A Year of Drinks

During 2010, the Lyke2Drink blog committed to chronicle a year's worth of adult beverage enjoyment.

Some drinks were consumed with friends, others were tasted solo while researching articles. Some were purchased while on the road, others were shipped to me by brewers, vintners and distillers looking for coverage. Whether they were sipped at a festival or enjoyed during a dinner with my family, the task of making sure I had a new drink to review for each and every of the 365 days of the year was both challenging and rewarding.

Looking back over the 365 drinks, there were 228 different beers, 62 wines, 63 spirits, 6 cocktails, 4 ciders and 2 sakes. There were too many good drinks to try to name favorites. If you put me in a corner and said pick some of the best from each category, I would have to say that it really comes down to a few experiences along the way.

In the Beer category, it is nearly impossible to beat the September afternoon at the Denver Rare Beer Tasting. Jolly Pumpkin Biere de Goord was one highlight, the beer that was brewed to help raise awareness and funds for the Pints for Prostates campaign. Among the 26 beers poured that day were some truly rare brews, including three that are single day release big beers that could be sipped just feet from one another: Big Sky Barrel-Aged Ivan the Terrible, Three Floyds Dark Lord  and Foothills Sexual Chocolate.

In Spirits, having the chance to taste two new Bourbon releases at the distilleries was pretty special, particularly when Bill Samuels Jr. was the host for Maker’s Mark 46  and Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris conducted the tasting of the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection.

In Wine, some bottles enjoyed with my wife that reminded us of earlier winery visits. These included Hermann Wiemer Semi-Dry Riesling, Dr. Konstantin Frank Fleur de Pinot Noir, Kathryn Hall 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Louis Martini 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and  Raffaldini La Dolce Vita.

On the “unique” side of things, there was bacon used in vodka and beer; the Bolivian liqueur made from the same raw ingredients used to produce cocaine and the Ohio wine made from a nearly extinct grape variety. Memorable drinks came in the form of a four beer anniversary series from Sierra Nevada, some great cocktails and a number of good wines. But quality is a common thread that unites the drinks of 2010, like Anchor Christmas Ale, Olde Mecklenburg Bauern Bock, Firestone 14 Annivewrsary Ale, Ledson 2009 Carneros Chardonnay , Highland Park 25 Year Old, Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale and Germain-Robin Coast Road Reserve.

With Day 365 Drink, this feature of the blog is being retired. But Lyke2Drink will bring back the weekly “Tuesday Tastings” review segment during January. This blog has been around since 2006 (which is almost ancient when it comes to the drinks blog world) and we are approaching 1,500 total posts. Our plan during 2011 is to take a slightly new focus for Lyke2Drink. This approach will encompass a part of the drinks culture that the blog has touched upon from time to time in the past -- a vibrant and fertile topic that few other outlets really thoroughly cover. In this way we hope to remain relevant to readers and enhance the usefulness of this blog in helping you enjoy the best beer, wines and spirits.

Visit Lyke2Drink in the coming weeks and see where this new direction takes us on our drinks journey.

Day 331 Drink: Firestone 14 Anniversary Ale

Firestone Walker Brewing started making beer in California in 1996. It is truly one of America's greats having been been selected as the best mid-sized brewery at the 2003 and 2007 Great American Beer Festivals, and the top mid-sized brewery at the 2004, 2006 and 2010 World Beer Cup competitions.

Firestone Walker created the Anniversary Series to celebrate the brewery's 10th birthday using a blend of barrel-aged beers, releasing the first beer in the series in 2006.

Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson and a panel of winemakers and industry experts tasted a selection of barrel aged components to build Firestone 14 Anniversary Ale. The final blend in Firestone 14 is Double Double Barrel Ale (31 percent), Sticky Monkey English Barley Wine (29 percent), Parabola Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (27 percent), Velvet Merkin Oatmeal Stout (7 percent), Good Foot American Barley Wine (3 percent) and Black Xantus Coffee Infused Imperial Stout (3 percent). The last four beers were aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, while the Sticky Monkey was aged in former Bourbon and Brandy barrels.

Firestone 14 Anniversary Ale is a complex brew with a true depth of flavors. It pours a dark brown color with a tan head. The common thread in this brew is the Bourbon barrel aging, which shows in both the aroma and the flavor. Right off the bat the mouthfeel presents an enveloping texture. The aroma features vanilla, a hint of coffee and some dark skin fruits. The flavor has a cocoa base, sun dried raisins, vanilla, molasses and oak. This is one of the richest brews I've tasted in years.

Day 325 Drink: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Grand Cru

Sierra Nevada Brewing has been celebrating its 30th anniversary this year by releasing a series of special brews in 750 milliliter cork finished bottles. The first three brews were collaborator beers made with some craft brewing legends. The final beer is a collaboration between three of Sierra Nevada's legendary brews.

You can check out my reviews of the first three beers in the series via these links: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout, Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Bock, and Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ken & Jack's Ale.

If you ask most craft beer drinkers to name the 10 most important craft brewers during the last 30 years, Sierra Nevada would come up on virtually all of those lists. And if you asked the same group to name their favorite Sierra Nevada beers, Bigfoot Barley Wine, Celebration Ale and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale would be at the top of those lists. That's why the fourth and final installment of this series has been so anticipated. The brewery combined oak-aged Bigfoot, Celebration Ale and Pale Ale, then dry hopped the meritage.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Grand Cru Brewers Reserve Oak-Aged Ale pours a reddish brass color and has a thick off white head of foam. The beer has some very floral and pine hop aromas. The flavor produces some signature citrus hop notes up front that come under the influence of the oak. The beer is 9.2 percent alcohol by volume and you can taste the kick a bit. Overall, the beer is balanced in a Sierra Nevada sense -- the hops are king, but malt notes sweep forward at key points. This is a proper cap on a series that is worthy of 30 years of fine beer making at Sierra Nevada.

Day 287 Drink: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ken & Jack's Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing is in the middle of a year-long celebration of its 30th anniversary by brewing four collaborative beers with historical figures from the craft beer movement.

The third installment is a barley wine created by Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman and Jack McAuliffe, founder of defunct New Albion Brewery, recognized as the first of the new wave of American microbreweries.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ken & Jack's Ale pours a dark mahogany color with a big hop nose from the 100 percent Cascade hops used in the brew. The beer is a classic American barley wine. Plenty of hops, a touch of malt running throughout and a good hint of the alcohol. This one will be able to age for a couple of years.

