Brewer Q & A (Issue 22)

96 Rating – Upland Brewing Co. – Malefactor

Responses from Upland’s Director of Sour Operations Caleb Staton.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did. Malefactor is a take on the Flanders Red style.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
Malefactor has this great cherry ester profile, which melds well with the mild char character from long aging periods in neutral bourbon barrels. It is also the strongest beer we make company-wide, typically clocking in above 12 percent ABV.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Malefactor means someone who commits a crime, or a general ne’er-do-well. Malefactor’s (the beer’s) name reflects long fermentation periods with souring microorganisms, a nearly criminal activity for both accountants and brewers alike. It also refers to a little break from traditional Flanders Red-style brewing, with the aging in bourbon barrels and higher alcohol content.  

Is this your “desert island beer?”
I would definitely drink this beer on a desert island, and it would certanly keep for a little while if I was in it for the long haul, Castaway-style. If I had to choose, though, I’d rather drink a cold Session IPA out of a coconut. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Cherry notes and warming dark barrel char meld wonderfully. 

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Dantalion and Malefactor are two of the three base beers we brew currently in our Sour Ale Program. A blend of the two beers with Michigan Montmorency cherries is scheduled for release in early 2016. We call that beer Cauldron, reflecting the fun of blending sour beers together with unique ingredients to develop completely new beers and flavor profiles.

95 Rating – SanTan Brewing Co. – MoonJuice IPA

Responses from SanTan founder and brewmaster Anthony Canecchia.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Gabe Wilson, SanTan Head Brewer.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The extremely rare Galaxy hop varietal from Victoria, Australia.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
From the aforementioned Galaxy Hop. MoonJuice is a “Galactic IPA.”

Is this your “desert island beer?”
I would drink it on an island or a mountaintop!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
An out-of-this-world IPA that transcends all Earthly pleasures!

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
SanTan was one of the first U.S. Craft breweries to use the rare Galaxy Hop, and for years we could only make it available on draft. The farms it is grown on have been increasing acreage for the past two years so we finally can finally purchase enough to begin packaging in cans as well as draft.

95 Rating – Short’s Brewing Co. – Devil’s Lettuce

Responses from Short’s head brewer Tony Hansen.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I really love the way the fresh hop flavor and aroma shines through the clean lager malt and yeast profile.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
I love it very much, but no.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
India Pale Lager with intensely fresh hop aromatics and flavor. 

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
When I think about this beer, I always remember the experience of picking the hops up from the hop farm on the brew day. The hops were still warm from being picked just minutes before, and I put them in the backseat of my car. As I drove away from the farm, I remember smiling after realizing just how intense the aroma of the hops were in the confined space of my car. My car smelled great for days afterwards.

95 Rating – AleSmith Brewing Co. – Lil’ Devil

Responses from AleSmith brewmaster Peter Zien.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The complexity achieved from the combination of malt, hops, spices and fermentation characteristics. The aroma and flavor are tantalizing with hints of citrus fruit, coriander and subdued tartness.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
We brew a higher-alcohol version of this beer known as AleSmith Horny Devil, a Belgian Golden Strong Ale. Lil’ Devil seemed like a natural choice for this lower-alcohol version.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
I always have trouble with this question as I would need more than a single style on my desert island! I could certainly enjoy my days with only this beer though.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
A crisp, complex Belgian ale with hints of citrus fruit.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
This beer was initially designed to propagate yeast for AleSmith Horny Devil. We would take 50 gallons of wort from a light-colored ale and ferment it with the Belgian yeast strain. We would then discard the fermented wort and harvest the yeast for brewing Horny Devil. After a while, we decided to accomplish two tasks in one: propagate yeast and design a world-class beer rather than discard the fermented wort. In 2002, we did just that, and Lil’ Devil was born.

95 Rating – Summit Brewing Co. – Sticke Alt

Responses from Summit brewer Mike Lundell.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I came up with this beer’s recipe.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
I think the finish is my favorite. The aroma and flavor are great, but the clean, crisp finish really makes me smile!

