Beers that use Rye — Shmaltz Brewing Co. vs. Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Shmaltz Brewing Co.
Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A
(A Double India Pale Ale with Rye Malt)
ABV 10%

Color: Clear copper orange.
Aroma: Earthy, woody, sweet and flowery.
Flavor: Sweet, smooth, malty with some citrus hops.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Very boozy with a harsh metallic bitterness
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre +

Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Hop Rod Rye
(Specialty Ale)
ABV 8%

Color: Dark maple syrup.
Aroma: Sharp, spicy, piny hops with some malty floral notes.
Flavor: Medium bodied. Malty, piny and floral.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy
Finish: Mellow citrus at first then moves to intense, astringent lemon-rind bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Blow by Blow
Do you like bitter beer? If so, then pay attention.

These are two beers that use a portion of rye in the brewing process. We hadn't really tried too many beers that advertise their use of rye, so we were excited to feature these in a battle.

The Hop Rod Rye had an impressive hoppy aroma and a nice balanced flavor, but the finish was dominated by a face-contorting lemon-rind bitterness that was way too harsh for our palates.

The Bittersweet was more subdued in the aroma, but made up for it with a massive sweet and malty flavor that we were both very impressed with. Unfortunately, it had problems in the finish as well. Big problems. It did a terrible job balancing its 10% ABV, leaving us both with a distinctly hot and boozy taste, but that wasn't all. The booze quickly evaporated into a sharp metallic bitterness that had us reaching for the water to rinse out the taste.

Unfortunately, neither of us could tell if we detected any aromas or flavors brought on by the use of rye. Both beers were aggressively hopped and I think that the extreme use of hops may have masked some of the rye characteristics.

Beers that feature some rye seem to be gaining popularity, so hopefully we'll get to revisit rye beers in the future. As for these two, we gave the edge to the Hop Rod simply because it didn't completely fall apart in the finish. And we'd only be comfortable recommending these to those who enjoy punishing their palate with super bitter beers.

Winner by unanimous decision: Bear Republic Brewing Co.

American Style Wheat Beers — Murray's Craft Brewing Co. vs. Widmer Brothers Brewing

Murray's Craft Brewing Co.
Whale Ale
ABV 4.5%

Color: Cloudy, dirty orange.
Aroma: Grainy with some floral notes.
Flavor: Light, simple, grainy and fruity.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced
Finish: Grain, lemon juice.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre

Widmer Brothers Brewing
Hefeweizen
ABV 4.9%

Color: Cloudy and golden.
Aroma: Hay, flowers, grain and some barnyard funk.
Flavor: Crisp, acidic and grainy with a nice, smooth body.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced
Finish: Citrus acidity and mild bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Blow by Blow
This was the second battle that we did in Hawaii with our friends from Australia featuring one bottle from the Northwest and one from Australia. The Whale Ale described itself as an "American Style Wheat Beer" so we figured it would be appropriate to face it off with the beer that it likely was trying to imitate, Widmer Hefeweizen.

The Whale was fine, but it just really didn't do anything extraordinary. It was easy drinking with a bit of grain character and a mild lemony finish. Certainly not offensive, but nothing to write home about.

The Widmer Hefeweizen was definitely a little more interesting. It had some great floral notes in the aroma to go along with a bit of yeasty barnyard funk. The flavor was fresh, clean and a bit acidic. It even offered up a smidgen of citrus hops in the finish.

We were not all in agreement as to the winner. The Australian Gibson decided that he was not a big fan of American Style Wheat Beers and picked the Whale Ale since it had less of the "wheaty/grainy" character. His lovely wife Hayley, thought that both were fine, but gave a slight edge to the Widmer. Ellen and I both preferred the Widmer and can understand why it's one of the best selling craft beers in the U.S. It's an easy drinking beer that has just enough going on to keep the attention of a beer geek, but not so much that it will turn off the casual beer drinker. It also seems to us that it would be a good beer to drink on a yacht. Anyone have a yacht that we can borrow?

Winner by split decision: Widmer

Flavored Lagers — Three Skulls Ales vs. Caldera Brewing Co.

