Beer 95 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale and Beer 96 Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
Since I am ever so close to reaching the highly sought after 100th Beer, I am hoping that my last few rungs on the ladder were Tastey. It took 2 visits to Andy’s to make a firm purchase decision for this entry. Am I overthinking things, or am I merely giving the proper amount of consideration to the options available as I confront a challenging decision. It may very well be that it gets increasingly difficult to find a beer that is different than the many I have tried in the past year…let alone taste good.
Beer 95 – Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale is a Barleywine Style Ale. I have had several Sierra Nevada products and enjoyed them all. I have experienced some very unique and flavorful barleywine brews, so I thought that this would be a good combination that would be worth trying. It is not a cheap beer by any means, so if you can get one in a trade, or find one available as a single, I would take advantage of the opportunity.
The pouring of this reddish brown brew into a pint glass was a delight. It looked great as it filled the glass, and formed a proper foamy head. It has a malty, carmelized flavor with an infusion of fruit flavoring. A hearty beer to be sure, and one that performs well as it gains in temperature. It is most certainly a complex beer, and has a bit of a hoppy finish. So much going on all at once, that you may need a 2nd bottle to figure it all out. At 9.6% alcohol, you may not be able to easily take on the entire 6 pack, unless you have your beer muscles on you are in the comforts of your own beer sanctuary. A great pick, and a beer that I will certainly look forward to having again. Click Here To Visit Their Website.
Beer 96 – Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale was found a few days after the Bigfoot purchase. It was a new arrival, and I took only a few moments to take some home. It pays to be patient, as there always seems to be something new the week after it seems that there is nothing that you have not tried. Its an interesting dynamic that perhaps needs a Yogi Berra type of quote to explain it. Maybe he would say something like “I have tried everything, so it goods to find something new to try”. In any event, I was ready to try this new beer.
A cross between a scotch ale, a brown ale, and an India Pale Ale, it had all the makings of a carmel and hop influenced brown brew. After a quick pop topping release of its pent up beer energy, I proceeded to begin what would become a lively pour into my Buffalo Bills Pint Glass. A couldy brownish red liquid filled my glass with a certain thickness. A cloud like head rested firmly on top of the glass, that looked as if it should be removed with a spoon. The roasted nuts, carmel, and hoppy aroma were inviting to say the least. My first taste was a delectible blend of coffee, carmel, molasses flavors with a somewhat biscuity texture. Each sip revealed a new layer of flavors. Fruits, hops, brown sugar, the list goes on. It is safe to say that 2 bottles of the 7.2% alcohol brew is the minimum sampling size. It disappears far too quickly to get the full effect in on 12 ounces. Try the 2 bottle sample method by taking both out of the fridge at the same time as the temperature change will bring out even more of the flavors that are concealed at lower temperatures. A great brew that everyone should try. Click Here To Visit their webite.
Both beers are a bit pricey, but worth it. The Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale was $14.99 for a 6 pack, and the Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale was $11.99 for a 6 pack. That means that you pay $2 – $2.50 for a bottle of these quality beers, which is the price of a cheap domestic brew at a bar.
