Thursday, June 14, 2012

BrewDog TV







Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co. Crazy Mountain Amber Ale


 Today's selection comes from a wonderful new brewery tucked away in the heart of Vail Colorado, Crazy Mountain Brewing Company. Those of you in the West may already be familiar with them, but Crazy Mountain's recent brewery expansion has now made it possible for those of us in Florida and Texas to enjoy their beers as well. Founded in 2010 by Kevin Selvy, Crazy Mountain has already gone down the expansion road which brewery's like Oskar Blues, Green Flash and Lagunitas are currently on.  This expansion has allowed Kevin to increase the brewery's production from 1,300 barrels to 5,000 barrels, with a target goal of 12,000 barrels by the end of 2012.

 In addition to being the brewery CEO, Kevin is also its Brewmaster. He and Head Brewer Grant Smith churn out 8 year-round brews and 3 seasonals. They have chosen cans as their preferred vessel for their core brand  six packs, supplementing the portfolio with a selection of 22 ounce bombers. Being the adventurous brewers that they are, they also plan to release a few single batch limited releases in 750ml bottles. Each of their beers has its own charitable association. 1% of the sales from the beer goes to a select charity whose focus is conservation, sustainability, community or family & social issues.




   












Crazy Mountain is thoroughly engaged in water conservation and water quality control in their beers. Here's Kevin to tell us I little bit more about their water initiative.....






 I picked Crazy Mountain Amber Ale for my first sampling. The beer pours a deep Golden/Amber hue with a slightly Off-White fluffy head. Its aroma is delightfully fresh and floral, not too citrusy or musty. The flavor is a great balance of West Coast hop character and light malt. Brewed with Centennial and Cascade hops its 25 IBU's would, by most standards, be considered very mild. But there's definitely a bitterness to it. Not long lingering, but still able to provide the most discerning "hop-head" with a fulfilling libation. Crazy Mountain's attention to their water is quite evident  in the refreshing mouth-feel of the beer. Carbonation levels are also quite low, which only adds to the beer's smooth drinkability. Crazy Mountain Brewing's  Amber Ale checks in at 5.25% ABV, which puts it smack-dab in the middle of my "Sessionable" wheelhouse. I highly recommend trying this one, and I look forward to more offerings from Crazy Mountain Brewing Company. Cheers!  

For more info visit: Crazy Mountain