Lagunitas Little Sumpin' WILD and More on Date Codes

I very much enjoy shaking things up. Whether it be dancing strangely, trying new food, or tasting a mash-up of two different beer styles, I'm all in. When it comes to beer, I like it even more when I don't know what to expect. I think a nice experiment for the future would be to buy a bunch of beer singles, peel off the labels, cover the tops of the caps with sticky dots, and try to guess the style and name of each beer. I'll keep that idea on the back burner... 

Any beer that breaks the style mold is a good beer in my book. The other day, I picked up Lagunitas Little Sumpin' WILD from the liquor store. I've had the regular Little Sumpin' Sumpin', and the Little Sumpin' Extra. I loved both, and was excited to find WILD. There's no description on the label. Not even the style was listed. It was a grab bag of a beer, and I think I lucked out...

Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ WILD Belgian Style IPA

BG Poured from a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 8.9% ABV, OG 1.079, 72.5 IBU, Bottled 09/12/14

A Gold in color with a yellowish-white head that leaves little, fluffy pillows of lacing on the glass. Fairly cloudy.

A Spicy hops, pepper, touch of smoke, grapefruit, banana-y yeast, bubblegum, alcohol, lemon, very Belgian-like

T TONS of bubblegum, apricot, spices, pineapple, piney hops, caramel malt, allspice

M A little bit creamy, medium bodied, and a bit of alcohol warmth

A Piney hop bitterness, sweet bubblegum

C This brew is truly twisted! I wasn’t sure what kind of beer I was drinking until I had a taste. This is a great example of a hybrid style - a cross between an American IPA and a Belgian style. They actually use Westmalle Trappist yeast to make it so crazy! It doesn’t sound appetising when I say it this way, but this is straight up bubblegum beer with hops. And for some reason, it’s delicious! I’d highly recommend trying the regular Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ before this, and then trying the WILD. This beer lives up to it’s name in every way including the alcohol content. No taming here! It’s not even hidden. This baby is bold and unabashed. If you like trying different kinds of beer, this one is definitely worth a shot. Try Deschutes Foray IPA while you're at it.

FP Bratwurst with sauteed peppers and onions, rich chocolate cake, pork chops with an apple chutney

In my last post, I spoke a bit about date codes on bottles and cans. When I got this bottle of WILD, I had to do some research once more to figure out what all of these numbers mean.

Who would've thought there were so many ways to display a date on a bottle? There is even a petition going around that would require breweries to make date codes more uniform and understandable. Sign it if you wish! This particular date code refers to the day of the year the beer was bottled, according to the first three digits listed. That means this beer was bottled on the 255th day of the year, or September 12th. The fault in this style of coding is that it does not list the year, which can get confusing if you're trying to age your beer. That being said, I feel most of Lagunitas beer is best consumed fresh, so this wouldn't be much of a problem for their brewing style. I very much like the idea of a uniform date code, so sign that petition if you agree and have a moment. =)

New Belgium Tour De Fall

I've been giving a lot of attention to darker, winter season beers as of late. I tend to be the type that gets super excited about the changing seasons. I decorate early, and listen to Christmas music sometimes as early as late October. Gross, I know, but we all have our shortcomings. That being said, I love when the weather is cool enough to start drinking stouts again. They're almost completely unpalatable to me in the summer, so it's kind of exciting. But let's not forget about the beer that turns brown(er) in this current season just like the leaves. I'm talking about those in between types that combine the hoppiness and drinkability of summer brews with the dark malt, spice, and chewiness of winter libations. Oktoberfest/Märzen is the champion of fall, but there are a few others that chime in their own interpretation to pair with seasonal change. One of which, I am currently having the pleasure to enjoy. 

New Belgium Tour De Fall Pale Ale

BG Poured from a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 6% ABV, Enjoy By 01/04/15

A Copper in color with an off-white head made of tight bubbles that leave splotches here and there of lacing. It settles down to a thin film of bubbles that makes it look like shaken iced tea.

