Beer review: Left Hand Brewing Company Oktoberfest Marzen

I selected Left Hand Oktoberfest Marzen Lager this week for my beer review and photography project because Oktoberfest is just around the corner and I really enjoy Left Hand beers.  When the new packaging caught my eye, I couldn't walk away without taking one home to try.

Beer: Marzen Oktoberfest
Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO.
Style: Marzenbeir Oktoberfest Lager

Tasting Beer can be a bit like tasting wine in that there are different ways to experience and describe beer, but it does not need to be complex, too serious or intimidating. Here is one idea of how to approach a beer tasting and reviewing.

Appearance: This beer pours a gorgeous clear copper hue with a rather shy buttery roasted almond colored head that settled quickly leaving only the faintest ring of foam around the glass.
Smell: I smell roasted caramel malts, light molasses, tart red cherries, clove, orange peel with very little hop aroma.
Taste: Bready and roasted malts are what I taste first, followed by slightly sweet orange peel undertones and spicy clove with a crisp clean yet subtle, dry, hop finish.
Mouthfeel: This beer has a light to medium body with a clean, dry finish. I thought that the carbonation was a little lacking, but would love to taste this beer on tap.
Drinkability: I found this beer is rather drinkable. I could see a full day of Oktoberfest celebrations, traditional German food and an armful of this Oktoberfest Marzen.
Rating: I enjoyed this beer, but expected just slightly more body and carbonation. Overall, I was pleased with this beer and would easily recommend it to a beer lover, especially in the late summer.
Final Words: Descent beer, great brewery.

*Welcome to week 38 of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. PROST!

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin 

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Beer Review: St. Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Abbey Ale

This week I selected Abt 12 from Brouwerij St. Bernardus for my beer review and photography project because I have been waiting to try this beer for far too long.  I have a growing love of Belgian beer and am stoked to learn more about their unique style and share my photography and ideas about this beer.  Please be invited to follow this project and blog as well as share your opinions of the beer or beer review in the comments below.

Beer: St. Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Abbey Ale 10.5%ABV
Brewer: Brouwerij St. Bernardus
Style: Belgian Duppel Ale

Tasting Beer can be a bit like tasting wine in that there are different ways to experience and describe beer, but it does not need to be complex, too serious or intimidating. Here is one idea of how to approach a beer tasting and reviewing.

Appearance: This beer pours a hazy, dark toasted, apricot brown color with a lofty, light tan head that receded to leave moderate, patchy lacing.
Smell: Spicy and fruity yeast, light molasses, ripe peaches, a modest piney perfume and a hint of young raisins and clove round out the bouquet of this Quad Ale.
Taste: This beer tastes of bright and slightly sweet flavors of fig, brown sugar, sweet and spicy belgian yeast as well as a hint of white pepper and delicious dark roasted malts with a long bittersweet finish.
Mouthfeel: This Quad is a medium to full bodied beer with a deliciously cream mouthfeel.  The adequate carbonation displays this precariously balanced beer beautiful.
Drinkability: Despite the alcohol, this beer is remarkably drinkable. This could quite possibly be the perfect 'rant' beer. Just enough to get you going yet drinkable enough to keep you going.
Rating: Awesome. I am looking forward to buying a few more large format bottles of this delicious Quad, a few for late summer back yard bbq's and a few for aging as this is a perfect cellar beer.
Final Words: If you see this, grab it. At $12 for 25.4 oz, this is a value at twice the price. Either to age or share with friends and enjoy with food, this is a great beer.

*Welcome to week 37 of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. CHEERS!

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin

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Beer vs. Wine Dinner at TAG photos and review

Craft Beer and Wine went head to head, for rights at the 'Head of the Table.'  Round two of TAG's Beer vs. Wine Dinner last night was an incredible matchup.

The creatives at TAG invited Doug Krenik, Master Sommelier, and Bryan Baltzell, beer expert at Great Divide, to pair their respective beverages with carefully crafted cuisine by Executive Chef Troy Guard and his team at TAG, and allow the pairings to be judged by the audience.  What was the outcome of the second Beer vs. Wine dinner?  This year's dinner ended with a complex result.  If the votes where tallied by courses, it would be a straight tie, 2-2, but, if the votes where tallied in total, Beer would have won with 70-68 votes. 

Both Master Sommelier Doug Krenik and Bryan Baltzell from Great Divide Brewery came to the throw down prepared to present fantastic pairings and put them to the test.  Both were incredibly knowledgeable, and each argued for their pairings while enjoying their competitors offerings.  In the end, there was a lot of synergy with both of the wine and the beer and how each was uniquely paired and enjoyed side by side.  I think that the vote shows that both wine and beer lovers' knowledge and understanding are growing with each of these unique dinners and guest are leaving with new found appreciations for both beer and wine. 

Rather than answer the question of Beer or Wine, this dinner may have raised a question of its own, Can you enjoy Beer and Wine side by side?  Maybe next year's Beer vs. Wine dinner will take pairings to the next level and answer my question, and can we pair wine, food and beer all together for the ultimate pairing?

Please click on the slideshow link to see food and beverage images from the dinner.

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin

Beer tasting week 3 - 52 beers 52 weeks

Week: 3
Category:  Black Beer
Beer: Shiner Bohemian Black Lager
Brewer: Spoetzl Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier

Appearance: Dark with a thin tan head that quickly vanished leaving a slight lacing.
Smell: Roasted malts, carmel and hints of coffee.
Taste: Initial notes of malts, bitter dark chocolate and carmel, yet remarkably crisp
Mouthfeel: Noticeably light and dry, yet carbonation keeps things lively.
Drinkability: Seriously a session beer if you enjoy the dark varieties.
Rating: Smooth drinkable and relatively inexpensive and available. This beer is not loaded with complexities, yet there is still enough going on here to enjoy a few of these brews with some friends. This beer won't make my favorite list, yet I will return to this black lager.

Welcome to week three of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. Cheers!

Beer tasting week 2 - 52 beers 52 weeks

Una birra, per favore!

Week: 2
Category:  Birra from Italy
Beer:  Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Brewer:  Birra Peroni Industriale
Style:  European Pale Lager

Getting down to business...

Appearance:  Pale golden in color, short white head
Smell:  Light lemon and skunked hops
Taste:  light, smooth, a little skunky with residual sweetness ( from corn)
Mouthfeel:  Crisp and carbonated, medium lager-style body
Drinkability:  Highly drinkable

Rating:  First words, drinkable, yet boring.  I give this beer a middle of the road review and leave you with these words.  If this is what you have or what is on sale, serve it cold and enjoy what it offers, otherwise go with another selection.
Welcome to week two of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. Salute!

Beer Examination 52 Beers 52 Weeks

I love beer and have tried hundreds of beer over the years, but never in a massive, well orchestrated approach. I am starting a beer tasting project that will be incredibly fun as well as an interesting learning experience. It will also be a great opportunity to try some beers that I have never tried but wanted to, discover some new beers and brewers and revisit some old favorites and some questionably popular selections as well.

I encourage you to join me on my journey, 52 beers in 52 weeks. I will photograph, review and enjoy one beer a week for an entire year, post my photos and reviews on my blogs and encourage you to try the beers with me and share your opinions about my selections and reviews.


Here are my thoughts on how it could break down, but there are no rules to this tasting, so I will provide lots of information in a well organized fashion but I can not promise any predictable structure to my tasting selections.

I will examine:
1. Domestics/American Pilsners
2. Mexican Beers
3. Brown Beers
4. American Micro Brews
5. Classic Cans
6. Beers from my travels
7. Colorado Beers
8. Beers with Cool Labels
9. Red Beers
10. German Beers

You can likely expect to see roughly 4 beers in each category and possibly a couple of additional categories that are more obscure.

I hope that you join me in my tasting and the discussion about beer and that you find this project both fun and informative.

Beer tasting week 1 - 52 beers 52 weeks

Week 1 of 52

Category: Colorado Beer

Beer: 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Brewer: New Belgium Brewing Company

Style: Belgian Dark Ale

Tasting Beer can be a bit like tasting wine in that there are different ways to experience and describe beer, but it does not need to be complex, too serious or intimidating.  Here is one idea of how to approach a beer tasting and reviewing

• Appearance: Deep dark brown
• Smell: Coffee, cocoa, malt,
• Taste: Roasted coffee, carmel and malt, finishes with dark chocolate
• Mouthfeel: moderate body and mouthfeel, rather light for such a dark beer
• Drinkability: Great fall and winter beer. I could enjoy a few of these, but more than that would prove to be too much for me.

Rating: I enjoyed New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale.  Not too heavy, though full flavored and complex in taste and smell.  I can recommend this beer and say that it is one of the better Black Ales on the market.

*Welcome to week one of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this delicious beer and share your opinions here.  If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting.  CHEERS!

BEER HERE!

So the California Beer Festival comes to Ventura California and it did so only half heartedly. The event was billed as 60 + beers in Mission Park, Pre sell tickets for $35.  The event sold out their alloted 2000 advance ticket sales one week prior to the event, promising more at the gate and let the success stand there.

