The Avery Project Wrap-Up

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Nov. 27, 2012

As I sit here on my patio on a mild, late fall afternoon here in Boulder to reflect on The Avery Project, what surprised me the most was how long it took me to finish.  I initially anticipated that it would take me a couple of months, tops.  As it turns out, however, finding an hour to sit down and really, truly focus on a beer, no matter how easily obtainable it is, is not so easy to do three times a week.    

So here we are 1 year, 2 months and 15 days later; 276 ounces of beer later, $129.83 and 617-plus IBUs consumed later; and 24 blog posts later.  That is what it took for me to review 20 Avery beers.  

To be fair, 20 Avery beers are not your typical 20 beers.  The average ABV of beers I drank for this project was 9.5%, which works out to be the equivalent of 43.7 regular, 12-ounce Budweiser’s…at least in terms of alcohol consumed.  Flavor is a different story – not sure there are enough Buds on the planet to equal the amount flavor I experienced during this project.

When I set out on this little excursion, my goal was to get to know my new hometown brewery in a much more intimate sense - and to expand my beer horizons with their wide variety of styles.  Along the way I was hoping that my journey through 20 of their beers might enlighten a few people as to what Avery is capable of accomplishing aside from their flagship brew.  Since many beer drinkers, particularly those outside of

Colorado, only know Avery for their IPA I wanted others to have the chance to see more of what those of us here in Boulder see of our hometown’s most well-known beer producer.    

By the way, when I say that this journey was through 20 beers, 20 is the number that I actually wrote about and posted.  During my visits to the taproom over the past year I have probably sampled 50-plus Avery offerings, many of which did not make it into the project.  This was not because they weren’t great beers, rather that when I drank them I was not in a position to review.  Drinking great beer at the brewery with great company is not exactly the time to break out the notes and start reviewing. 

Even during several of the occasions when I was able to take notes at the brewery I was often unable to convert those notes into full posts.  At times it was not just because I never had the time to make the conversion, but rather because of the intent of the project.  Had I began this whole thing as an effort to only review rare and special releases that no one outside of Boulder really gets a chance to try than my trip to the 19^th Anniversary party would have yielded five or six reviews…or maybe a few less considering that by the end of said party I managed to spill three ounces of Uncle Jacob’s on myself (I know, sacrilegious).  That day I had at least one glass of Summer’s Day IPA, Bourbon Barrel Aged Salvation, Ross’s Mom, Tweak and, as indicated above, more than my fair share of Uncle Jacob’s Stout. 

Some other notable beers that I had over the past year at/from Avery – Trogdor, Piglet Purgatory, Odio Equum, Out of Spec and Lilikoi Mahu.  All of these were amazing in their own way (and in one or two cases a little too weird), but again, this wasn’t about showcasing beers that no one can get.  Avery has very strong flagships, solid seasonals, several excellent rotating series and some spectacular one offs – all of which deserved some attention here.

With all of that said, there are a few beers that could have (and maybe should have) easily been included in this project but were not.  I’ll start with my favorite beer that did not make the cut – Mephistopheles Stout – one of my all time favorite beers.  I actually wrote a review for it while sitting at the West End Tavern here in Boulder, but sadly it was a month before I was able to sit down to turn those notes into a full review.  Writing a post based on month-old notes did not seem appropriate for a beer that deserves such respect.  I ended up going with The Beast as the representative from the “Demons of Ale” series instead – which I was able to review and post in a much more timely manner.

So I guess now we’re at $134.83 + tip for the whole project.

Collaboration not Litigation was a similar story.  This one I actually reviewed at home one night and I did not forget about it.  Instead, my computer crashed half-way through the review and I never was able to retrieve it.  Rather than go on memory alone, I chose to skip it.  An $8 mistake bringing the new total spent to $142.84.  By the way, this is the eighth most reviewed Avery beer on Beer Advocate.

Next, Old Jubilation is probably one of two that I feel the worst about missing out on.  No, it isn’t my favorite seasonal from Avery, but it is one of the most popular and I simply never got around to reviewing it.  The good news for you all though is that everyone else did – it is by far the most reviewed full-production seasonal from Avery. 

