Avery Review #11 - Récolte Sauvage

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Apr. 23, 2012

We begin the second half of The Avery Project with Beer #11 in Avery’s Barrel-Aged Series – Avery Récolte Sauvage.  As was the case with Beer #10 in the series, #11 happens to coincide with the Review #11 of this project at 20 Beers in 20 Nights. 

Living as close as I do to the brewery I have had the privilege of tasting quite a few Avery beers with what is becoming “that famous gold foil” on the bottle; the Rumpkin, Uncle Jacob’s Stout, Muscat D’Amour and now, finally, the Avery Récolte Sauvage. 

Like the Muscat, this beer was aged for 14 months and born on the same day – February 11, 2012.  Unlike the Muscat however, the Sauvage was aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels instead of Chardonnay barrels giving the Récolte more red wine characteristics than the white-like characteristics of its twin.

Location: Purchased at Avery Brewing Company’s Taproom

Cost: $8.99/12oz. bottle

ABV: 11.03%

IBUs: NA

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Wild Ale

Average Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.03

My Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.18

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate: 11

Description: Avery Recolte Sauvage

Bottled On: Nov. 10, 2011

APPEARANCE:  (4.5 out of 5) The Récolte pours a dark and surprisingly transparent brownish red in color; it looks like a dark Rosé.  Some bubbles quickly appear, but scatter and then vanish almost instantly, leaving behind only a few straggling patches on the surface and around the edges.  When held up to the light a pretty, sparkly and bright red shines through.  There are also quite a few champagne-like bubbles floating up to the top.  A fairly large patch of sediment also rests on the bottom, but it does not mingle with the rest of the beer, it stays separate and keeps this beer looking quite transparent despite the dark color.  You can see how much was in there in the picture to the right.

SMELL:  (4 out of 5) The Récolte Sauvage requires a swirl or two in the snifter to bring out the entire aroma, but as it fizzes up, it becomes very apparent that this is a complex beer.  Tart apple and sour lead the way – this is most definitely a sour beer.  Despite the color, however, this beer smells light, refreshing and playful.  Others have reported smelling some oak, but it isn’t there for me.  Some red wine characteristics linger as well, but nothing is as strong as the tart, mustiness of an American Wild Ale.

TASTE:  (4 out of 5) Again, just as the nose was, the flavor is dominated by a tart, sourness.  Dark fruit juice-like flavors move forward throughout the sip (and become stronger as the glass warms) while a slight chocolate taste swells towards the middle of the sip without ever becoming too conspicuous.  This beer tastes like a nice, but tart, medium-bodied red wine with some carbonation added.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4.5 out of 5) As I mentioned above, The Sauvage has medium-bodied feel along with some oak tannins that attack the front of the tongue.  As the smell suggested, the Récolte also defies its color and turns out to be a very light and lively beer.  The sparkle is strong, but tickling - it is not a palate wreaker by any means.  Surprisingly, there is no heat from the booze at all.  Maybe that’s because I just reviewed Uncle Jacob’s Stout the other night, but either way, I can’t tell at all that the ABV is 11%.

OVERALL:  (4.5 out of 5) This is yet another unique standout of a beer brewed by Avery.  In my opinion, it is superior to its fraternal twin, Muscat D’Amour (although the Muscat is a pretty good beer).  Additionally, it is the much more difficult of the two to find as the production run on this one was only 121 cases as opposed to 194 cases of the Muscat. 

On a separate note, while I drank the Sauvage I munched on some tangy blue cheese from Oregon that I picked up earlier this week and the combination was brilliant.  A nice, sharp blue will work with this beer any time. 

One final note: I split this beer with Emily and had six ounces of it.  Both of us are feeling a lot more tipsy than we should given that it was 6 oz. of an 11% beer.  This is the first beer I have ever been suspicious of having been mislabeled in terms of the ABV.

