The Brewers Blog

Brewers Blog: 11-28-2009

On behalf of the brewers we would like to say Happy Holidays. We have had the chance to catch up in the brewery and brew some new Seasonal Beers. These beers are elevated in alcohol and command respect. They are suitable for the colder months but carry a warning tag: Moderation.

On December 1st, we will release a new Imperial IPA called Igniter XL, a larger version of our old Year ‘Round beer. This beer is almost amber with thick “XL” body and a big hop delivery in aroma and flavor. In mid-December we continue with another big release of Bourbon Barrel Aged Shockwave Scottish Ale. The process of barrel aging is simple: take one used bourbon barrel from Stranahan’s Denver Whisky and Shockwave beer and let it age for 2-4 weeks. The result is a vanilla, bourbon-laced version of Shockwave that adds more layers to this sweet and smoky brew. On December 31st, we will release Incinerator Doppelbock, our award-winning dark lager that has not been brewed in over four years. It is malty, formidable brew with sweet caramel flavor. By mid to late January we will roll out the 2009 Backdraft Imperial Stout. This beer is our dark and mysterious friend that gently morphs into new beings by slight alterations. This year it is going to be a little sweeter with the addition of Belgian chocolate and honey malt. It will be aged with oak chips to give vanilla and coconut flavor to this raisin-cherry like stout with a sour cherry version to follow. Beyond that we will most likely sneak in a new Belgian beer, Survivor Cream Ale and more fruit beer.

One final note we will be getting together with Left Hand and Oskar Blues breweries for a Homebrew competition that will take place in late February. Best of Show beers will be brewed by the brewery and winning homebrewer on our 10 bbl system. The winning beer will be entered in the Pro-Am category at the Great American Beer Festival. It is a new category that supports the homebrewer’s interest in craft beer, which allows brewers and their fans join forces in battle. It will be a great chance for a talented homebrewer to get taste of professional brewing and if all goes well you get to “take the walk” to receive your medal. Look for more info in December on this blog or on our website and good luck.

Cheers,

David Mentus

Head Alchemist

Our next offering takes the already complex Striketeam Stout, and pairs it with whole sour red cherries! The tartness of the fruit adds a nice layor to the stout, with the fruit flavors complementing the roast/chocolate flavors extremely well.

Today we got a whole bunch of cleaning done. Scrubbing, polishing, sweeping, and mopping.
We also racked four barrels of Scottish Ale onto American Oak. It typically takes about six weeks to get the full infusion of flavor from the wood, but additional aging can continue to change the characteristics. I can’t wait to start the sampling process! Cheers!

Our newest seasonal will be available tomorrow, Monday the 9th. It is a “West Coast” style Stout, that features lots of dark malts, oats for a silky texture, and milk sugar for extra body and a bit of sweetness. The ample hops add a nice balance to the roasted barley and black malts. Also look for an Extra Large Igniter Pale Ale to debut in the next weeks.