The Avery Project - Avery's Best Beer?

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

June 11, 2012

Last week we reached the halfway point of The Avery Project with our review of Muscat D’Amour.  Initially, I had predicted that this project would take a month or two to complete. 

Haha.  Hilarious. 

If I were a pregnant woman when I began this venture I’d have a child by now…and we’ve only reached the middle.  The second half, however, should move a little more quickly given that The Barleywine Project is on somewhat of a hold until Barleywine season comes around again in the late fall. 

This is just the second project to have reached the midpoint here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights.  The first, The DIPA Project, is now complete, but when we reached halftime of that one we took a break from the routine to do something a little different.  Emily and I settled the score between two of our favorite Bourbon Barrel Aged Stouts – the Bourbon County Stout from Goose Island and the Kentucky Breakfast Stout from Founders.  Now, it is time to settle an intramural score – what is Avery’s best beer?

Of course, this will not be an easy task and am certain that many of you will disagree with the three beers I am putting up against each other, but I went with my personal highest rated Avery beers that someone outside Boulder may be able to track down and try for themselves at some point in the future.  Taproom exclusives and one-time brews that will never be seen again are out.  So the three competitors tonight are Maharaja, Uncle Jacob's Stout and Rumpkin.  I know that it will be impossible to have perfectly consistent conditions for each beer, however with both the Maha and the Jacob’s being fresh and the Rumpkin still less than a year old I figured this would be my best opportunity to give them all a fair shake at the same time for at least another year. 

The other issue is that of my palate.  While none of these beers will be palate wreckers, they will certainly run the gamut of flavors, so this will be far less scientific and much more subjective and fun than anything else.  So place your bets now folks, and read on to see which Avery beer comes out on top here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights!

By the way, if you really want to get the most out of this little exercise I would recommend going back to check out my original reviews.  I’ll put in a link for each one below. 

Maharaja:

Review #11 of The DIPA Project

Reviewed on April 11, 2011

Batch #13

IBUs: 102

ABV: 10.54%

My Ranking: A+/4.68

APPEARANCE:  5 out of 5

SMELL:  4 out of 5

TASTE:  5 out of 5

MOUTHFEEL:  4 out of 5

OVERALL:  5 out of 5

Tonight, the Maharaja will be the only beer that is not from the same batch that was originally reviewed.  However, I’ve had the pleasure of tasting Batch #14 and Batch #15 since I reviewed Batch #13 last year and they have all been consistent.  I am also drinking this Batch #16 offering about as fresh as possible.  It has been on the shelf for about a week and I expect deliciousness.  It is worth noting that the ABV is a little lower on the 16; 10.17%. 

OK, here we go:  The color and appearance are just about the same as I described in my initial review.  The Maharaja still has a gorgeous and thick head along with a marvelous color.  The smell, however, is stronger than it had been when I first reviewed it.  I would probably go with a 4.5 now.  In that first review I used the word “symmetrical” to describe each sip and I fully stand by that, only this time I think the bottle I am drinking from is just as malty as I had remembered it being in the taproom. 

So my conclusion?  Yep.  The Maharaja is still an exceptionally tasty beer, worthy of the high praise and hype it often gets.  This is Boulder’s best regularly (although not always) available beer.  Pick some up before this batch runs out.  It’ll be the last until next winter.  While you’re out, make sure to grab some Point Reyes Blue Cheese – it is the perfect pair. 

Uncle Jacob’s Stout:

Review #9 of The Avery Project

Reviewed on April 22, 2012

Bottled on March 27, 2012

IBUs:  NA

ABV:  17.42%

My Ranking:  A+/4.7

APPEARANCE:  4 out of 5

SMELL:  4 out of 5

TASTE:  5 out of 5

MOUTHFEEL:  4.5 out of 5

OVERALL:  5 out of 5

On to beer Number 2; Uncle Jacob’s Stout is from the same batch as when I originally reviewed it.  It is less than three months old and with that enormous 17.42% ABV there should be no noticeable change to it at all.  Let’s see.

Well, my sense of smell must be in much better shape than usual.  I am getting a lot more on the nose this time than I have in the past.  Also, in addition to all that delicious vanilla and oak, there is a nice, fairly strong smell of milk chocolate.  Again, I’d up this one to a 4.5 in the smell department if I were to do another full review. 