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 #10 - Muscat D'Amour

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

June 3, 2012

I tasted Avery’s Muscat D’Amour back in March and wrote a thorough review of it, but until now I have not taken the time to edit it and add an intro.  I never planned it this way, but fittingly, Beer #10 in The Avery Project here at 20 Beer in 20 Nights also happens to be Beer #10 in Avery’s Barrel-Aged Series.  The 11^th beer in our project will also be Avery’s 11^th in Barrel-Aged Series beer.  In fact, #10 and #11 were released by Avery on the same day and a friend of mine managed to snag me a bottle of each since I wasn’t able to attend the release party at the brewery.

Both the Muscat D’Amour and it’s fraternal twin, the Recolte Sauvage were barrel aged in wine barrels for 14 months with wild yeast, making them both wine-aged, sour beers.  The big difference between the two is that today’s beer, the Muscat, was aged in Chardonnay barrels and the Sauvage did its time in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.  Here are the specs on the Muscat:

Addendum to the DIPA Project - Review #21 - Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

June 2, 2012

For those of you who have been reading the blog since the beginning, you know that we began here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights with The DIPA Project – an effort to drink and review each of the 20 most reviewed Double IPAs on Beer Advocate.  That project was finally completed last fall when my beer trading buddy, Ren, was able to send me a bottle of AleSmith’s YuleSmith (Summer) Ale. 

The YuleSmith turned out to be one of my absolute favorite beers on The List, but it occupied the 20^th spot (in terms of how many times it was reviewed on BA) on the list and on top of that it is a seasonal beer from a brewery that does not have very extensive distribution.  It was destined to fall out of the Top 20 at some point and two months ago it was finally overtaken by two different beers; Green Flash Imperial IPA and Sierra Nevada Hoptimum.  The Hoptimum, however, now holds the 20^th position 19^th position (Also surpassing Moylan’s Hopsickle) and given that nearly 300 people have reviewed this 2-year old release from Sierra within the last three months alone, I would imagine that it will continue to rise in the rankings before this year’s batch is all dried up.

Although the project is technically complete, now that the Top 20 have changed I feel as though it is isn’t.  So, with that in mind, I tracked down a 4-pack with the intent of updating The Project with Beer #21.  The first time I tried this beer was on tap at The West End Tavern here in Boulder.  I thought it was alright, but not worth all the hype.  This review, however, will be done from the bottle, at home, with much better conditions for tasting and without all the distractions of a bar.  So we’ll see how this second chance goes. 

ABV: 10.4%

IBUs: 100

Brewery Location: Chico, California

Style: American Double/Imperial India Pale Ale

Average Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.06

My Beer Advocate Rating: B+/3.73
Current Number of Reviews/Rank in the Top 20 on Beer Advocate: 889/19^th

Brewery Description: Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Double IPA

Bottled On: NA

APPEARANCE:  (4.5 out of 5) Brilliantly clean, light orange in color, the Hoptimum has a nice, big, thick, foamy and stark-white head.  Good retention as the head has only receded about halfway in the past few minutes.  A big, thick, sticky ring of lacing is also clinging to the edge of the glass where the head has fallen from.  As the beer level recedes, that thick lacing continues.  It is covering nearly 100% of the back side of the glass – gorgeous. 

SMELL:  (2.5 out of 5) Dank is not a word I use very often to describe the smell of a beer, but in this case I do believe it is the only appropriate description.  The resinous pine has a very funky and earthy aroma to it and while I can see how many beer drinkers would enjoy this, it isn’t for me.

TASTE:  (4 out of 5) Although the aroma seems to be too earthy and a little overboard, the funky flavors are nicely muted by a big dose of malt and a bright, slightly bitter fruit profile.  The grapefruit is really sharp in this beer and very pleasant.  That weed-like resin from the aroma is still very strong, but it works really well with the rest of these flavors.  I have to say I am happy I gave it a second chance.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4 out of 5) The Hoptimum has an interesting mouthfeel.  It is sweet and a little sticky, but it’s also very crisp and refreshing.  It would be a little more crisp and refreshing if there were a decent amount of carbonation and sparkle, and the lack of that is a drawback, but it is still has a pretty good feel.