Where does this beer’s name come from?
Dusseldorf, Germany! It’s a ‘seasonal’ Altbier, released in secret (Sticke) as a special offering to the public.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
I’m not sure if it’s my first choice, but I sure wouldn’t be upset if it was the only thing I could drink!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Malty and bready with a dry, earthy finish. Yummy!

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?                        
Summit produced an Altbier as a fall seasonal up until about 2001 or so, and I really enjoyed it. Knowing I was up for an Unchained Series release, I decided to make an Altbbier, but not our old recipe. Sticke Alts are beer the brewer customizes, usually maltier and hoppier than the standard Alt beer, and that really appealed to me.

Photo Credit: Chad Kirkland

94 Rating – Moab Brewery – Johnny’s American IPA

Responses from Moab head brewer Jeff Van Horn.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The great mixture of hops throughout.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Johnny Borkoski is our owner.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
No, that would be our Dead Horse Amber ale, which is named after Dead Horse Point in Moab, Utah

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Strong hop characteristics with a distinctive, aggressive hop finish.

94 Rating – Wasatch Brewery – Polygamy Nitro Porter

Responses from Wasatch brewmaster Jon Lee.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
We’ve had Polygamy Porter in our lineup for quite a number of years, and I can’t really give credit to one particular person for its creation. However, for the push to get a nitrogenated version, I’ve got to give credit to Wasatch founder Greg Schirf. The original Polygamy Porter was released in the winter of 2001 and quickly became a hit. We’d always thought that it would be great with the creamy head of a Nitro beer so we invested quite a lot of effort into the release of this 6.0 percent ABV nitrogenated version of the Polygamy Porter. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
This is really a “full package” type of beer. I love the creamy mouthfeel of the nitro beer and the malt flavors that are present due to the low carbonation. There is also a nice fruity hop character that plays well in the background from the Willamette hops we use for aromatics.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
This was a tongue-in-cheek name that was thrown out at a weekly planning meeting back in 2001 with obvious ties to some of the early history of Utah. It’s a funny name that resonated so we stuck with it and made it our own!

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Yes, absolutely!

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Super creamy nitro, scrumptious roasted malt, subtle fruity hops. Delicious! 

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
While nitro beers have been a staple on draft for a number of years now, getting them into a package is quite a bit different. We’re one of the very few breweries nationally that has been able to do this successfully and we are quite proud of what we have accomplished. Figuring out how to do it was one of the most difficult projects that many of us had worked on in quite some time.

94 Rating – Hinterland Brewery – Grand Cru

Responses from Hinterland brewer Scott Kissman.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Myself and Joe Karls developed this recipe 4 years ago when I joined Hinterland.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
 My favorite aspect of this beer is the complex finish of spice, mild sweetness, Belgian yeast character and heat from the high alcohol coupled with its balanced, bitter finish.

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
Grand Cru is usually used for wine and means the most superior grade. We use it to showcase one of our biggest and boldest beers.

Is this your “desert island beer?”   
For sure! It has all of the flavor, character and body to keep me happy for the rest of my days. The beer will age well, pairs well with seafood and is high enough in alcohol that it would sterilize all wounds while giving you a great sense of euphoria. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
I can do it one: “BOO-YAH!”

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
When I started brewing 15 years ago at the now defunct Michigan Brewing Company, I had the pleasure of brewing Celis Belgian beers under the guidance of Pierre Celis. At MBC we brewed the Celis White, Raspberry and Grand Cru. In brewing the Grand Cru, I found my love of yeast and its ability to create many flavors and aromas. At that point I knew if ever given the chance I would develop my own Grand Cru. Four years ago Joe Karls and Bill Tressler gave me that opportunity to showcase Hinterland’s craftsmanship. Our ability was validated by Hinterland Grand Cru being awarded The Isthmus Best Beer of Wisconsin Award in 2014.

94 Rating – Tallgrass Brewing Co. – Ethos IPA

Responses from Tallgrass founder and CEO Jeff Gill.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Myself and our Brewmaster at the time, Andrew Hood.  

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
When we developed this beer we had one goal in mind: to make the best IPA that we could. Striving to do our very best is what we do on a daily basis, and it has developed into the ethos of our entire company. This beer is that ethos in IPA form.     