My first thought after sipping this one for the first time this evening is that it is going to be tough to beat.  While the Maharaja is one of my favorite beers of my favorite style, the Uncle Jacob’s has it beat.  Bourbon Stouts are a close second to Double IPAs for me and this is just nearly a perfectly done beer.  I’m getting all the oak, vanilla, chocolate and cherry that I got the first time I reviewed this beer, but this time around I’m getting a little more caramel and a touch of nutmeg.  The mouthfeel is just right for the style and again, I think this might give Bourbon County Stout a run for its money.  I can’t wait to make that comparison.

Rumpkin:

Review #4 of The Avery Project

Reviewed on October 24, 2011

Bottled on October 5, 2011

IBUs:  NA

ABV:  15.9%

My Ranking:  A+/4.68

APPEARANCE:  3.5 out of 5

SMELL:  4 out of 5

TASTE:  5 out of 5

MOUTHFEEL:  4.5 out of 5

OVERALL:  5 out of 5

Like the Uncle Jacob’s the Rumpkin is from the exact same batch that I originally reviewed, but it is nearly eight months old now.  Again, with an ABV this high I don’t expect very big changes in it at this point, but we shall see.

This is still not the best looking beer in the world.  There is nothing wrong with it, but it just doesn’t look like it will taste and smell as good as I know it will.  In terms of the aroma department, it is official; I’m having a good nose day.  In addition to everything I already know about this beer the toffee flavors are coming out incredibly strong and delicious like.  I wouldn’t bump this one up to a 4.5, I’d make it a 5.  Beer (or anything for that matter) can’t really smell any better than this.

Again, this is the perfect pumpkin beer.  It cannot get better for the style.  Rum was the perfect choice for barrel aging and the combination of pumpkin pie spices that were used to brew this beer is simply unbeatable.  I thought Uncle Jacob had this thing all wrapped up, but I’m not going to be able to decide. 

On one hand, the Rumpkin seems as though it cannot be improved upon in terms of smell and taste.  On the other hand, the Uncle Jacob’s is a little less boozy (in terms of taste) and it is a style that I enjoy more than pumpkin ales.  This is such a tough call.

Conclusion:

The bottom line is that these three beers can stand up to almost any other beers on the planet and they are all brewed just a couple miles down the road from me here in Boulder at Avery.  I am very fortunate to have these guys in my back yard.

As much as I love the Maharaja and believe that it is one of the best Double IPAs available anywhere, after tasting it fresh, next to the Uncle Jacob’s Stout and Rumpkin it is clear that it is not the absolute best that Avery is capable of.  When they have time to slow down and really focus on what they do best they excel far beyond most other breweries in Colorado, in the U.S. and on the planet.  They routinely make fantastic beers that are unique to the style, but at the same time are somehow consistently right on target for the style. 

Rumpkin may be the best example of this.  There is no Pumpkin Ale out there that even remotely compares to Rumpkin, but at the same time there is no doubt, whatsoever, that it is an excellent example of the style.

The Jacob’s however, is clearly one of the best within its style – a style that happens to be flooded with outstanding beers that beer geeks clamor to get their hands on, so maybe it is a more impressive feat to be a contender as one of the best in the Imperial Stout category than it is to be the best Pumpkin Ale.  I don’t know for sure, but when it comes down to it, I don’t really care either.  I thoroughly enjoyed all three beers.

Avery Maharaja, At Least Someone Agrees With Me

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Mar. 20, 2012

Back in April of last year we here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights were right in the middle of our DIPA Project - our quest to drink and review the 20 Most Reviewed Double IPAs on Beer Advocate.  It was time to review a personal favorite of mine and a classic, the Avery Maharaja.  The Maha, in my opinion, proved to beat Russian River's Pliny the Elder, a point that many have disagreed with me on since.  However, this afternoon I came across a YouTube review of Maharaja and found that at least one other person agrees with me, so I thought you all might like to check it out.  Here, from the San Diego Beer Vlog; Avery's Maharaja:

Avery Review #5 - Avery DuganA

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Dec. 2, 2011

After some busy time at work and a week-long trip back to Chicago for Thanksgiving, it had been a couple of weeks since my last appearance at the Avery Tap Room here in Boulder.  Since it was about time to get a post or two up here on 20 Beers in 20 Nights, I headed over to the Tap Room earlier this week to review a couple more beers for the Avery Project.