A Even amounts of dark roasted malt and piney hops, bread crust, smells like taking a walk through a damp forest, very light coffee notes, slight hint of spice

T Super dry, malt forward, resinous hops for balance, dark chocolate, lactose, roasted nuts

M Very creamy, coats the tongue, med-light body

A Dark chocolate malt, touch of hops

C I’m a bit confused by the label, because it states this is a pale ale. In which case, this is the most malty pale ale I’ve ever experienced. I can totally see it being a hybrid fall pale ale, however. I very much enjoy hybrid beers that either combine styles, or are so out there they become a style of their own. Tour De Fall has a great malt/hop balance, and finishes a bit more on the malt side. It’s flavorful and dark, but light bodied. In my opinion, the world needs more hoppy brown ales (Epic Santa Cruz Brown Ale, anyone?). This beer makes me think of a forest full of damp, half naked trees and fallen leaves. If you could bundle that experience up and steep it, this would be the resulting brew.

FP Warm oatmeal raisin cookies, shepherd’s pie, green bean casserole with slivered almonds and frizzled onions, Thanksgiving dinner if you’re sick of pumpkin ales ;)

Big Sky Slow Elk and Home Brew Update

It's going to be 40ºF tonight. Time for another stout! I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Please let your darker beers warm up a touch after you take them out of the fridge before drinking them. They'll be much more delicious! Pretty cold in your house? I put my beer right next to the fan in my laptop that blows out a bunch of hot air. It works! 

Something I've encountered time and time again while taking tasting notes is trying to find and decipher the date codes on bottles and cans. Some are straight forward, and literally say "BEST BY mm/dd/yy". Others, like the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, leave you with a mysterious code that sends you into a fruitless internet search. It shouldn't be hard to figure out, but I still find myself having to do some research every now and then. This site is very helpful for such an occurrence.

So, back to that stout! 

Big Sky Slow Elk Oatmeal Stout

BG Poured from a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 5.4% ABV, Best By 11/20/14

A Black in color with a dark tan head that leaves wide trails of lacing on the glass. It looks super creamy!

A Dark roasted coffee beans, sweet chocolate malt, brown sugar oatmeal, touch of dried hay

T Dark malt, a few green notes, powdered milk, slightly sweet grain

M Chalky and creamy at the same time, but the chalkiness takes over after the creaminess passes, light body, watery

A Dark chocolate, short finish

C I really don’t have a lot to say about this one. I’ve had amber ales with more character. It’s not bad, but it’s really not very good considering the other options available. I just expect a lot more flavor and mouthfeel from an oatmeal stout. It’s kind of watery and a little bland. Meh...

FP Bourbon bacon caramel popcorn, smoked BBQ chicken drumsticks, hearty mac & cheese



Experiencing a mediocre beer is never a bad experience. It simply gives you perspective and more appreciation for the great beers out there. Life lessons!

I'm learning a lot from my first home brew experience. The amount of cleaning involved was extreme! Even if the resulting beer doesn't taste very good, I'm going to cherish it. And that smell that fills the house while the wort is boiling... Mmm! Right now my yeast is happily eating away at the wort, as evidenced by the frequent "blub, blub, blub" coming from the airlock. Yay!

Home Brew Day!

After paging through 4 different books, skimming countless message boards and online how-tos, consulting the local home brew store owner, and creating my own step by step process, I have begun to brew my own beer! The amount of information out there is overwhelming, and sometimes contradictory. Many brewers swear by their methods and claim any other way is wrong. Instead of adopting any one brewer's method, I took the best of everything I read and composed a method of my own. I'd encourage any new home brewer to find what works best for them instead of being bulldozed by someone who thinks their method is the only way. Different equipment, ingredients, climate, water-type, and other aspects all call for special consideration in your brewing process. What works best for one brewer might not work best for you. I believe this is an experimental process, so tweaking your recipes and method as you brew is a vital part of the experience. And this is cliche, but don't forget to have fun! I'm guessing this isn't your full time job, so you might as well enjoy your time off!

