Left Hand Hard Wired – Nitro

Left Hand was one of the breweries that I visited while in Colorado. They had a really nice indoor/outdoor space with lots of firepits, which is something that I always enjoy. Since we were going to so many breweries, I only had one beer there, but if we ever make our way back out, I would definitely stop there again.

ABV: 6%

Style: American Porter

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “SUPER SMOOTH WITH CHOCOLATE MALT, COFFEE AND TOFFEE NOTES. Innately predisposed to be smooth when Poured Hard, this nitro coffee porter builds a pillowy, toffee-sweet head. Coffee and flavors of caramelized sugar, cacao and hints of blueberry lead to a light, smoky finish.”

Random: This beer is seasonal and comes in at 33 IBUs.

This beer poured with a one finger, tan head. It dissipated at a rapid pace and left some lacing on the glass. The body was a dark brown color and I couldn’t see much through it. The nose was, not shockingly, filled with coffee. There was some toffee, marshmallow and a touch of smoke as well. The taste was equally coffee forward. It had the same toffee notes with some caramel and smoke. Malted milk balls came through as well. The body was on the lighter side with a decent amount of carbonation. It had a quick finish with coffee. I thought this beer was alright, but I didn’t pick up any of the blueberry and it wasn’t super complex, which made this a middle of the road beer for me. I wouldn’t rush back to have this again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Left Hand Saison Au Miel

This is another beer that I picked up in Maryland. I tried one of their saisons at Savor last year and was interested in giving this one a shot. I think it’s also the first time I’ve seen a saison in a pounder can too. It’s an interesting way to package. The updated graphics are also much better than the old logos. Hopefully when I’m out in Colorado, I’ll get a chance to visit them.

ABV: 6.8%

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Seasonal, farmhouse-style ales that feature native Colorado ingredients. Dry and crisp farmhouse-style ale. Mild tartness softened by Colorado wildflower honey.”

Random: This is a seasonal beer that comes in at 10 IBUs.

The beer poured with a half a finger of white head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing on the glass. A small crown was left on top of the body. The body was super hazy and bright orange in color with no visible carbonation. The nose was very sweet with wildflower honey, golden raisins and yeast. It had a floral, honeysuckle note as well. The taste was sweet with the same wildflower honey as the nose. There were also notes of yeast, clove, apricot and golden raisins. It had an herbal note as well. The body was thick with light carbonation. The finish was lengthy and sweet from the honey. A pounder can was $2.75, which came to $.17 per ounce. I thought this beer had a lot of good flavors, but just needed a little more refining.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Left Hand Introvert Session IPA

Tonight’s beer is one that is close to my heart. I am very much an introvert, although I’ve tried to come out of my shell the older that I get. Although, some of my favorite days are just hanging out on the couch with Val and the cats. Let’s get to the beer.

ABV: 4.8%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Opinionated and hopped-up, Introvert can easily be misunderstood for having a strong personality. But this artistically complex IPA seeks balance and creative harmony with low ABV and a relaxed pace. Explore Your Introvert, gather your closest friends and explore the possibilities. Hop aromas of tropical papaya and kiwi with woodsy pine, balanced by honey malt and a clean bitter finish.”

Random: This comes in at 55 IBUs.

The beer poured with a one finger, thick, off-white head. It took awhile to dissipate and left some lacing on the glass. The nose had a lot of tropical fruit up front, specifically pineapple and papaya along with some pine oil. The taste had the same tropical fruit notes of pineapple and papaya, but transitioned into grapefruit zest. Pine oil and sap came through next and went into malt at the end. The body was light and had a lot of carbonation. It had a lengthy finish with tropical fruit. A can of the beer was $1.83, which came down to $.15 per ounce. This was one of the better beers I’ve had from Left Hand. I would definitely stock a cooler with this.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Left Hand Extrovert IPA

Happy New Year! Tonight’s beer is one that I’ve been waiting to try from Left Hand. Hopefully, it’s a good one.

ABV: 7.1%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “ASSERTIVE TROPICAL HOPS BALANCED BY COMPLEX MALT GIVE THIS IPA A BIG PERSONALITY WITH A DRY FINISH. A hoppy attitude and a mouthful of dynamic flavors give this IPA a big personality. Assertive, fruit-forward hops with aromas of orange blossom and pineapple mingle with flavors of wet pine and sweet malt with a dry finish.”

Random: “Live PD” is one of my new favorite shows. Val isn’t a big fan of it, so I watch it when she stays late at work. Maybe she’ll start liking it?