Since three of the first four Avery reviews here have focused on some very difficult to find offerings from the brewery (Rumpkin, Repoterrior, Thirteen) the next few reviews will cover some beers that will be readily available to most of the audience here, at least by way of trade (which I am completely willing to do with any of you out there without access). 

So for Review #5 we’ll be focusing on one of Avery’s instant classics – the DuganA.  While only a couple of years old, the DuganA has quickly become a fall and winter staple of the brewery’s line up.  It is a Double IPA released every September just as the Maharaja is drying up for the year.  With a second batch released in January, the DuganA fills the DIPA void when Maharaja is not available during the winter months (although, rumor has it that this year the Maha will be released in a week or two).

Here’s some specifics on the DuganA:

Location: Avery Tap Room

Cost: $3 – 10 oz. pour

ABV: 8.5%

IBUs: 93

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

Average Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.12 – Excellent

My Beer Advocate Rating: B-/3.43 - Worthy

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate: 473 (46^th most popular DIPA on Beer Advocate)

Brewery Description: Avery DuganA

Tapped: September 2011

This is one of the few beers I have reviewed in which I have disagreed with the official brewery’s description.  It is particularly surprising that I disagreed with Avery’s description, but I just did not (and really have never gotten) “dank, piney and resinous” from the DuganA.  Bitter?  Yes.  Piney?  Maybe.  Dank and resinous?  No.  Anyhow, on to the review: 

DuganA and friends at the Avery Tap Room

APPEARANCE:  (4 out of 5) The DuganA is a good-looking beer, crystal clear and light, pale orange.  Hundreds of bubbles stream to the top of the glass futilely trying to add to the quickly dissipating, quarter-inch, off-white head.  The head (which would have been a bit thicker in a larger glass) dissipated quickly leaving a thin layer of foam, which remained throughout most of the glass.  That foam was enough to leave some decent lacing throughout the glass.

SMELL:  (3 out of 5) The DuganA is a bit lacking in the aroma department, for a Double IPA it is simply too subtle for my taste (or smell).  What is there smells pretty good – crisp notes of grapefruit along with a touch of floral smell.

TASTE:  (3.5 out of 5) That subtle grapefruit from the nose is no longer subtle once it reaches the palate.  Again, the bitter citrus of the grapefruit is crisp and clean.  Aside from the big, citrusy flavor though, the DuganA seems a little thin for a DIPA.  There is a little bit of a floral flavor lurking behind the grapefruit and some bready notes are noticeable, but neither does enough to fully round out the flavor. 

MOUTHFEEL:  (3.5 out of 5) The DuganA is a palate cleansing beer to be sure.  It is crisp and dry for most of the sip, but it does leave a touch of a funky acidic aftertaste on the tail end.

OVERALL:  (3.5 out of 5) From its ABV to its taste and aroma, the DuganA seems to be hovering somewhere in between a regular IPA and a Double IPA.  It is certainly more on the crisp side than most big, full-flavored DIPAs like its big brother, Maharaja.  On the other hand, for someone just looking for a straight forward, bitter IPA, this would be a good option, although it may be more than expected. 

DRAWBACKS: To be fair, it is tough not to compare this beer to Maharaja and comparing any other beer to Maharaja is generally unfair.  The DuganA, however, is a little thin for a DIPA.  I will still regularly drink this beer when I can and I will enjoy it, but I’m not sure that it is worth paying the price of a bomber for.

The DIPA Project Awards and Final Rankings (Part 2)

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Aug. 30, 2011

Follow @20Beers20Nights

In case you missed Part 1 of this here it is.  Yesterday we covered the rankings, but how about the awards?  Yes, the DIPA Awards!  If you don't know what we're talking about yet, click that link in the line above and get up to speed.  If you do know what we're doing here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights then let's dive right in.

