Bought three 6-packs of New Belgium this weekend, and over the course of the week (particularly on Wednesday, when Markie and Matt came over to assist me with my Winterfest training) I've tried all of them.

I'm not a big fan of the Abbey, their dubbel. I'm generally lukewarm towards that style in general though.

Tripels are always at least "good," but their Trippel was great, very fruity. Deceptively drinkable as well.

The Sunshine Wheat beer is pretty close to a Witbier. I don't know why Beer Advocate has it as an American Pale Wheat Ale, but I tried to have this alongside pepperoni pizza and it may have been the worst beer-and-food pair I've ever made.

(Well no, the worst was when I had that Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter, usually one of my favorite beers, with my brother's famous crusted prime rib.)

By itself or with cheese, however, the Sunshine Wheat is delicious. And the bottles! The label design on New Belgium beers really classes up our fridge.

Labels: Abbey, Dubbel, New Belgium Brewing, Sunshine Wheat, Tripel, Trippel, Witbier

Oh my god, why did I not see a doctor about this years ago? I just gave myself a few sprays of Flonase and this New Belgium Skinny Dip is so sweet, and just a little grassy. Hurrah for blondes!

I won't claim that I suddenly have super powers, but it's clear that I'm a little out of practice when it comes to actually tasting my beers. I would have reflexively gulped this down if not for the smell.

And the doc said that the cumulative effect of this stuff is substantial (the Flonase, not the beer — but also the beer), so in between the spray and my neti pot I think I have my senses under control. No more Belgian Beer Fest debacles (about which more later).

Now if I could just figure out what makes me this way every winter... next stop, the allergist.

Labels: American Blonde Ale, New Belgium Brewing, Skinny Dip

Tonight Matt had a cookout, Jucy Lucys as always, and I had a Mothership Wit, then a (good, sweet-tasting) Trout Slayer Ale. I was already a bit buzzed when I had it, but it did seem very good. Continuing the fish theme, one of Matt's friends wore a Lakemaid T-shirt.

I downgraded to (Sierra Nevada) Colaweizen after those beers... but I don't think I'm going to finish this second one now that everyone is gone. These are so much better with Hefeweizen.

I'm definitely a sucker for fruit flavors in beer. The cashier at Spirits of Nisswa pointed out that my preference for Hopslam over HopDevil probably has a lot to do with the grapefruit flavors in the former.

Labels: Big Sky Brewing, Colaweizen, Mothership Wit, New Belgium Brewing, Trout Slayer

My coworker Pete hosted a cookout yesterday, so I brought four beers: a Two Hearted, a Skinny Dip, and two Sierra Nevada Stouts.

I enjoyed the first two, as usual — I think the Skinny Dip may have been more subdued following the Two Hearted — and the Stouts weren't bad. Although as b/4, they weren't really interesting enough for me.

Several of his guests like good beer, and we had a brief conversation about the weirdness of Surly brews (if you don't like one, you can always plausibly claim that you just don't understand it), the upcoming Flying Dog mix-packs, and their fondness for the Flat Earth Black Helicopter, easily (because I hate coffee flavors) my least favorite local beer.

Later on I was offered a Stella Artois and I just couldn't refuse. It's not that Stella is better than the Two Hearted or the Skinny Dip, but on an intellectual level Stella is so interesting — with its references in Achewood, failed British ad campaign, and mysterious choice of green glass for the bottles — that I like it far more than I would an identical beer under a different brand name.

Labels: American Blonde Ale, American IPA, American Stout, Bell's Brewing, Euro Pale Lager, New Belgium Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Skinny Dip, Stella Artois, Two Hearted Ale

It's really grassy. Did I mention that it's grassy? So it's not really a good pairing with raspberry pheasant.

Labels: American Blonde Ale, New Belgium Brewing, Skinny Dip

Had a New Belgium Skinny Dip with dinner tonight. It was really good, light but full-flavored and delicious.

Labels: American Blonde Ale, New Belgium Brewing, Skinny Dip

On my way up north this weekend I stopped at Spirits of Nisswa — possibly the last good liquor store if you're heading up north&mdash and picked up a mix-pack of New Belgium and a growler(!) of Rogue Dead Guy Ale.

The New Belgium mix-pack had 1554, Fat Tire, Mothership Wit, and Mighty Arrow. I discovered that I don't really care for Fat Tire, which I've had many times before but never been so disappointed by, and Mighty Arrow was a standard pale. There's not much those can do from what I can tell.

I enjoyed the subtlety of the 1554, which didn't destroy my taste buds with its coffee taste, and I ended up really liking the Mothership Wit, albeit not quite as much as I like Springboard.

Do not attempt to finish a growler alone on an empty stomach. I probably won't be able to have Dead Guy for a while now.

Labels: 1554, American Amber Ale, APA, Belgian Dark Ale, Dead Guy Ale, Fat Tire, Growler, Maibock, Mighty Arrow, Mothership Wit, New Belgium Brewing, Rogue Ales Brewery, Spirits of Nisswa, Witbier