OVERALL:  (4 out of 5) I think I finally understand what people are getting so excited about with this beer and I really do enjoy it.  That said, the aroma is really a turn off for me and (this is the first time I have ever said this about a beer’s aroma) if it were toned down a bit I think I would enjoy the overall experience more.  As a side note, at $9.99 for the 4-pack, this is one of the most affordable, high-quality DIPAs available at the moment.

Barleywine Review #10 - Mad River John Barleycorn Barleywine Ale

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

May 18, 2012

I actually reviewed this beer last November during a trip to Oskar Blues in Longmont, but my words have been hiding in the notes on my phone for months.  I kept meaning to break the Mad River John Barleycorn Barleywine review out, but never remembered to.  Now that most of the low hanging fruit in The Barleywine Project has been picked, however, I figured it was time to scroll back through dozens of beer reviews and random thoughts to resurrect the Barleycorn. 

With this being Post #10 of The Barleywine Project it will be time for some half-time entertainment soon.  After that, onto half number two.  One beer is already reviewed for the second half, but it might get tough to track down the remaining nine beers.  Barleywine is no longer in season and many of those that are distributed here in Colorado have dried up for the year.  So, I anticipate the project not coming to a close until late winter or early spring next year.

Anyhow, how bout some specs on the Barleycorn?

Location: Oskar Blues Liquids and Solids, Longmont, CO

Cost: About $8/10oz. pour

ABV: 9.5%

IBUs: NA

Brewery Location: Blue Lake, California

Style: American Barleywine

Average Beer Advocate Rating: B+/3.73 – Very Good

My Beer Advocate Rating: B+/3.88 – Very Good

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate/Rank: 318/18th

Brewery Description: Mad River John Barleycorn Barleywine Ale

Bottled On: NA

APPEARANCE:  (4.5 out of 5) The Barleycorn pours a pretty mahogany with a medium opaqueness.  The head is creamy, white and a quarter-inch thick in the 12oz. snifter.  It isn’t huge, but it is absolutely locked in place even after a few sips.  The lacing is very solid at the top covering about 95% of the back of the glass, but it eventually slides down as the snifter empties creating some holes.  This is a good looking beer.

SMELL:  (3.5 out of 5) Chocolate aromas make a strong appearance in this rich, malty smelling beer.  Some dark fruit and caramel also lurks in the background along with a hint of spice. 

TASTE:  (4 out of 5) The Barleycorn starts out surprisingly mild, but grows throughout the sip.  The ride begins with a semi-sweet maltiness that comes along with some dark fruit; cherries, maybe even strawberry?  A big wave of citrus and hops washes the sweetness away about half way through.  It teeters on going too far in the citrus department, but just as it’s about to go over the edge a wave of brown sugar covers it up and provides enough balance to pull it back.  This is really a complex, rollercoaster ride of a beer.

MOUTHFEEL:  (3.5 out of 5) This is a creamy and smooth beer.  It walks the line between dry and sweet, but ultimately falls on the dry side.  Actually, after a few sips that becomes even clearer, this is a pretty dry Barleywine, there just happens to be a couple little bursts of sweetness in each sip.

OVERALL:  (4 out of 5) The Barleycorn certainly improves with air and warmth.  It is a bit harsh and sharp at first, particularly in the citrus department, but as it warms the puckering lemon flavor fades away and the sweet, malty and sugary flavors emerge.  By the end it is a nicely balanced Barleywine.  It really does need time to warm if it is served cold though.  Oskar Blues does a great job of keeping all their draft beer cold.  I imagine that it was under 45 degrees when it was served to me and I probably should have waited to start it until it was a bit warmer.  Once it was finally there it really did show itself off as a strong Barleywine.