Best Overall Beer: AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) - 8.5% ABV, 100 IBUs, San Diego, California 

This was maybe the biggest surprise of the entire project for me.  It was the last beer I reviewed and also the least reviewed beer on Beer Advocate out of the Top 20.  I was expecting to like it, but not as much as I did.  The taste was astounding, but the whole package was really great - particularly the appearance, which I will discuss in greater depth below.  Congrats to AleSmith on this beer - going into this project I expected Bell's Hopslam, Avery Maharaja or Pliny the Elder to take the cake, but AleSmith managed to top all of those outstanding breweries and beers with their annual 4th of July celebration beer.

Worst Overall Beer: Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale - 9.2%, 100+ IBUs, Novato, CA

I have nothing against Moylan's and, in fact, I loved their Barleywine and every other beer I've had of theirs.  The Imperial India Pale Ale just missed the mark in my opinion.  The beer lacked any balance, which is necessary with a beer that is as hopped up as a DIPA.  It also seemed as though there was no consideration for how this beer would feel.  It could have been saved if the mouthfeel weren't so abrasive.  I needed a glass of water to help wash it down - that is not a good sign.

Best Tasting Beer: Bell's Hopslam - 10%, 69-136 IBUs, Kalamazoo, Michigan

This was an extremely difficult decision, I gave the 5 out of 5 rating (in the taste category) to four beers on the list, YuleSmith, Ruination, Maharaja and the Hopslam.  Any one of them at any given time with any given batch of beer could probably take the cake in this category, but after having my fair share of Hopslam both on tap and in the bottle I have to say that Bell's wins this category by a hair with the consistency shown in this savior from early winter.  It may be the best tasting beer on the planet.

Best Looking Beer - AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) - 8.5% ABV, 100 IBUs, San Diego, California

This is one of the few categories that was a no-brainer.  The color was absolutely gorgeous, the packaging is very appetizing and good looking and the head never fully dissipated throughout the entire pint.  This was the most amazing feat in head retention I have ever seen.  The only other times I have still had a solid layer of head at the bottom of the glass were the times that I had a beer completely foam up on me during the pour.  This was not the case with the YuleSmith, the head was thick after the pour, but not abnormally so.  It was just an all around pretty beer.

Most Overpriced Beer: Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA - 18% ABV, 120 IBUs, Milton, Delaware

Was I happy that I was one of the lucky few who got my hands on a couple of bottles of this year's 120 minute IPA?  Yes.  Was I happy to pay $19 for the bottle at a bar?  No.  Of course with an ABV as high as this and with the time and effort that went into creating this beer I understand the cost.  That said, I do not think the quality of the beer matched the cost.

Best Smelling Beer: Russian River Pliny the Elder - 8% ABV, 100 IBUs, Santa Rosa, California

The only other beer that came close to this one on the list was Founders Devil Dancer.  Otherwise, this was a runaway winner in the category.  As I mentioned in my review, when I first tried this beer I kept my nose in the glass for five minutes before taking my first sip because it smelled like "delicious, hoppy, magical flowers."  While overall, Pliny didn't come through as the experience it was hyped up to be, the smell alone was worth the hunt.  And now that I am living in Colorado, with just a little effort I can track this smell down again.

Best Feeling Beer: Founders Double Trouble - 9.4% ABV, 86 IBUs, Grand Rapids, Michigan

This was another runaway winner.  The Double Trouble was the only beer on The List that I gave a 5 out of 5 to in the mouthfeel department.  The light, flirty carbonation added so much to this already remarkably tasting beer that I no choice other than to dole out a perfect score in the category.  It does not get any better.  On a separate note, I didn't explicitly mention this in the review, but had the color and the lacing been just a shade stronger I would have ranked this one right up there with my favorites and given it an A+.  It's only real drawback is that it sort of looks like a light lager and the head/lacing isn't too impressive.

Best Beer/Music Pairing - Avery Maharaja - 10.54% ABV, 102 IBUs, Boulder, Colorado

You will probably not find this type of award anywhere else, however, throughout the process of reviewing the Top 20 most popular DIPAs on Beer Advocate I tried to match each beer up to a complimentary piece of music.  Some didn't really have a good pairing, while others were obvious right away.  The Founders Devil Dancer was, again, a close second in this category with a fairly obvious "Friend of the Devil" pairing, but Avery came out on top.  The obscure Donald Byrd track that happened upon my ears while I was writing the Maharaja review was called "Cristo Redento" and served to add greatly to my experience.  Oddly enough, although I was surprised by YuleSmith's last minute, come from behind victory to take the best overall and best taste categories, as I went back and reread my Maharaja review I noticed that I predicted that it was the only beer that could possibly knock off Maharaja for the best tasting.  Funny.