Is this your “desert island beer?”  
I love this beer, and yes, it is my desert island beer.  

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?  
Delightful, bright aromatics meet well-rounded malt bliss with light bitterness.   

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
Our ethos of an intense pursuit of improvement, which is so central to our character, was the inspiration for this brand.

94 Rating – Bear Republic Brewing Co. – Racer X

 Responses from Bear Republic brewmaster Richard Norgrove.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Racer 5 doubled is Racer 10, or Racer X (in Roman numerals).

Is this your “desert island beer?”
No, that would be Red Rocket, our American Amber Ale.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Old-school, epically balanced, disciplined, and full of C hops.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Racer X is the bigger, badder brother to Racer 5 and has been the inspiration for many additional Racer brews from the Bear Republic family of beers.

93 Rating – Boulevard Brewing Co. & Cigar City Brewing – Collaboration No. 5

Responses from Boulevard brewer Jeremy Danner.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels and the Boulevard brewing and quality team worked with Cigar City Brewmaster Wayne Wambles and his crew to create the recipe for Collaboration No. 5 – Tropical Pale Ale.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
We’ve brewed a few beers that incorporated fruit, but none have necessarily been hop forward. It was fascinating to explore the way grapefruit and passionfruit interacted with hoppy flavors and aromas. We wanted to showcase the fruit, while keeping the hops very much at the fore. It was also interesting to see how the bitterness played with the fruit character. The beer needed to be just bitter enough to balance the malt sweetness and fruit character without seeming overbitter in contrast to the passionfruit.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
We had a group email exchange where we went back and forth on how to identify the “style.” At Boulevard, we don’t necessarily brew to style. We think about the flavor of the final beer when crafting the recipe and wait until we’ve tasted the finished beer to determine how we’d like to communicate our intentions to beer drinkers. We ultimately went with Tropical Pale Ale because while we felt the beer had a high enough ABV to fall into the IPA category, but the bitterness was closer to a pale ale.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
You know, it’s up there. My desert island beer is (and always will be) Saison-Brett because of how complex yet drinkable it is, but I drank quite a bit of Tropical Pale Ale when it was around. The way the fruit flavor and aroma interacted with the hops made it super interesting for me. I feel like a desert island beer needs to be very drinkable and refreshing, but interesting.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Crisp, refreshing interplay of tropical fruit and bright, citrusy hops

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
During a new market rollout in Florida, Cigar City Brewing was kind enough to open their tasting room to us to host a Boulevard tap takeover to celebrate our entrance into the state. Not only did they put our beers on tap in their brewery, but they went above and beyond by showing Game 7 of the World Series on their tasting room televisions which had never displayed anything but their beer list and a live video feed of their brewhouse and fermentation cellars. We were so taken by the hospitality and kindness displayed and the amazing quality of their beers, that we just knew we wanted to brew our next collaboration beer with them. Over plates of BBQ, a few rounds of beers and a couple of conference calls, it was decided that Boulevard Brewing Company and Cigar City Brewing would team up to brew Collaboration No. 5. 

93 Rating – Upslope Brewing Co. – Imperial IPA

Responses from Upslope head brewer Sam Scruby.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This beer was based on a homebrew recipe from our previous head brewer, Alex Violette. I don’t know the entire lore surrounding the creation of the recipe, but we brewed numerous batches for the tap room – trying out different late kettle hop additions – before finally having the “eureka” moment. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I love that our Imperial IPA is aggressive but still well-balanced. It has great initial bitterness but finishes with a touch of sweetness to accentuate the juicier hop notes.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Well, we use our brewery name and the beer style for this beer’s name. It isn’t always sexy, but we don’t ever deal with “cease and desist” letters so we can focus on brewing more delicious beer!

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Well, I would definitely be having too much fun on my desert island with this 10 percent ABV beauty. I love this beer on certain occasions, but with such a high ABV, it definitely isn’t my first go-to. Maybe a nightcap after a Broncos win?

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
The dankest, most juiced-up hop liquor ever created. 

