I'm back from....

If you would,

break them down in detail, I am in the search for new brew....

:)

Bill - did you make it by Ft Collins brewery? Have you tried any of their beer? It's excellent.

_Randal

No but I did visit the Falling Rock and it was a ZOO! lol

Have you tried any of

I tried the choco stout at the festival and thought it was a bit "ashy" but being a 1 ounce sample, I'll reserve judgement until I get a bottle or what ever. I've had 2 of their lagers before(Edgar & Doktor) and both were pleasing to the palate.

Did you try the Utopia this time?

NO CRAP ON TAP!

I'll do my best. :^)

Btw, first up will be the Oktoberfests.

Widmer Okto: It's an amber ale for pete's sake, and a not very good one. I sensed an almost cinnamon flavour to it but that's about as close a compliment as I can give it. A big thumbs down.

Nah. Even though I was one of the first few thousand to enter the center, there were no Utopia to be had. :^( Sam Adams *did* have a couple of experimental beers to sample; Sample A a Bohemian Pilsner and Sample B a Brown Ale. I only tried the Brown and it was decent enough.

I was there Thursday night. They started serving Utopia at 7:00. Jim Koch was working the booth.

I stopped by the booth again around 8:30, and they were still pouring it.

It's quite a beer. I don't think it's worth the price though. But if it were $40-$50 a bottle, I'd buy it (similar to a midrange cognac).

Tim

Sorry you missed it. We went to their booth first and asked if they would have the Utopia and was told that it would not be served until 7:00. When we went back at 7:00 Jim Koch was pouring the Utopia himself. It was wonderful.

We also tried the Brown and the Bo Pils on Saturday, the Brown was definitely better.

The Seven Year Itch from Wynkoop was also excellent.

Erdinger Weizen Oktoberfest:

This one is good! The sweetness of the malt mixed well with the clove flavour of the wheat and it's so drinkable. I give it a thumbs...err...that's not how we do it here. ;^) Good Shit!

I saved the Spaten Oktoberfest for last because it was the only one I bought that I had before.

First off, it was the only German that was in a green bottle and when I first popped the cap, there was a smell of some skunkiness(?) but...it didn't translate to a nasty taste. Good malty flavour up front, in the middle, and in the end. And not much else so I have to rank it 4th in the 4 German Oktoberfests I tried. Still...I'd buy it again and I give it a good rating.

Only Oktoberfest I have left is the Avery The Kaiser and I LOVED that son of a gun the last time I had it. :^)

Hmmm....left off a couple of brews:

Stone Imperial Russian Stout St. Bernardus ABT 12 (750ml)