Three Skulls Ales
Buccaneer Bacon
(Lager Brewed with Bacon)
ABV ?%

Color: Golden yellow.
Aroma: Clean sweet lemon, wood smoke and some Belgian yeast funk.
Flavor: Light bodied, tart and fruity.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Tart
Finish: Acidic and tart with some lingering smoke and grain.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre

Caldera Brewing Co.
Rauch Ur Bock
(Smoked Lager)
ABV 7.4%

Color: Light orangish brown.
Aroma: Smoky meat.
Flavor: Full bodied, syrupy sweet, raisins & prunes.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Huge, sweet smoke bomb. Teriyaki beef jerky. Slight bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good -

Blow by Blow
Who can pass up a beer brewed with Bacon? Obviously not us. When we put the Bacon beer in the fridge it immediately got into a scuffle with the Caldera smoked lager. So, on a dark and stormy winter night we hosted a bottle battle featuring two beers that have flavors that conjure up a sunny backyard barbecue.

First and foremost, did the Buccaneer taste or smell like bacon? We're sorry to report that it was not able to fully capture that elusive meaty/smokiness of good bacon. It did have some smoke in the aroma and finish, but none of the meat flavors we were hoping for. As a matter of fact, it was the Rauch Ur Bock that had more bacon character, but it was some really, really intensely smoked bacon. The Buccaneer, on the other hand, was more subtle with the smoke and had a strange tartness that didn't really seem to fit the style. Ultimately, it got totally bullied by the Bock. About half way through, the massive aroma and flavor of the Caldera completely overwhelmed the Three Skulls and kind of annihilated our palates in the process.

To be honest, we weren't huge fans of either of these beers. The Three Skulls was too subtle and confused us with the tart flavors while the Caldera was so intense we couldn't even finish the whole bottle. We ended up choosing the Caldera because, although it was too sweet and smoky for our tastes, it's not a beer we'll soon forget.

Winner by unanimous decision: Caldera

Winter Beers — Iron Horse Brewery vs. MacTarnahan's

Iron Horse Brewery
Mocha Death
ABV 7%

Color: Dark chestnut brown.
Aroma: Intense coffee bean, dust.
Flavor: Cloying and syrupy. Cola and mild coffee.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Sweet and sticky.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre +

MacTarnahan's
Winter Hum Bug'r
ABV 5.3%

Color: Deep, dark black.
Aroma: Sweet, cocoa, chocolate milk.
Flavor: Chocolate milk, roasted malts, some acidity.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced
Finish: Mild bittersweet chocolate hop bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Blow by Blow
The first battle of the new year features our first two-time participant, MacTarnahan's Hum Bug'r. Last February it pulled off a victory over the 2009 version of Anchor Brewing's Our Special Ale. So this year, it put its 1-0 record on the line against the intimidatingly named Mocha Death, a winter seasonal from Iron Horse Brewery in Ellensburg, WA.

This year's version of the Hum Bug'r was quite similar to last year's. However, we detected more chocolate this year as opposed to the coffee notes we got last year. We also described it as "malty" last year, whereas this year's version had some nice hops in the finish which led to a "balanced" verdict. It really is a tasty, easy drinking, dark beer and it happens to be fairly inexpensive as well, making it a good value for an everyday winter beer. It also comes in six-packs for those that like smaller portions.

On the other hand, the Mocha Death was far from balanced. The aroma was like stuffing your head into a sack of coffee beans — super intense and very distinct. The flavor was way more subdued, offering cola and coffee notes, however the finish was syrupy sweet and cloying with no detectable hop bitterness at all. I have a pretty big sweet tooth and even I couldn't imagine drinking an entire pint in one sitting. If you are intrigued by the Death we suggest that you serve it for dessert since it will certainly satisfy your postprandial craving for both coffee and sweets!

Winner by unanimous decision: Hum Bug'r, giving it a 2-0 record in Bottle Battles. Congrats to MacTarnahan's!

Winter Beers — Great Divide Brewing Co. vs. Full Sail

Great Divide Brewing Co.
Hibernation Ale
ABV 8.7%

Color: Hazy brown.
Aroma: Smoke, meat, cocoa powder.
Flavor: Starts sweet and malty, ends meaty and savory. Quite complex.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Smokey chocolate with a touch of bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Full Sail
Wreck the Halls
ABV 6.5%

Color: Hazy pumpkin orange.
Aroma: Piney hops and sweet malts.
Flavor: Medium body, pine, grapefruit. Starts malty and sweet, bitter hops take over late.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy
Finish: Tart lemon rind.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Blow by Blow
Winter beers are made in a wide variety of styles ranging from big, bitter hop bombs to intensely sweet malt monsters. This battle highlighted two completely different styles — the Great Divide coming from the sweet and malty camp and the Full Sail exploring the hoppy realms.

Both beers impressed us, but they were so different that it was difficult to compare them. The Wreck the Halls did a great job of combining a big hop profile with enough malts to make it feel like a winter beer rather than an IPA. It's the perfect holiday beer for all the hop heads out there.

The Hibernation was a very unique beer. It managed to be extremely malty without being extremely sweet. As a matter of fact, the smokey and meaty notes were strong enough that the beer seemed almost savory at times. It proved to be a great complement to the smoked sausages we had for dinner. I'm very curious as to what a bit of age would do to this beer, so I think I'm going to buy a couple more to let "hibernate" for a year or two in the cellar.

The battle went all twelve rounds with both beers connecting with impressive combos but neither going down. In the end, Ellen chose the Full Sail for its great balance and I chose the Great Divide for its intriguing complexity. If you're lucky, you'll find both bottles in your stocking come Christmas morning!

Split decision: Ellen chose the Full Sail, I chose the Great Divide.

Fresh Hop Tap Tussle — Snipes Mountain Brewing

Snipes Mountain
Harvest Fresh Hop Pale Ale
ABV 5.5%

Color: Hazy, golden yellow.
Aroma: Huge sweet grapefruit and bit of cheese rind funk.
Flavor: Grassy, sweet and citrusy.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy
Finish: Grassy fading to nice, mellow lingering bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Fantastic

Snipes Mountain
Zombie, The Fresh Hop Killer
ABV 7.5%

Color: Clear orange with a little brown.
Aroma: Very subtle aroma of citrus hops (perhaps due to lack of carbonation).
Flavor: Sweet grapefruit juice.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy.
Finish: Bitter grapefruit.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good-

Snipes Mountain
2Fresh Double IPA
ABV 8.3%

Color: Ruby brown.
Aroma: Sweet and juicy hop candy.
Flavor: Rich, grassy with prominent bitterness (like bitter greens).
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy.
Finish: Big, bitter and long-lasting.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Winner by unanimous decision: Harvest.
Fresh Hop season is here! In honor of this special time of year, we interrupt your regularly scheduled Bottle Battle for an old-fashioned, knock-down, drag-out Tap Tussle featuring three beers that all feature loads of fresh hops. The battle was conducted at the north Seattle beer mecca, Naked City Brewery and Taphouse during a special event promoting the beers of Snipes Mountain Brewery from Sunnyside, Washington.

So what's with this "Fresh Hop" stuff? Well, it's basically beer made with hops fresh off the vine rather than hops that have been dried. Brewers go to great lengths to get these fresh hops into their beers as quickly as possible since once they are picked they immediately begin to degrade and lose their precious hop essence. It's a great way to celebrate the hop harvest and, when made well, these beers have a very distinct flavor that can only come from fresh hops.

The battle was very entertaining. We could definitely detect the green, grassy notes of fresh hops in all of the beers, but it was most prominent in the Harvest Pale which had an aroma that just jumped out of the glass and assaulted us with hoppy goodness. Unfortunately, the carbonation in the Zombie was, ahem, dead, which may have been the reason it didn't have much aroma. And the 2Fresh was good, but the fresh hop flavors were masked a bit by the big, malty sweetness. So, if you're looking for a pure, clean, delicious expression of fresh hops you should definitely seek out the Snipes Mountain Harvest Fresh Hop Pale. It was a dominant and unstoppable force in this inaugural Tap Tussle.