The beer poured with a huge, three finger, fluffy head. It was off white in color and dissipated slowly, while leaving some lacing on the glass. The body was slightly hazy and bright orange with a lot of carbonation visible. The nose had notes of grass and pine with burnt pine needles. The taste was a lot brighter than the nose. It had a lot of citrus pith and lemon oil. Some pineapple and pine needles came out next with some mango and orange oil. The body was moderate thickness with lots of carbonation. The finish was lengthy with a lot of citrus pith. A can of this was $2, which broke down to $.17 per ounce. This was by far, the best Left Hand beer that I’ve had. I would definitely have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Left Hand A Blessing And A Curse

Today’s beer is one that I have heard absolutely no hype about. Left Hand is putting out a lot of new beers, which is nice to see. I had a few beers at Savor from them that were bordering on outstanding. Let’s see how this one fared, hopefully it’s good.

ABV: 9.5%

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Citrus, pine and tropical fruit characteristics with big ABV. This double IPA delivers a synthesis of hops from opposite hemispheres with an aggressive disposition of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit characteristics for a delightfully juxtaposed consequence. Count your blessings, accept the curse.”

Random: The label on this was super cute.

The beer poured with a large, three finger, pure white head. It took a long time to dissipate and left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was cloudy and dark orange in color. There was a lot of carbonation visible. The nose had old leaves and grain. Some grass and citrus peel came through next with overripe pineapple. The taste started with astringent alcohol that wasn’t pleasant. It quickly went into lots of malt with brown bread. The hops came through next with old citrus peel and the same overripe pineapple. It had aged pine needles next. The body was thick and chewy with light carbonation. It had a lengthy and sweet finish. A bomber of this was $9.49, which came to $.43 per ounce. This beer just wasn’t my thing. I wouldn’t rush back to have it.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Left Hand Saison Aux Baies Ameres

Tonight’s selection is a beer from Left Hand that I originally tried at Savor. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 6.8%

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Seasonal, farmhouse-style ales that feature native Colorado ingredients. Dry and crisp farmhouse-style ale. Mild tartness with bitter Colorado chokecherries.”

Random: I had no idea of what a chokecherry was, so I looked it up on wikipedia: “Chokecherry is a suckering shrub or small tree growing to 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in) tall. The leaves are oval, 3.2–10.2 cm (1 1⁄4–4 1⁄32 in) long, with a coarsely serrated margin. The flowers are produced in racemes 38.1–76.2 cm (15–30 in) long in late spring (well after leaf emergence). The fruits are about 1 cm (3⁄8 in) in diameter, range in color from bright red to black, and possess a very astringent taste, being both somewhat sour and somewhat bitter. The very ripe ‘berries’ (actually drupes) are dark in color and less astringent and sweeter than when red and unripe.”

The beer poured with a quarter finger of white head. It went away quickly and left no lacing on the glass. The body was a cloudy amber color with light carbonation visible. The nose started with a lot of yeast and flower petals. I picked up hibiscus and rose hips. There was a slight cherry note as well, along with some wheat. The taste was also very yeasty with flower petals. It was more hibiscus and cherries. There was also a wildflower honey quality to it. The body was way too thick with light carbonation. The finish was quick and yeasty. A pounder can was $2.50 ($.16 per ounce). This beer just needed more balance for me and I wish it had more cherry notes. I wouldn’t rush back to have this one.

Untappd Rating: 2.5/5.0

Left Hand Bittersweet

So, we just came back from Savor (again, remember I post months in advance). I enjoyed it a lot, but I thought the food was only alright. I did like that they had a lot of goses and pilsners on tap, because I prefer lighter ABV beers at an event like that. I’m glad we got to go. Anyways, beer time.

ABV: 8.9%

Style: Milk/Sweet Stout

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “SUPER SMOOTH COMBO OF COFFEE AND OUR CREAMY IMPERIAL SWEET STOUT. OUR BIG, AGGRESSIVE Bittersweet stout is made smooth and even creamier with the help of tiny nitrogen bubbles that are released when you poured hard. The coffee’s dark cherry flavors and spicy undertones weave into the rich, imperial milk stout like a chocolate-covered espresso bean melting on your tongue. Bitter then sweet. Sweet then bitter. It’s Bittersweet.”

Random: We got beer to take home too, which was great, except they didn’t give out bags.

The beer poured with a half a finger of tan head that dissipated slowly and left some lacing on the glass. It also had a small crown that was left behind as well. The body was a dark brown, almost black color with no visible carbonation due to the color. The nose was filled with black coffee, roasted malts and a touch of lactose. The taste started with a significant amount of lactose sweetness and cream. It had a lot of sweetness as well. It had some coffee as well. The taste reminded me of a really sweet coffee. It had some ash and smoke, but the taste was just overwhelmed by the sweetness. The body was smooth, but on the lighter side, despite the ABV. The alcohol was hidden and there was light carbonation. It had an almost instant, sweet finish. A bottle of this was $3.25, which broke down to $.27 per ounce. The beer was just too sweet for me, although I think it benefitted from being on nitro.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Left Hand Homefront IPA