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
I was brewing a pilot batch of our Double IPA with our former head brewer Alex, and we decided to have a game of H.O.R.S.E while brewing the beer. We were using the kettle as the basket and hop pellets for the ball, and we continuously hopped the wort with our increasingly complex trick shots. Cleanup was less than ideal after the brew was done, but we joked that we had added at least 1 IBU to the beer, and people would truly appreciate the increased hop complexity. I guess it worked out, right? 

93 Rating – Wasatch Brewery – Devastator

Responses from Wasatch brewmaster Jon Lee.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This was a team effort from the senior staff, though the inspiration for making it came from a discussion that Adam Curfew (Wasatch director of cellar operations) and I had one day. We really wanted a strong lager beer in the lineup and thought a dopplebock would be the perfect choice. After it was green lighted, we started playing around and over the years we’ve refined it to what we are enjoying today.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The rich malt flavor, the sweetness of the alcohol, and that clean lager fermentation! 

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
It’s an homage to the European “-ator” beers, but to make it our own (and to scare you a little) we called it “Devastator.” Also, did you note the image of the scary ram splitting through the two local institutions? It’s some minor social commentary: we’re trying to put a split between church and state where, at times, one does not seem to exist.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Yes indeed!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?  
Delicious malty lager beer! Eight percent ABV will get you!

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
I have the image for Devastator on the side of my race car. In 2010 when we won the “GABF Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year,” I was trackside at the NASA National Championships and was so stoked on that win that it took all the adrenaline out of me for my upcoming race (GABF Awards were less than an hour from race start). I let the announcer know that we had just won in that categpry, and every lap he made mention of us. Needless to say, that night we had quite a few in celebration! That’s a great memory I’ve got of this beer fitting into a well-earned celebration.

93 Rating – Tallgrass Brewing Co. – 8-Bit Pale Ale

Responses from Tallgrass founder and CEO Jeff Gill.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Myself and our Brewmaster at the time, Andrew Hood.  

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
My favorite aspect of 8-Bit is the “rough-around-the-edges” quality of the hop character. The “hop rocketing” process via whole cone hops that we use for this beer creates that distinctive character, which matches the beautifully simple yet fun charm of those old-school video games we loved growing up.   

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
We love old-school video games and designed a beer to match what we love about them. The name came up with itself.  

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?  
Unique hoppiness in a balanced approach to a classic style.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
My love of Tecmo Super Bowl on the original NES system both dropped my college GPA by 4 tenths of a point and led to the invention of our most popular beer!  

93 Rating – Boston Beer Co. – Samuel Adams Rebel Raw

Responses from Boston Beer brewer Seth Adams.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Our brewers work together to develop recipes for our beers. For Rebel Raw, we brainstormed a flavor profile we wanted to create and worked together to develop the perfect recipe. It took a lot of test batches in our nano brewery and we played around with a lot of different dry-hopped beers before we determined the final recipe. One of the best parts of developing a recipe is the sensory process. We taste test a variety of our test batches and have a roundtable discussion after we’ve smelled, tasted and reviewed the test batches on our own. Talking through the recipe process and choosing what we want to ultimately share with drinkers is exciting.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
Honestly, I love most everything about this beer. I love the big, piney resinous aroma and the hops that smack you in the face. It’s a delicious 10 percent ABV Double IPA, but despite the strength there’s no alcohol sting. Drinking Rebel Raw fresh from the brewery is the best experience a drinker can have. For this beer, we looked to give drinkers the freshest IPA possible that packed a giant hop aroma and an aggressive hop-forward flavor.

Where does this beer’s name came from? 
The recipe for Rebel Raw is a little “raw,” meaning we were constantly experimenting with hops – what varieties to use, how much to use, when to add them to the kettle, what to use for dry-hopping. So, the Rebel Raw in cans right now, is a recipe based on evolving recipe experimentation.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Good question. I would love this beer on special occasions, but at 10 percent ABV and 100 IBUs, I’m not sure how long I would last! I think I’d have to go with Boston Lager, which balances hop bitterness and malt sweetness and, I think, is the perfect beer for any situation.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Freakin’ good Double IPA with aggressive hop character.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Brewing Rebel Raw was a lot of fun. This is a beer that came out of our nano brewery in Boston, and I can’t even begin to count how many recipes we developed until we determined this was the one we wanted to share with drinkers. When we had leftover test batch beers for Rebel Raw, we would get together at the end of the day to share it and talk about all things beer. 