Here's the step by step method that I made before brewing:

Brewing Steps

1. Brew Day

1. Clean
1. Entire Work Space
2. Boil Kettle
3. Stirring Spoon
4. Wort Chiller
2. Clean & Sanitize
1. Thermometer
2. Fermenter & Lid
3. Air Lock
4. Measuring Cup
5. Hydrometer & Cylinder
6. Mesh Bag
3. Warm the Malt Extract
1. Boil water, remove from heat, place bags inside, let stand 20 mins
4. Boil 2.5 gal well water at the same time as malt extract, remove from heat
5. Add malt extract, rinsing bags w/pot water, stirring until it’s dissolved
6. Turn on heat between 8 and HI and bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly, WATCH FOR BOIL OVER
7. Once stable, place hops in mesh bag, and add to brew kettle
8. Continue to boil for 60 minutes
9. After 40 minutes of boil, add…
1. Wort Chiller
1. Make sure vinyl tubing doesn't touch heat source
2. Irish Moss
10. After 60 minutes, remove from heat
11. Add 2.5 gallons of chilled well water to brew kettle
12. Place the kettle in an ice water bath, and start the wort chiller
1. Continue to chill until room temp (70 degrees)
13. Prepare Yeast (while wort is chilling)
1. Boil 1/2 cup water, pour into measuring cup, and cover with plastic wrap
2. When water is about 100 degrees, add dry yeast packet and re-cover, wait no longer than 10 mins
14. Pour wort from the brew kettle into the plastic fermenter, stir vigorously
15. Check OG (Original Gravity)
1. Fill cylinder ¾ full with wort, and carefully place hydrometer inside
2. Note the gravity, and add wort back into fermenter
16. Aerate Wort
1. Use hand held egg beater to aerate wort until it foams up to the top of the fermenter
2. OR cover the hole with your sanitized thumb, and shake the hell out of the fermenter for 4 minutes
17. Pitch the yeast once the wort has been aerated
18. Secure the air lock to the top of the fermenter
1. Fill air lock with water or cheap vodka
19. Place fermenter in cool, dark place
20. Immediately clean and sanitize all equipment

As I went through the process, I made changes to the list, and wrote down anything I thought would help me next time. If you don't take notes, you're making it quite difficult for yourself to improve and get your process running smoothly. 

Part 1 of the brewing process is over! Once the yeast activity has settled down, I'll move everything from the primary to the secondary fermenter. When fermentation is complete, the beer is bottled, and happily consumed! The whole process will take about two weeks or more. Stay tuned...

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale & A Red Rock Growler Fill

Today I went to the park, threw the frisbee around, had an iced tea from my favorite tea shop, and enjoyed wearing shorts and a tank top for maybe one of the last days this year. It doesn't feel like fall outside, but it tastes like it when I've got Dogfish Head Punkin Ale in my glass. 

And remember that Red Rock Brewery growler I found at a thrift shop? Erik and I ate at one of their locations tonight, and filled that baby up. 

One of the first things our server said was, "So how old is that growler?" Apparently, it's got a few years on it. Most growlers these days are made of brown glass, as to better protect your precious beer from the sun's harmful UV rays. My growler is made of clear glass, so I just have to be extra careful and treat it like the contents are liquid vampire. Skunking via sunlight (or even florescent light!) can occur in a matter of seconds. Think about the taste of corona or any clear-bottled beer, and I think you'll understand the off-flavor I'm talking about. While we're on the subject of growlers, let's make sure you finish her off within 24 hours. This is draft beer, after all, and it should be consumed in a timely manor. I suggest sharing with a friend! =) Oh! And my growler was filled with Red Rock Organic Zwickel Bier. Without going into tasting notes (we've got a punkin beer to talk about), it's a Kellerbier style, which is an unpasteurized and unfiltered German lager. It's like a Pilsner with more hay and herbal spice - a summer quencher getting ready for cooler weather. Speaking of which, here's some notes on yet another pumpkin beer!

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

BG 10/07/2014

Poured from a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 7% ABV, the “bottled on” date is unfortunately undecipherable, even after doing some research. It just reads, “BOTTLED ON 2014L 11:06”. I think it’s at least safe to say it’s from this year. =)

A Amber in color with little to no head. What did manage to foam up was a cream color and left no lacing. Super clear.