And with that, I believe the DIPA Project is officially over.  I intend to begin a new one very soon, but I am currently having a difficult time deciding on another set of 20 beers to write about.  If you have suggestions feel free to make them.  I also may take on more than one project at a time, depending on how much time I have, so feel free to make any suggestions even after I begin the next one.

A big thank you to everyone who has read and helped out with this project in any way.  To the readers, thanks a ton for stopping by and motivating me to keep writing.  To r/beer and Beer Advocate, thank you so much for providing me insight, thoughts, help and a good argument or two - a particular thanks to BAers ren and nevins for working out trades with me for YuleSmith and Double Simcoe respectively.  Thanks to my brother-in-law Dan (And Happy Birthday Buddy!) for talking DIPAs with me on a regular basis and helping me track down Devil Dancer.  Thanks to Kyle and Phil at Prairie Moon in Evanston who served me many of the beers on this list over the past year.  Thanks to Carlos at Fischman's in Chicago for holding onto that 4-pack of Devil Dancer for me.  Finally, thanks to Emily, my wonderful girlfriend for traveling all over the country with me this past year as we searched for schools and great beer.  It would not have been anywhere near as fun without you.  I'm probably missing someone, and if I am, I'll update this post.  Until next time, stay tuned and Cheers!

Review #11 - Avery Maharaja

Posted by: Stonecipher

Apr. 11, 2011

A couple of weeks ago Emily and I spent the weekend in Boulder, Colorado and of course, a trip to Avery Brewing Company was on the itinerary.  It was about six months prior that I had first tasted the Maharaja on tap in Avery’s tasting room and I fell for it instantly.  Not much made it to Illinois though, and although I was teased with the promise of Maharaja once over the winter, the only bottle I was able to track down was in Richmond, Virginia of all places.  Needless to say, I was looking forward to our return trip to Boulder, particularly because a new batch of Avery’s delicious Double IPA was scheduled to be tapped just days before we arrived.

We arrived at the tasting room about an hour and a half before close, and while that may not seem like a particularly long time to some, when your body is not quite adjusted to the 5,430 foot altitude and you are drinking 10% beer, it can be a bit much.  So despite the fact that the Raja tasted like heaven that evening, this first review of the second half of The List (By the way, check out the two outstanding beers we reviewed for our special “half-time” show) is based on a fresh bottle that I picked up on my way out of town. 

ABV: 10.54%

IBUs: 102

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Double/Imperial India Pale Ale

Average Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.18 – Excellent

My Beer Advocate Rating: A+/4.68 – World Class

Current Number of Reviews/Rank in the Top 20 on Beer Advocate: 1,331/7th

Brewery Description: Avery Maharaja

Bottled On: Batch #13, March, 2011

A couple of notes about the above information:

One, the ABV has varied slightly with each batch and different sources will likely give you different numbers, but Batch #13, the one I am reviewing here, weighs in at 10.54% as it states on the new bottle.

Two, as I predicted a few weeks ago, Maharaja has now moved back into the Number 7 spot on The List.

And Three, several people, our bartender at Avery included, have mentioned that Batch #13 is one of the best so far.  In my opinion, the Batch #12 that I had was great, but the #13 really did beat it.

On to the review…

APPEARANCE:  (5 out of 5) Look at that pretty head!  Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a Delirium Tremens tulip glass the Maharaja’s head is about an inch thick and stark white.  The body of the beer is a rich, deep, red copper that is so clear that I can look down to the bottom of the glass and see the dozen or so large bubbles slowly breaking apart to create a steady stream of extra-tiny bubbles continuously rising from the bottom of the glass.  As the tulip glass becomes more and more empty a pretty, stained-glass lacing covers about 50% of the opposite side of the glass.

SMELL:  (4 out of 5) Strong floral aromas with hints of pine, grapefruit and even a touch of banana.  At the brewery last week I recall the smell being much stronger, but I also had five 10 oz. pours, so what I recall is suspect at best.  This is an excellent smelling beer, but I would like more aroma.

