Straw-colored August sunlight filters through the windows as I entered the Lone Peak Brewery in Big Sky, Montana. The tasting room is a little over half full and it is quickly filling up with a crowd seems to be equally split between summer tourists and locals who are just getting off from work. As usual, I make a beeline straight towards of the tap handles. They have 9 different beers on tap. Oh, the options. I start playing the “Have I Had That Beer” game. “I’ve had that one, but it was awhile ago.” “That one might be interesting”. I finally select the Hopfest 2010 and in a few seconds a dark brown beer is sitting in front of me. At first, it was hard to tell whether this was a Cascadian Dark Ale (or Dark IPA or whatever folks want to call it) or a beast of a different color. I finally figure out that it is a hoppy brown ale. “Ah, that’s the reason for the pronounced malt backbone.”

I sip my beer and people watch while I wait for Steve Nordahl, Master Brewer, to finish up with loading kegs onto the distributor’s truck. Lone Peak’s beer are available at a lot of the area’s bars and restaurants. As I hang out, one of the bartenders shoots the shit with me and describes the Hopfest to me. He obviously saw my puzzled look with each sip or gulp…it was hot damnit. We talk about getting a flight of their beers, but I have to drive home still (am I getting older and reasonable?). Soon enough, Steve comes through the brewery and behind the bar. He says hello to his wife and kids as they have been helping out, well as much as a couple of little ones can lend a hand. He comes over the offers the warm handshake that all brewers seem to possess. His long goatee causes me to think that I should consider growing mine out, from its current state, but only if it doesn’t result in me being single again.

We move back into the brewery and begin to talk about beer geek stuff. He tells me that they have nine beers in tap at all times in the tasting room, and they do a few seasonal beers each year. The next seasonal coming online in a couple of weeks is a bourbon-barrel aged stout. I had the last year’s version of this beer, and I cannot wait until it is available on tap. I take pictures of fermentors and mashtuns, how beer geeky is that?

We talk about his brewing philosophy and how he came to be here in Montana. “My introduction to beer was in Belgium when I was 16,” he nonchalantly states. “C’mon man,” screams in my head. He lived every craft beer drinkers wet dream, having your palette develop on Belgians, saisons, and sours. My first beer was an Old Milwaukee that had been stolen from the refrigerator of a buddy’s mother. Three of us split this single warm, road-shaken can between ourselves behind an outhouse (hand to God, that happened). I noticed, though, that he did not have any Belgians or Imperials on tap. I asked him why and the answer was honest and direct. Most of folks that stop by this brewery are not fans of the big beers or do not have the palette from them, and not brewing them comes down to a business decision. That does not mean that his beers are not artfully brewed. Instead, he strives to introduce styles into the bar that are extremely well crafted, and, at the same time, approachable to all beer drinkers. I find this admirable as we already have the Dogfish Heads of the world, and they can be, frankly, alarmingly different to most beer drinkers. We talked about how he came into brewing, starting with his attending UC Davis and their brewer program. Later, Steve was one of the founders of the Fredericksburg Brewing Company, and was along for its incredible growth, but he wanted to do something else, something fun. Several years later he and his wife, Vicky, found themselves opening the Lone Peak Brewery in Big Sky. Lucky for those of us who have found this little gem of a brewery.

Besides having great beers on tap, the Lone Peak Brewery has a full bar and a great kitchen. As I hung out, I saw mouth-watering ribs and burgers on the plates of my bar mates. Vicky let me know that she really likes the Killer Bison Quesadilla. But the one sandwich that really caught my eye is the Angry Bison Burger. A big bison burger with jalapeño paste, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle aioli. This is far better fare than normal finger foods or popcorn that seem to be available in most of the tap rooms around. Next time that I am around Big Sky, you better believe that I will be stopping by for an IPA and the Angry Bison burger. Perhaps, a bourbon-barrel stout will follow this meal.

Unfortunately, Lone Peak does not yet bottle, but they getting a canning line in the near future. So, your only option is to come to Montana, travel up the Gallatin Canyon, and have a seat in the Lone Peak Brewery. It will definitely be worth the trip.

Imagine my excitement upon leering into the cooler at Worden’s Market in Missoula, a bottle of Stone Brewing Imperial Russian Stout was staring back at me. Decision made in a heartbeat, and that bottle went home with me.

