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Left Hand Wake Up Dead Barrel Aged
Left Hand Wake Up Dead
This is a beer I have been trying to hunt down for a while, Left Hand Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout. This is the barrel aged version, which has me even more excited.
Pours black, of course. Sweet vanilla, charred oak, and currants in the aroma. Flavor is even more complex with bourbon, more char, and smoke added. The evidence of the barrel aging is more pronounced as it warms. I’m even getting a hint of cherry, which really works. Cocoa powder and anise in there, as well. Hops finally come in at the end to provide a bitter finish.
A big fan of this. Huge flavors, obvious impact from the barrel aging, complex, balanced, very smooth. And the name? You’d never guess it weighs in at 10.2% ABV!
Posted in Beer Reviews
Tagged Bourbon Barrel Aged, Colorado, Imperial Stout, Left Hand, Stout
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Left Hand Fade to Black Volume 4
Left Hand Fade to Black Volume 4
Here is another season I look forward to every year, Left Hand Fade to Black. A different recipe every year, this fourth version is a “Rocky Mountain Black Ale”. Could fit into the Black IPA category as well.
Color certainly matches the title. Thin, creamy head floats atop a pitch black body. Very strong pine hops are noticed first. Charred wood comes through next, followed by sweet malt. Bitterness from the hops really linger. More than 60 IBUs almost make you pucker. Chocolate comes through as it warms.
The balance is what makes this so good. There is enough going on with the sweetness, bitterness, texture, and char to give it great flavor. This is why Fade to Black is so good!
Grade: A
Left Hand Fade to Black Volume 4 Coming Soon
LONGMONT, CO – Fade to Black. That time of year when the light fades away. In the fourth year of the renowned winter series, Left Hand introduces a Rocky Mountain Black Ale as Volume 4. Showcasing the duality of dry roasted malts and hop bitterness, Colorado Centennial hops take center stage of this pitch black ale.
Volume 4 looms overs its predecessors with a sharp bitterness and dry roast, celebrating the darkness and leering in the face of warmer days. The ale pours black as a winter night with an off white head. Your first inhale is dominated by citrus and roast, as slight sweet malt gets pushed back by initial citrusy hops followed by powerful Italian Amaro, Gentian and hop bitterness. The Rocky Mountain Black Ale finishes with a pleasant duality of dry roasted malts and hop bitterness.
Brewed for the darkness, Fade to Black speaks in volumes. Volume IV is the latest edition of Left Hand’s esteemed winter seasonal series. The Fade to Black family made its presence known beginning in 2009 with Volume 1, when the Foreign Export Stout won GABF Gold. The following years have presented our handsmoked Smoked Baltic Porter in 2010 and last year’s Pepper Porter featuring Chipotle, Serrano, & Ancho chiles, as Volume 2 and 3 respectively. This year’s Rocky Mountain Black Ale takes its place in the Fade to Black series, standing apart as the dry and bitter cousin. Perfect for those chilly winter nights, Left Hand’s Fade to Black is a cult favorite, as fans eagerly seek out each year’s offering.
About Left Hand Brewing Company
Celebrating nineteen years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. The brewery has received 18 medals at the Great American Beer Festival and 8 medals at the World Beer Cup, and its beers are now available in 25 states. “Sometimes you’re not in the mood for what everyone else is having.”
Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager
The rye style is one that’s been growing on me recently, so I’m excited to try Great Divide’s lager version, Hoss.
Pours a crisp, transparent amber, as expected. Floral and fruity hops come through most in the aroma. Loads of roasted, sweet malt are noticed first, followed by dark fruit,, spicy rye, and a very late bitter kick from the hops. As it warms, the flavors, especially the rye, become more pronounced. It’s rather fruitier than I anticipated, but it works.
Rye isn’t the foremost flavor here, but it’s there. Overall, it’s well balanced and tasty. Little higher ABV than you might expect from a lager with 6.2%. Definitely worth a try
Grade: B
Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale
The first thing that surprised me about Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale is how dark it is! Most Scotch Ales fall somewhere between amber to ruby, but this is mahogany to brown. Mind you, that’s not a bad thing.
I always start Scotch Ales with a bit of apprehension that they’re going to be too hopped. Thankfully, Great Divide has used restraint in the right way here. Smoked peat, toasted malt with just a hint of sweetness, but it’s far from cloying. Chocolate, raisins, and some wood in the finish. Hops do add some bitterness but they are kept in check, just like they should be in this style.
Pretty tasty!
Grade: B
- Great Divide Claymore
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti
Already a big fan of the “normal” Great Divide Yeti, I’m curious how the oak aging will affect the beer. The color is black, as expected, with some deep browns around the edges. The fluffy head might be the darkest I’ve ever seen. The aroma is mostly charcoal, chocolate, and toffee.
This is quite the big beer. More hops that usual with an Imperial Stout, keeping with the un-aged version. Lots of very bitter chocolate, toffee, and a bit of coffee. The oak aging shows up the most in the finish and the aftertaste. There are hints of vanilla along with a dry, woody aftertaste. Remarkably creamy for how much flavor and how aggressive this is, especailly when you consider it clocks in at 9.5% ABV.
It’s very, very good. But I’m not sure the oak aging will add enough for people who love that. I’d have to have the “normal” and the oak aged at the same time to compare. But you can’t go wrong with this one.
Grade: A
Left Hand TNT
Left Hand TNT
A dark wheat and tea offering here from Left Hand with TNT. Pours a rich, deep brown. Nose is a mix of tobacco, smoke, and cherries. Leather and smoke dominate the flavor. Cherries make an appearance, and the tea comes in late. There is a dry and bitter finish that I would associate with overdone unsweetened iced tea.
As I’m getting into it more and it warms, the smoke and leather are becoming more tame and the bad iced tea flavor is going away. More dark fruit flavors are coming out. And a hint of bacon.
I can’t say I love this, and I can’t say I hate it. But it’s different and worth trying. I don’t even know how to grade it.
Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter
The big aromas from Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter delightfully waft up the nose the second the bottle is opened. Smoked, deeply toasted malt, bittersweet chocolate. Those flavors carry over once you start drinking, as well.
Smooth and creamy, and since it’s a lager, the mouthfeel is lighter than you might expect. The hops don’t get in the way at all, leading to a slightly dry bitter chocolate finish.The smoke is there, but it’s not overpowering. In fact, I wonder how much it would be noticed if I didn’t know the name of the beer.
So what makes it “Baltic”? A take on the style from countries in the Baltic region. Lager and a little higher ABV at 7.5%. Nothing wrong with that!
Grade: B
- Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter
Tommy Knocker Maple Nut Brown
Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown
While a fan of Brown Ales, I am worried the addition of maple might make Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale cloyingly sweet.
Pours a frothy head and rich brown color. Nose is as expected, maple and roasted nuts. The maple comes through as the dominant flavor, but it’s not too sweet or overpowering. Tastes a lot like a peanut brittle. It’s creamy and smooth. Very easy to drink. The hops are basically non-existent.
It really is like drinking a peanut brittle with a maple glaze. Take that as you will
Grade: B
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Rather than focusing on spices, Breckenridge Christmas Ale instead reminds you of warm, sweet carbs.
Loads of sweet caramel and toffee followed by freshly baked dark bread fill the nose. The lacing left behind is like a dusting of snow on a mahogany cabin. The citrusy hops do eventually kick in with a bigger jolt than expected. More chocolate and a little bit of smoke as it warms.
I like this take on the style. There is a hint of cinnamon, but this is decidedly a malt-forward winter warmer. A quite tasty one
Grade: B