Day 258 Drink: Deschuttes Mirror Mirror

Today we headed to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival and the Denver Rare Beer Tasting, arriving in town early enough to make sure that preparations for the Friday fundraising event for Pints for Prostates were well under control.

There are always plenty of things to worry about with an event like the Denver Rare Beer Tasting. Even with doing a ton of preparations up front and working with Daniel Bradford, the publisher of All About Beer Magazine, and a veteran of running beer events large and small, there are so many things that can go wrong. Did the programs and signage arrive? Is the glassware in good shape? How do the t-shirts look? Are all the volunteers confirmed? And, most importantly, what is the status of the beer? The 26 rare brews coming to the event were reaching Denver through various means and there is always the chance for a keg to be “misdirected” along the way. And, since the event only happens once a year, you cannot really fix most of problems until next year. On top of it, we also have a booth at all four GABF sessions and we are taking part in the Collaborating Collaborators Cosmic Confederation & Counsel of Consciousness event organized by All About Beer at Falling Rock Tap House on Friday night.

After arriving in Denver and confirming that most of the things we could control were in good shape, it was time to head over to Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery on 16th Street with the folks from All About Beer Magazine for a welcome to GABF meal. The cask IPA was a good beer to have with the superb double-rib pork chop.

After dinner we made our way over to the Hyatt Regency for a reception hosted Deschutes Brewery. The brewery was pouring several of its beers, including The Dissident and and Mirror Mirror. It was great to taste beer with Deschutes brewers and staff, including Gary Fish.

Mirror Mirror is an oak aged barley wine. The time on wood really brings out some nuances in the ale. Mirror Mirror is a dark red color with a thin head. The aroma is sweet with not only the barley wine notes, but also elements of the barrel aging coming through. Hints of raisins, figs and vanilla in the finish of this brew.

Day 217 Drink: Samuel Smith Yorkshire Stingo

Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo is a vintage dated strong ale that has been imported for two years now. According to the brewery, "Stingo" is a traditional strong ale that was first made in the north of England and dates back to before 1700.

My first encounter with Stingo as a beer style was as a college student in London in 1980. The very name -- Stingo -- caught my attention. When I was told it was a "barley wine," it further peaked my interest. Watney's Dark Stingo was served up in a 7 ounce nip bottle and was a nightcap favorite of mine after a few pints of bitter. Basically, with pubs closing at 11 p.m., my 20-year-old brain found a little extra kick desirable for the long walk back to my flat.

Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo is available to mark "Yorkshire Day," which is August 1st. The beer will vary slightly each year and at 9 percent alcohol by volume it is bottle conditioned after aging for a year in oak barrels that had previously held cask conditioned real ale.

Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo pours a dark amber color with a tan head. The beer has a fruity and sweet nose, with hints of fig and sweet breads. The flavor has a coating mouthfeel that is a complex mix of raisins, tropical fruit and mellow oak notes. I would love to let this beer age for a couple of years to see where it goes.

Day 160 Drink: Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine

Rogue Ales brewmaster John Maier is one of the more versatile and talented beer makers in America. Evidence the fact that Maier created the recipe for Old Crustacean barleywine in 1986 while he was still a homebrewer.

Old Crustacean is a big beer that comes with big numbers: 11.5 percent alcohol by volume. An IBU rating of 120.

Old Crustacean pours a glowing amber color with an off-white head. There is a big pine note to the nose and an amazingly direct hop bitterness from tons of Centennial and Chinook hops. The hops keep coming in layers: pine, spice and citrus dance around different parts of your mouth. This is a big beer even by barleywine standards.

Day 81 Drink: Brooklyn 2007 Monster Ale

Brooklyn Brewery is one of the east coast's best examples of a craft brewery that has made the transition from local microbrewer to regional force. It's great to find it on tap during visits to New York City and the brewery will be pouring at Citi Field this season during New York Mets games.

Brooklyn 2007 Monster Ale was a surprisingly fresh and crisp 10.3 percent alcohol by volume barleywine. Nice golden color with a thin white topping. The beer has a sweet floral aroma and warming flavor. There is a good level of malt to the base of the beer, with a touch of fruitiness around the edges.

Day 55 Drink: Avery White Rascal

Avery Brewing has been around since 1993. The company has built a reputation for quality beers, especially among higher alcohol and extreme brews. In fact more than half of the beers made by the company have 8 percent or greater alcohol by volume levels. Adam Avery and his brewing team get high marks for brews like Hog Heaven Barleywine, The Reverend Quadrupel Ale and Mephistophele's Stout, which is a 17 percent abv winter seasonal.

“We’re kind of pigeon holed a bit as making extreme beers, but we make a lot of great session beers,” Avery says. In fact, some of my favorite Avery beers are lower gravity brews full of flavor, like Ellie's Brown Ale, 14'er ESB, Karma Ale and White Rascal Belgian-style White Ale.

Avery White Rascal is a 5.5 percent alcohol by volume Belgian-style white ale that pours a pale yellow color with a thin white head. The wheat, coriander and orange peel come together nicely in this beer. The citrus and spice flavor notes are perfect for the warmer weather months.

Tuesday Tasting: 18 Beers from the Cellar

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we join a group of guys in pulling some great beers from the back of our refrigerator for a friendly tasting.

A few weeks back a group of beer fans gathered at the Grapevine in Fort Mill, S.C., with a simple set of guidelines. Bring two interesting beers (bomber-size bottles or larger)to share that you have either been storing for awhile or are extremely hard to find in the Charlotte, N.C., area. People reached pretty deep into their collections and everyone agreed it was one of the best non-festival collections of beer they had ever enjoyed.

Here are the tasting notes for the evening in the order the beers were consumed:

Troegs Troegenator: This Pennsylvania doppelbock is 8.2 percent alcohol by volume. Thin head and amber brown color. Nice caramelized malt flavor. Slight tang of fruit in the finish.

Dogfish Head Theobroma: This 9.0 percent alcohol by volume ale is brewed with honey, cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, ancho chile and ground annatto. It was created based on analysis of residue in pottery found in Honduras. There was a nice chocolate nose to this beer. Chocolate and honey base flavor, but balanced by the chili heat in a long aftertaste.

Rogue Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale: Nice firm head from this 6.2 percent alcohol by volume beer. Upfront hop nose. Strong hop character with a subtle hint of pine.

Three Floyds Alpha King: Glowing amber color and floral herbal nose. Hops surround your taste buds with this beer. Dry citrus peels and grapefruit in the finish.