Upon opening the brew, the air was filled with cocoa and coffee waves of aroma. As I poured it, the anticipation was overwhelming.

Appearance: Rich dark, black coffee color with a one finger dark tan head.

Aroma: Incredible mocha-like tones. Almost felt like I holding a hot chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Exquisitely silky, or maybe more like drinking velvet.

Taste: Chocolate and coffee with a right hop bitterness. The high alcohol (10.5%) was almost entirely hidden except for comfortable warm on the back palette. Roasted characters are in the background – noticeable but not the stars.

Redneck Rating: Goddamn!

After a nice Sunday stroll along the East Gallatin River, we stopped by Vino Per Tutti, a great little wine in Bozeman that is carrying a great, if not small, selection of craft beers. Brewed for Monk’s Cafe in Philly by Br. Van Steenberge in Belgium, Monk’s Cafe is a Flemish Sour Red Ale, or, more accurately, an Oud Bruin, which is a traditional blend of young and old beers.. This is my first dive into this particular sour style. The one notion that keeps coming up in my mind as I drink this brew is cherries. It smells and tastes like a dry homemade cherry wine like some of fruit hooch that I had in my younger days.

Appearance: The head was a thin linen white head. It has all the looks of sparkling cherry juice. Laces glass nicely with sticky little bubbles.

Aroma: Cherries with almost cheese-like funkiness.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated, which effectively cleanses the palette, and a bit thin on the aftertaste, actually.

Taste: Cherry wine with pear notes followed by sweaty horse blanket. Dissipates quickly from the palette. Sourness is not pronounced as I had expected.

Redneck Rating: It’s Alright

Last night, we meet for a little beer and food pairing tasting. For the food end of things, I brought my Honey-chipotle jerky. This was paired with the Stone Brewing Smoked Porter. And for dessert, Sam made homemade ice cream with from-scratch butterscotch and caramel sauces, which was pair with the John John Ale for Rogue River Brewing. I did forget my camera…absent minded. So, here is a middle review of the John John Ale.

Appearance: The thinnest of heads atop a rich honey color. Somewhat hazy as it is bottle-conditioned.

Aroma: Malty caramel and vanilla tones from the oak barrels.

Taste: Wow, great complexity. Up front there is a significant floral and pine. It is amazing that this beer is only 40 IBU. The mid-palette has honey and caramel highlights. Then, the surprise…this wonderful vanilla-oak that arises from the throat with the swallow.

Mouthfeel: Silken and smooth. Very little carbonation

Overall: This paired with the vanilla ice cream and butterscotch…hedonist, indeed. This was in my top 10 beer experiences.

Redneck Grade: Slap your momma, your sister, and your wife!

In an ode to the Beer Report, this beer is f*cking metal! It comes in a six pack which would be great if you split between 3 guys. At 8.8% ABV, it a stout mutha. Imagine my surprise when I found this little treasure in the back of gas station’s beer cooler.

Appearance: Scant white head that rather rapidly dissipates. Dark reddish-brown that is clear. Has legs like wine, or “that” girl from high school.

Aroma: Rather subtle bourbon with some floral and malt notes.

Taste: Wonderful flavors of vanilla toast, if that makes any sense. I guess, I mean that it is very malty with a unique mix of floral, vanilla, and caramel on top of a grainy maltiness.

Mouthfeel: Very full feeling, coats my entire palette.

Overall: I really enjoyed this brew, then again I have been a fan of all of Lagunitas seasonal releases.

Redneck Grade: Slap your momma!

Sidenote: I was going to do a video review except a ‘typical’ blizzard descended on Montucky…next review.

An unique brown ale that is sweet and robust at the same time.

Appearance: One-finger head that is tinged with tan. Reddish-brown in color. Moderation carbonation.

Aroma: This may be a bit esoteric, but I was reminded of ponderosa pine – piney with hints of vanilla and floral.

Taste: The piney hoppiness attacks at first. The malts had caramel sweetness, which I find enjoyable in brown ales.

Mouthfeel: Surprising light and crisp on the palette.

Overall: I really enjoyed this brew, then again I have been a fan of all of Lagunitas seasonal releases. Overall grade: B+

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.