I personally am part of the masses that procrastinated in buying a ticket expecting that a I could purchase entrance to the event at the gate. I found possibly 1000 others eager beer lovers at the gate when I arrived to buy my entrance to the guzzling event to benefit DARC (Dyslexia Awareness and Resource Center) and learned that people had been waiting nearly 3 hours already. I met up with my friend at the front of the line to purchase tickets and encountered others like my friend who had been waiting since early morning.  It was not long after 1pm that the ticketed 2000 people began their two hour march to get to the brews.  THAT is RIGHT.  The line for the people with the coveted presell tickets actually took 2 hours to get from the back of the line to the front  (From the time that they started letting people in at 1pm until the last of the presell tickets was admitted).  

Meanwhile, as the coveted ticket holders made their long slow march to the gate, the 100's of beer lovers without tickets were informed that the event organizers were not selling ANY tickets at the gate, which they had previously posted on their website that it would be possible to buy tickets the day of the event. The mass of people gathered with hopes of buying tickets to celebrate OctoberFest at the California Beer Festival, were disappointedly dispersed and Downtown Ventura area enjoyed an unprecedentedly busy Saturday afternoon.

I waited! No matter what the Official People said, I waited, I did not move from my spot.  After two hours of watching people with tickets wait patiently and move slowly to the gate like sheeple, I was informed that the DOOR was not even checking tickets and that I should just come in.  I made my way to the gate only to find it was true, I was FREE to Drink, .  WOW.  A little perseverance goes a long way.

I am in and so were the few that remained in the line to buy tickets, but no one actually had to pay for tickets.  WHAT A JOKE!

Once inside we found bountiful booths of beer.  There were beer makers from Karl Strauss, Blue Moon, Stone Brewing Company, Santa Barbara Brewing Company, Carpenteria Brewing Company, Boston Beer Company, New Belgium Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, as well as many others which were not as easy to find.   We also found only 7 bathrooms for the admitted 2000 beer lovers.  WHAT A JOKE.  The event organizer candidly mentioned that "he should have gotten more bathrooms."  Oh so easy to have such 20/20 hind site if you are a VIP with access to private bathrooms.  Oh how nice it is to be the privileged.
In the end, what do I have to say?

The event was OPTIMISTIC.  It had great intentions and a cool yet blurry vision. The organizers brought in great brewers that brought just barely enough beer, if that.  The organizer planned one of the best music lineups that I have seen (heard) at a beer festival in years and though they only invited local talent, they got the best in Orlando Napier, My Brother's Band, and Rey Fresco.  All of this in the name of Dyslexia Awareness, though little if any information was available.  The event was planned for a measly 4 hour slot from 1-5 pm this Saturday and got a slow start at the gate at that.  In fact, if you did not arrive early ( around 10am) then although the gates opened at 1pm, you did not see entrance until at least 2.30pm.  (I am talking about people with presell tickets)    ( If I had PAID, I would Have been pissed!)

THE BEERS, and MUSIC were awesome.

THE VENUE was SMALLER than the crowd called for, and the LOGISTICS were DISORGANIZED and LACKING.  THERE WERE A NEGLIGENT AMOUNT OF RESTROOMS and THE EVENT PLANNED TO HELP the DYSLEXIA AWARENESS and RESOURCE CENTER FELL SHORT by turning away as many as ONE THOUSAND eager BEER LOVERS.  By my calculations, THE CALIFORNIA BEER FESTIVAL missed out on nearly $40,000 revenue(1000 x $40/ ticket)  WHAT A SHAME!


Though I had a great time, I always feel bad when people who spend hard earned money and valuable time don't get what they pay for.  This event promised far more than it delivered and I would like to register my VOTE of LESS THAN IMPRESSED, yet smiling and drunk.


Here are a few links to learn about Dyslexia, it may affect you or someone you know.
* Facts
*Symptoms
*Information About Dyslexia
*Dyslexia Awareness Resource Center
* International Dyslexia Association


Here are some additional links about:
*Beer Knowledge
*Beer Festivals
*One Delicious Beer

BEIR BIRRA BIERE CERVEZA CERVEJA PIWO

Any way you say it, BEER is delicious and refreshing and always seems to bring friends together.  This weekend, the California Beer Festival will be in Ventura CA at Mission Park on Main Street.  I am really looking forward to this event as it has been a while since I have been to a beer festival and I have the entire day to drink and discuss beer.  With over 60 beers represented and breweries from all up and down the California coast and across the globe, there will be something for every beer lover .

  Look for a bit more discussion of beer coming next week; here is a little to get you started.  With the Beer Fest coming, here is a little info on how to taste a beer .

 If you have any questions or curiosities about beer, post them in the comments.