I just realized that I had a bunch of old beer reviews and posts that were just sitting in the Live Writer folder, so I decided to post them to Rockies Brew today. I hope that you like them or tell me if you hate them.

Appearance: Dark Golden with a thick creamy head
Aroma: Soft pine aroma with light hops
Taste: Creamy palate with bright pine notes…very pleasant

Overall: I have never had a juniper-infused ale, but I have been thinking of using that ingredient in an upcoming homebrew. So, when I saw this on the shelf at Rosauers it was quickly grabbed and purchased. I enjoyed this brew; however, it is not what I find to be a session beer. It is great for a pint or two. I can’t wait to brew my Northern Lights Juniper Rye PA…coming soon.

This evening Andy and I went down to the Bozeman Brewing Company’s tasting room. We started off with a Pumpkin Ale. We both thought that it was somewhat over-spiced with, in my opinion, the allspice taking over. My next brew was a Dry Irish Stout on a nitrogenated tap. This was excellent with a milky mouthfeel and great hints of coffee and smoke in the aroma like cowboy coffee. A great beer that I hope stays in rotation. I ended the session with a beer that is big in every way, the Hopzone. I refer to this ale as "Man candy" — heavy hopness, not bitter - hoppy, and a stiff belt of a heavy gravity Double-IPAish beverage. The Bozone never disappoints, they are always stretching their limits with new ideas and techniques. I encourage everyone to support this great local brewery whenever possible.

Today I brewed a recipe of my own devices, a Sticky Sweet Maple Honey Porter. The intent of this was to have big porter with sweet tones of coffee, maple, and floral tones from the Fuggles hops and honey. In what follows is the recipes, images from the brew day, and the brew particulars.

Fermentables
7 lbs. - Dark Malt Extract Syrup
1.5 lbs. -  Honey
1.25 lbs. - Maple Syrup
1 lbs. -  Rye Malt
1 lbs. - American Black Patent

Hops
1.0 oz. - Fuggles 4.6% AA
0.5 oz. - Fuggles 4.6% AA
0.5 oz. - Fuggles 4.6% AA

Yeast
White Labs Irish Ale (WLP004)

Steep black patent and rye for 30 minutes at ~155 F

Add dark malt extract and 1oz of Fuggles hops. Bring up to a boil.

Add honey and 0.5 oz. of Fuggles hops at 15 minutes.

Add maple syrup and the remaining 0.5 oz. of hops at 2 minutes.

Postscript: The fermentation is healthy to say the least.

This evening I had the Copper John Scottish Ale from the Madison River Brewing. The brew is a nose full of smoke and peat tones. The color is a bit light for the style, but the flavor is on. Overall, it is a good Scottish ale, but I think that it is a light in gravity and color.

Tonight, Sam and I went down to the Bozeman Brewing Company tasting room for a few great beers and to listen to the Bridger Creek Boys. The bluegrass was incredible and beers were just as amazing. The band seems to just getting tighter and tighter. I had 2 different brews; the Wee Heavy Barley Wine and the HopZone.

Wee Heavy Barley Wine The nose of this great barley wine is the first thing that you notice when bringing the sniffer to your face. Thick waves of malt fill your nostrils. the mouth-feel is full and soothing. The flavor has floral, almost honey, notes with a nice amount of alcohol. A great beer in a great atomshpere.

HopZone HopZone sums this one up. The aroma is full of floral and resin notes. The first sip brings a full force hop punch to your grill. This is awesome for a hop-head like myself. This is one of my perfect beers - high hops and high alcohol (~7.5% ABV).

After the Golden Trout Lakes hike, Andy, the dogs and I went down to big Sky to visit the Lone Peak Brewery. Andy had been there on multiple occasions and, for myself, it was my first visit. The brewery and tasting room are located in a small location. The tasting room is inviting with shuffleboard table and a full service kitchen. I had the 3 beer maximum and got a little tour of the brewery by Gervaise Purcell. The brewery equipment consists of 4 20-barrel and 2 10-barrel fermentors along with a mashtun and kettlehouse. All the equipment was purchased new and was in excellent condition. Folowing paragraphs are reviews of the 3 brews that I tried at the Lone Peak Brewery.

Wit’s End Wheat

The beer poured a hazy amber with a short-lived head. In the aroma, you can really pick up on the coriander and a faint hop floral. With taste was infused with citrus from the orange peel and the herbaceous qualities of the coriander. Overall, a very nice summer cooler, especially after a little speed-hiking.

Hippie Highway Oatmeal Stout

Dark as the ace of spades and a aroma full of malt , smoke tones and a pepperiness. Light on the carbonation and the taste is full of malts and subtle smokiness. The gravity on this stout seems to be lighter than other oatmeal stouts that I have had, namely Moose Drool, but overall a fine beverage.

Hellroaring ESB

Poured a medium, hazy brown with very little head. The nose was full hop bitterness with some floral and citrus overtones. The mouth feel come on with floral and fruit followed by a pleasant lingering bitterness.

There’s a party in my mouth and everyone’s invited. That’s how good this beer is…simply amazing. Hazy amber in color with a white head - 2 fingers high - floating on top. The aroma was thick with floral, caramel and malts. Surprisingly, the alcohol is rather subtle in this beverage. Overall, one of the best IPAs that I have had the privilege of drinking.

The other night was walking the aisles of my local organic food store, and what did I spy with my little eye? Maudite! I have been hearing things about this beer for quite some time. This was not an opportunity to be passed up and the liquid love had to be shared with Sam.

The beer poured with a thin head with a brown sugar nose. The mouth feel was light on the carbonation and the flavor was absolutely spectacular. This is a beer that is deserving of being sought out by any beer lover.

Pours reddish brown with a huge creamy off white head. The lacing is excellent and the head shrinks back a little, but it is fully lasting. The aroma is awesome, sour cherries, with a little malt sweetness. Taking a drink, I am blown away. What hits you first is some caramel maltiness, followed by a very distinct Belgian fruity yeast, then thirdly a tartness of cherries. In the finish there is a slight sweetness of brown sugar or maple syrup. The duration of the finish is quite long, the sourness of the lambic and the sweetness go back and forth. The body is medium to full with a creamy texture and lively carbonation. One word can describe this beer - Awesome!