Five breweries will join some 30 restaurants at Taste of Durango, the annual downtown extravaganza.
Taste of Durango goes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 16.
Main Avenue will be closed downtown for the event. Pagosa Brewing will join Durango's Ska Brewing, Steamworks Brewing, Durango Brewing and Carver Brewing in pouring beers for the masses.
Taste of Durango is one of my favorite local events. You have to purchase tokens to exchange for food and beer, all of which means some serious time spent waiting in line. But the beer is good and the food can be inventive.
Pets are not allowed at the event, and the organizers are working to limit alcohol over-consumption. Taste of Durango actually turned at least one brewery away this year to keep drunken misbehavior to a minimum.
But the five who will be there should be more than adequate. Bring your shades; the weather should be great.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Beer N Bikes pedals off
When I started Beer at 6512 in January 2009, it was the only beer blog in town. But not long after, Jeff Hammett, a newcomer to Durango, started Beer N Bikes.
He's done a good job keeping Beer N Bikes updated with news on those two topics that are near and dear to Durangoans' hearts. I also had the pleasure of participating with Jeff in a brewing project with Ska Brewing Co.
But now Hammett is returning to San Diego, he says on his personal blog. Presumably this means the end of Beer N Bikes as it pertains to Durango happenings.
Jeff, I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you continue blogging there. San Diego certainly has enough going on beer-wise to keep several dedicated bloggers busy.
His move also means that there will be less beer news out of Durango than there has been. That is a bad thing. With my full-time job, I can't keep up on everything, and my perspective is only one among many.
Maybe, just maybe, there's another would-be blogger out there with a little time, a love of craft beer and a way with words. Anyone?
He's done a good job keeping Beer N Bikes updated with news on those two topics that are near and dear to Durangoans' hearts. I also had the pleasure of participating with Jeff in a brewing project with Ska Brewing Co.
But now Hammett is returning to San Diego, he says on his personal blog. Presumably this means the end of Beer N Bikes as it pertains to Durango happenings.
Jeff, I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you continue blogging there. San Diego certainly has enough going on beer-wise to keep several dedicated bloggers busy.
His move also means that there will be less beer news out of Durango than there has been. That is a bad thing. With my full-time job, I can't keep up on everything, and my perspective is only one among many.
Maybe, just maybe, there's another would-be blogger out there with a little time, a love of craft beer and a way with words. Anyone?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Review: Carver's Class III IPA
New on tap at our friendly local brewpub is Class III IPA. Carver Brewing Co. tapped it Thursday.
Class III IPA is brewed with more than two pounds of hops per barrel, according to Carver's Michael Hurst. The India pale ale uses centennial, warrior, palisade and simcoe hops.
Carver's claims more than 100 IBUs for Class III, putting it in league with bruisers like Ska's Decadent Imperial IPA (99 IBUs) and Steamworks' Conductor Imperial IPA (82 IBUs).
Class III, named for the category of river rapids, pours a nice reddish-orange color with a small white head of foam.
Some IPAs taste of grapefruit, and Class III is emphatically one of them. The grapefruit taste seems to be a common note in Carver's beers. It's not like the cherry-orange citrus taste of Decadent, or the challenging straightforwardness of Conductor. It's grapefruit, period.
For the claimed 100+ IBUs, it's quite drinkable. It is not at all a struggle to finish a glass, as it can be with imperial IPAs. The hops wash over your palate like a big glass of grapefruit juice.
Class III is certainly a worthy contender in the imperial IPA fight. Give it a solid B.
Class III IPA is brewed with more than two pounds of hops per barrel, according to Carver's Michael Hurst. The India pale ale uses centennial, warrior, palisade and simcoe hops.
Carver's claims more than 100 IBUs for Class III, putting it in league with bruisers like Ska's Decadent Imperial IPA (99 IBUs) and Steamworks' Conductor Imperial IPA (82 IBUs).
Class III, named for the category of river rapids, pours a nice reddish-orange color with a small white head of foam.