Stone Double Bastard 2005: Starts with a firm head that slowly dissipates. Raisin nose. Good hop base that fades to fig, pineapple and pine notes.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute Imperial IPA: A 21 percent alcohol by volume heavyweight, the first nose on this beer is a little like spray paint. Tarnished bronze color. Maple syrup is forward, rich and round beer. Hops fight the way through and a balancing act dances across your tongue.

Three Floyds Dreadnaught Ale: Golden color and a thin head open the experience with this 9.5 percent alcohol by volume beer. Grapefruit nose and a clean, crisp hop bitterness.

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter: Chocolate colored head and dark reddish brown color. Slight maple nose in this 9.2 percent alcohol by volume beer. Nice chocolate notes and strong flavor.

Pugsley's Signature Series Shipyard Imperial Porter: Creamy tan head and almost toffee-like nose. Bittersweet chocolate flavor in background and nice malt notes. A bit thinner than expected.

Avery Samael's Oak Aged Ale 2007: This 14.9 percent alcohol by volume beer has a red color and a very thin head. Oak and malty nose. Wonderful figs, raisins and malt come through in the flavor.

Upstream Oak Aged Ebenezer: This ale was brewed in August 2007. Dark brown color, thick head and sweet nose. Sour burnt chocolate taste.

Deschutes 2009 Reserve Mirror Mirror Oak Aged Barleywine: Nice firm head and red color. Slight bubblegum nose and a nice malty flavor, touch of fruitiness with good woody notes showing through.

Firestone 11th Anniversary Ale 2007: Reddish brown color and brown bread nose. Sweet, enticing flavor with rounded malt, cinnamon, fudge and dates.

Bell's Expedition Stout 2007: Thick head with a black purple color. Roasty goodness from the start. Rich and thick brew that has a touch of espresso in the finish.

Stone Russian Imperial Stout 2004: Malt house nose with a touch of chocolate. Dark black color. Rich flavor of chocolate, mocha and dark skin berries.

Rogue Imperial Stout 2006: Thick, chocolate colored head. Bitter notes up front that rolls forward with a thick mocha flavor. Hint of roasted malt.

Founders KBS: This "Kentucky Breakfast Stout" is 11.2 percent alcohol by volume and has a used coffee grounds aroma. There is a ton a cereal notes, coffee, vanilla and wood.

Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout 2008: The head leaves this beer pretty quickly. It is a thick black color with red around the edges. Amazing combinations of flavors. Molasses, cocoa, malt and dark berries. Chewy, coating and long lasting.

Tuesday Tasting: A Little Dark Brew to Ward Off the Cold

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we taste five dark brews perfect for Thanksgiving gatherings.

When the days grow shorter, the nights a little cooler and the wind picks up a bit, I think it is perfect weather for dark beer. The touch of extra flavor from the roasted barley goes perfectly with robust foods and Fall traditions.

In the last week or so I have enjoyed five different dark beers. Here are my notes from those tastings.

Saranac Black Forest Bavarian Black Beer: This brew pours a brown amber color with a thick, firm head. The flavor was dominated by the caramel malt and provided a rich, smooth taste.

DB Double Back Stout with Coffee: From Redhook this limited edition beer is 7.0 percent alcohol by volume. This is a re-release of a classic Redhook offering and it reminds me of how things have progressed on the craft beer scene. When this beer first hit it would have been considered an extreme beer. Now it would be just outside of the mainstream of the craft movement. Don't get me wrong, it is a good brew, with nice roasted notes in the finish. It is just not the in-your-face flavor monster I recall from back in the 1990s.

Hook & Ladder Backdraft Brown: This brew pours a nice hazelnut brown color and has a moderate head. The flavor has a good sweet malt base that lingers. This would go very nicely with a turkey leg and a football game.

Kona Pipeline Porter: This limited release beer is made with 100% Kona coffee. It has a nice mocha nose and a deep roasted coffee flavor. Well put together and a treat for anyone who loves beer and coffee.

Highland Imperial Black Mocha Stout: Another limited edition brew. At 9.5 percent alcohol by volume this beer is thick and offers up coffee and chocolate flavor characteristics. It is black and nearly impervious to light. Good level of roasted aroma and flavor round out the beer.

Great American Beer Festival Hands Out 222 Medals

The 27th edition of the Great American Beer Festival ended a few minutes ago. Earlier today the Brewers Association handed out 222 medals for beers entered in 75 style categories.

Also awards were given out for the small, medium and large breweries and small and large brewpubs of the year.

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year:
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Doug Muhleman

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Crosby & Baker Ltd.
Pyramid Breweries Inc.
Simon Pesch

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management
AleSmith Brewing Co.
The AleSmith Brewing Team

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Rock Bottom Brewing
Rock Bottom Brewing Team

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Redwood Brewing Co.
Bill Wamby

Category: 1 American-Style Cream Ale or Lager - 25 Entries
Gold: Lone Star, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Silver: Hamm’s, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Henry Weinhard’s Blue Boar Pale Ale, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 2 American-Style Wheat Beer - 21 Entries
Gold: Pyramid Crystal Wheat Ale, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA
Silver: Spanish Peak Crystal Weiss, Spanish Peaks Brewing Co., Stamford, CT
Bronze: American Wheat, Gella’s Diner and Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS

Category: 3 American-Style Hefeweizen - 52 Entries
Gold: Henry Weinhard’s Hefeweizen, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Hefeweizen, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: Whitetail Wheat, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT

Category: 4 Fruit or Vegetable Beer - 87 Entries
Gold: Pyramid Apricot Ale, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA
Silver: Alaskan Raspberry Wheat Beer, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: Sangre de Frambuesa, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM

Category: 5 Herb and Spice or Chocolate Beer - 72 Entries
Gold: Russian Roulette, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Pangaea, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE
Bronze: State Beach Blonde, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 6 Coffee Flavored Beer - 28 Entries
Gold: Java the Hut, CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery (Flatirons - Westminster), Broomfield, CO
Silver: Big Shot Espresso Stout, Twisted Pine Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Double Espresso Stout, Barley Brothers Brewery and Grill, Lake Havasu City, AZ

Category: 7 Specialty Beer - 21 Entries
Gold: Red & White, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE
Silver: Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR
Bronze: Palo Santo Marron, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE

Category: 8 Rye Beer - 24 Entries
Gold: Roggenbier, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media, Wilmington, DE
Silver: Right On Rye, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Bronze: Ryeteous Red, Amherst Brewing Co., Amherst, MA