Avery Review #9 - Uncle Jacob's Stout

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Apr. 22, 2012

So it was 4/20 here in Boulder on Friday, well, I suppose it was 4/20 everywhere else on the planet as well, but in Boulder, CO (and my former home of Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, CA) the day has some meaning.  As for me personally, it’s not my cup of tea, so I stayed away from the giant pot-smoking festival on campus and instead enjoyed a cigar on the back porch after tasting and reviewing Beer #9 in The Avery Project – Uncle Jacob’s Stout.

Initially I thought I had missed out on Avery’s Uncle Jacob’s, but I had the good fortune of finding myself at North Boulder Liquors a couple of days ago (while unsuccessfully searching for a beer for The Barleywine Project) and I was thrilled to come across this monster of a beer. 

I try not to get too excited about a beer I have not yet tried, particularly when reviewing it.  I have often found that this leads to disappointment, but as with many others in the past, I’m not very good at containing my excitement, particularly when it comes to a style I really enjoy such as this one.

So, the details on this whopper of a beer; Avery Uncle Jacob’s Stout:

Location: North Boulder Liquor

Cost: $10.99 per 12oz. bottle

ABV: 17.42%

IBUs: ???

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Double/Imperial Stout

Average Beer Advocate Rating: A/4.47 – Outstanding

My Beer Advocate Rating:A+/4.7 - World Class

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate: 6

Brewery Description: Uncle Jacob's Stout

Bottled On: March 27, 2012

APPEARANCE:  (4 out of 5) This beer pours absolutely black as night.  Not even a hint of light is getting through this dark, viscous substance.  An eighth of an inch-thick mocha colored head appeared for about ten seconds, but vanished even before I could snap a picture.  It left a small ring of tan foam on the outer edges of the glass though.  My guess is that there will be no lacing on this one as the beer is probably heavy enough to drag anything in its path off the side of the glass. 

Yup.  No lacing.  

SMELL:  (4 out of 5) Wow.  Based on the smell, we might have another Bourbon County Brand Stout here…and I do not say that lightly.  The Uncle Jacob’s smells like bourbon.  It has some big oak notes with vanilla, toffee and a little boozy heat underneath.  In fact, in some ways it is reminiscent of a cross between Bourbon County and Rumpkin.  The oak, high alcohol content and what has to be the yeast makes it somewhat similar to the Rumpkin.  The only complaint here is that the aroma could be stronger.  The BCBS really attacks the nose.

TASTE:  (5 out of 5) Wow.  Yep, again, I’m starting a paragraph off with a wow.  This is close.  In fact, this is the most similar beer I have ever tasted to Goose Island’s Legendary Bourbon County Stout.  There’s probably enough malt in here to choke a horse, but somehow it all balances out with an exceptionally pleasant oakiness.  Unlike in the BCBS, chocolate is more dominant than vanilla, but the vanilla builds throughout the sip and is certainly noticeable.  Also, somewhere in this wildly complex brew a tiny, tiny touch of lemon works its way onto the palate and lingers after the beer is gone.  As someone mentioned on Beer Advocate, there also seems to be a hint of cherry.  Again, wow.  There is a lot going on in the Uncle Jacob’s Stout.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4.5 out of 5) There are very few styles of beer that I want to have the mouthfeel of this one, but this is a wonderfully slippery beer.  It is motor oil all the way, but never turns into sludge in your mouth.  In other words, it is not mouthcoating.  Sticky, yes.  Mouthcoating, no. 

OVERALL:  (5 out of 5) Given that Bourbon County will be unobtainable for me this year, I am happy to have found a completely legitimate replacement.  I am not prepared to say it is as good as BCBS, but just like I gave Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout a nice side-by-side comparison with it last year, I think Uncle Jacob’s Stout deserves a shot at it.  While we’re discussing match-ups, I also think this could be the best Avery beer I’ve ever had, but I would have to put it up against Maharaja and Rumpkin.  In terms of hitting the style, this certainly beats both, but as an overall beer, I will need to do a taste test.  Maybe this will be The Avery Project’s halftime show.