TASTE:  (5 out of 5) A blast of hops and flowers assaults my tongue right off the bat, followed by a burst of grapefruit and a few other more subtle citrus flavors.  All the while, the malty notes are slowly building through the middle of the sip where they peak with a tempered sweetness.  The back end allows the malt to fade while the floral hops and the grapefruit return.  At the very tail end, the grapefruit kicks one last time leaving a bitter, citrusy taste on the tongue.  Throughout the glass I was also able to pick up hint of nuttiness and some grassy notes as well.  I have never said this about a beer, but the Maharaja is symmetrical, depending on how you look at it, it is either two waves of bitterness on either end of the sip or one sweet, malty wave in the middle.  Either way, it is delicious.  It should be noted, however, that it seems to be much bitterer than it was at the taproom.  At Avery, and on tap it was exceptionally malty and sweet, in the bottle it is a bitter hop bomb – again, delicious either way. 

MOUTHFEEL: (4 out of 5) With a bit of a tickle the Maharaja does not have a very strong carbonation.  With that in mind, along with the fact that there is a very strong malt presence (even in the bottle), it is rather surprising that Avery’s offering is neither mouthcoating nor oily.  Instead it is rather dry. 

OVERALL:  (5 out of 5) It is difficult for me to write anything objectively about Avery.  Their IPA was one of the very first that I fell in love with and my two trips to the brewery have only served to make me love them even more.  After this past week’s visit I believe they have thrust themselves from somewhere in my top five to over taking Lagunitas as my solid number two on my favorites list.  They’ll need to do just a tad better to edge out Ska.  Anyhow, I have only been privileged enough to have Maharaja a handful of times, but the flavor sticks with me and is always memorable.  Drinking this beer has been a celebratory experience, a social experience and a spiritual one.  As I sit here drinking it right now it is the latter.  This is the first time it has been just me and the beer.  I know I’m gushing about it, but this beer is special and very well may be the beer that has tipped the California vs. Colorado debate for me in favor of CO. 

DRAWBACKS:  Basically none, except the nose.  It may not be perfect for everyone.  If you’re a hop head expecting a Stone Ruination, you will be disappointed, but if you can appreciate complexity and some malt then Maharaja is for you.  Back to the nose, though, my guess is that if Avery ever tried to mess with the aroma they would destroy the taste as well, so I would never call for any changes to this beer, but for such a spectacular brew, it is a shame that planting my nose inside the glass for three minutes is not quite as wonderful a sensation as it has been for some of the other DIPAs on The List.

SOUND:  This one is a stretch, but as I mentioned above, the Maharaja can be a bit of a spiritual experience and as I was having this experience during this review, my iPod happened to start playing the perfect song.  I’m not religious at all, but I believe that this song was delivered to me as I drank this either by the spirit of Benjamin Franklin or by Silenus (the ancient Greek God of Beer).  The song?  It was Donald Byrd’s “Cristo Redento”.  Haunting, soothing and exceptionally complex all at the same time, this masterpiece of sound from a legend in the jazz world is the perfect companion for you and a Maharaja.  I understand the stigma attached to drinking alone, but if it is done for the right reasons, at the right time, under the right conditions, with the right drink and with intent, it can be a transcendent experience.  If you can obtain a Maharaja wherever you are, I highly recommend that you secure a bottle, take it home and wait for a night when you know that no one else will bother you, download “Cristo Redento” by Donald Byrd, put it on repeat and crack the bottle open. 

The nearly 1,500 words I have written so far have taken me almost an hour to write and I have spent about 25 minutes listening to “Cristo” during that time.  I have also savored every sip of this beer the whole way through.  Furthermore, it has taken me this entire time that I have been writing to finish this spectacular beer and I would not want it any other way.  I have reviewed over half of The List here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights so far and I have already tasted 14 of the 20 and right now, Maharaja is the front runner in the taste department.  Yes, there are still six that I have not tried, but unless the YuleSmith beats this one I can’t imagine anyone else knocking it off its pedestal as the Gold Medal winner for 20 Beers and 20 Night’s Top 20 DIPAs.

The Mystery of the Missing Burton Baton – A Short (and True) Story About the Three Beers I Didn’t Get to Drink this Week.