Some IPAs taste of grapefruit, and Class III is emphatically one of them. The grapefruit taste seems to be a common note in Carver's beers. It's not like the cherry-orange citrus taste of Decadent, or the challenging straightforwardness of Conductor. It's grapefruit, period.
For the claimed 100+ IBUs, it's quite drinkable. It is not at all a struggle to finish a glass, as it can be with imperial IPAs. The hops wash over your palate like a big glass of grapefruit juice.
Class III is certainly a worthy contender in the imperial IPA fight. Give it a solid B.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Are whole flower hops superior?
Hops have a huge influence on how beers taste, and not just on IPAs. Along with malt, yeast and water, hops are what define beer.
So brewers are understandably very particular about what types of hops they use. Which is why this post on Deschutes Brewery's website caught my eye. It says:
“Deschutes Brewery has used whole leaf hops (and have invested heavily behind them) from day one because we believe they yield a better beer with better flavor. It is interesting to note that, when we believe we can get better flavor we have, and do, use some pellets and even extract. We have actually brewed Mirror Pond with all pellets to see if there is a difference, and there is a clear difference. We continue to experiment with all our ingredients including hops and malt to find that which yields the best flavor. It is certainly more convenient to use pellets, but that’s never been how we roll. We’re big fans of Mother Nature and keeping our brewing ingredients as close as possible as to what she provides.”
Deschutes is not alone in using mostly whole-flower hops. Sierra Nevada in California also does. These are two of the oldest, largest and best-respected craft breweries in the country, so their brewing techniques ought not be easily dismissed.
Most brewers, though, Durango's included, use pellets. They stand by them. I e-mailed several brewers; they cited better storage and keeping qualities with pelletized hops.
"Whole flower hops 'suck-up' a lot more beer than pellets do," said Bill Graham, co-founder of Ska Brewing Co., in response to e-mailed questions. "This is after all a business and efficiencies do matter. Loss = smaller profits."
Graham added: "Most importantly, the quality of whole flower versus pellets in the beer is negligible at best, and has been proven by brewing scientists over the past 75 years. I think that any brewery touting their use of whole versus pellets, is doing a bit of marketing mumbo-jumbo."
Graham and others said pellets are easier to store and keep better than whole hops.
"Whole hops do not keep as well as pellets," Graham said. "Hops are only harvested at one point in any given year. As storage time increases, it’s my feeling that pelletized hops hold up better and degrade less quickly than whole flower."
Furthermore, most brewing systems are designed to use pellets, Graham said.
"We are brewing on systems designed to use pelletized hops, and hence our breweries were designed for pellets as well," he said. "For example, for us at Ska to use whole flower hops in, say, the Modus, that requires over 100 pounds of hops per brew, we would need bails and bails of whole flower hops for the year.
"Pellets can be stored in a small footprint; bails require a huge cold storage facility ... Secondly our brewhouses are designed and engineered for pellets. Typically to use bailed hops, a conveyor rolls the bail down to a chopper and then disburses the hops to your kettle. With pellets, the brewer himself can weigh the hops and introduce them to the kettle without the need for a 'handling system.'"
Steve Breezley, production manager at Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, made a similar point.
"We do not use whole cone hops for numerous reasons," he said. "The first and foremost is the long-term quality of the hops as they are stored over time. All hops are harvested at the same time, roughly between September and November. Immediately hops will begin to deteriorate with exposure to oxygen and temperature. We feel that pelletized hops are superior to whole cone hops at mitigating this process."
But Erik Maxson, brewmaster at Carver Brewing Co. in Durango, is among those who see value in whole-flower hops.
"So far we've been doing some special pale ales with whole cones," Maxson said. "I'm really enjoying a new approach to using them, and the results I feel are well the worth it."
Maxson added: "There are, in my opinion, without a doubt differences between the two as far as how they present themselves within the beer, but quality differences seem purely subjective to me."
As a small brewpub, Carver's probably has fewer storage headaches than packaging breweries like Ska and Avery. (I also sent e-mails to Steamworks and Durango Brewing. I'll post updates if I receive responses from them).
My take: Sierra Nevada and Deschutes' pale ales do seem to have a brighter quality that is lost in pellet-hopped beers. It is reasonable to assume that whole flower hops retain oils that are lost in the pellet-making process.
Nevertheless, many brewers make delicious hop-forward beers using pellets. I think the beer I brewed with Ska, Soggy Coaster Imperial Red Ale, had excellent hop character using German tradition, Crystal, Willamette and Cascade hop pellets.
Some 25 years into the craft-brewing revolution, it appears the jury is still out when it comes to whole flower versus pellet hops. I'm curious what all of you brewers and homebrewers think. Please leave a comment below.
Photo: Pellet hops used to brew Soggy Coaster Imperial Red Ale with Ska Brewing. Photo by Jerry McBride.
So brewers are understandably very particular about what types of hops they use. Which is why this post on Deschutes Brewery's website caught my eye. It says:
“Deschutes Brewery has used whole leaf hops (and have invested heavily behind them) from day one because we believe they yield a better beer with better flavor. It is interesting to note that, when we believe we can get better flavor we have, and do, use some pellets and even extract. We have actually brewed Mirror Pond with all pellets to see if there is a difference, and there is a clear difference. We continue to experiment with all our ingredients including hops and malt to find that which yields the best flavor. It is certainly more convenient to use pellets, but that’s never been how we roll. We’re big fans of Mother Nature and keeping our brewing ingredients as close as possible as to what she provides.”
Deschutes is not alone in using mostly whole-flower hops. Sierra Nevada in California also does. These are two of the oldest, largest and best-respected craft breweries in the country, so their brewing techniques ought not be easily dismissed.
Most brewers, though, Durango's included, use pellets. They stand by them. I e-mailed several brewers; they cited better storage and keeping qualities with pelletized hops.
"Whole flower hops 'suck-up' a lot more beer than pellets do," said Bill Graham, co-founder of Ska Brewing Co., in response to e-mailed questions. "This is after all a business and efficiencies do matter. Loss = smaller profits."
Graham added: "Most importantly, the quality of whole flower versus pellets in the beer is negligible at best, and has been proven by brewing scientists over the past 75 years. I think that any brewery touting their use of whole versus pellets, is doing a bit of marketing mumbo-jumbo."
Graham and others said pellets are easier to store and keep better than whole hops.
"Whole hops do not keep as well as pellets," Graham said. "Hops are only harvested at one point in any given year. As storage time increases, it’s my feeling that pelletized hops hold up better and degrade less quickly than whole flower."
Furthermore, most brewing systems are designed to use pellets, Graham said.
"We are brewing on systems designed to use pelletized hops, and hence our breweries were designed for pellets as well," he said. "For example, for us at Ska to use whole flower hops in, say, the Modus, that requires over 100 pounds of hops per brew, we would need bails and bails of whole flower hops for the year.
"Pellets can be stored in a small footprint; bails require a huge cold storage facility ... Secondly our brewhouses are designed and engineered for pellets. Typically to use bailed hops, a conveyor rolls the bail down to a chopper and then disburses the hops to your kettle. With pellets, the brewer himself can weigh the hops and introduce them to the kettle without the need for a 'handling system.'"
Steve Breezley, production manager at Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, made a similar point.
"We do not use whole cone hops for numerous reasons," he said. "The first and foremost is the long-term quality of the hops as they are stored over time. All hops are harvested at the same time, roughly between September and November. Immediately hops will begin to deteriorate with exposure to oxygen and temperature. We feel that pelletized hops are superior to whole cone hops at mitigating this process."
But Erik Maxson, brewmaster at Carver Brewing Co. in Durango, is among those who see value in whole-flower hops.
"So far we've been doing some special pale ales with whole cones," Maxson said. "I'm really enjoying a new approach to using them, and the results I feel are well the worth it."
Maxson added: "There are, in my opinion, without a doubt differences between the two as far as how they present themselves within the beer, but quality differences seem purely subjective to me."
As a small brewpub, Carver's probably has fewer storage headaches than packaging breweries like Ska and Avery. (I also sent e-mails to Steamworks and Durango Brewing. I'll post updates if I receive responses from them).
My take: Sierra Nevada and Deschutes' pale ales do seem to have a brighter quality that is lost in pellet-hopped beers. It is reasonable to assume that whole flower hops retain oils that are lost in the pellet-making process.
Nevertheless, many brewers make delicious hop-forward beers using pellets. I think the beer I brewed with Ska, Soggy Coaster Imperial Red Ale, had excellent hop character using German tradition, Crystal, Willamette and Cascade hop pellets.
Some 25 years into the craft-brewing revolution, it appears the jury is still out when it comes to whole flower versus pellet hops. I'm curious what all of you brewers and homebrewers think. Please leave a comment below.
Photo: Pellet hops used to brew Soggy Coaster Imperial Red Ale with Ska Brewing. Photo by Jerry McBride.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Cask ale at Durango Brewing
This beer above is a twist on Durango Brewing Co.'s 20th Anniversary Ale. A cask of the Belgian-style ale was loaded with cardamom, a spice in the ginger family.
I found the cardamom really strong at first, but your palate gets used to it. Note the cask carbonation and the proper Honest Pint-ensuring glassware.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
A visit to Three Rivers Brewery
I don't make it down to Farmington much, but I recently had the chance to visit Three Rivers Brewery.
It's right in downtown Farmington. We walked in for lunch at about 11:50 a.m. I asked what was on tap, and the server said, "Nothing until noon." No doubt, the Land of Enchantment has some arcane law about serving before noon.
After waiting the requisite 10 minues, I ordered an ESB. It didn't have much of anything going for it. Not a lot of hop bite on this one.
One of Three Rivers' saving graces is its guest taps. It had beers on tap from Carver's, Pagosa Brewing and Marble Brewing in Albuqeurque.
I'd never had a Marble beer, so I got a draw of its Old Ale. It was boozy and thick like a barley wine. It would make a great winter warmer, but it was a little more than I was looking for to accompany lunch.
Honestly, the highlight of my visit to Three Rivers was the black bean burrito and posole. Both were fresh and well-made. The beer - although I'd hesitate to judge a brewery based on only one beer - wasn't anything special.
Pictured: Three River's ESB
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Review: Ska Saison Du'Rango
Ska Brewing Co.'s Local Series has to be counted as one of the best things going in the Durango beer scene.
Several times a year, the boys in Bodo release a tasty, limited-run beer in 22-ounce bomber bottles for our enjoyment.
In the last few years, these Local Series beers have included a fresh-hop IPA, a pilsener and an oak-aged orange cream stout. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason for the releases. Ska's brewers just brew what suits them, and release them when they can.
It's important for brewers to have chances to experiment. It would get boring if they were just brewing Pinstripe every day.
Which brings us to no. 15 in the Local Series, Saison Du'Rango. Ska Head Brewer Thomas Larsen made it for a saison festival put on by Jason Yester of Trinity Brewing in Colorado Springs.
It's plentiful in Durango, and according to Ska, limited quantities are available on the Front Range.
A traditional rustic Belgian style, saisons are distinguished by their yeast character, big, fluffy pours, light color and dry, crisp finishes. They're great for hot weather.
Saison Du'Rango is the second or third saison brewed in Durango, depending on whether you consider Durango Brewing's 20th Anniversary Ale to be a saison. Carver Brewing's Saison de Tour last summer was the first.
It comes in at 6.2 percent ABV and 19 IBUs, Larsen says. That's typical of the style. Saisons tend to be a little boozy but lightly hopped. The yeasts must be allowed to shine through without too much hop bitterness.
Notably, Larsen used two yeast strains: that of Saison Dupont - the classic of the style - and a French farmhouse yeast strain. A bit of lemon peel and some green peppercorns were added to the brew.
Saison Du'Rango pours a light amber color, perhaps a shade or two darker than is typical of the saisons I've had. A slight head tops the glass.
Ska's saison, like most, is refreshing. It's a great beer for washing down all sorts of food. The carbonation and fresh, grassy taste cleanse the palate.
It's slightly tart from the yeast. Green peppercorns and lemon peel contribute mellow flavoring to this saison.
Saison Du'Rango is quite good, but it stops short of being transcendent. The yeast character is more subdued than in other saisons I've tried.
As with all beers brewed with farmhouse yeasts, Saison Du'Rango can be expected to change over time. Within a few months, it may be significantly tarter than it is today. I look forward to seeing those yeasts do their thing. A-
Several times a year, the boys in Bodo release a tasty, limited-run beer in 22-ounce bomber bottles for our enjoyment.
In the last few years, these Local Series beers have included a fresh-hop IPA, a pilsener and an oak-aged orange cream stout. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason for the releases. Ska's brewers just brew what suits them, and release them when they can.
It's important for brewers to have chances to experiment. It would get boring if they were just brewing Pinstripe every day.
Which brings us to no. 15 in the Local Series, Saison Du'Rango. Ska Head Brewer Thomas Larsen made it for a saison festival put on by Jason Yester of Trinity Brewing in Colorado Springs.
It's plentiful in Durango, and according to Ska, limited quantities are available on the Front Range.
A traditional rustic Belgian style, saisons are distinguished by their yeast character, big, fluffy pours, light color and dry, crisp finishes. They're great for hot weather.
Saison Du'Rango is the second or third saison brewed in Durango, depending on whether you consider Durango Brewing's 20th Anniversary Ale to be a saison. Carver Brewing's Saison de Tour last summer was the first.
It comes in at 6.2 percent ABV and 19 IBUs, Larsen says. That's typical of the style. Saisons tend to be a little boozy but lightly hopped. The yeasts must be allowed to shine through without too much hop bitterness.
Notably, Larsen used two yeast strains: that of Saison Dupont - the classic of the style - and a French farmhouse yeast strain. A bit of lemon peel and some green peppercorns were added to the brew.
Saison Du'Rango pours a light amber color, perhaps a shade or two darker than is typical of the saisons I've had. A slight head tops the glass.
Ska's saison, like most, is refreshing. It's a great beer for washing down all sorts of food. The carbonation and fresh, grassy taste cleanse the palate.
It's slightly tart from the yeast. Green peppercorns and lemon peel contribute mellow flavoring to this saison.
Saison Du'Rango is quite good, but it stops short of being transcendent. The yeast character is more subdued than in other saisons I've tried.
As with all beers brewed with farmhouse yeasts, Saison Du'Rango can be expected to change over time. Within a few months, it may be significantly tarter than it is today. I look forward to seeing those yeasts do their thing. A-
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Durango Dark wins silver at World Beer Cup
Durango Dark Lager won the silver medal in the American-style dark lager category at the World Beer Cup last weekend in Chicago.
Durango Dark (5.8 percent ABV, 20 IBUs) was the only locally brewed beer to win a medal. The Durango Brewing beer has long been one of my favorite locally brewed session beers.
The World Beer Cup is a highly prestigious competition, probably second only to the Great American Beer Festival, and even that's arguable.
Full Sail Session Black took the gold in Durango Dark's category.
The winner's list shows a few trends. California has really stepped up over the last few years.
I guess it was inevitable that the nation's most populous state would eventually produce as many or more good beers than any other state. And it's worth remembering that the craft brewing revolution started in California with Anchor Brewing and later Sierra Nevada.
Congrats to Durango Brewing on its medal.
Durango Dark (5.8 percent ABV, 20 IBUs) was the only locally brewed beer to win a medal. The Durango Brewing beer has long been one of my favorite locally brewed session beers.
