Anderson Valley G&T Gose

Tonight’s selection is a beer that I was very excited to try. Val doesn’t drink much, but she tends to go for gin cocktails if she does. Her signature cocktail was a gin drink with strawberries and was really, really good (mine, by comparison, was a bourbon drink with blood orange juice). Let’s see how this beer was.

ABV: 4.2%

Style: Gose

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Reminiscent of a classic cocktail, our G&T Gose showcases botanical flavors and aromas of lemon peel, juniper, lemongrass, and grains of paradise. With a juicy lemon-lime tartness and slightly peppery finish, we’ve given the gose style a unique spin that we’re sure you’ll enjoy.”

Random: The brewery suggests pairing this beer with herbed goat cheese. I think that would definitely be a solid pairing.

The beer poured with a huge, three finger, pure white head and was thicker than I thought it would be. It took awhile to dissipate, but didn’t leave much lacing. The body was a clear, straw yellow with a lot of carbonation. The nose was fragrant with notes of lime, tonic, juniper and lemon-lime soda. The taste was reminiscent of a a slightly more tart gin and tonic. It had lemon and lime juice as well. It also had a white vinegar note. The body was on the light side and had lots of carbonation. The finish was lengthy with lime and juniper. A can of this was $2.00 and came to $.17 per ounce. I thought this was a really unique beer and a great alternative to a cocktail. This would be a great addition to a summer barbecue.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Anderson Valley Heelch O’Hops

Tonight’s selection is from Anderson Valley. I haven’t had a beer from them in awhile and I see their beers less and less on local shelves. I found this one on tap in Ohio and decided to give it a shot.

ABV: 8.7%

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Brewed with a heelch* of Columbus, Chinook, and Cascade hops, our double IPA has a palate pleasing bitterness that is carefully balanced with a full-bodied malt foundation. With a deep color of polished brass and a nose that sings of pink grapefruit and redwood needles, the rich biscuit-like malt flavors intertwine with hints of vanilla, mangos, and peppercorns leading to a deep, warming finish. (*That’s Boontling for ‘a whole lot’)”

Random: The flight to Columbus was exactly an hour from Philly.

The beer poured with a thick, one finger, cream-colored head. It dissipated slowly and left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was a hazy, bright orange color with moderate carbonation. The nose was grassy with a lot citrus pith, but quickly transitioned into pine needles. There was also some malt and the end of the scent. The taste was a lot more piney than the nose. It was filled with pine resin and tree bark. It also had some alcohol dryness. After the beer warmed, some peppercorns and grapefruit pith came through. It had a light body for a double IPA with light carbonation. The finish was lengthy with pine resin. I enjoyed this beer a lot, I just wish I tried it sooner.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose

I’ve been recruiting like crazy at my job. Since I’m a site manager, it’s one of the responsibilities we have. The phone screens that I’ve had lately are hilarious. I did a phone screen today and the candidate hung up on me, but then resubmitted her application multiple times. I tried to call them back and even left my office number on the voice mail, but no response. I guess the job market had really improved.

ABV: 4.2%

Style: Gose

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Born from our passion for experimentation, our Briney Melon Gose boasts a thirst-quenching tartness that is perfectly balanced by subtle watermelon flavors and aromas. Gentle additions of sea salt create a refreshing harmony between the acidity and fruity sweetness leading to clean, dry finish.”

Random: This beer uses Bravo hops.

This beer poured with a thin, three finger, white head. It dissipated slowly and left no lacing on the glass. The body was a cloudy, bright yellow with high carbonation visible despite the cloudiness. The nose was subtle, but had unripe honeydew, watermelon rind with salt. There was also a sour scent. The taste was tart watermelon rind and unripe watermelon flesh as well. The salt came through at the end. After a few sips, I picked up the honeydew as well with some white grapes. The flavors were all really bright and authentic, which is something that I was concerned about given that it had melon flavors. It had a thin body and high carbonation. The finish was swift with watermelon rind. A can of this was $1.83 ($.15 per ounce). This is a perfect summer beer to have by the pool or at a barbecue. This is going to be a cooler mainstay for me.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Anderson Valley Highway 128 Session Series: Blood Orange Gose

This beer got a lot of attention when it came out. It was rare to see a bad review and everyone championed the flavor as well as the low ABV on it. But, it was really hard for me to find, so this is the first time that I’m getting to sample it. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 4.2%

Style: Gose

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Our Blood Orange Gose is a tart, refreshing wheat ale that is kettle-soured with lactobacillus and brewed with sea salt and coriander. However, unlike traditional versions of the style, ours features liberal additions of blood oranges during fermentation. This imparts tangy citrus notes that complement the champagne-like flavors, creating a complex and sessionable ale perfect for any occasion.”

Random: All three cats are asleep on the couch. Normally, at this time, they’re all chasing each other around the house, sounding like a herd of elephants.

This beer poured with a half a finger of white head that dissipated quickly. It left no lacing on the glass. The body was slightly cloudy and a bright orange color. It had moderate carbonation. The nose was fragrant and had the most authentic blood orange scent that I’ve ever smelled on a beer. Some tartness was apparent on the nose as well with regular, pulp-free orange juice. The taste had some sourness, blood orange juice, and a touch of salt. Again, regular orange juice came through too. The body was light with high carbonation. It had a long finish with blood orange juice and salt. A single can was $1.69 ($.14 per ounce). This beer was amazing. It went down way too easy and had a lot of flavor. I would definitely have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Anderson Valley Spring Hornin’ Spring IPA

This was another beer that I tried at Isaac Newton’s while watching my Phillies suck on Opening Day. I haven’t had a beer from Anderson Valley in over 2 years and I’ve never seen any of their beers available on tap. When I saw this, it sounded really good to me, especially since I can’t recall ever having a spring seasonal IPA. Let’s see how this one went.

ABV: 6.8%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “With floral, spicy aromas reminiscent of lilacs, white pepper and Bartlett pears, our new Spring Hornin’ IPA embodies the season with a clean malt profile and herbal hop flavors lasting into a dry, refreshing finish.”

Random: It was nice watching Opening Day at a bar in Pennsylvania. It used to be such a trek to get out there and now it’s 15 minutes.

This beer poured with a one finger, thick, slightly off white head. It took a long time to dissipate and left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was slightly hazy and orange in color. The nose had hop presence with floral scents and a medicinal note. Sweet, caramel malt was also present. The flavor was really floral with grapefruit zest and pine. Some juniper came through as well as the beer transitioned into malt sweetness at the end of the sip. It had a light, refreshing body with high carbonation. The finish was long and floral with pine. This was a really enjoyable beer and one that definitely fit as a spring seasonal. I will definitely be having this again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale

This is yet another beer that Kate picked up for me that I had on the first day of spring. Of course, I have a winter warmer when it is spring, but it looks like we have a little bit left of winter. I’ve only had a few brews from these guys, but so far they’ve been pretty good. Let’s see how this one goes.

ABV: 6.9%

Style: Winter Warmer

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Warmth. Our Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale is a hand-crafted ‘winter warmer’ with a deep amber hue and a rich, malty mouthfeel. Hints of toffee, spice, and caramel tickle the senses while the smooth, creamy finish will lift your spirits; a perfect beer to share with friends and family during the cold days and long nights of winter.”

Random: My cat has been asleep on a barstool for the past 3 hours.

This brew poured with a half a finger of light, tan head that dissipated quickly and left a hint of lacing on the pint glass. The body was a cloudy, dark mahogany color with lots of visible sediment throughout the beer. There was also moderate carbonation visible throughout. The nose has alcohol, caramel and bready malt coupled with some holiday spice. The taste was very spicy with figs and malt present but in the background. Maple syrup came through as well. The body was thick with high carbonation on the tongue. This was only an alright beer. The spice needs to be dialed down a little bit to be more enjoyable. I wouldn’t rush back to have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Anderson Valley Boont ESB

Two hours before I have to leave for the hour-long drive to the airport. I’m happy that my sister will be coming home. The house is really quiet when it’s just me and the cat. But, Katie and Liz were over a lot during the week which was really nice. I went to lunch with Katie and Liz and Katie’s parents today for Mother’s Day. Liz was really cute. At one point, she was pretending to be a baby and looking at me and saying “mama.” Then, she wanted me to carry her out of the restaurant. I definitely didn’t think this would be how 2012 would go for me. So, onto the brew.

ABV: 6.8%

Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “We like to think Anderson Valley is an extra special place, so we created Boont ESB (or Extra Special Beer). Bigger than your typical ESB, this ale is an innovative take on the style. A four-time gold medal winner, Boont ESB is deep gold in color, with a spicy hop aroma. Like all of Anderson Valley’s beers, Boont ESB is wonderfully balanced—here a big, malty foundation is finished with a refreshingly bitter bite. Try it alone or with heavily spiced meals, like Mexican, Indian or Thai. As with all of our products, Boont ESB is never sterile filtered nor heat pasteurized.”

Random: Liz also asked me to play Barbies today. I am not a Barbie person…this is seriously Katie’s job.

The head poured a finger full of pure white head that dissipated slowly and left some lacing on the glass. The body was a hazy orange color with light carbonation. The brew looked a little more like a wheat beer to me than an ESB. The nose had a bit of malt and some orange notes as well. This definitely didn’t smell like a typical ESB to me. The taste had some bitter and grassy hops followed up with some biscuit and malty sweetness. The nose wasn’t my favorite of the style, but the taste was pretty good. The body was on the thicker side with low carbonation. The finish was relatively quick. This wasn’t the best ESB that I’ve ever had, but I’d have it again. Worth a shot.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Anderson Valley Hop Ottin’ IPA

Although I drank a few brews yesterday, I didn’t review any. This was because I got up at 4 AM on Sunday to throw pork in the smoker to make pulled pork. I also brined the thing for 12 hours before and made a rub. 13 hours later (and with homemade barbecue sauce), I had myself a pulled pork. And man, it was good. But, by 10 PM last night, I was absolutely exhausted. So, a new night, a new beer.

ABV: 7%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Hop Ottin’ IPA is, just like Anderson Valley itself, easy for anyone to appreciate while offering depth and complexity for those who take the time to savor. Brilliant copper color with a lingering, lacy white head. The nose sings of grapefruit, pine needles, citron, roses, and bergamot. The flavor is rich in the citrusy, resiny flavors typical of the Pacific-Northwest hops packed into this beer, balanced artfully with a solid malt character and crisp bitterness leading to a beautifully dry, light herbal finish. More than just a hop lover’s dream, Hop Ottin’ IPA is a balanced beer for the ages. As with all of our products, Hop Ottin’ IPA is never sterile filtered nor heat pasteurized.”

Random: I put Dr. Pepper in my barbecue sauce and it was pretty darn good. I can’t wait to try it on ribs.

This brew poured with about two fingers of tan head that left significant lacing on the glass. The body was a clear copper color with moderate visible carbonation. The nose presented with definite pine hops with a bit of malt and citrus on the background. On the first sip, I got definite pine to it, but it was quickly followed up with caramel malt with some toffee notes. The pine especially came through at the end with some citrus as well. The body of the brew was medium thickness and the carbonation was well matched. I was surprised that the 80 IBUs were so balanced by the malt. The alcohol on this was dangerously hidden. This was an incredibly enjoyable beer and one that really surprised me. I would definitely have this again. Great beer!

Untappd Rating: 5.0/5.0