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Black Shirt Brewing

February 24, 2013 in ale, beer, brewery, colorado, craft beer, hops, microbrew, pale ale, sour

With a plethora of breweries opening in Denver in 2013, breweries have to set themselves apart. Some may focus on sours, or organic or heavy metal theme, or, like the most recent brewery I’ve sampled, red beers. Black Shirt Brewing in Denver set themselves apart with a unique and fantastic take on reds.

A bit of a breakdown. Pale Red (5.2% ABV, 35 IBUs) clean and crisp pale with citrus aromas and just enough hops to intrigue you. BSB Red (6.5% ABV, 42 IBUs) their original beer – with coffee, caramel and dark chocolate, with citrus and fruity undertones. The Red Saison (6.5% ABV, 42 IBUs) has a balance of coriander, clove and pepper spices, and a bit toffee and caramel finish. Red IPA/Chinook (5.5% ABV, 85 IBUs), as always,

I’m a hop head and love IPAs. This IPA has a nice floral aroma with earthy spice and a touch of pine (yum yum!), but it’s not an IPA that will punch-you-in-the-face-hops, it’s well balanced.  The BSB  Sour Marsh Red Saison (6.5% ABV, 10 IBUs) is quite interesting, not a typical tart sour. Light sours notes, with the sweetness of toffee and spice. The Red Porter (6% ABV, 40 IBUs) is also a fantastic treat. Black coffee and dark chocolate notes with a bit of caramel and a slight bitter finish. On a cold snowy night, I finished my evening with a glass.

3719 Walnut Street
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 993-2799
www.blackshirtbrewingco.com

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Petrus Aged Pale (Flanders Oud Bruin)

April 19, 2012 in ale, pale ale, sour

Sour beers are interesting; you either love them, or hate them, or (hopefully) learn to appreciate them.

The first time I tried a sour at GABF in 2010 with BeerSnobDaddy I said aloud, “Why is this even a beer?” But I’ve grown to have a great fondness of sour beers, and Petrus is a sour worth seeking out.

Petrus Aged Pale (Flanders Oud Bruin) from Brouwerij Bavik in Belgium. It’s gold in color, with just enough head on the pour. It’s aroma is sweet and tart, with green apple, citrus and a bit of oat (it’s been aged in an oak barrel, so I’d think so!). It’s sour, but not too sour, very smooth and drinkable. Someone said to me it tastes like a Sweet Tart to them. 7.3% ABV.

A little about sour beers: brewing is done is a sterile environment, sour beers are made by allowing yeast strains or bacteria into the brew. Often times brewers will add fruit, like cherries or raspberries during the aging to cause fermentation. These beers are unpredictable and take months to ferment and sometimes years to mature.

The next time you come across a sour beer, really take the time to smell and taste what’s in your glass. Enjoy!

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