From Star Liquors in Durango:
Hello Home Brewers and Beer Lovers!!! The chill is really in the air now and I have to wear a coat in the morning drive to work. The seasons roll on, but the darker beer is tasting so good right now. A quick shout out to Bill Downs for running the judging at the San Juan Brew-fest, he brought a new level of professionalism to the event and it was a joy to work with him. On another note I promised a review on The Bruery’s Tart of Darkness but we have already sold out of this great beer, I will try to get more next year and have enough to try a bottle and review the beer. Well lets get down to talking about beer and I am going to start with a local favorite that we have been waiting for with baited breath. SKA Brewing has released their first installment of a rotating Stout series that will change on the solstice and equinox of each year. Welcome Mole Stout, a stout brewed with cocoa, peppers and spices that really captures the style well. I am personally a fan of this style of beer and found the cinnamon the most powerful spice with the cocoa adding a nice creaminess. The peppers added a hint of heat on the finish and the aroma was everything we love in a good mole. I am getting mixed reviews from customers on this beer, but I think a beer lover will see the quality in brewing and attention to detail in the recipe. Only sold in 6pk cans for $7.99. New Belgium has released another Lips of Faith beer, the Peach Porch Lounger. Brettanomyces yeast with peaches, hominy grits, molasses and lemon peel with biscuit malts have created a great beer. 9.4% ABV give it a little heat on the finish, and the sweet peach and molasses merry well with moldy biscuit and a light hop spice. Another great unique beer produced by New Belgium, a 22oz bomber is $8.49, with a limited supply. Since October is right around the corner I thought reviewing an Oktoberfest was in order. Santa Fe Brewing has really been doing great things this year, and the Oktoberfest is no exception. The snazzy package really catches the eye and it’s in a can, which holds the delicate malt profile well. Carmel, biscuit, and roasty malt with a touch of hops to balance it out makes this an easy drinking and tasty beer for the cooler months. 6pk can are $7.79 and seasonal so get it while you can. Dogfish Head is back in Southwest Colorado after many phone calls and emailing and maybe just a bit of foot stomping! We are even getting a few cases of their bombers. The Palo Santo Marron is a big brown aged on Palo Santo wood from Paraguay. The wood has a significant affect on this big beer, roasted malt and a hint of coffee blend well together with mild wood flavors. I found the wood to have a unique flavor that was like a dark molasses. Hops and heat finish out this great beer. 12% ABV makes the 4pk of 12oz bottles easier to handle at $15.99, also sold in singles, this is a beer worth trying. Uinta brewing from Utah has released their Imperial Pumpkin Ale again this year and it is one of my personal favorite pumpkin beers of the year. Aged in oak and at a humorous 10.31% ABV this is truly a start the fire and settle in for the night bomber. Pie spice, oak, toffee and caramel blend with the pumpkin, a dry finish belies the nose. The heat blends well with all the flavors and I found the beers subtleties really came out when it warmed a bit. 22oz limited release for $12.99, and if you like a pumpkin beer don’t miss this one. Well that’s all for this month but I do have some good news for the Pliney the Elder lovers out there. We will be putting Pliney on the shelf in a VERY limited amount next Monday October the 1st, one bottle per person per day. We get very little down here in Durango and want to spread it out to as many beer lovers as we can. Also our Beer of the Month for October will be Deschutes Brewery form Oregon and all 6pks will be $6.99. A price that is almost unheard of for this great beer. As always if you are looking for that hard to get beer come in give me a call or email me and I will try and track it down for you. Cheers, Oliver