Category: 9 Specialty Honey Beer - 33 Entries
Gold: Honey Lager, Capitol City Brewing Co. - Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
Silver: Eye of the Storm, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN
Bronze: Honey Moon Summer Ale, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category: 10 Session Beer - 33 Entries
Gold: 3.2 Unfiltered Wheat Beer, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: USS Minnow Mild Ale, Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora, CO
Bronze: Blonde Bombshell, Cascade Lakes Brewing Co., Redmond, OR

Category: 11 Other Strong Beer - 32 Entries
Gold: Derail Ale, Durango Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: Imperial Oatmeal Stout, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: FiftyFifty Imperial Stout, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, CA

Category: 12 Experimental Beer - 82 Entries
Gold: Arquebus, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
Silver: Fifteen Avery Anniversary Ale, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Le Pelican Brun, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR

Category: 13 Gluten-Free Beer - 10 Entries
Gold: Redbridge, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Silver: New Grist, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Chinquapin Butte Golden Ale, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR

Category: 14 American-Belgo Style Ale - 36 Entries
Gold: Xtra Gold, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY
Silver: Brush Fire Ale, Pump House Restaurant & Brewery, Longmont, CO
Bronze: Big Wednesday, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Category: 15 American-Style or German-Style Sour Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: The Dissident, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Silver: Brute, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY
Bronze: Fifth Element, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 16 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer - 25 Entries
Gold: Old Jack, Ram Restaurant & Brewery (Indianapolis), Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Buffalo Bock, Ram Restaurant & Brewery (Indianapolis), Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Beastie Barrel Stout, Barley Island Brewing Co., Fishers, IN

Category: 17 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer - 79 Entries
Gold: Bourbon Barrel Barleywine, Central Waters Brewing Co., Amherst, WI
Silver: The Legend of the Liquid Brain Imperial Stout, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Golden Delicious, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY

Category: 18 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer - 27 Entries
Gold: Beekeeper, Bullfrog Brewery, Williamsport, PA
Silver: Cherry Dubbel, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Newark, Wilmington, DE
Bronze: Cascade Kriek Ale, Cascade Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category: 19 Aged Beer - 38 Entries
Gold: Alaskan Smoked Porter 2006, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Silver: Vintage Speedway Stout, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Samuel Adams Utopias 2003, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Category: 20 Kellerbier/Zwickelbier - 23 Entries
Gold: Helles Keller, Fredericksburg Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Hell In Keller, Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que, Austin, TX
Bronze: Zwickel, Chama River Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category: 21 Smoke-Flavored Beer - 31 Entries
Gold: Rauch Bier, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Royersford, PA
Silver: Alaskan Smoked Porter 2007, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: Second Hand Smoke, The SandLot, Denver, CO

Category: 22 International-Style Pilsener - 22 Entries
Gold: Session Premium Lager, Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Yep, Still Boneheads, The SandLot, Denver, CO
Bronze: OE 800, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 23 German-Style Pilsener - 44 Entries
Gold: Kaiser Pilsner, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA
Silver: Party Pants Pilsener, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Prima Pils, Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA

Category: 24 Bohemian-Style Pilsener - 34 Entries
Gold: Pleasantville Pils, Durango Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: Pallavicini Pilsner, Pug Ryans Brewery, Dillon, CO
Bronze: Double Aught, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category: 25 Munich-Style Helles - 30 Entries
Gold: Himmelbrau Helles, Laurelwood Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Saint Arnold Summer Pils, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: BS Helles, The SandLot, Denver, CO

Category: 26 Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest - 16
Entries
Gold: Rolling Thunder Dortmunder, Snake River Brewing Jackson,
Jackson, WY
Silver: Westy Export, CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery (Flatirons -
Westminster), Broomfield, CO
Bronze: Penn Oktoberfest, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA

Category: 27 America-Style Light Lager - 25 Entries
Gold: Coors Light, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bronze: Keystone Light, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 28 American-Style Lager or Premium Lager - 29 Entries
Gold: Olympia, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Silver: Blatz, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bronze: Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 29 American-Style Specialty Lager - 24 Entries
Gold: Hurricane High Gravity, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Silver: Natural Ice, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Bronze: Busch Ice, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO

Category: 30 Vienna-Style Lager - 28 Entries
Gold: Vienna Red Lager, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - West Chester,
Wilmington, DE
Silver: Oaktoberfest, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Clipper City MarzHon, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD

Category: 31 German-Style Märzen - 48 Entries
Gold: Dogtoberfest, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
Silver: Saratoga Lager, Olde Saratoga Brewing Co., Saratoga Springs, NY
Bronze: Munsterfest, Three Floyds Brewing Co., Munster, IN

Category: 32 American-Style Amber Lager - 43 Entries
Gold: BJ’s Oktoberfest, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Huntington
Beach, CA
Silver: Old Scratch Amber Lager, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
Bronze: El Oso, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category: 33 European-Style Dunkel - 18 Entries
Gold: Munich Dark, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Silver: Bastone Münchner Dunkel, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI
Bronze: Michelob AmberBock, Michelob Brewing Co., St. Louis, MO

Category: 34 American-Style Dark Lager - 12 Entries
Silver: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.,
Chippewa Falls, WI
Bronze: Henry Weinhard’s Classic Dark, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 35 German-Style Schwarzbier - 23 Entries
Gold: B3K, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Cherny Bock, Bohemian Brewery, Midvale, UT
Bronze: Black Noddy Lager, Buckbean Brewing Co., Reno, NV

Category: 36 Bock - 39 Entries
Gold: Goat Rancher, The SandLot, Denver, CO
Silver: Bock Lager, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA
Bronze: Butt Head Bock, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

Category: 37 German-Style Strong Bock - 19 Entries
Gold: Capital Autumnal Fire, Capital Brewery Co., Inc., Middleton, WI
Silver: Deep Water Dopplebock, Thomas Creek Brewery, Greenville, SC
Bronze: Red Cock Doppel Bock, Maui Brewing Co., Lahaina, HI

Category: 38 Baltic-Style Porter - 18 Entries
Gold: Kick in the Baltic Porter, Bluegrass Brewing Co., Louisville, KY
Silver: Killer Kowalski, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Bronze: SMP, Sixpoint Craft Ales, Brooklyn, NY

Category: 39 Golden or Blonde Ale - 40 Entries
Gold: Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake, CA
Silver: Alaskan Summer Ale, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: All Nighter, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Category: 40 German-Style Kölsch - 42 Entries
Gold: Wind Blown Blonde, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE
Silver: Sierra Nevada Kolsch Style Ale, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Bronze: Guido’s Kolner Brau, Snake River Brewing Jackson, Jackson, WY

