Retail Beer Releases (Week of 11/29)

It looks like we're in for a great new release week in Denver coming off the Thanksgiving holiday. For the first time in a while, we're getting new releases that aren't seasonals! You'll definitely want to be on the lookout for the Sam Adams Barrel Room collection brews (covered here). Denver is one of 4 locations to get these beers and after trying the American Kriek I can assure you they're worth the $9.99 price tag. Definitely my favorite offerings from Sam Adams.

Another "can't-miss" beer is Boulevard's Bourbon Barrel Quad. This is the latest release in their Smokestack Series and it sounds fantastic. The brewers aged an abbey-style quadrupel in various oak barrels for up to a year then carefully blended them together. The end result has "very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore."

Oh and a collaboration beer from two little breweries in California and Delaware has finally reached Denver.  Only a limited number of bottles of Life & Limb (from Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada, in case you didn't figure that out) were sent to Colorado, and from what I understand they are going quick. In fact, some stores aren't even putting it on shelves, so be sure to ask an associate wherever you shop.  If you miss out on a bottle though there is always the tapping party at Falling Rock tonight!

New beer releases in the Denver area this week:

• Birrificio Montegioco Demon Hunter (New)
• Birrificio Montegioco Draco (New)
• Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad (Limited Release)
• Goose Island Pere Jacques (New)
• Sam Adams Barrel Room American Kriek (Limited Release)
• Sam Adams Barrel Room New World Tripel (Limited Release)
• Sam Adams Barrel Room Stony Brook Red (Limited Release)
• Southampton Cuvee des Fluers (New)
• Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head Life & Limb (New/Rare)

Upcoming Events (Week of 11/29)

Sorry about the lack of updates, I went on vacation during the holidays and have just been getting back into the groove of things.  I plan on resuming my normal posting schedule next week, but here is a quick post with a few events coming up this weekend that should tide you over.  The highlight looks to be the release party that Falling Rock is hosting this Friday, December 4th, for the new Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada collaboration, Life & Limb.  This dark heavy weight (10% abv) supposedly defies all style guidelines and is a unique rarity.  It is a true joint effort between the two renowned breweries using pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm (Sam Calagione is owns Dogfish Head) in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman "farm" (Ken Grossman is Sierra Nevada's founder) at the brewery in Chico, CA.  Additionally, Falling Rock will have Limb & Life on tap tomorrow.  This is a low gravity (5% abv) session beer brewed using the second runnings of Life & Limb.  It's only available on tap, so this may be your only chance to try it in the Denver area.

Upcoming events in the Denver area:

• Dry Dock Firkin Friday - Anthony's Milk Stout - 12/4, 3:00pm - 11:00pm
• Oskar Blues Firkin Friday @ Tasty Weasel - 12/4, 5:00pm
• Life & Limb Draught Release Party @ Falling Rock Tap House - 12/4, 5:0ppm
• Edge City Christmas Ale Release Party @ Bristol Brewing - 12/4, 5:00pm - 9:00pm

Retail Beer Releases (Week of 11/8)

This week brings us another huge new beer list in the Denver area with several big name seasonal releases.  As I discussed yesterday, the list is anchored by Deschutes' amazing The Abyss imperial stout.  However, there are other rarities worth checking out including Boulder Beer Company's Killer Penguin and The Bruery's Two Turtle Doves.  Killer Penguin is a barleywine that has over twice the malt of other seasonal beers and checks in at a big 10% abv.  According to the blurb on Rate Beer, it's also already been aged for 6 months, so it should be drinking great right away. Meanwhile, Two Turtle Doves is the second beer in The Bruery's Twelve Beers of Christmas series and it's a Belgian dark ale that was brewed with toasted pecans and cocoa nibs.  That sounds perfect for the holidays, but it's also suitable for aging for up to 10 years so you might want to pick up a couple of bottles.

New beer releases in the Denver area:

• Deschutes The Abyss (Seasonal)
• Anchor Our Special Ale 2009 (Seasonal)
• Belhaven Scottish Stout (New)
• Blue Moon Grand Cru (New/Seasonal)
• Boulder Beer Killer Penguin (Seasonal)
• Dogfish Head Chicory Stout (Seasonal)
• Dogfish Head Burton Baton (Limited Release)
• Koningshoeven La Trappe Isid'or (Limited Release)
• Moylan's White Christmas (Seasonal)
• Rockyard Bourbon Barrel Stout (Seasonal)
• The Bruery Two Turtle Doves (Seasonal/Limited Release)
• St. Bernadus Christmas (Seasonal)
• Victory Yakima Twilight (Seasonal)

Retail Beer Releases (Week of 10/4)

This is a big new beer week in Denver with no less than 17 new or seasonal beers hitting area stores including the latest releases from Avery, Fort Collins, and Odell. Plus the return of fresh hopped beers from Great Divide and Left Hand, the introduction of Elysian into the Denver market, and Dogfish Head's innovative Pangaea arriving in town (brewed with ingredients from each continent).  However, the real prize for me is the 2009 release of Oskar Blues Ten FIDY Imperial Stout.  I've mentioned in the past that I was on hand for the brewing of this year's first batch, so it was kind of exciting to open my first can and taste the end product.  Lucky for you, my presence didn't throw things off too badly and it tasted every bit as good as last year's version!

Look for these new releases at a beer store near you:

• Avery duganA IPA (New)
• Breckenridge Lucky U IPA (New)
• Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout (New)
• Dogfish Head Pangaea (Seasonal)
• Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA (New)
• Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (New)
• Elysian The Immortal IPA (New)
• Elysian Loser Pale Ale (New)
• Fort Collins Brewing Common Ground (New)
• Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale (Seasonal)
• Great Divide Hibernation Ale (Seasonal)
• He'brew Jewbelation (Seasonal)
• Left Hand Warrior IPA (Seasonal)
• Odell India Barleywine (New)
• Oskar Blues Ten FIDY (Seasonal)
• Sam Adams Coastal Wheat (New)
• The Bruery Autumn Maple (Seasonal)