Poor Man's Heli

Alrighty, it’s been a long time since I’ve written up an actual beer friday post – though as my burgeoning belt line and pepperoni moobs will attest to it’s not for a lack of drinking new beers. Figure I’ll start this out with a recent one that sticks out in my mind, though not necessarily for a good reason.

Chatoe Rogue Wet Hop Ale

So I picked up the Chatoe Rogue Wet Hop while at the Rogue garage sale they had just after Christmas. Wasn’t actually looking for the Wet Hop, was actually hoping to pick up a case of the juniper pale, but that wasn’t to be had. The bright label called to me, and as the case price was a deal relative to the price of buying their 22’s seperate, figured what the hell and picked up a case.

The beer:
The beer pours hazy orange with a thin head. Medium body with the slighest aroma of hops and warm malts. An easy drinker (you can quaff it with ease), but the taste is far less than I anticipated, just a slightly malty/hoppy taste to it. Flavor opens up a bit as it warms, but to be honest there just isn’t much to this beer in my opinion, and left me a bit disappointed. I expected a ‘brighter’ hop taste a la the wet hop ales Deschutes put out, but it wasn’t to be had from the Chatoe Rogue.

Drinkable? Yes (though outside of pilsners I rarely come across a beer I won’t drink)
Desirable? Not so much, especially if you have to pay the standard Rogue $6/22 oz. bottle.

So there it is, beer friday. Go get outdoors this weekend and chase your trips with a beer. Oh, and if you’re in California I hate you right now! You’re getting dumped on while we get the shaft end of an El Nino season.

Well, it’ll be back later today once I find a phillips screwdriver and go stretch the legs up at Meadows. I’ve done a ton of ‘research’ on local beers lately, and gotten back into brewing my own again, time to start dropping knowledge on what’s making my man boobs jiggle these days.

To be continued….

This is something my friends and I have known FOREVER, and it’s obvious based on how we pack (how many people do you know bring a case of Coors Light 7 miles into the Tuolumne backcountry?), but beer helps you rehydrate quicker than water.

Click here for a few prior rehydration suggestions courtesy of yours truly.  Beer Friday FTW!

Yosemite bear drank my Coors

(btw, I will get refocused on the bc/snowboard scene this fall, but right now there’s not a lot of info on new stuff nor have I had the free time to get out there)

BEEEEEEEEEEEERRRR FRIDAY! This one is going to taste better than most as my day job has officially turned the corner from not even remotely interesting if you squint your eyes and turn your head to just plain ohmygodmakeitstop mundane. The days are a’draggin’, and combined with the fact that I probably won’t make it into the backcountry for a few weeks (looks like there will be some goods for the people get up there though) as I’m working on my exit plan (aka founding my next startup). So, to celebrate the end of the week, and eventual new beginnings, I present to you one of my favorite bottled beers evar!

PLINY THE ELDER!

Pliny the Elder

From the Russian River Brewing Company (a brewery I’ve only been to once and couldn’t drink as I was taking my MSF class that weekend!) in Santa Rosa, CA I can only describe this beer as heaven in a glass. Seriously. If there is a heaven my first day there (huge assumption…) will consist of being reunited with my childhood dog and he’ll offer me up a pint of Pliny (dogs will have opposable thumbs in heaven), or something like that. Bright white, quickly dissipating head with a crisp, citrusy hops aroma with just a touch of pine. Balanced flavor that keeps you guessing. “Was it sweet?” “Was it bitter?” At 8% it’s dangerously drinkable. Highly, highly recommended.

So there it is, another week down, chased with yet another good beer. Get out there and get’er done this weekend!

This week has been a good beer week – Bear Republic double IPA, 2008 and 2009 Avery double IPAs among others – but after Monday’s TR this week’s winner was no secret. As much as I hate doing back-to-back Sierra brews there was no choice but to feature the Sierra Harvest Wet Hop Ale this week after it’s feature spot in last weekend’s douchebaggery.

They say:

The cornerstone of our Harvest series is the beer that started the modern-day fresh hop ale phenomenon in America, our original Harvest Ale.

Created in 1996, Harvest Ale features Cascade and Centennial hops from the Yakima Valley in Eastern Washington. These hops are harvested and shipped as “wet” un-dried hops—the same day they are picked—to our brewery in Chico where our brewers eagerly wait to get them into the brew kettle while their oils and resins are still at their peak.

