with Fruit or Vegetables. So there is no need to laugh off this emerging category of ales and lagers.

The six beers that I purchased consisted of  Blue Moon Harvest Moon, Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Pumpkin Ale, Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager Beer, Michelob Brewing Co. Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale, and New Holland Brewing Co. Ichabod.

All 6 of these Pumpkin Beers poured with little head that turned to a nice deep golden copper color. The Blue Moon Harvest Ale and Dogfish Head Punkin Ale poured out the darkest and Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale was the lightest in color.

The nose on all 6 varied but all brought forth a strong sense of spice and pumpkin. Lakefront’s Pumpkin Lager had the most pleasant aroma with New Holland’s Ichabod a very close second. Blue Moon’s Harvest Ale had the least amount of spice aroma but noticeable pumpkin.

Now on to taste. All 6 Pumpkin Beers contained noticeable pumpkin and spice tastes, some more enjoyable than others. The smoothest tasting of the bunch was Lakefront’s Pumpkin Lager. This may be since this is the only lager as the others are all ales. Lakefront lagers their Pumpkin Lager for 4 weeks to produce a more robust smooth taste than the quicker turnaround ales.

Taking the color, aroma and taste all in here is my ranking:

1. Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager
2. New Holland Brewing Co. Ichabod
3. Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Pumpkin Ale
4. Blue Moon Harvest Ale
5. Michelob Brewing Co. Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale
6. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale