It’s a beer aficionado’s Eden: The Great American Beer Festival is the largest celebration of beer in the US, featuring 1,800 plus brews from over 400 of our nation’s finest craft breweries. The GABF is organized and produced annually in Denver, Colorado (since 1982) by the Brewers Association, a not-for-profit group whose mission is to promote and protect all things craft beer.
This year’s GABF takes place September 24th-26, and while the festival is sold out, we’re excited to have tickets set aside for a couple of our employees. We’ll be updating this blog with photos and stories from Denver, so check back next week for a couple hundred pints worth of beer news.
Hitachino Nest Beer XH is considered an American Strong Ale at 7% ABV,
produced one time only at Kiuchi Brewery in Japan. XH is aged in
Shocyu Sake casks, which gives the reddish pour its sweet, acidic
flavor. Roasted malts, a slightly funky yeast aroma and some balanced
hopping make this beer complex, and a good choice to pair with foods.
Neighborhood is featuring Stone Brewing's Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale on cask now.
This 'bittersweet' beer pours black into the glass and is a citrusy, hoppy 8.7% American strong ale. Serving this beer on cask allows more flavor notes and characteristics to come through because of a less carbonated pour.
In 2002, Stone Brewing Company released Vertical Epic 02-02-02, the first of 10 bottle conditioned, Belgian inspired ales in an annual series. One year, one month and one day later since, Stone has continued releasing these unique brews, meant for collection, and then consumption, once all 10 have been released in 2012. Because each ale tells a story from the year it was brewed, drank in ‘vertical’ order, your taste buds will experience the evolution. Check out Stone Brewing’s journal of past Vertical Epics, including the recipes and instructions to brew your own here.
09-09-09 Vertical Epic is a turning point in the tale; while past Vertical Epics have been of a lighter variety, this Belgian Porter has chocolatey, citrusy characteristics thanks to a combination of chocolate malts, and tangerine peel. Aged on French Oak, vanilla notes add to this beers complexity, making it the most decadent in the series so far.
Neighborhood currently has bottles of 09-09-09, as well as a keg.
If you haven't heard, we're pretty excited that San Diego will have a Beer Week to call its very own this November 6-15th. The official website is up and includes a calender of events taking place over the course of the festival.
We're pleased to be a San Diego Brewers Guild allied pub member, participating in several Beer Week events. Details are being finalized, but we do know that we'll be teaming up with Stone Brewing, Alesmith Brewing Co., The Lost Abbey and Karl Strauss for several events during Beer Week. We'll keep you updated, and in the meantime, check out SD Beer Week's website.