European Beers Our Friend Matt Gave us to Battle — Williams Brothers vs. Franziskaner

Williams Brothers
Fraoch Heather Ale
ABV 5%

Color: Clear, rusty gold.
Aroma: Roasted malts, black pepper.
Flavor: Somewhat thin with a floral malty sweetness and notes of toast.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty.
Finish: Bread dough and lemony citrus.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse
ABV 5%

Color: Cloudy, dirty gold.
Aroma: Bananas, cloves, cardamom, lemon.
Flavor: Ripe bananas, yeast.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Neither.
Finish: Clean, refreshing and acidic with a bit of lingering clove spice.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Fantastic

Winner by unanimous decision: Franziskaner.
In one corner we had the Fraoch, a Heather Ale brewed in Scotland using an ancient Gaelic recipe. In the other corner we had the Franziskaner, a Hefewiezen hailing from Germany. It was an outdoor fight and the sun was blazing which may have given the Franziskaner an unfair advantage since Hefeweizen-style beers taste extraordinarily good on a hot day.

The Fraoch was certainly a well-made beer with a unique flavor, but it seemed thin and feeble compared to the Franz. The ancient Scottish recipe did manage to hold its own for a short time with some veteran guile, but was ultimately picked apart by the fresher, livelier German. We suggest you try the Fraoch this autumn, as the flavors would seem to make a good match for some cooler weather and hearty harvest fare. The Franz, on the other hand should find its way into your refrigerator quickly so that you can enjoy it on one of these last hot days before the sun disappears for the next 8 months.

Red Ales — Laurelwood vs. Elysian

Laurelwood
Organic Free Range Red Ale
ABV 5.9%

Color: Diluted cranberry juice.
Aroma: Sweet with piney hops and a savory element, almost like worchestershire sauce, but in a good, mellow way.
Flavor: More sweet than hoppy. Honey and toasted grain with slight acidity.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced.
Finish: Sweet honey maltiness followed by a pleasant bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Fantastic

Elysian
The Men's Room
Original Red
ABV 5.6%

Color: Reddish-orange.
Aroma: Funky, cannabis hops with sweet malts in the background.
Flavor: Slight citrus at the beginning, but then turns sweet, simple and thin.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced.
Finish: Not much. Tiny bit of bitterness comes in late.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre

Winner by unanimous decision: Laurelwood.
As we've said before, with red ales you never know what you're going to get. Some of the reds we've had in the past have been phenomenal, others forgettable. So, it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that we popped the caps off these two combatants.

If the fight were between the mascots on the bottles, most people would put their money on the restroom devil guy over the chicken and most people would be wrong. The chicken was not messing around and it really dominated the fight from the starting bell — looking redder and tasting better. It had a great balance of sweet to bitter and a fantastic aroma that managed to be sweet and savory at the same time. All in all it was a delicious beer that would go nicely with a variety of foods — might we suggest beer can chicken?

The Men's Room Red is a beer that is brewed for the KISW radio show of the same name. A portion of the profits from sales go to helping support families of military veterans, so if you want to drink beer and support a good cause, get yourself a Men's Room Red. It's not majorly flawed or anything, it just got whooped by a chicken, that's all.

Oak Aged Sour Brown Ales — New Belgium vs. Russian River

New Belgium
2010 La Folie
(Aged in French oak barrels)
ABV 6%

Color: Deep, dark, reddish-brown.
Aroma: Sharp, intense sour cherry mixed with some burnt caramel and barnyard funk.
Flavor: Creamy, rich and intensely sour with some subtle creamy woodiness.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): N/A (SOUR!)
Finish: Sour cherries with some chalky tannins.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Fantastic

Russian River Supplication
(Aged in Pinot Noir barrels with sour cherries)
ABV 7%

Color: Hazy orange.
Aroma: Floral and perfumy with some pumpkin pie spices and a ton of funkiness.
Flavor: Not nearly as sour as NB, creamy tart lemon.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): N/A
Finish: Bitter (but not like hop bitterness) and slightly metallic.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Split decision: Both of these sours are highly regarded among beer connoisseurs so it was bound to be a good fight. As expected, they both assaulted our senses with aromas and flavors that are very different than your average malt/hop combination. After 10 grueling rounds, Ellen chose the Supplication and I chose the La Folie.

For Ellen it came down to sourness (disclaimer: she is not a big fan of sour beers). The La Folie is wicked, face-contorting, tongue-stinging, sour! The Supplication exhibits mild sourness by comparison, so it is not surprising that she chose it.