A Roasted malt, warm nuts, touch of pumpkin flesh, car leather, hint of overripe banana, nutmeg. The nose is a bit subdued, so be patient while taking whiffs…. Ahah! Let this one warm up for a few minutes to release the bouquet. 5-8 minutes out of the fridge should help it open up.

T Wow! So much flavor… pumpkin pie chased with fresh pressed apple cider, very heavy on the pie spices (nutmeg, allspice, especially cinnamon), brown sugar sweetness, well balanced by piney hop bitterness, nutty, slightly burnt malt

M Med-low carbonation, medium body, slightly drying - like the cinnamon challenge, but on a more forgiving level

A Spice that is heavy on the cinnamon, hop bitterness

C Don’t let the shy nose fool you. This beer means business! It’s a bit sweeter than I would like, but it’s also balanced by a combination of bitter hops, cinnamon, and slightly burnt tasting malt. It has a very long, nutty, bitter, burnt finish I think is very similar to that of coffee without actually having any coffee flavors. It's classified as a brown ale, so the sweet and spicy pumpkin notes go down easy. The more I drink it, the more I like it. It has the flavor combinations of dessert - pumpkin pie washed down with warm apple cider - all in one swig. I’m actually craving the next sip. Is there MSG in this thing? Seek it out and get hooked! This is a tasty one.

FP Snickerdoodle cookies, apple crisp, pizza with pumpkin, pine nuts, and brie cheese

Russian River Pliny The Elder and New Beer Adventures!

Today has been fairly momentous in my experience of beer. After several years of longing, I finally got to taste Russian River Brewing Company's Pliny the Elder! This double IPA is one of the worlds most sought after beers, and currently ranks as the 6th best beer in the world on beeradvocate.com. Erik made this dream possible by picking up a case for me on his recent trip to Napa Valley for wine camp (He does wine, I do beer!). I've also got a few other California goodies tucked away for later tasting, but this is certainly the crème de la crème.

The production and distribution of Pliny the Elder is very limited, so I consider myself very lucky. But Pliny the Younger, Russian River's triple IPA and currently ranking as the 4th best beer in the world, is only available on draft at the Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa, CA and a few select CA pubs for two weeks in February every year. So.... road trip in February 2015?

Pliny the Elder is actually in the news today as well (how appropriate?). Russian River is updating their brewing equipment to keep up with demand for Pliny the Elder (though not an expansion). And Firestone Walker is lending a helping hand by offering some of their brewing power to continue production while RR takes care of business. Adorable!

If you're curious at all about Pliny the Elder or Younger, check out this short documentary on both.

And finally, here's what makes Pliny a world-wide favorite...

Russian River Brewing Company Pliny the Elder

BG Poured from a 1 pt, 1.25 fl oz (510 ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 8% ABV, Bottled 09/23/14 That’s right, it was bottled 10 days ago!

A Gold in color with two fingers of white, pillowy head that leaves thick puffs of lacing behind. A bit of flaky sediment was retained in the bottle on my first pour.

A My nose isn’t even over the beer yet, and I can already catch the fragrance. Very potent floral hops, as if I stuck my nose in a bouquet of fresh catkins. Tangerines, fresh squeezed oranges, grassy hops, sweet pineapple

T Pine, citrus zing, capri sun, white bread, fructose, floral hop bitterness

M Medium body, higher than average carbonation

A Orange rind, hop bitterness

C I’ve never had a beer that screams fresh like this one. The amount of flavor and aroma going on here is incredible in that it isn't overwhelming. It has tropical and citrus notes common in pale ales, the aggressive hop aroma and bitterness found in IPAs, and a tastefully amplified interpretation of the characteristics of both styles all its own. It is by far my favorite double IPA, maybe forever. I am no longer a Pliny virgin!