And that brings us to the final beer that could/should have been included here, which is Eremita.  Eremita is a taproom exclusive, sour, brett beer that has had four iterations over the past year.  They have all been very good and I am slightly ashamed that I never got around to reviewing any of the four of them.  I may have to add an addendum to the project just to sneak one of these in.  This beer really does say a lot about the brewery.

Additionally, some of you may have noted that two very important Avery beers did not get reviewed for this project – Hog Heaven Barleywine and Maharaja Double IPA.  The reason I skipped those two is because they were both already reviewed here during our Barleywine Project and DIPA Project respectively.  I did not want to unnecessarily double up on them.   

Anyhow, a strong argument can be made that the lack of any one of the above beers makes this project incomplete, but on the other hand, what would I have removed from the list?  Karma?  Rumpkin?  The Reverend?  Surprisingly, only 20 beers simply left too many bases to cover.

Ultimately, I do believe that I was able to provide a good mix of everyday Avery brews, special, but widely available beers and the rare, highly sought after special-releases.  I made sure to review a few of the everyday, year-round releases like Ellie’s and IPA, a couple from the “Trinity of Ales” series (Reverend and Salvation), both beers from the “Annual Barrel-Aged” series, a few from the regular “Barrel-Aged Series”, a collaboration (Repoterrior), a couple Anniversary brews (Thirteen & Nineteen), a “Demons of Ale” release (The Beast) and finally a special, once-every-four years brew in the Ale to the Chief.  I think, overall, it is a pretty solid representation of what Avery Brewing Company does.  

Collection of Avery bottles, not necessarily what I reviewed

I worked hard to avoid simply reviewing the styles that I prefer and I made an effort to try some things that weren’t necessarily what I would always reach for and I am glad that I did.  I learned a lot more that way and I am hoping that you, the readers, have appreciated that and learned from it as well.  Thanks for enjoying The Avery Project.  Stay tuned for the completion of The Barleywine Project and for whatever comes next here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights. 

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 Review #4 - Avery Rumpkin

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Oct. 24, 2011

As some of you may have seen on the blog earlier this week, Emily and I made it out to Avery for Rumpkin Release Day back on the 15^th of this month.  We arrived a little before 3:00 in the afternoon and were pretty close to the front of the line.  At first we felt a little silly for getting there so early before the 5:00 PM release, but we quickly learned why we certainly had made the right choice.

For starters, it was an absolutely perfect Saturday afternoon here in Boulder.  It was about 78 degrees and the clouds were few and far between.  The tasting room and patio were jam packed with regular brewery-goers.  After grabbing a couple bales of hay to sit on and arranging our stuff I walked into the tasting room to grab a beer.  It was so busy that the whole process took me about 15 minutes.  When I came back out with beers in hand, though, the guys next to us let us in on the secret – people in line for Rumpkin didn’t have to wait in line for beer now.

Sure enough, they had the barrel room open and had a mini bar set up with ten taps plus all of Avery’s canned beer was being sold for $2 each.  I did not wait for another beer the rest of the afternoon.  On top of cheap and easy beer, the line-waiters had exclusive access to some of the tastiest turkey legs I’ve ever had.  They were braised in Avery’s White Rascal and then spiced with the Rumpkin spices.  Amazing. 

Regardless of whether or not we were there to early, it was worth it to both of us to wait a couple of hours in order to buy two full six-packs of Avery’s Rumpkin.  Last March, while visiting Boulder, Emily and I stopped at the Tasting Room.  We were lucky enough to try a random batch of Rumpkin that, until that point, had been set aside for a rainy day.  We were both impressed, but they were only offering 4 oz. tasters of it.  When GABF rolled around this year I was able to sneak over to the brewery for a few minutes and get a single 4oz. pour.  Then, the day of the release, we split two bottles with four or five other people, leaving us a precious few ounces a piece.  Finally, though, a few nights ago I was able to sit down with a full bottle and write a proper review for an actual, no-foolin’, full bottle of Rumpkin.  Here’s what I found:   

