Retail Beer Releases (Week of 12/6)

The seasonal beers are back in a big way this week and just in time for the Christmas holiday.  California heavyweights Stone, Lost Abbey, and Port have all sent new winter beers to Denver that you won't want to miss.  Lost Abbey's Gift of the Magi is a big Golden Ale inspired by the story of the Three Kings using the bark of Frankincense and a little bit of Myrrh.  Stone's Special Holiday Ale is a collaboration with Nøgne Ø and Jolly Pumpkin that was brewed with chestnuts, juniper berry, white sage, and caraway seed (Check out Chipper Dave's review of last year's version here). Port Brewing's Santa's Little Helper is one of my favorite imperial stouts and it is so flavorful that I have difficulty describing it.  That could be because it's brewed with “everything but the kitchen sink.”  This great beer was also on tap at Falling Rock last weekend, so head down there for a taste.

Additionally, Tommyknocker's The Legend Oaked Brown Ale (covered here) has started showing up on liquor store shelves in the area.  I believe only 1,500 bottles were produced, so get it while you can.

New retail beer releases in the Denver area:

• Anderson Valley Winter Solstice (Seasonal)
• Breckenridge Christmas Ale Hand Numbered 1 liter bottles (Limited Release)
• Del Norte Luminaria (Seasonal)
• Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi (Seasonal)
• Nøgne Ø/Stone/Jolly Pumpkin Special Holiday Ale (Seasonal)
• Port Santa's Little Helper (Seasonal)
• Tommyknocker The Legend (Limited Release)
• AC Golden Herman Joseph's Private Reserve (New)
• Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti (Seasonal)
• Great Divide Old Ruffian Barleywine (Seasonal)
• Boulevard Harvest Dancer Wheat Wine (Limited Release)

Retail Beer Releases (Week of 11/1)

The holiday beer season is officially in full swing with no less than 12 seasonal beers hitting shelves in Denver liquor stores this week.  Additionally, Odell has released the newest beer in their Single Serve Series, Mountain Standard Reserve.  This deep mahogany ale was brewed with 400 lbs of locally grown, organic Cascade and Chinook hops from Rising Sun Farms in Paonia, CO.  Odell then double dry hopped the beer to create an even hoppier aroma that just sounds fantastic.  It's currently being sold in 750 mL corked bottles for about $15 and they are planning on brewing it once a year after the hop harvest.  I'm definitely looking forward to trying this one.

New beer releases this week:

• Breckenridge Christmas Ale (Seasonal)
• AC Golden Winterfest (Seasonal)
• Delirium Noel (Seasonal)
• Dupont Avec Les Bon Voeux (Seasonal)
• Gouden Carolous (Seasonal)
• Lagunitas Brown Shugga (Seasonal)
• Odell Mountain Standard Reserve (Limited Release)
• Rouge Santa's Private Reserve (Seasonal)
• Sam Adams Winter Lager (Seasonal)
• Samichlaus Classic (Seasonal)
• Shiner Holiday Cheer (Seasonal)
• Sierra Nevada Celebration (Seasonal)
• Tommyknocker Cocoa Porter (Seasonal)