Just a friendly reminder that SF Beer Week is starts this Friday! Many people have been working hard to organize and put together a number of beer-related events, including yours truly. Just in case any of you were curious or wanted to join us, I will be posting the events that BetterBeerBlog will be at during SF Beer Week. I’d be great if I could go to all the events but I can’t be five places at once, nor do I have enough money to do so.
Also wanted to remind you that we here at BetterBeerBlog are having our own SF Beer Week event on Monday, February 9, 2009. It will be a 4-course Beer and Dessert Event happening at Wine Affairs, right on the Alameda in downtown San Jose. Here are the essential details:
Beer and Dessert Tasting Event
Wine Affairs, 1435 The Alameda, San Jose, CA map
February 9, 2009, 7pm
$35/personSpace at this event is limited. To reserve your place, call Wine Affairs at (408) 977-0111.
I just got an email from Diane at Wine Affairs and she tells me the event is about 50% booked, so if you still want to attend, call and make your reservations today.
Primo Lager, Primo Brewing & Malting Company, Honolulu, Hawaii
I was having dinner at Hukilau one night when I looked up on their draft beer list and saw Primo. Having never heard of the beer before, I asked our server about it. She said it’s “kinda like Stella”, while not exactly my favorite type of beer, I ordered one anyway hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
Primo pours out brilliantly clear, gold with a white head. Low pils malt aroma with slight citrus notes… some DMS and slight “green apple” aromas come on when the beer warms up. The flavor is much of the same slight characteristics in the aroma. Sammy was able to pick up slight corn flavors as well. Hop bitterness is medium-low, body is medium with a high level of carbonation.
I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised but the only thing I was surprised about was that Primo Brewing & Malting Company is a division of Pabst Brewing Company, the same company responsible for PBR. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was PBR, just rebranded. So if you’re into PBR, then Primo is pretty much the same thing, just with a touch of “aloha” brewed into every bottle. Well, as much “aloha” as you can get from Illinois.
Anniversary Ale, Rock Bottom Brewing Company San Jose, 7.8% ABV
Rock Bottom just tapped this beer last week. While I was late for the start of the party, I was there for the finish. Anniversary Ale is an example of and Imperial Red Ale, which is just beer speak for a stronger American Amber Ale.
This is a clear, brown beer with ruby hues and an off-white head. Slightly nutty, malty aroma with a citrus-like hop aroma. The flavor is sweet malty, with a low level of nuttiness, slight roast with citrus hop flavors. This is a fairly balanced beer with a medium/medium-high hop bitterness. Medium-high body, high carbonation and noticeable alcohol warming.
This is a pretty good beer. We had just discussed the American Ale category the night before and covered Amber Ales so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect for the style. If you happen to be at Rock Bottom, this is a pretty good beer to have, although it is 7.8% ABV so enjoy in moderation.
Stillwater Stout, Rock Bottom Brewing Company San Jose, 8.5% ABV
Very dark brown beer, almost black, with a creamy, lasting brown head. Deep roasted barley aromas on the nose with slight chocolate undertones. The flavor is a mixture of bittersweet chocolate, deep roasted barley (almost burnt) flavor with black coffee notes. There’s enough hops to balance but it can be difficult to pick out from all the other flavors. This is a full bodied beer with medium-high, creamy carbonation. Even though Stillwater Stout weighs in at 8.5% ABV, it hides is weight well. I thought this was an excellent beer. If you’re going to have two, you’d better have a designated driver.
Boulder Creek Pale Ale, Rock Bottom Brewing Company San Jose, 6.0% ABV
Boulder Creek Pale Ale is a clear, amber colored beer with an off-white head. The hop aroma is a mixture of floral and citrus with a slight spice underneath it all. The flavor is is similar to the aroma with a citrus and floral hop flavors and a tinge of hop spice in the finish. The malt is clean and enough to support the hop bitterness which is medium-high. This is a medium bodied beer with high carbonation.
It’s too bad that I had this beer last as it was my least favorite of the 3 Rock Bottom beers I had that night. I’m not saying it was a bad beer, because it’s not, but when I compare them to the other two I felt this beer just didn’t measure up. A 6.0% ABV pale ale is a robust pale ale but it’s a drop off from the 8.5% ABV Stillwater Stout I had prior.
Related posts:
- Beers in Review: Steelhead Bourbon Extra Stout, Bear Republic Old Scouter and Black Diamond Winter Ale I managed to make it to the Bistro on Saturday...
- Beers in Review: Linden Street Black Lager, Orval and Lé Freak Over the weekend, my friends and I traveled up to...
- Red Stripe Jamaican Lager (American Macro Lager, 4.70% ABV) Red Stripe is brewed by Desnoes & Geddes Limited, based...
- Homebrew Session: Pale Ale The company I work for was shut down for two...
- Homebrew Session: Pale Ale To date, I have only brewed 3 pale ales. The...