I’ve been wanting to try this beer for awhile. If you follow the blog at all, you know I love baseball, so even though a beer that’s aged on baseball bats sounds gimmicky, I was all for it. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 6.6%

Style: American IPA

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Burnished copper color with a creamy white head. An aggressive aroma of pine followed by a nice citrus finish reminiscent of lemon curd and orange peel. Biscuit, honey, and grapefruit pith notes play ball on your tongue, followed by a memorable dry bitter finish. Nearing the end of the beer’s fermentation, orange zest and maple bats are added to the tank. Louisville Slugger sends each participating brewery specially engraved bats to add to the aging process. Originally developed in 2011 by Fremont Brewing Co. and Center of the Universe Brewing Co., Homefront IPA will be released by seven additional breweries this year: Left Hand Brewing Co., Cigar City, Perennial Artisan Ales, Sly Fox, St. Arnold’s, 21st Amendment, The Phoenix Ale Brewery, and Stone Brewing Co. All sales of Homefront IPA will go towards Operation Homefront, a national non-profit providing emergency assistance to military families and wounded warriors. Left Hand is the only participating Colorado brewery and will contribute 55 barrels to be sold in bottles and on draft nationwide. In 2014, a minimum of $150K from the sale of beer from participating breweries will be donated to Operation Homefront.”

Random: I’m thinking the Phils are going to trade Dom Brown before the deadline. We’ll see if I’m right.

This beer poured with a two finger, relatively thick, cream colored head. It dissipated slowly and left lots of lacing on the glass. The body was a clear, dark copper color with high carbonation visible. The nose had some light wood with fresh grassy hops and some grapefruit notes as well. The taste was more mellow than the typical IPA. There was grass, grapefruit and some floral hops as well. Orange zest was present as well. It was almost as if the wood from the bats mellowed it. The body was light with high carbonation prickling the tongue. It had a long finish with grapefruit and lightly toasted wood. This brew was decent, but it wasn’t anything mind-blowing, which was really disappointing because I wanted to love it.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Left Hand Beer Week Sauce Coffee Porter (2014)

This was the other beer that I had while at Blend. They said that it was a leftover from Philly Beer Week. Since it was one that I never tried, I figured I should give it a shot.

ABV: 6%

Style: American Porter

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “It’s time to hike up your standard for coffee beers. This is a beer for coffee lovers! Our black porter opens with a big coffee aroma which includes caramel, cocoa and hints of blueberry. The flavor starts slightly sweet before quickly fading to roasted grain and coffee notes. The roasted grain and coffee flavors meld beautifully with a slight toffee character before being swept away by an herbal hop kiss and lingering dry bitterness. This medium bodied beer is sure to wake you up and make you wonder if you are drinking beer or coffee.”

Random: I finally got a haircut today. I think I should have gone shorter.

This beer poured with a half a finger of tan head that dissipated slowly and left no lacing on the glass. The body itself was a dark brown color and clear with no visible carbonation due to the dark color. The nose had lots of coffee and roasted malt and some smoke as well. The taste had really strong dark coffee with dark chocolate and roasted malts. A touch of smoke was present as well. The taste was really, really rich with the coffee and chocolate, to the point of being almost decadent. The thick, velvety body and medium carbonation reminded me more of a stout than a porter. It had a drawn-out finish with strong coffee. I really enjoyed this beer and would definitely have it again. This would be a great beer for a coffee lover.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Left Hand Sawtooth Ale Nitro

I finally finished season one of “Carnivale.” I still think that I’m going to watch season two in case it gets better, but I wasn’t a huge fan. I’ve now switched to “Big Love.” I watched season one and enjoyed it, so hopefully season two is as good. Anyways, I had this one yesterday and was excited to try one of the nitro offerings from Left Hand.

ABV: 5.3%

Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “On the first night of the 2011 Great American Beer Festival, Left Hand changed craft beer history forever with the introduction of Milk Stout Nitro in a bottle. Left Hand is both the first American and the first craft brewery to master the science of bottling a Nitrogen beer without a widget. Two years later, we expanded the bottled Nitro series with Sawtooth Nitro and Wake Up Dead Nitro. To our fortunate & delight, the beers have met overwhelming excitement and reception, as fans can now enjoy the draft experience of a Nitro beer from home!”

Random: This series is slightly more upbeat than “Carnivale,” and by slightly, I mean really.

This brew poured with a half a finger of white head that dissipated slowly and left very little lacing on the pint glass. The body was a slightly cloudy burnt copper color with heavy carbonation visible throughout. The nose was mild with some caramel malt, vanilla and toffee. The taste was on the lighter side with caramel malts, nuttiness and some biscuit. There was a touch of hops at the end of the sip, but they were generally mild. The body was smooth and medium thickness with high carbonation. The finish was quick with caramel malt. The nitro version was very drinkable with decent flavor. I definitely enjoyed this one better than the regular version and would have it again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0