Rocky Mountain IPA

The Rocky Mountain India Pale Ale is my first review here with Beer Genius, so bear with... wait, you don't even know who I am. Well, in that case, let me introduce myself. My name is Jeffrey Ward, friend and fellow drinker of fine beers to Jameson. I went to and graduated from University of Kansas with a degree in Genetics and have plans of going back, shortly. Anyways, we here at Beer Genius will strive to bring you news and reviews about all things beer. Thank you and on with the review.

Now, before I get anywhere in this review about the Fort Collins Rocky Mountain IPA, a big “Thank You!” to George Hodgeson, because without you, we never would have had the recipe for a fantastic beer, which would henceforth become known as an India Pale Ale, or IPA for short.

The IPA style was created in the mid 1700s for the sole purpose of getting fresh beer from England to India around the Cape of Good Hope (75th Street Brewery, you will get your review soon enough). The first official IPA was “Hodgeson’s India Ale”, a variation of his pale ale recipe from the 1750s, and was brewed and shipped around the 1780s, and it set the market on fire with other breweries, like Bass, attempting recreate it for the locals. They never achieved the same flavour of Hodgeson, due to the 6-month fermentation process the beer took in the barrels during the voyage.

Modern versions of the IPA recipe have been done by many of craft breweries in United States, but do not reflect the Hodgeson recipe, and are classified American India Pale Ales. Anchor’s Liberty Ale or Victory’s HopDevil Ale, are some of the more notable forms of the American India Pale Ale. Hops used in American IPAs are citric in nature and are most commonly the Cascade, Chinook, and Columbus varietals. The focus on the hops for IPAs is to give the beer that strong bitter start, with a crisp finish.

Fort Collins Brewery, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, is your typical microbrewery. They brew 6 year-round beers (Major Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat, Rocky Mountain IPA, Kidd Lager, Z Lager, Retro Red, and a Chocolate Stout) as well as 3 Seasonal Beers (Spring: Spring Bock, Fall: Doppelbock, Winter: Big Shot Ale). Some of these our in our fridge, waiting their time in the spotlight to be drank and reviewed by the team here at Beergenius. FCB has a fairly wide distribution range, predominately in the mid-west, but can be found on the east coast in states like New York and Pennsylvania.

Body: 16. A golden, amber ale that presents an excellent color at first pour. Head dissipated fairly quickly leaving a very floral beer to drink.

Nose: 18. First whiff of the beer, you will get a very floral nose and a wonderful aroma.

Character: 19. First quaff of the beer, an intense hop flavour kicks you in the mouth, as most IPAs will give you. The flavor of the beer has edge to the hop bitterness over the malt sweetness. A lingering finish and mellow aftertaste stays with you long until your next drink. Because of the mouth-feel of this (and most) IPAs, solid cleansing of the palate is recommended if you will be sampling other types of beer.

Originality: 15. IPAs have a deep back-story as told in the article. Now, Fort Collins Brewery does their best at replicating a fantastic recipe for beer, but I have certainly had better IPAs.

Versatility: 15. IPAs tend to have higher alcohol and are a lot busier on the tongue than your traditional pilsner or lager, drink this one (and other IPAs) if you can stand the bitterness that the intense hops give.

Overall: 83/100. The Rocky Mountain IPA from Fort Collins Brewery was good beer to be challenged with for my virgin review.


Beer: American India Pale Ale
ABV: ~6.2%
Brewer: Fort (Fun) Collins Brewery (Fort Collins, CO)
Reviewed by: Jeffrey Ward

Chocolate Imperial Stout

This particular beer review is a bit different. It is different in the sense that none of you will actually be able to buy it. “What’s the point, then?” you ask. Well, I wanted to swing things a little differently today and talk about homebrew beers as a whole. Don’t really know anything about it? Yes, it’s a geeky thing you can do in your mom’s basement with your friends. But it can be much more.

Anyone that is truly serious about beer has at least looked into brewing at home. Those who are completely obsessed actually do it.

I’ll admit – I haven’t taken the plunge quite yet. I’ve got a reasonable amount of book knowledge without any physical application. A real expert, right? Yeah , that’s me. I’ll tell you what, though: I’m excited enough to write about the art of homebrewed beers, and hopefully that’ll push me over the edge.

My cousin, though, has taken the plunge. In fact, he’s already three years into the hobby. The guys he brews with have been doing it for close to twelve. So what is this all about? “I like good beer, what can I say?” my cousin Dominic starts out. “Plus, I like the challenge of trying to create something to be proud of, and the fellowship that comes with the many hours involved in the process.”

Dominic was kind enough to send me (by proxy) one of his “Three Stooges Brewing” Chocolate Imperial Stout beers. It came in a plain brown bottle with a home-printed label to identify its contents. I thought it would only be done justice by pouring it into the correct glass, so I chose a tulip-type snifter to allow some of the more subtle characteristics to work their way out of this gorgeously-dark ale.

Initial taste is pretty rockin’, with that classically dark roasted malt prevailing (as it should in a good stout). The chocolate portion of the namesake is displayed as a nice undertone to the whole lot – much more subtle than in other distinctly-chocolate beers I’ve tasted. I’ll be honest – I prefer it this way.