As a side note, I did not realize this until after I wrote the paragraph above, but I have apparently given the three Avery beers in question nearly the exact same rating - 4.7 for the Maha and Uncle Jacob's and 4.68 for the Rumpkin.  I think a recount is required here and I'll get to work on obtaining the supplies for that now.

Barleywine Review #9 - Three Floyds Behemoth Barley Wine

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Apr. 10, 2012

Big thanks to my guy Jonathan back home in Chicago for this bottle of Three Floyds Behemoth!  I have been looking forward to cracking this beer open again since I first tried it last year on a cool, crisp winter afternoon in Munster, Indiana at the Three Floyds Taproom.  There’s no need for any further rambling, so let’s get into this bottle.

Location: Purchased at Cardinal Wine and Spirits, Niles, IL

Cost: About $18.99/22oz. bomber

ABV: 10.5%

IBUs: 80

Brewery Location: Munster, IN

Style: American Barleywine

Average Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.2 – Excellent

My Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.03 – Excellent

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate/Rank: 461/11th

Brewery Description: Three Floyds Behemoth Barley Wine

Bottled On: 2012

APPEARANCE:  (4.5 out of 5) The Behemoth pours a color that rests somewhere between the deep copper color of a great DIPA and the mahogany of a typical Barleywine.  So, it is a little on the lighter side of the Barleywine spectrum in terms of color.  The head is a nice inch-thick with strong retention, in fact, it took about three or four minutes for it to recede into a cap of thin, but full coverage of the surface.  The beer is clear, although the near-mahogany color makes it tough to see all the way through the tulip glass it is in.  Finally, the lacing is decent, but not outstanding.

SMELL:  (4 out of 5) The aroma is fairly strong, but more in the bready and yeasty direction than I remember it.  Citrus, like orange and lemon, along with some pine flavors are present and pleasant, but they lurk behind the breadiness more than I would like. 

TASTE:  (4 out of 5) Rich caramel and toffee are the first and most aggressive flavors to hit the palate, but that breadiness from the nose sneaks up quickly and takes the middle part of the sip.  The finish is big, resinous, pine hoppiness.  Along the way hints of lemon, orange and grapefruit make appearances.  Also, if you pay close attention to the details, there is a tiny, tiny pinch of roasted malt tying everything together and keeping the big, sweet caramel malt balanced. 

MOUTHFEEL:  (4 out of 5) The Behemoth has a big mouthfeel with medium carbonation and slight pucker towards the end of the sip.  That pucker comes with a drying bitterness after a wave of sweetness up front.  This Three Floyds offering is complex even in the mouthfeel.

OVERALL:  (4 out of 5) While this is one outstanding Barleywine, I do have to say I enjoyed last year’s batch a little more – or maybe the difference between the bottle and the tap is greater than I thought.  The bottle had more booze and a stronger hoppy bite at the end.  Neither of those things are necessarily a bad thing in a beer as far as I am concerned, but this particular beer just went down so smooth and easy when I had it on draft at the FFF taproom last winter. 

I know this beer will age very well, so my second bottle is going into the cellar for at least a year (three if my will power is strong enough).  I will buy this beer again, but paying $18.99 for the bomber is a bit much, especially when a 6-pack of Bell’s Hopslam is available at roughly the same time of year in Chicago for the same price, maybe even a buck or two less.   

Avery Review #8 - New World Porter

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Apr. 6, 2012

Review #8 for The Avery Project is the third regular, year-round release we’ll be reviewing from this Boulder institution - Avery New World Porter (Avery IPA and Joe’s Pilsner were the first two).  This beer has been described as a hoppy porter and even by Avery themselves as Black IPA.  But, then again, that’s sort of what Avery does, they put lots of hops in things. 

