Archive for the 'Tastings' Category

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

A Belgian Golden Ale named after a volcano that buried thousands of toga wearing Romans alive. This beer buries you alive with a distinct wet straw and sour aroma and an unique lemon pepper flavor with the consistent sour.
Appearence: Hazy grassy golden with a finely bubbled one-finger head.
Aroma: The only way I can describe [...]

What’s in a name? Well, Ruination IPA from Stone does everything it’s name implies. It was a wonderfully bitter and mouth-coating beer that it truly “ruined” my mouth for the rest of the night. To borrow a line from the Groucho and CHUD at the Beer Report, “Pucker up, Buttercup”
Appearance: Poured a hazy orangy-amber [...]

Appearance: Fluffy tan head on top of a inky, black beverage.
Aroma: Not to be too artsy fartsy, but it smells like a distant smokehouse in a landscape of malted barley.
Taste and mouthful: The flavor is like a mixture of smoked salmon and coffee in a great way. The salmon flavor is not fishy, but [...]

Thank God the Montana ABV Laws have been changed…let the flood of great beers begin.
My first "legal" strong beer is the Lost Continent from the Grand Teton Brewing Company. It is a double IPA with some residual sweetness. The beer is bottle-conditioned; however, that information on the label would have been useful.
Aroma: You can [...]

Just so there are no hurt feelings, the greatest beer ever comes from the same brewery, in my not-so-humble opinion. Drumroll…the second greatest beer ever is the Funky Virtue from the Bozeman Brewing Company. I talk to Tucker (part of the brewing staff), and here goes the creation myth of this unique brew. The [...]

Maibock, does anything say early summer better. Malty and hoppy all at the same time.
Appearance: An half inch white foamy head atop a orange-amber beverage.
Aroma: Citrus and honey on the nose.
Taste and mouth: Full mouth from this malt bomb followed by a near pale ale bitterness.
Overall: Not having many maibocks, this is a good [...]