The finish was, to me, the most interesting part – It almost finished like a port wine, leaving traces of booze and grain long after the main ingredients have disappeared from your palate. Dominic says this particular beer is around 7.5% alcohol; that’s the ‘Imperial’ part.

Overcoming my selfishness to drink the beer myself, I allowed my buddy Gunar (www.mad-avenue.com) to have a sip. “Wow – that’s really good for a homebrew…”

My thoughts exactly.

So while you can’t buy this beer, at least not yet, the point is that there’s an entirely different world out there that most people don’t ever venture into. That’s okay ; that’s what makes home brewing unique and totally rad. If you’re really curious, there is a lot of material to read out there:

www.beertown.org – home of the American Homebrewers Association
www.homebrewtalk.com – Good online forum for discussion, learning, and advice.
www.morebeer.com – Good place to buy homebrew equipment.
www.howtobrew.com – Excellent introduction to ho mebrewing.

There’s something to get you started – I think you’ll rather enjoy it should you choose to take the plunge. I know I’m going to do so. Call me out on it a couple months from now, and see if I’ve made anything cool.

And now for the rating. I’ve been complaining for the past couple of reviews that a couple of the categories bother me, as their qualities don’t necessarily make a good beer. What I’ve done is taken the system and completely revamped it into something that seems a bit more fair. To keep consistent with my past reviews, the rating will still be out of 100. Also, beers will be compared to others in their category with regards to rating, otherwise we might fall into the trap of regarding a more complex beer a better beer when in actuality it may not be. Any feedback is certainly welcome.

Body: (16) - This guy isn’t as much of a mouthful as many other stouts, and has more of a two-dimensional feel than the depth and breadth that I was hoping for.
Nose: (18) - I absolutely loved the way this one hit me when in the tulip glass. The chocolate was certainly prevailant and rich. I don’t know whether this beer was brewed from a malt-extract or the barley itself, but I certainly couldn’t tell one way or another.
Character: (15) - Again, a bit ‘flat’ in overall complexity, where I was hoping to be knocked off my feet. Props for choosing to do something different. This one certainly has room to grow.
Originality: (20) - It’s a homebrew – certainly an advantage for this category in that regard. There are a few chocolate stouts to which this can be compared, but none that I’m aware of with such a nice finish.
Versatility: (14) - let’s be honest here – this beer isn’t for everyone. Non-beer drinkers won’t really care for the highly-alcoholic finish, or the impression the dark malt gives to the drinker. Pair it with a busy pizza, any red meat, or a spicy Italian or Mexican dish.

Total: 84 out of 100 – certainly respectable. Definitely for a homebrew.

For those that don’t know, it’s quite difficult (so I hear) to achieve commercial-level consistency and complexity with inexpensive homebrew equipment. Sterilization of absolutely everything is key, along with proper temperature throughout the entire fermentation process. I’m definitely impressed, and I hope to make something similar someday.

Beer: Chocolate Imperial Stout
ABV: approx 7.5%
Brewed by: Three Stooges Brewing (Homebrewers)
Reviewed by: Jameson Huckaba

Budweiser. The King.

We've all been in the situation where there's no question whether or not you'll be drinking beer. The situation where you're encouraged - no, expected, to hang with the guys. But there's often one slight problem. You walk into 31 flavors, and all they have are 31 variations on vanilla. Not exactly what you were hoping for, eh?

Now my vanilla may be different from your vanilla, but it's pretty clear what is implied here. Do yourself a favor - have a friend pour, in separate, unmarked glasses, all of the major domestic pilsner beers. I bet the only difference you'll be able to tell between them is whether it's a 'lite' beer or not. And don't give me the crap about how much Coors tastes from Miller. Only the most discerning palate can truly tell the difference. It's the genius of marketing, dear friends, that makes us believe one is so much better (well, different) than the other.

After your experiment, open a Budweiser. No, not Select, not Light. The original Budweiser. "But, the calories, Beer Genius! What'll I do? I already have enough of a 'spare tire' around my midsection!"

Let's face it. If you're worried about calories, you probably shouldn't be drinking beer anyway. You're not going to get skinny by drinking light beer. So you might as well drink real beer. And truly, there's only about a 45 calorie difference (on average) between any given original and its 'lite' variant. With that said, turn on a football game. Grab a 36 pack (yeah, they make those now!) of Bud Heavy. Get a buddy. Fire up the grill.

Forget about sophistication for one second - this beer is about enjoying beer for beer's sake. Unlike most domestics, it doesn't have to be chilled to 33 degrees (F) to be enjoyed. It has some body - didn't expect that, did ya? Taste the slightest hint of citrus. Savor the aftertaste, and you'd be surprised to find the slightest touch of honey. It's just carbonated enough to feel a bit busy. No, it's not the best beer I've ever had. But some beers aren't about being the best.

Guinness is about feeling Irish. Paulaner is about feeling German. Budweiser is about feeling American, and everything that goes with it. And you know what? I like that feeling. I like the idea of grilling meat and watching football. I like the idea of getting together with some friends and causing trouble.