Category: 41 English-Style Summer Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: Surfer’s Summer Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Montgomery Blonde, Montgomery Brewing Co.,
Montgomery, AL
Bronze: 312 ‘Urban Wheat Ale’, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL

Category: 42 Classic English-Style Pale Ale - 48 Entries
Gold: Full Sail Pale Ale, Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Clipper City Pale Ale, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD
Bronze: Summit Extra Pale Ale, Summit Brewing Co., Saint Paul, MN


Category: 43 English-Style India Pale Ale - 28 Entries
Bronze: Hop Daddy IPA, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA

Category: 44 American-Style Pale Ale - 76 Entries
Gold: Mission Street Pale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Drake’s 1500 Pale, Drake’s Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA
Bronze: Firestone Pale 31, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Category: 45 American-Style Strong Pale Ale - 71 Entries
Gold: Hop Bomb, Rock Bottom Brewing, Louisville, CO
Silver: Nectar Pale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Organic IPA, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR

Category: 46 American-Style India Pale Ale - 104 Entries
Gold: Union Jack IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Blind Pig IPA, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Hop Head, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category: 47 Imperial or Double India Pale Ale - 50 Entries
Gold: Hopnotic 2X IPA, San Diego Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Hip Hop Double IPA, Hollister Brewing Co., Goleta, CA
Bronze: Hop 15, Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA

Category: 48 American-Style Amber/Red Ale - 65 Entries
Gold: Dry Hopped Red, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR
Silver: CascaZilla, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY
Bronze: American Amber, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

Category: 49 Imperial or Double Red Ale - 30 Entries
Gold: Rock Hopera Imperial IPA, Vino’s Pizza • Pub • Brewery, Little Rock, AR
Silver: Alpha Dog Double Red Ale, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Bronze: Weekender Red Ale, Amicas, Salida, CO

Category: 50 Bitter or Pale Mild Ale - 42 Entries
Gold: Drop Top, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Hopsmith Pale Ale, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO

Category: 51 Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter - 43 Entries
Gold: Bachelor ESB, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Silver: Sweetwater Motorboat ESB, Sweetwater Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA
Bronze: Standing Wave Pale Ale, Kannah Creek Brewing Co., Grand
Junction, CO

Category: 52 Scottish-Style Ale - 24 Entries
Gold: Highland Courage, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Silver: Dells Chief Amber Ale, Dells Brewing Co., Wisconsin Dells, WI
Bronze: Railbender Ale, Erie Brewing Co., Erie, PA

Category: 53 Irish-Style Red Ale - 31 Entries
Gold: Red Rocks Red Ale, Rock Bottom Brewing, Louisville, CO
Silver: Ragtop Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
Bronze: Eric The Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - Orland Park, Orland Park, IL

Category: 54 English-Style Dark Mild Ale or Brown Ale - 48
Entries
Gold: Sweet George’s Brown, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO
Silver: Old Elk Brown Ale, Walnut Brewery, Boulder, CO
Bronze: OB-1, Snake River Brewing Jackson, Jackson, WY

Category: 55 American-Style Brown Ale - 47 Entries
Gold: Kick-Ass Brown, C.H. Evans Brewing at the Albany Pump Station,
Albany, NY
Silver: Bitch Creek ESB, Grand Teton Brewing Co., Victor, ID
Bronze: Bad Dog Brown Ale, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk
Grove, CA

Category: 56 German-Style Altbier - 27 Entries
Gold: The Detroit Dwarf, The Detroit Beer Co., Detroit, MI
Silver: Railyard Ale, Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay, WI
Bronze: All The Way Alt, Desert Edge Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 57 South German-Style Hefeweizen - 52 Entries
Gold: Wixa Weiss, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: The Love, Starr Hill Brewing Co., Crozet, VA
Bronze: Mueller Hefeweizen, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO

Category: 58 German-Style Wheat Ale - 32 Entries
Gold: I’m Half the Beer I Used to Be, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler,
Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Dark-n-Curvy Dunkelweizen, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Wasatch Hefeweizen, Wasatch Brew Pub, Park City, UT

Category: 59 Belgian-Style Witbier - 53 Entries
Gold: Mothership Wit/Organic Wheat Beer, New Belgium Brewing Co.,
Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Belgian Wit, Redrock Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Squatters Wit, Utah Brewers Co-op, Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 60 French- and Belgian-Style Saison - 37 Entries
Gold: Saison, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - West Chester,
Wilmington, DE
Silver: Saison, Nodding Head Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Luciernaga, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI

Category: 61 Belgian- and French-Style Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: Redemption, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Pride, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK
Bronze: Rare Vos, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY

Category: 62 Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale - 29 Entries
Gold: Lambic de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media,
Wilmington, DE
Silver: Upstream Gueuze-Lambic, Upstream Brewing Co., Omaha, NE
Bronze: Cassis de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Newark,
Wilmington, DE

Category: 63 Belgian-Style Abbey Ale - 53 Entries
Gold: Bishop’s Tipple Trippel, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA
Silver: Abbey Dubbel, Flying Fish Brewing Co., Cherry Hill, NJ
Bronze: 6th Glass, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO

Category: 64 Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale - 44 Entries
Gold: Darth Delirium, Moose’s Tooth Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK
Silver: Brother David’s Double, Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Boonville, CA
Bronze: Golden Armor, CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery (Highlands
Ranch), Highlands Ranch, CO

Category: 65 Brown Porter - 30 Entries
Gold: BlackWatch Cream Porter, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA
Silver: FireHouse Porter, FireHouse Grill & Brewery, Sunnyvale, CA
Bronze: Prospector Porter, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

Category: 66 Robust Porter - 47 Entries
Gold: Nolan’s Porter, Barrio Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Silver: Sweet Sanderine Porter, Il Vicino Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Pacemaker Porter, Flyers Restaurant and Brewery, Oak Harbor, WA

Category: 67 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout - 19 Entries
Gold: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Shaft House Stout, Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino, Central City, CO
Bronze: Port Truck Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 68 Foreign-Style Stout - 28 Entries
Gold: Whiteface Black Diamond Stout, Great Adirondack Brewing Co.,
Lake Placid, NY
Silver: Black Bear XX Stout, Alameda Brewhouse, Portland, OR
Bronze: Black Hole XXX Stout, Chelsea Brewing Co., New York, NY

Category: 69 American-Style Stout - 23 Entries
Gold: Terminal Stout, Rock Bottom Brewing, Louisville, CO
Silver: Black Mocha Stout, Highland Brewing Co., Asheville, NC
Bronze: Troegs Dead Reckoning, Troegs Brewery, Harrisburg, PA

