Great Divide Brewing Company: 17th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA

Now, if the name alone doesn't make you want to try this beer, then I think you are probably reading the wrong blog. Obviously I'm kidding since I'm not in the market of alienation, but this brew just sounds like something that is right up my alley. Immediately I am reminded of Dogfish Head's Burton Baton which is very similar in terms of immediate descriptions. When I heard this brew was being released, I kept my eyes peeled for weeks. This is mainly due to the fact that I knew I would purchase it without a second thought, and that leads us to today. After sharing a few brews with some old and new friends at the Fullerton Farmer's Market Beer Gardens, I decided to come home and crack this monster open. Yes, I am assuming it is a monster because an Oak-Aged  DIPA is no American Light Lager. At 10.0% ABV, I'm ready to get this taste going.

The beer pours a honey-amber with somewhat of a blood orange translucence to it. The head is a light khaki and dissipates rather quickly. The only thing left is about a centimeter of head at the top of the brew. The aromas are interesting to say the least. I get the wood almost immediately with a mixture of sweet malts, bitter hops, and even some caramel and vanilla. I would have pulled the wood out of this (stop it) even if I didn't already know it was aged in it. It's quite apparent to my nose. Anyways, onto the beer!

Now, I'm going to admit that I hardly chilled this beer at all. This is mostly because I feel these sorts of beers are so much better with only a slight chill, but more towards room temperature. The beer is pretty strong on the alcohol front once it immediately hits the tongue. However, upon swirling, the alcohol takes a back seat to complex wood flavors mixed with some nice malts. I do, also, get vanilla on the tongue. Upon swallowing, it's definitely better on the back end. The mixture of wood and malt blends with a bitter hoppy finish to create a definitely well-balanced beer. Every sip of this beer is a pleasure, especially to someone that has taken a break from craft beers for a number of purposes. The sweetness seems to be the only thing that stays with you in terms of lingering flavor characteristics. This one is definitely worth a buy. Try it. Let me know what you think. I might buy another one and see how it tastes in a year, but then again I might not. This is definitely a sipper, though. Do not purchase this and expect to just put it down like a normal IPA. This is the type of beer that is meant to be savored and shared. Hence, this blog. I'm sharing it with you, albeit through text. Now go get one.

Double Old Thumper Ale

So, it has once again been quite some time since I've blogged a new beer. This is mainly due to the fact that I have been trying to cut back on my beer consumption. Yet, I have had this brew in my refrigerator for quite some time and I'm tired of it staring me in the face every time the door opens. Plus, I have missed beer too much to keep ignoring this intriguing ale. I've always been a fan of the original Old Thumper Ale, so once I saw the double, it was a definite purchase. At 11.2% ABV, it promises to be a monster whether it is good or not.

It pours a nice amber with a glowing red translucence when held up to the light. A nice malty aroma presents itself with some alcohol on the nose as well. Knowing that the original Old Thumper is a nice British ale, I expect some creaminess on the tongue at some point. There is about a half an inch of khaki head and I'm very eager to taste this beer.

Whoa. Alcohol galore. I really don't know how else to describe it other than slight sweet malt character with a whole bunch of alcohol. The aftertaste is actually quite pleasant, so I'm going to let this guy warm up a bit and see if some of the overpowering alcohol flavor falls off.

Overall, this is not a complex beer at all. Would I buy it again? Probably not. I think that Shipyard should stick to brewing and bottling the regular Old Thumper on a grander scale and free the room in their tanks held up with this brew. While I was really excited to see a "double" of a beer that I've always enjoyed, this is physical proof that making a double is not always the best idea for certain beers. While cold, it's just not very enjoyable. As it warms, some of the alcohol falls off,  but not too much. British Bitters, I get it. However, the alcohol character just really clashes with the flavors of this brew. I'm curious as to whether this beer would age well? I'm not going to try it, so if anyone else tries it, let me know.