While I agreed that the La Folie was more sour, I thought that the burnt caramel and wood notes complemented the sourness and created a seriously delicious combination. I also detected some metallic notes in the finish of the Supplication that Ellen wasn't as sensitive to.

One thing that stood out to both of us was that the La Folie had sour cherry notes even though it didn't spend any time aging with cherries, while the Supplication displayed no cherries despite being aged with them. Curious.

If you haven't tried a sour beer, you owe it to yourself and your palate to do so. A good sour will totally obliterate your perception about what a beer can be.

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this battle features a sample bottle received from the New Belgium Brewery.

Extra Pale Ales — Full Sail vs. Hood Canal Brewing

Full Sail Hop Pursuit
Extra Pale Ale
ABV 6% IBU 55

Color: Hazy yellow.
Aroma: Sweet and malty with a small dose of citrus hops. Ellen detected some rose aromas.
Flavor: Sweet citrus, more orange than grapefruit with nice malt backbone, not very bitter.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced.
Finish: Slight citrus bitterness and a bit of grassiness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre +

Hood Canal Brewing
Dosewallips Special Ale
ABV ?% IBU ?

Color: Crystal clear light orange.
Aroma: Stinky cheese, sweet malts and butter, like a buttered popcorn jelly belly.
Flavor: Slightly sweet and malty with absolutely zero hoppiness.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty.
Finish: Buttery and metallic.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Bad

Winner by unanimous decision: Full Sail.
This one wasn't even close. The Dosewallips started the fight by spitting up a bit (foaming over) when I popped the cap and it was downhill from there. The beer was likely infected with diacetyl, a naturally occurring by-product of beer fermentation that can really mess up a beer if it becomes too prominent. At high levels, it gives beer a buttery aroma and flavor that can be downright nasty. We definitely detected butter in the Dosewallips and it was not pleasant. We tried to give it a chance, Lord knows we tried, but ultimately we had to admit that it was a bad beer. As a matter of fact, it is the first beer that we have rated "bad" in six months of doing battles. A dubious honor to be sure.

The Hop Pursuit was not a great beer, but all it really had to do was show up and it was guaranteed a victory. Against stiffer competition it might not have fared so well. The name was a bit misleading, as it didn't really have a prominent hop aroma or bitterness. It may have been pursuing hops, but it sure wasn't catching any.

And finally, what the hell is an Extra Pale Ale? Is it supposed to be something between a Pale Ale and an IPA? Is it an ESB (Extra Special Bitter) in disguise? Is it a marketing gimmick? My half-hearted Google search yielded no answers. Anyone want to fill me in?

Southern Oregon Red Ales — Klamath Basin vs. Southern Oregon Brewing

Klamath Basin
Drop Dead Red Ale
ABV 5.9%

Color: Cranberry red.
Aroma: Piney hops, sweet, bready malts.
Flavor: Starts malty sweet then moves into a soapy, minerally flavor.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy.
Finish: Bitter, piney and minerally.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre +

Southern Oregon Brewing
Woodshed Red Ale
ABV 6.3%

Color: Orange/red.
Aroma: Sweet (almost like wort) and floral with some smoky roasted malts.
Flavor: Citrus hops.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy.
Finish: Long lasting citrus bitterness with a touch of dried grains.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Winner by unanimous decision:
Southern Oregon Brewing.
On our recent trip to southern Oregon we found tons of bottles just itching for a fight. These two red ales seemed particularly feisty, so we threw them both in the ring to see what they were made of. Turns out, they were both made of water, hops, barley and yeast, but, in our opinion, the SOB was superior.

But before we get into the details, what the hell is a red ale? Well, to be extremely simplistic, it is an ale that is reddish in color. Other than that, red ales don't really have any specific style guidelines. Brewers are free to interpret red ales in any way they choose. Some choose to make them sweet and malty like an amber, while others choose to ramp up the hops and make them into reddish IPAs.

If we were judging by color alone, the Klamath Falls would have won easily. It had a gorgeous red color reminiscent of cranberry juice. It also had a great nose — a good combination of piney hops and sweet malts. Unfortunately, the flavor did not follow suit. The piney hop flavor was so intense that it tasted minerally and almost soapy. The SOB wasn't as flashy in the glass, but it made up for its duller red color with a more complex flavor profile, offering roasty notes along with the floral and citrus hops.

