Casey Brewing and Blending Saison (Bottled March 2015)
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Mixed fermentation and patience have created a crisp palate pleaser that breathes Rocky Mountain air. This batch brings that barnyard funk in the nose from Troy’s “old world” brewing technique but delivers only citrus delight on the palate over and over again. It’s not de Garde Saison Troisieme–level orange citrus explosion, but the lemony tartness and dry attenuation lend a crispness to Casey Saison that makes it a deeply satisfying experience. The only thing we don’t like about Casey Saison is finishing the bottle. Time to drive out to Glenwood Springs and buy more. — Austin Grippin
Anchorage Brewing The Darkest Hour (2015)
Anchorage, Alaska
This one hit shelves near us at the same time as the more-heralded A Deal With The Devil barleywine, and it was a toss-up as to which bottle we should open for these cellar reviews. We ultimately chose to give The Darkest Hour some of the love it deserves but doesn’t seem to get enough of.
Three fermentations have produced a curiously dry imperial stout that plays across a deeper range of flavors than many of its contemporaries. A kick of fresh mint provides a palate wake-up call before diving into a splash pool of allspice, anise, black cherries, molasses, oak, and black licorice over a touch of roasty bitterness. An incredibly slight clove-pepper note is the only remnant of the claimed Belgian yeast fermentation, offering a much cleaner experience than we were expecting. Flavor-wise, it’s more in line with some of the wine barrel–aged imperial stouts we’ve had, without the overpowering red wine tannins. Anchorage’s winning streak continues. — Jamie Bogner
Crooked Stave Nightmare On Brett (Batch 2, 2013)
Denver, Colorado
We’ve long been fans of this Baltic porter gone bad and had tempered hopes for this bottle we’ve been hanging onto for two years. But the years have been kind, bringing out a nose that’s a bit like a sangria made with sherry instead of rioja—sweet, slightly acetic, but overflowing with notes of lime and lemon that provide a certain cognitive dissonance against the dark and slightly roasty body. Like a light roast single-origin coffee, on the tongue it breaks through style guidelines into fields full of raspberries, lime, cherries, chocolate, and a bit of roasted beans. Whiskey-barrel notes blend into the background darkness and never overwhelm the gorgeous sour notes within. One of the best-aging Crooked Stave beers we’ve had, Nightmare on Brett has developed beautifully and is as good, if not better, two years on. Looking forward to the bottles of Batch 3 we’ve stashed away. — Jamie Bogner & Austin Grippin
Now that we’ve shared our thoughts on the “whalez” we’ve opened this week, let us know about the whalez you’ve enjoyed by tagging your reviews on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #whalezweek.
