Capt Keith's Beer Blog

Tickets are on sale now for a very unique opportunity to meet Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. He will host a beer dinner at my new Gastro-Pub, The Meddlesome Moth on February 21st at 6 PM. See the flyer below and call to secure your tickets immediately. We sold 40 tickets in the first 10 minutes they went on sale.

Back Story: Twenty Years ago, I had my first Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and it was the beer that changed me forever. I think we all remember the brew that changed the way we think about BEER (and brewing.) Back then their Pale Ale seemed to like a hop bomb yet it is relatively mild in comparison to some Pale Ales and IPAs in today’s market.

I have been in the craft beer business since the early 90′s and have always felt Sierra sets the bar for craft beer. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Ken several times before and I know him to be a very humble man. His story is extraordinary – pioneering the craft beer movement, starting his brewery on a tiny budget in a storage warehouse In Chico, CA and growing it to the Sierra Nevada we know today.

Come meet the legend and enjoy our Chef prepared beer dinner with some fantastic limited offerings.

Cheers!

A buddy of mine at Dogfish Head sent me a great little gift package over the holidays. It contained many of their big beers that he had been cellaring. Thanks dude!

Last night, it was bone-chilling cold in Dallas, so I lit a fire and poured myself an ’05 Oak Aged Immort Ale. This is a strong ale around 11% abv..

Classify this beer as a Strong Ale or Barleywine – doesn’t really matter. Call me crazy, but I am not a huge fan of Oak Aged Beer. Well, I may be now. But, more often than not, its a whiskey barrel and the beer tastes a lot like the whiskey, which strangely enough (being a Food and Beverage director for 15 years) I have never really developed a palate for… Beer is my drink of choice – a regulator – I get full or sleepy before things go south.

This beer pours a deep amber – burnt orange with a nice tan head that fades. The aroma is complex with some peat, vanilla, maple or caramel and just a touch of alcohol. The mouthfeel is velvety smooth and lingers well after the beer goes down. I like it’s smooth texture and range of flavor, plus it warms the belly. A few sips in and I’m relaxed and very pleased with this beer. The toffee and vanilla flavors were most pronounced. This beer was a special ’05 vintage and I am sure it gets better every year. I just couldn’t wait any longer. Most big beers just drink better after a year or so – 120 IPA comes to mind… I’ll save that one a few years more.

Looking forward to my next beer – will it be Burton Baton or World Wide Stout? It was Burton Baton – more on that later. I gave the World Wide Stout to Marc in Fort Worth. I think he likes the Dogfish.

Last night I tried the Saint Arnold Christmas Ale – which had a deep copper color. It was slightly  murky – not clear. The head was tight and lasting and tan in color. I detected some holiday spice in the aroma along with some fruity sweetness. The style is a winter warmer but the alcohol is not noticeable to me. The flavor has caramel notes, toffee, sweet fruits and mild hops. This is a great brew for the general population – easy to drink with pleasant mouthfeel. You can find it at most markets that care about the beers they offer.