Sherwood Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 This Friday (9/25) I'll be attending an evening session of the Great American Beer Festival here in Denver. Much as I would like to sample all 1,800 beers, time is limited to 4.5 hours, and I can't drink one sample per 9 seconds for more than an hour or two. Therefore, I was hoping some of you brew aficionados (read: feckless drunks) might have some suggestions for me for a beer/brewery/style I should not miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 dogfish weyerbacher ommegang brooklyn unibrou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morphsci Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I would add in Three Floyds to Grawks list as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 and cigar city brewery from ybor, if they show up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
909 Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Russian River Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherwood Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I know for a fact cigar city will be there, so I'll hit them up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catscratch Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Sample the best Russian Imperial Stouts if you can find them - Dark Lord, The Abyss, Kate the Great, Old Rasputin, Stone Russian Imperial, Sam Smith's Imperial, Founders Russian Imperial, Kentucky Breakfast Stout, and so on. Also sample the very best IPAs, though I know less here than I do in stouts, maybe some more experienced hop-head can chime in. I do think that these are the two styles that American breweries have taken to a peak that's not found anywhere else. Also, try some American-brewed Belgian-style beers. Allagash makes some really good ones as well as some pretty mediocre ones. But Allagash Odyssey is one of my favorites (as is Allagash Four, if it comes out well, it's hit or miss with this one). I also like Ommegang Abbey Ale (more than their Three Philosophers Quad), but that's just the start and nowhere near the end, or the best. See if you can find any Lost Abbey beers there. But yeah, Grawk's list is great. I'd add the following as well: Allagash AleSmith Stone Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey Founders (their stouts rule) Are there any Trappist beers at events like this? I can't help but think that climate change has affected hop quality since there's been a global drop in the quality of most Belgians, but Orval is still good, and Rochefort beers have been hit or miss, but still good at their best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherwood Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 As a registered republican, I'm not able to physically see a beer affected by climate change, so those are, unfortunately, out. I'll definitely take that Russian Imperial Stout list to heart, however. Sounds delicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I don't think it's climate that's hurting the belgians, I think it's popularity. As they increase production, the quality drops. A lot of formerly Trappist beers are now corporate, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherwood Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Plus the Trappist lifestyle isn't as appealing in modern Belgium as it may once have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherwood Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Also, there may be Trappist-style beers, but so far as I know there are no trappist breweries in the States, and it's a US-only competition/exhibition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightWoundsTime Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Add to the list of russian imperials, Cigar City's Hunaphu's (as in run straight there and get yours before it's gone). I've only had one small glass of that stuff, and right now I'm hating on the brewer for electing to take a batch of it out to Denver, of all places. My personal opinion is that the brewery should stop making its' more pedestrian beers for widespread consumption, and focus solely on this beer and just a few others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightWoundsTime Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 And on the love for Hunahpu's, this may be the most beautiful image I've seen in a long time. Here's hoping that makes it to bottles as a special release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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