Category: 70 Sweet Stout - 19 Entries
Gold: Cream Stout, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Silver: Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Bronze: Cow Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 71 Oatmeal Stout - 32 Entries
Gold: Oatmeal Stout, Gella’s Diner and Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS
Silver: Velvet Merkin, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Oatmeal Stout, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA

Category: 72 Imperial Stout - 44 Entries
Gold: BORIS The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing
Co., Akron, OH
Silver: Night Rider Imperial Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Yeti Imperial Stout, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category: 73 Strong Scotch Ale - 38 Entries
Gold: AleSmith Wee Heavy, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Way Heavy, Pizza Port San Clemente, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Bag Pipe’s Scotch Ale, Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works,
Allentown, PA

Category: 74 Old Ale or Strong Ale - 40 Entries
Gold: AleSmith Decadence Old Ale, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Old Scrooge, Silver City Restaurant & Brewery, Silverdale, WA
Bronze: Old Scratch Barley Wine ‘99, Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.,
Madison, WI

Category: 75 Barley Wine-Style Ale - 55 Entries
Gold: Treblehook, Redhook Ales Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: AleSmith Old Numbskull, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Scratch #4 “The Flying Mouflan”, Troegs Brewery, Harrisburg, PA

Great Divide Brewing Throws Open the Doors for GABF Guests

Great Divide Brewing Company’s annual GABF kick off lunch was a jam-packed affair. Tons of brewers from across the country mixed with beer writers and other industry hangers on. It is one of the events that makes you realize that the actual festival portion of the long GABF weekend is only a small part of why the beer community descends on Denver each fall.

As usual, Great Divide had its full line-up of impressive beers on tap for sampling, along with a sandwich and sausage buffet that included some great cheeses. The Titan IPA has a crisp and pronounced hop flavor profile, which was only outdone by Great Divide’s Fresh Hop Ale, which features the aroma of fresh hops flown into Denver right after picking in Washington state.

Wandering around the brewery I found my way into the cold warehouse section where samples of two beers that had been aged in Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey barrels were being poured for lucky guests. It was at this exact moment that good friend Barron Boyd from Syracuse, N.Y., arrived on the scene. We got a healthy sample of the Old Ruffian Barley Wine that had been finished in the ex-whiskey barrels. It was a lively drink with clear notes of the whiskey from the oak breaking through the hop character.

Another unexpected treat on tables at the Great Divide were bags of wonderful malted milk balls from Briess’ Malting Co. Some “in the know” folks confessed that they were addicted to them. I think I may have joined the ranks of the people who jones for this candy.

One Hit Wonders: The Quest for Great American Beer Festival Glory

In the Marriott Hotel a few blocks from where I'm staying in Denver around 100 hardy souls are starting day two of an important task: they are judges for the Great American Beer Festival competition.

While this might sound like a job you would like to have, it does come with a heavy workload, deadlines and a good amount of responsibility. The judges -- brewers, journalists and industry members -- meet in panels for the better part of three days, carving down hundreds of entries in dozens of categories to hand out gold, silver and bronze medals.

The GABF went to a professional judging system in 1987. Before that, a consumer preference poll determined the award winners. Since that time thousands of medals have been handed out to brewers. These are valued for their marketing power and the bragging rights that come with them. In the 21 competitions judged under this system, the panels have deliberated over the beers and occasionally decided not to award a certain medal in a category. This has happened just 25 times in the history of the GABF.

More common is the phoenominon of the "one hit wonder" -- a brewery that wins just a single GABF medal. The list is a long one and shows just how tough it is to win at the GABF. Some of the breweries have gone out of business, others may have stopped sending beers to Denver for judging. Others are still trying to capture a second gold, silver or bronze. Here's a snap shot by year of just some of the nearly 190 GABF "one hit wonders."

Year Brewery (State) Beer (Medal)

1987 Chesapeake Bay Brewing (Md.) Chesbay Double Bock (Gold)
1988 Ambier Brewing (Wisc.) Ambier (Gold)
1989 Catamont Brewing (Vt.) Catamont Gold (Gold)
1990 Black Mountain Brewing (N.M.) Crazy Ed's Arizona Pilsner (Bronze)
1991 Broad Ripple Brewing (Ind.) Extra Special Bitter (Gold)
1992 Dilworth Micro Brewery (N.C.) Albermale Ale (Bronze)
1993 Flying Aces Brewing (Fla.) Old West Amber (Gold)
1994 Martha's Exchange (N.H.) Untouchable Scotch Ale (Silver)
1995 Irish Times Pub & Brewery (Fla.) Fin MacCool Irish Red (Gold)
1996 Aspen Beer Co. (Colo.) Naked Aspen Honey Wheat (Silver)
1997 Bavarian Brewing Co. (Ohio) Bavarian Pilsener (Bronze)
1998 Big House Brewing (N.Y.) Ma Barker Ale (Gold)
1999 Bitter Creek Brewing (Wy.) A Beer Named Bob (Bronze)
2000 Delafield Brewhaus (Wisc.) Old No. 27 Barley Wine (Gold)
2001 Rohrbach Brewing (N.Y.) Barley Wine (Bronze)
2002 Smiling Moose Brewpub (Colo.) McAllister's Ale (Gold)
2003 Ortlieb's Brewery & Grille (Pa.) Ortlieb's Select 69 Lager (Silver)
2004 Unique Beers (Fla.) Orange Blossom Pilsner (Bronze)
2005 Olde Auburn Ale House (Ala.) Catch Her in the Rye (Bronze)
2006 Butte Creek Brewing (Cailf.) Organic Pilsner (Gold)
2007 Atlanta Brewing Co. (Ga.) Red Brick Blonde (Gold)

Tuesday Tasting: Three Unique Beers from Dogfish Head

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we take a detour to the edge of brewing universe with a Delaware craft brewer.

The one ultimate truth I can say about Dogfish Head Brewing is that they don't make boring beer. Even the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is a stand out in a category that just about every small brewer in America tries to compete. Sam Calagione and his crew have created one of the most respected breweries in America and I always try to taste any new products I see coming from the Delaware based company.

The Charlotte Beer Club has a regular monthly meeting at the Flying Saucer. For July, the folks at the Saucer pulled out all of the stops by producing three kegs of hard to find Dogfish Head brews. It was a treat for the taste buds.

Palo Santo Marron: This brown ale is brewed in Paraguayan holy tree wood vessels. There are a ton of flavors from almost every angle with this beer. It is clearly to be respected, coming in at 12 percent alcohol by volume. It is not meant to be a session beer, but it is a treat if you can find some.