My personal experience with this beer is surprisingly limited.  It is not easily found on tap and when I am at the tasting room here in Boulder I typically reach for what I cannot just pick up at the Liquor Store.  While I have had a few tasters of it, I have never actually had an entire New World Porter from Avery all to myself.  So, here’s to new experiences!

Location: Boulder Liquor Mart

Cost: About $1.89/12 oz. bottle

ABV: 6.7%

IBUs: 45

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Porter

Average Beer Advocate Rating: B+/3.92 – Very Good

My Beer Advocate Rating: B+/3.88 – Very Good

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate: 438

Brewery Description: New World Porter

Bottled On: NA

APPEARANCE:  (3.5 out of 5) This is a pretty dark beer, black all the way through with a pale, red light breaking through at the edges.  The head is about a quarter-inch thick and seems to be fairly strong, but disappears quicker than I expect it to.  The lacing is fairly strong.

SMELL:  (3.5 out of 5) Raisins, chocolate malt and a touch of coffee greet the nose with less hoppiness than I expected lingering in the background.  The aroma is quite pleasant, but not as strong as I would like it to be. 

TASTE:  (4 out of 5) Here’s a shocker, Avery hit the nail on the head in terms of the style, but they made it hoppier than most other beers in the category.  Roasty malt flavors begin each sip as some lemony citrus notes creep in.  Chocolate, toffee and coffee all enter the mix mid-sip and then the Columbus hops (one of my favorite varieties) take over for the finish providing some spicy, bitter and earthy characteristics that almost make it taste like a black IPA.  In fact, the bottle calls it “A Pioneer Black IPA”.  It also then goes on to say that this beer is “Expanding the porter category”.  Anyhow, as it warms caramel enters the mix, however, the citrus component becomes stronger as well, maybe a touch too heavy.  Despite that minor criticism, though, this is a surprisingly tasty beer.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4 out of 5) The New World Porter is creamy and smooth, but it still has a decent sparkle to it.  It is medium bodied and while it leans towards the sweet side up front, it finishes on the dry side. 

OVERALL:  (4 out of 5) The last review here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights was of Avery’s Hog Heaven Barleywine (Although it was not reviewed for The Avery Project, it was reviewed for The Barleywine Project instead).  In that review, I defended Avery’s decision to call it a Barleywine since many people, including some Avery employees I have spoken to about it, think it should be renamed Hog Heaven Double or Triple IPA.  In the case of the New World Porter, which Avery themselves also refers to as a black IPA, there is a stronger case for renaming it New World Black IPA.  This beer does have many characteristics of a Porter, and ultimately, it still is one, but it is a very, very American-style Porter with a lot of IPA traits.  It could easily be recategorized and no one would bat an eye.  Finally, at 6.7%, the NWP can sneak up on you.  It tastes like a much more sessionable Porter than it really is, but the near-7% gives it a punch.

Barleywine Review #8 - Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Apr. 5, 2012

The Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine is a particularly interesting beer for us here at 20 Beers in 20 Nights.  To begin with, it is the only beer that potentially belongs to both projects we’re currently working on, The Barleywine Project and The Avery Project.  So, I had to decide whether or not to be lazy and just count it as a review for each project or just for one.  I went with the latter. 

In order to complete The Barleywine Project, Hog Heaven is necessary.  For The Avery Project, though, it is optional.  I would rather give another of Avery’s beers a chance to shine, particularly since I have such great access to them.  This is the same reason that I will not re-review The Maharaja from Avery as I already reviewed it for the DIPA Project.    

Anyhow, the second reason The Hog is interesting is because it is one of only two offerings on our Barleywine list that is available year-round.  The other is Uinta Brewing Company’s Anniversary Barley Wine Ale.  The Uinta is brewed in Utah and just recently snuck onto the list in the number 20 spot.  Whether or not it remains on the list until I get to it is another question. The DIPA Project list changed occasionally, but the Top 20 always remained intact, with a few beers simply switching positions a few times.  The Barleywine list has proven to be much more volatile so far.   

