Beer Brief #3 - O'so Night Train

Brewery - O'so Brewing Company, Plover, Wisconsin

Beer - Night Train

Style - Oatmeal Porter

ABV - 7.2%

IBUs - 49

Color - Very dark brown with a tan head

Aroma - Roasted coffee, hint of cocoa, molasses, dark fruit

Flavor - Milk chocolate, coffee bitterness, hint of raspberry or cherry, rich and heavy, all about the malt

Verdict - Awesome beer. Rich, velvety mouthfeel combined with sweet and bitter dark malt characteristics make a beautiful porter that I would happily revisit.

Coborn's Tasting - Friday, August 26th

Yep, it's finally time for a tasting this weekend! I know I usually fit two into every month, but it's been a really busy August. Don't worry though, because this one will make up for it. Tomorrow, August 26th, I'll be happy to share some delicious beers from three quality breweries. Here's the list:

• Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
• Bell's Lager Beer, a.k.a. "Lager of the Lakes"
• Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild
• Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt
• Summit Silver Anniversary Ale
• Summit Unchained Series Batch 07 - Honeymoon Saison

Make sure to stop by the Hastings Coborn's Liquor between 3 - 7pm if you're interested in trying any of these tasty brews. I'll be there pouring samples and talking beer, as usual. Hope to see you there!

Samuel Adams Utopias 2011

In case you couldn't tell from the title or the photos, I have a very cool session for you today. This year, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to purchase a bottle of Samuel Adams Utopias. For those of you that may be unfamiliar with it - know that this brew is very special. Why? Read on and find out.

Utopias is a barrel-aged and blended beer that reaches an astounding 27% ABV. That's right, this stuff is 54 Proof. It is the highest alcohol brew produced that gets there only through the magic of natural fermentation. There are other beers out there with higher percentages, but they use a freeze-distillation process which removes water and basically creates concentrated beer. Boston Beer Company uses 2 yeast strains (one of which is typically used for champagne) to help Utopias on it's way.

Multiple batches that have been aged for different lengths of time are carefully blended to create this libation. Some of them have been aged up to 18 years! Many types of barrels were brought in to enhance the aging process, including: Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels, sherry casks, madeira casks, and port casks.

For a beer this grand, you need packaging that lets people know how special it is. Utopias comes in a 750 ml ceramic decanter that closely resembles an old copper brew kettle. The bottle even has doors that open to reveal a picture of Samuel Adams.

When I picked up my bottle from the liquor store, there was a nice descriptive tag attached to the neck explaining everything about the beer. It also gave a nice little backstory on the purposefully designed Utopias glass. Jim Koch worked with well-known glassmaker Georg Riedel to develop a vessel that would deliver all the flavors and aromas in the best manner. The tag also had a code that allows Utopias buyers to get this glass for free from the Boston Beer website. I was happy to use the code, but found I had to pay for shipping on my "free" glass (of course).

I was so excited to do this session that I brought in a professional to take care of the photos. My lovely wife Amy (who is a portrait and wedding photographer) was kind enough to take pictures for me in a special photo shoot. They turned out great! If you have some time, you should check out her other work at amyrondeauphotography.com. Thanks for your help, hon.

Alright, let's get on with the session!

This may sound silly, but I'm measuring my portion with a shot glass. I've definitely never measured out my beer serving before! I pour 2 ounces into the shot glass, then transfer that into my new Utopias glass. There is absolutely no head or carbonation at all. This beer is flat, and it's meant to be. The liquid is dark amber with hints of orange and ruby when held at different angles in the light. When I swirl the beer in the glass, it has definite "legs" like one would associate with a glass of wine.

Immediately, I notice the aromas of sherry and port rising up. Another sniff catches raisins, prunes and, strangely enough, a smell similar to a Terry's Chocolate Orange. (That's the foil-wrapped, orange-flavored chocolate confection that breaks into chunks that look like orange wedges.) The strong, boozy scent of alcohol is also present, which is to be expected.

Wow, this doesn't taste like any beer I've had before. The sugary flavor of maple syrup is apparent and briefly visits a touch of caramel, then I get the same chocolate orange that I detected in the aroma. Tart cherries arrive before noticeable alcohol combines with a quick bitter bite. The long sweet finish is rich and lingers a bit.