93 Rating – AleSmith Brewing Co. – Double Red IPA

Responses from AleSmith brewmaster Peter Zien.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
Th big hop character and pleasant amber-colored malt backdrop. It’s easy to drink, even at an elevated alcohol content of 8.5 percent ABV.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
We decided to go with a clear style descriptor to let the consumer know exactly what they’re in for. The marketplace is full of catchy, sometimes funny names (we have a few ourselves), but we chose to get right to the point with this one.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Now this beer actually could be. It has plenty of hops to keep it interesting and plenty of malty sweetness as well. It’s the best of both worlds in my opinion!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
A delicious combination of amber malts and spicy hops.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
This beer was originally named Winter YuleSmith and appeared annually right before Christmas. It was all decked out in red and green and (inadvertently) screamed, “Drink me before Christmas!” But that was never intended to be the case with this beer, which is optimal for enjoying well into the spring, so we rebranded it in hopes people wouldn’t feel pressured and would know exactly the style of beer they were about to encounter.

Photo Credit: Chad Kirkland

92 Rating – Moab Brewery – Squeaky Bike Nut Brown

Responses from Moab head brewer Jeff Van Horn.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
Its flavor, aroma and body.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
An assistant brewer who loved our Nut Brown used to ride a squeaky bike to work (and at work) some days. Hence, Squeaky Bike Nut Brown.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Rich, nutty flavor with an earthy, fruity hop finish

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
The beer speaks for itself – winning a 2014 Silver World Beer Cup® Session Beer award!

92 Rating – Southern Tier Brewing Co. – Gemini

Responses from Southern Tier founder Phin DeMink.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
Gemini finishes dry, but it still has a strong bitterness and hop aroma. 

Where does this beer’s name came from? 
This beer was originally a blended ale. We would mix Hoppe (an Imperial Pale Ale, now retired) with UnEarthly Imperial IPA. It also so happened that my wife had recently given birth to twin boys, so the name was a perfect fit. Gemini was blended for several years, and then retired, although it was a beer I was reluctant to cancel. A few years passed and I really wanted to drink that beer again, I missed it, but the blending process was cumbersome, so some tweaks were made to brew it as a single beer. Basically the recipes were more or less combined, which is why we decided to keep the name. 

Is this your “desert island beer?”
It’s a close second to our LIVE Citra Hopped Session Pale Ale.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Dry, but with a strong bitterness and hop aroma.

92 Rating – Tallgrass Brewing Co. – Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat

Responses from Tallgrass founder and CEO Jeff Gill.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Myself and our second-ever employee combined with a team effort in the development of VBBS, our first-ever cask beer experiment.  

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
How well the vanilla aroma and flavor meld with the coffee and chocolate sweetness of the base Buffalo Sweat, our Oatmeal Cream Stout.   

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
Our use of select Ugandan vanilla beans is central to the distinctive character of this beer, so it was very appropriate to use both vanilla and bean in the name. Buffalo Sweat, well, that is a story for another time. 

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Not quite. I love my hops. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?  
Sweet chocolate and coffee seamlessly highlighting pure vanilla goodness.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
This beer is a result of our very first cask ale experiment. In late 2011 we threw two Ugandan beans into of a couple of firkins and left them next to my desk. Two weeks later I came in one morning and the brewery smelled amazing, but Buffalo Sweat was all over the floor and the only clue as to what had happened was the open bung hole on one firkin and a perfect circle cut into a ceiling tile directly above it. The cask had overpressured and blown the bung clean through the ceiling! We carefully placed the other cask in the cooler to bring down the pressure, and when we served it at a bar a week later it was the amazing combination of vanilla and stout-y goodness that is Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat.

92 Rating – Upland Brewing Co. – Dantalion Dark Wild Ale

Responses from Upland’s Director of Sour Operations Caleb Staton.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did. Dantalion is based on the Oud Bruin style.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The wonderful spice character of licorice and ginger predominantly, which melds well with the sourness of the beer alongside hints of roasted and chocolate malts.