Finally, one last point about the Hog Heaven before the review, in terms of a Barleywine it is somewhat controversial.  Many people claim that it is more of a Double or Triple IPA.  In fact, I have heard some people who sell it claim that they believe it would sell better if it were renamed Hog Heaven Imperial or Double IPA.  This is one of Avery’s oldest recipes, though, and from what I hear it is one that is close to Adam Avery’s heart, so the likelihood of it changing anytime soon is slim.

In all honesty, I have found myself on both sides of this controversy at times.  It is a beer I am familiar with and have tried many times and in many different forms.  I have tasted it in the Taproom at Avery, I have had it in the bottle, I have tried it fresh and I have been lucky enough to sample two, three and four-year old Hog Heaven.  With that said, I have never reviewed it, nor was I ever in a position to seriously focus on it for the sake of determining what style it should be called.  I just wanted a big, flavorful beer.  So, I suppose we should just call this post the Myth Buster’s edition of 20 Beers in 20 Nights.  Is Hog Heaven really a Barleywine?  Let’s find out.

Location: Boulder Liquor Mart

Cost: $2.39 for 12oz. bottle

Glassware: Funkwerks Tulip Glass

ABV: 9.2%

IBUs: 104

Brewery Location: Boulder, Colorado

Style: American Barleywine

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

My Beer Advocate Rating: A-/4.23 – Excellent

Current Number of Reviews on Beer Advocate/Current Rank:

Brewery Description: Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine

Bottled On: NA

APPEARANCE:  (4.5 out of 5) The Hog Heaven pours a penny copper color with a half-inch thick cap with some staying power.  Others who have reviewed this beer have reported a haziness to it, but that has never been my experience and even after pouring the entire contents of the bomber into my glass, the beer underneath is crystal clear with hundreds of bubbles drifting northwards towards that cap.  As for the lacing, I would call it superb – look at that!

SMELL:  (4.5 out of 5) The nose on this one is delicious.  A big dose of pine blends with banana, clove and maybe a little brown sugar.  For a Barleywine that has been dismissed as a mislabeled Double or Triple IPA, this smells an awful lot like a Barleywine.  The only difference is that those Barleywine aromas are just accented with some strong hop aromas.

TASTE:  (4 out of 5) The first sip confirms that the Hog Heaven is most certainly a Barleywine; a hopped up Barleywine, yes, but still a Barleywine.  OK, now that that argument is settled, what else is going on in this one? 

To begin with, there is plenty of hop flavor packed into this beer, but despite the 104 IBUs, the typical bitterness associated with the hop is muted.  Instead, a big, sweet wave of caramel and bananas crashes into the palate right off the bat and any bitterness comes in later in the form of grapefruit and lemon which are riding a second wave of floral and piney hoppiness.  The finish leaves an interesting medley of slightly puckering bitterness along with a sweeter taste from the flowers, pine, caramel and banana.  The Hog Heaven really stays with the palate.

MOUTHFEEL:  (4 out of 5) Big, sticky, rich, smooth and creamy.  This Barleywine goes down incredibly smooth and leaves a nice bittersweet finish on the palate. 

OVERALL:  (4.5 out of 5) Again, for all the talk about this beer being more of a Double IPA, it sure seems like a nicely hopped Barleywine to me.  After tasting this beer with purpose and without distraction, it is hard to see how I ever believed it was more of an IPA, but at the same time, it is pretty damn hoppy.  Given that intense hop flavor, this is one of the better Barleywines to taste fresh.  With the complexity, intense malt flavor and high ABV, though, it also makes an excellent candidate for aging.  I’ll be putting a couple bottles in the cellar soon.

By the way, Opening Day at Wrigley Field is today - in the words of the late, great Steve Goodman "Hey Chicago Whatd'ya say the Cubs are gonna win today.  Go Cubs Go!"