Ski & Snowboard Fest BrewExpo Review

I came down with some kind of a nasty cold on Sunday, but I still made it out the Ski & Snowboard fest. Since my tastebuds were a little out of wack, I didn’t take any notes or pictures of the event (sorry), but I thought I would just post a quick snapshot of the beers I tried, and of those which I thought were the best of show. Below, I’ve listed all the beers I tasted that day with a synopsis taken from their respective websites. Out of the 10 beers I managed in the short time I was there (3 oz pours), I thought Black Diamond took the top two spots with their Grand Cru winning and their Rampage Imperial IPA in the number 2 spot. These two beers were beautifully brewed, and they really nailed the blending just right on the Grand Cru. Close behind were Ninkasi’s Sleigh’r Dark Doüble Alt Ale, and Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Wild. The Sleigh’r captured that Ninkasi spirit of making a bold and well brewed ale, that is balanced, but pushing the boundaries of style. I really thought every beer I tried was outstanding in the end, except for maybe Ale Industries’ Uncle Jesse, which tasted like an average homebrew laking in a full recipe design, and possibly too much diacetyl (maybe my cold has something to do with this though, and it was next to the last beer I tasted).

The Beer List

Bridgeport Ebenezer

Website: Our special Holiday brew, Ebenezer Ale is a smooth ale with a complex palate derived from four different roasted malts and a blend of local and imported hops. Deep mahogany in color, its malty first taste and full body is balanced with a light hop aroma, leading to a caramel finish. It’s a festive elixir that can transform the mood of any scrooge! So forget the egg-nog and have a pint of Ebenezer.

Bridgeport Hop Czar

Website: BridgePort Hop Czar, an Imperial IPA brewed from our award winning IPA recipe, first introduced to rave reviews in 2008. It is a triple-hopped bottle-conditioned, Imperial-style IPA that carries a deep malt background with enthusiastic citrus and floral notes paired with high hop bitterness. The newest in our permenant 6-pack line, the Hop Czar recipe blends copious amounts of Nugget, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops.

Black Diamond Rampage Imperial IPA

Website: A massive brew that is enormously aromatic with huge hop flavors wonderfully structured with a great malt body. The flavor comes on with huge notes of citrus, pine and resin which last into the crisp dry finish

Black Diamond Grand Cru

Website: For the winter season, we traditionally make a Belgian-style Dubbel; a rich malty pleasure that is the perfect accompaniment to those long winter nights. Last year we decided to play around with the concept and see where it might take us. After much tinkering–with a number of unique ingredients combined with wood barrel aging–we arrived at this wonderful juxtaposition of fruitiness and maltiness which harmonized magically to produce this delicious winter warmer.

The designation of “Grand Cru” originates from the Burgundy region of France. Brewers have taken the term and applied to it more elaborate, aged and reserved versions of their beers. Our Belgian-style Dubbel -a great beer itself with a loyal following- has been taken to the next level by the careful blending and aging techniques. We believe we’ve created a classic to be enjoyed throughout the winter months.

For 2010, we offer a very limited release of (only 48 barrels) our Winter Grand Cru. In this batch, we’ve added over 100 pounds each of locally sourced Zante Currants and Black Mission Figs. We aged 20% in used Bourbon barrels for 12 months – in which time the warmth of the Bourbon, along with toasted oak and vanilla flavors were released from the wood. Whole Vanilla beans compliment the wood and bring forth a velvety smoothness and richness. The fig flavor is forward on the nose along with the bubble-gum/banana ester derived during fermentation. The taste starts with the rich sweetness of fruit, carries through with a rich mellow center and finishes dry, allowing for another glass as you sit by the cozy fire. Á votre santé!

Firestone Walker Solace

Website: Firestone Walker presents Solace, an ode to warmer weather in the northern hemisphere. A hint of citrus fruit and clove aroma are followed by tangy dry malt flavor and a silky finish making it an approachable and refreshing session beer. We bring you this beer unfettered, a craftily unfiltered ale full of flavor and perfectly constructed to compliment those lazy warm days ahead. Ideal for washing down fish tacos or other south o’ the border-inspired dishes.

Ninkasi Sliegher

Website: Sleigh’r Dark Doüble Alt Ale, A delicious northwest seasonal brewed with winter in mind. A dark double alt, malty, nourishing and delicious, it’s sure to keep the winter at bay, and yes, Sleigh’r does rock!

Ale Industries Uncle Jesse

No Information Available. An Extra Pale Ale.

Drake’s Red Eye Ale

Website: This is Drake’s red ale. Deep copper red in color, with a noticeable malty sweetness, high hop bitterness and aroma, with a spicy finish. This ruby-red delight highlights the dark English malts, a bit of Chocalate malt, and Casacade hops from the Great Northwest. This red ale is Drake’s interpretation of a West Coast craft brew classic.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Wild

Website: Another Big Sister of the Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale…. Loads of Malted Wheat for a Curious Malt Foundation and a Light Color, But Our Belgian Yeast Leaves a Huge Flavor and Complexishness.

Uncommon Brewers Baltic Porter

Website: Late in the 18th century Britain’s great brewing families were working hard to break into new markets. For the Baltic Sea ports they created an export version of the traditional British Porter. Styled like an IPA to preserve them for the voyage, those profound Baltic Porters served to ward off the chill winds of that northern sea.

That said, we weren’t satisfied with the Baltic Porter’s traditionally subtle hint of black licorice. This ale features a blend of whole licorice root and star anise to create an uncommon addition to that traditional export Porter’s hearty character.