Now is when I should make a joke about the Drop Dead being taken behind the Woodshed and taught a lesson, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Instead, I will conclude by recommending that you find time in your busy schedules to check out southern Oregon — it's a beautiful area that offers plenty of craft beer to go along with the myriad of recreational activities.

Summer Beers — Sierra Nevada vs. New Belgium

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager
ABV 5%

Color: Crystal clear, bright, sunny yellow.
Aroma: Clean, floral, some dry grains, lemon and distinct Belgian yeast notes (spicy cloves).
Flavor: Sweet and citrusy, like grapefruit sprinkled with sugar.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy
Finish: Mild citrus hoppy bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

New Belgium Skinny Dip
(brewed with Kaffir Lime Leaf)
ABV 4.2%

Color: Crystal clear, amber orange.
Aroma: Floral hops and some caramel malts.
Flavor: Thin, sweet lemon water.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Not much, just sort of disappears.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Mediocre

Winner by unanimous decision: Summerfest.
It may be hard for those of us in the Northwest to believe, but summer starts in four days. If you dig the hot weather, spring has been a serious disappointment. It hasn't hit 75º yet this year in Seattle, but when it does, you'll want to have a cold craft beer in your hand to celebrate the occasion.

In an attempt to kick-start the hot weather we threw two summer seasonals into the ring and let them have at it. The Summerfest didn't mess around. It dropped the Skinny in the second round with a devastating combination of crisp, refreshing flavor and surprising complexity. Honestly, we suspect that the Skinny Dip didn't train hard enough for this fight. It tasted like a thin amber ale and the kaffir lime leaf was hardly detectable. The Summerfest, on the other hand, was a fantastic summer sipper. It was light and crisp enough to quaff, but also offered ample flavor and complexity to tickle your taste buds.

Sierra Nevada will be pouring their Summerfest at the 2010 Washington Brewers Festival this weekend. If you're smart, you'll drop all of your previous plans and head out to the festival for some Summerfest and hopefully some sun to go along with it.

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this battle features a sample bottle received from the New Belgium Brewery.

Wheat Beers — Grieskirchner vs. Pike

Grieskirchner Weisse
ABV 5.1%

Color: Hazy light orangish yellow.
Aroma: Phenolic yeast aromas (band-aid, banana).
Flavor: Smooth, creamy, refreshing and lemony.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced.
Finish: Grain and cloves.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Pike Dry Wit
ABV 5.0%

Color: Almost the exact same color but less hazy.
Aroma: Cardamom, coriander, cheese rind.
Flavor: More of the same — cardamom and coriander.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced.
Finish: Grain with some bitterness and tannins, like an over-steeped tea.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good -

Winner by unanimous decision: Grieskirchner.
In honor of the World Cup starting tomorrow we thought we'd stage an international battle. Unfortunately, we could not procure any English wheat beer to battle the Pike Wit. Instead we had to settle for an Austrian Weissbeer from a brewery with a name that is nearly unpronounceable. Sure, Austria isn't actually in the World Cup, but based on this battle it's apparent that they make up for their lack of futbol talent with some serious beer-making talent.

It wasn't exactly a "fair" fight, as the Pike Wit is an interpretation of a Belgian-style witbier (flavored with orange peel, coriander and other spices), while the Grieskirchner is made in a German Hefeweizen style. Sure, they are both made with wheat, but aside from that they vary greatly in aroma and flavor. However, fights don't have to be fair — the battle goes on without regard to categorization or style. And in this battle, the one that starts with a G was clearly the winner. Its smooth, creamy mouthfeel and classic hefeweizen yeast characteristics made it a joy to drink. If the weather in Seattle ever gets hot again (big "if"), this would be an excellent beer for a BBQ or picnic. The Pike, on the other hand seemed harsh in comparison. The coriander and other spices came through a bit too much and it finished with a strange tea-like bitterness. It wasn't a bad beer (and actually, it might go quite well with Indian food or other boldly spiced fare), but it just didn't match up well with the Austrian Weisse.