Chicory Stout: Wow. Dark and rich. Hints of French Quarter coffee and a touch of licorice. Inviting roasted aroma. This is a must try for any stout fan. Even though this is intended to be a winter seasonal, it was just 5.2 percent alcohol by volume and perfect for Charlotte in the middle of summer.

Immort Ale: OK, this brew was going in several different directions in my mouth at the same time. It is aged in oak, uses peat smoked barley and is brewed with juniper berries, vanilla and maple syrup. It comes in at 11 percent alcohol by volume. Is it a salute to Scotch? A tip of the hat to gin? Or do you pour it over pancakes? I tip my hat to the brewmaster for his sense of creativity.

The Session #12: Barleywine

When Jon over at The Brew Site announced that the topic for this month's edition of The Session was going to be Barleywine I became both excited and nostalgic.

The excitement stems from the fact that barleywine is one of those styles that should start any beer fan's heart racing. Big and bold, these are brews that go for the gusto. Barleywine gets my vote for the most likely to induce palate fatigue at a beer festival. About as far away from a session beer as you can get, barleywine is a true classic. The style has to be in the high gravity hall of fame.

The nostalgia comes from my first early encounters with barleywine. I was a student at Syracuse University and lucky enough to snag a spot in the school's semester abroad program in London. My first time on an airplane was a flight on TWA from JFK in New York to Heathrow in London. It was a great experience in many ways and I came to understand and enjoy the British pub culture and bitter. I also saw the strange nip bottles behind the bar and sampled something amazing called barleywine. The most widely available were two Watneys' brands, Stingo and Gold Label. The flagship Watneys Red Barrel was not well liked by the locals, but they did appear to enjoy Stingo towards the end of the evening.

I decided to gather three different barleywines for this edition of Beer Blogging Friday, hopeful that I might contribute at least one unique brew to The Session. Here are my picks:

Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot Barley-Wine Style Ale: This Easton, Pa., brewery produces a very impressive set of beers. Blithering Idiot has one of those great barleywine names that sticks. A slightly cloudy and almost cider-like color, Blithering Idiot is 11.1 percent alcohol by volume. It has a fluffy head to start and a sweet nose. You get hints of tart citrus and perhaps a little sweet cherry in the flavor profile. The alcohol is present, but it is a fairly smooth drink.

Talon True Style Barley Wine Ale: I picked this one over a trio of other great options from Victory, Left Hand and Avery because it is brewed at Mendocino's brewery in Saratoga Springs not far from where I used to live in Upstate New York. If you ever find yourself in Saratoga Springs, especially if you have dropped money at the Saratoga Race Course or the nearby racino, head to the brewery's tasting room for one of the best deals in town. For $2 they will pour you a pint of any of the beers they happen to be making at the brewery -- there are usually about 10 beers on tap -- and they let you keep the glass. They limit you to two beers, but if you are drinking Talon, that's all you'll need. Talon is a dark reddish hued, malty brew with 10.5 percent alcohol by volume. The bomber bottle I poured from delivered a very thin head, but the body of the beer made up for it. While I would say the beer has sweet notes, it also finished fairly tart and dry. The ale yeast in this beer is clearly present and defines the overall fruity character.

Mikkeller Big Worse Barley Wine: Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij in Lochristi-Hufte, Belgium, for a pair of Danish homebrewers, Big Worse is 12.0 percent alcohol by volume. The beer is dark red, with a thin head. The brewery uses candy sugar as part of the recipe and the initial nose has some sweet, floral and herbal notes. This is a bit more hoppy than most barley wines and I would say it is a touch less complex than the two others in this tasting. While it was the most alcoholic of the three barleywines I tasted, the alcohol was cloaked. Certainly, the average drinker would know it was something more than a lager, but perhaps not think it much more powerful than a good solid IPA.

Hey did I remember to thank Stan over at Appellation Beer for starting The Session? We all should.

Tuesday Tasting: A Bunch of Barleywines

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we head to the Common Market in Charlotte to take part in a barleywine tasting as part of Charlotte Beer Week.

From the outside the Common Market on Commonwealth Ave. in Charlotte looks like the typical small grocery store that has disappeared from many American neighborhoods over the years. Once inside, however, you find a great selection of wines and beers to go along with an interesting array of foods. It was a unique setting for Charlotte Beer Week's barleywine tasting over the weekend. The folks at Common Market gathered a nice selection of 11 barleywines, including a trio of Brooklyn Monsters for a vertical tasting. Barleywine is one of those styles that attracts the curious and delivers a very nice high gravity experience.

My senses were dulled a bit by an allergy attack, but the barleywines cut through to offer some great flavors. Here's a round up of the brews tasted:

Avery Hog Heaven (9.2% abv): Golden color with a nice mellow flavor. Decent hops throughout with slight hints of fruit.

Bigfoot Barleywine (9.6 abv): This is a classic American barley wine. A thick and chewy brew with plenty of hops to go around. Perfect ending to a brisk evening.

Great Divide Old Ruffian (10.2% abv): An off gold color provides a full strong flavor that let's you know there is an alcohol punch. This is a beer that says what it is and delivers.

Heavy Seas Below Decks (11.0% abv): From Clipper City in Baltimore this brew starts off and finishes with plenty of fresh hops. There is a slight touch of tropical fruit in the finish.

John Barleycorn (9.5 percent alcohol by volume): From Mad River Brewing, this beer is a reddish gold color with a tan head. It is nicely hopped and a touch sour. An interesting approach.

Rouge XX Old Crustacean (11.3% abv): Cloudy brown and red, with a full hoppy flavor that you would expect from Rogue. Worth trying.

Mendocino Talon (10.5%): Tarnished copper color, this is a smooth and well balanced barley wine. It could very easily sneak up on you.

Weyerbach Blithering Idiot (11.1% abv): Light amber color, very nice hop aroma with a slightly tart flavor. This well balanced brew finishes dry. A highlight of any barleywine tasting.

Monster Vertical

Brooklyn Monster 2003: Somewhat cloudy, but still very amber. Still offers up fresh hops, but is overall mellow. The alcohol kick is gone, but that's OK.

Brooklyn Monster 2004: Clear gold color, nice malty flavor against the hops. Alcohol kick is present.

Brooklyn Monster 2006: Golden color, very much like a high gravity IPA based on the hops. Crisp with pronounced hops in the finish.

Tuesday Tasting: Four Faces of Fritz

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we head to San Francisco to check up on the multi-tasking Fritz Maytag and try a little bit of all three.