FP Mango basmati rice with lemon chicken, herb crusted tilapia with sauteed cauliflower, angel food cake


As previously stated, I have a whole case. The label also states at least thirteen times (I counted) to drink the beer as fresh as possible. This is only 10 days after the bottling date, and it's truly a fresh experience. If you want to try some, I'm totally down for trades!

And that's not even my whole day!

After lots of research, consideration, and desire to further promote my beer education, I bought a home brew kit! Note: beer education = brewing and, most importantly, drinking beer! I found a great kit with lots of extras on KSL (it's like craigslist), and then went to Art's Brewing Supplies for the actual ingredients, along with some bottle caps and sanitizers. My biggest task now is educating myself. And my biggest fear is that I'll end up on the other side of this with five gallons of mediocre beer that I desperately beg my friends to take home and try. I supposed the point of all of this is to learn (ok it's to drink cheap beer, whatever...), but my desire to make something extraordinary is what will keep me on the right path.

Right now, it looks as confusing to you as it does to me. But with time, and the 4 instructional books/guides + internet, I'll make some drinkable, fermented suds yet!

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Maillard’s Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale & A Thrift Store Find

I've told you, they're waiting in my fridge. The weather still hasn't changed all that much, it's still pretty cold, it's still kinda rainy, and so I believe it's time to dig into those darker beers. Seeing as I have no way to properly cellar beer (the fridge is too cold, and room temp too fluctuating), I like to drink my beer according to the first in first out rule. The exception is wet hopped beer, or anything that is meant to be had as fresh as possible. I admittedly have a bomber of Epic Big Bad Baptist from last winter, and I have no idea how the aging in my fridge has affected it. That will be a fun adventure for another time!

Before we get into tasting notes, I have to report a great thrift store find. For those of you that don't know, I love going to thrift stores, yard sales, and all things of the sort. My Mom does it, my grandfather did it, and so I carry the familial thrifting torch onward. Before you go thinking I'm the nasty type that dumpster dives after barely expired food for dinner, think again. There's tons of gently used or even brand new stuff out there for the cheap taking. It's also good for the environment by keeping stuff out of landfills yada yada. End sermon. Here's what I found...

A Red Rock Brewing Company growler! I know it's only a few dollars at the brewery, but this one was only $1. I gave it a good clean, and now it's ready for a fill - something I've failed to take advantage of in this city that has multiple breweries within walking distance. It's a strange place for growlers with the statewide 4% ABV draft law. Even with the ABV so low, I still enjoy the freshness that draft beer offers.

Onto the notes!

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Maillard’s Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale - Collaboration with Bell’s Brewery

BG 9/30/14

Poured from a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 8.5% ABV, Bottled 05/21/14, 40 IBUs

A Black as night in color with a sandy tan head that leaves a mosaic of lacing behind. The head has an island of large bubbles surrounded by much smaller, tighter bubbles. Once settled, a thin layer of crema remains.

A Burnt malt, espresso, pumpernickel, Swiss Miss, life cereal, toffee

T Ruby red raisins, dried plums, dark chocolate, charred vegetables, dry hay, vanilla, burnt coffee

M Very smooth and creamy, mouth coating

A Bitter coffee grounds, Burnt toast

C The color of the beer speaks to just about every flavor it contains. If you can think of something edible and black, you can probably taste it in this beer. It particularly plays to the burnt-to-a-crisp side of things. It has a little bit of sweetness from the malt, but the overwhelming flavor is charred (insert food here). It probably wouldn’t be a hit with non-stout lovers, but it certainly has a place with those who prefer their coffee black and chocolate dark. I find it fairly delicious, but I’m not sure how it would stand up to something like North Coast Old Rasputin or Sierra Nevada Narwhal. I’ve got both either in my fridge, or en route to it, so I’ll be able to tell you my analysis in a week or so. =) 

Also, don't forget to let your stouts and dark ales warm up for a few minutes after taking them out of the fridge! Very cold temperatures inhibit flavor perception (this is why Coors Lite is advertised to be consumed as cold as possible). The rich, dark flavors of stouts and the like shine after they've warmed up a bit. Try tasting it cold from the fridge, and then again 10 minutes later. I think you'll find it much tastier after warming up!