And finally, we'll answer the question you've all been waiting for, "Does this mean that the US will lose to England in the first game of the World Cup?" I hate to break it to you, but the results of the battles on this blog have yet to provide any meaningful sports predictions. However, if you do plan to have a beer while watching the game we suggest that you have two: Grieskirchner during the first half and Pike during the second.

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this battle features a sample bottle received from the Pike Brewery.

Cascadian Dark Ales — Deschutes vs. Laughing Dog

Deschutes Hop in the Dark CDA
(Cascadian Dark Ale)
ABV 6.5% IBU 70

Color: Pitch black.
Aroma: Crazy combination of roasted malt and intense hops, like coffee candy infused with hops.
Flavor: Creamy, sweet and rich with nice hop bitterness. Coffee with sugar and lemon juice.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy.
Finish: Bitter coffee.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Fantastic

Laughing Dog Dogzilla Black IPA
ABV 6.9% IBU 69

Color: Dark ruby red.
Aroma: Pine sap hoppiness with some smoky roasted malts and sweet caramel.
Flavor: Big citrus hops with plenty of sweet malts to back it up.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Hoppy.
Finish: Citrus peel.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Winner by unanimous decision: Deschutes.
Cascadian Dark Ale vs. Black IPA? Well, actually they both fall into the same style category. Problem is, no one can decide on what to call it. Basically these are both beers that have the appearance of a dark stout or porter, but the flavor of a hoppy India Pale Ale. But, honestly, who cares what you call them — are they good? That's the important question.

Based on these two examples the answer is an emphatic "yes!" Both of these beers are excellent but in totally different ways. The Dogzilla focuses more on the hoppy side of the style while the Hop in the Dark leans more toward the roasted malts/coffee flavor and aroma. Hopheads will LOVE the Dogzilla. It's bold and unapologetically hoppy. However, the Hop in the Dark would just not be denied. From its gorgeous pitch black color to its mellow coffee finish it is an engaging beer that is creamy, hoppy, roasty and delicious. Do yourself a favor and try both of these beers. They both are fun interpretations of an emerging style that will challenge your preconceptions about what beer should taste like.

Extra Credit: The Hop in the Dark has a great label designed by Casey Burns. It features a night scene that implies some skinny dipping. But look back there in the background, against the black of the mountain. Are those hazy letters back there? Could it be a subliminal message? Looks like it to us, but we just can't make it out.

Also, underneath the cap of the Hop in the Dark was a simple message: Bravely Done. If that's what bravery is all about, sign us up. We're bound to be heroes!

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this battle features a sample bottle received from the Deschutes Brewery.

Belgian Strong Ales — North Coast Brewing Co. vs. New Belgium

North Coast Brewing Pranqster
Belgian Style Golden Ale
ABV 7.6%

Color: Orange, slightly hazy, very low carbonation.
Aroma: Floral honey, cardamon, bit of damp cellar funk.
Flavor: Almost no carbonation. Honey sweet, almost mead-like with herbal notes.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty.
Finish: Sweet with piney/rosemary herbal notes.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

New Belgium Lips of Faith
Belgian Style Blond
ABV 8.5%

Color: Straw yellow, fitting of the blond(e) moniker.
Aroma: Very sweet smelling, like banana cream pie.
Flavor: Classic banana and clove. Not as sweet as it smells.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty (but not as much as Pranqster).
Finish: Dry, woody, slight hop bitterness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Winner by unanimous decision: Pranqster. The New Belgium came out swinging and really had Pranqster on the ropes for awhile. But despite a slow start (the low carbonation took some getting used to) the Pranqster eventually wore down the Blond with a touch more complexity and range of flavors. However, if you're in the mood for a American version of a Belgian style beer you can't go wrong with either of these offerings. Both were more appealing to us than the world-renowned Duvel.

Extra Credit: Despite the different names of these beers, they actually both fit in the Belgian Strong Ale category. That means, be careful. These will sneak up on you. One minute you'll be enjoying a Belgian Strong Ale with friends and the next you'll be playing a one string banjo in a boxcar headed for Bakersfield, California.

In the interest of full disclosure to satisfy the FTC’s law, this battle features a sample bottle received from the New Belgium Brewery.