Your Next Pint

Celebrate the end of 2010 with Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

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Ah, the end of 2010 is nigh. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and it was the start of Your Next Pints. So let's say goodbye to December too with Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.

The Washdown:

- very Sierra Nevada, very hoppy bitter, not as merry christmas Celebration Ale (Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, CA) 6.8% ABV

Cheers to another hoppy beer. This holiday Celebration Ale is not what you think. Made from fresh hops – the first grown, whole cone American IPA hops of the season – it's bitter, it's reddish amber brown but still light, and it has a carbonated finish.

The head pours super frothy. The nose is Pine, Orange, and subtle Dark Chocolate. The tongue is like your typical Sierra Nevada Pale Ale with bitter hops that override mild flavors like Lemon, Coriander, and floral notes (perhaps Poinsettia?). And if you swirl it around in your mouth, a strong alcohol flavor takes over – bottoms up!

The finish is peppy and tangy, leaving you wanting to go back for more and play the flavor profile guessing game.

Follow @SierraNevada to see what they've got in store for the New Year.

Happy New Beer Year!

Ring in the Yuletide with Yulesmith Holiday Ale

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Christmas is here, so let's cheers with some beer – specifically, YuleSmith Winter Holiday Red Ale. This one's not for the ladies. (But I can provide an excellent recommendation for you – Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic – it's like the Cosmo of Beers.)

The Washdown:

- super frothy head like root beer, creamy, nutty brown YuleSmith Winter Holiday Ale (Alesmith Brewing Company in San Diego, CA) 9.5% ABV

On the way to the 'rents house for Xmas, the hand model and I made a stop at one of my favorite liquor stores ever, Hi Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa. They've got a whole separate section dedicated to beers, including a Beer "locker" that's 4 aisles wide to keep their specialty beers, like YulseSmith, cold.

The nose is hoppy 'n malty. The tongue is brown bready 'n creamy, and the finish is peppy. It seriously has one of the frothiest heads I've ever seen. I was tempted to plop a scoop of vanilla in it.

This one will go great with some Apple Cheddar Pie.

Hoppy Holidays!

 

Wine country Paso Robles serves up Firestone Brewery too

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Christmas is around the corner, so your next holiday – as in vacation – is naturally on the brain. Instead of fighting air traffic, take a road trip to Paso Robles where the whole family can be pleased. It's wine country. It's where William Randolph Hearsts' zebras roam. And it's where Firestone Walker brews one of my new favorites, Union Jack IPA.

The Washdown:

Four 4oz. tastings for $6

- big nose, small finish, mildly hoppy Pale Ale 4.6% ABV

- smells sweet, prominent barley & vanilla DBA British Pale Ale 5% ABV

- bold citrus & pineapple Union Jack India Pale Ale 4.6% ABV

- coffee & caramel, bittersweet chocolate Walkers Reserve Robust Porter 5.9% ABV

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Take the 405N to the 101N then exit Ramada. 4 hours later and BAM! you're there (at least if you're coming from LA. Seriously though, a trip to Firestone Brewery in Paso Robles is probably the best wrapped compromise you could ever give your wife or hubby, 'cuz a slew of wineries (140 to be exact) are less than 10 minutes away.

Plus, the tastings aren't that expensive either. You'll want to start with their most common, the Pale Ale, then work your way to the Dark Side, Walkers Reserve.

If you like bitter IPAs, the Pale Ale is probably not for you. It kind of tastes like a watered down Sierra Nevada, but still has a floral nose and always seems to be my natural choice when hitting up the bar.

The DBA has that true Toasted Grain flavor, like when you crack a Grapenut on your tongue. And it smells sweet with a touch of Vanilla.

As I said earlier, the Union Jack is my favorite. It's hoppy & bitter like a Racer 5 IPA, but cut with citrusy sweet Pineapple. This beer you can definitely drink all night long – it's no wonder it won plenty of awards at the Great American Beer Festival.

Lastly, treat the Walkers Reserve like a coffee dessert. It has robust Toffee, Caramel, and Bittersweet Chocolate Flavors from the 5 special Malts, Oats, and Barley flakes. Kind of like Kahula on ice, it's not as heavy as other stouts and is rather peppy with lots of carbonation.

Follow @FirestoneWalker for details on their Christmas calendar and tasting specials.

Brew Mission talks hops about Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

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Just like the LA weather, this week Your Next Pint is changing things up, featuring guest beer blogger Brew Mission:

    "I like to brew my own beer, especially my favorite kind, American IPA's. So like my favorite beer,     I'll keep this one short, bitter, and avoid any sweetness."

The Washdown:

- hoppy, bitter, medium-bodied n' mildly fruity Sculpin IPA (Ballast Point Brewery in San Diego, CA) 7% ABV

    "Ballast Point makes several great beers. In fact they just won Brewery of the Year according to the     'Olympics' of the beer-drinking world, The World Beer Cup.  I tend to prefer extremely hoppy     bitter beers, so this light-bodied and fruity-hinted beer doesn't make my face pucker quite     enough. But who am I to argue with the 2010 International Pale Ale Gold Medal Winner, Sculpin     IPA?

    Its mild, medium-bodied, and fruity hints have garnered the attention of several IPA enthusiasts     because it incorporates all the fundamental aspects of an American IPA without being messed up by     unnecessary flavors. It pours well, creating a very frothy head which birngs out the hops, and     finishes with Fruit Tree flavors.

    I suggest picking up a 22oz of Sculpin to get a taste of "victory". But like the hype of the Academy     Awards, remember, if you prefer slapstick comedy with action sequences, then perhaps accolades     are not everything you look for in the movies – beer too."

Follow Ballast Point @BPBrewing for more info on their marvelous beers and holiday Ales for gifting.

Kick off December with Apple, Fig, Coffee & Pine in Deschutes Jubelale

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Baby, it's cold outside. So cozy up to the month of December and all it's holiday cheer by unwrapping a bottle of Jubelale – more like a Winter Porter – from Deschutes Brewery.

Pour this one in a special snifter glass and let the scents brew:

The Washdown:

- apple, fig, coffee & pine Jubelale (Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR) 6.7% ABV

This beer is definitely not for chugging. Slip on your robe, sit by the fire, grab a slice of Apple Pie or Fine Dark Chocolate, then let the sipping begin. The nose is Apple & Winter Pine, perhaps even a Fir Tree. The tongue is Bitter Dark Chocolate with a hint of Citrus tang. The finish is Strong Coffee with strokes of Kahlua. Isn't that how every warm winter meal should end?

After a glass, you'll forget all about that daunting Figgy Pudding, and be happy you drank your calories instead – 216 per 12 oz serving, to be exact. And just in case you were wondering, it's not too filling, but rather full of flavor.

Follow @DeschutesBeer for brew news on this Seasonal Ale available only from October – December.

Hoppy Holidays!