Fritz Maytag is one of the founding fathers of the American craft brewing movement. If he had done nothing more than save a failing San Francisco brewery in 1965, and with it the Steam Beer (California Common) style, we would all owe him a debt of gratitude. But Maytag has done much, much more. Anchor Brewing is a success story. Anchor Liberty Ale, Porter, Old Foghorn Barleywine, Christmas Ale and other products should be on every beer lover's "to drink" list. In 1968, Maytag started to operate a Napa Valley vineyard, selling grapes to wineries. It was not until 2000 that the company opened a winery in Spring Mountain. In 1993, Anchor quietly began distilling, releasing a whiskey in 1996 and a gin in 1998.

"Over the last 40 years we've proven the small guy could provide variety to the beer business," Maytag says. "Now we've changed the American whiskey business by what we've done. Quantitatively, we're nothing. But qualitatively what Anchor Distilling has done is everything."

Lyke2Drink had the chance to sample a range of four Maytag inspired beverages recently and found each offers consumers a great taste experience.

Anchor Steam Beer: This is a beer that has been around since 1896, but gave many of today's Americans their first craft beer experience. It is 4.9 percent alcohol by volume and is a light amber color. The beer has a crisp, fresh malt flavor that makes it a classic among American lagers. While I enjoy this brew from a bottle, it is a treat when you can find it on draught in the eastern U.S.

Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey: A barrel strength 123.2 proof whiskey usually is not this smooth. The 100 percent rye whiskey is pot distilled and aged in slightly toasted oak barrels for between 18-30 months. The whiskey is amber gold, with a nice fresh wood nose and flavor profile. There are attractive hints of almond and nice bits of subtle spice throughout.

York Creek Vineyards 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon: Deep black cherry red, this is a smooth wine with plenty of plum and berry flavors. It has a velvety and dry finish. The wine is 14.8 percent alcohol by volume and is a blend of 80 percent cabernet sauvignon, 5 percent cabernet franc, 12 percent merlot and 3 percent petit verdot. This is an extremely drinkable wine.

York Creek Vineyards 2003 Port: Made with 75 percent Sonoma and 25 percent Napa grapes, this port combines five different varietals in its blend. At 20 percent alcohol by volume you do get a nice warming sensation from a glass of this port. York Creek Port is a rich deep burgundy color and appears thick in your glass. There is plenty of fig and plump raisin flavors throughout.

Tuesday Tasting: Wooden Brews

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we examine the growing love affair between brewers and wood.

At the Great American Beer Festival during late September in Denver we were amazed by the number of brewers offering beers that had been aged in old Boubon barrels and other wood combinations. In fact, it was the second most populous category in the professional judging, beat out only by American pale ale. At least four made the Lyke2Drink All-Festival Selections: Browning's Brewery Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout, Great Lakes Rackhouse Ale, Michelob Celebrate Oak Vanilla and Sierra Nevada Wood Aged Bigfoot Barleywine. In the last few weeks Lyke2Drink has had the chance to sip some more wood finished brews, finding that wood is indeed a friend of beer. A few were already covered as part of our holiday and winter beer tastings. Here are two others that we found to be very much worth the extra effort to locate.

Allagash 2006 Interlude: This experimental beer from the Maine brewery is aged in French merlot and sirah oak and has a slightly winey and fruity flavor profile. Sugar and yeast are added at the time of bottling to create a second fermentation in the bottle. You'll want to split this with friends for two reasons: first the 750 ml bottle holds a 9.5 percent alcohol by volume brew and when we found one at the Flying Saucer in Charlotte it set us back $25. An impressive beer with an impressive price tag.

Rock Bottom Chicago Barrel Aged Imperial Stout: They serve this 9-10 percent alcohol by volume brew in a brandy snifter, which helps concentrate the flavors. My glass came off the tap a little too cold, but as it warmed more of the rich flavors emerged. There was a reddish hue to the head on this beer, which ringed the glass. Aged in barrels formerly used to mature Woodford Reserve Bourbon, you can taste the whiskey and the vanilla from the oak. A perfect drink to ward off the freezing temperatures of the Windy City.

Tuesday Tasting: Nine Seasonal Brews

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we continue on our holiday beer odyssey, tasting nine Christmas and winter seasonal brews as we close out 2006.

Brew Masters 2006 Private Reserve: The folks at Anheuser-Busch put out this 8.5 percent alcohol by volume in a flip top 46.5 ounce bottle perfect for holiday gatherings. The beer has a slightly sweet malt characteristic, with a lingering alcohol flavor at the end of the brew.

Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter: This very dark black brew is thick and loaded with flavor. The North Carolina craft brewery has built a 9 percent alcohol by volume beer around rich cocoa, coffee, sweet fig and malty flavors. Perfect for the coldest winter evening.

Left Hand Snow Bound Winter Ale: They know a few things about surviving winter's chill in Colorado and this 7.6 alcohol by volume brew is a perfect example. This ale replaces the XXXmas ale in the Left Hand line up and is a rich reddish brown color. There are hints of several spices, with nutmeg being the clear dominator of the flavor profile. The ale finishes with a slightly malty flavor.

Michelob Celebrate Chocolate: Sold as part of a gift pack with a pair of glasses and the Vanilla version, this 8.5 percent alcohol by volume beer has clear cocoa flavors and sweet milk chocolate tones. The brew tends to be a bit too much on the sweet side for me, approaching cloying in the overall flavor profile.

Michelob Celebrate Vanilla Oak: The second half of the holiday gift pack is a lager aged on Bourbon barrel oak and uses fresh vanilla beans. At 10 percent alcohol by volume this beer is remarkably smooth with an attractive vanilla sweetness.

Rudolph's Revenge Winter Ale: From the Cropton Brewery in the United Kingdom, this ale is a cloudy red color. At 6 percent alcohol by volume it gives off a tart, almost black cherry flavor profile.

Scaldis Noel Premium: Known as Bush de Noel in its native Belgium, this unfiltered ale undergoes a second bottle finishing. The result is a truly amazing 13 percent alcohol by volume beer that is thick, rich and chewy. Multiple layers of flavor make this a perfect brew to share by a fireside.

Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale: This beer from the U.K. is a light brown color and is 6 percent alcohol by volume. Mellow and smooth with a good balance between the barley malt and hops.

Saranac Season's Best Nut Brown Ale: This marks the 25th anniversary of holiday beers from this Utica, N.Y., brewery. This brown ale has a slightly roasted characteristic and is a bit thin compared to most holiday beers. Still refreshing and enjoyable.