The World Beer Cup is a highly prestigious competition, probably second only to the Great American Beer Festival, and even that's arguable.
Full Sail Session Black took the gold in Durango Dark's category.
The winner's list shows a few trends. California has really stepped up over the last few years.
I guess it was inevitable that the nation's most populous state would eventually produce as many or more good beers than any other state. And it's worth remembering that the craft brewing revolution started in California with Anchor Brewing and later Sierra Nevada.
Congrats to Durango Brewing on its medal.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Review: Durango Brewing Co. 20th Anniversary Ale
Rarely have I been as conflicted about a beer as I am about Durango Brewing Co.’s 20th Anniversary Ale, recently released to celebrate the brewery’s founding in 1990.
On one hand, it’s a risk-taking beer, and I always cheer experimentation by our local breweries. Durango Brewing has not brewed a Belgian-style ale in recent years, to my knowledge, so this is a bit of a jump.
Belgian-style brewing is rapidly catching on in the American craft brewing scene, and we’ve seen Durango’s breweries put out several Belgian-inspired ales in the last 12 months. It’s a trend I like and hope to see continue.
On the other, DBC’s 20th Anniversary Ale is schizophrenic. Let me explain: It uses a farmhouse yeast that should dry and sour the beer, but it is not a saison. Likewise, it uses wheat malt, coriander, orange peel and honey – ingredients common to Belgian-style wits – but it is not a wit.
DBC’s 20th Anniversary Ale hews to no known style. Instead, it is a kitchen-sink “Belgian-style ale” that combines wit, saison and golden ale characteristics. The result leaves me with questions.
It’s a great idea to brew with funky farmhouse yeasts. I’m not sure if it’s such a great idea to then add honey and wheat, which flattens and obscures the qualities of those yeasts.
What makes saisons and some other Belgian beers like Orval so amazing is the yeast. Farmhouse yeasts can make a beer slightly tart to puckeringly sour, with a dry, crisp finish to boot. They will funk your beer up.
Perhaps they ought to be allowed to do their thing without adjuncts.
DBC’s newest beer is not tart or sour or even dry. It’s a tad sweet, with an aroma of wheat and hay. Czech Saaz hops contribute to the mix, but hops are not the star of this show.
DBC’s 20th Anniversary Ale seems like a beer trying to do too much, as if given the opportunity to brew a Belgian beer, the brewers couldn’t resist trying to brew three styles in one.
A huge caveat: Beers brewed with these types of yeast will change over time. How 20th Anniversary Ale tastes today is not how it will taste in six months. These sorts of yeasts like to assert themselves, and time may result in a dryness and tartness that is not present today.
It’s possible that there’s a great beer in those bottles waiting to get out. I could see the yeast beating the wheat and honey into submission until they are no more than pleasant complexities to a tart ale that’s more similar to a saison.
Happily, DBC bottled 20th Anniversary Ale in brown glass bottles of 1 pint, 9.4 fluid ounce volume (750 ml), topped by a cork and a silver-colored cage. The packaging should keep the beer unspoiled as it ages.
My recommendation: try it fresh, try it again in three months, then six months, then a year. I plan on drinking it over time to see how it changes.
It may get better as time goes on. But for now this one gets a B.
On one hand, it’s a risk-taking beer, and I always cheer experimentation by our local breweries. Durango Brewing has not brewed a Belgian-style ale in recent years, to my knowledge, so this is a bit of a jump.
Belgian-style brewing is rapidly catching on in the American craft brewing scene, and we’ve seen Durango’s breweries put out several Belgian-inspired ales in the last 12 months. It’s a trend I like and hope to see continue.
On the other, DBC’s 20th Anniversary Ale is schizophrenic. Let me explain: It uses a farmhouse yeast that should dry and sour the beer, but it is not a saison. Likewise, it uses wheat malt, coriander, orange peel and honey – ingredients common to Belgian-style wits – but it is not a wit.