Location: Avery Tap Room

Cost: $10

ABV: 15.9%

IBUs: NA

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: Rum Barrel Aged Pumpkin Ale

Average Beer Advocate Rating: B+/3.97 – Very Good

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

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate: 34

Brewery Description: NA

Bottled On: October 5, 2011

My Avery Rumpkin waiting to be poured

APPEARANCE:  (3.5 out of 5) It doesn’t look like much; in fact, it actually resembles a run of the mill Double IPA - deep copper, with a thin, wispy head that dissipates quickly leaving a ring of foam around the edges of the glass.  A little mound of bubbles clings to life smack in the middle created by the geyser of bubbles shooting up from the bottom.  This is a very unassuming beer for what I know is about to hit my palate and my nose.

SMELL:  (4 out of 5) Brown sugar, dark rum (and yes, it is Gosling’s that I can specifically taste, but then again it is my favorite rum) and pumpkin, make up the aroma in that order.  Additionally, the Rumpkin has some lingering aromas of ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. 

TASTE:  (5 out of 5) Wow.  The Dark and Stormy (one part Gosling’s Ginger Beer, one part Gosling’s Dark Rum with a lime garnish) has long been my absolute favorite cocktail and this is a Dark and Stormy, in beer form, with a bit of pumpkin added.  The big, sweet, sugary rum and pumpkin are first to hit the palate, but the ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon quickly move to the forefront.  The pumpkin and sugar linger on the palate towards the finish and through to the aftertaste.  To quote Homer Simpson “sweet merciful crap” this is an exceptionally delicious beer.  It cannot be improved for a pumpkin beer. 

Going back to the Dark and Stormy, I’ve always described it as a molasses cookie in cocktail form.  Well, now I’ll be describing the Rumpkin as a pumpkin molasses cookie in beer form.  By the way, there is something that is completely lacking here and that is any heat at all from the high ABV.  It’s pretty spectacularly disguised by everything else that is going on in the Rumpkin, although that makes it quite a dangerous brew.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4.5 out of 5) Smooth and a bit oily.  Most of the sip is very sweet and sticky, but the finish is nice, dry and almost palate cleansing.  The richness and big, bold flavors are all felt, but they do not punish the palate on the way down.  This could have easily been far too sweet and cloying, but it stays refined with just the right touch of sugary goodness.

OVERALL:  (5 out of 5) As I mentioned above, as far as pumpkin ales go the Rumpkin cannot get any better.  As far as a barrel aged beers go it also cannot get much better.  This is what happens when one of the world’s better breweries happens to have access to some of the world’s greatest ingredients, in particular, Gosling’s Rum barrels.  The Rumpkin is one of those few limited, seasonal beers that is absolutely and completely worth all the hype. 

Craft beer drinkers have become very passionate about their favorite pumpkin beers over the past couple of years, and I know there are some great ones out there, but I have to say that I’ll be absolutely shocked if I ever come across one that is better than this. 

DRAWBACKS:  The only real drawback for me here is the appearance.  There is nothing wrong with it at all, but the look of this beer does not immediately give the drinker the impression that he or she is about to have one of the best beers out there.  Also, if I am going to get nitpicky, and I will, the nose could be stronger.  It is fantastic, but I love those beers that fill the room with aroma the instant they are open.  

Rumpkin!

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Oct. 18, 2011

I've only had a few tastes that I shared with friends, but a full review is coming soon.  In the mean time, here is a picture of more Rumpkin than I will probably ever have again at one time:

After waiting in line on a gorgeous Boulder afternoon for a couple hours with $2 cans of Avery and some delicious White Rascal braised, Rumpkin spiced turkey legs for lunch, the woman and I finally snagged a couple of six packs of what has come to be our favorite fall seasonal beer.  And that says a lot, I love fall beers, but I typically prefer Harvest Ales to Pumpkins.  Stay tuned for the review and if anyone wants to make a trade, I am willing to give up one or two bottles in return for the right beer.  Get in touch.