Tomm Carroll’s Great American Beer Festival Adventures

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Beer Festival Denver

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Media Bus Tour
Sat, Sep 26, 2009 at 12:16 PM

A seasonal treat for hopheads at The Great Divide.

At the luncheon, I asked Tomme Arthur if there might be a collaboration between his Lost Abbey and Cascade Brewing, at whose booth he was seen at Thursday’s session. “They’re getting better,” he said. “I’d be open to a collaboration. But we’re not distributed in Portland, so we’d have to address that first.”

Then, we beery 4th estaters were treated to a bus tour of three local brewpubs/bars conducted by Denver beer guru and former Celebrator writer Marty Jones.

First stop was Falling Rock (again!), where we were ushered downstairs for some pours of mediocre beers from Breckenridge Brewery and the fine canned brews from Oscar Blues. Did find out that there will be a draught-only bourbon barrel-aged Ten Fidy out by the first of the year.


Next stop: Great Divide. We beat the crowd as there is a back room reserved for us. A brief talk by owner Brian Dunn and then multiple tastes of the brewery’s bottled line. Fresh Hop, the winter beer Hibernation (an old ale) and the great Yeti coffee stout were the standouts.

Then it was off to the Wynkoop Brewpub, where the rare beer tasting was already in progress…

GABF Media Luncheon
Sat, Sep 26, 2009 at 9:19 AM

The media briefing luncheon at the Denver Marriott at noon on Friday included some stats on this year’s GABF (over 49,000 attendees and nearly 200 credentialed media, an address from Denver Mayor George Hickenlooper (founder and founder of Wynkoop Brewing Co.) and brief talks from the brewers or reps of the beers used in the pairing luncheon. Frankly, it was a nice respite from the feeding frenzy of the tasting sessions and the packed parties. And good food to boot, prepared by the Marriott’s chef.

Beer Festival Denver
The Ale-pertif: Saaz hops, left, cascade hops, chocolate malt and munch malt. Breakfast of champions.

Beer Festival Denver
Salad and Hottenroth Berliner Weisse. The pairing brought out the flavors of both.

Beer Festival Denver
Hibiscus Granite with Long’s Peak Raspberry Wheat. This Intermezzo was a great palate cleanser.

Beer Festival Denver
Just Desserts: Molten chocolate cake, hazelnut brown ale gelato, and Fresh Chinook hop cones. Paired with Rogue Hazlenut Brown Ale, left, and Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial Brown Ale. An expert example of how beer can pair wonderfully by either complementing (Rogue) or contrasting (the sour Jolly Pumpkin) a dish.

Beer Festival Denver

GABF Session 1g
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 2:12 PM

Santa Monica beer chicks Christina Perozzi, left, and Hallie Beaune at Dogfish Head’s after party at Old Chicago.

Beer Festival Denver
Oh yeah, forgot one more 5-star beer:

Bluegrass Brewing Co.’s (Kentucky) Quad Lambic (a blend that had a finish of pistachio, at least to my palate).

GABF Session 1f
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 1:58 PM

Session 1 Survivors: Evan, left, Gabe, Brian, Julian, Jason Rosenfield from Strand Brewers and Sierra Nevada Brewing, and Martin Svab of Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach.

Beer Festival Denver
Okay, my 5-star beers from Session 1 in no particular order:

Herikmer Gose
Dogfish Head Chicha
Dogfish Head Sahtea
Jolly Pumkin IO
Terrapin Depth Charge Espresso Stout
Weyerbacher Riserva (wild ale with brett and raspberry purée)
The Bruery Black Tuesday
Cambridge Sergeant Pepper Saison
Cambridge Cerise Cassis
Triumph Oatmeal Cookie Stout

Time does not allow for more detailed descriptions. But they got this new thing called The Google if you want mode info.

GABF Session 1e
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 1:26 PM

Beer Festival Denver
Look Ma, No Hands: This beer wench found an effective way to hold her beer glass. No sample tastes, please.

My top breweries (where every beer seved at their booths was outstanding: Dogfish Head of Milton, DE, and Cambridge Brewing of MA.

GABF Session 1d
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 12:49 PM

Sour summit: You know you’re making good sour beers when superstar brewer Tomme Arthur of Port/Lost Abbey stops by behind your pouring table to chat and drink, as he did here at the Cascade Brewing of Portland, OR booth.

Beer Festival Denver
The all-sour Cascade beers including The Vine (aged in white wine barrels) and Apricot were all very good. But a sour blond called Vlad the ImpAler was exceptionally well balanced and was another of my favorites of the day.

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Wow like seeing a ghost! Good for you tasting,traveling,and writing about beer! Fred and I just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on Feb.15th. Long time no see!! We live outside Ft.Collins. If you come to Denver do contact us and we will have a beer with you!!

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I do not know how you fit all of that in. Amazing journey through the river of beer that was flowing in Denver!

Tomm,
Great shots and it looks like some even better beer. Cheers!
Neil,

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