Let us not forget - it's because of Anheuser-Busch that we can enjoy so many wonderful beers from all over the world. They practically invented beer pasteurization, the magic bottle/bottlecap combination, and refrigerated transport.

It may surprise you to learn that Budweiser is brewed in the traditional way. It is aged in a time-honored beechwood lagering process, and naturally carbonated. The brewmasters are obsessed with quality and consistency. They get mad when you rip on their beer. While I typically don't care for traditional American Pilsner Lagers, this one isn't half bad.

So next time you're in that beer-drinking, pretzel-eating, football-watching situation, grab the Budweiser. Savor it. Enjoy it. Because sometimes, as true beer-lovers, drinking beer just for the sake of drinking beer is what we're called to do. Friends and memories are made. And you just don't mess with the King of Beers.

Character: (13) - This one won't blow you away with its complexity. Sometimes, though, you're just looking for something simple and easy to enjoy. All the basics are here, with more bitterness in younger bottles.
Exclusivity: (20) - Again, I don't know why I have this category. Some restructuring is needed. Budweiser is easily the most widely distributed beer in the world. Props for that.
Flavor: (12) - Not a lot here. Notes of citrus and honey, with hops shining through as the beer ages a couple months beyond the bottling date (or the "Born on:" date).
Originality: (17) - One must give credit where credit is due. This one is the original, as far as I am concerned.
Versatility: (16) - I must admit, for such a glowing review, I can only handle this guy every once in awhile. However, it's cheap, and goes great with pizza.

Total: 78 of 100

Beer: Budweiser Lager (American Pilsner)
Alcoholic Content: 5% ABV
Brewed by Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri
Reviewed by: Jameson Huckaba

RSS feed woes.

So I know my RSS feed isn't working quite yet. Big problem - I agree! It should be fixed by later tonight. Thanks for your patience!

Also, a welcome back, and a thank you to my old readership that I left hanging for so long. It's my goal to publish at least every other day.

The look and feel of this site will evolve, hopefully sooner than later.

Any comments or suggestions are always welcome. Just shoot me an email at jameson@beergenius.net. Thanks!

- Jameson Huckaba

Boulevard Pale Ale

A friend of mine has a saying. "I don't drink beer I can see through," he says. Fair enough - you like what you like, but you're missing a whole different world by closing that door. We all know that guy that won't touch a dark beer, simply because it's dark. What he doesn't realize is that, like wine, the beer world consists of more than just light-colored and dark-colored variants (or red and white...nevermind). My point: A classic porter is as different from a dry stout as Miller Lite is from a lambic beer.

A far-too-general description for its classification, pale ales vary widely in color and taste. An Indian Pale Ale (or IPA) is as different from a Saison beer as Dennis Rodman in Vegas is from Emily Post at a state dinner. Most people tend to like beers at either extreme - sometimes unintentionally skipping over the mild-mannered classics in the middle of the bunch, such as Boulevard Brewing Co's flagship beer - the Pale Ale.

That's right! I said it. Although Boulevard's Unfiltered Wheat makes for over 73% of the brewery's sales, their Pale Ale was the first beer created by the regional craft brewery, and remains their flagship product. And what a product it is. It has a gorgeous deep-golden color that captivates. A lengthy taste reveals notes of citrus - mainly lime - and honey, with enough hops to give it a pleasant texture. Complete with the slightest caramel undertones, it hits exactly where it intends: right in the middle of the way-too-broad pale ale spectrum.

To be fair, it's technically an American Pale Ale - a category shared with Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale and Rogue's Juniper Pale Ale, both of which are not at all like this finely balanced example I'm enjoying at the moment. As I try and pick another beer that's identical, I fail. Sure, there are other mild pale ales out there, but Boulevard's example has to be among the most finely balanced available.

Unfortunately for East - and West coast readers, Boulevard isn't quite available there. They have an approximate 500-800 mile distribution radius from the brewery, and growing. Their sales have jumped approximately 15-20% since the brewery opened in 1989, so expect their excellent beers to creep to your area in the near future.

Character: (18) - The straight-laced kid doesn't always have to be the boring one. Don't expect a lot, and be pleasantly surprised. Just like the middle child in your family. Always underrated.
Exclusivity: (17) - I've been contemplating tossing this category - as an exclusive beer doesn't necessarily mean it's a good beer. Personally, I wish Boulevard was available everywhere. Expect to find it in most midwestern establishments.
Flavor: (19) - Perfectly balanced. Supreme enjoyment.
Originality: (18) - None exactly like it in this crowded category. Again - the middle is often overlooked for something more 'exciting.' Don't make that mistake with this beer.
Versatility: (20) - Full points for this bad boy. Refreshing and clean in the summer, and just busy enough to be warming in the cold months. Your friends won't go "eww!" like they might with a porter.

Total: 92 of 100 points.

Beer: Boulevard Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
Alcoholic Content: 4.9% ABV
Brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City, Missouri
Reviewed by: Jameson Huckaba