This brew rolls around my mouth with the consistency of a thin syrup. It sticks to my tastebuds well and doesn't let go easily. There is an obvious warming effect taking place, while a slight tingling affects my tongue.

Yep, this is unlike anything else I've ever tasted from a brewery. Utopias is very rich and super complex. There were moments where it was hard for me to realize that this beverage I sampled was actually beer. It will blow your mind and show you how widespread the realm our favorite drink extends. If you are ever able to try this, you have to do it. No "ifs, ands, or buts" about it.

Hopped Up Caribou Beer Festival - Saturday Afternoon

Well, I think I've drawn out this Hopped Up Caribou Beer Festival thing for long enough. Wouldn't you agree? I promise this is the final post in the 4-part series. Let's get to it.

Saturday Afternoon

After brunch, we went back up to the lodge room and watched for the clock to read 3:00pm. That was the time the Hopped Up Caribou Beer Garden would open. My buddy had brought his Sega Genesis along, so we had a couple beers and played some classic video games while we waited. Well, it just so happens that the combination of beer and video games makes time fly by pretty quickly. Before we knew it, the journey to the tennis courts was upon us.

As we entered the beer garden, the first thing I noticed was the increased number of people. Compared to the previous two gatherings, this one was much larger. The reason? This Saturday afternoon portion was offered as a separate ticket for people who couldn't attend the entire weekend. Even with this population growth, the beer garden portion was still much smaller than many other beerfests I've attended - which was nice.

All of the brewers were present once again (along with a new one) and were happily pouring samples of their beers. Some had the same offerings, while others had a different selection than Friday. Here are some of the highlights, in no particular order:

• Fitger's - Dave and Frank had tapped three new brews: Apricot Wheat, Starfire Pale Ale, and Timmy's Edelstoff (which was a helles lager). As usual, nothing but good quality from this brewpub. All of them were great.
• South Shore - Bo was also serving a different selection: Nut Brown Ale, Inland Sea Pilsner, Northern Lights Cream Ale, and American Pale Ale. These were all tasty, but the Cream Ale really stood out in my mind. I've never tasted a beer like it. I could swear I detected a coconut flavor in there somewhere...
• Summit - They were serving the same beers as Friday, but the third brewer showed up: Mike Lundell. He was responsible for the Unchained Series Batch 3 (India Style Rye Ale). Many of my friends and I were big fans of this recipe, so I was happy to get an opportunity to chat with the brewer.
• Bell's - Jason added 3 choices: Oatmeal Stout, Oarsman Ale, and Le Contrebassiste. I had been excited to try the Biere de Garde (Le Contrebassiste), and I was not disappointed.
• Dubrue Brewing - This brand new brewery showed up just for the beer garden. Bob Blair, a former brewer for Fitger's, started this new Duluth addition to brewing culture. They brought two beers: Pub Ale and India Black Ale. Both were very good, and Bob was fun to chat with. Keep your eye on the future progress of this brewery, as I foresee them doing well.

As had been the case all weekend, there was delicious food being served while beverage consumption was occurring. This time, the eats were a little more simple, but still mouth-watering: beer-brined smoked turkey legs, beer brats, hot dogs, and juicy hamburgers with all the fixings. Once again, I couldn't help myself. The food beckoned me. I ate a turkey leg, a brat, a burger, and some chips. I was very full, but it was totally worth it...

From 3 - 6 pm, all through the beer garden people were voting on their favorite brew. After the garden closed, they announced the winner: Fitger's Apricot Wheat.

The Hopped Up Caribou Beer Festival was officially over. Or was it? My buddy and I continued to chat with our fellow beer geeks while we shared more tasty brews with each other. As the night came to a close, I couldn't help but ponder over the events of the past couple days. So far, this had been the best beer event that I've ever attended. They're planning it again for next year and have promised to keep it the same size with the same format. All I could think was this: I can't wait to go again.

Beer Brief #2 - Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt

Brewery - Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, California

Beer - Lucky 13.alt

Style - American Strong Ale

ABV - 8.9%

IBUs - 76.92

Color - Golden with a hint of amber

Aroma - Caramel, biscuits, and grapefruit

Flavor - Brief caramel, then grapefruit, pineapple, slight herbal spice, and strong lingering bitterness

Verdict - Good stuff if you like double IPAs and hoppy American-style barleywines, which I do.