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
Dantalion is named after a demon. We thought this plays well with the artwork from our friend Norton Wisdom, which is depicted on the label.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?  
Balanced spices, polite lactic sourness and roasted malts.

92 Rating – AleSmith Brewing Co. – AleSmith IPA

Responses from AleSmith brewmaster Peter Zien.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The balance between malt and hops. We believe in creating a big malt base to support the load of hops that make our IPA memorable.

Where does this beer’s name come from?   
IPA stands for India Pale Ale, in reference to the Brits’ habit of sending hoppy beers to their soldiers in India back in the day. The extra hops ensured the beer’s drinkability after long sea voyages.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
For many it would be, and I would be quite happy to drink this beer for the rest of my days!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
A firm malt character supports a whole lotta hop goodness.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
This is one of the beer styles that I brewed frequently as a homebrewer. In fact, the base of this beer in both the malt and hop bills was fashioned from my award-winning homebrewed IPA from the mid-1990s. Over the years, we’ve made some slight alterations to include new malt and hop varieties, but the core remains very similar to my original recipe.

92 Rating – Southbound Brewing Co. – Picture of Nectar

Responses from Southbound brewmaster Smith Mathews.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
 I did. I was inspired to make this beer after reading about a local chef incorporating these fresh ingredients into a dish while out to dinner. I thought to myself, “This would make a great IPA.”

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I really love the relationship the nectarines and elderflower bring to the hop profile. Both in flavor and aroma, they all combine to form intricate levels of complexity. It’s a beer you can continuously discover new flavors in from the first sip to the last. 

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Picture of Nectar is an homage to one of our favorite band’s (Phish) songs. Great band, great beer!

Is this your “desert island beer?”
This beer is pretty big to be drinking a lot of. I guess if you’re stranded on a desert island and need to hydrate, you might as well do it with an incredible IPA! I’m not sure how productive you’d be during or afterwards however…

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Complex stone fruit and floral flavor with a big aroma.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Several of us made the mistake – after a long day of bottling – of drinking two bombers of this beer after we’d finished. It is so easy to drink and we kept exploring the flavors it had to offer. The deeper we got into the bottles, the more flavors we were finding. Little did we realize, the alcohol had crept up on us and we all needed a ride home! Needless to say, the labels didn’t get put on until a few days after. Explore carefully! 

92 Rating – Natty Greene’s Brewing Co. – Red Nose Winter Ale

Responses from Natty Greene’s head brewer Scott Christofel.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I did in 2004.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The malty, spiced balance of flavor. Some holiday beers can be cloying and lack balanced spicing.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
6.8 percent ABV delivers a nice warm feeling or a “Red Nose” for the holidays.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
It’s perfect for the cold weather of winter, but my desert island beer would be our Hitchpost Gueuze.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Rich, malty flavor with ginger, orange peel and cinnamon notes.

91 Rating – Brewery Ommegang – Rosetta

Responses from Ommegang brewmaster Phil Leinhart.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Rosetta is a blend of two beers that have existed for a long time. The resulting beer is more about the blend and the process than the recipes. I, along with two other Ommegang brewers, determined the blend.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The balance between sweetness and tartness.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
It is a tribute to Rosa Mercx, a former brewmaster at Liefmans and the first female brewmaster in Belgium.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
One of them!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Slightly fruity, tart and sweet. A perfectly balanced, drinkable sour.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
The inspiration for Rosetta was Ommegang Zuur. For Zuur I traveled to Belgium and spent a day at Liefmans creating and tasting different blends to come up with the final one. For Rosetta, Liefmans sent us a keg of Oud Bruin and we experimented with Kriek Brut here in Cooperstown to create Rosetta.

91 Rating – SanTan Brewing Co. – Sex Panther

Responses from SanTan founder and brewmaster Anthony Canecchia.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
I did.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?  
The rich, dark unsweetened chocolate flavor. It really complements the nuances of a porter. 

Where does this beer’s name come from?
It was suggested by of my business partners while sitting at the bar. We had been struggling with finding a name for this beer and were never happy with anything that came up until he suggested Sex Panther. After that suggestion, nothing else fit.

