Saranac High Peaks Imperial Stout

Saranac Imperial Stout is one of several beers in their High Peaks Series.  These are beers they are brewing to be bigger and more robust than their regular line up of beers.

High Peaks Imperial Stout (9.00% ABV) pours a rich sable brown with a fat creamy mocha head.  The beer is deep and dark in the glass and the foam has good retention.

The aroma is typical for the style with notes of dark chocolate, coffee and roasty malts.

The initial taste is has a bitter edge to it but this melts into the sweeter malt flavors of chocolate and coffee.  The alcohol isn't overt but it makes its presence known in a subtle way, both in taste and sensation.  The finish is mildly bitter but clean.

The mouthfeel is medium to full; not as rich as many imperial stouts I've had, but not bad either.  

This is a good tasty stout.  Nothing special but overall very good.

Cooking with Beer - IPA Glazed Onions

Tangy onions glazed with the sweetness of sugar with a bite of an IPA.  It makes for a wonderful contrast of flavors that compliments steaks, chops or burgers.  These would be great in an omelet or mixed roasted potatoes.  The possibilities are endless!  And delicious!


I chose Harpoon IPA for this recipe.  Harpoon is a nice balanced beer; not too bitter so it won't overwhelm the other flavors.  





IPA Glazed Onions

1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Large Onion 
1 Cup IPA
1 Teaspoon Raw Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Slice the onions very thin.

Melt the butter in medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add the onions and saute.  Stir occasionally.  Cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown.

Stir in the salt and sugar.  Then pour in 3/4 cup of beer.

Continue cooking until all the beer has been absorbed by the onions and they begin to brown slightly, about 18 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup beer and bring to a simmer. Keep onions warm until ready to use.

Harpoon IPA

Harpoon has been around for a long time - since 1986 - well before I was old enough to legally imbibe.

They are one of the early breweries that  paved the road for other micro brewers during craft beer insurgence of the 1980's and 90's.

Harpoon was inspired by the lack of high quality, flavorful beers available during a time when macro-breweries like Budweiser, Coors and Pabst ruled the market with their bland, same-same brew.

Harpoon introduced their IPA and it continues to be their number one selling beer.

Harpoon IPA (5.90% ABV) pours a pale golden color with a bright fluffy head with good retention.  The complexion in the glass deepens to a clear amber.

The aroma is a mellow combination of citrus and pine.

The taste is initially bitter but the malty backbone takes the edge off quite nicely.  The hops present a burst of grapefuit and a hint of pine. The finish is mildly bitter and dry.

The mouthfeel is medium with loads of carbonation.

Harpoon IPA is a good middle of the road beer.  It's a good solid IPA, not too bitter and nothing fancy.  Pretty much a good for anyone brew, especially someone dipping their toe into the river of IPA's out there.

Overall: very good

IPA by Alaskan Brewing

I was hanging out with my hubby, helping him work on his motorcycle.  And by helping I mean I was watching him work on his motorcycle while drinking a beer.

I thoroughly enjoyed my frosty cold brew while he ratcheted doohickies, fiddled with thing-a-mah-jiggers, wrenched what-cha-ma-callits, and whatnot.

Yes, yes I let him have a few sips.  I even let him finish the bottle.  Cuz I'm nice like that.

And I really did help.  A little.  A very little.

What was I enjoying so thoroughly?  IPA (6.2% ABV) by Alaskan Brewing.  





The beer poured a clear rich golden color.  The glass was filled with bubbles that created a fluffy champagne like head.  All those bubbles left behind layers of glass grabbing lacing.  

The aroma was loads of citrus, tropical fruit and pine.  Of course, I was surrounded by pine trees but I'm pretty sure it was the hops I was smelling.  

The taste was at first bitter but then it went down so fast I barely gave myself a chance to taste it.  It was so cold and refreshing.  The next sip I took my time to actually experience the beer.  It's a good one!  

Bitter hops, lots of citrus and some pine tempered by a bit of juicy fruit and malt.  Excellent balance of bitter and sweet.  Very nice. Very tasty.

The finish was crisp and clean and left me wanting for more.