Hopped Up Caribou Beer Festival - Saturday Morning

Welcome to part three in the series of posts about my experience at the Hopped Up Caribou Beer Festival in Lutsen.

Saturday Morning

My eyes worked open slowly as some faint light fought past the blinds covering the window. Suddenly, I remembered where I was and my eyelids immediately widened to maximum. I was at a weekend beer event in Lutsen! The previous night's experience was a lot of fun; eating delicious food, drinking tasty brews, and conversing with the brewers and fellow beer geeks. Now, I was eagerly anticipating the next part: the Brewers Bloody Mary Brunch.

The time was around 8:00 am. That meant I had a couple hours before the brunch started at 10. I walked over to the blinds and opened them. What did I see? It was pouring rain and there was a dense fog hiding Eagle Mountain from view; the mountain that looked so awesome from the same window the day before. Not a good sight, as all the events were planned to be outside. I took a quick shower and wandered out to the gift shop, where there was a clear view of the tennis courts (the designated area for all parts of the weekend). The tent from Friday night looked a little different this morning. They had attached walls and fit numerous tables and chairs inside the safe haven. At least I knew we would stay dry for brunch.

After a cup of coffee, we headed down to the tennis courts. The mouth-watering scents of brunch taunted everyone while we waited for the crew to let us in. After a few minutes, they gave the go ahead. We walked into the tent and picked a spot to sit.

In the back corner, there was the bloody mary bar. They offered a choice between regular vodka or a special vodka infused with garlic, peppers, etc. Once the shot was poured, you could add your bloody mary mix and a host of accompaniments, including: meat sticks, pickles, olives, peppers, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and even pickled herring! Sorry to disappoint any of you that might be drooling over that selection, but I don't enjoy bloody marys. Not a fan of tomato juice. However, I did come up with my own quick solution for my morning beverage; I asked for a shot of vodka, skipped the bloody ingredients, and walked over to the juice table for a cup of OJ. With a simple pour and mix: voila, a screwdriver!

Now that I had my drink, it was time to get something to eat. The food. Wow, the food. Everything was set up buffet style, and included all these goodies:

• Apple fritter french toast
• Biscuits and gravy
• Duck sausage frittata
• Green onion and cream cheese scrambled eggs
• Honey smoked bacon
• Potatoes O'Brien

And to top it all off, they had a made-to-order omelet station. Now, you may be wondering, "Was the food well prepared?" And my answer would be, "Does a bear defecate in the woods?Umm... I mean, yes!" Yep, I tried it all. I couldn't help it. All of the selections looked so good...

While our table filled up with people eager to devour their meal, conversation started flowing. It started out with simple chatter about the quality of the food and the fun of the past evening. Eventually, Dave Hoops (Master Brewer for Fitger's Brewhouse) sat down with us. Then, beer and barrel-aging became the next topic.

It turned out that the very nice woman sitting across from me was a "barrel broker," for lack of a better term. Her name was Elena Kotowski, and she owns a company called "Barrel Depot." She started out with rain barrels (which is still her main focus on the site), but now offers recycled wine and whiskey barrels as well. She talked of her plans to start carrying 5-gallon barrels for homebrewers. I told her that I (and probably many other homebrewers) would be excited to know if/when she starts to sell them.

After all the barrel talk, Dave started talking about his involvement in the brewpub distribution bill that didn't make it through the Minnesota government this year. Then, Bo Belanger (from South Shore Brewing) sat down and joined in to tell us about the new difficulties in Wisconsin caused by a new law involving distribution. We had a serious discussion about what these laws and bills mean to the industry, and I came away very enlightened. On the lighter side of the chit-chat, I found out that Dave's brother is the head brewer for Town Hall Brewing in Minneapolis. Imagine that! Two brothers end up as the main brewers for two great Minnesota brewpubs!

As we neared the end time for the brunch event, the conversation wound down. We all exchanged business cards and said goodbye. However, it wasn't going to be too long before we saw each other again. In only three hours, the next part of this weekend event would begin: the Hopped Up Caribou Beer Garden. Once again, I couldn't wait...

Next up: Saturday Afternoon