Is this your “desert island beer?” 
It certainly could be. There’s a lot of cocoa powder in each brew, and the cacao bean is considered a superfood, after all!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Clean dark chocolate flavor from chocolate malt and Ecuadorian cocoa. 

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
This beer is hell on our equipment. There’s so much cocoa powder that some of it combines with the yeast in the fermenter and wreaks havoc on the filter towards the end of the filtration. This year we purchased a centrifuge and were so overconfident with it that we started to run the first batch through with the tank only having gotten cold the day before, and this beer even bested our centrifuge! We decided to call it a day after unsuccessfully processing a couple hundred gallons. From that point on, we knew this beer just needs to sit a while before it’s ready to get to market. It’s the only beer that truly tells us when it’s ready, not the other way around.

91 Rating – Squatters Craft Beers – Full Suspension Pale Ale

Responses from Squatters brewmaster Jon Lee.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
Original credit here goes back to our former Squatters brewer Jennifer Talley. She was playing with a pale ale special at the pub with this new hop that had just come on the market (Columbus). This is back in about 1996-97. We all loved it so much that it turned into a core beer for us. The rest, as they say, is history.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?  
My favorite aspect is, and always will be, the hop aroma and flavor. However, the malt base we’ve got here is awesome as well because it really makes those hops shine.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
In the mid to late 90s Full Suspension mountain bikes were introduced. This beer’s name comes from our love of mountain biking here in Utah.

Is this your “desert island beer?” 
Yes.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Perfect pine and citrus flavors; sessionable before sessionable was cool!

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
This beer is truly one of the original classic Pale Ales of the modern craft beer scene. There are countless numbers of people that tell us that Full Suspension is what got them into hoppy beers. While the landscape of craft beer availability has changed dramatically over the years, we’re proud of the fact that Full Suspension remains the go-to six-pack for many people.

91 Rating – Boston Beer Co. – Samuel Adams Rebel Grapefruit IPA

Responses from Boston Beer brewer Seth Adams.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Our brewers work together to develop recipes for our beers. Together we worked on a recipe that not only showcased a wide range of hop intensities and characteristics, but also one that packed a big punch of citrus. We use real grapefruit, which helps to amplify one of our favorite West Coast hops, Mosaic.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?  
Rebel Grapefruit IPA’s big grapefruit flavor and aroma is my favorite aspect because it comes from both using real grapefruit juice and peel but also hops that showcase similar flavors. We add grapefruit peel to the kettle to impart a tart, sharp character and then we add grapefruit juice right before the beer is filtered to create a big grapefruit juiciness.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
Rebel Grapefruit is part of our family of Rebel IPAs. The name Rebel Grapefruit IPA lets you know exactly what to expect: a rebellious grapefruit IPA!

Is this your “desert island beer?” 
I would love to bring this beer with me on a desert island, and would probably drink it every day right around brunch. Why pair pancakes with OJ when you can pair them with Rebel Grapefruit IPA?

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Juicy, with a big citrus punch and tropical fruit notes.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
Rebel Grapefruit features Mosaic hops, which are relatively new to the brewing scene. Just a few years ago when I started brewing at Sam Adams, they were released as HBC369 because they didn’t even have a name yet. Since then, we’ve explored tweaking our Latitude 48 IPA recipe by brewing with Mosaic hops and now, for Rebel Grapefruit, we’ve used them during the kettle and dry-hopping process. Mosaic’s mandarin orange, pineapple and grapefruit flavors complement the actual grapefruit we add to this recipe.

91 Rating – Saint Arnold Brewing Co. – Pumpkinator

Responses from Saint Arnold brewer Aaron Inkrott.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
The creator of Pumpkinator is Nick Walther, who now brews at Harpoon Brewery in Boston.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The aroma and its ability to pair with decadent deserts. The aroma reminds me of Thanksgiving and great pumpkin pie. It’s also great with roasted hazelnuts, and it ages very well. I’m particularly a fan of it with at least a year of age on it. The spices become a little more subdued and more balanced. 

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
I’m not entirely sure to be honest. Traditionally, “-ator” implies a dopplebock. I’ve allows thought of The Terminator when I hear Pumpkinator. The ultimate machine… meets the ultimate pumpkin stout. 