Posted by: Stonecipher

Feb. 18, 2011

It has been a tough week here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights.  If all had gone well, we would have had three more of the Top 20 DIPAs reviewed and checked off the list, bringing us close to the halfway point.  Instead, the beer universe was against us and we are still stuck at #5.

I’ll begin with the worst news of all – the beer that went MIA and is now presumed dead.  As some of you may have read, we were in Nashville, TN over the past weekend.  While we were there we actually began the trip with a bit of good beer luck when we found some Oskar Blues Gordon Ale, one of the Top 20 that is not readily available here in Illinois.  That, however, is where our luck ended. 

When we got back from the bar that night we decided to throw the one bottle of beer that we had brought with us in the hotel room’s refrigerator.  That bottle was a Dogfish Head Burton Baton, which comes in at #11 on The List with 1,176 reviews.  The plan was to take advantage of some of the downtime I was hoping to have to review it and cross it off the list.  Unfortunately, I never ended up having too much downtime in the hotel room.  So, I never got around to it.

When we arrived back in Evanston on Monday, I asked my girlfriend where the beer was.  She thought it was in one of our bags.  Turns out it wasn’t.  I thought maybe I had left it in her refrigerator.  Turns out I had not.  Then she suggested maybe it was in my fridge.  Nope.  The trunk of the car?  No dice.  Was it rolling around in the back seat?  Negative.  We could just not figure out where it had vanished to. 

Finally, last night, while sitting at one of our local hangouts and sampling a few of Goose Island’s high-end sours, it hit me.  I turned to my girlfriend and said “I know where the beer is.”

“Where!?!” She replied.

“It’s in the hotel fridge.” 

And with that, the mystery of the missing Burton Baton was solved.

Of course, the Burton Baton would have been Beer #6 on The List, but what about the other two, #7 and #8?  Well, number seven, was supposed to have been the Weyerbacher Double Simcoe.  Many of you read about that last week.  Due to some minor technical difficulties, however, it looks like the Double Simcoe may not arrive until sometime this weekend… if I am lucky.  By the way, none of this was the fault of my trading partner; it was the middle man who totally dropped the ball on this one.  Said middle man has promised to straighten things out quickly, but we shall see.  Hopefully, there is a swift and happy conclusion to this story.

As for number eight, well, this one was simply a case of false advertising.  OK, maybe not false, but at the very least it was lazy advertising. 

Two nights ago, we planned to take my mother and my aunt to see Les Mis in the City.  On the way we picked out a nice restaurant called Erwin on Chicago’s North Side.  After picking it out I went on line to see if they had much of a beer list.  I was not very hopeful, but I figured there would at least be a standard Goose Island brew or two and maybe another craft selection.  As it turned out though, their beer selection was very impressive, I would even say inspired.  Of the 17 available bottles, only Amstel Light and Kaliber Non-Alcohol were non-craft selections.  If you click here and scroll down you can see just how impressive it is – Lagunitas, Two Brothers, Left Hand, even Ska! 

Sure enough, the Avery Maharaja was listed as well, and in fact, still is.  Shortly after we arrived, however, the waiter informed us that they have not had any in stock in quite some time.  I should have known better, Maharaja is not an easy beer to find and it is only brewed a few times a year (I believe three), but still, it was heartbreaking.  Plus, in all fairness, I probably would not have reviewed a beer in that setting, but still, I thought I was going to have a crack at a rare treat.  So Erwin, I appreciate the amazing salmon we had, the delicious burger I tried and whatever that delicious bean spread was that came out with the bread before the meal, but please do me a favor and take the Maharaja off of your online beer list.  Or, wait, better yet, get some Maharaja and let me know when you do so that I can come back.

The good news from all of this is that it shouldn’t take too long to get all of these beers back into my possession and reviewed.  Dogfish Head is distributed here in Chicago, so even though the Burton Baton is a tough find, I’m sure I can track it down.  Avery is also distributed here, but even if it continues to hide from me in Illinois, I will be in Boulder in late March and I will be sure to stop at the brewery then.  As for the Double Simcoe, well, it could show up any time between now and Wednesday and if not, well, I’ll have another topic for a blog post. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone, and remember, just say no to Bud, Miller-Coors.  Say yes to good, American craft beer!