The mouthfeel was fairly light and very effervescent.  This is an exceptionally drinkable IPA.  Perfectly refreshing.  Great for a hot day while watching your spouse struggle with disagreeable machinery.

I would rank this pretty high among my favorite IPA's.  Good job Alaskan! 

Overall: excellent

Jalapeno Pepper / Lime IPA Infusion

My first two beer infusion experiments - both quite successful, I might add - I used stout beers with rich ingredients.

So, my next infusion I went with a brighter beer and lighter additions. Using a French press, I infused jalapeno pepper and fresh lime with Ithaca Flower Power. 






Flower Power is a pretty good IPA.  However, in my ever-so-humble opinion, I made it better! The infusion was awesome!  Refreshing, spicy and delicious.  

The difference between  the Ol' Factory jalapeno pilsner that Two Roads recently casked and the Jalapeno Pepper and Cocoa Imperial Stout I infused the other day was interesting.  The bitter tartness of the IPA made this pepper infusion something very different and very wonderful!

Jalapeno Pepper / Lime IPA Infusion

I placed a couple slices if jalapeno pepper with the seeds into the pot along with a couple slices of lime. Top that with a 12 ounce bottle of beer. Let the lime and pepper slices rest in the beer for 4 minutes.  Finally, press the filter down slowly and pour into a glass.  

The resulting beer was soooooo good.  The aroma was mouthwateringly peppery.  The taste was just the right amount of pepper taste and heat. The capsaicin warmth built with every sip. The lime added a boost of tart citrus that was perfect. This was a very easy to drink concoction.  Dangerous considering the 7.5% ABV of Flower Power.

Cheers!

Cooking with beer - Nut Brown Ale Brussels Sprouts

I've discovered that when I'm cooking with beer that it enhances the flavor of just about everything.  

I'm a big fan of tenderizing and flavorizing meat with beer.  I like veggies too, and it does remarkable things for them, as well.

These Brussels sprouts are tender and tasty.  An excellent side dish or chopped up in a salad.

For this recipe I used a bottle of my husband's homebrew, but you can use whatever beer you like best.

Nut Brown Ale Brussels Sprouts

1 Pound Fresh Brussels Sprouts 
12 Ounce Bottle Nut Brown Ale
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper


Place washed and trimmed in a medium saucepan.

Pour beer over Brussels sprouts.  One bottle should be enough to cover 1 pound.

Bring beer to a boil.  Be careful, or it will boil over.

Put a lid on the pan, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain.  Return to pan, stir in butter.  Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Samuel Adams Double Bock

Samuel Adams is one of the many breweries that led the craft brew insurgence of the 80's and 90's.  They're also one of the few that managed to survive.

From the introduction of their flagship Boston Lager in 1984 to now brewing over 2.5 million barrels of beer a year, Samuel Adams is an enormous success story.

I often wonder if the brewers at Samuel Adams beer have become detached from their craft beer roots.  Is it possible to maintain craft beer quality when you've grown to brew such a huge volume of beer?  Can the recipes continue show the thought and care that is so evident in many of the craft beers on the market today?

I'm still on the fence.  

Boston Lager is nothing special to me.  It's just a beer.

But then Samuel Adams comes out with something that is remarkably tasty that surprises me.

Doublebock (9.50% ABV) is one of those.  It is in their Imperial Series, which are brewed in small batches. As opposed to mass produced, like their Boston Lager.

It pours a deep, rich amber red.  Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles grab the glass and build a tight, fluffy head.  Very nice looking brew.

The aroma is sharp with hoppy tartness and yet mellow with chocolate and brown sugar at the same time.  Enticing.

The initial taste is a subdued malty sweetness tinged with brown sugar, a hint of cocoa and other spices.  There's just enough bitter hops to even out the flavors and balance the whole brew out.  The alcohol can be felt as well as tasted, but not in a detracting sort of way. The finish is bitter sweet.

The mouth feel is medium to full with excellent carbonation.  A nice drinking beer.  Good thing the alcohol burn tempers the speed of consumption.  

A very tasty double bock.  An excellent example of the style.

Overall: very good