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Personally, no. But I know many people who see it as that. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Baker’s chocolate, pumpkin, spice, sticky toffee, thick body, creamy mouthfeel

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Here’s one only the brewers can identify with: It’s not the most enjoyable beer to make here. Sure, the mash smells amazing with the roasted and chocolate malts, and enjoying the final product after 3 months of conditioning in the fermenter is a heavenly occasion. What isn’t enjoyable, however, is adding close to 500 pounds of actual pumpkin and roughly 70 pounds of spices to each batch. But it’s released once a year, so we’re not constantly brewing it and that’s what keeps it special. Also, enjoying several vintages in a vertical tasting is always fun.

91 Rating – Green Flash Brewing Co. – Oculus Sauvage

Responses from Green Flash barrelmaster Pat Korn.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
The recipe for Le Freak, which is the base for Oculus Sauvage, was developed by our previous Brewmaster Chuck Silva many years ago. Local publican Louis Mello – owner of Liars Club – and Chuck were having beers at Liars Club when Louis challenged Chuck to make a Belgian beer that had California IPA components. There weren’t any other breweries in U.S. at that time who’d attempted a beer like this. After some trial and error, Le Freak became a Green Flash staple. From there, we experimented with barrel aging it in red wine barrels from a local winery. We’ve been making it ever since.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
This is the first real barrel-aged beer where we’ve had multiple vintages to blend to a taste we like. Oculus Sauvage is a mixture of three different vintages. At the time of blending they were 9, 12, and 19-month old beers. The base beer, Le Freak, is a very hoppy beer with crazy Belgian undertones. After inoculating it with our house Brett, more flavors are imparted into the beer. Once it goes into the red wine barrel, the funky Brett character and tannins from the wood add to the complexity of the beer. You’ll notice these distinct flavors when you taste it. Oculus Sauvage has a pronounced hop bitterness that pairs great with the vinous qualities from the barrel, and the esters of the Belgian yeast pair great with the barnyard funk, lemon and verbena elements from our house Brett. The nose is predominately tannins and hops – which is an amazing combination.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
The Cellar 3 tagline, “Where Craft Evolves into Artistry,” pays homage to the art of craft beer creation and our desire to elevate our beers to the next level – in this case through barrel aging. The beer names at Cellar 3 are inspired by art history, the Renaissance, and blending the meanings of palate and palette. Beers with the name Sauvage in their title elude to the wild nature of the house Brett yeast used to produce our Belgian-inspired, funky beers.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
At 10.1 percent ABV, I wouldn’t want to drink this one on a hot desert island. My desert island beer is Anchor Liberty Ale.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Belgian-style Imperial India Pale Ale Aged in Red Wine Barrels.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
I didn’t like this beer at all when I first took over the barrel program. It felt unbalanced and overly woody; there was no finesse. Through the years, we’ve been able to mold the beer into what you taste today – through blending, experimenting with different barrels, and better sanitation techniques. Now I love this beer. I love it so much, in fact, that in 2016 we’ll be releasing a version with Blackcurrant. I just tasted some out of a 5-month old barrel and it’s really coming around nicely. We’re very excited for the end product!

91 Rating – Green Flash Brewing Co. – Green Bullet

Responses from Green Flash brewmaster Erik Jensen.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
The recipe for Green Bullet was developed by former Brewmaster Chuck Silva to showcase New Zealand hop varietals. No better way to do it than in a massive Triple IPA.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The sweet, resinous, and tropical hop aromas from the use of Green Bullet and Pacific Gem hops.

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
The name comes from the use of Green Bullet hops.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
This beer weighs in at 10.1 percent ABV, which means it’s probably not what I’d bring on my Cancun vacation. This one is better at the beginning of a quiet evening in front of the fireplace.

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Explosive hop aroma; hope you’re not doing anything tomorrow!

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Green Bullet was developed as our Green Flash 9th Anniversary beer. It was unveiled at the San Diego Brewers Guild Fest at Liberty Station. It was my (and many peoples’) introduction to New Zealand hops.

(All brewer photos courtesy of their respective breweries)