DBC’s 20th Anniversary Ale hews to no known style. Instead, it is a kitchen-sink “Belgian-style ale” that combines wit, saison and golden ale characteristics. The result leaves me with questions.
It’s a great idea to brew with funky farmhouse yeasts. I’m not sure if it’s such a great idea to then add honey and wheat, which flattens and obscures the qualities of those yeasts.
What makes saisons and some other Belgian beers like Orval so amazing is the yeast. Farmhouse yeasts can make a beer slightly tart to puckeringly sour, with a dry, crisp finish to boot. They will funk your beer up.
Perhaps they ought to be allowed to do their thing without adjuncts.
DBC’s newest beer is not tart or sour or even dry. It’s a tad sweet, with an aroma of wheat and hay. Czech Saaz hops contribute to the mix, but hops are not the star of this show.
DBC’s 20th Anniversary Ale seems like a beer trying to do too much, as if given the opportunity to brew a Belgian beer, the brewers couldn’t resist trying to brew three styles in one.
A huge caveat: Beers brewed with these types of yeast will change over time. How 20th Anniversary Ale tastes today is not how it will taste in six months. These sorts of yeasts like to assert themselves, and time may result in a dryness and tartness that is not present today.
It’s possible that there’s a great beer in those bottles waiting to get out. I could see the yeast beating the wheat and honey into submission until they are no more than pleasant complexities to a tart ale that’s more similar to a saison.
Happily, DBC bottled 20th Anniversary Ale in brown glass bottles of 1 pint, 9.4 fluid ounce volume (750 ml), topped by a cork and a silver-colored cage. The packaging should keep the beer unspoiled as it ages.
My recommendation: try it fresh, try it again in three months, then six months, then a year. I plan on drinking it over time to see how it changes.
It may get better as time goes on. But for now this one gets a B.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Brewing to return to Bayfield
Steamworks Brewing Co. has reached an agreement with SEAR Capitol of Texas to take over operations at Steamworks' shuttered Bayfield facility.
The Bayfield Beer Factory, as it's being called, will contract brew for Steamworks, Silverton Brewery and presumably others.
The details have been extensively reported in The Durango Herald and Beer N Bikes, so I won't repeat them here. (Breaking news for my paying gig sometimes means I can't break news here as quickly as I would like).
I'll just add that contract brewing is a growing trend that makes a lot of sense for breweries seeking to expand cheaply. It should bring jobs to Bayfield, and the Beer Factory (what's wrong with the word "brewery?") will have a tap room.
It also means Steamworks has a plan. After they shuttered the Bayfield brewery, it wasn't clear what their next move would be. This arrangement should allow Steamworks to get their beer out in the region again and provide a viable base for possible future growth.
Silverton Brewery, founded in its current iteration in 2005, appears to be making an aggressive move to expand. Their canned beers just showed up in Durango a couple of months ago. (Try the IPA; the brown ale I can't recommend).
It'll be interesting to see if Silverton can expand their lineup and make a regional push.
The Bayfield Beer Factory, as it's being called, will contract brew for Steamworks, Silverton Brewery and presumably others.
The details have been extensively reported in The Durango Herald and Beer N Bikes, so I won't repeat them here. (Breaking news for my paying gig sometimes means I can't break news here as quickly as I would like).
I'll just add that contract brewing is a growing trend that makes a lot of sense for breweries seeking to expand cheaply. It should bring jobs to Bayfield, and the Beer Factory (what's wrong with the word "brewery?") will have a tap room.
It also means Steamworks has a plan. After they shuttered the Bayfield brewery, it wasn't clear what their next move would be. This arrangement should allow Steamworks to get their beer out in the region again and provide a viable base for possible future growth.
Silverton Brewery, founded in its current iteration in 2005, appears to be making an aggressive move to expand. Their canned beers just showed up in Durango a couple of months ago. (Try the IPA; the brown ale I can't recommend).
It'll be interesting to see if Silverton can expand their lineup and make a regional push.
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