I say:

Smells like a Sierra brew. Flavor starts slow with a ‘fuzzy’ mouthfeel, than hits you with medium sharp bitterness, fading to that classic Sierra aftertaste. A decent brew, makes a good Saturday night Gatorade.

Wet Hop Ale

Well as it’s gone from 80s to 50s in the course of three days here, bringing with it a bit of precip and thus pow in the mountains – probably some of the last of the season unless we get another Memorial Weekend pow dump like last year. As such, it’s time for a beer Friday celebration. To help us celebrate this week is none other than Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale. A seasonal beer that has probably just about ran out at most local retailers, this beer is a medium bodied IPA with a touch of spice. A sharp hops bite upfront with just enough alcohol warmth on the finish to help relax the muscles after a long tour. Flavor seems to get a bit more pronounced as the beer warms slightly. By no means a daily drinker, but makes for a good change of pace, especially on a chilly night. So there is it, another week down, another beer downed. Pick up a bottle and get ‘er done this weekend!

Celebration Ale vitals

Once again it’s time to reward yourself for another week of slaving to the grind so you can afford the sports you love, and once again I’m going to make a recommendation to help you reward yourself.  Odds are this week’s lucky winner is going to be a little harder for you to find, but I assure you the search will be worth it if you’re able to secure a bottle.  So, without further ado

*drum roll*

Telegraph Brewing Company California ale is the flagship beer for Telegraph Brewing out of Santa Barbara, CA.  They say:

California Ale (Alcohol by volume: 6.2%; O.G.: 15° P / 1.059):

Telegraph California Ale is our flagship beer and is our interpretation of the unique ales that were commonly brewed up and down the West Coast in the 19th century. It is an unfiltered medium-bodied beer, with a rich amber color and a rocky, white head. The beer is crafted using domestic American ingredients and fermented with a unique yeast strain that accentuates the hoppy spiciness, while also imparting fruity and subtly tart flavors. The aromas are spicy and earthy, reminiscent of the rich agricultural valleys surrounding Santa Barbara.

I say:  best description would be a cross between an Anchor Steam and a Belgian ale.  A scent that says “craft beer”, smooth, with a touch of spice and a balanced Belgian yeast flavor.  Bottle conditioning results in head that would make Jenna Jameson blush.  A bit on the spendy side though, I’d be afraid of chucking it in the snow pre-tour and having someone else find it.

So there it is, hoist one to yourself and celebrate another week of work, and a weekend of play.

A balanced quiver of Telegraph ales

Yup, it’s that time of week again, BEER FRIDAY (if you’re confused as to what beer has to do with skiing or snowboarding view the previous week’s beer friday, or any of the how-tos). You’ve spent all week at work watching and waiting for the minutes to turn to hours, it’s time to reward yourself and find that special bottle of ale or lager and take the edge of another week.

Avery IPA is like a powder day for your mouth. Not two feet of fresh blower pow (their Ale to the Chief IS two feet of blower though, but as it’s borderline impossible to find it’s not getting nominated), but I’d say at least a foot with no crunchy bottom. It’s got a smooth, mellow, floral hops taste without any over the top bitterness for the sake of hophead street cred. Seriously, it’s good.

Avery IPA

So there it is, another week down, another beer nominated. Hope everyone is able to get after it this weekend.

You might be thinking “wait, what does beer have to do with backcountry skiing and snowboarding?” If you’re thinking this you’ve obviously never gone with any of my crew. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, tastes better after a long day/weekend of slogging than an ice cold beer. Gatorade for the soul if you will. Thus, in honor of beer I’ll feature a personal favorite every Friday. I’ll try to keep it to beers that are relatively easy to attain, as opposed to specialty/at the brewery only beers, so you can try ‘em in the comfort of your own home or at the end of your own tour.

This week’s lucky beer is the Buzzsaw Brown, coming to us from the Deschutes Brewery in the sunshine state of Oregon. While not the greatest brown I’ve had (that title is currently held by Rogue’s brown ale), nor is it the best available beer by Deschutes, it gets this week’s beer Friday title as:

1) it’s currently sitting beside me
2) it’s available at Safeway
3) it’s not overly syrupy like most other widely available browns and
4) it’s a smooth, easy drinker, and very approachable for non-hopheads

Anyways, it’s Friday, I hope everyone is able to get out this weekend and enjoy the great outdoors!

Buzzsaw brown